WEBVTT

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 Today, the scripture comes from Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1 to 14.

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! I invite you to follow along in your own Bibles or on the screen above.

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 There are also Bibles around, so feel free to grab one of those.

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 The passage is on page 917.

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 Ephesians 1 verse 1 to 14.

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 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus,

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 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

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 even as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,

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 that we should be holy and blameless before him.

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 In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,

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 according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace,

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 with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

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 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,

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 according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight,

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 making known to us the mystery of his will,

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 according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ,

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 as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him,

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 things in heaven and things on earth.

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 In him we have obtained an inheritance,

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 having been predestined according to the purpose of him

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 who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

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 so that we who are the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

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 In him you also, when you heard of the word of truth,

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 the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,

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 were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

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 who is the guarantee of our inheritance,

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 until we acquire possession of it,

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 to the praise of his glory.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Let's pray together.

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 Oh, Father God, this scripture calls us to praise you and to glorify you,

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 and we join with saints throughout the ages,

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 throughout the world in doing that this morning.

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 God, all praise to you, to the praise of your glory and your grace.

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 God, thank you for all that you are.

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 You are, God, the king of everything.

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 You are the king of the mountain peaks,

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 you're the king of the valleys,

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 the king of the countryside,

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 you're the king of the cities,

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 you're the king of our hearts,

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 you're the king, God, of summer seasons and winter seasons,

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 of spring and autumn.

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 You, God, are the Lord of all creation,

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 of gigantic beasts and, God, tiny insects,

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 of the best things in life and the difficult seasons.

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 God, this morning we've come to acknowledge that you are king and Lord.

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 To you be the praise and the glory.

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 God, why don't you speak to us from your word,

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 from this passage.

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 Help us, God, as a church to,

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 for you to be big in our hearts and for us to be small.

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 God, help us, God, to live lives that are centered and surrounded on you.

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 God, we pray that, as EJ shared,

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 Lord, you really will be the pillar of this church.

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 You'll be the strength, the core, God,

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 that everything that is a watermark,

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 if there's anything good about this church,

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 it'll be you, God.

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 We pray, God, make that true of us.

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 Come speak to us, Spirit of God.

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 In your name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Well, today is obviously a day of great celebration.

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 We have so much to celebrate and be joyful about.

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 Milestones in life are a great time to celebrate.

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 Whenever you reach a milestone,

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 whether it's the birth of a new child,

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 think of Walter and Jaya had a baby girl this week,

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 what an occasion to celebrate.

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 Maybe graduating from high school or university,

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 maybe saying your wedding vows or getting a promotion.

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 Milestones, it's fitting and it's good and it's right to celebrate these occasions.

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 And for us as a church family,

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 as we move into this venue,

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 what a milestone for us as a church.

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 And it's good and right that we celebrate God's goodness to us.

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 Today I am celebrating, as Oscar said,

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 our venue search team,

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 Bernard, Colin,

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 Oscar forgot to mention himself,

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 all the amount of work he's done,

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 Oscar as well.

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 Our finance team,

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 Karen and Ed,

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 our elders,

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 Dan and Simon,

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 and all your hard work.

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 Thank you, guys.

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 I'm celebrating our amazing staff team.

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 I know I'm repeating what Oscar said,

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 but our team that have worked so long.

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 This week I got an email

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 and I saw when it was sent at 3 a.m. in the morning,

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 our staff team still finishing and finalizing everything to move in here.

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 Today we celebrate Raymond and his team for they've worked so hard to get this venue right,

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 the contractors and the builders.

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 Today we celebrate you,

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 the Watermark family,

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 for your contribution,

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 your service,

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 your coming and serving,

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 your giving,

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 your patience with delays,

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 your patience when there's no parking at Ebenezer,

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 coming to church in the rain because there was no parking.

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 Thank you,

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 Watermark,

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 for being an amazing church.

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 Just this week I was thinking,

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 so grateful to God for the privilege that I and my family have.

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 This is the most remarkable church I've ever been a part of.

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 And it's a great joy to be part of this church family.

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 But today,

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 more than anything,

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 more than anything else,

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 we celebrate God's goodness and his grace to us as a church family.

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 For all the ways that he's carried us through,

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 not just the last six months or 18 months,

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 but the last 15 years,

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 from October the 10th,

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 2010,

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 when Watermark started,

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 God's goodness and grace,

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 all praise to him,

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 to God be the glory,

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 great things he has done.

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 In Psalm 122,

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 David writes and says,

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 I was very glad when they said to me,

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 come,

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 let us go to the house of the Lord.

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 Today,

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 I am very glad and exceedingly joyful to gather with you,

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 fellow members,

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 fellow pilgrims on this journey of faith,

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 to gather in this place and worship our great God and King together.

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 This week,

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 as I was thinking,

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 praying for our time,

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 the scripture kept on coming to my mind.

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 And I want to share it with us is,

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 um,

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 there's a story in the gospels.

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 Uh,

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 I think it's in Luke 10,

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 where Jesus sends his disciples,

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 his followers out on a mission.

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 And he commissions them in his name to go and do mighty works,

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 to cast out demons,

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 to push back darkness,

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 to be agents of grace and healing in the city of Jerusalem.

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 And he sends them out.

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 And they come back a few days later,

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 rejoicing at all the great things that they've done.

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 And this is what they say,

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 Lord,

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 even the demons are subject to us in your name.

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 But Jesus responds,

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 do not rejoice in this,

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 but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

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 Friends,

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 this move to watermark has been a wonderful and a challenging journey of faith for our entire congregation.

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 Praise God.

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 But as we gather here this morning,

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 we gather not to rejoice in this.

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 We gather not to celebrate ourselves.

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 We rejoice in something far more wonderful,

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 something far more profound,

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 something far more deep and glorious.

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 This morning,

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 we've come to celebrate our God and our King,

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 our Lord and our Savior,

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 the one who upholds and sustains this church,

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 the one who upholds and sustains our faith.

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 We've come to celebrate the depth of his riches,

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 of his grace and his kindness towards us.

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 Friends,

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 today,

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 we are not the victors.

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 We are not the champions of the story.

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 We are not the overcomers.

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 The story is not about us.

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 This morning,

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 we gather,

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 as we will do for many years to come,

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 all of us,

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 pastors,

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 leaders,

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 staff,

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 congregation,

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 we gather empty handed.

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 We gather with nothing in our hands.

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 We gather this morning to receive from Christ,

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 our King,

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 what only he can give us,

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 which is his grace and his mercy,

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 to the praise of his glorious grace.

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 And so in Hebrews five,

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 it says,

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 this says,

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 let us draw near to his throne of grace,

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 that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

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 And so this morning,

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 all I want to do for us is to remind us where the throne of grace is.

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 I want to remind us who it is that we come to worship and adore this morning,

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 the center and the substance of our church,

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 so that we can come and receive the grace that we need.

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 And if you're not a follower of Jesus this morning,

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 I want to simply tell you what Jesus offers you when he invites you to trust in him.

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 So let's look at this passage that Zoe read to us.

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 Open it up in your Bibles with you.

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 If we're going to look at this passage again,

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 Ephesians chapter one,

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 and look at verse three with me.

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 The apostle Paul writes this.

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 He says,

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 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 So another translation says,

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 praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 That's what we've come to do this morning.

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 We've come to praise him,

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 to bless him for who he is.

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 We've come to lift our eyes off of the temporary,

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 off of the fleeting,

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 off of the mundane,

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 off of something like as fleeting as a building onto him and praise and glorify him.

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 But why?

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 Why should we do that?

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 Why should we praise God?

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 Well,

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 this passage tells us,

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 look at what verse three says,

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 blessed be or praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

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 He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

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 I don't know if you've ever been in a position where you weigh out of your depth or beyond your pay grade,

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 but because you're with someone special,

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 you're able to get to do things that you wouldn't normally get to do.

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 Do you know what I mean?

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 When I was growing up,

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 my father was the CEO of a big reinsurance company,

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 Africa's biggest reinsurance company.

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 And so I could go into his office and I could go places and do things and eat things out of the kitchen that nobody else was allowed to do.

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 I was able to experience privileges that people that were way more qualified than me,

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 way better than me,

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 way more deserving than me,

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 maybe not able to do.

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 And if anyone ever questioned me or asked me,

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 Hey,

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 what are you doing in there?

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 I just needed to say,

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 I'm with him,

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 right?

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 I'm with him.

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 The new Testament's favorite phrase to describe followers of Jesus is not the word Christian.

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 The word Christian actually hardly appears in the new Testament at all.

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 In fact,

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 it only appears three times.

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 And every time it appears,

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 it's,

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 it's probably used as an insult.

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 It's a derogatory term.

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 It's,

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 it's a term of mocking.

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 The phrase that the Bible uses to describe followers of Jesus are those who are in Christ,

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 those who are in Christ.

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 And what that means is that when the Bible says followers of Jesus are in Christ,

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 it means that we are so united with him,

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 so joined with him,

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 so one with him,

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 that what is true of Jesus is in a sense true of us.

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 Now we're not divine.

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 We don't become God,

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 but all the blessings,

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 all the privileges,

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 all the benefits of Christ are,

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 we so unite with him that it's almost like we're with him and we get the blessings that are associated with him.

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 And so Paul writes here and he says,

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 because those of us that are followers of Jesus are in Christ,

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 we are blessed beyond we can possibly imagine.

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 Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

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 Friends,

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 that's what we've come to celebrate the blessings of being in Christ.

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 And so what does that mean?

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 Well,

00:11:47.139 --> 00:11:49.059
 three things for us to think about this morning.

00:11:49.199 --> 00:11:50.059
 Just very simply,

00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:52.500
 Christ gives us a new start,

00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:53.459
 a new life,

00:11:53.860 --> 00:11:54.439
 a new hope.

00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:55.740
 Let's look at those things together.

00:11:56.199 --> 00:11:56.579
 Firstly,

00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:57.439
 a new start.

00:11:58.079 --> 00:11:59.579
 Look at verse seven with me.

00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:00.059
 Verse seven,

00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:00.299
 eight.

00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:03.100
 He says this in him or in Christ,

00:12:03.100 --> 00:12:06.779
 we have redemption through his blood,

00:12:07.180 --> 00:12:09.659
 the forgiveness of our sins or trespasses,

00:12:09.920 --> 00:12:13.600
 according to the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.

00:12:13.680 --> 00:12:14.080
 In him,

00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:14.960
 we have redemption.

00:12:16.500 --> 00:12:19.300
 When we use the word redemption in Hong Kong,

00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:21.000
 we don't use that word very often,

00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:24.920
 but the way that we sometimes use it is like redemption of a shopping coupon,

00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:25.360
 right?

00:12:25.399 --> 00:12:26.200
 Or a voucher.

00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:28.980
 Somebody gives you a voucher and you go and redeem the voucher.

00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:32.980
 And what that means is you given the voucher and somebody gives you something in return.

00:12:33.800 --> 00:12:34.820
 But in the ancient world,

00:12:34.940 --> 00:12:49.759
 the word redeem or redemption actually meant to pay a payment and release somebody from slavery or their financial debt or their servitude through the payment of a ransom price or redemption price.

00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:52.420
 So you pay a redemption price to someone.

00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:56.120
 You give somebody money and you set them free.

00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:58.879
 You absorb their debt as your own.

00:12:59.480 --> 00:12:59.639
 You,

00:12:59.899 --> 00:13:00.159
 um,

00:13:00.299 --> 00:13:03.600
 in order to set them free from their bondage or their debt or their servitude.

00:13:04.059 --> 00:13:05.539
 So maybe some of us here have,

00:13:05.539 --> 00:13:06.179
 uh,

00:13:06.179 --> 00:13:07.220
 student loans,

00:13:07.220 --> 00:13:09.019
 or maybe you've got some other debt.

00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.179
 You got a credit card debt,

00:13:10.179 --> 00:13:12.980
 or you owe somebody some money and you know,

00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:14.500
 the weight on your shoulders,

00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:14.779
 right?

00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:17.000
 It feels like you're a slave to that person.

00:13:17.259 --> 00:13:19.500
 You are not free until your debt is paid.

00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:27.240
 In your ancient world to set somebody free from the debt that they owed was to redeem them through price of redemption.

00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:34.399
 The Bible says that all of us are moral beings and we live in a moral universe.

00:13:34.580 --> 00:13:35.740
 I think we all know that,

00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:36.419
 right?

00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:38.440
 It's why we feel injustice.

00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:39.080
 So bad.

00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:42.100
 It's why we get so rage when things are wrong in our world.

00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:44.419
 When we read the news and read about wars and,

00:13:44.419 --> 00:13:47.860
 and invasions and innocent people dying and suffering in our world,

00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:49.060
 it riles us.

00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:49.399
 Why?

00:13:49.940 --> 00:13:51.100
 Because we're not just animals.

00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:53.600
 We're not just atoms floating around in a meaningless world.

00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:56.279
 We are moral beings in a moral world.

00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:56.879
 Okay.

00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:05.100
 But the Bible says it's not just warlords and criminals and murderers and rapists out there that have fallen short of this moral universe.

00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:06.019
 Actually,

00:14:06.060 --> 00:14:06.899
 all of us have.

00:14:07.800 --> 00:14:10.120
 All of us have fallen short in this moral universe.

00:14:10.300 --> 00:14:10.779
 All of us.

00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:11.680
 Our sin is real.

00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:13.399
 Our guilt is genuine.

00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:16.519
 Our moral debt is true.

00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.019
 Our spiritual bondage is real.

00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:21.299
 And Jesus says,

00:14:21.579 --> 00:14:22.720
 for this purpose,

00:14:22.819 --> 00:14:25.240
 I came for this reason.

00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:27.500
 I lived and died and rose again.

00:14:28.100 --> 00:14:29.460
 Remember when Jesus was asked,

00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:31.799
 why are you spending so much time with immoral people with,

00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:32.779
 with those people?

00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:34.919
 Why don't you come spend time with the religious people,

00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:35.559
 the good people?

00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:36.240
 And Jesus says,

00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:40.039
 this is why I came to give my life as a ransom,

00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:44.659
 a redemption price for many to save us from our sins.

00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:45.460
 Friends,

00:14:45.699 --> 00:14:49.000
 what the new Testament tells us again and again is that Jesus Christ,

00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:52.639
 the son of God has come to deal with our moral debt,

00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.679
 to absolve our guilt,

00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:56.639
 to cover our shame,

00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:58.720
 to give us a fresh start.

00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:00.039
 How so?

00:15:00.580 --> 00:15:01.419
 Through his blood.

00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:04.840
 The passage tells us Jesus redeemed us through his blood,

00:15:05.220 --> 00:15:06.600
 the forgiveness of our sins.

00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:08.179
 Jesus Christ,

00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:09.000
 fully God,

00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:09.779
 fully man,

00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:11.639
 our perfect representative,

00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:14.539
 our flawless substitute went to the cross,

00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:16.480
 dying for our sin,

00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:18.639
 rising for our exoneration,

00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:21.580
 that we may be set free from our moral debt,

00:15:21.659 --> 00:15:22.240
 from our sin,

00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:23.100
 from our shame,

00:15:23.199 --> 00:15:23.939
 from our guilt.

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:26.879
 Listen to the wonderful words of Ephesians chapter two,

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:29.039
 just the very next page in your Bible.

00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:30.039
 Verse one says,

00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:31.179
 as for us,

00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:31.819
 as for you,

00:15:31.899 --> 00:15:32.399
 as for us,

00:15:32.580 --> 00:15:35.199
 we were dead in our trespasses and sins,

00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.440
 in which we once walked,

00:15:36.920 --> 00:15:38.379
 following the ways of this world,

00:15:38.780 --> 00:15:42.000
 carrying out the desires of the body and the mind and the heart.

00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:43.340
 But God,

00:15:43.660 --> 00:15:45.080
 who is rich in mercy,

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:47.900
 because of his great love with which he loved us,

00:15:48.180 --> 00:15:49.980
 even when we were dead in our sins,

00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:52.720
 this God has made us alive with Christ.

00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:53.520
 By grace,

00:15:53.620 --> 00:15:54.600
 we have been saved.

00:15:55.300 --> 00:15:55.600
 Friends,

00:15:55.640 --> 00:15:57.040
 this is why Jesus has come,

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:59.300
 to give us a fresh start,

00:15:59.940 --> 00:16:01.340
 to wipe away the past.

00:16:01.780 --> 00:16:02.120
 Remember,

00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.800
 John Stott's famous words,

00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:06.560
 describing Jesus' redemption.

00:16:06.780 --> 00:16:07.480
 This is what he said.

00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:09.120
 The essence of sin,

00:16:09.660 --> 00:16:11.980
 is man substituting himself for God.

00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:13.680
 The essence of salvation,

00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:15.720
 is God substituting himself for man.

00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:18.560
 Man asserts himself against God,

00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:20.620
 and puts himself where only God deserves to be.

00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:23.759
 God sacrifices himself for man,

00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:25.759
 and puts himself where man deserves to be.

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:27.639
 Man claims prerogative,

00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:28.920
 that belong to God alone.

00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:30.779
 God accepts penalties,

00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:32.839
 that belong to man alone.

00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:34.079
 Friends,

00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:35.059
 Jesus Christ,

00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:36.740
 a wonderful savior.

00:16:37.419 --> 00:16:39.419
 And we must be careful to remember,

00:16:39.599 --> 00:16:42.079
 that Jesus isn't just a therapeutic savior.

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:45.019
 He hasn't come just to make us feel better.

00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:46.779
 He's an actual savior,

00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:49.439
 that's come to deal with actual moral failure.

00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:51.479
 Jesus hasn't come just to tell us,

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:52.899
 don't worry about your sin,

00:16:52.980 --> 00:16:54.120
 don't worry about your shame,

00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:54.699
 it's okay,

00:16:54.959 --> 00:16:55.759
 just forget it.

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:57.819
 Jesus has come to assume it,

00:16:57.820 --> 00:16:59.100
 to bear it,

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.540
 to take it as his own,

00:17:01.020 --> 00:17:02.120
 to ransom us.

00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:04.299
 In him we have redemption,

00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:06.080
 through his blood,

00:17:06.580 --> 00:17:07.940
 the forgiveness of our sins,

00:17:08.340 --> 00:17:10.299
 according to the riches of his grace,

00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:12.320
 which he has lavished upon us.

00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:13.240
 Friends,

00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:15.019
 why the apostle Paul writes elsewhere,

00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:15.820
 in the New Testament,

00:17:16.320 --> 00:17:17.880
 if anyone is in Christ,

00:17:18.380 --> 00:17:19.559
 he is a new creation.

00:17:20.080 --> 00:17:21.480
 The old is gone,

00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:23.240
 behold all things are new.

00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:25.200
 It's why when people get baptized,

00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:26.740
 they go down in the water,

00:17:26.860 --> 00:17:28.299
 as a symbol that the old life,

00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:29.460
 is dead and buried,

00:17:29.580 --> 00:17:30.200
 it is gone,

00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:31.880
 and raised to new life,

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.460
 Jesus has come to give us,

00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:34.660
 a new start.

00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:35.500
 Friends,

00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:36.460
 it's why when the Israelites,

00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:37.420
 left Egypt,

00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:39.000
 they were ransomed,

00:17:39.100 --> 00:17:39.660
 and redeemed,

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.720
 by the blood of the lambs,

00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:42.580
 and the sheep.

00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:44.140
 When they left Egypt,

00:17:44.259 --> 00:17:45.279
 and went into promised land,

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:46.039
 God said to them,

00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:47.480
 this is the first day,

00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:48.660
 of the new year for you.

00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:49.680
 From now on,

00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:50.340
 your calendar,

00:17:50.580 --> 00:17:51.180
 your diary,

00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:52.340
 your whole life,

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:52.900
 as a nation,

00:17:53.060 --> 00:17:54.000
 starts again.

00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:55.200
 I'm giving you,

00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:55.980
 a new start.

00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:58.400
 Friends,

00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:59.180
 wouldn't we all like,

00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.400
 a chance to start again?

00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:03.539
 To start this year again?

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:05.920
 To start our studies again?

00:18:06.620 --> 00:18:08.460
 To start our relationships again?

00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:10.900
 To start our marriage again?

00:18:11.660 --> 00:18:13.380
 To start our parenting again?

00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:14.940
 Friends,

00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:16.140
 wouldn't we all love to know,

00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:17.279
 that our words,

00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:17.900
 our thoughts,

00:18:18.100 --> 00:18:18.720
 our actions,

00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:20.200
 our guilt,

00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:20.740
 and our shame,

00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:21.640
 have been dealt with?

00:18:22.860 --> 00:18:23.140
 Friends,

00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:24.539
 is there anything in your story,

00:18:24.600 --> 00:18:25.940
 that you wish you could undo,

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:27.200
 delete,

00:18:27.360 --> 00:18:28.039
 or remove?

00:18:29.100 --> 00:18:29.860
 Jesus Christ,

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:30.620
 has come to deal,

00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:31.140
 with our sin,

00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:31.759
 and our shame,

00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:33.720
 so that those who are in Christ,

00:18:33.860 --> 00:18:34.819
 can be truly renewed.

00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:35.259
 In him,

00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:36.019
 we have redemption,

00:18:36.259 --> 00:18:37.059
 a fresh start,

00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:38.339
 through his blood,

00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.140
 the forgiveness of our sins,

00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:41.960
 which he has lavished upon,

00:18:42.360 --> 00:18:44.039
 according to riches of his grace,

00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:45.180
 that he's lavished upon us.

00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.079
 A new start.

00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:46.519
 Secondly,

00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:47.339
 a new life.

00:18:47.339 --> 00:18:48.759
 Now,

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.539
 one of the things we must,

00:18:49.659 --> 00:18:51.179
 constantly be aware of,

00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:52.359
 and guard against,

00:18:52.459 --> 00:18:53.399
 is the idea that Jesus,

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:54.679
 is simply the entrance,

00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:55.959
 into the Christian life.

00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:57.240
 Jesus is somehow,

00:18:57.379 --> 00:18:58.259
 the golden ticket,

00:18:58.379 --> 00:18:58.659
 to get,

00:18:58.779 --> 00:18:59.480
 that gets us into,

00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:00.779
 Willy Wonka's chocolate factory,

00:19:00.879 --> 00:19:01.039
 right?

00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:02.179
 And if you get the golden ticket,

00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:03.059
 you're in.

00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:05.139
 And then you just live as you please.

00:19:05.679 --> 00:19:06.079
 Actually,

00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:07.459
 those that are followers of Jesus,

00:19:07.639 --> 00:19:08.339
 know that Jesus,

00:19:08.459 --> 00:19:09.579
 isn't just the entry,

00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:10.579
 into the Christian life,

00:19:10.659 --> 00:19:11.699
 he is the life.

00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.939
 He is our entire life.

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:14.699
 Jesus hasn't just dealt,

00:19:14.699 --> 00:19:15.399
 with our past,

00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:17.720
 he's come to reframe our entire existence,

00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:19.600
 and give us a new identity,

00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:20.160
 altogether.

00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:22.019
 And so look at verse 4,

00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:23.040
 to 6 with me.

00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:24.980
 Reading from verse 3,

00:19:25.060 --> 00:19:25.200
 actually,

00:19:25.280 --> 00:19:25.440
 he says,

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.780
 Blessed be the God and Father,

00:19:26.860 --> 00:19:27.800
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:19:27.860 --> 00:19:29.540
 who has blessed us in Christ,

00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:30.780
 with every spiritual blessing.

00:19:31.280 --> 00:19:32.140
 The end of verse 4,

00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:46.860
 A few years ago,

00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.860
 I was talking with a friend of mine,

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.460
 who,

00:19:51.100 --> 00:19:52.500
 the last 10 years or so,

00:19:52.580 --> 00:19:54.080
 has bounced around from job,

00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:54.500
 to job,

00:19:54.580 --> 00:19:54.940
 to job.

00:19:54.940 --> 00:19:56.440
 And he would get a new job,

00:19:56.840 --> 00:19:58.740
 dive in 200%,

00:19:58.740 --> 00:20:00.720
 expend all his energy,

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.960
 for a year or two,

00:20:02.100 --> 00:20:03.640
 and then very quickly leave,

00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:05.180
 and then move to the next job.

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:07.160
 And then you dive in 200%,

00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:08.519
 and then quickly leave.

00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:09.759
 And he's bounced around,

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.319
 after job,

00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:10.640
 job,

00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:11.019
 career,

00:20:11.180 --> 00:20:11.460
 career,

00:20:11.860 --> 00:20:13.079
 never feeling settled,

00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:15.360
 never really finding his feet.

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.200
 And on the phone to me,

00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:18.259
 two years ago,

00:20:18.299 --> 00:20:18.880
 he said this,

00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:19.240
 he said,

00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.960
 So much of my life and identity,

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.759
 has been shaped,

00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.180
 by an orphan mentality.

00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:25.819
 The sense that I never feel secure,

00:20:26.360 --> 00:20:27.860
 I'm never quite good enough,

00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:29.640
 always needing to hustle,

00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:31.420
 to justify to myself,

00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.200
 why I'm not a failure.

00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:36.600
 Orphan mentality.

00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:37.900
 Friends,

00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:39.400
 look at Paul's words to us here,

00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:39.960
 this morning.

00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:40.920
 Look what he says.

00:20:41.800 --> 00:20:42.880
 These promises of God.

00:20:43.060 --> 00:20:43.560
 In love,

00:20:43.660 --> 00:20:44.860
 he has predestined us,

00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:45.900
 for adoption,

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:47.580
 to himself,

00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.480
 through Jesus Christ,

00:20:49.580 --> 00:20:50.780
 according to the purpose,

00:20:50.780 --> 00:20:51.640
 of his will.

00:20:52.620 --> 00:20:52.820
 Friends,

00:20:52.860 --> 00:20:54.120
 the God we've come to worship,

00:20:54.280 --> 00:20:54.700
 and adore,

00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:56.060
 and praise this morning,

00:20:56.300 --> 00:20:58.900
 from whom we receive grace today,

00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:00.259
 invites us to leave,

00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:01.980
 our orphan mentality behind.

00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:03.420
 To leave aside,

00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.080
 the hustling,

00:21:04.180 --> 00:21:04.940
 and the restlessness,

00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:05.740
 the fighting,

00:21:05.860 --> 00:21:06.560
 and the striving,

00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:07.800
 and to rest,

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:08.640
 and to collapse,

00:21:09.040 --> 00:21:09.740
 into his arms,

00:21:09.820 --> 00:21:11.380
 of everlasting love.

00:21:12.340 --> 00:21:12.740
 Friends,

00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:14.259
 God is not a social worker,

00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:15.680
 and we are not his projects.

00:21:16.460 --> 00:21:17.519
 God is not a teacher,

00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:18.759
 and we are his students.

00:21:19.280 --> 00:21:20.560
 The God we've come to worship,

00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:21.100
 this morning,

00:21:21.180 --> 00:21:22.140
 is the kind of father,

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:23.860
 we all wish that we had had,

00:21:24.340 --> 00:21:25.440
 and many of us in this room,

00:21:25.540 --> 00:21:26.560
 wish that we could be.

00:21:27.379 --> 00:21:28.399
 He is the most caring,

00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:29.159
 and kind,

00:21:29.559 --> 00:21:31.039
 the most immeasurably loving,

00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:32.839
 and infinitely patient.

00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:35.000
 The father who will bring us,

00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:36.460
 into his family of love,

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:37.139
 who will bring us,

00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:38.359
 into him very self.

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:39.639
 And the Bible says,

00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:41.419
 that before the world began,

00:21:41.539 --> 00:21:42.500
 before you had done,

00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:43.619
 a single thing,

00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:44.779
 good or bad,

00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:45.940
 to qualify,

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:47.519
 or disqualify yourself,

00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:49.519
 this father of creation,

00:21:49.679 --> 00:21:51.579
 set his love upon you,

00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:52.879
 and chose you,

00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:53.759
 if you're in Christ,

00:21:53.919 --> 00:21:54.899
 to bring you,

00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:56.100
 into his heart,

00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.140
 into his love,

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.400
 into his family.

00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:00.840
 Not because of what he saw in us,

00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:02.500
 but because of what's in him.

00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.340
 That we might know him,

00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:06.300
 and rest secure in him.

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:07.800
 You know,

00:22:07.820 --> 00:22:09.700
 many of us know Jesus' famous parable,

00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:11.019
 of the prodigal son,

00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:11.320
 right?

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:12.600
 His two sons,

00:22:13.100 --> 00:22:14.440
 the youngest son goes to his dad,

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:14.740
 and says,

00:22:14.820 --> 00:22:15.040
 dad,

00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:15.860
 give me my money,

00:22:16.120 --> 00:22:16.820
 I want to flee.

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.180
 And he takes his share,

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:18.780
 of the inheritance,

00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:20.660
 and he flees to another city,

00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:21.940
 and he lives it up,

00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:22.759
 in lavish living,

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:24.119
 and he wastes all his money,

00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:25.819
 and he comes back,

00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:26.599
 empty handed,

00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:27.519
 shame faced,

00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:28.619
 with his head bowed down.

00:22:29.259 --> 00:22:29.480
 He says,

00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:29.759
 father,

00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:30.480
 I'm not worthy,

00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:31.339
 to be called your son.

00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:32.720
 And the father sees him,

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:33.460
 from a long way off,

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.640
 and runs towards him,

00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:35.900
 and throws his arms around him,

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:36.160
 and says,

00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:36.819
 my son,

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:38.420
 welcome home.

00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:39.839
 And,

00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:41.559
 but as many commentators,

00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:42.160
 have pointed out,

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:42.859
 in recent years,

00:22:42.940 --> 00:22:44.180
 what's maybe even more important,

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:44.839
 is the story,

00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:45.799
 of the second son,

00:22:45.879 --> 00:22:46.640
 the older brother.

00:22:47.779 --> 00:22:48.619
 And the story,

00:22:48.619 --> 00:22:49.440
 of the prodigal son,

00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:50.519
 ends like this.

00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:51.299
 The older brother,

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:52.839
 refuses to go into the house,

00:22:52.879 --> 00:22:53.819
 and welcome his brother.

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.900
 And the dad goes out to him,

00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:56.220
 and says,

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:56.839
 what's wrong?

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:57.940
 And this is what he says,

00:22:58.319 --> 00:22:58.720
 look,

00:22:59.139 --> 00:22:59.980
 all these years,

00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.839
 I've served you,

00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:02.740
 I've never disobeyed your commands.

00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.940
 But when this son of yours,

00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:06.579
 who has devoured your property,

00:23:06.639 --> 00:23:07.660
 with disgraceful living,

00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:08.879
 when he comes home,

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:11.039
 you welcome him lavishly.

00:23:11.579 --> 00:23:13.379
 And the story just ends there,

00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:14.700
 and Jesus leaves us hanging.

00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:16.339
 Why is he doing that?

00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:17.799
 Friends,

00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:19.379
 what Jesus is wanting us to see,

00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:21.140
 is that even though the elder son,

00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:23.160
 has excelled in filial piety,

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.960
 he has been a faithful,

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:25.920
 obedient son,

00:23:26.020 --> 00:23:26.680
 relationally,

00:23:26.760 --> 00:23:28.000
 he is much further away,

00:23:28.060 --> 00:23:28.920
 than the younger son.

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:31.000
 He might live in the home,

00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:31.680
 of the father,

00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:32.680
 but he's an orphan.

00:23:33.280 --> 00:23:34.660
 He has an orphan mentality,

00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:35.680
 because he thinks,

00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:37.560
 he always needs to justify himself,

00:23:37.660 --> 00:23:38.540
 why he should be loved.

00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:39.780
 He needs to prove,

00:23:39.860 --> 00:23:40.700
 that he's not a nobody.

00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:42.840
 Friends,

00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:44.160
 the God that we've come to worship,

00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.780
 this morning,

00:23:44.920 --> 00:23:46.560
 invites us to a whole new life,

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:48.360
 a whole new identity,

00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:49.599
 identity,

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.639
 an identity that is not achieved,

00:23:50.719 --> 00:23:51.519
 or is not earned,

00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:52.519
 is not hustled,

00:23:53.159 --> 00:23:55.159
 an identity that is received by grace.

00:23:55.819 --> 00:23:57.559
 J.I. Packer famously wrote in his book,

00:23:57.679 --> 00:23:58.359
 if you want to know,

00:23:58.519 --> 00:24:00.319
 how well a person understands Christianity,

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:02.959
 find out how much they make,

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:04.799
 of the thought of being God's child,

00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:07.019
 of having God as his or her father.

00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:08.919
 If this is not the thought,

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:09.699
 that prompts,

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.240
 and controls our worship,

00:24:11.339 --> 00:24:11.799
 our prayer,

00:24:11.899 --> 00:24:13.319
 our entire outlook on life,

00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.759
 it means we do not understand,

00:24:14.759 --> 00:24:16.059
 Christianity very well.

00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:17.339
 For father,

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:19.379
 is the Christian name for God.

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:20.579
 Friends,

00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:21.400
 we live in a city,

00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:22.720
 that thrives,

00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:24.440
 of those that have an orphan mentality.

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:25.599
 Because,

00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:28.000
 those who need to prove to themselves,

00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:29.339
 why they are good enough,

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:30.859
 make very good employees.

00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:32.859
 And are often very successful,

00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.200
 right?

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:34.960
 If you want someone to work hard,

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.720
 just find somebody,

00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:36.879
 that has an orphan mentality,

00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:38.539
 and just dangle that carrot,

00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:40.339
 and they will work incredibly hard.

00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:41.839
 They'll burn themselves into the ground.

00:24:42.419 --> 00:24:43.039
 And so this city,

00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.799
 thrives off people like that,

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.039
 right?

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.279
 Those who need to prove,

00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:47.179
 that we're not a failure.

00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:49.699
 But underneath the shine,

00:24:49.879 --> 00:24:50.899
 underneath the success,

00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:52.059
 underneath the titles,

00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:52.740
 and the promotion,

00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:53.720
 there's a deep,

00:24:53.919 --> 00:24:54.199
 dark,

00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:55.099
 lingering question.

00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:56.539
 Am I good enough?

00:24:57.459 --> 00:24:58.339
 Am I good enough?

00:24:59.220 --> 00:24:59.539
 Friends,

00:24:59.659 --> 00:25:00.299
 Jesus Christ,

00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:01.339
 gives us a different story,

00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:01.980
 for our lives.

00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:03.319
 He gives us a new life.

00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:04.899
 And Jesus Christ,

00:25:04.959 --> 00:25:06.259
 gives us a lasting identity.

00:25:06.439 --> 00:25:07.480
 One that isn't achieved,

00:25:07.579 --> 00:25:08.740
 through back-breaking effort.

00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:10.359
 One that isn't earned,

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:11.339
 through filial piety,

00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:12.599
 or religious performance,

00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:14.240
 or industry accolades.

00:25:14.359 --> 00:25:15.220
 One that is received,

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.299
 by bringing nothing.

00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:18.039
 By coming empty-handed.

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.660
 By stepping out,

00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:20.519
 of the orphan mentality,

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:20.880
 and say,

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.319
 Christ,

00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:22.480
 give me your grace.

00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:24.480
 Jesus gives us a new life.

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:25.539
 And finally,

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:26.440
 Jesus gives us,

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:27.259
 a new hope.

00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:29.799
 Look at verse 11 to 14,

00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:30.839
 with me.

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.859
 Paul writes this,

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.500
 In him,

00:25:33.620 --> 00:25:34.339
 there's our phrase,

00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:35.079
 in Christ.

00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:35.640
 In Christ,

00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:36.380
 we have obtained,

00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.079
 an inheritance.

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:38.720
 Having been predestined,

00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:40.440
 according to the purpose of him,

00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.940
 who works all things,

00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:43.000
 according to the counsel,

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.680
 of his will.

00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:44.640
 So that we,

00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:46.120
 who were the first to hope in Christ,

00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:47.259
 might be to the praise,

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:47.900
 of his glory.

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.059
 In him,

00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:49.740
 you also,

00:25:50.019 --> 00:25:51.259
 when you heard the word of truth,

00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:52.680
 the gospel of your salvation,

00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:53.660
 and believed in him,

00:25:54.019 --> 00:25:54.720
 were sealed,

00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:56.140
 with the promised Holy Spirit,

00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:57.460
 who is the guarantee,

00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:58.319
 of our inheritance,

00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:59.579
 until we acquire,

00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:00.519
 the possession of it,

00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:01.599
 to the praise,

00:26:01.660 --> 00:26:02.319
 of his glory.

00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:03.400
 Friends,

00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.099
 imagine one day,

00:26:04.519 --> 00:26:05.799
 you receive a letter in the post,

00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:07.620
 and it's got an official stamp on it.

00:26:08.159 --> 00:26:09.419
 You open up the envelope,

00:26:09.659 --> 00:26:10.719
 and there's a letter inside,

00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.619
 and the letter says,

00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:13.839
 your long lost relative,

00:26:14.199 --> 00:26:14.979
 has died.

00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:16.619
 I'm so sorry to tell you.

00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:17.459
 But,

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.339
 the good news is,

00:26:18.679 --> 00:26:19.899
 they've left you an inheritance,

00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:21.599
 of a hundred million dollars.

00:26:22.639 --> 00:26:23.179
 Praise God.

00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:24.259
 And,

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:26.039
 this inheritance,

00:26:26.739 --> 00:26:27.799
 is only due,

00:26:27.899 --> 00:26:29.059
 it's locked up investments,

00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:30.099
 it'll come your way,

00:26:30.139 --> 00:26:31.239
 in about ten years time.

00:26:31.679 --> 00:26:31.939
 Okay.

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:33.019
 But,

00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:34.660
 as a guarantee,

00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:35.980
 as a foretaste,

00:26:36.059 --> 00:26:37.299
 as a little deposit,

00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:38.100
 just to make you,

00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:40.000
 just to make you know,

00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:41.200
 that this is for certain,

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:41.759
 and for real,

00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:43.299
 attached as a check,

00:26:43.380 --> 00:26:44.420
 for ten million dollars,

00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:45.140
 in the meantime.

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.039
 Right.

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:47.820
 I don't know if you've ever received,

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:48.519
 a letter like that.

00:26:48.580 --> 00:26:49.160
 I have not.

00:26:49.340 --> 00:26:50.420
 But if anyone wants to add me,

00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:50.960
 to your will,

00:26:51.180 --> 00:26:52.380
 you can come and chat to me afterwards,

00:26:52.539 --> 00:26:54.180
 and I will gladly receive.

00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:57.400
 The Apostle Paul tells us,

00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.140
 that those of us,

00:26:58.200 --> 00:26:59.259
 that are in Christ,

00:26:59.259 --> 00:27:00.920
 have received an inheritance.

00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:02.640
 What's an inheritance?

00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:05.359
 Inheritance is a gift of grace,

00:27:05.379 --> 00:27:06.700
 that is allocated to you,

00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:08.460
 that is set aside for you.

00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:10.039
 It's not something you earn,

00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:11.440
 it's not something you achieve,

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:13.359
 it's not something that is deserved,

00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:14.000
 or merited.

00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:15.660
 It's a gift of grace,

00:27:15.700 --> 00:27:16.539
 that is allocated,

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.259
 and set aside for you.

00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:20.240
 And Paul tells us here,

00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:22.279
 that we have received inheritance.

00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:24.279
 What is this gift of grace,

00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:24.920
 that we've received?

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.200
 Well,

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:26.379
 it's not a hundred million dollars,

00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:27.980
 it's not a house in the Maldives,

00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:29.019
 or a Swiss bank account.

00:27:29.619 --> 00:27:30.759
 Those things will all perish,

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:31.740
 or fade one day.

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:32.839
 Friends,

00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:34.160
 what is the greatest gift,

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:35.000
 that God,

00:27:35.180 --> 00:27:36.379
 the God of the universe,

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:37.680
 the one who brought the cosmos,

00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:38.220
 into being,

00:27:38.299 --> 00:27:39.440
 what is the greatest gift,

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:41.039
 that he could give us?

00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:42.799
 A gift that won't perish,

00:27:42.879 --> 00:27:43.339
 or fade?

00:27:43.700 --> 00:27:45.559
 A gift that won't corrupt us,

00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:46.500
 or be corrupted?

00:27:47.099 --> 00:27:48.160
 A gift that will still,

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:49.339
 satisfy our hearts,

00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:50.859
 in a hundred billion years from now?

00:27:51.879 --> 00:27:52.859
 You know what that gift is?

00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:54.180
 It's himself.

00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:56.839
 God has given us himself.

00:27:57.659 --> 00:27:59.519
 And in this fallen and broken world,

00:27:59.659 --> 00:28:00.779
 corrupted and incomplete,

00:28:02.059 --> 00:28:03.639
 God steps into our world,

00:28:03.679 --> 00:28:03.980
 and he says,

00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:05.319
 I want to give you a gift,

00:28:05.419 --> 00:28:07.039
 that will never be corrupted,

00:28:07.199 --> 00:28:08.079
 or never perish,

00:28:08.199 --> 00:28:09.099
 or fade.

00:28:09.099 --> 00:28:11.699
 A gift that will never be fallen,

00:28:11.699 --> 00:28:12.199
 or broken.

00:28:12.339 --> 00:28:13.219
 I will give you myself.

00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:14.859
 And God comes in,

00:28:14.899 --> 00:28:15.639
 and he steps in,

00:28:15.679 --> 00:28:16.959
 and he makes a promise to us,

00:28:16.959 --> 00:28:17.619
 that one day,

00:28:17.699 --> 00:28:19.519
 he is making the whole world new again.

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:21.079
 He is making all things new.

00:28:21.619 --> 00:28:22.899
 And in that world to come,

00:28:23.019 --> 00:28:23.240
 friends,

00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:24.500
 there will be no suffering.

00:28:25.159 --> 00:28:26.299
 There will be no more tears.

00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:27.740
 There will be no more agony.

00:28:28.399 --> 00:28:29.679
 There will be no more disappointments.

00:28:30.139 --> 00:28:31.019
 There will be no more pain.

00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:32.799
 There will be no more burglaries,

00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:33.399
 and stealing.

00:28:34.059 --> 00:28:35.059
 There will be no more shaming.

00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:37.359
 That world will be perfect forever,

00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:38.199
 and it will be perfect,

00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:39.619
 because God himself is there,

00:28:39.679 --> 00:28:41.000
 and we will be delighting in him,

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.240
 forever and ever.

00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:44.879
 And Christ our King is coming to us,

00:28:45.159 --> 00:28:47.240
 and he promises that he's going to take us there.

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.639
 But in the meantime,

00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:50.000
 he gives us a down payment.

00:28:50.520 --> 00:28:51.520
 He gives us a guarantee,

00:28:51.700 --> 00:28:52.820
 a full taste of heaven,

00:28:53.320 --> 00:28:55.080
 a promise that what he has said is true.

00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:56.860
 And so what does God give us?

00:28:57.300 --> 00:28:58.880
 Well, it's not a $10 million check.

00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:00.540
 He gives us himself.

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:02.300
 He gives us the Holy Spirit,

00:29:02.820 --> 00:29:05.200
 the very presence of the eternal God,

00:29:05.320 --> 00:29:06.080
 uncreated,

00:29:06.860 --> 00:29:07.380
 awesome,

00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:08.060
 sovereign,

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:08.980
 magnificent,

00:29:09.360 --> 00:29:09.800
 invisible,

00:29:10.120 --> 00:29:10.640
 mysterious,

00:29:10.860 --> 00:29:11.600
 uncontrollable.

00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:12.880
 God himself,

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.080
 he gives him to us,

00:29:14.600 --> 00:29:15.740
 so that he will lead us home.

00:29:16.380 --> 00:29:16.800
 In him,

00:29:16.800 --> 00:29:17.360
 you also,

00:29:17.520 --> 00:29:18.620
 when you heard the word of truth,

00:29:19.060 --> 00:29:20.240
 the gospel of your salvation,

00:29:20.380 --> 00:29:21.240
 and believed in him,

00:29:21.520 --> 00:29:23.320
 you were sealed with the Holy Spirit,

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:25.780
 a guarantee that our inheritance will come,

00:29:26.220 --> 00:29:27.940
 until we acquire possession of it,

00:29:28.300 --> 00:29:29.759
 to the praise of his glory.

00:29:31.120 --> 00:29:32.120
 As we come to close,

00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:32.320
 you know,

00:29:32.360 --> 00:29:33.360
 the Ephesian church,

00:29:33.840 --> 00:29:34.980
 was a very small church.

00:29:35.060 --> 00:29:36.940
 It was probably only 20 or 30 people.

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:38.280
 It was pretty small.

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:40.460
 And I met in the great big city of Ephesus.

00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:42.259
 Ephesus was an amazing city.

00:29:42.360 --> 00:29:43.720
 It was a center of culture,

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:45.140
 a center of commerce,

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.380
 a center of worship.

00:29:47.080 --> 00:29:49.080
 And in the great big city of Ephesus,

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.360
 300,000 people,

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:52.180
 here in somebody's little home,

00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:54.820
 gathered the small church of 20 or 30 people.

00:29:55.380 --> 00:29:56.960
 They probably didn't feel very important.

00:29:57.600 --> 00:29:58.760
 They didn't feel very significant.

00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:01.060
 They certainly didn't feel very powerful,

00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:04.400
 compared to the might of the powerful Roman Empire.

00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:07.140
 And they probably didn't feel very blessed either.

00:30:07.880 --> 00:30:09.200
 But here Paul writes them,

00:30:09.220 --> 00:30:09.540
 it says,

00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:11.320
 because they are in Jesus,

00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:13.200
 they are more blessed,

00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:15.060
 than anything they can imagine.

00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:15.740
 More privileged,

00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:16.300
 more favored,

00:30:16.380 --> 00:30:17.960
 they could ever hope to be true.

00:30:18.560 --> 00:30:18.840
 Why?

00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:20.000
 Because they are in Christ.

00:30:20.560 --> 00:30:21.440
 And being in Christ,

00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.280
 means they are blessed,

00:30:22.320 --> 00:30:24.720
 with everything that is true of Christ himself.

00:30:25.400 --> 00:30:27.080
 Blessed be the God and Father,

00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:28.080
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:29.700
 who has blessed us,

00:30:29.820 --> 00:30:30.540
 in Christ,

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:31.859
 with every spiritual blessing,

00:30:32.339 --> 00:30:33.319
 in the heavenly places.

00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:34.319
 Friends,

00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:35.240
 these blessings,

00:30:35.399 --> 00:30:36.779
 are not in watermark.

00:30:37.379 --> 00:30:38.299
 They are in Christ.

00:30:40.099 --> 00:30:40.379
 Friends,

00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:41.539
 the blessings are not earned,

00:30:41.579 --> 00:30:42.099
 or merited.

00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:43.180
 They are not achieved,

00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:43.940
 or deserved.

00:30:44.399 --> 00:30:45.519
 They are gifts of grace.

00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:47.139
 They are not given to the brilliant,

00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.000
 the smart,

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:48.799
 the powerful,

00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:49.440
 the privileged.

00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:51.559
 They are given to those,

00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.659
 who come empty handed,

00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:52.980
 and say,

00:30:53.079 --> 00:30:53.339
 Jesus,

00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.019
 I need you.

00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:56.019
 A few weeks ago,

00:30:56.099 --> 00:30:56.879
 Scotty Scheffler,

00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:58.700
 the number one golfer in the world,

00:30:59.119 --> 00:31:00.099
 caused a real stir.

00:31:00.099 --> 00:31:00.699
 You know why?

00:31:01.619 --> 00:31:02.299
 It's a few days,

00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:03.359
 before the British Open,

00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:04.480
 the most prestigious,

00:31:04.659 --> 00:31:06.319
 and oldest golf competition,

00:31:06.459 --> 00:31:06.799
 in the world.

00:31:06.899 --> 00:31:07.059
 Right?

00:31:07.199 --> 00:31:08.099
 He's the number one golfer,

00:31:08.159 --> 00:31:08.519
 in the world.

00:31:08.859 --> 00:31:10.839
 He's earned 100 million US dollars,

00:31:10.839 --> 00:31:11.980
 in his 10 year career.

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.299
 He's been number one,

00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:14.359
 for a couple of years.

00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:15.480
 And two days,

00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:16.419
 before the competition,

00:31:16.619 --> 00:31:17.579
 he's at a press conference,

00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:18.559
 and this is what he says.

00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:19.319
 He says,

00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.419
 being number one in the world,

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:21.519
 winning all this money,

00:31:21.659 --> 00:31:22.559
 winning all these competitions,

00:31:23.159 --> 00:31:24.779
 this is not a very fulfilling life.

00:31:25.319 --> 00:31:25.879
 Everyone's like,

00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:26.619
 what?

00:31:27.159 --> 00:31:27.799
 He says,

00:31:28.199 --> 00:31:28.699
 well yes,

00:31:28.699 --> 00:31:29.259
 it's fulfilling,

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:29.959
 in the sense of a,

00:31:29.960 --> 00:31:31.319
 accomplishing a couple of things,

00:31:31.840 --> 00:31:32.720
 but it's not fulfilling,

00:31:32.819 --> 00:31:34.000
 in the deepest places,

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:34.660
 of your heart.

00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:36.460
 If I win this competition,

00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:37.380
 which he did win,

00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:39.400
 it's going to be awesome,

00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:40.940
 for two whole minutes.

00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:42.220
 But next week,

00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:43.180
 I'm going to have to get up,

00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:44.319
 and do it all over again.

00:31:45.340 --> 00:31:46.019
 Scotty Scheffler,

00:31:46.120 --> 00:31:46.539
 is a Christian,

00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:47.160
 and he knows,

00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:48.420
 where real fulfillment is found.

00:31:49.120 --> 00:31:49.420
 Friends,

00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:50.340
 in six months time,

00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:51.440
 this building,

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:52.279
 is going to feel,

00:31:52.360 --> 00:31:53.400
 ordinary and familiar.

00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:55.180
 And in 20 years time,

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:55.799
 this venue,

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:56.420
 is going to feel,

00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:57.240
 old and tired.

00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:59.120
 And 200 years time,

00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.539
 nobody's going to remember,

00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:01.940
 and nobody's going to care,

00:32:02.019 --> 00:32:02.880
 about Viva Place.

00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:04.039
 But friends,

00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:05.539
 in 100 billion years from now,

00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:06.400
 those of us,

00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.200
 that have come to know,

00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:08.140
 the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:32:08.220 --> 00:32:09.299
 and experience his grace,

00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:10.880
 will still be celebrating,

00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:12.519
 will still be rejoicing,

00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:14.079
 will still be delighting,

00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:15.000
 in the love of the Father,

00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:16.440
 the joy of the Spirit,

00:32:16.599 --> 00:32:17.579
 and the grace of the Son.

00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:19.420
 As I come to close,

00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:20.480
 in 1861,

00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:21.359
 London,

00:32:21.579 --> 00:32:22.640
 a church,

00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:24.160
 called New Park Street Church,

00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:25.220
 moved into a new building,

00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:26.940
 5,000 seater auditorium,

00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:27.900
 a little bigger than ours.

00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:28.980
 And,

00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:31.600
 at the very first service,

00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:32.480
 at this new church,

00:32:32.600 --> 00:32:33.360
 the young preacher,

00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.500
 his name was Charles Spurgeon,

00:32:34.700 --> 00:32:35.420
 he said this.

00:32:36.579 --> 00:32:36.880
 He said,

00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:37.620
 I propose,

00:32:37.779 --> 00:32:38.319
 that the subject,

00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:39.839
 of the ministry of this house,

00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:42.079
 as long as this church shall stand,

00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:43.240
 and as long as this house,

00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:44.740
 is frequented by worshipers,

00:32:45.160 --> 00:32:46.160
 the subject must be,

00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:47.600
 the person of Jesus Christ.

00:32:48.120 --> 00:32:48.700
 I'm not ashamed,

00:32:48.700 --> 00:32:50.000
 to call myself a Calvinist,

00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:51.180
 I do not hesitate,

00:32:51.180 --> 00:32:52.400
 to take the name Baptist,

00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:53.680
 but if I'm asked,

00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:55.059
 what is your creed,

00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:56.119
 this is my reply,

00:32:56.379 --> 00:32:57.960
 it is Jesus Christ.

00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:59.139
 The legacy,

00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:00.500
 to which we must pin,

00:33:00.619 --> 00:33:02.059
 and bind ourselves forever,

00:33:02.339 --> 00:33:03.519
 is Jesus Christ.

00:33:03.899 --> 00:33:04.779
 He is the arm,

00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:05.980
 and the substance of the gospel,

00:33:06.419 --> 00:33:07.299
 he is himself,

00:33:07.419 --> 00:33:08.039
 all theology,

00:33:08.539 --> 00:33:09.019
 the incarnation,

00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:10.480
 of every precious truth.

00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:11.460
 Friends,

00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:12.579
 may that be true of us.

00:33:13.159 --> 00:33:14.639
 We're not quite 5,000 people,

00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:16.039
 and that's not necessarily,

00:33:16.159 --> 00:33:17.119
 our goal or our aim,

00:33:17.539 --> 00:33:19.000
 but whatever the future may hold,

00:33:19.059 --> 00:33:20.119
 and all the ups and downs,

00:33:20.119 --> 00:33:21.000
 in the winter months,

00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:21.559
 and the season,

00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:22.579
 and the summer months,

00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:24.179
 in the goods and the bad,

00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:26.460
 may this be our overriding joy,

00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:27.680
 and the reason for this church.

00:33:28.320 --> 00:33:29.519
 Do not rejoice in this,

00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:31.560
 that the demons listen to you,

00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:32.640
 or if you fancy building,

00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:33.560
 rejoice in this,

00:33:33.620 --> 00:33:35.019
 that your name is written in heaven,

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.860
 that you've been given a new start,

00:33:37.320 --> 00:33:38.019
 a new life,

00:33:38.460 --> 00:33:39.140
 a new hope,

00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:40.320
 because of Jesus,

00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:41.860
 our King and our Lord,

00:33:41.940 --> 00:33:43.660
 to him be glory forever and ever.

00:33:44.019 --> 00:33:44.500
 Let's pray.

00:33:45.820 --> 00:33:46.440
 Father God,

00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:47.180
 this morning we do,

00:33:47.259 --> 00:33:48.120
 we celebrate you.

00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:48.799
 God,

00:33:48.860 --> 00:33:49.940
 so many things are changing,

00:33:50.080 --> 00:33:51.140
 but you are unchanged.

00:33:51.759 --> 00:33:52.240
 And so God,

00:33:52.300 --> 00:33:52.740
 our hope,

00:33:52.860 --> 00:33:53.400
 our delight,

00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:55.580
 our joy this morning is you.

00:33:55.720 --> 00:33:55.880
 God,

00:33:55.940 --> 00:33:57.540
 in a hundred billion years from now,

00:33:57.640 --> 00:33:58.960
 those of us that are followers of Jesus,

00:33:59.100 --> 00:34:01.580
 will still be rejoicing and delighting.

00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:03.700
 This building will be long gone,

00:34:03.860 --> 00:34:05.300
 but you God will be unchanged,

00:34:05.420 --> 00:34:06.460
 and we delight in that,

00:34:06.780 --> 00:34:08.019
 or praise to you this morning.

00:34:08.619 --> 00:34:08.920
 Amen.

00:34:08.920 --> 00:34:09.099
 Amen.

00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:09.160
 Amen.

00:34:09.160 --> 00:34:09.160


00:34:09.160 --> 00:34:09.160


00:34:09.160 --> 00:34:09.160