WEBVTT

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 Well, if you've been here for a while, you know that I'm a huge fan of the musical Les

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 Miserables.

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 Actually, I'm a bigger fan of the book.

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 It's just as hard to slog through the 900 pages to get the richness of it.

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 But if you're up for the task, it's totally worth your summer reading.

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 But if you can't get to that, the musical captures many of the great themes.

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 And one of my favorite characters in it is Inspector Javert.

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 Inspector Javert, who is known for his beautiful solo stars where he sings of his commitment

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 to righteousness and law-keeping in the world and how he is called to enforce it.

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 But one of the interesting things about Inspector Javert that you may not know if you haven't

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 listened to it as many times as I have is that Javert comes from a very interesting place.

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 In one scene where he has this conflict or this confrontation actually with Jean Valjean,

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 the redemptive hero of the story.

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 They're singing at the same time.

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 And so it's really hard to hear what he's saying.

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 But what you learn is that Javert was born in a prison.

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 And that Javert was, as he grew up, he grew up to hate the place that he came from.

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 And his commitment to righteousness and his commitment to law-keeping.

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 And the way that he did it, which becomes clearer and clearer throughout the story,

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 with no understanding of grace or of mercy or of love or of anything but law-keeping as an end in itself.

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 He had a hatred for those who would break the law.

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 He had a hatred for those who were like where he himself came from.

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 He hated their weakness and he hated their sinfulness.

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 One of the reasons why he's such a powerful character is because I see that in my own self as well.

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 That there are times when if I have a really strong and legalistic and critical attitude towards someone else,

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 if I stop and think,

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 one of the main reasons why I am like that

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 is because I see in someone else a weakness or a vulnerability or a sin

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 that I'm prone to and that I hate in myself.

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 I remember back in 2005, the Lord brought this home to me.

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 He unpacked my heart through a series of conflicts and difficult situations.

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 He said,

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 Do you see that you are critical towards those closest to you

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 at the very areas that you are weak

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 and you want them to be stronger than they can ever be?

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 The Lord used that in my life in deep ways.

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 But I wonder if you're like that too if you stop and think about it.

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 Do you tend to hate in others the weakness you see in yourself?

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 Do you tend to condemn most loudly the sin that you're most prone to fall into?

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 And when you do that,

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 when I do that,

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 what happens in our hearts?

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 Our hearts become hardened

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 rather than become softened in compassion.

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 When people call us on this and question us,

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 we become defensive.

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 We excuse.

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 We justify ourselves.

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 Sometimes we feel guilty

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 that we have become critical and hard-hearted.

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 But in doing so,

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 we also feel relief

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 because it allows us to step back.

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 Having condemned someone else,

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 we can step back and say,

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 okay,

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 I don't have to have anything to do with you.

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 It's so easy for our hearts

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 to turn

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 on those

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 who are weak and vulnerable.

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 To turn on those

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 who show their humanity

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 and their frailty

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 and their sinfulness.

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 What does God think of that?

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 What do we think of that?

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 What does God call his people to in that?

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 Well, this brings us to our text this morning

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 as we continue our series in Exodus.

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 We're going to be in Exodus 22,

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 starting in verse 21.

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 If you want to turn there in your pew Bibles,

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 it's page 63.

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 As you're turning there,

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 let me remind you,

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 Exodus is this grand story,

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 God's deliverance in chapters 1 through 19,

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 his deliverance of his people

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 from slavery in Egypt

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 and bringing them to the foot of Mount Sinai.

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 Now he is revealing himself to them

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 and making a covenant with them.

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 And if you remember,

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 a couple weeks ago,

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 we looked at chapter 19,

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 verses 4 through 6,

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 where God comes to Moses

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 and says,

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 remember how I bore you out of Egypt.

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 Remember how I delivered you from slavery.

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 Now I am calling you

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 to be my people,

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 to be a kingdom of priests

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 in this world for me.

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 And I will be your God

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 and you will be my people.

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 And this is the setup for then

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 the giving of the Ten Commandments.

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 These grand principles

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 on how God's people are to live,

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 to be a kingdom of priests,

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 to reflect God in the world.

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 And then as we keep going,

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 we're now in this section

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 in chapters 21 through 24,

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 usually called the Book of the Covenant,

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 which is this, again,

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 dipping into God's instruction

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 to his people

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 about how to live as his people.

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 Last week, if you were here,

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 Greg dove into a whole series

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 of different sections

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 in 20 and 21,

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 that are in 21 and 22,

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 I'm sorry,

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 which were primarily case law, right?

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 If this happens,

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 this is how you ought to respond.

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 One of the things

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 that Greg said last week

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 is that the laws were given

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 to God's people

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 so that they might know

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 how to live in a fallen world.

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 We can always mistake,

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 we can fall into the mistake

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 of thinking that the laws

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 were given to establish an ideal.

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 And there are ideals

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 and there are principles

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 and there are characteristics

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 of God and his people

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 that come through the law.

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 But the law is actually given

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 to people who live

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 in a fallen world

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 and who battle against sin.

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 And what you'll see

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 in our passage today

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 is that that continues.

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 We're no longer in case law.

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 We're now,

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 the formal word

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 that you read in seminaries

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 is apodictic,

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 which basically,

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 as far as I can tell,

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 means instructional law.

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 This is what you ought to do,

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 period.

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 And as you walk through it,

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 as we walk through it,

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 you will see,

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 and I just want you

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 to give a tick now.

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 As we read the passage

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 in just a second,

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 I want you to think,

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 if there were no sin

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 in the world,

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 would we need these laws?

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 So, I just want to put that

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 in your mind

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 so that as we're thinking

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 about it,

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 so that you'll understand

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 that this is God's instruction

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 to us living

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 in a fallen world,

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 giving us some direction

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 on how to do this.

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 And what we will see

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 in this passage

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 is an answer to the question,

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 how does God want us

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 to respond to the vulnerable

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 and the weak among us?

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 So, let's read the passage together.

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 Starting in chapter 22,

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 verse 21,

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 let's read together.

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 This is God's word.

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 You shall not wrong

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 a sojourner

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 or oppress him,

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 for you were sojourners

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 in the land of Egypt.

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 You shall not mistreat

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 any widow

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 or fatherless child,

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 if you do mistreat them

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 and they cry out to me,

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 I will surely hear their cry

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 and my wrath will burn

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 and I will kill you

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 with the sword

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 and your wives

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 shall become widows

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 and your children fatherless.

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 If you lend to any

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 of my people

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 with you who is poor,

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 you shall not be like

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 the money lender to him

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 and you shall not exact

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 interest from him.

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 If ever you take

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 your neighbor's cloak

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 and pledge,

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 you shall return it

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 to him before the sun

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 goes down,

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 for that is his only covering

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 and it is his cloak

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 for his body.

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 In what else

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 shall he sleep?

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 And if he cries to me,

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 I will hear,

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 for I am compassionate.

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 You shall not revile God

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 nor curse a ruler

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 of your people.

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 You shall not delay

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 to offer from the fullness

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 of your harvest

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 and from the outflow

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 of your presses.

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 The firstborn of your son

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 shall be given,

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 the firstborn of your son,

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 you shall give to me.

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 You shall do the same

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 with your oxen

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 and with your sheep.

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 For seven days

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 it shall be with its mother

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 and on the eighth day

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 you shall give it to me.

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 You shall be consecrated to me.

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 Therefore,

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 you shall not eat any flesh

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 that is torn

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 by beasts in the field.

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 You shall throw it

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 to the dogs.

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 You shall not spread

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 a false report.

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 You shall not join hands

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 with a wicked man

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 to be a malicious witness.

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 You shall not fall in

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 with the many

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 to do evil.

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 Nor shall you bear witness

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 in a lawsuit

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 siding with the many

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 so as to pervert justice.

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 Nor shall you be partial

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 to a poor man

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 in his lawsuit.

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 If you meet

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 your enemy's ox

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 or his donkey

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 going astray,

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 you shall bring it back to him.

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 If you see the donkey

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 of one who hates you

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 lying down

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 under its burden,

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 you shall refrain

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 from leaving him with it.

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 You shall rescue it

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 with him.

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 You shall not pervert

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 the justice due

00:10:16.599 --> 00:10:17.620
 to your poor

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 in his lawsuit.

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 Keep far

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 from a false charge

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 and do not kill

00:10:22.439 --> 00:10:23.059
 the innocent

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 and righteous

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 for I will not acquit

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 the wicked.

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 And you shall take

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 no bribe

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 for a bribe

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 blinds the clear-sighted

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 and subverts

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 the cause of those

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 who are in the right.

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 You shall not oppress

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 a sojourner.

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 You know the heart

00:10:39.400 --> 00:10:40.259
 of a sojourner

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 for you were sojourners

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 in the land of Egypt.

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 Let's pray

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 and ask God's help

00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:48.180
 to understand this passage.

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 Lord, we thank you

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 this morning

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 for your word.

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 Lord, we thank you

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 that it teaches us

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 about you

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 and the character

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 of who you are

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 and Lord,

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 also how you instruct us

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 and teach us

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 and call us

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 to be a people

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 Lord,

00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:09.340
 set apart for you

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 that we might reflect you

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 and display you

00:11:12.259 --> 00:11:13.120
 in this world.

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 Lord, thank you

00:11:14.920 --> 00:11:16.019
 for the grace

00:11:16.019 --> 00:11:16.960
 that you have shown us

00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:17.539
 in Christ

00:11:17.539 --> 00:11:18.440
 that we might be

00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:18.940
 your people.

00:11:19.680 --> 00:11:20.659
 We pray this morning

00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:21.800
 for your help

00:11:21.800 --> 00:11:22.379
 as we listen

00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:22.920
 to your word.

00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:24.940
 Lord, may you open

00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:25.480
 our hearts

00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:26.639
 to receive your word.

00:11:26.779 --> 00:11:27.940
 Will you awaken

00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:28.639
 our minds

00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:29.940
 to understand it?

00:11:30.500 --> 00:11:31.220
 Lord, will you move

00:11:31.220 --> 00:11:31.800
 our hands

00:11:31.800 --> 00:11:32.660
 to obey it?

00:11:34.060 --> 00:11:35.080
 We pray these things

00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:35.920
 in Jesus' name.

00:11:36.660 --> 00:11:36.940
 Amen.

00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:39.980
 All right.

00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:42.779
 So, just one more comment

00:11:42.779 --> 00:11:44.100
 as Greg mentioned

00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:44.740
 last time.

00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:45.680
 You know,

00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:46.320
 this wouldn't have been

00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:48.019
 the section of Scripture

00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:48.639
 I would have picked

00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:50.120
 to preach on this morning.

00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:50.519
 Like, oh,

00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:51.800
 let's preach on these ones.

00:11:52.300 --> 00:11:53.440
 But because we're committed

00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:53.860
 to preaching

00:11:53.860 --> 00:11:54.600
 through the Scriptures

00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:55.259
 and believing

00:11:55.259 --> 00:11:57.440
 that it has good for us,

00:11:57.500 --> 00:11:58.379
 that all Scripture

00:11:58.379 --> 00:11:59.300
 is God-breathed

00:11:59.300 --> 00:12:00.920
 and is profitable for us,

00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:02.220
 so we preach through

00:12:02.220 --> 00:12:03.379
 and we come to this passage

00:12:03.379 --> 00:12:03.960
 and we think,

00:12:04.060 --> 00:12:05.180
 what does this have to say to us?

00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:06.480
 So, we're going to try

00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:07.279
 to break it down,

00:12:07.420 --> 00:12:08.639
 the process this morning.

00:12:08.740 --> 00:12:09.399
 We're going to first

00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:10.060
 look at the meaning

00:12:10.060 --> 00:12:10.639
 of the passage.

00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:11.279
 The second,

00:12:11.420 --> 00:12:11.860
 we're going to look

00:12:11.860 --> 00:12:12.580
 at its application

00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:13.700
 for us as a church.

00:12:14.040 --> 00:12:14.480
 And third,

00:12:14.540 --> 00:12:15.019
 we're going to look

00:12:15.019 --> 00:12:16.160
 at how it connects us

00:12:16.160 --> 00:12:16.840
 with the gospel

00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:17.680
 of Jesus Christ.

00:12:18.160 --> 00:12:18.860
 So, that's basically

00:12:18.860 --> 00:12:19.580
 what we're doing.

00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:21.080
 And as we look

00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:21.680
 at the passage,

00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:22.620
 I don't know

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:23.340
 if you noticed it,

00:12:23.379 --> 00:12:24.300
 but it has actually

00:12:24.300 --> 00:12:25.480
 a really beautiful structure.

00:12:25.700 --> 00:12:26.840
 It has bookends,

00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:27.759
 it has a center,

00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:28.560
 and then it has

00:12:28.560 --> 00:12:29.379
 everything else.

00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:30.700
 And the bookends,

00:12:31.540 --> 00:12:32.540
 the starting place,

00:12:32.920 --> 00:12:33.759
 is this comment

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:35.340
 about being a sojourner.

00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:37.320
 This comment about being,

00:12:38.420 --> 00:12:39.080
 he says,

00:12:39.300 --> 00:12:39.980
 you remember

00:12:39.980 --> 00:12:40.780
 that you were

00:12:40.780 --> 00:12:42.020
 a sojourner in Egypt,

00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:42.840
 and therefore,

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:43.820
 you ought to

00:12:43.820 --> 00:12:45.080
 not oppress

00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:46.980
 or treat badly

00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:49.379
 a sojourner among you.

00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:50.960
 Now, a sojourner,

00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:52.020
 and this is someone

00:12:52.020 --> 00:12:53.300
 who lived in another land,

00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:54.540
 someone who,

00:12:54.900 --> 00:12:57.040
 in an agricultural context,

00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:58.779
 living in a foreign land,

00:12:58.860 --> 00:12:59.679
 meant that you often

00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:00.539
 had no access

00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:02.059
 to owning your own land

00:13:02.059 --> 00:13:03.399
 or to cultivating it.

00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:04.579
 It meant you had

00:13:04.579 --> 00:13:06.639
 no place in the society,

00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:07.639
 often legally.

00:13:08.319 --> 00:13:09.519
 Think about Ruth

00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:10.199
 in Israel,

00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:12.399
 or think about Daniel

00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:13.219
 in Babylon.

00:13:13.599 --> 00:13:14.399
 These are people

00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:15.459
 in different parts

00:13:15.459 --> 00:13:15.879
 of scripture

00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:16.740
 who were these,

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:17.879
 who had moved

00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:18.519
 and settled

00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:19.659
 in a different place,

00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:21.279
 but who were outsiders.

00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:23.339
 They were resident aliens,

00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:25.120
 might be the technical

00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:26.200
 immigration term

00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:27.920
 that we might use today.

00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:29.139
 They've moved to live

00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:29.940
 and to reside,

00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:31.300
 but they were not

00:13:31.300 --> 00:13:32.879
 fully citizens.

00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:35.000
 And so,

00:13:35.180 --> 00:13:36.660
 God reminds them,

00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:37.700
 this is what happened

00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:38.259
 to you.

00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:40.180
 You moved to Egypt,

00:13:40.500 --> 00:13:41.460
 and you lived there

00:13:41.460 --> 00:13:42.980
 for 400 years.

00:13:43.460 --> 00:13:44.320
 And though initially

00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:45.139
 you were welcomed

00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:46.280
 and accommodated

00:13:46.280 --> 00:13:47.120
 and blessed

00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:48.879
 by the Egyptians,

00:13:49.220 --> 00:13:50.019
 over time,

00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:51.100
 it turned sour,

00:13:51.700 --> 00:13:52.800
 and you were oppressed,

00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:53.679
 and you were beaten

00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.979
 such that you cried

00:13:54.979 --> 00:13:55.919
 out to the Lord

00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:57.519
 to rescue you

00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.459
 from slavery

00:13:58.459 --> 00:13:59.939
 and from oppression.

00:14:02.959 --> 00:14:04.559
 God says to his people,

00:14:04.819 --> 00:14:05.419
 you remember

00:14:05.419 --> 00:14:06.399
 what it's like

00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.579
 when those in power

00:14:08.579 --> 00:14:10.059
 took advantage of you.

00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:14.059
 So,

00:14:14.179 --> 00:14:14.899
 you now,

00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:15.879
 as my people,

00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:16.839
 need to remember

00:14:16.839 --> 00:14:17.699
 that I'm a God

00:14:17.699 --> 00:14:18.859
 who rescues people

00:14:18.859 --> 00:14:19.679
 from that kind

00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:20.379
 of situation.

00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:21.659
 So,

00:14:21.839 --> 00:14:22.679
 you must be one

00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:23.639
 who does not

00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:25.179
 persist in that

00:14:25.179 --> 00:14:26.219
 fallen pattern

00:14:26.219 --> 00:14:27.299
 that our world

00:14:27.299 --> 00:14:28.419
 is so prone to

00:14:28.419 --> 00:14:30.219
 where those in power

00:14:30.219 --> 00:14:31.120
 take advantage

00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:32.059
 of those who don't,

00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:33.839
 but instead,

00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:35.259
 you are to treat

00:14:35.259 --> 00:14:36.139
 them well.

00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:37.359
 You are to treat

00:14:37.359 --> 00:14:38.279
 them rightly.

00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:41.199
 This is the basic command,

00:14:41.299 --> 00:14:42.199
 and this is the book

00:14:42.199 --> 00:14:43.299
 end of this whole section.

00:14:43.719 --> 00:14:44.359
 And I think it's

00:14:44.359 --> 00:14:45.319
 very instructive

00:14:45.319 --> 00:14:46.059
 because I think

00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:47.299
 what we see is that

00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:48.219
 in all of these

00:14:48.219 --> 00:14:49.139
 different laws,

00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:50.679
 the vulnerable

00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:51.639
 are being exposed

00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:52.879
 for their vulnerability,

00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:54.000
 and the command

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.840
 is to God's people,

00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:57.439
 don't take advantage

00:14:57.439 --> 00:14:58.699
 of the situations

00:14:58.699 --> 00:14:59.679
 where they,

00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:00.679
 in their vulnerability,

00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:02.419
 could be abused

00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:04.500
 or taken advantage of.

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:06.980
 And why is this?

00:15:07.059 --> 00:15:07.179
 Well,

00:15:07.199 --> 00:15:07.819
 the bookends

00:15:07.819 --> 00:15:08.919
 lead us to the center.

00:15:09.319 --> 00:15:10.399
 The very center

00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:11.279
 of this passage

00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.620
 is actually verse 31.

00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:13.600
 Look with me again

00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.000
 at it.

00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:14.819
 And it's kind of

00:15:14.819 --> 00:15:15.419
 an odd verse.

00:15:15.419 --> 00:15:16.219
 I want to just look

00:15:16.219 --> 00:15:17.099
 at the first sentence

00:15:17.099 --> 00:15:18.419
 of it to clarify

00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:20.000
 because the rest of it

00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:20.699
 is a little odd.

00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:22.539
 But the very center

00:15:22.539 --> 00:15:24.299
 of this is this idea.

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.479
 You shall be

00:15:25.479 --> 00:15:27.799
 consecrated to me.

00:15:31.899 --> 00:15:32.639
 Consecrated is one

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.579
 of those religious words

00:15:33.579 --> 00:15:34.419
 that we use a lot.

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:35.339
 We talk about it a lot.

00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:35.959
 What does it mean?

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.139
 Well,

00:15:37.179 --> 00:15:37.959
 what it really means

00:15:37.959 --> 00:15:39.059
 is to be set apart.

00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:40.860
 It's actually related

00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:42.039
 to the word holy

00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:42.759
 that we read

00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:43.939
 in 1 Peter earlier.

00:15:43.940 --> 00:15:45.900
 It's this idea

00:15:45.900 --> 00:15:47.300
 that rather than

00:15:47.300 --> 00:15:48.220
 something being

00:15:48.220 --> 00:15:50.340
 common every day

00:15:50.340 --> 00:15:53.860
 or sort of mundane,

00:15:54.260 --> 00:15:55.200
 something that is

00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:55.860
 set apart

00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:56.920
 or consecrated

00:15:56.920 --> 00:15:57.940
 is particularly

00:15:57.940 --> 00:16:00.040
 belonging to

00:16:00.040 --> 00:16:01.980
 a sphere of things

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.600
 that have been

00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:05.280
 dedicated to God

00:16:05.280 --> 00:16:06.300
 and set apart

00:16:06.300 --> 00:16:07.440
 for his purposes

00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:08.380
 in the world.

00:16:09.520 --> 00:16:10.600
 And the connection

00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.420
 between the bookends

00:16:11.420 --> 00:16:11.980
 and the center

00:16:11.980 --> 00:16:12.940
 is very clear.

00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:15.120
 God says to his people,

00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:16.420
 I have rescued you

00:16:16.420 --> 00:16:17.200
 from slavery

00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.040
 and from oppression

00:16:18.040 --> 00:16:18.980
 and made you

00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:20.120
 my people

00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:21.220
 so that I'm going

00:16:21.220 --> 00:16:22.260
 to set you apart

00:16:22.260 --> 00:16:23.240
 from all the other

00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:24.080
 nations of the world

00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.280
 so that you may be

00:16:25.280 --> 00:16:25.780
 the place

00:16:25.780 --> 00:16:26.960
 where I will display

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:28.060
 what kind of God

00:16:28.060 --> 00:16:29.020
 I am in the world.

00:16:29.340 --> 00:16:30.040
 And so you are

00:16:30.040 --> 00:16:30.920
 to be distinct

00:16:30.920 --> 00:16:31.760
 and different

00:16:31.760 --> 00:16:32.800
 from the people

00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:33.400
 around you

00:16:33.400 --> 00:16:35.180
 by following my laws

00:16:35.180 --> 00:16:36.580
 and by displaying

00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:37.620
 my character,

00:16:38.660 --> 00:16:40.180
 particularly in this context,

00:16:40.400 --> 00:16:41.680
 by how you treat

00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:42.299
 the vulnerable.

00:16:45.179 --> 00:16:46.339
 That's the heart of it.

00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.139
 Now, in the surrounding verses

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:49.500
 right around verse 31,

00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:50.659
 you have a couple of things.

00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:51.399
 He says,

00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:52.919
 in this heart,

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:53.419
 in this,

00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:55.099
 the core of this consecration

00:16:55.099 --> 00:16:55.959
 is that you've got

00:16:55.959 --> 00:16:57.259
 to put me first

00:16:57.259 --> 00:16:58.719
 in your identity

00:16:58.719 --> 00:17:00.019
 and in your lifestyle.

00:17:00.219 --> 00:17:00.559
 And so,

00:17:00.739 --> 00:17:02.379
 that means you put me first

00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:03.679
 by honoring the authorities

00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:05.159
 that I set over you.

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:05.779
 First of all,

00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:06.379
 myself,

00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:07.799
 don't revile God

00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:09.279
 and also the governments

00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:10.159
 that are put over you.

00:17:10.259 --> 00:17:10.980
 Don't revile,

00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:11.680
 or the leaders

00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.579
 that are put over you.

00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:13.919
 Don't revile those

00:17:13.919 --> 00:17:15.059
 because I have put them

00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:15.599
 in place.

00:17:16.639 --> 00:17:17.480
 And then he goes on

00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:18.279
 and he talks about,

00:17:18.399 --> 00:17:19.180
 if you look in verses

00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:20.519
 29 through 30,

00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:23.159
 this nod towards

00:17:23.159 --> 00:17:25.019
 the idea of the first fruits,

00:17:25.139 --> 00:17:26.619
 the first fruits of our life,

00:17:26.899 --> 00:17:28.019
 the best things,

00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:29.519
 the most important things,

00:17:29.879 --> 00:17:31.000
 the richest parts,

00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:31.919
 go to God.

00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:33.440
 We give them,

00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:34.220
 we dedicate

00:17:34.220 --> 00:17:35.379
 our firstborn children,

00:17:35.380 --> 00:17:35.980
 we dedicate

00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:37.280
 our first oxen

00:17:37.280 --> 00:17:38.200
 and our first sheep

00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:38.920
 and the first fruit

00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:39.640
 of our harvest.

00:17:40.080 --> 00:17:41.580
 And all of these things

00:17:41.580 --> 00:17:45.380
 as an expression

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:46.420
 of our consecration,

00:17:46.580 --> 00:17:46.800
 God,

00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:47.900
 we are your people.

00:17:49.100 --> 00:17:50.740
 This is what he's instructing

00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.680
 the nation of Israel

00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:52.360
 to do.

00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:55.760
 In fact,

00:17:55.800 --> 00:17:56.960
 he even gives a nod

00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:58.120
 towards the Passover,

00:17:58.320 --> 00:17:58.660
 it seems,

00:17:58.760 --> 00:17:59.600
 the eighth day.

00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:01.080
 Seven days,

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.120
 the baby shall stay

00:18:03.120 --> 00:18:04.140
 with its mother,

00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:05.340
 but then on the eighth day,

00:18:05.620 --> 00:18:06.720
 remember circumcision

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.720
 was meant to be done

00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:08.760
 on the eighth day

00:18:08.760 --> 00:18:10.380
 as a sign of setting

00:18:10.380 --> 00:18:12.760
 a human male child apart

00:18:12.760 --> 00:18:14.280
 for God

00:18:14.280 --> 00:18:15.100
 and to be a part

00:18:15.100 --> 00:18:16.480
 of God's covenant community.

00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:17.620
 And there's a nod

00:18:17.620 --> 00:18:19.180
 even to that idea

00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:21.280
 in the setting apart

00:18:21.280 --> 00:18:22.320
 of the animals

00:18:22.320 --> 00:18:23.300
 on the eighth day

00:18:23.300 --> 00:18:24.460
 rather than on the first.

00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:27.140
 Briefly,

00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.020
 I need to say something

00:18:28.020 --> 00:18:29.020
 about the rest of 31,

00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:29.500
 don't I?

00:18:29.780 --> 00:18:30.000
 Okay,

00:18:30.100 --> 00:18:30.960
 what's the world

00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.780
 about the dogs?

00:18:32.280 --> 00:18:32.580
 So,

00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:32.960
 you know,

00:18:33.060 --> 00:18:33.900
 I'll be honest with you,

00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:34.940
 commentators have some

00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:36.059
 really interesting ideas

00:18:36.059 --> 00:18:36.580
 about this.

00:18:36.900 --> 00:18:38.039
 I think the clearest

00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:38.880
 and easiest

00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.900
 understanding of this

00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:41.759
 is that

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.860
 when God

00:18:43.860 --> 00:18:45.559
 calls his people

00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:46.539
 to be set apart,

00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:48.240
 there's a whole

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:49.360
 sacrificial system

00:18:49.360 --> 00:18:50.600
 that he puts in place

00:18:50.600 --> 00:18:52.259
 and in that sacrificial system,

00:18:52.620 --> 00:18:53.779
 the meaning of life

00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:54.360
 and death

00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:55.240
 and the significance

00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.080
 of blood

00:18:56.080 --> 00:18:57.660
 in that life

00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.779
 and death picture

00:18:58.779 --> 00:19:00.259
 is so important

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:01.500
 that he instructs them

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.859
 in other places

00:19:02.859 --> 00:19:04.339
 to not eat meat

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:05.460
 that still has the blood.

00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:06.299
 You're supposed to drain

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.259
 the blood from something

00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:08.140
 before you eat it.

00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:09.119
 Now,

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:10.220
 if you come across

00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:11.980
 an animal

00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:12.680
 that's been killed

00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:13.220
 in the wilderness

00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.079
 by dogs,

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:15.619
 that has not been

00:19:15.619 --> 00:19:16.880
 properly treated,

00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:18.519
 that is,

00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:19.359
 set apart,

00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:20.720
 you have not followed

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.000
 the way that God

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.680
 has honored

00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:23.440
 the significance

00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:24.619
 of life and death

00:19:24.619 --> 00:19:26.660
 in the sacrificial system

00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:27.740
 and pointing ahead

00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:29.559
 to the life and death

00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:30.039
 of Jesus

00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:30.700
 and the shedding

00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:31.359
 of his blood

00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:31.960
 for us.

00:19:32.679 --> 00:19:33.220
 And therefore,

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:35.119
 though it might be

00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:35.700
 really tempting

00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:36.639
 to pick up a piece

00:19:36.639 --> 00:19:37.240
 of roadkill

00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:38.220
 and take it home

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:39.019
 and put it on the barbecue,

00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:40.019
 God says,

00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:40.179
 no,

00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:40.799
 don't do that

00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:41.859
 because that's not,

00:19:41.899 --> 00:19:42.399
 that's not,

00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:43.799
 that's not respecting

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:44.759
 life and death

00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:45.940
 the way my people

00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:46.720
 are supposed to.

00:19:47.500 --> 00:19:48.720
 That's my best guess.

00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:49.839
 It's a,

00:19:49.919 --> 00:19:50.240
 you know,

00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:53.079
 65% read on it

00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:54.200
 so you can argue

00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:54.899
 with me later

00:19:54.899 --> 00:19:55.579
 if you want to.

00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:55.839
 But,

00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:57.279
 so,

00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:58.740
 the bookends are

00:19:58.740 --> 00:20:01.240
 you've been sojourners,

00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:02.680
 God's rescued you.

00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:03.859
 The center is

00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:04.900
 you've been set apart

00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:05.859
 to be my people

00:20:05.859 --> 00:20:06.920
 and this then flows

00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:08.940
 into all of the other commands,

00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:09.620
 the ethics.

00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:10.799
 And in this section

00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:11.599
 in particular,

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:12.859
 what God is saying is

00:20:12.859 --> 00:20:14.120
 the way you are

00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:15.279
 to be set apart

00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:16.220
 and distinct

00:20:16.220 --> 00:20:17.900
 is by the way

00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:18.960
 you treat people

00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.900
 who are weak

00:20:20.900 --> 00:20:21.720
 and vulnerable.

00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:26.779
 Widows

00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:27.779
 and fatherless.

00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:29.180
 Particularly

00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:31.119
 in a patriarchal society.

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:31.799
 Particularly

00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:33.899
 in an agricultural society

00:20:33.899 --> 00:20:35.980
 where a strong back

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.940
 would have been

00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:38.139
 an important thing.

00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:40.480
 Widows

00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.240
 and children

00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:42.339
 are particularly

00:20:42.339 --> 00:20:43.039
 vulnerable.

00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.200
 This is not

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:45.759
 actually

00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.960
 uncommon,

00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:47.879
 this is true

00:20:47.879 --> 00:20:49.259
 throughout human history.

00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:52.740
 and God

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.079
 comes

00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:53.619
 and he says

00:20:53.619 --> 00:20:54.279
 to his people,

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:56.640
 you must not

00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.599
 treat them

00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:58.079
 badly.

00:20:58.740 --> 00:20:59.819
 You may not

00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:00.799
 mistreat them.

00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:02.819
 Why?

00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:04.980
 Because I will

00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:05.859
 hear their cries.

00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:07.099
 Because I am a God

00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:08.599
 who is a compassionate God.

00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:11.700
 And in fact,

00:21:11.819 --> 00:21:12.539
 I will bring

00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:13.640
 vengeance on you

00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.440
 if you treat

00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:15.079
 these

00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:16.660
 the least of them,

00:21:16.879 --> 00:21:18.079
 these the vulnerable,

00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:19.240
 poorly.

00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:20.919
 I will bring

00:21:20.919 --> 00:21:21.500
 that back

00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:22.359
 upon your head.

00:21:22.939 --> 00:21:23.599
 It's fascinating

00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:24.099
 in the law.

00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:24.819
 It doesn't say

00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:26.220
 the law is going

00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:26.679
 to kick in

00:21:26.679 --> 00:21:27.399
 and bring punishment.

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:28.699
 God just says

00:21:28.699 --> 00:21:29.699
 if you do this

00:21:29.699 --> 00:21:31.119
 I will come

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.179
 and bring punishment

00:21:32.179 --> 00:21:32.759
 upon you.

00:21:33.639 --> 00:21:34.659
 It's a powerful

00:21:34.659 --> 00:21:35.159
 statement.

00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:37.720
 It says

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:39.519
 God is reminding

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:39.819
 them

00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:40.779
 I have a special

00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:41.259
 care

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:42.419
 so you ought

00:21:42.419 --> 00:21:43.339
 to as well.

00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:46.000
 what did that

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:46.419
 mean

00:21:46.419 --> 00:21:47.519
 in that culture?

00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:48.720
 Well,

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:49.099
 it might have

00:21:49.099 --> 00:21:49.740
 meant providing

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:50.279
 food.

00:21:50.439 --> 00:21:50.939
 It might have

00:21:50.939 --> 00:21:51.259
 meant

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.899
 giving them

00:21:52.899 --> 00:21:53.740
 a place

00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:54.439
 to stay.

00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:55.500
 It might have

00:21:55.500 --> 00:21:55.819
 meant

00:21:55.819 --> 00:21:57.619
 giving them

00:21:57.619 --> 00:21:58.220
 a place

00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:58.859
 to work

00:21:58.859 --> 00:22:00.759
 for a child

00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:01.459
 growing up.

00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.039
 It might have

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:02.740
 meant all sorts

00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:03.299
 of things

00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:05.099
 to care for them.

00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.639
 What it did

00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:07.299
 mean is

00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:08.699
 don't take

00:22:08.699 --> 00:22:09.119
 advantage

00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.639
 of them.

00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:11.240
 don't take

00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:11.680
 advantage

00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:12.040
 of their

00:22:12.040 --> 00:22:12.740
 desperation

00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:14.240
 to make

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:14.660
 them your

00:22:14.660 --> 00:22:15.060
 servants

00:22:15.060 --> 00:22:15.460
 or your

00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:16.020
 slaves.

00:22:16.600 --> 00:22:17.360
 Don't take

00:22:17.360 --> 00:22:17.740
 advantage

00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:18.080
 of their

00:22:18.080 --> 00:22:18.740
 desperation

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:21.060
 leading to

00:22:21.060 --> 00:22:22.240
 sexual immorality.

00:22:23.360 --> 00:22:24.120
 Don't take

00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:24.540
 advantage

00:22:24.540 --> 00:22:25.080
 of them

00:22:25.080 --> 00:22:27.540
 by

00:22:27.540 --> 00:22:29.520
 making

00:22:29.520 --> 00:22:30.080
 them

00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:31.140
 do your

00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:31.460
 bidding

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.220
 but think

00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:32.720
 about how

00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.180
 to treat

00:22:33.180 --> 00:22:33.900
 them well

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.600
 with honor

00:22:34.600 --> 00:22:35.300
 and be a

00:22:35.300 --> 00:22:35.640
 blessing

00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:36.240
 to them.

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.500
 He then

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:38.860
 goes on

00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:39.180
 he talks

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:39.580
 about the

00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:39.879
 poor.

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:40.779
 He says

00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:41.359
 don't charge

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.099
 them interest

00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:43.319
 because someone

00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:44.379
 who's already

00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:46.039
 struggling to

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:46.500
 have enough

00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:46.879
 money

00:22:46.879 --> 00:22:48.899
 can't afford

00:22:48.899 --> 00:22:50.699
 to be taken

00:22:50.699 --> 00:22:51.319
 advantage of

00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:51.899
 by having to

00:22:51.899 --> 00:22:52.379
 pay great

00:22:52.379 --> 00:22:52.799
 interest

00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:53.179
 for a

00:22:53.179 --> 00:22:53.419
 loan.

00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:56.839
 He goes

00:22:56.839 --> 00:22:57.319
 on and he

00:22:57.319 --> 00:22:57.579
 says

00:22:57.579 --> 00:22:58.259
 and if he

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:58.559
 gives you

00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.119
 his cloak

00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:00.000
 as a

00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:00.299
 surety

00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:00.500
 right

00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:02.179
 literally

00:23:02.179 --> 00:23:02.720
 the jacket

00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.079
 off his

00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:03.339
 back

00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:03.679
 he's saying

00:23:03.679 --> 00:23:04.619
 the coat

00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:04.919
 off his

00:23:04.919 --> 00:23:05.119
 back

00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:05.500
 I'm giving

00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:05.839
 it to

00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:06.240
 you

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:06.659
 for a

00:23:06.659 --> 00:23:07.000
 loan

00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:07.799
 seemingly

00:23:07.799 --> 00:23:08.259
 for a

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:08.500
 day

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:10.880
 whoever

00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:11.500
 would offer

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:12.059
 that has

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:12.799
 nothing else

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.500
 to give

00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:15.579
 right

00:23:15.579 --> 00:23:16.039
 as a

00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:16.619
 down payment

00:23:16.619 --> 00:23:17.539
 or as a

00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:18.299
 as a

00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:18.839
 pledge

00:23:18.839 --> 00:23:19.579
 that he

00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:20.259
 will fulfill

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:20.920
 paying back

00:23:20.920 --> 00:23:21.460
 the loan.

00:23:23.160 --> 00:23:23.680
 God

00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:24.140
 comes and

00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:24.660
 says don't

00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:25.339
 take advantage

00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:25.720
 of that

00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:26.039
 man.

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:28.380
 Don't let

00:23:28.380 --> 00:23:29.099
 him suffer

00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:29.839
 at the end

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.460
 of the day

00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:31.819
 by keeping

00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:32.440
 his coat

00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:33.460
 but give it

00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:34.039
 back to him

00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:34.500
 so that he

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.119
 will live

00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:36.579
 so that he

00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:37.039
 can wrap

00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:37.639
 himself up

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:37.979
 in it.

00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.219
 There's a

00:23:40.219 --> 00:23:40.659
 dignity

00:23:40.659 --> 00:23:42.059
 that's being

00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:42.739
 extended

00:23:42.739 --> 00:23:43.779
 towards someone

00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:44.119
 in a

00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:44.439
 vulnerable

00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:45.019
 position.

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:46.979
 God

00:23:46.979 --> 00:23:47.399
 says this

00:23:47.399 --> 00:23:47.699
 is how

00:23:47.699 --> 00:23:48.119
 you ought

00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:48.539
 to be.

00:23:51.679 --> 00:23:52.319
 He then

00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:52.959
 goes on

00:23:52.959 --> 00:23:54.359
 beginning

00:23:54.359 --> 00:23:55.000
 of chapter

00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:55.659
 23

00:23:55.659 --> 00:23:56.279
 he talks

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:56.699
 about the

00:23:56.699 --> 00:23:57.159
 courtroom

00:23:57.159 --> 00:23:57.859
 and I

00:23:57.859 --> 00:23:58.199
 wrestled

00:23:58.199 --> 00:23:58.539
 with this

00:23:58.539 --> 00:23:58.799
 for a

00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:58.919
 while.

00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:59.319
 Why the

00:23:59.319 --> 00:23:59.659
 courtroom?

00:23:59.879 --> 00:24:00.139
 Why does

00:24:00.139 --> 00:24:00.479
 he talk

00:24:00.479 --> 00:24:01.039
 about false

00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:01.439
 testimony?

00:24:02.279 --> 00:24:02.559
 Then I

00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:03.059
 thought about

00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:03.459
 it a little

00:24:03.459 --> 00:24:03.899
 bit from

00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:04.480
 the position

00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.019
 of those

00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:06.840
 who feel

00:24:06.840 --> 00:24:07.340
 powerless

00:24:07.340 --> 00:24:08.220
 in society

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:08.880
 who feel

00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:09.360
 like they're

00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:09.740
 on the

00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:10.100
 margins

00:24:10.100 --> 00:24:10.640
 who don't

00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:11.240
 have access

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:11.740
 to the

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.060
 corridors

00:24:12.060 --> 00:24:12.680
 of power

00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:13.340
 and the

00:24:13.340 --> 00:24:13.840
 influence

00:24:13.840 --> 00:24:14.780
 of those

00:24:14.780 --> 00:24:15.060
 who are

00:24:15.060 --> 00:24:15.900
 well situated

00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:17.780
 and I

00:24:17.780 --> 00:24:18.259
 realized

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:18.640
 yeah

00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:19.380
 that's

00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:19.820
 exactly

00:24:19.820 --> 00:24:20.180
 right.

00:24:20.280 --> 00:24:20.880
 The courts

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:21.700
 are a

00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:22.600
 place where

00:24:22.600 --> 00:24:23.519
 in theory

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:23.980
 justice

00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:24.620
 is done

00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:25.940
 but in

00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:26.500
 reality

00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:27.000
 when we

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:27.340
 look at

00:24:27.340 --> 00:24:27.700
 life in

00:24:27.700 --> 00:24:28.100
 a fallen

00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:28.420
 world

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.160
 how easy

00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:29.820
 is it

00:24:29.820 --> 00:24:31.580
 for these

00:24:31.580 --> 00:24:32.220
 systems to

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:32.820
 actually go

00:24:32.820 --> 00:24:33.259
 wrong?

00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:36.480
 And this

00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:37.080
 law doesn't

00:24:37.080 --> 00:24:37.700
 condemn the

00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:38.460
 justice system

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:38.880
 it just

00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:39.420
 says when

00:24:39.420 --> 00:24:40.080
 you're engaging

00:24:40.080 --> 00:24:40.440
 in the

00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:41.300
 justice system

00:24:41.300 --> 00:24:42.019
 when you're

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:42.580
 engaging in

00:24:42.580 --> 00:24:43.120
 it do

00:24:43.120 --> 00:24:43.680
 it right.

00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:44.820
 Don't fall

00:24:44.820 --> 00:24:45.340
 into the

00:24:45.340 --> 00:24:45.880
 temptation

00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:47.019
 of using

00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:47.820
 the power

00:24:47.820 --> 00:24:48.240
 that you

00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:49.960
 have to

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.640
 take advantage

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.320
 of others.

00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:53.100
 In 23.2

00:24:53.100 --> 00:24:53.560
 it says

00:24:53.560 --> 00:24:54.180
 resist

00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:56.120
 resist the

00:24:56.120 --> 00:24:56.640
 power of

00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:57.240
 peer pressure.

00:24:58.220 --> 00:24:58.860
 Everyone else

00:24:58.860 --> 00:24:59.320
 says he's

00:24:59.320 --> 00:24:59.660
 guilty.

00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:01.220
 Well

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:01.820
 alright I'll

00:25:01.820 --> 00:25:02.500
 testify he's

00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:02.940
 guilty too.

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.220
 I don't

00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:03.559
 know anything

00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:03.920
 about it

00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:04.320
 but sure

00:25:04.320 --> 00:25:04.620
 I'll do

00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:04.940
 that.

00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:07.539
 Maybe you

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.240
 remember the

00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:09.340
 case I just

00:25:09.340 --> 00:25:09.740
 came up

00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.420
 recently the

00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:11.160
 case of

00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:12.559
 the five

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.539
 or six

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.320
 youths in

00:25:14.320 --> 00:25:15.320
 Central Park

00:25:15.320 --> 00:25:15.640
 who were

00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:16.860
 convicted for

00:25:16.860 --> 00:25:18.240
 attacking a

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:18.980
 woman jogger.

00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:20.980
 Twelve years

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.620
 later they were

00:25:21.620 --> 00:25:23.440
 exonerated but

00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.220
 in the meantime

00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:25.779
 the justice

00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:26.620
 system put them

00:25:26.620 --> 00:25:28.220
 in jail because

00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:29.120
 they assumed

00:25:29.120 --> 00:25:30.120
 that these

00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:31.619
 teenagers

00:25:31.619 --> 00:25:32.639
 who didn't

00:25:32.639 --> 00:25:33.039
 have an

00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.399
 alibi

00:25:33.399 --> 00:25:34.619
 and probably

00:25:34.619 --> 00:25:35.139
 weren't quite

00:25:35.139 --> 00:25:35.559
 doing the

00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:36.099
 right thing

00:25:36.099 --> 00:25:36.639
 but didn't

00:25:36.639 --> 00:25:37.059
 do this

00:25:37.059 --> 00:25:37.779
 wrong thing

00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:40.919
 went to

00:25:40.919 --> 00:25:41.219
 jail.

00:25:42.859 --> 00:25:43.319
 And people

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:43.759
 went along

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.079
 with the

00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:44.759
 crowd because

00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:45.179
 there was a

00:25:45.179 --> 00:25:45.479
 lot of

00:25:45.479 --> 00:25:45.939
 peer pressure

00:25:45.939 --> 00:25:46.419
 to get

00:25:46.419 --> 00:25:48.259
 something done.

00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:50.139
 And it

00:25:50.139 --> 00:25:50.559
 took a long

00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.000
 time for

00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:51.719
 justice to

00:25:51.719 --> 00:25:52.359
 actually work

00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:52.739
 its way

00:25:52.739 --> 00:25:53.019
 out.

00:25:53.899 --> 00:25:54.679
 We need to

00:25:54.679 --> 00:25:55.319
 recognize that

00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:55.779
 this can be

00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:56.159
 true.

00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:59.440
 God says

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:01.019
 recognize the

00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:01.440
 power of

00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:01.920
 peer pressure

00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:02.580
 recognize the

00:26:02.580 --> 00:26:03.220
 power of

00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:03.680
 words.

00:26:04.080 --> 00:26:04.460
 When you

00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:07.340
 speak you

00:26:07.340 --> 00:26:07.720
 must be

00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:08.300
 careful to

00:26:08.300 --> 00:26:08.940
 speak only

00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:09.340
 what is

00:26:09.340 --> 00:26:09.660
 true.

00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:12.060
 Do not

00:26:12.060 --> 00:26:12.500
 let your

00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:13.100
 words,

00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:13.880
 your

00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:14.620
 accusations,

00:26:15.540 --> 00:26:15.700
 your

00:26:15.700 --> 00:26:16.620
 insinuations,

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.759
 your testimony

00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:19.040
 be false

00:26:19.040 --> 00:26:21.080
 for the

00:26:21.080 --> 00:26:21.519
 sake of

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.480
 manipulating the

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.360
 justice system

00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:24.540
 for a

00:26:24.540 --> 00:26:25.480
 desired result.

00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:28.600
 that's what

00:26:28.600 --> 00:26:29.380
 he's saying

00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:29.720
 in this

00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:30.200
 passage.

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:31.100
 And he

00:26:31.100 --> 00:26:31.440
 goes on

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:31.580
 and he

00:26:31.580 --> 00:26:32.040
 talks about

00:26:32.040 --> 00:26:32.660
 bribes.

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.759
 Beware the

00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.220
 power of

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.519
 money.

00:26:35.100 --> 00:26:35.759
 Recognize how

00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.800
 easily money

00:26:36.800 --> 00:26:38.560
 perverts is

00:26:38.560 --> 00:26:39.019
 the word he

00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:39.320
 uses.

00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:42.000
 Twists the

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.680
 corridors of

00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:43.480
 power in a

00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:43.880
 courtroom.

00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:47.259
 God says

00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:48.400
 my people are

00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:49.200
 to stand for

00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:50.320
 truth and for

00:26:50.320 --> 00:26:50.920
 righteousness.

00:26:51.840 --> 00:26:52.560
 And they

00:26:52.560 --> 00:26:53.019
 need to be

00:26:53.019 --> 00:26:53.960
 wise to

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.900
 recognize how

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:55.920
 these power

00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:57.539
 power dynamics

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:58.640
 can be used

00:26:58.640 --> 00:26:58.940
 in a

00:26:58.940 --> 00:26:59.420
 courtroom

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.680
 unrighteously

00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:01.259
 and they

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:01.560
 need to

00:27:01.560 --> 00:27:02.340
 resist it.

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:03.539
 You need

00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:03.840
 to say

00:27:03.840 --> 00:27:04.380
 do not

00:27:04.380 --> 00:27:04.980
 do this.

00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:08.400
 Finally,

00:27:09.100 --> 00:27:09.420
 in verses

00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:10.539
 4 and 5

00:27:10.539 --> 00:27:10.980
 of chapter

00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:11.500
 23,

00:27:12.120 --> 00:27:12.740
 you see

00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:13.920
 God saying

00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:14.880
 and you

00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:15.180
 are to

00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:15.779
 do good

00:27:15.779 --> 00:27:16.300
 to your

00:27:16.300 --> 00:27:16.660
 enemy.

00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:17.960
 And recognize,

00:27:18.080 --> 00:27:18.560
 Greg mentioned

00:27:18.560 --> 00:27:19.100
 this last

00:27:19.100 --> 00:27:19.460
 week that

00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:21.019
 there are

00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:21.539
 places in

00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:21.820
 the law

00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:22.120
 where it

00:27:22.120 --> 00:27:22.480
 just says

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:22.960
 don't do

00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:23.240
 things.

00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:24.140
 But here

00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:24.960
 it's actually

00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:25.839
 a requirement.

00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:27.519
 It is to

00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:28.059
 say when

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:28.720
 you see

00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.460
 your enemy's

00:27:29.460 --> 00:27:29.779
 ox,

00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:30.620
 don't just

00:27:30.620 --> 00:27:31.180
 walk by

00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:31.460
 and say,

00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:31.900
 oh look,

00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:32.559
 there's Bob's

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:33.220
 car broken

00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:33.759
 down by the

00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:34.120
 side of the

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:34.339
 road.

00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:34.779
 Oops.

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:35.839
 Well,

00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:37.440
 Bob ruined

00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:37.940
 my lawn

00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.599
 last year,

00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:39.500
 so I don't

00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:39.759
 care.

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:40.480
 I'm just

00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:40.680
 going to

00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:41.339
 keep going.

00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:42.920
 He says

00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:43.259
 no,

00:27:43.380 --> 00:27:43.799
 when you

00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:44.339
 see the

00:27:44.339 --> 00:27:44.700
 ox,

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:45.140
 you have

00:27:45.140 --> 00:27:45.680
 to return

00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:45.940
 it.

00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:48.519
 And when

00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:48.840
 you see

00:27:48.840 --> 00:27:49.400
 his donkey

00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:51.000
 crushed

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:51.559
 under its

00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:52.000
 load,

00:27:52.600 --> 00:27:53.980
 you go

00:27:53.980 --> 00:27:54.240
 and you

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.059
 help him

00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:57.259
 so that

00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:57.660
 the donkey

00:27:57.660 --> 00:27:58.279
 can stand

00:27:58.279 --> 00:27:58.600
 and so

00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:58.920
 that the

00:27:58.920 --> 00:27:59.140
 load

00:27:59.140 --> 00:27:59.500
 can be

00:27:59.500 --> 00:27:59.920
 borne.

00:28:03.080 --> 00:28:03.559
 God

00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:03.920
 says if

00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:04.180
 you're

00:28:04.180 --> 00:28:04.360
 going to

00:28:04.360 --> 00:28:04.799
 be set

00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.240
 apart,

00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:06.120
 you're

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.440
 going to

00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:06.880
 love

00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:07.460
 even

00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:07.880
 those

00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:08.059
 who

00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:08.360
 hate

00:28:08.360 --> 00:28:08.720
 you

00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:13.019
 when

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:13.220
 they

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:13.480
 are in

00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:13.620
 a

00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:14.000
 vulnerable

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.600
 or a

00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:14.900
 needy

00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:15.360
 position.

00:28:15.940 --> 00:28:19.180
 This

00:28:19.180 --> 00:28:19.680
 is what

00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:20.200
 it means

00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:21.420
 to be

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:21.720
 God's

00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:22.080
 people,

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.660
 he says.

00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:23.000
 To be

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.580
 set apart,

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:24.360
 to be

00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:24.799
 my

00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.299
 priests

00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:25.720
 in this

00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:26.160
 world

00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:26.840
 is to

00:28:26.840 --> 00:28:27.080
 not

00:28:27.080 --> 00:28:27.340
 take

00:28:27.340 --> 00:28:27.840
 advantage

00:28:27.840 --> 00:28:28.279
 of those

00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:28.519
 who are

00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:28.900
 vulnerable,

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:29.740
 to not

00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:30.059
 harden

00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:30.580
 your heart

00:28:30.580 --> 00:28:30.960
 against

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.200
 them,

00:28:31.360 --> 00:28:31.860
 nor to

00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:32.220
 simply

00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:32.779
 stand

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.320
 by and

00:28:33.320 --> 00:28:33.539
 say,

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:33.940
 it's a

00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.140
 fallen

00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:34.460
 world,

00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:34.799
 I know

00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:35.000
 it's

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:35.220
 really

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:35.600
 hard,

00:28:36.100 --> 00:28:36.680
 good luck

00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:37.220
 with that,

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:37.900
 but to

00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:38.279
 actually

00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:39.000
 engage

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.960
 properly

00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:40.559
 and

00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:41.600
 powerfully

00:28:41.600 --> 00:28:42.059
 and

00:28:42.059 --> 00:28:43.019
 meaningfully

00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:43.720
 in

00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.240
 blessing

00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:44.600
 and

00:28:44.600 --> 00:28:45.140
 helping

00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:46.060
 fighting

00:28:46.060 --> 00:28:46.680
 against

00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:47.400
 injustice,

00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:50.460
 showing

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:50.900
 care

00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.100
 and

00:28:51.100 --> 00:28:51.660
 compassion

00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:52.700
 and

00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:53.020
 doing

00:28:53.020 --> 00:28:53.280
 what

00:28:53.280 --> 00:28:53.440
 is

00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:53.840
 right

00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:54.180
 even

00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:54.420
 when

00:28:54.420 --> 00:28:54.640
 it's

00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.100
 costly.

00:28:59.100 --> 00:28:59.580
 Israel

00:28:59.580 --> 00:28:59.880
 would have

00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:00.100
 been a

00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:00.360
 wonderful

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:00.720
 place

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.280
 to live

00:29:01.280 --> 00:29:02.700
 if these

00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:03.140
 things had

00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:03.680
 actually been

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.060
 true,

00:29:04.620 --> 00:29:05.320
 wouldn't

00:29:05.320 --> 00:29:05.640
 it have?

00:29:06.820 --> 00:29:07.300
 People

00:29:07.300 --> 00:29:07.640
 would have

00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:08.080
 come

00:29:08.080 --> 00:29:09.000
 to the

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.360
 nation

00:29:09.360 --> 00:29:10.000
 because it

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.259
 was a

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:10.520
 place

00:29:10.520 --> 00:29:10.840
 where they

00:29:10.840 --> 00:29:11.040
 know

00:29:11.040 --> 00:29:11.480
 this is

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:11.740
 where

00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:12.440
 they would

00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:12.720
 have been

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.019
 treated

00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:13.400
 well.

00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:18.039
 So this

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:19.100
 is what

00:29:19.100 --> 00:29:19.500
 God has

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:19.880
 called his

00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:20.420
 people to,

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.200
 to be set

00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:21.420
 apart.

00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:22.019
 This is the

00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:22.400
 meaning of

00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:22.860
 the passage

00:29:22.860 --> 00:29:23.940
 as we've

00:29:23.940 --> 00:29:24.240
 seen it

00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:24.700
 in its

00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:25.220
 original

00:29:25.220 --> 00:29:25.960
 context

00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:28.140
 of Israel,

00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:28.759
 the nation

00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:29.360
 state that

00:29:29.360 --> 00:29:29.740
 God is

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.259
 creating

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:31.000
 and leading

00:29:31.000 --> 00:29:32.000
 to establish

00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:32.519
 in the

00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:32.839
 promised

00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:33.259
 land.

00:29:33.860 --> 00:29:34.420
 This leads

00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:34.660
 us to

00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:35.079
 our second

00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:35.579
 point and

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.000
 our second

00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:36.400
 question,

00:29:36.519 --> 00:29:36.759
 which is,

00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:37.019
 okay,

00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:38.059
 so how

00:29:38.059 --> 00:29:38.680
 do we

00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:39.460
 understand

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:41.480
 how to

00:29:41.480 --> 00:29:42.319
 apply this

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:42.960
 today?

00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:44.400
 And we're

00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:44.579
 going to

00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:45.100
 keep saying

00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:45.519
 this so

00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:46.559
 that hopefully

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:46.960
 it will

00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.160
 just soak

00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:48.539
 in,

00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.000
 right?

00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:50.220
 The major

00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:50.920
 thing we

00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:51.400
 want to

00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:51.900
 say is you

00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:52.660
 cannot draw

00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.700
 simple straight

00:29:53.700 --> 00:29:54.840
 lines from

00:29:54.840 --> 00:29:55.220
 the Old

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.079
 Testament law

00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.079
 to our

00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:58.240
 context today,

00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:00.220
 but we need

00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:00.600
 to think

00:30:00.600 --> 00:30:01.819
 carefully about

00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:02.700
 what God

00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:03.200
 has done.

00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:04.360
 In the Old

00:30:04.360 --> 00:30:04.740
 Testament,

00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:05.640
 Israel was a

00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:06.360
 nation state,

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:07.059
 and these

00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:07.840
 were laws

00:30:07.840 --> 00:30:09.059
 governing how

00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:11.319
 that nation

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:12.279
 state was

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:13.099
 to inhabit a

00:30:13.099 --> 00:30:13.960
 physical place

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:14.960
 in a physical

00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:15.740
 government and

00:30:15.740 --> 00:30:16.179
 a physical

00:30:16.179 --> 00:30:16.839
 society.

00:30:17.579 --> 00:30:17.899
 Now,

00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:18.519
 what we see

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.019
 in the sweep

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:19.460
 of history

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:19.899
 is that

00:30:19.899 --> 00:30:21.079
 with the

00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:21.519
 coming of

00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:21.940
 Christ,

00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:22.519
 God's

00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:23.500
 people moves

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.539
 from this

00:30:24.539 --> 00:30:25.279
 identity of

00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:25.679
 being a

00:30:25.679 --> 00:30:26.299
 nation state

00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:26.879
 to being a

00:30:26.879 --> 00:30:27.940
 transnational,

00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.159
 international,

00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.419
 multi-ethnic

00:30:30.419 --> 00:30:33.240
 body that

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.099
 does not have

00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:34.579
 a government

00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:35.379
 and does not

00:30:35.379 --> 00:30:36.359
 have a land

00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:37.579
 per se.

00:30:39.059 --> 00:30:39.799
 but lives

00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:40.460
 in all

00:30:40.460 --> 00:30:41.440
 lands so

00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:43.799
 that people

00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:44.500
 from every

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.039
 tribe and

00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:45.599
 tongue will

00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:46.019
 come and

00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:46.819
 worship Jesus

00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:49.039
 so that the

00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:49.480
 kingdom of

00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:49.879
 God will

00:30:49.879 --> 00:30:50.440
 extend to

00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:50.919
 the ends

00:30:50.919 --> 00:30:51.200
 of the

00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:51.519
 earth.

00:30:52.639 --> 00:30:53.200
 And because

00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:53.779
 of this,

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.339
 we need to

00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:56.379
 not draw a

00:30:56.379 --> 00:30:57.059
 straight line

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.399
 from the

00:30:57.399 --> 00:30:57.799
 Old Testament

00:30:57.799 --> 00:30:59.159
 laws to,

00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:01.200
 for instance,

00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:01.960
 our governmental

00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:02.980
 laws today.

00:31:04.419 --> 00:31:05.440
 It does not

00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:05.940
 mean that it

00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.379
 doesn't say

00:31:06.379 --> 00:31:06.859
 anything to

00:31:06.859 --> 00:31:07.039
 that.

00:31:07.099 --> 00:31:07.599
 It may say

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:08.119
 lots of

00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:08.339
 things.

00:31:08.419 --> 00:31:08.599
 It may

00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:08.959
 give us

00:31:08.959 --> 00:31:10.079
 principles and

00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:11.059
 characteristics that

00:31:11.059 --> 00:31:11.559
 are going to be

00:31:11.559 --> 00:31:12.179
 good for our

00:31:12.179 --> 00:31:12.679
 government and

00:31:12.679 --> 00:31:12.939
 for our

00:31:12.939 --> 00:31:13.319
 country.

00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:15.179
 It may reflect

00:31:15.179 --> 00:31:16.119
 ways in which

00:31:16.119 --> 00:31:17.419
 as much as the

00:31:17.419 --> 00:31:18.059
 kingdom of God

00:31:18.059 --> 00:31:19.079
 will come on

00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:19.959
 this earth as

00:31:19.959 --> 00:31:20.399
 it is in

00:31:20.399 --> 00:31:21.240
 heaven, it

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:21.679
 will be a

00:31:21.679 --> 00:31:22.339
 blessing to

00:31:22.339 --> 00:31:23.039
 our world.

00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:29.279
 But as we

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.059
 think particularly

00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:31.099
 about this issue

00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:32.119
 of how do we

00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:33.059
 think about God's

00:31:33.059 --> 00:31:34.119
 care, God's

00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:35.279
 people caring for

00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:36.019
 the vulnerable and

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.419
 the weak,

00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:37.940
 think, let's

00:31:37.940 --> 00:31:38.320
 look at a

00:31:38.320 --> 00:31:38.740
 couple of

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.360
 thoughts about

00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:41.539
 how we want to

00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:42.259
 think about that

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.120
 in principle and

00:31:43.120 --> 00:31:43.880
 in practice here

00:31:43.880 --> 00:31:44.300
 at Trinity.

00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:45.440
 First of all,

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.779
 Galatians 6.10

00:31:46.779 --> 00:31:47.600
 says this,

00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:48.840
 so then as we

00:31:48.840 --> 00:31:49.500
 have opportunity,

00:31:49.740 --> 00:31:51.080
 let us do good

00:31:51.080 --> 00:31:52.320
 to everyone and

00:31:52.320 --> 00:31:53.560
 especially to those

00:31:53.560 --> 00:31:54.860
 who are of the

00:31:54.860 --> 00:31:55.980
 household of faith.

00:31:57.080 --> 00:31:58.600
 And John 13.35

00:31:58.600 --> 00:31:59.779
 says, by this,

00:32:00.100 --> 00:32:00.840
 all people will

00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.539
 know that you are

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.759
 my disciples if you

00:32:02.759 --> 00:32:03.740
 have love for one

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:04.100
 another.

00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:05.419
 one of the

00:32:05.419 --> 00:32:06.019
 really interesting

00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:06.740
 things is as you

00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:07.559
 get technically

00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:08.719
 into the definition

00:32:08.719 --> 00:32:10.139
 of sojourner and

00:32:10.139 --> 00:32:11.839
 part of what you

00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:12.419
 see is that the

00:32:12.419 --> 00:32:13.159
 sojourner has

00:32:13.159 --> 00:32:15.500
 actually become a

00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:16.879
 part of the people

00:32:16.879 --> 00:32:17.500
 of Israel.

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.659
 When they've come

00:32:18.659 --> 00:32:20.000
 and dwelt in the

00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:20.500
 land, they've

00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:21.679
 actually said, I

00:32:21.679 --> 00:32:22.500
 will submit to the

00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:22.859
 laws.

00:32:22.959 --> 00:32:23.659
 They might be

00:32:23.659 --> 00:32:24.740
 called proselytes,

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:25.439
 those who have

00:32:25.439 --> 00:32:26.740
 converted to Judaism.

00:32:27.199 --> 00:32:28.259
 It seems that that's

00:32:28.259 --> 00:32:29.459
 the primary meaning

00:32:29.459 --> 00:32:31.279
 of that word as

00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:31.939
 it's used throughout

00:32:31.939 --> 00:32:32.719
 the Old Testament.

00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:34.360
 And this points us

00:32:34.360 --> 00:32:35.059
 ahead to what we

00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:35.620
 see in the New

00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.299
 Testament, which is

00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:37.460
 that our first

00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.680
 application of this

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.600
 principle needs to

00:32:39.600 --> 00:32:40.539
 be in the church.

00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:45.519
 God's people must

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.440
 love the vulnerable

00:32:46.440 --> 00:32:47.759
 and the weak among

00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:50.880
 us in our church,

00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:52.759
 first and foremost.

00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:57.319
 I'm thankful for this

00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:00.480
 church because I see

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:00.720
 it.

00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:03.920
 Because I see you

00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:05.119
 loving one another

00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:06.500
 and caring for one

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:06.839
 another.

00:33:07.400 --> 00:33:08.819
 I see you reaching

00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:09.319
 out.

00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:13.379
 I see you sacrificially

00:33:13.379 --> 00:33:14.559
 giving of your time

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.579
 and of your money and

00:33:15.579 --> 00:33:17.400
 of your resources to

00:33:17.400 --> 00:33:19.759
 love one another in

00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:20.599
 many ways.

00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:24.140
 I see us living

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:25.599
 out the principle

00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:28.119
 that we would be a

00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:29.259
 church that loves the

00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:30.319
 least of these among

00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:30.759
 us.

00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:36.420
 We must still ask

00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:39.119
 ourselves, is there

00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:40.559
 more for us to do?

00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:42.180
 Do we really embody

00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:43.400
 this as fully as we

00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:43.740
 might?

00:33:44.599 --> 00:33:46.160
 Is there more for us

00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:46.779
 to grow?

00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:48.660
 How are we doing at

00:33:48.660 --> 00:33:49.960
 caring for the widows

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:51.599
 among us?

00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.039
 How are we doing

00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:55.180
 coming alongside the

00:33:55.180 --> 00:33:55.799
 single mothers?

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:59.119
 How many of us are

00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:01.399
 coming out of jail and

00:34:01.399 --> 00:34:02.519
 putting our lives back

00:34:02.519 --> 00:34:03.059
 together?

00:34:05.399 --> 00:34:06.480
 About some of our

00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:06.940
 elderly.

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:12.019
 I think of the

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:12.840
 internationals.

00:34:13.099 --> 00:34:14.360
 Many of you have come

00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:15.920
 and are sojourners in

00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:16.320
 America.

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:17.880
 In this sense.

00:34:18.200 --> 00:34:18.960
 And you are even

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.840
 sojourners in our

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:20.220
 church.

00:34:21.680 --> 00:34:22.420
 And it feels

00:34:22.420 --> 00:34:22.920
 different.

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.560
 I know what it's

00:34:25.560 --> 00:34:26.220
 like to have been on

00:34:26.220 --> 00:34:26.780
 the other end.

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:27.580
 To move to another

00:34:27.580 --> 00:34:28.560
 country and to go to

00:34:28.560 --> 00:34:30.600
 church in places where

00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:31.720
 lots of things were

00:34:31.720 --> 00:34:32.280
 unfamiliar.

00:34:33.580 --> 00:34:34.620
 And I've experienced

00:34:34.620 --> 00:34:36.340
 the church showing a

00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:37.780
 kind of hospitality and

00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:39.040
 a warmth and a

00:34:39.040 --> 00:34:39.320
 welcome.

00:34:40.360 --> 00:34:41.380
 I pray that would be

00:34:41.380 --> 00:34:42.460
 true for us.

00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:47.340
 pastor Greg prayed

00:34:47.340 --> 00:34:49.360
 earlier for the

00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:50.300
 overseas ministry

00:34:50.300 --> 00:34:51.639
 study center.

00:34:51.639 --> 00:34:52.659
 Our partnership with

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:53.639
 them is an opportunity

00:34:53.639 --> 00:34:55.539
 for us to love people

00:34:55.539 --> 00:34:56.599
 from all over the world

00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:57.720
 who come to New Haven

00:34:57.720 --> 00:34:59.740
 for a time of rest and

00:34:59.740 --> 00:35:01.059
 refreshment and renewal.

00:35:01.720 --> 00:35:03.000
 And every year we have

00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:04.559
 people from OMSC who are

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.619
 part of our congregation.

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:09.239
 I pray and hope that you

00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:10.039
 would look for them.

00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:11.319
 Look to get to know

00:35:11.319 --> 00:35:12.279
 them and to welcome

00:35:12.279 --> 00:35:13.739
 them and to care for

00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:14.000
 them.

00:35:16.400 --> 00:35:17.659
 I think that our

00:35:17.659 --> 00:35:19.519
 tendency in our

00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:21.400
 culture today is less

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:23.159
 to truly mistreat

00:35:23.159 --> 00:35:24.940
 people as much as it is

00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:26.079
 to just ignore them.

00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:29.699
 I think it's easier for

00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:31.480
 us to just see the

00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:32.759
 people who are like us

00:35:32.759 --> 00:35:34.460
 who are easy to relate

00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:37.139
 to because of that and

00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:38.039
 to gravitate towards

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:39.099
 those relationships.

00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:44.000
 One of the observations

00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:44.880
 that I make about our

00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:47.179
 church often is that and

00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:48.319
 maybe you can test and

00:35:48.319 --> 00:35:49.099
 see if this is true.

00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:50.539
 Almost everyone I talk

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:51.279
 to who's been a part of

00:35:51.279 --> 00:35:52.099
 this church for a little

00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:53.539
 while says well this

00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:54.819
 church is for and then

00:35:54.819 --> 00:35:55.920
 they name some group that

00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.820
 they're not a part of.

00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:58.220
 It's for the university.

00:35:58.420 --> 00:35:59.019
 It's for the town.

00:35:59.159 --> 00:36:00.380
 It's for the marriage

00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:00.900
 with children.

00:36:01.059 --> 00:36:01.860
 It's for the university

00:36:01.860 --> 00:36:02.340
 singles.

00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:04.300
 It's for the and it goes

00:36:04.300 --> 00:36:05.240
 on and on and everyone

00:36:05.240 --> 00:36:06.139
 feels like they're an

00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:07.639
 outsider and a minority

00:36:07.639 --> 00:36:08.440
 in this church.

00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:10.960
 And part of that is

00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:11.820
 because of the blessed

00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:13.119
 diversity that we have

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:13.960
 that we have all these

00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:14.800
 different people in our

00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:15.119
 church.

00:36:15.680 --> 00:36:17.139
 But let me simply

00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:19.480
 disabuse you of there

00:36:19.480 --> 00:36:21.619
 is no core at least

00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:23.200
 that I understand in this

00:36:23.200 --> 00:36:23.559
 church.

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:23.619
 church.

00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:26.460
 All of us need to

00:36:26.460 --> 00:36:27.579
 continue to reach out

00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:28.320
 to one another.

00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:30.900
 To continue to show

00:36:30.900 --> 00:36:31.619
 hospitality.

00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:33.519
 To continue to look for

00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:34.539
 those who are weak and

00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:36.259
 vulnerable and to welcome

00:36:36.259 --> 00:36:37.719
 them and to care for them.

00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:43.500
 I think however it's a

00:36:43.500 --> 00:36:44.980
 mistake to see that the

00:36:44.980 --> 00:36:46.639
 only application of this is

00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:47.679
 in our church.

00:36:48.019 --> 00:36:49.579
 Because I do believe that

00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:51.659
 there's a very clear call

00:36:51.659 --> 00:36:53.739
 for us to not only do

00:36:53.739 --> 00:36:54.899
 this within our church

00:36:54.899 --> 00:36:56.199
 and first and foremost

00:36:56.199 --> 00:36:57.599
 in our church as Galatians

00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.059
 6 says.

00:36:58.299 --> 00:36:59.719
 But also to do good to

00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.259
 the world.

00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.960
 To be the neighbor.

00:37:03.319 --> 00:37:04.420
 To love our neighbor.

00:37:04.879 --> 00:37:06.420
 Not just in the church

00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:07.319
 but in the world.

00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:09.440
 That this is what God has

00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:10.719
 called his people to do.

00:37:12.139 --> 00:37:13.480
 So how do we do that?

00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:14.879
 How do we in our culture

00:37:14.879 --> 00:37:16.599
 today think about the

00:37:16.599 --> 00:37:17.879
 vulnerable and the weak?

00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:21.360
 I'm just going to run

00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:22.500
 through, rattle off a

00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:24.200
 list of opportunities

00:37:24.200 --> 00:37:25.340
 that you might think

00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:25.660
 about.

00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:30.440
 You could get involved in

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:31.720
 caring for the unborn

00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:33.500
 and unwanted babies

00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:36.980
 by connecting with the

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:38.400
 Hopeline Pregnancy Resource

00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:39.240
 Center in Connecticut.

00:37:41.400 --> 00:37:42.900
 You could get involved as

00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:43.760
 some of our, in our

00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:45.820
 congregation have in foster

00:37:45.820 --> 00:37:49.220
 care and adoption to

00:37:49.220 --> 00:37:51.700
 care for children without

00:37:51.700 --> 00:37:52.820
 families that are able to

00:37:52.820 --> 00:37:53.600
 take care of them.

00:37:55.620 --> 00:37:57.260
 You can get involved in

00:37:57.260 --> 00:37:59.220
 ministries that are working

00:37:59.220 --> 00:38:01.660
 to stop the sex trafficking

00:38:01.660 --> 00:38:03.840
 that's happening in the

00:38:03.840 --> 00:38:04.140
 world.

00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:05.900
 Love 146 is a great

00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:07.380
 organization and it's based

00:38:07.380 --> 00:38:07.800
 here.

00:38:09.240 --> 00:38:10.320
 If you don't know more

00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:12.019
 about it, it's a great

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:14.180
 organization working to be

00:38:14.179 --> 00:38:17.319
 involved in rescuing those

00:38:17.319 --> 00:38:19.059
 who have been enslaved into

00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:20.739
 this terrible, terrible

00:38:20.739 --> 00:38:24.219
 abuse of the week.

00:38:27.059 --> 00:38:28.319
 If you don't know it, New

00:38:28.319 --> 00:38:29.279
 Haven is a refugee

00:38:29.279 --> 00:38:30.339
 resettlement city.

00:38:30.699 --> 00:38:32.419
 One of the designated ones.

00:38:34.619 --> 00:38:35.799
 There's a ministry here

00:38:35.799 --> 00:38:37.899
 called Iris that helps

00:38:37.899 --> 00:38:41.699
 called, shoot, I forgot it.

00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:43.259
 International refugee

00:38:43.259 --> 00:38:44.399
 resettlement.

00:38:46.399 --> 00:38:46.960
 Oh, okay.

00:38:47.259 --> 00:38:48.539
 Greg can tell you what it is

00:38:48.539 --> 00:38:48.879
 afterwards.

00:38:50.879 --> 00:38:52.899
 But it's, but they do

00:38:52.899 --> 00:38:54.039
 great work and we've had

00:38:54.039 --> 00:38:55.119
 people in our congregation

00:38:55.119 --> 00:38:56.299
 who've been a part of what

00:38:56.299 --> 00:38:58.039
 they do in helping resettle

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:59.599
 people from some of the

00:38:59.599 --> 00:39:00.759
 hardest places who are

00:39:00.759 --> 00:39:02.500
 seeking asylum, who are

00:39:02.500 --> 00:39:04.379
 refugees from situations of

00:39:04.379 --> 00:39:05.859
 political or social

00:39:05.859 --> 00:39:06.399
 oppression.

00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:12.920
 We have an opportunity to

00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:14.360
 welcome sojourners into our

00:39:14.360 --> 00:39:14.680
 city.

00:39:15.160 --> 00:39:17.500
 Not only OMSC, but I don't

00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:18.180
 know if you know this, but

00:39:18.180 --> 00:39:19.400
 every Sunday afternoon

00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:21.440
 there's an Eritrean and

00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:22.900
 Ethiopian congregation that

00:39:22.900 --> 00:39:23.700
 meets in our church

00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:24.320
 downstairs.

00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:26.240
 An outreach to the

00:39:26.240 --> 00:39:28.760
 immigrant community from

00:39:28.760 --> 00:39:29.420
 that country.

00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:34.320
 If you ever go up on

00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:35.360
 Prospect Street at 10

00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:36.500
 o'clock on a weekday

00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:38.420
 morning, you will find

00:39:38.420 --> 00:39:39.260
 that if you don't speak

00:39:39.260 --> 00:39:40.340
 Mandarin, you may have a

00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:40.980
 hard time having

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:42.380
 conversations with people

00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:42.840
 up there.

00:39:43.820 --> 00:39:45.180
 Because there's a huge

00:39:45.180 --> 00:39:46.539
 community of overseas

00:39:46.539 --> 00:39:47.659
 Chinese who are here

00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:48.139
 studying.

00:39:49.200 --> 00:39:50.340
 And their grandparents are

00:39:50.340 --> 00:39:51.320
 here taking care of their

00:39:51.320 --> 00:39:51.760
 kids.

00:39:54.099 --> 00:39:54.840
 And we have a

00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:56.720
 partnership with Calvary

00:39:56.720 --> 00:39:58.000
 Baptist Church here in

00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:58.880
 New Haven, a Chinese

00:39:58.880 --> 00:39:59.360
 church.

00:39:59.420 --> 00:40:01.019
 Reaching out to Chinese

00:40:01.019 --> 00:40:01.659
 speaking.

00:40:05.300 --> 00:40:06.579
 Sojourners in our city.

00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:10.740
 Friends, there are other

00:40:10.740 --> 00:40:11.940
 ways for us to care for

00:40:11.940 --> 00:40:14.119
 those in our city who are

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:14.480
 in need.

00:40:14.700 --> 00:40:16.099
 The children, the mentoring

00:40:16.099 --> 00:40:17.380
 program that's run through

00:40:17.380 --> 00:40:19.139
 Bridges of Hope is a great

00:40:19.139 --> 00:40:19.780
 opportunity.

00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:21.680
 And I'm proud of our church

00:40:21.680 --> 00:40:22.820
 for the number of people

00:40:22.820 --> 00:40:23.740
 who have gotten involved.

00:40:24.360 --> 00:40:25.740
 But there's still a need.

00:40:27.019 --> 00:40:28.119
 As you're thinking about

00:40:28.119 --> 00:40:29.180
 your investment for next

00:40:29.179 --> 00:40:30.419
 fall, think about being a

00:40:30.419 --> 00:40:32.440
 mentor and investing in the

00:40:32.440 --> 00:40:33.299
 lives of some of these

00:40:33.299 --> 00:40:33.679
 kids.

00:40:34.739 --> 00:40:35.759
 Think about being involved

00:40:35.759 --> 00:40:37.199
 in the Christian Tabernacle

00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:38.659
 Summer Camp program this

00:40:38.659 --> 00:40:38.960
 summer.

00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:40.500
 Greg mentioned it earlier.

00:40:40.679 --> 00:40:43.339
 There's a mention in the

00:40:43.339 --> 00:40:44.239
 program about it.

00:40:45.339 --> 00:40:46.759
 You have an opportunity to

00:40:46.759 --> 00:40:47.940
 volunteer and to be a part

00:40:47.940 --> 00:40:49.339
 of that outreach to the

00:40:49.339 --> 00:40:50.579
 Newhallville community

00:40:50.579 --> 00:40:52.219
 through in partnership with

00:40:52.219 --> 00:40:53.500
 Christian Tabernacle Church.

00:40:53.500 --> 00:40:53.579
 church.

00:40:55.980 --> 00:40:57.679
 And friends, every Wednesday

00:40:57.679 --> 00:40:59.059
 night there are a small

00:40:59.059 --> 00:41:00.059
 group of people from this

00:41:00.059 --> 00:41:01.679
 church who go to Columbus

00:41:01.679 --> 00:41:07.400
 House to meet, to love, to

00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:09.179
 give dignity to those who are

00:41:09.179 --> 00:41:13.000
 in transition, who are at

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:14.300
 present without a home.

00:41:14.300 --> 00:41:14.360
 home.

00:41:17.200 --> 00:41:18.700
 You can be involved in that.

00:41:20.640 --> 00:41:22.320
 There are great opportunities

00:41:22.320 --> 00:41:25.360
 for you to take steps to show

00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:29.019
 God's care for the vulnerable in

00:41:29.019 --> 00:41:29.500
 our city.

00:41:32.340 --> 00:41:33.760
 May it start here in our

00:41:33.760 --> 00:41:36.900
 household, but may it expand and

00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:42.060
 overflow into our city so that

00:41:42.059 --> 00:41:43.159
 people might know what kind of

00:41:43.159 --> 00:41:43.980
 God we serve.

00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:48.059
 Now look, none of us can do all

00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:48.460
 of this.

00:41:48.960 --> 00:41:50.259
 Most of us could only do one of

00:41:50.259 --> 00:41:50.519
 these.

00:41:51.199 --> 00:41:52.059
 But that's okay.

00:41:52.820 --> 00:41:55.179
 If each of us said, what will

00:41:55.179 --> 00:41:56.139
 you be involved in?

00:41:56.219 --> 00:41:57.840
 How will you show God's heart?

00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:00.500
 How will you not allow the

00:42:00.500 --> 00:42:01.699
 fullness and the busyness of

00:42:01.699 --> 00:42:03.579
 your own life that's centered

00:42:03.579 --> 00:42:06.940
 around you to blind you to the

00:42:06.940 --> 00:42:08.480
 opportunities and to the call

00:42:08.480 --> 00:42:09.799
 that God has put on your life?

00:42:12.059 --> 00:42:14.500
 To be God's priest in this

00:42:14.500 --> 00:42:14.920
 world.

00:42:18.059 --> 00:42:22.380
 To be holy as God is holy, set

00:42:22.380 --> 00:42:24.900
 apart by his compassion and his

00:42:24.900 --> 00:42:26.279
 love for the vulnerable.

00:42:30.119 --> 00:42:33.079
 Friends, this is how we ought to

00:42:33.079 --> 00:42:35.719
 think about it in our church and

00:42:35.719 --> 00:42:37.340
 in our culture today.

00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:39.920
 But then how do we connect this

00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:40.559
 with the gospel?

00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:42.639
 Well, we know this clearly.

00:42:43.059 --> 00:42:44.920
 There's a consistent pattern that

00:42:44.920 --> 00:42:47.579
 God's laws are instructions to us

00:42:47.579 --> 00:42:49.519
 to live a particular way because

00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:51.920
 of what God has done for us.

00:42:53.579 --> 00:42:55.280
 And friends, what this passage

00:42:55.280 --> 00:42:56.920
 reminds us is that spiritually,

00:42:57.860 --> 00:43:00.800
 fundamentally, we know that we

00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:02.920
 too were sojourners.

00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:06.960
 That is, we were alienated from the

00:43:06.960 --> 00:43:09.000
 kingdom of God and outsiders because

00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:10.139
 of our own sin.

00:43:10.619 --> 00:43:12.659
 Because of our sin and rebellion and

00:43:12.659 --> 00:43:15.099
 rejection against God, we were

00:43:15.099 --> 00:43:17.480
 aliens and strangers to God and to

00:43:17.480 --> 00:43:18.019
 his kingdom.

00:43:18.539 --> 00:43:21.059
 And God, in his mercy and his grace,

00:43:22.059 --> 00:43:23.880
 sent Jesus Christ.

00:43:25.420 --> 00:43:28.000
 And he came and identified with us as

00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:30.180
 an outsider so that he might bring us

00:43:30.179 --> 00:43:30.500
 in.

00:43:30.500 --> 00:43:33.440
 He came and showed compassion to us,

00:43:33.460 --> 00:43:36.399
 not merely judgment and condemnation.

00:43:36.559 --> 00:43:42.239
 He came to rescue us from the alienation

00:43:42.239 --> 00:43:45.440
 that we experience because of our sin so

00:43:45.440 --> 00:43:49.019
 that we might be his people in the world.

00:43:49.399 --> 00:43:51.779
 That he might set us apart then to be

00:43:51.779 --> 00:43:55.579
 those who, in our holiness, would not be

00:43:55.579 --> 00:43:57.519
 self-righteous in condemning of others,

00:43:57.519 --> 00:43:59.500
 but would show compassion and mercy.

00:44:01.840 --> 00:44:03.380
 Romans 5, 6 says this,

00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:04.780
 for while we were still weak,

00:44:05.420 --> 00:44:08.400
 there it is, in our weakness, in our sin,

00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:13.460
 at the right time, Christ died for the

00:44:13.460 --> 00:44:14.039
 ungodly.

00:44:14.780 --> 00:44:16.780
 And friends, that's every one of us.

00:44:17.420 --> 00:44:19.619
 And so if we find ourselves becoming

00:44:19.619 --> 00:44:23.099
 disgusted or condemning of the weak and

00:44:23.099 --> 00:44:25.199
 the vulnerable, perhaps we need to go back

00:44:25.199 --> 00:44:28.399
 and remember our own sin and the way that

00:44:28.399 --> 00:44:29.299
 God treated us.

00:44:30.059 --> 00:44:32.239
 How he sent Jesus to rescue us.

00:44:32.399 --> 00:44:35.799
 How he showed mercy to us.

00:44:36.859 --> 00:44:39.839
 So that we might be a people who would

00:44:39.839 --> 00:44:42.039
 show mercy to this world in Jesus' name.

00:44:42.419 --> 00:44:43.079
 Let's pray.

00:44:44.519 --> 00:44:46.839
 Lord, thank you for this word,

00:44:47.559 --> 00:44:48.980
 for the exhortation it is.

00:44:48.980 --> 00:44:51.559
 Lord, we pray that you might help us

00:44:51.559 --> 00:44:53.340
 to hear it

00:44:53.340 --> 00:44:56.880
 and Lord, to respond in obedience to it.

00:44:57.539 --> 00:44:59.840
 Holy Spirit, I pray you would be even now

00:44:59.840 --> 00:45:02.559
 pricking our consciences and helping us see,

00:45:03.019 --> 00:45:05.099
 Lord, ways in which we have not been

00:45:05.099 --> 00:45:08.320
 full of care for the vulnerable and weak

00:45:08.320 --> 00:45:09.079
 among us.

00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:11.539
 In our church and in our community.

00:45:12.699 --> 00:45:15.280
 Lord, would you also lead us.

00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:17.340
 Lord, help us to see where the places are

00:45:17.340 --> 00:45:19.980
 that we can take steps of obedience

00:45:19.980 --> 00:45:22.579
 to serve you and to love others in your name.

00:45:24.200 --> 00:45:26.019
 Lord, we pray this in Jesus' name.

00:45:26.420 --> 00:45:26.680
 Amen.

00:45:29.120 --> 00:45:29.620
 All right.

00:45:29.700 --> 00:45:30.559
 Come on in, kiddos.