WEBVTT 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:05.420 Whoo. Alrighty. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:09.180 We continue in Romans. 00:00:09.760 --> 00:00:13.528 I'm enjoying it and hope you are. 00:00:13.584 --> 00:00:17.288 And if you're getting the gathering in the Word Devotionals, 00:00:17.464 --> 00:00:22.440 then you get the message before I preach it because it goes out Monday 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:23.192 through Friday, 00:00:23.296 --> 00:00:25.216 and it was fun for me. 00:00:25.040 --> 00:00:25.776 A couple weeks ago, 00:00:25.776 --> 00:00:32.470 I did a podcast with a one of the professors from Bruton Parker College 00:00:32.550 --> 00:00:33.870 University down in Georgia, 00:00:33.878 --> 00:00:38.470 and he was asking me that the title of the conversation was From 00:00:38.510 --> 00:00:40.490 Hermeneutics to Homiletics. 00:00:41.310 --> 00:00:42.046 And I said, 00:00:42.046 --> 00:00:43.246 well, before we talk about this, 00:00:43.246 --> 00:00:44.190 you need to explain it. 00:00:44.190 --> 00:00:44.966 No, I'm just kidding. 00:00:44.966 --> 00:00:45.830 But anyway, 00:00:45.990 --> 00:00:48.022 the idea of how to prepare to preach, 00:00:48.022 --> 00:00:50.998 and God's done a lot to prepare for this morning's message, 00:00:50.998 --> 00:00:52.006 and quite honestly, 00:00:52.038 --> 00:00:53.850 because it's very simple, 00:00:54.230 --> 00:00:57.966 y'all might get to the pancakes early. 00:00:58.038 --> 00:00:59.028 I don't know. 00:00:58.694 --> 00:01:00.254 But Romans, 00:01:00.302 --> 00:01:00.950 chapter two, 00:01:00.950 --> 00:01:02.126 verses five to 13. 00:01:02.198 --> 00:01:06.750 We're picking up verse five from the end of last week's message because 00:01:06.790 --> 00:01:09.100 it leads us into this week's message. 00:01:09.102 --> 00:01:11.014 And verse five starts with the word but. 00:01:11.014 --> 00:01:13.010 But because of your stubbornness. 00:01:13.430 --> 00:01:15.740 And why does it start like that? 00:01:15.254 --> 00:01:17.494 Because when it talks about in verse four, 00:01:17.494 --> 00:01:18.462 God's kindness, 00:01:18.526 --> 00:01:24.272 God's restraint is given to lead to repentance. 00:01:24.336 --> 00:01:27.966 But because of your stubbornness or your hardness of heart and 00:01:27.976 --> 00:01:29.104 unrepentant heart, 00:01:29.192 --> 00:01:32.928 you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation 00:01:32.928 --> 00:01:34.908 of the righteous judgment of God, 00:01:35.008 --> 00:01:37.824 who will render to every man according to his deeds, 00:01:37.824 --> 00:01:38.600 to those who, 00:01:38.600 --> 00:01:40.184 by perseverance and doing good, 00:01:40.184 --> 00:01:42.494 seek for glory and honor and immortality, 00:01:42.496 --> 00:01:43.664 eternal life. 00:01:43.832 --> 00:01:47.568 But to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, 00:01:47.568 --> 00:01:49.104 but obey unrighteousness, 00:01:49.232 --> 00:01:50.740 wrath, and indignation, 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:55.080 there will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does 00:01:55.080 --> 00:01:58.272 evil of the Jew first and also of the Greek. 00:01:58.272 --> 00:02:02.120 But glory and honor and peace to every man who does good to the Jew first 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:03.552 and also to the Greek. 00:02:03.552 --> 00:02:05.862 For there is no partiality with God. 00:02:05.712 --> 00:02:09.960 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:13.080 And all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:15.552 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, 00:02:15.552 --> 00:02:18.582 but the doers of the law will be justified. 00:02:18.726 --> 00:02:23.558 Alrighty, let's just pray together and hope and pray that God gives us 00:02:23.614 --> 00:02:24.486 understanding. God, 00:02:24.518 --> 00:02:26.966 we thank you for your word. 00:02:26.998 --> 00:02:27.646 And we thank you, 00:02:27.646 --> 00:02:29.302 God, that indeed you have spoken. 00:02:29.302 --> 00:02:34.630 And we thank you for the apostle Paul and God his obedience and 00:02:34.750 --> 00:02:40.438 willingness to write down that which you inspired and placed in his heart 00:02:40.494 --> 00:02:44.528 to give for us and to Us all these years later, 00:02:44.694 --> 00:02:50.044 God help us to recognize and discern God, 00:02:50.092 --> 00:02:52.720 what you are showing us about yourself, 00:02:53.300 --> 00:02:55.700 God, what do we need to see about you, 00:02:55.700 --> 00:02:57.720 God, that it might change us. 00:02:58.500 --> 00:03:00.212 God, thank you for this time, 00:03:00.212 --> 00:03:01.556 thank you for this hour. 00:03:01.556 --> 00:03:03.212 Thank you for the opportunity, 00:03:03.356 --> 00:03:06.980 privilege God that you give us to come and gather in this place that we 00:03:06.980 --> 00:03:09.380 might get a little better glimpse of you. 00:03:09.380 --> 00:03:11.690 And we pray it in Jesus name. 00:03:10.660 --> 00:03:12.576 Amen. Alright, 00:03:12.608 --> 00:03:18.032 so thus far we have basically Paul's introduction of himself. 00:03:18.096 --> 00:03:19.140 Hi, I'm Paul. 00:03:19.640 --> 00:03:21.300 I'm a slave of Jesus. 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:24.336 God revealed Jesus. 00:03:24.448 --> 00:03:27.152 God has given us grace. 00:03:27.296 --> 00:03:36.256 Grace. And God has provided for us this opportunity to know him through 00:03:36.408 --> 00:03:37.328 the gospel. 00:03:37.424 --> 00:03:38.744 And Paul is saying, 00:03:38.766 --> 00:03:40.918 I've been appointed an apostle. 00:03:41.094 --> 00:03:46.570 And God has revealed this idea of faith and belief. 00:03:47.550 --> 00:03:54.090 And God told me that I need to preach and am sent to preach the gospel 00:03:54.590 --> 00:03:56.454 and that's the apostleship. 00:03:56.582 --> 00:04:00.582 And I want to come to Rome and preach there in Rome, 00:04:00.646 --> 00:04:03.926 but I'm actually also called to preach everywhere else in the Roman 00:04:03.926 --> 00:04:06.726 Empire. And why? 00:04:06.798 --> 00:04:10.862 Because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who 00:04:10.862 --> 00:04:13.790 believes. To the Jew first and then to the Greek. 00:04:13.390 --> 00:04:14.086 In it, 00:04:14.158 --> 00:04:16.490 the righteousness of God is revealed. 00:04:17.630 --> 00:04:19.830 So God has revealed himself, 00:04:19.910 --> 00:04:22.090 God is revealing his righteousness. 00:04:23.310 --> 00:04:25.542 The world rejects God, 00:04:25.606 --> 00:04:28.810 the world rejects his righteousness. 00:04:29.230 --> 00:04:32.842 And so Paul begins this for the next two and a half chapters, 00:04:32.842 --> 00:04:37.210 from halfway through chapter one to chapter three starts to point out the 00:04:37.250 --> 00:04:41.738 sin that is rampant in the world. 00:04:41.874 --> 00:04:42.306 I mean, 00:04:42.306 --> 00:04:43.890 he just breaks it all down that, 00:04:43.890 --> 00:04:44.714 guess what? 00:04:44.882 --> 00:04:47.630 Everybody sins, 00:04:48.850 --> 00:04:50.682 everybody's unrighteous. 00:04:50.746 --> 00:04:55.010 We're going to get to that as we work our way the rest of chapter two, 00:04:55.010 --> 00:04:55.818 chapter three, 00:04:55.874 --> 00:04:57.572 and you know, 00:04:57.596 --> 00:05:00.716 the passages in verse three because it's kind of the beginning of the 00:05:00.716 --> 00:05:02.212 Roman road that says, 00:05:02.316 --> 00:05:02.716 you know, 00:05:02.716 --> 00:05:04.148 for the wages of sin. 00:05:04.148 --> 00:05:05.252 Well, I mean, 00:05:05.436 --> 00:05:08.356 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:05:08.356 --> 00:05:09.412 There's none righteous, 00:05:09.476 --> 00:05:10.640 no, not one. 00:05:11.660 --> 00:05:13.480 None of us are righteous. 00:05:14.140 --> 00:05:18.960 And yet judgment's coming. 00:05:19.740 --> 00:05:20.868 Judgment's coming, 00:05:20.924 --> 00:05:26.092 y'all. So what Paul is going to do in the next several verses of chapter 00:05:26.156 --> 00:05:31.068 two is to take us from God's revelation of himself. 00:05:31.244 --> 00:05:34.196 Now the reason I'm looking down the whole time is because I did write all 00:05:34.196 --> 00:05:35.000 that down. 00:05:36.020 --> 00:05:38.660 I'm not used to reading stuff like that. 00:05:38.548 --> 00:05:40.748 But so God's going to take, 00:05:40.804 --> 00:05:41.140 I mean, 00:05:41.140 --> 00:05:45.700 Paul's going to take us by inspiration of God from the point of the good 00:05:45.700 --> 00:05:46.924 news, the gospel, 00:05:47.052 --> 00:05:49.692 to why there's a need for the gospel. 00:05:50.110 --> 00:05:51.694 Well, what's the gospel for? 00:05:51.694 --> 00:05:53.270 What's the gospel supposed to Accomplish. 00:05:53.270 --> 00:05:54.998 Why is God revealing himself? 00:05:55.094 --> 00:05:57.074 Why is God revealing his righteousness? 00:05:57.094 --> 00:05:58.166 Because quite honestly, 00:05:58.198 --> 00:05:59.166 we need it. 00:05:59.166 --> 00:06:00.726 We need good news, 00:06:00.798 --> 00:06:02.438 we need righteousness. 00:06:02.534 --> 00:06:04.566 We can't achieve it in and of ourselves. 00:06:04.566 --> 00:06:09.286 So God is revealing his righteousness from faith to faith. 00:06:09.478 --> 00:06:13.886 For the righteous shall live by faith or the just shall live by faith. 00:06:13.654 --> 00:06:14.670 Which goes all the way back, 00:06:14.670 --> 00:06:15.334 as we mentioned, 00:06:15.334 --> 00:06:16.654 to the book of Habakkuk. 00:06:16.654 --> 00:06:19.272 This idea of God's imputed, 00:06:19.336 --> 00:06:20.968 imparted, given to us, 00:06:21.024 --> 00:06:24.568 righteousness, because that's the only way we can be righteous. 00:06:24.744 --> 00:06:29.700 And there's a word in this text that identifies the problem. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:31.768 Verse 8. 00:06:31.824 --> 00:06:35.900 But to those who are selfishly ambitious, 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:39.952 now, as we work our way out of verse 13, 00:06:39.952 --> 00:06:43.052 we're going to see this transition into God. 00:06:43.116 --> 00:06:46.540 Wanting to highlight the disobedience, 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:53.164 rebellion, rejection by the Jews of God's outreach to them, 00:06:53.332 --> 00:06:56.572 his providing for them his oracles, 00:06:56.636 --> 00:06:57.796 as we saw last week, 00:06:57.796 --> 00:07:01.212 that it was to the Jews that God gave his oracles, 00:07:01.212 --> 00:07:02.640 the oracles of God. 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:06.080 So they received something of God, 00:07:06.580 --> 00:07:08.684 of God's revelation of himself. 00:07:08.732 --> 00:07:09.468 And yet still, 00:07:09.468 --> 00:07:10.774 still they rejected. 00:07:10.822 --> 00:07:11.910 Why did they reject? 00:07:11.910 --> 00:07:13.878 Because they were selfishly ambitious. 00:07:14.054 --> 00:07:15.878 Why do people today reject God? 00:07:15.878 --> 00:07:17.530 Because of selfish ambition. 00:07:17.950 --> 00:07:22.710 Okay, so as I began working through this this week and really going back 00:07:22.750 --> 00:07:26.046 through, and some of the devotionals don't actually address a lot of what 00:07:26.046 --> 00:07:27.374 I'm going to address this morning, 00:07:27.374 --> 00:07:31.130 but title of today's message is simply no escape. 00:07:31.470 --> 00:07:34.406 Because we've talked the last two weeks about God's judgment. 00:07:34.406 --> 00:07:35.726 God's going to judge, 00:07:35.734 --> 00:07:36.290 right? 00:07:36.410 --> 00:07:37.130 And guess what? 00:07:37.130 --> 00:07:39.202 Last week the point was God's going to judge. 00:07:39.202 --> 00:07:40.810 So I don't have to, 00:07:40.810 --> 00:07:43.120 I don't have to chase you around, 00:07:43.290 --> 00:07:46.070 point at you about what you did wrong, 00:07:46.490 --> 00:07:47.274 right? I mean, 00:07:47.274 --> 00:07:49.882 obviously all I got to do is read the Bible and go, 00:07:49.882 --> 00:07:51.050 let's look at a few things, 00:07:51.050 --> 00:07:51.626 right? I mean, 00:07:51.626 --> 00:07:55.602 God's already judging and has judged and will judge. 00:07:55.666 --> 00:07:57.122 And in the day of judgment, 00:07:57.122 --> 00:07:58.442 there will be wrath. 00:08:00.090 --> 00:08:04.840 So I challenged myself because I believe God was challenging me to 00:08:04.880 --> 00:08:06.184 examine my heart. 00:08:06.352 --> 00:08:07.856 Just like two weeks ago when I said, 00:08:07.856 --> 00:08:08.176 you know, 00:08:08.176 --> 00:08:11.240 when I read this sin list from chapter one, 00:08:11.280 --> 00:08:11.776 what does it do? 00:08:11.776 --> 00:08:12.864 It puts me on my face. 00:08:12.864 --> 00:08:14.514 God, show me my sin. 00:08:15.520 --> 00:08:16.872 Don't show me your sin. 00:08:16.872 --> 00:08:19.182 I don't want to know your sin, 00:08:19.200 --> 00:08:21.624 right? Don't show me my neighbor's sin. 00:08:21.672 --> 00:08:23.464 Don't show me my family's sin. 00:08:23.464 --> 00:08:25.260 God, show me my sin. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:31.724 Reveal to me that that which has originated in my heart as selfish 00:08:31.772 --> 00:08:34.556 ambition, what I want, 00:08:34.628 --> 00:08:35.748 when I want it. 00:08:35.748 --> 00:08:38.252 Remember that I say that a lot. 00:08:38.436 --> 00:08:42.420 And it's funny that people say it back to me as a joke. 00:08:42.420 --> 00:08:43.452 And I go, 00:08:43.636 --> 00:08:44.920 what's going on? 00:08:45.380 --> 00:08:47.030 Well, why'd you do that? 00:08:47.620 --> 00:08:49.220 Because I want what I want. 00:08:49.220 --> 00:08:49.780 And I go, 00:08:49.780 --> 00:08:51.760 exactly. That's what I'm telling you. 00:08:52.340 --> 00:08:56.070 See, it's the selfish ambition that produces that. 00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:57.990 It's a selfishness, 00:08:58.970 --> 00:09:05.830 right, that causes us to act on our wants. 00:09:06.330 --> 00:09:10.090 So I began to kind of walk out my own heart again this week. 00:09:10.090 --> 00:09:14.434 And it really comes as a result of some conversations and discussions 00:09:14.482 --> 00:09:15.450 that we have. 00:09:15.450 --> 00:09:19.740 And I go back to a question I ask myself all the time. 00:09:19.850 --> 00:09:21.830 As a youth pastor for 14 years, 00:09:21.850 --> 00:09:24.906 it was always really easy for me with young people to go, 00:09:24.906 --> 00:09:26.556 well, why'd you do that? 00:09:26.830 --> 00:09:28.230 And then get the answer, 00:09:28.230 --> 00:09:29.550 well, I don't know, 00:09:30.110 --> 00:09:30.470 right? 00:09:30.510 --> 00:09:30.990 And I say, 00:09:30.990 --> 00:09:31.870 well, I can tell you, 00:09:31.870 --> 00:09:33.790 but you don't want to hear it, 00:09:33.790 --> 00:09:36.182 right? And that's kind of the thing. 00:09:36.206 --> 00:09:37.430 So I start asking myself, 00:09:37.430 --> 00:09:40.370 well, why do I do what I do? 00:09:40.990 --> 00:09:48.214 What is it that causes me to rise up in pride or arrogance or anger? 00:09:48.342 --> 00:09:51.660 What is it that causes me to rise up in judgment or. 00:09:51.382 --> 00:09:55.908 Or some sort of vindication against society, 00:09:56.004 --> 00:09:57.572 culture, politics, 00:09:57.716 --> 00:09:59.020 agendas, all that kind? 00:09:59.020 --> 00:10:05.220 What is it in me that makes me want to rise up and sort of exert my self 00:10:05.300 --> 00:10:08.480 righteousness against all the unrighteousness in the world? 00:10:09.260 --> 00:10:12.000 Right. I challenge myself in that. 00:10:12.780 --> 00:10:16.612 And so I started looking at some things and remembered that In Matthew, 00:10:16.612 --> 00:10:17.926 chapter 15, 00:10:17.998 --> 00:10:18.774 verse 19, 00:10:18.862 --> 00:10:21.166 Jesus is talking about the heart because he says, 00:10:21.166 --> 00:10:24.810 out of the heart comes evil thoughts. 00:10:25.870 --> 00:10:27.770 Murder, adultery, 00:10:28.190 --> 00:10:30.310 immorality, sexual immorality, 00:10:30.390 --> 00:10:32.118 theft, false witness, 00:10:32.214 --> 00:10:36.530 slander. Out of the heart that comes out of my heart, 00:10:37.390 --> 00:10:43.664 right? And then I began to think about King David. 00:10:43.712 --> 00:10:47.360 And King David was a man after God's own heart, 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:50.100 so. And yet he was corrupt. 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:53.130 If you study David's life, 00:10:53.144 --> 00:10:59.760 whoo. And it's easy for me to watch the best movie on King David and go, 00:10:59.800 --> 00:11:01.780 oh, look how corrupt he was. 00:11:02.040 --> 00:11:03.080 Well, what am I doing? 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:04.180 I'm judging. 00:11:04.520 --> 00:11:08.500 I'm judging back through the centuries, 00:11:09.330 --> 00:11:09.882 right? 00:11:09.986 --> 00:11:11.730 Why? Why would I do that? 00:11:11.730 --> 00:11:15.834 Well, if you really want to take a sort of a. 00:11:16.002 --> 00:11:19.066 Let's call it a rationalization approach to it. 00:11:19.138 --> 00:11:21.890 Well, because I don't want to be like that, 00:11:21.890 --> 00:11:22.630 right? 00:11:23.890 --> 00:11:27.550 I don't want to pursue the way David pursued, 00:11:28.050 --> 00:11:28.706 right? Well, 00:11:28.706 --> 00:11:29.682 no, I mean, 00:11:29.682 --> 00:11:31.914 we want to be righteousness. 00:11:31.962 --> 00:11:33.818 We want to honor God, 00:11:33.914 --> 00:11:38.322 but because God's providing and giving and imparting and imputing to us. 00:11:38.426 --> 00:11:41.150 Righteousness. But how do we do that? 00:11:41.770 --> 00:11:45.850 Right? This is going to be our challenge as we Walk out the whole book of 00:11:45.850 --> 00:11:48.510 Romans, and we're only in chapter two. 00:11:49.530 --> 00:11:51.762 So I got a feeling that. 00:11:51.946 --> 00:11:55.290 And I've already outlined this all the way up to June. 00:11:55.290 --> 00:11:57.470 And I'm looking and I'm like, 00:11:57.850 --> 00:11:59.762 this is going to take us apart, 00:11:59.762 --> 00:12:00.422 you know? 00:11:59.966 --> 00:12:10.680 Yah. This is going to cause us to really examine the depth of our being. 00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:14.910 So it really comes back to a simple question. 00:12:15.460 --> 00:12:17.770 Why do we do what we do? 00:12:18.740 --> 00:12:21.836 And then I look at the two great commands, 00:12:21.868 --> 00:12:25.828 and this has been great conversation over the last couple of days. 00:12:24.740 --> 00:12:33.798 Particularly, do we love God with all our heart and soul and mind and 00:12:33.854 --> 00:12:36.530 strength, depending on which gospel you read. 00:12:37.870 --> 00:12:39.366 Do we love God? 00:12:39.478 --> 00:12:40.678 Do we love God? 00:12:40.678 --> 00:12:43.086 I had a teenager years ago ask me, 00:12:43.086 --> 00:12:46.250 is it possible to be in love with God? 00:12:46.990 --> 00:12:49.758 Well, that's a very cultural way to ask the question, 00:12:49.758 --> 00:12:50.610 isn't it? 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:54.290 Because teenagers are all concerned about falling in love. 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:56.720 And so that's what she was thinking, 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.060 can I be in love with God? 00:13:00.760 --> 00:13:02.740 And I think there is an. 00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:06.352 I think that out of our obedience and surrender, 00:13:06.496 --> 00:13:10.736 we act with love toward God. 00:13:10.928 --> 00:13:15.824 But can we be emotionally in love with God? 00:13:15.872 --> 00:13:17.800 That's an examination of the heart. 00:13:17.800 --> 00:13:24.142 On the way to the gathering this morning at like quarter till seven, 00:13:24.246 --> 00:13:26.358 except it felt like a quarter to six. 00:13:26.358 --> 00:13:27.678 I don't know why. 00:13:29.670 --> 00:13:30.550 On the way in, 00:13:30.550 --> 00:13:32.958 there was a song that came on my playlist, 00:13:32.958 --> 00:13:33.670 and it was just, 00:13:33.670 --> 00:13:34.390 I love you, 00:13:34.390 --> 00:13:36.670 God. And that was the lyric, 00:13:36.750 --> 00:13:37.350 I love you, 00:13:37.350 --> 00:13:39.370 God. I love you. 00:13:40.070 --> 00:13:45.270 Does that mean I feel it or is that just what's coming out of my mouth? 00:13:45.270 --> 00:13:50.000 Do I feel a love for my heavenly Father? 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:56.116 I was showing some folks in the hallway this sort of juxtaposition of 00:13:56.116 --> 00:13:58.096 pictures. How y'all like that word? 00:13:59.060 --> 00:14:02.690 Took a picture yesterday in the yard of me holding Ezekiel. 00:14:03.060 --> 00:14:03.788 Little boy, 00:14:03.884 --> 00:14:05.300 he's about this big right now. 00:14:05.300 --> 00:14:07.716 And I was holding him in the yard and Angie took my picture. 00:14:07.548 --> 00:14:09.180 And so I sent it to my sister, 00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:10.900 I sent it to my niece and. 00:14:10.900 --> 00:14:13.684 Because they want to keep up with Ezekiel as he grows up. 00:14:13.684 --> 00:14:14.716 And then today, 00:14:14.868 --> 00:14:20.610 when I pulled up Facebook thing to share the worship gathering this 00:14:20.650 --> 00:14:25.858 morning, there popped up a memory in my Facebook of Eli and I. 00:14:25.914 --> 00:14:32.258 We were standing on the stage down at the high school for the elementary 00:14:32.354 --> 00:14:34.322 school talent show. 00:14:34.346 --> 00:14:36.002 And Eli's about this tall, 00:14:36.146 --> 00:14:42.002 and he's looking up on the podium because he's my co emcee for the talent 00:14:42.066 --> 00:14:43.070 show, right? 00:14:44.010 --> 00:14:48.300 And he's trying to read a joke that I gave him to tell. 00:14:48.890 --> 00:14:51.370 And I'm looking over his shoulder and somebody said, 00:14:51.370 --> 00:14:52.554 what are you looking at? 00:14:52.554 --> 00:14:53.954 Because you look like you're. 00:14:53.954 --> 00:14:55.218 And I was looking over his shoulder, 00:14:55.218 --> 00:14:55.770 doing like this. 00:14:55.770 --> 00:14:57.306 I had this wrinkle and all that. 00:14:57.098 --> 00:14:59.922 It looked like I was being very judgmental of what he was reading, 00:14:59.922 --> 00:15:00.670 you know. 00:15:01.370 --> 00:15:02.730 And I looked at that and I thought, 00:15:02.730 --> 00:15:08.162 okay, father and son and father and grandson, 00:15:08.306 --> 00:15:10.330 and there's a son in between that. 00:15:10.330 --> 00:15:11.362 And I thought to myself, 00:15:11.362 --> 00:15:11.770 I thought, 00:15:11.770 --> 00:15:13.860 do I love God? 00:15:17.400 --> 00:15:19.180 I love God like that. 00:15:20.680 --> 00:15:23.424 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, 00:15:23.424 --> 00:15:24.512 mind and strength. 00:15:24.576 --> 00:15:26.448 And then I thought about, 00:15:26.504 --> 00:15:31.040 if I'm just running at Kiwanis park all by myself, 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:32.496 I'm going to get to the text, 00:15:32.496 --> 00:15:34.146 y'all. You guys really want. 00:15:34.520 --> 00:15:37.304 I went through the text and I was going to unalign all the important 00:15:37.304 --> 00:15:38.392 words I wanted to cover. 00:15:38.280 --> 00:15:39.256 And I'm going to just be honest with you. 00:15:39.256 --> 00:15:41.550 I don't like the whole text, 00:15:41.970 --> 00:15:43.090 underline the whole thing. 00:15:43.090 --> 00:15:43.970 So I'm going to get there. 00:15:43.970 --> 00:15:46.940 So you might not get out early after all. 00:15:48.770 --> 00:15:50.506 Running at Kiwanis park yesterday, 00:15:50.538 --> 00:15:50.930 I thought, 00:15:50.930 --> 00:15:51.920 as I run, 00:15:53.010 --> 00:15:54.990 does God know I love him? 00:15:58.290 --> 00:15:59.670 How does he know? 00:16:01.250 --> 00:16:02.703 1st Samuel 16, 00:16:02.804 --> 00:16:09.060 7. As Samuel was looking at the sons of Jesse and fine looking young men, 00:16:09.180 --> 00:16:09.724 he said, 00:16:09.724 --> 00:16:14.372 certainly this is the king that God wants to appoint. 00:16:14.436 --> 00:16:15.604 And God says, 00:16:15.772 --> 00:16:18.560 sammy, don't look at the outer man, 00:16:20.140 --> 00:16:21.092 because what? 00:16:21.196 --> 00:16:23.600 Because the Lord looks at the heart. 00:16:26.140 --> 00:16:27.052 And then I. 00:16:27.052 --> 00:16:28.028 That bounced me off. 00:16:28.028 --> 00:16:33.188 These verses have nothing to do with each other except it's the same 00:16:33.244 --> 00:16:37.160 sentiment. If you go to 2nd Corinthians 9:7. 00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:41.156 Paul is encouraging the Corinthian church to get ready to take up an 00:16:41.156 --> 00:16:43.708 offering because he's getting ready to keep going on his mission journeys 00:16:43.708 --> 00:16:47.668 and they've promised an offering and he's coming to get an offering. 00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:50.180 And y'all think I'm about to go into money and I'm not. 00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:51.708 But anyway, 00:16:51.884 --> 00:16:53.996 Paul to the Corinthian believer says, 00:16:54.068 --> 00:17:02.530 give as your heart directs the motivation of the heart, 00:17:02.990 --> 00:17:05.542 that's what goes to the text. 00:17:05.686 --> 00:17:12.438 But because of your stubbornness and what unrepentant heart you are, 00:17:12.494 --> 00:17:17.302 storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the 00:17:17.326 --> 00:17:18.854 righteous judgment of God. 00:17:18.982 --> 00:17:21.446 So God is going to judge. 00:17:21.558 --> 00:17:23.382 God is the judge. 00:17:23.526 --> 00:17:25.330 Judgment is coming. 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:27.260 How will you be judged? 00:17:27.260 --> 00:17:31.220 Will you be judged by the clothes you wear on Sunday morning? 00:17:31.540 --> 00:17:34.160 No, but I was as a kid, 00:17:34.900 --> 00:17:36.220 just so you know, 00:17:36.372 --> 00:17:38.668 with them patent leather shoes I had to wear. 00:17:38.668 --> 00:17:39.932 That hurt my feet, 00:17:39.932 --> 00:17:40.600 right? 00:17:42.580 --> 00:17:44.700 God's looking at the heart, 00:17:44.820 --> 00:17:45.804 the stubbornness. 00:17:45.852 --> 00:17:48.720 Unrepentant heart is storing up wrath. 00:17:49.780 --> 00:17:52.400 God's righteous anger, 00:17:53.170 --> 00:17:53.834 not temper. 00:17:53.882 --> 00:17:55.150 Tantrum, anger, 00:17:55.570 --> 00:17:57.790 not emotional reaction, 00:17:59.010 --> 00:18:03.790 but the response to rejection and rebellion because of selfishness, 00:18:04.850 --> 00:18:06.750 because of selfish ambition, 00:18:07.650 --> 00:18:10.378 right? The righteous judgment of God, 00:18:10.394 --> 00:18:14.010 who will render to every man according to his deeds. 00:18:14.090 --> 00:18:16.682 Doesn't say to lost man, 00:18:16.866 --> 00:18:21.108 doesn't say just a Jewish man to every man. 00:18:21.244 --> 00:18:24.964 Every man will be judged according to his deeds. 00:18:25.012 --> 00:18:26.532 Why according to his deeds? 00:18:26.532 --> 00:18:28.484 That makes it performance related. 00:18:28.572 --> 00:18:29.892 That makes it work, 00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:31.028 salvation, right? 00:18:31.084 --> 00:18:36.020 No, because the counsel of the whole scripture is, 00:18:36.060 --> 00:18:39.880 is that our deeds are produced out of our hearts, 00:18:40.540 --> 00:18:43.204 right? So if I'm running, 00:18:43.252 --> 00:18:44.476 is God going to say, 00:18:44.476 --> 00:18:46.060 that was a great five mile run, 00:18:46.060 --> 00:18:47.952 Bobby? No. 00:18:47.976 --> 00:18:48.760 What's he looking at? 00:18:48.760 --> 00:18:50.112 He's looking at while I'm running, 00:18:50.112 --> 00:18:51.432 do I love him? 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:56.144 Right? While I'm telling jokes, 00:18:56.192 --> 00:18:57.512 do I love him? 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:05.552 See, so and then it says to those who by perseverance in doing good, 00:19:05.736 --> 00:19:08.192 seek for glory and honor and immortality, 00:19:08.336 --> 00:19:12.464 they're going to get eternal life by perseverance. 00:19:12.512 --> 00:19:15.456 That means acting out of the love that we have for God. 00:19:15.456 --> 00:19:16.920 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:17.920 soul, mind and strength, 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.272 folks. 00:19:18.336 --> 00:19:20.816 Don't turn it into a list of dos and don'ts. 00:19:20.816 --> 00:19:22.820 Don't turn it into religion. 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.140 It is, 00:19:24.168 --> 00:19:28.880 it is a love relationship with our heavenly Father. 00:19:29.040 --> 00:19:31.300 It is an intimacy with God. 00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:35.656 So what does that mean I've got to do in my own life? 00:19:35.464 --> 00:19:40.080 That means every day and as much as I can all day long, 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:47.310 I need to work for the stimulation in my heart to love God. 00:19:47.650 --> 00:19:48.138 So yeah, 00:19:48.138 --> 00:19:51.458 I look forward to a song that pops on my little earbuds and says, 00:19:51.458 --> 00:19:52.778 I love you God. 00:19:53.810 --> 00:19:56.120 And we just sang that one where, 00:19:56.610 --> 00:19:58.002 oh, there you are over there. 00:19:58.002 --> 00:19:59.630 I love you Lord. 00:20:00.450 --> 00:20:01.002 Right? 00:20:01.106 --> 00:20:01.698 I mean, 00:20:01.698 --> 00:20:03.642 we're encouraged to, 00:20:03.746 --> 00:20:06.602 with our mouth express our love for God. 00:20:06.666 --> 00:20:08.698 Why? Because what Jesus, 00:20:08.794 --> 00:20:11.378 out of the heart come all these other things. 00:20:11.378 --> 00:20:13.350 But what proceedeth out of the mouth starts. 00:20:13.350 --> 00:20:15.158 So if I can say to God, 00:20:15.158 --> 00:20:15.854 I love you, 00:20:15.854 --> 00:20:21.330 God, then the idea is that that comes from my heart, 00:20:22.830 --> 00:20:24.610 comes out of my heart. 00:20:25.150 --> 00:20:27.726 And so I'm looking as to those who by perseverance and doing good, 00:20:27.726 --> 00:20:28.422 seek for the glory, 00:20:28.422 --> 00:20:30.142 honor, many more times they get eternal life. 00:20:30.142 --> 00:20:36.822 But to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, 00:20:36.886 --> 00:20:38.914 but obey unrighteousness, 00:20:39.062 --> 00:20:40.712 guess what their reward is? 00:20:40.722 --> 00:20:42.430 Wrath and indignation, 00:20:43.730 --> 00:20:47.754 tribulation, distress for every soul of man who does evil. 00:20:47.802 --> 00:20:49.962 Of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 00:20:49.962 --> 00:20:51.730 don't you love how when he said, 00:20:51.730 --> 00:20:58.170 the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes to 00:20:58.210 --> 00:21:00.122 the Jew first and to the Greek, 00:21:00.122 --> 00:21:01.034 guess what? 00:21:01.202 --> 00:21:05.306 Judgment and wrath to The Jew first and also to the Greek. 00:21:05.338 --> 00:21:05.826 What does it mean? 00:21:05.826 --> 00:21:07.150 It just means everybody. 00:21:08.410 --> 00:21:13.590 So it's not about an ethnic context. 00:21:13.930 --> 00:21:16.402 It's not about any of those things. 00:21:16.506 --> 00:21:19.146 It's about what's in the heart of mankind. 00:21:19.930 --> 00:21:22.802 And I've known some really good looking, 00:21:22.986 --> 00:21:25.150 quote Christian people, 00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:28.430 right? Look great. 00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:34.356 But that's looking at the outside, 00:21:34.356 --> 00:21:35.600 not the inside. 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:37.520 Whew. 00:21:39.620 --> 00:21:43.068 So as we tribulation now in verse nine, 00:21:43.124 --> 00:21:45.076 some of your translations will say, 00:21:45.076 --> 00:21:48.916 there will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does 00:21:48.916 --> 00:21:51.500 evil. That's a contextual insert right there. 00:21:51.540 --> 00:21:52.900 Because if you read it straight through, 00:21:52.900 --> 00:21:54.060 do not obey the truth, 00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:55.404 but obey unrighteousness, 00:21:55.452 --> 00:21:56.652 wrath and indignation, 00:21:56.716 --> 00:22:00.562 tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil of the Jew 00:22:00.562 --> 00:22:01.922 first and also to the Greek. 00:22:01.922 --> 00:22:07.650 But glory and honor and peace to every man who does good to the Jew first 00:22:07.690 --> 00:22:09.010 and also to the Greeks. 00:22:09.010 --> 00:22:11.906 For there is no partiality with God. 00:22:11.938 --> 00:22:13.590 I underlined that one twice. 00:22:14.810 --> 00:22:20.466 God doesn't pick and choose who gets judgment because everybody gets 00:22:20.498 --> 00:22:23.330 judgment. See, 00:22:23.370 --> 00:22:27.820 God has reached out to the world with his love, 00:22:30.040 --> 00:22:35.620 with a kindness and patience unto repentance, 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:39.856 right? Look at the world around you. 00:22:40.008 --> 00:22:41.888 Is it our job to judge? 00:22:41.552 --> 00:22:44.522 I've already said no two weeks in a row, 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:47.920 right? I've already said no two weeks in a row. 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:50.320 But why is God so tolerant? 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:53.120 See, that's a big word in our culture right now. 00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:54.680 God's not tolerant. 00:22:54.760 --> 00:23:01.192 He is patient because he wants people to know his love for them so that 00:23:01.216 --> 00:23:04.180 they can respond in love to Him. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:08.020 See, why do I do what I do? 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:10.040 Why have I been to church? 00:23:10.040 --> 00:23:12.776 Probably, and I'm using the word intentionally, 00:23:12.968 --> 00:23:16.020 why have I been to church all my life? 00:23:17.520 --> 00:23:21.850 Because it was indoctrinated into me. 00:23:23.110 --> 00:23:26.080 Well, at some point that was a true answer. 00:23:27.510 --> 00:23:28.734 Why now? 00:23:28.902 --> 00:23:31.010 Because I want God. 00:23:32.550 --> 00:23:34.210 I want to love God. 00:23:34.710 --> 00:23:38.340 God sees whether or not I have love in my heart. 00:23:38.310 --> 00:23:42.486 God sees that I can't look at your heart and tell whether you love or 00:23:42.486 --> 00:23:44.570 not. God can. 00:23:45.260 --> 00:23:48.080 So God sees the motivation of the heart. 00:23:50.780 --> 00:23:52.228 No partiality with God. 00:23:52.244 --> 00:23:54.692 And then verse 12 begins this. 00:23:54.796 --> 00:23:56.636 As we work our way into chapter three, 00:23:56.636 --> 00:23:57.340 you're going to see it. 00:23:57.340 --> 00:23:59.508 For all have sinned. 00:23:59.684 --> 00:24:04.240 For all who have sinned without the law will perish without the law. 00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:08.204 All who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 00:24:08.204 --> 00:24:13.482 Now people start taking this all apart and those under the law, 00:24:13.666 --> 00:24:17.426 this just is kind of repeating that sort of differentiation between the 00:24:17.426 --> 00:24:21.234 oracles of God who received the oracles of God who were established under 00:24:21.234 --> 00:24:22.522 the law of God, 00:24:22.522 --> 00:24:26.250 okay, Because we're about to break into the whole. 00:24:26.410 --> 00:24:29.242 Where we've already dealt with the sin of the Gentiles. 00:24:29.242 --> 00:24:32.618 We're about to get to the sin of the Jews in the book of Romans. 00:24:32.618 --> 00:24:33.938 Just so you know, 00:24:34.610 --> 00:24:36.410 we'll be judged by the law, 00:24:36.410 --> 00:24:39.372 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, 00:24:39.372 --> 00:24:42.342 but the doers of the law will be justified. 00:24:42.580 --> 00:24:43.780 We get to next week, 00:24:43.780 --> 00:24:45.244 we start talking about, 00:24:45.412 --> 00:24:46.036 forgive me, 00:24:46.036 --> 00:24:49.400 but we start talking about circumcision of the heart. 00:24:50.820 --> 00:24:52.480 See, that's in Romans. 00:24:52.900 --> 00:24:58.012 That's understanding that what God is looking at is not the outward 00:24:58.076 --> 00:25:05.490 display, but the inward posture and attitude of our lives. 00:25:07.230 --> 00:25:13.334 So as we consider this sort of verses 5 through 13, 00:25:13.502 --> 00:25:16.630 we know that we're about to get to verse 14, 00:25:16.750 --> 00:25:18.070 where we start off, 00:25:18.094 --> 00:25:19.654 it's kind of the continuation, 00:25:19.654 --> 00:25:20.998 but it works itself. 00:25:21.094 --> 00:25:22.730 So when Gentiles, 00:25:23.150 --> 00:25:23.890 right? 00:25:24.190 --> 00:25:25.302 So Jesus, 00:25:25.366 --> 00:25:25.918 I mean, 00:25:25.918 --> 00:25:26.774 Paul, God, 00:25:26.822 --> 00:25:27.798 by inspiration, 00:25:27.894 --> 00:25:32.610 Paul is writing to us and giving us this. 00:25:34.600 --> 00:25:39.248 This trajectory of how God has revealed himself. 00:25:39.344 --> 00:25:41.232 Okay? Can you imagine? 00:25:41.296 --> 00:25:43.936 And I remember seeing it in movie form, 00:25:43.944 --> 00:25:46.254 because I'm a child of the 70s. 00:25:46.520 --> 00:25:48.830 I remember seeing it in movie form. 00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:54.256 Oh, Abraham kind of out tending some of his daddy's flock or something, 00:25:54.328 --> 00:25:57.784 and he's out in the wilderness and trying to take the sheep to water 00:25:57.784 --> 00:25:59.552 because that's what shepherds do. 00:25:59.656 --> 00:26:00.608 And all of a sudden, 00:26:00.608 --> 00:26:03.362 a voice somehow, 00:26:03.426 --> 00:26:04.690 some way to Abram, 00:26:04.690 --> 00:26:05.762 Abram, not Abraham. 00:26:05.826 --> 00:26:08.710 Yet some voice says to abram, 00:26:09.370 --> 00:26:14.830 abram, I want you to leave your family, 00:26:15.690 --> 00:26:16.386 your land, 00:26:16.458 --> 00:26:17.310 your people. 00:26:17.930 --> 00:26:20.900 Go to a land that I will show you. 00:26:21.530 --> 00:26:22.430 I mean, 00:26:24.170 --> 00:26:26.830 how does that conversation start? 00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:30.588 Okay? I mean, 00:26:30.724 --> 00:26:36.332 is it not Abram by himself with a bunch of sheep out in a wilderness type 00:26:36.396 --> 00:26:38.620 area, Mesopotamian plain, 00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:39.880 somewhere in Ur, 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:44.520 going, what's all this about? 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:54.990 And God revealing himself individually to a man and saying, 00:26:57.050 --> 00:27:00.510 I will make of you a great nation. 00:27:01.850 --> 00:27:05.670 Right, folks, 00:27:07.290 --> 00:27:10.590 if you hear the word of God from this table, 00:27:10.970 --> 00:27:13.058 as I share on Sunday morning, 00:27:13.194 --> 00:27:14.666 great. If God speaks to you, 00:27:14.666 --> 00:27:15.656 I love it. 00:27:15.802 --> 00:27:17.082 That's what we do. 00:27:17.082 --> 00:27:19.202 Want to take a portion of scripture, 00:27:19.202 --> 00:27:22.978 try to break it down to the point that we can understand what it is God 00:27:22.978 --> 00:27:29.370 was saying in 55-57 AD through Paul to the Romans, 00:27:29.530 --> 00:27:32.500 and yet carried down through the centuries to us? 00:27:33.090 --> 00:27:35.270 What is God saying to you? 00:27:36.130 --> 00:27:37.410 Is God saying to you, 00:27:37.410 --> 00:27:41.650 that preacher wants me to walk down the aisle and get in the water? 00:27:41.650 --> 00:27:44.098 Right? Is that what God's saying to you? 00:27:44.098 --> 00:27:45.698 No, God's saying to you, 00:27:45.698 --> 00:27:47.030 I love you. 00:27:48.130 --> 00:27:52.100 Love me back and act like it, 00:27:54.560 --> 00:27:59.340 because the deeds of your Heart will be judged, 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:03.176 man. Can I just tell you, 00:28:03.328 --> 00:28:05.472 it's kind of where I've been this week, 00:28:05.472 --> 00:28:10.200 and I walk through the theme of scripture that God's not looking at my 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:11.368 shirt, which. 00:28:11.424 --> 00:28:12.960 My button's broken right here, 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:16.970 y'all. I'm afraid that it's going to pop off completely, 00:28:17.120 --> 00:28:20.430 and then I'm going to have one button down and one not. 00:28:20.430 --> 00:28:22.410 And that's just out of order. 00:28:22.910 --> 00:28:24.370 That looks bad. 00:28:25.790 --> 00:28:29.606 You should have sewn a new button on that before you wore that to church 00:28:29.606 --> 00:28:30.530 this morning. 00:28:30.910 --> 00:28:31.650 Right? 00:28:35.470 --> 00:28:37.890 He's not concerned about this. 00:28:38.590 --> 00:28:40.450 He's concerned about this. 00:28:41.470 --> 00:28:44.730 And he wants to nurture this like a daddy, 00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:47.076 a heavenly daddy. 00:28:47.108 --> 00:28:49.640 He wants to nurture our hearts. 00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:52.788 Perfect message yesterday, 00:28:52.884 --> 00:28:53.720 Cole. 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:59.716 He wants to nurture our hearts like a daddy, 00:28:59.908 --> 00:29:00.708 you know? 00:29:00.844 --> 00:29:01.820 And so this morning, 00:29:01.820 --> 00:29:05.340 when those two pictures popped up on my phone and I'm holding my 00:29:05.340 --> 00:29:06.880 grandson, I was like, 00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:12.676 see, that's going to be crazy when that kid's old enough to walk. 00:29:12.828 --> 00:29:13.908 Because I told him yesterday, 00:29:13.908 --> 00:29:14.220 I said, 00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:15.964 dude, when you're able to walk and talk, 00:29:15.964 --> 00:29:17.280 we're gonna play, 00:29:18.380 --> 00:29:20.040 we're gonna dig holes, 00:29:21.260 --> 00:29:22.640 we're gonna run. 00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:25.828 And that's what I was telling him yesterday. 00:29:25.828 --> 00:29:26.564 He doesn't have a clue. 00:29:26.404 --> 00:29:27.394 He's just like. 00:29:28.620 --> 00:29:29.276 And I go, 00:29:29.276 --> 00:29:30.380 I got plans for you, 00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:31.268 big boy. 00:29:31.444 --> 00:29:32.960 Right, right. 00:29:34.140 --> 00:29:37.268 Because then I look at the picture that popped up this morning of Eli, 00:29:37.268 --> 00:29:40.468 and he's got that long blond hair in that picture. 00:29:40.468 --> 00:29:40.792 You. 00:29:40.684 --> 00:29:43.792 You know that he had looked like a surfer kid that hated surf. 00:29:43.792 --> 00:29:44.752 He did hate surfing. 00:29:44.752 --> 00:29:46.600 It's not like he looked like. 00:29:46.600 --> 00:29:47.384 And I thought, 00:29:47.384 --> 00:29:48.220 you know. 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:53.728 And I don't want to minimize the perfect, 00:29:53.824 --> 00:29:56.500 incredible, overwhelming love of God, 00:29:57.640 --> 00:30:00.610 but does my son know that I love him? 00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:04.220 Does my grandson know that I love him? 00:30:05.800 --> 00:30:06.780 You see? 00:30:08.560 --> 00:30:10.008 Well, see, 00:30:10.064 --> 00:30:12.840 we need to make sure that our actions, 00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:14.140 our words, 00:30:15.120 --> 00:30:20.700 our attitude express our love back to God. 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:24.296 Do it in your devotional time. 00:30:24.448 --> 00:30:26.098 Study the word of God. 00:30:27.280 --> 00:30:29.272 Study what God has said. 00:30:29.456 --> 00:30:33.650 Let God know by your choices, 00:30:33.730 --> 00:30:34.930 actions, attitudes, 00:30:35.010 --> 00:30:37.470 everything. Let God know you love him. 00:30:38.810 --> 00:30:39.826 I love you, 00:30:39.898 --> 00:30:43.026 Lord, for your mercy. 00:30:43.138 --> 00:30:45.666 Something. I don't memorize y'all songs. 00:30:45.698 --> 00:30:46.170 You know that, 00:30:46.170 --> 00:30:46.750 right? 00:30:48.810 --> 00:30:52.440 So I've sung to you two weeks in a row now. 00:30:53.050 --> 00:30:53.874 And everybody, 00:30:53.922 --> 00:30:54.594 last week. 00:30:54.682 --> 00:30:57.066 I had a few folks last week say, 00:30:57.066 --> 00:31:00.366 can you write down the lyrics to that Patience song? 00:31:03.320 --> 00:31:04.000 Google it. 00:31:04.040 --> 00:31:05.456 It's in there somewhere. 00:31:05.648 --> 00:31:06.832 Anyway, folks, 00:31:06.976 --> 00:31:08.780 God's judgment's coming. 00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:16.780 We don't strive for perfection because we'll never get there, 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:22.900 but we do strive to perfect our love for God. 00:31:26.050 --> 00:31:26.810 All right, 00:31:26.930 --> 00:31:28.122 if you don't know Jesus. 00:31:28.122 --> 00:31:29.178 That's where it starts. 00:31:29.178 --> 00:31:32.458 I always tell folks it starts with knowing Jesus. 00:31:32.634 --> 00:31:35.870 Maybe you're here this morning and yeah, 00:31:36.690 --> 00:31:37.434 like me, 00:31:37.522 --> 00:31:44.522 you kind of had that church introduction to faith or to the gospel or 00:31:44.546 --> 00:31:50.042 whatever. But one of the things that we've really going to be centering 00:31:50.106 --> 00:31:52.162 on in the days ahead is the fact that, 00:31:52.162 --> 00:31:52.610 you know, 00:31:52.610 --> 00:31:56.950 loving God is our first priority to love God. 00:31:57.530 --> 00:32:00.170 Our second priority is to love each other. 00:32:00.890 --> 00:32:04.594 Okay? So if you don't know Jesus, 00:32:04.642 --> 00:32:06.658 we want to introduce you maybe as a Christian, 00:32:06.658 --> 00:32:07.050 you know, 00:32:07.050 --> 00:32:10.474 there's some priority problems in your life and you need to pray about 00:32:10.474 --> 00:32:13.444 that. And if you want to be a member, 00:32:13.530 --> 00:32:14.658 quote of the gathering, 00:32:14.658 --> 00:32:16.082 you can come be a member of the gathering. 00:32:16.082 --> 00:32:18.570 We'll tell you what that means and what that looks like. 00:32:18.010 --> 00:32:22.680 But just respond to God this morning because God has said to you at least 00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.976 that he loves you. 00:32:23.976 --> 00:32:25.024 Okay, let's pray. 00:32:25.072 --> 00:32:28.520 God, thank you for today and for what you're doing in our hearts and 00:32:28.520 --> 00:32:29.512 lives. And I thank you, 00:32:29.512 --> 00:32:30.872 God, for your word that. 00:32:30.872 --> 00:32:32.776 Yeah, this is a harsh scripture. 00:32:32.544 --> 00:32:38.900 This is a text that tells us that in selfish ambition, 00:32:39.560 --> 00:32:43.216 God, we somehow want to pursue our own way. 00:32:43.288 --> 00:32:54.266 Like those who would promote themselves. 00:32:54.458 --> 00:32:56.910 God, help us to bow. 00:32:57.570 --> 00:32:59.390 God, help us to surrender. 00:33:00.930 --> 00:33:04.710 God, help us to love youe back. 00:33:05.490 --> 00:33:07.122 God. This morning as we sing, 00:33:07.122 --> 00:33:08.570 God, just hear our hearts. 00:33:08.570 --> 00:33:13.590 Let us sing our Love to youo with whatever the words of the song are. 00:33:13.900 --> 00:33:15.852 Help us to love you as we sing. 00:33:15.852 --> 00:33:18.300 Help us to love you as we respond. 00:33:18.052 --> 00:33:19.500 And we pray it in Jesus name, 00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:19.700 Amen.