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Series A – Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany – Sunday, February 12, 2023 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:27	The holy Gospel
0:29	According to Saint Matthew the fifth
0:31	chapter
0:34	foreign
0:37	Jesus said you have heard that it was
0:39	said of old you shall not murder and
0:41	whoever murders will be liable to
0:43	judgment but I say to you that everyone
0:45	who is angry with his brother will be
0:47	liable to judgment whoever insults his
0:50	brother will be liable to the council
0:51	whoever says you fool will be liables to
0:55	the hell of Fire
0:57	so if you are offering your gift at the
0:59	altar and there remember that your
1:01	brother has something against you leave
1:02	your gift there before the Altar and go
1:04	first be reconciled to your brother and
1:07	then come and offer your gift come to
1:09	terms quickly with your accuser while
1:11	you are going with him to court lest
1:13	your accuser hand you over to the judge
1:14	and the judge to the guard and you be
1:16	put in prison truly I say to you you
1:18	will never get out until you have paid
1:20	the last penny you have heard that it
1:22	was said You shall not commit adultery
1:24	but I say to you everyone who looks at a
1:26	woman with lustful intent has already
1:28	committed adultery with her in his heart
1:30	if your eye causes you to sin tear it
1:32	out throw it away for it’s better for
1:34	you to lose one of your members than for
1:36	your whole body to be thrown into hell
1:38	and if your right hand causes you to sin
1:40	cut it off throw it away it’s better
1:42	that you lose one of your members than
1:44	your whole body go to into hell it was
1:47	also said whoever divorces his wife let
1:50	him give her a certificate of divorce
1:52	but I say to that everyone who divorces
1:54	his wife except on the ground of sexual
1:56	immorality makes her commit adults tree
1:58	and whoever marries a divorce woman
2:00	commits adultery again you have heard
2:02	that it was said to those of old you
2:04	shall not swear falsely but shall
2:06	perform to the Lord what you have sworn
2:07	but I say to you do not take an oath at
2:10	all either by heaven for it is the
2:11	Throne of God or by the Earth it is his
2:13	footstool or by Jerusalem for it is the
2:15	city of the great king and do not take
2:17	an oath by your head for you cannot make
2:19	one hair white or black let what you say
2:22	Simply Be yes or no anything more than
2:25	this comes from Evil this is the gospel
2:28	of the Lord in the name of Jesus
2:31	all right we’re gonna see if we were all
2:34	paying attention last week remember last
2:36	week in the sermon we pointed out what
2:37	the Apostle Paul said that he chose to
2:40	know nothing except for Christ and him
2:42	crucified for our sins and we noted that
2:44	that what that really is pointing to is
2:46	that every single Doctrine must be
2:49	hooked into the gospel itself otherwise
2:51	you’re going to misread the scriptures
2:53	and so think of it today did you notice
2:55	any gospel in our readings today even a
2:59	hint of gospel just a little bit there
3:01	was no gospel in it in fact all of our
3:03	readings today were law
3:06	and really really heavy law especially
3:10	when it comes to our gospel text very
3:12	heavy law what are we to make of that
3:14	well let me give you an analogy to kind
3:16	of start with we have to go back and we
3:18	have to interpret it through the fact
3:19	that there is nothing except for Christ
3:21	and him crucified for our sins we will
3:23	try to accomplish that before we’re done
3:25	today but I want to point out something
3:27	about men have you noticed how stubborn
3:29	they are when it comes to getting
3:30	directions
3:31	okay now back in the days before there
3:34	were things called GPS’s and your iPhone
3:36	would give you instructions back in
3:39	those days we use these these very very
3:41	special magical things they were made on
3:44	paper they were called maps and I
3:47	remember having to use maps and actually
3:49	have to like put on a notepad I got to
3:52	go to this freeway and get on this one
3:54	going south and then I need to head West
3:55	and I need to get off at this exit and
3:58	go three miles and then I need to turn
3:59	left and I it was it was an ordeal right
4:01	but here’s the thing back in those days
4:04	um you were prone to getting lost and it
4:07	was always super embarrassing if you got
4:09	lost with your wife in the car okay
4:11	because your wife would detect very
4:14	early on you don’t know where you’re
4:15	going do you
4:17	no I know where I’m going I’m just
4:19	following the instructions that I wrote
4:21	down from the map right you’re lost
4:23	aren’t you no I’m not I’m not lost okay
4:26	30 minutes later
4:27	okay I think I might need some help and
4:30	here’s the thing
4:31	actually stopping the vehicle getting
4:34	out and maybe going to a gas station or
4:36	something because poor because everybody
4:37	knows gas station attendance know where
4:39	everything is right you go inside of the
4:42	gas station and you do the I hate to say
4:45	this but I need a little help
4:47	um I’m trying to get to sew in such such
4:49	and such a place can you give me
4:51	directions and usually the guys say oh
4:53	yeah it’s just you know he does this
4:54	kind of thing he says go there do this
4:57	do that and you try to put it into your
4:58	head and not get it all scrambled up
5:00	right and in and so we loathe having to
5:04	do that but here’s the thing I want you
5:05	to use that same analogy that here we
5:08	have the law and we intuitively think
5:12	that the law is like a gas station
5:14	attendance who knows where everything on
5:16	the planet is okay and knows how to get
5:19	there but here’s what the law does when
5:21	you ask it for directions so when you
5:24	stop and you realize you know getting to
5:25	heaven and getting to the Eternal
5:27	Kingdom of Christ is a little more
5:29	tricky than I thought I better get some
5:31	some directions so you get out of your
5:33	vehicle and you go and you ask the law
5:36	Mr law I mean you seem like a
5:38	trustworthy fellow seem to be quite
5:40	righteous and stuff like this I’m trying
5:42	to get to the Heavenly Kingdom and all
5:45	the law will say is well it’s that way
5:47	ah thanks that’s all I need I just
5:49	that’s all I need to know it’s that way
5:51	I can do that right so you get in your
5:53	vehicle which is your religious faith
5:55	and you start heading that way and you
5:58	travel that way for a long long period
6:01	of time and you don’t feel like you’re
6:03	any closer to finding the Heavenly
6:05	Kingdom than when you first began and so
6:08	you begin to wonder if things are going
6:10	wrong and your wife is saying you’re
6:12	going the wrong way but he said it was
6:14	that way so what do you do you turn
6:17	around and you go back and you say to
6:20	the you say to Mr law Mr law I was
6:22	looking for the Heavenly Kingdom you
6:24	said it was that way I headed in that
6:26	direction and well I couldn’t find it
6:29	and he said I told you it was in that
6:31	direction I didn’t tell you you could
6:33	drive there
6:36	right
6:37	and see that’s the point
6:39	when you look at the law
6:41	It’ll point you in the right direction
6:43	of Heaven
6:45	but it will not give you any ability to
6:48	get there it knows it knows how to get
6:51	there it’s that way but don’t think for
6:53	a second that you can actually get there
6:54	on your own because remember we chose to
6:57	know nothing among you except for Christ
6:58	and him crucified for our sins so what’s
7:01	the purpose of the law it does point the
7:05	way to eternal life but here’s the
7:08	caveat if you want to go that direction
7:10	that the law is telling you you’re going
7:12	to need to make sure that you haven’t
7:14	sinned even once
7:19	if you’ve sinned even once you cannot
7:22	possibly arrive at the Heavenly Kingdom
7:24	on your own steam there’s no vehicle
7:27	there’s no car there’s no religion
7:29	there’s no prayers there’s no amount of
7:31	Good Works giving alms to the poor or
7:33	anything that’s going to make it
7:34	possible for you to get there you have
7:37	to be taken there
7:40	which means you have to passively
7:42	receive the gift of Salvation And so you
7:46	sit there and go well if I only have to
7:48	passively receive the gift of Salvation
7:50	what’s the point of the law at all right
7:53	because you’ll Note have you ever
7:55	noticed that when you’re reading the law
7:56	it really kind of makes you feel
7:58	terrible about yourself
8:00	yeah yeah I’ve noticed that too and
8:02	that’s the point it’s kind of like the
8:05	worst uh CT scan guy or you ever go in
8:08	and have like a CT scan done of your
8:10	body or they put you in that thing and
8:11	that world thing whirls around and don’t
8:13	have any metal around you because the
8:15	magnet you’ll fly off under the magnets
8:17	they won’t be able to peel it off right
8:18	but there you are and so the CT scan
8:21	guys looking at you and he goes
8:23	well what oh you’re you’re screwed it’s
8:25	it’s a mess what do you mean well I I
8:28	don’t think I should tell you but you
8:29	know it you’re you’re not gonna make it
8:31	you’re not supposed to tell me that the
8:33	doctor’s supposed to tell me that well
8:34	yeah I know but I can see the diagnosis
8:36	it’s terminal you’re not going to live
8:39	thanks right that’s the job of the law
8:43	it’s a it’s it’s to give you a diagnosis
8:46	and you’ll note that it doesn’t do so
8:49	politely
8:50	that’s its function is to legitimately
8:55	make you think about what you have done
8:59	to transgress God’s law it makes you
9:01	aware of your sin and even worse it
9:04	makes you aware of the consequences of
9:06	it which you’ll note has a tendency to
9:09	create all kinds of anxiety
9:11	and that anxiety is not a bad anxiety
9:14	because there’s only one thing that can
9:16	quell that think of it this way go to
9:17	Our Gospel text today and I want you to
9:20	consider the words of our Lord he says
9:22	you have heard that it was said to those
9:24	of old you shall not murder and we all
9:27	sit there and go
9:28	we haven’t done that uh uh no no no
9:32	whoever murders will be liable to
9:34	judgment but I say to you and Jesus is
9:37	king of kings and Lord of lords everyone
9:39	who’s angry with his brother will be
9:41	liable to judgment let those words sink
9:44	in everyone who’s angry with his brother
9:47	will be liable to judgment whoever
9:50	insults his brother will be liable to
9:53	the counsel whoever says you fool will
9:56	be liable to hell of fire wait what
10:00	how is that just all right I remember it
10:04	was a couple of decades ago some kid in
10:08	Singapore an American citizens traveling
10:10	to Singapore and he did he committed
10:13	some kind of a misdemeanor and you know
10:15	what Singapore did to that guy they
10:18	caned him and they came to him and we we
10:21	were all shouting here in the United
10:22	States that’s barbaric he only did this
10:25	it’s a misdemeanor and you gained him
10:29	yeah
10:31	now I want you to think about this God
10:34	is saying if you insult your brother and
10:37	call him a fool you’re liable to go to
10:39	hell
10:41	forget the cane I’ll take the caning at
10:43	this point cane me please hell no but
10:46	that’s the thing he’s saying if you do
10:49	these things you’re going to go to hell
10:53	well what is this law then doing
10:56	it is making us all guilty it is making
11:00	us all Sinners it is making us all
11:03	realize that we Face judgment as
11:06	individuals and the Judgment that we
11:09	face the consequences of our sin on the
11:12	books is that even a minor infraction
11:14	something we consider to be no big deal
11:18	God says that is going to send you to
11:21	hell
11:25	seriously
11:28	so what does Christ say to do well let’s
11:32	see if this helps if you’re offering
11:34	your gift at the altar and they’ll
11:35	remember that your brother has something
11:36	against you leave your gift therefore
11:38	before they alter and go first be
11:41	reconciled to your brother then come and
11:44	offer your gift come to terms quickly
11:47	with your accuser while you’re going
11:49	with him to court unless your accuser
11:51	hands you over to the judge and the
11:52	judge to the guard and then you be put
11:54	in prison truly I say to you you will
11:56	never get out until you have paid the
11:58	last penny and then you sit there and go
12:00	hey what if I try that you know I all
12:04	right so I’ve sinned against somebody so
12:05	I go to them and try to be reconciled
12:07	and and what if it turns out the person
12:09	like is isn’t interested in being
12:11	reconciled to me right what if that
12:14	person’s kind of a lousy person and and
12:16	as a result of it there’s like no way to
12:18	be reconciled then what
12:21	you’ll note that Jesus doesn’t say well
12:23	then you’re off the hook
12:24	doesn’t say that at all
12:27	you’ll note here that Jesus isn’t in the
12:29	is isn’t in this portion of his sermon
12:31	giving us loopholes to help our
12:34	consciences feel like well I’ve done all
12:35	that I needed to do that’s all I need to
12:37	do I’m I’m off the hook I’m no longer
12:39	guilty
12:41	no not at all
12:44	oh it gets worse
12:47	so you’ve heard that it was said you
12:48	should not commit adultery and I’ll sit
12:49	there and go well I haven’t done that
12:53	but I say to you everyone who looks at a
12:55	woman with lustful intent has already
12:57	committed adultery with her in his heart
13:00	can I be blunt
13:02	let’s just put this out on the table
13:03	this now makes every red-blooded male
13:07	over the age of 12 guilty of adultery
13:11	right
13:13	every single one of them me included
13:17	y’all included
13:19	and this is uh well that just basically
13:23	was a nuke that leveled each and every
13:26	one of us and he says if your right eye
13:29	causes you to sin too late
13:31	um tear it out throw it away a lot of
13:33	good that’s going to do because the
13:36	damage has already been done the sin has
13:37	already been committed have you noticed
13:39	that in our day and age there seems to
13:41	be a epidemic not of covid but of
13:44	pornography
13:45	right
13:47	yeah so let’s just make this clear that
13:50	Christ here has just made every man a
13:54	sinner
13:56	and oddly enough this also then would
13:58	apply to women you know it just flip the
14:00	flip the script it still applies if your
14:03	right eye cause you to sin tear it out
14:05	throw it away it’s better for you to
14:06	lose one of your members than for your
14:08	whole body to be thrown into hell
14:10	um I should have done that when I was
14:12	born it would have helped
14:14	right too late now if the right hand
14:16	caused you to sin cut it off throw it
14:18	away it’s better for you to lose one of
14:20	your members than for your whole body to
14:22	go into hell
14:26	so what are we supposed to do with this
14:29	doesn’t make us feel good
14:31	in fact you’ll note that Humanity has
14:34	this very interesting proclivity and
14:37	that is is that our hearts are
14:39	constantly breaking the first
14:41	commandment you will have no other gods
14:42	and when the one true God who speaks to
14:45	us from his word rightly condemns us and
14:48	we feel the anxiety of the pending Doom
14:52	that we face and the Judgment that we
14:54	have earned because of our sins even the
14:56	smallest ones have earned us hell we try
15:00	to find ways to silence the law some
15:03	people stick their head in the sand like
15:05	an ostrich and pretend like the law
15:07	isn’t there and just go along their
15:09	merry way well I’ll have to deal with
15:11	that when the time comes
15:13	other people silenced the law by
15:16	creating their own laws when I was a
15:18	Nazarene it was do not dance drink smoke
15:20	or chew right I’m going to tell you this
15:22	that is a super simple law
15:25	it’s really easy to keep but it has
15:27	absolutely nothing to do with Holiness
15:28	nothing to do with it at all
15:31	in fact when you consider what it is
15:33	that God’s law is is telling us that we
15:37	ought to be doing it has nothing to do
15:39	really per se with not dancing drinking
15:41	smoking or chewing it has everything to
15:44	do with loving God and loving our
15:46	neighbor and that being expressed in our
15:48	thoughts our words and our Deeds to our
15:51	neighbor this is the reason why Jesus
15:53	says that when you insult your brother
15:55	and call him a fool you’ve already
15:57	committed murder in your heart and the
15:59	murder happened long before the words
16:01	you fool ever left your lips
16:04	that’s the reality of the situation the
16:08	Law’s job is to condemn us it says
16:10	salvation’s that way but you can’t get
16:13	there you are absolutely utterly
16:15	incapable of it and so what do we do
16:18	with this then how are we to work this
16:22	out well we’re going to note that
16:25	scripture doesn’t leave us without Clues
16:28	as to what to do here so we ought not
16:31	then to besmirch God’s law
16:34	to attack it to somehow think he’s the
16:37	bully the law is being a bully here it’s
16:40	roughing me up and saying to unkind
16:42	things to me and I don’t like the way
16:44	it’s talking to me we should never do
16:46	that Paul in Romans 7 says this what
16:48	shall we say that the law is sin
16:51	you know he’s asking that question
16:53	because there are legitimately people
16:55	who somehow as Christians sit there and
16:58	go well the law has really nothing to
16:59	talk to us about and they drive the law
17:02	down he says by no means if it had not
17:05	been for the law I would not have known
17:07	sin and boy we need to know it for I
17:11	would not have known what it is to covet
17:13	if the law had not said You shall not
17:15	covet but sin seizing an opportunity
17:18	through the Commandment produced in me
17:21	all kinds of covetousness the problem is
17:23	inside of me the problem is inside of
17:26	you the law has given a proper diagnosis
17:29	for apart from the law sin lies dead I
17:33	was once alive apart from the law but
17:34	when the Commandment came sin came alive
17:36	and then I died so the very Commandment
17:39	that promised life proved to be death to
17:43	me not because of it but because of sin
17:47	within me for sin seizing the
17:49	opportunity through the Commandment then
17:51	to see believed me and through it killed
17:54	me so the law is Holy the Commandment is
17:57	Holy it is righteous
18:00	and it is good
18:03	so we must not take God’s law and
18:06	somehow
18:07	well accuse it of doing evil because
18:12	it’s not the one that kills us it’s sin
18:14	that kills us but the Commandment is the
18:16	thing that brings to light what God’s
18:18	holiness requires of us and points out
18:21	the fact that we do not live up to it
18:26	thankfully the resolve of that portion
18:28	of scripture ends with these words but
18:31	there is therefore now no condemnation
18:33	for those who are in Christ Jesus
18:36	again Paul chose to know nothing except
18:38	for Christ’s name crucified for our sins
18:40	and so here this careful study of God’s
18:45	law even just the little bits that Jesus
18:47	gave in The Sermon on the Mount
18:49	we can see how it then condemns us all
18:52	but the thing is is that the law doesn’t
18:55	get the final say you are in Christ you
18:59	have been baptized into his death and
19:02	into his resurrection in the waters of
19:04	your baptism Christ has washed away all
19:07	the filth and iniquity of your sin he
19:10	has clothed you in The Splendid
19:12	righteousness of his righteousness he
19:15	has loved you bled and died for you
19:18	taken away your sin and guilt and shame
19:21	to taken it upon himself and so we no
19:24	longer have to be condemned because
19:27	Christ was condemned for you and for me
19:30	this is the reason why there is now no
19:33	condemnation for those who are in Christ
19:35	Jesus
19:36	so here on the sixth Sunday after the
19:39	Epiphany when we are dealt out three
19:43	texts that all are heavy in law
19:46	note that this is a good time for us to
19:49	begin to think on that law to not cast
19:53	it aside to begin to get ready for the
19:56	penitential season of Lent this is a
19:58	good pre-lent service for us if you
20:01	would this is a time for us to get used
20:03	to looking back in that law and seeing
20:06	the reflection that comes back and
20:07	you’ll note the reflection that the law
20:09	gives you back is not a good one it
20:13	shows a dead rotting corpse
20:16	because that’s who we are but you have
20:20	been baptized and made alive this is the
20:23	reason why in our Old Testament text God
20:25	says choose between life and death it is
20:28	not a matter of mere obedience that is
20:30	the distinction between life and death
20:32	if that were the case then Christ died
20:34	for nothing
20:35	the distinction then between life and
20:38	death is whether or not you truly have
20:41	faith that you are forgiven in Christ
20:44	and by that fact that you have been
20:46	United with Christ in his death and his
20:48	resurrection and you have been indwelt
20:50	by God the Holy Spirit you have you now
20:54	have faith and you are capable of loving
20:58	God and loving neighbor but you’re going
21:01	to note right now because you still have
21:04	your sinful flesh there’s nothing easy
21:05	about doing it because although you have
21:08	the desire because you’ve been United
21:10	with Christ to do good and to do right
21:13	you still have a sinful flesh that
21:15	desires to do wrong and seeks after its
21:18	own selfish desires
21:20	the two are at war with themselves that
21:23	being the case we are admonished in
21:25	scripture we are admonished in Scripture
21:27	that by the power of the Holy Spirit to
21:30	mortify our sinful passions and it is a
21:34	good thing that the law identifies what
21:36	those passions are without the law we
21:39	would practically be blind to our own
21:42	deceitful desires that verbal up from
21:44	our own sinful nature but through the
21:47	law of God we can see the sin for what
21:49	it is and even more important we can see
21:52	the consequences that we’ve earned as a
21:55	result of those sins and the ones that
21:57	we consider to be the well the least
22:00	dangerous you’ll note that even those
22:02	well Christ points out by them we have
22:06	earned hell
22:07	so Brothers we are not debtors to our
22:09	flesh to live according to the flesh
22:11	instead by the power of the Holy Spirit
22:14	then we put to death the Deeds of the
22:18	body and by doing so God will make us
22:21	live so let us embrace the law let us
22:25	embrace it and see it for the holy thing
22:27	that it is and although it accuses us
22:30	and makes us uncomfortable and judges us
22:32	and rightly so with there is no
22:34	condemnation for any of us because
22:35	Christ was condemned so that we would
22:37	not be condemned so let us then look to
22:40	the law and see its powerful work and
22:43	the role that it plays in fact in our
22:45	hymn the opening hymn today very
22:48	important words and I want you to
22:50	consider them as we finish up today I
22:53	think this hymn does a really great job
22:55	of explaining the function of the law as
22:59	in our lives as Christians it says the
23:01	law of God is good and it’s wise let
23:04	those words sink in because it’s true
23:06	and the law is the one that sets God’s
23:09	will before our eyes it shows us the a
23:12	way of righteousness and it rightly
23:14	Dooms to death when we transgress
23:17	the law its light of Holiness imparts
23:21	the knowledge of our sinful Hearts so
23:23	that we may see our lost estate and turn
23:26	from sin before it’s too late you see
23:29	the law is screaming at us turned around
23:32	turn around you’re going the wrong way
23:35	you’re heading to Hell turn around and
23:38	so it it actually plays a very vital
23:41	role we dare not besmirch it to those
23:45	whose help in Christ have found and
23:47	would and works of Love abound God’s law
23:50	shows us what Deeds are his delight and
23:53	should be done as good and right you see
23:55	the law also helps us so that we don’t
23:57	have to invent good works
23:59	I want you to think about this at the
24:01	time of Martin Luther people had these
24:03	really crazy ideas as to what a good
24:05	work was what’s a good work well you had
24:08	to such and such a castle in Bavaria and
24:10	then you go to such and such a chapel
24:12	next to the castle in Bavaria and what
24:15	you do is you walk in and you see there
24:17	the relics the knuckle bone of Saint
24:20	Teresa is there and if you say a certain
24:23	prayer and you put enough money into the
24:25	Coffer then you will receive a special
24:28	blessing right and people thought that
24:30	this is how they do their good works how
24:33	do you do a good work you put a nickel
24:35	in the Coffer and then you light a
24:36	candle in the church that’s a good work
24:38	right and you’ll note here that the
24:41	people come up with all these crazy
24:43	ideas as to what a good work is
24:45	evangelicals today so many of the people
24:47	that we serve online they come to us and
24:50	they have no clue what a good work is
24:51	because when they were attending these
24:53	churches they were told well they’ve got
24:55	to find their purpose they’ve got to
24:56	learn how to hear God’s voice discover
24:58	their purpose and then set about doing
25:00	it and it’s like it’s it’s like that
25:03	character from you know the the the the
25:05	the the
25:06	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Hermie
25:08	who doesn’t want to make toys he wants
25:10	to be a dentist and so you’ve got to go
25:12	and find out what it is that God wants
25:13	you to do and then you got to get busy
25:14	doing that and you’re praying God please
25:16	don’t send me to Africa right weird
25:19:	things like this and then and what is
25:22	staring them in the face is God’s law
25:25	which makes it clear what a good work is
25:30	love God love your neighbor care for
25:33	your wife care for your spouse love and
25:35	care for your children do a good job at
25:38	work and people sit there well it can’t
25:40	be that that’s too simple but that’s
25:42	what the law says right it shows you
25:45	what good works are so that you don’t
25:47	have to invent them
25:49	but here’s the warning in our hymn to
25:51	those who scornfully disdain God’s law
25:55	so then in sin remain it’s Terror in
25:58	their ear resounds and keeps their
26:01	wickedness and Bounds so don’t disdain
26:04	God’s law because by doing so you stay
26:07	in the bonds of iniquity and then note
26:09	here verse 5 the law of God is good but
26:13	since the fall its Holiness condemns us
26:15	all that Dooms us for our sin to die and
26:18:	it has no power to justify none
26:22	stop looking to your good works as if
26:25	somehow they are going to earn you
26:27	salvation you will never earn salvation
26:30	that way yes God’s law is good but you
26:33	are not capable of keeping it perfectly
26:35	so then what’s the resolve to Jesus we
26:38	flee who from the curse he is the one
26:40	who has set us free and we humbly
26:43	worship at his throne knowing that we
26:45	are saved by grace and through his and
26:47	through faith alone
26:49	right so you’ll note as Christians we
26:53	dare not fear God’s law nor do we attack
26:57	it nor do we delude it nor do we somehow
27:00	water it down know what we do instead is
27:04	we joyfully hear its condemning voice
27:06	and thank God because that’s the voice
27:08	of God speaking to us showing us our sin
27:11	and the magnitude of it and the dire
27:13	consequences of it but we know that in
27:16	Christ we have no condemnation because
27:18	he has bled and died so that we can live
27:21	so as we get ready to go into lent next
27:24	week
27:25	it’s a week and a half away right this
27:28	is a good time to again pull that law
27:30	out dust it off examine your life in
27:33	light of the Ten Commandments and when
27:35	it condemns you this is the place where
27:38	you need to ask God the Holy Spirit to
27:40	give you the strength to once again be
27:43	about the task of mortifying our sinful
27:45	flesh so that the Holy Spirit can
27:47	produce in us the fruit of repentance
27:50	the fruit of the spirit which our love
27:53	joy peace patience kindness goodness
27:55	gentleness and self-control because that
27:58	is who our savior is and that is exactly
28:00	what he is like in the name of Jesus
28:03	Amen
28:07	[Music]

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