Romans 1:11-17 (#3.2024.11.17)

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:02

Hi. If you're looking for greater hope, assurance, and confidence through the shifting sands of life, then join me on today's episode as we dig deep into the bible to discover rock solid truth for life and living from the God of the bible. I'm your host, Scott Keffer. Hi, and welcome to today's episode. As always, for a deeper experience, you can go to the show notes and download the blank insight sheet. Fill in the blanks along with the group. Depending on how you're listening to this, there'll be a link to the episode website at beholdingbibletruth.com, and a sheet with the answers is included as well. Enjoy today's episode.

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:46

Well, Albert Einstein once said, make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler. And at the same time, he said, don't make it so simple that you've you've drawn the very essence of whatever it is you're looking at. Right. And so as we think about the purposes of God, how do you make the eternal simple? How do you bring it down kind of to its essence? Right? And we're gonna see as we walk through the scriptures today that, God has done that a bit through the the simplifying in a sense the main purpose of the gospel, which we're gonna look at today. So stand with me if you will as we read God's word together out of reverence for him. Reading from Romans 1. Join me if you would. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you that you may be established, that is that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:52

I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you and have been prevented so far so that I may obtain some fruit among you also even as among the rest of the gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So for my part, I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of god for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, but the righteous man shall live by faith. The word of the lord. Thanks be to god.

Speaker B [: 00:02:44

Part of

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:44

the way we see, we simplify, bring things down to their core is to, watch for a focus and arrows that are pointed through the message. The the word so that or therefore in scripture always sort of points us. Right? This is an arrow to remind us a perp right? A purpose, narrowing a purpose, if you will. Right? So Paul begins by saying, I long to see you. Right? I long so he had he hadn't been there physically. So he says, I long to see you, and then he tells us why. So that. So that what? I may impart some spiritual gift to you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:28

And so, as we look at this, I call this grace and obligation in this section. Spiritual gifts are to be shared with other believers. Spiritual gifts are to be shared with other believers. 1st Corinthians 12 tells us there are a variety of gifts, but only one spirit. Right? The same spirit. The same holy spirit. And he says, but to underline each one each one. There may have been a time in your past where because of your economic situation, you had a Christmas without gifts, but there are no believers without gifts.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:13

Every believer has been given a a set of gifts to each one is given the manifestation of the spirit. And, again, so that or for, what is it? The Good. Good. Common good. Right? My gifts are not for me. Your gifts are not for you. You've been given gifts. They are for us, for us together.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:34

Right? It is for the common good. Spiritual gifts are to be shared with one another. And he says, I I long to share that spiritual gift with you. Right? And so that you may be established and we may be encouraged together. So I said it is for faith building and fruit bearing for faith building and for fruit bearing. The purpose. So he told when when Jesus and John said, you did not chose me, but I chose you. I chose you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:11

And he says, therefore, appointed you appointed you again so that there's a so that you would go and Bear fruit. Bear fruit. That what kind of fruit? Enduring fruit. Fruit that would remain. This is not not the gift of the the not love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. That's not the same fruit. Right? That's character fruit. This is fruit that's born by your spiritual gift.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:40

The the the, application or, scripture says, the employment of your spiritual gift. You are to employ it. Put your spiritual gift to work. It is not to be on the shelf. We used to say to the kids, you know, 9 volt battery that runs, right, an emergency light is more valuable than a 90,000 volt battery that sits on the shelf. Right? The the potential is not as valuable as the employment of, therefore. So your whether your gifts are great or, you know, you believe them to be great or not, god has given you the basket of gifts. Right? The unique recipe, the unique combination of gifts that only you have.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:32

And they are for the common good, and they are to be employed, fully employed, partially employed, but fully employed. Again again, keep in mind, life goes through, you know, cycles where stuff is going on, but they are to be employed on a regular basis for the common good for the common good. And, he reminds us that he's given he's given roles, in in the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and they are equipping the saints for the work of service, for the work of service. Who are the saints? Raise your hand. That'd be you. That'd be all of you. You're a saint. But, fundamentally, the the spiritual roles that god has given out are there to equip to equip you, right, to do the work of service.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:37

There is not a full time work of service. Yeah. We hire those guys, those gals to do the work of service. The work of service be us. Right? We are to to carry out the work of service. Quipping the saints for the work of service, the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of god. Right? We are rowing together. In the midst of it, we're carrying out the work of service.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:07

And it's interesting because god's grace god's grace is free. Well, no. It's not free. God's grace is expensive. It was purchased, right, with blood. God's grace comes to us free. But Paul says, yeah, that god's grace for him produces an obligation produces an obligation. Mhmm.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:34

Because he says, I am under obligation. Interesting. I'm under obligation. You should tend to see tend to think his grace is free, and it is. It's only free to us because it was bought by blood, but it produces an obligation, a sense of owing something. And the the question is, so what what does he owe? When he says in Ephesians, he says, to me, the very least of all saints, the great this grace was given. What was the grace given for? To preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. That doesn't mean that great that God's grace was given to you to preach to the Gentiles.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:18

It's it was given to Paul to preach to the Gentiles. So he's really clear. God gave me this grace, and therefore, this is my calling. This is my calling. So clarity about your calling. Your spiritual gifts are in line with your calling. So he's saying the obligation is to carry out your calling. Does that make sense? God has given you, right, a unique set of gifts, and there is a calling to it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:46

And we should be able to clarify our calling. This is to whom god has called me, if you will. Fundamentally, for Paul, he discipled along the way. He shared. He did his work. Right? But, fundamentally, he says, clarity is to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. So if he were to make, right, all things simpler, but no right. Not simplistic.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:09

He would say, at its core at its core, my calling is to preach right to the Gentiles. That the meaning he would preach to Jews, of course, but to preach to the Gentiles. Fundamentally, that's my calling. Like James Bond, he carried his mission everywhere he went. It didn't matter whether he was working or not working. That was kind of the mission he carried with him. That make sense? Your calling is kinda like your core mission, overriding mission no matter where you are. Right? And you bring that no matter where you are.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:42

Right? I'm full time in the business world, but I bring I bring my calling kinda no no matter where I am. That make sense? Yeah. Same for you. And he's saying, I I am to preach to, in in his case, all kinds of Gentiles because he says it's Greeks and non Greeks, right, which literally Greeks and barbarians. There there they would be foreigners that would not be held in high standing. So he's literally saying, I preach to all kind of Gentiles. There aren't some Gentiles that don't deserve god's grace or that I stay away from or I don't reach out to. That make sense?

Speaker B [: 00:11:26

That's something.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:30

So he's saying I preach to all kinds. All kinds. And then he says some really something interesting. He said that we would be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by others' faith. Really, mutual encouragement is the word. Mutual encouragement. Well, Paul, wait a minute. Like, you're super saint.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:57

Right? You're an apostle. What would you need encouragement for? It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter what role you are. It doesn't matter your calling. Right? There there are no saints who are not in need of encouragement. No matter where you are, mutual encouragement. And it's a reminder to me that the the generous man prospers.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:22

In other words, we think about our calling and the gifting and all of that. If god flows through you, he he blesses you. As he blesses through you, you get blessed. So the the picture is a generous man waters. Right? You think about Proverbs, and as he waters through you, you get watered. As he waters through you, you get watered. And I tend to think about that. Right? That, fundamentally, as as I focus on the calling and the people he's he's called me to, my personal soul needs will be met.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:05

Does that make sense?

Speaker B [: 00:13:06

Mhmm.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:07

The more he can flow through me, the more I get water. He who waters will himself be watered. It's great. It's a great great problem. So in mutual encouragement. So spiritual gifts are are to be shared for faith building and fruit bearing. Now its grace produces this sense of obligation to carry out my calling and mutual encouragement. So we should be clear about what are your spiritual gifts and calling.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:33

Can you name them? You should be able to name them. If you don't know them at all, right, it's either I don't have spiritual gifts because I don't feel worthy or there you know, there's no way or I don't know what they are. There are ways to do that. If you don't holler after class, there are ways you know, there are there are multiple ways to do. You can take some tests. You can study the scripture. But, fundamentally, you can ask the lord, okay. What are my spiritual gifts? Take a look at the spiritual gifts and and and and see.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:06

And you can also watch because god is using you through your gifts. So you should be able to name your gifts and calling. Right? And who you're who you're calling who's my calling to? Levers, unbelievers. Right? Kind of that general sense. And the cool thing about it is it gives you to to me, this is you should write on there. This is your big yes. Your big yes is the the way that we can move through life and no's become really easy or easier. So, like, if somebody says, right, we have need for for help in children's ministry, I don't have to pray about it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:49

That's not me. Right? I don't have to pray about it. I if I'm really clear about my gifts and calling, my big yes allows me to say no with confidence, right, as you go through. So understand. Right? If you if you don't know, you can pray.

Speaker B [: 00:15:07

There

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:07

again, test. You should understand what are my spiritual gifts, what have I called, who am I called to, what I've been called to do. Paul says preach. Right? That's the verb. Gentiles, that's whom. Right? What? The unfathomable little riches of Christ. Yes.

Speaker B [: 00:15:24

And what I've noticed over the years too is my spiritual gifts has changed based on my ages and stages. What I was called to do early in my life is no longer, like, children's ministry. It's not what I am called to do now. So god uses us to best fit his mission at or stage and and position in life.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:49

Yeah. I I I'm not sure that your gifts change as much as the way you apply them changes. But, generally, the way you apply them. Right? So if you have the gift of helps, you might apply them in different ways. Right? It might go to different people over time. So maybe the application of that. Right? Yes?

Speaker C [: 00:16:10

Do you think that some people discover their spiritual gifts by meeting and need where there is, a good need? Maybe there aren't enough people that help in the children's department, and you you find out if you fill the gap that maybe that issue.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:30

Yes. Yeah. Do you have you experience, there's a number of ways. Study the gifts. Experience will start to tell you, other believe you know, strong believers who are around you can kinda give you a clue about yeah. You start to see the fruit. God bears fruit through your gift. When you see spiritual fruit, that gives you a sense kind of of the gift.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:50

Right? And you see that, and I think it was in acts 6 where they the the the Hellenistic Jews said we have a problem here waiting on tables. Right? The apostle said, we're gonna teach. That's what we've been called to do. You, we're gonna we're gonna get men filled with the spirit to to do the tables. Everybody get it? So it's not like everybody does everything. It's this clear sense of god has placed his his people in, in places. So we should be able to name that. Right? And then we should be able to to see how we're sharing them, because they are for the common good.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:25

So it's a great reminder for the common good. Like I say, there may be a season where, you know, the clutch is kind of in, but, generally, we should be employed. Your spiritual gift should be fully employed. And there's no spiritual spiritual gift retirement. Right? There you you may be transitioning in terms of your the way that you do that, but wherever you're going, you're bringing your spiritual gift and your calling with you. Does that make sense?

Speaker B [: 00:17:52

Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:54

Which is a cool I mean, here's the message. Until the day he calls you home, you have purpose here on earth. There isn't a time when you say, you know, I'm not doing that work anymore, but the spiritual is always. So so and it doesn't matter whether you're fully, physically able or not. You just say, lord, okay. So I'm not I don't have the same physical stamina. I don't have the ability to get out, whatever that might be. Okay.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:19

He's he understands what it so how are you using my gift here, lord? How do you use it here? Right? You know that, Marlene. You had struggled through that. Right? You're not as mobile or right?

Speaker B [: 00:18:32

Just help me. But thank you for that. System

Speaker C [: 00:18:36

chambers, how we apply them. That thank you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:42

That's right. And you do that. You'd phone, text. Right? So you're in a different place physically. Right? Same way. You you understand that. So but then you say, Blair, your ability to to bless people, to bear fruit is not not based upon the fact whether you can go. He says, I haven't been able to get to you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:00

Right? Paul says, I haven't been able to get to you, but he's still that make sense? Yeah. So write a letter. Send a text. Get on the phone. Right? Yes.

Speaker B [: 00:19:11

Gotcha. I think sometimes we don't realize what our spiritual gifts are until we step out of our comfort zone.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:19

Yes. Yes. Sometimes those are outside

Speaker B [: 00:19:22

have an opportunity to realize them until something changes. We decide, okay. I'm gonna go with this. And if this is what he wants, he will enable

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:34

Yes. For sure. I mean, Jeremiah said, I can't do that. And the lord says, do not say to me. He says he says, do not say to me. He said, I consecrated you. I pointed you, and and he says, well, of course, I'm too young. Oh, I know, Lauren.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:49

I'm too young. Right? So he says, do not say. So that that's a great thing when you think I always I always would say, what do you what is your do not say? I can't do that. I'm not ready for that. I'm not equipped to that. I'm not able to do that. Whatever whatever your do not say is, right, where it says do not say. And then lastly, reminder, I don't care who you are.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:11

Where are you getting mutual faith encouragement? Where do you get mute he says Paul says, I'm encouraging you. You're encouraging me. Where do you get your mutual faith encouragement? You have to make sure that you are filling your faith encouragement tank. Does that make sense? It doesn't happen automatically. In fact, it's a great reminder as you move through life, particularly, and you're applying your gifts and you're leaning into life, you'll your encouragement will be used up. Forget? Yeah. Generally, every day. Generally, every day, which means you gotta you gotta have a regular way to fill your tank.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:53

How are you filling your encouragement tank? Courage. Be strong and Courage. Courageous. Do not tremble nor be dismayed for the lord your god is with you wherever you go. Where do you get mutual faith encouragement? And, generally, it's around others who are also leaning into life and ministry. Right? It's just it's part of the deal. Is it easy to do life and right? Because ministry is all of life. There's no there's no secular life and spiritual life.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:30

That's a Greek thing. It's not it's not a god thing. In in in god's world, there is no secular work and spiritual work. You don't get bonus points for spiritual work. It's all spiritual work. Everything you do. Brother Andrew, washing dishes to the glory of God. Right? It's all complete.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:50

So we need mutual faith encouragement, don't we? Well, he talks about the gospel. He says, I'm under, eager to preach the gospel. That's how god made foolish the wisdom of the world, for sensing the wisdom of god, the world through its wisdom did not come to know god. God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message and preached to save some. Right? To save those who believe. For the Jews ask for signs, Greeks for wisdom. Right? But we preach Christ crucified. So Jews are stumbling blocks of Gentiles foolish in it to those who are the called, both Jew and Greek Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:33

Because I love this. The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of god is stronger than men. Even if even if god had foolishness, it would be wiser than men. So I put on there the foolish gospel, quote, unquote, the foolish gospel. It's the gospel of Christ crucified. Christ crucified. We preach Christ crucified, k. And it's not just words, it's dunamis.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:12

It is the power of god it is the power of god to to salvation. There is a spiritual power in the gospel, and it's for everyone. Jews first and Greeks. Well, sort of. Everyone. So there are 2 kinds of people, Jews and not Jews. Those who are are born Jewish, right, by heritage. Those who are Greek by heritage, and then out of the 2, these are the the call.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:00

It says there. Jews, Greeks, called. Right? These are ethnic. This is ethnic heritage, spiritual heritage. Ethnic heritage, spiritual heritage. This was dramatic because it was to the Jews first. Right? The Gentiles weren't included. The the in their mind, the Gentiles weren't weren't included.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:33

Right? So and, of course, the Jews is a stumbling block, a messiah that hangs on a tree crucified. No. There's no way no way, messiah. Right? Because cursed is the man who hangs on a tree. There's no way to to Greece. That's stupid. Remember before I came to Christ. I was full.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:59

That's why are you talking about it? I've so this son hung on a tree. That sounds goofy, right, to to Greeks foolishness. And so Jews asked for signs. Show me. Greeks seek wisdom. Right? Prove it. They're wired differently, but it is for everyone. And then he says that I am not embarrassed or in fear of disapproval.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:32

No shame from the world system. No shame from the world system. Because Paul says, alright. For I'm not ashamed of the gospel. So the now he's going to identify what is the gospel. What is the gospel? He says, the gospel is man's only path to the righteousness of god. It is man's only path to the righteousness of god. Because he said the righteousness of god is revealed.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:05

It's revealed, which means it is unveiled or uncovered. And in Ephesians, he said, this was a mystery. A mystery means not not not in the same sense that we do. Mystery means not in the same sense that you discover it. Mystery means it was not known not known generally like it is known now. It has been unveiled for the world to see. So the righteousness of god think about the righteousness of god. Scripture says that god's throne is established on a a on a a throne of righteousness and justice.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:45

Mhmm. It's the core of who he is. He is he is uniquely pure and holy and righteous and just and true. Right? Unlike anything we could comprehend, he is the blessed and only sovereign, the king of kings and the lord of lords. Right? Who alone possesses immortality, and he dwells in unapproachable light. He is unfathomable in his righteousness. If you go through the Old Testament, which you should understand the righteousness of god, you think, oh, smokes. What? There's no way.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:24

You're following the law. Not for a minute. Not for a second. Why? Because it's it's showing us the righteousness of god. That's not what he's talking about here. God is righteousness. This is not the fact that god is righteous, though he is. This is that man must obtain the righteousness of god from god alone.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:50

This is that man must attain the righteousness of god from god alone. Mhmm. He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf. There's the so that. What's the so that? We might become the righteousness of god in him. This is stunning. Then man could become the righteousness of god? Not not not like Adam was in the garden. No.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:19

This is to become the very righteousness of God. How how is that possible? Right? I justify all verbs in the Greek. This is what bark Barclay said, which which end in o o always mean to treat or count or to reckon a person as something. If God justifies a sinner, it does not mean that he finds reason to prove that he is right. He's not proving that he's that that what he's he's he's done is right. It does not even mean at this point that he makes a sinner a good man. It means that god treats the sinner as if he had not been a sinner at all and not even not been a sinner at all. That's that's falling short of the fact that we have become the righteousness of God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:06

What? Known throughout history or at least from reformation on justification by Faith. Faith. Justification by faith. Nevertheless, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of law. Why is that? Since by the works of law, no flesh is justified. So this is justification by faith, and the result is so that we would become the righteousness of god. And he quotes from Habakkuk. I love this.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:59

So he he says, as it is written so he's pointing back, this is not new. He's saying, although it's been unveiled, this is not new. In fact, the gospel has been preached from the very beginning. If you don't study the Old Testament to see Jesus Christ Right. We have a group going through the Old Testament, and the the regular response is there is Jesus. I I point there is Jesus. There's Jesus. There's Jesus.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:28

Like, every single book, there's Jesus. Right? So the gospel throughout the Old Testament, the first gospel, Grotto Evangelium, the first gospel. I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seat and her seat. He shall bruise you on the head. You shall bruise him on the heel. First gospel. Right after sin, god preaches the gospel. The Abrahamic covenant, I will make you a great nation, and all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:11

All the families of the earth, which means not just Jews, but Greeks. Right? From the very beginning, this is not new. And then we see. I love this. He said, then he

Speaker B [: 00:31:25

But he didn't.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:25

Believed, and what happened? Right. God reckoned it as righteousness. You argue on that. What are you talking about? There it is in the old testament. Abraham believed and god reckoned it. He justified him by faith. He reckoned it. In Exodus, the blood shall be assigned for you and the houses where you live.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:51

When I see the blood, I will pass over and no plate will befall you. This is the lamb and the blood. Pointing forward, the lamb and the blood. And, of course, in in the book of Revelation, periods of myriads, 1,000 upon 1,000, worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. It says every created thing which is in the heavens and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, all things in them. I heard them say to him who sits upon the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. Forever and ever. All eternity.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:35

We will be blessing the lamb through whom we've been blessed. Of course, the Davidic covenant, your throne shall be established forever, forever. Therefore, the lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, shall call his name Emmanuel. All sorts of ways to try and disprove what they're no. This isn't about the messiah. Really, a child will be born to us. A child will be born, human, but a son will be Given.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:13

Given. The son is not born. The son is given. The son of god is given. The son of man is born. The son of god comes. The son of god is given. Right? And his name shall be called Emmanuel.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:27

Right? And he, right, loves. He's called wonderful, counselor, mighty god, everlasting father, prince of shalom, wholeness, boldness. There'll be no end to the increase of his government or, a a peace on the throne of David. David. No risk kingdom to establish it, uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forever. Well, how's this gonna happen? See. Are we gonna make it happen? No. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:02

Yahweh of hosts. The lord almighty, the lord of of the the the armies of heaven. You will accomplish it. And, oh, by the way, he'll be pierced through for our transgressions. He'll be crushed for our iniquities. The chastening of our well-being fell upon him by his scourging. We are healed. All of us have gone astray.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:27

Lord has caused the iniquity of us all. He's pierced, crushed, chastened, scorched. Pay attention to the verbs. Who would do that? The sin bearer. The sin bearer would be willing to be pierced, crushed, chastened, scorched, and allowed our inequity to fall upon him. Nobody wakes up every day and cries out about that injustice.

Speaker B [: 00:34:59

Hey, What was the first one?

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:01

Which one? The one before Sidbar. The Messiah?

Speaker B [: 00:35:04

Oh, I'm sorry.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:06

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Yes. Messiah. Thank you.

Speaker B [: 00:35:13

Behold,

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:15

days are coming, declares Yahweh, when I will make a New. New covenant. Well, what shall it be like? You should be my people. I will be their god. I will give them one heart, one way that they may hear me always for their own good. I'll make an what kind of covenant?

Speaker B [: 00:35:35

Everlasting.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:35

Everlasting covenant with them. So I'll not turn away from them to do them good. I will put the fear of me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from me. I will rejoice over them to do them good. The gospel throughout the Old Testament. Lots of it. I had to boil it down. Lots of it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:00

It's no surprise here. It's just an unveiling unveiling of our eyes to see, oh,

Speaker B [: 00:36:06

oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:10

oh. Say, how did I miss that? When I came to Christ in 28, I remember 1st Christmas, I'd I'd be walking through store, and I listened to the the Christmas songs, and I think, oh,

Speaker B [: 00:36:22

oh, oh,

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:24

the gospel and song. There it is. There it is. I once was blind, but now I see. So he's saying right? It's not that it wasn't there. It's just been unveiled. The righteousness of god has been unveiled throughout the Old Testament. You cannot appreciate the new covenant till you understand the old.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:45

You cannot appreciate, right, the New Testament till you understand the old. You cannot appreciate the Lord Jesus until you understand the old. You cannot comprehend how awesome he is and how everything pointed, everything pointed to the Messiah. He so I thought for us. Okay. So what do we take? The gospel the gospel in and and I appreciate that. The gospel in 4 steps. The gospel in through the Romans.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:16

We think about all those ways. So in one way, it is important for us to learn the gospel, to be able to share the gospel. Alright? And and I've probably learned 3 or 4 different ways to share the gospel. That's helpful. Right? Because it's hard to share. It is indeed hard to share. However, right, to step back and realize when we're when we're sharing it, to understand that the gospel point

Speaker B [: 00:37:38

of the gospel, right, and I put

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:38

it in there, How man can become the righteousness of god in Christ. Wish we should say, what? Wait a minute. The eternal, righteous, just, holy, true god, I can share in that righteousness? Not like Adam who fell, not like that at all, but like his son. I will share the righteousness, the inheritance, the favor, the sonship of the son. What? That just is what? Mind blowing, isn't it? That's the gospel. That we become the righteousness of God in Christ, and we share with Christ in his inheritance. We are sons of the most high. That's the gospel preached from the very beginning to the very end of scripture because it's been preached from the very beginning to the very end of time because it it happened before there was time.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:04

The gospel was laid out in eternity. So when Christ was slain before the foundation of the the the earth, the gospel was carried out. This is not good news. It's great news. It's awesome news. Scripture. He was buried, and

Speaker B [: 00:39:20

he was raised on

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:20

the 3rd day. That's what Paul says. Here is the gospel. Right? That's what happened. So he's telling us what happened. Right? So when you share the gospel, right, according to the scripture, Christ died 3 days, rose again, the resurrection. That's what happened. But the so that what was the purpose of that? So that we would become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:46

That's the so that. So these are the details, right, which is a reminder that Christianity is not about a set of beliefs. Christianity is about a a a set of of of events in history that produced for us the greatest news there is, that we become the righteousness of god in Christ. Based upon these events that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, he was buried, he was raised. And we need to preach the gospel daily first to ourselves. We need to preach the gospel daily first to ourselves. Preach the gospel. Remind yourself of the good news of the gospel every day every day.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:37

Don't we need it? That god what he has done. He's blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Although we are in Christ, he's adopted me. I am his son. Sonship doesn't sonship is not gender. Sonship is position. Sonship is position in terms of of of of being fur the firstborn and all the blessings of the firstborn. And lastly, the reminder as we share the gospel throughout life, and for most, that's hard, isn't it? Anybody near easy? No.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:18

We know a couple of people who seem to be gifted, who just kinda lose the gospel. Right? They share it. You know, Mary and Carl's like that. The the garbage man with the lady next door, they just kinda share it. Anne Kimball was like that if you ever read any Anne Kimball stuff. For most of us, it's like difficult. Right? Uh-huh. I gotta share it.

Speaker B [: 00:41:36

How do I do it? How do I introduce it? What do I say? Kinda all that stuff. Right?

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:40

Well, reminder, the world system will not embrace the gospel. So the world system is foolishness. To a Jew, right, it's a stumbling block. To to a Gentile, it's just utter foolishness. So it's just great reminder. And so be

Speaker B [: 00:42:01

your biggest block?

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:01

That you're going to

Speaker B [: 00:42:01

be embarrassed? Because that's

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:02

what the word means, embarrassed or that you're gonna

Speaker B [: 00:42:03

face disapproval.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:03

So if we understand our own weakness, we can pray through that. Or we're worried. Right? I'm worried. It's hard for me to share. I don't wanna be embarrassed, and I don't wanna have you know, be disapproved. But that's where we are, isn't it? And I'm not gonna share. They're not gonna receive it. Right.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:32

So we'd all pray. Lord, give me give me give me more boldness. Right? So the gospel. Clarity about the gospel is how man can become the righteousness of god in Christ. We should preach it daily. Start with yourself, and then recognize the world system is not there to embrace the gospel. Will not. Alright.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:53

Write down an insight application, and let's share with you. I am brilliant. Are you glad that the gospel doesn't depend on me?

Speaker C [: 00:43:04

Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:05

Or do you if I if the I am that I am didn't do it, if the zeal of the Lord of hosts didn't accomplish, we'd be indeed doo doo. So whenever you think about it, in the world you're in, you've got some mix of this this. And he's saying in in the midst of the the Jews and the Gentiles, you're around mostly probably Gentiles and a few Jews. They're the call. You don't know who they are. That's why he says we we we share the gospel because there are calls in the midst of your group of Gentiles and Jews.

Speaker B [: 00:43:38

These don't know who they are.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:39

Right? And so there are some, Paul would say, there are still others in the city. Right? Wherever we are. Wherever we are. Yes. Yes. It's mind blowing. It's reckoning. Right? It's reckoning that you have become you have become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:01

Oh, yeah. That's a that's a that's a better story. That's a better story than I stand in it, Moe. If I do I always stand in it? Do I always yeah. Yeah. Right. That's the gospel. That's why Paul is saying that that this is the gospel.

Speaker B [: 00:44:17

Right? It's it it it but yes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:21

Who else? And may the lord of all. May he bless you. May he keep you. May he cause his face to shine upon you. May he lift up his countenance and grant you a shalom deep in your soul, and may he fill you with the joy of joy and peace in believing. And may the grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the love of god the father, and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you now and always. Amen. Thanks for listening.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:48

I hope you have greater hope, assurance, and confidence in your life and a deeper trust in the God of the Bible and his son, Jesus Christ. Until next time. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And may the Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace, his shalom in your soul and in your life. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.