Exodus 35-40 Is there any way to be right with God? Any way to get a FRESH START?

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Read 35:4-21, 36:1, then “ch36,37,38 record in exact detail the making of the Tabernacle”, 38:21-23

Or in more Biblical language: How can sinners approach a holy God? How can we get forgiveness? How can we receive mercy?

These were the questions faced by the Israelites.

First there was the question of whether God even existed. I mean, they’d all heard the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – but here they were, enslaved, beaten each day, working for the Egyptians. Didn’t really seem like God was there. Moses, an Israelite adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, was not a slave, but was so enraged by the suffering of his people that he decided to rescue his people…by murdering an Egyptian slave driver. This was discovered, and Moses had to flee to the wilderness. A failure.

Then much to Moses’ surprise God calls to him out of a burning bush, and tells him that he, Moses, is going to be God’s mouth and God’s Redeemer and will save and lead Israel. Whaaat? He was, needless to say, rather surprised. So were the Israelites. Suddenly Moses appears, terrifying plagues start to happen, and they are rescued. I bet even the most faithful Israelites were shocked when God suddenly moved in judgement on the Egyptians! When something you’ve been praying for suddenly happens. Like when my best friend suddenly decided to come with me to the church youth group. Like what. And then accepted Christ. Like whaat? After years!

So the Israelites were surprised to be rescued! Imagine that. Years of slavery. Your dad was a slave, you were a slave. Your son would be a slave. And then suddenly you are free. Terrifying plagues- but you are blessed. And then you arrive at the mountain of God. It’s thundering and lightening and very very scary. And God says “I will be your God and you will be my people” Wow!

And then Moses disappears for 40 days….and they decide to take matters into their own hands. They didn’t listen to revelation – to God’s word. No. They made God in their own image. Kinder. Smaller. More manageable. A God we can manipulate. A God who is not so holy and terrifying. A God you can bargain with. A God who will make us rich because “The laoord saauys thaaat we’re kids of Kiiiing, and Kiiings live in a palace, so I. I mean you should live in a palace too.”
Jesus will get me a BMW. I’ll take Jesus. It’s the modern version of the ancient “let’s make God a cuddly calf instead of this terrifying unapproachable God.

AS we saw last week, that went badly. A plague breaks out, the tablets – the covenant / contract between God and his people is broken – literally, Moses smashes them. 3000 Israelites die because of their rebellion, and now they are under God’s judgement and God refuses to go with them. Suddenly they are alone again. A lost bunch of slaves wandering around in the wilderness. Weak. Vulnerable. No home. No purpose.

Then Moses steps in and saves them. He pleads to God on their behalf, standing between God and them, appealing to God’s mercy, even offering his own life as sacrifice (which God did not accept). And joy of joys – God listens to Moses, and the Covenant is renewed in chapter 34.

Now what?

Because Moses is old. He’s pushing 80. He won’t be around to save them to be their representative, their mediator, much longer. How can they live with a holy God without being destroyed?

Because they, like us, were sinners. They got things wrong. They tried to do things their own way. God says “don’t make images of me” so they make an image. Ooops.

How often do we do same thing. We read in the Bible what we should do… and we do the opposite. Tell the truth. Na, easier just to lie. I might get into trouble if I tell the truth. Be sexually pure. Na, it’ll be ok for us to have sex even though we’re not married. We prayed about it! Love my spouse? Na, I’ll fight to get my own way. Show grace? Forgive? Na, Because it’s not like I’ve been forgiven…

So sinners have a problem. How do we get right with the holy God? Today’s passage tells us.

1. To be made right with God you need to make a beautiful holy tent!

2. The only way to be right with God is in the way that God says.

3. The only way to be right with God is to have a Moses

1. To be made right with God you need to make a beautiful holy tent!

There is a way for the Israelites to be made right with God again. A tent. A TENT WHERE GOD LIVES.

Turn to chapter 40 and the end of v33: So at last Moses finished the work. 34 Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. 35 Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. 36 Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. 37 But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. 38 The cloud of the LORD hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.

This was no ordinary tent. It was made from finest materials with great skill. Like the Operahuset in Oslo. Or the Sydney Opera House. Something glorious, something eye catching, something that says “wow”. It was built with great skill by experts and with great devotion who worked hard to make it magnificent. This was built to glorify God. Like St Peters Basilikum in Rome. Or St. Pauls Chatehdral in London. Or the Notre Dame in Paris.

This tent is the Ancient version of that. Something incredibly beautiful. Detailed. Intricate.

But our cathedrals are open. This tent was built in layers. No-one could see the inner chamber. Because that was where the holy God “lived”. Go in there and you would die. The layers in the tent were to protect the people from God!
And it had an altar. Not a symbolic altar like some churches have – but a real altar, an altar on which animals were killed, blood was shed, continually. A constant reminder of our sinfulness and God’s holiness. God said to Adam “If you eat of the fruit I commanded not to eat, you will surely die”. And he wasn’t kidding. The wages of sin is death. So there was a reminder. Imagine the sounds, the smells, the amount of blood! The priests would be covered in blood!

When we think objectively about ourselves. When we turn off the inner lawyer who is always making excuses for our behaviour “I was tired, I deserved that, they deserved that, I was hungry, well 2 years ago they were mean, so…”
When we stop doing that we’re forced to acknowledge that we’re perhaps not as “good” as we think. In fact, I think that’s the worst thing about becoming a Christian – the Holy Spirit lifting the blinkers off so you start to see yourself as you truly are! Ouch.
But that means we have great compassion on others. Because, well, I do that. Or if I don’t do THAT, then I certainly do my own version of it. That’s why we in this church can say “come as you are” and mean it. Because you may be a messed-up sinner and so are we! And we want to introduce you to the one who can fix you! We are not here to pretend to be better people than everyone out there. We are here to point people to God.

So, how do we do that? Well, so far in Exodus we’ve discovered that in order for us to be right with a holy God you need: A holy tabernacle skilfully and beautifully made, with the bread of life on the table, the eternal light of the world on the lampstand, the altar with continual sacrifices, and priests washed clean, having made the right sacrifices, wearing their holy garments, ephod, turban, shoulder pieces, and even holy underpants. And if any of that is lacking, or done wrongly… it’s over.

That’s the way God says to be made right with him. The Israelites tried a different way – and 3000 died. And through the years the Israelites tried taking shortcuts, tried ignoring God’s word, changing his word, leaving bits out – none of it worked.

2. The only way to be right with God is in the way that God says.

Imagine that you were an Israelite living 3000 years ago. You couldn’t read and write – that was only specialists who could. So you wouldn’t be reading these chapters. You would gather each day at the synagogue and you would hear this being read. What kind of impact would it have on you as you listened first to chapters 25-31 about how you should build the Tabernacle. The excitement of God lives with US. Out of all the peoples on earth he chose us!
Then the horrifying sin of the Golden Calf. We’ve messed up. God will abandon us. And then, oh relief, Moses steps in and saves the day. Again. And then the actual building of the Tabernacle in chapters 35-40. God is still with his people! We are still his. He is still with us. The God of the universe who has chosen us to be his own, his very own. Not because we are special, or strong, or better, or more holy (that much is clear!), but because He is the Lord, the Lord, the gracious and compassionate God.

Last week it took us about 18 minutes to read three chapters. What impact would it make to listen to 6 chapters (about 36 minutes) of detailed instructions about building the tabernacle and then another equally detailed 5 chapters (another 30 minutes) on HOW they built the Tabernacle. Why is it here? Why so much detail? Is God just an accountant who likes boring details?

Well, no. Listening to over an hour of “this is exactly how you are to make it” followed by a thoroughly humbled people after the Golden Calf nonsense making it exactly as God said would make the point pretty clear. An hour of “here the curtain rods must go”, followed by “and, lo, they didst put the curtain rods here”.

They made the Tabernacle exactly as God said! And the people who made it where the people God said should make it. The ones who were specially gifted for it.

One hour of tabernacle. This is important! And these chapters about building it are almost word for word what God says in the earlier chapters.
What’s the point? we need to do exactly what God says in order to be made right with him. There is no other way to be made right with God except the way he has said, and only the way he has said, through his word, delivered by his redeemder, his prophet.

The Tabernacle was the way to be made right with God. But it would only work if it was built exactly as God had said. Any other way would lead to disaster.
The only way to be right with God is in the way that God says. And he says we need a Moses.

3. The only way to be right with God is to have a Moses

Look at 38:32,42,43 and the whole of chapter 40.

Ex 39:32 And so at last the Tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
He is the voice of the Lord.

Ex 39:42–43 So the people of Israel followed all of the LORD’s instructions to Moses. 43 Then Moses inspected all their work. When he found it had been done just as the LORD had commanded him, he blessed them.
He is God’s representative. He blessed them because they had obeyed the Lord

Then in chapter 40 he actually builds the Tabernacle from what they had made.

Ex 40:16–21 Moses proceeded to do everything just as the LORD had commanded him. 17 So the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year. 18 Moses erected the Tabernacle by setting down its bases, inserting the frames, attaching the crossbars, and setting up the posts. 19 Then he spread the coverings over the Tabernacle framework and put on the protective layers, just as the LORD had commanded him. 20 He took the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant and placed them inside the Ark. Then he attached the carrying poles to the Ark, and he set the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of it. 21 Then he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle and hung the inner curtain to shield it from view, just as the LORD had commanded him.
And on it goes v22 he places the table with v23 the bread, just as the LORD had commanded him. 24 He set the lampstand in the Tabernacle across from the table on the south side of the Holy Place. 25 Then he lit the lamps in the LORD’s presence, just as the LORD had commanded him. 26 He also placed the gold incense altar in the Tabernacle, in the Holy Place in front of the inner curtain. 27 On it he burned the fragrant incense, just as the LORD had commanded him. V29 just as the LORD had commanded him.
30 Next Moses placed the washbasin - and the priests wash end of v31, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Moses is the key. He is the voice of God. The people obey his words and build God’s tabernacle exactly as God had commanded. Everything has been done exactly as it should. And God’s chosen mediator, Moses, now has put everything together: the tent, the ark, the bread, the lampstand, the altar, basin, everything built according to plan. V33 So at last Moses finished the work.
So what happens? 34 Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle.

God comes down. He comes to live with his people. No longer far and distant on the mountain. But now with his people. It worked! We have God with us! Moses did it!

But Moses is just a player, an actor, a foreshadowing. He’s playing someone else’s role. Someone coming, greater than him, who would really be able to unite God and Man, and in whom God would truly live amongst us. Because look at v35 Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Even he is not holy enough to be in a glory cloud. Not even Moses. Is there anyone who could be holy enough to be in a glory cloud and not die…?

36 Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. 37 But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. 38 The cloud of the LORD hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.

God with his people.

But what about us. Should we now find a Moses, then find a Bezalel and Oholiab, and build a magnificent tent, and get a load of animals so that we can offer the right sacrifices, so that we too can be right with God? Because Moses himself did say that there will be a prophet like him who will come in the future.

The Muslims claim Muhammed is the prophet like Moses. Is he though? Did he speak to God face to face? No he spoke only to the angel Gabriel. Did Muhammed meet God on the mountain in the glory cloud? Did Muhammed plead for his people and get God to show mercy? No.

But you know what? Jesus spoke face to face with the Lord, not through an angel. He called God Father, something no Muslim could ever do. Jesus met God on the mountain in the glory cloud. The disciples with him were terrified when they saw Jesus in his glory, and heard the Father say “This is my son. Listen to Him”. Muhammed claimed to have heard the word through an angel. Jesus is the word. And Jesus pleaded for his people “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

There is none like him. No-one comes close. No-one. Not even Moses, probably the greatest in the Old Testament.

Jesus is the better Moses, the one Moses was foreshadowing. He was the actor playing the Jesus role. He was a sinner, a murderer, whom God called out of the wilderness to be his Redeemer. So that 1500 years later when Jesus appears on stage we know ah! Here is the real deal. This is the one Moses was pointing to. Moses freed the people from slavery in Egypt – Jesus frees us from slavery to sin. Moses brought them through the wilderness to the promised land of Israel. Jesus takes us through the wilderness of this life and the promised land of the New Creation. Moses tried to offer his life on behalf of his people – but God did not accept his sacrifice. Could not. Jesus cries out on the cross “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” as he sacrifices himself for his people.
Jesus is our Tabernacle – where we can meet God. He is our sacrifice, his blood shed on the cross. He is our high priest, perfectly representing us to God, so that we can be with God. Forgiven. Set free. A fresh start. A new life.

Tell me, do you know this Jesus? If you don’t – get to know him! Speak to him, cry out to him for mercy.

Jesus, I have ignored you until now. Forgive me. I don’t deserve it. You are holy. I am a sinner. But you died on the cross for me. Please accept me as your child. I want to put you first, to live for you. Be my Saviour, my Lord and my God. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, please talk to me afterward.

And if you know him, don’t you just love him? Our tabernacle, sacrifice, priest, our Moses. All find their fulfilment in Jesus. Isn’t he amazing. Isn’t he wonderful. Be filled with his wonder and follow him as Lord. Whatever you’re struggling with take it to him. Wherever you are disobeying, confess it now. Let’s deal with it now. Kill it. Kill the sin that is dragging you down. Come forward for prayer. We can pray together.

Let’s get right with God. Lord, fill us with wonder and adoration so that that temptations and trials of this life fade away in the brightness of your love and your magnificence.

Amen

Romans 5: 1-11 Living with deep joy even in suffering

Romans 5: 1-11

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As I began to work on today's sermon, reading through the text, I suddenly saw something that I had never seen before. And that's v3.

Oh, I’ve read this verses many times. Quoted them even. But I’ve realised that v3 follows v1and 2. I’d never seen that suffering flows out of the context of salvation.

For v1 and 2 is the colossal news of God's forgiveness. We have been justified (made right) by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore we now live in undeserved privilege. We live in the realm of grace. We were moved from judgment to grace. And so we have a secure future of joy with God.

But then comes the surprising continuation of this theme of joy in salvation v3: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials (literally “sufferings”).

What? Problems and trials. What does salvation have to do with that?

How can we rejoice in trials?

This is difficult for us to understand, because our culture views all suffering as only evil, and we actually suffer very little compared to, for example, the apostle Paul. But without understanding how God uses our suffering, we will struggle as Christians, and always be dissatisfied, and maybe even believe that God doesn’t like us.

Therefore, we need to understand

First, we live in the realm of grace
Second, the way we respond to suffering shows that we truly belong to God
and third, In our weakness, God is strong.

1. We live in the realm of grace.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

“Therefore” is a most important word because it connects this chapter to those before. Whenever you see a “therefore” you must ask yourself what is the therefore there for.
And it’s there to remind us of the context. What have we learned so far? That we have been made righteous by faith. We are justified, redeemed, propitiated (or reconciled).

Justified: God as judge says we are acquitted. Jesus has taken our punishment. He swapped places with us. He took the punishment we deserved as guilty sinners, and gave his righteousness. We are declared to be in the right with God. Acquitted. Justified. In Christ.

Redeemed: God as rescuer in the slave market frees us from the power of sin. The price was blood money, literally – Jesus’ precious blood was the price he paid to free us from slavery to sin. Let's not play with sin – we are bought at a price. Redeemed

Propitiated: God as sacrifice. For the wages of sin is death. To sin is to reject God, and he is the source of all life. So to reject God is to reject life and so we die. But instead, Jesus has took our place, as our substitute. He is our substitutionary sacrifice. Like a lamb on the altar, he dies in our place, and justice is satisfied, so that we can be reconciled to God. We are propitiated. Reconciled.

In Christ we are justified, redeemed, reconciled. There is no further judgment over us. God is not angry with us anymore. Therefore, v1 we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Peace. Before, God was our enemy. We rebelled against him. “No, you shall not be my King. I will be my own king, my own master”. We declared our independence. But we still demand all the good things that comes from God: like life, creation, love, joy – even every breath.

It’s as if we here in Notodden suddenly declared that we are no longer a part of Norway. We are independent! But we still demand roads, electricity, police, hospitals, etc.
How do you think the government would react? And the rest of the country? We would awaken anger. By declaring ourselves independent we made them our enemies. And we would need someone, a peace negotiator who can reconcile us.

That's what Jesus does for us. Through his sacrifice he reconciled us and God. And so now we and God are no longer enemies. We have peace with God.

2 Because of our faith (in this reconciling work of Christ), Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand

We have now been brought out of the realm of wrath into the realm of grace. We now live in grace, under grace. Not under the law, not in sin, but in grace we now stand. Can you grasp that? That's what happened when you trusted in Jesus Christ. Moved from judgment to grace. And that's where you live now. But only in Christ. If you are not in Christ then you are not under grace, but under wrath.
But if in Christ you have nothing to fear. Through him, by faith, we now stand in undeserved privilege, grace. Amen!

and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory

That looking forward, or “hope” as some translate it – it’s the same word as in v5 – that is secure. When we say “hope” there is uncertainty “Oh, I hope I'll succeed”. But when the Bible uses the word hope there is no uncertainty. It’s in the future, but it is as certain as if it already happen. It is certain because God is behind it. So we can confidently look forward to sharing God’s glory. What joy! We who are in Christ will experience the glory of God because we live in the realm of grace. Because it does not depend on what you and I do - but what Jesus has done. It is guaranteed by his blood.
And so, we have a sure hope.

What does it mean, then, to you that you live now in the realm of grace, undeserved privilege?

For most of us live like this is not true. We try to justify ourselves by being good enough for God. Here’ s a way to test yourself: Are you ever proud of yourself because you've succeeded at being holy (or so you think!) and God’s impressed with you? Or are you exhausted or angry because you just can’t be good enough for God, and now your depressed and full of worry and believe that God doesn’t want anything to do with you? Both are wrong and reveal that you are depending on your own achievements instead of Jesus. Repent and be free!

If we are in Christ, we never need to do anything good again. We never need to do anything good again. Because it's not our performance that matters - it's Jesus's performance. And he succeeded! He passed the test. Therefore we have passed the test. That's the first thing we must understand. If we are in Christ, we never need to do anything good eve again.

Of course, because we have a new nature, the Holy Spirit in us, we will do what is good, more and more, not out of desperation to satisfy God, but because this is what Jesus is like and we are becoming more and more like him as He renews from the inside out.

OK. Got that. If I trust in Jesus, I am righteous, I have peace with God, I live in the realm of grace, and look forward to taking part in His glory. But how do I know that I’m actually trusting in Jesus, and not in myself. How do I know that I'm not just fooling myself. I say I'm a Christian, but am I really?

2. The way we respond to suffering shows that we truly belong to God.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Rejoice in trials? What kind of problems and trials? Trials because we are Christians: for example, the fight against my own sin? Or is it persecution we are talking about? Or is it just living in a fallen world with sickness and death and lies and cheating and violence and immorality and so on?

Our battle with sin, persecution, or living in a fallen world? Or all three?

And I think this is about all three. The word translated “problems and trials” or “suffering” in other translations means “that which causes pain”. Everything that causes pain, whether it is internal conflict or external pressure, whether it’s because we are Christians or just because we are not yet in the new creation. Problems and trials. Suffering. And this we should rejoice in?

Why?

To explain that let me tell you about Richard Wurmbrand. Richard Wurmbrand was a Christian leader in Romania during Communism, and was brutally tortured and persecuted, along with many other Christians. He said this “When they pressured us Christians, when they hit us, squeezed us - what came out? Love. Love came out.”

We rejoice in our sufferings, or as in Norwegian we have confidence in our sufferings not because we like to suffer, but because of what they reveal in us. They show that we truly belong to Christ.

Remember last week when we talked about sin: the core of sin is ... “I am God”. I am god. I choose. But if I am God, I would never have chosen suffering for myself. Problems and trials clearly show us that we are not God.

As sinners, this makes us angry, despondent, full of fear and bitterness. But if we are Christians then we discover something else at the same time. Calm. Inner peace. Another power beyond us that comes from within and carries us. It is the Holy Spirit. God in us. God with us. And we turn to Him.

As we go through such sufferings, whether it's persecution or just a cold - we are encouraged in our faith. Wow! God is really with me! He's alive! We see the power of God in us (sometimes only afterward as we look back). And those around us noticed it as well.

Because think about this: if everything just went our way, how would we know that we are Christian? And how would others?

Imagine a good-looking couple. They’re both Christians. They both grew up in a good Christian home with Christian parents who loved them. They were popular at school, had many friends, were academically gifted. They met at university, fell in love and had a dream wedding. They deeply loved each other and had no problems in their marriage. They had two children, both of whom were dream children. They also were popular at school, gifted and talented, and they too met their spouse at university, and they too had a dream wedding and a joyful marriage without problems and had dream children. And at a ripe old age this couple died togheter in their sleep. They never had any health problems, financial challenges, or any other form of suffering. Not even a headache.

How would anyone know that they were actually Christian? Did they love God because they loved him? Or did they love God because he gave them what they wanted? If we just love God because he does what we want, then we’re not loving God but loving ourselves! But when we discover that we still love God even while we suffer – then we know that love is real.

For how would this “perfect couple” known that they were actually Christians? Because a Christian is one who sets himself aside and puts God first. A Christian is someone willing to sacrifice everything, to die to himself and to live for Christ. If God only does what you want him to do - are you really a Christian?
You know that you belong to Jesus when you choose to be obedient when it costs. When it hurts. Especially when you think God is wrong. Even when it goes against what society says.
For example, Glenn and Birthe have chosen to get married because they trust what God says and not what society says. It shows that they belong to God.

I know that Christian and Johanna did not want to go through what they went through when Isabella was born. Both Johanna and Isabella nearly died, and they were extremely ill for a long time. No way Christian would have chosen to go through that!
But as Christians, we run to God, because we know that He can carry us through. And that's what they did. They had no choice! But God carried them through. Yes, it was difficult, and we’re not saying that the suffering itself was good. No. But through that suffering they learned to know God better, deeper. Their faith was strenghtened. And that is good.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

This is how it works (yes I have a drawing!).

For endurance through suffering develops character. We experience that God is with us. We find that we really believe, it's not just something we do. This is our life! And character develops hope. Because when we suffer, we are reminded that this world is not our home and we look forward to the next, where we will experience the glory of God in its entirety. Here there are problems and trials - but we look forward to the day when will we see our Saviour face to face. When all is renewed. Where evil is destroyed. And we are made new and sin in us is crushed. Amen!

When you squeeze people you see what’s in them. When you squeeze an orange, orange juice come out. When you squeeze a Christian, Christ comes out. People do what serves them. But when we suffer because we are obedient to God, it’s proof that we belong to Jesus. And it is a testimony to all around us that Jesus lives in us. Just think of Mia. How she responded to her cancer has been a great testimony to her work colleagues. They have seen Jesus in her.

The way we respond to suffering shows that we truly belong to God.

Therefore, when we suffer, what should we do? Thank God. And pray for his strength to get through. Because We are weak, but he is strong. Richard Wurmbrand and our Christian brothers in Romania were not supermen. They didn’t have some extraordinary gene that allowed them to shout out “I forgive you in the name of Jesus” while they were being beaten by the police. No. They had the power of Jesus in them. Jesus was with them. And this is often what we forget. We fear things and are anxious and worried because we forget God in the situation. Elisabeth Elliot said “there is no mercy for the imagination”. When we sit and worry about everything that might go wrong, we find no comfort because we look only to ourselves and our own strength and then we freak out “I can’t do this!”. We forget God. We forget that if what we are worried about should actually happen (and it usually doesn’t) but if it does - then we're not alone. God is with us. And all his strength is with us. Christian and Johanna experienced it. Richard Wurmbrand experienced it. And you, if you are a Christian, have experienced it. Remind yourself of it. Especially when you are worried about obeying God. You know you need to obey but Oh, it too hard, what if everything goes wrong, what will people say, etc. All the excuses we use. Pull yourself together, be a man, and do what's right. And God will not let you down.

Be a man and do what is right. And you will learn endurance. And endurance develops character, and character delivers a sure hope. Because, though we are weak, he is strong.

3. In our weakness, God is strong.

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

My brothers and sisters, Jesus died for us when we did not deserve it. When we were weak, ungodly. Against God. In the moment we deserved it least - he died for us, his enemies.

7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

It’s completely unthinkable. It is as if a Jew stood up and said “I will die instead of Hitler so that he can go free”. Completely inconceivable. There was nothing in us that was appealing. We were sinners in rebellion against God. And then he chooses to save us by giving his life. Hallelujah! In our weakness he is strong.

9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

I love v10. If he loved us so much when we were enemies - why do we think he will love us less when we have become his friends, his children? For we speak warmly of salvation, about justification - but when we talk about sanctification, living as a Christian – then suddenly it's all serious and hard and duty and we can lose everything. Nonsense! 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
God doesn’t save us halfway. Good luck with the rest! We have a sure hope. Because we don’t rejoice over our works v11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Our trust is not in ourselves, but in Jesus. We live in grace. Therefore, we can rejoice in our sufferings because it makes us dependent on Jesus. And when we call on him for help we are not disappointed. In our weakness, we experience his strength, and that is a great witness to us and to everyone around us.

So next time we suffer, let's say, “Thank you God for these problems and trials, because they make me depend on you, and you will show you glory and strength to me through this and to those around me.” Amen.

One final word: this is for Christians. Those who trust in Jesus. Those who have him as Master and Lord. If that’s not you, then there is no comfort, no help in suffering. But sufferings are a great warning sign that you are not God and you need to repent and accept Christ. So if life is too difficult to bear - you're absolutely right! It's too difficult to bear. None of us can bear the burden of life because we were created to live with God. Repent and come to Jesus.

Almighty God, I am a sinner because I’ve chosen to put myself first. I have ignored you. I have lived as if you were dead.

In your mercy, Lord, forgive me. Thank you for the Cross, for there Jesus died to take away my sins. Let your Word renew me and give me new life.

I choose to set you first, Lord. From today I want to belong to You. Be my Saviour, my Lord, and my God! Amen.

The problem of hypocrisy. Are Christians two-faced?

Hypocrisy means being two faced. Pretending to be something you’re not.

Now when I originally thought about this topic, I thought of it from the point of view of an outsider. A non-Christian saying “You Christians are such hypocrites. You pretend to be good but you’re not. You say you’re full of love but you’re just judgmental arrogant bigots. And anyway, my aunt was a Christian and was always criticising us and telling us off.”

Now those are real issues and we’ll deal with them in a bit.

But I think the real problem for us here in this room is not that other people think that we are hypocrites – but that we think it.

Ever had this thought “I’m not good enough to be a Christian.”
Or “I keep sinning. I’m not a real Christian. I’m just a hypocrite!”
“I’m giving up. I can’t do this Christian thing any more. It’s too hard.”
“People are looking at me to show them Jesus. I can’t do that. I’d better stop telling people I’m a Christian.”

If we’re honest, I think we’ve all had these or similar thoughts.

And those thoughts show one thing. We don’t understand the basics of our faith! We don’t understand the gospel!

This is the gospel:

1. You are a sinner.

2. Jesus Christ came to save sinners (not good/righteous people).

3. In Christ you are declared righteous.

4. By Christ’s power, now live like a righteous person

We often jump to the fourth point: live like a righteous person – before points 2 and 3 Jesus Christ came to save sinners and If you are in Christ you are declared righteous. (and we leave out “by Christ’s power)
If we could do it ourselves, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to come. And he wouldn’t have given us His Spirit!

Right, so this morning we’re going to look at the gospel.

1. I am a sinner

2. In Christ, I am righteous

3. By Christ, I am regenerated

1. I am a sinner.

(Can look these up & keep your finger there because we’ll go back three times)
Eph 2:1-3 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil...3 All of us used to live that way, following...our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
Rom 3:10-12 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
Gen 6:5 The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

If you are feeling like a failure this morning. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by sin. If you’re feeling like a “bad” Christian. If you are upset because you just can’t beat sin.
Good! That means the Spirit is at work in you. John 16:8 Jesus says the work of the Spirit is to convict us of sin, of righteousness available only through Jesus, and the coming judgement.

No non-Christian is bothered by sin. In fact, that’s the worst thing about becoming a Christian: realising you’re a sinner. And if you’re a new Christian – it doesn’t get any better! The Holy Spirit keeps revealing layer after layer of sin in our lives. Ugh.
That’s the Holy Spirit’s first job: convicting us of our sin.

So if that’s how you are feeling. Good! He is at work.

The first step in becoming a Christian and staying a Christian is admitting that you are a sinner, a rebel against God.

How do we know we’re becoming aware of our sin and admitting it? Our reactions to OTHER people’s sin starts to change. As we realise what sinful, well really, evil, selfish, people we are – we start to see other people as sinners who need Jesus. Rather than people to dominate. We get angry less often. Our anger is not so big. We might respond with a kind word instead of a hurtful one. Instead of standing up and punching someone, or swearing at them in the car, or writing a vicious email, we say ah, it doesn’t matter. I forgive them.
We start to think about other people’s needs a bit more. Maybe I can help my wife here. Or I’ll just do that for them, without expecting payback. Because that’s how Jesus is treating me.
This is called humility. Humility is not beating ourselves up saying oh I’m useless. In fact, humility is not inward-looking at all – it looks out, with Jesus’ eyes. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves, less.
The mark of a true Christian is humility.

It’s seen in loads of small changes which we might not notice which all adds up to one big sign: the Spirit is at work. Something’s changing in here.

And you know what. We often don’t see it. But other people do.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your sin – ask people what they see in you. Ask people here. We’re small enough that I know most of you fairly well. Ask me if I’ve seen changes in you.

We also miss the changes that are happening if we’re battling the BIG SIN in our lives. It’s all we see – so we miss the grace of God at work in other areas!

So, the problem of hypocrisy is defeated by admitting that we are sinners. We’re not hypocrites, pretending to be good. That’s the whole point. We’re not good. We need a saviour. We are sinners. I am a sinner.

So if someone says “You’re not good enough to be a Christian”: Agree with them! (And you can add “neither are you. That’s why Jesus came”).
Or if you get caught in a sin – apologise, make right, and explain this is why you’re so grateful for the grace of Jesus.
By the way, this is great for disciplining your kids. As a child you get caught in sin all the time! And it’s depressing. Why do I do this, Dad? Well, you’re a sinner. Rebel against God. You want to be God. Isn’t it great that Jesus came for people like us? Isn’t it great that we don’t have to pretend that we’re good (and try and make excuses for all the bad things we do) – but can admit we’re bad? I am a sinner. Praise the Lord for Jesus.

Because in Christ Jesus, a sinner like me, and you, can say

2. In Christ, I am righteous

Eph 2:4–5 We were dead in our sins...But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
Rom 3:21-22 No-one is righteous...But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him... 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Gen 6:8 Everything we thought or imagined was only evil...But Noah found favour with the LORD.

God looked at this world full of sin. He looked at us shaking our little fists in his face, turning our back on him, putting crowns on our head and walking around pretending to be God. I’m God and I’m going to do what I want. He looked at us – and he loved us.
Whaat? He had compassion on us, loved us enough to shrink himself down, leave behind his glory and majesty and be born as a baby. Born right into our filthy world.
And not because we are loveable (or “worth it”) or our hearts reached out to him – we’re dead in our sins, whoever heard of dead people doing anything? - but because of His great love, of His great worth. Praise Jesus! We are sinners, yes, but we are forgiven sinners. And this is not because of anything WE have done but because of what HE has done.

Quick – what do you need to DO to become a Christian?
Go to church? Give money? Be good? No, Jesus isn’t Santa Claus (Julenissen).
Santa is Moralism. If you’re good, you get rewards. If you’re bad you get nothing (or punished).
Jesus is Grace. If you’re bad, you get rewards. (If you think you’re good, you get nothing, because you won’t turn to Jesus).

What do you need to do to become a Christian? Nothing. Nothing. NOOOOOOOTHING!
Accept what is given, and be happy.

It’s all done! As someone has said all other religions and worldviews say “do”. DO! Fast during Ramadan. Say prayers. Do good works. Be a decent human. Offer sacrifices to the gods. Be good.
But Jesus says Done. His arms stretched out on the cross, the lashes of the whip across his back, the nails driven through his hands and feet, he says done. Like a huge cosmic magnifying glass, all the sins of the world, your sin, my sin, sins in the future, sins in the past, all of it gathered from all of time and space and focussed on that one man on that one day on a hill outside Jerusalem. “It is finished” he said, as he breathed his last. Done.
His life given in exchange for yours. His righteousness swapped for your sinfulness. In Christ, you are perfect. In Christ, God does not see your sin – it is not counted against you. That’s why we can pray. Read the Bible. That’s why his Spirit can live in us and change us. If we weren’t perfect we wouldn’t even get near heaven’s gates with our prayers. But in Christ we’re right in the throne room, right on our Father’s lap. Hi Daddy, I’m here to talk to you.

That’s what Christ has done.

So if you’re feeling oh so down about your sin. Well, yes it’s right to feel like that – but don’t forget the other side. I am a sinner. But I am righteous. Rejoice! Oh, I am a sinner. But what JOY! I am forgiven.

What love!

This room is full of sinners. And praise God! The church is not a place for those who want to come and shine their halo, and have God bask in their glory – God coming down off his throne and saying oooh, well done. If you’re here thinking you’re better than everyone else – well, I’ve got news for you. Jesus met people like you. They were called the Pharisees. And they were hypocrites. Because they didn’t think they were sinners. They thought they were better than everyone else. And so they were always judging everyone, condemning everyone, waving the big finger around. And they killed Jesus. They claimed to love God – and killed Him! That’s hypocritical! So, if you’re trusting in your own efforts to impress God instead of the cross of Christ you’re a hypocritical Pharisee! If you think you’re not a sinner or if you think you don’t need forgiveness, or if the Cross doesn’t fill you with JOY. You’re a hypocritical Pharisee.

We who know we are sinners. We know the value of the Cross. Without the Cross, we are lost. Without Jesus, we are lost.

Thank you, Jesus that you came!

Maybe you’re sitting there thinking “I don’t know Jesus”. Well, no time like the present. Ask him. Remember, you don’t need to do anything to “get ready”. There is no “do”. Jesus says “done”. And so we can come just as we are. Come as you are is our tagline and is an outworking of the gospel.
In fact, Pray now. If you know Him, use this opportunity to thank him and praise him for his grace. Thank him that you are righteous because of the Cross. If not, pray this prayer after me. Dear Jesus. I am a sinner. I’ve ignored you. I’ve pretended I didn’t need you. I’ve done wrong things and made excuses. Take me as I am. I need your forgiveness. I need your grace. Amen.

I am a sinner.
In Christ, I am righteous.

3. I am regenerated by Christ.

Now this is I think where the problem of hypocrisy comes in. Because, you know, Christians ARE different. We are changed. We do become better. The Spirit works in us.
And so there is a right expectation that Christians will be different.
And in fact, we must be. If there’s no change in a person’s life, they’re not a Christian. Jesus said you will know them by their fruit.
If they’re arrogant, and refuse to admit their sin – that’s a BIG sign that they’re not a Christian but a Pharisee. They are hypocrites, and give a bad name to Christians everywhere. Because they call themselves Christians but aren’t actually Christians. So your aunt who was so horrible – maybe she wasn’t actually a Christian. There are many who call themselves Christians but aren’t, especially in this country. They’re trying to save themselves, and they end up bitter and angry and judgemental and depressed.
But you, brothers and sister. Fight your sin. Rejoice in the Cross. Let the Spirit change you!

Because we come as we are. But God does not leave us as we are. He changes us.

Ephesians: We were dead in our sins...But Eph 2:8–10 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Romans: No-one is righteous...But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him Ro 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Co 5:17–18 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

This is the work of regeneration: of changing a sinner into a righteous person. God declares us righteous and then starts making us righteous. It is a work that will only be completed after we die – when we see him face to face we will be transformed in the blink of an eye. But until then each day we become more like Jesus. (Sometimes one step forward, two steps back). But he is at work in us.

And we are regenerated not by being strong. Not by trying really hard like some spiritual superman. No. We continue how we started. By admitting our sin. By admitting that we are weak. In humility. And by throwing yourself onto Jesus and his strength and his power.

How does this work in practice? Well, let me give you an example from my life. Anyone who’s seen my wife will know that I like beautiful women. Actually, I like women. That’s why I married one. I’m attracted to women. I am designed to be attracted to a woman. And I’m designed to have sex with a woman. That’s my wife, Debby. But I’m a sinner, and so my sexual urges, like yours, are messed up. And I could quite easily want to have sex with a woman who is not my wife.
Now the Pharisee in me says “I would never do that, I am too good.” The Christian in me says “don’t be a fool. I am a sinner. I recognise my weakness. I recognise that my heart is deceitful – I think up lies, excuses to cover my sin. I could easily fall into this trap. What makes me think that *I* could succeed where so many others have fallen.” So I pray. Lord, help me not to fall into temptation.
And I take action. I don’t put myself into situations where I could be tempted. I’m not home alone with a woman. I’m not in my office with a closed door with a woman, Etc. Not that anything WILL happen. But I don’t trust myself.
I have seen a good friend fall in adultery – and it happened so slowly little bit by little bit, excuse after excuse – until he was having an affair, cheating on his wife, something he swore he would never do.
I am a sinner. And so are you.
Living as a Christian is NOT pretending you’re superhuman or better than everyone else. Living as a Christian is realising you are a rotten sinner who will lie to yourself and to everyone around you in order to sin and to cover up that sin. Don’t trust yourself. Trust Christ!

I hope you are encouraged this morning. I hope you can answer the charge of hypocrisy not with being angry and defending yourself or other Christians who’ve done things wrong – but say yes, we are sinners. What they did was wrong. They need to repent. Turn to God and ask forgiveness. And make things right. But because they messed up doesn’t mean they’re not Christian. Christian’s are sinners like everyone else. We’re not better people. We’re just forgiven people. And you can be too. We’re messed up people in a messed up world. But Christianity isn’t about saying c’mon everyone forward march, get things right. But by saying there is hope. And that hope is in the Cross of Christ.