0:00:01.216,0:00:06.500 Our subject matter is the love of Christ. 0:00:06.500,0:00:08.377 And I would have you open your Bibles 0:00:08.377,0:00:14.074 to Ephesians 3. 0:00:14.074,0:00:16.075 And I would just like to read once again 0:00:16.075,0:00:19.051 starting in verse 14. 0:00:19.051,0:00:21.010 Ephesians 3:14, 0:00:21.010,0:00:23.310 The Apostle Paul writing 0:00:23.310,0:00:26.240 to the Ephesian church. 0:00:26.240,0:00:31.342 "For this reason, I bow my [br]knees before the Father..." 0:00:31.342,0:00:36.490 He's praying for these Christians 0:00:36.490,0:00:38.455 that make up this church 0:00:38.455,0:00:40.681 in the city of Ephesus 0:00:40.681,0:00:45.330 which is modern-day Turkey 0:00:45.330,0:00:48.356 on the coast. 0:00:48.356,0:00:50.262 He bows his knees to the Father 0:00:50.262,0:00:52.645 "from Whom the whole family 0:00:52.645,0:00:56.651 in heaven and on earth is named, 0:00:56.651,0:01:00.653 that according to the [br]riches of His glory..." 0:01:00.653,0:01:02.590 Paul is praying that God, 0:01:02.590,0:01:06.097 according to the riches of God's glory, 0:01:06.097,0:01:08.669 may grant something. 0:01:08.669,0:01:12.643 He wants to see this granted. 0:01:12.643,0:01:14.212 That these Christians would be 0:01:14.212,0:01:18.489 strengthened with power [br]through God's Spirit 0:01:18.489,0:01:22.923 in their inner being 0:01:22.923,0:01:25.109 to have Christ dwell, 0:01:25.109,0:01:27.853 settle down deeply and richly. 0:01:27.853,0:01:29.283 That's the idea. 0:01:29.283,0:01:30.104 Dwell. 0:01:30.104,0:01:33.073 It is a word that means to settle in. 0:01:33.073,0:01:36.645 Into their hearts through faith, 0:01:36.645,0:01:38.906 "that you being rooted [br]and grounded in love 0:01:38.906,0:01:41.130 may have strength to comprehend 0:01:41.130,0:01:43.789 with all the saints what is the breadth 0:01:43.789,0:01:47.553 and length and height and depth, 0:01:47.553,0:01:50.124 and to know the love of Christ 0:01:50.124,0:01:52.639 that surpasses knowledge 0:01:52.639,0:01:56.834 that you may be filled with [br]all the fullness of God." 0:01:56.834,0:01:59.521 Father, I pray, 0:01:59.521,0:02:02.128 please give us this comprehension. 0:02:02.128,0:02:03.839 We would pray for the same thing 0:02:03.839,0:02:05.806 that Paul prays for, 0:02:05.806,0:02:08.669 that according to the riches of Your glory 0:02:08.669,0:02:13.627 please strengthen our comprehension 0:02:13.627,0:02:16.629 that we would behold riches, 0:02:16.629,0:02:18.557 that we would behold such things 0:02:18.557,0:02:21.248 as perhaps we've never imagined 0:02:21.248,0:02:29.384 from this insurpassable love, 0:02:29.384,0:02:33.420 unknowable in its dimensions. 0:02:33.420,0:02:34.916 Please give us this. 0:02:34.916,0:02:39.599 I pray in Christ's name, Amen. 0:02:39.599,0:02:44.757 The first thing I want [br]to point out is this: 0:02:44.757,0:02:54.128 This prayer is not randomly positioned 0:02:54.128,0:02:57.690 in this letter. 0:02:57.690,0:03:00.118 It doesn't come at the [br]beginning of the letter. 0:03:00.118,0:03:03.075 It doesn't come at the end of the letter. 0:03:03.075,0:03:06.279 It comes in the middle of the letter. 0:03:06.279,0:03:08.816 You say, so what? 0:03:08.816,0:03:10.502 Just this. 0:03:10.502,0:03:13.024 Have you ever heard it said? 0:03:13.024,0:03:18.013 Have you ever noticed the reality 0:03:18.013,0:03:20.869 that often in Paul's epistles, 0:03:20.869,0:03:25.008 you get doctrine 0:03:25.008,0:03:28.119 and then you get a "therefore"? 0:03:28.119,0:03:31.770 Look at the beginning of chapter 4. 0:03:31.770,0:03:34.136 "I, therefore..." 0:03:34.136,0:03:36.128 A therefore. 0:03:36.128,0:03:38.376 Because that's true, 0:03:38.376,0:03:43.096 therefore this is how you ought to live. 0:03:43.096,0:03:46.556 For many of you, that is [br]not strange to hear this. 0:03:46.556,0:03:48.836 You know that the epistle that Paul wrote 0:03:48.836,0:03:53.825 to the Romans, you have 11 chapters, 0:03:53.825,0:03:57.311 largely of indicative verbs. 0:03:57.311,0:04:00.278 You say, I don't know about that. 0:04:00.278,0:04:04.632 Indicative verbs are simply verbs 0:04:04.632,0:04:08.513 that indicate realities. 0:04:08.513,0:04:10.324 They're not commanding 0:04:10.324,0:04:12.537 or exhorting us to do anything. 0:04:12.537,0:04:14.582 They're simply stating, 0:04:14.582,0:04:17.314 they're indicating - thus indicative - 0:04:17.314,0:04:19.705 they're indicating what's true. 0:04:19.705,0:04:22.777 And see, then, based on what's true, 0:04:22.777,0:04:26.683 Paul then says "therefore..." 0:04:26.683,0:04:30.007 Because of God's mercies, 0:04:30.007,0:04:34.023 this is how you ought to live. 0:04:34.023,0:04:37.365 You see, we are at that point 0:04:37.365,0:04:39.055 in this letter. 0:04:39.055,0:04:43.509 We are at the position of transition. 0:04:43.509,0:04:45.175 We need to notice that. 0:04:45.175,0:04:46.312 You say why? 0:04:46.312,0:04:48.525 What's that got to do with anything? 0:04:48.525,0:04:51.219 Just this. 0:04:51.219,0:04:53.822 Paul is not praying that we would 0:04:53.822,0:04:56.982 comprehend the love of Christ 0:04:56.982,0:04:59.483 until after he spent 0:04:59.483,0:05:01.644 the greater part of three chapters 0:05:01.644,0:05:06.206 telling us about that love, 0:05:06.206,0:05:08.729 and now having told us, 0:05:08.729,0:05:11.218 he says, "Father, 0:05:11.218,0:05:16.685 according to the riches of Your glory, 0:05:16.685,0:05:18.715 cause these people to comprehend 0:05:18.715,0:05:21.108 what I just told them. 0:05:21.108,0:05:25.326 Because now, I'm going [br]to turn my attentions 0:05:25.326,0:05:31.055 to them practically [br]living these things out." 0:05:31.055,0:05:34.329 You see, if you look at chapter 4, 0:05:34.329,0:05:36.307 "I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord 0:05:36.307,0:05:38.134 urge you to walk in a manner worthy 0:05:38.134,0:05:40.269 of the calling to which [br]you've been called." 0:05:40.269,0:05:41.997 You see the argumentation? 0:05:41.997,0:05:43.623 You have been called to something, 0:05:43.623,0:05:45.137 and I've just been telling you 0:05:45.137,0:05:47.307 about all the glories of your calling 0:05:47.307,0:05:49.138 and all the glories of the love 0:05:49.138,0:05:50.529 that God has for you, 0:05:50.529,0:05:52.811 and what He's powerfully done 0:05:52.811,0:05:54.226 to save your soul. 0:05:54.226,0:05:56.519 And now, because of all those things, 0:05:56.519,0:06:00.222 I want you to walk worthy. 0:06:00.222,0:06:02.948 And as you move down through here, 0:06:02.948,0:06:06.631 you can see what's coming at us. 0:06:06.631,0:06:11.260 You can see, Ephesians 4:17, 0:06:11.260,0:06:14.751 "You must no longer [br]walk as the Gentiles do." 0:06:14.751,0:06:16.440 This is about how we walk. 0:06:16.440,0:06:19.350 And 5:1, "Be imitators of God 0:06:19.350,0:06:22.583 as beloved children and walk in love." 0:06:22.583,0:06:24.396 You see, this is all about our walk. 0:06:24.396,0:06:26.276 He's going to tell us how to live. 0:06:26.276,0:06:29.453 But listen, the world, 0:06:29.453,0:06:33.323 the world's ethic, the world's morality - 0:06:33.323,0:06:34.869 I always remember, 0:06:34.869,0:06:38.161 when I was back, like late in high school 0:06:38.161,0:06:40.709 and in my college years. 0:06:40.709,0:06:42.048 I remember, 0:06:42.048,0:06:44.461 I was doing drugs. 0:06:44.461,0:06:47.591 I was misuing alcohol. 0:06:47.591,0:06:50.384 And I remember, you'd go to a bar 0:06:50.384,0:06:52.705 and you would see in the bathroom: 0:06:52.705,0:06:54.788 "Just Say No." 0:06:54.788,0:06:57.840 That was the world's slogan about drugs. 0:06:57.840,0:06:58.965 Just say no. 0:06:58.965,0:07:01.249 Well, that's how the world is. 0:07:01.249,0:07:03.382 The world starts with its commandments. 0:07:03.382,0:07:06.503 The world starts with its rules. 0:07:06.503,0:07:09.768 But that's not how Christianity is. 0:07:09.768,0:07:12.659 This is strategic. 0:07:12.659,0:07:15.447 Because Paul knows this, 0:07:15.447,0:07:19.055 he knows the if he can get God's people 0:07:19.055,0:07:22.946 overwhelmed with love, 0:07:22.946,0:07:24.657 then you know what? 0:07:24.657,0:07:30.485 The Christian ethic just [br]flows right out of it. 0:07:30.485,0:07:36.812 And listen, if you try to [br]live the Christian life 0:07:36.812,0:07:41.885 without the warmth of the love of Christ, 0:07:41.885,0:07:44.813 you have dead religion. 0:07:44.813,0:07:47.127 It's no good. 0:07:47.127,0:07:50.845 You know, Hudson Taylor [br]was so convinced of this, 0:07:50.845,0:07:53.421 you know, he had a thousand, 0:07:53.421,0:07:58.085 he got to the place of [br]a thousand missionaries 0:07:58.085,0:08:02.312 in the inland regions of China. 0:08:02.312,0:08:04.728 You know what he did? 0:08:04.728,0:08:08.867 Do you know what book Hudson Taylor wrote? 0:08:08.867,0:08:10.386 Now many of you know 0:08:10.386,0:08:12.254 the two-volume biography, 0:08:12.254,0:08:13.972 but that wasn't written by him. 0:08:13.972,0:08:15.553 Do you know what he wrote? 0:08:15.553,0:08:19.371 Anybody know? 0:08:19.371,0:08:21.622 I'll tell you what he wrote. 0:08:21.622,0:08:24.579 He wrote a commentary 0:08:24.579,0:08:29.839 on the Song of Solomon. 0:08:29.839,0:08:35.524 His desire was to [br]encourage his missionaries. 0:08:35.524,0:08:38.245 So you know what he wrote on? 0:08:38.245,0:08:40.068 The Song of Solomon. 0:08:40.068,0:08:44.848 The allegory - a picture 0:08:44.848,0:08:49.182 of Christ and His love for the church. 0:08:49.182,0:08:51.439 You don't want to miss this. 0:08:51.439,0:08:53.483 You don't want to miss this. 0:08:53.483,0:08:55.396 Brethren, we do not want to try 0:08:55.396,0:08:58.252 to live the Christian life 0:08:58.252,0:09:00.833 without a sense of the great love 0:09:00.833,0:09:03.773 that God has for His people, 0:09:03.773,0:09:06.319 because if you do, you [br]will have dead religion. 0:09:06.319,0:09:09.890 It will be hollow and it will be dry. 0:09:09.890,0:09:11.781 I'll tell you this, 0:09:11.781,0:09:14.608 no people have turned [br]the world upside down 0:09:14.608,0:09:16.094 like the people who have been 0:09:16.094,0:09:18.640 ravished by the love of Christ. 0:09:18.640,0:09:20.162 That's just a reality. 0:09:20.162,0:09:22.456 Because when you're so moved by that love, 0:09:22.456,0:09:25.349 you will go to the stake to be burned. 0:09:25.349,0:09:27.982 You will go to the ends of the earth. 0:09:27.982,0:09:29.201 Why? 0:09:29.201,0:09:31.834 Paul said it. 0:09:31.834,0:09:39.615 He said the love of Christ constrains me. 0:09:39.615,0:09:41.617 That's not the first thing that he said. 0:09:41.617,0:09:42.712 You know what he said? 0:09:42.712,0:09:45.132 He said if I'm crazy, 0:09:45.132,0:09:47.430 if I'm out of my mind, 0:09:47.430,0:09:49.972 it's unto the Lord. It's unto God. 0:09:49.972,0:09:51.484 There were people like Festus 0:09:51.484,0:09:53.615 who said, "Paul, you're out of your mind. 0:09:53.615,0:09:56.469 Too much learning. You're crazy." 0:09:56.469,0:10:00.431 He said, "if I am, it's for God." 0:10:00.431,0:10:02.282 He said if I'm not in my right mind, 0:10:02.282,0:10:05.585 Corinthians, it's for you. 0:10:05.585,0:10:07.196 And then he said 0:10:07.196,0:10:10.747 the love of Christ constrains me. 0:10:10.747,0:10:13.259 What does that mean? 0:10:13.259,0:10:16.151 If I'm going to be a crazy man for God, 0:10:16.151,0:10:18.450 if I'm going to love the people of God, 0:10:18.450,0:10:19.542 behind it all, 0:10:19.542,0:10:22.763 I'm constrained by the love of Christ. 0:10:22.763,0:10:24.583 The love of Christ is constraining. 0:10:24.583,0:10:28.519 It is compelling. 0:10:28.519,0:10:30.590 So, you want to feel this. 0:10:30.590,0:10:35.194 You want to get this. 0:10:35.194,0:10:37.425 And I've spent the last days, 0:10:37.425,0:10:41.710 I think probably this is going to take 0:10:41.710,0:10:47.306 six or eight sermons. 0:10:47.306,0:10:51.453 And I want to try to [br]explore the love of Christ 0:10:51.453,0:10:56.503 from all manner of different perspectives. 0:10:56.503,0:11:00.839 And I was really thinking,[br]where do you start? 0:11:00.839,0:11:03.182 Where do you start? 0:11:03.182,0:11:06.158 Well, I know this. 0:11:06.158,0:11:09.022 That because of the place in this letter 0:11:09.022,0:11:13.177 where Paul prays this prayer, 0:11:13.177,0:11:19.037 he is thinking about the love of God, 0:11:19.037,0:11:20.942 the love of Christ 0:11:20.942,0:11:22.851 that he has already expressed 0:11:22.851,0:11:29.112 to these folks especially [br]in the first two chapters. 0:11:29.112,0:11:31.408 I know that. 0:11:31.408,0:11:36.123 And one of the most profound statements 0:11:36.123,0:11:37.906 that he made to them 0:11:37.906,0:11:43.105 comes at the beginning of chapter 2. 0:11:43.105,0:11:49.117 Brethren, I want us to [br]experience this love. 0:11:49.117,0:11:51.905 How do we go about trying to comprehend 0:11:51.905,0:11:53.463 the breadth, the length, 0:11:53.463,0:11:55.333 the height, the depth? 0:11:55.333,0:11:57.958 And perhaps a good place to start 0:11:57.958,0:12:02.988 is by reminding ourselves [br]right here at the beginning 0:12:02.988,0:12:09.770 how unworthy we are of Christ's love. 0:12:09.770,0:12:12.227 We don't deserve this. 0:12:12.227,0:12:15.874 Let us remember the mighty contrast 0:12:15.874,0:12:19.130 that Paul breaks forth with 0:12:19.130,0:12:21.246 back at the beginning of chapter 2. 0:12:21.246,0:12:25.643 Let's look at that. 0:12:25.643,0:12:29.614 Ephesians 2. 0:12:29.614,0:12:34.264 "And you were dead in the [br]trespasses and sins..." 0:12:34.264,0:12:42.033 You were. 0:12:42.033,0:12:46.497 This is reality here. 0:12:46.497,0:12:51.852 This is where people are. 0:12:51.852,0:12:55.398 This is where these Christians were 0:12:55.398,0:12:57.347 before they were saved. 0:12:57.347,0:13:01.018 "You were dead..." 0:13:01.018,0:13:02.253 See, lost people, 0:13:02.253,0:13:04.692 people who aren't Christians, 0:13:04.692,0:13:10.210 it's not a minor sickness. 0:13:10.210,0:13:17.039 It's an all-encompassing radical lostness. 0:13:17.039,0:13:18.194 Dead. 0:13:18.194,0:13:20.244 Dead in trespasses and sins 0:13:20.244,0:13:23.115 "in which you once walked, 0:13:23.115,0:13:25.295 following the course of this world." 0:13:25.295,0:13:26.709 We were worldly people. 0:13:26.709,0:13:29.153 "...Following the prince of [br]the power of the air." 0:13:29.153,0:13:30.312 That's the devil. 0:13:30.312,0:13:32.750 We were devilish people. 0:13:32.750,0:13:37.248 We didn't believe it - that we were. 0:13:37.248,0:13:39.049 "...The spirit that is now at work 0:13:39.049,0:13:41.911 in the sons of disobedience." 0:13:41.911,0:13:43.628 That's us. 0:13:43.628,0:13:46.447 Disobedient, rebellious. 0:13:46.447,0:13:49.193 Because we broke God's laws. 0:13:49.193,0:13:52.003 We may not have admitted [br]that we did, but we did. 0:13:52.003,0:13:54.434 And we may not have recognized 0:13:54.434,0:13:58.397 that God disapproved of it strongly. 0:13:58.397,0:14:01.263 We basically create a god [br]in our own imaginations 0:14:01.263,0:14:04.015 that doesn't care if we [br]break his commandments. 0:14:04.015,0:14:05.872 But, that's the reality. 0:14:05.872,0:14:07.663 We were sons of disobedience. 0:14:07.663,0:14:10.038 "...Among whom we all once lived 0:14:10.038,0:14:12.272 in the passions of our flesh." 0:14:12.272,0:14:15.014 Passionate, greedy, hungry, 0:14:15.014,0:14:18.265 lusting after our sin. 0:14:18.265,0:14:20.554 "Carrying out the desires of the body 0:14:20.554,0:14:23.632 and the mind." 0:14:23.632,0:14:27.854 And I want you to remember this, 0:14:27.854,0:14:32.844 "we're by nature children of wrath 0:14:32.844,0:14:38.929 like the rest of mankind." 0:14:38.929,0:14:41.523 I want us to focus on that. 0:14:41.523,0:14:45.448 Children of wrath. 0:14:45.448,0:14:48.298 V. 4, "But God being rich in mercy 0:14:48.298,0:14:50.468 because of the great love..." 0:14:50.468,0:14:52.766 See, here's the great love. 0:14:52.766,0:14:56.731 This is the great love of God, 0:14:56.731,0:14:59.994 "with which He loved us." 0:14:59.994,0:15:02.479 And He came with that love [br]even when we were dead 0:15:02.479,0:15:03.930 in our trespasses and made us 0:15:03.930,0:15:05.499 "alive together with Christ. 0:15:05.499,0:15:08.081 By grace you have been saved." 0:15:08.081,0:15:09.476 Now hear me. 0:15:09.476,0:15:12.214 Children of wrath. 0:15:12.214,0:15:15.019 Children of wrath doesn't [br]mean it's our wrath. 0:15:15.019,0:15:16.937 It doesn't mean we were angry. 0:15:16.937,0:15:18.924 It doesn't mean we were wrathful. 0:15:18.924,0:15:22.967 It means that in the face of the horrors 0:15:22.967,0:15:27.081 of the darkness of our deadness 0:15:27.081,0:15:31.344 and devilishness and lust, 0:15:31.344,0:15:34.306 God was angry. 0:15:34.306,0:15:37.463 God was angry with us. 0:15:37.463,0:15:39.535 We were children of wrath. 0:15:39.535,0:15:42.520 One of the lexicons describes wrath 0:15:42.520,0:15:47.804 as this vigorous upsurge. 0:15:47.804,0:15:50.546 That's what it was.[br]An upsurge of indignation. 0:15:50.546,0:15:55.205 You remember how God said to Abraham 0:15:55.205,0:15:56.624 concerning the Amorites? 0:15:56.624,0:16:01.164 The sin of the Amorites is not yet full. 0:16:01.164,0:16:07.391 When we sin it's like this sin 0:16:07.391,0:16:09.978 is building, it's filling up. 0:16:09.978,0:16:12.731 It's like this great container 0:16:12.731,0:16:14.931 is filling up with our sin 0:16:14.931,0:16:18.006 and proportionate to [br]it is the wrath of God. 0:16:18.006,0:16:20.519 And it intensifies and it upsurges 0:16:20.519,0:16:22.122 and it increases 0:16:22.122,0:16:26.389 and God is angrier and [br]angrier and angrier. 0:16:26.389,0:16:29.144 But here it is. 0:16:29.144,0:16:35.199 In His anger, He ought to destroy us. 0:16:35.199,0:16:37.258 But what happens? 0:16:37.258,0:16:41.554 God's power to save - and you see it here. 0:16:41.554,0:16:44.847 God's power to save, 0:16:44.847,0:16:49.877 it's coming face-to-face. 0:16:49.877,0:16:53.363 But what you have here in v. 3 0:16:53.363,0:16:59.670 is God - all of mankind, 0:16:59.670,0:17:02.518 we were children of wrath [br]like the rest of mankind. 0:17:02.518,0:17:04.436 That's all of mankind. 0:17:04.436,0:17:07.830 God is angry. They're children of wrath. 0:17:07.830,0:17:10.764 And God is going to destroy 0:17:10.764,0:17:13.305 these children of wrath. 0:17:13.305,0:17:17.867 But, God... 0:17:17.867,0:17:20.918 But, God being rich in mercy, 0:17:20.918,0:17:22.595 because of the great love... 0:17:22.595,0:17:26.267 it's like God's power to destroy 0:17:26.267,0:17:32.264 comes face-to-face with [br]God's power to save. 0:17:32.264,0:17:35.809 God's love is confronted by God's wrath. 0:17:35.809,0:17:38.099 That's what's happening [br]and here's the thing, 0:17:38.099,0:17:40.258 here's the thing, brethren. 0:17:40.258,0:17:48.001 If we underestimate God's wrath, 0:17:48.001,0:17:52.315 you will underestimate His love. 0:17:52.315,0:17:54.929 It is this backdrop of wrath 0:17:54.929,0:17:59.578 that makes this love so amazing. 0:17:59.578,0:18:00.654 But this happens. 0:18:00.654,0:18:02.507 This underestimation of wrath, 0:18:02.507,0:18:04.206 it happens all the time. 0:18:04.206,0:18:07.804 God's love and Christ's love - 0:18:07.804,0:18:09.346 it's taken for granted. 0:18:09.346,0:18:10.446 And I'll tell you why. 0:18:10.446,0:18:11.413 You know why. 0:18:11.413,0:18:12.966 Because people basically think 0:18:12.966,0:18:14.393 they're not children of wrath. 0:18:14.393,0:18:16.104 They don't think they're that bad. 0:18:16.104,0:18:18.204 They don't think they [br]follow in this course; 0:18:18.204,0:18:20.792 this following of the prince [br]of the power of the air. 0:18:20.792,0:18:23.196 They don't believe that [br]they're sons of disobedience. 0:18:23.196,0:18:25.646 They don't believe that [br]they're carrying out 0:18:25.646,0:18:27.525 all these passions of the flesh. 0:18:27.525,0:18:29.117 They don't believe it. 0:18:29.117,0:18:31.185 You know what? 0:18:31.185,0:18:32.788 You've heard it. 0:18:32.788,0:18:34.160 You've heard it from those - 0:18:34.160,0:18:36.459 those of you that have [br]gone out evangelizing, 0:18:36.459,0:18:37.417 you've heard it. 0:18:37.417,0:18:38.669 You always hear it. 0:18:38.669,0:18:40.521 People think that they're [br]pretty good people. 0:18:40.521,0:18:42.888 And you know what? When you[br]think you're pretty good people, 0:18:42.888,0:18:44.606 and you don't think [br]you're a child of wrath, 0:18:44.606,0:18:45.604 you know what? 0:18:45.604,0:18:48.648 You will not take God's love seriously 0:18:48.648,0:18:52.882 because God's love will be cheap. 0:18:52.882,0:18:54.473 That's the problem. 0:18:54.473,0:18:57.188 Mankind in general assumes 0:18:57.188,0:19:00.884 that we daughters and sons of Adam, 0:19:00.884,0:19:05.149 that we're lovable. 0:19:05.149,0:19:08.520 I mean, that's basically [br]how we view ourselves. 0:19:08.520,0:19:11.854 We think God likes us. 0:19:11.854,0:19:14.073 We're children of wrath. 0:19:14.073,0:19:15.474 Let me tell you something. 0:19:15.474,0:19:17.510 That means that God's hatred 0:19:17.510,0:19:23.108 is very much aimed at us. 0:19:23.108,0:19:25.086 We don't want to underestimate this love. 0:19:25.086,0:19:26.868 The vast majority of mankind 0:19:26.868,0:19:30.452 doesn't take death and eternity 0:19:30.452,0:19:32.292 and judgment seriously 0:19:32.292,0:19:34.188 for this very reason. 0:19:34.188,0:19:36.169 I have talked to so many people that say, 0:19:36.169,0:19:39.249 you know, they hope to just sort it out. 0:19:39.249,0:19:41.932 It will all work out. 0:19:41.932,0:19:44.228 What craziness! 0:19:44.228,0:19:45.920 It will all work out. 0:19:45.920,0:19:47.320 Here they are standing there. 0:19:47.320,0:19:49.110 They are under the wrath of God 0:19:49.110,0:19:50.570 and every day their sins 0:19:50.570,0:19:52.631 mount up higher and higher 0:19:52.631,0:19:54.382 and higher to heaven, 0:19:54.382,0:19:57.042 and they're filling up the [br]measure of their sin 0:19:57.042,0:19:58.341 and the day is coming 0:19:58.341,0:20:01.612 when the earth will not [br]bear them any longer 0:20:01.612,0:20:04.173 and that weight of sin will break through 0:20:04.173,0:20:06.934 and they will fall headlong into hell. 0:20:06.934,0:20:09.695 And God will be there to cast them. 0:20:09.695,0:20:12.672 He detests them and He will cast them 0:20:12.672,0:20:14.114 away from Himself. 0:20:14.114,0:20:18.233 This is the reality of Scripture. 0:20:18.233,0:20:20.708 We just have as mankind, 0:20:20.708,0:20:22.669 we just basically have this idea 0:20:22.669,0:20:25.602 that God indiscriminately, universally 0:20:25.602,0:20:27.613 throws His love around on all 0:20:27.613,0:20:29.287 the good people of this world 0:20:29.287,0:20:31.591 and that there's nothing to worry about. 0:20:31.591,0:20:33.232 And I'll tell you this, 0:20:33.232,0:20:37.673 man cannot appreciate the love of Christ 0:20:37.673,0:20:43.962 until he really appreciates who he is, 0:20:43.962,0:20:46.113 what he is, 0:20:46.113,0:20:48.116 who God is, 0:20:48.116,0:20:53.859 how God feels towards him. 0:20:53.859,0:20:56.463 Shall we take a test? 0:20:56.463,0:20:59.696 Let's take a test. 0:20:59.696,0:21:11.840 I want you to look at Romans 9. 0:21:11.840,0:21:28.175 Romans 9:13. 0:21:28.175,0:21:33.297 "As it is written..." 0:21:33.297,0:21:34.926 God is saying this. 0:21:34.926,0:21:39.709 "Jacob have I loved, 0:21:39.709,0:21:46.284 but Esau I hated." 0:21:46.284,0:21:48.959 Oh how men and women 0:21:48.959,0:21:51.081 try to reinterpret this. 0:21:51.081,0:21:52.664 They try to twist this. 0:21:52.664,0:21:55.414 They try to yank on this thing 0:21:55.414,0:21:57.711 and deny this reality 0:21:57.711,0:22:01.175 and do all sorts of somersaults 0:22:01.175,0:22:06.597 to avoid dealing with this. 0:22:06.597,0:22:10.445 A test. 0:22:10.445,0:22:13.121 God loves Jacob. 0:22:13.121,0:22:16.296 He hates Esau. 0:22:16.296,0:22:18.672 Somebody will say, 0:22:18.672,0:22:20.387 well, because Jacob was a good guy 0:22:20.387,0:22:25.675 and Esau was a bad guy. 0:22:25.675,0:22:32.823 But that's not what's happening here. 0:22:32.823,0:22:35.514 You know what Scripture says? 0:22:35.514,0:22:38.625 Before they were born, 0:22:38.625,0:22:41.920 before they had done either good or bad 0:22:41.920,0:22:44.137 that the purposes of God, 0:22:44.137,0:22:47.574 the purposes of God's election 0:22:47.574,0:22:51.691 might stand, 0:22:51.691,0:22:55.351 God chooses to love one, 0:22:55.351,0:23:00.236 and God's hatred is on the other. 0:23:00.236,0:23:02.626 You see, until we really come face-to-face 0:23:02.626,0:23:08.853 with the reality that God hates, 0:23:08.853,0:23:19.022 that backdrop makes [br]the love of Christ sweet. 0:23:19.022,0:23:21.743 The test. 0:23:21.743,0:23:25.686 The first thing you want to [br]recognize: this is true. 0:23:25.686,0:23:27.717 Here are twins. Two brothers. 0:23:27.717,0:23:30.539 God loves one. God hates the other. 0:23:30.539,0:23:33.052 And so how do you process the statement? 0:23:33.052,0:23:34.923 Listen, you know what so many men do? 0:23:34.923,0:23:38.114 They put this verse on trial. 0:23:38.114,0:23:39.702 But let me tell you something, 0:23:39.702,0:23:41.287 when you read a verse like this, 0:23:41.287,0:23:42.656 God is not on trial. 0:23:42.656,0:23:44.597 You are on trial. 0:23:44.597,0:23:47.673 How you respond to this verse 0:23:47.673,0:23:53.624 says an enormous amount about you. 0:23:53.624,0:23:55.510 You know what? 0:23:55.510,0:23:59.014 You pass the test 0:23:59.014,0:24:02.847 if you look at this statement 0:24:02.847,0:24:05.909 and you say, 0:24:05.909,0:24:10.597 Esau is getting exactly what he deserves. 0:24:10.597,0:24:14.975 Esau is hated by God and he deserves that. 0:24:14.975,0:24:19.363 You pass the test if [br]you look at this verse 0:24:19.363,0:24:21.527 and you say Esau is getting 0:24:21.527,0:24:26.483 exactly what I deserve. 0:24:26.483,0:24:31.974 You pass the test if you read this 0:24:31.974,0:24:36.705 and you marvel that [br]the infinitely holy God 0:24:36.705,0:24:40.067 would ever bestow His [br]love on the likes of Jacob. 0:24:40.067,0:24:42.530 You see, that's when you pass the test. 0:24:42.530,0:24:44.682 And the thing is, you know what? 0:24:44.682,0:24:47.912 You know what we can [br]tell by the next verse? 0:24:47.912,0:24:53.640 Paul expects most men to fail the test. 0:24:53.640,0:24:55.217 Can you see by the next verse 0:24:55.217,0:24:59.716 what he anticipates most [br]people are going to say? 0:24:59.716,0:25:01.890 Verse 14, "What shall we say then? 0:25:01.890,0:25:04.632 Is there injustice on God's part?" 0:25:04.632,0:25:06.211 That's what he expects. 0:25:06.211,0:25:07.927 He expects people to say, 0:25:07.927,0:25:12.399 "that's not fair." 0:25:12.399,0:25:13.739 That's what he expects. 0:25:13.739,0:25:15.270 You can see it. 0:25:15.270,0:25:19.142 Injustice! 0:25:19.142,0:25:20.091 And you know what? 0:25:20.091,0:25:22.377 They're not saying, 0:25:22.377,0:25:27.045 "oh, I cannot believe that verse." 0:25:27.045,0:25:31.107 "How could God ever love Jacob?" 0:25:31.107,0:25:32.783 That's not what they're saying. 0:25:32.783,0:25:35.568 They're not saying, "that is unjust! 0:25:35.568,0:25:37.342 How could that ever happen?" 0:25:37.342,0:25:39.516 That's not what they're saying. 0:25:39.516,0:25:41.822 You know what they're saying? 0:25:41.822,0:25:45.335 "Esau got a raw deal. 0:25:45.335,0:25:47.647 That's not fair." 0:25:47.647,0:25:52.852 So, that's what Paul imagines. 0:25:52.852,0:25:56.081 But people immediately feel Esau, 0:25:56.081,0:25:59.072 he got a raw deal. 0:25:59.072,0:26:05.613 If anything in you shouts injustice, 0:26:05.613,0:26:08.338 it's going to be impossible for you 0:26:08.338,0:26:11.575 to appreciate the love of Christ. 0:26:11.575,0:26:14.535 Oh, if we would feel the love of Christ, 0:26:14.535,0:26:21.291 how necessary it is to [br]feel the hatred of Christ. 0:26:21.291,0:26:28.485 Does something in you cry: [br]that's not just? 0:26:28.485,0:26:30.516 Because look, 0:26:30.516,0:26:33.015 what you feel about Esau, 0:26:33.015,0:26:36.083 you will project to yourself. 0:26:36.083,0:26:38.812 You will feel like: "you don't know Esau." 0:26:38.812,0:26:42.241 You know why people cry out? 0:26:42.241,0:26:43.716 You know why people shout 0:26:43.716,0:26:45.041 "that's not fair"? 0:26:45.041,0:26:48.066 Not because they care a lick about Esau. 0:26:48.066,0:26:51.295 They could care less about Esau. 0:26:51.295,0:26:53.559 The reason they don't like it 0:26:53.559,0:26:55.270 is because of what it says 0:26:55.270,0:26:59.507 about how God deals with them 0:26:59.507,0:27:04.058 and who God is, 0:27:04.058,0:27:06.096 how that affects me. 0:27:06.096,0:27:09.099 That's the issue. 0:27:09.099,0:27:11.446 Let's just look at some things. 0:27:11.446,0:27:12.845 Psalm 5. 0:27:12.845,0:27:14.296 Many of you know this. 0:27:14.296,0:27:15.685 Let's think. 0:27:15.685,0:27:19.813 Let's think about the tenor of Scripture. 0:27:19.813,0:27:38.844 Psalm 5:5 - go back there. 0:27:38.844,0:27:45.383 Listen, Scripture says 0:27:45.383,0:27:52.681 we were children of wrath 0:27:52.681,0:27:55.025 like the rest of mankind. 0:27:55.025,0:27:57.326 You could just as easily say 0:27:57.326,0:28:01.306 we were children of God's hatred, 0:28:01.306,0:28:03.519 children of God's indignation, 0:28:03.519,0:28:06.521 children of God's anger. 0:28:06.521,0:28:08.352 That's what we were. 0:28:08.352,0:28:11.264 You have to remember the stock 0:28:11.264,0:28:13.652 from which we came. 0:28:13.652,0:28:16.453 Psalm 5:5, 0:28:16.453,0:28:21.855 "The Lord hates all evildoers." 0:28:21.855,0:28:24.506 And what you want to really recognize 0:28:24.506,0:28:32.670 is that little appendage to evil. 0:28:32.670,0:28:35.524 The "doers." 0:28:35.524,0:28:40.587 There's a common expression 0:28:40.587,0:28:48.085 that "God hates the sin, [br]but loves the sinner." 0:28:48.085,0:28:50.398 But you won't find that quoted 0:28:50.398,0:28:51.944 anywhere in Scripture. 0:28:51.944,0:28:54.787 It doesn't come from Scripture. 0:28:54.787,0:28:57.957 Men have devised that saying 0:28:57.957,0:29:00.640 because that's not what [br]the Scripture teaches. 0:29:00.640,0:29:03.681 Who does God hate? 0:29:03.681,0:29:08.481 God hates all - not just all evil. 0:29:08.481,0:29:12.816 He hates the doer of evil. 0:29:12.816,0:29:15.106 And if you look at the very next verse, 0:29:15.106,0:29:18.438 "the Lord abhors..." 0:29:18.438,0:29:21.743 That's probably even a [br]stronger word than hatred. 0:29:21.743,0:29:28.874 "The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty." 0:29:28.874,0:29:31.144 The bloodthirsty. 0:29:31.144,0:29:35.308 They don't care about other people. 0:29:35.308,0:29:39.238 "...And the deceitful." 0:29:39.238,0:29:41.044 The problem is that we all come 0:29:41.044,0:29:45.482 from the stock of liars. 0:29:45.482,0:29:47.409 We were breathing out lies 0:29:47.409,0:29:48.839 from the very beginning, 0:29:48.839,0:29:51.061 right from our mother's womb. 0:29:51.061,0:29:53.475 It says that the Lord abhors such. 0:29:53.475,0:29:56.953 Or go over a few pages to Psalm 11. 0:29:56.953,0:30:08.525 Psalm 11:5, 0:30:08.525,0:30:11.707 "The Lord..." 0:30:11.707,0:30:13.298 What does it say here? 0:30:13.298,0:30:18.098 "His soul hates the wicked 0:30:18.098,0:30:23.850 and the one who loves violence." 0:30:23.850,0:30:29.952 His soul hates, not just wickedness, 0:30:29.952,0:30:32.056 but the wicked. 0:30:32.056,0:30:33.679 Not just violence, but the one 0:30:33.679,0:30:38.884 who loves violence. 0:30:38.884,0:30:40.135 There are verses. 0:30:40.135,0:30:41.838 Let me just tell you a few verses. 0:30:41.838,0:30:43.251 Don't turn to these. 0:30:43.251,0:30:47.329 But in Leviticus 26, God says this, 0:30:47.329,0:30:50.086 "Walk contrary to Me, 0:30:50.086,0:30:53.580 My soul will abhor you." 0:30:53.580,0:30:58.599 Or this, Hosea 9, Ephraim - 0:30:58.599,0:31:02.634 "Every evil of Ephraim's..." 0:31:02.634,0:31:04.918 That was basically the way you described 0:31:04.918,0:31:07.005 the Northern kingdom. 0:31:07.005,0:31:10.519 "Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal. 0:31:10.519,0:31:12.398 There I began to hate them. 0:31:12.398,0:31:14.631 Because of the wickedness of their deeds, 0:31:14.631,0:31:16.327 I will drive them out of My house. 0:31:16.327,0:31:18.676 I will love them no more." 0:31:18.676,0:31:20.287 Or Jeremiah 12. 0:31:20.287,0:31:22.330 "My heritage..." here He's speaking 0:31:22.330,0:31:23.921 about the house of Judah. 0:31:23.921,0:31:25.563 "My heritage has become to Me 0:31:25.563,0:31:27.265 like a lion in the forest. 0:31:27.265,0:31:29.255 She has lifted up her voice against Me, 0:31:29.255,0:31:32.325 therefore, I hate her." 0:31:32.325,0:31:37.084 He's speaking about the people of Judah, 0:31:37.084,0:31:38.665 of the Southern kingdom. 0:31:38.665,0:31:40.786 In Proverbs 3:32, 0:31:40.786,0:31:42.840 "the devious person 0:31:42.840,0:31:47.579 is an abomination to the Lord." 0:31:47.579,0:31:49.377 Proverbs 6. 0:31:49.377,0:31:51.554 "There are six things that the Lord hates, 0:31:51.554,0:31:53.722 seven that are an abomination to Him." 0:31:53.722,0:31:55.447 And you know what two of them are. 0:31:55.447,0:31:57.837 It's not just the acts of wickedness. 0:31:57.837,0:32:00.193 It's "a false witness." 0:32:00.193,0:32:02.381 God says, I hate, I abominate 0:32:02.381,0:32:04.545 "a false witness who breathes out lies 0:32:04.545,0:32:08.479 and one who sows discord among brothers." 0:32:08.479,0:32:11.539 Somebody who's divisive, God hates them. 0:32:11.539,0:32:13.418 Not just what they do. 0:32:13.418,0:32:15.998 Scripture says, "them." 0:32:15.998,0:32:22.313 You can't go but six [br]chapters into your Bible, 0:32:22.313,0:32:25.083 and what happens? 0:32:25.083,0:32:29.853 God kills every man, woman, and child 0:32:29.853,0:32:32.049 on the face of the earth 0:32:32.049,0:32:36.805 except eight souls. 0:32:36.805,0:32:43.940 God hates not just the sin. 0:32:43.940,0:32:46.620 You know, years ago, 0:32:46.620,0:32:54.441 we had a tract that showed the ark. 0:32:54.441,0:32:59.615 Lightning, dark clouds, [br]the rain is falling. 0:32:59.615,0:33:02.711 And there are men and women desperate 0:33:02.711,0:33:04.746 as the waters are rising 0:33:04.746,0:33:08.329 trying to get into the ark. 0:33:08.329,0:33:10.956 And on the side of it is a smiley face 0:33:10.956,0:33:15.701 that says, "Smile. God loves you." 0:33:15.701,0:33:19.831 That tract was not made to be funny. 0:33:19.831,0:33:26.048 It was made to show how foolish 0:33:26.048,0:33:29.960 so much of modern-day evangelism is. 0:33:29.960,0:33:31.639 When you go out into this world 0:33:31.639,0:33:33.385 and you tell people to smile 0:33:33.385,0:33:36.305 because God loves them... 0:33:36.305,0:33:39.802 Look, what Scripture tells us 0:33:39.802,0:33:45.665 is that all of mankind [br]are children of wrath. 0:33:45.665,0:33:50.041 We are objects of the hatred of God 0:33:50.041,0:33:53.091 by nature. 0:33:53.091,0:33:56.220 We don't deserve His love. 0:33:56.220,0:33:58.219 God could say this: 0:33:58.219,0:34:01.857 Noah have I loved, 0:34:01.857,0:34:06.336 and the rest of the world I hated. 0:34:06.336,0:34:08.293 You see, we get stirred up - 0:34:08.293,0:34:10.313 Paul expects people to get stirred up 0:34:10.313,0:34:13.294 just when it's "Jacob have I loved 0:34:13.294,0:34:16.263 and Esau have I hated." 0:34:16.263,0:34:19.991 Just one and one. 0:34:19.991,0:34:22.923 God's love. God's hatred. 0:34:22.923,0:34:26.802 But what about when God [br]takes the whole world 0:34:26.802,0:34:28.695 and His hatred is expressed 0:34:28.695,0:34:30.624 and He wipes them all out? 0:34:30.624,0:34:32.952 And He saves but eight souls? 0:34:32.952,0:34:34.562 This is the kind of God we have. 0:34:34.562,0:34:36.043 And let me tell you something, 0:34:36.043,0:34:38.545 when He wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah, 0:34:38.545,0:34:40.363 He has Peter tell us 0:34:40.363,0:34:43.165 He brought them to extinction. 0:34:43.165,0:34:45.290 He turned them to ashes 0:34:45.290,0:34:47.971 as an example of what is going to happen 0:34:47.971,0:34:52.724 to the ungodly now. 0:34:52.724,0:34:54.866 He spared Lot. 0:34:54.866,0:34:56.932 This is all through Scripture. 0:34:56.932,0:34:59.025 Lot have I loved, 0:34:59.025,0:35:02.745 Sodom and Gomorrah have I hated. 0:35:02.745,0:35:08.283 This is all over. 0:35:08.283,0:35:11.618 When the Lord hates somebody, 0:35:11.618,0:35:14.986 in Paul's estimation, it's not injustice. 0:35:14.986,0:35:17.589 Is there is injustice with God? Why? 0:35:17.589,0:35:19.994 Because Esau was hated. 0:35:19.994,0:35:22.227 He said, "by no means." 0:35:22.227,0:35:27.392 God said, "I will have mercy 0:35:27.392,0:35:29.603 upon whom I will have mercy, 0:35:29.603,0:35:31.327 and I will have compassion..." 0:35:31.327,0:35:33.003 Remember this, 0:35:33.003,0:35:34.744 mercy. 0:35:34.744,0:35:36.650 If you get justice 0:35:36.650,0:35:38.640 and you get what your sins deserve, 0:35:38.640,0:35:41.380 it is the full, all-out, deep wrath 0:35:41.380,0:35:44.044 and hatred and indignation and fury, 0:35:44.044,0:35:46.728 fierce anger of God, 0:35:46.728,0:35:48.533 and that is what mankind deserves 0:35:48.533,0:35:49.803 and we don't think so, 0:35:49.803,0:35:51.053 and we have to be reminded 0:35:51.053,0:35:52.285 over and over of this, 0:35:52.285,0:35:54.844 and this is the reason why [br]I wanted to go back to it. 0:35:54.844,0:35:57.579 Brethren, what stock do we come from? 0:35:57.579,0:36:00.700 We were children of wrath 0:36:00.700,0:36:04.708 like the rest of mankind. 0:36:04.708,0:36:09.467 Paul says it is no injustice on God's part 0:36:09.467,0:36:11.603 for Him to hate Esau. 0:36:11.603,0:36:15.935 Why? Because it's not unjust. 0:36:15.935,0:36:17.299 It's just. 0:36:17.299,0:36:18.948 That means it's right. 0:36:18.948,0:36:22.324 It is right for God to hate sinners. 0:36:22.324,0:36:23.890 And you can be sure of this, 0:36:23.890,0:36:25.216 if God hates somebody, 0:36:25.216,0:36:27.989 it's precisely because [br]they're hate-worthy. 0:36:27.989,0:36:29.998 If God abominates somebody, 0:36:29.998,0:36:32.593 it's because they're abominable. 0:36:32.593,0:36:34.646 If God is offended by somebody 0:36:34.646,0:36:37.185 it's because they're offensive. 0:36:37.185,0:36:39.334 That is the reality, brethren. 0:36:39.334,0:36:43.562 God is not unjust to hate mankind. 0:36:43.562,0:36:46.796 Because mankind is a hateful thing 0:36:46.796,0:36:48.122 by nature. 0:36:48.122,0:36:49.609 It ought to be hated. 0:36:49.609,0:36:51.753 Evil people ought to be hated 0:36:51.753,0:36:55.271 by a good and a holy God. 0:36:55.271,0:36:57.908 That is only right. 0:36:57.908,0:36:59.433 God hated mankind. 0:36:59.433,0:37:01.916 He wiped out mankind in the flood. 0:37:01.916,0:37:05.048 Why? Because those people 0:37:05.048,0:37:08.831 were such character that it demanded 0:37:08.831,0:37:10.498 that they be wiped out. 0:37:10.498,0:37:13.200 Justice demanded it. 0:37:13.200,0:37:16.027 God only damns those who are damnable. 0:37:16.027,0:37:18.439 But that's all of mankind.[br]There are no exceptions. 0:37:18.439,0:37:20.285 You can read there in Romans 3. 0:37:20.285,0:37:21.605 There's none righteous. 0:37:21.605,0:37:24.380 And in case we thought, well,[br]there might be an exception: 0:37:24.380,0:37:27.389 No, not one. 0:37:27.389,0:37:29.767 Boy, we have to be reminded, 0:37:29.767,0:37:35.001 reminded over and over. 0:37:35.001,0:37:38.229 You know, we just have this sense 0:37:38.229,0:37:40.582 that the world - we don't feel it. 0:37:40.582,0:37:41.868 We don't feel it. 0:37:41.868,0:37:43.725 We don't hear the thunder all the time 0:37:43.725,0:37:46.578 and see the dark clouds. 0:37:46.578,0:37:48.489 But like Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Progress, 0:37:48.489,0:37:51.844 he recognized there is a storm. 0:37:51.844,0:37:53.712 There is destruction. 0:37:53.712,0:37:56.920 It's coming. It's on [br]the horizons out there. 0:37:56.920,0:38:00.275 But we have to be brought back. 0:38:00.275,0:38:02.928 We have to be reminded. 0:38:02.928,0:38:05.567 Brethren, by nature, 0:38:05.567,0:38:08.341 we were children of wrath. 0:38:08.341,0:38:11.664 Children of God's hatred. 0:38:11.664,0:38:13.329 Look, what did we do? 0:38:13.329,0:38:14.876 We followed the prince 0:38:14.876,0:38:16.927 of the power of the air. 0:38:16.927,0:38:19.477 We lived in the passions of our flesh. 0:38:19.477,0:38:22.190 We were dead in sin. 0:38:22.190,0:38:25.103 And what did we do? 0:38:25.103,0:38:28.534 We were haughty. 0:38:28.534,0:38:30.022 Have you ever read: 0:38:30.022,0:38:31.324 Six things God hates, 0:38:31.324,0:38:33.147 seven that are an abomination to Him? 0:38:33.147,0:38:35.276 And one of those things is: 0:38:35.276,0:38:38.614 haughty eyes. 0:38:38.614,0:38:43.849 Those were our eyes. 0:38:43.849,0:38:45.807 Liars. 0:38:45.807,0:38:47.108 We lied. 0:38:47.108,0:38:50.448 Some worse. Some less. 0:38:50.448,0:38:53.659 But what does Scripture say? 0:38:53.659,0:38:55.203 "Six things that the Lord hates, 0:38:55.203,0:38:56.542 seven that He abominates... 0:38:56.542,0:38:58.317 a lying tongue." 0:38:58.317,0:39:00.099 That was our tongue. 0:39:00.099,0:39:01.803 You may look at a child - 0:39:01.803,0:39:03.502 "did you take the cookie?" 0:39:03.502,0:39:05.064 And they're like "no," 0:39:05.064,0:39:06.659 and you can look at that 0:39:06.659,0:39:09.034 and it can make you laugh. 0:39:09.034,0:39:11.463 You think that's laughable? 0:39:11.463,0:39:13.539 God says "I hate that." 0:39:13.539,0:39:15.790 "I hate it." 0:39:15.790,0:39:17.363 Men don't think like God thinks, 0:39:17.363,0:39:19.056 and the things that man cherishes, 0:39:19.056,0:39:24.322 God finds an abomination. 0:39:24.322,0:39:26.232 We devised wickedness. 0:39:26.232,0:39:27.657 That was me. 0:39:27.657,0:39:31.088 I was thinking of all sorts of ways 0:39:31.088,0:39:33.724 to appease myself and gratify myself 0:39:33.724,0:39:35.510 and enjoy myself 0:39:35.510,0:39:37.438 and devising it all the time, 0:39:37.438,0:39:39.672 not caring how many of God's commandments 0:39:39.672,0:39:40.772 it might break. 0:39:40.772,0:39:42.526 There are six things the Lord hates, 0:39:42.526,0:39:44.090 seven that are an abomination - 0:39:44.090,0:39:46.556 a heart that devises wicked plans. 0:39:46.556,0:39:48.180 That was my heart. 0:39:48.180,0:39:51.258 That was your heart. 0:39:51.258,0:39:54.093 Do you recognize when people like this die 0:39:54.093,0:39:55.906 and they come face-to-face with God, 0:39:55.906,0:39:58.154 what happens? 0:39:58.154,0:40:01.087 It is terror. 0:40:01.087,0:40:04.245 It is utterly terrifying. 0:40:04.245,0:40:08.995 You meet this God - holy, holy, holy - 0:40:08.995,0:40:12.161 you meet this God 0:40:12.161,0:40:14.749 and you don't have protection, 0:40:14.749,0:40:16.463 and you don't know anything, 0:40:16.463,0:40:20.561 really know something [br]of the love of Christ 0:40:20.561,0:40:22.243 in rescuing your soul 0:40:22.243,0:40:25.440 and pouring out His soul [br]on that cross for you, 0:40:25.440,0:40:27.925 and you come there unprotected, 0:40:27.925,0:40:30.532 and you come there unloved by Christ, 0:40:30.532,0:40:34.767 I'll tell you this. 0:40:34.767,0:40:37.691 You will not sort it all out. 0:40:37.691,0:40:40.079 You'll not say, like so many people say, 0:40:40.079,0:40:42.282 "Well, I'll say to God..." 0:40:42.282,0:40:47.113 Yeah. You will say nothing. 0:40:47.113,0:40:50.893 What you will hear is "depart from Me, 0:40:50.893,0:40:53.774 you workers of iniquity." 0:40:53.774,0:40:54.791 Depart. 0:40:54.791,0:40:57.079 It is like God saying... 0:40:57.079,0:40:58.612 it's Christ. 0:40:58.612,0:41:01.020 It's Christ saying "away with them." 0:41:01.020,0:41:02.828 Away! 0:41:02.828,0:41:06.382 I can't tolerate their presence. 0:41:06.382,0:41:09.172 Do you know what Isaiah said? 0:41:09.172,0:41:11.051 Isaiah said that we are all 0:41:11.051,0:41:16.393 like an unclean thing. 0:41:16.393,0:41:18.222 And all of our righteousnesses 0:41:18.222,0:41:20.639 are as filthy rags. 0:41:20.639,0:41:24.426 You look that up in the lexicon. 0:41:24.426,0:41:27.883 There's just one word. 0:41:27.883,0:41:33.096 Menstruation. 0:41:33.096,0:41:35.432 You see, we need to recognize 0:41:35.432,0:41:37.695 what we are by nature. 0:41:37.695,0:41:44.557 We are menstruation? 0:41:44.557,0:41:46.336 I mean, that's basically a picture 0:41:46.336,0:41:57.101 of what my life outside [br]of Christ amounted to. 0:41:57.101,0:42:00.861 Do you recognize what sort of people 0:42:00.861,0:42:08.235 Christ has chosen to love? 0:42:08.235,0:42:11.537 The sacrifice of the wicked is [br]an abomination to the Lord. 0:42:11.537,0:42:14.146 The way of the wicked is an [br]abomination to the Lord. 0:42:14.146,0:42:16.963 The thoughts of the wicked are [br]an abomination to the Lord. 0:42:16.963,0:42:18.514 Thus says Proverbs 15. 0:42:18.514,0:42:20.377 Brethren, do you hear what I'm saying? 0:42:20.377,0:42:22.367 Scripture says God hates idolatry. 0:42:22.367,0:42:25.147 We loved other things more than God. 0:42:25.147,0:42:26.391 God hates rebellion. 0:42:26.391,0:42:28.535 We were the ones breaking [br]His commandments. 0:42:28.535,0:42:30.966 God hates robbery. 0:42:30.966,0:42:32.441 We were the ones. 0:42:32.441,0:42:34.516 God hates wrong. God hates pride. 0:42:34.516,0:42:35.867 God hates arrogance. 0:42:35.867,0:42:37.613 You and I were the proud ones. 0:42:37.613,0:42:39.014 God hates perverted speech. 0:42:39.014,0:42:40.897 He hates haughtiness. He hates lying. 0:42:40.897,0:42:42.690 He abominates the ways of the wicked, 0:42:42.690,0:42:44.050 the thoughts of the wicked, 0:42:44.050,0:42:45.776 but more than that, He abominates 0:42:45.776,0:42:47.247 the wicked themselves. 0:42:47.247,0:42:50.153 What are we by nature? 0:42:50.153,0:42:52.083 These were our hearts, 0:42:52.083,0:42:56.666 our feet, our tongues. 0:42:56.666,0:43:02.905 By nature, we are children of wrath. 0:43:02.905,0:43:04.553 And you know what Scripture says 0:43:04.553,0:43:06.038 there in Ecclesiastes? It says, 0:43:06.038,0:43:10.190 "Because the sentence against 0:43:10.190,0:43:12.153 our evil deeds 0:43:12.153,0:43:14.716 was not executed speedily, 0:43:14.716,0:43:16.407 the heart of the children of man 0:43:16.407,0:43:18.514 is fully set to do evil." 0:43:18.514,0:43:21.237 God didn't kill us the very [br]first time we sinned, 0:43:21.237,0:43:22.738 and so you know what happened? 0:43:22.738,0:43:25.085 We grew bold in our sin. 0:43:25.085,0:43:26.489 That's what happens. 0:43:26.489,0:43:30.231 We sin. I'm not struck down. 0:43:30.231,0:43:32.622 We thought that God must not care. 0:43:32.622,0:43:34.498 Our sin must not be a big deal. 0:43:34.498,0:43:36.080 We thought our crimes were small. 0:43:36.080,0:43:39.587 But make no mistake about it, 0:43:39.587,0:43:41.881 the measure of our sin was filling up, 0:43:41.881,0:43:44.609 and you know what Scripture says? 0:43:44.609,0:43:46.524 That if you don't obey Jesus Christ, 0:43:46.524,0:43:49.573 the wrath of God abides upon you already. 0:43:49.573,0:43:50.958 It is hanging over you 0:43:50.958,0:43:53.603 and it is like this heavy cloud; 0:43:53.603,0:43:57.162 storm cloud that is just growing 0:43:57.162,0:43:58.904 heavier and heavier 0:43:58.904,0:44:01.200 with the wrath of God. 0:44:01.200,0:44:03.732 And that's where we were. 0:44:03.732,0:44:08.480 Because it hasn't fully [br]struck our consciences, 0:44:08.480,0:44:11.273 and we're such forgetful people, 0:44:11.273,0:44:14.565 we need to come back and recognize, 0:44:14.565,0:44:20.471 what hateful creatures we were to God. 0:44:20.471,0:44:22.458 I mean hating us with the intensity 0:44:22.458,0:44:24.558 of His entire divine being. 0:44:24.558,0:44:26.613 Scripture doesn't say because God knew 0:44:26.613,0:44:27.891 He was going to save us, 0:44:27.891,0:44:31.237 somehow we averted being children of wrath 0:44:31.237,0:44:32.939 like the rest of mankind. 0:44:32.939,0:44:34.963 That's what we were. 0:44:34.963,0:44:37.470 I'll tell you men provoke [br]God on every side 0:44:37.470,0:44:39.399 and we were right there in the crowd. 0:44:39.399,0:44:40.930 We were provoking Him, 0:44:40.930,0:44:44.584 and there is fierce wrath. 0:44:44.584,0:44:47.735 Brethren, do you see people like this? 0:44:47.735,0:44:49.580 You know, your neighbor? 0:44:49.580,0:44:50.733 Your co-worker? 0:44:50.733,0:44:52.212 Do you see people like this? 0:44:52.212,0:44:55.837 Men are highly offensive to God. 0:44:55.837,0:44:57.987 That's how man is by nature. 0:44:57.987,0:45:04.041 By nature, children of wrath. 0:45:04.041,0:45:09.165 So, you say, 0:45:09.165,0:45:12.938 man, I visited this church [br]today to hear this? 0:45:12.938,0:45:15.434 Look. 0:45:15.434,0:45:18.612 This is true. 0:45:18.612,0:45:21.805 And because it's strong, 0:45:21.805,0:45:24.302 because you may not like it, 0:45:24.302,0:45:27.376 it doesn't make it go away. 0:45:27.376,0:45:28.719 But what we have to remember 0:45:28.719,0:45:30.117 is if God stopped right there 0:45:30.117,0:45:31.450 just like with the demons 0:45:31.450,0:45:35.319 and He said, "I'm done with you. 0:45:35.319,0:45:36.877 You're all gone." 0:45:36.877,0:45:38.015 But He didn't. 0:45:38.015,0:45:41.823 You know what we have?[br]We have Ephesians 2:4. 0:45:41.823,0:45:45.880 And this is where you [br]can take a sigh of relief. 0:45:45.880,0:45:48.380 But you know, you can't 0:45:48.380,0:45:50.930 if you have not passed 0:45:50.930,0:45:58.209 from verses 1, 2, and 3 into 4. 0:45:58.209,0:46:01.958 The love. The love. 0:46:01.958,0:46:06.171 "But God being rich in mercy 0:46:06.171,0:46:07.768 because of the great love 0:46:07.768,0:46:08.981 with which He loved us 0:46:08.981,0:46:11.039 even when we were dead in our trespasses, 0:46:11.039,0:46:13.100 made us alive together with Christ." 0:46:13.100,0:46:15.980 If we would begin to comprehend something 0:46:15.980,0:46:18.706 of the love of the Son [br]of God for His people, 0:46:18.706,0:46:23.400 we need to recognize that Christ chooses. 0:46:23.400,0:46:31.847 Brethren, grasp this! 0:46:31.847,0:46:35.303 Who are those people that He says, 0:46:35.303,0:46:40.263 "Depart from Me"? 0:46:40.263,0:46:45.837 "Your works are like filthy rags." 0:46:45.837,0:46:47.998 You know who they are? 0:46:47.998,0:46:50.747 Children of wrath. 0:46:50.747,0:46:54.917 And such were we. 0:46:54.917,0:46:59.741 Children of wrath like [br]the rest of mankind. 0:46:59.741,0:47:02.783 Think about the most disgusting thing 0:47:02.783,0:47:08.156 you can think about. 0:47:08.156,0:47:15.292 God chooses to set His love there. 0:47:15.292,0:47:18.877 That's what Christ is doing. 0:47:18.877,0:47:25.698 Christ is loving those [br]who should be hated. 0:47:25.698,0:47:28.234 Look, we're no Cinderella story. 0:47:28.234,0:47:31.614 I just thought about this - [br]the love stories of this world. 0:47:31.614,0:47:33.355 You know, you look at Cinderella. 0:47:33.355,0:47:37.106 She's getting a raw deal [br]from an evil step-mother. 0:47:37.106,0:47:38.587 But she could sing beautifully 0:47:38.587,0:47:39.770 and she was beautiful, 0:47:39.770,0:47:41.402 and so when the prince comes along 0:47:41.402,0:47:43.251 and he bestows his love there... 0:47:43.251,0:47:47.491 Brethren, when a nation loves its leader 0:47:47.491,0:47:50.745 or it loves its sports star, 0:47:50.745,0:47:53.015 or when a prince sets his love 0:47:53.015,0:47:55.795 on the princess, 0:47:55.795,0:48:03.563 that love may be altogether real. 0:48:03.563,0:48:04.811 But you know what? 0:48:04.811,0:48:07.481 All the love stories of the world, 0:48:07.481,0:48:10.669 there's something lovable and admirable 0:48:10.669,0:48:18.143 in the one who ends up getting loved. 0:48:18.143,0:48:22.149 That's not true with us. 0:48:22.149,0:48:26.284 (incomplete thought) 0:48:26.284,0:48:27.784 Here's the thing, 0:48:27.784,0:48:32.957 you can pull out your tape measure. 0:48:32.957,0:48:35.698 Is it not true that the more unlovable 0:48:35.698,0:48:37.878 the object loved, 0:48:37.878,0:48:40.309 the greater that love must be. 0:48:40.309,0:48:45.850 I mean, you can put your [br]tape measure next to this. 0:48:45.850,0:48:48.620 You can estimate something of the glory 0:48:48.620,0:48:51.856 of the love of Christ 0:48:51.856,0:48:59.266 based on who it is that He loved. 0:48:59.266,0:49:02.229 To love the unlovable. 0:49:02.229,0:49:04.728 But we have to come back to that 0:49:04.728,0:49:07.447 and remember. 0:49:07.447,0:49:11.102 Because that alone will [br]create an appreciation. 0:49:11.102,0:49:13.138 If you want to send the people out 0:49:13.138,0:49:15.360 to walk worthy of their calling, 0:49:15.360,0:49:17.581 you want to send people out 0:49:17.581,0:49:20.036 to walk no more like the Gentiles, 0:49:20.036,0:49:28.988 you want to send them out to walk in love, 0:49:28.988,0:49:34.809 if we're overwhelmed by that reality, 0:49:34.809,0:49:37.824 how could He have ever loved me? 0:49:37.824,0:49:40.579 How could this be? 0:49:40.579,0:49:42.434 It's that appreciation. 0:49:42.434,0:49:46.306 But let's measure it in another way. 0:49:46.306,0:49:51.310 Christ's special saving love. 0:49:51.310,0:49:53.891 You have to remember what Paul's doing. 0:49:53.891,0:49:56.933 He is addressing Christians at Ephesus. 0:49:56.933,0:49:58.760 He's not addressing the world. 0:49:58.760,0:50:01.335 And when he says, "I'm praying, 0:50:01.335,0:50:03.599 I'm bending my knee before the Father," 0:50:03.599,0:50:04.920 He says I'm praying 0:50:04.920,0:50:08.496 that you might have this [br]strength to comprehend 0:50:08.496,0:50:10.733 the vast dimensions of this love - 0:50:10.733,0:50:13.174 you remember, 0:50:13.174,0:50:15.529 it's that they might comprehend 0:50:15.529,0:50:19.288 with all the saints. 0:50:19.288,0:50:20.620 The saints. The Christians. 0:50:20.620,0:50:23.108 The ones who have had this love 0:50:23.108,0:50:24.573 bestowed upon them. 0:50:24.573,0:50:27.265 Do you know something? 0:50:27.265,0:50:32.314 Jesus does not give His love - 0:50:32.314,0:50:35.197 His saving love, His special love, 0:50:35.197,0:50:37.658 the love that Paul is praying 0:50:37.658,0:50:40.277 that these people would [br]be able to comprehend - 0:50:40.277,0:50:44.425 Jesus doesn't give that [br]love indiscriminately 0:50:44.425,0:50:48.214 and universally. 0:50:48.214,0:50:53.550 And one of the ways that we can measure 0:50:53.550,0:50:58.946 and get a feel for the love of Christ 0:50:58.946,0:51:02.134 is its rarity. 0:51:02.134,0:51:04.068 You know when I was a kid, 0:51:04.068,0:51:05.978 I collected coins, 0:51:05.978,0:51:08.058 baseball cards, 0:51:08.058,0:51:10.463 hockey cards, basketball cards, 0:51:10.463,0:51:12.282 football cards, 0:51:12.282,0:51:15.852 butterflies, stamps - 0:51:15.852,0:51:19.527 I collected a number of stuff. 0:51:19.527,0:51:21.993 And you know this? 0:51:21.993,0:51:26.218 What is it that really [br]makes a coin valuable? 0:51:26.218,0:51:32.138 There's something about its rarity. 0:51:32.138,0:51:36.707 If you just start to think, 0:51:36.707,0:51:43.111 sometimes this just comes over me. 0:51:43.111,0:51:45.292 Jacob have I loved. 0:51:45.292,0:51:49.654 Esau have I hated. 0:51:49.654,0:51:55.284 Christ's love is possessed 0:51:55.284,0:51:57.591 by relatively few. 0:51:57.591,0:51:59.154 Do you recognize 0:51:59.154,0:52:01.832 that when you go out through this city, 0:52:01.832,0:52:04.908 if you're one of the ones [br]who is loved by Christ 0:52:04.908,0:52:09.011 with the same love that these [br]Ephesians were loved with, 0:52:09.011,0:52:10.516 do you recognize 0:52:10.516,0:52:12.455 that as you're driving home, 0:52:12.455,0:52:14.756 it's not like all the cars [br]that are passing you, 0:52:14.756,0:52:17.680 the people possess that love. 0:52:17.680,0:52:20.426 It's not like on the freeway, 0:52:20.426,0:52:23.664 the people possess that [br]love that you're driving by. 0:52:23.664,0:52:26.357 Do you recognize that when [br]you walk into a grocery store 0:52:26.357,0:52:28.552 or you are out in the midst 0:52:28.552,0:52:32.873 of the populations of this earth, 0:52:32.873,0:52:38.060 those who Christ has set [br]His love upon like this 0:52:38.060,0:52:45.120 are relatively few. 0:52:45.120,0:52:49.284 That makes this love so precious. 0:52:49.284,0:52:51.169 I'll tell you this, 0:52:51.169,0:52:53.565 if Jesus Christ after man had sinned 0:52:53.565,0:52:57.618 had chosen to save all of mankind, 0:52:57.618,0:53:03.665 that love would be altogether precious. 0:53:03.665,0:53:06.788 But you know how man would view it? 0:53:06.788,0:53:09.734 You know how he would view it? 0:53:09.734,0:53:12.675 What would we say? 0:53:12.675,0:53:16.236 See, God is concerned [br]about what people say. 0:53:16.236,0:53:20.756 You remember how it was with Gideon? 0:53:20.756,0:53:22.860 How was it? 0:53:22.860,0:53:26.128 No, if you go out there [br]with 32,000 people, 0:53:26.128,0:53:28.582 you're going to say we got us the victory. 0:53:28.582,0:53:30.819 God is concerned about what people say. 0:53:30.819,0:53:32.762 And you know if Jesus saved everybody, 0:53:32.762,0:53:35.276 you know what man would say? 0:53:35.276,0:53:37.457 Well, somehow we had it coming. 0:53:37.457,0:53:39.084 I mean, somehow we deserved it. 0:53:39.084,0:53:42.450 Somehow we weren't really that bad. 0:53:42.450,0:53:46.089 Do you know what the [br]backdrop of hell does? 0:53:46.089,0:53:50.196 Especially when the multitudes, 0:53:50.196,0:53:54.766 it really shows that is a backdrop 0:53:54.766,0:53:56.628 against which the preciousness 0:53:56.628,0:54:06.053 of Christ's love becomes so vivid. 0:54:06.053,0:54:09.181 Isaiah in Romans 9. 0:54:09.181,0:54:10.920 You know what he said? 0:54:10.920,0:54:12.605 He said, 0:54:12.605,0:54:14.551 "Though the number of the sons of Israel 0:54:14.551,0:54:17.937 be as the sand of the sea, 0:54:17.937,0:54:25.406 only a remnant of them will I save." 0:54:25.406,0:54:28.289 Have you ever read that? 0:54:28.289,0:54:32.387 They may be like the sands upon the sea, 0:54:32.387,0:54:35.708 like the numbers of the stars, 0:54:35.708,0:54:39.758 and God says, "a remnant." 0:54:39.758,0:54:43.358 What is a remnant? 0:54:43.358,0:54:45.817 A remnant. 0:54:45.817,0:54:48.544 Only a remnant will be saved. 0:54:48.544,0:54:50.078 Or have you ever read this? 0:54:50.078,0:54:52.170 "The gate is narrow. 0:54:52.170,0:54:54.427 The way is hard that leads to life." 0:54:54.427,0:54:56.789 How many find it? 0:54:56.789,0:55:01.616 Few there be that find it. 0:55:01.616,0:55:02.882 Or how about this? 0:55:02.882,0:55:09.401 Many are called, and what? 0:55:09.401,0:55:16.708 Few are chosen. 0:55:16.708,0:55:19.846 Do you realize in a world 0:55:19.846,0:55:23.332 of eight billion people 0:55:23.332,0:55:27.658 and all through the history of mankind? 0:55:27.658,0:55:32.270 I think somebody in some [br]Christian magazine 0:55:32.270,0:55:35.623 or some Christian book that [br]I was reading years ago, 0:55:35.623,0:55:38.564 I remember somebody was basically 0:55:38.564,0:55:44.267 taking numbers from like the Gallup Poll 0:55:44.267,0:55:48.127 and saying, look, if we basically believe 0:55:48.127,0:55:51.933 that people are genuine 0:55:51.933,0:55:54.391 who claim to be Christians, 0:55:54.391,0:55:57.610 who go to evangelical churches, 0:55:57.610,0:56:00.539 who believe in the Trinity, 0:56:00.539,0:56:02.845 believe in the resurrection, 0:56:02.845,0:56:06.816 believe just some basic tenets. 0:56:06.816,0:56:11.025 And they worked those numbers down 0:56:11.025,0:56:15.967 across the world. 0:56:15.967,0:56:17.998 Have you ever looked at Operation World? 0:56:17.998,0:56:21.980 And looked even at their [br]maybe more liberal estimations? 0:56:21.980,0:56:27.670 Country after country after country? 0:56:27.670,0:56:31.389 How few true Christians there are 0:56:31.389,0:56:35.211 in all those countries? 0:56:35.211,0:56:36.721 And then you think about this. 0:56:36.721,0:56:38.677 Even within the church itself, 0:56:38.677,0:56:41.021 Jesus says that in the last day, 0:56:41.021,0:56:42.888 there's going to be many from our ranks 0:56:42.888,0:56:45.770 who are going to say we did [br]many mighty works for God, 0:56:45.770,0:56:47.217 even in the church. 0:56:47.217,0:56:50.520 He says there's an enemy who sows tares 0:56:50.520,0:56:51.647 and even in our midst, 0:56:51.647,0:56:55.922 many are going to turn out to not be true. 0:56:55.922,0:56:59.364 Do you recognize that [br]if you have this love, 0:56:59.364,0:57:00.811 how rare it is? 0:57:00.811,0:57:03.265 Look, I'm not saying that Jesus 0:57:03.265,0:57:08.096 doesn't offer that love freely 0:57:08.096,0:57:12.914 to all who will come to Him to have it. 0:57:12.914,0:57:15.225 He does. 0:57:15.225,0:57:16.640 But in the end, 0:57:16.640,0:57:21.855 Scripture affirms how few there be 0:57:21.855,0:57:24.891 that find it. 0:57:24.891,0:57:29.263 Listen, in this very book, 0:57:29.263,0:57:30.523 Paul's going to say, 0:57:30.523,0:57:34.512 "Husbands, love your wives..." 0:57:34.512,0:57:38.819 not like Christ loves the whole world. 0:57:38.819,0:57:47.525 "Love your wives like [br]Christ loves His church." 0:57:47.525,0:57:54.906 It's a very narrow, [br]very small - who is it? 0:57:54.906,0:57:57.333 It's His bride. 0:57:57.333,0:57:58.904 It's the true church. 0:57:58.904,0:58:03.400 It's those who He gave Himself up for. 0:58:03.400,0:58:04.661 Just like a husband. 0:58:04.661,0:58:06.846 A husband doesn't just [br]indiscriminately love 0:58:06.846,0:58:09.368 all women in the world. 0:58:09.368,0:58:11.016 He focuses that love, 0:58:11.016,0:58:17.279 and so it is with Christ. 0:58:17.279,0:58:19.143 The disciples came to Him one day, 0:58:19.143,0:58:21.412 and said, 0:58:21.412,0:58:27.463 "Lord, why do You speak [br]to them in parables?" 0:58:27.463,0:58:29.183 Remember that? 0:58:29.183,0:58:31.917 Remember what Jesus said? 0:58:31.917,0:58:38.040 "To you," speaking to the 11 of the 12, 0:58:38.040,0:58:39.683 "to you it has been given 0:58:39.683,0:58:44.389 to know the secrets of [br]the kingdom of heaven." 0:58:44.389,0:58:47.256 But to them - to who? 0:58:47.256,0:58:52.306 To the crowds, it has not been given. 0:58:52.306,0:58:57.013 You see that love gives. 0:58:57.013,0:58:59.706 And to be one of those objects 0:58:59.706,0:59:03.525 that have received [br]this special, saving love; 0:59:03.525,0:59:06.865 to receive ears to hear. 0:59:06.865,0:59:08.823 It's been given. 0:59:08.823,0:59:10.089 Or how about this? 0:59:10.089,0:59:13.651 In Luke, Jesus says to those 0:59:13.651,0:59:15.199 that were returning - the 72, 0:59:15.199,0:59:16.497 "Do not rejoice in this, 0:59:16.497,0:59:18.751 that the spirits are subject to you. 0:59:18.751,0:59:20.636 Rejoice..." 0:59:20.636,0:59:23.731 Rejoice. 0:59:23.731,0:59:25.584 "Rejoice that your names 0:59:25.584,0:59:27.420 are written in heaven. 0:59:27.420,0:59:28.840 In that same hour, 0:59:28.840,0:59:30.623 He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, 0:59:30.623,0:59:32.019 and He said this, 0:59:32.019,0:59:33.553 'I thank You, Father, 0:59:33.553,0:59:35.125 Lord of Heaven and earth, 0:59:35.125,0:59:40.029 that You have hidden...'" 0:59:40.029,0:59:43.614 I was struck by this. 0:59:43.614,0:59:47.652 In John 14, 0:59:47.652,0:59:50.157 "I will love you 0:59:50.157,0:59:55.556 and manifest Myself to you." 0:59:55.556,1:00:00.888 "Father, You have hidden these things 1:00:00.888,1:00:02.594 from the wise and understanding, 1:00:02.594,1:00:04.971 revealed them to little children. 1:00:04.971,1:00:08.948 Yes, Father, for such [br]was Your gracious will." 1:00:08.948,1:00:12.377 What I find is this, love gives. 1:00:12.377,1:00:14.388 And one of the primary things 1:00:14.388,1:00:16.254 that we find that loves gives 1:00:16.254,1:00:20.178 is a revelation of itself. 1:00:20.178,1:00:22.783 You think about a man and a woman 1:00:22.783,1:00:25.372 and as they give themselves to each other, 1:00:25.372,1:00:30.314 there is a greater and greater revealing. 1:00:30.314,1:00:32.403 And where Christ loves, 1:00:32.403,1:00:37.261 He says it's been given to you to know. 1:00:37.261,1:00:40.002 It's been given to you [br]to have your eyes open 1:00:40.002,1:00:41.863 and to have your ears open. 1:00:41.863,1:00:44.146 It's been given to you to have 1:00:44.146,1:00:48.221 manifestations of Myself. 1:00:48.221,1:00:51.060 He says, "Peter, 1:00:51.060,1:00:53.482 but who do you say that I am?" 1:00:53.482,1:00:55.438 "Thou art the Christ. 1:00:55.438,1:00:58.429 The Son of the living God." 1:00:58.429,1:01:04.490 He says, "Peter, blessed are you." 1:01:04.490,1:01:06.606 He says, "that was revealed to you 1:01:06.606,1:01:07.831 not by flesh and blood, 1:01:07.831,1:01:09.878 that was revealed to you by My Father." 1:01:09.878,1:01:14.626 There's this revelation. 1:01:14.626,1:01:17.420 Jesus says, "I no longer [br]call you servants, 1:01:17.420,1:01:18.979 for the servant does not know 1:01:18.979,1:01:20.178 what his master is doing. 1:01:20.178,1:01:21.470 I have called you friends. 1:01:21.470,1:01:23.554 For all that I have heard from My Father, 1:01:23.554,1:01:26.099 I have made known to you." 1:01:26.099,1:01:29.049 "You did not choose Me. 1:01:29.049,1:01:33.619 I chose you." 1:01:33.619,1:01:36.705 We're going through [br]life children of wrath. 1:01:36.705,1:01:39.980 We're going through life hating God, 1:01:39.980,1:01:41.455 following the devil, 1:01:41.455,1:01:44.299 dead in sins, 1:01:44.299,1:01:46.268 and Christ comes along. 1:01:46.268,1:01:50.076 We're detestable, we're hateful. 1:01:50.076,1:01:52.302 And such things move in God - 1:01:52.302,1:01:53.530 how could He do it? 1:01:53.530,1:01:56.137 How could He love such as us? 1:01:56.137,1:01:59.411 But He chooses. 1:01:59.411,1:02:01.954 It's a rare love. 1:02:01.954,1:02:07.258 That makes it especially valuable. 1:02:07.258,1:02:08.415 Jesus said it. 1:02:08.415,1:02:09.611 "In truth I tell you, 1:02:09.611,1:02:11.193 there were many widows in Israel 1:02:11.193,1:02:12.326 in the days of Elijah 1:02:12.326,1:02:15.133 when the heavens were shut [br]up three years and six months. 1:02:15.133,1:02:16.906 A great famine over the land. 1:02:16.906,1:02:18.536 Elijah was sent to none of them, 1:02:18.536,1:02:21.128 but only to Zarephath in the land of Sidon 1:02:21.128,1:02:22.927 to a woman who was a widow." 1:02:22.927,1:02:29.600 You see how there were many, 1:02:29.600,1:02:34.186 and God's specific love passes over 1:02:34.186,1:02:38.057 all of them to this widow. 1:02:38.057,1:02:45.546 There were many lepers in the days. 1:02:45.546,1:02:49.233 "The prophet Elijah cleansed none 1:02:49.233,1:02:51.568 but Naaman the Syrian." 1:02:51.568,1:02:53.664 And you know what? [br]It filled them with wrath 1:02:53.664,1:02:56.511 and they wanted to [br]throw Him over the cliff. 1:02:56.511,1:02:59.573 That's the same wrath that people feel - 1:02:59.573,1:03:03.962 "Jacob have I loved [br]and Esau have I hated." 1:03:03.962,1:03:06.308 There's those words of the psalmist 1:03:06.308,1:03:08.894 that the lovingkindness of God, 1:03:08.894,1:03:11.586 or His steadfast love endures forever. 1:03:11.586,1:03:13.987 It seems like we heard [br]about that just recently. 1:03:13.987,1:03:16.363 But His steadfast love endures forever. 1:03:16.363,1:03:19.725 It says He wiped out Pharaoh. 1:03:19.725,1:03:22.295 He killed all their firstborn. 1:03:22.295,1:03:24.270 But the steadfast love of God 1:03:24.270,1:03:25.814 endures forever. 1:03:25.814,1:03:28.391 Do you see? 1:03:28.391,1:03:29.810 How does it endure forever 1:03:29.810,1:03:31.744 when He's killing all the firstborn? 1:03:31.744,1:03:33.949 Because He loves Israel. 1:03:33.949,1:03:38.313 It's a very specific love. 1:03:38.313,1:03:40.836 We're talking about the love of Christ. 1:03:40.836,1:03:43.378 It's special. It's special. 1:03:43.378,1:03:46.795 Do you remember Jesus, 1:03:46.795,1:03:54.300 He says, "Fear not, little flock." 1:03:54.300,1:03:55.986 Why not? 1:03:55.986,1:03:57.889 "For it's your Father's good pleasure 1:03:57.889,1:04:03.546 to give you the kingdom." 1:04:03.546,1:04:07.144 You need to let this grab hold. 1:04:07.144,1:04:08.486 You walk out in the world, 1:04:08.486,1:04:11.708 remember the stock from which you came. 1:04:11.708,1:04:13.946 And remember, 1:04:13.946,1:04:17.237 if you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, 1:04:17.237,1:04:21.788 such a love is upon you that is rare. 1:04:21.788,1:04:23.814 You are one of the remnant. 1:04:23.814,1:04:25.410 You are one of the few. 1:04:25.410,1:04:30.643 You are one of the little flock. 1:04:30.643,1:04:33.662 For Jesus to call His flock "little." 1:04:33.662,1:04:35.972 I know that in the end it's going to be 1:04:35.972,1:04:38.533 such a number from all [br]the tribes and tongues. 1:04:38.533,1:04:40.695 I know that. 1:04:40.695,1:04:45.210 But at any given snapshot, 1:04:45.210,1:04:48.143 those who truly know His love, 1:04:48.143,1:04:49.955 I'll tell you what, I can tell you 1:04:49.955,1:04:51.656 what He told those that came back 1:04:51.656,1:04:53.769 from casting out those demons. 1:04:53.769,1:04:55.317 You ought to rejoice. 1:04:55.317,1:04:58.084 You ought to jump up and down. 1:04:58.084,1:05:02.040 If Christ's love is upon you, 1:05:02.040,1:05:04.803 you have everything! 1:05:04.803,1:05:07.159 I mean, what could you complain about? 1:05:07.159,1:05:09.567 You're one of the few. 1:05:09.567,1:05:11.051 You're one of the little flock. 1:05:11.051,1:05:13.225 When you're gripped with [br]this and you go out, 1:05:13.225,1:05:17.490 and now, you're hearing, "walk worthy." 1:05:17.490,1:05:21.279 Walk worthy because you're [br]not like everyone else. 1:05:21.279,1:05:23.684 You are special 1:05:23.684,1:05:26.397 because that special love 1:05:26.397,1:05:28.787 was bestowed on you 1:05:28.787,1:05:31.979 because He chose to put it there. 1:05:31.979,1:05:34.391 What a thing is this! 1:05:34.391,1:05:36.221 What an honor! 1:05:36.221,1:05:37.577 What a gift! 1:05:37.577,1:05:41.461 What love! 1:05:41.461,1:05:45.557 That would do such things [br]for such people as us. 1:05:45.557,1:05:47.145 You think about where you'd be 1:05:47.145,1:05:48.609 if you'd have died six months 1:05:48.609,1:05:53.588 before you got saved. 1:05:53.588,1:05:55.604 You'd be in hell 1:05:55.604,1:06:02.381 and altogether deserving those torments. 1:06:02.381,1:06:03.819 But He stood in our place 1:06:03.819,1:06:07.362 and He drank that cup. 1:06:07.362,1:06:12.998 And now, the benefits of that. 1:06:12.998,1:06:14.652 A good deal of us in this room, 1:06:14.652,1:06:15.551 and I'll tell you, 1:06:15.551,1:06:18.437 if you find yourself on the outside, 1:06:18.437,1:06:22.418 don't go out and hang yourself like Judas. 1:06:22.418,1:06:24.406 The thing to do is hear these words. 1:06:24.406,1:06:25.575 Jesus says, 1:06:25.575,1:06:27.857 "him that comes to Me, 1:06:27.857,1:06:31.250 I will in no wise cast out." 1:06:31.250,1:06:33.134 You know what that means? 1:06:33.134,1:06:35.971 "You come to Me and I will love you. 1:06:35.971,1:06:38.644 I will embrace you with My love 1:06:38.644,1:06:45.413 and I will not let you go." 1:06:45.413,1:06:50.156 Father, I pray, help us 1:06:50.156,1:06:53.552 to feel this and to be moved by it. 1:06:53.552,1:06:56.778 I pray in the name of our [br]Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.