WEBVTT

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 You know, one of the privileges about being a pastor is just meeting people and seeing God change their lives.

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 And it's amazing the power of the gospel and what it does in our lives.

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 And so as I thought about the journey God has a watermark on and the people that he's allowed the church to continue to touch with the message of the gospel,

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 there's so many stories here.

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 And I know that Joey here is just one snapshot of so many amazing stories of God changing people.

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 And so I've asked just Joey to come up.

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 And she said she just started to get a little nervous, but I think you're great.

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 And I wanted just to ask you, so Joey and her husband come here.

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 You saw that they had their baby was dedicated.

00:00:44.680 --> 00:00:46.040
 Last time we did a baby dedication.

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 He's a really small guy.

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 I'm joking.

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 He's a kickboxer, international kickboxer.

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 And I just asked Joey to come up in as I think about people God has changed and in families that God is changing.

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 I just, it's amazing.

00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:09.560
 So would you share a little bit about yourself and your family?

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 Well, I'm from South Africa and my husband's from Cameroon and we met here in Hong Kong.

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 And, you know, it's a joke in our family that we both left Africa and met each other overseas in Asia.

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 And we have a lot of children.

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 You must have seen them.

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 Three.

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 Joshua, Noah, and Alina.

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 And we also joke we call them the African village.

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 So we left Africa to make our own village here in Hong Kong.

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 And I actually work for West Island School.

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 This is the school where I'm actually working.

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 We're at my office.

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 Welcome.

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 And Alina is a personal trainer and he does, he competes in kickboxing competitions as well.

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 I went on just, my kids go, you got to go on YouTube.

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 And I watched one of his matches there.

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 I think it lasted like 31 seconds or something like that.

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 Yes, it's not very long.

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 He bowed most of the time.

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 Yeah, yeah.

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 So as you guys think about your family and your coming here to Watermark, what are some things God has been doing in you lately or in your family?

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 Do you want to share some of that?

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 Well, a really big thing that happened this year for our family as such was in April this year, my husband was saved.

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 In April this year, my husband accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

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 And this was so amazing.

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 That's okay.

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 I never cry up here.

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 I know.

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 I've noticed.

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 Why?

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 You should cry sometime.

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 I prayed for him for years and I was actually saved when I was a teenager.

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 And, you know, I just forgot about God and went on with my life.

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 And I found him here when Alina and I were sort of struggling in our marriage.

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 And God showed me that I was making him and everything else the most important thing in my life when I should actually make God the most important person in my life.

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 And he made it so that he brought me literally down to my knees where I really had to come back to church and just spend my focus on him.

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 And during this time, I was baptized and I was just trying to be an example to my husband.

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 And, you know, he wasn't interested in going to church or meeting any friends from church.

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 I mean, even if we had some kind of gathering and I invited him, he was totally against it.

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 He was like, oh, church people, they are such hypocrites.

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 And I just continued to pray and pray.

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 And there were times where I really felt that I couldn't anymore.

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 I really couldn't anymore.

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 I felt lonely at the end of myself.

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 And I just wondered when God was going to save him because I couldn't carry our family anymore.

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 I felt like I was carrying our family solely with my prayers.

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 And I thought I was alone.

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 But in fact, I wasn't.

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 He really was.

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 Because our father was really carrying me.

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 And I didn't know that he was.

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 Now when I'm sitting here on the stool, I can't believe I sat here for last year's second anniversary back there.

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 I was pregnant.

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 I had my other baby.

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 And I thought, what am I doing here?

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 I'm so tired.

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 And my husband isn't here.

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 He should be here with me, helping me with my children and being in church together.

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 We should be serving the Lord together.

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 And that was that major thing that happened to our family.

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 It changed everything when he became saved.

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 It was so wonderful.

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 That's amazing.

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 Yeah.

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 I remember just praying with you after church and just sharing your story and just saying,

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 God, if God is here, then he's in control and he will work, right?

00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:38.599
 Yes.

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 I see that now.

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 It's amazing.

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 Yeah.

00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:48.899
 So if you think about this journey, even this last year, what would you say some of the things God's been teaching you about himself or about you?

00:04:50.919 --> 00:04:53.439
 Myself, I had to definitely change a lot.

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 I mean, I always thought, yeah, he needs to be saved.

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 He needs to know the Lord.

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 But I had to do some major changes as a wife.

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 And this is hard because, as you can see, I have a very strong personality, a big voice, and a very opinionated.

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 So I was always, you know, wanting to lead my husband when, in fact, even though he wasn't a Christian who saved, he's still the man of the house.

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 And my grandfather used to say, there can be only one captain.

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 And I never understood what he said that when I was a child growing up.

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 But then I realized afterwards, being a Christian wife or a Christian woman, this is, you know, you need to submit to your husband.

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 This is a word, a big word that I wasn't able to accept.

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 But I realized that the Bible teaches you that in your actions, you don't have to speak.

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 You just, by your actions, your wife can win over your husband.

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 And somehow, I don't know, maybe that's what happened.

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 I don't know.

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 A big thing in this year, also, I've noticed this big change where we pray together at night with our children.

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 We're reading the children's Bible together with Joshua.

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 Alina is making Joshua read the Bible, the section of Joshua.

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 And I was trying to read with Noah, who's two, and he doesn't speak.

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 So he was pointing and making all kinds of suggestions in his baby language.

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 But it was just wonderful.

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 Just that I'm sitting together with my family, and my husband is there, and he's willingly praying with us.

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 And I remember from the time that he was saved this year, unless he was traveling, he didn't miss a single community group.

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 I invited him to join our community group.

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 And he gladly joined, and he hasn't missed a single one.

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 And I remember one night, I was feeling tired, and I thought, oh, you know what?

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 Shall we just miss the group tonight?

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 And no, absolutely not, he says.

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 We are not missing community group.

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 I felt so ashamed.

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 Because I'm usually the one telling him to go to church.

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 Let's go to church before.

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 Now he's the one turning the tables on me.

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 So I thought that was just amazing.

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 Praise the Lord.

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 And one thing I used to send him, when he was not saved, I would send Bible scriptures to encourage him, which probably didn't mean anything to him.

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 He just thought maybe it was annoying.

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 I don't know.

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 But now he's sending me Bible scriptures.

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 So I just praise God and thank him for all these wonderful changes, especially in me.

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 A big change in me had to be made.

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 I had to change the way I speak, the way I act, or be just not my personality, but just follow the Bible's instruction of how I needed to be as a woman.

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 And we have peace in our house.

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 We have peace in our home.

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 And it's just wonderful.

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 I had to change.

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 And I didn't realize that.

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 It's hard for South Africans to change, right?

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 Yeah, yeah.

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 They're just terrible.

00:07:42.019 --> 00:07:42.279
 Wow.

00:07:42.779 --> 00:07:43.060
 Yeah.

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 Hey, we could talk forever and ever about your story.

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 It's amazing the blessings that God has done and the changes.

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 And I just remember so many times you felt like there was no hope and you just were clinging to God, even though you didn't know if he was there.

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 As you think about this last year or even we're celebrating this third anniversary, what is having the church here?

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 And I think specifically you have a very amazing community group.

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 Amazing community group.

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 Yeah, because we keep telling people.

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 Join us.

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 We keep telling people get in community group, get in community group, but people are like, ah.

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 Oh, yes.

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 But so what would you say has been a big point of having the church here in your life and then that community group?

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 That community group has really been, I'm telling you, I've leaned on them.

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 I cannot imagine not having them in my life.

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 They are really and truly my brothers and sisters.

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 I feel like I'm in a family.

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 I feel like I can call up this one and that one and I don't feel, oh, I'm bothering them in any way.

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 And it's such a wonderful feeling and it's such a coincidence that I've joined the group because I just couldn't make it to my other group.

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 And I was pregnant and tired and it was right in Kennedy Town and it was close by to walk and I needed to at least feed my spirit.

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 And I remember this beautiful email that I got from our community group leader, Mike.

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 And he wrote this long email saying, I heard that you wanted to join us and we're just really looking forward to meeting you.

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 Would you like to join us for a coffee or for lunch?

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 Just let us know when it's convenient for you.

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 We're happy to meet you.

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 And I thought, oh, thank God.

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 I was so lonely.

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 I was really desperately lonely.

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 I didn't have any Christian friends.

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 I had another group, but, you know, people are busy.

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 It's Hong Kong.

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 And, you know, you just feel, I just, I don't know.

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 There wasn't a connection.

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 And I prayed to God and I said, I cannot anymore.

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 You want me to continue and I promised you I will never leave you again like you promised you would never leave me.

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 But this is hard.

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 I've got, I'm two children, a husband that's not saved.

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 I'm pregnant.

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 I just feel exhausted.

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 And I need friends.

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 I need a family, a Christian family.

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 I'm alone here.

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 I'm far away from my family in South Africa.

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 Please send me someone.

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 Please send me friends, Christian friends, if you need, if you want me to continue.

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 And he sent me Kennedy Town Community Group.

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 They hounded me.

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 They wouldn't leave me alone.

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 Like I won't leave you alone.

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 All of you come join us.

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 And it was wonderful.

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 If they didn't do that, I would have been, I don't know what would have happened to me.

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 Because, I mean, they, they, the love.

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 Yeah.

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 There is so much love there.

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 And it's not even for, you don't have to force yourself.

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 You can feel that when you're in that group, people love each other.

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 We love each other.

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 And it's such a wonderful, generous, caring.

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 And this email really touched my heart.

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 I burst into tears again.

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 I cried when I read that email where they welcomed me.

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 And, and, and, um, it was just, it's just really wonderful.

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 Like when you're in a family and you, your brother and sister, is there something going on?

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 You haven't seen them for a while.

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 And you say, hey, where are you?

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 You keep on calling them.

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 And that's what they did to me.

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 And, and it just, I don't know, it just made a huge difference.

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 And they are the ones who brought me to Watermark Church.

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 And I haven't looked back since.

00:11:19.859 --> 00:11:24.059
 Watermark Church, I have to say, has also been, it's like a family year.

00:11:24.339 --> 00:11:26.899
 I cannot imagine not attending Watermark Church.

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 I feel like I'm home.

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 I feel like this is my church.

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 And this is exactly how you have to feel when you come to church.

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 Everybody says, hi, how are you?

00:11:36.739 --> 00:11:37.079
 Welcome.

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 And there's this genuine love here.

00:11:39.899 --> 00:11:41.619
 And you can feel the Holy Spirit here.

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 And I'm just so pleased.

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 All of this is a testament of how God was just wanting me to hold on so that he could bless me with Watermark and with our community, my community group, and with my brothers and sisters here.

00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:54.660
 Amen.

00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:55.320
 Thank you.

00:11:55.420 --> 00:11:55.860
 That's great.

00:11:56.400 --> 00:11:59.180
 I'm going to, I'm going to, yeah, that's amazing what God is doing.

00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:03.360
 I remember one time you told me, God, I feel like this group in this church is like a bulldog.

00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:03.860
 Exactly.

00:12:03.980 --> 00:12:05.840
 They've clamped on to me and they're not letting go.

00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:07.040
 They wouldn't let go of me.

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 Thank God they didn't.

00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:08.880
 Thank God.

00:12:08.900 --> 00:12:09.720
 Can I pray for you guys?

00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:10.140
 Yeah.

00:12:10.139 --> 00:12:10.580
 Yeah.

00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:20.879
 Father, please thank you for what you do in Joey's story, Elena's story of coming back and of finding, you finding him and you opening his eyes to your son.

00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.379
 And just the changes.

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 And we know that there's always highs and lows and low points.

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 And we just pray that they would always look back at your faithfulness, as we were just saying, 10,000 reasons.

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 And they would never doubt your goodness and that you're there, even in the hard and difficult times.

00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:38.559
 And so I thank you for this dear, precious family.

00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:41.779
 I pray for their three kiddos, the African tribe.

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 I pray that they would increase in Hong Kong, maybe not with brothers and sisters, but with friends who would fall in love with Jesus.

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 And they would plant their own church one day, a South African Hong Kong church.

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 And so, Father, we just thank you for what you're doing in their life.

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 And we love you.

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 And we pray these things in your son Jesus' name.

00:13:00.459 --> 00:13:00.699
 Amen.

00:13:01.319 --> 00:13:01.860
 Thank you.

00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:07.940
 Today's scripture reading comes from the book of Philippians, chapter 1, verses 12 to 30.

00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:13.940
 Please follow along in your bulletins as we read a portion of this letter from the Apostle Paul.

00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:23.879
 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:31.039
 so that it has become known throughout the whole Imperial Guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

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 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment,

00:13:36.339 --> 00:13:40.039
 are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

00:13:41.699 --> 00:13:47.399
 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.

00:13:47.959 --> 00:13:53.299
 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:57.559
 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition,

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 not sincerely, but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

00:14:02.339 --> 00:14:03.239
 What then?

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 Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,

00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:11.279
 Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

00:14:12.239 --> 00:14:13.879
 Yes, and I will rejoice.

00:14:14.219 --> 00:14:18.599
 For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.559
 this will turn out for my deliverance,

00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:26.819
 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed,

00:14:27.219 --> 00:14:30.079
 but that with full courage, now as always,

00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:32.239
 Christ will be honored in my body,

00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:34.659
 whether by life or by death.

00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:42.139
 For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.

00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:46.879
 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me,

00:14:47.439 --> 00:14:49.860
 yet which I shall choose, I cannot tell.

00:14:50.339 --> 00:14:52.219
 I am hard-pressed between the two.

00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.939
 My desire is to depart and to be with Christ, for that is far better.

00:14:57.620 --> 00:15:01.399
 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:06.639
 So convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all,

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:09.579
 for your progress and joy in the faith,

00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:13.959
 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus,

00:15:14.500 --> 00:15:16.259
 because of my coming to you again.

00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:20.939
 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:24.399
 so that whether I come and see you or am absent,

00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:28.460
 I may hear of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit,

00:15:28.460 --> 00:15:32.900
 with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

00:15:33.420 --> 00:15:36.139
 and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:40.300
 This is a clear sign to them of their destruction,

00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:43.660
 but of your salvation and that from God.

00:15:44.160 --> 00:15:47.200
 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ,

00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:49.200
 you should not only believe in him,

00:15:49.540 --> 00:15:51.780
 but also suffer for his sake,

00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:56.019
 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had,

00:15:56.339 --> 00:15:58.699
 and now hear that I still have.

00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:00.939
 This is the reading of God's word.

00:16:06.319 --> 00:16:07.740
 Good morning, everyone.

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:12.480
 Good morning, everyone.

00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:13.480
 Good morning.

00:16:14.259 --> 00:16:15.740
 Happy birthday, Watermark.

00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:19.759
 Happy birthday, Watermark.

00:16:20.060 --> 00:16:20.779
 Happy birthday.

00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:21.740
 There we go.

00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:22.620
 We're waking up now.

00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:24.759
 My name, if you don't know me,

00:16:24.820 --> 00:16:25.899
 my name is Eric Scott.

00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:27.580
 I am the youth guy here,

00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:32.560
 and as I guess may sort of be a prerequisite for the youth guy job,

00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:35.940
 I sometimes do crazy and stupid things.

00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:38.840
 Things that if I thought through them ahead of time,

00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:40.019
 I would not have done,

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:42.939
 but fail to think through them ahead of time

00:16:42.939 --> 00:16:44.539
 and thus end up doing them.

00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.000
 About three years ago,

00:16:47.299 --> 00:16:50.319
 I was at a cookout at my friend Alfie's house.

00:16:50.439 --> 00:16:51.779
 He's on staff here at Watermark,

00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:53.899
 and his dad came up to me,

00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:54.620
 and he said,

00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:56.419
 Eric, I have two questions for you,

00:16:56.699 --> 00:16:58.819
 one about fitness and one about availability.

00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:01.600
 Now, as I'm sure you can guess,

00:17:01.699 --> 00:17:03.360
 he wasn't just asking as a friend

00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:06.059
 how I'm doing in terms of my fitness level.

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:07.440
 No, he had ulterior motives,

00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:09.619
 and he said to me,

00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:13.619
 I am signed up for this hike called the Trail Walker.

00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.200
 Some of you know.

00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:19.859
 The Trail Walker is a 100-kilometer hike

00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:22.519
 starting in Saikung going to Toon Moon.

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.639
 You do it in one straight shot,

00:17:24.879 --> 00:17:26.160
 and you need a team of four,

00:17:26.660 --> 00:17:28.339
 and his team only had three.

00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.839
 He said,

00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:32.420
 we want you to be our fourth.

00:17:32.819 --> 00:17:34.879
 Do you think that you're in good enough shape to do this,

00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:37.100
 and do you have time to train with us?

00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:37.960
 I said,

00:17:38.060 --> 00:17:39.580
 I'm not really sure.

00:17:40.840 --> 00:17:42.160
 Can I maybe do a trial hike

00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:43.720
 and see if I can keep up with you guys?

00:17:43.840 --> 00:17:44.440
 He's like, sure.

00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:48.260
 I met up with them at Parkview one Saturday morning.

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:50.340
 We hiked to Stanley and then back to Quarry Bay.

00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:52.340
 As we're getting back to Quarry Bay,

00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:53.480
 I told them,

00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:54.480
 that's it.

00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:55.220
 I quit.

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:55.900
 I'm done.

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:57.240
 Forget about this.

00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:58.799
 They said,

00:17:58.860 --> 00:17:59.360
 no, Eric.

00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:00.360
 You did a great job.

00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:02.079
 You kept up with us the entire way.

00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:04.259
 We really think you'd be great on this team.

00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:07.720
 Somehow convinced me to come back for a second hike.

00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.579
 Then it just never ended.

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:12.940
 I ended up being a part of that team.

00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:15.339
 In preparation for the Trail Walker,

00:18:15.339 --> 00:18:16.559
 you do a lot of training.

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.380
 You hike up hills and down hills

00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:20.100
 and up more hills and down hills.

00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:22.339
 You go from point A to point B,

00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:23.759
 but you don't just take a straight line.

00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:27.119
 You go out and around and up over hills.

00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:29.859
 Even though A to B is just flat and straight and easy,

00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:32.359
 you go up and over hills and around

00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:35.379
 and take the most out-of-the-way direction

00:18:35.379 --> 00:18:36.619
 that you can to get there

00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:38.140
 because you've got to get in shape.

00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.839
 You go around and you find clothes that are comfortable.

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:43.559
 You try out different clothes combinations

00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:45.119
 to see what works and doesn't work.

00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.700
 You plan out for the day of the event,

00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.660
 where are we going to eat?

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:49.779
 Where are we going to take rests?

00:18:49.900 --> 00:18:51.180
 Where are we going to change our clothes?

00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:54.100
 Because you don't want to go 100K in the same clothes.

00:18:54.620 --> 00:18:56.740
 You switch out to dry stuff along the way.

00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:59.120
 Finally, after all that training,

00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.240
 after all that preparation,

00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:02.779
 you show up and it's the day of the Trail Walker.

00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:06.160
 You've got 100 kilometers to go.

00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:09.480
 From the moment that that race starts,

00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:13.079
 your mind is fixed on one goal.

00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:16.019
 Everything that you do,

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:17.039
 everything that you think,

00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:18.140
 everything that you say

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:22.220
 is done with the purpose of reaching that finish line.

00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:26.059
 At some point, you may feel this burst of energy,

00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:27.160
 but you don't run on ahead

00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:28.319
 because you know that you're going to need

00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.319
 to conserve that energy.

00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:32.940
 You have your eyes fixed on this goal

00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:34.940
 and you do everything

00:19:34.940 --> 00:19:38.299
 for the purpose of achieving that one goal.

00:19:39.460 --> 00:19:40.660
 You press on.

00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:42.740
 You get tired, but you keep going.

00:19:43.860 --> 00:19:46.360
 By the time you reach the end of your 100 kilometers,

00:19:47.120 --> 00:19:47.740
 for some people,

00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:50.740
 some insane people do it in 11 1⁄2 hours.

00:19:51.120 --> 00:19:52.160
 You're allowed up to 48.

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:53.799
 My group took 26 hours.

00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:57.620
 By the time you reach the end of your 100 kilometers,

00:19:57.619 --> 00:20:00.859
 you are sweaty, you are gross,

00:20:01.059 --> 00:20:04.419
 you are smelly, you are tired, exhausted,

00:20:04.899 --> 00:20:06.059
 physically and emotionally.

00:20:06.659 --> 00:20:09.099
 It's as much a mental battle as a physical one.

00:20:10.479 --> 00:20:12.139
 But you are all of these things

00:20:12.139 --> 00:20:13.479
 because your goal has not been

00:20:13.479 --> 00:20:14.839
 to look pretty for the ladies

00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:16.359
 for the last 100 kilometers.

00:20:16.979 --> 00:20:19.519
 Your goal has not been to smell pretty for the ladies

00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:20.719
 for the last 100 kilometers.

00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:23.399
 Your goal hasn't been to be comfortable.

00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:26.259
 Your goal has been to reach the finish line.

00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:28.440
 And you reach that finish line

00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:29.799
 and you have achieved your goal.

00:20:32.379 --> 00:20:35.400
 And this single focus that you have

00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:36.799
 while you're on that trail,

00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:39.039
 it's something that's relatively short-lived.

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:41.460
 It lasts maybe a day, two days.

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:43.140
 But for some people,

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:44.379
 they live their lives

00:20:44.379 --> 00:20:46.440
 with this type of singular focus.

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.799
 And one person in the Bible

00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.839
 who is a very great example

00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:51.759
 of what it looks like

00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:53.980
 to live life with this singular focus

00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.759
 is a man named Paul.

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:58.839
 For those of you who don't know about Paul,

00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:01.400
 he started out as someone

00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:03.160
 whose job it was to go around

00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:05.500
 and arrest and or kill Christians.

00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:08.180
 He was on the road one day,

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:09.720
 headed to a town called Damascus,

00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:11.799
 ready to arrest some more Christians,

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.700
 when all of a sudden,

00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:16.200
 God appeared to him and said,

00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:17.779
 why are you persecuting me?

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:19.339
 Paul was like,

00:21:19.400 --> 00:21:20.859
 who is this talking to me?

00:21:21.719 --> 00:21:22.679
 And the voice says,

00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.259
 I am Jesus who you are persecuting.

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.619
 And from that day on,

00:21:26.719 --> 00:21:27.959
 Paul's life was transformed.

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:29.079
 From that day on,

00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:30.459
 Paul trusted in Jesus.

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:32.339
 Paul made it his goal

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:34.179
 in everything that he did in life

00:21:34.179 --> 00:21:35.119
 to live for Jesus,

00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.159
 to know Jesus,

00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:37.559
 to tell people about Jesus.

00:21:37.859 --> 00:21:38.879
 He traveled around

00:21:38.879 --> 00:21:40.399
 and he would start churches.

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:42.859
 And as he traveled around,

00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:43.779
 he would write letters

00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:44.879
 to some of the churches

00:21:44.879 --> 00:21:46.199
 that he had started before

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:48.000
 to keep in touch with them,

00:21:48.080 --> 00:21:49.160
 check in on how they're doing,

00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:50.720
 sometimes correct some problems

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.240
 that were happening

00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:51.860
 in these churches.

00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.700
 And one of those letters

00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:55.380
 has been saved in our Bible

00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:57.000
 as the book of Philippians.

00:21:57.860 --> 00:21:59.500
 It was written to a church

00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:01.799
 in a town called Philippi.

00:22:02.660 --> 00:22:04.080
 That's why they call it the Philippians.

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:08.580
 And Philippians is unique

00:22:08.580 --> 00:22:09.380
 for Paul's letters.

00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:10.660
 In a lot of Paul's letters,

00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:11.559
 he writes to the churches

00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:12.180
 and he says,

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:12.680
 you know,

00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:14.380
 you guys have this major problem.

00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:16.360
 Here's how to fix it.

00:22:17.280 --> 00:22:18.220
 With Philippians,

00:22:18.380 --> 00:22:19.400
 there are some minor issues

00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:19.880
 at the church,

00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:20.500
 but in general,

00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.540
 he's writing to them saying,

00:22:21.860 --> 00:22:22.700
 you guys are doing good.

00:22:23.060 --> 00:22:23.660
 Keep it going.

00:22:24.580 --> 00:22:25.380
 Stay strong.

00:22:25.780 --> 00:22:26.500
 Follow Christ.

00:22:26.840 --> 00:22:27.760
 Here's how I'm doing.

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:28.820
 Thanks for your help

00:22:28.820 --> 00:22:29.560
 in my ministry.

00:22:30.120 --> 00:22:31.260
 It's a positive,

00:22:31.560 --> 00:22:32.380
 encouraging letter

00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:33.020
 on the whole.

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:35.220
 And one theme

00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:36.160
 that comes out

00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:37.060
 again and again

00:22:37.060 --> 00:22:38.020
 and again and again

00:22:38.020 --> 00:22:38.640
 throughout the book

00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:39.260
 of Philippians

00:22:39.260 --> 00:22:41.420
 is Paul's single focus

00:22:41.420 --> 00:22:42.000
 in life

00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:43.160
 on knowing Christ,

00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:44.940
 on living for Christ

00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:46.540
 and on making Christ famous

00:22:46.540 --> 00:22:47.240
 throughout the world.

00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:49.320
 And so for the next four weeks

00:22:49.320 --> 00:22:49.980
 here at Watermark,

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:51.200
 we are going to be looking

00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:52.400
 through the book of Philippians,

00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:53.940
 looking at this single focus

00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:54.820
 in Paul's life

00:22:54.820 --> 00:22:55.940
 and we're going to be looking at it

00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:57.340
 from a number of different angles.

00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:58.940
 And today,

00:22:59.080 --> 00:23:00.040
 we're starting out

00:23:00.040 --> 00:23:01.140
 at the very beginning,

00:23:01.340 --> 00:23:02.980
 which is a good place to start,

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:04.340
 in chapter one.

00:23:05.300 --> 00:23:07.540
 If we jump in chapter one,

00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:08.880
 he starts out with a greeting

00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:09.779
 for his friends.

00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:10.700
 Here's,

00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:11.660
 you know,

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:13.160
 I'm thankful for you guys.

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:13.980
 I love you guys.

00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.180
 And in verse 12,

00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:16.400
 he starts updating them

00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:17.539
 on what's going on

00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:18.980
 in his life at this time.

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:19.660
 And that's where

00:23:19.660 --> 00:23:20.360
 we're going to start out.

00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:20.700
 He says,

00:23:20.779 --> 00:23:21.420
 I want you to know,

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:21.740
 brothers,

00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:23.240
 that what has happened to me

00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:24.220
 has really served

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:25.559
 to advance the gospel

00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:27.279
 so that it has become known

00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.000
 throughout the whole

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.819
 imperial guard

00:23:28.819 --> 00:23:29.759
 and to all the rest

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.000
 that my imprisonment

00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:31.799
 is for Christ.

00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:33.140
 And most of the brothers,

00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:34.200
 having become confident

00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:34.740
 in the Lord

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.740
 by my imprisonment,

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:36.819
 are much more bold

00:23:36.819 --> 00:23:37.580
 to speak the word

00:23:37.580 --> 00:23:38.420
 without fear.

00:23:38.420 --> 00:23:39.880
 So we see here,

00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:40.800
 as Paul is writing

00:23:40.800 --> 00:23:41.980
 this letter to his friends,

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.100
 he is sitting in prison.

00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:46.740
 But he doesn't,

00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:47.940
 he's not just sitting there

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:48.580
 wasting away.

00:23:49.320 --> 00:23:51.500
 He has a single goal in life

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:52.560
 of knowing Christ

00:23:52.560 --> 00:23:53.519
 and making Christ known.

00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:55.019
 So while he is in prison,

00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:55.840
 what is he doing?

00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:57.380
 He's telling everyone

00:23:57.380 --> 00:23:58.640
 in the prison about Jesus.

00:23:59.580 --> 00:24:00.420
 This is great irony.

00:24:00.560 --> 00:24:02.039
 They put Paul in prison

00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:04.000
 to try and captivate him

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:05.160
 and captivate his message,

00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:06.220
 but in the process,

00:24:06.220 --> 00:24:07.039
 they actually gave him

00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:07.759
 a captive audience

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:08.720
 who couldn't run away

00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:09.899
 when he started talking to them.

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:12.460
 And Paul is in this prison,

00:24:12.659 --> 00:24:13.839
 he's talking to the guards,

00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:15.299
 and he's excited

00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:17.740
 because through his time in prison,

00:24:17.879 --> 00:24:18.799
 all of the guards

00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.879
 have gotten to hear about Jesus.

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:21.240
 And he's saying,

00:24:21.339 --> 00:24:22.539
 me being in prison,

00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:23.539
 that's not a bad thing,

00:24:23.619 --> 00:24:24.339
 that's a good thing.

00:24:24.639 --> 00:24:25.279
 Everyone here

00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.039
 has heard about Jesus.

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:28.059
 And not only that,

00:24:29.099 --> 00:24:30.139
 but the other Christians

00:24:30.139 --> 00:24:32.099
 that are outside the prison,

00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:33.440
 they heard about me

00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:34.119
 being put here,

00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:37.119
 and they have been encouraged

00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.579
 to share their faith as well.

00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:40.419
 So I don't need to be out there

00:24:40.419 --> 00:24:41.139
 because everyone else

00:24:41.139 --> 00:24:41.679
 is out there

00:24:41.679 --> 00:24:43.000
 and the fact that I'm in here

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:44.959
 is making them more excited

00:24:44.959 --> 00:24:46.159
 about telling everyone else

00:24:46.159 --> 00:24:47.599
 in their world about Jesus.

00:24:48.419 --> 00:24:48.859
 He says, yeah,

00:24:48.899 --> 00:24:49.959
 some of them have good motives,

00:24:50.099 --> 00:24:50.939
 some have bad motives,

00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:52.439
 but regardless of the motives,

00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:53.919
 they're telling their friends

00:24:53.919 --> 00:24:54.559
 about Jesus.

00:24:54.919 --> 00:24:56.299
 Jesus is being made famous

00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:57.219
 and in that,

00:24:57.419 --> 00:24:58.839
 I will rejoice.

00:24:58.839 --> 00:25:02.259
 Paul has a single focus in life

00:25:02.259 --> 00:25:03.240
 of knowing Jesus

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:04.179
 and making him known.

00:25:05.059 --> 00:25:06.579
 And because of that single focus,

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:07.879
 he is rejoicing

00:25:07.879 --> 00:25:10.059
 even though he is locked up in prison,

00:25:10.419 --> 00:25:12.240
 even though he is stuck there

00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:13.000
 and can't leave,

00:25:13.339 --> 00:25:14.579
 even though he sees

00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:15.859
 that this imprisonment

00:25:15.859 --> 00:25:18.899
 could lead to his death.

00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.859
 As we move forward

00:25:21.859 --> 00:25:22.740
 in this chapter,

00:25:23.679 --> 00:25:25.959
 he explicitly states

00:25:25.959 --> 00:25:27.639
 what this goal in life is.

00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:29.580
 If you move forward

00:25:29.580 --> 00:25:31.280
 to chapter,

00:25:31.480 --> 00:25:32.280
 or verse 19,

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:32.600
 he says,

00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:33.300
 for I know that

00:25:33.300 --> 00:25:34.120
 through your prayers

00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:35.340
 and the help of the spirit

00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:36.180
 of Jesus Christ,

00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:37.840
 this will turn out

00:25:37.840 --> 00:25:39.080
 for my deliverance

00:25:39.080 --> 00:25:41.300
 as it is my eager expectation

00:25:41.300 --> 00:25:41.840
 and hope

00:25:41.840 --> 00:25:43.780
 that I will not be at all ashamed,

00:25:43.900 --> 00:25:45.120
 but with full courage,

00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.020
 now as always,

00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:46.960
 Christ will be honored

00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:47.780
 in my body,

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.340
 whether by life

00:25:49.340 --> 00:25:50.540
 or by death.

00:25:51.040 --> 00:25:51.920
 Paul's goal

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.020
 is to honor Christ

00:25:53.020 --> 00:25:54.280
 in everything that he does.

00:25:55.800 --> 00:25:56.320
 As he looks

00:25:56.320 --> 00:25:57.480
 at his current circumstances,

00:25:57.640 --> 00:25:58.480
 locked up

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.480
 in this prison,

00:26:00.040 --> 00:26:01.440
 he doesn't look around

00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:01.759
 and say,

00:26:01.840 --> 00:26:02.440
 I'm uncomfortable.

00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:04.220
 I'm hungry.

00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:06.820
 I wish that I could sleep

00:26:06.820 --> 00:26:07.780
 in my own bed at night

00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:08.920
 and be free

00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:10.620
 to go be with my friends.

00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:12.620
 No, he says,

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:13.200
 my goal

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.280
 is that Jesus

00:26:14.280 --> 00:26:15.300
 would be made famous

00:26:15.300 --> 00:26:16.340
 through everything

00:26:16.340 --> 00:26:17.460
 in my life.

00:26:19.660 --> 00:26:20.640
 If I live,

00:26:20.840 --> 00:26:21.500
 I want Jesus

00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.280
 to be made famous

00:26:22.280 --> 00:26:22.660
 through that.

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.420
 If I get killed,

00:26:23.560 --> 00:26:24.160
 I want Jesus

00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:25.140
 to be made famous

00:26:25.140 --> 00:26:25.960
 through that.

00:26:26.820 --> 00:26:27.920
 Regardless of what happens

00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:28.160
 to me,

00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.060
 regardless of what people

00:26:29.060 --> 00:26:29.740
 think about me,

00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:31.120
 if my life

00:26:31.120 --> 00:26:32.000
 and my death

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:33.480
 can make Jesus famous,

00:26:33.820 --> 00:26:35.040
 that for me is a win.

00:26:38.040 --> 00:26:39.140
 He continues on

00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:39.580
 by saying,

00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.279
 for to me,

00:26:40.779 --> 00:26:42.259
 to live is Christ.

00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:45.300
 Paul's focus in life

00:26:45.300 --> 00:26:47.200
 was so single,

00:26:47.340 --> 00:26:48.340
 so focused,

00:26:48.339 --> 00:26:50.899
 that if he boiled down

00:26:50.899 --> 00:26:52.000
 his entire life

00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:53.099
 to one word,

00:26:54.419 --> 00:26:55.599
 the word

00:26:55.599 --> 00:26:56.619
 that he chose

00:26:56.619 --> 00:26:58.000
 to describe his life

00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:59.619
 is Christ.

00:27:03.159 --> 00:27:03.639
 Now,

00:27:03.679 --> 00:27:04.339
 we live in Hong Kong.

00:27:04.459 --> 00:27:05.799
 We understand

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.500
 the concept,

00:27:06.699 --> 00:27:07.480
 I think most of us

00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:07.759
 at least,

00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:08.919
 understand this concept

00:27:08.919 --> 00:27:10.059
 of having a single

00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:10.919
 focus in life.

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.599
 We've got bankers

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:13.119
 and lawyers

00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:13.699
 who will spend

00:27:13.699 --> 00:27:15.199
 100 plus hours a week

00:27:15.199 --> 00:27:16.319
 at the office.

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:17.720
 That is a single

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:18.559
 focus in life.

00:27:19.439 --> 00:27:20.119
 A couple months ago,

00:27:20.179 --> 00:27:20.700
 there was an article

00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:21.439
 in the South China

00:27:21.439 --> 00:27:22.099
 Morning Post

00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:23.879
 about a top banker

00:27:23.879 --> 00:27:24.700
 in Hong Kong

00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:26.039
 who had dropped dead

00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:26.919
 from stress

00:27:26.919 --> 00:27:27.539
 from overwork.

00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:29.639
 The article said,

00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:30.740
 this is actually

00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.539
 something that's happened

00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:32.460
 a number of times

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:33.379
 in the past couple years

00:27:33.379 --> 00:27:34.000
 in Hong Kong,

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:35.200
 that bankers

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.519
 have just overworked

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:36.939
 themselves

00:27:36.939 --> 00:27:37.799
 to the point

00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:38.500
 that their bodies

00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.359
 physically cannot

00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:40.259
 handle it anymore

00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:41.899
 and they have dropped

00:27:41.899 --> 00:27:43.119
 dead from stress

00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:43.740
 from overwork.

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:45.419
 And the article

00:27:45.419 --> 00:27:46.179
 speculated

00:27:46.180 --> 00:27:47.560
 that banking

00:27:47.560 --> 00:27:48.340
 in Hong Kong

00:27:48.340 --> 00:27:50.640
 is more and more

00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.220
 becoming

00:27:51.220 --> 00:27:53.240
 a test of endurance

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:53.920
 not just

00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:54.680
 in terms of

00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:55.080
 whether you can

00:27:55.080 --> 00:27:55.600
 do the job

00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:56.160
 but in terms

00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:56.880
 of whether your body

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:57.480
 can handle

00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.100
 the stress

00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:58.840
 of the job.

00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:01.640
 And the article

00:28:01.640 --> 00:28:02.380
 was speculating

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.560
 that more and more

00:28:03.560 --> 00:28:04.580
 it won't be

00:28:04.580 --> 00:28:05.560
 a question of

00:28:05.560 --> 00:28:06.420
 can this person

00:28:06.420 --> 00:28:07.019
 do the job

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:08.220
 but can this person's

00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:09.480
 body take

00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:10.440
 the stress

00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.500
 without them

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:12.340
 dropping dead

00:28:12.340 --> 00:28:13.259
 to qualify

00:28:13.259 --> 00:28:14.100
 whether you can

00:28:14.100 --> 00:28:14.660
 be a successful

00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.779
 banker in Hong Kong.

00:28:16.180 --> 00:28:18.220
 Now that type

00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:18.880
 of a situation

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:20.019
 only exists

00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:21.019
 in a city

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:22.740
 where people

00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.560
 live with

00:28:23.560 --> 00:28:24.799
 a single focus.

00:28:27.340 --> 00:28:28.519
 The single focus

00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:29.420
 of being successful

00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:29.840
 at work

00:28:29.840 --> 00:28:30.660
 the single focus

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.740
 of making

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.880
 lots and lots

00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:33.340
 of money

00:28:33.340 --> 00:28:34.320
 the single focus

00:28:34.320 --> 00:28:35.080
 of being

00:28:35.080 --> 00:28:35.980
 the best.

00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:39.019
 We understand

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:41.240
 what it looks

00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:41.579
 like

00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:42.379
 to live

00:28:42.379 --> 00:28:43.000
 with a single

00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.559
 focus

00:28:43.559 --> 00:28:46.759
 but do we

00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.180
 understand

00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:47.740
 what it looks

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.160
 like

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.779
 to live

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.259
 with a single

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.759
 focus

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:51.619
 on Christ?

00:28:54.359 --> 00:28:55.259
 For Paul

00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:55.839
 this meant

00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:56.859
 that everything

00:28:56.859 --> 00:28:57.879
 that he did

00:28:57.879 --> 00:28:58.579
 in life

00:28:58.579 --> 00:29:00.720
 was done

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.220
 with the goal

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:01.680
 of honoring

00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:02.180
 Christ.

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.879
 Every word

00:29:04.879 --> 00:29:05.599
 that he said

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:08.779
 every night

00:29:08.779 --> 00:29:09.399
 that he spent

00:29:09.399 --> 00:29:09.980
 in prison

00:29:09.980 --> 00:29:12.099
 every time

00:29:12.099 --> 00:29:12.740
 that he got

00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:13.179
 beaten

00:29:13.179 --> 00:29:13.879
 for sharing

00:29:13.879 --> 00:29:14.419
 his faith

00:29:14.419 --> 00:29:16.139
 every time

00:29:16.139 --> 00:29:16.500
 that he got

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.000
 run out

00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:17.519
 of cities

00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:18.779
 for sharing

00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:19.279
 his faith

00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:21.740
 he did it

00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:22.399
 with a single

00:29:22.399 --> 00:29:22.980
 goal.

00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:25.279
 He didn't look

00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:26.000
 back in despair

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.419
 and say

00:29:26.419 --> 00:29:27.819
 oh I wish

00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:28.199
 I could have

00:29:28.199 --> 00:29:28.559
 made more

00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:29.199
 friends in that

00:29:29.199 --> 00:29:29.740
 city so I

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:29.939
 could have

00:29:29.939 --> 00:29:30.240
 been more

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:30.639
 popular.

00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:31.480
 No he had

00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:31.980
 a single

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.579
 goal.

00:29:32.579 --> 00:29:33.859
 I want

00:29:33.859 --> 00:29:34.559
 Jesus to

00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:34.960
 be made

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.519
 famous

00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:36.199
 through my

00:29:36.199 --> 00:29:36.559
 life.

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:37.480
 To live

00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:38.359
 is Christ

00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:39.319
 and so in

00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:39.799
 everything

00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:40.819
 that I do

00:29:40.819 --> 00:29:41.919
 that is

00:29:41.919 --> 00:29:42.299
 what I

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:42.599
 want.

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:47.319
 What would

00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:47.980
 it look like

00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:49.339
 if in our

00:29:49.339 --> 00:29:49.759
 lives we

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.259
 could truly

00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:50.720
 say

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.740
 to live

00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:52.159
 is Christ

00:29:52.159 --> 00:29:52.460
 if we

00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:52.779
 took the

00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:53.299
 word Christ

00:29:53.299 --> 00:29:53.599
 out of

00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:54.119
 this statement

00:29:54.119 --> 00:29:56.059
 to live

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.460
 is

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:58.740
 what?

00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:03.319
 For Paul

00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:04.279
 he goes

00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:04.579
 on and

00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:04.799
 he

00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:05.879
 strengthens

00:30:05.879 --> 00:30:06.439
 this

00:30:06.439 --> 00:30:06.720
 statement

00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:07.359
 he follows

00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:07.679
 it up

00:30:07.679 --> 00:30:08.379
 with another

00:30:08.379 --> 00:30:08.839
 statement

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:10.019
 that I

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.259
 think is

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:10.659
 shocking.

00:30:11.699 --> 00:30:12.000
 He says

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.460
 to live

00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:13.119
 is Christ

00:30:13.119 --> 00:30:14.839
 and to

00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.259
 die

00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:16.339
 is gain.

00:30:17.859 --> 00:30:18.439
 Now I

00:30:18.439 --> 00:30:18.659
 want to

00:30:18.659 --> 00:30:19.199
 correct a

00:30:19.199 --> 00:30:19.519
 possible

00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:20.039
 misunderstanding

00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.419
 here.

00:30:20.519 --> 00:30:20.879
 Paul is

00:30:20.879 --> 00:30:21.399
 not sitting

00:30:21.399 --> 00:30:22.279
 here in

00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:22.679
 prison

00:30:22.679 --> 00:30:23.839
 despairing

00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:25.500
 oh my

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:26.039
 life sucks

00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:26.740
 so bad

00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:27.500
 I wish I

00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:27.740
 could just

00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:28.240
 be free

00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:28.599
 from all

00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:29.059
 the troubles

00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:29.339
 that are

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:29.679
 going on

00:30:29.679 --> 00:30:30.179
 right now.

00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:32.560
 death is

00:30:32.560 --> 00:30:33.000
 gain because

00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:33.259
 it's a

00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:33.560
 means of

00:30:33.560 --> 00:30:33.860
 escape.

00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:34.240
 That is

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:34.880
 not what

00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:35.460
 Paul is

00:30:35.460 --> 00:30:35.779
 saying.

00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.160
 And I

00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:38.400
 know for

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:38.799
 some people

00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:39.140
 in here

00:30:39.140 --> 00:30:39.560
 right now

00:30:39.560 --> 00:30:41.120
 it could

00:30:41.120 --> 00:30:41.360
 be a

00:30:41.360 --> 00:30:41.700
 tough time

00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.120
 in life

00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:43.259
 and it

00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:43.500
 could be

00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:43.960
 very tempting

00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:44.380
 to read

00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:45.160
 this passage

00:30:45.160 --> 00:30:45.500
 in that

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:45.740
 way.

00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:47.640
 But hear

00:30:47.640 --> 00:30:47.940
 me that

00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:48.380
 is not

00:30:48.380 --> 00:30:48.759
 what Paul

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.220
 is saying.

00:30:49.940 --> 00:30:50.220
 And if

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:50.460
 you are

00:30:50.460 --> 00:30:50.860
 going through

00:30:50.860 --> 00:30:51.299
 a time

00:30:51.299 --> 00:30:52.120
 like that

00:30:52.120 --> 00:30:53.460
 where you're

00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:53.779
 struggling

00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:54.259
 saying I

00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:54.539
 don't know

00:30:54.539 --> 00:30:54.920
 what's going

00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:55.259
 on in

00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:56.420
 life I

00:30:56.420 --> 00:30:56.840
 really wish

00:30:56.840 --> 00:30:57.220
 I had a

00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:57.519
 means of

00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:57.900
 escape.

00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:58.920
 We have

00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.519
 an amazing

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.080
 pastoral

00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.339
 care

00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:00.679
 ministry

00:31:00.679 --> 00:31:01.059
 here at

00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:01.419
 Watermark.

00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:02.460
 And I

00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:03.139
 would strongly

00:31:03.139 --> 00:31:03.759
 recommend that

00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:04.119
 you get in

00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:04.460
 touch with

00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:04.679
 them.

00:31:04.919 --> 00:31:05.259
 The email

00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:05.679
 address is

00:31:05.679 --> 00:31:05.879
 in the

00:31:05.879 --> 00:31:06.159
 bulletin.

00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:06.379
 It's

00:31:06.379 --> 00:31:06.919
 care at

00:31:06.919 --> 00:31:08.259
 watermarkchurch.hk

00:31:08.259 --> 00:31:09.079
 and we

00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:09.359
 would love

00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:09.740
 to get you

00:31:09.740 --> 00:31:10.399
 connected with

00:31:10.399 --> 00:31:11.899
 them so

00:31:11.899 --> 00:31:12.259
 you can

00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.720
 find help.

00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.000
 But that

00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:15.599
 is not what

00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:15.960
 Paul is

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:16.179
 saying.

00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:16.599
 Paul is

00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:17.199
 not saying

00:31:17.199 --> 00:31:17.639
 I see

00:31:17.639 --> 00:31:18.079
 death as

00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:18.339
 a means

00:31:18.339 --> 00:31:18.839
 of escape.

00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:19.779
 No,

00:31:19.819 --> 00:31:20.159
 if you look

00:31:20.159 --> 00:31:20.319
 at what

00:31:20.319 --> 00:31:20.599
 he's saying

00:31:20.599 --> 00:31:20.879
 he's saying

00:31:20.879 --> 00:31:21.039
 I'm

00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:21.599
 rejoicing,

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:21.879
 I'm

00:31:21.879 --> 00:31:22.199
 happy,

00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:22.399
 I'm

00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:23.139
 excited about

00:31:23.139 --> 00:31:23.439
 what is

00:31:23.439 --> 00:31:23.980
 happening in

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.599
 my life.

00:31:26.139 --> 00:31:26.799
 To live

00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:27.500
 is Christ

00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:29.420
 but I

00:31:29.420 --> 00:31:29.940
 see death

00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:30.539
 as something

00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:31.839
 even better

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:32.539
 than that.

00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:33.460
 The word

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.099
 gain here

00:31:34.099 --> 00:31:35.660
 actually means

00:31:35.660 --> 00:31:36.400
 getting something,

00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.259
 attaining something

00:31:37.259 --> 00:31:38.000
 that you don't

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:38.799
 already have.

00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:41.879
 as Paul looks

00:31:41.879 --> 00:31:42.379
 at his life

00:31:42.379 --> 00:31:42.759
 he says

00:31:42.759 --> 00:31:43.359
 life is

00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:43.779
 amazing,

00:31:43.899 --> 00:31:44.139
 I'm

00:31:44.139 --> 00:31:44.700
 rejoicing,

00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:45.460
 Jesus is

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:45.859
 being made

00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:46.180
 famous,

00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.039
 my life

00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:47.619
 is

00:31:47.619 --> 00:31:48.359
 Christ

00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:50.599
 but death

00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:51.119
 is gain

00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:52.139
 because in

00:31:52.139 --> 00:31:52.579
 my death

00:31:52.579 --> 00:31:53.059
 I will

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:53.599
 obtain

00:31:53.599 --> 00:31:54.039
 something

00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:55.200
 that I

00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:55.680
 don't yet

00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:56.859
 have or

00:31:56.859 --> 00:31:57.799
 maybe more

00:31:57.799 --> 00:31:58.180
 accurately

00:31:58.180 --> 00:31:58.899
 I'll obtain

00:31:58.899 --> 00:31:59.779
 more of

00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:00.180
 something

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:01.019
 that I

00:32:01.019 --> 00:32:01.379
 already

00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:01.779
 have.

00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:03.700
 See

00:32:03.700 --> 00:32:04.079
 Paul's

00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:04.319
 statement

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:04.720
 that to

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.119
 die is

00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:05.399
 gain

00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:07.579
 is building

00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:07.940
 on his

00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:08.159
 statement

00:32:08.159 --> 00:32:08.480
 that to

00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:08.740
 live is

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.019
 Christ

00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:09.500
 because to

00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:09.859
 live is

00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:10.240
 Christ

00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:10.859
 and to

00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:11.140
 die

00:32:11.140 --> 00:32:11.819
 is more

00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:12.460
 Christ.

00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:13.700
 To die

00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:14.240
 is to be

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:14.700
 free from

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.019
 the sin

00:32:15.019 --> 00:32:15.539
 that separates

00:32:15.539 --> 00:32:15.880
 us from

00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:16.200
 Christ.

00:32:16.539 --> 00:32:16.940
 To die

00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:17.559
 is to

00:32:17.559 --> 00:32:18.640
 be with

00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:19.220
 Christ

00:32:19.220 --> 00:32:20.019
 and have

00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:21.599
 what we

00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:21.980
 have right

00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:22.319
 now

00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:24.519
 on a

00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:24.900
 greater,

00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:25.579
 grander,

00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:26.259
 more majestic

00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:26.720
 scale.

00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:28.180
 And that is

00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:28.640
 why Paul

00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:29.299
 can sit

00:32:29.299 --> 00:32:29.759
 there in

00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:30.220
 this prison

00:32:30.220 --> 00:32:30.779
 and say

00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:31.079
 to live

00:32:31.079 --> 00:32:31.599
 is Christ

00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:32.220
 to die

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:32.599
 is gain

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:33.039
 because he

00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:33.640
 sees that

00:32:33.640 --> 00:32:34.220
 as a

00:32:34.220 --> 00:32:34.519
 hope.

00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:36.839
 He sees

00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:37.420
 the promise

00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:37.960
 of something

00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:38.740
 greater.

00:32:41.720 --> 00:32:42.380
 As Paul

00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:42.980
 says this,

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.140
 we have to

00:32:44.140 --> 00:32:44.819
 understand that

00:32:44.819 --> 00:32:45.620
 this statement

00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:46.140
 to die is

00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:46.539
 gain is

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:47.039
 deeply,

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:47.740
 deeply rooted

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:48.400
 in Paul's

00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:49.720
 belief in

00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.380
 a literal,

00:32:50.620 --> 00:32:51.740
 literal,

00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:52.980
 physical

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:53.740
 resurrection

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:54.539
 from the

00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:54.740
 dead.

00:32:56.380 --> 00:32:56.700
 Paul in

00:32:56.700 --> 00:32:57.120
 his teachings

00:32:57.120 --> 00:32:57.819
 clearly

00:32:57.819 --> 00:32:58.539
 teaches

00:32:58.539 --> 00:33:00.620
 that Jesus'

00:33:00.840 --> 00:33:01.240
 resurrection,

00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:02.299
 physical,

00:33:02.759 --> 00:33:03.360
 in a body,

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.900
 is the model

00:33:04.900 --> 00:33:05.280
 for what

00:33:05.280 --> 00:33:05.660
 will happen

00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:06.040
 for us

00:33:06.040 --> 00:33:06.580
 as Christians

00:33:06.580 --> 00:33:07.660
 someday.

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:08.660
 That there

00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:08.860
 will be

00:33:08.860 --> 00:33:09.420
 a physical

00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:10.040
 resurrection.

00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:10.519
 That this

00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:10.860
 life,

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:11.360
 when we

00:33:11.360 --> 00:33:11.580
 die,

00:33:11.660 --> 00:33:11.820
 that's

00:33:11.820 --> 00:33:12.240
 not the

00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:12.519
 end,

00:33:13.180 --> 00:33:13.740
 but there's

00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:14.019
 more.

00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:14.800
 We'll have

00:33:14.800 --> 00:33:15.360
 new bodies

00:33:15.360 --> 00:33:15.780
 just like

00:33:15.780 --> 00:33:16.040
 Jesus.

00:33:17.060 --> 00:33:17.600
 We will

00:33:17.600 --> 00:33:18.300
 be with

00:33:18.300 --> 00:33:18.580
 Jesus.

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:18.880
 We will

00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:19.259
 be free

00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:19.660
 from the

00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:19.980
 sin

00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:21.860
 that plagues

00:33:21.860 --> 00:33:22.180
 us in

00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:22.480
 this life.

00:33:22.540 --> 00:33:22.759
 We'll be

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:23.080
 free from

00:33:23.080 --> 00:33:23.640
 the suffering

00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:24.420
 that plagues

00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:24.740
 us in

00:33:24.740 --> 00:33:25.120
 this life.

00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:25.940
 And Paul

00:33:25.940 --> 00:33:26.880
 held on

00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:27.180
 to that

00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:27.580
 belief,

00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.400
 held on

00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:28.700
 to that

00:33:28.700 --> 00:33:29.019
 hope.

00:33:29.360 --> 00:33:29.600
 He

00:33:29.600 --> 00:33:30.220
 believed

00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:31.540
 that when

00:33:31.540 --> 00:33:32.019
 he died,

00:33:32.280 --> 00:33:32.680
 it would be

00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:32.920
 gained

00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:33.259
 because he

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:33.640
 would have

00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:33.960
 this new

00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:34.160
 body.

00:33:34.259 --> 00:33:34.420
 He would

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:34.879
 have this

00:33:34.879 --> 00:33:35.119
 new

00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:35.859
 relationship

00:33:35.859 --> 00:33:36.740
 with Jesus.

00:33:37.059 --> 00:33:37.680
 For Paul,

00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:38.640
 the real

00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:39.019
 distinction

00:33:39.019 --> 00:33:39.480
 going on

00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:39.799
 right here

00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:40.119
 is not

00:33:40.119 --> 00:33:40.519
 life and

00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:40.819
 death.

00:33:41.720 --> 00:33:42.240
 It's

00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:43.180
 life and

00:33:43.180 --> 00:33:43.539
 more

00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.160
 life.

00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:46.200
 It's

00:33:46.200 --> 00:33:46.539
 Jesus

00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.519
 and more

00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:48.059
 Jesus.

00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:49.779
 And so

00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:50.379
 Paul writes

00:33:50.379 --> 00:33:50.819
 this letter

00:33:50.819 --> 00:33:51.460
 from a

00:33:51.460 --> 00:33:51.740
 prison

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.400
 with hope

00:33:53.400 --> 00:33:55.980
 because he

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:57.220
 sees that

00:33:57.220 --> 00:33:58.180
 Jesus is

00:33:58.180 --> 00:33:58.660
 so much

00:33:58.660 --> 00:33:59.039
 greater

00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:00.720
 than anything

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.339
 that the

00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:01.819
 Romans can

00:34:01.819 --> 00:34:02.220
 do to him

00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:02.700
 to try and

00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:03.140
 stop him

00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:03.600
 from spreading

00:34:03.600 --> 00:34:04.200
 this message.

00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:06.320
 So as I

00:34:06.320 --> 00:34:06.620
 looked at

00:34:06.620 --> 00:34:07.100
 this passage

00:34:07.100 --> 00:34:07.540
 this week

00:34:07.540 --> 00:34:07.820
 and I

00:34:07.820 --> 00:34:08.380
 thought about

00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:09.740
 what would

00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:10.140
 this look

00:34:10.140 --> 00:34:11.460
 like in

00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:12.039
 my life

00:34:12.039 --> 00:34:13.440
 if I

00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:14.000
 lived with

00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:14.579
 this singular

00:34:14.579 --> 00:34:15.280
 passion?

00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:18.980
 How could

00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:19.420
 I live

00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:20.059
 with this

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:20.320
 singular

00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:20.680
 passion?

00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:21.039
 And what

00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:21.240
 am I

00:34:21.240 --> 00:34:21.640
 supposed to

00:34:21.640 --> 00:34:22.700
 do with

00:34:22.700 --> 00:34:23.280
 Paul's

00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:23.780
 statements

00:34:23.780 --> 00:34:24.320
 about this

00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:24.559
 singular

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.000
 passion?

00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:25.820
 It has

00:34:25.820 --> 00:34:26.079
 for me

00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:26.380
 to do

00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:26.680
 and I'm

00:34:26.680 --> 00:34:27.240
 excited to

00:34:27.240 --> 00:34:27.680
 keep doing

00:34:27.680 --> 00:34:27.980
 that.

00:34:29.059 --> 00:34:29.599
 But I

00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:30.099
 know that I

00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:30.519
 have this

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:30.920
 hope that

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:31.539
 someday in

00:34:31.539 --> 00:34:31.960
 the future

00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:32.820
 it will

00:34:32.820 --> 00:34:33.220
 be even

00:34:33.220 --> 00:34:33.480
 better.

00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:35.420
 And as I

00:34:35.420 --> 00:34:36.119
 thought about

00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:37.780
 what this

00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:38.119
 could look

00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:38.400
 like in

00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:38.740
 our lives

00:34:38.740 --> 00:34:39.000
 I was

00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:39.480
 reminded of

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:39.840
 the story

00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:40.039
 of one

00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.240
 of my

00:34:40.240 --> 00:34:40.639
 friends

00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:41.360
 Justin

00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:41.699
 and so

00:34:41.699 --> 00:34:41.840
 I've

00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:42.220
 asked him

00:34:42.220 --> 00:34:42.679
 to come

00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.539
 share with

00:34:43.539 --> 00:34:44.000
 us a

00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:44.280
 little bit

00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:44.599
 today

00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:45.699
 about his

00:34:45.699 --> 00:34:46.079
 story.

00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:51.019
 the first

00:34:51.019 --> 00:34:51.420
 thing I

00:34:51.420 --> 00:34:52.019
 asked Justin

00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:52.840
 to do

00:34:52.840 --> 00:34:54.500
 is I

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:54.960
 asked him

00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:55.480
 to take

00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:55.699
 this

00:34:55.699 --> 00:34:56.019
 statement

00:34:56.019 --> 00:34:56.380
 to live

00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:56.799
 as Christ

00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:57.139
 and to

00:34:57.139 --> 00:34:57.500
 die as

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:57.739
 gain

00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:58.759
 and to

00:34:58.759 --> 00:34:59.139
 cut the

00:34:59.139 --> 00:34:59.440
 words

00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:00.019
 Christ

00:35:00.019 --> 00:35:01.159
 and to

00:35:01.159 --> 00:35:01.460
 die

00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:01.900
 out of

00:35:01.900 --> 00:35:02.059
 that

00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.420
 statement.

00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:02.980
 You have

00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:03.319
 a card

00:35:03.319 --> 00:35:03.599
 on your

00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:03.840
 seat.

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:05.360
 I

00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:05.699
 basically

00:35:05.699 --> 00:35:06.119
 asked him

00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:06.460
 to fill

00:35:06.460 --> 00:35:06.699
 in the

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:07.039
 blanks

00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:07.440
 on that

00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:07.719
 card.

00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:08.980
 And

00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:09.159
 Justin

00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:09.480
 what was

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:09.719
 the answer?

00:35:09.799 --> 00:35:10.039
 You can

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:10.360
 sit down

00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:10.579
 if you

00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:10.819
 want but

00:35:10.819 --> 00:35:11.019
 you don't

00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:11.219
 have

00:35:11.219 --> 00:35:11.380
 to.

00:35:12.340 --> 00:35:12.699
 What

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:12.960
 was the

00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:13.239
 answer

00:35:13.239 --> 00:35:13.739
 that you

00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:14.019
 gave for

00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:14.219
 that?

00:35:14.219 --> 00:35:14.719
 My

00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:15.139
 answer

00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:15.859
 is to

00:35:15.859 --> 00:35:16.179
 leave

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:16.699
 is to

00:35:16.699 --> 00:35:17.079
 win

00:35:17.079 --> 00:35:17.919
 and

00:35:17.919 --> 00:35:18.399
 approval

00:35:18.399 --> 00:35:19.359
 is gain.

00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:21.159
 And so

00:35:21.159 --> 00:35:22.059
 you said

00:35:22.059 --> 00:35:22.779
 you filled

00:35:22.779 --> 00:35:23.059
 in the

00:35:23.059 --> 00:35:23.699
 same words

00:35:23.699 --> 00:35:24.379
 for before

00:35:24.379 --> 00:35:24.839
 and after

00:35:24.839 --> 00:35:25.239
 you became

00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:25.599
 a Christian

00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:25.839
 right?

00:35:25.919 --> 00:35:26.059
 Right.

00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:27.819
 But what

00:35:27.819 --> 00:35:28.419
 did those

00:35:28.419 --> 00:35:28.859
 words mean

00:35:28.859 --> 00:35:29.179
 to you

00:35:29.179 --> 00:35:29.659
 before you

00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:30.019
 became a

00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:30.299
 Christian?

00:35:31.259 --> 00:35:32.099
 Before I

00:35:32.099 --> 00:35:32.359
 was a

00:35:32.359 --> 00:35:32.699
 Christian

00:35:32.699 --> 00:35:33.480
 to win

00:35:33.480 --> 00:35:34.579
 means to

00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:34.839
 win

00:35:34.839 --> 00:35:35.639
 competitions

00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:36.699
 between

00:35:36.699 --> 00:35:37.159
 peers.

00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:39.339
 So I

00:35:39.339 --> 00:35:39.799
 raised in

00:35:39.799 --> 00:35:40.279
 a family

00:35:40.279 --> 00:35:41.159
 where my

00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:41.639
 parents have

00:35:41.639 --> 00:35:41.899
 high

00:35:41.899 --> 00:35:42.759
 expectations

00:35:42.759 --> 00:35:43.679
 of me

00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:44.139
 and my

00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:44.480
 siblings.

00:35:44.839 --> 00:35:45.079
 I have

00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:45.359
 twin

00:35:45.359 --> 00:35:45.899
 sisters

00:35:45.899 --> 00:35:47.159
 Edie.

00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:47.839
 That's

00:35:47.839 --> 00:35:48.139
 why I

00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:48.699
 always get

00:35:48.699 --> 00:35:49.239
 involved

00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:50.199
 in sibling

00:35:50.199 --> 00:35:51.119
 competitions.

00:35:51.739 --> 00:35:52.019
 My mom

00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:52.579
 expects me

00:35:52.579 --> 00:35:53.139
 to get

00:35:53.139 --> 00:35:54.119
 100 marks

00:35:54.119 --> 00:35:54.859
 even if

00:35:54.859 --> 00:35:55.139
 I get

00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:56.119
 99.9.

00:35:56.919 --> 00:35:57.119
 So

00:35:57.119 --> 00:36:00.379
 and my

00:36:00.379 --> 00:36:00.879
 definition

00:36:00.879 --> 00:36:02.099
 of approval

00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:03.980
 is that

00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:05.000
 I understand

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:05.799
 that victory

00:36:05.799 --> 00:36:06.519
 precedes

00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:07.519
 approval

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.359
 for my

00:36:08.359 --> 00:36:08.819
 families,

00:36:09.239 --> 00:36:09.659
 for my

00:36:09.659 --> 00:36:09.940
 siblings,

00:36:10.119 --> 00:36:10.339
 and for

00:36:10.339 --> 00:36:10.759
 my friends

00:36:10.759 --> 00:36:11.179
 and everybody

00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:11.719
 who knows

00:36:11.719 --> 00:36:11.980
 me.

00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:13.639
 and I

00:36:13.639 --> 00:36:14.059
 eagerly

00:36:14.059 --> 00:36:14.760
 waited for

00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:15.260
 next chance

00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:15.740
 to prove

00:36:15.740 --> 00:36:16.159
 myself,

00:36:16.300 --> 00:36:16.639
 to prove

00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:17.219
 my value

00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:17.599
 and my

00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:17.940
 worth.

00:36:18.500 --> 00:36:18.840
 I wanted

00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:20.559
 to prove

00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:21.400
 to people

00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:22.219
 that I'm

00:36:22.219 --> 00:36:22.800
 able to

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:23.320
 achieve.

00:36:24.260 --> 00:36:24.800
 And this

00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:25.280
 determination

00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:26.039
 and drive

00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:27.260
 has motivated

00:36:27.260 --> 00:36:28.199
 me to be

00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:29.599
 more excellent

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:30.780
 and to be

00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:31.119
 better.

00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.599
 And to be

00:36:32.599 --> 00:36:32.760
 better,

00:36:32.820 --> 00:36:33.420
 at least I feel

00:36:33.420 --> 00:36:34.039
 about myself

00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:34.599
 and I never

00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:35.159
 want to let

00:36:35.159 --> 00:36:36.139
 go of this

00:36:36.139 --> 00:36:36.699
 motivation,

00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:37.219
 at least.

00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:37.740
 Yeah.

00:36:37.739 --> 00:36:38.599
 So can

00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:38.879
 you tell

00:36:38.879 --> 00:36:39.139
 us the

00:36:39.139 --> 00:36:39.599
 story of

00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:39.919
 the night

00:36:39.919 --> 00:36:40.500
 when you

00:36:40.500 --> 00:36:41.039
 met Jesus?

00:36:42.359 --> 00:36:43.000
 Yeah.

00:36:43.459 --> 00:36:44.719
 So there's

00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:45.259
 one time

00:36:45.259 --> 00:36:46.399
 that I

00:36:46.399 --> 00:36:47.219
 was engaged

00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:47.479
 in a

00:36:47.479 --> 00:36:47.739
 debating

00:36:47.739 --> 00:36:48.239
 competition

00:36:48.239 --> 00:36:49.659
 and I

00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:50.079
 lost a

00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:50.359
 debate

00:36:50.359 --> 00:36:51.019
 and my

00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:51.739
 coach

00:36:51.739 --> 00:36:52.799
 Edmund

00:36:52.799 --> 00:36:53.819
 brought

00:36:53.819 --> 00:36:54.439
 me to

00:36:54.439 --> 00:36:55.359
 a dinner

00:36:55.359 --> 00:36:55.859
 place and

00:36:55.859 --> 00:36:56.879
 he started

00:36:56.879 --> 00:36:57.619
 sharing about

00:36:57.619 --> 00:36:58.159
 Christianity

00:36:58.159 --> 00:36:59.219
 and his

00:36:59.219 --> 00:37:00.139
 determination

00:37:00.139 --> 00:37:00.799
 and drive

00:37:00.799 --> 00:37:02.399
 to teach

00:37:02.399 --> 00:37:03.179
 in my

00:37:03.179 --> 00:37:03.479
 school.

00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:04.839
 He talked

00:37:04.839 --> 00:37:05.179
 about his

00:37:05.179 --> 00:37:05.879
 relationship

00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:06.579
 with Christ

00:37:06.579 --> 00:37:07.019
 which is

00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:07.640
 really weird

00:37:07.640 --> 00:37:07.980
 to me

00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:09.079
 because I've

00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:09.980
 never imagined

00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:10.660
 a relationship

00:37:10.660 --> 00:37:11.420
 with somebody

00:37:11.420 --> 00:37:12.079
 that you

00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:12.619
 don't get to

00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:12.840
 see.

00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:14.140
 And so

00:37:14.140 --> 00:37:15.380
 he spoke

00:37:15.380 --> 00:37:16.200
 powerful words

00:37:16.200 --> 00:37:16.599
 to me.

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:17.940
 He pointed

00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:18.539
 at people

00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:19.160
 around me,

00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:20.000
 these people

00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:20.260
 who are

00:37:20.260 --> 00:37:20.760
 powerful,

00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:21.420
 wealthy,

00:37:21.940 --> 00:37:22.260
 of high

00:37:22.260 --> 00:37:23.000
 setting society

00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:23.800
 and he

00:37:23.800 --> 00:37:24.340
 said this,

00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:25.220
 everyone

00:37:25.220 --> 00:37:26.180
 is sinful

00:37:26.180 --> 00:37:27.680
 and he

00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:28.180
 literally says

00:37:28.180 --> 00:37:28.619
 everyone.

00:37:29.220 --> 00:37:29.559
 And I was

00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:29.880
 like,

00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:30.760
 these people

00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:31.400
 are exactly

00:37:31.400 --> 00:37:31.940
 the people

00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:32.460
 I want to

00:37:32.460 --> 00:37:32.640
 be.

00:37:33.180 --> 00:37:33.519
 These people

00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:34.119
 are successful

00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:34.820
 and it might

00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:35.240
 drive in

00:37:35.240 --> 00:37:35.800
 determination

00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:37.160
 is I

00:37:37.160 --> 00:37:37.500
 want to

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:37.880
 be people

00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:38.360
 like this

00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:39.160
 and if

00:37:39.160 --> 00:37:39.700
 your statement

00:37:39.700 --> 00:37:40.440
 is true

00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:41.760
 then all

00:37:41.760 --> 00:37:42.360
 my hope

00:37:42.360 --> 00:37:42.840
 in this

00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:43.180
 world

00:37:43.180 --> 00:37:43.980
 has vanished.

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.260
 And so

00:37:45.260 --> 00:37:46.380
 I'm really

00:37:46.380 --> 00:37:46.880
 serious about

00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:47.220
 his sentence.

00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:47.860
 I want to

00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:48.280
 defend

00:37:48.280 --> 00:37:49.500
 whether

00:37:49.500 --> 00:37:50.980
 I want

00:37:50.980 --> 00:37:52.019
 to prove

00:37:52.019 --> 00:37:52.620
 him wrong.

00:37:53.760 --> 00:37:54.019
 And so

00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:58.740
 I kept

00:37:58.740 --> 00:37:59.300
 thinking about

00:37:59.300 --> 00:37:59.800
 this and

00:37:59.800 --> 00:38:00.200
 he shared

00:38:00.200 --> 00:38:00.880
 about what

00:38:00.880 --> 00:38:01.500
 sin is and

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.000
 what Christianity

00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:03.220
 is and

00:38:03.220 --> 00:38:04.100
 he shared

00:38:04.100 --> 00:38:04.780
 about his

00:38:04.780 --> 00:38:07.240
 experience

00:38:07.240 --> 00:38:07.700
 in the

00:38:07.700 --> 00:38:07.960
 business

00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:08.380
 world

00:38:08.380 --> 00:38:09.360
 and how

00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:09.940
 he could

00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:10.860
 get glamour

00:38:10.860 --> 00:38:11.660
 and wealth

00:38:11.660 --> 00:38:11.920
 in the

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.100
 business

00:38:12.100 --> 00:38:12.460
 world

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:13.000
 but now

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:14.600
 his calling

00:38:14.600 --> 00:38:15.160
 is to

00:38:15.160 --> 00:38:15.620
 teach

00:38:15.620 --> 00:38:16.340
 and how

00:38:16.340 --> 00:38:16.960
 he removed

00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:17.500
 himself

00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:18.320
 from the

00:38:18.320 --> 00:38:18.540
 business

00:38:18.540 --> 00:38:18.780
 world

00:38:18.780 --> 00:38:19.540
 to a

00:38:19.540 --> 00:38:19.780
 teaching

00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:20.200
 field.

00:38:20.780 --> 00:38:21.140
 And that

00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:21.540
 shows me

00:38:21.540 --> 00:38:21.840
 a great

00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:22.280
 example

00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:23.780
 of what

00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.440
 Christ is

00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:25.560
 and the

00:38:25.560 --> 00:38:26.240
 single purpose

00:38:26.240 --> 00:38:26.720
 and single

00:38:26.720 --> 00:38:27.720
 focus of

00:38:27.720 --> 00:38:28.060
 a Christian

00:38:28.060 --> 00:38:28.480
 life.

00:38:28.640 --> 00:38:29.120
 It's where

00:38:29.120 --> 00:38:29.500
 you want

00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:29.900
 to follow

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.420
 a calling

00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.420
 instead of

00:38:31.420 --> 00:38:32.220
 to get

00:38:32.220 --> 00:38:32.619
 approval

00:38:32.619 --> 00:38:32.960
 which

00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:33.460
 was

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:33.700
 something

00:38:33.700 --> 00:38:34.059
 I wanted

00:38:34.059 --> 00:38:34.400
 to get.

00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.320
 And so

00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:37.420
 Edmund took

00:38:37.420 --> 00:38:38.039
 time to

00:38:38.039 --> 00:38:38.740
 get to know

00:38:38.740 --> 00:38:39.220
 you guys

00:38:39.220 --> 00:38:40.000
 and talk

00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:40.220
 with you

00:38:40.220 --> 00:38:40.619
 guys about

00:38:40.619 --> 00:38:40.880
 Jesus.

00:38:41.320 --> 00:38:41.700
 Edmund is

00:38:41.700 --> 00:38:41.960
 a really

00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:42.360
 dedicated

00:38:42.360 --> 00:38:42.860
 teacher.

00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:43.960
 He spent

00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:44.440
 a lot

00:38:44.440 --> 00:38:44.940
 of time

00:38:44.940 --> 00:38:45.880
 coaching me

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:46.639
 about debating.

00:38:47.519 --> 00:38:48.280
 Sometimes I kept

00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:48.900
 him until

00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:49.680
 9 o'clock at

00:38:49.680 --> 00:38:50.820
 10 just for

00:38:50.820 --> 00:38:51.300
 my training

00:38:51.300 --> 00:38:52.099
 and he

00:38:52.099 --> 00:38:52.400
 sometimes

00:38:52.400 --> 00:38:53.260
 just told

00:38:53.260 --> 00:38:53.639
 me a joke

00:38:53.639 --> 00:38:54.000
 like,

00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:54.720
 Justin,

00:38:54.800 --> 00:38:55.180
 you have to

00:38:55.180 --> 00:38:55.780
 let me go.

00:38:55.940 --> 00:38:56.360
 If not,

00:38:56.440 --> 00:38:56.900
 tomorrow I will

00:38:56.900 --> 00:38:57.400
 be single.

00:38:57.400 --> 00:38:58.200
 Yeah,

00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:00.880
 I just want

00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:01.460
 to throw

00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:01.920
 a comment

00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:02.280
 in there.

00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:03.840
 Justin is

00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:04.240
 an amazing

00:39:04.240 --> 00:39:04.860
 example of

00:39:04.860 --> 00:39:05.119
 what can

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:05.599
 happen when

00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:05.940
 we take

00:39:05.940 --> 00:39:06.400
 time to

00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:07.059
 invest in

00:39:07.059 --> 00:39:07.599
 young people's

00:39:07.599 --> 00:39:07.840
 lives.

00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:08.360
 I want to

00:39:08.360 --> 00:39:08.800
 encourage you

00:39:08.800 --> 00:39:09.099
 guys,

00:39:09.500 --> 00:39:09.980
 if you aren't

00:39:09.980 --> 00:39:10.340
 doing this

00:39:10.340 --> 00:39:10.660
 already,

00:39:11.139 --> 00:39:11.579
 find some

00:39:11.579 --> 00:39:12.039
 young people

00:39:12.039 --> 00:39:12.660
 around the

00:39:12.660 --> 00:39:13.019
 church that

00:39:13.019 --> 00:39:13.440
 you can get

00:39:13.440 --> 00:39:14.079
 involved in

00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:14.519
 and invest

00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:15.360
 in because

00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:15.960
 it really

00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:16.360
 does make

00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:16.700
 a difference

00:39:16.700 --> 00:39:16.960
 in their

00:39:16.960 --> 00:39:17.300
 lives.

00:39:18.139 --> 00:39:18.599
 So Justin,

00:39:19.240 --> 00:39:20.180
 after that

00:39:20.180 --> 00:39:20.480
 evening,

00:39:20.700 --> 00:39:21.059
 how did

00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:21.579
 your definition

00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:22.160
 of winning

00:39:22.160 --> 00:39:22.780
 and approval

00:39:22.780 --> 00:39:23.300
 change?

00:39:24.200 --> 00:39:25.019
 My newfound

00:39:25.019 --> 00:39:25.700
 definition of

00:39:25.700 --> 00:39:26.160
 to win

00:39:26.160 --> 00:39:27.360
 is to

00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:27.920
 win spiritual

00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:29.079
 battles with

00:39:29.079 --> 00:39:29.420
 the power

00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:29.920
 of God.

00:39:31.240 --> 00:39:31.480
 I mean,

00:39:32.099 --> 00:39:33.280
 there are

00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:34.320
 divisions,

00:39:34.780 --> 00:39:35.360
 chapter 6,

00:39:35.559 --> 00:39:36.559
 verse 10

00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:36.840
 says,

00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:37.559
 finally be

00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:38.000
 strong in

00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:38.200
 the Lord

00:39:38.200 --> 00:39:38.519
 and the

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:38.880
 strength of

00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:39.300
 his might,

00:39:39.780 --> 00:39:40.059
 put in the

00:39:40.059 --> 00:39:40.539
 whole armor

00:39:40.539 --> 00:39:40.940
 of God,

00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:41.160
 that you

00:39:41.160 --> 00:39:41.460
 might be

00:39:41.460 --> 00:39:41.860
 able to

00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:42.360
 stand against

00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:42.800
 the schemes

00:39:42.800 --> 00:39:43.200
 of the devil.

00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:44.220
 So I mean,

00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:45.019
 now as a

00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:45.420
 Christian,

00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:46.519
 the single

00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:47.099
 purpose of

00:39:47.099 --> 00:39:48.019
 life is to

00:39:48.019 --> 00:39:48.539
 fight a

00:39:48.539 --> 00:39:48.800
 battle,

00:39:48.900 --> 00:39:49.280
 the spiritual

00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:49.780
 battle with

00:39:49.780 --> 00:39:50.120
 the power

00:39:50.120 --> 00:39:50.579
 of God.

00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:51.519
 And my

00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:51.800
 newfound

00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:52.519
 definition of

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.720
 approval is

00:39:53.720 --> 00:39:54.400
 also different

00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:55.320
 in the sense

00:39:55.320 --> 00:39:56.120
 that this

00:39:56.120 --> 00:39:56.920
 approval is

00:39:56.920 --> 00:39:57.380
 not from

00:39:57.380 --> 00:39:57.780
 people,

00:39:58.500 --> 00:39:58.980
 is from

00:39:58.980 --> 00:40:00.380
 Jesus,

00:40:00.579 --> 00:40:00.900
 is from

00:40:00.900 --> 00:40:01.200
 God,

00:40:01.400 --> 00:40:02.320
 where this

00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:02.860
 is not

00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:04.340
 achieved by

00:40:04.340 --> 00:40:04.680
 my own

00:40:04.680 --> 00:40:04.980
 power,

00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:05.639
 it's achieved

00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:06.380
 by Jesus

00:40:06.380 --> 00:40:06.820
 dying on the

00:40:06.820 --> 00:40:07.119
 cross.

00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:07.680
 And I have

00:40:07.680 --> 00:40:08.380
 to trust that,

00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:08.860
 I have to put

00:40:08.860 --> 00:40:09.480
 my trust in

00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:10.960
 Jesus and

00:40:10.960 --> 00:40:11.519
 believe that

00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:12.320
 his power is

00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:12.900
 greater than

00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:14.039
 mine and I

00:40:14.039 --> 00:40:15.840
 can rely on

00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:16.420
 his power in

00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:17.180
 everything I do.

00:40:17.179 --> 00:40:18.460
 And as you

00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:18.859
 think about

00:40:18.859 --> 00:40:20.559
 how these

00:40:20.559 --> 00:40:20.980
 definitions

00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:21.659
 change for

00:40:21.659 --> 00:40:21.839
 you,

00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:22.579
 can you

00:40:22.579 --> 00:40:22.919
 share with

00:40:22.919 --> 00:40:23.219
 us an

00:40:23.219 --> 00:40:23.879
 example of

00:40:23.879 --> 00:40:24.319
 a time

00:40:24.319 --> 00:40:24.859
 since you

00:40:24.859 --> 00:40:25.259
 became a

00:40:25.259 --> 00:40:25.559
 Christian

00:40:25.559 --> 00:40:28.279
 where that

00:40:28.279 --> 00:40:28.619
 made a

00:40:28.619 --> 00:40:29.079
 difference in

00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:29.519
 your life?

00:40:30.319 --> 00:40:30.919
 I want to

00:40:30.919 --> 00:40:31.239
 share an

00:40:31.239 --> 00:40:32.219
 experience about

00:40:32.219 --> 00:40:32.980
 me getting

00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:33.619
 into an

00:40:33.619 --> 00:40:35.099
 interview for

00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:35.779
 an outstanding

00:40:35.779 --> 00:40:36.879
 student award

00:40:36.879 --> 00:40:38.339
 competition where

00:40:38.339 --> 00:40:38.980
 I got a

00:40:38.980 --> 00:40:39.519
 really personal

00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.119
 interview from

00:40:40.119 --> 00:40:40.519
 the judges.

00:40:41.259 --> 00:40:42.399
 So I was

00:40:42.399 --> 00:40:43.019
 asked questions

00:40:43.019 --> 00:40:43.519
 about my

00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:44.419
 personal belief,

00:40:44.899 --> 00:40:45.699
 where I find

00:40:45.699 --> 00:40:46.279
 value in,

00:40:46.280 --> 00:40:48.580
 and also

00:40:48.580 --> 00:40:50.100
 questions for

00:40:50.100 --> 00:40:50.740
 me to talk

00:40:50.740 --> 00:40:51.300
 about myself

00:40:51.300 --> 00:40:51.900
 eventually.

00:40:52.480 --> 00:40:53.680
 And so there

00:40:53.680 --> 00:40:54.220
 is a struggle

00:40:54.220 --> 00:40:55.240
 between me

00:40:55.240 --> 00:40:57.240
 about should I

00:40:57.240 --> 00:40:58.320
 manipulate the

00:40:58.320 --> 00:40:59.920
 performance to

00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:00.320
 hide my

00:41:00.320 --> 00:41:01.480
 weaknesses and

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:02.320
 present like a

00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:03.019
 perfect Justin

00:41:03.019 --> 00:41:04.000
 to the judges

00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:05.000
 or should I be

00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:05.560
 honest about

00:41:05.560 --> 00:41:06.080
 myself to

00:41:06.080 --> 00:41:06.820
 accept who I

00:41:06.820 --> 00:41:07.940
 am as son

00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:08.880
 of God and

00:41:08.880 --> 00:41:09.680
 to just

00:41:09.680 --> 00:41:10.820
 present my

00:41:10.820 --> 00:41:12.060
 whatever I

00:41:12.060 --> 00:41:13.120
 am and find

00:41:13.120 --> 00:41:13.940
 satisfaction who

00:41:13.940 --> 00:41:14.260
 I am.

00:41:14.580 --> 00:41:15.360
 So it's this

00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:16.200
 struggle to gain

00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:16.960
 approval from

00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:18.139
 the judges or

00:41:18.139 --> 00:41:18.699
 the approval

00:41:18.699 --> 00:41:19.419
 of God.

00:41:19.919 --> 00:41:20.319
 And I knew

00:41:20.319 --> 00:41:22.099
 exactly if I

00:41:22.099 --> 00:41:22.679
 want to present

00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:23.739
 myself honestly,

00:41:24.379 --> 00:41:25.059
 I might have

00:41:25.059 --> 00:41:26.519
 to fall short

00:41:26.519 --> 00:41:26.799
 of their

00:41:26.799 --> 00:41:27.559
 expectations.

00:41:28.339 --> 00:41:28.799
 I might have

00:41:28.799 --> 00:41:29.579
 to lose the

00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:30.059
 competition.

00:41:30.919 --> 00:41:31.279
 But eventually

00:41:31.279 --> 00:41:31.799
 I come up with

00:41:31.799 --> 00:41:31.980
 this.

00:41:32.119 --> 00:41:32.759
 It's better to

00:41:32.759 --> 00:41:33.579
 have an impact

00:41:33.579 --> 00:41:34.279
 on these judges

00:41:34.279 --> 00:41:35.379
 and fall short

00:41:35.379 --> 00:41:35.579
 of their

00:41:35.579 --> 00:41:36.839
 expectations than

00:41:36.839 --> 00:41:37.419
 to hide the

00:41:37.419 --> 00:41:37.699
 light.

00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:38.579
 Because I want

00:41:38.579 --> 00:41:39.039
 to shine a

00:41:39.039 --> 00:41:39.779
 light and have

00:41:39.779 --> 00:41:40.399
 a strong

00:41:40.399 --> 00:41:41.059
 impact on them.

00:41:41.159 --> 00:41:41.739
 I think that's

00:41:41.739 --> 00:41:42.319
 more important.

00:41:42.320 --> 00:41:43.660
 awesome.

00:41:44.280 --> 00:41:44.800
 Thanks for

00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:45.059
 sharing.

00:41:45.180 --> 00:41:45.360
 Is there

00:41:45.360 --> 00:41:45.740
 anything else

00:41:45.740 --> 00:41:45.960
 you wanted

00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:46.300
 to say?

00:41:47.300 --> 00:41:47.900
 All right.

00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:48.539
 Thanks for

00:41:48.539 --> 00:41:48.820
 sharing.

00:41:48.820 --> 00:41:48.940
 Thank you.

00:41:57.940 --> 00:41:58.880
 I think that's

00:41:58.880 --> 00:41:59.440
 an awesome

00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:00.680
 picture of the

00:42:00.680 --> 00:42:02.019
 impact that

00:42:02.019 --> 00:42:02.620
 living with this

00:42:02.620 --> 00:42:03.600
 singular focus

00:42:03.600 --> 00:42:04.720
 in life makes.

00:42:05.680 --> 00:42:07.300
 And so as we

00:42:07.300 --> 00:42:08.519
 come close to

00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:09.080
 the close today,

00:42:09.160 --> 00:42:09.600
 I want us to

00:42:09.600 --> 00:42:10.740
 think about what

00:42:10.739 --> 00:42:11.459
 it is that we

00:42:11.459 --> 00:42:12.139
 are living for.

00:42:12.819 --> 00:42:13.699
 On each of

00:42:13.699 --> 00:42:14.319
 your chairs we

00:42:14.319 --> 00:42:14.959
 put a little

00:42:14.959 --> 00:42:15.319
 card.

00:42:15.519 --> 00:42:15.959
 It looks like

00:42:15.959 --> 00:42:16.379
 this, only

00:42:16.379 --> 00:42:16.759
 smaller.

00:42:17.359 --> 00:42:17.579
 It says,

00:42:17.639 --> 00:42:18.399
 to live is

00:42:18.399 --> 00:42:18.959
 blank.

00:42:19.719 --> 00:42:20.299
 Blank is

00:42:20.299 --> 00:42:20.579
 gain.

00:42:21.399 --> 00:42:21.979
 As we go

00:42:21.979 --> 00:42:22.359
 throughout our

00:42:22.359 --> 00:42:22.699
 weeks this

00:42:22.699 --> 00:42:23.139
 week, I want

00:42:23.139 --> 00:42:23.559
 us to take

00:42:23.559 --> 00:42:24.179
 some time and

00:42:24.179 --> 00:42:25.659
 think about what

00:42:25.659 --> 00:42:26.659
 do we put in

00:42:26.659 --> 00:42:27.239
 the blank in

00:42:27.239 --> 00:42:27.739
 our lives.

00:42:29.799 --> 00:42:31.079
 Because, at

00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:31.659
 least for me, I

00:42:31.659 --> 00:42:32.139
 know that far

00:42:32.139 --> 00:42:33.239
 too often the

00:42:33.239 --> 00:42:33.759
 words that go

00:42:33.759 --> 00:42:34.399
 here are not

00:42:34.399 --> 00:42:35.079
 Christ and the

00:42:35.079 --> 00:42:35.500
 words that go

00:42:35.500 --> 00:42:36.119
 here are not

00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:36.479
 to die.

00:42:37.979 --> 00:42:38.639
 If I'm being

00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:39.399
 really honest,

00:42:39.719 --> 00:42:40.559
 more often it

00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:41.099
 probably says,

00:42:41.179 --> 00:42:42.000
 to live is

00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:42.659
 success.

00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:44.299
 Continued

00:42:44.299 --> 00:42:44.920
 excellence at

00:42:44.920 --> 00:42:45.880
 everything is

00:42:45.880 --> 00:42:46.159
 gain.

00:42:47.900 --> 00:42:48.579
 As I look at

00:42:48.579 --> 00:42:49.159
 the story of

00:42:49.159 --> 00:42:50.900
 the gospel and

00:42:50.900 --> 00:42:51.759
 think about who

00:42:51.759 --> 00:42:52.440
 God is and what

00:42:52.440 --> 00:42:55.139
 he's done, I

00:42:55.139 --> 00:42:55.799
 realize that when

00:42:55.799 --> 00:42:56.519
 I come to him

00:42:56.519 --> 00:42:58.320
 for salvation, he

00:42:58.320 --> 00:42:58.900
 doesn't care about

00:42:58.900 --> 00:42:59.539
 my success.

00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:00.739
 He doesn't want

00:43:00.739 --> 00:43:01.199
 my success.

00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:02.219
 Actually, the

00:43:02.219 --> 00:43:02.820
 only thing I

00:43:02.820 --> 00:43:03.779
 contribute to my

00:43:03.779 --> 00:43:05.799
 salvation is my

00:43:05.799 --> 00:43:07.059
 failure to obey

00:43:07.059 --> 00:43:08.299
 him and my need

00:43:08.299 --> 00:43:10.099
 for him to save

00:43:10.099 --> 00:43:10.380
 me.

00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:14.059
 And that he

00:43:14.059 --> 00:43:15.360
 saves me not

00:43:15.360 --> 00:43:16.380
 only despite my

00:43:16.380 --> 00:43:17.179
 failures, but

00:43:17.179 --> 00:43:17.900
 because of my

00:43:17.900 --> 00:43:18.239
 failures.

00:43:18.319 --> 00:43:19.259
 My failures are

00:43:19.259 --> 00:43:19.900
 what makes me

00:43:19.900 --> 00:43:20.719
 need a savior.

00:43:21.860 --> 00:43:22.360
 And success

00:43:22.360 --> 00:43:22.839
 isn't a bad

00:43:22.839 --> 00:43:23.039
 thing.

00:43:23.139 --> 00:43:23.920
 Excellence isn't a

00:43:23.920 --> 00:43:24.339
 bad thing.

00:43:24.719 --> 00:43:25.380
 But when I take

00:43:25.380 --> 00:43:25.860
 them and I make

00:43:25.860 --> 00:43:26.579
 them ultimate in

00:43:26.579 --> 00:43:29.179
 life, I live in a

00:43:29.179 --> 00:43:31.099
 way that contradicts

00:43:31.099 --> 00:43:32.039
 the gospel I say I

00:43:32.039 --> 00:43:32.339
 believe.

00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:34.719
 And so my

00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:35.420
 challenge for you

00:43:35.420 --> 00:43:36.299
 is think through

00:43:36.300 --> 00:43:38.600
 what goes in the

00:43:38.600 --> 00:43:39.720
 blanks in your

00:43:39.720 --> 00:43:40.100
 life.

00:43:41.680 --> 00:43:42.539
 And how do you

00:43:42.539 --> 00:43:43.480
 know if the

00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:44.220
 answers you gave

00:43:44.220 --> 00:43:44.800
 are accurate?

00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:47.200
 Someone pointed

00:43:47.200 --> 00:43:47.860
 out to me this

00:43:47.860 --> 00:43:48.440
 week that what

00:43:48.440 --> 00:43:49.180
 we're living for

00:43:49.180 --> 00:43:50.560
 will determine what

00:43:50.560 --> 00:43:51.140
 we are willing to

00:43:51.140 --> 00:43:51.680
 suffer for.

00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:54.260
 I think for a lot

00:43:54.260 --> 00:43:54.900
 of us in this room,

00:43:54.960 --> 00:43:55.600
 we'd be willing to

00:43:55.600 --> 00:43:56.560
 suffer for a better

00:43:56.560 --> 00:43:57.000
 paycheck.

00:43:58.740 --> 00:43:59.660
 For a lot of us in

00:43:59.660 --> 00:44:00.360
 this room, we'd be

00:44:00.360 --> 00:44:01.440
 willing to suffer for

00:44:01.440 --> 00:44:02.080
 more popularity.

00:44:04.080 --> 00:44:04.960
 We'd be willing to

00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:06.039
 suffer to save face.

00:44:08.179 --> 00:44:09.079
 Would we be willing

00:44:09.079 --> 00:44:09.720
 to suffer for

00:44:09.720 --> 00:44:10.079
 Christ?

00:44:16.380 --> 00:44:17.300
 Another question I

00:44:17.300 --> 00:44:18.639
 have is if in the

00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:20.679
 next month you were

00:44:20.679 --> 00:44:21.240
 to lose something

00:44:21.240 --> 00:44:21.980
 really valuable,

00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:24.699
 would that prove or

00:44:24.699 --> 00:44:26.360
 disprove the

00:44:26.360 --> 00:44:27.179
 accuracy of what you

00:44:27.179 --> 00:44:27.860
 put down here?

00:44:28.240 --> 00:44:29.039
 If you say you're

00:44:29.039 --> 00:44:30.000
 living for Christ and

00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:30.740
 the stock market

00:44:30.740 --> 00:44:31.720
 crashes in the next

00:44:31.720 --> 00:44:34.000
 month, will your

00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:34.840
 response validate

00:44:34.840 --> 00:44:35.480
 the fact that you're

00:44:35.480 --> 00:44:36.220
 living for Christ?

00:44:38.519 --> 00:44:39.559
 Or will it actually

00:44:39.559 --> 00:44:40.559
 say that in reality

00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:42.519
 to live is money,

00:44:43.960 --> 00:44:45.059
 profit is gain,

00:44:46.059 --> 00:44:49.539
 to live is happiness,

00:44:49.740 --> 00:44:50.620
 comfort is gain?

00:44:53.140 --> 00:44:54.320
 How are our lives

00:44:54.320 --> 00:44:56.220
 backing up what we

00:44:56.220 --> 00:44:57.039
 say we're living for?

00:44:58.320 --> 00:44:59.420
 And another thing

00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:00.519
 that has been very,

00:45:00.660 --> 00:45:01.420
 very challenging for

00:45:01.420 --> 00:45:02.079
 me this week is

00:45:02.079 --> 00:45:02.800
 someone mentioned

00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:04.560
 an excellent way to

00:45:04.560 --> 00:45:06.940
 test the truthfulness

00:45:06.940 --> 00:45:07.660
 of the answers we

00:45:07.660 --> 00:45:08.600
 put down here is to

00:45:08.600 --> 00:45:10.480
 ask close friends and

00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:12.400
 family members what

00:45:12.400 --> 00:45:13.100
 they would put in

00:45:13.100 --> 00:45:14.900
 these spaces if they

00:45:14.900 --> 00:45:16.039
 filled it in for us.

00:45:16.660 --> 00:45:17.260
 It's going to be a

00:45:17.260 --> 00:45:17.860
 little bit scary.

00:45:19.060 --> 00:45:19.900
 It can be a little bit

00:45:19.900 --> 00:45:20.280
 painful.

00:45:21.480 --> 00:45:23.600
 But I figured I

00:45:23.600 --> 00:45:24.180
 should apply this

00:45:24.180 --> 00:45:25.039
 truth to my own life

00:45:25.039 --> 00:45:27.519
 before trying to

00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:28.380
 teach it to everyone

00:45:28.380 --> 00:45:28.780
 else here.

00:45:28.780 --> 00:45:29.600
 So I asked a number

00:45:29.600 --> 00:45:30.420
 of friends this week,

00:45:30.740 --> 00:45:32.280
 what would you put in

00:45:32.280 --> 00:45:33.880
 these spaces in my life

00:45:33.880 --> 00:45:35.240
 if you had to do that?

00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:38.240
 And some of my friends

00:45:38.240 --> 00:45:39.280
 apparently think that I

00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:40.120
 am the Apostle Paul.

00:45:42.860 --> 00:45:44.500
 They gave these glowing

00:45:44.500 --> 00:45:45.700
 responses and I don't

00:45:45.700 --> 00:45:46.460
 know where they came

00:45:46.460 --> 00:45:46.760
 from.

00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:49.780
 But one friend gave a

00:45:50.420 --> 00:45:53.200
 startling, painfully true

00:45:53.200 --> 00:45:53.600
 answer.

00:45:54.200 --> 00:45:55.140
 This friend said, you want

00:45:55.139 --> 00:45:55.819
 to be known and

00:45:55.819 --> 00:45:56.460
 approved of.

00:45:56.679 --> 00:45:57.559
 You want people to be

00:45:57.559 --> 00:45:58.239
 impressed with you.

00:45:58.739 --> 00:45:59.579
 You want to impress

00:45:59.579 --> 00:46:00.039
 yourself.

00:46:01.480 --> 00:46:02.639
 As I read those words,

00:46:02.719 --> 00:46:03.359
 it stung.

00:46:05.019 --> 00:46:06.679
 It hurt because I knew

00:46:06.679 --> 00:46:07.219
 that they were true.

00:46:11.460 --> 00:46:12.579
 But it's a good thing

00:46:12.579 --> 00:46:15.299
 because in seeing that,

00:46:15.359 --> 00:46:16.299
 in realizing that about

00:46:16.299 --> 00:46:18.159
 myself, I can see again

00:46:18.159 --> 00:46:19.940
 more clearly where I need

00:46:19.940 --> 00:46:20.219
 Jesus.

00:46:22.279 --> 00:46:23.500
 I haven't made it yet.

00:46:23.500 --> 00:46:25.539
 I want to be able to say

00:46:25.539 --> 00:46:26.699
 to live is Christ, to die

00:46:26.699 --> 00:46:27.099
 is gain.

00:46:28.960 --> 00:46:30.019
 But if I'm being honest

00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:31.460
 most of the time, that's

00:46:31.460 --> 00:46:32.940
 not what my life reflects.

00:46:33.679 --> 00:46:34.599
 I'm trying.

00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:35.960
 I hope I'm making progress.

00:46:36.579 --> 00:46:37.719
 I hope all of us are

00:46:37.719 --> 00:46:38.480
 making progress.

00:46:41.219 --> 00:46:42.699
 But as we think about

00:46:42.699 --> 00:46:44.039
 this, as we see the ways

00:46:44.039 --> 00:46:45.639
 that our lives are not

00:46:45.639 --> 00:46:47.699
 Christ and we see other

00:46:47.699 --> 00:46:48.960
 things besides Christ's

00:46:48.960 --> 00:46:51.239
 gain, it will show us

00:46:51.239 --> 00:46:51.800
 more clearly.

00:46:53.500 --> 00:46:54.719
 the ways that we need

00:46:54.719 --> 00:46:54.960
 Jesus.

00:46:55.139 --> 00:46:56.420
 It will show us more

00:46:56.420 --> 00:46:57.760
 clearly the ways that

00:46:57.760 --> 00:46:58.739
 Jesus is still in the

00:46:58.739 --> 00:46:59.780
 process of working on us

00:46:59.780 --> 00:47:00.980
 and it will drive us back

00:47:00.980 --> 00:47:02.260
 to him for forgiveness

00:47:02.260 --> 00:47:04.179
 and salvation because he

00:47:04.179 --> 00:47:04.960
 offers it to us.

00:47:05.039 --> 00:47:07.260
 Our answers to this don't

00:47:07.260 --> 00:47:08.099
 determine whether or not

00:47:08.099 --> 00:47:08.840
 God loves us.

00:47:10.119 --> 00:47:12.119
 The cross is our proof once

00:47:12.119 --> 00:47:13.139
 and for all that God does

00:47:13.139 --> 00:47:13.599
 love us.

00:47:14.480 --> 00:47:15.460
 So my challenge for you

00:47:15.460 --> 00:47:16.599
 this week is think this

00:47:16.599 --> 00:47:16.860
 through.

00:47:17.599 --> 00:47:18.500
 What is life?

00:47:19.300 --> 00:47:19.940
 What is gain?

00:47:19.940 --> 00:47:21.519
 If you're here today and

00:47:21.519 --> 00:47:22.760
 you're not a Christian, I

00:47:22.760 --> 00:47:23.639
 also want to challenge you

00:47:23.639 --> 00:47:24.240
 to fill this in.

00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:26.039
 I don't expect that if

00:47:26.039 --> 00:47:26.659
 you're a Christian you

00:47:26.659 --> 00:47:27.559
 would want the answer, or

00:47:27.559 --> 00:47:28.380
 yeah, if you're not a

00:47:28.380 --> 00:47:29.220
 Christian, I don't expect

00:47:29.220 --> 00:47:29.720
 you would want the

00:47:29.720 --> 00:47:30.700
 answers to say to live is

00:47:30.700 --> 00:47:31.599
 Christ, to die is gain.

00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:33.159
 My challenge for you if

00:47:33.159 --> 00:47:33.940
 you're not a Christian is

00:47:33.940 --> 00:47:36.599
 fill this in and take it

00:47:36.599 --> 00:47:37.260
 one step further.

00:47:37.400 --> 00:47:38.220
 Play out the logical

00:47:38.220 --> 00:47:39.539
 conclusion of whatever you

00:47:39.539 --> 00:47:40.300
 put in the gaps.

00:47:41.639 --> 00:47:42.420
 Say you're living for

00:47:42.420 --> 00:47:42.740
 happiness.

00:47:43.200 --> 00:47:44.200
 You see comfort is gain.

00:47:45.700 --> 00:47:46.659
 How long will that last

00:47:46.659 --> 00:47:46.839
 you?

00:47:50.219 --> 00:47:51.219
 If the stock market

00:47:51.219 --> 00:47:54.139
 crashes tomorrow, how is

00:47:54.139 --> 00:47:56.039
 this picture going to hold

00:47:56.039 --> 00:47:56.259
 up?

00:47:57.119 --> 00:47:58.159
 Even if you can be happy

00:47:58.159 --> 00:48:00.059
 your entire life, where

00:48:00.059 --> 00:48:00.859
 does it leave you when you

00:48:00.859 --> 00:48:01.079
 die?

00:48:03.619 --> 00:48:05.739
 If to live is money and

00:48:05.739 --> 00:48:10.859
 profit is gain, what hope

00:48:10.859 --> 00:48:11.519
 does that give you?

00:48:14.299 --> 00:48:15.480
 The more I think about it,

00:48:15.480 --> 00:48:18.119
 the more I realize living

00:48:18.119 --> 00:48:19.179
 for Jesus is the only

00:48:19.179 --> 00:48:21.820
 thing that's going to

00:48:21.820 --> 00:48:22.179
 last.

00:48:22.559 --> 00:48:23.440
 Living for Jesus is the

00:48:23.440 --> 00:48:24.679
 only thing that's going

00:48:24.679 --> 00:48:25.579
 to give us a continued

00:48:25.579 --> 00:48:27.320
 hope, to give us continued

00:48:27.320 --> 00:48:28.420
 gain, not just in this

00:48:28.420 --> 00:48:29.820
 life, but also in the next

00:48:29.820 --> 00:48:30.039
 one.

00:48:31.480 --> 00:48:33.800
 I think that is why Paul had

00:48:33.800 --> 00:48:34.699
 this singular focus.

00:48:34.820 --> 00:48:36.400
 That's why Paul sat in

00:48:36.400 --> 00:48:37.940
 this prison and said, I

00:48:37.940 --> 00:48:38.780
 don't care that I'm in

00:48:38.780 --> 00:48:40.039
 chains, I'm rejoicing.

00:48:41.000 --> 00:48:42.559
 Because despite my chains,

00:48:43.219 --> 00:48:44.300
 and even because of my

00:48:44.300 --> 00:48:45.900
 chains, the word of Christ

00:48:45.900 --> 00:48:47.019
 is being preached.

00:48:47.280 --> 00:48:48.200
 People are hearing about

00:48:48.200 --> 00:48:48.460
 Jesus.

00:48:48.580 --> 00:48:49.640
 People are hearing this

00:48:49.640 --> 00:48:50.080
 good news.

00:48:50.360 --> 00:48:51.600
 People are falling in love

00:48:51.600 --> 00:48:52.019
 with him.

00:48:52.320 --> 00:48:54.980
 And in that, I will rejoice.

00:48:55.320 --> 00:48:57.700
 Because for me, to live is

00:48:57.700 --> 00:48:59.860
 Christ and to die is gain.

00:49:02.360 --> 00:49:02.960
 Let's pray.

00:49:05.539 --> 00:49:06.539
 Father, we thank you.

00:49:08.600 --> 00:49:09.860
 We thank you for the cross.

00:49:10.100 --> 00:49:11.920
 We thank you for Jesus and

00:49:11.920 --> 00:49:12.840
 for your love for us.

00:49:15.559 --> 00:49:18.599
 We thank you that life can

00:49:18.599 --> 00:49:20.440
 be about knowing you.

00:49:20.599 --> 00:49:22.500
 That we don't have to live

00:49:22.500 --> 00:49:23.480
 for things that are going

00:49:23.480 --> 00:49:26.400
 to pass away, that are going

00:49:26.400 --> 00:49:27.579
 to fail us, but that we can

00:49:27.579 --> 00:49:28.440
 live for Christ.

00:49:29.200 --> 00:49:30.760
 I pray that as we go

00:49:30.760 --> 00:49:31.599
 throughout our weeks, we

00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:33.220
 would think about this truth.

00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:35.000
 We would discover the ways

00:49:35.000 --> 00:49:36.240
 that our lives fall short of

00:49:36.240 --> 00:49:36.800
 that calling.

00:49:38.019 --> 00:49:39.220
 That we would discover more

00:49:39.219 --> 00:49:40.359
 and more what it looks like

00:49:40.359 --> 00:49:42.179
 and what it means to follow

00:49:42.179 --> 00:49:43.619
 you and fall in love with

00:49:43.619 --> 00:49:43.799
 you.

00:49:46.019 --> 00:49:47.599
 God, please let it be true

00:49:47.599 --> 00:49:49.879
 of us that to live is Christ

00:49:49.879 --> 00:49:50.799
 and to die is gain.

00:49:52.339 --> 00:49:53.779
 In Jesus' name, amen.

00:49:53.779 --> 00:49:53.879
 Amen.