Burk Parsons: The Search for Truth

well this evening we're gonna do something a little bit unique unique for me it's not typical to the way I typically preach at Saint Andrews right now we are going through the Gospel of John in the mornings and in the evenings we've just begun our study of 2nd Peter and typically we go verse by verse chapter by chapter and this evening I am hoping to spend a little bit of time together with you in Romans chapter 1 and we're going to read a portion of Romans chapter 1 and my attempt is to work somewhat in reverse order through a few of these verses albeit briefly I realize that is not the typical way to do things it's not the way I have ever done things but I did see dr. Ferguson do it once and he did it extremely well now I know that some of you right now are probably thinking to yourselves who is this guy coming in here and going to attempt to somehow expose at a passage of scripture in reverse order and they're probably some of you are skeptical and cynical of Americans saying this is apropos for an American coming in arrogantly coming in trying to work through a text backwards many have suggested over the years as they look at this text that there is a certain order in which Paul argues he answers one question after another and essentially directs the readers to his overarching main point and we want to work backwards just a little bit before we look at a another text or two and so we're going to be reading from Romans chapter 1 verses 15 through 22 before reading I'd like to say just one thing parenthetically but I have found that it is a helpful thing to say an important reminder to all of us that we are here at a conference and conferences are helpful and can be very good we are grateful for conferences yet conferences are not ultimate the local church is what God has ordained it's the local church where disciples are first and foremost to be made it's the local church where we have our faithful pastors and elders who work so hard faithfully serving us it's our local churches where we have our communities and our families where we have people that we know and love us people that we can confess our sins to people that can encourage us and whom we can encourage where we can use our gifts and sit under the ministry of others too often in our day the local church is put aside for the excitement of conferences and events and while they can be fun they can be fun to come together with like-minded believers learning and growing and being challenged it's our local church that we need to be faithful to I trust that in saying such I'm preaching to the choir here this evening but I found especially in the United States it is a badly needed reminder so I hope that as we come away from our time together this weekend that we will truly come away as greater church men and women more committed and faithful men and women to our local churches and worship and the ordinary means of grace well with that let's turn our attention to the Word of God to Romans chapter 1 beginning at verse 15 this is the Word of God so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome for I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to 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 for faith as it is written the righteous shall live by faith for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth for what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and the things that have been made so they're without excuse for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened claiming to be wise they became fools this is God's holy word let's pray together Lord we thank you for your word and we thank you O Lord for your Spirit who dwells within us and father we desperately need your word and we need to be reminded of your word we need your spirit to illumine your word and what we have read and as we strive to understand what your word teaches us but we also need your spirits help Lord in applying your word and living out your word we need your help Oh Lord even tonight that as we come to your word as we sit under the Ministry of your word that your spirit would work mightily in us that we would not only love your word I only know your word but that we would love you more with our whole being and that we would love our neighbor as ourselves for it's in Christ's name we pray amen are people searching for the truth are people seeking the truth and are they seeking God well we could say that in one sense people are searching for truth we hear people say things well I know the truth is out there somewhere and depending on their passion zeal you'll have people say all sorts of things about the truth and looking for the truth or searching for the truth or seeking God or looking for God and you'll hear unbelievers say that they want to know the truth or that they'd like to know the truth some will say that the truth exists but we don't know that we can truly know the truth when it comes to the whole business of knowing the truth and searching for the truth or searching for God I trust that you understand that in reality while people in some sense are searching for truth some people are in some sense seeking God the reality of it is is that men are not in and of themselves searching for God or even for ultimate truth ultimately it's God who is seeking men it is God who is drawing men and God who is calling men we read in John chapter four that God is the one who is seeking worshipers we read here in Romans 8 that God is the one who searches hearts and we find in Romans 9 that God is in fact the one who is seeking and saving those who belong to him and so we understand from Scripture plainly that no man seeks God as Paul says in Romans 3:11 no one runs after God no one is seeking God men are running away from God that's precisely what we've been doing since to the very beginning you recall what happened in the garden after the fall that Adam and Eve went and hid from God they ran from God when God came to find them they didn't want God to see them and throughout all of history man has been running from God not running toward him not looking for him but just the opposite running away from him trying to get away from God trying to escape him until God came and when God came and the person work of Jesus Christ man in his natural state we put him to death yet at the same time we understand that in the heart of all men there is a desire there is a want we know that in the hearts of all people throughout all the world that God has set eternity in our hearts that there is something in us that wants to know what is right that wants to know what is true that wants to know what is ultimate yet the only way in which man can know God is if God discloses himself if God reveals himself and part of what we're reading here in Romans chapter 1 is Paul's explanation in part about how God has revealed himself in nature as you know we speak of general revelation the way in which God has revealed himself in every other way besides scripture which is of course special revelation and so here in Romans 1 Paul is speaking in general terms about general revelation and how it is that God has revealed himself and so as I mentioned as I want to walk backwards through this text just briefly this evening let's pick it up at verse 19 we read there Paul writing for what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them now that's pretty straightforward isn't it it's pretty simple Paul is making it as simple as he possibly can for what can be known about God he's not saying that everything can be known about God we can't know God comprehensively through general revelation we can't even know God comprehensively and completely even with special revelation even with the Spirit of God within us yet we know God sufficiently but there is a certain measure of knowledge about God that God has disclosed in creation in nature and the Bible says that it is plain to them now this is God in His Word through Paul his apostle speaking very clearly and saying that God has made it plain to them played it made it plain to who well made it plain to all men that's what Paul talks about in verse 18 all men God has made it plain to them well what does that mean what are the ramifications of that well very simply all men know that God exists they not only know that God exists they actually know some of his characteristics as we read on in verse 20 they know about his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature so man knows that God exists and what does that mean well it's bad news for the atheist because what it means is that there are no atheists there are self-proclaimed atheists and so-called atheists and people who claim not to believe that God exists but at the end of the day the reality of it is is that atheists don't exist the good news is that God believes in them the reality for the atheist the harsh truth for the atheist is that they know deep in their hearts down deep in their souls that God exists the problem is is they hate God they don't want God in their thinking they don't want God anywhere near them they don't want God coming to them they don't want to think about God because they want to have their own religion according to their own ways according to their own minds they want essentially to be God themselves now if you don't believe me look at what Paul says later on in the same passage later on in verse 30 he says that these men are haters of God they hate God people despise God and they don't want to be near God they don't want him near them they don't want God to confront their ways their sins and their self-righteousness but God has made it plain to them Paul says because God has shown it to them we read in acts 14 17 that God has not left himself without a witness we know that in nature in creation God has demonstrated who he is he has demonstrated that He is God that he is all-powerful that he is in charge that he has creator all men know down deep within their souls that God has created that God is all-powerful now moving on to verse 20 as we've already read for his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived they've been clearly perceived what does that mean it means that men have in their minds understood they have perceived these things are true that God is and that God is all-powerful well we not only have bad news for the atheist we have bad news for the agnostic because the agnostic will come with a certain amount of humble piety and want to say well God may exist but I don't know if God exists I'm not certain if God exists he might exist and I'm glad that you believe in God so go on and believe in God but I can't be certain that God exists in fact I'm not sure if anyone can really be certain that God exists now that sounds better doesn't it it sounds like they're sort of letting themselves off the hook the reality of it is is that God tells us in his word that his divine attributes have been clearly perceived that all men have perceived that God is that God exists that God is all-powerful so he wipes everything away and then he says very plainly so they are without excuse what do people do and they run out of excuses what do we do when we're confronted with something we're confronted with righteousness we're confronted with truth or asked a question that we don't know the answer to or we're asked something that we're not sure quite how to answer well we begin to make excuses and we were run out of excuses what do we do well we begin to change the story we begin to rehearse what happened or may have happened or maybe didn't happen and we begin to change things around we begin to change the narrative around in order to fit our version of the story we begin to exchange things and that's exactly what men have done throughout history they've exchanged the truth of God for a lie they've exchanged what is right for what is wrong what is true for what is false they've even exchanged the roles that men and women play that God has given to us naturally they've now even begun to exchange their own identities claiming that they're not male or they're not female and so on and so forth this is what men do when they've run out of excuses and Paul says they're without excuse all men are without excuse because these things have been plainly revealed they've been clearly perceived for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened I'm not sure if there is a better way to describe much of the thinking and speaking and writing that we are hearing these days in the world and to call it futile empty vain it leads to nothing it means nothing it comes from no source no authority it's just futile empty vain thinking you think about pluralism you think about religious syncretism you think about universalism and by the way dear friends Universal is as I'm sure many of you know universalism is not just is not just a doctrine that has been taught and is taught by some churches out there and maybe one church over there and maybe another church over there universalism is widely taught by many of the churches that some of us used to go to that many of the churches some of you grew up in universalism is now one of the most common teachings of our day you know we drive by churches especially in the States of course we drive by so many churches but just because there's a church on the corner doesn't mean the gospel is preached on every corner I'm sure they'll talk about Jesus and they'll talk about the gospel but when you add universalism to Christ you you ruin the gospel you throw Christ away there's a futility to this there is an emptiness to this and then Paul says verse 22 claiming to be wise they became fools that's a harsh statement isn't it but that is what we see isn't it dearly beloved we see a world that has gone mad and the foolish way of thinking seems to be completely unfamiliar they they don't even realize how foolish they are today we have moved beyond mere relativism we've moved beyond mere pluralism we've moved beyond sort of postmodern thinking we are now in a whole new world with a whole new way of thinking called conceptualism where men and women and young men and women have now embraced a new way of thinking we're in each and every individual can have his own conceived reality he can have his own conceived beliefs his own conceived religion his own views of God and his own version of the truth we hear this all the time don't we we particularly hear it among younger people I'll talk about my truth and they'll have my truth and you'll have your truth these truths can completely disagree but it's okay because in this world of conceptualism I can conceive of things this way that's why people can conceive of themselves as men or women or whatever they want to conceive of themselves because in their minds that's reality and I think part of the reason for this sort of conceptual ISM is it enables people to sort of get along or so they think in the classroom in the workplace in the home that they can sort of coexist to use a popular word today they can get along with one another and the problem is with this is that there aren't versions of the truth there's not my truth in your truth there's not different conceptions of reality there's one reality and one truth and truth doesn't change and reality doesn't change there's one reality the problem is when people have their own versions of the truth when it comes to the truth of the gospel when it comes to the truth of God's Word and when it comes to the truth of who God is this is the sort of foolish thinking that we are experiencing everywhere today this conceived reality that people think they have is all a result of the judgment of God you see in this passage Paul and explaining these things talks about how it is that these things are true and how it is that God gave them over well God giving them over to the things is in fact his judgment it's not just that his judgment is going to come on Judgment Day his judgment has already come these things are in fact the judgment of God and we know that because of what Paul says earlier there in verse 18 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth Paul says the wrath of God is revealed not just that it will be revealed but that it is revealed God has disclosed himself he has disclosed his divine nature his power and he has disclosed or revealed his wrath now today talking about the wrath of God is very unpopular because people do not want to believe in a God who has wrath because people think for God to have wrath would make God unloving but here's the problem with that the problem with that way of thinking is that in reality if God did not have wrath of God did not possess wrath and show wrath God would be a most unloving God if God did not show wrath and if God was not angry against heinous and gross sins such as rape and murder and abortion and homosexual sin if God was not angry at such sins God would be a most unloving God god is a god of Wrath because God is a God of love God is a God of love because he's God he can't not have wrath against that which is against him and against righteousness and against love God reveals his wrath from heaven against all ungodliness all ungodliness not just the natural sins if you were in accordance with her sinful human nature the pawl list later on in the chapter verses 29 through 31 but even the sins that are contrary to nature like we read about there in verses 25 and 26 heinous sins that are contrary to the way that God created us naturally against all ungodliness and all and righteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth now we know that truth doesn't change so how is it that we can suppress the truth what does that mean well really quite frankly that the language of suppressing the truth means to hold it down or to push it down to sort of keep it down and keep it away as dr. Lawson said in the last message to sort of keep it at arm's length to keep it away and to keep it down now we all recognize of course that the world in sin suppresses the truth well why do they have to suppress the truth because every time they open their eyes they can't help but see the truth every time they look up and to see the sky every time they look in the mirror and see their faces they know that God is every time they see anything good being done they know there is an ultimate good whenever they feel good and they feel right and they feel happy they know there is an ultimate joy and ultimate happiness because God has put eternity in our hearts see truth truth as a way of coming after us it chases us truth doesn't just sort of lie around it doesn't remain still truth chases after us it comes after us it hits us right between the eyes that smacks us upside the face it can fix us down to the very core of our being and if you don't want the truth confronting you or convicting you you have to try to hold it back and hold it off and hold it down now if I asked all of you this evening is it apparent or is it obvious to us that the world and in its sin is suppressing the truth every one of us would say yes the reality of it is that the suppression of truth isn't just happening in the world the suppression of truth is happening even in many so-called churches and this is how they suppress the truth it's a little bit different it looks a lot nicer it looks a lot more friendly and it usually comes with a big smile and the way in which many churches and many so-called preachers suppress the truth as essentially by watering down the truth or by avoiding the truth or by skipping over certain parts of the truth some preachers in our day and it's so sad to see what garbage and heresy comes out of the states but one popular pastor in America has even said that we as the church need to unhitch ourselves from the Old Testament the Bible calls us to preach the whole counsel of God that's what Paul did that's what the Apostles did and in too many churches pastors are not preaching the whole counsel of God now we can't say everything all the time the point is is that we are not hiding the truth from the people of God we are not hiding the hard truths and the hard things we are giving to them the Word of God because the Word of God is the truth of God and we cannot be sanctified unless we hear the truth because we are sanctified by the truth because God's Word is truth as Jesus prayed we have to give people the truth we have to tell people hard things we have to tell people things that are gonna hurt their feelings sometimes in a gentle way in a careful way but this is what God's Word does as dr. Lawson said last session when we get into the Word of God when we read the Word of God it reads us it examines us that's why it's so hard to get into the word sometimes because we know that it getting into it the Spirit is gonna convict us and challenge us and not leave us comfortable but bring us to a place of true but as such as happening you see in liberal churches so-called churches where they avoid the truth or kind of water down the truth or shove the truth under a rug the reality of it is dearly beloved is that even even many of us well we're not suppressing the truth too often we are succumbing to the culture and keeping the truth a secret see the culture wants us to shut up they wants to say they want to stop our mouths they want to keep us from saying anything they want to keep us from proselytizing they want to keep us from evangelizing they want to keep us from speaking the truth and stating the truth because in the world our speaking the truth is hate speech the reality of it is is that we speak the truth out of love it's not hate speech that we use it's love speech we have to call sins sin and we have to take church discipline seriously because we care about people's souls we have to pray for the conversion of loved ones and friends and we cannot just automatically make people Christians and justified because they died and they were nice and related to us we have to tell ourselves and remind ourselves of the hard truths of Scripture otherwise we are in one sense suppressing the truth part of the reason we keep the truth the secret even in even in the culture where in some places it's still acceptable to evangelize and preach the gospel many of us don't do it because we're afraid and have to be honest it is sometimes something I'm afraid to do when we grew up our moms our grandmothers would tell us if you don't have anything nice to say and don't say anything at all and that's a good rule isn't it the problem is is that many of us are too polite to share the gospel because when you share the gospel when you proclaim the gospel when you tell people about Christ you don't just tell them the bad the good news you have to also tell them the bad news and telling people about God's righteousness and God's holiness telling people about their own sin and telling people about God's judgment and condemnation and telling people about how that doesn't make people feel very good and it sometimes hurts their feelings but we not only don't preach the gospel sometimes because we're afraid and because we don't want to be impolite in some ways we don't preach the gospel because we're not eager to do so Paul writes in verse 15 he says I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome Paul had an eagerness to him he had a strong burning desire to go and to preach the fullness of the gospel to those who were in Rome why I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to 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 the righteous shall live by faith Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel why for it is the power of God to salvation he was eager to do so and he wasn't ashamed of the gospel you say well of course he wasn't ashamed of the gospel he was the Apostle Paul well Paul in saying that I think is significant and we could spend a great deal of time considering this but we need to ask ourselves why would anybody be ashamed of the gospel I think if I got a show of hands tonight and I said is anyone here ashamed of the gospel no one would raise his hand but you have to think about this tomorrow as I fly back early tomorrow morning and head to a memorial service for a man who passed away a very wealthy man the memorial service actually is taking place in his airport hangar and it'll be filled with hundreds of people from throughout the state of Florida who are likely also very wealthy and the tendency in such instances is not to preach too hard and certainly not too long to preach plainly and clearly that tell some stories and tell some jokes and say some nice things about the man who passed but I was so grateful for that man's wife who called me two weeks ago she's a member of our church she said I want those people to hear the gospel she could they all think they're good they all think they're going to heaven they all think that they're all fine now they're I'm sure some Christians among them maybe many Christians among them but you said I want them to hear the gospel because that's what my husband would want them to hear see sometimes it's not cool to share the gospel sometimes it doesn't feel right to share the gospel because when we share the gospel here's what we're sharing we're sharing a story that sounds absolutely ludicrous to the world that God took on flesh not only did he take on flesh but he took on flesh and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and he was born of a virgin in a very questionable situation with her soon-to-be husband he grew up as a boy as a normal boy growing in wisdom and stature and then later on in life he took on disciples one of them left him one of them doubted him one of them denied him he was murdered like a common criminal upon a cross he was homeless even those closest to him wouldn't really spend time with him they wouldn't stay awake to pray with him and he was spat upon and beaten this is part of the story not the full story of course but this is part of the story where we're telling when we share the gospel but then we have to share the part that death had no victory over him can because death could not have victory over God so when we go and share the good news we are sharing a story or sharing news or good news about Jesus Christ about what God has done through him by the power of the Spirit but when we share these things that sounds foolish to the world it sounds absolutely ludicrous to them they listen they say uh-huh okay and so if I believe in this one who lived 2,000 years ago I go to heaven I get saved is that what you're telling me but Paul says that's where the power is and most of us have trouble believing that because of how many times we've preached the gospel to people and to our friends and to our loved ones towards children to our parents to our grandparents to our grandchildren and they've not believed in so many churches and so many pastors thus go to all sorts of other tactics and schemes and gimmicks they do all sorts of other things to try to attract people and if they can attract people then maybe those people might just like us and if they like us well then maybe some day they might like Jesus the Bible speaks of no sort of justification by association it is only justification by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone and that's where the power is and that means even for us that it's not in our charisma it's not in our programs it's not in our schemes and tactics it's not in how great we are how beautiful we are how good we smell or how nicely we dress the power is in the gospel that's where it is and it'll never change and so we have to be responsible we have to be as Paul calls himself and us if you will stewards and servants of the gospel and so as servants and stewards dearly beloved we are called to go turn with me briefly to Romans chapter 10 it's so beautiful what Paul does for us in these chapters because as we see surrounding chapter 9 that significant and weighty chapter on God's sovereign election and reprobation that we see at the beginning of chapter 9 Paul's heart Paul's heart for those who are perishing I've great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for I wish that I myself or a Kirsten cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers my kinsmen according to the flesh and that at the end of chapter 9 the beginning of chapter 10 Paul is saying brothers my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved Paul had a heart for those who are perishing Romans 9 was not just some cold academic treatise on the sovereign election and reprobation of God Paul had a heart for those who are dying without Christ do you do you have a heart for those who are dying and going to hell Spurgeon said something to the effect of yes sinners may be damned and go to hell but let them not go without us praying for them let them not go without us wrapping our arms around their ankles and keeping them from walking into hell let no one go and prayed for let no one go unavenged see I think for many of us sometimes our reasoning is something like this they deserve to go to hell let them go to hell and we forget about the amazing grace of God that saved wretches like us thanks be to God that that wasn't the attitude of the man or the woman the mother or the father who shared the gospel with us listen to what Paul says in Romans 10 verse 11 for the scripture says everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same lord as Lord of all bestowing his riches on all who call on him for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed how are they to believe in him of whom they've never heard and how are they to hear without someone preaching and how are they to preach unless they're sent notice here there's no self-appointed preachers or self-appointed pastors or self-appointed elders elders are always appointing other elders they must be sent it's one of the great problems we have in South America and on the continent of Africa self-appointed preachers how are they to preach unless they're sent as it is written how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news I should say it's the only problem in South American Africa but it's a problem in the States as well of course some of you've heard that francis of assisi quote where and he was supposed to have said preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words now some of you have used that some of you might still be using that some of you might think it's helpful and in some ways it gets it something that we do appreciate isn't it we want to be about the business in our lives of living lives of imitating Christ shining as the light of the world and as the salt of the earth correct we want to live for Christ and we want to live as followers of Christ before the watching world we want to be good and do good before the watching world yet the problem with that is that one Francis never said it nor would he have said it but the bigger problem is that God didn't say it because the problem is is that you have to use words when you preach the gospel that is how people are saved they're not saved by osmosis they're not saved by us being their friends they're not saved simply by being our children they're saved by hearing the words of the gospel and by God's Amazing Grace and the regenerating power of the Spirit the Spirit taking out their hearts of stone and giving them hearts of flesh that are pliable and moldable and soft giving them new hearts and making them to be born again and giving them life and giving them eternal life in Christ but they have to hear the gospel and look at the picture here that Paul gives he quotes from Isaiah 52 something that I think is very strange to a lot of years listen to what he says there in verse 15 how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news now some of you might know exactly what Paul speaking of but I imagine that there are some here who still have not really heard a very good explanation of what's going on when Paul talks about beautiful feet to get a better picture let's turn quickly to Isaiah 52 as we close this evening Isaiah 52 we are reading about the time when the Exile is return from Babylon they've returned home and we read from Isaiah the prophet from the Lord and verse 7 chapter 52 of Isaiah how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news who publishes peace and who brings good news of happiness who publishes salvation who says design your God reigns the voice of your Watchmen they lift up their voice together they sing for joy for eye-to-eye they see the return of the Lord design the picture here the picture here and the idea here of the beautiful feet is something that we need to understand you see back then as battles were waged wars were fought as the men were off fighting all the sons and many of the fathers as they were in a far-off land or in another region fighting a battle to protect their families and to protect their community to protect their cities as they are off fighting those who are back home the cities and villages had no idea what the outcome was they wouldn't have known if their men were coming home and so they waited and they posted Watchmen on the corners of the walls of their cities to wait and to see if one would come and give them news of the battle and as Watchmen would stand upon the walls and as they would look far off in the distance in the direction of the battle the one thing they would be looking for is a runner running upon the peaks through the deserts and as he ran running with news of victory as he ran his feet would churn up dust and dirt and a cloud would form behind him as he ran back to the city because if they had lost he wouldn't be running he'd be running the opposite way because there'd no hope no future for them no life they would likely become slaves or worse but if he was running it meant that they had won the battle that they had gained the victory and dearly beloved what we are called to do as stewards and servants of the gospel in our lives in our spheres of influence and our families and our friendships and our places of work in our classrooms we are to be agents of the gospel so that people can see that even in times of hurt even in times of worry even in times of great trial even in times when we are facing so many difficulties and burdens that people can come to us and say I don't understand you I don't understand how even through these trials and even through these difficulties even the way that you're treated sometimes that you still have hope please tell me about this hope that is within you and with meekness and gentleness we can give them an answer to that hope that's within us and say you think I'm special you think I'm so good you think I'm so resilient or so strong or so happy and of myself I'm not any of those things the reality of it is the hope that is within me is the hope of the gospel it's the hope of Jesus Christ the reason I have hope is because God has given me hope through the gospel of his Lord Jesus Christ and all by the power of the Spirit dearly beloved that's where the power is it's not in our testimonies those are those can be helpful it's not in our charisma it's not in our ability to communicate the power is in the simple and clear preaching of the gospel which even little children by God's grace can understand let's pray together my father we thank you for your love and we thank you Lord for your amazing grace Lord we pray that you would help us to hear the gospel this night never to forget the gospel and to be your ambassadors of the gospel wherever we are not for our glory but for yours and yours alone we pray you

Channel: Ligonier Ministries

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Keywords: ligonier, ligonier ministries, ligonier conference, ligonier canada, canada, ontario, southern ontario, ligonier conference 2019, reformed, reformed theology, reformation theology, theology, burk parsons, what is truth, the meaning of life, searching for truth, the search for truth, quest for meaning, the search for meaning, the search for purpose, the purpose of life, truth is found in christ, I am the truth, truth is found in jesus, bible, christian, jesus, christ, jesus christ, god

Id: jYVBD8kGS-s

Length: 46min 1sec (2761 seconds)

Published: Sat Nov 16 2019