Romans Chapter 2:25-28

Front over time as you follow Jesus you should get more cost about the world you should get more sons live about the vision care less about people die in the oceans you you should care more about you shouldn't care less about the poor and the hungry. You should care more about the let your heart and your actions be changed welcome to cross the bridge with dignity is the senior pastor of the bridge conclusion with Carolyn. The amazing thing about a relationship with God is that after he saves us he doesn't just leave us where we find out more about this amazing life in Christ today as Pastor David continues in the book of Romans chapter 2, but didn't beginning to in the Bible shows the special nature of God's relationship with the nation.

But what does that have to do with you today.

Romans chapter 11 tells us that God covenant relationship with Israel has huge implications for you to help you understand more. Pastor David Masterson video record in the home called his Bible. This powerful resource will encourage and strengthen you as you learn how connected you are God's chosen Bible is our gift to think more donations to help this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life. This is the bridge.com to request again next cross the bridge. Now here's the part two is teaching changed turn with me to chapter 2 of Romans were reminded that Paul wrote the book of Romans. At this point, Paul has not actually been to Rome so we we're peeling back a few years from the close of actual refinement room is writing these people about spiritual truth and things that is learned and where to pick it up. Verse 25 for circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law, but if you are a breaker of the law here.

Circumcision has become on circumcision, circumcision, talking about here a couple of couple different risers of physical circumcision of you will in a spiritual circumcision, physical circumcision was given by God as a covenant with his people. It happened with a male child on the eighth day and we now have learned that those clotting ability of the blood is that one of the highest points in a person's life on that eighth day in interest so there is a special covenant. Our arrangement with God. The circumcision, but it was supposed to be a symbol of something deep, and the danger was that the symbol became the whole thing. No words okay I'm circumcised I'm good. I don't really have to have a relationship with the Lord, don't have to love God, love people. I'm just doing this ritual so that we look at what you look at warehouse that doesn't really plot of time how we do the same thing with things deep meaning things like baptism, which we believe here what we call believers baptism. That is when you come to the Lord, you ask him to forgive you of your sins, then you should be baptized.

Okay.

And I would encourage everybody you've asked Jesus to forgive your sins to be baptized.

But what have we done with that beautiful symbol of going into the water going down death of Jesus Christ and being resurrected in its power. What we done without a wonderful beautiful symbol which turned it into sometimes an empty ritual so appreciate parents that want to dedicate their children to the Lord and sometimes that dedication comes through. Sprinkle in them at birth and some of them refer to it as Baptist. But how deep and meaningful is it for that baby as that may be sent on that to follow the Lord have made a personal decision. Now, with a six week six month to euro can't really make that decision.

What about communion same thing DD meaningful thing for those of us who asked Jesus to forgive us of our sins and who were following him, and yet again, what have we done with that.

Well, a lot of times we we've actually there some places it's a will that that's that's how you're forgiven. Actually when you take part of communion and that so that's what was intended to be assembled now becomes the total talent he of the thing okay you take communion and that's it, you're done now, which was to be considered the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. So while we look at this window although silly Jewish people back and then another was make a personal present-day application. As we look at this. Philippians chapter 3 verse three successful we are the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flash so here the book of Philippians, Paul, who wrote the book, Philippians, lays out hey you know what circumcision isn't just those who are physically circumcised in that sense it's those of us who have been spiritually circumcised.

In other words, and not to get too graphic, but to cut away the flash. Our band desires and so you know what rundown of those were live for the Lord. Paul points out in this verse so that circumcision if you will God worship God worship or serve your God worship the understand God created you and you asked me to forgive you of your sins, then you are a God worship or your of the circumcision of you. Paul is saying like it if you keep the law.

In other words, if you desire to be obedient to the Lord, then yes, personal profit, there is a profit of the will and being a Jewish person because you your brought up with the knowledge of God. You brought up with a reverence in the Scriptures and whatnot. Verse 26. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law will not his on circumcision be counted as circumcision is got interesting one and you can say what was on his uncircumcised, and they keep the righteous requirements of law will likely just said that nobody can keep the righteous requirements of absolutely so it in a in a way Paul is presenting a hypothetical discussion here that if you could keep the law, then somebody was uncircumcised to keep the law, then they would be declared circumcised now where it's not hypothetical is it we as Obama points out, we are cleansed through forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ and pulsing and what if you've been cleansed of your sins.

It's not uncircumcised. There is no uncircumcised circumcised were all one in Jesus Christ and must remember we talked about this before.

Part of what Paul's deal with Erin in the roof in the book of Romans and we looked at this prior the book of acts records that one of the emperors on the sealers actually said all Jewish people had to leave around and so they were cast out they had to leave and then whether they were Jewish or Jewish Christians. They had to leave and what happened is the next networking many symbol know they can come back so obviously you can't have a social thing then where you have Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. So already, there's really, like two denominations which now we splintered in the hundreds right but can't answer.

Paul is trying to deal with essence and and and and and and or were all one in Jesus Christ and Pollyanna saying you know what it's a symbol of a reality, the circumcision Celeste. Remember baptism symbol of the reality or is meaningless circumcision symbol on the reality or is meaningless communion symbol but without meaning it without without a commitment its meaning. Since think of it like this, and this can interesting thing when the I wear several rings and and a 3M or Hebrew. The I love you with an everlasting love for I know the plans I have for you and and then this one is the Lord bless you and keep you on the and in Hebrew and in this kind of commitment to the Lord to this church. I wear it all, it reminds me of that in and of your courses my wedding band okay so what is the what if I go well look, I'm not pastor anymore.

There's no.

I just took my ring off you will is pretty silly because your your shelters will take it right one because there's an inward reality that I am pastor but now Mercer's yeah I see that the women you understand when when people go to cheat, sometimes in their marriage. They do this like okay well I took the ring off and not I'm not really married, you know what the rain is a symbol of the of your state.

Now I'm I took my ring, I'm still married. I'm still married. I just don't have the ring on the ring back on married Thursday. My present state is I am married so against baptism, communion, circumcision, all those things are really incredible and awesome deep spiritual meaning in there's a reality to it, but if there's not a reality to it, then it its nothingness. An empty ritual and assemble that's part of what Paul is saying here in verse 27 and will not the physical, physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision are a transgressor of the law. This is this is great stuff in policy and you know what if you're not desiring to follow the Lord of your not desiring to do the things the Lord has you to do, then don't take pride and arrogance consolation comfort in these empty ritual.

Again, the spring of the present think you understand how many people take comfort in going to church even though it really is an empty ritual for I know most folks here we come deeply meaningful experience will Lord worship and Conger learn about the work I'm guessing that's an empty ritual. I'm saying there are people who go to that into ritual who take spiritual pride and comfort that is dangerous or baptism they take pride or the fact that they were baptism. Infant even though they are really in the church serving the Lord are doing things about talks about. Be careful with be careful that that's what Paul is talking about here is these things need to be an outward sign of an inward reality or it's an empty ritual that becomes an outward sign of an energy-efficient of well this is all it is and it doesn't really mean anything in an you know what happens is man overtime tends towards increasing the ritual and decreasing the relationship you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment but first, God's grace and mercy is greater than any of us could ever fathom.

That's why he's been so faithful to the nation of Israel throughout the ages and he's not finished. He's promised to remain true to them to the end. We want to show you what God's faithfulness toward Israel says about his relationship with you by sending you Pastor David's teaching video Israel the Bible and you in this exciting teaching recorded in the heart of the holy land.

Pastor David unpacks important truths from God's relationships with Israel that impact your life today. Israel the Bible and you is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life's visit cross the bridge.com to request yours again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Now back to today's teaching verse 28 for he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flash now this is interesting and again you know when we can just we can just read through this we could to study this in and really about it and make the present-day applications we could all just had to slow teaching and then you know leave and not be changed up a challenging goal lucidly Jewish people because they did this in an wet you know I'm not going to do that we have to do is we have to send her go. Okay well what are the symbols of the rituals that we have and what is the meaning again coming back to baptism because it's such an obvious connection.

Baptism is a symbol of dying to ourselves Talked about the symbolism for the Bible talks about the fact when you go under the water and we practically baptized by immersion that these men the Greek means to be immersed literally we see in the Bible that says you know Jesus came out of the water so we came out of the water. Would we know he was in the water. Okay, baptism is a funny thing understand we have splinter groups.

People believe this but people believe that there are some people to believe your whole salvation is tied up in baptism we don't believe that here, but I also believe that if you've asked the Lord to forgive you present. You should be baptized.

So when he comes means I hate you know I got born again and I love the Lord. Some of you be surprised by what you say I love the Lord. I been born again and after I was born again. I was sprinkled in one I can live with. We again we practice baptism by immersion.

I believe you should be baptized, I believe, according to the Bible, you should be immersed in almost caught up on some I was in the hospital and had come to the Lord. We thought that there would get Ray to be with the Lord.

They've actually recovered naturally in church are now scone challenges a want to be baptized without well can't help I can.

I mean I can't immerse him I can't bring a huge aquarium in the hospital and I'm sure will do that now I was forced to say okay well God has mercy on the strengths now again I fall back on. We believe in baptism by immersion, but here's the important part is the baptism is that is it more than assemble as baptism is dying to your old self and being resurrected in the newness of life.

In other words, when you rebaptize it's assemble your no longer live for yourself, you live for the Lord your adopted old weight and you live in the newness of life. That's the important thing that you come to the Lord that you understand that in the real proof of your baptism is really in the way you live in your living for Lord a baptism cooked if you're not in was an empty ritual pulse are now circumcision here in this kind of I went through and I was interestingly enough, a couple of different aspects of circumcision in living the new life in Exodus chapter 6 verse 12 says as Moses spoke before the Lord's and the children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised, interesting phrase there uncircumcised lips ask you question a book of James talks a lot about the tongue, and what we say and how we said and James talks about hate you sweet and bitter should flow out of the same fountain with your mouth or you live in an newness of life, not just talk about profanity or blasphemy. Obviously that's something that you should be dying to living in the newness of life.

But you speak words of love. You speak words of encouragement to other people say God wants to change the way we live in our attitude to change what we say when we say how we say the life lesson here is let your mouth be changed. Let your mouth be changed so God wants to change the way you talk.

God wants to change the things that you say to people so aspect of circumcision as allowing that change to occur when you mess up when you say the wrong thing. Repent to the other person repent of the Lord. Ask him to help you but you would be change another one Jeremiah 6 verse tenses, to whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear, indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed to hold the word of the Lord is a reproach to them.

They have no delight in it is interesting Jeremiah saying you know what they are not taking joy in the word of the Lord they don't like it or not taken the delight in it.

This is another symbol or assign of the newness of life. When you hear the word of God and you treated is the word of God and you have the light in the word of God that is a supernatural thing used to be when I didn't know the Lord.

I would open the Bible and I would be like, I'd be confused what is all this begat begat begat begat begat begat we get much later learn that there's things in there and the genealogies of Jesus.

Another interesting thing and so now instead of man a book where this will now check all that is so awesome look at this. Probably that's happening in your life is well. Ezekiel 44 verse not says this, thus says the Lord God, no foreigner uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh under my sanctuary, including any foreigner who was among the children of Israel as an interesting concept and in and to be honest when it comes circumcision. This is one of the most powerful thing.

The Bible seems to indicate that our heart itself needs to be circumcised. In other words, that fleshly outer core that selfish part of us that the Lord wants to cut that part away and give us a tender new heart for an over time as you follow Jesus you should get more calloused about the world you should get more sensitive about the world you should care less about people. Diane and their sins. You could you should care more about people dying or set you shouldn't care less about the poor and the hungry. You should care more about the poor and life lesson here.

Let your heart and your actions be changed at your heart and your actions be changed.

Allow yourself to be circumcised if you will with your mouth with your ears when your heart with your actions that it not be just an empty symbol or ritual that you would speak with compassion. She would hear sensitivity. She would feel the tenderness that your heart will never be calloused and if your heart ever becomes calloused that the Lord through his Holy Spirit may be through your pain or somebody else's pain would come and circumcise your heart afresh because I've seen people in ministering Christianity that over time because they get hurt or you know one thing about sheep as they actually they actually bite they will bite you. Course of the Bible talks about people of God being sheep. So doesn't matter.

We got sheep bite scars, you know some big bad sheep. Lambeau has bitten us and left a big truck stay softhearted in avionics early in life. I thought we at some point it won't feel so I won't feel it so much. I will have so much pain from that and I thought you know what I want to because then I will end up as this cold, heartless, individual that it doesn't bother me at all. I want maybe you're very sensitive and if so friend that is a blessing from God that your sensitive when you feel pain or hurt.

Praise God bless God your softhearted.

As believers we should be thick-skinned, softhearted, thick skin softhearted, especially ministry.

The maybe even here near you. You just look at people than in differencing system is certain done bother you.St. EEOC semi that's that struggling and you just you need to ask God to soften your heart. The circumcise afresh your heart if you will. Verse 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not from men but from God. Paul Bowles it down here and says okay. Basically what you trust in you trusting in empty, meaningless symbols or something behind this are you trusting just in the act of baptism. Are you understanding that that was a outward sign of an inward change in newer desiring to live in the newness of life are you trusting in communion just isn't empty ritual or does it occur to you at that time that you are remembering the price that was paid for.

You shed blood. The broken body of the Lord Jesus Christ died for you on the cross for you trusting in the fact that you go to church see that's what it all comes down to, because see if your trusting in your own in these acts and the fact in again you should go to church. I'm glad you're here. But if you trusting in just going to church to forgive you ever sense your trusting in essence, it really your trusting in your own righteousness and the bottles point out here you can trust in your own right, but we we love rituals and we love thinking that we do something, or have done something that causes our right to standing on I'm talking about just simply works in and let me clarify. There is something that you can do to be declared innocent be declared righteous. You can come to Jesus and Jesus, please forgive me my sense of done wrong. I am sorry.

Please forgive me. I know that you can forgive me for your death on the cross that is one thing that you not only should do but you need to do and you have to do if you're going to be declared righteous. You have to fall back the Jesus died for your sins so friend I ask you today, right now where's your confidence, where's your trust is in Jesus and Jesus alone.

I guess really Christianity is a lot like the business world in the sense it's not what you know, it's who you do you know Jesus.

Do you know him as your Savior. Deuteronomy 1016 says this therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart and be stiff neck no longer are in the new living translation. It reads therefore cleanse your sinful hearts and stop being stubborn this morning got incredible opportunity to ask God to continue to change.

Change your mouth change your ears change your heart.

You're sitting here this morning in your trust in and ritual your trusting in your own righteousness print trust is misplaced trust in him, trust in Jesus friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion.

A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can call us toll-free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ before we go, we want to encourage you in your faith so that you can experience more of the grace and love of God for you. That's why we like to send you Pastor David's teaching video recorded in the heart of the holy land called Israel the Bible and you this encouraging look into the history of Israel in God's covenant faithfulness to his chosen people will help you take bold steps in your relationship with Israel.

The Bible is our gift to you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge for the death to life servers across the bridge.com now to request will Be sure to join us next time across the bridge with David to hear more from the book of books will see you