LutheranLectionary.org

Series B – Last Sunday of the Church Year – Sunday, November 22, 2015 | 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
0:28	the holy Gospel According to Saint Mark
0:30	chapter 13 verses 24 through 37.
0:36	but in those days following that
0:37	distress the sun will be darkened moon
0:40	will not give its light the Stars will
0:42	fall from the sky the heavenly bodies
0:44	will be shaken
0:46	at that time men will see the son of man
0:48	coming in clouds with great power and
0:51	glory and he will send his angels and
0:54	gather his elect from the Four Winds
0:56	from the ends of the Earth to the ends
0:57	of the heavens
0:58	now learn this lesson from the Fig Tree
1:01	as soon as its Twigs get tender and its
1:04	leaves come out you know that summer is
1:06	near even so when you see these things
1:09	happening you know that it is near right
1:12	at the door I tell you the truth this
1:14	generation will certainly not pass away
1:16	until all these things have happened
1:17	Heaven and Earth will pass away but my
1:20	words will never pass away
1:22	no one knows about that day or hour not
1:26	even the angels in Heaven nor the son
1:28	but only the father be on guard be alert
1:32	you do not know when that time will come
1:35	it’s like a man going away
1:38	he leaves his house and puts his
1:40	servants in charge each with his design
1:42	task and tells the one at the door to
1:45	keep watch therefore keep watch because
1:48	you do not know when the owner of the
1:49	house will come back whether in the
1:51	evening or at midnight or when the
1:53	rooster crows or at dawn if he comes
1:55	suddenly do not let him find you
1:58	sleeping what I say to you I say to
2:00	everyone watch in the name of Jesus
2:05	all right for those of you visiting
2:07	today you picked a doozer of a Sunday
2:09	it’s the end of the world Sunday this is
2:12	the last Sunday of the church here and
2:14	historically the church has used the
2:16	last part of the church here to look at
2:19	the very end of the book to see what’s
2:21	coming and so those of you who are not
2:23	familiar with the Christian faith this
2:25	is a total spoiler alert you’re going to
2:27	learn what the end of the story is All
2:29	About and I apologize for that but it’s
2:32	just how the dice rolls you know what
2:35	I’m saying so today we’re going to be
2:37	looking at Mark chapter 13 I’ll be
2:39	preaching from my own translation of the
2:41	text which is why it doesn’t quite fit
2:43	with the NIV and we’ll see if we can
2:45	have a little bit of comfort along the
2:47	way because by the way
2:49	talking about the end of the world
2:51	causes a lot of anxiety for some people
2:53	it really does but see the reason why
2:56	Jesus is telling us what’s coming is so
2:59	that we would not be caught unawares so
3:01	that we wouldn’t be anxious he’s given
3:03	us the inside scoop if you know what I
3:04	mean we know what’s coming here’s what
3:07	Jesus says in those days
3:09	after that tribulation the sun will be
3:12	darkened the moon will not give its
3:15	light and the Stars will be out of the
3:18	heaven falling and the powers of the
3:20	heavens will be shaken and Greek word
3:23	there actually says the powers of the
3:24	heavens will be made to totter
3:28	what does all that mean I don’t know it
3:30	sounds really frightening kind of
3:31	awesome I’m sure it’ll be on the news
3:33	right
3:35	right but see that’s kind of the thing
3:38	we have to keep in mind is that we well
3:41	here at Kong’s finger we have the the
3:44	privilege of having this congregation be
3:47	around for a little bit of time I think
3:49	we just celebrated our 135 years with
3:52	just the charter of Kong’s finger was
3:54	135 years ago was it yesterday or the
3:56	day before yeah okay and so we have
4:00	generations of kungs vingerians that’s a
4:03	word I’ve made up
4:04	and that part of that Generation Well
4:07	they’re out there some of us are in here
4:09	and so we kind of get the thing with
4:12	security of going well as things have
4:14	been so they’ve continued to be you know
4:16	yeah the technology has gotten a little
4:18	bit better some of the television
4:19	programs a little more interesting but
4:22	um for the most part yeah things just
4:24	keep plugging along but see the thing is
4:27	is that this creation is going to end
4:31	God’s going to kill it and then he’s
4:34	going to raise it again death and
4:36	Resurrection is the way God deals with
4:38	sin and so everything you see here at
4:42	some point in the future it will not be
4:46	even the Sun and the Moon they’re not
4:48	permanent I know the scientists like to
4:50	tell you that those things have been
4:51	around for a gazillion years how do they
4:53	figure these the math out on that I
4:55	don’t know the math in the Bible comes
4:57	up with a different number altogether
4:58	but we know this as long as they’ve been
5:02	they’re not permanent they seem
5:04	permanent don’t they but they’re not
5:06	nothing here is permanent not even you
5:08	oh and keep this in mind if you’re not
5:11	around for all of this the day you die
5:14	that’s the end of the world for you so
5:17	keep that in mind you can have you got
5:18	there’s like two plans here plan a and
5:21	plan B plan a is you Crump
5:24	and then we put you out there and then
5:26	you wait for Jesus to return Plan B is
5:28	if Jesus is returning soon then you’ll
5:31	be alive to see these things happen and
5:34	so don’t panic when all this stuff
5:36	starts going down does that make sense
5:38	so the Stars will be falling out of the
5:40	heavens the powers of the heavens will
5:42	be shaken they will be made to totter
5:44	and then they will see the son of man
5:46	coming in the clouds with great power
5:48	and Glory yeah by the way Jesus doesn’t
5:51	ever show up secretly
5:53	yep Jesus’s return everybody’s going to
5:56	see it you’re going to look up and go Ah
5:58	that’s Jesus coming right and when he
6:01	comes those who are not in the faith who
6:04	do not trust in Christ for the
6:06	Forgiveness of their sins they are going
6:08	to have the ultimate chill run down
6:10	their spine
6:12	because they know that they’re guilty
6:14	before God they’ve sinned just like you
6:16	and I have sinned but they have not
6:19	heard or have not believed or refused to
6:21	believe which is even more foolish the
6:23	good news that Christ has bled and died
6:25	for their sins and rather than repent
6:27	and be forgiven and pardoned they have
6:29	persisted in sin and unbelief and then
6:31	when Jesus shows up quite unexpected
6:34	unawares they had no idea he was coming
6:37	back when he shows up they’re going to
6:42	but for us
6:43	it’s a little bit of a different
6:45	response to this
6:47	all right
6:50	hate to ask this question how many of
6:51	you have seen the movie The Polar
6:53	Express
6:54	okay okay I’m in good company
6:58	I’m not going to be stoned for making a
6:59	reference to this movie because Jesus
7:01	isn’t mentioned once in the The Polar
7:03	Express but it’s a fascinating Christmas
7:04	Story
7:06	um if in the scene in there the story of
7:09	The Polar Express is a story of a kid
7:10	who’s kind of at that age where either
7:13	Santa Claus exists or he doesn’t exist
7:15	right he’s checking his encyclopedia and
7:18	the scientific facts just don’t make any
7:19	sense because like living at the North
7:21	Pole nothing grows there no one lives
7:24	there and so he’s thinking that this
7:26	whole Santa Claus thing has been well
7:28	some kind of wool pulled over his eyes
7:30	so he’s at that critical moment and then
7:33	what happens is this magical train shows
7:35	up outside of his door on Christmas Eve
7:37	and takes him to well of all places the
7:41	North Pole and what happens there is
7:44	that he is there when Santa makes his
7:48	Grand appearance on Christmas Eve
7:51	because he’s getting ready to get into
7:52	his sleigh and head off to do his
7:54	business right and so the pivotal moment
7:56	he’s there and can just feel the energy
8:00	all the elves are freaking out they’re
8:02	just they’re getting ready to party and
8:05	open the door and you can see the shadow
8:08	of Santa and pandemonium breaks out
8:11	right okay
8:16	this is what it’s going to be like for
8:17	us
8:18	because when we see the sign of Christ
8:22	is appearing in the heavens
8:25	ah
8:28	something exciting has happened we’re
8:30	finally gonna see his face what does he
8:32	look like how tall is he right
8:36	you’re going to see the kindness in his
8:38	eyes you’ll see the nail marks in his
8:41	hands and in his feet those tokens of
8:43	your salvation that he won for you right
8:46	and we’re going to be straining and
8:48	enjoy knowing that now the end has come
8:50	no more
8:52	sin no more pain no more suffering No
8:56	More Death no more sickness World
8:59	Without End
9:01	huzzah Christmas forever
9:04	right
9:08	and see that’s the thing
9:10	you’re either in Christ and you’re
9:12	looking forward to his return
9:15	or you are in your sin
9:18	thinking that you can somehow skate
9:20	through the day of judgment
9:23	well maybe
9:24	I’ll try to do some good works as I get
9:27	closer to the end of my life
9:29	you think of Bill Cosby’s joke about his
9:31	parents how they would treat his
9:33	children you know with kindness and all
9:36	this kind of stuff and he would say that
9:38	was not my dad when I grew up he’s old
9:41	now and he’s trying to get into heaven
9:44	right but I must warn you
9:48	there is no amount of good works that
9:50	you can do
9:51	to earn your salvation
9:54	there is no amount
9:56	doesn’t matter if you go and sell
9:58	everything you have right now and give
10:00	it to the poor and dedicate every living
10:03	hour and breath that you have left of
10:06	your life to doing good
10:09	you will not
10:10	you will not
10:12	by any stretch of the imagination even
10:15	come close to paying the debt that you
10:18	owe because of your sin
10:21	let me say well how then can I be saved
10:25	stop trying to earn it
10:27	you will never earn it
10:29	God has done something amazing and the
10:32	amazing thing that he has done is that
10:34	God has become one of us
10:37	Christ
10:38	is God of God light of light very God of
10:41	very God begotten not made and he was
10:44	born of the Virgin Mary and he has lived
10:47	perfectly the law of God for you
10:50	and because he is taken upon himself
10:53	your sin your shame your guilt and the
10:56	death that you owe God
10:59	you now have the ability to be forgiven
11:04	and salvation according to Christ
11:07	is a gift
11:09	it’s a gift there’s nothing that you can
11:12	do to earn it nothing
11:14	receive the gift be forgiven be pardoned
11:18	repent of your wickedness trust in the
11:20	Forgiveness of sins and then when this
11:22	day shows up you will be very excited as
11:26	opposed to much in distress remember
11:28	what our sermon hymn said about those
11:30	who pierced Christ deeply wailing
11:34	deeply wailing
11:36	right and those who pierced Christ who
11:39	nailed him to the Cross they will see
11:41	him and they will well because God’s
11:43	going to raise them from the dead
11:45	we continue
11:47	so then you will see the son of man
11:49	coming in the clouds with great power
11:51	and Glory
11:53	and then he will send the angels and he
11:55	will gather the chosen of him from the
11:56	Four Winds from the end of the Earth to
11:59	the end of Heaven
12:00	angels are going to pick you up and
12:02	bring you to Christ
12:04	but from the Fig Tree learn the parable
12:06	when the branch has already become
12:08	tender and put forth leaves you know
12:11	that summer is near so also whenever you
12:14	might see these things taking place you
12:15	know that he is near that he is at the
12:17	very Gates truly I say to you this
12:19	generation will not pass away until all
12:21	these things have taken place now there
12:24	are two major bits of confusion in what
12:27	I just read let’s straighten this out
12:29	number one you may have heard that the
12:31	Fig Tree in this text refers to the
12:34	nation state of Israel
12:37	and that when the nation state of Israel
12:39	is established that generation or
12:41	re-established that generation will not
12:43	pass away until Christ returns that is
12:46	not what this text is saying the fig
12:49	tree is not Israel
12:51	so those who are saying that Jesus’s
12:53	imminent return it’s got to be like now
12:57	because Israel was reestablished in 1948
13:00	they are not rightly handling God’s word
13:03	Jesus wasn’t making any reference to the
13:05	re-establishing of the nation’s state of
13:07	Israel so let’s get this straight Jesus
13:10	could take two three hundred a thousand
13:13	two thousand four thousand years to
13:15	return
13:16	the generation that was alive in 1948 is
13:20	not the last generation that’s not what
13:22	this text is saying okay Jesus is
13:25	instead using a parable
13:27	a parable if you would basically
13:29	pointing to something that they all know
13:30	fig trees apparently like our trees
13:33	around here lose their leaves in the in
13:35	the wintertime or in the fall and then
13:37	we all know how it goes in the
13:39	wintertime if you look at the trees
13:40	outside of my window in my office they
13:42	all look pretty darn dead
13:44	sticks okay it’s an amazing thing and
13:47	then we all know what happens as we get
13:49	into March getting close to April
13:51	although around here it’s a lot later
13:53	than when I was in Indiana
13:56	just saying okay I want to know where my
13:59	global warming is I want to be able to
14:01	plant a palm tree up here but anyway
14:03	that’s a different story too but the
14:06	idea is is that we all know what happens
14:08	is that as the weather starts to warm up
14:10	we look at those branches on the tree
14:13	and they start to look like there’s some
14:14	kind of a little bit of growth a little
14:15	bit of buds and then all of a sudden
14:17	blammo life I mean it seems to happen
14:21	overnight I mean these trees like
14:22	explode to life
14:25	so the idea is that you know that summer
14:27	is near when you see that happening
14:29	right sit there and go summer it’s time
14:31	to plant it’s time to you know all you
14:34	Farmers you start calculating what you
14:36	got to do right in the long days ahead
14:38	so that’s the idea this is not a
14:40	prophecy about the nation state of
14:42	Israel it’s just a parable that says
14:43	this when you see these things happening
14:46	then you know that I am near I’m at the
14:50	very gate Jesus is saying and that’s
14:52	what he’s saying the other thing is is
14:54	that the if you’ve ever run across a
14:57	waskely atheist who knows his Bible or
15:00	at least thinks he knows his Bible he’ll
15:03	point to this text and says it says here
15:05	that this generation will not pass away
15:07	until these things take place and so
15:09	Jesus was telling the people there that
15:11	were listening to him that he was going
15:12	to return in their lifetime
15:14	and wrong you don’t know you don’t know
15:17	how to read Greek do you
15:19	okay the question is which generation is
15:22	Jesus talking about the generation
15:25	that’s listening to him
15:27	or the generation that sees these things
15:29	start to take place sees the branch
15:32	Sprout new life and knows that summer is
15:34	near the answer is it’s the second one
15:37	and that’s the referent so Jesus is not
15:39	saying that the disciples will not pass
15:41	away until he returns Jesus is first and
15:44	second coming in their lifetime no he’s
15:47	saying that the generation who sees
15:49	these signs to be fulfilled they will
15:52	not pass away so there is a generation
15:54	coming when you start to see the signs
15:58	for real hard labor what we talked about
16:00	last week that generation will not pass
16:03	away until these things are fulfilled
16:04	now that being the case has the Sun the
16:08	moon and the stars done their thing have
16:10	the heavens been shaken to the point
16:12	where they’re tottering do we see the
16:14	sign of the son of man appearing in
16:15	heaven answer new
16:18	therefore we don’t know if we’re this
16:20	generation or not we could be
16:23	and here’s the best part Christians
16:26	since the beginning have all thought
16:28	they were the last generation they have
16:31	all done it you read the church fathers
16:32	we’re the last generation we’re toast
16:34	right yeah okay and I look at us and I
16:37	look at what’s happening in the world I
16:38	look what’s happening in the church and
16:39	I say oh we’re the last generation we’re
16:41	toast it’s over and you know what’s
16:43	going to happen if the Lord tarries the
16:45	next generation is going to say the same
16:46	thing
16:47	foreign
16:49	and so the idea here is is that Jesus
16:51	and remember His words watch right
16:53	actually it’s better translated stay
16:55	awake Jesus wants us to live in this
16:58	tension
16:59	he wants us to live in this tension to
17:02	live our lives in anticipation of his
17:05	return not knowing when it’s going to be
17:07	living like it could be today
17:10	and yet at the same time living Our
17:13	Lives as if well it may not be for a
17:15	while
17:17	keeps us on our toes makes it so we
17:19	don’t become lacks could you imagine the
17:21	Mischief that we would get involved in
17:22	as a church if we knew that Jesus was
17:25	returning on March 14th in the year
17:28	21-11.
17:30	what would we do if we knew that
17:32	I don’t know I mean it would probably be
17:35	a real mess since we don’t know well
17:37	let’s keep living like it could be today
17:39	because it could be
17:40	so I say this generation will not pass
17:42	away until these things take place and
17:44	Heaven and Earth will pass away there it
17:46	is again this is all coming to an end
17:48	but my words will not pass away now
17:51	concerning that day or the hour no one
17:53	knows not even the angels in heaven not
17:55	even the son but only the father in
17:58	other words The Herald campings of the
18:00	World when they come around and they
18:02	continue to come around telling you that
18:05	we we figured it out and here’s how they
18:08	get around this well it slows here that
18:09	we can’t know the day or hour but
18:10	doesn’t say we can’t know the month or
18:12	week
18:14	okay
18:15	straining out a net and swallowing a
18:17	camel good night okay the point that
18:20	Jesus is making is nobody knows and so
18:22	the person who says I’ve cracked the
18:24	code I’ve taken all of the words of the
18:26	Book of Revelation in the Greek put them
18:28	into my computer and started doing some
18:31	calculations and I know that Jesus is
18:34	returning on the well the fifth blood
18:36	moon
18:38	you know this with certainty that
18:40	person’s lying to you
18:42	okay and it might be that they’re just
18:44	not right in the head that may be a
18:47	possibility okay because I’ve noticed
18:49	that those people who overcook their
18:51	minds on trying to crack eschatological
18:53	codes end up having their minds cracked
18:56	and this is what happened to poor hero
18:58	camping he predicted the end of the
18:59	world how many times before he
19:02	gave up and then died right so anybody
19:05	who says the tribulation begins next
19:09	march
19:10	get ready buy prepper food start buying
19:13	spam I hate spam okay don’t listen to
19:18	them listen to Jesus nobody knows when
19:22	he’s coming back and anybody who says
19:24	that they do know they’re selling you
19:26	something
19:27	most likely they’re selling you their
19:29	book
19:30	nine to five I’ll give you a book when
19:32	you can tell when the world is coming to
19:34	an end yeah I’m sorry that’s pretty
19:37	expensive toilet paper but anyway Jesus
19:40	says nobody knows it says this instead
19:44	be watching be alert
19:46	and be alert here means to be vigilant
19:48	and where and being aware of a
19:50	threatening Peril to be alert is like
19:52	you know a guy who’s on duty in the you
19:55	know in the Army Behind Enemy Lines you
19:58	got to be vigilant you don’t know when
19:59	the enemy is going to attack that’s the
20:01	idea you don’t know the time Jesus says
20:04	it’s like a man who goes on a journey
20:07	leaves his home and gives his servant
20:09	The Authority each to do his work and he
20:12	commands the porter stay awake in other
20:15	words I could come back at night don’t
20:18	be falling asleep
20:19	so therefore Jesus says stay awake you
20:22	don’t know when the lord of the house is
20:24	coming whether it’s evening or midnight
20:28	or the rooster crowing or in the early
20:30	morning you don’t know if it’s next
20:33	Thursday at nine o’clock you don’t know
20:36	if it’s next year in November you don’t
20:39	know
20:40	so stay awake
20:42	and here’s what he says okay so that
20:46	having coming suddenly he may not find
20:48	you sleeping you don’t want Jesus to
20:50	find you sleeping and so what Jesus says
20:52	what I say to you I say to everyone keep
20:54	watching stay awake now the obvious
20:57	question is well then how do I stay
21:00	awake all right Jesus is pretty emphatic
21:02	about this he doesn’t want you falling
21:03	asleep well it’s real simple
21:05	you ready
21:07	in the words of that song from the great
21:09	theologians from the band Journey
21:13	Don’t Stop Believing
21:16	it’s just that simple
21:18	keep coming to church
21:20	keep hearing that your sins are forgiven
21:23	on the Sundays when we have the Lord’s
21:25	supper and you hear these words take eat
21:28	this is the body of Christ broken for
21:30	you take drink this is the True Blood of
21:33	Christ shed for you for the Forgiveness
21:35	of your sins
21:37	keep believing when you hear me say I is
21:41	a called servant of the word forgive you
21:43	all of your sins believe
21:45	believe that’s what it means to stay
21:47	awake because salvation is by grace
21:51	through faith
21:53	alone not by works you sit there and go
21:56	what are you saying we shouldn’t do
21:57	Works no I’m not saying that okay but
22:01	doing good works is not how you stay
22:03	awake we don’t do good works in order to
22:06	stay awake we do good works because we
22:08	is awake okay bad grammar on purpose it
22:12	helps okay you’re all looking at me like
22:14	you know what’s wrong with this guy all
22:16	right
22:17	in other words we Christians do good
22:19	works because we is Christians not
22:21	because we want to be them if you hope
22:24	someday to be a Christian
22:26	then you’re not
22:29	but if you believe that Christ is bled
22:31	and died for you believe what happened
22:33	to you in that font that Christ washed
22:36	away your sins that you were buried with
22:38	Christ that you were raised with Christ
22:40	that he feeds you and sustains you with
22:43	his body and blood receive and believe
22:46	the Forgiveness of sins
22:48	then you can’t help but do good works
22:50	how could you not
22:53	okay how many of you know of apple trees
22:56	well they want to be the trees that want
22:58	to be apple trees but so they’re going
23:00	out trying to make apples in order to
23:01	become an apple tree
23:03	no I know that doesn’t work that way you
23:06	know what apple trees do
23:08	they make apples right
23:10	ours I like to say cows moo dogs woof
23:14	right they do cats meow and Christians
23:19	do good works
23:21	because you is one
23:23	right so here’s the idea stay awake
23:25	continue to believe trust in Christ all
23:29	right and this trust is so confident and
23:32	so certain that if the Lord should
23:35	choose to test your faith on the last
23:37	day Martin Luther actually gave some
23:39	really good advice I read it earlier
23:41	this week and here’s what he says
23:44	if you appear before the Throne of God
23:46	and Jesus says to you well I’m sorry
23:50	off to hell with you
23:52	all right
23:54	he if Jesus says this to you then you
23:57	are to stand your ground and say
23:58	absolutely not you cannot send me to
24:01	hell because if you send me to hell
24:03	you’re a liar
24:06	you told me I was forgiven you told me
24:09	that salvation is by grace through faith
24:11	you told me that I was receiving your
24:15	body and blood for the Forgiveness of my
24:17	sins and that when I was baptized I was
24:19	baptized into your death and into your
24:21	Resurrection I believed what you said
24:23	you can’t send me to hell if you do you
24:27	are a liar
24:29	could you imagine saying that to Jesus
24:32	right
24:33	but be that confident
24:36	because his promises are that sure
24:38	should he choose to test your faith on
24:40	that last day you stand your ground and
24:42	say you promised
24:44	and you know what he’ll say you’re right
24:47	I did
24:49	he never lies
24:51	so what does it look like to stay awake
24:54	I think Jude helps us out here our text
24:57	from Jude let’s revisit it and we’ll end
24:59	with these thoughts beloved
25:02	building yourselves up in your Most Holy
25:05	Faith praying in the Holy Spirit but you
25:08	do these things beloved as because we
25:11	are Christians because we are in Christ
25:12	because we confidently believe that we
25:14	are forgiven and redeemed we continue to
25:17	build ourselves up in our Most Holy
25:19	Faith coming to church hearing his word
25:21	receiving his body and blood trusting in
25:23	the promises and also praying in the
25:25	Holy Spirit we as Christians we pray
25:28	we don’t decree and declare we pray we
25:32	humbly ask God to meet our needs to give
25:35	us our daily bread to lead us not into
25:37	temptation and we also pray for those
25:40	who are in need as well humbly asking
25:42	God to meet their needs to strengthen
25:44	people and to step in and do justice for
25:48	those who are oppressed keep yourselves
25:51	in the love of God and you do that by
25:53	trusting and coming here waiting for the
25:55	mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that
25:57	leads to eternal life now listen to what
25:59	Jude says what are we waiting for as
26:01	Christians Jude doesn’t say hey we’re
26:03	waiting for God’s Wrath to show up I
26:04	hope you make it
26:06	no
26:08	Jude says we are waiting for the mercy
26:11	of our Lord Jesus Christ
26:13	that’s what we’re waiting for when Jesus
26:15	shows up we will receive and we will see
26:17	that mercy so have mercy on those who
26:20	doubt
26:21	that’s right
26:23	how many of you have ever struggled with
26:25	those those doubts
26:28	those doubts take on all kinds of
26:29	different forms
26:30	can I truly be forgiven am I really a
26:33	Christian
26:35	what if I haven’t done enough right if
26:38	we come across these doubts and so when
26:40	you see somebody struggling with them
26:42	those doubts you have mercy on them and
26:44	you point them back to Jesus
26:47	save others by snatching them out of the
26:49	fire yeah there are those who have done
26:52	the foolish thing they’ve gone from the
26:54	frying pan Into the Fire
26:56	they’ve stopped believing
26:59	so we go out and snatch others we do
27:01	good works because we is Christians
27:03	right
27:04	to others show Mercy with fear hating
27:07	even the Garment
27:09	stained by the flesh but now to him who
27:12	is able to keep you from stumbling that
27:14	would be Jesus and him who’s able to
27:16	present you blameless before the
27:17	presence of his glory that’s Jesus he’s
27:19	the one who’s presenting you as
27:21	blameless and you sit there and go but
27:22	I’m not
27:25	but you are
27:26	your sin doesn’t belong to you anymore
27:30	I’m sorry
27:31	I hate to break this to you but all of
27:34	those sins that you’ve committed all of
27:36	those sins that you will commit they
27:37	were put on Christ they’re bled for
27:40	they’re died for they don’t belong to
27:42	you they belong to him and he’s taken
27:44	care of them he’s dispatched them so he
27:47	instead is going to give you mercy and
27:49	he’s going to present you before the
27:51	Throne of God
27:53	blameless
27:55	perfectly righteous
27:57	shining as the sun
28:00	as a gift
28:03	so to the only God our savior through
28:05	Jesus Christ Our Lord be glory Majesty
28:08	Dominion Authority before all time now
28:12	and forever as the Greek says from the
28:14	ages into the ages
28:17	Amen in the name of Jesus Amen
28:20	[Music]

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