The Reliable Word.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Welcome to Village Church. [0:01] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve. [0:03] I’m one of the pastors at Village Church [0:06] and I am thankful and grateful to see you. [0:09] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up [0:11] to Romans chapter 15.

[0:13] We’re gonna be starting in 15. [0:15] So we’re on the home stretch with the Book of Romans now [0:18] but before we get into that, [0:21] do wanna let you know that last Sunday, [0:24] by God’s grace, we were able to raise over $11,000 [0:29] for international missions

[0:30] and so I want to thank all of you who were a part of that, [0:34] who’ve given so generously and who donated items [0:37] very generously as well. [0:39] That will go a long way to aiding the gospel [0:43] to go further amongst the nations of the world. [0:47] And where we are in Romans is kind of a part

[0:51] that is all about everyday living for Jesus. [0:55] So we’ve got the facts of what the gospel gives us [0:59] and so Paul, since chapter 12, has been driving home to us. [1:04] How then does the truth of the gospel translate [1:07] or impact the way that we live every day in this life? [1:12] And so starting in chapter 15,

[1:14] what he’s actually gonna be doing [1:15] is he’s kind of going to begin to put a bookend [1:18] on what he’s been talking about. [1:20] He started by unraveling the truth of the gospel, [1:24] talking about how God has worked through all of history [1:28] to save sinners, those of us who’ve rebelled against God

[1:31] and that’s all of us, and working through Jesus [1:33] then he proves God’s trustworthiness [1:36] and the fact that God has the power as well as the fidelity [1:39] to keep his promises to us. [1:42] And then just going into offering yourself [1:44] over as a living sacrifice, giving your life over to God.

[1:48] And so now what he’s going to do [1:50] is he’s going to remind us once again [1:53] of why we’re living for the gospel. [1:56] It’s one of the interesting things [1:57] if you read through the New Testament, [1:58] read the writings of Paul,

[2:00] usually Paul’s operating status, the way that he wrote [2:04] was that he would come in with the truth of the gospel. [2:08] He would declare the gospel, [2:10] then he would give you an imperative. [2:13] Because the gospel is true, here’s how you should live. [2:17] And then he would usually, oftentimes,

[2:20] come back around with a declaration of the gospel, [2:23] realizing just how forgetful we tend to be. [2:27] That even when we begin the journey with the proper motive, [2:31] trusting in Jesus alone for all that we have [2:33] and for all that we’re doing, [2:35] while we’re serving, while we’re obeying,

[2:38] while we’re sacrificing, there is this tendency for us [2:42] then to turn things back around to ourselves [2:44] and either think A, we’re earning some part of our salvation [2:48] or B, we deserve credit for the work that we’re doing. [2:53] So what Paul is always quick to do [2:54] is as soon as he gives us the imperative,

[2:57] he comes right back and he reminds us [3:00] of why we’re doing what we’re doing. [3:04] And that’s really what he’s doing in Romans chapter 15. [3:07] So start reading with me in verse one. [3:11] He brings a conclusion [3:12] to what he’s been talking about in chapter 14.

[3:14] He says, we who are strong have an obligation [3:16] to bear with the failings of the weak [3:19] and not to please ourselves. [3:21] Let each of us please his neighbor [3:24] for his good to build him up. [3:26] For Christ did not please himself.

[3:28] But as it is written, [3:30] the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. [3:34] For whatever was written in former days [3:37] was written for our instruction, [3:39] that through endurance and through the encouragement [3:42] of the scriptures, we might have hope.

[3:45] May the God of endurance and encouragement [3:47] grant you to live in such harmony with one another [3:50] in accord with Christ Jesus. [3:53] That together you may with one voice glorify [3:57] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [4:01] Therefore, welcome one another

[4:03] as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. [4:08] He begins by informing us once again, [4:12] life is not about you. [4:16] The first two verses of Romans 15 serve [4:18] to completely cap the message from Romans 14. [4:22] That is, that you are to seek to live in harmony

[4:26] with one another. [4:27] You should serve to create a loving life for your neighbor. [4:32] And because of your freedom from condemnation [4:35] and life with Jesus, you have a foundation upon which [4:40] to truly love and help others. [4:44] From telling them the good news of Jesus,

[4:46] to compassion for the struggling, [4:48] to discipling people to grow in faith in Jesus, [4:52] you can find joy in that. [4:57] Because we were created to love God [4:59] and we were created to love other people. [5:03] And we’re supposed to find our satisfaction in that.

[5:07] We’re supposed to find our hope in that. [5:09] We’re supposed to find what life is really about in that. [5:13] And when we don’t, what that serves to show [5:16] is why we need Jesus so desperately. [5:20] Through Jesus, our redemption is certain [5:23] so that we can be restored to a life of worship.

[5:27] You know, the good news of Jesus means [5:29] that I can live a life for God [5:33] in which others benefit from my faith. [5:36] And to do that, I must realize that it’s not about me. [5:40] And the reason that it’s not about me [5:41] is because it is always about God.

[5:44] And that will always work out to my benefit though [5:47] because God has made his glory certain. [5:51] And so throughout this section of scripture, [5:54] there is a plea for unity. [5:57] But it is a distinct unity. [5:59] It is not based on affinity.

[6:02] It is not simply based on mutual experience either. [6:06] In this section, Paul advocates for unity [6:09] built on one thing, and that is God’s word. [6:13] And so number one this morning, [6:14] I want you to understand that the Old Testament [6:16] leads us to trust the gospel.

[6:19] Look at what he says in verse four. [6:22] He says, for whatever was written in former days [6:25] was written for our instruction [6:27] that through encouragement [6:28] and through the encouragement of the scriptures, [6:32] we might have hope.

[6:34] And so he’s finished this entire section on love people, [6:38] help with the failings of the weak. [6:40] You must sacrifice your rights for the hope [6:42] that you can help the weaker brother grow [6:44] so you can build his conscience, [6:46] you can build his faith in the gospel of Jesus.

[6:48] And then he finishes not by saying, [6:52] and because of how much you have done [6:54] and how much you have experienced [6:57] and how great things are going to go through this, [7:00] you should live encouraged [7:01] because that’s how we would end it, isn’t it?

[7:05] We look at the results and we say, [7:08] man, either A, this was great, things worked out, [7:11] the weak grew stronger, [7:14] and the strong grew in humility. [7:17] And so because of the results, I’m encouraged. [7:20] Because of how great things are going, I’m encouraged.

[7:25] Paul completely goes a different direction [7:28] that you would go on, [7:29] and he goes on a journey of basically informing you [7:32] that your results are insignificant in the life of joy.

[7:38] And that if your joy in the gospel, [7:43] if your hope in Jesus is based on your experience,

[7:51] then it’s incomplete. [7:53] Because your experience is so subjective.

[7:58] And the way that you view life [7:59] will change from one day to the next. [8:03] I mean, isn’t it interesting [8:04] the way that one thing can happen on Monday [8:06] and it brings you joy. [8:09] The exact same thing happens on Tuesday

[8:11] and it infuriates you. [8:14] I mean, that’s really the type of people that we are. [8:18] And so what we find when we delve into ourselves, [8:21] when we base our unity on mutual experience, [8:24] when we base our unity on our affinities [8:27] or what we have in common,

[8:28] when we base our unity in things like experience [8:31] and the way things are going and the way things are looking, [8:35] then our unity will always be shaky at best. [8:40] And that if the results are great [8:42] and everybody agrees on it, [8:44] man, we will be so tight and our unity will be so magnificent

[8:48] that we can accomplish anything. [8:50] But what happens the moment [8:53] that the results don’t match your expectation?

[9:00] Well, who can I blame? [9:03] Well, whose fault is this? [9:05] Did I do something wrong?

[9:08] Sometimes it goes so extreme that you begin to ask questions, [9:10] does God even love me?

[9:14] And so what Paul is fighting with this declaration [9:19] is he’s fighting so that you can have joy [9:24] that is concrete on a foundation that is unchanging. [9:28] And he goes into it and he says, [9:30] do you want to endure in encouragement? [9:34] And the answer should be, well, of course I do.

[9:40] Paul says then the only place that you can go [9:41] for that type of encouragement [9:43] that’s going to endure your entire life [9:45] and the rest of the next life is the Scriptures.

[9:49] So he drives us to show us that the gospel [9:53] is not something brand new that God is doing, [9:57] but the gospel is built on hundreds and thousands of years [10:01] of God’s activity in the life of his people. [10:03] And if you want trustworthiness, if you want faith in God, [10:08] you must go not to how God is currently working in you,

[10:13] because God’s not the centerpiece of that expectation. [10:17] You’re not growing in faith in God when you look inside. [10:21] See, our culture lies to us. [10:23] It says, you want to hope? [10:24] Oh, look deep down inside yourself and you will find good. [10:28] No, you won’t.

[10:31] You will find rotten selfishness every single time.

[10:37] Paul says, go to that which is infallible, [10:40] go to that which is inerrant, [10:42] go to that which is absolutely authoritative. [10:46] Go to the Scriptures. [10:48] And he’s very specific in this. [10:50] When Paul writes in the first century here

[10:51] to the church at Rome, and he says things like, [10:53] look in verse four again, I want to focus in on that, [10:56] because this is what is normally missed [10:58] when we look at this passage. [10:59] And he says, things that were written in former days [11:02] for our instruction.

[11:05] He’s not speaking specifically about the New Testament. [11:09] He’s speaking about the Old Testament.

[11:14] And so the thing that you’ve got to understand is, [11:17] is that Paul is saying, remember what does he first do? [11:21] He makes a statement, an objective claim, a faith claim, [11:26] that there is something better to live for than what? [11:30] Pleasing yourself, which is frankly [11:34] what most of us are living for.

[11:36] So if I could just be a little bit happier, [11:38] if I could have a little more.

[11:41] So why would you want to live like that? [11:43] Why would you want to live for something other than yourself?

[11:48] And throughout the book of Romans, we’ve gotten the vision [11:49] because it is a restoration of how God originally designed us. [11:54] It is what God created us for, [11:56] and how the example of Jesus shows us how to live. [11:59] I mean, in verse three, he gives Jesus specifically [12:03] as the example of what this looks like.

[12:06] So when you question why it would be worth it [12:09] to live for the sake of others, [12:11] he says first, start with Jesus. [12:15] Consider the God who has saved you. [12:18] And so then there’s another question, [12:20] why would Jesus do it?

[12:22] When you question why Jesus would endure such pain, [12:25] we must build a foundation on why Jesus came, [12:29] why Jesus died, and why Jesus rose from the dead. [12:32] And that is where Paul points us to build a life [12:35] with God’s word at its foundation. [12:38] Jesus was not a change in the program,

[12:41] nor did Jesus come to institute something brand new [12:44] that called an audible on the plan of God. [12:47] Jesus was and is the fulfillment [12:49] of God’s eternal plan for glory. [12:52] The gospel is trustworthy because Jesus [12:55] is the ultimate evidence that God has always had a plan

[12:59] and the power to complete that plan. [13:02] And so when the Bible builds a foundation of trusting God, [13:06] it is building a foundation of trusting God based on fact, [13:12] based on reasonable evidence that you can trust God. [13:17] And Paul furthers this in 2 Timothy chapter three. [13:20] Here’s what he says.

[13:21] He says all scripture is breathed out by God. [13:24] It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, [13:26] for correction, for training in righteousness, [13:28] that the man of God may be what? [13:30] Complete. [13:32] And then he finishes, he quit for every good work.

[13:34] And so so often when I’m asked how do you become [13:38] more equipped to be a disciple of Jesus, [13:40] and I say the word of God. [13:43] You say surely there must be another way.

[13:47] Surely there must be another book. [13:49] Surely there must be another program. [13:51] Surely there must be something else that I need to do [13:55] because the Bible, it just doesn’t speak my love language.

[14:01] Well, God’s really sorry. [14:04] That he didn’t take your love language into mind.

[14:10] Friend, it’s either right or it’s not. [14:12] And Paul’s either right or he’s wrong here [14:14] when he says that the scriptures, [14:17] and he’s specifically in 2 Timothy, [14:19] even stating the part that you avoid like the plague, [14:22] the Old Testament.

[14:25] And he says it is sufficient.

[14:30] For what? [14:31] For you to be, and he uses, and this is the right word, [14:35] the ESV has it right here, [14:36] there’s not another better word for it. [14:39] Complete.

[14:41] As you’re walking through life looking for that person [14:43] that you can look at and say you complete me. [14:45] No, that person’s not out there. [14:48] It’s right here. [14:49] It’s the word of God. [14:51] Complete, and how?

[14:53] So that you can be equipped for every good work. [14:57] So everything that God has called you to do, [15:01] he has supplied enough in here to equip you to do it. [15:08] And to actually have the audacity to sit your life down [15:14] and saturate your life in the word is literally [15:20] an act of faith.

[15:25] So Jesus brings continuity to the history [15:28] of God in scripture. [15:31] He doesn’t bring anything brand new. [15:33] Therefore in following Jesus you have no place [15:36] for anything outside of the stories of Jesus. [15:39] If that’s true of you, then you have a truncated gospel

[15:45] that will lack in answers in many areas of life. [15:50] Friend, you need the record.

[15:53] You need prescriptions, laws, you need prophecies [15:57] of the Old Testament because it validates [16:00] the truth of the gospel.

[16:05] The good news is not Matthew through John.

[16:09] The good news is Genesis through Revelation. [16:12] The Bible is a record of God’s total trustworthiness. [16:15] The Bible takes subjective faith based on my conjecture [16:21] and builds a faith based in objective fact of a God [16:25] that is not silent and a God that has worked [16:29] throughout human history to show his ultimate glory

[16:32] in Jesus. [16:34] And you may respond, but it doesn’t always [16:36] give me the feelies. [16:38] Maybe the feelies aren’t the point. [16:40] Maybe the feelies are often your problem. [16:43] Is that you cannot get past how you feel

[16:48] to realize that God is interested in more [16:50] than just your base sinful emotions.

[16:57] And he is actually attempting to build a solid foundation [17:00] so even when your emotions get the better of you, [17:02] you have an anchor to grab hold of [17:04] so that you don’t go completely nuts [17:07] and go off the reservation.

[17:11] Don’t act like you’re not tempted to sometimes. [17:16] Number two this morning, understand that God’s [17:17] faithfulness in the past gives us hope for the present. [17:22] God’s faithfulness in the past gives us hope for the present. [17:26] As you may be sitting there and you may retort. [17:30] So are you actually saying that I should make time

[17:37] in my schedule for just reading the Bible [17:44] and that’s gonna aid me in growing spiritually? [17:47] Actually, I’m saying something even more audacious than that. [17:51] You should build time to memorize the Old Testament

[17:56] so that you can have a basis upon which [17:58] to trust the gospel more than you trust it right now. [18:02] Because there is nothing that’s going [18:04] to get it better for you. [18:05] There’s nothing that’s going to create a better life [18:09] outside of the Bible.

[18:13] There’s nothing that’s going to encourage you more [18:16] in why you should endure serving God [18:20] through very hard seasons of life [18:24] than reading about how God has endured saints [18:29] in the Old Testament and in the New Testament [18:32] through devastating times in their life.

[18:36] There are moments in this life where many of you [18:40] will literally feel like you are on fire [18:43] and not the good kind of on fire. [18:45] And you just want someone to put the flames out [18:49] because life is too hard. [18:51] And in that moment, God wants you to have a concrete,

[18:56] objective, factual record of how God has worked in the past [19:00] so that you can be certain as to, [19:02] I have no idea how God’s going to work this out [19:06] for his glory, but since he has such a rock-solid history [19:11] of doing exactly that, if I trust him,

[19:18] if I just keep on, I believe that’s what he’ll do [19:24] because he’s done it time and time and time and time again. [19:29] Not in your life.

[19:33] Because friend, it’s not always about you.

[19:38] If all you have to go on is how God has worked in your life,

[19:45] you’ll give up. [19:47] You will, I promise.

[19:50] There are many times in his life where it seems like [19:52] you’re standing in quicksand [19:53] and nobody’s throwing you a rope.

[19:57] Nobody’s jumping in to get you out. [20:00] And so if all you’ve got is the record of you, [20:05] when the fog shows up in the morning [20:07] and you’ve got such limited viewpoint [20:09] and all you’ve got is your past, [20:11] that’s all you’re going to see is nothing but disappointment.

[20:16] That’s all you’re gonna see. [20:18] That’s not enough.

[20:21] When the fog comes, when the quicksand starts enveloping you [20:24] and you can look back and say, [20:26] this is how God worked in the life of Moses, [20:28] this is how God worked in the life of Isaiah, [20:30] this is how God worked in the life of Job, [20:32] this is how God worked in the life of Joshua,

[20:34] this is how God worked in the life of Jal. [20:36] This is how God worked in Joab and Abishai. [20:39] This is how God worked in David. [20:41] This is how God worked in Mipheb shove. [20:42] This is how God worked in Jonathan. [20:44] This is how God worked through Hagiai.

[20:46] This is how God worked through Malachi. [20:48] This is how God worked to his glory [20:52] in the times of old [20:54] and he was doing all of that [20:55] to set up the greatest record in the history of the world that His Son would come take [21:01] on flesh and serve to save everyone.

[21:05] When you have that type of faith you have a faith that can endure all times.

[21:13] You may say I can’t even pronounce some of those words you just said.

[21:20] And that’s why it’s not always glamorous work. [21:27] You see many of us think that God’s work is going to be exclusively glamorous.

[21:33] It rarely is. [21:36] Did you know that in the life of Jesus we get a three year record of probably a 33 to [21:40] 35 year life and of those three years we literally only get the highlights? [21:45] I mean Mark is 15 chapters. [21:47] Jesus did other stuff.

[21:51] Jesus memorized the Torah.

[21:54] All rabbis did.

[21:57] And in Luke 2 52 it says very normal things about Jesus. [22:01] It says that He grew in stature. [22:02] That means He physically grew. [22:04] It says He grew in knowledge. [22:05] That means He had to read books. [22:07] It says He grew in wisdom.

[22:09] That means He had to learn how to make the right choices. [22:11] And it says He grew in favor with God and man. [22:13] And I tend to think Luke 2 52 is accurate. [22:17] And what that means is is Jesus spent a lot of time sitting down reading. [22:21] Jesus spent a lot of time kneeling down praying. [22:23] Jesus spent a lot of time talking to His mom and dad.

[22:25] Jesus spent a lot of time talking to other people. [22:28] Jesus spent a lot of time sitting in the synagogues under the teachings of other people. [22:32] Jesus did a lot of stuff that you would look at and say man I don’t have the attention [22:38] to expand for that.

[22:44] And so you need to build your life the exact same way.

[22:50] The text tells us in Romans 15 here that endurance is granted through the encouragement and [22:58] instruction of Scripture. [22:59] So again do not look to yourself for growth.

[23:07] Look to the Scriptures. [23:08] Look to God because He has spoken through it. [23:11] Many of us struggle with an attempt to build faith through personal action and even personal [23:19] risk to the glory of God. [23:22] The ultimate problem with that is if it’s apart from the Word of God while you are saying [23:27] you are trying to build faith in God you are actually seeking to build faith in yourself.

[23:37] Oftentimes that calling of God to do something wacky is because you ate Taco Bell last night.

[23:50] You probably smelled it when you came in this morning.

[23:55] The glory of God is bigger than you friend. [23:58] The glory of God isn’t you.

[24:01] And this is going to be harder for those of you that are younger. [24:05] By younger I am finally at the age where 20 is younger.

[24:11] You are not the Savior of the world.

[24:18] You aren’t. [24:20] You will not save the world. [24:24] Nor will you save yourself. [24:27] And so often your attempts to go big or go home will usually just leave you at home [24:36] because you can’t figure out how to go big and every time you try to go big you are prideful. [24:42] Every time you try to go big you end up falling into sin in some form of immorality.

[24:46] Every time you try to go big you doubt. [24:49] Every time you try to go big something prevents you and what is preventing you is you are [24:55] trusting yourself and you are not trusting God. [24:57] You don’t trust God enough to work in the small things like fleeing temptation.

[25:05] Like saturating your life in scripture alone when no one else is looking. [25:10] One of the most helpful things a pastor told me when I was in my 20s. [25:15] I was ready to just charge hell with less than a super soaker.

[25:22] One of my mentors he looked at me and said Steve you need to learn to labor in absolute [25:27] obscurity.

[25:30] Because until you are faithful with things that no one notices you are not trustworthy [25:36] with the things that everyone notices.

[25:44] And so that hesitancy to spend more time in the word and less time in the public. [25:52] That hesitancy to get up earlier so that you can spend more time in prayer than you [25:57] spend out late at night.

[26:01] That’s because you trust yourself more than you trust God’s plan. [26:06] Friend you need to build a life where you actually need to trust God for every single [26:12] moment because even in the unseen scripture informs us of God’s work behind the scenes. [26:20] The record of scripture over and over records that every action even those that are not [26:26] seen in the moment do have an impact. [26:29] Because they have God behind them.

[26:32] Weaving them. [26:35] And weaving his power through them.

[26:39] See if you trust Jesus there is no worthless moment or action. [26:44] Every moment of faithfulness, every moment of worship, every moment spent saturating [26:49] your life with the truth of God and every moment spent seeking to love others for the [26:54] sake of the gospel will be used by God for his glory and your good.

[27:01] It’s crazy to me when you read the Bible over and over you see these stories first [27:06] that were recorded by people that at their time were almost nameless people who sitting [27:13] down by themselves recording God’s word. [27:17] And the other thing that you notice is that God tended to work with people who were hesitant [27:22] to be used by God.

[27:25] I mean look at Moses. [27:26] He ran off into the mountains turned himself into a hillbilly. [27:31] He’s a sheep herder and he’s like I’m avoiding everything and God says Moses I want to use [27:37] you.

[27:39] I think in some of those records and some of those stories that hesitancy is something [27:44] that needs to be well acquainted with in our lives because it’s people who have the audacity [27:51] to trust God behind the scenes and what is unseen by most people in the public that [27:59] God tends to use in great ways after they died.

[28:05] Notice that I didn’t say this was just the preview for God doing great things in most [28:09] of their lives while they were alive. [28:10] No.

[28:13] Most of the people in the scriptures were not famous. [28:15] Most of the people in the scriptures were not heard from or heard of by most people [28:19] in their communities.

[28:23] Jesus tells us as much when he says you killed all the prophets you never listened to any [28:27] of them. [28:29] And the prophets are finding joy and glory by saying I had no idea what God was actually [28:34] doing when he was calling me to record such things when he was working in my prayer life [28:39] in such fascinating ways but thanks be to God because I’ve seen his glory.

[28:46] There’s no worthless moment or action. [28:48] Mom raising your children is not worthless.

[28:52] You say but it limits what I can do for God. [28:55] Are you crazy?

[28:58] That is the gateway to the future. [29:00] That is what God has called you to. [29:02] You invest so that God can be known in another generation.

[29:09] Father you may say but no one sees the things that I do before the sun comes up. [29:13] No one sees me paying the bills. [29:15] No one sees me at work. [29:16] No one listens to me. [29:18] I don’t have a grand stage to work off of and God will use you more because of it.

[29:25] You have no idea what the conversations that you are having is doing to impact people around [29:30] you. [29:30] You have no idea what your faithfulness to your wife is communicating to everyone around [29:35] you. [29:35] You have no idea what God is building behind the scenes so that those who are around you [29:42] can actually look and not see you.

[29:44] If your greatest hope is that people see you your hope is not in God.

[29:50] They don’t see you. [29:52] They see the God to whom you are being faithful.

[29:56] That must be enough for us. [29:59] Do you know that life in the present changes when God’s faithfulness is trusted for the [30:03] future? [30:05] Life in the present changes when God’s faithfulness is trusted for the future. [30:09] We must know this to be true because it is not based on you. [30:13] It is based on the faithfulness of God.

[30:16] There is this overarching theme throughout the entire book of Romans that God is faithful.

[30:23] If you read through the book of Romans and I challenge you go and just read through [30:26] it and you say 16 chapters? [30:29] Seriously? [30:30] That’s what my son would say.

[30:33] You go through and he is constantly saying man was unfaithful but God is faithful. [30:38] This is unfaithful but God is faithful. [30:41] Endure God is faithful. [30:43] Everything is about building trustworthiness in the faithfulness of God. [30:47] Then Romans 3, 3-4 asks the question of God’s faithfulness. [30:50] Just point blank asks it.

[30:52] He says what if some were unfaithful? [30:54] Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? [30:57] Then he says in verse 4 by no means.

[31:02] Let God be true though everyone were a liar. [31:05] So what is he trying to do? [31:06] He is not trying to build an ethic where you are magical.

[31:14] He is building an ethic where you just look and you say God is faithful.

[31:20] And that is how God is worshiped. [31:22] Life’s events let me just be blunt with you can bring doubt about the faithfulness of [31:26] God. [31:27] They can. [31:29] People can be profoundly unfaithful. [31:31] They can be profoundly unfaithful.

[31:33] Lifestyle can be profoundly shaky.

[31:38] You don’t know what is coming tomorrow based on today.

[31:43] And that is why Paul writes this. [31:45] He says behind it all though because of the record. [31:50] Because of the record. [31:52] You say what do you mean by record? [31:55] I mean the stories. [31:57] But I don’t like to call them stories.

[31:59] Because they are not stories. [32:02] They happened. [32:04] Hansel and Gretel is a story.

[32:07] Moses and the burning bush is a fact. [32:11] So I call it the record. [32:13] We know that God is faithful. [32:16] He is faithful. [32:18] He can be trusted.

[32:21] First Peter 1.3 encourages us that every moment of God’s faithfulness serves to build our [32:29] life. [32:31] Because the promise that is kept through the resurrection ensures that my daily activity [32:37] through trust is a new lease on a life lived for purpose.

[32:44] You see friend it is God’s purpose in every moment built on the foundation of trusting [32:50] God’s history for my present as well as my future. [32:56] As I understand thirdly this morning our hope must be grounded in what Jesus came to accomplish. [33:04] What Jesus came to accomplish. [33:06] You see the good news of Jesus Christ is even more magnificent when you understand what [33:11] set the stage for that.

[33:14] When you understand how God worked through such a crazy history to bring about the resurrection [33:21] of the Son of God. [33:22] The fact that God can work in the most desolate of circumstances with the most worthless of [33:29] people to bring about the greatest of glory.

[33:34] I mean God has a history of using men with speech impediments to challenge pharaohs. [33:42] God has a history of using widows who are raising their sons and about to starve to [33:48] death to give a place to stay for a prophet who just through miracle after miracle multiplies [33:56] their oil.

[33:58] God has a history of using hookers to save entire nations.

[34:06] God has a history of using unfaithful men to show his own personal faithfulness to holiness. [34:15] God has a history of using those who are in captivity to bring hope to captors.

[34:26] I mean God even has a history of using someone during a season of being a vegetarian to [34:31] be more healthy than meat eaters. [34:33] Now that’s a miracle.

[34:38] You look back and you say where is he going with this? [34:42] Are these just disconnected stories? [34:45] Matthew 1. [34:48] The lineage of Jesus Christ.

[34:53] Born exactly where he was supposed to be born. [34:56] Exactly when he was supposed to be born. [34:58] To exactly whom he was supposed to be born. [35:01] Who was he born to? [35:02] Oh just a girl who had been faithful during her life and was pure untouched by men but [35:10] who was completely insignificant and no one knew who she was.

[35:13] But behind the scenes God was working in her personal life in the unseen to bring about [35:19] the greatest miracle of all time. [35:21] The virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

[35:26] You see friends it’s not about your circumstances it’s about the record of God’s actions. [35:31] It’s about the record of God’s faithfulness.

[35:36] And friend understand that since Jesus proves God’s absolute trustworthiness to his record [35:42] you need to live for what Jesus lived for. [35:46] Jesus became a servant in order to confirm God’s promises. [35:51] I mean look at what it says in verse 8. [35:53] He says for I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s [35:58] truthfulness in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs and in order that

[36:04] the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

[36:11] God’s faithfulness was proven to the benefit of all nations. [36:14] Why? [36:16] So that people would glorify God. [36:18] You see this is vital to understanding your purpose in life. [36:23] There is a reductionistic mindset that fails every time. [36:29] That would have us think things like well I do right because it’s right or I do nice

[36:34] things for people because it’s nice. [36:37] That doesn’t glorify God. [36:39] Every moment of love in Jesus’s life did not terminate on itself. [36:44] It was done with the motivation and purpose of the glory of God. [36:49] And your actions must be built on that trust. [36:53] Do you understand?

[36:54] God deserves glory and you desire to give him that glory. [37:00] That’s what the gospel does to us. [37:02] It changes us. [37:03] It reforms us. [37:04] There is a singular path to that. [37:07] And that path begins by trusting Jesus Christ.

[37:12] He goes on and he says this is an order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy [37:17] as it is written. [37:18] Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name. [37:23] It’s a quotation from Psalm 1849. [37:26] And again it says rejoice oh Gentiles with his people. [37:29] That’s Deuteronomy 32 43.

[37:32] And again praise the Lord all you Gentiles. [37:35] Let all the peoples extol him. [37:37] Psalm 117 1. [37:39] And again Isaiah says the root of Jesse will come. [37:43] Even he who arises to rule the Gentiles in him will the Gentiles hope. [37:48] It’s Isaiah 11 10.

[37:52] And then he finishes in verse 13 by saying may the God of hope fill you with all joy [37:58] and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. [38:07] God’s plan was to bring people who had separated themselves through sin and reconcile them [38:14] so that they could experience his glory. [38:16] Why? [38:18] For the worship and praise of God.

[38:22] So what is your motivation?

[38:26] Are you living to please yourself or glorify God?

[38:31] That’s Paul’s main question here.

[38:34] He says don’t live to please yourself. [38:37] Live to glorify God. [38:38] Why? [38:38] Because that’s what Jesus lived for. [38:40] What difference does that make? [38:41] Because that’s what God built an entire history upon.

[38:45] Trusting scripture and hope leads to the action of mission. [38:52] You see every moment of Jesus’s life multiplied faith and glory into the lives of others. [38:58] And Romans 14 and 15 remind us that life matters to God. [39:02] God calls us to love others by trusting God because when you trust God you follow him. [39:09] And this passage shows a life of multiplying faith in your own life by building trust [39:17] in God so that you can properly love your neighbor.

[39:24] I mean that’s what it does. [39:26] He says live for others. [39:28] Why? [39:29] Because the Bible.

[39:33] And he goes on and he just unloads an entire history of God’s promises fulfilled.

[39:42] His focus. [39:43] I mean whenever Paul writes something like in verse 8 where he says I tell you that Christ [39:48] became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness. [39:52] He’s being emphatic. [39:53] He’s driving home a point. [39:55] He’s saying Jesus humbled himself to the plan of the Father so that God would be seen

[40:04] as truthful.

[40:08] Therefore the entire purpose of your life is for you to humble yourself to God’s plan [40:15] so that God will be seen as truthful.

[40:23] But note what he says. [40:26] He says first it confirms the promises given to the patriarchs. [40:29] He’s already talked about this the Abrahamic covenant fulfilled in Jesus. [40:34] And in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. [40:40] See the multiplication? [40:42] He’s saying Jesus lived so that God’s promises would be seen as true and so that more people

[40:49] might see that God’s promises are true and glorify him in response. [40:54] Multiplication. [40:56] So if you live for these things understand that your life will multiply in three simple [41:03] ways.

[41:06] First multiplying people beginning with you. [41:11] Your faith will grow. [41:13] That is a promise of God. [41:15] But then through other people as well. [41:18] God’s mission is to redeem people and restore their worship through discipleship. [41:23] Following Jesus is not an individual activity.

[41:26] It flows through your life to the lives of others if you are actually following Jesus. [41:32] Nothing Jesus ever did or is doing is isolated for himself. [41:36] It grew faith in others.

[41:39] And the second thing it will multiply is in community. [41:42] When disciples are made communities are formed. [41:44] And when communities grow more communities are multiplied. [41:49] Faith in Jesus takes what you think is the mundane and grows your faith to aid others [41:54] in their everyday. [41:56] And there are two types of communities here.

[41:57] First there is the community of your family. [42:00] Did you know that’s a community?

[42:03] That’s a shepherding community.

[42:07] If you want the community of your family to grow saturate your family in the truthfulness [42:11] of God. [42:13] But then the other type of community is the community that takes place in the ministry [42:18] of the local church. [42:20] That those communities will multiply. [42:22] That’s always our vision.

[42:23] We do not look at any community group as an island to itself for people just to wander [42:27] aimlessly looking introspectively into their lives with no multiplication as a result. [42:31] No. [42:32] We want our community groups to multiply. [42:34] That’s our goal. [42:35] It is a non-negotiable.

[42:38] Why? [42:39] Because Jesus has a history of multiplication. [42:41] And our lives must be based on the history of Jesus. [42:44] But then thirdly it multiplies in churches. [42:48] When communities multiply churches are formed. [42:52] And when churches are formed mission continues to grow.

[42:56] And when the mission grows more churches are planted.

[43:00] We need to be about the work of multiplication because it shows the truthfulness of God.

[43:07] See the gospel multiplies in all of these ways when it is trusted. [43:10] It’s not a go big or go home thing. [43:13] It is small steps of faithfulness that God plants and waters and cultivates to the point [43:20] that you can’t believe the wonder of how he is growing in your life. [43:25] Have you ever planted a seed in the backyard? [43:27] Glorious work is it not?

[43:30] I mean everyday something exciting and new. [43:33] About week three you know you’ve failed.

[43:37] But then about week five something buds. [43:40] And you say oh maybe I don’t stink so much.

[43:46] You see friend did you know that’s a metaphor throughout the whole Bible of spiritual growth.

[43:55] It’s a seed planted, watered, and then underground where no one looked.

[44:03] God was faithful.

[44:06] God was working. [44:08] God was trustworthy.

[44:11] And you will grow.

[44:13] You see when you trust Jesus the glory of God gets more and more clear.

[44:19] Because you are trusting him. [44:22] He is the point. [44:24] He is trustworthy because you know his history. [44:28] You know God’s actions. [44:29] You trust him and your life will reflect that trust.

[44:36] As the band comes up. [44:38] Friend.

[44:43] I bring you nothing new.

[44:49] I simply put forward to you. [44:53] That if you will trust God’s work. [44:56] If you will trust God’s ways. [44:59] If you will commit yourself to trusting what God will do behind the scenes. [45:06] To invest your life wisely when no one else is looking.

[45:14] God will grow you and it will all be a work of his grace.

[45:19] There’s no steroid for it. [45:20] There’s no human growth hormone for it. [45:23] It’s got to be all natural baby.

[45:26] But God is faithful.

[45:29] And every week when we reflect on communion that’s what we are proclaiming. [45:33] That God kept his word. [45:36] That he is a God who keeps promises. [45:39] First this started out as a meal that the Israelites would reflect on the Passover every year. [45:45] That God kept his promise to save them from Egypt. [45:49] But once Jesus came he showed the truth of this meal.

[45:53] This meal was a prophecy. [45:56] Of the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. [46:01] As it just as thousands of years ago as Israelites would proclaim the faithfulness of God through a meal that he provided. [46:10] We together who believe in Jesus. [46:14] We eat and we drink proclaiming to one another. [46:18] Through Jesus.

[46:20] God is ultimately always forever faithful.

[46:26] As a friend this morning if you are ready to proclaim that. [46:29] In the front and the back. [46:32] When you are ready. [46:33] Come.