← ArchiveSunday, November 20, 2016DateNovember 20, 2016Speaker—Text—Passages in this sermonColossians 34:11TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, but by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him, and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together, and he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent, for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.0:25He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent, for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.0:55Just because I'm in the choir loft doesn't mean I'm singing a special, and I do not want to follow Miss Jessie. What a wonderful, godly sister she is, and a friend to our family. I do believe my wife is in the nursery this week, so I'm free to tell any story that I want to.1:19My wife, Casey, would tell you that I'm not a shopper, but I do like a good bargain, so I'm more of an online shopper. I'm not a flea mall, flea market person. Actually, I run from those places. But the last bargain I really found online was a sound bar and a subwoofer.1:44I wanted one for our house. We left our surround sound when we left Louisiana, and so I missed my Christian music. I missed my football. I missed everything being loud. I'm a drummer. I've been playing drums since I was 10 years old, so I like loud music. And so I bought this Bluetooth subwoofer, wireless subwoofer, and sound bar online, thinking it was wireless, reputable company.2:12So I get it to the house, and I unwrap it, and I was so excited. I was happy. And when I opened it up, I noticed that the sound bar was wireless, but it had a wire connected to it. And I'm thinking, this is not good. This is not good. And eventually, I found out that the subwoofer was connected to the sound bar, and it was wireless because I could use my phone to play music, but it was not wireless with the two devices together.2:42I just remember thinking, you know, I'm disappointed, if anything, that I had been tricked. And if I would have read properly, I would have noticed that I probably read wrong. So why do I give you that introduction? Because God, I do not believe, refurbishes us. And what I had purchased online was a refurbished device.3:07And Casey would tell you that I don't have any problems doing that. But God, when he saves us, does not refurbish us and give us a 30-day money-back guarantee. In actuality, God gives us an eternal guarantee of our salvation. And so this morning, I just want to press us, as God's word presses us from Colossians, that we are made new.3:32You are not refurbished. You have not been broken and put back together by God with the cracks still showing. He makes us new. Actually, Colossians says that in Christ, we have everything that we need. He makes us complete. And so this morning, I want us to see, what does a new person look like? If a new person who has been redeemed, what do we wear? How do we handle other people in our lives?4:02What do we put on daily? Well, God's word meets us right there. So let's look at Colossians 3, verse 12 together. The sermon today is entitled, I Am New. I am new. Colossians 3 in the New Testament. Halfway through the New Testament, verse 12, chapter 3.4:31Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering. Bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection.5:01And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body. Let the peace of God rule in your heart, and let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, the Father, through him.5:29Giving thanks to God, the Father, through him. So this morning, I address you, if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, as saints of the King. Let's pray. Father, may we see ourselves as you see us. Lord, dead in our sins, but now alive in Jesus Christ. And Father, whom the Son sets free is free indeed, and may we not go back to the old way.5:59But Lord, may we daily put on your mercies and your virtues. May we carry one another's burdens. Lord, may your word dwell in us richly, and may your peace rule in our hearts. Father, we are saints if we trust in you. Lord, may we live that truth out. And I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen and amen.6:27This is exactly the way Paul, the writer of Colossians, greets you and greets myself. Verse 2 of chapter 1, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colossae. To the saints in Colossae. Now, I know we're not in ancient Greece. We are in central Alabama. But the same is true for those who believe. Paul greets us, God's word greets us as saints for those of you who believe.6:52And so if we are saints, then what do saints wear? What do saints wear? I'm fascinated by the makeup of our county. That upon moving here to Moody, that I found out our local high school, the Moody, are the Blue Devils, right? The Blue Devils. And they go around saying, devil up. I don't know what that means, but devil up. And I don't know which came first, the devils or the saints, but St. Clair are the saints.7:21I just could not help as a preacher thinking, man, there are such gospel-rich implications when those teams play. And I don't know whose side the Lord is on. I know he's a side of those who believe. But it did my heart good seeing just the local high schools, that we have the saints and the devils. Now, I would say this. No matter whose side you're on, if you're on the side of the Lord, you're a saint today. So if you go to Moody High School, today you're a saint.7:52Today you're a saint if you have put your trust in Jesus Christ. So what do we wear? I think we really need to water ourselves over with that truth. Because sometimes we don't feel like saints. We think that a saint is someone who has lived a really good life, and when you die, the world will kind of get together and cry a lot at your funeral, and then they'll make you a saint. That is not what God's Word says. The only one who has authority to make you and I a saint is Jesus Christ.8:19The youth say, well, it doesn't feel right to think of myself as a saint. You're right. That's why it's called grace and mercy. So what do saints wear? Verse 12. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies. A new man should wear new clothes, and a new spiritual man should wear new spiritual clothes.8:43Christ makes dead men alive. He says in verse 10 of chapter 1 that we are to walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as we would not go into battle without the armor of God, we should not go along our daily lives without wearing the right virtues. And this is the problem often with the church in general. We claim for ourselves faith, but we don't know how to dress that, and we don't know how to dress appropriate.9:14Too often, we're more concerned about our Sunday dress than dressing in righteousness. Too often, we're worried about what we wear on Sundays and not what we wear on Mondays for the Lord. So listen to what God's Word says. How do we dress appropriately? First, God assumes that you know how to dress, because He's given you that.9:38God doesn't say, if you put your faith in my Son, Jesus Christ, that you have to go out and purchase your clothes. What does verse 12 say? As the elect of God, holy and beloved. Beloved means the ones who are loved a lot. Put on these things. So where do we get these things? God assumes that we already know, because we are in His Word, where they are.10:07And so if you're wondering this morning, well, I'm going to put on these clothes, and I'm going to put on these virtues, but where do I go? You don't have to purchase them for yourself. They've been purchased. Your wardrobe is there. Put it on. Thank God He has purchased that for us. Jesus Christ provided us with designer spiritual clothing. It's called mercy and kindness and compassion and love, patience and gentleness.10:34Now, I know what some of you are thinking. You're thinking, okay, I don't have to shop again. Some of you men are thinking, hallelujah. That's me. I'm the person that goes to the store, and if I find a store I like in clothes that fit, I'll go buy five different shirts, just different colors. If they only have one color, I might buy five of the same color.11:02But God wants us to clothe ourselves with virtues. But for some of you, and often in this, and myself also, that your clothing reflects your character. That's why some of us wear Mississippi State clothing. And I remember, and I don't know why I did this now, and, you know, as a teenager, who knows what I was thinking.11:25But I remember going to college, and I was in a Superman kick. I mean, I looked like Clark Kent, so I figured I might as well dress like him, Superman. Same stature, same hair, and everything. And I literally had like 10 Superman shirts. And I just would wear it every day. I would wear a different one. I even had one that was bright yellow and blue.11:54I don't know what got into me, but apparently my personality in that moment said I was Superman. But if our clothes, what we put on, reflects our character, then what does God's word say about the character we should reflect about our spiritual clothing? That we are now to put on the character of Jesus Christ. And so your clothing has been bought and purchased. And you are to reflect the character of Christ.12:22So now, what does that look like? So, Pastor, what should I be wearing as a saint? Verse 12. As the elect, holy and beloved, put these things on. First, put on mercy. Not just mercy, but tender mercy. In the ancient world, mercy was something that was frowned upon. Actually, the maimed and the sick were rejected. The age were discarded.12:52The mentally ill were subjected to inhumanities. But Jesus Christ brings compassion into this world. Jesus Christ asked us to put on tender mercies. And I think about those. I was meeting this morning with a lady and her child, and she works at a nursing home. And I really believe those that are called to work in nursing homes, it's a calling by the Lord. Because there is a very specific mercy that is needed to work with those that are aging and struggling.13:20And I would just say this, as someone who visits a nursing home, and many of you are faithfully gone more than I have. Thank you for your faithfulness. Because you know there are people there that never see a loved one all year. Continue to show your loving kindness to them. To those who work in the nursing home daily, thank you for showing them mercy.13:47Show them Jesus Christ. And for those who have a family member in the nursing home, and you're wondering, am I honoring them or not? I know that's a decision that is difficult. Spend some time with them this week. Love them. Show them tender mercy. Literally, the word tender mercy is tender of heart. But why are we called to put this on? If this is the first piece of clothing that we are supposed to put on, why are we called to put on tender mercy?14:15Tender of heart? Because Jesus Christ does what to our heart? He gives us a new heart. That's what the gospel does. The gospel changes our heart in a way that is different. The way that is unique. And so I ask you this morning, how have you showed tender mercy to someone this week? How have you showed tender mercy to someone?14:44Because I know this. If our heart has been changed, we look at the world differently. Maybe God is calling you to tip a waitress or waiter that is struggling. Maybe God is calling you to pay a debt that you don't owe for someone that's put something on layaway that they can't really afford. Maybe God is calling you to feed someone that's hungry, that we take so much for granted for Thanksgiving, that we all have food, but that's not the case. So maybe God is calling you to have tender heartedness to someone who is struggling.15:12And you say, well, pastor, I don't want to do that. But if Christ has changed our heart, we have no choice. Put on the clothes of tender mercy. Secondly, as saints in Jesus Christ, if we are made new, and the Bible says that we are, put on tender mercy and kindness.15:35If mercy is a heart condition, then kindness is a way we treat people externally. And kindness often is not a natural response to people. For instance, George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright and a man who won the Nobel Peace Prize for literature, wrote to Winston Churchill, and this is their response.15:54Now, these are polluted, are two tickets to the opening night of my first play. Bring a friend, parentheses, if you have one. Now, this is Winston Churchill. So here's Churchill's response. Dear Mr. Shaw, unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the opening night of your play due to a prior engagement.16:21Please send me tickets for a second night, parentheses, if you have one. Now, these are political fixtures. Now, that's funny, but often, if we're not too careful, that when we find ourselves being sarcastic and biting at one another. And God's word challenges us to do otherwise, to be kind.16:51Kindness is a word that was used to describe wine that was once bitter, that has now grown mellow with age and has lost its harshness. Unfortunately, many of us, as we get older, we get more harsh. Not losing our harshness. And God's word says, if you are a saint, you put on kindness. Put on kindness in a way that the world sees you're different. Put on kindness in a way that the world says, wait, I thought you were a harsh, ugly, bitter person, and now you've changed.17:20What's the difference? And we can say his name is Jesus. Because I put on different clothes now that I'm a saint. Oh, saints, put on mercy. Put on kindness. Fathers, have you treated your kids harsh or kind this week? You say, well, you're getting a little uncomfortable here.17:46How about after they've disobeyed you for the tenth time and you've already corrected them nine times? Will you correct them with kindness or are you harsh and difficult? Bosses, are you kind or harsh to your employees that God has entrusted you to love in a way that shows them that Jesus Christ is the answer? Christians, are you kind or harsh to your friends and enemies at school in a way that shows them Christ or not?18:15If we have been made new in Jesus, we are tasked to put on kindness and a change of heart. So I just say this, saints, put on kindness this week. When you walk into your spiritual closet, find tender mercy and put it on.18:42Find kindness and put it on. And the third piece of clothing we're to wear is what? Tender mercy, kindness and humility. Put on humility. This is a word that the Greeks never once used for themselves. The Greeks never once applied this to their self, to their own culture. Actually, in the ancient world, in the time of Jesus Christ, in the time of Paul, humility was something that was frowned upon.19:11And I think often in our culture, we still frown upon humility because we think that Jesus is asking us to grovel in servility and to cringingly walk on our knees before the world and lash ourselves with whips. That is not what God is asking with humility. Humility is saying this, look at Jesus, don't look at me.19:40Humility is saying, look at Jesus, do not look at me. God is asking us to not exalt ourselves over him in our life. And we live in a time and in a world where if we're not careful, we want to pat ourselves on the back and not Jesus Christ. And we do it by accident. Because many of you, your gut reaction when you see me after church is what?20:08Pastor, good sermon. Best I've ever heard. Awesome job. And that's our nature to be encouraging. But what happens if I start listening to that? What happens if I hear that 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 times every week? And then I say, you know what? Bob's right. That was the best sermon that the world has ever heard. And we begin to then pat ourselves on the back and we lift ourselves over Jesus Christ.20:40And the gospel calls us to different lives. The gospel says, pastor, do not exalt yourself. Exalt Christ. And so I ask you as a believer, every chance that you get, exalt Jesus. Make great the name of Jesus Christ. Humility is a quality of not being overly impressed by yourself. I love that.21:10Do not be overly impressed with yourself, but be overly impressed by Jesus Christ. Are you a Christ first or a me first person? Saints, put on mercy. Put on kindness. Put on humility. And next, put on meekness. It's as if Paul is walking us through the spiritual closet and saying, don't forget to put on meekness. Meekness is defined in this way. Meekness is simply strength under control.21:39Meekness is Jesus Christ dying on the cross and saying, Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do. Rather than, God, send your angels, I'm tired of this, destroy the world in your wrath, which is what we deserve. That is meekness. Meekness is saying, Lord, vengeance is yours, not mine.22:07Meekness is saying, God, I know they're an enemy, but I'm going to pray for them because I know they can't pray for themselves. So I'm going to intercede on their behalf. Meekness is, Lord, I know where my strength comes from and I'm going to show the world. It is not in these muscles. It is not when I put on my Superman shirt. It is when I hit my knees and I pray to my heavenly father. It is as Psalm says, I sought the Lord and he answered me and he delivered me from all my struggles.22:36Have you put on meekness today? Because you know where true strength is found. But the closet doesn't end there. Look at what God's word says again. Put on meekness. Put on humility. Put on long suffering. Put on long suffering.23:05Some of you might not, you might know that word by a different term. It's called patience. And what's interesting in the Bible over and over again, patience is often used by how God deals with a stubborn world. So if you want to look like God in your life, model patience. Fathers, you want to show your family what Christ looks like when your kids are in rebellion and you've already addressed that again and again and again?23:30Model patience. Model patience. Husbands, you want to love your wife? Model patience. Bosses, you want to model Jesus Christ to employees that just don't get it? Show them what long suffering is. Put that on daily and they will see the Lord working in your life.23:59I was reading a story about a lady named Warrior Brown. Feisty lady. The story comes from the Salvation Army. Warrior Brown got that name because she was a fighter. She was someone that would fight you when she wanted to. She was someone that would fight you when she didn't want to. And one day at a tent revival, the Lord radically saved Miss Brown.24:26And so at the end of the revival, they had a time of testimony. And so Miss Brown stood up. And as she was giving her testimony, someone, an enemy of the town, threw a potato and hit her right across the face with the potato. And so the whole revival expected Warrior Brown to break out. Instead, what they saw is she took the potato off the ground. She put it in her pocket.24:56And not a word was said. Several months later, they had another revival and it was a time of Thanksgiving and they had a time of testimony. And during that time of testimony, they had an offering of Thanksgiving. And Miss Brown came to the church and she dumped out a sack of potatoes in the offering plate. And they said, Miss Brown, what are you doing? And she said, this is the fruit of the potato of bitterness that hit me.25:22She said, I give it to the Lord. That is patience. Patience like that is only found in Jesus Christ. So are you a patient person? You say, well, Pastor, you don't understand the sinners I work with, but I understand that God had patient with a sinful world. Of whom I am the foremost. And no wardrobe would be complete without this, without a belt.25:53And so here is our belt of spiritual dress this morning. Look at verse 14. Above all these things, put on love. Put on love. As if Paul is saying, don't forget to put on love over everything else. Put that on that the world may see that Christ loves them.26:19So if you are a saint, if you are elect, holy and beloved by the Lord, are you dressing right? And I'm not asking this morning. Because some of you put on your Sunday best thinking you didn't have to wear that tomorrow. But God's word says otherwise. Are we putting on mercy and kindness and humility and meekness and long-suffering? And are we buckling ourselves with love?26:48This picture is offered that love is put on top of everything else. Oh, that we would clothe ourself as a saint this week. Because that is what we are in Jesus Christ. But the new man does not end with what we wear. God's word presses us even deeper. So verse 13, put on spiritual dress, but also bear with others.27:12Put on spiritual dress, but bear with others. Verse 13, bear with one another. Now I know some of you are going off for Thanksgiving with family that you would call them bears. I have those grizzlies in my family too. Here's where the gospel meets us. The gospel says, Josh, you bear with others.27:41Even when they are grizzlies. Even when they would rather tear you apart. We bear with them. Verse 13, bear with one another, forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against one another, forgive that as Christ has forgiven you, so also you must do. A story is found from the airlines not too many years ago that smoking was allowed on the airlines.28:08And the way that these plans would work, you're not allowed to smoke if your neighbor, some of the youth are looking at me crazy. I would say about 30 years ago, maybe 20 years ago, you could smoke on an airplane. Think about that. But you could not smoke unless your neighbor agreed to you being able to smoke. As if the smoke wouldn't fill up the whole plane either. So one stewardess reported that she went to ask this gentleman in the middle of the plane if he would like to smoke his cigar.28:39He was a lover of all good cigars. And he said, stewardess, I would like to smoke. And so she asked the lady sitting next to him, ma'am, do you mind if he smokes? He said, I hate cigar smoke. Do not let that man smoke. So he said, well, I guess I can't. And so a gentleman at the front of the plane said, well, he can sit by me. I enjoy cigars. He can smoke in the front. So the man went to the front of the plane to smoke.29:08When the stewardess came back, the lady grabbed her arm and said, ma'am, she said, I've been married to that guy for 30 years and I cannot stand his cigarette smoke. But she was tolerating it. If we're not careful, church, we will get to a place where we just tolerate each other and not bear with one another. There's a difference. Some of you are sitting by someone else right now.29:39You say, I can't stand how they smell. I'd rather get up and move. Well, maybe you need to find forgiveness first. Because God's word says this. If you have caused a hurt in someone's life, that you seek forgiveness. So maybe you need to take time in the service today or right after the service to find forgiveness as Christ asked us to. That we would not just bear and tolerate each other, but that we would find forgiveness. Maybe you're carrying a grudge here today about someone that doesn't even know they've hurt you.30:09He said, I can't believe they said that to me. And it's been 20 years ago. But you have never had the spiritual boldness to tell them of their faults. So not only have you let them sin for 20 years, you've joined in. And the Bible would say, shame on you for doing that. And you say, well, pastor, you don't know. They're going to hate me when I ask, when I tell them that. They might. But that's the Holy Spirit's job.30:38So maybe you need to address that complaint this morning and say, I'm tired of just bearing with them. I'm tired of tolerating this. I want to find forgiveness. Because God's Word says it's about burying each other's burdens and bearing with one another. Verse 13, we forgive one another. If anyone has a complaint against you, even as Christ forgave you, you also must do. He said, well, I don't want to.31:10You also must do. Well, I don't like to do that. You also must do. Well, pastor, that's hard to do. You also must. Because he forgave us the foremost of sinners. That we could forgive each other. Put on the righteousness of Christ daily and bear with one another. Bear with one another.31:39Not only do saints bear with each other. Not only do we dress right, but we do this. Verse 15. Let the peace of God rule in your heart. But the peace of God. This is what a saint does. Peace rules in us. And we live in a world that could be described as in turmoil. Because there are wars. And where there are not wars, there are rumors of war. We live in places where there are earthquakes.32:10If you're not in the land of the earthquakes, you have tornadoes. If you're not in the land of the tornadoes, then you have droughts. And we say, Lord, what is going on? I don't understand this. And God still says, but let the peace of God rule. We live in a world that on Friday of this week, it turns black. And actually, it turns that way on Thanksgiving night.32:38Where some of you turn into werewolves. And you will fight each other for a talking Elmo. And for an Iron Man. And for a Ninja Turtle toy. Or for a new TV. As if the 50 inch is not big enough, you now need a 51 inch because it's on sale. And I guarantee you next Sunday, you will see reports of beatings and fights.33:05Because peace is not ruling this Thanksgiving. May we as saints stand up and say, you know what? If you want that TV, it is not worth me hurting my testimony for Christ. You know what you want, that doll that everyone else wants?33:33That Nintendo that I would really like that you are welcome to gift me? It is not worth fighting for. I'm going to let peace rule. Here you go. Students. Maybe God is calling you to get up where you sit in the lunchroom and go to the table that no one else wants to go to, so that peace may rule. Are we letting peace rule in our heart?34:01How can peace rule? The word here really is let the peace of Christ be an umpire in your life. Let the peace of God umpire you. That when you get in situations where you don't know, that the Holy Spirit says, stop, time out, let's go to the booth. And we're going to examine this. And we're going to look more closely. And we're going to let peace rule. Are you putting on his righteousness?34:30Are you bearing with one another? Saints, are you letting peace rule? And then lastly, verse 16, I leave you with this. If we are made new in Christ, let the word of Christ dwell in you. But it doesn't end there. How should God's word dwell? It should dwell richly. I love this thought that God does not want poor, anemic, underfed Christians.34:56He says, come, feast. He said, give me your cup because it will runneth over. It isn't runneth. That's not just today. That is a continual running. He said, look, you see your enemies out there? Don't worry. Sit down at this table and let the feast come.35:23Are you feasting upon God's word? Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. So if you feel like you're poor of spirit and you're weak and you're frail today, know that you can come to the table and eat. Mark Twain once said, it ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me. It is the parts that I do understand.35:53That's how I feel sometimes. I could spend my whole life on James that says, be quick to listen and slow to speak. When I get that figured out, I'll move on to another verse. That we may be slow to become angry. That we may show the world that Christ dwells. This is not a mental ascent. This letting Christ, the word dwell in you richly is not a mental condition, but is a yielding of the Holy Spirit and a yielding of the heart.36:20It's a yielding of the heart. Are you feasting on his word? God's word says, let God's word richly dwell in you, teaching and admonishing one another in what? In psalms, in hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.36:46If you are a saint in Christ, know that he has already clothed you. Put on mercy and kindness and love and peace. Put that on this Thanksgiving. Let people see a difference in you. They say, well, why are you wearing new clothes? Because I am a new man in Jesus Christ. Why are you so kind?37:15Because God changed me. Why are you such, why do you have a big heart? Because I had a hard heart and he changed it. Well, Pastor, why are you constantly in God's word? Well, not because I'm filling my mind, because I'm changing my heart. And I don't want to be a poor Christian. I want his word to dwell in me richly. Well, why are you quick to seek forgiveness? Because I am a saint.37:45And if I have offended anyone here, I want to know that I can seek forgiveness. Because I must do that as he has forgiven me. May we look differently. Because in Christ, we are different. That we may live in a way that honors him. And then we see this in verse 17. I leave you with this verse this Thanksgiving week. Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.38:09And what all that you do, give thanks in him. Will you be a thanksgiver this week? Are you someone that's quickly to give thanks to God? Humility says, not me, but look at him. Don't look at me. Look at the Lord.38:39Look at Christ. Look what he's done in my life. That the world may see that Christ has changed me. So maybe shortly as we have a time of invitation, you need to spend some time in your seat and say, Lord, I have not been dressing properly. Father, I put on peace, but I forgot to be kind in that. Know that he's already provided a closet full of clothes spiritually for you. He doesn't say go shop for these things. He says, I have given you, I've given them to you, put them on constantly because I have made you complete in Jesus Christ.39:09You are a saint. Let's look like it. Let's live it out for his glory, for his honor. Maybe you're here this morning and you don't know what all this talk about putting righteousness on is about because you have never been made righteous in Jesus Christ. So, well, pastor, I can't put on anything. I don't know. How can I get to the point where I can even put that on?39:39God's word says that you and I are dead in our trespasses, that we all have sinned. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. But in Christ, we find forgiveness of our sins. That if I were to confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, I am saved. Maybe today you need to make this your spiritual birthday, that you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ.40:03And why is that important? Because God says that he takes the orphans and he adopts them into his family. That spiritually that God says, you are without me, but I will adopt you into a new family. Maybe you're worried about the wrath of God that's been incurring in your life. You say, well, I don't want to go to hell. I don't want that wrath. The wrath was poured out on Jesus Christ for your sake, if you believe.40:30That he has taken our wrath and he has made us right before God. He has taken people who are not right and made us in right standing with the Lord, if you believe. That is salvation. That is grace. And today, if you have never fully trusted in Christ, you say, pastor, you don't understand what I've done. I don't, but he did. And he, when he saw your sin, he sent his son to die on the cross for the depths of your sin to make us new in Christ,40:59make us saints for his glory and for his name. If you have not put your faith in Christ, I'm going to ask you to do that this morning. What are you waiting for? He offers you the free gift of salvation. And right where you sit, you can put your faith in him right now. Say, Lord, I know I've sinned. I know I'm broken in my sin. And I know that Jesus Christ is the answer.41:27And when you pray that prayer of repentance, he will hear you, he will heal you, and he will offer salvation in the place of brokenness. Maybe you're here today, and you put your faith in Christ, but you've been living more like a devil than you have a saint. And maybe you just need to find forgiveness for that and say, Lord, I know you've provided for me. I need to live as a new man that you have made me to be. And I want the world to see Christ.41:56Not exalt me, but exalt him. Let's pray together, Father.
