Hello, once again,
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from the
beautiful island of Oahu,
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So happy to be here
with Secrets Unsealed,
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and I hope that you're
being blessed here in Hawaii,
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and at this moment
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we're
concluding in this message,
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our series "Silencing Satan."
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Now we've seen the process
of God's elimination of evil
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from its very beginnings
in heaven and step by step
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how He's methodically
and clearly revealed
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all the principles at
stake in the Great Controversy,
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so every eye will see
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and everyone will understand
and when everything is done,
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we can rest assure
that God has done everything
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He can to save the lost
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and be fair in His
destruction of the wicked.
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So our message now
is simply entitled,
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Nahum 1:9.
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But, of course,
before we do any study,
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we always need to
begin with a word of prayer.
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So let us bow our heads.
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Dear Heavenly Father,
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I thank You so much
for this beautiful day.
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I thank You for life at all.
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And I thank You, of
course, for eternal life
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which is ours in Jesus Christ.
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Please, Father, condescend
to be with us in this room.
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And not just in a vague way,
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but in a very special
way and an individual way,
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speak to each mind
and soften each heart
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to not only hear and understand
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but to receive the word
that You have for us today,
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that we may be with You,
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and by Your grace be like You,
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for we pray it all
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Let's return to where
we started our whole series
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with the beginning
in Matthew Chapter 13.
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Matthew Chapter 13, we
find starting with verse 24,
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the parable of the
Wheat and the Tares.
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And as I mentioned
in our previous message
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we've taken this
apart piece by piece,
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but I want to draw us
back to the conclusion
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of the parables
found in verse 28.
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When the reapers or
the servants of the owner
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recognize that
something is wrong
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that there are
tares in the field,
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the explanation is given.
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"He said to them," verse 28,
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"'An enemy has done this.'
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The servants said to him,
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'Do you want us then
to go and gather them up?'
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But he said 'No lest
while you gather up the tares
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you also uproot
the wheat with them.'"
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Now, clearly, the
owner of the field
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has no problem with these people
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gathering the bad out,
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and reaping or
harvesting his field,
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but it was not to
be done at that time.
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Why?
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Because in their
zeal to uproot the bad,
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they might also
take out the good.
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So it was the owner's
motive of love for the wheat
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that allowed and permitted
the tares to grow a while.
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Notice what he says.
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Verse 30,
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but "Let both grow
together until," what event?
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"The harvest, and
at the time of harvest,
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I will say to the reapers,
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'First gather together the tares
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and bind them in
bundles and burn them,
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but gather the
wheat into my barn.'"
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Now what I find
fascinating about this,
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it's the same group of people,
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the same servants of
the owner, the same reapers,
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who would have
been employed early on
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but he restrained them,
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no, no, no, we'll not do it yet.
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That at the end at
the harvest he can say,
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"Now you can go."
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Early on, there
was no distinction
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between the two, it
was not clear enough
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and they would do a poor job,
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they would
actually harm the wheat
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instead of just
getting rid of the tares.
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But at the end, apparently,
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there will be such
a clear distinction,
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it will be so evident
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that the owner
can trust the servants
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to designate
between the differentiate...
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between the wheat and the tares.
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It will be
visible, it will be clear.
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Verse 39,
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Jesus gives the explanation
of this part of the parable.
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"The enemy who
sowed them is the devil,
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the harvest is
the end of the age,
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and the reapers are the angels."
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So Jesus will
return with His angel host
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and they will gather up
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either the wicked into
bundles to burn or the wheat,
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the righteous directly
into the barn of Christ
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to come home with Him.
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Matthew Chapter 7,
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if we go back just a
few passages earlier,
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few chapters
earlier, Matthew Chapter 7.
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Jesus speaks about
that time of His own return
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in the response of the wicked.
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And notice what He
says interestingly enough,
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in Matthew 7:21.
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"Not everyone who says to Me,
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'Lord, Lord' shall
enter the kingdom of heaven,
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but he who does the will
of My Father in heaven.'"
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Now that's an
interesting thought.
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Well, let's keep developing it.
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He goes on to say
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"Many will say
to Me in that day,
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'Lord, Lord,
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have we not
prophesied in Your name,
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cast out demons in Your name,
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and done many
wonders in Your name?'
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And then I will declare to them,
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'I never knew
you, depart from Me,
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you who practice lawlessness!'"
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Now, let's break
this down a little bit.
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Apparently, some will expect
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to go with
Christ when He returns,
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but they won't be accepted.
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Why?
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Because according to
the Lord's own words,
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"He never knew them
because they practiced,"
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what's that word?
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Lawlessness.
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What is lawlessness?
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Well, let's look to the
Bible for our definition.
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Let's go to the Book of 1 John,
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the first epistle
of the Apostle John.
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1 John 3:4, 5.
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We find this
succinct definition.
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1 John 3:4, 5.
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Says, "Whoever commits
sin also commits lawlessness,
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and sin is lawlessness."
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So the equivalence is made there
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directly in the
scripture that lawlessness,
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that reason
people don't know Christ
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and therefore not
admitted into the kingdom
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is in reality a simple
three letter word, sin.
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Sin is lawlessness.
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And then it says in verse 5,
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"And you know
that He was manifested
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to take away our sins,
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and in Him there is no sin."
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So Christ says, "I
have no sin in Me."
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And He says to people,
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oh, but we've
done this in your name,
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your name, you say yes,
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but you practice lawlessness.
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And that doesn't
fit in where I live.
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That's in Revelation 22
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in verse 14.
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Notice what it says here
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about those who gain entrance
into the kingdom of heaven.
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"Blessed are those
who do His commandments,
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that they may have the
right to the tree of life,
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and may enter through
the gates into the city."
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So apparently,
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heaven is a place without sin.
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Now that should
go without saying,
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but apparently there
will be no lawlessness,
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no sin in the society of heaven.
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And God wants to
be bring us there.
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So apparently we
have an issue with sin.
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Now we looked at the
four steps of Satan's fall,
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if you recall, first step, one,
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Christ recognized the
iniquity or the sin in His heart
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and cast him out.
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Step two, happened
at the cross of Calvary
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when all the on
looking universe,
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the unfallen angel
hosts those sons of God
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witnessed with their own
eyes, the murder of Jesus,
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and they lost all
sympathy for Satan,
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and they cast him
out of their hearts.
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And in the great final day,
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as we studied in
our last message,
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even the wicked will someday
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understand all the
issues in the Great Controversy,
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and they will recognize
the rebellion of Satan.
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But, you know what?
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We're not living in stage one,
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God took care of
that some 6000 years ago.
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Nor are we living in stage two
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when Jesus came
to die on the cross.
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He did that, praise
the Lord, successfully.
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And we're not there yet
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when Satan will be destroyed
in that great final day.
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We find ourselves
in this continuum,
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in this process
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living in this step three,
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which Revelation
12:11 talks about,
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how they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb,
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by the word of their testimony,
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they didn't love
their lives to the death."
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So there's some
overcoming that needs to occur
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if we're going to be citizens
of God's kingdom in heaven.
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And when it comes to sin,
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we all have two problems.
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When it comes to
sin, every human being,
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man and woman has
these two problems.
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First of all, we have to
deal with a record of our past.
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And then we have to
deal with our prospects
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for the future.
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Two simple problems,
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all of our past
and all of our future.
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Today's study is
gonna look at God's solution
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to those two problems,
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how we can successfully
come through this stage three
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and enter into heaven
when Jesus comes with,
00:10:07.60\00:10:11.64
into His glory.
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.04
So problem one is our past,
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let's lay a biblical foundation.
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You know, let's go
to Isaiah Chapter 59.
00:10:18.15\00:10:21.38
And as you go there,
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let me tell you
a little anecdote,
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a true story, in
my own experience,
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where I worked
with a senior pastor
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at one point
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who made the statement to me.
00:10:30.99\00:10:33.16
"Everybody's always
talking about getting saved,
00:10:33.19\00:10:34.96
getting saved, getting saved,"
00:10:35.00\00:10:36.33
he said, "Let me
tell you the trick."
00:10:36.36\00:10:37.70
He's like, "You
got to get them lost
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before you get them saved."
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There are plenty of people
who feel that they're saved
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but they never recognized
00:10:43.27\00:10:44.61
that they were lost
to begin with, right?
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We have to deal
with the problem first
00:10:46.88\00:10:49.44
and then look at
the solution, right?
00:10:49.48\00:10:51.11
That only makes sense.
00:10:51.15\00:10:52.48
Isaiah Chapter 59
diagnosis it very succinctly.
00:10:52.51\00:10:56.38
He says here, verse 1,
00:10:56.42\00:10:58.29
"Behold, the Lord's
hand is not shortened,
00:10:58.32\00:11:00.32
that it cannot
save, nor his ear heavy,
00:11:00.36\00:11:03.63
that it cannot hear.
00:11:03.66\00:11:05.33
Verse 2, what's the problem?
00:11:05.36\00:11:06.70
"But your
iniquities have separated you
00:11:06.73\00:11:09.03
from your God,
00:11:09.06\00:11:10.50
and your sins have
hidden His face from you,
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.57
so that He will not hear."
00:11:12.60\00:11:15.17
We all have sinned.
00:11:15.20\00:11:16.54
In fact, in Isaiah Chapter
64, if you go to the right,
00:11:16.57\00:11:20.38
that very sentiment
is clearly expressed.
00:11:20.41\00:11:25.05
Isaiah Chapter 64.
00:11:25.08\00:11:26.41
And let's look at verse 6.
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"Notice the holistic
language employed by the prophet
00:11:29.02\00:11:33.96
to diagnose our problem."
00:11:33.99\00:11:37.39
Isaiah 64:6,
00:11:37.43\00:11:38.89
"But we are all
like an unclean thing,"
00:11:38.93\00:11:42.40
goes on,
00:11:45.53\00:11:46.87
"and all our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags,
00:11:46.90\00:11:51.37
we all fade as a
leaf and our iniquities,
00:11:51.41\00:11:54.38
like the wind,
have taken us away.
00:11:54.41\00:11:57.28
Notice how many times
00:11:57.31\00:11:58.65
he uses that
three letter word all.
00:11:58.68\00:12:00.12
We've all sinned,
all of our righteousness,
00:12:00.15\00:12:03.02
all fade as a leaf.
00:12:03.05\00:12:05.55
But notice also,
it didn't just say
00:12:05.59\00:12:07.02
all of our wickedness.
00:12:07.06\00:12:08.52
What does he say?
00:12:08.56\00:12:09.89
All of our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags.
00:12:09.92\00:12:14.96
Friends, even the good
things we do are stained by sin.
00:12:15.00\00:12:20.04
Anything that we
do on our behalf,
00:12:20.07\00:12:22.04
any good deed, any righteous act
00:12:22.07\00:12:23.84
that we may do,
in our estimation
00:12:23.87\00:12:25.91
compared to other
people may be pretty decent,
00:12:25.94\00:12:27.81
but according to God's
noble and high standard,
00:12:27.84\00:12:30.25
it still fall short.
00:12:30.28\00:12:32.68
All our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags.
00:12:32.71\00:12:35.62
Let's go to the New
Testament Book of Romans.
00:12:35.65\00:12:38.95
The Apostle Paul
drives this point home,
00:12:38.99\00:12:40.96
picks up the baton from Isaiah,
00:12:40.99\00:12:43.32
and really tells us the
truth in Romans Chapter 3,
00:12:43.36\00:12:45.99
look at verse 23.
00:12:46.03\00:12:47.40
You probably know
this passage by heart.
00:12:47.43\00:12:50.17
It says here, "All
have sinned and fall short
00:12:50.20\00:12:54.84
of the glory of God."
00:12:54.87\00:12:57.31
By the way, there's an
equivalence in scripture
00:12:57.34\00:12:59.04
between the glory of
God and the character of God
00:12:59.07\00:13:01.78
and it says, "All
have sinned and fall short
00:13:01.81\00:13:05.55
of the glory of God."
00:13:05.58\00:13:07.92
So over and over,
00:13:07.95\00:13:09.28
both Old and New Testaments
00:13:09.32\00:13:10.75
lays out a very grim
diagnosis for our problem
00:13:10.79\00:13:16.52
that all of us have sinned
00:13:16.56\00:13:18.79
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:13:18.83\00:13:21.83
Look at 6:23,
00:13:21.86\00:13:24.33
right there in
the Book of Romans.
00:13:24.37\00:13:27.70
We've got the diagnosis,
now what is the prognosis?
00:13:27.74\00:13:31.64
"For the wages of sin is," what?
00:13:31.67\00:13:34.94
"Death."
00:13:34.98\00:13:37.55
Now think about
that for a minute.
00:13:37.58\00:13:38.91
Everybody sinned, that means
that everybody is going to die.
00:13:38.95\00:13:43.75
Friends, that is not
good news, but it is truth.
00:13:43.79\00:13:47.39
All have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God,
00:13:47.42\00:13:49.39
and the wages of sin is death.
00:13:49.42\00:13:51.46
But notice, praise God
00:13:51.49\00:13:52.83
that the sentence
doesn't end with a period,
00:13:52.86\00:13:54.63
it actually goes
to a comma and says,
00:13:54.66\00:13:56.46
"But the gift of
God is eternal life
00:13:56.50\00:14:01.77
in Jesus Christ our Lord."
00:14:01.80\00:14:03.47
Amen?
00:14:03.51\00:14:04.84
So the wages...
00:14:04.87\00:14:06.21
By the way,
what's the difference
00:14:06.24\00:14:07.58
between a wage and a gift?
00:14:07.61\00:14:08.94
Wages are something
you earn by doing works.
00:14:08.98\00:14:12.41
Our works have earned us
00:14:12.45\00:14:15.22
according to heaven's ledger,
00:14:15.25\00:14:17.09
the wages of sin which is death.
00:14:17.12\00:14:19.95
But the gift of God,
00:14:19.99\00:14:22.39
a gift is not
something you can earn,
00:14:22.42\00:14:23.96
it's only something
you can receive gratefully,
00:14:23.99\00:14:26.13
the gift of God is eternal
life and where is it found?
00:14:26.16\00:14:29.70
In Christ Jesus, our Lord.
00:14:29.73\00:14:32.40
So all of us have
this record of wrong,
00:14:32.43\00:14:34.50
even if we were to somehow
00:14:34.54\00:14:35.87
muster the ability
to take on the future
00:14:35.90\00:14:37.97
without any help from
God and still not fall,
00:14:38.01\00:14:40.48
we'd still not get in.
00:14:40.51\00:14:42.74
Because we've
already, each one of us
00:14:42.78\00:14:44.61
strewn a record of sins
00:14:44.65\00:14:47.08
that we have to deal with.
00:14:47.12\00:14:49.88
So how does God deal
with this sin problem?
00:14:49.92\00:14:54.29
We say, it was right
there, the gift of God,
00:14:54.32\00:14:55.86
He just gives it away.
00:14:55.89\00:14:57.33
He's like, there you go.
00:14:57.36\00:14:58.69
Have some...
00:14:58.73\00:15:00.20
Have a gift,
00:15:00.23\00:15:02.33
which is true, but
how does he do this?
00:15:02.36\00:15:05.47
What is the
mechanism of salvation
00:15:05.50\00:15:07.14
when it comes to our
record of sins in the past?
00:15:07.17\00:15:10.44
Let's go back now
to the Book of Isaiah,
00:15:10.47\00:15:12.54
the same one that gives us
the diagnosis of the problem
00:15:12.57\00:15:16.18
also gives us the
prescription for the remedy.
00:15:16.21\00:15:20.25
Isaiah Chapter 53,
00:15:20.28\00:15:22.75
we'll start with verse 6.
00:15:26.59\00:15:28.82
The same language He used
to diagnose our sin problem
00:15:28.86\00:15:31.69
He now uses
again in Isaiah 53:6,
00:15:31.73\00:15:35.50
he says, "All we like
sheep have gone astray,
00:15:35.53\00:15:39.93
we have turned,
every one, to his own way,
00:15:39.97\00:15:43.14
and the Lord has laid on
Him the iniquity of us all.
00:15:43.17\00:15:49.14
So there's that all
again, "All have sinned."
00:15:49.18\00:15:52.05
All we like
sheep have gone astray
00:15:52.08\00:15:54.52
and the Lord has laid on him
00:15:54.55\00:15:56.82
the iniquity or transgression
or sin or lawlessness,
00:15:56.85\00:16:01.49
whatever word you
want to ascribe to that,
00:16:01.52\00:16:03.66
He has laid that sin on Him.
00:16:03.69\00:16:08.60
That is Jesus Christ.
00:16:08.63\00:16:11.00
Go back to Isaiah Chapter 61.
00:16:11.03\00:16:12.63
Turn to the right very quickly.
00:16:12.67\00:16:15.00
Isaiah Chapter 61.
00:16:15.04\00:16:18.67
We continue our Bible study here
00:16:18.71\00:16:20.68
looking at our
problem number one,
00:16:20.71\00:16:22.04
which is our past.
00:16:22.08\00:16:23.41
So what is solution number one?
00:16:23.45\00:16:25.41
Isaiah 61:10.
00:16:25.45\00:16:31.49
Notice what it says here,
00:16:31.52\00:16:32.85
"I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord,
00:16:32.89\00:16:34.52
my soul shall be
joyful in my God,
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.46
for He has clothed me
with the garments of salvation,
00:16:37.49\00:16:42.26
He has covered me with
the robe of righteousness,
00:16:42.30\00:16:46.97
as a bridegroom decks
himself with ornaments,
00:16:47.00\00:16:50.51
as a bride adorns
herself with her jewels."
00:16:50.54\00:16:53.01
So He has laid on us
00:16:53.04\00:16:56.24
His robe of righteousness.
00:16:56.28\00:16:57.61
You notice there's an exchange,
00:16:57.65\00:16:58.98
for the Lord has laid on
Him the iniquity of us all,
00:16:59.01\00:17:01.48
and in exchange
the Lord has laid on us
00:17:01.52\00:17:04.05
Christ's robe of righteousness.
00:17:04.09\00:17:06.25
Friends, the solution
to problem number one,
00:17:06.29\00:17:08.72
which is our sinful record
that we've already established
00:17:08.76\00:17:11.89
is the
righteousness of Christ on us,
00:17:11.93\00:17:17.07
the
righteousness of Christ on us.
00:17:17.10\00:17:19.27
This is such a powerful idea,
00:17:19.30\00:17:22.00
such a central
pillar to the gospel
00:17:22.04\00:17:23.91
that in the Book of
Zachariah Chapter 3,
00:17:23.94\00:17:27.28
an illustration
of this is given.
00:17:27.31\00:17:30.65
Zachariah Chapter 3,
we'll begin with verse 1.
00:17:30.68\00:17:35.72
Isaiah, I'm sorry,
Zachariah Chapter 3,
00:17:35.75\00:17:37.79
beginning with verse 1, we read.
00:17:37.82\00:17:40.66
"Then he showed me..."
00:17:40.69\00:17:42.39
And me being
Zachariah here, the Prophet.
00:17:42.42\00:17:45.86
"Joshua the high priest
00:17:45.89\00:17:47.63
standing before
the angel of the Lord,
00:17:47.66\00:17:49.50
and Satan
standing at his right hand
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.23
to oppose him."
00:17:52.27\00:17:53.60
Some version
say, "To accuse him."
00:17:53.64\00:17:56.20
So get the picture.
00:17:56.24\00:17:57.71
Here's Zachariah the
prophet is shown a vision,
00:17:57.74\00:18:01.04
and in that
vision he sees Joshua,
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.41
and Joshua was not
just your run of the mill
00:18:03.45\00:18:05.05
everyday Hebrew boy,
00:18:05.08\00:18:06.41
he is a man in the role
of a high priest, right?
00:18:06.45\00:18:09.55
Joshua, the high
priest, which of course,
00:18:09.58\00:18:12.09
in the Hebrew
economy was a representation
00:18:12.12\00:18:14.96
of the highest position,
00:18:14.99\00:18:16.69
spiritually
speaking, that one could hope.
00:18:16.73\00:18:19.33
"He showed me
Joshua, the high priest
00:18:19.36\00:18:21.06
standing before
the angel of the Lord,
00:18:21.10\00:18:25.33
and Satan
standing at his right hand
00:18:25.37\00:18:27.47
to oppose or to accuse him."
00:18:27.50\00:18:30.27
Now, here's
Joshua, the high priest,
00:18:30.31\00:18:31.81
I'm sure in those
garments of fine fabric
00:18:31.84\00:18:37.01
and gold that were built
00:18:37.05\00:18:38.38
just for the
high priest to wear.
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.32
And he's standing
before the angel of the Lord,
00:18:40.35\00:18:43.45
but also there is Satan there
00:18:43.49\00:18:45.55
and what is Satan's
purpose at this meeting,
00:18:45.59\00:18:48.06
this encounter?
00:18:48.09\00:18:49.42
It's to oppose or to accuse him.
00:18:49.46\00:18:51.39
Now, if you were standing
before the judgment bar of God,
00:18:54.86\00:18:58.80
and Satan were to
show up and accuse you,
00:18:58.83\00:19:01.40
would he have any
legitimate grounds
00:19:01.44\00:19:03.47
to hold against you?
00:19:03.51\00:19:05.61
Now, I'm not
asking for volunteers
00:19:05.64\00:19:06.98
and this is not a
testimony service.
00:19:07.01\00:19:08.44
So keep your
hands down, that's okay.
00:19:08.48\00:19:12.45
But each one of us
00:19:12.48\00:19:15.72
would have some
legitimate record of wrong
00:19:15.75\00:19:18.12
that he could read off.
00:19:18.15\00:19:20.69
So almost it's to
say, "All right judge,
00:19:20.72\00:19:22.12
I'd like to bring before
you this date right here."
00:19:22.16\00:19:25.96
And just for this one day,
00:19:25.99\00:19:27.96
we have this
issue, the next day,
00:19:28.00\00:19:30.67
these issues,
00:19:30.70\00:19:32.03
I hereby move that
he be denied access
00:19:32.07\00:19:35.20
to your kingdom
based on his record.
00:19:35.24\00:19:37.51
You notice by the way,
Joshua's not saying a word.
00:19:43.14\00:19:46.58
Just standing there hearing it.
00:19:46.61\00:19:48.75
Verse 2.
00:19:48.78\00:19:50.39
"And the Lord said to Satan,
'The Lord rebuke you, Satan.
00:19:50.42\00:19:54.42
The Lord who has
chosen Jerusalem rebuke you,"
00:19:54.46\00:19:57.86
is this speaking of Joshua,
00:19:57.89\00:20:00.13
"not a brand
plucked from the fire."
00:20:00.16\00:20:04.07
Now notice that
God does not say,
00:20:04.10\00:20:06.03
he did not sin.
00:20:06.07\00:20:09.94
Satan knows that He has sinned.
00:20:09.97\00:20:11.87
Joshua knows he has sinned
00:20:11.91\00:20:13.38
and the Lord
knows He has sinned.
00:20:13.41\00:20:14.98
Everybody in that
whole room is in agreement
00:20:15.01\00:20:17.61
about the
condition of Joshua's record,
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.35
it is sinful.
00:20:20.38\00:20:24.32
Goes on to
explain that in verse 3.
00:20:24.35\00:20:26.05
"Now Joshua was
clothed with filthy garments
00:20:26.09\00:20:29.22
as he was standing before
00:20:29.26\00:20:31.16
and was standing
before the Angel.
00:20:31.19\00:20:34.46
Then He answered
and spoke to those
00:20:34.50\00:20:35.83
who stood before Him saying,
00:20:35.86\00:20:37.20
'Take away the
filthy garments from him.'
00:20:37.23\00:20:42.14
And to him, he said,
00:20:42.17\00:20:43.51
'See, I have removed
your iniquity from you,
00:20:43.54\00:20:46.84
and I will clothe
you with rich robes.'"
00:20:46.88\00:20:50.21
So notice the Lord solution
to Joshua's sinful problem.
00:20:50.25\00:20:55.08
His record that
Satan is reading off there
00:20:55.12\00:20:57.65
is to not deny
that he had sinned,
00:20:57.69\00:21:00.56
he's not going to
play make believe me,
00:21:00.59\00:21:01.92
like I don't see
it, I don't hear it,
00:21:01.96\00:21:03.29
la-la la-la la-la, la-la.
00:21:03.32\00:21:04.66
That's not how he does.
00:21:04.69\00:21:06.83
What instead he does
is acknowledge the fact
00:21:06.86\00:21:09.20
that yes, he is sinful,
00:21:09.23\00:21:10.77
but I have a solution.
00:21:10.80\00:21:12.83
And he removes
those filthy garments.
00:21:12.87\00:21:18.24
And he proposes to
dress him in rich robes
00:21:18.27\00:21:21.74
to clothe him
00:21:21.78\00:21:23.24
with the righteousness
outside of himself.
00:21:23.28\00:21:28.18
Now that's fascinating to me.
00:21:28.22\00:21:29.55
There's this
great exchange going on.
00:21:29.58\00:21:33.59
That's what the
New Testament talks
00:21:33.62\00:21:34.96
about the new birth experience.
00:21:34.99\00:21:36.32
2 Corinthians Chapter 5.
00:21:36.36\00:21:39.86
Speaking of this
experience of exchange
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.16
of our wickedness for
Christ's righteousness.
00:21:42.20\00:21:46.63
2 Corinthians 5:17, says,
00:21:46.67\00:21:50.71
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:21:50.74\00:21:52.54
he is a new creation,
00:21:52.57\00:21:54.04
old things have passed away,
00:21:54.08\00:21:57.45
behold, all things
have become new..."
00:21:57.48\00:22:00.05
And how did He
do this? Verse 21.
00:22:00.08\00:22:02.78
"For he made Him
who knew no sin..."
00:22:02.82\00:22:05.72
Which we've already
established is Jesus Christ.
00:22:05.75\00:22:09.06
"For he made Him who knew no sin
00:22:09.09\00:22:11.23
to be sin for us,
00:22:11.26\00:22:14.00
that we might become
00:22:14.03\00:22:15.56
the
righteousness of God in Him."
00:22:15.60\00:22:19.80
Powerful thought
00:22:19.83\00:22:21.47
that we get this new
start, this fresh thing
00:22:21.50\00:22:23.64
because think back to that
prophecy there in Zachariah,
00:22:23.67\00:22:26.44
that inside picture
of Joshua's predicament.
00:22:26.47\00:22:30.78
He was dressed in filthy clothes
00:22:30.81\00:22:32.45
and the Lord
proposed a solution.
00:22:32.48\00:22:34.05
Let me remove the filthy clothes
00:22:34.08\00:22:35.88
and in place clothe you
with garments, rich robes.
00:22:35.92\00:22:39.39
Now the question is,
what does the Lord do
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.26
with those filthy garments?
00:22:42.29\00:22:43.79
Does he just
drop them on the floor
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.23
like some sort of, you
know, typical teenager?
00:22:45.26\00:22:49.73
They are in state of no,
no, no, no, no, wait a minute,
00:22:49.76\00:22:52.20
you can't just takes it
off, throw it on the ground
00:22:52.23\00:22:53.97
and pretend it never existed.
00:22:54.00\00:22:55.34
That's no good.
00:22:55.37\00:22:58.71
He doesn't just
throw them on the floor,
00:22:58.74\00:23:00.11
He lays them on Christ.
00:23:00.14\00:23:03.01
So the great exchange,
00:23:03.04\00:23:04.38
Christ takes His
robe of righteousness
00:23:04.41\00:23:06.82
and gives it to the sinner.
00:23:06.85\00:23:08.72
And the sinner in
place gives Him his robe
00:23:08.75\00:23:11.69
of iniquity and filth
00:23:11.72\00:23:13.36
and Christ bears our sins.
00:23:13.39\00:23:16.93
Thus we find
this beautiful passage
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.83
in 1 John 1:9,
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.43
the promise is given,
"If we confess our sins..."
00:23:25.47\00:23:29.00
That is to
confess them to Jesus,
00:23:29.04\00:23:30.81
give them over to Him."
00:23:30.84\00:23:32.84
If we confess our
sins, He is faithful
00:23:32.87\00:23:35.51
and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from," what?
00:23:35.54\00:23:40.32
"All unrighteousness.
00:23:40.35\00:23:43.32
Praise the Lord, there
is an exchange provided
00:23:43.35\00:23:47.32
where our filthy righteousness
00:23:47.36\00:23:51.79
which is just as
wicked as anything else,
00:23:51.83\00:23:54.90
can be laid upon
the sinless Son of God
00:23:54.93\00:23:58.93
and we take His robe on us.
00:23:58.97\00:24:03.34
And our record of sin is smeared
00:24:03.37\00:24:05.67
with the blood of Jesus.
00:24:05.71\00:24:07.81
The righteousness
of Christ is put on us
00:24:07.84\00:24:11.61
as a garment.
00:24:11.65\00:24:13.15
Does that make sense?
00:24:13.18\00:24:14.52
Therefore, problem
number one is our record of sin
00:24:14.55\00:24:17.09
we've already accumulated.
00:24:17.12\00:24:19.85
And God's solution to that
00:24:19.89\00:24:21.29
is Christ's robe
of righteousness,
00:24:21.32\00:24:23.79
His righteousness on us.
00:24:23.83\00:24:28.46
But remember we said
when it comes to sin,
00:24:28.50\00:24:30.10
we all have how many problems?
00:24:30.13\00:24:31.90
Two problems.
00:24:31.93\00:24:34.34
We have the record of
wrongs we've already done,
00:24:34.37\00:24:36.54
but what about
the prospect of wrongs
00:24:36.57\00:24:38.34
we could still do?
00:24:38.37\00:24:40.78
We have to deal with our past,
00:24:40.81\00:24:43.51
and we have to
still look to the future.
00:24:43.55\00:24:46.41
When it comes to sin,
we all have two problems,
00:24:46.45\00:24:48.32
our past and our future.
00:24:48.35\00:24:50.12
And, friends, let
me tell you right now,
00:24:50.15\00:24:51.49
the solution to both of them
00:24:51.52\00:24:52.85
is the
righteousness of Jesus Christ.
00:24:52.89\00:24:55.39
Solution number one,
for our record in the past
00:24:55.42\00:24:58.46
is Christ's righteousness
on you like a garment.
00:24:58.49\00:25:03.10
But what about
solution for problem number two?
00:25:03.13\00:25:07.54
And this brings us
again to the title passage
00:25:07.57\00:25:10.14
for this sermon,
00:25:10.17\00:25:11.51
Nahum 1:9.
00:25:11.54\00:25:14.38
Let's look at
this passage once more.
00:25:14.41\00:25:19.11
And the statement is
made this what I regard
00:25:19.15\00:25:22.12
is the biggest
promise in the Bible
00:25:22.15\00:25:26.35
where God declares,
00:25:26.39\00:25:27.72
"What do you
conspire against the Lord?
00:25:27.76\00:25:30.46
He will make an utter end of it.
00:25:30.49\00:25:33.06
Affliction,
00:25:33.09\00:25:34.43
or iniquity, or
transgression, or sin,
00:25:34.46\00:25:36.63
whatever you want to call it
00:25:36.67\00:25:38.03
will not rise up a second time."
00:25:38.07\00:25:43.44
That is a bold
declaration indeed.
00:25:43.47\00:25:47.54
It's one thing to say that
00:25:47.58\00:25:48.91
God can take care with
Christ's righteousness,
00:25:48.94\00:25:51.28
our record in the past,
00:25:51.31\00:25:53.08
but how can He make this promise
00:25:53.11\00:25:56.15
that going forward,
00:25:56.18\00:25:57.89
sin affliction will
not rise up a second time.
00:25:57.92\00:26:02.19
Again, we looked at this passage
00:26:06.90\00:26:08.23
before in John Chapter 14.
00:26:08.26\00:26:09.76
Remember the
promise that Jesus gave,
00:26:09.80\00:26:11.33
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:26:11.37\00:26:12.93
You believe in
God, believe also in Me,
00:26:12.97\00:26:15.67
in My Father's
house are many mansions,
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.77
if it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.94
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:26:19.97\00:26:21.51
And if I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:26:21.54\00:26:23.04
I will come again
and receive you to myself
00:26:23.08\00:26:25.21
that where I am
there you may be also."
00:26:25.25\00:26:27.88
And we talked about
how for our perspective
00:26:27.92\00:26:29.92
as the laws looking to be saved,
00:26:29.95\00:26:32.02
we say praise the
Lord provision is provided,
00:26:32.05\00:26:34.56
we can go home
and live with Jesus,
00:26:34.59\00:26:36.42
but from the
angels' perspective,
00:26:36.46\00:26:39.39
they have some
legitimate concerns
00:26:39.43\00:26:41.16
about even letting us in
00:26:41.20\00:26:42.70
even if we've been
forgiven of our sins.
00:26:42.73\00:26:46.97
Well, like I'm glad that
you cleared their record.
00:26:47.00\00:26:49.44
That's graded on paper,
they've been cleaned up.
00:26:49.47\00:26:54.04
But we're not gonna
be living in the past,
00:26:54.08\00:26:55.98
we're going to be
living into the future.
00:26:56.01\00:26:59.61
How can we be sure,
how can we be certain,
00:26:59.65\00:27:02.28
how can we know
00:27:02.32\00:27:04.65
that you're not
just calling them good
00:27:04.69\00:27:07.99
and they're
actually still gonna be bad?
00:27:08.02\00:27:12.73
That's what we saw,
Ephesians Chapter 3,
00:27:12.76\00:27:17.10
where the promise is given,
00:27:17.13\00:27:19.23
the Apostle Paul explains
00:27:19.27\00:27:20.97
in verse 10,
00:27:24.01\00:27:25.34
"To the intent that now
the manifold wisdom of God
00:27:25.37\00:27:27.74
might be known by the church,
00:27:27.78\00:27:29.78
to the principalities and powers
00:27:29.81\00:27:31.31
in the heavenly
places," that God has a plan,
00:27:31.35\00:27:33.52
He has this wisdom in mind.
00:27:33.55\00:27:36.62
And it can't be
simply proclaimed,
00:27:36.65\00:27:39.25
it must be demonstrated.
00:27:39.29\00:27:41.66
It can't just be
said, it must be shown.
00:27:41.69\00:27:45.83
And what is the wisdom he wants?
00:27:45.86\00:27:47.73
The wisdom is the
plan of salvation.
00:27:47.76\00:27:50.37
The wisdom is the
redemption process
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.60
that is done in
Jesus Christ and He says,
00:27:52.63\00:27:55.60
"Wait a minute, what?"
00:27:55.64\00:27:57.41
How can we know
that this is gonna work?
00:27:57.44\00:28:00.94
And so He says,
00:28:00.98\00:28:03.24
"He's gonna teach
00:28:03.28\00:28:04.61
the principalities and
powers in heavenly places
00:28:04.65\00:28:06.95
by the church."
00:28:06.98\00:28:09.38
He says, "I know
you've heard me say.
00:28:09.42\00:28:12.42
But now I want you to see
00:28:12.45\00:28:14.89
that my plan makes sense.
00:28:14.92\00:28:18.46
It is effective
and it can work."
00:28:18.49\00:28:22.13
How can we know?
00:28:22.16\00:28:23.50
He's like, "Well, just watch
what I do in these people."
00:28:23.53\00:28:26.87
Speaking of this
demonstration that God intends,
00:28:33.48\00:28:36.34
we read this from Acts
of the Apostles, page 9.
00:28:36.38\00:28:40.35
"From the beginning,
00:28:40.38\00:28:42.48
it has been God's plan
that through His church
00:28:42.52\00:28:47.46
shall be reflected to the world
00:28:47.49\00:28:49.32
His fullness
and His sufficiency.
00:28:49.36\00:28:52.09
The members of the church,
00:28:52.13\00:28:54.10
those whom He is
called out of darkness
00:28:54.13\00:28:56.03
and into His marvelous light
are to show forth His glory."
00:28:56.06\00:29:00.84
The church is the
repository of the riches
00:29:00.87\00:29:03.30
of the grace of Christ,
00:29:03.34\00:29:04.81
and through the church
00:29:04.84\00:29:06.17
will eventually be made manifest
00:29:06.21\00:29:08.34
even to the principalities
and powers in heavenly places.
00:29:08.38\00:29:13.82
The final and full
display of the love of God.
00:29:13.85\00:29:18.62
But Ephesians 3:10,
00:29:18.65\00:29:20.02
where she's quoting from here,
00:29:20.06\00:29:22.26
where by the church
00:29:22.29\00:29:23.63
God's manifest
wisdom will be made known
00:29:23.66\00:29:25.99
to the principalities and powers
00:29:26.03\00:29:27.36
in the heavenly places.
00:29:27.40\00:29:28.83
She explains what
that means that God intends
00:29:28.86\00:29:30.97
that through His
church, His wisdom
00:29:31.00\00:29:34.07
that the mystery of His plan
00:29:34.10\00:29:38.14
can be shown to be a good idea.
00:29:38.17\00:29:40.91
They can see in us
what God intends to do.
00:29:40.94\00:29:46.05
Counsels for
the Church, page 78,
00:29:46.08\00:29:47.98
we read the following.
00:29:48.02\00:29:49.78
"It is God's purpose to
manifest through His people
00:29:49.82\00:29:54.42
the principles of His kingdom.
00:29:54.46\00:29:58.03
By beholding the goodness,
00:29:58.06\00:30:00.03
the mercy, the justice
00:30:00.06\00:30:01.86
and the love of God
revealed in the church.
00:30:01.90\00:30:06.33
Think about that.
00:30:06.37\00:30:07.70
They're supposed to
behold the goodness,
00:30:07.74\00:30:09.97
the mercy, the
justice, and the love of God,
00:30:10.01\00:30:11.87
but where are they
supposed to see it?
00:30:11.91\00:30:13.81
In the church.
00:30:13.84\00:30:17.15
The world is to have
00:30:17.18\00:30:18.51
a
representation of His character
00:30:18.55\00:30:22.85
that God wants to use us
00:30:22.88\00:30:24.99
to demonstrate in our own lives
00:30:25.02\00:30:29.02
that His plan works.
00:30:29.06\00:30:32.06
The salvation isn't a theory,
00:30:32.09\00:30:34.36
but it can
actually be practical.
00:30:34.40\00:30:38.23
Listen to this one from
Christ's Object Lessons,
00:30:38.27\00:30:40.04
page 415.
00:30:40.07\00:30:42.74
"Those who wait for
the bridegroom's coming,"
00:30:42.77\00:30:45.57
that's a reference to
the return of Jesus Christ,
00:30:45.61\00:30:49.08
"are to say to the people,
00:30:49.11\00:30:51.48
'Behold your God."
00:30:51.51\00:30:54.72
Now, I have
always pictured the idea
00:30:54.75\00:30:56.18
that they're standing there
and often the eastern horizon
00:30:56.22\00:30:58.55
they see the small
cloud, the size of man's hand,
00:30:58.59\00:31:00.92
they would say, oh,
behold, there he comes.
00:31:00.96\00:31:05.76
But notice where
they're saying to look,
00:31:05.79\00:31:08.66
when they
exclaimed, behold your God.
00:31:08.70\00:31:12.10
Again, let's read it again.
00:31:12.13\00:31:13.47
"Those who wait for
the Bridegroom's coming
00:31:13.50\00:31:16.17
are to say to the
people, 'Behold your God.'
00:31:16.20\00:31:19.37
The last rays of merciful light,
00:31:19.41\00:31:21.71
the last message
of mercy to be given
00:31:21.74\00:31:23.75
to the world is a revelation
of His character of love."
00:31:23.78\00:31:29.12
Now, where is this revelation
00:31:29.15\00:31:30.55
that they can
behold supposed to be seen?
00:31:30.59\00:31:34.16
The children of God
are to manifest His glory,
00:31:34.19\00:31:37.99
in their own life
00:31:38.03\00:31:39.63
and character they are to reveal
00:31:39.66\00:31:41.93
what the grace of
God has done for them.
00:31:41.96\00:31:46.17
It is God's intention
00:31:46.20\00:31:48.64
that people would
see His character,
00:31:48.67\00:31:50.67
His goodness, His
glory not just in himself,
00:31:50.71\00:31:54.88
but in those he has redeemed.
00:31:54.91\00:31:58.58
By the church,
00:31:58.61\00:32:00.28
His wisdom can be made
known to the principalities
00:32:00.32\00:32:03.35
and powers in heavenly places.
00:32:03.39\00:32:07.09
So if problem number
one was our record of sins
00:32:07.12\00:32:09.72
accumulate in the
past that all have sinned
00:32:09.76\00:32:11.93
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:32:11.96\00:32:14.03
And solution number
one was that great exchange
00:32:14.06\00:32:17.03
where He takes our
filthy righteousness
00:32:17.07\00:32:19.13
and lay unrighteousness
00:32:19.17\00:32:20.50
and lays it on His
shoulders and in exchange,
00:32:20.54\00:32:22.54
we have His
robe of righteousness
00:32:22.57\00:32:24.97
covering our record of sins.
00:32:25.01\00:32:29.11
Solution number one
was Christ's righteousness
00:32:29.14\00:32:32.08
on you.
00:32:32.11\00:32:34.38
Solution number two,
00:32:34.42\00:32:36.65
to the problem of
our future potential
00:32:36.69\00:32:39.52
is Christ's
righteousness in you.
00:32:39.55\00:32:42.62
Christ's righteousness in you.
00:32:45.63\00:32:50.10
John Chapter 15,
00:32:50.13\00:32:51.47
Jesus would explain it this way.
00:32:51.50\00:32:52.83
John 15:5,
00:32:56.84\00:32:58.47
"I am the vine,
you are the branches.
00:33:05.05\00:33:09.65
He who abides in
Me and I," where?
00:33:09.68\00:33:13.76
"In him bears much fruit,
00:33:13.79\00:33:18.39
for without me you can do,"
00:33:18.43\00:33:20.10
how much?
00:33:20.13\00:33:21.46
"Nothing."
00:33:21.50\00:33:23.60
So not only do we need
Christ record over ours
00:33:23.63\00:33:26.13
and His blood to smear
out the accumulated sins
00:33:26.17\00:33:28.97
that we have
ourselves participated,
00:33:29.00\00:33:30.81
but we need more
00:33:30.84\00:33:32.17
than just the robe
of righteousness on us,
00:33:32.21\00:33:34.04
we need Christ's
righteousness in us.
00:33:34.08\00:33:38.88
'Cause He says without Me,
00:33:38.91\00:33:40.78
you can do nothing.
00:33:40.82\00:33:44.65
Friends, if we got a
clean slate from the Lord,
00:33:44.69\00:33:46.65
our record was wiped blank
00:33:46.69\00:33:48.59
and we got to start
fresh all over again.
00:33:48.62\00:33:52.16
Would we be ready for heaven?
00:33:52.19\00:33:55.50
No.
00:33:55.53\00:33:58.03
Because forgiveness
00:33:58.07\00:34:00.17
is just part of
what Christ offers,
00:34:00.20\00:34:02.67
pardon is not the only
thing He gave us at the cross.
00:34:02.70\00:34:06.61
He also gave us
power to overcome,
00:34:06.64\00:34:10.18
so that we
would be safe to save.
00:34:10.21\00:34:15.22
Within the Colossians Chapter 1,
00:34:15.25\00:34:17.89
speak on this same idea.
00:34:17.92\00:34:21.62
Colossians 1:26,
00:34:21.66\00:34:24.86
Paul talks about
this mystery again.
00:34:24.89\00:34:28.03
Verse 26, it says,
00:34:28.06\00:34:29.40
"The mystery
which has been hidden
00:34:29.43\00:34:30.77
from ages and from generations,
00:34:30.80\00:34:32.37
but now has been
revealed to His saints,
00:34:32.40\00:34:35.27
to them that God
will to make known
00:34:35.30\00:34:36.94
what are the riches of the glory
00:34:36.97\00:34:38.51
of this mystery
among the Gentiles,"
00:34:38.54\00:34:40.04
which is, "Christ," where?
00:34:40.08\00:34:43.18
"In you the hope of glory."
00:34:43.21\00:34:47.28
Friends, if we have any
hope of seeing the glory of God
00:34:47.32\00:34:52.19
or participating
00:34:52.22\00:34:53.56
in that glorious
character that He provides,
00:34:53.59\00:34:56.09
we must have
according to scripture,
00:34:56.12\00:34:58.09
Christ where?
00:34:58.13\00:34:59.46
In you.
00:34:59.49\00:35:01.46
Christ in you is
our hope of glory.
00:35:01.50\00:35:06.07
Notice what Ephesians
tells us, go back two books.
00:35:06.10\00:35:08.47
Ephesians 6:10,
00:35:08.50\00:35:12.14
He gives this counsel,
00:35:12.17\00:35:13.91
"Finally, brethren
be strong in the Lord
00:35:13.94\00:35:16.51
and in the power of His might.
00:35:16.54\00:35:18.68
Put on the whole armor of God
00:35:18.71\00:35:21.48
so that you can take your stand
against the devil's schemes,
00:35:21.52\00:35:26.25
that when we come to Christ,
00:35:26.29\00:35:27.62
we're not just
looking for pardon,
00:35:27.66\00:35:28.99
we're coming to Christ for power
00:35:29.02\00:35:30.96
so that we can
stand up and be counted
00:35:30.99\00:35:33.40
and remain faithful
even under temptation.
00:35:33.43\00:35:37.27
Speaking of a temptation,
00:35:37.30\00:35:38.63
look what the Apostle
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10
00:35:38.67\00:35:41.97
and in verse 13.
00:35:42.00\00:35:44.34
1 Corinthians 10:13, says here,
00:35:44.37\00:35:47.94
"No temptation has overtaken you
00:35:47.98\00:35:50.41
except such as common to man,
00:35:50.45\00:35:52.31
but God is faithful..."
00:35:52.35\00:35:54.02
Can you say amen?
00:35:54.05\00:35:57.02
Who will not allow
you to be tempted at all,"
00:35:57.05\00:36:00.69
is that what it says?
00:36:00.72\00:36:02.09
Nope.
00:36:02.12\00:36:03.46
Friends, by the way,
you should know right now
00:36:03.49\00:36:05.16
that the Bible always
refers to temptation as a when?
00:36:05.19\00:36:10.73
Like, it's an
unavoidable certainty.
00:36:10.77\00:36:13.64
When you're tempted,
00:36:13.67\00:36:15.00
but you know
what's also interesting?
00:36:15.04\00:36:17.01
Is the Bible
never says when you sin,
00:36:17.04\00:36:19.37
it says if you sin.
00:36:19.41\00:36:21.71
Temptation is a
when but sin is an if.
00:36:21.74\00:36:26.35
And He says here
00:36:26.38\00:36:27.72
"No temptation has overtaken you
00:36:27.75\00:36:29.68
except such as common to man
00:36:29.72\00:36:31.12
but God is faithful,
00:36:31.15\00:36:32.52
who will not
allow you to be tempted
00:36:32.55\00:36:34.69
beyond what you
are able to bear."
00:36:34.72\00:36:38.09
But with the temptation,
00:36:38.13\00:36:39.59
He will also
make the way of escape
00:36:39.63\00:36:42.20
that you may be able to bear it.
00:36:42.23\00:36:43.83
So notice that God
will allow you to be tempted
00:36:43.87\00:36:46.03
but not beyond
what you can bear.
00:36:46.07\00:36:47.50
He will give you the
strength for every temptation
00:36:47.54\00:36:49.77
if you rely on Him.
00:36:49.80\00:36:52.51
With the temptation will
also make the way of escape
00:36:52.54\00:36:55.31
that you may be able to bear it.
00:36:55.34\00:36:58.91
Go back to the right to
the Book of Philippians,
00:36:58.95\00:37:01.75
the Apostle Paul tells us
what we should be confident in,
00:37:01.78\00:37:04.65
Philippians 1:6, he says,
00:37:04.69\00:37:09.99
"Being confident
of this very thing,
00:37:10.03\00:37:13.09
that He who has
begun a good work," where?
00:37:13.13\00:37:16.90
"In you will complete it
00:37:16.93\00:37:20.34
until the day of Jesus Christ."
00:37:20.37\00:37:24.41
What a powerful
promise that the same God
00:37:24.44\00:37:26.47
who started to work in you
00:37:26.51\00:37:27.84
if you allow Him will
continue to work in you
00:37:27.88\00:37:30.91
so that you can be made
a citizen of God's kingdom,
00:37:30.95\00:37:34.25
a trusted responsible
member of the society of angels.
00:37:34.28\00:37:39.02
What a powerful thought that is.
00:37:39.05\00:37:41.36
This very thing
00:37:41.39\00:37:42.72
that He who has
begun a good work in you
00:37:42.76\00:37:44.09
will complete it
00:37:44.13\00:37:45.46
until the day of Jesus Christ.
00:37:45.49\00:37:48.96
Now,
00:37:49.00\00:37:50.43
I know there's a
theory floating around
00:37:50.47\00:37:52.13
that we will
just continue to fall
00:37:52.17\00:37:53.90
and continue to
fall and continue to sin
00:37:53.94\00:37:55.47
until the moment Jesus comes
00:37:55.50\00:37:56.91
and then all of a
sudden we'll be changed.
00:37:56.94\00:37:59.54
In fact, doesn't the
Bible use that same language
00:37:59.57\00:38:01.14
that when Jesus
comes, we will be changed?
00:38:01.18\00:38:03.81
It does.
00:38:03.85\00:38:05.31
But my question for
you is when Christ returns,
00:38:05.35\00:38:08.08
what actually changes for us?
00:38:08.12\00:38:12.09
Let's take a look
00:38:12.12\00:38:13.46
at the scripture
record about this.
00:38:13.49\00:38:14.82
Go to Book of 1 Corinthians.
00:38:14.86\00:38:16.22
When Christ returns,
what actually transpires?
00:38:16.26\00:38:21.06
What change occurs?
00:38:21.10\00:38:23.73
1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
00:38:23.77\00:38:27.04
The Apostle writes,
"Behold, I tell you a mystery:
00:38:31.31\00:38:34.14
We shall not all sleep..."
00:38:34.18\00:38:36.71
Now sleep here is
a reference to death.
00:38:36.75\00:38:40.18
Some will be dead
when Christ returns,
00:38:40.22\00:38:41.98
but others will be alive.
00:38:42.02\00:38:43.89
And he says, "We
will not all sleep,
00:38:43.92\00:38:45.35
but we shall all be changed."
00:38:45.39\00:38:48.36
So the dead, of course,
are going to be changed.
00:38:48.39\00:38:51.09
They're going to
go from dead to alive.
00:38:51.13\00:38:55.16
But apparently
we all get changed,
00:38:55.20\00:38:57.47
even those who
are already alive.
00:38:57.50\00:38:59.00
So what changes about us,
even those who are living?
00:38:59.03\00:39:03.20
Well, it's going
to happen in a moment,
00:39:03.24\00:39:04.57
verse 42 says,
00:39:04.61\00:39:05.94
"In the twinkling of an
eye at the last trumpet.
00:39:05.97\00:39:08.84
For the trumpet will sound,
00:39:08.88\00:39:10.21
and the dead will be
raised incorruptible,
00:39:10.25\00:39:12.61
and we shall be changed."
00:39:12.65\00:39:16.92
Beautiful, fantastic.
00:39:16.95\00:39:18.65
You can say there it is.
00:39:18.69\00:39:20.16
There's where I'm
going to become righteous.
00:39:20.19\00:39:25.03
No!
00:39:25.06\00:39:26.59
Is that the change the
Apostle was talking about?
00:39:26.63\00:39:30.37
That's when we'll be
made good is on the way up.
00:39:30.40\00:39:35.14
No.
00:39:35.17\00:39:36.50
He goes on to
explain for what he means,
00:39:36.54\00:39:38.51
"For this corruptible
must put on incorruption,
00:39:38.54\00:39:41.71
and this mortal
must put on immortality."
00:39:41.74\00:39:45.21
In fact, he gets
even more clear about it,
00:39:45.25\00:39:46.92
go to the gospel,
00:39:46.95\00:39:48.28
I'm sorry, the Book of Romans
00:39:48.32\00:39:51.42
Chapter 8
00:39:51.45\00:39:53.62
in go to verse 11.
00:39:53.66\00:39:55.36
We're going to try to analyze
what the Apostle Paul says,
00:39:55.39\00:39:57.66
we're gonna
receive and be changed
00:39:57.69\00:40:00.36
at the coming of Christ.
00:40:00.40\00:40:01.73
What does that entail?
00:40:01.76\00:40:03.10
Romans Chapter 11,
00:40:03.13\00:40:04.47
I mean 8:11, it says,
00:40:04.50\00:40:06.40
"But if the Spirit of Him
00:40:06.43\00:40:07.77
who raised Jesus from
the dead dwells in you,
00:40:07.80\00:40:10.71
He who raised
Christ from the dead
00:40:10.74\00:40:12.07
will also give life
to your mortal," what?
00:40:12.11\00:40:15.01
"Bodies that through His
Spirit who dwells in you."
00:40:15.04\00:40:20.08
If you skip down to verse 23,
00:40:20.12\00:40:21.72
he comes back to
that same refrain.
00:40:21.75\00:40:24.15
"Not only that, but we also
00:40:24.19\00:40:25.75
who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit,
00:40:25.79\00:40:28.16
even we ourselves
groan within ourselves,
00:40:28.19\00:40:30.63
eagerly awaiting
for the adoption,
00:40:30.66\00:40:33.23
the redemption of our," what?
00:40:33.26\00:40:36.03
"Body."
00:40:36.06\00:40:37.40
Apparently,
00:40:40.94\00:40:42.27
well, let's
find one more passage
00:40:42.30\00:40:43.64
to talk about this.
00:40:43.67\00:40:45.01
Philippians...
00:40:45.04\00:40:46.37
I wanted to be a confirmed
00:40:46.41\00:40:47.74
by two or three
witnesses at least.
00:40:47.78\00:40:49.11
Philippians,
Galatians, Ephesians,
00:40:49.14\00:40:50.91
Philippians 3:20-21,
00:40:50.95\00:40:55.85
spells it out even more clearly.
00:40:55.88\00:40:57.22
Philippians 3:20, says,
00:41:01.49\00:41:03.76
"For our
citizenship is in heaven..."
00:41:03.79\00:41:07.23
By the way, don't
you praise the Lord
00:41:07.26\00:41:08.60
that we are
accounted as citizens of heaven
00:41:08.63\00:41:10.47
the moment we
come to Jesus Christ
00:41:10.50\00:41:11.93
that even while
we're still here,
00:41:11.97\00:41:14.07
we have dual citizenship,
00:41:14.10\00:41:15.60
amen?
00:41:15.64\00:41:18.24
And speaking of heaven, he says,
00:41:18.27\00:41:19.67
"From which we also
eagerly await the Savior,
00:41:19.71\00:41:23.14
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:41:23.18\00:41:25.88
who will
transform our lowly," what?
00:41:25.91\00:41:30.12
"Body that it may be
conformed to His glorious body,
00:41:30.15\00:41:34.29
according to the working
00:41:34.32\00:41:35.66
by which He is
able even to subdue
00:41:35.69\00:41:37.13
all things to Himself."
00:41:37.16\00:41:38.79
Friends, what changes about us
at the Second Coming of Jesus?
00:41:38.83\00:41:43.87
Is it our character?
00:41:43.90\00:41:45.53
No, what is it?
00:41:45.57\00:41:46.90
It's our body.
00:41:46.94\00:41:48.47
And I don't know about you,
but I'm ready for a new body.
00:41:48.50\00:41:53.11
Amen.
00:41:53.14\00:41:54.98
You know, I'm not even that old,
00:41:55.01\00:41:57.45
but I'm already
starting to feel it
00:41:57.48\00:41:58.91
and even show it
sometimes, you know.
00:41:58.95\00:42:02.28
The knees aren't
quite what they used to be,
00:42:02.32\00:42:04.02
I could use a new back.
00:42:04.05\00:42:05.59
I could be even
taller, I'd be happier,
00:42:05.62\00:42:07.26
that I could be
fitter, I could be...
00:42:07.29\00:42:08.86
There's a lot of
things if I started go,
00:42:08.89\00:42:10.39
it's a little recession back.
00:42:10.43\00:42:11.76
Well, let's not
talk about those things.
00:42:11.79\00:42:13.13
But my point is
00:42:13.16\00:42:16.36
that already I can see the need
and if the Lord should tarry,
00:42:16.40\00:42:19.53
I expect things are
only gonna get worse.
00:42:19.57\00:42:23.61
Praise the Lord...
00:42:23.64\00:42:25.57
People who need new bodies,
00:42:25.61\00:42:26.94
let's talk
about the dead, right?
00:42:26.98\00:42:28.61
What happens to their body?
00:42:28.64\00:42:30.41
We don't even wanna
think about that, right?
00:42:30.45\00:42:32.11
But the Lord's
gonna have to give...
00:42:32.15\00:42:33.52
But by the way, has the Lord
00:42:33.55\00:42:34.88
ever given people
life from the dust before?
00:42:34.92\00:42:37.99
Has He created
bodies from the ground?
00:42:38.02\00:42:40.09
Yes!
00:42:40.12\00:42:41.99
Friends, making a body for
Jesus Christ is no problem.
00:42:42.02\00:42:46.76
He's done it
before, He'll do it again.
00:42:46.80\00:42:50.57
The body is not the hard part.
00:42:50.60\00:42:54.27
He's gonna do that in a moment,
00:42:54.30\00:42:56.10
in the twinkling of
an eye at the last trump.
00:42:56.14\00:42:58.04
The challenge is the character.
00:43:01.38\00:43:04.81
Listen to the
statement from Our High Calling,
00:43:04.85\00:43:06.55
page 278.
00:43:06.58\00:43:08.35
"When Christ shall come,
00:43:08.38\00:43:10.49
our vile bodies
are to be changed
00:43:10.52\00:43:13.25
and made like His glorious body,
00:43:13.29\00:43:17.56
but the vile character
00:43:17.59\00:43:19.79
will not be made holy then.
00:43:19.83\00:43:23.87
The transformation of character
00:43:23.90\00:43:26.63
must take place
before His coming."
00:43:26.67\00:43:32.44
Now why would that be?
00:43:32.47\00:43:33.81
Because we have to understand
how character is formed.
00:43:37.48\00:43:40.32
A body is something
that can be given as a gift.
00:43:46.32\00:43:52.09
But a character has
to be built by choice.
00:43:52.13\00:43:56.00
I don't know as a
pastor, if I'm allowed
00:44:00.40\00:44:01.90
to have a favorite
passage in the scripture,
00:44:01.94\00:44:03.54
but go to 1 John Chapter 3,
00:44:03.57\00:44:05.07
and this has got to
be in the top five, okay?
00:44:05.11\00:44:08.24
Keep going to the
right to 1 John Chapter 3.
00:44:08.28\00:44:13.95
1 John 3:2-3,
00:44:13.98\00:44:18.09
notice what we have here.
00:44:18.12\00:44:19.75
"Beloved,
00:44:19.79\00:44:21.12
now we are children of God,"
00:44:21.16\00:44:24.36
that sounds just like
00:44:24.39\00:44:25.73
what the Apostle
Paul said when he said,
00:44:25.76\00:44:27.30
"Now our citizenship
is in heaven," right?
00:44:27.33\00:44:30.30
Present tense.
00:44:30.33\00:44:31.67
Now it says, "We
are children of God,"
00:44:31.70\00:44:34.77
but then it goes
on and in addition,
00:44:34.80\00:44:38.07
"and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be."
00:44:38.11\00:44:42.88
Is it possible
to be a child of God
00:44:42.91\00:44:44.88
reckoned on the books of heaven
as a citizen of His kingdom,
00:44:44.91\00:44:48.15
and yet still be
changing down here?
00:44:48.18\00:44:52.25
Yes.
00:44:52.29\00:44:53.62
"Now we are children of God,
00:44:53.66\00:44:55.39
and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be,
00:44:55.42\00:44:57.73
but we know that
when He is revealed,"
00:44:57.76\00:45:01.43
which is a reference to
the Second Coming of Jesus,
00:45:01.46\00:45:04.63
"We shall be," what?
00:45:04.67\00:45:07.30
"Like Him."
00:45:07.34\00:45:08.67
Please note, it does not
say we will be made like Him.
00:45:08.70\00:45:12.57
It says, we will be like Him.
00:45:12.61\00:45:14.84
And the evidence is clear.
00:45:14.88\00:45:16.54
"For we shall see Him as He is."
00:45:16.58\00:45:20.48
You know, that's an interesting
paradox in scripture.
00:45:20.52\00:45:22.85
The Bible says, "No man
can see My face and live,"
00:45:22.88\00:45:25.32
yet the promise is
given in Revelation
00:45:25.35\00:45:27.52
that they will see His face.
00:45:27.56\00:45:30.03
And, friends, I don't
know if that's good news.
00:45:30.06\00:45:33.03
But apparently, the redeemed
can look at the face of Jesus.
00:45:33.06\00:45:37.37
And unlike the
wicked who turn away
00:45:37.40\00:45:39.57
and run for the
rocks and mountains,
00:45:39.60\00:45:41.00
they're able to say,
"Lo, this is our God,
00:45:41.04\00:45:42.94
we have waited for
Him and He will save us."
00:45:42.97\00:45:44.74
"For we shall see Him as He is,"
00:45:47.74\00:45:51.11
and that's what's
the application, verse 3,
00:45:51.15\00:45:53.35
"and everyone who
has this hope in Him,
00:45:53.38\00:45:55.82
purifies himself,
just as He is pure."
00:45:55.85\00:46:00.62
Apparently, we can be
accounted righteous now,
00:46:00.66\00:46:03.79
but still being made
righteous in our life.
00:46:03.83\00:46:07.20
Friends, the same
God who formed Adam
00:46:10.63\00:46:12.57
from the dust can make
you a new body in a moment
00:46:12.60\00:46:15.24
because a body can be given,
00:46:15.27\00:46:17.97
but character must be grown.
00:46:18.01\00:46:23.31
Though He can give
you a body fit for heaven,
00:46:23.35\00:46:26.11
the one thing
Jesus can't give you,
00:46:26.15\00:46:30.22
apart from your cooperation,
00:46:30.25\00:46:33.19
is a character fit for heaven.
00:46:33.22\00:46:36.66
When it comes to the new
body, I'm not gonna be like,
00:46:36.69\00:46:38.26
"Oh, let me help
you out with that.
00:46:38.29\00:46:39.63
Let me, you know."
00:46:39.66\00:46:41.23
When it comes to the character,
00:46:41.26\00:46:43.90
I have to participate
00:46:43.93\00:46:46.60
because character is
built on decisions that I make.
00:46:46.63\00:46:52.74
And Christ that
does not allow Satan
00:46:52.77\00:46:55.24
nor does He allow Himself
00:46:55.28\00:46:57.98
to make decisions for us.
00:46:58.01\00:47:01.02
Both Satan and Christ
want to influence our decisions
00:47:01.05\00:47:03.89
and draw us one way the other.
00:47:03.92\00:47:06.79
But He won't
force, He won't coerce,
00:47:06.82\00:47:10.46
He'll convict, He'll convince,
00:47:10.49\00:47:13.86
but He'll never coerce.
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.73
That's why the
Bible says things like,
00:47:16.77\00:47:18.20
"Choose you this day
whom you will serve."
00:47:18.23\00:47:23.71
By the way, it's
an interesting fact
00:47:23.74\00:47:25.21
that all in scripture,
00:47:25.24\00:47:27.08
you see this,
00:47:27.11\00:47:29.04
"Choose you this day,"
00:47:29.08\00:47:31.38
and today is the
day of salvation.
00:47:31.41\00:47:33.55
If anyone hears, do not
harden your heart as they...
00:47:33.58\00:47:35.82
Why is it so important
00:47:39.42\00:47:40.76
to make that decision today?
00:47:40.79\00:47:44.69
Now, you might say,
00:47:44.73\00:47:46.06
"Well, we're living
in the time of the end,
00:47:46.09\00:47:47.43
and you never know
when Jesus is gonna come,"
00:47:47.46\00:47:48.80
which is true.
00:47:48.83\00:47:50.17
Praise the Lord!
00:47:50.20\00:47:51.53
We're living in the
last days of earth's history
00:47:51.57\00:47:52.90
and those were momentous
times as we see around us
00:47:52.93\00:47:54.97
and the signs are
fulfilling the times of expire,
00:47:55.00\00:47:57.64
Jesus surely is
coming very soon.
00:47:57.67\00:47:59.94
My great hope is that He
will come in my lifetime.
00:47:59.97\00:48:02.14
But when the scripture
said, "Choose you this day,"
00:48:06.78\00:48:09.92
they weren't writing
from the perspective of Jesus
00:48:09.95\00:48:11.89
who come at any
moment, they were saying that
00:48:11.92\00:48:15.16
even before the
First Coming of Christ.
00:48:15.19\00:48:17.99
Why was this so
important to choose that day?
00:48:18.03\00:48:20.56
You might say, "Well, all right,
00:48:20.60\00:48:21.93
if Jesus isn't coming."
00:48:21.96\00:48:23.30
If Jesus coming
isn't your worry,
00:48:23.33\00:48:24.67
then maybe what you
should be concerned about
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.43
is your own death.
00:48:26.47\00:48:28.30
Maybe He's not coming
to you, but you're going,
00:48:28.34\00:48:29.94
you're speeding along to
Him, you know, with your death.
00:48:29.97\00:48:32.14
And that's true.
00:48:35.34\00:48:36.68
We should all keep in
mind our own mortality.
00:48:36.71\00:48:39.31
Life is fragile.
00:48:39.35\00:48:41.12
We never know what
problem might occur.
00:48:41.15\00:48:43.95
But the newness of Christ coming
00:48:48.22\00:48:52.46
or the possibility
of an imminent death
00:48:52.49\00:48:58.63
aren't the reasons
00:48:58.67\00:49:00.97
that we need to get ready now,
00:49:01.00\00:49:02.70
we sure not the primary reasons.
00:49:02.74\00:49:05.27
The reason we
need to choose today
00:49:05.31\00:49:08.08
is because the
decisions you make today
00:49:08.11\00:49:10.45
influence the
decision you'll make tomorrow,
00:49:10.48\00:49:12.75
because it works like this.
00:49:15.78\00:49:19.02
Character is formed through
a process of your choosing.
00:49:19.05\00:49:23.63
So every decision,
individual decision
00:49:23.66\00:49:26.80
impacts the next
thing that you do,
00:49:26.83\00:49:29.53
and decisions repeated
00:49:29.56\00:49:33.27
become habits in the life,
00:49:33.30\00:49:36.50
right?
00:49:36.54\00:49:38.57
If you've ever struggled
with an addiction of some sort,
00:49:38.61\00:49:40.48
you can remember the time
when you didn't do that thing,
00:49:40.51\00:49:42.58
and then the
first time you tried it,
00:49:42.61\00:49:45.45
and then you did it again,
00:49:45.48\00:49:46.82
you found the second time a
little bit more comfortable,
00:49:46.85\00:49:48.18
a little bit more
natural, a little easier to do,
00:49:48.22\00:49:50.92
and then all sudden,
it's not just a thing you did.
00:49:50.95\00:49:53.19
It's a thing you do regularly.
00:49:53.22\00:49:57.36
Your decision one
time becomes a habit.
00:49:57.39\00:50:01.33
And those habits if
repeated, if continued,
00:50:01.36\00:50:06.94
become your lifestyle.
00:50:06.97\00:50:08.67
This just becomes a
pattern for your life.
00:50:12.14\00:50:13.54
It becomes the default
setting that you just fall into.
00:50:13.58\00:50:16.54
You don't even choose anymore,
you just kind of routine,
00:50:16.58\00:50:19.65
this is what we do.
00:50:19.68\00:50:21.88
And that lifestyle,
00:50:21.92\00:50:25.72
if continued,
forms your character.
00:50:25.75\00:50:30.93
No longer is sin a thing you do,
00:50:30.96\00:50:33.06
it becomes just what you are.
00:50:33.09\00:50:35.23
Which is why I said earlier,
00:50:44.14\00:50:45.47
the salvation is more than
merely getting into heaven.
00:50:45.51\00:50:50.01
Salvation
00:50:53.08\00:50:56.38
is the power of God to fit us
00:50:56.42\00:50:59.49
into the society of heaven,
00:50:59.52\00:51:02.26
is to form Christ within,
00:51:02.29\00:51:05.33
which is our only hope of glory.
00:51:05.36\00:51:07.93
Listen to how
succinctly and clearly
00:51:11.53\00:51:15.84
Sister White puts it
in the Signs of the Times,
00:51:15.87\00:51:17.91
July 31, 1893.
00:51:17.94\00:51:21.98
For our note takers,
that's St. July 31, 1893.
00:51:22.01\00:51:27.55
She writes in
this single sentence
00:51:27.58\00:51:28.98
and listen to it carefully.
00:51:29.02\00:51:31.82
"If we would see heaven,
00:51:31.85\00:51:35.76
we must have heaven below."
00:51:35.79\00:51:39.69
And she adds,
00:51:39.73\00:51:41.06
"We must have a
heaven to go to heaven in."
00:51:41.10\00:51:44.63
That's a deep thought.
00:51:48.30\00:51:50.84
"If we would see heaven,
we must have heaven below.
00:51:50.87\00:51:53.68
We must have a
heaven to go to heaven in."
00:51:53.71\00:51:58.48
What does she mean?
00:51:58.51\00:52:00.42
She means the
principles of heaven.
00:52:00.45\00:52:03.99
The life that will be
lived there must be lived here.
00:52:04.02\00:52:08.79
We must have a
heavenly influence,
00:52:08.82\00:52:10.36
a heavenly atmosphere,
00:52:10.39\00:52:11.73
a character that will
fit into the sight of heaven.
00:52:11.76\00:52:13.83
If we plan on going there,
we need to take heaven with us.
00:52:13.86\00:52:16.40
Listen to this statement
from In Heavenly Places,
00:52:19.83\00:52:21.67
page 142.
00:52:21.70\00:52:24.14
"We are individually now
00:52:24.17\00:52:26.27
testifying to the
world of the power
00:52:26.31\00:52:28.21
of the grace of Christ
00:52:28.24\00:52:29.71
in the transformation
of human character
00:52:29.74\00:52:31.91
from glory to glory,
00:52:31.95\00:52:33.78
from character to character.
00:52:33.82\00:52:37.12
In beholding Christ our pattern,
00:52:37.15\00:52:39.59
who is pure and
holy and undefiled,
00:52:39.62\00:52:42.12
we are being
prepared for the society
00:52:42.16\00:52:44.86
of the heavenly angels.
00:52:44.89\00:52:46.73
Now listen to this,
00:52:46.76\00:52:48.93
the simplicity
of this statement.
00:52:48.96\00:52:53.00
This rhetorical
question is so profound.
00:52:53.03\00:52:56.40
Just hear it out.
00:52:56.44\00:52:58.07
"If Christ is to
be our head and Prince
00:52:58.11\00:53:01.51
in the heavenly courts,
00:53:01.54\00:53:03.61
it becomes us to
inquire," not a great phrase.
00:53:03.65\00:53:07.42
"It becomes us to inquire,"
00:53:07.45\00:53:09.15
which simply means
00:53:09.18\00:53:10.65
it would be a good idea
to ask this question first.
00:53:10.69\00:53:13.79
"It becomes us to inquire,
00:53:13.82\00:53:16.22
what is Christ to us now?"
00:53:16.26\00:53:21.13
You know, when you go to heaven,
00:53:21.16\00:53:23.26
Jesus is gonna be there
00:53:23.30\00:53:26.10
the whole time,
00:53:26.13\00:53:30.11
the whole time,
00:53:30.14\00:53:31.54
not just like on day
one for introductions
00:53:31.57\00:53:33.88
and handshakes
and crown dispenses
00:53:33.91\00:53:35.91
and all this kind of stuff.
00:53:35.94\00:53:37.48
When you wake up the next day,
00:53:37.51\00:53:38.85
He's still gonna be
there and the day after that,
00:53:38.88\00:53:40.22
and the day after that,
00:53:40.25\00:53:41.58
Jesus is gonna be
there for all eternity.
00:53:41.62\00:53:44.69
And the question
we need to ask now,
00:53:44.72\00:53:46.05
is that really good news?
00:53:46.09\00:53:47.99
You know, when I was younger,
00:53:48.02\00:53:50.63
much younger,
00:53:50.66\00:53:54.10
my mom would
sometimes ask this question,
00:53:54.13\00:53:56.53
if I were being
particularly naughty,
00:53:56.56\00:54:01.14
which of course is hypothetical.
00:54:01.17\00:54:02.50
This is, that
never actually happened.
00:54:02.54\00:54:04.07
But it if,
00:54:04.11\00:54:09.61
should say, Cameron,
00:54:09.64\00:54:12.98
if Jesus were here with you,
00:54:13.01\00:54:15.95
could you do
00:54:15.98\00:54:18.32
whatever I was doing?
00:54:18.35\00:54:21.69
I hated that question.
00:54:21.72\00:54:24.99
Of course, I couldn't do
00:54:25.03\00:54:26.36
what I'm doing
now, if Jesus were here.
00:54:26.39\00:54:27.73
He would mess it up, right?
00:54:27.76\00:54:30.67
I can't say those
words or watch those things
00:54:30.70\00:54:32.83
and think those
thoughts or do that actually,
00:54:32.87\00:54:34.54
I can't do that stuff with Him.
00:54:34.57\00:54:38.31
I just have to
sit here and be good.
00:54:38.34\00:54:42.08
And spoil all my fun, right?
00:54:42.11\00:54:45.75
But, friends,
there are many people
00:54:45.78\00:54:47.12
who fully expect to go to heaven
00:54:47.15\00:54:49.42
and slide down the drafts next
00:54:49.45\00:54:50.95
and swim with the
dolphins and fly another world,
00:54:50.99\00:54:53.15
well, let's go,
completely mindless of the fact
00:54:53.19\00:54:55.22
that Jesus will be there.
00:54:55.26\00:54:59.49
And if you don't want
to hang out with Him now,
00:54:59.53\00:55:02.76
what in the
world makes you think
00:55:02.80\00:55:04.17
that you want to
do it for eternity?
00:55:04.20\00:55:08.60
It becomes us to inquire,
00:55:08.64\00:55:11.37
what is Christ to us now.
00:55:11.41\00:55:14.88
It's not like, on the
way up and we're like,
00:55:14.91\00:55:16.51
"Well, we're gonna
learn to like Him."
00:55:16.54\00:55:19.48
No!
00:55:19.51\00:55:20.85
We should ask this
incredibly simple question.
00:55:25.25\00:55:29.26
Do we even want to go?
00:55:29.29\00:55:31.96
Do we even want to go to heaven?
00:55:35.00\00:55:37.67
Is that something
that appeals to us?
00:55:37.70\00:55:41.97
Do we see in Christ just a,
00:55:42.00\00:55:43.97
you know,
00:55:44.01\00:55:45.34
good luck charm
00:55:45.37\00:55:46.71
or some sort of handy
thing to get our ticket in,
00:55:46.74\00:55:48.08
so when we get there,
we can do whatever we want?
00:55:48.11\00:55:50.01
Or do we actually
want to be with Jesus?
00:55:50.05\00:55:52.01
Imagine, if heaven
weren't such a paradise,
00:55:52.05\00:55:55.68
what if it
wasn't perfect weather
00:55:55.72\00:55:57.19
and streets of gold,
00:55:57.22\00:55:58.55
and all we got was the
world just like this one,
00:55:58.59\00:56:01.06
the only
difference is we had Jesus
00:56:01.09\00:56:02.62
and everybody lived
according to His rules?
00:56:02.66\00:56:05.03
Would you still want it?
00:56:05.06\00:56:06.39
Sometimes, I think
we focused on the place
00:56:09.10\00:56:11.07
and we mistake the central theme
00:56:11.10\00:56:12.93
is the person of Jesus Christ.
00:56:12.97\00:56:16.97
I'm going to heaven
00:56:17.01\00:56:18.94
not for all that other stuff,
00:56:18.97\00:56:20.31
but I actually
wanna be with Jesus.
00:56:20.34\00:56:24.41
1 John 2:28,
00:56:24.45\00:56:28.18
we'll close with this passage.
00:56:28.22\00:56:29.68
"And now little children,"
00:56:35.02\00:56:36.36
here's the
solution to our sin problem
00:56:36.39\00:56:39.03
as God's not
only calling us good
00:56:39.06\00:56:40.56
but making us good.
00:56:40.60\00:56:41.93
And it says here,
"And now little children
00:56:41.96\00:56:44.13
abide," where?
00:56:44.17\00:56:46.00
"In Him
00:56:46.03\00:56:47.90
that when He appears,
00:56:47.94\00:56:50.04
we may have
confidence and not be ashamed
00:56:50.07\00:56:52.94
before Him at His coming."
00:56:52.97\00:56:54.34
How many of you here
wanna have confidence
00:56:54.38\00:56:56.34
when Jesus comes
back and not be ashamed
00:56:56.38\00:56:58.48
when He returns?
00:56:58.51\00:56:59.85
Praise the Lord! Me too.
00:56:59.88\00:57:01.28
Let's bow our
heads for word of prayer.
00:57:01.32\00:57:03.02
Dear Heavenly Father,
we wanna thank You so much
00:57:03.05\00:57:07.69
for being the
solution to our sin problem.
00:57:07.72\00:57:11.96
Lord, we each have sinned
00:57:11.99\00:57:13.60
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:57:13.63\00:57:16.26
Each one of us has
a record of iniquity
00:57:16.30\00:57:18.00
and transgression
00:57:18.03\00:57:19.37
as long as our life has been.
00:57:19.40\00:57:21.50
And we are so
thankful for Your promise
00:57:21.54\00:57:23.81
to pardon and to forgive,
00:57:23.84\00:57:26.81
to cleanse our record
by the blood of the Lamb.
00:57:26.84\00:57:30.88
But, Lord, we also know that
00:57:30.91\00:57:32.25
we have prospects for the future
00:57:32.28\00:57:33.62
and temptation
still is inevitable.
00:57:33.65\00:57:38.02
So, Lord, we need
from You not only pardon,
00:57:38.05\00:57:39.85
we also need power.
00:57:39.89\00:57:42.22
Please, Lord,
come into our lives,
00:57:42.26\00:57:44.53
fill us.
00:57:44.56\00:57:45.89
Let the righteousness
of Christ be in us.
00:57:45.93\00:57:48.56
And we may abide in
Him that when He appears,
00:57:48.60\00:57:51.50
we may have
confidence and not be ashamed
00:57:51.53\00:57:53.87
before Him at His coming.
00:57:53.90\00:57:55.70
Lord, this is our prayer
and we pray it in Jesus' name.
00:57:55.74\00:57:59.31
Amen.
00:57:59.34\00:58:00.68