1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:42,720 What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood. 6 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:47,600 Of Jesus and. If we're not proclaiming this 7 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,880 message as Paul and Peter and Steven. 8 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,960 And every other. Person has been called, 9 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,080 commissioned by God to proclaim the gospel. 10 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,280 Might as well shut the church down and no longer show up, 11 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:08,040 because there is no good news apart from this message of 12 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,080 Christ. Oh that lovely old hymn, Nothing 13 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,880 but the blood of Jesus. These words are rich with 14 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,960 doctrine and theology. Truly, there is nothing that has 15 00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:23,240 provided our cleansing and our guarantee and the payment for 16 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,520 our sins. Save the shed blood of Jesus 17 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,000 Christ on the cross of Calvary and we would be hopeless without 18 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,240 it. Today you'll learn from Pastor 19 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,800 Clark that the blood of Jesus is the lifeline of the church. 20 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,640 Once you've accepted the free gift of salvation, you can now 21 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,880 begin to step into the calling that God has placed on your 22 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,480 life. Now here's Pastor Clark in the 23 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,720 book of Acts chapter 13 with today's edition of Living Waters 24 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,040 of Grace verse 25. And as John was finishing his 25 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,160 course, he said, who do you think I am? 26 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,360 I am not he. Well, everybody thought John, 27 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,320 man, he's something else. He's out there in the 28 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:02,800 wilderness. He's not connected. 29 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,240 To this world, really, he's like a hermit. 30 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,000 He's just like, very, very different and very. 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,280 Godly and very fiery. In his eyes and just. 32 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,920 The passion he had for God and nothing else, they might have 33 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:16,160 thought. He was the one. 34 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,400 Well, this guy, he's, he's different. 35 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,640 I mean, he's really challenging me and my heart's convicted 36 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:22,920 because of what he's saying, he says. 37 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:27,320 I am not he, but behold, there comes one after me, the sandals 38 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,040 of whose feet I am not worthy to loose. 39 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:34,400 So you see humility in John. He didn't think he was anything. 40 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:38,000 He was just a voice in the wilderness, as the Bible says, 41 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,400 just like I'm a voice here today in the wilderness that we live 42 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,600 in today in this world. Men and Brethren, Verse 26. 43 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,320 Paul says Sons of the family of Abraham. 44 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,880 Abraham. Isaac, Jacob, The Lineage. 45 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,560 Of the nation of. Israel through the Patriarchs. 46 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:58,560 He's speaking to them and those among you who fear God. 47 00:02:58,920 --> 00:03:01,000 The gentiles who are sitting in the synagogue. 48 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:07,480 Seeking the truth to you. The word of salvation has been 49 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:13,000 sent, so the word of salvation is why this is all happening. 50 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,240 The word of. Salvation is why. 51 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,280 We have a church and a radio. Station and we're. 52 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,960 All witnesses, wherever we. Are and we pray and we intercede 53 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,880 for people who need Jesus Christ, and our hearts are 54 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,680 burdened for lost people every day. 55 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:30,800 It should be if we belong to the Lord. 56 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,320 We're seeking ways that we can reach people for those. 57 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,120 Who dwell in Jerusalem? And their rulers, because they 58 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,000 did not know Him, and they're referring to Messiah. 59 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,040 There are even the voices of the prophets, which are read every 60 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,800 Sabbath, having fulfilled them and condemning Him. 61 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,960 So every Saturday they're going through this process. 62 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,680 Of reading the. Torah and the Law and the 63 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,080 prophets, and it's like the blind leading the blind, because 64 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,560 everything's pointing to what? Jesus Christ did it. 65 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,240 Pointed to John the Baptist being the forerunner, the 66 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,520 prophet who is preparing the way of the Lord. 67 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,080 Right? All this stuff is should be 68 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:09,840 self. Evident to these people, right? 69 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,440 And yet they did. Exactly what the scripture said 70 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,840 they would do. They would reject him and they 71 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,640 would have him martyred and crucified, and they would try to 72 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,840 keep this message under wraps so no one would. 73 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:26,560 Believe it. And though they found no cause 74 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,720 for death, verse 28 in him, they asked Pilate that he should put, 75 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,320 he should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all 76 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,440 that was written concerning him, they took him down from the tree 77 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,000 and laid him in a tomb. So everything's fulfilled. 78 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,360 He's reviewing the history. We all know it. 79 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:46,240 We've studied it, we're aware of it, we believe it, but God verse 80 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,120 30 raised him from the dead. So if God didn't raise Christ 81 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,240 from the dead like the prophecies? 82 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:57,400 In the Old Testament, you know referred to, and if you look at 83 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,400 your cross references, if you have a cross reference Bible, a 84 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,720 lot of things I'm talking about, all the Old Testament quotes are 85 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:09,640 tied into Isaiah 55, three or Psalm 1610 or Psalm 2 verse 7. 86 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:14,200 All these are prophetical fulfillments of what Christ had 87 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:19,120 done. God the Father, God the Son, God 88 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,360 the Holy Spirit. Long before. 89 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,720 We were created long. Before creation had ever 90 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,400 developed, was the. Plan of the Ages. 91 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,520 That when this. World would be created. 92 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,440 God knew that man would fall. And turn from him. 93 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,760 And he? Already had a remedy where he 94 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:35,760 said in. Revelation. 95 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,040 He was a lamb slain before the foundation of the earth. 96 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:43,000 For God's vantage point is past. Present future he sees. 97 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:48,760 Everything at one time and in the fullness of time, God sent 98 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,760 Jesus for us. To be the Savior of the world. 99 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,960 So they laid him in the tomb, but that is not the end of it. 100 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,160 Verse 30 But God raised him from the dead. 101 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,440 God brought him up from the dead as the literal translation from 102 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:08,720 the Greek, that this was a work of the sovereign God, who had 103 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,040 planned to do this for all eternity. 104 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,040 Verse 31. He was seen after that for many 105 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,440 days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, 106 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:19,760 who are His witnesses to the people. 107 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:21,800 So all these. People were connected, they 108 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,760 knew, OK, a lot of you know, they're witnesses now. 109 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:29,520 Paul had the encounter on the road to Damascus and Barnabas. 110 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,080 You know, all these people have become believers because of this 111 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:36,120 historical event in history of. Of the church and. 112 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:41,280 Christianity so they see him, and then they say in verse 32, 113 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,720 And we declare to you glad tidings, good news, that promise 114 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,120 which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us, 115 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,920 their children, and that He has raised up Jesus. 116 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,480 It is also written in the second Psalm, You are my son the day I 117 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,040 have begotten you, and that he raised him up from the dead, no 118 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,920 more to return to corruption. He has spoken thus. 119 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:04,320 I will give you the Shure mercies of David. 120 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,880 Verse 35. Therefore, he also says in 121 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,000 another Psalm, You shall not allow your Holy One to see 122 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,960 corruption when the when the body goes into the. 123 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,920 Grave we we corrupt. We decompose, you can dig. 124 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,320 Someone up, you know. So many months or years later, 125 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,520 it's it's. Bones it's there's nothing left 126 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,160 OK, Christ, when he died, there was no. 127 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,160 Corruption. Nothing affected his body. 128 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,960 When he was putting that tomb, he he didn't go into. 129 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,280 That process of corruption and when he was resurrected, his 130 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:36,160 body was perfect because he's he's eternal. 131 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,920 He died physically. But you can't kill God, can you? 132 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:46,240 He, He's eternal. And so David, verse 36, it says, 133 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,880 for David, after he had served his own generation, by the will 134 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,600 of God, he fell asleep, was buried with his Father's. 135 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,840 He saw corruption. So the prophecy was about the 136 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,880 one who wouldn't see corruption, which was our Lord and Savior 137 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,960 Jesus Christ. So verse 37 it says, but he whom 138 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:05,080 God raised up saw no corruption. Therefore, let it be known to 139 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:09,320 you, brethren, that through this man, the man Jesus Christ is 140 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:14,440 preached you the forgiveness of sins, and by him everyone who 141 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,920 believes is justified from all things from which you could not 142 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,520 be justified by the law of. Moses, so he's talking to these 143 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,760 Jewish. People that think by following. 144 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,560 The 10 commandments the. Law, doing the rituals, all that 145 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,160 that. Somehow God grades on a curve 146 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,320 and they may get in. That's their hope. 147 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:35,720 Or they're. Deceived thinking because of 148 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,559 that, they can stand before God in the judgement day and say, 149 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,760 well, I should come in because I you know, a kosher. 150 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,520 I was at the Sabbath in the synagogue. 151 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:47,520 Every Saturday I did this. I did. 152 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,720 I mean all that stuff and it can't save anybody. 153 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,200 So I think what happens, people come to church, they think all 154 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,120 these people are holy rollers or whatever and they're perfect. 155 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:58,640 I'm not. Excuse me, I'm not. 156 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:00,920 So I can't be like these people because. 157 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,560 I'm I'm sinful. I got this stuff in me that. 158 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,760 You know won't go away. I try and I try to beat it and 159 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:09,480 conquer it, but I keep falling back into it. 160 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,400 I keep being drawn into it. That is why we need salvation, 161 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:18,680 because God delivers us from the power of sin that controls us 162 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:22,640 until Christ saves us. Once Christ saves us, a big 163 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:26,200 change happens. I don't have to sin anymore 164 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,600 because I'm controlled by the influence of Satan and lost. 165 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,600 I have an opportunity. I'll say, Lord, help me not do 166 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,000 this. Help me to make a better 167 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,560 decision. Or if I fall, Lord, I get it, I 168 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:40,880 don't want to. That's my old life I don't want. 169 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:41,840 To live that. Way anymore. 170 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,000 And and the Christian life after we get saved is a process of 171 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,280 being perfected. We're not perfected yet. 172 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,080 We're in the process of being conformed to the image of. 173 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,920 Christ, right, as it tells us in Romans 829. 174 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,160 So everything that happens, adversities, trials, difficulty, 175 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,800 heartache, whatever disasters, crises, disease, sickness, 176 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:06,240 financial ruin, whatever happens to us in this life as Christians 177 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,400 is designed to make us press deeper into the Lord, which it 178 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,120 does. That's the problem, right? 179 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:18,040 The power of sin destroys us and that's that's why we need to 180 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,920 tell people the good news. And then people talk. 181 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,040 To me and say, well this is what I did and this is what happened 182 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,760 to me and. And I can't, you know, and we 183 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,760 have to keep telling them it's not about what you've. 184 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,600 Done. It's about what he's done for 185 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,480 you and that's. The beauty of the gospel. 186 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:39,200 And so as we think about this now, it's really important 187 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,000 because whenever. You get saved. 188 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:47,040 Christ declares you righteous now what's that mean? 189 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:48,440 He. Declares you righteous. 190 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,840 He says that Jesus takes your sin. 191 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:54,880 Your unrighteousness. And puts it on. 192 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,760 Him on the cross. He's not unrighteous, but he. 193 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,280 Chooses to take. All of our sin, the whole earth. 194 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,560 Everybody in the world upon himself, and then what he does 195 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,400 he imputes or credits. To your account He gives you his 196 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,360 righteousness. So we sit here. 197 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,160 Well, what does all that mean? This means this is what it 198 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,720 means. God chooses to look at you as 199 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:17,680 being perfect. Now. 200 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,240 Now how can that happen? Because we know we're not 201 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,720 perfect. But that's the beauty of this 202 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,920 message of the gospel. It's that's what's exciting 203 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:30,320 about it that only he can declare someone as being just 204 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,240 and righteous and perfect. Even though we still are 205 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:39,600 sinners, our position in God's eyes and eternity is that he 206 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,280 forgives us as though. We've never, ever sinned. 207 00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:46,040 Our past sins are forgiven. The present sins are forgiven, 208 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:49,960 and the future sins that will still commit are forgiven. 209 00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:54,880 That's incredible, isn't it? There's no one else that could 210 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,880 do something like this for us. And, and we don't get into this 211 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,400 this deep every week because we're going through the whole 212 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,640 Bible. But when it touches on these 213 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,760 important things, we have to understand. 214 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,160 Romans 5 says therefore having been justified by faith. 215 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,680 We believe these things. By faith it says. 216 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,520 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God 217 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,200 through our Lord Jesus Christ. So we have this peace now 218 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:23,840 because what God? Has done for us. 219 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:29,200 Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in 220 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,560 which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of. 221 00:12:32,560 --> 00:12:38,560 God, so we have this salvation now and we have this peace. 222 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,520 No matter what's happening, we have this peace that if this is 223 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,080 my last day on earth and I go to be with the Lord, I'm not going 224 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,720 to be gilded by God, am I? And you won't be either. 225 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,080 He's going to embrace us and welcome. 226 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,680 Us home because he's forgiven us and justified us. 227 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,760 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing 228 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,360 that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, 229 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:03,880 character and character. Hope. 230 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,880 Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been 231 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,960 poured in, out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given 232 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,080 to us. This, this is all the the 233 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,440 benefit, you know. You go through tough times, you 234 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,520 go through whatever and you have. 235 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,160 This peace and you have this assurance that no matter what. 236 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,920 Anybody says about you or thinks about you or slanders you or 237 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,800 criticizes you in life. It really doesn't matter. 238 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,160 Because what God says. To you. 239 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:33,360 Is that you're perfect in Christ. 240 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:38,120 Now try telling an enemy that how would. 241 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,280 That go well you did this you did that hey yeah, I know please 242 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,600 forgive me but I'm perfect in. Christ, man, are you crazy? 243 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,320 You are far from. Perfect, I agree, but in Christ. 244 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,840 I'm declared. Perfect, we all are. 245 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:53,200 I mean, that should make you want to dance, right? 246 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,360 And some. People do dance when they hear 247 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,400 this. David understood it and he did 248 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,960 some dancing. And then Romans 3, chapter 3, 249 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:07,440 verse 21, well it says in verse 19. 250 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,200 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who 251 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,800 are under the law that every mouth may be stopped. 252 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:15,920 So in other words, you want to get saved by following the law. 253 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,880 You got to do it perfectly. And if you say you can't, then 254 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,760 obviously your mouth is stopped and all the world may become 255 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,320 guilty before God. Understanding we can't be saved 256 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:28,960 apart from the finished work of Jesus Christ. 257 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:33,680 Therefore verse 20 by the deeds of the law, trying your flesh or 258 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:38,400 your human effort, no deeds. Therefore by the deeds of the 259 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,640 law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. 260 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,560 Even if you got to 99% of perfection, you couldn't get 261 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,760 saved without Christ for by the laws and knowledge of sin. 262 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,280 So the commandments and everything that the that guilts 263 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,040 us is showing us. That we can't. 264 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:58,920 Do this without Christ. By now the righteousness of God, 265 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,800 apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and 266 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,520 the prophets. They're reading the law and the 267 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,480 prophets. The law and the prophets are 268 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,280 proclaiming this. They still don't get it. 269 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,560 Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to 270 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,440 all and on all who believe, for there is no difference. 271 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,600 For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 272 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,880 That's everyone in this room, everyone in the world being 273 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:24,760 justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is 274 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,080 in Christ Jesus. So we're saved by grace. 275 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,720 We're justified by grace. Justified means just as though 276 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,760 we've never sinned. God declares us that way because 277 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,600 of what Christ has done, whom God set forth as a propitiation, 278 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,520 which is a word for sacrifice. Christ sacrificed. 279 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,640 Himself for you. So that you could receive. 280 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,200 All the blessings of the God of all heaven. 281 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,160 And he just, he, he sacrificed himself, it says, by his blood, 282 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,800 through faith to demonstrate his righteousness. 283 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,960 Because of his forbearance, God has passed over the sins that 284 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:01,640 were previously committed because of the. 285 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,160 Blood of Jesus, he's passed over them 100%. 286 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,880 The devil will tell you and remind you and all this stuff 287 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,560 that went wrong that you didn't do right. 288 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:16,720 Don't listen, the blood is covered at all. 289 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,200 That's why we take the. Lord's Supper every week to be 290 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,920 reminded of the power of the blood. 291 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:28,520 What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood. 292 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:33,400 Of Jesus and. If we're not proclaiming this 293 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,160 message as Paul. And Peter and Stephen and every 294 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,760 other. Person has been called, 295 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:43,840 commissioned by God to proclaim the gospel. 296 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,040 Might as well shut the church down. 297 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,480 And no. Longer show up because there is 298 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:54,560 no good news apart from this message of Christ. 299 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,160 We're free by His grace, the redemption. 300 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:04,119 It is in Christ Jesus through the blood and not right now. 301 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,480 God demonstrates this in his present time, His righteousness, 302 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,000 that He might be just in the justifier of the one who has 303 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:17,560 faith in Jesus. I pray as a worship team comes 304 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,599 forward today, if you're here, you've never understood this 305 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:22,839 gospel. You've never put your faith in 306 00:17:22,839 --> 00:17:26,960 this Savior who can do it perfect for you and that you 307 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:28,960 don't. Put pressure on yourself. 308 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,840 Anymore thinking you got to be something you can't be. 309 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,760 Without God's grace, come to faith in Jesus today. 310 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,480 Believe what it is that Jesus Christ has done for you and what 311 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,160 He's done for me. And we have this privilege, 312 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,960 brothers and sisters, to be able to tell people this good news 313 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:52,480 that people can be reconciled to God. 314 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:57,000 It ends in 2nd Corinthians 5. Now we are ambassadors for 315 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,440 Christ you. Represent Jesus Christ wherever. 316 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:00,040 You go. You. 317 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:04,200 Can be assured when you go and tell someone the gospel that God 318 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,240 has sent you. As an ambassador representing 319 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:12,120 him to tell people, as Paul said, through God, that we're 320 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:16,480 pleading with people, imploring them on Christ's behalf to be 321 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,120 made right with God, to be reconciled to God. 322 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:23,680 For he made him, Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that 323 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:25,720 we might become the righteousness. 324 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:31,040 Of God and him so. How do people see you and me? 325 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,360 And how does God? Choose to see us in Jesus 326 00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:37,040 Christ. We really need to focus on that 327 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:39,160 There's. People that don't. 328 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:40,640 Like you for whatever. Reason. 329 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,480 Enemies from the past or whatever, you've gone through 330 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,840 things in life and. It can really get you upset 331 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:48,560 because you don't feel it's fair at. 332 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,800 Times or whatever but. We have to look beyond that 333 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:53,520 because we have to. Say, well, what's the big 334 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,440 picture in all this is that God sees me as perfect. 335 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,680 I I couldn't do one more thing in my life, nor could you to 336 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,000 make God love me anymore than he loves me right now. 337 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:08,120 That's that's incredible. I mean, people expect you to do 338 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:09,680 things. In order to prove that. 339 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:14,640 You know, whatever you've changed or whatever, but God 340 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,120 never looks at us that. Way he doesn't Guild. 341 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:22,520 Us and I pray as Pastor Lewis, but I never want anybody to be 342 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,840 gilded in this church. Get enough of that in the world 343 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,520 all week, right? You don't need to come here on 344 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:29,960 Sunday and get that all over again. 345 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,120 Why? Why go to church if that's what 346 00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:37,080 what's happening? We want to be free in church and 347 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,960 reminded of the. Promises of God. 348 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,680 And maybe you've done something. You think, Well, God. 349 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,400 Isn't around anymore. He's mad at me. 350 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,680 He promises he will never leave you or forsake you. 351 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,480 He'll never, ever leave you. God will never leave us. 352 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,880 There's no one like that. We've all left Jesus like the 353 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:55,760 apostles and all the people at the cross. 354 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:01,520 He always loves us. No matter what, the prisoner on 355 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,680 death row, who's committed the most heinous crime that has 356 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,000 come. To face in Jesus. 357 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:11,280 Christ he loves as much as someone who never ever committed 358 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:15,840 anything like that. He doesn't focus on our feelings 359 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:20,440 and our stumblings. He lifts us up to keep getting 360 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:25,480 up every day, starting a new day with the Holy Spirit to become 361 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,920 more like Jesus. Don't look about yesterday and 362 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,320 what happened or what didn't work or what you wish you hadn't 363 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,800 gone through. Look fresh today that it's a new 364 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,560 day, a new beginning. And the Lord just says. 365 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,600 Come on, get up again. I've forgiven you. 366 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:46,880 Let's just keep on going. He never says that you can't be 367 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,440 forgiven anymore and he always. Says this when you ask him for 368 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,480 forgiveness. It's OK, I forgive you, doesn't 369 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,640 he? He never says you went past 70 * 370 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:59,240 7 four 190. That's it. 371 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,640 That meant. There's no limit to forgiveness. 372 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:05,440 When Peter. Asked him how often should I 373 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:06,880 forgive this person for the same? 374 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,680 Sin he says 70 * 7. Meaning you never. 375 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,520 Stop forgiving and so. This is the biggest issue in 376 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,160 Christianity, the lack of forgiveness. 377 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,600 And when there's lack of forgiveness, then again 378 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,960 everything falls apart because we have nothing to tell people. 379 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:30,120 If we're unforgiving, how can we even begin If we're unforgiving 380 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:33,160 towards someone who's. A believer who loves the Lord 381 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,600 and has made some mistakes. How can we as. 382 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,440 Christians and go. To some person in the street 383 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,280 who's like all over the. Place and sin. 384 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,760 And begin to tell them about. God who loves them. 385 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,040 When we can't even love. Anybody right and. 386 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,120 I got to read this as we prepare our hearts for the supper. 387 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,760 The parable. The unforgiving servant Peter 388 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,360 came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin 389 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:01,520 against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times. 390 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,320 Jesus said, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to 70 391 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:07,880 * 7. Therefore the Kingdom of heaven 392 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,440 is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with 393 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,480 his servants, and when he had begun to settle the accounts, 394 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,120 one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents. 395 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:19,720 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be 396 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,960 sold with his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment 397 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,360 be made. The servant therefore fell down 398 00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:28,840 before him, saying, Master, have patience with me, I will pay you 399 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:30,600 all. Then the master of that servant 400 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,720 was move with compassion, released him and forgave him the 401 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,400 debt. That's what God does to us. 402 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,560 But that servant then goes out and finds one of his fellow 403 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,800 servants who owed him 100 an hour I, which was nothing 404 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:44,200 compared to what the other guy owed. 405 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,360 And he laid hands on him, took him by the throat, saying, Pay 406 00:22:47,360 --> 00:22:50,400 me what you owe. His fellow servant fell down at 407 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,760 his feet and begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I 408 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,920 will pay you all. And he would not, but went and 409 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,000 threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 410 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,680 So when his fellow servant saw what he had done, they were very 411 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,040 grieved, and they came, and they told the master all that had 412 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,560 been done. The master, after he had called 413 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,560 him, said to him, You wicked servant, I forgave you all that 414 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,880 debt because you begged me. Should you not also have 415 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:14,880 compassion on your fellow servant? 416 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,240 Just as I had pity on you, and his master was angry and 417 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,640 delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was 418 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:26,280 due him, so my heavenly Father also will do to you, if each of 419 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,880 you from his heart does not forgive his brother his 420 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:34,080 trespasses. Ephesians 432. 421 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:42,400 Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as 422 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,160 God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. 423 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:50,280 How in the world, brothers and sisters, can we hold anything 424 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:54,880 against anyone when we realize that Christ has forgiven us of 425 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,600 Amen? We're so glad you joined us 426 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,320 today on this edition of Living Waters of Grace. 427 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,760 Pastor Clark is teaching through the Book of Acts, which is the 428 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,960 only book that chronicles the history of the early church 429 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,120 immediately after Jesus's ascension. 430 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,960 It gives us a front row seat to how the Gospel began to move 431 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,720 outward, starting in Jerusalem and reaching into the heart of 432 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,160 the Roman Empire. In just three decades, a small 433 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:26,400 group of frightened ordinary believers became a bold, spirit 434 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,760 empowered movement that transformed the known world. 435 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,880 Acts is not just a history lesson, it's a reminder of what 436 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,720 God can do when His people are surrendered, obedient, and 437 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,920 filled with the Holy Spirit. Their perseverance still 438 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:46,040 inspires us today. May we follow their example and 439 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,640 live faithfully for Christ in our own time. 440 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,200 We hope today's message encouraged you. 441 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,160 Living Waters of Grace is a ministry of Calvary Chapel, 442 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,520 Westmoreland. If you're in the Greensburg, PA 443 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,000 area, we'd love to have you join us in person. 444 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:06,360 Our Sunday service begins at 10:30 AM at 400 E Pittsburgh 445 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:09,760 St., Unit 6B. Be sure to visit 446 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,680 calvarychapelonline.com to confirm times and learn more. 447 00:25:14,120 --> 00:25:17,400 If you are in the Greensburg area, you can listen to Grace FM 448 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:22,400 on the new 91.7 frequency. Please pray about supporting 449 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:26,360 this outreach. Gifts can be sent to Grace FMPO, 450 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:33,480 Box 716, Greensburg, PA 15601. Stay connected through Facebook, 451 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,000 YouTube, or our Calvary Chapel Westmoreland app. 452 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,920 Join our e-mail list, submit prayer requests, and give online 453 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:47,120 all at calvarychapelonline.com. Thank you for tuning in and 454 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:48,680 spending this time in God's Word. 455 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:52,000 Be sure to join us again for Living Waters of Grace.