[0:00] Let's turn now to our reading for this evening, and Willie is continuing his series in Romans chapter 5.! So please turn in your Bible. We have plenty of visitor Bibles here at the site. If you have a Bible with you, please do grab one.
[0:17] And you'll find on page 942, if you're using one of the visitor Bibles, page 942, Romans chapter 5, and we're reading the first 11 verses.
[0:30] So Romans 5, beginning at verse 1. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
[0:49] Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
[1:00] More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
[1:13] And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
[1:25] For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.
[1:39] But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
[1:56] For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
[2:07] More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Amen.
[2:21] May God bless his word to us this evening. Well do turn with me, if you would, to Romans chapter 5. And this is our fourth study in this little section, in the first half of Romans chapter 5.
[2:41] It's not a study through the bigger picture of the letter to the Romans. We did that, I suppose it's quite a few years ago now, perhaps we ought to revisit it again soon.
[2:53] But I know that release the word regularly, every three years we'll study the whole of the letter to the Romans. But our purpose this month is rather to home in on some of these great and wonderful fruits.
[3:06] Fruits that flow out of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The guaranteed fruits of Christ's saving grace.
[3:19] And these first 11 verses of Romans 5 are a rather densely packed little summary. That Paul goes on to expand and expand more fully in the chapters that follow.
[3:32] And I think it is helpful. In fact, I think it's necessary for us at times to focus down on some of these key themes. These key doctrines right at the very heart of our gospel faith.
[3:44] Now we don't want to become the kind of tiresome Christians that are always spiting out big theological words. And thinking that we're clever and showing other people that we're clever because we know words like that.
[3:57] But nevertheless, it is important. And at the very heart of our salvation in Christ. It does speak of some very wonderful things that we need to get very clear in our minds.
[4:10] Personal righteousness in God's sight. That's what justification means. Personal reconciliation with God once again.
[4:23] Personal rebirth, regeneration by the life of the Holy Spirit within us. Ongoing renewal by the life of the Holy Spirit within us. And of course, the great hope of our ultimate resurrection to glory.
[4:37] Let's talk about the three R's of education. Well, there's five R's, if you like, right at the very heart of our salvation. All glorious things and true things. So what we've been doing in this little series is to see what this little passage here, dense as it is, what it teaches us about what it means to be righteous with God.
[5:01] To be right with God through grace alone. A gift that's received entirely into our hands. The empty hands of our faith. But it all comes from God. What it means, therefore, and what it brings forth for us that we are thus justified, declared righteous before God.
[5:21] And we're brought, as we've seen, into reconciliation. Into an ongoing living relationship with a God of grace. We're assured that we are regenerate.
[5:33] We are reborn anew by grace alone through the Holy Spirit's power. As we saw last week, we are being renewed constantly by the Holy Spirit's energies as he leads us on in life.
[5:47] And lead us at last to that great hope of glorification on the day of resurrection. That final R of our great salvation. Now sometimes people refer to these kind of things as the doctrines of grace.
[6:02] And they certainly are all facets of our salvation. That is, by grace alone. That comes to us simply by faith alone. But of course, faith, certainly as far as the New Testament understands it and explains it, faith is never, ever just about things.
[6:19] Faith is always, above all, about a person. The person of our great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith isn't just some kind of impersonal force by which we gain certain benefits of salvation.
[6:38] No, faith is personal. Faith is our personal trust in a personal Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And everything that we have of our salvation comes from our personal Savior himself.
[6:52] Faith just means that we trust in him personally. And that we've come to him personally. And that we've received from his hands all the fruits of his great grace and mercy.
[7:05] Everything we have, we have through him. And we have in him. And we saw already that's a great chorus that runs all the way through this letter. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
[7:16] There in verse 1, here in chapter 5, we have peace with God. We have acceptance in his sight through our Lord Jesus Christ personally. Verse 2, through him also we have access continually into that grace in which we now stand.
[7:32] Through him, again, he says we rejoice in the hope of glory. Verse 9, we're justified by his blood. Verse 10, we're reconciled by his death personally.
[7:46] And much more, he says, we'll be saved by his life. Or rather, in his life. We'll look at that particularly next time. And verse 11 really sums it all up. In that we've received reconciliation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
[8:01] You see how personal it is. And how tied it is to the person of Christ. All that we have comes to us as the fruit of our great Savior's grace.
[8:12] But it comes to us as we come to him personally. As we receive him. We're united forever to him, says the Apostle Paul.
[8:23] We're united to him in his death. A death that liberates us from the guilt and from the power of our sin. And we're united with him in his risen life.
[8:35] Later on in Romans chapter 7, Paul says we belong to another. To him who has been raised from the dead. In order that we may bear fruit for God. And that comes to us in the newness of the Spirit.
[8:50] And Paul there is using the language of marriage. He's saying that we've been united in Christ to a new husband. The Lord Jesus. And so what that means is that everything that is his by right.
[9:04] Becomes ours. By virtue of our union with him. With all my worldly goods. I thee endow. Is what our Savior is saying to us.
[9:15] That's why the Protestant reformers in the 16th century used to say that we receive Christ. Clothed with all of his benefits.
[9:27] There's no other way to have these benefits. These things. Apart from Christ and his person. The fruits of the tree of life can only be had.
[9:38] If we come to the tree of life itself. So faith. We must never think of as a sort of distant thing. As an impersonal thing. Never ever just an intellectual assent to certain ideas.
[9:51] Or certain doctrines. Of course it can't ever be less than that. It includes all of that. But it's always much much more. It is personal trust. Faith means personal commitment.
[10:03] It means personal union with the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And it's the moment that we say I do. That we're united in marriage.
[10:14] Aren't we? We were saying these words in this very room. On Friday. At the wedding. For better or for worse. For richer or for poorer. And at that very moment. We are endowed in law.
[10:26] With joint ownership. Of all the worldly goods. Of our new spouse. And in just that way. It is in our moment.
[10:37] Of union. With our Savior. The Lord Jesus. That we are endowed forever. With all these fruits. Of his marvelous grace. Righteousness. Reconciliation.
[10:48] Regeneration. And renewal. And the great promise at last. Of certain resurrection. And that union. With the Lord Jesus Christ. Comes about.
[11:00] And is sealed in us. By the Holy Spirit. Who Paul says here. God has poured. His love. Into our heart. Through. Look at verse five. God's love has been poured.
[11:12] Into our hearts. Through. The Holy Spirit. Which has been given to us. The Spirit of life. The Spirit of life. Who has set us free.
[11:22] From sin and death. In Christ Jesus. As Paul says later. In Romans eight. Verse two. So I want to focus tonight. On this. Confirming work.
[11:34] Of the Holy Spirit. Who assures us. Of our union. With our Savior. And confirms. To us. That the love of God. To us. Personally. Is real.
[11:45] Is effective. And will surely. Be everlasting. Because. It is guaranteed. To us. By our Savior's grace. I said many times.
[11:56] That it's the guarantees. Of God's grace. That mark out. The true Christian faith. From every other. Religion. All human ideas. About God.
[12:07] And salvation. Whether. Those ideas. Have a sort of. Christianized veneer. And use. A Christian language. And practice. Or whether it's something. Quite different. Another religion altogether. Or a philosophical. Creed.
[12:17] Or whatever. Because the Christian gospel. Is all. About grace. It's about grace. From above. Grace that comes down. That reaches down. From heaven to earth. From a sovereign God.
[12:30] To claim. For that God. All those. That he desires. And has purpose. To have mercy upon. Out of the sheer grace. And love. Of his heart. Later in chapter 9.
[12:42] Of this letter. Paul says. God says. I will have mercy. Upon whom. I will have mercy. This free. And undeserved.
[12:54] And utterly. Unmerited favor. And verse 10. Here of Romans chapter 5. Makes. That abundantly plain. And clear. Do you see. When we were.
[13:05] Enemies. We were reconciled. To God. By. The death of his son. We were not deserving. Indeed.
[13:17] We were the opposite. Of deserving. We were enemies. We were. Not active. We were not cooperative. Verse 6. Says. We were weak. Verse 8.
[13:28] Rubs it in. We were still. Sinners. Verse 10. We were enemies. And verse 11. Says. We were utterly. Passive.
[13:39] We received. This reconciliation. But you see. That is why. Our. Salvation. Can be guaranteed. Forever. Verse 1.
[13:49] Since we have been justified. By faith. That is. By merely. Receiving. God's. Gift of grace. Into our empty hands. Because of that. And because of that alone. We have peace. With God.
[14:00] Certainly. Because it's through. Our Lord Jesus Christ. It's a given. Because it has been given. We have a certain status. A secure status.
[14:11] Before God. We are declared. Just. Righteous. Right with him. This. Has been given to us. As a gift. And we have a continuous standing with God.
[14:22] That's verse 2. We have access to God. We stand. In his grace. Forever. We rejoice. In the hope. Of all that is still to come. And so secure. Is our position.
[14:33] As we saw last time. Verse 3 can say. Even we rejoice. In our sufferings. Because we know. That all our experience. Will have the guarantee.
[14:45] Of the conforming. Spirit of God. Who is shaping our life. In glory. To be conformed. Into the image. Of God's son. The Lord Jesus. He is shaping us.
[14:56] All the way. Along the road. In. The way of the cross. So that as Paul. Says in Romans chapter 8. Verse 17. Having suffered with him. We may also.
[15:08] Be glorified with him. But today. I want to. I want to think. For a second time. About this wonderful ministry. Of the Holy Spirit. Of Christ.
[15:18] Within us. Because he's not just. The conforming spirit. Who's shaping us. In love. For glory. He is also. Very wonderfully. And deeply personal.
[15:29] He's at work. In us. To show us. God's love. To assure us. Of that love. That will not let us go. To assure us. Of that love. That will bring us. Safe to glory.
[15:41] Because we're deeply. Assured. That it's real. That it's already. Touched us. That it is. It is ours. Personally. And forever. By his grace. That because. We are justified.
[15:52] By grace. You see. We have the guarantee. Of God's. Confirming spirit. He shows us. Personally. That God's love to us. Is real.
[16:02] That it's real. To me. In my heart. For my life. Because you see. You might ask the question. Well. How can I know.
[16:14] That it is real. How. How can I know. That God can. That God will. Really do all of this. For me. For me. I can understand. Yes.
[16:24] That. That he justifies. People by grace alone. And that all that he justifies. By his grace. Will be brought. Safe to glory. But. Here's the question. How do I know. How can I know.
[16:35] That I'm one of them. How do I know. That I'm really justified. That I could really be. Right with God. That I can really have. Have peace with God.
[16:46] Be reconciled to him. How can I be sure of that. How can I be sure. That as verse 5 says here. My hope. We'll never be put to shame. And disappointed. How can I be sure that.
[16:57] I'm not just self-deceived. That this is not just some kind of illusion. For me. Now that is a very. Very real question. It's a big question.
[17:09] For some very. Nervous. And frightened Christian believers. And I guess it's probably a question. For nearly all believers. For all of us. At some point. In our experience. And the answer to that question.
[17:21] That Paul gives us here is. That the Holy Spirit. Confirms God's love to us. Now. Personally. And he does that.
[17:32] As he leads us. To the cross of Christ. And he goes on doing that. As he keeps on leading us back. To the cross of Christ. And that's what verses 5 to 8 here.
[17:43] In particular. Are all about. And it's so very important. So here's the first thing. The Spirit. The Spirit. The Spirit. Confirms God's love to us. Is real. As he leads us. Personally.
[17:54] To the cross. He's the confirming Spirit. Because. Verse 5. Through his work in us. God. Has power. Extravagantly.
[18:06] To show us. That he has poured his love. Into our hearts. A love that assures us. That assures me. And you. That we are justified.
[18:18] That God can love you. And does love you. And will always love you. Even though. You know that you're the chief of sinners. And he does that.
[18:29] Paul says. The moment that we believe. Because. Again. I'm saying this. Said this last week. But the New Testament. Is very clear. Unless. The Holy Spirit of God. Opens your heart to him.
[18:39] In that way. You cannot be justified. You can't belong to Christ. Look over again. To Romans 8. Verse 9. We looked at it last week. I want you to see it again. Tells us explicitly.
[18:51] Anyone. Who does not have the Spirit of Christ. Does not belong. To him. If you don't have the Holy Spirit.
[19:02] You are not a defective Christian. You're not a half Christian. Says Paul. You're not a Christian at all. You do not belong to Christ. But. When you believe.
[19:14] When you abandon your own way of righteousness. When you throw everything personally on the Lord Jesus. Even though you. Even though you don't yet understand everything. Even though you don't yet grasp all the theology.
[19:27] What you do know is this. That yes. Christ died for me. Even for me. And you know. That that means God loves you.
[19:38] He loves you. That's what happened to John Wesley. Famous preacher in the 18th century. John Wesley had known the Bible all his life. John. He'd even preached the Bible.
[19:49] But he had never really yet grasped that truth. In a personal way. Until one night at a service in London. Suddenly it all came home to him with great force. Let me read to you what he says in his journal.
[20:01] In the evening I went very unwillingly. To a society in Aldersgate Street. Where one was reading Luther's preface to the epistle to the Romans. Doesn't sound very exciting does it?
[20:13] Reading Luther's preface to the epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine. While he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ.
[20:24] I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ. Christ alone for salvation. And an assurance was given me.
[20:36] That he had taken away my sins. Even mine. And saved me. From the law of sin and death. Here's what his brother Charles Wesley wrote in the hymn that we sang earlier.
[20:50] No one can truly say that Jesus is the Lord unless you take the veil away and break the living word. Then, only then, we feel our interest in the blood.
[21:04] And cry with joy unspeakable. You are my Lord. My God. And you see what John Wesley is saying there is exactly what Paul is saying here.
[21:16] The Spirit fills us with the love of God when he leads us to the cross of Christ. And to understand the cross of Christ. We know then and we feel then that God really loves us when we grasp.
[21:31] When we understand deep in the heart of our being that he loved us. That he loved me. When he died for us. When he died for me.
[21:42] At the cross. When we grasp the cross. When we come to love the cross. And that is the realization that the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts. To bring us from death to life.
[21:54] To bring us from the wrath of God to the glory of God. He lights up the cross of Jesus to us. And it becomes real to us. And it becomes everything to us.
[22:06] Look at verses 6 to 8. You see four times. Four times he speaks of Christ's death. To explain what it means to become conscious of God's love being poured into our heart.
[22:21] By the Holy Spirit. Verse 5. His love is poured into our hearts by the Spirit. Verse 6. Verse 4. Because. Because we understand at last the death of Jesus.
[22:33] And what it means. Let me read these verses with the emphasis. That's a little obscured in the English version. Let me read it this way. Verse 6.
[22:44] For while we were still weak. That is powerless and under sin. At the right time for the ungodly. Christ died. For scarcely for a righteous person will one die.
[22:59] Though perhaps for a good person one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us. And that while we were still sinners.
[23:11] For us. Christ died. You see he shows us his love now in the present. In our experience.
[23:23] In the death of Jesus then. In the past. Once and for all. For our sins. Do you see that? That is why. I wonder if you've ever noticed this.
[23:35] That all through the New Testament. The usual language. Of speaking of Christ's love for his people. Is in the past tense. Have you noticed that ever? Romans 8 verse 37.
[23:48] We are more than conquerors through him who. Loved us. Ephesians 5 verse 2. Christ loved us. And gave himself up for us.
[23:59] 1 John 4 verse 10. In this is love. Not that we loved God. But that he loved us. And sent his son to be a propitiation for our sins. Or as we sang in the hymn earlier.
[24:13] Galatians 2 verse 20. The son of God who loved me. And gave himself for me. That's how we know. That God loves us now. And will love us to the last.
[24:24] With a love that can never separate from us. A love that will definitely. Surely. Certainly. Bring us safe to glory. Through every danger. Every toil. Every snare.
[24:34] Because he loved us there. At the cross. At Calvary. Where he shed his own blood. For me. For me.
[24:46] And for you. You see. It's when. It's when the Holy Spirit. Opens our eyes. To the wonder of the cross of Christ. And what it means. For us. And he opens our heart.
[24:59] To the wonderful. Consciousness of that. He opens our heart. And our experience. To a wonderful consciousness. Of the love of Christ. And fills us.
[25:09] With that wonderful assurance. Of faith. That we really do. Have peace with God. Through the Lord Jesus Christ. Because. Of what he has done for us. When he loved us.
[25:19] At the cross. That's sometimes that. Is. A realization. That comes very suddenly. And. Obviously. Like a bolt from the blue.
[25:29] God wrenches hope in our hearts. Rather like. For John Wesley. On that night. Or for Saul of Tarsus. On the road to Damascus. God. Sometimes it happens. In a different way. Sometimes it's much more.
[25:41] Gradually. And gently. God just. Open someone's heart. Begin to hear. And understand the gospel. Over a period of time. There's a lovely description of that. I think in.
[25:51] Acts chapter 16. When we're told. About Lydia. Who in listening to the apostolic preaching. The Lord. Opened her heart. The word. Seems to imply. He unraveled her heart. It took all the tangles away.
[26:04] And made everything straight. And she came to understand. The cross of Christ. And God's love. Was poured into our heart. Through the Holy Spirit. And I'm sure. It's been true.
[26:15] In different ways. For many of us. Here. Sometimes it is a gradual thing. Especially if you've. Grown up in the church. And known. The scriptures. And known. The Lord. In that sense.
[26:26] But always. However it happens. And we're all different. And God. Treats us all differently. But however it happens. God's love. Is poured into our hearts. When we become conscious.
[26:38] Subjectively. We become conscious. Subjectively. Of his love for us. As. As we become clear. Objectively. Of his death on the cross.
[26:48] For us. And how there. It was. That he loved us. To the last. As John's gospel. Puts it. Verse 8. God.
[26:59] Shows his love for us. Now. Present tense. He makes it real. In our hearts. When we understand. Deeply. That he loved us then.
[27:12] While we were still sinners. When Christ died for us. When Christ died for me. And when we understand that.
[27:24] As we sang. The spirit. Points. Us. To Jesus blood. He takes the veil away. So that we grasp. Its meaning. And we. We feel. Our interest.
[27:35] In the blood. And we see. That Christ died. For me. Yes. Even for me. And that's why. Someone who calls himself.
[27:46] A Christian. But has. Has no love. For the cross. Of Christ. What you really wonder. Whether they understand. What it is to be a Christian. At all. Let me read you another.
[28:00] Christian testimony. To this. This time. From one of. Scotland's greatest missionaries. Really. Robert Moffat. Happens to be my great. Great. Great. Grandfather. Was born in. 1795.
[28:11] In Ormiston. In East Lothian. Grew up. Over. Towards the west coast. Here. Karen. Sure. At the age of 18. He was. Sent away. To Cheshire. To go and work. As a gardener.
[28:22] And when he went off. Down south. His mother said to him. Will you promise me. To read. The scriptures. Every day. And. He kept that promise. Much more from duty. Than. Than from desire.
[28:33] But about two years later. Things changed. And here's what he wrote. In his journal. At length. I became uneasy. And then unhappy.
[28:44] The question. Would sometimes arise. Even when my hands. Were at work. They would dart across my mind. What think ye of Christ? I dared not to answer. A hard struggle followed.
[28:55] I tried hard. To stifle conviction. But I could not help. Reading much. In the epistles. And especially. In the epistle to the Romans. This I did with an earnestness. I tried in vain.
[29:06] To subdue. For many weeks. I was miserable. I turned in on to my Bible. And grasped it. Feeling something like a hope. That I should not sink. With it in my hands. And you have no one.
[29:17] To whom I could unbosom. The agony. That burned within. I tried. To pray fervently. But thought there was a black cloud. Between me and the throne of God. I tried to hear Jesus.
[29:27] Saying to my soul. Only believe. But the passages. From which I sought comfort. Only seemed to deepen my wounds. One evening. While pouring over the epistle to the Romans.
[29:41] I couldn't help wandering over a number of passages. Which I had read many times before. They appeared altogether different. I exclaimed with a heart nearly broken. Can it be possible that I've never understood what I've been reading?
[29:55] Turning from one passage to another. Each sending a renovation of light into my darkened soul. The book of God. The precious undying Bible. Seemed to be laid open.
[30:05] And I saw at once. What God had done for the sinner. And what was required of the sinner. To obtain the divine favor. And the assurance of eternal life.
[30:16] I felt that being justified by faith. That I had peace with God. Through the Lord Jesus Christ. And that he was made unto me. Wisdom.
[30:27] And righteousness. And sanctification. And redemption. Oh to grace. How great a debtor. Daily. I'm constrained to be.
[30:39] You see. You see. He saw. Just like Charles Wesley. What God had done for him. For him. At the cross of Christ. And God's love was poured into his heart.
[30:51] By the Holy Spirit. As he led him. To the cross. And that turned his whole life around. Less than three years later. At the age of 21. He sailed from here.
[31:02] To the Cape of Good Hope. In Southern Africa. And spent the rest of his life. Six decades. And more. As a Christian missionary. Going up. From the Cape Connolly. Into the hinterland of Southern Africa.
[31:15] Preaching the gospel. Converting people. Planting churches. Translating the Bible. Having left school at the age of 13. He translated himself. The entire scriptures. Into the Setsuana language.
[31:27] Of the people there. A language that had never been. Written down before. He first had to teach them. To write the language. And then read the language. And then translated the whole Bible. I wonder how many folk.
[31:37] Leading school at 13. Could translate half a page of the Bible. Today. Isn't that extraordinary? All because. The love of God. Was poured into his heart. By the Holy Spirit.
[31:48] As the Spirit led him. To the cross of Christ. In the message. Of the scriptures. Right here. He came to grasp. The love of God. In the cross of Christ. And friends. Do you see the wonderful assurance.
[32:01] In those words. That if we can say that. If we can know in our heart. That that's true. That while I was a sinner. While I was weak. And helpless.
[32:12] While I was an enemy indeed. Christ died for me. If I can say that. Then I know that God loves me now. And that he will always love me.
[32:26] Because that day at the cross. He loved me. And he gave himself for me. But you see. The Holy Spirit.
[32:37] Not only. Confirms God's love for me now. He goes on. Confirming. God's love is real. As he keeps on. Leading me back. To the cross of Christ. Again and again.
[32:48] And again. Look over to Romans chapter 8. Once again. In that wonderful last paragraph. You see. It answers this question.
[32:59] In verse 35. Who shall separate us. From that love of Christ. And Paul's answer is. Nothing. Not anything. Ever.
[33:10] Even amid the tribulation. And the distress. And the persecution. And the famine. And the nakedness. And the sword. In all these things. Verse 37. He says. We are more than conquerors.
[33:21] Why? Through him who loved us. Not loves us. But loved us. He loved us. Remember. When he died for us. On the cross. To save us from our sins. And because he loved us.
[33:32] So decisively. So wonderfully. So everlastingly. Nothing shall ever. Ever. Be able to separate us.
[33:42] From that love. Not ever. We can be sure. Look at verse 38. I am sure.
[33:53] That neither death. Nor life. Nor angels. Nor rulers. Nor things present. Nor things to come. Nor powers. Nor height. Nor depth. Nor anything else. In all creation. Will be able to separate us.
[34:06] From the love of God. In Christ Jesus. Our Lord. You see. All that we need. To be assured.
[34:16] Of our Heavenly Father's. Ongoing love for us. Of his forever love for us. Is to be led back. Once again.
[34:27] And again. And again. To the cross of Jesus. Because it's only. Living near the cross of Jesus. And it's glorious message. That we need never be insecure.
[34:39] That we need never. Be fearful. Never. Needing to fear that. Somehow. I will not please. Our Father enough. We won't come up to scratch. We'll fail some way.
[34:51] That God may not want us. That may. He may not think enough of us. That one day. Perhaps. He will abandon us. We need never fear. Any of these things.
[35:03] Our Father in heaven. Loves us. And nothing. Can separate us. From that love. He will never stop. Loving us. He will never cast us out. Because. In Christ. He loved us.
[35:14] At the cross. Because I can sing. In dying. You loved me. Your own life. You laid down.
[35:25] To save me. Forever. Forever. From sin. And the great ministry. Of the Holy Spirit. Is to keep us. Near the cross. To lead us back.
[35:35] Again. And again. And again. To the place. Where we know. God loved us. And so we're assured. Again. And again. And again. And again. That nothing.
[35:46] Will ever separate us. From that love. He leads us. To that place of mercy. As our heart sings. I remember. God's great mercy. By his help.
[35:58] I've safely come. And I know. He will not fail me. But will surely. Bring me home. Jesus sought me. When a stranger. Wandering. Far away from God.
[36:09] And to rescue me. From danger. Interposed. Shed for me. His precious blood. And so in the cross. In the cross.
[36:21] Is our glory. Ever. Till our ransomed souls. Will find rest. Beyond the river. In the great resurrection. And that's what. Paul is saying.
[36:33] Again and again. In these verses. That's why he keeps saying. We rejoice. We boast. We celebrate. Confidently. And that's why we can proclaim.
[36:44] Boldly. This sovereign salvation. We can be. Clear in saying. It is a sure. And a certain hope. For all who believe. There's no presumption. In that. There's no arrogance. In that. At all.
[36:55] Because it's not at all. About our loveliness. To God. It's not at all. Even about our love. For God. It's all about his great love for us.
[37:06] For you. For me. At the cross. Where he loved us. God's love.
[37:16] Has been poured. Into our hearts. Through the Holy Spirit. For. Verse 8. God shows. His love for us. In that while we. Were still sinners.
[37:27] Christ. Christ. Died for us. Do you have that.
[37:39] Sure and certain hope. Of the glory of God. The certainty. That you have salvation. From the wrath of God. Against your sin. On the day of judgment.
[37:51] Do you have that? Do you have certainty. That instead of that. Righteous judgment. Instead. You will face the glory.
[38:01] Of eternal life. At the hands of our Lord Jesus. Do you have that? Do you have that hope. That can never be put to shame. Do you know.
[38:12] That. God in heaven. Your heavenly father. Does accept you. Does approve you. Does love you. Enough. And will always love you. Forever and ever and ever. Do you have it. For certain. But if you haven't got that friends.
[38:26] The apostle Paul. Is telling you right here. You can have that. You can have it today. And you can have it forever. You can know it. You can be assured of it. If only you trust personally.
[38:38] In the Lord Jesus Christ. And trust yourself. And all your future. Completely to him. A little later on in Romans. He says this. The scripture says.
[38:49] Everyone who believes in him. Will not be put to shame. Everyone. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. Will be saved.
[39:03] And you can be assured of that. You can know that. Because. When you turn to Jesus Christ like that. God will pour. His love. Into your heart. Through the Holy Spirit. As he lights up to you.
[39:16] The wonder of the cross of Jesus. For you. Personally. As he gives you. The eyes to see. That. He who died for sinners. Has surely died for me.
[39:29] For me. So friend. If that's what you need. That is the assurance. You lack. And you seek. Don't hold back.
[39:40] Why would you? Let the Holy Spirit. Lead you to the cross. Tonight. Or maybe. Lead you back to the cross. Where you haven't been. For a very long time.
[39:51] Believe. Trust. Throw your life. At the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. And God will. Pour afresh. His love. Into your heart. By his Holy Spirit. And you will feel.
[40:01] Your interest in the blood. God. And you will cry. With joy unspeakable. You are my Lord. You're my God.
[40:12] That's his promise. That is the unshakable promise. Of almighty God himself. To you. In Jesus Christ his son.
[40:24] Well let's pray. Near the cross.
[40:35] A trembling soul. Love. And mercy. Find me. There. The bright and morning star. Shed its beams. Around me. So in the cross.
[40:47] In the cross. Be my glory. Ever. Till my. Ransomed soul. Shall find rest. Beyond the river.
[40:59] Lord. Light up. The glory. Of the cross. Of our dear Savior. To us. Today. And every day. And keep us. We pray. Near the cross.
[41:12] Every day. Of our lives. Amen.