1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,920 Thank you, Dick, for reminding us of that blessed truth found in Colossians chapter 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:11,960 2, and ye are complete in him. 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:19,560 Would you take your Bible and turn with me please to Romans chapter 5. 4 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:26,000 It's good to be back with you today after having missed last week due to being out of 5 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:27,000 town. 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:34,760 I appreciate those who filled in last week, the ministry of Jack Smith in the morning, 7 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,560 and thank you for being faithful. 8 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:43,840 Romans chapter 5, verses 1 and 2 will be our text today. 9 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,040 These are familiar verses. 10 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:51,560 We have memorized them together, and doubly they have been known to you for many years 11 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,040 if you have known Christ for a number of years. 12 00:00:55,040 --> 00:01:02,760 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus 13 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:10,800 Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace 14 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:22,240 in which we stand, and we exult or we boast or we joy in hope of the glory of God. 15 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,880 Perhaps it would be good for us this morning to have a brief review of where we have been 16 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,560 and where we are going in the book of Romans. 17 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,480 The theme of the book of Romans is the righteousness of God. 18 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:38,880 In this book we learn how we as sinners can be right with God. 19 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:44,720 In the first three chapters essentially we discovered that righteousness is needed because 20 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:46,600 we are all sinners. 21 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:52,880 God has provided perfect righteousness for us through the work of his Son, Jesus Christ, 22 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:53,880 at the cross. 23 00:01:53,880 --> 00:02:02,760 We shall see as we get into chapters 6, 7, and 8 how that righteousness is to be experienced. 24 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,940 Those are the verses that we are memorizing right now, which we meditated upon this morning 25 00:02:06,940 --> 00:02:09,280 while the organ was playing. 26 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,320 How to experience the righteousness which God has provided for us. 27 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:18,440 Then we will learn in chapters 9, 10, and 11 about God's righteousness being rejected 28 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:23,880 by his Old Testament people Israel, and how the God in this age has done something marvelous 29 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:30,160 in bringing about a new body of people to be his, which are neither Jew nor Gentile, 30 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,680 but which are believers in Jesus Christ. 31 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:39,200 Then in the last part of the book, chapters 12 through 16, it is the righteousness of God 32 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:45,120 revealed, how God's righteousness is made practical in our lives as we live it out in 33 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,120 various relationships. 34 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:55,720 Sometimes the book of Romans is summarized by several words that begin with S, sin, salvation, 35 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:56,720 sanctification. 36 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,600 What's the next one? 37 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,640 Some of you have taken the classes I'm sure we've learned that, sovereignty, and finally, 38 00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:12,160 service. 39 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:19,200 Those are five convenient words by which you can remember the flow of the book of Romans. 40 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:24,480 The righteousness of God is needed by all men, whether the pagans, whether moral or 41 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:30,240 immoral, or Jews, religious people, is needed by all men. 42 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,880 God has provided through Christ's work. 43 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,480 He has become our propitiation. 44 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,040 We have studied. 45 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:42,160 That is the word that describes his work on the cross in its Godward effect. 46 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,600 He has satisfied the justice of God. 47 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,480 Therefore he is our propitiation. 48 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,360 His work is also called our redemption. 49 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,240 That is the word that is sinward in its effect. 50 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:56,440 He has redeemed us. 51 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:01,280 He has purchased us out of our sin and set us free. 52 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:06,320 And then he has also provided by his work on the cross our justification. 53 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:13,080 And that is a man-word directed word because it describes what happens to us when we place 54 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,080 our faith in Christ. 55 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:15,080 We are justified. 56 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:23,000 That word means that we are declared legally righteous in God's sight because of our faith 57 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,720 in Christ. 58 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:30,400 A justification has always been by faith, whether in this age or in previous ages. 59 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:38,000 It has always been received, appropriated by faith in God's promise. 60 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,640 The apostle goes all the way back to Abraham to give us an example of that. 61 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:47,640 In Romans chapter 4, there is the personage of Abraham brought before us. 62 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:53,840 And we see in the first few verses that Abraham was not justified by his works. 63 00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:57,680 He was not justified by his circumcision. 64 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:04,080 He was not justified by the law, but he was justified by God's grace and by his faith 65 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,560 in the promise that God gave him. 66 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:11,520 And that promise that God gave to him was the promise of a what? 67 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,920 A son or a seed. 68 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:20,360 A promised heir was given to Abraham and because Abraham believed that, God counted it to him 69 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:21,360 for righteousness. 70 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:26,640 And you will notice that chapter 4 ends with an application to us. 71 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:33,400 He says, and not for his sake only was it written that it was reckoned to him, but for 72 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:41,440 our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in him who raised Jesus 73 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,600 our Lord from the dead. 74 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:51,560 Him who was delivered up because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. 75 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,560 He closes chapter 4 with a reference to our justification. 76 00:05:54,560 --> 00:06:00,200 I want you to notice first of all that this justification is not the kind of justification 77 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,520 that the world has. 78 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:08,320 The world's justification is based upon merit, what you earn. 79 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,600 God's justification is based upon grace. 80 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,180 It is justification that belongs to us. 81 00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:17,960 It does not belong to everybody in the world, but just to those who have placed their faith 82 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,560 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 83 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,680 It describes here a personal relationship to God. 84 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:25,240 It is our justification. 85 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:30,440 It is not just a theological dogma that we are studying, but we are talking about something 86 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:35,480 that is very personal to each one of us, and that is our relationship to God. 87 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:40,400 It is condensed in that word justification. 88 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:47,920 In chapter 5, the Apostle talks about the blessings that come to us because we have 89 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,760 been justified by faith in Christ. 90 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:55,520 He enumerates the blessings that you and I have because we are saved. 91 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,840 The first blessing that he points out is in verse 1. 92 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:06,120 He says, having been justified by faith, we have, number one, peace with God through our 93 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,200 Lord Jesus Christ. 94 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,080 Peace with God. 95 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,900 I think too often we take for granted, don't we, what that means. 96 00:07:14,900 --> 00:07:18,040 We have peace with God. 97 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,480 The word peace is used in several contexts in the Bible. 98 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:27,760 It is used in the sense of political peace sometimes, and talking about peace in the 99 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:28,760 world. 100 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:33,280 There is one prophetic utterance that deals with it in that way when it says that in the 101 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:39,000 last days they will say, peace, peace, when there is no peace. 102 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:40,800 Talking about political peace in the world. 103 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:46,600 And then there is the sense of personal peace in which this word is used. 104 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:54,840 It refers to the tranquility of mind to freedom from disturbance and upset. 105 00:07:54,840 --> 00:08:00,200 This is the word that Jesus, the meaning that Jesus gave to the word when he said, my peace 106 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,480 I leave with you. 107 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:04,840 My peace he says. 108 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:09,440 My tranquility. 109 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:16,360 I want you to experience the absence of upset that I know because of my relationship with 110 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:17,720 the Father. 111 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:23,480 So his bequest to his followers before he was crucified was his peace. 112 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,600 My peace I leave with you. 113 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,960 Here is that personal peace. 114 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:34,720 It is described in Philippians chapter 4 as peace, the peace of God. 115 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,240 He tells us there that we should be anxious for nothing. 116 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:43,480 It doesn't say be anxious for only the big things. 117 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,760 He says be anxious for nothing. 118 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:51,640 But in everything by prayer and supplication with what? 119 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,080 Thanksgiving. 120 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,880 Let your request be made known to God. 121 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:01,280 And he says the peace of God which passes what? 122 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:07,160 All understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. 123 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,880 There is the peace of God. 124 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:16,720 It is the peace that he gives to the believer, the tranquility he gives to the believer because 125 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,800 the believer has his trust in him. 126 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:26,320 He is not anxious, he is not worried, he is committed to the Lord by prayer and supplication 127 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,000 with thanksgiving. 128 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,080 And then that peace that is said to pass understanding. 129 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:37,080 In other words, it is something the world looks at and says I can't figure that out. 130 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:44,000 How can that Christian respond that way in the face of all the trials he is going through? 131 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,680 He scratches his head and says it is beyond my understanding. 132 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:48,760 Well he is exactly right. 133 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:53,560 God said that the peace of God is beyond human understanding. 134 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,640 But God gives it to the Christian. 135 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:02,580 You may look at a situation in the future and you would say oh if this would have happened 136 00:10:02,580 --> 00:10:07,600 or that would have taken place, I don't think I could ever get through that with peace. 137 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,240 You know God doesn't give his peace until we need it. 138 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:16,560 When you and I need the peace for a particular circumstance, God will give that to us if 139 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:19,740 we are looking to him for it. 140 00:10:19,740 --> 00:10:25,160 You may look at the possibility of losing a child. 141 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:32,160 I think that Satan uses that fear in the lives of many young couples particularly. 142 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:36,600 He whispers in the ear that if you commit everything to the Lord and give it all to him, God is 143 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:37,600 going to test you. 144 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:42,080 The way he is going to test you is by taking away one of your children because that is 145 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,760 the most precious thing in the world to you. 146 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:51,800 By creating that anxiety and that fear, he tries to keep the believer from giving everything 147 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,200 entirely to the Lord. 148 00:10:55,200 --> 00:11:01,080 So there are many Christians who are afraid to commit themselves to God for fear that 149 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:07,160 he is going to test me and I will lose something that is precious to me, maybe my child. 150 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,680 That possibility, I can't imagine having peace in that possibility. 151 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:18,440 Listen, if you and I have committed ourselves completely to the Lord, then we will know 152 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:25,440 the peace that passes understanding if something traumatic were to happen to us. 153 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,920 I have talked to some of you as I look back through the congregation and you have been 154 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:35,040 through some traumatic experiences this year. 155 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:40,760 Some of you have testified to me how the peace of God just so filled your hearts during those 156 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:41,760 times. 157 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:43,880 That is what God is talking about. 158 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:48,480 But that is not what Romans 5 verse 1 is talking about. 159 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:56,920 The tranquility of spirit is the peace of God, but here he says we have peace with God. 160 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:02,840 In this sense, it is talking about the positional peace that the Christian knows. 161 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:08,120 Not political peace, not personal peace, but positional peace. 162 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:14,640 It is a word that describes the relationship between my God and me. 163 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:19,760 We are at peace, finally. 164 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:27,040 There may be some people who would wonder why is peace even an issue then? 165 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:32,320 The fact is that sin created warfare in the spiritual realm. 166 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:39,560 There is a battle going on today between good and evil, and sad is the Christian who doesn't 167 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:41,560 realize that. 168 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:50,160 There is a great battle going on between God and Satan. 169 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:55,400 It is not as though there is a toss-up as to who is going to win the war. 170 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:58,200 That has already been determined. 171 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:03,360 God is the victor, but there nonetheless is a very real battle that takes place. 172 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:11,000 There is a battle that is between God and mankind, because mankind is in rebellion against 173 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,360 God. 174 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:24,960 In Psalm 2, David pictures man as lifting his fist to God and daring God to strike him. 175 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:30,760 Little man lifts his angry fist against the God of the universe and does battle with him 176 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:31,760 by his rebellion. 177 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:36,640 What a pitiful battle, and yet how real it is. 178 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:44,800 In fact, even in verse 10, he says, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God. 179 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:52,360 In other words, there was a time before our conversion when we were enemies with God. 180 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:58,320 This same thought is found over in Colossians 1, if you want to turn there and look at it, 181 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:02,560 in verse 21. 182 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:06,960 He speaks about what the Lord has done for us, and verse 21 he says, and although you 183 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:17,120 were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet now he has reconciled 184 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:18,120 you. 185 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,360 Well, when he says formerly, he is talking about before our salvation. 186 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,440 He says at that time you were hostile to God. 187 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,820 There was no peace between you and God. 188 00:14:28,820 --> 00:14:35,560 You declared war on God by your sin, and consequently, God declared war on sin. 189 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:42,480 Do you know that God is at war against sin? 190 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,360 The seventh Psalm has some interesting words about this. 191 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:52,760 If you want to turn back there a moment, in Psalm 7, verse 11, we have some instructive 192 00:14:52,760 --> 00:15:00,760 words that give us insight into this battle against wickedness. 193 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:08,560 Psalm 7, beginning in verse 11, God is a righteous judge and a God who has indignation every 194 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:09,560 day. 195 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:17,840 There are some translations that say he is a God who is angry with the wicked every day. 196 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:25,080 And for man does not repent, he, God, will sharpen his sword. 197 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:29,160 He has bent his bow and made it ready. 198 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:33,600 He has also prepared for himself deadly weapons. 199 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,800 He makes his arrows fiery shafts. 200 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:41,280 Behold, he travails with wickedness. 201 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,920 He describes here how God does battle against the wicked. 202 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,880 He says that God sharpens his sword. 203 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,080 He draws his arrows out. 204 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,600 He puts them in his bow and makes his bow ready. 205 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,000 Why is God doing this? 206 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,440 Because God does battle with wickedness. 207 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,200 God is at war with sin and with sinners. 208 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:05,640 Warren Worsby has a helpful sentence or two on this. 209 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:13,680 He says, condemnation means that God declares us sinners, which is a declaration of war. 210 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:21,080 Cammation means that God declares us righteous, which is a declaration of peace. 211 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:26,400 The one who is still in sin is one who is in a declared war with God. 212 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:38,320 It is not God that God is being mean, but it is simply God's holy response to sin. 213 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:47,880 When there is sin, God responds to it with wrath and warfare. 214 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:48,920 It's natural. 215 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:53,320 It's built into his nature because he's holy. 216 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:57,000 I think God has illustrated this in many ways in nature. 217 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,360 It's illustrated, for example, in our bodies. 218 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:08,480 When there is some foreign matter that gets into your body, God has so created you that 219 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,360 there is an immediate warfare that takes place. 220 00:17:12,360 --> 00:17:18,920 It's initiated by your body and the white blood cells. 221 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:24,400 Those blood cells attack that foreign matter, and that's why we get infection. 222 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:28,920 Yesterday, I was moving some wood around outside here and I cut my finger. 223 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:32,600 Immediately when I did that, there was dirt in there. 224 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:36,040 There were germs that got into my body. 225 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:44,360 The white blood cells went to work and they attacked that foreign matter in me and kicked 226 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:46,880 it out so that my body remains healthy. 227 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:51,560 It's just an automatic thing that happens in the healthy body. 228 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,160 You see, that's the way God is with sin. 229 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:55,160 He is holy. 230 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,520 When there is sin, he responds against it immediately. 231 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,440 He does war against it. 232 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,320 The sinner is at war with God. 233 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,600 He knows no peace with God. 234 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:10,760 Isaiah said, there is no peace to the wicked. 235 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:17,160 Justification, though, brings peace because sin is forgiven and righteousness is imputed 236 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:20,160 to the sinner. 237 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:25,640 When I trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, I was declared righteous in the sight of God. 238 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:32,200 What that means is that there is no longer a charge against me as far as God is concerned. 239 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,320 I'm no longer guilty in his sight. 240 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:42,560 There is no offense that God has on record that I have committed because he has legally 241 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:49,160 not only forgiven me, but he has declared me righteous in his sight. 242 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,400 That's based upon Christ's death for me. 243 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:57,960 You see, in the garden, mankind turned away from God. 244 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:04,280 And therefore, God, in his holy response, had to turn away from man. 245 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:08,440 God even turned away from his son when his son was hanging on the cross when he became 246 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,760 sin for us. 247 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:15,120 The son cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 248 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:20,280 He goes right on to say, but thou art holy, in Psalm 22. 249 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:25,240 God turned away from his son because his son was unholy at that moment. 250 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,000 He was bearing your sin in mind. 251 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:32,400 But because Jesus did that, now God is turned toward us. 252 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:37,640 And instead of his back being toward us, God is saying to sinners, come unto me. 253 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:41,680 All ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 254 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,960 For literally, he says, I will rest you. 255 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:50,920 In other words, he will give peace, he can do that because of Christ's work for us. 256 00:19:50,920 --> 00:20:01,720 Vernon McGee quotes a Christian psychologist, friend of his, who said, the only place you 257 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:07,200 can have a guilt complex removed is at the cross of Christ. 258 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:11,240 Do you feel guilty this morning? 259 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:16,120 Well, are you saved? 260 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:19,080 If you are saved, then there is no reason for you to be guilty. 261 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:24,560 Now you as a Christian can get out of God's will and live in sin, and God will cause guilt 262 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,040 to come to you, but what you need to do is confess it. 263 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,840 God doesn't want you to bear that guilt. 264 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,080 But the sinner has no choice about it. 265 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,520 He is guilty before God. 266 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,440 And the only way to have that guilt removed is to come to God through Jesus Christ, by 267 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:43,600 faith in him, and receive peace. 268 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,880 Are you at peace with God this morning, or are you declaring war on God? 269 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:53,640 Are you telling God to keep his hands off your life, and you want to do it yourself? 270 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:59,240 Then you are at war with God, friend, and there is no hope for you, because you cannot 271 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,000 possibly win that battle. 272 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:08,400 You are damning and dooming yourself to eternity and separation from God. 273 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:15,640 What you need to do today is to come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ and have peace 274 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:16,640 with God. 275 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:21,640 That was the second blessing that comes with our justification, and that is found in verse 276 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:22,640 2. 277 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:29,520 He talks about this peace that we have through Christ, and he says, through whom also, in 278 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:38,000 addition to peace, that is, we have obtained our introduction, or our access, by faith 279 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,800 into this grace in which we stand. 280 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:46,760 The second blessing that we have from justification is access to God. 281 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:51,040 The MAV puts it, our introduction, which isn't bad. 282 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:57,200 What it means is that we have entrance before the sovereign of the universe. 283 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:03,040 Access means that somebody else introduces me to the sovereign. 284 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:11,280 I am able to come before him because of somebody else's favor on my behalf. 285 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:16,120 I had the privilege of serving as a trustee of Cedarville College back in Ohio. 286 00:22:16,120 --> 00:22:22,360 One of our meetings, the president of the college there, Paul Dixon, related to us an 287 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:27,800 interesting story which illustrates what access is all about. 288 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:33,500 He was trying to be in touch with a man in Ohio who is reputed to be a very wealthy man 289 00:22:33,500 --> 00:22:38,840 and who has an evangelical background. 290 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:43,400 Whether he's a Christian or not, I don't know, but he has awareness of the evangelical 291 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:44,520 world. 292 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:48,240 Some people say he's the wealthiest man in the state of Ohio. 293 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:53,520 The president, in fulfilling part of the function of his office, was trying to make contact 294 00:22:53,520 --> 00:23:01,400 with this man to present to him the needs of the college, but he couldn't get through. 295 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:04,280 He would get to the secretary and that was as far as it went. 296 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:10,840 There were only certain people who were able to get through to this gentleman. 297 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:15,920 And so Paul was mentioning this one day around a group of businessmen and one of them said, 298 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,920 just a minute Paul, I know that guy. 299 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:19,920 He's a friend of mine. 300 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,860 We belong to the same country club out there. 301 00:23:22,860 --> 00:23:29,480 Want me, write him a letter telling him about the college and about you and after I've 302 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,640 sent the letter then you call him and see if you can get through. 303 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,920 So the man wrote the letter of introduction about the college and he said the president's 304 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:38,040 name is Paul Dixon. 305 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:42,880 He wants to be in touch with you and explain to you what the college is doing. 306 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:49,920 Well, sure enough, the time came when Paul put the call through and he was able to get 307 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:51,800 right into the office of that man. 308 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,720 Why did he gain access? 309 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:56,520 Because of the favor of another. 310 00:23:56,520 --> 00:24:03,960 Do you see in a far greater sense, that's what's happened to you and me, we have gained 311 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:12,640 access to the God of the universe because of the favor, the grace of Jesus Christ. 312 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:20,280 Through him we have obtained the right to come into the very presence of God. 313 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,800 Isn't that tremendous? 314 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:26,320 Throughout the Old Testament men were separated from God. 315 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,800 They could not come into his presence. 316 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,520 Gentiles could come up to a certain point. 317 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:41,480 In the Herodian temple, the temple that was existence in Jesus' day, there was a wall 318 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:50,840 around the temple structure and immediate compound and that wall kept out the Gentiles. 319 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:55,640 It was between 30 and 54 inches high. 320 00:24:55,640 --> 00:25:02,640 On top of the wall was an ornamental work of some kind and there was a big sign on the 321 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:09,240 wall and here's what it said, no Gentile may enter within the railing around the sanctuary 322 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,200 and within the enclosure. 323 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:16,680 Whoever should be caught will render himself liable to the death penalty which will inevitably 324 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:17,680 follow. 325 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,840 That sounds kind of serious, doesn't it? 326 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:21,840 That was the place of the Gentiles. 327 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:26,360 They could come up to that point, no closer. 328 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:30,440 Jews could go on into the compound and be around the temple. 329 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:35,080 But only the Levites could approach the altars. 330 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:40,720 They were the ones who did service to the temple. 331 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:45,120 Only they could come around the building itself and only the priests could be involved in 332 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:48,960 the actual offering up of the sacrifices. 333 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:54,400 And finally the screening process narrowed down to one man who was able to go into the 334 00:25:54,400 --> 00:26:01,600 presence of God and the Holy of Holies and him only once a year and then very carefully. 335 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:07,280 There had to be a lot of incense put in there so that he could not look upon God. 336 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:14,000 Now why was it that God kept men away from himself? 337 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:19,200 Because the way to him had not been opened up yet. 338 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,300 But after the death of the Lord Jesus Christ the way was opened up into the very presence 339 00:26:23,300 --> 00:26:24,300 of God. 340 00:26:24,300 --> 00:26:34,280 The veil on the temple of course was rent or torn on the very day that Jesus died. 341 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:39,600 Very significant, indicating that anyone may come now into his presence. 342 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:48,600 It was not many years after that until the temple structure itself was destroyed. 343 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,400 God was doing something new. 344 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:55,960 All men, whether Jew or Gentile, now may have access into his presence. 345 00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:00,280 We see this beautifully described over in Ephesians chapter 2. 346 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:07,680 I want you to turn there a moment. 347 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,200 Ephesians chapter 2 verse 13. 348 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:18,200 In the previous verses he talks about what we were before we were saved, especially those 349 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:19,200 of us who were Gentiles. 350 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:28,280 But he says, But now in Christ Jesus, you who were formerly far off have been brought 351 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,600 near by the blood of Christ. 352 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:42,240 For himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the 353 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,160 dividing wall. 354 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,680 He describes that wall as being the law of commandments. 355 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:55,600 He says he abolished it in his flesh, the enmity which is the law of commandments contained 356 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:57,640 in ordinances. 357 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:05,560 That in himself he might make the two, Jew and Gentile, into one new man, the church, 358 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,000 thus establishing peace. 359 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:15,000 Here the peace is primarily the peace between Jew and Gentile. 360 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:20,000 You see when men are at war with God, they are at war with one another too. 361 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:24,360 Not only has our Lord established peace with himself, but he has made it possible for us 362 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:26,760 to be at peace with others. 363 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:33,560 He says in verse 16, And that he might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, 364 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,760 by it having put to death the enmity. 365 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:41,880 And he came and preached peace to those who were far away, and peace to those who were 366 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:42,880 near. 367 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:53,760 For through him we both, Jew and Gentile, have our access by one spirit to the Father. 368 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:59,200 So today dear friend, it makes no difference what your background may be culturally or 369 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:00,200 racially. 370 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:06,520 All of us have equal access to God if we are saved. 371 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,240 Now understand one thing very clearly. 372 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:15,760 No unsaved person has access to God, not one. 373 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:22,240 An unsaved person may pray and pray and pray and his prayer goes nowhere. 374 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,120 He has no access before God. 375 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,800 He has no legal standing before God. 376 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:35,040 You'll notice back in Romans chapter 5 it says that we have access into this grace in 377 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:37,480 which we stand. 378 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:41,360 We stand in grace having been forgiven. 379 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:47,480 But those who still stand in sin are not forgiven, and they have no access into the presence 380 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:48,480 of God. 381 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:53,880 And I want you to notice too that this access into the presence of God does not come through 382 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:54,880 saints. 383 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,680 It does not come through the Virgin Mary. 384 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:03,720 It does not come with somebody who is a friend of God and who somehow can get us closer to 385 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:04,720 God. 386 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:09,920 This access comes through faith in Jesus Christ and in him alone. 387 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:15,960 He is our access unto God, and if we have believed on him, we may come to the presence 388 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:25,280 of God confidently and without shame or embarrassment question. 389 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:29,440 Are you taking advantage of your access? 390 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:34,420 Have you been before God this morning? 391 00:30:34,420 --> 00:30:38,800 Have you been before God to tell him that you love him? 392 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:44,120 To devote yourself to him, to give him this Lord's day? 393 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:49,600 Have you been before him in private worship? 394 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:55,120 Have you been with him to ask his blessing in your life and to ask him to use you in 395 00:30:55,120 --> 00:31:00,520 ministering to others today? 396 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:05,480 I fear that the privilege that we have of coming before God is perhaps the greatest 397 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:11,280 neglected privilege we have as Christians. 398 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:15,360 God has given us access so that it can be used. 399 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:22,000 God helped us to use it faithfully and to joyously take advantage of the opportunity 400 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,520 we have to come before the God of the universe. 401 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:32,280 Now there is a third blessing that I want to point out before we close, and that is 402 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:39,920 found in the last sentence in verse 2 of Romans 5 where it says, We exult or we rejoice in 403 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:44,880 hope of the glory of God. 404 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:49,600 The third blessing that we see here is the glory of God. 405 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,800 It's said to be our hope. 406 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,440 There's a word that needs to be defined today because we use the word in a little bit of 407 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,080 a different context. 408 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:03,600 The word hope means a favorable and confident expectation. 409 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:09,880 It is a happy expectation of good. 410 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:16,240 It's not something that's uncertain and maybe will come, but it is a confident expectation 411 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:19,480 that something good is coming. 412 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:23,640 I remember one evangelist whom I wouldn't agree on a lot of things, but who says something 413 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:25,880 good is going to happen to you today. 414 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:31,160 Well you see that's the attitude of hope. 415 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:39,320 Because hope looks into the future, it ponders the unseen, and it has confidence that something 416 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:41,120 good is going to happen. 417 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:48,080 Now what is the hope that we have because we're justified by faith? 418 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:52,320 It is said to be the glory of God. 419 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:53,560 What does that mean? 420 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,320 Well Paul elaborates on this over in chapter 8. 421 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:02,960 We're just going to take time to read it because we'll be studying it when we get there in 422 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,080 two or three years. 423 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:10,480 Romans chapter 8 verse 16. 424 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:18,520 He says, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 425 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:25,800 And if children also heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with 426 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:33,240 Him in order that we may be also but glorified with Him. 427 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:39,880 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared 428 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:46,440 with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 429 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:54,960 For the anxious longing of the creation awaits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 430 00:33:54,960 --> 00:34:01,240 For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who 431 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:09,040 subjected it in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to 432 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:15,920 corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 433 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:22,360 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together 434 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:23,360 until now. 435 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:30,360 And not only this, but we also ourselves having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves 436 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:37,720 groan within ourselves eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our 437 00:34:37,720 --> 00:34:38,720 body. 438 00:34:38,720 --> 00:34:43,760 For in hope we have been saved. 439 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:51,440 That could as well read, for the hope we have been saved. 440 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:56,800 And hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one also hope for what he sees? 441 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:03,440 For we hope for what we do not see with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. 442 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:05,200 What is he talking about? 443 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:09,840 Well, just briefly, he is talking about the Rapture. 444 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:15,600 He is talking about the adoption of our bodies, he says, that time when our bodies will be 445 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,360 changed. 446 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:25,240 I think that probably verse 23 was fulfilled this morning by many of us as we realized 447 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:31,080 it was time to get up and that blessed rain was coming down so softly on the roof. 448 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:35,800 And we groaned as we realized it was the hour to get out of bed. 449 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:43,520 We groan within ourselves because our bodies get tired and they are sometimes in pain, 450 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:45,660 they get sick. 451 00:35:45,660 --> 00:35:47,880 We groan. 452 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:52,080 And he says that even creation groans. 453 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:59,400 It emits a sound as it were because it too has been subjected to futility, that is to 454 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:04,280 corruption because of the fall of man. 455 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:12,360 But he says that what we are groaning for is the future when the Lord Jesus Christ will 456 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:17,080 come back and will consummate our salvation. 457 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:22,200 And he says that when all of that takes place not only will our bodies be changed but even 458 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:27,640 creation itself will be released from the curse that has come upon it because of the 459 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:28,640 fall. 460 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,040 Isn't that a blessed prospect? 461 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:36,040 We have a hope today, it is the hope of the glory of God. 462 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:42,560 I would like for you to turn over to Revelation chapter 21 and just see something more about 463 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,560 this. 464 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:55,960 Like Abraham, we look for a city whose builder and maker is God. 465 00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:01,480 And that city is described here in the last part of Revelation, it is called the New Jerusalem. 466 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,960 I want you to notice some things about it. 467 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:05,760 Chapter 21 verse 9. 468 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:10,720 And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came 469 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:17,240 and spoke with me saying, Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. 470 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:21,880 Now tell me who is said to be the bride of Christ? 471 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:22,880 The church. 472 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:26,960 So now he is going to show the church or where the church is. 473 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:32,800 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the 474 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:37,740 holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 475 00:37:37,740 --> 00:37:40,520 This is not Jerusalem, Israel. 476 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:42,800 Whatever the zip code may be. 477 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:46,680 But this is a heavenly Jerusalem. 478 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:51,960 And he says in verse 11, it has the glory of God. 479 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:59,520 Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal clear jasper. 480 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:03,700 He describes the gates and so on. 481 00:38:03,700 --> 00:38:08,640 And then I want you to look on down to verse 23. 482 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:16,640 The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has 483 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:20,840 illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 484 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:25,800 In other words, in that heavenly city that God is going to create, there won't be the 485 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,880 need for the sun or the moon. 486 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:38,320 But Jesus Christ himself will radiate such glory that it will fill up the whole place. 487 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:44,840 Now this is a city that is going to be about two-thirds the size of the United States, 488 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:48,000 the 48 states. 489 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:55,920 And so brilliant is the glory of the Lamb that he has served to be the lamp of it. 490 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,080 This is where you and I are going to live. 491 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:04,160 Then down to verse 1 of chapter 22, he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as 492 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,720 crystal coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 493 00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:11,400 In the middle of its street, rather in the middle of its street, and on either side of 494 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:17,720 the river, was the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. 495 00:39:17,720 --> 00:39:21,280 And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 496 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:24,080 And there shall be no longer any curse. 497 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:28,400 And the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his bound servants shall serve 498 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:32,440 him, and they shall see his face. 499 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:40,320 And his name shall be on their foreheads, and there shall no longer be any night. 500 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:47,080 They shall not have need of the light of the lamp, nor of the light of the sun, because 501 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:52,600 the Lord God shall illumine them, and they shall reign forever and ever. 502 00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,880 Now when it says they, that sounds rather impersonal. 503 00:39:55,880 --> 00:40:01,200 But it's talking about you, if you've been justified by faith. 504 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:03,920 This is where you're going to live. 505 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:09,800 Now the shape of this city has been variously described, but I think one of the most beautiful 506 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:13,400 is that it's a sphere. 507 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:14,400 A sphere. 508 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:19,780 It's almost as though God is preparing this city to hang in his universe like a Christmas 509 00:40:19,780 --> 00:40:22,520 tree ornament. 510 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:30,320 It is beautifully made, and instead, apparently, instead of living on the surface of this globe, 511 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:34,960 as we do the world, we will live inside of it. 512 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:36,720 There seems to be some of the language here. 513 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:39,320 At least it can be understood that way. 514 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:49,000 And through that crystal globe of a city, you and I will walk, you and I will reflect 515 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,000 the glory of Jesus Christ. 516 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:56,080 Folks, you and I have the hope of the glory of God. 517 00:40:56,080 --> 00:41:02,040 Not only are we going to reflect that glory, but the place we're going to live is designed 518 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:09,240 to reflect and to radiate the glory of God to the new heavens and the new earth. 519 00:41:09,240 --> 00:41:16,200 That's why the Apostle said, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of 520 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:20,920 the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. 521 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:22,720 That should characterize us. 522 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:25,960 Eagerly anticipating it. 523 00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:30,080 You know, that will help you with the blues. 524 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:35,840 That will help you on Monday morning when you get up to realize that your hope is not 525 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:39,320 in that job that you're going to work for the next five days. 526 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:44,600 Our real hope is not in the want ads in the newspaper that you pick up in the morning 527 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:48,920 looking for a job, but your hope is an eternal hope. 528 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:51,640 It is the glory of God. 529 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:54,680 Let that lift your heart. 530 00:41:54,680 --> 00:42:03,440 You know, the world's hopes rise and fall with the stock market, with the news of war 531 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:12,720 or peace, but the hope of the Christian is one that is solid, it's eternal. 532 00:42:12,720 --> 00:42:18,240 Sad is the state of one who has hope only in this life. 533 00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:24,760 Friend, is the glory of God your destiny or is it the wrath of God? 534 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:30,920 You say, well, I don't want it to be the wrath of God, then you have only one choice. 535 00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:36,480 That is that you place your faith in Jesus Christ and be justified or declared righteous 536 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:38,740 by him. 537 00:42:38,740 --> 00:42:44,640 You can't work for it, you can't earn it, all you can do is get on your knees, admit 538 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:47,880 that you're a sinner, and receive it. 539 00:42:47,880 --> 00:42:51,760 It's free gift of salvation that he'll give. 540 00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:54,480 Once you have that, you have a lot of blessings. 541 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:58,560 Peace with God, that's a marvelous blessing in itself. 542 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:04,160 You have access to God, you have the glory of God, and next week we'll see some of the 543 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:06,000 other blessings that are ours. 544 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:12,640 If you are a Christian, are you experiencing the peace of God? 545 00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:19,400 Are you living in that state of taking advantage of access so that the peace of God is filling 546 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:23,280 your heart and mind and guarding it from anxiety? 547 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:28,640 Are you living in the reality of the riches of grace that God has made available to you? 548 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:33,920 You stand in grace and God has given you access to that grace. 549 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:39,960 What does it say over in Hebrews, chapter four, there at the end of the chapter? 550 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:48,600 It says that Jesus, the Son of God, has passed through the heavens and that you and I therefore, 551 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:55,040 because he's opened the way, have access and we may come boldly to the throne of grace 552 00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:58,520 that we may obtain what? 553 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:04,040 Grace, may obtain mercy rather, and find what? 554 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:07,760 Grace to help in the time of need. 555 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:11,840 He's talking there about the mercy and the grace that we need every day. 556 00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:17,160 Not the saving grace and mercy, that's the beginning of it, but there's so much more. 557 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:22,280 Are you living in the light of that or are you just trudging along your own little way, 558 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:26,080 living in your own resources, having a miserable time? 559 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:33,000 Well if that's the case, you're not living the way God has provided for you to live. 560 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:38,680 God hasn't called you to be a pauper, he's called you to be a prince. 561 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,600 Will you live that way this week? 562 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:46,520 Will you give yourself anew to him, to his lordship, take advantage of the blessings 563 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:48,320 that are yours? 564 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:51,440 Let's pray. 565 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:58,500 God thank you for the grace, the mercy which you have richly provided for us. 566 00:44:58,500 --> 00:44:59,500 Forgive us. 567 00:44:59,500 --> 00:45:13,240 Lord forgive us, when we so independently and arrogantly march on our way as your children, 568 00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:20,720 failing to take advantage of the privilege of access, worried, placing our hopes and 569 00:45:20,720 --> 00:45:30,560 dreams in this life, living like poor paupers instead of reveling in all the grace that 570 00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:32,560 you've given to us. 571 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:39,120 Father, there are some of your children here today who are hurting, and they're hurting 572 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:46,920 because of their own bad decisions and disobedience. 573 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:48,760 Reclaim them today I pray. 574 00:45:48,760 --> 00:45:59,480 Help them to repent, confess their sins, and turn again to you to acknowledge your lordship. 575 00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:04,960 I pray for those who may be here unsaved, today they would trust the Lord Jesus and 576 00:46:04,960 --> 00:46:10,160 be justified and know the blessings we've talked about. 577 00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:18,840 We pray this in Jesus' name.