back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 8/29/2021
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you may have seen a welcome table as you're coming in. 00:16:09.020 |
and various groups that are taking place, activities. 00:16:16.520 |
we encourage you to go by that and just let them know 00:16:26.020 |
people starting to slowly make their way into town. 00:16:28.520 |
And obviously, the last year and a half to two years 00:16:32.020 |
And so we don't know exactly what college life 00:16:36.520 |
but we know that it's starting to kind of ramp back up. 00:16:43.020 |
there is a college welcome table that is set up. 00:16:46.020 |
It's gonna be set up for the next, I don't know how many, 00:16:48.520 |
maybe a month or two as more and more college students 00:16:57.020 |
or maybe you have somebody that you wanna introduce 00:17:00.020 |
to the college staff, they're gonna be at the table. 00:17:14.020 |
They have outreaches going on this week with, 00:17:18.020 |
and various places as the schools are starting 00:17:22.020 |
And so, again, we encourage you to go visit that table 00:17:25.020 |
and find out the information about what's going on 00:17:31.020 |
That's all the way from nursery to high school seniors. 00:17:34.520 |
If you have children in that--in our education department, 00:17:50.520 |
and the curriculum, the program, their teaching. 00:17:53.520 |
And so it'll be good for you to know what's happening. 00:17:56.020 |
So we have a ministry philosophy of teaching in our church 00:18:02.020 |
Our children are also learning at the same time. 00:18:19.520 |
As the parents desire what's best for their children spiritually, 00:18:23.020 |
we want to come alongside and kind of assist. 00:18:25.520 |
And so we need the cooperation of the parents 00:18:27.520 |
to be there in the educating of our children. 00:18:30.020 |
So we're asking all the parents who have children at 2 p.m. 00:18:36.020 |
eat it, and then be back here at 2 o'clock in this room. 00:18:39.520 |
And then from 2 to 3, I think it's going to last about an hour, 00:18:42.520 |
and all the instructions, any questions that you may have 00:18:45.520 |
of what's going on in our education department, 00:18:49.020 |
will be able to answer those questions for you. 00:18:54.520 |
Our home group Bible study, our Wednesday Bible study, 00:19:01.020 |
But starting from this week, whether it is Tuesday, Wednesday, 00:19:07.020 |
If you signed up for a home group or Bible study, 00:19:10.520 |
and you have not received any email up to this point, 00:19:15.020 |
Because there are so many new people who are being added, 00:19:18.520 |
if you somehow kind of fell through the crack, 00:19:20.520 |
or maybe the email that you have, and we spelled it wrong, 00:19:27.520 |
and we'll make sure that we have the correct email address 00:19:36.020 |
and I'm not sure about the small group leaders, 00:19:41.520 |
Wednesday it's going to be here in this room. 00:19:51.520 |
as you guys know, we have the brothers get together 00:20:00.520 |
and it's going to be outside at the Great Park, 00:20:11.520 |
if you are a member or you are in the process 00:20:13.520 |
of becoming a member, you're welcome to join. 00:20:16.020 |
So there is a table. As you're going into the cafe, 00:20:18.020 |
there's a table out there for you to sign up. 00:20:20.020 |
So even if--whatever basketball level that you're at, 00:20:28.020 |
that have better players, so don't worry about that. 00:20:31.020 |
Our primary purpose of this is for fellowship. 00:20:34.020 |
A few people get out of hand and they want to compete, 00:20:38.520 |
So even if your skill level may not be up to par, 00:20:43.020 |
just come out. And even if you're not playing, 00:20:45.020 |
we encourage you to come out and spend time together 00:20:51.520 |
I think they're also trying to put it together, 00:20:53.520 |
but they need to know if there's enough people to do that. 00:20:57.020 |
Okay? So I don't know who the point person is, 00:21:07.520 |
And so they're trying to gather some people to do that. 00:21:09.520 |
And if they do that, they say they're going to be 00:21:12.020 |
probably playing at the same place, at the park. 00:21:17.020 |
And again, the sign-up table is over there at the cafe. 00:21:22.020 |
I want to encourage our church to take some time to pray 00:21:34.020 |
from one of his missionary contacts that he has in Afghanistan. 00:21:43.020 |
We did get information that that particular family 00:21:48.020 |
but the staff that they're working with are still stuck there. 00:21:51.520 |
And so they're not sure if they are going to be able to come out. 00:21:54.520 |
The deadline, our government has set a hard line 00:22:00.520 |
And what's going on in Afghanistan is much worse. 00:22:04.020 |
At least that's what we're hearing from the Christians. 00:22:07.020 |
And so whatever it is that they're saying on the news 00:22:32.020 |
So if they are not able to get out within the next few days, 00:22:37.520 |
So that kind of stuff is not being reported accurately on the media. 00:22:42.520 |
So please continue to keep them in your prayers. 00:22:49.020 |
that Afghanistan actually was the second fastest-growing Christian community in the world. 00:23:05.020 |
I had a few friends who were actually missionaries there, 00:23:08.020 |
and they had to be escorted out because the war broke out. 00:23:11.020 |
And when they were doing missions under the Taliban, 00:23:19.020 |
who was just completely covered and only their eyes, 00:23:23.020 |
And we didn't actually even know where they were for security reasons 00:23:28.020 |
After the war broke out, the military and various things happened, 00:23:33.020 |
and it opened up, so the missionaries just took that opportunity and went in there. 00:23:37.020 |
And they've been very fruitful for the last 20 years. 00:23:42.020 |
So there's a large group of Muslims who turned to Christ because of their work. 00:23:47.020 |
And so now that the military, the U.S. military is pulling out, 00:23:53.020 |
And so a lot of the Western missionaries are able to come out, 00:23:57.020 |
but the problem is all those people who got converted out in Afghanistan 00:24:06.020 |
they are not able to come out because they do not have U.S. passports. 00:24:09.520 |
And even those who do have U.S. passports are having a hard time 00:24:12.020 |
even getting to the place where they need to go and get out. 00:24:17.020 |
If you guys can please continue to keep them in your prayer. 00:24:21.520 |
And as I pray for the offering, I want to give you guys an extra time 00:24:25.020 |
to take some time to pray, but also ultimately to go beyond this time 00:24:30.520 |
and in your homes, in private, to really focus your energy 00:24:34.020 |
in praying for our brothers and sisters who are there, 00:24:39.020 |
and for the brothers and sisters who are there 00:24:43.020 |
that the Lord would continue to guide them and lead them, 00:24:45.520 |
give them courage to persevere in what's happening over there. 00:24:54.020 |
as we lift up our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. 00:24:59.520 |
Gracious Father, that we know that even in this, 00:25:12.020 |
Give them courage, Lord, not to fear opinions of man, 00:25:23.020 |
I pray, Father God, that the fear of who you are 00:25:30.520 |
would cause them, Lord God, no matter what the consequence, 00:25:33.020 |
to make the decisions that are right in your eyes. 00:25:39.020 |
and I know how unhealthy and how divided it's been 00:25:49.020 |
and what's happening in particular in Afghanistan right now, 00:25:54.520 |
as so many people, Lord, are trying to find their way. 00:25:59.020 |
Families with small children, missionaries, Christians, 00:26:03.520 |
I pray, Father God, that you would guide their path 00:26:12.020 |
who came to faith, Lord God, from their Muslim faith, 00:26:15.020 |
who are actively being sought out by the Taliban. 00:26:18.020 |
I pray that you would give them courage and strength, 00:26:20.520 |
that your grace would be sufficient for them. 00:26:24.520 |
Cause them to bear even more fruit, Lord God, 00:26:29.020 |
Help us as a church, Lord, not to be hardened in our heart 00:26:34.020 |
Help us to join them in fellowship, in much prayer, 00:26:38.520 |
And we pray, Father God, that with all our brothers and sisters 00:26:44.520 |
that in the end it would lead to greater glory to your name, 00:26:52.520 |
that safety and comfort and wealth is not what we pursue. 00:26:57.020 |
I pray that your name may be honored and glorified, Lord, 00:27:04.020 |
that we would give intentionally, purposefully, joyfully. 00:27:07.020 |
May it be multiplied 30, 60, 100-fold, Lord God, 00:27:16.520 |
So we lift this time to you, we lift this offering to you. 00:29:38.020 |
Your glorious cause, O God, engages our hearts. 00:29:54.020 |
We ask not for ourselves, but for Your realm. 00:30:02.020 |
The cross has saved us, so we pray, Your kingdom come. 00:30:18.020 |
Let Your will be done, so that everyone might know Your name. 00:31:07.020 |
Perform Your wondrous deeds through those who are weak. 00:31:22.020 |
By grace we'll preach Your gospel to our dying breath. 00:31:38.020 |
Let Your will be done, so that everyone might know Your name. 00:32:10.020 |
Let Your will be done, so that everyone might know Your name. 00:38:04.020 |
If you can turn your Bibles with me to Hebrews chapter 12. 00:38:13.020 |
We're going to be jumping back into the text in verse 25 through 29. 00:38:24.020 |
I didn't get far in the first service, so I'm assuming I won't get far in the second service either. 00:38:37.020 |
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. 00:38:44.020 |
For if those who did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, 00:38:51.020 |
much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 00:38:56.020 |
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He is promising yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven. 00:39:04.020 |
This expression yet once more denotes the removing of the things which can be shaken 00:39:10.020 |
as of created things so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 00:39:14.020 |
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, 00:39:18.020 |
let us show gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe. 00:39:39.020 |
Whether I stand here or anyone else, may it be your words and your words only. 00:39:49.020 |
Protect us, Lord God, from man's opinions and thoughts. 00:39:55.020 |
That we may hear your voice and only your voice. 00:40:04.020 |
May the authority that you've given to the church, that you've placed in your word by the Holy Spirit, 00:40:11.020 |
be known, Lord God, to everyone who has drawn near to this room to hear from you. 00:40:18.020 |
Anoint this time, Father God, that your grace would be enough. 00:40:33.020 |
One of the most powerful words that we have in English is the word grace. 00:40:39.020 |
Grace is the reason why you and I are here. We're saved by the grace of God. 00:40:57.020 |
When there seems to be no human answer of what's going on in our life, what's going on in the world, 00:41:07.020 |
It gives hope and refuge to those who are helpless and oppressed. 00:41:14.020 |
What's going on in Afghanistan, where brothers and sisters are suffering, from human eyes, it is terrifying. 00:41:27.020 |
When Apostle Paul, in his suffering, begged Christ to remove the thorn on his side, 00:41:34.020 |
Jesus' answer to him was, "My grace is sufficient for you." 00:41:39.020 |
It is sufficient for Paul, it is sufficient for us, 00:41:43.020 |
and our brothers and sisters who are in Afghanistan, who is praying to God, 00:41:49.020 |
the ultimate answer is, however this turns out, that his grace is sufficient. 00:41:58.020 |
We sing about his grace, we memorize scriptures about his grace. 00:42:02.020 |
It gives us comfort, it gives us hope, it gives us reasons to sing. 00:42:06.020 |
But when grace is misunderstood, and it is misapplied, or it is cheapened, it has dire consequences. 00:42:22.020 |
We make grace a free ticket to enter into heaven, 00:42:27.020 |
that we can continue to live in darkness and sin, 00:42:31.020 |
and we declare the grace of God to be covered. 00:42:39.020 |
we play games and we will lie to our siblings or to our friends, 00:42:43.020 |
and we cross our fingers behind our back, and we can tell all kinds of lies. 00:42:49.020 |
And when we lied, it's like, "No, I'm okay, because I crossed my finger." 00:42:52.020 |
When grace is misapplied, and it is cheap, it perverts righteousness. 00:42:59.020 |
It gives us a reason to live in sin, in selfishness, in rebellion against God, 00:43:05.020 |
and declare that it is because of grace I'm safe. 00:43:09.020 |
Grace can be easily perverted if we're not careful, 00:43:16.020 |
not realizing what we believe and practice is cheap grace. 00:43:21.020 |
D.J. Kvonhofer writes in his book, Discipleship, about this cheap grace, and this is what he says, 00:43:30.020 |
"Cheap grace is a deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting today for costly grace. 00:43:37.020 |
Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like a cheap jack's ware." 00:43:42.020 |
In other words, he just passes it out like it's not worth much. 00:43:46.020 |
"The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. 00:43:52.020 |
Grace is represented at the church's inexhaustible treasury, 00:43:56.020 |
from which she showers blessing with generous hands without asking questions or fixing limits. 00:44:04.020 |
The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance, 00:44:09.020 |
and because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing." 00:44:20.020 |
visiting an orphan work that our church members were involved in, 00:44:27.020 |
and I found something very surprising about the economy over there. 00:44:32.020 |
Because they've had poor government, and they have so many resources over there, 00:44:37.020 |
clearly it's been poor for many, many generations. 00:44:47.020 |
the economy has been crushed for many generations, 00:44:51.020 |
and what I noticed was there were a lot of Christian signs everywhere, 00:44:55.020 |
and I realized that their economy was being propped up by outside help. 00:44:59.020 |
So everywhere you go, you'll see buses, cars, buildings, 00:45:03.020 |
that have been dedicated in the name of Christ. 00:45:06.020 |
Some Baptist something, some Presbyterian something, some Pentecostal something, 00:45:10.020 |
but you'll see those crosses and signs everywhere. 00:45:13.020 |
And I realized that they've been getting a lot of aid for many, many generations, 00:45:21.020 |
those of you guys who know, who's ever traveled with me, 00:45:26.020 |
and the reason why is I'm not very adventurous with food. 00:45:29.020 |
I usually, like if I like something and I go to that restaurant, 00:45:36.020 |
Until somebody, it looks good and I'll taste it the next time I order that, 00:45:43.020 |
I was in Kenya and I took a couple bags of beef jerky and I was eating it, 00:45:46.020 |
and one of the pastors saw it and I offered it to him. 00:45:50.020 |
And then the next thing that came out of his mouth was, 00:46:00.020 |
And then the next thing that he said to me surprised me, 00:46:07.020 |
So I was like, "Maybe his English isn't good." 00:46:10.020 |
You know, that's pretty rude the way he asked for it. 00:46:14.020 |
So I said, "Okay, I'm here trying to help them. 00:46:17.020 |
So, you know, I gave him the bag and then he ate it and said, 00:46:20.020 |
"Do you have any more? You didn't even finish that." 00:46:22.020 |
And of course, I brought some more because I was there for a while. 00:46:38.020 |
and I was just kind of like perplexed the way he asked for it. 00:46:41.020 |
And then the next thing that came out of his mouth is because he said, 00:46:55.020 |
So I realized that from that encounter is that there, 00:46:59.020 |
at least that pastor was so used to getting things from the outsiders. 00:47:14.020 |
I remember experiencing that also when I was doing homeless ministry. 00:47:18.020 |
And I would go out and, you know, we would feed every week on Tuesday. 00:47:22.020 |
And then we gathered all these extra clothing because it was wintertime. 00:47:26.020 |
And then we would set up and we would always have a hard time keeping in line 00:47:30.020 |
because they would rush to the front and just grab whatever they want. 00:47:32.020 |
And so those people who weren't at the front and didn't get the clothes that they wanted, 00:47:40.020 |
but it would always end with somebody cussing me out 00:47:42.020 |
because I didn't bring enough or the sizes don't fit 00:47:48.020 |
And I would always leave after giving that to them, 00:47:56.020 |
And so for a period I was like, "Man, they're not worth this." 00:48:01.020 |
You know, I'm sacrificing to do all of this and I get cussed out. 00:48:06.020 |
but there would always be somebody who don't realize what it is 00:48:20.020 |
When we come into church and we demand grace from each other, 00:48:32.020 |
Grace is asking for something that you don't deserve, 00:48:37.020 |
If you demand grace, you don't understand what grace is. 00:48:54.020 |
what we really expect is vengeance if you wrong somebody. 00:48:58.020 |
But if we are somewhat righteous and have some conscience 00:49:10.020 |
to come into church and say, "Why didn't God answer my prayer?" 00:49:13.020 |
Why do you think that God has to answer your prayers? 00:49:21.020 |
Why do you automatically think that God is supposed to answer your prayers? 00:49:37.020 |
All of that is because cheap grace has deeply penetrated our psyche, 00:49:46.020 |
The love of God has been passed out like free candy on Halloween. 00:50:11.020 |
we automatically think this is somebody who's gregarious, 00:50:16.020 |
somebody who's able to keep a crowd and make people feel good. 00:50:27.020 |
So if you look at the etymology of this word, 00:50:33.020 |
and it basically means the one who has been favored, 00:50:57.020 |
to think that somebody innately has charisma, 00:51:08.020 |
We must not make the mistake that God's grace means 00:51:32.020 |
It is the kindness of God that leads us to what? 00:51:43.020 |
Dr. Street did a great job of what is true repentance. 00:51:59.020 |
that we may reconcile and restore what ought to be. 00:52:04.020 |
So it's the kindness, it's not the grace of God 00:52:07.020 |
so that the penalty of sin no longer belongs to you, 00:52:10.020 |
but true repentance is to turn away from that, 00:52:17.020 |
it is the grace of God that leads us to true repentance. 00:52:23.020 |
It is cheap grace to think that because we raised our hand, 00:52:29.020 |
we are covered so now we can live the rest of our life 00:52:34.020 |
That is cheap grace, and it is not biblical grace. 00:52:39.020 |
God's grace provides us the ability to choose life over death, 00:52:50.020 |
It's not you and I, by our own will, by our own effort, 00:52:53.020 |
that we somehow are choosing to do what we think is right to do. 00:53:00.020 |
true grace of God that causes us to turn from our sins 00:53:06.020 |
The whole book of Titus is to deal with this idea of cheap grace. 00:53:11.020 |
People are professing with their mouth that they believe in Jesus Christ, 00:53:38.020 |
Your life is more evident of what you believe than what you profess, 00:53:42.020 |
being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deeds, 00:53:53.020 |
Titus 2, 11-14, "For the grace of God has appeared." 00:53:57.020 |
Grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 00:54:00.020 |
instructing us to deny ungodliness, worldly desire, 00:54:04.020 |
and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age. 00:54:20.020 |
The grace of God has appeared, instructing and telling, 00:54:24.020 |
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God 00:54:27.020 |
and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed. 00:54:35.020 |
And to purify himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds. 00:54:43.020 |
We have a tendency to think that if we start to preach strong sermons, 00:54:47.020 |
and people feel guilty and rebuked, that's not grace. 00:54:55.020 |
Grace means that despite your sins, that God covered us, 00:55:00.020 |
and we can leave encouraged and continue to live the way we desire to live. 00:55:06.020 |
You continue to preach grace because our life is hard enough as it is. 00:55:09.020 |
But when we are confronted over our sins and rebuked and challenged to live righteous lives, 00:55:27.020 |
the grace of God teaches us to live and follow Christ righteously. 00:55:32.020 |
It is because chief grace has so deeply embedded into our psyche, 00:55:37.020 |
because the word of God and the grace of God in the gospel has been peddled 00:55:43.020 |
so that we can get the gospel to the lowest common denominator, 00:55:47.020 |
and an individual who has never truly surrendered their life to Christ 00:55:50.020 |
can also be accepted into the kingdom of God. 00:55:53.020 |
So all you have to do is give Jesus a chance. 00:55:56.020 |
The way that the gospel is being propagated in our generation 00:56:06.020 |
Give us a chance. Come to church. Accept Jesus. 00:56:09.020 |
And whatever it is that you've been offended by, 00:56:11.020 |
we'll try to minimize that as much as possible. 00:56:23.020 |
Sinners are coming into the church with a consumer mindset. 00:56:28.020 |
If you want to keep me at this church, I want this. 00:56:32.020 |
So the sinners are the ones who have been offended, 00:56:34.020 |
and the holy God is the one who has offended, 00:56:38.020 |
and the church is begging an opportunity for the sinners 00:56:48.020 |
If somebody offended you, and you sent an ambassador on your behalf, 00:56:55.020 |
and they were begging for them to give you a chance. 00:57:01.020 |
If you were the one offended, see, that's cheap grace. 00:57:15.020 |
has to represent the holy God that's been offended. 00:57:26.020 |
So when we come to church, our primary thought should not be, 00:57:33.020 |
It's, "How can I have a relationship with this holy God?" 00:57:38.020 |
It is because the gospel has been propagated cheaply. 00:57:42.020 |
It's been handed out as free candy to anyone who wants it. 00:57:47.020 |
All because men who are afraid of human opinion, 00:57:54.020 |
men who have become convinced that a successful church is the largest church, 00:57:59.020 |
men who have been convinced that if you have many people who honor you, 00:58:15.020 |
men who should not have ever been speaking on behalf of an offended holy God, 00:58:28.020 |
There's three things that I wanted to give you an outline of the text that we're looking at, 00:58:33.020 |
but like I told you, I didn't get through the first one. 00:58:46.020 |
God's grace demands that we pay close attention to what God has to say. 00:58:54.020 |
Two, God's grace reminds us to live for what cannot be shaken. 00:58:59.020 |
How much of what we pursue when Christ comes will mean nothing. 00:59:06.020 |
Three, God's grace calls us to worship him in spirit and in truth. 00:59:10.020 |
Those are the three things that we see in this text. 00:59:15.020 |
First one, God's grace demands that we pay close attention to what God says. 00:59:20.020 |
Verse 25, "See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking." 00:59:26.020 |
Remember, the previous text, just to remind you, just four weeks ago we were talking about this. 00:59:33.020 |
He was differentiating between coming to Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. 00:59:41.020 |
Where the people of Israel was begging Moses, 00:59:43.020 |
"Tell God to stop speaking to us," because they were so terrified. 00:59:46.020 |
Even a glimpse of his glory terrified them and asked Moses to go inside the tent, 00:59:53.020 |
But he says, "You did not come to Mount Sinai. You came to Mount Zion." 00:59:57.020 |
A place of joy, of worship, where the angels and all the multitudes 01:00:01.020 |
will be gathered together to worship him, to experience his true life. 01:00:05.020 |
So after explaining this grace, after reminding them, 01:00:10.020 |
"You didn't come to Mount Sinai. You came to Zion, a place of celebration and banquet." 01:00:16.020 |
But in conclusion to that, you would think, you say, "Well, because God is gracious. 01:00:25.020 |
We would typically think, if you only understood cheap grace, 01:00:29.020 |
"Because God is gracious, I can do whatever I want. My salvation is secure." 01:00:35.020 |
"Because God is gracious, no matter how much I sin, God will never forsake me." 01:00:45.020 |
But he says, "Because God has been gracious," he says, 01:00:58.020 |
That was the practical application of telling us about his grace. 01:01:06.020 |
Now you have to understand, when he says, "Do not refuse him," 01:01:12.020 |
And according to the context of the book of Hebrews, 01:01:15.020 |
the whole time he's been telling them to do what? 01:01:28.020 |
Because clearly that's what he means here by, "Do not refuse him." 01:01:42.020 |
How will you escape if you neglect such a great salvation? 01:01:47.020 |
We're warned over and over again, "Do not drift." 01:02:14.020 |
Continue to live you as the center of your life. 01:02:27.020 |
After the warning that has been given to you, 01:02:35.020 |
Just go outside, live your life the way you've always been living, 01:02:39.020 |
and just make sure that you're back here on Sunday. 01:02:45.020 |
When God speaks, He doesn't come and speak and say, 01:02:49.020 |
"You know what? I just want to tell you I love you," 01:02:58.020 |
When God interjects into human history to speak directly to His prophets, 01:03:02.020 |
to speak to His children, it's because there is danger. 01:03:10.020 |
He comes to instruct them, gives them warnings so that we can change. 01:03:13.020 |
He speaks in order that sinful men and women would repent. 01:03:20.020 |
That's exactly what He says in Deuteronomy 32, 45 to 47. 01:03:24.020 |
When He spoke to the nation of Israel and gave them all the instructions of His law, 01:03:30.020 |
"When Moses had finished speaking all these words to Israel, 01:03:33.020 |
He says to them, 'Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today.'" 01:03:38.020 |
Remember at the retreat, Dr. Shreve said the heart is not just talking about emotion, 01:03:45.020 |
So when He says, "Take to heart," He's talking about deep in your soul, 01:03:54.020 |
"Take to heart all the words with which I am warning you today, 01:03:57.020 |
which you shall command your sons to observe carefully." 01:04:02.020 |
And when He says sons, He's not just talking about children. 01:04:10.020 |
Don't suggest it to them and say, "Hey, I'm going to give you some good advice." 01:04:16.020 |
How can He command? Who is Moses to command them? 01:04:22.020 |
He is fraught with weakness like anybody else. 01:04:28.020 |
He tells them to command them because He speaks on behalf of God who tells Him to. 01:04:39.020 |
"Command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of the law, 01:04:44.020 |
It's not something for you to hear and then make your decision, 01:04:49.020 |
Maybe I'll do it later. Maybe at the right time." 01:04:56.020 |
When God speaks and He says, "Move," and you don't move, 01:05:03.020 |
When God says to do this and you say, "Ah, maybe not now." 01:05:09.020 |
"And by this word you will prolong your days in the land 01:05:12.020 |
which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess." 01:05:21.020 |
"For if those did not escape when they refused Him, 01:05:25.020 |
who warned them on earth, much less will we escape 01:05:28.020 |
who turn away from Him who warns from heaven." 01:05:35.020 |
Mount Sinai was not the demonstration of His full glory. 01:05:45.020 |
That glimpse of His glory that He touched down on earth 01:05:48.020 |
at Mount Sinai was so terrifying that sinners 01:05:57.020 |
His very words were terrifying and they begged Him, 01:06:15.020 |
I thought we weren't supposed to be terrified 01:06:16.020 |
because we've been covered by the blood of Christ. 01:06:23.020 |
He's speaking to people who have embraced cheap grace. 01:06:30.020 |
And they may be in danger of feeling falsely secure 01:06:36.020 |
And because of this cheap grace, they think they can approach 01:06:40.020 |
They couldn't approach Sinai from a distance. 01:06:43.020 |
But a sinner who's not been washed by the blood of Christ, 01:06:47.020 |
walking into His presence with confidence in false grace. 01:06:54.020 |
How much more would it be terrifying if God who spoke 01:07:00.020 |
How much more a professing Christian who has been deceived 01:07:13.020 |
People who have been deceived by cheap grace. 01:07:17.020 |
Hebrews 2, 1-3, it says, "For this reason, we must pay 01:07:29.020 |
If the word spoken through angels proved unalterable 01:07:32.020 |
and every transgression and disobedience received 01:07:34.020 |
a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect 01:07:40.020 |
You hear it and you just pick and choose what you want. 01:07:44.020 |
You know, I love the fact that Jesus loves me unconditionally. 01:07:46.020 |
I love the fact that my sins have been covered. 01:07:48.020 |
I love the fact that we have eternity in Christ 01:08:03.020 |
the serious Christians, the gung-ho, the Jesus freaks. 01:08:06.020 |
But for regular Christians, I choose cheap grace. 01:08:32.020 |
to continue to walk as themselves at the center, 01:08:46.020 |
But their life has never been surrendered to Christ. 01:08:54.020 |
because people who embrace cheap grace are in the church. 01:09:20.020 |
if we're pursuing our own life in the name of Jesus 01:09:39.020 |
That's why when somebody gets baptized, we ask them, 01:09:41.020 |
"Do you understand that you're being buried with Christ?" 01:09:53.020 |
Some people go in and they don't want to get their hair wet. 01:10:09.020 |
And then I said, "No, you got to go all the way in." 01:10:12.020 |
We can't bury you with your face sticking up. 01:10:15.020 |
But the idea of burial is to die with Christ. 01:10:29.020 |
Not just sacrifice, not hard life, with His death. 01:10:33.020 |
So whatever life that we were holding on to prior to is gone. 01:10:44.020 |
So that's why we ask, "Do you understand you're going into the water 01:10:48.020 |
And when you come out, you're united with Christ's resurrected life. 01:10:54.020 |
People practice cheap grace have united with Him in certain parts. 01:11:17.020 |
Our life doesn't look much different than the rest of the world. 01:11:21.020 |
We pursue the same things that the world pursues. 01:11:25.020 |
We're worried about the same thing that they're worried about. 01:11:32.020 |
We're just as concerned, just as worried, just as fearful as the rest of the 01:11:35.020 |
world, except I'm active at church on Sunday or weekday. 01:11:45.020 |
True grace causes us to recognize that He saved us from this. 01:11:52.020 |
The very things that you and I are pursuing is what caused this death. 01:11:59.020 |
The reason why there's marriage problems is because we're not dead yet. 01:12:06.020 |
There's relational issues because we're not dead yet. 01:12:16.020 |
So our challenge in sanctification is to die, not to become better. 01:12:27.020 |
You can't think about becoming better until you're dead, until the old has gone. 01:12:33.020 |
But if you've never got rid of the old and you're trying to build on top of 01:12:38.020 |
something that haven't died, that's why the frustration is coming, 01:12:47.020 |
Hebrews 10, 26-31, it says, "If we go on sinning willfully after receiving the 01:12:53.020 |
knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." 01:13:00.020 |
"But a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will 01:13:06.020 |
Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of 01:13:10.020 |
How much severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot 01:13:14.020 |
the Son of God, has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he 01:13:21.020 |
"And insulted the Spirit of grace, for we know him who said, 'Vengeance is mine. 01:13:29.020 |
"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." 01:13:34.020 |
He says, "Once you've received the knowledge and you continue to willfully 01:13:43.020 |
He's talking to people who never really received true grace, cheap grace. 01:13:50.020 |
In fact, all the knowledge you get causes you to have greater judgment. 01:13:54.020 |
Sitting in a church that reveals the Word of God to you week after week after week, 01:13:59.020 |
and then there continue to live after your own desires, you're keeping up 01:14:09.020 |
Let's say you bought a nice house, brand-new paint, and you have children 01:14:17.020 |
You go to work, you come back one day, and you see black marker just everywhere. 01:14:22.020 |
Would it make a difference, the kind of punishment that you carry out, 01:14:26.020 |
if it was a 3-year-old, a 10-year-old, or a 17-year-old? 01:14:32.020 |
If it is a 3-year-old, you would say, "He still needs to be punished because 01:14:36.020 |
he needs to learn, to be corrected, because he just doesn't know any better." 01:14:41.020 |
If a 10-year-old did it, you're 10 years old, you should have known. 01:14:49.020 |
And you're curious to find out what is his motive. 01:14:51.020 |
If a 17-year-old did it, you may assume he's trying to make a statement. 01:15:09.020 |
But if you say, "No, I would carry out the same punishment, whether they are 3, 01:15:17.020 |
We're going to have a parenting seminar," right, you would not, 01:15:27.020 |
So he says to the church, "You've heard the gospel. 01:15:33.020 |
You had every opportunity, the examples, every opportunity to come to Christ, 01:15:39.020 |
every opportunity to surrender your life, every opportunity to come to Christ 01:15:43.020 |
and embrace the true grace that is taught in the Word of God, 01:15:46.020 |
and you continue to live your life outside of the grace of God 01:15:59.020 |
I hope those parts where we're saved unconditionally, 01:16:04.020 |
But when the Bible says, like, this passage in Hebrews 10, in Hebrews 2, in Hebrews 12, 01:16:13.020 |
I had a conversation with somebody, and we opened up this text to them, 01:16:39.020 |
And whatever passages that didn't fit that, it wasn't for him. 01:16:44.020 |
There are many people who live that way without ever expressing that, 01:16:49.020 |
believing that one day when they meet Christ that all of this was not for us. 01:17:03.020 |
You can easily nullify me and say, "Well, you know, Pastor Peter, he has a certain kind of personality. 01:17:23.020 |
I try so hard to work on that, and it's a thorn on my side. 01:17:40.020 |
I want to, but I'm wrestling and struggling, and I want to be sanctified in all of those areas. 01:18:04.020 |
If there were consequences from what he warned in Sinai, how much more the God, who is fully revealed in his permanent home, speaks from heaven? 01:18:14.020 |
That's why it says in the book of James, "Not many of you should become teachers, because they will incur upon them a stricter judgment, because they know better." 01:18:29.020 |
When we were studying through that, the Thessalonians were known to be the model church in all of Macedonia. 01:18:35.020 |
And remember, Paul didn't spend a lot of time in Thessalonica. 01:18:41.020 |
So possibly he was there a month, and he got chased out because the persecution was so intense. 01:18:47.020 |
And you have to remember, Apostle Paul was not afraid to die. 01:18:53.020 |
Remember, when he was in Lystra, he got stoned, dragged out. 01:18:58.020 |
He got up, went back in, and preached the gospel. 01:19:04.020 |
They were going after the house church members. 01:19:11.020 |
And so after he left, he was concerned, so he sent a letter. 01:19:20.020 |
But all of a sudden, they come back with a report that their faith is growing, abounding. 01:19:26.020 |
Not only are they growing, they become the model church where people were talking about the Thessalonians. 01:19:32.020 |
They were loving each other, sacrificing in the midst of persecution. 01:19:36.020 |
And it wasn't because of years of discipleship. 01:19:53.020 |
For this reason, we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, 01:19:59.020 |
you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God. 01:20:08.020 |
They heard God's word and they took this seriously. 01:20:18.020 |
And as a result of that, it says, which also performs its work in you who believe. 01:20:27.020 |
When Paul and his companions were speaking, they didn't just hear it as a bunch of philosophers coming into town. 01:20:38.020 |
So when the word of God was open to them, they received it and believed, which caused them to love deeply. 01:20:58.020 |
Because the word of God does not have the same kind of authority that it had on them. 01:21:03.020 |
The word of God is open and we say, wow, there's so many opinions. 01:21:07.020 |
You say that, but they say this and they say that. 01:21:10.020 |
We use that as an excuse, oh, God is unknowable. 01:21:14.020 |
So if there's so many opinions, what's the point? 01:21:22.020 |
So therefore, we can never be confident about anything. 01:21:34.020 |
Maybe you can find somebody, but people don't study the Bible. 01:21:45.020 |
See if you come out saying, oh, we're so divided. 01:21:48.020 |
You'd be surprised how clear the word of God is. 01:21:53.020 |
Yes, it's been translated from another language. 01:21:59.020 |
God did not write the word of God that only scholars would understand. 01:22:08.020 |
He wrote this Bible that even a Sunday school student can read it for himself 01:22:15.020 |
And even the deepest of scholars who has a PhD in theology will come and dig all 01:22:20.020 |
of his life and never exhaust what it has to say. 01:22:25.020 |
So when somebody says, I read all of this stuff, and so because they say so many 01:22:35.020 |
That's just like somebody coming into the room and saying, you know what? 01:22:44.020 |
That guy on television says he's Michael Jordan. 01:22:47.020 |
I heard another guy out in Santa Ana say he's Michael Jordan. 01:23:22.020 |
But to simply dismiss the clear word of God because you hear different opinions 01:23:30.020 |
is simply, if we're not careful, an excuse not to engage the word. 01:23:41.020 |
1 Peter 2, 2-3, it says, "Like newborn babies, 01:23:45.020 |
long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation 01:23:53.020 |
In other words, if you've really known the grace of God, the taste of the kindness of God, 01:23:58.020 |
if you've really understood, if you've really professed, if you've really embraced the true grace of God, 01:24:03.020 |
tasted the kindness of God, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word. 01:24:10.020 |
Do you notice here he compares like a newborn babe? 01:24:13.020 |
If you've ever seen a baby who is born into the world for the first time, 01:24:25.020 |
You know, they don't come out and then we have, you know, we have discipleship. 01:24:43.020 |
Who told them that food is supposed to go into their mouth? 01:24:46.020 |
They're born from the first second that they're born. 01:24:56.020 |
So like newborn babes, that God instinctively placed in you when you were born again. 01:25:03.020 |
Instinctively, God has placed in you a longing for his word. 01:25:10.020 |
But you notice here he says, like newborn babes, long for what? 01:25:17.020 |
Not the watered down milk, not the imitation milk, not the milk substitute, 01:25:26.020 |
Not the kind of milk that you want that's going to tickle your ears. 01:25:30.020 |
Not the kind of milk that's like, oh, I feel very encouraged where I can continue to live 01:25:33.020 |
with me at the center, willfully denying Christ. 01:25:42.020 |
I'm still concerned about me, but I'm still practicing at church. 01:25:47.020 |
You know, the idea of tithing in the Old Testament was that they were to offer up 01:25:51.020 |
the 10% as a representative that all of it belonged to God. 01:25:56.020 |
So some people say, you know what, New Testament, it doesn't teach tithing. 01:25:59.020 |
You're right, because the Old Testament was trying to build the kingdom of Israel. 01:26:04.020 |
And so they gave 10% to build the temple, to build the national Israel. 01:26:08.020 |
We come to the New Testament, it says, no, we're not in a period at the end times 01:26:16.020 |
God's going to fulfill his promise, but we're in a period where God is building 01:26:26.020 |
So Chief Grace says, because we're not about the 10%, we're not obligated to give anything. 01:26:32.020 |
In the New Covenant, we are obligated to give everything. 01:26:44.020 |
So that when the New Covenant came, we can surrender all of it. 01:26:48.020 |
And whatever it is that we have to be used for his kingdom, all of it, 01:26:59.020 |
We have perverted the gospel, perverted the church, perverted our witness, 01:27:07.020 |
and lost our witness in Christ if we're not careful. 01:27:17.020 |
And like I said, all you have to do today to refuse him is to hear the word of God, 01:27:46.020 |
And if you're good with your money, leave some behind for your children. 01:27:53.020 |
Everything I said there innately is not sinful. 01:27:59.020 |
But if that is our primary pursuit, if that is our primary goal, 01:28:06.020 |
we have to ask ourselves, "Is Christ really Lord? 01:28:18.020 |
And it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives with me, in me." 01:28:26.020 |
The hope that we have in Jesus Christ is because we have surrendered our life here. 01:28:33.020 |
And so when Christ returns, we will know true life when he comes. 01:28:39.020 |
But if your kingdom is here, if your pursuit is here, 01:28:45.020 |
Jesus' second coming is going to disrupt your life. 01:29:07.020 |
If Jesus comes, he's going to disrupt all of that. 01:29:12.020 |
Only those who have truly surrendered their life in Christ 01:29:36.020 |
If I can ask you to take some time to not just to pray for yourself, 01:29:45.020 |
who are professing to believe God and yet living in cheap grace. 01:29:52.020 |
So many people, as Jesus says, who says, "Lord, Lord," 01:29:58.020 |
will not enter the kingdom of heaven because they did not really know God. 01:30:03.020 |
They're in the church, in the hundreds, in the thousands, 01:30:09.020 |
Pray for them, your brothers, your sisters, your parents. 01:30:15.020 |
Pray for the people around us that we do not embrace cheap grace, 01:30:20.020 |
this cultural Christianity that has nothing to do with God, 01:30:25.020 |
that we do not hold on to the grace of God simply as a security blanket 01:30:30.020 |
but the power of God unto salvation to those who genuinely believe. 01:30:35.020 |
So let's take some time to pray as our worship team leads us. 01:30:48.020 |
Let's take some time to pray again as our worship team leads us. 01:32:56.020 |
Let us all rise as we sing our closing praise. 01:36:51.020 |
The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome 01:37:13.020 |
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent 01:37:20.020 |
Lord, we pray that the word that you've implanted 01:37:26.020 |
That none of us in this room would refuse you. 01:37:30.020 |
That we would hear your words and your words only. 01:37:45.020 |
Help us, Lord, not to take for granted what we have, 01:37:49.020 |
that we would not use it simply to indulge ourselves. 01:37:55.020 |
with our brothers and sisters around the world 01:40:02.020 |
♪ For thee all the fallings of sin I resign ♪ 01:40:51.020 |
♪ I love thee because thou hast first loved me ♪ 01:40:56.020 |
♪ And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree ♪