Sermon
Romans 8 | Week 7
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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All right, so Romans 8. Today's passage really is
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structured in kind of a wonderful him like ways.
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Paul is coming to the end of arguments.
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He's been making reason, you know, reasons for our salvation
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and reasons for confidence in that salvation and reasons for
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confidence in the Lord, despite great tribulations and
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persecutions, and the like of which, he'll mention more of In
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this passage. And so it acts as a summary,
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It's a response, really a song like response to all that.
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Paul has said, not only in chapter 8, which we looked at in
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depth, but five through eight, really as a whole which we
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didn't look at 537. So you just got to have to kind
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of be familiar with those. I don't have time to go through
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the themes of chapters 5 through 7 but just trust me.
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It's wonderful. Good stuff.
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All right and you should read it if you have not.
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But the text here Lays into parts and so I'm going to
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present it to you in those two parts.
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First, is that Paul reminds us that God is for us?
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Paul reminds us right out of the gate that God is for us.
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The second part that we see is Paul celebrates the love of God
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in Christ for us. And so there's an everlasting
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love of God that has come to us through Christ and Paula
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celebrating that and the two go hand-in-hand.
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And so I've tried to summarize it this way.
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If you're taking notes which I Encourage you to do adults and
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children alike. You have a guide as well, you
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can take notes in I've summarized it this way since
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God, has for us in Jesus Christ, nothing can separate us from his
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Everlasting Love. So, since God is for us in Jesus
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Christ, nothing can separate us from his Everlasting Love.
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Now, if you would, would you stand to your feet?
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As we read the word of God. This morning.
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He's going to read verses Romans chapter eight, thirty 1339
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today. When I finish reading, I'll say
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this is the word of the Lord invites you to respond.
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Thanks be to God. All right?
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What? Then shall we say to these
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things if God is for us? Who can be against us?
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He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all.
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How will he not also with him? Graciously, give us all things
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who shall bring any charge against God's elect.
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It is God, who justifies, who is to condemn Christ?
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Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised.
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Who is at the right hand of God. Who end?
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Deed is interceding for us who shall separate us from the love
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of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress or persecution or
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famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your
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sake. We were being killed all the day
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long, we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
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Now in all these things, we are more than conquerors through
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him, who loved us for. I'm sure that neither death nor
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Life nor angels nor rulers nor things present, nor things to
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come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all
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creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
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in Christ Jesus. Our lord, this is the word of
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the Lord. Thanks be to God.
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Let me pray for us. Heavenly Father, we thank you
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for today. We thank for this time we have
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to read and to study your word to hear it proclaims my Lord.
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I pray that you would speak. He threw me, Lord.
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I humble myself before you and ask Lord, that I had that you
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would take your word and impart it to your people, Lord, that it
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is not coming through my own opinions, are my own biases or
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my own shortcomings in essence, but however, Lord, that it would
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come as it is the unadulterated word of God is sufficient for
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all things pertaining to life and godliness for your people.
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I pray Lord that you would grant us life today that you would
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grant us godliness today as a result of having heard your word
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preached. Give us ears that are ready to
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listen hearts that are inclined to believe mines that are
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willing to put these words to work as we dwell on them.
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Think on them and hands and feet Lord, that are willing to go and
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do the work that you've called us to do.
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It's in the Name of Christ I pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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So here in Romans 8, verse 31, the first section I want to look
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at again is that God has for us in Jesus Christ?
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Okay, God has for us in Jesus Christ and right here in Romans
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8:31. What you see is Paul begins with
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the question? What then shall we say to these
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things? As I mentioned, a moment ago,
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Paul is summarizing what he has said, thus far from Romans, 5:1
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to Romans, 8, 30, but this is the kind of statement that one
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makes when he finds out that something, which once seemed too
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good to be true is, in fact true.
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Hi. I remember being dumbfounded by
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Patricia so I had been there's a long story but I there's always
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a story, right? But I had been pursuing Patricia
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for some time and she was paying We know mind and not totally,
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but in essence and so, but I remember the first time she came
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to my to my house and told me that, you know, that she was
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willing to kind of start talking and what have you?
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And I was just dumbfounded. And here's here's how you know,
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Charming, I was this is first conversation about dating and
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all of that and I told her in the opening moments, I love you.
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So which she never answered for like the next three or four
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weeks she just left me hanging but that's the kind of thing
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that happens when you see something that doesn't make
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sense. For hate like, how can these
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things be? What shall I say to these
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things? I love you, right?
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And that's, that's essentially what Paul is getting at here,
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right? Having written and seen all that
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he has about God's Saving Grace toward his people, over the last
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eight chapters Paul now, Says, what more shall we say to these
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things? What what more can be said he's
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astounded by it like he thinks these are things too marvelous
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for him. It sounds a bit, like job a job
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at the end of The Book of Job, which, again a whole lot
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transpires. But Joe comes to see God in a
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way that he has never seen God before.
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Because God speaks to job in a way that he had never spoken to
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man before at least that we have recorded for us and in the end
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of all of that job and 42 23 says this to God.
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He says, I know that you can do all things.
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And that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
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I have uttered. What?
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I did not understand things too wonderful for me, which I did
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not know. And then in verse 5, just a
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verse later, he says, I heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
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meaning I've heard these things about you, but now my eye sees
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you Now, my eye sees and that's really what's happened to Paul
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here and I think it's what's happened.
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Probably to this church in Rome as I begin to read these things
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to Jews and Gentiles alike and they see what's transpired for
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their salvation, how God is working together for their good,
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which is for their eternal glory in heaven?
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What then shall we say to these things?
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These things are too wonderful for us.
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They're so wonderful that they've got Paul nearly
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speechless. Nevertheless he collects himself
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by the power of the spirit, he sums up for us in glorious
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fashion. What he is saying and thank God
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he does or left. We'd be left with the question.
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What more shall we say? Nothing.
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Right, but he doesn't say that. He says, one more.
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Shall we say to these things if God is for us?
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Who can be against us? What a marvelous point.
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It's really again things too. Wonderful for us.
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Now, you may come to the end of Romans 8, and the study, which
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is only been seven weeks and we flew by some really difficult
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things in Romans 8. But you may come to the end of
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Romans 8, with no small amount of questions.
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As what I'm saying, we've dealt with several difficult,
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understand, themes things, you may need.
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You may never fully Plumb the depths of this side of Eternity.
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However, this I know to be true. We must commit ourselves to
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being lifelong Learners, because once again, when you see God's
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truth clearly your heart comes, your heart cry becomes.
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What then shall I say to these things?
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It's a cry of praise. It's an acknowledgement of the
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glory of God in a question. What more shall I say to these
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things? What then shall I say to these
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things? So if you have questions at the
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end of Romans 8, great it means your inquisitive, you're
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curious. You're using the mind that God's
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given you to learn. Fantastic.
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Do it right? That's fine.
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This is part of your growing, in your knowledge of God, and the
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Lord Jesus Christ. This is what we hope for you at
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New Life Community Church. When we say, we exist to glorify
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God by growing in our faith in Jesus Christ.
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We're saying is we hope that your knowledge of him grows that
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your understanding of the Lord grows?
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We want it to continue to grow. But one thing Paul wants you to
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understand here, one thing he's making abundantly clear, is
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this, if God is for you, who can be against, Who can be against
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you? It's really an incredible thing.
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In other words, the opposition of Satan and his workers against
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us will never succeed. Since God is for us.
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Amen. But I'll be honest, I expected
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more of the name in there, but I'll keep going.
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All right throughout chapter 8, we've discussed the themes of
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adoption and sonship we've seen that we are children of God by
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adoption. That God has made us his own
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child, through his adoption and that we are co-heirs with Christ
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and his. So we are children of God.
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If we are in Christ by faith, in other words, if we have placed
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our faith in Christ, For the Forgiveness of our sins.
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We are a child of God. This is what Paul says in Romans
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8. Are sure hope in the midst of
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sufferings and trials. It is your great hope when
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things are not going. Well it is your great hope.
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When Satan seeks to Buffett you and all that he throws at you,
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it is your great hope when those fiery arrows are those fiery
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darts is Ephesians, six calls them come flying at you.
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And all you can do in that moment is hold up.
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The shield of faith that you've been given its faith in Christ
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Jesus. Is that Wards off the sufferings
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that Satan would seek to throw it here?
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Martyn lloyd-jones says this. He said, God is for me.
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We could say it along with Martin lloyd-jones, because this
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is what Paul is saying to Believers.
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God is for me, go ahead. Say it one, two, three.
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God is for me, amen. I am his child.
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Martyn lloyd-jones continues. I'm his child because he is for
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me. And if God be for me, no one and
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nothing can be against me in the sense of ever separating me from
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him. So, what we mean, when we say
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the God is for us, is what Paul is saying is that because God is
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for you, nothing can come against you two ever finally.
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Separate you from God. It's not that nothing can befall
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you. It's not that no one can ever
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persecute. You absolutely evil will happen
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in your life. You will be persecuted.
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You'll be mocked, you'll be scoffed at you'll suffer for the
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name of Jesus Christ. Praise God.
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We do. Right?
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Because we read early and Romans 8 that we will also be glorified
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with him provided we suffer with him.
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So this is good for us, the truly Christian Life is riddled
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with persecution and suffering. It must be, if you serve God
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wholeheartedly, you set yourself against the powers of this
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world. Meaning you set yourself against
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Satan and his work, in this world, meaning unbelievers, who
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are doing the bidding of Satan unbeknownst to them most of the
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time. Will not like that.
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You serve God. They will not like you for
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serving God. This is why it's important for
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you to remember, again, Ephesians 6.
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Paul says, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.
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But the bringing against dark Forces and Powers, right?
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So, even when evil is having its way in a person's life, you must
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have the wherewithal about yourself.
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The mind about yourself to decry the evil.
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Yes, to rebuke the person. Yes, in the right ways, right?
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That they are influenced by the enemy in the same way that your
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mind has been transformed by the Living.
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God, there's has been transformed by Satan.
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Right? And so, it's important for us to
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remember these things yet. None of those things suffering,
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persecution. None, of those things could
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ultimately separate you from God.
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How do we know this because Paul says?
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So right here, in Romans 8:32, he who did not spare his own
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son, but gave him up for all things.
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Sorry, he who did not spare? His own son, but gave him up for
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us all. How will he not also with him?
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Graciously, give us all things. So we know that God has for us,
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this is how we know that God has for us, how because he
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graciously gave his own son. For God.
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So loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever
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believes in him, will not perish, but have eternal life.
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This is how we know that God loves us.
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So we know that he is for us. If you believe that Christ is
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the savior, then God is for you. Because Christ is the only one
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who could ever deliver his people from their sins.
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Not only did he give us his son but he made us his own children.
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Not only did he make us children but true children in the sense
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that you are co-heirs with Christ.
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And so he will graciously, give us all things.
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He gives you all things. Now for your Holiness and in the
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life to come for your glorification, If God has given
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us the greatest thing he can give which is his own son.
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Will he not also? Give us countless lesser things
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as well. Yes, he will.
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Amen. Amen.
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Romans 8:33 continuing on. Who shall bring any charge
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against God's elect? It is God.
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Who justifies here? We see another way that God is
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for us. It's in your justification.
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It's in the that erasing of debt to sin, right?
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Our debt freely erased by the work of Christ Jesus on the
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cross. So who can bring any charge then
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against God's elect. Now elect here means chosen
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ones. Those chosen by God for his
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purposes, coincides with Romans 8:28, 29 and 30.
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Which we looked at last week, anyone who calls on the name of
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Jesus Christ in Saving, faith is what we know about.
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God's elect anyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ in
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Faith is numbered among the elect people of God.
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Anyone who calls on him to be saved those who come to faith in
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Christ will then never be found guilty because they are
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Justified freely from from their sins for God, declares them
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righteous forever. Righteous forever.
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There's not a time where you become righteous your justified
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in a moment and then you know, as you go and you sin now, your
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unjustified and then as you repent your re Justified and so
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because that's a re crucifixion of Christ and in essence and in
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Christ is not to be re crucified.
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It what this means is that you are Justified forever and so as
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you go on in your life and you battle against the Flesh, and
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you find yourself in sin, you repent and believe.
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Just as you did to could become a part of the family of God,
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repent and believe therefore any accuser any accuser of the
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redeemed, any accuser of God's people's whether they be Satan
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himself is demons or your very own.
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Audience, right? All those accusers shrivel in
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stature, alongside the Risen Christ, who is interceding for
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us now, at God's right hand. They shrivel and stature.
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They cannot compare to Christ. Who has defeated death and the
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grave, who is defeated, Satan and Hell who has defeated sins
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once. And for all those accusations,
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cannot compare to the love that you've received in Christ Jesus.
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To make himself abundantly clear, Paul, just restates the
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argument, in the very next verse he's like, hey, you need to
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understand this, let me re say it, who is to condemn Christ.
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Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised who at
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the right? Who's at the right hand of God,
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who indeed is interceding for us.
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Now, again, this is a summary of all that we've seen so far in
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Romans 8, but especially verse 1.
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In Romans 8:1 we read There is therefore now no condemnation
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for those who are in Christ Jesus.
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Paul told you at the beginning of Romans 8, what he wanted, you
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to know, He's explained it all in verses 2 through 30.
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And now here again, he is telling you once again there is
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therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
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Jesus, who is to condemn? You, that's what he's asking.
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Who is to condemn you? All right, Christ.
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Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who
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is at the right hand of God. Who indeed is interceding for
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us. You see, Christians will never
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be condemned because Christ was condemned for them so that they
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might live eternally. A Christian will never be
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condemned to death. Because Christ died and rose
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again. His victory is your Victory by
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faith. His strength to overcome is your
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strength, overcome by faith. His willingness to submit to his
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father as your willingness to submit to the father by faith.
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Everything that you need. Again, we've been saying this
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all of Christ for all of life, all of Christ, for all of life,
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you have everything you need in Christ, Jesus for Life, as a
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believer. If you're not lacking a thing
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and Paul again, who is to condemn, no one cried, it was
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Christ. Jesus, who is who is dead?
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It was Christ. Jesus, who was raised with
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Christ Jesus, who is at the right hand of God?
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It was now interceding for us. So, Paul is grounding the work
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that you know, in your life, that no one can condemn you,
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that Satan demons, your consciences, nothing can condemn
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you and he grounds it in the past and present.
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Work of Christ Jesus he looks back.
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Right? Christ died.
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He's looking back to the death of Christ, Christ died.
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And therefore, the argument is the penalty of sin is paid fully
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It's paid fully. Somewhere in Hebrews which is
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okay to say because the writer of Hebrews says, somewhere it
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says, alright. So I'm going to say somewhere in
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Hebrews, I think it's chapter 10, not sure.
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But in Hebrews, we read about this great high priest which
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we've received and Hebrews 4. But later on, he talks about how
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there would be no end to the out, the offering of the blood
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of bulls and goats the that a priest would have to come into
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the temple day after day. Not only would he make
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sacrifices for the sins of the people who would have to make
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sacrifices for his own sins, because he wasn't a perfect high
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priest. There's none.
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Perfect. No, not one.
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There's none righteous. No, not one right?
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Romans 3. But in Hebrews, what we see is
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there is one who has come a great high priest.
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Greater than the line of priests, which we know from the
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Old Testament. One who was able to not only
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enter the glory of the temple which is heaven.
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As it says, Not only was able to enter it, but he was also able
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to make sacrifices once and for all for the sins of all the
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people and he didn't need to make sacrifice for himself.
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And so his sacrifices, once for all good, meaning, there's no
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there's now no need to continue making sacrifices.
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And so you are, if you are in Christ, your sins are finally
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and fully paid for forever. What an amazing thing.
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Christ died in the full penalty for your sin has been paid.
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By the Merit of his death, he paid your debt.
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Christ is our able all sufficient savior a mess.
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Christ was raised from the dead. This is the second argument here
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that he's grounding this in Christ.
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Was raised from the dead. It is Christ who died as Christ
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was raised and he's being raised what, you know, then is that his
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death was effective. Listen, if Christ needed to die.
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Are you listening if Christ needed to die?
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For the Forgiveness of sins, which he did.
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And yet his sent his death didn't accomplish what was
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needed for the Forgiveness of sins.
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Then he would have never risen from the dead.
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He must still be dead, but that's not what we see here.
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We see that he was raised. He's now at the right hand of
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God he's interceding for us. His ministry goes on.
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So his death was effective for the Salvation of all who call on
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his name. Death was the payment for sins,
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Resurrection, then is the legal release.
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Marking, the dead of sin paid in full amen.
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It's why you two will be raised from the dead, when Christ
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returns. It's your debt has been paid and
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so your soul. Now, when you die, your soul
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will depart from your body and be immediately present with the
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Lord. And when Christ returns your Our
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soul will meet your body in the air at some in some way somehow
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it will meet your body in the air and you will live with a
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glorious body in the new Heaven and new earth.
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You'll 12 forever in the state read 1st Corinthians 15 if you
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struggling to comprehend, that make a note and read it later.
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All right, now just do much good to hear.
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Death was the payment for sins resurrections, the legal release
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your debt of sin has been paid, Christ has died.
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Christ is risen. We have hope then for True final
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salvation. Because he died and because he
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rose, we also see it in that he is now seated triumphantly at
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God's right hand. At God's right hand.
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This is further evidence that the work of Salvation is
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complete. Again, he was raised from the
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dead if that, which he had done, did not please God.
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If that which he had done, did not satisfy the need for
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salvation, right? If that was that which was done,
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was not ultimately completed. Then Christ could not be invited
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back to the right hand of the father.
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He would have no place there. He would have been disobedient
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to the father and what he accomplished.
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But he was not disobedient. He says himself in John multiple
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times that I and the father are one.
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I only do that, which the father has sent me to do.
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Right, I and the father are Unified.
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He makes those statements over. And again, throughout the Book
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of John, it's ultimately what led to his execution.
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He was equating himself to be God.
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The problem was he was goth. He is God.
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So this is further evidence that he's that, the work of Salvation
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is complete. All of a sudden has fired their
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for accusations against God's children will not stand because
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we have a friend in Heaven's Court.
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You have a friend in Heaven's courts.
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The Son of God stands there on your behalf and that's the next
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point. He makes Christ intercedes for
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his people on the basis of his own work.
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Their Hebrews 7:25 says this consequently.
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Jesus is able to save to the uttermost.
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Those who draw near to God through him, since he always
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lives to make intercession for his people.
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Here's what we know about. Interceding, interceding means
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effective intervention for someone Okay, it's effective
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intervention, he's intervening in your life and he always lives
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now to make intercession for his people.
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Now what this does it mean is that God sits in heaven?
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God the Father their presence is in heaven, wanting to whack you,
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you know the whack-a-mole game. He doesn't sit there with a
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padded Hammer, looking to beat you over the head, every time
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you pop up in some sinfulness. This is not the Father's Heart
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towards you for God. So loved the world that he sent
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his son. Okay.
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This is not the Father's Heart towards you, so I don't want you
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to hear that. Jesus is interceding for us and
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we know that that's a pleading. It's effective intervention,
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right? So it can sound like he's up
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there. Pleading with God.
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No, no, no, don't do it. Right?
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Look at my hands. Look at my side.
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Look at my feet. And they've been pierced.
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I'm bled. I died.
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I've paid that debt. Like it's not like he's trying
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to intervene in that God's coming at you.
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To whack you over the head. This is not God's disposition
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towards his people. Know, when you read that Christ
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intercedes, he lives always to make intercession for his
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people. That's meant for you.
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Not the father? You understand that, at the
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Father Knows from beginning to end, all that has happened.
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He has planned it all out, especially the salvation of his
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people through the death and resurrection of his son Christ,
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right? So he knows that the death was
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effective because he ordained the death.
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He did that work, so he doesn't need Christ, pleading with him,
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rather. When you read that Christ makes
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intercession for you, that's for your confidence in your comfort.
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That's for you to know that Christ stands with a body like
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yours with scars and his hands and his feet and his side, he
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was pierced for your transgressions.
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He was wounded for your iniquities by his stripes.
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You have been healed That's the intercession that's being made
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for you. I'll Stand I'll make a few more
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comments here. He stands in heaven with concern
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for you. He's not unconcerned about you,
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he's not disconnected from your life.
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It's not that he doesn't want, he's not interested in what's
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going on in your life. He is fully concerned for you.
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He stands always lives, always to make intercession for you.
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This is his ministry and Heaven for you and what we read earlier
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in, Romans 8. And when I say earlier, I mean,
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a few weeks ago, all right. What we read earlier in Romans 8
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is that the spirit of God enter seeds Within In you and Christ
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intercedes on your behalf and Heaven, the spirit of God,
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intercedes carries those things to Christ Christ carries those
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things to the father, you can trust that everything that is
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being done in that, intercession is effective for your life and
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godliness. It's really incredible, right?
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Christ is your Advocates. He's the answer to all the
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accusations from Satan and his demons and your own conscience.
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When your conscience arises to accuse you of being a no-good
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and worthless. When Satan Rises to accuse you
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saying, you sinful wretch, you do not deserve the love of God
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in Christ. When demons come to you too, Tim
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to and your own Temptation arises within you even right.
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Not the demons enter in you, that's confusing.
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Okay? But that you're tempted from
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without you or from within you, right?
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When those things happen in your conscience would accuse you when
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those things happen and you would stand there in your guilds
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in your shame. You must remember, you must
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remember that. Christ lives in heaven, as one,
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who died, and rose again, seated, at the right hand of God
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and full approval of God's work. Interceding for you.
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Pleading his own blood for you. Able to save Hebrew says to the
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uttermost all who draw near to God through him, able to save to
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the uttermost. Why?
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Then in sin, would you ever turn away from God?
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She this is the great scheme of Satan in your life.
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Guilt and shame are meant to paralyze you to, where you will
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never run to the one who can actually save your soul.
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You'll go on thinking I don't deserve the love of God and the
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truth is you don't but it's been graciously given to you.
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Been graciously afforded to you and so you don't have to run
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away from the Lord, when you sin, right?
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Go and hide. I know, I'm really jacking the
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camera up here. I'll stay.
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You don't have to do that. Instead you can come boldly as
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Hebrews, 4 says the throne of grace and receive mercy and
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Grace in your time of need because Christ is the great high
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priest. He's able to sympathize with you
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in all of your weaknesses because he was tempted and tried
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as you are yet without sin. Incredible stuff.
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This is why he's able to save to the uttermost.
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What create comfort then is this for you.
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What shall you say to these things right now?
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You see my balls? Like what shall we say to these
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things? What room is left and your heart
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and in your mind for doubting when you suffer, when you find
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yourself in despair or all other manners of difficulty and
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strife, right? What room is there for doubting
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the goodness of the Lord towards you?
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There is no Rune now. It's what I'm saying to you.
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There is no room left if you will believe the words of Romans
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8. There is no room for doubting
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God. Any longer?
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Trust him. Or more Jones.
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Again, he said this. He said because Christ is
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eternal, his word will always be the same.
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It is a perfect work. It can never end or fail.
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It goes on forever in all its absolute perfection and glory.
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Amen, No matter what? May come your way, you can
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confidently, answer those things.
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Those people if God is for me who can be against me, Since God
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is for us in Jesus Christ, nothing can separate us from his
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Everlasting Love. Let's look at that second half
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of this now. Romans 8:35 through 37.
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Paul's just continuing here with the questions who shall separate
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us from the love of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress
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or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as
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it is written for your sake. We are being killed all the day
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long, we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
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No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
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who loved us. Let's hit those wonderful words
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right, though, tribulations and distress, and persecution, and
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famine and nakedness and danger, and sword.
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May come to us. May threaten us.
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We are more than conquerors through him.
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Who loved us? We are more than conquerors
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through him who loved us. so what this means is brothers and
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sisters, Paul was Just not denying it, especially in his
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day, his love for the Lord. Would eventually bring about his
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death, he would lose his head for Christ.
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Many of his brothers and sisters have already died for their
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belief in Christ. And so when he says we were
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being regarded as sheep led to a Slaughter, he's being for real.
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This is not hyperbole He's being honest about what they're
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facing. Especially here in Rome where
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things were going to get real bad real soon.
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And so we're not exempt from dangers.
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Rather, we are empowered by God in the midst of dangers.
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We're a strengthened to believe that nothing can take us from
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his hand, which is just what? The great Shepherd.
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Jesus Christ. Himself explains in John chapter
John 10 chapter mention
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10, verses, 27, and 30. Listen to this, my sheep hear my
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voice Christ says, and I know them and they follow me.
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I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no
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one will snatch them out of my hand.
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My father who has given them to me. is greater than all and no
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one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand, I and the
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father are one You can be certain that you can be certain
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as he said in Romans 8:28 that God is working together.
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All things for the good of those who love him and are called
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according to his purpose. You don't have to doubt this.
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You don't have to wonder about this.
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It's important to distinguish between.
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And as you think about that, it's important because it talks
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about for those who love God and are called according to his
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purpose. So we need to distinguish
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between the tribulation of unbelievers, and believers.
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I like what Robert how they ain't said, he said, the
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tribulation of unbelievers is the effect of the wrath of God.
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The tribulation that unbelievers face is the effect of the wrath
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of God. But the afflictions of his
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people are beneficiary. Corrections, that's so far.
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From separating them from his love.
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They yield the Peaceable fruit of righteousness and our, for
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their profits, that they might not be condemned with the world,
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but partakers of his holiness, Getting all things work together
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for the good of those who love God and are called according to
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his purpose. I'm reminded though of Christ's
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own encouragements to his disciples.
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This comes on the night when he was betrayed when he was led to
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wrongful trial after wrongful trial and when he was ultimately
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condemned to death and died on a cross, he told his disciples
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this as he sees the growing fear in them as he's announcing these
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things he says I have said these things to you.
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I've warned you what's coming. I've told you about the helper,
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the Holy Spirit, who will be with you.
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I have said these things to you that in you, sorry.
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That in me, you may have peace. In the world, you will have
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tribulation Christ, does not say in the world.
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You might have in the world. You may have in the world is
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possible that you will know in the world.
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You will have tribulation, but take Hearts mean, be of good
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cheer. Be encouraged be strengthened,
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take heart because I have overcome the world.
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Charles Hodge said this, he said all strength to endure and to
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conquer comes to us through Christ who loved us all these
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things may seem like they could defeat you.
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Trial, tribulation nakedness sword hunger.
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Famine. Bright holder. this thing seem
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like they ought to defeat you They seem like they ought to
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stop the work of God in your life that will put an end to it
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immediately. And yet God and his people whom
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he loves remain United and Inseparable now and forever even
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in all those things. And that is where Paul takes you
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Nets. Look at verses 38 and 39.
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For, I am sure that neither death.
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Nor live. Nor angels nor rulers nor things
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present, nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor
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anything else in all creation. Just in case I've left something
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off the list, anything else in all creation, will be able to
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separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
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Our lord. As I was reading that it came to
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my attention that boys and girls, you guys are doing an
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incredible job. And I just wanted to say that,
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You're doing a wonderful job, keep it up.
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Absolutely nothing and all the created World, absolutely
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nothing and all the created world can sever the relationship
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of love that we share with God in Christ Jesus.
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But the Creator will not be defeated by his creation that's
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impossible. And, you know, unless it's
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Terminator and I, alright, it's a human creation.
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But the creator of all things are at the god of Heaven and
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Earth, the God, who spoke and things came to being literally
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out of nothing, out of nothing. He thought the things up, he
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spoke them into being and they were this God, nothing in his
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creation can thwart his purposes.
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Nothing can defeat him in his creation rather rather in it's
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important to make this distinction is not just that he
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won't be defeated. Here's what's actually happening
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the creation will always serve the ultimate.
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Good purpose of the creator for the glory of God, who created
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all things and the good of his people, whom he eternally loves.
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That's what Paul is telling you here.
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That's important, right? Because if I think that God is
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in heaven and he's the creator of all things, and I believe
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that because that's what the Bible tells us.
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But all the things can just kind of do whatever they want.
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And they can cause whatever problems they want the cause
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then it's a chaotic world. I live in, and you have a
-
decision to make. Do you want Christ, or do you
-
want chaos? Because what we see here is that
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Christ is seated at the right hand of the father always
-
interceding for us and so you can't have chaos and Christ at
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the same time. Now they can go together but
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you're going to believe the one in the one's going to save you
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from the other. Chaos will not defeat you.
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You're more than a conqueror. In Christ because of the love of
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God. If God is for you, who can be
-
against you, if God is for you, what can be against you all
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manner of things can come against you ride, but not
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ultimately against you, not ultimately to sever the love
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that you've received. That's not going to happen.
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Absolutely nothing. And all the creative world, can
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sever the relationship that we have with God, that we share
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with him in Christ. And so again I'll say it one
-
more time, the creation will always serve the ultimate.
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Good purpose of the creator for the glory of God, who created
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all things, and the good of his people, whom he eternally loves,
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amen. Me tell you what Charles Simeon
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wrote at the end of this. He said, nothing can nothing
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surely can be conceived. More delightful than to possess
-
an assured hope of Eternal happiness and Glory.
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Nothing you can conceive. Could be more delightful than to
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possess an assured hope of Eternal happiness and Glory.
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He goes on if we profess that nothing shall separate us from
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the love of God, let us then take care, that nothing does
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separate us from it. Let nothing in the whole
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creation draws, aside from the path of Duty or hinder our
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progress in the Devon life. Amen.
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So here's the deal brothers and sisters.
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If you've been saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus,
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your lord serve him as such. If you've made him Lord, through
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faith submit to him as Lord. What I mean is obey God.
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See to it that nothing separates this again, Paul makes the
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argument all the way back in, Romans 6.
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That just because Grace abounds does not mean we that our sin
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must have bound. He says it's the exact opposite
-
because Grace abounds our obedience should have bound.
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Again, it's like Patricia coming to me and saying hey you know,
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if I'm ready to see what might come of this.
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I love you, right? It's really foolish thing to say
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somehow it worked like it's because God's greater than I am.
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Miracles happen. Brothers.
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Miracles, happen. and so, When you've received the grace of
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God, though, when you've received the love of God in
-
Christ Jesus, the disposition of your heart.
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Right? The stature of your spear heart
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and your mind and your will is to say I love you and it's
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Tennille. It's to bend the knee to Christ
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the King. It's the say to him.
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You were Lord of lords and King of Kings.
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I'm surrendering my whole self to your lordship.
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Not one area of my life is off of off-limits from you.
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That one area of my life is my own.
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I surrender to you my mind. My heart, my strength, my soul.
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Right. What's the greatest commandment?
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Love the Lord, your God with your heart, your mind, your
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soul, your strength, and some translations.
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You're surrendering those things to have.
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You're saying not my will but your will be done, not my
-
kingdom, but your kingdom come. And that's since God has for you
-
in Jesus Christ. Nothing can separate you from
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his Everlasting. Love, would you stand to your
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feet this morning? We're going to receive the
-
Lord's supper together. And so a couple of quick notes
-
on that before my instructions for you.
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First is we practice communion for believers here?
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so if you are believer in Christ Jesus, you've been baptized In
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Christ Jesus, in the name of the father.
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Son. Holy Spirit, right?
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You submitted yourself to him. Then we invite you to receive
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communion with us today, whether you're a member of New Life
-
Community Church or not. You are a member of the Church
-
of Christ. Amen.
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Second thing is, if you have a gluten allergy, there is a
-
gluten-free option there. You just have to look at the
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tape. That's provided like your
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brother at the top part of that. So trust, you'll figure that
-
out. She looks awesome.
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You'll find that allergy there's nuts in there.
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So sweet Okay, all right, so two great reasons to protect of the
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Lord's Supper this morning. One is that God is for you in
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Christ Jesus? We looked at it right.
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His death, his resurrection, he sits at the right hand of God,
-
he makes intercession for you. Those actions those Works.
-
Save all, who believe forever from their sins.
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And so I invite you today to believe these things to trust
-
these things, to prepare your heart to receive the Lord's.
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Supper in a worthy manner, as you see the work of Christ that
-
we've seen today, his body and his blood are now provided in a
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Cup for you to partake of. You're saying, I will always
-
trust in the broken body and shed blood of my Lord Jesus
-
Christ for my salvation. Second.
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As I mentioned, just a second ago, we must take great for
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suits. Great care.
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Sorry must take, great care in our pursuit of Jesus Christ.
-
You must repent of sins. Believe In Christ for your
-
forgiveness and salvation. This is the work.
-
I tell. I even tell children when they
-
come and they want to talk about salvation repentance and believe
-
they explain. They've repented they believe
-
the gospel. I just encourage him.
-
This will be your life from now until your final breath to
-
repent and believe always. You never outgrow repentance and
-
belief. You never outgrow it.
-
It strengthens your maturity and so today, as we prepare, our
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hearts to receive the Lord's supper, if there's sin in your
-
life, repent of it. and so we're going to sing a song together
-
this morning as the worship team sings, you need to pray can sing
-
along it Parts if you want to but commit your heart to prayer
-
in this moment. Pray for repentance, pray that
-
the Lord would strengthen belief as you receive Christ in the
-
Lord's Supper today. Amen.