Participants: Pr. C.A. Murray
Series Code: HHR
Program Code: HHR000002
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00:35 Almighty Father,
00:40 You alone are holy. 00:46 You are my refuge, 00:50 I will trust in You. 00:56 You are a tower... 01:01 a mighty fortress. 01:06 You are my strength and shield; 01:11 You are God. 01:24 Almighty Father, 01:30 You alone are holy. 01:34 You guide my footsteps 01:38 that I may not fall. 01:45 In joy or sorrow 01:50 I will exalt You. 01:55 You are my righteousness, 01:59 You are God. 02:06 Almighty Father, 02:12 You alone are holy. 02:17 You are Creator; 02:21 You are all in all. 02:27 Yours is the power, 02:32 yours is the glory, 02:37 yours is the majesty. 02:50 You 02:54 are 02:57 God. 03:04 Amen! 03:07 Tonight: 03:08 What's That In My Looking Glass? 03:14 Shall we pray. Father, please 03:17 open up our hearts now as we move into Your Word. 03:24 Teach us this night 03:25 and help us, Mighty Father, to be hearers 03:30 and doers of Your Word 03:33 because we want to be like Jesus. 03:36 We thank you in Jesus' name, Amen. 03:42 Looking glass... A looking glass is 03:45 an 18th century term 03:48 for what we normally call a mirror. 03:54 A mirror is a very handy thing. 03:59 It does not say anything 04:03 and yet it can tell us quite a lot. 04:08 There are certain things that we do 04:11 that we would find very difficult if we didn't have 04:16 a mirror. And as such, we may think that mirrors 04:21 are modern inventions. But the truth is 04:25 they are really quite old. 04:27 Archaeologists have found mirrors 04:31 dating back to the Greco-Roman era... long before the 04:35 days of Christ. 04:36 Ancient mirrors were made of highly-polished copper 04:40 or silver or bronze or tin. 04:44 There are all kinds of mirrors. 04:46 There are plain mirrors and concave mirrors 04:49 and convex mirrors and spherical-aberration mirrors 04:53 I found and parabolic mirrors and convergent-beam mirrors 04:58 and all kinds of mirrors. 05:00 Mirrors, mirrors upon mirrors. 05:04 Modern mirrors trace their origin to a fellow by the name 05:08 of Joshua von Liebing 05:10 who made the first modern mirror in 1835. 05:16 Mirrors are very interesting things. 05:18 They reflect light. 05:21 They tell the truth. 05:23 And so the truth is that we humans 05:26 have been checking ourselves out in mirrors 05:29 for a long time. 05:32 We need mirrors. 05:34 You have to have a mirror. 05:37 For most men, we need a mirror to shave. 05:42 Now I have developed the ability to shave 05:45 without a mirror. Very easy... 05:48 I start the razor here and just take it on around. 05:52 But for most men, they need a mirror to shave. 05:56 We need a mirror to tie our tie correctly 05:58 and make sure that that knot is just in the middle. 06:02 You've got to have a nice little mirror to make sure 06:07 that the knot is right where you 06:11 want the knot to be. 06:17 Getting our clothes straight requires a mirror. 06:20 For many women, applying make-up and face powder 06:23 requires a mirror. Now, men like to think 06:27 that women hog the mirror more than men. 06:30 But if the truth be told 06:32 there are a lot of men who spend a lot of time 06:35 in the mirror also. 06:37 In our home, luckily we have 1-1/2 baths 06:41 because if we didn't, we'd have trouble in the morning. 06:45 Irma likes time in the mirror. 06:48 I like time in the mirror. 06:49 And we decide who's going to get what mirror, you know, 06:52 as we get up. The first person in the big mirror 06:54 gets the big mirror. The other person takes the little mirror. 06:56 That's how it works for us. 06:58 There is a famous picture. 07:00 A little video vignette in New York City 07:03 of a woman driving down the highway at some... 07:08 oh, I guess, 70 or 80 miles an hour... 07:11 She's got the visor down. 07:14 She's steering the car with her elbows. 07:18 In her one hand she has a powder puff and powder. 07:24 In the other hand she has a mascara wand 07:28 and she's driving with her elbows while applying make-up 07:32 driving down the highway. 07:34 She cannot see where she's going. 07:36 Her eyes are fastened on the mirror 07:39 as she is doing her face driving down the highway 07:42 at 70 miles an hour. 07:44 And the insurance company that made that commercial 07:46 put up words that said: 07:48 "She's out there, and you don't want to meet her. " 07:54 That is their advertisement for not driving 07:57 without insurance. 08:00 Though most people don't need it, 08:02 we tend to brush our teeth in front of a mirror, don't we? 08:04 You don't really need to but it's just a habit. 08:08 We use full-length mirrors to see how our outfits look. 08:12 We comb and style and brush our hair 08:16 in front of the mirror. 08:17 I, of course, don't have that problem... 08:19 but many of you do! 08:21 And if you ever make the mistake 08:24 of appearing in public with one black sock 08:28 and one brown sock, 08:30 or one black shoe and one brown shoe, 08:34 or a piece of spinach is in your teeth, 08:37 the first thing they will say is: 08:40 "Didn't you look in the mirror? " 08:44 Didn't you see what you looked like before you left the house? 08:49 On the other hand, 08:52 there are some people who are always in the mirror. 08:57 Umm-hmm. 08:58 They never pass a mirror without taking 09:03 a little glance. 09:07 A mirror doesn't say anything, ladies and gentlemen, 09:11 and yet it has the ability to tell us when we look good 09:15 and when we look bad. 09:18 It doesn't invent anything. 09:21 It simply reflects what's there. 09:25 And a mirror's value 09:29 is directly proportional 09:31 to its accuracy in reflecting what it sees. 09:36 In other words, if a mirror doesn't tell you the truth, 09:41 it's not of value. 09:43 A good mirror reflects the image as the image is. 09:49 It doesn't tell you anything. 09:51 It doesn't take away, it doesn't add. 09:54 It simply reflects the image. 09:56 That's what makes a mirror valuable. 10:00 If you had a looking glass or reflecting pool, 10:04 you wouldn't know what you looked like 10:07 until you looked in that mirror. 10:11 Good mirrors don't lie. 10:16 I say it again: 10:18 good mirrors do not lie. 10:23 What you are is what you see! 10:27 And if you don't like what you see, 10:31 don't blame the mirror. 10:35 Can you say Amen? Amen. 10:37 I say it again: 10:39 if you don't like what you see, 10:42 it's not the mirror's fault. 10:47 Umm-hmm. 10:50 Because the mirror doesn't invent anything. 10:54 It simply tells you 10:57 if you're good or if you're bad. 11:02 Our first text is Titus chapter 2. What book did I say? 11:06 I'm in the second chapter of the book of Titus... 11:09 Titus chapter 2 and we're going to be reading verses 11 and 12. 11:13 Here we go. Titus chapter 2 11:16 verses 11 and 12: 11:40 Can you say Amen? 11:42 So then, it is grace, ladies and gentlemen, 11:46 that allows us to participate in the experience 11:50 that we call salvation. Can you say Amen? 11:53 Grace makes salvation available, 11:59 reachable, attainable, dare I say... affordable. 12:05 It is by the grace of God 12:09 that we can acquire salvation for every man, 12:13 every woman, every boy, every girl 12:15 who is now living, whoever will live, 12:20 and who has ever lived. 12:23 If someone asks you "How do I get saved? " 12:28 your answer ought to be short and sweet and simple: 12:32 "I am saved by grace. " 12:36 One of the most important texts on the theology of salvation, 12:41 justification, and sanctification... 12:44 It was the foundation text for Luther's 95 Theses - 12:48 his 95 propositions - that he nailed to the Catholic church 12:53 at Wittenberg is found in Ephesians chapter 2 12:57 verse 8. And I think next to John 3:16 13:01 it is one of the most beautiful and sublime texts 13:05 in the entire Bible. It is incredibly powerful 13:09 and liberating! It is a foundation text 13:12 for the Word of God... so let's go there. 13:13 Ephesians chapter 2... What book did I say? 13:16 Ephesians. You're with me. Ephesians chapter 2 13:19 and verse 8. It is foundational to the salvation experience. 13:23 The Bible says: 13:39 So the grace that saves us 13:43 is a God-given gift. Can you say Amen? 13:46 It's a gift... grace is a gift. 13:49 And the limousine that brings you the gift of grace 13:54 is faith. It cannot be earned. 13:57 It cannot be worked for. 14:00 It cannot be ascertained through striving. 14:05 Grace, ladies and gentlemen, is a gift 14:09 and faith is a gift. 14:12 Can you say Amen? 14:14 Ephesians chapter 3... What book did I say? 14:17 Ephesians. You're with me. You can talk to me... 14:19 it's quite all right. I'm not offended. 14:21 Amen! 14:23 Ephesians chapter 3 verses 6 and 7: 14:50 Again, the grace of God is a gift. 14:55 Grace is a gift. Say it with me. 14:58 Grace is a gift. 15:00 Now say this: faith is a gift. 15:02 Faith is a gift. 15:04 So grace is a gift; faith is a gift. 15:08 And they both come to us wrapped in a bow of love from? 15:12 God! 15:13 Now, what does this have to do 15:17 with my mirror? 15:19 Well, here's my problem. 15:22 Here's my problem. 15:24 Jesus Himself said 15:28 John 14:15 15:30 "If you love Me, keep... " What? 15:33 "Keep My commandments. " 15:35 "Keep My commandments. " 15:36 I John chapter 3 verse 2 15:39 I John chapter 3 verse 2... what book did I say? 15:42 I John 3:2. Let's turn to that. 15:55 That's how we know that we know Him. 15:58 If we keep the commandments, 16:02 it speaks of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Amen? 16:06 If... if you're married to a person, 16:09 there are certain things you do, 16:10 there are certain things you don't do 16:12 that are part of a marriage relationship. 16:14 Commandment keeping is part of the relationship 16:17 with Jesus. "If you love Me, keep My commandments. " 16:22 Verse 4... Verse 4 says: 16:26 "He who says I know Him and does not keep His commandments 16:32 is a liar and the truth is not in him. " 16:35 "Truth is not in him. " So... if you don't keep the commandments 16:38 and you say you love Jesus, you're not telling the truth. 16:41 Bible says you're lying 16:44 because the symbol of a relationship with Jesus 16:47 is keeping the commandments. Does that make sense? 16:50 Does it? 16:52 Yeah. Why would you say "I'm in a love relationship with Jesus" 16:56 and then Jesus says "do this for Me" 16:58 and you say: "Nope, not going to do it. " 17:02 That's like you say: "Honey, I love you. 17:04 I love you, I love you, I love you. " 17:06 And she says: "OK, give me a glass of water. " 17:07 "Nope. " 17:10 If you love me, give me a glass of water. 17:14 Jesus said: "If you love Me, keep My commandments. " 17:18 Well then, here's a problem. 17:22 The problem is there are commandments to be kept. 17:25 I cannot keep them. 17:28 I've got a problem. 17:30 Let's go to Galatians chapter 3 and verse 19. 17:36 Galatians chapter 3... 19. 17:39 What book did I say? 17:41 Galatians. OK, let's go: 18:01 Galatians 3:19... what purpose does it do? 18:05 The law shows us when we're right 18:11 and when we're wrong. 18:13 The law of God, then, gives us a picture 18:19 of ourselves. 18:20 That says that the law of God then is a what? 18:25 It's a mirror. 18:27 The commandments of God are a mirror. 18:31 When we look at the commandments we see ourselves 18:35 as we really are. Can you say Amen? 18:37 They don't add anything. 18:40 They don't take away anything. 18:42 They give us an accurate picture of what we look like. 18:48 I John chapter 3. We're doing a little Bible hopping. 18:51 I John chapter 3. What book did I say? 18:54 I John chapter 3. 18:56 All right. Here we go: 19:05 If you have an Old Testament - 19:07 rather a King James Bible - 19:10 it says: "Whosoever commits sin also transgresses the law 19:14 for sin is the transgression of the law. " 19:16 And of course, those of you who know Greek know 19:18 that there are several words that are translated sin. 19:20 You've got anomia, padeptoma, malusmeth, 19:23 hamartia. Hamartia means missing the mark 19:26 like you're shooting at something and you miss the mark. 19:28 The Bible says that's sin. 19:29 You've got paraptoma which means you're walking along side 19:33 the law but not on the law. 19:35 You're not walking in the footsteps of Christ. 19:37 You're walking on a parallel path... that is sin. 19:39 Then you've got anomia which is called lawlessness 19:42 which is what the text is using here. 19:44 It says "whosoever commits sin acts lawless" - 19:49 acts as though there is no law - 19:50 for sin is lawlessness. " 19:55 You have to have law, ladies and gentlemen, 19:58 to define sin. 20:00 No sin... no law. 20:05 The only reason speeding is illegal 20:09 is because somebody said 55 miles an hour 20:13 is the speed limit. 20:15 If you go above 55 miles an hour, 20:18 you're breaking the law. 20:21 I remember one time I was trying to hurry up 20:24 to get to prayer meeting, Pastor. 20:26 Going to prayer meeting 20:27 and I had my foot on the accelerator really fast. 20:30 And the New York City Police pulled me over. 20:32 And I had my clergy sign in the window. 20:36 And they said: "Are you a minister? " 20:38 I said: "Yeah. " He said: "Where're you going? " 20:40 I said: "I'm going to church and I'm a little late. " 20:42 He said: "Well, you were going about... " 20:45 Well, I won't tell how fast I was going... 20:46 I was going above the speed limit. 20:48 He said: "Do you believe in God? " 20:50 I said: "Yeah, I do. " 20:52 He said: "Well, if you don't slow down, 20:54 you're going to meet your boss... " 20:57 and he said "Have a nice day" 20:59 and he let me go. 21:00 Now I could have just tore out of there, 21:02 you know, to try to get to church fast, but 21:05 I took my time and I went right at 55... maybe 56... 21:09 maybe 57... 21:14 but I didn't speed any more 21:16 because I needed to keep the law. 21:19 We need the law, ladies and gentlemen, to show us 21:22 what sin is. Can you say Amen? 21:24 No law... no sin. 21:26 The law sets the parameters. 21:29 The law shows us when we're right; 21:31 the law shows us when we're wrong. 21:33 The law shows us when we're good; 21:35 the law shows us when we're bad. 21:38 The law, then, is a mirror! 21:41 It serves as a mirror to show us how we are. 21:46 And if you don't like what you see in the mirror, 21:51 is it the mirror's fault? 21:53 No! You've got to change the image. 21:57 The mirror just tells you the truth... 21:59 and if you don't like it, then you've got to make the changes. 22:03 The Bible says "the law of the Lord is perfect. " 22:07 Amen? "The law of the Lord is perfect. " 22:10 The problem is: we are not! 22:12 The law is perfect. The law is fine. 22:15 Law looks pretty good. The problem is... I don't. 22:19 Not the law's fault... the fault is in me 22:24 so I realize my imperfections when I go to the mirror. 22:28 I see my warts and my scabs and my acne and my 22:31 mismatched socks and the spinach caught in my tooth 22:34 and my crooked tie. 22:36 I see all of that when I look in the law. 22:38 But if I didn't have the mirror I would not see myself. 22:44 So the law, then, is a mirror. 22:46 Sometimes, you know, I hear things being preached... 22:49 as I watch television and other places 22:54 I hear things being preached 22:55 and I wonder as I hear these different theologies 22:58 "Did that guy look in the mirror before he started that? " 23:02 Did he look in the same mirror 23:04 and come up with that theology? 23:07 He's looking in a different mirror than I'm looking in. 23:12 I don't know what he's looking in. 23:16 So when I look in the mirror I see myself ugliness and all. 23:22 Now don't look at me... because the same mirror that shows me 23:25 my warts shows you yours. Amen? 23:27 So rather than looking at mine, you look in your own mirror. 23:31 Amen! 23:34 So I see myself. I see how good I look, 23:38 I see how bad I look. 23:40 I see myself as I really am. 23:45 How do I know that I'm not so good and that I look bad? 23:49 Romans chapter 3 verse 23. What book did I say? 23:53 Romans 3:23. So you're awake. You're still with me. 23:55 Romans 3:23. I know it's hot in here tonight. 23:57 It is very, very warm. 23:59 They tell me this is Chicago... 24:00 by tomorrow there could be 20 feet of snow on the ground. 24:03 So I don't know. Tonight it's warm! 24:05 But Romans 3:23 has something to say. 24:12 How many have sinned? 24:13 How many have sinned? 24:15 Everybody! "All have sinned. " 24:18 How many is all? 24:21 All. 24:22 Is there anybody in here that's not all? 24:26 So I could say in the province of southern Illinois 24:30 all ya'll have sinned. 24:33 That's what they say down in southern Illinois... 24:35 "all ya'll have sinned. " 24:37 We don't say that in New York. 24:39 We say "you-uns. " Not really... that's western New York. 24:43 All includes you and includes me. 24:47 We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 24:51 So the same mirror that says 24:53 I have sinned and I don't look good 24:56 says you have sinned and you don't look good. 24:58 The problem is: that's enough to depress me! 25:00 When I look in the mirror of God's law, 25:03 I see how bad I look. 25:04 I can come away depressed because everybody has sinned. 25:10 And then three chapters later in 6:23 it tells me 25:14 the wages of sin is... that's pretty depressing. 25:18 The wages of sin is death and everybody has sinned 25:22 so everybody deserves to... Boy, that's depressing. 25:26 God doesn't leave us in that depressing state. 25:29 Galatians chapter 3... What book did I say? 25:32 Oh, praise God! You're still with me. 25:34 Galatians chapter 3 verses 24 through 26. 25:38 Ummm... Galatians chapter 3 verse 24. Let's pick it up: 25:51 So when you look at the law and you're depressed at what you see 25:57 it's OK... because the function of this mirror 26:02 is to help me realize that my success 26:06 will be found in Jesus. 26:09 Amen? Yeah! 26:12 My success will be found in the Lord. 26:15 It's the law's job to drive us to Jesus. 26:19 The law is holy, just, and good. I am not. 26:23 How do I get right? Go to Jesus! Can you say Amen? 26:26 That's the key. So when I look in the mirror 26:29 I don't like what I see and I am forced to the realization 26:33 that I have no way to change my image. 26:38 "The law" - Romans 7:2... 7:12 rather: 26:42 "is holy, just, and good. " 26:44 Romans 7:14 says: 26:56 I'm born to sin. 26:58 That's the problem. 27:00 I've got a holy law and a holy God 27:03 and yet I am carnal. 27:05 So what do I do? 27:06 Well, Romans chapter 8 verses 7 and 8. 27:09 What book did I say? 27:10 Romans chapter 8. You're finding it for me 27:13 and finding it with me, rather. 27:14 Romans 8 verse 7: 27:28 That's... that's... that's tough. 27:31 In my flesh I can't please God. 27:33 I can't make God happy. 27:37 I look in the mirror; I see my imperfection. 27:40 There's nothing I can do about it. 27:42 I'm in a fix! 27:45 Romans chapter 3 and verse 20. 27:48 In the book of Romans, chapter 3 and verse 20: 28:00 That's the purpose of the law. 28:03 Not to depress you. Not to make you sad. 28:07 Simply to let you know where you stand. 28:10 If I... If I have this... come out with this towel on my head 28:14 and nobody tells me, 28:17 I won't know until I go and... 28:22 look. That's the function of the law: 28:25 to let you know where you stand. 28:28 And if you didn't have the law, 28:30 you wouldn't know how and where you stood. 28:32 But even plastic surgery 28:36 can't correct my faults. 28:39 Can't do it! 28:41 Go to a good dentist; get your teeth fixed. Not enough. 28:45 Tummy tuck... not enough. 28:49 Ears bobbed... not enough. 28:52 Hair replacement... 29:02 not enough. 29:04 Because the problems that I have aren't physical. 29:08 They're heart problems. 29:11 They're inside my soul, 29:13 and it takes the power of the living God 29:16 to do something about those problems. 29:20 So what's going to happen? What do I do? 29:25 Romans chapter 5 verse 8. 29:27 We're in the book of... You know, let me commend you 29:29 to read the book of Romans. 29:30 If you want to read a powerful book 29:33 that is chuck full of powerful statements, 29:37 read Paul's letter to the Romans. 29:39 Just statement after statement after statement after statement 29:42 that affirm us on our Christian walk. It is a powerful book, 29:47 and I dare say that a good Christian ought to read Romans 29:49 at least once a year. It is a powerful book 29:52 in the New Testament! 29:54 Romans chapter 5 verse 8. Here we go: 30:00 King James says commendeth... 30:13 Isn't that a powerful statement? 30:15 God didn't wait for you to get right. 30:18 God didn't wait for you to get cleaned up and perfect. 30:21 God didn't wait for you to get all nice and neat. 30:24 God died for you in the face of Jesus Christ 30:28 while you were still sinning. 30:33 Commends His love; proves His love; 30:36 demonstrates His love. 30:37 "That while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. " 30:39 I'm in Romans 5:20 now. Romans chapter 5 verse 20: 30:52 If you have a Bible and a little pen, put a line under that. 30:55 Powerful text. Incredibly powerful text! 30:59 That's a text you can plant your feet on. 31:01 "Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. " 31:06 Now that says to me - among other things - 31:09 it doesn't matter what your sin is. 31:11 You know, we like to talk about each others' sins. 31:13 Well she did that and he did that and I would never do that. 31:16 Yet you're doing something else. 31:18 Um-hmmm. 31:21 That text lets me know that it doesn't matter 31:25 what your sin is. It doesn't matter what you've done. 31:28 "Where sin abounds, grace does abound much more. " 31:34 So whatever you've done, if you confess your sins 31:38 He is "faithful and just to forgive 31:42 and to cleanse. " 31:47 "Grace aboundeth much more. " 31:48 I'm so glad for the grace of God. 31:50 Romans chapter 6 verse 14. 31:52 Romans 6:14. 32:13 Underline that text please. 32:16 The Bible is saying here: 32:17 "Sin's not going to control you anymore. " 32:20 You hear me? 32:22 Sin is not going to determine your life any more. 32:25 It's not going to have dominion. 32:27 It's not going to control your past. 32:28 It's not going to control your present. 32:30 And praise God it is not going to control your future. 32:33 Sin is not going to be the determining factor 32:36 as to where you will spend eternimy... eternity, rather. 32:39 It is not going to have dominion over your life 32:43 because you're not under the law. 32:44 Under the law does not mean that the law's done away with. 32:48 It simply means you're not left to the penalty of the law. 32:53 You don't have to suffer any more. 32:55 You see, all the law can say is: 32:57 "Murray, you need to take that towel 32:59 and wipe that sweat off your head. 33:03 That's what it says. 33:05 But it's not the mirror's fault that I've got to do the wiping. 33:09 It's my fault! 33:11 Amen. 33:12 Because if I stood up here maybe and talked very quietly 33:15 and never moved maybe I wouldn't do that... 33:16 but I can't do that, so I've got to move, Pastor. 33:21 And I get excited... praise God! 33:24 So it's not the mirror's fault. 33:26 Sin doesn't have dominion over me. 33:29 Doesn't control my future. 33:31 Romans chapter 8 verse 1. 33:33 Love this text. Love it, love it, love it! 33:36 The book is Romans: 33:45 That's what the law does: 33:47 condemns... because it tells you when you're wrong. 33:58 Isn't that wonderful? 33:59 Isn't that wonderful! They don't walk according to the flesh. 34:03 They walk according to the Spirit. 34:07 "No condemnation. " So I'm not under condemnation any more. 34:10 I'm not exceeding the speed limit. 34:13 I don't have to worry about getting a ticket. 34:15 I don't have to worry about the policeman pulling me over 34:16 because I'm not under condemnation... 34:19 I'm safe in Jesus. Praise God! 34:22 James chapter 1:25 and 2:12 34:27 call it the "law of liberty. " 34:29 Not only does the law not hold you down 34:32 it frees you. Law's not an oppressive thing. 34:35 Not something trying to hold you down. 34:37 It actually frees you. 34:39 It frees us from the tyranny... from the condemnation. 34:43 Now Pastor Disney, I want you to go in the back 34:45 and bring my little zippered blue and black case. 34:47 I've got something I want to show the folk in just a minute. 34:50 Let's go to James chapter 1 verse 22. 34:53 What book did I say? James chapter 1 and verse 22. 34:56 Coming to an end; we'll be done in just a few minutes. 34:58 Here we go: James 1 and 22... 35:13 Not enough to just hear the Word. 35:17 You've got to make changes. Thank you, Pastor. 35:20 That's just what I needed. 35:21 I'm going to use it in just a second. 35:23 We've got to be able to make changes. 35:26 We've got to hear the Word and then put it into practice. 35:31 Now let's pick it up at verses 23 and 24. 35:33 This kind of ties it all together. 35:36 Verses 23 and 24, same chapter: 35:52 He's looking at himself in a mirror. 35:56 "For he observes himself, goes away, 36:00 and immediately" does what? 36:03 "Forgets. " 36:05 You see yourself in the mirror, 36:06 you forget what you just saw. 36:09 God has told you: "Hey, man, 36:12 woman, you need Jesus. " 36:16 I do! 36:18 And then you turn around and you forget all about Him. 36:22 You go back to the things of the world. 36:25 You go back to your lifestyle 36:28 and you forget what you saw in the mirror. 36:30 But every time you turn to that mirror 36:32 that mirror gives you the same image. 36:35 It doesn't change; it cannot lie. 36:37 It will always tell you the truth. 36:39 The thing is, you've got to put into practice 36:43 what the mirror has told you. 36:45 When the law says you are outside of the law, 36:48 you've got to change. 36:50 When the policeman says you are speeding, 36:51 you've got to stop speeding. Amen? And Amen. 36:55 Now if my tie is crooked and I look in this mirror, 37:00 and I don't like this tie and I don't like what I see, 37:05 I could just... 37:08 break the mirror. 37:11 How's my tie? 37:15 I can't see it. 37:19 How's my tie? 37:20 Still crooked. 37:22 Mirror's fault? No! 37:25 Where does the change have to come? 37:27 In me! 37:29 Because every time I go to a mirror I'm going to see what? 37:32 Crooked tie. 37:34 And unless I change my crooked tie 37:39 I'll never be like I should be. 37:43 I won't be like Jesus. 37:46 So we cannot change. We should not blame the mirror. 37:51 Takes Jesus to make these changes in my life. Amen? 37:56 Now I'm going to need seven quick volunteers. 37:58 I'm going to need seven young people. 37:59 Seven young people. I need children. 38:02 Seven young people... One, two, I need some 38:04 young people really fast. Young people; need some little ones. 38:06 Young people really fast. I want you to come. 38:08 Come very quickly. 38:10 Come quickly; come quickly. Seven; I need seven of you. 38:12 OK, really fast. 38:13 Seven young people. 38:17 Seven young people. 38:20 I need seven of you. 38:24 And... 38:30 Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi... 38:33 Ha ha ha ha! 38:35 I don't believe it. 38:39 My... seven young people. 38:45 There we go... there we are! 38:48 There we are. Almost got afraid. 38:50 I thought I left this home for a second. 38:52 All right. Now, I want you to line up right here. 38:54 Just line up next to him. Straight line... give me a line 38:56 right here. Straight line. 38:57 Give me a line real fast... give me a line. 38:59 Face that way. Face those people. 39:01 You come here... 39:03 and you come here and you come here 39:05 and you come here and you come here 39:07 and you come here and you come here. 39:11 There... there! 39:14 There. 39:16 God bless you. OK. 39:20 OK. Now, I want you to hold these signs up for me 39:24 when I give them to you. 39:26 All right. Here we go. 39:27 We're going to start on the far end. Hold this up. 39:31 Just hold it right in front of you. 39:33 Can you see that? Hold it straight up in front of you. 39:35 What is that? Law. 39:36 OK. Now whenever I point to that sign I want you to say that. 39:39 Let's practice. This is the? 39:40 Law. This is the? 39:42 Law. A little louder... This is the? 39:44 Law. Amen! 39:46 The law is a transcript of the character of God. 39:50 Amen? So then, the? 39:53 Law is unchangeable. 39:55 It does not change because God does not change. 39:59 The Law is the mirror. 40:02 The mirror is the Law. 40:05 So we have the Law: 40:07 transcript of the character of God. 40:09 Now this is Sin. What is this? 40:13 Sin. This is? Sin. All right. 40:16 Sin is the transgression of the Law. 40:19 This - sin - is the transgression of the? 40:23 Law. If you don't have - Law - you don't have Sin. 40:27 So Sin is the transgression of the Law. 40:31 Praise the Lord. You got it? 40:33 No Law, no Sin. 40:36 No Law, no Sin. Amen! 40:40 You're doing well. 40:41 This is Grace. This is Grace. 40:47 Grace is pardon for Sin which is a transgression of the Law. 40:53 We need Grace because all of us commit Sin 40:57 which means all of us break the Law. 40:59 We are saved by Grace through faith 41:02 and that not of yourselves... it is a gift of God. 41:06 We are saved by amazing Grace 41:09 which is pardon for Sin 41:11 which is transgression of the Law. 41:13 Now you folks are starting to fatigue on me. 41:15 This is not that hard. 41:16 All right. Now we have Jesus. 41:22 Who is this? Jesus. Again. Jesus. 41:26 Say it with a little more oomph. 41:28 Jesus! There you go. 41:30 Jesus gives us Grace which is pardon for 41:35 Sin which is transgression of the Law. 41:37 We all need Jesus because we all commit Sin 41:42 so we need His Grace 41:44 which is pardon for Sin which is the transgression of the Law. 41:49 Uhh, Amen! 41:51 All right. Now we have Gospel. 41:55 So this is Gospel. 41:58 The Gospel is the good news of Jesus 42:01 who brings us Grace 42:03 which is pardon for Sin 42:06 which is the transgression of the Law. 42:08 The Gospel... 42:11 The Gospel condemns Sin 42:15 and Jesus condemns Sin. 42:19 So we all need Grace because Grace 42:23 is pardon for Sin which is the transgression of the Law. 42:27 Amen. Don't get tired on me. Stay with me. 42:29 Got a couple more. 42:30 All right. This is a... Preacher. 42:35 Amen. 42:38 Now, we need a Preacher to tell us about the Gospel 42:42 which is the good news of Jesus 42:45 who gives us Grace which is pardon for Sin 42:48 which is the transgression of the Law. 42:51 Amen. 42:53 The Preacher is the one who's up here perspiring 42:57 telling you about the Gospel which is the good news of Jesus 43:01 who gives us Grace which is pardon for Sin 43:05 which is the transgression of the Law. 43:09 Amen. 43:15 This is the Church. 43:18 Amen. The Church. The Church. 43:21 We are sitting in a Church listening to a Preacher 43:25 who is telling us about the Gospel 43:27 which is the good news about Jesus 43:30 who gives each of us Grace which is pardon for Sin 43:34 which is the transgression of the Law. 43:37 Make sense? It all ties together. 43:41 If you don't have this you can't have this. 43:47 So those who say this is done away for... away with, rather 43:52 are really asking for license to do this. 43:57 Amen? Yeah. 44:00 If you don't have this then you don't have that. 44:04 And people who want to do this 44:06 have got to do away with this. 44:08 But they also have got to do 44:10 away with... Jesus. 44:13 Yeah. 44:15 We cannot keep Law no matter how we try. 44:21 Can't keep the Law. Can't do it. 44:24 Cannot do it; the law condemns. We cannot do it. 44:28 Because we all Sin... and this is not... 44:32 you can't will your way out of this. 44:34 You can't say: "Today I will not sin. " 44:38 Can't do it. 44:40 Can't... Even if you lay in your bed, your mind will Sin. Um-hmm. 44:46 And if you don't Sin in deed you will Sin in thought. 44:51 Amen? Amen. Yeah. 44:54 Driving down the highway singing a beautiful song... 44:58 somebody cuts you off. 45:02 Sin! Amen? 45:07 You know, I have a friend - president of a conference - 45:10 bought a brand new Oldsmobile back in the 1990s. 45:14 Parked in front of his house, went upstairs. 45:16 Came down the next morning... all the doors were gone. 45:21 They just took the doors. 45:24 Just the doors. 45:27 Sin... He didn't say anything 45:31 but he sure thought about it! 45:36 You can do this in thought and in deed. 45:39 Amen? You can Sin in your heart. 45:43 And God reads the intent of the heart. 45:48 So you can leave the Church feeling on top of the world... 45:51 feel like you could conquer the world... and somebody will 45:54 say something or do something and immediately you will Sin. 45:58 That's why you need Grace. Yeah! 46:01 Because Grace is pardon for Sin 46:06 which is the transgression of the Law. 46:08 Part of the justifying experience. 46:10 The moment you say "I give my life to Jesus, " 46:14 you get credit for righteousness. Amen? 46:16 That's justification. The instant you say 46:19 "Jesus, I give my heart to You, " 46:21 He gives you Grace - um-hmm - and that includes pardon for Sin 46:26 at that second. And then that same act of Grace 46:30 allows the Spirit of God to work in you 46:33 and through you and with you 46:37 so that you actually become sanctified... 46:40 which means you actually DO get better 46:44 and better and better. 46:46 Christ at the justification process pronounces you 46:50 better and good. And then He sets about through Grace 46:55 to make you what He has already declared you to be. 46:58 Isn't that wonderful? 47:00 Isn't that great? 47:01 But it doesn't start until you look into the Law. 47:07 The mirror, the Law. And the Law says 47:11 "Hey man... hey woman, 47:14 hey boy, hey girl... 47:16 you've got a problem. 47:18 You need to go to Jesus. " 47:22 You need to go right here 47:25 and He will give you Grace... marvelous Grace. 47:30 Grace that will pardon and cleanse within. 47:32 John, come on up. 47:34 I want you to sing, and I know we're running short of time 47:38 but we may have to go out on this. 47:39 I'm going to ask him to go out on this song 47:41 umm, because it's a little longer than we have time left. 47:44 But I want him to sing this song because it speaks 47:47 what we're talking about. John, sing the song for us please. 48:09 Time measured out my days. 48:16 Life carried me along. 48:23 In my soul I yearned 48:27 to follow God 48:30 but knew I'd never be 48:35 so strong. 48:37 I looked hard at this world 48:41 to learn how heaven 48:45 could be gained. 48:50 Just where I began 48:55 where human effort 48:58 was all in vain. 49:06 Were it not for grace 49:13 I can tell you where 49:18 I'd be: wand'ring down 49:23 some pointless road to nowhere 49:27 with my salvation up to me. 49:34 And I know how that would go... 49:40 all the battles I would face. 49:48 Forever running 49:51 and losing the race... 49:55 were it not for grace. 50:09 How many want to say by standing with me 50:11 "Lord, I want to look in the mirror. 50:14 And if anything in that mirror that is unlike You, 50:16 give me the strength to take it away. " 50:20 How many want to be clean and in the image of Christ Jesus? |
Revised 2014-12-17