Willow Ridge Sermons

November 9th, 2025 • “And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly." – Daniel 9:15


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Host
Beau Bradberry
Senior Pastor

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Good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in

Daniel chapter 9 this morning. If you are a first-time guest with us, we are so grateful and

glad that you're here. And at the end of the service, you wouldn't mind stopping by our

connections table. My wife and I will be back there. We would love to meet you. We would love

to greet you. We would love to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to worship

with us today. And if you have any questions about Willow Ridge Church, we would love to be able to

answer those for you. Well, we are still in Daniel chapter 9. We are coming to the end or to the

close here in the next several weeks of Daniel. We'll actually come out of Daniel into our Christmas

series. And so what we're going to look at this morning as we're going to finish up chapter 9,

but we're also going to take a little bit and kind of look back into what we talked about last week to

help us set the stage for what God has for us this morning as we talk about prayer. Now, what I would

like to challenge you to do is in just a moment, I'm going to read a verse from last week of Daniel's

prayer. And then we will go into our time of prayer before we get into the message. But what I would

like for you to do, kind of as God's Word has led us and instructed us to do, sometimes when someone

comes up on stage and pray, and we should do this, right? Like we listen to their prayer. But what we

find largely in what Daniel is praying for is Daniel is praying for not only his repentance, but for the

repentance of his people. And so as we go into this, what I would like to challenge you to do is while I

pray, take some time in repentance and confession. Maybe you feel led to pray for our church. Maybe you feel

led to pray for our country, our community. Maybe you feel led to pray for you and in repentance for

what you have, for what you're walking through, through what you're facing. But what I would love

for us to be in unity as a church is ready and prepared for the Word of what that God would have

for us, and that nothing to slow us or inhibit us. And so as we go to the Lord, can we go to the Lord

together in repentance and confession before Him? We read Daniel 9.15.

And now, O Lord, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand,

and have made a name for Yourself, as at this day we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

Would You join me as we pray together?

God, we thank You for the mighty work of Your hand in our salvation.

God, You called us. You saved us.

It was in the work of the cross that Christ paid the price for us.

And it was Your hand as You drew us to Yourself.

And God, may we take time to pause, Lord, to thank You.

God, as we reflect on our salvation, could we also, Lord, reflect on the sin that You've

saved us from, but, Lord, still often the sin that we pursue, and the sin that we crave,

and the sin that we desire.

Lord, may we repent before You for every wandering of the heart.

May we repent before You for every evil thought of the mind.

God, could we repent before You for every wicked deed of the body.

God, not just for myself, but for us.

God, we come before You as Your people.

Lord, we thank You for Your forgiveness that is given freely to us, but at a cost precious to You.

God, with all that is done and all that is said, Lord, may You be glorified and Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

And it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Well, continuing on in what we've not only seen last week, but what we've seen over the last several weeks

is a theme, a pattern, a consistency in the life of Daniel, is that Daniel is a man of prayer.

We know that Daniel is a man of resilience.

We know that Daniel is a man of action.

We know that Daniel is a man of godly character.

But Daniel is a man of prayer.

We've seen this from him in Daniel chapter 2 and in Daniel chapter 6 are kind of the big ones of what we see,

that Daniel came before the Lord so that he could be delivered, not just the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream,

but also the dream itself in Daniel 2.

We see in Daniel 6 that it is Daniel's prayer of his time of coming before the Lord,

even though the king at the time had banished that and said,

if you do this, you will face the lion's den.

But Daniel was faithful in who he is, and this is what Daniel does.

And so last week, we kind of looked at this life of Daniel.

We looked at his prayer specifically of what it's given to us.

And I want us just to take a few minutes to kind of look back on some of the main themes from last week,

because what we're going to get this week is the answer to that prayer.

And I don't know about you, but sometimes I've got to be reminded of things.

And so it was a great reminder for me this week as we prepare to hear the answer to Daniel's prayer.

Now, he is speaking to the Holy Scriptures, specifically the prophet Jeremiah.

And what we saw, what we began on, is that prayer is a response to God's word and submission to God's will.

What we see here is Daniel is in God's word.

He's in Jeremiah, and as a result of his studying of God's word,

it draws him in response to who God is.

And we're going to look at this very important,

because what we're going to find in these next verses of 20 through 27 is the will and the plan of God.

And so Daniel comes before, sees that this is what God has,

thinking as he's studying in Jeremiah that the 70 years of exile that Jerusalem is under

is coming to an end, because this is where Daniel finds himself.

And so he comes before the Lord in repentance for the people so that they can be prepared to be saved,

to be redeemed, to be freed from the exile in which they find themselves.

But it's also in Daniel conforming, not just to the word and to the will of God.

And so for us, when we find it difficult sometimes to pray, can we begin in God's word?

To be a person of prayer, we also must be a person of scripture and faithful to that.

So prayer is a response to God's word and who he is and a submission to his will.

And we'll talk more about that here in just a moment.

But then we also see in Daniel 9 verse 3,

Then I turned my face to the Lord.

Right?

So this is an internal determining of the heart which will play out physically in the life of Daniel.

Then I turned my face to the Lord, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

And so what we find in here is that prayer is a humble persistence.

That yes, do I take the moments and speak to God as the spirit of God leads me throughout the day?

Absolutely.

Do I take the time as I'm driving in the car, as I'm interacting, as I'm sitting at my office,

as I'm out having a meal, as I'm doing these things to speak to the Lord, to pray without ceasing?

Absolutely I do.

But what we find actually in that phrase of praying without ceasing,

it's not an imagery of these short, sporadic prayers,

but it's actually the picture of a marathoner.

It's with endurance.

Pray with endurance is what we're called to be.

So there is a persistence.

There's a determination.

As Daniel comes to these scriptures in Jeremiah,

he doesn't just become before the Lord and go,

Okay, God, well, here's what you're going to do, and God, I'm okay with it.

That Daniel has a determination within himself.

That what we find in here, that Daniel turns his face in intentionality

away from the brokenness of the world, away from the brokenness of his heart,

and he turns himself to the Lord.

He seeks him with fasting of saying,

God, you're all that I need.

You're all that I depend on.

And he covers himself in sackcloth and ashes.

A physical picture of mourning, symbolic of repentance.

Like, sometimes we can pray and acknowledge sin,

but that doesn't mean that we've prayed and repented of our sin.

I know that oftentimes in my life,

my heart can be so calloused,

and I can be so lackadaisical with my prayers,

that I may acknowledge the sin that I just did.

I acknowledge that it was wrong.

I acknowledge that I shouldn't have done it.

But like a three-year-old who got their hand caught in the cookie jar,

I'm not truly broken for the sin that's in me.

That takes hard work.

That takes determination.

That takes a humbling of the Spirit before God.

I'm not saying don't have the conversation with the Lord.

But what I am saying is that there should be a posturing of the Spirit

and maybe even a physical posturing of the body

in reverence before Him.

So we see this humble persistence.

We continue on and we see I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession.

This is verses 4 and 5.

I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession saying,

O Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant

and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Okay, so God makes covenant,

and then God calls us after He's made covenant with us.

This is important.

This is great Old Testament and New Testament biblical theology.

That as God makes covenant with His people,

He then says, and these are my commandments to follow.

God doesn't say follow my commandments

so that I will make covenant with you.

God says, I have made covenant with you.

Now follow my commandments.

And so verse 5,

God, here's what you've done.

You keep covenant.

You keep love.

But verse 5,

but we have sinned and done wrong.

We have acted wickedly and rebelled,

turning aside from your commandments and rules.

So here, like Daniel, the man of character,

the man of prayer,

the man of integrity,

in and amongst,

not only in a rebellious culture

in which he finds himself,

but Daniel in a part of a rebellious people

who find themselves in exile.

Let's never forget this.

Who finds themselves in exile

because they rebelled from the commands of God.

And God said,

hey, you're going to go into exile unless you repent.

And they wouldn't repent.

And then God would say it again.

And this is the prophets leading all the way up through.

God's saying, repent, repent, repent.

And them saying, no, no, no.

And so what we find here with Daniel

is Daniel comes.

Prayer is a confession of self

and a cry for God's people.

We have sinned.

We have done wrong.

You see, for Daniel, it's not a they problem.

For Daniel, it's not just a me problem.

For Daniel, it's a we problem.

And so Daniel just doesn't come before the Lord

and confess his sin.

But Daniel comes before the Lord

from a rebellious people

and confesses and cries out for the people of God.

And then lastly, what we looked at last week,

verses 15 through 16.

And now, O Lord, our God,

who brought your people out of the land of Egypt

with a mighty hand

and have made a name for yourself,

as at this day we have sinned

and we have done wickedly.

Verse 16.

O Lord, according to all your righteous acts,

let your anger and your wrath

turn away from your city, Jerusalem,

your holy hill,

because of our sins

and for the iniquities of our fathers,

Jerusalem and your people

have become a byword

among all who are around us.

And what we find is that prayer

is dependent on the character of God.

You see, when you read Daniel's prayer,

you read things like,

God have mercy.

God forgive.

And it can feel like Daniel

is forcing the hand of God.

That Daniel is saying,

God, you better do this.

God, you better do that.

Well, that's not what he's doing.

Daniel's not the boss of God.

Daniel doesn't get to tell God what to do.

But at the same time,

it's more than a question

of God can you,

of God will you.

You see, what we find in Daniel

is there's a layer of confidence

in that this is what God will do

because this is what God has said

he will do.

Daniel says, God, you've saved us.

You've brought us.

You've made a name for yourself.

We have done wickedly.

Let your anger and wrath, Lord,

turn away.

You've said they will.

Have mercy on us, your people.

You've said you will.

Forgive us.

You've said that you will.

You see, looking back at what we talked about

from the very beginning,

centered in God's word,

submitted to God's will.

Prayer is dependent on the character of God.

Here's what you and I need to understand

about prayer.

I know that I need to learn this.

Prayer is not how do I get God

to do what I want God to do.

How many of you,

if you're being honest,

would say that that can be

how your prayers are

from time to time?

I know that's how I often pray.

God, I just need you to do

what I want you to do.

God, I need you to act

how I want you to act.

God, I need you to do for me

what I desire for you to do for me.

And like a child writing their list to Santa Claus,

I oftentimes find myself

in the same positioning of the heart,

sinfully coming before God.

But prayer is not that.

Prayer is how do I align my heart

and will with the heart and will of God?

How do I align?

My heart is off.

My will is off.

God, your heart is good.

God, your will is perfect.

How do I align me with you?

I don't need to get God over to my team.

I don't need to get God on my side of the road.

The problem in my relationship is not Him.

The problem in my relationship is me.

So how do I get myself over here?

How do I pray like Jesus taught me how to pray?

In Matthew 6.10,

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount,

in His teaching to pray,

He says,

Your will be done on earth as it is heaven.

God, move and transform my heart.

Submit me to Your will

so that I'm in alignment with You.

Daniel is reading in the prophet Jeremiah.

He sees in an understanding

that a 70-year time frame

is how long that His people will be in exile.

He begins to do the math

and sees within a handful of years

this is over.

And so then Daniel responds in prayer.

So now let's pick up in verse 20

where we left off last week.

We read 20-23.

Daniel writes and says,

While I was speaking and praying,

confessing my sin

and the sin of my people Israel

in presenting my plea

before the Lord my God

for the holy hill of my God,

while I was speaking in prayer,

the man Gabriel,

whom I had seen in a vision at first,

came to me in swift flight

at the time of the evening sacrifice.

He made me understand,

speaking with me and saying,

O Daniel,

I have now come to give to you

insight and understanding.

At the beginning of your pleas

for mercy,

a word went out

and I have come to tell it to you

for you are greatly loved.

Therefore, consider the word

and understand the vision.

Here's what I want you to see

that will happen here

in this section of Scripture,

that this is what God had for Daniel

and what I believe the reminder

that God has for us today

if you're a follower of Jesus Christ.

If you are not a follower

of Jesus Christ,

I got some good news for you

as it's a reminder for us.

God hears your prayers

and God loves you.

God hears your prayers

and God loves you.

What's about to happen

in the remainder of chapter 9

is one of the hardest passages

in the Bible to understand.

And before we tiptoe down those waters,

I want to read to you

from one of the,

this is one of the commentaries

that I'm reading through right now.

Great commentary series,

Christ-centered expositions.

They're wonderful.

If you're looking for some books

to kind of help you read,

they've got a ton of these.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

But a guy named Alistair Begg

who's like way smarter

than I ever dreamed

or hoped that I could be.

Here's what he says

about Daniel 9, 20 through 27.

In what follows,

I reserve the right

to change my mind

later this evening

and as often as necessary

for the rest of my life

until I finally settle the matter.

What I'm about to now unfold for you

will annoy some,

disappoint others,

confuse many,

and perhaps encourage a few.

What I hope to do this morning

with a very complicated passage

of Scripture

is not anger any,

not annoy some,

but encourage us.

And in this passage of Scripture,

we can argue through

what it may say

instead of finding the truth

of what it does say.

And as I studied,

I love the beauty

of what Daniel said,

or I'm sorry,

what Gabriel says to Daniel

in chapter 9, verse 23.

It says,

At the beginning

of your pleas

for mercy,

a word went out.

And I have come

to tell it to you,

for you

are greatly

loved.

Daniel's praying,

and God hears him.

Daniel

is a man

with sin,

and yet

God

loves him.

First thing

I want you to hear

this morning

to be reminded of

is that God hears you.

God hears you.

I know sometimes

because of our limitations,

it may feel like

God doesn't hear us.

It may feel like

God doesn't care.

But every cry,

every confession,

every question,

every praise,

every moment of silence,

God hears you.

This is remarkable

to think of.

Just imagine,

and let's please

don't do this,

but imagine if right now

we all started talking

at the same time.

If every one of us

in a low mumble

began to speak

to the person

next to us.

If it started

with a few,

maybe we could

narrow down

and hear what they're saying,

but as it would go

on and on

and on,

the low mumble

would turn

into loud gibberish,

and even though

we are in the room

with one another,

you would find it difficult

to listen to

the person beside you

because of the distraction

of the person

behind you.

Yet in our world,

there are currently

of what's known

7,159 languages.

Within those

7,159 languages,

there's millions

of different dialects,

and right now,

if a or many

represented from each

one of those dialects

began to pray

and cry out to God

all at the same time,

God would hear,

would know,

and would understand

every single word.

word.

Church,

please take

to your heart

what this means

for you and I.

That we have

the wonderful blessing

to not go to God

and hope He hears us,

but we have the privilege

as His sons

and daughters

to go to God

and know

and know

without a doubt

that He

hears us.

Every cry,

every question,

every praise,

every bit

of it,

He

hears

us.

But then secondly,

secondly,

it's not just

that God

hears you,

but that God

loves you.

That God

loves you.

You ever

had the joy

or the frustration

of having to call

customer service?

I feel

bad

for people

and if you work

in a customer service

line of work

where you are the one

that has to take

the phone call,

my heart

breaks for you

because it's

very evident

99 times

out of 100

that the person

who answers

the phone

is telling you

that they care

when they really

do not.

They are not

under obligation

to answer the call.

They're under

obligation to listen.

They're under

obligation

to do the best

that they can

to fix

the problem

that you have.

I won't say

the name

of the company

but years ago

we were moving.

We were moving

to the house

that we are

currently in

and there's

utility service

that you have

the opportunity

to choose

which utility

service you

would like.

And I was

there and I was

waiting on a day

for this utility

service to come

to our house

so that our house

could function

the way that it

needed to

and this utility

service was

supposed to come

around noon

and we needed

this utility

service to be

there around noon

and so I was

there and I was

there early

and I was there

late and they

never came.

And so the next

day I called

and they said

yes sir

we're sorry sir

we'll be there

now this is in

like early September

and so I said

okay that's fine

no big deal

we'll see you

tomorrow.

So tomorrow

I go

and I wait

and they don't

come again.

And so I called

back and they

said sir

we're so sorry

we'll be there

next week.

And I said

but we can't

be there next

week.

We need it

today or tomorrow

and they said

sir that's the

best we can do.

Okay.

So next week

comes guess

what?

They don't come.

We're now in

the second week

of September.

I called them

and again

I said

so we're still

waiting you know

like I hope

you're having

a good day.

We're going

to love

through this

right?

Can you

come today?

And they're

like well we

can't.

When can you

come?

I kid you

not.

Their answer

was the day

before Thanksgiving.

And I said

well we got a

problem.

We can't do

that.

So can I

talk is there

anyone who

can help me

get that day

sooner than

the day before

Thanksgiving?

And they

said yes.

And I said

I'd love to

talk to that

person.

So they

connected me to

a person and

that person

said no we

can't.

And then I

said well is

there someone

who can?

And they

said yes.

And I

said can I

talk to that

person?

This happened

seven times.

Now in my

preacher brain

I'm knowing

like this is

going to be an

illustration one

day right?

so my

guy answers

the phone.

You know

what I mean

like he's

having a

good day.

And you

can tell

he's just

he's all

smiles.

He's looking

forward to his

lunch break.

You know

what I mean?

And I

said can I

ask you a

question?

He said yes

sir.

And I

said if I

ask you if

there's someone

else who can

move up the

day from the

day before

Thanksgiving to

today are

you going to

tell me yes?

He said yes

sir I am.

I said can I

ask you another

question?

He said yes

sir.

I said does

that person

actually exist?

He said no

sir he does

not.

And I

said thank

you.

He's like well

what are you

going to do

about your

problem?

I said I

think I'm

going to go

to your

competitor.

He said

that's what

I would do

that's what

I did too.

My guy.

I just had

to get to

him man.

I just had

to get to

him.

Everybody

else was

obligated.

They're like I'm

so sorry.

I hate that.

I can't believe

that you're

having to do

these things.

They didn't

care.

They didn't

care.

My guy

cared.

He loved

me.

It's not

just that God

hears you.

God loves

you.

You see his

love is not

out of his

obligation.

It's not out

of his job.

It's out of

his character

of who

he is.

Why does

God love

Daniel?

Why does

God love

you?

Why does

God love

me?

God loves

Daniel.

God loves

you.

God loves

me.

Because 1

John 4

8 tells us

that God

is love.

That's who

he is.

But you

might be

thinking but

but I

might be

unlovable.

I'm not a

Christian.

I don't

believe the

things that

you believe.

Well here's

what I'll

tell you that

God still

loves you.

Because

John 3

16.

Right?

Not only is

God is love

but God so

loved the

world.

God so

loved the

world that

he sent

his son

Jesus to

die for

you.

And God

does that

not because

God is

obligated to

not because

God's forced

into a corner

to but he

does so

because that's

who he

is.

God loves

you.

Right?

So God

loves us.

Each and

every one

of us.

And when

he hears

you,

when he

hears you,

his position

is love.

So God's

going to

answer

Daniel.

God's

going to

answer

Daniel.

And it's

going to

be a

complicated

answer.

Remember

Daniel was

believing

that this

exile will

come to

an end.

Daniel was

believing

that what

he's been

longing for

or what

he's been

hoping for

that Daniel

at an

old age

Daniel

like

Daniel

recognizes

within himself

that his

years are so

limited in

age that

he might

not see

this.

But he's

still hopeful

for it.

He's still

hopeful.

And so

God gives

Daniel

his answer.

Let's

read

verses 24

through 27.

And I'm

just going to

tell you

ahead of

time.

These are

these verses.

These are

these verses

that Alistair

Begg was

talking about.

These are

the verses

that get

complicated.

But we're

going to

pull the

truth of

what God

has from

them.

Seventy

weeks are

decreed about

your people.

in your

holy city

to finish

the

transgression.

To put

an end

to sin

and to

atone

for

iniquity.

To bring

in everlasting

righteousness.

To seal

both vision

and profit

and to

anoint

a most

holy

place.

know

therefore

and

understand

that

from the

going

out

of the

word

to

restore

and

build

Jerusalem

to

the

coming

of the

anointed

one

a

prince

there

shall

be

seven

weeks.

Then

for

sixty-two

weeks

it

shall

be

built

again

with

squares

and

moat

but

in

a

troubled

time

and

after

the

sixty-two

weeks

an

anointed

one

shall

be

cut

off

shall

have

nothing

and

the

people

of

the

prince

who

is

to

come

shall

destroy

the

city

and

the

sanctuary

its

end

shall

come

with

a

flood

and

to

the

end

there

shall

be

war

desolations

are

decreed

and

he

shall

make

a

strong

covenant

with

many

for

one

week

and

for

half

of

the

week

he

shall

put

an

end

to

sacrifice

and

offering

and

on

the

wing

of

abominations

shall

come

one

who

makes

desolate

until

the

decreed

end

is

poured

out

on

the

desolator

so

here's

what we

begin

to

see

Daniel

comes

before

the

Lord

thinking

that

all

of

this

will

come

to

an

end

and

God

gives

clarity

to

Daniel

what

we

see

here's

some

things

that

we

can

draw

from

to

help

us

kind

of

understand

big

picture

what's

being

communicated

in

this

from

God

to

Daniel

in

verses

24

through

27

the

sevens

here

represent

not

weeks

but

years

and

so

what

we

find

in

the

70

there's

a

seven

times

70

pattern

of

what's

there

when

you

look

at

ancient

Hebrew

writing

and

so

the

time

referred

to

will

not

be

one

of

seven

or

of

70

but

of

490

years

the

prophecy

speaks

to

the

rebuilding

of

Jerusalem

as

given

to

Ezra

and

or

Nehemiah

it

speaks

to the

coming

of

Christ

to

his

earthly

ministry

and

to

his

crucifixion

and

it

foreshadows

the

end

times

and

we

see

it

spanned

over

a

quarter

of

weeks

broken

up

into

a

seven

week

62

week

an

undetermined

time

period

and

then

a

one

week

now

here's

what

becomes

extremely

difficult

within

this

it's

figuring

out

the

numbers

figuring

out

the

numbers

this

morning

during

our

nine

o'clock

study

the

group

of

just

faithful

that

love

the

Lord

that

have

been

with

me

and

they've

been

enduring

with

me

not

that

the

rest

of

you

don't

love

the

Lord

but

I'm

seeing

their

relationship

as I'm

trying to

talk about

eschatology

with them

and I said

I'm

challenging

myself

today

to walk

all the

way

through

from

verse

one

of

revelation

to the

very

end

of

revelation

in

40

minutes

do

you

think

I

did

it

it

took

me

47

47

and we

didn't

get it

all

we

didn't

get it

all

and I

said

we're

not

going

to

get

it

all

but

what

we

want

to

get

is

we

want

to

get

these

big

picture

ideas

as we

go

forward

over

the

next

three

weeks

so we

can

begin

to

peel

back

and get

some

understanding

of what's

there

and in

my

conversations

with

one

of

the

individuals

afterwards

she

said

just a

beautiful

encouragement

to me

she said

you know

sometimes

I feel

like

we

want

to

focus

in

on

the

confusing

parts

of

what's

there

instead

of

clinging

to

the

truth

that

God's

making

known

to

us

be

honest

with

you

I've

spent

more

time

and

more

pages

over

the

last

several

weeks

trying

to

figure

out

a

handful

of

verses

that's

here

when

the

truth

in

my

limited

capacity

in

my

limited

sanctification

in

my

limited

intelligence

brings

me to

that

Daniel

9

amen

church

like

points us

to

Jesus

it

points us

to

Jesus

and it's

a great

encouragement

for those

of us

who are

in

Christ

but I

also

want it

to be

an

encouragement

for you

if you're

here

and you

don't

know

Christ

that

he'll

hear

you

and that

he loves

you

I believe

that these

four verses

have four

things that

stand out

that I

want to

point you

toward

this

morning

number

one

I believe

that it

says that

God has

a plan

to save

sinful

people

number

one

that God

has a

plan

to save

sinful

people

there's

times

there's

rebuilding

a temple

there's

rebuilding

a city

there's

rebuilding

the things

that need

to be

done

that are

talked to

and referenced

but it

says that

there's a

savior

who's to

come

and a

savior

comes

for obvious

reasons

to save

because no

one

on the

earth

both

then

or today

can save

themselves

and so

God

has a

plan

to save

sinful

people

Romans

3 23

if you're

like but

why are you

pointing fingers

at me

telling me

that I'm

a sinful

person

because

the Bible

says

and so

I believe

that all

have sinned

both you

me

your grandma

my mom

my wife

my son

my daughter

everybody

else

that all

have sinned

and fallen

short of

the glory

of God

Daniel

has sinned

and fallen

short of

the glory

of God

you have

sinned

and fallen

short of

the glory

of God

I have

sinned

and fallen

short of

the glory

of God

and the

main

concern

about that

with us

is Paul

later

tells us

in Romans

6 23

for the

wages

of sin

is death

for the

wages

of sin

is death

and it's

speaking to

an eternal

death

and so

God

as he

saves

his people

the wonderful

theme

of what we

see throughout

all scripture

that as

God

saves

people

that God

has a plan

to save

you

and God

has a plan

to save

me

and what's

his plan

what's

his plan

number

two

God

is going

to deal

with sin

through the

sacrifice

of Jesus

God's

going to

deal

with sin

through the

sacrifice

of Jesus

Daniel 9

points us

to this

of who

will come

and what

he will

do

one of my

favorite

Old Testament

prophets

is Isaiah

one of my

favorite

passages

of scripture

is Isaiah

53

and in

that

Isaiah

writes

but he

was pierced

for

whose

transgressions

our

transgressions

he was

crushed

for whose

iniquities

ours

upon him

was the

chastisement

that brought

us

peace

and with

his

wounds

we

are

healed

God says

I got a

plan

and the

plan

is

Jesus

and here's

what

Jesus

is going

to do

Jesus

is going

to die

for you

he's going

to die

for you

he's not

showing up

with gold

that someone

sent him

he's not

showing up

with a list

of check

these boxes

to right

these wrongs

Jesus

saying there's

nothing

that can

be given

in order

to

appease

the holiness

of God

for the

wickedness

of your

heart

except

for

Jesus

and so

God has

a plan

and his

plan

is his

son

his

son

and he

sends

him

to

save

you

the third

thing

that we

see

in here

is that

God will

judge

all

God

will

judge

all

but

Bo

I'm

good

I'm

good

but

Bo

I do

good

things

but

Bo

I do

religious

things

like

don't

you

understand

like

this

is

who

I

am

like

I

give

to

people

I

love

people

I

serve

people

well can I tell you

apart from

Christ

in the world

of giving

trophies

great

but apart

from Christ

when it

comes to

eternity

it just

doesn't

matter

it just

doesn't

matter

apart

from

Christ

here's

what

Jesus

says

in

Matthew

7

21

through

23

not

everyone

who

says

to me

Lord

Lord

will

enter

the

kingdom

of

heaven

but

the

one

who

does

the

will

of

my

father

who

is

in

heaven

on

that

day

many

will

say

to

me

Lord

Lord

do

we

not

prophesy

in

your

name

and

cast

out

demons

in

your

name

and

how

many

mighty

works

in

your

name

and

then

I

will

declare

to

them

I

never

knew

you

depart

from

me

you

workers

of

lawlessness

remember

it's

covenant

it's

relationship

and

then

obedience

if

anyone

ever

tells

you

if

anyone

ever

tells

you

that

in

order

to

be

in

covenant

relationship

with

God

here's

what

you

must

do

first

don't

listen

it's

not

about

the

work

it's

about

God

it's

not

about

what

you

must

do

it's

about

what

a

savior

has

done

and

that's

how

we

come

to

him

but

then

from

that

from

that's

the

heart

of

obedience

and

said

but

Lord

here's

what

we

did

we

prophesied

in

your

name

we

cast

out

demons

in

your

name

we

did

these

mighty

works

in

your

name

but

Jesus

says

but

you

weren't

in

me

you

weren't

in

me

Paul

writes

to

the

church

in

Philippi

in

Philippians

3

and

here's

what

he

says

about

himself

for

we

are

the

circumcision

who

worship

by the

spirit

of

God

and

glory

in

Christ

Jesus

and

put

no

confidence

in

the

flesh

though

though

I

myself

have

reason

for

confidence

in

the

flesh

also

if

anyone

else

thinks

he

has

reason

for

confidence

in

flesh

here's

what

Paul

says

I

have

more

Paul

says

if

you

think

you're

obedient

I've

been

more

obedient

circumcised

on the

eighth

day

of

the

people

of

Israel

of

the

tribe

of

Benjamin

a

Hebrew

of

Hebrews

as

to

the

law

a

Pharisee

as

to

zeal

a

persecutor

of

the

church

as

to

righteousness

under

the

law

blameless

but

whatever

gain

I

had

as

loss

for

the

sake

of

Christ

indeed

I

count

everything

as

loss

because

of

the

surpassing

worth

of

knowing

Christ

Jesus

my

Lord

for

his

sake

I

have

suffered

the

loss

of

all

things

and

count

them

rubbish

in

order

that

I

might

gain

Christ

and

be

found

in

him

not

having

a

righteousness

of

my

own

that

comes

from

the

law

but

that

which

comes

through

faith

in

Christ

the

righteousness

from

God

that

depends

on

faith

that

I

may

know

him

that

by

any

means

possible

I

may

attain

the

resurrection

from

the

dead

here's

what he

says

in

Galatians

2

19

through

20

for

through

the

law

I

died

to

the

law

so

that

I

might

live

to

God

Paul

says

you

gotta

die

you

gotta

die

you

gotta

die

in

order

to

live

he

says

I've

been

crucified

with

Christ

I've

been

crucified

with

Christ

so

here's

what

happened

for

those

of

you

in

faith

in

Christ

Jesus

here's

what

is

beautiful

of what

God

did

for

you

in

your

salvation

even

though

man

man

your

birth

is

a

long

way

after

that

you

died

with

him

with

him

you

died

I've

been

crucified

with

Christ

so

now

it

is

no

longer

I

who

live

but

who

Christ

who

lives

in

me

and

the

life

I

now

live

in

the

flesh

I

live

by

faith

in

the

son

of

God

who

loved

me

and

gave

himself

up

for

me

in

order to

live

I

must

die

and

there's

not a

work

that a

dead

man

can

do

to bring

himself

back to

life

is

found

in

Christ

and

in

Christ

alone

and

the

last

God

will

destroy

his

enemies

God

will

destroy

his

enemies

we

see

the

antichrist

in

this

passage

the

little

horn

reference

back

to

Daniel

chapter

seven

from

a few

weeks

ago

God

says

he's

going

to

have

his

time

he's

going

to

have

his

reign

he's

going

to

have

his

rule

but

enduring

his

reign

he

will

exalt

himself

he

will

forbid

worship

of

God

he

will

promote

idolatry

but

in

the

end

he

will

come

to

an

end

Daniel

9

27

says

that

decreed

end

is

poured

out

on the

desolator

see

God

will

judge

I

say

this

in

compassion

and

in

honesty

if you

don't

believe

that

I'm

sorry

but

God

will

judge

and

in

his

judgment

there's

the

righteous

and

the

unrighteous

and

what

makes

you

righteous

is

not

you

it's

Jesus

and

it

doesn't

come

because

you've

earned

it

it

doesn't

come

because

you've

worked

for

it

it

doesn't

come

because

you

deserved

it

in

fact

what

you

and

I

have

worked

for

what

you

and

I

have

earned

what

you

and

I

have

deserved

is

the

wrong

side

of

judgment

but

he

offers

he

offers

through

Christ

and

through

Christ

alone

righteousness

and

judgment

my

question

for

you

today

is

on

what

side

of

judgment

will

will

you

fall

on

what

side

of

judgment

will

you

fall

the

older

I

get

I

used to

think

every year

was a

blessing

now

it

feels

like

every

breath

is

and

we're

not

promised

not

just

not

tomorrow

but

we're

not

promised

the

next

moment

and

the

most

critical

question

of

your

heart

in

understanding

the

impact

of

the

moment

should

be

where

do

I

stand

with

Jesus

have

I

made

the

choice

to

follow

him

to

acknowledge

that

I'm

a

sinner

who

needs

a

savior

and

to

know

that

that

only

savior

is

Jesus

I'm

going to

ask the

worship

team

if

they'll

come

back

on

stage

this

morning

as

they

come

I

want

to

read

to

you

what

Paul

wrote

first

Timothy

chapter

two

says

first

of

all

then

I

urge

with

supplications

prayers

intercessions

and

thanksgiving

be made

for all

people

for

kings

and all

who are

in high

positions

that

we may

lead

a peaceful

and quiet

life

godly

and

dignified

in every

way

this

is

good

and

it

is

pleasing

in

the

sight

of

God

our

savior

who

desires

all

people

to

be

saved

and

come

to

the

knowledge

of

the

truth

for

there

is

one

god

and

there

is

one

mediator

between

god

and

men

the

man

christ

jesus

who

gave

himself

as a

ransom

for

all

which

is

the

testimony

given

at the

proper

time

that's

that's

that's

it

for

this

week's

message

be

sure

to

check

back

next

week

for

a

new

episode

and

in

the

meantime

you

can

visit

us

online

at

willowridgechurch.org

or by

searching for

Willowridge Church

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and YouTube

thanks again

for listening

and YouTube