Participants:
Series Code: WHO
Program Code: WHO200020S
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00:26 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN's Worship Hour.
00:29 I'm Jill Morikone, and so glad 00:31 that you have joined in us today 00:33 for the study of the Word of God. 00:35 Our topic today is the "Dangers of Legalism, 00:39 and Legalism Versus Grace." 00:42 We're going to look at the seven dangers 00:44 of legalism on this side. 00:46 And then on this side, 00:47 the seven outgrowths of grace 00:50 or what does it look like 00:52 when grace is manifested in the life of a Christian? 00:55 Before we go to the Lord in prayer, 00:57 let's read our opening scripture. 00:59 Invite you to open up your Bibles or grab a notepad, 01:02 so you can take notes and write down these scriptures 01:05 as we share them here today. 01:07 We're in Ephesians Chapter 2, you know this scripture. 01:11 It's a wonderful statement of the plan of salvation. 01:15 Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by," what's our word? 01:19 "Grace, 01:20 you have been saved through faith. 01:24 And it is not of yourselves. 01:26 It is the gift of God, not of works, 01:29 lest anyone should boast." 01:31 But it doesn't stop there. 01:32 It says, "For we are His workmanship, 01:36 created in Christ Jesus for good works, 01:38 which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." 01:44 Let's pray. 01:46 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus, 01:49 asking right now that you would anoint my lips 01:53 with a coal from off your altar. 01:55 God would You speak, would You be seen, 01:59 would You and Your Word be lifted up and exalted. 02:03 And, Father, we seek to not only hear 02:05 what you have for us, 02:07 but to walk in obedience 02:09 to the message that you have for us today. 02:12 And we thank you in Jesus' name, amen. 02:16 It was a Monday night. 02:18 Monday night's meant, 02:19 I went into our local jail 02:21 and did Bible studies with a woman there. 02:24 It's a cement block room quite small. 02:28 The woman would sit four across on the desk, 02:31 and all the way around the room, 02:33 they'd stand and lean up against the wall, 02:35 they would squat sit on the floor. 02:38 I was there with a couple of my friends 02:39 from church, 02:41 a couple woman from church. 02:43 And I asked the girls, 02:44 they were always eager to talk and eager to discuss 02:47 and I said, "Let's go around the room. 02:49 And why don't each one of you share 02:52 how someone else would perceive you." 02:55 So if someone else, maybe your friend, 02:57 maybe the cellmate, if they were to describe you, 03:00 what word would they use? 03:02 And the girl right on my right spoke up first 03:04 and she was all excited. 03:06 She said, "Oh, that's easy. 03:07 My friends would say I'm mouthy." 03:09 And you know what? She was. 03:11 She was always eager to talk and first to jump in, 03:14 in any discussion. 03:16 So we went around the room, fun loving, loud, quiet, 03:21 pretty, boisterous, funny, sweet. 03:26 They were having a good time, everyone sharing, 03:29 eager to share how they thought 03:30 other people would look at them. 03:33 And then I said, "Tell me, 03:35 what word would you use to describe yourself?" 03:39 Instantly the atmosphere in the room changed. 03:43 And they looked at each other, 03:45 and then they dropped their eyes, 03:47 and they looked down at the floor. 03:49 And I said, "It's okay. 03:51 It's the safe place. 03:52 Just tell me, 03:54 what word you would use to describe yourself." 03:58 I looked at the girl who was on my right. 04:00 Remember, she was the girl who had said, 04:01 her friends would call her mouthy. 04:04 She was always eager to talk. 04:06 And I thought maybe she would break the ice. 04:08 And she would talk first this time. 04:11 She looked up at me and she said, "Depressed." 04:15 My friends would say I'm depressed. 04:19 And then she dropped her eyes and just looked at the floor. 04:22 I would say, "I'm depressed." 04:24 We went around the circle, confused, 04:28 lonely, afraid, angry, broken, 04:34 very different words with the words 04:37 they used to describe themselves 04:40 versus how they thought other people looked at them. 04:44 You know why that is? 04:46 You and I might not be in jail. 04:48 But, I don't know about you. 04:50 We're all very good at putting on a mask. 04:53 These days, you go to the store and you have to wear a mask, 04:56 but I'm not talking about that type of mask. 04:58 I'm talking the type of mask, we think, 05:01 I need to be a good Christian. 05:03 I need to appear a certain way. 05:06 I need to say certain things. 05:09 So we put on the mask 05:11 as it were of good Christianity. 05:14 Sometimes we put on the mask of legalism. 05:19 You know, what I love 05:20 is that our Father never looks at us 05:23 through the eyes of other people. 05:25 Neither does He look at us through how we view ourselves. 05:30 When God looks at you, He says, Jeremiah 31:3, 05:34 "I have loved you with an everlasting love: 05:38 therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you." 05:41 When He looks at you, He looks at you with love. 05:45 John 6:37. 05:46 He says, "Whoever comes to me," Jesus speaking, 05:49 "Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out." 05:55 God looks at you with acceptance. 05:57 John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, 06:01 my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, 06:04 give I unto you. 06:06 Let not your heart be troubled, 06:08 neither let it be afraid." 06:10 When God looks at you, 06:13 He wants to give you peace. 06:14 Psalm 30:5, "Weeping, it may endure for a night, 06:19 but joy, 06:20 it always comes in the morning." 06:23 When God looks at you, He wants to give you joy. 06:26 Romans 8:15, 06:28 "You did not received the spirit of bondage 06:30 again to fear, 06:32 but you received the spirit of adoption 06:34 by which we cry out, Abba, Daddy, Father." 06:40 When God looks at you, 06:41 He sees someone that He has adopted 06:44 into His kingdom. 06:47 I want to ask you today, 06:48 are we saved by grace or are we saved by works? 06:54 If works don't save us, 06:57 what role do they play in the life of a Christian? 07:02 And how do you know? 07:03 How do I know if I'm becoming legalistic? 07:08 Now that's really the million dollar question. 07:10 It's not as if you would go up to someone and say, 07:14 "Hi, my name is Jill and I'm a legalist." 07:16 That's not our common vernacular. 07:19 That's not what we would naturally say. 07:22 I think legalism is something that's easily hidden, 07:26 hard to discern, 07:27 hard to even know what is in our hearts. 07:30 I asked some employees here at 3ABN 07:32 and some friends said, "How would you define legalism? 07:37 Or how would you know, if you've become legalistic? 07:43 And here's some of the answers. 07:45 If I lose my joy in the Lord, 07:48 I think I'm becoming legalistic. 07:50 Here's another. 07:51 If I develop a spirit of judgment, 07:54 I think I'm becoming legalistic. 07:57 Here's another. 07:59 If love for God is not my motivation, 08:02 then I fall into performance 08:04 and performance becomes legalism. 08:08 Here's another. 08:10 Salvation in works 08:12 as opposed to salvation in Christ. 08:17 Here's another. 08:18 If you buy into something so strongly 08:21 that you follow it by the letter, 08:23 you probably believe 08:24 that you've committed to a cause. 08:26 And that's a good thing in your mind. 08:28 So you know what that means? 08:30 The legalist probably doesn't even know 08:33 that they've fallen into that trap of legalism. 08:37 Could we be thinking that we are saved by grace, 08:41 yet we're still clinging to works for salvation. 08:45 Jeremiah 17:9, what does the prophet tell us? 08:48 "The heart is deceitful above all things 08:50 and desperately wicked, who can know it?" 08:54 How do we even really know ourselves? 08:56 Turn with me to Galatians. 08:58 Galatians Chapter 3. 08:59 We were in Ephesians, we're gonna go to Galatians, 09:02 just the book before. 09:03 Galatians Chapter 3. 09:04 Now this whole issue in the Galatian Church 09:07 that Paul was addressing. 09:09 As you read the Book of Galatians, 09:10 you see this time and time again 09:12 throughout the Book of Galatians. 09:14 Did the Gentile Christians 09:17 need to be circumcised in order to be saved? 09:21 You see, the Gentile Christians accepted Christ as Messiah. 09:25 They accepted all these truths 09:27 that the apostles preached to them. 09:29 But some of the Judaizers, 09:32 you could say the legalist 09:33 said, you need to be circumcised 09:36 in order to be saved. 09:37 And this whole Book of Galatians 09:39 deals with this topic. 09:40 Now you might be saying, I don't understand that at all, 09:43 because clearly, 09:45 circumcision has nothing to do with salvation. 09:47 But if we substitute, not circumcision, 09:50 but if we substitute this concept of works, 09:54 we understand in the New Testament, 09:56 we understand in the 21st century, 09:58 really what Paul was dealing with. 10:01 Does that, what that means is this. 10:04 Does that mean when I accept Jesus, 10:06 I'm saved by grace? 10:07 And then do I have to do something of myself? 10:11 Is there some works that is somehow involved 10:15 to add to my salvation? 10:19 That would be in today's language, 10:20 what they were dealing within the Galatian Church. 10:23 So we're in Galatians Chapter 3. 10:25 Galatians 3:1, 10:26 Paul says, "O foolish Galatians..." 10:29 Now the word foolish in English is kind of strong. 10:32 But in the original Greek it means stupid, mindless, 10:37 so it's a pretty strong word. 10:39 "O foolish Galatians! 10:41 Who has bewitched you 10:44 that you should not obey the truth, 10:45 before whose eyes 10:46 Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed." 10:50 Then jump down to verse 3. 10:51 "Are you so foolish? 10:53 Having begun in the Spirit, 10:55 are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" 10:59 So he says, 11:00 "You accepted Christ as Messiah, 11:04 as your Savior and you believed that 11:07 and you knew that you were saved by grace, 11:09 but now you think you have to do 11:11 some sort of works to add to that salvation." 11:16 He gets even stronger in Galatians 5. 11:18 Galatians 5:4, 11:24 "You have become estranged from Christ." 11:27 Now, that word estranged is pretty strong. 11:29 It means separated, pushed apart. 11:32 "You have become estranged from Christ. 11:37 You who attempt to be justified by law, 11:41 you have fallen from grace." 11:45 Does that mean if I attempt salvation by my own effort, 11:49 salvation by my own works, 11:52 I literally separate myself from Jesus. 11:57 You see works say, 11:59 what I do has bearing on who I am. 12:03 Grace says, 12:04 who I am has bearing on what I do. 12:08 Works say, 12:09 actions are more important than motive. 12:13 Grace says, motive informs my actions. 12:19 Work say, 12:20 I am what other people perceive me to be. 12:24 Grace says, I am who God says I am. 12:30 We're all in need of divine grace. 12:32 Sometimes we grow up and we think, 12:34 I have a family member who believes this. 12:36 She said to me, "Jill, I'm a good person." 12:40 The Bible says, Isaiah 64:6, 12:43 "All, our righteousness is as filthy rags." 12:49 You know, even a child understands this. 12:51 My nephew Caleb, he's my sister's third son. 12:55 I was at their house when he was two. 12:57 He's a lot older now, but when he was two 12:59 and he threw himself down on the floor 13:01 and had one of those old fashioned temper tantrums. 13:05 Have you ever seen one of those? 13:06 Maybe a kid in the candy aisle in the store 13:09 and they throw themselves on the floor. 13:10 So this is what he did. 13:12 But he wasn't in the candy aisle. 13:13 He was at home. 13:14 And he threw himself on the floor, 13:16 and he kicked his little legs. 13:18 And he screamed, and his face was red, 13:22 and he's crying out. 13:24 And in the midst of that, 13:25 I began to hear a refrain, okay, 13:28 he's kicking his legs on the floor, 13:30 he's crying. 13:33 His arms are flailing and he's saying, 13:35 "Jesus, help me be good, 13:38 Jesus, help me be good." 13:42 You see, even a two year old. 13:45 He understood that of himself he could not be good, 13:50 that his righteousness, 13:52 we understand this in adult terms, 13:54 but his righteousness was really nothing, 13:57 and he could not be good without the power of God. 14:02 I want to be clear that legalism is not obedience. 14:08 Legalism is not obeying the law 14:10 because that is clearly obedience 14:12 and that is a biblical concept. 14:14 But legalism is works based salvation. 14:20 It has been concerned with keeping the love of God 14:22 as an end in itself, 14:24 or as a means to salvation. 14:27 Legalism is Christ-less law keeping. 14:32 It is separating the law from the law giver. 14:35 It's not concerned with obedience to God. 14:37 It's not concerned with honoring Christ. 14:40 It simply seeks to obey rules 14:43 that are devoid of any relationship. 14:47 Legalism is externally motivated 14:50 and externally driven. 14:52 It's concerned with external obedience 14:56 instead of an inward change, 14:57 instead of a change from the heart. 15:00 It's concerned, you can say, about the letter of the law, 15:03 while it entirely violates the spirit of the law. 15:08 2 Timothy 3. 15:10 Turn with me to 2 Timothy 3:4 and 5. 15:14 This is a whole list of men and women in the last days, 15:19 and the corruption and the evil that will abound. 15:24 And then we pick it up. 15:25 Paul's talking to Timothy, he says, 15:27 "Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 15:31 having a form of godliness but denying its power. 15:35 From such people turn away." 15:40 Now when I read that list, I naturally think of hedonism. 15:44 You think of an excess of pleasure, 15:47 people who are lovers of pleasure 15:49 rather than lovers of God, and that is definitely true. 15:52 And it's in that verse. 15:55 But what about the legalistic side? 15:56 It's also in that verse, having a form of godliness, 16:03 but denying the power, 16:05 being externally motivated and externally driven, 16:09 seeking to obey the law in our own strength, 16:14 while not reaching out to God for His divine grace. 16:19 Legalism is adding our own rules 16:22 to the law of God 16:23 and treating those rules as if they were divine. 16:27 Matthew 15:8 and 9, Jesus said, 16:29 "These people draw near Me with their mouth, 16:32 and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 16:38 In vain do they worship Me, 16:40 teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." 16:44 Legalism teaches as doctrines the commandments of men. 16:47 It adds to the law of God with manmade rules 16:52 and treats them as if they are divine. 16:56 Legalism is an attempt to gain favor with God 16:59 or to impress other people by doing certain things 17:03 or avoiding certain things, 17:06 without regard to the condition of my own heart before God. 17:10 It's really rooted in pride. 17:12 So let's look at those seven dangers of legalism. 17:15 If you have your pen and paper, 17:17 this is danger number one, 17:19 the danger of an unconverted heart. 17:23 Turn with me to Luke. 17:25 Luke Chapter 11, 17:26 we're going to look at verses 37 through 40. 17:29 Luke 11:37-40. 17:32 Now, this passage in Scripture 17:35 is all dealing with the woes to the scribes and Pharisees 17:40 or the woes to the Pharisees and lawyers, 17:43 to the legalist of Jesus' day. 17:46 Luke 11:37, "And as He spoke, 17:49 a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. 17:52 So He went in and sat down to eat. 17:54 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled 17:56 that He had not first washed before dinner. 18:00 Then the Lord said to him, 18:02 'Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup 18:04 and dish clean, 18:05 but your inward part 18:07 is full of greed and wickedness. 18:10 Foolish ones! 18:11 Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?' " 18:17 What is He telling them that they are unconverted? 18:21 They're washing the outside, trying to appear righteous, 18:25 appear holy before God, 18:27 but inside, they are still unconverted. 18:33 Jesus had conflicts. 18:34 If you study Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the gospels. 18:39 You will discover that Jesus had more conflicts 18:42 with the legalists than any other group. 18:48 It was not after all an adulterer 18:50 who put Jesus on the cross. 18:53 It was a legalist, the scribes and Pharisees. 18:56 It was not a murderer who put Jesus on the cross. 19:01 It was the legalist. 19:03 It was not a robber who put Jesus on the cross. 19:07 It was the legalist. 19:09 Now we understand that Jesus died for our sins, 19:13 I don't want to confuse that there 19:14 and that He died for all of our sins. 19:17 So in that sense, all of us, 19:19 my sins put Jesus on the cross. 19:22 But specifically, the ones who were pushing 19:25 for His crucifixion were the legalist. 19:29 Sometimes you find as you study Scripture, 19:32 that Jesus deliberately did things 19:34 to expose the legalist, deliberately. 19:38 Why else did He heal people on the Sabbath? 19:42 He could have waited till Sunday 19:43 or He could have done it on Friday, 19:45 but He purposely did it on Sabbath 19:49 to showcase what the Sabbath was really made for. 19:53 He ignored their elaborate hand washing custom. 19:57 That's what we just read in Luke 11. 19:59 Now He clearly could have said, well, 20:01 I'm with these scribes and Pharisees, 20:03 they would feel better if I washed my hands 20:06 the way they do. 20:07 So He could have done that elaborate hand washing. 20:10 But instead, 20:12 He did not just ignore it and not do it, 20:16 He scathingly rebuked them for their unconverted heart. 20:21 The danger of an unconverted heart. 20:23 Danger number two, 20:24 the danger of a false assurance of salvation. 20:29 Legalism is believing that your works 20:31 will somehow merit favor with God 20:34 or somehow earn salvation. 20:37 I grew up in a very legalistic home. 20:40 This is no fault to my parents. 20:42 I think it was just the era, the time of when I grew up, 20:46 and that's the state of the church at that time. 20:50 And I lived many years of my life 20:54 trying to be good, trying to follow God, 20:59 trying to somehow be good enough, 21:03 say the right things, 21:05 do the right things that somehow, 21:07 some way God could accept me. 21:12 I remember, I went away to college, 21:13 I was 18 years old. 21:15 And I came back, 21:17 we were in church 21:20 singing whiter than snow cover with His life, 21:23 my life of scarlet, my sin and woe, 21:26 cover with his life, whiter than snow. 21:31 And I remember in church standing, 21:33 the organ playing, 21:34 singing that, I'm 18 and a half years old. 21:37 And for the first time in my whole life, 21:41 I realized, do you mean that God's life, 21:45 His character, 21:47 the blood of Jesus can actually cover me? 21:52 My salvation does not depend on me 21:55 doing things differently 21:56 or trying harder or being better. 22:01 My salvation is dependent on the blood of Jesus 22:04 and the grace of Jesus. 22:05 It was a brand new concept to me. 22:09 Luke 18, jump over to Luke Chapter 18. 22:12 This is the Pharisee and the publican, 22:15 and the parable that Jesus told. 22:18 Luke 18:9, 22:20 and it gives the reason why Jesus told this parable. 22:23 And He spoke this parable 22:25 to some who trusted in themselves, 22:28 that they were righteous and despised others. 22:33 That is a false assurance of salvation, 22:35 trusting in yourself, 22:37 believing that somehow in yourself, 22:40 you are righteous. 22:42 How are we saved? 22:43 We read that scripture, it was our opening scripture, 22:46 Ephesians 2, "We are saved by grace through faith, 22:52 and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, 22:55 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 22:57 For we are His workmanship 23:00 created in Christ Jesus for good works, 23:03 which God prepared before that we should walk in them." 23:08 Did you catch that? 23:09 Grace is a gift. 23:12 Faith is a gift. 23:14 Salvation is a gift. 23:17 And often we stop there and then we say, 23:20 but works is what I have to do myself. 23:23 Did you catch that? 23:25 That's what I grew up believing. 23:26 Maybe there's some grace and some faith and all this, 23:29 but this part over here, I have to do myself. 23:33 I have to conjure up, grit my teeth, grin, 23:37 put on the mask of good Christianity. 23:39 I need to somehow try harder. 23:42 But the truth of that verse 23:44 is that the works are a gift as well. 23:49 We are His workmanship in verse 10. 23:52 Ephesians 2:10, 23:53 "Created in Christ Jesus for good work." 23:55 So there clearly it mentions good works, 23:57 which God prepared before that we should walk in them. 24:01 What does that mean? 24:02 That means, God by the power of His Holy Spirit 24:05 enables you and I, to do the works, 24:08 lives His life in us. 24:11 It's not us trying to do the works, 24:13 it's His works lived out in us. 24:17 The danger of an unconverted heart, 24:19 the danger of a false assurance of salvation. 24:22 Danger number three, the danger of pride. 24:26 We're still in Luke Chapter 18, 24:28 that parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector 24:30 or the publican. 24:31 Luke 18. 24:33 Let's look at verses 11 and 12. 24:36 "The Pharisees stood and prayed thus with himself, 24:40 'God, I thank you, that I am not like other men, 24:46 extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 24:49 or even as this tax collector. 24:52 I fast twice a week, 24:54 I give tithes of all that I possess.'" 24:59 Would you say that's a prideful man? 25:01 Absolutely. 25:03 God, I thank you, I'm not like these people. 25:05 I am better 25:07 because of the works that I do for you. 25:11 Luke 11:43. 25:12 Here's the woes again 25:13 to the Pharisees and the lawyers. 25:15 "Woe to you Pharisees! 25:17 For you love the best seats in the synagogue 25:21 and the greetings in the marketplace." 25:24 Again, pride wanting the best seats, 25:27 wanting to be greeted, 25:29 wanting to be thought 25:30 of as better even than themselves. 25:33 You know, when I was young, my maiden name is Penny. 25:37 And when we were in church, 25:40 my sister and I would sit next to each other in church, 25:42 having some sort of private sister war. 25:45 I don't even know it was about, 25:47 but I just remember us arguing in church. 25:50 Sitting there 25:51 and she would kick me underneath the pew, 25:53 and then someone would come walking into church 25:55 and instantly my sister and I would smile, 25:59 look up at the person. 26:00 We're probably six and eight years old. 26:03 Look up at the person and say, happy Sabbath. 26:07 And the person would say, 26:08 "And how are the Penny angels doing today?" 26:13 Why was that? 26:15 Because we clearly were legalistic. 26:18 We had pride in that. 26:20 And we had an outward show of Christianity 26:26 but inward, we were unconverted. 26:29 We had a false assurance of salvation 26:31 and there clearly was pride in our life 26:33 because as soon as that person would leave, 26:35 I would kick my sister under the pew 26:37 and we would begin our private war again. 26:41 Danger number four, the danger of judging. 26:47 John Chapter 8, we won't read that passage. 26:51 But John Chapter 8, 26:52 this entire passage is focused on the woman 26:56 who was caught in adultery. 26:58 You know the story. 26:59 She's dragged before Jesus, the disciple says, 27:02 she's caught in the very act, throw her at His feet. 27:07 And there's all these Pharisees, 27:09 these scribes gathered around waiting to have Jesus 27:16 pick up a stone and stone her for her sin. 27:20 And yet Jesus stooped down in the dust 27:23 and He began to write. 27:25 And they looked down and they thought, 27:28 these are my sins. 27:29 Oh, here's pride. 27:32 Here's so and so. 27:33 And as Jesus began to write their sins in the dust, 27:38 one by one, they looked, 27:41 gathered their righteous robes about them, 27:43 and they turned around, and they walked off. 27:48 Pretty soon it's just Jesus 27:50 and the woman left standing there, 27:53 laying there, however she was. 27:56 And Jesus said, "Where are your accusers?" 27:58 And she said, "They're gone. They're not here." 28:02 And He said, "Neither do I condemn you, 28:05 go and sin no more." 28:06 You see these legalists, the Pharisees, the scribes, 28:12 thinking they're doing God a service 28:14 by bringing a woman 28:16 who clearly was in sin to Jesus. 28:19 They thought in themselves, they were holier. 28:23 But yet what Jesus showed is that their sin 28:26 was just as wicked in the sight of God is that, 28:30 of that woman who was there. 28:32 And that they needed conversion. 28:35 They needed a new heart just as much. 28:42 We judge others by our own standards. 28:45 You ever see that? 28:46 We don't usually judge others by the standard 28:48 from the Word of God. 28:49 Usually we judge others by our own standards. 28:53 We have little tolerance 28:54 for people who sin differently than we do. 28:59 2 Corinthians 10:12, Paul tells us, "But they, 29:02 measuring themselves among themselves, 29:04 and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise." 29:09 Danger number five, the danger of hard hardheartedness. 29:14 Let's go back to Luke. 29:17 Luke Chapter 10, we'll look at verses 30 to 37. 29:22 We won't read it all. 29:23 This, of course, is the parable of the Good Samaritan. 29:26 And most of the parables that Jesus told, 29:29 doubt, answered a question. 29:31 Someone had asked a question, so it answered a question. 29:35 And it dealt with an attitude. 29:38 The attitude we see here 29:40 in this parable of the Good Samaritan 29:42 is the attitude of self righteousness. 29:46 We also see the attitude of a hard heart 29:49 as we'll get into it. 29:50 So the lawyer had stood up in verse 27. 29:55 Well, he had said, 29:57 "What do I do to inherit eternal life." 29:59 And in verse 27, Jesus said, 30:01 "You shall love the Lord your God with heart, 30:03 soul, mind, strength and your neighbor as yourself." 30:06 And he said, "You have answered rightly, 30:08 do this and you'll live." 30:10 But the lawyer wanted to justify himself. 30:12 So he said, "So who is my neighbor?" 30:15 So we pick up the story in verse 30. 30:18 "Then Jesus answered him and said..." 30:20 Now, the word 30:22 answered in English is very mild. 30:24 It just says, He answered him. 30:26 But in Greek, it's literally took up. 30:29 So the lawyer laid down a question, 30:31 and Jesus took up the challenge, as it were. 30:35 And he talked about the man 30:37 who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. 30:40 Now it's a distance of 18 miles from Jerusalem to Jericho, 30:43 and they probably descended 3,000 feet. 30:47 I've been there and it's dry, it's barren, it's rocky, 30:52 it's desert like, 30:54 and the thieves got ahold of him, 30:56 and they stripped him and beat him and left him 30:59 at the side of the road. 31:01 And then we see verse 31, a priest come by that road. 31:07 And it says, "When he saw him, 31:09 he passed by on the other side." 31:11 The danger of hard hardheartedness. 31:14 The danger of you and I 31:16 seen a brother and sister in need, 31:20 whether it's a Jew or a Gentile or a Samaritan, 31:23 whether it's someone from our religion, 31:25 whether it's someone 31:26 who even claims the name of Jesus, 31:29 the danger of us hardening, 31:32 hardening our hearts against the needs of others. 31:38 The Levite did the same thing. 31:40 Verse 32, "The Levite when he arrived, 31:42 he looked and then he ran over here 31:44 and he passed by, on the other side." 31:48 33, "A certain Samaritan as he journeyed 31:51 came where he was, and when he saw him, he had, " 31:55 what's that word? 31:56 "Compassion." 31:58 Ooh, I love that word. 31:59 That is the contrast to the priest with a hard heart 32:05 who just looked and walked away. 32:07 It's the contrast to the Levite with the hard heart, 32:11 who looked and crossed the street and walked away. 32:14 The Samaritan came, 32:16 looked and had compassion and he bound up his wounds 32:21 and he paid for his care. 32:25 The danger of hard hardheartedness. 32:30 1 John 3:16-18. 32:33 "By this we know love, 32:34 because He laid down His life for us. 32:37 We also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 32:42 But whoever has this world's goods, 32:44 and sees his brother in need, 32:46 and shuts up his heart from him, 32:49 how does the love of God abide in him? 32:51 My little children, 32:53 let us not love in word or in tongue, 32:56 but in deed and in truth." 32:58 Danger number six, 32:59 the danger of hindering people's salvation. 33:04 This is probably the saddest one to me 33:06 of all the seven dangers of legalism 33:08 is danger number six, 33:10 the danger of hindering someone else's salvation. 33:16 Luke 11:52, we're back to the woes again, 33:20 to the scribes and the Pharisees. 33:23 "Woe to you lawyers, 33:25 for you have taken away the key of knowledge." 33:28 That's the knowledge of salvation. 33:30 So they took away the knowledge of salvation 33:33 from other people. 33:35 Jesus said, "You did not enter in yourself 33:38 and those who were entering in, you hindered." 33:44 So not only did they were they in danger 33:48 of losing their own salvation, 33:51 other people who wanted to find Jesus, 33:56 who wanted to find salvation, who wanted to find a way out, 34:02 they hindered their walk with Jesus. 34:07 Matthew 23:13 says something very similar. 34:10 Matthew 23:13, 34:13 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, 34:15 for you shut up 34:16 the kingdom of heaven against men, 34:19 for you neither go in yourself, 34:21 nor do you allow 34:23 those who are entering to go in." 34:27 To me that is the most critical, 34:29 dangerous, danger of a legalist, 34:33 because if I walk in legalism, 34:36 sure, it could hurt my own salvation, 34:38 and it could steal my joy and rob me of peace 34:41 and assurance of salvation. 34:44 But right here it says, 34:45 it could cost someone else their salvation, 34:50 their walk with Jesus. 34:52 Danger number seven, the danger of inconsistency. 34:57 Luke 11:46, "And He said, 'Woe to you also lawyers, 35:02 for you load men with burdens hard to bear, 35:06 and you yourselves do not touch the burdens 35:08 with one of your fingers." 35:11 That's really a double standard, 35:13 that saying, do what I say, but don't do what I do. 35:18 So don't look at my actions. 35:20 Don't look at the fruit of my life. 35:22 Just do what I say. 35:25 I'm so grateful that there is freedom in grace. 35:30 Turn with me to Romans 5, 35:31 we're going to spend a little time in Romans. 35:34 I love the Book of Romans. 35:36 Romans Chapter 5. 35:38 This is a powerful passage. 35:40 Romans 5, we're going to start in the second half of verse 20. 35:44 "But where sin abounded..." 35:45 Now sin abounds with murder and adultery. 35:50 Sin abounds with lying, and backstabbing, and gossip. 35:54 Sin abounds with all kinds of sin, 35:57 but sin also abounds where there is legalism. 36:00 So no matter what end of the spectrum 36:02 we are talking about, 36:04 this verse is for you. 36:06 "Where sin abounded, grace abounded" how much? 36:10 "Much more." 36:12 Verse 21, 36:13 "So that as sin reigned in death, 36:15 even so grace might reign through righteousness 36:19 to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 36:23 What is Paul saying? 36:24 He's saying that sin abounded, yes, it controlled you, 36:27 it lived in your life, 36:29 and whether that's the sin of legalism 36:30 or a different sin, but sin abounded, 36:33 it abounded in all of our lives. 36:36 But yet grace is stronger, and grace abounded even more. 36:42 And through the death, life, the life, death, 36:45 resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, 36:48 you and I can have assurance of salvation. 36:51 You and I can have deliverance from those things that bind us. 36:56 So let's look 36:58 at the seven outgrowths of grace. 37:01 What does it look like when grace has worked out 37:04 in the life of a Christian? 37:06 Number one, repentance. 37:08 Romans 2, turn back a chapter, Romans 2:4. 37:11 Did you know 37:12 that we cannot even come to God and repent 37:17 unless the Holy Spirit draws us, 37:20 unless his work of grace works in our hearts and lives? 37:24 We might think, "Oh, yeah, I'll repent on my own." 37:26 No, repentance is a gift. 37:30 Romans 2:4, 37:32 "Do you despise the riches of His goodness, 37:35 forbearance and longsuffering, 37:37 not knowing that the goodness of God 37:42 leads to repentance?" 37:45 You see, even repentance is a gift of grace 37:50 given from Jesus freely to you and to I. 37:53 We can't repent on our own. 37:55 Jesus is the one who gives us the gift of repentance. 38:01 Outgrowth number two, forgiveness and justification. 38:06 Let's look at Romans 3. 38:08 We cannot repent on our own, 38:09 but we certainly cannot be forgiven on our own. 38:12 And we clearly cannot be justified on our own. 38:16 Romans 3, let's pick it up in verse 23. 38:19 "For all have sinned," what was that word? 38:22 All have sinned, not one or two, 38:24 not just the person 38:26 who went out and killed someone, 38:27 not just the person who went into Walmart 38:28 and stole something. 38:30 "All have sinned 38:32 and fall short of the glory of God." 38:36 Verse 24, "Being justified freely by his," 38:40 that's right, "grace." 38:42 "Being justified freely by his grace, 38:46 through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." 38:48 You see, justification is a gift of grace. 38:53 Forgiveness is a gift of grace. 38:57 Whom God sent forth, who did God sent forth? 39:00 Jesus as the propitiation for by his blood. 39:05 Propitiation, 39:06 of course, in Greek there literally means the mercy seat, 39:09 that covering between the holiness of God 39:13 and your and my sin. 39:16 Jesus stood in the gap for you and for me. 39:20 Let's go back to verse 24. 39:22 "Being justified freely by his grace," 39:24 that's a gift, 39:26 "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." 39:28 That's a gift. 39:29 "Whom God sent forth as a propitiation by his blood, 39:34 through faith," that's a gift, 39:36 "to demonstrate His righteousness, 39:39 because in his forbearance, 39:41 God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. 39:45 To demonstrate at the present time, 39:47 his righteousness, 39:49 that he might be just and the justifier of the one 39:52 who has faith in Jesus." 39:54 When you and I buy the gift of grace 39:57 are drawn to Jesus. 39:59 When we come in repentance, another gift of grace. 40:03 When we confess our sins, 1 John 1:9, 40:06 "He is faithful 40:08 and just to forgive us our sins, 40:09 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 40:13 Forgiveness is a gift. 40:15 Justification is a gift. 40:17 You and I been brought back 40:20 into right relationship with God. 40:23 You see, sin created a disconnect. 40:25 It separated us. 40:27 We're on this side of the chasm, 40:28 and God's on this side of the chasm. 40:32 And there's this great gulf, because sin brings separation. 40:37 But God sent Jesus to bridge that gap, 40:41 His perfect life 40:44 and death for you and I bridges that gap 40:47 and brings us back 40:48 into right relationship with Him. 40:51 So grace brings repentance, forgiveness and justification. 40:55 Number three, it brings salvation. 40:59 Ephesians 2, we have quoted this before. 41:01 Verse 8, "By grace are you saved through faith." 41:05 So the gift of salvation, 41:08 the gift of assurance of salvation 41:12 is a gift of grace through faith 41:16 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 41:18 Gift number four or outgrowth number four 41:23 is growth. 41:25 Now who would have thought that grace leads to growth? 41:28 Many times in the Christian world, 41:33 we are taught... 41:37 Let me rephrase that. 41:38 I want to make sure I say this properly. 41:41 When I was young, 41:42 so I'm not saying other people were taught. 41:44 When I was young, 41:45 I was taught 41:47 that the concept of grace is not biblical. 41:52 I was taught that grace led to sin. 41:56 So when we would sit in a church 41:59 and there was maybe a sermon on the grace of God, 42:02 instantly my little antennae would go up and say, 42:05 "Uh-huh, that's cheap grace. 42:08 We don't believe that. 42:09 We need to stand on the law and the Ten Commandments." 42:16 But biblical grace leads to growth in Jesus. 42:22 Biblical grace leads to holiness. 42:27 Grace leads to holiness. 42:29 If you forget nothing else today, 42:31 remember this. 42:32 Grace leads to holiness. 42:36 Legalism leads to sin. 42:39 Did you catch that? 42:40 Grace leads to holiness 42:44 and legalism leads to sin. 42:48 So let's, we're on number four, 42:49 outgrowth that grace leads to growth. 42:52 2 Peter 3. 42:53 2 Peter 3:18. 42:55 Peter admonishes the believers, 42:58 "But grow in the grace 43:00 and knowledge 43:01 of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 43:04 We're called to grow in grace. 43:09 Outgrowth number five. I already touched on this. 43:12 Grace leads to holiness. 43:16 Romans 6. 43:17 Romans 6:1 and 2, I love this. 43:22 "What shall we say then? 43:23 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 43:28 Certainly not!" 43:29 I think King James says, God forbid. 43:32 "How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" 43:37 You see, Grace actually leads to holiness 43:40 in the life of the Christian. 43:43 Romans 7, I love this contrast. 43:46 Romans 7:17, 43:47 and we'll compare it with Galatians 2:20. 43:50 So first, we'll look at Romans 7:17, 43:54 then compare that with Galatians 2:20. 43:59 Every morning when we wake up, wake up, 44:02 you and I have a choice. 44:04 Who do we want to serve? 44:05 Who do we want as our master? 44:09 Romans 7:17 says, 44:12 "Now it is no longer I who do it, 44:14 but sin who dwells in me." 44:17 Did you catch that? 44:19 It's not me engaging in the sinful acts, 44:22 it's not me walking out in that sin. 44:24 It is sin 44:26 that actually literally has taken up 44:28 residence in me. 44:31 By contrast, Galatians 2:20 says, 44:35 "I've been crucified with Christ, 44:36 it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." 44:41 So if you see over here, it's not me doing the sin, 44:44 it's sin that has taken up residence in me. 44:47 Over here, it's not me doing the righteous acts, 44:50 it's not me living a holy life, 44:52 it's Christ who lives in me. 44:57 The difference is who I choose to serve. 45:00 Outgrowth, number six, grace leads to love for others. 45:07 2 Corinthians 5:14. 45:09 Either way, 45:11 this is the New Living Translation, 45:12 usually I quote New King James, 45:14 but I like it here in New Living Translation. 45:16 "Either way, Christ's love controls us. 45:22 Since we believe that Christ died for all, 45:24 we also believe 45:25 that we have died to our old life." 45:29 Turn with me to 1 John. 45:31 Remember that God is love. 45:34 I love that. 45:36 God is love. 45:37 And if we are, we're in 1 John 4:7, 45:42 "Beloved, let us love one another, 45:44 for love is of God, 45:46 and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 45:51 He who does not love does not know God, 45:55 for God is love." 45:58 If we love others, 46:00 it shows that we have first loved Christ. 46:04 And we know in Romans 5 46:06 that God commended His love toward us 46:09 and that while we were yet sinners, 46:11 He died for us. 46:12 So you see, even the love 46:14 that we are to exemplify for others is a gift. 46:19 Love is a gift. 46:20 The love from God for us 46:22 and that love that we are to pour out 46:24 to our brothers and sisters, 46:26 that is a gift. 46:27 The fruit of the Spirit 46:30 that will be evident in the life of a Christian, 46:33 that is a gift. 46:35 Number seven, outgrowth number seven, 46:38 grace provides motivation for service. 46:42 1 Corinthians 15:10, 46:45 "But I, Paul, 46:47 labored more abundantly than they all, 46:49 yet not I, 46:51 but the grace of God which was with me." 46:55 Why did we labor? 46:56 Why did Paul go through and do all he did? 46:59 Because of the grace of God. 47:01 You see, we don't get out of ourselves 47:04 in our comfort zone 47:05 and seek to minister for others 47:07 without the grace of Christ controlling our lives. 47:13 It was another Monday night. 47:16 I was at jail with a woman. 47:18 And I asked them I said, 47:20 "How many of you have heard the story of Daniel 47:22 in the lions' den?" 47:24 Not a single hand went up. 47:26 So just as I launched into the story of Daniel 47:30 in the lions' den, 47:31 I heard a woman scream, 47:33 it echoed as everything cement in there, 47:36 it echoed and reechoed down the hallway. 47:41 And I was startled. 47:42 I could hardly concentrate and I turned around, 47:45 and yet, everyone seemed calm. 47:48 They were clearly used to this woman screaming 47:50 and I thought, Jill, 47:51 if your sisters here can concentrate, 47:53 surely you can ignore all of this 47:55 and you can concentrate too. 47:57 And so I continued with a story of Daniel 48:00 in the lions' den. 48:05 And then the scream came again. 48:06 And I put it out of my mind and I focused. 48:10 And then the scream came again. 48:11 And I put it out of my mind and I focused. 48:14 And then I couldn't take it anymore. 48:16 And I just said to the woman, 48:18 I said, "I'm so sorry, what is wrong? 48:20 Who's crying? 48:21 Do they need help?" 48:23 And they kind of rolled their eyes 48:24 and they said, "Oh, that's Amber. 48:26 She's been in and out of jail." 48:30 She's crazy. 48:31 She's in solitary confinement down the hall. 48:34 And I kept thinking, Amber, where do I know that name? 48:37 And then it hit me. 48:38 I remembered her. 48:40 She had been in our Bible study before. 48:43 But what was she doing back? 48:44 Why had she come back in jail? 48:47 And so the Bible study ended 48:49 and I went to the guard at the desk. 48:51 Now, we're not allowed to walk around the jail. 48:53 When you go in, you go in, you do your Bible study, 48:56 then you get out of there. 48:58 That's just how it operates, 49:00 but I thought maybe they would make 49:02 an exception for me. 49:03 So I went up to the guard and I said, 49:05 "Do you mind? Could I go talk with Amber? 49:08 I'd love to pray with her." 49:11 And he said, "Oh, Amber, 49:12 she's probably been in and out 20 times. 49:15 Sure, you can talk with her." 49:18 So I started down the hall and he followed hand on the gun 49:22 at his belt. 49:24 And even before I got to her window, 49:26 it's just a clear like a glass window 49:28 with a little slot to put the food in. 49:31 They have no human contact. 49:33 Even before I got to the window, 49:35 she saw me and she started hollering out, 49:39 lady, lady, come over here. 49:42 I want to talk to you. 49:44 And so I stepped up to the glass 49:45 and I said, Hi, Amber. 49:47 My name is Jill. 49:48 I'd like to talk to you if you have a minute. 49:51 And so she was excited and she was glad to talk, 49:54 but I knew I didn't come to talk. 49:55 What did I come for? 49:56 I came to pray for Amber. 49:58 And so, I said, "Oh, Amber," 50:00 I said, "I'd love to pray with you 50:01 before I go." 50:03 And she began to get agitated. 50:05 And she said, 50:07 "I don't want prayer. I don't need prayer." 50:10 And then she stepped right up to the glass 50:12 and she looked at me. 50:14 She said, "Lady, look at your teeth. 50:17 That's what I'd like teeth like that." 50:21 And I said, "Amber, I'm so sorry. 50:24 I can't give you my teeth. 50:27 But we can talk to the God of the universe." 50:31 She said, "Oh, I don't want prayer. 50:33 Look at those teeth." 50:35 And I tried one more time and I said, 50:37 "Amber, please, would you let me pray for you?" 50:41 Look at your teeth. 50:44 And so, in sorrow I turned away. 50:48 And as I drove home, 50:50 God reminded me in the recesses of my heart, 50:55 that I too have been like Amber. 50:58 I have prayed for teeth, maybe not literally. 51:04 How many times have I tried harder 51:08 to be a better Christian? 51:10 How many times have I thought if I only do this or say that, 51:17 or grit my teeth or hold my temper 51:20 or whatever in check, 51:22 that somehow I can earn favor with God, 51:27 somehow I can be accepted, 51:32 somehow I can be saved. 51:36 And yet God in His mercy 51:40 said, Jill, "why do you ask for teeth 51:42 when I could give you everything." 51:45 His grace is free, extended to all, 51:51 His grace can break the chains that bind us. 51:58 Listen as Tim sings. 52:05 Amazing grace! 52:10 How sweet the sound 52:13 That saved a wretch 52:17 Like me 52:21 I once was lost 52:25 But now am found 52:29 Was blind, but now I see 52:37 'Twas grace 52:39 That taught my heart to fear 52:45 And grace 52:47 My fears relieved 52:53 How precious 52:55 Did that grace appear 53:01 The hour 53:02 I first believed 53:07 My chains are gone 53:11 I've been set free 53:15 My God, my Savior 53:19 Has ransomed me 53:23 And like a flood 53:26 His mercy rains 53:31 Unending love 53:35 Amazing grace 53:43 For Lord has promised 53:47 Good to me 53:51 His word my hope secures 53:58 He will my shield 54:02 And portion be 54:06 As long as life endures 54:12 My chains are gone 54:16 I've been set free 54:19 My God, my Savior 54:23 Has ransomed me 54:27 And like a flood 54:31 His mercy rains 54:34 Unending love 54:38 Amazing grace 54:47 The earth shall soon 54:51 Dissolve like snow 54:55 The sun 54:56 Forbear to shine 55:02 But God 55:04 Who called me here below 55:11 Will be forever mine. 55:22 Thank you, Tim. 55:24 Are you grateful for His grace today? 55:28 Are you grateful that He can set you free 55:31 from whatever binds you? 55:33 Many times when we accept Christ, 55:38 we think, I got this God. 55:41 I can do this. 55:42 I can carry this on my own. 55:45 We claim to be Christians and yet we carry with us, 55:49 our invisible prison house. 55:52 It might not be evident to other people 55:55 that we associate with. 55:57 This is the prison house of doubt, 55:59 the prison house of shame, 56:01 the prison house of guilt, of fear. 56:05 Whatever your prison houses today, 56:08 Christ said He came to set you free. 56:12 Whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed. 56:17 Do you want to be set free today? 56:18 Do you want to be free from those addictions, 56:21 from those bands, from that trap of legalism? 56:25 Free to walk in newness of life. 56:30 Free to walk in Jesus. 56:31 Let's pray. 56:33 Holy Father, we come before You right now 56:35 in the name of Jesus. 56:38 Thank You, God, that You came to set us free. 56:42 Thank You that Your grace 56:47 reached down 56:50 and that You could save even me. 56:52 God, thank You. 56:54 Thank You 56:55 that Your grace leads us to repentance 56:57 and Your grace leads us to forgiveness, 56:59 Your grace enables us to be justified and saved 57:03 that Your grace enables us to walk in newness of life. 57:09 Thank you, God, that we can walk in holiness, 57:13 not through any merit of ourselves, 57:16 not through anything that we have done. 57:19 But because Your grace is sufficient in our lives 57:24 and in our hearts. 57:25 In Jesus' name I pray, amen. |
Revised 2020-09-11