WEBVTT 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.088 Hey, what a great day. 00:00:06.224 --> 00:00:10.240 Cool that we get to hang out this morning together and continue our 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:11.848 journey through the Book of Romans, 00:00:11.848 --> 00:00:13.828 the letter to the Roman Church. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:15.352 And I'm excited. 00:00:15.416 --> 00:00:19.360 These are the two verses that we dealt with about four weeks ago. 00:00:19.360 --> 00:00:22.344 We've kind of already been through the two verses, 00:00:22.392 --> 00:00:27.672 but today I want to kind of put them in the context of where Paul is. 00:00:27.484 --> 00:00:29.588 And essentially, 00:00:29.604 --> 00:00:30.628 I titled the message, 00:00:30.628 --> 00:00:32.278 I've got some good news. 00:00:32.620 --> 00:00:33.180 You know, 00:00:33.180 --> 00:00:36.810 good news is that thing that you don't hesitate to share, 00:00:37.100 --> 00:00:37.676 you know, 00:00:37.676 --> 00:00:37.996 I mean, 00:00:37.996 --> 00:00:39.646 when you've got good news, 00:00:39.900 --> 00:00:41.356 you want everybody to know it. 00:00:41.356 --> 00:00:41.596 I mean, 00:00:41.596 --> 00:00:42.844 I think in my own life, 00:00:42.844 --> 00:00:43.452 you know, 00:00:43.452 --> 00:00:44.484 going back sometime, 00:00:44.532 --> 00:00:45.132 you know, 00:00:45.132 --> 00:00:47.636 back in November when Ezekiel was born. 00:00:47.668 --> 00:00:48.244 Hey, yeah, 00:00:48.244 --> 00:00:49.092 the baby's born. 00:00:49.092 --> 00:00:49.732 Yay. 00:00:49.876 --> 00:00:51.690 Been waiting all this time, 00:00:51.860 --> 00:00:52.814 you know, 00:00:52.982 --> 00:00:55.292 you let people know the good things, 00:00:55.334 --> 00:00:57.910 right? You want to share some good news. 00:00:57.910 --> 00:00:59.278 And so these two verses, 00:00:59.278 --> 00:00:59.830 I want to read, 00:00:59.830 --> 00:01:00.398 and we'll pray, 00:01:00.398 --> 00:01:01.406 and then we'll proceed. 00:01:01.406 --> 00:01:02.396 Here we go. 00:01:02.710 --> 00:01:05.550 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, 00:01:05.710 --> 00:01:09.278 for it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, 00:01:09.278 --> 00:01:12.248 to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 00:01:12.046 --> 00:01:12.790 For in it, 00:01:12.790 --> 00:01:16.726 the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is 00:01:16.726 --> 00:01:20.232 written. But the righteous man shall live by faith. 00:01:20.296 --> 00:01:20.640 All right, 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:21.500 let's pray. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:23.592 God, we do thank you for your word. 00:01:23.592 --> 00:01:24.096 And thank you, 00:01:24.096 --> 00:01:26.736 God, that you have spoken and revealed yourself to us. 00:01:26.576 --> 00:01:26.896 And so, 00:01:26.896 --> 00:01:28.808 God, as we consider just these two verses, 00:01:28.808 --> 00:01:31.420 again, God help us to recognize, 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:36.104 God, that which you want us to know first about you, 00:01:36.272 --> 00:01:40.328 God, what is it you're revealing about yourself in these two verses? 00:01:40.424 --> 00:01:40.816 And then, 00:01:40.816 --> 00:01:45.766 God, what is it that we need to see in ourselves about these two verses? 00:01:45.812 --> 00:01:49.340 God, help us to understand that which you want us to know. 00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:49.900 And then, 00:01:49.900 --> 00:01:52.740 God, help us to submit, 00:01:52.820 --> 00:01:54.852 surrender, bow before you, 00:01:55.036 --> 00:01:58.092 God, and to be the people that you've called us to be. 00:01:58.092 --> 00:02:00.402 And we pray it in Jesus's name. 00:01:59.676 --> 00:02:00.980 Amen. All right. 00:02:01.020 --> 00:02:02.620 What are you proud of? 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:04.760 Obviously, I mentioned my grandson, 00:02:05.500 --> 00:02:06.444 right? You know, 00:02:06.444 --> 00:02:07.260 people ask me, 00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:08.250 how's the baby? 00:02:08.308 --> 00:02:11.750 Well, first thing I do is pull out the latest picture, 00:02:11.750 --> 00:02:13.590 and I carry them all in my phone now, 00:02:13.590 --> 00:02:14.166 right? I mean, 00:02:14.166 --> 00:02:14.726 that's what we do. 00:02:14.726 --> 00:02:15.730 We got pictures, 00:02:17.270 --> 00:02:19.718 so we're proud of that sort of thing. 00:02:19.718 --> 00:02:20.230 And see, 00:02:20.230 --> 00:02:21.126 Hannah's down here in front. 00:02:21.126 --> 00:02:22.414 Say, I'm going to show her this. 00:02:22.182 --> 00:02:22.630 Thank you. 00:02:22.630 --> 00:02:24.534 You gave me my illustration this morning. 00:02:24.534 --> 00:02:25.524 How about that? 00:02:25.686 --> 00:02:27.810 See, this is purple and orange. 00:02:28.950 --> 00:02:32.318 It's a tiger paw representing Clemson Tigers. 00:02:32.334 --> 00:02:34.390 Right? And Hannah made it for me. 00:02:34.390 --> 00:02:35.262 I Typically, 00:02:35.326 --> 00:02:37.182 when people ask me about Colleges. 00:02:37.182 --> 00:02:38.062 I've always been. 00:02:38.062 --> 00:02:40.708 Been a Clemson fan since I was about 8 years old, 00:02:40.708 --> 00:02:41.740 actually before that, 00:02:41.780 --> 00:02:44.356 because that's where my uncle went to school. 00:02:44.020 --> 00:02:45.670 So I pulled for Clemson. 00:02:45.708 --> 00:02:46.960 Right. I'm proud. 00:02:48.260 --> 00:02:48.900 Some years, 00:02:48.900 --> 00:02:50.600 I'm prouder than other years. 00:02:51.140 --> 00:02:52.460 Just so you know. 00:02:52.564 --> 00:02:57.480 Right. So what are the kind of things that you're proud of? 00:02:58.100 --> 00:03:00.156 So as we consider these two verses, 00:03:00.156 --> 00:03:01.620 I want you to think about that. 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:04.390 I want to think about the things that you readily share, 00:03:04.390 --> 00:03:09.810 the things that you don't hesitate to tell people about yourself, 00:03:10.870 --> 00:03:14.542 to tell people regarding things that you know, 00:03:14.646 --> 00:03:16.450 things that you've experienced, 00:03:16.790 --> 00:03:19.494 things that are a part of who you are. 00:03:19.494 --> 00:03:21.358 Okay, see, 00:03:21.414 --> 00:03:22.926 In Romans, 00:03:22.958 --> 00:03:23.422 chapter 1, 00:03:23.446 --> 00:03:24.526 verses 1 to 15, 00:03:24.598 --> 00:03:25.742 here's what we hear. 00:03:25.414 --> 00:03:27.170 Paul introduces himself. 00:03:28.230 --> 00:03:30.166 He starts out by simply saying, 00:03:30.166 --> 00:03:31.086 I am a servant, 00:03:31.086 --> 00:03:33.132 a slave of Christ Jesus. 00:03:33.196 --> 00:03:37.556 That's the first thing Paul wants us to know about him in this letter to 00:03:37.556 --> 00:03:38.364 the Romans. 00:03:38.492 --> 00:03:41.716 Right? It's the first thing he wants to say to them. 00:03:41.476 --> 00:03:42.100 Then he says, 00:03:42.100 --> 00:03:45.836 called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. 00:03:45.836 --> 00:03:47.788 And we'll come back to that in a minute. 00:03:47.788 --> 00:03:49.996 And so what he's doing in this letter, 00:03:49.996 --> 00:03:54.668 this epistle to Roman Christians and the congregations that meet 00:03:54.724 --> 00:03:59.404 throughout Rome in the surrounding area is he's introducing himself and 00:03:59.412 --> 00:04:03.594 he's letting them know that these are the things that are the most 00:04:03.594 --> 00:04:06.018 important things you can know about me. 00:04:06.074 --> 00:04:07.850 This. Can I go ahead and say it? 00:04:07.610 --> 00:04:09.482 This is what I'm proud of, 00:04:09.482 --> 00:04:11.154 is what Paul's saying. 00:04:11.322 --> 00:04:12.972 This is who I am. 00:04:13.370 --> 00:04:14.642 This is me. 00:04:14.826 --> 00:04:17.138 Right? So he's letting them know. 00:04:17.274 --> 00:04:18.418 Now, the church at Rome, 00:04:18.418 --> 00:04:22.610 we know it was more likely house churches and scattered throughout Rome 00:04:22.690 --> 00:04:25.570 and the Roman countryside probably by that time, 00:04:25.610 --> 00:04:26.426 because the book, 00:04:26.426 --> 00:04:27.778 the Letter to the Romans, 00:04:27.778 --> 00:04:30.846 was written probably somewhere between 55 and 57. 00:04:30.918 --> 00:04:34.254 Most scholars say it was written probably from Corinth. 00:04:34.382 --> 00:04:36.598 Some scholars even go so far as to say that. 00:04:36.598 --> 00:04:37.262 Phoebe, now, 00:04:37.286 --> 00:04:37.750 here you go. 00:04:37.750 --> 00:04:38.950 Get ready for this. 00:04:38.662 --> 00:04:39.742 Who was a deacon. 00:04:39.742 --> 00:04:41.094 Now, I wrote this down. 00:04:41.094 --> 00:04:43.966 She was a deacon at Censria. 00:04:44.158 --> 00:04:44.774 All right? 00:04:44.774 --> 00:04:49.214 And she is probably the one who delivered the letter to the Roman 00:04:49.342 --> 00:04:50.370 congregations. 00:04:50.710 --> 00:04:51.370 All right? 00:04:51.398 --> 00:04:57.500 So you get this picture that Paul is pretty purposely intentionally 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:04.152 sending this letter for a reason and introducing himself. 00:05:04.216 --> 00:05:04.992 More than likely, 00:05:04.992 --> 00:05:09.220 some of them know who Paul is or who Saul was. 00:05:09.840 --> 00:05:14.024 Many of them probably have heard the reputation of the man, 00:05:14.112 --> 00:05:18.744 right? And so he's telling them the most important things about himself 00:05:18.792 --> 00:05:20.772 that he wants them to know. 00:05:20.970 --> 00:05:21.826 All right? 00:05:21.978 --> 00:05:26.082 And so my question comes back to. 00:05:26.106 --> 00:05:26.730 All right, 00:05:26.730 --> 00:05:30.466 the Bible is given to us by inspiration of the Spirit. 00:05:30.498 --> 00:05:31.042 Of God. 00:05:31.042 --> 00:05:35.458 God's the one who has given this for our understanding. 00:05:35.634 --> 00:05:37.370 And then I ask the question, 00:05:37.370 --> 00:05:38.914 our understanding of what? 00:05:39.002 --> 00:05:42.790 How important is it for you to know Paul? 00:05:44.730 --> 00:05:45.146 I mean, 00:05:45.146 --> 00:05:46.546 you go shake his hand someday, 00:05:46.546 --> 00:05:47.580 well, maybe, 00:05:47.770 --> 00:05:49.456 but I mean in the daily life, 00:05:49.456 --> 00:05:50.528 walking down the street, 00:05:50.528 --> 00:05:52.184 going to the McDonald's, 00:05:52.312 --> 00:05:53.776 which I did this week, 00:05:53.776 --> 00:05:55.340 rarely anyway, 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:58.340 going wherever you are, 00:05:58.880 --> 00:06:01.456 how important is it for you to tell people, 00:06:01.456 --> 00:06:03.180 I know the apostle Paul? 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:04.720 They go, 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:07.696 really? I thought he died quite a quite time ago. 00:06:07.456 --> 00:06:09.436 Well, I know him by description. 00:06:09.840 --> 00:06:12.016 I know him by study and education. 00:06:12.016 --> 00:06:15.272 I know him by what he has said about himself. 00:06:15.272 --> 00:06:16.922 Well, how important is that? 00:06:17.750 --> 00:06:19.046 Can I just go ahead and say, 00:06:19.046 --> 00:06:20.490 eh, not so much, 00:06:21.190 --> 00:06:21.622 you know, 00:06:21.622 --> 00:06:22.942 it's not the priority. 00:06:23.270 --> 00:06:24.806 It's not the number one thing. 00:06:24.806 --> 00:06:25.846 I go up to people, 00:06:25.846 --> 00:06:26.846 hey guys, 00:06:27.038 --> 00:06:28.530 I know Paul, 00:06:28.870 --> 00:06:31.450 right? That's not the first thing, 00:06:31.830 --> 00:06:32.820 right? All right, 00:06:32.838 --> 00:06:36.846 so what in the text of the letter to the Romans, 00:06:36.878 --> 00:06:39.262 what in the first chapter, 00:06:39.326 --> 00:06:44.550 what in these two verses does God want us to know about him? 00:06:45.410 --> 00:06:51.610 What is it Paul is inspired to write down so that we have an 00:06:51.650 --> 00:06:54.618 understanding about God himself? 00:06:54.794 --> 00:06:56.630 That's where we're going to. 00:06:56.930 --> 00:06:57.986 So here you go. 00:06:57.986 --> 00:06:59.866 What do we need to know about God? 00:06:59.866 --> 00:07:02.458 And then what do we need to know about Paul? 00:07:02.458 --> 00:07:04.162 Alright, so here's what we need to know about Paul. 00:07:04.058 --> 00:07:06.226 We need to know what Paul's priority is. 00:07:06.226 --> 00:07:12.254 Because if God has revealed in Paul's life what is Paul's priority, 00:07:12.382 --> 00:07:17.930 there's a distinct possibility that it should also be important to us, 00:07:18.630 --> 00:07:24.942 right? Something about Paul's life might ought to be important to us. 00:07:25.126 --> 00:07:27.106 Okay? That's why these two verses. 00:07:26.958 --> 00:07:28.326 When I shared this four weeks ago, 00:07:28.326 --> 00:07:32.958 I told you these two verses in my mind hold the thesis for the whole 00:07:32.958 --> 00:07:35.742 letter. These two verses kind of tell us, 00:07:35.766 --> 00:07:36.278 all right, 00:07:36.278 --> 00:07:37.598 here's where we're going. 00:07:37.734 --> 00:07:40.110 Here's what we need to pay attention to. 00:07:40.110 --> 00:07:42.090 Here's what we need to understand. 00:07:42.990 --> 00:07:43.470 All right, 00:07:43.470 --> 00:07:44.790 so what's Paul's priority? 00:07:44.582 --> 00:07:45.534 Paul's priority is, 00:07:45.534 --> 00:07:46.494 look, I'm sold out, 00:07:46.494 --> 00:07:49.942 surrendered, sacrificed to Christ Jesus. 00:07:50.086 --> 00:07:54.970 Paul is an apostle set apart for the Gospel of God. 00:07:55.390 --> 00:07:55.870 All right, 00:07:55.870 --> 00:07:57.166 so here you go. 00:07:57.166 --> 00:08:01.142 The point of the book to the Roman congregation, 00:08:01.206 --> 00:08:04.420 the churches in Rome is the gospel. 00:08:04.840 --> 00:08:06.380 It's the good news. 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.056 We're going to go through this and we're going to study salvation and 00:08:10.056 --> 00:08:14.088 we're going to study justification and we're going to see why those are 00:08:14.088 --> 00:08:17.660 necessary things for the world, 00:08:17.960 --> 00:08:25.520 but why they are identifying sort of singularly the things that the 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:30.270 people of God need to know and understand salvation. 00:08:30.690 --> 00:08:31.250 I Mean, 00:08:31.250 --> 00:08:31.746 think about it. 00:08:31.746 --> 00:08:33.396 I want to be saved, 00:08:33.890 --> 00:08:36.750 right? Justification. 00:08:37.090 --> 00:08:38.602 How am I saved? 00:08:38.746 --> 00:08:44.110 How is it that God makes a stinker like Bobby Owings? 00:08:44.690 --> 00:08:50.030 Okay, how does God make him righteous? 00:08:50.690 --> 00:08:53.110 What does justification mean? 00:08:53.410 --> 00:08:54.664 What is that? 00:08:54.842 --> 00:08:58.252 That transition that God accomplishes? 00:08:58.316 --> 00:09:00.040 Because I promise you, 00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:01.800 I can't do it. 00:09:02.980 --> 00:09:04.540 I can't accomplish that. 00:09:04.660 --> 00:09:06.404 So that's where this is all going. 00:09:06.404 --> 00:09:07.772 So the gospel of God, 00:09:07.772 --> 00:09:08.916 which we see in verse one, 00:09:08.916 --> 00:09:09.236 he says, 00:09:09.236 --> 00:09:12.284 I'm set apart for the gospel of God. 00:09:12.332 --> 00:09:13.692 Remember we looked at that word, 00:09:13.692 --> 00:09:19.800 gospel, that it means good news or good tidings or God's good story, 00:09:20.180 --> 00:09:25.300 the story of God's goodness. 00:09:25.380 --> 00:09:28.628 The news that God is proclaiming to the world. 00:09:28.764 --> 00:09:29.884 What is that news? 00:09:29.884 --> 00:09:33.204 Well, that news is his. 00:09:33.372 --> 00:09:34.524 It says right here, 00:09:34.524 --> 00:09:36.844 you ready For I am not ashamed of the good news, 00:09:36.844 --> 00:09:41.812 the gospel for it's the power of God for salvation. 00:09:41.956 --> 00:09:43.596 Alright, so we've got this bold gospel. 00:09:43.428 --> 00:09:45.004 He also mentions in verse nine. 00:09:45.004 --> 00:09:46.156 If you look back at verse nine, 00:09:46.156 --> 00:09:46.620 he says, 00:09:46.620 --> 00:09:47.732 God is my witness, 00:09:47.732 --> 00:09:49.562 whom I serve with my spirit. 00:09:49.562 --> 00:09:51.350 And telling the good news. 00:09:52.850 --> 00:09:55.270 Right? What's the good news? 00:09:58.690 --> 00:09:59.498 Yeah, See, 00:09:59.554 --> 00:10:04.442 the good news is the work of God in Christ Jesus. 00:10:04.506 --> 00:10:05.682 That's the good news. 00:10:05.682 --> 00:10:10.070 That's what everybody needs to know and to hear. 00:10:11.410 --> 00:10:12.786 To be honest with you, 00:10:12.786 --> 00:10:16.050 nobody needs to know about Clemson, 00:10:17.190 --> 00:10:22.302 right? Nobody really needs to know that the Quarter Pounder with bacon 00:10:22.366 --> 00:10:24.346 tastes different than it used to. 00:10:25.510 --> 00:10:27.022 I found that out yesterday. 00:10:27.022 --> 00:10:28.342 Just so y'all know. 00:10:29.270 --> 00:10:31.580 Don't know what they did to it. 00:10:32.550 --> 00:10:36.180 I think a few people need to know about my grandson, 00:10:37.670 --> 00:10:45.032 but everybody that I encounter needs to know the gospel, 00:10:45.096 --> 00:10:47.076 the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:10:47.168 --> 00:10:48.140 Everybody. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:51.040 I don't care where I run into them. 00:10:51.040 --> 00:10:52.824 I don't care how. 00:10:52.912 --> 00:10:55.882 What are the circumstances that I run into them. 00:10:56.032 --> 00:10:57.880 Everybody needs to know about Jesus. 00:10:57.880 --> 00:10:58.824 Now granted, 00:10:58.872 --> 00:10:59.896 we live in, 00:10:59.968 --> 00:11:00.416 you know, 00:11:00.416 --> 00:11:01.660 the Southeast. 00:11:02.160 --> 00:11:03.820 Most people have heard, 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:08.346 however, I run into some who haven't had a great conversation this week 00:11:08.346 --> 00:11:11.650 with somebody just kind of out of the blue about faith. 00:11:11.650 --> 00:11:12.218 Kind of. 00:11:12.218 --> 00:11:17.458 We started out really generally about faith and then we sort of narrowed 00:11:17.474 --> 00:11:18.134 it down. 00:11:18.234 --> 00:11:19.442 What I do. 00:11:19.626 --> 00:11:20.910 Okay, thank you. 00:11:21.210 --> 00:11:23.434 He's got the sound board in his hand. 00:11:23.434 --> 00:11:25.414 I don't know what I've done. 00:11:26.730 --> 00:11:32.590 But you narrow it down from faith to what? 00:11:33.150 --> 00:11:34.982 To faith in what? 00:11:35.166 --> 00:11:36.686 You see what I mean? 00:11:36.686 --> 00:11:42.022 Because we live in a world where there's a whole lot of faith in a whole 00:11:42.086 --> 00:11:43.090 lot of things. 00:11:45.150 --> 00:11:50.534 So what is there that has proven for us to have faith in? 00:11:50.702 --> 00:11:51.702 Can I just be honest? 00:11:51.702 --> 00:11:53.682 Can you have faith in Clemson? 00:11:54.830 --> 00:11:55.570 Right. 00:11:59.590 --> 00:12:02.870 Don't want to have a lot of faith in McDonald's. 00:12:02.870 --> 00:12:03.566 Just kidding. 00:12:03.598 --> 00:12:04.734 I don't mind McDonald's. 00:12:04.734 --> 00:12:07.270 I just don't eat it very much anymore. 00:12:07.270 --> 00:12:08.614 But as I look at this, 00:12:08.614 --> 00:12:09.262 the gospel, 00:12:09.262 --> 00:12:10.090 he says, 00:12:10.470 --> 00:12:13.054 I am not ashamed of the gospel. 00:12:13.102 --> 00:12:16.166 Can you flip that sentence around and hear Paul say, 00:12:16.166 --> 00:12:21.102 I am proud of the good news of Jesus Christ? 00:12:21.206 --> 00:12:23.990 Because like I read to you last week or the week before, 00:12:23.990 --> 00:12:25.742 whenever it was on the road to Damascus, 00:12:25.742 --> 00:12:26.874 in Acts 22, 00:12:26.982 --> 00:12:33.634 Paul gives the testimony of God threw me to the ground and changed me, 00:12:33.802 --> 00:12:35.230 changed my life, 00:12:35.530 --> 00:12:37.154 changed my priorities, 00:12:37.282 --> 00:12:38.786 changed my agenda, 00:12:38.898 --> 00:12:40.354 changed who I am. 00:12:40.522 --> 00:12:44.670 And I am proud of what God has done in my life. 00:12:45.130 --> 00:12:46.690 See, that now, 00:12:46.730 --> 00:12:47.618 I am admittedly. 00:12:47.618 --> 00:12:49.598 I said it a minute ago. 00:12:50.010 --> 00:12:52.264 I am admittedly a stinker, 00:12:52.442 --> 00:12:54.540 okay? I have been. 00:12:54.660 --> 00:12:59.320 And yet God has changed who I am. 00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:00.884 You know, 00:13:00.884 --> 00:13:01.764 I've told y'all before, 00:13:01.764 --> 00:13:02.676 if Bobby shows up, 00:13:02.676 --> 00:13:03.460 it's a bad day. 00:13:03.460 --> 00:13:06.156 But if Bobby shows up and it looks like Jesus, 00:13:06.156 --> 00:13:07.806 it could go all right. 00:13:07.860 --> 00:13:09.028 See what I mean? 00:13:09.028 --> 00:13:09.780 My point is, 00:13:09.780 --> 00:13:12.520 is that God changes who we are. 00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:15.040 It changes our whole. 00:13:15.940 --> 00:13:20.158 Not just priorities and agendas, 00:13:20.334 --> 00:13:28.570 but it's fundamental to our identity that when we encounter others, 00:13:29.350 --> 00:13:36.130 the priority of our sharing ourselves with other people is Jesus. 00:13:37.350 --> 00:13:38.486 And so when we look at it, 00:13:38.486 --> 00:13:41.406 verse 15 uses the word gospel, 00:13:41.438 --> 00:13:42.098 too, says, 00:13:42.118 --> 00:13:43.956 so I am eager to. 00:13:43.998 --> 00:13:46.968 To preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 00:13:46.968 --> 00:13:48.464 So the story is already, 00:13:48.464 --> 00:13:48.816 you know, 00:13:48.816 --> 00:13:51.832 Paul has already been traveling all around the Aegean Sea, 00:13:51.832 --> 00:13:52.984 sharing the gospel, 00:13:53.112 --> 00:13:56.696 all these little villages and towns and areas and regions, 00:13:56.808 --> 00:14:00.168 and he's gone all over the place because of the spirit of God leading 00:14:00.168 --> 00:14:01.320 him. Remember Acts 22. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:03.800 That's what was assigned to him. 00:14:03.920 --> 00:14:04.736 What does that mean? 00:14:04.576 --> 00:14:07.568 Does that mean that was the area that was assigned to him? 00:14:07.568 --> 00:14:09.664 Was that the town that was assigned to him? 00:14:09.664 --> 00:14:11.120 That. That's why I asked you a few weeks ago, 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:12.770 what did God assign you? 00:14:13.040 --> 00:14:14.688 Did he assign you your home, 00:14:14.688 --> 00:14:15.352 your street, 00:14:15.456 --> 00:14:16.152 your community, 00:14:16.256 --> 00:14:17.336 your workplace, 00:14:17.448 --> 00:14:18.120 your what? 00:14:18.160 --> 00:14:19.480 What is your assignment? 00:14:19.560 --> 00:14:20.920 What is my assignment? 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:22.536 Right. Be honest. 00:14:22.568 --> 00:14:25.060 I had an assignment Thursday. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:31.660 There was a place where I got to sit with a captive audience, 00:14:32.160 --> 00:14:33.192 one person. 00:14:33.376 --> 00:14:35.686 But we got to talk about faith, 00:14:35.690 --> 00:14:41.990 right? And how the Bible is really very simple, 00:14:42.810 --> 00:14:43.800 right? I mean, 00:14:43.834 --> 00:14:45.070 salvation is, 00:14:45.690 --> 00:14:46.990 like Nick says, 00:14:48.570 --> 00:14:49.570 being a Christian, 00:14:49.650 --> 00:14:51.300 simple. It's just not easy. 00:14:52.730 --> 00:14:53.762 You see, 00:14:53.946 --> 00:14:58.230 the point is that Christ is our salvation. 00:14:59.050 --> 00:15:02.658 And so I used a big word on the second point in today's message. 00:15:02.658 --> 00:15:03.698 Bold gospel. 00:15:03.794 --> 00:15:05.682 We're to be bold with the gospel, 00:15:05.682 --> 00:15:07.226 the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:15:07.226 --> 00:15:09.938 Secondly is salvific power. 00:15:10.074 --> 00:15:13.050 How many of you ever heard the word Salvific before. 00:15:13.050 --> 00:15:13.626 Yeah, see, 00:15:13.626 --> 00:15:14.138 I didn't. 00:15:14.138 --> 00:15:15.034 A couple of you have. 00:15:15.034 --> 00:15:17.670 Right. It's a theology word, 00:15:18.170 --> 00:15:18.770 Right. 00:15:18.890 --> 00:15:20.510 Salvific. Power. 00:15:21.210 --> 00:15:28.258 The fact that the gospel reveals to us the power of God for salvation to 00:15:28.314 --> 00:15:29.170 everyone who. 00:15:29.210 --> 00:15:30.794 Who believes to the Jew first, 00:15:30.794 --> 00:15:35.202 because God sent the gospel to the Jews first and then to everyone, 00:15:35.306 --> 00:15:36.466 and also to the Greek, 00:15:36.466 --> 00:15:37.218 all the Gentiles, 00:15:37.218 --> 00:15:37.986 and everywhere else. 00:15:37.986 --> 00:15:40.370 And Paul being called as an apostle, 00:15:40.450 --> 00:15:42.594 as the evangelist to the Gentiles, 00:15:42.642 --> 00:15:44.290 to the Roman Empire, 00:15:44.450 --> 00:15:45.218 you see? 00:15:45.354 --> 00:15:46.866 And so when we see this verse, 00:15:46.866 --> 00:15:49.618 Paul is saying in verse 15, 00:15:49.674 --> 00:15:52.690 I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 00:15:52.690 --> 00:15:58.540 For I am not ashamed of the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:00.216 Matter of fact, 00:16:00.216 --> 00:16:08.144 I am proud of what God accomplished in my life through Jesus Christ. 00:16:08.312 --> 00:16:09.180 See that. 00:16:09.560 --> 00:16:10.340 Wow. 00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:15.392 What if Christians were as bold. 00:16:15.456 --> 00:16:16.528 And I'm not talking about y'all, 00:16:16.528 --> 00:16:17.320 because I know y'all are. 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:18.640 Y'all get a pass. 00:16:19.560 --> 00:16:23.020 What if Christians were as bold about the gospel? 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:25.840 They are about other things in their life. 00:16:27.260 --> 00:16:30.836 Right? One of the first things out of our mouths. 00:16:30.868 --> 00:16:35.876 Was Bobby a slave of Jesus Christ. 00:16:35.948 --> 00:16:39.124 Was that the first thing out of my mouth when I meet somebody? 00:16:39.124 --> 00:16:40.720 That's what Paul's doing. 00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:46.740 Paul's telling us what his first and utmost priority is. 00:16:46.780 --> 00:16:47.644 What are you proud of, 00:16:47.644 --> 00:16:52.320 Paul? That God changed my life in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 00:16:53.660 --> 00:16:54.356 I'm like, 00:16:54.428 --> 00:16:57.108 whoa. So that's that. 00:16:57.164 --> 00:17:02.772 Salvation. The power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. 00:17:02.836 --> 00:17:03.652 First to the Jew, 00:17:03.652 --> 00:17:04.516 also to the Greek. 00:17:04.516 --> 00:17:07.156 And then verse 17 kind of brings in the. 00:17:08.060 --> 00:17:14.004 This is the hint in my mind of what the next 15 chapters is going to be 00:17:14.012 --> 00:17:14.560 about. 00:17:15.930 --> 00:17:17.042 For in it, 00:17:17.146 --> 00:17:20.226 the righteousness of God is revealed. 00:17:20.338 --> 00:17:21.634 From faith to faith. 00:17:21.634 --> 00:17:23.290 Now, we talked about this four weeks ago. 00:17:23.290 --> 00:17:27.666 Faith to faith means we begin in faith by believing and trusting, 00:17:27.698 --> 00:17:30.510 and our faith is meant to grow, 00:17:30.970 --> 00:17:32.230 to mature. 00:17:32.810 --> 00:17:33.370 You know, 00:17:33.370 --> 00:17:35.546 one of my professors in seminary made the comment. 00:17:35.370 --> 00:17:35.706 He said, 00:17:35.706 --> 00:17:36.026 you know, 00:17:36.026 --> 00:17:40.550 the problem in the church today is you got a lot of babies. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:44.540 Got a lot of baby Christians. 00:17:45.360 --> 00:17:48.760 They heard the gospel, 00:17:48.840 --> 00:17:50.088 received the gospel, 00:17:50.184 --> 00:17:54.180 trusted Jesus and stayed right there. 00:17:54.560 --> 00:17:56.392 Infants, Paul calls it in Corinthians. 00:17:56.392 --> 00:17:56.736 He said, 00:17:56.736 --> 00:17:57.980 because you're babies, 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:00.488 you can't eat the meat of the word. 00:18:00.152 --> 00:18:04.940 You're still sitting around sucking on a bottle. 00:18:05.930 --> 00:18:07.830 Okay, milk. 00:18:08.170 --> 00:18:10.810 Milk's a good thing at the right time, 00:18:11.050 --> 00:18:13.110 but you don't stay on milk. 00:18:13.850 --> 00:18:15.830 Sometime you got to grow up. 00:18:16.490 --> 00:18:17.266 And so. 00:18:17.338 --> 00:18:18.778 So when we look at this thing, 00:18:18.778 --> 00:18:19.226 it's like, 00:18:19.226 --> 00:18:19.674 all right, 00:18:19.674 --> 00:18:21.522 wow. For in it, 00:18:21.546 --> 00:18:23.058 the righteousness of God is revealed. 00:18:23.058 --> 00:18:24.018 From faith to faith. 00:18:24.018 --> 00:18:25.266 The righteousness of God. 00:18:25.266 --> 00:18:28.270 The righteousness of God is not in question. 00:18:29.130 --> 00:18:31.760 Okay? God is righteous. 00:18:31.930 --> 00:18:33.796 God has been righteous. 00:18:33.908 --> 00:18:35.844 God will always be righteous. 00:18:35.972 --> 00:18:39.272 God is not going to be unrighteous in any way. 00:18:39.340 --> 00:18:43.300 So how is it that God is revealing his righteousness? 00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:45.880 This is what's cool about the gospel, 00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:51.320 because God has chosen to make us righteous. 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:52.796 You can't do it. 00:18:52.796 --> 00:18:53.580 You can't earn it. 00:18:53.580 --> 00:18:54.900 You can't accomplish it. 00:18:54.940 --> 00:18:57.266 It is an imputed or imparted. 00:18:57.388 --> 00:19:02.690 It's a righteousness that Christ accomplished that God gives to us. 00:19:03.950 --> 00:19:05.798 Right? Whoa. 00:19:05.974 --> 00:19:07.490 I don't deserve that. 00:19:08.110 --> 00:19:10.430 You know God's answer when you say something like that. 00:19:10.430 --> 00:19:11.330 I know. 00:19:13.550 --> 00:19:14.918 We didn't deserve it. 00:19:15.054 --> 00:19:18.850 And yet God loves us that much. 00:19:19.230 --> 00:19:20.210 See that? 00:19:20.670 --> 00:19:21.470 For in it, 00:19:21.470 --> 00:19:25.310 the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is 00:19:25.310 --> 00:19:29.334 written. But the righteous man shall live by faith. 00:19:29.462 --> 00:19:30.782 Now, this is the. 00:19:31.550 --> 00:19:32.230 I say, 00:19:32.270 --> 00:19:34.502 this is the NAS77 version. 00:19:34.566 --> 00:19:38.170 So. And many other versions use the same wording. 00:19:39.230 --> 00:19:40.558 But some of them say, 00:19:40.558 --> 00:19:44.810 but my righteous one shall live by faith. 00:19:45.230 --> 00:19:45.710 All right, 00:19:45.710 --> 00:19:48.490 so you got to go back to Habakkuk, 00:19:49.150 --> 00:19:49.830 chapter 2, 00:19:49.870 --> 00:19:50.902 verse 4, 00:19:51.086 --> 00:19:54.056 to find that phrase that he's quoting right there. 00:19:54.500 --> 00:20:02.120 And Habakkuk is the prophet at a time when Babylon is about to be the 00:20:04.020 --> 00:20:08.320 means of God's judgment against Judah, 00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:11.068 God's people in Judah. 00:20:11.244 --> 00:20:16.492 Babylon is about to be God's means of judgment against Judah. 00:20:16.636 --> 00:20:17.596 And Habakkuk, 00:20:17.628 --> 00:20:20.632 and I marked it. 00:20:20.736 --> 00:20:21.726 Here you go. 00:20:22.560 --> 00:20:24.870 Habakkuk's talking to God in chapter one. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:25.912 Habakkuk prays, 00:20:25.976 --> 00:20:26.664 God answers. 00:20:26.712 --> 00:20:27.800 Habakkuk prays, 00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:28.940 God answers. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:32.664 Habakkuk in chapter two is waiting for God to respond. 00:20:32.664 --> 00:20:33.216 And it says, 00:20:33.216 --> 00:20:34.584 the Lord answered me. 00:20:34.752 --> 00:20:36.424 Write down this vision clearly, 00:20:36.472 --> 00:20:39.772 inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it. 00:20:39.872 --> 00:20:43.380 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, 00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:47.180 it testifies about the end and will not lie. 00:20:48.260 --> 00:20:49.600 Though it delays, 00:20:50.020 --> 00:20:51.010 wait for it, 00:20:51.028 --> 00:20:53.998 since it will certainly come and not be late. 00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:57.180 Look, his ego is inflated. 00:20:57.260 --> 00:20:57.892 Now, understand, 00:20:57.892 --> 00:21:01.800 prophets speak now and for later. 00:21:02.260 --> 00:21:04.240 Whose ego is he talking about? 00:21:04.372 --> 00:21:06.400 Now he's talking about Babylon, 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:09.560 but he's also talking about God's people. 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:13.548 See, God's people have put their faith in something other than God 00:21:13.548 --> 00:21:16.190 himself. They're worshiping their, 00:21:16.310 --> 00:21:17.890 quote, religion, 00:21:19.270 --> 00:21:22.240 right? I like to call it their name tag. 00:21:22.550 --> 00:21:26.798 It was Judah's own churchianity that they were worshiping. 00:21:26.894 --> 00:21:31.410 And so because they've wandered from worshiping God, 00:21:32.470 --> 00:21:35.006 Babylon's coming in as judge. 00:21:35.118 --> 00:21:36.342 And he's also talking about, 00:21:36.342 --> 00:21:37.918 look, his ego is inflated. 00:21:37.918 --> 00:21:39.810 He is without integrity. 00:21:40.110 --> 00:21:41.614 And then the quote comes in, 00:21:41.614 --> 00:21:44.806 but the righteous one will live by faith. 00:21:44.998 --> 00:21:46.302 Wow, I looked at that. 00:21:46.302 --> 00:21:50.050 Okay, what are you proud of? 00:21:50.590 --> 00:21:51.550 Go back and read that. 00:21:51.550 --> 00:21:53.690 Look, his ego is inflated. 00:21:54.430 --> 00:21:56.410 Look at the world around us. 00:21:58.270 --> 00:22:00.670 A lot of pride being tossed around in the world, 00:22:00.670 --> 00:22:01.490 isn't it? 00:22:03.870 --> 00:22:04.854 These pride groups, 00:22:04.854 --> 00:22:08.814 they get hashtags and parades and all kind of stuff these days. 00:22:09.070 --> 00:22:10.720 What are you proud of? 00:22:12.510 --> 00:22:14.086 Yeah, if y'all think that was offensive, 00:22:14.086 --> 00:22:15.930 wait till next week's passage. 00:22:17.230 --> 00:22:21.850 We're going to get into the world in sin here in a few minutes. 00:22:22.030 --> 00:22:22.750 But you see, 00:22:22.750 --> 00:22:25.390 he's talking both about the pride of Babylon. 00:22:25.318 --> 00:22:31.270 He's talking about the pride of God's own people and how God is using the 00:22:31.310 --> 00:22:33.770 judgment against pride. 00:22:34.360 --> 00:22:35.540 See, Judah, 00:22:36.280 --> 00:22:37.712 just after Habakkuk says, 00:22:37.736 --> 00:22:39.716 these words is going to fall. 00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:44.360 And so when I look at this, 00:22:44.360 --> 00:22:45.632 I pulled a quote, 00:22:45.632 --> 00:22:47.144 and I don't even know where I pulled it from. 00:22:47.144 --> 00:22:52.016 Forgive me for not giving the proper whatever. 00:22:52.048 --> 00:22:52.936 I'm going to read it to you. 00:22:52.936 --> 00:22:59.952 But he whose soul is not right in him places himself in a fortress or 00:22:59.976 --> 00:23:04.876 tower to set himself on high there from the enemy and does not return to 00:23:04.876 --> 00:23:08.004 God nor seek deliverance of him. 00:23:08.172 --> 00:23:14.164 But the righteous has no need to place himself on high in a fortress, 00:23:14.292 --> 00:23:16.272 for he shall live by faith. 00:23:16.860 --> 00:23:20.356 And that's just a different translation of the Habakkuk 2. 00:23:20.508 --> 00:23:21.498 And I didn't. 00:23:21.636 --> 00:23:26.612 I printed this out really quickly a minute ago because the wording of 00:23:26.636 --> 00:23:30.306 Habakkuk 2:4 is the translating of it. 00:23:30.458 --> 00:23:37.362 He whose soul is not right in himself places himself in a fortress or a 00:23:37.386 --> 00:23:41.910 tower, the pride of mankind. 00:23:43.370 --> 00:23:43.866 You know, 00:23:43.866 --> 00:23:48.950 I'm afraid that what we've taught for quite a while is that our faith, 00:23:50.650 --> 00:23:53.430 our Christianity, 00:23:54.020 --> 00:23:55.700 and you've heard me say it before, 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:57.020 is an add on. 00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:59.400 This is my life. 00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:02.240 This is my identity. 00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:04.240 This is my career. 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:06.484 This is my friend group. 00:24:06.484 --> 00:24:07.840 These are my hobbies. 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:11.880 These are the things that I invest myself in, 00:24:12.820 --> 00:24:13.788 my faith. 00:24:13.884 --> 00:24:14.348 Oh, yeah, 00:24:14.348 --> 00:24:16.328 I do that on Sunday morning. 00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:20.040 See my point? 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:22.784 When we look at the world around us, 00:24:22.784 --> 00:24:24.864 we need to be careful of what we're proud of, 00:24:24.864 --> 00:24:30.060 folks. We need to be careful of that which we proclaim. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.416 Because I'll go back to Paul in verse 15. 00:24:33.568 --> 00:24:35.548 So I am eager to preach. 00:24:35.432 --> 00:24:40.120 I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.580 What's your assignment? 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:45.370 Where are you supposed to be proclaiming the gospel? 00:24:47.610 --> 00:24:53.630 Where are you going to live out what God has accomplished in you? 00:24:54.170 --> 00:24:57.338 Because that's what that next phrase means when it says, 00:24:57.338 --> 00:24:59.750 the righteous will live by faith. 00:25:01.530 --> 00:25:11.990 Faith is the righteous or just demonstrating through faithful living. 00:25:13.950 --> 00:25:17.414 See, so I was listening. 00:25:17.462 --> 00:25:21.918 One of the last things I do to get ready on Sunday mornings is Saturdays. 00:25:21.558 --> 00:25:22.414 And when I, 00:25:22.414 --> 00:25:24.294 when I like I run on Saturday mornings. 00:25:24.294 --> 00:25:26.078 I ran four miles yesterday morning. 00:25:26.078 --> 00:25:29.878 So one of the things I did was listen to another preacher. 00:25:29.878 --> 00:25:32.890 I like listening to other preachers sometimes. 00:25:33.470 --> 00:25:38.838 So I was listening to a guy yesterday and the question he asked, 00:25:38.894 --> 00:25:40.544 it was an odd question, 00:25:40.574 --> 00:25:44.822 but the question he asked and it was kind of going back to Paul's story. 00:25:44.694 --> 00:25:44.966 You know, 00:25:44.966 --> 00:25:46.370 Paul was beaten, 00:25:46.870 --> 00:25:48.462 Paul was stoned, 00:25:48.606 --> 00:25:50.238 Paul was shipwrecked, 00:25:50.334 --> 00:25:52.290 Paul was left for dead. 00:25:53.110 --> 00:25:56.080 And so as he was sharing Paul's life story, 00:25:56.086 --> 00:25:58.710 he finally got to the point where he said, 00:25:58.710 --> 00:26:02.010 how many times have you been arrested for the gospel, 00:26:04.710 --> 00:26:08.300 right? And yet we worry about offending. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.704 If I say that, 00:26:10.704 --> 00:26:12.460 I might offend somebody. 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.520 You know, 00:26:13.520 --> 00:26:16.820 religion's a personal and private thing, 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.220 right? 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:22.808 Well, if I say that at my workplace, 00:26:22.808 --> 00:26:30.100 I might get fired because religion's a personal and private thing. 00:26:32.010 --> 00:26:41.314 Hmm. We've let our culture squeeze our faith into being just a component 00:26:41.362 --> 00:26:42.430 of our lives. 00:26:44.250 --> 00:26:48.370 When our testimony for the gospel for Christ and what Christ has 00:26:48.410 --> 00:26:52.626 accomplished in revealing the righteousness of God and the righteousness 00:26:52.658 --> 00:26:53.058 of God, 00:26:53.058 --> 00:26:53.658 which is, 00:26:53.658 --> 00:26:54.346 we're going to see, 00:26:54.346 --> 00:26:57.522 the righteousness of God is not just God being righteous, 00:26:57.522 --> 00:27:04.326 it's the righteousness of God imparted and imputed to a lost and sinful 00:27:04.438 --> 00:27:05.810 and dying people. 00:27:06.510 --> 00:27:08.210 He died in our place. 00:27:09.150 --> 00:27:10.970 And God makes us righteous, 00:27:11.630 --> 00:27:13.542 man. So see, 00:27:13.566 --> 00:27:14.958 I had fun with this. 00:27:14.958 --> 00:27:17.158 It's also mentioned In Hebrews chapter 10, 00:27:17.214 --> 00:27:17.830 verse 38, 00:27:17.870 --> 00:27:19.782 the righteous will live by faith. 00:27:19.782 --> 00:27:21.762 So then you think in scripture, 00:27:22.270 --> 00:27:23.730 what's it look like? 00:27:24.910 --> 00:27:25.934 Do you know that, 00:27:25.934 --> 00:27:31.130 that Abraham's claim to fame was his faith? 00:27:32.270 --> 00:27:33.534 You can say it was, 00:27:33.534 --> 00:27:34.370 you know, 00:27:34.670 --> 00:27:35.926 him leaving ur. 00:27:35.998 --> 00:27:37.978 Why did he leave ur faith? 00:27:38.350 --> 00:27:40.330 Why did he leave Haran faith? 00:27:41.950 --> 00:27:44.330 Why did he settle the land faith? 00:27:44.990 --> 00:27:46.970 See now he had some failures, 00:27:47.078 --> 00:27:48.118 obviously. 00:27:48.294 --> 00:27:51.542 What would David's claim to fame be? 00:27:51.726 --> 00:27:56.690 What did he left the sheep in the field when Samuel called him to be 00:27:56.730 --> 00:27:59.202 king, Right? 00:27:59.306 --> 00:28:01.590 He believed he had faith. 00:28:03.370 --> 00:28:06.470 Paul on the road to Damascus, 00:28:06.890 --> 00:28:08.306 man, He had power, 00:28:08.458 --> 00:28:10.530 authority, wealth, 00:28:10.690 --> 00:28:13.490 status, prestige. 00:28:13.650 --> 00:28:16.310 He was a respected Pharisee. 00:28:17.770 --> 00:28:19.562 What does he say in Philippians? 00:28:19.562 --> 00:28:23.648 I count it all as garbage, 00:28:23.824 --> 00:28:28.020 waste dung if you want to use King James. 00:28:28.760 --> 00:28:31.120 Okay, folks, 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:32.850 what are you proud of? 00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:35.300 What do you proclaim? 00:28:36.520 --> 00:28:40.752 See, Romans is challenging me. 00:28:40.936 --> 00:28:42.060 So guess what? 00:28:42.520 --> 00:28:44.830 Every Sunday I get to challenge you. 00:28:45.170 --> 00:28:48.150 Alright, what will you do with it? 00:28:48.450 --> 00:28:49.642 If you don't know Jesus, 00:28:49.642 --> 00:28:50.618 that's where it starts. 00:28:50.618 --> 00:28:52.928 And we want you to know Jesus. 00:28:52.690 --> 00:28:54.670 We want you to know Jesus. 00:28:54.930 --> 00:28:57.154 So if you need to talk to somebody about that, 00:28:57.154 --> 00:28:57.990 find us. 00:28:58.850 --> 00:28:59.586 Come down here. 00:28:59.586 --> 00:29:00.610 I'll be standing here, 00:29:00.610 --> 00:29:02.434 but you can find somebody in the room, 00:29:02.434 --> 00:29:04.084 say, tell me about Jesus, 00:29:04.210 --> 00:29:05.626 and they'll tell you about Jesus. 00:29:05.626 --> 00:29:06.458 Alrighty. 00:29:06.634 --> 00:29:07.474 Let's pray together. 00:29:07.474 --> 00:29:09.124 Father, thank you for today. 00:29:09.170 --> 00:29:09.682 Thank you, 00:29:09.682 --> 00:29:11.620 God, for your love for us. 00:29:11.620 --> 00:29:19.500 God, that it's out of your love that you reached out with intent and 00:29:19.540 --> 00:29:22.892 purpose and design to save us. 00:29:22.916 --> 00:29:24.180 But not just to save us, 00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:25.612 to transform us. 00:29:25.716 --> 00:29:31.580 That our lives would become testimonies of your righteousness, 00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:34.440 imputed, imparted to us, 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:37.958 given out of your love. 00:29:38.014 --> 00:29:41.830 God, help us to live faithfully. 00:29:41.990 --> 00:29:44.970 God, let our faith be on display. 00:29:45.550 --> 00:29:51.810 God, help us to proclaim good news everywhere we go. 00:29:53.070 --> 00:29:53.638 And God, 00:29:53.638 --> 00:29:54.414 as we leave today, 00:29:54.414 --> 00:29:55.278 as Paul said, 00:29:55.278 --> 00:29:58.278 I'm ready to come to Rome to preach the gospel. 00:29:57.974 --> 00:29:59.262 God, as we leave this place, 00:29:59.262 --> 00:30:03.222 I'm ready to go to the food line and preach the gospel. 00:30:04.340 --> 00:30:08.956 God, help us to be ready to share good news wherever we go. 00:30:09.108 --> 00:30:10.692 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:30:10.692 --> 00:30:11.020 Amen.