We are Alive
Series: Who is the Church?
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 15th February 2026
Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10
00:00:00 --> 00:00:16 Well, morning everyone, and thank you Ash. I'm not sure if you're still in the room. Remind me how much alive I'm not. As it turns out, I just can't keep up with that sort of thing and his energy is just such a blessing to us as a church in moments like this.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:29 So I really appreciate my brother. So as we have already been told, we're in the book of Ephesians in this term. If I've not met you, I'm Steve, senior pastor here at St. Paul's.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:52 What we're doing in this term is we're discovering in the book of Ephesians who the church is. And we're doing that as we just heard from our news segment about we're doing that as we look forward to the next five to 10 years in what God is calling us to as a church in life and ministry together.
00:00:52 --> 00:01:12 What we've already seen in Ephesians 1 is that in Jesus Christ, we have every spiritual blessing now in the present, present tense now. And we also have a guaranteed future glory in God's presence.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:25 So what we have now and the future that we're looking forward to and the fulfillment of all things. So it is what we have and yet what we are still to receive.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:40 And what we have and what we are still to receive is every desire, every dream, every longing of the heart being gifted to us in Jesus Christ.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:51 Now today's passage is one of the richest in the Bible of what it means in fact to be a Christian.
00:01:55 --> 00:02:05 And what it means when Christians talk about being saved, being born again or becoming a Christian.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:21 And so if you are here in this room or online right now and you are not yet a Christian, then my hope is that these verses will give you clarity on what it is to be a Christian.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:28 And also a desire welling up in you, in fact, to want to be one.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:45 If, however, you are a Christian and you're sitting in the room or online, you are a Christian, it is crucial for you to realize as you come to this text that this text is not primarily evangelistic.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:46 That wasn't Paul's origin.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 That was not his purpose here.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 This text is actually written to Christians.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 It's written for Christians.
00:02:54 --> 00:03:06 You see, what he wants is for Christians to be captivated by the love and the grace of God that has in fact ripped us.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:18 And I mean ripped us from the grip of condemnation and death and raised us to the place of honor with Jesus Christ.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:26 He wants us to be, our affections to be captivated by that truth.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:38 He wants us to know the glorious Father, have our hearts and our affections to be drawn to him in such a way that our lives are transformed.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:41 That's his intention here.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:49 And so I've got three points, which on the St. Paul's app, you've got it there and you can take notes if you like as you go along.
00:03:49 --> 00:04:01 Now the first three verses are a comprehensive panoramic picture of the human condition outside of God.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 It's the condition of everyone outside of God.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:12 It says quite bluntly, dead in your transgressions and sins.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 Now death here or dead is not a figure of speech.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:22 He's referring to humanity as being absolutely dead.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:26 Not in danger of death, not dying, but absolutely dead.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:33 He refers to Gentiles in verse 1 and his fellow Jews in verse 3.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:41 So he's not making a distinction here between a particular depraved element of human society.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:47 He's saying all people are dead in transgressions and sins.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 That is, spiritual death is universal.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:57 All of humanity from top to bottom, all people are spiritually dead apart from Christ.
00:04:57 --> 00:05:07 And the key to understanding what that means is the word followed in verse 2 and following in verse 3.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:16 Those words there, which come from the same root word, basically mean to be mastered by.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 It's much stronger than the English language of following.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 It means to be mastered by, to be controlled by.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 It, in fact, means to be enslaved.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:38 Spiritually, humanity is as helpless as a corpse.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:50 Completely controlled, completely mastered by death in such a way that you have no capacity whatsoever to move, to act, to do anything on your own.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54 And a corpse cannot bring itself back to life.
00:05:58 --> 00:06:03 And there are three things that we are told here that we are all enslaved to.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 Firstly, it says verse 2, enslaved to the ways of the world.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 Verse 2 again.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:14 Secondly, we're enslaved to the ruler of the kingdom of the air.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:22 And thirdly, in verse 3, enslaved to gratifying the cravings of our flesh following its desires and thoughts.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:32 Now, when Paul refers there to our flesh, we automatically think of the stuff that's over the top of our bones and stuff.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 But he doesn't mean that.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 He's not referring to that.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:43 In both Hebrew and Greek language, the word flesh means the whole person.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:48 Mind, soul, spirit, body.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:58 And it's a word that is particularly used in Hebrew and Greek language that refers to self-centered human nature.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:03 It refers to the nature of all people.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:09 And so notice the words craving, desires, thoughts.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:20 What he's referring to here is the bottom, the aspect here of self-centered human nature is the inner life of the person.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:31 And according to the Bible, the reason why all of humanity is dead, spiritually dead in transgressions and sins,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:38 is because every single person is profoundly self-centered.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 Profoundly centered on the self.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:51 As I've often referred to the 16th century church reformer and theologian Martin Luther,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:56 in his lectures on the Romans, the book of Romans,
00:07:57 --> 00:08:01 put the condition of the human heart very succinctly.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:11 The Latin phrase he used was incurvitus in se, which is curved in on itself.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 That is the condition of every human heart.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 Curvitus in se, curved in on itself.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:22 In such a way he said that every human heart is wickedly,
00:08:24 --> 00:08:29 curvedly, viciously seeking to use all things,
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 even God,
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 for its own glory.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:45 Profoundly self-centered is what it means to be human apart from God.
00:08:48 --> 00:09:00 It's like all of us have a computer that's not crashing right down at the center of our being,
00:09:00 --> 00:09:06 and this computer never, never, never, never stops.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:13 And it's constantly in overdrive, analyzing, analyzing, analyzing everything,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:19 every person, every object, every interaction, every event, every setting,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:24 saying, how does this glorify me?
00:09:24 --> 00:09:30 That is the natural default human heart.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:38 Everything is about analyzing its benefits to my happiness,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:43 my glory, my reputation, my comfort, my control.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:50 Everything gets put through the grid of my heart,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 curved in on itself.
00:09:51 --> 00:10:00 That is the core issue of humanity is pride.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 It is what the theologian John Calvin said,
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 pride is the sin that exists below every sin.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:11 It's the very thing that caused the very first sin in the very first place.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:16 And pride is not so much thinking highly of yourself,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 it is constantly thinking about yourself.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:20 That's pride.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 Pride is making sure that everything is centered on me.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:32 Now, it is obvious that self-centeredness can make you a cruel person.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:37 You know, history is full of those tyrants and dictators and, you know,
00:10:37 --> 00:10:42 who, you know, the egotistical, the proud person, the self-centered, the murderous,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 you know, we see them everywhere.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 You know, they want to get their own way.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 They want to make sure that they're at the center and the top and, you know.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:54 But more often than not, self-centeredness creates moral people.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 Not as obvious to spot.
00:10:57 --> 00:11:05 Someone that others look up to and want to be like.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:13 You see, if everything exists for my self-centered heart to make me look good and feel good,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:24 then there's no better way to make me feel good or look good than to be a good person that other people affirm,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 as opposed to the tyrant that other people despise.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:34 Self-centeredness drives most people into serving the needy,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 into political causes,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:44 into being a good child to parents or a good parent to children,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:49 a good friend who assists whenever possible,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53 a dutiful person who does what's expected of them.
00:11:53 --> 00:12:04 And what lies beneath that is a self-centeredness that drives us doing those things for our own affirmation.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 We help for our sake.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 We do good things to be noticed by people.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 We do it all to receive the applause,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:19 to build up our sense of worth,
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 wealth,
00:12:19 --> 00:12:23 which is always fragile and crumbling.
00:12:25 --> 00:12:29 Now, I'm sure that most of you remember that one of the greatest Hollywood classics of the last century,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 the movie Rocky,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 starring Sylvester Stallone,
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 it is beyond me that the guy,
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 after all these years,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 has yet to win an Oscar.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 Anyway,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:47 his love interest in the movie
00:12:47 --> 00:12:51 asked him,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 why?
00:12:52 --> 00:12:58 Why are you taking on the world champion in a boxing match?
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 He's going to pulverize you.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 Of course, he doesn't.
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 If he did,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 we wouldn't have Rocky 6,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 7,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 8,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 25,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 I don't know how many movies there are,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 but why?
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 Why are you doing this?
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 Because he wasn't expected to win.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 It was meant to be a spectacle.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 And his reply
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 is remarkable.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 He says,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 I want to go the distance.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 That's all he wanted,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 not to win,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 I just want to go the distance
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 and then I will know
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 that I'm not a bum.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 See what he's saying there?
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 I want to prove something to myself.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 Everything else in life can fall down.
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 My marriage can fail.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 I can be a rotten kid.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 But as long as I've gone the distance
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 with Apollo Creed,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 at least in that moment,
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 I know
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 that I'm not a bum.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 You see,
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 outside of God,
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 every person
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 is trying to prove themselves
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 that they are worthy of affirmation.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 Because we need affirmation
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 more than anything else.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 And Luther's point here
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 is that we evaluate
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 everything
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 in terms of whether
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 it makes me look good
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 or not.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 And yet the reality is
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 none of it will ever be enough.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 None of it will ever be enough.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 And so we are enslaved
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 to the treadmill
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 of the pursuit
00:14:32 --> 00:14:36 of that affirmation.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 So self-centeredness
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 can make you cruel.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 It can make you moral.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 But
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 we need to hear this one.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 Self-centeredness
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 can make you
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 a religious person too.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 We can devote ourselves
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 to God
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 doing good works,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 turning up to church,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 reading the Bible,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 praying,
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 giving,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 all good
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 and right things
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 to do,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 God's called us to,
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 but for entirely
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 the wrong reason.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 Where the motive
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 of the heart
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 is about
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 even trying
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 to get God
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 to approve
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 of us.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 How do we know?
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 How can we tell
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 the difference?
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 Well,
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 when things aren't
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 going well in life,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 we do two things.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 We start to pull
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 back away
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 from those things.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 Or
00:15:29 --> 00:15:32 and
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 we start getting
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 angry at God
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 for not giving us
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 what we think
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 he should give us
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 in that moment
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 for things not going well.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 God,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 I've done all this stuff
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 for you.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 How can this go wrong
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 in my life?
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 And both of those
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 things are an indication
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 we're expecting God
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 to come through
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 for us in that moment.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 Of all I've done
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 for you,
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 God,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 it is
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 mind-boggling
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 that you could
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 possibly get
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 into Christianity
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 and even stay
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 in Christianity
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 for decades
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 to have God
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 serve you,
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 your ego,
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 your affirmation,
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 rather than
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 for us to serve God.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 that is
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 always the issue
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 if our obedience
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 and our Christian life
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 is conditional
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 on the circumstances
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 of life.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 Verse 3
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 uses the word
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 craving
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 to describe
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 our self-centeredness.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 It's a word
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 that means
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 an inordinate desire.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 In other words,
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 it means that
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 this self-centeredness
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 is
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 an over-desire.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 It's in fact
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 addictive.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 It means
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 it's never enough.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 It's addictive
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 in the same way
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 that gambling
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 is addictive.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 It's never enough.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 It's the same way
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 that heroin's addictive.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 It's never enough.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 It might give you
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 a high for just a moment
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 but you just look
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 at the next hit,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 the next hit,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 the next hit.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 It means that
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 we are living
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 for our own glory
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 and it will never,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 ever be enough.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 No amount of glory,
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 no amount of acclaim,
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 no amount of recognition,
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 no amount of comfort
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 will ever be enough
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 to settle
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 the restless heart.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 The computer
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 that's in overdrive
00:17:19 --> 00:17:24 and it makes us
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 miserable.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 It makes us miserable
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 despite what
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 our social media profiles
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 attempt to portray
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 about our life.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:39 the default setting
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 of every human heart
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 without Jesus,
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 without God
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 is simply this
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 as I read years ago
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 and I can't remember
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 where I got it.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 It is simply this.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 I think it was C.S. Lewis.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 I'll give it to him anyway.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:59 It is your life
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 for mine.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:06 Your ego,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 your self-centeredness,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 your life
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 must be sacrificed
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 for mine.
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 You exist to serve me,
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 my interests first
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 and that is how
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 we even relate
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 to our creator
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 and our sustainer
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 and our God.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 God, you exist for me.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 Now the Bible's view
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 of sin
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 is that every,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 it's not just
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 that every person
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 is tainted by it
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 but that every aspect
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 of a human person
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 is tainted by it
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 and the consequence
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 is shocking.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 Verse 3,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:45 like the rest,
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 we were by nature
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 deserving of death.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 Not just by nature
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 dead
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 but by nature
00:18:54 --> 00:18:57 deserving of condemnation.
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 Not only spiritually dead
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 but condemned by God.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 Our self-centeredness
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 means we are deserving
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 of God's wrath,
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 his anger,
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 his condemnation,
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 his judgment.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 Now the Bible reveals
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 that God's anger
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 is not like human anger.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 It's not spite.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 It's not malice.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 It's not animosity.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 It's not revenge.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 It's not arbitrary.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 It is predictable
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 and it's not governed
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 by mood or whim.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 It is God's personal,
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 righteous,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 perfect,
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 constant hostility
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 to evil,
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 injustice,
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 and sin.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 It is his settled refusal
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 to compromise with it
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 in any way whatsoever
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 and his resolve
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 is to condemn it.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 This is the spiritual death
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 that all people
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 are enslaved to
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 that leads to
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 physical death
00:20:08 --> 00:20:11 and ultimately
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 eternal death
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 under the just
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 condemnation
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 of God.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 That is the horror
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 of verse 3
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 of being deserved
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 of wrath.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 C.S. Lewis
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 certainly did write
00:20:26 --> 00:20:29 nothing more,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 there is nothing
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 more enslaving
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 and miserable
00:20:33 --> 00:20:36 than self-centeredness.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 It makes you
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 miserable
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 and it will
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 increasingly
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 make you
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 miserable.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 He described it
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 as hell
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 begun
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 in you
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 that will
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 eventually
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 take you
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 to hell.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 That's self-centeredness.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 That's pride.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 And in this
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 constant state
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 of spiritual
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 death
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 and free
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 fall
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 into eternal
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 death,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 unable
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 to even
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 know
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 that we are
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 in fact
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 dead,
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 let alone
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 help
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 ourselves
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 to save
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 ourselves,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 what humanity
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 needs
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 is intervention.
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 Not just
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 a bit
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 of help.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 Christianity
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 is not
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 self-help.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 We need
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 someone to
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 intervene.
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 A corpse
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 cannot push
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 the emergency
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 button and
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 call for help
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 and we
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 can't do
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 so spiritually
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 either.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:46 and that's
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 what makes
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 verses 4 to 7
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 so remarkable.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 We're alive
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 by grace.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 I love it
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 when Mel
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 read this
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 out.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 I don't
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 know if you
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 noticed,
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 but she
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 did.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 But,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 but,
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 there's
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 never a
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 bigger
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 but in
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 the world
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 than this
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 one.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 Because of
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 his great
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 love for
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 us,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 God,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 who is
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 rich in
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 mercy,
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 made us
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 alive with
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 Christ,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 even when
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 we were
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 dead in
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 transgressions.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 It is by
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 grace you
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 have been
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 saved.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 And God
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 raised us
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 up with
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 Christ and
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 seated us
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 with him
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 in the
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 heavenly
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 realms in
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 Christ Jesus.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 Verse 6
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 says that
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 God raised
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 us up
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 with Christ
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 and seated
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 us with
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 him in the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 heavenly
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 realms.
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 That's
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 verse 6.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 I don't
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 know if you
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 remember from
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 last week.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 I mean,
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 Nick's just
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 read it out
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 to us,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 in fact,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 reminding us
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 from chapter
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 1 that
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 God raised
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 Christ up
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 and seated
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 him in
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 the heavenly
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 realms.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 Here we are
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 told he's
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 done that
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 with us.
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 That's where
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 we are
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 now.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 What does
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 that mean?
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 You see,
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 in the first
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 century Roman
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 world,
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 the conquering
00:23:08 --> 00:23:11 general would
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 return from
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 the great
00:23:13 --> 00:23:15 victory and
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 that general
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 was given
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 the greatest
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 honour,
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 the highest
00:23:19 --> 00:23:21 place in
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 the capital
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 as they
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 returned,
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 the capital
00:23:24 --> 00:23:26 city, and
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 they were
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 seated at
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 the right
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 hand of
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 the emperor.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 That was
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 their honour.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:37 Jesus died,
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 was raised
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 up, given
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 the place
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 of greatest
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 honour, the
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 seat of the
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 right hand of
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 the throne in
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 the heavenly
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 realms.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 It is the
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 most honourable
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 seat in
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50 all of
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 heaven and
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 the earth
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 and under
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 the earth.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 And so
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 notice,
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 God raised
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 us up with
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 Christ and
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 seated us
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 with him.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 that's
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 past tense.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 It's done.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 Because it
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 can't mean
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 that he's
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 raised us
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 up from
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 dead
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 physically
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 because as
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 of yet,
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 I've not
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 died.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 It can't
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 mean that
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 I'm in
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 heaven with
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 him because
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 I'm still
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 here.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 It means
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 that we
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 are legally
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 right now
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 declared that
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 that is my
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 seat.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 You see,
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 what it's
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 saying is
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 when a person
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 trusts in
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 Jesus Christ,
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 all their
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 sins,
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 all of
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 their
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 self-centeredness
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 are so
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 hidden,
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 so covered
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 that they
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 are treated
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 as if
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 they have
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 done
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 everything
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 that Jesus,
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 the conquering
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 king,
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 has done.
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 God delights
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 and honours
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 and accepts
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 and rejoices
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 over us
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 in the
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 way that
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 he does
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 his own
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 son.
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 How can
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 that be?
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 Verse 7,
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 he might
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 show us
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 the incomparable
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 riches of
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 his grace
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 expressed in
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 his kindness
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 to us
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 in Christ
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 Jesus.
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 The word
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 kindness
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 there is
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 not an
00:25:12 --> 00:25:17 emotion.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 It's
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 actually
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 action.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 It's a
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 word that
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 means costly
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 action.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 The first
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 three verses
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 tell us
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 that the
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 essence of
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 sin is
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 putting
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 ourselves
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 where only
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 God should
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 be.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 That is the
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 very centre
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 of our
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 lives,
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 on the
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 throne of
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 our lives,
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 in control
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 of our
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 lives.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 Sin is
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 putting
00:25:41 --> 00:25:43 our self
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 where only
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 God deserves
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 to be.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 Salvation
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 in Christianity
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 is God
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 putting himself
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 where we
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 deserve to
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 be.
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 It's the
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 great reversal
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 of positions.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 Jesus
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 Christ took
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 the just
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 and righteous
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 punishment.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 He took
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 the wrath
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 of God
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 that we
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 deserve
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 for putting
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 ourselves
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 in the
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 place
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 where only
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 God
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 belongs,
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 that is
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 at the
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 centre,
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 the throne
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 and the
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 ruler of
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 our lives.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 And the
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 punishment
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 that he
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 took on
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 the cross
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 was much
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 more than
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21 the cruel,
00:26:21 --> 00:26:23 the excruciating,
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 physical
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 punishment
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 of a
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 Roman
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 crucifixion.
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 He took
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 the much
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 more
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 excruciating
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 spiritual
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 pain
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 of the
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 wrath of
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 God
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 being poured
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 out on
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 him,
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 what verse
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 three says
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 that we
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 deserve.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 The one
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 whose
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 very
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 essence
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 was
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 flawless
00:26:50 --> 00:26:52 selflessness
00:26:52 --> 00:26:55 was cut
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 off from
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 God,
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 his
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 father.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 He
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 experienced
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 the
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 agony
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 that we
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 would
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 experience
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 if we
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 were cut
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 off from
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 God
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 for all
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 of
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 eternity.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 You see,
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 the essence
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 of sin
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13 is us
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 substituting
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 ourselves
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 for God
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 while the
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 essence
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 of salvation
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 in Christianity
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 is God
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 substituting
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 himself for
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 us.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 He sat
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 in our
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 seat so
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 that we
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 can now
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 sit in
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 his.
00:27:25 --> 00:27:27 ourselves
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 where only
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 God
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 deserves
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 to be
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 and so
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 God
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 chooses
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 to put
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 himself
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 where we
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 deserve
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 to be.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 And
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 that,
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 not just
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 being
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 intellectually
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 assented
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 to or
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 agreed with
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 but to
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 be pushed
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 down to
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 the very
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 centre of
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 our
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 heart,
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 that
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 and that
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 alone
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 is what
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 blasts us
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 out of
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 our
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 self-centredness
00:27:52 --> 00:27:55 it is to
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 see Jesus
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 saved
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 through the
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00 most,
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 sorry,
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 Jesus save
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 us through
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 the most
00:28:02 --> 00:28:04 radically
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 unselfish
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 thing
00:28:06 --> 00:28:09 in the
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 history of
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 humanity
00:28:10 --> 00:28:13 for you,
00:28:14 --> 00:28:16 for me.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 Though he
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 was
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 equal with
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 God,
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 he emptied
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 himself of
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 his glory
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 and he
00:28:24 --> 00:28:26 came down
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 and took
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 the place
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 of a
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 servant.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 Verses
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 four and
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 five are
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 absolutely
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 startling
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 but because
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 of his
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 great love
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 for us,
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 God,
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 who is
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 rich in
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 mercy,
00:28:41 --> 00:28:44 made us
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 alive with
00:28:44 --> 00:28:46 Christ even
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 though we
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 were dead
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 in transgressions,
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 it is by
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 grace,
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 that you
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 have been
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 saved.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 We were
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 dead in
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 our
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 transgressions
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 but God
00:28:55 --> 00:28:57 intervened,
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 enslaved to
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 sin,
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 enslaved to
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 our
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 selfishness
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 but God
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 intervened,
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 objects of
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 wrath,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 deserving of
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 condemnation
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 but God
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 intervened.
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 Verses
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 eight and
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 nine
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 emphasise,
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 which is
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 what we
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 tried to
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 keep up
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 with a
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 minute ago,
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 emphasises
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 that this
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 salvation
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 is all
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 God's
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 grace,
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 it is
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 all his
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 gift,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 it is
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 by grace
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 you've been
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 saved,
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 through faith
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 and it is
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 not from
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 yourself,
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 it is a
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 gift of
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 God,
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 not by
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 work so
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 that no
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 one can
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 boast.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 God's
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 gift,
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 his salvation
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 is a gift,
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 new life is a
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 gift,
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 every spiritual
00:29:38 --> 00:29:40 blessing we saw
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 in chapter one
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 is a gift,
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 the hope of
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 the future
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 is a gift
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 and even
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 faith to
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 believe it
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 and to
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 live it
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 is a
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 gift.
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 Now
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 faith here,
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 I just need
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 to unpack
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 this,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 faith here
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 is not
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 a mere
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 intellectual
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 ascent,
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 faith means
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 trust
00:30:02 --> 00:30:05 and the
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 idea of
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 trust here
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 is it
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 means
00:30:07 --> 00:30:09 resting,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 resting
00:30:10 --> 00:30:13 you see
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 a Christian
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 is a
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 person
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 who
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 rests
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 in,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 it's a
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 person
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 who
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 trusts
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 in
00:30:18 --> 00:30:21 the
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 work
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 of
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 Christ,
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 his
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 grace
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 to us
00:30:24 --> 00:30:27 and they
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 are
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 characterized
00:30:28 --> 00:30:30 verse
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 9
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 gives us
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 the
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 characterization
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 of what
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 a life
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 of faith
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 looks like
00:30:36 --> 00:30:39 verse
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 9
00:30:40 --> 00:30:42 not
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 boasting
00:30:43 --> 00:30:48 and we
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 go,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 well,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 I'm a
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 moral
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 person,
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 I'm not
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 like that
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 proud
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 person
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 who
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 boasts
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 about
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 all
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 their
00:30:54 --> 00:30:57 that's
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 not
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 what
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 this
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 word
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 means
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 because
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 we
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 think
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 I'm
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 not
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 a
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 bragger
00:31:02 --> 00:31:04 let me
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 say
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 we all
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 subtly
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 do
00:31:05 --> 00:31:09 but
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 despite
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 that
00:31:10 --> 00:31:14 this
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 boasting
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 here is
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 a difference
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 between the
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 self-centered
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 and the
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 selfless
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 person
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 you see
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 boasting
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 in the
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 first
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 century
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 Roman
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 world
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 was
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 what it
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 was that
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 you had
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 your
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 confidence
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 in
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 and
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 boasting
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 was
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 particularly
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 confidence
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 in handling
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 a
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 what was
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 it that
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 your
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 confidence
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 was to
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 handle
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 a difficult
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 scenario
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 that's
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 boasting
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 where is
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 your
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 confidence
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 it's not
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 bragging
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 about an
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 achievement
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 but where
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 your
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 confidence
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 is
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 placed
00:31:47 --> 00:31:50 and here
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 we are
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 told
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 that one
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 of the
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 great
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 things
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 about
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 the
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 Christian
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 life
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 is it
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 brings
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 an
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 end
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 to the
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 boasting
00:31:57 --> 00:31:59 it
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 brings
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 an
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 end
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 to that
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 overdrive
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 of the
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 computer
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 placing
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 our
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 confidence
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 in
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 our
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 fickle
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 personal
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 hope
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 and
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 affirmations
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 that we
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 build for
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 ourselves
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 as I
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 said
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 earlier
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 we're
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 all
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 looking
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 for
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 something
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 to boast
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 in
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 something
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 to put
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 our
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 confidence
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 in
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 something
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 to trust
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 in
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 to rest
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 in
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 to pump
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 up
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 our
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 sense
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 of
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 worth
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 and
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 value
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 anything
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 it
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 can
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 be
00:32:24 --> 00:32:27 and
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 this
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 is
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 what
00:32:28 --> 00:32:30 C.S.
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 Lewis
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 was saying
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 here
00:32:31 --> 00:32:35 we are
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 miserable
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 because
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 the life
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 of boasting
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 is a life
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 of scrambling
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 for identity
00:32:42 --> 00:32:45 it's
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 exhausting
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 it's
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 enslaving
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 because
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 we are
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 giving
00:32:50 --> 00:32:53 our
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 all
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 to
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 something
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 that was
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 never
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 designed
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 to make
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 us
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 complete
00:32:59 --> 00:33:01 it was
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 never
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 designed
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 to deliver
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 us an
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 identity
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 and the
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 new life
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 that he
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 gives us
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 is a life
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 of a
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 gift of
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 his
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 grace
00:33:10 --> 00:33:12 the
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 one
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 worthy
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 of all
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 praise
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 has
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 denied
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 himself
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 and
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 elevated
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 us
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 to the
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 throne
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 of
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 honor
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 his
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 selflessness
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 has
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 overcome
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 our
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 selfishness
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 and we
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 have
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 all
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 the
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 acclaim
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 or the
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 honor
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 or the
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 approval
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 or the
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 acceptance
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 that we
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 could
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 possibly
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 want
00:33:32 --> 00:33:34 and there
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 is only
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 one
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 boast
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 that
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 liberates
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 from the
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 enslavement
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 of scrambling
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 through life
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 searching
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 for the
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 confidence
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 we need
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 to face
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 whatever
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 life
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 throws
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 at us
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 and
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 Galatians
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 6
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 Paul
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 says it
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 very
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 succinctly
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 may I
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 never
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 boast
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 in
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 anything
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 else
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 but the
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 cross
00:33:54 --> 00:33:57 the
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 cross
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 of our
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 Lord
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 Jesus
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 Christ
00:33:59 --> 00:34:01 through
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 which
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 the
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 world
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 has
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 now
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 been
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 crucified
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 to me
00:34:04 --> 00:34:06 and I
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 to the
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 world
00:34:07 --> 00:34:11 in other
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 words
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 those
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 three
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 things
00:34:12 --> 00:34:14 are
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 dead
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 to me
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 those
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 three
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 things
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 that we
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 are
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 craving
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 after
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 are
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 dead
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 to me
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 those
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 three
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 things
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 that I'm
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 enslaved
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 to are
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 dead
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 to me
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 because
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 of the
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 cross
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 no
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 longer
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 searching
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 for a
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 boast
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 to feel
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 alive
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 but
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 made
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 alive
00:34:28 --> 00:34:30 Jesus
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 is his
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 boast
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 because
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 he knows
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 that in
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 Jesus
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 he
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 the
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 Christian
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 the
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 church
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 is
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 God's
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 boast
00:34:38 --> 00:34:44 let me
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 be honest
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 with you
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 I
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 preach
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 this
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 passage
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 many
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 times
00:34:47 --> 00:34:49 over
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 the
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 last
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 three
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 decades
00:34:50 --> 00:34:52 but
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 I've
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 never
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 seen
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 this
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 bit
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 before
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 I've
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 talked
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 about
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 this
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 before
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 but
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 I've
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 never
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 seen
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 this
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 bit
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 before
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 I've
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 never
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 seen
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 this
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 bit
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 particularly
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 in light
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 of the
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 end
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 of
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 chapter
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 one
00:35:02 --> 00:35:04 verse
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 10
00:35:05 --> 00:35:07 gives
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 us one
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 of the
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 most
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 exalted
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 images
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 of the
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 Christian
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 not just
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 seated
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 up there
00:35:13 --> 00:35:15 in the
00:35:15 --> 00:35:15 throne room
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 with
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 God
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 the
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 most
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 exalted
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 images
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 of the
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 Christian
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 the
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 church
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 in
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 all
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 the
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 Bible
00:35:22 --> 00:35:24 we
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 are
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 God's
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 handiwork
00:35:25 --> 00:35:28 it
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 literally
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 means
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 his
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 work
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 of
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 art
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 his
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 masterpiece
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 I've
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 been
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 reflecting
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 on
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 this
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 bit
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 mostly
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 in
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 this
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 last
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 week
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 Genesis
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 1
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 sorry
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 Psalm
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 19
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 tells us
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 that God
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 made
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 the
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 galaxies
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 he
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 made
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 the
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 stars
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 he
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 made
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 the
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 solar
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 systems
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 he
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 made
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 the
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 oceans
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 the
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 mountains
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 he
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 made
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 billions
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 of
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 creatures
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 he
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 made
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 it
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 all
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 everything
00:35:50 --> 00:35:52 Genesis
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 1
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 tells us
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 that he
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 made
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 humanity
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 in his
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 very
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 image
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 as the
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 pinnacle
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 of all
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 creation
00:36:00 --> 00:36:02 he
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 made
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 the
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 angels
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 he
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 made
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 the
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04 spiritual
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 realm
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 and
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 none
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 of it
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 none
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 of it
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 is
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 referred
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 to
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 as
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 his
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 masterpiece
00:36:10 --> 00:36:13 none
00:36:13 --> 00:36:13 of it
00:36:13 --> 00:36:17 God's
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 masterpiece
00:36:18 --> 00:36:21 the
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 thing
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 that he
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 sits
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 back
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 on
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 puts
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 down
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 the
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 brush
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 and
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 says
00:36:25 --> 00:36:27 that's
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 that's
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 it
00:36:27 --> 00:36:29 of
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 everything
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 I've
00:36:30 --> 00:36:30 been
00:36:30 --> 00:36:30 doing
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 in
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 history
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 and
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 humanity
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 and
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 time
00:36:33 --> 00:36:33 and
00:36:33 --> 00:36:33 space
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 this
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 is
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 it
00:36:35 --> 00:36:35 this
00:36:35 --> 00:36:35 is
00:36:35 --> 00:36:36 this
00:36:36 --> 00:36:36 is
00:36:36 --> 00:36:36 the
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 thing
00:36:37 --> 00:36:37 that
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 sits
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 at the
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 entrance
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 of
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 humanity
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 this
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 is
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 this
00:36:42 --> 00:36:41 is
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 the
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 thing
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 I
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 want
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 to
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 be
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 on
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 display
00:36:43 --> 00:36:49 his
00:36:49 --> 00:36:49 great
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 masterpiece
00:36:50 --> 00:36:53 is
00:36:53 --> 00:36:53 his
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 new
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 humanity
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 safe
00:36:55 --> 00:36:55 from
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 condemnation
00:36:56 --> 00:36:58 people
00:36:58 --> 00:36:58 made
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 alive
00:36:59 --> 00:37:01 set
00:37:01 --> 00:37:01 free
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 from
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 slavery
00:37:03 --> 00:37:05 blessed
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 beyond
00:37:06 --> 00:37:08 comprehension
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 with a
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 promise of
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 getting
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 just
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 more
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 blessing
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 more
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 life
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 beyond
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 death
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 and for
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 all
00:37:14 --> 00:37:14 eternity
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 that's
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 his
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 masterpiece
00:37:16 --> 00:37:18 that
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 is
00:37:18 --> 00:37:20 if
00:37:20 --> 00:37:20 you
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 like
00:37:21 --> 00:37:23 his
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 gift
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 and
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 his
00:37:26 --> 00:37:26 masterpiece
00:37:26 --> 00:37:26 his
00:37:26 --> 00:37:27 gift
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 it's
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 a
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 gift
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 that
00:37:28 --> 00:37:30 none
00:37:30 --> 00:37:30 of us
00:37:30 --> 00:37:30 were
00:37:30 --> 00:37:30 looking
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 for
00:37:31 --> 00:37:33 it's
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 a
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 gift
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 that
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 the
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 human
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 heart
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 self
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 said
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 the
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 human
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 heart
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 I
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 don't
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 need
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 it
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 I'm
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 my
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 own
00:37:40 --> 00:37:40 masterpiece
00:37:40 --> 00:37:43 and
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 it's
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 a
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 gift
00:37:44 --> 00:37:45 and
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 I
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 think
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 this
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 is
00:37:45 --> 00:37:46 Paul's
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 point
00:37:46 --> 00:37:49 it's
00:37:49 --> 00:37:49 a
00:37:49 --> 00:37:49 gift
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 that
00:37:50 --> 00:37:50 so
00:37:50 --> 00:37:50 many
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 of
00:37:51 --> 00:37:51 us
00:37:51 --> 00:37:51 have
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 in
00:37:52 --> 00:37:52 Christ
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 and
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 frankly
00:37:54 --> 00:37:54 we
00:37:54 --> 00:37:56 don't
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 appreciate
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 enough
00:37:58 --> 00:38:05 I
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 think
00:38:06 --> 00:38:06 it's
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 amazing
00:38:07 --> 00:38:09 that
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 we
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 are
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 his
00:38:10 --> 00:38:10 masterpiece
00:38:10 --> 00:38:16 we
00:38:16 --> 00:38:16 are
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 if you
00:38:17 --> 00:38:17 like
00:38:17 --> 00:38:19 put it
00:38:19 --> 00:38:19 another
00:38:19 --> 00:38:19 way
00:38:19 --> 00:38:22 humanity
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 saved
00:38:23 --> 00:38:23 in
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 Christ
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 is
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 God's
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 boast
00:38:26 --> 00:38:30 we're
00:38:30 --> 00:38:30 his
00:38:30 --> 00:38:30 boast
00:38:30 --> 00:38:36 that's
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 meant
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 to
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 break
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 our
00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 hearts
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 that's
00:38:38 --> 00:38:38 meant
00:38:38 --> 00:38:38 to
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 grow
00:38:39 --> 00:38:39 our
00:38:39 --> 00:38:40 affections
00:38:40 --> 00:38:45 it's
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 meant
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 to
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 change
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 our
00:38:46 --> 00:38:46 lives
00:38:46 --> 00:38:50 order
00:38:50 --> 00:38:50 our
00:38:50 --> 00:38:51 priorities
00:38:51 --> 00:38:54 your
00:38:54 --> 00:38:54 social
00:38:54 --> 00:38:55 media
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 life
00:38:55 --> 00:38:59 which
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 is
00:39:00 --> 00:39:00 really
00:39:00 --> 00:39:00 an
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 indication
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 of
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 your
00:39:01 --> 00:39:02 boast
00:39:02 --> 00:39:04 it's
00:39:04 --> 00:39:04 the
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 things
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 that
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 you
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 get
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 angry
00:39:05 --> 00:39:06 about
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 what
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 other
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 people
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 are
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 boasting
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 about
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 on
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 social
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 media
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 it's
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 the
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 things
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 that
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 you
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 put
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 on
00:39:08 --> 00:39:09 social
00:39:09 --> 00:39:09 media
00:39:09 --> 00:39:09 yourself
00:39:09 --> 00:39:12 that'll
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 give
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 you
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 an
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 indication
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 to
00:39:13 --> 00:39:13 your
00:39:13 --> 00:39:13 boast
00:39:13 --> 00:39:13 and
00:39:13 --> 00:39:14 it
00:39:14 --> 00:39:14 is
00:39:14 --> 00:39:14 nothing
00:39:14 --> 00:39:16 to
00:39:16 --> 00:39:16 this
00:39:16 --> 00:39:18 which
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 gets
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 me
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 to
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 the
00:39:19 --> 00:39:19 final
00:39:19 --> 00:39:19 point
00:39:19 --> 00:39:20 and
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 I'm
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 going
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 to be
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 so
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 fast
00:39:21 --> 00:39:21 here
00:39:21 --> 00:39:21 let me
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 tell you
00:39:22 --> 00:39:22 going
00:39:22 --> 00:39:22 to be
00:39:22 --> 00:39:22 so
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 fast
00:39:23 --> 00:39:26 verse
00:39:26 --> 00:39:26 10
00:39:26 --> 00:39:27 this is
00:39:27 --> 00:39:27 what it
00:39:27 --> 00:39:28 means to
00:39:28 --> 00:39:29 live by
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 grace
00:39:29 --> 00:39:33 this is
00:39:33 --> 00:39:34 God's
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 great
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 purpose
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 we are
00:39:35 --> 00:39:35 God's
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 handiwork
00:39:36 --> 00:39:38 created in
00:39:38 --> 00:39:38 Christ Jesus
00:39:38 --> 00:39:39 to do
00:39:39 --> 00:39:39 good works
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 which God
00:39:40 --> 00:39:41 prepared in
00:39:41 --> 00:39:41 advance for
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 us to do
00:39:42 --> 00:39:44 prepared
00:39:44 --> 00:39:45 and
00:39:45 --> 00:39:45 advanced
00:39:45 --> 00:39:46 by
00:39:46 --> 00:39:46 God
00:39:46 --> 00:39:47 the
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 good
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 works
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 even
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 the
00:39:49 --> 00:39:49 good
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 works
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 are
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 a
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 gift
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 even
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 the
00:39:52 --> 00:39:52 good
00:39:52 --> 00:39:52 works
00:39:52 --> 00:39:53 are
00:39:53 --> 00:39:53 by
00:39:53 --> 00:39:53 his
00:39:53 --> 00:39:53 sovereign
00:39:53 --> 00:39:54 grace
00:39:54 --> 00:39:54 and
00:39:54 --> 00:39:54 empowered
00:39:54 --> 00:39:55 by
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 his
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 grace
00:39:55 --> 00:39:57 and
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 what
00:39:58 --> 00:39:58 would
00:39:58 --> 00:39:59 be
00:39:59 --> 00:39:59 really
00:39:59 --> 00:40:00 nice
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 is
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 if
00:40:01 --> 00:40:02 Paul
00:40:02 --> 00:40:04 elaborated
00:40:04 --> 00:40:04 on what
00:40:04 --> 00:40:05 those
00:40:05 --> 00:40:05 good
00:40:05 --> 00:40:05 works
00:40:05 --> 00:40:05 were
00:40:05 --> 00:40:06 that
00:40:06 --> 00:40:06 would
00:40:06 --> 00:40:06 be
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 really
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 lovely
00:40:07 --> 00:40:09 because
00:40:09 --> 00:40:09 normally
00:40:09 --> 00:40:10 and
00:40:10 --> 00:40:10 I'm
00:40:10 --> 00:40:11 at
00:40:11 --> 00:40:11 fault
00:40:11 --> 00:40:12 here
00:40:12 --> 00:40:12 in
00:40:12 --> 00:40:12 the
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 past
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 what
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 I
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 would
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 have
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 done
00:40:14 --> 00:40:15 is
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 I
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 would
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 have
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 said
00:40:15 --> 00:40:16 therefore
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 here's
00:40:17 --> 00:40:17 some
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 stuff
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 you
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 should
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 do
00:40:19 --> 00:40:23 these
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 are
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 the
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 good
00:40:23 --> 00:40:24 works
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 but
00:40:25 --> 00:40:25 he
00:40:25 --> 00:40:25 doesn't
00:40:25 --> 00:40:26 do
00:40:26 --> 00:40:26 that
00:40:26 --> 00:40:26 here
00:40:26 --> 00:40:27 he
00:40:27 --> 00:40:27 doesn't
00:40:27 --> 00:40:28 elaborate
00:40:28 --> 00:40:28 on
00:40:28 --> 00:40:28 it
00:40:28 --> 00:40:30 the
00:40:30 --> 00:40:31 tendency
00:40:31 --> 00:40:31 is
00:40:31 --> 00:40:31 to
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 import
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 here
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 a
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 bunch
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 of
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 activities
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 that
00:40:34 --> 00:40:35 will
00:40:35 --> 00:40:36 really
00:40:36 --> 00:40:36 a list
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 of
00:40:37 --> 00:40:37 things
00:40:37 --> 00:40:37 that
00:40:37 --> 00:40:38 I'm
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 happy
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 to
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 do
00:40:39 --> 00:40:41 that
00:40:41 --> 00:40:41 I
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 can
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 comfortably
00:40:42 --> 00:40:43 manage
00:40:43 --> 00:40:44 I
00:40:44 --> 00:40:44 am
00:40:44 --> 00:40:45 God's
00:40:45 --> 00:40:45 great
00:40:45 --> 00:40:46 masterpiece
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 and
00:40:46 --> 00:40:47 here's
00:40:47 --> 00:40:47 the
00:40:47 --> 00:40:48 scraps
00:40:48 --> 00:40:48 that
00:40:48 --> 00:40:48 I'm
00:40:48 --> 00:40:48 prepared
00:40:48 --> 00:40:48 to
00:40:48 --> 00:40:49 do
00:40:49 --> 00:40:49 to
00:40:49 --> 00:40:49 show
00:40:49 --> 00:40:50 that
00:40:50 --> 00:40:50 well
00:40:50 --> 00:40:51 I
00:40:51 --> 00:40:51 agree
00:40:51 --> 00:40:51 with
00:40:51 --> 00:40:52 that
00:40:52 --> 00:40:52 masterpiece
00:40:52 --> 00:40:55 and
00:40:55 --> 00:40:55 I
00:40:55 --> 00:40:55 think
00:40:55 --> 00:40:55 what
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 we
00:40:56 --> 00:40:56 should
00:40:56 --> 00:40:56 do
00:40:56 --> 00:40:56 instead
00:40:56 --> 00:40:57 is
00:40:57 --> 00:40:57 to
00:40:57 --> 00:40:57 step
00:40:57 --> 00:40:58 back
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 and
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 what
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 I've
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 been
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 trying
00:40:58 --> 00:40:59 to
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 do
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 this
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 week
00:40:59 --> 00:41:00 is
00:41:00 --> 00:41:00 to
00:41:00 --> 00:41:00 step
00:41:00 --> 00:41:01 back
00:41:01 --> 00:41:01 on
00:41:01 --> 00:41:01 here
00:41:01 --> 00:41:01 and
00:41:01 --> 00:41:02 look
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 at
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 the
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 big
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 picture
00:41:02 --> 00:41:03 so
00:41:03 --> 00:41:03 we
00:41:03 --> 00:41:03 don't
00:41:03 --> 00:41:04 miss
00:41:04 --> 00:41:04 what
00:41:04 --> 00:41:05 Paul
00:41:05 --> 00:41:05 saying
00:41:05 --> 00:41:05 here
00:41:05 --> 00:41:06 about
00:41:06 --> 00:41:06 these
00:41:06 --> 00:41:07 good
00:41:07 --> 00:41:07 works
00:41:07 --> 00:41:09 what
00:41:09 --> 00:41:09 we
00:41:09 --> 00:41:09 should
00:41:09 --> 00:41:10 not
00:41:10 --> 00:41:10 miss
00:41:10 --> 00:41:11 is
00:41:11 --> 00:41:11 that
00:41:11 --> 00:41:11 he
00:41:11 --> 00:41:12 doesn't
00:41:12 --> 00:41:12 elaborate
00:41:12 --> 00:41:14 but
00:41:14 --> 00:41:14 he
00:41:14 --> 00:41:14 starts
00:41:14 --> 00:41:15 verse
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 11
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 with
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 the
00:41:15 --> 00:41:16 word
00:41:16 --> 00:41:16 therefore
00:41:16 --> 00:41:19 therefore
00:41:19 --> 00:41:22 and
00:41:22 --> 00:41:22 the
00:41:22 --> 00:41:23 application
00:41:23 --> 00:41:25 of
00:41:25 --> 00:41:25 what
00:41:25 --> 00:41:25 we
00:41:25 --> 00:41:26 have
00:41:26 --> 00:41:27 been
00:41:27 --> 00:41:27 saved
00:41:27 --> 00:41:28 from
00:41:28 --> 00:41:30 and
00:41:30 --> 00:41:30 what
00:41:30 --> 00:41:30 we
00:41:30 --> 00:41:31 are
00:41:31 --> 00:41:31 saved
00:41:31 --> 00:41:32 for
00:41:32 --> 00:41:34 the
00:41:34 --> 00:41:34 good
00:41:34 --> 00:41:34 works
00:41:34 --> 00:41:35 we
00:41:35 --> 00:41:35 are
00:41:35 --> 00:41:35 saved
00:41:35 --> 00:41:36 for
00:41:36 --> 00:41:37 starts
00:41:37 --> 00:41:37 in
00:41:37 --> 00:41:38 verse
00:41:38 --> 00:41:38 11
00:41:38 --> 00:41:40 and
00:41:40 --> 00:41:40 it
00:41:40 --> 00:41:41 will
00:41:41 --> 00:41:41 take
00:41:41 --> 00:41:41 us
00:41:41 --> 00:41:42 basically
00:41:42 --> 00:41:42 right
00:41:42 --> 00:41:42 through
00:41:42 --> 00:41:42 to
00:41:42 --> 00:41:43 chapter
00:41:43 --> 00:41:44 6
00:41:44 --> 00:41:50 and
00:41:50 --> 00:41:51 what
00:41:51 --> 00:41:51 we
00:41:51 --> 00:41:51 will
00:41:51 --> 00:41:52 constantly
00:41:52 --> 00:41:52 see
00:41:52 --> 00:41:55 underneath
00:41:55 --> 00:41:55 it
00:41:55 --> 00:41:56 all
00:41:56 --> 00:41:56 what
00:41:56 --> 00:41:56 we
00:41:56 --> 00:41:56 will
00:41:56 --> 00:41:57 constantly
00:41:57 --> 00:41:58 see
00:41:58 --> 00:41:59 the
00:41:59 --> 00:41:59 good
00:41:59 --> 00:42:00 work
00:42:00 --> 00:42:00 that
00:42:00 --> 00:42:00 God
00:42:00 --> 00:42:00 has
00:42:00 --> 00:42:01 called
00:42:01 --> 00:42:01 us
00:42:01 --> 00:42:01 into
00:42:01 --> 00:42:03 in
00:42:03 --> 00:42:04 everything
00:42:04 --> 00:42:06 is a
00:42:06 --> 00:42:06 life
00:42:06 --> 00:42:07 of
00:42:07 --> 00:42:08 selflessness
00:42:08 --> 00:42:12 a
00:42:12 --> 00:42:12 life
00:42:12 --> 00:42:12 of
00:42:12 --> 00:42:13 other
00:42:13 --> 00:42:14 person
00:42:14 --> 00:42:15 centeredness
00:42:15 --> 00:42:18 God's
00:42:18 --> 00:42:18 great
00:42:18 --> 00:42:19 masterpiece
00:42:19 --> 00:42:23 begins
00:42:23 --> 00:42:24 in
00:42:24 --> 00:42:24 verse 11
00:42:24 --> 00:42:25 as he
00:42:25 --> 00:42:26 unpacks
00:42:26 --> 00:42:28 Jew
00:42:28 --> 00:42:28 and
00:42:28 --> 00:42:29 Gentiles
00:42:29 --> 00:42:31 natural
00:42:31 --> 00:42:32 enemies
00:42:32 --> 00:42:33 coming
00:42:33 --> 00:42:34 together
00:42:34 --> 00:42:34 in God's
00:42:34 --> 00:42:35 new
00:42:35 --> 00:42:36 humanity
00:42:36 --> 00:42:37 and
00:42:37 --> 00:42:38 serving
00:42:38 --> 00:42:38 each
00:42:38 --> 00:42:38 other
00:42:38 --> 00:42:39 selflessly
00:42:39 --> 00:42:44 surrendering
00:42:44 --> 00:42:45 themselves
00:42:45 --> 00:42:47 so that
00:42:47 --> 00:42:49 their
00:42:49 --> 00:42:50 natural
00:42:50 --> 00:42:50 enemy
00:42:50 --> 00:42:52 becomes
00:42:52 --> 00:42:52 a
00:42:52 --> 00:42:52 masterpiece
00:42:52 --> 00:42:54 of
00:42:54 --> 00:42:54 God
00:42:54 --> 00:42:54 in
00:42:54 --> 00:42:54 the
00:42:54 --> 00:42:55 end
00:42:55 --> 00:42:57 in
00:42:57 --> 00:42:57 other
00:42:57 --> 00:42:58 words
00:42:58 --> 00:42:59 the
00:42:59 --> 00:43:00 good
00:43:00 --> 00:43:01 works
00:43:01 --> 00:43:02 is
00:43:02 --> 00:43:02 not
00:43:02 --> 00:43:03 first and
00:43:03 --> 00:43:04 foremost
00:43:04 --> 00:43:04 an
00:43:04 --> 00:43:05 activity
00:43:05 --> 00:43:08 it
00:43:08 --> 00:43:10 is a
00:43:10 --> 00:43:11 transformed
00:43:11 --> 00:43:12 heart
00:43:12 --> 00:43:16 it's
00:43:16 --> 00:43:16 about
00:43:16 --> 00:43:17 who
00:43:17 --> 00:43:17 we
00:43:17 --> 00:43:17 are
00:43:17 --> 00:43:18 not
00:43:18 --> 00:43:19 what
00:43:19 --> 00:43:19 we
00:43:19 --> 00:43:19 do
00:43:19 --> 00:43:21 and
00:43:21 --> 00:43:21 this
00:43:21 --> 00:43:21 will
00:43:21 --> 00:43:22 go
00:43:22 --> 00:43:22 right
00:43:22 --> 00:43:22 through
00:43:22 --> 00:43:23 this
00:43:23 --> 00:43:23 principle
00:43:23 --> 00:43:24 right
00:43:24 --> 00:43:24 through
00:43:24 --> 00:43:25 in
00:43:25 --> 00:43:25 every
00:43:25 --> 00:43:26 sphere
00:43:26 --> 00:43:26 of
00:43:26 --> 00:43:26 life
00:43:26 --> 00:43:28 you
00:43:28 --> 00:43:28 probably
00:43:28 --> 00:43:29 can't
00:43:29 --> 00:43:29 wait
00:43:29 --> 00:43:29 till I
00:43:29 --> 00:43:30 get to
00:43:30 --> 00:43:30 talk
00:43:30 --> 00:43:30 about
00:43:30 --> 00:43:31 marriage
00:43:31 --> 00:43:33 and
00:43:33 --> 00:43:33 parenting
00:43:33 --> 00:43:34 and
00:43:34 --> 00:43:34 work
00:43:34 --> 00:43:40 and
00:43:40 --> 00:43:40 the
00:43:40 --> 00:43:40 same
00:43:40 --> 00:43:41 principle
00:43:41 --> 00:43:41 of
00:43:41 --> 00:43:41 good
00:43:41 --> 00:43:42 work
00:43:42 --> 00:43:43 underlies
00:43:43 --> 00:43:43 all of
00:43:43 --> 00:43:44 it
00:43:44 --> 00:43:47 selflessness
00:43:47 --> 00:43:49 in
00:43:49 --> 00:43:49 every
00:43:49 --> 00:43:50 sphere
00:43:50 --> 00:43:51 of
00:43:51 --> 00:43:51 life
00:43:51 --> 00:43:51 that's
00:43:51 --> 00:43:52 what
00:43:52 --> 00:43:52 we're
00:43:52 --> 00:43:52 going
00:43:52 --> 00:43:52 to
00:43:52 --> 00:43:53 unpack
00:43:53 --> 00:43:54 in
00:43:54 --> 00:43:54 coming
00:43:54 --> 00:43:55 weeks
00:43:55 --> 00:43:58 and
00:43:58 --> 00:43:58 none
00:43:58 --> 00:43:59 of
00:43:59 --> 00:43:59 that
00:43:59 --> 00:43:59 life
00:43:59 --> 00:44:00 is
00:44:00 --> 00:44:02 possible
00:44:02 --> 00:44:03 unless
00:44:03 --> 00:44:04 we
00:44:04 --> 00:44:04 are
00:44:04 --> 00:44:05 broken
00:44:05 --> 00:44:08 unless
00:44:08 --> 00:44:08 we are
00:44:08 --> 00:44:09 broken
00:44:09 --> 00:44:09 by how
00:44:09 --> 00:44:10 sinful
00:44:10 --> 00:44:11 how
00:44:11 --> 00:44:12 undeserving
00:44:12 --> 00:44:13 how
00:44:13 --> 00:44:14 weak
00:44:14 --> 00:44:15 how
00:44:15 --> 00:44:16 evil
00:44:16 --> 00:44:16 we
00:44:16 --> 00:44:17 truly
00:44:17 --> 00:44:17 are
00:44:17 --> 00:44:18 in the
00:44:18 --> 00:44:18 depths
00:44:18 --> 00:44:19 of our
00:44:19 --> 00:44:19 hearts
00:44:19 --> 00:44:21 without
00:44:21 --> 00:44:22 Christ
00:44:22 --> 00:44:24 and at
00:44:24 --> 00:44:24 the same
00:44:24 --> 00:44:25 time
00:44:25 --> 00:44:25 we are
00:44:25 --> 00:44:26 filled
00:44:26 --> 00:44:27 with joy
00:44:27 --> 00:44:28 by how
00:44:28 --> 00:44:29 forgiven
00:44:29 --> 00:44:30 and how
00:44:30 --> 00:44:31 loved
00:44:31 --> 00:44:30 and how
00:44:30 --> 00:44:31 loved
00:44:31 --> 00:44:34 and how
00:44:34 --> 00:44:34 honored
00:44:34 --> 00:44:35 we are
00:44:35 --> 00:44:36 Jesus
00:44:36 --> 00:44:37 Christ
00:44:37 --> 00:44:39 that is
00:44:39 --> 00:44:40 the growth
00:44:40 --> 00:44:40 trajectory
00:44:40 --> 00:44:41 that Paul
00:44:41 --> 00:44:42 calls us
00:44:42 --> 00:44:42 to at the
00:44:42 --> 00:44:43 end of
00:44:43 --> 00:44:43 chapter one
00:44:43 --> 00:44:44 a growth
00:44:44 --> 00:44:45 in both
00:44:45 --> 00:44:45 of those
00:44:45 --> 00:44:45 things
00:44:45 --> 00:44:47 a growth
00:44:47 --> 00:44:48 in understanding
00:44:48 --> 00:44:49 our sinfulness
00:44:49 --> 00:44:49 and a growth
00:44:49 --> 00:44:50 in understanding
00:44:50 --> 00:44:51 of who we are
00:44:51 --> 00:44:52 in Christ
00:44:52 --> 00:44:53 as God's
00:44:53 --> 00:44:53 masterpiece
00:44:53 --> 00:44:57 I want to ask
00:44:57 --> 00:44:57 you
00:44:57 --> 00:44:59 are you
00:44:59 --> 00:45:00 in your
00:45:00 --> 00:45:00 life
00:45:00 --> 00:45:01 pursuing
00:45:01 --> 00:45:02 that
00:45:02 --> 00:45:03 growth
00:45:03 --> 00:45:06 most of
00:45:06 --> 00:45:07 us are
00:45:07 --> 00:45:07 not
00:45:07 --> 00:45:10 with any
00:45:10 --> 00:45:11 intentionality
00:45:11 --> 00:45:14 and I
00:45:14 --> 00:45:15 saw this
00:45:15 --> 00:45:16 a quote
00:45:16 --> 00:45:17 from the
00:45:17 --> 00:45:18 late
00:45:18 --> 00:45:18 J.I.
00:45:18 --> 00:45:19 Packer
00:45:19 --> 00:45:22 and it's
00:45:22 --> 00:45:23 connected to
00:45:23 --> 00:45:23 I think
00:45:23 --> 00:45:24 our seven
00:45:24 --> 00:45:24 rhythms
00:45:24 --> 00:45:25 of life
00:45:25 --> 00:45:26 which are
00:45:26 --> 00:45:26 meant to
00:45:26 --> 00:45:27 put this
00:45:27 --> 00:45:27 truth
00:45:27 --> 00:45:29 so that
00:45:29 --> 00:45:29 we be
00:45:29 --> 00:45:29 shaped
00:45:29 --> 00:45:30 into
00:45:30 --> 00:45:31 God's
00:45:31 --> 00:45:31 masterpiece
00:45:31 --> 00:45:32 in the
00:45:32 --> 00:45:32 center of
00:45:32 --> 00:45:33 our lives
00:45:33 --> 00:45:35 the reason
00:45:35 --> 00:45:36 why most
00:45:36 --> 00:45:36 of us
00:45:36 --> 00:45:37 are not
00:45:37 --> 00:45:37 doing it
00:45:37 --> 00:45:38 and not
00:45:38 --> 00:45:39 growing with
00:45:39 --> 00:45:40 intentionality
00:45:40 --> 00:45:42 is because
00:45:42 --> 00:45:42 the computer
00:45:42 --> 00:45:43 in our
00:45:43 --> 00:45:43 life is
00:45:43 --> 00:45:44 still there
00:45:44 --> 00:45:46 and it
00:45:46 --> 00:45:46 won't
00:45:46 --> 00:45:46 die
00:45:46 --> 00:45:51 it's
00:45:51 --> 00:45:51 still in
00:45:51 --> 00:45:52 overdrive
00:45:52 --> 00:45:56 happily
00:45:56 --> 00:45:57 in
00:45:57 --> 00:45:58 overdrive
00:45:58 --> 00:45:59 our
00:45:59 --> 00:46:00 lives
00:46:00 --> 00:46:00 are so
00:46:00 --> 00:46:01 busy
00:46:01 --> 00:46:03 and so
00:46:03 --> 00:46:03 here
00:46:03 --> 00:46:03 J.I.
00:46:03 --> 00:46:04 Packer
00:46:04 --> 00:46:05 live
00:46:05 --> 00:46:06 life
00:46:06 --> 00:46:06 slow
00:46:06 --> 00:46:07 enough
00:46:07 --> 00:46:08 to
00:46:08 --> 00:46:08 think
00:46:08 --> 00:46:08 deeply
00:46:08 --> 00:46:09 about
00:46:09 --> 00:46:09 God
00:46:09 --> 00:46:09 and
00:46:09 --> 00:46:10 his
00:46:10 --> 00:46:10 grace
00:46:10 --> 00:46:10 to
00:46:10 --> 00:46:10 you
00:46:10 --> 00:46:11 in
00:46:11 --> 00:46:11 Jesus
00:46:11 --> 00:46:11 Christ
00:46:11 --> 00:46:12 God
00:46:12 --> 00:46:12
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