Okay, before we get started, I just want to emphasize a couple of things. First off, I really like the way Pastor John asks for volunteers. I just want to make that clear that don't ever feel like you're forced to do something. Trinity Bible Fellowship doesn't force anybody to do anything. I mean, you want to fellowship with us, you better love Jesus and obey Jesus. You know, because this is a thing called church discipline and we're not a social club. But when it comes to service, we want you to do what God calls you to do. I will never point to somebody and say, God's called you to be a preacher. God's called you to do that. That's your choice. When we ask for volunteers, if you feel led, we want you to pray about it and then you can volunteer, but don't feel like we're We're forcing anybody to do anything. That's definitely not our goal. The second thing I want to talk about is the, well, even before I get to that though, my mother-in-law, Chris, if you do get a chance, you know, Martha and Mary's over there in Poulsbo and pay her a visit. And what room is she in now? 2308. And so if you get a chance to visit. Yeah, and if she's in a really bad mood, there's a certain medication they don't always give her. She's in a really bad mood, it's okay to say hi and goodbye and go to the donut shop in Poulsbo instead. But it would be nice if she can get some visitors. She has dementia, so you've got to kind of be patient with her. The other thing is the debate tomorrow. I'm hoping a few of the guys, it looks like we got about four or five guys to be able to go. I think they're going to be well behaved, but they are neo-fascist. They don't, they consider themselves pretty close to neo-Nazis, so there might even be a few of them there. There are some white nationalists, and they're part of the alternative right movement, and rather than Rather than seeing the solution going back to the Constitution, they think that we need a fascist state, kind of like what Benito Mussolini set up in Italy. And so debates are a rare thing for them. Usually they try to get their point across, right now mostly over the internet, but fascists throughout history have done it through acts of violence and stuff. So don't go unless you feel led, but if you do go, just look after one another, just in case, yeah. The Oyster Bay something? No, no, no. It's the conference room, but it's the Oyster Bay room or something like that. Kitsap County Conference Center, it's by Anthony's, I believe, right? Yeah, I think what it is, I think they have one huge conference room, but they have separate doors with a different title. And if the guys debating aren't famous, and we're not, They're going to close the walls and we're going to be in one little one. So worst case scenario, you quietly open a lot of doors until you see my mug and then you know you're in the right place. But if you do go, just be prayed up. But I'm really hoping there's a lot of young Americans that are so disenchanted with what's going on, but they're actually going so far to the other extreme that the alternative right, I don't even consider them on the right. They're big government, they're actually far left themselves. Just because they're to the right of communism doesn't mean that that they're on the right. But whatever the case, we just pray that God is glorified. And if you do go, just look after one another, just in case. I don't anticipate any problems, but there are certain debates that I take that, you know, we've even had one on the gay marriage one, there were so many death threats that They gave us an armed Kitsap County Sheriff's Deputy for that one. I don't think we have any security for this one so we just need to take care of one another. But if you can make it tomorrow between 5, it will be about 5 to about 7-ish will be the debate and then I'm going to interview, Blake, the guy that I'm debating, on the alternative right as an informational thing. Who are they? What they're about? How can we minister to them if possible? At the same time, we need to know, you know, what the movement is all about if we're going to, you know, go into it with a certain amount of intelligence. So, okay, now today's 9-11, so just, Just remember to be safe and, you know, pray that God still helps the families of the victims and things of that sort. But just be aware if you're in public, just be aware it's just one of those days that specific dates, I mean Benghazi happened on 9-11. So just be aware of that. Now if you open up the Romans 11, we'll pick it up there. in verse 28, and as you're turning there, we'll go to the Lord in prayer. Father, in Jesus' precious name, I love you, Lord, we love you, Lord, and we want you to be glorified. We want you to be glorified in our prayers, in our praise and worship, and in the preaching of your word. And so I pray, Lord, that you would anoint me to proclaim your truth, that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit so that the words I say would be the words you want me to say. I pray that I would not misinterpret the scriptures and lead anyone astray, and if that is the case, Lord, I pray that you would give our people the courage to test it with the scriptures, and if the words I say today contradict the Word of God, then our people would reject what I say and hold fast to your Word. Let God be true and every man a liar. I pray, Lord, that you'd open hearts and minds, including my own, to receive your truth and that you would empower us by your Holy Spirit to apply these truths to our lives. We just love you, Lord. Help us to be closer to you. Help me to be a better shepherd of this flock and help the other elders and the leaders in this church. Just help us all, Lord, to be closer to you, to be more like Jesus. And we love you, Lord, and we long for the return of your son. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen. Okay, Romans chapter 11, and now keep in mind what Paul has done, he's explained the gospel message in the first eight chapters of Romans. That we're sinners, we cannot save ourselves, we're all condemned. because of our sinfulness, but God has provided, we cannot save ourselves by works, but God has provided a way of salvation for us. That if we trust in Jesus alone for salvation, then we'll be declared righteous by God. Even though we're not righteous, Jesus took our punishment for us on the cross of Calvary, And so God the Father, His justice is satisfied with the death of His Son. All mankind's sin has been paid for. So if we trust in Jesus alone for salvation, we're justified, declared righteous by God through faith in Christ. Then we enter into the process of sanctification. And sanctification doesn't mean a license to sin. We died to sin. How should we still live in it, says Paul. It's not a license to sin. It is also not, well okay, now I'm not saved by the law, but now I'm going to get sanctified and grow by the law. No, the law is going to smack you down. So, just as we're saved by God's grace alone, through faith alone, and Jesus alone, we will be sanctified, we will grow in Christ by God's grace alone, through faith alone, and Jesus alone. So Christianity is not a list of rules and regulations, it's a personal love, trust relationship with the Lord Jesus. At the same time, what I always tell my students, after you accept Christ, commit yourself to Jesus and his word for daily living. Because if you just try to commit yourself to Jesus, and you take his word out of the picture, how do you know that that voice in your head is Jesus? You've got to test it with the Word. But if you say, I'm just going to commit to God's Word and leave Jesus out of the equation, then you're going to turn Christianity into technicalities. The Lord, you're going to follow the Lord Jesus. Christianity is a personal love, trust relationship with the Lord Jesus, but Jesus will never lead you. Contrary to his word, okay, and and so that's sanctification then Romans 8 glorification The day will come and will be totally sanctified where the total presence of sin will be removed from our total being and our total being includes even this body and So we believe in the resurrection the resurrection of the saints when the Lord Jesus returns. So our bodies, our mortal bodies are going to be transformed and have immortality. And that's glorification when God finishes the work that He starts in all believers. Well now Paul understands, okay, there's a big question for my readers. Because my readers are thinking, wait a minute, you're giving us all these Old Testament scriptures and you're telling us that this is the one true gospel, the good news of salvation, yet most of the Jews are rejecting it and a lot of Gentiles are signing up and becoming Christians. How can that be? And so Paul has to explain what's going on with the Jews. Romans 9, God elected them as his chosen nation in the past, but Romans 10, right now they've rejected their Messiah. So the gospel has gone to the Gentiles and I praise God for that. But the gospel went to the pagan Gentiles who weren't even looking for God. But because the Jews were trying to save themselves by their works, and they rejected Jesus, the chief cornerstone, the gospel went to the Gentiles. But then in Romans 11, Paul just got done saying that that doesn't mean that God is through with Israel. The day is going to come when all Israel will be saved. and so we looked at those verses last week when uh... when uh... the final domino to fall that will usher in the second coming of jesus to the planet earth uh... will be when all israel acknowledges jesus as as their messiah and savior and then the lord jesus will return and in power and glory with his angels and he will win the battle of armageddon and uh... So God is not through with Israel. Now Paul picks up on that topic in verses 28 and 29. And look at what Paul says in verses 28 and 29 about Israel's present standing. He's telling us, remember he told us, don't be arrogant you Gentiles. Because of arrogance and pride, the Jews rejected their Messiah who died a very shameful death. It was a scandal to them. It was a stumbling block to them. Because of arrogance, they rejected Christ. Don't think, okay, well now we're Gentiles and most of the church is Gentile, so we're better than the Jews. We can look down on them. You get arrogant, you get prideful, we could be broken off. the Tree of Favor, just as they were broken off the Tree of Favor. Now, keep in mind, when they were in the Tree of Favor, they were not grafted in. They belonged there, because Abraham and the Jewish patriarchs were the roots. We're not a cultivated olive tree like Israel. We're wild pagan Gentiles. So we're wild branches that were grafted in. So Paul's telling us, don't get all high and mighty and think you're better than the Jews, because just as they were broken off from the tree they belong to, you can be broken off from a tree you didn't originally belong to. But it is rather ironic that so many Gentiles now embrace the Jewish Messiah as their savior. yet such a high percentage of Jews reject. Jesus as their Savior. Remember Paul said it's a partial hardening, so there's always going to be a remnant of true believing Jews throughout the centuries, and that it's only until, so it's temporary, only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. So when the last Gentile that gets saved in this age, this present age, gets saved, then the hardening, the blindness will be removed from the Jews, their hardened hearts will be chipped away at, and they will embrace Jesus. So now, Israel's present state, verses 28 and 29, concerning the gospel, the goodness of salvation through Jesus, they, the Jews, are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Okay, what does this mean? Well, he's saying, look, concerning the gospel, the Jews at this point were the enemies of the church. At this early point, do you realize at this early point, Rome was just barely getting involved with persecution of Christians. At this early point, Paul was much more likely to get beat up in a Jewish synagogue than he was by the Romans. So, at that particular point, they were enemies of the Gospel, meaning not only they were opposed to the Gospel, but they would even persecute Christians. Now, at this present stage in the history of the Church, though there Jews who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, they're still enemies of the gospel, but there's no real violence involved. I know of no Jews persecuting Christians around the globe. We're kind of in the, or at least we were, in the quote-unquote position of power, and we weren't always honoring to the Lord there. I think a lot of people profess to be Christians who are not really believers. I mean, how can you be anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish, and be a Christian when Jesus is Jewish. But whatever the case, as far as the gospel comes, they're not our enemies. But concerning the election, what election? God elected Israel, chose Israel to be his chosen nation. Concerning the election, they are beloved for their sake, no, not for their sake, for the sake of the Jewish fathers. I think a good balance here was Corrie Ten Boom's dad. When the Jews had to wear some kind of a Star of David or something to identify them as Jews in Holland because the Nazis had taken over, Corrie Ten Boom's dad, who wasn't even Jewish, wore one. and said, I'm going to suffer with the Jews. And they said, why would you even try to act like you're one of us? You're a Christian. You're a Gentile. And he talked about how much God loves the nation of Israel. We have to be the same way. And he said, when he says the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable, you know what that means? I can sum that up in one sentence. Israel will always be God's chosen nation. God's call, God's election, God's giving the Jews, blessing Israel to be His chosen nation. He's not going to take that back. And there are lots of Christian churches that claim that the church has replaced Israel and there's no future for Israel. I don't see that at all in Romans 9, 10, and 11. And I don't see that at all in the end time prophecies. There is a future for Israel. And so, I'll be honest with you. We ought to love the Jews and pray for them. and know that they're God's chosen people. If they're God's chosen people, why in the world would we forsake them? And by the way, in the Old Testament, God tells Abraham that I will bless those who bless you and curse the one who curses you. But I think when Israel is wrong, I think the church ought to encourage them to do the right thing. I think, you know, in other words, we've got to be like a good brother. So if you want to bless your brother, you don't, let's say if your brother's smoking dope, you don't encourage your brother to smoke more dope, but you encourage them to do the right thing. and you do it in a loving manner. And so I'm not even saying, I don't think America's always right. I don't think Israel's always right. But I think we've got to always be their friend and always encourage them to do the right thing. And when I read my newspaper today, it seems like they're doing an awful lot of things the right way. And they're surrounded by about a billion of their enemies who would like to wipe them off the face of the earth. And I'm telling you, this president administration and the United Nations seems to me like they would like to solve the Arab-Israeli problem by just wiping the Jews out. Henry Kissinger went on record saying a few years ago that 10 years from now, Israel will no longer be a sovereign state. Now the reason why Henry Kissinger says that, Henry Kissinger thinks that globalists like himself control the world's future. He's wrong. The God of Israel controls the world's future. And the Old Testament says when the Jews are going to be gathered in the land a second time, they'll never again be uprooted. And which means that when Jesus returns, the Jews are still going to be in the land. So we've got to understand, okay, though they might oppose the gospel at this point, most Jews, not all, the fact of the matter is they are our beloved. for the sake of the Jewish fathers, the patriarchs, because they are still, they will always be God's chosen nation. Now look at verses 30 to 32. Paul talks about God's mercy and man's disobedience. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, see the gospel came to us because they rejected it, even so these also have now been disobedient that through the mercy shown, shown you, they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience that he might have mercy on all." What in the world is he talking about? But basically what he's saying here is, look, We Gentiles, we were disobedient. In fact, the whole world was disobedient. Everybody's worshiping false gods. And so God said, look, I want to bless mankind. I want to save mankind. But I can't even get their attention unless I enter into the battle of the gods. Because each nation has their own false god or gods. And people, the ancient pagans, Most of us, our ancestors tied in the concept of God with land. So if Bremerton lost to Silverdale in battle, The Bremertonians would either say, okay, we need to stop worshiping our God, our God stinks, and now we need to worship not the God of Bremerton, but the God of Silverdale. Or they would say, we haven't been faithful to the God of Bremerton, because we know the God of Bremerton is more powerful than the God of Silverdale. When you've got this type of stuff going on, God said, look, I'm going to have to identify myself with a people and a land and show them that the God of Israel, not the God of the Philistines, Not the God of the Egyptians or the gods of the Egyptians, but the God of Israel is the God who created the heavens and the earth. You want to see what kind of impact that has on ancient pagans? Just read the book of Jonah. They're having a horrible storm and they say, OK, somebody ticked off his God. And they draw straws and it comes out. Jonah did it. And they said, well, you ticked off your God. Who's your God? And he said, my God is the God who created everything. He's the God who created the land and the sea. And then they were terrified because all of a sudden it dawned on them, oh, it's not one of the little wimp gods that we worship. He, he ticked off the real God. the God above gods, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. And so God shows through Israel. When Israel obeyed Him, God prospered them, made them the greatest nation on earth. And they won their battles and weren't in debt. When they disobeyed God, they got in debt, lost their battles, and were trampled on by the nations. But once Israel and God, so God blessed Israel to be a blessing to all nations, But once Israel rejected their Messiah, because of their disobedience, the Gospel went to the disobedient Gentiles, who at times were perfectly content worshipping our false gods. We weren't even looking for the true God. And then the Gospel message came to us, and so God saved us how? He saved us by mercy. Mercy and grace are not synonyms, but they take you to the same point. They're two different sides of the same coin. But being on different sides of the same coin, they're not exactly the same thing. Grace is when God gives you something good you don't deserve. It's charity. Okay? It's like you're poor and you go to the king and the king gives you a hundred acres and you didn't earn it. That's grace. Mercy is when you go to the king and you're supposed to be imprisoned and the king says, I'm going to have mercy on you, I'm going to spare the judgment on you that you deserve. Okay? And so Paul is saying here that here we were disobedient and God had mercy on us because the Jews, the God of Israel, brought the gospel message to the Gentiles, the disobedient Gentiles, and now the Jews have become disobedient. And so now through mercy, God can offer his mercy to all mankind, because both Jew and Gentile, guess what? We're all under the classification of disobedient. Okay? And so we need to rejoice in the mercy of God. Everyone is disobedient, everyone is in desperate need of God's mercy. God is willing to bestow His mercy on all mankind, both Jew and Gentile. And so then, after finishing this, I would think that if this were teaching, if Romans 9 was teaching, because Romans 9, 10 and 11 is a unit, if that's teaching that humans don't have free will, and God just does everything by His power, then I would think that starting at verse 33, Paul would just be bragging about God's power. But he doesn't. Instead, he brags on God's wisdom and knowledge. Okay? So it's not just cut and dry. It's not just all free will, and it's not just all divine sovereignty. Okay? Now, God is sovereign, But in his sovereignty he has chosen to give us free will and he has chosen not to force us into his kingdom. And so he brags on God's wisdom and knowledge. So verses 33 to 35, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out! for who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has become his counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him." So see what he's saying. He says, look, God doesn't owe you a dime. The only thing God owes mankind, if we want what we deserve, the only thing God owes mankind is eternal conscious torment. If you want, we would say, God, just give me what I deserve. Give me what I'm entitled to. It's called hell. the lake of fire, okay? So there's no way that God needs to repay anybody. You know, God, you owe me. God doesn't owe you anything except punishment and praise God that he chose through his grace to provide salvation for us. And then who has known the mind of the Lord and become his counselor? God doesn't need your advice. God doesn't need your advice. You know, sometimes when we witness, we make it sound like, you know, you're such a smart guy, or you're such a smart gal, or you're so famous and that, and God could really use you in His kingdom, and, you know, and we act like God needs you. Let me say, God doesn't need anything, or anybody. God is all sufficient. He chooses to save us. He chooses to use us. God doesn't need your wisdom. God's not going to, you know, if Jesus came back right now, He's not going to sit down and say, hey, Tim, I need some advice. Could you help me on this? It's like, no. And Tim's a brilliant guy. He's a mathematician, an engineer. Jesus doesn't need our advice. And God doesn't owe us anything. The Word says that how unsearchable are His judgments and his ways past finding out. Look at Isaiah 55, 8, and 9, how Isaiah sums that up. The Old Testament book, prophetic book of Isaiah, Isaiah the Jewish prophet, Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, and Isaiah says this, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." See, what Paul is saying is what I just explained to you in Romans 9, 10, and 11 is not easy to understand. It's not just black and white, boom. God just regenerates you against your will. It's not just black and white. Man just chooses to believe and by his free will puts himself into heaven. It's not that black and white. It's complex. It's the wisdom of God here and how he has used Israel and blessed them and made them his chosen nation Yet, at this particular time, most Jews are not trusting in Jesus for salvation. And what about we pagan Gentiles? We weren't even looking for God and we found Him. And when Paul just sums it up and says, look, God's wiser than you. You can't figure it out? Paul's a pretty wise man, but Paul couldn't figure it out either. Paul's saying, look, I'm just telling you. Our God is infinitely wise, infinitely knowledgeable. His ways are as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth. His thoughts are as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth. And so He praises God for God's wisdom and knowledge. And then Paul ends this section in verse 36. At this particular point, Paul's teaching and writing is transforming into an act of worship. In other words, it sounds like here's one of Paul's complicated theological epistles, one of his complicated theological letters, and all of a sudden he's transitioning into something like the book of Psalms, a worship book. For those who want to be preachers someday, let me say this. I believe in a lot of intellectual, hard study, diligently studying God's Word, 2 Timothy 2.15, preparing your sermons, the Holy Spirit can work with you and through you and enlighten you as much during your sermon preparation as during your sermon. Okay? So I got it. I'm all there. God doesn't want people who are not grounded in His Word getting behind a pulpit. Okay? He wants the pastor to preach the meat of the word to his people. I get that. I'm on board with that 100%. Okay? At the same time, wherever God's word is preached, God is present. Wherever God's word is preached, God is present. And when God is present, there better be worship. So every once in a while when I'm preaching, you might sense a little transition from, oh, Pastor Phil is teaching us right now, oh, wait a minute, Pastor Phil is worshipping God. Okay? Well, I might start spouting somehow and you might say, oh, he says this almost every Sunday. It's driving me nuts that, hey, I'm sorry, but I'm just worshipping God. Okay? Tim Tebow, when he would play football, After he'd score, he'd offend so many people. Never sat there on the national anthem, but he would offend so many people because he'd get on his knees and thank God after every touchdown. And they'd get so upset because when they'd interview him, he would drop J-bombs and use the forbidden word, Jesus. Can you imagine that? NFL can't stand for that. He's mentioning Jesus' name. You see, what you have to understand is When Tim Tebow is playing football, he considers that an act of worship to his God. He believes God equipped him to play football for God's glory. So you can't just interrupt somebody in the midst of worship and expect them to just stop worshiping like that. And so when Tim Tebow plays football, he worships God. When preachers of God's Word preach, they should be worshiping God. And so Paul does that here and then he just closes this in verse 36. He says, for of him, some translations read, for from him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen. What is he saying? He's saying everything that exists except for God came from God. God is the source of all things. When's the last time you thanked God for creating you? When's the last time you thanked God for the bread that you eat that He created? When's the last time you thanked God for your spouse or your loved ones or your friends that God created? Every good thing comes from Him. And then everything exists through Him. What this is telling us is that God is the sustainer of all things. It's not just Genesis 1.1, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. But it's in Him all things hold together. Hebrews chapter 1. Also Colossians 1.17. Look at Paul's letter to the Colossians chapter 1 and verse 17. After saying that all things were created through Him and for Him, in fact, we'll take verses 16 and 17. For by Him all things were created. By the way, this is talking about Jesus. Jesus as God the Son is as much the Creator as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. He even created the angels. Jesus isn't going back down from Satan. He created Satan. So whenever I confront Satan worshippers, it's the first thing I tell them. My master created your master. So when we get together, I will do the talking, you will listen. Do you understand me? By the way, there are intellectual debates, intellectual argumentation, and there are also power encounters. You need to understand, defending the faith is going to include both. And we're moving in from a so-called intellectual or academic age into a power encounter age, okay? By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. That's the whole angelic realm. All things were created through Him and for Him. You realize you were created for Jesus? Okay? And then it says, and he is before all things, he is preeminent, and in him all things consist. All things, Paul put it this way when he quoted from the Greek poets, in him we live and move and have our being. Okay? We say, well, thank you, Lord, you created me. Thank you for my first breath, or thank you for my conception in the womb of my mom. Thank you. We act like God created us and then just left us alone at conception? No. When was the last time you thanked God for the last breath that you had? You know why you continue in existence? The ultimate reason why you continue in existence from one second to the next is that God wills. chooses to sustain you in existence from one second to the next. If you're feeling small right now, that's the way you're supposed to feel. Whenever we glance at God, all of a sudden our smallness, when you look at the infinite God, our smallness becomes real obvious. When we look at the righteousness of God, our sinfulness becomes obvious. That's why when Jesus performed a miracle, Peter said, get away from me, Lord, for I'm a sinful man. For of him, or from him, and through him, and then unto him are all things to whom be glory forever. So, from him God is the source of all things. He is the creator. Through him God is the sustainer of all things. He sustains us, conserves us in existence, and then all things are to Him. God is the goal of all things. In other words, all things were created for Him. You know, I like my stuff, and I want to do this for me, and I want to blah, blah, blah. Let me tell you, even when you rest, And when you eat nourishing food, it should be because that rest and that nourishing food is going to enable your body to do the things that God is empowering you to do. It's for His service. When you get a good night's sleep, it ought to be so I can serve Jesus better tomorrow. Okay? You've got to be all that God's called you to be. And it's going to look a lot different for John than it's going to look for me. In the end, it's going to be obeying God's general will for all believers, but then God's going to have a specific will. But you were made for Him. Okay? You were made for Him. I was made for him. God didn't create Phil Fernandes so Phil Fernandes could serve himself. God created Phil Fernandes so that Phil Fernandes could come to Jesus and then live. for the triune God of the Bible, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You were made for Him. I was made for Him. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about Him. Paul's even saying here, in the end, it's not even about, it's not really all about the Israelites. The Israelites are only important as they reflect the glory of our God. The Gentiles are only important as we reflect the glory of our God. In the end, it's not all about Israel. It's not all about the Gentiles. It's not all about you. It's not all about me. It's not all about America. It's all about the triune God who created the heavens and the earth. It's all about Him. And look at 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15, the very next book, Paul's talking about the future resurrection and the second coming of Christ, and he talks about Jesus at verse 20 of 1 Corinthians 15, being the, he's risen from the dead, the firstfruits of those who fall asleep, he's the first one to rise from the dead to never die again, received his immortal glorified body. and then he goes on and then he talks about Christ at his coming when he's going to raise others at his coming and then verse 24, then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. And so we believe in the power of the resurrection. For he has put all things under his feet. But when He says all things are put under Him, it is evident that He who put all things under Him is accepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. What that's saying is that the goal of everything is all was created for God. See, when we say, well, you know, Fernandez, you do everything for yourself. Well, that's sin. If that's true, that's sin. Because it's not all about me. But if we say, well, God, you created everything for yourself and for your glory. Yeah, that's right. That's good theology. But guess what? It's not wrong. You know why? Because God is God and Phil Fernandez is not God. Okay? So when man, when finite, fallible man acts like he's God, you say, what an arrogant jerk, and boy, this guy, what does he think he is, God? Let me tell you something, when Jesus of Nazareth thinks he's God, it's because he is. He's the lamb who was slain, but he's also the lion of the tribe of Judah. The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords is the Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth. And so everything that exists apart from God came from God. He is the Creator. The reason why we continue to exist is because He sustains us in existence. And the reason why He created everything was to bring Him glory. Okay? And this is not like New Age pantheism that the goal is to become part of the world soul or this or that. No, we exist as separate beings from God, but we have total dependence upon God for our origin, our start, but for sustaining us in existence as well, and therefore we should give God all the glory. So God is not through with Israel. There is now a faithful remnant. Someday all Israel will be saved. And so we should pray for Israel's deliverance. I see the fact that the true believing church in Israel coming closer and closer together and feeling like, wow, it's the whole world against both of us. I think that's just a sign that we're getting closer to the return of Christ. Okay. But now Paul's going to say, after talking about Israel, he's going to say, okay, Now, because of the true gospel message, because of what I said about Israel, how should we then live? And so I just want to introduce this topic in the closing minutes today in Romans 12, 1 and 2. I beseech you therefore brethren, That word, therefore, theologians always say, when you see the word, therefore, you've got to ask, why is it there? You know, what is it there for? And it's there because of what we just said earlier. So because Paul spells out his gospel message, because of it, Paul says, I beseech you, I beg you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God. So he's saying, look, because God is merciful, Because God has saved you by His mercy, I beg you that you do what? That you present. Oh, the Bible is all about presenting an offering to God. In the Old Testament, the Jews would constantly present offerings. God would say, this is the way you have to present this kind of offering. This is the way you present that kind of offering. This is the way you've got to present that kind of offering. That was the Old Covenant. Now under the New Covenant, guess what? You're supposed to be presenting an offering as well. But it's not dead animals that we present. He says that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. So instead of a dead animal sacrifice, you present your body as a living sacrifice to the Lord. Holy, set apart for God, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. You see, what Paul's talking about here is consecration. Okay? Consecration. Dedicating something totally to God. What kind of offering? We don't go to the temple now. There is no temple in Jerusalem at this point, but believe me, it's ready to be built. There's no temple right now, but we don't go to the temple and offer animal sacrifices. The kind of offering we're supposed to offer our bodies to the Lord. Say, Lord, you take my body. and you do with it what you want. I am going to be a living sacrifice. God's not asking us to kill ourselves. The fact of the matter is, if you trusted in Jesus, you're already dead. The old you died. Now you're a new creation in Christ. Now you need to start living that way. You need to consecrate your life to the Lord, present your body as a living sacrifice, saying, Lord, when was the last time you told God, Lord, use my hands? to feed the hungry. Use my feet to travel to preach your word. Use the strength that you gave me to glorify you because that's why you gave me my strength. So we need to present our bodies a living sacrifice to the Lord. Set it apart for the Lord and that is your reasonable service. So Paul's saying, the reasonable spiritual service that you ought to be performing. See, we're a kingdom of priests now. And as priests, we do two things. Priests offer sacrifices, okay? Priests offer sacrifices and priests intercede for the people. And those are the two things we should be doing. We should be praying for others. A priest represents the people before God. And whereas a prophet represents God to the people and proclaims God's word, a priest represents the people before God and brings offerings to God for them and prays for them. Well, we're to pray for other people? We're a kingdom of priests. It's a spiritual priesthood. You're to pray for other people and you're to offer a sacrifice. What sacrifice? Yourself. Your body. Your strength. Are you living for Jesus, or are you living for yourself? If you're not living for Jesus, if you're living for yourself, you're not offering your body a living sacrifice to the Lord. So that's consecration. Are you living a consecrated life? Are you living for Jesus, or are you living for yourself? Okay? Sometimes God's Word says, turn the other cheek, and you're thinking, no, I need to pop this guy. Okay? Are you living for yourself or are you living for Jesus? Are you living a consecrated life? And then number two, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Paul here talks about the two key things that he's talking about when we apply God's truth to our lives is consecration and transformation. Have you consecrated your life to the Lord and are you going to say, look, I don't want to be outwardly conformed to the pattern of this world. I don't want to look like the world or act like the world. I don't want to love what the world loves. I don't want to hate what the world hates. I want to be, instead of being outwardly conformed to the world, I want to be inwardly transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit by the renewing of my mind. So, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed, be inwardly renewed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You see, this is the inner work of the Holy Spirit to transform us. Our minds need to be renewed. When you become a believer, you still bring with you all those false conclusions from the old world view. from the old dead you, who you were before you found Jesus. Now your mind needs to be renewed. You need to replace those false ideas with God's thoughts and God's ideas. And you get that from His Word. When you study God's Word and you believe God's Word and submit to God's Word, you start to think God's thoughts after Him. And the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God and renews your mind. And then, that will enable us, if we allow the Holy Spirit to inwardly transform us and renew our minds, that will enable us to prove what God's will is. Now, by the way, I don't think this is talking, some commentators disagree with me, I don't think this is talking about God's general will for all believers. We don't need that to be proven, it's plastered all over the Scriptures. Okay? So the general will for all believers, I don't think that's what's going to be proven here. As your mind gets renewed and you get inwardly transformed, the will that you'll be able to prove that is good and acceptable and perfect will of God, I think that's the specific will for your life as a believer. Okay? Let me just look at one passage, Psalm 37. I'll talk about this more next week. I don't want to rush through it, but Psalm 37, Psalm of King David Psalm 37 and verses 4 to 6 and David says this, delight yourself also in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart Now, a lot of people will twist this. People who want to live for themselves, and don't want to consecrate their lives to the Lord, and don't want to offer their bodies living sacrifice to the Lord, they'll say, oh great, if I delight myself in the Lord, He's going to give me whatever my little sinful heart desires. I'm going to claim a Corvette in Jesus' name. Okay? That's not what he's saying here. I'll explain it in just a minute. But, delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall what? He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Okay? See, what he's saying is, look, if you delight in the Lord, what does it mean to delight in the Lord? If you're going to delight in the Lord, that means you have to make the Lord your greatest joy. Now I'm not going to ask for a show of hands today because I don't even know if my hand will go up. I got a lot of stuff on my plate right now. I got a lot of stresses. I got a lot of worries. Okay. I'm a little hungry right now. I'm thinking about food. Okay. I'm not even sure my hand will go up. But just think about are you really, can you say that right now in this minute the Lord is your greatest joy? Because if the answer is no, then you're not delighting in the Lord. But you make the Lord your greatest joy, then God will give you the desires of your heart. But guess what? If you make the Lord your greatest joy, a Corvette is not your greatest joy. A million dollars is not your greatest joy. You make the Lord your greatest joy, The desires of your heart that God will give you, you're going to begin to desire. God will change your desires. You'll begin to desire what He desires for you. Why? Because your mind has been renewed and you're being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Okay? So, you know, it's the same with trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean on your own understanding and all your ways. Acknowledge Him. And what will He do? And He will make your paths straight. You totally depend on the Lord and His Word. You allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind. You allow the Holy Spirit to transform you and it will become natural. You'll be filled with His Spirit and it will become natural to walk in the supernatural. By the way, we see a straight line on the floor. And we think, oh, that's the way I'm supposed to walk with Jesus. Well, most of us go a little bit out of that, a little bit out of that, okay? But if you could just, every time you step a little bit out of His will, maybe not even by doing bad stuff, but just not doing what He's calling you to do, as long as we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and we let Him bring us back, okay, from a helicopter, from a thousand feet up, that line's going to look pretty straight. And so it's not sinless perfection. But it just becomes natural for us to walk in the supernatural and listen to God's voice. When you hear a voice in your head, you're not going to recognize it as God's voice if you're not listening to God's voice in His Word. God will never lead you contrary to His Word. And so we'll talk about that more next week. But because God has provided salvation for us through Jesus, because of the mercy of God, We need to consecrate our lives, dedicate our lives to the Lord. We need to say, Lord, because you saved me, I will live for you. You know, 2 Corinthians 5.15, and he, Jesus, and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on their behalf. Are you living a consecrated life? Are you living for Jesus? Or are you still living for yourself? And then consecration and transformation. Are you allowing, when you get saved, changes need to be made. Okay. I heard about a guy wanted to buy a church, church building, and I thought, wow, that would be great, but he wants to demolish it. and then build a whole other building for God's glory, that's total transformation. When you get saved, you need to be transformed by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. You need your mind to be renewed, and that's through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the reading of God's Word, and prayer, so that God will transform you, renew your mind, and enable you to make your body a living sacrifice and live a life consecrated for Jesus. It would bring me no greater joy than to see our people living for Jesus and not themselves. Now we're going to celebrate the Lord's Supper.