1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,000 It's great to be here with all of you today. 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,240 We have a wonderful crowd for which we are very thankful. 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,000 I've enjoyed our worship very much and I want to say I enjoyed 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,320 very much all of the songs that were selected this morning 5 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:22,520 because it's about Jesus. And really in our life it is all 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,360 about Jesus. Everything that we have is 7 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:31,360 because of Jesus. In the title of our lesson, as 8 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,960 we continue our series in Romans chapter 8, we now come to the 9 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,920 part where Jesus is our advocate. 10 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,760 If there's nothing else that you gain from this lesson today, I 11 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,880 hope and pray that everybody would leave here at least with 12 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,080 this idea in mind that it would cause you from the Scriptures 13 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,480 and from the things in which we study to leave here with a 14 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,800 greater love and appreciation for Jesus Christ, all that he 15 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:03,880 does for us in our life, and the great hope that we have because 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:08,280 of him. Just as way of an introductory 17 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,440 passage, our text is found really in one verse. 18 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,880 It's found in Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. 19 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,520 The apostle Paul says who is he who condemns? 20 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:24,160 It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who 21 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,240 is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession 22 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,720 for us. Now, by way of an introduction, 23 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,080 I'm going to be very brief. This series is talking about the 24 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,400 five unbelievable blessings that the apostle Paul describes that 25 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,800 God gives us to help sustain us through the difficulties of 26 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:44,680 life. And I don't have to say it goes 27 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,640 without saying, we're going to have some difficulties in life. 28 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,480 We're even going to have some struggles spiritually in life. 29 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,920 That's just called life. But we're not alone. 30 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,680 We have 5 unbelievable benefits, and four of those are as follows 31 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,440 #1 We have hope. We just sang that song, and by 32 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,080 the way, I'm the one that requested it. 33 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:10,000 Thank you, Wade, for leaving it. Jesus Christ is our living hope. 34 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,680 And the reason that we have hope, it's not postponed 35 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,920 disappointment. It literally means to wait 36 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:19,800 expectedly for what is good. And we would not have that hope 37 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,760 without Jesus #2 We have the intercessory work of the Holy 38 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,200 Spirit who takes the longings, signs, and groanings of our 39 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,120 human spirit when we don't know what to pray for. 40 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,680 And He intercedes for us, taking those things to God. 41 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,880 God understands them. The next verse says He knows the 42 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,360 mind of the Spirit who intercedes for us. 43 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:46,160 Unbelievable blessing #3 The child of God knows this is 44 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,080 assurance. This is a certainty that all 45 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,280 things work together for good. That doesn't mean all the 46 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:54,360 circumstances in life are going to be good. 47 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,280 It doesn't even mean that God's going to make everything that's 48 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,880 bad good for His purpose. Can he do that? 49 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,320 Yes. Does he providentially do that 50 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,160 from time to time at His will? Yes. 51 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,000 Does he always do that? No. 52 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,680 Sometimes things don't work out, so when it talks about all 53 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,000 things working together for good, it's talking about our 54 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,800 eternal good and our spiritual good. 55 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,120 Great stuff regardless of circumstances in life. 56 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,360 Then our last lesson, it was the last one of our series before 57 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,960 this and that is this. We are not alone. 58 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,520 God Almighty is on our side and if God is for us, who can be 59 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,680 against us? As my dad would say, God plus 60 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,480 one is the majority. And finally today our lesson is 61 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,080 this. Jesus Christ is our advocate, 62 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,040 interceding for us at the right hand of God. 63 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:54,520 In other words, Jesus not only died for our sins, was buried on 64 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,320 the third day, rose again, but there's so much more. 65 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:04,040 He's actually exalted now to be at the right hand of God to do 66 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:09,920 things for us in our life. Don't think for a minute, Jesus 67 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,400 died on the cross and he's done. And let me just say this too, 68 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:19,279 God, the the entire Godhead, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit 69 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:24,000 are all working in the capacity that God has given them to do, 70 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,320 are all working in our life. All working in our life. 71 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,800 OK, let's talk about Jesus. Let's talk about two things that 72 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:37,560 Jesus is number one, He is our propitiation. 73 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,560 It's a great big fancy word, propitiation, and we'll talk 74 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,400 about the passage where this is found later on. 75 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,840 But propitiation, the short answer or the short definition 76 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:48,360 is he paid our fine. We know that. 77 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,840 But there's more. If you actually look at the word 78 00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:55,320 propitiation, the deeper meaning of propitiation, it is the act 79 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,800 of appeasing, pacifying or regaining the favour of a 80 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:04,480 person, deity or spirit, often through the the gift, sacrifice 81 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:09,360 or conciliatory act. In a theological context, it 82 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,440 refers to turning away divine wrath, specifically to the 83 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:18,280 atoning sacrifice of Jesus, satisfying justice and allowing 84 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:23,680 reconciliation. So #1 Jesus is our propitiation 85 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:31,520 to allow reconciliation between US and God #2 He's our advocate. 86 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,640 The word advocate in the Bible comes from that word paracletos. 87 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:39,560 And we're going to get to that word later on. 88 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:40,920 And I learned some stuff about it. 89 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:42,360 I'm going to share it with you in just a little bit. 90 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,480 But that Greek word paracletos, where we get the English word 91 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:52,680 advocate means it's one called alongside to help defend or 92 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,960 intercede, acting as a legal counselor or helper. 93 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,360 Jesus Christ is described as our advocate with the Father 94 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:02,480 pleading our case for forgiveness. 95 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,000 First John chapter 2 and verse 1. 96 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,840 So we're going to get to that later, the specifics of it. 97 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:12,640 And we're also going to get into the difference between what is 98 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,920 the difference between the intercessory work of the Holy 99 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:20,000 Spirit in Romans chapter 8 and verse 26 and the intercessory 100 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,680 work of Jesus in Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. 101 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:28,160 And the reason for that is after I preached on Romans 826 about 102 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,840 the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit, it was a question, 103 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,320 what's the difference? Is there a connection? 104 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,440 And I said, hold that thought. Give me a couple of weeks before 105 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:37,960 we hit verse 34 and we'll deal with it. 106 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,400 We'll get it today, the difference between the 107 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,360 intercessory work of the Holy Spirit and the intercessory work 108 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,480 of Jesus. But first let's go to our 109 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,560 passage in Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. 110 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:54,000 And the very first thing the apostle Paul says who is he who 111 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,760 condemns? Now in context, and I'm going to 112 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,200 put verse 33 up in a minute, but in context to understand the 113 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,920 first part of verse 34, when Paul says who is he who 114 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:08,400 condemns? Condemns who? 115 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,040 The context is found in the previous verse and it is talking 116 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:19,600 about God's elect. Now what's interesting is and be 117 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,960 very careful about the word elect and don't think it means 118 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:23,080 something. It does not mean. 119 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,320 It does not mean that God pre selected or elected certain 120 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,120 people. It also doesn't mean that God 121 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,160 shows favoritism for certain people. 122 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,400 It doesn't mean that God elevates certain people over 123 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,400 other people he knows show he shows no partiality. 124 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,080 We talked about that last time we get it right. 125 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:42,320 OK so it's not talking about that. 126 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,800 So my question is this who are God's elect. 127 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,320 This is reviewed. This was last time I'll sum it 128 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,920 up in one sentence. God's elect are all of God's 129 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,240 children that are living faithful to Jesus Christ. 130 00:07:55,520 --> 00:08:00,400 You plug in all the particulars of that, but in general, God's 131 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,280 elect are all of God's children that are faithfully living 132 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,960 according to the word of God and following Jesus Christ. 133 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,440 That is God's elect. Faithful Christians. 134 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,680 That's it. So all faithful Christians are 135 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,200 God's elect. So what Paul's saying is who is 136 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:19,200 he that condemns God's elect? You know what the answer is? 137 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:27,000 No one now, meaning no human tribunal or earthly judge can 138 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:32,120 condemn the child of God. Now, you know what's interesting 139 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,440 about that? He's talking about things that 140 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,600 happened to us in our life. He's talking about all the 141 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,799 challenges that come our way. He's talking about the things 142 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:45,800 that maybe even mistreatments that come to the people of God, 143 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:47,680 the persecutions of the people of God. 144 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:50,920 And I got to tell you, I'm a firm believer and you know it. 145 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,880 I'm a positive guy about people. I am. 146 00:08:54,640 --> 00:09:01,040 But there are bad people in the world and people are what they 147 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,560 are because they do what they do. 148 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:06,160 And that's just a fact. What I'm saying is this, it 149 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:11,040 doesn't matter who the human being is, they can't condemn 150 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:16,560 God's elect. And nothing by way of any human 151 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:21,000 judge can condemn from a spiritual perspective, God's 152 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,280 elect. And we'll talk about why in just 153 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,360 a moment. Now, the reason for that is God 154 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:31,200 has committed all forms of judgment to be for Jesus Christ. 155 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:33,240 And you know, you know what's amazing? 156 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,440 We're singing songs about Jesus being our Lord, Jesus being our 157 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,600 Savior, Jesus dying for our cross. 158 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,720 On the cross we talked about he's our propitiation, He's our 159 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,160 advocate. He's all those wonderful things. 160 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,080 He's our high priest. He is interceding for us. 161 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:48,800 He's doing all those wonderful things. 162 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,160 He is our Lord. He is our Savior while we're 163 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,080 living and while time still stands. 164 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:02,840 But someday, when time shall be no more, Jesus will not be the 165 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,680 Savior anymore. Jesus will be the Judge, and 166 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:08,480 He's rightful to be the judge because He's the one with the 167 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,600 nail prints in his hands. Let me give you a Bible. 168 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:16,800 Jesus said in John 5 and 22 for the Father judges no one but has 169 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,880 committed all judgment to the Son. 170 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:25,880 He also said in verses 26 and 27, For as the Father has life 171 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,480 in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself, 172 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:31,880 and has given him authority to execute judgment. 173 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,640 Also because he is the Son of man. 174 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,720 Jesus 80 times is described in the Gospels as the Son of Man, 175 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,680 always referring to the Messiah, the humanity aspect of the 176 00:10:44,680 --> 00:10:47,960 Messiah. In other words, why is all forms 177 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,440 of judgment going to be given to Jesus by God? 178 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,680 One, he's not only the Son of God, that's deity, but he's also 179 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:57,360 the Son of Man, meaning he's fully human. 180 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,600 So because of that, he's rightful to be the judge. 181 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,920 He was tempted in all points, like as we are, yet without sin. 182 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,600 He knows our infirmities, He knows our weaknesses, he knows 183 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,000 our frailties. Oh, and incidentally, he's our 184 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,120 propitiation and that he paid our fine and that he died on the 185 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,000 cross. Yeah, he's the rightful guy to 186 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:22,120 be the judge. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul, 187 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:26,080 before the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at Athens, said 188 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,760 this in Acts 17. Truly, these times of ignorance 189 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:34,360 got overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. 190 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,360 Because He has appointed a day in which He would judge the 191 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,960 world in righteousness. By whom? 192 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,160 By whom He has ordained. That's Jesus. 193 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:48,080 He has given assurance to this all by raising Him. 194 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,920 That's Jesus from the dead. What's my point? 195 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:56,600 My point is this, even though Jesus is the judge, even though 196 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,160 Jesus will condemn those that reject him because the Bible 197 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,560 says no one comes into the Father except through me. 198 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:03,280 You can't go to heaven without Jesus. 199 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:07,760 Everybody knows that. OK, so there will be a time when 200 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,920 those that reject Jesus will be judged by Jesus and therefore 201 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,040 condemned by Jesus. OK, that's a separate thing. 202 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,960 That's not what we're talking about here, what we're talking 203 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:21,400 about here in this passage. He will not condemn those that 204 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:26,040 God has justified. Now we're going to go back to 205 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:27,760 the verse before this. I said we're going to get it, 206 00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:31,160 get to it. Who shall bring a charge against 207 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,640 God's elect? Faithful Christians. 208 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,680 It is God who justifies. Now, what does it mean to be 209 00:12:36,680 --> 00:12:40,920 justified? There's several definitions, 1 210 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,560 means to have acquitted, meaning not guilty and so on. 211 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,280 But really, the direct definition means this. 212 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,400 He declares blameless. What an amazing concept. 213 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,440 If I sin, I'm to blame. But when I've been forgiven, 214 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,600 I've been justified and I'm considered blameless. 215 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:05,080 The point is, Jesus Christ will not condemn those who God 216 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,480 justifies. Whiteside said it this way. 217 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,920 It is he that is to judge Jesus, but certainly he will not 218 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,160 condemn those that God justifies, for he died for them 219 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,280 and now makes intercession for them. 220 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:21,840 Hence, only those who God does not justify will be condemned. 221 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:26,600 So it's he that condemns. But as Large says, Christ alone 222 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,920 could do it, but he certainly will not condemn those who God 223 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:34,200 justified, for it is he who died and now pleads with God to 224 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,120 prevent it. OK, now there's more and we'll 225 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,280 get back to that in a minute, but let's move on. 226 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:41,840 Only notice three things that are found in this passage about 227 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,640 Jesus. Three things that are very 228 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:50,600 significant #1 Jesus died for our sins. 229 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,400 We know that He was buried, and we know that He rose again the 230 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:00,560 third day. We know that, but also after 40 231 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:03,480 days with his disciples, He ascended to his Father and is 232 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,320 now on the right hand of God. Doing what? 233 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:12,960 Doing a lot. He ascended to the right hand of 234 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:17,520 God to continue his work in our life. 235 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,280 You know, I don't know why people think that being a 236 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,080 Christian or anything really in life is a destination. 237 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:33,080 We are a work in progress and the Lord knows that I really 238 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,600 don't care who you are, your background, you're a work in 239 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:38,000 progress and I really don't care how old you are. 240 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,640 We got some folks here that are, let's just say it, nicely 241 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:47,400 seasoned. And I'm telling you, please hear 242 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:48,920 me. I say it with love and respect. 243 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:56,800 You have not arrived. You know, when you arrive, when 244 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:03,040 we get to heaven one day, we are all a work in progress. 245 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,680 I don't care who you are, how old you are, we all grow. 246 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,920 So you know what we need? We need somebody at the right 247 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:09,080 hand of God to help a little bit. 248 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,640 We need somebody at the right hand of God to continue a work 249 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,720 in our life. In other words, even though the 250 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:22,040 sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross was once and for all for 251 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,960 our sins, even though that's true and that was complete, He 252 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,400 was stricken one time. No other sacrifice would ever 253 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:29,600 need to be made. That's all true. 254 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:35,520 That was completed, Calvary. He's still working in our life. 255 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:37,400 Now let me talk about the throne for just a moment. 256 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:43,960 There's more to sitting on the right hand of God than reigning 257 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:45,800 over the Kingdom. Now, is he reigning over the 258 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,800 Kingdom? Yes, Jesus. 259 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:52,240 It was prophesied he would be risen to reign or or sit on 260 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,120 David's throne. He is on the throne now in 261 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,240 heaven, reigning over the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. 262 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,560 He's king of kings. He's Lord of Lords. 263 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,600 Jesus says the Kingdom is within you, Christians, we are in the 264 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:10,080 Kingdom. OK, he's reigning, but that's 265 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:11,800 not all he's doing at the right hand of God. 266 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,440 There are other works that he's continually doing in heaven, one 267 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,720 of which is making intercession for us. 268 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,920 He's constantly available. You know, it's, it's hard to 269 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,040 fathom. Somebody asked me this the other 270 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:33,960 day, said Frank. How is it that all these people 271 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:38,400 are in the world and everybody prays to God all at different 272 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:43,960 times during the day? How can God be for every one of 273 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,160 them at the same time? I have no idea. 274 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:51,600 I'm not God. How can Jesus make intercession 275 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,720 for us as our advocate on the right hand of God and be readily 276 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,040 available? Every time we go to Him in 277 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,720 prayer and ask for forgiveness, He pleads for our forgiveness. 278 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:03,920 How does He do it for all of us at the same time? 279 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,400 No idea. This mind can't wrap wrap around 280 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:08,440 that. And you know what? 281 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:13,200 Here's my favorite thing. I don't care, I don't care. 282 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:15,720 I just know He's greater than me. 283 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,480 I know He's greater than I am, and I know that He's my 284 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,000 advocate. I know He's my high priest. 285 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,680 I know He is interceding for me. And that's all I need to know 286 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:23,640 and for you and for all of God's people. 287 00:17:23,839 --> 00:17:27,640 So when we go to God in prayer, He's going to make intercession 288 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,440 for us when we sin first, John 1:00 and 9:00, if we confess our 289 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,880 sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to 290 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,840 cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 291 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,800 Now remember again, what is an advocate? 292 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,280 An advocate is 1 called alongside to help defend or 293 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,360 intercede, acting as a legal counselor or helper. 294 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,840 Jesus Christ is described as our advocate with the Father 295 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,600 pleading our case for forgiveness. 296 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,440 First John chapter 2 and verse 1. 297 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:00,080 So now let's look at that verse first John chapter 2 and verse 298 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,480 one. My little children, these things 299 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,680 I write to you so that you may not sin. 300 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,080 And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 301 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:14,640 Christ the righteous, and he himself is the propitiation for 302 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,160 our sins. Notice, please, the word 303 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,680 advocate and the word propitiation sum up the 304 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:27,240 mediatorial work of Jesus. He is our mediator. 305 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,760 Now there's only one. How do I know that? 306 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,040 First Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5 and 6. 307 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,040 For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, 308 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,760 the man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for 309 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,720 all to be testified in due time. Let a side note here. 310 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:55,680 OK, we have many intercessors. We have one mediator. 311 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,640 We know that the Holy Spirit is an intercessor. 312 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,320 We know that Jesus Christ is an intercessor. 313 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:07,720 We also know that each one of us are also intercessors. 314 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,760 Every time you go to God and you pray for someone, we've prayed 315 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:14,880 for you, dear brother, we've prayed for you. 316 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,240 We've prayed for many members of this congregation. 317 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,280 We pray for people all the time. Do you not understand? 318 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,360 When we do that, we all become an intercessor for that person, 319 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,080 pleading the case to God on their behalf. 320 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,840 Many, many intercessors, one mediator. 321 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:38,800 What distinguishes Jesus as a mediator than other intercessors 322 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,360 is even though He's also an intercessor, He is one. 323 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,800 That is our propitiation. He's done that too. 324 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:49,200 He's our advocate and He is also one in heaven. 325 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:54,480 That is our fighting for us as our advocate and our 326 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,480 propitiation. And nobody else could do that. 327 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,880 Now remember the difference between then a mediator and an 328 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:04,680 intercessor. A mediator negotiates on behalf 329 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,240 of both parties who are at variance with one another, 330 00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:11,680 whereas an intercessor pleads on behalf of only one side in a 331 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:13,920 difference. So I said we have many 332 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:19,640 intercessors, 1 mediator. So that being the case, having 333 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,760 multiple intercessors does not interfere or do away with the 334 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,800 work of 1 mediator. OK, so let's go further. 335 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,880 A mediator is an arbitrator. You know you can go to court and 336 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,840 sometimes they say instead of going to court you can go to 337 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,760 mediation. It's an arbitrator. 338 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,240 A go between settling the matter in advance, right? 339 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,440 A go between 1 commentator said it this way. 340 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,960 He is a peacemaker between two parties at odds or enmity with 341 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,600 each other. For one to stand as a mediator 342 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,880 between God and men and plead the case for reconciliation, 343 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,920 though, he must have the nature and understanding of both. 344 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:03,120 Therefore Jesus bearing the identity of God, Hebrews 1/3, 345 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,320 and the true image or nature of man Hebrews 2 and Hebrews 4, was 346 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:13,920 in himself both God and man, and thus the only one qualified as a 347 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:18,960 mediator for all men. So here's the question then. 348 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:27,400 If the Holy Spirit is an intercessor verse 26, and Jesus 349 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:32,240 is an intercessor also verse 34, what's the difference? 350 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,600 It's really simple 2 statements. I'll put them on the screen. 351 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,600 Statement #1 The Holy Spirit intercedes for struggling 352 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,560 believers when we are unable to form the words, when we pray, 353 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:50,080 but we can only groan or sigh by taking those unutterable 354 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,800 groanings to the Father who understands the mind of the 355 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,760 Spirit. In other words, I groan the Holy 356 00:21:55,760 --> 00:22:00,000 Spirit. The Holy Spirit intercedes to 357 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,640 the Father. We studied that in great detail. 358 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,760 That is the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit. 359 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:13,080 OK #2 Jesus, however, intercedes for us as our advocate and High 360 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:17,960 Priest, defending us and interceding for us as our legal 361 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,520 counselor or helper to plead our case for forgiveness. 362 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:31,360 So in other words, the Holy Spirit intercedes when we don't 363 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:36,320 know what to pray for, and Jesus intercedes for forgiveness when 364 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:41,840 we do. First John chapter 1 and verse 365 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,600 9, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us 366 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:46,720 our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 367 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,920 You know why we're forgiven? Because Jesus intercedes as our 368 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,200 advocate. Pretty good stuff in it. 369 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,560 The Holy Spirit intercedes when we don't know what to pray for. 370 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:59,680 We're so distraught. We're at the end of our rope. 371 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:01,680 You've been there. You know what that means? 372 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,920 You know what that's like, you know how you feel, but you don't 373 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,440 know. Should I pray for this or pray 374 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,080 for that? I don't know what the outcome I 375 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,440 should be praying for, so I'm going to just pray. 376 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,200 And I don't know what to say, but I have the feelings and the 377 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,840 groanings and the signs inside. It's my human spirit groaning. 378 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:24,480 The Holy Spirit intercedes. I need some help. 379 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,240 He intercedes when I don't know what to pray for. 380 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,440 On the other hand, when I do know what to pray for and I ask 381 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,120 God to forgive me, I know exactly what to pray for when I 382 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:38,240 mess up. Guess who jumps in? 383 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,800 Here comes Jesus at the right hand of God. 384 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:48,600 As busy as he may be, He's right there pleading our case back to 385 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:53,400 first John chapter 2. OK, now this phrase. 386 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:54,680 We have an advocate with the Father. 387 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,920 Jesus Christ, the righteous, propitiates for our sins. 388 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,320 This is the most amazing thing I can think of because God has 389 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:05,320 provided a means where fellowship between US and God 390 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:13,320 does not have to be broken. He gave us a plan. 391 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:19,600 He gave us help where our relationship with God and our 392 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:23,720 fellowship with God can remain unbroken. 393 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:33,520 It's Jesus as our advocate. There's something interesting 394 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:35,840 though, about the word advocate. And I said I was going to get 395 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:37,240 back to this about that Greek word. 396 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,200 Thought it was interesting. I want to share it with you. 397 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,960 The word advocate comes from the same Greek word that's 398 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:50,280 translated comforter in the new in the old King James and helper 399 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:54,800 in the new King James as found in John chapter 14 and verse 16. 400 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:59,440 I'm going to say this in advance, the context of John 401 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,800 1415 and 16 where Jesus is going to use this word and we're going 402 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,440 to put up three more scriptures after this one. 403 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:09,720 Well, when I put the first one, it'd be three more. 404 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:13,400 So 4 scriptures are going up where Jesus used that word. 405 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,240 He was talking to his apostles, and he was talking about in a 406 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,280 miraculous sense, they were going to get something pretty 407 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:23,200 good. When Jesus would depart, when he 408 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,960 would ascend to his Father, he'd now be in heaven, and he needed 409 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:28,880 walking Bibles. It was the apostles, and they 410 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:34,680 were promised something amazing. It's the same Greek word where 411 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,640 we get the English word advocate in this passage. 412 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,080 It's the same word that's translated comforter or helper 413 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,120 in John 14 and 616. Here's the four verses. 414 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,520 Jesus says, I will pray the Father, and he will give you 415 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:55,320 another helper, that he may abide with you forever. 416 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,080 Who's the helper? Here's another passage, John 417 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:02,200 1426. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, 418 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,600 whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all 419 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,840 things and bring to remembrance all things that I said to you. 420 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:15,320 Passage #3 John 1526. But when the Helper comes, 421 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,680 that's the Holy Spirit, whom I will send to you from the 422 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,640 Father. The Spirit of truth proceeds 423 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,720 from the Father. He will testify of me. 424 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,160 Finally, one more passage. They didn't understand why Jesus 425 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,920 had to go. And I can just imagine Jesus is 426 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,760 starting to foretell them. I'm going to leave, I'm going to 427 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:34,280 go away. And they didn't want him to go 428 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:35,400 away. Can you imagine? 429 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,880 But Jesus said this nevertheless, I tell you the 430 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:44,560 truth, it is to your advantage. The King James says it is 431 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,640 expedient that I go. It's to your advantage that I go 432 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,040 away. For if I do not go away, the 433 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:54,480 Helper, new King James Comforter, O King James, it's 434 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,160 the Holy Spirit will not come to you. 435 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,880 But if I depart, I will send him the Holy Spirit to you. 436 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:07,000 OK stay with me on this. That same Greek word for 437 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:13,760 advocate and helper is the word paracletos. 438 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,480 It's one of the titles of the Holy Spirit. 439 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,440 It literally means one who is called to another side to aid to 440 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:25,680 aid him. Jesus is 1 helper advocate and 441 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:27,640 the Holy Spirit is another helper. 442 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:32,280 John 14 and 16 in context that was sent to the apostles to 443 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:36,400 guide them miraculously after Jesus ascended to the Father. 444 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:41,160 That is the context, but in addition to the additional or 445 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,480 the specific context of John 1415 and 16. 446 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:50,080 In both cases the helper is for the advantage and encouragement 447 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,080 of Christians. Christ with the Father as our 448 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,400 advocate, the Holy Spirit with Christians, according to 449 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,360 Kaufman. Let me just notice with you, 450 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:04,520 who's on our side, who's got your back? 451 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:09,120 Who's who is aiding you? The Christian has one helper who 452 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:11,640 sits at the right hand of God, Hebrews one and three. 453 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:16,880 That's Jesus and another helper that indwells his heart. 454 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,120 That's the Holy Spirit. Galatians 4 and verse 6. 455 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:28,240 I don't know if that that ought to deal with something too 456 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:32,000 shouldn't. Now with regards to the word 457 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,400 advocate in verse John 2, what does an advocate actually do? 458 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:41,200 One scholar said it this way. It's one who undertakes and 459 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:47,920 champions our 'cause it is an amazing blessing when somebody 460 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:52,800 champions your cause. So many times in life there's a 461 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,000 cause and somebody decides, you know what? 462 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,200 I'm going to champion the 'cause I'm going to take up the fight. 463 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,280 When it comes to your spiritual life, the one that is 464 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:05,680 championing your cause is Jesus as your advocate. 465 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,520 Now there's more. In other words, in this sense, 466 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:14,800 John pictures Jesus as our lawyer pleading our case, one 467 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,560 who must defend us from sin. Why? 468 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,160 Because sin is presented under various figures in the 469 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:23,320 Scriptures. It's presented as moral impurity 470 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,520 and must be cleansed. It is presented as a debt that 471 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,320 must be paid. And it's presented as a disease 472 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,240 that must be cured according to the contending for the faith 473 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,640 commentary. Now remember, why is that 474 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:37,800 significant? Because sin separates. 475 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:41,880 Sin separates our relationship with God. 476 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,760 But notice the beauty here. OK, got news for you. 477 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:50,440 You're going to sin. Everybody is going to sin. 478 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:56,960 Nobody's perfect, only Jesus. So because of all these things 479 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:02,080 that it has to be cured and it has to be paid and all that, the 480 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:06,440 child of God must face God with his sin, with repentance and 481 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,040 confession. I've quoted it twice already, 482 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:17,080 first John one and nine. OK, but notice his yet he is not 483 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,400 alone. Jesus faces God with the same 484 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,720 sinning child of God before the bar of justice. 485 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:25,960 What a court saying we have here. 486 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:29,640 The judge is our father, the lawyer is our brother, and the 487 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:34,720 only plea is guilty as charged. Our attorney advises us that we 488 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,320 plead guilty and throw ourselves on the mercy of the court 489 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:40,480 contending for the faith commentary. 490 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:46,360 Now in verse 2 John says, and when you do that, our court 491 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,960 appointed attorney has already paid the fine. 492 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,960 That's appreciation. Wow. 493 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:59,560 Which means in a theological context, it refers to turning 494 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:03,160 away divine wrath, specifically through the atoning sacrifice of 495 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:07,720 Jesus, satisfying justice and allowing reconciliation. 496 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,600 Now, I don't know about you, but that to me seems like a pretty 497 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:17,920 incredible relationship. Here's my question, everybody, 498 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:22,440 please tune in tight. How do you know if you have the 499 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:28,640 proper relationship with God? How do we actually know if we 500 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:33,640 have a proper relationship with God? 501 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,000 Because what have we noticed so far? 502 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,760 We know that Jesus will not condemn those that God 503 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:40,960 justifies. Those that God justifies are 504 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,240 God's elect. Those that are God's elect are 505 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:44,760 those that are obedient Christians. 506 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:50,680 My question is, in all this beautiful promise here of Jesus 507 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,720 being our lawyer, our propitiation, paying our fine, 508 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:55,520 that's a tremendous relationship. 509 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:57,920 He's got our back. He's in the trenches with us. 510 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:02,600 He ain't leaving our side. He's fighting for us if we have 511 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:05,040 that relationship. So here's my question. 512 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:09,520 How do you know if you have one? All we got to do it ain't coming 513 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:15,360 from Frank the very next verse. Now by this we know that we know 514 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:22,560 him if we keep his commandments. You know this word know right 515 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:24,240 here means have a relationship with. 516 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:28,600 How do I know if I have a relationship with God if I'm 517 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:30,520 listening to God, if I'm obeying God? 518 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:33,720 I didn't say that John did. I know that I have a 519 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,920 relationship with him. If I keep His commandments, then 520 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:41,520 John says he who says I know him and does not keep his 521 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,120 commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. 522 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:49,360 But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is 523 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,920 perfected in him. I want to just make a statement 524 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:58,560 about that one little phrase. If I obey His word, then the 525 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:06,360 love of God is perfected or made evident or made complete in my 526 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:10,000 life. Now I'm going to say something 527 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,360 about a relationship. Everybody in this room has 528 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,760 relationships. If you're married, you have a 529 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:18,520 marital relationship. If you have a friend, you have 530 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:22,160 relationships with your friend. If you have a job, probably have 531 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:25,000 some relationships in your job. I'm telling you, when 532 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:29,200 relationships become one sided, it no longer is a relationship. 533 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:34,960 Everybody gets that if in a relationship of friendship or 534 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,440 marriage, if one is doing all the giving, the other is doing 535 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,360 all the taking, that marital relationship is hurting. 536 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:41,960 That's not a proper relationship. 537 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,800 And while everybody in the world agrees with that concept, we all 538 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,880 get that. So many times people, from a 539 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,320 religious standpoint, want the relationship to be 1 sided. 540 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:56,320 In other words, I want all the benefits of God and Jesus 541 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:57,800 Christ. I just want to do whatever I 542 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:04,560 want to do, but this phrase right here, if I keep his word 543 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,800 and I obey his word, then the love of God is perfected in Him. 544 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:11,239 This, by the way, is the relationship. 545 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:15,880 The love of God is God's love for me, and it's also my love 546 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,840 for God. For example, when I keep His 547 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:22,760 word, I'm demonstrating or perfecting my love for God in 548 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:24,800 the demonstration of following Him. 549 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,840 That's number one. Number two, God's love for me is 550 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:32,239 perfected or made manifest or made complete by giving me 551 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:36,159 salvation when I obey Him. Why does God love everybody? 552 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:41,360 Yes, John 316 For God so loved the world that he gave his only 553 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,960 begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not 554 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:45,560 perish, but have everlasting life. 555 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:50,800 OK, when somebody comes to Jesus and obeys God's word, then God's 556 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:55,320 love is completed by giving him salvation because of the blood 557 00:34:55,320 --> 00:35:00,680 of Christ. Tells me what I got to do. 558 00:35:02,240 --> 00:35:04,480 By this we know that we are in Him. 559 00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:08,120 He who says He abides in Him ought himself also to walk, just 560 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,240 as He walked. You know, Jesus even said that 561 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,280 the test of knowing Him is obeying Him. 562 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:16,760 Jesus said in Luke 66 and 46, Why do you call me Lord, Lord, 563 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:19,240 and do not the things that I say? 564 00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:22,520 In other words, why are you calling me your Lord? 565 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,120 Why are you saying you have a relationship with me as your 566 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:29,000 Lord, but you don't do what I say? 567 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:36,560 So it's about that's the test. The test of knowing Him is 568 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,320 obeying him. Now how am I going to know what 569 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,280 God wants for my life? It's really quite simple. 570 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:45,120 There's only one source and I got to tell you something. 571 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:48,120 I said this a couple weeks ago. I'm going to say it again. 572 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:49,680 If it's redundant, it's OK. I'm excited. 573 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:59,000 I'm telling you, I have seen from every different background 574 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:06,240 people that are changing what's driving them religiously, 575 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:14,680 changing from an emotion based religion and pursuing a Bible 576 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:19,680 based religious practice. In other words, people are 577 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:22,280 getting back to the word. People are studying the Word. 578 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,600 I know all kinds of people having Bible studies. 579 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:25,800 They're getting back to the word. 580 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,320 People are wanting to know what God wants in the words that are 581 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:36,800 found in the Bible. The other day my my dear friend 582 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:40,480 and sister Misty, she said you know what the Bible stands for? 583 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,880 BIBLEI said no, what? Misty, what is that? 584 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:45,080 Basic instructions before leaving Earth. 585 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:49,120 I said ma'am, that'll preach, I'll take it. 586 00:36:50,720 --> 00:36:53,760 Basic instructions before leaving earth. 587 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,400 How simple that is. If you want to know what God 588 00:36:57,400 --> 00:36:59,360 wants for your life, it's found in the word of God. 589 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,880 There's got to be a source. There's got to be something to 590 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,960 guide you. The psalmist David said it this 591 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,120 way. Your word is a lamp to my feet 592 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:11,360 and a light to my path. There's got to be a source. 593 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:15,880 So all that being said, if I'm going to have that kind of a 594 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,200 relationship with the Lord, I have to follow what the Lord 595 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:20,280 said, as simple as that. OK, got it. 596 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,240 But when I do have that relationship, when I do have 597 00:37:23,240 --> 00:37:26,560 that relationship with God, one of the great results of that 598 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,920 blessing, it brings us to our last verse today in Romans 599 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,120 chapter 8. It's the very next verse. 600 00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:35,120 And it's this. Who shall separate us from the 601 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:40,040 love of Christ? OK, I said in first John that 602 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:43,600 phrase, love of God means God's love for us and our love for 603 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:47,320 God. This right here is exclusive to 604 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:52,760 1 aspect of love. When it says the love of Christ, 605 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:58,960 it actually means it's as the as one commentator put it, the love 606 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:02,080 of Christ is almost certainly a subjective genitive. 607 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:08,400 By the way, that's just grammar. It's a subjective genitive, 608 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,680 referring to the abiding love that Christ has for his people. 609 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,000 It's what Jesus has for us. It'd be the same thing as this, 610 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:22,240 by the way, if I say don't ever underestimate a mother, a 611 00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:28,640 mother's love, that would be subjective, meaning a mother's 612 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:33,240 love for her children. Same phraseology, same grammar. 613 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,320 If it was talking about people loving the mother, it would be 614 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:39,760 objective. That would be different. 615 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:44,440 So as a mother, a mother's love is her love for her children. 616 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:48,840 The love of Christ is Christ's love for us. 617 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:53,240 Lord said it this way, the love of Christ is his love for us and 618 00:38:53,240 --> 00:38:54,720 not our love for Him. We get it. 619 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:58,720 OK, So since nothing in the world can separate us from the 620 00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:01,600 love that Christ has for us, Whiteside said this. 621 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:05,440 No one would think that the harsh things that we suffer for 622 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:08,840 Him would separate His love from us, whereas it might appear 623 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:12,320 reasonable that the sufferings we undergo in serving Christ 624 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,880 might cause our love to grow cold and even vanish. 625 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:19,520 But if a man loves Christ as he should, none of the things 626 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:21,360 mentioned will destroy that love. 627 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:25,160 Only the conditions of our own heart can cause us to cease 628 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:26,360 loving Him. And I got to tell you something. 629 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:28,560 I did. I just thought of it just now, 630 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:36,320 years ago. Your Father sitting right there 631 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:42,800 and I was preaching the sermon and I said, if God said no, 632 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,120 would you still love him and breath? 633 00:39:48,120 --> 00:40:00,800 Rumen says yes out loud. Yes, sometimes our love grows 634 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:05,280 cold. Because we don't get what we 635 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:11,120 think we should get, or because we have to undergo something 636 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:14,240 difficult, or because we pray to God and God just happened to 637 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:24,440 say, no, we think, where was he? Come on now, that's not the 638 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:27,600 point. The point is, no matter what 639 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:31,760 happens to you in your life, and regardless of whether the answer 640 00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:36,880 is no, God doesn't stop loving you and neither does Jesus. 641 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:43,920 When the evils come upon God's, people don't conclude that it's 642 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:45,800 God or Jesus no longer loving them. 643 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:49,920 What evils are we talking about? Let's look at the passage. 644 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:54,760 How about tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, 645 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:59,040 peril, or even sword? That's a pretty good list right 646 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:00,400 there. Let's talk about what they are. 647 00:41:00,520 --> 00:41:02,680 Tribulation. By the way, I don't know what's 648 00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:04,400 going on in your life. I got to tell you something. 649 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:08,200 We all have some stuff, but it's nothing that we can't handle. 650 00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:17,040 It really isn't. It really isn't compared to what 651 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:20,120 people have actually undergone in other places and other times 652 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:24,280 of life. We got it pretty easy, but we 653 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:28,480 are going to have some stuff in context of what they were going 654 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:29,960 through. The apostle Paul says this 655 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:33,760 tribulation, it's a feeling of pressure, while distress is the 656 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,120 inner anxiety that comes from being pinned up in a very narrow 657 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:39,400 place while not knowing quite where to turn. 658 00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:41,560 Now everybody falls into that category once in a while. 659 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:45,760 What about this persecution? It's the pursuit or hounding by 660 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:47,920 enemies, sometimes including bodily harm. 661 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:50,480 I don't know what that's like. That doesn't happen to me in my 662 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:53,400 life. Famine follows when you are 663 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:56,160 fleeing from pillar to post in an effort to escape your 664 00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:58,160 pursuers. I also don't know what that's 665 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:01,200 like in my life. Nakedness is the lack of proper 666 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:04,760 clothing when one's property is confiscated or when he has to 667 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:06,640 flee, leaving his possessions behind. 668 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,800 And praise God, I don't even know what that's like. 669 00:42:10,920 --> 00:42:14,960 Peril speaks of the dangers 1 is in when finally caught by the 670 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:19,560 persecutors, and sword denotes the death that finally happens 671 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:22,120 to the pursuit. What I'm getting at is all these 672 00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:27,160 extreme things Paul is saying. Don't ever think that even any 673 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:29,560 of those things will separate you from the love of Christ. 674 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:33,400 Not going to happen. It's good stuff. 675 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:36,640 So what's the point, Frank? Here's the point. 676 00:42:37,640 --> 00:42:43,560 If God is for us and He justifies us because we are His 677 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:47,400 elect, obedient Christians, and Jesus is our advocate at the 678 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:50,800 right hand of God, and He's pleading our case when we sin 679 00:42:50,960 --> 00:42:54,560 and the Holy Spirit dwells within us and intercedes for us. 680 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:58,720 When we can only groan or sigh, when we're in distress and don't 681 00:42:58,720 --> 00:43:01,640 know what to pray for. If all those unbelievable 682 00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:06,320 blessings are true, who shall separate us from the love that 683 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:16,120 guards us? In conclusion today, remember 684 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:20,800 those five blessings as we go through life. 685 00:43:20,920 --> 00:43:23,280 And I want to say something really quickly because I'm going 686 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,280 to, I'm wrapping up my remarks, but I want to say something 687 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:31,760 really quickly about, I don't want to diminish because I said 688 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:33,440 we don't really know what it's like to suffer. 689 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:35,160 Like people have really suffered in the past. 690 00:43:36,920 --> 00:43:39,280 If you're going through something difficult or hard or 691 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,160 painful, I'm not I'm not, I'm not diminishing that. 692 00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:47,320 My heart goes out to you. We all do. 693 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:55,960 What I'm saying is it doesn't matter whatever degree of thing 694 00:43:55,960 --> 00:43:58,880 you might be going through in your life, that's difficult. 695 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:03,200 It's the same for all of us, either severe or not as severe. 696 00:44:04,680 --> 00:44:07,280 I also know that there's no temptation taken except at what 697 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:09,160 is common to man. I also know that what you're 698 00:44:09,160 --> 00:44:10,560 going through, somebody else has gone through worse. 699 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:15,560 I do know that for a fact. What I'm getting at is, 700 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:20,040 regardless of what any of those things are, we got hope. 701 00:44:21,720 --> 00:44:25,280 We've got hope because of Jesus. We got the intercessory work of 702 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:27,400 the Holy Spirit. We know that all things are 703 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:30,200 going to work together for our eternal and spiritual good. 704 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:33,280 We know that we are not alone. We got God Almighty on our side. 705 00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:35,120 If God is for us, who can be against us? 706 00:44:35,240 --> 00:44:38,560 We know that Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of God, 707 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,640 fighting for our case, interceding for us, for our 708 00:44:41,640 --> 00:44:44,880 forgiveness. He's in there with us every step 709 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:47,920 of the way. And because of all these 710 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:51,120 unbelievable blessings to sustain us, that will bring us 711 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:54,360 to my final lesson of the series when it's my turn again. 712 00:44:55,360 --> 00:45:00,640 Because of all that, we are more than conquerors through Him who 713 00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:04,400 loved us. Now let me just say in closing 714 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:12,360 today, don't ever quit or give up, regardless of how difficult 715 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:16,760 life might be. Use the difficult things that 716 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:22,320 you go through in your life to make you better in your service 717 00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:26,560 to God. I tell you a story and I'm done. 718 00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:31,480 Long time ago there was a boy who was a sophomore in high 719 00:45:31,480 --> 00:45:34,840 school. His dream was to play 720 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:40,280 basketball. He worked hard, he trained hard. 721 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:43,920 He wanted to make the varsity team in high school as a 722 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:47,600 sophomore. He went, he worked hard. 723 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:49,160 He showed up, he went to the tryouts. 724 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:54,760 He gave it his best shot. He got cut, he said later on in 725 00:45:54,760 --> 00:45:57,480 his life when he reflected, he said that was a defining moment. 726 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:02,120 It was failure. It was actually an act of 727 00:46:02,120 --> 00:46:03,200 failure. I failed. 728 00:46:03,240 --> 00:46:05,400 So he had to make a choice. Do I just give up and do 729 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:06,680 something else, give up on my dreams? 730 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:10,280 Or do I work harder and use it as a catalyst to get better, to 731 00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:13,480 succeed later? He worked for a whole year, 732 00:46:17,040 --> 00:46:22,400 tried out his junior year, made the team, had a very successful 733 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:24,600 2 year varsity basketball career. 734 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:28,600 High school. He was good enough, too, to be 735 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:30,560 looked at by the colleges. And he went on to the next 736 00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:37,360 level, went on to college, had a successful college career, and 737 00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:44,880 yeah, he went on to the NBA. When his career was over, they 738 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:46,000 interviewed him. You know what he said? 739 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:51,840 When I look back on my career as a basketball player in the NBA, 740 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:54,440 he said, you know what I remember? 741 00:46:56,000 --> 00:47:01,280 He said I missed 9000 shots in my career. 742 00:47:03,560 --> 00:47:07,960 He said I lost 300 games in my career. 743 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:13,640 He said 26 times I was given the ball and entrusted to take the 744 00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:16,160 final shot to win the game and I missed. 745 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:25,360 Oh by the way, he also went on to win six world titles, 5 MVPS 746 00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:29,160 and considered arguably the greatest player that ever 747 00:47:29,160 --> 00:47:32,000 played. His name is Michael Jordan. 748 00:47:35,240 --> 00:47:40,720 This is what he said. I failed over and over and over 749 00:47:40,720 --> 00:47:45,720 again in my life, and that is precisely why I succeed. 750 00:47:47,800 --> 00:47:51,600 From a spiritual perspective, it's even more important because 751 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:54,720 you're going to have struggles, you're going to have failures, 752 00:47:55,560 --> 00:47:57,560 but you're not alone. Got all that? 753 00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:05,200 Remember, as one man said one time, the computer died. 754 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:07,560 The computer's off on something. Well, I'll just read it. 755 00:48:08,840 --> 00:48:13,200 Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. 756 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:16,360 It's the courage to continue the counts. 757 00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:19,960 So when you get knocked down, as you, as my kids hurt all their 758 00:48:19,960 --> 00:48:24,960 life, look up. Get up and don't ever give up. 759 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,040 We got this. We got this. 760 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:32,320 Are you here today? You're not a Christian. 761 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:34,920 Steps to become one or very simple. 762 00:48:34,920 --> 00:48:38,080 Come believing in Jesus, repent of your sins, confess his name 763 00:48:38,080 --> 00:48:41,160 is the Son of God, be baptized in water for the remission of 764 00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:43,480 sins. Maybe you've taken those steps 765 00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:45,520 of obedience. Maybe you're just not what you 766 00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:48,160 should be for the Lord. Then repent of those things, 767 00:48:48,160 --> 00:48:50,960 confess those things and we'll pray with you and for you, and 768 00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:53,120 God will forgive and restore. Be one of either class. 769 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:54,720 Come forward while we stand, while we see.