Faith in the Law.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Well, good morning. Have a seat. Thank you so much for being here. I [0:05] Was scared before I came up here because we were trying some new lighting out this morning [0:09] And they were on the floor and I almost couldn’t see I almost went blind this morning [0:13] But apparently they moved the lights so I didn’t have anything to be afraid of after all [0:18] Thanks for being here. My name is Steve. I am one of the pastors here at the village [0:22] I just want to thank you guys so much for being here this morning

[0:26] If you have your Bible go ahead and open it to Galatians chapter 4 [0:30] We’re gonna be in the end of chapter 4 today

[0:34] Verses 21 through 31 on Sundays [0:38] We come together and just to fill you guys in because a lot of you haven’t been here very long [0:44] We exist for what is called the mission of Jesus [0:49] We exist to connect people to God through the hope that’s found in his son [0:54] Jesus and we also there’s an after that [0:58] There’s there’s something that happens once you’re connected to God and what happens once you’re connected to God is that you begin to live a life

[1:06] That will spread his name throughout the world and it starts in your very own circle of influence [1:13] And what we want to do here is we not only want to connect you to God [1:16] We don’t just want to introduce you but we want to help you get to know each other [1:20] We want to help you learn how to live a lifestyle that will take [1:26] The mission of Jesus into the culture that is around us right here in Midlothian and Chesterfield and beyond into Richmond and all the outlying areas [1:34] And we do that one way we do that is we come together on Sunday mornings

[1:39] And we gather as a church and we sing songs of worship and we praise God and we also preach the Bible [1:46] I if it’s one thing that I’m going to do this morning [1:49] It’s gonna be to preach the Bible and that might offend you [1:52] I’m not gonna promise that you’re gonna come into here and you’re not gonna be offended you might but if you’re offended [1:58] I want you to know that you’re gonna be offended by the Bible because that’s what we teach here and I’m gonna talk to you [2:04] for about the next 30 or 40 minutes out of the Bible and

[2:07] What I hope happens because I hope in one way or another in some way. We’re all offended this morning [2:13] I hope I’m offended as I prepare these messages every week [2:17] I get offended by God every week because I find some part of my life that I don’t want to change [2:22] I find something that God is constantly calling me to grow in and something that God is constantly calling me to move [2:29] towards and my first reaction is I can’t do that or [2:34] Actually better yet. I don’t want to do that

[2:38] That doesn’t meet my needs that doesn’t meet the direction that I want to take my life in [2:43] But that’s kind of the tension of being a follower of Jesus is we have our life and it’s a life [2:50] We’ve been setting up for however many years you’ve been alive [2:54] And then we have the life of Jesus and sometimes we see that those two directions aren’t the same [3:01] Sometimes we see that Jesus is [3:04] Going one way and our life is going another way and the tension is caused because if we’re proclaiming to be followers of Jesus

[3:13] What are we gonna have to do? We’re gonna have to change direction and [3:18] That’s not comfortable [3:20] That’s not always a very pleasant experience when you’re trying to make those moves and it’s hard and [3:28] Here at the village one thing that we want to do is we don’t want to candy-coat that for you [3:32] We know and we experience and we realize that this journey of faith in Jesus is a struggle on good days [3:42] It’s not easy

[3:43] Jesus himself said narrow is the way that leads to me. It’s a hard path, but why does the gate that leads to destruction? [3:51] So if it’s easy it might not be Jesus

[3:55] So this is a hard path that we’re on and when we come together on Sunday mornings [4:00] I’m gonna be honest with you [4:03] But one thing I’m not gonna do is I’m not gonna come up here and lie to you and say this is easy for me [4:09] It’s probably harder for me than it is for some of you [4:12] But truth is truth and I have to teach the Bible because we believe here that the Bible is our ultimate authority [4:19] It is our guide. It is God’s

[4:22] revelation of his plan for history and [4:26] So we come together and we teach that and so that’s what we’re gonna be doing this morning over the past few weeks [4:32] We’ve been going through the book of Galatians and last week [4:36] We talked about the fact that God has freed us to dream big [4:40] God has freed us from a life that is bound by sin [4:44] to a life where we can dream for the impact that our lives can have on his kingdom and

[4:52] This week we’re gonna take kind of a different direction [4:54] It’s it’s almost a continuation of last week, but it’s a little different and here’s where the difference is what what happens when those dreams fail

[5:03] You know what happens when you’re living life in one direction [5:08] And you want to dream big for the kingdom of God [5:11] But it seems so hard for you and so out of reach that you just give up [5:17] What happens when you fail to dream? [5:20] What does it look like when we’re not dreaming for the kingdom of God? [5:24] But instead we’re dreaming for our own kingdom here on earth

[5:28] Does Paul have anything to say about that because we’re really good at dreaming [5:31] We’re good at going through the Bible and say obey dream do [5:36] But we’re really bad sometimes at being really honest and saying look [5:40] I know that there are parts of your life where you feel like a failure

[5:46] And I know there are parts of your life where you want to give up on the gospel [5:51] Where you want to give up on his body, which is the church I? [5:56] Know there are parts of you that don’t want to try anymore

[6:04] And if you’re like that I can feel you I know where you are [6:10] I’ve been there [6:12] Sometimes during the week I wake up and that’s where I am [6:16] Sometimes I wake up in the morning, and I say God this is too hard. I don’t want to do this anymore

[6:25] What does Paul say about that? What is that? [6:27] What happens inside of us that we are offered this amazing life of greatness through the Son of God Jesus Christ [6:36] We’re offered the gospel which doesn’t just give us a ticket to heaven what it does is it revolutionizes our life [6:41] What happens inside of us to where we know this revolutionary love we know God himself [6:47] We know what the gospel says and we even believe it, but then at some point in our life [6:53] We almost hit a brick wall. Why is that?

[6:57] Well Paul’s gonna talk about that today [6:59] It’s one thing that I really like about the Bible is it doesn’t leave much unsaid [7:05] Is it like specific to where it’s like and thou shalt hit a wall and at that moment thou shalt pray this prayer? [7:12] And everything will be fixed not really [7:15] because [7:16] Life is not like that because that would just be a new law and guess what if you tried to pray that prayer

[7:22] Like 75% of us would would say oh, yeah, it worked burden lifted love lifted me and [7:31] Then we’d go home, and we probably cry because we lied to everyone we just didn’t want them to know the truth that it didn’t work [7:37] What what really happens though so go to Galatians chapter 4 all right last week freedom to dream in verse 20 what Paul has [7:44] To say when he finishes that that those verses last week where they’re struggling with the law [7:49] He says I’m completely confused by the faith that you’re claiming is true. I don’t even understand it and then he goes into verse 21

[7:57] Tell me [7:59] You who desire to be under the law [8:03] Do you not listen to the law? [8:07] For it is written that Abraham had two sons [8:10] one by a slave woman and [8:13] one by a free woman

[8:15] But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh [8:20] While the son of the free woman was born [8:24] Through promise okay. Let’s stop right there [8:28] so Paul looks at him in verse 21 and [8:31] He’s jumping off of last week where he’s saying this faith and this grace that we have through Jesus this gospel is [8:39] So much greater than the law, but Paul then turns and he addresses those people

[8:45] Who are trying to convince the people in the Galatian Church to forsake the gospel? [8:51] For the religion that they were setting up which is called Judaism. They were the circumcision party [8:56] They’re like you have Jesus fantastic, but you also need this [8:59] All right, so Paul is directly speaking to them and those people that they have convinced to follow them [9:05] And he looks at them, and he says okay those of you who desire to follow the law [9:10] Have you ever actually even listened to it?

[9:14] Paul gets very sarcastic quite often in Scripture, and what he’s doing right here is he’s basically asking a rhetorical question [9:21] He’s not looking and saying have you really listened to it is not like you know did you do your math homework last night? [9:28] That yes or no Paul’s just being a jerk to them, and he can be because they’re heretics you can be a jerk to heretics [9:34] I mean you really can it’s okay Paul does this why can’t I so Paul looks at him [9:39] He starts to make fun of him [9:41] He’s like you guys know the entire Old Testament

[9:44] But have you ever actually listened and understood to what it says and [9:49] Then he uses this example, and he appeals to the example of what happens between two women [9:54] Hagar who is a slave woman and Sarah who’s the wife of Abraham? [10:00] Here’s the reason he uses this example because it’s going to be a story that those who follow Judaism are absolutely familiar with [10:06] They know the story frontwards backwards to the side [10:09] They know it and he’s also using it because if you’ve gone from Galatians chapter 1 all the way through here with us

[10:15] He’s talked a great deal about Abraham why Abraham because Abraham is the patriarch of Israel in the religion of Judaism [10:24] Abraham is the original gangster [10:28] He’s the founder of the faith to them. He is who they all came from [10:34] Alright, so he uses Abraham as this constant example [10:37] and what he’s going to do now is he’s going to take another story out of Abraham’s life and [10:42] Explain why they can’t save themselves the way that they want to but they have to turn to Jesus

[10:48] Here’s the story [10:50] alright

[10:52] In verses 21 through 23 they make this parallel between Hagar and Sarah and what happens is is Abraham [11:00] Goes to God in Genesis chapter 15 and he tells God God I am struggling [11:04] Alright, I know you’ve made these great promises to make a great nation to bless those who bless me and to curse those who curse me [11:11] I know you’ve made all these promises to me, but [11:13] I’m struggling and then in Genesis 15 God reveals himself to Abraham again [11:18] and God goes to Abraham and says Abraham you will have children and

[11:24] Then he says Abraham go outside. It’s nighttime [11:26] He says look up at the sky and Abraham looks up at the sky and there’s stars all over the sky and [11:31] Abraham and I know that’s a revolutionary comment to many of you at night. There are stars [11:36] anyway, I don’t even know why I said that but uh [11:40] Abraham looks up at the sky and God says Abraham look at the stars count them [11:44] Your descendants will be greater than the numbers of stars in the sky you ever tried to count stars

[11:52] You can’t there’s just a lot of them [11:54] Abraham’s looking up at this and the one thing you got understand in Genesis 15 Abraham is not a young guy. He’s not my age [12:01] He’s old [12:03] If you’re in here, and you think you’re old Abraham’s older than that [12:08] All right [12:09] Abraham is really old and his wife is as old as he is

[12:14] Biologically she has passed the age of where she can give birth [12:19] She should be a great grandmother by this point, and she’s never had any children [12:24] She’s been barren [12:27] But Abraham does not doubt God [12:30] Abraham says I believe you and Genesis 15 says Abraham believed God and his faith was counted to him as righteousness [12:38] All right, so God transforms Abraham’s life turns him into a man of faith all right Abraham goes home

[12:45] That’s where the problems begin [12:47] All right is that he goes to his wife [12:51] He’s like honey you’ll never believe what happened to me [12:55] I’ve never gone home and been like honey. I met God today [12:59] But that’s what that’s basically what happens here. He’s like God revealed himself to me. That’s crazy and Sarah’s like okay [13:05] What did he say well?

[13:07] He says we’re gonna have a family so big that the stars in heaven can’t even compare to the number and she says well [13:14] That’s good. I don’t know how that’s gonna happen

[13:19] And she believes part of what he says she says okay, I believe that let’s see how we can make this happen [13:27] First mistake [13:29] God didn’t say they were gonna make it happen God said he was gonna make it happen [13:34] All right, so God promises that it’s going to be through her and through his family [13:40] He specifically says don’t look at your servants to further this I’m gonna do it through your family [13:47] And Abraham says okay, he’s gonna do it he gets home

[13:50] He says Sarah we’re gonna have a baby isn’t that fantastic and she laughs and says I don’t think that’s really gonna happen [13:56] But here’s where God’s wrong, okay? I can’t have children, but my servant Hagar [14:02] She’s still pretty young go into her. She’ll have a son. He can carry on the family name [14:09] God’s word is true. We believe it so go do it that way [14:13] fantastic

[14:16] So [14:17] Abraham does what his wife says [14:20] I don’t know if you’ve been tracking me in the book of Genesis very long okay in Genesis 1 [14:25] Adam [14:27] Does what his wife says not so good?

[14:31] Genesis 15 Abraham does what his wife said not so good all right [14:36] So if you if you’re a man in here, you know where I’m going I’m gonna get more specific than that [14:41] Just just a little word to the wise I know I’m a young guy [14:45] But there seems to be a trend in Scripture here all right, and this that was just the first book [14:52] That’s one of 66. I don’t need to go further [14:55] So to tell you how other guys got it wrong with women all right so word to the wise gentlemen all right

[15:02] Anyway all right so Abraham goes into Hagar [15:06] Sarah’s servant, and they have a child his name is Ishmael [15:10] And so Abraham Abraham says awesome through Ishmael. I will have a great lineage [15:18] God says Abraham. That’s not what I said was going to happen [15:25] The first thing I want you to see this morning is God does not change his plan to fit our distrust [15:35] Where did Sarah go wrong?

[15:38] Sarah did not trust God to do something that was unrealistic to her [15:45] She only believed God as far as she could comprehend it [15:52] And because she did not trust God to do what God can do and what only God can do the Scripture [15:59] reminds us with God nothing is impossible and [16:03] Abraham comes to her Abraham fully believing says Sarah [16:06] This is going to happen and her response through her action

[16:09] She doesn’t say this verbally, but through her action what she says is well with God not everything’s possible [16:15] And so because of her distrust Abraham goes into Hagar Hagar has a son his name is Ishmael [16:22] God says no [16:23] That’s not what I wanted to happen and so Abraham says okay [16:27] And then he goes into Sarah and Sarah has a son his name is Isaac

[16:35] And so there you have the lineage of Abraham [16:39] Israel comes through Isaac and his offspring and [16:44] The numbers of Abraham’s descendants are greater than the sky a whole nation springs forth [16:49] And then Jesus comes out of that great nation, and we talk a lot about that what about Ishmael

[16:57] What about that moment [17:00] Where Abraham and Sarah didn’t trust God completely well out of Ishmael [17:07] Isaac and Ishmael are completely contentious [17:10] Sarah ends up hating Hagar because she’s jealous until she has her own son so she [17:17] banishes Hagar and Ishmael from the family they go off they almost die God has to intervene and [17:24] redeem them

[17:26] but out of Ishmael [17:28] Comes thousands of years of descendants that are just as great a number as the descendants of Abraham and for the past [17:36] Few thousand years the Middle East has been in turmoil [17:40] By people who claim to be descendants of Ishmael and people who claim to be descendants of Isaac [17:47] Do you see where a moment of distrust can ruin lives the first life that was ruined was Hagar’s

[17:54] Sarah’s distrust made her sin with Abraham

[18:00] Then it ruins Ishmael’s life [18:03] To where Sarah basically says Abraham don’t pay any attention him pay attention to Isaac and then out of Ishmael’s [18:09] Descendants come people who follow a totally different religion, and they’re still fighting to this day [18:16] Still look at the West Bank in Israel [18:19] Descendants of Ishmael versus descendants of Isaac thousands of years of turmoil because somebody didn’t believe God

[18:27] You think you’ve got turmoil in your life when you don’t trust God think about that

[18:34] So what’s the point if God doesn’t change his plan to fit our [18:39] Distrust because God doesn’t change his plan God doesn’t look at them and say okay [18:44] Sorry always forget. I’m wearing a microphone [18:47] God doesn’t look at them and say okay. Well you’ve had Ishmael [18:50] So I guess I’ll change things up and we can come through Ishmael no God doesn’t change his plan [18:54] He still says it’s gonna be through a son that comes through Abraham and Sarah so he does that and

[19:00] So what happens here is that this distrust is? [19:04] Always at the root of a wasted life, which sin is going to come out of that wasted life [19:12] Do you see what happens? [19:14] Hagar and Ishmael end up wasting their lives because of the distrust of Abraham and Sarah [19:19] Then Abraham and Sarah have to redeem themselves and go off and say okay God [19:23] We’re gonna trust you and then they end up trusting God

[19:26] But look at what Paul has to say about that in chapter 4 as we go a little further starting in verse 24 [19:33] Now this may be interpreted allegorically in other words you can look at this as being a symbolic story

[19:41] These women are two different covenants one is from Mount Sinai [19:47] Bearing the children for slavery she is Hagar [19:51] Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia [19:55] She corresponds to the present Jerusalem for she is in slavery with her children, but the Jerusalem above is [20:04] Free she is our mother

[20:08] It’s like wow that doesn’t make any sense let me explain to you what he’s saying all right [20:13] Basically Paul is writing he’s saying there’s two different covenants at play here [20:18] One is the covenant of the law the other one is a covenant of freedom [20:23] The Judaizers are trying to convince you to forsake the gospel [20:27] All right, I am trying to get you to be free through the gospel one represents the current day [20:35] Jerusalem which is where the Judaizers came from the other one represents

[20:39] Heaven when he says things like the Jerusalem above he’s not talking about physical Israel [20:46] He’s talking about heaven [20:47] He says Mount Sinai Moses got the law on Mount Sinai Mount Sinai [20:54] represents the Old Testament law and [20:57] He’s saying one will lead you to living a life of slavery the other will lead you to living a life of sin [21:03] Let me explain it to you this way if

[21:06] Distrusting God always leads to a wasted life and only trusting God will lead to a life that is actually [21:14] Valuable and will actually do something my question is which one do you want and? [21:20] Paul is talking to a group of people who have openly said we choose slavery

[21:26] We don’t want freedom and [21:30] You’re sitting there, and you’re like, but that doesn’t make any sense I [21:35] Don’t understand what that could possibly mean [21:38] Explain it to you this way in the mid 90s of a movie came out all right [21:42] It’s one of my favorite all time. I love this movie. It’s called the Shawshank Redemption all right many of you have probably seen it [21:47] It’s about a man who was sent to prison for a crime

[21:50] He didn’t commit and he spends 20 some years there eventually breaks out and then at the end they’re on the beach [21:56] And they’re like we were free [21:58] All right, but there’s another character in that story that doesn’t really get noticed a lot [22:02] His name is Brooks Brooks Hadlan all right Brooks is an old man [22:07] And he’s like this guy that’s been in prison for so long that the young guys every one of them when they got there [22:13] He was already there

[22:16] He killed somebody and then towards the the end of the film kind of the midway when it starts to build towards the climax [22:23] Brooks gets paroled and [22:26] He’s out of prison [22:27] He had been in prison since he was a teenager and at this point. He’s probably in his 70s [22:34] So he’s been in prison far longer than he’s been out of prison all right [22:38] and then it follows Brooks as he’s a free man and he moves into this halfway house and

[22:46] During the day he works at a grocery store [22:48] They get him a job, and he’s bagging groceries [22:50] All right [22:51] And it shows this life of Brooks post prison and it’s one of the saddest things that you’ve ever seen [22:58] You see a man who has freedom, and it’s the most frightening thing he’s ever been introduced to [23:07] He goes to jail he goes to work every every day

[23:10] And he bags groceries [23:11] And he has to ask the boss when he can use the bathroom [23:15] Because he’s not used to being able to use the bathroom without permission [23:18] And he goes home, and he sits there all alone [23:23] He’s so old everybody that he knew before is either died or they’ve moved on and he doesn’t know what to do with this [23:30] Great freedom that he has and the story then takes a turn

[23:35] And you see Brooks putting on [23:38] His suit you see him packing his bags, and then you see him hang himself [23:44] Under a sign that says Brooks was here [23:47] And one of the themes of that movie is you’ve either got to get busy living or get busy dying [23:54] The narration kind of leads you to believe that Brooks had been in prison for so long [24:00] That he would rather be

[24:04] Imprisoned than have a freedom that he doesn’t [24:08] understand

[24:11] This is what we do with the gospel [24:14] This is what we do [24:16] That’s the story of many of us [24:19] That’s the story of the church at Galatia [24:22] They’re offered freedom, but all that they’ve known their entire lives is [24:28] slavery under sin all they’ve known for their entire lives is

[24:34] slavery and condemnation [24:36] under the law [24:39] Sarah all she knew was the slavery of being barren [24:46] and not having any children [24:48] So when God says I’m gonna free you [24:52] From being barren, and I know this doesn’t sound realistic and all you’ve known as a barren life

[24:57] But I’m gonna make you fruitful [24:59] Sarah can’t comprehend this freedom [25:02] So she goes about and says well. I’m not gonna get out of prison, but maybe you can Abraham [25:07] So go with somebody else [25:09] the Galatian Church tastes freedom with the gospel and then they look at the [25:15] Possibility and the potential of living a life for the gospel of Jesus Christ

[25:20] And they say but I don’t know what that would look like I just want to go about my life as usual

[25:29] Because the gospel does not look safe [25:33] So what we do is is we take the gospel and we try to change it so that it will fit into the lives [25:40] That we’ve always known we take the gospel of Jesus [25:44] And we try to condense it into something that we can cram down into the life that we’re already [25:50] Living because living something other than the life that we’ve always known is the most frightening thing that we could ever experience [25:58] And we are afraid and we don’t want to admit that so what we do in our society and what we do in our churches today

[26:05] Is we turn the gospel into something that’s manageable [26:09] Something that can be a point-by-point thing where if you do a B C and D [26:15] You are living an amazing life for Jesus [26:17] We’re gonna give you a couple of things you should do a couple of things that you shouldn’t do and [26:22] Nothing outside of that is required of you and just as long as you can fit these things into the life that you’re already [26:29] Living you are going to have an amazing life in Christ and people try it

[26:35] Thousands of people try it every single year and almost all of us come back to the cross with the same [26:42] Response and that response is I am unsatisfied [26:46] I’m going back to the life. I used to live [26:49] Because the gospel hasn’t given me what was promised to me [26:54] I’m no more satisfied now than I was I’m actually more [26:58] Dissatisfied because I’ve lost people in my life. I’ve hurt. I’m sick

[27:03] I’m broke and the gospel isn’t changing any of that and that’s what I want changed and God is in heaven saying [27:11] Even if I change those things you wouldn’t be any more free than you are right now

[27:22] We love slavery

[27:27] We saturate ourselves in it [27:30] We bind our lives to it [27:33] We choose lifestyles that make us slaves to one thing or another [27:38] It’s going to be different in all of our lives [27:41] But here’s the key [27:44] The gospel is not safe

[27:47] It’s not [27:48] Living a life of faith is not safe but it is sure [27:54] It is [27:55] Here’s what I mean by that. Let me flesh that out a little bit [27:58] All right, Brooks kills himself because because freedom is number one completely foreign to him and it’s also [28:05] You know, it’s it’s also

[28:07] Something that he can’t handle [28:09] He’s been told [28:12] This lifestyle for so long and now he’s offered another set of lifestyle and he can’t handle it. He doesn’t want it [28:17] Actually one telling scene in the movie is is he walks by a pawn shop and there are revolvers in the window [28:25] He looks at him and he considers [28:28] Breaking the law so that they’ll send him back

[28:34] That’s what we do with sin [28:37] We’ve been given the gospel and it’s something that we can’t wrap our minds around [28:42] It’s a lifestyle of obedience and following Christ through faith and living a life where God [28:48] revolutionarily changes us [28:51] But then the temptations come and we say oh that’s something that I can understand [28:58] That’s something that I can wrap my mind around that’s something that I can comprehend. I

[29:05] want that [29:07] Because at least I’ll understand what’s going on at least it’ll be some semblance of the life that I have been building

[29:16] The problem is is while that may be safe

[29:22] It’s not sure [29:25] and it’s condemning and it’s a slavery that will lead you to a completely [29:31] pointless and wasted life [29:35] And will eventually lead you to hell [29:38] Because you’re not living a life of faith [29:41] You’re not when you live for the gospel. Here’s what the gospel does for you the gospel changes you

[29:48] Jesus takes your sins to the cross [29:51] Gives you his righteousness [29:54] And what happens in that moment in those moments of change is is that you are given a new set a new [30:02] Life-standard to where you now are not only changed by the gospel [30:07] You’re not simply given a ticket to heaven rather you are given a brand new life [30:14] We are completely comfortable with certain parts of the gospel

[30:18] So was Sarah she was completely comfortable with God promising Abraham children just not through her [30:26] You’re comfortable [30:27] Probably in this society in this culture with your sins being taken away [30:32] forgiveness absolutely [30:34] Who doesn’t want forgiveness? [30:37] I asked my wife for it all the time

[30:40] most husbands do [30:43] But what we don’t want [30:46] Is the change [30:50] Forgiveness good heaven good change hold up [30:54] That’s not necessary right and as long as you don’t go to the scriptures and see the necessary [31:00] Changes that must take place in your life you live a life of complete ease

[31:07] Well I may not be who I should be but I got that forgiveness thing down

[31:15] The only problem with that is that’s not the gospel that’s a part of it [31:19] And we really want to believe that part, but it’s not the whole gospel. Here’s the whole gospel [31:24] God takes your sins away [31:26] And then what does it say in 2nd Corinthians 521 that he does he gives you the righteousness of Christ [31:36] That is what revolutionary excuse me what that is what revolutionizes your life [31:42] That is what changes the gospel will change your life

[31:49] The gospel is something that absolutely brings about a change [31:54] And if there is no change then the gospel has not taken root in your life [32:00] Jesus gives this parable in the in the synoptic gospels where there’s a man who throws seed [32:07] Along the roadside some of it falls on the on the road [32:10] And as he’s kind of trodden underfoot of men the birds come and they take it [32:14] The other part of it goes on the side of the road which has a little bit of soil and then rocks

[32:19] And it says those shoot up really quick and then the Sun comes out and when the Sun beats down on those they haven’t [32:26] Taken root so they wither and they perish and then some of the seed goes along some thorny bushes [32:31] And what happens is is when those seeds shoot up the thorns choke them out and the roots of the thorns take over the roots [32:38] Of those plants and the thorns of this life kill those plants [32:42] But then he says some of it falls on good soil and the roots are able to go down really deep and when those roots [32:48] Go down really deep this the plant shoots up and because it has roots that are down in good soil

[32:55] What happens is is those plants are able to thrive and they grow and they have fruit [33:01] Some of it 30 fold some of it 60 fold some of it a hundred fold [33:05] Here’s the key that you need to understand with that parable only one of those seeds is actually [33:11] redeemed by the gospel [33:13] Because he says what happens is is when he was going on that roadside [33:17] this is a parable and

[33:20] The ones that fell on the road and the birds took those are people who just flat-out reject the gospel [33:27] He says and the ones that are come along the roadside and shoot up quick [33:31] Those are people who say the gospel sounds really good, and so they they seem to be really excited about it [33:37] But then when the tough times in life come they wither and they didn’t really believe the gospel [33:43] And then he says those people the seeds that represents the people who fall among the thorns [33:50] Those thorns represent the temptations of sin in this life

[33:54] And when the plant shoots up those temptations [33:57] Overcome them and the gospel doesn’t ever take root, and it isn’t true in their lives the only [34:03] People who the gospel is true for are the ones [34:07] Where the seed falls on the good soil and the roots shoot down and [34:13] Take root and shoot up and they can wither the storms of life [34:17] They can endure the temptations that come because the gospel is a force of change in

[34:24] your life

[34:28] It’s a force of change [34:31] It’s a change for the better

[34:35] But not a change that just fixes all of your problems [34:40] See most problems that we have with the gospel in this culture have nothing to do with outside forces [34:46] Coming and telling us we’re not allowed to be Christians in this culture. We’re completely free to worship in this culture the way we want to [34:53] We are [34:55] Our problems are right here [34:57] Not from without but from within

[35:02] We don’t want God to give us a new life we want God to fix the one we currently have [35:07] Sarah didn’t want God to fix her life Sarah wanted God [35:11] She’s me Sarah didn’t want God to change her life and give her a new one Sarah wanted her to fix the problems that she currently had [35:17] She wanted it to be from within her life, and she didn’t see where God’s promise fit in her life [35:22] So she changed God’s promise [35:24] We do that all the time

[35:26] God tells us to live for the gospel [35:28] He says I want you to build relationships for the gospel [35:31] I want you to do this and I want you to change and I want you to live and I want you to love [35:36] Me and I want you to love other people and what we do is we say, okay [35:40] I’ll read my Bible ten more minutes every morning

[35:49] Is that what God asked you for

[35:54] Anybody can read a book [35:57] God says I want to revolutionize your life. I want you to sacrifice for the gospel [36:02] I want you to risk your very life to change the world through the gospel [36:07] I want to give you a brand new life where everything is seen through the lens of Jesus where your choices are all [36:15] Changed because of the gospel and the choices that you make only makes sense if the gospel is your life [36:21] The gospel of Jesus is true and our response I’ll pray another half hour this week

[36:30] We barter with God rather than giving God control

[36:38] We barter with him we say God I know that you want me to live a revolutionary life, but I don’t see where that’s realistic

[36:51] See where that fits my career plan

[36:56] That’s not gonna build my 401k

[37:01] That’s not gonna get me the big house and the nice cars

[37:07] So God calls us to live one life

[37:13] But instead we promise him a different type of life

[37:21] Don’t hear me attacking lifestyle don’t hear me attacking wealth [37:26] Because it’s gonna look different in everybody’s life [37:30] But what I’m saying is what is the foundation of why you live the way that you live?

[37:40] If you can be a millionaire

[37:43] And the reason you’re a millionaires for the gospel we need more millionaires [37:48] We could really use one at this church

[37:52] But only a gospel centered one

[37:56] If you want to have 18 kids and the reason you have those 18 kids is because that’s what furthers the gospel in this [38:03] world have 18 kids

[38:09] If the gospel is calling you to a life of poverty you should live a life of poverty

[38:17] But what if God’s not calling you to that and you’re like, okay God I’m uncomfortable with money [38:22] So I’m gonna live a life of poverty [38:24] God didn’t call you to that

[38:29] The Holy Spirit is gonna guide you to where the gospel is calling you [38:33] This is not about thou shalt and thou shalt not remember thou shalt and thou shalt not that exists to show you you’re a sinner [38:39] The gospel gives you the freedom to dream [38:42] The gospel gives you the freedom to dream big but it’s the motivation for your dreams that is the difference [38:49] Your dreams are now about the gospel. They’re not about you [38:56] They’re not about your comfort

[38:59] Listen to the lifestyle that the gospel brings about okay [39:03] Jesus promises the comforter all through the book of John he says I have to leave so that one who is greater than I can [39:08] He’s the comforter here’s my question for you if your life is absolutely comfortable, and you’re not uncomfortable in any way [39:15] Why do you need the comforter?

[39:18] If you’re not uncomfortable, and you’re not living a life of risk for the gospel then why do you need the comforter?

[39:25] Listen to what Jesus himself says the gospel is gonna bring into your life all right [39:29] He says in Luke 9 he says take up your cross deny yourself and follow me [39:32] He says you have to die to the life that you want so you can have the life that I want [39:37] He’s gonna change your motivations in John 15 20 [39:41] He says they persecuted me don’t you think they’re gonna persecute you in Acts chapter 5 verse 41 the apostles say [39:47] After they’ve been beaten for preaching the gospel they walk out of there

[39:51] And they say we thank God that we were counted worthy to suffer for the gospel in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 [39:58] Paul says if you are a follower of Jesus you will have persecution in your life

[40:04] And most of us live lives to run away from risk

[40:10] If the gospel is true you will be called to risk your life your livelihood all that you have [40:18] For the gospel because the gospel causes [40:23] revolutionary movement

[40:27] You cannot stay where you are and live for the gospel [40:34] You can’t most of us it’s not that we’ve tried the gospel and found that it’s untrue [40:39] It’s that we’ve never really tried it because most of us try the gospel from a seated position

[40:47] We don’t move anywhere [40:48] We stay right where we are we read our Bibles then we pray and we look up and we say okay God do something

[40:58] Never risking never moving and [41:01] The gospel it doesn’t come alive in our lives because we’re not living for the gospel think about it this way [41:08] There’s a storm at sea and the disciples look out and they see Jesus walking towards them on the water [41:15] They’re like oh my goodness. Could you imagine being in a boat and seeing somebody walk on the water that would change my life

[41:23] And the disciples look and Peter speaks up and says Lord can I come to you [41:28] And Jesus says if you will and [41:36] God because Peter has his faith in God [41:39] God changes the molecular structure of water [41:44] So that Peter can step out [41:47] And walk on it and Peter walks on water a miracle

[41:56] Here’s the thing you got to get [41:58] What if Peter had never stepped out on that on the water? [42:01] What if he had stayed in the boat and he had simply said I? [42:06] Believe that it’s true that I could walk on that water and then he just sat down [42:15] Want to walk on water get out of the boat

[42:21] Get up [42:23] Do something

[42:25] If you are attempting to live the Christian life [42:30] from a seated position [42:33] Guess what? [42:35] It’s never gonna satisfy you

[42:39] Your life’s never gonna change if you want to grow you’ve got to go

[42:48] Get up [42:50] The gospel is compelling you to move I

[42:56] Don’t know where you are I [42:58] Don’t know what your life is like for most of you some of you. I do but for most of you [43:02] I don’t know what’s going on at home. I don’t know what’s going on at work. I don’t know what’s happening [43:08] I don’t know what type of change [43:10] God wants to make in your life [43:12] But I can tell you this no matter where you are no matter how far along in the Christian walk you consider yourself to be

[43:20] No matter where you are what you’re doing God wants you to move [43:25] Somewhere and he wants you to move something

[43:32] Does it’s a [43:34] Revolutionary movement in your life, and you’re like, but that doesn’t sound realistic neither does someone

[43:44] Stepping down from heaven who’s God of the universe [43:47] Somehow becoming a human being and then dying for my sins that does not sound realistic for me because they’re my sins

[43:58] But I don’t know how to change I don’t know here’s the difference in Christianity and other religions [44:04] This is the big difference, and this is awesome [44:06] God’s not saying you have to do it by yourself

[44:11] God is pushing you right now

[44:15] And he wants you to move while he pushes

[44:21] Not only is he gonna push [44:23] But he’s also gonna give you all the strength that you need [44:28] Because while the gospel is not safe in this life. It’s killed lots of people over the years martyrs [44:35] Why were they willing to die? Why does Paul say to live as Christ but to die is gain because death can’t even undo [44:42] the gospel [44:43] Death isn’t greater than the gospel

[44:48] The gospel is greater than anything and God wants us to live for it

[44:55] Move

[44:57] Do something [45:00] Go somewhere [45:02] Where is it taking root in your life if you believe the gospel? [45:08] What is God currently changing in your life?

[45:12] Where are the relationships in your life right now? [45:16] Are they being built on redemption? [45:19] Are you currently using your life to redeem other people or are you just filled with anger and hatred towards everyone? [45:26] Resentment towards others or are you gonna live a life of forgiveness?

[45:31] For the sake of the gospel because the gospel is greater than your hurt. I promise you it is

[45:40] Maybe you just need to change your whole life your whole lifestyle

[45:45] I [45:46] Don’t know what it is [45:48] But God’s gonna do it for you, but he wants to do it his way God does not compromise

[45:56] Because the minute you try to make him you muddy the waters and you don’t get it [46:03] You see what Jesus did for us on the cross is he gave us a brand new life [46:07] He didn’t give us a rental he didn’t give us a lease [46:12] He gave us a new life that we can own but only in Jesus and he wants to live it through us [46:20] That’s what communion is [46:23] That’s what we reflect on every week. That’s why we proclaim the death of Jesus only in Christianity do we look at death and say

[46:31] Your strength gone [46:34] Jesus took the keys to the kingdom, baby [46:38] Jesus took that death on to himself and he rose again proving that death is not greater than the gospel [46:45] So we celebrate the death of Christ through his body and his blood our sins taken his life given [46:54] How do you respond to this where do you need to move some of you

[47:03] The Christianity that you’ve been trying to live isn’t real [47:07] You’re not saved [47:08] You don’t know Jesus [47:11] You need to meet him [47:13] You’ve been practicing a religion where you make God compromise guess what you didn’t make God compromise [47:20] You’re just setting up a religion of your own hands based on the law of your own making and that is not

[47:27] Jesus

[47:30] You need to believe the real gospel you need to really repent of your sins [47:34] And you need to be redeemed through Jesus that can happen today, and you can begin this movement that is so revolutionary [47:43] For others of you you know Jesus [47:47] But you need to move so right now as we reflect on communion as we celebrate [47:54] What God has done for us through Jesus I want you to take a few moments [47:58] I want you to reflect on the greatness of the cross of Jesus in our lives

[48:05] And when you’re ready come up take the bread take the cup [48:11] If you don’t know Jesus you can don’t reflect on communion until you know Jesus because it doesn’t mean anything [48:20] I’m gonna be standing right back there [48:23] If you need to talk you just need somebody to pray with you [48:28] I’m there I love you. I may have never met you before [48:33] But because of the gospel of Jesus I can tell you honestly I love you

[48:37] Because Jesus loves everyone and he gives me the strength full of everyone, too [48:42] I want to talk to you [48:45] I want to pray with you if you don’t know Jesus [48:48] Come and talk to me about it. I [48:51] May not convince you to know [48:52] But I’d still love to pray with you

[48:54] And then maybe if you want to know Jesus you can come and you can reflect on communion for the first time and have it mean [49:02] Something for your life and you can walk out of here today [49:08] And you can begin to change your life, but if you change your life guess what? [49:14] It’s gonna begin to change the lives of all those that are around you

[49:19] because Jesus [49:21] Loves not only [49:23] But he loves everyone that you know and everyone that they know [49:28] And he wants to cause a revolutionary movement in the middle of you and move people away [49:34] from their hellacious and [49:37] pointless and wasted lives of believing in a religion

[49:41] That doesn’t leave Jesus and he just wants them to know him [49:46] And he wants to do that in their lives [49:49] Let’s pray father [49:52] We come before you right now [49:55] We praise you and we thank you for the lives that you’ve given us through your son Jesus [50:02] for the change

[50:04] For the movement that you want to bring about in our lives that take redemption to the ends of the earth starting

[50:14] Chesterfield County [50:15] God as we partake in communion [50:18] As we proclaim your death [50:20] We pray that you will be worshiped and that you will be glorified [50:28] Because you alone deserve the glory