WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.060 There's a cognitive scientist by the name of Donald Hoffman. 00:00:03.220 --> 00:00:07.360 Maybe you've seen the TED Talk he gave not too long ago. 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:11.419 He spends his career, he spent his career as of late, 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:14.359 investigating a single question. 00:00:15.280 --> 00:00:19.580 And this question he actually believes is the most important question we can ask. 00:00:19.980 --> 00:00:26.660 Because the answer to this question undergirds all other questions and answers. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:27.539 And that is this. 00:00:27.539 --> 00:00:31.160 Do we see reality as it is? 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:35.159 Do we see reality as it is? 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:38.600 Are our perceptions accurate? 00:00:40.500 --> 00:00:41.859 It's an important question. 00:00:43.519 --> 00:00:51.079 Because our perception of reality, as Hoffman would say, 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:56.799 our entire ability to survive as a species, to flourish as a species, 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:00.759 is directly related to our perception of reality. 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:09.319 We've been looking at 1 John, which is one of the letters that the Apostle John wrote to the church. 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:14.400 We've been looking at this since January, I think. 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:21.140 And at the very end of this letter, which is where we've come to, now here in June, 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:25.799 we come to the end of the letter and we see that John is actually asking the exact same question. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:27.920 That Hoffman asks. 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:33.500 And what we realize is that this question about reality isn't just a science question. 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:37.280 Actually, more fundamentally, it's a spiritual question. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:41.340 Do we see reality as it is? 00:01:41.340 --> 00:01:44.939 You know, what's interesting is that a lot of people who are not religious, 00:01:45.980 --> 00:01:49.680 they view religion, in particular a faith like Christianity, 00:01:49.859 --> 00:01:52.219 as being a way of escaping reality. 00:01:53.020 --> 00:01:57.659 But in fact, when you began to investigate the core claims of Christianity, 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:01.280 what you see is that Christianity is very much concerned with 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:05.040 our ability to perceive reality as it is. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:07.880 And in fact, it would say that one of our most fundamental problems 00:02:07.880 --> 00:02:11.040 is that we are on our own unable to do so. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.840 But John would say the very same thing, that our ability to survive, 00:02:18.099 --> 00:02:24.659 any chance we hope to have of flourishing is directly related to whether or not we perceive reality as it is. 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:29.020 And so in chapter 5, verses 18 through 21, 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:32.540 John is closing his letter out, 00:02:32.539 --> 00:02:36.539 and he wants to end with these three powerful statements. 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:40.639 And Diana, if you don't have it up, I'd love for you to have that up there so you can see it. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.299 And each of these statements begins with the words, 00:02:42.659 --> 00:02:43.199 we know. 00:02:43.359 --> 00:02:45.379 And it's as though John is saying, 00:02:45.799 --> 00:02:47.979 here at the very end, I want to leave you with the, 00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:50.519 here are the foundational things that we know. 00:02:51.959 --> 00:02:53.239 And what he's really saying is, 00:02:53.299 --> 00:02:55.379 if we want to see reality for what it is, 00:02:57.180 --> 00:03:01.719 then we need these three great truths which act like anchors. 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:06.039 Each of these things anchors us in reality. 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:09.580 The first anchor concerns our identity. 00:03:10.659 --> 00:03:13.439 The second anchor concerns our world. 00:03:14.180 --> 00:03:17.340 And the third anchor concerns our hope. 00:03:18.500 --> 00:03:20.659 So we're going to look at each of those in more detail. 00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:24.360 Let's pray for God to help us as we understand his word. 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:28.000 Lord, we do recognize, as we said a moment ago, 00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:29.360 that your promise is to speak. 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:34.160 And that even though you're the God who created the heavens and the earth, 00:03:34.220 --> 00:03:36.140 even though in many ways you are unfathomable, 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:39.220 that you speak in ways that we can understand. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.120 And we pray that tonight you would do just that. 00:03:44.300 --> 00:03:47.100 And I ask for my own heart, my own sake, 00:03:47.099 --> 00:03:52.620 and for all of us here that we would have hearts that are open to your word. 00:03:53.659 --> 00:03:57.459 We pray this for your glory, Lord, in your son's name. 00:03:57.620 --> 00:03:57.859 Amen. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:06.079 So this first anchor that anchors us to reality, 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:07.859 such that we can perceive it accurately, 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:09.620 concerns our identity. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:11.180 Let's read verse 18. 00:04:11.180 --> 00:04:13.640 He says, 00:04:13.700 --> 00:04:17.439 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:19.680 but he who is born of God protects him, 00:04:20.019 --> 00:04:22.240 and the evil one does not touch him. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:27.139 So what he's saying is the first anchor concerns our identity. 00:04:27.280 --> 00:04:28.259 And he says very simply, 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:30.340 If you're a Christian, 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.780 then you have been born of God. 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:37.220 And you say, 00:04:37.259 --> 00:04:37.620 Well, I know. 00:04:37.699 --> 00:04:39.079 We've talked about this many times. 00:04:39.220 --> 00:04:39.840 I know this. 00:04:39.840 --> 00:04:40.899 I've heard it. 00:04:41.180 --> 00:04:41.620 I've heard it. 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:42.699 More than I can count. 00:04:44.379 --> 00:04:45.920 But I want to reflect on this, 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:47.220 because what he's talking about 00:04:47.220 --> 00:04:49.340 is not a physical birth, 00:04:49.420 --> 00:04:50.439 but a spiritual birth. 00:04:51.100 --> 00:04:52.980 And the verb that he's talking about, 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:54.019 the verb born, 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:56.759 is in a tense that conveys the fact 00:04:56.759 --> 00:04:58.840 that it is a once and for all thing. 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:00.160 That once it happens, 00:05:00.460 --> 00:05:01.120 it is done. 00:05:02.259 --> 00:05:04.120 And the implications of that reality 00:05:04.120 --> 00:05:06.319 continue into eternity. 00:05:07.660 --> 00:05:09.939 So he's saying that by believing in Jesus, 00:05:09.939 --> 00:05:12.459 by admitting that you need his grace and forgiveness, 00:05:12.459 --> 00:05:15.120 you're actually born again into the family of God, 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:17.219 and you actually become a child of God. 00:05:18.420 --> 00:05:19.480 This is your anchor. 00:05:20.860 --> 00:05:22.579 You may have been here weeks back 00:05:22.579 --> 00:05:25.939 when we talked about the example of Wilfredo Garza, 00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:27.000 who was, 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:28.819 all of his adult life, 00:05:28.860 --> 00:05:30.899 he lived as an illegal immigrant, 00:05:30.899 --> 00:05:32.600 and he would sneak across the border, 00:05:32.939 --> 00:05:33.819 and he would hide, 00:05:33.939 --> 00:05:35.220 and he would work odd jobs, 00:05:35.220 --> 00:05:36.940 and he would get paid next to nothing, 00:05:37.300 --> 00:05:38.260 and he would hide out, 00:05:38.300 --> 00:05:39.340 and he couldn't go out in public 00:05:39.340 --> 00:05:40.740 because he was afraid of getting caught, 00:05:41.060 --> 00:05:42.940 and he got caught multiple times, 00:05:43.260 --> 00:05:44.380 and every time he would get caught, 00:05:44.440 --> 00:05:45.760 he would get taken back to Mexico, 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:47.700 and then as soon as he could, 00:05:47.760 --> 00:05:49.160 he would sneak back across the border. 00:05:49.340 --> 00:05:51.320 And this is how he lived his entire adult life. 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:53.000 And finally, 00:05:53.060 --> 00:05:54.740 he got sick of sneaking around, 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:57.300 and got sick of constantly being caught, 00:05:57.300 --> 00:05:59.840 and he went into an immigration office, 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:01.259 an immigration lawyer, 00:06:01.420 --> 00:06:03.740 to ask what it would take for him to become a citizen. 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:06.160 And they did a little research, 00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:07.300 and they actually found out 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:09.280 that his father had been born in Texas, 00:06:10.379 --> 00:06:11.720 and that the entire time, 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:13.160 he was a U.S. citizen, 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:15.000 and they had the papers to prove it. 00:06:15.540 --> 00:06:17.420 But he had been living like an illegal immigrant. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.199 So there are many, many, many of us, 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:22.540 many people who are Christians, 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:24.580 who have that status, 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:27.240 but who live like we're illegal immigrants. 00:06:27.300 --> 00:06:31.680 What makes you a Christian 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.740 is not that you believe in God. 00:06:34.300 --> 00:06:35.639 Most people believe in God. 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:37.680 You know, what makes you a Christian 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:40.480 is not that you want to be a good person, 00:06:40.580 --> 00:06:41.280 and do good things. 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:43.259 Most people want that. 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:44.420 There are many people who, 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:46.280 by the world's standards, 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:49.740 are better people than Christians I know, 00:06:49.960 --> 00:06:50.759 myself included. 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:51.720 You know? 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:53.580 And what makes you a Christian 00:06:53.580 --> 00:06:55.160 is not that you think that you're a Christian, 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:56.400 because what John is saying 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:58.379 is that Christians have absolute certainty. 00:06:59.500 --> 00:07:00.879 A Christian is, by definition, 00:07:01.039 --> 00:07:01.620 somebody who says, 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:03.120 I know that I'm a Christian 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:04.439 because I was born that way. 00:07:06.019 --> 00:07:07.419 I was born this way. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:11.620 I look back not to intellectual assents 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:13.239 so much as a rebirth. 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.780 I know who my father is. 00:07:15.980 --> 00:07:17.800 And because I know who my father is, 00:07:18.019 --> 00:07:19.980 I know where I stand before him. 00:07:20.860 --> 00:07:21.259 Right? 00:07:21.319 --> 00:07:22.420 That's what J.I. Packer says. 00:07:22.500 --> 00:07:23.379 The simplest definition 00:07:23.379 --> 00:07:24.460 of what it means to be a Christian 00:07:24.460 --> 00:07:25.180 is that it's someone 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:26.900 who can call God father. 00:07:28.900 --> 00:07:30.540 And with this new status 00:07:30.540 --> 00:07:32.240 comes a new kind of life. 00:07:32.340 --> 00:07:33.620 That's why Joan goes on to say, 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:34.819 people born of God 00:07:34.819 --> 00:07:36.180 do not keep on sinning. 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:39.139 Now, this doesn't mean perfectionism. 00:07:39.240 --> 00:07:39.939 This doesn't mean 00:07:39.939 --> 00:07:41.540 that Christians don't sin 00:07:41.540 --> 00:07:42.600 or have sin in their lives. 00:07:42.660 --> 00:07:43.339 Of course they do. 00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:43.860 And in fact, 00:07:44.259 --> 00:07:46.100 many of you probably know this. 00:07:46.180 --> 00:07:47.219 The longer that you're 00:07:47.219 --> 00:07:48.300 a follower of Jesus, 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:49.600 the more mature 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:50.699 that you grow in your faith, 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:51.860 the more you see 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:53.079 the reality of sin in your life. 00:07:54.100 --> 00:07:55.540 Not less, but more. 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:57.279 You see it in places 00:07:57.279 --> 00:07:58.459 that you didn't used to see it. 00:07:58.920 --> 00:07:59.680 And that's how you know 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:00.759 you're growing in your faith. 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:01.800 So that's not what 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:02.779 John is talking about. 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:04.839 The verb that he uses 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:06.279 implies a kind of ongoing, 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:10.599 habitual, continuous approach to life 00:08:10.599 --> 00:08:12.279 that really embodies 00:08:12.279 --> 00:08:13.399 the meaning of sin. 00:08:13.579 --> 00:08:15.859 Sin, most basically, is this. 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:17.279 It's ignoring God 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:18.419 and the world that he made. 00:08:20.059 --> 00:08:20.879 And so John is saying, 00:08:21.039 --> 00:08:22.319 if you know that you've been 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:23.479 born of God, 00:08:23.539 --> 00:08:25.099 if you know that he is your father, 00:08:28.219 --> 00:08:29.899 then you wouldn't live 00:08:29.899 --> 00:08:30.579 in such a way 00:08:30.579 --> 00:08:31.699 that you ignore him. 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:34.159 It just wouldn't make sense. 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:35.879 You know, you would think 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:36.860 that once Wilfredo 00:08:36.860 --> 00:08:38.320 found out that he, in fact, 00:08:38.379 --> 00:08:39.820 had the status of a citizen, 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:41.779 that he would start 00:08:41.779 --> 00:08:43.179 to live as a citizen, 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:44.879 that his life would be changed. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:45.639 And I think it was 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:46.720 dramatically changed. 00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:48.840 And the same is true of us. 00:08:48.899 --> 00:08:49.480 Once we know 00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:50.580 that we have the status 00:08:50.580 --> 00:08:52.139 of being a child of God, 00:08:52.820 --> 00:08:54.000 it changes our life. 00:08:55.539 --> 00:08:57.159 Now, if that discourages you, 00:08:57.220 --> 00:08:57.620 if you think, 00:08:57.679 --> 00:08:58.279 well, you know, 00:08:58.320 --> 00:08:59.159 I look at my life 00:08:59.159 --> 00:09:00.200 and I don't see much difference, 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:01.320 the end of verse 18 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:02.860 should be really encouraging to you. 00:09:03.220 --> 00:09:04.419 Because John goes on to say, 00:09:04.659 --> 00:09:05.519 if we're born of God, 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:06.379 then Jesus, 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:08.740 the one begotten of the Father, 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:10.019 protects us. 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:12.419 Now, this is an amazing statement. 00:09:12.579 --> 00:09:13.879 Jesus protects us. 00:09:14.220 --> 00:09:15.360 So what he's saying about you 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.299 is if you're a Christian, 00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:18.480 if you've been born of God, 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:20.399 then Jesus guards you. 00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:21.639 He keeps you. 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:22.819 He protects you. 00:09:23.079 --> 00:09:24.199 He's the sentry 00:09:24.199 --> 00:09:26.939 that stands guard 00:09:26.939 --> 00:09:27.860 over your life, 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:29.379 day and night. 00:09:29.379 --> 00:09:31.220 You know, 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:32.080 I read this 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:33.159 and it reminded me 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:35.559 of Luke chapter 22, 00:09:35.659 --> 00:09:36.279 verse 31, 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:37.259 where Jesus says 00:09:37.259 --> 00:09:38.100 to Simon Peter, 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:38.480 he says, 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:39.259 Simon, Simon, 00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:39.840 behold, 00:09:40.460 --> 00:09:41.919 Satan demanded to have you 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:43.320 that he might sift you like wheat. 00:09:44.419 --> 00:09:45.879 But I have prayed for you 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:47.519 that your faith may not fail. 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:49.279 And when you have turned again, 00:09:49.500 --> 00:09:50.200 not if, 00:09:51.100 --> 00:09:52.439 when you have turned again, 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:53.759 strengthen your brothers. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:53.919 brothers, 00:09:54.819 --> 00:09:59.740 no matter what, 00:10:00.419 --> 00:10:03.059 if you belong to God, 00:10:03.700 --> 00:10:05.860 you're under the protection 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:06.740 of Jesus Christ. 00:10:08.259 --> 00:10:09.840 And this evil one 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:11.000 that John has talked about 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:12.240 so much 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:14.500 can't lay a finger on you. 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:16.379 And actually, 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:18.039 the word touch 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:19.019 is actually that word 00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:20.399 is more accurately translated 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.259 grasp or ignite. 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:25.200 No matter what, 00:10:26.100 --> 00:10:27.439 he cannot take hold of you. 00:10:31.980 --> 00:10:32.779 This truth, 00:10:32.899 --> 00:10:33.279 I believe, 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:34.779 anchors us in reality, 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:36.340 the idea that Jesus keeps us. 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:38.879 Many of you know 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:40.120 that, you know, 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:40.879 I had to go home 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:41.700 this past week, 00:10:42.059 --> 00:10:42.860 very last minute, 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:45.600 because my mom had, 00:10:46.419 --> 00:10:47.480 basically they realized 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:49.279 that she had a major blockage 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:50.879 in a coronary artery 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:51.679 and she had to have 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:53.139 emergency bypass surgery. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:54.419 And so, 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:55.439 and so, 00:10:55.539 --> 00:10:56.559 we heard this 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:57.419 and Laura and I decided 00:10:57.419 --> 00:10:58.519 that we needed to go down there 00:10:58.519 --> 00:10:59.340 and be with the family 00:10:59.340 --> 00:10:59.939 and so we, 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:01.120 we drove down 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:01.340 and, 00:11:01.340 --> 00:11:02.980 and we were there 00:11:02.980 --> 00:11:03.799 during the surgery 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:04.159 and, 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:06.080 and it was a fascinating experience. 00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:06.480 Obviously, 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:07.980 I was thinking about this passage 00:11:07.980 --> 00:11:08.840 as we were sitting there 00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:09.899 in the hospital waiting room 00:11:09.899 --> 00:11:11.700 and I'd been kind of 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:12.439 meditating on it 00:11:12.439 --> 00:11:13.200 the last few weeks 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:13.439 and, 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:14.980 and it was interesting 00:11:14.980 --> 00:11:16.200 because most of my family 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:16.860 are, 00:11:17.179 --> 00:11:17.559 are not, 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:18.539 would not consider themselves 00:11:18.539 --> 00:11:19.139 to be Christians. 00:11:19.139 --> 00:11:20.600 and so we're all sitting 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:21.439 in this waiting room 00:11:21.439 --> 00:11:21.580 and, 00:11:21.699 --> 00:11:21.799 you know, 00:11:21.860 --> 00:11:21.960 our, 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:22.939 we sort of took over 00:11:22.939 --> 00:11:24.220 one wing of the waiting rooms. 00:11:24.379 --> 00:11:24.799 We're all, 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:25.360 you know, 00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:25.819 you know, 00:11:25.819 --> 00:11:26.659 this motley crew, 00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:27.279 my family, 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:28.919 we're all kind of gathered there 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:30.620 and people are in the midst 00:11:30.620 --> 00:11:31.519 of waiting to hear 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:32.539 how the surgery is going, 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:33.720 knowing that because of 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:34.439 some pre-existing 00:11:34.439 --> 00:11:35.319 health conditions 00:11:35.319 --> 00:11:36.179 that my mom was at 00:11:36.179 --> 00:11:37.340 much greater risk of dying. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.740 So we're all sitting there 00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:40.379 trying to face 00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:40.939 and make sense 00:11:40.939 --> 00:11:41.679 of the possibility 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:42.840 that we might lose her 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:43.740 on the operating table 00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:46.220 or in some complication 00:11:46.220 --> 00:11:47.220 following surgery. 00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:50.539 And I was so keenly aware 00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:51.600 during that time 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:53.419 of the difference 00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:54.600 that Christian hope 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:56.220 like this makes 00:11:56.220 --> 00:11:57.580 in a situation like that 00:11:57.580 --> 00:11:59.519 because I was scared 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:01.019 and by the way, 00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:01.860 thank you so much 00:12:01.860 --> 00:12:02.320 for all of you 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:02.860 who prayed 00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:03.440 and, 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:06.039 and sent encouraging words. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:06.419 I mean, 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:06.700 we, 00:12:07.299 --> 00:12:07.539 you know, 00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:09.419 we absolutely felt your prayer 00:12:09.419 --> 00:12:11.060 so I deeply appreciate that 00:12:11.060 --> 00:12:13.000 and maybe it was your prayer, 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:13.560 maybe that, 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:14.359 maybe the Lord, 00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:15.339 one of the ways 00:12:15.339 --> 00:12:16.299 that the Lord answered 00:12:16.299 --> 00:12:18.000 your prayer for us 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.559 was to take this verse 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:21.339 and use it to speak to me 00:12:21.339 --> 00:12:23.759 because as I was sitting there, 00:12:23.819 --> 00:12:24.699 even though I was aware 00:12:24.699 --> 00:12:26.179 of the fear of losing my mom 00:12:26.179 --> 00:12:27.039 who I love deeply, 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:27.959 the, 00:12:27.959 --> 00:12:28.139 the, 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:29.399 the fear of that loss 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:30.279 and how tremendously 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:31.459 devastating that would be, 00:12:32.119 --> 00:12:33.119 underneath that, 00:12:33.219 --> 00:12:34.379 there was a deep assurance 00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:36.839 and I kept coming back to this, 00:12:37.659 --> 00:12:38.539 I know that my mom 00:12:38.539 --> 00:12:39.639 belongs to Jesus, 00:12:39.859 --> 00:12:40.779 I know that she's a Christian 00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:41.659 and because of that, 00:12:41.739 --> 00:12:43.479 I know that Jesus keeps her, 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:45.819 and what that means is, 00:12:45.839 --> 00:12:46.559 is that death 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:48.719 has no hold on her 00:12:48.719 --> 00:12:52.839 and though she may pass away, 00:12:54.059 --> 00:12:54.919 the day will come 00:12:54.919 --> 00:12:55.639 when she will be given 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:56.359 a new body 00:12:56.359 --> 00:12:58.239 and a new heart 00:12:58.239 --> 00:13:00.359 and I know with certainty 00:13:00.359 --> 00:13:01.419 that I will be with her 00:13:01.419 --> 00:13:02.019 for eternity 00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:04.759 and I felt this truth 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:06.239 anchoring me in reality 00:13:06.239 --> 00:13:06.939 in a situation 00:13:06.939 --> 00:13:07.779 where it's very easy 00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:08.419 to lose track 00:13:08.419 --> 00:13:09.079 of what's real 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:10.379 and to get caught up 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:10.860 in the fear 00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:11.540 and in the panic 00:13:11.540 --> 00:13:12.700 and I felt this 00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:13.500 holding me down 00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:14.080 on the ground, 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:15.300 holding me there 00:13:15.300 --> 00:13:18.700 when it would be so easy 00:13:18.700 --> 00:13:19.600 to be blown this way 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:19.940 and that. 00:13:21.040 --> 00:13:22.340 So this is the first anchor 00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:22.920 for those of us 00:13:22.920 --> 00:13:23.440 who are Christians. 00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:24.360 Our identity is 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:25.340 first and foremost 00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:26.440 that we've been born 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.320 once and for all 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:28.400 into God's family 00:13:28.400 --> 00:13:29.500 and we're under 00:13:29.500 --> 00:13:30.080 the protection 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:31.000 of Jesus Christ. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:34.460 The second anchor 00:13:34.460 --> 00:13:36.080 concerns the truth 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:38.379 that John gives us 00:13:38.379 --> 00:13:39.240 about this world. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:42.179 You know, 00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:43.220 his depiction of the world 00:13:43.220 --> 00:13:43.899 is kind of dark. 00:13:44.019 --> 00:13:44.820 It's actually appropriate 00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:45.740 that there's a thunderstorm 00:13:45.740 --> 00:13:46.740 going on right now. 00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:46.960 You know, 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:49.120 it sets the appropriate mood 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:50.220 for where we're going here. 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:52.299 Verse 19, 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:53.840 he says this, 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:55.620 we know that we are from God 00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:56.799 and the whole world lies 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:58.059 in the power of the evil one. 00:13:59.179 --> 00:14:00.179 And I want you to see 00:14:00.179 --> 00:14:01.579 this stark contrast here. 00:14:01.659 --> 00:14:02.519 There's a contrast. 00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:04.579 If you feel uncomfortable, 00:14:04.839 --> 00:14:05.879 I think he's trying 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:06.719 to make us uncomfortable. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:08.819 He says, 00:14:09.139 --> 00:14:10.399 on the one hand, 00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:11.279 we are from God. 00:14:11.439 --> 00:14:12.219 And by we, 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:12.839 he means anybody 00:14:12.839 --> 00:14:13.899 who is a Christian 00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:14.799 who's born of God. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:15.359 And he says, 00:14:15.439 --> 00:14:16.539 but the world lies 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.659 in the power of the evil one. 00:14:19.479 --> 00:14:20.819 And I want us to think about, 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:21.120 you know, 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.199 this kind of black 00:14:22.199 --> 00:14:23.059 and white distinction, 00:14:23.219 --> 00:14:24.339 you very rarely see this 00:14:24.339 --> 00:14:24.839 and that's because, 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:25.240 frankly, 00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:26.439 we don't like this kind 00:14:26.439 --> 00:14:26.919 of distinction. 00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:27.959 I don't like this kind 00:14:27.959 --> 00:14:28.419 of distinction. 00:14:28.699 --> 00:14:29.639 If you know anything about me, 00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:30.679 I love nuance. 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:32.559 I love to say, 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:32.860 well, 00:14:32.939 --> 00:14:33.679 things are much more 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:34.659 complicated than that. 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:36.539 I draw great comfort. 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:37.399 You know, 00:14:37.439 --> 00:14:38.720 my favorite color is gray 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:39.799 in many ways. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:42.279 And so I read this 00:14:42.279 --> 00:14:43.360 and it challenges me 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:44.939 because John is saying, 00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:45.620 fundamentally, 00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:46.740 under all the nuance 00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:47.679 and under all the lack 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.120 of clarity 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:49.039 and under all 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.159 the intellectual humility, 00:14:51.439 --> 00:14:52.199 that there is 00:14:52.199 --> 00:14:53.340 a line in the sand. 00:14:54.819 --> 00:14:54.960 You know, 00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.580 as C.S. Lewis wrote, 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.939 there are only two kinds 00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:58.980 of people in the end, 00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:00.120 those who say to God, 00:15:00.420 --> 00:15:01.260 thy will be done 00:15:01.260 --> 00:15:02.500 and those to whom 00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:03.560 God says in the end, 00:15:03.820 --> 00:15:04.640 thy will be done. 00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:06.300 Or there's another way 00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:06.640 to put it 00:15:06.640 --> 00:15:07.240 and that is that 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:08.460 there are people 00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:09.760 who insist 00:15:09.760 --> 00:15:11.440 on substituting 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:12.560 themselves for God. 00:15:14.880 --> 00:15:15.700 And there are people 00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:16.480 who recognize 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.420 that that's what's wrong 00:15:17.420 --> 00:15:18.000 with the world. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.960 They put off 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:21.980 that way of life 00:15:21.980 --> 00:15:23.160 and recognize 00:15:23.160 --> 00:15:23.680 that their hope 00:15:23.680 --> 00:15:24.300 rests in the fact 00:15:24.300 --> 00:15:25.000 that God has 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:25.980 substituted himself 00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:27.300 for us. 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:28.200 This is the definition 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:28.759 of sin. 00:15:29.240 --> 00:15:30.440 I substitute myself 00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:31.019 for God. 00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:32.399 This is the definition 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.060 of salvation. 00:15:33.300 --> 00:15:34.539 God substituted himself 00:15:34.539 --> 00:15:35.600 for me. 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:37.220 And John is saying, 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.100 either your life 00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:39.320 is based on one 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:41.220 or it's based on the other 00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:42.620 of these realities. 00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:46.379 So the distinction, 00:15:46.860 --> 00:15:47.480 I think, 00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:49.620 between those two kinds 00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:49.980 of people 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:51.620 has largely been blurred 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.500 in our culture. 00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:53.379 I mean, 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:53.960 for a very, 00:15:54.060 --> 00:15:54.259 very, 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.279 very long time. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:56.039 You know, 00:15:56.079 --> 00:15:56.759 until now, 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:57.759 most people 00:15:57.759 --> 00:15:58.600 called themselves 00:15:58.600 --> 00:15:59.079 Christians 00:15:59.079 --> 00:16:00.240 in our culture, 00:16:00.299 --> 00:16:00.879 even though a good 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:01.459 number of them 00:16:01.459 --> 00:16:02.279 had no idea 00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:03.299 what that really meant. 00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:06.059 If you grew up 00:16:06.059 --> 00:16:06.559 in the South, 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:07.559 you know particularly 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:08.819 well what this 00:16:08.819 --> 00:16:10.339 looks like. 00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:12.379 But what you see 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.019 is a country 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:14.419 where Christian faith 00:16:14.419 --> 00:16:15.100 in the gospel 00:16:15.100 --> 00:16:17.600 and patriotism 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:18.740 and politics, 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:20.279 national identity, 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.500 they've been so 00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:22.319 conflated 00:16:22.319 --> 00:16:23.519 and so intermingled 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:24.539 that it's very easy 00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:25.120 to confuse 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:25.960 one for the other. 00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:27.079 I know I've told 00:16:27.079 --> 00:16:27.860 the story before 00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:28.699 of being overseas 00:16:28.699 --> 00:16:30.179 in a largely 00:16:30.179 --> 00:16:32.000 Southeast Asian population 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:33.120 and we were doing 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:34.480 religious knowledge surveys 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:35.500 and one of our questions 00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:35.779 was, 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:37.159 where was Jesus born? 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:38.000 And the majority 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:38.860 of people we asked 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:39.259 said, 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:41.199 the United States. 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:42.500 You know, 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:43.759 that's the kind of confusion 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.439 that has existed 00:16:44.439 --> 00:16:44.960 up to now, 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:45.460 right? 00:16:45.819 --> 00:16:46.860 But that's changing 00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:47.539 and what we're seeing 00:16:47.539 --> 00:16:48.279 in our country now 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:49.159 for the first time 00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:51.279 is that the cultural cost 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.019 of labeling yourself 00:16:53.019 --> 00:16:53.600 a Christian 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.939 outweighs 00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:56.219 the cultural benefit. 00:16:57.799 --> 00:16:58.439 And so you have 00:16:58.439 --> 00:16:59.199 a lot of people 00:16:59.199 --> 00:17:00.219 who used to check 00:17:00.219 --> 00:17:00.759 Christian 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:01.899 on the survey 00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:03.259 who are now checking 00:17:03.259 --> 00:17:04.799 the unaffiliated box. 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:07.319 And a lot of Christians 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:07.899 look at this 00:17:07.899 --> 00:17:08.740 and they lament it 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:09.440 and oh my goodness 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:10.200 and what does this mean 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:10.680 and it's the death 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:11.299 of Christianity. 00:17:13.379 --> 00:17:14.440 Well I and others 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:15.500 think this is absolutely 00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:16.240 the best thing 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:17.599 that could possibly happen 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:19.099 in our culture. 00:17:20.120 --> 00:17:20.940 Because now 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:21.519 we're beginning 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.400 to be able to see 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:23.340 through the haze 00:17:23.340 --> 00:17:23.920 and the fog 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:24.440 and in light 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.380 of our original question 00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:26.360 we're able to see 00:17:26.360 --> 00:17:27.040 more clearly 00:17:27.040 --> 00:17:27.940 reality 00:17:27.940 --> 00:17:29.120 for what it is. 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:30.980 You know, 00:17:31.060 --> 00:17:31.640 John says 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:32.440 that the whole world 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:33.800 lies in the power 00:17:33.800 --> 00:17:34.680 of the evil one 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:35.920 and that word lies 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:36.740 actually means 00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:38.100 to lie asleep. 00:17:38.340 --> 00:17:38.779 It's the word 00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:39.220 that you would use 00:17:39.220 --> 00:17:40.500 to lie on your back 00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:41.540 asleep in your bed. 00:17:42.840 --> 00:17:43.660 So he's saying, 00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:44.120 you know, 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.400 if you're a Christian 00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:47.480 Satan can't even touch you. 00:17:47.580 --> 00:17:48.380 You're under protection. 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:53.900 We're under protection. 00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:58.160 But if you're not, 00:17:58.779 --> 00:18:01.080 then you're asleep 00:18:01.080 --> 00:18:01.620 in the arms 00:18:01.620 --> 00:18:02.279 of the evil one. 00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:03.820 That's what he's saying. 00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:05.960 You know, 00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:07.600 I hate to reference it 00:18:07.600 --> 00:18:08.800 because it's been used a lot 00:18:08.800 --> 00:18:09.240 but you know, 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:10.500 the best modern illustration 00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:11.540 of this is the movie 00:18:11.540 --> 00:18:12.000 The Matrix. 00:18:13.360 --> 00:18:13.779 You know, 00:18:13.820 --> 00:18:14.700 with the fundamental premise 00:18:14.700 --> 00:18:15.860 is people are going 00:18:15.860 --> 00:18:16.600 about their lives 00:18:16.600 --> 00:18:17.420 and eating and drinking 00:18:17.420 --> 00:18:18.279 and working 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:19.279 and having families 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:20.460 and all of that 00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:22.120 and unbeknownst to them 00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:23.080 they're actually lying 00:18:23.080 --> 00:18:23.779 asleep 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:25.220 in service 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:26.360 to this great evil. 00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:27.279 Right? 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.420 And the only way 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:29.740 to escape that 00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:31.120 is for there to be 00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:31.759 an intervention 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.680 where somebody comes in 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.420 from the outside 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:34.700 and wakes you up 00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:36.000 and sets you free 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:36.660 and then, 00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:37.140 you know, 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.180 there's that great line 00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:39.400 from Morpheus to Neo 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.319 when he's first freed, 00:18:40.620 --> 00:18:40.740 you know, 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:41.600 welcome to the world 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:42.179 of the real. 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:44.740 Now you're seeing reality 00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.719 for what it really is 00:18:45.719 --> 00:18:47.019 and it's a horror show. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.079 And so what John is saying 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:51.059 is that that's what we need. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.299 The world lies asleep 00:18:52.299 --> 00:18:53.619 in the arms of evil 00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:55.339 and Christians are simply 00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:55.859 those people 00:18:55.859 --> 00:18:56.859 who have been awakened. 00:18:59.159 --> 00:19:00.779 So if our first anchor 00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:02.000 that helps us see reality 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:02.539 accurately 00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:04.500 is that we're born of God 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:06.799 and that he protects us, 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:08.599 the second anchor is this, 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:10.279 we live in exile. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.039 We live as Christians 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:13.559 in a world 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.859 that is fundamentally 00:19:14.859 --> 00:19:19.639 hostile to God 00:19:19.639 --> 00:19:22.279 and often hostile 00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:24.719 to those who belong to God. 00:19:26.699 --> 00:19:28.599 And apart from God's saving grace, 00:19:28.679 --> 00:19:30.259 human beings are spiritually ignorant. 00:19:31.859 --> 00:19:32.859 If you want to think 00:19:32.859 --> 00:19:33.899 about implications of this, 00:19:33.939 --> 00:19:34.939 there are lots of implications. 00:19:35.719 --> 00:19:36.699 One maybe particularly 00:19:36.699 --> 00:19:38.439 relevant implication for us 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:41.039 is this is why Christians 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.039 only marry Christians. 00:19:44.840 --> 00:19:44.980 You know, 00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:45.140 I mean, 00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:46.559 a lot of people hear that 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.480 and they think that's insane 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:48.160 and that's crazy 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:49.160 and that's why would you even 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:49.980 think of it that way 00:19:49.980 --> 00:19:50.620 these days. 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:51.960 You know, 00:19:52.320 --> 00:19:53.100 if I meet a person 00:19:53.100 --> 00:19:54.660 and we really love each other 00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:55.660 and we really get along 00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:56.420 and we have a lot of things 00:19:56.420 --> 00:19:56.960 in common, 00:19:57.360 --> 00:19:58.500 then surely we can just 00:19:58.500 --> 00:19:59.460 agree to disagree 00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:00.720 when it comes to faith. 00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:02.860 But John would say, 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.140 you're not seeing reality 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:05.320 for what it is. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:07.360 You're not seeing things clearly. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:07.719 He would say, 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.619 it may seem like 00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.559 that's not a big deal. 00:20:10.659 --> 00:20:11.879 But if you're seeing reality 00:20:11.879 --> 00:20:12.459 for what it is, 00:20:12.500 --> 00:20:13.240 what you would realize 00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:14.199 is that someone 00:20:14.199 --> 00:20:17.539 who has been born of God 00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:18.240 and awakened 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:19.659 and set free from this 00:20:19.659 --> 00:20:21.159 cannot pledge themselves 00:20:21.159 --> 00:20:21.759 to somebody 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:23.439 who is still spiritually asleep 00:20:23.439 --> 00:20:24.919 and hostile 00:20:24.919 --> 00:20:26.099 to that very same God. 00:20:27.139 --> 00:20:28.599 You can't pledge yourselves 00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:29.240 to one another. 00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:31.799 And the reason is simple. 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:33.519 Because you have 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:34.539 a divided allegiance 00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:37.559 and you're each living 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:38.379 in service 00:20:38.379 --> 00:20:39.200 to masters 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:41.259 who are fundamentally opposed. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.700 It's an impossibility. 00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:46.779 You know, 00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:47.740 Christian values 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.339 and ethics 00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:49.440 and priorities 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:50.920 make absolutely 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:51.879 no sense 00:20:51.879 --> 00:20:52.599 to someone 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:53.879 if they're still 00:20:53.879 --> 00:20:54.759 spiritually asleep. 00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.639 They don't make sense. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.680 They don't fit at all. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.920 You can't justify them 00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:00.220 apart from 00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:01.659 the reality of Christ. 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:02.519 And so people 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:03.519 can't be reasoned 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.299 into this faith. 00:21:04.379 --> 00:21:04.740 Even though 00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:05.779 it's an incredibly 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:07.339 intellectually rich faith, 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.000 you can't be reasoned 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:10.700 alone into this faith. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:11.819 The only hope, 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:12.759 the only way 00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:14.980 is for someone 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.539 to come in 00:21:15.539 --> 00:21:16.460 from the outside, 00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:18.440 Jesus Christ, 00:21:18.879 --> 00:21:19.500 and intervene 00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:20.180 in your life 00:21:20.180 --> 00:21:20.960 and wake you up. 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:21.359 It's something 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.420 only God can do. 00:21:24.879 --> 00:21:25.940 So the first anchor 00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:26.240 is this. 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:27.700 We belong to God. 00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:28.339 We're under 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:29.299 the protection 00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:30.160 of Jesus Christ 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:31.180 if we're Christians. 00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:32.019 The second anchor 00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:33.700 is that we live 00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:34.759 in spiritual exile. 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.200 And the third anchor 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:37.920 kind of ties 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:39.059 all these things together 00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:40.660 and it really concerns 00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:41.220 the nature 00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:42.259 of our hope. 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:45.160 Verses 20 and 21 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:45.720 say this, 00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:46.539 and we know 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.339 that the Son of God 00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:48.039 has come 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:49.000 and given us 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:49.779 understanding 00:21:49.779 --> 00:21:52.319 so that we may know 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.619 Him who is true. 00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:56.019 And we are in Him 00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:56.839 who is true 00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:57.839 in His Son, 00:21:57.940 --> 00:21:58.660 Jesus Christ. 00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:00.380 He is the true God 00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:02.519 and eternal life. 00:22:03.400 --> 00:22:04.160 And then verse 21, 00:22:04.300 --> 00:22:04.940 little children, 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:06.019 keep yourselves 00:22:06.019 --> 00:22:06.820 from idols. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:08.880 Sounds like a total 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:09.519 non-sequitur. 00:22:09.580 --> 00:22:09.980 We'll get back 00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:11.259 to why He says that. 00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:13.460 But He's essentially 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:13.980 saying this, 00:22:14.060 --> 00:22:14.759 what is our hope? 00:22:16.800 --> 00:22:17.680 Living in this kind 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:17.960 of world? 00:22:18.040 --> 00:22:18.440 Well, the hope 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.320 for this kind of world 00:22:19.320 --> 00:22:19.840 is this, 00:22:20.060 --> 00:22:20.860 that that intervention 00:22:20.860 --> 00:22:21.700 that we talked about, 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.860 that He has come. 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:23.920 This intervention 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.460 has come. 00:22:24.540 --> 00:22:25.100 The Son of God 00:22:25.100 --> 00:22:25.620 has come. 00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:27.299 And I want to make 00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.699 note of this, 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.679 that He came to us, 00:22:28.699 --> 00:22:29.619 not the other way around. 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.579 We didn't get to Him. 00:22:31.259 --> 00:22:32.259 There's nothing that we did 00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.279 that got us to Him. 00:22:34.419 --> 00:22:35.019 See, this is why 00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:35.799 you can't leave off 00:22:35.799 --> 00:22:36.799 with that last point I made. 00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:37.739 You can't just say, 00:22:38.619 --> 00:22:40.259 we've been awakened, 00:22:41.059 --> 00:22:42.039 but everybody around us 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:42.679 is still asleep, 00:22:42.719 --> 00:22:43.959 because if we just said that, 00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:45.459 that would very quickly 00:22:45.459 --> 00:22:46.339 lead to all kinds 00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:47.239 of spiritual arrogance. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:47.719 You know, 00:22:47.739 --> 00:22:48.079 that sounds like 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:49.259 a very arrogant thing to say. 00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:50.119 I'm awake 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:50.899 and I see reality 00:22:50.899 --> 00:22:51.519 and you don't. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:51.759 You know, 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.259 you say that today 00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:53.799 and people will get 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:54.379 really offended. 00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:57.899 This point is incredibly important 00:22:57.899 --> 00:22:58.819 because it helps us remember, 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:00.199 there's nothing that I did. 00:23:00.959 --> 00:23:01.919 The only reason 00:23:01.919 --> 00:23:03.099 that this is true of me, 00:23:03.159 --> 00:23:03.739 the only reason 00:23:03.739 --> 00:23:05.059 that this is true of you, 00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:07.099 is because God came 00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:07.719 into your life 00:23:07.719 --> 00:23:08.779 and awakened you. 00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:11.179 Spiritually brought you 00:23:11.179 --> 00:23:11.659 to life. 00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:13.639 Wasn't anything you did, 00:23:14.219 --> 00:23:15.119 you don't deserve it, 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:16.299 you'll never be able 00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:16.799 to repay it, 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:17.939 that's why we call it grace. 00:23:18.939 --> 00:23:19.659 But there's been 00:23:19.659 --> 00:23:20.199 an intervention 00:23:20.199 --> 00:23:21.059 in your life 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:22.159 and what the Bible 00:23:22.159 --> 00:23:23.179 tells us is that 00:23:23.180 --> 00:23:25.320 Jesus intends 00:23:25.320 --> 00:23:26.039 that intervention 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:27.360 for all people, 00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:29.000 that this hope 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:30.140 is meant for all people. 00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:32.220 So, you know, 00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:33.279 Paul says in Ephesians 2, 00:23:33.320 --> 00:23:34.100 if this has happened to you, 00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:34.860 you have no reason 00:23:34.860 --> 00:23:35.420 to boast. 00:23:36.440 --> 00:23:37.180 You're no different 00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:38.000 than anybody else. 00:23:40.779 --> 00:23:41.860 And then John goes on 00:23:41.860 --> 00:23:42.279 to say 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.380 that when he talks 00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:43.799 of Jesus, 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:45.180 he refers to Jesus 00:23:45.180 --> 00:23:46.240 as he who is true. 00:23:46.340 --> 00:23:46.860 I'm talking about 00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:47.980 him who is true. 00:23:48.360 --> 00:23:48.940 And I think that's 00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:49.700 an interesting phrase 00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.200 that shows up 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:51.000 a number of times. 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:52.539 And when I looked it up 00:23:52.539 --> 00:23:53.339 and when I looked 00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.059 at the original word 00:23:54.059 --> 00:23:54.319 for this, 00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:55.119 this isn't the normal 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:55.640 Greek word 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:56.839 that means true 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:57.380 or truth. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:23:58.779 It's a word 00:23:58.779 --> 00:23:59.480 that more accurately 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:01.079 means reality 00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:02.579 or real. 00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:03.839 This brings us back 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:05.119 to our initial question. 00:24:06.420 --> 00:24:07.339 So he's actually saying, 00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:08.059 what he's saying is, 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:08.859 here's the hope 00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:09.420 that we have, 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.619 the real God 00:24:10.619 --> 00:24:11.480 has come to us. 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:14.039 The cornerstone 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:14.640 of reality, 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:15.339 the one who, 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:15.900 when you put him 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:16.319 at the center, 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:17.559 he helps to make sense 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:18.319 of everything else. 00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:20.099 That real God, 00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:21.319 that real being, 00:24:21.639 --> 00:24:22.559 the ultimate reality, 00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:23.639 has come to us. 00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:26.619 And if you know that, 00:24:26.679 --> 00:24:27.299 that's why it helps 00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:28.079 to make sense 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.119 of why John 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:29.959 would go on to say, 00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.559 little children, 00:24:30.699 --> 00:24:31.319 keep yourselves 00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:32.319 from idols. 00:24:32.599 --> 00:24:33.759 This isn't an afterthought, 00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:34.959 it's an application. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:35.379 He's saying, 00:24:35.439 --> 00:24:35.699 listen, 00:24:36.699 --> 00:24:37.919 if the real God 00:24:37.919 --> 00:24:38.459 has come, 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:39.899 you need to make 00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:40.939 very sure 00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:41.519 that you're not 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.619 devoted to 00:24:42.619 --> 00:24:43.639 a fake God, 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:44.799 a false God. 00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.679 Because the real God 00:24:46.679 --> 00:24:47.000 is here. 00:24:47.159 --> 00:24:47.959 Guard yourself 00:24:47.959 --> 00:24:49.539 from the false God 00:24:49.539 --> 00:24:50.240 so that you can 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.379 embrace and cling 00:24:51.379 --> 00:24:53.180 to and be in 00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:55.019 the real God. 00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:56.220 Now, 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:56.700 we're going to talk 00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:57.299 about this more 00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:59.339 next week in depth. 00:24:59.420 --> 00:25:00.000 We're going to just 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:01.039 spend our whole time, 00:25:01.379 --> 00:25:02.139 the last sermon 00:25:02.139 --> 00:25:02.960 in 1 John, 00:25:03.019 --> 00:25:03.399 we're going to look 00:25:03.399 --> 00:25:04.339 just at verse 21. 00:25:05.579 --> 00:25:06.940 But I want to give you 00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:08.159 one image or illustration 00:25:08.159 --> 00:25:09.240 to help make sense 00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:10.420 of what John's 00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:11.279 talking about here. 00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:14.759 There's an insect 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:15.899 called the Australian 00:25:15.899 --> 00:25:16.659 jewel beetle. 00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:17.660 jewel beetle. 00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:19.860 And the jewel beetle 00:25:19.860 --> 00:25:20.560 is distinctive 00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:21.820 because it's brown 00:25:21.820 --> 00:25:23.279 and glossy 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:24.640 and has dimples 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:25.300 all over the back 00:25:25.300 --> 00:25:25.820 of its shell. 00:25:26.360 --> 00:25:26.540 Right? 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:28.240 And they live 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:28.860 in the outback 00:25:28.860 --> 00:25:30.460 and females 00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:31.240 are flightless 00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:31.860 and so the males 00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:32.560 fly around 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:32.960 and they look 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:34.380 for a suitable female, 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:36.220 nice brown shell, 00:25:36.800 --> 00:25:38.019 nice looking dimples, 00:25:38.540 --> 00:25:38.640 you know, 00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:40.000 nice glossy sheen. 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:41.220 And when they find 00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:41.900 a hot female, 00:25:42.080 --> 00:25:42.660 they land 00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:43.700 and they mate. 00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:44.160 Right? 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:45.960 Well, another thing 00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:46.519 that's been happening 00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:47.060 in the outback 00:25:47.060 --> 00:25:48.040 is trash buildup. 00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.640 And you have a lot 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.220 of beer bottles 00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:50.640 that are just 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:51.440 thrown out of cars. 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:53.660 What do beer bottles 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:54.120 look like? 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:55.640 They're brown, 00:25:56.320 --> 00:25:57.040 they're glossy, 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.300 and they're dimpled 00:25:58.300 --> 00:25:58.980 around the bottom. 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:01.380 The species 00:26:01.380 --> 00:26:03.000 has almost gone extinct. 00:26:04.300 --> 00:26:04.779 Why? 00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:06.900 It's because 00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:07.500 as the males 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:08.360 are flying around, 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:09.580 they see the beer bottle 00:26:09.579 --> 00:26:12.480 and the beer bottle 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:14.199 has in appearance 00:26:14.199 --> 00:26:15.039 everything that 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:15.799 they're looking for. 00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:17.859 And so you have 00:26:17.859 --> 00:26:18.619 beer bottles 00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:20.220 with male beetles 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:21.439 swarming over them 00:26:21.439 --> 00:26:22.240 trying to mate, 00:26:22.379 --> 00:26:23.299 trying to have union. 00:26:24.379 --> 00:26:24.980 And you have 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:26.279 all these lonely females 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:27.639 who are getting 00:26:27.639 --> 00:26:28.119 no attention 00:26:28.119 --> 00:26:28.799 because the males 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:29.740 are rejecting 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.439 the reality 00:26:30.439 --> 00:26:31.119 for the fantasy. 00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:33.159 Now, 00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:34.119 this has enormous 00:26:34.119 --> 00:26:35.599 application value, 00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:35.960 right? 00:26:36.099 --> 00:26:36.339 I mean, 00:26:36.399 --> 00:26:37.899 we could just 00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:38.839 go all day. 00:26:39.579 --> 00:26:40.439 We could just 00:26:40.439 --> 00:26:41.799 riff until tomorrow 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:43.859 about men 00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:44.699 leaving women 00:26:44.699 --> 00:26:46.399 for the bottle. 00:26:47.159 --> 00:26:48.419 But more important, 00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:49.359 and I got that 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:49.960 from Hoffman 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:50.579 who said this, 00:26:51.939 --> 00:26:53.579 but more accurately, 00:26:53.939 --> 00:26:54.319 obviously, 00:26:54.699 --> 00:26:55.759 sexually speaking, 00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:56.799 this is a great example 00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.619 of exactly what 00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:58.500 pornography is doing 00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.500 in our culture, 00:27:00.439 --> 00:27:02.339 where men 00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:02.980 are increasingly 00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:03.960 choosing the fantasy 00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:04.759 over the reality. 00:27:05.919 --> 00:27:06.799 They're choosing 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.039 to attach themselves 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:09.879 to something 00:27:09.879 --> 00:27:11.180 that isn't real, 00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.039 that only has 00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:12.519 the appearance 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.139 of reality, 00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:14.779 and that is incapable 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:16.019 of life-giving union 00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:18.579 rather than the real thing. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:19.680 But on a deeper, 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:21.000 more spiritual level, 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:21.819 this is actually 00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:22.819 a wonderful picture 00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:23.619 of idolatry. 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:26.059 Because John is saying, 00:27:26.159 --> 00:27:26.599 you were made 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:27.420 for one thing, 00:27:27.879 --> 00:27:28.859 union with Christ. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:30.839 Your entire purpose, 00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.659 your entire reason 00:27:31.659 --> 00:27:32.279 for being here, 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:33.339 your entire hope, 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:34.259 your entire life 00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:34.819 is here. 00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:36.500 The entire gospel endeavor 00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:37.740 from Genesis to Revelation 00:27:37.740 --> 00:27:39.859 is all to make possible 00:27:39.859 --> 00:27:41.659 your union with Christ. 00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:43.419 That's the whole thing. 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.419 That's what it's all about, 00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:45.539 that you could know 00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:46.240 the fulfillment 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.960 of what human life is for, 00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:48.659 and that has to be 00:27:48.659 --> 00:27:49.700 a part of the Trinity. 00:27:51.379 --> 00:27:52.200 And instead, 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.859 again and again and again, 00:27:54.939 --> 00:27:55.879 we are choosing 00:27:55.879 --> 00:28:00.939 objects of devotion 00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:02.059 that have the appearance 00:28:02.059 --> 00:28:03.840 of a Savior, 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:06.100 the appearance 00:28:06.100 --> 00:28:07.640 of something worth 00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:08.259 our devotion, 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.700 but which are incapable 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:13.140 of the life-giving union 00:28:13.140 --> 00:28:14.920 for which we were made. 00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:17.000 We can go on and on 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:17.580 with examples. 00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:19.140 We will more in detail 00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:19.759 next week. 00:28:20.820 --> 00:28:21.580 Good things, 00:28:21.820 --> 00:28:23.259 like your job 00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:24.600 or your desire for success, 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:26.019 your family, 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:27.660 your kids, 00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:30.279 things that are good, 00:28:31.620 --> 00:28:32.660 things that look shiny, 00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:33.380 you know, 00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:35.200 things that promise a lot, 00:28:35.900 --> 00:28:36.779 but things that ultimately, 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:37.640 if you give yourself 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:38.580 completely to them, 00:28:38.800 --> 00:28:39.860 will not give back. 00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:41.480 They will only take. 00:28:42.820 --> 00:28:43.759 And John is saying, 00:28:44.840 --> 00:28:46.180 guard yourself from that. 00:28:47.560 --> 00:28:49.240 The real God has come. 00:28:49.820 --> 00:28:50.940 He's intervened. 00:28:51.700 --> 00:28:53.000 He's waking you up 00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:55.460 so that you will know him 00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:56.720 and be in him 00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:58.160 for all eternity. 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:02.079 No substitute will do. 00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:03.900 Don't settle. 00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:06.799 So coming back 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.740 to our question 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:08.380 at the beginning, 00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:09.960 are we able to see reality 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:10.839 as it is? 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:11.720 You know, 00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:13.180 can we cut through the haze? 00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:14.619 Can we cut through 00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:15.200 the uncertainty 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:15.980 and the confusion? 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:18.480 The conflicting views 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:19.180 about reality? 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:20.140 Are we actually able 00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:20.759 to see things 00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:21.619 as they really are? 00:29:21.619 --> 00:29:23.059 The answer is yes. 00:29:24.239 --> 00:29:26.000 As long as we anchor ourselves 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.859 with these truths. 00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:29.959 First, 00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:30.519 that Christians 00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:31.500 are born of God 00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:32.779 and that if you're a Christian, 00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:34.239 you're once and for all 00:29:34.239 --> 00:29:34.859 God's child 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:35.479 and you are under 00:29:35.479 --> 00:29:36.219 his protection. 00:29:38.019 --> 00:29:38.459 Second, 00:29:38.599 --> 00:29:39.619 that we live in exile. 00:29:40.359 --> 00:29:41.439 The world is asleep, 00:29:42.659 --> 00:29:43.719 alienated from God, 00:29:44.379 --> 00:29:46.399 and only the intervening 00:29:46.399 --> 00:29:47.579 power of God himself 00:29:47.579 --> 00:29:49.179 can restore such a world. 00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:52.160 And the last anchor 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:52.580 is this, 00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.259 the good news 00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:54.400 that that intervention 00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:55.160 has come. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:58.140 That reality himself 00:29:58.140 --> 00:30:00.340 has broken into the darkness 00:30:00.340 --> 00:30:03.019 and the darkness 00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:05.259 cannot overcome it. 00:30:06.340 --> 00:30:07.080 Let's pray. 00:30:11.560 --> 00:30:12.240 Father, 00:30:12.360 --> 00:30:13.100 only you know 00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:14.279 where we are this evening 00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:15.740 and where our hearts are. 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:17.160 There are some of us here 00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:19.000 who know this hope, 00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:20.440 who have the certainty 00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:21.200 of what it means 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.140 to belong to you. 00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:24.940 We experience your love. 00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:26.400 We know the richness 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:28.080 of this relationship 00:30:28.080 --> 00:30:29.180 that we have with you. 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:31.279 There are many of us here, 00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:31.620 Lord, 00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:32.660 some of us Christians 00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.560 and some of us not, 00:30:33.779 --> 00:30:34.900 who don't know this, 00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:35.800 who doubt it, 00:30:36.060 --> 00:30:36.840 who question it, 00:30:36.900 --> 00:30:37.840 who wrestle with it. 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:39.320 Lord, 00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:41.099 those of us 00:30:41.099 --> 00:30:42.399 who are afraid 00:30:42.399 --> 00:30:42.980 to hope 00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:43.980 that we might 00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.659 be disappointed, 00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:46.099 those of us 00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:46.679 who feel 00:30:46.679 --> 00:30:47.939 distant from you, 00:30:48.139 --> 00:30:48.639 disconnected, 00:30:48.899 --> 00:30:49.559 who wonder 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:50.500 if you're even there, 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:51.899 maybe even those of us 00:30:51.899 --> 00:30:52.759 who are angry at you 00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:53.939 or who hate you. 00:30:56.539 --> 00:30:56.980 Lord, 00:30:57.179 --> 00:30:58.700 may we rest 00:30:58.700 --> 00:31:00.139 and may we hope 00:31:00.139 --> 00:31:00.700 in the fact 00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:02.579 that you have come, 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:05.179 that you're here with us 00:31:05.179 --> 00:31:06.079 even as we 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:07.399 sit in this space. 00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:09.680 And we pray 00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:10.580 that in only 00:31:10.580 --> 00:31:12.160 the way that you can do, 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.200 you would make yourself 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:13.900 known to us, 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:15.480 that we would 00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:16.860 have the kind of 00:31:16.860 --> 00:31:18.540 union 00:31:18.540 --> 00:31:20.040 for which we were made. 00:31:20.840 --> 00:31:21.440 And we pray this 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.380 in your son's holy name. 00:31:22.580 --> 00:31:22.800 Amen.