Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:10.869
Give your attention now to God's word
in Romans, Chapter Five, Romans Five,
2
00:00:10.910 --> 00:00:21.780
verses one through five. Therefore,
since we have been justified by faith,
3
00:00:22.940 --> 00:00:27.500
we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. Through him,
4
00:00:27.940 --> 00:00:32.659
we have also obtained access by faith
into this grace in which we stand,
5
00:00:32.740 --> 00:00:38.609
and we rejoice in the hope of
the glory of God. More than that,
6
00:00:38.969 --> 00:00:44.450
we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing
that suffering produces endurance, and endurance
7
00:00:44.490 --> 00:00:50.159
produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to
8
00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:55.320
shame, because God's love has been
poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,
9
00:00:55.799 --> 00:01:00.320
who has been given to us the
God blesses word to us. Please
10
00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:19.379
be seated. Having proved that Paul's
a Paul's thesis, the justification is received
11
00:01:19.620 --> 00:01:26.019
by faith alone in Jesus, Paul
now tells us that that justification, which
12
00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:30.500
he has been talking about for quite
some time and will continue to bring up
13
00:01:30.579 --> 00:01:36.730
and focus on in various ways.
He now tells us that that justification comes
14
00:01:36.810 --> 00:01:42.969
with certain particular benefits in the Christian
life. One, for example, is
15
00:01:44.049 --> 00:01:49.439
that we have peace with God.
Another is that we have hope in God.
16
00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:53.200
These are things that he brings up
and points our attention to here in
17
00:01:53.239 --> 00:02:00.280
these verses. Notice the connection.
Since we have been justified by faith,
18
00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:05.829
we have peace with God because this
has happened. Something else has happened,
19
00:02:06.510 --> 00:02:10.870
because X. Therefore, why we
have been justified by faith and now,
20
00:02:12.389 --> 00:02:19.460
instead of having enmity with God,
we have peace with God. It's not
21
00:02:19.580 --> 00:02:23.819
so much that we are peaceful,
but that we have a state of peace.
22
00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:29.060
Of course that peace, that that
peaceful state, will produce a sort
23
00:02:29.060 --> 00:02:34.050
of peacefulness inwardly, but it's sort
of the difference between war and peace.
24
00:02:34.610 --> 00:02:38.090
We have peace with God. We're
not at war with him any longer.
25
00:02:38.810 --> 00:02:44.560
We're not his enemies when we are
forgiven of our sins and justified in Christ.
26
00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:51.360
But these benefits that he we have
peace with God whole open the glory
27
00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:54.840
of God. They're not a couple
things that sort of sit on the shelf
28
00:02:54.879 --> 00:03:00.550
at home, our salvation shelf.
People come into our home sometimes and we
29
00:03:00.629 --> 00:03:05.150
have little places of things that were
proud of, things that we like to
30
00:03:05.270 --> 00:03:07.509
show, things that are special to
us and we say, Hey, took
31
00:03:07.550 --> 00:03:15.060
a look at this, my airplane
collection or metals or whatever it may be.
32
00:03:15.419 --> 00:03:20.340
These gifts that God has given to
us are not like that. They
33
00:03:20.379 --> 00:03:24.219
don't sit on our salvation shelf.
Know, these gifts are the kinds of
34
00:03:24.300 --> 00:03:34.409
things that bring about change life,
change inward change. To compare to a
35
00:03:34.490 --> 00:03:38.009
worldly thing. Imagine that you have, or imagine that you find out that
36
00:03:38.169 --> 00:03:42.840
you have, a rich and doting
uncle who comes to you one day and
37
00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:46.479
says, I've missed you all these
years, this relationship that we could have
38
00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:50.960
had, and I want to help
you. I simply want the best for
39
00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:53.560
you. So here's my bank card. You just take care of whatever you
40
00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:59.110
need. With access to these kinds
of funds, all of a sudden you
41
00:03:59.189 --> 00:04:02.949
can do all kinds of things that
you never thought were possible. There's a
42
00:04:03.030 --> 00:04:09.069
sense of security that you now have, a kind of peace about the way
43
00:04:09.189 --> 00:04:13.939
that you are going to live your
life because you have access to these funds.
44
00:04:15.019 --> 00:04:19.540
Well, Jesus does something for us
like that, only, of course,
45
00:04:19.699 --> 00:04:24.139
much, much better. I know
you don't believe me about that,
46
00:04:24.220 --> 00:04:29.170
but it really is better. That's
what God says in his word. Remember
47
00:04:29.290 --> 00:04:32.329
this. Instead of giving US access
to money, which can be lost,
48
00:04:32.370 --> 00:04:39.920
stolen, wastefully spent, he gives
us access to the grace of God.
49
00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:48.639
Peace with God. You remember what
justification is, right. It's this act
50
00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:54.670
by God's of God's grace, where
he cleanses us from our sin, he
51
00:04:54.870 --> 00:05:00.069
declares US righteousness, he pardons us
of all the things that we've done,
52
00:05:00.990 --> 00:05:05.389
money wise, physical, tangible money, bank account money. When you die,
53
00:05:06.939 --> 00:05:12.540
it doesn't go with you, it
has zero effect on you anymore.
54
00:05:12.699 --> 00:05:17.980
However much you have or don't have, God will not require you to pay
55
00:05:18.019 --> 00:05:25.689
back a single dollar. But the
debt of sin, however, the debts
56
00:05:25.730 --> 00:05:30.250
that you owe to God in that
way must be paid back. And the
57
00:05:30.370 --> 00:05:36.160
thing is they can't be paid back. He requires to us any any eternal
58
00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:43.519
death, a life forever of everlasting
punish meant to pay for the debts that
59
00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:48.399
are eternally owed when we sin against
God. It's not just a little bit
60
00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:53.230
in our bank accounts that are owed, a sort of sin or righteousness bank
61
00:05:53.269 --> 00:05:57.230
account that just goes a little bit
in debt. With every sin, the
62
00:05:57.310 --> 00:06:00.350
Bible says we offend our most holy
God in such a way that it is
63
00:06:02.389 --> 00:06:10.860
that it is eternally damnable. That
is, of course, unless you find
64
00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:18.009
grace, unless God provides forgiveness,
which says I clear these debts, I
65
00:06:18.209 --> 00:06:25.009
take away these things from you that
you owe. In that case, you
66
00:06:25.209 --> 00:06:30.209
stand as one forgiven. You enter
into eternal life, not as one who
67
00:06:30.209 --> 00:06:35.199
will experience it in all of its
pains and wrath and sorrow, but who
68
00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:46.040
experience eternal life in blessing and holiness
and riches and glory. Life. This
69
00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.949
is what Jesus gives to us.
He doesn't give us a temporary thing for
70
00:06:50.310 --> 00:06:56.709
the here and now. He gives
us any eternal thing that will last forever
71
00:06:56.870 --> 00:07:01.899
and ever. But it's similar.
I make the analogy in this way and
72
00:07:02.019 --> 00:07:09.379
that it changes your life. To
put it another way, being justified by
73
00:07:09.459 --> 00:07:14.060
God not only brings you the right
to eternal life, it also brings the
74
00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:23.170
experience here and now of blessing.
He gives us a blessed life here and
75
00:07:23.329 --> 00:07:29.529
now because of the forgiveness that we
have in Jesus on the Cross. Paul
76
00:07:29.569 --> 00:07:33.360
will say at the end of this
chapter that we reign in life through Jesus.
77
00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:40.560
Reign in life are EI GN like
a king, reigning, powerful,
78
00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:45.990
strong, glorious, filled with blessing
and honor. That's how we live our
79
00:07:46.029 --> 00:07:51.149
lives. We Reign in life through
Jesus Christ, and that's God's message to
80
00:07:51.189 --> 00:07:58.550
us. This morning. Those who
have been justified by God in Christ find
81
00:07:58.620 --> 00:08:03.139
that not only is there afterlife taken
care of, but also their current life
82
00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:09.220
is taken care of. They don't
just reign in eternity, but they reign
83
00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:16.009
here and now. They experience the
blessed life of God here and now.
84
00:08:16.050 --> 00:08:22.970
Now. I don't know about you, but when I hear about experiencing the
85
00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:28.519
blessed life here and now, I
can't help but think of certain preachers who
86
00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:33.960
have a very earthly kind of blessing
in mind. When someone says to me,
87
00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:37.679
when I say to myself, when
I hear it in the Bible,
88
00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:41.110
you will reign in life. It's
so easy to think in these kind of
89
00:08:41.230 --> 00:08:46.950
temporal terms, partly because there are
many people claiming to be preachers of the
90
00:08:46.990 --> 00:08:52.710
word of God who speak in these
terms, who say that if you come
91
00:08:52.870 --> 00:08:58.659
to Jesus, money will pour in, you will have a rich and doting
92
00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:03.980
uncle in the kind of way that
I've first presented it, that you will
93
00:09:03.019 --> 00:09:09.730
have cars of all kinds, wealth
and riches beyond your wildest imagination, and
94
00:09:09.769 --> 00:09:13.570
if you don't, it's simply because
you don't believe enough, you're not trying
95
00:09:13.649 --> 00:09:20.809
hard enough, you're not obeying enough, and so, as a preacher myself,
96
00:09:20.850 --> 00:09:26.799
I find myself somewhat hesitants sometimes to
even say scriptural things like reigning in
97
00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:31.080
life. You Reign in life,
or you have a blessed life or will
98
00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:35.799
have a blessed life here and now
if you believe in Jesus, because I
99
00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:41.190
feel that you're going to hear me
in the way that we so often hear
100
00:09:41.389 --> 00:09:46.990
this, but that's not what the
Bible says. I want you to know
101
00:09:46.190 --> 00:09:52.860
that when God speaks about the blessed
life, speaks about US living and reigning
102
00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:56.899
in an eternal kind of sense here
and now because of our justice sification.
103
00:09:58.860 --> 00:10:03.379
He means it in a much better
way, in a much better way than
104
00:10:03.860 --> 00:10:09.090
prosperity preachers will tell you, these
people that try to scam you into thinking
105
00:10:09.169 --> 00:10:18.450
that this life that we live is
all about money, diamonds, plans and
106
00:10:18.610 --> 00:10:28.480
all the rest. Paul does not
have these things in mind for two reasons.
107
00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:31.960
We can know it for two reasons. First is the kind of life
108
00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:37.950
that he's talking about, and the
second is the reality of trials that he
109
00:10:39.029 --> 00:10:43.549
also talks about. Notice what he
talks about, the kind of life that
110
00:10:43.629 --> 00:10:46.750
he has in mind. Notice what
he says. He says that we have
111
00:10:46.870 --> 00:10:52.259
peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. He says we rejoice in the
112
00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:58.379
hope of the glory of God.
Later on in this chapter he's going to
113
00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:01.500
be talked. He's going to talk
about the kind of life that we receive
114
00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:07.090
through Jesus is not like the death
that we receive through Adam. Of course,
115
00:11:07.129 --> 00:11:11.529
Adam didn't just die a physical death, but all those who have the
116
00:11:11.649 --> 00:11:16.610
sin of Adam I promised an eternals
death, a spiritual one as well as
117
00:11:16.649 --> 00:11:22.240
a physical one. The life,
however, that we receive in Jesus is
118
00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.799
this kind kind of asclidological life.
It's a life connected with the world to
119
00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:33.950
come, eternal life, completely blessed
life, life without sin, a life
120
00:11:33.070 --> 00:11:37.950
that lives past death, the life
of Christ, the life of the spirit
121
00:11:37.990 --> 00:11:45.190
of God who verse five says has
been poured into our hearts, God himself
122
00:11:45.830 --> 00:11:54.659
being spread richly in us. The
Life Paul is talking about here, that
123
00:11:54.740 --> 00:11:58.820
we have in Jesus, is not
sitting pretty on a pile of cash.
124
00:12:01.340 --> 00:12:07.850
It's being seated with Jesus in the
Throne Room of God, in the heavenly
125
00:12:07.970 --> 00:12:13.450
places where we have been raised.
You See, when Jesus says that he
126
00:12:13.570 --> 00:12:18.480
will bless us in our justification,
in this grace that we have received.
127
00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:24.879
He's not talking about something that's less
than what the prosperity preachers promise. He's
128
00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:33.509
talking about something that's much more.
They are taking away from you. They
129
00:12:33.669 --> 00:12:39.830
promise something less than what God has
given. You see this particularly in the
130
00:12:41.070 --> 00:12:45.139
second thing that Paul has in mind. In our reigning in this life,
131
00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:52.500
it includes suffering. It's very clear
about this. He says through him we
132
00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:56.779
have also obtained access through faith or
by faith, into this grace in which
133
00:12:56.779 --> 00:13:00.330
we stand, and we rejoice in
the hope of the glory of God.
134
00:13:01.730 --> 00:13:07.450
Verse Three. More than that,
we rejoice in our sufferings. Paul doesn't
135
00:13:07.450 --> 00:13:11.649
say that sufferings are going to go
away, that you could skirt around them
136
00:13:11.730 --> 00:13:18.240
or move around them or don't have
them. He says in them you find
137
00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:24.080
hope. In your sufferings you find
blessing and glory, and that's why you
138
00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:33.509
rejoice. The Prosperity Gospel, as
it is sometimes called, completely disregards the
139
00:13:33.629 --> 00:13:37.230
reality of trials in the Christian life
and even more, we can say it
140
00:13:37.350 --> 00:13:43.539
stronger, it takes away the blessing
of trials that God has promised to us.
141
00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:46.980
This is why I say this sort
of earthly view of reigning in life,
142
00:13:48.019 --> 00:13:54.700
a kind of temporary financial view,
very limited, takes away a blessing
143
00:13:54.860 --> 00:14:01.809
that God has promised. Notice what
he says. We rejoice in our sufferings,
144
00:14:05.049 --> 00:14:11.960
knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance
produces character and character produces hope,
145
00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:20.559
and hope does not put us to
shame. Sometimes we hope in things that
146
00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:24.549
don't work out and it does put
us to shame. Going back to the
147
00:14:24.629 --> 00:14:28.429
money example, maybe you've invested in
something or in someone or a business or
148
00:14:28.470 --> 00:14:31.669
something that you thought this is going
to be good, this is going to
149
00:14:31.710 --> 00:14:35.710
make things right, this is going
to improve things, and your hope ended
150
00:14:35.789 --> 00:14:41.179
up embarrassing you. You lost money, you got connected with a scam,
151
00:14:43.220 --> 00:14:46.860
all kinds of things. God here
promises the opposite. He says the hope
152
00:14:46.899 --> 00:14:52.259
that you're hoping in will not put
you to shame. It does not put
153
00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:58.690
us to shame. Here's something for
us to remember about this chain that he
154
00:14:58.769 --> 00:15:07.049
lays out here, this kind of
circular progression of suffering leading back around to
155
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:13.919
hope in which we rejoice. It's
that the sanctification that accompanies our justification.
156
00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:20.080
It's a blessing to be enjoyed.
We forget this, don't we? It's
157
00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:24.470
easy to sort of think about sanctification
is something that we merely endure and have
158
00:15:24.629 --> 00:15:31.230
to get it over with. Sanctification
is something that we you know, sometimes
159
00:15:31.269 --> 00:15:35.179
I hear us saying, well,
I guess God is sanctifying me, I
160
00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:41.460
guess this is sanctifying. But where's
the joy in that? Isn't there a
161
00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:46.860
sense? Isn't God saying that there's
a sense, a real sense, a
162
00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:50.370
true sense, in which the Christian
life has lived out in rejoicing in our
163
00:15:50.409 --> 00:15:56.490
sanctification, that when we receive the
sufferings of God, it's not merely something
164
00:15:56.529 --> 00:16:00.370
we endure and maybe there's a blessing
attached to it somewhere, but that it
165
00:16:00.529 --> 00:16:06.039
is entirely meant for blessing, that
that in itself is the gift that has
166
00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:10.759
been given. The Prosperity Gospel,
of course, ignores all this and it
167
00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:17.399
takes it away from us. It
takes away the sanctifying work that God promises
168
00:16:17.480 --> 00:16:25.509
to do in our lives. We
don't in merely endure suffering. We rejoice
169
00:16:25.789 --> 00:16:34.940
in our suffering, we rejoice in
it because it produces endurance and endurance produces
170
00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:40.299
a character, which it means to
say it sort of shows that it's genuine.
171
00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:45.500
You you, you, you test, let's say, an object to
172
00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:48.490
make sure it's strong and at the
end of that testing period, if it's
173
00:16:48.730 --> 00:16:53.490
endured, if it's done, it's
proven itself is genuine, it has good
174
00:16:55.129 --> 00:17:02.559
character. There's a an elder at
the church the OPC in Phoenix, at
175
00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:07.960
Calvin OPC, who makes bolow ties. Takes these, you know, pretty
176
00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:12.559
rocks and will shape them and do
various things and then turn them into well,
177
00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:17.829
our state Necktie, I guess.
But before he does that process,
178
00:17:17.950 --> 00:17:21.109
but the first thing he does is
he chooses the kind of rock he wants,
179
00:17:21.190 --> 00:17:23.150
the the really pretty one, the
one that's going to look nice and
180
00:17:23.269 --> 00:17:27.190
do well for him, and he
drops it on his work bench and it
181
00:17:27.390 --> 00:17:33.619
shatters into a bunch of pieces and
he says, Nope, not going to
182
00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:38.819
use that one. And they'll keep
doing that with beautiful rock after beautiful rock
183
00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:45.009
until he finds one that has character, one that endures the test, one
184
00:17:45.130 --> 00:17:52.250
that has proven itself as genuine,
and that one gets turned into a tie.
185
00:17:55.970 --> 00:18:02.839
This is something of what God does
with us. He gives us tests,
186
00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:08.440
he takes our sufferings and makes and
and endures us so that at the
187
00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:14.309
end of it we say, look
at what God is doing. He's testing
188
00:18:14.470 --> 00:18:18.509
me, he caused me to endure
and here I am not shattered in a
189
00:18:18.589 --> 00:18:22.869
thousand pieces. It was hard,
maybe something, maybe the weak spots,
190
00:18:22.910 --> 00:18:29.859
got chipped off, and it didn't
feel good as it was happening. But
191
00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:36.180
God has been good, God has
been faithful, and I can have hope,
192
00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:42.690
hope that God will use me for
his purposes, that he is making
193
00:18:42.849 --> 00:18:49.450
me into the thing that he wants
to make, something beautiful and purposeful and
194
00:18:49.609 --> 00:18:56.519
glorifying to him. The prosperity preachers
want to take all that away from you,
195
00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:02.440
your sinful hearts that want to attach
the glory of God to earthly things.
196
00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:08.400
Wants to take all that away from
you. God says there is real
197
00:19:10.190 --> 00:19:18.109
blessing, so much blessing that you
can approach your sufferings with rejoicing, with
198
00:19:18.309 --> 00:19:26.579
real rejoicing. Now those sufferings may
be very, very hard. There are
199
00:19:26.579 --> 00:19:33.940
Christians in this world who faced crucifixion, burning, imprisonment, beheading, rape,
200
00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:42.930
slavery for the name of Jesus.
Paul experienced these kind of sufferings himself.
201
00:19:44.569 --> 00:19:47.849
He had skin in the game on
this one. He's not merely talking
202
00:19:47.930 --> 00:19:51.690
as an outsiderer, saying yeah,
you guys, this is a good thing,
203
00:19:51.809 --> 00:19:53.480
it'll work out for you. No, he knew it, he was
204
00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:02.720
a experiencing it, he believed it. Of course there's other kinds of sufferings.
205
00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:10.789
Long term illnesses, broken relationships,
lawsuits that won't end, rebellious children,
206
00:20:10.869 --> 00:20:15.109
abusive parents, job situations. The
list goes on and on and on.
207
00:20:17.150 --> 00:20:22.660
There's even the little things that we
deal with. There's so that Pale
208
00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:26.339
really in comparison to these things,
and yet we still getting anxious over them
209
00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:32.140
and frustrated and angry and don't deal
with them very well. I forgot to
210
00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:34.890
turn the Crock pot on before I
went to church, locked the keys in
211
00:20:36.049 --> 00:20:40.690
the car, didn't buy enough bread
the neighbors, leaves are falling in our
212
00:20:40.730 --> 00:20:45.170
yard, and yet we get all
bent out of shape and all frustrated and
213
00:20:45.369 --> 00:20:52.119
angry at God for the things that
he has the things that he has brought
214
00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:57.119
into our lives. These sufferings,
whether they be tiny, insignificant ones or
215
00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:06.069
great, big life shattering ones,
God says that he will use them to
216
00:21:06.190 --> 00:21:12.829
produce endurance and character and hope in
our lives. But I have to remind
217
00:21:12.910 --> 00:21:22.140
you that this only happens, this
sort of blessed circle, only happens when
218
00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:29.099
it's by faith. It only happens
when we're trusting and believing that God will
219
00:21:29.099 --> 00:21:36.970
do these things. It's not automatic. You don't experience suffering and automatically endure
220
00:21:36.970 --> 00:21:41.769
endurance. Depends on the thing that
you're trusting in, on the one that
221
00:21:41.049 --> 00:21:49.039
you're trusting in. We will go
to great lengths and do amazing things when
222
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:56.319
we trust that something, when we
trust in something, whether that's a doctor
223
00:21:56.359 --> 00:22:00.509
who will take care of us,
or a broker who's managing our finances,
224
00:22:02.150 --> 00:22:07.470
or or a promise that's been given. I'm over the past few days and
225
00:22:07.869 --> 00:22:14.269
my house we've been listening to see
US Louis has the silver chair. My
226
00:22:14.470 --> 00:22:18.579
favorite character, and probably everyone's favorite
character, is puddle Glam. In that
227
00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:26.619
story. PUDDLE Glam is this down
or sour faced guy who always is seeing
228
00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:33.730
the worst in everything, but he
has this sort of amazing faith, this
229
00:22:34.089 --> 00:22:40.769
trust that the word that he has
been given from the great line as land
230
00:22:41.490 --> 00:22:45.519
is true. There's this amazing scene. Why, one of my favorite scenes
231
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:52.799
in the story at the end where
there everything's about to go wrong and everything's
232
00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:57.519
about to fall apart and his human
companions, Pudal GLUMB is not human.
233
00:22:57.750 --> 00:23:03.349
His human companions say, but what
if this doesn't work out? What if
234
00:23:03.470 --> 00:23:07.829
this what if we die? And
PUDAL Glum says, well, we probably
235
00:23:07.950 --> 00:23:12.940
will, it probably will work out
poorly, but it doesn't matter. We
236
00:23:14.059 --> 00:23:17.500
have to trust in the sign,
the word that we have been given.
237
00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:22.460
That is the only thing that we
have. Are Now I'm putting words and
238
00:23:22.500 --> 00:23:27.769
Pudal GLUM's mouth. Our lives are
not about making a kind of calculus about
239
00:23:27.849 --> 00:23:32.450
will I get this job, or
will this relationship work out, or can
240
00:23:32.569 --> 00:23:36.369
I align x, Y and Z
in order to get this thing that I
241
00:23:36.569 --> 00:23:41.049
want? Our lives are about trusting
in the Lord, and that produces an
242
00:23:41.089 --> 00:23:48.559
amazing amount of Durance, endurance even
through death. He was willing to face
243
00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:52.759
death because he knew of the truthfulness
of the one who had spoken to him.
244
00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:56.950
And it's just like that for us
with God. We believe what the
245
00:23:57.309 --> 00:24:03.430
Lord has done. He has done, that he has overcome death, that
246
00:24:03.589 --> 00:24:07.109
he has overcome suffering and wrath and
curse, to such an extent that we
247
00:24:07.190 --> 00:24:14.339
can endure through it and say I
will be okay, the Lord will use
248
00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:18.180
this, the Lord will bless me. I may not be able to see
249
00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:19.579
it, I may not be able
to work at all out in my head,
250
00:24:21.660 --> 00:24:27.490
but I know that God is true. I know that God is true
251
00:24:30.529 --> 00:24:34.170
and he is true. Paul says
at the end of this section that it's
252
00:24:34.289 --> 00:24:41.599
something that we experience. If you've
been forgiven, if you know what it
253
00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:45.079
means to be justified by Christ,
if you've put your faith in him,
254
00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:51.839
then the love of God, he
says, has been poured into our hearts
255
00:24:52.029 --> 00:24:57.509
by the Holy Spirit who's been given
to us. It's sort of an argument
256
00:24:57.589 --> 00:25:03.789
from experience. You know the love
of God, you know the ways in
257
00:25:03.869 --> 00:25:08.099
which he watches over you and takes
care of you, the ways in which
258
00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:12.299
he has done that over and over
again, even now, assuring you,
259
00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:21.730
and that is coming by the Holy
Spirit. Your pain may be very difficult,
260
00:25:22.049 --> 00:25:25.410
and that, I think, is
a wonderful thing in the Bible.
261
00:25:26.250 --> 00:25:32.329
Many philosophies of this world overlook that, downplay it. The Bible never downplay
262
00:25:32.450 --> 00:25:34.960
suffering. It never says, well, that's not really true, it doesn't
263
00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:41.119
really exist it. It looks at
it very openly and very honestly and says
264
00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:47.640
it's there and God knows about it. But he says there is something more
265
00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:53.470
powerful than the suffering that we face, and it is God himself, who
266
00:25:53.470 --> 00:25:57.869
has lived and died on our behalf, and that is why we believe in
267
00:25:59.029 --> 00:26:06.259
him. We trust in him,
and when we do, we reign in
268
00:26:06.420 --> 00:26:11.900
life, even as he has reigned
in life through suffering and through death.
269
00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:17.059
We will have to suffer now,
we will face trials, but God is
270
00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:22.490
using it for good and because of
that, as a Christian, you can
271
00:26:22.569 --> 00:26:30.009
rejoice, you can live your life
with an attitude and a disposition of thankfulness
272
00:26:30.529 --> 00:26:37.839
and praise, even in the darkest
times. This is not easy, because
273
00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:44.079
we do doubt and we do lack
faith, but remember what God has done
274
00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:49.910
and remember who is in your heart, the Holy Spirit himself. So trust
275
00:26:51.029 --> 00:26:56.589
on him, lean on him,
put your faith in God and he will
276
00:26:56.630 --> 00:26:59.789
not let you down. Let us
pray
