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Crossing family. 
It is so good to see you all to 

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welcome. 
Those of you joining from 48th 

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Street. 
Those of you in Macomb, 

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Kirksville 929, Pike County, 
Hannibal Lima, Mount Sterling, 

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Keokuk, Monmouth Jacksonville. 
I also want to welcome those of 

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you who are joining us online. 
Those of you who are part of the

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crossing inside, I'm just so 
incredibly thankful to be a part

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of this church with you. 
I am excited to announce that we

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have I've set an all-time camper
record for the crossing we have.

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1276 kids, going to Camp so far 
this year, unbelievable. 

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We have seven summer camps to 
our completed. 

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One is presently underway, and 
for those of you who signed your

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kids up, God bless you. 
Thank you for making a spiritual

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investment in their spiritual. 
There is a 100% chance that your

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kid is going to need to have a 
relationship with Jesus. 

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So while you do your Sports 
Camps, and you're teaching them 

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how to throw a ball, catch a 
ball Dodge a ball, make sure 

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you're giving them good 
opportunity to grow spiritually.

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Second thing, those of you who 
created or we were generous and 

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created room and your lives to 
create scholarships for other 

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kids to go. 
Thank you so much for joining 

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Jennifer and I in that and we 
are taking more kids to Camp 

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because of you. 
So God bless you. 

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I also I want to welcome those 
of you who are joining us for 

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the first time or maybe the 
first time in a long time. 

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We are so incredible. 
Glad that you are here and if 

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you get bored in my sermon which
has been known to happen from 

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time to time, don't completely 
check out, take advantage of the

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QR code in front of you that way
you can be on your phone but not

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look like you're doing 
something, you're not supposed 

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to do, you know what I mean? 
That Will Clayton told me that's

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why I'm on my phone and you can 
click on that link in the chair 

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right in front of you, it'll 
give you an opportunity to learn

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more about our church and 
connect to our church. 

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But this summer here at the 
Crossing, we are going through 

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the book of Romans. 
And today, we are in Chapter 2, 

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and if you are want to get the 
most out of this series, I want 

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to encourage you to grab one of 
these companion books. 

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There's an incredible team here 
at our church who put these 

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things together. 
They are still available in the 

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lobbies of all of our different 
locations and are. 

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And what you do is, you just 
spend a little bit of time every

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day. 
This is mine, I wrote my name in

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it. 
It so that way nobody else can 

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have it and you just, you spend 
a little bit time. 

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You write yourself a little 
prayer. 

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At the end of write yourself, a 
little note and you just go 

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through it. 
And then on page 9 or page 16, 

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if you have one of these, 
there's a spot for you to take 

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notes in the sermon, which mind 
is blank. 

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I haven't listened to the sermon
yet but I'll fill it up when I 

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listen to it. 
Okay. 

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But what this will help you do 
is this will help you kind of 

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book and your time in the Lord 
and I want to encourage you to 

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find someone to do this. 
Where once a week you Circle up 

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for, you know, five or 10 
minutes, maybe 30 minutes, and 

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spend some time talking like, 
hey, what did God, teach you and

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what did God teach you? 
And how can I pray for you? 

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And how can you pray for me? 
Husbands? 

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I really would encourage you to 
do this with your wives, but 

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everybody could find somebody to
go on this journey with them. 

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Now, before we jump all the way 
into Romans to, I want to do a 

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little bit of recap from last 
week because as some of you are 

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studying, the Bible, for the 
very first time, there's going 

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to be some tools, you're going 
to need in your A belt to help 

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you understand how to read the 
Bible and get the most out of 

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the Bible. 
And the first thing we learned 

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is aim. 
What is the aim of the text 

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which is the author's intended? 
Meaning when God through the 

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through the Holy Spirit, 
inspired men to write God's 

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word. 
So that way you and I could know

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more about God, there was one 
intended, meaning scripture can 

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never mean what it was never 
intended to mean and so if we 

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don't work hard Hard to figure 
out what the authors intended 

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meaning is, you could grab a 
hold of a promise, that isn't 

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really a promise like God never 
said that. 

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And then when things go south in
your life and you're like why 

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cling to This Promise guys, like
oh I didn't make you that 

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promise, I made you a different 
promise and so we want to learn 

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the author's intended meaning 
which is why when you're 

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studying the Bible we don't ask 
the question. 

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What does that mean to you? 
Because the to you is 

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irrelevant, what does it mean? 
And then how do I apply? 

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I it so there is one meaning, 
but lots of applications and one

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of the best ways to do that is 
to remember this phrase context 

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is King. 
How many of you have ever been 

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taken out of context? 
Someone said something took 

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something that you said out of 
context. 

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Yeah, she's ugly. 
What, why did you say that 

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talking about my yard could 
crieff? 

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My yard is ugly. 
Okay, if you take something out 

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of context, people get their 
feelings hurt. 

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God gets frustrated. 
When we take his words out of On

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text. 
And every verse, every word that

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you see in Scripture, it falls 
in the context of a sentence, a 

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paragraph, a chapter, a book, or
the Old and New Testament and 

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that context will help you 
understand scripture more 

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clearly, then what I want to do 
is I want to talk to you guys 

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about a couple questions you can
ask when you're reading 

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scripture. 
We talked about these last week.

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What is the important idea of 
the chapter If you get done 

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like, how do I book in? 
How do I say this in a clear 

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concise way? 
Husbands have your has your wife

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ever told you a really, really 
long story? 

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And all you at the end of it, 
you're just like, so, what were 

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you trying to tell me? 
She was, like, I need you to 

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pick up the kids from school, 
right? 

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That's what this is after you 
read the scripture. 

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What is this? 
What is this chunk of scripture?

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In a sentence? 
This will help you frame. 

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It? 
What is the first? 

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I would most like to memorize. 
It is good for us to be people 

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who memorize God's word because 
we all want to have our hearts 

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filled up with God's word. 
So that way what's in our hearts

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eventually makes its out and 
makes it out. 

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Out into our lives and to the 
lives of the people that we 

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love. 
So the more of Jesus that we put

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in our heart, the more of Jesus 
we will distribute to the people

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around us. 
What is the most challenging 

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idea? 
And when we talk about the 

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challenging idea, there's like 
three different chunks that 

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three different areas, where 
things get hard one is, it's 

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hard to understand, I don't get 
it. 

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That might be a great 
opportunity for you to grow as 

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you try to, you know, Chase the 
rabbit hole, and figure out our 

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go down the rabbit hole and 
figure out where it leads. 

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Thanks for the first one is it's
hard to understand. 

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I don't get it. 
The other one is it's hard to 

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hear. 
I don't like it. 

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You're going to have some of 
those things in Scripture. 

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Because God's perfect and he has
a perfect expectation for you. 

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And for me, so, there's going to
be things in there that aren't 

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going to agree with us because 
we still wrestle with our flesh.

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And then, the other one is hard 
to apply. 

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I don't know what to do with it,
or I don't want to do with it. 

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What I think I'm supposed to do.
So when you're reading 

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scripture, you're going to find 
something that's hard. 

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Scripture should challenge you. 
If you read the Bible and you 

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get done reading it and you go, 
Go, man. 

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I'm awesome. 
You might be doing it wrong. 

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Okay, I'm just gonna tell you, 
all right, next one. 

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What is the application to my 
life in a sentence? 

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What should I do with this? 
Here's why, because in God's 

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economy, he loves it. 
When his people are obedient. 

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In fact, that's how you show. 
God, that you love him is 

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through obedience. 
Faith without works is dead. 

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So if your faith does, not cause
you to do something in your 

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life, it is not a meaningful 
faith. 

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And I'm going to show you why we
got to have that. 

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I have faith when God is 
talking, looking at his people, 

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what he wants is not just for 
you to be hearers of the word 

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Lashelle for church. 
Listen to a sermon, he doesn't 

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want you to just be listeners of
the word, you know, put the 

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Bible audio and just go for a 
walk in here. 

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Although that's great what he 
really wants is he wants you to 

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do something with the word. 
Okay, ladies, if your husband, 

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if you called your husband and 
said, hey, I need you to put 

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this roast in the Crock-Pot for 
tonight because everybody's 

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coming over and I left and I had
to leave early for work and I 

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need you to take care of it and 
you gave him all the 

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instructions. 
Then you told him to pull out, 

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the little seasoning stuff to 
put on the roast and read the 

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back of the stuff, and when he 
gets done reading all that 

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stuff, And then just did his own
thing. 

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Would you be frustrated? 
Would you be? 

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Like, I'm just so thankful for 
this man, right? 

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Because you don't want him to. 
Yeah, I read it honey. 

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I read every I did. 
I listen to all the things you 

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know I needed you to do what I 
asked you to do. if Jesus was a 

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Angry Italian grandma, that's 
what that was. 

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Okay. 
Last one. 

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Are there any promises of God to
me? 

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The reason why this is important
is you are going to go through 

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storms. 
How many of you have been 

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through a storm when you go 
through storms, you are going to

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need an anchor, you're going to 
need something to like help you 

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maintain your position. 
So that way you don't get blown 

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all over the place. 
And that is what the promises of

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God will mean to you? 
What they will become to you. 

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That being said, I want to give 
you one more tool today. 

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The best tool to interpret 
scripture is and then we'll take

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a guess, scripture. 
We have some people who grew up 

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at another church here today, 
I'm so glad you guys are here. 

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Okay, guys, feel that right? 
Scripture, the best tool to 

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interpret scripture is 
scripture? 

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God is consistent, he's 
unchanging. 

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So God doesn't say one thing 
over here in a completely 

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different thing over here. 
Anytime you think that there is 

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an apparent contradiction in 
Scripture? 

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That's all it is an apparent 
contradiction. 

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There's something more 
meaningful beneath the surface 

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that we can dig out. 
Now since scripture does not 

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contradict itself. 
Since God is unchanging, when we

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bump into things in scripture 
which we're going to do this 

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just a little bit, you're going 
to go. 

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Ooh how am I supposed to put all
of these things together? 

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That work helps Growers grow us 
as Christians. 

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You will never grow in any area 
of your life unless you Embrace 

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some of the difficulties 
associated with that. 

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So Sometimes when you bump into 
something scripture, it's an 

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opportunity to grow. 
That being said, I want to recap

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quickly, what we learned last 
week. 

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Last week, Romans chapter 1 
verses 16 through 17. 

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Those are like the key verses 
that I wanted us to maybe even 

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memorize. 
For I am not ashamed of the 

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gospel because it is the power 
of God. 

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That brings salvation to 
everybody say this word, 

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everyone who believes there is 
nobody that you will me. 

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That does not have the capacity 
to belief. 

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There is nobody that you will 
ever meet that. 

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God did not send his son to die 
on the cross. 

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For that. 
God loves wants to bring into a 

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relationship with him through 
everyone, who believes first for

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the Jew. 
Then the Gentile, for, in the 

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gospel. 
The righteousness of God is 

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revealed a righteousness that is
by faith From First to Last. 

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That means we add nothing to it.
It's from Faith to Faith. 

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You and I aren't the ones who 
get this work done. 

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This is something that Jesus did
on our behalf, just as it is 

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written, the righteous will live
by faith. 

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The key takeaway was that God 
can be trusted, because of his 

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gospel, has the power to save? 
Absolutely everyone. 

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God can be trusted because he 
has done this marvelous work on 

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our behalf and this gospel makes
you and I righteous and our part

225
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is to take hold of it and we 
take hold of this righteousness.

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Through faith and faith that is 
alive and active is obedient to 

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God. 
So we don't do the right things 

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in order to be in a right 
relationship with God. 

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It is because we are in a right 
relationship with Jesus Christ 

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that we do these things that God
calls us to now. 

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In Romans chapter 1, Paul is 
outlining how much the Gentiles 

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have sinned. 
Now, this is where it sometimes,

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00:12:25,300 --> 00:12:27,500
get can gets confusing because 
some of you you've been to 

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00:12:27,500 --> 00:12:29,300
church your whole life and 
you're like, we get it. 

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00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,900
And then there's some of you who
are brand new and let me just 

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take a couple seconds to kind of
explain the complexity of Jews 

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and Gentiles a gentile, is 
anyone who is not Jewish, so I 

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would be a gentile. 
It is anybody who is not a 

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Jewish person. 
Now in the Old Testament age, to

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call somebody a Jew, Not just a 
national Proclamation. 

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00:12:56,300 --> 00:12:58,800
It was also a religious 
Proclamation. 

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00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,200
So, here in America, we kind of 
divide. 

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These two things out, we are an 
American, which is our national 

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attribution, and then we are 
Christians, which is our 

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00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:16,200
religious affiliation. 
But in Jesus time, leading up to

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00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,600
the time of Jesus before the 
gospel is proclaimed before 

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00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,800
Jesus died on the cross, all 
that stuff to be a Jew was to 

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00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,100
have a religious affiliation to 
Yahweh, God. 

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00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:28,200
And to be a, they have their own
border, they have their own 

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00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,100
kingdom. 
In fact, the Jewish people were 

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being ruled by Gentile. 
Romans in Israel, at the time, 

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Jesus was actually killed by 
Romans at the suggestion of 

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00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:45,300
Jewish leaders. 
Now, when the gospel starts 

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being preached Jewish people, 
both religiously and nationally 

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00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:55,600
are coming to Faith In Jesus so 
they are Becoming Jews 

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00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,900
nationally and they are 
Christians religiously. 

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00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,200
About track with you so far. 
This is like the complicated 

258
00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:05,000
part of the sermon. 
If we get through this, you has 

259
00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,100
my back Clayton. 
We get it. 

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00:14:06,100 --> 00:14:07,500
I don't know why you keep 
talking slow. 

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00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:11,700
All right, but the reason why 
this is important is because in 

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00:14:11,700 --> 00:14:18,000
Rome you have Roman Christians 
who are Gentiles, and you have 

263
00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:22,200
Jewish Christians that are in 
the same church and they are 

264
00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,400
trying to get along, there's 
disunity there, there's 

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00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,300
challenges there. 
One commentator says that the 

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00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:32,800
best way to understand it's is 
to read it backwards. 

267
00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:35,700
What he's trying to do is he's 
trying to get Roman Christians 

268
00:14:35,700 --> 00:14:37,900
by the time we get to Romans 16,
this will make sense. 

269
00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,700
He's trying to get Roman 
Christians and Jewish Christians

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00:14:40,700 --> 00:14:44,700
to stop being so divisive so 
that they can occupy the same 

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00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:47,700
church and make a difference in 
Rome. 

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00:14:48,500 --> 00:14:52,400
So while the Jews would be 
listening to Romans chapter 1, 

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00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,400
they are perhaps getting a 
little proud because if you 

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00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,500
remember, Romans chapter one 
last week, you'd like, wow, Paul

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00:14:58,500 --> 00:15:00,700
is coming. 
After them, the Jews. 

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00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,300
Romans are having a hard time 
getting along and it appears 

277
00:15:04,300 --> 00:15:06,600
that Paul is taking the side of 
the Jews. 

278
00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:08,800
Those of you have multiple kids 
in the house. 

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00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,200
Have you ever like the kids have
been arguing? 

280
00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,100
And then you start to weigh in 
and one kid seems to think that 

281
00:15:14,100 --> 00:15:17,500
you're on their side and the 
arrogance that pops up. 

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00:15:17,500 --> 00:15:21,100
See, I told you might see, he's 
been like that for a long time, 

283
00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:24,100
you know this and you're like no
no no I'm just picking on you 

284
00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:26,500
right now. 
I'm going to pick on you in a 

285
00:15:26,500 --> 00:15:28,200
second. 
Here's what's happening. 

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00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,000
The Jews are listening to Romans
chapter 1 and they're going Uh, 

287
00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,000
yeah, get them. 
These Roman Christians are 

288
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,700
difficult and then Paul's kind 
of like hold my Eucharist 

289
00:15:36,700 --> 00:15:39,400
because I'm coming after I'm 
coming after you guys. 

290
00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,700
So, and this is my go without 
saying. 

291
00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:46,400
But when you're reading the 
Bible, the chapters and the 

292
00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,900
numbers for the verses that was 
not ordained by God, those are 

293
00:15:50,900 --> 00:15:53,300
things that man put in there. 
Just that way, you could 

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00:15:53,300 --> 00:15:56,000
reference the scripture easy, 
Jesus wasn't going. 

295
00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,200
Alright. 
Now, we're going to call this 

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00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,000
one. 
John 3:16. 

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00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,800
That's not, that's not how it 
worked so well. 

298
00:16:00,900 --> 00:16:04,400
I was like, okay, 15, 16 2016 is
going to be a keeper lot of 

299
00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,400
tattoos dedicated there. 
Okay he's just he's there just 

300
00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:13,700
working through. 
So That being said in Romans 

301
00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:17,400
Chapter 2, a big shift takes 
place. 

302
00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:21,000
I don't want to give you a mini 
devotional here. 

303
00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,100
Rarely when you read scripture, 
are we the good guy? 

304
00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,300
The victim. 
Most of the time when you and I 

305
00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:33,800
read scripture where the bad 
guys were the abusers. 

306
00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,400
So pleased as we're getting 
ready to read this. 

307
00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,900
Don't start doing to the Jews 
with the Jews were doing to the 

308
00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:42,400
Gentiles. 
That being said, Romans Chapter 

309
00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:47,800
2. 
You therefore have no, excuse. 

310
00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:49,600
All right. 
Hold on a second. 

311
00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,100
I'm gonna give you another 
little tip, anytime you see the 

312
00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:55,600
word, therefore, in scripture. 
You need to ask your therefore 

313
00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:57,600
right there. 
You need to ask what? 

314
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:06,200
Is the there for now, you got to
make sure you do this right 

315
00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:10,500
there. 
For right. 

316
00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:11,900
You want to make sure you spell 
it right? 

317
00:17:12,099 --> 00:17:15,300
What is the therefore? 
Therefore, because that helps 

318
00:17:15,300 --> 00:17:18,900
you understand context. 
So what happened right before 

319
00:17:18,900 --> 00:17:21,800
this verse will Romans chapter 1
verse 32. 

320
00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,500
So, let's go to Roman's 3132 
for. 

321
00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:27,099
Although they knew our know, 
God's righteous decree that 

322
00:17:27,099 --> 00:17:30,500
those who do such things deserve
death, they not only continue to

323
00:17:30,500 --> 00:17:34,000
do these things, but also 
approve of those who practice 

324
00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:39,100
them. 
You therefore have no excuse you

325
00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:44,000
who pass judgment on someone 
else for at whatever point you 

326
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,100
judge another we're going to 
circle back to this versatile or

327
00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:51,600
word in a second another you are
condemning yourself because you 

328
00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,700
who pass judgment do the same 
things. 

329
00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,800
Now we know that God's judgment 
against those who do such things

330
00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:05,000
is based on truth. 
So when you a mere human being 

331
00:18:05,100 --> 00:18:07,700
NG pass. 
Here it shows up again, judgment

332
00:18:07,700 --> 00:18:10,700
on them and yet do the same 
things. 

333
00:18:10,900 --> 00:18:15,600
Do you think that you will 
escape God's judgement? 

334
00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,400
He is swinging away at them 
right out of the gate and you 

335
00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,800
might be tempted to go. 
Oh, yeah, those judgmental Jews.

336
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:29,000
All right, in fact, it is part 
of the reading of this chapter 

337
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,200
that is actually led to some 
oppressive state or oppressive 

338
00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:36,000
moves towards Jewish people over
history. 

339
00:18:36,700 --> 00:18:41,300
Paul, at the very beginning is 
confronting two major sense. 

340
00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:42,400
Play it. 
Cool. 

341
00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,300
I wasn't thinking of you when I 
wrote this but I want you to see

342
00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:46,800
if you find yourself in one of 
these two. 

343
00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:54,500
Evil's the first evil is when 
you know, sin is bad but 

344
00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:59,200
continue to do those things and 
approve of those who do those 

345
00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,500
things. 
And the second evil is when you 

346
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:08,000
judge people, Okay. 
Who sin? 

347
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:09,600
But you yourself, do the same 
sin. 

348
00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:11,900
Let me put this in a context. 
That isn't you? 

349
00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:18,100
You have a kid in your house and
you have two little boys and you

350
00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:23,900
tell them no iPads after bedtime
and they both know the rule. 

351
00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:30,600
But sure enough late at night, 
the younger one has his iPad and

352
00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:35,600
the older one goes, you are so 
cool for having the iPad that 

353
00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,600
you're not supposed to have 
after bedtime. 

354
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:44,400
That is an evil of knowing that 
what they are doing is wrong but

355
00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:48,900
approving of those who do it. 
Now, insert the sin that you 

356
00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:51,600
know, is wrong that you 
continue. 

357
00:19:52,900 --> 00:19:55,600
To approve of. 
Oh, it's okay. 

358
00:19:55,700 --> 00:20:00,400
You do you whatever it is. 
Paul saying that is an evil, but

359
00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,400
he's also saying there's a 
second evil and the second evil 

360
00:20:04,500 --> 00:20:09,600
is when you judge people who 
sin, but you yourself, do the 

361
00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,100
same sin. 
So now picture yourself at hotel

362
00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:17,900
Hensel and you live under our 
house and we have a very, you 

363
00:20:17,900 --> 00:20:22,900
know, keep your room clean. 
And wife walks up the stairs and

364
00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:27,500
she goes into the oldest 
person's room and she goes you 

365
00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:32,800
are a pig. 
This room is trashed your father

366
00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,900
and I work way too hard to make 
sure that you have nice stuff in

367
00:20:35,908 --> 00:20:38,000
the house and this is how you 
treat it. 

368
00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:43,500
You need to clean your room. 
When she goes back downstairs 

369
00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:47,900
and then while she's you know 
doing whatever she does, she 

370
00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:52,300
hears the oldest kid. 
Walk over to the younger 

371
00:20:52,300 --> 00:20:56,000
brother's room. 
And then she hears him yelling. 

372
00:20:57,100 --> 00:21:01,500
At the younger brother. 
Your room is trash, mom and dad 

373
00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:04,900
works so hard to take care of us
and you don't even love them 

374
00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:07,600
because you don't even take care
of your room. 

375
00:21:08,500 --> 00:21:11,200
So then the wife starts to walk 
up the stairs and as she does 

376
00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,200
the oldest is coming out of the 
younger ones room and goes his 

377
00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:19,900
room is trashed kids. 
These days The hypocrisy. 

378
00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:23,800
Paul's going hold on a second 
when you judge people who sin, 

379
00:21:24,300 --> 00:21:27,600
but you yourself are doing the 
same sin. 

380
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,500
Now, this brings up a 
conversation about judging since

381
00:21:31,500 --> 00:21:34,800
Paul is accusing, the Jewish 
Christian followers of judgment.

382
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,100
Let's see how we can apply the 
tools we learned earlier context

383
00:21:38,100 --> 00:21:41,800
is King and scripture to 
interpret scripture to navigate.

384
00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:46,000
How do we as Christians solve 
the issue related to judgment? 

385
00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:51,900
Okay, because how many of you 
Have heard Matthew 7:1 do not 

386
00:21:51,900 --> 00:21:53,600
judge or you too. 
Will be judged. 

387
00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,600
How many of you have had that 
verse quoted to you by somebody 

388
00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,300
who doesn't even go to church? 
It's like the most famous verse 

389
00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:02,100
of people who don't follow 
Jesus. 

390
00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,400
Well, aren't you guys not 
supposed to judge or you too 

391
00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,900
will be judged. 
And so you have this thrown at 

392
00:22:06,900 --> 00:22:11,100
you all the stinkin time. 
Well, let's unpack this first 

393
00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:13,300
thing we're going to do is we're
going to look at it in context. 

394
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:17,000
Matthew Chapter 7, Do not judge 
or you too. 

395
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,100
Will be judged for in the same 
way, you judge others, you will 

396
00:22:21,100 --> 00:22:24,200
be judged. 
And with the measure you use, it

397
00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:29,600
will be measured to you. 
Why do you look at the speck of 

398
00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,700
sawdust, in your brother's eye 
and pay no attention to the 

399
00:22:32,700 --> 00:22:36,100
plank in your own eye? 
How can you say to your brother?

400
00:22:36,100 --> 00:22:37,900
Let me take the speck out of 
your eye. 

401
00:22:37,900 --> 00:22:41,900
When all the time. 
There is a plank in your own eye

402
00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,100
You everybody say this word 
hypocrite. 

403
00:22:46,100 --> 00:22:50,200
Okay first, take the plank out 
of your own eye, then you'll be 

404
00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:54,800
able to see clearly to remove 
the speck from your brother's 

405
00:22:55,100 --> 00:22:58,200
eye. 
The context here is not so much 

406
00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,800
judgment, its judgment out of 
context, not realizing that 

407
00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,400
you've got some stuff that 
screwed up in you too. 

408
00:23:06,500 --> 00:23:09,900
In fact, the word hypocrite, 
this is in Matthew chapter 7. 

409
00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:15,100
In Matthew chapter 6, The word 
hypocrite shows up in 6:2 

410
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:19,200
chapter 6, verse 5, chapter 6, 
verse 16. 

411
00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:23,600
And at the end of this one, he 
still tells them to take the 

412
00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,100
speck out of your brother's eye.
So you're still making a 

413
00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:30,400
judgment about the speck of dust
in their eye, but you're only 

414
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:32,800
supposed to address it. 
After you've done a serious 

415
00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:38,000
evaluation of the sin in your 
own life, Jesus doesn't seem to 

416
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,100
have a problem with you making 
judgments. 

417
00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,100
He has a problem with you 
making. 

418
00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:46,500
Judgments without the context of
your own sinful Behavior, deal 

419
00:23:46,500 --> 00:23:49,900
with the glaring sin in your 
life and then deal with the 

420
00:23:49,900 --> 00:23:53,300
smaller sins. 
And somebody else now watch this

421
00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:58,300
in the very same chapter, Jesus 
goes on to make this statement. 

422
00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,400
Watch out for false prophets, 
they come to you in sheep's 

423
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,500
clothing, but inwardly, they are
ferocious wolves by their fruit.

424
00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:10,500
You will recognize them. 
Do people pick grapes from 

425
00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:14,800
thornbushes or figs from 
thistles likewise? 

426
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,400
This is a tongue twister every 
good tree Bears. 

427
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:18,700
Good fruit. 
But a bad tree Bears. 

428
00:24:18,700 --> 00:24:20,700
Bad fruit and a good tree. 
Cannot bear bad. 

429
00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:23,000
A good tree. 
Cannot bear, bad fruit and a bad

430
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:23,600
tree. 
Cannot bear. 

431
00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,500
Good fruit. 
Every tree that does not bear. 

432
00:24:25,500 --> 00:24:26,700
Good. 
Fruit is cut down and thrown 

433
00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:30,300
into the fire thus, by your 
fruit You will recognize them. 

434
00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:34,600
Well Jesus, if I'm not supposed 
to judge, how could I ever 

435
00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,600
possibly discern? 
Who is a false teacher? 

436
00:24:38,900 --> 00:24:42,100
Jesus, if I'm not supposed to 
judge, how could I ever know 

437
00:24:42,100 --> 00:24:46,700
whether or not, this is good 
fruit or band fruit Jesus 

438
00:24:46,700 --> 00:24:49,800
obviously doesn't have a problem
with Christians making careful, 

439
00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:53,900
evaluations or stating the 
obvious or watching how someone 

440
00:24:53,900 --> 00:24:57,100
behaves and making a judgment 
call based on it. 

441
00:24:57,700 --> 00:24:59,400
Okay. 
I mean, if that was the case, 

442
00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,900
how come Jesus says this quote 
Jesus back to somebody when 

443
00:25:02,900 --> 00:25:04,700
someone says well Jesus says, 
don't judge. 

444
00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,400
I would y'all well actually 
anybody have a well actually 

445
00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,600
friend in their life. 
You say something? 

446
00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:14,200
Well, actually okay you're not 
invited in over anymore, okay, 

447
00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:16,300
so here's your will actually 
verse. 

448
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,200
This is, if you go and look at 
your Bible, you'll find this in 

449
00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,400
Red Letters. 
Stop judging by mere 

450
00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:26,200
appearances, but instead judge 
correctly. 

451
00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,700
Well, actually, Jesus says, I'm 
supposed to judge correctly. 

452
00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:36,500
So, you're trash. 
Okay, okay, now, watch this. 

453
00:25:37,700 --> 00:25:40,500
First Corinthians. 
This is Paul because someone 

454
00:25:40,500 --> 00:25:43,800
might go well, that was Jesus 
but Paul's talking here. 

455
00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:46,800
Okay, okay, okay. 
What business is it of mine to 

456
00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:51,100
judge those outside the church? 
Are you not to judge those 

457
00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:54,800
inside? 
God, will judge those outside. 

458
00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:57,800
Expel. 
The wicked person from among 

459
00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:01,200
you. 
It appears that we are supposed 

460
00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,700
to have as Christians, a 
different posture with those who

461
00:26:03,700 --> 00:26:07,400
belong to Jesus, then those who 
don't belong to Jesus. 

462
00:26:08,700 --> 00:26:11,800
Perhaps Christians should hold 
each other to a higher standard 

463
00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:16,600
and those who don't know. 
Jesus to a lower standard after 

464
00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:20,600
all If they don't believe in 
God, have the spirit of God have

465
00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,200
the power of God or have the 
direction of God, how could they

466
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:28,000
possibly follow God. 
But those of us who have the 

467
00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,300
spirit of God, have the power to
God have belief in God, it's 

468
00:26:31,300 --> 00:26:33,300
reasonable that we should be 
able to hold ourselves to a 

469
00:26:33,300 --> 00:26:37,200
higher standard. 
Galatians 6:1 through to look 

470
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,300
what it says brothers and 
sisters. 

471
00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:44,300
If someone is caught in sin, you
who live by the spirit should 

472
00:26:44,300 --> 00:26:48,300
restore that person gently but 
watch yourselves. 

473
00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,800
Or you also may be tempted, 
carry each other's burdens. 

474
00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:55,000
And in this way, you will 
fulfill the law of Christ. 

475
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:56,500
Hold on a second. 
Jesus. 

476
00:26:56,700 --> 00:26:59,800
If I'm not supposed to judge 
somebody, how could I ever know 

477
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,500
that they were in sin? 
Furthermore, if I can't judge 

478
00:27:03,500 --> 00:27:06,500
whether or not they were in sin,
how could I ever come alongside 

479
00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:12,700
someone to restore them gently? 
In other words, it appears that 

480
00:27:12,700 --> 00:27:16,400
scripture is saying something 
completely different than do not

481
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,400
judge what scripture is saying 
to. 

482
00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,000
Those of you who are Christians,
pay attention here. 

483
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,100
And to, those of you are not 
Christians, okay? 

484
00:27:24,100 --> 00:27:25,800
We just learned that. 
So, give us some Grace for 

485
00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:27,700
screwing it up for, however, 
long, okay. 

486
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,400
One it's saying don't judge 
hypocritically. 

487
00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:35,700
It's saying don't judge 
superficially. 

488
00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,600
It is saying have a higher 
standard for Christians and 

489
00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:42,900
recognize that you've got to 
have a lower standard for 

490
00:27:42,900 --> 00:27:46,600
non-christians and use your 
judgment on fellow Believers to 

491
00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:50,200
come alongside of them and to 
help them out not to Snicker 

492
00:27:50,300 --> 00:27:53,700
judge and gossip. 
That makes more sense. 

493
00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:57,200
That's the character of Christ 
with that in mind. 

494
00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,700
Let's go back to Paul's 
argument, as he is pointing out 

495
00:27:59,700 --> 00:28:03,300
to the Jews that, while they are
judging the Gentiles for their 

496
00:28:03,300 --> 00:28:05,200
behavior. 
They are doing the same things. 

497
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,000
This is why this is important 
because Paul is taking off on 

498
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,800
the on the Jews here. 
He says, now if you call 

499
00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,600
yourself a Jew, if you rely on 
the law and boasting God, if you

500
00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,800
know, his will and approve, our 
in approve of what is superior 

501
00:28:18,900 --> 00:28:20,900
because you were instructed by 
the law. 

502
00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:25,600
If you are convinced that you're
a guide for the blind, a light 

503
00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,000
for those who were in the dark 
and instructor of the foolish, a

504
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,600
teacher of little children 
because you have in the law, the

505
00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:34,900
embodiment of knowledge and 
Truth. 

506
00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:40,100
You then who teach others to 
you, not teach yourself. 

507
00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:44,300
You who preach against stealing.
Do you steal you? 

508
00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:46,600
Who say people should not commit
adultery. 

509
00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:50,000
Do you commit adultery? 
You who abhor Idols? 

510
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,500
Do you rob temples? 
You who boast in the law? 

511
00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:56,000
Do you dishonor God, by breaking
the law. 

512
00:28:56,300 --> 00:28:59,700
Here is the summary statement as
it is written. 

513
00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:05,000
God's name is blasphemed among 
the Gentiles because of you. 

514
00:29:06,700 --> 00:29:09,800
Here's what he's saying. 
To the Jewish people, your 

515
00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:15,000
judgments are worthless, your 
witness is worthless, because 

516
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:18,500
there is no difference between 
you and those who do not know 

517
00:29:18,500 --> 00:29:21,300
the Lord. 
Let me ask you the 

518
00:29:21,308 --> 00:29:26,500
confrontational question. 
As Christians, we have the 

519
00:29:26,500 --> 00:29:29,200
gospel message. 
We have the power of God in our 

520
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,200
lives. 
We have his direction for how 

521
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:35,100
we're supposed to live, let me 
ask you this question is God, 

522
00:29:35,100 --> 00:29:39,300
getting a bad reputation in our 
communities and in our world 

523
00:29:39,300 --> 00:29:43,000
because there is very little to 
distinguish the Christian from 

524
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:47,100
the non-Christian we get. 
So frustrated at the world that 

525
00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:51,100
we see out there. 
And yet we don't spend nearly 

526
00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:55,000
enough time figuring out how 
much of the world is in here. 

527
00:29:57,100 --> 00:30:00,300
Is our divorce rate? 
Different is our charitable 

528
00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:04,300
giving different is our level of
service, different care, 

529
00:30:04,300 --> 00:30:06,800
different gossip, different, 
Grace. 

530
00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,600
Different. 
It appears to me that our high 

531
00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:12,600
horse is not all that high 
anymore. 

532
00:30:14,300 --> 00:30:17,600
Which is what takes us what I 
think is to the key verse Romans

533
00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,000
chapter 4 verse 2. 
There's a lot more in Romans to 

534
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,300
that, you're going to fall in 
love with like God doesn't show 

535
00:30:22,300 --> 00:30:24,700
favoritism which is a big deal 
for people like me. 

536
00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,900
But look at this, Romans 2:4, 
this is one you could memorize, 

537
00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,700
or do you show contempt for the 
riches of his kindness 

538
00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:39,100
forbearance and patience? 
Not realizing that God's 

539
00:30:39,100 --> 00:30:44,100
kindness is intended to lead you
to repentance. 

540
00:30:44,700 --> 00:30:50,000
There are some of us who we are 
frustrated at the kindness of 

541
00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:55,900
God, the Restraint of God, his 
enduring long-suffering. 

542
00:30:56,500 --> 00:31:01,900
And instead we want to see, God 
set things, right? 

543
00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,200
We're just mad at God's 
kindness. 

544
00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,800
You're going through a bad 
divorce and your husband's got a

545
00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,300
nice truck and you still got 
your hooptie minivan. 

546
00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:15,200
Like God, how come? 
I'm the one who's going to 

547
00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:16,600
church? 
And he never goes to church. 

548
00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,000
And he's the one who caused the 
divorce. 

549
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,700
How come he gets the nice shiny 
truck, and I've got the hooptie 

550
00:31:20,700 --> 00:31:21,800
minivan. 
God. 

551
00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,100
Would you just make his car 
break down on a rainy day and 

552
00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:26,900
make him walk? 
So I can splash him in with the 

553
00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:30,300
puddle when I drive by God. 
Why are you so kind to him? 

554
00:31:31,700 --> 00:31:34,600
Because God's kindness is 
intended to lead your busted up 

555
00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:39,400
husband to repentance. 
That's why God. 

556
00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,600
How come I'm having to go 
through so many hardships and so

557
00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:47,300
many struggles. 
Why can't you just put 

558
00:31:47,300 --> 00:31:51,400
everything right? 
Well, it's because holistically 

559
00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:53,500
God's kindness is design his 
forbearance. 

560
00:31:53,500 --> 00:31:58,100
His patience is designed to lead
people to repentance. 

561
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,700
God, how much longer am I going 
to suffer underneath a really 

562
00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:05,500
bad boss? 
I know that all the things that 

563
00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:10,600
he's doing aren't all right? 
And how come he just keeps the 

564
00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,800
keep going on Great Vacations, 
taken tons of pictures and here 

565
00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:20,000
I am. 
It's because God's kindness. 

566
00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,600
It is so easy for us to see the 
sin and other people. 

567
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:29,700
But sometimes it's really, 
really hard for us to see the 

568
00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:33,700
sin in ourselves. 
And the very same kindness that 

569
00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:36,100
God is pouring out on the 
people. 

570
00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:40,300
You can't stand. 
There are people that can't 

571
00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:45,900
stand you. 
And God's kindness is designed 

572
00:32:45,900 --> 00:32:49,200
to lead you to repentance others
of you. 

573
00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:53,800
You see God's kindness, his 
restraint, his long-suffering as

574
00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:58,100
an excuse to keep on sinning, 
you did something dumb. 

575
00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:00,500
Nothing bad happened. 
I guess God didn't hate it all 

576
00:33:00,500 --> 00:33:02,600
that much. 
Like we kind of have this 

577
00:33:02,700 --> 00:33:06,000
lightning strike mentality. 
That if we did something really 

578
00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,200
bad, God would lightning strike.
But since there was no lightning

579
00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,700
strike like oh maybe God's, okay
with this. 

580
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,900
This was some of us we keep on 
sinning because we never get 

581
00:33:17,900 --> 00:33:21,200
caught and don't assume that 
because you've never been caught

582
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:25,600
that God doesn't care. 
He's holding back his judgment, 

583
00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:30,300
he's holding back his wrath. 
So, instead of having to pour it

584
00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:34,100
on you, you can come to 
repentance and he can pour His 

585
00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:36,700
wrath out on Jesus. 
On your behalf. 

586
00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:39,900
Don't confuse his patients with 
permission. 

587
00:33:42,100 --> 00:33:46,200
The purpose of God's kindness is
to Lead You and Me into 

588
00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,200
repentance and forgiveness and 
salvation. 

589
00:33:50,300 --> 00:33:51,800
The imagery that they're trying 
to convey. 

590
00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:55,100
Here is a soldier who is 
enduring the hardship of war 

591
00:33:55,300 --> 00:33:57,400
with an eye on the eventual 
Victory. 

592
00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:02,000
God is looking at the pain and 
suffering in this world. 

593
00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,700
He sees it, he experiences it 
with you. 

594
00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:08,900
He is being patient with an eye 
to win. 

595
00:34:08,900 --> 00:34:13,000
The world will be redeemed. 
Some of you, you're navigating 

596
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,400
horrible diagnosis in your 
praying, God make all things 

597
00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,000
right and God wants to make all 
things, right? 

598
00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:20,699
And the way he would make all 
things. 

599
00:34:20,699 --> 00:34:22,500
Right. 
As you part, the skies he'd come

600
00:34:22,500 --> 00:34:25,699
back immediately and to those 
who are in a relationship with 

601
00:34:25,699 --> 00:34:30,100
Jesus Christ, what an incredible
day, that would be But to all of

602
00:34:30,107 --> 00:34:32,900
those who are don't have an 
intimate, personal relationship 

603
00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:34,699
with Jesus Christ, what a 
horrible day. 

604
00:34:34,699 --> 00:34:37,900
That would be. 
God is patient with us. 

605
00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:42,800
Keeping his eye on the day when 
When he will come back. 

606
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,300
He is patient because if he 
comes back today, there's so 

607
00:34:46,300 --> 00:34:48,800
many people that wouldn't be in 
relationship with him. 

608
00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:50,699
Why does this matter to you and 
me? 

609
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,100
Because it means that God can be
trusted because he is patient 

610
00:34:56,100 --> 00:35:00,400
with us giving us every 
opportunity to repent and be 

611
00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,900
saved. 
Heaven throws parties when lost 

612
00:35:02,900 --> 00:35:06,800
people repent and are saved. 
And so should the church, may we

613
00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:10,600
here at the Crossing never get 
tired of telling people about 

614
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:13,300
this patient. 
Jesus and celebrating the 

615
00:35:13,300 --> 00:35:15,600
baptisms that happen at our 
church. 

616
00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,300
Every time you see one happen 
here, Heaven is throwing a party

617
00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:23,300
and we should join the heavens. 
The second thing that I think we

618
00:35:23,300 --> 00:35:26,100
should take away is that if 
you're going to keep showing up 

619
00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:29,500
here at the church, I'm hoping 
that our church will look a 

620
00:35:29,500 --> 00:35:31,800
little bit like God. 
And what does that mean? 

621
00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:35,300
That that means that there might
be some people who attend our 

622
00:35:35,300 --> 00:35:36,900
church who don't have it all 
together. 

623
00:35:38,100 --> 00:35:40,700
And we're going to be patient 
with people who don't have it 

624
00:35:40,700 --> 00:35:44,200
all together. 
Don't think for a second that 

625
00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,400
because some jacked-up people 
come to our church, that we 

626
00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,300
don't have a position on sin. 
We do. 

627
00:35:51,300 --> 00:35:53,100
We have a really clear position 
on sin. 

628
00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:57,700
Don't that's my sermon in a 
couple weeks, just just stop. 

629
00:35:59,300 --> 00:36:02,600
Stop what's inning and then 
we'll just we'll just pray and 

630
00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,700
go home like now is a good man. 
I almost can remember that one. 

631
00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,300
Just stop quit. 
Don't know, that's it in the 

632
00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:13,700
whole sermon but hear me. 
There's some of you you're going

633
00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:16,600
to show up for church and your 
me like hey, wasn't that guy 

634
00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:22,300
drunk last night? 
Yeah, probably was Hey, isn't 

635
00:36:22,300 --> 00:36:25,200
that guy like cheat on his wife?
Yeah, probably did. 

636
00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,200
Isn't that the person who 
embezzled money probably? 

637
00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:33,000
So isn't that the kitty you 
know, drove too fast. 

638
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:34,900
Yeah. 
Maybe isn't that a person who 

639
00:36:34,900 --> 00:36:36,400
used to sell drugs? 
Yeah. 

640
00:36:36,700 --> 00:36:38,800
Isn't that person still selling 
drugs? 

641
00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:42,800
Maybe I don't know I'm not 
buying I'm not sure. 

642
00:36:45,700 --> 00:36:50,300
Where would you want them? 
Where would you want them to go?

643
00:36:50,900 --> 00:36:53,500
I'll tell you what that person 
so drunk, they should never go 

644
00:36:53,500 --> 00:36:57,400
to church. 
I don't know where the church 

645
00:36:57,900 --> 00:37:01,500
should show the same kindness to
them that God showed to us 

646
00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:05,800
because our kindness is what 
leads us to repentance. 

647
00:37:06,100 --> 00:37:08,000
Let me, let me unpack this a 
little bit further. 

648
00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:12,500
Okay, I never get asked what's 
our position on drunk driving 

649
00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:17,300
even though drunk drivers come 
to our church, I never get asked

650
00:37:17,300 --> 00:37:20,500
that. 
Like, what are they going to do?

651
00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:24,300
Yeah, we're huge fans. 
Here we love it, right. 

652
00:37:24,300 --> 00:37:25,500
Grab a cores. 
On your way out. 

653
00:37:25,500 --> 00:37:28,300
Like, we don't like, that's not 
how we operate. 

654
00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:30,100
I never have people come up to 
me and go. 

655
00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:32,500
Hey, what's the church's 
position on divorce? 

656
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:35,700
Well, we're huge fans. 
Because when we get to remarry 

657
00:37:35,700 --> 00:37:38,200
him, we get to take the weekend 
away from our family and pick 

658
00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:41,600
get 300 bucks to marry you. 
It's a huge Cash Cow for us. 

659
00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:43,600
Like that's that's no that's 
not. 

660
00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:45,700
No, that's not. 
No, that's not us. 

661
00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:51,400
Listen, our Church's position on
sin is clear, but where else 

662
00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:54,800
would you want a sinner? 
Then again him an opportunity 

663
00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:59,600
for us to be kind to them. 
So as Christians, we're going to

664
00:37:59,607 --> 00:38:01,500
hold ourselves to a higher 
standard. 

665
00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:05,100
We're going to show as much 
grace as we possibly can as much

666
00:38:05,100 --> 00:38:08,200
patience as much for parents. 
So they can find in Jesus. 

667
00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,500
What we found were moving to a 
time decision. 

668
00:38:15,700 --> 00:38:18,500
If you don't have an intimate 
personal relationship with Jesus

669
00:38:18,500 --> 00:38:22,800
Christ, you have come to a great
place because our church is 

670
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:26,600
radically committed to that. 
Cause if you have questions, 

671
00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:29,000
about what it looks to be an 
intimate, personal relationship 

672
00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,500
with Jesus Christ, then just a 
few moments the people around 

673
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:32,900
you. 
They're going to stand and sing.

674
00:38:32,900 --> 00:38:35,000
Some of them are going to come 
up to the steps and pray and 

675
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:37,200
that'll be a great opportunity 
for you to go right over there 

676
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:40,400
by the baptistry and talk to 
somebody about how to start that

677
00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:45,100
kind of relationship because 
that is is the way to Salvation.

678
00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:48,200
You are never going to get 
things right on your own. 

679
00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:50,700
You are never going to get it 
all dialed in by yourself. 

680
00:38:51,900 --> 00:38:55,500
You're gonna need him. 
His power, his work on your 

681
00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:57,700
behalf but we take hold of it, 
through faith. 

682
00:38:59,100 --> 00:39:01,500
And if you're going McLain, I've
messed up way too much. 

683
00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:05,200
I want you to know there's 
nobody who's messed up more than

684
00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:06,900
Paul than me. 
You name it. 

685
00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:11,400
But God's grace was poured out 
on us and I can promise you. 

686
00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:13,400
God's Grace will be poured out 
on you. 

687
00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,600
So, if you're tired of doing 
Life by yourself, if you're 

688
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:19,700
tired of doing it on your own 
power and your own strength. 

689
00:39:19,700 --> 00:39:23,300
If you are tired of, living your
life under your direction, 

690
00:39:23,700 --> 00:39:27,900
submitting to no one. 
I want to encourage you, you can

691
00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:30,400
stop all of that today and you 
can turn your life over to 

692
00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:32,100
Jesus. 
And for those of us who've had a

693
00:39:32,107 --> 00:39:35,000
relationship with Jesus Christ 
for a while, we tell you that it

694
00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:36,700
was the best decision that we 
ever made. 

695
00:39:36,700 --> 00:39:39,700
In our biggest regret is we 
didn't do it sooner to the rest 

696
00:39:39,700 --> 00:39:44,600
of you in here who are 
Christians I think at this point

697
00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:49,500
and I guess those of you online,
too, We have got to do a better 

698
00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:52,800
job of representing Christ to a 
broken World. 

699
00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:59,700
They are getting the wrong idea 
about Christians. because what 

700
00:39:59,700 --> 00:40:05,100
we say and what we believe 
oftentimes is so far removed 

701
00:40:05,100 --> 00:40:17,700
from how we actually behave We 
have become judgmental. we have 

702
00:40:17,700 --> 00:40:21,200
permission slips Galore for 
ourselves and for our family, 

703
00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:25,900
and for our circumstances, but 
nothing but judgment for other 

704
00:40:25,900 --> 00:40:30,900
people who are enduring 
incredible pain, I'm not saying 

705
00:40:30,900 --> 00:40:34,200
be okay with the sin that you 
see in the world. 

706
00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,500
I'm just asking you to take a 
radical, look at your own sin 

707
00:40:38,500 --> 00:40:42,700
first. 
Make serious changes their 

708
00:40:42,700 --> 00:40:44,500
first. 
I'm not saying, don't say 

709
00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:46,300
something. 
I'm not saying don't have an 

710
00:40:46,300 --> 00:40:48,300
opinion, a god, informed 
opinion. 

711
00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:53,400
But I don't think our strategy 
is working. 

712
00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,200
I don't think the way we are 
loving people is winning. 

713
00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,500
It was God's kindness. 
That led you and I to 

714
00:41:04,500 --> 00:41:07,600
repentance. 
And I think it will be our 

715
00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,200
kindness. 
That will lead the people were 

716
00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:13,100
trying to reach. 
In to repentance. 

717
00:41:13,700 --> 00:41:15,000
So, here's what I'm asking you 
to do. 

718
00:41:15,700 --> 00:41:18,200
If you care about people who 
don't have a relationship with 

719
00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:21,300
Jesus Christ, maybe you'd want 
to spend a little bit of time at

720
00:41:21,300 --> 00:41:25,200
the steps today, just praying, 
and getting God help me to be 

721
00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,800
patient with them and kind to 
them for the day where they will

722
00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:31,400
eventually repent, and begin the
relationship with you. 

723
00:41:32,100 --> 00:41:33,300
Maybe some of you, you're kind 
of going. 

724
00:41:33,300 --> 00:41:36,000
You know what, I've been on a 
high horse lately, I've been a 

725
00:41:36,008 --> 00:41:39,400
little judgmental, I've been 
judgy and you're going, you know

726
00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:42,600
what, I need to confess that to 
God, I need To own it. 

727
00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:46,300
I need to own it my own heart, 
so I can be the kind of Jesus 

728
00:41:46,300 --> 00:41:48,500
follow that he desires in the he
deserves. 

729
00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:51,400
I think that's the kind of 
church we want to be. 

730
00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:53,800
So let's do it. 
Which you stand with me? 

731
00:41:56,100 --> 00:41:57,800
Heavenly father, thank you so 
much for today. 

732
00:41:57,800 --> 00:41:59,700
Thank you, for the time we get 
to spend together. 

733
00:42:02,500 --> 00:42:04,800
Rather so much ground. 
I know that you could take in 

734
00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:07,600
our hearts in our lives and I 
pray that you would give us the 

735
00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:11,500
courage to allow you to take it.
The guy we would use this time 

736
00:42:11,500 --> 00:42:16,600
of surrender to reshape us 
redirect us so that we can make 

737
00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:20,400
the significant changes that 
need to be made in your name. 

738
00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:21,600
I pray. 
Amen. 

739
00:42:02,500 --> 00:42:04,800
Rather so much ground. 
I know that you could take in 

740
00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:07,600
our hearts in our lives and I 
pray that you would give us the 

741
00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:11,500
courage to allow you to take it.
The guy we would use this time 

742
00:42:11,500 --> 00:42:16,600
of surrender to reshape us 
redirect us so that we can make 

743
00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:20,400
the significant changes that 
need to be made in your name. 

744
00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:21,600
I pray. 
Amen.