WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.640 real life presents the Jack Hibbs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim 2 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:16.240 truth equip the saints and impact our culture those of us who live in this 3 00:00:16.240 --> 00:00:20.120 advanced world we have access we have a phone we have an iPad we have some 4 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:25.000 sort of tablet device we have libraries we have hotels that we can check 5 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:30.360 into and read a Bible if you don't have a Bible go to a hotel open up the 6 00:00:30.360 --> 00:00:34.480 door read the Bible right we've got the Bible God is going to say in effect did 7 00:00:34.480 --> 00:00:41.920 you read it you can get the outlines of this podcast by going to Jack 8 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:49.000 Hibbs.com slash podcast today if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to 9 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.680 live a more fulfilled life in Christ then make sure you leave us one of those 10 00:00:52.680 --> 00:00:58.720 five star ratings to us that's like saying amen or yes then that rating will 11 00:00:58.720 --> 00:01:03.420 encourage others to listen now open your hearts to what God's word has to 12 00:01:03.420 --> 00:01:09.160 say to you here is Jack Hibbs. The fact of the matter is that unknown 13 00:01:09.160 --> 00:01:13.000 religion to God is one of silence can you write that down church as we look at 14 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:17.720 this silence you say what do you mean by that pastor unknown to God is a 15 00:01:17.720 --> 00:01:24.320 religion of silence meaning this that God according to the Scriptures is a 16 00:01:24.320 --> 00:01:29.920 God who communicates the God of the Bible is alive he's real you can't hide 17 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:35.600 from him you can't hide anything from him and you need to take comfort in this 18 00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:39.280 fact that because normally that would cause you to just shiver with fear right 19 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:46.880 you're just like oh no but the fact is this that this God who knows everything is 20 00:01:46.880 --> 00:01:50.520 a God that is not silent that you can be in a place today that you're in the 21 00:01:50.520 --> 00:01:58.480 most darkest deepest pit of sin and or despair and you should be happy to hear 22 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:03.360 today that the God of the Bible he knows nothing about a silent religion it 23 00:02:03.360 --> 00:02:09.760 doesn't exist and I love that in my mind I see a contrast between between the 24 00:02:09.760 --> 00:02:14.400 true living God of the Bible and all of the dumb idols that have been crafted 25 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:21.080 throughout all the millennia men bow down and worship idols with ears and 26 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:26.040 anoses and eyes and a mouth and they can't hear they can't speak they can't 27 00:02:26.040 --> 00:02:31.400 smell they can't relate John chapter 4 verse 24 the Bible says God is 28 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:38.320 spirit and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth I tell 29 00:02:38.320 --> 00:02:42.800 you what we will not of course but that verse and John's gospel right there 30 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:47.480 that verse unpacked will just draw the line right down the middle it had just 31 00:02:47.480 --> 00:02:51.520 cut you wide open and it will determine if you're a true believer in God or not 32 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:58.360 because true believers worship God in spirit and in truth I love how he he 33 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:04.160 covers both to know the truth about God is to cause you to know him by spirit and 34 00:03:04.160 --> 00:03:09.840 to relate to God by spirit is to understand his nature and who he is that he's 35 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:15.520 worthy because our God is a God who communicates and so the first thing we see 36 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:21.080 in verses 12 to 13 is that he's speaking to all people the God of the Bible 37 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:27.360 speaks if today you have a God that is not speaking I suggest you get a new God 38 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:35.880 verse 12 for as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law 39 00:03:35.880 --> 00:03:41.280 notice watch a point something out here in a moment next statement and as many 40 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:48.960 as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law you just see how I stress the 41 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:56.560 definite article the first statement is regarding those who sin regarding law 42 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:03.200 verses those who sin regarding the law what is he saying Paul is setting up in his 43 00:04:03.200 --> 00:04:10.280 genius argumentation there are Gentiles and there are Jews you say I don't know 44 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:16.180 which one I am are you a Jew nope vineyard Gentile if you're not Jew you're a 45 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:22.160 Gentile the whole world outside of being a Jew is Gentile and what he's talking 46 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:26.200 about is we'll see in a moment is that God has spoken we learned this in Romans 47 00:04:26.200 --> 00:04:33.960 chapter 1 that his Godhead has been displayed to all that he has created but 48 00:04:33.960 --> 00:04:37.320 this statement here in chapter 2 is announcing that there are those who have 49 00:04:37.320 --> 00:04:41.640 never heard the Bible they've never heard a sermon they've never heard or read 50 00:04:41.640 --> 00:04:45.600 anything about the Bible and verse 12 is announcing up front that there are 51 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:51.760 those who sin without law but they will perish without law see what this makes 52 00:04:51.760 --> 00:04:57.480 no sense to me yes it does I won't be laborate but yes it does according to the 53 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:02.040 Bible and again tell your kids this they need to hear this because everybody gets 54 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:06.280 concerned about the poor man running around naked in South American jungles 55 00:05:06.280 --> 00:05:12.960 about his soul what about the guy running around in South America naked with a 56 00:05:12.960 --> 00:05:18.520 bone in his nose hook what if he doesn't hear the gospel well Romans chapter 1 57 00:05:18.520 --> 00:05:26.560 and chapter 2 says don't worry about him God is speaking to him and he's speaking 58 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:31.720 to him in a way where there is an internal law that God has revealed inside of 59 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:39.760 that man or a woman living in the Amazon so you can take a big deep breath and 60 00:05:39.760 --> 00:05:46.960 relax and not worry about that man's soul you need to think about your own the 61 00:05:46.960 --> 00:05:51.560 Bible sister who much is given much will be required where little is given little 62 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:57.320 is required but no this all of mankind will stand before God and judgment if you've 63 00:05:57.320 --> 00:06:01.720 been given much it means that you'll be judged more harshly that's why the 64 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:06.320 book of James says you pastors you teachers you better watch yourself because you 65 00:06:06.320 --> 00:06:12.040 study my word and you preach and teach it and that's how I'm gonna judge you in 66 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:19.320 the day of judgment the teacher gets the stronger judgment in the day of God's 67 00:06:19.320 --> 00:06:26.280 examination but the God that you and I worship knows nothing about silence we 68 00:06:26.280 --> 00:06:30.200 often think that he's the silent God because we think he's not speaking oh he's 69 00:06:30.200 --> 00:06:35.720 speaking you know our problem is we are so busy we're so cluttered we have so 70 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:40.680 much noise going on I'm convinced always I've told you before I'm convinced now 71 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:48.240 he's always speaking I rarely listen I'm in fact I'll prove it to you and you you 72 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:53.320 can prove this to yourself when I relax and calm down which for me take a 73 00:06:53.320 --> 00:06:59.800 picture when that happens but honestly I'll be very honest with you if I'm 74 00:06:59.800 --> 00:07:05.480 gardening or mowing the lawn to me that it's God speaks to me more in times like 75 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:11.320 that or in times of isolation for me now I don't get isolation much but what I'm 76 00:07:11.320 --> 00:07:19.120 saying is if I'm walking or if I'm whatever I'm doing and there's aloneness I hear 77 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:25.880 God speaking I don't hear the trees rumbling in some powerful voice that's 78 00:07:25.880 --> 00:07:33.160 amplified no it's deep internal and it's it's revelation of words or 79 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:37.600 knowledge or or instruction that's not jack and you know I'm talking about it 80 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:45.560 and it's not you you know it's him and he speaks to the person that doesn't 81 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:51.400 have the Bible like you and I have but they're not guiltless because he's 82 00:07:51.400 --> 00:07:56.080 speaking to them and they know inside this is right and this is wrong and by 83 00:07:56.080 --> 00:08:00.280 the way anthropologists will tell us every culture all around the world no 84 00:08:00.280 --> 00:08:06.040 matter what they believe have a right and a wrong law in that culture and the 85 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:13.120 Bible says it came from God all of you evolutionist you got a tough you got a 86 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:18.760 tough argument there you have trying to trying to convince yourself that God 87 00:08:18.760 --> 00:08:25.000 doesn't exist and yet on the inside you have a moral code that you live by and 88 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:29.640 you argue trying to say that that was developed by input and by your 89 00:08:29.640 --> 00:08:34.360 surroundings that's your argument I just got news for you this a ruin your day 90 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:38.280 you'll have a horrible day after I say what I'm about to say God says I place that 91 00:08:38.280 --> 00:08:42.600 in you and you may have never opened up a Bible in your life but you know the 92 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:47.560 question in your mind is does God exist and God is expecting you to nurture that 93 00:08:47.560 --> 00:08:52.600 question he's asking you to stoke the flames of that little spark to see is God 94 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:58.720 real every human being is being touched with that challenge from God and this is a 95 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:04.280 fact secondly in verses 14 to 15 we see that unknown religion to God is one of 96 00:09:04.280 --> 00:09:09.280 silence is the fact that he is speaking to each of us every single one of us 97 00:09:09.280 --> 00:09:18.360 verse 14 says for when Gentiles unbelievers who do not have the law by nature do 98 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:23.560 the things in the law these although not having the law are law unto themselves 99 00:09:23.560 --> 00:09:29.880 now you got to remember Paul is a born again Jew speaking to born again Jews 100 00:09:29.880 --> 00:09:36.560 living in Rome he's writing from Corinth Greece he's writing to those in Rome 101 00:09:36.560 --> 00:09:42.800 there was a tremendous amount of born again Jews we call them believers completed 102 00:09:42.800 --> 00:09:51.780 Jews and he's challenging them and he's saying listen for those of you guys who 103 00:09:51.780 --> 00:09:59.860 were cruising and saying that I'm a man I got the I'm settled I was in Judaism 104 00:09:59.860 --> 00:10:05.380 before I got saved I understand Jesus is Messiah and yet when I'm with all 105 00:10:05.380 --> 00:10:08.780 these other Gentiles I've got a little notch above the rest of them I'm a little 106 00:10:08.780 --> 00:10:18.740 bit better off I'm kind of a higher standard or a higher cut and he warrants 107 00:10:18.740 --> 00:10:25.660 because the Bible here says that there are those who by nature notice this the 108 00:10:25.660 --> 00:10:31.780 Gentiles by nature God speaking to them and he's speaking to you he speaks to me 109 00:10:31.780 --> 00:10:39.020 he speaks verse 15 it says that these who show the work of the law written in 110 00:10:39.020 --> 00:10:44.740 their hearts here it comes their conscience also bearing witness and between 111 00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:53.100 themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them listen in your heart 112 00:10:53.100 --> 00:10:57.780 listen you're not a Christian today you're not a follower of Jesus but you will 113 00:10:57.780 --> 00:11:04.180 agree with me you have to agree with me that is inside of you you have a 114 00:11:04.180 --> 00:11:13.780 standard of living that to you is acceptable so whoever you may be non-believer 115 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:22.980 you don't believe in God you have a moral code and you believe it so much that 116 00:11:22.980 --> 00:11:26.980 you've lived your life by that standard and church let's be honest there are 117 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:33.620 non-Christians who live some non-Christians live better lives morally than 118 00:11:33.620 --> 00:11:41.140 Christians they've got a high standard of morality what does it prove watch 119 00:11:41.140 --> 00:11:49.620 this what does it prove the Apostle is saying it means this it means that 120 00:11:49.620 --> 00:11:52.420 they've got a high bar that they've established based upon their own 121 00:11:52.420 --> 00:11:56.380 judgment but they're failing to recognize that their ability to place that 122 00:11:56.380 --> 00:12:00.580 high bar as a standard of judgment has come from God and his witness that is 123 00:12:00.580 --> 00:12:03.220 inside of them it doesn't mean they're going to heaven it means that God has 124 00:12:03.300 --> 00:12:11.620 shown them a standard and Jesus says and the Bible says over and over again 125 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:17.060 whatever standard you have God says by that standard you will be judged 126 00:12:20.180 --> 00:12:24.580 so when we look at people and we criticize or we talk about or we gossip about 127 00:12:24.820 --> 00:12:33.140 or we hold this standard to them it's it's actually true that that standard is 128 00:12:33.140 --> 00:12:38.500 looking right back at us but you say well Jack if I meet my standard what if 129 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:44.580 what if I just have low standards Jack and I meet up to all my low standards am I 130 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:49.940 off the hook nope nope what Paul is trying to get the believer and the 131 00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:53.860 unbeliever to see is that God alone is perfect and that we need the cross 132 00:12:54.580 --> 00:12:59.540 of Jesus we need the resurrected Christ that it's not being a good citizen that 133 00:12:59.540 --> 00:13:03.940 gets you into heaven nor is it being a Jew and you're a scholar of the Bible 134 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:09.220 that gets you into heaven he says both will perish no matter what morality 135 00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:14.900 no matter what understanding Psalm 44 verse 21 Psalm 44 21 says 136 00:13:14.900 --> 00:13:20.420 for he knows the secrets of the heart God does why does he announce that 137 00:13:20.420 --> 00:13:25.380 look at verse 15 he's the God that is speaking to you 138 00:13:25.380 --> 00:13:30.260 he speaks to the people the nations he speaks to us all of us as a culture 139 00:13:30.260 --> 00:13:34.820 but he speaks to you and I personally verse 16 in the day when God will judge the 140 00:13:34.820 --> 00:13:41.460 secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel when Paul says my gospel 141 00:13:41.460 --> 00:13:46.260 don't get excited he's not making it up when he says my gospel the word means 142 00:13:46.260 --> 00:13:51.940 I am saying exactly what Jesus told me to say gospel I'm being faithful to 143 00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:58.740 delivering the goods that I was told to do okay I appreciate that God will judge 144 00:13:58.740 --> 00:14:04.980 the secrets of our hearts I don't know how this message will eventually come 145 00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:08.580 across but I can tell you this for days now I've been concerned with this 146 00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:12.900 thought I'll just be so honest with you I've been so concerned for this 147 00:14:15.700 --> 00:14:19.860 thought and that is for someone to think for a moment fresh for the first time 148 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:24.420 almost like a spark of light when the scripture says that God will judge the 149 00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:27.620 secrets of men's hearts that that that makes perfect sense to you 150 00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:33.700 are there not listen church are there not secrets in the world of course 151 00:14:33.780 --> 00:14:42.580 do not people have them yes do you know a secret then why can't God know a secret 152 00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:53.060 he knows oh pastor all my life I've been hoping and praying that nobody finds out about that 153 00:14:53.060 --> 00:14:59.060 thing I've it has burdened me for 50 years it has been weighed upon me it's crushing me 154 00:14:59.060 --> 00:15:04.820 I'm terrified someday I might wake up and it's on the headlines let me tell you 155 00:15:04.820 --> 00:15:11.460 something right now God knows all secrets he knows them all 156 00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:18.420 Psalm 139 verse 1 and 2 says oh Lord you have searched me and known me notice the 157 00:15:18.420 --> 00:15:23.940 words past tense he's not getting to know you hey hi Jack I'd like to get to know you 158 00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:30.580 no no God shows up on the scene right now today it says I know you I've always known you 159 00:15:31.380 --> 00:15:42.020 you mean from the beginning from the beginning in eternity I've searched you I've known you 160 00:15:42.020 --> 00:15:48.820 verse 2 says in Psalm 139 verse 2 you know my sitting down and my rising up you understand my 161 00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:54.980 thought a far off isn't that bizarre before you think it God knows what you're going to think 162 00:15:54.980 --> 00:16:00.740 in the next 15 seconds or 15 minutes he knows he knows it's coming and my argument to him 163 00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:08.340 has always been then why didn't you stop it of course that's a stupid question because God is 164 00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:13.060 saying I want to see what you're going to do with it I know what you're going to do with it but 165 00:16:13.060 --> 00:16:17.300 you don't know what you're going to do with it and you're going to decide to be a follower of 166 00:16:17.300 --> 00:16:27.060 minor night this is the danger of rejection Paul in chapter 2 of Romans is talking about those 167 00:16:27.060 --> 00:16:38.100 who without the law or with an internal law or God's code the Bible if you reject God's truth 168 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:47.860 there's a grave danger and he's speaking to you personally and Matthew chapter 11 verse 20 this 169 00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:52.980 is this is tough because you don't want to reject friends when God speaks to you I know you're 170 00:16:52.980 --> 00:16:57.060 in a big crowd here right now you think well you I'm just going to hide the crowd people tell 171 00:16:57.060 --> 00:17:01.940 me that by the way I came to this church three years ago I needed it I just wanted to hide 172 00:17:02.820 --> 00:17:08.980 no I'm you hear that don't you I just well I just I want to find a big church I just hide out 173 00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:16.740 well we we may not have detected you but the Holy Spirit he knows 174 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:24.020 but are you here for religious purposes because to that is that's unknown to God 175 00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:33.460 but the truth is you should be here for personal reasons crowd or not 176 00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:42.260 you should come to this place saying where's God I want God is there a God 177 00:17:45.540 --> 00:17:51.380 and I'm happy to report it that yes he's a God who speaks speaks to nations speaks to cultures 178 00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:56.660 and he speaks to you personally he's a good God he's a forgiving God 179 00:18:01.300 --> 00:18:06.260 this Jack Hibbs podcast as well as all the broadcast out reach opportunities are listeners 180 00:18:06.260 --> 00:18:13.620 supported will you consider partnering with us through a special gift go to 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