GRACE ALONE
Series: Here We Stand
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 23rd July 2017
Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 During a conference quite a number of years ago now on comparative religions,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:16 experts from around the world debated what belief, if any belief, was unique to the Christian faith.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 And they began by eliminating a bunch of possibilities.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 The incarnation.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:31 They thought, no, actually other religions have different versions of their gods appearing in the world in human form to people.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 So what about resurrection?
00:00:34 --> 00:00:40 Again, other religions had accounts of people returning back from death.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:48 And the debate went on for some time until the Oxford Don C.S. Lewis walked into the room
00:00:48 --> 00:00:53 and in his classic C.S. Lewis style said, so what's all this rumpus about?
00:00:54 --> 00:01:00 And when he heard that they were debating the unique contribution of Christianity and had for some time,
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Lewis just responded, just jumped on it.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 He said, well, that's easy.
00:01:05 --> 00:01:05 It's grace.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:07 Grace.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 And after some discussion, the conference agreed.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:22 The notion of God's love coming to humanity free of charge, no strings attached,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:28 goes against every world religion and every instinct of humanity.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 There's the Buddhist eightfold path.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:39 There's the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, the Muslim code of law.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:46 Each of these offers a way to earn approval or to stay in approval.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:53 Only Christianity dares to declare God's love as unconditional.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 You can't earn it.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 It's not yours by right.
00:01:58 --> 00:01:59 You don't deserve it.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:00 You don't ever deserve it.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:06 Now, grace is a word that's familiar to our ears.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:06 Grace.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 It can be a person's name.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 It can be an attitude, a gracious attitude.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:19 It can be a prayer that you say before dinner if you're not terribly hungry.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 It's even a name of a hotel in Sydney.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 Ironically, however, there are no free rooms.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:33 The word grace in the Greek New Testament is the word charis.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 And it's a holy Christian word.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 It was a word.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:47 The word charis was unknown in Greek or Roman ethics and theology before Christianity.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:54 This doctrine of grace gave rise to a new word for grace.
00:02:55 --> 00:03:00 Grace in Christianity is a personal activity of God.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:04 God operates in unconditional love towards people.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:06 Grace is generosity.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:14 It's when something is given purely out of the goodness and the kindness of the giver,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 despite the unworthiness of the recipient.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:24 And salvation in Christianity is a work of God, not people.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 It's a work of God from beginning to end,
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 and is given freely and undeservedly through Jesus Christ,
00:03:31 --> 00:03:35 as we just sang in three songs to kick our service off.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:41 And this was the rediscovery or one of the rediscoveries of the Protestant Reformation,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:45 the 16th century, that has come down to us over these 500 years.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 As we started this series off,
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 salvation is according to Scripture alone,
00:03:51 --> 00:03:55 in Christ alone, by grace alone,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:59 through faith alone, for the glory of God alone.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:00 That is our heritage.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:05 It's St. Paul's, and it's where we take our stand as a church today.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 And in the past two weeks,
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 we've been reminded of two key foundations so far
00:04:09 --> 00:04:15 to biblical Christianity that were rediscovered in the Reformation 500 years ago.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 Scripture alone, that is,
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 it's not the Bible plus the traditions
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 and the authority of the church and reason and experience.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 And it's Christ alone,
00:04:27 --> 00:04:33 not Jesus plus human priests and the sacrifice of the mass.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 And next week, we're going to explore faith alone.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:43 It's not faith in Jesus plus good works for the basis of my salvation.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 And to these, the reformers added grace alone.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:56 And in a sense, grace alone summarizes and explains
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 the two that we've already done,
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 the one we're going to do next week.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 The Bible, the Word of God,
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 comes to us from outside of us.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:13 It stands as a gracious gift of God to humanity.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 It's God communicating to us
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 because without it, we would not see or know God.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 And Jesus Christ alone is the way to God.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 And Jesus again comes from outside of us,
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 purely and only because of the kindness and love of God.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 We don't earn him.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 We don't contribute to his work
00:05:33 --> 00:05:38 or help him finish off what he lacked.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:43 Jesus does everything through the generosity of God.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 Even the ability, this is what we're going to see next week,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:50 even the ability to see and to trust in God,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 as we just read in Ephesians 2,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 is a gift of God itself.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:01 Our response is nothing more than an open hand,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 held out in trust,
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 that says thank you
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 to the wonderful promises of God.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 The grace of God is love freely shown
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 towards guilty sinners,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 contrary to their merit,
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 and in fact in defiance of their demerit.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 You see, the context of the Reformers
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 rediscovering grace alone in the Bible
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 was a church that believed in grace.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 That's the context.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 It was a church that actually believed in grace.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:39 You see, Roman Catholic teaching states
00:06:39 --> 00:06:43 that God's grace is God's free favour
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 and generosity towards sinners.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 grace is God's free.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 But,
00:06:48 --> 00:06:52 and in this case,
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 the word but says everything.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 It is also,
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 grace is also a kind of power or assistance
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 in which God gives us
00:07:02 --> 00:07:06 to help people to respond to him
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 and help people live through life.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 And that's,
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 the word but,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 is where it goes wrong.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 In the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 it reads,
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 we can merit for ourselves
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 and for others
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 the graces needed
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 for sanctification,
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 for the increase of grace
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 and for charity
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 and for the attainment
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 of eternal life.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 What that means
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 is that salvation
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 in all its different forms
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 becomes a cooperation
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 between us and God.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 This view of grace
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 is built on a particular view of humanity.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 A view that says
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 that people are sinful.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 Yeah, yeah,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 we're all broken,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:55 we're all sinful,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 but we are still capable
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 as human beings
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 of reaching out to God
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 and communicating with God
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 and with his assistance
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 turning our life around.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 But,
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 so,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 for us to understand,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 therefore,
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 what grace is,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 we need to go back to the Bible
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 and embrace
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 and see
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 the need
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 of grace alone.
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 For us to be able to do that,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 we need an accurate diagnosis
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 of the actual human condition.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 And if we hold to
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 what I preached on two weeks ago
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 about Scripture alone
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 being authority
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 and not my experience of the world
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 or not my feelings about myself
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 or anything else,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 that if that is our authority,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 then we need to hear what it says.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 And the right diagnosis
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 was just read out to us.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 This is the human condition,
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 Ephesians 2 verse 1.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 As for you,
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 you were dead
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 in your transgressions
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 and sins
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 in which you used to live
00:08:49 --> 00:08:49 when you followed
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 the ways of this world
00:08:51 --> 00:08:51 and of the ruler
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 of the kingdom of the air,
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 the spirit who is now at work
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 in those who are disobedient.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 All of us also lived among them
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 at one time,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 gratifying and cravings
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 of our sinful nature
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 and following us desires
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 and thoughts
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 and like the rest,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 we were by nature
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 objects of wrath.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 Or we also see the diagnosis
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 in Romans 3 verses 10 to 12.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 There is no one righteous,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 not even one.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 There is no one who understands.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 There is no one who seeks God.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 All have turned away.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 They have altogether
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 become worthless.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 There is no one
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 who does good,
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 not even one.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 That's the authority
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 of Scripture's perspective
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 on the human condition.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 No one righteous,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 no one who seeks God,
00:09:37 --> 00:09:37 worthless,
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 dead,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 left to our own devices.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:42 We are dead
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 in our sins.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 And the core nature
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 of humanity
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 is not that we are
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 basically good,
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 it's that we're actually
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 fundamentally bad.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 We are spiritually bankrupt.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 We are spiritually dead.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:54 dead.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 And dead people
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 don't respond
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 to anything.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 I've,
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 in my job,
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 I've done a lot of funerals
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 over the years
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 and a number of those funerals
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 have been open coffin funerals.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 And it's an awkward thing
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 if you've ever had that experience
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 where the funeral director
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 tells you,
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 which I'm assuming you haven't,
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 the funeral director
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 tells you,
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 we're going to have
00:10:18 --> 00:10:18 an open coffin
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 and your job
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 is to stand beside the coffin
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 and sort of be there
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 for people as they come.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 And more often than not,
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 no one really wants
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 to get there early
00:10:28 --> 00:10:28 for that occasion.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 Most people come,
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 you know,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:32 at the last minute.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 So I'm standing there
00:10:34 --> 00:10:34 beside Bill
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 or whoever it is,
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 coffin open
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 and it's me
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 and this person
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 and no one else,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:42 no one else
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 for some time,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 often three quarters of an hour.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 and in my,
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 maybe it's me dealing
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 with the issue at the moment
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 and my black humour,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 I often talk to the person
00:10:52 --> 00:10:56 and they never,
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 ever speak back to me.
00:10:59 --> 00:10:59 Ever.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 Not that I'm expecting it,
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 but they never speak back to me.
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 I can practice my sermon,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 I can sing songs,
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 they never join in,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 they never participate
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 in any way
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 because dead people
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 don't respond.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 They don't have life
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 to respond.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 And that's the biblical picture.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 It's not that we
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 are all as bad
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 as we could possibly be,
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 but that because of sin
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 we are totally marred
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 in every aspect
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 of our being
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 and we are spiritually dead.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 We are corpses,
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 we're not drowning,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 we're drowned,
00:11:41 --> 00:11:41 we're dead.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 Unfortunately,
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 as Sam mentioned last week,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 some people understand
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 grace as God
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 making up the difference
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 between our good
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 and the amount of good
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 that God requires.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 So,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 I mean,
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 it's like,
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 depending on how you've lived your life,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 you've got different amounts of good.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 Nice middle class people
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 don't need as much
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 good as
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 topping up as,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 for instance,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 a criminal
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 sitting in Long Bay Jail.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 But whatever it is,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 God makes the requirements.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 So you can imagine,
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 I want to buy a car
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 that costs $100,
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 which I
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 don't want to,
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 but I've only got
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 $50,
00:12:24 --> 00:12:24 which I also
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 don't have.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 And this view of grace
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 means that,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 well,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:29 I've got $50,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 it's $100,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 well,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 God will just,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 you know,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 kindly top up
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 what I need.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 It sounds nice,
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 but it's a grave
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 misunderstanding
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 both of grace
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 and of our lack
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 of righteousness.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 We've got nothing to offer,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 we've got nothing to contribute.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 Not only do we
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 not have
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 any righteousness
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 into our account,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 we've actually got debt
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 in our account.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 And so we need
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 God's grace
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 not just to make up
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 for our deficiencies,
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 we need His grace
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 to provide a remedy
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 for our rebellion,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 for our guilt,
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 for our pollution,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 our sin,
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 our debt
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 against God,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 which is incalculable.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 We need His grace
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 to provide a satisfaction
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 for His justice
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 and to cancel
00:13:12 --> 00:13:12 a debt
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 that we cannot pay.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 And so it's absolutely
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 crucial that we
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 understand our plights
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 before God
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 if we're going
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 to understand
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 and be amazed
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 by grace
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 because those
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 who have been
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 forgiven little
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 in their minds
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 don't love much.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 Don't appreciate
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 grace
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 much.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 This is how
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 one person
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 has put it.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 The first
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 and possibly
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 the most fundamental
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 characteristic
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 of divine grace
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 is that it presupposes
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 sin and guilt.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 Grace has meaning
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 only.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 It only has meaning
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 when people
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 are seen
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 as fallen,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 unworthy
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 of salvation
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 and liable
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 to eternal
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 wrath.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 Grace does not
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 contemplate sin
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 as merely
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 as undeserving
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 but as
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 ill-deserving.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 It's not simply
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 that we do not
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 deserve grace
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 but that we do
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 deserve hell.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:15 that's
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 that's the
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 bleak
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 pronouncement
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 of our
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 natural state
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 before God.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 But in the very
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 next verses
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 in Ephesians
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 we have the hope
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 of grace.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 Ephesians 2
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 verse 4
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 but
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 the word
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 but there
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 is a very
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 different word
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 but at this
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 point
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36 you've got to
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 love the word
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 but in this
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 occasion
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 but
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 because of
00:14:40 --> 00:14:40 his great
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 love for us
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 God who is
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 rich in mercy
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 made us alive
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 with Christ
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 even when we
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 were dead
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 in transgressions
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 it's by grace
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 that you've been
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 saved.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 We're dead
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 in our
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 transgressions
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 and sins
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 but God
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 intervenes.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 We're in
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 bondage to
00:14:55 --> 00:14:55 sin
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 but God
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 intervenes.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 We were
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 objects of
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 wrath
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 but God
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 intervened.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 God who is
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 rich in mercy
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 intervened.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 Our condition
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 was hopeless.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 We are
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 corpses
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 floating in
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 a sea
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 of ocean.
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 We cannot
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 respond.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 We're not
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 asking for
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 rescue
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 and God
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 gets the
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 fish hook
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 and pulls
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 us up
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 onto the
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 boat
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 and gives
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 us life.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 The grace
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 of God
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 is love
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 is his
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 love
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 freely
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 shown
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 towards
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 guilty
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 sinners
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 contrary
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 to their
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 merit
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 and in
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 fact
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 in
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 defiance
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 of their
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 demerit.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 And we
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 get a
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 glimpse
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 of the
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 way God
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 treats
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 us
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 in that
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 parable
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 in Matthew
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 20
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 that Sam
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 read out
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 to us.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 So go to
00:15:39 --> 00:15:39 Matthew
00:15:39 --> 00:15:39 20
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 in your
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 Bibles.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 There's some
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 stuff I want to
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 see, show
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 you around
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 it.
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 Matthew
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 20, parable
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 of the
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 workers in
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 the vineyard,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 starting at
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 verse 1.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 Let me say
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 straight up,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 this is not a
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 story about
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 Jewish agribusiness.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 Before I
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 became a
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 Christian, I
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 had grown up
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 in a
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 house that
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 was on a
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 farm and
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 had a
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 Bible.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 And I
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 remember
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 reading this
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 parable a
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 number of
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 times as
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 a teenager
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 and stuff
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 going, it
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 makes no
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 sense, this
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 parable.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 I don't
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 know a
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 single farmer
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 who would
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 operate like
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 this anywhere.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 And that's
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 because I was
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 totally missing
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 the point,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 because I was
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 dead in my
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 transgressions and
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 sins I
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 couldn't see.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 The background
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 to Matthew
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 20 is
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 Matthew 19.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 There we go.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 19 becomes
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 before 20.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 That's a big
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 moment there.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 And there's
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 this story in
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 Matthew 19,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 this encounter
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 that happens
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 between Jesus
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 and this guy,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 the rich young
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 ruler.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 And you
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 might remember
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 this man,
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 this young guy
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 comes running
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 up to Jesus
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 and asks a
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 really crucial
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 question.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 He says,
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 what must I
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 do to inherit
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 eternal life?
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 It's a great
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 question, but
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 he's totally
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 coming at it
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 from the wrong
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 angle.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 The word
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 I is the
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 problem there.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 what must I
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 do to
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 inherit?
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 It's about
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 me.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 It's about
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 my effort
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 to get
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 eternal life.
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 And as you
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 read the
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 encounter,
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 you get this
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 sense of this
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 guy's pretty
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 pressed with
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 himself.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 I've done a
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 bunch of
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 stuff.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 Jesus rattles
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 off a few
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 of the
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 commandments and
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 he's sitting
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 there in his
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 mental thing
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 and his
00:17:24 --> 00:17:24 heart going
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 ticking off the
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 box.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 Yeah, done
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 that one.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 Yeah, done
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 that one.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 Done that one.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 Done that one.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 And you go,
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 yeah, I've
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 done pretty
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 well.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 Jesus says
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 to him, you
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 need to just
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 do one more
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 thing.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 Sell up
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 everything you
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 have and
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 follow me.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 It's a call
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 at that point
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 to stop
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 trusting in
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 yourself, but
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 in fact, and
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 the stuff that
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 you have and
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 trust in me
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 alone.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 And
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 unfortunately,
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 he's not
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 willing to do
00:17:55 --> 00:17:58 that and he
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 walks away.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 And in the
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 background over
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 here as this
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 encounter's going
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 on between
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 this rich guy
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 and Jesus is
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 Peter, James
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 and John
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 and the boys,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 the rest of
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 the disciples
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 are over here
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 and they're
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 hearing this
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 encounter go
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 on.
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 They see the
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 rich young man
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 walk away
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 and Peter,
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 as he has a
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 tendency to do,
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 speaks first
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 and he says,
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 well,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 Jesus,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 then who
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 can be
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 saved?
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 And Jesus
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 says,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 with man,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 this is
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 impossible.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 With God,
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 all things are
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 possible.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 So you get
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 the point?
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 Salvation is
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 not by what
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 you do.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 Salvation is
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 what God
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 does.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 And notice
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 the very next
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 question that
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 comes out of
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 Peter's mouth.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 We've left
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 everything,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 Jesus,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 to follow you.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 What will
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 there be for
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 us?
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 You get
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 it?
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 Jesus,
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 we're not
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 like him.
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 We didn't
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 walk away.
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 We've
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 followed you,
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 Jesus.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 Have we
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 done enough
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 then?
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 Big,
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 strong
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 sniff of
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 merit-based
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 thinking.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 So Jesus
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 tells his
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 story.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 It's pretty
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 straightforward.
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 Farmer
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 hires men
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 at different
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 times during
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 the day.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 We're told
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 that he
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 hired them
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 early in
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 the morning,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 the third
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 hour,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 the sixth
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 hour,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 the ninth
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 hour,
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 and right
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 to the
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 very end
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 of the
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 day in
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 the eleventh
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 hour.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 And those
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 began the
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 work at
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 the beginning
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 of the
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 day,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 agreed to
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 a day's
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 pay for
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 their work
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 at denarius.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 And the
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 denarius was
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 considered to
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 be what was
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 needed to
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 provide well
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 for a family.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 Get a
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 denarius for a
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 day's pay,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 you provided
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 well for your
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 family.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 notice that
00:19:54 --> 00:19:58 it wasn't
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 an expectation
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 the farmer
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 would actually
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 pay for
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 them a
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 denarii,
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 but the
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 farmer gives
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 them a
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 denarii to
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 provide well
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 for them.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 All of
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 these who
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 got paid on
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 this particular
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 day got
00:20:09 --> 00:20:11 what they
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 needed,
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 not what
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 they had
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 earned.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:18 They were
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 paid according
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 to grace
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 of the
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 farmer,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 not according
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 to the
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 work that
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 they did.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 And the
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 twist comes
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 at the end
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 of the day
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 when the
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 owner pays
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 everyone the
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 same,
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 lines them
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 up,
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 pays them
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 everyone the
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 same.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 It's like
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 they all
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 received an
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 A grade.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 It's like
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 we're all
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 in the same
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 university
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 course and
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 I'm your
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 lecturer and
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 there are
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 some of us
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 here who are
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 diligent
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 studiers and
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 we haven't
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 slept for
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 days and
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 we've worked
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 hard and
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 we're
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 expecting
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 99.9%
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 if not
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 100% but
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 we're just
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 kind of
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 expecting that.
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 Those of us
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 down here
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 have been
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 watching movies
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 which is
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 kind of
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 what I
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 do.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 And 51%
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 means I
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 work just
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 a little
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 bit too
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 hard.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 And so
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 I put
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 all your
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 scores and
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 I've given
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 every single
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 one of you
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 an A
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 grade no
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 matter how
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 hard you've
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 worked.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 You've all
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 got it.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:15 And there
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 are some
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 of us
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 down here
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 who have
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 been
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 diligent
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 and
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 working
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 really
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 hard
00:21:18 --> 00:21:21 expecting
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 high
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 score
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 and we
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 see the
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 Steve
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 Jeffries in
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 this world
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 getting the
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 exact same
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 score.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 That's not
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 fair.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 See the
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 natural human
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 tendency is not
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 like to
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 everyone to
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 get the
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 perfect score
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 regardless of
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 effort.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 And that's
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 why we
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 struggle with
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 grace so
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 much.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 Our
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 natural
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 moral
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 default
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 position is
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 to count
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 ourselves
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 up here
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 with the
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 12 hour
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 workers of
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 the day.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:02 The 99.9%
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 score markers.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 Our moral
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 position is to
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 put ourselves
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 in that area.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 When it
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 comes to
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 morality we
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 can always
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 look down
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 to find
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 someone else
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 who's
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 worse than
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 I am.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 And so we
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 regard ourselves
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 more highly.
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 I know
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 someone who
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 is currently
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 who's been
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 marked to
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 never be
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 released from
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 prison.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 Many, many
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 years ago he
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 murdered a
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 mother and
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 her baby.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 And he
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 was in
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 the same
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 section of
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 a jail,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 of a high
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 security jail
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 in Sydney
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 with the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 perpetrators
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 of the
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 Milpera
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 Bikie
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 Massacre
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 from many
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 decades ago
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 now where
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 two Bikie
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 gangs came
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 together,
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 had a
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 shootout in
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 a car park
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 and they
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 gunned down
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 a seven
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 year old
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 girl in
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 the process
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 of that
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 shootout,
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 got caught
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 in the
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 crossfire.
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 This man
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 who I know
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 was in the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 same section
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 of the
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 jail of
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 those guys.
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 The
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 guys who
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 perpetrated
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 the Milpera
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 Bikie
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 Massacre
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 grabbed him
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 one day,
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 poured boiling
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 water all
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 over him
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 and beat
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 him up,
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 quite savagely,
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 to an inch
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 of death.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 Do you
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 know why?
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 How dare
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 you kill
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 a baby?
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 You can
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 sit in
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 Long Bay
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 Jail,
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 you can
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 even sit
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 in Long Bay
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 Jail,
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 convicted of
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 murder,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 of a
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 seven year
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 old kid
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 and you
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 could still
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 find someone
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 worse than
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 you.
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 Normal,
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 default,
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 human position
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 when it
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 comes to
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 the way
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 we think
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 of ourselves
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 and our
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 morality.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 You see,
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 in a sense
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 here,
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 the workers
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 are right.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 It's not
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 fair what
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 the boss
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 is doing,
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 but that
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 is the
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 point.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 Grace
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 is not
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 about being
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 fair,
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 it's about
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 God giving
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 us what we
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 don't deserve
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 and saving
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 us from
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 what we do
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 deserve.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 And the
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 Bible speaks
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 about the
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 incredible
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 extent of
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 God's grace
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 to us
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 in a
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 number of
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 ways.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 Wonderful
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 image of
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 Psalm 103
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 verse 2,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 transgressions
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 against God
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 have been
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 removed as
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 far as the
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 east is
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 from the
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 west.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 What an
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 incredible
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 picture.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 That's
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 infinite
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 amount.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 East,
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 for as far
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 as the
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 east is
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 from the
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 west,
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 is
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 infinity.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 Isaiah
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 38,
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 17,
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 the
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 prophet
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 Isaiah
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 says
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 of
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 God,
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 you
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 have
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 put
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 all
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 of
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 my
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 sins
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 behind
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 your
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 back.
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 They
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 are
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 out
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 of
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 sight.
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 For a
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 Christian,
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 God no
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 longer sees
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 our deliberate
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 disobedience
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 or our
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 marred
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 performance.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 An
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 emphasis on
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 the
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 completeness
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 of God's
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 forgiveness
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 is in
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 Micah 7
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 verse 19.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 You
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 will tread
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 our sins
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 underfoot
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 and you'll
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 hurl our
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 iniquities
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 into the
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 depths of
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 the sea.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 They
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 haven't
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 fallen
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 over
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 board.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 Oh my
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 goodness,
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 where'd
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 they
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 go?
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 They
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 sort of
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 sunk
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 down
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 there
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 like a
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 phone
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 over the
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 side
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 of a
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 boat
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 or
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 something
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 like
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 that.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 God
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 has
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 deliberately
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 removed
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 them
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 and
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 placed
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 them
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 in
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 the
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 depths
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 of
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 the
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 sea.
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 Isaiah
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 43,
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 23
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 emphasizes
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 the
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 completeness
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 of
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 God's
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 forgiveness
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 again.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 I,
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 even
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 I,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 am
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 he
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 who
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 blots
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 out
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 your
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 transgressions
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 for
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 my
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 own
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 sake
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 and
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 remembers
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 your
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 sins
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 no
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 more.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 God
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 it's
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 not
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 that
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 he's
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 somehow
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 forgotten
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 them
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 like
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 we've
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 lost
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 my
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 keys
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 where
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 did
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 they
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 go?
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 He's
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 deliberately
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 chooses
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 not to
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 remember
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 the sins
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 that we've
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 committed
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 against
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 him.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 He's
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 decided
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 never
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 to
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 bring
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 them
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 up
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 again.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 You
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 see
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 blotting
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 out
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 our
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 sins
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 is a
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 legal
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 act.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 It's
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 like an
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 official
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 pardon
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 from a
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 suffering
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 governor.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 However
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 the
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 choosing
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 to
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 remember
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 them
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 no
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 more
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 is
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 a
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 relational
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 act.
00:25:54 --> 00:25:56 It is
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 where
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 the
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 injured
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 party
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 God
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 in
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 this
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 case
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 actively
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 chooses
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 to
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 have
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 no
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 sense
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 of
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 being
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 wronged.
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 He
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 chooses
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 to do
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 that.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 The
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 reformer
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 Martin
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 Luther
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 really
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 summarized
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 it
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 well
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 when
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 he
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 wrote
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 sin
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 is
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 not
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 cancelled
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 by
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 law
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 living
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 for
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 no
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 person
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 is
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 able
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 to
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 live
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 up
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 to
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 the
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 law.
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 The
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 law
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 reveals
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 guilt.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 It
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 fills
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 the
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 conscience
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 with
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 terror
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 and
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 drives
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 people
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 to
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 despair
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 much
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 less
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 is
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 sin
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 taken
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 away
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 by
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 man
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 invented
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 endeavours.
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 The
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 fact is
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 the
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 more
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 a
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 person
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 seeks
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 credit
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 for
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 himself
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 by
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 his
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 own
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 efforts
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 the
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 deeper
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 he
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 goes
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 into
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 debt.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 Nothing
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 can
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 take
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 away
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 sin
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 except
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 the
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 grace
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 of
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 God.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 In
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 actual
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 living
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 however
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 it
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 is
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 not
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 so
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 easy
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 to
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 persuade
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 oneself
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 that
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 grace
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 alone
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 in
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 opposition
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 to
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 every
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 other
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 means
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 we
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 obtain
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 the
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 forgiveness
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 of
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 our
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 sins
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 and
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 peace
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 with
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 God.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 You see
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 the
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 outcome
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 of God's
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 gracious
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 actions
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 towards
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 us
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 in
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 according to
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 Colossians
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 1
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 is
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 there's
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 no
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06 accusations
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 anymore.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 No
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 accusation
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 can be
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 brought
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 against
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 us
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 because
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 there
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 is
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 no
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 evidence
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 against
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 us.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 Two
00:27:17 --> 00:27:19 elderly
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 Roman
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 Catholic
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 men
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 were
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 having
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 a
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 conversation
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 about
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 the
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 son
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 of
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 one
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 of
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 those
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 one
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 of
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 their
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 men
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 who
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 this
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 son
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 had
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 converted
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 to
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 biblical
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00:28:27 --> 00:28:29 but
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00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 live
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00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 of
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00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 and
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 live
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 by
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00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 alone
00:29:07 --> 00:29:09 he's
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 talking
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00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 those
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00:29:10 --> 00:29:13 struggling
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 to
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00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 and
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 live
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 by
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 grace
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00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 knowing
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 God
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 Jim
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 Packer
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00:29:19 --> 00:29:21 there
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00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 churches
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 who
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 believe
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 in
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 grace
00:29:25 --> 00:29:27 now
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 when
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 someone
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 of
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 Packer
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 standing
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00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 something
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00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 that
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00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 got
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00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 saying
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00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 in
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00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 of
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 abandoning
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 the
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00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 on
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00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 we
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00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 to
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 downplay
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00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 that
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00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 are
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 fallen
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 from
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 God's
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 image
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 rebels
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 against
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 God's
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 rule
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 guilty
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 and
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 uncleaning
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 God's
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 sight
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 and fit
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 only
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 for
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 God's
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 condemnation
00:30:06 --> 00:30:08 high
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00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 view
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 of
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 self
00:30:09 --> 00:30:13 the
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 second
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00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 he
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00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 that
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00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 don't
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00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 grace
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 is
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00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 a
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 tendency
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 to
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 turn
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 a
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 blind
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 eye
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 to
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 all
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 wrongdoing
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 that
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 we
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 can
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 he
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00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 there's
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 a
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 willingness
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 to
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 tolerate
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 and
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 indulge
00:30:26 --> 00:30:26 evil
00:30:26 --> 00:30:26 up
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 to
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 a
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 point
00:30:27 --> 00:30:29 he
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 said
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 the
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 ability
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 to
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 indulge
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 evil
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 up
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 to
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00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 point
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 is
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 seen
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00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 seen
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00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 we
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00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 for
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00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 justify
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 myself
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 and
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 I've
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 heard
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 it
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 many
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00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 I
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 was
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 provoked
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 I've
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 had a
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 bad
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 life
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 I was
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 dropped
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 on my
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 head
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 as a
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 baby
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 it's
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 just
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 or
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 it's
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 just
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 the
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 way
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 that
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 person
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 is
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 we're
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 just
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 used
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 to
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00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 they
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 are
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 now
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 they
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 gossip
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 we're
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 just
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 used
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 to
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 that
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 that's
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 just
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 who
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 they
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 are
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 they're
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 angry
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 we're
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 just
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 used
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 to
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 that
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 just
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 who
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 they
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 are
00:31:04 --> 00:31:07 we
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 even
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 conclude
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 that
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 God
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 is
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 the
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 same
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 towards
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 us
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 grace
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13 is
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 turning
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 to
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 leniency
00:31:14 --> 00:31:17 and
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 leniency
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 is
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 where
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 God
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 makes
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 up
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 the
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 difference
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 for
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 me
00:31:21 --> 00:31:24 divine
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 retribution
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 against
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 all
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 level
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 of
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 sin
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 is
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 not
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 taken
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 seriously
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 we
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 tend
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 to
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 have
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 a
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 hierarchy
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 of
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 the
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 real
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 serious
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 ones
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 and
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 the
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 rest
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 we
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 just
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 tolerate
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 us
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 just
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 the
00:31:33 --> 00:31:35 way
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 they
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 are
00:31:35 --> 00:31:38 third
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 reason
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 why
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 we
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 struggle
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 to
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 believe
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 in
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 grace
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 is
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 the
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 belief
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 that
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 we're
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 in
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00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 position
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 to
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 be
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 able
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 to
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 repair
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 our
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 relationship
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 with
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 God
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 while
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 we
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 might
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 concede
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 that
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 we
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 are
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 not
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 perfect
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 we
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 still
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 have
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 doubt
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 that
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 respectability
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 we
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 still
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 have
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 no
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 doubt
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 that
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 respectability
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 will
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 account
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 for
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 something
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 in
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 the
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 end
00:31:56 --> 00:31:58 to
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 the
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 degree
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 that
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 we
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 view
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 ourselves
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 as
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 worthy
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 is
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 the
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 degree
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 to
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 which
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 we
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 nullify
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 God's
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 grace
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08 so
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 earlier
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 I
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 mentioned
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 an
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 inadequate
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 even
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 fatal
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 view
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 of
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 grace
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 where
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 God
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 makes
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 up
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 the
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 deficiency
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 of
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 our
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 efforts
00:32:15 --> 00:32:45
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 salvation
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 of
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 salvation
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 I
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 just
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 drift
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 away
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 from
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 grace
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 into
00:32:51 --> 00:32:53 my
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 own
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 merit
00:32:53 --> 00:32:55 my
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 own
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 self
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 reliance
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 and
00:32:56 --> 00:32:58 independence
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 from
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 God
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 it is
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 so
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 easy
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 to
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 drift
00:33:01 --> 00:33:06 into
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 God's
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 blessings
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 at
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 least
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 partially
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 to
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 think
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 that
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 God's
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 blessings
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 even
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 partially
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 are
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 earned
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 by
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 our
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 obedience
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 and
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 by
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 our
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 spiritual
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 disciplines
00:33:18 --> 00:33:21 it
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 might
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 not
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 be
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 via
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 the
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 seven
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 sacraments
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 of
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 the
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 Roman
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 Catholic
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 Church
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 but
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 it
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 might
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 be
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 even
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 our
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 ability
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 to
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 articulate
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 grace
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 alone
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 or
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 a
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 theological
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 clarity
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 as
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 being
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 a
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 reason
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 why
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 God
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 would
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 bless
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 me
00:33:35 --> 00:33:39 we
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 know
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 we're
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 saved
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 by
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 grace
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 but
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 we
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 can
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 drift
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 into
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 thinking
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 that
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 I
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 must
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 live
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 by
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 my
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 spiritual
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 sweat
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 we
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 all
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 need
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 grace
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 from
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 beginning
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 to
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 end
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 the
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 saint
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 as
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 well
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 as
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 the
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 sinner
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 the
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 most
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 conscientious
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 dutiful
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 long-term
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 hard-working
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 Christian
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 needs
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 God's
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 grace
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 as much
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 every
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 day
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 as
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 the
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 hardest
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 living
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 sinner
00:34:02 --> 00:34:04 the
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 sinner
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 doesn't
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 need
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 more
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 grace
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 than
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 the
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 saint
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 nor
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 does
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 the
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 immature
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 and
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 undisciplined
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 believer
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 need
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 more
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 than
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 the
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 godly
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 zealous
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 missionary
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 we
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 all
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 need
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 the
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 same
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 amount
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 of
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 grace
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 because
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 the
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 currency
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 of
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 good
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 works
00:34:18 --> 00:34:21 is
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 worthless
00:34:21 --> 00:34:23 it
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 is
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 worthless
00:34:24 --> 00:34:29 neither
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 our
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 merits
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 nor
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 our
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 demerits
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 determine
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 how much
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 grace
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 we need
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 because
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 grace
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 does not
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 supplement
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 merits
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 and it
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 does not
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 make up
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 for
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 demerits
00:34:39 --> 00:34:42 grace
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 doesn't take
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 into account
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 merits
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 it doesn't
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 take into
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 account
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 demerits
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 at all
00:34:45 --> 00:34:47 grace
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 considers
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 all
00:34:48 --> 00:34:48 people
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 totally
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 undeserving
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 and able
00:34:51 --> 00:34:51 to undo
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 anything
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 to earn
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 the blessing
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 of god
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 as one
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 author has
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 written
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 grace
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 ceases
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 to be
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 grace
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 if god
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 is compelled
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 to bestow
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 it in the
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 presence
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 of human
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 merit
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 grace
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 ceases
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 to be
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 grace
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 if
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 compelled
00:35:06 --> 00:35:08 sorry
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 grace
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 ceases
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 to be
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 grace
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 if god
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 is compelled
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 to withdraw
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 it in the
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 presence
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 of human
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 demerit
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 grace
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 is treating
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 the person
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 without the
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 slightest
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 reference
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 to desert
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 whatsoever
00:35:21 --> 00:35:23 but wholly
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 according to
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 the infinite
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 goodness
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 and sovereign
00:35:26 --> 00:35:26 purposes
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 of god
00:35:27 --> 00:35:29 that is
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 grace
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 alone
00:35:30 --> 00:35:33 and so
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 if you
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 sometimes
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 feel that
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 you deserve
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 an answer
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 to a
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 prayer
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 or a
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 blessing
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 from god
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 because of
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 your
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 diligence
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 and your
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 hard work
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 and your
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 longevity
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 as a
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 christian
00:35:42 --> 00:35:44 it's no
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 longer
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 living by
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 grace
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 alone
00:35:45 --> 00:35:49 but if
00:35:49 --> 00:35:49 it's just
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 as true
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 that if
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 we
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 sometimes
00:35:51 --> 00:35:53 despair
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 of experiencing
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 god's
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 blessing
00:35:55 --> 00:35:55 because of
00:35:55 --> 00:35:55 our
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 demerits
00:35:56 --> 00:35:59 you're no
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 longer living
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 by grace
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 alone
00:36:00 --> 00:36:03 to the
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 extent we
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 are clinging
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 to any
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 self
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 righteousness
00:36:06 --> 00:36:08 or putting
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 our confidence
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 into any
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 of our
00:36:10 --> 00:36:10 own
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 spiritual
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 attainments
00:36:12 --> 00:36:14 to that
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 degree
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 we are not
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 living by
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 grace
00:36:16 --> 00:36:20 and so
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 what's the
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 evidence
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 of grace
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 in an
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 individual
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 and a
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 church
00:36:26 --> 00:36:29 let me
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 try to
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 capture
00:36:30 --> 00:36:32 by quoting
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 one of our
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 core values
00:36:33 --> 00:36:35 humble
00:36:35 --> 00:36:35 authenticity
00:36:35 --> 00:36:38 humility
00:36:38 --> 00:36:41 humility
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 is a
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 genuine
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 outworking
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 you do
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 not elevate
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 yourself over
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 people
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 you do not
00:36:46 --> 00:36:46 say I'm
00:36:46 --> 00:36:47 more worthy
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 of those
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 people
00:36:47 --> 00:36:49 I deserve
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 more things
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 than those
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 people
00:36:51 --> 00:36:53 that cultural
00:36:53 --> 00:36:53 group or those
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 individuals are
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 less worthy
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 they need to
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 understand the
00:36:56 --> 00:36:56 world from my
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 perspective
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 humility
00:36:58 --> 00:37:02 grace
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 humility
00:37:03 --> 00:37:03 humility
00:37:03 --> 00:37:05 they're the
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 foundations of
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 a
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 transcultural
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 church
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 that bears
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 and loves
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 one another
00:37:10 --> 00:37:12 the need
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 for us
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 to see
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 our
00:37:14 --> 00:37:14 spiritual
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 bankruptcy
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 the daily
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 need for us
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 to do that
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 this is where
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 we must begin
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 and end
00:37:19 --> 00:37:19 if we are to
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 experience the
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 daily joy
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 of living by
00:37:22 --> 00:37:22 God's
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 transforming
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 grace
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 so I
00:37:24 --> 00:37:24 urge you
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 today
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 to lay
00:37:26 --> 00:37:27 aside
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 any
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 remnant
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 of self
00:37:29 --> 00:37:29 goodness
00:37:29 --> 00:37:31 that you
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 might still
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 have
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 admit your
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 total
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 spiritual
00:37:35 --> 00:37:35 bankruptcy
00:37:35 --> 00:37:37 and drink
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 deeply
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 from the
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 infinite
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 grace of
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 God
00:37:39 --> 00:37:42 we deserve
00:37:42 --> 00:37:42 nothing
00:37:42 --> 00:37:44 we were
00:37:44 --> 00:37:44 owed
00:37:44 --> 00:37:45 nothing
00:37:45 --> 00:37:47 and yet
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 we have
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 everything
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 through the
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 grace of
00:37:51 --> 00:37:51 the Lord
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 Jesus Christ
00:37:52 --> 00:37:54 my friends
00:37:54 --> 00:37:54 nothing
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 in our
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 hands we
00:37:56 --> 00:37:56 bring
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 only to
00:37:57 --> 00:37:57 the cross
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 we cling