1 00:00:06,233 --> 00:00:08,800 Thank you, music ministers. 2 00:00:08,866 --> 00:00:12,099 You have your Bibles turn with me to Romans 3 00:00:12,099 --> 00:00:13,300 chapter one. 4 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:16,533 Verse number 16. 5 00:00:16,833 --> 00:00:19,300 Maybe wondering, what are we doing? 6 00:00:19,433 --> 00:00:20,500 In Romans? 7 00:00:21,399 --> 00:00:24,533 Well, as most of you know, some of 8 00:00:24,533 --> 00:00:27,899 you may not know, as a bivocational minister, 9 00:00:27,899 --> 00:00:30,933 one of the greatest enemies that 10 00:00:30,933 --> 00:00:32,433 I have is the enemy of time. 11 00:00:32,633 --> 00:00:35,700 And so as we've been going through the book of 12 00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:38,700 Ephesians, verse by verse, I 13 00:00:38,700 --> 00:00:39,966 have one sermon left. 14 00:00:39,966 --> 00:00:42,166 In Ephesians, chapter 6. 15 00:00:42,333 --> 00:00:45,333 And I worked to hard to get to 16 00:00:45,333 --> 00:00:49,466 it, but old enemy of time got to me. 17 00:00:49,533 --> 00:00:52,600 Well, as you know, what I've been doing is going back 18 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,666 in time on the computer to my old sermons from John 19 00:00:55,666 --> 00:00:57,033 that I preached through the 1st time. 20 00:00:57,399 --> 00:01:01,733 And we've been going verse by verse through John, 21 00:01:01,733 --> 00:01:05,500 when I don't have time to finish the Ephesians 1st of all, this week. 22 00:01:05,566 --> 00:01:10,066 I thought I was going to get finished, but I got late and things happened. 23 00:01:10,133 --> 00:01:14,700 And so I go to my John sermon, And it's only half there. 24 00:01:15,166 --> 00:01:17,433 And I was like, what happened? 25 00:01:17,566 --> 00:01:21,033 And so there were two little 26 00:01:21,033 --> 00:01:24,200 John sermons, and they were both half there. 27 00:01:24,299 --> 00:01:27,433 So somewhere back in time, I must 28 00:01:27,433 --> 00:01:30,533 have started it, something happened with the 29 00:01:30,533 --> 00:01:33,900 computer, and then I must have printed 30 00:01:33,900 --> 00:01:35,866 the full sermon, and didn't save it. 31 00:01:35,933 --> 00:01:38,633 So I was like, well, what am I going to do? 32 00:01:38,700 --> 00:01:41,766 So I started thinking, well, I got a ton 33 00:01:41,766 --> 00:01:45,266 of sermons going back to, I don't remember how far back on the, 34 00:01:45,299 --> 00:01:48,466 community, I used to handwrite my sermons with pencil, 35 00:01:48,466 --> 00:01:49,666 which is wild to me. 36 00:01:49,799 --> 00:01:51,599 I did that for the 1st couple of years. 37 00:01:51,633 --> 00:01:52,833 But as I think about that, I was nuts. 38 00:01:52,900 --> 00:01:56,433 But, It's the Lord. 39 00:01:57,166 --> 00:02:00,166 And I said, what am I going to do? 40 00:02:00,233 --> 00:02:03,233 I said, Romans 116. 41 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:04,733 favorite verse. 42 00:02:04,799 --> 00:02:07,033 I haven't done that one in a long time. 43 00:02:07,066 --> 00:02:08,933 It's the gospel sermon. 44 00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:13,433 So there must be somebody here that needs to hear it. 45 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:17,266 Let's look at Romans 116, 46 00:02:17,266 --> 00:02:20,933 and we're going to start by reading verse 16 and 17. 47 00:02:22,366 --> 00:02:24,233 Apostle Paul. 48 00:02:25,666 --> 00:02:29,500 He says, for I am not ashamed of 49 00:02:29,500 --> 00:02:32,566 the gospel, for it, is the 50 00:02:32,566 --> 00:02:36,300 power of God, for salvation, to 51 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:39,633 everyone who believes, to the Jew first, 52 00:02:39,633 --> 00:02:41,599 and also to the Greek. 53 00:02:41,699 --> 00:02:44,766 For in it, the 54 00:02:44,766 --> 00:02:47,800 righteousness of God is revealed 55 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,333 from faith to faith, as 56 00:02:51,333 --> 00:02:54,500 it is written, but the righteous man shall live 57 00:02:54,533 --> 00:02:56,033 by faith. 58 00:02:56,133 --> 00:02:59,966 Now, If you only had 5 minutes. 59 00:03:00,633 --> 00:03:02,433 And 2 verses. 60 00:03:03,333 --> 00:03:06,866 to explain the 61 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:09,133 Christian faith to somebody. 62 00:03:10,199 --> 00:03:13,733 These 2 verses right here would get it done. 63 00:03:14,266 --> 00:03:17,933 Any person who responds properly 64 00:03:17,933 --> 00:03:21,599 to these two verses has 65 00:03:21,599 --> 00:03:25,433 their eternal destiny changed forever. 66 00:03:25,533 --> 00:03:27,866 Notice, I said, properly. 67 00:03:27,900 --> 00:03:31,733 These two verses contain the 68 00:03:31,733 --> 00:03:35,266 most life transforming truth 69 00:03:35,266 --> 00:03:39,233 that exist in the world. 70 00:03:39,699 --> 00:03:42,166 And that is not hyperbole. 71 00:03:42,633 --> 00:03:45,400 That is Bible truth, 101. 72 00:03:46,300 --> 00:03:49,366 And these two verses, also, 73 00:03:49,366 --> 00:03:52,500 they form the theme, and 74 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:55,800 the thesis for this entire epistle 75 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:56,833 to the Romans. 76 00:03:56,933 --> 00:04:00,000 These two verses represent for us 77 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,433 and for the church for all history, a 78 00:04:03,433 --> 00:04:07,966 statement, on the gospel of Jesus Christ. 79 00:04:08,633 --> 00:04:12,000 Paul is saying here, I am not ashamed 80 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,400 of the gospel, and then, in 81 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,533 very concise terms, he expresses 82 00:04:18,533 --> 00:04:20,166 it in these 2 verses. 83 00:04:20,166 --> 00:04:23,566 And in the 1st 15 verses of this 1st chapter, 84 00:04:23,566 --> 00:04:27,166 after a personal greeting, Paul comes 85 00:04:27,166 --> 00:04:30,166 out of the gates in those 1st 15 verses, and 86 00:04:30,166 --> 00:04:32,866 he's exalting the gospel. 87 00:04:32,933 --> 00:04:36,000 And now that Paul has their attention 88 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,000 in Rome and the church for the rest of all 89 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,300 human history, he wants to get down to business. 90 00:04:42,399 --> 00:04:45,399 With the major point of this 91 00:04:45,399 --> 00:04:48,833 whole letter, which is the gospel itself. 92 00:04:49,899 --> 00:04:52,899 If you've ever read the book of Acts, it 93 00:04:52,899 --> 00:04:56,066 should be very clear to you, that 94 00:04:56,100 --> 00:05:00,399 Paul is most definitely never 95 00:05:00,399 --> 00:05:03,933 ashamed of the gospel in any situation that 96 00:05:03,933 --> 00:05:05,800 he was ever put in as a Christian. 97 00:05:06,399 --> 00:05:09,466 He was never, ever intimidated 98 00:05:09,466 --> 00:05:11,033 by the Jewish religious leader. 99 00:05:11,566 --> 00:05:15,766 He was never intimidated by those philosophers in Athens. 100 00:05:16,133 --> 00:05:19,199 There was never a place that he 101 00:05:19,199 --> 00:05:22,833 ever went in all of his missionary journeys where 102 00:05:22,833 --> 00:05:25,833 he did not display anything other 103 00:05:25,833 --> 00:05:28,833 than the fact that he was very proud of the 104 00:05:28,833 --> 00:05:31,300 gospel, of preaching the gospel. 105 00:05:31,833 --> 00:05:34,833 He considered it a joyful 106 00:05:34,833 --> 00:05:39,266 privilege to be able to proclaim the gospel. 107 00:05:39,399 --> 00:05:40,733 Look back in verse 15. 108 00:05:42,033 --> 00:05:45,800 He tells these Romans that 109 00:05:45,833 --> 00:05:49,199 he is eager to preach the gospel 110 00:05:49,199 --> 00:05:51,366 to you also who are in Rome. 111 00:05:52,233 --> 00:05:53,800 Room! 112 00:05:53,866 --> 00:05:55,500 Think about that. 113 00:05:55,533 --> 00:05:58,666 This fan knew very well what he 114 00:05:58,666 --> 00:06:01,666 would be up against in Rome, namely, his 115 00:06:01,666 --> 00:06:04,666 death, which is where it occurred, we know from 116 00:06:04,666 --> 00:06:06,833 church history, but he's still eager to go. 117 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,600 And think about some 118 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,733 of the things that Paul had been through in his 119 00:06:13,733 --> 00:06:17,933 Christian ministry up to this point imprisoned in Philippi. 120 00:06:18,233 --> 00:06:22,300 Chased out of Thessalonica, stoned 121 00:06:22,300 --> 00:06:26,566 almost to death, in Galacia, laughed 122 00:06:26,566 --> 00:06:30,033 at, in Athens, seen 123 00:06:30,033 --> 00:06:33,399 as a complete fool in Corinth, 124 00:06:33,399 --> 00:06:37,600 a huge problem in Jerusalem, he was. 125 00:06:38,100 --> 00:06:41,833 So he knows what's coming in Rome. 126 00:06:42,300 --> 00:06:45,300 But he's still eager to go there. 127 00:06:45,633 --> 00:06:49,899 And he is certainly not ashamed. 128 00:06:50,266 --> 00:06:53,333 Now wouldn't we all, as Christians, 129 00:06:53,333 --> 00:06:55,566 like to be like that. 130 00:06:56,433 --> 00:06:58,766 We don't like to admit it. 131 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:03,333 But for all of us, there 132 00:07:03,333 --> 00:07:05,666 are times when we are ashamed. 133 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:07,133 of the gospel. 134 00:07:07,300 --> 00:07:10,366 There are times when we could speak, 135 00:07:10,366 --> 00:07:11,866 but we don't. 136 00:07:12,399 --> 00:07:15,399 There are times when we could be bold. 137 00:07:16,300 --> 00:07:18,166 But we aren't. 138 00:07:18,333 --> 00:07:21,933 And what stalls us, part 139 00:07:21,933 --> 00:07:25,000 of what stalls us, is the hostility of 140 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,000 this world, in our world, especially 141 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,366 in 21st century America, we have to deal with 142 00:07:31,366 --> 00:07:34,433 the unimpressiveness of the 143 00:07:34,433 --> 00:07:37,500 gospel from the world's perspective. 144 00:07:39,100 --> 00:07:40,666 Gospel? 145 00:07:40,966 --> 00:07:43,666 If you're going to preach the gospel right? 146 00:07:43,733 --> 00:07:46,433 It talks about sin. 147 00:07:46,433 --> 00:07:48,166 And blood. 148 00:07:48,233 --> 00:07:49,866 And death. 149 00:07:50,266 --> 00:07:52,366 And God's wrath. 150 00:07:52,500 --> 00:07:54,133 And judgment. 151 00:07:54,699 --> 00:07:57,833 In our culture, in this 152 00:07:57,833 --> 00:07:59,199 modern day society? 153 00:07:59,333 --> 00:08:00,766 Sounds crazy. 154 00:08:01,899 --> 00:08:04,300 Foolish, silly. 155 00:08:05,133 --> 00:08:08,199 Some have referred to it as a fairy tale. 156 00:08:09,100 --> 00:08:11,033 And it makes us afraid. 157 00:08:11,133 --> 00:08:13,766 what people might think of us. 158 00:08:13,833 --> 00:08:16,966 When we present it, when we 159 00:08:16,966 --> 00:08:19,966 make it clear, and that makes for times when we 160 00:08:19,966 --> 00:08:21,466 tend to be silent. 161 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:23,733 when we shouldn't be. 162 00:08:23,933 --> 00:08:27,300 And that's why the apostle 163 00:08:27,300 --> 00:08:29,766 Paul is such a great example to us. 164 00:08:30,333 --> 00:08:33,633 He understood the contempt. 165 00:08:33,766 --> 00:08:36,833 And the ridicule of 166 00:08:36,833 --> 00:08:39,233 those who reject Christ and reject the gospel. 167 00:08:39,299 --> 00:08:42,700 He faced death itself for the gospel, 168 00:08:42,700 --> 00:08:44,133 but never once. 169 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,133 Was he ever ashamed? 170 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:46,633 of Christ? 171 00:08:47,799 --> 00:08:49,533 Timothy? 172 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,233 Timothy did. 173 00:08:51,533 --> 00:08:53,633 He got Timmy. 174 00:08:53,733 --> 00:08:54,566 Paul never did. 175 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,866 He would face anybody at any time with the gospel. 176 00:08:59,933 --> 00:09:04,733 And why was Paul so bold with the gospel? 177 00:09:04,799 --> 00:09:07,133 Well, verse 16, here tells us why. 178 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,433 He was not ashamed of the gospel because he 179 00:09:10,433 --> 00:09:11,566 understood so well. 180 00:09:11,633 --> 00:09:12,533 Look what it says next. 181 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,533 For it. 182 00:09:14,566 --> 00:09:16,000 The gospel. 183 00:09:16,133 --> 00:09:20,566 is the power of God for salvation. 184 00:09:20,700 --> 00:09:23,700 He's bold to preach the gospel because 185 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:27,733 of what the gospel is and what the gospel does. 186 00:09:28,666 --> 00:09:32,700 The gospel changes lives. 187 00:09:33,166 --> 00:09:35,100 And Paul knows that. 188 00:09:35,500 --> 00:09:37,966 Because he's experienced that. 189 00:09:38,033 --> 00:09:41,466 And he's seen that in other people's lives. 190 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:44,500 And so he believes it down 191 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:45,833 in his bloodstream. 192 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,666 Now, for sure, to the natural 193 00:09:49,666 --> 00:09:53,633 man, to the unbeliever, the gospel is a huge stumbling block. 194 00:09:54,166 --> 00:09:57,399 And, of course, it's just 195 00:09:57,399 --> 00:10:00,700 downright foolishness to the unbeliever. 196 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,299 But at the same time, it 197 00:10:04,299 --> 00:10:08,566 is also the power of God for 198 00:10:08,566 --> 00:10:10,966 salvation, to everyone who believes. 199 00:10:11,266 --> 00:10:13,799 And nobody knows that better than Paul. 200 00:10:14,133 --> 00:10:17,133 Again, Paul knew what the 201 00:10:17,133 --> 00:10:19,100 gospel did in his own life. 202 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,333 I want you to think about back to that day. 203 00:10:22,533 --> 00:10:25,533 When he went on the road to Damascus. 204 00:10:26,266 --> 00:10:28,433 When he 1st woke up. 205 00:10:28,733 --> 00:10:32,166 In the morning, got his coffee, 206 00:10:32,166 --> 00:10:35,666 got ready for the trip to go to Damascus. 207 00:10:35,733 --> 00:10:39,333 He woke up a Christ hating 208 00:10:39,333 --> 00:10:42,700 zealous Pharisee who was breathing 209 00:10:42,700 --> 00:10:47,033 out threats who was having Christians imprisoned and murdered. 210 00:10:47,100 --> 00:10:49,200 He hated Christianity. 211 00:10:49,233 --> 00:10:52,533 He wanted to stamp out the church, but my sundown. 212 00:10:53,433 --> 00:10:57,100 He was a redeemed, bloodbought, 213 00:10:57,100 --> 00:10:59,133 saint of the living God. 214 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,866 And from that day forward, guess what? 215 00:11:02,933 --> 00:11:06,100 As one of the most heralded Pharisees 216 00:11:06,100 --> 00:11:09,166 there ever was, from that day forward, he didn't care about his 217 00:11:09,166 --> 00:11:11,566 reputation with the Jewish leaders, at all. 218 00:11:11,866 --> 00:11:14,866 He didn't care about his own personal comfort. 219 00:11:15,633 --> 00:11:19,100 And he even offered his own life, without 220 00:11:19,133 --> 00:11:22,433 compromise, in order to make clear the 221 00:11:22,433 --> 00:11:24,966 gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere that he went. 222 00:11:25,366 --> 00:11:28,733 So Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, 223 00:11:28,733 --> 00:11:31,733 because he understood so well, the power 224 00:11:31,733 --> 00:11:35,033 that it contains, to 225 00:11:35,033 --> 00:11:37,299 change people forever. 226 00:11:37,366 --> 00:11:40,433 Now, in these 227 00:11:40,433 --> 00:11:43,833 two verses right here, there are four 228 00:11:43,833 --> 00:11:47,133 words that I want us to key in on, and 229 00:11:47,133 --> 00:11:48,766 this is going to form the outline of our sermon. 230 00:11:49,433 --> 00:11:52,433 Four words which are going to help us 231 00:11:52,433 --> 00:11:55,533 understand better what Paul is 232 00:11:55,533 --> 00:11:57,799 trying to communicate, okay? 233 00:11:57,899 --> 00:11:59,166 So here's the first word. 234 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,133 The first word is power. 235 00:12:02,733 --> 00:12:06,266 The second word is salvation. 236 00:12:06,899 --> 00:12:10,666 The 3rd word is believes, 237 00:12:10,666 --> 00:12:14,566 and the 4th word is righteousness. 238 00:12:14,633 --> 00:12:17,700 We're going to break apart those 4 words. 239 00:12:17,733 --> 00:12:18,399 Let's start with power. 240 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,766 The Greek word is dunamas or dunamas. 241 00:12:22,833 --> 00:12:25,966 That word, we get our 242 00:12:25,966 --> 00:12:28,000 word dynamite from. 243 00:12:29,033 --> 00:12:32,166 Paul has in mind here the fact that the 244 00:12:32,166 --> 00:12:35,266 gospel of Jesus Christ carries with it, 245 00:12:35,266 --> 00:12:38,633 the omnipotence of God, that 246 00:12:38,633 --> 00:12:42,700 word omnipotent means all powerful. 247 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,766 The reality is the all powerful 248 00:12:46,799 --> 00:12:50,333 creator of the universe is operative 249 00:12:50,333 --> 00:12:53,733 in power in regenerating 250 00:12:53,733 --> 00:12:56,266 a spiritually dead human being. 251 00:12:57,333 --> 00:12:59,666 You know it to be true. 252 00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:05,066 that people in general, want to change. 253 00:13:05,500 --> 00:13:07,133 Think about it. 254 00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:10,266 All the advertising. 255 00:13:10,833 --> 00:13:14,000 that goes on in the world, on 256 00:13:14,033 --> 00:13:17,633 the internet, and on television is based on the presupposition 257 00:13:17,633 --> 00:13:20,633 that people want things to 258 00:13:20,633 --> 00:13:24,166 be different in their life from the way they are right now. 259 00:13:24,233 --> 00:13:28,000 That's what all advertising is based on, one form or another. 260 00:13:28,066 --> 00:13:29,733 People want to look better. 261 00:13:29,799 --> 00:13:31,533 People want to lose weight. 262 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,100 They want to feel better. 263 00:13:33,166 --> 00:13:34,500 They want to think better. 264 00:13:34,533 --> 00:13:37,299 They want to have a better life experience. 265 00:13:38,033 --> 00:13:41,200 In general, they want 266 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:42,766 to change their life. 267 00:13:43,500 --> 00:13:45,733 They want to change the way. 268 00:13:45,766 --> 00:13:47,700 way things are going in their life. 269 00:13:47,799 --> 00:13:51,533 There is an appeal to that, because, guess what? 270 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,066 That is a natural, basic human drive. 271 00:13:56,133 --> 00:13:59,433 Deep down inside, people really want 272 00:13:59,433 --> 00:14:03,266 things to be different, but 273 00:14:03,299 --> 00:14:06,433 in general, where it counts the 274 00:14:06,433 --> 00:14:09,566 most in a human life, they 275 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,666 are utterly unable to change things. 276 00:14:13,966 --> 00:14:17,200 Jeremiah, 1323. 277 00:14:17,500 --> 00:14:19,299 Look what it says. 278 00:14:19,733 --> 00:14:22,366 Can a leopard change his spots? 279 00:14:23,266 --> 00:14:26,133 Can the Ethiopian change his skin? 280 00:14:27,933 --> 00:14:31,166 People have about as much chance to 281 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,299 change their own parts in their 282 00:14:34,299 --> 00:14:35,566 own power and strength. 283 00:14:35,633 --> 00:14:38,466 as a leopard does to change his spots. 284 00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:43,766 All people on their own are 285 00:14:43,799 --> 00:14:47,266 absolutely powerless in this area, in 286 00:14:47,266 --> 00:14:51,233 and of themselves, they can't do a thing about what they are. 287 00:14:51,399 --> 00:14:56,366 Now, sure, people 288 00:14:56,399 --> 00:14:58,033 can moralize, right? 289 00:14:58,066 --> 00:14:58,899 We've seen that. 290 00:14:59,100 --> 00:15:02,333 People can make some reformations 291 00:15:02,333 --> 00:15:04,500 in their life, here and there, naturally. 292 00:15:04,533 --> 00:15:07,466 They can operate, function a little differently. 293 00:15:07,533 --> 00:15:08,500 You know? 294 00:15:08,566 --> 00:15:12,533 Now I don't cuss, smoke, or chew, or go what girls do, right? 295 00:15:12,633 --> 00:15:14,433 They can knock that out. 296 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:17,966 But real, 297 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,600 true, lasting change, never 298 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,133 happens when man is left to himself. 299 00:15:25,233 --> 00:15:27,033 That's Bible truth. 300 00:15:27,166 --> 00:15:30,600 Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day in Matthew 22, 9, 301 00:15:30,633 --> 00:15:31,000 Look at this. 302 00:15:31,066 --> 00:15:32,733 You are mistaken. 303 00:15:33,766 --> 00:15:36,600 Not understanding the scriptures. 304 00:15:36,766 --> 00:15:40,066 nor the power of God. 305 00:15:40,133 --> 00:15:43,200 They didn't understand that only the gospel of 306 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,799 Jesus Christ has the power to truly change 307 00:15:46,799 --> 00:15:49,866 people in the way that matters most. 308 00:15:51,166 --> 00:15:54,700 It's only the gospel, that 309 00:15:54,700 --> 00:15:58,133 has the power to take people from their sin, and 310 00:15:58,133 --> 00:16:01,500 from living strictly for themselves, away 311 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:04,666 from the grip of Satan, from the judgment and wrath 312 00:16:04,666 --> 00:16:07,966 of God, and even from death itself. 313 00:16:09,533 --> 00:16:12,299 Now, man tries a lot of other things. 314 00:16:13,066 --> 00:16:15,166 to try and change himself. 315 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,566 Many believe they can be changed by doing good works. 316 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:22,666 The deeds of the law. 317 00:16:22,799 --> 00:16:26,633 The Ten Commandments, doing their best. 318 00:16:26,733 --> 00:16:29,266 Having their good outweigh their bad. 319 00:16:29,333 --> 00:16:33,833 The Bible says, by the deeds of the law, nobody can be saved. 320 00:16:34,799 --> 00:16:37,066 The flesh can't save anyone. 321 00:16:37,433 --> 00:16:40,433 Jesus said, the flesh prophets what? 322 00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:42,133 Nothing. 323 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,700 The Bible makes clear that no amount of 324 00:16:45,700 --> 00:16:46,899 religion can save anybody. 325 00:16:47,933 --> 00:16:51,066 What it says is, neither is there salvation in 326 00:16:51,066 --> 00:16:54,466 any other name, for no other name under heaven is given among men whereby 327 00:16:54,466 --> 00:16:57,333 we must be saved, than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 328 00:16:57,333 --> 00:17:00,333 Only the power of God 329 00:17:00,333 --> 00:17:02,266 can truly change people. 330 00:17:03,033 --> 00:17:06,033 I'm standing here telling you today there 331 00:17:06,033 --> 00:17:07,366 is no other way. 332 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:11,966 Romans chapter 5, verse 6. 333 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:17,033 For while we were still helpless, 334 00:17:17,033 --> 00:17:20,400 Christ died at the right time for the ungodly. 335 00:17:21,299 --> 00:17:24,733 In other words, man 336 00:17:24,733 --> 00:17:28,900 left to himself is totally impotent, cannot change himself. 337 00:17:28,966 --> 00:17:32,633 He is trapped and left to himself. 338 00:17:32,733 --> 00:17:36,500 He cannot do anything at all about it. 339 00:17:36,599 --> 00:17:37,799 Romans 8, 3. 340 00:17:37,966 --> 00:17:42,599 For what the law could not do, trying 341 00:17:42,599 --> 00:17:44,866 to get right with God by keeping his law. 342 00:17:44,933 --> 00:17:48,366 It was weak through the flesh, what happened? 343 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,566 God did, sending his own son. 344 00:17:51,633 --> 00:17:53,500 So you can give man the rules. 345 00:17:53,566 --> 00:17:57,466 You can give him the principles to follow, and he still can't do it. 346 00:17:58,966 --> 00:18:01,233 God has to do the changing. 347 00:18:01,533 --> 00:18:03,466 James 118. 348 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:04,433 Look what it says. 349 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:07,599 In the exercise of his will, he brought us 350 00:18:07,599 --> 00:18:09,233 forth by the word of truth. 351 00:18:09,599 --> 00:18:12,666 In other words, what man cannot do for 352 00:18:12,666 --> 00:18:16,666 himself, God can do for me. 353 00:18:17,799 --> 00:18:21,566 This is the basic principle of the gospel church. 354 00:18:21,833 --> 00:18:25,299 Man is sinful and unable to remedy his condition, 355 00:18:25,299 --> 00:18:29,366 and the gospel then becomes the most powerful 356 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,433 force and change agent in the 357 00:18:32,433 --> 00:18:33,500 human experience. 358 00:18:34,299 --> 00:18:37,366 The word dunamus is throwing the 359 00:18:37,366 --> 00:18:42,099 emphasis here on the force, rather than the process. 360 00:18:42,299 --> 00:18:45,433 The gospel is the power in the 361 00:18:45,433 --> 00:18:49,366 sense that God is the source of this incredible, 362 00:18:49,366 --> 00:18:53,200 limitless power that transforms people's lives. 363 00:18:53,433 --> 00:18:56,566 Now, look at 364 00:18:56,566 --> 00:18:57,933 1 Corinthians 1:18. 365 00:18:59,566 --> 00:19:03,333 It says, for the word of the cross is 366 00:19:03,333 --> 00:19:06,466 foolishness to 367 00:19:06,466 --> 00:19:09,900 those who are perishing, and it really is. 368 00:19:11,099 --> 00:19:14,166 A crucified Jewish carpenter 369 00:19:14,166 --> 00:19:17,366 from Nazareth, who lived 2,000 years 370 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,933 ago, saves your soul? 371 00:19:20,866 --> 00:19:22,733 That's ridiculous. 372 00:19:25,799 --> 00:19:28,133 In the world's eyes, it's stupid. 373 00:19:28,799 --> 00:19:31,066 But look next in this verse. 374 00:19:31,733 --> 00:19:35,400 To us who are being saved, it is what? 375 00:19:35,433 --> 00:19:37,833 The power of God. 376 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,366 That's a key point. 377 00:19:40,433 --> 00:19:43,500 The gospel may be foolishness to the lost, 378 00:19:43,500 --> 00:19:47,466 but it really is to all of us who are saved, the power of God. 379 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:50,266 The Gentiles used to laugh at Christians. 380 00:19:50,333 --> 00:19:51,233 Right? 381 00:19:51,633 --> 00:19:54,866 In Rome, they used to feed them to the animals for 382 00:19:54,900 --> 00:19:58,333 sport and watch them, get eaten alive. 383 00:19:58,366 --> 00:20:01,900 The pagans in Rome and Corinth mocked 384 00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:03,466 the Christians relentlessly. 385 00:20:03,533 --> 00:20:06,933 In their world, their gods were 386 00:20:06,933 --> 00:20:08,733 just indifferent. 387 00:20:08,866 --> 00:20:12,599 They were detached, remote, really, they couldn't care less. 388 00:20:12,633 --> 00:20:15,933 And the idea of 389 00:20:15,933 --> 00:20:19,400 an incarnation of God in human flesh, 390 00:20:19,433 --> 00:20:22,799 Jewish carpenter from Nazareth, albeit, 391 00:20:22,799 --> 00:20:25,633 was insane to them. 392 00:20:26,266 --> 00:20:30,700 In fact, archaeologists 393 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:35,133 have found some interesting things when 394 00:20:35,133 --> 00:20:36,700 digging around Rome. 395 00:20:36,766 --> 00:20:39,933 They came across a picture in their digs 396 00:20:39,933 --> 00:20:43,099 from the Christian era of Roman times, 397 00:20:43,133 --> 00:20:46,833 and it depicts a slave, who 398 00:20:46,833 --> 00:20:49,900 is bowing down before a cross, and 399 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:53,200 underneath the drawing, it says, Alex 400 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,966 Minos worships his God. 401 00:20:56,033 --> 00:20:59,799 And crucified on the cross, is 402 00:20:59,799 --> 00:21:01,833 a man with the head of a jackass. 403 00:21:01,966 --> 00:21:03,900 That's what they found. 404 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,666 That's what they thought, the pagans 405 00:21:07,666 --> 00:21:09,533 in Rome did, about Jesus. 406 00:21:09,633 --> 00:21:12,400 That tells us a little bit about the attitude of the Romans, huh? 407 00:21:12,466 --> 00:21:13,533 towards Christianity. 408 00:21:13,900 --> 00:21:15,833 Absolutely ridiculous. 409 00:21:16,533 --> 00:21:19,766 The same of many people today, 410 00:21:19,799 --> 00:21:21,533 when they think about Jesus. 411 00:21:21,599 --> 00:21:23,700 It's always been this way, folks. 412 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,166 Around the year 178, 413 00:21:27,166 --> 00:21:30,466 there was a man named Celsius, who wrote 414 00:21:30,466 --> 00:21:32,133 the following about Christianity. 415 00:21:32,133 --> 00:21:33,766 This will give you some of the flavor. 416 00:21:33,833 --> 00:21:36,966 He says, Let no cultured person draw near, 417 00:21:36,966 --> 00:21:41,000 none wise, nonsensible, for all that kind of thing, we count evil. 418 00:21:41,133 --> 00:21:44,133 But if any man is ignorant, if any is wanting in 419 00:21:44,133 --> 00:21:47,266 sense and culture, if any is a fool, let him 420 00:21:47,266 --> 00:21:50,733 come boldly to Christianity, we see them in their own houses, 421 00:21:50,733 --> 00:21:53,733 wool dressers, cobblers, and fullers, 422 00:21:53,733 --> 00:21:56,599 the most uneducated and vulgar persons. 423 00:21:56,733 --> 00:21:59,366 He said, Christians are like a swarm of bats. 424 00:21:59,433 --> 00:22:02,000 They're like ants, creeping out of their nests. 425 00:22:02,099 --> 00:22:06,066 They're like frogs holding a symposium in around swamp. 426 00:22:06,099 --> 00:22:09,566 They're like worms covering in the muck. 427 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:12,333 And then he said, Christians worship a dead man. 428 00:22:12,633 --> 00:22:14,200 What a guy. 429 00:22:14,333 --> 00:22:15,366 Right? 430 00:22:16,733 --> 00:22:18,966 Check out Bill Mayer. 431 00:22:19,233 --> 00:22:23,133 Now he might be one of the most common sense leftists that there is. 432 00:22:23,266 --> 00:22:25,233 But he hates Christianity. 433 00:22:25,299 --> 00:22:29,200 He holds about the same opinion of Christianity as this guy did. 434 00:22:29,266 --> 00:22:30,766 It's all foolishness. 435 00:22:31,233 --> 00:22:35,299 But to us who are saved, it is the power. 436 00:22:35,433 --> 00:22:36,466 of God. 437 00:22:36,833 --> 00:22:40,000 So for sure, the world laughs 438 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,633 at us, mocks us. 439 00:22:42,166 --> 00:22:43,799 We expect that. 440 00:22:44,733 --> 00:22:47,866 But we know better about the gospel, because 441 00:22:47,866 --> 00:22:49,533 it is the power of God. 442 00:22:49,599 --> 00:22:51,566 Look down further in 1 Corinthians 21. 443 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,599 Paul goes on, he says, And 444 00:22:55,599 --> 00:22:58,766 when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority 445 00:22:58,799 --> 00:23:01,933 of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the 446 00:23:01,933 --> 00:23:05,033 testimony of God, for I determine to know 447 00:23:05,033 --> 00:23:08,266 nothing among you except Jesus Christ 448 00:23:08,266 --> 00:23:10,966 and him crucified. 449 00:23:11,500 --> 00:23:14,566 Oh, if they had cut me loose in the 450 00:23:14,566 --> 00:23:17,266 Senate that day after my prayer, what do you think I would have preached? 451 00:23:18,166 --> 00:23:20,133 Paul had one message. 452 00:23:20,799 --> 00:23:24,033 The message they mocked, the message they 453 00:23:24,033 --> 00:23:27,799 despised, and Paul said, hey, mock it if you want to. 454 00:23:28,366 --> 00:23:30,700 But it's still the power of God. 455 00:23:31,066 --> 00:23:34,233 And so that's what I want to preach. 456 00:23:34,299 --> 00:23:35,799 Then he says down in verse five. 457 00:23:35,866 --> 00:23:39,099 So that your faith would not rest 458 00:23:39,099 --> 00:23:41,933 on the wisdom of men, but on what? 459 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,066 The power of God. 460 00:23:45,933 --> 00:23:47,866 With my own eyes. 461 00:23:48,299 --> 00:23:51,433 I have seen the gospel totally 462 00:23:51,433 --> 00:23:54,766 change and transform people's lives. 463 00:23:55,599 --> 00:23:58,666 As you know very well, I've 464 00:23:58,666 --> 00:24:01,799 seen that reality happen in my own life, from a very different 465 00:24:01,799 --> 00:24:03,733 life than the one I'm living now. 466 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:08,933 Later on in 1 Corinthians 4, verse 20. 467 00:24:09,233 --> 00:24:12,466 Look what Paul says, for the kingdom of God does 468 00:24:12,466 --> 00:24:15,599 not consist in words, but in power. 469 00:24:16,066 --> 00:24:19,833 God's power, folks, is beyond our comprehension, 470 00:24:19,833 --> 00:24:22,233 but the Bible lets us know a little bit about this power. 471 00:24:22,366 --> 00:24:24,400 That is behind the gospel. 472 00:24:24,466 --> 00:24:27,599 Look in Psalm 79/11, according 473 00:24:27,599 --> 00:24:31,299 to the greatness of your power, Exodus 474 00:24:31,299 --> 00:24:34,599 15:6, God is majestic in power, 475 00:24:34,599 --> 00:24:36,533 Jeremiah 10:12. 476 00:24:36,766 --> 00:24:39,833 It is he who made the earth by his power. 477 00:24:39,933 --> 00:24:41,866 Jeremiah 27, 5. 478 00:24:42,099 --> 00:24:45,866 It is I, who, by my great power and my outstretched 479 00:24:45,900 --> 00:24:47,466 arm, have made the earth. 480 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:50,366 God has all power. 481 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,466 Psalm 33, 8 through 9. 482 00:24:53,500 --> 00:24:55,000 It says, let all the earth fear the Lord. 483 00:24:55,133 --> 00:24:58,433 Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe 484 00:24:58,433 --> 00:25:02,200 of him, for he spoke, and it came to be. 485 00:25:02,333 --> 00:25:05,633 He spoke everything that your eyes can see, 486 00:25:05,633 --> 00:25:08,633 and those that your eyes cannot see into existence 487 00:25:08,633 --> 00:25:10,266 by the word of his what? 488 00:25:10,299 --> 00:25:10,966 Power. 489 00:25:12,533 --> 00:25:16,066 And by the same powerful 490 00:25:16,066 --> 00:25:19,599 command, God maintains and upholds 491 00:25:19,599 --> 00:25:22,733 and governs this universe, every planet 492 00:25:22,733 --> 00:25:25,900 that spins around every star, everything, 493 00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:29,066 every atom, every molecule, is governed 494 00:25:29,099 --> 00:25:30,433 by him. 495 00:25:30,466 --> 00:25:33,333 Behind every miracle in the Bible is what? 496 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,633 The power of God. 497 00:25:35,866 --> 00:25:37,966 He parts the sea. 498 00:25:38,033 --> 00:25:39,400 He brings food from heaven. 499 00:25:39,466 --> 00:25:42,700 He makes the lame to walk, the blind to see, but 500 00:25:42,700 --> 00:25:44,366 I'm going to tell you this right here today. 501 00:25:45,299 --> 00:25:46,933 absolutely. 502 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:51,633 The greatest expression of his power is 503 00:25:51,633 --> 00:25:54,933 found in his power to totally change 504 00:25:54,933 --> 00:25:58,233 and transform and change the 505 00:25:58,233 --> 00:26:02,066 very nature of a natural born sinner. 506 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:05,966 If he can change me. 507 00:26:07,133 --> 00:26:09,066 It can change anybody. 508 00:26:09,533 --> 00:26:12,166 Ooh, if you had the documentary of my life. 509 00:26:12,333 --> 00:26:15,700 There'd be, we got to get back there and get him out of here. 510 00:26:15,766 --> 00:26:19,000 I mean yeah, he's a preacher now, but let's let somebody else do this job. 511 00:26:19,433 --> 00:26:22,366 Psalm 106, 8 9. 512 00:26:22,433 --> 00:26:25,433 He saved them for his namesake that he 513 00:26:25,433 --> 00:26:28,599 might make known his mighty power. 514 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,299 God is glorified. 515 00:26:31,299 --> 00:26:34,900 By the manifestation of his power in 516 00:26:34,900 --> 00:26:38,333 salvation, and that's the 2nd word that we're going to look at this morning. 517 00:26:38,433 --> 00:26:40,966 Salvation, back to Romans 1:16. 518 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,500 It says the power of God for salvation. 519 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:49,200 That's where the power is seen in salvation. 520 00:26:49,233 --> 00:26:52,366 Because Ephesians 2 says, We 521 00:26:52,366 --> 00:26:56,266 are naturally, spiritually dead in 522 00:26:56,266 --> 00:26:57,766 our trespasses and sin. 523 00:26:57,900 --> 00:26:59,866 What can a dead man do? 524 00:26:59,933 --> 00:27:01,066 Stink. 525 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:02,633 That's it, right? 526 00:27:02,700 --> 00:27:04,266 I can't remember who said that, somebody did. 527 00:27:04,299 --> 00:27:08,066 And the salvation act of God makes 528 00:27:08,099 --> 00:27:11,799 a naturally, spiritually dead person, spiritually 529 00:27:11,799 --> 00:27:15,400 alive, to live forever, fit for the kingdom of God. 530 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,700 That word salvation is used 18 times 531 00:27:18,700 --> 00:27:19,900 by Paul. 532 00:27:19,966 --> 00:27:23,099 Five times here in Romans, the verb form 29 533 00:27:23,099 --> 00:27:25,566 times by Paul, and 8 times here in Romans. 534 00:27:26,333 --> 00:27:30,533 The word means deliberance. 535 00:27:31,433 --> 00:27:34,299 That's what it means to be saved, church. 536 00:27:34,599 --> 00:27:36,400 to be delivered. 537 00:27:36,466 --> 00:27:38,099 Delivered from what? 538 00:27:38,733 --> 00:27:41,299 Delivered from the wrath of God. 539 00:27:42,633 --> 00:27:46,400 Delivered from the holy justice of God. 540 00:27:46,833 --> 00:27:50,799 Delivered from sin and self. 541 00:27:51,099 --> 00:27:53,500 delivered from the grip of Satan. 542 00:27:53,633 --> 00:27:55,799 Delivered from judgment. 543 00:27:57,299 --> 00:28:00,466 delivered from hell 544 00:28:00,466 --> 00:28:03,533 itself, which Jesus preached far more about 545 00:28:03,533 --> 00:28:05,566 than he did about heaven in the New Testament. 546 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:07,133 Check me out and see. 547 00:28:08,033 --> 00:28:12,666 One theologian says it this way, delivered 548 00:28:12,666 --> 00:28:17,299 by God from God. 549 00:28:17,733 --> 00:28:21,700 And only the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to do that. 550 00:28:22,066 --> 00:28:25,233 So much is bound up in this word, which 551 00:28:25,233 --> 00:28:28,299 is God's word, salvation, man's safe passage 552 00:28:28,299 --> 00:28:31,533 through the trials of life, his safe passage from divine 553 00:28:31,533 --> 00:28:34,700 judgment, his entrance into eternal blessedness. 554 00:28:34,799 --> 00:28:36,833 It includes forgiveness. 555 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,133 It includes escape from 556 00:28:40,133 --> 00:28:41,333 wrath that we all deserve. 557 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,733 It includes life in the spirit. 558 00:28:43,799 --> 00:28:45,599 It includes resurrection. 559 00:28:45,700 --> 00:28:48,233 It includes eternity. 560 00:28:48,299 --> 00:28:52,066 Salvation through the gospel is God's effective power, 561 00:28:52,066 --> 00:28:55,200 active in the world to bring about deliverance for men 562 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,833 from God's wrath, sin, judgment, death, 563 00:28:58,833 --> 00:29:00,866 and hell incredibly. 564 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:02,866 Incredibly. 565 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,033 All of those are topics that are missing from 566 00:29:06,033 --> 00:29:07,666 many of today's pulpits in America. 567 00:29:07,733 --> 00:29:09,533 You won't hear them. 568 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,433 You won't hear them mentioned. 569 00:29:12,466 --> 00:29:14,700 It's too hard, too harsh. 570 00:29:14,866 --> 00:29:19,000 We gotta, we gotta, we gotta make God seem nice. 571 00:29:19,666 --> 00:29:22,833 Another 11th commandment, thou shalt be nice. 572 00:29:23,133 --> 00:29:26,666 And really just parse 573 00:29:26,700 --> 00:29:28,799 off the whole council of God. 574 00:29:28,900 --> 00:29:32,500 to make your ears tickled, as 575 00:29:32,500 --> 00:29:33,533 the Bible warns about. 576 00:29:33,766 --> 00:29:36,766 that in the last days, they would 577 00:29:36,766 --> 00:29:37,966 not endure sound doctrine. 578 00:29:38,099 --> 00:29:41,266 but keep to themselves, teachers, having 579 00:29:41,266 --> 00:29:44,400 itching ears, in other words, what they want to hear, not what they need to hear, 580 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:45,900 what I'm giving to you today. 581 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,166 The culture in which Paul 582 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,233 wrote this epistle was 583 00:29:52,233 --> 00:29:53,500 ready for this message. 584 00:29:53,566 --> 00:29:56,633 I mean, they were looking for salvation, no different from the 585 00:29:56,633 --> 00:29:57,766 culture we live in today. 586 00:29:57,833 --> 00:29:59,400 Now, listen carefully to this part. 587 00:30:00,033 --> 00:30:03,566 People don't naturally 588 00:30:03,599 --> 00:30:06,599 think after the God 589 00:30:06,599 --> 00:30:07,966 of the Bible. 590 00:30:09,766 --> 00:30:12,633 The Bible says no man seeks after God. 591 00:30:12,700 --> 00:30:15,866 Now, they seek after the God of false religion, they seek after the God of 592 00:30:15,900 --> 00:30:16,933 their own imagination. 593 00:30:16,966 --> 00:30:18,299 But let me tell you something. 594 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:20,666 All people are looking for salvation. 595 00:30:21,599 --> 00:30:24,466 They believe they need political salvation. 596 00:30:25,299 --> 00:30:28,466 Some people believe they need social salvation. 597 00:30:28,533 --> 00:30:31,900 Some people think, oh, if I can just get economic salvation. 598 00:30:32,033 --> 00:30:33,166 Everything is gonna be all right. 599 00:30:33,466 --> 00:30:36,700 Some people say, Well, I just need to upgrade my life. 600 00:30:36,933 --> 00:30:40,533 Or we just need to upgrade society through 601 00:30:40,533 --> 00:30:41,966 these man centered methods. 602 00:30:42,033 --> 00:30:45,033 So they really are, in a general sense, looking for 603 00:30:45,033 --> 00:30:47,266 salvation, just like in Paul's day. 604 00:30:47,333 --> 00:30:50,400 When Greek philosophy in Paul's day was starting to turn 605 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:53,400 internal, and it was saying, man, things are just not 606 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,033 right with mankind. 607 00:30:55,066 --> 00:30:57,400 We need to be able to change some things with man. 608 00:30:57,633 --> 00:31:01,000 This has always been the case with 609 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:02,066 man, ever since the fall. 610 00:31:02,866 --> 00:31:04,900 But isn't it interesting? 611 00:31:05,500 --> 00:31:08,799 How spiritual deadness, 612 00:31:08,799 --> 00:31:11,966 here's the only message that 613 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:13,333 can possibly bring salvation. 614 00:31:13,833 --> 00:31:16,833 When a spiritually 615 00:31:16,833 --> 00:31:20,666 dead person, hears the gospel, and 616 00:31:20,700 --> 00:31:23,333 God is not involved in drawing that person. 617 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,733 It sounds just so stupid to him. 618 00:31:26,433 --> 00:31:28,366 But again, the reality. 619 00:31:28,500 --> 00:31:31,733 is that it is the power of God. 620 00:31:31,799 --> 00:31:33,233 The Bible's very clear. 621 00:31:33,299 --> 00:31:34,433 Man is naturally lost. 622 00:31:34,533 --> 00:31:37,166 The gospel brings salvation from lostness. 623 00:31:37,233 --> 00:31:40,233 Jesus said he came to seek and save that 624 00:31:40,233 --> 00:31:41,500 which was lost. 625 00:31:41,566 --> 00:31:44,866 If you are a believer sitting in this church today, 626 00:31:44,866 --> 00:31:46,599 you didn't find Jesus. 627 00:31:46,733 --> 00:31:48,700 He found you. 628 00:31:48,933 --> 00:31:50,733 He wasn't lost. 629 00:31:50,799 --> 00:31:51,400 You were. 630 00:31:52,799 --> 00:31:55,633 Natural man is on the wrong road. 631 00:31:55,900 --> 00:31:58,133 He doesn't know where he's going. 632 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,200 He doesn't know where he's come from or where he is. 633 00:32:01,299 --> 00:32:02,633 He is literally lost. 634 00:32:03,233 --> 00:32:06,466 And all of a sudden, when 635 00:32:06,466 --> 00:32:07,966 he comes to Christ on his terms, 636 00:32:08,033 --> 00:32:11,099 Instantly, instantly, he knows where he came 637 00:32:11,099 --> 00:32:14,566 from, he knows where he's going, and right where he is. 638 00:32:14,633 --> 00:32:18,933 Let me tell you, that kind of change in a sinner requires 639 00:32:18,933 --> 00:32:22,400 by necessity divine power. 640 00:32:22,533 --> 00:32:24,700 You don't just come upon that on your own. 641 00:32:25,500 --> 00:32:28,599 Think about how the Bible characterizes the 642 00:32:28,599 --> 00:32:30,333 natural man, willfully ignorant. 643 00:32:31,133 --> 00:32:34,900 purposefully self indulgent, deep 644 00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:38,200 in false religion, filled with wrong motives, self 645 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,200 deceived, trusting in his own good deeds, 646 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:44,799 which are best filthy rags, loving 647 00:32:44,799 --> 00:32:48,099 the passing things of this world, hating the truth, full 648 00:32:48,099 --> 00:32:51,099 of pride, pleasure seeking, guilty, 649 00:32:51,099 --> 00:32:54,233 lustful creatures with no right at all to enter 650 00:32:54,233 --> 00:32:55,266 the kingdom of God. 651 00:32:55,366 --> 00:32:59,333 That's how the Bible describes the natural man, and so they have to be. 652 00:33:00,033 --> 00:33:03,700 By necessity, delivered 653 00:33:03,700 --> 00:33:06,700 from all of that, and only the omnipotent power 654 00:33:06,700 --> 00:33:07,966 of God can do that. 655 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,066 So Paul says, My 656 00:33:12,066 --> 00:33:15,200 thesis is, the power of 657 00:33:15,233 --> 00:33:16,433 God can bring salvation. 658 00:33:16,533 --> 00:33:18,033 Well, how does that happen, Paul? 659 00:33:18,233 --> 00:33:20,266 Well, that is our 3rd word. 660 00:33:20,633 --> 00:33:22,866 Look in verse 16 again. 661 00:33:23,433 --> 00:33:27,933 to everyone who believes. 662 00:33:28,233 --> 00:33:31,599 Faith is the third key word, 663 00:33:31,599 --> 00:33:32,633 or belief, same thing. 664 00:33:32,866 --> 00:33:36,000 If it's the power of God that can 665 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,333 do it, for whom? 666 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:40,500 Does the power of God do it? 667 00:33:40,900 --> 00:33:42,700 Paul makes it clear. 668 00:33:42,766 --> 00:33:44,633 For everyone who believes. 669 00:33:45,033 --> 00:33:48,266 Salvation, power operates 670 00:33:48,299 --> 00:33:50,466 only through faith alone. 671 00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:51,533 What is faith? 672 00:33:51,633 --> 00:33:53,266 Faith is believing. 673 00:33:54,233 --> 00:33:56,466 Every one of us lives by faith. 674 00:33:57,033 --> 00:34:00,400 You've heard me say this before, maybe some of you haven't. 675 00:34:00,766 --> 00:34:02,633 You go to the sink. 676 00:34:03,533 --> 00:34:05,466 Turn on the faucet. 677 00:34:06,166 --> 00:34:10,000 Field the glass, and water comes out. 678 00:34:10,500 --> 00:34:12,300 And you drink it. 679 00:34:12,833 --> 00:34:15,000 How do you know what's in there? 680 00:34:15,033 --> 00:34:16,400 Huh? 681 00:34:17,566 --> 00:34:21,400 Our folks over there in Livingstone, 682 00:34:21,466 --> 00:34:23,500 How about when you get to boil the water alert? 683 00:34:23,566 --> 00:34:24,766 Huh? 684 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:27,133 What's coming out of them pipes? 685 00:34:27,233 --> 00:34:28,966 Get on a plane. 686 00:34:29,866 --> 00:34:31,833 Who's flying that thing? 687 00:34:32,733 --> 00:34:34,533 What's he all about? 688 00:34:34,966 --> 00:34:38,033 How do you know he didn't snort four lines 689 00:34:38,033 --> 00:34:40,800 of cocaine trying to get over the hangover he had from the night before? 690 00:34:40,900 --> 00:34:41,666 How do you know? 691 00:34:41,733 --> 00:34:42,333 You don't know. 692 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,699 You get on a plane and he lets, he lets it fly. 693 00:34:45,766 --> 00:34:46,733 That's faith. 694 00:34:46,900 --> 00:34:49,433 We live by faith all the time. 695 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:51,666 Faith is trust. 696 00:34:51,699 --> 00:34:52,666 How about when you go to a restaurant? 697 00:34:53,333 --> 00:34:56,333 That food just comes out onto the table. 698 00:34:56,933 --> 00:34:59,500 What was going on back there in that kitchen? 699 00:34:59,566 --> 00:35:02,099 You don't know, and neither do I. 700 00:35:02,199 --> 00:35:05,566 We all live by faith. 701 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,366 It's the only way we can survive. 702 00:35:08,733 --> 00:35:12,333 God has put it in the heart of man so that he understands, 703 00:35:12,333 --> 00:35:15,500 that he has to live by faith, but faith 704 00:35:15,533 --> 00:35:18,699 in the spiritual dimension is far different than that kind of thing. 705 00:35:19,533 --> 00:35:22,699 It's also the same idea, though, 706 00:35:22,733 --> 00:35:25,900 that it is trusting 707 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:28,966 and believing, I'm trusting and believing, that when 708 00:35:28,966 --> 00:35:31,800 I drink that water out of that faucet, then I'm not going to kill over and die. 709 00:35:31,966 --> 00:35:35,699 And yes, the power of God can save, 710 00:35:35,699 --> 00:35:39,833 but it'll only save those who believe. 711 00:35:40,433 --> 00:35:42,099 Believe what? 712 00:35:42,766 --> 00:35:46,533 Believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead, for one thing. 713 00:35:47,099 --> 00:35:51,133 Believe in who Jesus is, God in human flesh. 714 00:35:51,233 --> 00:35:54,466 Believe who he said he was when he was here. 715 00:35:54,599 --> 00:35:58,133 And that he died for the reason that 716 00:35:58,133 --> 00:36:01,133 he said he was going to die for, and that he rose from the 717 00:36:01,133 --> 00:36:04,233 grave on the 3rd day, just like he said he would, 718 00:36:04,233 --> 00:36:07,300 and that what he did, this is what you also have to 719 00:36:07,300 --> 00:36:10,433 believe, that what he did on the cross does 720 00:36:10,433 --> 00:36:14,466 actually have the power and the ability to save your soul. 721 00:36:14,866 --> 00:36:16,800 You have to believe that. 722 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,833 And if you believe that, you 723 00:36:20,833 --> 00:36:25,366 also believe, well, by grace, unmerited 724 00:36:25,366 --> 00:36:28,533 favor, nothing that you did, for by grace, 725 00:36:28,533 --> 00:36:31,766 you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, 726 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:34,633 it is the gift of God, lest any man should boast. 727 00:36:34,733 --> 00:36:36,099 Why did Paul put that in there? 728 00:36:36,233 --> 00:36:39,300 To make it clear to you, when you get to heaven, you're 729 00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:42,166 not going to be boasting about how good you were, and that's why you let me in, God. 730 00:36:42,233 --> 00:36:42,966 There's no boasting. 731 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,766 We don't have anything to boast about because salvation is by grace. 732 00:36:46,966 --> 00:36:48,900 It's all Jesus work. 733 00:36:49,300 --> 00:36:52,366 And when you come to Christ, you understand that. 734 00:36:52,433 --> 00:36:53,633 You believe that. 735 00:36:54,166 --> 00:36:57,233 Saving faith is not professing Christianity 736 00:36:57,233 --> 00:36:58,266 with your lips. 737 00:36:58,300 --> 00:37:00,466 Saving faith is not baptism. 738 00:37:00,533 --> 00:37:03,766 Saving faith is not moral reform. 739 00:37:03,833 --> 00:37:06,166 Saving faith is not going to church. 740 00:37:06,300 --> 00:37:09,133 We've been hearing that from Ed Lacy for weeks in Sunday school. 741 00:37:09,166 --> 00:37:11,933 Saving faith comes to a person. 742 00:37:12,900 --> 00:37:15,599 Who is the old Puritans used to say. 743 00:37:16,533 --> 00:37:19,533 A person who hears this gospel. 744 00:37:20,266 --> 00:37:22,833 And they come to the end of themselves. 745 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:25,800 And they recognize. 746 00:37:27,166 --> 00:37:30,699 What I'm hearing is telling me that I am morally 747 00:37:30,699 --> 00:37:34,366 and spiritually bankrupt, as 748 00:37:34,366 --> 00:37:37,599 a person before a holy God, and I have absolutely no 749 00:37:37,599 --> 00:37:40,833 resources in and of myself to change this 750 00:37:40,833 --> 00:37:44,199 situation of being morally and spiritually 751 00:37:44,199 --> 00:37:47,933 bankrupt, and they come to see themselves as lost. 752 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:51,433 They come to see themselves as undone and 753 00:37:51,433 --> 00:37:54,933 completely sinful, and as they perceive the 754 00:37:54,933 --> 00:37:59,199 absolute pollution of their own nature, they 755 00:37:59,199 --> 00:38:02,566 are drawn to Christ, as the only solution. 756 00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:07,266 The only remedy for their dilemma. 757 00:38:07,666 --> 00:38:10,900 And they see Christ as who he 758 00:38:10,900 --> 00:38:12,099 claimed to be. 759 00:38:12,699 --> 00:38:15,699 For the first time, they see that the god man 760 00:38:15,699 --> 00:38:17,966 died as a substitute for sinners. 761 00:38:18,333 --> 00:38:20,800 He conquered sin. 762 00:38:20,866 --> 00:38:23,866 They see him, as the word proclaims that he 763 00:38:23,866 --> 00:38:25,800 paid the price for their sin. 764 00:38:25,833 --> 00:38:29,199 He offers life eternal, and they see that, and 765 00:38:29,199 --> 00:38:31,133 they understand that, and they say, I believe. 766 00:38:34,199 --> 00:38:35,633 And it doesn't matter who that man is. 767 00:38:35,866 --> 00:38:38,266 Look next in verse 16. 768 00:38:39,166 --> 00:38:43,533 To the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 769 00:38:43,666 --> 00:38:47,266 Now, here in particular, we see, again, the reality of the primacy 770 00:38:47,266 --> 00:38:49,666 of salvation was first extended to the Jews. 771 00:38:49,733 --> 00:38:53,099 There's a lot of stuff online about the Jews running 772 00:38:53,099 --> 00:38:56,699 the world and all, and they're doing a pretty sorry job if they're running the world right now. 773 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:00,466 We learned in our study of Matthew 774 00:39:00,466 --> 00:39:03,533 and Acts, it was 775 00:39:03,533 --> 00:39:06,000 to the Jews first that the Messiah came, right? 776 00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:09,400 When Jesus got started in his marriage, he said, I 777 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,099 am not come but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 778 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:14,666 This is the clear plan of God. 779 00:39:14,699 --> 00:39:17,699 You don't have to be dispensational to believe this. 780 00:39:17,866 --> 00:39:21,833 For the Messiah, come and be revealed to the Jews first. 781 00:39:21,900 --> 00:39:23,466 Listen to commentator Robert Haldane. 782 00:39:23,566 --> 00:39:25,133 Be clear about this. 783 00:39:25,133 --> 00:39:28,233 From the days of Abraham, the Jews have been highly distinguished 784 00:39:28,233 --> 00:39:30,866 from all the rest of the world by their many great privileges. 785 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:34,166 It was their high distinction that of them Christ came, 786 00:39:34,199 --> 00:39:36,066 who was overall God bless forever. 787 00:39:36,099 --> 00:39:39,699 They were thus as his kinsmen, the royal family of the human race. 788 00:39:39,766 --> 00:39:42,933 In this respect, higher than all others, and they inherit 789 00:39:42,933 --> 00:39:46,099 Emmanuel's land, while, therefore, evangelical 790 00:39:46,133 --> 00:39:49,199 covenant, and consequently, just justification and salvation, 791 00:39:49,199 --> 00:39:52,199 equally regarded all believers, but the Jews 792 00:39:52,199 --> 00:39:55,500 held first rank as the ancient people of God, while 793 00:39:55,500 --> 00:39:58,133 other nations were strangers from the covenants of promise. 794 00:39:58,199 --> 00:40:01,433 The preaching of the gospel was to be addressed to them first, 795 00:40:01,433 --> 00:40:03,533 and at the beginning, to them alone. 796 00:40:03,533 --> 00:40:06,599 I am not sent, Jesus said, but to the lost 797 00:40:06,599 --> 00:40:08,166 sheep of the house of Israel. 798 00:40:08,266 --> 00:40:11,400 And he commanded that repentance and remission of sins be preached 799 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:15,599 in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 800 00:40:15,633 --> 00:40:19,400 Thus, while Jews and Gentiles were united in the participation 801 00:40:19,433 --> 00:40:22,533 of the gospel, the Jews were not deprived of their rank 802 00:40:22,533 --> 00:40:24,400 since they were first called. 803 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:27,400 Don't be confused by the internet. 804 00:40:27,699 --> 00:40:29,500 Be biblical. 805 00:40:29,866 --> 00:40:31,833 Don't look at the internet. 806 00:40:31,966 --> 00:40:32,500 Look at the Bible. 807 00:40:32,566 --> 00:40:35,633 And understand about the Jews biblically. 808 00:40:36,033 --> 00:40:39,033 So for the sure, you can't 809 00:40:39,033 --> 00:40:42,800 escape it, the Jew first, but also notice to the Gentiles. 810 00:40:42,900 --> 00:40:46,000 Making clear that the salvation of God was not 811 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:48,566 limited to any nation, but all people. 812 00:40:48,900 --> 00:40:51,066 Jews and Gentiles. 813 00:40:51,099 --> 00:40:52,966 Now, follow this train of thought. 814 00:40:54,233 --> 00:40:57,166 The Gospel of Jesus Christ has power. 815 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,166 It has the power to save. 816 00:41:00,833 --> 00:41:03,833 It has the power to save 817 00:41:03,833 --> 00:41:04,900 the one who believes. 818 00:41:05,033 --> 00:41:06,466 But how? 819 00:41:06,533 --> 00:41:07,966 Let's ask that question, okay? 820 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,166 How can it change the one who believes? 821 00:41:11,266 --> 00:41:12,599 Look next. 822 00:41:12,633 --> 00:41:14,566 in verse 17. 823 00:41:15,466 --> 00:41:18,400 This is the crème de la crème, right here. 824 00:41:18,633 --> 00:41:21,766 For in it, the 825 00:41:21,766 --> 00:41:23,500 righteousness of God is revealed. 826 00:41:24,166 --> 00:41:27,333 The reason it can save is because 827 00:41:27,333 --> 00:41:30,333 when you believe the righteousness of God 828 00:41:30,333 --> 00:41:34,099 is revealed to you and incredibly. 829 00:41:34,966 --> 00:41:36,599 it becomes yours. 830 00:41:37,066 --> 00:41:39,233 It's put on your account. 831 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:41,199 How is that possible? 832 00:41:41,433 --> 00:41:44,366 Man is so sinful as I described. 833 00:41:44,433 --> 00:41:46,300 He's so helpless to save himself. 834 00:41:46,433 --> 00:41:49,666 He's so hopeless that even if he believed, 835 00:41:49,666 --> 00:41:52,666 and even if it has the power of saying, to save, 836 00:41:52,666 --> 00:41:54,333 how can it do this? 837 00:41:55,433 --> 00:41:58,500 It can, because listen very carefully. 838 00:41:58,900 --> 00:42:01,966 Not because all of 839 00:42:01,966 --> 00:42:05,800 a sudden, we ourselves become righteous. 840 00:42:05,933 --> 00:42:07,066 No. 841 00:42:07,199 --> 00:42:10,433 But because all of a sudden, to us, 842 00:42:10,433 --> 00:42:13,599 is revealed the righteousness of God. 843 00:42:13,666 --> 00:42:14,933 What do I mean by that? 844 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:17,933 What I mean by that is when we come to Christ on his terms? 845 00:42:18,033 --> 00:42:19,833 We are declared righteous. 846 00:42:20,566 --> 00:42:23,566 Declared righteous with the righteousness of 847 00:42:23,566 --> 00:42:26,133 another, not ours, Christ. 848 00:42:26,199 --> 00:42:29,800 And that's the 4th word in our outline, and the last one for today. 849 00:42:29,933 --> 00:42:31,433 Righteousness. 850 00:42:31,599 --> 00:42:34,833 And it's used 60 plus 851 00:42:34,833 --> 00:42:36,866 times in the book of Romans. 852 00:42:37,133 --> 00:42:40,433 Gospel power is released in salvation 853 00:42:40,433 --> 00:42:43,500 by faith, because faith activates 854 00:42:43,500 --> 00:42:46,633 the revelation of the righteousness of God. 855 00:42:46,666 --> 00:42:48,466 I don't have any righteousness. 856 00:42:48,599 --> 00:42:49,566 None. 857 00:42:49,599 --> 00:42:50,966 You don't have any righteousness. 858 00:42:51,033 --> 00:42:54,033 Nobody has any righteousness in and of 859 00:42:54,033 --> 00:42:57,400 themselves when compared to God's standard of righteousness, 860 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:58,766 but guess what God requires from us? 861 00:42:59,433 --> 00:43:02,866 He requires a perfect righteousness to 862 00:43:02,866 --> 00:43:06,166 be in his presence in heaven when we die in order to be right with him. 863 00:43:06,233 --> 00:43:10,300 And I can't be perfectly righteous on my own. 864 00:43:10,366 --> 00:43:12,233 And neither can you. 865 00:43:12,300 --> 00:43:16,199 So God has to give us his righteousness. 866 00:43:16,233 --> 00:43:18,199 Christ righteousness. 867 00:43:18,300 --> 00:43:19,933 And he does. 868 00:43:19,966 --> 00:43:23,333 Win, we, believe. 869 00:43:23,866 --> 00:43:26,866 For all believers, Jesus 870 00:43:26,866 --> 00:43:29,933 took our sin as a substitute for 871 00:43:29,933 --> 00:43:32,933 us who believe, on the cross, and when we 872 00:43:32,933 --> 00:43:36,099 believe, in exchange, God gives 873 00:43:36,099 --> 00:43:39,099 us, grants us, proclaims us, 874 00:43:39,099 --> 00:43:41,933 righteous with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 875 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:45,300 That's why the Bible says that Christ became 876 00:43:45,300 --> 00:43:48,599 sin for us, that we might 877 00:43:48,599 --> 00:43:50,466 become the righteousness of God. 878 00:43:50,566 --> 00:43:51,333 in him. 879 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:52,666 What does that Lacy say? 880 00:43:52,733 --> 00:43:56,266 He says, God treated Jesus. 881 00:43:57,033 --> 00:44:00,099 As if he had lived 882 00:44:00,099 --> 00:44:03,099 my sinful life, though 883 00:44:03,099 --> 00:44:06,766 that, he could treat me as 884 00:44:06,766 --> 00:44:10,900 if I had lived Jesus perfect, righteous life. 885 00:44:11,033 --> 00:44:13,066 That's the great exchange. 886 00:44:13,133 --> 00:44:14,266 Is that too hard to understand? 887 00:44:15,300 --> 00:44:18,300 When Paul says here, the righteousness 888 00:44:18,300 --> 00:44:21,699 of God is revealed, he doesn't mean that it's just disclosed 889 00:44:21,699 --> 00:44:24,933 to human minds, he doesn't mean that it's just spoken 890 00:44:24,933 --> 00:44:28,666 into human history, he means that it is specifically revealed 891 00:44:28,666 --> 00:44:32,400 in the action and in the operation of regeneration 892 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:34,199 and imputation. 893 00:44:34,233 --> 00:44:36,633 Every Christian needs to know what that word means. 894 00:44:36,766 --> 00:44:37,800 Imputation. 895 00:44:37,833 --> 00:44:39,266 Put on the account up. 896 00:44:39,333 --> 00:44:41,366 He imputes it to you. 897 00:44:41,433 --> 00:44:43,066 He puts it on your account. 898 00:44:43,133 --> 00:44:46,133 That is why the gospel is the power of God for everyone 899 00:44:46,133 --> 00:44:50,033 who believes, because that belief activates 900 00:44:50,033 --> 00:44:53,266 the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ to 901 00:44:53,266 --> 00:44:56,333 you, so that when you stand before God in heaven, you 902 00:44:56,333 --> 00:44:59,333 are wrapped in the robes of Christ's righteousness, put 903 00:44:59,333 --> 00:45:02,400 on your account, not your own, or you wouldn't even be there. 904 00:45:04,133 --> 00:45:08,099 The best translation is really righteousness from God. 905 00:45:08,333 --> 00:45:11,699 The righteousness from God is revealed. 906 00:45:11,933 --> 00:45:14,333 And it wouldn't matter what I believe. 907 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:16,500 I could never be righteous. 908 00:45:17,699 --> 00:45:20,533 Not in and of myself, could I? 909 00:45:20,566 --> 00:45:21,000 No. 910 00:45:21,699 --> 00:45:23,566 And neither could you. 911 00:45:23,633 --> 00:45:24,966 None of us could. 912 00:45:25,366 --> 00:45:27,599 We could believe all we wanted to. 913 00:45:27,699 --> 00:45:30,866 And we still could not be righteous according 914 00:45:30,900 --> 00:45:32,466 to God's standard of righteousness. 915 00:45:33,233 --> 00:45:36,400 Christ paid the penalty, and all of our sins were 916 00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:38,733 forgiven, yes, but that just gives us a zero. 917 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:41,033 That doesn't give us to a perfect righteousness. 918 00:45:41,133 --> 00:45:44,300 We also have to have that as well, because 919 00:45:44,333 --> 00:45:47,333 his standard is life, long, perfect obedience to the 920 00:45:47,333 --> 00:45:49,133 law, both inside and out. 921 00:45:49,199 --> 00:45:51,166 I can't be perfectly holy. 922 00:45:51,633 --> 00:45:53,866 I can't be without sin. 923 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:57,099 So God says, if 924 00:45:57,099 --> 00:45:58,133 you'll just believe in my son. 925 00:45:59,266 --> 00:46:01,800 If you'll just believe in who he is. 926 00:46:01,966 --> 00:46:05,266 If you'll just believe in 927 00:46:05,266 --> 00:46:08,866 what he did, to save your soul on my terms, 928 00:46:08,866 --> 00:46:10,966 I will grant to you my righteousness. 929 00:46:10,966 --> 00:46:14,433 That will be the righteousness that makes you right with me. 930 00:46:14,500 --> 00:46:16,533 How can God do that? 931 00:46:16,599 --> 00:46:19,599 Because Jesus has borne your penalty when you 932 00:46:19,599 --> 00:46:21,533 believe as your substitute. 933 00:46:21,599 --> 00:46:24,833 And when you believe with saving faith, guess what happened? 934 00:46:24,900 --> 00:46:28,300 He gets your penalty, he pays your price, 935 00:46:28,300 --> 00:46:30,233 and he gets, you get his righteousness. 936 00:46:31,300 --> 00:46:34,766 What better news is there than that? 937 00:46:36,300 --> 00:46:38,866 Did you know that's what the gospel means? 938 00:46:38,933 --> 00:46:40,599 The word gospel means what? 939 00:46:40,666 --> 00:46:42,333 Good news. 940 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,466 Do you know any better news than that in all of human history? 941 00:46:45,533 --> 00:46:46,133 I don't. 942 00:46:46,433 --> 00:46:49,599 Paul says in Philippians 3, 8, and 9, 943 00:46:49,599 --> 00:46:53,433 so that I may gain Christ and 944 00:46:53,433 --> 00:46:55,000 be found in him. 945 00:46:55,066 --> 00:46:55,666 Check it out. 946 00:46:55,733 --> 00:46:56,199 Here it is. 947 00:46:56,266 --> 00:46:59,633 Not having a righteousness of 948 00:46:59,633 --> 00:47:02,699 my own derived from the law. 949 00:47:02,733 --> 00:47:06,099 That means my trying to keep the law, but that 950 00:47:06,099 --> 00:47:09,699 which is through faith, in Christ, 951 00:47:09,699 --> 00:47:14,133 the righteousness which comes from God, on the basis of faith. 952 00:47:14,566 --> 00:47:17,566 I mean, I can't explain it any better that. 953 00:47:18,333 --> 00:47:21,333 That, folks, right there is 954 00:47:21,333 --> 00:47:24,166 the core of the message of the whole Christian faith. 955 00:47:24,900 --> 00:47:27,166 That's the glory of the gospel. 956 00:47:27,300 --> 00:47:30,066 That's the power of God for salvation. 957 00:47:30,333 --> 00:47:33,333 That is activated by faith, and 958 00:47:33,333 --> 00:47:36,766 that faith activates it because faith releases the manifestation 959 00:47:36,766 --> 00:47:39,933 of the righteousness of God on our behalf. 960 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:43,233 So as we close, look at verse 17 again, 961 00:47:43,233 --> 00:47:46,233 the righteousness of God is revealed, and then he 962 00:47:46,233 --> 00:47:49,233 says, from faith, to faith, as it 963 00:47:49,233 --> 00:47:52,766 is written, the righteous man shall live 964 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:54,133 by faith. 965 00:47:54,166 --> 00:47:57,033 Go look what happened to Martin Luther when he read that verse. 966 00:47:57,099 --> 00:47:58,233 Look it up. 967 00:47:58,300 --> 00:48:00,566 From faith, to faith. 968 00:48:00,633 --> 00:48:04,066 In context, here is parallel with the idea, 969 00:48:04,066 --> 00:48:05,566 and everybody that believes. 970 00:48:05,699 --> 00:48:07,266 Jews and Gentiles. 971 00:48:07,300 --> 00:48:10,599 In other words, from faith, to faith, to faith, to faith, everybody's faith, 972 00:48:10,599 --> 00:48:13,766 everybody who exercises saving faith, no limitations 973 00:48:13,800 --> 00:48:16,866 at all, all nations, all people groups, all 974 00:48:16,866 --> 00:48:19,900 everybody, Jews, and Gentiles, who believes, just like 975 00:48:19,900 --> 00:48:20,933 it was in the Old Testament. 976 00:48:21,033 --> 00:48:22,466 And what does he do right here? 977 00:48:22,500 --> 00:48:26,333 He quotes, Abachic 2 4, but the righteous will 978 00:48:26,333 --> 00:48:29,400 live by his faith, Old 979 00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:30,766 Testament. 980 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:32,199 That's nothing new. 981 00:48:32,266 --> 00:48:35,733 Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for what? 982 00:48:35,866 --> 00:48:38,133 Righteousness, right? 983 00:48:38,566 --> 00:48:41,733 Not the labor of my hands can fulfill 984 00:48:41,733 --> 00:48:42,866 the lost demands. 985 00:48:42,933 --> 00:48:44,366 Could my zeal, no anger? 986 00:48:44,433 --> 00:48:46,900 No, could my tears forever flow? 987 00:48:46,966 --> 00:48:50,866 All for sin could not atone, and what's next? 988 00:48:50,866 --> 00:48:54,233 Thou must save, and thou alone. 989 00:48:54,333 --> 00:48:55,766 That's why we sing the hymns. 990 00:48:56,699 --> 00:48:59,766 So let's wrap it up. 991 00:48:59,866 --> 00:49:04,533 Paul in these, just 2 verses, presents 992 00:49:04,533 --> 00:49:06,633 the theme of the gospel, power. 993 00:49:06,833 --> 00:49:08,400 Salvation. 994 00:49:08,933 --> 00:49:12,300 Hey, righteousness. 995 00:49:12,333 --> 00:49:15,633 those four words, that is, the message, 996 00:49:15,633 --> 00:49:19,000 folks, of true biblical Christianity. 997 00:49:19,066 --> 00:49:22,066 And more than ever, this is what 998 00:49:22,066 --> 00:49:25,233 needs to be coming from the pulpits of our nation if 999 00:49:25,233 --> 00:49:26,900 we're ever going to have revival in this country. 1000 00:49:27,033 --> 00:49:30,333 This is what has to be preached from our pulpits. 1001 00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:31,300 Pray 1002 00:49:32,133 --> 00:49:35,866 that God will continue to 1003 00:49:35,866 --> 00:49:38,933 sustain our little church here on the corner of Hooper 1004 00:49:38,933 --> 00:49:42,233 and love it, so that we, by 1005 00:49:42,233 --> 00:49:45,466 God's sovereign grace alone can continue to thunder from 1006 00:49:45,466 --> 00:49:48,533 this pulpit, God's gospel, 1007 00:49:48,533 --> 00:49:51,066 in all of its magnificent gore. 1008 00:49:51,166 --> 00:49:53,199 and that we never get tired. 1009 00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:55,966 And that we never get weak. 1010 00:49:56,266 --> 00:49:59,333 And that we never give in to 1011 00:49:59,333 --> 00:50:02,400 compromise in order to draw a 1012 00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:05,466 cloud, and that we will 1013 00:50:05,466 --> 00:50:08,566 always Philippians chapter 3, verse 1014 00:50:08,566 --> 00:50:11,733 14, press on toward the 1015 00:50:11,733 --> 00:50:14,866 goal for the prize of the upward call of 1016 00:50:14,866 --> 00:50:17,733 God in Christ, Jesus. 1017 00:50:17,866 --> 00:50:19,066 Let's pray. 1018 00:50:19,199 --> 00:50:22,433 By the way, thank you today for the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1019 00:50:23,433 --> 00:50:26,433 It is the most important, significant, 1020 00:50:26,433 --> 00:50:29,800 glorious, eternal destiny, 1021 00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:32,433 message that there is. 1022 00:50:33,099 --> 00:50:35,500 And either you believe it or you don't. 1023 00:50:36,466 --> 00:50:39,599 Either you believe it on God's terms, 1024 00:50:39,599 --> 00:50:42,699 on Christ terms, or you 1025 00:50:42,699 --> 00:50:45,033 perish, forever, and hell. 1026 00:50:45,333 --> 00:50:48,800 I pray you would take the word preach, combined with the power of 1027 00:50:48,833 --> 00:50:51,900 the Spirit, and do your work here this day. 1028 00:50:51,933 --> 00:50:55,233 We pray that all that we've done from start to finish has 1029 00:50:55,233 --> 00:50:59,000 been done such a way from your church today to bring you maximum 1030 00:50:59,033 --> 00:51:00,699 glory. 1031 00:51:00,766 --> 00:51:01,599 In Jesus' name we pray. 1032 00:51:01,666 --> 00:51:02,133 Amen.