WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.280 If you can keep that passage open in front of you, we're going to get stuck into that. 00:00:04.360 --> 00:00:07.900 But first I'm going to pray and ask that God will give us ears to hear. 00:00:08.060 --> 00:00:08.519 So let's pray. 00:00:11.140 --> 00:00:14.519 Father God, we thank and praise you for your word. 00:00:14.620 --> 00:00:20.699 And we thank and praise you for this opportunity tonight to sit and reflect on the life that you have called us to. 00:00:20.839 --> 00:00:28.980 Lord, I pray that you would help us to hold loosely to things that might rub against what you're going to teach us. 00:00:28.980 --> 00:00:31.440 Give us teachable hearts. 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:37.079 Give us a desire for your will more than for what we know and what's familiar. 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:44.500 And Lord, I pray that by your spirit you would transform us tonight so that we would be more and more the people that you want us to be. 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:45.379 Amen. 00:00:47.060 --> 00:00:49.820 I really enjoy this time of year. 00:00:50.019 --> 00:00:52.679 That might be hard to believe for those of you who know me. 00:00:52.859 --> 00:00:55.299 God's been doing a work in my heart over the past three years. 00:00:55.299 --> 00:01:02.759 And I've gone from being the guy that whinges about carols every year round to thoroughly enjoying Christmas Eve and all the singing that goes along. 00:01:03.899 --> 00:01:07.739 But I enjoy more than the carols and more than the food and more than the gifts. 00:01:07.859 --> 00:01:10.799 I enjoy this bit we're in right now just after Christmas. 00:01:10.939 --> 00:01:12.739 It's not the Boxing Day test that I enjoy. 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:15.259 It's the bit coming into New Year. 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:24.520 For some reason, whether you're a New Year's resolution person or not, in this little patch of a couple of days, we all take a moment. 00:01:24.520 --> 00:01:29.120 Some of us longer, but we all take a moment just to reflect on the year that's been. 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:34.400 It might even just be that moment before you hit the pillow on New Year's Eve. 00:01:34.740 --> 00:01:38.719 But there is just that second of, has this been a good year? 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:40.700 Am I happy with what's happened? 00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:42.659 Is there painful memories? 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:45.079 Is there things, maybe opportunities missed? 00:01:46.060 --> 00:01:50.379 And maybe how will it be different in the next 12 months? 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:57.840 It's just this unwritten rule that at this time of year, you think about what has gone before and what will come next. 00:01:57.939 --> 00:02:00.159 But I want to push you a little bit further today. 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:05.700 And I want to ask you the question, how do you actually measure whether or not you've had a good year? 00:02:05.700 --> 00:02:10.939 And what grid do you use when you're trying to plan the year that's ahead? 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:16.780 Today and for the next three weeks, we're going to do a highlights tour of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:02:17.300 --> 00:02:18.420 It really is a highlight. 00:02:18.539 --> 00:02:20.360 We're only going to get to a couple of small bits. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:23.400 But here, Jesus is preaching to his disciples. 00:02:23.980 --> 00:02:32.000 And he begins in chapter 5, in the bit that Tim read out for us, by, I think, redefining what success looks like in life. 00:02:32.500 --> 00:02:35.219 Because we do have things that we go to. 00:02:35.219 --> 00:02:37.180 We have measures, if you like. 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:39.000 We have a grid that we use. 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:44.639 But tonight, I think, and in this passage, Jesus wants to reshape that grid. 00:02:44.780 --> 00:02:47.840 He wants to redefine what it looks like to be blessed. 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:52.659 He wants to redefine what it looks like to be successful in life. 00:02:53.099 --> 00:02:58.539 And so whatever ideas you have, and we do have them, we need to loosen our grip a little bit. 00:02:58.659 --> 00:03:01.079 There's the stereotypical picture of blessing. 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:06.800 It's the nice house, the nice car, lots of money, the job you want, that sort of thing. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:12.060 But maybe you have a more noble version of what a good life would be. 00:03:12.500 --> 00:03:20.000 Maybe your noble version is something like a good family, your health, enough money but not too much, 00:03:20.420 --> 00:03:22.860 some friends, some hobbies you like to do. 00:03:22.860 --> 00:03:31.740 It sounds like not a bad thing to aim for, but I wonder, how closely does that line up with what Jesus gives us? 00:03:32.200 --> 00:03:36.040 How close do those two examples go to this list? 00:03:36.880 --> 00:03:37.820 Poor in spirit. 00:03:38.500 --> 00:03:38.920 Mourning. 00:03:39.640 --> 00:03:40.000 Meek. 00:03:40.620 --> 00:03:42.260 Hunger and thirsting for righteousness. 00:03:42.740 --> 00:03:43.220 Merciful. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:44.380 Pure in heart. 00:03:44.600 --> 00:03:45.200 Peacemaker. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:46.480 Persecuted. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:52.699 Now before we jump into that list and unpack it a bit more, I want to give you a challenge. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:56.060 There's a lot in there and we're not going to get to pull it all apart tonight. 00:03:56.359 --> 00:04:00.319 So I want to give you a challenge between now and New Year's Eve to actually open your Bible up again 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:06.620 and have a look at each of these things and maybe think about where you are on those things in life. 00:04:06.799 --> 00:04:09.500 But we are going to get stuck in tonight and see what God has to teach us, 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:12.899 but let me give you that challenge and the acknowledgement that there's more in there 00:04:12.899 --> 00:04:15.780 than we can squeeze out in the next little while. 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:19.160 So let's look at this list that Jesus has given us. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:21.199 First off, in verse 3. 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:26.360 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:28.600 So Jesus opens his definition. 00:04:28.819 --> 00:04:37.379 So this is less like a list as kind of a description, an ongoing kind of explanation of what the blessed life looks like. 00:04:37.379 --> 00:04:40.680 And he opens it with three connected ideas. 00:04:41.220 --> 00:04:44.019 You've got the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and the meek. 00:04:44.019 --> 00:04:49.099 And I think that what Jesus is pushing us to recognize is that those who live the blessed life 00:04:49.099 --> 00:04:54.139 have to live with their eyes open when it comes to seeing themselves. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:00.240 What I mean is when he describes the poor in spirit, he's not just saying that they're lacking something. 00:05:00.939 --> 00:05:02.959 They're aware that they're lacking something. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:07.039 The blessing is the fact that they know they have a poverty of spirit. 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:10.400 They know that they are not the people that God has designed them to be. 00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:16.300 They know that they are not the people they need to be if they would know God and know his goodness and his love. 00:05:16.819 --> 00:05:20.660 And so they recognize that they are unworthy of him. 00:05:21.220 --> 00:05:25.520 So necessary to being poor in spirit is at least a little bit of honest reflection. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:29.979 Looking at your own life and thinking, what have I done today? 00:05:30.620 --> 00:05:32.019 What have I done this week? 00:05:32.159 --> 00:05:35.279 What have I done this year that is dishonoring to God? 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:46.299 And it probably also requires at least some measure of honest and specific and regular confession of whatever it is that you discover. 00:05:46.919 --> 00:05:48.479 The second one I think is connected. 00:05:48.479 --> 00:05:49.180 Verse 4. 00:05:49.539 --> 00:05:52.180 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:55.240 This isn't the Jesus endorsement for being emo. 00:05:55.900 --> 00:05:59.860 This isn't an affirmation for Christians who look sad all the time. 00:05:59.959 --> 00:06:04.019 That may be reality for some people, but that's not what Jesus is encouraging here. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:07.280 The mourning he wants is a mourning for sin. 00:06:08.340 --> 00:06:12.139 He wants us to be offended by the things that offend him. 00:06:12.139 --> 00:06:15.800 But the reality is that for most of us, we're not. 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:25.000 We've progressively become more and more comfortable with things that should be disgusting, with things that should be offensive. 00:06:26.379 --> 00:06:34.220 I remember a couple of years ago, my grandpa gave me a jumper, just a plain grey jumper that he bought and didn't fit him. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:35.759 It was just simple. 00:06:36.019 --> 00:06:37.360 Sleeves, no neck. 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:38.680 It was a jumper. 00:06:39.080 --> 00:06:39.960 Nothing too exciting. 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:44.579 And one time, I decided that would be an appropriate jumper to wear while I was doing some painting. 00:06:45.419 --> 00:06:47.979 The result was I ended up with paint on this jumper. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:58.159 And my wife, being the fantastic domestic goddess that she is, washed the jumper and got 99.9% of the paint out of the jumper. 00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:02.459 There was just the smallest little splash of white paint on it. 00:07:02.459 --> 00:07:10.659 And I pulled the jumper out of the cupboard a little while later and I was wearing it again and she was mortified that there was still paint on the jumper. 00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:13.500 She wanted me to take it off so she could wash it or soak it. 00:07:13.779 --> 00:07:15.859 And then she wanted to try and scratch the paint off. 00:07:16.259 --> 00:07:27.859 Now, I insisted that that paint was my fashion paint, that that had transformed a boring Lowe's jumper into being the must-have item on this winter's fashion list. 00:07:27.860 --> 00:07:30.720 And I don't know why. 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:35.840 But anyway, I just insisted that she couldn't scratch it off, she couldn't wash it, she couldn't do anything. 00:07:36.220 --> 00:07:40.199 And sure enough, after enough time of seeing it, she just let it go. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:42.060 It wasn't an issue anymore. 00:07:42.400 --> 00:07:48.139 She just got comfortable with the fact that the paint belonged on the jumper, that in fact, it was now genuinely a fashion jumper. 00:07:48.580 --> 00:07:56.160 And the issue is that as something is there, even if it doesn't belong, the longer it's there, the more comfortable we get with it. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:59.400 We get desensitized to the fact that it shouldn't be there. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:01.780 And that's the reality with sin in our life. 00:08:01.900 --> 00:08:07.500 Something that was maybe once disgusting and abhorrent is now just part of who we are. 00:08:08.300 --> 00:08:09.720 Yeah, hey, I'm not perfect. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:13.260 But Jesus is calling us to see what God sees. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:18.060 To see that when we sin, we actually reject God. 00:08:18.700 --> 00:08:22.860 We actually deny His kingship and His right to rule over our lives. 00:08:22.860 --> 00:08:24.400 And we need to see what He sees. 00:08:24.939 --> 00:08:27.920 Sin costs Jesus' life. 00:08:29.180 --> 00:08:34.519 The sin in our lives should be something that drives us to mourn its existence. 00:08:34.740 --> 00:08:39.820 And to desire the day when we will be washed clean and it will be completely removed. 00:08:40.620 --> 00:08:45.139 And the third one, which I think still is in this idea of having our eyes open, is verse 5. 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:48.320 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 00:08:48.680 --> 00:08:49.940 The meek are not the weak. 00:08:50.659 --> 00:08:52.399 God is not calling you to get picked on. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:55.939 And the word meek means strength controlled. 00:08:56.340 --> 00:08:58.279 Jesus is our model for meekness. 00:08:58.779 --> 00:09:11.779 The all-powerful creator and lord and ruler and judge who chose to allow sinful, rebellious, pathetic creation to murder Him on the cross. 00:09:12.439 --> 00:09:13.779 Meekness is not weakness. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:15.039 It's strength controlled. 00:09:15.179 --> 00:09:18.319 And essential to meekness is a right view of ourselves. 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:20.980 When we recognize our inadequacy. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:23.020 When we recognize our sin. 00:09:23.160 --> 00:09:27.040 When we recognize that there is nothing in us that makes us acceptable to God. 00:09:27.780 --> 00:09:29.500 Meekness is the only response. 00:09:30.460 --> 00:09:34.680 No longer does it feel right to fight for what we think we deserve. 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:38.459 Because when you recognize your poverty of spirit. 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:40.159 When you mourn your own sin. 00:09:40.339 --> 00:09:41.879 You understand that you deserve nothing. 00:09:42.779 --> 00:09:44.559 But God has been gracious to you anyway. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:53.539 I think that this description starts to shift a little bit more into the actions that come out of that right seeing of ourselves. 00:09:53.539 --> 00:09:57.620 And so in verse 4, sorry, in verse 6 it says, 00:09:57.719 --> 00:10:00.860 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. 00:10:01.199 --> 00:10:03.039 I want to introduce you to a word tonight. 00:10:03.219 --> 00:10:05.299 This is a word which some of you may have heard before. 00:10:05.539 --> 00:10:11.259 But it's something that I only discovered earlier in the year that my wife uses to describe me and my son. 00:10:12.179 --> 00:10:13.439 It's the word hangry. 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:15.860 I don't know if you've come across it before. 00:10:16.259 --> 00:10:21.360 It's the word that describes the state that Bailey and I go into at the point of hunger. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:23.379 We become quite aggressive. 00:10:23.860 --> 00:10:25.539 It doesn't matter how nice or friendly we are. 00:10:25.700 --> 00:10:29.539 Before that, at the moment where we want food, that is all consuming. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:32.759 I don't care that you're my wife and I promise to love you unconditionally. 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:33.580 Where is my dinner? 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:36.259 I'm exaggerating just so we're clear. 00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:37.740 Sally doesn't have to pull up with any of that. 00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:43.659 But it's that moment where you get consumed and all you can do is try and get food. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:47.440 All these other apparently important things kind of fade away. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:54.220 And when Jesus calls us to hunger and thirst for righteousness, he's talking about that consuming desire. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.060 That need in us that must be met. 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:01.780 Not just a passing interest in living a life that honors God. 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:04.760 Not just something that you do occasionally or socially. 00:11:04.940 --> 00:11:08.740 But that moment where your stomach hurts with desire for food to be in it. 00:11:09.280 --> 00:11:14.380 That moment where it is so hot and you are so thirsty and you would give anything for a drop of water. 00:11:14.379 --> 00:11:22.120 That desire, that drive is what we are called to if we're going to live this life that Jesus is describing. 00:11:22.820 --> 00:11:23.919 In verse 7 he says, 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:28.220 Mercy costs us. 00:11:29.059 --> 00:11:33.799 We prefer justice when we've been wrong but we are called to show mercy just as we have been shown mercy. 00:11:34.439 --> 00:11:35.159 Verse 8, 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:43.480 As Jesus is going through and this description is growing of this life that we are called to, 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:46.279 this one is really important. 00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:50.200 Because you could take away this list and start mourning a lot. 00:11:50.860 --> 00:11:52.480 Start crying so that everyone can see. 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.240 Come to church with your head in your hands every Sunday morning. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:58.600 Every time you talk to someone let them know how sad you are because of your sin. 00:11:59.420 --> 00:12:02.279 You could begin being the meekest person possible. 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:05.220 You could begin never insisting on your own way. 00:12:05.300 --> 00:12:07.759 You could begin putting other people's needs first all the time. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:11.319 You could let everyone know how hangry you are for righteousness. 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:17.220 You could be as merciful as possible but deep down you could just be putting on a show. 00:12:18.539 --> 00:12:22.319 The message of this whole sermon and we'll see it come out over the next couple of weeks 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.960 is that while these actions matter, 00:12:26.400 --> 00:12:29.379 they only count if they are the overflow of your heart. 00:12:30.020 --> 00:12:36.400 The pure heart that Jesus is talking about is the heart that is undivided in its commitment and desire for God. 00:12:37.260 --> 00:12:40.520 In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus goes on to say in verse 33, 00:12:40.519 --> 00:12:45.500 Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. 00:12:45.779 --> 00:12:48.120 It says don't be distracted by putting on a show. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:51.659 Don't be distracted by apparent needs and other things in your life. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.740 Seek God with everything. 00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:59.779 And the pure heart that Jesus is describing here is the heart that wants to honour God, 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:02.939 wants to honour Jesus as King more than anything else. 00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:05.579 Number 7 in verse 9, it says, 00:13:05.579 --> 00:13:09.879 Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:13.360 Now, just to clarify, it doesn't say blessed are the peacelikers. 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:17.519 Blessed are the people who wear the shirts that say make love not war. 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:21.059 It's blessed are the peacemakers. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:24.039 Blessed are the people who pursue peace. 00:13:24.340 --> 00:13:27.700 And not just who rally at anti-war protests, 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:30.919 but in your home when there's a fight. 00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:34.000 Are you the one who pursues peace? 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:36.940 Are you the one who seeks to settle tension? 00:13:37.419 --> 00:13:39.659 Who seeks to listen impartially? 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:42.639 Who seeks to let go of your own prejudice? 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.299 Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. 00:13:46.740 --> 00:13:47.340 And finally, 00:13:48.580 --> 00:13:51.939 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:54.480 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.179 Not persecuted for being annoying. 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:01.860 Not persecuted for being the judgmental Christian 00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:04.799 who knows how to let everybody else know when they're doing the wrong thing. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:09.419 Not persecuted for letting everybody else know how much better than them you are. 00:14:10.219 --> 00:14:11.919 But persecuted for righteousness. 00:14:13.359 --> 00:14:16.099 Now, this one rubs, I think, the most. 00:14:16.699 --> 00:14:19.459 It's really easy to read this and go, yeah, blessed are the persecuted. 00:14:19.460 --> 00:14:22.280 But just let that sit in your mind for a second. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.040 Persecution. 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:24.920 A blessing. 00:14:26.680 --> 00:14:27.840 How is that possible? 00:14:28.160 --> 00:14:29.920 As you pray for the next 12 months, 00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:31.639 are you going to ask God for persecution? 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.000 Because apparently, that's part of this blessed life. 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:39.019 That's part of what success in life looks like, according to Jesus. 00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:40.500 So how does that work? 00:14:41.059 --> 00:14:43.159 The best way that I can understand it is, 00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:44.319 it's like paintball. 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:46.939 I don't know if you've ever played paintball before. 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:48.679 If you haven't, basically, 00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.620 there's a bunch of people running around in, like, 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.319 camouflage suits with high-powered, 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:55.720 air-pressured guns and little paint pellets, 00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:58.220 which leave some nasty bruises and welts on you. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:00.740 Now, it might sound counterintuitive, 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:03.840 but if you come out of a game of paintball without any marks on you, 00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:05.139 that's not actually winning. 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:06.960 You might think you've won, 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:08.980 but everybody else will look at you as the person who hid 00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:10.540 and didn't get involved in the game, 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:12.720 didn't actually engage in what was going on. 00:15:13.060 --> 00:15:16.820 Success at paintball is maybe a few less bruises than everyone else, 00:15:16.900 --> 00:15:18.160 but you need the war wounds. 00:15:18.660 --> 00:15:20.100 That's what says you were in there. 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:21.960 Those welts say you were in the game, 00:15:22.060 --> 00:15:22.940 you were taking shots, 00:15:23.060 --> 00:15:23.920 you were taking risks, 00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:24.820 you were a part of it. 00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:26.300 And in the same way, 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:29.320 persecution is the badge of honour 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:33.300 for the Christian who seeks to honour God with their life. 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:36.759 Now, it's not an instruction to go looking for persecution. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:39.400 Go and find the angriest non-Christian you can 00:15:39.400 --> 00:15:41.400 and just hover around them until they hit you. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:45.900 The reality is, if you seek God, it's offensive. 00:15:47.740 --> 00:15:50.519 If you continue to do what you know is right, 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:52.700 it will rub against the world around you. 00:15:53.060 --> 00:15:56.019 If you continue to refuse to cheat on your tax, 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:58.840 if you continue to refuse to be dishonest at work, 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.960 even if it's beneficial for your whole department, 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.500 you may find you miss out on a promotion. 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:06.240 You may find your work colleagues or your school friends 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:07.580 don't want to hang out with you anymore. 00:16:07.700 --> 00:16:09.399 You may find it's even harsher than that. 00:16:10.059 --> 00:16:11.559 They start talking about you. 00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:13.340 They start ridiculing you. 00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:16.940 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:17.840 Verse 12, 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:30.259 When you seek God with all your heart, persecution will result. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:33.160 And maybe we need to ask ourselves a question 00:16:33.160 --> 00:16:36.740 as we come to this time of reflection and looking at the new year. 00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:41.799 If we have not faced persecution for our righteousness this year, 00:16:42.379 --> 00:16:43.740 has there been righteousness? 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:48.639 Has there been an obvious love for Jesus 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:50.720 that the world around us could see? 00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:53.799 Now I say that gently because again, 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:57.100 Jesus isn't instructing us to go looking for persecution. 00:16:57.899 --> 00:17:00.860 But he is saying that where there's righteousness, 00:17:01.139 --> 00:17:02.080 there'll be persecution. 00:17:02.779 --> 00:17:04.259 He says it in John 15. 00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:06.619 He says it all through the New Testament. 00:17:07.879 --> 00:17:08.900 And if I'm honest with you, 00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:11.140 as I reflected on these things this week, 00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:13.019 I struggled to think of a time 00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:15.839 where I have been persecuted for my righteousness. 00:17:17.779 --> 00:17:19.680 And so maybe I need to ask God 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.259 to help me to seek Him with a greater focus 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:25.680 and a more significant purity of heart 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:28.000 so that the world might see that He is my King. 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:31.599 This is the blessed life. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:34.299 Poverty of spirit, 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:35.279 mourning, 00:17:35.919 --> 00:17:36.500 meekness, 00:17:36.879 --> 00:17:38.480 a hunger and thirst for righteousness, 00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:39.719 merciful, 00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:41.000 pure in heart, 00:17:41.439 --> 00:17:42.019 peacemaker, 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:43.359 and persecuted. 00:17:44.339 --> 00:17:47.740 That's what life in the Kingdom of God looks like. 00:17:48.379 --> 00:17:50.359 And that is the opposite of everything 00:17:50.359 --> 00:17:51.699 that we described at the beginning. 00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:53.799 And if we're honest, 00:17:53.879 --> 00:17:55.459 that's the opposite of most of the things 00:17:55.459 --> 00:17:57.139 that we want in the next 12 months. 00:17:57.140 --> 00:18:00.720 If you're the kind of person who plans and set goals, 00:18:00.840 --> 00:18:02.340 I'm not sure that these are the things 00:18:02.340 --> 00:18:04.360 that would have rated high on your list. 00:18:05.780 --> 00:18:08.620 But this is the grid that Jesus gives us. 00:18:09.540 --> 00:18:10.720 This is the ruler. 00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:14.380 This is the measure of what success looks like. 00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:18.040 And Jesus is redefining our worldview. 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:20.680 He's redefining what matters. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.460 He's resetting what the goal is. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:27.160 And so as we dream and we plan for what is to come, 00:18:27.840 --> 00:18:30.460 as we reflect on the year that has just passed, 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:33.180 I want to show you two key things 00:18:33.180 --> 00:18:36.580 that I think will help us unlock this blessed life. 00:18:37.380 --> 00:18:38.259 The first one. 00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:44.060 Real success is not something that you achieve. 00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:46.500 It's something you receive. 00:18:47.399 --> 00:18:48.079 Say that again. 00:18:48.179 --> 00:18:50.019 Real success in your life 00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:51.940 is not something that you earn, 00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:53.779 that you sweat and toil for. 00:18:53.879 --> 00:18:56.379 It's something that you receive helplessly. 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.159 When I was growing up, 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:00.279 I still have, 00:19:00.339 --> 00:19:03.159 but I'm one of three brothers in my family. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:04.039 There's also girls, 00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:06.559 but I'm a middle child. 00:19:07.159 --> 00:19:09.179 I've got an older brother and a younger brother. 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:10.659 And for some reason, 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.220 God in His providence decided 00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:13.679 that I should be the least coordinated. 00:19:14.879 --> 00:19:16.879 And this was fairly costly growing up 00:19:16.879 --> 00:19:17.960 because what do boys do? 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:19.139 They beat each other up. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:19.859 They play sport. 00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:21.960 And when one of your brothers 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:23.359 is five years younger than you 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:24.500 and better than you at everything, 00:19:24.679 --> 00:19:26.339 it's not great for the self-esteem. 00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:28.619 But I remember one instance in particular 00:19:28.619 --> 00:19:31.720 when we lived in the hills, 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:33.519 which is about half an hour away from here, 00:19:34.139 --> 00:19:35.919 and it was really, really hot. 00:19:36.099 --> 00:19:37.299 It was one of those days at school 00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:38.720 where the rumours, 00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:40.059 which I'm not sure are true, 00:19:40.179 --> 00:19:40.899 start spreading 00:19:40.899 --> 00:19:42.799 that if it gets one or two degrees hotter, 00:19:43.159 --> 00:19:43.919 school's going to stop. 00:19:44.679 --> 00:19:45.879 It's going through the playground 00:19:45.879 --> 00:19:47.240 and you're praying 00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:48.879 that it will just peak at that, 00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:50.440 I don't know what the magical mark was. 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:51.879 I think 42 was the figure 00:19:51.879 --> 00:19:52.779 I remember from school, 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:53.799 although I'm pretty sure 00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:54.700 we had days hotter than that. 00:19:54.879 --> 00:19:55.940 It was one of those days 00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:56.899 and it was so hot, 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:58.339 you're not actually working in class 00:19:58.339 --> 00:19:59.299 because you can't focus. 00:19:59.399 --> 00:20:00.339 Everyone's mucking around. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:03.039 And my brother heard a rumour 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.099 from a friend of his 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:05.960 about a new housing estate 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.700 with a water reservoir in the middle. 00:20:08.140 --> 00:20:09.200 Now, I don't mean a dam, 00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:10.420 I mean the drinking water 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:11.140 in those big, 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:11.519 you know, 00:20:11.580 --> 00:20:13.840 kind of looks like a big oversized tin can. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.880 And they heard 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:17.299 that somebody had cut the chains 00:20:17.299 --> 00:20:18.420 and you could go swimming in there. 00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:20.539 So, after school, 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:21.519 we all jumped in the car 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.100 with my brother, 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:22.960 me, my little brother, 00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:23.519 my older brother, 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.160 and his friend, 00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:26.039 and we drove to this water reservoir. 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:27.500 Now, the way they keep people 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.700 out of water reservoirs 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:29.559 is they put a big 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:31.140 eight-foot fence 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:33.120 around the bottom of the ladder 00:20:33.120 --> 00:20:34.080 that goes to the top 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:34.939 where you would go in. 00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:36.139 Well, that's one of the ways. 00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:38.139 And we got there 00:20:38.139 --> 00:20:39.460 and I looked at it and thought, 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:40.379 ooh, that's going to be a hassle. 00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:41.119 And as I looked 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:43.339 and began to process the obstacle, 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.619 my brother ran past me, 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:45.099 jumped up, 00:20:45.179 --> 00:20:45.659 grabbed the top, 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.460 levered himself over 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.279 and jumped onto the ladder 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:47.740 and went up. 00:20:48.419 --> 00:20:49.819 My little brother did the same. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.779 My brother's friend did the same. 00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:52.599 I thought, okay. 00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:53.899 So I jumped up 00:20:53.899 --> 00:20:54.779 and grabbed the edge 00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:57.819 and I started to pull myself up. 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:00.039 I got to about here, 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:01.759 rested my chin on the top, 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:04.259 and then I lost it 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:04.940 and I dropped off. 00:21:05.940 --> 00:21:07.500 And I kind of stood back 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:07.859 for a second, 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:08.579 caught my breath. 00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:10.359 I was carrying a bit of extra weight 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:12.180 and I thought, 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:13.180 what can I put? 00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:14.720 There's nothing around to stand on. 00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:15.839 So I took a running jump 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:17.379 and I run and kind of, 00:21:17.420 --> 00:21:18.740 you know how you see in the movies, 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:19.640 they step on a wall 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.460 and it's like magical. 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:21.359 And I did that 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.539 and my foot hit the wall 00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:23.180 and then I fell. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:25.119 I'm looking around 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:25.819 and my brothers, 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:27.940 including my five-year younger brother, 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:29.200 halfway up the ladder 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:30.619 looking down at me in hysterics. 00:21:30.619 --> 00:21:31.799 They think this is 00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:32.739 the funniest thing ever. 00:21:33.439 --> 00:21:34.679 And I'm jumping again, 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.779 I'm trying over and over, 00:21:35.799 --> 00:21:37.039 I'm trying everything I can. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:39.459 I'm trying to psych myself up for it. 00:21:39.479 --> 00:21:40.239 My brother's telling me 00:21:40.239 --> 00:21:41.039 it's all in my head 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:42.719 but actually it was probably 00:21:42.719 --> 00:21:43.959 to do with a lack of bicep. 00:21:44.439 --> 00:21:46.099 And I keep trying, 00:21:46.219 --> 00:21:46.579 keep trying, 00:21:46.679 --> 00:21:47.059 keep trying 00:21:47.059 --> 00:21:47.619 and eventually, 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:48.719 after my brother's been 00:21:48.719 --> 00:21:49.479 swimming in the pool 00:21:49.479 --> 00:21:50.159 for a little while 00:21:50.159 --> 00:21:52.179 and they're sick 00:21:52.179 --> 00:21:53.479 of watching and laughing at me, 00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:54.119 he comes down 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:54.979 and he offers me his hand 00:21:54.979 --> 00:21:55.699 to help me get over. 00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:57.619 Now, I couldn't accept. 00:21:58.479 --> 00:21:58.839 I mean, 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.419 it would have been admitting defeat. 00:22:01.199 --> 00:22:02.019 My little brother 00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:04.099 who was like 11 at the time 00:22:04.099 --> 00:22:05.359 had managed to chin up himself 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:06.019 and get over the fence. 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:06.339 I thought, 00:22:06.419 --> 00:22:07.039 no, no, it's okay, 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.659 you keep swimming, 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.480 I'll be in in a second. 00:22:08.899 --> 00:22:09.859 And I'm getting hotter 00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:10.659 and hotter at this point. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.000 Remember, 00:22:11.099 --> 00:22:12.019 it's 42 degrees 00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:13.899 and I have another couple 00:22:13.899 --> 00:22:14.500 of cracks at it 00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:15.179 and then eventually 00:22:15.179 --> 00:22:16.839 I realize I can't. 00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:18.819 No matter how much I try, 00:22:18.919 --> 00:22:19.939 I'm not going to get stronger 00:22:19.939 --> 00:22:20.579 or taller 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:22.019 or able to jump more 00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:23.480 in the next 20 minutes, 00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:24.039 half an hour, 00:22:24.139 --> 00:22:24.599 three days, 00:22:24.679 --> 00:22:25.220 five years. 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:27.079 I'm stuck with the body 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:27.779 God's given me 00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:29.079 and so eventually 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:30.039 I had to shout out 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:31.220 and my brother came down, 00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:32.640 gave me an arm over 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:33.360 and I got to swim 00:22:33.360 --> 00:22:34.200 for about five minutes 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:35.420 because they were already over it. 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:38.400 But until I was willing 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.519 to put my hand up 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.440 and accept help, 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:42.200 I was in a position 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:44.200 where I could not do 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:45.240 what I needed to do. 00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:47.839 The reality of our life 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:49.240 is that you are like me 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:50.460 trying to jump that fence. 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:53.039 Regardless of how successful 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.639 you might think you are, 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:56.680 regardless of the capacity 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.779 that you think you have 00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.720 to achieve things 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:00.119 or gain things for yourself, 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:02.500 to get into this life 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:04.200 that Jesus is describing here, 00:23:04.399 --> 00:23:05.779 to experience the favour 00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:06.899 that God has for you, 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.639 the design He has for your life, 00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:10.379 you need help. 00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.420 You need to put your hand up. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:14.240 It's there in the very first thing 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:15.220 that Jesus says. 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:17.740 As He begins to describe this life, 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.339 He says, 00:23:18.879 --> 00:23:21.420 blessed are the poor in spirit. 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:24.680 The starting point for this life 00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:25.720 is recognising 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:28.139 that you're not good enough for it. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:31.139 Recognising that you need Jesus 00:23:31.139 --> 00:23:33.480 and then finding the answer 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.399 in His life. 00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:37.899 Your inadequacy is surpassed 00:23:37.899 --> 00:23:40.379 by His perfect obedience to God. 00:23:40.639 --> 00:23:42.659 He embodies so much of this list. 00:23:43.399 --> 00:23:45.460 He is the example of meekness. 00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:47.399 He pursued righteousness 00:23:47.399 --> 00:23:48.659 and got it. 00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:51.480 He was and is merciful. 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:53.759 He loved His heavenly Father 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:55.039 with purity of heart. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:57.259 He brought peace on the earth 00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:59.140 and He was persecuted 00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:00.140 for His righteousness. 00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:02.660 We need to begin 00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:04.759 by recognising our inadequacy, 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.819 asking for help 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:07.000 and finding the answer 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.960 in Jesus. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:09.920 In His death 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:11.180 and in His resurrection, 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:13.960 those who are not good enough, 00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:16.160 those who don't deserve it, 00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:17.740 those who are poor in spirit, 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:19.559 find forgiveness 00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:21.460 and blessing 00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:22.940 and hope 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:24.359 and love. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:27.160 They find comfort. 00:24:28.059 --> 00:24:29.259 They inherit the earth. 00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:30.880 They will be filled 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:31.680 with righteousness. 00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:33.579 They are shown mercy. 00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:35.160 They will see God. 00:24:35.400 --> 00:24:36.900 They will be called sons of God 00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:39.220 and theirs is the kingdom 00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:40.059 of heaven. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:42.900 Real success in life 00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:44.200 is not something 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:45.300 you toil for. 00:24:46.200 --> 00:24:46.940 It's something 00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:48.660 that you receive 00:24:48.660 --> 00:24:51.040 in Jesus 00:24:51.040 --> 00:24:52.820 from your heavenly Father. 00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:54.500 The second thing 00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.420 that I think helps us 00:24:55.420 --> 00:24:56.880 unlock this life 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:57.980 that is described here 00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:59.440 and take it in our own context 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:00.960 is that real success 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:01.720 in life 00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:02.920 is a journey. 00:25:03.840 --> 00:25:05.040 I want to take you back 00:25:05.040 --> 00:25:05.820 a few years 00:25:05.820 --> 00:25:07.140 to June 29, 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:08.680 2007. 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:11.700 It is a significant date 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.420 in the history 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.160 of the world. 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:14.799 I'm fairly confident 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.980 that none of you 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.600 will know why. 00:25:17.880 --> 00:25:18.940 When I tell you, 00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:19.860 you will remember it 00:25:19.860 --> 00:25:20.660 as significant 00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:22.259 but technology 00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.519 has moved very quickly 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.299 at different points 00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:24.880 in our history. 00:25:25.600 --> 00:25:26.799 There's been key points 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:27.600 where it's jumped, 00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:28.539 other points 00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.060 where it's been 00:25:29.060 --> 00:25:29.680 a bit static. 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.680 June 29, 00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:32.539 2007 00:25:32.539 --> 00:25:33.519 was the release 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.380 of the first 00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:35.120 iPhone. 00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:36.799 Now, 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:38.059 I know it's a stretch 00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:38.700 for some of us 00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.299 in this room 00:25:39.299 --> 00:25:40.180 but I need you 00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:40.759 to think back 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:42.339 to the pre-iPhone days 00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:43.139 or maybe if you're 00:25:43.139 --> 00:25:43.539 really good, 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:45.059 the pre-smartphone days. 00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:46.000 The reason I picked 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.639 the iPhone is 00:25:46.639 --> 00:25:47.299 because the smartphones 00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.240 before the iPhone 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:49.019 were about as big 00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:49.700 as this stand. 00:25:50.359 --> 00:25:51.379 I remember having 00:25:51.379 --> 00:25:53.200 a 3-1 with the network 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.819 and one of my housemates 00:25:54.819 --> 00:25:55.779 used to make fun of me 00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:56.319 by pretending 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.059 to answer the phone 00:25:57.059 --> 00:25:58.039 by picking up a mattress. 00:25:59.899 --> 00:26:00.339 So, 00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.259 that doesn't really count, 00:26:01.319 --> 00:26:01.619 I don't think. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.299 There's nothing smart 00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:02.899 about carrying around 00:26:02.899 --> 00:26:03.240 a mattress 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:04.079 to make phone calls. 00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.819 But think back 00:26:05.819 --> 00:26:07.500 to the pre-iPhone days 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:09.319 to the Nokia 5110 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:10.119 which was apparently 00:26:10.119 --> 00:26:10.779 the only phone 00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:11.240 in the world. 00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:13.819 The Nokia 5110 00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:14.539 was the phone 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:15.200 that enabled you 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:15.980 to play Snake 00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:17.019 instead of doing maths. 00:26:18.179 --> 00:26:18.659 Now, 00:26:19.179 --> 00:26:20.159 on the iPhone 00:26:20.159 --> 00:26:22.519 you can download files, 00:26:22.879 --> 00:26:24.019 you can send emails, 00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.839 you can video chat 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:26.279 to people 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:27.079 on the other side 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:27.759 of the world. 00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:31.460 But the iPhone 00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.220 that was released 00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:33.119 on June 29, 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.939 2007 00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:34.980 would be a really 00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:35.620 annoying phone 00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:36.420 to have right now. 00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.700 It would be slow, 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:40.440 it would be inadequate, 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.539 it would be frustrating, 00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:43.180 it wouldn't be able 00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:43.840 to do things 00:26:43.840 --> 00:26:44.700 that your new iPhone 00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.259 can do, 00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:46.500 the camera would only 00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:48.220 have like 5 megapixels. 00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:52.880 Real success 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:53.740 is a journey. 00:26:55.080 --> 00:26:56.140 When we place 00:26:56.140 --> 00:26:56.840 our trust 00:26:56.840 --> 00:26:57.500 in Jesus 00:26:57.500 --> 00:26:58.240 and in what 00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:58.680 he's done 00:26:58.680 --> 00:26:59.360 on the cross, 00:26:59.360 --> 00:27:00.299 it brings 00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:01.779 radical change 00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:02.500 in our life. 00:27:03.139 --> 00:27:03.700 The Bible 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:04.420 describes us 00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:04.819 as going 00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:06.299 from darkness 00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:06.940 to light, 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:07.899 from death 00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:08.599 to life, 00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:10.740 but it also 00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:11.879 begins a slow 00:27:11.879 --> 00:27:13.180 process of change 00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:13.799 in us. 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:16.059 At the risk 00:27:16.059 --> 00:27:16.599 of stretching 00:27:16.599 --> 00:27:17.139 the metaphor, 00:27:17.579 --> 00:27:18.399 Jesus' arrival 00:27:18.399 --> 00:27:19.059 and his death 00:27:19.059 --> 00:27:19.700 and resurrection 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:20.839 are like the release 00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:21.839 of the first iPhone. 00:27:23.819 --> 00:27:24.799 As we await 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:25.779 the perfected iPhone, 00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.440 which I assume 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:27.000 will be in heaven 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:27.779 when Steve Jobs 00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:28.559 is back on the job, 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:32.259 we also await 00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:33.240 the return of Jesus 00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:34.419 when this life 00:27:34.419 --> 00:27:35.139 that is described 00:27:35.139 --> 00:27:35.819 here will be 00:27:35.819 --> 00:27:36.659 fully realised. 00:27:39.179 --> 00:27:40.240 We are called 00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:41.059 as Christians 00:27:41.059 --> 00:27:42.659 to have a contentment 00:27:42.659 --> 00:27:43.339 and a joy 00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:43.899 in what God 00:27:43.899 --> 00:27:44.859 has given us now, 00:27:45.379 --> 00:27:47.079 but at the same time 00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:48.159 to be discontent, 00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:49.859 to have a yearning 00:27:49.859 --> 00:27:50.539 for the more 00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:51.019 that God 00:27:51.019 --> 00:27:51.599 has prepared 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.220 for us. 00:27:52.899 --> 00:27:53.559 The kingdom 00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:54.279 has begun 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:55.019 because Jesus 00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:55.700 has died, 00:27:55.899 --> 00:27:56.759 Jesus has risen 00:27:56.759 --> 00:27:57.359 and Jesus 00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.359 has ascended 00:27:58.359 --> 00:27:58.979 to the throne 00:27:58.979 --> 00:27:59.459 in heaven, 00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:01.139 but the kingdom 00:28:01.139 --> 00:28:02.139 will only fully 00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:02.839 be realised 00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:04.059 when Jesus returns. 00:28:05.719 --> 00:28:06.859 That is why 00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:08.519 Jesus can say, 00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.899 blessed are those 00:28:09.899 --> 00:28:10.899 who are persecuted 00:28:10.899 --> 00:28:14.500 because they know 00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:16.139 that though they face 00:28:16.139 --> 00:28:17.299 persecution now, 00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:18.699 they will live 00:28:18.699 --> 00:28:19.219 forever 00:28:19.219 --> 00:28:20.699 and there will come 00:28:20.699 --> 00:28:21.759 a time when God 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.599 will wipe away 00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:23.199 every tear 00:28:23.199 --> 00:28:23.939 from their eye 00:28:23.939 --> 00:28:24.379 where there will be 00:28:24.379 --> 00:28:25.139 no more pain, 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:26.059 no more suffering. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:29.240 Paul describes 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:30.240 the Christian life 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:30.879 as joyful 00:28:30.879 --> 00:28:31.899 yet sorrowing 00:28:31.899 --> 00:28:34.699 and I believe 00:28:34.699 --> 00:28:35.240 the message 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:35.879 from Jesus 00:28:35.879 --> 00:28:36.740 in this description 00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.879 of the blessed life 00:28:37.879 --> 00:28:39.419 is that we must 00:28:39.419 --> 00:28:39.899 look forward 00:28:39.899 --> 00:28:40.399 to heaven 00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:41.919 when we will 00:28:41.919 --> 00:28:42.879 know true 00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:43.779 comfort, 00:28:44.339 --> 00:28:45.519 when we will 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:46.799 inherit the earth, 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:47.819 when we will 00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.500 be filled 00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:49.339 with righteousness, 00:28:49.699 --> 00:28:50.099 when we will 00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:51.039 be shown mercy 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:51.779 eternally, 00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:52.599 when we will 00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:53.279 see God 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.199 face to face, 00:28:54.279 --> 00:28:54.699 when we will be 00:28:54.699 --> 00:28:55.939 called sons of God, 00:28:55.940 --> 00:28:57.840 when we will 00:28:57.840 --> 00:28:58.660 enjoy the kingdom 00:28:58.660 --> 00:28:59.100 of heaven 00:28:59.100 --> 00:28:59.980 in all its glory. 00:29:02.380 --> 00:29:03.380 But I also 00:29:03.380 --> 00:29:04.120 think the message 00:29:04.120 --> 00:29:05.660 is rejoice now. 00:29:06.680 --> 00:29:07.900 Because Jesus 00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:08.620 has died, 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:10.140 because Jesus 00:29:10.140 --> 00:29:10.840 has risen, 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:12.539 the mourning 00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:13.559 we have over sin 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:15.000 has a comfort 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:15.779 because there is 00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:16.080 hope. 00:29:17.360 --> 00:29:18.440 Because Jesus 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:19.240 is alive 00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:19.779 and because 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.660 we can be 00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.120 forgiven, 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:22.779 we know that 00:29:22.779 --> 00:29:23.480 he has begun 00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:24.120 the process 00:29:24.120 --> 00:29:24.880 of making us 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:25.240 righteous, 00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:25.960 we know that 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:26.700 when he returns 00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.260 we will be 00:29:27.260 --> 00:29:28.280 filled with 00:29:28.280 --> 00:29:28.840 righteousness. 00:29:30.780 --> 00:29:31.660 In Jesus 00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:32.600 we have been 00:29:32.600 --> 00:29:33.740 shown mercy. 00:29:35.040 --> 00:29:35.860 Because of 00:29:35.860 --> 00:29:36.860 Jesus we know 00:29:36.860 --> 00:29:37.320 that we will 00:29:37.320 --> 00:29:37.880 get to see 00:29:37.880 --> 00:29:38.220 God. 00:29:40.780 --> 00:29:41.520 Because of 00:29:41.520 --> 00:29:42.560 Jesus we too 00:29:42.560 --> 00:29:43.760 get to be 00:29:43.760 --> 00:29:44.320 called sons 00:29:44.320 --> 00:29:44.800 of God 00:29:44.800 --> 00:29:46.240 and because 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:47.020 of Jesus 00:29:47.020 --> 00:29:49.000 ours is 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:49.840 the kingdom 00:29:49.840 --> 00:29:50.520 of heaven. 00:29:52.220 --> 00:29:52.760 Success 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.240 success in 00:29:53.240 --> 00:29:53.720 life. 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.519 The blessed 00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:56.900 life is a 00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:57.839 life modelled 00:29:57.839 --> 00:29:58.440 on Jesus' 00:29:58.660 --> 00:29:59.019 example. 00:29:59.519 --> 00:29:59.980 But more 00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.379 than that. 00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:01.660 It's a life 00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:02.240 that's only 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:03.619 possible because 00:30:03.619 --> 00:30:05.019 of what Jesus 00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:05.779 has done on 00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:06.359 the cross. 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.299 And finally 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:09.140 it's the life 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:09.640 that wants 00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.140 more than 00:30:10.140 --> 00:30:10.759 anything 00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:12.539 for Jesus 00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:13.299 to be honoured 00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:14.019 as the king 00:30:14.019 --> 00:30:14.799 that he is. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.640 That is God's 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:17.339 end point for 00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:18.019 his creation. 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:19.579 Jesus as king 00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:20.279 over all 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:21.079 and the 00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:21.859 blessed life 00:30:21.859 --> 00:30:22.819 anticipates 00:30:22.819 --> 00:30:23.720 that perfect 00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:24.879 final day. 00:30:26.399 --> 00:30:27.079 Let's pray. 00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:31.960 Father God 00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:32.579 we want to 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:33.399 acknowledge that 00:30:33.399 --> 00:30:33.899 there are so 00:30:33.899 --> 00:30:34.519 many things 00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:35.220 that we chase 00:30:35.220 --> 00:30:35.639 after. 00:30:35.879 --> 00:30:36.500 So many things 00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:37.099 that distract 00:30:37.099 --> 00:30:38.359 us from the 00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:39.039 life that you 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:39.839 have won for 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:40.220 us. 00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:42.379 Father we ask 00:30:42.379 --> 00:30:43.319 that as we 00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:44.220 reflect on the 00:30:44.220 --> 00:30:44.720 year that has 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:46.180 passed, as we 00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:46.740 look at the 00:30:46.740 --> 00:30:47.519 year that's to 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:48.119 come and as we 00:30:48.119 --> 00:30:48.639 look at the rest 00:30:48.639 --> 00:30:49.279 of our lives, 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:49.839 Lord may we 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:50.619 be consumed 00:30:50.619 --> 00:30:51.099 with the 00:30:51.099 --> 00:30:52.099 things that 00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:52.700 you desire. 00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.279 Enable us 00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:57.839 to treasure 00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:58.700 Jesus as he 00:30:58.700 --> 00:30:59.819 deserves, to 00:30:59.819 --> 00:31:00.619 serve him and 00:31:00.619 --> 00:31:01.379 honour him as 00:31:01.379 --> 00:31:03.160 our king, to 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:04.180 seek his glory 00:31:04.180 --> 00:31:05.059 above our own, 00:31:05.779 --> 00:31:07.740 to recognise the 00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.339 things in this 00:31:08.339 --> 00:31:08.899 world that are 00:31:08.899 --> 00:31:09.700 offensive and 00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:10.379 dishonouring to 00:31:10.379 --> 00:31:10.660 him. 00:31:11.859 --> 00:31:12.680 Give us a 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:13.740 yearning for 00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:14.039 heaven. 00:31:15.399 --> 00:31:16.019 Help us to 00:31:16.019 --> 00:31:16.700 live every day 00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:17.180 now in 00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:18.180 preparation for 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.680 that day. 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:20.559 Help us to 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:21.299 live every day 00:31:21.299 --> 00:31:22.399 now recognising 00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:23.460 Jesus' full and 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:24.539 complete kingship. 00:31:25.619 --> 00:31:26.759 And Father make 00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:28.259 us a light that 00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:29.279 shines the hope 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:29.940 that we have, 00:31:30.460 --> 00:31:31.259 that shines the 00:31:31.259 --> 00:31:32.299 majesty and glory 00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:33.819 of Jesus into a 00:31:33.819 --> 00:31:34.399 world that is 00:31:34.399 --> 00:31:35.879 dark and lost 00:31:35.879 --> 00:31:37.019 and desperate 00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:38.839 for this blessed 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:39.299 life. 00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:40.579 Amen. 00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:40.680 Amen. 00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:40.700 Amen. 00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:40.720 Amen. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:40.740 Amen. 00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:40.759 Amen. 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:40.779 Amen. 00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:40.799 Amen. 00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:40.819 Amen. 00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:40.839 Amen. 00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:40.859 Amen. 00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:40.899 Amen. 00:31:40.899 --> 00:31:42.740 Amen. 00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:42.779 Amen. 00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:44.779 Amen. 00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:44.799 Amen. 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:44.839 Amen. 00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:44.899 Amen. 00:31:44.899 --> 00:31:45.299 Amen. 00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:45.319 Amen. 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:45.819 Amen. 00:31:45.819 --> 00:31:45.839 Amen. 00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:45.859 Amen. 00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:46.399 Amen. 00:31:46.399 --> 00:31:46.420 Amen.