Pastor Brent opens his sermon with a rare supplementary announcement sharing the good news of our Building Project’s recent approval by the Cottage Grove City Council! Our architect even witnessed to the assembly, saying that approving a restaurant is good, but approving a church project helps to bring the Bread from Heaven to our area! (The audience warmly laughed.) Pastor Brent then shares wisdom from C.S. Lewis and applies it to Rom. 7: “Look along the Law rather than at the Law.” In this chapter, we see that Christians are “Released from the Law” (vv. 1-3) and “Bound to Christ” (vv. 4-6). One key is that Jesus obeyed the law but took on the curse of the law; He then gave the blessing of obedience to us! After sharing insights from Kevin DeYoung and Kevin Vanhoozer, Pastor Brent contrasts the equally dangerous ditches of unrighteousness (licentiousness) and self-righteousness (legalism). In the gospel, Jesus Christ offers His righteousness to all who admit our desperate need for a Savior!