WEBVTT 00:00:01.239 --> 00:00:05.099 Let us now pray. Our God and our Father, we thank 00:00:05.099 --> 00:00:07.860 you for sending your Spirit to give us life and 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:10.119 to empower us for the call that you have given 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.580 us to carry your words of life to the ends of 00:00:13.580 --> 00:00:16.339 the earth. Please allow the words of my mouth 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:20.160 and the meditation of all our hearts to be acceptable 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:23.460 in your sight, O Lord, our rock and nearest kinsman, 00:00:23.500 --> 00:00:27.179 Redeemer, Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen. 00:00:30.250 --> 00:00:33.950 Our scripture passage today is from Romans chapter 00:00:33.950 --> 00:00:59.799 5, Romans chapter 5, beginning in verse 6. that 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:03.719 while we were still sinners, Christ died for 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:06.840 us. Much more than having now been justified 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:10.700 by His blood, we can be saved from wrath through 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:15.640 Him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled 00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:19.040 to God through the death of His Son, much more, 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:22.620 having been reconciled, we shall be saved by 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:26.680 His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:29.430 in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. through 00:01:29.430 --> 00:01:34.489 whom you now received reconciliation. These are 00:01:34.489 --> 00:01:37.629 the words of Almighty God. Receive them in your 00:01:37.629 --> 00:01:41.409 hearts. There are three things that I want you 00:01:41.409 --> 00:01:43.650 to see and contemplate as we look through this 00:01:43.650 --> 00:01:50.030 passage together. And they are this. One, God 00:01:50.030 --> 00:01:57.290 is holy, righteous, and good. God is holy, righteous, 00:01:57.810 --> 00:02:04.200 and good. Number two, man's chief problem is 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:10.159 our sin, thus by death separation from God. Man's 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:15.740 chief problem is our sin, thus death by separation 00:02:15.740 --> 00:02:22.180 from God. And finally, though once enemies of 00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:25.659 God, we have been given grace and peace unto 00:02:25.659 --> 00:02:30.270 a life of good works. Though once enemies of 00:02:30.270 --> 00:02:33.990 God, we have been given grace and peace unto 00:02:33.990 --> 00:02:39.569 a life of good works. We are now in the season 00:02:39.569 --> 00:02:44.169 after Pentecost. And that brings us a change 00:02:44.169 --> 00:02:48.050 in colors. We see green all about us, right? 00:02:48.150 --> 00:02:51.889 We've got green banners, our runner, my tie, 00:02:52.349 --> 00:02:54.490 maybe even for a few of you out there, different 00:02:54.490 --> 00:02:58.509 colors that you're wearing. And the season after 00:02:58.509 --> 00:03:02.189 Pentecost, it's all building, it's all growing, 00:03:02.629 --> 00:03:06.150 but it's bringing us to be green and growing 00:03:06.150 --> 00:03:11.750 in Christ and in maturity. So again, this summer 00:03:11.750 --> 00:03:15.030 we'll be working on growing our foundations in 00:03:15.030 --> 00:03:20.610 a summer series. And so with this, we will be 00:03:20.610 --> 00:03:23.090 working on the foundations of the Christian life. 00:03:23.849 --> 00:03:26.669 Since December in the church calendar, we have 00:03:26.669 --> 00:03:32.650 been reminded of the life of Christ. We have 00:03:32.650 --> 00:03:37.129 studied it in some detail. And starting in December 00:03:37.129 --> 00:03:40.229 with Advent, we, like the saints of all, waited 00:03:40.229 --> 00:03:43.830 in great expectation for the coming of the Son 00:03:43.830 --> 00:03:47.669 of God to be the deliverer of His people. We 00:03:47.669 --> 00:03:50.430 were reminded. Again like the people of the Old 00:03:50.430 --> 00:03:53.469 Testament of our bondage of sin and our helplessness 00:03:53.469 --> 00:03:57.509 to remedy the death of separation from God Which 00:03:57.509 --> 00:04:01.990 has wreaked havoc on men's lives and our entire 00:04:01.990 --> 00:04:05.629 world We rejoiced in the Christmas season at 00:04:05.629 --> 00:04:09.949 Jesus humble birth We saw the Son of God Revealed 00:04:09.949 --> 00:04:12.930 during the season of Epiphany which goes from 00:04:12.930 --> 00:04:16.600 Jesus baptism Where the Trinity is revealed and 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.660 God the Father declares that Jesus is the Son 00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:24.120 in whom he is well pleased Epiphany ends at the 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:27.660 transfiguration where again the Father declares 00:04:27.660 --> 00:04:31.759 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:38.060 and he adds here We've observed the Lenten season 00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:41.779 considering the great sacrifice of Jesus as He 00:04:41.779 --> 00:04:44.660 courageously walked in obedience to His Father, 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:48.259 despite all the opposition and every temptation 00:04:48.259 --> 00:04:51.480 and every shortcoming imaginable that was presented 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:56.360 to Him. We humbly stood in awe at His suffering 00:04:56.360 --> 00:05:01.220 and death on Good Friday. We rejoiced at Easter 00:05:01.220 --> 00:05:03.920 where Jesus rose from the dead having paid the 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:07.209 price for the sins of all those that He has called 00:05:07.209 --> 00:05:12.490 as His. We stood in amazement at Jesus' very 00:05:12.490 --> 00:05:15.649 personal restoration with His disciples and the 00:05:15.649 --> 00:05:18.069 wonderful preparation for the establishment of 00:05:18.069 --> 00:05:22.329 the Church to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:05:22.329 --> 00:05:27.389 to all the nations. This, of course, climaxes 00:05:27.389 --> 00:05:30.430 with two events. Jesus' ascension to the right 00:05:30.430 --> 00:05:33.230 hand of the Father with all authority in heaven 00:05:33.230 --> 00:05:38.019 and on earth. and the gift of the Holy Spirit 00:05:38.019 --> 00:05:41.920 at Pentecost to empower His heralds, transform 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:48.019 the dead in sin to life in Christ Jesus. We've 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:51.680 now entered the season after Pentecost. Except 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:54.519 for Trinity Sunday, which was last week, All 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:57.980 Saints Day, these days has marked as ordinary 00:05:57.980 --> 00:06:01.629 time. Now, What that means is we're not studying 00:06:01.629 --> 00:06:04.410 the life of Christ exclusively. Don't think about 00:06:04.410 --> 00:06:07.990 it as it's some sort of step down. But it is, 00:06:08.009 --> 00:06:10.149 when you hear the word ordinary, think about 00:06:10.149 --> 00:06:13.709 I live an ordinary life. So how do I grow, follow 00:06:13.709 --> 00:06:21.050 God in my ordinary day -to -day routines? Now 00:06:21.050 --> 00:06:24.230 our sanctuary colors here return to the growing 00:06:24.230 --> 00:06:27.709 green. as we focus on the growth and maturity 00:06:27.709 --> 00:06:30.649 of the church and the outworking of the kingdom 00:06:30.649 --> 00:06:35.490 until we cycle back to purple and advent. So 00:06:35.490 --> 00:06:40.029 then, here is the question. How do we grow and 00:06:40.029 --> 00:06:44.230 mature? We must first consider the basics of 00:06:44.230 --> 00:06:49.050 who God is, who we are, and the triune God's 00:06:49.050 --> 00:06:56.449 work on our behalf. Dearly beloved, You have 00:06:56.449 --> 00:07:00.670 been marked out by God in your baptism the triune 00:07:00.670 --> 00:07:05.430 God place his name upon you God in his grace 00:07:05.430 --> 00:07:09.310 Mercy and peace by the atoning work of Jesus 00:07:09.310 --> 00:07:12.750 has brought you into his covenant people and 00:07:12.750 --> 00:07:19.290 has declared for all of you That you are mine 00:07:19.290 --> 00:07:23.589 As the spirit hovered over the waters of first 00:07:23.589 --> 00:07:27.160 creation So in baptism the spirit hovered over 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:31.500 the waters in your baptism Now right now for 00:07:31.500 --> 00:07:35.000 all of you this needs to be and should be a great 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:40.240 assurance God called you he marked you out the 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:43.339 spirit hovered over the waters at creation He 00:07:43.339 --> 00:07:45.500 hovered over the waters of the new creation in 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:52.120 your life in baptism That assures us that gives 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:56.660 us comfort Now inspired by the Holy Spirit the 00:07:56.660 --> 00:07:59.920 Apostle Paul wrote a letter To the church in 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:02.959 Rome which throughout church history has assisted 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:08.019 the people of God to understand God Men and the 00:08:08.019 --> 00:08:11.759 good news of the gospel which transforms men's 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:19.740 hearts and lives Now Paul like many of his when 00:08:19.740 --> 00:08:22.120 he writes a book of Romans like many of his other 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:26.019 epistles or letters includes introductions like 00:08:26.019 --> 00:08:29.060 this. We see in Romans chapter 1 it says this. 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:32.519 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:37.139 to be saints, grace to you in peace from God 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:41.940 our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I want 00:08:41.940 --> 00:08:45.360 to read that again. This is verse 7. To all who 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:47.759 are in Rome, so basically to the church in Rome, 00:08:48.259 --> 00:08:50.799 and here today for us, for everyone in this room, 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:56.490 beloved of God, Called to be saints grace to 00:08:56.490 --> 00:08:59.330 you in peace from God our father and the Lord 00:08:59.330 --> 00:09:04.850 Jesus Christ Who here today needs grace and peace 00:09:04.850 --> 00:09:10.490 from God our father and Jesus Christ That's very 00:09:10.490 --> 00:09:12.470 interesting this is the beginning of the epistle 00:09:12.470 --> 00:09:16.090 at the end of the epistle of Romans after all 00:09:16.090 --> 00:09:18.850 that he says Between the beginning and the end 00:09:18.850 --> 00:09:22.809 he says this in Romans 16 verse 20 And the God 00:09:22.809 --> 00:09:26.970 of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. 00:09:28.029 --> 00:09:32.490 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." 00:09:32.490 --> 00:09:36.250 And he concludes that verse with the word, amen. 00:09:36.509 --> 00:09:41.370 So be it. And all the instruction given throughout 00:09:41.370 --> 00:09:44.070 scripture and the sermons that you've heard, 00:09:44.830 --> 00:09:49.710 God's grace and peace are declared to you. The 00:09:49.710 --> 00:09:54.789 very people. God Now you may wonder about God's 00:09:54.789 --> 00:09:57.629 grace to you because you struggle at times to 00:09:57.629 --> 00:10:01.649 find peace to feel at peace Right now in your 00:10:01.649 --> 00:10:04.789 daily life in your circumstances You might be 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:07.950 saying I don't know that I have God's grace if 00:10:07.950 --> 00:10:10.649 peace goes along with it because look at my life 00:10:10.649 --> 00:10:19.149 Look at all of these circumstances And you may 00:10:19.149 --> 00:10:24.190 wonder Do I have God's grace and peace? Jonathan 00:10:24.190 --> 00:10:27.830 Edwards, the great American Puritan, said this 00:10:27.830 --> 00:10:31.429 in his treatise on grace. He points out that 00:10:31.429 --> 00:10:35.549 the Holy Spirit is the grace and peace of God 00:10:35.549 --> 00:10:38.970 our Father and Jesus Christ. So just think about 00:10:38.970 --> 00:10:42.289 this for just a moment. We studied the life of 00:10:42.289 --> 00:10:46.740 Christ. We studied His plan for His church. He 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:49.059 ascended to the right hand of the Father and 00:10:49.059 --> 00:10:52.899 the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and 00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:57.440 the Son and was poured out upon His church at 00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:04.220 Pentecost. What happened at Pentecost? Repent 00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:07.519 and be baptized and 3 ,000 not counting women 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:10.960 and children were added to the church that day. 00:11:13.379 --> 00:11:20.559 New creation. We are made alive from the dead 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:24.620 by the Spirit flowing to to the world and we 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:28.000 are Transformed the scripture tells us we see 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.460 this both in Ezekiel and in Revelation Into trees 00:11:31.460 --> 00:11:34.100 beside the river of life that river is the Spirit 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:37.679 of God Bearing the fruit of the Spirit all year 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.659 round and our leaves are for the healing of the 00:11:40.659 --> 00:11:46.019 nations Dearly beloved God called you before 00:11:46.019 --> 00:11:49.580 the foundations of the world to be his he marked 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:54.379 at baptism and the spirit to win to his covenant 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:58.720 of grace and peace Now here's the thing about 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:02.580 Romans chapter 5 Romans chapter 5 offends our 00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:08.000 pride It points out not only our sin, but our 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:12.320 inability to save ourselves Again looking at 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:15.279 Romans 5 6 for when we were still without strength 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:21.000 We had no ability No, no way to save ourselves 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:25.120 when we were without strength in due time Christ 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:29.340 died for the ungodly verse 10 even tells us that 00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:34.059 the ungodly are you ready for this are the enemies 00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:44.960 of God As you know, the triune God is love, He 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:52.379 is good, He is righteous, and He is holy. Man 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:56.500 dead in his sins is separated from God and so 00:12:56.500 --> 00:13:01.960 lives in self -serving ways, in hate, and wicked 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:06.080 ambitions and pursuits, and so lives contrary 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:10.450 to God. When we think of God's goodness and His 00:13:10.450 --> 00:13:14.129 holiness and His righteousness, we see in His 00:13:14.129 --> 00:13:15.909 Word. Let me pause here. We're going to read 00:13:15.909 --> 00:13:19.250 this verse, Psalm 100, verse 5. It says, for 00:13:19.250 --> 00:13:23.129 Yahweh is good, His mercy is everlasting, and 00:13:23.129 --> 00:13:28.129 His truth endures to all generations. Now, for 00:13:28.129 --> 00:13:30.110 most of you, you already know this. I try to 00:13:30.110 --> 00:13:33.210 say this routinely. Why do I say the word Yahweh? 00:13:33.230 --> 00:13:35.549 When you look in your Bible, you see the word 00:13:35.549 --> 00:13:38.950 Lord, and it's capitalized. All the letters are 00:13:38.950 --> 00:13:42.370 capitalized. When you see that, that is actually 00:13:42.370 --> 00:13:47.350 the word Yahweh. And why do I want us to hear 00:13:47.350 --> 00:13:50.710 that word? I want us to hear it because that 00:13:50.710 --> 00:13:54.350 is the covenant name of God to His people. So 00:13:54.350 --> 00:13:57.070 every time you see Lord, or you see it in your 00:13:57.070 --> 00:13:58.690 translation that says Yahweh, you want to be 00:13:58.690 --> 00:14:01.049 thinking, wait a minute, this is the covenant 00:14:01.049 --> 00:14:03.370 name of God, and He is speaking to His covenant 00:14:03.370 --> 00:14:08.580 people. When you are baptized you are brought 00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:13.340 into the covenant people of God So when it says 00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:17.279 Yahweh is good and his mercy is everlasting Right 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:19.120 the covenant. God is saying that to his covenant 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:25.700 people It should assure you of who he is And 00:14:25.700 --> 00:14:29.899 then someone 1968 speaking of God says you are 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:33.080 good and do good and then the psalmist says teach 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:38.929 me your statutes In Mark 10 verse 18, Jesus himself, 00:14:39.250 --> 00:14:41.830 when speaking to the rich young ruler, says, 00:14:42.970 --> 00:14:47.450 why do you call me good? No one is good but one. 00:14:48.029 --> 00:14:53.830 That is God. So we see that God is good. He is 00:14:53.830 --> 00:14:58.590 righteous. He is holy. By contrast, Paul, early 00:14:58.590 --> 00:15:02.450 in his letter to the church in Rome, says this, 00:15:02.509 --> 00:15:04.830 quoting from the Old Testament in Romans chapter 00:15:04.830 --> 00:15:08.139 three. He says this, what then are we better 00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:10.480 than they? That is the Jews and the Gentiles. 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:13.220 Not at all, for we have previously charged at 00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:16.740 both Jews and Greeks that they are all under 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:21.340 sin as it is written. There is none righteous, 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:25.620 no not one. There is none who understands. There 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:29.620 is none who seeks after God. They have all turned 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:34.600 aside. They have together become unprofitable. 00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:40.340 There's no one who does good no not one and that's 00:15:40.340 --> 00:15:45.379 actually quoting from Psalm 14 Psalm 53 and Ecclesiastes 00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:49.960 chapter 7 Paul goes on quoting the Old Testament 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:53.320 saying their throat is an open tomb With their 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:57.860 tongues they have practiced deceit Psalm 5 The 00:15:57.860 --> 00:16:01.419 poison of the asps is under their lisp their 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:05.889 lips Psalm 140 Whose mouth is full of cursing 00:16:05.889 --> 00:16:09.490 and bitterness Psalm 10 their feet are swift 00:16:09.490 --> 00:16:13.470 to shed blood Destruction and misery are in their 00:16:13.470 --> 00:16:17.750 ways and the way of peace they have not known 00:16:17.750 --> 00:16:22.990 Isaiah 59 and Finally, he says this there is 00:16:22.990 --> 00:16:27.269 no fear of God before their eyes And he is quoting 00:16:27.269 --> 00:16:35.659 Psalm 36 All people enemies of God if left in 00:16:35.659 --> 00:16:40.159 their sins. Men since Adam in the garden have 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:44.019 attempted to establish their own ethics apart 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:47.120 from God as if in some fashion they were equal 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:52.990 to God. Adam had one rule and two commands. The 00:16:52.990 --> 00:16:55.210 one rule was not to eat of the tree of good and 00:16:55.210 --> 00:16:58.350 evil. By the way, God puts all the fruit trees, 00:16:58.450 --> 00:17:00.730 all the trees that you could eat off of in that 00:17:00.730 --> 00:17:03.909 garden. And all he does is set up one thing I'm 00:17:03.909 --> 00:17:06.529 going to prohibit you from. What's he want to 00:17:06.529 --> 00:17:12.430 do? The one thing God says don't do. He also 00:17:12.430 --> 00:17:18.549 had two commands. And that was to tend and guard 00:17:18.549 --> 00:17:23.980 the garden. To guard and tend the garden. Adam 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:27.319 abandoned everything to be like God. He did not 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:30.799 guard his wife and permitted her to be deceived 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.960 without intervention. He was not tending the 00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:42.039 garden or his wife. For his own glory, he was 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:45.960 willing to sacrifice his wife to gain what he 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:51.269 thought was equality with God. For most of you 00:17:51.269 --> 00:17:55.829 here. You know what the commands of God are You 00:17:55.829 --> 00:18:00.109 know what they are But even if you only know 00:18:00.109 --> 00:18:06.869 one command of God You know that you have broken 00:18:06.869 --> 00:18:12.609 that commandment your violet Now we justify ourselves 00:18:12.609 --> 00:18:15.490 by comparing ourselves to one another I go. I'm 00:18:15.490 --> 00:18:19.309 not as bad as that guy I might have some wickedness, 00:18:19.470 --> 00:18:22.309 but man, this person over here, this is the problem 00:18:22.309 --> 00:18:26.390 with Dante's model of the different levels of 00:18:26.390 --> 00:18:29.630 hell. Now, I do think there are worse punishments 00:18:29.630 --> 00:18:34.089 for some. But we use that model and we go, well, 00:18:35.309 --> 00:18:38.470 I'm not as bad as those people. They're so wicked. 00:18:38.630 --> 00:18:41.089 They're the ones with all the problems in the 00:18:41.089 --> 00:18:47.359 world bringing all the sin here. You see? We 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:52.519 justify ourselves We minimize our own sin Now 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:56.180 James chapter 2 tells us this in verse 8 if you 00:18:56.180 --> 00:18:58.960 really fulfill the law according to the scripture 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.319 You shall love your neighbor as yourself You 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:06.279 do well, but if you show partiality you commit 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:11.079 sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:14.599 For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:21.529 stumble in One point he is guilty of all Again 00:19:21.529 --> 00:19:25.289 it is our habit to rank our sins I'm not that 00:19:25.289 --> 00:19:29.109 bad You know just before the list of the fruit 00:19:29.109 --> 00:19:32.289 of the Spirit in Galatians 5 it says this now 00:19:32.289 --> 00:19:38.009 the works of the flesh that is sin The works 00:19:38.009 --> 00:19:42.750 of the flesh that sin are evident which are adultery 00:19:42.750 --> 00:19:49.759 fornication uncleanness lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:54.779 hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of 00:19:54.779 --> 00:20:00.460 wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:07.079 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:10.559 like, of which I have told you beforehand, just 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:13.819 as I told you in times past, that those who practice 00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:18.670 such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 00:20:20.990 --> 00:20:27.650 Lord, have mercy on us all. This is where we 00:20:27.650 --> 00:20:30.630 actually see the good news in Romans chapter 00:20:30.630 --> 00:20:43.319 5. Let us hear it one more time. Will one die 00:20:43.319 --> 00:20:46.319 yet perhaps for a good man someone would even 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:50.160 dare to die But God demonstrates his own love 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:55.880 towards us that while we were still sinners Unable 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:59.880 to save ourselves Christ died for us more much 00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:03.359 more than having now been justified by his blood 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:08.920 We shall be saved from wrath through him for 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:13.119 when we were enemies We were reconciled to God 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:17.500 through the death of His Son. Much more, having 00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:22.220 been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:26.299 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:28.319 through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:31.960 have now received reconciliation. When Jesus 00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:35.700 rose from the grave, what did He do? A lot of 00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:38.670 times we race right to the ascension. And this 00:21:38.670 --> 00:21:42.029 is important. Ascension is important. But we 00:21:42.029 --> 00:21:46.450 forget what did He do. When He came back to life, 00:21:46.490 --> 00:21:49.930 He went to His disciples. He reconciled them. 00:21:49.970 --> 00:21:53.009 He taught them. He prepared them. He explained 00:21:53.009 --> 00:21:58.950 how all the Scriptures about Him. He served others. 00:21:59.549 --> 00:22:07.259 He prepared and built the Kingdom. God demonstrated 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:10.259 his love towards us when we were without strength. 00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:14.380 We were hapless We were dead dry bones in our 00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:17.740 sins and trespasses. We bring nothing to our 00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:23.619 salvation but our sin But the good news the joyful 00:22:23.619 --> 00:22:27.440 news you all y 'all have been justified by Jesus 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:30.220 blood and we will be saved from the wrath of 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:35.000 God We were enemies of God now reconciled and 00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:38.400 brought back into relationship with God because 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:44.559 Jesus died for us. Much more, you see, because 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.180 we've been reconciled, we are saved in Jesus' 00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:51.500 life. But wait, there's more. Ephesians chapter 00:22:51.500 --> 00:22:56.720 two tells us this, that we were raised and we 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.859 should rejoice, but it's not just for the future, 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:03.180 it's okay, I've come to Christ as I ask forgiveness 00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:08.180 for my sins. My insides are good. I can just 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:13.740 keep living my life. There it is. No. Ephesians 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:18.099 chapter two tells us that God made us alive who 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:21.920 were dead in our trespasses and sins and reminds 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:24.819 us that we once walked in the way of sinful men 00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:27.599 of disobedience under the prince of this world, 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:31.759 Satan. But God, rich in his mercy and his love, 00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:35.240 that He loved us and raised us up to sit in heavenly 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:39.299 places in Christ. And then Ephesians 2 goes on 00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:42.000 to emphasize that we are not saved in ourselves, 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:46.319 but by grace and faith because of the kindness 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:53.220 given to us in Christ. And we are saved by Jesus, 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:58.130 not of our own works. But Ephesians chapter 2 00:23:58.130 --> 00:24:01.289 verse 10 tells us this, For we are His workmanship, 00:24:01.910 --> 00:24:05.789 created in Christ Jesus for good works, which 00:24:05.789 --> 00:24:08.650 God prepared beforehand that we should walk in 00:24:08.650 --> 00:24:11.049 them. Just like when Jesus was raised from the 00:24:11.049 --> 00:24:14.869 dead, He went and He worked and He transformed 00:24:14.869 --> 00:24:18.009 the world and He prepared and He took the kingdom 00:24:18.009 --> 00:24:22.029 and laid out the foundation of the kingdom, we 00:24:22.029 --> 00:24:27.210 too have work to do. We're delivered from our 00:24:27.210 --> 00:24:31.069 sins reconciled to God because of Jesus and this 00:24:31.069 --> 00:24:35.049 is just not a reality for our future alone But 00:24:35.049 --> 00:24:39.230 we have been reconciled Because God made us and 00:24:39.230 --> 00:24:43.170 has given us a new life His workmanship created 00:24:43.170 --> 00:24:48.250 in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared 00:24:48.250 --> 00:24:54.150 for us beforehand Dearly beloved God mercifully 00:24:54.329 --> 00:24:59.329 and full of grace towards you all, in His Word, 00:24:59.730 --> 00:25:03.650 He has placed you in His world for times such 00:25:03.650 --> 00:25:07.210 as this, right now. There are no circumstances 00:25:07.210 --> 00:25:12.589 in your life that God was surprised by. You might 00:25:12.589 --> 00:25:15.589 feel you don't have grace and peace, and you're 00:25:15.589 --> 00:25:17.450 looking at your circumstances and you're looking 00:25:17.450 --> 00:25:22.309 at the difficulties. Brothers and sisters in 00:25:22.309 --> 00:25:26.809 Christ. He has placed you here now. He has placed 00:25:26.809 --> 00:25:31.509 you in your circumstances now. He has given you 00:25:31.509 --> 00:25:38.890 His grace and peace to go and be a blessing. 00:25:43.130 --> 00:25:45.990 He has called you. He has made you alive as His 00:25:45.990 --> 00:25:49.529 servants to do good works. So here's the question. 00:25:50.710 --> 00:25:58.609 These good works, Ask yourself this. If He made 00:25:58.609 --> 00:26:02.390 you alive to do good works, are you faithful 00:26:02.390 --> 00:26:08.230 to God by doing glorifying works in your homes, 00:26:09.309 --> 00:26:12.450 in your marriages, in your parenting, in your 00:26:12.450 --> 00:26:15.440 church, and in your community? When you get up 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:17.720 and start your day with morning prayers, are 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:21.819 you rejoicing in God with Thanksgiving and gratitude? 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:26.019 making petitions for God to be glorified in you 00:26:26.019 --> 00:26:29.500 because of Jesus I Just want to point one thing 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:31.079 out to you. I want you to ask yourself. You're 00:26:31.079 --> 00:26:33.359 a Christian, right? You've been baptized. He's 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:36.440 called you out How much does the name of Jesus 00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:40.660 come into your life on a daily basis? When you 00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:43.940 speak to your wife or husband or your children 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:48.519 or your neighbors or your coworkers, do you say 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:51.359 Jesus? I'm not talking about you're saying your 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:56.039 grace in Jesus' name. It's not just about petitioning 00:26:56.039 --> 00:27:01.400 God and asking God. Are we acting as if, like 00:27:01.400 --> 00:27:04.660 the little children's song, we hide his light 00:27:04.660 --> 00:27:14.840 under a bushel? Oh no. Or does Jesus' name permeate 00:27:14.840 --> 00:27:19.400 your world Now sometimes you might be saying 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:22.599 Jesus. I don't know what you're doing Right or 00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:25.000 you say to your I don't know what Jesus is doing 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:28.819 in your life But I know that his word says this 00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:32.119 that Jesus says this When you correct your children 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:36.319 and discipline your children Are you saying mom 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:47.900 says? Or are you saying? Jesus says Do the actions 00:27:47.900 --> 00:27:49.940 in your marriage with your children and family, 00:27:50.579 --> 00:27:52.940 relationships at work, and your community reflect 00:27:52.940 --> 00:27:56.480 Jesus and the good works that are in this new 00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:59.819 life? That He has prepared for you beforehand. 00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:03.579 For you to walk in. All these things that you're 00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:05.240 facing in your life, all these difficulties, 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:07.079 all these struggles, all these places, you don't 00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:09.779 feel at peace? And you don't think you have enough 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:13.559 grace for? Dearly beloved, the Spirit is upon 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:16.589 you. His grace and peace is with you. for these 00:28:16.589 --> 00:28:24.390 very works. Nothing in your life is a surprise 00:28:24.390 --> 00:28:29.250 to God. No circumstances are accidents, but rather 00:28:29.250 --> 00:28:32.470 the sovereign Lord of all. The living triune 00:28:32.470 --> 00:28:37.960 God has placed you here and now. By the living 00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:40.299 waters flowing from his throne he's placed you 00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:43.039 in these things to be fruitful and multiply the 00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:46.640 fruit of the spirit as You take dominion and 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:52.400 all that he has given you authority over You 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:55.859 are to be transforming your portion of the world 00:28:55.859 --> 00:29:00.460 That his kingdom comes into that and that his 00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:02.660 will be done on earth as it is in heaven What 00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:05.299 portion has he given you? What is he giving you 00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:12.690 authority over? We must study the Bible and do 00:29:12.690 --> 00:29:16.390 it We're not just saved to go to heaven one day. 00:29:16.410 --> 00:29:19.549 That is true Well, we are to live to the glory 00:29:19.549 --> 00:29:22.849 of God in all things so that others when they 00:29:22.849 --> 00:29:27.250 see our good works Do not praise us but praise 00:29:27.250 --> 00:29:33.769 our Father in heaven We must study God's Word 00:29:33.769 --> 00:29:37.390 and walk in obedience to it as one commentator 00:29:37.390 --> 00:29:41.819 says The Bible then is God's spectacles or overlay. 00:29:43.220 --> 00:29:47.059 It doesn't flatten or replace reality. It clarifies 00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:51.059 it. It reveals what the human eye and heart can 00:29:51.059 --> 00:29:56.140 no longer perceive clearly on their own. It shows 00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:59.000 us where the rivers of righteousness are found, 00:29:59.299 --> 00:30:01.880 where the cliffs of destruction wait, and where 00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:06.220 the old landmarks of wisdom still stand. It reveals 00:30:06.220 --> 00:30:10.480 not only what is, But what ought to be? It gives 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:13.700 shape to the invisible spiritual structures of 00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:17.440 the world. When you come to your evening prayers, 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:21.539 do you reflect on your day, your interactions 00:30:21.539 --> 00:30:27.660 with others? Do you look at your intentions and 00:30:27.660 --> 00:30:32.420 what your words and actions are reaping? When 00:30:32.420 --> 00:30:35.869 you consider the Word of God, Do you believe 00:30:35.869 --> 00:30:39.369 that on the last day God will say to you, well 00:30:39.369 --> 00:30:42.630 done, thy good and faithful servant? Now you're 00:30:42.630 --> 00:30:45.450 saved by Christ. He's empowered you by the Spirit. 00:30:46.690 --> 00:30:49.710 But the real battle in our life every day is 00:30:49.710 --> 00:30:52.990 to ask these questions. In all that I'm doing, 00:30:53.089 --> 00:30:55.970 in all that God has given me responsibility for, 00:30:56.430 --> 00:30:59.150 am I flourishing in the fruit of the Spirit? 00:30:59.269 --> 00:31:01.450 And am I causing others to flourish in the fruit 00:31:01.450 --> 00:31:06.490 of the Spirit? People of God is what transforms 00:31:06.490 --> 00:31:16.430 the world When we think about that question By 00:31:16.430 --> 00:31:21.009 being the good and faithful servant We fall short 00:31:21.009 --> 00:31:28.619 What must we do we must cling to Jesus We must 00:31:28.619 --> 00:31:31.220 daily confess our sins and we must corporately 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:33.319 come together as the people of God and confess 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:39.140 our sins corporately. You are saved first and 00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:42.339 brought into the people of God and you are a 00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:45.440 stone which is added to the temple, the new temple 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.599 of God. You're an individual but you are in the 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:50.680 covenant corporately. So we have to also confess 00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:56.019 our sins corporately. But don't neglect the daily 00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:59.839 reflection and confession of your sins We must 00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:02.880 set out each morning to honor God with the portion 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:08.099 that he has given us large or small Easy or difficult 00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:13.880 and then each evening reflect By the fact that 00:32:13.880 --> 00:32:16.359 we are reconciled to the father in Christ Jesus, 00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:20.480 we are no longer enemies of God, but as new creatures 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:23.609 we have We have been fruitfully multiplying the 00:32:23.609 --> 00:32:25.369 fruit of the Spirit. This is the question we're 00:32:25.369 --> 00:32:28.769 asking. And are we taking dominion in this world 00:32:28.769 --> 00:32:35.670 to the glory and praise of our King, Jesus? When 00:32:35.670 --> 00:32:37.950 we consider multiplying and being fruitful in 00:32:37.950 --> 00:32:40.589 this, let's hear what the fruit of the Spirit 00:32:40.589 --> 00:32:47.589 is. Love, joy, peace, long -suffering, kindness, 00:32:48.369 --> 00:32:53.430 goodness, faithfulness. gentleness, self -control. 00:32:54.089 --> 00:32:58.650 Against such, there is no law. And those who 00:32:58.650 --> 00:33:02.390 are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its 00:33:02.390 --> 00:33:05.630 passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, 00:33:06.009 --> 00:33:09.089 let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become 00:33:09.089 --> 00:33:13.049 conceited, provoking one another, envying one 00:33:13.049 --> 00:33:17.670 another. Dearly beloved, this may seem overwhelming, 00:33:18.849 --> 00:33:22.630 but remember, that during this season after Pentecost, 00:33:22.970 --> 00:33:28.150 what Jesus promised us. In John 14, Jesus says 00:33:28.150 --> 00:33:32.029 this, these things I have spoken to you while 00:33:32.029 --> 00:33:35.450 being present with you. But the helper, the Holy 00:33:35.450 --> 00:33:38.190 Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, 00:33:38.450 --> 00:33:42.190 he will teach you all things and bring to your 00:33:42.190 --> 00:33:44.250 remembrance all the things I have said to you. 00:33:44.269 --> 00:33:47.130 Now listen here, he goes on and says, peace, 00:33:47.710 --> 00:33:51.990 I leave with you. My peace I give you, not as 00:33:51.990 --> 00:33:57.069 the world gives you, do I give you. Let not your 00:33:57.069 --> 00:34:01.710 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 00:34:03.670 --> 00:34:07.430 Rejoice in the love of God the Father, rejoice 00:34:07.430 --> 00:34:11.210 in the work of the Son, and rejoice in the power 00:34:11.210 --> 00:34:14.670 of the Spirit. For as it says in 2 Corinthians 00:34:14.670 --> 00:34:19.940 chapter 1, For all the promises of God in him. 00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:23.940 That's Jesus our yes and in him That's Jesus 00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:29.320 amen to the glory of God through us now he who 00:34:29.320 --> 00:34:32.619 establishes us with you in Christ has anointed 00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:39.039 us is God who also has sealed us as Baptism and 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:43.400 given us the spirit in our hearts as a guarantee 00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:51.179 He didn't abandon us as orphans. Cling to Christ. 00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:53.900 Know that he is giving you all that you need 00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:57.780 for the circumstances you're in. If you're on 00:34:57.780 --> 00:34:59.639 the realm you would have seen yesterday when 00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:01.559 I sent out the notes at the end of the notes 00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:03.820 of the scripture references for this sermon, 00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:10.179 I included a prayer by Jeremiah Burroughs, a 00:35:10.179 --> 00:35:13.639 Puritan from times past. We're gonna say this 00:35:13.639 --> 00:35:15.599 prayer is our closing prayer, but we're gonna 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:18.119 say it in the plural in plural because it is 00:35:18.119 --> 00:35:22.460 for all of us here today Lord you have given 00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:27.320 us a portion in the world You have given us credit 00:35:27.320 --> 00:35:31.619 and a reputation among others But what is all 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:37.199 this to us? If we are without Christ If we do 00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:39.980 not have the one who gives grace to our soul 00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:45.780 the one who is Lord, you have taught me or taught 00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:49.960 us this day that the distance between you and 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:54.739 us is so great that without a mediator I perish 00:35:54.739 --> 00:36:00.780 forever. So whatever else you deny me and you 00:36:00.780 --> 00:36:12.099 deny us, give us Jesus. Amen. Let us now continue 00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:14.539 our worship by the giving of our tithes and offerings. 00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:57.880 Let us pray. Blessed are you, O Lord God, for 00:36:57.880 --> 00:37:00.159 through your goodness we have these gifts to 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:03.539 share. Accept and use your tithes and our offerings 00:37:03.539 --> 00:37:06.739 for your glory and for service in your kingdom. 00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:09.960 Blessed be God forever and ever. Amen.