1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,520 You can turn in your Bible to Acts Chapter 8. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,000 We're almost finished with our series Going Through the 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,960 Apostles Creed. We will finish next week and 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:23,520 then I'm going on a cruise, Natalie and I and the boys will 5 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,520 be Yeah, you're going too, Hudson, remember? 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:29,760 So we're excited. We're looking forward to that. 7 00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:34,040 But we have, we've talked a lot about the creed. 8 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,160 We've said what it is. We've said what it isn't, but 9 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:39,120 we've recognized how it's it's so solid, it's so simple, it's 10 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,640 so clear for Christian doctrine, what are the essentials? 11 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,280 There's plenty more beyond the creed that we could talk about. 12 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,800 But the creed helps us to see what is fundamental. 13 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,320 So the every believer should be able to come to the creed and 14 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:51,560 say yes, yes, yes, absolutely. I believe that. 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,770 I believe that. I believe that there's freedom 16 00:00:53,770 --> 00:00:57,410 beyond that and other doctrines, but you can't take anything out 17 00:00:57,410 --> 00:01:00,210 of the creed and then still have stable, solid Christian 18 00:01:00,210 --> 00:01:02,930 doctrine. So we've been going through, I'm 19 00:01:02,930 --> 00:01:05,370 going to read the creed to you. We will read it together at the 20 00:01:05,370 --> 00:01:09,450 end of service or at the end of the message time, but I'm going 21 00:01:09,450 --> 00:01:10,770 to read it. To you now. 22 00:01:10,770 --> 00:01:27,150 I think I had my copy. I know I did. 23 00:01:27,630 --> 00:01:32,030 Thanks, Alan. See, you don't know the Creed. 24 00:01:32,030 --> 00:01:35,230 Well, I think I do, but I might not. 25 00:01:35,790 --> 00:01:38,710 It's like, uhm, Natalie says anytime she's ever sung the 26 00:01:38,710 --> 00:01:41,910 national anthem somewhere, she's like, I always have the words on 27 00:01:41,910 --> 00:01:45,150 a tiny piece of paper in my hand, like you don't want to 28 00:01:45,150 --> 00:01:48,470 have to need it, but if you do, you know this is how you don't 29 00:01:48,470 --> 00:01:50,830 end up going. Viral for the wrong reason. 30 00:01:51,470 --> 00:01:56,670 Like I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and 31 00:01:56,670 --> 00:01:58,870 earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His 32 00:01:58,870 --> 00:02:02,550 only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and 33 00:02:02,550 --> 00:02:05,310 born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius 34 00:02:05,310 --> 00:02:08,389 Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 35 00:02:08,630 --> 00:02:11,910 He descended to hell. The third day he rose again from 36 00:02:11,910 --> 00:02:13,870 the dead. He ascended to heaven and is 37 00:02:13,870 --> 00:02:16,070 seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 38 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:19,110 From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. 39 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,920 I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the 40 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:26,480 communion of Saints, and today the forgiveness of sins. 41 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,360 And then next week the resurrection of the body and the 42 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,000 life everlasting. Amen or Amen. 43 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,160 Or I don't know what kind of church we are. 44 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,520 Usually churches are consistent Amen churches or Amen churches. 45 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,880 I think we go back and forth because when we sing doxology, 46 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,760 it's Amen and then. What do we do when we do the 47 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,040 Lord's Prayer? And then we're Amen. 48 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,680 So we can't make up our mind. We're we're mutts. 49 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:54,960 That's why we're nondenominational. 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,840 We can't get the Amen or the Amen, right? 51 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,160 So you know, we're just, we're mutts right now. 52 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:05,400 It's okay though. So the forgiveness of sins, we 53 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,040 could call it some kind of a biggie, right? 54 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,200 The forgiveness of sins. What are we? 55 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,320 Without the forgiveness of sins, what hope is there for anybody, 56 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,600 anywhere? No one would even exist if there 57 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,080 wasn't the forgiveness of sins. This is a big part of our entire 58 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,480 story. God is forgiving. 59 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,320 Thank God for it. If God didn't forgive sins, what 60 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:27,720 hope could there be? None. 61 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,760 If God didn't forgive sins, Adam and Eve would have been killed 62 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:32,920 instantly and humanity would have ended with them. 63 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:35,280 The END. God would have been right to do 64 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,800 so, and he would have said, I created you. 65 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,920 You violated me and my will. The end. 66 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:42,440 And who would have raised a fist? 67 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:43,440 Who would have been able to object? 68 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,830 No, actually. Even if he had allowed them in a 69 00:03:45,830 --> 00:03:50,430 court, what defense is there? You are guilty and God is holy. 70 00:03:50,430 --> 00:03:55,150 So that's the end of it, except that God Forgives sins and we 71 00:03:55,150 --> 00:03:57,870 believe in the forgiveness of sins. 72 00:03:58,070 --> 00:04:00,190 So we're going to talk about forgiveness this morning. 73 00:04:00,350 --> 00:04:02,510 But before we talk about forgiveness, even though in the 74 00:04:02,510 --> 00:04:05,790 in the creed, in the statement we say the forgiveness of sins, 75 00:04:05,790 --> 00:04:07,310 the forgiveness is very important. 76 00:04:07,310 --> 00:04:08,870 We'll emphasize it appropriately. 77 00:04:09,310 --> 00:04:11,550 And yet, there's something that has to be forgiven. 78 00:04:11,790 --> 00:04:14,630 It's this first thing that has to happen for forgiveness to 79 00:04:14,630 --> 00:04:16,390 even be an option. It's this first thing, 80 00:04:16,390 --> 00:04:19,990 unfortunately, that takes place for glorious forgiveness to even 81 00:04:19,990 --> 00:04:22,350 show up. And that first thing is sin. 82 00:04:22,710 --> 00:04:28,070 So Romans 323 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the 83 00:04:28,070 --> 00:04:31,430 glory of God. All have sinned and fall short 84 00:04:31,430 --> 00:04:33,750 of the glory of God. This is the starting point of 85 00:04:33,750 --> 00:04:36,630 forgiveness. Some wrong has been done that 86 00:04:36,630 --> 00:04:40,740 makes forgiveness an option. This is part of the gospel. 87 00:04:41,140 --> 00:04:44,140 This is not a part that we're supposed to leave out. 88 00:04:44,140 --> 00:04:48,380 This is part of the gospel. The message is not. 89 00:04:48,380 --> 00:04:49,700 The message of the gospel is not. 90 00:04:49,700 --> 00:04:51,900 You're great and God will make you greater. 91 00:04:52,220 --> 00:04:54,100 The message of the gospel is You're dead. 92 00:04:55,180 --> 00:05:00,020 You're a slave to your sin, to your pride, to your selfishness. 93 00:05:00,180 --> 00:05:02,460 To your greed. To your envy. 94 00:05:02,580 --> 00:05:05,420 To your lust, To your rage. To your fear. 95 00:05:05,620 --> 00:05:09,210 To your rebellion. That's the assumed starting 96 00:05:09,210 --> 00:05:10,850 point for the gospel. So the gospel. 97 00:05:10,850 --> 00:05:13,610 The gospel means good news. So a lot of times we would have 98 00:05:13,610 --> 00:05:16,130 to say, hey, good news, God loves you well. 99 00:05:16,730 --> 00:05:19,610 But sometimes the the listening audience doesn't know the first 100 00:05:19,610 --> 00:05:20,970 part. Sometimes the listening audience 101 00:05:20,970 --> 00:05:22,610 doesn't even know that they're a guilty party. 102 00:05:22,970 --> 00:05:25,050 Sometimes the listening audience is clueless and they're just 103 00:05:25,050 --> 00:05:26,810 going, God loves me. Of course he does. 104 00:05:27,210 --> 00:05:29,370 Who wouldn't? I'm the best. 105 00:05:29,370 --> 00:05:30,690 Like, I'm the great. I deserve it. 106 00:05:30,690 --> 00:05:32,890 I'm worth it, you know. Oh, you need Jesus? 107 00:05:32,890 --> 00:05:34,650 Do I? Yeah, he's super great. 108 00:05:34,650 --> 00:05:35,610 OK. I guess I'll. 109 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,680 Put him as the cherry on top to my already incredible blessed 110 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:42,200 life. I'm already great as it is. 111 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:43,840 But this isn't the message of the gospel. 112 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:46,800 The message of the gospel always communicates the message of sin 113 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,440 along with it, so you have offended. 114 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,680 Your perfect creator and justice is required. 115 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:54,680 That's what we see throughout scripture. 116 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,680 We don't just see God saying, hey everybody, it's OK. 117 00:05:57,680 --> 00:05:59,600 It doesn't matter. He's saying no, this is wrong. 118 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:02,600 This is horrific. Somebody has to die. 119 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,320 In Adam and Eve's case, God tore an animal. 120 00:06:05,950 --> 00:06:08,430 He broke an animal's body and he covered Adam and Eve with the 121 00:06:08,430 --> 00:06:12,470 skins of that animal. A temporary sacrifice, a 122 00:06:12,470 --> 00:06:16,150 picture, a prophecy for the one who would come, the one who God 123 00:06:16,150 --> 00:06:18,630 told them. Even in the garden he said that 124 00:06:18,630 --> 00:06:22,350 the seed is going to come and he will actually crush the head of 125 00:06:22,350 --> 00:06:24,870 Satan, although Satan will bruise his heel and he's 126 00:06:24,870 --> 00:06:27,350 actually going to bring redemption for all mankind. 127 00:06:27,750 --> 00:06:31,590 We must know that we are dead in our trespasses and our sins. 128 00:06:32,590 --> 00:06:35,030 And you know this, Christians. Know this. 129 00:06:35,430 --> 00:06:37,630 But this message is largely missing from gospel 130 00:06:37,630 --> 00:06:40,590 presentations. A faithful believer knows that 131 00:06:40,590 --> 00:06:42,910 and understands that. They know that. 132 00:06:42,950 --> 00:06:45,750 They're constantly aware of their need for Jesus. 133 00:06:45,830 --> 00:06:48,310 They're constantly aware of their need for grace. 134 00:06:48,590 --> 00:06:51,470 A mature Christian is not a haughty person. 135 00:06:51,470 --> 00:06:54,350 A mature Christian is is just the opposite. 136 00:06:54,350 --> 00:06:56,630 A mature Christian is a humble person. 137 00:06:56,950 --> 00:06:59,110 A mature Christian doesn't look down their nose at people in 138 00:06:59,110 --> 00:07:01,150 their sin. A mature Christian is disgusted 139 00:07:01,150 --> 00:07:03,110 by sin. A mature Christian that wants 140 00:07:03,110 --> 00:07:06,080 nothing to do with sin. But a mature Christian also says 141 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,000 I want to pour in the grace, the healing, the oil and the wine 142 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,560 for that, For the that person. I want that person to be drawn 143 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,280 toward the goodness and kindness of God. 144 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,640 I want that person to repent of their sin. 145 00:07:18,970 --> 00:07:22,610 So the idea in in a lot of Christian culture now is we'll 146 00:07:22,610 --> 00:07:25,370 just tell people the good news because people, people already 147 00:07:25,370 --> 00:07:27,690 feel bad about themselves. Well, maybe they do, maybe they 148 00:07:27,690 --> 00:07:30,530 don't. However, I don't get to decide 149 00:07:30,530 --> 00:07:32,890 what's best and what's right. I need to tell the truth of the 150 00:07:32,890 --> 00:07:35,890 word of God and let the holy word of God actually be the 151 00:07:35,890 --> 00:07:38,890 scalpel to provide the surgery that the Lord intended. 152 00:07:39,050 --> 00:07:41,890 This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to tell people the truth, 153 00:07:42,130 --> 00:07:43,730 the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 154 00:07:43,970 --> 00:07:47,050 Well, I just think that I might kind of turn them off. 155 00:07:47,460 --> 00:07:49,380 Well, it's it's the truth, though. 156 00:07:49,420 --> 00:07:52,220 So if they're turned off, it won't be by your personality, it 157 00:07:52,220 --> 00:07:54,140 won't be by you raging against them. 158 00:07:54,380 --> 00:07:57,380 We would err by just telling people about their sin and 159 00:07:57,380 --> 00:08:00,380 leaving them there, right? That's not, that's not the whole 160 00:08:00,380 --> 00:08:02,540 truth. And that's and that's what some 161 00:08:02,540 --> 00:08:05,380 people have have made a caricature about what most 162 00:08:05,380 --> 00:08:07,580 Christians do. You just tell you just beat 163 00:08:07,580 --> 00:08:09,740 people down with their sin. You just beat people with the 164 00:08:09,740 --> 00:08:12,780 Bible. I've known very, very, very, 165 00:08:12,900 --> 00:08:14,980 very few Christians who live that way. 166 00:08:15,180 --> 00:08:16,620 Very few. They do exist. 167 00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:20,450 But I've known very few. It is the extreme minority in 168 00:08:20,450 --> 00:08:21,890 the Western culture that we live in. 169 00:08:22,130 --> 00:08:23,570 Is it to be? Should it be corrected? 170 00:08:23,730 --> 00:08:25,490 Absolutely. We reject it. 171 00:08:25,850 --> 00:08:30,930 It should be corrected. But the overwhelming majority of 172 00:08:30,930 --> 00:08:32,970 believers that I've come in contact with, and the 173 00:08:32,970 --> 00:08:36,049 overwhelming majority of Christian culture is firmly 174 00:08:36,049 --> 00:08:38,570 planted over here on this side. God loves you. 175 00:08:38,570 --> 00:08:40,049 He's got a wonderful plan for your life. 176 00:08:40,650 --> 00:08:42,330 Awesome. What do I need to do? 177 00:08:42,370 --> 00:08:45,690 Just ask Jesus into your heart. Okay. 178 00:08:46,270 --> 00:08:48,310 Jesus, come into my heart. Save me. 179 00:08:48,390 --> 00:08:49,390 Save me from what? Hell. 180 00:08:49,390 --> 00:08:51,950 Oh, I don't want to go to hell. Jesus, Don't let me go to hell. 181 00:08:52,390 --> 00:08:53,710 OK. You're saved. 182 00:08:53,910 --> 00:08:55,070 Really. Yes. 183 00:08:56,110 --> 00:08:58,030 Now what? Now you're just saved. 184 00:08:58,030 --> 00:09:01,950 Like get in a church or don't, you know, read the Bible or 185 00:09:01,950 --> 00:09:04,030 don't like you're saved, though. How do you know? 186 00:09:04,030 --> 00:09:06,070 Because you said the thing that I told you to say. 187 00:09:06,430 --> 00:09:09,830 You asked him into your heart, like he's got to be in there. 188 00:09:09,830 --> 00:09:13,430 You ask, Do you believe? I think, Well then you're saved. 189 00:09:14,810 --> 00:09:16,970 So is something missing here? What? 190 00:09:16,970 --> 00:09:19,130 Is there some truth here? There's definitely some truth 191 00:09:19,130 --> 00:09:21,650 here. There's definitely also some 192 00:09:21,650 --> 00:09:23,370 truth here. But is it the whole story? 193 00:09:23,730 --> 00:09:24,970 It's not. So. 194 00:09:24,970 --> 00:09:27,250 We want to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the 195 00:09:27,250 --> 00:09:29,450 truth. And through that, the ministry, 196 00:09:29,450 --> 00:09:32,130 the Holy Spirit brings people clarity to understand the 197 00:09:32,130 --> 00:09:34,250 forgiveness. Yes, forgiveness is glorious. 198 00:09:34,530 --> 00:09:36,770 For what? For something tragic. 199 00:09:37,170 --> 00:09:39,130 That's why forgiveness is so sweet. 200 00:09:39,690 --> 00:09:42,690 The Saints of God know the sweetness of forgiveness. 201 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:44,860 Because we know the depth of our sin. 202 00:09:45,300 --> 00:09:47,100 That's what the mature believer understands. 203 00:09:47,100 --> 00:09:50,300 The mature believer goes, but for the grace of God. 204 00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:52,820 When they see somebody caught in their sin, when they see 205 00:09:52,820 --> 00:09:56,540 somebody lost in wickedness, they don't go ugh, how could 206 00:09:56,540 --> 00:09:59,820 they? They go but for the grace of 207 00:09:59,820 --> 00:10:01,580 God. That would be me. 208 00:10:02,460 --> 00:10:05,100 Except for the kindness and mercy of God, that would be me. 209 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,640 So then they can go to that person with the whole truth. 210 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,080 Hey, you were lost in your sin. I say that with compassion and 211 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,520 love so that you would come out of it, so that you would come 212 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,960 into the light. Not to say Nanananana Boo Boo, 213 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:17,760 you're lost. And I'm not anymore. 214 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:19,520 You're an orphan and I'm a child. 215 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:22,120 That's not the message. The message is but it. 216 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,400 But it's still the whole truth. And how will they respond to 217 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:26,600 that? What if they reject me? 218 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:31,000 Well, who are you? Why would it matter if they 219 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,680 reject you? Will you love them enough to 220 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:38,120 tell them the truth? So when you turn a blind man, 221 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,120 and this is what this is, what a a person who doesn't know the 222 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,520 Lord. When you turn a blind man and 223 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,560 you face him towards the beautiful sunset, the problem is 224 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:50,680 he's still blind. That's what it's like when you 225 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:55,120 only tell someone God loves you and he wants you to ask him into 226 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,560 your heart. They just can't see it. 227 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,240 So you've shown them your your pointed look. 228 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:02,640 It's the sunset. It's glorious. 229 00:11:02,980 --> 00:11:04,380 They don't. They can't relate. 230 00:11:04,540 --> 00:11:06,100 They still can't see what you see. 231 00:11:06,100 --> 00:11:08,380 They still can't understand. They don't see them. 232 00:11:08,380 --> 00:11:09,980 The magnitude of grace. Why? 233 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:11,940 Because they don't understand where they are to begin with. 234 00:11:12,540 --> 00:11:13,940 Like you. You got to go with me to the 235 00:11:13,940 --> 00:11:15,060 promised land, And they're going. 236 00:11:15,340 --> 00:11:17,740 I didn't know I wasn't in it. I didn't know I was in the 237 00:11:17,740 --> 00:11:20,660 valley of the shadow of death. I didn't even recognize any of 238 00:11:20,660 --> 00:11:22,180 that. But when you tell them the whole 239 00:11:22,180 --> 00:11:24,140 truth, their eyes are first opened. 240 00:11:24,140 --> 00:11:26,780 Hey, you're a Sinner in need of a savior. 241 00:11:27,540 --> 00:11:29,140 I didn't know there was a righteous standard. 242 00:11:29,340 --> 00:11:31,620 You're telling me there's an actual standard of holiness and 243 00:11:31,620 --> 00:11:34,090 righteousness? Yeah, it's not. 244 00:11:34,090 --> 00:11:36,450 It's not voted upon by the majority of people. 245 00:11:36,570 --> 00:11:38,610 It's not based upon a social construct. 246 00:11:38,730 --> 00:11:41,690 There's an actual standard of righteousness established. 247 00:11:41,810 --> 00:11:45,050 There is such a thing as truth and absolute truth. 248 00:11:45,250 --> 00:11:48,930 This is good and this is bad. This is righteous and this is 249 00:11:48,930 --> 00:11:49,930 evil. That's what you're telling me 250 00:11:49,930 --> 00:11:52,450 exactly. There's a standard, and you fall 251 00:11:52,450 --> 00:11:54,570 far short of it. You've never fulfilled it 252 00:11:54,570 --> 00:11:56,050 perfectly. There have been moments where 253 00:11:56,050 --> 00:11:58,930 you did, but any time that you didn't, you're now guilty of all 254 00:11:58,930 --> 00:12:00,910 of it. You're guilty, you're guilty, 255 00:12:00,910 --> 00:12:03,670 and you sinned against God. This is unacceptable to him. 256 00:12:04,070 --> 00:12:05,670 So in that moment their eyes are open. 257 00:12:05,910 --> 00:12:07,190 But then we don't leave them there. 258 00:12:07,190 --> 00:12:10,830 We say, hey, you should if that crushes you with despair and 259 00:12:10,830 --> 00:12:13,630 fear, as it should. Now let me turn and show you 260 00:12:13,630 --> 00:12:16,070 your eyes are open. But look at the glorious, 261 00:12:16,070 --> 00:12:19,030 beautiful sunset. There's good news, and now they 262 00:12:19,030 --> 00:12:21,790 can look and behold and go. You've got to be kidding me. 263 00:12:22,270 --> 00:12:25,510 The depth of my sin. And he wants to forgive it. 264 00:12:26,030 --> 00:12:27,710 Why? And you're going. 265 00:12:28,150 --> 00:12:30,950 This is the crazy part. God really loves you. 266 00:12:32,150 --> 00:12:35,350 He really loves you. And they're going now. 267 00:12:35,390 --> 00:12:38,390 Now that's crazy, because before I thought I deserved it. 268 00:12:38,630 --> 00:12:43,750 But now that I've seen my sin, and I've seen that darkness of 269 00:12:43,750 --> 00:12:45,710 what? What I've done and who I am and 270 00:12:45,710 --> 00:12:48,710 who he is. Now the sunset is glorious. 271 00:12:48,710 --> 00:12:52,960 Now I'm transformed by it. Now I actually have hope. 272 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:57,120 Now I actually have gratitude. And I'm not asking Jesus into my 273 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,560 heart, but I'm bowing at his feet and worshipping at his 274 00:13:00,560 --> 00:13:04,400 throne and calling him Lord and Master Jesus. 275 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,440 Just come in, I guess instead of worthy is the Lamb. 276 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,400 Whatever you say, you are my God, You are my Lord. 277 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:15,920 I'll follow you. You see the difference here and 278 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:20,150 that conversion experience. The person who would say Jesus 279 00:13:20,150 --> 00:13:25,270 coming to my heart, what now versus the person who actually 280 00:13:25,390 --> 00:13:27,910 is transformed. I think we've done a lot of 281 00:13:27,910 --> 00:13:31,990 people a disservice by just leading them and convincing them 282 00:13:31,990 --> 00:13:35,030 to say things and do things. Don't you believe that the Lord 283 00:13:35,030 --> 00:13:36,510 can use that method in that mode? 284 00:13:36,670 --> 00:13:38,910 Absolutely. And I think he has many times. 285 00:13:39,230 --> 00:13:41,830 The Lord has saved many ways, always through Jesus. 286 00:13:42,250 --> 00:13:44,410 The Lord has saved through many Ways and Means. 287 00:13:44,570 --> 00:13:46,610 The Lord has saved people while they're lying in their bed at 288 00:13:46,610 --> 00:13:49,090 night as their heart responds and faith to Him. 289 00:13:49,210 --> 00:13:51,450 There's been many ways that he's done that, and there are many 290 00:13:51,450 --> 00:13:53,090 more that I'll never know I'm sure. 291 00:13:54,050 --> 00:13:57,250 However, in our in our eagerness to see people come into the 292 00:13:57,250 --> 00:14:00,930 Kingdom, we've often made the mistake of, of breaking, of 293 00:14:00,930 --> 00:14:04,530 making a formula so simple that even a caveman could do it. 294 00:14:04,730 --> 00:14:07,970 However, the thing that's missed out on is actual the actual 295 00:14:07,970 --> 00:14:10,810 conversion. Does this person actually love 296 00:14:10,810 --> 00:14:13,690 the Lord now? Do they actually know him, or 297 00:14:13,690 --> 00:14:16,970 were they just looking for this this supplement? 298 00:14:17,410 --> 00:14:20,090 Do they actually understand that they needed a new life and a new 299 00:14:20,090 --> 00:14:22,010 identity? Or were they just thinking, 300 00:14:22,450 --> 00:14:24,970 yeah, I'm supposed to say the thing because hell sounds 301 00:14:24,970 --> 00:14:27,450 terrible. That's not the same. 302 00:14:27,450 --> 00:14:29,650 That's not what Jesus invited people into. 303 00:14:30,090 --> 00:14:33,170 That's not what the New Testament writers and authors 304 00:14:33,170 --> 00:14:36,050 were just inviting people into, not Hey, Hell's terrible. 305 00:14:36,050 --> 00:14:37,810 So you really ought to join this team. 306 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,960 It's like the whole argument that Christians have made to 307 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,600 atheists and I've never thought it's a it's a good argument. 308 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,680 The argument is, hey, what if you're wrong? 309 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,880 So you ought to believe like, well, they can't just believe 310 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:53,680 with their brain. Like it's it's not a logical 311 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,800 thing that's going on. It's a heart thing that's going 312 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:57,440 on. So they can't just simply it's 313 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,080 like, hey, what if you're wrong? Maybe you should try this food. 314 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,560 It might be delicious. That's not the case. 315 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,600 What needs to happen is the Holy Spirit has to break in as the 316 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,880 Word of God is ministered. Because the Holy Spirit travels, 317 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:10,680 faith travels with the word of God. 318 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,320 That is what is sharper than any two edged sword to divide 319 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,160 between a person's soul and their spirit, to clarify, to 320 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,800 open up their heart. And then and then in that moment 321 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,240 they choose. They do decide. 322 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,880 They do select. I will harden my heart, gnash my 323 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,640 teeth. Or I'll soften and go, What must 324 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,200 I do to be saved? But we must give. 325 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:35,880 We must love people enough to give them that opportunity and 326 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,520 to explain that in a way that they can actually have their 327 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,520 eyes opened, so that then they can actually see the glory of 328 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,720 His grace and why it's a big deal. 329 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,640 Throughout the book of Acts, sermons are preached as sermons 330 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,520 are preached, and as people are taught, sin and repentance are a 331 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,720 part of the message. They just travel with it 332 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,640 constantly. So you're in Acts chapter 8, 333 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,950 right? Acts chapter 8. 334 00:16:00,150 --> 00:16:05,310 We're looking in the 1st, 9:00, but there was a man named Simon. 335 00:16:05,430 --> 00:16:07,510 So the church is expanding, The church is growing. 336 00:16:07,510 --> 00:16:09,350 The gospel is expanding throughout the region. 337 00:16:10,150 --> 00:16:13,030 There's a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic 338 00:16:13,030 --> 00:16:17,550 in the city and amazed people, amazed the people in Samaria, 339 00:16:18,630 --> 00:16:20,870 saying that he himself was somebody great. 340 00:16:21,230 --> 00:16:24,770 They all paid attention to him from the least to the greatest, 341 00:16:24,890 --> 00:16:30,610 saying, this man is the power of God that is called great, and 342 00:16:30,610 --> 00:16:33,290 they paid attention to him. Because for a long. 343 00:16:33,650 --> 00:16:35,890 He had amazed them with his magic. 344 00:16:36,250 --> 00:16:39,530 This person likely likely was operating in real power. 345 00:16:39,930 --> 00:16:43,410 The question is whose power so supernatural power. 346 00:16:43,410 --> 00:16:46,970 We see Moses. We see Pharaoh's magicians did 347 00:16:46,970 --> 00:16:48,370 the similar things that Moses did. 348 00:16:48,930 --> 00:16:53,310 You know they Moses throws his. Staff down and what happens 349 00:16:53,310 --> 00:16:56,030 turns into a snake and Pharaoh goes big deal. 350 00:16:56,030 --> 00:16:58,350 Watch this And and the two magicians, they say we can throw 351 00:16:58,350 --> 00:17:00,030 our staff down too. And what happened? 352 00:17:00,590 --> 00:17:02,990 It turned into a snake. Why? 353 00:17:03,310 --> 00:17:05,150 How? Well Satan has some limited 354 00:17:05,150 --> 00:17:06,069 power. Clearly. 355 00:17:06,069 --> 00:17:07,390 Apparently. Obviously. 356 00:17:07,550 --> 00:17:11,310 Now don't forget how it ends Moses, a snake eats those two 357 00:17:11,310 --> 00:17:12,190 snakes. So the Lord said. 358 00:17:12,190 --> 00:17:14,990 I won't be out telling. In any circumstance, in any 359 00:17:14,990 --> 00:17:16,750 case. So. 360 00:17:16,750 --> 00:17:18,950 So there are degrees, there's sleight of hand, there's, you 361 00:17:18,950 --> 00:17:21,109 know, there's magic, there's card tricks that aren't actually 362 00:17:21,109 --> 00:17:23,790 magic, and then there's supernatural manifestations 363 00:17:23,950 --> 00:17:25,910 where people are, you know, through demonic power. 364 00:17:25,910 --> 00:17:27,150 I don't know. I guess demons are just like 365 00:17:27,470 --> 00:17:29,550 holding the person up and then they put the Ring of Fire around 366 00:17:29,550 --> 00:17:30,670 them. I don't know, there's there's 367 00:17:30,670 --> 00:17:33,350 all kinds of a range of things that could be happening there. 368 00:17:34,070 --> 00:17:37,070 But the point is, this man was likely operating with demonic 369 00:17:37,070 --> 00:17:40,430 powers and amazing people and impressing people, and he's 370 00:17:40,430 --> 00:17:44,550 gotten a lot of money from this the the least to the greatest. 371 00:17:44,670 --> 00:17:46,830 We're all amazed by him. Verse 12. 372 00:17:47,030 --> 00:17:50,390 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news about 373 00:17:50,390 --> 00:17:54,390 the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were 374 00:17:54,390 --> 00:17:57,990 baptized both men and women. So we already know that. 375 00:17:57,990 --> 00:17:59,430 The message. Of the gospel that they were 376 00:17:59,430 --> 00:18:01,790 preaching showed repentance because that's what baptism is 377 00:18:01,790 --> 00:18:03,310 showing as well. What's this? 378 00:18:03,310 --> 00:18:04,750 What's this whole get us wet thing? 379 00:18:04,750 --> 00:18:08,510 It's not a get you wet thing. It's showing that you were dead, 380 00:18:08,870 --> 00:18:11,790 buried, and the Lord raised you up. 381 00:18:12,150 --> 00:18:15,710 So we know that the gospel message was continually one of 382 00:18:15,830 --> 00:18:17,590 repent. For the Kingdom of God is at 383 00:18:17,590 --> 00:18:20,630 hand, like Jesus, like John the Baptist, like the rest of the 384 00:18:20,630 --> 00:18:22,550 apostles. Verse 13. 385 00:18:22,750 --> 00:18:27,190 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized, he 386 00:18:27,190 --> 00:18:30,070 continued with Philip. Praise God, this man has been 387 00:18:30,070 --> 00:18:32,030 rescued, this man has been redeemed. 388 00:18:32,270 --> 00:18:33,550 He's he says. I believe. 389 00:18:34,070 --> 00:18:36,070 I believe. And then he gets baptized. 390 00:18:36,070 --> 00:18:38,110 So what's that? He's it's a sign of obedience. 391 00:18:38,350 --> 00:18:41,750 He's walking after the Lord. This is a new believer, some 392 00:18:41,750 --> 00:18:45,670 would say a baby Christian, but he's walking towards the Lord. 393 00:18:45,670 --> 00:18:48,950 He loves the Lord and and he continued with Philip and seeing 394 00:18:48,950 --> 00:18:50,910 signs and great miracles performed. 395 00:18:51,110 --> 00:18:53,950 He was amazed. So now even though the the 396 00:18:54,030 --> 00:18:56,550 magician who's done some tricks, he's had some stuff up his 397 00:18:56,550 --> 00:18:59,590 sleeve who's who's experienced. Supernatural power. 398 00:18:59,590 --> 00:19:01,950 Before he's going, now I'm seeing greater things. 399 00:19:01,950 --> 00:19:04,620 Now I'm seeing something pure verse 14. 400 00:19:16,300 --> 00:19:05,740 So what happened here? Now when the apostles of 401 00:19:05,740 --> 00:19:09,900 Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they 402 00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:13,980 sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them 403 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:15,700 that they might receive the holy. 404 00:19:17,260 --> 00:19:19,540 People who had come to Christ. We've talked about this before, 405 00:19:19,540 --> 00:19:20,940 multiple occasions in the book of Acts. 406 00:19:20,940 --> 00:19:23,860 It's explicitly plain these people have responded to Christ. 407 00:19:24,300 --> 00:19:25,980 They have become born again and now. 408 00:19:25,980 --> 00:19:28,020 Separate occurrence. Separate occasion. 409 00:19:28,410 --> 00:19:30,770 Hey, they're they're believers. We got to make sure that they're 410 00:19:30,770 --> 00:19:32,050 filled with the Holy Spirit as well. 411 00:19:32,170 --> 00:19:34,650 Let's send, let's send the Holy Spirit team. 412 00:19:35,210 --> 00:19:37,610 Let's send Peter and John to go see them filled with the Holy 413 00:19:37,610 --> 00:19:39,050 Spirit. Verse 16. 414 00:19:39,210 --> 00:19:42,610 For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been 415 00:19:42,610 --> 00:19:44,610 baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 416 00:19:46,850 --> 00:19:50,330 Could it get any more playing? They have been baptized into the 417 00:19:50,330 --> 00:19:52,930 name of the Lord Jesus, but yet the Holy Spirit had not yet 418 00:19:52,930 --> 00:19:55,050 fallen upon any of them. Okay so. 419 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:00,040 Verse 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received 420 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,000 the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the 421 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,800 Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles hands, 422 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:11,160 he offered them money saying give me this power also. 423 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,760 So apparently something happened when the when these people were 424 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,080 filled with the Holy Spirit. It wasn't just a you received 425 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,080 the Holy Spirit and they go, thank you, I'll take your word 426 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:19,040 for it. Have a good day. 427 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:24,420 Apparently there was something. That this guy who had already 428 00:20:24,420 --> 00:20:27,460 been seeing works of power in his own demonic life, now as a 429 00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:30,500 believer has been seeing works of power in his Christian life, 430 00:20:30,820 --> 00:20:32,620 now has seen people fill with the Holy Spirit. 431 00:20:32,620 --> 00:20:37,660 He's going OK, let me pay you like I want to be a part of 432 00:20:37,660 --> 00:20:39,820 this. Let me have some of this power. 433 00:20:39,940 --> 00:20:42,580 From what I've just seen, something different happened. 434 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:47,420 Something powerful took place. Give me this power also in verse 435 00:20:47,420 --> 00:20:50,100 19. Give me this power also, so that 436 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:54,460 anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. 437 00:20:54,980 --> 00:20:58,260 And here's how Peter gently corrects this new believer in 438 00:20:58,260 --> 00:21:02,740 Christ. But Peter said unto him, May 439 00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:05,980 your silver perish with you, because you thought you could 440 00:21:05,980 --> 00:21:07,940 obtain the gift of God with money. 441 00:21:08,420 --> 00:21:11,780 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is 442 00:21:11,780 --> 00:21:14,740 not right before God. Repent, therefore, this 443 00:21:14,740 --> 00:21:17,750 wickedness of yours. And pray to the Lord that, if 444 00:21:17,750 --> 00:21:21,350 possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiving you, for 445 00:21:21,350 --> 00:21:25,350 I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of 446 00:21:25,350 --> 00:21:27,190 iniquity. And Simon answered. 447 00:21:27,350 --> 00:21:30,150 Pray for me to the Lord that nothing of what you have said 448 00:21:30,150 --> 00:21:34,030 may come upon me. Thank God for Simon. 449 00:21:36,750 --> 00:21:38,350 We believe in the forgiveness of sins. 450 00:21:40,550 --> 00:21:41,990 I like what Simon didn't say here. 451 00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:43,870 He didn't say whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't come at me like that. 452 00:21:43,870 --> 00:21:46,660 I'm going to go up the road. There's another church where 453 00:21:46,660 --> 00:21:51,380 they'll be nicer to me. I can't believe you would talk 454 00:21:51,380 --> 00:21:52,860 to me that way. You're not a good pastor. 455 00:21:53,700 --> 00:21:55,300 You're not a good Christian. That wasn't a very. 456 00:21:55,300 --> 00:21:58,180 That wasn't nice. It's not what you said, it's the 457 00:21:58,180 --> 00:22:01,980 way you said it. Did you have to come at me like 458 00:22:01,980 --> 00:22:02,900 that? But no. 459 00:22:02,900 --> 00:22:04,060 What? What was the message here? 460 00:22:04,060 --> 00:22:05,380 Repent. Repent. 461 00:22:05,540 --> 00:22:07,260 Repent. For the non believer and even 462 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:10,020 the believers, repentance is a regular part of the Christian 463 00:22:10,020 --> 00:22:12,030 life. And ongoing repentance. 464 00:22:12,110 --> 00:22:14,710 Whenever I grieve the Holy Spirit, he goes, hey, it's not 465 00:22:14,710 --> 00:22:16,630 who you are. And that's definitely not who I 466 00:22:16,630 --> 00:22:19,270 am. That's my opportunity. 467 00:22:19,270 --> 00:22:21,750 I've missed the mark again. There, now there's a there's a 468 00:22:21,990 --> 00:22:23,630 there's a spectrum there of missing the mark. 469 00:22:23,630 --> 00:22:26,310 Right there, there. There's some things are worse 470 00:22:26,430 --> 00:22:28,910 than others. But all lead me to the place 471 00:22:28,990 --> 00:22:31,430 where I'm guilty. All bring me to this place where 472 00:22:31,430 --> 00:22:34,510 I'm doomed. So we see that throughout the 473 00:22:34,510 --> 00:22:38,350 scriptures, forgiveness, repentance, This is a regular 474 00:22:38,350 --> 00:22:43,100 part of the Christian life. We have often erred on the side 475 00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:45,820 of niceness. I teach my boys all the time. 476 00:22:45,820 --> 00:22:48,140 I don't want you to be nice. I want you to be good. 477 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:50,180 Because why do you say that, Joe Michael? 478 00:22:50,180 --> 00:22:54,060 Because niceness implies that I My motive is always to be a 479 00:22:54,060 --> 00:22:56,540 people pleaser. Just be nice. 480 00:22:56,900 --> 00:23:01,060 Well, a good person will seek to be kind and to be gentle. 481 00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:03,700 Those are fruits of the spirit. But nice is not a fruit of the 482 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:05,060 spirit. Nice is. 483 00:23:05,060 --> 00:23:07,820 I want to please you and I don't want any discomfort. 484 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,720 Nice is I will do whatever it takes to avoid any degree of 485 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,200 friction. Good is. 486 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,760 I'll tell you the truth. Peter is being good to Simon. 487 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:16,840 He wasn't nice to Simon that day. 488 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:18,520 Simon didn't go. That was the nicest thing 489 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:21,320 anyone's ever said to me. Your money perish with you? 490 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:23,400 No. But it was a good thing that he 491 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:24,000 said. Why? 492 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,840 Because he felt the weight of his sin. 493 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:27,880 He wasn't like Simon. Come here, buddy. 494 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,960 Wrong question, my man. You know, like you got a lot of 495 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,440 growing to do. Just stick around. 496 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:36,400 You can't purchase the power of God. 497 00:23:37,750 --> 00:23:40,630 Why didn't Peter do that? Because Peter wasn't being nice. 498 00:23:40,630 --> 00:23:42,790 Peter saw the way to what was happening in Simon's heart. 499 00:23:42,790 --> 00:23:44,670 He's going. You better get this out of you, 500 00:23:44,870 --> 00:23:47,510 Mr. Hotshot. Mr. Used to be somebody in the 501 00:23:47,510 --> 00:23:49,430 world. Welcome to the Kingdom where we 502 00:23:49,430 --> 00:23:51,710 don't get any glory and Jesus gets it all. 503 00:23:51,950 --> 00:23:54,830 That's a strong rebuke for a man who's used to prominence and 504 00:23:54,830 --> 00:23:57,870 power and palaces. And he's going, hey, I can buy 505 00:23:57,870 --> 00:23:59,670 anything I want. I've always done that. 506 00:23:59,790 --> 00:24:01,150 I'm going to. Do it again here and Peter goes 507 00:24:01,430 --> 00:24:03,830 no, no, no, no, no. Don't be confused. 508 00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:07,820 That was a good thing. That was a kindness. 509 00:24:08,540 --> 00:24:11,500 That was that was the loving thing for him to do in that 510 00:24:11,500 --> 00:24:13,420 moment. It's the same thing for you and 511 00:24:13,420 --> 00:24:15,380 I. Please don't let me drive off of 512 00:24:15,380 --> 00:24:17,940 a Cliff just because I think that the road keeps going. 513 00:24:18,820 --> 00:24:20,740 John Michael, he might get mad at me. 514 00:24:20,780 --> 00:24:22,700 Well, I might be dead though, if you don't. 515 00:24:23,190 --> 00:24:26,750 So I would rather be not dead and mad at you and then you and 516 00:24:26,750 --> 00:24:28,750 I can care for. How much would you have to hate 517 00:24:28,750 --> 00:24:31,590 me to not tell me that the that the that there's a Cliff. 518 00:24:31,870 --> 00:24:33,950 How much do you have to hate me? How much do you have to love 519 00:24:33,950 --> 00:24:36,950 yourself more than you love me? I don't want any conflict with 520 00:24:36,950 --> 00:24:38,270 JMI. Don't want any friction with 521 00:24:38,270 --> 00:24:40,070 him. How about you just you just love 522 00:24:40,070 --> 00:24:43,630 me enough to protect me. And then if I sin and I double 523 00:24:43,630 --> 00:24:47,390 down against you, you you give that to the Lord and then you 524 00:24:47,390 --> 00:24:48,990 say, hey, Joe. Michael, I'm praying for you. 525 00:24:49,390 --> 00:24:52,270 I I did this out of love and I go and then of course I try and 526 00:24:52,270 --> 00:24:54,230 manipulate you. And I gaslight you and I 527 00:24:54,230 --> 00:24:56,590 threaten you and go you were mean and you did it wrong. 528 00:24:56,590 --> 00:24:58,630 And it's all this other stuff and you just and you know what 529 00:24:58,630 --> 00:24:59,670 you do? You pray for me. 530 00:25:00,110 --> 00:25:02,950 You pray for me because I'm. I'm lost and I'm walking in 531 00:25:02,950 --> 00:25:05,590 darkness and there's nothing you can do anyway. 532 00:25:05,870 --> 00:25:08,150 You didn't do anything wrong. You loved me well. 533 00:25:08,710 --> 00:25:11,910 And on the day of judgment that will come up and the Lord will 534 00:25:11,910 --> 00:25:13,670 say here's where he tried to protect you. 535 00:25:13,670 --> 00:25:14,430 John. Mike want to go? 536 00:25:14,590 --> 00:25:16,390 Well, I thought he was mean and goes, Lord go. 537 00:25:16,390 --> 00:25:18,470 Yeah. Because of your own pride. 538 00:25:18,970 --> 00:25:20,850 Again, still on you, John Michael. 539 00:25:21,050 --> 00:25:23,850 You were loved well by the Saints, but you rejected the 540 00:25:23,850 --> 00:25:26,010 care. You rejected the compassion 541 00:25:26,770 --> 00:25:29,970 because it didn't look nice enough for you parents. 542 00:25:30,410 --> 00:25:32,570 Are you always nice to your children? 543 00:25:34,130 --> 00:25:34,610 No. No. 544 00:25:34,690 --> 00:25:36,450 Why? Because you love your children. 545 00:25:37,190 --> 00:25:39,750 When they're running through the parking lot, you will let out 546 00:25:39,950 --> 00:25:43,870 the most angry yell. You will call their name and you 547 00:25:43,870 --> 00:25:47,470 will try to slap them in the head just with your words. 548 00:25:47,750 --> 00:25:48,630 If you could. If you. 549 00:25:48,630 --> 00:25:49,750 Could get a hook around their neck. 550 00:25:49,750 --> 00:25:52,630 You would yank them back at 100 miles an hour. 551 00:25:53,190 --> 00:25:54,910 Why? Because you love them. 552 00:25:55,470 --> 00:25:59,190 You scared me, Mommy. Well, you scared me, Daddy. 553 00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:01,310 You yell at me. Yeah, I did. 554 00:26:01,310 --> 00:26:03,470 Because I don't want you to get run over. 555 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:07,340 Well, I'm upset. OK, I'll comfort you. 556 00:26:07,340 --> 00:26:09,300 I love you. You listen to me. 557 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:12,260 I care for you. This is what love looks like. 558 00:26:12,620 --> 00:26:14,260 It doesn't always make you feel good. 559 00:26:14,860 --> 00:26:18,500 But again, the purpose is still for your good. 560 00:26:19,860 --> 00:26:22,620 What's the point? The point is, if you don't know 561 00:26:22,620 --> 00:26:25,860 that you need Jesus, you can't have Jesus. 562 00:26:27,020 --> 00:26:30,820 If you don't know that you need Jesus, you won't want Jesus. 563 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,720 And if you don't know that you need Jesus, you don't have 564 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:40,440 Jesus. All three of those are true. 565 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:43,320 If you don't know you need him, you can't have him. 566 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,840 If you're not desperate for him and you don't absolutely need 567 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:48,480 him, you can't have him anyway. Can I have some? 568 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:49,880 Jesus. Do you need him? 569 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,200 No, I just wanted a little. No, you can't have him then. 570 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:54,400 No, you don't. No, he's not cheap. 571 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,680 No, he's he's not the he's not the boyfriend. 572 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,480 He's the groom. This is husband and wife. 573 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:02,920 This is not. Just hanging out. 574 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,000 We're not just going to see where this thing might go. 575 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,520 If you don't know that you need Jesus, you won't even want 576 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,840 Jesus. And if you don't know that you 577 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,680 need Jesus as a as a socalled believer, you don't actually 578 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,120 have Jesus. I could confidently say that to 579 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:21,760 any Christian, Christian air quotes for everyone listening 580 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,200 online. For anybody who says they're in 581 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,360 Christ to say do you need Jesus? If they're if the answer is not 582 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:30,520 an instant automatic yes, then you're going. 583 00:27:31,050 --> 00:27:33,210 This is what we call a gigantic red flag. 584 00:27:34,170 --> 00:27:36,570 Alarm bells, lights are flashing. 585 00:27:36,730 --> 00:27:39,210 All kinds of things should be going off, going what? 586 00:27:39,210 --> 00:27:41,730 What's going on here? So how could you even want 587 00:27:41,730 --> 00:27:44,170 heaven without Jesus? There's no such thing. 588 00:27:44,890 --> 00:27:47,210 And the Christian knows that. The Christian, if they got to 589 00:27:47,210 --> 00:27:49,930 heaven and somebody was like, hey, there's actually no Jesus, 590 00:27:50,490 --> 00:27:52,970 they'd be like, then just can you just put me to sleep? 591 00:27:53,370 --> 00:27:55,250 Like, is there what It is not meant, like what's the point of 592 00:27:55,250 --> 00:27:57,290 anything? Well, you know, it's eternal 593 00:27:57,290 --> 00:27:58,650 bliss. By what standard? 594 00:27:58,850 --> 00:28:01,800 What is bliss? Jesus is the reward. 595 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:05,600 So sin is important to acknowledge. 596 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,080 But then, of course, that's what makes forgiveness so sweet, the 597 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,560 forgiveness of sins. This means the release or the 598 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:17,040 dismissal from God's justice penalty against you and I. 599 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,720 And it's the complete removal of the charges against us. 600 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:34,880 Go to Luke, chapter 15, Luke chapter 15 and verse 11. 601 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,760 This is the parable of the prodigal son Jesus is teaching. 602 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,560 He says. It says And he said there was a 603 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,880 man who had two sons and the younger of them said to his 604 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,720 father, Father, give me my share of the property that is coming 605 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,640 to me. So this is a horrific, wicked 606 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,440 and disrespectful thing that's already just happened so we 607 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,120 understand how inheritance typically works. 608 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,700 Your parents have to die. And then you get the 609 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:02,460 inheritance. Imagine going to your parents to 610 00:29:02,460 --> 00:29:04,420 be like, I can't wait for you to die. 611 00:29:05,020 --> 00:29:06,980 I want it now. This is what happened. 612 00:29:07,180 --> 00:29:08,740 This is what was essentially happening. 613 00:29:08,740 --> 00:29:10,660 He's going, I'm sick of you guys. 614 00:29:10,660 --> 00:29:13,580 I'm sick of this family and whatever, like, can I just have 615 00:29:13,580 --> 00:29:16,580 what's mine? So already the Jews hearing this 616 00:29:16,580 --> 00:29:18,740 story would have been mortified. They're like, ready to stone 617 00:29:18,740 --> 00:29:20,820 this kid. The first sentence into Jesus is 618 00:29:20,820 --> 00:29:26,060 parable. They're like and it says and he. 619 00:29:26,060 --> 00:29:28,380 Divided his property between them, and the Father did it. 620 00:29:28,890 --> 00:29:31,090 So at this point they're going, this is crazy, This is a crazy 621 00:29:31,090 --> 00:29:32,650 parable. That Jesus is telling us this is 622 00:29:32,650 --> 00:29:35,450 just wild. Not many days later, the younger 623 00:29:35,450 --> 00:29:38,170 son gathered all that he had and took a journey into a far 624 00:29:38,170 --> 00:29:41,890 country, and there he squandered his property and reckless 625 00:29:41,890 --> 00:29:44,050 living. All the original language here 626 00:29:44,050 --> 00:29:47,530 communicates that he went to the depths of depravity with his 627 00:29:47,530 --> 00:29:49,010 money. You could imagine what a young 628 00:29:49,010 --> 00:29:51,610 man might want to do with all of his finances, the kind of young 629 00:29:51,610 --> 00:29:53,170 man who dishonors his father and mother. 630 00:29:53,490 --> 00:29:55,970 Those are the things that he went and did with all of his 631 00:29:55,970 --> 00:29:57,670 money. And when he had went and spent 632 00:29:57,670 --> 00:30:00,910 everything, a severe famine arose in that country and he 633 00:30:00,910 --> 00:30:04,390 began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out 634 00:30:04,390 --> 00:30:07,230 to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into his 635 00:30:07,230 --> 00:30:11,230 field to feed his pigs. So Jesus is making it even worse 636 00:30:11,230 --> 00:30:13,670 because pigs are unclean animals, so the Jews wouldn't 637 00:30:13,670 --> 00:30:16,670 have anything to do with them. This guy's now the servant to 638 00:30:16,990 --> 00:30:19,510 the pigs. Even pigs are superior to you 639 00:30:19,510 --> 00:30:21,190 now. This is the what a life of sin 640 00:30:21,190 --> 00:30:25,100 is really like. And he was longing to be fed 641 00:30:25,460 --> 00:30:29,180 with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything but 642 00:30:29,180 --> 00:30:33,140 when he came to himself, when he came to himself, he said. 643 00:30:38,020 --> 00:30:40,940 But I perish here with hunger I will arise. 644 00:30:33,380 --> 00:30:37,060 How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough? 645 00:30:41,340 --> 00:30:43,900 I'll go to my Father, and I'll say to him, Father, I have 646 00:30:43,900 --> 00:30:48,340 sinned against heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy 647 00:30:48,340 --> 00:30:51,340 to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired 648 00:30:51,340 --> 00:30:54,390 servants. And he arose and came to his 649 00:30:54,390 --> 00:31:03,950 father. And kissed him. 650 00:30:55,150 --> 00:30:59,270 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and 651 00:30:59,270 --> 00:31:02,590 felt compassion, and he ran and embraced. 652 00:31:04,830 --> 00:31:06,910 And the son said to him. So here he is. 653 00:31:06,910 --> 00:31:08,310 This is his speech. He's been practicing. 654 00:31:08,310 --> 00:31:10,070 Right. I'm no longer worthy to be your 655 00:31:10,070 --> 00:31:11,750 son. Let me be a servant in your 656 00:31:11,750 --> 00:31:13,830 house. So the father hugs his son. 657 00:31:13,830 --> 00:31:15,870 He kisses his son. The father hasn't spoken yet. 658 00:31:16,830 --> 00:31:19,550 The father hasn't spoken yet. Why? 659 00:31:19,550 --> 00:31:20,790 Because the son hasn't spoken yet. 660 00:31:21,830 --> 00:31:24,990 Who knows what, what which way? He's coming home, right? 661 00:31:25,230 --> 00:31:27,110 He's coming home. So the Father's rejoicing to see 662 00:31:27,110 --> 00:31:28,670 his son because he loves him no matter what. 663 00:31:29,150 --> 00:31:32,030 But we're about to find out why the why the Father's going to 664 00:31:32,030 --> 00:31:34,910 respond the way he does. And the Son said to him, Father, 665 00:31:34,910 --> 00:31:38,110 I have sinned against heaven, and before you I'm no longer. 666 00:31:38,110 --> 00:31:39,190 Worthy to be called. Your son? 667 00:31:39,190 --> 00:31:40,430 And that was enough for the Father? 668 00:31:40,870 --> 00:31:42,710 That was enough. What is that? 669 00:31:42,710 --> 00:31:46,670 Repentance. I see my sin not. 670 00:31:46,790 --> 00:31:49,630 Hey, Dad, I'm back. Can I move in again? 671 00:31:51,390 --> 00:31:52,750 That wouldn't. That wouldn't be right, would 672 00:31:52,750 --> 00:31:54,390 it? That wouldn't be fitting. 673 00:31:55,190 --> 00:31:57,910 Come on in, son. Hey. 674 00:31:58,070 --> 00:31:59,470 Hey, Dad. Hey, Jesus. 675 00:31:59,470 --> 00:32:02,110 I invite you into my heart. You're you're welcome. 676 00:32:02,750 --> 00:32:04,310 I mean, are you homeless or something? 677 00:32:04,310 --> 00:32:05,230 Maybe you need somewhere to live. 678 00:32:05,230 --> 00:32:06,870 You can live in my heart. You're welcome. 679 00:32:08,150 --> 00:32:12,710 Is that repentance? Father, I've sinned against 680 00:32:12,710 --> 00:32:17,310 heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy to be called your 681 00:32:17,310 --> 00:32:19,990 son. That's right, you're correct. 682 00:32:20,690 --> 00:32:27,410 You get it. And now, But the father said to 683 00:32:27,410 --> 00:32:31,890 his servants, Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him and 684 00:32:31,890 --> 00:32:36,520 put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring the fat 685 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:40,560 and calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate for this. 686 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,400 My son was dead and is alive again. 687 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,520 He was lost and he's found and they began to celebrate. 688 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,520 Everybody always thinks he says that he was dead and now he's 689 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:51,960 alive and. The the listener thinks, oh, he 690 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:53,720 was dead like the father thought he was. 691 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:54,880 He was going out there in the world. 692 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:59,120 No, he was dead before he left. He was dead the day he came and 693 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,400 said, hey dad, let me have my inheritance. 694 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:06,040 Wow, that's dishonorable. That's heartbreaking. 695 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,560 Hey, dad, just give me your money, Give me your stuff, and 696 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:10,400 I'm leaving. His son was dead right then. 697 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,080 So now the Father, when he hears his son say I've sinned against 698 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,120 heaven, he doesn't just mean with the prostitutes, he doesn't 699 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:19,200 just mean with I I got drunk a lot. 700 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:24,000 He meant way back when I sinned against heaven and I sin against 701 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,160 you, and I'm not even worthy to be called your son. 702 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:27,200 He's back. And the Father says he's. 703 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,010 This is my son. So he he said, I've heard 704 00:33:32,010 --> 00:33:33,690 enough. He doesn't let him finish his 705 00:33:33,690 --> 00:33:35,010 speech. He doesn't let him get to the 706 00:33:35,010 --> 00:33:36,890 whole. Cannot be a hired servant in 707 00:33:36,890 --> 00:33:39,250 your house. Why? 708 00:33:39,290 --> 00:33:41,210 We believe in the forgiveness of sins. 709 00:33:41,250 --> 00:33:42,850 Why? Because God is so good. 710 00:33:43,130 --> 00:33:46,610 He's so forgiving. But there's a mechanism by which 711 00:33:46,610 --> 00:33:50,490 sins are forgiven. There's a a way in which the 712 00:33:50,490 --> 00:33:53,010 Lord does all that. It is through repentance, 713 00:33:53,250 --> 00:33:56,680 through the cross of Jesus. This is the way. 714 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,320 This is the means. This is how the Lord 715 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:01,280 accomplishes all that He's accomplished. 716 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:04,960 My son was dead and he is alive again. 717 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:08,679 He was lost and he is found. And they began to celebrate. 718 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:10,520 This is the good news of the Kingdom. 719 00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:14,400 You're not just forgiven in the sense that forgiveness doesn't 720 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:18,159 only mean OK, we'll put that aside what you did. 721 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:22,480 You're actually restored. You're actually enthroned. 722 00:34:23,020 --> 00:34:25,820 Hey, I want to honor him. He's not just coming back in a 723 00:34:25,820 --> 00:34:28,179 neutral position. He's not coming back in a low 724 00:34:28,179 --> 00:34:29,940 position. He's coming back in a high 725 00:34:29,940 --> 00:34:32,179 position. His sonship is restored. 726 00:34:32,380 --> 00:34:33,659 Get him the best thing. Why? 727 00:34:33,860 --> 00:34:35,620 Because he's filthy. We need to change him. 728 00:34:35,620 --> 00:34:38,380 We need to wash him. We need to put on the new man 729 00:34:38,380 --> 00:34:40,580 because he's alive now. So we're going to act 730 00:34:40,580 --> 00:34:42,060 appropriately. We're going to rejoice in the 731 00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:45,179 most extravagant way possible. We believe in the forgiveness of 732 00:34:45,179 --> 00:34:48,780 sins. There's more rejoicing in heaven 733 00:34:49,420 --> 00:34:51,699 when one Sinner comes to repentance. 734 00:34:51,860 --> 00:34:55,820 Then for 99 righteous who don't need repentance, the Lord loves 735 00:34:55,820 --> 00:34:58,020 repentance. The Lord loves to forgive. 736 00:34:58,020 --> 00:35:02,340 He's eager and happy to do so. It is a joy and a blessing, and 737 00:35:02,340 --> 00:35:05,700 it is a way that he gets to it fully express his love and who 738 00:35:05,700 --> 00:35:09,100 he is. We think God is good, God is 739 00:35:09,100 --> 00:35:11,860 love, God is forgiving. Or we think God is good and God 740 00:35:11,860 --> 00:35:15,220 is love. Yes, and yet it's our sin that 741 00:35:15,220 --> 00:35:18,420 allows God to even more deeply reveal his love. 742 00:35:19,010 --> 00:35:21,330 Can you understand? Imagine if sin had never taken 743 00:35:21,330 --> 00:35:24,570 place. Well, God is still gracious and 744 00:35:24,570 --> 00:35:27,690 God is still loving. But do you see how sin reveals 745 00:35:27,690 --> 00:35:28,970 the depth of love that much more? 746 00:35:29,170 --> 00:35:31,890 Because now that I've wronged you, say you and I were in a a 747 00:35:31,890 --> 00:35:34,410 good relationship and I never did anything wrong against you. 748 00:35:34,410 --> 00:35:37,890 And and so your love for me was consistent. 749 00:35:37,890 --> 00:35:40,810 It was it was wonderful. But now imagine I sin against 750 00:35:40,810 --> 00:35:44,580 you terribly in some way. So now your love for me will go 751 00:35:44,580 --> 00:35:46,860 that much deeper if you if you continue to love me through 752 00:35:46,860 --> 00:35:49,940 that, your love is manifested in such a greater way. 753 00:35:50,260 --> 00:35:53,380 Your love is revealed to such a depth, whereas before your love 754 00:35:53,380 --> 00:35:56,260 wasn't really challenged. I didn't put your love to a test 755 00:35:56,260 --> 00:35:59,060 at all. I made it easy for you and that 756 00:35:59,060 --> 00:36:01,340 that'd be the ideal because I was loving you. 757 00:36:01,340 --> 00:36:04,860 Well, that was me loving you. If I love you, I won't sin 758 00:36:04,860 --> 00:36:07,020 against you. It's when I failed to walk in 759 00:36:07,020 --> 00:36:08,660 love towards you that I actually sent against you. 760 00:36:09,020 --> 00:36:10,620 But say I failed to walk in love towards you. 761 00:36:10,740 --> 00:36:13,380 It's in this moment that your love can actually reveal its 762 00:36:13,380 --> 00:36:14,940 depth and its glory and its width. 763 00:36:15,260 --> 00:36:17,820 Or we find that your love was not very deep. 764 00:36:17,980 --> 00:36:20,940 We find that your love was very superficial, and we find that 765 00:36:20,940 --> 00:36:24,060 your love wasn't very mature. But it's our sin. 766 00:36:24,180 --> 00:36:27,300 And the depth of our sin is why Jesus said he who has been 767 00:36:27,300 --> 00:36:31,340 forgiven much will love much. The more you understand that 768 00:36:31,340 --> 00:36:34,020 you've been forgiven of the depth of your worship goes to 769 00:36:34,020 --> 00:36:37,350 the Lord and you go God. I would. 770 00:36:37,390 --> 00:36:41,670 I would and should be in hell. Except that you were so good. 771 00:36:41,790 --> 00:36:44,310 You're so kind, you're so faithful, you're so merciful. 772 00:36:44,550 --> 00:36:46,190 It leads you to a deeper humility. 773 00:36:46,310 --> 00:36:47,950 It leads you to a deeper gratitude. 774 00:36:48,150 --> 00:36:50,870 It leads you to a deeper love. And this is where the prodigal 775 00:36:50,870 --> 00:36:52,350 son was. He's like, this is embarrassing. 776 00:36:52,350 --> 00:36:54,470 This is shameful. All the servants, everybody's 777 00:36:54,470 --> 00:36:57,070 going to see me coming back. I'm just going to be like, low 778 00:36:57,070 --> 00:36:59,630 man on the team. And even still, how do you think 779 00:36:59,630 --> 00:37:00,870 you felt that night at the party? 780 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:03,480 You think maybe some of the the servants might have been 781 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,080 whispering. Of course we know what happened 782 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:06,600 with the older brother. He's outside. 783 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:08,600 I'm not coming in. And that was the parable that 784 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:10,240 Jesus was telling against the Pharisees. 785 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:13,040 Jesus saying, hey, I'm, I'm calling the sinners in and 786 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:15,520 although they weren't as righteous as they thought they 787 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,160 were, Jesus played along with them in that parable to say, OK, 788 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:20,560 you're the righteous older brother as you seem to think of 789 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,240 it. But even still you should 790 00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:25,560 rejoice when you're when your lost brother has come home. 791 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,540 He was dead. And he's alive. 792 00:37:27,540 --> 00:37:29,300 This should give you great cause for rejoicing. 793 00:37:29,580 --> 00:37:32,500 If you were actually the loving, righteous older brother that you 794 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:35,300 thought you were, that you claim to be, it would fill you with 795 00:37:35,300 --> 00:37:38,660 joy. How would you feel if your worst 796 00:37:38,660 --> 00:37:41,780 enemy came to Christ and was totally transformed? 797 00:37:42,740 --> 00:37:46,180 You should say praise God. But if you have something else 798 00:37:46,180 --> 00:37:48,860 in your heart, who that should scare you? 799 00:37:49,460 --> 00:37:51,860 That should scare you. That's a cause for repentance. 800 00:37:51,980 --> 00:37:54,560 That's a place for prayer. That's an opportunity for the 801 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:56,840 Holy Spirit to go. Lord, remind me of what I've 802 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,600 been forgiven of. But, John Michael, you just 803 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:00,520 don't know. You're right. 804 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:02,720 I don't know. And you know what? 805 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,680 That person is even worse than you think they are, to be honest 806 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:10,120 with you. But so am I, and so were you. 807 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,840 And thankfully we believe in the forgiveness of sins first. 808 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:20,230 John 19 says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just and 809 00:38:20,230 --> 00:38:22,870 he will forgive us of our sins and purify us from the 810 00:38:22,870 --> 00:38:25,310 unrighteousness. So the forgiveness of sins is 811 00:38:25,310 --> 00:38:28,590 not again just the setting aside of the sin and say hey, charges 812 00:38:28,590 --> 00:38:30,910 have been dropped. It's not all that's happening. 813 00:38:31,150 --> 00:38:33,310 It's also the purification of sin. 814 00:38:33,830 --> 00:38:36,390 You're being purified. This is why the Saints are made 815 00:38:36,390 --> 00:38:38,310 holy in Christ. We're not just. 816 00:38:38,310 --> 00:38:40,830 Hey, all right, clean slate. Start again. 817 00:38:40,830 --> 00:38:42,430 Well, we would just. We're just going to sin again. 818 00:38:42,910 --> 00:38:45,590 We have got to be made new, and we've got to be completely 819 00:38:45,590 --> 00:38:51,580 transformed and purified. Go to Ephesians Chapter 2. 820 00:38:58,540 --> 00:39:02,140 Say I believe in the forgiveness of sins. 821 00:39:06,820 --> 00:39:07,860 You know we're not very convincing. 822 00:39:10,900 --> 00:39:13,020 Oh, you're. Yeah, so we were trying to find 823 00:39:13,020 --> 00:39:18,790 Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 2 verses 4 824 00:39:18,790 --> 00:39:23,270 through 6. But God being rich in mercy 825 00:39:23,270 --> 00:39:26,950 because of the great love with which he has loved us even when 826 00:39:26,950 --> 00:39:31,230 we were dead and our trespasses, he made us alive together with 827 00:39:31,230 --> 00:39:33,870 Christ. By grace you have been saved and 828 00:39:33,870 --> 00:39:38,310 raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly 829 00:39:38,310 --> 00:39:41,710 places in Christ Jesus. What else is the forgiveness of 830 00:39:41,710 --> 00:39:43,750 sins? The forgiveness of sins is 831 00:39:43,950 --> 00:39:46,810 enthronement. To be forgiven of your sin is to 832 00:39:46,810 --> 00:39:49,370 be cleansed from your sin. To be forgiven is to be made 833 00:39:49,370 --> 00:39:51,410 new. Forgiveness from God is actual 834 00:39:51,410 --> 00:39:54,050 restoration. So he doesn't start us working 835 00:39:54,050 --> 00:39:56,330 back in the fields to earn back favor. 836 00:39:56,330 --> 00:39:58,370 Why? Because we would never earn 837 00:39:58,370 --> 00:40:00,890 favor. It is freely given as a gift. 838 00:40:01,090 --> 00:40:03,490 It is his generous love. He gets the credit. 839 00:40:03,610 --> 00:40:05,610 He gets the glory. He doesn't say come back, work 840 00:40:05,610 --> 00:40:08,170 in the fields for a few months, We'll see if we can start to 841 00:40:08,170 --> 00:40:10,050 step you back into some certain places. 842 00:40:10,250 --> 00:40:13,330 He says You're enthroned and you're seated at the right hand 843 00:40:13,530 --> 00:40:15,190 with Jesus. Why? 844 00:40:15,190 --> 00:40:16,910 Because God, who is rich in mercy. 845 00:40:17,230 --> 00:40:21,030 Why does he do this? So he can brag on himself, So he 846 00:40:21,030 --> 00:40:25,070 can express his love, so he can show the immeasurable kindness 847 00:40:25,070 --> 00:40:28,470 towards us in Christ Jesus. So he can reveal his true nature 848 00:40:28,630 --> 00:40:31,670 and character to the fullest the deeper our sin goes. 849 00:40:31,670 --> 00:40:36,310 Where sin abounds, the scripture says grace abounds more or grace 850 00:40:36,310 --> 00:40:39,310 super abounds. So what should we then go on 851 00:40:39,470 --> 00:40:41,870 sinning? So that grace could that much 852 00:40:41,870 --> 00:40:42,990 more bound? Of course not. 853 00:40:43,510 --> 00:40:44,910 The Christian says I died to sin. 854 00:40:44,910 --> 00:40:46,470 How could I live in it any longer? 855 00:40:46,950 --> 00:40:49,630 So I'm free from sin. That's part of forgiveness. 856 00:40:49,630 --> 00:40:52,070 Forgiveness is not just We dropped the charges. 857 00:40:52,310 --> 00:40:53,870 Hooray. That's good news. 858 00:40:54,110 --> 00:40:56,670 But it doesn't stop there. Forgiveness is transformation. 859 00:40:56,790 --> 00:40:59,950 Forgiveness is new. Birth forgiveness is baptism. 860 00:41:00,230 --> 00:41:03,710 You were dead now. You're alive now. 861 00:41:03,710 --> 00:41:05,470 Things are going to actually be different. 862 00:41:05,830 --> 00:41:07,310 Things are going to look different. 863 00:41:07,790 --> 00:41:11,910 Hey, you were a an Ivy, a Poison Ivy plant before. 864 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:14,280 Now you're an apple tree. Cool. 865 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:16,640 Do I have to, like, make apples? Hang on. 866 00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:19,080 An apple tree wants to make apples. 867 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:22,760 An apple tree makes apples. Well, I don't know if I'm ever 868 00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:24,120 going to. I just, like want to be an apple 869 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:27,720 tree. Like, I'm concerned that you 870 00:41:27,720 --> 00:41:31,960 just asked Jesus into your heart instead of actually wanting to 871 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:33,680 enter into the Kingdom and the grace of God. 872 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:36,680 I don't know if you quite get it yet, but let me continue to 873 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:38,600 minister the word to you and can you continue? 874 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:41,080 To bring you the whole gospel because. 875 00:41:41,490 --> 00:41:45,410 When when you're an apple tree, you want to produce apples, you 876 00:41:45,410 --> 00:41:49,250 want to produce shade, you want to produce good fruit, and the 877 00:41:49,250 --> 00:41:50,890 Holy Spirit will do that through you. 878 00:41:51,650 --> 00:41:53,090 This is what the believer can expect. 879 00:41:53,090 --> 00:41:54,490 Why? Because they're new. 880 00:41:54,690 --> 00:41:57,290 They're different. So the person who is still 881 00:41:57,290 --> 00:42:01,650 trying to earn and feel deserving, they will never enter 882 00:42:01,650 --> 00:42:03,770 the Kingdom. Only the person who knows that 883 00:42:03,770 --> 00:42:05,850 they are hopeless without the grace of God can enter in. 884 00:42:06,530 --> 00:42:09,090 So as long as you're thinking I can press in, I can accomplish I 885 00:42:09,090 --> 00:42:11,570 can do this. Oh, I still want to feel worthy. 886 00:42:11,690 --> 00:42:13,450 I want to feel like I I really did it. 887 00:42:13,810 --> 00:42:15,610 I am worthy. I am enough. 888 00:42:15,730 --> 00:42:17,170 These are like the paintings we see. 889 00:42:17,610 --> 00:42:19,410 It's like the the memes I see online. 890 00:42:19,770 --> 00:42:22,650 Well worthy, yes. Why? 891 00:42:22,770 --> 00:42:25,250 Because Jesus made me worthy. Righteous. 892 00:42:25,250 --> 00:42:26,890 Absolutely. I'm the righteousness of God in 893 00:42:26,890 --> 00:42:30,090 Christ. So God says so, I believe it, 894 00:42:30,090 --> 00:42:32,490 and I agree with him. And yet I remember I didn't 895 00:42:32,490 --> 00:42:35,410 accomplish anything. And we have to understand 896 00:42:35,410 --> 00:42:37,890 there's a mechanism for all of this forgiveness. 897 00:42:39,030 --> 00:42:40,950 There is a way in which all this is possible. 898 00:42:41,390 --> 00:42:45,310 In 2nd Corinthians 521 the scripture says for our sake He 899 00:42:45,310 --> 00:42:51,230 the Father made him Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in 900 00:42:51,230 --> 00:42:52,670 him. We might become the 901 00:42:52,670 --> 00:42:56,750 righteousness of God. He became sin who knew no sin. 902 00:42:57,590 --> 00:42:59,030 Why? So that we might become the 903 00:42:59,030 --> 00:43:01,830 righteousness of God. This is the mechanism by which 904 00:43:01,830 --> 00:43:04,110 forgiveness happens. Forgiveness is not just God 905 00:43:04,110 --> 00:43:09,030 going come on in. That's not what's happening. 906 00:43:09,030 --> 00:43:10,670 God's not dismissing his justice. 907 00:43:10,670 --> 00:43:13,790 His justice was perfectly fulfilled and completely 908 00:43:13,790 --> 00:43:16,790 satisfied. On the cross through Christ, all 909 00:43:16,790 --> 00:43:19,150 of God's wrath was satisfied. God didn't just go. 910 00:43:19,150 --> 00:43:21,630 You know what? I'm going to set aside my wrath. 911 00:43:21,750 --> 00:43:23,470 He didn't do that at all. Why? 912 00:43:23,470 --> 00:43:24,550 Because then he wouldn't be good. 913 00:43:24,790 --> 00:43:27,710 Then he's not. Just God is perfectly just so. 914 00:43:27,710 --> 00:43:30,390 All of his wrath, all of his fury was satisfied. 915 00:43:31,630 --> 00:43:33,830 The good news is it just wasn't pointed at you and me. 916 00:43:34,420 --> 00:43:36,940 It was pointed at the cross. So he drew his arrow and. 917 00:43:36,940 --> 00:43:40,260 Fired it at his own son, so all of his enemies could become his 918 00:43:40,260 --> 00:43:41,740 son. But that's the mechanism by 919 00:43:41,740 --> 00:43:43,780 which this happens. Don't misunderstand. 920 00:43:43,980 --> 00:43:48,740 People often ask ignorantly. If God is good, then why can't 921 00:43:48,740 --> 00:43:51,460 he just say it's OK? Well, you've already answered 922 00:43:51,460 --> 00:43:53,020 your question. It's because God is good. 923 00:43:53,740 --> 00:43:56,980 He's good, and he wouldn't be good if he just dismissed evil 924 00:43:57,260 --> 00:43:59,460 because there is such a thing as good and evil. 925 00:44:00,140 --> 00:44:03,380 So to be perfectly good you could never dismiss evil. 926 00:44:03,620 --> 00:44:06,940 There must be punishment. And however, because of God's 927 00:44:06,940 --> 00:44:11,580 love, he took it within himself through his Son, through the 928 00:44:11,580 --> 00:44:14,900 work of Christ on the cross. So there is this process that 929 00:44:14,900 --> 00:44:18,980 the Lord uses to forgive sins. So to say we believe in the 930 00:44:18,980 --> 00:44:22,580 forgiveness of sins is not saying we believe everyone 931 00:44:22,580 --> 00:44:24,700 everywhere is automatically forgiven all the time. 932 00:44:25,180 --> 00:44:28,030 Forgiveness comes in a particular way and this 933 00:44:28,030 --> 00:44:31,110 mechanism God uses to forgive forgiveness comes through a 934 00:44:31,110 --> 00:44:33,710 particular person and his name is Jesus. 935 00:44:33,710 --> 00:44:37,430 Forgiveness is purchased by him and it is received by us. 936 00:44:38,030 --> 00:44:40,350 God's justice is totally satisfied. 937 00:44:40,470 --> 00:44:46,910 It is not ignored. Jesus taught us to pray, forgive 938 00:44:46,950 --> 00:44:50,670 us our debts, forgive us our sins, forgive us our trespasses 939 00:44:50,910 --> 00:44:52,510 as we forgive others. So what do we see? 940 00:44:53,210 --> 00:44:55,290 God is forgiving, and so are His children. 941 00:44:59,210 --> 00:45:01,930 We believe in the forgiveness of sins, first of all our own, and 942 00:45:01,930 --> 00:45:04,050 then obviously of course, everyone else's. 943 00:44:55,290 --> 00:44:57,570 We believe in the forgiveness of sins, not just our. 944 00:45:04,490 --> 00:45:08,290 Whoever sins against us, I forgive them, I release them. 945 00:45:08,330 --> 00:45:10,890 They didn't sin ultimately against me in the same way they 946 00:45:10,890 --> 00:45:13,090 sinned against God, but they did still sin against me. 947 00:45:13,970 --> 00:45:17,410 So forgiveness is an act of the will, but it's only possible 948 00:45:17,410 --> 00:45:21,880 because God is love. No one deserves forgiveness from 949 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:24,200 God, and no one actually deserves forgiveness from one 950 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:26,760 another. But since you've been forgiven, 951 00:45:26,760 --> 00:45:29,840 you have the love of God in you, and therefore you have the power 952 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:32,400 of God in in you. So when you forgive your 953 00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:34,920 brother, when you forgive your sister, when you forgive your 954 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:37,640 enemy, you're not saying it didn't matter. 955 00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:40,440 You're saying instead I let it go. 956 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:44,220 I'm letting it go. They still have to reconcile 957 00:45:44,220 --> 00:45:46,020 with the Lord, and that's between them and the Lord. 958 00:45:46,180 --> 00:45:49,700 But as far as your relationship goes, you're saying I let it go 959 00:45:49,860 --> 00:45:52,860 and I won't hold it against you? That's not the same conversation 960 00:45:52,860 --> 00:45:55,140 as the trust one. That's a different conversation 961 00:45:55,140 --> 00:45:57,940 entirely. But I can let it go. 962 00:45:58,300 --> 00:46:01,180 I've been forgiven of much, so I can forgive much. 963 00:46:02,340 --> 00:46:04,700 So when you. Pray the Lord's Prayer. 964 00:46:04,700 --> 00:46:08,460 When you pray, as we forgive those who trespass against us, 965 00:46:08,900 --> 00:46:10,620 you should think about that person. 966 00:46:11,060 --> 00:46:13,500 Who is the most difficult in your entire life? 967 00:46:14,380 --> 00:46:18,020 And you should be willing to pray and think as you pray, God, 968 00:46:18,020 --> 00:46:23,620 treat me the way I treat them because that's actually what 969 00:46:23,620 --> 00:46:29,700 we're praying. Forgive us our trespasses as the 970 00:46:29,700 --> 00:46:34,980 same way, in the same manner, just like we forgive those who 971 00:46:34,980 --> 00:46:38,380 trespass against us. I'm not a very forgiving person. 972 00:46:39,580 --> 00:46:42,260 Well, the Lord's Prayer should be a humbling reminder, then, to 973 00:46:42,260 --> 00:46:45,220 keep giving that back to him. That should be a a continuing 974 00:46:45,220 --> 00:46:47,260 reminder to go. Oh, yeah, that part too. 975 00:46:47,260 --> 00:46:49,500 I just like forgiveness of sins for this guy. 976 00:46:50,140 --> 00:46:52,300 They they still have to work into my favor. 977 00:46:52,300 --> 00:46:55,140 Oh, really? You you you think grace should 978 00:46:55,140 --> 00:46:56,500 be earned? No, no, no, no, no, no. 979 00:46:56,500 --> 00:46:57,980 That's not what I meant. I didn't think so. 980 00:46:58,620 --> 00:47:01,420 So give freely what's given freely to you. 981 00:47:02,900 --> 00:47:05,700 Forgiving others makes us even more appreciative of God's 982 00:47:05,940 --> 00:47:09,490 forgiveness to us. And we're commanded to as Saints 983 00:47:09,490 --> 00:47:13,130 and Ephesians 432, he says. We should be forgiving one 984 00:47:13,130 --> 00:47:15,330 another as God in Christ. Forgave you. 985 00:47:15,330 --> 00:47:17,770 He always draws a straight line between those two. 986 00:47:18,250 --> 00:47:20,050 He's always making the connection for us. 987 00:47:20,050 --> 00:47:21,970 And go, Hey, you were forgiven him much, right? 988 00:47:22,250 --> 00:47:24,610 Absolutely. The grace of God is so sweet. 989 00:47:24,930 --> 00:47:28,530 Who saved a Wretch like me? Have you forgiven them? 990 00:47:28,690 --> 00:47:30,330 Let me tell you what they did. Okay. 991 00:47:30,490 --> 00:47:32,890 No. You didn't hear right so and so 992 00:47:32,890 --> 00:47:34,770 told no. Let me tell you the whole thing. 993 00:47:35,360 --> 00:47:38,240 And then when we're done, my hope is that you will actually 994 00:47:38,240 --> 00:47:40,680 encourage my unforgiveness. That's my motive here. 995 00:47:41,120 --> 00:47:42,480 I really want you to hear the whole story. 996 00:47:42,680 --> 00:47:46,080 I want you to borrow some bitterness because I got plenty. 997 00:47:46,360 --> 00:47:49,760 I mean, I got plenty, so I'll let you have some because I'm 998 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:51,760 always growing more, too. I'm like, I'm like, I've got a 999 00:47:51,760 --> 00:47:53,640 root of bitterness. And it always bears more fruit. 1000 00:47:53,640 --> 00:47:54,640 So I'll give you some bitter fruit. 1001 00:47:54,920 --> 00:47:57,400 And then, by the end of this, not only will I not forgive 1002 00:47:57,400 --> 00:48:00,440 them. But you won't either, and you'll 1003 00:48:00,440 --> 00:48:02,880 see. They don't deserve it, you know, 1004 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:11,850 But we should pray for them. Bless their heart, you know. 1005 00:48:12,970 --> 00:48:14,290 You know. And I don't want nothing bad to 1006 00:48:14,290 --> 00:48:17,050 happen to him. I don't want nothing good to 1007 00:48:17,050 --> 00:48:22,010 happen to him either. You know, I'm. 1008 00:48:22,090 --> 00:48:23,690 I just put that in the Lord's hands. 1009 00:48:24,090 --> 00:48:26,170 But you haven't. You haven't. 1010 00:48:26,170 --> 00:48:28,490 Because you haven't forgiven that would actually be putting 1011 00:48:28,490 --> 00:48:31,130 it into the Lord's hands. Forgiveness would actually be 1012 00:48:31,130 --> 00:48:33,650 saying is there vengeance needed in that situation? 1013 00:48:34,110 --> 00:48:36,990 Well, vengeance belongs to him. God is not opposed to vengeance. 1014 00:48:37,270 --> 00:48:38,630 He's just opposed to you having it. 1015 00:48:38,950 --> 00:48:40,670 He's saying you're not the perfect judge. 1016 00:48:40,670 --> 00:48:42,910 He says I am. I know how to judge everything. 1017 00:48:43,110 --> 00:48:48,390 He considers every single detail perfectly and fairly, so his 1018 00:48:48,390 --> 00:48:51,150 vengeance will be perfect. It will. 1019 00:48:51,270 --> 00:48:54,310 It won't be over. It won't be under and even and 1020 00:48:54,310 --> 00:48:57,030 no matter what it is, he's the only one who can judge 1021 00:48:57,190 --> 00:49:00,710 accurately and perfectly, they said should we stone her to 1022 00:49:00,710 --> 00:49:02,630 death? And the only one who was 1023 00:49:02,630 --> 00:49:05,410 qualified. To stone someone with 1024 00:49:05,410 --> 00:49:07,370 perfection. To say I could stone every one 1025 00:49:07,370 --> 00:49:10,370 of you if I wanted to. The only one who was who could 1026 00:49:10,450 --> 00:49:12,330 chose not to. So God. 1027 00:49:12,330 --> 00:49:16,410 God says vengeance is mine and I will repay, but will you put it 1028 00:49:16,410 --> 00:49:19,010 in my hands? Our forgiveness of others is a 1029 00:49:19,010 --> 00:49:21,570 way to walk in love towards them, but it is also a way. 1030 00:49:21,730 --> 00:49:24,770 It's not a way to just say, you know, I hope justice is never 1031 00:49:24,770 --> 00:49:28,330 satisfied, but it's saying I am releasing them and our 1032 00:49:28,450 --> 00:49:30,780 relationship. Between what happens to them in 1033 00:49:30,780 --> 00:49:32,340 the Lord is still between them and the Lord. 1034 00:49:32,500 --> 00:49:34,900 But now I can actually pray for their good, pray for the 1035 00:49:34,900 --> 00:49:35,660 restoration. Why? 1036 00:49:35,660 --> 00:49:43,260 Because I know how much I have been forgiven, Romans 81 says. 1037 00:49:43,260 --> 00:49:47,220 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are 1038 00:49:47,220 --> 00:49:52,580 in Christ Jesus, in Christ Jesus. 1039 00:49:52,780 --> 00:49:54,820 So there is a location for forgiveness. 1040 00:49:55,220 --> 00:49:56,580 Forgiveness doesn't exist anywhere. 1041 00:49:56,580 --> 00:49:59,510 You go look for it. Forgiveness exists in one place 1042 00:49:59,670 --> 00:50:02,390 in Christ Jesus. There's no condemnation for the 1043 00:50:02,390 --> 00:50:04,590 Saints. When a person is coming to 1044 00:50:04,590 --> 00:50:07,430 Christ, that's where they find forgiveness. 1045 00:50:07,470 --> 00:50:10,230 It's not just found anywhere. It's found somewhere very 1046 00:50:10,310 --> 00:50:13,550 specific. It's someone very specific. 1047 00:50:13,550 --> 00:50:17,430 And his name is Jesus. If you don't walk with Jesus, if 1048 00:50:17,430 --> 00:50:20,350 you don't love Jesus, if you don't know that you need Jesus 1049 00:50:20,510 --> 00:50:22,910 today, you've heard that you do. You've heard the gospel. 1050 00:50:22,910 --> 00:50:24,950 You've heard the good news, the whole story. 1051 00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:28,800 The bad news, I don't want bad. Well, you needed to hear that 1052 00:50:28,800 --> 00:50:30,360 part. You're doomed and you're. 1053 00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:32,200 Me too. Everybody. 1054 00:50:32,560 --> 00:50:34,640 Everybody. All the sons of Adam. 1055 00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:38,800 Every single one of us. And yet now that your eyes are 1056 00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:41,560 open to that truth, look to the sunset and the beauty and the 1057 00:50:41,560 --> 00:50:43,840 glory of grace. God really loves you. 1058 00:50:44,200 --> 00:50:48,040 God really loves sinners, and God really makes them into 1059 00:50:48,040 --> 00:50:50,720 Saints. God really gives people new 1060 00:50:50,880 --> 00:50:53,480 life. Not just I dismiss and drop the 1061 00:50:53,480 --> 00:50:55,650 charges. But I dismiss and drop the 1062 00:50:55,650 --> 00:50:58,650 charges. I restore you, I clothe you and 1063 00:50:58,650 --> 00:51:01,170 I enthrone you. This is the full message of the 1064 00:51:01,170 --> 00:51:03,370 gospel. This is the entire invitation to 1065 00:51:03,370 --> 00:51:07,050 say, enter into the joy of your master, come into his Kingdom, 1066 00:51:07,210 --> 00:51:10,770 and then participate in the work of actually expanding his 1067 00:51:10,770 --> 00:51:12,970 Kingdom. It's not just now you go to 1068 00:51:12,970 --> 00:51:16,730 heaven, but it's now you will become a minister in his work 1069 00:51:16,730 --> 00:51:19,210 and in his Kingdom. This is what I invite you to do 1070 00:51:19,330 --> 00:51:22,170 if you don't know the Lord or if you've been a churchman for your 1071 00:51:22,170 --> 00:51:24,740 whole life. Many people have that testimony. 1072 00:51:24,940 --> 00:51:28,020 People have been in church for decades, and then the Holy 1073 00:51:28,020 --> 00:51:32,660 Spirit open up their eyes and they went, wow, I need to be 1074 00:51:32,660 --> 00:51:34,700 born again. That takes some humility, don't 1075 00:51:34,700 --> 00:51:36,900 you think? You've been a Deacon for 40 1076 00:51:36,900 --> 00:51:39,260 years and now you got to tell the church you just got saved. 1077 00:51:41,340 --> 00:51:43,780 But when Jesus is getting the credit, when Jesus is getting 1078 00:51:43,780 --> 00:51:45,820 the glory, when you're made new, who cares? 1079 00:51:46,420 --> 00:51:49,260 Rejoice in his goodness and mercy, and the whole body of 1080 00:51:49,260 --> 00:51:53,840 Christ will rejoice with you. Whosoever calls upon the name of 1081 00:51:53,840 --> 00:51:56,840 the Lord shall be saved. Stand to your feet. 1082 00:51:57,400 --> 00:52:01,280 If you have a copy of the Creed, get it out. 1083 00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:03,840 If you don't need it, you can share with somebody else. 1084 00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:08,200 We're going to read it together. We're going to say it like we 1085 00:52:08,200 --> 00:52:13,760 mean it. I believe in God the Father 1086 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:16,800 Almighty. Creator of heaven and earth, I 1087 00:52:16,800 --> 00:52:19,880 believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 1088 00:52:20,350 --> 00:52:24,070 Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin 1089 00:52:24,070 --> 00:52:26,310 Mary. He suffered under Pontius 1090 00:52:26,310 --> 00:52:29,710 Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 1091 00:52:29,990 --> 00:52:33,750 He descended to hell. The third day he rose again from 1092 00:52:33,750 --> 00:52:36,470 the dead. He ascended to heaven and is 1093 00:52:36,470 --> 00:52:39,350 seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 1094 00:52:39,750 --> 00:52:42,710 From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. 1095 00:52:43,190 --> 00:52:46,870 I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the 1096 00:52:46,870 --> 00:52:50,190 communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the. 1097 00:52:50,350 --> 00:52:53,470 As erection of the body and the life everlasting. 1098 00:52:53,750 --> 00:52:55,270 Amen. Amen. 1099 00:52:59,430 --> 00:53:02,790 Let me bless you and pray for you, and then we'll dismiss the 1100 00:53:02,790 --> 00:53:06,270 Lord, bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine 1101 00:53:06,270 --> 00:53:07,950 down upon you and be gracious to you. 1102 00:53:08,470 --> 00:53:11,270 The Lord left up his countenance upon you and give you great 1103 00:53:11,270 --> 00:53:14,430 peace in Jesus name. Amen.