Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:09.269
Romans, nine versus four and five. They are Israelites and to them belong
2
00:00:09.509 --> 00:00:14.869
the adoption, the glory, the
covenants, the giving of the law,
3
00:00:15.509 --> 00:00:20.949
the worship and the promises. To
Them Belong the Patriarchs and from their way
4
00:00:21.149 --> 00:00:25.179
race, according to the Flesh,
is the Christ, who is God over
5
00:00:25.379 --> 00:00:49.729
all, blessed forever. Amen.
You may be seated. When I was
6
00:00:49.810 --> 00:00:54.399
in high school, my orchestra that
I was playing with had an opportunity to
7
00:00:54.439 --> 00:00:59.320
go to Washington DC. It was
the first trip that I had beyond,
8
00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.759
I think, a short trip to
California. I'm out of the state,
9
00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:06.989
and it was really exciting, not
the traveling and all of that, but
10
00:01:07.030 --> 00:01:11.310
I was particularly excited about seeing the
things that people often go to DC to
11
00:01:11.430 --> 00:01:18.390
see, the memorials, the museums, the various monuments. When you go
12
00:01:18.900 --> 00:01:23.099
and you see these things, you
go and you look at these things to
13
00:01:23.299 --> 00:01:29.900
remember something, to learn about some
thing, to have impressed in your mind
14
00:01:29.939 --> 00:01:38.170
and your heart various important things to
us as Americans, things that tell us
15
00:01:38.209 --> 00:01:42.170
something about who we are as a
people. Maybe it's the sacrifices that soldiers
16
00:01:42.209 --> 00:01:48.400
have made, maybe it's certain presidents
and things that they have done, certain
17
00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:53.359
buildings which tell us about our form
of government, all kinds of different things.
18
00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:57.719
Well, many ways, what Paul
is doing here in Romans nine,
19
00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:04.230
versus four and five is taking us
on a tour of various monuments. He's
20
00:02:04.469 --> 00:02:10.229
showing to us these important things in
Israel's history that mark them as the people
21
00:02:10.349 --> 00:02:15.099
of God. These various things are
similar and that they remind us of their
22
00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:22.099
special status and they remind us of
who Israel is and, ultimately, who
23
00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:27.659
we are as Abraham's children through faith
in Christ. In this way we,
24
00:02:27.979 --> 00:02:31.849
even though we are in some ways
strangers in this land we are, of
25
00:02:31.930 --> 00:02:38.810
also become citizens as those who have
been joined into Israel through Jesus. We
26
00:02:38.969 --> 00:02:44.680
have these monuments, as are monuments, they belong to us, they become
27
00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:49.479
part of our history, and this
is what Paul has been doing, and
28
00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:54.159
we're on the fourth of these now
of our tour in Israel. I'm first
29
00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:00.669
he pointed us to the adoption in
which we were minded, that God brought
30
00:03:00.909 --> 00:03:07.069
this people to that himself, not
just as a lord and Creator, but
31
00:03:07.189 --> 00:03:12.710
as their father, as one who
is going to make them his heirs,
32
00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:17.139
was going to give them promises,
give them gifts. Well, this adoption
33
00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:22.860
we saw also belong to it a
glory, which was the second of these
34
00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:29.530
monuments. God shows to his son, Israel, his own glory. He
35
00:03:29.729 --> 00:03:36.289
manifests himself and these marvelous and spectacular
ways, he shows them his majesty,
36
00:03:36.490 --> 00:03:40.050
His power, has might, all
of his perfections in this very glorious way.
37
00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:46.520
This was accomplished, we saw,
at the third monument, through a
38
00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:53.800
series of covenants, all guaranteed and
granted by His grace. And we saw
39
00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:58.710
that these covenants began like a little
stream in genesis three, after the fall,
40
00:03:59.349 --> 00:04:03.270
and it expanded and expanded and grew
and grew into a mighty river until
41
00:04:03.310 --> 00:04:11.500
we reached the New Covenant Abraham,
Moses, David and finally Jesus, that
42
00:04:11.819 --> 00:04:15.819
God's promises, his the promises that
came to them in adoption, the promises
43
00:04:15.860 --> 00:04:21.139
of glory in Him, would accomplished
through these relationships that he made with them.
44
00:04:24.019 --> 00:04:27.970
Well, today we come to the
fourth of these. First to the
45
00:04:28.089 --> 00:04:32.889
Israelites belong adoption. Then glory than
the covenants, and today we consider the
46
00:04:33.009 --> 00:04:36.689
giving of the law. We drive
up on our tour of us, we
47
00:04:36.769 --> 00:04:41.879
all walk out and we say,
will tell us about this one. How
48
00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:46.680
are we to understand the giving of
the law to Israel. What difference does
49
00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:54.670
that make for us? He has
in mind particularly that, particularly this particular
50
00:04:54.709 --> 00:04:59.589
aspect of the Covenant of Grace Under
Moses, when the people went to Mount
51
00:04:59.629 --> 00:05:04.750
Sinai after being brought out of Egypt, and God threat God threatened and promised
52
00:05:05.029 --> 00:05:12.500
great things in the giving of his
law last night. If you were here
53
00:05:12.579 --> 00:05:15.420
in Tucson I, I expect most
of us were, I'm you saw the
54
00:05:15.660 --> 00:05:23.569
lightning storm, didn't you? It
was fantastic. More than one a second.
55
00:05:23.649 --> 00:05:27.970
You had multiple lightning strikes every moment. We weren't in the middle of
56
00:05:28.050 --> 00:05:30.170
it, but we were watching it
and we could see the light for I
57
00:05:30.250 --> 00:05:35.600
don't know, an hour or more, constantly flashing, constantly flashing. This
58
00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:40.879
is something of what happened on Mount
Sinai. The descriptions that are given in
59
00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:47.399
the scripture describe this cloud DEC ending
down on this mountain, with lightning striking
60
00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:53.629
and things flashing and wins roaring.
As God gave the law to his people.
61
00:05:54.910 --> 00:05:58.709
We were telling our children it's not
time to go outside right now,
62
00:05:59.470 --> 00:06:06.259
it's a dangerous time here. God
manifested himself on this mountain, not just
63
00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:11.779
in the lightning, but in his
voice, in the giving of the law,
64
00:06:11.779 --> 00:06:16.459
all of these natural things to underscore
the fact that he was giving them
65
00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:20.810
to something, something to them,
of great importance, and it had a
66
00:06:20.930 --> 00:06:29.569
certain amount of threat to it,
but also blessings that were promised for obedience.
67
00:06:30.970 --> 00:06:35.560
What was this gift? Are we
right to consider it as a gift
68
00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:42.920
if it's so threatening? What were
its purposes and how do we how are
69
00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:45.720
we to think about it? This
is what we want to consider today,
70
00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:51.430
but first I want to clear away
of an objection. How can the law
71
00:06:51.790 --> 00:06:57.110
be a gift when it's not good? What do I mean by this?
72
00:06:57.589 --> 00:07:02.180
Well, some people don't like the
word law or rules. They're kind of
73
00:07:02.300 --> 00:07:06.180
offensive. If you say I want
to tell you about some new rules,
74
00:07:06.699 --> 00:07:11.139
we sort of sometimes chafe at that. Some people chafe at that a law.
75
00:07:12.339 --> 00:07:15.810
They view themselves as totally autonomous,
as answerable to no one, and
76
00:07:15.889 --> 00:07:23.209
so any talk about laws or rules
is immediately offensive. The idea that somebody
77
00:07:23.209 --> 00:07:29.850
would give a gift of law doesn't
really make a lot of sense to them,
78
00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.040
because they don't like rules. They
think it restricts their freedom. They
79
00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:40.920
they push up against it. So
to have this thesis that God gave these
80
00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:44.790
laws to Israel, and this was
a blessing and a gift. How can
81
00:07:44.870 --> 00:07:49.470
that be? Well, to not
like rules in principle, to not like
82
00:07:49.750 --> 00:07:55.310
laws in principle, is kind of
like a fish saying it doesn't like water,
83
00:07:55.350 --> 00:08:00.579
or like a hawk saying it doesn't
like air currents. Saying this restricts
84
00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:05.420
me to being a hawk or this
restricts me to being a fish. That's,
85
00:08:05.459 --> 00:08:09.660
of course, silly. The principles
of gravity and air pressure and water
86
00:08:09.860 --> 00:08:16.250
and oxygen and Gills and all these
kinds of things are the lifeblood. They
87
00:08:16.290 --> 00:08:20.610
are the environment in which a fish
lives, a hawk lives, and the
88
00:08:20.649 --> 00:08:24.250
same is true for us as creatures, not just in a physical sense but
89
00:08:24.410 --> 00:08:31.800
in a moral sense as well.
We live under a particular kind of law,
90
00:08:31.159 --> 00:08:35.919
physical laws, moral laws, and
that's a good thing when it goes
91
00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:39.559
well. It's a great thing when
it goes well, and you might think
92
00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:46.870
about this by just imagining for something
for a moment. Imagine a society in
93
00:08:46.990 --> 00:08:52.750
which a perfect law is given.
We often don't like laws and rules because
94
00:08:52.110 --> 00:08:56.179
they're not given well. You might
have rules at work that you feel are
95
00:08:56.500 --> 00:09:01.940
micromanaging you or kind of ridiculous or
just hoops to jump through. They're not
96
00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:07.059
thought out well, you think,
perhaps, but imagine a society in which
97
00:09:07.379 --> 00:09:11.929
that's not the case, in which
there's not a single law or rule that
98
00:09:11.090 --> 00:09:18.289
is unfair, not a single law
that is biased in some way or that
99
00:09:18.610 --> 00:09:26.679
creates a negative situation, law that
is perfectly made. So you have this
100
00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:31.559
perfect set of laws, nothing you
could complain about. Everything would be good
101
00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:37.399
and protecting and honorable. Now imagine
that this perfect law in this society was
102
00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:43.070
not only perfectly made, but it
was fairly applied, perfectly applied in every
103
00:09:43.149 --> 00:09:46.750
instance, that it wasn't as though
some people got away with breaking the rules
104
00:09:46.789 --> 00:09:50.750
and other people didn't, or that
when you broke the law you received a
105
00:09:52.070 --> 00:09:56.700
harder penalty and then you deserved that
would be very good. Would in it
106
00:09:56.779 --> 00:10:01.820
a perfectly perfect law, perfectly applied. But let's take it a step further.
107
00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:05.740
Imagine a society, idea where there's
not just a perfect law and it's
108
00:10:05.820 --> 00:10:11.730
perfectly applied, but that everyone obeyed
it, that there wasn't any problem with
109
00:10:13.409 --> 00:10:18.490
fairness in justice because everyone obeyed it. No one steals, no one lies,
110
00:10:20.169 --> 00:10:26.080
no one murders, no one commits
adultery. Everyone worships perfectly according to
111
00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:33.080
the will of God. Does this
sound oppressive to you? We live in
112
00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:37.710
our houses and we lock our doors
and we have security systems and create shading
113
00:10:37.750 --> 00:10:45.429
and all kinds of things to protect
ourselves against lawbreakers. We live in a
114
00:10:45.549 --> 00:10:50.779
society and we will always live in
a world where we are constantly recognizing the
115
00:10:50.899 --> 00:10:54.460
fact that there are people who break
the laws, people who might want to
116
00:10:54.539 --> 00:11:01.019
hurt us, people who might want
to offend us or take our things.
117
00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:07.850
Imagine where you didn't have to worry
about that. Imagine a society where you
118
00:11:07.850 --> 00:11:11.289
didn't have to lock the door and
you leave your car key's in the car
119
00:11:11.490 --> 00:11:15.610
because it's a lot more convenient.
Why would you take them inside every time
120
00:11:15.610 --> 00:11:20.960
when everyone's following the law? When
you imagine this perfect society, you begin
121
00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:24.919
to see that it's not the law
that's the problem. It's not a law
122
00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:30.399
against theft that's the problem. It's
the thieves that are the problem. Blum,
123
00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:35.429
we don't chafe against rules if they're
good rules, or at least we
124
00:11:35.509 --> 00:11:41.230
shouldn't. We shouldn't be upset with
rules and laws. We should be upset
125
00:11:41.309 --> 00:11:48.899
with rule breakers. We should be
upset with unfair laws this is why we
126
00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:52.299
have objections to laws, this is
why we feel like our rights are being
127
00:11:52.379 --> 00:12:01.289
impinged upon, because they sometimes are. But here in Romans Nine, when
128
00:12:01.330 --> 00:12:07.370
God talks about giving his law to
Israel, he's not talking about that kind
129
00:12:07.409 --> 00:12:13.450
of law. He's not talking about
a God who just arbitrarily throws this thing
130
00:12:13.529 --> 00:12:16.679
and that thing out, who's not
good, who's not holy, who doesn't
131
00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:22.960
apply things rightly. We're talking about
a good law. We're talking about a
132
00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:28.559
glow. That was a given,
I'm to a people. It was a
133
00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:35.269
gift. The law was a gift
and, as we see a throughout the
134
00:12:35.350 --> 00:12:39.669
Bible it's spoken of that way in
many different ways. Let's think about that
135
00:12:39.909 --> 00:12:43.779
now. How was the law a
gift? What are the specific ways in
136
00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:48.220
which it was a good thing?
Well, the first thing you might say
137
00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:52.139
is that it was a part of
the formation of God's people. It was
138
00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:58.929
the fulfillment of his promises to Abraham. Imagine, for example, you were
139
00:12:58.009 --> 00:13:03.649
adopted into a household. You're adopted
into a household and then your new father
140
00:13:03.929 --> 00:13:11.009
says to you, well, there's
no rules here and simply walks out of
141
00:13:11.090 --> 00:13:15.480
the back door and you never see
him again. Would that really be belonging
142
00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:20.399
to a family. Of course not. Each and every one of our families
143
00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:24.200
here, represented here and throughout the
world, has a set of rules.
144
00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:30.110
Right. Some of them are common
among our families, some of them are
145
00:13:30.429 --> 00:13:35.230
very particular. In your family,
perhaps hopefully in all of our families.
146
00:13:35.309 --> 00:13:39.789
We have rules about not stealing,
not lying, these kinds of things,
147
00:13:39.629 --> 00:13:43.419
but maybe you have particular rules in
your family. You leave your shoes at
148
00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:48.820
the door or you leave them in
the closet, or maybe there's certain words
149
00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:52.220
that you use or words that you
don't use. are certain jokes or phrases
150
00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:58.169
that are appropriate at sometimes but not
others. There's all these particular rules that
151
00:13:58.370 --> 00:14:01.809
we have in our families, and
that's true when God adopted his people as
152
00:14:01.889 --> 00:14:07.570
well. It wouldn't make much sense, it wouldn't be all that special if
153
00:14:07.690 --> 00:14:11.440
God brought them in and there were
no house rules, if there were no
154
00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:16.440
nothing that was particular to them as
a people. What I'm saying, in
155
00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:20.039
other words, is that when God
adopted them, when God brought this people
156
00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:24.990
and said you are special to me. I will be your God and you
157
00:14:24.070 --> 00:14:28.389
will be we're of my people,
you will be a son and I will
158
00:14:28.470 --> 00:14:31.870
be your father. His laying down
of the rules, his explaining to them
159
00:14:33.029 --> 00:14:35.750
how he wanted to the limb to
live was a part of that blessing.
160
00:14:37.590 --> 00:14:39.820
It was a part of belonging,
it was a part of knowing him as
161
00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:46.659
father. Israel was put in God's
house. They were adopted and brought in,
162
00:14:48.820 --> 00:14:52.850
and that's why I'm in various portions
of scripture we get language like this
163
00:14:54.129 --> 00:14:58.289
and Psalm one, verse two.
Blessed is the man who delights in the
164
00:14:58.370 --> 00:15:05.889
law of the Lord and on his
law he meditates day and night. It's
165
00:15:05.929 --> 00:15:11.279
a good thing, isn't it?
A child in a house who considers the
166
00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:15.919
law or the rules of the house, who thinks about them and desires to
167
00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:20.440
please his parents or her parents.
It's a good thing, isn't it?
168
00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:26.590
It's a good relationship and those children
are typically very happy children. There's a
169
00:15:26.629 --> 00:15:31.149
good relationship there. Blessed is the
man who delights in these things. Or
170
00:15:31.309 --> 00:15:37.340
consider some one hundred and twelve.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
171
00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:43.500
who greatly delights in his commandments.
There are effects that happen when you
172
00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:50.809
follow God's law. Listen to the
as Psalm one twelve continues. Blessed is
173
00:15:50.850 --> 00:15:54.529
the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments, his
174
00:15:54.769 --> 00:15:58.570
offspring will be mighty in the land. The Generation of the upright will be
175
00:15:58.610 --> 00:16:03.129
left blessed, wealth and riches are
in his house and his righteousness endures forever.
176
00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:08.679
Light Dawns in the Darkness for the
upright. He is Gracious, merciful
177
00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:12.679
and Righteous. See what God is
saying, he says. But one who
178
00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:18.590
delights in the law of the Lord
is the one who will live long in
179
00:16:18.669 --> 00:16:22.070
the land, who will have wealth
and riches, who will be righteous.
180
00:16:22.269 --> 00:16:26.789
This is good right. When God
gives the law to Israel, he's giving
181
00:16:26.830 --> 00:16:33.019
them not only a good law,
but good effects that flow out from obedience
182
00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:37.179
to the law. This delight in
the law of the Lord. These effects
183
00:16:37.220 --> 00:16:41.700
are expressed in a prayer in Psalm
one hundred and nineteen, verse Thirty Five.
184
00:16:41.740 --> 00:16:47.210
David says, lead me in the
path of Your Commandments, for I
185
00:16:47.529 --> 00:16:52.250
delight in it. Psalm one hundred
and nineteen in many ways is a confession
186
00:16:52.289 --> 00:16:57.210
about God's law, a way of
understanding what it is and and how it
187
00:16:57.330 --> 00:17:03.360
is. David says. Incline my
heart to your testimonies and not to selfish
188
00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:07.960
gain. Turn my eyes from looking
at worthless things and give me life in
189
00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:15.279
your ways. Let me ask you
this. When you consider your relationship up
190
00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:19.230
to God, do you consider his
laws? Do you think about his rules?
191
00:17:19.390 --> 00:17:25.150
Do you think about the house rules
as a Christian, the obligations that
192
00:17:25.269 --> 00:17:30.660
you have? And when you think
about them, what's your main heart reaction?
193
00:17:32.859 --> 00:17:37.900
Do you get annoyed and offended?
Do you feel condemnation and guilt?
194
00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:45.250
Do you delight? Do you say
I love to delight in the Lord's Commands,
195
00:17:47.130 --> 00:17:52.289
I love to hear his laws.
I asked him to incline my heart
196
00:17:52.369 --> 00:17:56.009
to his testimonies and not to selfish
gain. Is Obedience to the Lord for
197
00:17:56.130 --> 00:18:03.400
you, a pleasurable thing? It
was for David. It was a joy
198
00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:07.519
for him, a great delight,
and it's part of what it means to
199
00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:11.640
know God, has savior and to
follow his laws. And in all of
200
00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:17.750
this we see what a gift it
was. It brought about good effects.
201
00:18:17.829 --> 00:18:22.150
It was a delightful thing, a
pleasurable thing, a thing that was good
202
00:18:22.230 --> 00:18:29.859
in itself. Now let's think about
the purpose. Having considered that it is
203
00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:33.900
a gift, what was the purpose
of this gift? Kids all, let
204
00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:38.700
you in on a hint. That
you probably already know, when your parents
205
00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:45.730
are looking at your Chris mislifts or
birthday lists, they're thinking something in their
206
00:18:45.849 --> 00:18:51.849
mind. They're thinking what purpose can
which? Which of these gifts will most
207
00:18:51.930 --> 00:18:57.799
accomplish my purposes? So they're at
if they're asking, perhaps how can I
208
00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:03.640
inspire you, as my child,
to pursue studies, for example, in
209
00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:08.920
this thing or that thing? Or
maybe they're asking what will bring them the
210
00:19:10.230 --> 00:19:15.309
most delight of all of these gifts, what's going to make them the happiest?
211
00:19:15.430 --> 00:19:18.430
And they're thinking about we think about
these things. We say, what
212
00:19:18.670 --> 00:19:22.069
can I give that's on this lets, that's going to make them the most
213
00:19:22.190 --> 00:19:27.700
happy or the most inspired to learn
more science or do more math or practice
214
00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:33.740
your instrument more? As parents,
we think about purposes. What's going to
215
00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:38.690
bring them comfort? What's going to
help you the most? Well, God's
216
00:19:38.730 --> 00:19:45.089
the same way when he gives these
gifts to his people. He has these
217
00:19:45.289 --> 00:19:51.450
purposes in mind. So what's God's
purpose for the law? There's so many
218
00:19:51.569 --> 00:19:56.079
of them. One is to train
them in holiness and righteousness. Another is
219
00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:00.359
to bring them close. God is
a holy God, a good God,
220
00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.440
and he wants this people to be
close to him and so he gives them
221
00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:07.109
as law, as he tells them, this is how you are to be
222
00:20:07.190 --> 00:20:11.470
holy. This is how you are
to be righteous, and when you are
223
00:20:11.630 --> 00:20:17.630
this way, we will be close
with one another. Sometimes a kid's maybe
224
00:20:17.670 --> 00:20:21.539
you've been in a situation where you
kind of say with your parents, I
225
00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:25.579
don't know what to do, I'm
not sure what's going to make them most
226
00:20:25.619 --> 00:20:27.619
happy. Maybe mom tells you to
do one thing, dad tells you to
227
00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:33.339
do another. In your cotton a
moment you say, uh, what do
228
00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:38.609
I do? How do I please
my parents in this situation? God tells
229
00:20:38.650 --> 00:20:41.730
us his law, and he tells
it in a way that's not divided,
230
00:20:41.930 --> 00:20:45.410
ever, so that we can be
close to him, so that we can
231
00:20:45.529 --> 00:20:51.440
know how we can please him.
He gives us his law to protect US
232
00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:53.359
kids. When your parents say,
when you're very little, they say,
233
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:57.880
hold my hand when we're in a
parking lot, it's because we've heard stories
234
00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:02.640
and we know people who have died
in parking lots and we don't want you,
235
00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:06.869
our children, to suffer the same
kind of thing. The laws and
236
00:21:06.910 --> 00:21:10.430
the rules are there to not just
train you and teach you and bring you
237
00:21:10.589 --> 00:21:15.230
close, but to protect you and
guard you. The same with God the
238
00:21:15.390 --> 00:21:21.500
rules that he gives us to protect
them, to guard them. But God
239
00:21:21.619 --> 00:21:27.059
also gives his law for a very
special reason that's very different between than between
240
00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:33.730
parents and children. He gives it
to anticipate something. He gives them this
241
00:21:33.890 --> 00:21:41.289
gift so that they would begin to
anticipate another gift. Maybe you've had this
242
00:21:41.410 --> 00:21:45.089
at Christmas time. You Open up
one present and you realize this is just
243
00:21:45.329 --> 00:21:49.240
part one of two. For example, maybe you open a present and you
244
00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:55.319
find a bunch of train cars and
you realize these go on a track and
245
00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:59.200
you look over and there's a giant
box and you go that must be the
246
00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:03.269
track. That's something of what God
does when he gives the law. He
247
00:22:03.390 --> 00:22:11.109
gives this part one present to anticipate
the part two that's coming. He brings
248
00:22:11.230 --> 00:22:17.500
them into this kingdom in this kind
of temporary way to anticipate a kingdom that
249
00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:23.539
will be eternal and everlasting. God's
main goal isn't ultimately have us all packed
250
00:22:23.619 --> 00:22:30.529
into Israel, shoulder to shoulder,
billions of people living under the law that
251
00:22:30.609 --> 00:22:34.490
he gave under Moses. God's goal
is to create a new heavens and a
252
00:22:34.690 --> 00:22:41.490
new earth and which we will all
live forever under his perfect and Eternal Law,
253
00:22:41.890 --> 00:22:48.119
in righteousness and holiness. That's what
this little kingdom here under Moses points
254
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:53.400
US tour. It's what Israel was
pointed toward and it's what we is gentiles
255
00:22:53.440 --> 00:23:03.029
are also pointed toward. So we're
considering this gift of God's law, what
256
00:23:03.190 --> 00:23:06.349
it means to live in his kingdom, what it means to belong to his
257
00:23:06.509 --> 00:23:11.390
house as adopted children. Now,
all this sounds very good, and indeed
258
00:23:11.430 --> 00:23:18.420
it is, as I've been saying, but sin has to be taken into
259
00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:22.019
the picture. And when you take
it into the picture, when you consider
260
00:23:22.180 --> 00:23:29.329
what it was to live in this
kingdom under this law, but with sin,
261
00:23:30.089 --> 00:23:37.690
the law changes in a way,
not because God changes the law and
262
00:23:37.769 --> 00:23:38.930
says, well, now I want
you to do this or that. It
263
00:23:40.089 --> 00:23:42.759
changes as it relates to us.
It changes how we feel about it.
264
00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:53.160
The law becomes heavy, it becomes
a burden what was good. Sin Comes
265
00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:57.069
into the picture and all of a
sudden turns the law into a form of
266
00:23:57.349 --> 00:24:04.589
bondage and slavery. Listen to what
Paul says in Roman seven. I'll remind
267
00:24:04.670 --> 00:24:11.460
you of these things that we covered
a while back. Paul says in Roman
268
00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:15.619
seven he asked this question. Is
the law. Sin Is the law,
269
00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:19.660
and evil, bad, morally bad
thing that God has done. And he
270
00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:23.650
says by no means. And then
he makes this point. Paul says yet
271
00:24:23.730 --> 00:24:26.329
it if had not, if it
had not been for the law, I
272
00:24:26.369 --> 00:24:34.210
would not have known sin. He
says that we know our sin because the
273
00:24:34.329 --> 00:24:40.519
law is there. Sin Comes in
when God says I want you to do
274
00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:44.480
this. That parts good, the
commandment's good, but it's our sin that
275
00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:49.039
that challenges that, that makes the
law bad in a sense, bad to
276
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:53.430
us. In a way. It's
when we get our discipline that we say,
277
00:24:53.470 --> 00:24:56.269
I don't like this law, I
don't like this rule, but the
278
00:24:56.470 --> 00:25:03.309
rule is not the PROBLEMM'. The
SIN is the problem. If we take
279
00:25:03.390 --> 00:25:07.180
our discipline well, if Israel took
her discipline well, she would have said,
280
00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:12.900
and she did at times, forgive
us our sin. We have sinned
281
00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:18.819
against you, we have broken your
good and holy law. If you don't
282
00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:23.130
take your discipline well, which is
real also didn't. Did you say,
283
00:25:23.529 --> 00:25:29.089
why are you doing this to us? Why are you punishing us? We
284
00:25:29.170 --> 00:25:33.009
don't like this law, we don't
want this anymore. This good thing they
285
00:25:33.049 --> 00:25:42.920
were calling bad. Now this is
not an accident. That burden of the
286
00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:48.759
law, the weight of the law
as it exposes sins because of its goodness,
287
00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:55.309
was on purpose. God gave the
law on purpose to do this.
288
00:25:56.230 --> 00:26:00.109
God gave a rule and a set
of rules to his people so that they
289
00:26:00.190 --> 00:26:03.700
would feel that, so that they
would know the weight of their sin.
290
00:26:04.140 --> 00:26:10.259
It might compare to like Tom Adam
in the garden God. You remember,
291
00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:15.980
before eve was created, God took
Adam and he parated the animals before him
292
00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:19.450
and he gave him this great blessing
to name the animals, to rule over
293
00:26:19.609 --> 00:26:26.250
them. And you remember what happens
in that. Adam comes to realize where's
294
00:26:26.329 --> 00:26:32.170
mine? Where's my partner? All
of these animals are paired. All of
295
00:26:32.289 --> 00:26:37.079
these animals have partners. I have
no one who belongs to me. You
296
00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:41.279
see what God does there? He
gives Adam a gift which is good and
297
00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:47.950
of itself, but it's also good
in that it exposes something. It exposes
298
00:26:48.109 --> 00:26:52.150
an that's why it's part one.
Part two of this gift is when God
299
00:26:52.309 --> 00:26:57.829
gave Eve to Adam and Adam says, yes, this is good, this
300
00:26:59.109 --> 00:27:02.380
is very good. I have a
helper, I have a friend, I
301
00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:07.180
am complete. Now this is what
God does, in a sense, with
302
00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:12.500
the law. He gives the law
so that we would say something is wrong
303
00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:17.809
here, something is not right.
The thing that's not right isn't the law,
304
00:27:18.009 --> 00:27:23.289
it's our sin in us. It's
that God says to Israel here,
305
00:27:23.690 --> 00:27:30.359
obey this law perfectly and you will
have this great kingdom. How is Israel
306
00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:36.480
to respond to that? We can't
obey it perfectly. There's sin in us
307
00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:41.960
and we need a savior. We
need your grace, we need your forgiveness.
308
00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:48.470
This is exactly what Paul says in
glacians three. In glacians three he
309
00:27:48.630 --> 00:27:53.190
asks why then, the law?
Why was the law given? Why did
310
00:27:53.269 --> 00:27:59.779
God give this gift? And he
says it was added because of transgressions,
311
00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:04.259
he says. Continuing down, he
says, for if a law had been
312
00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:08.660
given that could give life, then
righteousness would indeed be by the law.
313
00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:15.170
But the scripture imprisoned everything undersins so
that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ
314
00:28:15.210 --> 00:28:22.690
might be given to those who believe. He says that the law served as
315
00:28:22.730 --> 00:28:26.960
a Guardian in Verse Twenty Four.
So then, the law was our guardian
316
00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:33.160
until Christ came, in order that
we might be justified by faith this term
317
00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:37.720
Guardian is kind of like teacher or
pedagogue. The law came in. It
318
00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:42.630
came into the world on God's people
so that the God's people and all the
319
00:28:42.710 --> 00:28:49.829
world looking at them would see this
one thing. Humans cannot obey. The
320
00:28:49.990 --> 00:28:55.269
law is perfect, the law is
good, God is good, it's all
321
00:28:55.430 --> 00:29:00.619
set up right, but humans cannot
obey. They can't. They didn't.
322
00:29:00.619 --> 00:29:07.220
Instead of inheriting this great kingdom,
instead of ruling and reigning forever, they
323
00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:11.930
were kicked out of the land.
They lost all of the promised blessings and
324
00:29:11.089 --> 00:29:21.490
gained all the promised curses. But, as I say, God didn't give
325
00:29:21.529 --> 00:29:26.720
the law to shame these people.
He didn't give the law to embarrass them
326
00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:30.400
and say, Haha, look how
sinful you are, I showed you.
327
00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:37.990
He gave them the law to teach
US something, to be our Guardian until
328
00:29:38.029 --> 00:29:45.670
Jesus Christ would come. And you
know what Jesus does? He fulfills the
329
00:29:45.750 --> 00:29:51.829
law perfectly. He takes on the
curse of the law, that curse for
330
00:29:51.990 --> 00:29:56.619
disobedience, and he takes it on
himself and then he distributes to us all
331
00:29:56.940 --> 00:30:03.700
the blessings that come from obedience to
the law. He stands in our place
332
00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:10.809
and says these people cannot do this, they cannot obey, though they must,
333
00:30:11.450 --> 00:30:17.289
and so I will obey for them
and instead of them suffering all the
334
00:30:17.490 --> 00:30:23.200
punishments for disobedience, I will suffer
it for them. And then I will
335
00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:29.480
give to them all the blessings that
David was talking about. Wealth, riches
336
00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:34.480
of blessings, to offspring, life
forever and eternal kingdom. I will give
337
00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:40.190
it to them. Jesus says,
not only does this, not only does
338
00:30:40.230 --> 00:30:42.589
he fulfill the law, not only
does he take on the curse, not
339
00:30:42.750 --> 00:30:48.549
only does he distribute the blessings,
but then he changes our hearts. He
340
00:30:48.750 --> 00:30:56.779
changes our hearts so that we rise
up from our deadness and slavery and bondage
341
00:30:56.940 --> 00:31:03.289
to sin and we say, make
me a servant. I'm no longer running
342
00:31:03.329 --> 00:31:07.089
away from the law, I'm no
longer for it, fleeing the light so
343
00:31:07.210 --> 00:31:11.890
that I can hide my sins and
fight against God. No, I walk
344
00:31:12.049 --> 00:31:18.880
into his court room and I say, Lord, you've saved me, you've
345
00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:23.920
forgiven me, you've changed me.
Here I am. What would you like
346
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:30.599
me to do? You've given me
gifts, you've changed my heart. I
347
00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:34.750
am a servant. I'm thinking about
your law. I'm meditating on your law,
348
00:31:34.789 --> 00:31:38.950
I'm delving on your law and I
am ready put me to work.
349
00:31:41.710 --> 00:31:47.579
That's what the Christian says, just
like David said, he delights in the
350
00:31:47.619 --> 00:31:53.140
law because he knows God's grace.
You remember, David sinned very greatly against
351
00:31:53.140 --> 00:32:00.900
the law. He committed murder,
he committed adultery, he was foolish and
352
00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:07.009
did terrible things, but his heart
was cleansed, he was forgiven of his
353
00:32:07.210 --> 00:32:13.210
sins, and so he stood up
as that one with faith in these promises
354
00:32:13.970 --> 00:32:21.319
and desired to walk in the newness
of life. So when we look at
355
00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:28.359
this monument of life in Israel,
of what it means to be an adopted
356
00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:32.109
child of God, this giving of
the law that he gave to them under
357
00:32:32.109 --> 00:32:37.430
Moses, we see this and we
see what God has done. Were reminded
358
00:32:37.549 --> 00:32:43.190
of this great work of salvation,
that he gave them the law so that
359
00:32:43.309 --> 00:32:49.859
they might see their need for Jesus
and that they might go to Jesus for
360
00:32:50.019 --> 00:32:58.220
salvation, Die with him, ray
be raised with him and then walk in
361
00:32:58.339 --> 00:33:04.849
the newness of life. Paul says
that we are relised East from the law
362
00:33:05.809 --> 00:33:10.690
in Roman seven having died to that
which held us captive so that we might
363
00:33:12.009 --> 00:33:16.759
serve in the new way of the
spirit and not in the old way of
364
00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:22.119
the written code. So add when
you look at the Old Testament, when
365
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:28.789
you look at Mount Sinai, you
see that its flame is quenched. You
366
00:33:28.950 --> 00:33:34.230
see Christ on the cross, risen
for you. You see this one who
367
00:33:34.230 --> 00:33:37.269
has fulfilled the law on your behalf. You see the goodness of God,
368
00:33:37.710 --> 00:33:43.619
The holiness of God, the requirements
that have been met for you and the
369
00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:49.259
standard by which we are called to
live. We find in the law,
370
00:33:50.259 --> 00:33:59.009
surprisingly through Jesus Christ, hope and
forgiveness and blessing and grace. And when
371
00:33:59.049 --> 00:34:04.329
we see this, just as when
you see a grand monument, you should
372
00:34:04.329 --> 00:34:08.570
walk away changed. You should walk
away as a person who sees things in
373
00:34:08.690 --> 00:34:14.960
a different light. You should walk
away as a person who desires to delight
374
00:34:15.639 --> 00:34:19.679
in the law of God, to
serve him with all that is in you
375
00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:25.550
and to know the grace that you
have in Jesus. May God grant these
376
00:34:25.630 --> 00:34:29.469
things to us. Let us pray
