WEBVTT 00:00:00.220 --> 00:00:03.140 Father, we thank you for Jesus. 00:00:03.859 --> 00:00:06.600 We thank you that he is alive. 00:00:07.379 --> 00:00:09.099 We thank you that he will come again. 00:00:09.700 --> 00:00:13.000 We thank you, Father, that we don't just meet in the presence of each other, 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:15.640 but that we meet in the presence, Father, of you, 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:19.160 that in the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:22.839 that angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, 00:00:23.379 --> 00:00:26.320 in a sense, are present and look in with us. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:30.199 And we ask that the Holy Spirit would help us to so receive your word, 00:00:30.380 --> 00:00:33.579 that we might respond to your word in a worthy manner, 00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:37.280 and with the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:40.980 and to join with you in this ceaseless and eternal praise. 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:44.060 So, Father, bring your word home to us in a deep way, 00:00:44.700 --> 00:00:48.900 that we might honor and glorify you, not only with our lips, but with our lives. 00:00:49.060 --> 00:00:51.320 And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:52.840 Please be seated. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:00.560 Quite a few years ago now, probably 14 or 15 years ago now, 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:02.619 but I still remember it very, very well. 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:06.159 We were living out in the country on a rural road, 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:10.579 and one morning when Louise and I woke up, 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:15.359 we discovered that somebody had broken into our house while we were sleeping overnight 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:21.599 and had, in a sense, ransacked part of the house looking for alcohol and money 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:22.480 and who knows what. 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:25.780 I guess they're also looking for drugs, which they wouldn't find in our house. 00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:28.040 And we discovered it sort of in an odd way. 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.920 My daughter, my oldest daughter, happened to be up first, 00:01:31.960 --> 00:01:34.439 and she came in, and I guess she just thought things were odd. 00:01:35.540 --> 00:01:38.180 But then Louise got up shortly after her, and she asked her, 00:01:38.579 --> 00:01:40.640 Louise asked Victoria if she'd done this. 00:01:40.960 --> 00:01:45.140 Because, you see, every single drawer in the kitchen was opened, 00:01:45.140 --> 00:01:48.180 and every cupboard door was opened. 00:01:49.379 --> 00:01:51.299 And there were other things just moved. 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:54.519 And so it's like a really freaky type of thing. 00:01:54.620 --> 00:01:55.879 I don't know if any of you have ever had it. 00:01:55.960 --> 00:01:59.840 It's really odd to think that you slept safely and soundly, 00:01:59.859 --> 00:02:01.180 or thinking it was safe and sound, 00:02:01.240 --> 00:02:03.799 while two strangers had come into the house. 00:02:03.960 --> 00:02:06.560 They somehow, we didn't wake up as the garage door opened. 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:08.439 The other doors were locked, 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:12.139 but the door from the garage into the house wasn't locked. 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:15.780 Because you normally think you'd wake up if you hear the garage door open, 00:02:15.859 --> 00:02:16.539 but we didn't. 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:18.300 The dog didn't bark either. 00:02:18.419 --> 00:02:19.800 But that's a whole other story. 00:02:20.259 --> 00:02:22.340 Like, why do dogs bark at squirrels, 00:02:22.379 --> 00:02:24.659 but not human intruders? 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:27.299 If you figured the answer to that out, 00:02:27.379 --> 00:02:29.419 you can write a book on the subject, okay? 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:31.020 But anyway, because that's our dog. 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:33.180 Let me tell you, a squirrel comes by. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:35.519 We knew, the whole house knew, if that squirrel... 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:37.659 Sorry. 00:02:38.659 --> 00:02:39.400 It sounded terrible. 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:40.740 We also had a dog once. 00:02:40.859 --> 00:02:41.979 I mean, it was just like that bark. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:44.419 And one time we were visiting somebody in the country, 00:02:44.780 --> 00:02:47.419 and there were two horses on the front yard, 00:02:47.620 --> 00:02:48.919 and the dog didn't bark. 00:02:49.099 --> 00:02:51.539 Anyway, never mind about the weirdness of dogs. 00:02:51.539 --> 00:02:55.500 So, anyway, it's just a weird thing to wake up and realize 00:02:55.500 --> 00:02:57.120 that somebody had broken into your house, 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:01.479 taken change and some alcohol and other type of stuff, 00:03:01.579 --> 00:03:02.439 and wandered away. 00:03:03.139 --> 00:03:04.840 And the reason we all know that it's terrible, 00:03:04.959 --> 00:03:07.599 probably you've had some similar types of stories, 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:09.819 is that we don't just let anybody into our house. 00:03:11.379 --> 00:03:13.879 Like, we like to control who's in our house, 00:03:13.959 --> 00:03:16.060 and that's just viewed as a reasonable type of thing. 00:03:16.139 --> 00:03:18.739 In fact, I noticed today in the news 00:03:18.739 --> 00:03:20.419 that there's beginning to be a bit of a debate 00:03:20.419 --> 00:03:23.379 as to whether police should have the right or the power 00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:25.079 to be able to go into our houses 00:03:25.079 --> 00:03:27.280 to see if we're obeying lockdown processes. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:28.239 There's a bit of a debate. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.419 Like, what exactly gives the police the right 00:03:30.419 --> 00:03:31.199 to come into a house? 00:03:31.259 --> 00:03:33.359 I don't want to lose you on a rabbit trail about that, 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:35.139 but, I mean, it's an interesting question, 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:37.859 because we control and want to control, 00:03:37.979 --> 00:03:39.459 and it's seen as reasonable to control 00:03:39.459 --> 00:03:41.279 who you allow to come into your house. 00:03:42.019 --> 00:03:43.899 And part of that is because, in a sense, 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:45.659 the house is an extension of yourself. 00:03:45.659 --> 00:03:49.500 And all of us intuitively understand 00:03:49.500 --> 00:03:52.919 that we want to control who we let into our lives. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:55.780 Who starts to enter into us 00:03:55.780 --> 00:03:58.219 is something that we think of. 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:00.740 In fact, it's actually one of those things 00:04:00.740 --> 00:04:01.740 that we think of so much 00:04:01.740 --> 00:04:03.539 we don't even realize that we think about it. 00:04:03.819 --> 00:04:05.340 We really notice it the most 00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:10.379 when we see a friend or a daughter or a son 00:04:10.379 --> 00:04:14.180 or letting somebody into their life 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:16.199 that we think is creepy 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:18.100 or a jerk 00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:20.439 or bad for them. 00:04:21.420 --> 00:04:23.540 And then, because every single one of us 00:04:23.540 --> 00:04:25.159 have very strong opinions 00:04:25.159 --> 00:04:27.120 about who our loved ones 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.139 should let into their lives. 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:28.959 All of us do. 00:04:29.779 --> 00:04:31.360 And probably every single person here 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:32.159 could say, yeah, yeah, 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:34.040 let me tell you about my sister. 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:36.680 She let this guy into her life, 00:04:36.719 --> 00:04:38.399 and all of the family were thinking, 00:04:38.540 --> 00:04:39.699 don't let that guy into your life. 00:04:39.699 --> 00:04:40.579 He's just going to ruin you. 00:04:40.659 --> 00:04:41.479 Every single one of you 00:04:41.479 --> 00:04:43.019 probably had that type of experience. 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:45.519 And some of you could probably share experiences 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:46.939 where you let somebody into their life. 00:04:46.979 --> 00:04:47.399 I could. 00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:48.979 And the person, in fact, 00:04:49.019 --> 00:04:50.120 turned out to not love you, 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:50.939 not care for you, 00:04:50.979 --> 00:04:51.599 not like you, 00:04:51.599 --> 00:04:52.879 but to be very manipulative, 00:04:53.019 --> 00:04:53.599 very distrustful, 00:04:54.159 --> 00:04:54.599 very destructful, 00:04:55.300 --> 00:04:56.360 very hurtful to you. 00:04:57.019 --> 00:04:59.599 So we all understand intuitively 00:04:59.599 --> 00:05:00.839 that we want to have 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:01.599 some type of control 00:05:02.139 --> 00:05:04.219 over who we let into our lives. 00:05:04.599 --> 00:05:05.959 In fact, one of the things 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:06.800 about being human 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:07.779 is that human beings 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:09.199 let people into their lives. 00:05:10.620 --> 00:05:12.000 If you met somebody 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:13.099 and it became, 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:14.439 or if you heard about somebody 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:15.319 that didn't let anybody 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:15.979 into their life, 00:05:16.039 --> 00:05:16.579 you wouldn't think, 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:18.920 my, that's an admirable person. 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:20.399 I wish I could be like that. 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:22.879 You'd wonder what was broken in them, 00:05:23.159 --> 00:05:24.879 that they never let anybody 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:25.839 into their lives. 00:05:26.219 --> 00:05:27.379 Because it's something 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:29.259 inherently human 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:30.839 about letting people 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:31.519 into your lives, 00:05:31.539 --> 00:05:32.339 and to let nobody 00:05:32.339 --> 00:05:33.159 into your life, 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:34.740 we would all understand 00:05:34.740 --> 00:05:36.920 as a sign of something broken, 00:05:37.639 --> 00:05:38.560 and maybe even 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:39.960 something evil. 00:05:41.960 --> 00:05:43.420 And the other thing about it is, 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:44.680 is that not only that we, 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.319 it's inevitable, 00:05:45.500 --> 00:05:46.500 it's part of being human 00:05:46.500 --> 00:05:47.460 that we let people in, 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:48.840 it starts really early. 00:05:50.519 --> 00:05:51.660 This past Tuesday, 00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:53.540 I helped one of my daughters move, 00:05:53.879 --> 00:05:55.720 and because of the lockdown 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:57.579 restrictions that have been going on 00:05:57.579 --> 00:05:58.540 for, it seems like, 00:05:58.579 --> 00:05:59.519 a hundred million years, 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:00.159 but it's whatever, 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:01.240 six or seven months. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:03.620 We'd had very little contact 00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:05.099 with this family 00:06:05.099 --> 00:06:06.560 for lockdown reasons, 00:06:06.599 --> 00:06:07.299 but they were moving 00:06:07.299 --> 00:06:07.819 on a Tuesday, 00:06:07.939 --> 00:06:08.479 they needed help, 00:06:08.539 --> 00:06:09.579 and we're very glad to help. 00:06:10.299 --> 00:06:12.060 But she has a son 00:06:12.060 --> 00:06:13.359 who's seven or eight months old, 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:15.159 and I've hardly seen him once. 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:17.299 And we all know this experience, 00:06:17.539 --> 00:06:19.060 you go to a strange baby, 00:06:19.859 --> 00:06:20.819 and you pick him up, 00:06:20.919 --> 00:06:23.099 and they make strange. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:25.579 That little baby turns around, 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:27.639 who is this weird man 00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:28.879 now holding me? 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:31.719 I thought that I could trick Jasper 00:06:31.719 --> 00:06:34.019 by holding him from the back, 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:36.139 pointed towards his mom, 00:06:36.379 --> 00:06:37.379 so the mom, 00:06:37.779 --> 00:06:38.500 my daughter Elizabeth, 00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:39.319 could do something. 00:06:39.899 --> 00:06:43.240 But Jasper was way too smart for that. 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:45.399 He very quickly turned around, 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:46.600 and there's no way 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:48.579 he's letting this strange man 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:50.000 into his life. 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:51.939 And he showed it 00:06:51.939 --> 00:06:53.860 by getting a very lovely shade 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:55.079 of reddish pink 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:56.300 as he screamed. 00:06:56.300 --> 00:06:59.480 And no amount of distraction 00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:00.240 on my part 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.180 would change him one iota. 00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:04.139 He is not letting this strange man 00:07:04.139 --> 00:07:04.759 into his life. 00:07:05.139 --> 00:07:06.699 So it's part of being human 00:07:06.699 --> 00:07:08.040 that we let people into our lives, 00:07:08.060 --> 00:07:09.400 and it starts very, very, very, 00:07:09.460 --> 00:07:10.280 very, very young 00:07:10.280 --> 00:07:12.259 and goes as long as we have 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:13.000 any marbles. 00:07:13.780 --> 00:07:16.120 We want to control what it is. 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:17.759 I mention all of this 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:18.759 because we're going to be looking 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:19.920 at a Bible text today 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:22.240 that starts to get at something 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.400 which for a Christian is precious, 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:25.959 but for non-Christians 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:27.819 is a bit creepy. 00:07:28.819 --> 00:07:30.299 So we're going to be looking 00:07:30.299 --> 00:07:31.359 at Colossians 2, 00:07:31.479 --> 00:07:32.579 verses 1 to 7, 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:34.299 but we're really primarily 00:07:34.299 --> 00:07:35.259 going to focus on 00:07:35.259 --> 00:07:36.399 verses 6 and 7. 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:37.299 And for those of you 00:07:37.299 --> 00:07:40.339 who are a bit like book nerds 00:07:40.339 --> 00:07:42.579 and grammar nerds and geeks, 00:07:43.139 --> 00:07:44.000 this isn't true 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.019 of every biblical book, 00:07:45.159 --> 00:07:47.299 but almost every scholar agrees 00:07:47.299 --> 00:07:48.819 that in the book of Colossians, 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:51.079 chapter 2, verses 6 and 7, 00:07:51.579 --> 00:07:53.000 it's God wrote the summary 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:54.180 of the entire book. 00:07:55.540 --> 00:07:57.240 And so if you want to understand 00:07:57.240 --> 00:07:58.339 what Colossians is about, 00:07:58.420 --> 00:07:59.860 just read Colossians 2, 00:07:59.939 --> 00:08:00.860 verses 6 and 7 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:01.680 and memorize it 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:02.600 and you have a sense 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:03.699 of what the whole book is about. 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:05.740 But it's also very important 00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:06.560 to the Christian life. 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:08.120 And look at what it says, 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:09.259 if you could put it up, Andrew, 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:11.480 Colossians 2, verses 6 and 7. 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:12.700 Therefore, 00:08:13.640 --> 00:08:16.900 as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, 00:08:17.280 --> 00:08:18.520 so walk in him, 00:08:18.980 --> 00:08:20.980 rooted and built up in him, 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:23.080 and established in the faith, 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:24.620 just as you were taught, 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:26.660 abounding in thanksgiving. 00:08:27.379 --> 00:08:28.000 I'll read it again. 00:08:28.100 --> 00:08:28.800 And note the therefore. 00:08:28.960 --> 00:08:29.520 So the therefore, 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:30.080 in a sense, 00:08:30.140 --> 00:08:30.860 is saying that everything 00:08:30.860 --> 00:08:31.580 that's gone on 00:08:31.580 --> 00:08:32.940 from chapter 1, verse 1 00:08:32.940 --> 00:08:35.000 to chapter 2, verse 4, 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:36.779 chapter 2, verse 5, 00:08:37.180 --> 00:08:37.700 he says, 00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:38.240 therefore, 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:39.100 in other words, 00:08:39.100 --> 00:08:40.440 it follows from all of the things 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:41.240 that I've been saying, 00:08:41.899 --> 00:08:42.740 just, therefore, 00:08:42.920 --> 00:08:44.879 as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord, 00:08:44.920 --> 00:08:45.940 he's writing to Christians 00:08:45.940 --> 00:08:47.740 who have received Christ Jesus. 00:08:48.139 --> 00:08:49.340 They've received him 00:08:49.340 --> 00:08:50.399 into their lives. 00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:52.300 They've received him. 00:08:53.899 --> 00:08:54.860 That's the part 00:08:54.860 --> 00:08:56.259 that a lot of non-Christians 00:08:56.259 --> 00:08:57.300 just don't get. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:58.480 And in fact, 00:08:58.540 --> 00:08:59.680 as we think about it a little bit, 00:08:59.700 --> 00:09:00.480 a lot of non-Christians 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:01.659 think it's actually a bit creepy. 00:09:02.139 --> 00:09:03.580 Like you're letting this dead guy 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:04.240 into your life? 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:05.519 Like you're letting him in as Lord? 00:09:05.860 --> 00:09:06.759 Like really, a Lord? 00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:07.779 Like you? 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:08.899 I thought you were 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:09.899 a modern person. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:10.539 Like I thought, 00:09:11.100 --> 00:09:11.299 like, 00:09:12.779 --> 00:09:13.059 in fact, 00:09:13.139 --> 00:09:14.279 many of the people would think, 00:09:15.139 --> 00:09:16.179 like when you reveal 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:17.179 that you've allowed Jesus 00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:18.100 and received him 00:09:18.100 --> 00:09:18.679 into your life 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:19.559 as your Lord and Savior, 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:20.399 they'll go away 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:21.379 and they'll say to their friends, 00:09:22.019 --> 00:09:22.919 up until he said that, 00:09:22.959 --> 00:09:23.980 I thought he was normal. 00:09:25.259 --> 00:09:26.839 And now I wonder if he is 00:09:26.839 --> 00:09:27.759 or she is. 00:09:28.059 --> 00:09:28.659 Because it's like, 00:09:28.740 --> 00:09:29.159 it doesn't seem, 00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:30.600 that's why I was going 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:31.299 through this thing 00:09:31.299 --> 00:09:32.620 about it's in fact 00:09:32.620 --> 00:09:33.579 part of being human. 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:34.779 If we understand that, 00:09:34.839 --> 00:09:35.120 first of all, 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.699 it's actually human beings 00:09:36.700 --> 00:09:38.080 let people into their lives. 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:39.879 That's a human thing. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:40.840 So now all of a sudden 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:41.360 you have to think, 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:41.600 okay, 00:09:41.640 --> 00:09:41.960 one moment, 00:09:42.300 --> 00:09:43.320 that's true. 00:09:43.420 --> 00:09:44.140 We do let people 00:09:44.140 --> 00:09:44.720 into our lives 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:45.820 and the fact not to let people 00:09:45.820 --> 00:09:46.340 into our lives 00:09:46.340 --> 00:09:47.060 is a sign of 00:09:47.060 --> 00:09:48.700 dysfunction 00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:50.040 and probably 00:09:50.040 --> 00:09:51.200 major, 00:09:51.300 --> 00:09:51.540 major, 00:09:51.680 --> 00:09:51.960 major, 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:53.320 major lack of health. 00:09:55.040 --> 00:09:55.560 Let's think, 00:09:55.700 --> 00:09:56.740 as you received 00:09:56.740 --> 00:09:57.800 Christ Jesus the Lord, 00:09:57.920 --> 00:09:59.120 so walk in him, 00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:00.540 rooted and built up 00:10:00.540 --> 00:10:01.280 in him 00:10:01.280 --> 00:10:02.080 and established 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:02.820 in the faith 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:04.020 just as you were taught 00:10:04.020 --> 00:10:04.940 abounding 00:10:04.940 --> 00:10:06.700 in thanksgiving. 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:07.920 But some of you 00:10:07.920 --> 00:10:08.240 will say, 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:08.760 Lord, 00:10:09.400 --> 00:10:09.720 really? 00:10:09.820 --> 00:10:10.800 That just sounds wrong. 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:11.300 Like, 00:10:12.140 --> 00:10:14.080 I can see how, 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:14.440 George, 00:10:14.520 --> 00:10:15.060 you let Louise 00:10:15.060 --> 00:10:15.680 into your life 00:10:15.680 --> 00:10:16.520 as your wife 00:10:16.520 --> 00:10:17.280 and I can see how, 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:17.500 you know, 00:10:17.540 --> 00:10:18.200 you let Victor 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:19.020 or Andrew in 00:10:19.020 --> 00:10:19.740 as your friends 00:10:19.740 --> 00:10:20.020 and, 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:21.400 you know, 00:10:21.420 --> 00:10:22.240 you let other people in. 00:10:22.340 --> 00:10:22.420 Like, 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:22.900 I can see that, 00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:23.400 but you're letting 00:10:23.400 --> 00:10:24.879 like him in 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:25.460 as Lord, 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:26.260 that just doesn't 00:10:26.260 --> 00:10:27.780 seem right. 00:10:28.400 --> 00:10:28.780 Well, 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:30.120 just think about this 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:30.840 a little bit more. 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:32.700 we let people in 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:34.460 in different ways 00:10:34.460 --> 00:10:35.540 depending on who they are. 00:10:36.800 --> 00:10:37.820 If you think about it 00:10:37.820 --> 00:10:38.340 for a second, 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:39.540 and in fact, 00:10:39.680 --> 00:10:40.740 if people, 00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:42.320 there's a whole, 00:10:42.980 --> 00:10:43.600 those of you 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:44.840 who have been in counseling, 00:10:45.660 --> 00:10:46.360 those of you 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:46.840 who need to go 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:47.460 into counseling, 00:10:47.580 --> 00:10:47.740 no, 00:10:48.160 --> 00:10:49.060 and those of you 00:10:49.060 --> 00:10:49.720 who are counselors 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:50.840 know that part of the thing 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:51.840 that goes on in counseling 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:53.040 is actually a matter 00:10:53.040 --> 00:10:53.820 of helping people 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:54.960 navigate boundaries. 00:10:55.920 --> 00:10:56.580 And another way 00:10:56.580 --> 00:10:57.720 to understand boundaries 00:10:57.720 --> 00:10:58.940 is an inappropriate 00:10:58.940 --> 00:10:59.740 letting in. 00:10:59.740 --> 00:11:01.080 So, 00:11:01.659 --> 00:11:02.200 for instance, 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:03.279 if I was to take 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:04.299 one of the young, 00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:04.840 you know, 00:11:05.060 --> 00:11:05.740 one-year-old 00:11:05.740 --> 00:11:06.600 or eight-month-old 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:07.180 who might come 00:11:07.180 --> 00:11:07.759 to the church 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:08.740 and I was to start 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:10.180 to treat him or her 00:11:10.180 --> 00:11:11.600 as if it was 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:12.480 my own baby, 00:11:13.620 --> 00:11:14.779 you would all be 00:11:14.779 --> 00:11:15.419 thinking, 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:17.639 that's wrong. 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:20.419 In fact, 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:20.759 actually, 00:11:20.820 --> 00:11:21.299 over the years 00:11:21.299 --> 00:11:22.120 of me being a minister, 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.320 there's times 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:25.000 I've had to have, 00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:26.039 when I have to have 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:27.100 a conversation like this, 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:27.600 first of all, 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:28.360 I wish I could 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:29.279 have somebody else 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:30.079 do the conversation, 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:30.659 not me, 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:31.600 I'm just being honest, 00:11:32.079 --> 00:11:33.019 but I'll be sleepless 00:11:33.019 --> 00:11:33.799 for several days 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:34.819 because people 00:11:34.819 --> 00:11:35.899 will come into the church 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:37.019 and they treat 00:11:37.019 --> 00:11:38.360 other people's children 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:40.319 in an inappropriate way 00:11:40.319 --> 00:11:42.699 and I have to have 00:11:42.699 --> 00:11:43.980 a conversation with them 00:11:43.980 --> 00:11:45.379 and I have to confess 00:11:45.379 --> 00:11:46.199 that almost every time 00:11:46.199 --> 00:11:47.299 I've had that conversation, 00:11:47.899 --> 00:11:49.019 they've left the church 00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:50.819 because they've been offended, 00:11:50.980 --> 00:11:52.299 but the fact of the matter is 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:53.579 is that lots of people 00:11:53.579 --> 00:11:54.659 will say, 00:11:54.659 --> 00:11:57.179 that's not how you handle 00:11:57.179 --> 00:11:59.559 somebody else's little kid. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:01.879 If somebody else 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:03.240 was to let my wife 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:04.120 into their life 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:05.879 in a way that only 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:07.259 I should let her 00:12:07.259 --> 00:12:08.039 into my life, 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.199 that's wrong. 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:10.759 So we all understand 00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:11.579 that in fact 00:12:11.579 --> 00:12:12.819 there's an appropriate way 00:12:12.819 --> 00:12:13.399 to let somebody 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:13.759 into life, 00:12:13.819 --> 00:12:14.620 there's a very appropriate 00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:15.839 way for me to welcome 00:12:15.839 --> 00:12:17.860 one of your grandchildren 00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:18.839 or one of your children, 00:12:18.939 --> 00:12:19.679 a little precious, 00:12:19.779 --> 00:12:20.539 little eight-month-old. 00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:21.360 It's a different way 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:22.339 for me to let 00:12:22.339 --> 00:12:24.259 my own grandson 00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:25.179 into my life. 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:25.799 It's a different, 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:27.199 you get the point. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:29.679 So that then means, 00:12:29.779 --> 00:12:30.399 if that's the fact, 00:12:30.459 --> 00:12:31.459 if we understand then 00:12:31.459 --> 00:12:32.759 that there's in fact 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:34.819 a very appropriate way 00:12:34.819 --> 00:12:35.919 to let people 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.539 into your life, 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:37.419 then, well, 00:12:37.459 --> 00:12:38.139 some people might say, 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:39.219 George, you're making my point 00:12:39.219 --> 00:12:40.339 because you want Jesus 00:12:40.339 --> 00:12:41.519 to come and be your Lord, 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:42.159 but you see, 00:12:42.759 --> 00:12:43.819 here's what it is. 00:12:44.039 --> 00:12:44.740 The first thing 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:45.819 you have to understand 00:12:45.819 --> 00:12:46.199 is this. 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:47.919 If Jesus is dead, 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:51.659 are we ever stupid? 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:53.500 And if we're not stupid, 00:12:53.599 --> 00:12:54.199 we're creepy. 00:12:55.719 --> 00:12:57.500 Like, if Jesus is dead, 00:12:57.939 --> 00:12:59.240 and I tell you, 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:01.939 as you receive Christ Jesus, 00:13:02.059 --> 00:13:02.339 the Lord, 00:13:02.459 --> 00:13:03.279 so walk in him. 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:04.439 Like, if he's dead, 00:13:05.479 --> 00:13:07.379 we should all 00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:08.879 leave the room right now 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:11.539 and go do something 00:13:11.539 --> 00:13:12.459 far more sane. 00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:14.899 But, 00:13:15.099 --> 00:13:16.759 if he is alive, 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:18.379 and that's the Christian claim. 00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:19.799 That's the historic 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:20.480 Christian claim. 00:13:20.580 --> 00:13:21.299 It's the claim 00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:22.720 of the early 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.580 four eyewitness biographies. 00:13:24.700 --> 00:13:25.539 It's the claim 00:13:25.539 --> 00:13:27.139 of a range of letters 00:13:27.139 --> 00:13:27.899 that were written 00:13:27.899 --> 00:13:29.039 by eyewitnesses 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:29.720 who said 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:30.840 that, in fact, 00:13:31.179 --> 00:13:32.159 in real life, 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:33.379 in the real life, 00:13:33.439 --> 00:13:34.159 the real world, 00:13:34.259 --> 00:13:35.299 the world of wars 00:13:35.299 --> 00:13:36.179 and empires 00:13:36.179 --> 00:13:36.860 and kingdoms 00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:37.639 and sickness 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:38.419 and death 00:13:38.419 --> 00:13:39.019 and money 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:39.779 and love 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:40.460 and betrayal 00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:41.360 and marriage 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:42.759 and childbirth, 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:43.779 in the same world, 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:44.779 the real world, 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:45.860 there was a man 00:13:45.860 --> 00:13:46.500 named Jesus, 00:13:46.659 --> 00:13:47.240 which nobody, 00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:48.200 other than some real 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:49.720 unbelievable crackpots, 00:13:49.820 --> 00:13:51.000 denied that there was 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:51.899 a man named Jesus 00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:52.620 and that he lived. 00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:53.600 And this man, 00:13:53.680 --> 00:13:53.940 Jesus, 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:55.340 predicted in numerous 00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:55.960 occasions 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:57.180 that he was going to 00:13:57.180 --> 00:13:58.600 die by crucifixion 00:13:58.600 --> 00:13:59.600 and that after his death 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:00.440 by crucifixion, 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:01.080 he was going to rise 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:01.680 from the dead. 00:14:02.019 --> 00:14:02.960 And he can't actually, 00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:05.840 he couldn't get his friends 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:06.600 to crucify him. 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:07.180 Only the Romans 00:14:07.180 --> 00:14:07.940 could do that. 00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:09.120 And if, in fact, 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:09.980 it is the case, 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:11.360 as the eyewitness evidence 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:11.940 says, 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:13.039 that Jesus, 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:13.560 in fact, 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:14.240 did predict 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:14.800 that he was going 00:14:14.800 --> 00:14:15.919 to die upon the cross 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:17.039 and that he, 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:18.159 as he predicted 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:19.180 on the third day 00:14:19.180 --> 00:14:19.860 that the grave, 00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:20.680 that the body, 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:22.200 the tomb would be empty, 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:23.919 that they would never 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:24.720 find a body 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.039 and that he had risen 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:26.779 from the dead 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:27.680 and that he appeared 00:14:27.680 --> 00:14:29.519 alive over many times 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:30.779 in many different places 00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:32.080 in different contexts 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:32.759 with singles, 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:33.460 with doubles, 00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:34.480 with related people, 00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:35.600 with unrelated people 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.200 to prove himself alive. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:38.280 If, in fact, 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:39.860 he still is alive, 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:41.500 doesn't that vindicate 00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:42.820 who he said he was? 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:49.100 And then, 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:50.320 isn't, in fact, 00:14:50.400 --> 00:14:51.180 it very reasonable, 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:51.900 and it's not going 00:14:51.900 --> 00:14:52.780 to be on your screen, 00:14:52.940 --> 00:14:54.100 I apologize for that. 00:14:54.180 --> 00:14:54.660 Those of you 00:14:54.660 --> 00:14:55.480 who have your Bibles, 00:14:55.620 --> 00:14:56.700 it's still worth your while 00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:58.040 to either bring your Bible 00:14:58.040 --> 00:14:59.280 or click your Bible open. 00:14:59.420 --> 00:15:00.440 Colossians 1, 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:01.860 verses 15 to 20. 00:15:02.160 --> 00:15:03.420 We'll probably say this text 00:15:03.420 --> 00:15:04.240 almost every week 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:04.740 in the sermon 00:15:04.740 --> 00:15:06.040 because it's so foundational. 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:07.419 Colossians 1, 00:15:07.599 --> 00:15:08.799 chapter 15 for 20. 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:09.419 If, in fact, 00:15:09.500 --> 00:15:10.740 Jesus still is alive, 00:15:10.839 --> 00:15:11.980 if after predicting 00:15:11.980 --> 00:15:13.059 in the context 00:15:13.059 --> 00:15:14.659 of prophecies 00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:16.120 and of miracles, 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.319 of all of these things, 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:18.419 if he, in fact, 00:15:18.719 --> 00:15:20.779 has truly died 00:15:20.779 --> 00:15:22.339 and on the third day 00:15:22.339 --> 00:15:23.519 defeated death 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.319 and that which causes death 00:15:25.319 --> 00:15:26.459 and is alive, 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:29.259 then this, in fact, 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:31.039 is reasonable to believe 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:31.879 about him. 00:15:32.659 --> 00:15:33.539 He is the image 00:15:33.539 --> 00:15:34.799 of the invisible God, 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.979 the firstborn 00:15:35.979 --> 00:15:36.839 of all creation. 00:15:37.079 --> 00:15:37.620 And as I shared 00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.620 a couple of weeks ago, 00:15:38.959 --> 00:15:40.500 the image of the invisible God, 00:15:40.579 --> 00:15:41.279 it means that God 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:42.259 by his very nature 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:43.519 cannot be seen. 00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:46.159 An image has this dual meaning. 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:47.679 It means something like nature. 00:15:47.819 --> 00:15:48.839 It means that everything 00:15:48.839 --> 00:15:50.159 that is in God 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:51.699 is in this image. 00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:53.279 Everything in God 00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:54.159 is in this image. 00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:56.000 And that which is invisible, 00:15:56.199 --> 00:15:56.919 which is God, 00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:58.819 becomes visible in the image. 00:15:59.800 --> 00:16:01.060 He is the image 00:16:01.060 --> 00:16:02.500 of the invisible God. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:03.100 In other words, 00:16:03.160 --> 00:16:03.780 he is God, 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.660 the Son of God. 00:16:04.800 --> 00:16:05.960 There is the Father, 00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:06.460 the Son, 00:16:06.500 --> 00:16:07.260 and the Holy Spirit, 00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:07.960 three persons, 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:08.480 one God. 00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:10.240 This is part of the building block 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.500 of how we enter 00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:12.580 into understanding 00:16:12.580 --> 00:16:14.120 the true nature of God. 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:15.300 He is the image 00:16:15.300 --> 00:16:16.280 of the invisible God. 00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:17.480 He is the firstborn 00:16:17.480 --> 00:16:18.340 of all creation. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:18.900 In other words, 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:19.620 there is a creator 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:21.000 who has created all things. 00:16:21.700 --> 00:16:23.160 And Jesus isn't 00:16:23.160 --> 00:16:24.060 one of the things 00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:24.760 that he made, 00:16:24.880 --> 00:16:25.820 but he is begotten, 00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:26.379 begotten, 00:16:26.920 --> 00:16:27.940 not made. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:29.660 He is the image 00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:30.640 of the invisible God, 00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:31.360 the firstborn 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:32.320 of all creation. 00:16:32.520 --> 00:16:33.300 For by him, 00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:34.720 all things were created 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.580 in heaven and on earth, 00:16:36.680 --> 00:16:37.879 visible and invisible, 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:38.860 whether thrones 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:39.540 or dominions 00:16:39.540 --> 00:16:40.000 or rulers 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:40.760 or authorities, 00:16:41.260 --> 00:16:41.840 four levels 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:43.020 of angelic beings. 00:16:43.379 --> 00:16:44.720 That's what he's referring to. 00:16:44.800 --> 00:16:45.480 Whether thrones 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:46.100 or dominions 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:46.520 or rulers 00:16:46.520 --> 00:16:47.120 or authorities, 00:16:47.260 --> 00:16:48.379 all things were created 00:16:48.379 --> 00:16:49.660 through him 00:16:49.660 --> 00:16:51.520 and for him. 00:16:52.420 --> 00:16:53.280 He is God. 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:55.959 And he is before all things 00:16:55.959 --> 00:16:56.839 and in him 00:16:56.839 --> 00:16:58.019 all things 00:16:58.019 --> 00:16:58.959 hold together. 00:16:59.319 --> 00:16:59.899 And this is part 00:16:59.899 --> 00:17:00.399 of the wonder 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:01.799 of the biblical thing, 00:17:01.980 --> 00:17:03.000 the biblical message 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:04.480 is the same God 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:05.879 who creates all things 00:17:05.879 --> 00:17:07.240 is the same God 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.200 who sustains 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:08.960 all things. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:10.039 And the same God 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:10.779 who sustains 00:17:10.779 --> 00:17:11.519 all things 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.740 is the same God 00:17:12.740 --> 00:17:13.420 who holds 00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:14.519 all things together 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:15.220 and gives them 00:17:15.220 --> 00:17:16.059 coherence 00:17:16.059 --> 00:17:16.759 and meaning. 00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:18.200 And the same God 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:19.279 who gives coherence 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:19.720 and meaning 00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:20.720 is the same God 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:21.379 who is sovereign 00:17:21.379 --> 00:17:22.200 over all things 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:23.799 and will bring it all to completion. 00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:26.819 And the same God who brings all things to completion 00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:29.960 is the same God for whom, in a sense, is the telos, 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:32.900 is the purpose, is the origin, is the sense of meaning. 00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:36.740 And so it is not like you have to have one way of understanding creation 00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:41.019 and another way completely contradictory to how you understand how things came to be. 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:43.860 You have another way of trying to understand meaning, 00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:46.440 and you have another way of trying to understand death, 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:49.700 and you have another way of trying to understand how you survive death, 00:17:49.700 --> 00:17:52.500 and you have another way of trying to understand right and wrong, 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:55.620 and none of these things actually fit with each other, 00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:59.279 which is really how most of you in Canada who are watching this 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:02.220 function without realizing it. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.080 I hate to say it. 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:06.259 Actually, I'm smiling, so on one level I feel uncomfortable. 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:09.680 I smile sometimes when I'm nervous, but that's the case. 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:13.180 And there's this wonderful message. 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:16.840 The same God who creates all things is the same God who sustains, 00:18:16.839 --> 00:18:19.699 is the same God who is present, the same God for whom it is, 00:18:19.919 --> 00:18:23.179 the same God who is sovereign, the same God who will bring it all into completion, 00:18:23.659 --> 00:18:27.659 this profound beauty of coherence. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:32.779 And the same beauty of coherence is this picture, 00:18:32.899 --> 00:18:35.899 because there's already been this distinction between the God 00:18:35.899 --> 00:18:39.919 who's created all things, and yet there's this other God, 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:41.000 but there's not two gods. 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:43.119 There's one God, and things are through him, 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:44.859 and they're all together, and they're all one. 00:18:45.579 --> 00:18:48.459 It brings into... 00:18:48.459 --> 00:18:50.439 I was thinking about this this week. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:56.719 You know, I've talked about evolution off and on before. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:02.439 The big problem, one of the many, many big problems with evolutionary theory 00:19:02.439 --> 00:19:06.799 is that it argues backwards, but in a way that doesn't make sense. 00:19:07.459 --> 00:19:08.539 I mean, if you think about it, 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:11.119 shouldn't it be most successful to success 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:13.619 that we're all like an amoeba that just separates? 00:19:14.659 --> 00:19:18.940 Like, how on earth is it far better for the survival of the species 00:19:18.940 --> 00:19:20.440 to need a male and a female? 00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:22.839 Like, that's way harder. 00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:24.980 Like, that's way harder. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:27.639 Like, those beings that just somehow or another, 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.420 I don't know, 00:19:28.859 --> 00:19:29.519 just all of a sudden, 00:19:29.899 --> 00:19:32.019 a bit of me bloops out. 00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:37.299 Like, that bloop that bloops out of me, 00:19:37.379 --> 00:19:40.680 all of a sudden, both of us bloop back up to our full size. 00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:43.379 Like, that's way more successful at surviving 00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:45.119 than having to have, like, another person, 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:46.799 and I don't know, like, you find them, 00:19:46.879 --> 00:19:47.619 you meet them, 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:49.599 you like each other, 00:19:50.220 --> 00:19:51.039 things happen, 00:19:51.139 --> 00:19:51.819 it all works. 00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:53.680 Like, it doesn't make any sense. 00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:56.460 And if everything that has come to be 00:19:56.460 --> 00:19:58.779 is just a result of the survival of the fittest 00:19:58.779 --> 00:19:59.980 and pure chance, 00:19:59.980 --> 00:20:02.400 how do you account for the fact 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:05.299 that it is part of the very nature of human beings 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:07.319 to let other human beings into their lives? 00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:10.500 Like, how does that fit? 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:14.240 How does that fit? 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:17.160 That part of being human, 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:19.720 that even from a very, very, very young age 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:20.700 is learning how to let other, 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:22.460 is letting other people into your lives. 00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:24.460 If you have a baby 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:27.039 that never lets anybody into their life, 00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:29.220 that just seems to be completely unresponsive, 00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:31.640 the parents will take the baby to the doctor 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:34.000 because they're worried about something wrong with the baby. 00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:38.039 Because the baby should smile. 00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:42.620 There should be some type of, 00:20:42.819 --> 00:20:44.200 at a very young age, 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:48.000 of the baby letting the mother in particular, 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:51.200 but other loved ones into the life. 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.759 But you see, 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.940 if you understand, 00:20:55.340 --> 00:20:57.000 if in fact it is the case 00:20:57.000 --> 00:21:01.420 that Jesus claimed to be God, 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:03.420 to have come from God and to be God, 00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:06.299 and proved it by his life of love, 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.400 he didn't prove it by conquering nations, 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:12.940 he didn't prove it by being the strongest, 00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:14.960 he didn't prove it by winning the Olympics, 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.279 he didn't prove it by being smarter than everybody, 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.039 he proved it by love. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:27.839 He proved it by the love of the wisdom of his teaching, 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:30.220 he proved it by the love that he showed 00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:32.700 towards the weak and the powerless and the despised 00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:34.920 and those who didn't count for anything, 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:38.359 he showed it by his miracles of healing 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:40.039 and his miracles of compassion, 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:41.859 and he showed it by his teaching 00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:43.539 and by his presence, 00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:47.960 and he showed it ultimately by dying upon the cross, 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:50.259 not because of anything he'd done wrong, 00:21:50.379 --> 00:21:51.420 but he dies, 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:54.039 he says for himself, 00:21:54.159 --> 00:21:56.180 that he dies because he loves. 00:21:58.500 --> 00:22:00.220 Sorry people like you and me. 00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:03.879 Broken, imperfect people like you and me. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:07.639 And his resurrection is a vindication 00:22:07.639 --> 00:22:08.879 of who he is and his claims. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:13.180 And that means that we're not just an accident, 00:22:13.280 --> 00:22:14.040 but we were created, 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:16.300 and we weren't just created by a solitary God 00:22:16.300 --> 00:22:18.000 who was lonely, 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:20.240 so he created some other creatures 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:21.680 so he could love them. 00:22:22.840 --> 00:22:24.380 But that from all eternity, 00:22:24.560 --> 00:22:26.740 the Father was revealing himself to the Son, 00:22:26.820 --> 00:22:28.900 and the Son was revealing himself to the Father. 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.800 And from all eternity, 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:32.440 the Father was receiving the Son, 00:22:32.520 --> 00:22:34.140 and the Son was receiving the Father. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.400 And the Holy Spirit is yet another person 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:39.019 in that act of the revealing and receiving 00:22:39.019 --> 00:22:40.780 and the very vehicle by which 00:22:40.780 --> 00:22:42.140 the love and the knowledge 00:22:42.140 --> 00:22:43.600 and the goodness and the truth 00:22:43.600 --> 00:22:45.300 and the justice and the beauty of God, 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:46.100 the Father, 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:47.519 was communicated to the Son. 00:22:47.620 --> 00:22:48.500 And it's all beautiful. 00:22:48.800 --> 00:22:49.380 Because you know, 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.480 the heart of beauty is relationship, isn't it? 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:54.920 Like, let's be honest. 00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:55.759 You go to a wedding, 00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:58.580 and the guy and the gal, 00:22:58.580 --> 00:23:01.140 they're never going to be models. 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:06.000 Unless they're the before picture. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:07.040 Right? 00:23:08.360 --> 00:23:09.800 And then there's the after picture. 00:23:10.860 --> 00:23:12.100 I'm not saying everybody's like that, 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:12.860 but we've been to it. 00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:13.900 But you see, 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:15.080 you see, 00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:17.920 this is a very traditional wedding. 00:23:18.040 --> 00:23:19.340 You see the guy at the front, 00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:21.780 never going to be a model. 00:23:23.040 --> 00:23:24.080 You see the woman, 00:23:25.040 --> 00:23:26.120 never going to be a model. 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:29.100 And you see the look on her face, 00:23:29.100 --> 00:23:30.340 and you see the look on his face, 00:23:30.540 --> 00:23:31.380 and you think, 00:23:31.800 --> 00:23:33.180 that's beautiful. 00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:35.980 That's spellbinding. 00:23:36.840 --> 00:23:37.660 That's gorgeous. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:42.380 And then you see them walk down the aisle, 00:23:42.460 --> 00:23:43.360 and you see them together, 00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:45.060 and you see the exchanging the vows. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.080 And that's beautiful. 00:23:49.040 --> 00:23:51.180 Isn't that really at the heart of a lot of beauty? 00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:53.540 Is that type of relationship? 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:55.600 You see two really good friends, 00:23:55.600 --> 00:23:56.280 and you think, 00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:57.300 that's beautiful. 00:23:57.299 --> 00:24:00.940 I mean, 00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:03.180 there's other senses of beauty as well, 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:04.200 but you see, 00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:04.740 at the very, 00:24:04.879 --> 00:24:05.960 very heart of reality, 00:24:06.139 --> 00:24:08.659 is this sense that the father loves the son, 00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.899 the son loves the father. 00:24:10.399 --> 00:24:11.339 There's the opening, 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:11.879 the giving, 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:12.720 and the receiving, 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:14.019 and there's the beauty. 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:19.279 And if you start to begin to understand that, 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.680 look at this text again. 00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:24.099 Sorry, 00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:25.019 I lost my place. 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:26.119 Therefore, 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:28.000 as you receive Christ Jesus, 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:29.000 the Lord, 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:31.440 so walk in him. 00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:32.639 See, 00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:33.839 that's who you receive. 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:37.419 That's who you receive. 00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:38.879 And in fact, 00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.299 actually, 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:40.839 if you think about it for a second, 00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:42.079 because many of you might say, 00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:44.879 I don't know if I need somebody like Jesus in my life. 00:24:44.939 --> 00:24:45.039 Like, 00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:45.899 I'm doing really good, 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:46.439 George. 00:24:47.319 --> 00:24:47.659 You know, 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:48.679 like the job, 00:24:48.919 --> 00:24:49.720 going well. 00:24:49.959 --> 00:24:50.299 You know, 00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:51.179 the house, 00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.619 going well. 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:54.939 The relationship's going well. 00:24:55.699 --> 00:24:55.939 You know, 00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:57.240 for Ottawa Senators fans, 00:24:57.379 --> 00:24:58.879 the Leafs didn't win the Stanley Cup. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:00.339 Hockey's going well. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:00.679 Sorry, 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:01.039 that was, 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:02.279 I just had to throw that in, 00:25:02.639 --> 00:25:03.480 just for a moment. 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:03.819 That's, 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.960 sorry for Leafs fans. 00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:05.240 Nothing, 00:25:05.400 --> 00:25:05.640 you know, 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:06.039 we let, 00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:07.200 we're very open-minded. 00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:09.019 Anybody can come to this church. 00:25:09.539 --> 00:25:10.599 Bruins fans, 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:11.960 Canadians fans, 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:13.200 Leafs fans, 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.539 Canucks fans. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.480 You know, 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:16.779 we let anybody in. 00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:17.160 Okay, 00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.559 we're not united around hockey. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:18.860 Anyway, 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:21.039 but I've lost my train of thought 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:22.000 with that terrible, 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:24.000 terrible put down of Leafs fans. 00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:25.200 I mean, 00:25:25.360 --> 00:25:25.640 anyway, 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:25.960 sorry, 00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:27.579 I was going to make another terrible joke. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:30.120 I have to control myself sometimes. 00:25:30.860 --> 00:25:31.039 But, 00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:31.900 you, 00:25:31.900 --> 00:25:31.960 you, 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:32.400 you, 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:35.700 you see, 00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.120 if, 00:25:36.220 --> 00:25:37.060 if in fact, 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:39.780 what you have is Jesus, 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:41.920 and Jesus, 00:25:42.340 --> 00:25:43.500 you're not just letting Jesus, 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:44.400 and you're letting God, 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:45.200 the Son of God, 00:25:45.280 --> 00:25:46.380 come into your life. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:48.600 And if we all understand, 00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:50.280 at the heart of all letting in, 00:25:50.360 --> 00:25:52.940 at the heart of all letting other people into our lives, 00:25:53.420 --> 00:25:53.720 is, 00:25:53.840 --> 00:25:54.019 is, 00:25:54.120 --> 00:25:55.500 it's an aspect of love. 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:55.539 love. 00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:57.339 It's an aspect of love. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.740 If you see a, 00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.680 a young child, 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:00.519 that's not your own, 00:26:00.579 --> 00:26:01.420 but comes to the church, 00:26:01.460 --> 00:26:02.180 or it's your neighbor, 00:26:02.359 --> 00:26:02.559 and, 00:26:02.619 --> 00:26:04.900 and you let that child into your life in an appropriate way, 00:26:04.920 --> 00:26:05.819 that's an act of love, 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:06.220 isn't it? 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:08.720 It's all connected to love. 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.019 Well, 00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:11.519 doesn't it make sense that you would let, 00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:13.720 not love itself into your life, 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:16.680 but love himself into your life? 00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:20.060 And doesn't it make sense that you would like, 00:26:20.360 --> 00:26:22.720 that you would let love himself, 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.240 to be your Lord? 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:29.680 Like, 00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:31.640 how could that be a wrong decision? 00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:36.840 Given that to be fully human means, 00:26:38.120 --> 00:26:39.200 partially to learn, 00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:40.860 in appropriate ways, 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:42.340 to let other people into your lives. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.019 Some of us need a lot of people in our lives, 00:26:45.080 --> 00:26:46.000 some of us need very few, 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.019 but everybody needs some. 00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:48.500 And doesn't it make sense, 00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:51.200 let love himself into your life? 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:53.359 Especially if you realize that the way, 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:57.059 that he vindicates his claims, 00:26:57.299 --> 00:27:01.220 is by a sacrificial death upon the cross. 00:27:01.859 --> 00:27:03.680 An act of love, 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:06.259 whereby he takes into himself, 00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:08.619 and the Bible text is used other images, 00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:10.740 it will use other images in the rest of the book, 00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:12.700 that all of the things that were needed, 00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:14.099 for there to be reconciliation, 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:15.579 is done by him. 00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:18.460 He is the price that has to be paid for reconciliation, 00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:20.619 he is the perfect penitent, 00:27:20.939 --> 00:27:22.079 and he does all of this, 00:27:22.179 --> 00:27:23.399 dine upon the cross, 00:27:23.639 --> 00:27:25.259 to reconcile you to the creator, 00:27:25.439 --> 00:27:26.119 and sustainer, 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:26.599 and end, 00:27:26.659 --> 00:27:28.419 and sovereign over all things. 00:27:29.139 --> 00:27:30.779 He does all that has to be done, 00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:32.019 that you cannot do yourself, 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:34.599 so you can be reconciled to love himself. 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:39.779 And so there's this profound truth, 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:41.519 which is being us reminded. 00:27:41.639 --> 00:27:42.439 A couple of weeks ago, 00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:43.439 I sang this song, 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:45.240 and it turned out that hardly anybody knew it, 00:27:45.719 --> 00:27:47.219 Tell Me the Old, Old Story, 00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:48.740 but one of the reasons I chose that, 00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:50.399 is because I've been really thinking a lot about, 00:27:50.639 --> 00:27:50.939 you know, 00:27:50.959 --> 00:27:52.659 one of the reasons that we need to come to church, 00:27:52.659 --> 00:27:53.459 on Sunday morning, 00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:54.839 whether it's online, 00:27:54.959 --> 00:27:56.179 to our online friends, 00:27:56.619 --> 00:27:58.039 the online congregation, 00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:58.759 whether it's at 8, 00:27:58.819 --> 00:27:59.559 whether it's at 10, 00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:00.839 the reason it's so important, 00:28:00.899 --> 00:28:02.000 to have spiritual friendships, 00:28:02.159 --> 00:28:03.019 the reason it's so important, 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:04.079 to be in small groups, 00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:06.000 is that we all have amnesia. 00:28:06.379 --> 00:28:07.099 That wonderful, 00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:08.240 that hymn said, 00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:08.419 you know, 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:09.379 it's as if before, 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:10.619 we've even left the church, 00:28:10.679 --> 00:28:11.700 we've forgotten all the things, 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.539 we heard in church. 00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:14.559 Where after we've read our devotions, 00:28:14.579 --> 00:28:15.619 and we remember about Jesus, 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.899 and it seems like three minutes later, 00:28:16.919 --> 00:28:17.919 we've forgotten all about it, 00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:19.460 because we are so prone to amnesia, 00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:20.639 and we need to be reminded, 00:28:21.319 --> 00:28:22.919 of these profound truths, 00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:25.500 and to be gripped by them once again, 00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:26.659 so we can carry on, 00:28:26.700 --> 00:28:27.639 and so we can live. 00:28:27.919 --> 00:28:28.940 And there's this wonderful, 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.420 wonderful, 00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:30.059 wonderful thing. 00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:31.340 When you receive Jesus, 00:28:31.580 --> 00:28:32.980 when you receive Jesus, 00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:34.799 you can only receive him, 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:37.720 as all of the promises of God, 00:28:37.840 --> 00:28:38.440 and all, 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:39.440 every type, 00:28:39.559 --> 00:28:40.880 every promise of God, 00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:42.059 has found its purpose, 00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:43.340 and fulfillment in him. 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.759 He is the one who dies, 00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:45.620 on the cross for you, 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:46.140 to save you. 00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:47.140 He is your redeemer, 00:28:47.660 --> 00:28:49.480 and not only of all the promises, 00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:50.820 that he is God himself, 00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:52.100 and you can only let him, 00:28:52.100 --> 00:28:52.680 into your life, 00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:53.700 as the way he is. 00:28:55.600 --> 00:28:56.880 He can only come in, 00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:58.080 as the end of the longings, 00:28:58.120 --> 00:28:58.920 and yearnings of your life, 00:28:58.940 --> 00:28:59.940 he can only come in, 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:00.500 as the fulfillment, 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.460 of all the promises, 00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:02.420 that God has made. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.820 He can only come in, 00:29:03.860 --> 00:29:04.960 as the one who can reconcile, 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:05.519 your tears, 00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:06.440 to God, 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:07.180 the Father, 00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:07.779 and the Son, 00:29:07.860 --> 00:29:08.640 and the Holy Spirit. 00:29:08.700 --> 00:29:09.660 He is the only one, 00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.480 who can come in, 00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:11.620 and come in as God, 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:11.960 and Lord. 00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:13.700 He can only come in like that, 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:14.360 to have, 00:29:14.460 --> 00:29:16.519 to have him come into your life, 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.600 and not be those things, 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.880 is to be deluded. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.680 Not to actually have him come in, 00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:22.960 because, 00:29:23.320 --> 00:29:23.539 just, 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.880 you can only receive him, 00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:25.420 as he is. 00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:27.380 And here's this profound truth, 00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:28.740 which we need to be reminded of, 00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:29.880 time and time again. 00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.980 Some of us, 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:33.960 have been terribly broken, 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:35.880 by alcohol and drugs. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:37.900 Some of us have been broken, 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:39.980 time and time and time again, 00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:41.519 by mental health issues. 00:29:41.640 --> 00:29:42.820 Some of us have been broken, 00:29:43.340 --> 00:29:44.039 terribly, 00:29:44.600 --> 00:29:45.500 by financial, 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:46.660 and career setbacks, 00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:48.180 and relationship setbacks. 00:29:48.180 --> 00:29:50.740 And there's this wonderful truth, 00:29:50.820 --> 00:29:51.440 in the gospel, 00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:54.880 that it doesn't matter, 00:29:55.100 --> 00:29:56.900 if you have a child, 00:29:57.080 --> 00:29:57.799 or somebody else, 00:29:57.840 --> 00:29:59.100 who's profoundly mentally, 00:29:59.220 --> 00:30:00.539 or physically handicapped, 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:02.440 when they receive Jesus, 00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:04.740 the God of the universe, 00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:05.600 indwells them, 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:06.779 and will never let them go. 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:10.019 And you might have a friend, 00:30:10.080 --> 00:30:11.400 who struggles with depression, 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:13.039 or struggles with alcoholism, 00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:14.200 or struggles with drugs, 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:15.320 and when they give their lives, 00:30:15.340 --> 00:30:15.920 to Jesus, 00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.960 the God of the universe, 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:21.100 indwells them forever. 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:27.740 He also comes in, 00:30:27.840 --> 00:30:28.779 and dwells billionaires, 00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:29.360 by the way. 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.779 I don't know if there are, 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:34.779 any trillionaires yet. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.100 Maybe next week. 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:43.960 Listen to the text again. 00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:44.259 Therefore, 00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.799 as you received Christ Jesus, 00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:46.360 the Lord, 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.360 so walk in him, 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.500 rooted and built up in him, 00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:49.699 and established in the faith, 00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:50.759 just as you were taught, 00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:52.619 abounding in thanksgiving. 00:30:53.079 --> 00:30:54.099 If this was translated, 00:30:54.099 --> 00:30:55.779 by an old Irish person, 00:30:55.959 --> 00:30:56.639 it would read, 00:30:57.579 --> 00:30:58.819 as you's, 00:30:59.079 --> 00:31:00.319 received Christ Jesus, 00:31:00.459 --> 00:31:00.819 the Lord, 00:31:00.919 --> 00:31:01.779 so walk in him, 00:31:02.199 --> 00:31:04.459 rooted and built up in him, 00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:05.519 established in the truth, 00:31:05.579 --> 00:31:06.740 just as you's, 00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:07.439 were taught. 00:31:07.559 --> 00:31:08.319 If it was written, 00:31:08.439 --> 00:31:08.939 in the south, 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:09.979 and you had somebody, 00:31:09.979 --> 00:31:10.859 from Alabama, 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:11.439 or Mississippi, 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:12.440 translated in that, 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:13.400 it would be translated as, 00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:13.920 y'all, 00:31:14.580 --> 00:31:15.600 received Christ Jesus, 00:31:15.720 --> 00:31:16.000 the Lord, 00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:16.779 so walk in him, 00:31:16.820 --> 00:31:17.900 rooted and built up in him, 00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:18.820 and established in faith, 00:31:18.900 --> 00:31:19.860 just as y'all, 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.000 were taught. 00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:23.820 If you go back and read verses one to five, 00:31:23.860 --> 00:31:25.140 I'm not going to do that right now, 00:31:25.140 --> 00:31:25.900 but if you go back, 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:27.779 and look about being knit together in love, 00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:28.440 and encouragement, 00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:29.460 and understanding, 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:30.880 in this world, 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:32.300 and in our flesh, 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:34.120 we have a profound problem, 00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:35.020 because there's a, 00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:36.920 there's the individualistic, 00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:38.580 we worry about the, 00:31:38.700 --> 00:31:38.880 you know, 00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:40.560 the individual being an individual, 00:31:40.560 --> 00:31:42.000 and we worry about that, 00:31:42.060 --> 00:31:44.000 because we have these ideas of tribes, 00:31:44.100 --> 00:31:44.720 or clans, 00:31:44.780 --> 00:31:45.360 or families, 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:46.740 that can crush the individual, 00:31:47.100 --> 00:31:48.540 and most of the, 00:31:48.540 --> 00:31:50.840 the mythology that we have in our culture, 00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:52.540 is all around the triumph of the, 00:31:52.580 --> 00:31:52.880 over the, 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:53.640 of the individual, 00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:54.380 over the, 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:55.440 the collective, 00:31:56.320 --> 00:31:56.500 and, 00:31:56.580 --> 00:31:56.740 and, 00:31:56.780 --> 00:31:57.420 and that's, 00:31:58.040 --> 00:31:58.260 I mean, 00:31:58.300 --> 00:31:59.600 there's some things obviously in there, 00:31:59.660 --> 00:32:00.300 which are true, 00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:02.000 because you can have tribes, 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:02.659 or clans, 00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:03.339 or families, 00:32:03.419 --> 00:32:04.099 or organizations, 00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:05.559 that crush the individual, 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.440 but, 00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:08.159 but at the same time, 00:32:09.259 --> 00:32:09.480 I mean, 00:32:09.539 --> 00:32:10.299 here's the whole thing, 00:32:10.339 --> 00:32:10.500 it's, 00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:11.659 it's the mystery of love, 00:32:12.099 --> 00:32:12.859 you know, 00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:13.079 in, 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:13.639 in love, 00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:14.819 you give yourself to something, 00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:15.940 that's bigger than yourself, 00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:16.720 there has to be, 00:32:16.859 --> 00:32:18.279 in some type of a family, 00:32:18.359 --> 00:32:18.919 or a collective, 00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:20.359 but there still has to be the personal, 00:32:20.879 --> 00:32:21.039 and, 00:32:21.099 --> 00:32:21.759 and in the Bible, 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:23.919 it's not that you're called to be an individualistic, 00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:24.740 or tribal, 00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:26.879 and it's not that you're called to something private, 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:29.599 you're called to something, 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:30.939 which is deeply personal, 00:32:31.819 --> 00:32:34.859 and also to something, 00:32:35.139 --> 00:32:37.699 which is deeply communal, 00:32:38.659 --> 00:32:40.159 and you're called to something, 00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:41.299 which is deeply public, 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:43.000 and that part of what it means, 00:32:43.099 --> 00:32:43.240 to, 00:32:43.299 --> 00:32:44.639 to know Jesus as Lord, 00:32:44.719 --> 00:32:46.599 and to have Christ indwell within you, 00:32:46.639 --> 00:32:46.899 is to, 00:32:47.299 --> 00:32:48.339 you start to try to, 00:32:48.359 --> 00:32:49.599 to lose some of the fears, 00:32:49.679 --> 00:32:50.559 and some of the hangups, 00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:51.859 and gain some of the strengths, 00:32:52.379 --> 00:32:53.480 that there can be a type, 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:54.659 hopefully under, 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:55.619 by the grace of God, 00:32:55.659 --> 00:32:56.719 a type of mending, 00:32:56.919 --> 00:32:58.659 whereby you enter into this reality, 00:32:58.660 --> 00:32:58.900 right, 00:32:58.980 --> 00:33:00.100 because I'm saying this is plural, 00:33:00.740 --> 00:33:03.540 my kids have to give their lives to Jesus themselves, 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:04.840 I can't do it for them, 00:33:06.040 --> 00:33:07.620 and so there has to be this, 00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:10.519 there's the personal relationship with Christ, 00:33:11.120 --> 00:33:13.180 but we don't just know Christ, 00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:15.100 as individuals, 00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:16.259 we know him together, 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:17.320 you see, 00:33:17.400 --> 00:33:18.840 that's why we know him better, 00:33:19.600 --> 00:33:20.360 when we gather, 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.220 we know him better, 00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:23.759 in the context of a good small group, 00:33:23.860 --> 00:33:24.660 we know him better, 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:26.000 in the context, 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.800 of deep friendships, 00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:29.820 with Christ at the center, 00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:31.360 there is this sense, 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:34.100 that it has to be always deeply personal, 00:33:34.279 --> 00:33:35.240 but at the same time, 00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:36.880 deeply communal, 00:33:37.560 --> 00:33:38.860 and, 00:33:38.940 --> 00:33:39.800 and this is frightening, 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:40.700 to much of Canada, 00:33:40.820 --> 00:33:42.500 but it also has to be, 00:33:42.900 --> 00:33:43.600 not private, 00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:44.220 but public, 00:33:44.360 --> 00:33:44.580 you see, 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:45.440 that's the significance, 00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.560 of the word walk, 00:33:46.800 --> 00:33:47.440 look at it, 00:33:47.880 --> 00:33:48.240 therefore, 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:49.580 as you receive Christ Jesus, 00:33:49.579 --> 00:33:50.059 the Lord, 00:33:50.199 --> 00:33:51.119 so walk, 00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:52.139 in him, 00:33:52.659 --> 00:33:54.059 it's a very biblical image, 00:33:54.659 --> 00:33:55.319 you know, 00:33:55.399 --> 00:33:55.799 in a sense, 00:33:55.879 --> 00:33:56.720 one way to figure out, 00:33:56.819 --> 00:33:57.899 what you do with your life, 00:33:57.919 --> 00:33:58.859 is just to follow you, 00:33:58.899 --> 00:33:59.879 as you walk along, 00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:01.399 I woke up this morning, 00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.339 12 minutes late, 00:34:02.439 --> 00:34:03.419 because for some reason, 00:34:03.559 --> 00:34:03.819 I was, 00:34:03.899 --> 00:34:04.899 my alarm went off, 00:34:05.059 --> 00:34:06.339 and I slept through it, 00:34:06.899 --> 00:34:07.759 my wife said, 00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:08.880 she was waiting to see, 00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:09.619 how many times, 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:10.299 it would go off, 00:34:10.360 --> 00:34:11.659 before I finally woke up, 00:34:12.059 --> 00:34:13.500 and if you were to follow me, 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.779 my day began by, 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:16.400 creakly, 00:34:16.659 --> 00:34:17.659 getting out of my bed, 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.400 creaky, 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:18.960 Lee, 00:34:19.300 --> 00:34:20.559 I don't know if I can say that right, 00:34:21.180 --> 00:34:22.280 and staggering over, 00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:23.320 to turn off the alarm, 00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:24.220 and then to the bathroom, 00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:25.440 and then to make coffee, 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.119 and you don't need to know, 00:34:26.220 --> 00:34:27.019 all the rest of the details, 00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:28.000 but you could follow me, 00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:28.660 through the day, 00:34:28.740 --> 00:34:29.380 I walk, 00:34:29.500 --> 00:34:30.000 through the day, 00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:30.720 even when I'm sitting, 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:31.460 I walk to sit, 00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:33.019 and that's a type of walking, 00:34:33.099 --> 00:34:34.340 and then you do other things, 00:34:34.700 --> 00:34:35.820 and what does it say here, 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:37.180 as you receive Christ Jesus, 00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:37.639 the Lord, 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:38.500 so walk, 00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:39.579 in him, 00:34:39.579 --> 00:34:40.740 your day is done, 00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:41.420 in him, 00:34:41.480 --> 00:34:42.559 and how you walk, 00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:43.320 isn't private, 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:44.079 but public, 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:50.880 so in Christ, 00:34:50.980 --> 00:34:52.019 it's deeply personal, 00:34:52.699 --> 00:34:53.960 but deeply communal, 00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:56.440 and it's not private, 00:34:56.539 --> 00:34:57.139 but public, 00:34:57.139 --> 00:34:59.599 you know, 00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:00.559 there's a woman, 00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:01.819 who used to be part of the church, 00:35:02.279 --> 00:35:02.319 and, 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:02.699 or, 00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:10.379 we've all know different stories, 00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:11.299 of people, 00:35:11.440 --> 00:35:12.000 who've had to take, 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:12.339 I mean, 00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:13.559 part of being public, 00:35:13.699 --> 00:35:14.659 I'm trying to think of how to, 00:35:14.659 --> 00:35:15.460 to give this, 00:35:15.940 --> 00:35:16.379 as a good, 00:35:16.679 --> 00:35:17.500 as a story, 00:35:17.579 --> 00:35:18.579 to try to illustrate it, 00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:21.460 there's all sorts of things, 00:35:21.460 --> 00:35:22.559 about following Jesus, 00:35:22.859 --> 00:35:24.019 that just a matter of wisdom, 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:24.619 and difference, 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:25.239 and stuff like that, 00:35:25.299 --> 00:35:26.440 but sometimes being public, 00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:27.740 means you take stands, 00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:30.880 I know one Christian, 00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:31.340 who, 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.260 he was, 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:33.940 the building supervisor, 00:35:33.940 --> 00:35:35.579 for lots of apartment buildings, 00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:36.780 and, 00:35:36.900 --> 00:35:39.079 the owners of the buildings, 00:35:39.240 --> 00:35:39.599 the corporate, 00:35:39.700 --> 00:35:40.240 the owner, 00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:41.240 corporate group, 00:35:41.320 --> 00:35:42.320 said that they had to change, 00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:42.860 all the locks, 00:35:42.920 --> 00:35:44.039 and then they had to give bills, 00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:44.920 to all of the tenants, 00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:45.900 for, 00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:47.380 for changing the locks, 00:35:48.220 --> 00:35:48.880 and the, 00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:51.059 the building manager said, 00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:51.179 well, 00:35:51.200 --> 00:35:51.800 that's illegal, 00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.900 we have to pay for it, 00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:54.220 we don't, 00:35:54.380 --> 00:35:54.860 can't make, 00:35:55.240 --> 00:35:56.340 the tenants pay the bill, 00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:57.760 and the, 00:35:57.760 --> 00:35:59.059 landlord said, 00:35:59.139 --> 00:35:59.220 yeah, 00:35:59.240 --> 00:35:59.320 well, 00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:00.240 we know that's the law, 00:36:00.740 --> 00:36:01.679 but we know that most people, 00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:02.380 don't know the law, 00:36:02.700 --> 00:36:04.059 so it saves us a lot of money, 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:04.800 if we do this, 00:36:05.099 --> 00:36:06.240 and if somebody calls up, 00:36:06.260 --> 00:36:06.780 and complains, 00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:07.840 you just very quietly, 00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.740 say they don't have to pay, 00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:11.659 anyway, 00:36:11.740 --> 00:36:12.659 the guy quit over it, 00:36:13.019 --> 00:36:13.159 he said, 00:36:13.220 --> 00:36:13.840 I can't do it, 00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:15.440 I can't do it, 00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:17.559 right, 00:36:17.639 --> 00:36:18.079 sometimes, 00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:19.659 our walk with Christ, 00:36:19.780 --> 00:36:21.320 will mean taking a public stand, 00:36:21.380 --> 00:36:21.960 because our walk, 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:23.000 isn't private, 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:24.260 it's public, 00:36:24.260 --> 00:36:26.860 but I need to draw this to a close, 00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:27.800 and here's what I want to, 00:36:27.860 --> 00:36:28.620 here's a couple of things, 00:36:28.660 --> 00:36:29.720 how do you receive Christ, 00:36:31.220 --> 00:36:31.620 and, 00:36:31.660 --> 00:36:33.380 and what are the next steps, 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:36.180 I've shared this imagery before, 00:36:36.280 --> 00:36:36.700 but it's a, 00:36:36.740 --> 00:36:37.700 it's a very good image, 00:36:37.960 --> 00:36:39.540 there's in Revelation chapter three, 00:36:39.780 --> 00:36:40.700 there's the image, 00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:41.040 of course, 00:36:41.080 --> 00:36:42.780 of Jesus standing at the door to knock, 00:36:42.780 --> 00:36:46.420 the prayer of every Christian parent, 00:36:46.540 --> 00:36:47.580 is that the child, 00:36:47.720 --> 00:36:48.760 will never know a time, 00:36:48.860 --> 00:36:49.940 when they don't love Jesus, 00:36:50.140 --> 00:36:50.540 that's the, 00:36:50.580 --> 00:36:52.200 that's the prayer of a child, 00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:53.540 of a Christian parent, 00:36:53.600 --> 00:36:54.000 for their child, 00:36:54.060 --> 00:36:54.840 that's why by the way, 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:55.820 you don't say, 00:36:55.960 --> 00:36:56.880 I think I'm going to read, 00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:58.740 books in praise of witchcraft, 00:36:58.880 --> 00:36:59.680 and atheism, 00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:01.000 to my little kids, 00:37:01.040 --> 00:37:02.060 until they're 14, 00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:03.460 and then, 00:37:03.580 --> 00:37:04.660 when they're starting to be old enough, 00:37:04.700 --> 00:37:05.740 to decide for themselves, 00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:07.300 I'll tell them about Jesus, 00:37:07.480 --> 00:37:07.760 no, 00:37:08.380 --> 00:37:09.540 you read them Bible stories, 00:37:09.660 --> 00:37:10.519 you pray for them, 00:37:10.640 --> 00:37:11.960 you bring them to Sunday school, 00:37:11.960 --> 00:37:12.679 you do all that stuff, 00:37:12.740 --> 00:37:13.220 so that there's, 00:37:13.340 --> 00:37:14.740 the hope is that there'll never be a time, 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:15.559 they don't know Jesus, 00:37:16.139 --> 00:37:17.139 so this analogy, 00:37:17.139 --> 00:37:18.599 doesn't work very well, 00:37:18.639 --> 00:37:20.119 for those among us, 00:37:20.119 --> 00:37:21.039 who gave their lives, 00:37:21.179 --> 00:37:21.800 so early, 00:37:21.900 --> 00:37:23.000 that they can't remember a time, 00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:24.119 that they haven't trusted Jesus, 00:37:24.240 --> 00:37:25.039 as Savior and Lord, 00:37:25.500 --> 00:37:26.579 but for the rest of us, 00:37:26.619 --> 00:37:27.519 that that doesn't clarify, 00:37:27.659 --> 00:37:28.039 it's a very, 00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:28.980 very interesting image, 00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:30.000 Jesus standing at the door, 00:37:30.139 --> 00:37:31.220 of the door of our heart, 00:37:31.320 --> 00:37:31.720 knocking, 00:37:32.420 --> 00:37:32.960 in a sense saying, 00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:34.139 could I come in, 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:36.519 and one of the things, 00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:37.199 you have to acknowledge, 00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:38.659 is you need him to come into your life, 00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:40.159 that you're letting love himself, 00:37:40.360 --> 00:37:41.119 into your life, 00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:43.239 but you also have to acknowledge, 00:37:43.579 --> 00:37:44.739 and count the cost, 00:37:44.779 --> 00:37:45.139 of the fact, 00:37:45.199 --> 00:37:46.359 he's only going to come in as Lord, 00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:48.299 he doesn't come in as advisor, 00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:49.000 friend, 00:37:49.699 --> 00:37:50.319 enabler, 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:52.500 he's only going to come in as Lord, 00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:53.960 he's only going to come in, 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:55.639 as the end of your longings, 00:37:55.679 --> 00:37:56.299 or your yearnings, 00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:58.259 and the Christian life begins, 00:37:58.259 --> 00:37:59.239 when you open the door, 00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:01.359 and you say to Jesus, 00:38:01.900 --> 00:38:03.940 Jesus, 00:38:04.059 --> 00:38:05.420 I really need you to come in, 00:38:05.420 --> 00:38:07.480 and I invite you in, 00:38:08.200 --> 00:38:09.519 not only do I invite you in, 00:38:09.579 --> 00:38:10.519 but I give you permission, 00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:13.000 to be yourself, 00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:14.760 in all of who I am, 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:17.680 and that's how the Christian life begins, 00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:19.760 there's a lot of people, 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:20.940 who go to church for many years, 00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:21.180 very, 00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:21.880 very good people, 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:22.980 far better than me, 00:38:23.099 --> 00:38:23.700 far nicer, 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:24.680 far kinder, 00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:25.720 far more tolerant, 00:38:26.220 --> 00:38:28.000 far more everything better than me, 00:38:28.760 --> 00:38:29.460 but basically, 00:38:29.720 --> 00:38:31.639 and far more self-giving, 00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:32.340 and generous, 00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:33.720 and all of those types of things, 00:38:33.719 --> 00:38:34.419 but basically, 00:38:34.779 --> 00:38:36.019 their relationship with Christ, 00:38:36.099 --> 00:38:37.259 is looking at his feet, 00:38:37.559 --> 00:38:38.539 underneath the door, 00:38:38.699 --> 00:38:40.359 or it's a big old fashioned keyhole, 00:38:40.439 --> 00:38:41.659 and they look through the keyhole, 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:43.279 and they get little glimpses of Jesus, 00:38:43.439 --> 00:38:44.099 and they talk to him, 00:38:44.119 --> 00:38:45.139 on the other side of the door, 00:38:45.299 --> 00:38:47.019 and maybe even pour out their heart, 00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:48.119 and problems to them, 00:38:48.139 --> 00:38:49.259 and they live their lives, 00:38:49.819 --> 00:38:51.459 maybe vastly better than me, 00:38:51.719 --> 00:38:53.039 probably vastly better than me, 00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:54.279 but he's always on the other side of the door, 00:38:54.339 --> 00:38:55.239 the Christian life begins, 00:38:55.279 --> 00:38:56.079 when you open the door, 00:38:57.139 --> 00:38:58.519 and not just open the door, 00:38:58.619 --> 00:38:59.000 but you say, 00:38:59.059 --> 00:38:59.299 Jesus, 00:38:59.419 --> 00:39:00.339 will you come into my life, 00:39:00.399 --> 00:39:00.539 please, 00:39:00.579 --> 00:39:01.379 I invite you in, 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:02.439 and I give you permission, 00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:04.059 come in as savior, 00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:05.539 come in as who you are, 00:39:05.940 --> 00:39:07.260 come in with no holds barred, 00:39:08.059 --> 00:39:09.340 and if you've never done that, 00:39:09.440 --> 00:39:09.539 then, 00:39:09.619 --> 00:39:10.480 and you're an image person, 00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:11.500 use that image right now, 00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:12.280 and do it right now, 00:39:12.360 --> 00:39:13.679 like don't wait for the end of the sermon, 00:39:13.900 --> 00:39:15.440 ignore everything else I have to say, 00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:16.480 just do it right now, 00:39:16.980 --> 00:39:19.880 and then tell others that you've done it, 00:39:19.940 --> 00:39:20.800 and he comes in, 00:39:21.420 --> 00:39:22.380 no one's so broken, 00:39:22.619 --> 00:39:23.539 no one's so good, 00:39:24.300 --> 00:39:25.360 no one's so evil, 00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:28.220 no one is so anything, 00:39:28.760 --> 00:39:29.599 that doesn't need him, 00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.659 and he won't come in, 00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:33.219 just the final thing, 00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:35.099 and you'll notice that the sermon series, 00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:36.920 I'll just read this text again, 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:38.440 therefore as you receive Christ Jesus, 00:39:38.579 --> 00:39:39.699 the Lord so walk in him, 00:39:39.799 --> 00:39:41.079 rooted and built up in him, 00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:42.319 and established in the faith, 00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:43.559 just as you were taught, 00:39:43.659 --> 00:39:44.719 abounding in thanksgiving, 00:39:45.279 --> 00:39:46.719 you'll notice that the sermon series, 00:39:46.719 --> 00:39:48.099 is called means of grace, 00:39:49.440 --> 00:39:51.579 and part of the thing is, 00:39:51.879 --> 00:39:53.659 there's a reason for it, 00:39:53.839 --> 00:39:55.059 for those of you once again, 00:39:55.059 --> 00:39:57.219 who are word nerds, 00:39:57.820 --> 00:39:59.619 rooted in him, 00:39:59.880 --> 00:40:01.099 built up in him, 00:40:01.299 --> 00:40:02.500 established in the faith, 00:40:02.619 --> 00:40:04.199 are all in the original language, 00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:05.799 what's known as the divine passive, 00:40:06.519 --> 00:40:08.599 so it isn't saying, 00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:09.179 okay George, 00:40:09.299 --> 00:40:10.320 build yourself up, 00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:11.279 root yourself, 00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:12.719 establish yourself, 00:40:13.279 --> 00:40:14.679 it's saying that actually, 00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:16.519 in this profound mystery, 00:40:17.079 --> 00:40:17.840 you're passive, 00:40:18.519 --> 00:40:19.440 and God does it, 00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:21.800 that's not me, 00:40:21.980 --> 00:40:22.140 okay, 00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:24.519 that you're passive, 00:40:24.660 --> 00:40:25.480 and God does it, 00:40:25.880 --> 00:40:26.880 I mean that's a bit of a mystery, 00:40:27.180 --> 00:40:28.620 but it's all a matter of, 00:40:28.620 --> 00:40:30.000 receiving Christ, 00:40:30.680 --> 00:40:31.559 you can only have him, 00:40:31.559 --> 00:40:32.660 come into your life as grace, 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:34.420 and everything about your development, 00:40:34.660 --> 00:40:35.620 is going to be grace, 00:40:35.700 --> 00:40:38.019 it's all something that he does for you, 00:40:38.420 --> 00:40:39.640 he roots you, 00:40:40.019 --> 00:40:41.320 it's an imagery of the garden, 00:40:41.620 --> 00:40:42.600 he builds you up, 00:40:42.640 --> 00:40:43.860 it's an imagery of construction, 00:40:44.100 --> 00:40:45.300 he establishes you, 00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:46.800 that's an imagery of relationships, 00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:47.920 you know you hope for your kids, 00:40:47.980 --> 00:40:49.460 that they get well established, 00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:51.460 that they get a job, 00:40:51.600 --> 00:40:53.160 that they get established, 00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:54.360 in relationships, 00:40:54.760 --> 00:40:55.539 and in houses, 00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:56.260 and careers, 00:40:56.420 --> 00:40:56.840 and jobs, 00:40:56.900 --> 00:40:59.800 that's an image of relationships, 00:41:00.560 --> 00:41:01.840 and he does that, 00:41:02.440 --> 00:41:03.600 and so you have this profound thing, 00:41:03.660 --> 00:41:04.760 you let Jesus into your life, 00:41:04.900 --> 00:41:06.680 and you learn how to walk, 00:41:06.760 --> 00:41:08.060 and how is it that you walk, 00:41:08.140 --> 00:41:08.940 as you walk, 00:41:09.280 --> 00:41:10.060 he's going to root you, 00:41:10.140 --> 00:41:10.940 he's going to build you up, 00:41:10.960 --> 00:41:12.100 he's going to establish you, 00:41:12.140 --> 00:41:12.840 in the faith, 00:41:12.920 --> 00:41:14.320 which implies that there's context, 00:41:14.640 --> 00:41:15.560 just as you were taught, 00:41:15.560 --> 00:41:16.720 which is implying the Bible, 00:41:16.800 --> 00:41:17.780 and the result is abounding, 00:41:17.880 --> 00:41:18.500 and thanksgiving, 00:41:18.940 --> 00:41:19.680 so here's the thing, 00:41:19.700 --> 00:41:20.420 it's going to be more, 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.740 we're going to look at a couple, 00:41:21.860 --> 00:41:22.880 of false paths, 00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.660 that people take, 00:41:23.680 --> 00:41:24.680 in the rest of chapter two, 00:41:24.740 --> 00:41:25.720 but all of chapter three, 00:41:25.780 --> 00:41:26.240 and four, 00:41:26.360 --> 00:41:28.560 is primarily about the means of grace, 00:41:29.200 --> 00:41:30.539 and at the heart, 00:41:30.620 --> 00:41:31.320 of the means of grace, 00:41:31.340 --> 00:41:32.200 which is very different, 00:41:32.300 --> 00:41:33.360 than spiritual disciplines, 00:41:33.460 --> 00:41:34.320 it's the posture, 00:41:35.400 --> 00:41:36.660 whereby you put yourself, 00:41:36.740 --> 00:41:37.360 in a place, 00:41:37.620 --> 00:41:38.700 that God does the work, 00:41:38.699 --> 00:41:40.699 an image, 00:41:40.699 --> 00:41:41.879 an image would be, 00:41:42.159 --> 00:41:43.759 Elijah and the prophets of Baal, 00:41:44.759 --> 00:41:47.339 I'm not an expert in camping, 00:41:47.579 --> 00:41:48.259 far from it, 00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:49.439 but I think, 00:41:49.579 --> 00:41:50.819 if I want to start a fire, 00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:52.579 I don't pour gallons of water, 00:41:52.579 --> 00:41:53.379 over the wood, 00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:55.139 like I think, 00:41:55.359 --> 00:41:56.379 that's just generally, 00:41:56.379 --> 00:41:57.419 not wise, 00:41:57.759 --> 00:41:59.099 you look for dry wood, 00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:00.179 not wet wood, 00:42:00.799 --> 00:42:01.339 if you go back, 00:42:01.399 --> 00:42:02.319 and we'll look at that story, 00:42:02.359 --> 00:42:03.679 when we get into chapter three, 00:42:04.440 --> 00:42:06.000 but what did Elijah do, 00:42:06.079 --> 00:42:07.079 he put himself, 00:42:07.199 --> 00:42:08.279 in a place for God, 00:42:08.359 --> 00:42:09.379 to do all the work, 00:42:10.659 --> 00:42:12.460 and he does it by obedience, 00:42:12.899 --> 00:42:13.960 by trust, 00:42:14.819 --> 00:42:15.899 so even though, 00:42:16.319 --> 00:42:17.039 he knows, 00:42:17.319 --> 00:42:18.339 better than any of us, 00:42:18.419 --> 00:42:19.159 he used dry wood, 00:42:19.199 --> 00:42:19.739 to make a fire, 00:42:19.819 --> 00:42:20.399 not wet wood, 00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:21.299 he pours the water, 00:42:21.299 --> 00:42:21.799 on the wood, 00:42:21.879 --> 00:42:22.500 and pours the water, 00:42:22.599 --> 00:42:22.899 on the wood, 00:42:22.960 --> 00:42:23.599 and pours the water, 00:42:23.699 --> 00:42:24.079 on the wood, 00:42:24.199 --> 00:42:25.559 because God told him to, 00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:27.419 and the fire comes from God, 00:42:28.299 --> 00:42:29.279 and that's the heart, 00:42:29.319 --> 00:42:30.139 of the means of grace, 00:42:30.759 --> 00:42:31.599 the fire, 00:42:32.159 --> 00:42:32.779 comes, 00:42:32.780 --> 00:42:34.019 from God, 00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:36.000 let's stand, 00:42:38.260 --> 00:42:43.780 we're going to pray, 00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:44.600 a prayer together, 00:42:44.740 --> 00:42:45.260 in closing, 00:42:45.780 --> 00:42:47.760 if Andrew has it up there, 00:42:49.100 --> 00:42:50.240 and this is from, 00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:52.000 morning and evening prayer, 00:42:52.140 --> 00:42:52.840 it was a prayer, 00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:54.700 written in 1549, 00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:56.420 so Christians have been, 00:42:56.600 --> 00:42:57.780 praying this for a long time, 00:42:57.900 --> 00:42:58.400 and you'll notice, 00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:59.100 that part of the prayer, 00:42:59.200 --> 00:43:00.040 is the means of grace, 00:43:00.120 --> 00:43:01.000 it's a really good way, 00:43:01.040 --> 00:43:02.360 to understand Colossians, 00:43:02.360 --> 00:43:03.559 I invite you to pray, 00:43:03.559 --> 00:43:04.599 this prayer with me, 00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:06.460 Almighty God, 00:43:06.940 --> 00:43:08.420 Father of all mercies, 00:43:08.860 --> 00:43:10.380 we then unworthy servants, 00:43:10.559 --> 00:43:11.920 do give you most humble, 00:43:12.099 --> 00:43:12.980 and hearty thanks, 00:43:13.380 --> 00:43:14.440 for all your goodness, 00:43:14.640 --> 00:43:15.539 and loving kindness, 00:43:15.539 --> 00:43:16.200 to us, 00:43:16.280 --> 00:43:17.180 and to all people, 00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:18.720 we bless you, 00:43:18.840 --> 00:43:19.700 for our creation, 00:43:20.099 --> 00:43:20.480 preservation, 00:43:20.980 --> 00:43:21.840 and all the blessings, 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:22.680 of this life, 00:43:23.220 --> 00:43:24.019 but above all, 00:43:24.140 --> 00:43:25.480 for your inestimable love, 00:43:25.740 --> 00:43:26.420 in the redemption, 00:43:26.420 --> 00:43:27.140 of the world, 00:43:27.220 --> 00:43:28.660 by our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:43:28.659 --> 00:43:30.339 for the means of grace, 00:43:30.639 --> 00:43:31.759 and for the hope of glory, 00:43:32.359 --> 00:43:33.579 and we beseech you, 00:43:33.719 --> 00:43:35.119 give us that due sense, 00:43:35.179 --> 00:43:36.339 of all your mercies, 00:43:36.739 --> 00:43:37.519 that our hearts, 00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:39.119 may be unfeignedly thankful, 00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:40.619 and that we show forth, 00:43:40.679 --> 00:43:41.399 your praise, 00:43:41.519 --> 00:43:42.839 not only with our lips, 00:43:42.899 --> 00:43:43.879 but in our lives, 00:43:44.339 --> 00:43:45.519 by giving up ourselves, 00:43:45.719 --> 00:43:46.480 to your service, 00:43:47.099 --> 00:43:48.819 and by walking before you, 00:43:48.899 --> 00:43:49.460 in holiness, 00:43:49.679 --> 00:43:50.319 and righteousness, 00:43:50.579 --> 00:43:51.420 all our days, 00:43:51.779 --> 00:43:52.839 through Jesus Christ, 00:43:52.940 --> 00:43:53.460 our Lord, 00:43:53.819 --> 00:43:54.599 to whom with you, 00:43:54.659 --> 00:43:55.539 and the Holy Spirit, 00:43:55.739 --> 00:43:56.379 be all honor, 00:43:56.380 --> 00:43:57.000 and glory, 00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:58.460 world without end. 00:43:58.860 --> 00:43:59.220 Amen. 00:43:59.920 --> 00:44:00.220 Father, 00:44:00.360 --> 00:44:01.619 pour the Holy Spirit upon us, 00:44:01.660 --> 00:44:02.599 with might and power, 00:44:02.660 --> 00:44:03.519 and deep conviction, 00:44:04.180 --> 00:44:04.780 and help us, 00:44:04.860 --> 00:44:06.079 to not have amnesia, 00:44:06.119 --> 00:44:06.720 really quick, 00:44:06.840 --> 00:44:07.539 but to be gripped, 00:44:07.640 --> 00:44:08.300 by the gospel, 00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:09.280 learning to live, 00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:10.500 as your disciples, 00:44:11.059 --> 00:44:11.780 bringing you glory. 00:44:12.160 --> 00:44:13.340 In Jesus name we pray. 00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:14.079 Amen.