00:12 Paul's Message: Take Your Own Sin Seriously

02:41 Understanding God's Wrath

05:09 Knowledge vs. Righteousness

07:55 Common Lies About Sin and Salvation

13:16 God's Patience and Urgency of Repentance

17:29 The Danger of Presuming on God's Patience

23:21 The Condition of the Heart

30:05 The Need for a New Heart

35:21 Concluding Prayer and Reflection

most people would say, I'm a good person, right?

2

Or, those people are worse than me.

3

And maybe especially with what

we talked about last week, right?

4

Maybe you're thinking, well, I know

that maybe I'm, I know I'm a sinner, but

5

I'm not as bad as those people, right?

6

Well, here in Romans two,

Paul is gonna turn the tables.

7

He's gonna say, well, maybe you

think those people over there deserve

8

God's wrath, but what about you?

9

So our main point tonight is to take

your own sin as seriously as God does.

10

Take your own sin, as

seriously as God does.

11

When we look at other people and see

their sin, what we're gonna find out

12

tonight is that actually makes us just

as guilty when we look at other people

13

and see all their sin and say, oh, well,

I can't believe they're doing that,

14

or I can't believe they're doing that.

15

It actually points the finger back at

us because we expose our own sin because

16

we are guilty of the exact same thing.

17

So look up in your Bibles at

Romans chapter two, verse one.

18

Therefore, when you see it, therefore

in the Bible, what do you ask?

19

What's the therefore, therefore, right.

20

Well, the thing that Paul just said

in verse 32 of chapter one says these

21

people, they know what God says, but.

22

They don't just approve the people who

sin or they don't just know what God says.

23

They approve the people who sin.

24

They celebrate people's sin.

25

Right?

26

It is like these are like the

worst kind of people, right?

27

They're not just sinning.

28

They're proud of it.

29

They're not just sinning.

30

They're telling other people,

Hey, you should go keep sinning.

31

That's great.

32

They have parades about how they

should be proud of their sin.

33

He's saying these people, maybe Paul,

maybe you're thinking as you read this.

34

Oh yeah, I'm not, I'm glad

I'm not like those people.

35

Then what does Paul do?

36

Therefore, because of that, right?

37

Or based on that, you have no excuse.

38

Oh man, he's like talking to

an imaginary person, right?

39

You have no excuse.

40

Every one of you who judges for

in passing judgment on another.

41

You condemn yourself because you, the

judge, practice the very same things.

42

Verse two, we know that the judgment

of God rightly falls on those

43

who practice such things, right?

44

So everyone knows that the, that sinners,

these who do these things and, and

45

live this way deserve God's judgment.

46

But then he says by saying that you're

actually condemning yourself because you.

47

Do the same things as the people

that you say deserve God's wrath.

48

Verse three, do you suppose?

49

Oh man, you who judge those who practice

such things yet do them yourself, that

50

you will escape the judgment of God.

51

So what Paul's doing here in this letter,

right, he's, he's establishing something.

52

We talked about his thesis, right?

53

Was that, that the gospel

shows us God's righteousness.

54

And the first thing about that

is that God's wrath is righteous.

55

These next few chapters, chapter

one, chapter two, chapter three,

56

are all about God's wrath and why

God is righteous, why it's the right

57

thing for God to show his wrath.

58

And what Paul is saying is

God's wrath isn't just right

59

for those people over there.

60

It's also right when it's directed at you.

61

You deserve God's wrath too.

62

Not just those people over there, not just

those really bad sinners, not just people

63

who say bad words at school, but you.

64

You deserve God's wrath too,

because you, by noticing that those

65

people are sinners, you're noticing

the things about yourself too.

66

You are put, you are actually

putting yourself in the

67

same bucket as those people.

68

But Paul's audience, they might not be

thinking they're under God's wrath, right?

69

They're saying, well, those gentiles

who do those bad things, right?

70

But we're Jews.

71

We know about God.

72

We're God's chosen people.

73

We have God's promises.

74

Heard all these things from

God, and maybe you are thinking,

75

well, I grew up in the church.

76

I know all these things about God.

77

I have, you know, liked church.

78

I, I like God, I, I I do

all these things for God.

79

I serve in his ministry.

80

Maybe that's what you're thinking.

81

I, I grew up, my family's a Christian.

82

We, we do the Christian things.

83

What Paul would say to you is that

it's not just those people out

84

there that deserve God's wrath,

it's the people in here too.

85

Everyone deserves God's wrath

just because you know more about

86

God and more about his word, more

about what he says is wrong, right?

87

Verse one was talking about you

can, you can tell when people sin,

88

you know, oh, that's wrong, that's

wrong, that's wrong, that's wrong.

89

Oh, yeah.

90

They shouldn't be doing that.

91

They shouldn't talk like that.

92

That person, you know, with really

the, you know, sin is idolatry

93

and, and it's really clear.

94

They worship themselves.

95

Maybe you can say all those things.

96

You, you notice all these

things about people at school.

97

In your family, you notice all the

sin in your siblings and you're

98

like, yeah, I, I'm really good

at noticing other people's sin.

99

I'm really good at knowing what God says.

100

I know a lot about the Bible.

101

What Paul is saying is just because

you know a lot doesn't mean that

102

you can escape God's wrath just

because you know the right thing.

103

Just 'cause you know right from wrong.

104

Just 'cause you notice other people's sin.

105

Doesn't exempt you, doesn't

set you apart from God's wrath.

106

In fact, it actually

makes you more guilty.

107

So our first point tonight is don't assume

that knowledge equals righteousness.

108

Don't assume that knowing more

makes you righteous, makes you holy.

109

Don't assume that knowing more

means that you don't deserve God's

110

wrath as much as those people who

don't know, who don't go to church.

111

Don't serve in kids' ministry who don't

know right from wrong the way you do.

112

Don't assume that it's, it's really easy

to assume that it, it's really easy to

113

assume that because you're associated

with church, because you, your parents

114

are Christians because your dad's a

pastor because your parents serve that.

115

Oh, I, I must, I must be okay.

116

I'm not as bad as those people.

117

I know God hates all sin, but

he must hate their sin more.

118

And that's simply not true.

119

Don't assume that knowledge

equals righteousness.

120

And, and I think it's, it's funny 'cause

we do this a lot with, with knowledge

121

and, and a lot of other things, right?

122

For example, I, I know a lot about sports.

123

I know a lot about, I, I could tell

you about the strengths of Cover two or

124

Cover four and why you should run, you

know, why Peyton Manning hates Cover four

125

and how it doesn't work and whatever.

126

I could tell you all that stuff.

127

I could tell you about random baseball

128

and Matt were actually doing this quiz

the other day on Sparkle, which was

129

naming like random baseball players

130

We did great.

131

I, I know a lot about sports.

132

It doesn't mean I'm an athlete, right?

133

Know a lot about sports doesn't mean I

can swing a bat or throw a touchdown just

134

because I know a lot about something.

135

Actually, it actually makes me feel

worse when I do play the sports, right?

136

Because I know how it's supposed to

be and I'm like, yeah, it's not me.

137

I'm not doing that right.

138

I can't, I can't do that.

139

Knowledge actually makes

you more accountable.

140

It doesn't make you.

141

More righteous, knowing what's

wrong actually heightens

142

what you should be doing.

143

So just because you know more, just

because you, you've heard all the right

144

things and can regurgitate the right

answers in small groups and impress

145

your, your leaders and trick your parents

into thinking you're a Christian, it

146

doesn't make you any more righteous.

147

It actually actually puts more

responsibility on your plate.

148

Just because you know a lot

doesn't mean you are righteous.

149

There's a few.

150

What I'm gonna be doing with

a lot of these points is, so

151

every point is an assumption.

152

Don't assume something, and I'm gonna

give you some common lies that I think

153

would be really easy for you to fall for.

154

Okay?

155

So our first lie, seeing other

people sin means I'm holy.

156

Seeing other people's sin means I'm holy.

157

That's our first lie.

158

That you are probably really tempted to

buy is, oh, well, I notice all the things

159

that my friends are doing wrong, right?

160

I, I notice when they're just drawing

on their worksheet and not taking notes.

161

I notice when they're goofing off in

small groups, I notice when they're

162

disobeying their parents or they're

gossiping at school or they're living a

163

double life, I notice all those things.

164

That means that I'm holy,

165

not true.

166

That's a lie.

167

Just because you notice other people's

sin does not mean you are righteous.

168

Does not mean that you're a

good Christian, does not mean

169

that you are right with God.

170

The Pharisees, right?

171

They were really good at calling out

other people's sin and then they did

172

not get along with Jesus very well.

173

So seeing other people's sin

does not mean you are holy.

174

Actually, it makes your sin worse

because you should know better.

175

If you're so good at calling

out other people's sin, why

176

don't you call out your own?

177

That's what Paul is saying.

178

Are you, is your knowledge

really helping anyone?

179

No.

180

Right.

181

You're just being prideful

and looking down on people.

182

You're not loving others.

183

You're, you're pridefully

comparing yourself.

184

You're saying, well, I'm

better than this person.

185

Right?

186

You, you, you know, all these things

that people should be doing, and all your

187

knowledge does is puff you up and make

you prideful and put other people down.

188

It's not loving anyone,

it's not helping anyone.

189

It's not good for anyone.

190

All it's really doing is making you more

accountable to God because you're seeing

191

all these bad things other people do,

but maybe your heart is really prideful,

192

just like the people you're calling out.

193

Another lie that you might be tempted

to buy is that knowing a lot about

194

the Bible makes me a Christian.

195

Knowing a lot about the

Bible, makes me a Christian.

196

That's not true.

197

James two talks about this.

198

He says, you know that God is one great.

199

Even the demons know that,

you know, God exists.

200

You know, all the best arguments

for, for why God exists.

201

You, you know how to explain

the Trinity to someone.

202

You can, you can ace the, the gospel test

and do the umbrella and all that stuff.

203

Great.

204

That doesn't save you, that

doesn't make you a Christian.

205

Knowing a lot of information is helpful,

but it doesn't do anything for you.

206

Unless you trust Jesus, unless you

love Jesus, unless you love people.

207

So it's easy to buy the lie and to

assume, oh, I know a lot about the Bible.

208

That means I'm a Christian.

209

I grew up in church.

210

I memorized verses.

211

I am familiar with all these passages.

212

That means I'm a Christian.

213

That's not true.

214

Knowledge doesn't make you a Christian.

215

What's the result of your knowledge?

216

That's what I would ask you is the

result of your knowledge worship.

217

Love for God, right?

218

Is what you learn about God,

what you learn from his word?

219

Does that make you worship God?

220

Or does that make you look down

on people because you're like,

221

oh, I know more than them.

222

I'm, I must be holier than that,

that person, they don't know how

223

to pronounce Habakkuk, but I do.

224

I must be a great Christian.

225

God doesn't really care whether

you can pronounce Habakkuk.

226

God cares that you understand the message

of Habakkuk and love him because of it.

227

And trust him because of it.

228

Similar.

229

The third lie would be knowing

that the gospel, knowing what the

230

gospel is, means that I'm saved.

231

Right?

232

Knowing the gospel means

I'm saved by the gospel.

233

Not true.

234

Not true.

235

There's a lot of people that

know the gospel that aren't saved

236

and similar, right?

237

You're, you're equating

knowing with trusting.

238

You're equating knowing with loving.

239

That's not true.

240

So don't, don't make the mistake of

assuming I know a lot, I know the gospel.

241

I've heard it before.

242

It doesn't mean you're a Christian,

243

or maybe you even know that knowing

the gospel doesn't save you, it still

244

doesn't mean you're a Christian, right?

245

Unless you believe the gospel.

246

Unless you embrace Jesus,

you say, Jesus, I trust you.

247

I need you to give me righteousness.

248

I don't have any.

249

I need you to take away my sin.

250

I can't do that, and I want to

turn for my sin and live for you.

251

That's what saves you not knowing that.

252

So what Paul is saying here is

that God's wrath rightly falls on

253

everyone no matter how much you know.

254

And in fact, his, his wrath, you

could even argue, falls heavier

255

on you because of what you know,

because you should know better.

256

So don't assume that knowing

things means that you're righteous.

257

So that phrase at the end, right?

258

It's, it's easy to trick yourself that

you will escape God's judgment, right?

259

Well, I know that those people are

gonna go to hell, but you can trick

260

yourself into thinking, well, I probably

won't because I know these things.

261

Or, I'm good.

262

I'm good enough.

263

But it's also easy to trick yourself

because you assume that you can.

264

You can wait.

265

You can become a Christian later.

266

And that's exactly where Paul

goes with our next verse.

267

So look at verse four with me here.

268

So we just talked about, Hey, do you

think you can escape God's judgment

269

verse four, or do you presume that means

like to assume something to presume

270

means like, oh, you think something's

gonna happen and it really doesn't?

271

Like, maybe you presumed that the,

um, that the Packers were gonna

272

destroy the Browns last week and then

they actually lost to the Browns.

273

You, you maybe presume that

and you thought it was gonna

274

go one way and it didn't.

275

Right.

276

You think one thing's

gonna happen and you don't.

277

So, or do you presume on the riches

of his kindness, God's kindness

278

and forbearance, that means like.

279

He's really good at putting up with you.

280

You presume on his kindness, his

forbearance, his patience, not knowing

281

that God's kindness is actually

meant to lead you to repentance.

282

God's not just being patient with

you so you can do whatever you want.

283

The reason that God hasn't unloaded

his dump truck of wrath on you that

284

you've been building up is not just

because God's like, oh, well, it's fine.

285

No big deal.

286

Just keep living your way.

287

It's 'cause he is being patient with

you because he wants you to repent.

288

So our second assumption that I don't

want you to to fall for is don't assume

289

that God will be patient forever.

290

Don't assume that God

will be patient forever.

291

So I am younger sibling.

292

And um, I'm very grateful that I

have a very patient, older brother

293

because when I was growing up, I

prided myself on being very annoying.

294

Like if you told me I was annoying,

I took it as a compliment.

295

I was like, thanks.

296

That's great.

297

So I was very annoying to my older

brother and he was probably like,

298

I don't even know how he was this

patient, especially 'cause he wasn't

299

even a believer for most of that.

300

And I don't know how he did it.

301

He was super patient, but because

I knew he was patient, it made me

302

think I could get away with stuff.

303

I would actually bother him more

because I knew he was patient.

304

'cause I knew my brother was really

nice and I knew he wouldn't hit me back.

305

I knew he wouldn't go tell my mom.

306

I knew he wouldn't just knock me out.

307

Right.

308

He could have, I knew he

wouldn't do it, so it actually

309

made me more annoying to him.

310

'cause I knew I could

do whatever I wanted.

311

I think some of you guys

might be doing that with God,

312

you know, God's patient and so you

say I can become a Christian later.

313

God's patience actually makes you less

inclined to repent of your sin because

314

you say, I can do that when I'm older.

315

I know God's patient, I know

God's kind, so I can wait.

316

He'll, I'm sure he'll give me a chance.

317

I can just go through high school.

318

And then when I get, uh, when I get

to college, maybe I'll think about it.

319

And then actually when I have a fun

college experience and, and live it up

320

in college, then I'll become a Christian

when I settle down because you think, oh,

321

God's patient, I can, I can just do that.

322

You're assuming that God will

actually keep being patient.

323

You don't know that God

doesn't have to be patient.

324

You realize that, right?

325

And even if you're a

Christian in the room, right?

326

I think it's easy for us to

assume, oh, I'm a Christian.

327

I'm saved, I'm forgiven.

328

God will be patient with me.

329

I can.

330

I can deal with this sin later.

331

I can keep watching those videos.

332

I can keep saying these words.

333

I can keep doing these things.

334

I can keep thinking these thoughts

because God's patient, he'll forgive me.

335

It's okay.

336

There's not a lack.

337

There's a lack of urgency there.

338

'cause you're like, oh, I'm a Christian.

339

I'm safe.

340

So this goes both ways.

341

Don't assume that God will

always be patient with you.

342

So our first lie that I want

you to not buy is that one.

343

You can become a Christian later.

344

That's the first lie.

345

I can become a Christian later.

346

Now the the truth I want you to replace

that with is you might not have later.

347

You might not have later.

348

You could die in a car accident tonight.

349

You could.

350

You might not have later,

but also you might not want

351

to become a Christian later.

352

Remember what we talked

about in chapter one?

353

God might hand you over to your

sin and let you, he says, fine,

354

you don't want me Keep sinning.

355

And he might hand you over to your

sin and you'll never want to become

356

a Christian in the first place and

you'll, you'll never turn from your sin.

357

You're presuming on God's patience.

358

You're assuming that, oh, I

can pick and choose whenever

359

I want to become a Christian.

360

You realize that becoming

a Christian is a gift.

361

God doesn't have to let

you become a Christian.

362

You have no right to become a Christian.

363

You like maybe you've never

thought about it before.

364

You have no right to become a Christian.

365

God doesn't have to let

you into his family.

366

God doesn't have to to let

you get Jesus righteousness.

367

God has every right to send you to hell.

368

You have no right for even the

chance to become a Christian.

369

So don't assume that you can

become a Christian later because

370

you might not have later.

371

You might not want to later and

you won't even make it till later.

372

God doesn't have to let you repent.

373

He can hand you over to your

sin and let you keep sinning.

374

And I know that's intense.

375

I know that's heavy, and I'm

telling you this because I love you.

376

That's the same reason God tells you this.

377

He's patient with you because he's kind.

378

God is so kind.

379

He lets you like my older

brother, keep offending him so

380

that you might repent one day.

381

Because if God wasn't patient with

you, he would send you to hell and

382

you wouldn't be able to repent.

383

God is so patient with you and so kind.

384

Even as Christian, right,

as Christians, we still sin.

385

And God doesn't say,

well, too bad you're done.

386

You're unadopted not part

of my family anymore.

387

I'm taking away Jesus righteousness.

388

You're done.

389

You're not justified anymore.

390

God doesn't do that.

391

He's so patient with us.

392

He wants us to repent.

393

That's the point of God's kindness

is, is to lead us to repentance.

394

The reason that God hasn't killed you

yet is because he wants you to repent.

395

So don't assume that you can

become a Christian later.

396

I also don't want you to assume another

lie that you might believe is that nothing

397

bad happens right away when I sin, right?

398

And this goes for Christians

and non-Christians.

399

If you're not a believer, you

think nothing bad happens when

400

I sin, I can get away with it.

401

I know maybe God knows about it, but

he's not gonna do anything about it.

402

It's fine.

403

Or I can get away with it.

404

It's okay.

405

Well, really, that's not true, right?

406

You can't, you can't escape

the consequences of your sin

407

because one, every time you sin,

if you're not an unbeliever, it

408

hardens your heart towards God.

409

You're saying you're, you're

actively rejecting God.

410

Or every time you hear a sermon

like this and just ignore it

411

and, and wait till next week.

412

Wait till whenever or say,

oh, well, not right now.

413

You're actually making it harder for

you to become a Christian because

414

you're hardening your heart towards God.

415

So bad things happen when you sin.

416

Even if it's not like, oh, I

sinned and then I got caught

417

and I got consequences for it.

418

That could happen.

419

But also it impacts your heart and

I think the Christians in the room,

420

hopefully you, you feel this when you sin.

421

You feel that that

relational distance from God.

422

You've offended God, it's

harder for you to pray.

423

It's harder for you to love people.

424

Your sin always hurts

you and God and others.

425

We actually were talking about this

with my community group last night.

426

We were talking about how envy

actually makes it hard for you to love

427

people you don't really think about.

428

Oh, envy, that's like a private sin.

429

It doesn't impact other people.

430

If you're envying someone, it's really

hard for you to love that person, right?

431

It's really hard for you

to pray for that person.

432

It's really hard for you to

be rejoicing with that person.

433

It's really hard for you

to bless that person.

434

So your sin actually also impacts

your relationship with others too.

435

So actually there are consequences for sin

even if you don't feel them in the moment.

436

And then the third lie that you

might believe is that my sin is okay

437

because God is patient and kind.

438

So it's not a big deal, right?

439

God will forgive me anyway.

440

Not a big deal.

441

Just because God is patient doesn't

mean he's okay with your sin, right?

442

Just because God doesn't do anything

about your sin, doesn't mean it's okay.

443

Just because I would poke my brother

and annoy him and throw pillows at

444

him and take away his blanket when

we were sleeping and roll off the

445

bed with it, doesn't mean that it's

okay for me to do those things.

446

Right.

447

So just because God doesn't

do anything about your sin in

448

the moment doesn't, it's okay.

449

It is so easy as a Christian to

say, well, God will forgive me.

450

It's okay.

451

I can give into this temptation.

452

Not a big deal.

453

That's simply not true.

454

You have to think about God

is actively being patient.

455

It's not like God's default is like

to not feel anything about your sin.

456

God's default is to be just to be

righteous in wrath towards sin, and

457

he is actively patient to say, I'm

not going to pour my wrath out on you.

458

I'm going to to be patient and

withhold my wrath from you.

459

So God's patience is meant to lead you

to repentance, even for Christians.

460

Maybe it's an individual sin that

you're, you're working through and

461

you aren't taking it very seriously.

462

And the reason God hasn't

exposed you yet is because he

463

wants you to repent on your own.

464

He doesn't wanna do it the hard way where

he has to expose your sin to other people.

465

He, he wants you to repent and,

and not have to do it the hard way.

466

So God's patience is meant to lead

you to repentance, and it's because

467

he's kind, he loves you and he doesn't

want you to, to keep living in your

468

sin, which will kill you, right?

469

He doesn't want you to, to keep licking

that knife and choking on your own blood.

470

He wants you to, to turn

from that and repent.

471

So eventually what we're gonna

see here is that Paul points out

472

that these people have the exact

same problem as everyone else.

473

Right.

474

Even the self-righteous people, even

the people who know a lot about God,

475

even the, in this case, the Jews who

were God's chosen people and had God's

476

promises and, and had this whole history

of, of God associating himself with them.

477

Even these people have the same

problem as the people from chapter one.

478

So look at verse five of chapter

two, but because of your hard and imp

479

penitent, that means like unrepentant.

480

Your heart and impendent heart, you

are storing up wrath for yourself

481

on the day of wrath, when God's

righteous judgment will be revealed.

482

So what Paul is saying here

is that your, your unrepentant

483

heart is piling up God's wrath.

484

That's kind of crazy to

think about it, right?

485

Like imagine if every time you sin.

486

You like put, imagine like you have

this like big, this big like dump truck,

487

like a dump, like, and every time you

sin, you put a rock in it, and every

488

time you sin, you put a rock in it.

489

You're storing up wrath for

yourself and one day God is

490

gonna dump that avalanche on you

491

if you're not covered by Jesus.

492

Jesus didn't take God's wrath for you.

493

One day you will suffer for all

of your sins, every single one,

494

and it's hanging over your head.

495

You're storing it up.

496

Maybe you think you're

getting away with your sin.

497

You think no one knows about it.

498

You're storing it up and you're

piling it up and it's a, at any

499

moment it could avalanche down on you,

500

and one day that will happen.

501

And it's the right thing for God to do

because you, we want people to do that.

502

We, we want God to do that

for, for bad people, right?

503

We want God to do that for Hitler.

504

We want God to do that for murderers.

505

We want God to do that for pedophiles.

506

But what about for me and you?

507

We deserve the same thing

because we have the same problem.

508

You see that it's a heart problem.

509

It's not a knowledge problem,

it's a heart problem.

510

So our third assumption is don't assume

that your heart is in good condition.

511

Don't assume that your heart is in good

condition, that your heart is alive.

512

The Bible says your heart starts off

dead, your heart starts off hard, and God

513

needs to do something to it to make you.

514

Alive to, to give you a real true life.

515

So don't assume your heart

is in good condition.

516

You might assume, for example,

when you buy a car that the

517

engine is in good condition.

518

That might be an assumption you have.

519

So I bought a car almost a year

ago, actually more than a year ago.

520

I bought a car and I was like,

great, I got a car 'cause my

521

other car got hit by a tornado.

522

Long story.

523

Um, and I was like, cool, I have a car.

524

This is gonna be, this is awesome.

525

And I made sure I got a white car.

526

'cause in Texas it's like a

million degrees in the summer.

527

So that way, you know, and

not, not any black interiors.

528

'cause I was like, this is

gonna, I don't want an oven for

529

a car, I want a car for a car.

530

So I was like, great.

531

So I had this car and like a month later,

um, uh, some, the check engine light comes

532

on and I was like, that's super weird.

533

And I couldn't, my RPMs wouldn't

534

So I have like, I'm like,

I driving on the freeway.

535

My, my pedal's like on the floor

and I'm going 60 miles an hour and

536

my RPMs are not going above two.

537

And I was like, okay, this is really bad.

538

So I take it to this shop and I take

it and they like said they fixed it

539

and whatever, and I was like, great.

540

And I was driving, um, Ezekiel and

Carson and Caleb to winter revival.

541

Um, the same thing happens.

542

We're getting on DNT, we're

going south to to winter.

543

Revival, same problem, exact same problem.

544

Um, so I take it back and this is

like in, this is like six months

545

later, or no, four months later.

546

So I took it back and they

were like, oh, that's weird.

547

I wonder what happened, you know,

and they try to figure it out and all

548

this stuff, and they say, well, we put

more oil in the engine, just drive it

549

around some more and see what happens.

550

I was like, thanks guys.

551

So I did that and I think I had to

take it back one more time and then

552

it seemed fine and it was great.

553

Then on the way back from summer

Revival, I was driving with you

554

two and, and, uh, miss Allie.

555

And, um, I literally turned

to her and I was like, watch

556

my, watch my car break down.

557

And literally like 30 minutes

later, same thing happens.

558

Check engine lights on,

pedals on the floor.

559

I can't go above.

560

And so this is a year

later, same exact problem.

561

So I, uh, took my car back.

562

To this place, which praise

the Lord for warranty.

563

Um, 'cause I didn't have

to pay for any of this.

564

Um, so I took my car back.

565

I didn't have my car for all of August.

566

Um, they were trying to figure out what

was wrong with it and all this stuff

567

and they ended up replacing the engine.

568

Like I got a new engine

for my car for free.

569

Uh, but I got a new engine for

my car and so far it works great.

570

Um, but allegedly it's fixed now.

571

What I learned is not to assume that

my engine was in good condition,

572

just because they fixed it.

573

I didn't assume.

574

So now what I do is I try to break my

car, um, because what happens is when

575

my car, when I accelerate, like to get

on the freeway, that's when it happens.

576

So every time, actually, every time I,

I'm at Ezekiel's house for partners.

577

I accelerate really fast when I leave

to see if it'll break the engine.

578

And so far it hasn't done that.

579

Um,

580

um, anyway, but I, I assumed right?

581

You would assume, oh, I, I got a new

car, it should have a good engine.

582

Right?

583

Or you assume I took my car in the

mechanic, it should have a good engine.

584

Right?

585

And I learned very quickly

to not assume that.

586

I think a lot of people

assume that your heart.

587

Is in good condition that your heart is

primarily oriented towards good things.

588

You assume, oh, there's

a country song about it.

589

Most people are good.

590

You assume that, oh, my

heart is, my heart likes God.

591

My heart doesn't like sin.

592

You assume that about yourself

and that's actually not true.

593

'cause what do we just

hear about our heart?

594

Our heart is, is hard and unrepentant.

595

Okay, so the first lie that I don't

want you to believe is that good

596

morals and what I call churchianity.

597

Actually I didn't come up with

that phrase, someone else did.

598

Um, good morals and churchianity

means you have a good heart.

599

That is not true just

because you have good morals.

600

Just because you, you know right

from wrong doesn't mean your

601

heart is in good condition.

602

'cause actually everyone

has a hard heart, right?

603

A good outside doesn't mean

you have a good inside.

604

Just 'cause your car is clean

doesn't mean the engine works.

605

So don't assume that good morals

and growing up at church means

606

you have a good heart actually.

607

Your heart loves sin.

608

Your heart loves sin.

609

Your heart looks for opportunities to sin.

610

Your heart actually doesn't need

even need to be taught how to sin.

611

It figures out how to sin on its own.

612

Another lie you might believe

is that procrastinating.

613

Repenting isn't being hardhearted

because you think, well, I'm not

614

rejecting God, I'm just putting him off.

615

I'm just saying I'll do that later.

616

Now, as you all know, procrastinating

is still rejecting, right?

617

Like if I, if I said, Hey, we talked about

bad textures a couple weeks ago, right?

618

A bad texture.

619

Really what they're saying is,

you're not important to me, right?

620

Because we all know if you are really like

super, super, super important to them.

621

Like if they had a crush on you or you had

a right, they would respond immediately.

622

Right?

623

You know that, you know that if,

if, if the right person texts them,

624

they'll respond, but you're not

a priority, so you're not gonna

625

get the immediate response right.

626

When you're pushing off repenting,

whether as a Christian or not, you're

627

telling God, you're not important to

me because I have better things to do.

628

I have more important things to do.

629

Procrastinating saying I'm, I'm

gonna become a Christian later.

630

What you're saying is, God, you're

not worth my time right now.

631

You're worth my time later, right?

632

Like if for example, you're

saying, well, you know, God, I'll

633

become a Christian after college.

634

What you're saying is, God, you're

not worth living for in high school.

635

You're not worth it.

636

It's not very important

for me to live for you.

637

That's what you're telling God.

638

So don't believe the lie that that

procrastinating isn't being hardhearted.

639

Don't believe this is, this

is really the biggest one.

640

Don't believe the lie that

God's wrath isn't really for

641

me, it's for everyone else.

642

Because that's really what

this all comes down to, right?

643

Is we believe that God's

wrath is for those people.

644

Hell is for those people, but not for me.

645

I don't deserve it.

646

Sometimes even Christians, we become

a Christian and then eventually

647

after we grow in holiness and after

we, we kill some sin, we think, oh,

648

I'm really not that bad anymore.

649

I don't really deserve God's wrath

'cause look how much I've grown.

650

And that's dangerous even

for us Christians, right?

651

Because we can think, oh,

well, look how good I am now.

652

We're really taking credit

for God's grace, right?

653

What we're doing is saying, well,

look, look how awesome I am.

654

I don't deserve God's wrath anymore.

655

'cause of all the good things I've

done, that sounds like someone who's

656

trusting their own righteousness, right?

657

So if you're a Christian and, and

you're saying, you know, what God's

658

wrath is, is really for those people

I know, like I used to deserve God's

659

wrath, but now that I'm a Christian.

660

You know, I'm, I'm a good person.

661

Now that's kind of prideful 'cause the

only reason is 'cause of God's grace.

662

Right?

663

So, God's wrath is, is really for you,

specifically you, your sin, the things

664

that you have done, the things that you

have thought, the things that you have

665

felt, the things that you've wanted,

the things that you've prioritized.

666

God's wrath is, is for you.

667

And so when we confess our sin, right?

668

As a Christian, when you confess

your sin to God, or for the first

669

time when you, you want to become

a Christian and you turn from

670

your sin, you can't sugarcoat it.

671

You can't make excuses

for your sin, right?

672

You can't say, well, um, that person

made me do it, or they just made me so

673

anxious, or I just can't, I'm, I just

lost my patience 'cause they did this.

674

That's, that's saying,

that's sugarcoating your sin.

675

Right.

676

And becoming a Christian means

getting a new heart, right?

677

Not getting better, right?

678

Like with my car, they kept

putting oil in the engine, but

679

I really needed a new engine.

680

And I, I hopefully for, for some of you

who aren't saved in this room, I hope

681

you're, you're realizing that you, your

sin doesn't just need you to do better.

682

You don't just need to, to

start reading the Bible more.

683

You don't just need to to pray more.

684

You don't just need to, to stop saying

those words or stop watching those

685

videos or stop playing those games or

stop listening that music if, if you're

686

not a Christian, you need a new heart.

687

You need God needs to, to make you a

different person because the person

688

that you are, the person that we all

were before, Christ is under God's wrath

689

opposed to God, hardhearted, unrepentant.

690

If you're a Christian,

that's who you used to be.

691

Don't sugarcoat that, right?

692

Don't, don't forget that.

693

And if you aren't a Christian, don't

try to just put more oil in the engine.

694

When you really need a new

engine, you need a new heart.

695

You need God to change you, and

you need Jesus righteousness for

696

everything, not just for your worst

sins, but for all of your sins.

697

Let's pray and we'll go to small groups.

698

God, we are grateful that

you are patient and kind.

699

We're so thankful that you love to

forgive and so I pray even after we

700

talked about, uh, some hard things

about sin and your wrath, I pray

701

that we see that your wrath is.

702

Is good because we want a God who is

just, we want a God who punished his sin.

703

But unfortunately, we

are part of that problem.

704

So I pray that we are more

grateful for the gospel.

705

I pray that we are more,

um, thankful for your grace.

706

And I pray for any students in this room

who aren't saved, that they would not,

707

um, keep rejecting you and keep putting

off and believing lies about themselves

708

or about you, but rather they would turn

from their sin and put their trust in you.

709

We pray this in Jesus' name.

710

Amen.