WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.700 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:46.540 --> 00:00:47.420 Good morning. 00:00:48.260 --> 00:00:48.660 There we go. 00:00:48.720 --> 00:00:50.660 Glad you guys are here with us today. 00:00:50.740 --> 00:00:53.920 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open up to Galatians chapter 2. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:57.600 So we're going to continue on in our study this morning. 00:00:57.700 --> 00:01:02.260 So we've been in Galatians for the last couple of weeks, and what we've gotten out of the 00:01:02.260 --> 00:01:08.080 first week and last week is we kind of walked into Paul's welcome as he greets the church 00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:11.240 at Galatia, as he welcomes them in this letter. 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:16.200 And then Paul does something kind of neat or kind of different than what we're maybe used 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:21.160 to, is that Paul begins to go through almost this section of his autobiography. 00:01:21.360 --> 00:01:24.080 And what we saw last week was kind of the first part of that. 00:01:24.320 --> 00:01:28.500 And in the first two weeks, what we kind of lay the truths that are going to continue to 00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:33.980 ring out each and every week of what we study is that the gospel is how we enter into the 00:01:33.980 --> 00:01:34.240 kingdom. 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:39.760 There's going to be this debate of what's going on within the power and the working of what 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:44.620 Paul is doing, what Paul's challenging the church with through the power of God. 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:51.800 And what he's going to focus in on is the understanding of the gospel and that in the gospel, what we 00:01:51.800 --> 00:01:57.600 see in the gospel, what we experience is the gospel is how we enter into the kingdom. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:03.500 And that is the gospel in the gospel alone that is through Christ and through Christ alone that 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:05.840 is in the work of the cross and the cross alone. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:12.440 It's because the tomb is empty through all of these things is how we enter into the kingdom, 00:02:12.440 --> 00:02:17.000 that it is Jesus Christ alone who saves. 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:20.060 And that's the first foundational truth that we have. 00:02:20.220 --> 00:02:21.900 But then he doesn't just leave there. 00:02:22.060 --> 00:02:26.920 He continues on about more of the gospel, that not only the gospel is how we enter into the 00:02:26.920 --> 00:02:31.160 kingdom, but that the gospel is how we live as a part of the kingdom. 00:02:31.160 --> 00:02:37.080 And here's the important part for us, for you and I that are believers, many of you in here have been 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:43.480 believers for 20, 30, 40 years, or whether you've been a believer for five years or five days or for 00:02:43.480 --> 00:02:49.900 five minutes, that the gospel is still needed by all of us who were saints, all of us who were saved, 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:55.120 all of us who have been redeemed, that the gospel is how we live as a part of the kingdom, 00:02:55.120 --> 00:03:01.340 that the gospel sets the standard, the authority in our life, and we live our life as the spirit of God 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:04.780 transforms us out of the truth that comes from the gospel. 00:03:05.220 --> 00:03:10.000 So what we establish and what we work with is who needs the gospel? 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:11.160 Everyone. 00:03:11.960 --> 00:03:16.260 Not just to save them, but as a part of their lives of who they are. 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:22.100 And so Paul wants an accurate understanding of what the gospel is for the people of Galatia, 00:03:22.100 --> 00:03:24.900 both to be saved and how to live. 00:03:25.660 --> 00:03:30.920 And then Paul goes into the first part of his autobiography as Paul begins to talk about the 00:03:30.920 --> 00:03:37.140 transforming work of what the gospel did in his life as a lost person, and then the authority of 00:03:37.140 --> 00:03:42.000 what the gospel establishes in his life as he is now Paul the apostle. 00:03:42.460 --> 00:03:46.060 And it's amazing, transforming work of what we see. 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:50.480 And what we see in that is the power of the work of what the gospel does. 00:03:50.720 --> 00:03:53.480 That Paul, when he was saved, was saved. 00:03:53.600 --> 00:03:57.460 And in that, a transformation begins to happen and take place. 00:03:57.600 --> 00:04:02.980 That he is no longer Saul, who he was before, but as he shares the power of his story, 00:04:02.980 --> 00:04:08.560 which is rooted in the power of the gospel, we see that the gospel doesn't simply change us, 00:04:08.620 --> 00:04:10.260 but it transforms us. 00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:14.600 An interesting thing that it does is it takes what was old and it makes it new. 00:04:14.760 --> 00:04:17.720 It takes what was dead and makes it alive again. 00:04:18.220 --> 00:04:20.200 So it's not that Paul's changed. 00:04:20.620 --> 00:04:22.580 It's that Paul's been transformed. 00:04:23.880 --> 00:04:28.440 And so that story rings true for him and for everyone who's ever been saved 00:04:28.440 --> 00:04:30.780 and everyone who will ever be saved. 00:04:30.780 --> 00:04:39.140 That there's a transforming work that happens and takes place with inside of us through the power of the gospel. 00:04:39.500 --> 00:04:42.800 And so he looked at last week the power of his story and we walked away. 00:04:42.880 --> 00:04:45.780 And I got a lot of encouraging comments back from you guys in this. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:47.720 And I hope that this story rings true. 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:53.580 That is as shocking as Paul's story was, that the power that existed in his story 00:04:53.580 --> 00:04:58.620 is the same power that exists in my story, the same power that exists in your story. 00:04:58.780 --> 00:05:01.400 Coming to Christ, our stories may be different. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:04.560 Some may be more quote unquote boring. 00:05:04.740 --> 00:05:06.440 Some may be more provocative. 00:05:06.440 --> 00:05:12.900 But in all of those things, the power of the gospel saved what was lost, saved what was old, 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:19.800 saved what was dead, and made it found, made it new, and made it alive again. 00:05:20.320 --> 00:05:25.540 So we walk out of here with the encouragement that this, yes, there's power in Paul's story, 00:05:25.620 --> 00:05:33.100 but there's power in your story and in your story and in your story when it's the power of the gospel that saves. 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:39.040 And so this morning, Paul kind of continues on in this autobiographical story 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:43.500 as he lays the foundation for the church of Galatia of what the gospel does. 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:47.760 And so let's continue reading, starting in chapter 2, verse 1. 00:05:48.540 --> 00:05:49.180 Paul says, 00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:57.760 Then after 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 00:05:58.420 --> 00:06:06.060 I went up because of a revelation and set before them, though privately before those who seemed influential, 00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:12.380 he's talking about the other apostles here, the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles 00:06:12.380 --> 00:06:18.120 in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 00:06:18.900 --> 00:06:25.880 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:35.080 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, 00:06:35.440 --> 00:06:37.760 so they might bring us into slavery. 00:06:38.380 --> 00:06:42.360 To them we did not yield in submission, even for a moment, 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:46.860 so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:50.320 And from those who seemed to be influential, 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.800 what they were makes no difference to me. 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:54.900 God shows no partiality. 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:59.660 Those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:01.240 On the contrary, 00:07:01.760 --> 00:07:06.080 when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, 00:07:06.080 --> 00:07:10.320 just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised, 00:07:10.760 --> 00:07:16.200 for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised, 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:19.340 worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles. 00:07:19.900 --> 00:07:24.160 And when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, 00:07:24.520 --> 00:07:26.780 perceived the grace that was given to me, 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:31.060 they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, 00:07:31.060 --> 00:07:35.960 that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised, 00:07:36.100 --> 00:07:42.000 only they asked us to remember the poor the very thing I was eager to do. 00:07:42.260 --> 00:07:45.400 So what in the world is going on here? 00:07:46.200 --> 00:07:50.560 So there's a gap in time in this biography that Paul's sharing. 00:07:50.980 --> 00:07:54.320 And he's talking about an event from where we left off last week 00:07:54.320 --> 00:07:58.560 to the event that he shares that happens 14 years later. 00:07:58.820 --> 00:08:05.400 And Paul comes to Jerusalem and he appears before what is known as the Jerusalem council. 00:08:05.400 --> 00:08:08.340 It's the other apostles who are there. 00:08:08.440 --> 00:08:11.960 And he brings with him Barnabas and Titus. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:16.040 And it's going to be an interesting piece that we understand specifically 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:20.540 that he brought Titus with him to this meeting. 00:08:20.900 --> 00:08:28.080 As this meeting was largely, if not solely, filled with Jewish Christians who had converted. 00:08:29.100 --> 00:08:30.280 But Titus comes. 00:08:31.400 --> 00:08:32.580 Titus is a Gentile. 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:35.760 Titus is the one who would not observe the law. 00:08:36.500 --> 00:08:39.180 Titus is the one who would not embrace the culture. 00:08:39.780 --> 00:08:43.780 Titus is the one who physically, in everything that he had been doing, 00:08:44.020 --> 00:08:48.400 continued to be Gentile outside of being saved by the work of Christ 00:08:48.400 --> 00:08:51.660 and being transformed by the power of the gospel. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.740 And so this is what we see come into this meeting. 00:08:55.040 --> 00:08:56.540 So for what reason did they go? 00:08:57.260 --> 00:09:01.980 Well, in verse 2, it says that he came as of a revelation from God 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:08.940 to make sure that Paul was not running or working in vain. 00:09:09.560 --> 00:09:12.500 To make sure that the work that he was doing, 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:15.020 not that he needed their permission, 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:17.800 not that he needed their authority, 00:09:18.300 --> 00:09:21.860 but to make sure that the gospel work that was happening, 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:26.100 not just in Paul's ministry as he was called to the Gentiles, 00:09:26.220 --> 00:09:31.780 but was also the gospel that was working as Peter took the gospel 00:09:31.780 --> 00:09:33.100 and took it to the Jews. 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:38.140 And that the work that they had was remaining the same. 00:09:38.800 --> 00:09:42.080 So why in the world, in the story of all of this, 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:46.440 as Paul was laying out this letter to the church at Galatia, 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:50.660 why is this so important with them? 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:56.140 It's because Paul knew that what Paul was teaching was the true gospel. 00:09:56.860 --> 00:10:05.400 And Paul's addressing the hearts of the leaders and the members of the Jewish Christians at the church of Galatia 00:10:05.400 --> 00:10:10.880 as they've come in and they've tried to adapt away from the gospel to where they say this, 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:14.480 that if Gentiles are going to become Christians, 00:10:14.740 --> 00:10:17.360 then it's not just enough to be Christians, 00:10:17.500 --> 00:10:20.100 but that you must be Jewish Christians. 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.360 Specifically speaking, concerning the law of circumcision. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:28.680 So if you're going to get saved, then this is what you must do. 00:10:29.460 --> 00:10:30.900 Do you see what begins to happen here? 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:32.300 That the gospel isn't enough. 00:10:33.300 --> 00:10:35.360 That the gospel is not what saves you. 00:10:35.900 --> 00:10:39.320 That what saves you is who you are, 00:10:39.620 --> 00:10:41.860 what's not what saves you or what you are doing, 00:10:42.020 --> 00:10:43.900 and not what's being done in you. 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:49.000 That the power of the gospel is not enough. 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:51.760 And so Paul goes to him and says this, 00:10:52.400 --> 00:10:53.800 look, here's what you've got to understand. 00:10:53.800 --> 00:10:56.280 The gospel that I share, 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:58.860 the gospel that I proclaim to you, 00:10:59.260 --> 00:11:01.560 which is not the gospel you are teaching, 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.540 is the gospel that's accepted. 00:11:04.940 --> 00:11:06.860 Is the gospel that's being taught. 00:11:07.220 --> 00:11:09.360 That just as God revealed it to me, 00:11:09.920 --> 00:11:11.480 that God revealed it to Peter, 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:16.200 and all of the apostles in the Jerusalem council, 00:11:16.660 --> 00:11:21.760 that this is the authority in which we reign in, 00:11:21.760 --> 00:11:23.460 in which we rule in, 00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:25.500 in which we live in. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.020 Paul's telling them like, 00:11:27.220 --> 00:11:29.480 look, what I'm about to tell you, 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:30.600 it's true. 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:33.000 Not because I say so, 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:35.120 but because God says so. 00:11:35.540 --> 00:11:37.820 Because there's men like Titus, 00:11:38.300 --> 00:11:40.020 who were different than us, 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:42.080 but who has been transformed 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:45.020 by the power of the work of God. 00:11:45.380 --> 00:11:52.480 And it's so important that we all teach the same gospel. 00:11:53.160 --> 00:11:56.880 Church, there are things in this church that we're going to disagree on. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.760 There are convictions that God grants us 00:12:00.760 --> 00:12:03.380 in how we live our life and the things that we do. 00:12:04.020 --> 00:12:08.300 There are denominational issues when we look between a church like us, 00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:10.240 who's Baptist in a Methodist church, 00:12:10.300 --> 00:12:11.620 or a Presbyterian church, 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:14.200 or a Pentecostal church that are going to be different. 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:15.180 And guess what? 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:15.720 That's okay. 00:12:16.620 --> 00:12:17.380 On some of those things, 00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:19.100 if we stand before God one day, 00:12:19.260 --> 00:12:20.980 we'll find out where some of us were right, 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:22.180 where some of us were wrong. 00:12:22.300 --> 00:12:23.960 But what must be central 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:26.400 in order for a church to be a church 00:12:26.400 --> 00:12:29.760 is found in what the gospel is 00:12:29.760 --> 00:12:32.820 and the proclamation of that gospel. 00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:35.940 So that's what we want to center in on. 00:12:36.800 --> 00:12:38.580 So what's some things that we can glean 00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:39.880 from this passage of Scripture? 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.200 What can the church at Galatia glean 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:43.420 from this passage of Scripture? 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:46.140 Well, there are two things that I want to focus in on this morning. 00:12:46.680 --> 00:12:47.900 And the first one is this. 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:51.120 Is it what I do or what I am? 00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:55.240 This is an important part for us to dive into 00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:57.600 and to have some perspective of who we are 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.500 and in what saved us 00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:03.880 and in the reality of how we live our lives. 00:13:04.020 --> 00:13:07.020 Is it what I do or is it what I am? 00:13:07.140 --> 00:13:08.600 I love what Paul does here. 00:13:08.680 --> 00:13:10.860 I'm going to kind of take a side note back to last week. 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:13.780 Paul continues on in his story. 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:16.780 Paul continues on in the authority 00:13:16.780 --> 00:13:18.500 of what God's called him to do 00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:21.180 as he lays it out in front of the church before him, 00:13:21.300 --> 00:13:22.900 as he appeals to them. 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.180 Notice, he doesn't immediately go 00:13:25.180 --> 00:13:26.860 into a theological argument. 00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:32.580 What Paul does is Paul continues in on telling his story. 00:13:33.220 --> 00:13:35.020 This ties back to last week, church. 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.160 There is so much that is in your story 00:13:38.160 --> 00:13:39.620 that people can argue with. 00:13:40.160 --> 00:13:42.520 There's so much power that's in your story 00:13:42.520 --> 00:13:44.480 as a result of what God's done. 00:13:44.880 --> 00:13:48.860 There's so much authority in your story 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:50.520 as we go through 00:13:50.520 --> 00:13:52.320 where you have the opportunity 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:55.820 to share about the transforming power of the gospel, 00:13:55.820 --> 00:13:57.580 not through what you've learned, 00:13:58.260 --> 00:14:00.060 not through what you've been taught, 00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:03.140 not through what you've heard someone else talk about, 00:14:03.740 --> 00:14:05.600 but as a follower of Christ 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:08.140 through what you have experienced, 00:14:09.020 --> 00:14:11.700 through what you've been transformed through, 00:14:12.020 --> 00:14:14.640 and through what God has used in your life. 00:14:15.380 --> 00:14:17.780 Paul goes all the way back to the details of a meeting 00:14:17.780 --> 00:14:18.760 to say this, 00:14:19.100 --> 00:14:21.300 watch what God does. 00:14:21.900 --> 00:14:24.180 But here's what we've got to be careful of. 00:14:24.740 --> 00:14:25.680 So many of us, 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:26.920 when we talk about our story, 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:30.180 we think only back to what God did 00:14:30.180 --> 00:14:31.580 in the moment of salvation. 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:34.560 But what Paul brings into his story 00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:36.640 is not just what God did, 00:14:36.760 --> 00:14:37.900 but what God's doing. 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:40.740 And I think that's where the rubber meets the road 00:14:40.740 --> 00:14:42.880 for so many of us. 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:46.660 That when we talk about what our Jesus story is, 00:14:46.660 --> 00:14:49.780 we can look back to what God did five years, 00:14:50.060 --> 00:14:50.660 10 years, 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:51.720 15 years, 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.180 30 years ago when he saved us. 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.020 But the power of the story 00:14:56.020 --> 00:15:00.060 is not just what happened years and decades ago, 00:15:00.060 --> 00:15:03.660 but what is happening right now. 00:15:05.020 --> 00:15:07.780 And that's the litmus test for us. 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:10.620 Is God transforming you now? 00:15:11.180 --> 00:15:13.760 Can you point toward what God is doing? 00:15:14.380 --> 00:15:17.900 Can you use what life has cast out 00:15:17.900 --> 00:15:20.440 as God molds you and shapes you 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:22.520 into what he has for you to be? 00:15:22.760 --> 00:15:24.180 And this is what he does. 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:26.080 And the important part here, 00:15:26.180 --> 00:15:27.980 going back to his story of, 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:30.800 is it what I do or is it what I am, 00:15:31.020 --> 00:15:32.560 is that Paul talks about 00:15:32.560 --> 00:15:34.640 what happens in the Jerusalem council 00:15:34.640 --> 00:15:37.280 is the acceptance of Titus. 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:40.060 And the council accepted him. 00:15:41.020 --> 00:15:41.500 Why? 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:43.900 Why did they accept him? 00:15:44.400 --> 00:15:46.560 It's not based off of their standards, 00:15:47.020 --> 00:15:50.500 but it's based off the standards set by God. 00:15:50.640 --> 00:15:51.980 And they said in verse six, 00:15:52.380 --> 00:15:56.100 that God shows no partiality. 00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:58.920 Here confirmed in this moment 00:15:58.920 --> 00:16:01.020 by Paul and the apostles 00:16:01.020 --> 00:16:02.960 to the church of Galatia 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:03.800 is this, 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:06.320 that Titus is accepted, 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:09.100 not because of what he has done, 00:16:09.760 --> 00:16:11.560 but Titus is accepted 00:16:11.560 --> 00:16:14.080 because of who he now is 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.840 in light of the cross. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.700 Tim Keller said this 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:19.860 in his commentary on Galatians. 00:16:20.680 --> 00:16:21.060 He said, 00:16:21.260 --> 00:16:24.380 externalities are to do with our doing, 00:16:24.920 --> 00:16:28.340 but internalities have to do with our being. 00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:32.580 And Christianity is about who I am in Christ, 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:35.440 not what I do for him. 00:16:36.520 --> 00:16:38.680 Love the power of the truth of that. 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:39.540 You see, 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:42.260 when the focus is what I do for Christ, 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:44.600 then I am at the center of my faith. 00:16:45.400 --> 00:16:46.760 But when the focus 00:16:46.760 --> 00:16:48.460 is on Christ 00:16:48.460 --> 00:16:49.900 and who he is 00:16:49.900 --> 00:16:51.620 and who I am 00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:52.960 in him, 00:16:53.520 --> 00:16:54.500 in him, 00:16:55.020 --> 00:16:55.820 then it's Jesus. 00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:59.460 What makes you acceptable before God? 00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:03.860 What makes anyone acceptable before God? 00:17:04.620 --> 00:17:05.740 The biblical truth 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:07.260 of what makes anyone accepted 00:17:07.260 --> 00:17:08.440 before God 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:09.920 is perfection. 00:17:11.260 --> 00:17:12.680 Perfection is what gives us 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:13.280 the right 00:17:13.280 --> 00:17:14.560 to be before God. 00:17:15.020 --> 00:17:16.400 Not mostly perfect, 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:18.360 not partially perfect, 00:17:18.840 --> 00:17:20.320 not sometimes perfect, 00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:22.100 but fully perfect. 00:17:23.180 --> 00:17:24.880 And so in Christ, 00:17:25.040 --> 00:17:26.520 what we find 00:17:26.520 --> 00:17:28.940 is total perfection, 00:17:29.340 --> 00:17:31.200 not in our works, 00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:33.240 but total perfection 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.040 in Christ. 00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:36.720 And what God gives us 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.360 in the law 00:17:37.360 --> 00:17:39.320 is to show us 00:17:39.320 --> 00:17:40.880 that when we line up 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:41.820 the Ten Commandments, 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.320 when we line that up 00:17:43.320 --> 00:17:44.120 in our life 00:17:44.120 --> 00:17:45.580 and we have that step back 00:17:45.580 --> 00:17:46.320 realization 00:17:46.320 --> 00:17:48.280 is that we haven't just 00:17:48.280 --> 00:17:50.360 mildly disobeyed these, 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.500 but at our heart, 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:52.540 yours and mine, 00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:54.300 we've destroyed these. 00:17:55.660 --> 00:17:57.580 And so what Jesus comes to do 00:17:57.580 --> 00:17:59.360 is so that we are found 00:17:59.360 --> 00:18:00.300 in him 00:18:00.300 --> 00:18:02.420 that we are made 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:04.420 perfect in him. 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:06.380 So that in Christ, 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:08.580 it's not that the law 00:18:08.580 --> 00:18:09.960 is abolished, 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:11.700 but for us, 00:18:11.760 --> 00:18:13.140 what we find in Christ 00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:15.740 is that the law 00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:17.600 is fulfilled. 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:20.120 And here's the danger 00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:21.800 of how this practically 00:18:21.800 --> 00:18:23.260 plays out in our life. 00:18:23.760 --> 00:18:24.800 When we're found 00:18:24.800 --> 00:18:26.040 not in Christ, 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:27.940 but we seek to find ourselves 00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:30.220 in what we do for him, 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.320 is that many of us 00:18:32.320 --> 00:18:33.800 live every single day 00:18:33.800 --> 00:18:35.320 trying to earn 00:18:35.320 --> 00:18:36.600 the love of God. 00:18:37.340 --> 00:18:38.580 And the reality is 00:18:38.580 --> 00:18:39.660 that when we do this, 00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:41.600 we live in a posture, 00:18:41.760 --> 00:18:42.860 we live in a mindset, 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.180 we live in a life 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:44.760 that says this, 00:18:45.040 --> 00:18:46.600 if I don't do this, 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:48.620 then God won't love me. 00:18:49.600 --> 00:18:51.040 And we live in a sense 00:18:51.040 --> 00:18:51.540 of guilt. 00:18:52.320 --> 00:18:53.380 We live in a sense 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:54.120 of shame. 00:18:54.620 --> 00:18:55.640 We live in a sense 00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:56.960 of spiritual abuse 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:58.340 because we've connected 00:18:58.340 --> 00:19:00.400 God's love for us 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.940 and our ability 00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:03.440 to appease him 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.060 when we seek 00:19:05.060 --> 00:19:06.700 to earn the love of God. 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.200 Another way 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.060 that that transforms 00:19:09.060 --> 00:19:09.720 for us 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:11.980 in an equally destructive 00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:13.600 but opposite manner 00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:15.120 is many of us 00:19:15.120 --> 00:19:16.180 live thinking 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:17.540 because of the things 00:19:17.540 --> 00:19:18.180 we do, 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.780 now we deserve 00:19:19.780 --> 00:19:20.700 the love of God. 00:19:21.620 --> 00:19:22.740 And in that moment, 00:19:22.840 --> 00:19:23.940 it ceases to be grace. 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:25.840 In that moment, 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:27.880 we cease to present 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:29.880 ourselves before him. 00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:32.520 And so we live our life 00:19:32.520 --> 00:19:34.440 because I do this, 00:19:35.020 --> 00:19:38.900 then God must love me. 00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:41.000 And in both of those, 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:42.660 the transformation, 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:45.100 the change of who we are, 00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:46.820 is not found in him, 00:19:47.260 --> 00:19:48.740 but it's found in us. 00:19:49.580 --> 00:19:50.460 It's found in us. 00:19:51.060 --> 00:19:51.340 Church, 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.340 the hope of the gospel 00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:53.800 doesn't say 00:19:53.800 --> 00:19:54.720 that I'm good enough. 00:19:55.380 --> 00:19:56.520 The hope of the gospel 00:19:56.520 --> 00:19:57.460 says because I'm not 00:19:57.460 --> 00:19:57.940 good enough. 00:19:58.460 --> 00:19:58.940 He is. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:01.140 The hope of the gospel 00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:02.660 says that I'll never 00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:03.340 do anything 00:20:03.340 --> 00:20:05.260 in order to be loved, 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.880 but simply, 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:08.540 in spite of all 00:20:08.540 --> 00:20:11.180 that I've ever done, 00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:14.240 I am loved. 00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:16.800 We think about life 00:20:16.800 --> 00:20:17.720 with a parent and a kid. 00:20:19.620 --> 00:20:20.600 We were sitting around 00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.220 joking and having 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.060 a conversation 00:20:22.060 --> 00:20:23.140 at the table last night. 00:20:24.340 --> 00:20:24.960 And I looked 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:25.500 at my daughter. 00:20:26.420 --> 00:20:27.040 She's not in here 00:20:27.040 --> 00:20:27.480 this morning. 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.000 I said, 00:20:30.060 --> 00:20:30.240 girl, 00:20:30.320 --> 00:20:31.180 you're pressing me, 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:31.620 right? 00:20:32.560 --> 00:20:33.060 I said, 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:34.280 I'll always love you, 00:20:34.600 --> 00:20:35.400 but right now 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:36.220 I'm not liking you 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:36.740 a whole bunch, 00:20:36.780 --> 00:20:36.980 right? 00:20:37.260 --> 00:20:38.120 And she started dying 00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:38.860 laughing and came over 00:20:38.860 --> 00:20:39.440 and gave me a kiss 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:39.680 and said, 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:40.300 do you like me now? 00:20:40.340 --> 00:20:40.640 And I said, 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:40.860 yes, 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:41.100 I do, 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:41.340 sweetie, 00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:41.800 right? 00:20:43.320 --> 00:20:44.060 But when we think 00:20:44.060 --> 00:20:44.540 about that, 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.920 the unconditional love 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:48.220 of what's there. 00:20:49.300 --> 00:20:50.520 look at your past 00:20:50.520 --> 00:20:52.700 of what you've done. 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:55.360 Look at your present 00:20:55.360 --> 00:20:57.180 of what you're doing 00:20:57.180 --> 00:20:59.940 and think about 00:20:59.940 --> 00:21:00.720 what you're capable 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.260 of in the future. 00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.460 And nothing, 00:21:06.260 --> 00:21:07.560 nothing that you could 00:21:07.560 --> 00:21:08.060 ever do, 00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.520 nothing that you've 00:21:09.520 --> 00:21:10.100 ever done 00:21:10.100 --> 00:21:11.460 or nothing that you 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:12.020 were doing 00:21:12.020 --> 00:21:13.540 can ever separate 00:21:13.540 --> 00:21:14.380 you from 00:21:14.380 --> 00:21:15.760 or make God 00:21:15.760 --> 00:21:17.120 love you more. 00:21:18.020 --> 00:21:18.940 It's just 00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:21.780 who he is. 00:21:22.780 --> 00:21:23.700 And what we find 00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:24.260 from this, 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.660 the fruit that this 00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:26.360 begins to bring 00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:27.060 out in our life, 00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:27.580 which is going to be 00:21:27.580 --> 00:21:29.580 a huge focal point 00:21:29.580 --> 00:21:30.480 of the book 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:31.200 of Galatians, 00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:32.580 is that the gospel 00:21:32.580 --> 00:21:33.980 brings with it 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.640 freedom. 00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:36.100 The gospel 00:21:36.100 --> 00:21:36.700 brings with it 00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:36.960 freedom. 00:21:37.340 --> 00:21:37.560 Now, 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:38.380 let's explain this 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:38.980 really quickly. 00:21:39.260 --> 00:21:40.020 Another conversation 00:21:40.020 --> 00:21:40.520 that we had 00:21:40.520 --> 00:21:41.000 the other day, 00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:41.880 my daughter said, 00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:42.600 we live in a free 00:21:42.600 --> 00:21:43.020 country, 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:43.580 don't we? 00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.160 And I said, 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:44.360 yes, 00:21:44.420 --> 00:21:44.600 we do, 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:45.740 we absolutely do. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:46.280 She said, 00:21:46.320 --> 00:21:47.300 so does that mean 00:21:47.300 --> 00:21:48.620 then that I can do 00:21:48.620 --> 00:21:50.880 anything I want to do? 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:51.340 And I said, 00:21:51.360 --> 00:21:51.460 well, 00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:52.000 let me explain 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.440 something about 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:53.380 the country you 00:21:53.380 --> 00:21:54.080 live in. 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:55.100 There is great 00:21:55.100 --> 00:21:55.700 freedom, 00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:56.860 but this house 00:21:56.860 --> 00:21:57.820 that you live in 00:21:57.820 --> 00:21:58.760 is a dictatorship, 00:21:59.020 --> 00:21:59.260 right? 00:22:00.120 --> 00:22:00.980 And me and your 00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:01.620 mama run it. 00:22:02.340 --> 00:22:03.380 So this is how 00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:04.580 this is going to be. 00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:05.620 But there is, 00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:06.460 there's great freedom. 00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:07.740 But we've 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.840 confused freedom 00:22:08.840 --> 00:22:10.300 oftentimes with meaning 00:22:10.300 --> 00:22:11.420 that we get to do 00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:11.900 whatever we 00:22:11.900 --> 00:22:12.420 want to do. 00:22:13.020 --> 00:22:13.820 And we know 00:22:13.820 --> 00:22:14.400 that that's not 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:14.760 freedom. 00:22:15.360 --> 00:22:15.660 In fact, 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:16.600 that's the opposite. 00:22:17.560 --> 00:22:18.120 Many times that's 00:22:18.120 --> 00:22:19.380 what enslavement 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:20.240 would look like 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:21.720 as sin controls. 00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:23.280 But the gospel 00:22:23.280 --> 00:22:24.040 that we know 00:22:24.040 --> 00:22:24.780 brings freedom. 00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:25.740 So what is 00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:26.520 that freedom? 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.760 What does this 00:22:27.760 --> 00:22:28.560 look like? 00:22:28.840 --> 00:22:29.540 What is Paul 00:22:29.540 --> 00:22:30.440 pushing toward? 00:22:30.580 --> 00:22:31.140 When he talks 00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:31.840 about the threat 00:22:31.840 --> 00:22:32.460 that comes up 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.280 in verse 4, 00:22:33.840 --> 00:22:34.520 let me reread 00:22:34.520 --> 00:22:34.900 this to you. 00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:35.020 He says, 00:22:35.100 --> 00:22:35.680 yet because of 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:36.300 false brothers 00:22:36.300 --> 00:22:37.820 secretly brought in 00:22:37.820 --> 00:22:38.860 who slipped in 00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:40.300 to spy out 00:22:40.300 --> 00:22:41.900 or to bring out 00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:42.960 or to take away 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:43.920 our freedom 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:44.860 that we have 00:22:44.860 --> 00:22:45.440 in Christ 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:46.200 so they might 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:46.820 bring us 00:22:46.820 --> 00:22:48.140 into slavery. 00:22:48.840 --> 00:22:49.480 So Paul says 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:49.700 this, 00:22:49.760 --> 00:22:50.160 that there are 00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:50.900 those that are 00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:52.260 imparting things 00:22:52.260 --> 00:22:53.200 on you 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.500 to remove you 00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:55.400 from the freedom 00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:56.120 that we have 00:22:56.120 --> 00:22:56.720 in Christ. 00:22:57.140 --> 00:22:57.860 And over the next 00:22:57.860 --> 00:22:58.080 weeks, 00:22:58.120 --> 00:22:58.540 we are going to 00:22:58.540 --> 00:22:59.280 talk about what 00:22:59.280 --> 00:22:59.780 this freedom 00:22:59.780 --> 00:23:00.380 looks like, 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:01.060 but we see 00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:01.920 two instances 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:02.940 in this passage 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:03.420 of scripture 00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:04.300 that point us 00:23:04.300 --> 00:23:04.860 to the freedom 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:05.520 in the gospel. 00:23:05.820 --> 00:23:06.640 The first freedom 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:07.200 that we see 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:07.640 is this, 00:23:07.760 --> 00:23:08.660 is that the gospel 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:10.180 brings cultural 00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:10.700 freedom. 00:23:11.620 --> 00:23:12.240 The gospel 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:13.060 brings cultural 00:23:13.060 --> 00:23:14.080 freedom. 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:15.780 In my life, 00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:17.140 God has given 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:17.900 me the opportunity 00:23:17.900 --> 00:23:18.880 to share the gospel 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:20.320 in many different 00:23:20.320 --> 00:23:20.780 places, 00:23:21.060 --> 00:23:21.840 in many different 00:23:21.840 --> 00:23:22.300 settings, 00:23:22.300 --> 00:23:23.280 and praise God 00:23:23.280 --> 00:23:23.860 he's given me 00:23:23.860 --> 00:23:24.580 the opportunity 00:23:24.580 --> 00:23:25.420 to do it 00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:26.840 in many different 00:23:26.840 --> 00:23:27.420 cultures. 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:30.060 The first place 00:23:30.060 --> 00:23:30.460 that I ever 00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:31.220 share the gospel 00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:32.660 as a follower 00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.400 of Jesus Christ, 00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:34.980 was in North 00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:35.520 Charleston 00:23:35.520 --> 00:23:36.780 in a housing 00:23:36.780 --> 00:23:37.440 project 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:39.620 at a place 00:23:39.620 --> 00:23:40.360 that was foreign 00:23:40.360 --> 00:23:40.960 to me, 00:23:41.160 --> 00:23:41.800 even though it 00:23:41.800 --> 00:23:42.360 was an hour 00:23:42.360 --> 00:23:42.760 and a half 00:23:42.760 --> 00:23:43.880 away from my 00:23:43.880 --> 00:23:44.200 home. 00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:45.860 I sat there 00:23:45.860 --> 00:23:46.320 on the front 00:23:46.320 --> 00:23:47.040 porch with a 00:23:47.040 --> 00:23:47.940 man who just 00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:48.780 the day before 00:23:48.780 --> 00:23:49.480 had gotten 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:50.020 out of prison 00:23:50.020 --> 00:23:50.540 for armed 00:23:50.540 --> 00:23:51.000 robbery. 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:53.100 Shared the gospel 00:23:53.100 --> 00:23:53.520 with him. 00:23:54.820 --> 00:23:55.480 Later on, 00:23:55.520 --> 00:23:56.380 my first year 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.640 in ministry, 00:23:58.320 --> 00:23:58.940 God gave me 00:23:58.940 --> 00:23:59.660 the opportunity 00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:00.300 to go into 00:24:00.300 --> 00:24:01.320 tribal villages 00:24:01.320 --> 00:24:02.160 in rural 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:02.860 Zimbabwe 00:24:02.860 --> 00:24:03.580 where people 00:24:03.580 --> 00:24:04.260 worship their 00:24:04.260 --> 00:24:04.880 ancestors 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.580 and share 00:24:05.580 --> 00:24:06.140 the gospel. 00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:07.460 God has 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.000 allowed me 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:08.460 to go into 00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:09.260 poverty-stricken 00:24:09.260 --> 00:24:10.120 Haiti where 00:24:10.120 --> 00:24:10.940 voodoo is 00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:11.740 accepted by 00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.100 many, 00:24:12.420 --> 00:24:12.960 even among 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:13.680 some who 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:14.240 claim to be 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:14.660 Christians, 00:24:14.820 --> 00:24:15.400 and allowed me 00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:15.900 the opportunity 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:16.300 to share 00:24:16.300 --> 00:24:16.860 the gospel. 00:24:18.180 --> 00:24:18.720 God has 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.240 allowed me 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:19.540 at a very 00:24:19.540 --> 00:24:20.340 special time 00:24:20.340 --> 00:24:21.340 to go to 00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:21.660 the country 00:24:21.660 --> 00:24:22.220 of Bolivia 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:23.760 at a conference 00:24:23.760 --> 00:24:24.680 that was being 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:25.420 placed for 00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:26.780 parents whose 00:24:26.780 --> 00:24:27.700 kids had 00:24:27.700 --> 00:24:28.420 special needs. 00:24:28.860 --> 00:24:29.360 And in the 00:24:29.360 --> 00:24:30.560 entire country 00:24:30.560 --> 00:24:31.560 of Bolivia 00:24:31.560 --> 00:24:32.440 at that point 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:32.860 in time, 00:24:33.080 --> 00:24:34.100 specifically that 00:24:34.100 --> 00:24:34.940 these families 00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:35.760 were families 00:24:35.760 --> 00:24:36.600 with kids 00:24:36.600 --> 00:24:37.320 with autism. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.260 And there 00:24:38.260 --> 00:24:38.900 were five 00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:39.580 professionals 00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:41.960 in 2009, 00:24:42.520 --> 00:24:43.640 five professionals 00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:44.680 in the entire 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:45.840 country of 00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:46.300 Bolivia 00:24:46.300 --> 00:24:47.280 that worked 00:24:47.280 --> 00:24:47.920 with kids 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.580 with autism. 00:24:49.580 --> 00:24:50.480 And the 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:50.760 churches 00:24:50.760 --> 00:24:51.360 didn't want 00:24:51.360 --> 00:24:51.480 them, 00:24:52.380 --> 00:24:53.080 the schools 00:24:53.080 --> 00:24:53.640 didn't want 00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:53.820 them, 00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:54.820 and the 00:24:54.820 --> 00:24:55.120 government 00:24:55.120 --> 00:24:55.680 didn't want 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:55.820 them. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:57.120 And God 00:24:57.120 --> 00:24:57.460 gave us 00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:58.180 the opportunity 00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.680 to go in 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:01.120 and tell them 00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:01.580 that they were 00:25:01.580 --> 00:25:02.700 loved and 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.180 that they were 00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:04.480 valued and 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.060 their kids 00:25:05.060 --> 00:25:05.900 were loved 00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:06.520 and their 00:25:06.520 --> 00:25:07.100 kids were 00:25:07.100 --> 00:25:08.140 valued and 00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:08.640 God gave us 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:09.160 the opportunity 00:25:09.160 --> 00:25:09.680 to share the 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.020 gospel. 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:11.640 Completely 00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:13.040 foreign and 00:25:13.040 --> 00:25:14.920 different from 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:15.500 the culture 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:16.660 that I was 00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:16.880 in. 00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:18.580 God gave me 00:25:18.580 --> 00:25:19.080 the opportunity 00:25:19.080 --> 00:25:19.520 to go to 00:25:19.520 --> 00:25:20.220 Taiwan and 00:25:20.220 --> 00:25:20.560 to meet 00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:20.840 in a 00:25:20.840 --> 00:25:22.280 church that 00:25:22.280 --> 00:25:22.760 was very 00:25:22.760 --> 00:25:23.400 similar to 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:23.740 the church 00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.340 at Galatia 00:25:24.340 --> 00:25:25.660 where the 00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:26.180 people there 00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:27.040 battled with 00:25:27.040 --> 00:25:28.980 legalism to 00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:29.340 share the 00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:29.680 gospel. 00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:31.240 And then 00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:32.660 recently had 00:25:32.660 --> 00:25:33.160 the opportunity 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:33.720 this past 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:34.980 year to 00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:35.220 go to 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.720 India where 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:37.660 so many 00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.440 men and 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:39.020 women and 00:25:39.020 --> 00:25:40.320 children had 00:25:40.320 --> 00:25:40.680 submitted 00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:42.100 themselves to 00:25:42.100 --> 00:25:42.560 a false 00:25:42.560 --> 00:25:43.260 religion to 00:25:43.260 --> 00:25:44.580 a lie and 00:25:44.580 --> 00:25:45.160 God gave us 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:45.660 an opportunity 00:25:45.660 --> 00:25:46.200 to share the 00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:46.540 gospel. 00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:47.840 You see, 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.460 the truth 00:25:48.460 --> 00:25:49.560 of the 00:25:49.560 --> 00:25:50.000 gospel. 00:25:51.020 --> 00:25:51.920 The freedom 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.820 that comes 00:25:52.820 --> 00:25:53.160 from the 00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:53.780 gospel is 00:25:53.780 --> 00:25:54.180 this. 00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.680 Whether I'm 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:56.240 sharing the 00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:57.520 gospel in 00:25:57.520 --> 00:25:58.000 Lexington, 00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:59.000 South Carolina 00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:00.480 or in 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:00.980 Port-au-Prince, 00:26:01.060 --> 00:26:01.340 Haiti, 00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:02.920 whether I'm 00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:03.360 sharing the 00:26:03.360 --> 00:26:04.600 gospel in 00:26:04.600 --> 00:26:05.400 North Augusta, 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:06.120 South Carolina 00:26:06.120 --> 00:26:06.880 where I'm 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:08.340 from or in 00:26:08.340 --> 00:26:08.800 Jaipur, 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:09.300 India, 00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:10.960 whether I'm 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:11.880 sharing the 00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:13.300 gospel in 00:26:13.300 --> 00:26:14.220 New York 00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:15.200 City or 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:16.520 North Charleston, 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.980 the gospel 00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:19.640 doesn't 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:20.960 change. 00:26:21.780 --> 00:26:22.680 It's the 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:24.040 exact same 00:26:24.040 --> 00:26:25.780 from culture 00:26:25.780 --> 00:26:26.640 to culture. 00:26:27.100 --> 00:26:27.620 It's the 00:26:27.620 --> 00:26:28.060 work of 00:26:28.060 --> 00:26:28.560 Christ. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:29.740 It may be 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.620 taken through 00:26:30.620 --> 00:26:31.580 a translator. 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.300 My illustration 00:26:33.300 --> 00:26:34.520 may have to be 00:26:34.520 --> 00:26:35.800 through soccer, 00:26:36.300 --> 00:26:37.220 not football. 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:39.460 But the 00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.300 gospel 00:26:40.300 --> 00:26:41.980 doesn't 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:43.460 change. 00:26:44.340 --> 00:26:44.860 Church, 00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:45.240 and there's 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:45.840 freedom that 00:26:45.840 --> 00:26:46.300 comes from 00:26:46.300 --> 00:26:46.580 that. 00:26:47.280 --> 00:26:48.020 I don't have 00:26:48.020 --> 00:26:48.860 to worry if 00:26:48.860 --> 00:26:49.360 I'm sitting 00:26:49.360 --> 00:26:50.460 down with 00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:51.360 someone who 00:26:51.360 --> 00:26:51.980 just walked 00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:52.420 out of 00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:53.300 prison or 00:26:53.300 --> 00:26:53.840 a Bible 00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:54.300 study. 00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.480 The gospel 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.640 remains 00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:57.440 true. 00:26:58.260 --> 00:26:58.700 And there's 00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.300 freedom in 00:26:59.300 --> 00:26:59.580 that. 00:27:00.380 --> 00:27:01.260 There's freedom 00:27:01.260 --> 00:27:02.640 in that. 00:27:03.320 --> 00:27:04.160 The power 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:05.360 of the 00:27:05.360 --> 00:27:05.780 gospel. 00:27:06.780 --> 00:27:07.200 But then 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:07.640 secondly, 00:27:07.800 --> 00:27:08.060 what we 00:27:08.060 --> 00:27:09.880 see is 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:10.520 the gospel 00:27:10.520 --> 00:27:11.240 brings 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:12.480 emotional 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:12.980 freedom. 00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:14.620 Paul talked 00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:15.280 about earlier 00:27:15.280 --> 00:27:16.480 about this, 00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:16.900 that I may 00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:18.100 run this 00:27:18.100 --> 00:27:18.540 race, 00:27:18.600 --> 00:27:18.980 that I may 00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:19.760 do all 00:27:19.760 --> 00:27:20.440 of this 00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:21.100 in vain. 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:22.060 And what 00:27:22.060 --> 00:27:22.820 I began to 00:27:22.820 --> 00:27:23.180 get the 00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:24.200 imagery of 00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:24.740 with this 00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:25.300 is the 00:27:25.300 --> 00:27:26.040 picture of 00:27:26.040 --> 00:27:26.940 a treadmill. 00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:27.860 Right? 00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:28.820 Now, 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:29.320 I don't know 00:27:29.320 --> 00:27:29.800 about you, 00:27:29.980 --> 00:27:30.680 but I've 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:31.320 been trying 00:27:31.320 --> 00:27:31.900 to with 00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:32.420 this new 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:32.760 year. 00:27:33.100 --> 00:27:33.520 My boy 00:27:33.520 --> 00:27:33.800 Robbie 00:27:33.800 --> 00:27:34.260 Gimmel's 00:27:34.260 --> 00:27:34.600 in here. 00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:35.240 Robert's 00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:35.520 been trying 00:27:35.520 --> 00:27:35.860 to help 00:27:35.860 --> 00:27:36.520 me stay 00:27:36.520 --> 00:27:37.160 on track 00:27:37.160 --> 00:27:37.580 with getting 00:27:37.580 --> 00:27:38.380 fit and 00:27:38.380 --> 00:27:38.740 healthy. 00:27:38.860 --> 00:27:39.020 And he 00:27:39.020 --> 00:27:39.460 takes me 00:27:39.460 --> 00:27:39.740 out and 00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:40.160 we mountain 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:40.680 bike ride 00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:41.440 together and 00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:41.780 he makes 00:27:41.780 --> 00:27:42.200 me want to 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:43.140 die midway 00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:43.580 through it. 00:27:44.320 --> 00:27:44.960 Every time 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:45.340 you go 00:27:45.340 --> 00:27:45.880 mountain biking 00:27:45.880 --> 00:27:46.360 with Robbie, 00:27:46.440 --> 00:27:46.780 Robbie says, 00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.260 oh, not too 00:27:47.260 --> 00:27:47.740 much farther, 00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:48.040 right? 00:27:48.060 --> 00:27:48.260 And we 00:27:48.260 --> 00:27:48.460 just have 00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:48.680 to keep 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:48.940 going, 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:49.120 right? 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.120 And we 00:27:50.120 --> 00:27:50.400 don't know 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.760 how much 00:27:50.760 --> 00:27:51.140 too far 00:27:51.140 --> 00:27:51.560 there is. 00:27:51.840 --> 00:27:52.180 But I've 00:27:52.180 --> 00:27:52.440 been trying 00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:52.820 to get back 00:27:52.820 --> 00:27:53.240 in shape. 00:27:53.760 --> 00:27:54.140 And we've 00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:54.340 got a 00:27:54.340 --> 00:27:54.820 treadmill at 00:27:54.820 --> 00:27:55.240 our house. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.200 And so 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.760 what I do 00:27:56.760 --> 00:27:57.700 every so often 00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:57.980 is I get 00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:58.180 on the 00:27:58.180 --> 00:27:58.520 treadmill. 00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.420 And I 00:27:59.420 --> 00:28:00.360 hate running 00:28:00.360 --> 00:28:00.700 on the 00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.040 treadmill. 00:28:01.560 --> 00:28:02.040 So my wife 00:28:02.040 --> 00:28:02.300 said, if you 00:28:02.300 --> 00:28:02.700 hate running 00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:02.900 on the 00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:03.180 treadmill, 00:28:03.340 --> 00:28:03.540 why don't 00:28:03.540 --> 00:28:03.780 you run 00:28:03.780 --> 00:28:04.080 outside? 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:04.240 And I 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:04.460 said, because 00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:04.720 I hate 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.180 that more, 00:28:05.300 --> 00:28:05.540 right? 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:06.540 I just 00:28:06.540 --> 00:28:07.320 hate running. 00:28:07.620 --> 00:28:08.040 But I 00:28:08.040 --> 00:28:08.680 run on the 00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:09.020 treadmill. 00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:09.660 And here's 00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:09.860 what I 00:28:09.860 --> 00:28:10.240 figured out 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:10.560 about the 00:28:10.560 --> 00:28:10.940 treadmill 00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:11.420 that I 00:28:11.420 --> 00:28:11.820 like. 00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:12.580 I like 00:28:12.580 --> 00:28:12.900 the fact 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:13.540 that if 00:28:13.540 --> 00:28:13.900 it's cold 00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:14.280 outside, 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:14.880 it's warm 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:15.340 inside, 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:15.680 right? 00:28:15.820 --> 00:28:16.280 I like 00:28:16.280 --> 00:28:16.500 the fact 00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:16.780 if it's 00:28:16.780 --> 00:28:17.020 raining 00:28:17.020 --> 00:28:17.460 outside, 00:28:17.580 --> 00:28:18.320 it's dry 00:28:18.320 --> 00:28:18.840 inside. 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:19.360 But what 00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:19.780 I hate 00:28:19.780 --> 00:28:20.140 about the 00:28:20.140 --> 00:28:20.440 treadmill 00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.420 is this. 00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:28.100 just staring 00:28:28.100 --> 00:28:28.400 at the 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:28.700 wall 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:29.180 in my 00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:29.540 bedroom 00:28:29.540 --> 00:28:30.120 as I'm 00:28:30.120 --> 00:28:30.360 running 00:28:30.360 --> 00:28:30.840 on the 00:28:30.840 --> 00:28:31.220 treadmill. 00:28:31.580 --> 00:28:32.120 I don't 00:28:32.120 --> 00:28:32.720 feel at 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.260 the end 00:28:33.260 --> 00:28:33.560 of it 00:28:33.560 --> 00:28:33.900 that I've 00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:34.380 accomplished 00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.300 anything 00:28:35.300 --> 00:28:36.060 other than 00:28:36.060 --> 00:28:36.480 the fact 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:37.120 that I'm 00:28:37.120 --> 00:28:37.740 dripping 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:38.700 buckets 00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:39.700 of sweat. 00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:41.200 Paul talks 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:41.760 about the 00:28:41.760 --> 00:28:42.220 fact that 00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:43.440 in slavery 00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:44.800 what happens 00:28:44.800 --> 00:28:45.420 is this. 00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:46.080 It's the 00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:46.840 burden of 00:28:46.840 --> 00:28:47.480 what begins 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:48.080 to happen 00:28:48.080 --> 00:28:48.640 that when 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:49.320 we submit 00:28:49.320 --> 00:28:49.920 ourselves 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.540 to the 00:28:50.540 --> 00:28:51.060 slavery 00:28:51.060 --> 00:28:52.080 that spiritually 00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:52.680 speaking 00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:53.480 we feel 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:53.840 like we're 00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:54.320 exerting 00:28:54.320 --> 00:28:55.080 all of this 00:28:55.080 --> 00:28:56.040 energy but 00:28:56.040 --> 00:28:56.860 yet spiritually 00:28:56.860 --> 00:28:57.380 speaking 00:28:57.380 --> 00:28:58.360 we're not 00:28:58.360 --> 00:28:59.040 getting 00:28:59.040 --> 00:28:59.880 anywhere 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:01.660 because we're 00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:02.860 living to 00:29:02.860 --> 00:29:04.140 what has 00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:05.780 enslaved us. 00:29:06.540 --> 00:29:07.140 That we're 00:29:07.140 --> 00:29:07.940 living to 00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:09.360 what holds 00:29:09.360 --> 00:29:10.520 us back 00:29:10.520 --> 00:29:11.520 and that 00:29:11.520 --> 00:29:12.040 what the 00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:13.220 gospel does 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:13.920 is the 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:15.520 gospel brings 00:29:15.520 --> 00:29:16.880 us emotional 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:17.740 freedom. 00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:19.720 The gospel 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.360 gives us 00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:21.340 the opportunity 00:29:21.340 --> 00:29:22.680 to say 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:23.420 that Christ 00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:24.400 has set me 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:25.340 free from 00:29:25.340 --> 00:29:26.080 my past. 00:29:27.060 --> 00:29:27.840 that Christ 00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.540 has set 00:29:28.540 --> 00:29:29.220 me free 00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:29.940 from my 00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:30.400 present. 00:29:31.380 --> 00:29:32.160 That even 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:33.100 praise God 00:29:33.100 --> 00:29:34.620 that right 00:29:34.620 --> 00:29:35.040 now 00:29:35.040 --> 00:29:36.680 he set me 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:37.140 free 00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:38.420 from things 00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:38.780 that want 00:29:38.780 --> 00:29:39.540 to enslave 00:29:39.540 --> 00:29:40.780 me in my 00:29:40.780 --> 00:29:41.180 future. 00:29:42.420 --> 00:29:42.800 And so that 00:29:42.800 --> 00:29:43.400 my journey 00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:44.020 with him 00:29:44.020 --> 00:29:45.320 is not on 00:29:45.320 --> 00:29:45.780 a treadmill. 00:29:46.780 --> 00:29:47.520 It's not 00:29:47.520 --> 00:29:48.400 on work 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:48.820 that won't 00:29:48.820 --> 00:29:49.540 get me to 00:29:49.540 --> 00:29:49.920 where I 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:50.720 long to 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.200 go. 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:52.900 But instead 00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:53.540 what the 00:29:53.540 --> 00:29:54.900 gospel does 00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:55.680 is it 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.480 pushes me 00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:58.060 farther and 00:29:58.060 --> 00:29:59.800 farther along 00:29:59.800 --> 00:30:00.840 the path. 00:30:01.840 --> 00:30:02.320 So the 00:30:02.320 --> 00:30:03.400 scenery changes 00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:04.720 and the 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:05.520 end changes. 00:30:06.840 --> 00:30:07.080 Do you know 00:30:07.080 --> 00:30:07.480 what's not on 00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:07.920 a treadmill? 00:30:09.120 --> 00:30:10.200 A finish line. 00:30:11.620 --> 00:30:12.420 It's not. 00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:13.620 Maybe that'd 00:30:13.620 --> 00:30:13.980 make me feel 00:30:13.980 --> 00:30:14.540 better about it, 00:30:14.580 --> 00:30:14.740 right? 00:30:15.780 --> 00:30:16.480 There's no 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:16.960 finish line 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:17.180 on the 00:30:17.180 --> 00:30:17.460 treadmill. 00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:18.860 But when 00:30:18.860 --> 00:30:19.480 Paul talks 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:19.900 about this 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:20.300 life, 00:30:21.080 --> 00:30:21.520 he talks 00:30:21.520 --> 00:30:21.840 about the 00:30:21.840 --> 00:30:22.180 finish. 00:30:23.280 --> 00:30:23.520 And he 00:30:23.520 --> 00:30:23.920 talks about 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.260 when that 00:30:24.260 --> 00:30:25.080 day comes 00:30:25.080 --> 00:30:26.140 and when 00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:26.820 God calls 00:30:26.820 --> 00:30:27.380 us home 00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:28.560 that we've 00:30:28.560 --> 00:30:29.260 finished 00:30:29.260 --> 00:30:30.460 the race 00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:31.620 that's set 00:30:31.620 --> 00:30:32.880 before us. 00:30:33.560 --> 00:30:34.480 when you're 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:34.980 bound 00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:36.000 emotionally 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.280 to your 00:30:37.280 --> 00:30:37.720 sin, 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:39.100 when you're 00:30:39.100 --> 00:30:39.720 enslaved 00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:40.980 to what 00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:41.800 you've 00:30:41.800 --> 00:30:42.220 done, 00:30:42.620 --> 00:30:43.520 you can't 00:30:43.520 --> 00:30:44.360 run 00:30:44.360 --> 00:30:45.400 the race. 00:30:46.320 --> 00:30:46.920 Church, 00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:47.260 it's time 00:30:47.260 --> 00:30:47.620 we get 00:30:47.620 --> 00:30:48.820 off the 00:30:48.820 --> 00:30:49.220 treadmill 00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:50.700 and we 00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:51.040 get in 00:30:51.040 --> 00:30:51.460 the race 00:30:51.460 --> 00:30:52.040 that God 00:30:52.040 --> 00:30:52.840 has lined 00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:53.620 up for 00:30:53.620 --> 00:30:53.900 us. 00:30:54.800 --> 00:30:55.020 Now, 00:30:55.040 --> 00:30:55.280 Paul's 00:30:55.280 --> 00:30:55.440 going to 00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:55.900 talk about 00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.220 this. 00:30:56.900 --> 00:30:57.480 It doesn't 00:30:57.480 --> 00:30:57.840 mean that 00:30:57.840 --> 00:30:58.340 now we 00:30:58.340 --> 00:30:58.740 just get 00:30:58.740 --> 00:30:58.980 to do 00:30:58.980 --> 00:30:59.260 whatever 00:30:59.260 --> 00:30:59.880 we want. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:01.280 But instead 00:31:01.280 --> 00:31:02.100 there's great 00:31:02.100 --> 00:31:02.940 implications 00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.380 of 00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:04.200 the law 00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:04.720 and what 00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.560 God has 00:31:05.560 --> 00:31:06.400 saved us 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:06.800 for. 00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:08.160 But now 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:08.560 what we 00:31:08.560 --> 00:31:09.340 live in 00:31:09.340 --> 00:31:10.260 is we 00:31:10.260 --> 00:31:11.120 live in 00:31:11.120 --> 00:31:11.960 no longer 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:12.660 a system 00:31:12.660 --> 00:31:13.440 of slavery 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:14.860 but now 00:31:14.860 --> 00:31:15.420 we live in 00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:15.880 a system 00:31:15.880 --> 00:31:17.160 of salvation. 00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:18.580 Now we 00:31:18.580 --> 00:31:18.820 live in 00:31:18.820 --> 00:31:19.220 a system 00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:20.120 of hope. 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:21.320 Now we 00:31:21.320 --> 00:31:21.760 live in 00:31:21.760 --> 00:31:22.620 a system 00:31:22.620 --> 00:31:23.580 of joy 00:31:23.580 --> 00:31:24.700 so that 00:31:24.700 --> 00:31:25.060 we can 00:31:25.060 --> 00:31:25.520 run 00:31:25.520 --> 00:31:26.700 the race 00:31:26.700 --> 00:31:27.780 that God 00:31:27.780 --> 00:31:28.820 has set 00:31:28.820 --> 00:31:30.000 before us 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:31.100 for his 00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:31.640 glory 00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:32.480 and for 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:32.940 his name. 00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:33.840 Would you 00:31:33.840 --> 00:31:34.140 pray with 00:31:34.140 --> 00:31:34.320 me? 00:31:37.620 --> 00:31:38.300 God, we 00:31:38.300 --> 00:31:38.780 thank you 00:31:38.780 --> 00:31:40.520 for your 00:31:40.520 --> 00:31:41.020 power 00:31:41.020 --> 00:31:41.900 and for 00:31:41.900 --> 00:31:42.440 your work. 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.020 Lord, we 00:31:44.020 --> 00:31:44.380 thank you 00:31:44.380 --> 00:31:44.660 for what 00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:44.900 you've 00:31:44.900 --> 00:31:45.320 done 00:31:45.320 --> 00:31:46.420 through the 00:31:46.420 --> 00:31:47.420 hope of 00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:47.920 the gospel. 00:31:49.040 --> 00:31:49.440 Lord, we 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:49.680 thank you 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:49.960 that the 00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:50.580 gospel that 00:31:50.580 --> 00:31:51.180 comes, that 00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:51.680 the gospel 00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:52.280 brings 00:31:52.280 --> 00:31:52.660 freedom. 00:31:54.080 --> 00:31:54.620 Lord, to 00:31:54.620 --> 00:31:55.020 set us 00:31:55.020 --> 00:31:55.340 free. 00:31:57.280 --> 00:31:57.980 The hope 00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:58.320 that we 00:31:58.320 --> 00:31:58.800 have 00:31:58.800 --> 00:32:00.260 life is 00:32:00.260 --> 00:32:00.840 not found 00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.220 in who 00:32:01.220 --> 00:32:01.860 we are 00:32:01.860 --> 00:32:02.540 or what 00:32:02.540 --> 00:32:02.880 we've 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:03.780 done, but 00:32:03.780 --> 00:32:04.040 it is 00:32:04.040 --> 00:32:04.620 found in 00:32:04.620 --> 00:32:05.080 who you 00:32:05.080 --> 00:32:06.040 are, Lord, 00:32:06.120 --> 00:32:06.480 and what 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:06.820 you've 00:32:06.820 --> 00:32:07.120 done. 00:32:08.060 --> 00:32:08.680 So that, 00:32:08.820 --> 00:32:09.020 Lord, we 00:32:09.020 --> 00:32:09.840 rest in 00:32:09.840 --> 00:32:10.220 that we 00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:10.820 are in 00:32:10.820 --> 00:32:11.660 Christ, and 00:32:11.660 --> 00:32:11.900 if we 00:32:11.900 --> 00:32:12.340 are in 00:32:12.340 --> 00:32:13.060 Christ, we 00:32:13.060 --> 00:32:13.400 are a 00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:13.640 new 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:14.280 creation, 00:32:15.060 --> 00:32:15.900 being 00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:16.680 transformed 00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:18.200 and being 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:19.000 made new 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:20.120 by the 00:32:20.120 --> 00:32:20.520 power of 00:32:20.520 --> 00:32:20.660 your 00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:21.000 Spirit. 00:32:22.340 --> 00:32:22.680 Lord, as 00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.020 we go 00:32:23.020 --> 00:32:23.420 into a 00:32:23.420 --> 00:32:23.840 time of 00:32:23.840 --> 00:32:24.520 response, 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:26.680 Lord, speak 00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:27.100 through our 00:32:27.100 --> 00:32:27.580 hearts, 00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:29.200 Lord, may 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:29.680 we ask 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.420 the question, 00:32:31.660 --> 00:32:31.980 do I 00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:32.740 find myself 00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:34.260 living in 00:32:34.260 --> 00:32:34.680 what I've 00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:36.700 done or 00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:37.220 in who I 00:32:37.220 --> 00:32:39.020 am, of 00:32:39.020 --> 00:32:40.000 who you've 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:41.260 made me 00:32:41.260 --> 00:32:42.300 to be? 00:32:44.380 --> 00:32:44.660 With 00:32:44.660 --> 00:32:45.400 every head 00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:45.880 bowed and 00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:46.300 every eye 00:32:46.300 --> 00:32:46.660 closed, 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:48.680 Christ, is 00:32:48.680 --> 00:32:49.200 your faith 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:49.780 found in 00:32:49.780 --> 00:32:52.340 you, or 00:32:52.340 --> 00:32:52.540 is it 00:32:52.540 --> 00:32:52.860 found in 00:32:52.860 --> 00:32:53.280 Christ? 00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:55.540 Do you 00:32:55.540 --> 00:32:56.280 stand before 00:32:56.280 --> 00:32:58.440 God with 00:32:58.440 --> 00:32:59.220 your list of 00:32:59.220 --> 00:32:59.600 things that 00:32:59.600 --> 00:33:00.300 you've done 00:33:00.300 --> 00:33:01.300 to justify 00:33:01.300 --> 00:33:03.380 you, or 00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:03.660 do you 00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:04.240 stand before 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:06.180 God being 00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:06.900 justified, 00:33:08.140 --> 00:33:08.660 being made 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:10.360 new by 00:33:10.360 --> 00:33:10.960 the work, 00:33:12.540 --> 00:33:13.040 the power 00:33:13.040 --> 00:33:13.660 of Christ? 00:33:15.560 --> 00:33:16.520 Every sin 00:33:16.520 --> 00:33:17.060 paid for 00:33:17.060 --> 00:33:19.940 being set 00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:20.260 free. 00:33:22.320 --> 00:33:22.860 Lord, we 00:33:22.860 --> 00:33:23.200 ask that 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:23.640 you work 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:23.900 in the 00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.360 hearts of 00:33:24.360 --> 00:33:24.620 people, 00:33:25.540 --> 00:33:25.700 that you 00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:26.220 draw them 00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:26.720 to you. 00:33:27.300 --> 00:33:27.700 And it's in 00:33:27.700 --> 00:33:27.960 Jesus, 00:33:28.080 --> 00:33:28.260 and we 00:33:28.260 --> 00:33:28.520 pray. 00:33:28.520 --> 00:33:28.700 Amen. 00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:45.320 thanks again 00:33:45.320 --> 00:33:45.820 for listening 00:33:45.820 --> 00:33:46.180 to the 00:33:46.180 --> 00:33:46.600 Willow Ridge 00:33:46.600 --> 00:33:47.320 Church weekly 00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:47.740 podcast. 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:48.680 We hope 00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:48.920 that you 00:33:48.920 --> 00:33:49.260 enjoyed 00:33:49.260 --> 00:33:49.780 listening to 00:33:49.780 --> 00:33:50.220 this week's 00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.560 message. 00:33:51.180 --> 00:33:51.460 If you'd 00:33:51.460 --> 00:33:51.740 like to 00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:52.120 learn more 00:33:52.120 --> 00:33:52.560 about who 00:33:52.560 --> 00:33:52.940 we are 00:33:52.940 --> 00:33:53.620 or explore 00:33:53.620 --> 00:33:54.040 additional 00:33:54.040 --> 00:33:54.580 resources, 00:33:55.160 --> 00:33:55.580 visit us 00:33:55.580 --> 00:33:56.360 online at 00:33:56.360 --> 00:33:59.620 www.willowridgechurch.com 00:33:59.620 --> 00:34:00.840 or by searching 00:34:00.840 --> 00:34:01.500 for Willow Ridge 00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.120 Church on 00:34:02.120 --> 00:34:02.800 Facebook and 00:34:02.800 --> 00:34:03.180 Instagram. 00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:03.300 Instagram.