Mercy And Forgiveness (part 2) - [Hebrews 8:7-13]

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Mighty Lord, Foolish Galatians (part 3)

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i don't know if you know that last song was written by martin luther as well as the first him we sing luther writes from psalm one thirty we just saying it if you remember each misdeed of each thought and word take heed who can remain before you that is a great question for introduction today please turn your bibles to revelation chapter twenty as we look at this very question how can we stand in the presence of god uh...
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many things in life are relevant and apropos this is the most because one day we'll stand before god and we need to make sure we are trusting in our faithful savior the high priest the lord jesus christ revelation chapter twenty verse twelve this is regarding the great white throne judgment that judgment day that's coming remember luther said i have two days in my calendar today and that day judgment day referring to revelation twenty verse twelve and i saw the dead great and small standing before the throne and the books were opened then another book was open which is the book of life and the dead were judged by what was written in the books according to what they had done and the sea gave up the dead who were in it death in hades gave up the dead who were in them and they were judged each one of them notice according to what they had then death in hades were thrown in the lake of fire this is the second death the lake of fire and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire friends can you imagine if you had to stand before god uh...
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based on everything that you've said and done or what you haven't done uh...
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there are two sets of books these books that have all these things written in them but did you notice what's different between the two books one set of books for the unbelievers god is going to judge them according to what they had done verse twelve according to what they had done verse thirteen but what's absent in the other books the book of life it doesn't say according to what they have done only their names are written isn't that amazing if you're going to be judged based on your deeds uh...
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who could stand as luther was right but if the lord jesus christ has paid for all your sins and you're trusting in him alone guess what's in the book of life not your deeds but just what your name that is why i love the book of hebrews is because the lord jesus christ has paid for every one of my sins and you believers he's paid for every one of your sins and for him to take me into heaven i think that is great news isn't forgiveness of sins great news to be forgiven knowing who we really are forgetting the press forgetting the soft light camera lenses we know who we are we know we're rebelling against god we haven't loved him we haven't loved neighbor yet the lord jesus christ pays for every one of those deeds which we have done and grants us eternal life i'd like to know more about that savior i'd like to study him more i'd like to just sit and gaze at him and look at him and that is the book of hebrews so let's turn our bibles to hebrews chapter eight a great magnification of the person and work of the lord jesus who forgives sinners no matter what the sin from self -righteousness to unrighteousness this is really good news i often get asked to speak at places uh...
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for christian places i don't have to say what i do but when an unbeliever asked me to uh...
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officiate a funeral or maybe i have to officiate a wedding maybe or uh... i'm gonna go speak someplace i would say you know what i'd love to come but i just want you to know i'm a minister of the gospel and i'm gonna tell people about the good news that jesus christ saves sinners and if they say no thank you okay fine if they say okay as one person said just don't make it long uh...
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just don't but i don't need long to tell you about the life death burial resurrection ascension and exaltation of the lord jesus christ the great high priest i have good news and the thing about good news it's good news based on how bad the bad news is if you don't really think you're that sinful and god's not really that holy the difference can be gapped with i don't know education and and self -fulfillment and self -esteem and and uh...
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adavan and everything else but if god is thrice holy and we're sinful the gap has to be mediated and arbitrated by the lord jesus christ who is perfectly man to be our representative and perfectly god to be our substitute and the book of hebrews just will not let you stop thinking about who jesus is i've said many times if you want to hear sermons about jesus you're in the right place now what we'll do here in hebrews chapter eight is to have a little review before we get into the section where we're in verses seven through thirteen talking about mercy and forgiveness in the new covenant so what i thought i'd do since we were gone last week the elect showed up last week in the snowstorm the non -elect how was your nap just to catch you up to speed here's what we'll do for a review i'm gonna give you one verse in each of the seven chapters of hebrews one to seven that will propel us to chapter eight so instead of me giving you a regular review let me just read seven verses one from each chapter in the book of hebrews for our review all talking about the lord jesus christ who is greater than angels greater than Aaron and greater than the old covenant chapter one verse three he is the radiance of the glory of god in the exact imprint of his nature and he upholds the universe by the word of his power after making purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high chapter two verse seventeen please therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of god to make propitiation or assuage the wrath for the sins of the people chapter three verse three for jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than moses as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself for fourteen since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens jesus emphasizing his humanity the son of god emphasizing his deity let us hold fast our confession chapter five verse five so also christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest but was appointed by him who said to him you are my son today i have begotten you chapter six verse nineteen we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain and finally for our review one verse per chapter chapter seven verse twenty six please for it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest holy innocent unstained separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens and you can see can you not even based on those seven verses the relentlessness of this writer to make sure he extols without apology that the lord jesus christ is the great high priest and what he does on the way is not only to give people the good news is he attacks the very heart of the judaistic system the jewish system and that is the levitical priesthood he's not just one of these people that says i want to be known for what i'm for and not what i'm against if you're against the old covenant if you're against sacrifices week after week day after day that do not atone for sin you gotta be for the once and for all sacrifice and against those and so he in this sermon in this sermon epistle says that christianity is better than judaism and if christianity is better than a god -ordained old testament judaism isn't it better isn't christianity better than every other religion the answer has to be yes and this writer wants you to say i agree i trust i give assent i heartily concur i repent of my old way of thinking and i want to just trust this savior then chapter eight we come to the new covenant and you can see maybe even in your liner notes in the
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S .V. bible jesus high priest of a better covenant it says right above chapter eight verse one if you look down at verse six with a little reiteration from two weeks ago but as it is christ focusing on the messiah there has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old that's the old sinaitic covenant the mosaic covenant as the covenant he christ mediates is better since it is enacted on better promises and the writer here simply wants you to know that jesus is the mediator for a better covenant he is in fact the true mediator the final mediator the ultimate mediator everything else in the old testament shadows and types and sacrifices all pointing to this one who's now here as the writer writes after the death of christ jesus's ministry is superior because he has better promises and is a better mediator the old covenant was simply obey and you're fine the new covenant is
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I know you can't obey so trust in the one the lord jesus who obeyed in your place in your stead on your behalf believe on the lord jesus and you shall be saved rest in him trust in him if you look at verse six that word mediator comes from the word you might know meso is the first part of it and once in a while we throw in a greek word what's another word that starts with meso that's got the mediation in there it's the word that benjamin franklin said when george whitfield says this word women swoon and that's that word now you all want to know what it is don't you well
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I told you what it was last week so some of you know it's the word mesopotamia between rivers here this is between people who are in a dispute he's an intermediator between those who have a dispute and this one who's disputing is the lord god and on the other side it's us we've got a debt before the lord jesus christ and jesus stands as a go -between can you think of a better mediator can you think of a better person to be your lawyer or your advocate someone to stand between you and someone and then what he does the writer in verses eight and following he quotes from jeremiah thirty one now lots of times when he quotes from an old testament passage in hebrews he explains and he has a little bit of exposition here he just does not do that he quotes only no explanation of this reference and this christian is for you this new covenant is for you there's lots of views to whom this is for but you have to at least at the end of the day say this is for me i receive these benefits they apply to me remember jesus said when he inaugurated the blood his own blood of the new covenant at the last supper likewise he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant jeremiah thirty one in my blood which is shed for you and then he also through the apostle paul had the gentiles receive this with the lord's supper first corinthians eleven for i receive from the lord what i also deliver to you that the lord jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread and we had given thanks he broke it and said this is my body which is for you do this in remembrance of me in the same way he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant referring to this in my blood do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me this is in operation now this is not going to be sometime later where you get these benefits you receive christian these benefits now paul said in second corinthians three that christians are ministers of the new covenant now this new covenant is for you founded on better promises for you in force for you now because the final realization of this covenant is in christ jesus and it had to be verse seven did it not it had to be driven by god it had to be better because look at the old one verse seven the first covenant if it had been faultless there would have been no occasion to look for a second but there was false built -in the built -in fault was law never saves it can just show you where you fall short and the people disobey so this old covenant could never work by design and by the people's disobedience well this new covenant is going to work by design and by the last adams obedience the first covenant we can find fault with the people the last covenant we will not be able to find fault with god god must intervene god to the rescue verse eight behold the days are coming declares the lord when i will establish a new covenant with the house of israel and with the house of judah not like the covenant that i made with their fathers on the day when i took them by the hand what language of compassion and father hood to bring them out of the land of egypt for they did not continue in my covenant and i showed no concern for them declares the lord remember the people said all that the lord has spoken we will do we will be obedient and of course they were not verse 10 for this is the covenant that i will make with the house of israel after those days declares the lord i will put my laws into their minds write them on their hearts and can you imagine and i will be their god and they shall be my people where was the law kept in the old covenant in the holy of holies in the ark of the covenant for only the high priest for only once a year new covenants better how is it better the law is in your heart that regenerated new heart that god gave you he puts the law right there you have access he's comparing the two this is way better no wonder now we can see with romans 722 i delight in the law of god according to the inward man and look at the intimacy that's it with this covenant i will be their god and they shall be my people in the new covenant so great compared to the old first eleven goes on to talk about how much greater it is and they shall not teach each one his neighbor this is not an absolute you don't teach this is compared to the old and each one his brother saying know the lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest you mean the knowledge of god isn't going to be with the privileged few with the privileged priest with those in the sanctuary with those in the holy of holies you mean it's not going to be just for them you mean i get that knowledge too in the new covenant yes and what we want to talk about for the rest of today is really the highlight of the new covenant found in verse 12 for i will be merciful toward their iniquities and i will remember their sins no more could there be anything greater in life why would you go back why would you go back to animal sacrifices and by the way how many sins were forgiven when those bulls were slain when those goats were slain when the sheep were slain when the doves were killed how many sins were forgiven answer zero abraham's sins moses' sins david's sins esther's sins rahab's sins job's sins adam's sins eve's sins were never cleansed by sacrifice they were cleansed by the sacrifice that were to come was to come the lord jesus why go back and by the way this language here as we saw two weeks ago i'll remember their sins no more it's a double greek negative you know there's lots of times in my life i'm not very charismatic but here's one today my hand goes up god thank you it's a double negative i'll never ever ever ever ever remember those sins remember the sins you remember i was thinking about some yesterday i was on the bicycle a couple days ago too i'm thinking i wish i could get those sins out of my mind disgusted by those i i just think what if i'm ever on a lie detector test and people find out what shame what guilt but because this new covenant is better because the lord jesus paid for those sins and he doesn't have double jeopardy those sins god remembers no more they're gone this is talking about the completeness of god's forgiveness this is the kind of forgiveness that was promised in the old testament fulfilled in the new covenant how about psalm 103 he does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities for as high as the heavens are above the earth so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him as far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our transgressions from us i don't know if it's exegetically true but it makes a good story why doesn't he say as far as the north is from the south god has forgiven you could it be that if you go north long enough you end up going south but if you go east far enough you're never going to go west i don't know but the picture is totality gone yes your sins because of jesus gone removed isaiah 43 he blots out your transgressions i will not remember your sins isaiah 44 says the same thing the worst things that you've said or done are not said or done isaiah 44 says to the christian who's trusting in the high priest i blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist i mean does anybody do this can you think of another religion where there's a god like this is this how
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Allah is who is a god like you micah 7 pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression you cast all our sins into the depths of the sea and if you look at chapter 10 verse 3 those
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Old Testament sacrifices forced you to be reminded of your sins do you notice it don't miss it chapter 10 verse 3 of Hebrews but in these sacrifices there is a what a reminder
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Old Covenant reminder don't forget don't forget don't forget New Covenant gone these things are gone people say well
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I don't need these kind of sermons I've got a lot of stress in my life and family issues and relationships and give me something practical friends this is the most practical sermon
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I could ever give you there's something more important than everything else in the world you know what that is a lot of things in the world are important Paul said
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I delivered to you as of what first Corinthians 15 first importance and once you begin to assume the gospel with one generation the next generation loses it and the writer of Hebrews won't let you lose it when
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I was a kid and we would wrestle we would say uncle please don't break my shoulder don't knock it out of socket and of course you know years came by and we have new slogans and for those who are the
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Krav Maga instructors here and Krav Maga people I'm looking at you right now if somebody's in a hold and you're gonna lose you tap out he's not gonna let you tap out because he knows deep down while you might hanker after give me four communication skills and how to get through the day tomorrow you might love that and some of it certainly has its place but it's not first place if somebody could forgive all my sins
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I'd like to know more about him and it's not found in the Old Covenant by the way verse 13 do you notice in speaking of a new covenant he makes the first one obsolete and what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish in other words stay on target don't go back who has the better promises so our outline today for the rest of our time let me give you six words highlighting
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Jesus your great high priest six words about forgiveness highlighting the
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Lord Jesus picking up again when chapter 8 verse 12 about remembering our sins no more the first word sovereign sovereign who's the one who initiates this forgiveness is there something we can do can we earn forgiveness can we be contrite enough when
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I'm in Rome and I go to La Scala Sancta the sacred steps that supposedly were the steps that Jesus was on Pontius Pilate was there and they transported them they
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Rome transported them the Roman Catholic Church to Rome and you can go up on your knees and you can say the paternoster up on every one of the steps
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I tried going up a couple times ago but my knees hurt so bad and people take such a long time
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I could find no fast lane to get around people so I just had to get up and walk back down how many times must
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I go up those steps to have my sins forgiven what must I do do
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I abstain from something during Lent do I cut myself do I deprive myself do
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I there's nothing I could do it has to be by God look initiated by God I verse 10 will be their
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God I verse 12 will be merciful toward their iniquities
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God is active in forgiveness and we're passive it's something done for us to us even that whole idea of remembering there are some sins that we've done and we still remember them what does it mean when
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God doesn't remember it just means simply this since I've punished my son for your sins
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I'm not gonna hold those against you I'll treat you as if you'd never did those sins
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I'll treat you as if you perfectly obeyed me because you have the Lord Jesus Christ's righteousness
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Calvin said God forgives us and remits remits all our punishment that we had deserved can you imagine being on death row for punishments that you did and then you got out reminds me of that old story that S.
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Lewis Johnson tells about Barabbas Barabbas the murderer along with two other thieves and murderers and can you imagine he hears the the prison warden walking down the halls as it were putting the key in the jail cell open it and saying you're next to be crucified and he looks out the window and he sees that thief crucified thief one he hears a moment later another person walking down the hall in that jail and he turns the key and he hears that key sound and he says you're guilty you're to be crucified next and he watches out the window thief number two get crucified and then he hears that same jailer come walking down the halls of the jail he hears the keys he hears the the keys turn he opens up the door and instead of saying you're to be crucified he says what to Barabbas you're free you're free somebody has taken your place what a great picture of substitution
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I wonder what he thought I think here's what he thought I got a lot of stress in my life tomorrow about work and some communication problems and I think we better dwell on those can't
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I please have a TED talk to get me through the week I'd like to know who took my place
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I'd like to thank him I'd like to devote my life to him he took my punishment and it's not like it was
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I was innocent I was guilty the Belgic Confession under justification of sinners is devotionally rich when it comes to forgiveness it says this we believe that our blessedness lies in the forgiveness of our sins because of Jesus Christ therefore we cling to this foundation which is firm forever giving all glory to God humbling ourselves and recognizing ourselves as we are not claiming a thing for ourselves or our merits and leaning and resting on the sole obedience of Christ crucified which is ours when we believe in him that is enough to cover all our sins and to make us confident freeing the conscience from fear dread terror of God's approach without doing what our first parents
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Adam and Eve did who trembled as they tried to cover themselves with word number two exclusive forgiveness through the high priest is exclusive it is only found in him because he is the one given the new covenant turn your
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Bibles please to Ephesians 1 I think it's echoed here as well Ephesians chapter 1 remember
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Christian you live in a pluralistic world you live in a world that says all roads lead to God and in fact they do all religions lead to God did you hear me rightly yes they all lead to God and they lead to his judgment throne only one religion leads to God so your names are written in the book of life not judged based on your deeds only one and this is why the world hates
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Christianity this is why when there's martyr after martyr after martyr in the last two weeks in Africa you
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Christian here not one word for the same reason they hate the
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Lord Jesus because he's the only savior and there is spiritual warfare going on Ephesians 1 7 thinking about that word exclusive if you want forgiveness it comes from God and it's only in Jesus if you're someone here today you're not a
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Christian it's only found in him I implore you to believe in him verse 7 do you see it in him talking about Christ we have redemption through his blood it's only in him it's not in your favorite
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Bible teacher it's not found in me it's not found in the Pope it's not found in Buddha it's not found in Mary Baker Eddie Glover Patterson Fry or to whomever she was married all the blessings are found in him and in no one else sola
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Christus there's no plan B the father chooses verses 4 5 & 6 and the son dies for those the father has chosen and I don't think the father is impressed with anybody else who comes along and says no no you trust in me instead of trusting in the son in whom the father sent you're not saved by baptism you're not saved by sacraments their salvation found in no other if you'd like to be forgiven it's in Christ Jesus John 112 but as many as received him the
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Lord to them he gave the right to become children of God even to those who believe in his name you know the verse do you not
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Christian I'm the way the truth in the life and no one comes to the father but through me Spurgeon said salvation is of the
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Lord alone this truth will stand the test of ages and can never be moved because it is the immutable truth of the living
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God it's only found in Jesus word number three also found in Ephesians 1 factual or true forgiveness is sovereign it is found only in Christ Jesus and it's actually true it's not made up it's not legal fiction you notice the text again in Ephesians 1 7 in him we have redemption that's factual
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I've met people before and they say I've committed so many horrible sins I don't feel forgiven what do you think
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I say to them tell me about the Jesus you're trusting in him in and if you're trusting in him then you are forgiven
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I don't care what you feel you are actually forgiven your guilt against God is removed yeah
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I know but but I was I was an Israelite back in the day and I was taken out of Egypt through the
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Red Sea standing on the dry ground but I don't feel like I'm out of Egypt what would you say to that person this is true this is real redemption this is not possible probable potential this is real redemption you notice the text verse 7 we have present tense we have redemption when
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I was a kid when I thought of the word redemption I did not think of slavery buying out of the slave pit of you know in the south
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I did not think of what did I think of I didn't think of cans like a dr.
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pepper can or Mountain Dew can I didn't think of moxie cans because who drinks antifreeze in Nebraska not me but we had
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SNH green stamps did we not and if you don't know what those are there's an app for that young people know and we would get those stamps and you'd get a get a stamp at the grocery store and put it in the book and you go in you'd redeem it for something you'd cash it in the idea here is
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Christ has paid for our sins at his own price the ransom price for the cash in was his own life and we are free no longer in bondage no longer in prison if you have not read
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John Murray's redemption accomplish and apply that would be a good book for you to read we are redeemed with the precious blood as a lamb unblemished and spotless first Peter chapter 1 the
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Son of Man did not come to serve to be served rather but to serve and to give his life or his life a ransom for many and then there's kind of a cool thing here in Ephesians it's called an apposition what's that apposition well it's important to study grammar and I'm gonna give you a little grammar lesson here and I think you're gonna like it and if you don't like it then
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I'll try something else but I'm not here to get you to like anything
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I'm get you to reminded of what this text says about our Lord and Savior Jesus in him we have redemption through his blood equal sign apposition the forgiveness of our trespasses an apposition is a figure of speech it's like a road bump you're going along and all of a sudden hey verbs are taken out and you kind of go over the bump going hey
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I should probably look at this that's what's happening here technically it functions as a hyper baton how about that but I've never said that word from this pulpit ever but I'm gonna say it again now hyper baton when
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I was growing up the hyper baton was that girl who did all the baton stuff before we marched in marching band what's a hyper baton the
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Greek word hyper means over and baton means to step stepping over and and if you'd like to understand for redemption through his blood you've got to step over a couple of verbs that aren't there because then he just says by the way forgiveness forgiveness found forgiveness of trespasses well the point is simple in Christ you have forgiveness total forgiveness of trespasses and doesn't even say sins there it says trespasses every kind of sin you've ever committed if there are a difference of mortal and venial which there isn't but if there was a difference you'd be forgiven of both that's amazing that's language of Colossians chapter 2 having forgiven us all our transgression can you imagine what a
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Savior why go back to the Old Covenant he's forgiven my past sins my present sins my future sins high -handed sins unintentional sins sins of omission sins of commission no wonder the psalmist said how blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven that certificate of debt is gone posted on the placard above Jesus the fourth word is merciful you can see it in chapter 2 of Ephesians can't you
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Hebrews 8 12 talks about mercy and forgiveness but since we're in Ephesians let's just stay there for a minute
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Hebrew says I'll be merciful toward their iniquities and by the way I'm so rich in sin especially as an unbeliever verse 4 of chapter 2 although I'm rich in sin
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God is rich in mercy that is amazing to me after verses 1 2 & 3 in chapter 2 you'd think he'd hate sinners he'd love sinners with this great love with which he loved us being rich in mercy that's who this
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Lord is even when we were dead in our transgressions he made us alive together with Christ that's extravagant love that's lavishing it that's
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Ephesians 1 8 lavishing only thing I could think of when it's the Romans 5 language of pouring out this great love upon us you ever watch a football game or a baseball game or a soccer game and towards the end of that great game you can see the coach kind of looking over his his shoulder a little bit because there's gonna be some great player come along with a huge thing of what
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Gatorade and just dump it on top of that guy's head I mean that's just it's just extravagant it's over the top the riches of his grace no wonder
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Wesley's saying tis mercy all immense and free for oh my god it found out me it's amazing
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God would love me so that leads to word number five praiseworthy praiseworthy go to chapter 1 of Ephesians praiseworthy
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Paul meets Jesus on the Damascus Road or maybe
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I should put it Jesus meets Paul on the Damascus Road remember Paul was there when Stephen was going to get killed and when something
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Paul dropped the garments that was the starting gun let the stoning begin I initiated well least he was concurring we know that much at least 20 to 25 years later
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Paul's right Paul writes this book Ephesians and how did he act here's how
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Paul acted well I got saved 20 years ago I used to be really excited I used to be enthusiastic
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I used to say praise God from whom all blessings flow I used to evangelize everybody I used to work hard at work but now
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I'm more mature now at 20 years a Christian and so I'm just reserved stoic close to the cuff and we'll leave excited
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Christians and praiseworthy Christians to their first couple years of their Christianity because then they'll get over it and they'll be like me this reminds me of Jim Elliott remember the book
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Shadow of the Almighty and it says above his journal the age that he was and I think it was age 15 and he went to a football game and he said
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I just see people freaking out with great joy and excitement over football and then when
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I think of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ it's yawns it's oh yeah we know that I need something else in my life but Paul I mean out of the starting gate verse 3 blessed be the
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God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 25 years later he's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ I am going to celebrate
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God with praises and I'm not saying you have to be all excited on the outside but at least on the inside and every once in a while maybe you could send a missionary to your face and I'll send one to mine to the intrinsic character of God and the person of his son and that fellowship they had before Genesis 1 1 and the father then sent the son to go redeem the father love the son love the spirit apply who does this and what
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Paul says is I'm gonna speak well of this God when I saw
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Chris Bowman in the hospital a couple nights ago and he looked pretty sick and I walked in and and he said well good to see you
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Pastor Mike we talked a little bit and then the family came in and I was talking to Chris and I said you know what
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I haven't heard you say Chris that the Lord is in any good that I can't trust the
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Lord that he's not sovereign over this right now I read
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Psalm 145 some of it to him and I said this is the kind of attitude you have and he said yes speaking well of God no matter what
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Paul can write letters from prison he acts the same way God the
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Father the Son and the Spirit deserve this kind of praise no wonder Jesus said don't lose your first love to Ephesus and then finally number six the sixth word as I'm thinking about how great forgiveness is is model m -o -d -e -l turn to Ephesians 4 please the text in Hebrews doesn't say anything about forgiving other people but it is certainly an implication it is certainly an application and it's a direct application for Paul in Ephesians as he's praising the triune
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God for election for redemption for sealing for bringing Jew and Gentile together for having him a
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Jew be the Apostle to the Gentiles he has very much understood that theology matters and that theology should help us in our application what does
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Ephesians 432 say and be kind to one another tenderhearted forgiving each other just as God in Christ has also forgiven you so I ask the question is there somebody who sinned against you that you keep remembering that you will not let go remember when
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God forgets a sin it's not like it's taken out of his database he's he's not all of a sudden no longer omniscient he still knows but it's been paid for by Jesus and then he doesn't hold it against us is there somebody who's come to you and said would you please forgive me and you say yes
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I do but you still hold it against them that's not forgiveness that's not Ephesians chapter 4 that's the kind of thing that Jesus had to die for because it's so awful
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I'm not gonna hold it against you anymore one man said refusing to forgive is a horrible sin forgiveness reflects the character of God so ungodly means
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I don't act like God God acts one way I act ungodly a godly well God acts in a kind way in a merciful way in a forgiving way shouldn't we be the quickest forgivers the best forgivers when somebody's wronged us and they come to us and they start to say please for and you say
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I do wholeheartedly Leon Morris we can always think of some good reason in any particular case why we need not forgive but that is always
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Morris said an error what the
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Jesus say as he taught us to pray forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our we've received forgiveness so we're able to forgive others
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Lloyd Jones I say to the glory of God and in utter humility that whenever I see myself before God and realize even something of what my blessed
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Lord has done for me I'm ready to forgive anybody anything what does 432 say forgiving each
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I know that's hard I know it's hard to cover sins by the way it's an interesting word in Ephesians 432 there's a word for forgiveness that means
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I'm just gonna let it go gone go away not the person but the sin just go away transgression it's just gone to take away this word here in 432 forgiving each other it's an unusual word it's the word that we have chorus in it for forgiveness is not just letting go here it's graciously forgiving to be gracious to you like you know what that person has said forgive me so many times but they just keep doing what they always do and then coming back for forgiveness this word here means well then grace them grace them why wouldn't you grace them literally acting in grace toward one another yes but they don't deserve it
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I know did you this is the same word used in Romans 832 he did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how will he not also with him freely give us all things what's the motive what's the reason the text tells you just as model after God's love for you in Christ Jesus Christian forgive freely
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Christian forgive fully Jesus said in Mark 11 and whenever you stand praying forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions
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I bet we could boil all the marriage problems at Bethlehem Bible Church down to one thing lack of forgiveness say well it's hard though I know maybe it was easy we wouldn't have to be told like this
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Peter went to Jesus said Lord how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him up to seven times
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I do not say up to seven times but up to 70 times seven for this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves and when he had begun to settle them there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents ten million let's say that's a good estimation somebody owes him ten million dollars but since he did not have the means to pay
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I guess not his Lord commanded him to be sold along with his wife and children and all that he had until payment be remade which will never happen the slave therefore falling down prostrated himself before him saying have patience with me and I will repay you everything and the
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Lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave the debt but that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii three months wages and seized him and choked him pay me back what you owe have patience with me and I'll repay you as a slave fell down he was up however unwilling but he went and threw him into prison until he should pay back what he owed so when his fellow slaves saw what happened they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their
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Lord all that had happened summoning him his Lord said to him you wicked slave I forgave you all that dead because you entreated me should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave even as I had mercy on you and his
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Lord moved with anger handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him and then
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Jesus ends with so shall my Heavenly Father also do to you if each one of you does not forgive his brother from the heart friends you have a great high priest and all your sins have been paid for by Jesus and on that day of judgment you won't have to answer for one of them because Jesus did and the only thing written in that book is your name a praise
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God and be if somebody has an offense and they asked if offended you and they ask for forgiveness why wouldn't you grant it let's pray
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I thank you Father for your word there's nobody like Jesus thank you for having your spirit open our eyes so we could just see who he is we used to think he was just a good teacher or a prophet or maybe crazy man but now we get to see he's the great high priest purging sins and even giving us enough resources found in your spirit that we might forgive other people anything