February 12, 2017

Well, we're continuing a series that we've been calling Twisted focusing on passages of scripture that sometimes are misunderstood and we focus focused on a variety of scriptures and we kind of ran out of the original series, but then someone said what you should do a few more and one of the verses that was recommended that I do a sermon on was this verse Romans 8:28. How many immediately know what Romans 8:28 is for a lot of folks at the verse. They might have memorized they might have on their mind and on their heart Romans 8:28 reads this way. And we know Paul writes that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose and so often that is a treasured verse but I think sometimes it's understood in such a broad and sweeping in general way that we we run the risk of of misunderstanding it now I'm distracted right now, and I apologize. Is anybody else hear an echo to my Mike this morning. I don't know if I'm too loud. It's it's I'm going to move my mic down a little bit and see if that keeps me from Not thinking straight. As if it were that simple, right we'd all be moving lapel mics if that was the cure to our cricket thinking now. I've got it not working properly. But when I hear that, it makes my mind not playing properly. Maybe I'm just turned up extra loud. I can still can you still hear me? Pretty good. I moved it way down that helps me a little bit and I'm going to get feedback hear some want to start to start out. Really I want to talk about what the verse is not saying so I want to do a fairly traditional sermon format, which is unlike me where the old school sermon outline is. You tell him what you're going to tell him and then you tell him and then you tell him what you told him. So this morning pretty traditional. I want to tell you the conclusions right out front about this verse one thing this verse is not saying is that all things are good. We might be tempted to think. Well, everything's going to be good. If you're a Christian everything's been going to be good and Buddy by who's lived a little while thought a little reflectively about life relies. That's probably not the accurate understanding of this verse When Paul says all things he includes both the good and the bad that occurs in our life, but secondly this verse is not saying that Bad things have a good purpose or that God causes bad things for our good. It's important to get rid of some of these misunderstandings about this verse and so Paul is not saying that there are bad things that really have a good purpose to them and he's not saying that God causes the bad things that happen in our life for a good purpose now. Listen, I hear that a lot from folks. Have you ever heard that you go to the hospital bed, you go to a funeral home and and people mean well, but they say things like well, I guess God had his reasons for giving this person that disease or for causing this person to have that tragedy in their life. No, No. No is that clear? God is not the author of evil or tragedy or cancer or bad things that occur in our lives and in this world, okay?

Okay. Do not go to somebody's bedside at the hospital and say well, I guess God just had a reason for you to get a disease named after you we're sure going to miss you. God is not the one behind those things it is well intended and then I'll go on a theological step aside for just a moment. It's a misunderstanding of the sovereignty of God is what it is. Some people are so invested in that word sovereignty that they have to associate everything that happens in the universe as a direct action of God's will so when something happens they said well then I guess it must simply have been God's will know. No. No. God's will during our lifetime is thwarted everyday.

Evil people choose to do evil things as anybody watch the news this week picked up the newspaper lived for even just a little while on this Earth You know that it's true.

But bad people make bad choices and do bad things. And God is not the author of those actions of those bad people. So this verse is not saying that all things are good and it's not saying that God is the author of bad things. That's that he causes bad things to happen for her own good and stay out the way we need to think about it and understand it properly is God can redeem things intended for evil using them toward his good will do you see the distinction and the difference? It's not that God is causing that bad thing to happen. He doesn't give me cancer because it's part of his divine plan that I have cancer and he's the one that gave it to me. No, no, no.

But as a follower of Christ. Who gets cancer? God can work in my life in such a way that he redeems that very thing that the adversary intended for evil and he can redeem it to cause it to work toward his Goodwill. Look at Genesis 50:20. Joseph said look the evil you planned to do to me has by God's design been turned to good to bring about the present result the survival of numerous people. You can go back and read Genesis 50 and read the story of Joseph and you see the way in which his brother's intended evil for him. They did wrong. They send God was not causing them to do what they did. God was not the author of their actions of safe selling him into slavery. But when all that played out as Joseph continuously handed his life to God gave his life to God trusted God even in the midst of that hardship God was able to take that which was intended for harm intended for evil and demons and use it for good and in Joseph like it was for the rescue in the saving of many many people. That's an amazing story. You can write that verse in the margin besides Romans 8:20. As a way of understanding Romans 8:28 a little more fully the verse is also not saying that this is how God runs the world or everything happens for a reason we hear that sometimes no matter what happens. It's just a fatalism will everything happens for a reason and God will work it all out for the good. That's not what Paul is teaching in this verse. This is how God works in the lives of those who love him and that's their response to the gospel call and according to his will or purpose for their christlikeness. That's the context of this first what Paul is talking about is how is it that God works in the lives of those who have heard the gospel the good news of God's grace who have responded by accepting it and loving God giving their lives fully to him then how is it that God works in their lives through good things and bad things are good days and bad days too hard. Gibson through victories enjoy. How is it that God works in our life and Paul's answering that question. Another theological aside. If you do not call upon Jesus as your lord and savior, you have to be exceedingly careful about reaching into scripture and claiming some sort of verse as a promise that will be effective in your life. This is a separate subject. But it's what Pops in my head because I saw it growing up in East Tennessee. I saw many men who did not know Jesus from a hole in the ground. Nonetheless reaching the scripture and say to their wife's. Well. I'm the man and you're the little woman and you better do what I say when I say know you're supposed to obey me you're supposed to submit to me. And these men who gave Jesus no respect reaching to scripture and used it to beat their wives.

Will face judgment for that one day. Because you cannot ignore the lordship of Christ and yet reach into scripture and say this is how it's supposed to be by the way the verse that they use in a fusion 5 is not talking about women in general and men in general is talking about the Christian household in Ephesians and Paul begins that verse by saying submit to one another. That would have been mind-boggling for the average male ear to hear in that area where Rome ruled men over women and women were considered second-class and Paul says not so with the church not so with the Christian Community. Here's what the Christian household is like for the promise is to Christian men and women who've given their life to Christ not to someone based on their gender not to all men to say well, I'm the man you're the woman when I shake my glass you come fill it with more iced tea. That's the way it works. That's where the good Lord wanted to be. bologna And I want to say stronger words than that.

Paul says in Ephesians 5 out of reverence for Christ is a man and a woman who have given their life to Christ they submit to him and it says out of reverence for your love and all of who Christ Jesus is submit to one another out of reverence for Christ wives submit to your husbands husbands, give yourself up for your wife and then attacks that teaching

But we're tempted like I've seen a fusion5 abused. We're tempted to abused this verse and say well all things work for the good. That's just how the world Works everything happens for a reason you ever had anybody say that to you. And I want to say yes, everything happens for a reason my car was stolen because somebody chose to send because somebody had evil in their heart they decided they would act on that selfishness and they stole my car some things are not a mystery. Some things are not cloaked in the sovereignty of God and his Divine tapestry during her lifetime. Some things are simply the result of men and women using their free will to do evil. Some things are revealed to us. It's not all a mystery until this is not how God runs the world or everything happens for a reason. This is how God works in the lives of those who have given their lives over to him. Unpack these little more by looking at different scriptures. When you look at the book of Romans as a whole verses 16 and 17 Paul kind of announces the theme of the book as a whole he says for I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes first to the Jew then to the Gentile for in the gospel. The righteousness of God is revealed a righteousness. That is by faith From First to Last just as it is written the righteous will live by faith and Sir Paul announces that the beginning of this letter to Gentiles in Rome. Here's what the essential theme is what I want to write about. I want you to understand how the gospel itself works. And then when you look in the Book of Romans, you see him on pack that in the first few chapters. He talks about the need of humanity that we have all sinned and fallen short. He talks about how Christ does for us what the law could not do and so in the middle of Romans leading up towards 8 begins with eight one after that argument and 5/6 and 7. He says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because Christ Jesus has done for us what the law could not do so we place our faith in Christ and that status as those who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God is transformed because of the work of Christ. This is the gospel. All have fallen short of the glory of God all have sinned yet. If you place your faith in Christ that status that identity is transformed and so Romans 8:1 there for There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So is unpack the gospel in the first 8 chapters of raw of Romans, and now he's talking about the Holy Spirit working in our lives leading us and giving us confidence and security on what it means to be in Christ what it means to follow him faithfully, and then he leads up to the verse that were looking at in Romans 8:28. And really the full context of Romans 8:28 When you zoom in begins and verse 27 includes 28 and 29 and 30. That's another good thing to write in your margin. It's better not just a couple 828 out by itself and put it on teacup and kind of save that's how life works. It's better to look at the full context and what he spoken about just before Romans 8:27 is how all of creation groans and and yearns for Redemption that this world is a broken world and that all of creation Longs for Redemption, even the physical creation looks forward to the day and which send will no longer wreak havoc in this world. And then he says not only does creation itself grown and urine for Redemption, but we ourselves grown and yearn for Redemption. Even though Romans 8:1 is true. There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We are still living in this physical body that sometimes fights that and struggles against it Paul talks about that at all chapter 7. He says the very thing I want to do I don't do very thing that I shouldn't do. I do do he struggles we still struggle and so pause talking about that tension and that in the midst of struggling to be faithful in the midst of feeling our Salvation a feeling confidence in God. Paul says, look, don't be too discouraged creation itself. Is groaning and longing for Redemption and not only creation but God knows you yourself in your heart. God knows that you're longing and groaning you hate what's in does to your like how many people hate what's in does to your life? How many people hate the way they behave at certain moments in their life? How many people hate the way you've treated your children or your wife in just the wrong moment? How many people hate the way they treated their husband in just the wrong moment? We done it we don't hate ourselves, but we hate sin there's moments and when we just say, I can't believe I just did that. I can't believe I treated that person has been so kind to me. I can't I hate this. I hate it. And Paul says God knows. and the Holy Spirit knows and the way creation groans and urine since it's when when will will will this corrupt world? That's so not what God designed this world to be. When will it be completely restored pulse is just like creation. Our own Hearts have these prayers that we can't put into words. We don't know what to say.

some of the things that happened in my own heart sometimes What do we say? I mean to say more than Lord. I'm sorry. Once again, please forgive me. Once again, it's deeper than that and it's so deep that we don't even fully understand what to say and how to say it. And Paul says the spirit itself. Searches our hearts and God knows our hearts and knows what the spirit is doing and that's that Spirit intercedes on our behalf. Helping us pray out to God. So talking about God knowing what the spirit is discovering her heart knowing what's going on in this process Paul begins and he who searches our heart knows the mind of the spirit. So the spirit is in our hearts. It knows those struggles. It can interpret those groaning and God knows the mind of the spirit because the spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with what The will of God, how is it that the spirit is interceding for me in accordance with what? The will of God I want you to say that the spirit is interceding for me in accordance with the will of God. How is it that the spirit is interceding for me in accordance with the will of God. How is it that the spirit is interceding for me? It is in accordance with the will of God. That's what Paul is talking about in the very next verse the will of God. If you rip a 20 out of its context you can just defined good. However you want and then guess who's Will you're making that verse about? My will all things work for the good of those who love God, so I'm going to get that job and I'm going to get that car and I'm going to get that girl. I'm going to get that date to get that puppy or whatever it is that I want with all my heart and suddenly if we're not careful God becomes our servant instead of us serving him. And we try to wield scripture as if he God look at this verse I found busted I got you hands are tied. You have to work everything toward my good. Easy it is to come to the devil. Sucks me just be honest with you. Okay, he constantly looks for ways to get a foothold into our life. He constantly looks for ways to twist scripture just a tiny bit. Don't remember what he did in Loop when he said space Maybe I maybe you should quote that. So that verse When Jesus Temptation God won't even let your heel get her there. This is he want his beloved Stephen hurt his heel drop off this pimples. Don't you believe the word of God? She's just don't you believe that song that my phone is safe that your heel won't even get Bruce to it. Jump jump jump. Any say in the garden think I've really say not any tree. Tony really said the adversary stinks to high heaven. He don't believe me. He is not asleep. Okay science has not made him irrelevant scripture is true. When it says the adversary prowls about like a lion seeking someone to devour when I was traveling it in Tanzania. We got the travel out into the bush a little bit and we talked to some locals about the Lions and I told us cares what happens with a line. They will follow a herd for days and days and that's what we saw a couple of lines and saw this big heard we said hey what's going to happen here? He said they will follow at a distance for days. And they will wait for one little animal from that hard to get distracted or injure its leg to get weak and the kind of separate itself a little bit from The Herd. And then one night if that little animal has made the mistake of sleeping too far from the herd or stripped it off the path a little bit. I will pounce on it and devour and the adversary is doing the same for you. And I any chance he has to twist scripture just a little bit any chance he has for you to misunderstand reverse like this in my life not turning out the way it's supposed to. Supposed to work everything for the good. Therefore. God must not like me. There must be something wrong with me and then must be pleasing God because his life better than mine. So I must be going. Or maybe God's not there at all. Right. So the adversary loves to whisper these doubts in our mind to get us distracted.

scripture tells us that the spirit what we can believe in place our faith in is that God is listening that God is working in our heart that the spirit is interceding on those long angles groanings are things we can't really put into words and he's doing it in accordance with God's Will and so he continues and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose now, there's not punctuation in the original New Testament and so at some point in history men and women fallible men and women Add punctuation. So whenever you're reading scripture don't don't make the mistake of thinking will that verse marker? 28 is divinely-inspired when Paul was riding Romans the Holy Spirit inspired him to write 28 for that verse that's not the case. You always need to read things in context. You need to read the sentence before in the sentence after and use logic and context to understand what's being said. So this thought continues it does not end at the end of verse 28 so I would take my pain if I'm right in my Bible at Mark out that. I told Airline Drive that Pierce and not write that. Is not right the thought continues to because then what God's purpose is so do you see how vital it is to read verse 29 with verse 28 And Paul says look, we know as you finish talking about the spirit interceding for us in the context of the will of God. So God's will being done in our life is the context we know that in all things. God works for the good of those who love him who've been called according to his purpose. And now let me tell you his purpose that's pretty important next verse in it or called according to his purpose. Let me tell you his purpose. We want to stop at the end of that verse and fill in purpose on her own but he continues he says for those he foreknew. He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters God's purpose is for us to be conformed to the image of Christ. That's his will in our life. He wants Christ to be the first of many brothers and sisters and his plan is dream his vision for you and I is that we would be like Christ that we would return to the state that we had in the garden before the fall that state of relationship with him that state of communion with him that state of sin not corrupting our relationship with him. That's what our lives are about. That's where they're going when we turn them over to God. I don't turn my life over to God and then he doesn't like what would you like with your life Robbie? Like I found some sort of bottle and rub it three times and God the genie came out you found the secret formula. Okay, you get three wishes. What would you like for your life? Robbie when I turn my life over to God. I'm accepting his will. For my life. I'm placing my faith in him. I'm trusting him. I'm believing that he is right. Until Paul says God in heaven who is all-powerful all-knowing and I'll present. Can work anything and everything toward the good goal he has for your life the good purpose he has for your life and that purpose is christlikeness in character. And so no matter what happens in my life. God can use it to help me become more like Christ in my character. Even if it's something that I choose to reject God on and send if I repent and turn to God he can use that to draw me closer to him and Draw Me Closer to Christ likeness in his plan for me.

He continues and those he predestined he also called and those he called. He also Justified those he justified. He also glorified by the way, the the word predestined In this passage. Don't let it distract you. It's the same language that Paul uses in Ephesians 1 and think of the word predestined. It means what it sounds like it means it means that God has predetermined the destination of those who place their faith in Christ. He's not talking about their decision to follow Christ. He's not saying that God has predetermined what we will decide he has predetermined. The destination Sophie's is 1 if you read Ephesians 1, that's what Paul talks about before the foundations of The World. God has decided that those who hear the call those who hear the gospel who hear the good news and respond in love to God. I've heard this a while. I was yet a sinner you died for me those who fall down on her knees and repented to say I accept you accept this incredible offer that but God so loved the world that he gave his only son. I believe in you I placed my faith in you what God has predestined is what happens to those who plays their faith in Christ. So your eternity what's going to happen to you is what's predestined that God will do everything and use everything in your life to shape you into the image of Christ. To move you more and more toward that goal. That's what you're signing up for. When you give your life to Christ you are giving your life. to Christ

you're saying you decide. You know better than me.

1st Peter 2:9, but you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation of people for God's Own possession so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light pewter makes it clear that the reason that we are called into relationship with God is for his purposes his will and that's what Romans 8:27 is all about. It's in the context of the will of God that he's working everything toward the good the good to find by him which is us becoming like Christ and Peter has that same thought in his mind we've been called for God's purpose is so that we can prepare his excellency's the one who called us out of Darkness. You can see the Same Spirit in this verse 2nd Timothy 1:9 Paul talks about God calling us who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our work but according to his own purpose and Grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity that goes back to Ephesians 1 that God always has A plan for our destiny if we will trust him if we will place our faith in him if we will choose Christ. God says I take it from here. I will secure your salvation. I will lead you toward the destiny the ultimate good in your life that you become like Christ. Ephesians 3:11 talking about really what Paul's already said the first three chapters. This all was in accordance with the Eternal purpose, which he carried out in Christ Jesus our lord Ephesians 4:11 to 13. So again, it's all about God's Will and God's purpose and then here scripture begins to unpack with Clarity and consistency. What is God's Will and purpose and I've already announced that to you. And now I'm showing you the scriptures behind it. So in a fusion 4 cyl Christ himself gave Apostles gave the apostles the prophets the Evangelist the pastors and the teachers to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up. Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. You see how clear that is. The reason at all exist the Reason God called the church together the reason he created pastors and and and teachers and those inside the church was to equip us for service. But that's one more thing for the ultimate purpose so that we could have came the fullness of what the fullness of Christ that's the purpose. That's the gold everything we do is talk about in that we would be restored and reconciled not only in terms of our salvation and our eternity but our relationships now the way we treat one another the way we treat this world that we would be like Christ again and again scripture Echoes that truth 2nd Corinthians Paul says so all of us who have had that Bell removed, he's alluding to the Old Testament where Moses face was covered can see and reflect the glory of the Lord and the Lord who is the spirit makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. Can you see that theme again in 10 in scripture what God is doing in our life is not serving us but shaping us into the image of his son so that we can serve his purposes. We can reveal his goodness by resembling him. We talked about our purpose statement is a church that we want to we want to make known the glory of God. We want to reveal the glory of God when it when you glorify God you're revealing his goodness. You're making known his character his goodness. And we do that as we allow him to shape us into Christ likeness in our own character Colossians, 1:26, 228i, read a larger version of this passage last week, but Paul says this message, the guy was Kept Secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God people for God wanted them to know that the riches and the glory of Christ are for you Jen tiles 2 and this is the secret Christ lives in you. This gives you Assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom. God has given us we want to prevent them to God perfect in their relationship with Christ and that wordperfect is translated in some versions as mature again, just like For what Paul is saying here is what God is doing through him and through the church is that we would be presented mature or complete in Christ. Philippians 1 6 4 I'm confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ's return. Really? That's what's being said in Romans 8:28. The same thing Paul says in Philippians 1:6 and that's another good reverse the right beside Romans 8:28. But all things work for the good and the good is that that work that God has began and Ice to shape us an image of son image of his son that he will complete that work. But he can work anything and everything toward that good end of being christ-like. That anything can be redeemed. That that Peter can betray Christ 3 times and still be restored and be the leader of the early church. But no matter what is going on in our life went when we line ourselves up with what God wants to do in our lives than anything can be redeemed and restored anyting.

anyting There is nothing in your life. Nothing you have done. Nothing. You have left undone that God cannot redeem. Do not let the adversary convince you that somehow you are the exception to the rule God's grace covers all who will receive it. There is nothing nothing that can separate you from what God has offered and design through Christ Jesus. Do you understand how this verse is so much greater than God will work my life for the good with me to finding the good. Imagine. How horrible my life would actually be if I got everything I wanted.

You understand that you'd get a horrible. Your life would be if you got everything you wanted.

If every pleasure that you wanted for field was fulfilled if every instinct to show somebody else who's boss manifest itself in your life. If every time you wanted to teach somebody every desire if everything you wanted can't ruin your life your life would be a wreck. Thank you. God that you do not give us everything we want.

Jesus warned what does it profit a person if they gain the whole world but lose their very soul and so in his great love and wisdom, he defines the good. If we give our lives over to him, he will work anything and everything toward the good of us being like Christ Jesus.

I'm about to worship team to come forward.

Here's the takeaway and I want to read how it all ends. This these verses cooperate with God.

That's the most powerful thing you could do in your life is cooperate with God. Is believe this verse and believe these truths that God is Planning and has design from the very foundations of the world that any who would call upon Christ will be restored and redeemed and reconciled and that will be on this journey we're God is helping us to be more like Christ so that the spouses we are are more like Christ so that the parents we are are more like Christ so that the neighbors we are it's more like our neighbors have Jesus living next to them. It's more like our co-workers have Jesus in the office. That's his. That's the hope of glory. He says in Colossians Christ in you. The most powerful thing you could do is cooperate with God. Get on your knees and say Lord. I want to cooperate with you. I want to co-operate with you. I want to make christlikeness the ultimate goal of my life. I want to submit myself to you. I want to trust you no matter what's going on. I want to say I give this to you even my sin Lord, even my struggles 10 my failures. I give to you and ask you to redeem them. Ask you to use them even for good. Paul says we in this he get so excited.

Here's what he says after. He said everything that we've talked about in Romans 8 28 through 3427 through 30. He says now if everything I said is true. And here are the implications What then shall we say in response to these things?

If God is for us who can be against us. Anybody got an answer for that?

If God is for us who? Who can be against us? The safest place to be is in cooperation with God. Is this a I'm with you Lord? I want to follow your plan not mine. I want a line myself up with your will and your intentions. He continues he says look he who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also along with him graciously. Give us all things. If God has already demonstrated his heart toward us Paul says in Romans 5:12. We were yet sinners Christ died for us if he's demonstrated it on the cross. How much more will he be gracious and give to us again and again and again if he sends his fairy Spirit a horse when were so confused and tied up with her own scent and her own struggle if he sends his spirit in your heart to hear those groanings and those longing and word prayers on our behalf. How much more will he be looking out for us? He's not looking for us to screw up. again the adversary Thanks. I want to say worst things about him. He gets his foot in the church. He gets his foot in the life of preachers. How many sermons have been breached in such a way that you leave feeling like God is just looking for you to do something wrong. That's the devil's victory. Because God is looking for help us succeed. He's looking to complete that work that he began in our life. As Paul says Paul says in Philippians 1:6. He's looking to complete that christ-like work in our life. He's on our side. He continues who will bring any charge against Those whom God has chosen it is God who justifies? How can you say wait a minute when God has spoken he has said this is what is predetermined. This is what is immovable those who are in Christ are under my protection. They are guaranteed that I will complete the work that I beginning then I will protect them. I will lay their pain no matter what happens in their life call things. I can direct or the good of them becoming like Christ who can stand against

He's the one who justifies the one who can do no one Christ Jesus who died more than that who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us hymn. Jesus Paid. The price has the lamb if he's perfect as scripture teaches that he is in his blood was shed and God honor that sacrifice and resurrected him from the dead and he said that the father on this Earth can challenge what he says about you and I But we're his children. The world would be all the adversaries but it gets in our minds think it's in her heart and gets us to doubt God and gets us to doubt our salvation and gets us to down our righteousness has completed the word. Jesus said on the cross. It is finished.

It's always We Trust Christ. Our future is settled and secure and solid and Jesus even to this day in this moment that the father's right-hand and intercedes on our behalf. Could you ask for any better friend? Then Jesus.

He continues who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written for your sake we Face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered know and all these things. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I am convinced that neither death nor life neither angels nor demons new the present or the future nor any powers to the height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ. Jesus our lord. amen, nothing I didn't can you think of anything that can stand up to God and swore at him?

When he's announced and pronounce that those who are in Christ Jesus that their salvation is secure. But their Destiny is secure. But those who have chosen Christ. Have secured that path toward christlikeness and even when we were ejected God and turn our back on him. We can still come right back to him and repent and he can take those very failings and use them to move us toward that end.

nothing and separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. nothing

nothing

nothing

so I beg you. Even if you do it from a purely selfish perspective cooperate with God.

Get along with God and say I give myself to you a new. During this song if you've not made that decision then give your life to Christ.

And I mean that give your life to Christ don't invite him to be your little helper. Don't invite him to fix all your problems. Don't invite him to do the things you'd like to see happen your life instead give your life to him. To use toward his glory. The shape in the direction he wants to shape it. Can you imagine how transformed our church our city our nation could be. If we all gave our lives to Christ to do his bidding if we grew so much in the coming year in price likeness that our neighbors and our children and our spouses felt like they had Jesus living with them.

imagine what my dude are politics are economics the need in the city we just gave ourselves to Christ. And that sort of spirit.

I wear to sing this song and right afterwards we're to take communion and we're going to celebrate the completed work of Christ when we gather around this table. So for those who've already given their life to Christ that I just invite you to celebrate. What you've already done to celebrate what you know to be true. Please stand as we sing.