1 00:00:14,059 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,399 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:27,019 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:39,920 So, you're ready to dig into the Word? Let's look at Hebrews chapter 4. 5 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:46,299 Yeah, the more I study this book, the more enamored I am by it, the more overwhelmed 6 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:53,299 that I realize how special it is because, yeah, I've read it probably like you many times through, 7 00:00:54,500 --> 00:01:01,679 but each time it just impresses more and more of my heart how unique it is from any other book of 8 00:01:01,679 --> 00:01:06,680 the Bible. So, let's pray and thank the Lord for being here. Father God, we thank You, Lord, 9 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:12,000 that Your Word is here, Your Spirit is here. Lord, we have everything we need to walk out of here 10 00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:19,200 transformed. And so, Lord, we ask You to do that to us today, Lord. We want to surrender any barrier 11 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:25,819 to You, Lord. We ask You to knock down those barriers, scrape off the hardness of our heart, 12 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:32,219 Lord God, and the scales from our eyes and whatever's on our mind, Lord God. We ask You 13 00:01:32,219 --> 00:01:38,400 to just cleanse us so that we can actually absorb everything that Your Word says to us. 14 00:01:39,159 --> 00:01:46,200 And we ask this in Jesus' name, amen. So, today's message, receiving mercy and finding grace 15 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:53,379 through our high priest Jesus Christ. You know, as I was just saying, what makes Hebrews so unique 16 00:01:53,379 --> 00:02:01,700 and special is that, you know, only in Hebrews do we actually see that Jesus Christ is our high 17 00:02:01,700 --> 00:02:08,060 priest. This is the only book that really spells it out, that delineates the high priest of the 18 00:02:08,060 --> 00:02:15,159 Old Testament to Jesus Christ. It makes it really clear because the Word says it several times that 19 00:02:15,159 --> 00:02:22,879 Jesus Christ is the ultimate high priest. And there's other parts of Scripture that hint to this. 20 00:02:23,039 --> 00:02:30,860 In fact, if you have that first slide, we have Romans 834 where Paul says Christ makes intercession 21 00:02:30,860 --> 00:02:38,360 for us. And that's actually the job of the high priest is to intercede between God and the people. 22 00:02:39,300 --> 00:02:47,199 In 1 John 2.1, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one. 23 00:02:47,900 --> 00:02:54,120 And so, He is our advocate, again, that mediator, that go-between. And also, in Revelation, 24 00:02:54,699 --> 00:03:01,259 John sees Christ in a very unique and special way. I covered a little bit of it last week, 25 00:03:01,259 --> 00:03:07,860 how He is shown with a double-edged sword coming out of His mouth, which is very symbolic of 26 00:03:07,860 --> 00:03:15,539 many things we talked about last week, but also fire in His eyes, white hair. And there He is, 27 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:23,539 and He's dressed in a robe with a gold sash around His chest. And in the Old Testament, 28 00:03:23,699 --> 00:03:31,300 the high priest wore sashes of purple, of scarlet and blue, all symbolic of things, 29 00:03:31,300 --> 00:03:41,219 royalty, the heaven and blood of the sacrifice. And so, but woven in those fabrics was gold wire 30 00:03:41,219 --> 00:03:49,319 to keep it together. But Christ is seen with having a solid gold sash, so He is the high priest. 31 00:03:50,139 --> 00:03:55,860 You know, human high priests always had flaws because they're humans, which we're going to 32 00:03:56,259 --> 00:04:02,379 talk about in a minute. And when you think about it, the first high priest, Aaron, right? 33 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:08,860 He's chosen to be high priest, okay? And we can read in numbers. By the way, a little plug for 34 00:04:08,860 --> 00:04:14,780 Wednesday night's sermons, come on out, because that Bible study is phenomenal. And we're in 35 00:04:14,780 --> 00:04:20,639 numbers now. And the stories in numbers, we're really getting rolling now, and you can read in 36 00:04:20,639 --> 00:04:27,000 numbers about this incident where Aaron, Miriam and Aaron come against Moses of all people, 37 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:35,000 family members of his, and they come against him. And Aaron, actually, they both say, you know, 38 00:04:35,379 --> 00:04:40,160 who is this Moses? Is God only speaking through him? First, they said it was because he was 39 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,920 married to an Ethiopian woman. That's another story. But then they right away came to the 40 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:50,740 fact that, you know, who is this man? Is he special? Well, yeah. Yeah, Moses was special, 41 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:57,500 right? Well, they were challenging his authority. And you recall how the glory came down at the 42 00:04:57,500 --> 00:05:03,699 doorway of the tent of meeting, the tabernacle. And it was there that the Lord thunderously spoke 43 00:05:03,699 --> 00:05:09,639 to them and rebuked them. And Miriam became leprous for seven days, and then he cleansed her and so 44 00:05:09,639 --> 00:05:20,240 forth. But here's the first high priest, and he's already acting treasonous towards Moses and God, 45 00:05:20,399 --> 00:05:27,920 right? And then his sons, if you can recall, they came into the tabernacle with a strange fire that 46 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:33,980 doesn't the word doesn't spell that out. But it was something that God did not command. And it 47 00:05:33,980 --> 00:05:39,240 was against him in some sense. And it could be because they went in drunk, because the next 48 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:46,079 passage talks about never go into the tent of meeting or the tabernacle intoxicated. So it 49 00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:52,660 could be that but in any sense, they they lit, they burned a strange fire and the Lord just took 50 00:05:52,660 --> 00:05:59,579 them just torch them. You can read that as well. Many amazing stories in the word. And from there, 51 00:05:59,579 --> 00:06:06,480 we see that Eli was another high priest. And if you know his story, you know, he was he loved God, 52 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:13,540 but it seemed that he loved his sons more. And his sons were serving in the the house of God, 53 00:06:13,699 --> 00:06:18,579 the tabernacle. And here they're actually committing adultery with the women who were 54 00:06:18,579 --> 00:06:24,259 the greeters at the front door of the tabernacle. They were sexually abusing them. And they're also 55 00:06:24,259 --> 00:06:31,720 going in with a three pronged hook and stealing sacrifices offered to God, right out of people who 56 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:38,040 came to worship God and to make offerings to him, they would come and literally steal the offerings 57 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:44,160 right out of their hands. So Eli was warned about this again and again. So we see these priests 58 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:51,219 always had significant flaws, and always will because they're human, right? Samuel had his 59 00:06:51,350 --> 00:06:58,389 flaws with overlooking his sons who were judges, and they were not walking with God either. They 60 00:06:58,389 --> 00:07:05,589 were taking bribes and they were they were, in a sense, corrupt, you know, Samuel's son. So 61 00:07:05,589 --> 00:07:11,649 we see this again and again. But Jesus Christ came down from above and he is the high priest. 62 00:07:12,329 --> 00:07:17,550 There's no flaw in him. There's nothing that anyone can find against him, though the enemy 63 00:07:17,550 --> 00:07:24,709 might try. He is pure and he is perfect. So let's dive in to Hebrews chapter four. We're just going 64 00:07:24,709 --> 00:07:30,449 to read about 14 verses, and we're actually going straight through. So follow along if you would. 65 00:07:32,790 --> 00:07:40,769 Verse 14. Seeing then that we have a high, a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, 66 00:07:41,729 --> 00:07:48,790 Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest 67 00:07:48,790 --> 00:07:57,290 who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are 68 00:07:57,290 --> 00:08:10,750 yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace. I love that we were just 69 00:08:10,750 --> 00:08:17,649 helped in the time of need. Chapter five. For every high priest taken from among men 70 00:08:17,649 --> 00:08:26,230 is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for 71 00:08:26,230 --> 00:08:34,250 sins. He can have, we can, he can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray since 72 00:08:34,250 --> 00:08:40,750 he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this, he is required as for the people, 73 00:08:41,210 --> 00:08:48,730 so also for himself to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, 74 00:08:49,309 --> 00:08:57,250 but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. And verse five. So also Christ did not glorify 75 00:08:57,250 --> 00:09:05,129 himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, he meaning Jesus, I mean, I'm sorry, 76 00:09:05,289 --> 00:09:12,889 God, who said to him, meaning Jesus, you are my son. Today I have begotten you, as he also says 77 00:09:12,889 --> 00:09:20,490 in another place, you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. And verse seven. 78 00:09:20,490 --> 00:09:28,090 So who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications 79 00:09:28,090 --> 00:09:37,009 with vehement cries and tears to him. Now this is obviously pointing to the garden of Gethsemane 80 00:09:37,009 --> 00:09:44,129 when he was crying out to the father, who was able to save him from death and was heard 81 00:09:44,129 --> 00:09:50,970 because of his Godly fear, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things 82 00:09:50,970 --> 00:09:57,970 which he suffered. And verse nine, and having been perfected, he became the author of eternal 83 00:09:57,970 --> 00:10:06,289 salvation to all who obey him, called by God as a high priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, 84 00:10:06,929 --> 00:10:15,289 of whom we have much to say and hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. Ouch. 85 00:10:15,669 --> 00:10:21,669 That's a kind of slight error. So first of all, so Melchizedek, we're not going to talk about him today, 86 00:10:22,129 --> 00:10:27,970 because in this chapter, he was just mentioned twice, chapter six, he's mentioned once, but 87 00:10:27,970 --> 00:10:32,730 chapter seven, he's mentioned five times. So that's when we'll talk more about Melchizedek 88 00:10:32,730 --> 00:10:38,889 and how he's a type of Christ in the Old Testament. And we're also not going to talk about the dull 89 00:10:38,889 --> 00:10:44,870 of hearing comment that, you know, the Lord just spoke to the readers, because that's going to be 90 00:10:44,870 --> 00:10:53,169 talked about in two weeks from now, about hearing, but not doing, about hearing and hearing, 91 00:10:53,529 --> 00:10:59,629 but also being teachers. Because next week we have a special guest speaker, 92 00:10:59,629 --> 00:11:06,289 a missionary to Pakistan, his name is Philemon. And he'll be speaking here, and I'm really looking 93 00:11:06,289 --> 00:11:12,929 forward to that. And so, and so should you. And so he'll be speaking and teaching about, 94 00:11:13,009 --> 00:11:18,570 I'm not sure what, but I know he'll be bringing in what's going on with Pakistan. But the week 95 00:11:18,570 --> 00:11:24,230 after, we'll talk more about this. By now you should be teachers, but you're still, in a sense, 96 00:11:24,230 --> 00:11:30,649 spiritually dumb. You know, I'm just, he's just speaking frankly. So anyway, so let's focus more 97 00:11:30,649 --> 00:11:38,490 on, first of all, Jesus being this high priest. He's a high priest. You know, Jesus isn't only 98 00:11:39,029 --> 00:11:44,269 the offeror, because that's what priests did. They offered the sacrifice for the people, 99 00:11:44,470 --> 00:11:51,990 right? Well, Jesus is not only the offeror, he's the offering, because he is the sacrifice. 100 00:11:51,990 --> 00:11:58,830 He's like a one man God show, okay? Because he comes in as the perfect man, which Adam was not. 101 00:11:59,250 --> 00:12:05,730 He comes in as a perfect sacrifice, being human, which those animals were not. They were innocent 102 00:12:05,730 --> 00:12:13,710 of sin, but they were not God and not man. And he became that perfect sacrifice. And he's also 103 00:12:13,710 --> 00:12:20,129 the perfect high priest. It's all about Jesus. So he did it all, right? And so that's why he is 104 00:12:20,129 --> 00:12:28,509 our high priest, because he himself is also the sacrifice himself. And because of him, we can 105 00:12:28,509 --> 00:12:36,149 actually enter the Holy of Holies. Do you remember when that, that veil tore when he was crucified? 106 00:12:36,210 --> 00:12:42,190 He said it was finished and that the veil was torn in the temple. And that was symbolic of 107 00:12:42,190 --> 00:12:47,909 now we can come to him and we don't have to go through a mediate, a human mediator any longer, 108 00:12:47,909 --> 00:12:55,809 because we enter through Jesus Christ. Like when you receive Jesus Christ, he enters you and you 109 00:12:55,809 --> 00:13:03,649 also enter him. You know, I know it's a spiritual reality, but he is in here and we are in him, 110 00:13:04,009 --> 00:13:10,149 right? And we enter through him and that new, the new veil is actually his flesh. It says it in 111 00:13:10,149 --> 00:13:16,070 Hebrews 10 20. We're going to look at that in several weeks from now. So we enter through Jesus 112 00:13:16,070 --> 00:13:22,230 Christ. He is the high priest. We can now enter the Holy of Holies in him. Isn't that awesome? 113 00:13:22,690 --> 00:13:29,350 Praise the Lord. Let's give the Lord a round of applause. I know this is kind of, you know, 114 00:13:29,450 --> 00:13:34,110 a lot of this stuff is pretty heady, but at the same time, I hope it's very practical too, 115 00:13:34,110 --> 00:13:40,850 because we need to really get this to realize who we have as our advocate, as our intercessor, 116 00:13:40,850 --> 00:13:49,409 as our mediator, we are, we are righteous in Christ. Amen. Okay. So, so we're talking about 117 00:13:49,409 --> 00:13:54,789 mercy and grace. And if you could just turn back, because we're just going to focus on one verse 118 00:13:54,789 --> 00:14:04,330 here, which is Hebrews 4 16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain 119 00:14:04,330 --> 00:14:16,649 mercy and find grace to help in time of need. This idea of, of receiving mercy and finding 120 00:14:16,649 --> 00:14:25,049 grace. You know, when you consider like you ever hear the comparisons of justice to mercy, 121 00:14:25,429 --> 00:14:30,789 to grace and how they're connected, you know, justice. And if you can put that slide up, 122 00:14:30,789 --> 00:14:38,350 that justice is really getting what we deserve. Now, it's easy to watch the news 123 00:14:39,110 --> 00:14:46,629 and say, they deserve justice. I hope justice will be served, right? And whether you think it is 124 00:14:46,629 --> 00:14:52,690 or isn't, you know, some justice is, but we always want justice for the other guy. Don't we? 125 00:14:53,409 --> 00:14:59,330 But we don't typically want justice for us, you know, especially when it comes to God, 126 00:14:59,330 --> 00:15:06,370 because we've all fallen short of the glory of God. We've all sinned and the wages of sin is death. 127 00:15:06,629 --> 00:15:11,509 So really all of us deserve eternal death in hell. We just do. Can I get an amen? That's a weird 128 00:15:11,509 --> 00:15:16,389 thing to say. Amen. But we do, right? You know, without Christ, that's where we belong, right? 129 00:15:16,789 --> 00:15:25,490 So that's true justice, right? And justice is getting what you deserve. When you think about 130 00:15:25,490 --> 00:15:35,210 justice and this throne, you know, everyone will be judged someday. Even we will be for our works in 131 00:15:35,210 --> 00:15:43,769 Christ. But we see in Revelation 20 verses 12 and 15, and I saw the dead great and small standing 132 00:15:43,769 --> 00:15:49,889 before the throne and books were open. Another book was open, which is the book of life. 133 00:15:50,610 --> 00:15:57,730 The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Anyone whose name 134 00:15:57,730 --> 00:16:06,070 was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. You know, your name 135 00:16:06,070 --> 00:16:12,809 is written in the book of life. Isn't that awesome? When you receive Jesus Christ, there 136 00:16:12,809 --> 00:16:16,629 was someone who said, okay, let's write his name in here. And actually I believe your name was 137 00:16:16,629 --> 00:16:23,250 already written in there because you are foreknown. In fact, David, there's some theological 138 00:16:23,250 --> 00:16:30,710 discussion about whether every name is written in there and some are blotted out based on not 139 00:16:30,710 --> 00:16:36,009 receiving. I don't really go that way. I really believe that Christ knew in advance who would, 140 00:16:36,009 --> 00:16:42,710 but our names are written in the book of life and we will not be blotted out. Amen. Praise the 141 00:16:42,980 --> 00:16:52,220 Lord for that. All mankind will be judged, but we will be judged for the distribution of rewards 142 00:16:52,220 --> 00:17:00,539 that we've done in the name of Christ. So justice is getting what you deserve. Since we're talking 143 00:17:00,539 --> 00:17:09,180 about high priests, there's something called in the high priest had a method designed by God 144 00:17:09,180 --> 00:17:17,619 on how to determine what proper justice was for discernment, to get revelation from God, 145 00:17:18,220 --> 00:17:27,119 what to do on matters of sin, of sacrifices, of judgment. What does God want us to do? 146 00:17:27,900 --> 00:17:33,960 And there was these, and it says, let's read in Exodus chapter 28, 30. 147 00:17:34,980 --> 00:17:42,000 He spoke to the high priest, Aaron, and he said, what you're supposed to do is you're supposed to 148 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:48,799 wear this, which we're going to show in a minute, this breastplate of judgment. Okay. And when you 149 00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:56,920 enter the tabernacle, you're to put in this pocket in the breastplate of righteousness, 150 00:17:57,500 --> 00:18:01,799 the Urim and the Thummim. Have you ever heard of that? Some of you who have been studying the 151 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:07,559 Bible for years, I'm sure you have, but it's this, it's two stones that we don't, don't know 152 00:18:07,559 --> 00:18:12,660 exactly what they looked like. And we're going to talk about that in a second, but he goes in, 153 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:19,519 he puts these stones before entering and they're in his breastplate and then, and they shall be 154 00:18:19,519 --> 00:18:26,240 over Aaron's heart and he goes in before the Lord. So Aaron shall bear the judgment 155 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:33,859 of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continuously. So imagine Aaron, 156 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:40,799 he like has all this sin of the whole nation to reconcile with God. You know, I mean, 157 00:18:40,799 --> 00:18:48,140 that's a heavyweight, isn't it? And he's carrying the sins of the whole nation into the tabernacle 158 00:18:48,140 --> 00:18:52,279 and say, Lord, what am I supposed to do with this? You know, I mean, it's a heavy load, 159 00:18:52,279 --> 00:18:57,079 but it was really pointing to the one who can carry the load, which is Jesus Christ. 160 00:18:57,740 --> 00:19:03,819 And this Urim and Thummim, I think we have a picture of it next, or we might have a picture of 161 00:19:04,399 --> 00:19:11,200 the priest. So the priest would go in, a short portly fella. No, I don't know what he had, 162 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:16,740 really. But this, this one apparently, but he goes, he goes in with the breastplate, 163 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:23,559 which has 12 stones, all representing a tribe of Israel. Okay. And in this breastplate are tuck, 164 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:31,119 these two stones, the Urim and the Thummim, okay, which actually means lights and perfection. Thank 165 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:38,460 you. And in this pouch, now some have come into the conclusion that one would be a light stone, 166 00:19:38,579 --> 00:19:43,319 almost maybe bright, like translucent. You know, a lot of times when they say white in the Bible, 167 00:19:43,319 --> 00:19:49,000 they actually mean light. Okay. Like it was a stone that lit maybe a diamond or something that 168 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:54,380 when light passed through it, it was brilliant. And another stone that would be darker. And, 169 00:19:54,380 --> 00:20:00,099 and when they would go in, depending, they would pray and whatever stone they pulled out 170 00:20:00,099 --> 00:20:04,839 was the answer. Now to you, you might say, that sounds like gambling or luck to me. Right. 171 00:20:05,339 --> 00:20:12,960 But with God, it was his design to say you can trust the outcome because I'm in the outcome. 172 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:21,500 Okay. Now we believers don't discern what God's will is this way anymore. Thank God. Right. It's not 173 00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:27,599 like, if I hit a seven, you know, it means I should do it. If I get a one, it means go home. 174 00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:34,000 You know, we don't do things that way because we have the Holy Spirit in us and the Lord thinks 175 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:40,900 through us, speaks through us, feels through us. Right. We are, we have the discernment of the 176 00:20:40,900 --> 00:20:47,460 Holy Spirit. So we make decisions with the wisdom of God, but God had ordained these methods 177 00:20:47,460 --> 00:20:52,920 so that they can know for sure. When you see that it's the right decision. That's what he 178 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:58,519 did with them back then, but he doesn't do that with us. And so if they would pull out one stone, 179 00:20:58,619 --> 00:21:04,839 it would say, yes. Another stone would say, no, when they pulled it out of this breastplate 180 00:21:05,399 --> 00:21:13,539 of righteousness. So why do I talk about this so much right now? It's because really one would say, 181 00:21:13,839 --> 00:21:21,519 yes. And it was used with determining even guilt. Are they guilty or are they not? Should they be 182 00:21:21,519 --> 00:21:28,539 shown mercy or should they not? Now the Lord was always giving mercy, but it was also used and 183 00:21:28,539 --> 00:21:33,720 adopted in courts and so forth that they would choose and say, all right, you know what? You've 184 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:39,880 been acquitted because you've received the white stone today. You've been acquitted. But I love in 185 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:50,980 revelation, we see chapter two, verse 17, that the Lord says to a very compromising church, 186 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:58,079 the church of Pergamos, he says, I will give you a white stone. He who overcomes a white stone with 187 00:21:58,079 --> 00:22:05,259 a new name written on it, which no one knows except the person who receives it. And of course, 188 00:22:05,319 --> 00:22:11,460 the one who gives it. But we see this idea of if you over, if you trust in me, you will receive 189 00:22:11,460 --> 00:22:18,519 the stone of mercy, the stone of acquittal. You know, I also love the fact that, you know, 190 00:22:18,619 --> 00:22:26,559 these stones said yes or no. Okay. And these stones said mercy or judgment, but we're told 191 00:22:26,559 --> 00:22:32,799 in second Corinthians, chapter one, verses 19 to 20, 192 00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:42,720 that for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Sylvanus, 193 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:51,200 and Timothy was not yes and no, but in him was yes. For all the promises of God in him are yes, 194 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:58,200 and in him are amen to the glory of God through us. So the reason I put this all together is when 195 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:05,339 Christ enters the tabernacle in heaven, because that was all a shadow of things which are in heaven, 196 00:23:05,819 --> 00:23:11,259 which are the substance, you know, they're the shadow crisis, the substance. When he enters on 197 00:23:11,259 --> 00:23:19,500 behalf of us, he always pulls out the Urim, the S and amen, the mercy stone, because he always 198 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:26,240 extends mercy to us because he's a merciful God. In fact, the word says that he's merciful to 199 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:34,519 generation after generation. He's long suffering, just wanting everyone to come to him. But someday 200 00:23:34,519 --> 00:23:42,619 there will be a reckoning for those who don't. And we can't fathom how can a merciful God 201 00:23:43,260 --> 00:23:51,119 just release people to who they've sworn to, which is Satan and the lake of fire. But he has to, 202 00:23:51,380 --> 00:24:00,019 to be a just God, because, you know, a just God has to perform justice, right? And we have been 203 00:24:00,019 --> 00:24:07,140 acquitted because we find our justice in Christ. I love this. Like when you come to Christ, 204 00:24:07,140 --> 00:24:14,519 how can a just judge overlook sins? And I've had these discussions with Muslims many times, 205 00:24:14,579 --> 00:24:18,420 they have a big problem with this because they think they have to work their way all the way 206 00:24:18,420 --> 00:24:25,000 till death and be righteous before God based on their earthly actions. And I'm like, 207 00:24:25,039 --> 00:24:31,300 it's never going to happen because you can't earn salvation. It's a gift. You know, 208 00:24:31,299 --> 00:24:35,859 Ephesians two eight is by grace you've been saved through faith, this not of your own, 209 00:24:36,500 --> 00:24:43,660 but as a gift from God, not by works. You can't work your way into heaven. It's a gift. 210 00:24:43,799 --> 00:24:52,759 It's only him. I found this very unique graphic, which I've kind of tweaked a bit. Okay. 211 00:24:53,220 --> 00:24:58,339 But I found, cause you know, that you ever hear of the scales of justice, you know, 212 00:24:58,339 --> 00:25:03,240 right? That woman is holding these things up. And, and it's like, you know, you don't want to, 213 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:09,299 a weighted scale. Okay. Meaning like you're not really getting what you're, 214 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:15,519 what you're paying for that kind of thing. Well, the scales of justice is that everyone should be 215 00:25:15,519 --> 00:25:26,059 treated equally, which is true. But with salvation, we'd all be down here and Christ would be up 216 00:25:26,059 --> 00:25:31,900 here. Like the scale would be like, sorry, there's nothing you can do to bridge the gap between this 217 00:25:31,900 --> 00:25:40,099 side of the scale and that side of the scale. But through Christ, his righteousness has reconciled 218 00:25:40,099 --> 00:25:46,880 or offset our sins, our unrighteousness, because the balance is right in the middle. And Jesus 219 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:53,500 Christ, he is the center of it all. Remember that song? Jesus be the center of it all. 220 00:25:54,260 --> 00:26:01,759 I don't know many words to it, but Jesus be the center of it all. Let's stop there unless you 221 00:26:01,759 --> 00:26:09,819 know someone, but he is, he is the balance beam because really in Christ, we are reconciled by 222 00:26:09,819 --> 00:26:17,220 his righteousness. Isn't that awesome? Amen. And I just picture that, that scale and him on the 223 00:26:17,509 --> 00:26:23,390 cross. Now he's not there any longer because it goes past that he has left the cross. Okay. 224 00:26:23,730 --> 00:26:28,410 He's no longer on the crucible. He has left. He is seated at the right hand of the father. 225 00:26:29,029 --> 00:26:36,329 And now we are, we are the righteousness of Christ. And now we've received grace. Amen. 226 00:26:37,069 --> 00:26:44,289 I have a slide there that shows the difference. You know, mercy we said is not getting what you 227 00:26:44,289 --> 00:26:49,470 deserve. We didn't say it yet, but really if, if justice is getting what you deserve, 228 00:26:49,910 --> 00:27:00,170 don't we all really want mercy and mercy is not getting what we deserve, but grace goes far beyond 229 00:27:00,170 --> 00:27:06,130 that. Grace is getting what you don't deserve. Now that sounds like something bad's coming. No, 230 00:27:06,130 --> 00:27:15,329 it's a good thing because when we get what God wants to give us, we don't deserve it at all. 231 00:27:16,450 --> 00:27:22,390 You know, we don't deserve, first of all, we don't deserve mercy, but once we've received mercy, 232 00:27:22,529 --> 00:27:28,450 God doesn't want to stop there. He wants to continue. In fact, in the word it says, 233 00:27:28,450 --> 00:27:36,410 you know, he has led captivity captive and he has given gifts to men. His whole purpose is to load 234 00:27:36,410 --> 00:27:43,529 you down with spiritual gifts that just leak right out of you all over the place. Like he just 235 00:27:43,529 --> 00:27:51,970 continues to pour on you his grace, his gifts, so that you could be a demonstration of what a good, 236 00:27:51,970 --> 00:27:59,410 father looks like, right? The father of lights that give her every perfect gift that has no shadows 237 00:27:59,410 --> 00:28:04,630 of turning, no darkness in his gifts. They are brilliant. They are bright. They are wonderful, 238 00:28:04,849 --> 00:28:10,849 right? And that's what we receive. We not only receive, you know, don't receive justice. 239 00:28:11,650 --> 00:28:18,390 Thank God for that because none of us want justice for us. We don't receive justice, 240 00:28:18,390 --> 00:28:27,190 but justice is served because all came upon him. He can be a just God because he already paid for it. 241 00:28:27,190 --> 00:28:34,450 We just saw that balancing beam of the justice scales. He took it all on because all of our 242 00:28:34,450 --> 00:28:42,390 unrighteousness fell upon his righteousness and he has reconciled. He has mitigated all of that. 243 00:28:43,270 --> 00:28:49,190 And now we are seen as the righteousness of God. He who knew no sin became sin for us 244 00:28:49,190 --> 00:28:56,390 so that we would become the righteousness of God, right? And so now we are reconciled 245 00:28:56,390 --> 00:29:03,529 through him. And so this idea of now we receive the grace of God. You know what grace, 246 00:29:03,710 --> 00:29:08,109 I love this acronym. You know what grace stands for? You've heard of this one. 247 00:29:09,350 --> 00:29:16,750 God's riches at Christ's expense. They love that. You know, Christ, you know, how much wealth 248 00:29:16,750 --> 00:29:23,309 does God have? I mean, and we're not talking about money, but maybe we are. Because he told 249 00:29:23,309 --> 00:29:29,349 his disciples, you think you're giving up a lot to follow me? You will be paid 100 fold. 250 00:29:30,049 --> 00:29:37,509 Anything you've surrendered in life to follow me, you will be paid 100 fold. Now some of us 251 00:29:37,509 --> 00:29:42,769 mean, so what if I put a dollar in the blue box, I should come back and expect $100 on 252 00:29:43,329 --> 00:29:48,109 handed to me by Ron. Well, that's up to Ron. That's between you and Ron. I can't, Ron, 253 00:29:48,210 --> 00:29:52,430 are you up for that? He's not listening. See that he, I think he just ran out the door, 254 00:29:52,910 --> 00:29:56,589 but you know, when he comes in, if you want to hand a dollar in there and you think he's 255 00:29:56,589 --> 00:30:01,250 going to give you a hundred, I don't think it's really supposed to be a literal exchange like that. 256 00:30:01,690 --> 00:30:07,170 It's the value you get out of it because we all know money doesn't bring joy. 257 00:30:07,950 --> 00:30:14,609 It might bring temporary happiness and yet, you know, why aren't all the lottery winners 258 00:30:14,609 --> 00:30:22,769 joy filled, right? It's because the Lord has so much greater things than any tangible asset. 259 00:30:23,190 --> 00:30:29,430 In fact, the Lord says, you know, don't work to lay up treasures on earth where the moth eats it 260 00:30:29,430 --> 00:30:35,289 away, right? Where the rust decays it and thieves come in and steal it, but lay up for 261 00:30:35,289 --> 00:30:41,390 yourselves treasures in heaven where none of that happens and it is eternal and it pays 262 00:30:41,390 --> 00:30:49,410 eternal dividends, eternal. Anything you pay for the, do for the Lord will continue to repay 263 00:30:49,930 --> 00:30:55,750 for years to come. And not only that, but it spills off onto earth because you receive so 264 00:30:55,750 --> 00:31:02,049 many rewards here on earth too. He blesses you be a lot beyond what you can comprehend. 265 00:31:02,509 --> 00:31:06,490 You know, when you serve him, all of a sudden, when you go down the city hall and you go to 266 00:31:06,490 --> 00:31:12,089 Honduras, when you go anywhere and just when you come out on first Friday, by the way, a young 267 00:31:12,089 --> 00:31:20,769 boy named Gio got saved on Friday night. So be praying for him, you know, I mean, but 268 00:31:21,209 --> 00:31:26,470 so many received the gospel from us. But you know, when you serve the Lord in any way, 269 00:31:26,470 --> 00:31:33,150 handing a bottle of water to somebody with a kind, loving smile, which is saying, yeah, you know, 270 00:31:33,430 --> 00:31:39,049 we just are here to represent Christ. It's dividends that are paying out into heaven. 271 00:31:39,369 --> 00:31:42,490 And I don't know about you. I don't work for rewards in heaven. I can't even really get my 272 00:31:42,490 --> 00:31:46,529 mind around that. You know, I mean, I don't like, what am I going to get when I get there? Yeah. 273 00:31:46,529 --> 00:31:58,049 It's I feel, and it's not about feelings either. But I feel so fulfilled in the spirit, serving God, 274 00:31:58,210 --> 00:32:04,069 don't you? When you serve him, you're like, that's why I'm here. Like you get so tangled up in 275 00:32:04,069 --> 00:32:08,670 stuff on earth that just irritate you, bother you. And then all of a sudden, when you do something 276 00:32:08,670 --> 00:32:15,349 simple for God, you're like, yeah, it's simple. It's real simple. God's not making it very 277 00:32:15,349 --> 00:32:23,130 difficult for me. He's making it simple. He's making it easy. My burden is easy. My, my yoke is 278 00:32:23,130 --> 00:32:27,869 easy. My burden is easy. My, you know what I'm talking about. Come to me all you weary and late 279 00:32:27,869 --> 00:32:32,849 and heavy laden. I will give you rest for your soul because my burden is light and my yoke is 280 00:32:32,849 --> 00:32:38,210 easy. And my burden is light. There it is. Right. But it is right. I mean, he doesn't like, oh here, 281 00:32:38,589 --> 00:32:42,990 you look like you're struggling there. Here, try this, throw that on for size and see how 282 00:32:42,990 --> 00:32:47,829 you can carry that one. You know, he's not like some kind of boot camp. He's just saying, look, 283 00:32:48,390 --> 00:32:54,670 I'm easy to serve because you know what you, your countenance just lifts. You know, that yoke 284 00:32:54,670 --> 00:32:58,970 becomes like, man, this thing I'm floating in this thing. This thing is lifting me up. 285 00:32:59,329 --> 00:33:12,970 It's not weighing me down because it's Christ's yoke. He lifts you up. Amen. It's him. We're 286 00:33:15,049 --> 00:33:21,369 good. And the men get the elements, if you want to call them. But you know, I was thinking, 287 00:33:21,569 --> 00:33:25,170 I'll just tell a little story while they're getting it. I didn't give them much warning here, 288 00:33:26,009 --> 00:33:32,089 but one, one really good picture in the Bible of this, like mercy. Do you notice how the word says 289 00:33:32,089 --> 00:33:41,309 you need to receive mercy? Then you will find grace. You know, think about that. You receive 290 00:33:41,309 --> 00:33:48,089 and the word actually, lumbano actually means to take like mercy is being offered to everyone on 291 00:33:48,089 --> 00:33:56,009 earth. The question is, so many people aren't willing to take it. In fact, I came up to so 292 00:33:56,009 --> 00:34:02,329 many people on Friday night and started talking to them and said, Hey, you know, can I tell you 293 00:34:02,329 --> 00:34:06,430 about, you know, no, thanks. No, no, no. Like how are you? I asked one person, like what, 294 00:34:06,509 --> 00:34:10,809 what happens to you when you die? Do you know? No, I don't really know. And I'm not really 295 00:34:10,809 --> 00:34:15,670 into this conversation. I'm like, okay, well, you know, you're going to want to know someday. 296 00:34:15,809 --> 00:34:20,829 I hope it's not too late, right? But a lot of people don't want mercy. So you think, 297 00:34:20,889 --> 00:34:25,909 who wouldn't want mercy? They'll take mercy, but not from God because they don't believe 298 00:34:25,909 --> 00:34:32,130 in him. They don't believe that he can provide mercy and they don't want to give him the 299 00:34:32,130 --> 00:34:40,349 satisfaction of humbling themselves to come to him for mercy. You know, because you really do 300 00:34:40,349 --> 00:34:46,409 have to be humble to receive mercy, don't you? Because most people want to do it on their own 301 00:34:46,409 --> 00:34:52,550 strength. They think they got it figured out on their own, but to come to the Lord for mercy, 302 00:34:52,670 --> 00:35:00,269 it means like I am a desperate, wicked sinner and I need to be saved. But even beyond that, 303 00:35:00,550 --> 00:35:04,750 that's for the unbeliever. If you're an unbeliever today, stop being an unbeliever, 304 00:35:05,309 --> 00:35:11,869 right? Today just say, Lord, I need a savior. I want to take that on out of what I am right now. 305 00:35:12,210 --> 00:35:19,090 There's no more on in me. I'm not an unbeliever. I am a believer today. Become a believer. You need 306 00:35:19,090 --> 00:35:24,369 to get saved. I mean, this is no joke. You need to get saved. There's only one name 307 00:35:24,909 --> 00:35:31,230 that you can call upon and be saved and it's Jesus Christ. And I just implore you right now, 308 00:35:31,230 --> 00:35:37,650 be reconciled in Jesus Christ. And it's so easy. It's just like Gio prayed this prayer 309 00:35:37,650 --> 00:35:42,750 and he just repeated after me and he said, you know, and this is what I'm asking you to say 310 00:35:42,750 --> 00:35:50,989 right now, father, God, I am a sinner and I know I need a savior. I believe you are the 311 00:35:50,989 --> 00:35:58,309 son of God. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and I believe you are offering me 312 00:35:58,309 --> 00:36:06,510 salvation right here today. So today I want to give you my life to receive yours. Today, 313 00:36:06,630 --> 00:36:14,610 I surrender my life to you. I ask you to forgive all of my sins and fill me with your Holy Spirit. 314 00:36:15,630 --> 00:36:20,610 If you prayed that prayer right now, the word says you're saved. I might not feel different. 315 00:36:21,430 --> 00:36:29,309 You will. Trust what you just did, that confession. Trust the confession of faith that you just said 316 00:36:29,309 --> 00:36:34,610 and come up afterwards and please talk to me because I want to share more what you've just done 317 00:36:34,610 --> 00:36:40,550 because it is eternity shifting. It's an eternal decision. Like, think about that. 318 00:36:40,849 --> 00:36:49,889 What decisions do you make that have eternal consequences? There's none. There's none on 319 00:36:49,889 --> 00:36:58,650 earth that have eternal consequences. Like saying, Lord Jesus, save me. I need a savior. 320 00:36:59,070 --> 00:37:05,550 And I just beg you do that today, please, and come on up and share that you did because we're not 321 00:37:05,550 --> 00:37:11,650 going to hound you or anything. You know, we're just going to love you, offer you a Bible 322 00:37:12,289 --> 00:37:18,449 and offer you discipleship, like to know more about it. I love that. I love, if I wasn't 323 00:37:18,550 --> 00:37:23,869 a disciple, I don't know where I would be right now in life, but I had so many wonderful men of God 324 00:37:23,869 --> 00:37:31,170 that mentored me and I'm so appreciative of it. But you know, we need more than mercy just for 325 00:37:31,170 --> 00:37:38,210 salvation because we all fall away. We all fall short. We all drift away and we all sin. 326 00:37:38,389 --> 00:37:43,190 Nobody becomes perfect, but he wants to say, look, I paid for that. Come on, man. 327 00:37:43,750 --> 00:37:52,610 Like, you know who I am. I want to give you mercy today and not only mercy, but grace. 328 00:37:53,610 --> 00:38:00,170 I don't want to give you what you really deserve. And I won't because I'm in you and you're in me. 329 00:38:00,989 --> 00:38:09,170 But more than that, I want to pour on the grace because I live in you and you live in me. 330 00:38:09,730 --> 00:38:16,030 I want to give you grace. My riches at my expense. That's what he wants to do for you today. 331 00:38:16,690 --> 00:38:20,190 He says, just boldly approach the throne of grace. Are you in need? 332 00:38:20,949 --> 00:38:26,489 The word says, come to him, boldly approach the throne of grace in your time of need. 333 00:38:26,630 --> 00:38:34,010 I'm always needy. Aren't you always needy? I am always in need for more grace. 334 00:38:35,030 --> 00:38:40,710 And he says, my grace abounds. Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. 335 00:38:41,449 --> 00:38:48,210 I will pour it on. Just ask and receive. So maybe that's you today that you know 336 00:38:48,210 --> 00:38:52,690 you just need to receive more mercy and even more grace. 337 00:38:54,269 --> 00:38:59,650 And let's just take a moment to give this to God right now, this moment. 338 00:39:14,849 --> 00:39:19,110 Lord, we come to you so, so needy. 339 00:39:24,970 --> 00:39:26,730 So desperate, Lord. 340 00:39:28,709 --> 00:39:36,110 Every day we're just in need of your mercies. Thank God your mercies are new every morning. 341 00:39:37,849 --> 00:39:41,690 They refresh. Lord God, we ask you to just 342 00:39:45,029 --> 00:39:49,510 step forward and receive even more mercy from you. 343 00:39:52,949 --> 00:39:57,010 And Lord, we want to discover more and more of your grace. What are we, 344 00:39:57,070 --> 00:40:03,030 what are we not experiencing? What are we not tapping into? What are we not laying hold of? 345 00:40:04,530 --> 00:40:11,949 What are we not receiving from you that you want us to receive? Lord, we want more grace today. 346 00:40:16,309 --> 00:40:25,190 We want more, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. 347 00:40:29,670 --> 00:40:35,130 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss His Word. 348 00:40:35,690 --> 00:40:41,289 Don't forget to join us for Worship Live Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 349 00:40:42,309 --> 00:40:44,369 Be blessed and have a great day!