Rescue

[0:00] This morning I have the honor of introducing Dr. Norberto Quezala. We know him as Pachi.! He's been a pastor for over 40 years and professor of church planting throughout Latin America.

[0:19] Today he's the strategic advisor to Los Pinos Nuevos, an amazing church planting network in Cuba.

[0:30] I really like what their slogan is, every corner. Sounds like the Great Commission, doesn't it? He's also a strategic advisor throughout Latin America for church planting.

[0:43] His interpreter today is Reverend Jim Moon. He's executive director of Two Cities Project.

[0:55] And we've known Jim for a number of times. And I'll just say Karen and I have been honored to call these brothers and sisters, as well as Jim Moon, family.

[1:06] So here, a family member today. Amen. There's another song. Oh.

[1:36] That was the last song.

[1:53] Are we ready? Okay, so we're ready. Are you guys going to stand up here the whole time?

[2:03] No? The reading of the word. Okay, all right. Well, we're new here. Can you tell? We're family.

[2:20] I guess I'll read the scripture. You're going to read it in Spanish, and I'll read it in English. Yeah, we're not so used to getting so quickly to heaven.

[2:34] Okay, now we read the word? Okay. Ahora. Romanos capítulo 5, versículos del 1 al 5.

[2:44] Romans 5, verses 1 through 5. En consecuencia, ya que hemos sido justificados mediante la fe, tenemos paz para con Dios por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

[3:00] También por medio de Él y mediante la fe, tenemos acceso a esta gracia a la cual nos mantenemos firmes. Así que nos regocijamos en la esperanza de alcanzar la gloria de Dios.

[3:19] Okay, Romans 5, verses 1 through 3. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[3:30] Through Him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

[3:41] Not only that you, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

[4:00] This is God's word. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. Okay. Ahora. Now we're ready.

[4:14] Estoy impresionado de cuán gráfico es esta iglesia tipificando el cielo. I am so impressed by how this church represents what heaven is like.

[4:27] Gente de toda tribu, de toda lengua, de toda nación presentes aquí. People from every tribe and tongue and nation present here today.

[4:38] Algo similar fue lo que Juan vio en Patmos cuando Dios le mostró el futuro. This is probably what John saw on the island of Patmos. Y lo que más me impresiona es esta foto, esa obra de arte.

[4:53] And the thing that impresses me most is this graphic. Con acceso a la cruz. We have access to the cross. Gracias por recibirnos.

[5:05] Thank you for receiving us. Somos un grupo de cubanos que hemos estado aquí por algunas razones. Y hoy nos gozamos muchísimo en estar con ustedes.

[5:18] We are a group of cubans that are here for several different things. And we are rejoicing to be with you today. Todos estamos muy involucrados en el ministerio en Cuba en ver lo que Dios está haciendo allí por su obra.

[5:31] And all of us here from Cuba are very involved in what God is doing in Cuba right now. Hace algunos años comenzamos una red de misericordia en La Habana.

[5:41] A few years ago we started a mercy ministry in Havana. Solamente eran 10 iglesias. It was only 10 churches. Y hoy tenemos una red de plantación de iglesias de más de 200 iglesias.

[5:54] And now we have a church planting network that is more than 200 churches in Havana. De las cuales se han plantado más de 1,500 nuevas iglesias.

[6:04] And those 200 churches have planted more than 1,500 house churches. Y Dios está bendiciendo la ciudad. And God is blessing it all.

[6:17] Gracias por orar por nosotros. Thank you for praying for us. Eso es parte del llamado que Dios ha hecho a la iglesia para orar por su pueblo alrededor del mundo. This is what God has given us as a church to do all around the world.

[6:30] It's to pray for one another. Y gracias al pastor por permitirme predicar hoy en esta iglesia. And thank you pastor for allowing me to preach today in your church. Lo considero un alto privilegio.

[6:40] I consider it a very high privilege. Romanos capítulo 5 es uno de los capítulos más profundos que yo veo en la Biblia. Romans 5 is one of the deepest chapters in all of the Bible.

[6:51] Sobre todo porque uno de sus temas principales es el concepto de justificación. Because in it we have this deep understanding of justification.

[7:04] Cuando esta palabra viene a nosotros en español, pensamos en la escuela. Cuando yo no iba a la escuela porque quería irme para jugar pelota.

[7:18] Yo hablaba con un amigo que me justificara delante del profesor. No.

[7:35] Cuando yo no quería ir a la escuela. Oh, when I didn't want to go to school. Yo hablaba con alguien. I would talk to somebody. Que me justificara delante del profesor. That would justify my absence.

[7:45] Okay. I know there are a lot of you in here that speak better Spanish than I do. So I'm very aware. You guys just help me. Yo confío en Jim.

[7:57] I have trust in Jim. Yo espero que él esté traduciendo exactamente lo que yo estoy diciendo. I'm not as sure he's translating exactly what I'm saying, but I trust him. Pero justificación es mucho más que ofrecer una disculpa.

[8:15] A justification is much more than offering an excuse. Romanos capítulo 5 habla de entrada por la fe a la gracia.

[8:27] Chapter 5 of Romans talks about the entrance of faith through grace. Habla de gloriarnos en una esperanza de la gloria de Dios.

[8:38] We glory in a hope of God. Habla de gloriarnos en las tribulaciones. It tells us to glory in our sufferings. Gloriarnos en las tribulaciones.

[8:54] To glory in our sufferings. Soy hijo de padres que han sido pastores toda su vida.

[9:05] I am a son of, my parents were pastors. Nací en un pueblo pequeño que estaba dividido por un río. I was born in a small town divided by a river.

[9:18] Cuando yo tenía tres años, mi papá se desapareció de nuestra historia. When I was three years old, my father disappeared. El gobierno lo llevó preso por tres años.

[9:29] The government put him in prison for three years for being a pastor. Fueron tres años muy difíciles para nosotros. And it was three very difficult years for us. Experimentamos todo tipo de necesidades.

[9:41] We had all sorts of needs. Fueron tiempos muy, muy difíciles en términos sociales y políticos para Cuba. It was a very difficult time in social and political terms for Cuba.

[9:54] Y un día supimos que mi papá venía de regreso de la prisión. And one day we heard that my dad was going to get out of prison. A él lo habían llevado preso porque él es pastor de esa iglesia.

[10:06] He had been in prison for three years because he was a pastor of this church. Y como les dije, el pueblo estaba dividido por un río y había un puente que unía ambos lados del pueblo.

[10:22] Mi mamá me puso en la cabeza del puente para recibir a mi papá. Vinieron varios.

[10:32] And there came many people. Eran, venían sucios, apestosos, con ropa sucia, verde, peludos, barbudos, con gorras, sombreros.

[10:46] Yeah, they were dirty and they were wearing these green fatigues that were filthy and they had long hair and they had beards by this point. Y yo no conocía a mi papá. And I didn't know my dad.

[10:57] Yo preguntaba a todo el mundo, has visto a mi papá? And I kept asking everybody, have you seen my dad? Pero nadie prestaba atención a un niño de seis años preguntando por su papá. Hasta que vino un hombre.

[11:11] Until this man. Y cuando yo le pregunto si había visto a mi papá. But when I asked him, have you seen my dad? Él se agachó y me abrazó. He bent down and he hugged me. Ahí comenzó la historia de mi papá.

[11:27] And that was where my story with my dad began. ¿Por qué cuento esta pequeña historia? So why do I tell you this little story? Porque aquel abrazo fue como la reconciliación de su historia con mi historia.

[11:44] That hug was like a reconciliation of his story and my story. Él no estuvo esos tres años presentes en la vida de nosotros porque había estado preso.

[11:55] Por cuenta de ser pastor. He couldn't be part of our lives because he had been in jail for being a pastor. Pero tanto él como nosotros necesitábamos de él en la casa.

[12:06] But we needed him at home. Él no se justificó por qué razón no estaba con nosotros. And he didn't justify why he wasn't with us. Su abrazo fue una manera de rescate para mí.

[12:17] Su abrazo fue una manera de rescate para mí. Su abrazo fue una manera de rescate para mí. Más o menos de esto nos está hablando Romanos capítulo 5.

[12:28] And that is what Paul is talking about in Romans 5. Este es un capítulo donde el apóstol Pablo aborda el tema de la justificación por medio de la fe solamente en Jesucristo.

[12:44] And this is the chapter where Paul addresses the theme of justification by faith through Jesus Christ only. No hay muchos caminos que lleven a Roma.

[12:59] There are not a lot of different ways to do this. La salvación es únicamente a través de Jesucristo. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. En este capítulo hay algunos términos que son un poquito similares.

[13:14] In this chapter there are four different words that are similar. Este término de justificación es un acto de justicia.

[13:27] Es un acto legal donde se le quita a una persona su transgresión. And justification is a legal term where a person is exonerated from their transgression.

[13:40] Literalmente cuando Pablo utiliza justificación aquí está diciendo Dios quitó la culpa de nuestro pecado. La alejó de nosotros.

[13:51] Paul is saying that God has forgiven and taken away our sin. En un juicio fuimos absueltos. He has absolved us.

[14:02] Estamos libres. We are free. Porque Él nos justificó. Because He has justified us. Utiliza también la palabra reconciliados.

[14:13] He also uses the term reconcile. Es restaurar una relación entre dos personas. It's to restore a relationship between two people.

[14:23] Es volver a poner en el mismo nivel, al mejor nivel, la relación entre dos personas. It's to put the relationship on the same level with one another.

[14:35] Es hacer justicia en medio de una relación. It's to make justice in the middle of a relationship. Ahora, cuando uno piensa en reconciliación, nosotros estamos perdidos.

[14:45] Yeah, when we think about reconciliation, we think that we're forgiven. Y unas únicas, únicas, únicamente a través de Jesucristo es que Él nos pone en reconciliación con el Padre.

[14:58] God didn't just forgive us. He put us in relationship with the Father. Y finalmente, Pablo, en este capítulo 5, habla de ser perdonados. And in this chapter, He also says that we are forgiven ones.

[15:10] Este es un término de justicia forense. It's a forensic justice here. We are declared righteous because of the expiatory ministry of Christ.

[15:28] Yes, sir. Woo! Yes, sir. All of the legal forms in this world are against us.

[15:45] And for that reason, my dad and many others are put in prison. But we glory in our justification because we have been forgiven.

[16:00] God decided to save us. God put us in a different state.

[16:13] Y ahí es donde Dios se relaciona con nosotros sin tener en cuenta nuestra maldad. And this is where God has changed everything. Definitivamente tenemos dos beneficios por ser justificados.

[16:28] We definitely have two benefits for being justified. En primer lugar, podemos disfrutar ahora y también en el futuro, en la eternidad de esta salvación que Dios nos ha dado.

[16:39] One is that we can enjoy here and now all of the eternal security for salvation that we have because of justification received through Christ.

[16:49] Hoy recibimos y nos gozamos de esa salvación que tenemos en Cristo mirando al futuro. We look at all that we have in this justification here and now and then we look at it into the future.

[17:04] If this is the experience that we have with you guys here today, can you imagine heaven?

[17:17] God has prepared for us incredible things.

[17:29] Now, no es solamente mirando al futuro. Hay algo hoy aquí que podemos disfrutar. There is something here today that we can enjoy.

[17:40] Este es el momento en el que disfrutamos del rescate que Dios nos ha hecho. This is the day where we can enjoy the rescue of God.

[17:52] La gran tragedia de incluir el pecado en la raza humana, Dios lo ha transformado todo. Este capítulo 5, Pablo introduce la cuestión de la caída de Adán en el pecado en el Edén.

[18:17] In this chapter, Pablo incluye el problema que Adam creó para nosotros en el Garden of Eden. De manera que lo que sucedió en el Edén tiene repercusión para nosotros hoy.

[18:30] The thing that happened in Eden had repercussions for us today. Si escuchamos noticias nacionales e internacionales, escuchamos tragedias, desastres, por todas partes, noticias que no son las mejores.

[18:43] And when we hear the news, national news or international news, we hear of all these tragedies and all these difficulties and all these disasters and bad news. Ahora mismo, este cruce del huracán Melisa por estas islas del Caribe ha sido desastroso.

[18:57] Yeah, like the hurricane Melisa just went through the Caribbean and hit Cuba and Jamaica. Daños irreparables en todos los lugares. It's made irreparable damage in many places.

[19:09] Pero poco de esto se reconoce como la gran tragedia del pecado en Edén. But that is small news in comparison to the bad news that happened in Edén.

[19:20] Se pueden imaginar en el mismo inicio de la historia de la humanidad. In the beginning of the story of humanity. El hombre decidió romper la relación con su creador.

[19:34] Adam decided to break the covenant that he had with God. Pero Dios es sabio. El pecado entró a toda la humanidad.

[19:49] En that, sin entered into all of humanity. No nos libramos de este terror. He is going to then free us from this terrible error.

[20:02] Por tanto, como el pecado entró en el mundo por un hombre. Y por el pecado la muerte. Así pasó la muerte a todos los hombres.

[20:13] Por cuanto todos pecaron. For though a sin, sin entered into the world through one man. Through his sin, through his sin then came death.

[20:24] In death, when death, I'm translating on the fly. What verse am I on? Twelve, thank you. I'm just going to read it. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man.

[20:37] And death through sin. And so death spread to all men. Because all sinned. De manera que estamos hoy y desde aquel momento.

[20:47] Viviendo en un mundo totalmente roto. And we are now, because of this, living in a world that is completely broken. Es una de las escenas de la humanidad más terribles que hemos visto.

[21:01] It's one of the most terrible scenes that we've ever seen in all the human race. Y desde el principio teníamos una sola sentencia justa, que es la muerte para nosotros.

[21:12] And because of this, we have only one just and right sentence, and that is death. Y eso es lo que Pablo está diciendo en este capítulo 5 de Romanos. Estamos muertos.

[21:24] And that is what Paul is saying to us in chapter 5, that we are dead. We belong to a race that is totally fallen.

[21:35] We live in a human race that is completely fallen. We live in a world that has experienced the biggest tragedy of all.

[21:50] La tragedia no fue COVID. No es un sistema político. No es el viejo orden mundial. Ni el nuevo orden mundial. The tragedy is not that COVID came.

[22:02] The tragedy is not a political system. It's not the new order or the old order of the world that everyone is afraid of. Aunque lamentablemente lo estamos viendo todos los días.

[22:14] We are suffering every day because of sin and death. Vivimos en un mundo donde ningún gobierno va a resolver este problema.

[22:25] We live in a world where no government at all can resolve this problem. Me encanta eso. I love this. A la cruz se pueden sujetar todos.

[22:39] The cross resolves everything. Dios llama personas y los pone en la cruz. You come down and the cross grabs us. No importa el color de la raza.

[22:50] It doesn't matter what color you are. No importa de donde viene. It doesn't matter where you live. No importa si es documentado o indocumentado. It doesn't matter if you're documented or undocumented.

[23:01] Acceso a la cruz está. Access to the cross is yours. Pero vivimos en un mundo roto. We live in a world that is broken.

[23:12] Y aquí es donde Pablo hace la gran diferencia. And here is where Paul tells us the big difference. Y dice tenemos que resolver este problema a la manera de Dios.

[23:22] We have to resolve this problem in a way that God would resolve it. Estamos viendo en estos días, aquí en Estados Unidos y posiblemente en otras partes del mundo, que hay como una tensión entre buenos y malos.

[23:37] So we are in the United States and other places in a tension between good and bad. Y hay como dos caminos que se quieren abrir.

[23:47] El camino de los buenos y el camino de los malos. And we're thinking about can we go the good way or can we go the bad way. Y la propuesta es, yo soy el presidente de este país y traigo la respuesta para ustedes.

[24:01] And I am the president of this country and I'm going to give you the answer. Cada vez que el presidente de Cuba se para y lo dice, And the president of Cuba, well I don't know what to say.

[24:15] He's the same. Say the same. The president of both of our countries says the same thing. I'll tell you the way. Ningún gobierno tiene la solución de este mundo.

[24:29] No government has the solution. Hay un rey. There is a king. There is a king.

[24:55] God is obsessed with us. Llenamos, llenamos el corazón de Dios para descubrir su pasión.

[25:11] We look at God to discover his passion. Nuestro pecado despertó el mayor amor de Dios para nosotros.

[25:25] Our sin woke up the greatest love that God has for us. Y dijo, para este problema hay una solución.

[25:36] And for this problem of sin there is one solution. Y es mi hijo. And that is my son. Oh. La única opción de Dios para resolver un problema que nosotros creamos.

[25:57] The only solution for God for a problem that we created. Fue echar toda su ira sobre su hijo. was to put all of his anger and wrath on his son.

[26:11] Para no ponerla sobre nosotros. So he doesn't have to put it on us. Y nos creó un acceso a esa gracia. And he created for us an access to his grace.

[26:24] Por eso es que Pablo dice, hoy nos podemos regocijar en la esperanza de la gloria de Dios. And for this, we are going to put our hope in the glory of God. El versículo 6, éramos incapaces de salvarnos.

[26:38] Verse 6 says, while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. Spurgeon decía, nada bueno vas a hacer hoy que motive a Dios a amarte más.

[26:53] He's quoting Spurgeon. Nada bueno vas a hacer hoy que motive a Dios a amarte más.

[27:05] That is going to motivate God to love us more. Pero, pero nada, pero nada malo vas a hacer hoy que motive a Dios a amarte menos.

[27:18] That is going to cause God to love us less. Porque sencillamente Dios te amó. Because sincerely God loves us. No te puedes escapar de ese amor. You can't escape from his love.

[27:30] Sencillamente te amó hasta la muerte. He loves you through death. No eres un número de social security. Eres un hijo amado. It doesn't matter your social security number. You're a child of God.

[27:41] Dios demuestra su amor por nosotros en que cuando éramos pecadores Cristo murió por nosotros.

[27:59] Versículo 8. Yeah. Verse 8. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

[28:12] De la única manera de la única manera que Dios tenía de resolver el problema de nuestro pecado era a través de su hijo. The only way that God can resolve the problem that we created is through his son.

[28:24] Y ese es el evangelio. And that is the gospel. Ahora, ¿cómo nosotros nos relacionamos con ese evangelio? And how do we relate to that gospel then? Y Pablo está diciendo muertos.

[28:35] How do we relate to it? Well, we're dead. Bueno. A pesar de tener, de vivir en un mundo roto. In spite of living in a broken world.

[28:49] Muchas veces nuestro pasado no nos deja ver a Dios con claridad. Many times our past prohibits us from seeing God clearly. Y están presentes nuestras heridas, nuestro pasado, nuestros temores, nuestros conflictos que son propios de nuestra naturaleza.

[29:10] And we live in the present as if we're wounded and hurt and just focused on the present. Recuerdo Isaías capítulo 6.

[29:20] I remember in Isaiah chapter 6 when the glory of God descended upon Isaiah.

[29:32] Isaías dijo, wow, mis ojos han contemplado la gloria de Dios. And Isaiah said, oh, my eyes have seen the glory of the Lord. Y Dios le dijo, ¿quién irá por nosotros?

[29:44] And God asked, who will go for us? Isaías dijo, bueno, yo soy de labios inmundos y estoy en medio de pueblo que tiene labios inmundos.

[29:55] And Isaiah said, I am a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips. Y Dios resolvió ese problema de una manera horrible. And God resolved this problem in a horrible manner.

[30:08] Uno de los uno de los de aquellos ángeles celestiales fue con la atenaza tomó un carbón encendido del altar y lo puso en los labios de Isaías.

[30:22] And he, one of the angels took a coal from the fire of the altar of incense and put it on Isaiah's lips. Y noten lo que dice la Biblia. And note what the Bible says. Esto quita tu pecado.

[30:36] This removed your sin. Y quita tu maldad. And removes your guilt. Así que para nuestra mentalidad estamos justificados de que no podemos salvarnos.

[30:58] So we are used to y es cierto no podemos salvarnos. We cannot save ourselves. pero Dios abrió el camino de la reconciliación a través de Jesucristo.

[31:09] But God has made the way open for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Así que no es una justificación para nosotros nuestras heridas ni nuestra maldad. It is not a justification based on our good or our wounds or our struggles.

[31:24] Porque Dios quitó la culpa de nosotros. Because God forgave our sin. Con su perdón quitó nuestra culpa. With his forgiveness with his power he overcame it.

[31:37] Y por eso Pablo dice hay acceso directo a él. Paul says you have now direct access to God. Eso es lo que hace el evangelio. This is the gospel. Transforma personas transforming people that have a broken story and for God because of God we are made new.

[31:58] So this illustration maybe it will help you. There was a man who one time bought a Rolls Royce.

[32:12] Rolls Royce has an amazing guarantee. He bought the car and he left. But he was in the desert driving with Rolls Royce and he broke.

[32:26] But he was in the middle of the desert as one does and it broke down. Tomó su teléfono llamó a la compañía del Rolls Royce y dijo estoy aquí roto vengan arreglar el auto.

[32:38] And he picked up his phone and he said I'm in the middle of the desert my car is broken come fix it. That's a very expensive car. Unos un tiempo después llegaron los mecánicos a donde estaba el carro roto y lo arreglaron.

[32:58] Y le dijeron buenas tardes señor tenemos que irnos. Los mecánicos se fueron y el chofer siguió manejando su Rolls Royce. The mechanic said off we go and the chauffeur started driving.

[33:15] Another day went to the company because he had a debt. And when the secretary was looking for the vehicle identification number she didn't find it.

[33:36] She said you don't have a debt here. No tenemos deudas con el padre.

[33:48] We have no debt with our father. Nos recibió como somos. We receive.

[34:00] Nos perdonó. He's forgiven us. Nos abrazó. He's embraced us. And Paul says in Ephesians we are seated with him in heavenly places.

[34:19] God is obsessed with us. When one obsesion puts all the focus on him.

[34:31] an obsession is a focus. It's an intensity. God said I have to save these people.

[34:41] And this project to save them, no one else can do it. God is completely committed with us.

[34:54] God is completely committed to us. The perfect breakfast is eggs, bacon, and everything else.

[35:19] Well, dentro de ese desayuno hay un involucrado y un comprometido. But in this breakfast there is one who's involved and one who's completely committed.

[35:30] El involucrado es la gallina que puso los huevos. The chicken is involved. Pero hay uno que se comprometió con nosotros y dio su vida.

[35:50] There is one who is completely committed to us and it took his life. Para que nosotros tuviéramos vida eterna. So that we could have eternal life.

[36:02] El amor de Dios es irracional para nosotros. The love of God is irrational about us. Nuestro pecado rompió el corazón de Dios.

[36:14] Our sin broke the heart of God. Y él se obsesionó por salvarnos. And he has been obsessed with saving us. Y él decidió justificarnos gratuitamente.

[36:26] And he decided to justify us freely. Hizo un pacto eterno de amor hasta rescatarnos totalmente. In his eternal covenant of grace and love.

[36:40] Y todos nosotros todos los días nosotros decimos bring your kingdom. Your kingdom come.

[36:52] Vamos a orar. Let's pray. Señor, gracias porque abriste este camino de acceso a tu gracia.

[37:08] Gracias, Father, por abrir este camino, este acceso a tu gracia para nosotros. Gracias porque hemos encontrado tu gloria al verte en la cruz.

[37:20] Thank you because we have seen your glory on the cross. Y soñamos con ese momento en el que tú vas a venir a rescatar a tu pueblo.

[37:30] And we wait for the day where you come and rescue all of your people. Al vivir en este mundo, al ver la maldad de este mundo, cuando te decimos Señor, ven.

[37:42] To live in this world, to see the needs, Lord, it prompts us to say, your kingdom come. Te necesitamos, Señor.

[37:53] We need you. Permite que este evangelio de tu gracia corra, y corra, por este pueblo, por este estado, por este país, por el mundo entero.

[38:05] Allow your kingdom to run and run and run and change this city, this state, this country, this world.

[38:16] Y que podamos ver tu gloria. And may we see your gloria. May we see your glory. Oramos en el nombre de Cristo.

[38:27] We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Let us stand.

[38:44] Let us sing our songs.