A Call to Action, But Who Provides the Power?

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:00:00] I'm going to try to talk a little faster than normal. I want to get through this. I really want to get through this massive section today, and I always start out, every sermon I start out with great hope, and I wind up being very, very disappointed knowing that I didn't even come close to finishing. But I want to finish today. At the same time, you know, you want to be open to the Holy Spirit. That's my covering.
[00:00:26] Pastor Jack, why didn't you finish?
[00:00:28] I was listening to the Holy Spirit.
[00:00:30] I hope that's true.
[00:00:33] I trust that that's true.
[00:00:35] Today, we're gonna be looking at a message out of Romans chapter 15, verses 22 to 29.
[00:00:40] And that titled message is for the love of God.
[00:00:44] For the love of God and the apostle Paul now in his closing arguments and his closing comments to the church that is Rome, that is in Rome.
[00:00:52] He's writing from Corinth, Greece.
[00:00:55] I will read the first verse.
[00:00:56] if you'll pick it up in the odd-numbered verse, we'll read down to the end of verse 29.
[00:01:02] Paul says, For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:01:08] But now no longer have you place in these parts and having a great desire these many years to come.

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:01:16] Whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you, for I hope to see you on my journey and to be helped on my way there by you.
[00:01:25] if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:01:30] But now I'm going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:01:35] Verse 26, for it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.

[00:01:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:01:46] It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors.
[00:01:50] For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, Their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:01:58] Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:02:06] But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:02:13] And all God's people said, Amen.
[00:02:15] You may be seated for the love of God.
[00:02:19] Everything that's driving the apostle is rooted and grounded in this tremendous thing for the love of God.
[00:02:27] You can look at Paul's life over the decades of his ministry life and you can see and understand and read how he did what he did for the love of God.
[00:02:40] Paul, and we won't get into it now, but Paul was remarkably rejected by the church, but he hung in there for the love of God.
[00:02:49] Because listen, nobody really believed early on that a guy like Saul of Tarsus could actually be saved.
[00:02:56] That guy was too bad.
[00:02:58] It's kind of interesting.
[00:02:59] He was too bad toward Christians and he was so good towards his Judaism.
[00:03:05] He was a tremendous Jew and keeping all of the rules and having all of the attainments of that works-based salvation at best.
[00:03:17] And then the Christian community, which again, in the early church, were Jews who were born again.
[00:03:22] Or we like to say Jews who were born anew.
[00:03:26] Remember, the early church was a bunch of saved, converted, or I like to say fulfilled Jews who understood that the Old Testament message of the Bible spoke none other than Yeshua HaMashiach, that Jesus is the Messiah.
[00:03:45] And they started that way back in Genesis 3, verse 15.
[00:03:50] but take note that Paul's personal communications now begin to be expressed and it's beautiful in fact from here on out to the end of the book in chapter 16 very tender very sweet but his passion is as always is to minister the gospel
[00:04:08] of God and so for the love of God we see in our first point verses 22 to 24 is that for the love of God we go to the ends of the earth we go to the ends or
[00:04:20] will we go to the ends of the earth for the love of God?
[00:04:24] Listen, what if for a moment, and I'm gonna just put it down this way, what if for a moment, every single one of us in this room really care preeminently, number one, about the most important thing in all of life,
[00:04:37] and that is what Jesus said regarding each of us, go therefore into all the world and preach this gospel in making disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
[00:04:50] and I love how he closes it out.
[00:04:52] Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.
[00:04:56] I love that.
[00:04:57] What if you and I took that seriously?
[00:05:00] And you might say, I do take that seriously, Pastor Jack.
[00:05:03] I do as well, but I also find out so many times that I miss opportunities when I could actually fulfill that in my life.
[00:05:11] Now, some of you are called to be the missionary at Raytheon or the missionary in the public school system.
[00:05:19] Some of you are missionaries on Delta Airlines.
[00:05:22] Some of you are missionaries to foreign lands.
[00:05:26] You know what's fun about what I'm saying?
[00:05:28] Every single one of us in this room, it's gonna be true for second service.
[00:05:33] It'll be true for third service.
[00:05:35] It's gonna be true for Wednesday nighters.
[00:05:37] That all of us working together to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are senders and goers of this great missionary venture to tell the world for the love of god it is the heart of god that everyone hear the gospel
[00:05:54] and we'll talk about that in our study today i'm reminded that when the london missionary society asked david livingstone they asked him where would you go or where would you like to go should God call you to go? And Livingston replied, anywhere so long as it is forward.
[00:06:18] I love that. What a great statement. As a Christian, we must be going forward. In fact, you know, if we're not going forward, what are we doing? We're going backwards. And that is the definition of back sliding. In fact, even as a Christian, when we wait upon the Lord, that is
[00:06:35] not waiting in a way that is not effective. You know, the Bible tells us over and over again to wait upon the Lord. That, listen, by waiting upon the Lord, you can actually advance. But I promise
[00:06:46] you this, by waiting upon the Lord, you will never go backwards. But those who are not advancing, they're going backward. And I love his response. London Missionary Society, you send me anywhere as long as it's forward and that ought to be the attitude of the christian and so as we begin to
[00:07:08] look at this we begin to see that 2 000 years ago the apostle paul is naming places that continue now to still impress us last week we learned the word illyricum right on the count of three can you
[00:07:23] say it i just got to hear it it's it's a illyricum one two three there you go and that that location was over 1,000 miles as a jet flies from Jerusalem.
[00:07:38] And Paul the Apostle will not only make it there, but he's got sights on passing through Rome on his way to Spain, Tarshish.
[00:07:48] In your Bible, Spain is known as Tarshish.
[00:07:52] Does that ring a bell in your mind?
[00:07:53] Somebody else was deciding, I'm gonna run away from God, and I'm gonna go down to Joppa, and I'm gonna get in a boat, and I'm gonna flee the call of God and I'm gonna go hide from God at the end of the earth.
[00:08:07] That's what they believe.
[00:08:08] This is the end.
[00:08:09] There's nothing beyond and that is Tarshish and that is the area of Spain and Portugal today because think about it.
[00:08:15] You go through the Mediterranean, people had not gone beyond.
[00:08:21] That great vast Atlantic was basically to them the end of the world and that was as far west as you could have gone and Jonah said, I'm out of here And Paul said, not me, I'm going there to advance Christ.
[00:08:38] And it's a tremendous thing.
[00:08:39] So the first thing that we see regarding this for the love of God, when we go to the ends of the earth, look at verse 22.
[00:08:45] If that's true, then we must put up with the challenges.
[00:08:48] Can you just write that down?
[00:08:51] That we have to put up with challenges.
[00:08:53] That there's going to be difficulties and hardships, and there's going to be things that often, and maybe sometimes too easily can set us back when it comes to spiritual advancement.
[00:09:04] Friends, listen, there are things, and go ahead and leave that up if you guys would.
[00:09:09] There are things in our life that happen to us and we will not let anything deter us away from whatever that thing is.
[00:09:16] For example, if you are committed, really committed, to this incredibly, eternally important task of going golfing.
[00:09:30] Weather will not deter you.
[00:09:32] Your wife will say, honey, I know it's Southern California, but it's about ready to snow outside and you're gonna go golfing?
[00:09:39] I'm gonna go golfing.
[00:09:42] You're committed.
[00:09:44] My neighbor golfs.
[00:09:45] I watch him leave to go golf and then I see him come home after he's golfed.
[00:09:49] He looks the same.
[00:09:52] Can't tell if he's won or lost or however that goes, but I've noticed that he'll go in any temperature and any weather.
[00:10:00] Would to God, for the love of God, that you and I would be so undeterred regarding the work that God has called you and I to do.
[00:10:08] We often pray, oh God, use me.
[00:10:11] God, I wanna have a life that makes a difference.
[00:10:13] And there's some sort of opposition.
[00:10:16] There's some sort of what we would cause to say this is resistance, and we give up.
[00:10:24] You know what, how about adopting this attitude for now on?
[00:10:28] Lord, what I wanna do is exalt your name And I want to do that and I'm going to finish up here and I'm going to head to Rome and then with hopes of getting to Spain
[00:10:39] and that's what I sense is a good thing to do and I'm laying that out to you, God, because I want to advance your name.
[00:10:47] Church, what if it's not the will of God?
[00:10:51] See, here's where we lose out on so much, everybody.
[00:10:54] Well, pastor, that's the thing.
[00:10:56] I'd love to sign up for that ministry or get involved in that thing or maybe do this deal or the other and yet you think it think it and overthink it until you don't do anything
[00:11:06] about it or the opportunity passes and you missed out on a great blessing all because you played it safe when you failed most importantly you fail to experience the hearing of the voice of God friends listen pastor Chuck Smith
[00:11:22] told us years ago it's really hard to drive a car when it's not rolling listen I'm telling you right now, I have two old vehicles, both of them, one of them you can almost pick up
[00:11:38] and walk away with, and that's a 67 Volkswagen.
[00:11:40] I've had it, I dated my wife in that car.
[00:11:43] I've had that car forever.
[00:11:45] But you know what, that little thing, try to turn the steering wheel when it's not rolling.
[00:11:52] There's no power steering.
[00:11:54] And then of course I've got the most beautiful pickup truck the world has ever seen.
[00:12:01] Everybody asks me, when are you gonna get that thing painted?
[00:12:04] That thing's a piece of junk.
[00:12:05] You paid money for that?
[00:12:06] I love pushing shopping carts out of the way in the shopping center to park my, I love pulling up next to a Porsche or a Ferrari and they cringe thinking that truck is gonna open its door on me.
[00:12:23] I would never do that.
[00:12:24] I don't want that truck to get hurt.
[00:12:27] When it's parked, try to turn the wheel.
[00:12:31] You're not gonna do it.
[00:12:32] But when it's moving ever so little bit, you can steer it.
[00:12:36] Christian, when you move in the pursuit of God, God will steer you.
[00:12:40] Well, what about my motives?
[00:12:42] What about this?
[00:12:43] I don't understand.
[00:12:44] And what about the other?
[00:12:44] Will you just commit it to God and start on the journey and let him steer you?
[00:12:52] Don't be a spectator to this wonderful thing called the Christian life.
[00:12:57] Don't let it happen to you.
[00:12:58] No, listen, challenges and all, we'll take it.
[00:13:01] And that's what we learned from the apostle.
[00:13:03] chapter 15 verse 22 he says for this reason i also have been much hindered from coming to you he throws us back to romans right here the two preceding verses verses 20 and 21 and what does
[00:13:19] he say there he announces this and so i have made it my aim that's it everybody i am targeting this to preach the gospel not where christ was named lest i should build on another man's foundation
[00:13:33] but as it is written to whom he has not announced they shall see and those who have not heard shall understand he is quoting i love this he's quoting from isaiah the apostle paul new testament
[00:13:46] quoting from the book of isaiah to be his ministry motive and point of action paul what are you doing i am going to go preach where jesus has not been heard where where do you get off doing that the
[00:14:01] book of Isaiah. That's how we're supposed to live. It's thrilling. It's exciting. Remember, I've told you before, if your Christianity is boring, you're doing it wrong. And so we get a great, great insight by the apostle. By the way, for your note takers, it's Isaiah 52 verse 15 is
[00:14:22] what he was quoting. But we go on in verse 22 and he says, for this reason, I also have been much hindered that word hindered uh is resisted yes but please put it in order he's got a reason
[00:14:37] he's got a reason he says for this reason look it's all listen if you have a reason then the hindrances hear me out if you have a vision dad fathers think about your family does
[00:14:50] your does your family have a vision for the for your family does your family have a purpose are Or are you just existing?
[00:14:59] We get up, we go, we come home, same thing every day.
[00:15:02] Listen, that's just stuff that puts bread on the table and the kid goes to school.
[00:15:09] That's not living.
[00:15:11] What is the vision?
[00:15:13] What is the purpose?
[00:15:15] What is the reason for your family, for your marriage, for your existence?
[00:15:22] A lot of young people today are losing hope.
[00:15:25] That's so tragic because this is the greatest time to have hope.
[00:15:29] We look around at the world and the world's got no answers.
[00:15:32] God's got the answer.
[00:15:34] We need to be giving young people the answer.
[00:15:36] We need to be giving young people the Bible like never before.
[00:15:39] And I'm grateful, by the way, for some parts of the technology world in which we live in because a lot of people are getting the gospel that way.
[00:15:49] Again, I cite that beautiful cartoon that we played before service.
[00:15:54] That was a cartoon, if you didn't catch it, based on the prodigal son.
[00:16:00] And the gospel was preached, that tree laid down its life so that little bear could live.
[00:16:06] And out of the life of that tree that was given, its offspring sprout and grow again.
[00:16:14] God's goodness to us.
[00:16:15] Challenges, though, we're gonna have them, but we gotta, listen, to endure the challenges, we must have a reason.
[00:16:22] And this is true in life, and it's super true, of course, regarding spiritual life.
[00:16:29] And so the word reason means this, if you'd write this down.
[00:16:32] The Greek word reason, it means, this is why.
[00:16:36] If somebody asks you, the answer is not, well because, why are you doing this?
[00:16:40] Because, that's not an answer.
[00:16:44] By the way, your five year old kid knows that.
[00:16:46] When you say, why are you doing that?
[00:16:49] The because answer is not an answer.
[00:16:52] This is why, on the account of, for this purpose, listen, for this is the motive.
[00:16:58] Why are we here today as a church?
[00:17:01] I want to grow deeper with Jesus, should be our motive, right?
[00:17:05] I hope that's our motive.
[00:17:08] I wanna get closer to him.
[00:17:10] I wanna be faithful.
[00:17:11] I wanna be more like him.
[00:17:13] That's what we wanna be as believers.
[00:17:16] And then we see, regarding this reason, he gave it way back at the beginning of Romans chapter one, verse 13.
[00:17:23] This is what he said.
[00:17:25] This is his reason.
[00:17:26] Now, I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often plan to come to you.
[00:17:31] Remember, he's writing, he's in Corinth, Greece, writing to them in Rome.
[00:17:35] "'But was hindered until now, "'that I might have some fruit among you also, "'just as among the other Gentiles.'" I want to get to Rome.
[00:17:48] He's got this reason.
[00:17:49] I want to meet you, I want to see you.
[00:17:53] What I love about the apostle is that these are believers that he has never met before.
[00:17:58] It's not like he's gonna have a reunion.
[00:18:02] Wouldn't it be fun?
[00:18:03] we could do this what if we could say in the next two hours meet me down at LAX and we are going to take off and we are going to fly to Papua New Guinea and now
[00:18:17] for some of you are carnal you're thinking but there's mosquitoes or they don't wear much much clothes there this is true all of it's true but I say we're going to Papua New Guinea because we have the opportunity to give the gospel
[00:18:33] to a hundred natives in the jungle.
[00:18:39] It's all paid, all expenses paid.
[00:18:43] Did you know that some of you, I'm just making, I'm not throwing you under the bus at all.
[00:18:47] I'm just hypothetically saying, did you know that some of you still won't go?
[00:18:51] It's all paid for.
[00:18:52] In fact, I even got permission from your boss.
[00:18:55] Your boss said, yes, please take him, get him out of here.
[00:18:59] And you don't wanna go.
[00:19:04] I want you to know that God has paid the price.
[00:19:06] the expenses have all been covered for you and I to get the gospel out to those that are around us and to those that are beyond us.
[00:19:17] But there's gonna be hindrances because God has given us a reason, a vision.
[00:19:25] And that word hindered, mark it down if you would.
[00:19:27] I love this and I'll tell you why in a moment.
[00:19:31] To cut in line.
[00:19:32] Isn't that an interesting word?
[00:19:34] In Greek language means, we've got this reason to do a really, really good thing, but something or someone keeps cutting in line. The word means to stop up or to impede, to retard or thwart, to make weary. The word means, and it can refer to
[00:19:56] either demonic resistance and or human limitations. In other words, whatever excuse, oh, I don't have what it takes to share the gospel or to be involved, watch, or to be involved in the gospel or to support the gospel. I don't have what it takes. Listen, don't lie to yourself like that.
[00:20:15] God called you for a purpose, friend. Don't raise your hand, but are you a Christian? Why did God save you? Think about it. Why am I saved? Why are you saved? Sometimes you think we get saved and
[00:20:26] we just, well, now that I'm saved, I guess I'll just wait for the next 65 years until I drop over and then go to heaven.
[00:20:34] No, God has saved you.
[00:20:36] And he's saying, come on, let's go.
[00:20:38] I want to send you places.
[00:20:39] Follow me, let's go.
[00:20:41] And we do it for the love of God, not for the comfort of our flesh or for anything else.
[00:20:48] But it's quite remarkable.
[00:20:50] But that word to be hindered, I'll honestly tell you that I may be weird, but attacks, criticisms, hindrances that come to me, I view them as profound, watch, two things, profound indicators and assurances.
[00:21:24] Number one, I have noticed in my Christian life that every time God is gonna do something, there's gonna be some tremendous opposition to my life in some way, shape, or form.
[00:21:36] It could be, I find a lump on my neck or a person attacks or somebody does something physical, whatever it might be.
[00:21:44] And it's like, wait a minute, this just happened.
[00:21:48] That's unusual.
[00:21:52] Listen, when something unusual happens in the, in the way of hindrance, because you're a Christian, what's coming, what's coming Lord.
[00:22:03] That was intense.
[00:22:04] That person cussed me out up one side, down the other.
[00:22:07] I was at the state capitol and I was testifying regarding pro-life and abortion and I was walking out and there was a delegation of young young women that were all pro-abortionists and I said I just want to say something to all of you I'm old enough to be your dad or your grandpa and I just
[00:22:28] want to say all to all of you this think about this as you go into the capitol today and make your argument that I was I was a failed abortion and I lived and I'm happy to say that God has
[00:22:42] given me this life and I just want you to think about that in this one woman who was leading this delegation said I am so sorry that you lived and that you survived oh yeah right and she did it
[00:22:57] with a smile, I am so sorry that you survived.
[00:23:03] And I went, right on.
[00:23:05] I didn't know what else to say, but right on.
[00:23:08] You know what the, and when the word right on came out of my mouth and I walked away, the word right on came from, as I analyzed myself, I realized I just said right on automatically,
[00:23:18] not even thinking what I was saying, because I know that that kind of opposition always precedes some great work of God.
[00:23:25] When you, listen, when you have a hindrance, you don't give up, you should say, wait a minute.
[00:23:32] Number one, it's possible that God is hindering me from going forward, that's awesome.
[00:23:39] Lord, you do it.
[00:23:40] If it's the enemy or my flesh hindering me, that's awesome.
[00:23:45] Lord, defeat it.
[00:23:48] Anything but stagnant is remarkable.
[00:23:52] Look at 2 Corinthians 12, verse seven says, and lest I should be exalted above measure, This is Paul speaking about the remarkable ministry God had given him.
[00:24:04] By the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me.
[00:24:11] What was it, Paul?
[00:24:13] A messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I be exalted above measure.
[00:24:19] Two things about this.
[00:24:20] Number one, Paul was given so much revelation and insight and clarity regarding the gospel that Paul understood, okay, it makes sense.
[00:24:31] It makes sense for me to be buffeted like this by the enemy to keep me usable.
[00:24:35] That's another thing that Chuck Smith used to always say.
[00:24:38] You guys know what I'm talking about?
[00:24:39] I know many of you come from different churches.
[00:24:41] Chuck Smith's the founder of Calvary Chapel.
[00:24:43] He's now in heaven having a good day.
[00:24:46] But he would always say, keep yourself usable.
[00:24:49] Isn't that a good word?
[00:24:50] Men, listen up.
[00:24:52] Keep yourself usable.
[00:24:55] And all the women said, see?
[00:24:59] But sometimes, and this is the way my brain works, a messenger of Satan to buffet, what?
[00:25:07] Wait, wait, Satan's gonna eat me alive, I am the buffet?
[00:25:14] No, no, no, sometimes God will allow Satan to do things for God's glory because you and I are the instruments by which God is glorified.
[00:25:27] In fact, the men and women of the church, you guys have just embarked upon the study of Job.
[00:25:34] And this is a great verse that backs all that up.
[00:25:36] And Paul said, I'm good with it because my fleshly problems that I have these ailments or these sicknesses or these issues keep me from trusting in my own strength and powers.
[00:25:51] It weakens me to lean on God.
[00:25:53] That's always a good day, everybody.
[00:25:54] And then the other thing is this, I can't take any credit for what God is doing.
[00:25:59] Yeah, for what God is doing.
[00:26:01] It's not my life, it's God that's doing it, so it's all of him, has nothing to do with me.
[00:26:07] I'm just an instrument, that's what Paul was saying.
[00:26:10] And don't you wanna live like that?
[00:26:12] I wanna live like that, it's thrilling.
[00:26:17] Listen, side note, I don't know why, I'm not gonna ask, but for whatever reasons, New York, Fox News, they keep asking me on Fox News at night with Trace Gallagher, great guy, by the way,
[00:26:34] just love this guy, but every time I'm there, he says, you know, we'd love to have you next week.
[00:26:40] We'd love to have you next week.
[00:26:42] You can come in as often as you want.
[00:26:44] Let us know what you wanna talk about.
[00:26:48] I told a friend of mine who works at Fox, I said, did you know that they said this?
[00:26:53] And they said, what?
[00:26:54] No, they did not say that.
[00:26:55] I said, they said it, they said it.
[00:26:56] Every time I go, they say it.
[00:26:57] And they said, this does not happen.
[00:26:59] This does not happen.
[00:27:02] So listen, things don't happen unless God, unless God.
[00:27:10] Makes no sense.
[00:27:12] I shared that with Daniel Cohen, our news anchor for the Real Life Network, and he used to work for Fox, and he said, "'I've never heard of such a thing, "'that the host asks the guest,
[00:27:23] "'what do you want to talk about?' "'God, what do you call that?' "'An open door, it's an open door.' "'And then so I've been dropping the gospel here and there "'and nudging and pushing and moving a little bit
[00:27:37] toward this on any topic. I don't care what the topic is. If it's lawlessness, I'll say Jesus spoke about lawlessness in the last days. The point is this, all of a sudden I'm getting bombarded by people saying, you're only doing it for the money. I will officially disclose how much
[00:27:57] money they are paying me right now for the record. Zero. So for all of those who are saying that I'm doing it for the money. It cost me money to go there. In LA, the studio's in LA, even though
[00:28:14] it's linked, of course, to the New York. I just wanted to say that. God gets the glory. Is it terrifying? Oh, you should hear my stomach before. Oh yeah, it's terrifying. I'm all nervous.
[00:28:34] Not exactly sure if I should go to the bathroom or not beforehand. I'm serious. I am nervous sick.
[00:28:43] But what if, what if God wants to say something?
[00:28:50] What if something happens?
[00:28:52] What if somebody maybe might turn on the gospel?
[00:28:58] Whatever it might be.
[00:28:59] How far for the love of God are you willing?
[00:29:04] Paul the apostle was so willing, and he was able by the grace of God.
[00:29:10] And we shouldn't be surprised to hear this.
[00:29:13] Paul moved in the realm of the spirit, and he used the spirit realm and the understanding of all that to advance the cause of Christ.
[00:29:20] church family, you and I live actually more in the realm of the spirit than we do in the realm of the physical, because you and I are spiritual creatures. We have been born again by the power
[00:29:29] of God. We live for the glory of God. And it just happens to be that the physical world that you and I live in are simply tools to the advancement of the gospel. No matter what you do, your vocation
[00:29:45] does not trump your calling for Christ. Second Corinthians chapter four tells us this, but even if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing whose minds the God of this age Satan has blinded who do not believe lest the
[00:30:07] light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should shine on them for we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.
[00:30:22] For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness and who has shown in our hearts to give, listen, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
[00:30:33] Verse seven, but we have this treasure.
[00:30:36] What's the treasure?
[00:30:38] The gospel.
[00:30:39] We have this treasure in earthen vessels.
[00:30:42] What's the earthen vessels?
[00:30:44] Are you guys with me?
[00:30:46] Our bodies are the earthen vessels.
[00:30:48] By the way, isn't it kind of cool?
[00:30:49] How did Paul know that?
[00:30:50] Did you know that our bodies are made out of the same elements of the earth?
[00:30:55] And he calls it earthen vessels.
[00:30:56] How did he know that?
[00:30:58] He must have had some biology teacher, chemistry teacher back in those days.
[00:31:04] That the excellence of the power may be of God, and say it with me, not of us.
[00:31:12] What a great thing to the glory of God and for the love of God.
[00:31:17] And this spiritual warfare that we can anticipate in the Christian life, again, as I said, is something that should reassure us.
[00:31:23] Don't give up.
[00:31:26] Opposition, in my opinion, most often is an indicator of God doing something or about to do something great.
[00:31:33] 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 17, I love this.
[00:31:36] But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
[00:31:50] Therefore, by the way, speaking to the Thessalonians in Thessalonica, just off the Aegean Sea.
[00:31:57] Therefore, we wanted to come to you, even I, Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us.
[00:32:07] For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing?
[00:32:11] Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for you are our glory and joy is that i did paul say we wanted to do all this for
[00:32:24] the glory of god and to see you again but satan hindered us and we threw down we threw down our toys and we went and sucked our thumb in the corner in the fetal position i can't prove this
[00:32:38] there's no evidence of this but i would not doubt that if paul said do you guys kind of sense are Are you kind of sensing what I'm sensing?
[00:32:45] This is unexplainable opposition we're receiving.
[00:32:49] Yes, Paul, we agree.
[00:32:50] I think Satan's opposing us.
[00:32:52] And let's pray about that.
[00:32:54] And they probably prayed.
[00:32:56] Maybe God revealed something to them.
[00:33:00] And they realized Satan is opposing us.
[00:33:04] I think they probably prayed more and harder to keep going.
[00:33:13] For you and I to keep going.
[00:33:16] Listen, I don't know anything about nothing.
[00:33:18] I'll tell you this, make sure that your home is fortified with prayer as of today.
[00:33:26] We don't know what's happening in our country anymore.
[00:33:28] You cannot predict where we will be and how we will be one month from today.
[00:33:33] In this nation, America is no longer as we've known it.
[00:33:40] This nation is not somewhat divided.
[00:33:47] nation is reaping the harvest of decades of education saying God is dead you are nothing but an advanced monkey your your descendants crawled out of a primordial mud hole and you're nothing but a byproduct of an evolutionary series of
[00:34:09] accidents and there is no God and you can do whatever you want to and so people are now doing whatever they want to and people are asking the dumb question how could this be happening are you kidding me we've we've seen this
[00:34:26] coming but nobody was listening tell them they're animals and they're gonna act like it tell them God is dead and you have lawlessness remove God from America beginning with the Ten Commandments and what do you get you get
[00:34:43] all the things that the Ten Commandments warns you about and instructs you on and what to do and what to not do.
[00:34:51] And the scales have been tipped.
[00:34:55] Fortify your home.
[00:34:58] Fathers, dads, stand up, starting today.
[00:35:01] Be the Paul the Apostle in your home like never before.
[00:35:04] The hour is late.
[00:35:07] I pray Christ is coming soon.
[00:35:10] But listen, we need to be ready.
[00:35:11] Whatever that means, I don't know.
[00:35:14] But we need to be ready to love our enemies, to stand for your family, and of course, obey the gospel.
[00:35:24] The second thing we see is in verse 23, and that is we must be open to what he, that is God, has next.
[00:35:32] In verse 23, he says, but now, no longer having a place in these parts.
[00:35:38] I'm gonna stop right there at that verse.
[00:35:41] But now, no longer having a place in these parts.
[00:35:47] When I say that, I can hear some, Well, but now no longer having a place on these parts.
[00:35:53] Sounds like a line out of some Western.
[00:35:57] What was Paul saying?
[00:36:00] Paul was announcing, you know what?
[00:36:02] I have evaluated the situation here in Corinth and I have preached the gospel.
[00:36:10] Churches have been established.
[00:36:12] There are people doing the ministry.
[00:36:14] There's no reason for me to be here anymore.
[00:36:17] These parts have been covered and are being covered by the Christians that are there.
[00:36:26] Here's what it doesn't mean.
[00:36:27] It doesn't mean that Paul witnessed to every Corinthian.
[00:36:32] He didn't witness to 500,000 people personally.
[00:36:36] It means that he witnessed and he also left ministries, are you with me, to do the work.
[00:36:45] And so Paul looks around and he says, nothing here for me to do, time for me to go.
[00:36:51] Isn't that a great thing?
[00:36:52] I was talking to somebody just the other day and their career is based in things like this, at the end of the day, they can see what they've done.
[00:37:01] And I have to tell you, and I told them, I said, I'm not supposed to admit this to you, I'm a pastor, but I'm envious of you.
[00:37:10] You get up, you go, you work, and at the end of the day, you back away from your project and you can see that you built that thing and it was just installed and the homeowner loves it
[00:37:22] and you take a picture and you post it now you move on to your next project. He goes, that's a great sense of accomplishment. And when he said that, I went, because I don't have that. I'm not supposed to have that. I don't get that.
[00:37:41] Listen, I kind of, I can kind of relate to a mom because a mom works so hard, hardest job in the world. A mom works so hard and she knows I am not going to get any credit for any of this until this
[00:38:00] nut has some kids right think about it how long is that 20 years and this day and age 40 years god bless all the moms in the world as a pastor I don't know at
[00:38:16] the end of the day I can't go look at that wipe my brow what a great day of achievement I can't do that I gotta wait till I'm dead to see what happened I I don't get a progress update or a report card until it's all over.
[00:38:37] And my heart's desire is to see how you do.
[00:38:41] My heart's desire is to see you move in those areas that God has given you life, a reason and a purpose to live your glorious life that he has saved you to live.
[00:38:55] And all these various areas of life God's people are in is a remarkable thing.
[00:39:02] goes on that verse does having a great desire he says these many years to come to you Wow many years the word desire look at this beautiful word have having this great desire many years a persistent longing for to yearn the word
[00:39:17] means to have an underlying desire to have or to be in this sense fit regarding the thing or a place meaning that as Christians our desired values and pursuits have changed and are now upon lasting things paul says i have so long desired yearned
[00:39:40] to be with you but he endured the time because he was involved in the things of god but all the while he had this desire to go see the brothers and sisters that he'd heard about in rome
[00:39:54] do you have a do you have a favorite vacation spot or do you have a place that you are going to go to that you've never been to before maybe this coming summer and you're excited about it
[00:40:03] oh boy we're going to go to this place or to that place and have you noticed when you check the weather i don't know about you but lisa i don't have to check the weather lisa the moment we have
[00:40:14] a vacation plan somewhere it could be a year away honestly you know what she does on her phone she puts in the weather same with you she puts in the weather like for example we're a big fan of
[00:40:26] Burford, Burford, England.
[00:40:29] Now don't go there, because we like how quiet it is.
[00:40:35] You step back a thousand years in time.
[00:40:38] She always has Burford on her weather.
[00:40:41] Oh, and she'll tell me, it's raining today in Burford.
[00:40:45] No, I'm serious.
[00:40:47] This happens all the time in our home.
[00:40:49] It's fantastic.
[00:40:50] The thing is, well, that's great.
[00:40:57] But a destination, you have a tendency to kind of find out about it.
[00:41:02] What's it like there?
[00:41:02] What's going on there?
[00:41:03] What can I find out?
[00:41:04] Is there any images?
[00:41:09] So Paul's thinking like that, everything he's doing, there's this thing about being finally to see our brothers and sisters in Rome.
[00:41:18] What about our brothers and sisters?
[00:41:20] Yes, our brothers and sisters in Salt Lake.
[00:41:23] There's a lot of them.
[00:41:25] What about our brothers and sisters even in Seattle?
[00:41:30] Seattle, the least churched city in America, Seattle.
[00:41:34] Seattle.
[00:41:36] Something like less, I think it's, I think it's like either six or 0.6% of the population.
[00:41:46] I don't know what it is, but it's the least churched city in America.
[00:41:50] And yet God's people are there.
[00:41:53] And in the front row, is that right or something?
[00:41:56] You should get back before they don't have anybody there.
[00:42:08] Remarkable things and he had this great desire.
[00:42:13] And desire is a very powerful thing.
[00:42:15] Take inventory, what are your desires?
[00:42:17] I know in this church, because the word of God goes out, there's many of you that are thinking, I need to know, I need to know, I want the desire that God desires for my life.
[00:42:26] That's a great prayer.
[00:42:27] And I know what you mean by that.
[00:42:29] Write this down, please, Psalm 37, verse four.
[00:42:32] This is fun.
[00:42:33] Psalm 37, verse four.
[00:42:35] You know, Paul knew this verse.
[00:42:39] Delight yourself in the Lord, stop right there, comma, delight, be consumed with him.
[00:42:45] What does he wanna do?
[00:42:46] What is he doing?
[00:42:48] What would be the God thing to do?
[00:42:51] Remember those little wristbands?
[00:42:52] What would Jesus do?
[00:42:56] Delight yourself in the Lord.
[00:43:01] This job, this event, this situation, this relationship, what would God do?
[00:43:08] Delight yourself in the Lord.
[00:43:12] Next, and he shall give you the desires of your heart.
[00:43:17] Did you get that?
[00:43:18] The qualifier is delight yourself in the Lord.
[00:43:22] He begins to change your heart.
[00:43:23] God is so good, watch this.
[00:43:25] God starts to change your heart as you delight yourself in him.
[00:43:28] He changes your heart and you start desiring things that you don't realize until later that God put it in your heart.
[00:43:41] So for example, I mean, I'm just making this up obviously, but you say to yourself, I would never, I would never move to Detroit.
[00:43:55] Now, God is not gonna change your heart to punish you, but here's what happens.
[00:44:02] As you delight in him, he winds up putting a desire inside of you that winds up being your delight, and you and God share the same delight.
[00:44:16] Until one day you say, somebody needs to do that in Detroit.
[00:44:23] And you start thinking about Detroit.
[00:44:26] And then you start looking at homes in Detroit and you take a vacation, you hear what I'm saying?
[00:44:32] And what you never would have anticipated in the flesh, God winds up doing a work in your heart over time whereby you begin to act like this now.
[00:44:40] Dear God, I'd love to go to Detroit.
[00:44:45] Show me if it's your will or not.
[00:44:47] And God says, hey, knucklehead.
[00:44:51] I put that in there because you've been delighting in me.
[00:44:55] Your heart now has been knit to my heart.
[00:44:58] And you'll love the mission.
[00:45:02] You'll love it just as Paul loved those in Rome.
[00:45:06] That's a good work of God.
[00:45:07] And he'll give you the desires of your heart.
[00:45:09] That's a safe thing.
[00:45:10] Say, wait a minute, you mean if I go to Vegas and I throw down these numbers, he's gonna, no, that's not what it means.
[00:45:20] It means because you're delighting him, which is perpetual, you're thinking, you're moving, your activity, your actions.
[00:45:27] Please, Christian, grab this and run with it.
[00:45:29] You are free every moment of your life, of your day to walk with Jesus Christ.
[00:45:34] You're free, you're free because you know what?
[00:45:36] You're following the Lord, he's prompting your heart, he's leading your life, he's interrupting your situations.
[00:45:42] Even if he doesn't want you to make it to Spain, you're on your way and he'll turn the boat, or the donkey, or the car, or the train, or whatever it is.
[00:45:53] It's a great way to live, everybody.
[00:45:56] We need not make the mistakes that we so often do as we seek him and follow him.
[00:46:02] He wants to lead us.
[00:46:03] He delights in that.
[00:46:05] He loves it.
[00:46:06] He says in Isaiah, why don't you listen to me and let me lead you with my right hand?
[00:46:11] Why be like, well, I'm not gonna say it's old King James, but it's the back end of a donkey.
[00:46:18] Why would you be like the rear end of a donkey and make it difficult for you where you have to use a bridle and a bit?
[00:46:28] Let me lead you with my hand.
[00:46:30] do you want that with God I do we should he wants to lead us Psalm 37 4 is very dear next thing is verse 24 is that we must be willing to do or to work
[00:46:47] together so for the love of God will we go to the ends of the earth you see Jack I still don't get how that part applies to my life when I'm stuck here and this
[00:46:58] job or what just hang on we must be willing to work together so you guys have all heard that term that's like herding cats I I used to not understand this but now and I do understand this so have you noticed everybody that as
[00:47:24] brothers and sisters we're supposed to be willing to work together do you know in the ways of the flesh or human strength we have better chances of building a reusable spaceship to catapult things and people out into
[00:47:44] space and have it return and land on a on a landing pad that is much easier to get a team together and stay on target focused at SpaceX than it is in your local church I promise you that I used to work for one of the biggest
[00:48:03] corporations in the world and we were renowned for our team work we were granted massive budgets in R&D to develop these inventions or ideas by world-renowned physicians and I was a Christian there was a Jehovah Witness
[00:48:27] there was an atheist there was a Mormon there was a Buddhist very bright very opinionated let me tell you something oh by the way no time card when you worked for that company they allowed a time for that project these things were supposed to be done they did not follow you
[00:48:56] around and i i mean i flourish in that kind of a setting i never they don't we didn't have a time card at the end of six months or three months how we spent that five million dollars regarding
[00:49:07] that doctor's idea is it going to work or is it not going to work it's up to you guys to see if that guy's got a good idea because if he does we're going to make billions so you guys are the
[00:49:15] ones that are going to find out if he's got a good idea and we'll come and see you in six months no time card no punching in or out the end result was did the team achieve today's goals how long did it
[00:49:30] take didn't matter if it took an hour or listen not kidding 18 hours the team met the goals high-fived each other went back home came back the next day to do it again until the project was
[00:49:42] complete listen all of us had a completely different worldview none of this would get together under any other circumstance period we would make that project work we'd finish it and that corporation then would produce it and
[00:49:58] then the rest is investment history that said try to do that with church well I want to sit here well we're gonna go over here for why do we why there okay this is what we need to do we need to make sure that we've got these things in
[00:50:18] place before we can have the new believers go this way. Well, I think it should be the opposite way. You guys, it's like herding cats. You want to know why? Because listen, Satan doesn't go
[00:50:29] around poking companies and scrambling their heads up. But Satan hates the church. Don't you want to be hated? That was very weak. That was kind of like, I don't know how I should have laughed at
[00:50:43] that. Don't you want your name to be known in hell? I do. I want my name on a chalkboard in hell saying, we got to do something to stop this guy. Did you know, listen, did you know that God
[00:50:58] cannot or Satan cannot do anything in your life and against your life without the permission of your father? That means go reckless. Well, I want to tell that lady the gospel, but what if God's
[00:51:15] not in it. Stop thinking like that. Step out and do it. And if God's not in it, nothing's going to happen, but don't stand around and analyze it. You'll never get off your couch. Oh, for the love
[00:51:29] of God. That's why we do it. And so this getting together, it's hard and church life's tough.
[00:51:39] And I should say this right now. It's amazing to see how people have these skills and they come and they bring an application and they've got, I mean, they could be Harvard, Johns Hopkins University,
[00:51:52] I don't care what it, they got all these skills and all of these achievements in the world and then they come into the church life in a staff position and it's a total disaster.
[00:52:02] And they don't even know why because you can't take the things of the world because God will not do his church with worldly wisdom.
[00:52:15] Dr. Warren Wiersbe says, if you can explain what's going on in your church, god is not the one doing it so be nice to me when you guys ask me so what's going on around here and
[00:52:27] i say i don't know you should say praise the lord yeah but we got to work together and he says in verse 24 whenever i journey to spain i shall come to you that's those that are in rome for i hope to
[00:52:47] see you on my journey and to be helped this is so amazing to me hang on everybody please don't take this the wrong way. And to be helped on my way there, that is to Spain, by you, if first I may
[00:53:03] enjoy your company for a while. Okay, listen, you're not going to like this, but this is what he's saying. Can't wait to see all of you guys. It's going to be awesome. I'm on my way to Spain,
[00:53:15] but I'm going to swing by down into Italy, and then I'll head out from Rome on my way to Spain.
[00:53:21] and I can't wait to see you guys and I know you guys cannot wait to see me and I also know that you are going to help me financially get to Spain.
[00:53:32] He just says it.
[00:53:34] We don't, it's like, what?
[00:53:37] I know how this is.
[00:53:39] Look, this church, do we ask you for money?
[00:53:43] You know there's a big project going on a thousand feet from you.
[00:53:47] 500, no, 300 yards from you.
[00:53:50] No, 300 feet.
[00:53:51] Doesn't matter.
[00:53:52] on the other side of the other building.
[00:53:57] Do you see our thermometer here?
[00:54:00] Can't you see it?
[00:54:01] See how the giving's going?
[00:54:05] It's up to you to make it happen.
[00:54:08] No, it's not.
[00:54:11] You're gonna come here someday, please, when it's finished, Lord, and you're gonna say, wow, what's that?
[00:54:22] And you're gonna say, how did that happen?
[00:54:24] And we're gonna say, we don't even know.
[00:54:29] Yeah, exactly, Lee.
[00:54:31] Jesus. I love it. When God is in something, he's going to provide for that thing, whatever it is.
[00:54:42] In your marriage, listen, friends, listen. Those of you who are going through a rough patch in marriage, God provided your spouse. He will get you through this rough season. He'll get you through it. Corporation, God's next step for you, he'll do it. But I love the fact that Paul just
[00:55:01] being so honest with them. He's not afraid. The word hope means to have full expectation or to expect. He's got that assurance. And then the word helped. This is that word. Are you guys okay?
[00:55:14] We're almost done. You all right? We're not going to finish. I gave hope. I gave up hope again of ever. The word helped to establish a beachhead. Those of you who are military-minded, you got to establish a beachhead if you're coming onto the enemy's territory in the area of
[00:55:36] ocean or sea how does what that's what the word means exactly I want to be he says I expect to be helped by you I expect from you guys he's saying to help establish a beachhead for me
[00:55:53] what does that mean to stop and to be filled up with supplies the word means to have provision so as to continue on in the work or race for human souls.
[00:56:06] What an amazing word.
[00:56:08] I'm coming to Rome.
[00:56:09] Can't wait to see all of you.
[00:56:11] Oh, and by the way, you guys are gonna help me establish that stop as a beachhead because you're gonna prepare me to get into Spain to launch the gospel there.
[00:56:23] Tarshish, that's where we're going.
[00:56:25] That's the intended destination.
[00:56:27] Scholars don't know if Paul ever made it there or not.
[00:56:30] Some say he did.
[00:56:30] some say he didn't I don't care Paul had his sights set on Spain and he's gonna get there by way of Rome I ask you something do you have your eyes set on heaven when you got up this morning when you get up tomorrow morning the big
[00:56:51] challenge is this the big hindrance is this will the things of the world consume you get your attention or is your aim to preach Christ so Jack I'm not a preacher. I'll say that in a moment. I'll address that in a moment. It's to preach Christ
[00:57:09] and to reach the ends of the earth for the love of God. And I'm going to do that by way of, fill in the blank. Are you longing to be in ministry to make a difference for the kingdom of
[00:57:28] God but you're the best welder that the company has and you have been struggling where Lord use me I've just abandoned here at this company maybe you're the maybe you're the school teacher maybe you're the house wife or maybe you're the house husband now Lord use me excuse me hello
[00:57:56] take a deep breath look around I would say to you today are you open to the will of God and you would say, yes, I am. For the love of God, would you do what he asked you to do? Yes. Yes. Do you trust
[00:58:09] him? Think, everybody, side note, side, pause. In your own life, ask yourself, are you able to say to God right now, not out loud, God, I'm willing to do whatever you want me to do. Do you trust him?
[00:58:27] do you know his nature enough to feel safe with that request in other words for those of you who see God like this Gabriel Michael I'm just waiting for some dummy to ask me to have my will done in
[00:58:47] their life because boy am I gonna let them have it I'm gonna send them to wherever no no no my friends nope that's not it if you know his nature in his nature is love and you
[00:59:04] say Lord I want you to let me know I want you to tell me what you want me to do I am willing and how about this God if it's something that I'm not willing
[00:59:17] to do I'm asking you to make me willing to do it that might be one of the biggest liberating prayers of your life I may not be willing what if what if God you call me or what if something's in the way because I'm not willing you know
[00:59:36] God did that again with mr. Jonah Jonah what a piece of work this guy I totally understand why Jonah didn't want the Ninevites to hear the gospel I get it I agree with him by the way it's pretty weird to realize that Hitler and his
[00:59:59] henchmen studied the Assyrian Empire when they took captive the Jews did you know that because it was there in Assyria that they made soap out of Jewish bones it is in the Assyrian Empire thousands of years ago that they
[01:00:17] made fabric they made awnings and they made coverings out of Jewish skins did you know that Hitler studied that he knew that most Christians don't even know that that was and so God tells Nineveh I mean God tells Jonah go go
[01:00:36] go tell them this, what is it?
[01:00:38] I'm not going there, tell them.
[01:00:40] Oh wait, you want me to tell them that?
[01:00:42] Oh baby, I'm on it.
[01:00:44] What was it?
[01:00:45] 40 days and Nineveh perishes.
[01:00:47] I can preach that.
[01:00:49] Can you imagine if God said to me, Jack, go to Sacramento and tell them in 40 days, the ground's gonna open up and the whole thing's gonna go down a hole.
[01:00:57] Oh yeah, amen, get on it, let's go, woo!
[01:01:01] Your feet run into the airport.
[01:01:05] And then you go there, 40 days in Sacramento caves and then 40 days happens and Newsom's out there in sackcloth and ashes.
[01:01:16] The Democrat majority power brokers of this state that make all the rules and taxes for every mile now that we travel, they all fall on their faces and cry out to God and they repent
[01:01:30] and I'm standing there and going, what is happening?
[01:01:33] Where's the judgment?
[01:01:35] I wanna see fire come down from heaven, God.
[01:01:38] You sent me here and I wanna see them fry.
[01:01:42] And God says, they're repenting.
[01:01:45] That wasn't in the deal, right?
[01:01:49] Think about it.
[01:01:55] In the 21st century, the greatest revival or the greatest awakening in short order of time, days, was the reaping of souls for the kingdom of God in Nineveh by the reluctant prophet by the name of Jonah.
[01:02:15] He wanted them to fry, instead millions got saved And he was the only prophet I've ever heard about being depressed by his success.
[01:02:26] We have to stop here.
[01:02:28] No, I know, someday, someday, someday the clock is gonna break and I won't know what time it is and we'll just keep going.
[01:02:38] Father, Father, we ask you, Lord God, that you, for the love of God, that you would put within our hearts the things that you want.
[01:02:47] Lord, you're not mysterious, this is not rocket science.
[01:02:51] The bottom line through all of this is, am I willing?
[01:02:54] Am I willing?
[01:02:56] And Lord, I pray today that no matter where we're at live, no matter what station we're at in life, no matter how young, no matter how old, we would say today as a church, make me willing, Lord.
[01:03:11] Lord, thank you.
[01:03:12] It's quite shocking and it's a major indicator that we're in the last days for sure.
[01:03:16] And that is just this church, not the thousands and thousands of other churches on media and radio and TV, but just this church around the world reach more people in one day with the gospel
[01:03:33] through broadcast and television and radio and all kinds of stuff that Paul the Apostle reached in his entire lifetime.
[01:03:44] Why is that true?
[01:03:45] Because you're coming back.
[01:03:48] Thank you that together we all get to do that.
[01:03:51] We all get to play a role in that.
[01:03:55] But even still, Lord, show us what you want to do next.
[01:04:01] Maybe for some of you today, you might like what you've heard and read in the Bible today, but it's all foreign to you.
[01:04:08] Well, you ought to change that, friend.
[01:04:13] You should say to him today, God, I want that in my life.
[01:04:17] Jesus, I want you to wash me clean.
[01:04:19] Jesus, I want you to be my passion.
[01:04:22] I want to have you controlling me.
[01:04:24] If this is what you're about, I'm all in.
[01:04:28] Thank you for the cross, for dying in my place.
[01:04:30] I was sentenced to the cross by my sins.
[01:04:36] The moment I would have died without Jesus, I would have had to enter a Christless eternity for my sins but Jesus went to the cross and paid the price I owed God in righteousness Jesus did freely he laid down his life for me and I believe that your Bible says that he rose again
[01:05:01] from the dead God raised his son from the dead that we might have the justification that is that God would say to you today if you accept my son as Lord and Savior you are free from all your sins
[01:05:14] and that work is so powerful and so beautiful that sin just becomes something on the back burner.
[01:05:25] Christ moves to the front.
[01:05:27] You've got a brand new purpose, brand new attitude, a brand new world and a brand new reason and it's all for the love of God and we thank you for that, Lord.
[01:05:38] In Jesus' name and all God's people said, Amen.
[01:05:41] Let's stand together, church.
[01:05:43] God bless you.