1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:17,560 Now come along. 8 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,440 Let's look into the Bible and see what God has for us here today. 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,280 We're going to be in the Book of Romans. 10 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,240 We're going to continue our study in the Book of Romans. 11 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,070 So if you have your Bible and. 12 00:00:29,070 --> 00:00:30,630 You'D like to follow along, which I. 13 00:00:30,630 --> 00:00:33,510 Encourage you to do, so that's Romans chapter eight. 14 00:00:34,470 --> 00:00:41,110 The title of the sermon this morning is can we continue in Confidence. 15 00:00:41,350 --> 00:00:42,910 It's really a question that I want. 16 00:00:42,910 --> 00:00:43,670 Us to think about. 17 00:00:44,390 --> 00:00:47,350 Can we continue in confidence? 18 00:00:48,470 --> 00:00:51,390 Romans chapter 8 speaks of the confidence. 19 00:00:51,390 --> 00:00:53,670 That we can have in our salvation. 20 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:56,320 It's not talking about having self confidence. 21 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,080 It's about having confidence in the one. 22 00:00:58,080 --> 00:00:59,600 Who gave us that salvation. 23 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,560 Romans chapter 8 speaks of the fact. 24 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:06,360 That Jesus Christ, because of his sacrifice for us, has extended 25 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:07,320 that gift of grace. 26 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:09,120 And in that gift of grace, we. 27 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,160 Now walk with no more condemnation, no. 28 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,560 More judgment, no more fear, no more defeat. 29 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:18,320 We walk in victory. 30 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,770 So, as a believer, as a Christian, by the way, when I say 31 00:01:22,770 --> 00:01:24,210 that word, Christian, what am I talking about? 32 00:01:24,210 --> 00:01:28,170 I'm talking about someone who has placed his or her faith in the 33 00:01:28,170 --> 00:01:32,890 person and work of Jesus Christ for their salvation, in him 34 00:01:32,890 --> 00:01:34,010 and him alone. 35 00:01:34,330 --> 00:01:36,170 I'm not talking about a cultural Christian. 36 00:01:36,490 --> 00:01:37,970 I'm not talking about someone who tries. 37 00:01:37,970 --> 00:01:38,810 To be a good person. 38 00:01:39,130 --> 00:01:41,930 I'm not talking about someone who isn't one of the other faiths 39 00:01:41,930 --> 00:01:42,370 that's out there. 40 00:01:42,370 --> 00:01:44,250 I'm talking about someone who has placed. 41 00:01:44,250 --> 00:01:47,530 Their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross 42 00:01:47,610 --> 00:01:47,770 and. 43 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,400 And his conquering of death through the resurrection. 44 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,400 So when we say that, when we say that there's someone who is a 45 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,760 believer or a Christian, they can now have confidence that there's 46 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:57,760 no more condemnation. 47 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,480 That person can have confidence in knowing that God is 48 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,680 with us and that he equips us to do the work that he has called 49 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:05,440 us to do. 50 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,040 But there's times in our life where we're tempted to doubt. 51 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,080 There's times in our life where we do lack confidence. 52 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:13,300 And. 53 00:02:13,370 --> 00:02:16,410 And most of the time, as a believer, when we find ourselves 54 00:02:16,410 --> 00:02:20,610 in those places, it's because we're putting our confidence in the 55 00:02:20,610 --> 00:02:21,210 wrong thing. 56 00:02:22,010 --> 00:02:24,490 We're placing our confidence in the wrong object. 57 00:02:25,130 --> 00:02:29,090 But most of the time, when we fail or when we struggle, or when 58 00:02:29,090 --> 00:02:29,569 we doubt. 59 00:02:29,569 --> 00:02:31,450 We're putting the confidence in ourselves. 60 00:02:32,490 --> 00:02:36,290 And when we put the confidence in ourselves, we tend to start to 61 00:02:36,290 --> 00:02:39,170 see, even though we don't want to admit it always, we start to see 62 00:02:39,170 --> 00:02:39,850 our failures. 63 00:02:40,530 --> 00:02:41,810 We see our shortcomings. 64 00:02:42,290 --> 00:02:44,010 We see how little we actually know. 65 00:02:44,010 --> 00:02:45,850 And we begin to doubt, thinking, I. 66 00:02:45,850 --> 00:02:46,690 Can never do this. 67 00:02:47,090 --> 00:02:48,610 I could never overcome this. 68 00:02:49,010 --> 00:02:51,810 I'm doubting, and maybe God doesn't love me, and maybe I'm not 69 00:02:51,810 --> 00:02:52,690 worthy of his love. 70 00:02:52,770 --> 00:02:55,610 But what we have to do is we have to go back and place our confidence 71 00:02:55,610 --> 00:02:56,850 in the right object. 72 00:02:57,730 --> 00:02:59,330 The right object of faith. 73 00:02:59,730 --> 00:03:01,490 You guys have seen the analogy before. 74 00:03:01,970 --> 00:03:06,610 Of faith being put to practice is like someone sitting in a chair. 75 00:03:07,770 --> 00:03:09,250 And so, for example, today I say. 76 00:03:09,250 --> 00:03:12,170 Okay, someone in the church maybe is a really good carpenter 77 00:03:12,170 --> 00:03:15,050 or a builder, and they built this really, really strong chair 78 00:03:15,050 --> 00:03:15,530 up here. 79 00:03:15,850 --> 00:03:18,410 And then I built a chair, and some of you are like, well, what's 80 00:03:18,410 --> 00:03:18,850 wrong with that? 81 00:03:18,850 --> 00:03:21,330 If I built a chair, most of you probably wouldn't want to sit 82 00:03:21,330 --> 00:03:22,650 in it because it would probably fall. 83 00:03:23,290 --> 00:03:26,010 And so I set these two chairs up here, and I said, okay, we've 84 00:03:26,010 --> 00:03:26,490 got this chair. 85 00:03:26,490 --> 00:03:27,770 It almost looks like a throne. 86 00:03:28,410 --> 00:03:30,810 It's hardy, it's strong, and so. 87 00:03:30,810 --> 00:03:31,490 And so made it. 88 00:03:31,490 --> 00:03:32,890 And they're a carpenter, and. 89 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,840 And then you look at my chair, and it's flimsy and it's wobbly, 90 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:36,240 and. 91 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:37,240 You look at that, and you're like. 92 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,800 Okay, I could put my faith in that chair. 93 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:41,280 I could put my faith in that chair. 94 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:42,880 I'm gonna put my faith in the. 95 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,640 Chair that looks like it can hold me up. 96 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:46,240 That I know can hold me up. 97 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,680 But the problem is, sometimes is that instead of putting our faith 98 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,840 in the object, Jesus, who can hold us up, who promises to hold 99 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,160 us up and has always kept his word, we put our confidence in something, 100 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,210 either ourselves or something else, that might look appeasing at 101 00:04:02,210 --> 00:04:04,650 first or appealing at first, but eventually. 102 00:04:04,650 --> 00:04:09,090 Will fail, it will fall, it will crumble, and we will find ourselves 103 00:04:09,090 --> 00:04:12,970 broken and hopeless because our confidence is in the wrong thing. 104 00:04:12,970 --> 00:04:15,450 I'm going to talk to you about that word confidence here this morning. 105 00:04:15,530 --> 00:04:19,610 If you know anything about the word confidence, it will help you 106 00:04:19,690 --> 00:04:22,290 understand what we're talking about when it talks about walking 107 00:04:22,290 --> 00:04:22,730 in faith. 108 00:04:22,730 --> 00:04:26,020 Because sometimes when we hear the confidence, we think of, well, 109 00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:27,300 confidence means I just. 110 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:28,260 I know what I'm doing. 111 00:04:29,220 --> 00:04:32,860 Well, if you look into the etymology of a word, it gives us 112 00:04:32,860 --> 00:04:33,780 a lot of what that means. 113 00:04:33,780 --> 00:04:34,980 What's the etymology of the word? 114 00:04:34,980 --> 00:04:36,980 It's a study of how that word Got there. 115 00:04:37,140 --> 00:04:39,100 And the word confidence itself is a. 116 00:04:39,100 --> 00:04:39,660 Is a really. 117 00:04:39,660 --> 00:04:41,180 It's a Latin word, and it's made. 118 00:04:41,180 --> 00:04:42,180 Up of two words. 119 00:04:42,340 --> 00:04:43,380 Con, fide. 120 00:04:43,700 --> 00:04:45,820 We get our word confidence from confide. 121 00:04:45,820 --> 00:04:50,500 Con means with, or having fide means trust or faith. 122 00:04:51,310 --> 00:04:53,670 So really, confidence means having faith. 123 00:04:53,670 --> 00:04:55,390 I'm with faith in something. 124 00:04:55,550 --> 00:04:59,550 So when I say I put my confidence in something, it's saying 125 00:04:59,550 --> 00:04:59,950 I put. 126 00:04:59,950 --> 00:05:01,070 My faith in something. 127 00:05:01,550 --> 00:05:04,910 I'm with faith, and it's placed in this object. 128 00:05:05,230 --> 00:05:07,230 And so we get to Romans, chapter 8. 129 00:05:08,270 --> 00:05:10,910 Two weeks ago, we talked about having. 130 00:05:10,990 --> 00:05:14,190 The hope of glory, having the hope of eternity. 131 00:05:14,670 --> 00:05:17,790 And the reality is, is that sometimes within the Christian life, 132 00:05:18,510 --> 00:05:19,470 we will suffer. 133 00:05:20,750 --> 00:05:24,190 Sometimes in the Christian life, we will have times in which 134 00:05:24,190 --> 00:05:27,270 we don't feel good about what's happening to us, whether it's 135 00:05:27,270 --> 00:05:30,390 our circumstance or our physical state, or maybe even if 136 00:05:30,390 --> 00:05:31,710 we just look out into the world. 137 00:05:31,710 --> 00:05:36,030 Because folks, suffering usually comes through me looking 138 00:05:36,030 --> 00:05:41,110 inwardly and seeing my problems, or I look out and see the 139 00:05:41,110 --> 00:05:44,310 problems of this world, and I can't reconcile. 140 00:05:44,310 --> 00:05:46,150 What'S going on with the truths of God. 141 00:05:46,150 --> 00:05:50,260 So he says here in verse 18, that we will face suffering. 142 00:05:50,260 --> 00:05:53,540 He says, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, 143 00:05:53,940 --> 00:05:54,260 so. 144 00:05:54,260 --> 00:05:57,060 So he's recognizing, by the way, who's the human author. 145 00:05:57,060 --> 00:05:58,260 It's Paul, right? 146 00:05:58,260 --> 00:06:01,060 And we know that Paul can identify with suffering. 147 00:06:01,460 --> 00:06:04,620 Ultimately, we know in the greatest extent, Jesus understands 148 00:06:04,620 --> 00:06:07,140 our suffering because of the suffering that he went through. 149 00:06:08,260 --> 00:06:12,060 And it says right up in verse 17 that the reason why we will face 150 00:06:12,060 --> 00:06:14,540 suffering is because we will face the same types of things that 151 00:06:14,540 --> 00:06:14,900 Jesus. 152 00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:17,700 Faced, not to the extent that Jesus faced it. 153 00:06:17,700 --> 00:06:21,300 But he says in verse 17 that we are joint heirs with Christ, meaning 154 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:25,020 if we identify with his glory, we also have to identify with his 155 00:06:25,020 --> 00:06:25,420 trouble. 156 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:28,540 And so verse 18 is this. 157 00:06:28,780 --> 00:06:32,340 Yes, we have to identify with Jesus struggles, but the struggles 158 00:06:32,340 --> 00:06:32,860 are worth it. 159 00:06:32,860 --> 00:06:33,140 Why? 160 00:06:33,140 --> 00:06:36,620 Because he says the struggles or the sufferings of this present 161 00:06:36,700 --> 00:06:39,980 time, this short amount of time that we have on this earth, 162 00:06:40,140 --> 00:06:45,970 are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed 163 00:06:45,970 --> 00:06:46,850 in us one day. 164 00:06:46,850 --> 00:06:51,170 Meaning this basically in layman's terms today, that the sufferings 165 00:06:51,170 --> 00:06:55,330 that we go through now are gonna seem like nothing when we are 166 00:06:55,330 --> 00:06:57,090 in glory with our Heavenly Father. 167 00:06:57,490 --> 00:07:00,530 When we're walking with no more pain and no more suffering, 168 00:07:00,610 --> 00:07:01,170 we get to. 169 00:07:01,170 --> 00:07:02,690 See our Savior face to face. 170 00:07:03,410 --> 00:07:08,010 I had the opportunity to officiate a funeral this past week 171 00:07:08,010 --> 00:07:10,860 of our dear sister, Charlene Hawkins, who went home to be with 172 00:07:10,860 --> 00:07:11,300 the Lord. 173 00:07:11,860 --> 00:07:15,020 And one of the things that I can say with confidence is that she. 174 00:07:15,020 --> 00:07:17,260 Now understands God's grace way more than. 175 00:07:17,260 --> 00:07:19,220 Any of us here on this side of heaven can understand. 176 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:19,700 Why? 177 00:07:19,780 --> 00:07:20,900 Because she's with our Savior. 178 00:07:20,900 --> 00:07:23,700 The Bible says, absent with the body is present with the Lord. 179 00:07:24,340 --> 00:07:25,460 And so what does he say here? 180 00:07:25,460 --> 00:07:26,100 He says this. 181 00:07:26,180 --> 00:07:27,740 Yes, you are going to suffer. 182 00:07:27,740 --> 00:07:29,220 Yes, there's going to be problems. 183 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:33,100 But in the bigger picture, there's glory in knowing where we 184 00:07:33,100 --> 00:07:35,710 are going and what God has given us in the here and now, you. 185 00:07:35,860 --> 00:07:37,260 And so that's what he's building off. 186 00:07:37,260 --> 00:07:38,340 Of here in verse 19. 187 00:07:38,580 --> 00:07:41,220 Our main text is going to be here in verse 19. 188 00:07:42,260 --> 00:07:47,780 And he speaks to this idea that in the process of waiting, because 189 00:07:47,780 --> 00:07:49,540 all of us are waiting for that coming. 190 00:07:49,540 --> 00:07:51,860 Day where we will be reunited with our Savior. 191 00:07:52,420 --> 00:07:56,860 In the process of waiting, there's a proper way to wait and 192 00:07:56,860 --> 00:07:57,380 there's an. 193 00:07:57,380 --> 00:07:58,740 Improper way to wait. 194 00:07:59,060 --> 00:08:03,480 And here in this passage, he's explaining how we are to long to 195 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,480 be reunited with our Savior one day. 196 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,960 And so he says here in verse 19, actually something very interesting, 197 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,920 because instead of starting with the Christian and saying how 198 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,200 we as a Christian should anticipate being with our Savior, 199 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,000 he actually talks first about the creation of God. 200 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,760 And he's not just talking about human creation, but he's talking 201 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,080 about all creation. 202 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:29,280 And he says in verse 19, for the earnest expectation of the creature, 203 00:08:29,370 --> 00:08:33,040 that that word creature there just means creation waiteth for the 204 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,960 manifestation of the sons of God. 205 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:35,960 So what does this mean? 206 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:36,600 It means this. 207 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:42,040 We as Christians are waiting for this reunion with God, our glorification. 208 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,080 By the way, we talked about what glorification was. 209 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,240 When we're saved, we're justified, which means we're declared 210 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:47,760 righteous. 211 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,960 But at the moment of our declaration of righteousness and 212 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:52,800 salvation, we are sanctified. 213 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,880 Positionally, the word sanctified means to be set aside 214 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:57,920 for a specific use. 215 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,600 I know I'm using some big terms here, but I'm going to try 216 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:01,920 to explain it the best way that I can. 217 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:03,800 So at the moment of salvation, when. 218 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:05,760 We trust in Jesus as our Savior. 219 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,280 We are taken from a place of. 220 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,640 Sin and brokenness and destruction and ultimately judgment. 221 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,560 And we are placed in the position of being in the family of 222 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:14,880 God. 223 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,320 The Bible puts it in Romans 8. 224 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,720 As being adopted into the family of God. 225 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,120 Remember, we can cry out, abba, Father. 226 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,330 We have that personal relationship with him. 227 00:09:23,650 --> 00:09:26,090 But that's not where salvation stops. 228 00:09:26,090 --> 00:09:27,490 It's actually where it starts. 229 00:09:27,810 --> 00:09:30,570 Because now we're on this path of spiritual growth. 230 00:09:30,570 --> 00:09:33,010 And that's what we call progressive sanctification. 231 00:09:33,330 --> 00:09:34,890 Every day that we Live our lives. 232 00:09:34,890 --> 00:09:36,770 We're supposed to be more and more like him. 233 00:09:36,770 --> 00:09:38,490 We're supposed to grow closer to him. 234 00:09:38,490 --> 00:09:41,570 And love him and grow in our appreciation for him. 235 00:09:41,650 --> 00:09:43,890 Because the reality is, is that most of the time. 236 00:09:44,770 --> 00:09:48,170 Well, actually, I'm not gonna project this thinking on anyone here. 237 00:09:48,170 --> 00:09:50,370 I'll project it on me or I'll place it on me. 238 00:09:50,910 --> 00:09:51,950 When I was a little boy and. 239 00:09:51,950 --> 00:09:55,550 I got saved and I was a young man and I was walking as a Christian, 240 00:09:55,550 --> 00:09:57,070 I was like, I don't. 241 00:09:57,150 --> 00:09:58,270 Some of you don't judge me. 242 00:09:58,270 --> 00:09:59,150 I was like, I don't want to. 243 00:09:59,150 --> 00:09:59,870 Go to heaven yet. 244 00:10:00,270 --> 00:10:02,430 I want to experience the things of this earth. 245 00:10:02,910 --> 00:10:04,110 I want to drive a car. 246 00:10:04,670 --> 00:10:05,870 I want to get married. 247 00:10:06,430 --> 00:10:07,390 I want to have children. 248 00:10:07,470 --> 00:10:08,630 I want to graduate. 249 00:10:08,630 --> 00:10:11,150 I had all these things in my mind that I wanted to accomplish 250 00:10:11,390 --> 00:10:12,830 before I went to heaven. 251 00:10:13,390 --> 00:10:15,870 Now, that seems silly to someone who's. 252 00:10:15,870 --> 00:10:18,400 Lived their life because they're like, well, you know, I understand. 253 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:19,240 Those are all good things. 254 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,120 But being with our heavenly Father trumps all of that, right? 255 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:23,160 It's above all of that. 256 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,080 And so the idea for me is this. 257 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:30,200 It's the spiritual maturity process that makes us love God more 258 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:31,320 and say, you know what? 259 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:32,760 This is not what I want. 260 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:33,960 I want to be with him. 261 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:35,360 But that's a progressive thing. 262 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:36,680 That's not gonna happen right away. 263 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,080 And that's our spiritual maturity. 264 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,240 So there's that progressive sanctification that happens. 265 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:46,730 But then we see ultimately one day, whenever that might be, that 266 00:10:46,730 --> 00:10:50,930 we will be completely or perpetually sanctified or glorified, 267 00:10:50,930 --> 00:10:54,570 meaning we will be with our Savior and we will no longer be bound 268 00:10:54,570 --> 00:10:59,570 by this mortal flesh that can be hurt and can lead us to sin. 269 00:10:59,650 --> 00:11:03,850 But we will be glorified in new bodies that will ultimately be 270 00:11:03,850 --> 00:11:05,970 honoring, glorifying God in every single way. 271 00:11:05,970 --> 00:11:08,330 And so when we're talking about glorification, that's what 272 00:11:08,330 --> 00:11:09,010 we're talking about. 273 00:11:09,090 --> 00:11:13,440 And what we can see here, going back to verse 19, it says that 274 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,680 not only Christians are longing for this, but all of God's 275 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:20,800 creation is longing for the manifestation of the sons of God. 276 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,680 Meaning this all creation is waiting for. 277 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:26,480 This type of glorification that God has promised. 278 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,880 Christina sang this in the song this morning about the rocks 279 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:30,560 crying out. 280 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:33,760 And we even know in the Gospels that it says that Jesus, 281 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,840 when he's talking, he says, if these people don't praise me, the 282 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:36,600 rocks will cry out. 283 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,620 Meaning this all of creation is in subjection to God. 284 00:11:41,260 --> 00:11:42,620 And so the reality here is this. 285 00:11:42,620 --> 00:11:43,140 He says, this. 286 00:11:43,140 --> 00:11:43,900 This is amazing. 287 00:11:44,220 --> 00:11:47,340 Paul considers the Creation that God created. 288 00:11:47,340 --> 00:11:52,620 And he says that the creation is eagerly waiting for the revealing 289 00:11:52,620 --> 00:11:52,900 of the. 290 00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:55,180 Sons of God, the completion of this plan. 291 00:11:55,980 --> 00:11:57,420 That's an amazing thing to think about. 292 00:11:57,660 --> 00:12:01,540 If you go back to Romans chapter one, you remember that Paul 293 00:12:01,540 --> 00:12:04,790 says, actually the problem with mankind in our flesh is, is 294 00:12:04,790 --> 00:12:09,470 that we, the creation, begin to worship the creation instead of 295 00:12:09,470 --> 00:12:10,310 the Creator. 296 00:12:10,950 --> 00:12:14,870 So how silly would it be for us as the creation to worship other. 297 00:12:14,870 --> 00:12:17,750 Aspects of his creation instead of worshiping the Creator? 298 00:12:18,150 --> 00:12:19,350 But that's what we do sometimes. 299 00:12:19,350 --> 00:12:22,550 Sometimes we put our confidence in the creation. 300 00:12:23,110 --> 00:12:26,150 Sometimes we love the gift more than the gift giver. 301 00:12:26,630 --> 00:12:29,150 And so sometimes when we think about this, when it comes from the 302 00:12:29,150 --> 00:12:32,030 bigger picture, we think about, well, yeah, I love this, or 303 00:12:32,030 --> 00:12:32,590 I love that. 304 00:12:32,590 --> 00:12:34,550 There's nothing wrong with loving something in this world. 305 00:12:34,550 --> 00:12:34,810 But. 306 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:36,800 But when we put our true and. 307 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,920 Complete confidence in those things, we're missing the point, 308 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,920 because he says even those things that you're putting your confidence 309 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:47,520 in, that creation is longing for redemption. 310 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,280 He goes further here and he says in verse 20, for the creature 311 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:56,480 or the creation was made subject to vanity or emptiness, futility. 312 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,360 Not willingly meaning they didn't choose this, but by reason 313 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:05,120 of him, God, who have subjected the same in hope. 314 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,200 And so the idea would be here that Paul is explaining is that creation 315 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:14,040 by God's decree was subjugated to futility. 316 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,480 Or emptiness because of sin. 317 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,480 And so basically, creation feels the effects of sin. 318 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,480 Before sin, there was no need to go tend the garden with the weeds 319 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:26,560 and the thorns. 320 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:28,520 I don't know if you guys have ever been stuck by some thorns. 321 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,040 There's some big thorns and thistles around here, okay? 322 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:32,660 I have marks to prove it. 323 00:13:33,220 --> 00:13:34,260 That wasn't here before. 324 00:13:34,340 --> 00:13:37,820 So creation itself has been marred by sin and therefore will 325 00:13:37,820 --> 00:13:39,620 benefit from redemption. 326 00:13:40,340 --> 00:13:42,260 And there's not enough time to go there. 327 00:13:42,260 --> 00:13:44,460 But Isaiah, chapter 11, verses 6 through. 328 00:13:44,460 --> 00:13:47,100 9, talk about how creation itself will. 329 00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:50,260 Be changed through the redemption of God. 330 00:13:50,580 --> 00:13:52,420 And it is God who subjugated them. 331 00:13:52,420 --> 00:13:56,420 But it says here very clearly that he subjugated them in hope. 332 00:13:58,110 --> 00:14:00,070 So it is God who put his. 333 00:14:00,070 --> 00:14:02,030 Creation with this hope of his coming. 334 00:14:02,030 --> 00:14:03,510 Not man, not. 335 00:14:03,510 --> 00:14:04,510 Not the enemy. 336 00:14:05,150 --> 00:14:07,750 And so that's the idea that he's trying to portray here, is that 337 00:14:07,750 --> 00:14:10,750 even creation itself is longing for this. 338 00:14:10,750 --> 00:14:14,710 And so verse 21, because the creature itself also shall be delivered 339 00:14:14,710 --> 00:14:16,830 from the bondage of corruption. 340 00:14:17,870 --> 00:14:21,710 We are all in this world outside of Christ in the bondage 341 00:14:21,710 --> 00:14:22,750 of corruption. 342 00:14:23,260 --> 00:14:25,660 But ultimately God's salvation will be this. 343 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:26,380 What does it say? 344 00:14:26,460 --> 00:14:30,860 It says here in verse 21 that there will be a day into the. 345 00:14:30,860 --> 00:14:33,260 Glorious liberty of the children of God. 346 00:14:33,900 --> 00:14:37,020 Now, currently we get to have the down payment, which we're going 347 00:14:37,020 --> 00:14:38,020 to talk about here in a little bit. 348 00:14:38,020 --> 00:14:41,420 We get to have taste of liberty and be completely free in 349 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:42,140 salvation. 350 00:14:42,220 --> 00:14:45,820 But if we're honest with ourselves, we still feel the effects 351 00:14:45,820 --> 00:14:46,860 of the corruption. 352 00:14:46,860 --> 00:14:48,460 Of this bondage of sin. 353 00:14:48,780 --> 00:14:48,940 Why? 354 00:14:48,940 --> 00:14:51,300 Because the old man, the flesh, it's. 355 00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:52,980 Still there and we still have to wrestle with it. 356 00:14:52,980 --> 00:14:54,180 Paul talked about that. 357 00:14:54,180 --> 00:14:56,260 He says, the things that I want to do, I don't do, and the things 358 00:14:56,260 --> 00:14:57,820 that I don't want to do, that's what I do. 359 00:14:57,820 --> 00:14:59,420 We're still dealing with that to a. 360 00:14:59,420 --> 00:15:00,620 Degree here even now. 361 00:15:01,660 --> 00:15:04,540 But one day we see that the glorious liberty of the children 362 00:15:04,540 --> 00:15:07,700 of God will have benefits not only for the individual child of 363 00:15:07,700 --> 00:15:08,780 God, but for all. 364 00:15:08,780 --> 00:15:11,020 Creation that is waiting in hope. 365 00:15:11,740 --> 00:15:14,180 And so this redemption will benefit not. 366 00:15:14,180 --> 00:15:15,520 Only the children of God, but. 367 00:15:15,670 --> 00:15:18,870 But also all of creation that God has laid out. 368 00:15:19,990 --> 00:15:21,430 And what does it say happens? 369 00:15:21,430 --> 00:15:22,310 Verse 22. 370 00:15:22,470 --> 00:15:26,790 For we know this is speaking of like a surety, a truth. 371 00:15:26,870 --> 00:15:28,870 For we know that the whole creation. 372 00:15:29,270 --> 00:15:34,070 Mankind, yes, but all of creation groaneth and travaileth 373 00:15:34,070 --> 00:15:35,910 in pain together until now. 374 00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:36,550 Meaning this. 375 00:15:36,550 --> 00:15:38,350 There are these birth pangs that are. 376 00:15:38,350 --> 00:15:39,270 Happening in the world. 377 00:15:39,590 --> 00:15:41,350 We see this in other passages of scripture. 378 00:15:41,350 --> 00:15:44,980 Basically, the earth is longing and throbbing for. 379 00:15:45,130 --> 00:15:46,410 For God's redemption. 380 00:15:46,810 --> 00:15:49,490 So these aren't birth, these aren't death throws. 381 00:15:49,490 --> 00:15:52,170 These are birth pangs, meaning there's gonna be a new creation, 382 00:15:52,170 --> 00:15:54,450 there's gonna be a new world, there's gonna be new hope. 383 00:15:54,450 --> 00:15:57,250 And that's all what's wrapped up there in those verses. 384 00:15:57,250 --> 00:16:02,130 But then he changes the focus from the creation to the specific 385 00:16:02,130 --> 00:16:03,450 creation of mankind. 386 00:16:03,530 --> 00:16:05,770 Those who have believed in Jesus. 387 00:16:05,770 --> 00:16:07,610 In verse 23, he says, and not. 388 00:16:07,610 --> 00:16:11,530 Only they, not only creation, not only the animals and the trees 389 00:16:11,850 --> 00:16:13,270 and the rocks, and. 390 00:16:13,340 --> 00:16:16,300 But then he says, and not only they, but ourselves also. 391 00:16:16,300 --> 00:16:18,940 He shifts the attention to the believer. 392 00:16:19,980 --> 00:16:23,180 And then he says, what do we have in this period of waiting? 393 00:16:25,180 --> 00:16:30,060 What do we have in our pockets, so to speak, as a tool or 394 00:16:30,060 --> 00:16:32,860 an equipping that God has given us in this time? 395 00:16:33,020 --> 00:16:34,620 Cause he's not left us alone. 396 00:16:35,660 --> 00:16:37,020 Because, yes, we are saved. 397 00:16:37,180 --> 00:16:38,620 Let's say you get saved when you're. 398 00:16:38,620 --> 00:16:41,060 20 years old or whatever it is. 399 00:16:41,060 --> 00:16:43,180 And that would be nice if once. 400 00:16:43,180 --> 00:16:45,300 We got saved, he just ushered us up into heaven. 401 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:46,420 But that's not how it works. 402 00:16:46,580 --> 00:16:48,340 He leaves us here for a purpose. 403 00:16:48,900 --> 00:16:51,620 And so there is a period of time in which we're Waiting. 404 00:16:52,020 --> 00:16:53,620 And he says, what has he given us? 405 00:16:53,620 --> 00:16:54,900 Well, he's given us salvation. 406 00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:57,140 But he says tangibly, what do we have? 407 00:16:57,220 --> 00:17:01,020 Well, he says in verse 23, which. 408 00:17:01,020 --> 00:17:04,100 We have the first fruits of the Spirit. 409 00:17:04,740 --> 00:17:06,740 Now, I want us to pause here, and I want us to think about what 410 00:17:06,740 --> 00:17:06,940 that means. 411 00:17:06,940 --> 00:17:07,860 What's a first fruit? 412 00:17:08,110 --> 00:17:10,590 Well, it's essentially something that we have not completely 413 00:17:10,590 --> 00:17:12,430 yet, but on the first level of things. 414 00:17:12,430 --> 00:17:16,630 The blessings that we have now ultimately foreshadowing the complete 415 00:17:16,630 --> 00:17:18,590 blessing that we will have one day in heaven. 416 00:17:19,070 --> 00:17:21,150 So he says, what do you have now? 417 00:17:21,550 --> 00:17:23,470 As, let's say, a down payment? 418 00:17:24,270 --> 00:17:25,790 The Holy Spirit's indwelling. 419 00:17:26,670 --> 00:17:26,990 So. 420 00:17:26,990 --> 00:17:30,030 So right now I'm not in heaven, even though sometimes I walk 421 00:17:30,030 --> 00:17:30,510 onto the. 422 00:17:30,510 --> 00:17:33,510 Church property and see the beautiful landscape and I'm like, 423 00:17:33,510 --> 00:17:34,110 this is like. 424 00:17:34,390 --> 00:17:35,230 Like almost heaven, right? 425 00:17:35,230 --> 00:17:35,790 This is beautiful. 426 00:17:35,790 --> 00:17:36,870 It's a little taste of it. 427 00:17:36,870 --> 00:17:39,350 Sometimes when I'm in a Bible study or even in church and we're 428 00:17:39,350 --> 00:17:39,470 all. 429 00:17:39,470 --> 00:17:43,710 Singing songs glorifying God, and I see us walking in unity and 430 00:17:43,710 --> 00:17:44,790 there's tears in our eyes. 431 00:17:44,950 --> 00:17:46,630 That's, I think, a little taste of. 432 00:17:46,630 --> 00:17:48,230 What heaven's going to be like for eternity. 433 00:17:48,230 --> 00:17:53,150 But he says, the way that we can know that we have a further hope 434 00:17:53,150 --> 00:17:56,710 in God is what God has given us now in the indwelling of the Spirit. 435 00:17:56,710 --> 00:17:58,070 So he says, you have the first. 436 00:17:58,070 --> 00:17:59,270 Fruits of the Spirit. 437 00:17:59,430 --> 00:18:01,480 This means that we have a taste of. 438 00:18:01,630 --> 00:18:03,550 Of the glory that is to come. 439 00:18:05,390 --> 00:18:08,950 And he says, once you understand the beauty of these first 440 00:18:08,950 --> 00:18:12,190 fruits and you rest in the beauty of the Spirit guiding your 441 00:18:12,190 --> 00:18:17,870 life and convicting you and comforting you and guiding you and 442 00:18:17,870 --> 00:18:21,590 teaching you when you're there, that's when we can grow in 443 00:18:21,590 --> 00:18:23,870 our appreciation for what is to come. 444 00:18:25,150 --> 00:18:30,120 So when a Christian is walking in obedience to the Spirit, receiving 445 00:18:30,360 --> 00:18:34,040 the work of the Spirit in his or her life, that is going to bring 446 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,480 us that spiritual maturity that gives us that hope of, I want 447 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:38,480 to be with my Savior. 448 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:39,880 I can't wait to be with Him. 449 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:41,960 But in the meantime, I'm going to be busy for Him. 450 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,200 The problem is, is that many of us, again, we're trusting in that 451 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,600 chair that's so rickety that might fall on us. 452 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:49,000 We're trusting in something else. 453 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,600 And we're not walking in the Spirit. 454 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:55,370 And therefore the appetite for the coming glory is not as clear 455 00:18:55,370 --> 00:18:58,490 for us because we're not walking in fellowship with the Holy 456 00:18:58,490 --> 00:18:58,850 Spirit. 457 00:18:59,650 --> 00:19:01,570 We're not tasting of the first fruits. 458 00:19:01,810 --> 00:19:03,890 We're not taking the down payment. 459 00:19:03,890 --> 00:19:05,330 By the way, let's go back to Ephesians. 460 00:19:05,330 --> 00:19:07,810 This is where we had our scripture reading this morning. 461 00:19:07,970 --> 00:19:08,490 This morning. 462 00:19:08,490 --> 00:19:12,850 Because it speaks of the very same principle, that we as Christians 463 00:19:13,090 --> 00:19:16,250 are taking these first fruits and we're supposed to. 464 00:19:16,250 --> 00:19:17,410 Do something with them. 465 00:19:17,730 --> 00:19:21,010 We're supposed to live a certain way, we're supposed to respond 466 00:19:21,010 --> 00:19:24,240 certain ways with this down payment of the Spirit that we have 467 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:24,640 in us. 468 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:28,880 And so the Bible says that at the moment of salvation, in our justification 469 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:32,280 in that positional sanctification, we have the Spirit 470 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:33,000 indwelling us. 471 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:34,320 It's not a secondary thing. 472 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:36,040 There are some people that teach like. 473 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:37,760 Okay, you get saved and then you. 474 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:39,800 Get really spiritual and then the Holy Spirit comes. 475 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,800 No, the Bible says that we cannot. 476 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:42,560 Be a child of God. 477 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:43,440 This is Romans 8. 478 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:44,800 You cannot be a child of God. 479 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:46,240 Without the Spirit indwelling you. 480 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:47,120 Just not. 481 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:47,920 It's not possible. 482 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,130 So what's the problem then? 483 00:19:51,450 --> 00:19:54,330 Shouldn't all Christians just be walking perfectly because we have 484 00:19:54,330 --> 00:19:55,570 the Holy Spirit indwelling us? 485 00:19:55,570 --> 00:20:00,010 Well, many people are not trusting and walking and experiencing 486 00:20:00,170 --> 00:20:01,330 the Holy Spirit's work. 487 00:20:01,330 --> 00:20:04,570 And so in Ephesians, chapter one, remember, he's talking about 488 00:20:04,570 --> 00:20:04,890 Jesus. 489 00:20:04,890 --> 00:20:06,050 That starts all the way back in. 490 00:20:06,050 --> 00:20:07,210 Verse three, he talks about all the. 491 00:20:07,210 --> 00:20:09,050 Things that Jesus did, all the hope. 492 00:20:09,050 --> 00:20:09,930 That we have in Jesus. 493 00:20:09,930 --> 00:20:11,170 And then he goes, in verse 13. 494 00:20:11,170 --> 00:20:15,740 He says, in whom he also trusted. 495 00:20:15,740 --> 00:20:16,580 Now who's he talking about? 496 00:20:16,580 --> 00:20:18,980 Well, verse 12, who first trusted in Christ. 497 00:20:19,540 --> 00:20:22,180 So he says, if you're a believer, you have trusted in Jesus. 498 00:20:22,980 --> 00:20:26,260 And then after that ye heard the word of truth, meaning this, 499 00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:30,220 you trusted in Jesus after you heard the word of truth. 500 00:20:30,220 --> 00:20:31,460 It kind of sounds like you get. 501 00:20:31,460 --> 00:20:32,820 Saved and then you hear the word of truth. 502 00:20:32,820 --> 00:20:33,900 But that's not how it's written. 503 00:20:33,900 --> 00:20:36,740 It says, in whom ye also trusted after ye heard the word of 504 00:20:36,740 --> 00:20:36,980 truth. 505 00:20:36,980 --> 00:20:38,580 So the word of truth comes first. 506 00:20:38,660 --> 00:20:39,700 And by the way, let me just. 507 00:20:39,700 --> 00:20:42,900 Stop here and, and I'm going to harp on one topic. 508 00:20:43,460 --> 00:20:44,700 A lot of times we find our. 509 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:45,940 Confidence in our feelings. 510 00:20:46,900 --> 00:20:50,900 We find our hope in a circumstance or our perception. 511 00:20:50,900 --> 00:20:52,980 I talked about this today in our Bible study. 512 00:20:53,380 --> 00:20:54,980 How many of you have had this experience? 513 00:20:55,380 --> 00:20:56,420 Maybe it's just me. 514 00:20:56,980 --> 00:20:57,940 Don't raise your hand. 515 00:20:58,420 --> 00:21:00,180 But you thought someone was mad at you. 516 00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:04,580 Maybe they texted you and some of you don't text. 517 00:21:04,820 --> 00:21:07,780 And I would encourage you be careful about really serious texts, 518 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,920 because sometimes you can't read spirit or their perception over 519 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:11,360 text. 520 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:12,680 Oh, man, look at that text. 521 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:13,280 They're mad at me. 522 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:14,680 And then you see them in church and. 523 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:15,600 Or not at church. 524 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:16,560 Let's take it out of the church. 525 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:16,840 Setting. 526 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:18,000 You see them at Food lion and. 527 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:19,200 They look at you and they go, huh? 528 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:22,080 You're like, oh man, they're mad at me. 529 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:23,440 Maybe they didn't see me. 530 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,520 Maybe they were frustrated cause they didn't have their favorite 531 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:26,280 produce there. 532 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:27,680 And they were just mad and they didn't see me. 533 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,000 But the reality is that sometimes we can be so caught up 534 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,360 in our perceptions that that person's mad at me, that person hates 535 00:21:33,360 --> 00:21:34,800 me, I know they're against me. 536 00:21:34,970 --> 00:21:36,730 And then reality, when you actually talk to them, they're like, 537 00:21:36,730 --> 00:21:37,890 oh, I didn't even see a food line. 538 00:21:37,890 --> 00:21:38,330 I'm sorry. 539 00:21:38,330 --> 00:21:39,970 You know, I didn't even see you there. 540 00:21:39,970 --> 00:21:41,490 Or I was having a really bad day. 541 00:21:41,490 --> 00:21:42,650 Oh, that text didn't mean that. 542 00:21:42,810 --> 00:21:44,170 And so my perception was. 543 00:21:44,170 --> 00:21:46,970 My reality was that that person is mad. 544 00:21:47,290 --> 00:21:50,170 But the truth of the matter is that they weren't. 545 00:21:50,650 --> 00:21:52,370 That's sometimes how we live our lives. 546 00:21:52,370 --> 00:21:53,850 When it comes to the Christian walk. 547 00:21:53,850 --> 00:21:55,530 Well, my perception is this. 548 00:21:56,250 --> 00:21:57,210 I feel this. 549 00:21:57,850 --> 00:21:59,930 Well, my confidence can't be in that perception. 550 00:21:59,930 --> 00:22:02,570 My confidence has to be in the objective truth. 551 00:22:02,570 --> 00:22:03,610 That never changes. 552 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:05,400 And so what we see here is this. 553 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,760 He says, you can't believe unless you're in the truth. 554 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,440 The truth is what reveals what you are to believe in. 555 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:13,200 So go back. 556 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,080 Truth is the source of our confidence. 557 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:17,880 But then he goes on to say more. 558 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,520 Here he says, in whom he also trusted. 559 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,080 After ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. 560 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,600 He's just emphasizing what saves us, the truth of Jesus and 561 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:32,530 whom also after that, ye believed ye were sealed with that 562 00:22:32,530 --> 00:22:33,890 holy Spirit of promise. 563 00:22:34,850 --> 00:22:37,010 Now there's so much wrapped up here. 564 00:22:37,650 --> 00:22:38,090 Sealed. 565 00:22:38,090 --> 00:22:39,130 What does that mean, sealed? 566 00:22:39,130 --> 00:22:41,930 Well, for many of you, you understand the context, there would 567 00:22:41,930 --> 00:22:43,570 be the seal that would happen. 568 00:22:43,730 --> 00:22:45,370 There would be like this letter or. 569 00:22:45,370 --> 00:22:47,970 A decree, and the king would seal it. 570 00:22:47,970 --> 00:22:50,770 And that would be a confidence like this is going to happen. 571 00:22:51,890 --> 00:22:53,290 The idea would be that they would. 572 00:22:53,290 --> 00:22:55,690 Have a ring, maybe in hot wax, and they would press it in. 573 00:22:55,690 --> 00:22:57,910 And once that's pressed in, that's a promise. 574 00:22:58,150 --> 00:22:59,270 We are sealed. 575 00:22:59,670 --> 00:23:01,070 The Bible says here what. 576 00:23:01,070 --> 00:23:04,230 What gives us our security is not what we feel. 577 00:23:04,310 --> 00:23:05,830 It's not what we do. 578 00:23:06,070 --> 00:23:07,270 It's what does it say there? 579 00:23:07,270 --> 00:23:10,150 We are sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. 580 00:23:10,470 --> 00:23:13,430 We are saved and we are secured. 581 00:23:13,670 --> 00:23:17,710 And we are promised that God will be with us and that he will 582 00:23:17,710 --> 00:23:18,630 be for us. 583 00:23:19,510 --> 00:23:22,270 So when you're tempted to doubt, when you're tempted to go 584 00:23:22,270 --> 00:23:25,670 astray in your confidence or actually lose confidence in God, 585 00:23:26,010 --> 00:23:29,850 go back to the seal of the Holy Spirit. 586 00:23:29,850 --> 00:23:32,730 The promise of the Holy Spirit, verse. 587 00:23:32,730 --> 00:23:34,570 14, which is the earnest. 588 00:23:34,970 --> 00:23:38,570 Now, earnest isn't necessarily a word that we use a lot in our society 589 00:23:38,570 --> 00:23:41,010 today, but it's essentially means the down payment. 590 00:23:41,010 --> 00:23:44,250 So maybe if you went to go buy a house, you put a down payment down. 591 00:23:44,410 --> 00:23:47,570 It wasn't the complete amount, but there was a portion that was 592 00:23:47,570 --> 00:23:47,850 given. 593 00:23:48,010 --> 00:23:51,650 That's exactly what we see here in verse 14 says, which the 594 00:23:51,650 --> 00:23:53,930 earnest of our inheritance, not the Spirit. 595 00:23:53,930 --> 00:23:56,130 Because some people will take this and say, well, God gives us 596 00:23:56,130 --> 00:23:56,370 a little. 597 00:23:56,370 --> 00:23:57,340 Bit of the Spirit, but. 598 00:23:57,410 --> 00:23:58,490 But he doesn't give us all the Spirit. 599 00:23:58,490 --> 00:23:59,490 That's not what this is saying. 600 00:24:00,290 --> 00:24:01,090 Be clear here. 601 00:24:01,250 --> 00:24:05,170 It says, which is the earnest of our inheritance. 602 00:24:05,410 --> 00:24:07,810 That means all the blessings that we will ever experience. 603 00:24:08,130 --> 00:24:11,210 So we get all of the Spirit in the moment of salvation, but the 604 00:24:11,210 --> 00:24:14,010 inheritance that God has promised us, that we saw back in 605 00:24:14,010 --> 00:24:15,850 Romans 8, by the way, you get all the inheritance. 606 00:24:15,850 --> 00:24:18,610 If you're a child of God, you're joint heirs with Christ. 607 00:24:18,930 --> 00:24:21,050 You get all the blessings of spiritual. 608 00:24:21,050 --> 00:24:24,605 Riches from our Heavenly Father, who is infinite in his riches. 609 00:24:24,605 --> 00:24:29,030 And but it says here that the Holy Spirit is a down payment for 610 00:24:29,030 --> 00:24:32,790 all the blessings that we will have until the day of redemption, 611 00:24:32,790 --> 00:24:33,790 until redemption. 612 00:24:33,870 --> 00:24:36,190 Of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory. 613 00:24:36,190 --> 00:24:39,910 Meaning there will be a day when we have everything given to 614 00:24:39,910 --> 00:24:42,510 us and that's the day we're longing for. 615 00:24:42,990 --> 00:24:44,070 We have the here and now. 616 00:24:44,070 --> 00:24:46,470 And we don't wait and twiddle our thumbs and just say, well, you 617 00:24:46,470 --> 00:24:48,950 know what, one day I'm going to be with God, so I'm just going 618 00:24:48,950 --> 00:24:49,190 to. 619 00:24:49,190 --> 00:24:50,350 Wait until I get there. 620 00:24:50,620 --> 00:24:52,620 No, the Bible says to be busy about it now. 621 00:24:52,620 --> 00:24:52,860 Why? 622 00:24:52,860 --> 00:24:55,260 Because we're trying to bring as many people as we can with us. 623 00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:57,820 We're trying to serve the One who saved us. 624 00:24:57,820 --> 00:24:58,380 Go forward. 625 00:24:58,380 --> 00:25:02,300 In Romans Romans chapter 12, it tells us that serving God with 626 00:25:02,300 --> 00:25:05,860 everything, present your body as a living sacrifice, holy. 627 00:25:05,860 --> 00:25:08,140 Acceptable unto the Lord, which is your reasonable service. 628 00:25:08,620 --> 00:25:11,340 Meaning God saves us to serve. 629 00:25:11,660 --> 00:25:13,420 We don't serve to get saved. 630 00:25:13,820 --> 00:25:15,700 He saves us to serve and to. 631 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:16,860 Get busy about his work. 632 00:25:17,540 --> 00:25:19,100 That's what it means to walk in. 633 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:20,020 The hope of the Spirit. 634 00:25:20,020 --> 00:25:21,940 So go back to Romans chapter eight with me. 635 00:25:22,820 --> 00:25:27,140 He's going to talk about the proper way to walk in the Spirit 636 00:25:27,140 --> 00:25:29,300 and have this type of hope or confidence. 637 00:25:30,740 --> 00:25:38,340 So verse 23, he says, all of creation, including Christians, are 638 00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:39,620 longing for that day. 639 00:25:39,700 --> 00:25:41,660 And we as Christians have tasted of. 640 00:25:41,660 --> 00:25:42,900 The first fruits of the Spirit. 641 00:25:43,130 --> 00:25:48,010 And then it says, even we ourselves groan within ourselves 642 00:25:48,570 --> 00:25:50,450 waiting for the adoption. 643 00:25:50,450 --> 00:25:51,810 We just talked about adoption, right? 644 00:25:51,810 --> 00:25:53,930 We're waiting for that complete adoption. 645 00:25:54,330 --> 00:25:56,730 Now, spiritually speaking, we're completely adopted. 646 00:25:56,810 --> 00:25:58,530 But in the physical sense, there will. 647 00:25:58,530 --> 00:26:00,090 Be day when we're reunited. 648 00:26:00,730 --> 00:26:01,090 So. 649 00:26:01,090 --> 00:26:03,370 So he says here, okay, we're waiting. 650 00:26:03,370 --> 00:26:06,450 We're longing for that day to wait to the redemption of our body. 651 00:26:06,450 --> 00:26:09,250 So he clarifies what we're waiting for, the redemption of our 652 00:26:09,250 --> 00:26:09,530 body. 653 00:26:10,850 --> 00:26:12,850 So we're waiting for our adoption. 654 00:26:13,650 --> 00:26:16,890 Even though Romans 8:15 says that we are already, by a sense, 655 00:26:16,890 --> 00:26:20,250 adopted, we have access to God, we have his presence in our 656 00:26:20,250 --> 00:26:20,530 life. 657 00:26:20,530 --> 00:26:23,970 There also is a sense that there will be some type of consummation. 658 00:26:23,970 --> 00:26:28,650 One day, the marriage, supper of the Lamb, the bridegroom and the 659 00:26:28,650 --> 00:26:30,690 bride will be reunited. 660 00:26:31,010 --> 00:26:33,530 And that's a whole other study for another day. 661 00:26:33,530 --> 00:26:34,930 But there's a picture of. 662 00:26:35,250 --> 00:26:38,090 In the Old Testament, marriage would, or, excuse me, even in the 663 00:26:38,090 --> 00:26:40,040 New Testament would be that the. 664 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,600 The groom would set up the marriage. 665 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,160 There would be a betrothal period, and. 666 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,040 The groom would go away and prepare a place. 667 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,600 And then eventually the wife, the bride, wouldn't know when this 668 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:49,960 would happen. 669 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,760 And there would be a groom who would come back. 670 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,520 And then there would be the consummation of the marriage. 671 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,480 And that's exactly the picture of what Jesus Christ has done for 672 00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:57,600 us. 673 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,080 I go to prepare a place for you. 674 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:00,440 Behold, I'll come again. 675 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:01,320 That's John 14. 676 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:07,210 So we are the bride of Christ waiting for that consummation of. 677 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:09,280 Of Jesus Christ coming back. 678 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:15,400 So First Corinthians 15 talks all about that, about the body, the 679 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,880 corruptible taking on incorruption and the mortal body 680 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:19,200 taking on immortality. 681 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,480 And he says that we are longing for that. 682 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,240 I love how he puts it there, that we groan within ourselves. 683 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,360 That's the idea of longing for this day to come. 684 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,480 So I'm going to tell you this, Christians, the church will not be 685 00:27:33,050 --> 00:27:35,410 what God wants us to be unless we. 686 00:27:35,410 --> 00:27:36,650 Are longing for that day. 687 00:27:38,250 --> 00:27:40,570 Some people say, well, you're living so much for heaven now that 688 00:27:40,570 --> 00:27:42,850 you're not living for earth, folks, if you're living for heaven, 689 00:27:42,850 --> 00:27:45,050 you're gonna be living for Christ here on this earth. 690 00:27:45,370 --> 00:27:47,250 We have so many Christians who have just retired. 691 00:27:47,250 --> 00:27:50,570 And I'm not talking about physically retiring from their job. 692 00:27:50,650 --> 00:27:51,770 I'm all for retirement. 693 00:27:51,770 --> 00:27:53,530 Lord willing, one day I can get there too. 694 00:27:54,170 --> 00:27:56,810 But I'm talking about retiring from my Christian job. 695 00:27:57,290 --> 00:27:59,730 Whereas the Bible says, walk worthy of the vocation in which we 696 00:27:59,730 --> 00:28:00,170 are called. 697 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:05,040 The Bible says that many people will eventually lose sight 698 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:05,760 of this and then. 699 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,480 Eventually just become helpless Christians who are. 700 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,840 Not helping other people, not even being able to trust in the Lord 701 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:12,280 themselves. 702 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:14,840 To some degree on the day to day kind of things. 703 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:19,400 And so we see here he says, waiting for the adoption, the redemption 704 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:19,480 of. 705 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,280 The body, for we are saved by hope. 706 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,760 You say, well I thought we were saved by faith. 707 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:28,290 Well, confide with faith. 708 00:28:28,770 --> 00:28:34,330 Hope is biblical hope is this Biblical hope is not, Well, I just 709 00:28:34,330 --> 00:28:35,490 hope that God will save me. 710 00:28:35,490 --> 00:28:36,930 There are some faiths out there. 711 00:28:38,690 --> 00:28:39,090 That. 712 00:28:39,810 --> 00:28:41,450 Try to do all that they can. 713 00:28:41,450 --> 00:28:42,490 In the time that they have. 714 00:28:42,490 --> 00:28:46,250 And they say, I just hope that my God will shine his light upon 715 00:28:46,250 --> 00:28:48,370 me and smile upon me and maybe I'll do enough. 716 00:28:49,410 --> 00:28:51,170 That's worldly type of hope. 717 00:28:51,820 --> 00:28:53,860 Like I just hope that I did enough for God. 718 00:28:53,860 --> 00:28:54,980 Well, we'll never know if we can. 719 00:28:54,980 --> 00:28:56,820 Do enough for God because let me tell you something, we can never 720 00:28:56,820 --> 00:28:57,660 do enough for God. 721 00:28:57,820 --> 00:28:59,820 We can never match what he's done for us. 722 00:29:00,140 --> 00:29:01,900 So biblical hope is not that type of hope. 723 00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:04,580 Biblical hope is a confident expectation or. 724 00:29:04,580 --> 00:29:07,340 Assurance that God is going to keep his word. 725 00:29:07,740 --> 00:29:08,740 And so what does he say here? 726 00:29:08,740 --> 00:29:11,700 He says, we are saved by hope, we're saved by faith. 727 00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:15,260 Believing in what God has done and what God has said. 728 00:29:17,830 --> 00:29:18,710 Go a little further. 729 00:29:19,190 --> 00:29:23,430 But hope that is seen is not hope. 730 00:29:24,310 --> 00:29:25,350 See, what does that mean? 731 00:29:25,670 --> 00:29:28,910 He's talking about this Real faith is not saying God, show it 732 00:29:28,910 --> 00:29:30,790 to me and then I will believe. 733 00:29:31,030 --> 00:29:34,270 It's this Lord, I believe and I know you're going to show it to 734 00:29:34,270 --> 00:29:34,550 me. 735 00:29:35,030 --> 00:29:36,310 That's biblical faith. 736 00:29:36,470 --> 00:29:38,830 Like a lot of times people will say, well, you know what, I 737 00:29:38,830 --> 00:29:40,270 just don't believe that God's got me today. 738 00:29:40,270 --> 00:29:42,520 So I'm just going to wait for a sign that he loves me. 739 00:29:42,830 --> 00:29:46,430 Folks, the sign that he loves you is that cross right there. 740 00:29:46,750 --> 00:29:48,430 But God commends his love towards us. 741 00:29:48,430 --> 00:29:51,150 In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 742 00:29:51,950 --> 00:29:53,150 He's proven his love. 743 00:29:54,190 --> 00:29:56,910 If that's the only sign, that's all I need. 744 00:29:57,630 --> 00:30:00,510 And Jesus actually said that there is corrupt people who are looking 745 00:30:00,510 --> 00:30:01,590 for signs and wonders. 746 00:30:01,590 --> 00:30:03,070 I need more confirmation God. 747 00:30:03,070 --> 00:30:04,510 I need more confirmation God. 748 00:30:04,510 --> 00:30:07,550 Now the idea is that God will confirm your heart in the spirit. 749 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,760 But it's when we demand these things and say, well, I'm not going 750 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:11,960 to believe until I see it. 751 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:15,240 God, I think God has me moving. 752 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,880 Here, but I need to see it all laid out on paper first and then 753 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:18,520 I'll move. 754 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,720 Well, that's not necessarily complete faith. 755 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:23,320 And what he says here in this. 756 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:24,800 Case, he says, but if we hope. 757 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,920 For that, what we see not. 758 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:30,680 Then this is verse 25. 759 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:32,680 Then do we, with patience, wait for it? 760 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:38,170 Meaning this True faith is not waiting for something to happen and 761 00:30:38,170 --> 00:30:38,930 then believing. 762 00:30:39,730 --> 00:30:41,170 True faith is saying, God. 763 00:30:41,170 --> 00:30:42,050 You said this. 764 00:30:43,250 --> 00:30:44,210 I believe it. 765 00:30:44,450 --> 00:30:45,890 And I'm gonna live like that. 766 00:30:45,970 --> 00:30:48,050 You already said it, and that you're gonna do it. 767 00:30:48,770 --> 00:30:49,649 How many of you. 768 00:30:49,649 --> 00:30:51,930 Now, again, I better not ask this question because we can get 769 00:30:51,930 --> 00:30:53,050 down some rabbit trails. 770 00:30:53,050 --> 00:30:55,050 But I'm gonna venture to say that. 771 00:30:55,050 --> 00:30:56,290 None of us have been to heaven. 772 00:30:56,370 --> 00:30:58,730 Some of you might have some stories and say, I've been there 773 00:30:58,730 --> 00:31:00,100 and come back and. 774 00:31:00,180 --> 00:31:02,660 Well, we'll talk to you about that after the service a little bit, 775 00:31:02,660 --> 00:31:03,060 but. 776 00:31:03,460 --> 00:31:04,420 You know what I mean. 777 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:05,460 None of us have been there. 778 00:31:05,460 --> 00:31:06,500 None of us are there now. 779 00:31:06,740 --> 00:31:07,460 So how do. 780 00:31:07,460 --> 00:31:07,900 How do. 781 00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:09,220 None of us saw Jesus? 782 00:31:09,860 --> 00:31:10,540 Well, some of you. 783 00:31:10,540 --> 00:31:11,140 So I've seen. 784 00:31:11,220 --> 00:31:14,580 None of you were there 2,000 years ago and walked the streets 785 00:31:14,580 --> 00:31:16,820 of Galilee and saw him. 786 00:31:17,380 --> 00:31:18,740 Okay, so. 787 00:31:18,740 --> 00:31:19,460 So what does that mean? 788 00:31:19,460 --> 00:31:21,580 Well, I got to see Jesus before I believe in him. 789 00:31:21,580 --> 00:31:22,700 No, remember what Jesus said. 790 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:25,140 He says, blessed are those who don't see and believe. 791 00:31:26,050 --> 00:31:26,770 That's faith. 792 00:31:27,170 --> 00:31:28,810 And we are saved by faith. 793 00:31:28,810 --> 00:31:29,970 We are saved by hope. 794 00:31:30,050 --> 00:31:32,490 But what happens in our world today is this the whole. 795 00:31:32,490 --> 00:31:34,050 Show me, and then I'll believe. 796 00:31:34,930 --> 00:31:38,090 Now, I'm not against this idea that, hey, we need to have proof 797 00:31:38,090 --> 00:31:41,010 in Scripture, like, inspect scripture, like, that's great. 798 00:31:41,489 --> 00:31:41,930 There's. 799 00:31:41,930 --> 00:31:43,290 There's so much evidence here. 800 00:31:43,290 --> 00:31:45,370 I'm not saying blind faith and just go for it. 801 00:31:45,370 --> 00:31:48,290 But God has given us everything that we need right here 802 00:31:48,850 --> 00:31:49,490 to believe. 803 00:31:49,570 --> 00:31:51,010 He's given us enough proof. 804 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,000 If you want more proof, go over to Israel, go over to some people, 805 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:55,920 went over to Greece. 806 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:58,640 The places are still there, right? 807 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,760 But everything that we can find throughout archeology, everything 808 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:03,960 that we can find through history, everything that we can find 809 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,000 through science, nothing in the Bible contradicts that. 810 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:08,720 Actually strengthens a lot of these things. 811 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:10,960 But what I will say is this. 812 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:13,120 When we are like, you know what, God, I just. 813 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:14,400 I don't know if I can trust. 814 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:15,400 You in my workplace. 815 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:16,240 I don't know if I can trust. 816 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:17,120 You in my marriage. 817 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:18,080 I don't know if I can trust. 818 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:18,800 You with my children. 819 00:32:18,870 --> 00:32:19,030 I. 820 00:32:19,260 --> 00:32:20,300 That's essentially what. 821 00:32:20,300 --> 00:32:21,460 It's a lack of faith. 822 00:32:21,460 --> 00:32:22,380 It's a lack of hope. 823 00:32:22,380 --> 00:32:25,660 So if you go back to verse 24, he says, for we are saved by hope, 824 00:32:25,740 --> 00:32:27,660 but hope that is seen is not hope. 825 00:32:27,660 --> 00:32:29,900 For what a man seeth, why doth. 826 00:32:29,900 --> 00:32:31,180 He yet hope for it? 827 00:32:32,540 --> 00:32:33,660 There's no need for faith. 828 00:32:33,660 --> 00:32:35,419 If it's like happening. 829 00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:38,220 So, for example, let's use something that we all can kind of 830 00:32:38,540 --> 00:32:40,060 like appreciate and understand. 831 00:32:41,980 --> 00:32:45,350 So, like, let's say I owe a big bill, okay? 832 00:32:45,510 --> 00:32:49,390 I owe, like, money that I can't afford and I need to have it 833 00:32:49,390 --> 00:32:49,750 paid. 834 00:32:50,550 --> 00:32:51,550 And I'm doubting God. 835 00:32:51,550 --> 00:32:52,550 I'm like, well, you know what? 836 00:32:53,030 --> 00:32:54,630 I don't think God can do this for me. 837 00:32:54,950 --> 00:32:57,510 Then all of a sudden, the money comes and then I say this. 838 00:32:57,670 --> 00:32:58,910 Oh, God, I always knew. 839 00:32:58,910 --> 00:33:00,390 I always knew I had faith. 840 00:33:00,469 --> 00:33:02,190 No, you didn't have faith in Him. 841 00:33:02,190 --> 00:33:05,470 And sometimes he provides for us even in the midst of our lack 842 00:33:05,470 --> 00:33:05,990 of faith. 843 00:33:06,950 --> 00:33:07,790 That's not faith. 844 00:33:07,790 --> 00:33:10,390 That's seeing something and being thankful for what God has done. 845 00:33:10,470 --> 00:33:11,440 That's not walking in faith. 846 00:33:11,590 --> 00:33:11,910 Faith. 847 00:33:11,910 --> 00:33:13,790 And there's going to be a lot of people one day. 848 00:33:13,790 --> 00:33:16,110 I believe this because of Scripture saying this. 849 00:33:16,110 --> 00:33:18,710 There's going to be a lot of people one day that will confess 850 00:33:19,110 --> 00:33:20,590 that Jesus Christ is Lord. 851 00:33:20,590 --> 00:33:21,830 But they're going to do it too late. 852 00:33:22,310 --> 00:33:25,990 They're going to see the miraculous working of God's judgment, 853 00:33:25,990 --> 00:33:26,870 and they're going to all. 854 00:33:26,870 --> 00:33:27,470 No one. 855 00:33:27,470 --> 00:33:28,910 At one point, the Bible says this. 856 00:33:28,910 --> 00:33:30,070 At one point, no one will be. 857 00:33:30,070 --> 00:33:31,350 Able to deny who Jesus is. 858 00:33:32,070 --> 00:33:34,270 But some will be professing him by. 859 00:33:34,270 --> 00:33:36,230 Way of judgment and not by way of faith. 860 00:33:36,790 --> 00:33:36,970 Quote. 861 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,800 Question is, are we going to trust in him by way of faith and 862 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:40,960 believing in what he says? 863 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:44,400 Or are we going to wait to see it happen and become, you know, too 864 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:46,800 late behind the eight ball, so. 865 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:48,000 To speak, as some people say, right? 866 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:49,680 You, you, you have this idea that. 867 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:54,080 As a Christian, we have to be people that live by faith. 868 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:55,720 How can we be living by faith? 869 00:33:55,720 --> 00:34:00,240 The way that we live by faith is we lead a life that is according 870 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:05,010 to scripture, according to the conviction of the Spirit, the guidance 871 00:34:05,010 --> 00:34:06,650 of the Spirit, the comfort of the Spirit. 872 00:34:08,970 --> 00:34:10,410 And so the Bible tells us very. 873 00:34:10,410 --> 00:34:12,010 Clearly what it means to walk in the Spirit. 874 00:34:12,010 --> 00:34:17,730 It means to walk in unity with the word of God, to walk in unity 875 00:34:17,730 --> 00:34:19,650 with his plan and his purpose for our life. 876 00:34:19,650 --> 00:34:21,130 And then what's the outcome of that? 877 00:34:21,130 --> 00:34:21,930 Verse 25. 878 00:34:22,570 --> 00:34:26,650 But if we hope for that, we see not. 879 00:34:26,650 --> 00:34:33,690 Meaning you walk in faith, then do we with patience, wait for 880 00:34:33,690 --> 00:34:33,890 it? 881 00:34:33,890 --> 00:34:34,530 Meaning this? 882 00:34:35,330 --> 00:34:37,650 We walk with perseverance, endurance. 883 00:34:37,650 --> 00:34:41,850 That word patience is interestingly translated here because 884 00:34:41,850 --> 00:34:46,770 sometimes in our way of thinking, patience is, well, I gotta 885 00:34:46,770 --> 00:34:49,250 sit and just wait and not do anything. 886 00:34:49,810 --> 00:34:52,810 Well, biblically speaking, that word patience, actually it's 887 00:34:52,810 --> 00:34:54,890 used in another passage of Scripture in the book of Hebrews 888 00:34:54,890 --> 00:34:56,610 as running the race with patience. 889 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,920 Now, I'VE run a few races in my life. 890 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,400 You don't run the race by sitting in the seat and just hoping 891 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,040 that you're gonna be transported to the end. 892 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:06,600 You run it, you complete it, you do it. 893 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,800 So the Bible says here, this type of patience is not just, well, 894 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:10,680 I'm gonna wait. 895 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:12,360 You've heard people say this. 896 00:35:13,079 --> 00:35:14,320 Well, God's coming back one day. 897 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,480 I'm just gonna wait for him, and I'm not gonna be busy about it. 898 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:18,280 That's the wrong way to understand things. 899 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:20,560 It's actually God's coming back. 900 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:22,040 I need to get busy right now. 901 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:23,560 I need to affect my family. 902 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,000 I need to affect my culture. 903 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,960 I need to get in there and I need to preach the gospel, live, 904 00:35:29,060 --> 00:35:33,260 be living with endurance, perseverance, patience. 905 00:35:33,260 --> 00:35:34,180 That's the type of patience. 906 00:35:34,180 --> 00:35:37,620 So he says, if you're living in hope and guided by the spirit, 907 00:35:37,940 --> 00:35:43,220 you will walk and wait with endurance. 908 00:35:45,460 --> 00:35:48,580 Pushing forward through the struggles, pushing forward through 909 00:35:48,580 --> 00:35:51,220 the conflict, pushing forward through the. 910 00:35:51,220 --> 00:35:53,460 Doubts, through the circumstances. 911 00:35:53,940 --> 00:35:56,420 That's the type of Christian we have to be. 912 00:35:56,500 --> 00:36:00,980 That's the type of Christian we have to try to, within the church, 913 00:36:01,380 --> 00:36:03,380 bring up in the way of making disciples. 914 00:36:03,780 --> 00:36:06,660 If I got up here and said, hey, all you, do you believe in Jesus? 915 00:36:06,660 --> 00:36:08,340 And everyone's like, amen, I do. 916 00:36:09,060 --> 00:36:09,860 Praise God. 917 00:36:10,180 --> 00:36:11,299 Well, that's all you got to do. 918 00:36:11,380 --> 00:36:12,020 We're good. 919 00:36:12,340 --> 00:36:13,620 We got our ticket to heaven. 920 00:36:13,620 --> 00:36:17,060 Now let's go have the potluck dinner and just talk about whatever. 921 00:36:17,860 --> 00:36:20,740 But the church must say, yes, believe. 922 00:36:20,980 --> 00:36:23,300 And now with our belief, what do we do? 923 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:24,760 Can we. 924 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:27,560 Where we started, can we have confidence? 925 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:30,520 Question is, where's our confidence? 926 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:32,280 Well, my confidence is in the church. 927 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:34,920 Church has never failed me. 928 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,480 Well, let me give you a little secret, guys. 929 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,480 Church as an institution will fail. 930 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:42,240 Why? 931 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:45,480 Because there's humans trying to work in the inner workings. 932 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,120 Now, the church in Christ will never fail. 933 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:51,480 But sometimes we don't see the church of Christ. 934 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:56,130 We see the people in the pews, or we see a policy put in place. 935 00:36:56,850 --> 00:36:57,970 We see tradition. 936 00:36:58,290 --> 00:37:01,330 There's a lot of people trusting in church tradition more 937 00:37:01,410 --> 00:37:02,490 than the word of God. 938 00:37:02,490 --> 00:37:04,650 And therefore their confidence fails. 939 00:37:04,650 --> 00:37:06,850 How many of you have heard, well, I got hurt in church. 940 00:37:06,850 --> 00:37:08,050 I'm never going back there again. 941 00:37:09,170 --> 00:37:10,850 There was a corrupt preacher, so I'm. 942 00:37:10,850 --> 00:37:11,490 Never going to go. 943 00:37:11,970 --> 00:37:15,090 Do you see the fallacy of that thinking? 944 00:37:15,330 --> 00:37:17,650 Of course, like, I've used this analogy before. 945 00:37:19,380 --> 00:37:22,540 I'm not going to go to the gym and get healthy because there was 946 00:37:22,540 --> 00:37:23,900 someone who went to the gym and they quit. 947 00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:25,460 So it just that gym's a fake. 948 00:37:25,780 --> 00:37:27,780 No, that's not how it works. 949 00:37:28,180 --> 00:37:30,900 There's going to be people who frequent churches all over the world 950 00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:32,860 that are going to be hypocrites, that are going to be 951 00:37:32,860 --> 00:37:35,860 sinners, that maybe are believers, but they've fallen into 952 00:37:35,860 --> 00:37:36,700 the trap of sin. 953 00:37:36,700 --> 00:37:38,100 That's no reason for us to stop. 954 00:37:38,100 --> 00:37:40,020 Doing what we know we're supposed to do. 955 00:37:40,340 --> 00:37:41,940 So our confidence can't be in a. 956 00:37:42,020 --> 00:37:44,340 In a institution or a person. 957 00:37:46,780 --> 00:37:47,580 I don't know about any of you. 958 00:37:47,580 --> 00:37:48,620 Guys, but there's been times in my. 959 00:37:48,620 --> 00:37:50,060 Life where I've looked at a man. 960 00:37:50,460 --> 00:37:54,300 A preacher, a teacher, and I've wrapped up my confidence in 961 00:37:54,300 --> 00:37:55,260 what he's preaching. 962 00:37:55,340 --> 00:37:57,900 And then I get news, oh, he's not who he said he was. 963 00:37:58,620 --> 00:37:59,820 Then that really hurts me. 964 00:37:59,820 --> 00:38:01,740 Then I'm like, oh, man, did anything he said? 965 00:38:02,220 --> 00:38:03,260 Was any of it true? 966 00:38:03,820 --> 00:38:04,700 Well, of course. 967 00:38:05,020 --> 00:38:07,580 But the reality is that sometimes people are flawed. 968 00:38:07,740 --> 00:38:09,180 All the time, people are flawed. 969 00:38:09,340 --> 00:38:10,860 So our confidence can't be in a man. 970 00:38:11,010 --> 00:38:12,290 Well, some people's confidence is in money. 971 00:38:12,290 --> 00:38:14,370 Well, Pastor, look, the church is thriving. 972 00:38:14,370 --> 00:38:15,170 I'm thriving. 973 00:38:15,170 --> 00:38:16,050 Everything's good. 974 00:38:16,130 --> 00:38:17,490 That's where my confidence is. 975 00:38:17,570 --> 00:38:19,730 Well, we all know the volatility of that. 976 00:38:20,850 --> 00:38:22,530 That could go away in a heartbeat. 977 00:38:23,410 --> 00:38:25,890 So where do we place our confidence? 978 00:38:26,530 --> 00:38:27,370 We know this. 979 00:38:27,370 --> 00:38:31,210 We place it in the only one who can hold us up, and that is Jesus 980 00:38:31,210 --> 00:38:31,490 Christ. 981 00:38:31,810 --> 00:38:34,450 The confidence of Christ is why we can move forward. 982 00:38:35,810 --> 00:38:39,890 Some people look at other people for their hope for their salvation 983 00:38:39,940 --> 00:38:40,100 or. 984 00:38:40,250 --> 00:38:42,370 Or their hope for tomorrow. 985 00:38:42,370 --> 00:38:46,050 I'm going to tell you, there is always going to be flaws with 986 00:38:46,050 --> 00:38:46,330 that. 987 00:38:46,730 --> 00:38:50,490 But when we look to Christ, as he says here, but if we hope for 988 00:38:50,490 --> 00:38:55,050 what we see, not then do we, with patience, wait for it. 989 00:38:55,610 --> 00:38:58,690 Now, I don't know about you, but I want to be a Christian who 990 00:38:58,690 --> 00:39:02,650 walks with endurance, who runs with endurance, fights the battles 991 00:39:02,650 --> 00:39:03,850 on the front lines. 992 00:39:03,850 --> 00:39:07,330 Is not afraid of someone coming against us, who's not afraid 993 00:39:07,330 --> 00:39:08,090 of what the world's doing. 994 00:39:08,090 --> 00:39:13,600 Folks, the world has attacked the church always from the very beginning. 995 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,760 If we live bold enough, we will stand out. 996 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,760 If we live bold enough, people will say things against us. 997 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:25,360 If we live bold enough, we will be countercultural. 998 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:29,600 There was a period of time in my life that I thought countercultural 999 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:33,360 meant to be dressing like the world and listening to this type 1000 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:35,680 of music and doing certain things. 1001 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:37,400 That's not countercultural. 1002 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,080 That's actually following the culture. 1003 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:40,960 It's the opposite of being countercultural. 1004 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:43,240 If we want to be different, as the Bible calls us to be different, 1005 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:44,080 live like Christ. 1006 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:44,880 That never changes. 1007 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:46,280 And that's always been against culture. 1008 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:47,960 So let's do that. 1009 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,280 Let's not be cultural Christians. 1010 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:52,800 Let's be Christians driven by the confidence. 1011 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:54,200 That we have in Jesus Christ. 1012 00:39:55,160 --> 00:40:00,320 Now, let me say this, and then I'll close you, me, maybe someone 1013 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:03,160 in your family is dealing with something that's overwhelming right 1014 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:03,400 now. 1015 00:40:04,690 --> 00:40:07,970 Paul never, ever minimizes the struggle. 1016 00:40:08,370 --> 00:40:10,290 He just says that God's with you through it. 1017 00:40:11,810 --> 00:40:13,170 He's on the boat with you in. 1018 00:40:13,170 --> 00:40:13,930 The midst of the storm. 1019 00:40:13,930 --> 00:40:15,570 And he can calm that storm at any point. 1020 00:40:15,570 --> 00:40:18,570 But there are times and seasons in. 1021 00:40:18,570 --> 00:40:20,970 Which we are going through the storm for a purpose. 1022 00:40:20,970 --> 00:40:23,570 And we might not know that purpose here and now, but what we 1023 00:40:23,570 --> 00:40:24,570 have to do is we have to trust. 1024 00:40:24,570 --> 00:40:28,130 That God is who he says he is and will do what he says, and he 1025 00:40:28,130 --> 00:40:29,010 can get us through that. 1026 00:40:30,630 --> 00:40:31,750 And we're going to see this. 1027 00:40:31,750 --> 00:40:34,630 We don't have time today, but next week we're going to see that. 1028 00:40:34,710 --> 00:40:37,790 What do we do when we get to that place where we don't know what 1029 00:40:37,790 --> 00:40:38,230 to do? 1030 00:40:39,590 --> 00:40:41,510 How many of you have been in. 1031 00:40:41,510 --> 00:40:45,229 Such a struggle that you're like, lord, I have not seen any of 1032 00:40:45,229 --> 00:40:46,910 this matching up with what you say in Scripture. 1033 00:40:46,910 --> 00:40:47,990 I thought you were with me. 1034 00:40:48,390 --> 00:40:49,830 I don't feel like you're with me right now. 1035 00:40:50,630 --> 00:40:51,990 I thought you were going to provide for me. 1036 00:40:51,990 --> 00:40:53,270 Well, I don't feel provided right now. 1037 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:57,280 I thought that you had it all in control in this world. 1038 00:40:57,280 --> 00:40:59,880 And I'm looking out here in the world and it looks like evil's 1039 00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:00,320 winning. 1040 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:00,920 Okay. 1041 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,280 These are all things that cause people to say, I just don't 1042 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:04,240 even know what to do anymore. 1043 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:06,200 Did you know that we're gonna talk about this next week? 1044 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:09,040 Did you know that even when we don't know what to do and we don't 1045 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:12,560 know what to pray for, that God knows what's best for us? 1046 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,480 And so instead of trying to have all the right words and all 1047 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:15,600 the. 1048 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:17,840 Right things, there's sometimes where we just have to rest 1049 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:20,560 in God and say, I don't know why, but Lord, I know you. 1050 00:41:20,950 --> 00:41:23,390 And I know that you love me and I know that you're gonna provide 1051 00:41:23,390 --> 00:41:23,870 for me. 1052 00:41:23,870 --> 00:41:25,750 And so that's what we're gonna talk about next week. 1053 00:41:25,750 --> 00:41:26,190 Okay? 1054 00:41:26,190 --> 00:41:27,110 Yes, we have confidence. 1055 00:41:27,110 --> 00:41:29,070 But what if everything that I think. 1056 00:41:29,070 --> 00:41:30,590 I should have confidence in has failed? 1057 00:41:30,590 --> 00:41:32,270 And I know I gotta go back to Christ. 1058 00:41:32,270 --> 00:41:33,510 How do I go back to Him? 1059 00:41:34,310 --> 00:41:35,870 We're gonna talk more about that next week. 1060 00:41:35,870 --> 00:41:39,350 But what I will say with this, this morning in way of invitation 1061 00:41:39,350 --> 00:41:43,150 here in a moment, is the way that you start that process, the 1062 00:41:43,150 --> 00:41:43,430 way that. 1063 00:41:43,430 --> 00:41:46,920 You initiate that process of coming back to confidence in God 1064 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:47,520 is just going. 1065 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:51,720 To him and admitting that you've fallen in that path of putting 1066 00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:52,960 your trust in something else. 1067 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:56,320 Maybe you're in that season of life. 1068 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:57,720 That you're like, lord, I gotta see. 1069 00:41:57,720 --> 00:41:58,520 It to believe it. 1070 00:41:58,520 --> 00:42:02,040 And sometimes I'm just gonna tell you, that's a season of lack 1071 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:02,720 of faith. 1072 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:05,000 And what does he say here? 1073 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:06,600 He says, no, living like that is. 1074 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:07,480 Not even real hope. 1075 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:08,800 That's not even real confidence. 1076 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:10,720 So how many of us are going. 1077 00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:11,560 To say this this morning? 1078 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,100 I'm not gonna have you stand up and sign a piece of paper. 1079 00:42:14,100 --> 00:42:16,220 But what I am going to say is I'm going to challenge you with this. 1080 00:42:16,540 --> 00:42:17,780 How many of us are willing to. 1081 00:42:17,780 --> 00:42:20,140 Say, lord, I believe what you say. 1082 00:42:21,340 --> 00:42:23,020 I believe in what you did. 1083 00:42:23,820 --> 00:42:27,300 I believe that I should follow you in obedience, and I trust in 1084 00:42:27,300 --> 00:42:27,460 you. 1085 00:42:27,460 --> 00:42:28,260 Wherever you take me. 1086 00:42:28,260 --> 00:42:29,820 How many of us would be willing to say that? 1087 00:42:31,820 --> 00:42:33,260 It's not an easy thing to say. 1088 00:42:33,260 --> 00:42:34,780 It's not something you should say lightly. 1089 00:42:35,500 --> 00:42:37,860 I'm going to tell you, when you sign up to do the work of the 1090 00:42:37,860 --> 00:42:41,310 Lord, it's the most difficult thing. 1091 00:42:41,950 --> 00:42:44,310 It's almost like you're never going to grow the church by telling 1092 00:42:44,310 --> 00:42:46,270 people that living the Christian life is difficult. 1093 00:42:46,270 --> 00:42:49,310 Well, it's difficult in our flesh, but I'm going to say it's 1094 00:42:49,310 --> 00:42:54,750 the most rewarding and comforting and freeing things to 1095 00:42:54,750 --> 00:42:55,710 be walking in Christ. 1096 00:42:57,150 --> 00:42:59,750 It's difficult from one perspective, and it's easy the other 1097 00:42:59,750 --> 00:42:59,910 way. 1098 00:42:59,910 --> 00:43:02,870 Jesus says, hey, your load might be heavy, but my load is not 1099 00:43:02,870 --> 00:43:03,550 burdensome. 1100 00:43:05,240 --> 00:43:06,360 And so it's like, what does that mean? 1101 00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:07,000 That means this. 1102 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,400 It's not like, lord, I'm gonna yoke up with you. 1103 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:11,000 The Bible talks about yoking up with someone. 1104 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:11,800 You know what that means? 1105 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,000 Like, two oxes would get into a yoke and they'd start plowing the 1106 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:15,240 field. 1107 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:16,800 A lot of times people think it's. 1108 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:20,520 This, well, I'm gonna join Jesus team and I'm gonna start pushing. 1109 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:22,040 And me and Jesus are gonna do this. 1110 00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:25,840 Let me tell you, when you yoke up with Jesus, you're not pushing 1111 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:26,280 anything. 1112 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:27,720 It's all of his power. 1113 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:31,000 You're just getting to be on the team. 1114 00:43:32,220 --> 00:43:34,860 And so when you feel struggles and you feel hopelessness and you 1115 00:43:34,860 --> 00:43:36,900 feel like, I can't do this, you're right. 1116 00:43:36,900 --> 00:43:37,740 But God can. 1117 00:43:37,900 --> 00:43:40,300 And he's your Father and he loves you. 1118 00:43:40,700 --> 00:43:42,460 He says, take your yoke upon me. 1119 00:43:43,900 --> 00:43:44,700 I'll take it. 1120 00:43:44,700 --> 00:43:46,580 I can take this you know what? 1121 00:43:46,580 --> 00:43:48,780 I can take maybe one or two people's burdens today. 1122 00:43:48,780 --> 00:43:51,300 Let's say, for example, someone after the service, this has 1123 00:43:51,300 --> 00:43:53,100 happened, and I'm not opposed to it happening. 1124 00:43:53,100 --> 00:43:54,980 Someone comes up and says, pastor, I got a real big thing going 1125 00:43:54,980 --> 00:43:55,660 on in my life. 1126 00:43:55,980 --> 00:43:57,020 Can you help me with this? 1127 00:43:57,490 --> 00:43:58,210 Yeah, I can. 1128 00:43:58,370 --> 00:43:59,170 But guess what? 1129 00:43:59,250 --> 00:44:00,810 Guess if, like, the line lined up. 1130 00:44:00,810 --> 00:44:03,930 Outside the door and every single person was like, I've got 1131 00:44:03,930 --> 00:44:06,450 this struggle and this sin I could only bear. 1132 00:44:06,610 --> 00:44:07,970 There's only 24 hours in a day. 1133 00:44:07,970 --> 00:44:09,090 There's only so much I could take. 1134 00:44:09,090 --> 00:44:11,490 Eventually I'd have to just pass out with exhaustion. 1135 00:44:11,490 --> 00:44:12,730 Did you know that all of us. 1136 00:44:12,730 --> 00:44:14,210 In this room, every one of us. 1137 00:44:15,250 --> 00:44:18,330 And every other church around the world that's meeting today and 1138 00:44:18,330 --> 00:44:21,250 every other Christian on this planet can bring their biggest. 1139 00:44:21,250 --> 00:44:23,330 Burden to God and it's nothing to Him? 1140 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:25,320 He says, I can take it. 1141 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:26,680 Cast your care upon me. 1142 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:27,880 First Peter, chapter five. 1143 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:28,920 Cast your care. 1144 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:30,760 Cast your anxieties upon me. 1145 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:31,240 Why? 1146 00:44:31,240 --> 00:44:32,360 Because he cares for us. 1147 00:44:33,160 --> 00:44:37,880 So this morning, the way that you respond to a struggle with confidence 1148 00:44:38,360 --> 00:44:41,160 is coming back to him and say, lord, I cast everything to you. 1149 00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:42,560 I'm out. 1150 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:43,160 I'm out. 1151 00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:44,520 I'm on empty. 1152 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:45,960 I'm past empty. 1153 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:47,400 I need you to fill me. 1154 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:49,440 And that's what it means to walk in the Spirit. 1155 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:50,520 There's so many other things. 1156 00:44:52,270 --> 00:44:54,190 The Bible speaks of all the roles of the Spirit. 1157 00:44:54,430 --> 00:44:57,870 One of the roles of the Spirit would be that he comforts us, the 1158 00:44:57,870 --> 00:44:58,590 great comforter. 1159 00:44:59,710 --> 00:45:02,670 If you felt the comfort of the Holy Spirit in your life to any capacity, 1160 00:45:02,910 --> 00:45:04,830 that's confirmation that God loves you. 1161 00:45:06,430 --> 00:45:08,670 The Bible also says that the Holy Spirit's a teacher. 1162 00:45:08,670 --> 00:45:09,950 He guides us to all truth. 1163 00:45:09,950 --> 00:45:13,350 If you've ever been taught by spiritual truth in His Word and it's 1164 00:45:13,350 --> 00:45:16,990 affected your life, that's confirmation that the Holy Spirit's 1165 00:45:16,990 --> 00:45:17,990 with you and God loves you. 1166 00:45:19,740 --> 00:45:22,380 The Bible also says that he will convict the world into all sin. 1167 00:45:23,100 --> 00:45:25,300 How many of you have ever felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit? 1168 00:45:25,300 --> 00:45:26,260 Sometimes we don't like that. 1169 00:45:26,260 --> 00:45:28,620 But that's a reminder to us that God loves us. 1170 00:45:30,780 --> 00:45:33,940 The peace of the Holy Spirit, a peace of God, the paths to all 1171 00:45:33,940 --> 00:45:34,380 understanding. 1172 00:45:34,380 --> 00:45:37,420 If you've ever experienced the peace of God, that's confirmation 1173 00:45:37,660 --> 00:45:40,340 of the Holy Spirit living within you and that he loves you. 1174 00:45:40,340 --> 00:45:41,900 So if you're ever tempted to doubt. 1175 00:45:42,940 --> 00:45:45,640 God does give us confirmations constantly. 1176 00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:48,480 But he says the confirmation comes through the Spirit, the working 1177 00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:49,600 of the Spirit in our life. 1178 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:52,080 You'll hear me say this a lot. 1179 00:45:52,080 --> 00:45:57,760 Galatians, Chapter 5 Fruit of the Spirit, Love, joy, peace, long 1180 00:45:57,760 --> 00:45:58,320 suffering. 1181 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:03,200 All these things that we see in that passage, those are all confirmations 1182 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:07,080 that God loves us and that he's changing us and that he's growing 1183 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:07,360 us. 1184 00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:10,440 So if you're ever tempted out, you say, lord, you save me. 1185 00:46:10,440 --> 00:46:11,480 And then you leave me alone. 1186 00:46:11,480 --> 00:46:12,800 How does that mean that you love me? 1187 00:46:13,170 --> 00:46:13,970 No, it's not that. 1188 00:46:13,970 --> 00:46:14,450 It's just. 1189 00:46:14,450 --> 00:46:16,850 It's understanding the earnest, the first fruits of the 1190 00:46:16,850 --> 00:46:17,250 Spirit. 1191 00:46:17,250 --> 00:46:19,330 And every time you see the Spirit working in your life, it's 1192 00:46:19,330 --> 00:46:21,410 those things that you can't explain, but God does it. 1193 00:46:21,490 --> 00:46:24,690 That's again that little taste of what it's going to be like to 1194 00:46:24,690 --> 00:46:26,050 be with him one day for eternity. 1195 00:46:26,690 --> 00:46:28,610 So just think about that here this morning I'm going to ask if 1196 00:46:28,610 --> 00:46:31,330 you can to stand with me, every head bowed, every eye closed. 1197 00:46:31,330 --> 00:46:32,770 We're going to have a time of invitation. 1198 00:46:33,250 --> 00:46:36,930 And I want to challenge you in love with this question. 1199 00:46:39,020 --> 00:46:41,460 Who or what are you putting your. 1200 00:46:41,460 --> 00:46:42,700 Confidence in here this morning? 1201 00:46:45,180 --> 00:46:48,380 Folks, you can't place confidence in someone. 1202 00:46:49,180 --> 00:46:50,220 That you don't know. 1203 00:46:51,340 --> 00:46:53,820 There could be someone here this morning that says, I want what 1204 00:46:53,820 --> 00:46:57,020 you're talking about, but I don't know how to achieve that. 1205 00:46:57,100 --> 00:46:58,860 Well, let me tell you, you can achieve it. 1206 00:46:59,260 --> 00:47:00,500 The Bible says all we do is. 1207 00:47:00,500 --> 00:47:03,740 That we are saved by faith, not. 1208 00:47:03,740 --> 00:47:05,500 Through works, lest any man should boast. 1209 00:47:05,820 --> 00:47:06,700 Faith in what? 1210 00:47:07,120 --> 00:47:08,680 Faith in who Jesus is. 1211 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:10,240 Jesus is the Son of God. 1212 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:11,600 Jesus is God. 1213 00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:16,640 The Word Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. 1214 00:47:17,680 --> 00:47:20,320 So to believe in who Jesus is. 1215 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:26,720 But also to believe and trust in what he has done for us, that. 1216 00:47:26,720 --> 00:47:31,400 His death on the cross not only paid for the sins of the people 1217 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:36,830 around him in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, but his sacrifice on the 1218 00:47:36,830 --> 00:47:37,470 cross paid. 1219 00:47:37,470 --> 00:47:41,670 For the sins of people sitting in a room here in Middletown, Delaware. 1220 00:47:42,550 --> 00:47:45,550 And when he said, it is finished, he didn't just mean his 1221 00:47:45,550 --> 00:47:48,870 crucifixion, he meant the payment for the sin of the world. 1222 00:47:48,950 --> 00:47:52,230 And so this morning, it's trusting in that payment for our 1223 00:47:52,230 --> 00:47:54,110 sin that I can't save myself. 1224 00:47:54,110 --> 00:47:55,030 I am a sinner. 1225 00:47:55,030 --> 00:47:57,110 But it is his payment that paid the price. 1226 00:47:57,190 --> 00:48:00,770 But then it's trusting in the fact that that Jesus didn't stay 1227 00:48:00,770 --> 00:48:01,210 dead. 1228 00:48:01,370 --> 00:48:01,890 He didn't. 1229 00:48:01,890 --> 00:48:03,210 He didn't stay in that tomb. 1230 00:48:03,290 --> 00:48:04,650 He didn't stay on the cross. 1231 00:48:04,810 --> 00:48:06,890 He conquered death through the resurrection. 1232 00:48:06,890 --> 00:48:12,170 And that because of his new life, because of his resurrection, 1233 00:48:12,250 --> 00:48:12,970 we can have. 1234 00:48:12,970 --> 00:48:14,810 Resurrection and glorification as well. 1235 00:48:14,970 --> 00:48:16,090 That's the gospel. 1236 00:48:16,170 --> 00:48:17,450 That's what we believe in. 1237 00:48:17,530 --> 00:48:18,170 That's it. 1238 00:48:18,170 --> 00:48:20,010 If someone tells you it's more, they're. 1239 00:48:20,010 --> 00:48:22,850 Going against scripture, they're adding something to it, or 1240 00:48:22,850 --> 00:48:25,490 they're subtracting something from it, folks, that's what the Bible 1241 00:48:25,490 --> 00:48:28,420 says is the way to know Jesus and the way to know life. 1242 00:48:28,420 --> 00:48:31,380 And so if you want that confidence, trust in him this morning. 1243 00:48:33,060 --> 00:48:34,540 But if you have trusted in Jesus. 1244 00:48:34,540 --> 00:48:36,060 Christ this morning, but you've been tempted. 1245 00:48:36,060 --> 00:48:40,340 To revert back to that rickety chair that can't hold you up, come 1246 00:48:40,340 --> 00:48:40,540 this. 1247 00:48:40,540 --> 00:48:42,100 Morning and say, lord, I throw that. 1248 00:48:42,100 --> 00:48:44,140 Out, I cast that out, and I. 1249 00:48:44,140 --> 00:48:48,420 Cast my care upon you, put your confidence in him this morning, 1250 00:48:48,420 --> 00:48:51,820 not just for salvation, but for every element of your life. 1251 00:48:51,820 --> 00:48:52,740 Lord, I pray that you be in. 1252 00:48:52,740 --> 00:48:55,230 This time of invitation, working hearts and lives. 1253 00:48:55,470 --> 00:48:57,510 But I pray that if there's someone here today that needs to 1254 00:48:57,510 --> 00:48:59,870 know you as Savior, that today can be the day of salvation. 1255 00:49:00,670 --> 00:49:03,470 Lord, if there's someone here today that is saved but needs that 1256 00:49:03,790 --> 00:49:07,030 reassurance of your confidence that you extend to us. 1257 00:49:07,030 --> 00:49:11,670 Lord, may we today be a church who comes back in fellowship with 1258 00:49:11,670 --> 00:49:13,550 you and we ask all these things in Jesus name, Amen. 1259 00:49:13,550 --> 00:49:14,590 As the music plays, we have some. 1260 00:49:14,590 --> 00:49:15,470 Folks that have already come. 1261 00:49:15,870 --> 00:49:17,590 We've got folks that will stand up. 1262 00:49:17,590 --> 00:49:18,990 Here and show you the word of God. 1263 00:49:19,230 --> 00:49:21,510 If you're a lady and you want to talk with a lady, we've got. 1264 00:49:21,510 --> 00:49:23,630 Ladies here that can talk to you about the Scriptures. 1265 00:49:24,250 --> 00:49:27,050 But if the Lord's moving in your heart, either there, kneel in 1266 00:49:27,050 --> 00:49:29,650 your pew or kneel up here at the front and follow God in obedience. 1267 00:49:29,650 --> 00:49:30,170 This morning. 1268 00:50:42,340 --> 00:50:42,660 Foreign. 1269 00:50:45,460 --> 00:50:48,100 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1270 00:50:48,100 --> 00:50:48,740 podcast. 1271 00:50:48,980 --> 00:50:51,300 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1272 00:50:52,100 --> 00:50:54,300 You would like to find out more information about our church 1273 00:50:54,300 --> 00:50:57,700 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1274 00:50:58,100 --> 00:51:00,580 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1275 00:51:01,300 --> 00:51:05,740 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1276 00:51:05,740 --> 00:51:10,230 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1277 00:51:10,230 --> 00:51:13,030 along for future podcast and updates. 1278 00:51:13,750 --> 00:51:14,630 Thank you so much. 1279 00:51:14,870 --> 00:51:15,590 God Bless. 1280 00:51:15,830 --> 00:51:17,190 Have a wonderful day.