Participants:
Series Code: AVGC
Program Code: AVGC210015S
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00:01 Music...
00:04 Hello, I'm Jill Morikone 00:06 and I'm so glad that you have tuned in 00:08 to the Adventist Virtual Global Camp Meeting. 00:11 My message for this keynote Presentation is entitled: 00:14 Grace versus Legalism. 00:16 I want to start with three questions for you. 00:19 Are we saved by who we are or by what we do? 00:23 Are you saved by who you are or by what you do? 00:27 Or... maybe it's neither. 00:29 If "works" don't save us, 00:31 what role do they play in the life of a Christian? 00:35 And how do I know if I have become legalistic? 00:39 You see, Work says, "What I do has bearing on who I am... " 00:45 Grace says, "Who I am has bearing on what I do. " 00:49 Works say, "Actions are more important than motive. " 00:53 Grace says, "Motive informs my actions. " 00:57 Works say, "I am what other people perceive me to be. " 01:03 Grace says, "I am who God says I am. " 01:07 We're talking today about the seven dangers of legalism 01:11 and then, we're going to counter-balance that 01:14 with the seven developments of grace. 01:17 Let's pray, 01:19 "Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus 01:22 and I thank you for Your Word and that Your Word is anointed 01:25 and then it comes alive 01:26 and I ask right now for the anointing of Your Holy Spirit 01:30 that You would give us ears to hear 01:33 and a heart to receive the message from Your Word 01:37 and we ask this in Jesus' name, amen. " 01:41 It was a Monday night 01:43 and Monday nights for probably five or six years of my life... 01:47 Monday nights were spent at our local jail 01:50 giving Bible Studies to the women there. 01:52 We always went in a small block... cell block room 01:56 and there were no chairs there. 01:58 The girls would sit four across on the desk... 02:00 they would line the wall... 02:02 they would sit cross-legged on the floor 02:04 and this particular night, I asked them a question. 02:06 I said, "What one word would someone else use 02:10 to describe you?" 02:11 And so, the girl on my left... she was always given to talking, 02:15 and she'd be the first one... if you asked a question, 02:17 she'd be the first one to speak and she said, 02:19 oh she said, "My friends would call me 'mouthy... '" 02:22 and she definitely was mouthy. 02:23 So, they laughed and we went around the circle. 02:25 Fun loving... loud... quiet... pretty... boisterous... 02:30 funny... sweet... nice. 02:33 Then all of a sudden, I said, "This is Question Number Two. " 02:38 "What one word would you use to describe yourself?" 02:43 Instantly, the atmosphere in the room changed. 02:46 I looked at the girl who had been so eager to talk before... 02:49 the one who said... her friends would describe her as "mouthy" 02:52 and she looked up at me 02:55 and I was surprised at the pain in her eyes... 02:57 I hadn't even seen that before. 02:59 She said, "Depressed... " 03:01 and then she dropped her eyes and looked at the floor. 03:04 We went around the circle again 03:07 but this time, the words were vastly different. 03:11 "Confused... " "Lonely... " 03:13 "Afraid... " 03:15 "Angry... " 03:17 "Broken. " 03:18 I discovered that night that the girls in jail 03:23 are not very different from you and I. 03:26 You know why? 03:28 Many times as Christians, we put on a mask. 03:33 We put on a mask of righteousness 03:36 or a mask of self-righteousness. 03:38 We put on a mask of, 03:39 "This is the way a Seventh-day Adventist Christian 03:43 is supposed to live or eat or dress or act. 03:47 This is what I am supposed to do. 03:50 This is how I am supposed to live... 03:53 this is who I am supposed to be... " 03:56 and we wear a mask 03:58 and other people perceive us a certain way. 04:01 But we might not be that way inside. 04:04 We might be broken... 04:06 we might be lonely... 04:07 we might be afraid... 04:09 we might be feeling empty inside. 04:12 I'm so grateful that our Father never looks at us 04:16 through the lens of someone else. 04:18 He never looks at us through the lens 04:20 through which we view ourselves. 04:22 After all, our Father's opinion of us 04:24 is the only thing that really matters. 04:26 Jeremiah 31 verse 3, He says, "I've loved you 04:29 with an everlasting love: 04:31 therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. " 04:35 God looks at us with love. 04:37 John 6:37... He says, "Whoever comes to Me, 04:39 I will never cast out. " 04:42 God looks at you with acceptance. 04:45 Romans 8:15... 04:47 "You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; 04:51 but you received the Spirit of adoption, 04:54 by which we cry out, 'Abba... daddy... ' 04:57 Father... " 04:58 God looks at you as His son or His daughter. 05:03 You know, legalism is really a trap 05:06 I think for many different denominations 05:08 especially for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 05:11 Could we be thinking that we are saved by grace 05:15 yet we still cling to works for salvation? 05:17 You know, in Jeremiah 17:9 says this... 05:20 tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things, 05:24 and desperately wicked: 05:26 who can know it? 05:28 How can we even know our own hearts? 05:32 I think of the letter... 05:35 the epistle to the Galatian believers... 05:37 this is Paul writing the book of Galatians 05:38 and if you read Galatians, 05:40 much of the controversy in the Galatian church... 05:43 the early Christian church 05:45 was over whether Gentile Christians 05:47 needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. 05:51 Now, you and I look at that and say, 05:53 "What does that have anything to do with us today?" 05:55 but the principle remains the same. 05:57 Do "works" add something to our salvation before Christ? 06:03 Are we saved by grace... 06:05 then we have to add "works" to it 06:07 or are we just saved by grace? 06:09 In Galatians 3 verse 1, Paul says, 06:12 "Oh, foolish Galatians... " 06:13 now... in Greek, "foolish" is kind of a strong word 06:16 but in... in English its kind of a strong word 06:19 but in Greek, it's really strong. 06:20 It says: mindless or stupid. 06:22 "Oh stupid or mindless Galatians... " 06:25 verse 3, "having begun in the Spirit, 06:28 are you now made perfect in the flesh?" 06:32 meaning... you understood 06:34 and you knew that you were saved by grace through faith 06:37 and now, all of a sudden, do you think you need works 06:40 to augment that salvation? 06:43 Galatians 5 verse 4, to me is very sad. 06:47 It says, "You have become estranged from Christ. " 06:50 What is that word? 06:51 That word means: separated. 06:53 We have become separated from Christ... 06:56 who? "You who attempt to be justified by law... 07:00 you have fallen from grace. " 07:03 You know, we are all in need of divine grace. 07:06 Isaiah 64 tells us that all our righteousness 07:10 is as filthy rags. 07:12 My nephew, Caleb, when he was only two years old, 07:16 I remember he threw a full-blown temper tantrum 07:19 which was amazing. 07:20 He was on the floor 07:21 and you've seen a toddler with a temper tantrum, I'm sure. 07:24 His little arms flailing out 07:28 and tears running down his cheeks... 07:30 his legs kicking 07:32 and in the midst of all of this temper tantrum, 07:34 I could hear him screaming, "Jesus, help me be good... 07:38 Jesus... help me be good. " 07:41 You see, even a two-year old child 07:44 recognizes that we can't do it on our own. 07:48 We grit our teeth and try harder to be good 07:52 but our righteousness is as filthy rags. 07:56 Before we get to the seven dangers of legalism, 07:59 I want to just set up a couple of definitions 08:02 for legalism for you. 08:03 First of all, legalism is not obedience. 08:07 I want to be very clear at that from the outset 08:09 because you might be thinking, "Okay, Jill's saying we throw 08:12 works out... we throw that out... 08:14 we don't need that. " No... 08:16 Legalism is not obedience... 08:18 we will get to obedience later 08:19 but it really has nothing to do with legalism. 08:22 Legalism is works-based salvation. 08:25 It's being concerned with keeping the law 08:28 as an end in itself 08:29 or as a means to salvation. 08:31 Legalism is Christless law keeping. 08:35 It is separating the law from the Lawgiver. 08:38 It's not concerned with obedience to God 08:40 or honoring Christ. 08:41 It simply seeks to obey rules devoid of any relationship. 08:47 Legalism is externally motivated. 08:50 It is externally driven. 08:52 It's concerned with an external obedience 08:55 instead of an inward change. 08:57 It's concerned about the letter of the law 08:59 while it violates the spirit of the law entirely. 09:03 Legalism is adding our own rules to the law of God 09:07 and treating those rules as divine. 09:10 Jesus said in Matthew 15 verse 7, 8 and 9... 09:14 Matthew 15:8 and 9, 09:15 "These people... they draw near me with their mouth, 09:18 and honor me with their lips; 09:21 but their heart... it's far from me. 09:24 In vain do they worship me, 09:26 teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. " 09:30 The Legalist takes a commandment of man... 09:34 a man-made rule 09:36 and elevates it to the level of divine. 09:40 Legalism is an attempt to gain favor with God 09:43 or to impress other people by doing certain things 09:47 or avoiding other behaviors 09:50 without regard to the condition of our own heart before God. 09:54 Legalism is rooted in pride. 09:57 So, what are the seven dangers of legalism? 10:00 I'm going to give you the seven 10:01 and then we'll go back and unpack each one of them. 10:03 Number 1: The Danger of an Unconverted Heart. 10:06 Number 2: The Danger of a False Assurance of Salvation. 10:10 Number 3: The Danger of Pride. 10:13 Number 4: The Danger of Judging or a Judgmental Spirit. 10:19 Number 5: The Danger of Hard-Heartedness. 10:23 Number 6: The Danger of Hindering 10:27 Someone Else's Salvation. 10:29 Number 7: The Danger of Inconsistency. 10:33 So, let's unpack them. 10:35 Danger Number 1... the seven dangers of legalism, 10:38 Number 1: The Danger of an Unconverted Heart. 10:41 Turn with me to the book of Luke chapter 11. 10:44 When you read Luke 11, you find a whole passage here 10:47 called: Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees 10:50 and if you were to look in Jesus' day 10:53 at who the legalists were, 10:54 they were most certainly the Scribes and Pharisees. 10:57 So, we're in Luke 11... 10:59 let's pick it up in verses 37 through 40. 11:02 "As He spoke... " that's as Jesus spoke... 11:04 "A certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. 11:08 So He went in and sat down to eat. 11:10 When the Pharisee saw it, 11:12 he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. " 11:16 Now, this is not the washing you and I would do 11:18 to make sure our hands are clean... 11:20 this is a ceremonial washing... 11:22 it's not physical cleanliness. 11:24 "Then the Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees make 11:26 the outside of the cup and dish clean, 11:29 but the inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 11:33 Foolish ones! 11:34 Did not He who make the outside make the inside also?" 11:39 You see, we can look clean but still be dirty. 11:43 We can look holy but still be sinful. 11:47 We can look righteous while still being unconverted. 11:51 I believe that Jesus had conflict with the legalists 11:55 more than any other group when He walked this earth. 11:58 You see, it wasn't the murderers who put Him on the cross. 12:01 It wasn't the robbers who put Him on the cross. 12:03 It wasn't the adulterers or the thieves 12:06 who put Him on the cross. 12:07 It was the Legalists. 12:09 Now, I want to be clear here... 12:10 all our sins brought Jesus to the cross. 12:14 So, in that sense, yes... 12:15 everyone's sin put Jesus on the cross. 12:18 I get that... 12:20 but the ones who were shouting "Crucify Him... " 12:22 the ones who wanted Him to die... it was the Legalists. 12:29 Why did Jesus deliberately do things 12:33 while He walked this earth 12:35 to expose the Legalists? 12:37 You know, when I look at it and when I study it, 12:39 you see that He healed on the Sabbath. 12:41 Well, He clearly could have healed on a different day 12:43 and it wouldn't have made the Legalists so upset. 12:46 You see that in this case, 12:47 He ignored their ceremonial hand washing and purification 12:51 while He could have just gone along with the crowd, but no... 12:54 He blasted them for their hypocrisy. 12:57 I think He deliberately did things 12:59 because He wanted to save them too 13:02 because He came to seek and to save the lost 13:06 and that is not just the adulterers... 13:08 that is not just the thieves... 13:10 that is not just the murderers... 13:12 that is the Legalists. 13:14 So, Danger Number 1 is the danger an unconverted heart. 13:16 Danger Number 2 is the danger of a false assurance 13:20 of salvation. 13:21 This is believing that your works 13:25 will somehow merit or earn favor 13:28 or salvation with God. 13:30 You know, I grew up in a Christian home. 13:33 I grew up in a Seventh-day Adventist home. 13:35 I was born into a Seventh-day Adventist home 13:38 and I was baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist. 13:41 What is amazing to me... and I have Godly parents... 13:45 the reason I'm a Christian today is because of my parents 13:47 so, this is not a criticism but when I was young, 13:51 my parents... my home... was legalistic. 13:55 My parents at that time had not fully met Jesus... 13:58 that's why my home was legalistic. 13:59 I remember I was 19 years old 14:02 back from a Seventh-day Adventist school... 14:04 19 years old 14:06 in church... closing hymn... 14:09 everybody is standing... the organ is playing... 14:12 and the hymn was: My life of scarlet... 14:15 my sin and woe... 14:17 cover with His life... 14:19 whiter than snow 14:22 and I still remember it to this day 14:24 stopping singing... 14:25 holding the hymnal looking up and saying, 14:27 "You mean it's not on me... 14:29 you mean that Jesus can cover me? 14:33 That His righteousness will cover my sin?" 14:38 I had spent 19 years of my life 14:41 believing that I had to be better... 14:44 I had to become good... 14:46 I had to somehow keep the commandments 14:49 and somehow earn favor with God 14:52 that He would look at me kindly 14:56 and want to save me. 14:58 Danger Number 2 is the danger of a false assurance 15:01 of salvation. 15:02 We know... Ephesians 2... I love this... 15:05 Paul's treaties on salvation Ephesians 2:8 through 10. 15:09 "By grace you have been saved through faith, 15:12 and that not of yourselves; 15:14 it is the gift of God, 15:15 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 15:18 We are His workmanship, 15:20 created in Christ Jesus for good works, 15:23 which God prepared beforehand 15:25 that we should walk in them. " 15:27 Did you catch that? 15:28 Grace is a gift... 15:30 faith is a gift... 15:31 salvation is a gift 15:33 and yes, even works... good works... 15:36 they are a gift from God. 15:38 Danger Number 3... The Danger of Pride... 15:40 we're still in Luke... we're jumping over to Luke chapter 18. 15:43 So, turn over there to Luke 18. 15:45 This is a parable... and you notice that most of the parables 15:49 that Jesus told answered a question 15:51 and dealt with an attitude. 15:53 Luke 18 verse 9. 15:55 He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves 15:58 that they were righteous 16:00 yet they despised others. 16:03 Jump down to verse 11, 16:05 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 16:08 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men... 16:12 extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 16:14 or even as a tax collector. " 16:16 I fast twice a week; 16:18 I give tithes of everything I possess. '" 16:21 It reminds me actually... the danger of pride 16:24 of my sister and I when we were very young in church 16:27 in those frilly dresses and ribbons in our hair. 16:30 I remember church members walking in 16:32 and they would look at my sister and I 16:34 sitting in the pew so demurely and they would say, 16:36 "And how are the Penny angels doing today?" 16:40 You see "Penny" was our maiden name 16:42 and we would smile sweetly and say, 16:45 "We're doing well... Happy Sabbath... " 16:48 and then as soon as the person turned away, 16:50 my sister would kick me underneath the pew 16:53 or I would elbow her in the ribs 16:55 and we would continue our own private war 16:58 until the next person walked up and would say, 17:01 "How are the Penny angels today?" 17:02 And we would say, "We are fine... Happy Sabbath" 17:05 and they would turn around 17:07 and then, my sister and I would continue whatever argument 17:10 we had going on that morning. 17:12 The danger of pride. 17:14 Danger Number 4: The Danger of Judging. 17:19 Remember John chapter 8, 17:21 the woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. 17:25 She was dragged and thrown at the feet of Jesus. 17:28 Now, the Scribes and the Pharisees 17:30 and all of those people 17:32 who thought that they were better than her 17:36 had thrown her at Jesus' feet 17:39 to make a public spectacle of her. 17:42 You see, we have little tolerance for people 17:45 who sin differently than we do. 17:49 2nd Corinthians 10:12, 17:50 Paul puts it this way, 17:52 "But they, measuring themselves among themselves, 17:55 and comparing themselves by themselves, are not wise. " 18:00 The danger of judging. 18:02 Danger Number 5: The Danger of Hard-Heartedness. 18:06 We're in Luke... let's look at Luke chapter 10. 18:10 Luke chapter 10... 18:11 this is of course the parable of the good Samaritan 18:13 and we see the attitude... 18:15 remember parables answer a question 18:17 and deal with an attitude. 18:19 The attitude here is self-righteousness 18:21 and it's also hard heartedness. 18:24 Remember the lawyer said, 18:26 "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 18:28 And Jesus gave this thing. 18:29 "And then the lawyer said... " verse 29... 18:32 we're in Luke 10 verse 29... 18:34 "But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 18:38 'And who is my neighbor?' 18:40 And Jesus answered... " 18:42 now, in English it's very tame but in Greek, it's not so tame, 18:44 it says, "took up" 18:46 so, Jesus took up the challenge 18:48 that the lawyer laid down to Him. 18:51 And He said, "A certain man 18:53 went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. " 18:55 If you've ever been to the Middle East... 18:57 ever been to Israel, 18:58 you will know that clearly you go down 19:00 from Jerusalem to Jericho. 19:03 It's a distance of 18 miles but it drops in elevation 19:07 3,000 feet from Jerusalem all the way down to Jericho 19:12 and what happened? 19:13 He fell among thieves 19:14 and they stripped him of his clothing... wounded him 19:16 and departed... leaving him half dead. 19:18 "Now, by chance, a certain priest came down that road. 19:23 And when he saw him, 19:24 he passed by on the other side. " 19:27 The danger of hard-heartedness. 19:30 The priest passed by on the other side 19:35 and did not have compassion. 19:36 "Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, 19:39 came and looked, and passed by on the other side. " 19:42 Hard-heartedness... 19:44 let's see this man... "Okay... " 19:46 passed by on the other side. 19:48 "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, 19:52 came where he was. 19:53 And when he saw him, he had compassion. " 19:55 Now, the Samaritans were looked down on by the Jews. 19:58 The Priest and the Levite would be the upper echelons 20:01 of the Jewish society. 20:03 They were the good guys. 20:04 They were the ones in power... 20:06 they were the ones who knew the law of God. 20:09 They were the ones who were supposed to represent Jesus... 20:12 represent the Law and what happened? 20:15 They had hard-heartedness because they were legalistic 20:20 and it was a Samaritan... 20:21 it was the outcast. 20:23 It was the one that they turned their noses down at... 20:26 he was the one who demonstrated compassion. 20:29 Danger Number 6: 20:31 This one, to me, is the saddest of all the dangers. 20:33 Number 6: 20:35 The Danger of Hindering Someone Else's Salvation. 20:39 Turn over one chapter to Luke chapter 11... 20:42 we were in 10... just turn over to Luke 11 verse 52, 20:45 "Woe to you lawyers! 20:48 For you have taken away the key of knowledge. " 20:50 Or the key of salvation... 20:52 "You did not enter in yourselves, 20:55 and those who were entering in you hindered. " 20:59 You see, this concept of Legalism will not... 21:02 if... if you hold on to Legalism in your heart, 21:06 it will not just cost you your salvation... 21:09 it could be the means of causing one of your brothers 21:14 or sisters to stumble 21:16 or causing them... or keeping them back 21:19 from entering into the kingdom of God. 21:22 Your example... my example... 21:25 my legalistic spirit and attitude 21:28 can be the means of costing someone else's salvation. 21:33 The danger of hindering someone else's salvation. 21:36 Finally, Danger number 7. 21:38 The danger of Inconsistency. 21:41 Luke 11 verse 46, 21:44 "And He said, 'Woe to you also, lawyers! 21:47 For you load men with burdens hard to bear, 21:50 and yet, you yourselves do not touch those burdens 21:53 with even one of your little finger. " 21:56 It's a double standard saying, "Okay, do what I do... 21:59 do what I say but don't do what I do. " 22:04 I'm so grateful that this message doesn't end here. 22:09 I'm so grateful that we're not shown our hearts 22:13 from the Word of God 22:15 and then God says, "Okay, you're a Legalistic... 22:17 go walk off and do it. " 22:18 No... I'm so grateful 22:20 that Romans 5:20... turn to Romans... 22:23 we're going to spend most of the rest of our time 22:25 in the book of Romans... Romans 5:20... 22:27 I'm grateful that where sin abounded... 22:30 yes, this is the sin of the adulterer 22:32 and the sin of the murderer 22:33 and the sin of the homosexual... 22:35 yes... but this is also the sin of the Legalist. 22:38 "Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 22:41 so that as sin reigned in death, 22:44 even so grace might reign through righteousness 22:48 to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. " 22:52 So, what does grace lead us to? 22:54 It leads us to the seven developments of grace. 22:58 I'm going to tell you what they are and then we'll unpack them. 23:00 Seven developments of grace. 23:02 Number 1: Repentance... 23:04 Number 2: Forgiveness and Justification... 23:07 Number 3: Salvation... 23:09 Number 4: Growth... 23:12 Number 5: Holiness and Obedience... 23:16 Number 6: Love and forgiveness for Others... 23:19 Number 7: Motivation for Service... 23:22 so let's look at that. 23:23 The freedom in grace... 23:25 Grace leads us to Number 1: Repentance. 23:28 Romans 2... we were in Romans 5, jump back a couple of chapters, 23:32 to Romans 2 verse 4, 23:34 "Do you despise the riches of His goodness, 23:37 forbearance, and longsuffering, 23:39 not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" 23:44 You see, when you and I were steeped in sin... 23:48 when you and I were wallowing in our mud in filth and junk, 23:53 we had our back turned to the Father. 23:56 What happened? 23:58 God demonstrated His own love for us. 24:02 This is Romans 5 verse 8. 24:03 "In that while we were still sinners... " 24:07 the Greek says: yet even now. 24:10 While we were still walking in sin, 24:11 Christ... He died for you... 24:16 while we were still in sin, He died for us. 24:20 You see, grace leads us to repentance. 24:24 We can't conjure up repentance ourselves. 24:28 We can't make that happen. 24:30 We can't create repentance. 24:33 What happens? 24:34 It is a gift of God. 24:36 It is the first gift of grace that He extends to us 24:40 is the gift of repentance 24:42 but it doesn't stop there. 24:44 It leads to Number 2: Grace leads to forgiveness 24:47 and justification. 24:49 1st John 1:9, If we confess our sins, 24:52 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 24:56 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. " 25:00 Cleanse us from unrighteousness. 25:03 Romans 3... I love this... 25:06 Ephesians 2 is the great treaties of salvation 25:09 but Romans 3 is... is the next best one... 25:11 they're both equal in my opinion. 25:13 Romans 3 verses 23 to 26, 25:15 "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, 25:21 being justified freely by His grace. " 25:25 How are we justified? 25:27 "Freely by His grace... " so, let's stop a moment. 25:30 You notice that passage started with, "All have sinned 25:33 and fallen short of the glory of God. 25:35 Romans chapter 1 deals with the sins of the Gentiles. 25:41 These would be the sins of the heathen... 25:43 the sins of the pagans... 25:45 those who do not know God... 25:47 those who worship the creature instead of the Creator. 25:50 You see, this entire list of sins in Romans 1 25:53 and they get worse and worse. 25:55 It's like a degenerate list and you can see 25:57 humanity really lives in Romans chapter 1. 26:00 Now, Paul... in hoping that the Jews would not feel left out, 26:06 in Romans chapter 2, he brings it to the church... 26:08 in that case... the Jews 26:09 but you and I would be brought down to the church 26:11 and say, "Wait a minute... " 26:13 you're not left out from this and here specifically 26:16 are your sins... 26:17 by the time we get to Romans 3, 26:20 Paul is very clear that all have sinned 26:22 and fallen short of the glory of God. 26:24 We are all in need of a Savior. 26:26 Every single one of us 26:28 have committed sin against the Father. 26:30 We are all in need of a Savior. 26:31 We are justified freely by His grace. 26:35 We're in Romans 3:23... 26:37 "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 26:41 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood. " 26:45 So, let's stop just a second here, 26:47 that word "propitiation" literally means Mercy Seat. 26:50 If you're familiar at all with the sanctuary service, 26:54 you know in the Most Holy Place is... what? 26:56 The Ark of the Covenant. 26:58 In the Ark is the Ten Commandments. 27:01 This is God's Law... 27:03 His Law is holy, just and good. 27:04 His Law is righteous. 27:06 His Law is perfect. 27:07 His Law is pure. 27:09 Wow! Can I live up to that? 27:12 His Law is perfect... it is in the Ark 27:15 and over the Ark... the lid of that Ark of the Covenant 27:20 is what they call the Mercy Seat. 27:22 And remember the would come in once a year 27:26 and sprinkle the blood over the Mercy Seat. 27:28 What does that represent? 27:30 We see the holiness... the perfection... 27:33 the character of God in that Ark... this is His Law 27:36 and yet the blood of Jesus covers that 27:40 and it's like that buffer between us and the Law. 27:44 So, when you read this again and you understand that, 27:47 it makes such a difference to me in this passage. 27:50 "We are justified freely by His grace 27:53 through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. " 27:55 That's talking about the blood of Jesus 27:57 "whom God set forth. " 27:59 Who did God set forth? Jesus. 28:01 So, Jesus is to be the propitiation... 28:04 literally it means: Mercy Seat. 28:05 Jesus is the Mercy Seat by His blood 28:08 through faith for you and I. 28:10 In other words, here is God in His holiness... 28:14 this is the Law... or this is that perfection 28:15 and here is you and I as sinners on this side. 28:17 Jesus... as the Mercy Seat 28:20 comes between the Law and you and I 28:23 and He says, "My blood would justify... 28:26 My blood will forgive... 28:29 My blood will cleanse... 28:31 My blood will bring you back into right relationship with me 28:36 so that you can come in the presence of the Father 28:40 as if you have never sinned. 28:42 That is justification. 28:44 Grace leads to Number 3: Salvation. 28:47 We already read this, let's read it again, 28:50 Ephesians 2:8 through 10, 28:51 "For by grace you have been saved through faith... 28:52 that not of yourselves; it's the gift of God, 28:55 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 28:59 For we are His workmanship, 29:01 created in Christ Jesus... 29:03 which God prepared beforehand 29:05 that we... we should walk in them. " 29:07 So, grace leads to repentance. 29:09 Grace leads to forgiveness and justification. 29:12 Grace leads to salvation. 29:13 Now, grace does not stop there, 29:15 you see, I think we have two ditches in the church. 29:19 We have one ditch where people say, "I need to work harder... 29:23 I need to be better... 29:25 I need to do something... act some way... " 29:27 whatever... you fill in the blank... 29:30 this is the Legalist over here in order to earn God's favor... 29:35 in order to earn salvation. 29:37 On the other side, we have people here 29:39 who say, "Grace... it covers everything... 29:42 Grace will cover my sin... " and yes it does. 29:45 Grace will save me... and yes it does. 29:48 But they stop there 29:50 and they don't get to the other developments of grace. 29:53 They say, "Grace brings repentance. " 29:56 Praise the Lord, 29:57 grace brings forgiveness and justification... 30:00 praise the Lord. 30:01 Grace... it brings salvation. 30:04 Absolutely... 30:05 but outgrowth Number 4... 30:07 Grace... it leads to growth. 30:10 If you are truly walking in grace... 30:13 if you have experienced Jesus for yourself... 30:17 if you are saved... you are going to grow. 30:20 You cannot help it... you are going to grow. 30:23 We're in 2nd Peter 3 verse 18... 30:26 "But grow in grace 30:27 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 30:30 Now, did you catch that? 30:31 There are two areas that we are to grow in. 30:34 Some Christians only grow in knowledge. 30:36 Have you met a Christian like that? 30:38 "Oh... they bother me. " 30:40 "Oh, well the Word of God says this... " 30:42 "Oh, well this is what the Greek says... " 30:44 "Oh, well... the Hebrew says this... " 30:46 "Oh, but you'd better be following what the Word says. " 30:48 And yes, we are to grow in knowledge. 30:51 Absolutely. 30:53 Those people... I call: Cerebral Infidels... 30:56 meaning... their mind works well 30:59 and they can understand the Word of God 31:01 but they have never experienced Jesus. 31:04 They have never met Him. 31:06 They don't know what it's like to walk with Him 31:10 and to talk with Him 31:12 and to love Him. 31:14 We need to grow in knowledge, yes, 31:16 but we are also called to grow in grace. 31:22 Grace leads to growth 31:24 both in grace... in character development 31:27 and in knowledge. 31:29 Grace also leads to holiness. 31:32 I love this... Romans 6... 31:35 let's look at Romans 6 verses 1 and 2, 31:38 "What shall we say then? 31:40 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 31:43 Certainly not... 31:45 King James says, "God forbid. " 31:46 Now, many times, we might not like to read that passage, 31:50 we say, "Well, Paul says that we're all in grace. " 31:52 Absolutely... we are in grace. 31:54 But grace does not give us a license for sin. 31:58 "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 32:01 Certainly not! 32:03 How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" 32:09 So, how in the world are we supposed to walk in holiness? 32:12 How do you walk in holiness? 32:14 This is always the challenge in my life. 32:16 How do you walk in holiness 32:18 without it degenerating back into legalism? 32:21 I don't want to walk in legalism, 32:23 I don't want to go there 32:24 and yet, God calls me to walk in holiness... 32:28 to grow in grace. 32:30 How am I supposed to do that? 32:33 I think the difference is in the Master 32:37 that we choose to serve. 32:38 That makes all the difference. 32:40 Let's look at Romans chapter 6. 32:42 I think this is a really powerful passage. 32:44 Romans chapter 6 32:46 verse 16... 32:50 "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves 32:52 slaves to obey, 32:53 you are that one's slaves whom you obey, 32:56 whether of sin leading to death 32:59 or of obedience leading to righteousness?" 33:02 Did you catch that? 33:04 That means, in the morning, when you wake up, 33:06 you can say, "Yes God, I want to follow You. 33:07 I want to give You my heart. " 33:09 Or you can say, "No, I'm doing my own thing, 33:11 I'm going my own way... 33:13 I don't want to walk with You just yet. " 33:17 And when we make a choice, 33:19 "Yes God, I want You to live in Me... " 33:21 what happens? 33:23 If you flip over one chapter, Romans chapter 7 is amazing. 33:25 This is that whole conflict in the Christian's life 33:28 and what is that conflict? 33:29 That conflict is: Okay, I know I'm supposed to do this, 33:32 this is righteous, 33:33 but I don't want to do it, I want to do this over here... 33:35 and what I know I am not supposed to do... 33:38 those are the things that I'm doing. 33:39 This is the conflict... the struggle in the Christian's life 33:43 between the flesh and the spirit 33:45 and Romans 7:17 says, 33:48 "It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. " 33:53 Did you catch that? 33:54 It's not me doing the sinful acts, 33:56 it's because sin has taken up residence in my heart. 34:01 By contrast, we look at Galatians 2 verse 20. 34:04 "I have been crucified with Christ; 34:07 and it's not I who live, but Christ who lives in me. " 34:12 And then it goes on... 34:13 "the life I now live... I live by faith in the Son of God, 34:16 who loved me and gave Himself for me. " 34:18 But did you catch it? 34:20 It's not me who's doing the good works, 34:22 it's because Christ has taken up residence in me. 34:25 I believe that is the difference between the legalist 34:28 and those who walk in grace. 34:30 We open up our heart and when Christ lives in you, 34:33 you cannot help but grow in grace. 34:37 You cannot help but become more like Jesus. 34:41 Number 6: Grace leads to love and forgiveness for others. 34:47 Colossians 3:12... 34:48 "as the elect of God, holy and beloved, 34:51 put on tender mercies, 34:52 kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; 34:55 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, 34:58 if anyone has a complaint against another; 35:01 even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. " 35:06 Have you met a Seventh-day Adventist Christian 35:10 who does not live this verse? 35:12 I've been a Christian who does not live this verse. 35:17 I want to tell you today, 35:18 if you claim the name of Jesus 35:21 and you claim to be a Christian and you walk into church 35:25 and yet, you do not love your brother, 35:27 you do not extend mercy and grace and forgiveness... 35:31 if you do not... if you hold on to bitterness and resentment, 35:35 you are not walking in grace. 35:38 You need to go back to God and say, 35:41 "God, I want the first step of grace and that is repentance. 35:44 would you take me on a journey with You?" 35:47 Number 7: Grace leads to motivation for service. 35:50 1 Corinthians 15 verse 10. 35:52 "but I labored more abundantly than they all, 35:55 yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. " 35:58 Did you catch that? 35:59 It's not us saying, "Well, we need to evangelize, 36:02 well, I guess we need to go reach out 36:04 and help someone else. " 36:05 No, it is grace that gives us a passion for the lost. 36:10 It is grace that leads us... 36:12 it leads us to evangelism. 36:15 Grace leads to repentance and forgiveness and justification, 36:19 salvation, growth, holiness, love and forgiveness for others 36:23 and motivation for service. 36:25 It was another Monday night 36:27 and I was at the jail with my sisters 36:30 and I asked them, 36:31 "How many of you have heard of the story 36:33 of Daniel in... in the Lions' Den?" 36:35 And not one hand went up. 36:37 Just as I launched into the story, 36:40 I heard a cry... there was a woman screaming down the hall 36:43 and I didn't know what was wrong and I asked the girls 36:45 and they said, "Oh, that's Amber... " 36:48 that's not her real name, by the way. 36:50 "She's crazy... she's been in and out of jail 36:53 and she's in solitary confinement down the hall... 36:56 and the study continued and all I could think about 37:00 was... I want to go pray with Amber... 37:03 why? Because Amber... Amber needs Jesus 37:06 and we finished the Study and I walked down the hall 37:11 and as I walked up to Solitary Confinement, 37:13 in this jail, there's a glass window 37:15 and then the little slot... 37:17 the tray where they put the food 37:18 and she saw me coming and she said, 37:20 "Hey Lady, come over here, I want to talk to you... " 37:23 and I walked right up to the glass and I said, 37:25 "Hey Amber, my name is Jill, I want to talk to you... " 37:28 and so we began to talk and then I said, 37:32 "Amber, I'd really like to pray for you. 37:34 Would you let me pray for you?" 37:36 And she began to get agitated 37:39 and she said, "I don't need prayer... 37:40 I don't want prayer... oh Lady, 37:43 look at your teeth... you have pretty teeth... 37:47 that's what I want... teeth like that. " 37:49 And I said, "Amber, I'm so sorry I can't give you my teeth 37:52 but we can talk to the God of the universe 37:54 who can help you here in Solitary Confinement. 37:57 He can make a difference in your life. " 38:00 And she said, "All I want is your teeth. " 38:03 And so, in sorrow, I turned away. 38:06 We could have talked to the Creator God... 38:08 the God who can do anything 38:10 and all she cared about was my teeth 38:13 and as I drove home, 38:15 God reminded me in the recesses of my heart 38:18 that I too have been like Amber. 38:21 I have prayed for teeth. 38:24 When have I faced a situation where I needed to forgive... 38:28 where I needed to walk out of my own prison house of addiction 38:33 or my own prison house of sin... 38:35 where I needed victory over something in my life 38:38 and I thought if I only try harder... 38:39 if I only do it myself, I can gain the victory 38:44 not knowing that the eternal Creator God was there 38:48 waiting with open arms to help me. 38:52 I don't know what invisible prison you are carrying today 38:56 that could be a prison of doubt... 38:59 a prison of shame... fear... guilt... 39:02 legalism... 39:03 whatever it is, come to Him just now. 39:08 He says, "Whoever the Son sets free... is free indeed. " 39:12 Give Him your heart. 39:15 As a sinner who is saved by grace. 39:19 Piano... 39:27 If you could see 39:30 what I once was 39:32 If you could go with me 39:38 Back to where I started from 39:43 Then I know you would see 39:48 A miracle of love that took me in its sweet embrace 39:58 And made me what I am today 40:07 A sinner saved 40:11 by grace. 40:16 I'm just a sinner 40:24 saved by grace 40:30 When I stood condemned to death 40:36 He took my place 40:43 Now I live and breathe in freedom 40:50 With each breath of life I take 40:56 I'm loved and forgiven, 41:01 backed with a living 41:07 I'm just a sinner 41:13 saved by grace 41:21 Piano... 41:25 How could I boast of anything 41:32 I've ever seen or done? 41:39 How could I dare to claim as mine 41:47 The victories God has won? 41:55 Where would I be 41:58 Had God not brought me 42:03 Gently to this place? 42:08 I'm here to say 42:12 I'm nothing but 42:16 a sinner saved 42:22 by grace 42:27 I'm just a sinner 42:34 saved by grace 42:40 When I stood condemned to death 42:47 He took my place 42:52 Now I live and breathe in freedom 42:59 With each breath of life I take 43:05 I'm loved and forgiven 43:10 backed with a living 43:16 I'm just a sinner 43:21 saved by grace 43:28 Now I grow and breathe in freedom 43:36 With each breath of life I take 43:41 I'm loved and forgiven 43:46 backed with a living 43:52 I'm just a sinner 43:57 saved 44:02 by grace 44:08 Saved by grace. 44:17 Jill: Amen, thank you so much Tim and Ryan. 44:21 Are you grateful today 44:23 that you are a sinner saved by grace? 44:27 Maybe you have walked your whole life 44:30 not knowing if He would accept you... 44:32 not knowing if you could be good enough... 44:35 not knowing if you were truly His child. 44:37 I want you to know right now that the Lord Jesus loves you... 44:41 that He has arms open for you 44:44 and He says, "Would you come home just now? 44:47 I will receive... I will forgive... 44:50 I will cleanse... 44:52 I will empower you to be my child. " |
Revised 2021-10-13