Participants: Pr. Taj Pacleb
Series Code: ROHB
Program Code: ROHB000007
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00:40 Our message tonight is entitled,
00:42 "Revelation's Answer for Global Peace." 00:47 All around us we see, friends, 00:48 that there is a disturbing absence of peace in our world 00:54 and I can only imagine how the heart of God must break 00:57 as He sees His children 01:00 were longing in desperate for peace. 01:03 And they do not realize that He is the only one 01:05 that can give them the peace that they need. 01:08 Every human heart friends, we earnestly desire for peace. 01:12 This is a-- this is something that we long for, 01:14 we want safety and security and rest and peace but-- 01:18 but consistently we end up with chaos, confusion, 01:21 conflict and danger and destruction all around us. 01:25 Terroristic attacks strike fear into our hearts 01:28 causing us to surrender our freedoms 01:31 for a sense of safety. 01:33 We find natural disasters 01:34 claming the lives of thousands in an instant, 01:37 make us wonder if there's any place on earth 01:40 that is really a safe place. 01:42 You see friends, our fragile world 01:45 is being torn apart in many different ways 01:49 and the question that comes to my mind is, 01:51 why is it that our world is so fragile 01:54 and our plans for peace so futile? 01:56 Man, brother and sisters, 01:58 longs for peace and he can't obtain it 02:00 no matter how hard he tries. 02:03 And the answer to this question in short is this, 02:06 mankind is trying to live in peace 02:09 without the prince of peace. 02:12 But this can never be done. 02:14 I want us to notice what happened to Israel 02:15 when they tried to live without God. 02:17 In the Book 2 Chronicles 15:3-6, the Bible says, 02:21 "For a long time Israel has been without the" what? 02:25 "The true God, without a teaching priest 02:28 and without law. 02:30 And in those times there was" what? 02:32 "No peace but great turmoil 02:35 was on all the inhabitants of the lands. 02:37 So nation was destroyed by nations, and city by city, 02:41 for God troubled them with every adversity." 02:43 The Bible says that 02:44 when man tries to live without God, 02:47 without the teachings of God, 02:48 without the law of God there is no peace, 02:51 only turmoil, destruction and adversity. 02:54 And this is exactly what our world is like today. 02:58 The Bible tells us in Isaiah 57:20, 21, 03:03 it says, "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, 03:06 when it cannot rest, 03:08 whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 03:10 There is no" what? 03:13 "Peace, says my God, for the wicked." 03:15 The Bible tells us 03:16 that when man tries to live without God 03:18 and do his own way, his way is the wicked way 03:21 and that man cannot find any rest 03:23 because there's no such thing as peace 03:26 without the prince of peace. 03:29 Restlessness, friends, comes from wickedness. 03:33 And this is the condition of our world 03:34 and it's the condition of the natural human heart. 03:37 We look and search for peace 03:39 in all the places where it is not found. 03:42 And many people are saying 03:43 if you want to find peace find it within. 03:46 They say, "Look within your heart 03:48 from the Christ consciousness within 03:50 and then you can have peace from within." 03:52 But friends, I want you to notice 03:53 what the Bible tells us 03:54 concerning those who have the worldview 03:56 of trying to find peace within their own human hearts. 04:00 The Bible says in Proverbs 28:26, 04:03 "He who trust in his own heart is a" what? 04:07 The Bible says that 04:08 when we trust in our hearts it is a foolish thing. 04:10 But his is exactly what the human race has done. 04:13 Thinking that we're wise, 04:15 we've become fools in trusting in our own hearts, 04:18 our own standard of right and wrong 04:20 is as if we want to determine 04:22 what is good and what is true 04:24 and what is right or what is wrong. 04:26 But friends, our standard of right and wrong is twisted. 04:29 And, but this is the law that governs the natural heart. 04:33 The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9, 04:36 "That the heart is deceitful." The heart is what? 04:40 You see, our hearts can lead us astray, 04:42 they will lead us astray that's why we never want to follow it. 04:45 It says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, 04:48 and desperately wicked, who can know it?" 04:51 You see that word, wicked that describes the human heart. 04:54 Another word for wicked it lawless. 04:56 What's the word? 04:58 You see, our natural, carnal hearts 05:01 wants to live without any law at all. 05:04 We are very-- our hearts are wicked 05:06 and desperately wicked 05:07 and so we don't want to follow that. 05:08 You see, friends, 05:09 our own standard of right and wrong is twisted. 05:12 The Bible says in Proverb 14:12, 05:14 that "There is a way which seems right a man, 05:19 but the end its the ways of death." 05:21 We cannot do that which seems right to us 05:24 because our standard is twisted, 05:26 it's the wrong way. 05:27 You see, the carnal human heart 05:29 is naturally bent towards sin. 05:32 And sin is wickedness and sin is living without any law. 05:36 You see, the natural, the thing 05:37 that seems right to the carnal heart, 05:39 the way that seems to be the right way is the broad way. 05:42 That's what Jesus said, 05:43 that many are going down the broad way, 05:45 the way of the majority doing what everyone else is doing. 05:49 Look into society to define what is right versus wrong. 05:53 And friends, do you know why rivers are so crooked? 05:55 For the same reason why society in our world is so crooked. 05:59 Notice this picture of the Amazon River, 06:00 how it winds around like a snake 06:02 and it's so crooked, you know why? 06:04 Because water follows the path of what? 06:08 Least resistance. 06:11 And that's' the same reason 06:12 why our hearts and our world is so crooked 06:15 because we like to go the easy way, 06:17 the broad way, the way of the majority, 06:20 the way that seems right, and feels right, 06:23 and sounds right to our own sinful carnal heart. 06:27 You see friends, peace is not found from within, 06:30 peace is only found from above. 06:32 Can you say, amen? 06:34 But the natural heart flows the easy way, 06:36 the pleasing way. 06:37 You see, our own carnal hearts 06:39 we desire love without any law. 06:42 We want pleasure without payment, 06:44 satisfaction without sacrifice. 06:47 And that's why in our world today 06:48 there are fewer and fewer marriages taking place 06:51 and more and more people 06:52 just shaking up and living together 06:54 because people want the benefits of marriage 06:56 without the commitment of marriage. 06:58 And the Bible says that, that is the sin, 07:00 it is breaking the law of God. 07:03 And friends, this is even found 07:05 in the Christian world and its sin, friends. 07:07 That's what robs us of the sweet peace 07:10 and it leaves us in destruction. 07:12 Help is not found from within, help is found from above. 07:16 You see, the only way we can have peace 07:18 is if we have the prince of peace living in our hearts. 07:21 The Bible tells us in the Book of Isaiah 9:6, 7, 07:25 this is a messianic prophesy concerning Jesus. 07:27 And the Bible says in Isaiah 9:6, 7, 07:30 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given 07:34 and the government shall be upon his shoulder 07:36 and his name shall be called" what is His name? 07:38 "Wonderful" and what? "Councilor." 07:41 What else? "The mighty God, 07:43 The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 07:47 Of the increase of his government and peace 07:51 there shall be no" what? 07:53 You see, the Bible tells us 07:55 concerning Jesus that He is the prince of peace 07:58 and the government is going to be on His shoulder. 08:01 He is the one that rules and reigns 08:03 over the heavenly government. 08:04 Friends, a government, 08:06 every single government has laws 08:09 by which that specific government is run by. 08:12 And when you look at the kingdoms 08:14 and nations of the world 08:15 if there are unjust laws 08:18 that will produce anarchy, seduction and rebellion. 08:21 However just laws or fare laws bring order, 08:25 harmony and peace in that specific kingdom, 08:29 government or society. 08:30 And the Bible tells us 08:32 that God's government is a government of peace. 08:35 Do you know why? 08:36 Because the foundation of His government 08:37 is His just and righteous and holy laws. 08:42 You see friends, just laws brings order, harmony and peace. 08:45 Unjust laws bring rebellion, seduction and anarchy. 08:49 But friends, I am thankful for that 08:51 those who decide to be citizens of God's kingdom 08:54 the Bible tells us that their peace, 08:56 there will be no end to that peace. 08:58 Can you say, amen? 08:59 Because there will be no end 09:00 to the just and fare and righteous laws 09:03 of the king and prince of that government. 09:05 You see, as we study Bible prophesy 09:08 we notice that Satan who is against the true king 09:12 and kingdom of heaven. 09:14 He desires war and not peace. 09:17 And thus he's working overtime to rob us 09:20 of the peace that only Jesus can offer. 09:23 And friends, one of the main ways 09:24 that he removes peace from our eyes 09:27 is to destroy the law of God 09:29 and to calls man to disregard the law of God. 09:32 In other words, to destroy peace 09:35 Satan attacks the law of God that brings the sense of peace. 09:40 And this is exactly what the issue is 09:43 when you study Bible Prophesy. 09:45 The Bible tells us 09:46 concerning the antichrist little horn kingdom 09:48 that we're going to study in detail 09:50 this Saturday evening. 09:51 It says in Daniel 7:25, write it down, 09:54 it says that this false, antichrist kingdom, 09:57 it says that, "They would think to change" what? 10:00 "Times and laws." 10:02 Satan does not want peace, he wants war. 10:04 So to remove peace he attacks the law of God 10:08 that would bring us sense of peace 10:09 amongst the government of God. 10:11 And so we find that one of Satan's strategies, 10:13 one of his main goals in this last days is try to, 10:16 is to try to destroy the law of God. 10:19 His first plan is to replace God's law 10:22 with the law of humanism, 10:24 telling people, you can decide what you want, 10:26 what is right for you and what is wrong for you. 10:29 Do you see the importance of searching our hearts 10:31 like what we've studied the other night, 10:33 in light of the judgment that we examine our lives 10:35 because our hearts can lead us astray 10:38 and the greatest deception is self-deception, 10:40 thinking that we're saved by our profession 10:43 and then when the Lord comes 10:44 we realize that we're lost 10:45 and Jesus will say, "I never knew." 10:48 Oh friends, I don't want to hear those words. 10:50 I want to hear the words that-- 10:51 of Jesus that says, "Well" not said, 10:56 "Well done thou good and faithful servant." 11:00 How many of you want to hear those words tonight? 11:02 Oh friends, in order to hear those words 11:04 we have to be more than professors, 11:07 we have to posses Jesus, amen. 11:09 And Jesus must posses us, 11:11 "I in you and you in me," is that Jesus said. 11:15 This is much more than head knowledge, 11:17 much more than a surfaced experience, 11:20 it is a heart experience with the person, Jesus Christ. 11:25 And friends, I am gonna be a Christian, 11:27 if I want to serve the Lord I want the real deal. 11:30 Can you say, amen? 11:31 I want to have a genuine, not a surface experience 11:33 but a genuine heart felt experience. 11:37 You see the reason why these individuals are lost 11:41 is because Jesus said, "Depart from me, 11:44 ye that practice" what? "Lawlessness." 11:47 They were preaching His word perhaps 11:50 but they were not keeping the law of God in their hearts. 11:54 They were not doing the will of God. 11:56 And so Jesus says, makes it clear 11:58 that we have to do God's will in order to be saved. 12:01 And friends, how many of you want to be saved? 12:03 You want to enter into the kingdom? 12:05 Well if so, we need to do God's will. 12:07 And so tell me, do you think it's important 12:08 to know exactly what the will of God is? 12:12 How important is it to know what God's will is? 12:14 A matter of eternity. 12:17 And if it's that important 12:19 wouldn't it let the Bible give us a clear definition, 12:21 what exactly is the will of God? 12:25 And the Bible gives us a textbook answer 12:27 in a Book of Psalms 40:8. 12:29 Please write it down and notice with me on the screen. 12:32 Psalms 40:8 defines to us what the will of God is. 12:37 The Bible says, "I delight to do thy will, 12:40 O my God: yea, thy law is" where? 12:45 "Within my heart." 12:46 My friends, the first part of this verse 12:49 explains or is the same thing as the second part of the verse? 12:52 You see, in the Book of Psalms, 12:54 this is Hebrew poetry. 12:56 And in Hebrew poetry we find parallelism. 13:00 You see, in English poetry, we like to rhyme words. 13:03 Isn't that right? 13:05 Roses are red, violets are blue and what not, 13:06 we rhyme words in English poetry 13:08 but in Hebrew poetry instead of rhyming words 13:12 they rhyme ideas. They rhyme what? 13:14 This is called Hebrew parallelism. 13:17 And so the first part of the verse 13:18 is the same idea as the second part of the verse. 13:21 Oh, what did it say? 13:22 "I delight to do thy will, O my God." 13:25 And what exactly is that? 13:27 To have God's law within our hearts. 13:31 So we find that the will of God 13:33 is supposed to allow the Lord to write His holy law 13:36 in our hearts and in our minds. 13:38 And by the way, friends, 13:39 this is the reality of the new covenant experience. 13:42 Do you remember how the new covenant says 13:43 that God wants to write His law in our hearts and minds? 13:46 And that make sense, doesn't it? 13:47 Because what did Jesus say to those 13:49 that said, "Lord, lord?" 13:50 He said, "Depart from me you who practice lawlessness." 13:56 They were not doing God's will 13:58 because God's will is to have God's law written in our hearts. 14:02 And if that's clear, if that make sense 14:04 would you please say, amen? 14:05 But friends, if you notice in the Christian world today 14:08 it is so sad and shocking 14:09 that some of the very ones 14:11 that are claming Jesus as their Lord 14:13 are watering down the law of God 14:15 and its importance or worse, there are even some preachers 14:19 who are preaching that the law of God has been done away with. 14:22 That God's grace gives us license 14:25 to sin and break the law of God. 14:28 You see, even Christians have this antinomianism, 14:31 humanistic spirit within the church. 14:33 Antichrist is creeping within the temple, folks. 14:37 Christians are condemning the very law 14:39 that would bring peace in our world 14:41 and this is the spirit of the antichrist. 14:44 And for this reason God in infinite mercy 14:46 in these last days, in the Book of Revelation 14:49 is sending a worldwide message of love 14:53 and a worldwide message of peace, 14:55 teaching us and pointing us 14:58 back to the importance of the holy law of God. 15:01 I want you to notice what the Bible says 15:03 in Revelation 14:6, 7, 15:06 we read this before let's read it again. 15:08 This is the final message 15:09 that's given throughout the whole world 15:11 just before the coming of Jesus. 15:13 Revelation 14:6, 7, please write it down, 15:16 the Bible says, "And I saw another angel 15:19 fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting" 15:22 what is that next word? "Gospel." 15:24 And friends, remind me, what is the word gospel mean? 15:26 It doesn't mean bad news, amen? 15:29 It means good news. 15:30 In other words, this message is not a bondage message, 15:34 it's the message of freedom. 15:35 It's a good news. 15:37 Get happy and get excited message. 15:39 Can you say, amen? 15:40 And so friends, it's time to start getting excited tonight 15:43 as we discover what exactly is this good news message, 15:46 this gospel message of peace? 15:48 It says, "Having the everlasting gospel 15:50 to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, 15:51 and to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." 15:55 It's a global gospel message. 15:56 Well, what is this message? 15:58 Verse 7, "Saying with a loud voice, Fear" who? 16:02 "God, and give glory to him, 16:05 for the hour of his judgment is come." 16:07 So we find something interesting here in Revelation 16:09 that in the last days 16:11 God is gonna send a worldwide global gospel message 16:15 and apart of this good news message 16:17 is a worldwide call to fear God. 16:21 Now friends, tonight those two words, fear God, 16:24 is Revelation's answer for global peace. 16:27 We want to find out what exactly does the Bible mean 16:31 when it calls us to fear God. 16:34 Well, friends, let me tell you first what it does not mean. 16:36 It does not mean that God wants us to be afraid of Him. 16:39 Can you say, amen? 16:40 God does not want us to be afraid of Him, friends. 16:43 Just like any father or any parent 16:44 does not want their children to be afraid of them. 16:46 God, when it says, fear God, 16:48 it doesn't mean to be afraid of God 16:50 but to fear God, it means to reverence God, 16:53 it means to respect God 16:54 just like children ought to reverence 16:56 and respect their parents. 16:58 And friends, notice what happens 16:59 as result of reverencing or fearing God, 17:02 the Bible tells us 17:03 that we're going to keep His commandments. 17:05 Notice what it says in Ecclesiastes 12:13. 17:09 Please write it down. 17:10 Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us, 17:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. 17:15 Fear God, and keep his" what? 17:18 "Commandments for this is the whole duty" of Jews. 17:21 Is that what it says? 17:23 The whole duty of? Man. 17:25 So friends, to keep the law of God, 17:27 to fear Him which results in keeping His commandments, 17:30 this is something that God is calling 17:32 just one race to do or all races? 17:35 The entire human race, friends. 17:37 and so when you read in Revelation 14:7, 17:40 when the angel says, "Fear go to the whole world," 17:43 it's a call back to the holy law of God, 17:46 to respect God, to reverence God, to love God 17:50 which result in obeying the word and the law of God. 17:55 And friends, is that's clear would you please say, amen? 17:57 Amen. 17:58 This is Revelation's answer for global peace. 17:59 You know why? Because friends, 18:00 when we keep the law of God 18:02 or when we allow the Lord 18:03 to keep His law in us and through us 18:06 and when He writes it in our hearts 18:07 it results in peace with God and peace with man. 18:12 Notice what the Bible says in the Book of Isaiah 48:18. 18:15 Please write it down, 18:16 "O that you had heeded my commandments! 18:19 Then your peace would have been like a river, 18:23 and your righteousness as the waves of the sea." 18:26 God says if we listen and heed His commandments 18:28 we would have peace. 18:29 You see, brothers and sisters, 18:30 God's law is a blue print as how to live in peace with Him 18:35 and peace with one another. 18:37 And friends, it's interesting, did you realize 18:39 that man has tried to pass 18:42 so many laws to bring about peace, 18:44 order and harmony in society today. 18:48 In fact it's been estimated that man has passed 18:50 over 35 million laws to try to bring about peace 18:54 and to try to control human behavior. 18:57 But God, instead of 35 million has given to us 19:00 just ten simple commandments. 19:03 Can you say, amen? 19:04 And unlike the unwise 19:06 and sometimes unjust laws that man makes 19:09 the Bible says that the law of God is perfect, 19:12 converting the souls that Psalms 19:7, write it down. 19:16 Not only that but God's law is holy 19:19 and just and good according to Romans 7:12. 19:23 And James 2:12 says 19:25 that we will be judged by the law of not bondage 19:29 but the law of liberty. 19:31 And another word for liberty is freedom. 19:33 And so we see over and over again 19:34 the law of God is a good law, it's a perfect law, its holy, 19:39 it's just which means it's fair 19:41 and it's a law of liberty, it's not a law of bondage. 19:44 God want's to make us free and He wants to give us peace. 19:48 Gods always has our best interest in mind. 19:51 Can you say, amen? 19:52 And unlike the 35 million laws of man 19:55 these Ten Commandments controls all human behavior 19:59 at the heart level which what matters, 20:02 which is where it matters the most. 20:04 Can you say, amen? 20:05 This is Revelation's plan for global peace, folks. 20:08 And so now the next question is this 20:09 that we've laid that foundation. 20:11 What exactly is this law and why is this so perfect 20:15 and important for the welfare and the harmony of society? 20:20 Notice what it says in Exodus 31:18. 20:23 Write it down. 20:24 The Bible says, "And when He had made an end 20:26 of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, 20:27 He gave Moses two tables of the Testimony, 20:30 tables of stone, written with" what? 20:33 "The finger of God." 20:34 You see, friends, 20:36 every other part of the Bible 20:37 God use the prophets to write it down 20:38 but when it came to law of God, 20:40 the Ten Commandments God said, "No, 20:41 I am going to write this one myself." 20:43 And friends, that makes it so very important. 20:45 Can you say, amen? 20:46 He wrote it with His own finger on tablets of stone. 20:50 And by the way, you know when people say, 20:52 it's written in stone, what do they mean by that? 20:55 That means, it can not be changed. 20:58 That means it's permanent and friends, 21:00 this is the case with the law of God, 21:02 He wrote it in tables of stone with His own finger, 21:06 the only part of the Bible that God wrote himself. 21:09 And friends, listen, though this is the first time 21:11 God gave the law in written form 21:14 the principals of the Ten Commandments 21:16 is existed for all eternity. Why? 21:19 Because when you study it carefully 21:21 you'll find that the God's law, 21:22 the Ten Commandments are simply a reflection 21:26 of His eternal character of love. 21:29 And so the next question you might be wondering is this. 21:32 Well, how do we know 21:33 that the Ten Commandments existed for all eternity? 21:36 How do we know that it existed 21:38 before God wrote it down on tables of stone 21:41 at Mount Sinai? 21:42 Well, friends, here is the very easy way. 21:45 We know that God's law existed before 21:47 He wrote it down and gave it to Moses. 21:50 According to the New Testament 21:51 in Romans 4:15 the Bible says, 21:55 "Where there is no law there is no" what? 21:59 "Transgression." 22:00 So, no law then there is no such thing as transgression. 22:05 Are you with me, yes or no? 22:07 But what is transgression? 22:09 What is the definition of transgression 22:13 or the definition of sin? 22:14 Here is the clearest textbook definition of sin 22:15 you'll find in the Bible. 22:17 1 John 3:4, write it down. 22:20 The Bible says, "Whosoever commits sin 22:24 transgresses also the law, 22:27 For sin is the transgression of the law." 22:31 You will not find a clear definition of sin in the Bible. 22:34 When I ask you what is sin? 22:35 You answer, the Bible answer is, 22:37 the transgression or the breaking of the law. 22:41 Bu the Bible says where there is no law there is no sin. 22:46 That makes sense, doesn't it? 22:48 If there's no law the there's nothing to break. 22:50 Are you with me, yes or no? 22:52 And so now the next question is this, 22:54 did God's law exist before Mount Sinai? 22:58 Would answer that, just ask the question, 23:00 did sin exist before Mount Sinai, yes or no? Yes. 23:04 And so if sin existed before it 23:06 there had to been a law that existed before it as well. 23:09 Because what is sin? 23:10 It is the breaking of the law. 23:13 In fact, remember when God spoke to Adam and Eve, 23:16 He said, "You can eat of every tree of the garden 23:18 except for this one. 23:20 For in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die." 23:23 And why were they gonna die if they partaken of that fruit? 23:26 It's not because it was poisonous, 23:28 it's because God said it in His words, 23:30 he gave them commandments, don't eat of this fruit. 23:32 And the Bible says that the wages of sin is death. 23:37 Now friends, in partaken of that fruit Adam and Eve 23:40 broke the law of God, friends. 23:42 They broke at least the eighth commandment 23:43 that says, "Thou shall not steal" 23:45 because they took something that did not belong to them. 23:48 They also broke the tenth commandment 23:50 that says, "Thou shall not covet." 23:51 Because they covet they desire something that was not theirs. 23:55 The God said, don't eat of it. 23:57 And so we find that if sin came in the Garden of Eden 24:01 then there had to been first a law in the Garden of Eden 24:05 that they were able to sin against and break. 24:08 Does that make sense, yes or no? 24:10 And they pass this sinful tendency down to the children, 24:13 Cain and Abel. 24:14 And you'll find in Genies 4 the first sibling rivalry, 24:17 Cane killed his brother Abel. 24:19 Now tell me friends, did Cane sin, yes or no? 24:22 Well, that show that there had to been a law to sin against. 24:26 He broke the law that said, "Thou shall not kill." 24:29 Sin was there therefore the law was there as well. 24:32 And friends, listen, the reason why I am emphasizing this 24:35 is because many sincere Christians are confused, 24:37 they think that the Ten Commandments 24:39 began at Mount Sinai 24:40 when God gave it to Moses but at all, 24:42 it existed far before that. How do we know? 24:45 Because sin existed far before that. 24:49 And so we see in the Old Testament, 24:50 God's law was the standard for the right and wrong 24:54 for all people back in those times. 24:57 But here's the real question 24:58 we want to find the answer to tonight, 25:00 what about in the New Testament? 25:02 Is the law of God still relevant and important for us 25:06 living after the time of the cross 25:08 and the resurrection of Christ? 25:10 What does the Bible say, are we in a new dispensation 25:13 and does this new dispensation 25:16 give us the license to break the law of God? 25:18 Well, let's go to the words of Jesus to find out. 25:20 Notice with me in Matthew 5:17, 18. 25:23 Please write it down, one of the clearest verses 25:25 about the law of God from the mouth of Jesus. 25:28 Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, 18, 25:30 "Think not that I am come 25:33 to destroy the law, or the prophets. 25:35 I am not come to destroy, but to" "Fulfill." 25:38 So Jesus said, don't even think about it. 25:42 Don't even entertain the notion 25:43 that I am come to destroy the law. 25:45 I am not come to do this. 25:48 But what I am come to do, Jesus said, 25:49 "I am come to--" And some people thinks that, 25:52 that word fulfill means to destroy. 25:53 But friends, if that's what it means 25:55 it wouldn't make sense. 25:56 "I am not come to destroy but to destroy," 25:57 it wouldn't make sense, right? 25:59 What is that word fulfill mean? It means to fill to the full. 26:04 It means to fill up the full measure of. 26:07 In the original language in the Greek 26:08 the word fulfill means to establish more fully. 26:13 What is it mean? 26:15 And so Jesus did not come to destroy the law 26:17 but He came to fulfill it, to establish it more fully, 26:20 to fill to the full or to live it out in His own life 26:26 thus giving to us an example to follow. 26:29 And then he said in verse 18, 26:31 "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, 26:33 one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, 26:38 till all be" what? "Fulfilled." 26:40 The jot and title, that's like the dotting of and eye 26:43 and the crossing of the teeth. 26:44 In other words, the Lord Jesus says, 26:46 nothing is gonna pass from the law until all be fulfilled. 26:48 In other words, He came to live out the requirements of law, 26:51 not to destroy it but to live it out, 26:53 to give us an example of what it means 26:56 to keep the law out of motivation of love 26:59 and faithfulness to God. 27:01 In fact, notice another one in Isaiah 42:21, 27:06 we find a messianic prophecy concerning Jesus. 27:09 Isaiah 42:21 says, 27:11 "That the Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake 27:14 and He will" what is that word right there? 27:17 "Magnify the law, and make it" what? 27:19 "Honorable." 27:20 Now friends, how can you destroy 27:22 something and honor it at the same time? 27:24 Can you do that? Not at all. 27:27 So when the Bible says 27:28 He came to honor it this doesn't mean 27:29 He came to destroy or do away with it. 27:31 He came to honor it and that word honor means 27:34 to hold it up in high esteem and He came to magnify the law. 27:38 And friends, if you have a magnifying glass 27:41 and you put it over the Bible or the law of God, 27:44 does the magnifying glass destroy the law, yes or no? 27:48 What does the magnifying glass do? 27:49 It enlarges it and makes it clear. 27:52 Isn't that right? And that's what Jesus did 27:54 when He came the first time. 27:55 He enlarge the requirements of the law 27:58 and he made it clearer, telling us 28:00 if look upon a woman to lust after her, 28:02 you've already broken the law. 28:03 He made it larger and clearer by fulfilling it, 28:06 living it out in His own life giving us an example to follow. 28:11 And friends, if that's clear would you please say, amen? 28:14 But some people say, after Christ kept the law in His life 28:18 He then destroyed it in His death. 28:20 Well, friends, is this true? 28:22 Did the cross destroy the law of God? 28:25 Why did Jesus die on the cross? 28:28 Did He die to save us from the law 28:32 or did He die to save us from sin? 28:35 Well, let's find out. 28:36 Matthew 1:21, please write it down. 28:39 The Bible says, "You shall call his name Jesus." 28:43 And by the way, that's a beautiful name, amen. 28:46 You know what the name Jesus means? 28:48 It means Savior. 28:50 Name of all names, 28:52 you shall call his name Jesus, Savior 28:55 but what is He going to save us from. 28:57 For he shall save his people from their law. 29:01 Is that what it says? Let's try again, 29:03 "He shall save his people in their sins." 29:07 Is Jesus gonna save us in our sins? 29:10 He's gonna save us what? From our sins. 29:13 And friends, remind me what is the definition of sin? 29:15 It's the breaking of the-- 29:18 so Jesus did not come to save us 29:19 in the breaking of the law 29:22 but He came to save us from breaking the law. 29:25 This is why He came and died on the cross friends, 29:28 to save us not only for the penalty of sin 29:31 which is death but to save us from the power of sin 29:36 which is breaking the law. 29:38 If that makes sense would you please say, amen? 29:41 But friends, when Jesus died there was a law 29:43 that came to an end at the cross. 29:44 There was a law that did-- that was abolished. 29:47 But it wasn't the Ten Commandments. 29:49 Well, which law was it? 29:50 Ephesians 2:15 has the answer. 29:53 The bible says, "Having abolished 29:54 in his flesh the enmity, 29:56 even the law of commandments 29:57 contained in" what? "Ordinances." 29:59 And friends, the word ordinance is another word for ceremonies. 30:03 It was the ceremonial laws that came to an end at the cross. 30:06 And what were these ceremonial laws? 30:07 Everything that was tied to an earthly sanctuary. 30:10 Hebrews 9:1, write it down, it says, 30:12 "Then indeed even the first covenant 30:14 had ordinances of divine service, 30:17 and the earthy" what? "Sanctuary." 30:19 And so these were the laws and the commandments 30:22 that came to an end at the cross, 30:23 it was the sacrificial ceremonial laws. 30:26 And these were the laws that are described 30:27 in Colossians 2:14, write it down. 30:31 The Bible says, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances 30:36 that was against us, which was contrary to us, 30:38 took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." 30:42 Friends, which law was nailed to the cross? 30:44 It was the commandments that were contained in ordinances, 30:47 the handwriting of ordinances. 30:50 These were the sacrificial services. 30:52 And the reason why these came to an end at the cross 30:54 is because remember, 30:55 what was the purpose of the sanctuary 30:56 and the services and the sacrifices? 30:59 It was to teach us about Jesus. 31:01 Can you say, amen? 31:02 These were shadows that pointed forward to a substance, 31:06 types that would point forward to and anti-type 31:09 and so when Jesus came in the flesh 31:11 all of these things were no longer necessary 31:14 because the purpose of these things 31:15 was simply to teach us and to make us ready 31:18 for when Jesus would actually come 31:20 and die on the cross in the flesh. 31:23 Are you with me, yes or no? 31:24 Now friends, there are many people in the Christ-- 31:26 and the reason why I am emphasizing 31:28 this is because there are many people 31:29 that are mixing the ceremonial laws 31:32 that were abolished at the cross with the Ten Commandments. 31:36 They think that the ceremonial laws 31:37 and the Ten Commandments are one and the same. 31:39 But friends, they were two different 31:42 and distinctive laws. 31:43 I want you to-- I want to show it to you tonight 31:45 and on your way out you'll receive a handout 31:47 that has this chart. 31:48 The Ten Commandments versus the ceremonial laws 31:51 notice the difference. 31:52 The Ten Commands were called God's law 31:54 according to Romans 8:7. 31:55 Ceremonial law was called Moses law 31:57 according to Hebrews 10:28. 31:59 Ten Commandments were written by God's finger 32:01 where as the ceremonial law was handwritten by Moses, 32:04 2 Chronicles 35:12. 32:06 The Ten Commandments written in stone. 32:08 The ceremonial law written in a book. 32:11 The Ten Commandments was placed 32:12 in the Ark of the Covenant. 32:14 Where as the ceremonial law was placed on the side 32:16 of the Ark of the Covenant. 32:18 The Ten Commandments is called a spiritual law, 32:20 Romans 7:14. 32:21 The ceremonial law was called a carnal law, 32:23 Hebrews 9:10. 32:24 The Ten Commandments revels sin, 32:26 Romans 3:20, 7:7. 32:28 The ceremonial law was given because of sin, 32:30 Galatians 3:19. 32:31 The Ten Commandments are called eternal abiding principles, 32:36 where as the ceremonial law, 32:37 ceremonial law were temporal prophecies. 32:40 The Ten Commandments are gonna stand forever, 32:42 where as the ceremonial law was nailed to the cross. 32:46 And those were the laws that came to an end. 32:49 When Jesus died on the cross the Bible says-- 32:52 the Bible said that He said, "It is finished." 32:55 Then the veil of the temple was torn 32:57 from top to bottom showing an end, 33:00 an abolishing, doing away with 33:04 those sacrificial ceremonial laws. 33:06 And because of the death of Christ 33:07 now we can come boldly to the throne of grace 33:11 to obtain mercy and find help to save in our time of need. 33:14 Can you say, amen? 33:15 So we see according to Psalms 111:7, 8 33:18 that "All his commandments are sure. 33:21 They stand fast" how long? "For ever and ever." 33:27 now some people say, 33:28 but you know, we don't have to worry 33:30 about the Ten Commandments? 33:31 Because Jesus said, all you have to do is love. 33:34 Just love God and love each other, 33:36 don't worry about the Ten Commandments. 33:37 Well, friends, it's true that Jesus taught us 33:39 that all we need to do is love. 33:41 But here's the real question. 33:42 Did Jesus teach that love does away with His law? 33:46 Let's find out. Shall we? 33:48 Please write down Matthew 22:37-40 33:52 and by the way if you notice, 33:54 we're having a lots of scriptures tonight. 33:55 And friends, I hope you don't mind that. Amen. 33:57 You don't mind me giving lot of scriptures, right? 33:59 And the reason why we do this is 34:00 because it really doesn't matter what I say, 34:02 all that matters what the Bible says. Amen. 34:04 So we want to have a clear foundational 34:06 understanding of this topic 34:08 so that we can understand Satan's strategy, 34:11 his plans in the last days 34:14 to sit in the New Testament church, the temple of God. 34:17 And we're gonna study that on Saturday. 34:19 So notice, some people say, all you have to do is love, 34:21 don't worry about the law, just love, love, love, love. 34:23 And people, all they talk about is love 34:25 to the point that they say law is not important. 34:30 But let's find out what Jesus says, 34:31 "Jesus said unto him, 34:33 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 34:36 and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 34:38 This is the first and great" what? 34:40 "Commandment." 34:41 But friends, do you realize that when Jesus said this, 34:43 this was nothing new. 34:45 Jesus was actually quoting from the Old Testament 34:47 from Deuteronomy 6:4, it wasn't a new commandment. 34:51 It was new to them because they forget 34:52 the importance of loving God. 34:55 But none the less Jesus said 34:56 the first commandment is love God 34:57 with everything you have and everything you are. 34:59 And then the second commandment, 35:01 "The second is like unto it," 35:03 Jesus said, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'" 35:07 And friends, when Jesus said that, 35:08 that wasn't anything new. 35:09 He was quoting from Leviticus 19:18. 35:12 It was new to them because they forgot 35:14 the importance of loving their neighbor. 35:17 Now say-- friends, people read this surfacely 35:19 and they say, there you have it, 35:21 you don't have to worry about the Ten Commandments 35:22 just love God and love each other. 35:24 But friends, it will be well for us 35:25 to read the rest of the verse. 35:26 Can you say, amen? 35:27 Because notice what the rest of the verse says, 35:29 "On these two commandments 35:32 hang all the law and the prophets." 35:37 Friends, on these two commandments, 35:39 these two great principles of love, 35:41 loving God and loving your neighbor 35:43 hold up the rest of the Ten Commandments. 35:45 Friends, how many hands do you have? 35:47 Two hands, right? 35:48 And the same way these two hands love God 35:51 and love your neighbor, 35:53 on these two hands hold up how many fingers? 35:57 Ten fingers. 35:58 In the same way, friends, 35:59 every time you look at your hands 36:00 you see the law and the love of God, 36:03 His law of love. 36:04 Go ahead and look at your hands right now by the way. 36:06 You see them? 36:07 That's the law of love right there, friends. 36:10 God created it in your own hands. 36:13 In other words, when Jesus said, 36:14 "All you have to do is love God and love each other," 36:16 He was telling us that the only way you can keep 36:18 the Ten Commandments is if you love God 36:20 and love each other. 36:21 Because, friends, think about it, 36:22 if you really love God with all your heart, mind and soul 36:25 then you'll keep the first part of the commandment that says, 36:27 "Thou shall have no other gods before me." 36:29 You don't bow down and worship idols, 36:30 you don't take the name of Lord in vain, 36:32 you'll remember the Sabbath. 36:33 If you truly love God, 36:34 you'll keep the first part of the commandment. 36:36 Are you with me? 36:37 And if you truly love your neighbor as yourself 36:39 you'll keep the second part of the commandment, 36:41 you'll start by honoring your first neighbor, 36:44 you will honor your father and mother. 36:46 If you truly love your neighbor as yourself 36:47 you will not kill your neighbor, you will not commit adultery, 36:50 you will not steal and lie and cover 36:51 your neighbor's possession. 36:52 On these two commandments, love God and love your neighbor 36:57 hold up the rest of the claims of the law of God. 36:59 And friends, if that make sense would you please say, amen? 37:02 In no way does love go against the law of God 37:06 but rather like what the apostle Paul said 37:08 in Romans 13:10, 37:10 "Love is the fulfilling of the law." 37:12 And that word, fulfilling means to establish more fully. 37:18 In other words, the only way we can keep God's law is love. 37:22 If we try to do the right thing without love for God, 37:24 its legalism and it will not work, friends. 37:27 It's bondage. 37:28 But when we have love for God and love for one another 37:31 the natural result is the fulfilling of the law of God 37:36 in our hearts and in our lives. 37:38 In other words friends, the power of love 37:39 will establish the law of love 37:41 more fully in the believer's life. 37:43 This is what Jesus said in John 14:15. 37:46 Christ puts our love to the test. 37:48 Friends, tell me, if you love Jesus 37:50 let me hear you say amen. Amen. 37:52 Jesus says, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 37:58 In other words, love is demonstrating 38:04 by obedience to the Ten Commandments. 38:05 Can you say, amen? 38:07 Now friends, this is what Jesus says explicitly, 38:10 what He is saying implicitly 38:12 is, "If you don't love Me, don't even try it." 38:15 Because if you keep God's commandment without love 38:17 it's legalistic and it's not gonna-- you will not be saved. 38:20 We can't save ourselves brother and sisters, 38:22 by doing anything at all. 38:24 We're saved only by the grace of God. 38:26 Can you say, amen? 38:27 But Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep" 38:28 Now friends, in the Greek it's even more emphatic. 38:31 In original language it's like this, 38:33 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." 38:37 Because love, friends, is the motivating power 38:40 that enables us to do the things that pleases the Lord. 38:44 Can you say, amen? 38:45 Love for Jesus always leads to obedience 38:48 to the law of God. 38:49 Friends, do you remember that woman 38:51 that was caught in adultery? 38:52 She had broken the seventh commandment. 38:54 She was gonna be stoned to death because the wages of sin is-- 38:58 she deserved to die, she had broken the law of God. 39:01 And friends, she was bowed to the feet of Jesus 39:03 and even though she had made a mess of her life, 39:06 at the feet of Jesus she found herself 39:07 at the very best place she can ever be 39:09 in the whole universe. 39:10 Can you say, amen? 39:11 And at Jesus feet Jesus did not excuse her sin, 39:15 Jesus did not ignore her sin, He forgave her sin and He said, 39:21 "Neither do I condemn you." 39:22 Then he said, go and sin some more. 39:27 Is that what Jesus said? 39:29 Did Jesus said, You can go 39:30 and keep sinning, it doesn't matter. 39:32 You are under My grace and you gonna be saved 39:34 even though you continue to sin and break My laws, 39:35 is that what He says? 39:37 He said, "Go and sin no more." 39:39 You see, friends, this is the true gospel. 39:41 When Jesus said, go, that was pardon for her past. 39:45 But when He said, sin no more, 39:47 that was power for her present to live a brand new life. 39:53 Can you say, amen? 39:54 And so the next question is this, 39:56 some people say, oh, but the laws, 39:58 that's just-- 40:00 that's just a bunch of legalistic requirements. 40:01 There are many Christians 40:02 who are accusing the law being legalistic. 40:05 But friends, I want you to notice, 40:06 when God spoke His law to Moses 40:08 He gave it in the context of freedom. 40:10 In Exodus 20:2, the Bible tells us, 40:13 God said before He spoke His Ten Commandments 40:15 He said to Moses, "I am the Lord, thy God, 40:18 which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, 40:20 out of the house of" 40:22 In other words, God was saying, 40:23 I am the one that gave you freedom. 40:25 I want you to be a free people. 40:27 You see, He gives the law 40:28 in context of liberty and freedom, 40:31 freedom from the bondage of sin. 40:33 And so as God brings His children out of Egypt, 40:35 out of slavery He now gives to them 40:37 the Ten Commandments that teaches them 40:40 how to remain free. Amen. 40:43 How to remain in peace with each other 40:46 and peace with God. 40:48 And so, brother and sisters, the law of God 40:50 is not a law of bondage, it's a law of freedom. 40:53 Let me say it like this, tell me, friends, 40:55 what is the purpose of stop signs and speed limits? 40:57 Are those things there to restrict us 41:01 or are they there to protect us? 41:03 In the same way friends, the law of God, 41:04 I mean, we can be driving on the road 41:06 and trying to get some place 41:07 and the light turns red and we are angry at the light. 41:10 Man, this light is restricting me. 41:12 I am trying to get somewhere. So restrictive. 41:15 But friends, if that light wasn't there 41:16 you could kill yourself, isn't that right? 41:18 So what is the purpose of it? Is to protect you friends, 41:22 not to restrict you. 41:24 And it's the same with the law of God. 41:25 God said, "Thou shall not commit adultery," 41:26 He's trying to protect your marriage 41:28 and your home and your family and your children. 41:30 When He says, "Thou shall not kill." 41:31 He's trying to protect your life. 41:33 It's a law of freedom. 41:34 Now here' another question, 41:36 my wife and I, we've been married almost eight years now 41:39 and tell me is it a reasonable expectation 41:43 for her to expect me to be faithful to her and only her? 41:46 Is that reasonable or is that legalistic? 41:49 That's reasonable, right? 41:51 And it's reasonable for me to expect her to be faithful. 41:54 Why, because we've entered into covenant relationship 41:57 with each other and more than just a covenant relationship 42:01 it's because we love each other. 42:02 Can you say, amen? 42:04 You see, when you say yes to a person 42:06 you are also saying no to everyone else. 42:08 And when you think about that, wow, that's kind of-- 42:10 that sounds kind of restrictive. 42:12 So you are committing yourself to one person 42:14 and only that one for the rest of your life. 42:18 You cannot have other lovers on the side, 42:19 wow, that's sound so restrictive. 42:23 But is it really? 42:25 No, if you love that person. 42:26 Can you say, amen? 42:28 Because you don't care, you don't want anyone else, 42:29 you want just that person. 42:32 Tell me friends, is marriage bondage? 42:36 Well, that kind of depends who you are married to. 42:41 But if you love your spouse, 42:43 if you love your spouse is it bondage? 42:46 Absolutely not, it's freedom 42:49 to express the love that is pure and undefiled. 42:51 Can you say, amen? 42:52 And that's the same thing with the law of God. 42:55 It's not bondage friends, its freedom if you love Him. 42:59 If you don't love Him it is bondage. 43:01 It has to do with love that motivates you to obey. 43:04 In fact, notice in 1 John 5:3, 43:06 the Bible says, "For this is the love of God, 43:08 that we keep His commandments 43:10 and His commandments are not grievous." 43:12 In other words, its not burdensome, 43:14 it's not hard if we truly love the Lord. 43:16 Now friends, if we don't love Him its grievous, 43:18 it's burdensome, its bondage, it's difficult 43:21 because we're trying to do it our own strength. 43:23 And friends, we have no strength. 43:27 But friends, the love of God is the power 43:29 that fulfils the requirements of His law in our hearts. 43:32 Are you with me, yes or no? 43:33 And so now here's the next question, 43:34 we want to have a good through understanding, 43:36 we're hitting it from every single angle 43:37 that you might have in your mind. 43:38 Here's the next question, can the law of God save us? 43:42 The answer is absolutely not. 43:45 We can never be saved by anything we do. 43:47 Bible says, "All are righteousness 43:49 are like filthy rags." 43:51 The only way they we're going to be saved 43:52 is by the grace of God. 43:53 Can you say, amen? 43:54 Ephesians 2:8, 9, write it down, it says, 43:57 "For by grace are ye saved through faith 44:00 and that not of yourselves it is the" what? 44:03 "Gift of God Not of works, lest any man should boast." 44:06 Bible is clear that the only way we're gonna be saved is by grace 44:09 and we accept that grace through faith. 44:12 It's a gift, not something we work for, 44:14 try to earn with our own efforts 44:15 but something we receive as a gift of faith. 44:18 It doesn't come by works, grace and grace alone. 44:22 Can you say, amen? 44:24 Now friends, listen, 44:25 when we make God's grace a license to break God's law, 44:29 when we take the grace of God 44:31 and use it as a sorry excuse to do 44:33 what we want to do and to live our own lives 44:36 that grace becomes disgrace. 44:39 We are spitting on the sacrifice of Christ 44:42 when we do that, friends. 44:43 We are treating so cheaply 44:46 that which causes God everything to give to us. 44:52 Friends, let us uphold it and value it as we should. 44:55 Can you say, amen? 44:56 Oh, how many of you are thankful 44:57 for the grace of God? 44:59 But then there are some people who say, 45:01 all you have to do is believe, 45:02 don't worry about keeping the law 45:04 and what not Ten Commandments just believe. 45:06 Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart 45:08 and the Bible does say that. 45:09 But friends, even the apostle Paul knew that 45:11 some people would sheep in what true faith really is. 45:14 And because of that he wrote in Romans 3:31, 45:16 "Do we then make void the law through faith?" 45:19 In other words, just because we have faith, 45:20 does that mean we can break God's law? 45:22 What's the answer? 45:23 "God forbid: yea, we" what? "Establish the law." 45:27 In other words, if we truly have faith the law of God 45:30 will be established in our lives. 45:33 In other words, faith will result 45:34 in the fruit of the spirit, obedience 45:37 because James 2:26 says that 45:40 "Faith without works is" "Dead." 45:42 So we need a faith that works, and all genuine faith works. 45:47 But how does it work? 45:48 Galatians 5:6, "Faith that works by love." 45:54 In other words, love is the power 45:56 that enables our faith 45:57 to result in the works of obedience 45:59 to the law of God. 46:01 You see friends, whenever you read the New Testament 46:03 the apostle Paul and Jesus, 46:04 they were never against the law of God, never. 46:06 You will not find that in a New Testament. 46:08 They were only against the legalistic way 46:10 that people were keeping the law. 46:11 That's what they were against. 46:13 All the apostles 46:14 whenever its dealing with the law of God 46:16 and they seems to save-- 46:17 seems to us that-- that there's-- 46:19 that get away the law. 46:20 No, the rebuking the legalism that people were practicing 46:24 in their keeping of the law 46:25 and what many Christians have done, 46:27 they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. 46:30 They think that because Christ-- 46:31 because Paul and Jesus was against legalism 46:33 they think that they were against law but not at all. 46:36 They were showing as that the only way to keep the law 46:38 was by faith that works by love. 46:42 And so let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. 46:44 Can you say, amen? 46:46 There is no contradiction, no disagreement 46:48 between God's grace and God's faith and God's law. 46:52 So now is the next question, 46:54 what is the role and purpose of the law of God? 46:56 According to Romans 3:20, 46:59 the purpose of the law is to show us 47:01 what the sin is. 47:02 The Bible says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law 47:04 there shall no flesh be justified in his sight 47:07 for by the law is the knowledge of" what? 47:10 In other words, you will not know 47:11 what sin is without the law 47:14 because the law reveals what sin is. 47:18 In James 1:22-24, write it down. 47:21 It tells us that God's law is like a mirror. 47:25 Now what is a purpose of a mirror? 47:28 Every morning you wake up morning 47:29 before you leave the house you look into that mirror, why? 47:33 Because the mirror is to do one thing and one thing only. 47:37 And what is that? It is to tell you the truth. 47:42 You may not like the truth 47:45 but it tells the truth, isn't that right? 47:47 And that's the purpose of the mirror, 47:48 is it reveal what reality really is 47:53 so that we are not deceived. It tells us the truth. 47:56 The law of God is like into mirror. 47:58 It helps us to know what sin is and to illustrate this 48:01 I need you to excuse me just for a moment. 48:02 Please don't leave. 48:03 I need you to pray for me right now 48:05 because I am back here 48:06 and where no one else can see me. 48:08 I am back here breaking the law of God. 48:12 And so are you praying for me? 48:15 That's a beautiful picture. What's wrong? 48:21 Why are you laughing at me? Is there something wrong? 48:26 Do I have something on my face? 48:29 Am I presentable? Yes or no? 48:32 Well, you don't look so good yourself. 48:35 Who are you to judge me? I am all right. 48:40 You see, I don't realize my condition. 48:42 I think I am okay. 48:43 I think I am saved because I have a nice suit on. 48:48 But friends, do I have something on my face? 48:50 Yes. Well, how will I know it? 48:52 I can't trust you. How can I trust you? 48:54 I don't know you. 48:56 What do I need in order to see what reality is? 48:58 What I need? I need a-- Mirror. 49:00 And the law of God is like a-- Mirror. 49:02 And so would somebody please get me a mirror. 49:05 Oh, thank you. Wow. 49:13 What you are saying is true according to the law. 49:16 I look into this law 49:17 and it confirms that I am not presentable. 49:21 I have sin in my life. The law reveals sin. 49:26 Now what do I do with the law of God. 49:28 Am I going to destroy the law, give away the law 49:29 because I didn't like what it told me? 49:31 Is that-- If I get rid of this law, 49:32 is that going to change my condition, yes or no? 49:35 So getting rid of it is not going to change anything 49:38 because I am still a dirty sinner 49:41 no matter what happens what I do with the law. 49:43 So what I do then? 49:44 Do I take the law and try to clean myself. 49:47 Is the law, can the law clean me? 49:50 The law is not meant to cleanse anyone. 49:54 The law cannot clean. 49:56 The purpose of the law is just to show me 49:59 my need of cleansing. 50:02 And so what I do with the law now? 50:04 I put the law down for a moment, 50:06 nicely and reverently. 50:08 And then I go to the blood of Jesus 50:13 and I say, Lord, forgive me, God. 50:17 I have sin in my life. 50:20 Have mercy upon me, oh, God. 50:23 I made mistakes, made a fool of myself. 50:28 Done some things that I am shameful of, oh, God. 50:32 What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 50:39 And friends, what the law of God could not do, 50:43 the blood is able to do. 50:48 There is a fountain filled with blood, 50:50 drawn from Emanuel's veins. 50:53 Sinners plunge beneath the flood, 50:55 lose all their guilty stains. 50:57 Oh friends, how do I look now? How do I look? 51:03 I look good, don't I? Oh, how do I know? 51:08 I don't know if I am all right or not. 51:09 What I need to do now? I need to go back to that law. 51:13 And the law that once told me I am dirty, 51:15 now I examine myself into that law 51:18 and I see that, well, I am a lot better 51:19 but still I got a long way to go. 51:24 And so then I say, Lord, not just the big sins 51:28 but the small ones too, all that pride, 51:31 that spiritual pride, that selfishness, 51:35 oh, that creeps in, that compromise that comes, 51:39 Lord, please wash me thoroughly, the big as well as the small. 51:42 Please, oh, God, apply your cleansing blood. 51:46 And friends, how about now, is it okay? 51:49 I have to go back to the law and see. 51:50 And friends, the law that once told me that I am dirty-- 51:58 Man, sin is-- Well, praise the Lord. 52:02 The law that once told me that I am dirty now tells me 52:05 that my life is back in harmony with the law of God. 52:08 Friends, the blood of Jesus is the best detergent 52:12 to cleanse every stain of sin upon the garment of our lives. 52:16 And friends, we would not know our need of His blood 52:19 if it was not for the law of God. 52:22 That's the purpose of the law, 52:24 is to show what our need of Jesus. 52:28 Bible warns us in the last days as we get ready to close. 52:31 In 1 John 2:4 it talks about ministers 52:33 and people who profess Jesus as the lord 52:36 but they don't keep His commandments. 52:38 Bible says concerning them in 1 John 2:4, 52:41 "He that says, I know him, 52:43 and keeps not his commandments, is a" what? 52:46 "Liar, and the truth is not in him." 52:48 But friends, in contrast of our lives 52:51 God is gonna have a group of people 52:52 that are going to tell the truth, 52:53 the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 52:56 And notice how that described in Revelation 14:12, it says, 53:00 "Here is the patience of the saints, 53:02 here are they that keep the commandments of God, 53:05 and the faith of Jesus." 53:07 Here is God's final group of people. 53:09 Those who have experienced the reality, 53:11 of the New covenant promise 53:12 they delight to do the will of God 53:13 because God flows in their heart 53:15 and they realize more than anyone else 53:17 that God's law of love is the law of liberty, 53:21 a law of peace and the law of freedom. 53:24 And friends, how many of you want God's law 53:27 to be written in your heart? 53:29 Do you want to experience the new covenant promise? 53:32 Well, friends, all we have to do is 53:33 give God permission to do it for us. Amen. 53:37 It's not legalism friends, it's all about love. 53:41 Love that results in obedience to the law. 53:45 Now friends, I want to close with a story. 53:47 This is a story about a slave who is being sold at an auction. 53:53 The auctioneer got up and began to take bids 53:55 for the slave 53:57 and as people looked upon him they saw good investment. 54:00 I mean, he was big and strong 54:02 and he looked very young. 54:04 Many more years ahead, a good investment. 54:07 But the only problem was, as people looked upon the slave, 54:11 the slave kept shouting at the people 54:14 and he said, I will not work, 54:17 I will not work, I will not work. 54:20 And by the way, he looked very intimidating. 54:23 It didn't look like you can force him to work 54:25 because he was big and strong 54:26 but none the less people wanted him. 54:29 So the price kept getting higher and higher 54:31 and higher and higher and finally 54:33 he was sold at a high price. 54:34 The owner comes to claim the slave. 54:36 The slave says to his new owner, 54:38 I am flatter that you paid such a high price for me 54:40 but like I said, I will not work. 54:43 I will be no man's slave. 54:45 The owner says, just come, come with me. 54:48 They get into little horse and buggy 54:50 and they start down the road. 54:52 Now at the end of the road suddenly 54:53 the carriage stops at this beautiful house 54:56 on the side of the road with a nice picket fence 54:59 and the owner looks up, says to the slave, 55:02 "Look at that house, this is now your house. 55:05 This is the place where you will be staying." 55:07 Now as the slave looked at the house 55:08 he saw that this was not a slave's quarters. 55:11 This was the quarters of one that was a family member. 55:15 And the slave said to the owner, "I am flatter that you do 55:17 such a thing for me but like I said before, 55:19 I will not work no matter what you give me, 55:22 I will be no man's slave." 55:25 That owner looked at the slave and he said, 55:30 "I bought you, I paid a high expensive price. 55:36 I bought you not so that you can become my slave. 55:41 I bought you to set you free. 55:45 You are free. I bought you to free you." 55:50 With that the man got out of the carriage. 55:53 The owner took off 55:55 and now the slave is standing there in all. 55:59 He's shocked, he had just been freed 56:03 and he received a beautiful home on top of that 56:06 and as this slave is contemplating 56:08 the kindness and the mercy 56:10 and the grace that have been bestowed upon him. 56:14 He snaps out of it 56:15 and he chases that carriage down 56:17 and he stops the man that had just set him free 56:19 and he said to him, "Sir, 56:21 if you bought me to set me free 56:25 then I will serve you for the rest of my life." 56:30 Around 2,000 years ago there was another slave 56:36 and another master and another auction. 56:40 The human race were in bondage to sin, 56:42 not to the law, to sin 56:45 but there was someone that came to purchase us 56:49 and he paid a high price. 56:51 We were bought friends, by the blood of Jesus 56:54 not with corruptible things like silver and gold 56:57 but we were purchased with the gold of Jesus' blood 57:00 and the silver Jesus' tears. 57:03 This is the price that was paid four our redemption 57:07 and He bought us not so that we can become his slave 57:09 and do whatever He want's us to do. 57:11 No friends, He bought us to free us. 57:14 Free from what? 57:15 Free from sin, free from worry, 57:19 free from bad habits, lustful thoughts, 57:22 cursing, lying and swearing, 57:25 living lives free from anything that bind us 57:28 free from worrying and from fear and doubts. 57:32 Whatever slaves us tonight, the blood of Christ frees us. 57:38 And because of what He has done for me, 57:41 I don't know about you 57:42 but I want to say like that slave said, 57:45 Lord, if You bought me to set me free 57:51 then I will serve You for the rest of my life. |
Revised 2014-12-17