1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,629 Let's try something. 2 00:00:00,634 --> 00:00:03,394 God is good all, all the time and all the time. 3 00:00:03,855 --> 00:00:04,475 God is good. 4 00:00:04,890 --> 00:00:07,020 But what about when it doesn't feel like he is? 5 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:09,989 He still is. 6 00:00:10,230 --> 00:00:14,399 You're right, but let's be real with ourselves for a second. 7 00:00:15,255 --> 00:00:18,165 We can dress up, we can show up at church on Sunday morning and, and we can look 8 00:00:18,165 --> 00:00:22,425 our best and we can be here thinking and, and saying God is good all the time. 9 00:00:22,425 --> 00:00:22,995 All the time. 10 00:00:22,995 --> 00:00:23,775 God is good. 11 00:00:25,065 --> 00:00:27,825 And yet we have to wrestle with the fact that there are times in life 12 00:00:27,825 --> 00:00:29,415 that it doesn't feel like God is good. 13 00:00:31,725 --> 00:00:34,665 I guarantee you, for those families down in Kern County right now that are 14 00:00:34,665 --> 00:00:37,860 looking for their little girl swept away by a flood, that they're struggling 15 00:00:37,875 --> 00:00:40,725 to say this morning, God is good. 16 00:00:44,834 --> 00:00:46,575 What about moral evil though? 17 00:00:47,805 --> 00:00:49,334 What about when evil isn't a storm? 18 00:00:49,334 --> 00:00:50,084 It's not a hurricane. 19 00:00:50,084 --> 00:00:50,745 It's not a tornado. 20 00:00:50,745 --> 00:00:51,495 It's not an earthquake. 21 00:00:51,495 --> 00:00:58,095 But moral is a person when evil is someone who has hurt you, someone 22 00:00:58,095 --> 00:00:59,655 who has done something against you. 23 00:00:59,655 --> 00:01:01,545 When you sit there and you think to yourself, God, I don't 24 00:01:01,545 --> 00:01:05,144 know how I will ever be able to forgive that person for that 25 00:01:07,575 --> 00:01:10,335 God is good all the time. 26 00:01:10,335 --> 00:01:10,845 All the time. 27 00:01:10,845 --> 00:01:11,595 God is good. 28 00:01:12,795 --> 00:01:14,535 What about the times it doesn't feel like he's, 29 00:01:16,575 --> 00:01:19,155 what about the times when you are sinned against when you are offended? 30 00:01:19,155 --> 00:01:21,585 When you are hurt, when somebody does something to you and it 31 00:01:21,585 --> 00:01:24,975 looks like, man, God, there, there nothing's happening to them. 32 00:01:25,455 --> 00:01:27,615 Where is justice in this? 33 00:01:29,835 --> 00:01:31,785 Where's your goodness? 34 00:01:31,815 --> 00:01:32,625 Where's your wrath? 35 00:01:32,625 --> 00:01:33,250 Where's your holiness? 36 00:01:33,350 --> 00:01:36,795 In this God, this is clearly wrong, 37 00:01:38,835 --> 00:01:41,295 and yet it seems like rights is not prevailing. 38 00:01:42,780 --> 00:01:45,900 What do we do when it doesn't feel like God is good? 39 00:01:47,670 --> 00:01:51,900 The book that we're looking at this morning is The Book of Neum written to 40 00:01:51,900 --> 00:01:56,280 Israel during a time when they might have thought to themselves, God, are you good? 41 00:01:59,130 --> 00:02:04,170 Because during this time, which was around 6 63 to six 12 bc, 42 00:02:04,170 --> 00:02:05,910 the Northern Kingdom is now gone. 43 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,538 7 22 bc, the Kingdom of Assyria. 44 00:02:09,570 --> 00:02:11,790 They're gonna have, uh, a lot to do with the Bo name. 45 00:02:13,170 --> 00:02:16,020 They come in and they wipe out the northern kingdom. 46 00:02:16,020 --> 00:02:19,740 You remember again after King Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel split, you had 47 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:23,700 the kingdom of Judah in the South with Rebo as the king in the kingdom 48 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:27,990 of the other tribes of Israel in the north with ome, as the kings 49 00:02:27,990 --> 00:02:29,310 we're in our daily Bible reading. 50 00:02:29,549 --> 00:02:32,160 Going through a lot of that right now, talking about the different kings, the 51 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:33,600 kings of Israel, the kings of Judah. 52 00:02:34,665 --> 00:02:38,025 And so the kings of Israel and, and the nation of Israel, the Northern 53 00:02:38,025 --> 00:02:40,215 Kingdom now is, is no longer there. 54 00:02:40,215 --> 00:02:44,445 And the same Assyrians that had attacked them had at this point, but 55 00:02:44,445 --> 00:02:48,645 a few decades prior to when Nahum is writing come against Jerusalem too. 56 00:02:49,335 --> 00:02:53,025 In fact, so much so they, they had wiped out much of Judea and they had 57 00:02:53,025 --> 00:02:55,125 laid siege to the city of Jerusalem. 58 00:02:55,395 --> 00:02:58,545 And God had had spared the city at the time, but still. 59 00:02:58,965 --> 00:03:02,295 There was this wicked evil nation flexing their might all over 60 00:03:02,295 --> 00:03:04,065 the world doing horrific things. 61 00:03:04,394 --> 00:03:08,114 And it was enough to probably at this time, cause the people remaining 62 00:03:08,114 --> 00:03:10,635 in Israel and the southern kingdom there to say, God, are you good? 63 00:03:12,375 --> 00:03:13,035 What are you doing? 64 00:03:14,834 --> 00:03:19,005 Why not restore us to the glory that we had under David and Solomon so that we 65 00:03:19,005 --> 00:03:23,234 can be the most powerful nation on earth and do the things that you want done? 66 00:03:24,525 --> 00:03:25,695 Not the Assyrians God. 67 00:03:25,695 --> 00:03:26,385 What are you doing? 68 00:03:27,435 --> 00:03:28,484 What are you doing? 69 00:03:30,315 --> 00:03:32,385 The book breaks down like this. 70 00:03:32,385 --> 00:03:36,704 It's, it's written by Nahum, the, the title, the, the author. 71 00:03:37,215 --> 00:03:39,585 It's written, like I said, about 6 63 to six 12 bc. 72 00:03:39,585 --> 00:03:43,545 It's written to Judah, even though it has to do with the nation of Assyria, just 73 00:03:43,545 --> 00:03:48,795 like we talked about in Obadiah, written to Judah about Edem, and similarly, 74 00:03:48,795 --> 00:03:50,685 it's written to Judah to comfort them. 75 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:54,600 About the fact that even though it seemed like, man, God wasn't doing what 76 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,470 they wanted him to do when it came to the Assyrians, that he was eventually 77 00:03:58,470 --> 00:04:00,090 going to see that justice is served. 78 00:04:01,290 --> 00:04:03,720 And that's the theme of the book is the theme is comfort. 79 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:03,780 I. 80 00:04:04,605 --> 00:04:07,515 If you read the book, you're gonna have it a hard time finding the word 81 00:04:07,515 --> 00:04:11,835 comfort in here, but it would've been a comforting message to God's people a 82 00:04:11,835 --> 00:04:15,015 message saying, Hey, when it feels like I'm not good, trust that I am good. 83 00:04:15,285 --> 00:04:19,245 When it feels like injustice is winning, trust that I am just when it feels 84 00:04:19,245 --> 00:04:22,664 like I'm not doing anything, trust that I am still working and will bring my 85 00:04:22,664 --> 00:04:26,474 plan to its full and complete fruition. 86 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,440 The book opens in Nahum chapter one, verse two. 87 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,890 It says this, the Lord is a jealous and avenging God. 88 00:04:35,250 --> 00:04:36,240 The Lord is avenging. 89 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,270 In wrathful, the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries 90 00:04:39,270 --> 00:04:41,909 and keeps wrath for his enemies. 91 00:04:43,740 --> 00:04:47,130 It's interesting, we don't often like to think about God as a, a jealous God. 92 00:04:47,130 --> 00:04:49,860 In fact, jealous is not really a good word most of the time. 93 00:04:49,860 --> 00:04:50,130 Is it? 94 00:04:50,730 --> 00:04:52,470 If someone is considered jealous? 95 00:04:52,830 --> 00:04:55,830 That's something that is, is not something that is commendable, and 96 00:04:55,830 --> 00:04:58,349 yet God calls himself a jealous God. 97 00:04:59,130 --> 00:05:00,690 Exodus chapter 20, verse five. 98 00:05:00,690 --> 00:05:04,260 It says this, you shall not bow down to them speaking of false 99 00:05:04,260 --> 00:05:10,590 gods, nor serve them for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. 100 00:05:12,119 --> 00:05:15,419 And y'all, it's a good thing that God is a jealous God. 101 00:05:16,049 --> 00:05:17,010 And there's two reasons why. 102 00:05:17,729 --> 00:05:19,739 First, it's a good thing that God's a jealous God, because if 103 00:05:19,739 --> 00:05:20,969 he weren't, he wouldn't be God. 104 00:05:22,544 --> 00:05:24,164 Because what is God jealous for? 105 00:05:24,735 --> 00:05:28,005 God is jealous that people should worship him in him alone. 106 00:05:28,935 --> 00:05:31,905 That's what it means to be God, right? 107 00:05:31,905 --> 00:05:37,275 If, if God was okay with someone else being worshiped other than him, then 108 00:05:37,275 --> 00:05:41,655 whoever that other person was or other God was, that would be God, not God. 109 00:05:42,885 --> 00:05:46,455 See, definitively speaking, the fact that God is God means 110 00:05:46,455 --> 00:05:48,015 that he has to be jealous. 111 00:05:49,289 --> 00:05:51,239 For worship to be rendered only to him. 112 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,710 'cause he's the only one truly do the worship of his people, and not 113 00:05:55,710 --> 00:05:57,030 just his people, but all of creation. 114 00:05:57,570 --> 00:05:59,760 So it's good that God is jealous because he's God. 115 00:06:00,030 --> 00:06:02,010 The second reason it's good that God is jealous is it's good for 116 00:06:02,010 --> 00:06:06,390 you that God is jealous because God knows that it's best for you and 117 00:06:06,390 --> 00:06:08,340 for me to worship him and Him alone. 118 00:06:09,479 --> 00:06:13,530 God knows at the end of the day that it's not good for us to worship false 119 00:06:13,530 --> 00:06:16,859 gods because to worship false gods puts ourselves in the way of his wrath. 120 00:06:17,340 --> 00:06:18,180 And his judgment. 121 00:06:18,810 --> 00:06:22,650 And so God's jealousy for our affection and for our worship is a 122 00:06:22,650 --> 00:06:27,539 good thing because it keeps us away from his wrath and his judgment, 123 00:06:28,770 --> 00:06:30,479 which is a byproduct of his jealousy. 124 00:06:30,479 --> 00:06:31,320 That's why it says this. 125 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,560 The Lord is a jealous and an avenging God. 126 00:06:34,620 --> 00:06:36,150 Remember, he is writing this to Jerusalem. 127 00:06:36,150 --> 00:06:39,780 Jerusalem has had Assyria as a thorn in their sides, and it looks like 128 00:06:39,840 --> 00:06:42,690 Assyria is stronger than ever, even though they were on the down slope. 129 00:06:43,469 --> 00:06:44,820 Judah didn't know that at the time. 130 00:06:45,525 --> 00:06:46,965 And so they're there and they're wondering, God, what 131 00:06:46,965 --> 00:06:47,715 do, what's gonna happen? 132 00:06:47,715 --> 00:06:48,674 Is this Syria gonna come back? 133 00:06:48,674 --> 00:06:49,455 Are they gonna take us out? 134 00:06:49,455 --> 00:06:52,515 And God is telling them, I'm a jealous and an avenging God. 135 00:06:53,625 --> 00:06:57,224 And it's a good thing for us as well, that God is an avenging God for two reasons. 136 00:06:57,224 --> 00:07:00,734 Number one, it's it's good that he's avenging because of who he is. 137 00:07:01,815 --> 00:07:08,085 His vengeance has to be exacted because God is holy and holiness can only stay and 138 00:07:08,085 --> 00:07:10,965 remain intact if all sin is vanquished. 139 00:07:10,965 --> 00:07:14,505 If all sin is punished, holiness can't tolerate sin. 140 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,980 And so holiness must deal with sin, must exact vengeance against 141 00:07:19,980 --> 00:07:21,450 rebellion, vengeance against. 142 00:07:21,929 --> 00:07:26,219 Sinfulness and so it's appropriate that God is a or an vengeful God 143 00:07:26,219 --> 00:07:28,950 because of his character as Holy. 144 00:07:29,129 --> 00:07:32,129 Second, it's appropriate that God is a vengeful God because of our own 145 00:07:32,308 --> 00:07:34,919 good that comes out of his vengeance. 146 00:07:35,429 --> 00:07:37,200 And this gets to the context of the book. 147 00:07:37,558 --> 00:07:41,069 This is the comforting part to the, the people in Judah there, and it's 148 00:07:41,069 --> 00:07:42,869 the comforting part to us as well. 149 00:07:43,739 --> 00:07:47,669 Again, in 7 22, Nineveh and Assyria had taken captive all of 150 00:07:47,669 --> 00:07:49,979 the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom and they had exiled them. 151 00:07:50,340 --> 00:07:52,710 And then after that, they had come against Judea and they 152 00:07:52,710 --> 00:07:54,060 had laid siege to Jerusalem. 153 00:07:54,060 --> 00:07:57,450 And in two Kings 19, we read about the fact that the angel of the 154 00:07:57,450 --> 00:08:00,870 Lord had to go out and strike down 185,000 of the Assyrians in the 155 00:08:00,870 --> 00:08:04,380 middle of the night to spare, to rescue the people of Judah there. 156 00:08:05,099 --> 00:08:06,719 And the Assyrians then fled after that. 157 00:08:07,620 --> 00:08:11,190 And so at the time of writing it again, probably didn't look like God would 158 00:08:11,190 --> 00:08:12,840 be taking vengeance anytime soon. 159 00:08:13,770 --> 00:08:14,070 I see. 160 00:08:14,310 --> 00:08:14,520 Yeah. 161 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,219 They had been dealt at an initial defeat, but they hadn't been taken out. 162 00:08:17,219 --> 00:08:18,270 They hadn't been wiped out yet. 163 00:08:19,455 --> 00:08:21,825 And so the, the Israelites were looking at God going, God, what? 164 00:08:21,825 --> 00:08:22,994 What are you doing here? 165 00:08:23,114 --> 00:08:24,554 When is this vengeance gonna come? 166 00:08:24,554 --> 00:08:27,524 And so God is reminding them, I'm a jealous and an avenging God. 167 00:08:27,524 --> 00:08:28,185 Look at verse three. 168 00:08:28,305 --> 00:08:30,915 He says, I'm slow to anger. 169 00:08:32,205 --> 00:08:35,655 That was what the people had identified as a a problem. 170 00:08:36,345 --> 00:08:38,985 We're gonna talk about why that's not a problem in point number two, but, but at 171 00:08:38,985 --> 00:08:43,424 this point, he's saying, yes, I am slow to anger and great in power, but notice this. 172 00:08:43,485 --> 00:08:45,285 But I will by no means clear the guilty. 173 00:08:46,275 --> 00:08:48,945 So God is saying you may look at what's going on right now as as 174 00:08:48,945 --> 00:08:52,815 weakness or passivity on my part, but just know that though it looks 175 00:08:52,815 --> 00:08:56,475 like I'm slow to bring justice the way Israel, that you want justice. 176 00:08:56,865 --> 00:08:57,735 Justice will come. 177 00:08:58,665 --> 00:09:00,315 I will by no means clear the guilty. 178 00:09:01,455 --> 00:09:03,315 And this launches into the rest of chapter one's. 179 00:09:03,315 --> 00:09:07,095 De description of the judgment that's coming against Assyria, 180 00:09:07,095 --> 00:09:08,115 verses eight and nine. 181 00:09:08,115 --> 00:09:12,045 He says this, but with an overflowing flood, he will make a complete 182 00:09:12,045 --> 00:09:15,555 end of the adversaries and will pursue his enemies into darkness. 183 00:09:16,335 --> 00:09:17,535 What do you plot against The Lord? 184 00:09:17,535 --> 00:09:19,545 He will make a complete end. 185 00:09:19,575 --> 00:09:21,675 Trouble will not rise up a second time. 186 00:09:23,145 --> 00:09:26,955 This is sobering because of the images that I'm sure you've seen this week. 187 00:09:27,315 --> 00:09:31,095 On the news or on social media of the, the flood and the devastation that's 188 00:09:31,095 --> 00:09:34,785 been wrecked by this flood that's gone through down there in central Texas. 189 00:09:35,685 --> 00:09:39,465 Entire campgrounds that the day before were full of RVs and people 190 00:09:39,465 --> 00:09:42,105 have now been left as barren wastes. 191 00:09:43,935 --> 00:09:47,055 And that's what God says his wrath is going to be like. 192 00:09:47,595 --> 00:09:50,775 An overflowing flood will make a complete end of the adversaries. 193 00:09:50,775 --> 00:09:53,865 In this case, it was the adversaries of Nineveh and Assyria. 194 00:09:55,350 --> 00:09:57,690 He says he will make a complete end and trouble will not 195 00:09:57,690 --> 00:10:00,090 rise up a second time there. 196 00:10:00,090 --> 00:10:03,360 I picture Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, if you've ever seen the famous 197 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:08,160 photo, Liston Iss laid out flat on the mat, and Ali is standing over him. 198 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,270 Liston is not getting back up, but why is Ali standing over him to make 199 00:10:12,270 --> 00:10:14,700 sure what he doesn't get back up? 200 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,820 That's what God's saying he's gonna do to the enemies here. 201 00:10:18,690 --> 00:10:21,480 He says there, he says, you will not rise up a second time. 202 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:22,770 When is this gonna happen? 203 00:10:22,770 --> 00:10:24,450 This is gonna happen in six 12 bc. 204 00:10:25,005 --> 00:10:28,035 Six 12 BC the Babylonians are gonna come in and they're gonna wipe out Assyria. 205 00:10:28,455 --> 00:10:32,745 So much so that their destruction of Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, 206 00:10:32,895 --> 00:10:36,285 led to the fact that it was lost to history until the 18 hundreds. 207 00:10:37,545 --> 00:10:40,905 That was the next time anyone had ever thought of or heard of, of Nineveh. 208 00:10:41,655 --> 00:10:43,815 So the Babylonians are gonna come in and they're the flood that 209 00:10:43,815 --> 00:10:45,225 God's gonna use to bring judgment. 210 00:10:45,435 --> 00:10:49,125 But still, even now at this point in time, that's still a few decades away. 211 00:10:49,215 --> 00:10:52,635 And as Nahum is writing, the people were left to wait and wonder if God 212 00:10:52,635 --> 00:10:53,835 is gonna be faithful to his word. 213 00:10:53,835 --> 00:10:55,125 God, are you good? 214 00:10:56,205 --> 00:10:57,495 Because it doesn't feel like it right now, 215 00:10:59,625 --> 00:10:59,745 y'all. 216 00:10:59,745 --> 00:11:02,175 I wonder if anyone in the room this morning can relate to that feeling. 217 00:11:03,435 --> 00:11:04,215 God, are you good? 218 00:11:04,215 --> 00:11:05,535 Because it doesn't feel like it right now. 219 00:11:06,465 --> 00:11:07,935 Maybe a wrong committed against you. 220 00:11:08,505 --> 00:11:10,605 Justice wasn't done in return. 221 00:11:11,535 --> 00:11:14,145 Or maybe you're just looking at the evil in the world this morning and shaking 222 00:11:14,145 --> 00:11:15,495 your head saying, God, where are you? 223 00:11:17,625 --> 00:11:20,355 These two descriptors that we read here in the opening part of Nahum, 224 00:11:20,595 --> 00:11:22,305 that God is a jealous and avenging. 225 00:11:22,305 --> 00:11:27,345 God should provide comfort to us in those circumstances because they remind us of 226 00:11:27,345 --> 00:11:32,175 God's holy character and that he must and will see to it that justice is served. 227 00:11:32,655 --> 00:11:36,795 First point this morning, along those lines is this, find solace, find comfort. 228 00:11:37,425 --> 00:11:43,155 In the avenging nature of our God, as you're left there 229 00:11:43,155 --> 00:11:44,385 to say, God, are you good? 230 00:11:45,855 --> 00:11:49,515 Find comfort and find the answer in the avenging nature of our God, 231 00:11:52,425 --> 00:11:55,515 there are scenes in movies that build the tension, right? 232 00:11:55,605 --> 00:11:58,395 Like the greatest movie of all time, top Gun Maverick. 233 00:12:00,015 --> 00:12:01,185 If you disagree, you're wrong. 234 00:12:02,925 --> 00:12:04,335 There's a scene in Top Gun Maverick. 235 00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:07,530 Where I haven't got a Top gun Maverick yet, I don't think with you guys 236 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:08,970 back in, in my college ministry. 237 00:12:08,970 --> 00:12:09,900 I went to it on the regular. 238 00:12:09,990 --> 00:12:10,500 So get ready. 239 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:11,700 Spoiler alert. 240 00:12:11,730 --> 00:12:12,960 This is a spoiler alert by the way. 241 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,650 And I'm not sorry because the movie's been out so long and you need to see it. 242 00:12:16,830 --> 00:12:19,590 And even if, even if I tell you what happens, you still need to go 243 00:12:19,590 --> 00:12:21,090 see it because it will fire you up. 244 00:12:21,090 --> 00:12:25,230 You will leave ready to just go fight fly fighter jets against an a nameless 245 00:12:25,230 --> 00:12:26,520 country that we all know is Russia. 246 00:12:27,390 --> 00:12:29,640 But they didn't want to call it Russia in the movie, but we 247 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:30,660 all know what's going on there. 248 00:12:30,930 --> 00:12:35,010 Anyways, Tom Cruise and Rooster, the, not an actual rooster, but the guy in the, in 249 00:12:35,010 --> 00:12:37,440 the, the copilot, they're on a mission. 250 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,030 They go out, they, they win the day. 251 00:12:39,030 --> 00:12:40,050 They, they fly the mission. 252 00:12:40,050 --> 00:12:43,590 It's this impossible mission, and it's Tom Cruise, so it's of, of course, he's the 253 00:12:43,590 --> 00:12:47,760 hero in it because he has to be in every movie that he's in, except after they're 254 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,580 successful on the mission that they're, they're leaving the, the area and then the 255 00:12:50,580 --> 00:12:53,370 anti-aircraft guns start firing at them, and they're dodging all that and they. 256 00:12:53,790 --> 00:12:56,700 They, he gets shot down, but then they find this old Russian fighter 257 00:12:56,700 --> 00:12:58,620 jet that's not a Russian fighter jet, but it's a Russian fighter jet. 258 00:12:59,340 --> 00:13:01,230 And they get in it and they, they try to escape. 259 00:13:01,260 --> 00:13:02,820 Well, they're, they're flying and they think they're home 260 00:13:02,820 --> 00:13:03,870 free and they're celebrating. 261 00:13:03,870 --> 00:13:06,060 And then all of a sudden, one of the Russian, not Russian, 262 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,460 uh, jets comes up behind them. 263 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,050 And this is one of the, the latest edition stealth jets, and they're 264 00:13:13,050 --> 00:13:16,260 flying like a Soviet era plane here that's barely off the ground. 265 00:13:16,350 --> 00:13:19,200 And so this thing starts chasing Tom Cruise and Rooster. 266 00:13:19,710 --> 00:13:22,620 And, and as they're going, uh, they're trying to evade, they're 267 00:13:22,620 --> 00:13:23,460 doing everything they can. 268 00:13:23,460 --> 00:13:26,520 They take out one of the jets, but then there's another one there, and, and, 269 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,010 and they're, the end is, is inevitable. 270 00:13:29,365 --> 00:13:32,035 And so Cruz goes into this final ascent. 271 00:13:32,035 --> 00:13:34,735 He just points the, the jet nose up, and they're going all the way up. 272 00:13:34,735 --> 00:13:39,775 And the music gets really just intense and it, it fades out slowly 273 00:13:39,775 --> 00:13:43,405 and it's quiet and you just hear them and roosters looking behind him. 274 00:13:43,675 --> 00:13:48,835 And then it shifts to the enemy jet and the, the radar locks on the, the. 275 00:13:49,590 --> 00:13:53,310 Plane flown by cruise, and then you see the missile leave the enemy jet. 276 00:13:53,310 --> 00:13:57,600 But then in the next split second, boom, the enemy jet is blown up along with 277 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:03,450 its missile by Hangman, who's another pilot, who's with the good guys, right? 278 00:14:03,750 --> 00:14:04,590 So he comes in. 279 00:14:04,590 --> 00:14:09,210 It's one of those scenes in the movie that you're like, yes, yes. 280 00:14:09,270 --> 00:14:10,410 It pumps you up, right? 281 00:14:10,410 --> 00:14:12,150 You're like, yes, the good guys win. 282 00:14:12,150 --> 00:14:13,350 This is what's supposed to happen. 283 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,670 But it's the tension that builds up before that, and you think, man, is Tom 284 00:14:17,670 --> 00:14:18,900 Cruise finally gonna die in a movie? 285 00:14:20,355 --> 00:14:21,555 Is this really gonna happen? 286 00:14:22,905 --> 00:14:24,435 Like, did he die in real life? 287 00:14:24,435 --> 00:14:25,275 Is this why? 288 00:14:26,715 --> 00:14:30,585 But then the tension's resolved and you're like, man, the ask, the good guys win. 289 00:14:30,795 --> 00:14:33,045 And in the back of your mind, you're like, you know, the good guys are gonna 290 00:14:33,045 --> 00:14:34,395 win, but the tension's still there. 291 00:14:34,755 --> 00:14:36,405 Sometimes in life we feel that tension. 292 00:14:36,405 --> 00:14:37,305 But guys, here's the thing. 293 00:14:37,305 --> 00:14:39,945 There should be no tension for us because of the character and nature of our God. 294 00:14:41,085 --> 00:14:42,045 He's an avenging God. 295 00:14:43,125 --> 00:14:45,405 He is going to see that justice is done. 296 00:14:46,125 --> 00:14:48,615 And so as we think about that, here's, I wanna give you three reasons under 297 00:14:48,615 --> 00:14:51,555 this first point, why you can let go of your own thirst for justice 298 00:14:51,555 --> 00:14:56,265 and trust that God is gonna see that justice has done first is this, we 299 00:14:56,265 --> 00:15:01,785 can let go when we recognize that sin is first and foremost against him. 300 00:15:03,195 --> 00:15:05,925 So the thing that you've been offended by the, the sin that's 301 00:15:05,925 --> 00:15:07,155 been committed against you. 302 00:15:07,725 --> 00:15:09,495 I, I'm not trivializing it. 303 00:15:09,525 --> 00:15:12,975 I know that there are awful things done by human beings to other human beings, 304 00:15:12,975 --> 00:15:17,625 and they hurt, and that pain is real and that the effects of it are real. 305 00:15:18,675 --> 00:15:22,485 But even still, if we're gonna go with King David to Psalm 51, we 306 00:15:22,485 --> 00:15:26,925 have to say, man against you and you only Lord has that person sinned. 307 00:15:28,155 --> 00:15:31,215 Sin is first and foremost an offense against God. 308 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,210 And when we understand that we can let go of our own thirst for 309 00:15:36,210 --> 00:15:38,970 justice because we can remember that. 310 00:15:38,970 --> 00:15:41,760 If that's the case, then God is the one that's gonna see to the 311 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:43,320 administration of that justice. 312 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:45,150 I don't have to do it. 313 00:15:45,660 --> 00:15:47,490 I don't have to go get my pound of flesh. 314 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:50,460 I can say, God, you will see to this why? 315 00:15:50,460 --> 00:15:53,730 Because again, your character, you are a, an avenging God. 316 00:15:55,380 --> 00:15:58,740 But to get there, we have to understand the nature and gravity 317 00:15:58,890 --> 00:16:00,540 of sin as it relates to God. 318 00:16:00,540 --> 00:16:02,100 John MacArthur helps in this regard. 319 00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:07,410 He says this, he says, sin is not a psychological concept 320 00:16:07,770 --> 00:16:09,480 or a sociological concept. 321 00:16:09,900 --> 00:16:15,300 It's a theological concept, and you never really know what sin is until 322 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,430 you think of it in terms of God. 323 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,030 And you measure it not by your own standard of wellbeing or your 324 00:16:21,030 --> 00:16:24,930 own reputation, but you measure it by the yardstick of God's 325 00:16:24,990 --> 00:16:28,050 absolute demand on your life. 326 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,780 You need to grasp, he says, the idea that feeling bad about your sin, because 327 00:16:33,780 --> 00:16:38,790 what it does to you and what it does to someone else is not conviction of sin. 328 00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:43,440 It's never conviction of sin until you come to grips with the fact 329 00:16:43,740 --> 00:16:46,170 that you are alienated from God. 330 00:16:46,665 --> 00:16:49,665 Jesus is not a super psychiatrist. 331 00:16:49,785 --> 00:16:53,685 He is a redeemer of sinners who are enemies of God. 332 00:16:54,015 --> 00:16:58,155 So we need to understand sin for what sin really is. 333 00:16:58,425 --> 00:17:01,935 It's a violation of God's law. 334 00:17:03,165 --> 00:17:05,925 So we have to understand in our thirst for justice that the sin that's been 335 00:17:05,925 --> 00:17:08,804 committed against us is first and foremost a sin that's committed against God. 336 00:17:09,493 --> 00:17:11,385 And he has the right to judge. 337 00:17:11,444 --> 00:17:12,973 He has the right to wrath. 338 00:17:12,973 --> 00:17:14,444 He has the right to avenge. 339 00:17:15,523 --> 00:17:16,214 More than we do. 340 00:17:17,084 --> 00:17:17,804 It's like this. 341 00:17:17,804 --> 00:17:21,885 If I lie to Pastor Rod, that's a sin, right? 342 00:17:21,944 --> 00:17:22,483 Yes. 343 00:17:23,084 --> 00:17:26,294 But only because God has commanded us to tell the truth and only because 344 00:17:26,294 --> 00:17:28,905 he's revealed a moral difference between telling the truth and lying. 345 00:17:30,044 --> 00:17:34,695 So if I lie to Pastor Rod, yes, I'm sinning against him, but I'm chiefly 346 00:17:34,695 --> 00:17:38,264 sitting against the one who first said that we have to speak truth and not lie. 347 00:17:40,350 --> 00:17:42,840 So my sin is first and foremost against the law giver before. 348 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:47,249 It's against the one that I offend horizontally speaking, and that's true of 349 00:17:47,249 --> 00:17:48,659 the sin that's committed against us too. 350 00:17:50,249 --> 00:17:55,919 Second, we can let go of our own thirst for exacting vengeance ourself 351 00:17:55,919 --> 00:17:57,120 and trust the vengeance of God. 352 00:17:57,120 --> 00:18:01,350 When we realize and recognize that God's character demands justice, this 353 00:18:02,249 --> 00:18:03,509 is what we talked about a minute ago. 354 00:18:03,719 --> 00:18:07,800 His holiness demands that justice is done. 355 00:18:09,075 --> 00:18:13,305 And so we can relinquish this thirst, this hunger, this insistence that 356 00:18:13,305 --> 00:18:14,535 we get our own pound of flesh. 357 00:18:14,535 --> 00:18:16,935 When we realize, okay, God, justice will come. 358 00:18:18,465 --> 00:18:20,925 Justice will come because why? 359 00:18:20,925 --> 00:18:21,705 Because you are holy. 360 00:18:23,835 --> 00:18:26,745 And just like the force of gravity, if I jump off of the top of this building, 361 00:18:26,745 --> 00:18:28,635 is gonna take me to the ground, right? 362 00:18:29,385 --> 00:18:34,065 Wrath is the necessary response to sin from a holy God. 363 00:18:35,235 --> 00:18:41,054 Justice will come so we can relinquish that when we trust, okay, God's character, 364 00:18:41,054 --> 00:18:45,225 which is immutable, he's holy, and because he is holy, he cannot let sin go. 365 00:18:46,185 --> 00:18:46,725 Third. 366 00:18:48,195 --> 00:18:51,405 Third, we can recognize we can let go or release our thirst for 367 00:18:51,405 --> 00:18:53,715 personal justice when we trust in the avenging character of God. 368 00:18:53,715 --> 00:18:58,425 When we recognize God's perspective is eternal, God's timeline is eternal. 369 00:19:01,860 --> 00:19:04,080 And so God's timing is not our timing. 370 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:04,260 Sure. 371 00:19:04,260 --> 00:19:05,940 We may sit here and we may think to ourselves, God, why? 372 00:19:06,149 --> 00:19:08,429 Why aren't you dealing with this right now? 373 00:19:09,990 --> 00:19:14,429 And God says to us, because I'm playing chess, not checkers, because I'm looking 374 00:19:14,429 --> 00:19:18,240 at things from a God's eye view, not a man's eye view, because I'm doing 375 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:19,260 things that you don't know about. 376 00:19:19,260 --> 00:19:22,679 At this point in time, justice will be served. 377 00:19:22,679 --> 00:19:23,460 You can trust that. 378 00:19:24,690 --> 00:19:28,320 And so we can let go of our own thirst knowing that God's perspective is eternal. 379 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:32,910 So find solace church in your avenging God this morning. 380 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,080 He's the one who has been sinned against his holy character, demands 381 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:40,920 that all sin be punished and his eternal plan will see to it that it is. 382 00:19:43,050 --> 00:19:43,800 But let's keep going. 383 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:44,385 Look at verse three again. 384 00:19:44,580 --> 00:19:47,370 In chapter one it says, the Lord is slow to anger. 385 00:19:47,370 --> 00:19:48,300 I said I was gonna come back to that. 386 00:19:48,300 --> 00:19:48,840 So here we are. 387 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,020 The Lord is slow to anger and. 388 00:19:53,009 --> 00:19:54,300 Will by no means clear the guilty. 389 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:57,179 Look at verse seven of chapter one. 390 00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:58,290 The Lord is good. 391 00:19:59,489 --> 00:20:02,459 A stronghold in the day of trouble and knows those who take refuge in him, 392 00:20:02,759 --> 00:20:07,889 but with an overflowing flood, he will make a complete end of the adversaries. 393 00:20:08,820 --> 00:20:12,149 See, these are interesting passages because of the juxtaposition 394 00:20:12,149 --> 00:20:13,229 about God that we see here. 395 00:20:13,979 --> 00:20:15,719 He's slow to anger, but he won't. 396 00:20:15,810 --> 00:20:16,770 He won't clear the guilty. 397 00:20:18,105 --> 00:20:22,035 He's, he's good, but he's gonna make a complete end of his adversaries. 398 00:20:25,005 --> 00:20:30,495 The adversaries in Ham's Day were the Assyrians, but God had 399 00:20:30,495 --> 00:20:31,755 been slow to anger with them. 400 00:20:32,865 --> 00:20:34,365 Remember the book of Jonah from a few weeks ago? 401 00:20:34,365 --> 00:20:35,385 The Pastor Rob preached, right? 402 00:20:36,195 --> 00:20:39,705 Jonah went in ready for God to be quick to anger with the Assyrians in that moment. 403 00:20:40,365 --> 00:20:42,075 In fact, that's why Jonah didn't wanna go to Nineveh. 404 00:20:42,765 --> 00:20:43,815 God, I don't wanna go there. 405 00:20:44,205 --> 00:20:47,295 You're gonna let them off because you're a God who is slow to anger. 406 00:20:47,295 --> 00:20:48,225 Jonah even says that. 407 00:20:49,185 --> 00:20:51,375 So God had been slow to anger with the Assyrians. 408 00:20:51,375 --> 00:20:53,475 Why was he slow to anger with the Assyrians? 409 00:20:54,525 --> 00:20:56,775 Because he had people there in that city that he wanted to come 410 00:20:56,775 --> 00:20:57,975 to repentance and trust in him. 411 00:20:59,265 --> 00:21:06,195 That's why Jonah was sent first, but, but he will by no means clear the guilty. 412 00:21:07,005 --> 00:21:08,930 See, there's a time when that patience runs out. 413 00:21:09,990 --> 00:21:14,760 There's a time when God's slowness to anger that gap is, is gone 414 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,260 now, and now he's just angry. 415 00:21:17,699 --> 00:21:19,679 And that's what's happening in, in the book of Naham. 416 00:21:20,879 --> 00:21:23,159 And, and, and this would've been good news for the people of Israel. 417 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:23,730 Good news. 418 00:21:23,730 --> 00:21:27,449 So much so that that Naham says that this is how they should respond to this. 419 00:21:27,449 --> 00:21:30,570 In verse 15 of chapter one, he says, behold, upon the mountains, 420 00:21:30,570 --> 00:21:35,159 the feet of him, who brings good news, who publishes peace. 421 00:21:35,655 --> 00:21:39,554 Keep your feasts, o Judah, fulfill your vows for never again shall 422 00:21:39,554 --> 00:21:40,845 the worthless pass through you. 423 00:21:40,875 --> 00:21:43,095 He is utterly cut off. 424 00:21:43,155 --> 00:21:47,504 And so here you see Nahum saying it's good news for you to know that 425 00:21:47,504 --> 00:21:49,274 God is going to wipe out the enemy. 426 00:21:51,105 --> 00:21:52,425 Be comforted by that fact. 427 00:21:53,745 --> 00:21:55,995 We're gonna talk about that more in in point number three. 428 00:21:56,985 --> 00:22:01,064 But here in point number two, I, I want to turn things around for us for a second. 429 00:22:03,060 --> 00:22:03,990 For the Jews in, in Nah. 430 00:22:03,990 --> 00:22:07,260 Home's day, they, they were looking forward to the wiping out of assy. 431 00:22:07,290 --> 00:22:09,540 In fact, look at chapter two verses two through eight. 432 00:22:09,900 --> 00:22:12,810 Here's the description of, of some of what this destruction was gonna be like. 433 00:22:13,770 --> 00:22:16,980 For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of 434 00:22:16,980 --> 00:22:20,580 Israel for Plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches. 435 00:22:20,610 --> 00:22:21,300 The Assyrians. 436 00:22:22,050 --> 00:22:24,240 But here it is, the shield of his mighty men is red. 437 00:22:24,810 --> 00:22:26,760 His soldiers are clothed in Scarlet. 438 00:22:26,909 --> 00:22:30,120 The chariots come with flashing metal on the day he musters them. 439 00:22:30,330 --> 00:22:32,070 The Cypress Spears are brandish. 440 00:22:32,070 --> 00:22:33,870 This is the enemy coming against Assyria. 441 00:22:33,870 --> 00:22:35,850 This is God bringing his judgment. 442 00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:38,100 The chariots race madly through the streets. 443 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:39,720 They rush to and fro through the squares. 444 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:40,770 They gleam like torches. 445 00:22:40,770 --> 00:22:41,850 They dart like lightning. 446 00:22:42,149 --> 00:22:44,250 He remembers his officers as they stumble. 447 00:22:44,250 --> 00:22:46,680 As they go, they hasten up to the wall. 448 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:48,389 The siege tower is set up. 449 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:50,100 The river gates are open. 450 00:22:50,100 --> 00:22:51,389 The palace melts away. 451 00:22:51,979 --> 00:22:53,389 Its mistress is stripped. 452 00:22:53,389 --> 00:22:54,439 She's carried off. 453 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:58,340 Her slave girls lamenting, moaning like doves and beating their breasts. 454 00:22:58,550 --> 00:23:01,580 Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. 455 00:23:01,610 --> 00:23:02,479 Halt, halt. 456 00:23:02,479 --> 00:23:05,510 They cry, but none turns back. 457 00:23:05,510 --> 00:23:08,149 This is the destruction of the city of Nineveh, which by the way, would 458 00:23:08,149 --> 00:23:11,840 be destroyed by flood, even as God prophesized through Nahum that the 459 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,510 waters are going to be a key part of the destruction of Nineveh. 460 00:23:16,850 --> 00:23:21,435 In NA's day, the adversaries were readily ev identifiable. 461 00:23:22,290 --> 00:23:24,209 Assyria, they're the bad guys. 462 00:23:24,780 --> 00:23:27,510 And in nah, Abraham's day it was good news that they were gonna suffer judgment. 463 00:23:28,949 --> 00:23:31,679 But I wanna pivot our thinking for a second and ask today, 464 00:23:31,709 --> 00:23:33,330 who are the adversaries today? 465 00:23:35,129 --> 00:23:35,730 Put it a different way. 466 00:23:35,820 --> 00:23:36,990 Who are God's enemies? 467 00:23:39,270 --> 00:23:42,149 We might be able to think about some people off the top of the face. 468 00:23:42,209 --> 00:23:43,830 Uh, off the top of our, our heads. 469 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,159 Maybe you're thinking about Iran and the leader of Iran who has set 470 00:23:47,159 --> 00:23:50,129 himself against God, or maybe you're thinking about just Muslims in general, 471 00:23:50,129 --> 00:23:54,510 or atheists or Hindus or, or people that reject God, the enemies of God. 472 00:23:56,100 --> 00:23:56,250 Okay. 473 00:23:56,250 --> 00:23:56,729 How about this? 474 00:23:56,729 --> 00:23:57,479 Romans five. 475 00:23:57,479 --> 00:23:58,379 What does Romans five say? 476 00:23:58,379 --> 00:24:01,979 All of us were at one point in time, church enemies of God. 477 00:24:05,429 --> 00:24:09,449 All of us in this room were as the Assyrians and the 478 00:24:09,449 --> 00:24:10,949 Ninevites at one point in time. 479 00:24:11,879 --> 00:24:14,069 And we're not, God's slow to anger. 480 00:24:15,569 --> 00:24:19,110 All of us in this room would be like they are in the book of Nah. 481 00:24:19,110 --> 00:24:19,319 Him. 482 00:24:21,209 --> 00:24:23,699 So in the second point, as you're thinking about the fact that man, 483 00:24:23,699 --> 00:24:26,519 somebody is sinned against you and maybe you're out there going, 484 00:24:26,519 --> 00:24:29,129 God, where are you when it are? 485 00:24:29,129 --> 00:24:30,269 Are you good still? 486 00:24:30,269 --> 00:24:32,399 'cause it doesn't feel like it right now. 487 00:24:34,125 --> 00:24:37,395 I think it's appropriate and it's, it's comforting for us to come back to the 488 00:24:37,395 --> 00:24:41,114 reality of how compassionate and merciful and gracious God has been with us. 489 00:24:42,854 --> 00:24:48,915 That's a source of comfort for us, and it helps us let go of and trust 490 00:24:48,915 --> 00:24:51,524 God with our thirst vengeance. 491 00:24:52,274 --> 00:24:54,645 Our second point this morning, along those lines is this, find solace in 492 00:24:55,304 --> 00:24:57,284 the compassionate nature of your God. 493 00:25:01,095 --> 00:25:07,754 Remember God before Nahum sent Jonah and he sent Jonah to Nineveh to 494 00:25:07,754 --> 00:25:09,645 call the Ninevites to repentance. 495 00:25:10,935 --> 00:25:17,565 He sent Jonah to Nahum to say, Hey, look, leave off your sin and turn to the Lord. 496 00:25:20,355 --> 00:25:23,715 And at one point in time with us, God has sent Jonah to you. 497 00:25:25,364 --> 00:25:27,854 To say to you, leave off your sin and turn to the Lord. 498 00:25:27,854 --> 00:25:30,945 For some of you that may be this morning right now, and it may be the 499 00:25:30,945 --> 00:25:32,264 voice that you're hearing right now. 500 00:25:34,034 --> 00:25:37,725 Leave off your sin and turn to the Lord because God right now 501 00:25:37,725 --> 00:25:39,225 with you is being slow to anger. 502 00:25:42,465 --> 00:25:43,784 If you have been saved. 503 00:25:43,844 --> 00:25:48,915 Church, we, we can't forget that how compassionate and patient God was with us. 504 00:25:49,754 --> 00:25:51,705 In Matthew 18, Jesus tells a story. 505 00:25:51,705 --> 00:25:52,485 He tells a parable. 506 00:25:54,405 --> 00:25:56,114 Peter says, Lord, how many times do I have to forgive my 507 00:25:56,114 --> 00:25:57,104 brother if he sins against me? 508 00:25:57,554 --> 00:25:59,145 Seven times 70? 509 00:26:00,435 --> 00:26:02,205 Peter thinks he's being generous here. 510 00:26:06,524 --> 00:26:10,814 Jesus tells his parable, he says, there was a a, a man who owed 511 00:26:10,814 --> 00:26:12,554 a king an insurmountable debt. 512 00:26:14,145 --> 00:26:16,514 He could work every day of his life for the rest of his life in the most 513 00:26:16,514 --> 00:26:19,725 high paying job, and pay every ounce to this king and still never pay it back. 514 00:26:21,269 --> 00:26:23,639 And the king called the servant before him on the day of account 515 00:26:23,639 --> 00:26:24,899 and said, you have to pay. 516 00:26:25,874 --> 00:26:27,959 The servant looked at the king and said, king, I don't have it. 517 00:26:29,909 --> 00:26:30,749 And the king said, okay. 518 00:26:32,249 --> 00:26:32,729 I forgive you. 519 00:26:33,989 --> 00:26:34,379 All of it. 520 00:26:35,999 --> 00:26:36,479 All of it. 521 00:26:37,049 --> 00:26:37,439 All of it. 522 00:26:38,909 --> 00:26:39,749 I forgive you, all of it. 523 00:26:41,610 --> 00:26:44,820 That servant Jesus said, then left that king's presence and 524 00:26:44,820 --> 00:26:48,840 went to a friend of his, a fellow servant who owed him a pittance in 525 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:50,250 comparison to what he owed the king. 526 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:51,929 And he went to that servant. 527 00:26:51,929 --> 00:26:54,600 He said, Hey, I need some startup money because I've been, I, 528 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:56,699 I've, I've been paying this debt back and I don't have anything. 529 00:26:56,699 --> 00:26:57,989 You gotta pay me back what you owe me. 530 00:26:57,989 --> 00:27:01,919 And the servant said, I, I, I don't have it on me. 531 00:27:04,260 --> 00:27:06,659 And the man who had just been forgiven so much by the king said, okay, well 532 00:27:06,659 --> 00:27:08,969 then you're gonna have to go to debtor's prison until you can pay me back. 533 00:27:11,699 --> 00:27:15,000 The king got word of it called the servant that he had forgiven back before 534 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,520 him and he says, you wicked servant. 535 00:27:19,679 --> 00:27:23,310 I forgave you so much and you couldn't forgive such a little tiny amount. 536 00:27:25,590 --> 00:27:28,530 Church, we have to be careful that in our thirst for vengeance against 537 00:27:28,530 --> 00:27:31,229 those that have sinned against us, that we aren't the wicked servant. 538 00:27:35,219 --> 00:27:37,379 We have to remember how compassionate God has been to us. 539 00:27:39,495 --> 00:27:44,895 And so in your struggle to release that thirst, that, that, that to, to let go 540 00:27:44,895 --> 00:27:46,695 of unforgiveness even in your heart. 541 00:27:46,695 --> 00:27:48,975 A couple thoughts that might help you along these lines. 542 00:27:48,975 --> 00:27:51,344 Number one, remember your own sin against God. 543 00:27:53,715 --> 00:27:56,054 Like I said earlier in point number one, all sin is against God, 544 00:27:56,054 --> 00:27:59,864 first and foremost, and that means that your sin is against him too. 545 00:28:00,584 --> 00:28:01,784 My sin is against him too. 546 00:28:03,225 --> 00:28:03,374 Yeah. 547 00:28:03,374 --> 00:28:06,314 We've been sinned against and, and sometimes grievously sinned against. 548 00:28:06,314 --> 00:28:06,360 Yes. 549 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,650 And it's not wrong to seek justice through appropriate channels. 550 00:28:12,060 --> 00:28:14,790 Peter says, or Paul says, rather that, that the, the government 551 00:28:14,790 --> 00:28:16,170 doesn't bear the sword in vain. 552 00:28:17,670 --> 00:28:19,530 So man, somebody comes in and, and assaults you. 553 00:28:19,530 --> 00:28:22,050 Is it right to pursue legal ramifications for that? 554 00:28:22,050 --> 00:28:24,450 Yes, it's good to pursue justice through the means that God has 555 00:28:24,450 --> 00:28:25,500 provided to pursue justice. 556 00:28:25,980 --> 00:28:29,370 But listen, y'all, you need to understand that, that you deserve 557 00:28:29,370 --> 00:28:31,860 the wrath of God as much as that person deserves the wrath of God. 558 00:28:31,860 --> 00:28:34,080 The only difference between the two of you, if you're in Christ, is 559 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:35,460 that you've come to faith in Jesus. 560 00:28:40,379 --> 00:28:41,399 I want to sell someone. 561 00:28:41,399 --> 00:28:45,389 Tell me, pastor, I, I don't want to just walk around feeling like I, 562 00:28:46,049 --> 00:28:49,110 I'm unworthy, like I deserve God's wrath and that this isn't a ref. 563 00:28:49,199 --> 00:28:52,169 That, that, that's not a true reflection of their understanding of the gospel. 564 00:28:53,100 --> 00:28:56,219 They said, pastor, I, I think you, you talk too much about the, those things, 565 00:28:56,219 --> 00:29:00,569 and I don't wanna feel like, like it's just God's grace and he's doing me a 566 00:29:00,569 --> 00:29:02,129 favor by waking me up in the morning. 567 00:29:03,059 --> 00:29:05,009 Y he is doing you a favor by waking you up in the morning. 568 00:29:06,690 --> 00:29:09,870 In fact, the breath that you just took into your lungs there is, is grace. 569 00:29:12,090 --> 00:29:13,800 And I think we see that in in scripture. 570 00:29:14,370 --> 00:29:16,440 This is what Paul says in, in one Timothy chapter one. 571 00:29:17,310 --> 00:29:20,250 He says, I thank him, verse 12, who's given me strength? 572 00:29:20,250 --> 00:29:24,510 Christ Jesus, our Lord, because he judged me, faithful appointing me to his service. 573 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:28,770 Notice this though, formerly he doesn't say though formally, ah, you know what? 574 00:29:28,770 --> 00:29:30,960 On second that, don't worry about who I used to be because now I'm 575 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,600 in Christ and I'm just gonna live my best life now and be who I am. 576 00:29:35,159 --> 00:29:36,239 No, Paul says, no, no, no, no. 577 00:29:37,259 --> 00:29:42,419 Formally I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ins insulin opponent of God. 578 00:29:42,419 --> 00:29:47,189 But, but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief and the grace 579 00:29:47,189 --> 00:29:51,060 of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 580 00:29:51,719 --> 00:29:55,379 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus 581 00:29:55,379 --> 00:29:59,909 came into the world to save sinners of whom Paul says, I am present tense. 582 00:29:59,909 --> 00:30:01,830 Paul says, I am the foremost. 583 00:30:02,970 --> 00:30:08,310 But I receive mercy for this reason that in me as the foremost Jesus Christ 584 00:30:08,310 --> 00:30:11,939 might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to 585 00:30:11,939 --> 00:30:14,129 believe in him for eternal life. 586 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:19,530 You know, it's so important for us as we think about injustice and things being 587 00:30:19,530 --> 00:30:22,379 done to us that harm us or hurt us. 588 00:30:22,470 --> 00:30:26,040 It's so important for us to remember our own offense against g. 589 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:32,550 We can't ever get over the magnitude of God's mercy towards us in juxtaposition 590 00:30:32,550 --> 00:30:33,600 to the magnitude of our sin. 591 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,709 I'm not saying that we walk around like a bunch of eos from Winnie the Pooh. 592 00:30:38,250 --> 00:30:39,360 Thanks for noticing me. 593 00:30:41,189 --> 00:30:41,850 That's not it. 594 00:30:42,330 --> 00:30:46,080 Instead, an awareness of your sin and God's grace and mercy and response 595 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:51,480 should fire you up, should be motivating to you, should change the way that you 596 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:53,459 look at offenses committed against you. 597 00:30:54,435 --> 00:30:57,404 And how you look at those that have sinned against you. 598 00:30:59,834 --> 00:31:04,034 And so the first way that we can begin to let go under this understanding 599 00:31:04,034 --> 00:31:06,794 of God's compassion towards us and remembering our own offenses against God. 600 00:31:06,884 --> 00:31:09,884 And the second remembering just how patient God has been with us. 601 00:31:11,985 --> 00:31:15,374 Just like he was patient with Nineveh between Jonah and Naam. 602 00:31:16,604 --> 00:31:18,165 Man, God was so patient with us. 603 00:31:18,165 --> 00:31:21,314 Peter says in second Peter chapter three, he says this, God is not slow to fulfill 604 00:31:21,314 --> 00:31:22,574 his promise of some count slowness. 605 00:31:23,774 --> 00:31:25,004 But he's patient towards you. 606 00:31:25,215 --> 00:31:27,764 Not wishing that any should rep should perish, but that 607 00:31:27,764 --> 00:31:30,134 all should reach repentance. 608 00:31:31,154 --> 00:31:33,194 The flip side of that means that at one point in time in 609 00:31:33,194 --> 00:31:34,634 your life, God was patient. 610 00:31:34,664 --> 00:31:38,475 He had not sent Jesus back for the bride yet because he wanted you. 611 00:31:40,485 --> 00:31:46,064 And could it be, could it be that God is being patient in the 612 00:31:46,064 --> 00:31:48,794 pouring out of justice against those that have offended you? 613 00:31:48,975 --> 00:31:50,684 Because maybe he's after them too. 614 00:31:53,670 --> 00:31:54,750 Maybe he wants them too. 615 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,970 In our thirst for justice, our our sitting here saying, God in Precatory 616 00:31:59,970 --> 00:32:01,320 Psalms, I'm praying about this person. 617 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:02,700 I'm calling down judgment upon this person. 618 00:32:02,700 --> 00:32:05,160 I want them vanquished off the face of the planet. 619 00:32:05,250 --> 00:32:07,290 Maybe God's looking at that person saying, yeah, you know what, though? 620 00:32:07,290 --> 00:32:10,410 You're gonna spend eternity side by side with them worshiping me because of Jesus. 621 00:32:14,670 --> 00:32:18,300 And so this second point doesn't necessarily jump off 622 00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:19,410 the page from the book of Nahum. 623 00:32:19,410 --> 00:32:20,010 I get that. 624 00:32:21,824 --> 00:32:24,644 But I think it's there when we remember that Nahum is part two after 625 00:32:24,644 --> 00:32:31,844 Jonah came first and God says, I, I, I'm slow to anger and we should be 626 00:32:31,844 --> 00:32:35,415 thankful church, that God was slow to anger with every single one of us. 627 00:32:35,415 --> 00:32:39,915 If you're in Christ, if you're not there, if you've never bowed the knee of 628 00:32:39,915 --> 00:32:42,824 Jesus Christ and faith and repentance, this morning is the morning that he's 629 00:32:42,824 --> 00:32:44,745 being slow and slow to anger with you. 630 00:32:46,064 --> 00:32:46,995 He's been patient with you. 631 00:32:46,995 --> 00:32:48,764 He's led you to this point this morning to get there. 632 00:32:52,215 --> 00:32:55,305 When we're hurt, offended, or wronged, it's natural and right for us to desire. 633 00:32:55,335 --> 00:32:59,745 The justice should be done Still, though we can't ever forget 634 00:32:59,745 --> 00:33:01,395 God's patient mercy towards us. 635 00:33:02,985 --> 00:33:06,375 When we were his adversaries, the enemies deserving the full weight 636 00:33:06,375 --> 00:33:09,585 of his wrath, speaking of his wrath. 637 00:33:09,585 --> 00:33:15,645 Look at verse 13 now, verse 13, chapter two says this, behold I am against 638 00:33:15,645 --> 00:33:17,415 you, declares the Lord of hosts. 639 00:33:19,649 --> 00:33:20,639 Chapter three verse five. 640 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,419 Behold, I am against you declares the Lord of hosts. 641 00:33:24,719 --> 00:33:24,959 Okay? 642 00:33:25,439 --> 00:33:29,399 You never want to hear God say, I am against you. 643 00:33:30,870 --> 00:33:35,189 It's never gonna go well 'cause God wins every time. 644 00:33:35,969 --> 00:33:39,120 And so God is now telling asy, behold, I'm against you. 645 00:33:40,559 --> 00:33:43,559 He says in verse 13 of chapter two, again, declares the Lord of horse, I'm 646 00:33:43,559 --> 00:33:48,239 gonna burn your chariots in smoke and the sword shall devour your young lions. 647 00:33:48,569 --> 00:33:51,329 I will cut off your prey from the earth in the voice of your 648 00:33:51,329 --> 00:33:54,120 messengers shall no longer be heard. 649 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:59,549 See, before this God had been comparing in verse 12, ay to a lion and its cubs 650 00:33:59,549 --> 00:34:04,439 the lion Assyria tore enough for its cubs and strangled prey for its lioness. 651 00:34:05,085 --> 00:34:08,145 He filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh. 652 00:34:08,415 --> 00:34:09,824 But then God says, but you know what? 653 00:34:09,824 --> 00:34:11,445 Now Assyria, I'm against you. 654 00:34:11,985 --> 00:34:14,355 And the swords gonna devour your young lions. 655 00:34:14,355 --> 00:34:16,935 And I'm gonna cut off your prey from before the Earth. 656 00:34:17,295 --> 00:34:18,705 Chapter three verses five and six. 657 00:34:18,705 --> 00:34:20,804 Behold, I'm against you, declares the Lord of host. 658 00:34:20,955 --> 00:34:23,415 I'm gonna lift up your skirts over your face, and I will make the 659 00:34:23,415 --> 00:34:27,195 nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame, and I will 660 00:34:27,195 --> 00:34:31,514 throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. 661 00:34:32,475 --> 00:34:34,155 I am against you. 662 00:34:34,335 --> 00:34:35,715 I look down at verse eight. 663 00:34:35,715 --> 00:34:37,215 He says this, that's all right. 664 00:34:37,215 --> 00:34:38,475 It's just, it's a false alarm. 665 00:34:38,475 --> 00:34:40,815 Don't ever anybody worry the beeping it, it'll, it'll go away. 666 00:34:41,895 --> 00:34:43,965 He says, are you better than thieves? 667 00:34:44,745 --> 00:34:46,425 Thieves was the capital of Egypt. 668 00:34:46,425 --> 00:34:49,065 That Assyria had already gone and taken out and taken out 669 00:34:49,065 --> 00:34:50,445 in, in a pretty violent way. 670 00:34:50,445 --> 00:34:53,895 And are you better than thieves that sat by the Nile with water all around her, 671 00:34:53,895 --> 00:34:56,054 her ramper at sea and her wall water. 672 00:34:56,054 --> 00:34:58,305 Her wall, Kush was her strength. 673 00:34:58,335 --> 00:35:00,225 Egypt too, and that without limit. 674 00:35:00,855 --> 00:35:04,005 Put, and the Libyans were her helpers, yet she became an exile. 675 00:35:04,065 --> 00:35:05,055 You remember that Assyria? 676 00:35:05,085 --> 00:35:06,285 'cause you're the ones that exiled her. 677 00:35:07,095 --> 00:35:08,205 She went into captivity. 678 00:35:08,385 --> 00:35:10,425 Her infants were dashed in pieces. 679 00:35:10,455 --> 00:35:12,405 Assyria, let me remind you what you did. 680 00:35:12,525 --> 00:35:16,035 In other words, he's saying her infants were dashed in pieces 681 00:35:16,035 --> 00:35:17,085 at the head of every street. 682 00:35:17,085 --> 00:35:18,075 For her honored men. 683 00:35:18,075 --> 00:35:23,025 Cast lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains. 684 00:35:23,445 --> 00:35:25,935 You also, he says in verse 11. 685 00:35:26,505 --> 00:35:28,875 You also, Assyria will be drunken. 686 00:35:29,055 --> 00:35:30,405 You will go into hiding. 687 00:35:30,555 --> 00:35:32,535 You will seek a refuge from the enemy. 688 00:35:32,535 --> 00:35:35,865 In other words, Assyria, as you have done so, will be done to you. 689 00:35:37,545 --> 00:35:38,535 Chapter three, verse 18. 690 00:35:38,535 --> 00:35:43,335 He says, as the book concludes, he says, your shepherds, oh, king of Assyria, your 691 00:35:43,335 --> 00:35:45,675 nobles, your shepherds there are asleep. 692 00:35:46,125 --> 00:35:49,185 Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them. 693 00:35:49,770 --> 00:35:51,420 There's no easing your hurt. 694 00:35:51,420 --> 00:35:54,420 Your wound is grievous all who here news about you? 695 00:35:54,420 --> 00:35:58,530 Clap their hands over you for upon whom has not come. 696 00:35:58,710 --> 00:36:00,930 Your unceasing evil. 697 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:07,050 Chapter three is the, the full reality of the Wrath of God against the Syria 698 00:36:08,730 --> 00:36:10,950 and Y'all as uncomfortable as it is. 699 00:36:11,790 --> 00:36:15,540 That's still another source of comfort for us when we're tempted 700 00:36:15,540 --> 00:36:16,920 to say, God, are you good still? 701 00:36:17,070 --> 00:36:18,450 'cause it doesn't feel like it right now. 702 00:36:19,980 --> 00:36:26,100 The reality of God's wrath is a source of solace for us as 703 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:29,520 we consider all of the horrific things that mankind has ever done. 704 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:34,020 All of the evil ever committed to know God's wrath will be sad, 705 00:36:36,150 --> 00:36:39,780 is a comfort for us as we wait for it. 706 00:36:40,410 --> 00:36:41,730 Point number three, final point this morning. 707 00:36:41,730 --> 00:36:45,690 Along those lines, find solace in the wrathful nature of our God. 708 00:36:46,940 --> 00:36:49,005 I find solace in the wrathful nature of our God. 709 00:36:49,725 --> 00:36:54,915 God's wrath is the other side of his holiness Wrath exists 710 00:36:54,915 --> 00:36:56,385 because holiness exists. 711 00:36:58,245 --> 00:37:01,425 Maybe I should say wrath exists because sin exists, but sin is the 712 00:37:01,455 --> 00:37:03,255 rebellion against God's holiness. 713 00:37:04,575 --> 00:37:07,845 And I don't know about you, but when I think about the evils and the atrocities 714 00:37:07,845 --> 00:37:11,355 of the world, I want God's wrath to be poured out against those that 715 00:37:11,355 --> 00:37:13,275 have committed these horrific events. 716 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:18,600 Murder, assault, abuse. 717 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:24,750 You think of all the evil despots of the world that have ever led and done horrific 718 00:37:24,750 --> 00:37:26,279 things to the people under their care. 719 00:37:28,799 --> 00:37:31,500 There there's a, a measure that we thirst for that or you, you think 720 00:37:31,500 --> 00:37:34,110 about the, the prince of the power of the air and all of his demons, and 721 00:37:34,110 --> 00:37:36,750 you want God's wrath to be poured out. 722 00:37:37,590 --> 00:37:40,410 And there's something comforting in knowing that all of the wrongs 723 00:37:40,410 --> 00:37:42,150 committed are going to be dealt with. 724 00:37:42,330 --> 00:37:45,390 All of the wrongs that have been committed in this world will elicit 725 00:37:45,390 --> 00:37:47,850 the full wrath of God in response, 726 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:52,290 and so that comforts us 727 00:37:54,779 --> 00:37:55,620 in an uncomfortable way 728 00:37:58,654 --> 00:37:59,610 under this point. 729 00:37:59,610 --> 00:38:02,400 The final reason you can let go of your personal thirst for justice 730 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:03,930 and vengeance this morning is this. 731 00:38:03,930 --> 00:38:06,480 You can let go of that because God's wrath is indeed coming. 732 00:38:09,465 --> 00:38:10,755 God's wrath is indeed coming. 733 00:38:11,925 --> 00:38:14,715 As I mentioned, this is the uncomfortable aspect of God's justice. 734 00:38:16,935 --> 00:38:19,995 However, God allows us to find solace and comfort in the impending reality 735 00:38:19,995 --> 00:38:21,350 of the execution of his just wrath. 736 00:38:29,625 --> 00:38:30,885 Lemme give you a real life example 737 00:38:34,365 --> 00:38:35,115 in just a second. 738 00:38:37,530 --> 00:38:40,320 First, let me direct our attention to some passages from Revelation, 739 00:38:43,470 --> 00:38:45,030 revelation 1116 through 18. 740 00:38:45,270 --> 00:38:45,960 You don't have to turn there. 741 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:47,850 I'll, I'll read these, but you can maybe write 'em down. 742 00:38:47,850 --> 00:38:49,260 Revelation 11, 16 through 18. 743 00:38:51,540 --> 00:38:53,940 Notice what happens here is God's wrath is being poured out. 744 00:38:53,970 --> 00:38:57,780 The 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their 745 00:38:57,785 --> 00:38:58,830 faces and notice what they do. 746 00:38:59,010 --> 00:39:03,450 They worship God saying, we give thanks to you. 747 00:39:04,275 --> 00:39:08,175 Lord God Almighty, who is and who was for you, have taken your great power 748 00:39:08,175 --> 00:39:14,655 and begun to reign the nations raged, but your wrath came and the time for 749 00:39:14,655 --> 00:39:17,475 the dead to be judged and for rewarding your servants, the prophets, and 750 00:39:17,475 --> 00:39:21,315 the saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for 751 00:39:21,405 --> 00:39:24,315 destroying the destroyers of the earth. 752 00:39:24,495 --> 00:39:29,775 Notice that the saints are giving thanks to God and worshiping God because he's 753 00:39:29,775 --> 00:39:32,055 pouring his wrath out on the ungodly. 754 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:33,480 There in the end. 755 00:39:35,310 --> 00:39:36,270 That's not the only passage. 756 00:39:36,270 --> 00:39:38,070 Revelation 16, five through seven. 757 00:39:38,850 --> 00:39:43,230 Revelation 16, five through seven says, I heard an angel in charge of the water. 758 00:39:43,230 --> 00:39:47,070 Say just, are you oh, holy one. 759 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:51,870 Who is and who was for you brought these judgments for, they have shed 760 00:39:51,870 --> 00:39:55,410 blood of the saints and the prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. 761 00:39:55,650 --> 00:39:57,360 It is what they deserve. 762 00:39:57,915 --> 00:40:01,395 And I heard the altar saying, yes, Lord God, the Almighty, 763 00:40:01,395 --> 00:40:03,404 true and just are your judgments. 764 00:40:03,495 --> 00:40:06,345 And so there again, you have the judgment being poured out and the 765 00:40:06,345 --> 00:40:08,085 response is this is what they deserve. 766 00:40:08,235 --> 00:40:09,495 Yes, Lord. 767 00:40:12,195 --> 00:40:18,435 Revelation 1820, rejoice over her, oh heaven and you saints in 768 00:40:18,435 --> 00:40:22,904 apostles and prophets for God has given judgment for you against her. 769 00:40:24,225 --> 00:40:25,634 Talking about Babylon at that point. 770 00:40:26,550 --> 00:40:28,080 Rejoice over her. 771 00:40:28,140 --> 00:40:28,410 Why? 772 00:40:28,410 --> 00:40:31,260 Because God is pouring out his wrath upon her Revelation. 773 00:40:31,260 --> 00:40:31,860 19. 774 00:40:31,860 --> 00:40:32,340 One more. 775 00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:35,370 After this, I heard what seemed to be a loud voice of a great multitude 776 00:40:35,370 --> 00:40:37,320 in heaven, crying out, hallelujah. 777 00:40:37,470 --> 00:40:42,480 Salvation and glory and power belong to our God for His judgments are true. 778 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:46,470 And just for He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth 779 00:40:46,470 --> 00:40:50,550 with her immorality and has avenged on her the blood of his servants. 780 00:40:50,940 --> 00:40:52,110 Once more, they cried out. 781 00:40:52,110 --> 00:40:53,100 Hallelujah. 782 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:56,310 The smoke from her goes up forever and ever. 783 00:40:56,460 --> 00:40:59,520 The 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and 784 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:04,200 worshiped God who was seated on the throne saying, amen, hallelujah. 785 00:41:04,380 --> 00:41:07,800 And from the throne came a voice saying, praise our God. 786 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:12,060 All you his servants who fear him small and great, 787 00:41:15,810 --> 00:41:18,000 they're celebrating the pouring out of God's wrath. 788 00:41:20,070 --> 00:41:22,410 This is why this is a source of our comfort that's uncomfortable. 789 00:41:23,895 --> 00:41:25,035 At least it should be uncomfortable. 790 00:41:30,525 --> 00:41:31,425 Here's the thing, y'all, 791 00:41:35,685 --> 00:41:38,655 you may be thinking about the, the, the people that have done you 792 00:41:38,655 --> 00:41:41,595 wrong, that have hurt you, that have harmed you on this point and 793 00:41:41,595 --> 00:41:44,145 going, yes, that's why hell exists. 794 00:41:47,175 --> 00:41:50,595 But this point is true about me. 795 00:41:53,085 --> 00:41:53,865 And it's true about you. 796 00:41:56,925 --> 00:41:57,795 See, here's the thing. 797 00:41:58,155 --> 00:42:03,135 God's wrath is going to be poured out against every and all, all sin. 798 00:42:05,085 --> 00:42:05,955 The question is where 799 00:42:08,715 --> 00:42:13,680 either it was poured out at the cross on Jesus Christ, or 800 00:42:15,975 --> 00:42:20,145 it was poured out, will be poured out for all of eternity in the torments of hell. 801 00:42:23,370 --> 00:42:27,780 The opportunity exists still for repentance to take place 802 00:42:29,700 --> 00:42:31,380 and justice will be done still. 803 00:42:33,185 --> 00:42:34,860 I told you, I, I had a real life example. 804 00:42:40,110 --> 00:42:44,310 One of the most recent examples of all of this is what happened with Carmello 805 00:42:44,310 --> 00:42:46,080 Anthony and Austin Metcalf, right? 806 00:42:47,850 --> 00:42:49,140 There is a scenario. 807 00:42:50,130 --> 00:42:52,110 In which the two of them could spend eternity side by 808 00:42:52,110 --> 00:42:53,340 side, praising Jesus Christ. 809 00:42:55,110 --> 00:42:55,500 I don't know. 810 00:42:55,740 --> 00:42:56,730 I have no idea. 811 00:42:57,270 --> 00:43:00,030 I have no, I'm not claiming any insider knowledge on that at all, 812 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:09,660 but I'm saying to you, that's how big the cross of Jesus Christ is, and if 813 00:43:09,750 --> 00:43:12,960 you can't get there, then you don't understand the grace of God enough. 814 00:43:14,730 --> 00:43:17,670 You don't have a, a keen enough appreciation of your own sin. 815 00:43:22,230 --> 00:43:26,160 And that also means church, whoever you've been picturing this whole sermon, that 816 00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:30,360 that has sinned or wronged you and you're thinking, I can't forgive this person. 817 00:43:31,890 --> 00:43:35,040 There's a scenario in which if they would come to faith and repentance 818 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:38,280 in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior, that you could be side by 819 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:40,590 side with them for all of eternity. 820 00:43:40,860 --> 00:43:41,520 Worshiping God 821 00:43:43,590 --> 00:43:45,210 and justice will still have been done. 822 00:43:47,085 --> 00:43:47,955 At the cross, 823 00:43:50,715 --> 00:43:52,845 and that's what we're about to remember Together, 824 00:43:54,855 --> 00:43:59,205 we're about to take communion together and as these elements are going to 825 00:43:59,205 --> 00:44:03,195 be passed here momentarily, you'll hold the bread and you hold this cup 826 00:44:03,195 --> 00:44:06,945 of juice, and it's a reminder of the wrath of God poured out on the cross 827 00:44:06,945 --> 00:44:13,335 against our sins, such that justice was done and our sins can be forgiven. 828 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:20,400 So I wanna encourage you this morning, church, if you have that person in 829 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:23,340 mind that has sinned against you, that's done you wrong, that's hurt you. 830 00:44:24,270 --> 00:44:27,420 Again, I'm, I'm, I don't want to trivialize what they did to you, 831 00:44:28,860 --> 00:44:33,330 but I do want you to have hope that you can let go of that hunger, 832 00:44:33,330 --> 00:44:37,140 that thirst for retribution and trust that God will see to it. 833 00:44:39,090 --> 00:44:42,930 And perhaps even what God might be nudging you towards is you praying 834 00:44:42,930 --> 00:44:47,640 that they would repent from their sins and put their trust in Jesus and that 835 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:50,640 that might be the way the justice is ultimately gonna be done in their life. 836 00:44:54,270 --> 00:44:56,970 Because maybe sometime somebody was praying for you that way, 837 00:44:59,370 --> 00:45:01,410 and that's why you're here and that's why you're saved 838 00:45:03,930 --> 00:45:05,580 and that's why justice has been done in your life. 839 00:45:06,375 --> 00:45:09,585 So these elements will be passed and then I'll come back up 840 00:45:09,585 --> 00:45:10,575 and we'll take them together.