1 00:00:15,012 --> 00:00:17,562 Joshua Kehler: We used to have a tax guy who we would go and 2 00:00:17,562 --> 00:00:19,002 he would do our taxes for us. 3 00:00:19,002 --> 00:00:21,712 And, they're a little complicated sometimes when you're a pastor 4 00:00:21,712 --> 00:00:23,622 and, he'd say, okay, here's what you're getting back. 5 00:00:23,632 --> 00:00:24,842 And we'd be like, Oh, okay. 6 00:00:24,892 --> 00:00:26,312 And he's well, let me take another look at it. 7 00:00:26,312 --> 00:00:28,262 And he'd always, he said the same thing every year. 8 00:00:28,262 --> 00:00:29,772 He's I sharpened my pencil. 9 00:00:29,992 --> 00:00:34,322 I did some more work and I got you some more, and every year I 10 00:00:34,332 --> 00:00:37,272 sharpened my pencil, I did some more work and I got you some more. 11 00:00:37,802 --> 00:00:40,592 After last week, not all of you were there, we came off an 12 00:00:40,592 --> 00:00:42,812 incredibly spirited discussion. 13 00:00:43,572 --> 00:00:45,512 and I've sharpened my pencil. 14 00:00:47,122 --> 00:00:50,827 I've done some more work, and hopefully we get some more, out of this. 15 00:00:51,107 --> 00:00:55,477 So we'll be moving on into a Romans eight next week, but I did want to spend 16 00:00:55,477 --> 00:01:00,037 one more, week here in Roman seven, which you guys are getting off easy. 17 00:01:00,437 --> 00:01:01,627 I've been reading, Dr. 18 00:01:01,627 --> 00:01:02,557 Martin Lloyd Jones. 19 00:01:02,567 --> 00:01:07,447 He did 144 sermons on Romans five to eight. 20 00:01:07,647 --> 00:01:11,407 Holy moly, 144 sermons. 21 00:01:12,487 --> 00:01:16,107 So anyways, I think between me and gospel Tom, it's going to be three in 22 00:01:16,107 --> 00:01:18,667 Roman seven, but, maybe four there, but. 23 00:01:19,922 --> 00:01:25,492 I remember, I call this sermon Broken Saints, and that actually was the title 24 00:01:25,492 --> 00:01:31,892 of our blog when we left the church, came out of the brokenness of that situation, 25 00:01:31,892 --> 00:01:36,551 and that term seemed to sum up perfectly how we were feeling in the moment. 26 00:01:37,642 --> 00:01:42,972 We felt very secure in Christ's love for us, but very broken at the same time. 27 00:01:43,762 --> 00:01:46,042 And so Broken Saints is the name of this. 28 00:01:46,132 --> 00:01:50,112 As a young church planner, you get invited and, get to be in some circles 29 00:01:50,122 --> 00:01:55,307 that are fun and get to go on trips and go to bougie restaurants and, on other 30 00:01:55,307 --> 00:01:57,987 people's tithe money and, goodness. 31 00:01:58,426 --> 00:02:01,947 and, anyways, we got invited, as a group of church planners to 32 00:02:01,947 --> 00:02:05,426 another network that was trying to recruit us to their church planning. 33 00:02:05,862 --> 00:02:10,382 And so is this, the young and the hip and the cool church planters who are planning 34 00:02:10,382 --> 00:02:12,162 churches across the United States. 35 00:02:12,772 --> 00:02:15,932 And so we're there, and there's energy in the room, everybody's 36 00:02:15,942 --> 00:02:20,202 talking and comparing church sizes, and just like every person does. 37 00:02:20,752 --> 00:02:24,282 But the guy who gets up, who's leading the network, got up and he was very serious. 38 00:02:25,297 --> 00:02:29,387 and he choked out his words as he opened up and he said, I have something heavy 39 00:02:29,387 --> 00:02:34,137 to share and that's that two of our church planners this last year lives. 40 00:02:36,537 --> 00:02:41,617 And it was like this bomb went off in the room and all the energy, all 41 00:02:41,617 --> 00:02:45,047 the excitement, all the we're so cool went out of the room and we 42 00:02:45,047 --> 00:02:48,257 realized, oh yeah, we're broken. 43 00:02:49,397 --> 00:02:52,997 we're a group of beggars showing other beggars where to find bread. 44 00:02:54,156 --> 00:02:59,937 And, Sadly, the guy who was leading that conversation and leading the network at 45 00:02:59,937 --> 00:03:02,627 that time, a decade later, took his life. 46 00:03:04,187 --> 00:03:10,467 And so there is a brokenness, a guy who loved Jesus, lived his life for Jesus. 47 00:03:10,847 --> 00:03:12,507 And yes, there's mental health. 48 00:03:12,577 --> 00:03:14,687 Yes, there's, all kinds of things. 49 00:03:14,687 --> 00:03:19,317 We struggle, struggle with depression and, chemical imbalance and all that stuff. 50 00:03:19,822 --> 00:03:22,112 But there's also this reality, I was reading J. 51 00:03:22,132 --> 00:03:22,242 R. 52 00:03:22,252 --> 00:03:27,841 Packer on Romans, and he said, famous preacher, commentator, incredible man 53 00:03:27,841 --> 00:03:33,781 of God, that if he got saved, it was this triumphant, get in the gospel, 54 00:03:33,781 --> 00:03:37,642 you're in, but then it was this law that he could never meet up to. 55 00:03:37,972 --> 00:03:41,872 Now grow in the law, and he, Almost ended his life. 56 00:03:41,872 --> 00:03:42,112 J. 57 00:03:42,112 --> 00:03:42,302 R. 58 00:03:42,352 --> 00:03:42,932 Packers. 59 00:03:42,942 --> 00:03:47,472 That's his story is that he almost because of the weight of trying to 60 00:03:47,482 --> 00:03:52,781 live up to and perfect himself with the law to live up to that standard. 61 00:03:54,762 --> 00:04:00,062 As a youth pastor, my counseling was this kind of language every single time. 62 00:04:00,692 --> 00:04:04,702 The kid would say, the good I want to do, I don't do, that which I don't want 63 00:04:04,702 --> 00:04:09,382 to do, that's what I end up doing, who will save me from this body of sin. 64 00:04:09,812 --> 00:04:12,382 And in my office, they felt comfortable enough to share 65 00:04:12,382 --> 00:04:13,622 that and share their struggles. 66 00:04:13,672 --> 00:04:16,512 And the struggles are profound and shocking. 67 00:04:16,932 --> 00:04:22,031 You can't show that you're shocked, but you're like, oh, wow, there's brokenness. 68 00:04:22,872 --> 00:04:27,942 But in front of the youth, as we would gather, we do what we 69 00:04:27,942 --> 00:04:29,642 just did and ask for prayer. 70 00:04:30,202 --> 00:04:34,942 Every single one of them, knowing the depth of their struggle, 71 00:04:35,112 --> 00:04:36,522 would say I have an unspoken. 72 00:04:37,422 --> 00:04:42,282 I want prayer, but I cannot bring that vulnerability out. 73 00:04:43,612 --> 00:04:46,192 I can't let that brokenness be seen. 74 00:04:48,112 --> 00:04:51,782 And, and that was the culture of the church. 75 00:04:51,852 --> 00:04:52,772 A cultural thing. 76 00:04:53,082 --> 00:04:55,272 We had a theology of grace. 77 00:04:55,672 --> 00:04:59,482 in the church I grew up in, but it was a culture of law and perfecting 78 00:04:59,482 --> 00:05:02,572 oneself by means of the law. 79 00:05:03,652 --> 00:05:08,242 Romans 5 is the theological heart of the book with Romans 5 20 to 21 being 80 00:05:08,242 --> 00:05:10,372 the controlling exegetical verse. 81 00:05:10,802 --> 00:05:15,612 Now the law came to increase the trespass, but where sin increased grace 82 00:05:15,642 --> 00:05:20,702 abounded all the more so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign 83 00:05:20,702 --> 00:05:25,182 through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 84 00:05:25,457 --> 00:05:31,607 And if we misunderstand chapter 5, one will by necessity misinterpret 6 and 7. 85 00:05:32,097 --> 00:05:36,527 They form the bookends dealing with the objection to Paul's central assertion 86 00:05:36,852 --> 00:05:45,542 In those verses, that grace abounds, that we are reigned in grace and eternal 87 00:05:45,542 --> 00:05:47,152 life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 88 00:05:47,392 --> 00:05:52,112 And the entire section unpacks our union with Christ through the reign of grace. 89 00:05:52,602 --> 00:05:56,572 Chapter 6 proves our sanctification is guaranteed since we're united to 90 00:05:56,572 --> 00:05:58,862 Christ and can no longer live in sin. 91 00:05:59,312 --> 00:06:02,932 Romans 7 proves our sanctification is guaranteed since we've been freed 92 00:06:02,942 --> 00:06:05,402 from the law and married to Christ. 93 00:06:05,562 --> 00:06:08,272 We are enabled to bear the fruit of the Spirit. 94 00:06:08,662 --> 00:06:11,902 And chapter 7, and this is what I wanted us to take away as we 95 00:06:11,962 --> 00:06:16,652 leave chapter 7, offers a dramatic warning of what happens when we 96 00:06:16,652 --> 00:06:18,962 seek sanctification through the law. 97 00:06:19,347 --> 00:06:24,857 Apart from the spirit because chapter eight then unpacks the reality that 98 00:06:24,857 --> 00:06:28,927 a lever sanctification is guaranteed because they've been united to Christ 99 00:06:29,137 --> 00:06:32,137 and thus are indwelt by the spirit. 100 00:06:33,137 --> 00:06:37,527 And so the struggle we see as we see it, we felt it. 101 00:06:37,527 --> 00:06:40,017 I hope we felt it is that. 102 00:06:40,267 --> 00:06:44,217 I've begun in the spirit, but now I'm going to perfect myself in the flesh. 103 00:06:44,367 --> 00:06:52,277 And Paul would say, you stupid idiots, you foolish Galatians, what a powerless thing. 104 00:06:52,287 --> 00:06:56,007 The law that killed you to bring you to Christ now is 105 00:06:56,007 --> 00:06:57,637 going to make you like Christ. 106 00:06:58,367 --> 00:07:04,547 And so that's what we will get into today that there is now no 107 00:07:04,547 --> 00:07:06,817 condemnation for followers of Jesus. 108 00:07:07,882 --> 00:07:11,382 Why I think this is so important and why I want to spend a little 109 00:07:11,382 --> 00:07:15,022 bit of time here and get this on the books, sharpen the pencil as it were. 110 00:07:15,592 --> 00:07:16,832 Because James 5. 111 00:07:16,872 --> 00:07:21,242 17 talks about church culture and it says, Therefore confess your sins to 112 00:07:21,242 --> 00:07:23,262 one another and pray for one another. 113 00:07:23,702 --> 00:07:25,212 That you might be healed. 114 00:07:27,392 --> 00:07:30,352 The prayer of a righteous person has great power and it's working. 115 00:07:31,572 --> 00:07:33,332 When you tell somebody what's going on, 116 00:07:35,372 --> 00:07:41,032 Galatians 1, 3 says, Brothers, if anyone is caught in 117 00:07:41,032 --> 00:07:42,632 transgression, it's gonna happen. 118 00:07:43,252 --> 00:07:46,762 You who are spiritual should restore him in the spirit of gentleness. 119 00:07:47,817 --> 00:07:51,347 Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 120 00:07:52,157 --> 00:07:56,747 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 121 00:07:57,417 --> 00:08:01,977 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 122 00:08:02,687 --> 00:08:05,737 like I said, I grew up in a church where the gospel was preached and believed 123 00:08:05,747 --> 00:08:10,057 to get you in, but then the law was used to progress in the Christian life. 124 00:08:10,057 --> 00:08:13,867 And again, that is not something that you necessarily hear from the pulpit. 125 00:08:14,097 --> 00:08:14,627 the law. 126 00:08:15,222 --> 00:08:16,472 But it is a culture. 127 00:08:16,472 --> 00:08:17,312 And what is a culture? 128 00:08:17,312 --> 00:08:18,552 Culture is not something you see. 129 00:08:18,552 --> 00:08:19,592 It's how you see. 130 00:08:20,032 --> 00:08:21,772 it's the vibe you feel. 131 00:08:21,822 --> 00:08:22,752 it's the shape. 132 00:08:22,782 --> 00:08:28,682 It's the, and the intangible boundaries in a social construct 133 00:08:29,062 --> 00:08:30,692 that you just know are there. 134 00:08:31,062 --> 00:08:35,642 and it doesn't have to be overt, but it is there. 135 00:08:37,761 --> 00:08:40,501 No one could match up to the standard of the law. 136 00:08:40,642 --> 00:08:42,682 And that led us to either, or A. 137 00:08:42,922 --> 00:08:49,542 Utter discouragement on the one hand, oh wretched man that I am, or to wear a 138 00:08:49,542 --> 00:08:56,012 mask and present a false righteousness that was not living but dead. 139 00:08:57,732 --> 00:08:59,992 I can't tell you what a bad vibe that is. 140 00:09:01,362 --> 00:09:02,642 it's like a Christmas tree. 141 00:09:03,272 --> 00:09:04,452 We are all Christmas trees. 142 00:09:05,297 --> 00:09:06,537 We all looked beautiful. 143 00:09:06,597 --> 00:09:10,937 We all had our ornaments of good deeds and good works and happy merits. 144 00:09:10,957 --> 00:09:14,247 We had popcorn strings remember that used to be a thing you'd put popcorn 145 00:09:14,247 --> 00:09:18,297 on your tree till they were like You got an infestation of animals. 146 00:09:20,457 --> 00:09:24,047 Maybe it's the popcorn Maybe it's the sugar water. 147 00:09:24,047 --> 00:09:25,967 We put at the base that all the answer there. 148 00:09:26,077 --> 00:09:29,207 But anyways But a christmas tree looks vibrant. 149 00:09:29,257 --> 00:09:30,217 It looks alive. 150 00:09:30,217 --> 00:09:30,847 It's light. 151 00:09:30,917 --> 00:09:31,657 It's blinking. 152 00:09:31,657 --> 00:09:33,357 It's hurrah the beautiful. 153 00:09:33,467 --> 00:09:35,402 It's shimmering It's beautiful It's dead. 154 00:09:38,382 --> 00:09:39,182 It's dead. 155 00:09:40,292 --> 00:09:41,812 You have a form of godliness. 156 00:09:42,477 --> 00:09:47,487 But denying its power it is dead and that's what happens either utter 157 00:09:47,487 --> 00:09:51,467 Discouragement and I pull away from the community of God which God gave me to be 158 00:09:51,467 --> 00:09:56,577 healed and grow or I fake and look like I don't need to grow so that I can stay part 159 00:09:56,577 --> 00:10:03,047 of that community and it is Utter trap of the devil in the enemy and even in our 160 00:10:03,047 --> 00:10:06,847 doctrinal statement We would affirm the righteousness of Jesus to our account, but 161 00:10:06,847 --> 00:10:11,517 the culture was one of law So if someone's shared a weakness and I saw this over 162 00:10:11,517 --> 00:10:14,867 and over they would never be asked to be on leadership And in that's the ladder 163 00:10:14,867 --> 00:10:16,927 you climb you got to get to leadership. 164 00:10:17,047 --> 00:10:20,967 I've grown up in this church all my life I got to be doing something with my life 165 00:10:20,967 --> 00:10:24,147 and I thought to be doing something with my life was to be on leadership I got 166 00:10:24,147 --> 00:10:28,647 to get into leadership So somebody would share and you'd be like, sucks for you. 167 00:10:28,657 --> 00:10:31,237 You're never going to be asked to be on leadership, because of that 168 00:10:31,237 --> 00:10:33,047 weakness and that vulnerability. 169 00:10:33,587 --> 00:10:34,187 or. 170 00:10:35,387 --> 00:10:39,027 If they shared a struggle they had on leadership, they would be removed. 171 00:10:39,087 --> 00:10:40,667 And our team was amazing. 172 00:10:40,847 --> 00:10:42,777 It was like the CIA black site. 173 00:10:42,977 --> 00:10:44,677 Those people would just disappear. 174 00:10:45,047 --> 00:10:47,437 You either like internet history would be gone. 175 00:10:47,437 --> 00:10:51,467 There would be like, no, we'd be like, who's, where did so and so go? 176 00:10:51,467 --> 00:10:52,947 They're like, who do you speak of? 177 00:10:53,857 --> 00:10:55,087 There was no person like that. 178 00:10:55,837 --> 00:10:59,417 And that was actually, the culture. 179 00:10:59,977 --> 00:11:02,707 And so you could perform and be a part. 180 00:11:03,232 --> 00:11:05,692 Or you can hide and be alone. 181 00:11:06,942 --> 00:11:10,272 There was not that through was not that victory. 182 00:11:10,532 --> 00:11:15,062 There was not that healing that James talks about. 183 00:11:15,362 --> 00:11:19,982 It was an absolutely toxic environment to grow in Christ. 184 00:11:20,012 --> 00:11:23,342 And let me get a little more personal. 185 00:11:23,872 --> 00:11:26,412 you guys know my story of struggling with migraines. 186 00:11:27,062 --> 00:11:31,762 As part of that struggle early on, the pain would get bad, so bad, 187 00:11:32,152 --> 00:11:34,182 I would want to be knocked out. 188 00:11:35,042 --> 00:11:36,792 sometimes the medication wouldn't work. 189 00:11:36,882 --> 00:11:40,002 I've tried knocking myself out by hitting my head on the door. 190 00:11:40,232 --> 00:11:42,502 but worse, I began to cut myself. 191 00:11:43,442 --> 00:11:47,742 And it would send a rush of endorphins, and it would actually help with the pain. 192 00:11:48,502 --> 00:11:52,312 There was a time where I'd wear long sleeved shirts as a preacher 193 00:11:52,312 --> 00:11:55,532 at reality, because I didn't want people to see the scars on my arms. 194 00:11:55,612 --> 00:11:57,282 Now, I knew it was wrong. 195 00:11:57,332 --> 00:11:57,952 I hid it. 196 00:11:57,992 --> 00:11:59,142 I hid it from my wife. 197 00:11:59,732 --> 00:12:03,362 But, and then I felt like I had victory over it. 198 00:12:03,737 --> 00:12:07,277 And I was like, fine, and that is really what I want as a Christian, 199 00:12:07,687 --> 00:12:11,977 is I want to get the victory on my own, by myself, and then go tell 200 00:12:11,977 --> 00:12:13,517 people about the victory I had. 201 00:12:13,797 --> 00:12:15,387 I don't want to bring them in. 202 00:12:15,497 --> 00:12:17,097 I don't want to confess my sin. 203 00:12:17,267 --> 00:12:18,647 I don't want to get help. 204 00:12:19,717 --> 00:12:22,107 but because I didn't do that, I fell back into it. 205 00:12:23,367 --> 00:12:24,977 And I told my wife finally. 206 00:12:25,362 --> 00:12:26,922 And she's holy crap. 207 00:12:27,322 --> 00:12:28,522 she did not hide her shock. 208 00:12:28,522 --> 00:12:30,682 No, she probably did, but she's you need to get help. 209 00:12:30,712 --> 00:12:31,922 You need to bring other people in. 210 00:12:31,922 --> 00:12:37,812 So I brought my pastors in on it and, shared the struggle and asked 211 00:12:37,812 --> 00:12:39,482 for accountability with that. 212 00:12:39,572 --> 00:12:40,342 And guess what? 213 00:12:41,152 --> 00:12:46,332 I've never done it since praise God, but 214 00:12:48,502 --> 00:12:55,812 for whatever reason, They leveraged that to share with people as a means 215 00:12:55,812 --> 00:12:58,592 for dis, as part of a dismissive. 216 00:12:59,062 --> 00:13:00,322 I only share that because 217 00:13:02,962 --> 00:13:08,142 when you share your vulnerability and you get the healing that James promises, but 218 00:13:08,142 --> 00:13:11,512 then that is leveraged to get rid of you. 219 00:13:12,402 --> 00:13:13,482 And I'm not bitter. 220 00:13:13,542 --> 00:13:14,172 I get it. 221 00:13:14,962 --> 00:13:16,902 Everybody thinks they were doing the right thing. 222 00:13:16,942 --> 00:13:18,652 I'm not even going down on that. 223 00:13:18,652 --> 00:13:20,182 But what I realized was I participated. 224 00:13:20,182 --> 00:13:21,072 I participated. 225 00:13:21,627 --> 00:13:24,007 And creating the same culture that I'd come out of. 226 00:13:24,267 --> 00:13:27,467 We had a theology of grace, but we had a culture. 227 00:13:28,077 --> 00:13:29,057 performance. 228 00:13:29,287 --> 00:13:29,847 Yeah. 229 00:13:30,447 --> 00:13:31,557 And I contributed to that. 230 00:13:31,567 --> 00:13:33,247 I was the lead pastor. 231 00:13:33,307 --> 00:13:34,977 I take full ownership of that. 232 00:13:35,397 --> 00:13:36,777 I take full ownership of that. 233 00:13:37,077 --> 00:13:41,997 But to taste it and to realize it, I want to say as Grace House, I never want 234 00:13:41,997 --> 00:13:43,567 to be part of a church like that again. 235 00:13:44,507 --> 00:13:46,617 For me to be present and to go to. 236 00:13:47,067 --> 00:13:49,047 And so we've tried very hard. 237 00:13:49,097 --> 00:13:53,387 I'm, repent if we've failed, to be a place where it's okay not to be okay. 238 00:13:54,517 --> 00:13:58,377 Because what I think that's That's real. 239 00:13:59,467 --> 00:14:06,777 We don't want to hide and be discouraged and I never ever want 240 00:14:06,807 --> 00:14:12,017 any of us to wear masks And perform and to be something that we were not 241 00:14:12,407 --> 00:14:14,347 who are we our identity in Christ? 242 00:14:16,397 --> 00:14:19,947 But our struggle to go back to the law to make ourselves acceptable 243 00:14:19,977 --> 00:14:22,347 to Christ is an ongoing challenge. 244 00:14:22,807 --> 00:14:25,207 And it's something that I've fallen into. 245 00:14:25,537 --> 00:14:29,247 So, God willing, I will never be a part of a church like 246 00:14:29,257 --> 00:14:30,507 that with a culture like that. 247 00:14:30,827 --> 00:14:33,097 And God help us, we need to check each other. 248 00:14:33,627 --> 00:14:36,267 Because that's my tendency is to go back to that. 249 00:14:36,597 --> 00:14:37,637 That's what I grew up in. 250 00:14:37,737 --> 00:14:38,887 I default to that. 251 00:14:39,267 --> 00:14:45,467 I have surrounded myself, thank God, with you people and like Pearl and Gospel Tom, 252 00:14:45,737 --> 00:14:51,937 and they keep Remain, they're like, ah, but grace, ah, but grace, ah, but grace. 253 00:14:52,157 --> 00:14:56,947 And, keep rescuing us, from falling back into, that. 254 00:14:57,687 --> 00:15:00,037 So, I want to grow. 255 00:15:00,087 --> 00:15:03,157 And Rennie Manning said, and I love him so much. 256 00:15:03,197 --> 00:15:04,317 He's one of my heroes. 257 00:15:04,317 --> 00:15:08,307 He said, until you believe God loves you, if you never change, you'll never change. 258 00:15:09,857 --> 00:15:11,037 Guys, he's one of my heroes. 259 00:15:11,287 --> 00:15:12,347 He died a drunk, 260 00:15:14,477 --> 00:15:16,457 he would wake up, he'd preach. 261 00:15:17,307 --> 00:15:17,787 And. 262 00:15:18,942 --> 00:15:24,082 The most incredible messages on grace and he'd wake up the next day in a gutter 263 00:15:25,392 --> 00:15:27,402 Just totally not knowing how he got there. 264 00:15:28,452 --> 00:15:32,152 And that was his ongoing struggle William Kalper who we sing his hymns 265 00:15:34,167 --> 00:15:38,397 He struggled with lifelong depression and questions his salvation all the 266 00:15:38,397 --> 00:15:46,957 way on, he writes some of the most beautiful, profound hymns and poetry 267 00:15:46,967 --> 00:15:49,137 and truths because of the brokenness, 268 00:15:51,257 --> 00:15:55,737 because of the brokenness, he was a broken saint, Brennan Manning was 269 00:15:55,737 --> 00:16:03,897 a broken saint, and to be honest about that struggle, Is amazing. 270 00:16:04,007 --> 00:16:08,217 The human dilemma is that we have this tension in our lives. 271 00:16:08,247 --> 00:16:11,887 We feel like we can either be known or we can be loved, but it can't be both. 272 00:16:13,307 --> 00:16:17,437 Because if we're known, people aren't going to love us like deep 273 00:16:17,437 --> 00:16:19,777 down, see us in, inside and out. 274 00:16:20,507 --> 00:16:26,007 And God answers that dilemma by seeing us and loving us. 275 00:16:26,847 --> 00:16:29,087 But the church is supposed to be that too. 276 00:16:29,087 --> 00:16:32,397 It's supposed to be that place where we are. 277 00:16:33,047 --> 00:16:36,017 Seen and loved we're supposed to act out that drama. 278 00:16:36,037 --> 00:16:38,267 We're supposed to act out that to one another. 279 00:16:38,267 --> 00:16:45,527 That's what galatians 6 1 2 is about and so yeah I said last week that romans 7 280 00:16:45,607 --> 00:16:50,457 was like an old friend giving me a hug It actually much stronger than that. 281 00:16:50,467 --> 00:16:54,877 It's biographical for me I believe the gospel with all i'm all my heart and i'm 282 00:16:54,907 --> 00:17:00,612 here today because of it I also know while the ongoing battle of trying to present 283 00:17:00,612 --> 00:17:04,872 God a righteousness through obedience to the law, instead of resting in the 284 00:17:04,872 --> 00:17:09,801 righteousness that Jesus won for me at the cl at the cross, I know the cry of 285 00:17:09,801 --> 00:17:14,942 Peter who when he looked at Jesus in the eye after having to deny to him a third 286 00:17:14,942 --> 00:17:17,372 time, he went out and wept bitterly. 287 00:17:19,521 --> 00:17:22,127 Andrea, me always said we would never sacrifice our 288 00:17:22,127 --> 00:17:23,722 kids on the altar of ministry. 289 00:17:27,017 --> 00:17:30,457 And as some of my kids have seen behind the curtain of church politics 290 00:17:31,157 --> 00:17:36,127 and the brutalism of people seeking position, they have looked at 291 00:17:36,127 --> 00:17:38,567 church and said, nah, we're good. 292 00:17:38,617 --> 00:17:42,007 there was a while back, this was a couple years ago, but I was on a drive 293 00:17:42,057 --> 00:17:46,187 to work and my air pods were dead. 294 00:17:47,777 --> 00:17:49,867 And nothing would come through on the radio. 295 00:17:49,907 --> 00:17:54,857 I was in a dead spot and I was left with the terrible silence of contemplation. 296 00:17:58,067 --> 00:18:03,597 And I began to ask God, have I begun to seek a righteousness apart from grace? 297 00:18:04,277 --> 00:18:07,427 Have I used ministry once again to make myself worthy of love? 298 00:18:07,427 --> 00:18:09,417 Have I put my kids on the altar of ministry? 299 00:18:14,047 --> 00:18:17,767 I don't know what other drivers would think as they were passing me. 300 00:18:18,667 --> 00:18:24,387 But they would see somebody in a work van hitting the steering wheel and weeping. 301 00:18:25,927 --> 00:18:26,627 Bitterly. 302 00:18:26,677 --> 00:18:30,037 that's why I say Roman 7 isn't just a hug, it's biographical. 303 00:18:30,117 --> 00:18:31,847 so let's go. 304 00:18:32,477 --> 00:18:38,317 We will see the bookends, the assertions, the potion of self righteousness, and then 305 00:18:38,317 --> 00:18:41,457 the walk of the spirit of the bookends. 306 00:18:41,477 --> 00:18:42,677 And I'll run through these kind of quick. 307 00:18:42,677 --> 00:18:44,537 We dug into the scripture last week. 308 00:18:44,537 --> 00:18:50,327 So this is more of an overview of the way, that Paul does this. 309 00:18:50,347 --> 00:18:51,187 We can't just. 310 00:18:51,632 --> 00:18:54,592 Take a verse out and remove it from its context. 311 00:18:54,592 --> 00:19:00,512 It's bookended as we saw it's he's got a thought process that he's running through. 312 00:19:00,512 --> 00:19:02,422 He's through Romans six and seven. 313 00:19:02,432 --> 00:19:04,012 He's answering objections. 314 00:19:04,822 --> 00:19:09,192 to his thesis about us living in abounding grace. 315 00:19:09,662 --> 00:19:14,932 And and then he, the bookend again is Romans 5 and then Romans 8, the life in 316 00:19:14,932 --> 00:19:19,562 the spirit and everything that comes our way because of that life in the spirit. 317 00:19:20,192 --> 00:19:24,862 Paul is going for a similar thing here, Romans 5, 18 to, 18 to 21. 318 00:19:25,312 --> 00:19:28,762 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so 319 00:19:28,762 --> 00:19:33,502 one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 320 00:19:33,862 --> 00:19:38,122 For as by one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by one man's 321 00:19:38,122 --> 00:19:40,012 obedience the many will be made righteous. 322 00:19:40,042 --> 00:19:42,472 Now the law came to increase the trespass. 323 00:19:43,397 --> 00:19:47,167 But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that as sin reigned in 324 00:19:47,167 --> 00:19:51,227 death, grace also might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal 325 00:19:51,227 --> 00:19:53,067 life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 326 00:19:53,687 --> 00:19:57,377 And then as we read in Romans 8, 1 4, the other bookend, There is therefore 327 00:19:57,377 --> 00:20:01,857 now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the 328 00:20:01,857 --> 00:20:05,227 Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 329 00:20:06,022 --> 00:20:12,092 For God has done what the law weakened by the flesh could not do by sending his 330 00:20:12,092 --> 00:20:16,342 own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and forcing him to consume his flesh 331 00:20:16,792 --> 00:20:22,472 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. 332 00:20:23,062 --> 00:20:29,032 Who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. 333 00:20:29,852 --> 00:20:33,612 And in between Paul is saying, the good law of God can't save you. 334 00:20:34,152 --> 00:20:40,372 It diagnoses you, and in your own strength, it also can't sanctify you. 335 00:20:41,232 --> 00:20:42,422 Can't sanctify you. 336 00:20:43,142 --> 00:20:46,772 Galatians 3, 1 3 Oh foolish Galatians! 337 00:20:47,182 --> 00:20:48,572 Who has bewitched you? 338 00:20:49,082 --> 00:20:54,202 It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 339 00:20:54,822 --> 00:20:56,822 Let me ask you only this. 340 00:20:57,052 --> 00:20:59,702 Did you receive the spirit by works of the law? 341 00:21:00,042 --> 00:21:02,042 Or by the, with the hearing of faith? 342 00:21:02,072 --> 00:21:05,692 Are you so foolish having begun by the spirit? 343 00:21:06,002 --> 00:21:10,412 Are you now being perfected by the flesh? 344 00:21:11,262 --> 00:21:13,672 The law is like a train on the railroad tracks. 345 00:21:14,062 --> 00:21:15,992 It's just, it's going somewhere. 346 00:21:16,522 --> 00:21:17,832 But think of a freight train. 347 00:21:18,082 --> 00:21:21,212 And think of wanting to get that freight train to its destination. 348 00:21:21,342 --> 00:21:22,222 The law's good. 349 00:21:22,222 --> 00:21:23,312 Paul's affirmed that. 350 00:21:24,002 --> 00:21:27,922 The law is the expression of God's character, of his holiness. 351 00:21:28,252 --> 00:21:30,472 And Jesus fulfilled that law perfectly. 352 00:21:30,662 --> 00:21:31,452 And guess what? 353 00:21:31,542 --> 00:21:34,732 We're becoming more like Christ from one degree of splendor to the next. 354 00:21:34,752 --> 00:21:35,962 What's the destination? 355 00:21:36,257 --> 00:21:38,107 It's going down those railroad tracks, right? 356 00:21:38,107 --> 00:21:39,587 We're going to look more like Christ. 357 00:21:39,817 --> 00:21:44,427 But think about, I want to get there, so I'm going to push this train. 358 00:21:45,117 --> 00:21:46,327 Very foolish. 359 00:21:46,707 --> 00:21:50,317 You're not going to move that train, no matter if you work out every day. 360 00:21:50,527 --> 00:21:56,877 You will not push a train that is, a mile long down that track. 361 00:21:57,067 --> 00:21:57,887 What do you need? 362 00:21:58,827 --> 00:22:00,337 Like in those old trains, what would they do? 363 00:22:00,377 --> 00:22:04,357 They'd shovel coal into the furnace and that heat would build up and 364 00:22:04,357 --> 00:22:08,567 there would be, energy as it would combust and steam would release and 365 00:22:08,567 --> 00:22:09,787 then that train would start to move. 366 00:22:09,787 --> 00:22:13,417 That impossibleness of the weight that would begin to move down the 367 00:22:13,417 --> 00:22:19,637 tracks and that is a picture of the Spirit of God who fuels our heart. 368 00:22:19,877 --> 00:22:25,567 Toward Christ likeness Romans 8 15 to 16 for you did not receive the spirit 369 00:22:25,587 --> 00:22:31,137 of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption 370 00:22:31,367 --> 00:22:35,367 as sons by whom we cry Abba Father. 371 00:22:35,602 --> 00:22:40,162 The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and 372 00:22:40,172 --> 00:22:44,712 like shoveling that coal into the furnace, the spirit is like, You're a child of God. 373 00:22:45,442 --> 00:22:47,532 He's, you're not just a child, he's your daddy. 374 00:22:47,582 --> 00:22:48,452 I know, what? 375 00:22:48,492 --> 00:22:49,262 That's crazy. 376 00:22:49,282 --> 00:22:50,262 He's your Abba. 377 00:22:50,422 --> 00:22:53,852 You are a child of God, beloved, invincible, you've been adopted, you're 378 00:22:53,852 --> 00:22:55,542 an heir of righteousness in all things. 379 00:22:56,047 --> 00:22:57,717 Boom, the heart begins to burn. 380 00:22:57,727 --> 00:23:01,627 The heart begins to burn and the train begins to move down its tracks. 381 00:23:01,917 --> 00:23:06,847 Number two, the assertions, Martin Lloyd Jones said that this chapter is one of 382 00:23:06,847 --> 00:23:08,457 the most controversial in the Bible. 383 00:23:10,747 --> 00:23:15,937 the disagreement about Romans 7, 14 to 25 is whether Paul is describing 384 00:23:15,937 --> 00:23:19,877 some dimension of his Christian experience or whether he's describing 385 00:23:19,877 --> 00:23:24,657 his pre Christian experience of defeat as he tried to keep the law. 386 00:23:24,707 --> 00:23:25,837 So is he a Christian? 387 00:23:26,017 --> 00:23:27,297 Can a Christian talk like this? 388 00:23:27,317 --> 00:23:30,697 Can a Christian talk about the good he wants to do, he doesn't do, 389 00:23:30,707 --> 00:23:32,877 and that which he doesn't want to do, that's what he ends up doing? 390 00:23:33,187 --> 00:23:36,277 Oh wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of sin? 391 00:23:36,637 --> 00:23:37,497 can that be? 392 00:23:38,237 --> 00:23:41,787 so is he pre Christian experience or is Christian experience? 393 00:23:42,727 --> 00:23:44,157 What is he describing here? 394 00:23:44,687 --> 00:23:48,677 Now my view is that Romans 7, 14 to 25 is a description of the kind 395 00:23:48,677 --> 00:23:52,667 of experience Paul often had as a Christian and that we often have. 396 00:23:53,197 --> 00:23:56,207 And I say often because I don't want to give the impression that 397 00:23:56,217 --> 00:23:59,547 those verses describe the totality of the Christian experience. 398 00:24:03,737 --> 00:24:04,477 Occasion. 399 00:24:05,617 --> 00:24:06,267 One. 400 00:24:06,347 --> 00:24:09,677 There are really good scholars on both sides of this. 401 00:24:10,457 --> 00:24:12,507 And we're going to be in heaven worshiping Jesus. 402 00:24:13,147 --> 00:24:17,507 You can believe one or the other and not be outside of the pale of orthodoxy. 403 00:24:17,937 --> 00:24:22,127 So if you hold a view other than what I see, how I see this, we're good. 404 00:24:22,667 --> 00:24:23,137 Beautiful. 405 00:24:23,287 --> 00:24:23,927 Tune me out. 406 00:24:24,747 --> 00:24:25,507 Praise the Lord. 407 00:24:25,967 --> 00:24:27,387 We're going to take communion in a little bit. 408 00:24:27,507 --> 00:24:28,287 Couple minutes. 409 00:24:29,297 --> 00:24:31,057 So I just really we're good. 410 00:24:31,457 --> 00:24:31,947 That's good. 411 00:24:31,957 --> 00:24:32,287 Yeah. 412 00:24:32,872 --> 00:24:35,252 Good people hold the view that may go, no, I don't think a 413 00:24:35,252 --> 00:24:36,372 Christian can talk like this. 414 00:24:37,792 --> 00:24:42,632 I think this describes realistically our experience, but, no hate. 415 00:24:42,782 --> 00:24:46,342 So just know that I do want to encourage humility. 416 00:24:46,342 --> 00:24:49,592 As we read scripture, the psalmist would often say that 417 00:24:49,592 --> 00:24:51,312 he delights in the law of God. 418 00:24:51,562 --> 00:24:53,992 Was he like, Leviticus really gets me going. 419 00:24:53,992 --> 00:24:58,322 As I read about leprosy and dietary laws, because that's what he's talking about. 420 00:24:58,602 --> 00:25:02,282 No, what he's saying is he's saying, I flourish under your authority. 421 00:25:04,947 --> 00:25:10,997 Every jot, every tittle, your law, your authority is how my life flourishes. 422 00:25:11,537 --> 00:25:14,787 You design the universe to operate as it operates, and when I come 423 00:25:14,787 --> 00:25:18,627 under that, instead of making my, myself the law, when I come under 424 00:25:18,627 --> 00:25:20,837 that, your authority, I flourish. 425 00:25:21,707 --> 00:25:24,087 again, we don't stand above the word of God. 426 00:25:24,087 --> 00:25:27,895 We let the word of God speak to us, right? 427 00:25:27,895 --> 00:25:30,560 We come under the word of God. 428 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:30,941 listen. 429 00:25:30,941 --> 00:25:32,083 2 Timothy 3. 430 00:25:32,083 --> 00:25:33,225 16 says, All 431 00:25:37,375 --> 00:25:38,205 Which is a lot. 432 00:25:40,655 --> 00:25:44,715 Scripture is breathed out by God 433 00:25:47,065 --> 00:25:54,685 that it's profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training 434 00:25:54,745 --> 00:26:02,765 in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 435 00:26:03,295 --> 00:26:06,145 And remember, in their day, as Paul's writing this, most of their 436 00:26:06,145 --> 00:26:07,675 scripture was the Old Testament. 437 00:26:08,890 --> 00:26:09,100 Yeah. 438 00:26:09,990 --> 00:26:13,390 We do not come to a text and throw out what we don't like. 439 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:14,810 We work through it. 440 00:26:15,830 --> 00:26:21,850 And to our best, humbly discern why the Spirit of the Living God Thought this 441 00:26:21,860 --> 00:26:28,410 jot and this tittle was necessary for our complete equipping That's where we come 442 00:26:28,410 --> 00:26:33,830 and we reason together humbly because I mean In this day and age of having 443 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,530 all the information at our fingertips. 444 00:26:35,530 --> 00:26:40,100 We've stopped relying on expert and become our own We're our own doctors. 445 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:44,120 We're our own political science majors dietitians physical therapists 446 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:46,915 psychologists and expositors. 447 00:26:49,395 --> 00:26:54,135 Bruce Lee said, I got roasted for this when I posted this years ago. 448 00:26:54,145 --> 00:26:58,335 Bruce Lee said, I don't fear the man who knows 20, 000 different kicks, but 449 00:26:58,335 --> 00:27:00,645 the man who practiced kicked 2000 times. 450 00:27:03,095 --> 00:27:04,385 And what I, why do I bring that up? 451 00:27:04,505 --> 00:27:10,595 Because I think experts are necessary and helpful as we plumb 452 00:27:10,605 --> 00:27:12,845 the depths of the infinite one. 453 00:27:13,635 --> 00:27:17,625 There are people who have devoted their lives to studying Scripture. 454 00:27:17,705 --> 00:27:18,825 To one book! 455 00:27:19,685 --> 00:27:20,215 One book! 456 00:27:20,495 --> 00:27:24,975 Or, I think of some of the guys I read who just, spent their life on John 17. 457 00:27:26,605 --> 00:27:31,285 They're like, just gonna live and make my life about this one chapter of the Bible. 458 00:27:31,755 --> 00:27:34,015 Guys, there's a lot to plumb from that. 459 00:27:34,755 --> 00:27:41,065 There's a lot of experts in our family of faith who have journeyed 460 00:27:41,085 --> 00:27:47,475 and wrestled and thought and debated and prayed and wept and shaped. 461 00:27:47,525 --> 00:27:53,765 And so we have to come humbly as we look at scripture and go and not just go, 462 00:27:56,655 --> 00:27:58,325 we go, what are you saying here? 463 00:27:58,325 --> 00:27:59,705 And how does that fit? 464 00:28:00,225 --> 00:28:04,055 with everything else that you have breathed into, that you see as 465 00:28:04,055 --> 00:28:07,425 necessary to my complete equipping. 466 00:28:08,855 --> 00:28:12,425 two, notice the I's in ,the present tense. 467 00:28:13,315 --> 00:28:17,925 the most natural way to understand Paul's use of the first person I in the present 468 00:28:17,925 --> 00:28:21,945 tense is that he's talking about himself and part of his life now as a believer. 469 00:28:22,605 --> 00:28:27,335 He uses I or me about 40 times in this text. 470 00:28:27,845 --> 00:28:31,655 And he explains his situation in the present tense all the way through. 471 00:28:31,745 --> 00:28:33,025 I am of flesh. 472 00:28:33,365 --> 00:28:35,815 What I am doing, I do not understand. 473 00:28:35,945 --> 00:28:38,555 I do the very thing I do not want, and so on. 474 00:28:38,565 --> 00:28:39,245 Present tense. 475 00:28:39,265 --> 00:28:42,495 On the face of it, then, it looks like he's describing his 476 00:28:42,495 --> 00:28:43,865 present Christian experience. 477 00:28:43,875 --> 00:28:47,890 So for the average person, it's going to take a lot to say what he's doing. 478 00:28:48,020 --> 00:28:49,390 No, it's not what's happening. 479 00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:55,000 Assertion number three, the law of the inner being Paul speaks about 480 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,790 the law of God in this passage in a way that sounds like the way a 481 00:28:58,790 --> 00:29:00,460 Christian believer would talk about it. 482 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,790 Not in the way an unregenerate Jewish man would talk about it. 483 00:29:04,910 --> 00:29:10,170 He says in seven 22, I delight in the law of God in my inner being. 484 00:29:10,850 --> 00:29:12,860 Now it's this phrase in the inner man. 485 00:29:12,860 --> 00:29:15,840 That sounds so much like the way Paul talks about the Christian, 486 00:29:16,090 --> 00:29:18,060 the Christian's real inner self. 487 00:29:18,625 --> 00:29:21,735 I don't think Paul would have said this about his pre Christian self. 488 00:29:22,085 --> 00:29:25,605 Assertion four, inconsistent with his past. 489 00:29:25,685 --> 00:29:29,695 The description of Romans 7 of Paul as a divided and sometimes tormented 490 00:29:29,695 --> 00:29:33,195 man in relation to the law doesn't fit with the way he describes his 491 00:29:33,265 --> 00:29:35,175 experience before he was a Christian. 492 00:29:35,595 --> 00:29:39,135 In his pre Christian days, he is anything but a man who is torn 493 00:29:39,155 --> 00:29:41,995 because of any perceived failures to live up to the law of God. 494 00:29:41,995 --> 00:29:48,010 In Galatians he describes himself as having, Undivided zeal for the law so the 495 00:29:48,010 --> 00:29:51,630 roman 7 paul doesn't fit with the way he describes his pre christian experience 496 00:29:51,660 --> 00:29:59,470 assertion 5 more than fallen flesh I think paul talks about himself in roman 7 in a 497 00:29:59,470 --> 00:30:03,950 way that only a christian could A person with faith and with the holy spirit, for 498 00:30:03,950 --> 00:30:08,250 example, he says in roman 7 18 I know that nothing good dwells in me and then 499 00:30:08,250 --> 00:30:11,375 he qualifies it That is in my flesh. 500 00:30:12,245 --> 00:30:15,465 Now, if Paul is here giving a Christian assessment of his pre 501 00:30:15,465 --> 00:30:19,155 Christian experience, then why does he add to this statement? 502 00:30:19,255 --> 00:30:23,575 Nothing good dwells in me, the qualifier that is in my flesh. 503 00:30:24,365 --> 00:30:26,885 I think in Paul's view, the pre Christian person. 504 00:30:27,060 --> 00:30:28,430 is only flesh. 505 00:30:29,130 --> 00:30:32,440 Only a Christian is more than fallen flesh. 506 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:33,960 He has the Holy Spirit. 507 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,010 And that's why Paul has to say that qualifier that is in my flesh. 508 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,890 There is a good thing in me, namely the Holy Spirit. 509 00:30:41,170 --> 00:30:44,810 So he's not talking about the Christian Paul, I believe. 510 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:46,300 Assertion six. 511 00:30:46,300 --> 00:30:48,390 Parallel is Galatians five. 512 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,950 In Galatians 5 17, Paul uses language very close to Roman seven. 513 00:30:53,295 --> 00:30:57,295 But everyone agrees that in Galatians and has not really controversial. 514 00:30:57,325 --> 00:30:59,695 It's a description of the Christian experience. 515 00:31:00,075 --> 00:31:04,675 He says in Galatians 5, 17, the desires of the flesh are against the spirit. 516 00:31:04,675 --> 00:31:07,165 And the desires of the spirit are against the flesh for these 517 00:31:07,165 --> 00:31:08,445 are opposed to each other. 518 00:31:08,665 --> 00:31:12,185 And now comes the phrase that sounds just like Roman seven, almost the 519 00:31:12,185 --> 00:31:16,725 same language to keep you from doing the things that you want to do. 520 00:31:17,955 --> 00:31:20,835 This is a description of the inner conflict of the Christian. 521 00:31:21,370 --> 00:31:23,720 And the language is so similar to Roman seven. 522 00:31:23,750 --> 00:31:25,660 I do what I do not want to do. 523 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:27,240 I don't do what I want to do. 524 00:31:29,060 --> 00:31:29,790 7. 525 00:31:30,420 --> 00:31:33,610 Free from captivity, not warfare. 526 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:35,710 Romans 8. 527 00:31:35,710 --> 00:31:39,030 2, this is very powerful. 528 00:31:39,290 --> 00:31:42,810 It says, For the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ 529 00:31:42,820 --> 00:31:44,610 Jesus from the law of sin and death. 530 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,440 Romans 3 says, The person, in verse 23, is made captive to the law 531 00:31:49,450 --> 00:31:50,900 of sin that dwells in my members. 532 00:31:50,900 --> 00:31:52,730 But now, in Romans 8. 533 00:31:52,730 --> 00:31:54,810 2, we are free from the law of sin and death. 534 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:56,570 There is a freedom from it. 535 00:31:57,565 --> 00:32:02,985 But not an absolute freedom from its influence, but which we can defeat 536 00:32:02,995 --> 00:32:09,935 that influence with the spirit of the living God, eight, Roman seven. 537 00:32:10,815 --> 00:32:14,325 There's this anticlimactic kind of thing in verse 25. 538 00:32:14,335 --> 00:32:16,925 Romans seven seems to reach its climax in verse 25. 539 00:32:16,935 --> 00:32:18,505 The first half of the verse, it goes like this. 540 00:32:18,795 --> 00:32:21,005 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 541 00:32:21,005 --> 00:32:23,475 And you're like, all right, let's go right into Romans eight. 542 00:32:23,575 --> 00:32:26,785 In other words, who's going to deliver me from this horrible situation. 543 00:32:27,035 --> 00:32:30,495 That's that I've been describing in these verses in Romans seven answer. 544 00:32:30,495 --> 00:32:32,425 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 545 00:32:32,655 --> 00:32:38,025 But then he ends it by saying, so then I myself served the law of God with my mind. 546 00:32:38,575 --> 00:32:41,445 But with my flesh, I serve the law of sin. 547 00:32:41,785 --> 00:32:43,725 And then he goes into chapter eight. 548 00:32:44,135 --> 00:32:46,805 And so he still holds, yes, he delivered me. 549 00:32:46,955 --> 00:32:48,505 And I still have this struggle. 550 00:32:48,995 --> 00:32:51,885 Nine, Paul's progression. 551 00:32:53,735 --> 00:32:58,945 He says in first Corinthians 15, nine, for I am the least of the apostles, 552 00:32:59,325 --> 00:33:01,205 unworthy to be called an apostle. 553 00:33:01,710 --> 00:33:07,260 Because I persecuted the Church of God, and he wrote that in around AD 56. 554 00:33:07,980 --> 00:33:14,010 Then in a 60 or 61, he writes in Ephesians three, eight, this grace was given 555 00:33:14,010 --> 00:33:21,300 to me the least of all the saints, to proclaim the gen to the Gentiles, the 556 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:23,580 incalculable riches of the Messiah. 557 00:33:24,630 --> 00:33:30,990 And then year, a couple years later, in AD 62 to 64 and one Timothy one 15, he says. 558 00:33:31,725 --> 00:33:36,415 This is a trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance Christ Jesus came into the 559 00:33:36,435 --> 00:33:39,945 world to save sinners of whom I am chief 560 00:33:42,285 --> 00:33:43,695 Do you see his progression? 561 00:33:44,815 --> 00:33:47,675 He's hey, I'm the least of the Apostles then he's you know what? 562 00:33:48,105 --> 00:33:51,775 I've known myself for a bit I'm the least of all the Saints 563 00:33:52,765 --> 00:33:54,245 a little more time goes by 564 00:33:56,485 --> 00:34:04,925 He says I am the chief of sinners So in his mind, he's not becoming less 565 00:34:04,925 --> 00:34:12,034 aware of his sin You As he gets closer to Christ, he becomes more aware of it. 566 00:34:12,925 --> 00:34:17,565 Not that he's sinning more necessarily, but he's more aware of in the 567 00:34:17,574 --> 00:34:20,094 blazing light of the holiness of God. 568 00:34:21,105 --> 00:34:24,545 Oh, that is a crazy standard. 569 00:34:26,014 --> 00:34:29,384 if you come by the job I'm doing right now in Arden, Sacramento, right 570 00:34:29,384 --> 00:34:32,755 across the street from the Arden Fair mall, we're building a raising canes. 571 00:34:32,755 --> 00:34:34,885 At 1 35 PM. 572 00:34:35,364 --> 00:34:37,955 The sun hits the building in just the right way and the 573 00:34:37,965 --> 00:34:40,534 stucco work looks terrible. 574 00:34:41,875 --> 00:34:44,614 I had showed up the other day after they had done the stucco and 575 00:34:44,614 --> 00:34:46,355 I was like to talk to the super. 576 00:34:46,355 --> 00:34:48,094 I'm like, what are you going to do? 577 00:34:48,175 --> 00:34:50,725 this is, did you hire a blind crew to do this? 578 00:34:51,094 --> 00:34:52,065 this is insane. 579 00:34:52,525 --> 00:34:55,054 And then he said, just wait, wait about half an hour. 580 00:34:55,415 --> 00:34:56,715 And then the sun shifts. 581 00:34:57,094 --> 00:34:59,910 And I was like, Oh, it looks fine. 582 00:35:00,990 --> 00:35:05,770 But as you get closer to the light, as you walk with the beloved Lord 583 00:35:05,780 --> 00:35:12,830 Savior, not only is it your actions that are like, oh man, but then 584 00:35:12,830 --> 00:35:14,910 it moves to your motivations. 585 00:35:15,850 --> 00:35:20,450 Tim Keller used to say, he said, a religious person repents of his sins. 586 00:35:20,470 --> 00:35:22,420 A Christian repents of his good deeds. 587 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:24,710 Because 588 00:35:26,770 --> 00:35:31,740 we're so aware in the light that even the good we do could be tainted 589 00:35:31,940 --> 00:35:36,230 to make ourselves look good, to get approval, to you come closer to the 590 00:35:36,230 --> 00:35:38,510 light, you're like, Oh, I'm exposed! 591 00:35:38,810 --> 00:35:39,430 I'm exposed. 592 00:35:39,730 --> 00:35:44,140 nine assertions, and then we move to the potion. 593 00:35:45,665 --> 00:35:47,955 We talked last week about the battle we can't win. 594 00:35:48,675 --> 00:35:52,325 and I mentioned Robert Louis Stevenson's, book, Dr. 595 00:35:52,325 --> 00:35:53,105 Jekyll and Mr. 596 00:35:53,105 --> 00:35:53,675 Hyde. 597 00:35:54,615 --> 00:35:58,335 One of the most amazing things I taught, I didn't mention that I 598 00:35:58,335 --> 00:36:04,775 absolutely loved is in that book in the middle, he's separated himself. 599 00:36:04,775 --> 00:36:07,185 He drinks his potion and he's the good doctor. 600 00:36:07,185 --> 00:36:10,495 He's good, cause he doesn't want to struggle with that conflict anymore. 601 00:36:10,715 --> 00:36:13,155 And then he lets hide out and hides terrible, but he's 602 00:36:13,185 --> 00:36:14,235 way worse than he thinks. 603 00:36:14,900 --> 00:36:18,590 Hyde is, starts murdering people, and like, all the stuff that he 604 00:36:18,590 --> 00:36:20,290 never thought himself capable of. 605 00:36:20,710 --> 00:36:20,845 that's it. 606 00:36:21,185 --> 00:36:24,395 He finds out that's what Hyde's been doing because the police come looking for him 607 00:36:24,395 --> 00:36:27,455 And he's oh shoot and he throws all the potion away and he's like i'm not doing 608 00:36:27,455 --> 00:36:33,525 that and then he works hard To become a person and he starts giving to charity. 609 00:36:33,535 --> 00:36:36,965 He starts helping people He's paying off his crimes as best 610 00:36:36,965 --> 00:36:39,215 he can through being religious. 611 00:36:39,265 --> 00:36:41,525 Remember this guy he grew up in a presbyterian church. 612 00:36:41,945 --> 00:36:44,085 And that had some influence on him. 613 00:36:44,445 --> 00:36:48,030 Listen to this so he's sitting on a bench and he begins to re account all 614 00:36:48,030 --> 00:36:51,380 the good he's been doing, feeling like he's balanced the scales out, okay? 615 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:55,770 He says, I sat in the sun on the bench, the animal within me licking the 616 00:36:55,770 --> 00:37:00,020 chops of memory, the spiritual side a little drowsed, promising subsequent 617 00:37:00,020 --> 00:37:02,560 penitence, but not yet moved to begin. 618 00:37:02,620 --> 00:37:05,330 After all I reflected, I was like my neighbors. 619 00:37:06,140 --> 00:37:11,060 And then I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active goodwill 620 00:37:11,060 --> 00:37:13,380 with the lazy cruelty of their neglect. 621 00:37:14,010 --> 00:37:17,900 And at the very moment of that vainglorious thought, a qualm 622 00:37:17,910 --> 00:37:22,110 came over me, a horrid nausea and the most deadly shuddering. 623 00:37:22,420 --> 00:37:25,880 I began to be aware of a change in temper and my thought, greatness, 624 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:29,930 a contempt of danger, a solution of the bonds of obligation. 625 00:37:30,530 --> 00:37:33,660 I looked down, my clothes hung formlessly on my shrunken limbs. 626 00:37:34,070 --> 00:37:35,710 The hand that lay on my knee. 627 00:37:36,390 --> 00:37:37,980 Was courted in Harry. 628 00:37:38,790 --> 00:37:43,980 I was once more Edward Hyde, but he hadn't taken the potion. 629 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:49,480 Which is the whole point of that story, and any adaptation of that 630 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,380 story always doesn't put that part in. 631 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:57,500 He's saying, and this is what Paul's saying, in Romans 7, he's saying the 632 00:37:57,500 --> 00:38:00,330 law itself actually stirred that up. 633 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:03,490 When I thought I was obeying it, that's what killed me. 634 00:38:03,620 --> 00:38:08,210 He's saying, as I began to think of my religiousness and how good I was, That I 635 00:38:08,210 --> 00:38:10,870 became Hyde without even using the potion. 636 00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:12,550 that is the true source. 637 00:38:12,750 --> 00:38:17,490 And so he's pointing out that, that law, trying to use the 638 00:38:17,490 --> 00:38:19,730 law, not only to save ourselves. 639 00:38:20,390 --> 00:38:24,270 But then trying to use it to sanctify ourselves says don't break that because 640 00:38:24,270 --> 00:38:29,320 there's one who could fulfill that law and he already did it You needed a 641 00:38:29,340 --> 00:38:33,450 hero to step into the story You needed somebody to do for you what you never 642 00:38:33,470 --> 00:38:37,590 could do for yourself and he fulfilled it totally He didn't fulfill 90 percent 643 00:38:37,590 --> 00:38:40,700 said K 10 percent up to you He did it. 644 00:38:41,030 --> 00:38:46,150 And as we stand in that completed work, and as we hear that we're beloved, as 645 00:38:46,150 --> 00:38:50,810 we live in the Spirit, as we're rooted and grounded in Him, as grace reigns 646 00:38:50,810 --> 00:38:55,010 and fills our minds and our hearts, man, that engine starts to burn within us. 647 00:38:55,875 --> 00:39:00,885 Jonathan Edwards called it the affections are stirred, they're, they rise up 648 00:39:00,885 --> 00:39:03,395 and affection is deeper than a desire. 649 00:39:03,515 --> 00:39:04,945 It's deeper than an emotion. 650 00:39:05,085 --> 00:39:08,785 It's like at the core, it's the deepest thing you long for. 651 00:39:08,785 --> 00:39:11,525 And as that deepest thing that you long for is heated up. 652 00:39:12,110 --> 00:39:14,620 It's that old thing that, as a construction guy, you could take a 653 00:39:14,620 --> 00:39:19,060 piece of steel that they like put on the side of a building and you can bend it. 654 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:23,810 And with all your effort as you bend it, man, you have to hold it. 655 00:39:24,010 --> 00:39:26,410 And as soon as you let go of it, and the moment you let go, it 656 00:39:26,410 --> 00:39:27,950 goes right back to its shape. 657 00:39:28,170 --> 00:39:30,740 It probably hits the person who's next to you. 658 00:39:30,990 --> 00:39:31,900 So what do you do? 659 00:39:32,070 --> 00:39:36,020 You take a blowtorch to it, you heat the thing up, and then that thing's putty 660 00:39:36,020 --> 00:39:37,910 in your hands, and that's what God does. 661 00:39:37,950 --> 00:39:39,290 The Spirit of God is inside us. 662 00:39:39,490 --> 00:39:44,320 He breathes on grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and He magnifies 663 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:45,560 the work of Christ for us. 664 00:39:45,790 --> 00:39:46,340 And guess what? 665 00:39:46,530 --> 00:39:48,380 Our heart becomes putty in His hands. 666 00:39:48,870 --> 00:39:52,020 What was hard becomes formable. 667 00:39:52,020 --> 00:39:55,100 That's the change as it takes place. 668 00:39:55,510 --> 00:39:59,340 But to try to use the law to restrain ourselves is much like the futility of 669 00:39:59,340 --> 00:40:02,550 trying to take that steel and bend it in our own strength, hold it in place. 670 00:40:02,580 --> 00:40:03,680 Can you do it for a while? 671 00:40:03,950 --> 00:40:04,560 Sure. 672 00:40:05,425 --> 00:40:07,005 Is it last and permanent change? 673 00:40:07,015 --> 00:40:09,345 No, and you'll probably get smacked yourself in the face 674 00:40:09,515 --> 00:40:12,815 and be worse off Comparison. 675 00:40:12,885 --> 00:40:14,435 The danger of comparison. 676 00:40:15,025 --> 00:40:18,950 Because as we talked about last week, we have to water down the to actually 677 00:40:18,950 --> 00:40:22,440 feel like we're fulfilling the law, and the way we water down the law is we 678 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:25,100 compare ourselves, with other people. 679 00:40:25,460 --> 00:40:27,630 and we go, like Dr., or Mr., like Dr. 680 00:40:27,630 --> 00:40:29,790 Jekyll said, he said, I'm like my neighbors. 681 00:40:29,970 --> 00:40:31,340 I'm, in fact, I'm better than them. 682 00:40:31,810 --> 00:40:32,560 I'm pretty good. 683 00:40:32,950 --> 00:40:37,670 So we begin to compare ourselves amongst ourselves, and it's ridiculous. 684 00:40:38,460 --> 00:40:41,840 In verse 7, he says, What shall we say that the law is sin? 685 00:40:41,850 --> 00:40:45,400 By no means, yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. 686 00:40:45,610 --> 00:40:47,910 For I would not have known what it is to covet in the law. 687 00:40:47,930 --> 00:40:50,700 If the law had said, you shall not covet. 688 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,630 Using the law to try to make ourselves acceptable makes us worse. 689 00:40:56,660 --> 00:40:59,660 I remember, I've told you this story. 690 00:40:59,740 --> 00:41:03,630 I was in youth group and I remember a guy just got saved and he had, 691 00:41:03,710 --> 00:41:05,090 never been to church before. 692 00:41:05,530 --> 00:41:08,730 And so he's I effing just met Jesus, I was just shocked, and I was just 693 00:41:08,730 --> 00:41:12,970 like, I like had to step outside of the room because Ooh, I was blushing, 694 00:41:13,210 --> 00:41:14,820 we don't speak like that in church. 695 00:41:15,030 --> 00:41:16,410 And I remember talking to God. 696 00:41:19,020 --> 00:41:20,160 At least you have me, Lord. 697 00:41:20,570 --> 00:41:21,350 At least you have me. 698 00:41:22,620 --> 00:41:29,360 And I felt a divine spanking, from a loving father. 699 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,930 And just that communication of, man, he is more righteous than you right now. 700 00:41:35,540 --> 00:41:40,640 Just that sense of, here, God, I'm going to justify myself. 701 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:45,220 I'm going to use this standard and compare myself and make myself, try 702 00:41:45,220 --> 00:41:46,740 to make myself acceptable to you. 703 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:51,050 And this kid's just standing in the new righteousness, the born again experience. 704 00:41:52,145 --> 00:41:57,055 and so, uh, just say no, verse eight, but sin season and opportunity through 705 00:41:57,055 --> 00:42:02,295 the commandment produced in me all kinds of covetousness from the lies dead. 706 00:42:02,775 --> 00:42:06,195 And there's something about the law that stirs up, do not walk on the grass. 707 00:42:06,195 --> 00:42:07,745 I know Andrew doesn't struggle with this. 708 00:42:07,755 --> 00:42:11,445 She's she's told me before I see a sign like that, I'm not going to do it. 709 00:42:12,505 --> 00:42:17,015 But there's, for some of us, there is stirred up in us this Oh, I wasn't even 710 00:42:17,015 --> 00:42:20,085 thinking about that, but now that you say it, I might do it a little bit. 711 00:42:20,145 --> 00:42:21,275 Who are you to tell me? 712 00:42:21,455 --> 00:42:22,885 What commission did you get together? 713 00:42:22,895 --> 00:42:26,455 Did I get to vote on who would decide that I can't walk on this grass? 714 00:42:26,555 --> 00:42:27,735 I'm not a part of the HOA. 715 00:42:28,515 --> 00:42:33,125 I don't pay these, There is something that's stirred up because At the core of 716 00:42:33,125 --> 00:42:35,085 our being, we want to be the kingmakers. 717 00:42:35,115 --> 00:42:36,145 We want to be the kings. 718 00:42:36,145 --> 00:42:37,265 We want to be the rulers. 719 00:42:37,265 --> 00:42:39,655 We want to be the law giver. 720 00:42:40,375 --> 00:42:43,605 We want to be the ones who determine what right and wrong is. 721 00:42:43,835 --> 00:42:44,095 St. 722 00:42:44,125 --> 00:42:46,940 Augustine said, And tells a story of his childhood. 723 00:42:46,940 --> 00:42:49,910 He said, in a garden nearby our vineyard, there's a pear tree loaded 724 00:42:49,910 --> 00:42:51,740 with fruit that was desirable. 725 00:42:51,740 --> 00:42:53,390 Neither an appearance nor taste. 726 00:42:54,380 --> 00:42:59,130 Late one night, not one night, a group of very bad youngsters set 727 00:42:59,130 --> 00:43:00,960 out to shake down and rob this tree. 728 00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:04,400 We took great loads of fruit from it, not for our own eating, 729 00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:06,020 but rather to throw it to pigs. 730 00:43:06,470 --> 00:43:07,340 We did this to do it. 731 00:43:07,340 --> 00:43:08,120 Pleased us. 732 00:43:08,545 --> 00:43:13,165 For the reason it was forbidden for I stole a thing which I had plenty of my 733 00:43:13,205 --> 00:43:17,135 own and much better quality Nor did I wish to enjoy that thing which I desired 734 00:43:17,135 --> 00:43:21,705 to gain but rather to enjoy the actual theft in the sin of theft So then speaking 735 00:43:21,705 --> 00:43:26,305 to God he says in a perverse way all men imitate you who put themselves far 736 00:43:26,305 --> 00:43:30,925 from you What therefore did I love in that theft of mine in what manner did I 737 00:43:30,945 --> 00:43:33,185 perversely and viciously imitate my lord? 738 00:43:33,780 --> 00:43:34,730 Did it please me? 739 00:43:35,130 --> 00:43:39,500 To do with the impunity things, bearing a shadowy likeness to your omnipotence? 740 00:43:40,130 --> 00:43:43,445 Behold how your servant flees from his lord, and follows 741 00:43:43,545 --> 00:43:48,815 After a shadow, could a thing give pleasure, which was done for no other 742 00:43:48,815 --> 00:43:51,205 reason, but because it was unlawful. 743 00:43:51,585 --> 00:43:54,875 So he said, the very thing, the very reason I did it because 744 00:43:54,875 --> 00:43:57,855 forbidden and because I was told no. 745 00:43:57,895 --> 00:44:00,125 And he's saying, I want to follow. 746 00:44:01,075 --> 00:44:04,305 A shadowy omnipotence, my own omnipotence, what I think is 747 00:44:04,465 --> 00:44:06,975 omnipotence instead of God's. 748 00:44:07,375 --> 00:44:14,205 he's saying, if that, so Romans 7, don't use the law to try to save yourself. 749 00:44:14,865 --> 00:44:17,015 The law diagnoses your need for salvation. 750 00:44:17,565 --> 00:44:20,755 It shows you the problem that's there, but then what you've begun 751 00:44:20,755 --> 00:44:24,515 in the spirit as you yield to Jesus, then the rest of Romans 7 is saying, 752 00:44:24,805 --> 00:44:27,875 don't try to use the law to sanctify yourself in your own strength. 753 00:44:28,420 --> 00:44:31,790 Don't you look at the list and make your 10, 10 power principles 754 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:33,710 for how to do a better life. 755 00:44:33,980 --> 00:44:37,260 I'm going to, I'm going to try harder, do better, be faster. 756 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:40,990 What Paul is saying at the end, who will save me from this body of sin? 757 00:44:40,990 --> 00:44:44,160 He says, run to Jesus, flee to Christ. 758 00:44:44,660 --> 00:44:49,280 in the ancient day, when you were being hunted, by, the enemy, you would run 759 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:50,960 to these places called the refuge. 760 00:44:51,390 --> 00:44:53,760 And as long as you got into the gates, you were safe. 761 00:44:54,170 --> 00:44:57,840 You're safe and off limits and what Paul is saying is he's saying run to 762 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:02,500 the city of refuge run to the Redeemer The only way you are safe is if you 763 00:45:02,500 --> 00:45:07,670 run to him Don't use the law to perfect yourself in your own strength Use it as 764 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:11,840 the guide rails of the railroad tracks like you don't want to take you know 765 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:15,110 Sometimes you talk to people and they're like, oh yeah, this is what I believe. 766 00:45:15,110 --> 00:45:18,380 And it's like the railroad tracks have gone over a cliff into the ocean. 767 00:45:18,380 --> 00:45:20,240 You're like, I don't know if that's where that leads. 768 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:23,390 you're like, so yes, it's good. 769 00:45:23,400 --> 00:45:25,810 And it shows us the pattern, right? 770 00:45:25,930 --> 00:45:29,630 Of who God is and it expresses his holiness. 771 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:33,210 but to think that I can push that train down its tracks by my own 772 00:45:33,210 --> 00:45:40,030 strength, sadly, a lot of pulpits They get you in through the gospel, 773 00:45:40,030 --> 00:45:41,500 but that's where the gospel stopped. 774 00:45:41,670 --> 00:45:46,060 And then the means of sanctification comes through trying really hard in your 775 00:45:46,060 --> 00:45:49,290 dedication and in your effort to obey. 776 00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:54,000 We told kids 777 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:00,930 we had purity seminars, vessels for honor. 778 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:06,110 That was the guys, a garden enclosed, which is a little, okay. 779 00:46:06,110 --> 00:46:07,680 It was for the girls. 780 00:46:08,850 --> 00:46:12,535 and we told them, Make a dedication, sign a card. 781 00:46:12,865 --> 00:46:15,215 We're going to give you a little trinket to put around your neck 782 00:46:15,625 --> 00:46:17,125 that says you're a vessel for honor. 783 00:46:17,705 --> 00:46:19,045 And now you've got to keep this. 784 00:46:19,055 --> 00:46:21,085 Do not be smirched the name of God. 785 00:46:21,095 --> 00:46:24,435 Do not bring shame on God's name by misrepresenting him. 786 00:46:24,435 --> 00:46:25,365 He has saved you. 787 00:46:25,375 --> 00:46:26,295 He has set you free. 788 00:46:26,505 --> 00:46:27,945 Now you keep yourself. 789 00:46:30,615 --> 00:46:38,035 I got to say that is one of the most powerless, limp, philosophies, 790 00:46:38,055 --> 00:46:39,225 theologies that are out there. 791 00:46:40,185 --> 00:46:41,515 You know what we should have told the kids? 792 00:46:43,495 --> 00:46:44,365 Christ rescued you. 793 00:46:46,860 --> 00:46:47,740 And guess what He gave you? 794 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:50,980 Because He knows that you're going to blow it. 795 00:46:51,980 --> 00:46:54,010 He gave you an invincible purity. 796 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:58,560 That no matter how hard you try, because where sin abounded, grace abounds all 797 00:46:58,560 --> 00:47:03,790 the more, you cannot taint it, you cannot color it, you cannot mar it. 798 00:47:05,265 --> 00:47:10,535 And that God's beauty and his purity, like we see in the Gospels, is so powerful 799 00:47:10,695 --> 00:47:14,765 that when he came in contact with the unclean, he would not be moved by it. 800 00:47:14,905 --> 00:47:17,495 He would change the unclean thing to the clean thing. 801 00:47:18,555 --> 00:47:20,285 Guys, that's what we need to hear. 802 00:47:20,845 --> 00:47:27,195 We need to hear that we have an invincible righteousness that we can't escape. 803 00:47:28,185 --> 00:47:29,645 God praise the Lord for that. 804 00:47:29,645 --> 00:47:31,435 Finally, our walk very briefly. 805 00:47:32,735 --> 00:47:36,955 Our weakness, the impossibility of using the law and our strength 806 00:47:36,965 --> 00:47:38,605 to become more like Jesus. 807 00:47:39,335 --> 00:47:42,795 verse 18, For I know that the good within me is in my flesh, for I have 808 00:47:42,865 --> 00:47:46,315 the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 809 00:47:46,505 --> 00:47:47,275 We're weak! 810 00:47:47,285 --> 00:47:47,975 He's telling us! 811 00:47:48,350 --> 00:47:49,190 Guys, you're weak. 812 00:47:50,100 --> 00:47:52,590 we have the remaining sinful nature prone to evil. 813 00:47:52,590 --> 00:47:55,950 Our inner conflict sin leads us to do the things we hate. 814 00:47:56,220 --> 00:47:59,850 But notice then our identity verse 17 and 20. 815 00:48:00,010 --> 00:48:04,660 no, now it is no longer I who do it, but that sin that dwells within me. 816 00:48:05,110 --> 00:48:05,800 Do you hear that? 817 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:10,330 In a sense then when I sin, it is the sin in us that does it, not the truest self. 818 00:48:10,985 --> 00:48:12,815 He's saying, no, that's not who you are. 819 00:48:12,815 --> 00:48:14,015 You are not your sin. 820 00:48:14,505 --> 00:48:16,125 Sin is your sometimes activity. 821 00:48:16,175 --> 00:48:18,695 It is never your identity as a Christian. 822 00:48:19,295 --> 00:48:21,995 Now, if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I do it. 823 00:48:21,995 --> 00:48:23,715 But that sin that dwells within me. 824 00:48:24,305 --> 00:48:26,035 Our dilemma, verse 21. 825 00:48:26,365 --> 00:48:32,015 So I find it to be law that when I do right, evil lies close at hand, the more 826 00:48:32,015 --> 00:48:37,045 we seek to do and be good, the more evil presses upon us and our own strength. 827 00:48:37,565 --> 00:48:41,305 And then the two forces of the love of God's law. 828 00:48:41,645 --> 00:48:45,355 In my truest self, the law of my mind, he says in verse 22, for I delight 829 00:48:45,395 --> 00:48:47,205 in the law of God and my inner being. 830 00:48:47,205 --> 00:48:50,995 So force number one, I do delight in the law of God, but then there's also 831 00:48:50,995 --> 00:48:55,105 that other force at work, sin that hates the law of God, the law of my members. 832 00:48:55,435 --> 00:48:59,555 Verse 23, but I see that in my members, another law is waging war against the 833 00:48:59,555 --> 00:49:04,125 law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 834 00:49:04,255 --> 00:49:05,245 And then the two cries. 835 00:49:05,255 --> 00:49:08,805 So you've got two forces at work, and then you have two 836 00:49:08,805 --> 00:49:12,435 cries, discouragement, verse 24. 837 00:49:13,405 --> 00:49:14,305 Who will deliver me? 838 00:49:15,615 --> 00:49:16,515 But then the hope. 839 00:49:17,085 --> 00:49:21,785 Verse 25, Christ will deliver me, and Christ has delivered me. 840 00:49:22,135 --> 00:49:22,675 How? 841 00:49:24,215 --> 00:49:26,315 Romans 8, 1 4. 842 00:49:26,315 --> 00:49:30,445 Salvation, total victory over sin, there is therefore now no condemnation 843 00:49:30,455 --> 00:49:31,925 for those who are in Christ Jesus. 844 00:49:32,395 --> 00:49:33,915 No condemnation for sin. 845 00:49:34,365 --> 00:49:37,685 Verse 2, for the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ 846 00:49:37,695 --> 00:49:39,545 Jesus, the law of sin and death. 847 00:49:40,100 --> 00:49:42,880 second, there's no bondage to sin. 848 00:49:43,560 --> 00:49:46,750 Verse three, for God has done what the law weakened by the flesh could 849 00:49:46,750 --> 00:49:50,310 not do by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for 850 00:49:50,310 --> 00:49:52,570 sin he condemned sin in the flesh. 851 00:49:53,410 --> 00:49:55,700 number one, it comes through Christ's work. 852 00:49:56,370 --> 00:50:00,870 And then notice verse four, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might 853 00:50:00,870 --> 00:50:05,760 be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 854 00:50:06,180 --> 00:50:09,170 Secondly, it comes through the Spirit's work. 855 00:50:09,170 --> 00:50:09,255 All right. 856 00:50:09,345 --> 00:50:13,155 Who magnifies the work of Christ in our hearts. 857 00:50:13,435 --> 00:50:17,965 Finally, I talked about Jekyll and I talked about Hyde. 858 00:50:22,085 --> 00:50:23,115 Hyde was shriveled. 859 00:50:23,125 --> 00:50:24,235 Hyde was hard to look at. 860 00:50:24,245 --> 00:50:25,525 Hyde was monstrous. 861 00:50:26,265 --> 00:50:29,665 You would see him and you'd avoid eye contact with him. 862 00:50:30,795 --> 00:50:35,835 And I wonder if Robert Louis Stevenson, having been raised in a church, if he 863 00:50:35,835 --> 00:50:39,005 had that in mind as he came across 5214. 864 00:50:40,015 --> 00:50:42,975 He writes of the Messiah who would come and suffer at the 865 00:50:42,975 --> 00:50:46,125 hands of sinful humanity. 866 00:50:46,325 --> 00:50:49,075 As many were as astonished at you, his appearance was so 867 00:50:49,075 --> 00:50:50,635 marred beyond human semblance. 868 00:50:51,105 --> 00:50:54,915 And is formed beyond that of the children of mankind. 869 00:50:56,855 --> 00:51:00,285 In a real sense, he became Hyde. 870 00:51:00,805 --> 00:51:03,575 Jesus, on the cross, he took our Hyde. 871 00:51:03,655 --> 00:51:08,555 He became marred, he became and was treated as the monstrous thing. 872 00:51:08,575 --> 00:51:15,695 2 And God made him who knew no sin, to become sin, so that we might become 873 00:51:15,695 --> 00:51:17,225 the righteousness of God in him. 874 00:51:17,585 --> 00:51:18,090 He became Hyde. 875 00:51:18,360 --> 00:51:23,890 Destroyed in his flesh that sinful part. 876 00:51:24,860 --> 00:51:28,350 He took it, but was treated as I deserved to be treated. 877 00:51:29,020 --> 00:51:31,505 Guys, it's Okay to not be okay. 878 00:51:32,175 --> 00:51:33,335 This is a hospital. 879 00:51:34,775 --> 00:51:36,115 We do not shoot our wounded. 880 00:51:36,295 --> 00:51:40,015 We do not tend We are not in need of Christ's rescue every day. 881 00:51:40,505 --> 00:51:43,055 We don't put people on pedestals. 882 00:51:43,485 --> 00:51:50,285 We Hopefully as we grow year after year We find the safety and the place where 883 00:51:50,335 --> 00:51:54,265 you can share your vulnerability and it's not weaponized against you so that 884 00:51:54,265 --> 00:51:58,760 we can protect confess our sins one to another and be healed so that we can 885 00:51:58,760 --> 00:52:03,120 be a body that supports its members so that we can bear one another's burdens 886 00:52:03,150 --> 00:52:05,160 and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 887 00:52:05,730 --> 00:52:09,040 This, I pray, is a place where we let the light in and receive the 888 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:10,590 balm of grace from one another. 889 00:52:11,160 --> 00:52:15,240 We do not go forward in self righteousness to prove our salvation, to get our 890 00:52:15,240 --> 00:52:21,480 sanctification, but we furiously rest in the righteousness that has been won. 891 00:52:21,960 --> 00:52:22,790 for us. 892 00:52:23,160 --> 00:52:26,650 Let me pray for us. 893 00:52:28,120 --> 00:52:29,000 Yes. 894 00:52:29,970 --> 00:52:32,640 Father, we thank you for your word this morning. 895 00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:35,710 and God, we just pray for that rescue that we need. 896 00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:37,480 We confess that, we're too often. 897 00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:41,740 We try do in my own strength, to show you that, I was a good deal. 898 00:52:43,230 --> 00:52:46,130 I was a good get, Lord, you stand. 899 00:52:46,895 --> 00:52:48,975 And you say, I love you because I love you. 900 00:52:50,815 --> 00:52:54,555 Lord, before the foundation of the world, you chose us. 901 00:52:56,705 --> 00:53:01,205 Ephesians one says, Lord, beautiful and love that before we even did 902 00:53:01,205 --> 00:53:08,855 anything, before we moved a muscle, you loved us and you came to rescue us. 903 00:53:09,890 --> 00:53:14,230 Lord, I just pray that this group right now would just feel your nearness. 904 00:53:16,130 --> 00:53:18,840 Spirit of God, make much of Jesus right now. 905 00:53:19,530 --> 00:53:22,560 Put your arms around the saints, broken as we may be. 906 00:53:23,480 --> 00:53:25,260 But, Lord, is there any better place? 907 00:53:25,290 --> 00:53:27,680 Because, Lord, you are near to the brokenhearted. 908 00:53:29,090 --> 00:53:32,870 that, Lord, you go high and low, to come after us. 909 00:53:33,520 --> 00:53:36,330 that you are the great physician. 910 00:53:37,055 --> 00:53:40,165 Who comes to rescue the sick and the dying. 911 00:53:40,895 --> 00:53:46,925 So Lord, I pray that, we'd struggle to enter that rest, that we'd strive 912 00:53:46,925 --> 00:53:52,365 to enter that rest and that Lord, we would make much of any other's lives. 913 00:53:52,935 --> 00:53:55,615 God, continue to knit our hearts together as a community. 914 00:53:56,675 --> 00:54:00,355 continue, just to make us more like you Lord, as our hearts cry. 915 00:54:00,725 --> 00:54:02,555 For your glory, Lord, we want. 916 00:54:03,990 --> 00:54:07,010 The joy we feel about you, we want others to know you. 917 00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:10,910 the worship Lord that we're about to sing to you. 918 00:54:10,940 --> 00:54:16,680 Oh man, Lord, would you make many sons and daughters today throughout this city? 919 00:54:17,120 --> 00:54:18,870 We want a whole chorus Lord. 920 00:54:18,870 --> 00:54:20,310 We want a whole congregation. 921 00:54:20,310 --> 00:54:24,030 We want the people from every tongue tribe and nation Lord 922 00:54:24,030 --> 00:54:25,340 to worship and to praise you. 923 00:54:25,340 --> 00:54:27,440 You are so good and you're so worthy of it. 924 00:54:28,300 --> 00:54:30,040 And so be glorified Lord. 925 00:54:30,040 --> 00:54:33,080 And um, yeah, stir up our joy now Lord. 926 00:54:33,530 --> 00:54:34,770 And uh, we praise you. 927 00:54:34,770 --> 00:54:36,610 So we give this time to you in Jesus name. 928 00:54:36,830 --> 00:54:37,690 Amen. 929 00:54:38,970 --> 00:54:40,880 My