1 00:00:32,739 --> 00:00:36,955 Love that song, How Great Thou Art Quo grand estu in Portuguese. 2 00:00:36,987 --> 00:00:37,787 But good evening. 3 00:00:37,883 --> 00:00:40,267 It is so good to be back at Heritage Baptist Church. 4 00:00:40,363 --> 00:00:41,723 And my name is Keith Putnam. 5 00:00:41,771 --> 00:00:45,611 My wife Jamie, and our three children, Elena, Clayton and Silas. 6 00:00:45,675 --> 00:00:47,355 They unfortunately are not with me. 7 00:00:47,507 --> 00:00:51,723 They are back up in the frozen north in Illinois at our home church. 8 00:00:51,771 --> 00:00:55,435 Our two oldest kids are in school this year and unable to travel 9 00:00:55,467 --> 00:00:55,691 with me. 10 00:00:55,715 --> 00:00:59,317 I'll be down here in Texas for the next several weeks, and so they're 11 00:00:59,333 --> 00:01:00,501 unable to be with me. 12 00:01:00,525 --> 00:01:04,261 But I just wanted to say thank you so much, church, for your faithfulness 13 00:01:04,325 --> 00:01:05,429 over these years of support. 14 00:01:05,469 --> 00:01:08,645 We were here in 2019, I believe, for a missions conference, 15 00:01:08,757 --> 00:01:11,541 and at that time you all began to support us. 16 00:01:11,645 --> 00:01:12,677 And we praise the Lord. 17 00:01:12,693 --> 00:01:16,421 We arrived in Brazil in 2020, right before the pandemic started. 18 00:01:16,525 --> 00:01:19,301 We were able to work with a veteran missionary for the first 19 00:01:19,325 --> 00:01:20,149 two and a half years. 20 00:01:20,189 --> 00:01:23,589 And then the Lord allowed us to start Victory Baptist Church in 21 00:01:23,629 --> 00:01:24,235 August of. 22 00:01:24,277 --> 00:01:28,351 Of 2020 in the city, a neighboring city of where we were, 23 00:01:28,455 --> 00:01:29,967 city of Pinda Muyengaba. 24 00:01:29,983 --> 00:01:33,343 And I know that's not necessarily a name that just rolls 25 00:01:33,391 --> 00:01:38,539 off the tongue, but it is a town that the Lord has us in 180,000. 26 00:01:38,839 --> 00:01:41,023 And we just so appreciate your prayers. 27 00:01:41,071 --> 00:01:43,375 We so appreciate this church and your faithfulness. 28 00:01:43,487 --> 00:01:46,655 And Pastor Crawford want to thank him certainly for the opportunity 29 00:01:46,687 --> 00:01:47,359 to be here. 30 00:01:47,479 --> 00:01:49,471 And I wish he was here, I could see him. 31 00:01:49,495 --> 00:01:52,211 But certainly praying for his health to be restored. 32 00:01:52,275 --> 00:01:54,739 I just want to mention real quick, we have a video we'll show 33 00:01:54,779 --> 00:01:58,131 here in just a moment, but we do have on the back table here on 34 00:01:58,155 --> 00:02:00,803 the as you're leaving the sanctuary there on the blue table, 35 00:02:00,851 --> 00:02:01,619 our prayer cards. 36 00:02:01,699 --> 00:02:06,163 These are updated cards, so you may have a different card. 37 00:02:06,211 --> 00:02:07,475 You might have a rookie card. 38 00:02:07,587 --> 00:02:10,867 Now, this is not baseball cards, so rookie cards don't mean 39 00:02:10,923 --> 00:02:11,475 anything. 40 00:02:11,587 --> 00:02:13,539 But we do have updated cards. 41 00:02:13,619 --> 00:02:16,099 And on the front there's an updated picture. 42 00:02:16,259 --> 00:02:18,243 When we were here last, we only had two kids. 43 00:02:18,291 --> 00:02:19,123 Now we have three. 44 00:02:19,211 --> 00:02:21,939 And on the back there's actually updated information as well 45 00:02:21,979 --> 00:02:25,463 about where we're at, specific specifically to our town and specifically 46 00:02:25,511 --> 00:02:27,767 to Victory Baptist Church. 47 00:02:27,863 --> 00:02:28,983 And we're just so excited. 48 00:02:29,031 --> 00:02:30,599 We've been on furlough since August. 49 00:02:30,679 --> 00:02:32,775 Kids have been in school at our home church. 50 00:02:32,967 --> 00:02:37,143 And then we'll be headed back in June and we going back to work 51 00:02:37,231 --> 00:02:38,615 again at Victory Baptist Church. 52 00:02:38,647 --> 00:02:42,151 Our assistant pastor Jonathan and his wife have been holding down 53 00:02:42,175 --> 00:02:46,055 the fort since we've been gone and have done just a wonderful job. 54 00:02:46,127 --> 00:02:49,605 Lord has blessed people, souls, saved People baptized and 55 00:02:49,687 --> 00:02:51,641 the Lord has really blessed the growth of the church even while 56 00:02:51,665 --> 00:02:52,361 we've been away. 57 00:02:52,465 --> 00:02:53,449 We're excited to go back. 58 00:02:53,489 --> 00:02:57,449 We're gonna be helping a different pastor start a work about 59 00:02:57,489 --> 00:03:00,457 45 minutes from where we are currently located. 60 00:03:00,553 --> 00:03:04,601 And we're not gonna be there with him on a day to day basis but 61 00:03:04,625 --> 00:03:08,633 we will be supporting him logistically, financially and helping 62 00:03:08,681 --> 00:03:09,929 with get the church off the ground. 63 00:03:09,969 --> 00:03:12,873 He'll be starting in August so that'll be happening later this year. 64 00:03:12,961 --> 00:03:16,233 And we're excited to start New Life Baptist Church in the neighboring 65 00:03:16,281 --> 00:03:19,721 city where he's at of Casa Pava, a town of just about 90,000. 66 00:03:19,825 --> 00:03:20,713 So we're excited. 67 00:03:20,761 --> 00:03:20,985 Church. 68 00:03:21,017 --> 00:03:21,273 Thank you. 69 00:03:21,281 --> 00:03:22,569 So your prayers. 70 00:03:23,069 --> 00:03:26,261 I know sometimes missionaries say thank you for your prayers that 71 00:03:26,285 --> 00:03:28,629 it can just kind of be, you know, in one ear and out the other, 72 00:03:28,669 --> 00:03:30,245 but we really do cover your prayers. 73 00:03:30,277 --> 00:03:32,661 Those two letters that were read this evening, those are real 74 00:03:32,685 --> 00:03:37,669 people and they have real needs and they both ministerially 75 00:03:37,749 --> 00:03:39,157 people that need to be saved. 76 00:03:39,333 --> 00:03:42,309 I was mentioning to several of the men of the church before just 77 00:03:42,349 --> 00:03:44,437 of two men that are on my heart to be saved. 78 00:03:44,533 --> 00:03:48,277 Men that good men but lost and their wives and some of their family 79 00:03:48,333 --> 00:03:49,941 comes to church and that's a blessing. 80 00:03:50,005 --> 00:03:52,923 Good men, I've witnessed to them several times but not saved. 81 00:03:52,971 --> 00:03:56,139 And so we certainly we covet your prayers and I say that, I mean 82 00:03:56,179 --> 00:04:00,443 that covet your prayers from the finance, from the spiritual aspect 83 00:04:00,491 --> 00:04:03,371 of it and the spiritual warfare for our families, for our 84 00:04:03,395 --> 00:04:08,347 wives, for my wife, not wives, my wife and for our children and 85 00:04:08,403 --> 00:04:10,219 certainly for all the Lord is doing there. 86 00:04:10,339 --> 00:04:15,403 But also we do so seriously so appreciate your continued financial 87 00:04:15,491 --> 00:04:18,481 sacrifice so that we can stay on the field and serve the Lord. 88 00:04:18,545 --> 00:04:20,209 And we've been there for the last five years. 89 00:04:20,329 --> 00:04:22,321 And I just want to show you here now we have a. 90 00:04:22,345 --> 00:04:24,737 It's a very brief video, 3 minutes and 10 seconds. 91 00:04:24,833 --> 00:04:27,281 And so it's pretty quick but kind of gives you an idea of what 92 00:04:27,305 --> 00:04:30,801 the Lord has allowed us to do working at Victory Baptist Church 93 00:04:30,865 --> 00:04:32,177 in Pinda Muyengaba. 94 00:04:32,193 --> 00:04:33,389 Let's go ahead and show the video. 95 00:04:34,329 --> 00:04:37,233 We praise the Lord that we arrived on the field in February 96 00:04:37,281 --> 00:04:38,753 of 2020. 97 00:04:38,921 --> 00:04:42,801 We began working at New Life Baptist Church in Dawbaktay and were 98 00:04:42,825 --> 00:04:45,639 able to be involved in ministry language school. 99 00:04:45,759 --> 00:04:50,695 Simultaneously during our first term we began to pray and seek 100 00:04:50,727 --> 00:04:53,527 the Lord's will about where we could start a church. 101 00:04:53,703 --> 00:04:56,439 The Lord opened the door for us to begin to work in the neighboring 102 00:04:56,519 --> 00:05:03,463 city of Pina Muyangaba In August of 2022 Pinamoegaba is a historic 103 00:05:03,511 --> 00:05:05,415 city of just under 200,000 people. 104 00:05:05,487 --> 00:05:08,663 Located in the heart of the valley of the Paraiba River. 105 00:05:08,791 --> 00:05:13,185 It's a city that is still steeped in religion and even in occultism. 106 00:05:13,297 --> 00:05:16,785 But we praise the Lord that the gospel light has begun to shine 107 00:05:16,897 --> 00:05:18,737 at Victory Baptist Church. 108 00:05:18,913 --> 00:05:22,529 We praise the Lord that we were able to secure a location in 109 00:05:22,569 --> 00:05:27,777 March of 2022 and work began to make it ready for our launch date 110 00:05:27,793 --> 00:05:30,669 of August 7, 2022. 111 00:05:31,129 --> 00:05:34,737 Our desire is to turn this church over to a Brazilian pastor 112 00:05:34,833 --> 00:05:36,029 as soon as possible. 113 00:05:36,599 --> 00:05:39,919 In order to facilitate this, we are praying that the Lord would 114 00:05:39,959 --> 00:05:43,855 allow us to secure the current location we're in that has ample 115 00:05:43,887 --> 00:05:47,859 space for services, nurseries and classrooms. 116 00:05:48,599 --> 00:05:51,951 Shortly after arriving and getting settled into our home, we 117 00:05:51,975 --> 00:05:53,819 were able to begin language school. 118 00:05:54,119 --> 00:05:57,487 Despite the pandemic closing down many of the language schools 119 00:05:57,503 --> 00:06:01,375 in Brazil, we were able to study for nine months and finish 120 00:06:01,407 --> 00:06:02,963 in December of 2012. 121 00:06:03,121 --> 00:06:06,559 We were so thankful for this opportunity to help in ministry while 122 00:06:06,599 --> 00:06:08,335 also acclimating to the culture. 123 00:06:08,447 --> 00:06:11,871 During our first two years on the field, we were able to help in 124 00:06:11,895 --> 00:06:12,703 various ministries. 125 00:06:12,751 --> 00:06:16,959 At New Life Baptist Church, we were able to learn the culture as 126 00:06:16,999 --> 00:06:18,607 well as help in ministry. 127 00:06:18,783 --> 00:06:21,551 Keith was able to preach and help in the seminary. 128 00:06:21,695 --> 00:06:24,943 We both were able to start a King's Kids program with the Wednesday 129 00:06:25,031 --> 00:06:26,079 night kids class. 130 00:06:26,199 --> 00:06:29,789 And I was able to be a Sunday school teacher and help in the nursery. 131 00:06:30,769 --> 00:06:36,105 In August of 2025, brother Diego and his family will be planting 132 00:06:36,217 --> 00:06:38,713 New Life Baptist Church in Casapaba. 133 00:06:38,841 --> 00:06:41,897 We're anticipating how God will use them as they start this 134 00:06:41,953 --> 00:06:46,313 church here in a neighboring city of just under 100,000 people. 135 00:06:46,481 --> 00:06:50,153 Please be in prayer for them as well as the great need for church 136 00:06:50,201 --> 00:06:53,263 planting here in this needy area of Brazil. 137 00:06:53,441 --> 00:06:55,395 As we wrap up this first term. 138 00:06:55,547 --> 00:06:59,731 We are so grateful for your continued prayer and support of our 139 00:06:59,755 --> 00:07:00,963 family and ministry. 140 00:07:01,091 --> 00:07:05,203 Thank you for the integral part that you all play in continuing 141 00:07:05,251 --> 00:07:08,739 the work at Victory Baptist Church in Pina Muy Ngamma. 142 00:07:08,899 --> 00:07:12,131 The souls saved, those that have been baptized and those that 143 00:07:12,155 --> 00:07:14,319 have been discipled are fruit to your account. 144 00:07:15,099 --> 00:07:19,813 We realize how much the world has changed since we arrived in Brazil, 145 00:07:20,011 --> 00:07:24,469 but God is unchanging and his word is still true. 146 00:07:24,969 --> 00:07:28,989 We're so thankful for your continued prayer and financial support 147 00:07:29,609 --> 00:07:34,033 for the ministry to continue to go forward in Brazil at Victory 148 00:07:34,081 --> 00:07:35,189 Baptist Church. 149 00:07:37,849 --> 00:07:38,869 Amen. 150 00:07:39,609 --> 00:07:40,193 Wonderful. 151 00:07:40,241 --> 00:07:42,897 Again, that's just a very quick update about what the Lord 152 00:07:42,913 --> 00:07:47,867 is doing there, but we're so excited to go back, get back home 153 00:07:47,923 --> 00:07:49,675 in June and get back to work. 154 00:07:49,747 --> 00:07:50,683 Victory Baptist Church. 155 00:07:50,731 --> 00:07:52,507 Be able to start new Life. 156 00:07:52,563 --> 00:07:56,123 Help start New Life Baptist church, just about 45 minutes away 157 00:07:56,211 --> 00:07:57,099 from where we're at. 158 00:07:57,139 --> 00:08:01,035 Our region is a region of just under two and a half million people, 159 00:08:01,107 --> 00:08:04,731 and we're about halfway between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. 160 00:08:04,795 --> 00:08:09,147 And so I mentioned in the video, it is a very spiritually dark 161 00:08:09,243 --> 00:08:09,595 place. 162 00:08:09,667 --> 00:08:13,611 We are only about 30 minutes away from the largest Catholic church 163 00:08:13,675 --> 00:08:14,899 outside of the Vatican. 164 00:08:15,019 --> 00:08:16,707 And so it's a very religious place. 165 00:08:16,763 --> 00:08:19,971 But when you begin to deal with people about biblical salvation, 166 00:08:20,035 --> 00:08:22,851 when you begin even just biblical doctrine, there's a lot 167 00:08:22,875 --> 00:08:23,619 of confusion. 168 00:08:23,699 --> 00:08:28,163 One of my friends told me, he said, you know, the official religion 169 00:08:28,211 --> 00:08:30,867 of Brazil, there is no official religion, but if there were, 170 00:08:30,923 --> 00:08:32,323 it would be Catholicism. 171 00:08:32,371 --> 00:08:36,627 But he said, the unofficial religion of Brazil is confusion. 172 00:08:36,723 --> 00:08:38,083 And he says that, and it's true. 173 00:08:38,131 --> 00:08:41,021 Because as you talk with people, there is such a mixture of. 174 00:08:41,075 --> 00:08:45,641 Of belief and really a mixture of doctrinal error and heresy that 175 00:08:45,665 --> 00:08:49,641 when you go to talk with people many times, there can be a 176 00:08:49,665 --> 00:08:50,281 great. 177 00:08:50,465 --> 00:08:51,433 A lot of confusion. 178 00:08:51,481 --> 00:08:54,281 We understand that's just spiritual blindness, but we thank. 179 00:08:54,345 --> 00:08:57,465 We're so thankful that the word of God is greater and the Holy 180 00:08:57,497 --> 00:09:00,217 Spirit works in hearts, and it's been such a joy to see people 181 00:09:00,273 --> 00:09:01,113 saved and baptized. 182 00:09:01,161 --> 00:09:04,585 And so, church, thank you so much for the part that you all play 183 00:09:04,737 --> 00:09:08,023 in allowing us to continue to work there in Brazil. 184 00:09:08,161 --> 00:09:13,467 And as far as language goes, as far as culture goes, we are currently 185 00:09:13,603 --> 00:09:16,987 still learning, but thankfully, we are fluent in Portuguese, 186 00:09:17,083 --> 00:09:20,347 and the Lord has allowed us to just work there, and Lord has done 187 00:09:20,403 --> 00:09:22,731 a wonderful work there, and we're excited to get back home. 188 00:09:22,755 --> 00:09:26,107 If you do have any further questions, I'll be back by the table 189 00:09:26,283 --> 00:09:27,643 after the service tonight. 190 00:09:27,691 --> 00:09:30,923 But just want to say again, thank you so much to Pastor Crawford, 191 00:09:30,971 --> 00:09:33,371 to this church, and you all for your faithfulness. 192 00:09:33,435 --> 00:09:37,513 I know many of you work long hours, work hard, and you, you continue 193 00:09:37,601 --> 00:09:41,497 to be a part of the missions local church and a missions program, 194 00:09:41,553 --> 00:09:43,225 Faith Promise Missions, through your local church. 195 00:09:43,257 --> 00:09:44,073 So thank you. 196 00:09:44,161 --> 00:09:44,601 Thank you. 197 00:09:44,625 --> 00:09:46,521 Thank you for that. 198 00:09:46,705 --> 00:09:48,537 Let's go ahead, if we can now in this moment. 199 00:09:48,553 --> 00:09:51,241 Let's go ahead to the book of Romans, Romans, chapter one. 200 00:09:51,345 --> 00:09:54,665 And again, I want to say thank you, Pastor Crawford, for the opportunity 201 00:09:54,697 --> 00:09:56,989 to be here and certainly the opportunity to preach. 202 00:09:57,409 --> 00:10:01,751 I don't take it lightly that we have the opportunity to be here 203 00:10:01,865 --> 00:10:06,203 and the opportunity to stand behind this pulpit and proclaim the 204 00:10:06,211 --> 00:10:06,667 word of God. 205 00:10:06,683 --> 00:10:09,291 And I always say it doesn't matter if we're here. 206 00:10:09,395 --> 00:10:13,771 In Hazlett, Texas or in Pinda, Muyongahwa, the message is still 207 00:10:13,795 --> 00:10:14,139 the same. 208 00:10:14,179 --> 00:10:16,907 It's the power of God to everyone who believes. 209 00:10:16,923 --> 00:10:19,467 It's the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death, burial and resurrection 210 00:10:19,483 --> 00:10:20,187 of Jesus Christ. 211 00:10:20,243 --> 00:10:23,403 And just talking, getting to meet and talk with Brother Stone 212 00:10:23,451 --> 00:10:23,851 before. 213 00:10:23,955 --> 00:10:26,811 And one of the things I said, isn't it amazing, the power of the 214 00:10:26,835 --> 00:10:27,349 gospel. 215 00:10:27,459 --> 00:10:30,097 And I thank God I was saved as a six year old boy. 216 00:10:30,193 --> 00:10:33,041 I thank God I was born on a Sunday and the next Sunday I was 217 00:10:33,065 --> 00:10:33,617 in church. 218 00:10:33,713 --> 00:10:37,153 But I recognize that probably many in this room don't necessarily 219 00:10:37,201 --> 00:10:39,265 have this testimony, that testimony. 220 00:10:39,297 --> 00:10:42,161 But praise God, whatever age it was that you got saved, praise 221 00:10:42,225 --> 00:10:45,041 God that the power of the gospel, the Holy Spirit did that 222 00:10:45,065 --> 00:10:49,105 work, that new birth in your heart and thank God for salvation. 223 00:10:49,297 --> 00:10:50,209 That's why we're here. 224 00:10:50,249 --> 00:10:51,761 That's why I can come. 225 00:10:51,865 --> 00:10:55,001 This Yankee from up near Chicago can come and, and feel at 226 00:10:55,025 --> 00:10:57,881 home in your midst because we have a common blood, the blood of 227 00:10:57,905 --> 00:10:58,681 Jesus Christ. 228 00:10:58,785 --> 00:11:01,465 And what a wonderful thing it is to be able to have forgiveness 229 00:11:01,497 --> 00:11:02,009 of sins. 230 00:11:02,089 --> 00:11:05,545 And I know it's Sunday night, but I never, I'd be remiss if I didn't 231 00:11:05,577 --> 00:11:09,145 say if you don't know for sure that heaven is your home and that 232 00:11:09,297 --> 00:11:11,817 if you don't know for sure that your sins have been forgiven, 233 00:11:11,913 --> 00:11:15,545 tonight would be a wonderful, a perfect night to make that decision, 234 00:11:15,617 --> 00:11:16,889 to secure that decision. 235 00:11:17,009 --> 00:11:19,673 Tonight we're going to look at the Apostle Paul and we're going 236 00:11:19,681 --> 00:11:21,639 to look here In Romans, Chapter 1. 237 00:11:21,769 --> 00:11:27,851 Romans is probably one of the richest books in the Bible when it 238 00:11:27,875 --> 00:11:31,051 comes to doctrine, when it comes to soteriology, when it comes 239 00:11:31,075 --> 00:11:33,739 to salvation, when it comes to all of those things. 240 00:11:33,859 --> 00:11:38,747 The book of Romans is rich when it comes to doctrine. 241 00:11:38,843 --> 00:11:42,443 And we could look at this entire chapter and what a powerful 242 00:11:42,491 --> 00:11:42,939 chapter. 243 00:11:43,019 --> 00:11:47,393 Not only a powerful chapter, but what an insightful chapter for 244 00:11:47,451 --> 00:11:48,901 the days in which we live. 245 00:11:49,005 --> 00:11:53,029 If you read the second half of the first chapter here in Romans, 246 00:11:53,109 --> 00:11:57,381 you'll find that it is a diagnostic on the world in which 247 00:11:57,485 --> 00:11:58,453 we live. 248 00:11:58,541 --> 00:12:02,533 You'll see it starts with ungratitude and it proceeds all the 249 00:12:02,541 --> 00:12:04,069 way down to the basest of. 250 00:12:04,109 --> 00:12:05,237 Basest of sins. 251 00:12:05,333 --> 00:12:09,093 I know all sin is sin and in God's sight there is no difference 252 00:12:09,221 --> 00:12:12,725 when it comes to a lie or, you know, any type of sin. 253 00:12:12,757 --> 00:12:16,489 But church, can I remind you tonight that we live in a world where 254 00:12:16,529 --> 00:12:18,089 the Gospel of Jesus Christ has. 255 00:12:18,129 --> 00:12:22,349 The need for the Gospel has never been greater. 256 00:12:23,489 --> 00:12:27,817 This evening I want to look at three verses in particular, we're 257 00:12:27,833 --> 00:12:29,989 going to start here in verse number 14. 258 00:12:30,689 --> 00:12:34,553 And we're going to look tonight at Paul's 3 I ams. 259 00:12:34,601 --> 00:12:38,089 Now, there are many times in the Pauline epistles where he says, 260 00:12:38,129 --> 00:12:38,569 I am. 261 00:12:38,609 --> 00:12:40,145 We can think of that wonderful verse. 262 00:12:40,177 --> 00:12:41,617 In fact, we'll look at it in a little while. 263 00:12:41,673 --> 00:12:42,657 Galatians 2, 20. 264 00:12:42,713 --> 00:12:45,105 I am crucified with Christ. 265 00:12:45,257 --> 00:12:46,801 And that's a wonderful verse. 266 00:12:46,865 --> 00:12:50,993 But I want to look tonight at these three verses, verses 14, 15 267 00:12:51,081 --> 00:12:51,905 and 16. 268 00:12:52,057 --> 00:12:56,257 And I very simply want to look at three I ams of Paul. 269 00:12:56,353 --> 00:12:59,713 And I want to apply them to our lives this evening. 270 00:12:59,761 --> 00:13:01,425 Let's go ahead and let's begin reading. 271 00:13:01,457 --> 00:13:04,913 In verse number 14, the Bible says, Romans, chapter 1 and verse 272 00:13:04,961 --> 00:13:05,357 14. 273 00:13:05,446 --> 00:13:11,459 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both 274 00:13:11,499 --> 00:13:14,387 to the wise and to the unwise. 275 00:13:14,563 --> 00:13:21,235 So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you 276 00:13:21,307 --> 00:13:23,539 that are at Rome also. 277 00:13:23,659 --> 00:13:28,355 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power 278 00:13:28,427 --> 00:13:32,083 of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. 279 00:13:32,131 --> 00:13:37,203 To the Jew first and also to the Greek. 280 00:13:37,331 --> 00:13:39,363 And I love these three verses here. 281 00:13:39,451 --> 00:13:43,427 And he says three times we see Paul's declaration, I am. 282 00:13:43,483 --> 00:13:46,291 And so this evening, for just a few moments, I want to look at 283 00:13:46,315 --> 00:13:48,147 Paul's three I ams. 284 00:13:48,163 --> 00:13:48,995 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 285 00:13:49,027 --> 00:13:52,067 Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your word. 286 00:13:52,163 --> 00:13:57,299 And Lord, it is so good to be in a local church that has a heart 287 00:13:57,339 --> 00:13:58,611 to reach the lost. 288 00:13:58,795 --> 00:14:02,273 But not only a heart to reach the lost here in their own community 289 00:14:02,451 --> 00:14:06,853 and a surrounding area, but a heart to reach the lost even across 290 00:14:06,941 --> 00:14:09,109 the equator, the other side of the world. 291 00:14:09,229 --> 00:14:12,197 Lord, I pray that this evening you would speak to our hearts. 292 00:14:12,293 --> 00:14:14,965 Lord, I pray that your word would go forth with clarity. 293 00:14:15,077 --> 00:14:17,925 I pray that it would go forth with boldness. 294 00:14:18,037 --> 00:14:21,253 Lord, I pray that you would please speak to our hearts tonight. 295 00:14:21,301 --> 00:14:22,453 I need to hear from you tonight. 296 00:14:22,501 --> 00:14:24,709 Please, Father, I pray that you would have your will and your 297 00:14:24,749 --> 00:14:24,997 way. 298 00:14:25,053 --> 00:14:27,765 If there's someone here, Lord, that does not know you as their personal 299 00:14:27,837 --> 00:14:30,369 savior, I pray that even tonight would be the night that they 300 00:14:30,409 --> 00:14:31,585 trust you as their savior. 301 00:14:31,697 --> 00:14:34,929 And Lord, those that are saved, Lord, I pray that you would 302 00:14:34,969 --> 00:14:37,073 just please do a work in our hearts. 303 00:14:37,121 --> 00:14:39,489 And I pray that you would challenge us in these three areas 304 00:14:39,529 --> 00:14:42,881 that we're going to look tonight to be ready to proclaim the 305 00:14:42,905 --> 00:14:46,321 gospel, the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, wherever we may be. 306 00:14:46,425 --> 00:14:49,377 Lord, please have your will and your way in this moment. 307 00:14:49,473 --> 00:14:49,969 Lord, please. 308 00:14:50,009 --> 00:14:52,561 I pray that you'd Help me to say everything you want me to say 309 00:14:52,585 --> 00:14:53,681 and nothing that I shouldn't. 310 00:14:53,745 --> 00:14:57,071 May you please be honored and glorified as only as you can in the 311 00:14:57,095 --> 00:14:57,391 midst. 312 00:14:57,455 --> 00:14:59,231 Lord, here of us tonight, we love you. 313 00:14:59,255 --> 00:15:00,687 We thank you for this opportunity. 314 00:15:00,783 --> 00:15:02,499 In Jesus name we pray. 315 00:15:02,839 --> 00:15:03,519 Amen. 316 00:15:03,599 --> 00:15:08,271 The Apostle Paul is writing to a church that he has not yet visited. 317 00:15:08,335 --> 00:15:12,175 The Apostle Paul many times would send a letter back to a church 318 00:15:12,207 --> 00:15:17,167 that he had either helped establish or was familiar with. 319 00:15:17,223 --> 00:15:18,511 In the case of Colossians. 320 00:15:18,575 --> 00:15:22,287 He was not there in Colossae to start that work. 321 00:15:22,343 --> 00:15:25,871 That was Epaphras, who had been been chiefly responsible for 322 00:15:25,895 --> 00:15:26,367 that work. 323 00:15:26,423 --> 00:15:29,727 But the Apostle Paul's influence was great. 324 00:15:29,783 --> 00:15:33,999 Of course, we know places like Thessalonica and places like Philippi. 325 00:15:34,079 --> 00:15:37,903 He writes letters back to these churches sometimes mere months 326 00:15:37,991 --> 00:15:41,919 after he had been there or sometimes years after he had been 327 00:15:41,959 --> 00:15:45,999 there because he heard of a problem or because he heard of some, 328 00:15:46,119 --> 00:15:48,351 or they needed some encouragement. 329 00:15:48,415 --> 00:15:52,373 But in this case in the church of Rome, we understand that Paul 330 00:15:52,421 --> 00:15:55,237 had yet not been to Rome. 331 00:15:55,333 --> 00:15:56,709 And he's writing ahead. 332 00:15:56,829 --> 00:16:00,597 And he's writing to a church that perhaps more than any other 333 00:16:00,653 --> 00:16:05,781 church, of all the churches that he was affiliated with and influenced, 334 00:16:05,925 --> 00:16:11,221 was a church that was mixed of Gentile and Jewish believers. 335 00:16:11,285 --> 00:16:13,333 Now he's writing here to this church. 336 00:16:13,381 --> 00:16:14,069 And it is a. 337 00:16:14,109 --> 00:16:18,303 As I mentioned earlier, it is an extremely profound and rich and 338 00:16:18,391 --> 00:16:19,711 deep book. 339 00:16:19,815 --> 00:16:23,775 It is one of intense application, but it is also one of 340 00:16:23,927 --> 00:16:27,359 great doctrinal meaning for us. 341 00:16:27,399 --> 00:16:32,559 And he's riding ahead, being a freeborn Roman of impeccable Jewish 342 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:37,659 pedigree with vast Christian ministerial and theological experience. 343 00:16:37,959 --> 00:16:42,599 No one is better equipped to address the issues and. 344 00:16:42,679 --> 00:16:47,607 And the problems and the makeup of this church than the Apostle 345 00:16:47,703 --> 00:16:48,439 Paul. 346 00:16:48,599 --> 00:16:51,671 We can look here in the first chapter and we see that he identifies 347 00:16:51,735 --> 00:16:57,735 himself simply, not as chiefly not as this great apostle of Jesus 348 00:16:57,767 --> 00:16:59,479 Christ, although he certainly was that. 349 00:16:59,519 --> 00:17:03,703 In verse one, he says that he is an apostle, but look at the word 350 00:17:03,831 --> 00:17:07,127 chiefly that he uses to describe who he is. 351 00:17:07,183 --> 00:17:11,755 He says, paul, servant and boy. 352 00:17:11,787 --> 00:17:15,707 How we need to be reminded that it doesn't matter if you're 353 00:17:15,803 --> 00:17:18,283 the pastor or simply. 354 00:17:18,331 --> 00:17:21,131 And I don't say simply in a spiteful way. 355 00:17:21,155 --> 00:17:22,411 I say that in a very. 356 00:17:22,515 --> 00:17:25,839 In a very meaningful way, or simply the janitor. 357 00:17:26,179 --> 00:17:30,331 There is no small place in the body of Christ. 358 00:17:30,515 --> 00:17:34,651 There is no unimportant member and all of us ought to be servants. 359 00:17:34,715 --> 00:17:35,339 Look what he says. 360 00:17:35,379 --> 00:17:38,336 A servant of Jesus Christ. 361 00:17:38,472 --> 00:17:41,328 So he's telling them he's shortly to come to Rome. 362 00:17:41,408 --> 00:17:45,728 We understand that as Church history teaches us that it is at 363 00:17:45,768 --> 00:17:50,720 Rome that Paul will ultimately lay down his life for the sake of 364 00:17:50,744 --> 00:17:51,632 the gospel. 365 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:59,216 And it is exactly that gospel that Paul is addressing here in Romans, 366 00:17:59,392 --> 00:18:01,366 a beautiful book. 367 00:18:01,552 --> 00:18:05,147 And we see just in the three short verses that we read, we see 368 00:18:05,203 --> 00:18:09,243 several key elements to what Paul will be writing about in this 369 00:18:09,331 --> 00:18:09,675 book. 370 00:18:09,747 --> 00:18:12,939 He addresses the Gospel, which is the good news of Jesus Christ. 371 00:18:13,059 --> 00:18:17,211 He talks about the power of God that is the source of righteousness, 372 00:18:17,355 --> 00:18:19,243 justice and judgment to come. 373 00:18:19,331 --> 00:18:22,923 He talks about personal salvation, the power of God unto 374 00:18:22,971 --> 00:18:26,905 salvation, personal salvation, the necessity of our soul. 375 00:18:27,027 --> 00:18:30,285 He talks about personal belief, which is the prerequisite 376 00:18:30,317 --> 00:18:31,165 for salvation. 377 00:18:31,277 --> 00:18:35,037 And he talks about personal responsibility to the Jew first, 378 00:18:35,173 --> 00:18:38,029 but not only to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 379 00:18:38,109 --> 00:18:42,269 And of course, in that phrase, to the Jew and to the Greek, he is 380 00:18:42,309 --> 00:18:44,369 referencing everybody. 381 00:18:44,789 --> 00:18:50,449 So the Apostle Paul is taking up his pen once again in defense 382 00:18:50,869 --> 00:18:52,129 of the Gospel. 383 00:18:52,719 --> 00:18:55,459 And that ought to be our life. 384 00:18:55,759 --> 00:18:59,831 It doesn't matter if you're called to be a missionary to a foreign 385 00:18:59,895 --> 00:19:06,219 country or you're a cable installation technician. 386 00:19:06,799 --> 00:19:08,739 Every single one of us. 387 00:19:09,039 --> 00:19:14,099 Our life ought to be about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 388 00:19:14,639 --> 00:19:18,231 And we see here in Paul's example, in these short verses that 389 00:19:18,255 --> 00:19:22,287 we read, we see three times he says, I am. 390 00:19:22,423 --> 00:19:25,039 And so this evening, for just a few moments, we're going to look 391 00:19:25,079 --> 00:19:28,143 at three of Paul's I ams. 392 00:19:28,191 --> 00:19:30,511 First of all, let's notice in verse number 14, he starts it off 393 00:19:30,535 --> 00:19:31,023 very simply. 394 00:19:31,071 --> 00:19:34,335 He says, I am debtor. 395 00:19:34,527 --> 00:19:39,279 Now, that word debtor means that he owes a payment to someone. 396 00:19:39,399 --> 00:19:40,559 Now notice what he says. 397 00:19:40,599 --> 00:19:44,979 I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians. 398 00:19:45,719 --> 00:19:47,779 Now he's writing Romans. 399 00:19:48,759 --> 00:19:53,951 And the Romans were well known for being very high and mighty. 400 00:19:54,015 --> 00:19:58,191 Not necessarily in the arts and not necessarily intellectually, 401 00:19:58,335 --> 00:20:00,911 but they were known for being high and mighty when it comes to 402 00:20:00,935 --> 00:20:05,359 government, when it comes to order, and when it comes to civilization. 403 00:20:05,519 --> 00:20:10,463 The Romans gave us roads that still to this day exist and aqueducts 404 00:20:10,511 --> 00:20:13,685 that still exist Europe today. 405 00:20:13,837 --> 00:20:19,349 A lasting mark of over from over 2,000 years ago that show us 406 00:20:19,389 --> 00:20:21,845 the strength of the Roman Empire. 407 00:20:21,957 --> 00:20:23,189 But look what he says. 408 00:20:23,309 --> 00:20:26,117 He says, I am debtor to the Greeks. 409 00:20:26,293 --> 00:20:29,941 The Greeks were the ones responsible for giving, giving the 410 00:20:29,965 --> 00:20:30,757 Western world. 411 00:20:30,813 --> 00:20:34,853 We could say a Western philosophy, I'm not saying a Christian 412 00:20:34,901 --> 00:20:38,739 philosophy, but a Western philosophy of democracy, of freedom. 413 00:20:38,909 --> 00:20:40,487 But also notice what he says. 414 00:20:40,543 --> 00:20:45,159 And to the barbarians, the barbarians were basically any tribe 415 00:20:45,319 --> 00:20:50,295 that was uncouth in the minds of the Romans or uncouth in the minds 416 00:20:50,327 --> 00:20:51,207 of the Greeks. 417 00:20:51,303 --> 00:20:57,223 People Outside the bounds of civilization, People beyond the reaches 418 00:20:57,271 --> 00:20:59,095 of where they were at in Rome. 419 00:20:59,207 --> 00:21:03,271 Places that were pretty much uninhabited, except for someone that 420 00:21:03,295 --> 00:21:06,733 we might consider savages, but in this time, they would be called 421 00:21:06,871 --> 00:21:07,649 barbarians. 422 00:21:07,729 --> 00:21:08,945 Now he says, I am debtor. 423 00:21:08,977 --> 00:21:10,673 What does he mean by I am debtor? 424 00:21:10,721 --> 00:21:14,785 Well, he's talking about the debt that he owes to preach the gospel 425 00:21:14,897 --> 00:21:15,873 to every creature. 426 00:21:15,921 --> 00:21:17,713 And we'll get in that in just a moment. 427 00:21:17,841 --> 00:21:18,705 He was a debtor. 428 00:21:18,737 --> 00:21:22,753 In other words, he had a responsibility to preach the gospel 429 00:21:22,881 --> 00:21:27,585 not only to them in Rome, not only to the high and mighty Romans 430 00:21:27,617 --> 00:21:31,777 that were located here in this sprawling metropolis that up until 431 00:21:31,833 --> 00:21:36,969 this point was the greatest power that had ever existed in civilized 432 00:21:37,129 --> 00:21:37,833 history. 433 00:21:38,001 --> 00:21:41,849 But notice, he says, I have a debt to preach the gospel, not only 434 00:21:41,889 --> 00:21:45,001 to you, but I have a debt to preach the gospel to the Greeks. 435 00:21:45,065 --> 00:21:46,073 And I have a debt. 436 00:21:46,121 --> 00:21:48,617 I have a debt to preach the gospel to the barbarians. 437 00:21:48,713 --> 00:21:53,945 And we see later on, he says also to the Jew and to the Greek. 438 00:21:53,977 --> 00:21:55,641 In other words, to all the world. 439 00:21:55,745 --> 00:21:59,393 I have a responsibility to preach the gospel to every creature. 440 00:21:59,561 --> 00:22:02,593 And we too church, have a responsibility to preach the gospel 441 00:22:02,641 --> 00:22:03,909 to every creature. 442 00:22:05,129 --> 00:22:08,513 But hold on, I am debtor. 443 00:22:08,641 --> 00:22:10,161 What does he mean by that? 444 00:22:10,345 --> 00:22:13,457 Again, in a literal interpretation application, he's 445 00:22:13,473 --> 00:22:15,953 talking about the fact that he has a responsibility to preach the 446 00:22:15,961 --> 00:22:20,509 gospel, but also Paul was debtor to many different people. 447 00:22:21,369 --> 00:22:26,329 And what I mean by that, people that helped him along the 448 00:22:26,369 --> 00:22:26,569 way. 449 00:22:26,609 --> 00:22:27,705 You say, what do you mean by that? 450 00:22:27,777 --> 00:22:32,153 Well, from the very outset of Paul's life and certainly his ministry, 451 00:22:32,281 --> 00:22:37,849 we see that God used both saved and unsaved people to help 452 00:22:37,889 --> 00:22:39,349 Paul along the way. 453 00:22:39,729 --> 00:22:43,449 In Acts, chapter nine, it was a group of men, men that were going 454 00:22:43,489 --> 00:22:48,521 with Paul to slay disciples and slay the church in Damascus. 455 00:22:48,665 --> 00:22:49,801 Those men helped him. 456 00:22:49,825 --> 00:22:52,361 The Bible says in Acts, chapter nine, verse number eight, 457 00:22:52,385 --> 00:22:53,849 they helped him in the way. 458 00:22:53,969 --> 00:22:59,497 He was blind and now he could not see, and so he had helped him 459 00:22:59,553 --> 00:23:01,509 along the way. 460 00:23:01,809 --> 00:23:05,225 Someone had to hold the ropes so he could get down out of the window. 461 00:23:05,257 --> 00:23:10,073 In the same chapter, in verse 25, a Roman centurion, an unsaved 462 00:23:10,121 --> 00:23:14,633 man, saved Paul's life as he's preaching in Jerusalem in Acts chapter 463 00:23:14,681 --> 00:23:15,509 22. 464 00:23:16,129 --> 00:23:21,393 In Acts, chapter 23, his nephew thwarts a plot against the 465 00:23:21,401 --> 00:23:23,793 Judaizers that were trying to kill the apostle Paul. 466 00:23:23,841 --> 00:23:25,105 They had made a covenant. 467 00:23:25,137 --> 00:23:27,109 They would not eat until he was dead. 468 00:23:28,329 --> 00:23:33,297 A barbarian chief, a man who was again had probably never even 469 00:23:33,353 --> 00:23:36,945 heard of the gospel, never even heard of Jesus, probably didn't 470 00:23:36,977 --> 00:23:39,669 even believe in God. 471 00:23:40,969 --> 00:23:44,993 Gave them warmth and shelter on the island of Melita in Acts, 472 00:23:45,041 --> 00:23:49,515 chapter 28, aside from the countless others in Romans, chapter 473 00:23:49,547 --> 00:23:50,715 16 that you see listed. 474 00:23:50,747 --> 00:23:55,227 And certainly Timothy and Luke and Silas and Barnabas and even John 475 00:23:55,283 --> 00:23:58,267 Mark, who, yes, became profitable for the ministry. 476 00:23:58,363 --> 00:24:02,459 And even, dare I say, Demas, who, yes, he forsook Paul and left 477 00:24:02,499 --> 00:24:02,651 him. 478 00:24:02,675 --> 00:24:06,907 But at one point, Demas even had helped Paul in the way. 479 00:24:07,043 --> 00:24:08,027 So Paul was a debtor. 480 00:24:08,043 --> 00:24:09,947 And, yes, his debt was to preach the gospel. 481 00:24:10,043 --> 00:24:13,287 But can I remind you tonight, I know certainly in my life I've 482 00:24:13,303 --> 00:24:14,871 had some help along the way. 483 00:24:15,055 --> 00:24:19,143 No man is an island, and I was six years old when I got saved. 484 00:24:19,191 --> 00:24:20,087 My dad led me to the Lord. 485 00:24:20,103 --> 00:24:23,719 I'm thankful for my father, but, boy, I've had Sunday school 486 00:24:23,759 --> 00:24:28,231 teachers and pastors and youth pastors and teachers and people in 487 00:24:28,255 --> 00:24:30,695 the layman, in the church that have invested in me. 488 00:24:30,767 --> 00:24:33,111 Hey, young person, you have many people here tonight that have 489 00:24:33,135 --> 00:24:34,339 invested in you. 490 00:24:35,279 --> 00:24:38,471 All of us have people that have invested in us. 491 00:24:38,655 --> 00:24:39,319 And we are. 492 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:44,375 It would be ungrateful of us to simply think that we have no debt. 493 00:24:44,487 --> 00:24:47,623 Certainly the greatest debt that we owe is to the Lord Jesus 494 00:24:47,671 --> 00:24:48,071 Christ. 495 00:24:48,175 --> 00:24:51,735 The fact that he came and he was born of a virgin and he lived 496 00:24:51,767 --> 00:24:55,191 a perfect life, and then he laid down his life on the cross, 497 00:24:55,255 --> 00:24:58,535 and then he took it up again three days later and three nights 498 00:24:58,567 --> 00:25:00,007 later, and he's coming back. 499 00:25:00,063 --> 00:25:03,191 We owe a debt of gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ. 500 00:25:03,295 --> 00:25:06,763 Paul says, I am debtor, but not only debtor to the Lord Jesus 501 00:25:06,811 --> 00:25:07,211 Christ. 502 00:25:07,315 --> 00:25:11,099 Not only debtor to preach the gospel to every creature, but a debtor 503 00:25:11,179 --> 00:25:13,399 to those around him who had helped him out. 504 00:25:13,939 --> 00:25:15,483 I'm thankful to you. 505 00:25:15,651 --> 00:25:18,239 I'm a debtor to Heritage Baptist Church. 506 00:25:18,739 --> 00:25:23,499 You have prayed for us and supported us so that we can go and 507 00:25:23,539 --> 00:25:27,387 preach the gospel to places that you may never go or even heard 508 00:25:27,403 --> 00:25:27,627 of. 509 00:25:27,683 --> 00:25:28,891 Pinda Muyengaba. 510 00:25:28,955 --> 00:25:31,003 How many of you had heard of Pinda Muyagaba before tonight? 511 00:25:31,051 --> 00:25:33,321 Maybe if you've read our letters, maybe you have, but, you 512 00:25:33,345 --> 00:25:36,137 know, it's not a place that you, you know, spending time on Google 513 00:25:36,153 --> 00:25:36,345 Earth. 514 00:25:36,377 --> 00:25:38,105 I want to see what's happening in Pinda. 515 00:25:38,137 --> 00:25:41,673 Not much is happening in Pinda Muyingapa, but praise the Lord, we 516 00:25:41,681 --> 00:25:42,669 are debtors. 517 00:25:43,649 --> 00:25:47,449 But might I say this quickly that it is not a life of service 518 00:25:47,489 --> 00:25:47,801 out of. 519 00:25:47,825 --> 00:25:49,641 Oh, I have to, because I owe everybody. 520 00:25:49,705 --> 00:25:50,281 No, no, no. 521 00:25:50,305 --> 00:25:51,353 Not that at all. 522 00:25:51,521 --> 00:25:55,449 It should be out of a debt of gratitude, out of a debt of love. 523 00:25:55,489 --> 00:25:58,505 I love what the Apostle Paul said in First Corinthians, chapter 524 00:25:58,537 --> 00:25:59,042 15. 525 00:25:59,155 --> 00:26:00,701 15 and verse number 10. 526 00:26:00,725 --> 00:26:05,693 He said, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. 527 00:26:05,781 --> 00:26:06,849 I'm nobody. 528 00:26:07,269 --> 00:26:08,413 We're nobody. 529 00:26:08,541 --> 00:26:13,101 But we serve a big God and a God that wants to use us. 530 00:26:13,205 --> 00:26:16,029 I love what he said in Ephesians, chapter 3, verse number 531 00:26:16,069 --> 00:26:16,461 8. 532 00:26:16,565 --> 00:26:18,649 Unto me who am less. 533 00:26:19,589 --> 00:26:20,429 Hold on. 534 00:26:20,549 --> 00:26:24,083 Less than the least of all the saints. 535 00:26:24,261 --> 00:26:28,459 Oh, Paul, you're just being, you know, falsely humble. 536 00:26:28,879 --> 00:26:30,951 That's just undue self deprecation. 537 00:26:31,015 --> 00:26:31,799 Not at all. 538 00:26:31,919 --> 00:26:33,783 Paul knew who he was. 539 00:26:33,951 --> 00:26:37,591 And Paul knew the grace of God that was working in his heart. 540 00:26:37,695 --> 00:26:41,111 Paul knew the grace of God that had saved him and taken him 541 00:26:41,135 --> 00:26:43,671 and changed his life completely. 542 00:26:43,735 --> 00:26:46,583 And he says, I am debtor. 543 00:26:46,711 --> 00:26:48,471 I have a debt of gratitude. 544 00:26:48,535 --> 00:26:49,921 I have a debt of love. 545 00:26:50,055 --> 00:26:51,245 I want to serve God. 546 00:26:51,277 --> 00:26:57,069 I love what he says in First Corinthians, chapter 9, verse number 547 00:26:57,109 --> 00:26:57,357 16. 548 00:26:57,413 --> 00:27:00,685 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. 549 00:27:00,757 --> 00:27:03,629 For necessity is laid upon me. 550 00:27:03,669 --> 00:27:08,369 Yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel. 551 00:27:09,109 --> 00:27:13,277 Church, can I remind you tonight our service is not. 552 00:27:13,333 --> 00:27:14,729 Well, I have to. 553 00:27:15,189 --> 00:27:17,001 Well, I have to go to Brazil. 554 00:27:17,085 --> 00:27:18,369 Oh, I have to go soul. 555 00:27:18,449 --> 00:27:20,113 Oh, I have to hand out a tract. 556 00:27:20,161 --> 00:27:21,425 Oh, I have to be a witness. 557 00:27:21,457 --> 00:27:22,177 No, no, no. 558 00:27:22,233 --> 00:27:23,521 I want to be a witness. 559 00:27:23,585 --> 00:27:28,849 I get to be a witness because I am debtor, debtor to every man 560 00:27:28,889 --> 00:27:30,673 to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 561 00:27:30,761 --> 00:27:31,425 I am debtor. 562 00:27:31,457 --> 00:27:32,145 Verse number 14. 563 00:27:32,217 --> 00:27:35,361 Both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, Both to the wise and 564 00:27:35,385 --> 00:27:35,969 unwise. 565 00:27:36,049 --> 00:27:37,361 It doesn't matter who it is. 566 00:27:37,465 --> 00:27:42,081 They need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, verse number 15. 567 00:27:42,185 --> 00:27:47,833 So as much as in me is I am ready. 568 00:27:47,881 --> 00:27:48,585 I am debtor. 569 00:27:48,617 --> 00:27:49,097 Number two. 570 00:27:49,153 --> 00:27:50,313 I am ready. 571 00:27:50,361 --> 00:27:54,749 I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome. 572 00:27:55,089 --> 00:28:01,161 Also, Rome represented the political and really the financial 573 00:28:01,345 --> 00:28:02,789 seat of power. 574 00:28:03,249 --> 00:28:08,549 It's hard for us to understand just how influential Rome truly is. 575 00:28:09,149 --> 00:28:12,085 We live in the United States of America, a place where people 576 00:28:12,157 --> 00:28:15,637 are literally dying to still come into this country. 577 00:28:15,773 --> 00:28:18,261 Love it or hate it, that's the country that we live in. 578 00:28:18,285 --> 00:28:19,809 And we should be thankful for that. 579 00:28:20,589 --> 00:28:26,249 But there are many countries where financial prosperity is enjoyed. 580 00:28:28,109 --> 00:28:32,629 Rome was a place where there was no other place like Rome. 581 00:28:32,709 --> 00:28:36,265 When it comes to financial prosperity, when it comes to political 582 00:28:36,337 --> 00:28:39,909 order, Rome was the end, all be all. 583 00:28:40,529 --> 00:28:42,697 And he says, I am ready to come. 584 00:28:42,753 --> 00:28:43,769 I am ready. 585 00:28:43,849 --> 00:28:46,153 Paul had a mind that was ready. 586 00:28:46,201 --> 00:28:48,873 He was ready to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 587 00:28:48,961 --> 00:28:50,761 He was ready to evangelize. 588 00:28:50,905 --> 00:28:52,473 In Acts, chapter 26. 589 00:28:52,561 --> 00:28:59,561 He was ready to stand before a King, a political appointee of Rome 590 00:28:59,625 --> 00:29:02,109 and preach the gospel to King Agrippa. 591 00:29:03,529 --> 00:29:07,109 But he also was ready to preach the gospel to a centurion 592 00:29:07,449 --> 00:29:11,025 in Acts chapter 16, probably an uneducated man. 593 00:29:11,177 --> 00:29:14,897 A man centurions were, excuse me, not even a centurion, excuse 594 00:29:14,913 --> 00:29:16,497 me, a prison guard. 595 00:29:16,673 --> 00:29:19,873 Prison guards were not known for having their life together. 596 00:29:19,961 --> 00:29:24,641 These were rough men, these were difficult men, these were very, 597 00:29:24,825 --> 00:29:27,429 very mean men, if I could say. 598 00:29:27,529 --> 00:29:29,821 And yet Paul was ready to evangelize. 599 00:29:29,885 --> 00:29:33,165 But it didn't matter where he was, it didn't matter what situation 600 00:29:33,277 --> 00:29:36,445 he was in, he was ready. 601 00:29:36,637 --> 00:29:38,061 He said, I'm a debtor. 602 00:29:38,125 --> 00:29:41,565 I owe a debt of gratitude to the Lord, and I owe a debt to everybody 603 00:29:41,597 --> 00:29:43,869 that I meet to preach the gospel to them. 604 00:29:43,909 --> 00:29:47,821 But not only do I have a debt to do that, I am ready to do that. 605 00:29:47,925 --> 00:29:49,741 I love what the apostle Peter said. 606 00:29:49,845 --> 00:29:55,993 He says, sanctify the Lord in your hearts and have what an answer 607 00:29:56,121 --> 00:29:59,289 of reason, of the hope that lieth within you. 608 00:29:59,409 --> 00:30:02,617 Church tonight, are you ready to preach the gospel? 609 00:30:02,793 --> 00:30:04,953 You say, well, I'm here. 610 00:30:05,121 --> 00:30:05,545 Amen. 611 00:30:05,577 --> 00:30:06,505 I'm glad you're here tonight. 612 00:30:06,537 --> 00:30:07,705 Thank you for your faithfulness. 613 00:30:07,817 --> 00:30:11,209 But are you ready on a one on one situation? 614 00:30:11,289 --> 00:30:13,961 Are you ready to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ? 615 00:30:14,145 --> 00:30:16,549 You say, well, I don't want to offend that person. 616 00:30:17,089 --> 00:30:19,897 You say, well, I don't know what that person needs. 617 00:30:20,033 --> 00:30:21,881 Let me tell you what that person needs. 618 00:30:22,065 --> 00:30:26,521 Every person needs a life changing, born again experience with 619 00:30:26,545 --> 00:30:28,217 the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. 620 00:30:28,353 --> 00:30:32,169 There is no other need that they need that is superior to salvation 621 00:30:32,249 --> 00:30:33,225 of their soul. 622 00:30:33,337 --> 00:30:37,689 We focus a lot of times on physical needs and we need to. 623 00:30:37,729 --> 00:30:41,001 We cannot neglect the physical needs of people that they have. 624 00:30:41,105 --> 00:30:44,761 But church, can I remind you tonight people can have the cleanest 625 00:30:44,825 --> 00:30:49,033 water, people can have the best medical, can have the best financial 626 00:30:49,121 --> 00:30:51,633 situation, can have the best housing arrangement, can have the 627 00:30:51,641 --> 00:30:55,029 best of all of that and still die and go to hell. 628 00:30:55,369 --> 00:30:58,145 But Paul says, I am ready. 629 00:30:58,257 --> 00:30:59,841 He was ready to evangelize. 630 00:30:59,905 --> 00:31:02,945 Not only was he ready to evangelize the lost, but he was ready 631 00:31:02,977 --> 00:31:07,489 to encourage the saints in Acts, chapter 20, verse number seven. 632 00:31:07,609 --> 00:31:08,801 Won't take time to turn there. 633 00:31:08,825 --> 00:31:12,209 But he's preaching and he's preaching long. 634 00:31:12,249 --> 00:31:14,149 He must have been a good Baptist. 635 00:31:14,569 --> 00:31:16,705 Don't worry, I will not be preaching till midnight like Paul 636 00:31:16,737 --> 00:31:17,331 was. 637 00:31:17,505 --> 00:31:21,551 But he was there till midnight preaching another time. 638 00:31:21,655 --> 00:31:25,055 Bible tells us he's in Ephesus now and he's going, actually going 639 00:31:25,127 --> 00:31:26,079 to Jerusalem. 640 00:31:26,159 --> 00:31:27,567 Acts, chapter 20, verse 20. 641 00:31:27,623 --> 00:31:31,615 He says, I kept back nothing that Was profitable unto you. 642 00:31:31,687 --> 00:31:35,263 But I have showed you and have taught you publicly and from house 643 00:31:35,351 --> 00:31:36,079 to house. 644 00:31:36,199 --> 00:31:40,047 Can I just remind you tonight, church, that sometimes profitable 645 00:31:40,143 --> 00:31:42,819 truths are uncomfortable truths. 646 00:31:44,379 --> 00:31:45,779 Well, preacher, go get them. 647 00:31:45,819 --> 00:31:46,339 Amen. 648 00:31:46,419 --> 00:31:46,867 Preach. 649 00:31:46,963 --> 00:31:48,323 We love to hear about the Gospel. 650 00:31:48,371 --> 00:31:48,947 Amen. 651 00:31:49,043 --> 00:31:49,999 And we should. 652 00:31:50,379 --> 00:31:54,291 But sometimes preaching about sanctification kind of steps on our 653 00:31:54,315 --> 00:31:54,919 toes. 654 00:31:55,579 --> 00:31:58,403 Sometimes preaching about, boy, are you sure I really have to 655 00:31:58,411 --> 00:31:59,587 be a vocal witness? 656 00:31:59,683 --> 00:32:02,723 Can't I just kind of live a good life and hope that people notice? 657 00:32:02,771 --> 00:32:03,427 No, no, no. 658 00:32:03,483 --> 00:32:06,387 Jesus always confronted the people that he was met with. 659 00:32:06,443 --> 00:32:09,389 The Apostle Paul was always proactive in his witness. 660 00:32:09,469 --> 00:32:11,229 He says, I am ready. 661 00:32:11,309 --> 00:32:15,069 He was ready to evangelize, but he was also ready to encourage. 662 00:32:15,149 --> 00:32:18,557 Hey, can I remind you, church, that when we come together in a place 663 00:32:18,613 --> 00:32:22,733 like this, yes, our primary goal is to worship the Lord Jesus 664 00:32:22,781 --> 00:32:26,061 Christ and to sing and to all of those things, and certainly to 665 00:32:26,085 --> 00:32:26,781 evangelize. 666 00:32:26,845 --> 00:32:29,005 But we need to be encouraged. 667 00:32:29,197 --> 00:32:32,209 We live in a world where it's very easy to get discouraged. 668 00:32:33,669 --> 00:32:37,819 It doesn't matter who's in the White House, we can still get discouraged. 669 00:32:38,319 --> 00:32:39,207 And we need. 670 00:32:39,263 --> 00:32:40,407 You know what's encouraging? 671 00:32:40,503 --> 00:32:42,055 It's not the stock prices. 672 00:32:42,167 --> 00:32:43,719 It's not political action. 673 00:32:43,839 --> 00:32:45,671 It's the gospel of Jesus Christ. 674 00:32:45,775 --> 00:32:47,751 It's the word of God that makes a difference. 675 00:32:47,895 --> 00:32:49,463 He says, I am ready. 676 00:32:49,591 --> 00:32:50,743 He was ready. 677 00:32:50,871 --> 00:32:54,231 He says, look, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are 678 00:32:54,255 --> 00:32:54,983 at Rome. 679 00:32:55,111 --> 00:32:55,779 Also. 680 00:32:56,239 --> 00:32:59,259 Paul was soon to appeal to Caesar. 681 00:33:00,399 --> 00:33:03,171 In fact, Agrippa even says, you know, you would have been set 682 00:33:03,195 --> 00:33:05,875 at liberty if you had not appealed. 683 00:33:06,067 --> 00:33:09,839 The house appealed to Caesar, to Caesar, he will go. 684 00:33:10,219 --> 00:33:12,035 The Apostle Paul was ready. 685 00:33:12,227 --> 00:33:15,491 Let me ask you tonight, Christian, are you ready to preach 686 00:33:15,555 --> 00:33:16,519 the gospel? 687 00:33:17,579 --> 00:33:21,139 Do you know how to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to somebody? 688 00:33:21,299 --> 00:33:23,279 I'm not saying you have to have a. 689 00:33:23,979 --> 00:33:24,931 There's only one way. 690 00:33:24,955 --> 00:33:25,747 There's many ways. 691 00:33:25,843 --> 00:33:27,955 Do you have some Bible verses memorized? 692 00:33:28,147 --> 00:33:30,771 Do you carry tracts on you to be able to give out to people that 693 00:33:30,795 --> 00:33:31,519 you meet? 694 00:33:31,979 --> 00:33:35,331 Do you have an opportunity, any opportunity that comes up, and 695 00:33:35,355 --> 00:33:37,399 you can talk about the gospel? 696 00:33:38,379 --> 00:33:39,379 Are you ready? 697 00:33:39,459 --> 00:33:41,667 He says, I am debtor. 698 00:33:41,843 --> 00:33:44,995 He had owed a debt of gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ. 699 00:33:45,067 --> 00:33:47,731 He owed a debt of gratitude to preach the gospel to every creature. 700 00:33:47,795 --> 00:33:50,851 He owed a debt of gratitude to many people in his heart, in his 701 00:33:50,875 --> 00:33:52,707 life, that had helped him along his way. 702 00:33:52,763 --> 00:33:55,685 And he says, I am ready to preach the gospel. 703 00:33:55,717 --> 00:33:57,541 But then look at verse number 16. 704 00:33:57,725 --> 00:33:58,821 He was ready to do that. 705 00:33:58,845 --> 00:34:00,489 He owed a debt of gratitude. 706 00:34:00,989 --> 00:34:02,133 I am debtor. 707 00:34:02,261 --> 00:34:03,013 I am ready. 708 00:34:03,061 --> 00:34:08,053 And look at verse number 16, very simply, for I am not ashamed 709 00:34:08,181 --> 00:34:10,049 of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 710 00:34:10,429 --> 00:34:15,045 My, how we need boldness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 711 00:34:15,197 --> 00:34:18,129 We can get really excited about our sports team. 712 00:34:19,229 --> 00:34:19,957 Cowboys. 713 00:34:20,053 --> 00:34:20,597 I don't know. 714 00:34:20,653 --> 00:34:21,397 I'm a Bears fan. 715 00:34:21,413 --> 00:34:22,453 Okay, so there you go. 716 00:34:22,461 --> 00:34:23,813 That tells you all you need to know. 717 00:34:23,981 --> 00:34:26,197 We can get really excited about our political party. 718 00:34:26,253 --> 00:34:28,341 We can get really excited about hunting and fishing. 719 00:34:28,405 --> 00:34:32,197 We can get really excited, ladies, about whatever it is that 720 00:34:32,253 --> 00:34:33,029 you get excited. 721 00:34:33,109 --> 00:34:33,925 I don't know. 722 00:34:34,077 --> 00:34:35,541 Sewing, cooking. 723 00:34:35,605 --> 00:34:36,533 I get excited about cooking. 724 00:34:36,581 --> 00:34:37,701 I like to eat it. 725 00:34:37,885 --> 00:34:38,549 Amen. 726 00:34:38,629 --> 00:34:39,365 Barbecue. 727 00:34:39,477 --> 00:34:39,989 There we go. 728 00:34:40,029 --> 00:34:40,901 We can all agree on that one. 729 00:34:40,925 --> 00:34:41,557 We like that. 730 00:34:41,613 --> 00:34:43,669 We can get excited about all those things. 731 00:34:43,789 --> 00:34:44,725 But look what he says. 732 00:34:44,797 --> 00:34:47,497 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 733 00:34:47,613 --> 00:34:51,329 Hey, in this day and age, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not something 734 00:34:51,449 --> 00:34:55,269 that you necessarily wanted to be putting up on a billboard. 735 00:34:56,009 --> 00:34:58,273 Remember Paul Saul? 736 00:34:58,401 --> 00:34:58,993 Yeah. 737 00:34:59,121 --> 00:35:03,681 He was trying to kill people that believed the Gospel of Jesus 738 00:35:03,745 --> 00:35:04,065 Christ. 739 00:35:04,137 --> 00:35:08,097 And now here he is some 25 years later or so, and he's saying, 740 00:35:08,153 --> 00:35:10,609 listen, I used to persecute the way. 741 00:35:10,729 --> 00:35:15,585 I used to try to hail them, to bring them in and try to wreak havoc 742 00:35:15,617 --> 00:35:16,337 on the church. 743 00:35:16,433 --> 00:35:19,777 But now I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 744 00:35:19,833 --> 00:35:20,241 Why? 745 00:35:20,345 --> 00:35:21,105 Look what he says. 746 00:35:21,177 --> 00:35:22,033 I am not ashamed. 747 00:35:22,081 --> 00:35:30,081 For because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that 748 00:35:30,105 --> 00:35:30,465 believeth. 749 00:35:30,497 --> 00:35:33,569 To the Jew first and also to the Greek. 750 00:35:33,729 --> 00:35:37,469 Paul realized the power of the gospel in his life. 751 00:35:37,929 --> 00:35:39,857 I quoted it earlier, but I'll say it again. 752 00:35:39,913 --> 00:35:43,709 The reason he was not ashamed is because he truly lived a life 753 00:35:43,749 --> 00:35:45,325 that was crucified with Christ. 754 00:35:45,397 --> 00:35:46,509 Galatians 2:20. 755 00:35:46,629 --> 00:35:47,197 I am. 756 00:35:47,253 --> 00:35:47,869 There it is again. 757 00:35:47,909 --> 00:35:50,029 I am crucified with Christ. 758 00:35:50,149 --> 00:35:51,309 Nevertheless, I live. 759 00:35:51,349 --> 00:35:54,173 Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. 760 00:35:54,261 --> 00:35:56,189 And the life which I now live in the flesh. 761 00:35:56,269 --> 00:36:00,173 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself 762 00:36:00,221 --> 00:36:00,797 for me. 763 00:36:00,853 --> 00:36:03,309 Paul wasn't just talking it, he was walking it. 764 00:36:03,349 --> 00:36:06,109 He lived a life that was a crucified life. 765 00:36:06,229 --> 00:36:06,989 Now think about that. 766 00:36:07,029 --> 00:36:07,967 Being crucified with Christ. 767 00:36:08,013 --> 00:36:08,599 Christ. 768 00:36:09,459 --> 00:36:11,035 And what does that even mean? 769 00:36:11,187 --> 00:36:15,339 Well, very quickly, literally, it's the same word that means to 770 00:36:15,379 --> 00:36:16,159 crucify. 771 00:36:16,499 --> 00:36:17,563 You say, wow, Keith, that's. 772 00:36:17,611 --> 00:36:17,931 That's. 773 00:36:17,995 --> 00:36:18,907 That's some deep study. 774 00:36:18,963 --> 00:36:22,955 I know, but hang on, hang on, because that means something. 775 00:36:23,107 --> 00:36:26,267 That means something we see in the word of God several times. 776 00:36:26,323 --> 00:36:27,083 This word. 777 00:36:27,211 --> 00:36:30,923 Matthew, chapter 27, verse 44, talks about that there were thieves 778 00:36:31,051 --> 00:36:33,159 crucified also with him. 779 00:36:34,669 --> 00:36:38,453 They were on a cross on the side of Jesus Christ. 780 00:36:38,621 --> 00:36:42,085 Now, they were not there because they were not bearing anyone's 781 00:36:42,117 --> 00:36:43,621 sins except their own. 782 00:36:43,805 --> 00:36:48,609 Jesus was on the cross bearing the sins of all men of all time. 783 00:36:48,989 --> 00:36:50,869 And what a wonderful thing that he died. 784 00:36:50,949 --> 00:36:52,341 And by the way, he didn't die. 785 00:36:52,405 --> 00:36:55,169 He gave his life. 786 00:36:56,909 --> 00:37:04,219 But that idea, the fact that I need to live a life, as it were, 787 00:37:04,679 --> 00:37:05,859 on a cross. 788 00:37:06,999 --> 00:37:08,079 Think about that. 789 00:37:08,199 --> 00:37:14,015 A place of shame, a place of suffering, and not to get graphic, 790 00:37:14,047 --> 00:37:18,739 but a place of complete exposure. 791 00:37:20,919 --> 00:37:25,583 By the way, we try to clothe ourselves, and I mean spiritually. 792 00:37:25,631 --> 00:37:27,471 With boy, we do this and we that. 793 00:37:27,495 --> 00:37:30,815 But, boy, before God, we are completely. 794 00:37:31,007 --> 00:37:32,299 God sees everything. 795 00:37:32,839 --> 00:37:36,479 And the idea of being crucified with Christ is certainly 796 00:37:36,559 --> 00:37:38,191 taking up our cross and bearing it. 797 00:37:38,215 --> 00:37:42,047 But can I remind you day after day that we might live the life that 798 00:37:42,103 --> 00:37:43,167 Christ wants us to live? 799 00:37:43,223 --> 00:37:45,903 And I love what the apostle Paul writes, even right here in chapter 800 00:37:45,951 --> 00:37:46,159 six. 801 00:37:46,199 --> 00:37:50,159 He says, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, 802 00:37:50,279 --> 00:37:54,275 that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should 803 00:37:54,347 --> 00:37:56,179 not serve sin. 804 00:37:56,259 --> 00:37:59,859 The reason that we are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ is 805 00:37:59,899 --> 00:38:03,639 because we're so busy trying to gratify our flesh. 806 00:38:04,139 --> 00:38:07,395 In chapter six, he talks about the fact that sin should no longer 807 00:38:07,427 --> 00:38:11,091 have dominion, it should no longer have sway over who we are. 808 00:38:11,195 --> 00:38:13,123 Yes, we still are in this body. 809 00:38:13,211 --> 00:38:15,971 But can I remind you tonight, that's not who I am. 810 00:38:16,075 --> 00:38:16,979 I am saved. 811 00:38:17,059 --> 00:38:18,217 I am justified. 812 00:38:18,363 --> 00:38:19,293 I've been redeemed. 813 00:38:19,341 --> 00:38:21,357 That's who I am in Jesus Christ. 814 00:38:21,413 --> 00:38:22,829 I'm a new creature. 815 00:38:22,989 --> 00:38:24,029 Old things have passed away. 816 00:38:24,069 --> 00:38:26,077 Behold, all things have become new. 817 00:38:26,213 --> 00:38:29,965 And for that reason, Paul could honestly stand and honestly 818 00:38:29,997 --> 00:38:34,569 say to this church and to anyone who would ask him, I am not 819 00:38:34,869 --> 00:38:35,889 ashamed. 820 00:38:36,309 --> 00:38:39,889 Church, very simply, tonight, are we ashamed? 821 00:38:40,709 --> 00:38:42,189 We get loud again. 822 00:38:42,229 --> 00:38:45,161 I said earlier, we get loud about this, that or the other. 823 00:38:45,265 --> 00:38:46,969 Baseball season is starting. 824 00:38:47,129 --> 00:38:50,473 I'm a White Sox fan, so that tells you I won't be doing much cheering 825 00:38:50,521 --> 00:38:50,841 this year. 826 00:38:50,865 --> 00:38:51,989 But we're gonna try. 827 00:38:53,249 --> 00:38:56,057 But we're gonna get real excited about the Rangers, the Astros, 828 00:38:56,073 --> 00:38:57,625 or whoever you happen to like. 829 00:38:57,697 --> 00:39:00,345 And we're gonna cheer them on, hopefully to a pennant and hopefully 830 00:39:00,377 --> 00:39:01,401 to a World Series. 831 00:39:01,505 --> 00:39:02,649 And then we clam up. 832 00:39:02,689 --> 00:39:05,609 When it comes to the things of God, we're real good. 833 00:39:05,649 --> 00:39:06,409 We're at a. 834 00:39:06,449 --> 00:39:07,129 You know, at a. 835 00:39:07,169 --> 00:39:09,033 At a block party or a barbecue. 836 00:39:09,081 --> 00:39:09,641 And we're real good. 837 00:39:09,665 --> 00:39:11,321 Talking shop about this, that or the other. 838 00:39:11,345 --> 00:39:12,939 Talk about work, talk about family, talk. 839 00:39:12,969 --> 00:39:15,847 Talking about hobbies, talking about sports, talking politics. 840 00:39:15,943 --> 00:39:19,623 But the need, the greatest need that any person has, we clam 841 00:39:19,671 --> 00:39:25,031 up because we're ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified 842 00:39:25,095 --> 00:39:25,847 with Christ. 843 00:39:25,983 --> 00:39:31,047 Nevertheless, I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. 844 00:39:31,103 --> 00:39:34,615 And by the way, Paul is stating something that had happened 845 00:39:34,647 --> 00:39:39,381 in the past and it completely changes on a day to day basis the 846 00:39:39,405 --> 00:39:41,329 decisions and the actions that I take. 847 00:39:41,789 --> 00:39:44,997 Paul said, I am not ashamed. 848 00:39:45,173 --> 00:39:50,169 He was not ashamed because he truly lived a life that was crucified. 849 00:39:50,829 --> 00:39:53,093 His life was hid in Christ. 850 00:39:53,261 --> 00:39:56,421 Colossians, chapter 3, verse 1 through 3 talk about the fact we 851 00:39:56,445 --> 00:39:57,749 put our affection on things above. 852 00:39:57,829 --> 00:40:00,197 We get so caught up with things in this world that we don't 853 00:40:00,213 --> 00:40:00,741 even understand. 854 00:40:00,845 --> 00:40:03,009 Eternity is just a blink away. 855 00:40:03,709 --> 00:40:05,589 Eternity is just one heartbeat away. 856 00:40:05,629 --> 00:40:07,049 Say, oh, you're dramatizing. 857 00:40:07,649 --> 00:40:09,561 That's just the reality of it. 858 00:40:09,745 --> 00:40:15,449 And we have a short time, 30, 50, 60, 70, 90 years to live, which 859 00:40:15,489 --> 00:40:17,193 seems like forever, but it's not. 860 00:40:17,361 --> 00:40:20,681 And we forget that we only get one shot to impact eternity. 861 00:40:20,825 --> 00:40:25,625 Right now Paul says, I am not ashamed. 862 00:40:25,737 --> 00:40:26,617 Tonight church. 863 00:40:26,713 --> 00:40:27,869 I am debtor. 864 00:40:28,289 --> 00:40:29,337 I am debtor. 865 00:40:29,433 --> 00:40:31,049 Who has helped you along in your way. 866 00:40:31,089 --> 00:40:33,425 When was the last time you just said, hey, thank you for investment 867 00:40:33,497 --> 00:40:33,969 in my life. 868 00:40:34,009 --> 00:40:36,657 Hey, Pastor, thank you for preaching the word of God Sunday 869 00:40:36,713 --> 00:40:38,865 after Sunday and Wednesday after Wednesday and study. 870 00:40:38,937 --> 00:40:40,577 When's the last time you thanked one of the laymen? 871 00:40:40,593 --> 00:40:42,689 When's the last time, young person, you thanked your mom or your 872 00:40:42,729 --> 00:40:45,585 dad, or you thanked a Sunday school teacher or a school teacher 873 00:40:45,617 --> 00:40:48,193 or a school principal for hey, thank you for the investment that 874 00:40:48,201 --> 00:40:48,977 you're putting in my life. 875 00:40:49,033 --> 00:40:51,953 But also, when was the last time you realized, I have a debt 876 00:40:52,001 --> 00:40:53,089 to pay it forward. 877 00:40:53,209 --> 00:40:56,065 I received the gospel, now it's my turn to pay it forward. 878 00:40:56,217 --> 00:40:58,225 And then he says, I am ready. 879 00:40:58,257 --> 00:40:59,189 Are you ready? 880 00:40:59,659 --> 00:41:01,619 Are you ready to preach the gospel? 881 00:41:01,779 --> 00:41:03,747 We can't preach it because we're not ready. 882 00:41:03,843 --> 00:41:05,719 We're not in a state of readiness. 883 00:41:06,539 --> 00:41:07,011 And then. 884 00:41:07,035 --> 00:41:09,427 Are you ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? 885 00:41:09,483 --> 00:41:10,531 I am not ashamed. 886 00:41:10,595 --> 00:41:11,011 Why? 887 00:41:11,115 --> 00:41:15,939 I know what it did in my life and I want to see it happen in your 888 00:41:15,979 --> 00:41:16,323 life. 889 00:41:16,411 --> 00:41:19,987 Paul's three I ams, I am debtor, I am ready. 890 00:41:20,083 --> 00:41:21,155 I am not ashamed. 891 00:41:21,187 --> 00:41:24,355 Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you for your word, Lord. 892 00:41:24,387 --> 00:41:28,149 The simplicity of it is so, so profound, so impactful. 893 00:41:29,529 --> 00:41:34,161 But Lord, so many times these, these things that are basic are the 894 00:41:34,185 --> 00:41:35,989 very first things that we neglect. 895 00:41:36,729 --> 00:41:39,281 We forget the debt of gratitude that we owe. 896 00:41:39,345 --> 00:41:41,841 Not that we have to, but that we get to. 897 00:41:42,025 --> 00:41:43,233 We are compelled. 898 00:41:43,281 --> 00:41:45,389 The love of Christ constrain us. 899 00:41:46,249 --> 00:41:49,617 Oh God, I pray that you would work in hearts tonight. 900 00:41:49,793 --> 00:41:54,881 Help us to understand that we truly have a debt to preach the gospel 901 00:41:54,945 --> 00:41:58,465 to any and all we come in contact with. 902 00:41:58,617 --> 00:41:59,297 Father, tonight. 903 00:41:59,313 --> 00:42:01,569 I pray that we would truly be ready.