WEBVTT

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 Lord, we thank you that you are a God of love.

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 And your love isn't merely a sentimental kind of love,

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! But a love that desires to see us enter into and walk in fullness.

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 And sometimes your love means that you have to expose some of our shortcomings, our sins, our bad habits,

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 the things that hold us back from walking fully and wholly as your children.

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 Lord, your love disciplines us.

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 And as we enter into this time of listening and learning this morning,

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 help us to have ears to hear.

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 Those kind of ears that don't just hear your word, but do your word, consider your word, take heart your word.

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 And Lord, we pray that by your Spirit's help, that we would walk in this fullness, walk in this obedience.

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 Lord, that you offer to us not an inferior vision of the human life, but the most superior vision.

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 We pray all this in Christ's mighty name. Amen.

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 The term virtue signaling was introduced, at least from my research,

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 into Western vocabulary about 10 years ago, during the U.S. elections.

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 Things got really intense with social media.

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 People started throwing barbs at one another, and this idea of virtue signaling became a thing.

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 It describes an act of openly showcasing one's awareness of important issues, the important issues,

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 especially political and social ones.

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 And we do this by showcasing our moral superiority with whatever issues are the right issues,

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 rather than taking meaningful action.

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 So it's no surprise, then, that virtue signaling remains still a very highly political and social practice online.

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 And we've observed this in Canada in the last few years.

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 We're condemning historical figures of our past,

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 or overlooking the flaws of past heroes becomes a thing.

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 Another example of virtue signaling is wearing a mask, or not wearing a mask.

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 Labeling people as Hitler.

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 Labeling people as Stalin.

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 It's a way that we can show that we are better than others without doing much.

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 Without having to get much skin in the game.

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 However, virtue signaling, if it's about 10 years old,

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 it's not just limited to politics and social issues.

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 It affects religion.

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 Moreover, it's not a recent phenomenon, but a very ancient one.

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 We refer to such religious virtue signaling, at least in a religious sense, as hypocrisy.

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 Something that is too close to home for religiously minded men and women.

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 We hear hypocrisy a lot, and either we've had experiences with hypocritical church leaders,

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 or hypocritical churchgoers, or we ourselves find ourselves in the position of being a hypocrite.

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 We know this term all too well, all too personally.

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 We continue on in Ecclesiastes chapter 5.

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 And here the sage has, up till now, spent a good amount of ink reflecting on the human experience.

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 Examining what it is to live as a human, being a man or woman, as one under the sun, in this mortal life.

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 In chapter 5, he switches a little bit, and he begins writing instructions to us.

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 All of which articulate what it means to properly worship the Lord, and to avoid hypocrisy.

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 And in doing so, he helps us to understand that true and godly worship, free of show and pomp,

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 is worshiping God with reverence, integrity, and a sincerity and honesty.

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 Notice that perfection isn't in that list.

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 I'll read that list again.

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 That we would worship God with reverence, integrity, and a sincerity and honesty.

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 One of the commentators I spent some time looking at this week, a guy named David Kidner, he's since passed away.

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 He spoke of this section, Ecclesiastes 5, verses 1-5, as a text written for,

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 the well-meaning person who enjoys a good sing, and cheerfully attends church,

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 but who listens with half an ear, and never quite follows through on what they have promised to do for God.

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 In other words, the text reveals the outwardly pious person whose inner life remains untouched.

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 Friends, let us listen carefully to God's word this morning,

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 because I have a feeling that it's going to hit kind of close to home.

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 We are in the same boat together this morning.

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 Let's dig in.

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 Verse 1 of Ecclesiastes chapter 5.

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 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.

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 To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools,

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 for they do not know what they are doing is evil.

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 To understand the depth of verse 1,

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 we need to recall two key stories from the Old Testament that verse 1 draws upon.

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 The first instance is from Exodus chapter 3.

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 It's a very, very famous scene, but if you're unfamiliar with it or forgotten about it,

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 it is a scene where Moses, he has fleed after killing an Egyptian,

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 even though he is one of the princes of Egypt.

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 He escapes into the desert,

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 and he gets married, and he is tending his father-in-law's flock.

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 And in doing so, he encounters the Lord for the first time as the Lord appears to him in a burning bush.

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 Exodus chapter 3, verses 5 and 6, it reads like this.

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 Then he said, this is God speaking,

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 Do not come near.

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 Take your sandals off of your feet,

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 for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

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 Verse 6,

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 And Moses said,

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 or sorry, and then God said,

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 I am the God of your father,

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 the God of Abraham,

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 the God of Isaac,

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 the God of Jacob.

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 And Moses hid his face,

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 for he was afraid to look at God.

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 In this scene,

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 again, a very famous scene,

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 a famous biblical story,

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 Moses cautiously approaches the Lord.

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 He does not approach the Lord as an equal.

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 In fact, he has no business being in the Lord's presence whatsoever.

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 He rightly removes his sandals,

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 rightly hides his face from the Lord.

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 His posture towards the Lord

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 is a cautious, reverent one.

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 It's connected to that first part of verse 1.

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 Guard your steps when you go to the house of the Lord.

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 The second scene is from 1 Samuel chapter 15.

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 Not as well known as Exodus 3,

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 but still a fairly well known section in scripture.

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 The background goes something like this.

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 King Saul, the first king of Israel,

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 he is doing right by the Lord,

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 but doing a lot of wrong by the Lord as well.

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 Now, he is told by the prophet Samuel

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 to go to war against the Amalekites.

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 We won't get into the reason why.

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 The Amalekites, by and large,

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 are a rotten people.

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 You can talk to me afterwards

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 why I'm saying that.

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 In scripture, they are described

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 as being a very evil people.

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 And Samuel says to Saul,

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 the words of the Lord,

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 that he is to put everything to the sword.

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 Everything.

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 He is to utterly wipe out the Amalekites,

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 even their livestock.

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 The victory is won.

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 Samuel goes to visit Saul.

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 And there's a very famous line,

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 I'm not going to read it,

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 but I will read a section of it shortly,

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 where Samuel says to Saul,

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 what is that bleeding I hear?

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 Because what he is hearing

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 is the bleeding of sheep.

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 Which is to say that King Saul

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 did not obey the words of the Lord.

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 He did not obey God

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 to put everything to the sword.

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 And he did not do that

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 because he wanted to keep the spoils for himself.

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 I'll read 1 Samuel chapter 15,

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 starting in verse 21,

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 verse 22 rather,

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 to verse 23.

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 And Samuel said,

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 Has the Lord as great delight

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 in burnt offerings and sacrifices

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 as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

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 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

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 and to listen than the fat of rams.

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 For rebellion is a sin of divination,

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 and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.

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 Because, Saul,

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 you have rejected the word of the Lord,

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 he has also rejected you from being king.

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 It is worth a read.

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 It is a heavy, heavy chapter.

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 But the point is,

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 Saul thinks,

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 I don't have to obey the words of the Lord

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 because I'm going to keep some of the spoils for myself,

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 but I'm going to sacrifice to God.

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 Surely he's going to delight in that.

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 I'm not listening to him all the way,

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 but I'm listening to him enough.

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 And Samuel comes at him

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 very hard for his disobedience.

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 King Saul believes

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 he only needs to appease God.

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 As if the Lord is

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 just

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 a divine being

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 with an appetite that needs

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 to be satisfied.

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 See, Saul here is less concerned

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 with listening to the Lord,

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 obeying the Lord,

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 and more focused on

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 his own glory,

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 his own prize,

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 his own bounty,

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 his own well-being.

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 God, for King Saul,

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 is an inconvenient reality

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 in his life.

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 So we have two examples

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 that the sage draws upon

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 for verse one.

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 Both are connected

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 to how one ought to

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 approach God reverently.

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 Moses,

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 his posture

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 is praised.

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 King Saul's rash

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 disobedience

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 is condemned.

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 And the sage here

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 emphasizes that

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 the Lord values

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 genuine reverence,

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 obedience,

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 loyalty,

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 and love

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 from the heart.

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 That one has

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 a desire

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 and affections

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 towards the Lord

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 rather than

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 a mere ritual

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 or religious

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 experience.

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 experience.

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 It's not that God

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 disregards sacrifice.

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 Rather,

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 sacrifice should be

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 an expression

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 of gratitude

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 and love.

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 A heart directed

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 towards the Lord,

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 that is what

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 he is after.

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 That is essential.

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 In fact,

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 offering sacrifice

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 to the Lord

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 with a heart

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 that is distant

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 from him

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 and that continually

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 fails to listen

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 is considered

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 an evil act.

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 we see this

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 at the end

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 of verse 1.

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 For they do not

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 know,

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 that is the fool

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 who sacrifices

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 with a heart

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 that is distant

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 from the Lord,

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 for they do not

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 know that they

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 are doing evil.

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 So what we are

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 seeing here

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 is that a heart

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 that does not

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 come to the Lord

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 with reverence

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 isn't an indifferent

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 act,

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 but an evil one.

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 Again,

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 I'll go back

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 to the beginning.

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 The Lord

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 is in his

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 kindness

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 and love

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 bringing us

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 through Ecclesiastes

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 not to pound us

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 into dust,

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 but to open up

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 our eyes

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 so that we may

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 see how we

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 have misstepped

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 and by his grace,

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 by his strength,

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 we can turn

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 towards him.

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 The key to all

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 of this,

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 of course,

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 is to listen.

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 Again,

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 we see this,

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 verse 1.

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 To draw near

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 to listen

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 is better

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 than to offer

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 a sacrifice.

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 To listen

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 and hear

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 in the scriptures

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 always implies

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 obedience.

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 James says,

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 do not be

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 hearers of the

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 word only

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 and so deceive

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 yourselves,

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 but be doers

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 of the word.

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 So listening

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 must be active.

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 Taking in

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 the word of God,

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 considering it

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 with reverence

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 and recognizing

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 that life and

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 death truly hang

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 in the balance.

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 Why?

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 Because the words

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 of God aren't

00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:36.860
 merely advice

00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:37.600
 or a series

00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:38.579
 of best practices,

00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:39.220
 but the very

00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:40.720
 foundation of

00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.419
 life itself.

00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:43.559
 The word of God

00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:44.699
 created the cosmos.

00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:45.879
 The opening

00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:48.240
 verses of the

00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:48.600
 Bible

00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:51.079
 describe God

00:13:51.079 --> 00:13:52.620
 speaking life

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.439
 into existence.

00:13:54.819 --> 00:13:56.059
 He speaks it

00:13:56.059 --> 00:13:56.799
 into existence.

00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:59.240
 With Jesus

00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:01.679
 on the boat

00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:02.399
 in the Sea of

00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:02.799
 Galilee,

00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:03.539
 the wind and

00:14:03.539 --> 00:14:03.919
 the waves

00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:04.960
 are crashing in.

00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:06.259
 And he

00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:07.480
 merely speaks

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:08.699
 and the wind

00:14:08.699 --> 00:14:09.319
 and the waves

00:14:09.319 --> 00:14:10.079
 are stilled.

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.299
 And then finally

00:14:12.299 --> 00:14:13.159
 in the book

00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.159
 of Revelation,

00:14:14.659 --> 00:14:15.120
 at the end

00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:15.620
 of the age,

00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:16.259
 we will read

00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:16.860
 that Christ

00:14:16.860 --> 00:14:17.919
 will decisively

00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:18.799
 defeat all

00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:19.600
 of his foes

00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:20.620
 with the word

00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:21.519
 of his mouth.

00:14:22.740 --> 00:14:23.980
 The word of God

00:14:23.980 --> 00:14:24.579
 isn't,

00:14:25.179 --> 00:14:25.579
 again,

00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:26.600
 a nice

00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:27.659
 suggestion

00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:29.059
 or some

00:14:29.059 --> 00:14:29.840
 good advice

00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:30.439
 or even

00:14:30.439 --> 00:14:32.679
 a wonderful

00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:33.199
 proverb

00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:33.740
 verb or a

00:14:33.740 --> 00:14:34.080
 haiku

00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:35.040
 that you

00:14:35.040 --> 00:14:35.860
 need to

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:36.259
 incorporate

00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:36.960
 into your

00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.120
 daily meditation.

00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:39.080
 It is life

00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:39.580
 itself.

00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:45.920
 After a difficult

00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:46.360
 teaching

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:48.500
 that he is

00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:49.340
 the very bread

00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:50.180
 of life,

00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:50.900
 Jesus is

00:14:50.900 --> 00:14:51.700
 abandoned by the

00:14:51.700 --> 00:14:52.860
 crowds that had

00:14:52.860 --> 00:14:53.720
 been following him.

00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:54.500
 And as he

00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.500
 turned to his

00:14:55.500 --> 00:14:56.080
 disciples

00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:57.379
 to see if

00:14:57.379 --> 00:14:57.840
 they too

00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:58.360
 would abandon

00:14:58.360 --> 00:14:58.560
 him,

00:14:58.639 --> 00:14:59.000
 the apostle

00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:00.040
 Peter says

00:15:00.040 --> 00:15:00.360
 this,

00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:01.340
 this is from

00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:02.399
 John chapter 6

00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.000
 and verse 67

00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:04.660
 and 68,

00:15:04.659 --> 00:15:06.199
 do you want

00:15:06.199 --> 00:15:06.860
 to go away

00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:07.319
 as well?

00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:08.059
 Simon Peter

00:15:08.059 --> 00:15:08.600
 answered him,

00:15:08.719 --> 00:15:08.919
 Lord,

00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:10.079
 to whom

00:15:10.079 --> 00:15:10.600
 shall we

00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:10.819
 go?

00:15:10.939 --> 00:15:11.419
 You have

00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:11.819
 the words

00:15:11.819 --> 00:15:12.259
 of eternal

00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:12.639
 life.

00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:14.240
 The point

00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:14.639
 is this,

00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:16.120
 God's words

00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:16.939
 are powerful

00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:18.219
 and ought not

00:15:18.219 --> 00:15:19.120
 to be casually

00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:20.059
 considered or

00:15:20.059 --> 00:15:20.699
 conveniently

00:15:20.699 --> 00:15:21.360
 dismissed

00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:22.899
 because God

00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:23.620
 himself ought

00:15:23.620 --> 00:15:24.500
 not to be

00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:26.199
 treated casually

00:15:26.199 --> 00:15:26.899
 or conveniently

00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:27.480
 dismissed.

00:15:28.319 --> 00:15:28.639
 Yes,

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.480
 we must

00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:30.019
 approach the

00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:30.600
 Lord with

00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:31.620
 reverence

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:32.839
 and honor

00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:34.180
 and awe.

00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:36.300
 We must

00:15:36.300 --> 00:15:37.320
 understand that

00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:39.000
 he is big

00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.600
 and we are

00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:40.000
 small.

00:15:41.040 --> 00:15:41.460
 And on one

00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:41.740
 hand,

00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:43.399
 the beauty

00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:43.680
 of the

00:15:43.680 --> 00:15:44.320
 Christian faith

00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:44.860
 is that we

00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:45.700
 can approach

00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:46.420
 the Lord

00:15:46.420 --> 00:15:47.139
 as a father

00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:48.580
 because Christ

00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:49.580
 is our

00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:49.940
 brother.

00:15:51.040 --> 00:15:51.680
 The church

00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:52.560
 is the bride

00:15:52.560 --> 00:15:53.060
 of Christ.

00:15:53.180 --> 00:15:53.519
 There's a lot

00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:54.519
 of familial,

00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:56.000
 intimate language

00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:57.580
 used in the

00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:58.320
 Bible to

00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:59.240
 connect us

00:15:59.240 --> 00:15:59.900
 relationally

00:15:59.900 --> 00:16:01.280
 with God.

00:16:01.680 --> 00:16:02.340
 But we must

00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:02.820
 remember that

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:03.480
 God is the

00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:04.960
 Lord and

00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:05.520
 that Christ

00:16:05.520 --> 00:16:06.640
 is the

00:16:06.640 --> 00:16:09.000
 King and

00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:09.460
 he therefore

00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:10.160
 deserves our

00:16:10.160 --> 00:16:10.760
 reverence and

00:16:10.760 --> 00:16:11.160
 respect.

00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:13.020
 We're not an

00:16:13.020 --> 00:16:13.840
 every single

00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:15.240
 day, every

00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:15.740
 single morning

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:16.140
 family,

00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:16.660
 devotions,

00:16:16.780 --> 00:16:17.020
 family.

00:16:17.160 --> 00:16:17.560
 We're trying

00:16:17.560 --> 00:16:18.120
 our best to

00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:18.420
 do it.

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.640
 Do like 15

00:16:19.640 --> 00:16:20.120
 minutes of

00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:20.600
 Bible reading

00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:20.980
 and prayer.

00:16:22.260 --> 00:16:23.780
 And we have

00:16:23.780 --> 00:16:24.600
 wiggly kids so

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:25.640
 sometimes they

00:16:25.640 --> 00:16:26.180
 need to, we

00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:26.720
 have this balance

00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:27.060
 board, they

00:16:27.060 --> 00:16:27.520
 need to sit on

00:16:27.520 --> 00:16:27.880
 the balance

00:16:27.880 --> 00:16:29.160
 board or they

00:16:29.160 --> 00:16:30.400
 need to be in

00:16:30.400 --> 00:16:31.380
 a weird position

00:16:31.380 --> 00:16:31.860
 because they're

00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:32.220
 kids, they

00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:32.580
 can't sit

00:16:32.580 --> 00:16:32.899
 still.

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.340
 But sometimes

00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:35.639
 their posture

00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:37.300
 is very much

00:16:37.300 --> 00:16:38.899
 lackadaisical.

00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.519
 They're kind of

00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:41.360
 sprawled out.

00:16:42.060 --> 00:16:43.080
 You can see in

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:43.980
 their face that

00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:44.800
 they're bored.

00:16:46.300 --> 00:16:46.980
 And often

00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:47.899
 we'll say,

00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:48.759
 listen, if King

00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:49.720
 Charles was here

00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:50.519
 this morning and

00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:50.919
 he was doing

00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:51.779
 family devotions

00:16:51.779 --> 00:16:52.240
 with us,

00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:53.600
 okay, in his

00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:55.419
 regalia, would

00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:56.860
 you be sprawled

00:16:56.860 --> 00:16:57.879
 out like this?

00:16:58.620 --> 00:16:59.320
 Like digging

00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:00.340
 breakfast out of

00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:00.840
 your teeth?

00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:01.560
 Or would you

00:17:01.560 --> 00:17:02.220
 sit up straight?

00:17:03.540 --> 00:17:04.259
 And of course

00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:04.779
 they sit up

00:17:04.779 --> 00:17:05.360
 straight because

00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:05.940
 they think,

00:17:06.420 --> 00:17:06.759
 well, if the

00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:07.279
 king was here,

00:17:07.380 --> 00:17:07.799
 I go, well,

00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.539
 listen, is God

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.220
 bigger and

00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:11.079
 stronger and

00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:11.680
 greater and

00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.160
 more glorious

00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:12.539
 than the

00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:12.740
 king?

00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:14.559
 Of course.

00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:17.340
 Just goes to

00:17:17.340 --> 00:17:18.120
 show that,

00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:19.440
 yes, on one

00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.559
 hand, the

00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:21.480
 Lord is close.

00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:22.680
 He has made

00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:23.340
 himself close,

00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:24.059
 but let us

00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:26.259
 not embrace

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:27.319
 this wonderful,

00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.259
 beautiful gift

00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.000
 and vision of

00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:29.680
 the closeness

00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:30.839
 of God at

00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:31.660
 the expense

00:17:31.660 --> 00:17:32.420
 of his

00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:33.140
 gloriousness,

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:34.380
 that he

00:17:34.380 --> 00:17:35.279
 truly is the

00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:35.519
 king.

00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.400
 So we must

00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:38.900
 remember that

00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:39.359
 when we come

00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:39.859
 to worship,

00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:40.960
 whether we

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:41.559
 feel his

00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:42.359
 presence or

00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:43.039
 not, he

00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:43.859
 is here.

00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:44.980
 We should

00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:45.480
 not enter

00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:46.039
 his presence

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:46.759
 carelessly.

00:17:50.220 --> 00:17:50.880
 Having a

00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:51.140
 reverent

00:17:51.140 --> 00:17:52.940
 posture and

00:17:52.940 --> 00:17:53.880
 attitude towards

00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:54.799
 God is key.

00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:58.980
 the Lord

00:17:58.980 --> 00:17:59.619
 delights in

00:17:59.619 --> 00:18:00.460
 such reverent

00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:01.059
 worship because

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:01.799
 it honors him,

00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:03.319
 because he is

00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:04.319
 the transcendent

00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:04.579
 Lord.

00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:05.619
 And in doing

00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:07.220
 so, we will

00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:07.879
 learn to

00:18:07.879 --> 00:18:08.480
 worship with

00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.139
 integrity.

00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:09.899
 And this

00:18:09.899 --> 00:18:10.599
 brings us to

00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:11.399
 our second

00:18:11.399 --> 00:18:12.740
 point, that

00:18:12.740 --> 00:18:13.460
 proper worship

00:18:13.460 --> 00:18:15.000
 is a worship

00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:15.799
 that is

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:18.700
 integral, that

00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.039
 we ought to

00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:19.519
 worship God

00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:20.019
 with integrity.

00:18:20.139 --> 00:18:20.579
 Look with me

00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:21.200
 at verses 2 and

00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:21.379
 3.

00:18:21.380 --> 00:18:23.340
 Be not rash

00:18:23.340 --> 00:18:23.680
 with your

00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:25.000
 mouth, nor

00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:25.340
 let your

00:18:25.340 --> 00:18:26.340
 heart be hasty

00:18:26.340 --> 00:18:26.860
 to utter a

00:18:26.860 --> 00:18:27.400
 word before

00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:27.760
 God.

00:18:28.320 --> 00:18:29.000
 For God is

00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.180
 in heaven, and

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:30.680
 you are on

00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:30.980
 earth.

00:18:31.700 --> 00:18:32.340
 Therefore, let

00:18:32.340 --> 00:18:33.040
 your words be

00:18:33.040 --> 00:18:33.300
 few.

00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:34.780
 For a dream

00:18:34.780 --> 00:18:35.260
 comes with

00:18:35.260 --> 00:18:35.820
 much business,

00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:37.060
 and a fool's

00:18:37.060 --> 00:18:37.580
 voice with

00:18:37.580 --> 00:18:38.160
 many words.

00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.000
 The imperative

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.540
 here is similar

00:18:42.540 --> 00:18:43.220
 to verse 1,

00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:45.100
 but it goes a

00:18:45.100 --> 00:18:45.520
 bit further.

00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:46.580
 The sage, he

00:18:46.580 --> 00:18:47.480
 is urging us

00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:48.200
 to see that the

00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:48.600
 Lord is

00:18:48.600 --> 00:18:49.420
 transcendent.

00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:50.180
 We are not.

00:18:50.280 --> 00:18:50.680
 He is in

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:50.900
 heaven.

00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:51.780
 We are on

00:18:51.780 --> 00:18:52.100
 earth.

00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:53.600
 We are under

00:18:53.600 --> 00:18:54.000
 the sun.

00:18:54.080 --> 00:18:54.519
 He certainly

00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:55.519
 is not under

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.160
 the sun.

00:18:57.080 --> 00:18:57.480
 And we have

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:59.060
 touched this in

00:18:59.060 --> 00:18:59.800
 past weeks.

00:19:00.320 --> 00:19:00.980
 However, it's

00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:01.780
 worth revisiting

00:19:01.780 --> 00:19:04.240
 this idea of

00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:05.500
 God's transcendence

00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:06.340
 because often

00:19:06.340 --> 00:19:08.280
 we are forgetful

00:19:08.280 --> 00:19:08.700
 people.

00:19:08.940 --> 00:19:09.519
 So, really

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:11.780
 briefly, God's

00:19:11.780 --> 00:19:12.560
 transcendence

00:19:12.560 --> 00:19:14.160
 reminds us that

00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.460
 he has attributes

00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:17.140
 that we do not

00:19:17.140 --> 00:19:17.380
 possess.

00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:19.340
 So, theologians,

00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:20.000
 they'll look at

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.119
 God's attributes,

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.279
 what makes God

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:23.059
 God, and some

00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:24.660
 of them we

00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:25.400
 share with him.

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.339
 We are made in

00:19:26.339 --> 00:19:27.480
 his image, so we

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.299
 have the capacity

00:19:28.299 --> 00:19:28.799
 to love.

00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:30.799
 Not like God, but

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.099
 still, we can

00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:33.640
 love, we can

00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:34.279
 show mercy.

00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.180
 Again, not like

00:19:35.180 --> 00:19:36.019
 God, but because

00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:36.599
 we are made in

00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:38.259
 his image, we

00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:39.160
 can extend

00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:39.519
 mercy.

00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.079
 But there are

00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:40.980
 other attributes

00:19:40.980 --> 00:19:43.000
 that we do not

00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:43.880
 share with God.

00:19:43.880 --> 00:19:43.920
 God.

00:19:45.760 --> 00:19:47.480
 We, unlike God,

00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:49.080
 do not, we

00:19:49.080 --> 00:19:49.460
 change.

00:19:49.560 --> 00:19:50.080
 God does not

00:19:50.080 --> 00:19:50.520
 change.

00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:51.720
 Nor does he

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:53.020
 experience passions.

00:19:54.860 --> 00:19:55.420
 He knows

00:19:55.420 --> 00:19:56.020
 everything.

00:19:56.260 --> 00:19:56.780
 He sees

00:19:56.780 --> 00:19:57.520
 everything and is

00:19:57.520 --> 00:19:58.280
 present everywhere.

00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.340
 We do not.

00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:00.300
 We certainly do

00:20:00.300 --> 00:20:00.520
 not.

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:02.000
 He transcends

00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.940
 both space and

00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:03.920
 time, and as we

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:04.680
 discussed a couple

00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:05.340
 of weeks ago, we

00:20:05.340 --> 00:20:06.160
 are certainly bound

00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:06.740
 by time.

00:20:07.540 --> 00:20:08.240
 And we are

00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:09.040
 limited by our

00:20:09.040 --> 00:20:11.000
 location, by our

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.040
 lot in life.

00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:14.079
 God is

00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:14.680
 different than

00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:14.980
 us.

00:20:15.379 --> 00:20:16.079
 This is what the

00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:16.680
 sage is getting

00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:17.440
 at when he says,

00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.519
 God is in

00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.639
 heaven, and you

00:20:19.639 --> 00:20:20.139
 are on the

00:20:20.139 --> 00:20:20.460
 earth.

00:20:21.899 --> 00:20:22.819
 Disregarding God's

00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:24.079
 transcendence means

00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.480
 treating him as

00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:26.519
 just another person

00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:27.720
 under the sun, and

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:28.819
 certainly he is not.

00:20:29.339 --> 00:20:30.379
 In doing so, we

00:20:30.379 --> 00:20:31.559
 engage in a form of

00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:32.159
 atheism.

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:34.180
 Again, this isn't

00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:36.279
 the modern kind of

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:37.539
 atheism that relies

00:20:37.539 --> 00:20:38.440
 on a kind of

00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:39.639
 Darwinian evolution

00:20:39.639 --> 00:20:40.759
 to deny any

00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:41.139
 deity.

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:43.039
 But a practical

00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:44.579
 atheism that

00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:45.480
 overlooks or

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.559
 dismisses that God

00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:47.259
 is the highest

00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:48.019
 authority and

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:49.659
 there rejects God's

00:20:49.659 --> 00:20:50.980
 ultimate justice.

00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:53.319
 It renders God

00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:53.980
 powerless.

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:56.119
 Toothless.

00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:57.539
 He has no real

00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:58.619
 authority over our

00:20:58.619 --> 00:20:59.500
 lives because he is

00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.579
 not the final judge.

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:02.319
 In fact, we are in

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:03.639
 that circumstance.

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:04.920
 So, it's not an

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:06.079
 atheism that denies

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:10.940
 God's deity, but

00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:12.660
 lessens his deity.

00:21:14.600 --> 00:21:16.559
 Twice in the

00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:18.440
 psalter, the

00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:19.420
 psalmist, he will

00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:22.299
 say that the

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:23.180
 fool says in his

00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:24.059
 heart, there is no

00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:24.440
 God.

00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:26.120
 And what he is not

00:21:26.120 --> 00:21:27.120
 again describing is

00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:28.539
 this Darwinian, this

00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:29.940
 proto-Darwinian

00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:31.759
 atheist, but

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:32.559
 somebody who is a

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.480
 part of God's

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:35.120
 covenant people,

00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:36.059
 that are part of the

00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.820
 people of God, that

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:39.419
 are treating God as

00:21:39.419 --> 00:21:42.079
 a lesser deity and

00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:43.500
 putting themselves in

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:45.639
 the ultimate place,

00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:46.819
 the ultimate throne.

00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:54.379
 In doing so, in

00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:55.039
 denying God's

00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.279
 transcendence, we

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:57.379
 speak and act as if

00:21:57.379 --> 00:21:58.319
 God doesn't truly

00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:58.779
 exist.

00:21:59.859 --> 00:22:01.119
 But whether or not

00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:02.439
 we act or think that

00:22:02.439 --> 00:22:03.259
 God truly doesn't

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.539
 exist, he does.

00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:08.700
 God is not, again,

00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:10.720
 limited like we are,

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:11.480
 and therefore he is

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:13.180
 not limited to whether

00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:14.099
 or not we believe in

00:22:14.099 --> 00:22:15.960
 him or functionally

00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:16.700
 believe in him.

00:22:17.980 --> 00:22:19.440
 Therefore, when we go

00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:20.420
 through the motions

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:22.579
 when we come to

00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:23.559
 church, when we are

00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:24.279
 like what Derek

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.460
 Kidner says, the

00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:26.500
 people that come to

00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:28.519
 church, that love a

00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:30.119
 good sing, but listen

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:33.180
 with half an ear, such

00:22:33.180 --> 00:22:34.320
 words become empty

00:22:34.320 --> 00:22:37.100
 and foolish and as

00:22:37.100 --> 00:22:38.759
 unreal as the dreams

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:39.480
 that we have.

00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:43.759
 Dreams are filled

00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.560
 with meaningless

00:22:44.560 --> 00:22:45.200
 events.

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:47.620
 So too are the

00:22:47.620 --> 00:22:48.840
 words of a fool.

00:22:50.120 --> 00:22:51.420
 The Bible calls this

00:22:51.420 --> 00:22:52.120
 hypocrisy.

00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:55.440
 Empty words, half a

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:57.740
 heart, a functional

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.900
 type of atheism.

00:22:58.900 --> 00:23:02.700
 In Matthew 6, in

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:04.480
 the Sermon on the

00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:06.780
 Mount, Jesus, he

00:23:06.780 --> 00:23:08.100
 gives three examples

00:23:08.100 --> 00:23:09.160
 of how religious

00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:10.740
 hypocrisy shows

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:11.140
 itself.

00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:13.180
 When we do

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:14.740
 charity, when we

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.560
 pray, and when we

00:23:15.560 --> 00:23:15.980
 fast.

00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:19.980
 All these actions

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.900
 become empty

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:22.480
 displays aimed at

00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:23.519
 gaining the benefit

00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:24.400
 of being a

00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:26.060
 religious person, a

00:23:26.060 --> 00:23:27.500
 moral person, an

00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:28.400
 upright person,

00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:29.759
 without truly

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:30.960
 committing to God

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:32.340
 as a transcendent

00:23:32.340 --> 00:23:32.480
 one.

00:23:32.560 --> 00:23:33.380
 Instead, we end up

00:23:33.380 --> 00:23:34.620
 using the Lord's

00:23:34.620 --> 00:23:36.100
 gifts as tools for

00:23:36.100 --> 00:23:36.780
 our own benefit,

00:23:37.040 --> 00:23:38.100
 rather than serving

00:23:38.100 --> 00:23:40.180
 him with the things

00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:41.080
 that he's given us.

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:42.880
 I'll give you an

00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:43.200
 example.

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.500
 Just this past

00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:47.300
 week, I'm on a

00:23:47.300 --> 00:23:48.019
 group chat with

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.800
 some guys.

00:23:49.320 --> 00:23:50.280
 One of the guys

00:23:50.280 --> 00:23:52.900
 shares a medical

00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:53.500
 situation.

00:23:54.420 --> 00:23:55.560
 Guys are saying,

00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:56.380
 yeah, we'll pray.

00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:58.700
 And I said, have my

00:23:58.700 --> 00:23:59.500
 prayers 100%.

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:00.260
 Something like that.

00:24:00.300 --> 00:24:00.880
 It was just a quick

00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:02.280
 text.

00:24:03.040 --> 00:24:04.040
 I did not pray for

00:24:04.040 --> 00:24:04.160
 him.

00:24:05.020 --> 00:24:05.700
 It was like maybe

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:07.540
 48 hours, and then

00:24:07.540 --> 00:24:08.320
 I met with some of the

00:24:08.320 --> 00:24:09.660
 guys a couple days

00:24:09.660 --> 00:24:10.940
 after, and I didn't

00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:11.360
 pray.

00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:13.960
 But I sent the

00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:14.680
 message there because

00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:15.640
 I wanted to be the

00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:16.960
 type of guy who says,

00:24:17.100 --> 00:24:17.620
 hey, I'll pray for

00:24:17.620 --> 00:24:17.760
 you.

00:24:18.040 --> 00:24:18.680
 I care.

00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:21.100
 Hey, I got your

00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:21.420
 back.

00:24:22.080 --> 00:24:22.820
 I'll pray for you.

00:24:22.860 --> 00:24:23.620
 And what I ended up

00:24:23.620 --> 00:24:24.180
 doing in this

00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:26.060
 situation is using

00:24:26.060 --> 00:24:30.160
 a religious

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:31.840
 language that

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:32.340
 should be

00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:33.940
 integral, that

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.600
 should have

00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:35.759
 integrity to it,

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:38.039
 as a means to

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:39.420
 just puff out my

00:24:39.420 --> 00:24:41.240
 chest and to

00:24:41.240 --> 00:24:42.820
 show myself as a

00:24:42.820 --> 00:24:43.400
 morally upright

00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:43.840
 person.

00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:49.080
 Friends, pray for

00:24:49.080 --> 00:24:49.539
 your pastor.

00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:51.220
 Pray for yourselves,

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.480
 because this is

00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:53.000
 something that's

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:54.079
 very easy to fall

00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:54.339
 into.

00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:54.980
 And I'll just say

00:24:54.980 --> 00:24:55.299
 this.

00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:56.160
 I want to be

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:56.740
 cautious here,

00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.960
 because what I am

00:24:57.960 --> 00:24:59.380
 not saying is that

00:24:59.380 --> 00:25:00.160
 in the pursuit of

00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.140
 being authentic and

00:25:01.140 --> 00:25:02.380
 genuine and having

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:03.960
 a faith that is

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:05.860
 full of good,

00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:07.240
 godly integrity,

00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.019
 what I don't want

00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:11.799
 to suggest is that

00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:13.079
 we don't obey the

00:25:13.079 --> 00:25:13.279
 Lord.

00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:14.720
 The Lord commands

00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.600
 us to pray for

00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:15.880
 people.

00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:19.160
 So what would be

00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:20.339
 wrong would be for

00:25:20.339 --> 00:25:21.839
 the next situation

00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:22.799
 to come out for

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.339
 me to say,

00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:24.339
 my thoughts are

00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:25.879
 with you, or to

00:25:25.879 --> 00:25:27.839
 maybe even not

00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:29.139
 respond at all,

00:25:29.399 --> 00:25:31.399
 but rather instead

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:33.159
 to say, I will

00:25:33.159 --> 00:25:35.359
 pray for you, in

00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:36.039
 fact I'm going to

00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:37.139
 pray right now, and

00:25:37.139 --> 00:25:38.139
 then pause whatever I'm

00:25:38.139 --> 00:25:39.759
 doing to pray.

00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:39.799
 pray.

00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:43.000
 As with verse 1,

00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.640
 the point isn't to

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.279
 never make a

00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.900
 religious vow to

00:25:49.900 --> 00:25:51.440
 the Lord, or to

00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:52.400
 act religiously, but

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.319
 to do so with

00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:54.379
 honesty and

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:54.900
 integrity.

00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:56.339
 Again, verse 1,

00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:57.019
 what does it say?

00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.420
 To draw near to

00:25:58.420 --> 00:26:00.379
 listen is better than

00:26:00.379 --> 00:26:01.339
 to offer the

00:26:01.339 --> 00:26:02.140
 sacrifice of fools.

00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:02.900
 What God is saying

00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.220
 is don't sacrifice.

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:04.940
 He's not saying,

00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:05.420
 listen, never

00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:06.259
 sacrifice to me.

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:07.259
 He is saying,

00:26:07.819 --> 00:26:08.299
 don't bother

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:10.339
 sacrificing to me if

00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:11.160
 your heart is not

00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:11.460
 there.

00:26:12.900 --> 00:26:14.259
 In the same way,

00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:15.819
 he is saying,

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.940
 listen, make a

00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:20.420
 vow, but don't

00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:21.259
 bother making a

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:23.099
 vow, taking an

00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:25.019
 oath, if you're

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:26.400
 going to do so with

00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:27.859
 an empty heart, with

00:26:27.859 --> 00:26:28.400
 a heart that's

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:28.900
 turned towards

00:26:28.900 --> 00:26:29.599
 everything else

00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:30.140
 except me.

00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:33.400
 We must resist

00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:34.540
 the tendency to

00:26:34.540 --> 00:26:35.340
 treat God as if

00:26:35.340 --> 00:26:36.960
 he exists only

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.940
 within our heart,

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:41.040
 as if we can

00:26:41.040 --> 00:26:41.920
 turn on the God

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:42.560
 switch when we

00:26:42.560 --> 00:26:43.940
 need him, turn it

00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:45.340
 off when we are

00:26:45.340 --> 00:26:46.140
 going about life.

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.560
 Instead, we need

00:26:49.560 --> 00:26:50.280
 to embrace the

00:26:50.280 --> 00:26:51.140
 reality that God

00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:52.259
 has always existed

00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:53.740
 and always exists,

00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:54.900
 that he sees all,

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.840
 that he is involved

00:26:55.840 --> 00:26:56.320
 in all.

00:26:57.180 --> 00:26:58.020
 He is the creator

00:26:58.020 --> 00:26:58.800
 and we are his

00:26:58.800 --> 00:26:59.500
 creation and

00:26:59.500 --> 00:26:59.980
 therefore,

00:27:00.140 --> 00:27:01.540
 we conform to

00:27:01.540 --> 00:27:03.440
 him, not the

00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.140
 other way around.

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:05.400
 Our agenda, our

00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:06.220
 desires, our

00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:07.280
 motivations regarding

00:27:07.280 --> 00:27:07.820
 life and

00:27:07.820 --> 00:27:08.940
 spirituality, it

00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:09.860
 must be subordinate

00:27:09.860 --> 00:27:11.640
 to who God is

00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:13.020
 and what he has

00:27:13.020 --> 00:27:13.600
 ordained.

00:27:14.540 --> 00:27:15.520
 God is not a tool

00:27:15.520 --> 00:27:16.259
 to make us look

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:16.580
 better.

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.380
 To worship God

00:27:19.380 --> 00:27:20.160
 with integrity is

00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:21.440
 to worship him on

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:22.720
 his terms and not

00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:23.100
 ours.

00:27:23.280 --> 00:27:24.140
 And this challenges

00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:25.759
 this idea that

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:28.200
 was really a very

00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:29.100
 popular thing a

00:27:29.100 --> 00:27:29.780
 generation ago.

00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:31.140
 where Christians,

00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:31.620
 well-meaning

00:27:31.620 --> 00:27:32.200
 Christians, would

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:32.660
 say, I don't

00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:33.660
 have a religion,

00:27:33.800 --> 00:27:34.120
 I have a

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:34.580
 relationship.

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.620
 You cannot have

00:27:37.620 --> 00:27:38.259
 a personalized

00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.220
 Christianity.

00:27:40.320 --> 00:27:41.000
 Christianity is

00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:41.680
 very personal,

00:27:42.220 --> 00:27:42.800
 okay, it's very

00:27:42.800 --> 00:27:43.980
 personal, but it

00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:44.680
 cannot be

00:27:44.680 --> 00:27:47.280
 personalized, your

00:27:47.280 --> 00:27:48.520
 own version of it

00:27:48.520 --> 00:27:49.340
 that suits your

00:27:49.340 --> 00:27:50.380
 own needs at

00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:51.560
 times that you

00:27:51.560 --> 00:27:52.740
 feel like you are

00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.860
 able to be a

00:27:53.860 --> 00:27:54.720
 religious person.

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:56.640
 And the reality

00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:57.120
 is this, you

00:27:57.120 --> 00:27:57.920
 cannot stay true

00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:58.400
 to both your

00:27:58.400 --> 00:27:59.279
 authentic self,

00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:00.880
 which may change

00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:01.960
 every few years,

00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:03.360
 and to the

00:28:03.360 --> 00:28:04.420
 authentic God who

00:28:04.420 --> 00:28:05.360
 was and is and

00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:05.980
 is to come.

00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:08.819
 The only way to

00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:09.600
 have an authentic

00:28:09.600 --> 00:28:11.339
 faith, a faith that

00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:12.420
 is full of integrity,

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:13.880
 is to worship God

00:28:13.880 --> 00:28:15.019
 for who he is,

00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:16.500
 with hearts turned to

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.420
 him, not based on

00:28:17.420 --> 00:28:18.100
 how we feel.

00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:23.000
 Yet, yet we do

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.500
 not want to

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:24.099
 worship the Lord

00:28:24.099 --> 00:28:25.379
 as robotic beings.

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:27.419
 We can't force

00:28:27.419 --> 00:28:28.419
 ourselves to have

00:28:28.419 --> 00:28:29.039
 hearts turned

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.919
 towards him.

00:28:31.159 --> 00:28:32.059
 We can't shut

00:28:32.059 --> 00:28:32.799
 off our emotions

00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.579
 and our feelings.

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.619
 Sometimes we feel

00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:35.099
 crummy.

00:28:35.379 --> 00:28:36.279
 Sometimes we are

00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:37.959
 super distracted

00:28:37.959 --> 00:28:38.579
 with life.

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:39.919
 We are whole

00:28:39.919 --> 00:28:40.859
 beings called to

00:28:40.859 --> 00:28:41.659
 worship with all

00:28:41.659 --> 00:28:42.599
 that God makes us,

00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:43.559
 and sometimes

00:28:43.559 --> 00:28:45.000
 parts of us are

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:45.599
 turned away.

00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:48.179
 Therefore, we

00:28:48.179 --> 00:28:49.899
 must learn and

00:28:49.899 --> 00:28:51.199
 grow in our

00:28:51.199 --> 00:28:51.839
 worship with

00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:53.759
 sincerity and

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.159
 honesty.

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:54.759
 And this brings us

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.359
 to our last

00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:55.740
 section.

00:28:56.219 --> 00:28:56.799
 Look with me at

00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.919
 verses 4 to 7.

00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:01.319
 When you vow a

00:29:01.319 --> 00:29:02.359
 vow to God, do

00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:03.259
 not delay paying

00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:05.179
 it, for he has

00:29:05.179 --> 00:29:05.819
 no pleasure in

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:06.059
 fools.

00:29:06.579 --> 00:29:07.059
 That's a third

00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:08.740
 time fools have

00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:10.939
 been used in

00:29:10.939 --> 00:29:11.559
 this short

00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:11.919
 section.

00:29:12.819 --> 00:29:13.779
 Pay what you

00:29:13.779 --> 00:29:14.240
 vow.

00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:15.379
 Verse 5.

00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:16.399
 It is better

00:29:16.399 --> 00:29:17.099
 that you should

00:29:17.099 --> 00:29:18.000
 not vow than

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.139
 you should vow

00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:19.839
 and not pay.

00:29:20.579 --> 00:29:21.159
 Let not your

00:29:21.159 --> 00:29:22.119
 mouth lead you

00:29:22.119 --> 00:29:23.019
 into sin, and

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:23.980
 do not say before

00:29:23.980 --> 00:29:25.240
 the messenger that

00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:26.059
 it was a

00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:26.459
 mistake.

00:29:27.719 --> 00:29:28.719
 Why should God

00:29:28.719 --> 00:29:29.399
 be angry at

00:29:29.399 --> 00:29:30.359
 your voice and

00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:31.339
 destroy the work

00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:32.159
 of your hands?

00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:33.679
 For when dreams

00:29:33.679 --> 00:29:34.519
 increase and

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.500
 words grow many,

00:29:35.699 --> 00:29:36.879
 there is vanity.

00:29:37.919 --> 00:29:38.959
 But God is the

00:29:38.959 --> 00:29:39.719
 one you must

00:29:39.719 --> 00:29:40.019
 fear.

00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:44.299
 the sage

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:44.980
 continues to

00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:45.420
 build upon

00:29:45.420 --> 00:29:46.079
 verses 1 and

00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:49.519
 3 by

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.500
 instructing us

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:52.740
 to be sincere

00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:54.099
 in and honest

00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:54.720
 in our worship.

00:29:55.579 --> 00:29:56.359
 Verse 4 to 7

00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:56.940
 describes a

00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:57.579
 religious person

00:29:57.579 --> 00:29:58.920
 taking a vow to

00:29:58.920 --> 00:29:59.779
 make a sacrifice

00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:01.799
 or to bring an

00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:03.279
 offering at the

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:03.599
 temple.

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.839
 If only God

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.420
 would grant

00:30:06.420 --> 00:30:07.539
 their prayer or

00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:10.000
 appear in the

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.420
 or so that

00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:11.139
 they may appear

00:30:11.139 --> 00:30:11.859
 religiously

00:30:11.859 --> 00:30:12.180
 upright.

00:30:14.259 --> 00:30:16.279
 However, when

00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:17.220
 the time comes

00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:19.240
 for them to pay

00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:20.000
 what they have

00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:20.980
 promised or to

00:30:20.980 --> 00:30:22.180
 give what they

00:30:22.180 --> 00:30:22.900
 have guaranteed,

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:24.859
 they plead

00:30:24.859 --> 00:30:25.319
 ignorance.

00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:28.400
 I didn't know

00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:29.039
 that it was

00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:29.460
 going to cost

00:30:29.460 --> 00:30:30.000
 that much.

00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:31.819
 Or they delay

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.200
 payment.

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:33.059
 Yeah, I will

00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:34.579
 pay, but next

00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:35.799
 week, next

00:30:35.799 --> 00:30:36.500
 month, next

00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:36.799
 year.

00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:38.559
 The sage is

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:39.119
 describing a

00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:39.819
 person who takes

00:30:39.819 --> 00:30:40.299
 for granted

00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:40.919
 the mercy of

00:30:40.919 --> 00:30:42.119
 God, presuming

00:30:42.119 --> 00:30:42.679
 that God is

00:30:42.679 --> 00:30:43.599
 available to

00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.579
 meet their

00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:45.659
 needs first and

00:30:45.659 --> 00:30:46.179
 foremost.

00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:48.319
 Again, we see

00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.159
 a faithless

00:30:49.159 --> 00:30:49.759
 religion.

00:30:51.139 --> 00:30:51.980
 This is grievous

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:53.399
 in God's eyes.

00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:54.559
 It is a cause

00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.359
 for his judgment,

00:30:55.899 --> 00:30:57.019
 not mercy to be

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.339
 extended.

00:30:57.419 --> 00:30:58.000
 We see this in

00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:58.519
 verse 6.

00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:00.259
 Why should God

00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:01.079
 be angry at your

00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:01.899
 voice and destroy

00:31:01.899 --> 00:31:03.879
 the work of your

00:31:03.879 --> 00:31:04.259
 hands?

00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:06.099
 There are many

00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:06.599
 instances,

00:31:07.299 --> 00:31:07.899
 especially in the

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.800
 gospels of

00:31:08.800 --> 00:31:11.140
 Jesus taking

00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:13.140
 the religiously

00:31:13.140 --> 00:31:14.140
 pomp, the

00:31:14.140 --> 00:31:15.019
 faithless

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:17.320
 religious leaders

00:31:17.320 --> 00:31:18.320
 to task on

00:31:18.320 --> 00:31:19.900
 this very thing,

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:20.400
 on this very

00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:21.360
 issue, that they

00:31:21.360 --> 00:31:21.840
 worship God

00:31:21.840 --> 00:31:22.580
 without sincerity

00:31:22.580 --> 00:31:23.280
 or honesty.

00:31:24.860 --> 00:31:25.640
 Many different

00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.060
 examples.

00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:26.600
 One of the

00:31:26.600 --> 00:31:27.240
 examples I'll

00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:28.120
 give this

00:31:28.120 --> 00:31:29.100
 morning is from

00:31:29.100 --> 00:31:30.120
 Acts chapter 5.

00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:31.640
 And it's a

00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:32.380
 chilling section.

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.880
 And it describes

00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:35.220
 exactly what we

00:31:35.220 --> 00:31:35.880
 are reading about.

00:31:35.880 --> 00:31:37.680
 But I'll give a

00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:37.960
 bit of a

00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:38.220
 background.

00:31:38.340 --> 00:31:38.840
 I won't actually

00:31:38.840 --> 00:31:39.360
 read it from

00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.180
 Acts chapter 5.

00:31:41.520 --> 00:31:42.160
 It's a short

00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:43.360
 11, I think it's

00:31:43.360 --> 00:31:43.960
 11 or 12

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:44.280
 verses.

00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:45.840
 It's after

00:31:45.840 --> 00:31:46.540
 Pentecost.

00:31:47.120 --> 00:31:48.820
 The church is

00:31:48.820 --> 00:31:51.240
 growing by huge

00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:51.760
 amounts of

00:31:51.760 --> 00:31:52.120
 numbers.

00:31:53.260 --> 00:31:53.540
 And the

00:31:53.540 --> 00:31:54.400
 disciples are

00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:54.840
 leading the

00:31:54.840 --> 00:31:55.660
 church with

00:31:55.660 --> 00:31:56.660
 bravery and

00:31:56.660 --> 00:31:57.380
 courage and

00:31:57.380 --> 00:31:57.940
 their spirit

00:31:57.940 --> 00:31:58.320
 filled.

00:31:58.480 --> 00:31:58.700
 It's an

00:31:58.700 --> 00:31:59.380
 incredible time

00:31:59.380 --> 00:31:59.920
 in the church's

00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:00.220
 history.

00:32:01.320 --> 00:32:01.780
 People are

00:32:01.780 --> 00:32:03.320
 bringing tithes

00:32:03.320 --> 00:32:04.160
 and gifts and

00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:05.200
 offerings to

00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:07.600
 the disciples,

00:32:07.799 --> 00:32:08.039
 to the

00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:08.720
 apostles, and

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:08.960
 they are

00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:09.819
 distributing them

00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:10.299
 equally.

00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:11.920
 And then this

00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:12.559
 couple comes.

00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:13.240
 And by the

00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:13.860
 way, the

00:32:13.860 --> 00:32:14.779
 giving of

00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:15.400
 gifts, it's

00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:16.380
 voluntary.

00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:17.380
 People can

00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:17.840
 give what

00:32:17.840 --> 00:32:19.460
 they feel

00:32:19.460 --> 00:32:20.220
 led to in

00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:20.700
 their heart.

00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:22.620
 There is no

00:32:22.620 --> 00:32:23.640
 religious compulsion.

00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:24.140
 It is an

00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:24.759
 act of

00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:25.460
 thanksgiving.

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.580
 And then this

00:32:27.580 --> 00:32:28.140
 couple comes

00:32:28.140 --> 00:32:28.480
 by.

00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:31.420
 Ananias and

00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:31.880
 Sapphira.

00:32:33.319 --> 00:32:33.819
 We know

00:32:33.819 --> 00:32:34.400
 nothing about

00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:35.060
 them, only

00:32:35.060 --> 00:32:35.680
 that they

00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:36.480
 had a good

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:36.840
 amount of

00:32:36.840 --> 00:32:37.040
 money.

00:32:38.120 --> 00:32:38.460
 And that

00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:39.080
 they sold a

00:32:39.080 --> 00:32:39.720
 portion of

00:32:39.720 --> 00:32:40.340
 their estate

00:32:40.340 --> 00:32:41.220
 and they

00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:42.240
 brought it to

00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:42.960
 the disciples.

00:32:43.840 --> 00:32:44.280
 And they

00:32:44.280 --> 00:32:44.900
 came separately.

00:32:46.580 --> 00:32:47.060
 First,

00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:47.920
 Ananias, he

00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:49.080
 came, he

00:32:49.080 --> 00:32:49.860
 gave the

00:32:49.860 --> 00:32:50.420
 lot of

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:50.940
 money and

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:51.280
 he said,

00:32:51.540 --> 00:32:51.980
 this is

00:32:51.980 --> 00:32:52.980
 all of our

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:53.380
 estate.

00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:55.180
 And Peter,

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:56.440
 knowing by

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:57.019
 the Holy Spirit

00:32:57.019 --> 00:32:57.420
 that they were

00:32:57.420 --> 00:32:58.800
 lying, that he

00:32:58.800 --> 00:33:00.340
 was lying, he

00:33:00.340 --> 00:33:00.860
 gave him a

00:33:00.860 --> 00:33:01.860
 chance and he

00:33:01.860 --> 00:33:02.800
 doubled down and

00:33:02.800 --> 00:33:03.280
 he was struck

00:33:03.280 --> 00:33:03.840
 down dead.

00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:04.860
 The same

00:33:04.860 --> 00:33:05.380
 thing happened

00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:07.500
 to his

00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:07.980
 wife,

00:33:08.100 --> 00:33:08.440
 Sapphira.

00:33:08.560 --> 00:33:09.040
 It is a

00:33:09.040 --> 00:33:09.600
 very chilling

00:33:09.600 --> 00:33:10.420
 story, especially

00:33:10.420 --> 00:33:11.860
 if we

00:33:11.860 --> 00:33:14.160
 consider that

00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:14.500
 the New

00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:15.400
 Testament is

00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:16.200
 all about

00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:16.680
 grace.

00:33:17.560 --> 00:33:18.460
 Judgment is

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:20.220
 marbled all

00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:20.600
 throughout the

00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:21.040
 New Testament

00:33:21.040 --> 00:33:21.560
 as well.

00:33:22.440 --> 00:33:22.820
 But it

00:33:22.820 --> 00:33:24.060
 highlights for

00:33:24.060 --> 00:33:25.920
 us that

00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:26.700
 making public

00:33:26.700 --> 00:33:28.519
 vows and

00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:29.480
 not going

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.120
 through with

00:33:30.120 --> 00:33:30.380
 them,

00:33:30.380 --> 00:33:33.540
 declaring to

00:33:33.540 --> 00:33:34.160
 God and

00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:34.360
 to the

00:33:34.360 --> 00:33:34.960
 people around

00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:35.700
 us that

00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:36.280
 we are so

00:33:36.280 --> 00:33:37.080
 morally upright

00:33:37.080 --> 00:33:37.660
 and that we

00:33:37.660 --> 00:33:38.880
 are religiously

00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:39.300
 astute.

00:33:39.640 --> 00:33:40.200
 When our

00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:41.020
 hearts are

00:33:41.020 --> 00:33:42.040
 turned away

00:33:42.040 --> 00:33:42.560
 from God,

00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:43.540
 when we are

00:33:43.540 --> 00:33:44.700
 bankrupt inside,

00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:47.560
 it is a

00:33:47.560 --> 00:33:48.180
 very grievous

00:33:48.180 --> 00:33:49.080
 thing to the

00:33:49.080 --> 00:33:49.260
 Lord.

00:33:50.760 --> 00:33:51.380
 It is

00:33:51.380 --> 00:33:51.800
 something that

00:33:51.800 --> 00:33:52.680
 he does not

00:33:52.680 --> 00:33:54.480
 take lightly.

00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:57.680
 But making

00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:59.039
 public vows is

00:33:59.039 --> 00:33:59.640
 quite uncommon

00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:00.099
 for us.

00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:01.519
 We certainly

00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:02.140
 make private

00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:02.860
 vows to the

00:34:02.860 --> 00:34:03.059
 Lord.

00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:04.579
 We expect

00:34:04.579 --> 00:34:04.860
 him to

00:34:04.860 --> 00:34:06.140
 deliver if

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:06.799
 we do the

00:34:06.799 --> 00:34:07.440
 religious thing.

00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:09.199
 But God's

00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:10.099
 economy isn't a

00:34:10.099 --> 00:34:10.599
 pay-to-play

00:34:10.599 --> 00:34:11.059
 economy.

00:34:11.880 --> 00:34:12.320
 He doesn't

00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:12.960
 promise us

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:14.179
 health and

00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:14.719
 strength,

00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:15.740
 well-formed

00:34:15.740 --> 00:34:17.059
 children or

00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:17.599
 children,

00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:18.820
 lots of

00:34:18.820 --> 00:34:19.480
 money, a

00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:20.099
 spouse, a

00:34:20.099 --> 00:34:20.599
 job, or

00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.240
 anything else

00:34:21.240 --> 00:34:22.000
 if we would

00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:23.000
 only spend

00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:24.360
 30 minutes

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:25.120
 in the

00:34:25.120 --> 00:34:26.599
 morning with

00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:26.900
 him in

00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:27.180
 prayer.

00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:28.860
 If only we

00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:29.300
 would read

00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:29.680
 through our

00:34:29.680 --> 00:34:30.840
 Bibles once

00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.240
 a year,

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:31.900
 straight through.

00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:33.539
 If only we

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.380
 never missed a

00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:34.700
 Sunday.

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:36.400
 If only we

00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:37.000
 made sure

00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:38.160
 that we

00:34:38.160 --> 00:34:39.700
 gave in

00:34:39.700 --> 00:34:40.400
 the tithing

00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:42.099
 basket at

00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:43.599
 the back of

00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:44.019
 the church.

00:34:46.120 --> 00:34:47.059
 If only we

00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:47.460
 would do all

00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:47.840
 the religious

00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:48.180
 things.

00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:49.039
 No, instead

00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:50.260
 God, he

00:34:50.260 --> 00:34:51.000
 wants, again,

00:34:51.099 --> 00:34:51.539
 our hearts

00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:52.260
 turned to

00:34:52.260 --> 00:34:53.500
 him so

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:54.120
 that as we

00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:54.639
 worship, we

00:34:54.639 --> 00:34:55.099
 do so

00:34:55.099 --> 00:34:56.779
 sincerely and

00:34:56.779 --> 00:34:57.699
 honestly, knowing

00:34:57.699 --> 00:34:58.359
 that all good

00:34:58.359 --> 00:34:59.539
 gifts come from

00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:00.579
 him and that a

00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:01.359
 life of devotion

00:35:01.359 --> 00:35:01.940
 to the Lord

00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:03.239
 isn't this

00:35:03.239 --> 00:35:04.559
 inferior life, but

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.199
 actually a

00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:06.519
 superior way to

00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:06.819
 live.

00:35:07.859 --> 00:35:09.799
 That with

00:35:09.799 --> 00:35:11.339
 sincere and

00:35:11.339 --> 00:35:12.179
 honest hearts, we

00:35:12.179 --> 00:35:12.679
 can come to

00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:13.199
 him and say,

00:35:13.619 --> 00:35:15.980
 listen, Lord, I

00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:16.759
 am trying my

00:35:16.759 --> 00:35:17.099
 best.

00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:18.159
 My heart is

00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:18.699
 divided.

00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:19.940
 Please help me.

00:35:19.940 --> 00:35:21.159
 I believe, but

00:35:21.159 --> 00:35:22.400
 help my unbelief.

00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:22.460
 faith.

00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:26.039
 It is a

00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:26.579
 religion that

00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:27.500
 is fueled by

00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:27.980
 faith.

00:35:30.460 --> 00:35:31.059
 See, the

00:35:31.059 --> 00:35:31.519
 faith that the

00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.320
 Lord values is

00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:32.980
 an honest and

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.720
 sincere faith.

00:35:35.160 --> 00:35:36.200
 It is about

00:35:36.200 --> 00:35:37.139
 God's own

00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:38.000
 glory and not

00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:38.559
 our own.

00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:40.720
 And we

00:35:40.720 --> 00:35:41.840
 cannot use this

00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:43.079
 transcendent God

00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:44.340
 and this

00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:45.420
 beautiful faith

00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:45.840
 that he has

00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.440
 given us to

00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:47.340
 satisfy our

00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:47.980
 own often

00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:49.079
 selfish desires

00:35:49.079 --> 00:35:50.720
 as men and

00:35:50.720 --> 00:35:51.340
 women who live

00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:52.079
 under the sun.

00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:53.460
 So the big

00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:54.160
 question is,

00:35:54.539 --> 00:35:55.440
 what happens

00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:58.059
 when we are

00:35:58.059 --> 00:35:58.880
 constantly

00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:01.039
 tripping up?

00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:02.619
 When we are

00:36:02.619 --> 00:36:04.280
 constantly finding

00:36:04.280 --> 00:36:05.240
 ourselves with

00:36:05.240 --> 00:36:06.579
 insincere hearts,

00:36:06.700 --> 00:36:07.619
 with dishonest

00:36:07.619 --> 00:36:08.880
 motives, with

00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:09.619
 hearts that don't

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:10.760
 really revere God,

00:36:11.740 --> 00:36:12.340
 when we aren't

00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:13.760
 that integral in

00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:14.280
 our faith?

00:36:16.380 --> 00:36:17.460
 What do we do?

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:17.559
 do we do?

00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:20.679
 There's this

00:36:20.679 --> 00:36:21.480
 beautiful gift that

00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:21.960
 God has given

00:36:21.960 --> 00:36:22.300
 us.

00:36:23.159 --> 00:36:23.440
 And it's

00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:23.860
 something that we

00:36:23.860 --> 00:36:24.500
 practice every

00:36:24.500 --> 00:36:25.199
 Sunday and it's

00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:25.619
 something that you

00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:26.240
 ought to practice

00:36:26.240 --> 00:36:27.579
 every day, maybe

00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:28.340
 multiple times a

00:36:28.340 --> 00:36:28.420
 day.

00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:28.699
 It's called

00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:29.179
 repentance.

00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:30.340
 Okay?

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:32.260
 And God

00:36:32.260 --> 00:36:33.519
 delights in it.

00:36:33.840 --> 00:36:34.740
 He delights in

00:36:34.740 --> 00:36:35.039
 it.

00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:36.860
 As I ask the

00:36:36.860 --> 00:36:37.360
 Lord for

00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:38.619
 forgiveness, for

00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:40.000
 using his

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:42.840
 things to

00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:44.079
 bolster my

00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:44.800
 own kind of

00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:45.940
 moral superiority

00:36:45.940 --> 00:36:47.440
 this past week,

00:36:48.019 --> 00:36:49.500
 he doesn't say

00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:50.059
 to me,

00:36:51.100 --> 00:36:51.900
 well, too

00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:52.980
 bad, you

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:53.940
 have slighted

00:36:53.940 --> 00:36:54.880
 me, now

00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:56.579
 my turn to

00:36:56.579 --> 00:36:57.200
 slight you.

00:36:57.920 --> 00:36:59.079
 He delights in

00:36:59.079 --> 00:36:59.860
 the repentance.

00:37:01.140 --> 00:37:01.940
 He delights in

00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:02.820
 us turning our

00:37:02.820 --> 00:37:03.559
 gaze back to

00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:03.760
 him.

00:37:07.380 --> 00:37:08.579
 But this is

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:09.900
 our lot as

00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:10.860
 people living

00:37:10.860 --> 00:37:11.539
 under the sun.

00:37:12.840 --> 00:37:13.380
 We are

00:37:13.380 --> 00:37:14.420
 constantly bound

00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.740
 to live

00:37:15.740 --> 00:37:16.880
 inauthentically

00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:17.480
 in this

00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:17.820
 faith.

00:37:20.160 --> 00:37:20.980
 So the only

00:37:20.980 --> 00:37:22.000
 proper response

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:23.720
 is the end of

00:37:23.720 --> 00:37:24.220
 verse 7.

00:37:25.620 --> 00:37:26.220
 Well, read all

00:37:26.220 --> 00:37:26.680
 of verse 7.

00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:27.420
 For when dreams

00:37:27.420 --> 00:37:28.380
 increase and

00:37:28.380 --> 00:37:29.260
 words grow many,

00:37:29.420 --> 00:37:30.300
 there is vanity.

00:37:31.340 --> 00:37:32.340
 But God is

00:37:32.340 --> 00:37:33.400
 the only one,

00:37:33.740 --> 00:37:34.800
 is the one you

00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:35.240
 must fear.

00:37:36.579 --> 00:37:37.559
 But God is the

00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:38.160
 one you must

00:37:38.160 --> 00:37:38.420
 fear.

00:37:39.559 --> 00:37:40.100
 What we are

00:37:40.100 --> 00:37:40.940
 truly after is

00:37:40.940 --> 00:37:42.519
 not a God

00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:43.539
 confined to

00:37:43.539 --> 00:37:44.079
 this life

00:37:44.079 --> 00:37:44.800
 under the sun,

00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:46.079
 but rather to

00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:47.179
 join him as we

00:37:47.179 --> 00:37:48.219
 transcend this

00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:48.860
 mortal life.

00:37:49.219 --> 00:37:50.079
 The problem is

00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:50.699
 we cannot

00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:51.519
 transcend this

00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:52.059
 mortal life.

00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:55.340
 Our hearts

00:37:55.340 --> 00:37:56.519
 genuinely desire

00:37:56.519 --> 00:37:58.019
 to be in the

00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:58.940
 presence of God

00:37:58.940 --> 00:37:59.980
 forever, but my

00:37:59.980 --> 00:38:00.780
 goodness, how do

00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:01.259
 we get there?

00:38:02.579 --> 00:38:04.639
 The promise of

00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:05.300
 the church is

00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:06.159
 that it should be

00:38:06.159 --> 00:38:07.179
 the very place

00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:07.780
 where the

00:38:07.780 --> 00:38:08.780
 separation between

00:38:08.780 --> 00:38:09.420
 heaven and earth

00:38:09.420 --> 00:38:10.280
 is at its

00:38:10.280 --> 00:38:10.800
 thinnest.

00:38:12.519 --> 00:38:13.019
 For as we

00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:13.840
 gather as God's

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.380
 people, the

00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:15.019
 triune God

00:38:15.019 --> 00:38:16.099
 himself inhabits

00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:16.840
 our praises.

00:38:17.240 --> 00:38:18.300
 And this is an

00:38:18.300 --> 00:38:19.099
 act of his

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:20.200
 kindness and

00:38:20.200 --> 00:38:21.420
 mercy, where he

00:38:21.420 --> 00:38:22.480
 condescends to

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:22.740
 us.

00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:23.880
 We don't ascend to

00:38:23.880 --> 00:38:24.800
 him, for we

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:25.240
 can't.

00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:26.880
 But he

00:38:26.880 --> 00:38:27.840
 condescends to

00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:29.280
 us, and he

00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:29.920
 inhabits our

00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:30.300
 praises.

00:38:31.059 --> 00:38:31.800
 This is why at

00:38:31.800 --> 00:38:32.980
 communion, every

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:33.860
 single Sunday I

00:38:33.860 --> 00:38:34.420
 ask, is the

00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.019
 Father with us?

00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:35.740
 And you respond,

00:38:36.260 --> 00:38:36.820
 he is.

00:38:36.820 --> 00:38:36.860
 He is.

00:38:37.140 --> 00:38:37.500
 He is the

00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:38.760
 Son with us.

00:38:38.840 --> 00:38:39.300
 He is.

00:38:39.320 --> 00:38:39.800
 Is the Holy

00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:40.559
 Spirit here?

00:38:41.059 --> 00:38:42.039
 You respond, he

00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:42.600
 is.

00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:47.059
 We are affirming

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:49.160
 a reality that is

00:38:49.160 --> 00:38:50.200
 just as real as

00:38:50.200 --> 00:38:50.920
 the coffee that you

00:38:50.920 --> 00:38:52.740
 will drink after the

00:38:52.740 --> 00:38:53.240
 service and the

00:38:53.240 --> 00:38:53.640
 hands that you

00:38:53.640 --> 00:38:54.080
 will shake.

00:38:55.660 --> 00:38:56.260
 And friends, this

00:38:56.260 --> 00:38:57.440
 is an act of God's

00:38:57.440 --> 00:38:58.340
 kindness and

00:38:58.340 --> 00:38:59.140
 goodness towards

00:38:59.140 --> 00:39:01.080
 us who are under

00:39:01.080 --> 00:39:02.480
 the sun, who

00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:04.740
 live a very

00:39:04.740 --> 00:39:06.280
 hypocritical faith.

00:39:06.820 --> 00:39:09.640
 what an

00:39:09.640 --> 00:39:10.440
 incredible gift,

00:39:10.519 --> 00:39:11.160
 and it's a gift

00:39:11.160 --> 00:39:11.720
 that came at

00:39:11.720 --> 00:39:12.480
 quite the cost.

00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:14.000
 For the price of

00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:14.740
 our entry into

00:39:14.740 --> 00:39:15.980
 the presence of

00:39:15.980 --> 00:39:16.800
 God is the very

00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:19.000
 precious blood that

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.240
 Christ Jesus shed on

00:39:20.240 --> 00:39:21.080
 the pavement where

00:39:21.080 --> 00:39:22.760
 he was scourged, on

00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:23.700
 the cross that he

00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:25.000
 carried, and on

00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:26.360
 the dirt underneath

00:39:26.360 --> 00:39:27.340
 the cross where he

00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:27.580
 hung.

00:39:28.059 --> 00:39:28.980
 Nothing less,

00:39:29.980 --> 00:39:31.400
 nothing less

00:39:31.400 --> 00:39:32.860
 grants you access

00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:33.760
 to his presence.

00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:40.260
 not upping your

00:39:40.260 --> 00:39:41.900
 sincerity, although

00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:42.680
 it's very important,

00:39:42.720 --> 00:39:43.560
 not upping your

00:39:43.560 --> 00:39:44.280
 reverence, although

00:39:44.280 --> 00:39:45.120
 it's very important,

00:39:46.060 --> 00:39:48.560
 not trying to live

00:39:48.560 --> 00:39:50.320
 with more integrity,

00:39:50.580 --> 00:39:51.360
 very important.

00:39:51.740 --> 00:39:52.800
 That doesn't get you

00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:53.800
 entry into God's

00:39:53.800 --> 00:39:54.200
 presence.

00:39:54.740 --> 00:39:55.500
 But the spilled

00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:56.400
 blood of the Lamb is

00:39:56.400 --> 00:39:57.000
 the only thing.

00:39:57.000 --> 00:40:01.139
 You see, the idea

00:40:01.139 --> 00:40:02.159
 that we could use

00:40:02.159 --> 00:40:03.880
 God's gift to

00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:04.900
 benefit ourselves

00:40:04.900 --> 00:40:06.659
 is so foolish

00:40:06.659 --> 00:40:07.460
 on so many

00:40:07.460 --> 00:40:07.860
 levels,

00:40:08.219 --> 00:40:10.219
 because we are

00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:10.880
 trying to get

00:40:10.880 --> 00:40:13.000
 something that we

00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:14.099
 already have,

00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:18.840
 but in such a

00:40:18.840 --> 00:40:20.480
 way that is far

00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:21.840
 exceeding anything

00:40:21.840 --> 00:40:22.420
 that we could

00:40:22.420 --> 00:40:24.000
 somehow get by

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:25.280
 by manipulating

00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:26.320
 God and his

00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:27.659
 faith that he

00:40:27.659 --> 00:40:28.380
 has given us.

00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:29.960
 We want

00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:30.480
 belonging.

00:40:32.059 --> 00:40:32.900
 Again, I'll use

00:40:32.900 --> 00:40:33.860
 myself as an

00:40:33.860 --> 00:40:34.119
 example.

00:40:34.320 --> 00:40:34.880
 I wanted

00:40:34.880 --> 00:40:36.099
 belonging to

00:40:36.099 --> 00:40:37.579
 be looked at in

00:40:37.579 --> 00:40:38.219
 a certain way,

00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:39.460
 but God has

00:40:39.460 --> 00:40:40.380
 already given me a

00:40:40.380 --> 00:40:41.619
 place in his

00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:42.619
 presence that I

00:40:42.619 --> 00:40:43.320
 belong to him

00:40:43.320 --> 00:40:43.739
 forever.

00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:46.679
 We want to seem

00:40:46.679 --> 00:40:47.840
 morally upright,

00:40:48.019 --> 00:40:48.920
 and yet constantly

00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:52.280
 we are riddled

00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:53.820
 with sin,

00:40:54.000 --> 00:40:55.960
 disobedience,

00:40:56.119 --> 00:40:56.480
 and yet,

00:40:57.260 --> 00:40:57.860
 because of

00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:59.920
 Christ and the

00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:00.579
 righteousness he

00:41:00.579 --> 00:41:01.099
 has given us,

00:41:01.239 --> 00:41:03.480
 we are as white

00:41:03.480 --> 00:41:04.719
 as snow in his

00:41:04.719 --> 00:41:05.519
 very presence.

00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:07.900
 Whatever we try

00:41:07.900 --> 00:41:10.760
 to do here on

00:41:10.760 --> 00:41:12.519
 earth to ascend

00:41:12.519 --> 00:41:13.159
 to heaven,

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.380
 it will utterly

00:41:14.380 --> 00:41:14.840
 fail.

00:41:15.199 --> 00:41:16.159
 He has made a

00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:16.380
 way.

00:41:17.059 --> 00:41:18.159
 Let us not be

00:41:18.159 --> 00:41:21.039
 fools to try to

00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:21.960
 disregard what he

00:41:21.960 --> 00:41:22.840
 has already done

00:41:22.840 --> 00:41:23.840
 and climb some

00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:25.460
 ladder that only

00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:26.260
 goes so high.

00:41:28.579 --> 00:41:29.539
 So friends, let us

00:41:29.539 --> 00:41:30.440
 approach the Lord

00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:31.240
 in worship with

00:41:31.240 --> 00:41:31.780
 reverence,

00:41:32.620 --> 00:41:33.120
 integrity,

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:34.640
 sincerity, and

00:41:34.640 --> 00:41:35.039
 honesty.

00:41:36.039 --> 00:41:36.900
 He deserves our

00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:37.900
 very best because he

00:41:37.900 --> 00:41:38.620
 is worthy of our

00:41:38.620 --> 00:41:39.200
 very best.

00:41:40.059 --> 00:41:40.900
 In Christ, the

00:41:40.900 --> 00:41:42.539
 triune God has

00:41:42.539 --> 00:41:43.620
 shown his love for

00:41:43.620 --> 00:41:44.340
 us while we were

00:41:44.340 --> 00:41:45.240
 still yet sinners.

00:41:45.360 --> 00:41:45.860
 What does he do?

00:41:45.940 --> 00:41:48.140
 He dies for us,

00:41:49.400 --> 00:41:50.200
 initiating our

00:41:50.199 --> 00:41:51.379
 salvation, descending

00:41:51.379 --> 00:41:53.259
 to us so that we

00:41:53.259 --> 00:41:55.359
 may ascend to him

00:41:55.359 --> 00:41:56.500
 through him.

00:41:57.339 --> 00:41:57.879
 Amen.

00:41:59.419 --> 00:42:00.579
 Heavenly Father, we

00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:01.519
 thank you for the

00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:03.379
 gift of salvation.

00:42:04.119 --> 00:42:04.719
 And Lord, we

00:42:04.719 --> 00:42:06.359
 confess and ask for

00:42:06.359 --> 00:42:07.159
 your forgiveness for

00:42:07.159 --> 00:42:08.500
 trying to find

00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:09.659
 salvation in our

00:42:09.659 --> 00:42:11.939
 own works, in our

00:42:11.939 --> 00:42:13.000
 own religious

00:42:13.000 --> 00:42:14.139
 strivings.

00:42:14.339 --> 00:42:15.179
 And in doing so,

00:42:15.339 --> 00:42:18.579
 we make a mockery of

00:42:18.579 --> 00:42:19.360
 what your son has

00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:20.039
 done on the cross

00:42:20.039 --> 00:42:20.619
 of Calvary.

00:42:20.759 --> 00:42:21.980
 And it is not an

00:42:21.980 --> 00:42:22.819
 indifferent thing to

00:42:22.819 --> 00:42:23.019
 you.

00:42:23.139 --> 00:42:23.920
 It is a grievous

00:42:23.920 --> 00:42:24.659
 thing to you.

00:42:25.299 --> 00:42:26.360
 And it is evil.

00:42:27.380 --> 00:42:28.119
 Lord, we ask for

00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:28.659
 your forgiveness.

00:42:30.119 --> 00:42:30.960
 Lord, help us to be

00:42:30.960 --> 00:42:32.000
 honest about who we

00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:32.299
 are.

00:42:33.299 --> 00:42:33.960
 Help us to have

00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:35.019
 eyes that open.

00:42:35.400 --> 00:42:36.340
 And as it says in

00:42:36.340 --> 00:42:37.119
 verse 1, that we

00:42:37.119 --> 00:42:38.139
 would be people that

00:42:38.139 --> 00:42:38.880
 listen well.

00:42:39.759 --> 00:42:40.599
 We can all listen

00:42:40.599 --> 00:42:40.900
 well.

00:42:41.619 --> 00:42:42.400
 We do not need to

00:42:42.400 --> 00:42:43.840
 have a remarkable

00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:45.299
 IQ to listen well.

00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:47.039
 We do not need to

00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:47.880
 come from a fantastic

00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:48.740
 family to listen

00:42:48.740 --> 00:42:49.019
 well.

00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:51.740
 By virtue of us

00:42:51.740 --> 00:42:52.640
 hearing what you

00:42:52.640 --> 00:42:53.460
 would have to say to

00:42:53.460 --> 00:42:54.980
 us this morning, we

00:42:54.980 --> 00:42:56.460
 can listen well if

00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:57.460
 you would but help

00:42:57.460 --> 00:42:57.840
 us.

00:42:58.519 --> 00:42:59.420
 So Lord, help us to

00:42:59.420 --> 00:43:01.700
 have ears to hear and

00:43:01.700 --> 00:43:02.460
 to be people that

00:43:02.460 --> 00:43:03.440
 don't just hear your

00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:04.579
 word and forget it,

00:43:04.660 --> 00:43:05.720
 but rather be doers

00:43:05.720 --> 00:43:06.300
 of your word.

00:43:07.960 --> 00:43:08.860
 And Lord, help us

00:43:08.860 --> 00:43:09.980
 more than all of

00:43:09.980 --> 00:43:11.500
 that to value and to

00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:13.360
 cherish and to hold

00:43:13.360 --> 00:43:14.860
 up and to esteem the

00:43:14.860 --> 00:43:16.119
 cross of Jesus Christ

00:43:16.119 --> 00:43:17.200
 above all.

00:43:17.199 --> 00:43:18.679
 We pray this in his

00:43:18.679 --> 00:43:18.939
 name.

00:43:19.559 --> 00:43:19.839
 Amen.

00:43:19.839 --> 00:43:19.899
 Amen.

00:43:19.899 --> 00:43:19.939
 Amen.

00:43:19.939 --> 00:43:19.939


00:43:19.939 --> 00:43:19.939


00:43:19.939 --> 00:43:19.939


00:43:19.939 --> 00:43:19.939