WEBVTT

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 We're getting to a point in the book of Judges now where the stories are getting longer,

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 and that's allowing us a unique opportunity.

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 In fact, this particular text, these 10 verses, allow us to have a very narrow focus on something

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 that up to this point we've only really dealt with in passing, and that is the loving discipline

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 of God.

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 In each and every one of the stories of this book, the judgment of God is present.

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 That's very clear.

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 You don't have to look very far to see that, but there is a uniqueness to how it's addressed

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 here at the start of the Gideon cycle, which would be the next judge that we'll cover.

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 Not only are we confronted once again by the reality of God's judgment, but here in these

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 10 verses, we begin to gain a clearer understanding of God's intentions with judgment.

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 What His purpose is in it, and I think that we'll find it to be quite instructive to consider

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 the nature and the process and the purpose of God's disciplinary action.

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 So up to this point, we've taken the stories really in larger sections, and to give you

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 a bit of a reprieve this morning from an hour-long sermon, we're going to take just a small section

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 with a narrow focus, and I think that it will be helpful for us to think about God's discipline.

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 In chapter 3, I spoke briefly about distinguishing between two dynamics of God's judgment.

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 On the one hand, we have what we would call retribution.

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 Retribution is God's punitive action against those who persist in sin and unbelief.

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 So it's purely punitive. You know what I mean by that? It is really just focused on punishment.

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 It is you did this, therefore you deserve this, and I'm going to give you the fullness of that consequence.

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 That's what we're thinking about in terms of retribution.

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 In the Gideon story, the objects of God's righteous retribution, his punitive action,

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 is this Midianite coalition. We're just introduced to them here, and we're going to get to how the

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 story unfolds in the next three or four weeks, but what we find right here, what we at least

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 need to acknowledge, is that Israel is not the object of God's retribution. Midian is.

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 And Midian receives the retribution, the punitive action of God, by ultimately being destroyed.

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 Okay, so that's what we see unfolding in their lives.

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 Being outside of the covenant relationship with God, Midian faces the Lord's retribution,

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 which we would say is judgment apart from grace and mercy.

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 But as we read through these ten verses, we find that God's judgment against Midian stands in stark contrast

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 to God's judgment of Israel, who is, in fact, in a covenant relationship with God.

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 Israel is not destroyed like Midian is, though they do endure a tremendous amount of hardship,

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 more hardship than we've seen them face at any point in Judges up to now, which is, that's saying a lot.

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 But they're not destroyed. God doesn't deal with them in the same way that he deals with Midian.

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 They were even guilty of the same kind of sin as the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east.

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 But instead of facing God's retribution, Israel faces what is best described as God's discipline, his discipline.

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 Barry Webb is helpful here. He describes these distinctions this way.

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 This is on the screen if you want to follow along with the quote.

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 Retribution, he says, which is pure punishment, unmitigated by grace,

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 is for those who are and remain outside of his covenant.

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 And he quotes Ephesians 2, they have no hope and they are without God in the world.

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 But within God's covenant with his people, a different kind of judgment takes place.

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 The most appropriate term for it is discipline, because it's corrective rather than retributive.

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 And it is always tempered by grace.

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 It can be severe, but its aim is always to reclaim rather than to destroy.

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 That's an important distinction that we need to understand.

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 Now, what unfolds in terms of God's judgment in these passages,

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 we need to realize on the surface, is purely physical.

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 Israel and Midian, they are real historical nations.

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 The judgment they are facing in Judges 6 is a physical form of judgment

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 that's related to their existence as a nation and their flourishing as a people.

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 So we need to keep that in mind.

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 What God is doing to them, it's purely physical at this point.

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 But the physical judgment that is recorded here is meant to point us forward to a more significant

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 and eternal spiritual judgment.

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 Like these two nations, all of us are guilty before God.

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 As Romans 3 says, we have all sinned.

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 We've all fallen short of the glory of God.

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 Solomon even says in the Old Testament,

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 there is no one who does not sin,

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 which means that there is no one who doesn't deserve the retribution of God's righteous anger.

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 That's all of us.

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 And God must judge our sins.

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 If God doesn't judge sin, then God isn't truly holy.

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 He's not truly just.

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 And what we must determine, and the question that we must ask ourselves this morning,

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 is to which of these two groups do we actually belong?

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 Do we belong to the group that is outside of God's covenant?

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 The group that is destined only for God's eternal retribution,

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 his anger, and his wrath in eternal hell?

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 Is that the group that we belong to?

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 Or do we belong to this group that is inside the covenant,

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 represented by Israel here?

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 That isn't perfect and still falls and still disobeys

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 and still even faces the discipline of the Lord to some extent,

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 but they are still safe within the covenant,

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 having their judgment put on the sinless Son of God instead.

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 I want you to just think about that for just a second.

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 Just contemplate sincerely in your heart for just a moment.

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 If the Lord were to return today,

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 and we were to all stand in that final judgment before God,

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 do we stand in the line with the people that are in the covenant?

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 Or do we stand in the line with the people who are outside of the covenant?

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 Eternal retribution comes to those who,

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 through sin and unbelief,

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 are and remain outside of a relationship with God.

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 Their destiny is eternal hell,

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 a pure punishment,

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 unmitigated by grace,

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 in the words of Barry Webb.

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 And of course, we find this all in the Scriptures.

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 We find it especially in Revelation chapter 20.

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 John says that the lake of fire,

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 what we often refer to as hell,

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 or our concept of hell,

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 is the second death.

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 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,

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 he was thrown into the lake of fire.

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 Now what does John mean

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 by a name being written or not written

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 in the book of life?

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 It's just a different way of saying,

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 you're in the covenant,

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 or you're out of the covenant.

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 You belong to God as his child,

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 or you are an enemy of God,

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 left in your sin and unbelief.

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 Which leads us to an important question, doesn't it?

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 If being in the covenant is what determines whether or not I face ultimately the retribution of God's wrath,

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 or whether I just experience to some measure the discipline,

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 the corrective discipline of the Lord in this life,

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 but ultimately I'm justified,

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 and heaven is my home,

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 and I've been forgiven,

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 and mercy.

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 But if the covenant is what matters,

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 then the question is,

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 how do I get in the covenant, right?

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 How do I get there?

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 Who wouldn't want to be in the covenant with God?

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 And here's the awesome thing about it.

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 We've seen it in so many different passages already today.

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 The way you get in the covenant

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 is by faith.

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 This is why Jesus is so important.

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 We understand our sin.

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 We understand that God must judge our sin.

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 We understand that the wages of sin is death.

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 The second death.

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 The lake of fire.

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 So why does Jesus matter so much to us?

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 Because Jesus, the sinless son of God,

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 comes to this earth,

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 willingly lays down his life,

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 in order that he might take

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 that retribution for us.

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 That's what's amazing about it.

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 Paul says in 2 Corinthians,

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 God has made Christ to be sin for us

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 so that in Christ,

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 we might receive his righteousness.

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 There's this exchange that takes place at the cross

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 where Jesus, the righteous one,

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 is imputed unto him.

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 Your sin.

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 Your sin.

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 Your sin.

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 Is imputed unto the sinless son of God.

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 And in return to that,

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 when you come to Christ by faith,

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 his righteousness is then imputed unto you.

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 So that when you stand in that judgment

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 on that great day of the Lord,

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 the final judgment after the resurrection,

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 when you stand before the Lord on that day,

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 the question is not,

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 did you do your best?

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 The question is not,

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 did you try your hardest?

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 The question is not,

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 did you go to church and did you give money

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 and did you remain a good little virgin

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 until the day of your wedding?

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 That's not the question.

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 The question is,

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 are you paying for your sins

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 or did Jesus pay for your sins?

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 And God invites us into this covenant of grace.

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 And he invites us into it through faith.

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 Isn't that what Jesus said?

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 He said,

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 I'm the bread of life.

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 We just read it.

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 I'm the bread of life.

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 If you're hungry,

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 spiritually hungry,

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 if you're spiritually thirsty,

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 just come to me.

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 Believe in me.

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 It's the will of the Father

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 that the Son be lifted up

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 and that all who look to the Son

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 and believe will have life.

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 It's amazing.

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 You say,

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 well,

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 how do you know that

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 Jesus' death 2,000 years ago on a cross

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 is actually that significant?

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 How do we know that his death

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 actually does provide forgiveness

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 so that we should believe in him?

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 I'm glad you asked.

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 Because three days later,

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 he rose from the dead.

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 The resurrection changes everything.

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 Literally,

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 it changes everything.

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 Peter says in Acts chapter 2

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 as he's preaching on the day of Pentecost,

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 he points to Jesus

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 and he points to Jesus' resurrection

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 who at that point,

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 people couldn't deny.

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 There's too many witnesses at that point.

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 They're trying to come up with reasons

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 to explain it away.

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 But the truth is,

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 they knew something was fishy going on

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 and the disciples were saying,

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 no, he's alive and we've seen him.

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 Peter says,

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 the grave could not hold him.

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 Why?

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 It had no claim on him.

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 Why did the grave have no claim on him?

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 Because he had no sin.

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 The resurrection of Jesus proves

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 that his death was a sufficient payment for ours.

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 It proves that God was appeased

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 in his wrath

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 by what Jesus did

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 on the cross.

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 You say,

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 I don't want to face the retribution of God.

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 How do I get into the covenant?

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 You believe Christ.

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 You trust him.

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 You trust what he's done.

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 You turn from your sin.

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 You cry out to him.

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 You follow him as Lord and Savior.

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 Jesus himself said in John 3,

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 we quote this verse all the time,

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 don't we?

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 God so loved the world

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 that he gave his only son,

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 that whoever believes in him

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 should not perish,

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 should not die,

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 but instead should have eternal life.

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 For God did not send his son

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 into the world

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 to condemn the world,

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 but in order that the world

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 might be saved through him.

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 Whoever believes in him

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 is not condemned,

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 but whoever does not believe

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 is condemned already,

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 he says,

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 because he has not believed

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 in the name of the only son of God.

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 What's the significance here?

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 What else we do?

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 Believe.

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 Believe.

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 Just turn from your sin and believe,

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 and he will give you this life.

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 Now,

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 all of that being said,

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 the focus of our attention this morning

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 is not on God's retribution.

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 The focus of our attention this morning

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 in this text

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 is actually on the nature,

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 process,

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 and purpose

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 of God's discipline

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 toward those who are

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 in the covenant.

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 We would say,

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 in New Testament terms,

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 those who are Christians.

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 That's what we're really focused on,

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 and looking at how the Lord

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 worked in and through Israel,

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 we can more clearly understand

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 how he works in and through us,

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 and I think you'll find this instructive.

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 Just three main points

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 that I want to point out to you

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 as we go through.

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 The first thing is this.

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 I want you to see the nature

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 of divine discipline.

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 The nature of divine discipline.

00:14:52.220 --> 00:14:53.480
 And I have three things

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.179
 underneath this, okay?

00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:55.000
 The first one is this.

00:14:55.099 --> 00:14:56.099
 Here's what you need to acknowledge

00:14:56.099 --> 00:14:57.339
 about divine discipline.

00:14:57.679 --> 00:14:58.620
 It is real.

00:15:00.079 --> 00:15:02.399
 Divine discipline is real.

00:15:03.319 --> 00:15:04.059
 Look at verse one.

00:15:05.219 --> 00:15:06.139
 The people of Israel

00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:07.599
 did what was evil

00:15:07.599 --> 00:15:09.299
 in the sight of the Lord,

00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:11.899
 and the Lord gave them

00:15:11.899 --> 00:15:14.139
 into the hand of Midian

00:15:14.139 --> 00:15:15.659
 seven years.

00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:17.159
 All right?

00:15:17.219 --> 00:15:18.120
 It's very simple, isn't it?

00:15:18.379 --> 00:15:19.500
 Israel sinned,

00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:21.679
 and God corrected them.

00:15:22.199 --> 00:15:23.099
 He gave them

00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:24.259
 into the hand of Midian.

00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:25.240
 Now, here's the thing.

00:15:25.300 --> 00:15:26.220
 We face hardships

00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:27.600
 and difficulties in our lives,

00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:28.920
 and so many Christians

00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:30.980
 interpret every hardship

00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:31.960
 in their life

00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:33.360
 as one of two things.

00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:34.580
 They'll either say,

00:15:35.040 --> 00:15:36.480
 this is Satan

00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:37.200
 that's just really

00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:38.360
 on my back right now.

00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.300
 You heard people,

00:15:39.300 --> 00:15:40.220
 maybe you've said that before.

00:15:40.300 --> 00:15:41.340
 You've heard people say it.

00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:42.200
 You say,

00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:43.340
 how's your week been,

00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:43.680
 John?

00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:44.680
 And John might reply,

00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:45.560
 well, you know,

00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:46.879
 Satan's just really been after me.

00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.680
 It's been a tough week.

00:15:48.060 --> 00:15:48.180
 Right?

00:15:48.339 --> 00:15:49.319
 We make statements like that.

00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:51.039
 Or we would say,

00:15:51.459 --> 00:15:52.359
 we wouldn't necessarily

00:15:52.359 --> 00:15:52.919
 blame Satan

00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:53.819
 for the hardship

00:15:53.819 --> 00:15:54.620
 that we're facing,

00:15:54.620 --> 00:15:55.319
 but we would just say,

00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:55.799
 well, you know,

00:15:55.859 --> 00:15:56.819
 this is just life

00:15:56.819 --> 00:15:58.159
 in a fallen world, right?

00:15:58.339 --> 00:16:00.639
 And maybe I'm just

00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:01.539
 going through it right now

00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:02.379
 because it's just,

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:03.139
 I'm going through it,

00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:03.859
 and that's all

00:16:03.859 --> 00:16:04.559
 that there really is.

00:16:05.239 --> 00:16:06.000
 Now, here's the problem.

00:16:06.599 --> 00:16:07.620
 It's not that those things

00:16:07.620 --> 00:16:08.219
 aren't true.

00:16:08.500 --> 00:16:09.120
 They are true.

00:16:09.819 --> 00:16:11.039
 They actually have a role

00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:12.359
 to play in our lives.

00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:13.259
 The problem is,

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.620
 we always try to,

00:16:14.719 --> 00:16:15.179
 as Christians,

00:16:15.339 --> 00:16:16.359
 we seem to always

00:16:16.359 --> 00:16:17.159
 take the hardships

00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:18.199
 and the difficulties

00:16:18.199 --> 00:16:18.819
 that we face

00:16:18.819 --> 00:16:19.539
 and put them into

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:20.659
 one of those two boxes.

00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:22.419
 But the fact is

00:16:22.419 --> 00:16:23.779
 that there's a third category.

00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:26.179
 And a third category

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:27.319
 for our hardship

00:16:27.319 --> 00:16:28.799
 and our difficulty in life

00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:29.799
 or our circumstances

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:32.879
 is that God does actively

00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:34.120
 discipline his children.

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.039
 He disciplines us.

00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:37.839
 Now, I want you to notice it

00:16:37.839 --> 00:16:38.879
 in the text in verse one.

00:16:39.319 --> 00:16:40.279
 Notice that nothing

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:41.759
 about Israel's circumstance

00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:43.339
 was coincidental.

00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:43.399
 No.

00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:45.300
 It's not coincidental.

00:16:45.660 --> 00:16:46.920
 This wasn't just bad luck.

00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:48.139
 Right?

00:16:49.060 --> 00:16:49.800
 This wasn't,

00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:50.720
 that what they were facing

00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.139
 with Midian

00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:53.600
 was not just the result

00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.960
 of living in a fallen world.

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.620
 That's not what's happening

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.340
 with Israel here.

00:16:58.680 --> 00:17:01.680
 Neither is Satan said

00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:02.580
 to have been involved

00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:03.940
 in the process.

00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:05.519
 This is not an oppression

00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:07.400
 that they are facing

00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:09.140
 similar to what Job

00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:10.720
 dealt with in the book of Job.

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:11.180
 You remember,

00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:12.400
 it wasn't that Job

00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:13.580
 had sinned against the Lord.

00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:14.380
 It's that the Lord

00:17:14.380 --> 00:17:15.200
 was testing him

00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:16.420
 and he was allowing Satan

00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:17.640
 to actually do this work

00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:19.240
 to test his servant Job.

00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:20.620
 Okay?

00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:22.000
 That's not what's happening

00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:22.500
 here either.

00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.259
 What's happening then?

00:17:26.700 --> 00:17:27.779
 Their circumstance

00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:29.560
 was the direct result

00:17:29.560 --> 00:17:31.019
 of them doing

00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:32.039
 what was evil

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.940
 in the sight of the Lord

00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:36.620
 and God himself

00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:38.259
 delivered them

00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:40.200
 into the hands of Midian.

00:17:40.380 --> 00:17:41.380
 It's clear as day.

00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:42.960
 They did what was evil

00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:43.920
 in the sight of the Lord

00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:45.080
 and the Lord

00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:46.200
 gave them

00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:47.420
 into the hand

00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:48.180
 of Midian

00:17:48.180 --> 00:17:49.500
 for seven years.

00:17:50.100 --> 00:17:50.779
 And here's my point

00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:51.420
 with all of that.

00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:55.779
 Divine discipline

00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:56.880
 is a reality

00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:58.559
 that we need

00:17:58.559 --> 00:17:59.320
 to acknowledge

00:17:59.319 --> 00:18:02.139
 if we're ever

00:18:02.139 --> 00:18:02.899
 going to grow

00:18:02.899 --> 00:18:03.899
 and mature

00:18:03.899 --> 00:18:05.220
 as God's people.

00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:07.859
 If you never

00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:08.799
 acknowledge the fact

00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:09.899
 that God actively

00:18:09.899 --> 00:18:10.819
 disciplines you

00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:11.779
 in your life,

00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:13.539
 how are you ever

00:18:13.539 --> 00:18:14.460
 going to learn

00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:15.159
 to turn away

00:18:15.159 --> 00:18:16.319
 from the sinful behaviors

00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.619
 that he's judging you for?

00:18:19.399 --> 00:18:20.819
 If everything we face

00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:21.679
 is just automatically

00:18:21.679 --> 00:18:22.519
 put in one of those

00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:23.319
 other two boxes,

00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:25.779
 how are we going to grow

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:26.779
 and mature as Christians?

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:28.179
 Answer,

00:18:28.419 --> 00:18:28.980
 we won't.

00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:31.220
 We need to acknowledge

00:18:31.220 --> 00:18:32.519
 that God's discipline

00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:33.259
 is a reality.

00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:35.619
 The next time

00:18:35.619 --> 00:18:36.419
 you're tempted to say

00:18:36.419 --> 00:18:37.079
 that the devil's

00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:37.799
 been on your back,

00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:39.179
 stop to consider

00:18:39.179 --> 00:18:39.720
 whether or not

00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:40.500
 it's actually God

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.379
 who's afflicted you.

00:18:43.419 --> 00:18:44.139
 Number two,

00:18:44.879 --> 00:18:45.599
 divine discipline

00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:46.460
 can be severe.

00:18:46.679 --> 00:18:47.279
 So we're underneath

00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:48.539
 the nature of divine discipline

00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:48.819
 still.

00:18:48.919 --> 00:18:49.599
 Okay, sorry about that.

00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:51.000
 First,

00:18:51.139 --> 00:18:52.119
 divine discipline is real.

00:18:52.619 --> 00:18:52.899
 Second,

00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:54.039
 divine discipline,

00:18:54.179 --> 00:18:55.119
 it actually can be

00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:55.839
 quite severe.

00:18:56.919 --> 00:18:57.960
 Verses two through six,

00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:58.599
 look at it with me.

00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:00.720
 the hand of Midian

00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:02.119
 overpowered Israel.

00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:04.179
 Because of Midian,

00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:04.980
 the people of Israel

00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:05.799
 made for themselves

00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:06.740
 the dens that are in

00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.220
 the mountains

00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:07.919
 and the caves

00:19:07.919 --> 00:19:08.859
 and the strongholds.

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.500
 Whenever the Israelites

00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:11.399
 planted crops,

00:19:11.919 --> 00:19:12.659
 the Midianites

00:19:12.659 --> 00:19:13.559
 and the Amalekites

00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.720
 and the people of the east

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:16.059
 would come up against them.

00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.980
 They didn't camp against them

00:19:17.980 --> 00:19:19.039
 and devour the produce

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:19.579
 of the land

00:19:19.579 --> 00:19:20.379
 as far as Gaza

00:19:20.379 --> 00:19:22.039
 and leave no sustenance

00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:22.579
 in Israel,

00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:23.339
 no sheep,

00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:24.279
 no ox,

00:19:24.339 --> 00:19:24.839
 no donkey.

00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:26.779
 for they would come up

00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:27.480
 with their livestock

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.299
 and their tents.

00:19:28.439 --> 00:19:29.019
 They would come like

00:19:29.019 --> 00:19:30.039
 locusts in number.

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.819
 Both they and their camels

00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:32.740
 could not be counted

00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:34.399
 so that they laid waste

00:19:34.399 --> 00:19:35.740
 the land as they came in.

00:19:36.699 --> 00:19:37.599
 And Israel was brought

00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:38.659
 very low

00:19:38.659 --> 00:19:40.480
 because of Midian.

00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:42.859
 And they cried out

00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:43.899
 for help to the Lord.

00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:45.419
 Divine discipline

00:19:45.419 --> 00:19:46.119
 can be severe.

00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:46.679
 Look,

00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:47.959
 the discipline of God

00:19:47.959 --> 00:19:48.599
 in this text,

00:19:48.939 --> 00:19:49.899
 it is far more

00:19:49.899 --> 00:19:51.039
 than a slap on the wrist.

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:54.139
 This is not a slap on the wrist

00:19:54.139 --> 00:19:55.200
 kind of judgment.

00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:56.519
 It was the shortest

00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:57.680
 time frame

00:19:57.680 --> 00:19:58.700
 of judgment

00:19:58.700 --> 00:19:59.460
 that we've seen

00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:00.139
 thus far

00:20:00.139 --> 00:20:01.440
 in the book of Judges.

00:20:01.659 --> 00:20:02.500
 But it's also

00:20:02.500 --> 00:20:04.319
 the worst oppression

00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:05.759
 that we've seen

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.180
 so far

00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:07.059
 in the book of Judges.

00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:09.519
 There's this coalition

00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:12.299
 of eastern nomadic tribes

00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:13.139
 led by

00:20:13.139 --> 00:20:15.059
 the Midianite people.

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:16.639
 They differed

00:20:16.639 --> 00:20:17.759
 from all of Israel's

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.299
 other enemies.

00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:20.240
 They didn't seek

00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.059
 to occupy

00:20:21.059 --> 00:20:22.319
 and conquer the land

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.480
 as the others had done.

00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:24.120
 Instead,

00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:25.059
 they functioned

00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:26.460
 like marauders.

00:20:27.620 --> 00:20:29.000
 For seven years straight,

00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:30.279
 they entered Canaan

00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:31.700
 with more people

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:32.700
 and camels

00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:34.000
 than could be numbered.

00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:35.620
 This is a show

00:20:35.620 --> 00:20:36.279
 of force

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:37.480
 that would be foolish

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.180
 for the simple

00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:38.960
 Israelite people

00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.700
 to attempt

00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:40.440
 to fight against.

00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:41.480
 That's what this is about.

00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:43.299
 The writer says

00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:44.059
 that they came in

00:20:44.059 --> 00:20:45.140
 like locusts.

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:45.819
 If you study

00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:46.579
 other parts

00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.180
 of the Old Testament,

00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:47.759
 you'll see that

00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.920
 locusts is often

00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:49.759
 a judgment

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.340
 from God.

00:20:50.600 --> 00:20:51.519
 When these waves

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.640
 of locusts came in,

00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:53.380
 how is it normally

00:20:53.380 --> 00:20:53.759
 described?

00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:54.840
 You see this described

00:20:54.840 --> 00:20:55.820
 even in modern times.

00:20:56.380 --> 00:20:57.279
 It's like the sky

00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:57.800
 darkening.

00:20:57.880 --> 00:20:58.640
 There's so many of them,

00:20:58.740 --> 00:20:58.880
 right?

00:20:59.340 --> 00:21:00.200
 When they finally

00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:00.680
 pass through

00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:01.039
 and leave,

00:21:01.100 --> 00:21:01.640
 what's left?

00:21:02.060 --> 00:21:02.380
 Nothing.

00:21:03.600 --> 00:21:04.539
 That's how the author

00:21:04.539 --> 00:21:05.200
 is describing

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.660
 this Midianite coalition.

00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:07.580
 Every year

00:21:07.580 --> 00:21:08.700
 for seven years straight,

00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:09.940
 harvest time comes

00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:10.680
 and guess what?

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:11.539
 Israelite knows.

00:21:11.820 --> 00:21:12.840
 It's like clockwork.

00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:14.320
 More people

00:21:14.320 --> 00:21:15.120
 than they can count.

00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:16.120
 They come into the land,

00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:17.559
 they set up their camp,

00:21:17.719 --> 00:21:19.079
 they steal all their food,

00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:20.559
 they steal all their sheep,

00:21:20.719 --> 00:21:21.919
 they take all their donkeys,

00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:23.099
 they take all their oxen,

00:21:23.159 --> 00:21:24.619
 they leave nothing behind.

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.639
 The Israelites

00:21:25.639 --> 00:21:26.500
 have to abandon

00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.139
 their homes,

00:21:27.219 --> 00:21:27.859
 they have to go live

00:21:27.859 --> 00:21:28.359
 in caves.

00:21:28.579 --> 00:21:29.879
 This is a miserable

00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:30.639
 existence

00:21:30.639 --> 00:21:33.339
 for seven years.

00:21:35.399 --> 00:21:36.599
 Kicked out of their houses,

00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:39.439
 left nearly to starve.

00:21:40.739 --> 00:21:42.099
 So that in verse six,

00:21:42.239 --> 00:21:43.419
 the author just says,

00:21:43.420 --> 00:21:44.080
 they were brought

00:21:44.080 --> 00:21:45.660
 very low.

00:21:46.840 --> 00:21:47.700
 They're brought very,

00:21:47.900 --> 00:21:49.200
 very low.

00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:52.460
 And it was all the result

00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:54.660
 of God's discipline.

00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:57.759
 God did this

00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:58.779
 to Israel.

00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:02.380
 God did it to Israel.

00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:03.800
 You see,

00:22:03.840 --> 00:22:04.800
 sometimes divine discipline

00:22:04.800 --> 00:22:05.480
 can be severe.

00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:08.340
 Sometimes we go through

00:22:08.340 --> 00:22:10.820
 circumstances in our lives

00:22:10.820 --> 00:22:11.519
 that we would never,

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:13.700
 never really understand,

00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:14.960
 never really quite fathom

00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.460
 exactly or imagine

00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:17.240
 how hard things

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:17.819
 have actually gotten

00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:18.420
 in our lives.

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:22.319
 Sometimes it's severe.

00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:23.940
 Sometimes God has to bring

00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:24.940
 us very low

00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:27.480
 to get our attention.

00:22:30.879 --> 00:22:31.759
 Third thing underneath

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:33.180
 the nature of divine discipline,

00:22:33.379 --> 00:22:34.059
 it's real.

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.460
 It can be severe.

00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:37.420
 Divine discipline,

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:38.879
 this is going to blow your mind,

00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:39.400
 you're going to disagree

00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:40.039
 with me at first.

00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:40.519
 It's offensive,

00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:40.900
 isn't it?

00:22:41.139 --> 00:22:43.420
 Divine discipline is loving.

00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:45.639
 It's loving.

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.279
 How in the world

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:49.339
 is that actually possible?

00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.359
 Look at how difficult

00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:51.879
 and miserable

00:22:51.879 --> 00:22:52.660
 their lives were.

00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:54.700
 You see,

00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:55.480
 it's a misunderstanding

00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.319
 of love

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.379
 that leads many people

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:57.980
 to conclude

00:22:57.980 --> 00:22:58.960
 that love

00:22:58.960 --> 00:22:59.680
 and discipline

00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.879
 are incompatible

00:23:00.879 --> 00:23:01.460
 with one another.

00:23:02.900 --> 00:23:03.660
 This starts

00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:04.200
 when we're just

00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:05.039
 really young kids,

00:23:05.099 --> 00:23:05.440
 doesn't it?

00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:08.379
 From very early

00:23:08.380 --> 00:23:08.960
 in our childhood,

00:23:09.120 --> 00:23:10.320
 we equate love

00:23:10.320 --> 00:23:11.400
 with expressions

00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:12.020
 of affection,

00:23:12.140 --> 00:23:12.420
 don't we?

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.220
 Harper, come here.

00:23:15.340 --> 00:23:16.680
 Harper, if you were

00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:17.380
 to come in today,

00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.240
 Harper's my daughter

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:19.800
 if you don't know,

00:23:20.280 --> 00:23:21.060
 I'm allowed to do this,

00:23:21.620 --> 00:23:22.560
 and I just walked in,

00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:23.080
 you didn't say anything

00:23:23.080 --> 00:23:23.340
 to me,

00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:23.700
 and I just said,

00:23:23.760 --> 00:23:24.380
 Harper, you know what?

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:25.820
 Come give me a hug,

00:23:25.860 --> 00:23:26.440
 I just want a hug.

00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:29.080
 Now, why would I do that?

00:23:30.340 --> 00:23:31.200
 Because I love you.

00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:33.640
 Now, if you came in

00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:34.880
 and I immediately

00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:35.740
 spanked you instead,

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:38.779
 what would you say?

00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:41.059
 Why don't you love me

00:23:41.059 --> 00:23:41.600
 anymore, Dad?

00:23:42.360 --> 00:23:42.940
 What happened

00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:43.860
 to the hugs, Dad?

00:23:44.620 --> 00:23:45.259
 What happened

00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:46.700
 to the fun things

00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:47.480
 that we did, Dad?

00:23:47.840 --> 00:23:49.019
 Why are you harming

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:49.799
 me now, Dad?

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.640
 Where'd the love go?

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.320
 Right?

00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:52.840
 You can go sit down,

00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:53.120
 sweetheart.

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.840
 When we're kids,

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:57.259
 we start to equate love

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.679
 with expressions of affection,

00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:01.379
 and then as we become teenagers,

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:02.240
 it gets even worse, right?

00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:02.899
 Because now we actually

00:24:02.899 --> 00:24:03.619
 start to say things

00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:04.339
 like, I hate you,

00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:05.740
 and you don't love me,

00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:06.740
 you never did love me,

00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:07.879
 you're just a big liar,

00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:09.399
 and all the kinds of things

00:24:09.399 --> 00:24:10.000
 we say those things

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:10.759
 as teenagers, right?

00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:13.139
 And then we get to be adults,

00:24:13.199 --> 00:24:13.899
 and we do the same thing,

00:24:13.939 --> 00:24:14.179
 don't we?

00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:15.439
 It's so hard for us,

00:24:15.459 --> 00:24:17.379
 even when we're adults,

00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:20.279
 to recognize that sometimes

00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:21.439
 authentic love

00:24:21.439 --> 00:24:22.439
 involves confrontation,

00:24:23.339 --> 00:24:24.259
 sometimes it involves

00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:24.839
 disagreement,

00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:25.799
 sometimes it even

00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:27.579
 involves carrying out

00:24:27.579 --> 00:24:28.480
 the consequences

00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:30.220
 of an action.

00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:32.859
 Remember years ago,

00:24:33.379 --> 00:24:35.000
 someone in our church,

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.899
 our previous church,

00:24:36.399 --> 00:24:37.460
 they had an adult daughter

00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:39.240
 that was just really struggling

00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:40.519
 with a lot of drug addiction,

00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:42.000
 and stealing,

00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:42.879
 there's just a lot of things

00:24:42.879 --> 00:24:43.839
 going on in her life,

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:45.279
 and over and over and over,

00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:46.119
 her parents just kind of

00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:46.559
 bailed her out,

00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:48.240
 and finally she got caught again,

00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:48.619
 and they said,

00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:48.940
 you know what,

00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:50.019
 we're just going to let her

00:24:50.019 --> 00:24:51.000
 sit in jail now.

00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:52.879
 You know,

00:24:52.899 --> 00:24:53.839
 that was a loving act

00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:55.059
 on the part of those parents.

00:24:56.139 --> 00:24:56.919
 We don't think of it

00:24:56.919 --> 00:24:57.439
 that way often,

00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:57.740
 do we?

00:24:59.199 --> 00:25:00.319
 So it's not surprising

00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.500
 that when facing hardship,

00:25:01.779 --> 00:25:02.779
 we're tempted to question

00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:03.839
 the genuine love of God.

00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:06.299
 We go through something difficult,

00:25:06.459 --> 00:25:08.099
 we get really terrible news,

00:25:08.179 --> 00:25:09.659
 or we find out that there's an issue

00:25:09.659 --> 00:25:10.559
 in our bodies maybe,

00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:11.039
 we're sick,

00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.359
 or we find that

00:25:12.359 --> 00:25:13.439
 something's just not going right

00:25:13.439 --> 00:25:13.939
 in our marriage,

00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:14.579
 or it's not going right

00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:15.039
 with our kids,

00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:16.259
 or something's not going right

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.980
 with our finances,

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.500
 or our home,

00:25:17.539 --> 00:25:18.359
 or whatever it is,

00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:19.219
 and we think,

00:25:19.299 --> 00:25:19.539
 God,

00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:20.759
 why don't you love me?

00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:23.479
 You're supposed to care about me,

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.039
 why are you letting

00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:24.939
 these things happen

00:25:24.939 --> 00:25:26.579
 to me?

00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:28.099
 And really that comes

00:25:28.099 --> 00:25:29.419
 from a misunderstanding

00:25:29.419 --> 00:25:31.159
 of what love really is.

00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.339
 We need to understand

00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:34.579
 that God disciplines us,

00:25:34.639 --> 00:25:37.119
 not as a cruel tyrant,

00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:39.719
 but according to the scriptures,

00:25:39.719 --> 00:25:42.139
 he does this as a loving father.

00:25:43.399 --> 00:25:44.419
 Proverbs chapter three,

00:25:44.959 --> 00:25:45.379
 my son,

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.539
 do not despise

00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:47.479
 the Lord's discipline,

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.880
 do not be weary

00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.839
 of his reproof,

00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.460
 for the Lord reproves

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:53.220
 him whom he loves,

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.299
 as a father,

00:25:56.299 --> 00:25:58.680
 the son in whom he delights.

00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:01.059
 It's God's love

00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.420
 that drives his discipline,

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.559
 it's his desire

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:05.019
 for what's best for us

00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:06.519
 that brings about his reproof,

00:26:06.620 --> 00:26:08.039
 and if you face his discipline

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:08.759
 as a believer,

00:26:09.380 --> 00:26:09.819
 rejoice,

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:12.539
 he treats you as a son,

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:13.960
 not an enemy.

00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:17.220
 Wouldn't you rather be Israel?

00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:19.079
 The Midian in this circumstance?

00:26:21.079 --> 00:26:22.660
 The nature of divine discipline.

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:23.240
 Number two,

00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:25.160
 the process of divine discipline.

00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:25.960
 Now God does something

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:26.759
 really weird here,

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.140
 doesn't he?

00:26:27.360 --> 00:26:27.940
 Verse seven,

00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:29.319
 when the people of Israel

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:30.559
 cried out to the Lord

00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:31.740
 on account of the Midianites,

00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:32.480
 look what the Lord does,

00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:33.279
 this is so weird.

00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:35.240
 The Lord sent a prophet

00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:37.720
 to the people of Israel.

00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:39.940
 Don't you find that curious?

00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:44.380
 He sent a prophet

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:46.680
 before he sent

00:26:46.680 --> 00:26:48.299
 a savior.

00:26:49.900 --> 00:26:50.880
 A sermon

00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:54.120
 before salvation.

00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:59.199
 This is like the talk

00:26:59.199 --> 00:27:00.319
 that you get from your parents

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.079
 when you get in trouble

00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:01.659
 as a kid.

00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:03.839
 This is the worst part of it,

00:27:03.879 --> 00:27:04.239
 isn't it?

00:27:04.739 --> 00:27:05.779
 Isn't the worst part

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.659
 about being disciplined

00:27:06.659 --> 00:27:07.419
 by your parents?

00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:08.859
 It's not the actual

00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:10.419
 disciplinary action mostly.

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:12.259
 It's when you're forced

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:12.980
 to go and sit down

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:13.580
 in the living room

00:27:13.580 --> 00:27:14.279
 across from them

00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:15.300
 in the other chair

00:27:15.300 --> 00:27:16.140
 and for an hour,

00:27:16.279 --> 00:27:16.539
 two hours,

00:27:16.580 --> 00:27:17.320
 however long it is,

00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.700
 you just gotta listen.

00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:20.500
 You just gotta hear

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:22.180
 why you're wrong

00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:23.340
 and why it was wrong

00:27:23.340 --> 00:27:24.380
 and why you need to change

00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:25.320
 and why you shouldn't

00:27:25.320 --> 00:27:25.880
 have done that

00:27:25.880 --> 00:27:26.180
 and all those.

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:27.539
 Isn't that the worst part of it?

00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:30.120
 It's painful, isn't it?

00:27:30.220 --> 00:27:31.259
 We just want to take

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:31.840
 our punishment.

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:33.460
 We want to be relieved

00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:34.100
 of the punishment

00:27:34.100 --> 00:27:35.600
 and move on with our lives.

00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.600
 But good parents,

00:27:37.620 --> 00:27:38.480
 they take time

00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:39.319
 to expose

00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:41.259
 and confront the error

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:43.680
 that led to the consequences,

00:27:43.819 --> 00:27:44.019
 right?

00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:46.120
 In God's plan,

00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:47.319
 what we see unfolding here,

00:27:47.579 --> 00:27:48.400
 in God's plan,

00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:49.500
 the consequences

00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:51.500
 are meant to get us

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:53.099
 to that conversation

00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:54.759
 where we have to actually

00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:56.200
 deal with the issue

00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.940
 of our sin.

00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:59.339
 Israel comes to God

00:27:59.339 --> 00:27:59.779
 and they say,

00:28:00.120 --> 00:28:00.900
 Lord, help us.

00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:02.339
 Send us a deliverer.

00:28:02.660 --> 00:28:03.559
 And so God says,

00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:05.360
 okay, here's a prophet.

00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:07.460
 Listen to a sermon first.

00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:11.240
 It's so important

00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:12.380
 for us to understand

00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:13.900
 the necessity

00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:14.599
 of this part

00:28:14.599 --> 00:28:15.559
 of God's process

00:28:15.559 --> 00:28:17.680
 because we're typically

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.700
 only interested

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.779
 in our circumstances

00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:20.799
 getting better

00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:24.860
 and so we attempt

00:28:24.860 --> 00:28:26.000
 to leapfrog

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:27.759
 God's message

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:29.019
 to get what we think

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:30.740
 will be a quick

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.519
 and easy solution.

00:28:33.380 --> 00:28:33.620
 You know,

00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:34.980
 the times that

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:36.640
 we're really struggling

00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:38.000
 with sin in our lives

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.440
 are going through

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.000
 a difficulty,

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:39.539
 you know,

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:40.920
 often those are

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:41.579
 the hardest times

00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:42.160
 to go to church,

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:42.460
 aren't they?

00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:45.460
 Those are the hardest days

00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.319
 to open up your Bible

00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:47.700
 and have a private

00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:48.599
 devotional time

00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:48.960
 with the Lord.

00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:49.900
 Those are the hardest days

00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:50.720
 to pray sometimes.

00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:52.680
 Those are the hardest times

00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:53.619
 to actually be around

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:54.740
 other Christian people.

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:55.720
 You know why?

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:57.180
 Because we know

00:28:57.180 --> 00:28:57.940
 what's going to happen.

00:28:59.259 --> 00:29:00.240
 We know that

00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:01.079
 to actually have to

00:29:01.079 --> 00:29:02.019
 sit across the table

00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:02.619
 from the Lord

00:29:02.619 --> 00:29:03.500
 with the word open

00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.400
 means that we're going

00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:05.440
 to have to be confronted.

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:06.900
 We're just going

00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:07.539
 to have to deal

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:08.380
 with what we've done.

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:09.180
 We don't want to deal

00:29:09.180 --> 00:29:09.740
 with what we've done.

00:29:09.799 --> 00:29:10.460
 We just want to get

00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:11.220
 to the solution,

00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:11.920
 right?

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:15.480
 We need pastors

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:17.519
 to help us view

00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:18.440
 our circumstances

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:19.160
 through the lens

00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:19.840
 of God's word.

00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:21.880
 That's what this is about

00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:22.580
 in application.

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.580
 We need pastors

00:29:24.580 --> 00:29:25.180
 and elders

00:29:25.180 --> 00:29:27.120
 to help us

00:29:27.120 --> 00:29:27.960
 see our lives

00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:28.900
 not just simply

00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:30.039
 through our perspective

00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:31.160
 but through God's perspective

00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:31.840
 through the word.

00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:35.199
 We need mature

00:29:35.199 --> 00:29:36.919
 Christian friends

00:29:36.919 --> 00:29:37.539
 in our lives

00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:38.079
 who will use

00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:38.839
 their Bibles

00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:41.220
 to lovingly say

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:41.980
 to us the things

00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:42.879
 that are hard to hear.

00:29:44.459 --> 00:29:45.139
 Because often

00:29:45.139 --> 00:29:46.019
 it takes a prophet

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:47.179
 to point us

00:29:47.179 --> 00:29:47.879
 toward the Savior.

00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:50.159
 Often it takes

00:29:50.159 --> 00:29:50.699
 a sermon

00:29:50.699 --> 00:29:51.439
 to get us

00:29:51.439 --> 00:29:52.359
 to the true message

00:29:52.359 --> 00:29:53.799
 of salvation.

00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:56.119
 We desperately

00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:57.259
 need to be confronted

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.179
 by God's word

00:29:58.179 --> 00:29:58.879
 in this process.

00:29:58.980 --> 00:29:59.779
 We can't overlook it.

00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:03.220
 We can run to lawyers

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:04.399
 when things are going bad.

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:05.740
 They'll just take

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.659
 advantage of our pain.

00:30:08.939 --> 00:30:10.259
 We can run to a therapist

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:11.259
 when things

00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:12.279
 aren't going very well

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:14.079
 but they're not going

00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:14.899
 to deal with the

00:30:14.899 --> 00:30:15.959
 heart of the problem

00:30:15.959 --> 00:30:16.859
 of our pain.

00:30:19.179 --> 00:30:20.079
 We can run to

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:21.179
 unbelieving friends

00:30:21.179 --> 00:30:22.339
 because we know

00:30:22.339 --> 00:30:22.980
 that they're probably

00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:23.639
 going to justify

00:30:23.639 --> 00:30:24.619
 our decisions

00:30:24.619 --> 00:30:25.399
 no matter how bad

00:30:25.399 --> 00:30:26.220
 they actually are.

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.279
 But what happens

00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:29.899
 when we come

00:30:29.900 --> 00:30:30.880
 to the word

00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:32.100
 and to other people

00:30:32.100 --> 00:30:32.820
 of the word?

00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:34.460
 It's hard.

00:30:35.780 --> 00:30:36.660
 It's a struggle.

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:39.420
 But it's best.

00:30:41.860 --> 00:30:42.700
 Of course we can't

00:30:42.700 --> 00:30:43.600
 discount the Bible's

00:30:43.600 --> 00:30:44.420
 role in simply

00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:45.240
 helping us to

00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:46.500
 evaluate our

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.100
 circumstances.

00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:48.980
 See there's another

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.660
 layer to this

00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:50.000
 isn't there?

00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:50.980
 In this text

00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:51.540
 we're referring

00:30:51.540 --> 00:30:52.820
 to corrective discipline.

00:30:53.620 --> 00:30:54.060
 You know there's

00:30:54.060 --> 00:30:54.900
 another type of

00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:55.500
 discipline that

00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:56.160
 belongs to God?

00:30:57.060 --> 00:30:57.800
 There's corrective

00:30:57.800 --> 00:30:58.160
 discipline.

00:30:58.300 --> 00:30:58.720
 That's mainly

00:30:58.720 --> 00:30:59.420
 what we think about.

00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:00.259
 There's also

00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:00.720
 what we would

00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:02.100
 call formative

00:31:02.100 --> 00:31:02.940
 discipline.

00:31:04.800 --> 00:31:05.620
 Formative discipline

00:31:05.620 --> 00:31:06.220
 is what the

00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:07.019
 athlete does

00:31:07.019 --> 00:31:07.660
 to prepare

00:31:07.660 --> 00:31:08.120
 their body

00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:08.800
 for competition.

00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:10.640
 They go to the

00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:11.240
 gym every day.

00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:11.980
 They're like

00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:12.519
 Brian Baker.

00:31:12.620 --> 00:31:12.940
 They're up at

00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:13.759
 like 3.30 in the

00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:14.259
 morning to go

00:31:14.259 --> 00:31:14.860
 pump the iron

00:31:14.860 --> 00:31:15.420
 or whatever it

00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:16.539
 is and they

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.200
 go to the gym.

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:18.500
 They punish

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:19.080
 themselves not

00:31:19.080 --> 00:31:19.560
 because they've

00:31:19.560 --> 00:31:19.960
 done something

00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:20.340
 wrong.

00:31:20.600 --> 00:31:21.660
 They're disciplining

00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.380
 themselves aren't

00:31:22.380 --> 00:31:22.560
 they?

00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:23.680
 Why?

00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:24.600
 So they can be

00:31:24.600 --> 00:31:24.940
 stronger.

00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:26.460
 So that they can

00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:27.720
 perform better.

00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:29.640
 There is a type

00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:30.180
 of discipline

00:31:30.180 --> 00:31:30.680
 that the Lord

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.259
 takes us through.

00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:31.980
 It's not corrective.

00:31:32.059 --> 00:31:32.559
 It's formative.

00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:33.440
 Sometimes this is

00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.180
 what James was

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:34.900
 talking about in

00:31:34.900 --> 00:31:35.680
 James chapter 1

00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:36.299
 when he said

00:31:36.299 --> 00:31:37.200
 count it all joy

00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:37.759
 when you fall

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.319
 into various

00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:38.920
 trials and

00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:39.559
 temptations

00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:41.259
 because the Lord

00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:42.000
 brings us through

00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:42.759
 difficult times

00:31:42.759 --> 00:31:43.180
 sometimes.

00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:44.620
 Sometimes he

00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:45.460
 allows us to go

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.180
 through really

00:31:46.180 --> 00:31:47.480
 hard things in

00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:48.380
 order to make

00:31:48.380 --> 00:31:49.039
 us stronger,

00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:49.819
 in order to make

00:31:49.819 --> 00:31:50.779
 us more faithful.

00:31:50.880 --> 00:31:51.980
 There's a formative

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:52.900
 kind of discipline

00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:53.480
 that the Lord

00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:54.079
 takes us through.

00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:55.539
 Now, formative

00:31:55.539 --> 00:31:56.939
 discipline and

00:31:56.939 --> 00:31:58.039
 corrective discipline,

00:31:58.619 --> 00:32:00.039
 what comes as a

00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:00.519
 result of those

00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:01.439
 things often look

00:32:01.439 --> 00:32:02.619
 the same, don't

00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:02.799
 they?

00:32:06.319 --> 00:32:07.079
 If we're just

00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:07.879
 trying to evaluate

00:32:07.879 --> 00:32:08.779
 it on our own,

00:32:09.639 --> 00:32:10.319
 how are we going

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:11.359
 to know whether

00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.339
 or not the Lord's

00:32:12.339 --> 00:32:13.679
 just trying to

00:32:13.679 --> 00:32:14.319
 build me up right

00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:15.119
 now through formative

00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:15.839
 discipline or there's

00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:16.519
 actually something in

00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:17.500
 my life that he's

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:18.000
 trying to get my

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:18.480
 attention about?

00:32:18.659 --> 00:32:19.859
 How will you know

00:32:19.859 --> 00:32:20.779
 unless you have a

00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:21.799
 pastor or a

00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:22.819
 Christian friend or

00:32:22.819 --> 00:32:23.699
 somebody you can sit

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:24.220
 down with who

00:32:24.220 --> 00:32:24.720
 will take the

00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:25.740
 Bible and help

00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:26.660
 you look at your

00:32:26.660 --> 00:32:27.620
 life and circumstance

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:29.019
 through the lens of

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:29.600
 God's word?

00:32:31.140 --> 00:32:32.440
 We need the prophet

00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:33.880
 before we need the

00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:34.519
 deliverer.

00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:36.200
 We need the sermon

00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:38.200
 before we need

00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:39.640
 the solution.

00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:42.039
 The process of

00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:42.819
 divine discipline is

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:43.779
 not complete without

00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:45.259
 a confrontation from

00:32:45.259 --> 00:32:45.799
 God's word.

00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:47.100
 And we need to stop

00:32:47.100 --> 00:32:48.580
 trying to circumvent

00:32:48.580 --> 00:32:49.380
 God's process.

00:32:50.580 --> 00:32:51.580
 There's the nature of

00:32:51.580 --> 00:32:52.220
 divine discipline,

00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:53.640
 the process of

00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:54.220
 divine discipline.

00:32:54.560 --> 00:32:55.580
 Finally, and this is

00:32:55.580 --> 00:32:57.380
 the best part, there's

00:32:57.380 --> 00:32:58.500
 the purpose of

00:32:58.500 --> 00:33:00.259
 divine discipline, the

00:33:00.259 --> 00:33:00.880
 purpose of it.

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:02.640
 Look with me at

00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:06.080
 verses 8 through 10.

00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:08.880
 The prophet said to

00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:09.660
 them, thus says the

00:33:09.660 --> 00:33:10.980
 Lord, the God of

00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:12.040
 Israel, I led you up

00:33:12.040 --> 00:33:13.580
 from Egypt and brought

00:33:13.580 --> 00:33:14.259
 you out of the house

00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:14.780
 of slavery.

00:33:15.620 --> 00:33:16.840
 I delivered you from

00:33:16.840 --> 00:33:17.440
 the hand of the

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:18.380
 Egyptians and from the

00:33:18.380 --> 00:33:19.300
 hand of all who

00:33:19.300 --> 00:33:20.040
 oppressed you and

00:33:20.040 --> 00:33:20.960
 drove them out before

00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:21.700
 you and gave you

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.279
 their land.

00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:24.600
 And I said to you, I

00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:25.640
 am the Lord your God.

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:26.940
 This is an identifying

00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:27.900
 marker.

00:33:28.059 --> 00:33:29.620
 I am Yahweh your God.

00:33:30.140 --> 00:33:31.220
 You shall not fear the

00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:32.380
 gods of the Amorites in

00:33:32.380 --> 00:33:34.340
 whose land you dwell, but

00:33:34.340 --> 00:33:36.340
 you have not obeyed my

00:33:36.340 --> 00:33:36.740
 words.

00:33:37.840 --> 00:33:38.759
 Now if you'll hang with

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.640
 me, this gets good here,

00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:39.940
 okay?

00:33:41.019 --> 00:33:42.279
 I want to summarize God's

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:43.519
 message in two simple

00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.160
 statements, okay?

00:33:44.200 --> 00:33:44.940
 Here's what God is

00:33:44.940 --> 00:33:45.799
 saying to Israel through

00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:47.299
 this and what I believe

00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:48.680
 he's saying to believers

00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:49.920
 through this, through his

00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:50.279
 discipline.

00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:53.380
 Number one, he says, you

00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:54.860
 are mine.

00:33:56.900 --> 00:33:57.700
 You're mine.

00:33:59.080 --> 00:33:59.580
 Look at it.

00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:02.060
 Thus says who?

00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:04.380
 The Lord.

00:34:05.160 --> 00:34:06.120
 This is the covenant name

00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:06.460
 of God.

00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:08.220
 This is Yahweh.

00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:09.019
 And then what does it

00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:09.240
 say?

00:34:09.420 --> 00:34:10.599
 How is Yahweh described?

00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:14.119
 The God of Israel.

00:34:15.559 --> 00:34:16.960
 Look again at verse 10.

00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:19.139
 And I said to you, I am

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:21.760
 the Lord, your God.

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:24.519
 First thing God says

00:34:24.519 --> 00:34:25.119
 through corrective

00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:25.780
 discipline, he says,

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:27.539
 you're mine.

00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:29.720
 You belong to me.

00:34:30.179 --> 00:34:31.639
 I belong to you.

00:34:32.820 --> 00:34:34.099
 This is that covenant

00:34:34.099 --> 00:34:35.900
 relationship, right?

00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:39.340
 Notice that God's

00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:41.539
 correction is based on his

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.980
 relationship to Israel.

00:34:43.220 --> 00:34:44.440
 He does not deliver a

00:34:44.440 --> 00:34:45.220
 message like this to

00:34:45.220 --> 00:34:45.500
 Midian.

00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:46.800
 He delivers it to his

00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:47.300
 people.

00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:49.679
 And twice he reminds them

00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:51.940
 that he is their God.

00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.639
 They are his people.

00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:56.579
 God chose them.

00:34:57.219 --> 00:34:59.179
 He revealed himself to

00:34:59.179 --> 00:34:59.500
 them.

00:34:59.739 --> 00:35:01.300
 He delivered them from

00:35:01.300 --> 00:35:02.219
 bondage in Egypt.

00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:04.940
 He fought for them as

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:06.360
 they journeyed into the

00:35:06.360 --> 00:35:07.699
 land of promise.

00:35:07.820 --> 00:35:08.539
 That's what he says.

00:35:08.599 --> 00:35:09.860
 He says, you're mine and

00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:10.920
 remember what I have done

00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:12.579
 for you to make you mine.

00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:16.099
 Their relationship with God

00:35:16.099 --> 00:35:17.360
 was the foundation of his

00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:17.759
 correction.

00:35:18.119 --> 00:35:19.840
 And it should have been the

00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:21.539
 motivation for their

00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:21.980
 repentance.

00:35:23.799 --> 00:35:25.259
 Is this not how God

00:35:25.259 --> 00:35:27.179
 intends to speak to us

00:35:27.179 --> 00:35:27.819
 through discipline?

00:35:29.420 --> 00:35:31.659
 Is not his discipline of us

00:35:31.659 --> 00:35:33.279
 who are in Christ, is not

00:35:33.279 --> 00:35:35.519
 that discipline rooted in his

00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:37.059
 relationship with us?

00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:41.299
 Just like Israel, he chose us

00:35:41.299 --> 00:35:42.360
 by his grace.

00:35:43.799 --> 00:35:46.440
 Just like Israel, he revealed

00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:48.360
 himself to us in the person of

00:35:48.920 --> 00:35:49.739
 Jesus Christ.

00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:52.579
 He delivered us from the bondage

00:35:52.579 --> 00:35:55.539
 of sin through the power of his

00:35:55.539 --> 00:35:56.159
 Holy Spirit.

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:58.619
 And he fights for us as we

00:35:58.619 --> 00:36:00.460
 journey on our way to the

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.980
 ultimate promised land, to the

00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:03.519
 heavens in this life.

00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:06.300
 His discipline is his way of

00:36:06.300 --> 00:36:08.400
 saying, hey, you're mine.

00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:10.659
 And look what I did to get

00:36:10.659 --> 00:36:10.940
 you.

00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:13.159
 Look at my son.

00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:15.480
 And it should serve as a

00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:18.539
 motivation for us to obey.

00:36:19.259 --> 00:36:20.280
 But it's not the only thing he

00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:20.699
 says here.

00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:21.400
 This is important.

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:22.920
 He says, you're mine, but it's

00:36:22.920 --> 00:36:24.099
 only because they're mine that

00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:26.000
 he can now say this next thing

00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:26.280
 to them.

00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:28.400
 He says, and you've sinned.

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:30.519
 You've sinned.

00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:34.420
 Verse 10, I'm the Lord your

00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:37.000
 God, is what he had told them.

00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:38.820
 And you shall not fear the gods

00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:39.980
 of the Amorites in whose land

00:36:39.980 --> 00:36:40.280
 you dwell.

00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:43.880
 But you have not obeyed my voice.

00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:51.280
 You know, I don't feel all that

00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:53.099
 bad about disobeying some people.

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:58.000
 But there's a uniqueness to the

00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:59.039
 times in my life when I've

00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:00.940
 disobeyed my dad.

00:37:02.460 --> 00:37:03.880
 It feels different, doesn't it?

00:37:06.019 --> 00:37:07.739
 Ashlyn and Harper, I would say,

00:37:08.360 --> 00:37:10.980
 probably are a bit embarrassed if

00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:13.259
 one of you were to ask them to do

00:37:13.259 --> 00:37:14.559
 something and they were to disobey

00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:16.019
 that instruction.

00:37:16.119 --> 00:37:17.099
 They would probably feel embarrassed

00:37:17.099 --> 00:37:18.299
 by that, but they wouldn't feel all

00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:18.679
 that bad.

00:37:19.259 --> 00:37:21.159
 You know, when they disobey me,

00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:22.000
 though, it carries a different

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.699
 weight, doesn't it?

00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:25.539
 God says, you're mine.

00:37:26.759 --> 00:37:27.559
 You've sinned.

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:31.380
 This is the modern, this is the

00:37:31.380 --> 00:37:32.900
 ancient equivalent of, I'm so

00:37:32.900 --> 00:37:33.839
 disappointed in you.

00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:39.139
 At the heart of Israel's sin was

00:37:39.139 --> 00:37:39.839
 idolatry.

00:37:42.119 --> 00:37:43.860
 They were following after the gods

00:37:43.860 --> 00:37:45.360
 of the Canaanites, conforming to

00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:47.380
 their culture in ways that God had

00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:48.299
 expressly forbidden.

00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:50.019
 In fact, everything that they faced

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:52.519
 here with Midian is exactly what God

00:37:52.519 --> 00:37:54.900
 said they would face in Deuteronomy

00:37:54.900 --> 00:37:55.280
 28.

00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:57.119
 You can read that later if you write

00:37:57.119 --> 00:37:57.800
 it in your margin.

00:37:58.259 --> 00:38:00.759
 Deuteronomy 28, 29, and 31.

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:04.500
 God sent his messenger to the people

00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:07.019
 so that they would understand that

00:38:07.019 --> 00:38:09.639
 their enemy ultimately wasn't Midian.

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:13.440
 Their enemy was their sin.

00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:17.480
 And a military victory wouldn't finally

00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:18.400
 solve their problem.

00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:20.980
 Only repentance could do that.

00:38:23.139 --> 00:38:25.900
 Thus, we discover the purpose of divine

00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:26.860
 discipline is this.

00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:31.740
 God disciplines us in order to lead us

00:38:31.740 --> 00:38:35.240
 to repentance because it is through

00:38:35.240 --> 00:38:39.039
 repentance that our fellowship with the

00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:41.099
 gracious God is restored.

00:38:43.059 --> 00:38:45.000
 Isn't that why all of this is rooted in

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:46.000
 their covenant relationship?

00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:50.000
 He disciplines to lead us to repentance

00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:52.199
 because it's only through repentance

00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:56.179
 that the sweetness of fellowship and joy

00:38:56.179 --> 00:38:59.519
 inside the covenant is restored.

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:03.179
 Now, to go all the way back to the beginning

00:39:03.179 --> 00:39:06.480
 now, if you try to pass off every hardship

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:10.539
 of your life as either bad luck or the work

00:39:10.539 --> 00:39:15.259
 of the devil, and God is actually disciplining

00:39:15.259 --> 00:39:18.559
 you to bring you to repentance, you're never

00:39:18.559 --> 00:39:21.059
 going to experience the fullness of fellowship

00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:23.980
 and joy within his covenant that you could.

00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:30.440
 If you never get to the word, how will you

00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:33.260
 understand the dynamic of your sin?

00:39:33.340 --> 00:39:35.039
 How will you understand the love of God?

00:39:35.880 --> 00:39:38.800
 So that when you do come and confess your sins

00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:41.639
 to him and turn from your sin to experience

00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.880
 that, how will you know?

00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:45.360
 This is what it's about.

00:39:47.900 --> 00:39:51.380
 In the end, discipline is grace.

00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:53.320
 It's grace.

00:39:54.940 --> 00:39:55.940
 It's loving.

00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:01.380
 A loving discipline of God, it's not only a reality,

00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:02.199
 it's a necessity.

00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:04.800
 It's never easy.

00:40:05.740 --> 00:40:08.360
 But for a Christian, it's always good.

00:40:09.019 --> 00:40:09.639
 It's always good.

00:40:11.539 --> 00:40:13.719
 And understanding the nature and process

00:40:13.719 --> 00:40:17.500
 and purpose of it is what will move us from

00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:20.800
 a position of despising the discipline of the Lord

00:40:20.800 --> 00:40:24.320
 to rejoicing in the discipline of the Lord.

00:40:26.160 --> 00:40:27.320
 Hebrews chapter 12.

00:40:28.360 --> 00:40:30.120
 He disciplines us for our good

00:40:30.120 --> 00:40:33.560
 that we may share in his holiness.

00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:37.139
 For the moment, all discipline seems painful

00:40:37.139 --> 00:40:38.400
 rather than pleasant.

00:40:39.039 --> 00:40:43.119
 But later, it yields the peaceful fruit

00:40:43.119 --> 00:40:46.779
 of righteousness to those who have been trained

00:40:46.779 --> 00:40:48.000
 by it.

00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:50.239
 Don't despise it.

00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:51.880
 Rejoice in it.

00:40:53.019 --> 00:40:54.500
 God doesn't treat you as an enemy.

00:40:54.619 --> 00:40:55.440
 If you're in Christ,

00:40:56.780 --> 00:40:57.860
 he treats you as a son.

00:40:59.139 --> 00:40:59.639
 His son.

00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:01.659
 Rejoice in his grace.

00:41:01.659 --> 00:41:02.429
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