{"id":1196,"date":"2020-02-02T14:18:40","date_gmt":"2020-02-02T22:18:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1196"},"modified":"2020-02-02T15:10:32","modified_gmt":"2020-02-02T23:10:32","slug":"now-thats-a-reason-to-boast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/02\/now-thats-a-reason-to-boast\/","title":{"rendered":"Now That&#8217;s a Reason to Boast!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"color:black;font: 10pt arial;\"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:DoNotPromoteQF\/>   <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US<\/w:LidThemeOther>   <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE<\/w:LidThemeAsian>   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\tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; \tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} <\/style>\n\n <![endif]--><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1196-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Epiphany-4-02-02-20.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/FILELINK?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Epiphany-4-02-02-20.mp3\">http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Epiphany-4-02-02-20.mp3<\/a><\/audio>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">February 2, 2020<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">I Corinthians 1:26-31<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Now That\u2019s a Reason to Boast!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;tab-stops:13.5pt .5in 2.5in 238.5pt 337.5pt\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things\u2014and the things that are not\u2014to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God\u2014that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Therefore, as it is written:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>&#8220;Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(NIV1984)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Picture this:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You are at a Super Bowl party with a few dozen of your closest family, friends and neighbors.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not surprisingly there are a variety of conversations going on all at the same time.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This neighbor is boasting to everyone all about the fact that their child won the spelling bee\u2014 again.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Another neighbor starts boasting how their grandchild\u2019s sports team\u2014 of which their grandchild was unanimously elected captain\u2014 just won their conference title.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As these little conversations continue you notice that one of your friends is just sitting there sipping coffee with a little smirk on their face.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They motion you to go over to the side of the room where they tell you that their spouse\u2014 the one that some people call a \u201cgeek\u201d\u2014 just patented a software program that Microsoft absolutely adores!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In fact, they are in Redmond, WA, right now signing a multi-million dollar deal with Bill Gates himself!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The thought might easily go through your mind\u2014 Now that\u2019s a reason to boast!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The sermon text that we have before us this morning, my friends, addresses the topic of \u201cboasting.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>With that in mind I would like us to study this text under the theme:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Now That\u2019s a Reason to Boast!<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019ll look at two things today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First we\u2019ll see what we are <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> to boast about.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then we\u2019ll see what we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">are<\/b> to boast about.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The ancient city of Corinth was a very cosmopolitan city.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Its 200,000 citizens included Greeks, Romans, Syrians, Asians, Egyptians, Jews and a host of others working as soldiers, government officials, businessmen and sailors.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There were an additional 500,000 slaves living in Corinth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Corinth was an industrial and shipbuilding mecca.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It was <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">the<\/b> major hub of north-south trade in Greece.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It was a showplace of Greek athletics.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Every other year the Isthmian Games were hosted by the city of Corinth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Overlooking the city was the temple of Aphrodite with over 1,000 priestesses\u2014 which was just another name for temple prostitutes.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In Paul\u2019s day and age Corinth was the fourth largest city in the entire Roman Empire.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Humanly speaking, the city of Corinth and the people of Corinth felt that they had a great number of reasons to \u201cboast.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">In this thriving, luxurious and thoroughly corrupt city the apostle Paul spent eighteen months establishing a Christian congregation\u2014 a congregation that was both richly blessed and greatly troubled.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See Acts 18)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And from this portion of Paul\u2019s first letter to these Corinthian Christians it seems that one of the things that was causing trouble in this congregation was the outward contrast between the things the world boasts about and the things God\u2019s children boast about.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In the verses which precede our text we hear a number of rhetorical questions as well as a number of powerful proclamations.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In verse 20 Paul asks, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWhere is the wise man?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Where is the scholar?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Where is the philosopher of this age?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/i>In verses 22-23 Paul proclaims, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cJews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">To highlight the night and day difference between the things the world boasts about and the things we Christians boast about Paul then says to the Corinthians in the opening verses of our text, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cBrothers, think of what you were when you were called.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things\u2014 and the things that are not\u2014 to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">These inspired words of our God have applied to every congregation I have served\u2014 including ours.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As we look around at our brothers and sisters who gather here with us in God\u2019s house week after week we will have to admit that not many of us would be considered <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwise\u201d<\/i> by human standards.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not many of us would be considered <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cinfluential\u201d<\/i> by human standards.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not many of us would be considered of <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cnoble birth\u201d<\/i> by human standards.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And yet, my friends, I would be willing to say that most if not all of us here today have the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwisdom\u201d<\/i> to answer correctly the three main questions that the philosophers of this world have been debating for centuries:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Where did we come from?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why are we here?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Where are we going?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I would rather have the spiritual strength of any one of our shut-ins than the physical strength of Arnold Schwarzenegger.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I would rather be the lowliest, most politically incorrect person on the face of this earth\u2014 despised and considered worthless by the unbelieving world\u2014 than to think that I have some innate reason to stand before the Lord God Almighty and \u201cboast\u201d about who <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">I <\/b>am, what <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">I <\/b>have done or what <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">I <\/b>have accumulated as I journeyed through this world.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>No, my friends, the wisdom of this world, the power of this world, the riches of this world\u2014 in the end they are all utterly worthless because in the end they all pass away!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See I Corinthians 7:31; I John 2:17)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Is there anything that continues on?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Is there anything that we want to make sure that we hang on to for \u201cdear life\u201d?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Yes there is!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Look at verse 30 of our text.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Paul writes, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cIt is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God\u2014 that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">It is purely by the grace and power of God alone that we have been brought into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as our only Savior from sin.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Through the power of God the Holy Spirit working in Word and Sacraments we have not only come to understand the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwisdom of God,\u201d<\/i> but we are continually <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">growing<\/b> in that wisdom!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>True wisdom, the wisdom that impacts our eternity centers on the three words that Paul highlights here in our text:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201crighteousness, holiness and redemption.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Greek word that is translated here as <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201crighteousness\u201d<\/i> emphasizes being in a <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cright relationship\u201d<\/i> with God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This requires that we do what is <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cright, pleasing and acceptable\u201d<\/i> to God while at the same time refusing to do what God abhors.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now there are only two ways to obtain this <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201crighteousness.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;<\/span>We can <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">work<\/b> very very hard to both please and appease the Almighty God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Or, we can<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"> trust<\/b> in the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201crighteousness\u201d<\/i> that Christ won for us right there on the cross (Pointing to the cross), a <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201crighteousness\u201d<\/i> that He freely gives to us purely by His grace.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now tell me, which of those two ways is <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwiser\u201d<\/i>?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Greek word that is translated here as <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201choliness\u201d<\/i> could also be translated as <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201csanctification.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The God of heaven and earth expects that we will live <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201csanctified\u201d<\/i> <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201choly\u201d<\/i> and God-leasing lives that are dedicated to Him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Where do we get the strength to do that?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>How do we gauge whether or not our lives are pleasing to God?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do we go by how we \u201cfeel\u201d concerning the things that we do or do not do?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do we look deep inside of ourselves searching for our \u201cinner good\u201d or our \u201cinner strength\u201d as so many people propose today?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I, of course, can\u2019t speak for you, but when I look inside of myself I see only what Paul writes about in his letter to the Romans, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFor what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do\u2014 this I keep on doing\u2026What a wretched man I am!\u201d<\/i> (Romans 7:19, 24)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>No, my friends, the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwisdom\u201d<\/i> that comes to us from God through our Savior Jesus Christ reveals to us that both the power and the motivation to live truly sanctified God-pleasing lives comes to us only through the cross.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The cross on Calvary\u2019s hill reminds us that through faith in what Jesus has done <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for <\/b>us, His perfect, holy, sanctified life has now been credited to us.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The cross on Calvary\u2019s hill now motivates us and empowers us to repent of our sins and strive to live a holy sanctified life as a way of saying \u201cThank-you!\u201d to Jesus for what He has done for us.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">And finally, the Greek word that is translated here as <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201credemption\u201d<\/i> very literally means, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cset free, deliver, release.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The prevailing \u201cwisdom\u201d of the world says that it doesn\u2019t make any difference what you believe or who you call god, it doesn\u2019t make any difference what kind of lifestyle you choose to lead because in the end we all go to \u201cheaven\u201d!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>After all, according to the prevailing \u201cwisdom\u201d of this world there is no such place as \u201chell.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Satan snickers every time he sees someone trapped in that web of lies.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>True <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwisdom,\u201d<\/i> my friends, the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwisdom\u201d<\/i> that comes to us from God through Jesus Christ reveals to us that the <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">only<\/b> way to be set free from Satan\u2019s web of lies, the <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">only<\/b> way to be delivered from death and damnation is through faith in the complete and ultimate victory that God\u2019s Son accomplished for us on the cross of Calvary\u2019s hill! (Pointing to the cross)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">As we think all of this through it is not difficult for us to see how all three of those words help us to understand what we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">are <\/b>to boast about as Christians!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We can <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cboast\u201d<\/i> about the fact that the Lord our God is the God who loves us so very much that He gave us a beautiful <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201crobe of righteousness\u201d<\/i>\u2014 the robe that guarantees us entrance into His eternal heavenly Home!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This robe was freely given to us when God the Holy Spirit brought us to faith in Jesus Christ as our only Savior from sin.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For most of us that robe was given to us when we were baptized as a baby.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For others that robe was given to us when the Holy Spirit used the power of His holy Word to create the gift of saving faith in our heart.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Because of what God the Holy Spirit has done <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for <\/b>us, because of what God the Holy Spirit has given <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">to <\/b>us we can and do <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cboast\u201d\u2014<\/i> <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cboast in the Lord\u201d<\/i>!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">We can also <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cboast\u201d<\/i> about the fact that the Lord our God is the God who loves us so very much that He gives us the strength to live a <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201choly, sanctified\u201d<\/i> life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Does this mean that we never sin?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>No, Paul has already reminded us of the fact that we sin against the God of heaven each and every single day of our life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>However, in His grace God has given us the faith and the strength to confess our sin, to repent of our sin to turn away from our sin and to trust in Jesus for forgiveness.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That ability to live a <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201choly, sanctified\u201d<\/i> life is yet another reason we can and do <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cboast\u201d\u2014 \u201cboast in the Lord\u201d<\/i>!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">And finally, we can boast about the fact that the Lord our God is the God loves us so very much that He did everything that was necessary to <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201credeem\u201d<\/i> us, to <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cset us free\u201d<\/i> from the power of sin, death and the devil.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He came into this world as our true flesh-and-blood Brother to live a perfect life in our place and then innocently suffer and die on the cross (Pointing to the cross) to completely pay for all of our sins.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As we stay focused on His cross how can we not <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cboast\u201d\u2014 \u201cboast in the Lord\u201d<\/i>!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Whether it is at a Super Bowl party or in the break-room at work, the cafeteria at school or the living rooms of our own homes we are going to come into contact with all different kinds of people who are boasting about all different kinds of things.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>My prayer is that we don\u2019t get so caught up in the \u201cwisdom\u201d and in the \u201cpower\u201d and in the \u201cinfluence\u201d of this world that we lose sight of what Paul proclaims to us here in our ext for today:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cTherefore, as it is written:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u2018Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.\u2019\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now that\u2019s a reason to boast!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">To God be the glory!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Amen <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"postie-attachments\">Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Epiphany-4-02-02-20.mp3\">Epiphany-4-02-02-20.MP3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany February 2, 2020 I Corinthians 1:26-31 Now That\u2019s a Reason to Boast! &nbsp; Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.&nbsp; Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.&nbsp; But God chose the foolish things of the world to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1196\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}