Crossing family. It is so good to see you all to
welcome. Those of you joining from 48th
Street. Those of you in Macomb,
Kirksville 929, Pike County, Hannibal Lima, Mount Sterling,
Keokuk, Monmouth Jacksonville. I also want to welcome those of
you who are joining us online. Those of you who are part of the
crossing inside, I'm just so incredibly thankful to be a part
of this church with you. I am excited to announce that we
have I've set an all-time camper record for the crossing we have.
1276 kids, going to Camp so far this year, unbelievable.
We have seven summer camps to our completed.
One is presently underway, and for those of you who signed your
kids up, God bless you. Thank you for making a spiritual
investment in their spiritual. There is a 100% chance that your
kid is going to need to have a relationship with Jesus.
So while you do your Sports Camps, and you're teaching them
how to throw a ball, catch a ball Dodge a ball, make sure
you're giving them good opportunity to grow spiritually.
Second thing, those of you who created or we were generous and
created room and your lives to create scholarships for other
kids to go. Thank you so much for joining
Jennifer and I in that and we are taking more kids to Camp
because of you. So God bless you.
I also I want to welcome those of you who are joining us for
the first time or maybe the first time in a long time.
We are so incredible. Glad that you are here and if
you get bored in my sermon which has been known to happen from
time to time, don't completely check out, take advantage of the
QR code in front of you that way you can be on your phone but not
look like you're doing something, you're not supposed
to do, you know what I mean? That Will Clayton told me that's
why I'm on my phone and you can click on that link in the chair
right in front of you, it'll give you an opportunity to learn
more about our church and connect to our church.
But this summer here at the Crossing, we are going through
the book of Romans. And today, we are in Chapter 2,
and if you are want to get the most out of this series, I want
to encourage you to grab one of these companion books.
There's an incredible team here at our church who put these
things together. They are still available in the
lobbies of all of our different locations and are.
And what you do is, you just spend a little bit of time every
day. This is mine, I wrote my name in
it. It so that way nobody else can
have it and you just, you spend a little bit time.
You write yourself a little prayer.
At the end of write yourself, a little note and you just go
through it. And then on page 9 or page 16,
if you have one of these, there's a spot for you to take
notes in the sermon, which mind is blank.
I haven't listened to the sermon yet but I'll fill it up when I
listen to it. Okay.
But what this will help you do is this will help you kind of
book and your time in the Lord and I want to encourage you to
find someone to do this. Where once a week you Circle up
for, you know, five or 10 minutes, maybe 30 minutes, and
spend some time talking like, hey, what did God, teach you and
what did God teach you? And how can I pray for you?
And how can you pray for me? Husbands?
I really would encourage you to do this with your wives, but
everybody could find somebody to go on this journey with them.
Now, before we jump all the way into Romans to, I want to do a
little bit of recap from last week because as some of you are
studying, the Bible, for the very first time, there's going
to be some tools, you're going to need in your A belt to help
you understand how to read the Bible and get the most out of
the Bible. And the first thing we learned
is aim. What is the aim of the text
which is the author's intended? Meaning when God through the
through the Holy Spirit, inspired men to write God's
word. So that way you and I could know
more about God, there was one intended, meaning scripture can
never mean what it was never intended to mean and so if we
don't work hard Hard to figure out what the authors intended
meaning is, you could grab a hold of a promise, that isn't
really a promise like God never said that.
And then when things go south in your life and you're like why
cling to This Promise guys, like oh I didn't make you that
promise, I made you a different promise and so we want to learn
the author's intended meaning which is why when you're
studying the Bible we don't ask the question.
What does that mean to you? Because the to you is
irrelevant, what does it mean? And then how do I apply?
I it so there is one meaning, but lots of applications and one
of the best ways to do that is to remember this phrase context
is King. How many of you have ever been
taken out of context? Someone said something took
something that you said out of context.
Yeah, she's ugly. What, why did you say that
talking about my yard could crieff?
My yard is ugly. Okay, if you take something out
of context, people get their feelings hurt.
God gets frustrated. When we take his words out of On
text. And every verse, every word that
you see in Scripture, it falls in the context of a sentence, a
paragraph, a chapter, a book, or the Old and New Testament and
that context will help you understand scripture more
clearly, then what I want to do is I want to talk to you guys
about a couple questions you can ask when you're reading
scripture. We talked about these last week.
What is the important idea of the chapter If you get done
like, how do I book in? How do I say this in a clear
concise way? Husbands have your has your wife
ever told you a really, really long story?
And all you at the end of it, you're just like, so, what were
you trying to tell me? She was, like, I need you to
pick up the kids from school, right?
That's what this is after you read the scripture.
What is this? What is this chunk of scripture?
In a sentence? This will help you frame.
It? What is the first?
I would most like to memorize. It is good for us to be people
who memorize God's word because we all want to have our hearts
filled up with God's word. So that way what's in our hearts
eventually makes its out and makes it out.
Out into our lives and to the lives of the people that we
love. So the more of Jesus that we put
in our heart, the more of Jesus we will distribute to the people
around us. What is the most challenging
idea? And when we talk about the
challenging idea, there's like three different chunks that
three different areas, where things get hard one is, it's
hard to understand, I don't get it.
That might be a great opportunity for you to grow as
you try to, you know, Chase the rabbit hole, and figure out our
go down the rabbit hole and figure out where it leads.
Thanks for the first one is it's hard to understand.
I don't get it. The other one is it's hard to
hear. I don't like it.
You're going to have some of those things in Scripture.
Because God's perfect and he has a perfect expectation for you.
And for me, so, there's going to be things in there that aren't
going to agree with us because we still wrestle with our flesh.
And then, the other one is hard to apply.
I don't know what to do with it, or I don't want to do with it.
What I think I'm supposed to do. So when you're reading
scripture, you're going to find something that's hard.
Scripture should challenge you. If you read the Bible and you
get done reading it and you go, Go, man.
I'm awesome. You might be doing it wrong.
Okay, I'm just gonna tell you, all right, next one.
What is the application to my life in a sentence?
What should I do with this? Here's why, because in God's
economy, he loves it. When his people are obedient.
In fact, that's how you show. God, that you love him is
through obedience. Faith without works is dead.
So if your faith does, not cause you to do something in your
life, it is not a meaningful faith.
And I'm going to show you why we got to have that.
I have faith when God is talking, looking at his people,
what he wants is not just for you to be hearers of the word
Lashelle for church. Listen to a sermon, he doesn't
want you to just be listeners of the word, you know, put the
Bible audio and just go for a walk in here.
Although that's great what he really wants is he wants you to
do something with the word. Okay, ladies, if your husband,
if you called your husband and said, hey, I need you to put
this roast in the Crock-Pot for tonight because everybody's
coming over and I left and I had to leave early for work and I
need you to take care of it and you gave him all the
instructions. Then you told him to pull out,
the little seasoning stuff to put on the roast and read the
back of the stuff, and when he gets done reading all that
stuff, And then just did his own thing.
Would you be frustrated? Would you be?
Like, I'm just so thankful for this man, right?
Because you don't want him to. Yeah, I read it honey.
I read every I did. I listen to all the things you
know I needed you to do what I asked you to do. if Jesus was a
Angry Italian grandma, that's what that was.
Okay. Last one.
Are there any promises of God to me?
The reason why this is important is you are going to go through
storms. How many of you have been
through a storm when you go through storms, you are going to
need an anchor, you're going to need something to like help you
maintain your position. So that way you don't get blown
all over the place. And that is what the promises of
God will mean to you? What they will become to you.
That being said, I want to give you one more tool today.
The best tool to interpret scripture is and then we'll take
a guess, scripture. We have some people who grew up
at another church here today, I'm so glad you guys are here.
Okay, guys, feel that right? Scripture, the best tool to
interpret scripture is scripture?
God is consistent, he's unchanging.
So God doesn't say one thing over here in a completely
different thing over here. Anytime you think that there is
an apparent contradiction in Scripture?
That's all it is an apparent contradiction.
There's something more meaningful beneath the surface
that we can dig out. Now since scripture does not
contradict itself. Since God is unchanging, when we
bump into things in scripture which we're going to do this
just a little bit, you're going to go.
Ooh how am I supposed to put all of these things together?
That work helps Growers grow us as Christians.
You will never grow in any area of your life unless you Embrace
some of the difficulties associated with that.
So Sometimes when you bump into something scripture, it's an
opportunity to grow. That being said, I want to recap
quickly, what we learned last week.
Last week, Romans chapter 1 verses 16 through 17.
Those are like the key verses that I wanted us to maybe even
memorize. For I am not ashamed of the
gospel because it is the power of God.
That brings salvation to everybody say this word,
everyone who believes there is nobody that you will me.
That does not have the capacity to belief.
There is nobody that you will ever meet that.
God did not send his son to die on the cross.
For that. God loves wants to bring into a
relationship with him through everyone, who believes first for
the Jew. Then the Gentile, for, in the
gospel. The righteousness of God is
revealed a righteousness that is by faith From First to Last.
That means we add nothing to it. It's from Faith to Faith.
You and I aren't the ones who get this work done.
This is something that Jesus did on our behalf, just as it is
written, the righteous will live by faith.
The key takeaway was that God can be trusted, because of his
gospel, has the power to save? Absolutely everyone.
God can be trusted because he has done this marvelous work on
our behalf and this gospel makes you and I righteous and our part
is to take hold of it and we take hold of this righteousness.
Through faith and faith that is alive and active is obedient to
God. So we don't do the right things
in order to be in a right relationship with God.
It is because we are in a right relationship with Jesus Christ
that we do these things that God calls us to now.
In Romans chapter 1, Paul is outlining how much the Gentiles
have sinned. Now, this is where it sometimes,
get can gets confusing because some of you you've been to
church your whole life and you're like, we get it.
And then there's some of you who are brand new and let me just
take a couple seconds to kind of explain the complexity of Jews
and Gentiles a gentile, is anyone who is not Jewish, so I
would be a gentile. It is anybody who is not a
Jewish person. Now in the Old Testament age, to
call somebody a Jew, Not just a national Proclamation.
It was also a religious Proclamation.
So, here in America, we kind of divide.
These two things out, we are an American, which is our national
attribution, and then we are Christians, which is our
religious affiliation. But in Jesus time, leading up to
the time of Jesus before the gospel is proclaimed before
Jesus died on the cross, all that stuff to be a Jew was to
have a religious affiliation to Yahweh, God.
And to be a, they have their own border, they have their own
kingdom. In fact, the Jewish people were
being ruled by Gentile. Romans in Israel, at the time,
Jesus was actually killed by Romans at the suggestion of
Jewish leaders. Now, when the gospel starts
being preached Jewish people, both religiously and nationally
are coming to Faith In Jesus so they are Becoming Jews
nationally and they are Christians religiously.
About track with you so far. This is like the complicated
part of the sermon. If we get through this, you has
my back Clayton. We get it.
I don't know why you keep talking slow.
All right, but the reason why this is important is because in
Rome you have Roman Christians who are Gentiles, and you have
Jewish Christians that are in the same church and they are
trying to get along, there's disunity there, there's
challenges there. One commentator says that the
best way to understand it's is to read it backwards.
What he's trying to do is he's trying to get Roman Christians
by the time we get to Romans 16, this will make sense.
He's trying to get Roman Christians and Jewish Christians
to stop being so divisive so that they can occupy the same
church and make a difference in Rome.
So while the Jews would be listening to Romans chapter 1,
they are perhaps getting a little proud because if you
remember, Romans chapter one last week, you'd like, wow, Paul
is coming. After them, the Jews.
Romans are having a hard time getting along and it appears
that Paul is taking the side of the Jews.
Those of you have multiple kids in the house.
Have you ever like the kids have been arguing?
And then you start to weigh in and one kid seems to think that
you're on their side and the arrogance that pops up.
See, I told you might see, he's been like that for a long time,
you know this and you're like no no no I'm just picking on you
right now. I'm going to pick on you in a
second. Here's what's happening.
The Jews are listening to Romans chapter 1 and they're going Uh,
yeah, get them. These Roman Christians are
difficult and then Paul's kind of like hold my Eucharist
because I'm coming after I'm coming after you guys.
So, and this is my go without saying.
But when you're reading the Bible, the chapters and the
numbers for the verses that was not ordained by God, those are
things that man put in there. Just that way, you could
reference the scripture easy, Jesus wasn't going.
Alright. Now, we're going to call this
one. John 3:16.
That's not, that's not how it worked so well.
I was like, okay, 15, 16 2016 is going to be a keeper lot of
tattoos dedicated there. Okay he's just he's there just
working through. So That being said in Romans
Chapter 2, a big shift takes place.
I don't want to give you a mini devotional here.
Rarely when you read scripture, are we the good guy?
The victim. Most of the time when you and I
read scripture where the bad guys were the abusers.
So pleased as we're getting ready to read this.
Don't start doing to the Jews with the Jews were doing to the
Gentiles. That being said, Romans Chapter
2. You therefore have no, excuse.
All right. Hold on a second.
I'm gonna give you another little tip, anytime you see the
word, therefore, in scripture. You need to ask your therefore
right there. You need to ask what?
Is the there for now, you got to make sure you do this right
there. For right.
You want to make sure you spell it right?
What is the therefore? Therefore, because that helps
you understand context. So what happened right before
this verse will Romans chapter 1 verse 32.
So, let's go to Roman's 3132 for.
Although they knew our know, God's righteous decree that
those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to
do these things, but also approve of those who practice
them. You therefore have no excuse you
who pass judgment on someone else for at whatever point you
judge another we're going to circle back to this versatile or
word in a second another you are condemning yourself because you
who pass judgment do the same things.
Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things
is based on truth. So when you a mere human being
NG pass. Here it shows up again, judgment
on them and yet do the same things.
Do you think that you will escape God's judgement?
He is swinging away at them right out of the gate and you
might be tempted to go. Oh, yeah, those judgmental Jews.
All right, in fact, it is part of the reading of this chapter
that is actually led to some oppressive state or oppressive
moves towards Jewish people over history.
Paul, at the very beginning is confronting two major sense.
Play it. Cool.
I wasn't thinking of you when I wrote this but I want you to see
if you find yourself in one of these two.
Evil's the first evil is when you know, sin is bad but
continue to do those things and approve of those who do those
things. And the second evil is when you
judge people, Okay. Who sin?
But you yourself, do the same sin.
Let me put this in a context. That isn't you?
You have a kid in your house and you have two little boys and you
tell them no iPads after bedtime and they both know the rule.
But sure enough late at night, the younger one has his iPad and
the older one goes, you are so cool for having the iPad that
you're not supposed to have after bedtime.
That is an evil of knowing that what they are doing is wrong but
approving of those who do it. Now, insert the sin that you
know, is wrong that you continue.
To approve of. Oh, it's okay.
You do you whatever it is. Paul saying that is an evil, but
he's also saying there's a second evil and the second evil
is when you judge people who sin, but you yourself, do the
same sin. So now picture yourself at hotel
Hensel and you live under our house and we have a very, you
know, keep your room clean. And wife walks up the stairs and
she goes into the oldest person's room and she goes you
are a pig. This room is trashed your father
and I work way too hard to make sure that you have nice stuff in
the house and this is how you treat it.
You need to clean your room. When she goes back downstairs
and then while she's you know doing whatever she does, she
hears the oldest kid. Walk over to the younger
brother's room. And then she hears him yelling.
At the younger brother. Your room is trash, mom and dad
works so hard to take care of us and you don't even love them
because you don't even take care of your room.
So then the wife starts to walk up the stairs and as she does
the oldest is coming out of the younger ones room and goes his
room is trashed kids. These days The hypocrisy.
Paul's going hold on a second when you judge people who sin,
but you yourself are doing the same sin.
Now, this brings up a conversation about judging since
Paul is accusing, the Jewish Christian followers of judgment.
Let's see how we can apply the tools we learned earlier context
is King and scripture to interpret scripture to navigate.
How do we as Christians solve the issue related to judgment?
Okay, because how many of you Have heard Matthew 7:1 do not
judge or you too. Will be judged.
How many of you have had that verse quoted to you by somebody
who doesn't even go to church? It's like the most famous verse
of people who don't follow Jesus.
Well, aren't you guys not supposed to judge or you too
will be judged. And so you have this thrown at
you all the stinkin time. Well, let's unpack this first
thing we're going to do is we're going to look at it in context.
Matthew Chapter 7, Do not judge or you too.
Will be judged for in the same way, you judge others, you will
be judged. And with the measure you use, it
will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of
sawdust, in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the
plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother?
Let me take the speck out of your eye.
When all the time. There is a plank in your own eye
You everybody say this word hypocrite.
Okay first, take the plank out of your own eye, then you'll be
able to see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's
eye. The context here is not so much
judgment, its judgment out of context, not realizing that
you've got some stuff that screwed up in you too.
In fact, the word hypocrite, this is in Matthew chapter 7.
In Matthew chapter 6, The word hypocrite shows up in 6:2
chapter 6, verse 5, chapter 6, verse 16.
And at the end of this one, he still tells them to take the
speck out of your brother's eye. So you're still making a
judgment about the speck of dust in their eye, but you're only
supposed to address it. After you've done a serious
evaluation of the sin in your own life, Jesus doesn't seem to
have a problem with you making judgments.
He has a problem with you making.
Judgments without the context of your own sinful Behavior, deal
with the glaring sin in your life and then deal with the
smaller sins. And somebody else now watch this
in the very same chapter, Jesus goes on to make this statement.
Watch out for false prophets, they come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly, they are ferocious wolves by their fruit.
You will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from
thornbushes or figs from thistles likewise?
This is a tongue twister every good tree Bears.
Good fruit. But a bad tree Bears.
Bad fruit and a good tree. Cannot bear bad.
A good tree. Cannot bear, bad fruit and a bad
tree. Cannot bear.
Good fruit. Every tree that does not bear.
Good. Fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire thus, by your fruit You will recognize them.
Well Jesus, if I'm not supposed to judge, how could I ever
possibly discern? Who is a false teacher?
Jesus, if I'm not supposed to judge, how could I ever know
whether or not, this is good fruit or band fruit Jesus
obviously doesn't have a problem with Christians making careful,
evaluations or stating the obvious or watching how someone
behaves and making a judgment call based on it.
Okay. I mean, if that was the case,
how come Jesus says this quote Jesus back to somebody when
someone says well Jesus says, don't judge.
I would y'all well actually anybody have a well actually
friend in their life. You say something?
Well, actually okay you're not invited in over anymore, okay,
so here's your will actually verse.
This is, if you go and look at your Bible, you'll find this in
Red Letters. Stop judging by mere
appearances, but instead judge correctly.
Well, actually, Jesus says, I'm supposed to judge correctly.
So, you're trash. Okay, okay, now, watch this.
First Corinthians. This is Paul because someone
might go well, that was Jesus but Paul's talking here.
Okay, okay, okay. What business is it of mine to
judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those
inside? God, will judge those outside.
Expel. The wicked person from among
you. It appears that we are supposed
to have as Christians, a different posture with those who
belong to Jesus, then those who don't belong to Jesus.
Perhaps Christians should hold each other to a higher standard
and those who don't know. Jesus to a lower standard after
all If they don't believe in God, have the spirit of God have
the power of God or have the direction of God, how could they
possibly follow God. But those of us who have the
spirit of God, have the power to God have belief in God, it's
reasonable that we should be able to hold ourselves to a
higher standard. Galatians 6:1 through to look
what it says brothers and sisters.
If someone is caught in sin, you who live by the spirit should
restore that person gently but watch yourselves.
Or you also may be tempted, carry each other's burdens.
And in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Hold on a second. Jesus.
If I'm not supposed to judge somebody, how could I ever know
that they were in sin? Furthermore, if I can't judge
whether or not they were in sin, how could I ever come alongside
someone to restore them gently? In other words, it appears that
scripture is saying something completely different than do not
judge what scripture is saying to.
Those of you who are Christians, pay attention here.
And to, those of you are not Christians, okay?
We just learned that. So, give us some Grace for
screwing it up for, however, long, okay.
One it's saying don't judge hypocritically.
It's saying don't judge superficially.
It is saying have a higher standard for Christians and
recognize that you've got to have a lower standard for
non-christians and use your judgment on fellow Believers to
come alongside of them and to help them out not to Snicker
judge and gossip. That makes more sense.
That's the character of Christ with that in mind.
Let's go back to Paul's argument, as he is pointing out
to the Jews that, while they are judging the Gentiles for their
behavior. They are doing the same things.
This is why this is important because Paul is taking off on
the on the Jews here. He says, now if you call
yourself a Jew, if you rely on the law and boasting God, if you
know, his will and approve, our in approve of what is superior
because you were instructed by the law.
If you are convinced that you're a guide for the blind, a light
for those who were in the dark and instructor of the foolish, a
teacher of little children because you have in the law, the
embodiment of knowledge and Truth.
You then who teach others to you, not teach yourself.
You who preach against stealing. Do you steal you?
Who say people should not commit adultery.
Do you commit adultery? You who abhor Idols?
Do you rob temples? You who boast in the law?
Do you dishonor God, by breaking the law.
Here is the summary statement as it is written.
God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
Here's what he's saying. To the Jewish people, your
judgments are worthless, your witness is worthless, because
there is no difference between you and those who do not know
the Lord. Let me ask you the
confrontational question. As Christians, we have the
gospel message. We have the power of God in our
lives. We have his direction for how
we're supposed to live, let me ask you this question is God,
getting a bad reputation in our communities and in our world
because there is very little to distinguish the Christian from
the non-Christian we get. So frustrated at the world that
we see out there. And yet we don't spend nearly
enough time figuring out how much of the world is in here.
Is our divorce rate? Different is our charitable
giving different is our level of service, different care,
different gossip, different, Grace.
Different. It appears to me that our high
horse is not all that high anymore.
Which is what takes us what I think is to the key verse Romans
chapter 4 verse 2. There's a lot more in Romans to
that, you're going to fall in love with like God doesn't show
favoritism which is a big deal for people like me.
But look at this, Romans 2:4, this is one you could memorize,
or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness
forbearance and patience? Not realizing that God's
kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.
There are some of us who we are frustrated at the kindness of
God, the Restraint of God, his enduring long-suffering.
And instead we want to see, God set things, right?
We're just mad at God's kindness.
You're going through a bad divorce and your husband's got a
nice truck and you still got your hooptie minivan.
Like God, how come? I'm the one who's going to
church? And he never goes to church.
And he's the one who caused the divorce.
How come he gets the nice shiny truck, and I've got the hooptie
minivan. God.
Would you just make his car break down on a rainy day and
make him walk? So I can splash him in with the
puddle when I drive by God. Why are you so kind to him?
Because God's kindness is intended to lead your busted up
husband to repentance. That's why God.
How come I'm having to go through so many hardships and so
many struggles. Why can't you just put
everything right? Well, it's because holistically
God's kindness is design his forbearance.
His patience is designed to lead people to repentance.
God, how much longer am I going to suffer underneath a really
bad boss? I know that all the things that
he's doing aren't all right? And how come he just keeps the
keep going on Great Vacations, taken tons of pictures and here
I am. It's because God's kindness.
It is so easy for us to see the sin and other people.
But sometimes it's really, really hard for us to see the
sin in ourselves. And the very same kindness that
God is pouring out on the people.
You can't stand. There are people that can't
stand you. And God's kindness is designed
to lead you to repentance others of you.
You see God's kindness, his restraint, his long-suffering as
an excuse to keep on sinning, you did something dumb.
Nothing bad happened. I guess God didn't hate it all
that much. Like we kind of have this
lightning strike mentality. That if we did something really
bad, God would lightning strike. But since there was no lightning
strike like oh maybe God's, okay with this.
This was some of us we keep on sinning because we never get
caught and don't assume that because you've never been caught
that God doesn't care. He's holding back his judgment,
he's holding back his wrath. So, instead of having to pour it
on you, you can come to repentance and he can pour His
wrath out on Jesus. On your behalf.
Don't confuse his patients with permission.
The purpose of God's kindness is to Lead You and Me into
repentance and forgiveness and salvation.
The imagery that they're trying to convey.
Here is a soldier who is enduring the hardship of war
with an eye on the eventual Victory.
God is looking at the pain and suffering in this world.
He sees it, he experiences it with you.
He is being patient with an eye to win.
The world will be redeemed. Some of you, you're navigating
horrible diagnosis in your praying, God make all things
right and God wants to make all things, right?
And the way he would make all things.
Right. As you part, the skies he'd come
back immediately and to those who are in a relationship with
Jesus Christ, what an incredible day, that would be But to all of
those who are don't have an intimate, personal relationship
with Jesus Christ, what a horrible day.
That would be. God is patient with us.
Keeping his eye on the day when When he will come back.
He is patient because if he comes back today, there's so
many people that wouldn't be in relationship with him.
Why does this matter to you and me?
Because it means that God can be trusted because he is patient
with us giving us every opportunity to repent and be
saved. Heaven throws parties when lost
people repent and are saved. And so should the church, may we
here at the Crossing never get tired of telling people about
this patient. Jesus and celebrating the
baptisms that happen at our church.
Every time you see one happen here, Heaven is throwing a party
and we should join the heavens. The second thing that I think we
should take away is that if you're going to keep showing up
here at the church, I'm hoping that our church will look a
little bit like God. And what does that mean?
That that means that there might be some people who attend our
church who don't have it all together.
And we're going to be patient with people who don't have it
all together. Don't think for a second that
because some jacked-up people come to our church, that we
don't have a position on sin. We do.
We have a really clear position on sin.
Don't that's my sermon in a couple weeks, just just stop.
Stop what's inning and then we'll just we'll just pray and
go home like now is a good man. I almost can remember that one.
Just stop quit. Don't know, that's it in the
whole sermon but hear me. There's some of you you're going
to show up for church and your me like hey, wasn't that guy
drunk last night? Yeah, probably was Hey, isn't
that guy like cheat on his wife? Yeah, probably did.
Isn't that the person who embezzled money probably?
So isn't that the kitty you know, drove too fast.
Yeah. Maybe isn't that a person who
used to sell drugs? Yeah.
Isn't that person still selling drugs?
Maybe I don't know I'm not buying I'm not sure.
Where would you want them? Where would you want them to go?
I'll tell you what that person so drunk, they should never go
to church. I don't know where the church
should show the same kindness to them that God showed to us
because our kindness is what leads us to repentance.
Let me, let me unpack this a little bit further.
Okay, I never get asked what's our position on drunk driving
even though drunk drivers come to our church, I never get asked
that. Like, what are they going to do?
Yeah, we're huge fans. Here we love it, right.
Grab a cores. On your way out.
Like, we don't like, that's not how we operate.
I never have people come up to me and go.
Hey, what's the church's position on divorce?
Well, we're huge fans. Because when we get to remarry
him, we get to take the weekend away from our family and pick
get 300 bucks to marry you. It's a huge Cash Cow for us.
Like that's that's no that's not.
No, that's not. No, that's not us.
Listen, our Church's position on sin is clear, but where else
would you want a sinner? Then again him an opportunity
for us to be kind to them. So as Christians, we're going to
hold ourselves to a higher standard.
We're going to show as much grace as we possibly can as much
patience as much for parents. So they can find in Jesus.
What we found were moving to a time decision.
If you don't have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus
Christ, you have come to a great place because our church is
radically committed to that. Cause if you have questions,
about what it looks to be an intimate, personal relationship
with Jesus Christ, then just a few moments the people around
you. They're going to stand and sing.
Some of them are going to come up to the steps and pray and
that'll be a great opportunity for you to go right over there
by the baptistry and talk to somebody about how to start that
kind of relationship because that is is the way to Salvation.
You are never going to get things right on your own.
You are never going to get it all dialed in by yourself.
You're gonna need him. His power, his work on your
behalf but we take hold of it, through faith.
And if you're going McLain, I've messed up way too much.
I want you to know there's nobody who's messed up more than
Paul than me. You name it.
But God's grace was poured out on us and I can promise you.
God's Grace will be poured out on you.
So, if you're tired of doing Life by yourself, if you're
tired of doing it on your own power and your own strength.
If you are tired of, living your life under your direction,
submitting to no one. I want to encourage you, you can
stop all of that today and you can turn your life over to
Jesus. And for those of us who've had a
relationship with Jesus Christ for a while, we tell you that it
was the best decision that we ever made.
In our biggest regret is we didn't do it sooner to the rest
of you in here who are Christians I think at this point
and I guess those of you online, too, We have got to do a better
job of representing Christ to a broken World.
They are getting the wrong idea about Christians. because what
we say and what we believe oftentimes is so far removed
from how we actually behave We have become judgmental. we have
permission slips Galore for ourselves and for our family,
and for our circumstances, but nothing but judgment for other
people who are enduring incredible pain, I'm not saying
be okay with the sin that you see in the world.
I'm just asking you to take a radical, look at your own sin
first. Make serious changes their
first. I'm not saying, don't say
something. I'm not saying don't have an
opinion, a god, informed opinion.
But I don't think our strategy is working.
I don't think the way we are loving people is winning.
It was God's kindness. That led you and I to
repentance. And I think it will be our
kindness. That will lead the people were
trying to reach. In to repentance.
So, here's what I'm asking you to do.
If you care about people who don't have a relationship with
Jesus Christ, maybe you'd want to spend a little bit of time at
the steps today, just praying, and getting God help me to be
patient with them and kind to them for the day where they will
eventually repent, and begin the relationship with you.
Maybe some of you, you're kind of going.
You know what, I've been on a high horse lately, I've been a
little judgmental, I've been judgy and you're going, you know
what, I need to confess that to God, I need To own it.
I need to own it my own heart, so I can be the kind of Jesus
follow that he desires in the he deserves.
I think that's the kind of church we want to be.
So let's do it. Which you stand with me?
Heavenly father, thank you so much for today.
Thank you, for the time we get to spend together.
Rather so much ground. I know that you could take in
our hearts in our lives and I pray that you would give us the
courage to allow you to take it. The guy we would use this time
of surrender to reshape us redirect us so that we can make
the significant changes that need to be made in your name.
I pray. Amen.
Rather so much ground. I know that you could take in
our hearts in our lives and I pray that you would give us the
courage to allow you to take it. The guy we would use this time
of surrender to reshape us redirect us so that we can make
the significant changes that need to be made in your name.
I pray. Amen.