WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.780 Before we pray, last week, if you were here, I asked you to pray for me because next Sunday, 00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:14.640 I get to speak on one of the favorite topics of Canadians, which is wives be subject to your 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:19.839 husbands. And so I was asking that you would pray for me. I realized this week that I should have 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:24.760 asked you to pray for me every, I mean, hopefully you pray for me every week. But this week, I get 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:30.300 to talk about homosexuality. Next week, wives be subject to your husbands. The next week, slaves, 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:36.260 slavery and Christianity. And then I get to talk about demons. So I have four really easy sermons 00:00:36.260 --> 00:00:44.219 in a row. And so please pray for me every week. Let's bow our heads in prayer. Father, we ask, 00:00:44.219 --> 00:00:52.880 we give you thanks and praise that you see us as we really are, with perfect clarity, 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:59.400 and yet you love us. And we give you thanks and praise that every word that you speak that seems 00:00:59.400 --> 00:01:07.320 hard is a word that you speak to us for our good and comes out of your desire that we would connect 00:01:07.320 --> 00:01:16.980 with you and that we would repent and turn to Jesus and receive those far vastly better things 00:01:16.980 --> 00:01:24.780 that you have in mind for each of us. We ask that the Holy Spirit would fall with might and power and 00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:30.840 deep conviction as we think upon your word. Lead us to Jesus. And this we ask in the name of Jesus, 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:40.420 your Son and our Savior. Amen. So the Bible text is Ephesians chapter 5, verses 1, the following. It 00:01:40.420 --> 00:01:45.580 would be probably helpful to you if you have a Bible. The text will be up on the screen, but it's really 00:01:45.579 --> 00:01:51.099 good to have your own Bible. And I just want to begin, before we start reading, I've sort of already 00:01:51.099 --> 00:01:55.159 let you know a little bit about what's in the text, and we're going to go there very quickly. 00:01:55.879 --> 00:02:01.079 But one of the first things we need to understand is that God does not love you unconditionally. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:09.819 For many Christians in Canada today, that sounds like blasphemy. But the fact of the matter is, 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:17.219 is that God does not love you unconditionally. God loves you with a love that is incomparably better 00:02:17.219 --> 00:02:24.060 than unconditional love. And the more we are gripped by the idea of unconditional love, 00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:29.680 the harder it will be for us to understand the Bible, and the harder it will be for us to understand 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:38.840 God and Jesus and the gospel. So I'm going to come back to that, why I would say such an odd statement. 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:45.280 We're not going to begin with verse 1. I'm going to look and just try to bring your attention to 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:51.980 the actual text in question. So some of you might be wondering, why do I talk about texts like this 00:02:51.980 --> 00:02:57.840 today? Let me tell you this. My hope and prayer is that you'll come to accept the gospel, 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:07.400 and that you will know Jesus as your Savior and Lord. The Christian walk, to be known by God, 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:16.540 to know the perfect forgiveness that comes through Jesus, to know the security that when Christ takes 00:03:16.540 --> 00:03:22.280 you as his child, he will never abandon you, he will never abuse you, he will never let you go, 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:30.480 that you can begin to know the incomparable, inexhaustible love of Jesus is vastly worth it. 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:37.079 And my hope and prayer is that everyone here and your friends and co-workers and families and 00:03:37.079 --> 00:03:47.679 neighbors will come to know the incomparable, vast, deep, pure love of the triune God. That's my hope. 00:03:49.359 --> 00:03:53.060 And one of the things we do in this church is we preach through books of the Bible. 00:03:53.060 --> 00:03:58.360 And that should be really good news to you if you're here as a seeker, or you're here as a skeptic, 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:03.199 or you're here just as somebody who's just a bit curious. Because we're never going to hide things 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:08.560 from you. It's not as if we're going to talk about all these, I can jump around a different text, 00:04:08.620 --> 00:04:13.039 and then you become a Christian, and then you find out there's all these nasty bits you didn't know 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:18.660 about. You know, this is like taking you through the fine print. But when you go through the fine print 00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:28.260 of the New Testament, you understand even more deeply the boundless, deep, pure love of Jesus. 00:04:29.520 --> 00:04:33.220 So that's why we're looking at this text, not because I have some hang-ups about 00:04:33.220 --> 00:04:39.100 sex or homosexuality or anything like that. It's just because I want you to know Jesus. 00:04:39.960 --> 00:04:46.280 And I don't want to hide anything in the way of you becoming a follower of Christ. And for those of us 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:54.659 who are Christians, that your walk with Christ will be deeper and freer. So I want to begin with the hard 00:04:54.659 --> 00:04:59.319 part, and then I'm going to look, we're going to jump back up to verse 1 and 2, and so we see how it is 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:04.339 that the Bible introduces this topic. But I want you to understand some things. Look at verse 3. 00:05:04.339 --> 00:05:10.219 But sexual immorality and all impurity were covetousness, 00:05:10.220 --> 00:05:19.880 covetousness, must not even be named among you as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness, 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:26.320 nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, which are out of place. But instead, let there be thanksgiving. 00:05:28.080 --> 00:05:33.860 Now, just to make sure that you understand this sexual immorality and impurity and covetousness, 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:38.780 Paul mentions it a second time. Look at verse 5 and 6. 00:05:38.780 --> 00:05:43.180 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:47.240 or who is covetous, that is, an idolater, 00:05:47.660 --> 00:05:50.680 has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 00:05:51.300 --> 00:05:54.300 Let no one deceive you with empty words. 00:05:54.819 --> 00:05:57.620 For because of these things, the wrath of God comes 00:05:57.620 --> 00:06:01.460 upon the sons and daughters of disobedience. 00:06:01.459 --> 00:06:05.259 Now, it's a very, very hard text in some ways. 00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:07.799 And one of the things, you know, I sometimes joke, 00:06:08.159 --> 00:06:10.919 in fact, I often joke, I look it up on the internet, so it must be true. 00:06:12.339 --> 00:06:17.959 The three words that you see here, sexually immoral, impure, and covetous, 00:06:19.039 --> 00:06:22.519 if I was to be doing a sermon point, and actually, 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:25.579 if you go on the webpage later and you see my points, 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.019 I have three different points, 00:06:27.019 --> 00:06:30.359 and I use the Greek word porneia, 00:06:31.139 --> 00:06:34.139 which is the word that's being translated here as sexual immorality. 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:38.899 And if you Google porneia, what does the Greek word porneia mean? 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:42.419 The very first entry you see to define porneia, 00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:44.339 if you Google it, is a lie. 00:06:45.099 --> 00:06:49.039 It's completely, utterly, thoroughly wrong, 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:52.500 in case you don't know what my view is on the matter. 00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:56.399 It's completely invented, 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:02.120 a completely and utterly invented explanation of what porneia is. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:03.819 You have to go down to several of the other ones, 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:05.139 and you get the true answer. 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:07.279 And what porneia is, 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:09.720 is this, 00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:12.839 that God created human beings 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:16.779 so that we would have an interest in sex. 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:18.180 He made us as male and female, 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:20.620 and he designed sexual relations, 00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:22.860 and he designed human beings 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:25.819 that sexual knowledge and sexual stimulation 00:07:25.819 --> 00:07:31.280 is reserved for the holiest state of matrimony 00:07:31.280 --> 00:07:32.959 between one man and one woman. 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:37.420 That's how God designed male and female, 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:38.180 man and woman. 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:39.660 It's how he designed, 00:07:39.899 --> 00:07:41.540 from the very beginning of creation, 00:07:42.540 --> 00:07:45.480 us to know sexual pleasure 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:47.560 for those of us who are called into it. 00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:51.079 So God designed sexual knowledge 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:52.600 and sexual stimulation 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:54.360 to be reserved for those 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:57.699 who are in a marriage of one man to one woman. 00:07:58.459 --> 00:08:00.939 And anything which is not that 00:08:00.939 --> 00:08:02.360 is porneia. 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.180 Anything which is not that 00:08:06.180 --> 00:08:07.240 is porneia. 00:08:07.959 --> 00:08:09.399 So that would include everything 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:11.800 from going to a strip club 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:15.420 to looking at pornography 00:08:15.420 --> 00:08:18.460 to same-sex sexual knowing 00:08:18.460 --> 00:08:23.259 to cheating on your husband or your wife 00:08:23.259 --> 00:08:24.860 or engaging in sexual knowing 00:08:24.860 --> 00:08:25.879 outside of marriage. 00:08:25.939 --> 00:08:26.939 All of those things 00:08:26.939 --> 00:08:28.759 would be described as porneia. 00:08:29.139 --> 00:08:30.800 And that's the Greek word there 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:32.060 for sexual immorality. 00:08:33.180 --> 00:08:34.759 And the next word, 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:37.060 which is translated there as impurity, 00:08:37.059 --> 00:08:41.739 that's a bit of an odd word. 00:08:41.839 --> 00:08:43.559 And there's no really good word in English 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:45.699 to try to describe what the sin is. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:47.439 But as I talked about it 00:08:47.439 --> 00:08:48.479 a little bit last week, 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:50.000 and I don't expect you to remember that. 00:08:50.059 --> 00:08:51.239 I have a hard time remembering 00:08:51.239 --> 00:08:52.399 what I said last week. 00:08:53.839 --> 00:08:55.039 Impurity is referring 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.279 not to sexual matters directly, 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.099 but a relationship with God. 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:00.599 And at the heart of it, 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:01.839 what impurity is, 00:09:01.939 --> 00:09:02.879 is the attitude 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:05.059 and the habit of saying to God, 00:09:05.059 --> 00:09:07.139 God, you're not my boss. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:10.199 You're not my boss. 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:12.679 Now, most of the time, 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:13.879 we just live in the way 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:15.139 that God maybe designed us. 00:09:15.219 --> 00:09:16.719 We don't do bad things. 00:09:16.719 --> 00:09:18.059 But at a very, very deep 00:09:18.059 --> 00:09:19.279 and fundamental level, 00:09:19.699 --> 00:09:21.519 in every single human being, 00:09:21.839 --> 00:09:22.919 there is a part of us 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:23.979 that wants to say to God, 00:09:24.079 --> 00:09:24.919 you're not my boss. 00:09:25.839 --> 00:09:26.899 You're not my boss. 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:28.419 You can't tell me to do that. 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:29.559 If I do it, 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:31.519 it's because I want to do it, 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:33.279 not because you say I should do it. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:35.319 Because I'm the boss of me. 00:09:35.959 --> 00:09:37.259 You're not my boss. 00:09:39.299 --> 00:09:41.379 And the third sin, 00:09:41.579 --> 00:09:42.819 which is mentioned here, 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:45.299 is covetousness. 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:47.379 And if you look at some translations, 00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:49.120 it's translated as avarice. 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:50.500 And the Greek word 00:09:50.500 --> 00:09:51.919 can be translated either way. 00:09:53.299 --> 00:09:55.279 Covetousness is the sin of, 00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:55.879 well, actually, 00:09:55.959 --> 00:09:56.779 what avarice is, 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:58.240 is just basically greed. 00:09:58.819 --> 00:10:00.360 Just want more, more, more, more, more, 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:01.500 more, more, more, more, more, 00:10:01.500 --> 00:10:02.100 all the time. 00:10:02.299 --> 00:10:02.940 More possessions, 00:10:03.820 --> 00:10:04.659 more money. 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:07.259 It's disorder, 00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:09.360 desire for possessions and money. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:12.840 And the other word, 00:10:12.980 --> 00:10:13.500 covetous, 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:15.779 is a similar type of idea. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:17.080 It can mean that thing, 00:10:17.379 --> 00:10:19.220 but it also is more competitive. 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:20.659 So, 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:24.639 covetousness would mean 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:27.179 that you not just look at George 00:10:27.179 --> 00:10:27.959 and say, you know, 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.419 George is just a very ordinary guy. 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:31.539 And if he can be a pastor, 00:10:31.599 --> 00:10:32.759 I think I can be a pastor. 00:10:34.179 --> 00:10:35.439 That's not covetousness. 00:10:35.779 --> 00:10:36.459 Covetousness says, 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:37.899 I want George's job. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:39.879 You know, 00:10:40.059 --> 00:10:42.579 that George will lose his job 00:10:42.579 --> 00:10:44.279 so I can take his job. 00:10:44.379 --> 00:10:46.419 That's the sin of covetousness. 00:10:46.579 --> 00:10:48.299 Although it also includes the idea 00:10:48.299 --> 00:10:49.899 of just wanting more and more 00:10:49.899 --> 00:10:50.779 and more and more. 00:10:50.779 --> 00:10:54.799 And the Bible describes 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:55.159 both, 00:10:55.259 --> 00:10:56.439 all three of these things 00:10:56.439 --> 00:10:58.159 as sort of categories of sin. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:10:59.899 And the thing you need 00:10:59.899 --> 00:11:00.959 to understand about it, 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:02.199 there's several things 00:11:02.199 --> 00:11:03.139 you need to understand 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:03.720 about this, 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:05.679 which will become very clear 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:06.379 when we go back 00:11:06.379 --> 00:11:07.360 and read verses one 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:08.559 and then we see how it is 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:09.139 that the Bible 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:10.379 comes to this place. 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:11.839 The first thing 00:11:11.839 --> 00:11:12.879 you have to understand 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:13.860 is that this is not 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:15.939 us versus them language. 00:11:17.459 --> 00:11:18.779 This is not us 00:11:18.779 --> 00:11:20.419 versus them language. 00:11:20.779 --> 00:11:22.379 This is describing 00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:24.100 the persistent 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:25.620 perennial problems 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:27.279 of every single 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:28.199 human being. 00:11:29.500 --> 00:11:30.759 In other words, 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:32.519 I stand before you 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:33.559 today as a man 00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:35.519 whose sexuality 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:36.360 is disordered. 00:11:38.860 --> 00:11:39.879 And I don't mean 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:40.639 to offend you, 00:11:41.339 --> 00:11:42.059 but I am speaking 00:11:42.059 --> 00:11:43.240 to a room full of people 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:44.259 whose sexuality 00:11:44.259 --> 00:11:45.379 is disordered. 00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:49.339 I am a man 00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:50.879 whose relationship 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:51.740 with God 00:11:51.740 --> 00:11:53.320 is disordered. 00:11:54.920 --> 00:11:56.300 There is part of me 00:11:56.300 --> 00:11:58.480 that whether I'm 00:11:58.480 --> 00:11:59.519 conscious of it or not 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:00.460 wants to at times 00:12:00.460 --> 00:12:01.000 say to God, 00:12:01.060 --> 00:12:01.820 you're not my boss. 00:12:02.019 --> 00:12:03.080 And I speak to a room 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:03.800 who have the exact 00:12:03.800 --> 00:12:04.519 same problem. 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:08.360 And I stand before you 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.000 as a man 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:10.560 who has a disordered 00:12:10.560 --> 00:12:11.259 relationship 00:12:11.259 --> 00:12:12.519 to money and possessions. 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:12.759 possessions. 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:15.439 And I stand talking 00:12:15.439 --> 00:12:16.559 to a room full of people 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:18.220 who have disordered 00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:18.879 relationships 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:20.259 with money and possessions. 00:12:22.100 --> 00:12:23.360 The Bible text 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:24.159 is describing 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.039 the human problem 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:27.480 and the human condition. 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:28.919 It's not describing 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:30.019 us versus them, 00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:31.500 the pure versus 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:32.199 the impure, 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:32.899 the elite 00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:34.340 versus the rabble. 00:12:35.299 --> 00:12:36.939 It's bringing to light 00:12:36.939 --> 00:12:38.019 the fundamental 00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:39.299 human condition. 00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:43.120 And in every case, 00:12:43.479 --> 00:12:44.240 what the Bible 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:45.059 is describing 00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:46.279 is that there's 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:47.500 something in us, 00:12:47.819 --> 00:12:49.099 in our sexuality, 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:51.979 which is disordered. 00:12:52.459 --> 00:12:53.059 There's something 00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:53.699 about us 00:12:53.699 --> 00:12:54.620 in our relationship 00:12:54.620 --> 00:12:55.359 with God 00:12:55.359 --> 00:12:56.579 that is disordered. 00:12:56.699 --> 00:12:57.279 There is something 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:57.979 about us 00:12:57.979 --> 00:12:59.319 that our relationship 00:12:59.319 --> 00:13:00.679 with money and possessions 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:03.479 and positions 00:13:03.479 --> 00:13:04.279 of authority 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:06.079 that is disordered. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:08.259 And that's, 00:13:08.460 --> 00:13:08.940 on one hand, 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:09.780 very bad news, 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:10.320 but it's also 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:11.320 very good news. 00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:13.840 Because it means 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:15.020 that what God 00:13:15.020 --> 00:13:16.759 desires for each of us 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:18.060 is something better. 00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:20.680 That's what he desires 00:13:20.680 --> 00:13:21.240 for me. 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:23.460 So let's look 00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:25.060 at this covetousness, 00:13:25.220 --> 00:13:25.759 for instance, 00:13:25.940 --> 00:13:26.600 and possessions. 00:13:27.420 --> 00:13:28.420 Here's one of the things. 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:30.400 Every single one of us, 00:13:30.780 --> 00:13:32.120 it's normally easier 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:33.360 for us to recognize 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:35.080 a disordered relationship 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:36.379 with money and possessions 00:13:36.379 --> 00:13:37.520 in other people 00:13:37.520 --> 00:13:38.360 than in ourselves. 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:42.560 I'm just trying to think 00:13:42.560 --> 00:13:43.360 of how many funerals 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:43.800 I've done. 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:45.100 Next year, 00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:45.740 I'll have been ordained 00:13:45.740 --> 00:13:46.740 35 years. 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:49.480 In the first 10 years 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:50.300 of my ordination, 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:51.940 maybe even the first 15 years 00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:52.840 of my ordination, 00:13:53.060 --> 00:13:53.900 I did probably 00:13:53.900 --> 00:13:55.620 between 10 to 20 funerals 00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:56.000 a year. 00:13:56.940 --> 00:13:58.980 I was Barry and George. 00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:01.720 And so I don't know. 00:14:01.800 --> 00:14:02.520 I've maybe done 00:14:02.520 --> 00:14:03.460 200 funerals. 00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:04.780 I haven't done very many funerals 00:14:04.780 --> 00:14:06.680 the last 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 years. 00:14:07.180 --> 00:14:08.060 Let me tell you this. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:08.620 Let's say I've done 00:14:08.620 --> 00:14:09.680 200 funerals. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:10.879 There has been only 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:11.780 one funeral 00:14:11.780 --> 00:14:13.440 that I have ever done 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:15.360 where when I'm talking 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:16.500 to the family before 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.940 and the family and friends 00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:18.700 before and the family 00:14:18.700 --> 00:14:19.460 and friends afterwards, 00:14:19.580 --> 00:14:20.580 there's only been one 00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:22.220 funeral that I've ever done 00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:23.900 where anybody has ever said 00:14:23.900 --> 00:14:24.960 the problem with, 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:25.600 and I'm going to mention 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.960 his name because it's not 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:27.720 an embarrassing thing, 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:28.980 the problem with John 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:30.740 is he was too generous. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:34.039 200 funerals, 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:36.019 only one person 00:14:36.019 --> 00:14:36.659 has ever said 00:14:36.659 --> 00:14:37.519 about another person 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:38.620 that the problem they had 00:14:38.620 --> 00:14:39.220 was that they were 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:40.360 too generous. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.860 They gave away 00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:43.379 too much money. 00:14:45.800 --> 00:14:46.820 Isn't that interesting? 00:14:47.700 --> 00:14:49.060 Like, I can tell you this. 00:14:49.560 --> 00:14:50.340 They're not going to say 00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:51.340 about me at my funeral, 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:52.279 at least if I die 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:53.320 like in the next 10 minutes. 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:54.519 The problem with George 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:55.240 is he gave away 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:56.059 too much money. 00:14:59.000 --> 00:14:59.659 And I don't want 00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:00.259 to offend you. 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:01.539 I don't know how many 00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:02.019 of you they're going 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:02.860 to say that about either. 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:05.799 Now, the funny, funny, 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:06.539 funny, funny thing 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.319 about John, 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:08.679 John Pierce, by the way, 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:09.620 a couple of us know him, 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:10.919 is that the person 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:11.840 who said it to me 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.819 that the problem with John 00:15:13.819 --> 00:15:14.480 was he gave away 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:15.220 too much money. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:16.360 When he died, 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.360 he had lots of money 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:18.179 still in the bank. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:19.899 In fact, I said 00:15:19.899 --> 00:15:20.899 to the person who said it, 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:22.759 I guess you were wrong. 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:24.200 He gave away 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:25.059 too much money. 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:26.539 He didn't have lots of money, 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:27.740 but he had enough money 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:28.700 to live every week, 00:15:29.259 --> 00:15:30.120 even though the complaint 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:30.720 about him was that 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.500 he was way too generous. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:32.000 He gave away 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:32.919 way too much money. 00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:35.059 See, the fact of the matter 00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:36.240 is that we notice 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:36.819 other people 00:15:36.819 --> 00:15:37.639 that they're cheap, 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:38.700 that they seem to be 00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:41.000 obsessed with possessions. 00:15:41.879 --> 00:15:42.360 And it doesn't, 00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:42.679 you know, 00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:43.700 a friend of mine said, 00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:44.879 this is in class talk, 00:15:44.939 --> 00:15:45.360 by the way. 00:15:46.059 --> 00:15:46.879 A friend of mine 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.299 once said, 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:48.100 the poor man 00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:50.279 has three rust buckets 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:51.480 in his driveway, 00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:52.879 none of which work. 00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:54.560 The rich man 00:15:54.560 --> 00:15:56.240 has a jaguar. 00:15:57.920 --> 00:15:59.120 So it's not the matter 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.159 that the poor man 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:03.080 is consumed with possessions 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:04.240 because he has three cars. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:05.100 Right? 00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:06.740 It's not a class thing. 00:16:07.560 --> 00:16:08.820 It's something which affects 00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:10.139 every single human being. 00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:12.279 We have a hard time 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:13.620 giving stuff away. 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:15.740 We have a hard time 00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:16.720 being generous 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:18.019 to missions, 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:19.019 to the poor, 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:20.420 to the needs of the church. 00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:21.620 We have a hard time 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:22.299 giving it away. 00:16:22.459 --> 00:16:24.120 We have fixations 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.039 that we can have 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:26.419 about sunglasses 00:16:26.419 --> 00:16:27.339 or watches 00:16:27.339 --> 00:16:28.259 or shoes 00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:29.179 or purses 00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:30.240 or jackets 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.620 or clothing, 00:16:33.099 --> 00:16:35.759 about a better car, 00:16:35.939 --> 00:16:36.839 a better house. 00:16:39.659 --> 00:16:39.979 And you see, 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:40.599 what's there 00:16:40.599 --> 00:16:42.279 isn't that we shouldn't desire. 00:16:42.479 --> 00:16:43.539 This isn't saying 00:16:43.539 --> 00:16:44.559 that, you know, 00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:45.980 if you're a young man 00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:47.139 or a young woman here, 00:16:47.599 --> 00:16:48.500 this isn't saying, 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:49.700 covetousness isn't saying 00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:51.639 you shouldn't have 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:52.480 any desire 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:54.039 to try to make more money 00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:54.940 so you can provide 00:16:54.940 --> 00:16:55.659 for your needs 00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:56.679 and the needs of your family 00:16:56.679 --> 00:16:57.500 and the needs of your friends. 00:16:57.559 --> 00:16:58.759 We didn't look at it last week. 00:16:59.580 --> 00:17:00.519 But if you go back 00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:01.279 and read the last bit 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:02.100 of chapter four, 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:02.840 you'll see that 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:04.299 Paul says that 00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:05.000 when the gospel 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:06.460 hits a thief 00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.380 and a thief receives 00:17:07.380 --> 00:17:07.960 the gospel, 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:08.660 what a thief, 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:09.700 what the gospel will do 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:10.539 in a thief's life 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:12.099 will be eventually 00:17:12.099 --> 00:17:13.079 to make them have 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:13.579 the desire 00:17:13.579 --> 00:17:14.240 to work very, 00:17:14.380 --> 00:17:15.160 very hard 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:17.540 so they can provide 00:17:17.540 --> 00:17:18.519 for their own needs 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:19.300 and be generous. 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.660 That's how Paul says 00:17:22.660 --> 00:17:23.800 the gospel will impact 00:17:23.800 --> 00:17:25.400 somebody who's a thief. 00:17:26.800 --> 00:17:27.500 And so, 00:17:28.060 --> 00:17:29.519 what the Bible is saying 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:30.220 isn't just that 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:31.380 if you receive the gospel, 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:32.120 it's going to take away 00:17:32.120 --> 00:17:33.500 any desire for ambition. 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:34.420 It's going to take away 00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:35.800 any desire to earn. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:37.860 No, it's not that. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:38.460 It's just that 00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:39.900 we somehow have 00:17:39.900 --> 00:17:41.580 a way of making 00:17:41.580 --> 00:17:42.620 certain possessions 00:17:42.620 --> 00:17:43.820 and having more 00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:45.059 and having these things, 00:17:45.179 --> 00:17:46.279 they become a key part 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:47.079 of our identity 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:49.839 and they never satisfy. 00:17:51.139 --> 00:17:52.419 They never satisfy. 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:55.879 And then the same thing 00:17:55.879 --> 00:17:56.939 with this thing about God, 00:17:57.019 --> 00:17:57.980 you're not my boss. 00:17:59.220 --> 00:18:00.259 The thing which is 00:18:00.259 --> 00:18:01.399 disordered there, 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:03.679 it's several. 00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:04.879 It's as if 00:18:04.879 --> 00:18:06.980 unless I, 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:09.919 at times when it comes up, 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:10.279 you know, 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:11.700 shake my fist at God 00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:11.980 and say, 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:12.879 you're not telling me 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:13.480 what to do. 00:18:14.040 --> 00:18:14.880 I'm going to tell me 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:15.460 what to do. 00:18:16.120 --> 00:18:17.760 I'm the boss of my life. 00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:18.980 I'm the one 00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:19.940 who's going to pursue that. 00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:20.240 I mean, 00:18:20.260 --> 00:18:20.780 most of the time 00:18:20.780 --> 00:18:21.420 we don't say that, 00:18:21.520 --> 00:18:22.840 but when all of a sudden 00:18:22.840 --> 00:18:24.380 the demands of God, 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:25.960 well, 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:27.100 let's just say with money, 00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:29.580 that maybe you should consider 00:18:29.580 --> 00:18:31.320 giving 10% of your money away 00:18:31.320 --> 00:18:32.360 for the furtherance 00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.020 of the gospel. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:33.480 Whoa, 00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:34.920 you're not my boss, God. 00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:38.780 But at the heart of that 00:18:38.780 --> 00:18:39.420 is this 00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:42.200 disordered understanding 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:44.460 that God will care for you 00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:45.319 and that you have 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:46.620 a type of integrity 00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:49.319 and a type of value 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:50.779 and a type of worth 00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:53.779 that God himself guarantees. 00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:55.440 You see, 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.519 because we have this 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:57.620 disordered relationship 00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:58.259 with God 00:18:58.259 --> 00:18:59.059 and we think we have 00:18:59.059 --> 00:19:00.400 to assert our place 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:02.039 that we won't be forgotten, 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:03.480 that I have autonomy, 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:04.920 that I have integrity, 00:19:05.080 --> 00:19:06.860 that people can't walk over me, 00:19:06.859 --> 00:19:08.699 and there's not anything wrong 00:19:08.699 --> 00:19:09.619 with some of those desires 00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:11.139 that people can't walk over you, 00:19:11.199 --> 00:19:12.259 they can't just treat you 00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:12.979 with disrespect, 00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:14.759 they can't belittle you, 00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:16.039 they can't do all of those things, 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:17.439 but it's disordered 00:19:17.439 --> 00:19:18.319 because we feel 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:19.399 that it's all up to us 00:19:19.399 --> 00:19:20.359 so that it even comes 00:19:20.359 --> 00:19:21.179 in terms of God 00:19:21.179 --> 00:19:22.240 without understanding 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.619 that the very, 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:24.839 very heart of the gospel 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:26.359 is that God saw you 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:28.059 and he loved you so much 00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:29.899 that Jesus comes, 00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:30.500 God, 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:31.419 the Son of God, 00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:32.279 leaves heaven, 00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:33.519 strips himself 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:34.980 of his divine prerogatives, 00:19:35.139 --> 00:19:35.839 his authority, 00:19:35.980 --> 00:19:36.680 his glory, 00:19:36.859 --> 00:19:37.740 his majesty, 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:39.299 but still remaining God, 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.259 takes into himself 00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:41.299 our human nature, 00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:43.220 lives a fully human life, 00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:45.099 dies bearing in himself 00:19:45.099 --> 00:19:45.960 all your sin, 00:19:46.059 --> 00:19:46.779 all your rebellion, 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:47.740 all your shame, 00:19:47.879 --> 00:19:48.960 all this stuff about you 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:50.039 that's just not right, 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:51.500 every accusation 00:19:51.500 --> 00:19:52.319 that could ever be against you, 00:19:52.359 --> 00:19:53.019 he does that 00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:54.259 and he takes it for you 00:19:54.259 --> 00:19:55.200 and dies for you 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:56.839 because he loves you, 00:19:58.339 --> 00:20:02.059 because he wants 00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:03.220 to restore you 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:04.240 to the integrity 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.319 and the value 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:06.279 and the dignity 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:07.860 that you should have 00:20:07.860 --> 00:20:08.700 in this life 00:20:08.700 --> 00:20:09.680 and that you will have 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:10.740 into all eternity 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:14.640 and so our disordered 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.819 relationship with God 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:16.579 means that we have 00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:17.940 to grasp these things 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.759 and we have to usually 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:19.720 end up saying them 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:21.420 at the expense of others 00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:23.839 because if God wants me 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:24.700 to let's say be more, 00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:25.000 you know, 00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.920 to be sexually faithful 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:26.559 to my wife 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:27.279 and I end up saying 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:27.920 I don't want God, 00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:28.940 you're not my boss, 00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:29.819 I'm going to do, 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:30.960 I'm the boss of my life 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.860 and I end up doing something 00:20:31.860 --> 00:20:32.740 that not only offends 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:33.259 against God 00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:34.240 but ends up damaging 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:35.539 my wife and my family 00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:36.839 and my kids 00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:37.579 and the church 00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:38.460 and everybody, right? 00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:39.579 Because that's what happens. 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:41.099 We're disordered with God 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:42.200 and it means we end up 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:42.799 being disordered 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.559 with the creation. 00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:44.259 We're disordered 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.000 around possessions 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:47.019 and so it fuels 00:20:47.019 --> 00:20:49.359 raping the environment, 00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:51.299 it fuels rage 00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.620 against other nations 00:20:52.620 --> 00:20:53.319 and wars, 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:56.039 it fuels class warfare, 00:20:56.359 --> 00:20:58.880 it fuels all these 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:00.039 terrible things 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:01.180 because our relationship 00:21:01.180 --> 00:21:02.500 with money and possessions 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:03.399 is disordered 00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:04.420 and our relationship 00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:05.680 with God is disordered 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.920 and it fuels this injustice 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.279 that I have to prove 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:11.659 that you are not my boss, God 00:21:11.659 --> 00:21:12.599 and when I end up 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.519 acting that out, 00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.759 people are hurt 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:16.899 and I am hurt as well. 00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:20.299 The same thing with sexuality. 00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:24.539 The biblical truth is 00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:25.480 that we aren't just 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.720 some random collection 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.339 of atoms 00:21:27.339 --> 00:21:29.639 and we now have to define 00:21:29.639 --> 00:21:30.919 and identify ourselves 00:21:30.919 --> 00:21:31.839 by our own terms 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:33.279 but God has designed us 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.240 for a purpose 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:36.139 that fits, 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:37.779 that has integrity 00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:42.319 and that while the initial words 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:43.119 of the gospel 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:43.740 and the Bible 00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:45.079 seem to be very hard, 00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:46.379 if we just always remember 00:21:46.379 --> 00:21:47.759 that everything that is said 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:50.579 is said because Jesus loves you so much 00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:51.980 he died for you on the cross. 00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:55.119 He tasted death for you. 00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:57.680 He tasted judgment for you. 00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:59.440 He tasted God's wrath, 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:01.180 just wrath for you. 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:05.180 That you would be reordered 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:07.900 as God designed you to be 00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:09.720 in a way that will bring him glory. 00:22:13.859 --> 00:22:15.099 So let's go back. 00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:16.980 I've spent almost the whole sermon 00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:17.799 just trying to get 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:18.900 those three terms 00:22:18.900 --> 00:22:20.839 into you. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:22.579 Let's go back 00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:23.299 and see how 00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:24.539 what I've just been saying 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:25.660 actually flows out 00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:26.740 of what the Bible says. 00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.339 Look at how it's structured. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:29.140 Actually, 00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:30.539 excuse me, 00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:32.400 we don't have it up on the text. 00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:33.200 This is the advantage 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:34.160 of having your own Bible. 00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:36.440 If you look at verse 32, 00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:37.240 the last verse 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:38.900 of chapter 4 of Ephesians, 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.779 I'll read it to you 00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.819 if you don't have your Bibles. 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:42.400 It says this, 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:43.640 Be kind to one another, 00:22:44.339 --> 00:22:45.240 tender-hearted, 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:46.839 forgiving one another, 00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:49.000 as God in Christ 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:50.420 forgave you. 00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:52.960 And then you look at chapter 5, 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:54.259 the very next word after it says, 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:55.880 As God in Christ forgave you, 00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.620 therefore, 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:58.640 therefore, 00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:00.960 be imitators of God. 00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:02.400 Right? 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:04.960 To be gripped with the idea 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:07.660 that God in Christ forgave you. 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:08.960 Remember, 00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:11.519 God in Christ forgave you, 00:23:11.620 --> 00:23:11.860 therefore, 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:13.220 be imitators of God 00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:14.259 as beloved children 00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:16.259 and walk in love. 00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:16.480 And walk in love. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:19.819 As Christ loved us 00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:22.960 and gave himself up for us, 00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:25.119 a fragrant offering 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:27.379 and sacrifice to God. 00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:29.740 on one level, 00:23:29.860 --> 00:23:30.440 you want to know 00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:32.580 the entire understanding 00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:33.880 of Christian moral teaching? 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.080 Walk in love. 00:23:36.840 --> 00:23:37.700 Walk in love. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:41.020 That's what Jesus says, 00:23:41.360 --> 00:23:42.240 the two great commandments, 00:23:42.800 --> 00:23:43.580 love the Lord your God 00:23:43.580 --> 00:23:44.140 with all your heart, 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:44.660 mind, soul, 00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:45.200 and love your neighbor 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:45.620 as yourself. 00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:46.340 Walk in love. 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:48.360 It's said quite a few places 00:23:48.360 --> 00:23:49.080 in the New Testament, 00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:49.900 walk in love. 00:23:50.780 --> 00:23:51.940 But notice here 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:53.700 how what the Bible 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.460 is talking about 00:23:54.460 --> 00:23:57.319 is not unconditional love. 00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:01.140 I don't know 00:24:01.140 --> 00:24:02.360 if he invented the term, 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:04.840 but the one 00:24:04.840 --> 00:24:05.740 who made the term 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:07.279 of unconditional love 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:09.079 very, very popular 00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:09.819 is a man 00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:10.980 by the name of Carl Rogers 00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:11.559 who invented 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:12.460 a type of therapy 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:13.980 called Rogerian therapy. 00:24:15.340 --> 00:24:15.579 Now, 00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:16.759 I'm not saying 00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:17.420 this next thing 00:24:17.420 --> 00:24:18.079 because anything 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:18.860 an atheist says 00:24:18.860 --> 00:24:19.400 is dumb 00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:21.079 and it's not that. 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:22.940 Obviously, 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:23.380 that would be 00:24:23.380 --> 00:24:24.240 a stupid thing 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.580 for anybody to say. 00:24:26.560 --> 00:24:27.680 But it's very interesting 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:28.580 that Carl Rogers 00:24:28.580 --> 00:24:29.900 who invented this term 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:31.040 of unconditional love 00:24:31.040 --> 00:24:32.100 as well as other aspects 00:24:32.100 --> 00:24:32.860 of his therapy 00:24:32.860 --> 00:24:33.880 is also the fellow 00:24:33.880 --> 00:24:35.700 who won the award 00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:37.820 by the American Humanist Association 00:24:37.820 --> 00:24:39.300 for the top atheist 00:24:39.300 --> 00:24:41.280 in 1964. 00:24:42.060 --> 00:24:42.740 And at the very, 00:24:42.860 --> 00:24:43.460 very heart 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:44.700 of Rogers' endeavor 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.440 was that he wanted 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.760 to separate love 00:24:46.760 --> 00:24:49.760 from a sense of morals. 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:51.880 That's what 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:53.240 unconditional means. 00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:55.480 He wants to separate out 00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:57.220 the idea of right and wrong, 00:24:57.780 --> 00:24:59.720 the idea of just and unjust. 00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:01.240 He wants to separate 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:02.120 all of that 00:25:02.120 --> 00:25:03.480 so that all you have 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:04.880 is unconditional love 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.900 and unconditional positive regard. 00:25:09.020 --> 00:25:11.380 But that is not a wise idea. 00:25:12.020 --> 00:25:12.820 It's very interesting. 00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:14.700 One of my favorite authors 00:25:14.700 --> 00:25:15.760 is a man, 00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:17.500 Reed, 00:25:17.880 --> 00:25:19.280 I've had a temporal, 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.780 Reed Farrell Coleman. 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:22.740 And you might not remember it, 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.720 but several times 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:24.359 over the years 00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:25.440 I've quoted parts 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:26.579 of his writings to you. 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:27.740 He's an atheist 00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:29.539 and he's very, 00:25:29.639 --> 00:25:30.619 very, very articulate 00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:31.480 in his stories. 00:25:31.619 --> 00:25:33.099 He often articulates 00:25:33.099 --> 00:25:34.359 aspects of atheism 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:35.539 just so beautifully. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:36.079 Occasionally, 00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:37.160 I've quoted him to you. 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:38.319 I just finished reading 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:39.200 a novel of his. 00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:40.660 And it's an interesting thing 00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:41.420 because at the heart 00:25:41.420 --> 00:25:41.980 of the novel 00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:44.639 is that there's the opioid, 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.580 I can't pronounce 00:25:45.580 --> 00:25:46.259 that word very well, 00:25:46.320 --> 00:25:46.960 the opioid, 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:48.180 is that right? 00:25:48.560 --> 00:25:49.100 Vaguely right? 00:25:50.660 --> 00:25:55.280 Opioid addiction problem 00:25:55.280 --> 00:25:56.700 in this community 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:57.440 where this fellow 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.220 is a police chief. 00:25:59.100 --> 00:26:01.020 And somebody dies 00:26:01.020 --> 00:26:01.720 as a result 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:04.060 of taking this chemical 00:26:04.060 --> 00:26:05.100 laced with something 00:26:05.100 --> 00:26:05.860 that kills them. 00:26:06.140 --> 00:26:07.220 And he tries to figure it out 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:08.080 and he ends up discovering 00:26:08.080 --> 00:26:08.920 that many of the, 00:26:09.040 --> 00:26:10.440 both some of the poor people, 00:26:10.540 --> 00:26:11.620 but many of the rich people, 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:12.740 that their daughters 00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:13.740 or their sons, 00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:15.000 have become addicted 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:17.279 to the opioid crisis. 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:18.620 And it's very interesting. 00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:19.120 Remember, 00:26:19.259 --> 00:26:20.420 the writer's an atheist, right? 00:26:21.420 --> 00:26:22.279 And the way he, 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:23.019 what he does 00:26:23.019 --> 00:26:23.900 is that he does it 00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:24.759 very powerfully 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:25.480 in the context 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:26.099 of the narrative 00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:27.700 to show that many 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:28.339 of the parents, 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:29.200 what they did is, 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:29.660 in a sense, 00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:31.440 they showed unconditional love 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:32.759 to their daughter and son 00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:34.779 and ignored their addiction 00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:39.779 to the kids' great harm. 00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:40.599 In fact, 00:26:41.099 --> 00:26:41.819 the young woman 00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:43.480 that launches the whole story, 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:45.779 her parents gave her 00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:47.179 unconditional love 00:26:47.179 --> 00:26:48.939 and turned their eye 00:26:48.939 --> 00:26:52.059 and enabled her addiction, 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.879 which led to her death 00:26:53.879 --> 00:26:55.059 by a drug overdose. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:55.539 Remember, 00:26:55.599 --> 00:26:56.679 the author's an atheist. 00:26:58.379 --> 00:26:59.659 And as he's going 00:26:59.659 --> 00:27:00.899 to try to figure this out, 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.539 he discovers 00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:02.839 the different parents 00:27:02.839 --> 00:27:04.720 who love their daughter 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:06.119 or their son, 00:27:06.519 --> 00:27:07.720 but when they find out 00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.460 about the addiction, 00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:10.240 they take action. 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:14.160 If you have a loved one 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:15.740 and they're addicted 00:27:15.740 --> 00:27:16.460 to an opioid 00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:17.859 and you turn your eyes 00:27:17.859 --> 00:27:19.000 and just unconditionally 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.579 love them 00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:21.000 and don't confront them 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:22.000 so they will deal 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:22.680 with their addiction, 00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:24.819 you are not loving your kid. 00:27:26.620 --> 00:27:28.420 You are not loving your kid 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:29.960 or your husband 00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:30.660 or your wife 00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.640 or your grandparents 00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:32.200 or your aunt 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:32.620 and your uncle. 00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:33.740 You are not loving them. 00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:35.480 And it's very powerfully 00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.299 put in this novel 00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:37.079 by an atheist. 00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:39.759 You see, 00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:41.059 the fact of the matter is 00:27:41.059 --> 00:27:42.839 it's not loving 00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:43.460 to ignore 00:27:43.460 --> 00:27:44.699 all sorts of things 00:27:44.699 --> 00:27:45.859 that are going on 00:27:45.859 --> 00:27:47.240 in somebody's life 00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:48.259 that are just bad. 00:27:48.859 --> 00:27:49.279 You know, 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:51.220 if a wife discovers 00:27:51.220 --> 00:27:52.099 that her husband 00:27:52.099 --> 00:27:53.659 is going to strip shows, 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:54.639 she shouldn't 00:27:54.639 --> 00:27:56.079 unconditionally love him. 00:27:56.359 --> 00:27:57.379 She should kick him 00:27:57.379 --> 00:27:58.079 in the butt 00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.439 and say 00:27:59.439 --> 00:28:00.079 it's unacceptable. 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:02.639 Occasionally, 00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:04.000 I've had marriage counseling 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:05.019 with somebody 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:06.119 and at some point in time 00:28:06.119 --> 00:28:07.259 it starts to dawn on me 00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:08.039 that there's probably 00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:09.139 physical abuse 00:28:09.139 --> 00:28:09.639 going on 00:28:09.639 --> 00:28:11.460 in the marriage. 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:12.119 And so I ask 00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.940 the direct question 00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:14.039 to the woman. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.579 Is this guy hitting you? 00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:18.160 Long, silent pause. 00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:21.180 Husband sinks lower 00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:21.980 in the seat. 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.359 Finally, 00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:24.379 she says yes. 00:28:24.859 --> 00:28:26.039 I don't show the man 00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:27.299 unconditional love. 00:28:27.400 --> 00:28:27.859 I say, 00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:28.740 you gotta stop 00:28:28.740 --> 00:28:29.740 hitting your wife. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.700 Beginning of the story, 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:34.539 middle of the story, 00:28:34.539 --> 00:28:35.480 end of the story. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:36.319 Unacceptable. 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:38.700 And I say to her, 00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.319 I will give you 00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:40.339 every help I can 00:28:40.339 --> 00:28:40.759 to make sure 00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:41.500 he doesn't do it 00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:42.200 and if you need to, 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:43.019 you leave him 00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:45.259 because it's completely wrong. 00:28:47.980 --> 00:28:49.399 And so what do we see here? 00:28:49.460 --> 00:28:49.680 You see, 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.240 the thing is, 00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.379 is God's love to you 00:28:51.379 --> 00:28:52.519 is not unconditional. 00:28:52.879 --> 00:28:54.079 It is unfailing. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:57.379 And God's unfailing love, 00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:59.839 he is also unfailingly good. 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:02.539 He is also unfailingly just. 00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.119 He is unfailing. 00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:04.940 He is unfailingly merciful. 00:29:05.159 --> 00:29:06.920 He is unfailingly true. 00:29:07.639 --> 00:29:08.920 And none of these things 00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:10.200 are in conflict 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:11.079 with each other. 00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:15.240 And so it is. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:17.700 God doesn't look at us 00:29:17.700 --> 00:29:19.079 in our condition 00:29:19.079 --> 00:29:19.779 and say, 00:29:19.859 --> 00:29:20.359 I'm just gonna 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:22.319 unconditionally love George 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:23.619 while he goes to hell. 00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:26.319 I'm not gonna 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:27.879 unconditionally love George 00:29:27.879 --> 00:29:28.639 while he gives me 00:29:28.639 --> 00:29:29.419 the finger 00:29:29.419 --> 00:29:31.399 and shakes his fist at me 00:29:31.399 --> 00:29:32.819 and does wrong things 00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:33.819 and is all massively 00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:34.500 screwed up 00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:35.259 about possessions 00:29:35.259 --> 00:29:35.799 and money 00:29:35.799 --> 00:29:36.319 and he's gonna get 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:37.019 more screwed up. 00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:37.439 I'm just gonna 00:29:37.439 --> 00:29:38.359 unconditionally love him. 00:29:38.459 --> 00:29:38.839 No! 00:29:39.819 --> 00:29:40.959 Look at it again. 00:29:41.739 --> 00:29:43.219 Verse 32 of chapter 4, 00:29:43.339 --> 00:29:44.399 As God and Christ 00:29:44.399 --> 00:29:45.599 forgave you. 00:29:45.939 --> 00:29:46.779 5.1 00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:48.299 Therefore be imitators 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:48.759 of God 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.660 as beloved children 00:29:49.660 --> 00:29:50.379 walk in love 00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:51.720 as Christ loved us 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:53.160 and gave himself 00:29:53.160 --> 00:29:54.539 up for us 00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:56.599 a fragrant offering 00:29:56.599 --> 00:29:57.819 and sacrifice 00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:58.980 to God. 00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:01.480 Unfailing love 00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.639 pays a price 00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:04.139 for the good 00:30:04.139 --> 00:30:05.680 of the other person. 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:07.519 Clear eyed 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.700 about what is right 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:09.180 and wrong. 00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:10.899 Clear eyed 00:30:10.899 --> 00:30:12.000 about what is 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:13.460 destroying their lives. 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:15.779 God's love 00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:16.840 is not unconditional. 00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:17.880 It is unfailing. 00:30:18.460 --> 00:30:19.340 It is pure. 00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:21.620 And it is completely 00:30:21.620 --> 00:30:22.220 and utterly 00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:23.440 at one with justice 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:24.779 and mercy 00:30:24.779 --> 00:30:26.539 and the good 00:30:26.539 --> 00:30:27.400 and the true 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:28.539 and the right. 00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.120 And that's what 00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:32.160 we should aspire to. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:35.779 That's what we should aspire to. 00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:39.799 So in light of that, 00:30:40.700 --> 00:30:42.680 let's look at the rest 00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:43.140 of the text. 00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:43.720 We'll go through it 00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:44.340 very quickly. 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:45.180 Right? 00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:46.020 Verse 2 00:30:46.020 --> 00:30:46.860 And walk in love 00:30:46.860 --> 00:30:47.820 as Christ loved us 00:30:47.820 --> 00:30:48.420 and gave himself 00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:49.280 up for us 00:30:49.280 --> 00:30:50.440 a fragrant offering 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:51.480 and sacrifice 00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:52.100 to God. 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:53.860 But sexual immorality 00:30:53.860 --> 00:30:54.480 pornea 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:56.120 and all 00:30:56.120 --> 00:30:57.360 telling 00:30:57.360 --> 00:30:58.560 living your life 00:30:58.560 --> 00:31:00.120 with this deep attitude 00:31:00.120 --> 00:31:00.740 that God 00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:01.759 is not your boss 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:02.900 and you have to grasp 00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:04.400 your own position 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:05.540 and your own power 00:31:05.540 --> 00:31:07.420 not trusting God 00:31:07.420 --> 00:31:08.200 or not trusting 00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:09.200 other human beings 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:10.000 to love you 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:11.860 or covetousness 00:31:11.860 --> 00:31:12.500 a completely 00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:12.980 and utterly 00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:13.779 screwed up 00:31:13.779 --> 00:31:14.380 relationship 00:31:14.380 --> 00:31:15.380 with possessions 00:31:15.380 --> 00:31:16.720 with positions 00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:17.640 of authority 00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:18.900 and with money 00:31:18.900 --> 00:31:20.519 must not even 00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.559 be named among you 00:31:21.559 --> 00:31:22.440 as is proper 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:23.259 among saints 00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:23.960 and saints here 00:31:23.960 --> 00:31:24.460 just means 00:31:24.460 --> 00:31:25.099 the ordinary 00:31:25.099 --> 00:31:26.180 average Christian. 00:31:26.180 --> 00:31:27.100 if you've given your life 00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:27.539 to Jesus 00:31:27.539 --> 00:31:28.220 you're a saint. 00:31:29.340 --> 00:31:30.060 Let there be no 00:31:30.060 --> 00:31:30.799 filthiness 00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.880 nor foolish talk 00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:32.740 nor crude joking 00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:33.600 which are out of place 00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.080 but instead 00:31:34.080 --> 00:31:35.120 let there be thanksgiving. 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:36.399 I don't have time 00:31:36.399 --> 00:31:37.179 to go into it 00:31:37.179 --> 00:31:38.519 don't understand this 00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:39.819 in class terms 00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:40.539 as if it's talking 00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:41.519 about refined people 00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:42.099 in Rockcliffe 00:31:42.099 --> 00:31:42.859 versus how 00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:43.599 the guy 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:44.799 working the jackhammer 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:45.359 talks 00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:46.819 this language 00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:47.899 refers to both. 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:49.699 Okay? 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:50.359 This isn't 00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:51.500 Rockcliffe people 00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.399 I hope 00:31:52.399 --> 00:31:53.079 I'm not insulting 00:31:53.079 --> 00:31:54.039 if you live in Rockcliffe 00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:55.419 I don't mean that way 00:31:55.419 --> 00:31:55.819 but it's not 00:31:55.819 --> 00:31:57.500 class-based 00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:58.799 stuff. 00:31:59.099 --> 00:31:59.259 Okay? 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:01.619 It's not class-based 00:32:01.619 --> 00:32:02.660 but I don't have time 00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:03.319 to go into it. 00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:04.500 Verse 5 00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.720 For you may be sure 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:06.039 of this 00:32:06.039 --> 00:32:06.720 that everyone 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:08.019 who is porneia 00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:10.339 or saying 00:32:10.339 --> 00:32:11.579 God you're not my boss 00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:12.559 or who is 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.660 covetous 00:32:13.660 --> 00:32:14.059 that is 00:32:14.059 --> 00:32:15.000 disordered around 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:15.779 possessions 00:32:15.779 --> 00:32:16.640 money 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:17.680 and positions 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:18.900 of authority 00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:21.879 that last problem 00:32:21.879 --> 00:32:22.460 that's the problem 00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:23.240 of idolatry. 00:32:23.980 --> 00:32:24.480 They have no 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:25.200 inheritance 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:25.900 in the kingdom 00:32:25.900 --> 00:32:26.519 of Christ 00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:27.519 and God. 00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:28.220 Let no one 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:28.839 deceive you 00:32:28.839 --> 00:32:29.619 with empty words 00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:30.179 for because 00:32:30.179 --> 00:32:30.899 of these things 00:32:30.899 --> 00:32:31.799 the wrath of God 00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:32.720 comes upon the 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:33.819 sons of disobedience. 00:32:34.679 --> 00:32:35.279 And by the way 00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:37.599 you might not know this 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:38.339 but we used to be 00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:38.740 part of the 00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.879 Anglican Church of Canada 00:32:39.879 --> 00:32:41.359 our congregation 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:42.319 is older than 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:43.319 the Diocese of Ottawa 00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:44.899 and in 2008 00:32:44.899 --> 00:32:46.039 this text is 00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:47.079 perfectly expressing 00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:48.199 why we believed 00:32:48.199 --> 00:32:49.119 we had to separate 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:50.619 from the Diocese of Ottawa 00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:53.459 because the Diocese of Ottawa 00:32:53.459 --> 00:32:54.959 declared as a doctrine 00:32:54.959 --> 00:32:56.559 that there is a way 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:58.220 of being sexually disordered 00:32:58.220 --> 00:32:59.980 that is in fact 00:32:59.980 --> 00:33:01.339 not sexually disordered 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:02.319 but is blessed 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:03.900 and is something 00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:04.880 that people 00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:05.620 should emulate 00:33:05.620 --> 00:33:06.400 and the Bible 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.460 says it's the 00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:08.880 complete opposite. 00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:14.559 It's the complete opposite. 00:33:18.279 --> 00:33:19.319 Verse 7 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:20.259 Therefore do not 00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:21.339 become partners 00:33:21.339 --> 00:33:22.559 with them 00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:23.899 and partner 00:33:23.899 --> 00:33:24.679 here means 00:33:24.679 --> 00:33:25.799 it doesn't mean 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:26.539 that you shouldn't 00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:27.659 work with people 00:33:27.659 --> 00:33:28.220 like that 00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:28.720 it doesn't mean 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.019 you shouldn't 00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:29.559 have neighbors 00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:30.220 like that 00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:31.779 it means a deep 00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:33.220 intimate sharing 00:33:33.220 --> 00:33:35.639 of purpose 00:33:35.639 --> 00:33:36.759 and direction 00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:37.379 with them. 00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:42.279 For at one time 00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:42.879 verse 8 00:33:42.879 --> 00:33:44.099 you were darkness 00:33:44.099 --> 00:33:45.059 but now you are 00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:46.039 light in the Lord 00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:47.259 walk as children 00:33:47.259 --> 00:33:47.899 of light 00:33:47.899 --> 00:33:49.619 for the fruit 00:33:49.619 --> 00:33:50.319 of light 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:50.919 is found 00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:52.100 in all that is good 00:33:52.100 --> 00:33:53.180 and right 00:33:53.180 --> 00:33:54.160 and true. 00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:55.960 In verse 10 00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:57.980 and this is actually 00:33:57.980 --> 00:33:58.920 not as good a translation 00:33:58.920 --> 00:33:59.400 as it is 00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:00.259 it actually says 00:34:00.259 --> 00:34:01.279 not try to discern 00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.120 the Bible 00:34:02.120 --> 00:34:03.039 literally says 00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:03.759 and discern 00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:05.539 it implies 00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:06.620 that you can grow 00:34:06.620 --> 00:34:09.860 it implies 00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:10.460 that God 00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:11.400 is saying 00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:11.920 I'm giving you 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.500 your Holy Spirit 00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:13.320 this is going to happen 00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:13.700 to you 00:34:13.700 --> 00:34:14.840 you are going to 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:16.139 increase in discernment 00:34:16.139 --> 00:34:17.839 and discern 00:34:17.839 --> 00:34:18.460 what is pleasing 00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:19.019 to the Lord 00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:20.359 take no part 00:34:20.359 --> 00:34:22.639 did I 00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.139 oh 00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:23.980 the next part 00:34:23.980 --> 00:34:24.599 verse 11 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:31.779 sorry yeah 00:34:31.779 --> 00:34:32.239 verse 11 00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:33.059 take no part 00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:33.779 in the unfruitful 00:34:33.779 --> 00:34:34.659 works of darkness 00:34:34.659 --> 00:34:36.039 but instead expose them 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:37.639 for it is shameful 00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:38.480 even to speak 00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:39.019 of the things 00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:39.500 that they do 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:40.039 in secret 00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:41.759 verse 13 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:43.100 but when anything 00:34:43.100 --> 00:34:43.940 is exposed 00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:44.720 by the light 00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:46.760 it becomes visible 00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:48.360 anything that becomes 00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:49.340 visible is light 00:34:49.340 --> 00:34:50.340 therefore it says 00:34:50.340 --> 00:34:51.460 arise oh sleeper 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:52.480 and rise from the dead 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:53.660 and Christ 00:34:53.660 --> 00:34:54.620 will shine on you 00:34:54.620 --> 00:34:58.000 just a 00:34:58.000 --> 00:34:59.280 couple of things 00:34:59.280 --> 00:34:59.880 about this 00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.740 it's a very very 00:35:00.740 --> 00:35:02.180 compact language 00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:02.900 here 00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:05.700 one of the things 00:35:05.700 --> 00:35:06.580 that we understand 00:35:06.580 --> 00:35:07.520 is that light 00:35:07.520 --> 00:35:08.020 and darkness 00:35:08.020 --> 00:35:08.780 can't coexist 00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:11.180 and once again 00:35:11.180 --> 00:35:11.680 when the Bible 00:35:11.680 --> 00:35:12.340 is describing 00:35:12.340 --> 00:35:12.940 darkness 00:35:12.940 --> 00:35:14.060 it's describing 00:35:14.060 --> 00:35:15.140 the human condition 00:35:15.140 --> 00:35:16.940 and what happens 00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:18.120 is in a sense 00:35:18.120 --> 00:35:18.720 what the Bible 00:35:18.720 --> 00:35:19.140 is saying 00:35:19.140 --> 00:35:19.680 is that you have 00:35:19.680 --> 00:35:20.160 to understand 00:35:20.160 --> 00:35:20.780 that every human 00:35:20.780 --> 00:35:21.560 being is characterized 00:35:21.560 --> 00:35:22.960 by a type of darkness 00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:25.120 and all the darkness 00:35:25.120 --> 00:35:25.940 in the world 00:35:25.940 --> 00:35:27.580 will never create light 00:35:27.580 --> 00:35:28.720 this is another 00:35:28.720 --> 00:35:29.660 image of what 00:35:29.660 --> 00:35:30.500 salvation is 00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:31.660 that all the darkness 00:35:31.660 --> 00:35:32.420 in the world 00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:33.760 will never 00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:35.180 create light 00:35:35.180 --> 00:35:36.260 light 00:35:36.260 --> 00:35:37.580 has to enter 00:35:37.580 --> 00:35:38.340 darkness 00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:39.340 from somewhere 00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:40.519 other than darkness 00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:41.120 light 00:35:41.120 --> 00:35:42.480 is light itself 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:43.660 and light 00:35:43.660 --> 00:35:44.820 enters darkness 00:35:44.820 --> 00:35:45.340 darkness 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:45.980 will never 00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:47.039 create light 00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:47.460 and so 00:35:47.460 --> 00:35:48.700 he's giving here 00:35:48.700 --> 00:35:49.000 this 00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:49.559 this 00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:50.960 this simple 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:52.480 picture image 00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:53.360 of what happens 00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:53.920 and what it means 00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:54.660 to be a Christian 00:35:54.660 --> 00:35:55.740 George 00:35:55.740 --> 00:35:57.380 there is no 00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:58.200 there's nothing 00:35:58.200 --> 00:35:58.860 in me 00:35:58.860 --> 00:36:00.079 that is light 00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:00.940 that comes 00:36:00.940 --> 00:36:01.640 from me 00:36:01.640 --> 00:36:04.100 and the only light 00:36:04.100 --> 00:36:04.980 is that 00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:06.260 uncreated light 00:36:06.260 --> 00:36:09.440 of God 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:10.060 and God 00:36:10.060 --> 00:36:10.780 the Son of God 00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:11.820 and of the Holy Spirit 00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:14.480 and that uncreated light 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:16.120 enters the darkness 00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:17.640 and the darkness 00:36:17.640 --> 00:36:19.000 has not understood it 00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:20.060 it hasn't been able 00:36:20.060 --> 00:36:21.040 to comprehend it 00:36:21.040 --> 00:36:22.060 it hasn't been able 00:36:22.060 --> 00:36:22.960 to defeat it 00:36:22.960 --> 00:36:24.100 it hasn't been able 00:36:24.100 --> 00:36:25.080 to overcome it 00:36:25.080 --> 00:36:26.800 and all 00:36:26.800 --> 00:36:27.340 who 00:36:27.340 --> 00:36:29.120 allow 00:36:29.120 --> 00:36:30.080 the light 00:36:30.080 --> 00:36:30.600 to come 00:36:30.600 --> 00:36:31.320 in them 00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:32.880 are no longer 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:33.540 darkness 00:36:33.539 --> 00:36:35.320 but are light 00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:37.019 and the light 00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:38.159 that I have 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:39.279 as a Christian 00:36:39.279 --> 00:36:40.400 this isn't something 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:41.659 I can boast in 00:36:41.659 --> 00:36:43.420 because the light 00:36:43.420 --> 00:36:44.059 doesn't come 00:36:44.059 --> 00:36:44.559 from me 00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.579 it comes from 00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:46.239 God 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:47.059 as a gift 00:36:47.059 --> 00:36:47.820 of grace 00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:49.699 and the light 00:36:49.699 --> 00:36:50.659 that comes 00:36:50.659 --> 00:36:51.039 to me 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:51.659 that's a gift 00:36:51.659 --> 00:36:52.380 of grace 00:36:52.380 --> 00:36:53.659 is something 00:36:53.659 --> 00:36:55.559 that I reflect 00:36:55.559 --> 00:36:56.639 but does not 00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:57.739 emerge from me 00:36:57.739 --> 00:36:59.380 and this language 00:36:59.380 --> 00:37:00.279 of exposing 00:37:00.279 --> 00:37:01.539 it's all very 00:37:01.539 --> 00:37:02.659 technical language 00:37:02.659 --> 00:37:04.379 if I had time 00:37:04.379 --> 00:37:04.920 you could try 00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.460 to unpack 00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:05.879 all of the 00:37:05.879 --> 00:37:06.619 different technical 00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:06.980 language 00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:07.719 but it's basically 00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:08.659 just saying this 00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:10.279 that what you do 00:37:10.279 --> 00:37:11.319 is you share 00:37:11.319 --> 00:37:12.179 with people 00:37:12.179 --> 00:37:13.859 their darkness 00:37:13.859 --> 00:37:15.500 not to depress 00:37:15.500 --> 00:37:15.879 them 00:37:15.879 --> 00:37:17.000 but the light 00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:18.379 bringing the light 00:37:18.379 --> 00:37:18.839 to them 00:37:18.839 --> 00:37:19.719 is telling them 00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:20.539 the gospel 00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:22.839 and the purpose 00:37:22.839 --> 00:37:23.559 of telling them 00:37:23.559 --> 00:37:24.239 the gospel 00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:26.199 is so they receive 00:37:26.199 --> 00:37:26.819 the gospel 00:37:26.819 --> 00:37:27.799 and become light 00:37:27.799 --> 00:37:29.319 that's what he's saying 00:37:29.319 --> 00:37:31.039 it's not a matter 00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:32.199 of us versus them 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:32.779 it's not about 00:37:32.779 --> 00:37:33.259 the fact that 00:37:33.259 --> 00:37:33.980 I'm so good 00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:34.699 and I've accomplished 00:37:34.699 --> 00:37:35.539 all these things 00:37:35.539 --> 00:37:36.480 and you just suck 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.960 not like that at all 00:37:37.960 --> 00:37:39.599 you share the gospel 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:41.419 in the hope 00:37:41.419 --> 00:37:42.519 that they receive it 00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:43.039 and they become 00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:43.819 light themselves 00:37:43.819 --> 00:37:45.899 and the really 00:37:45.899 --> 00:37:46.559 interesting thing 00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.059 it's just like 00:37:47.059 --> 00:37:47.960 a couple of chapters 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:48.319 ago 00:37:48.319 --> 00:37:49.019 if you look 00:37:49.019 --> 00:37:50.059 what Paul does 00:37:50.059 --> 00:37:50.799 with these scripture 00:37:50.799 --> 00:37:51.639 texts here 00:37:51.639 --> 00:37:52.799 awake oh sleep 00:37:52.799 --> 00:37:53.859 and arise from the dead 00:37:53.859 --> 00:37:54.719 and Christ will shine 00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:55.059 on you 00:37:55.059 --> 00:37:56.980 it's a bit of a mash 00:37:56.980 --> 00:37:58.579 of part of Isaiah 00:37:58.579 --> 00:37:59.419 I can't remember 00:37:59.419 --> 00:38:00.619 if it's 29 or 26 00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:01.659 and Isaiah 60 00:38:01.659 --> 00:38:03.239 but the interesting 00:38:03.239 --> 00:38:03.659 thing is 00:38:03.659 --> 00:38:04.839 what Paul has done 00:38:04.839 --> 00:38:06.099 here is he's saying 00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:08.139 I'm summarizing 00:38:08.139 --> 00:38:09.759 most of Isaiah 00:38:09.759 --> 00:38:11.639 with these two quotes 00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:13.759 and the way the grammar 00:38:13.759 --> 00:38:14.299 works 00:38:14.299 --> 00:38:15.599 and it's because 00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:17.219 God knew 00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:17.859 what he was going 00:38:17.859 --> 00:38:19.119 to do with Jesus 00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:21.460 600 years 00:38:21.460 --> 00:38:22.359 after Isaiah 00:38:22.359 --> 00:38:23.019 was written 00:38:23.019 --> 00:38:24.119 that he had 00:38:24.119 --> 00:38:24.920 Isaiah written 00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:26.699 that's what I'm saying 00:38:26.699 --> 00:38:28.159 God knew 00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:28.679 he was going to send 00:38:28.679 --> 00:38:30.059 Jesus in 600 years 00:38:30.059 --> 00:38:31.980 so he had Isaiah 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:32.359 written 00:38:32.359 --> 00:38:33.859 and these two 00:38:33.859 --> 00:38:35.139 bits of quotes 00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:35.659 of Isaiah 00:38:35.659 --> 00:38:37.039 summarizing a big part 00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:37.819 of the whole message 00:38:37.819 --> 00:38:38.299 of Isaiah 00:38:38.299 --> 00:38:39.319 that's why he wrote 00:38:39.319 --> 00:38:40.759 that 600 years ago 00:38:40.759 --> 00:38:41.859 so people 00:38:41.859 --> 00:38:42.879 would start to 00:38:42.879 --> 00:38:43.659 understand and be 00:38:43.659 --> 00:38:44.099 prepared 00:38:44.099 --> 00:38:45.039 what it is 00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:45.739 that Jesus 00:38:45.739 --> 00:38:46.819 was going to do 00:38:46.819 --> 00:38:47.839 for you 00:38:47.839 --> 00:38:51.339 friends 00:38:51.339 --> 00:38:51.919 there is nothing 00:38:51.919 --> 00:38:52.500 special 00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:53.559 about me 00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:55.980 I am just 00:38:55.980 --> 00:38:57.579 one beggar 00:38:57.579 --> 00:38:59.500 born in darkness 00:38:59.500 --> 00:39:01.340 who received 00:39:01.340 --> 00:39:01.960 the light 00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:03.259 who wants to 00:39:03.259 --> 00:39:04.119 share with you 00:39:04.119 --> 00:39:05.739 that there is 00:39:05.739 --> 00:39:06.259 light 00:39:06.259 --> 00:39:07.539 that can enter 00:39:07.539 --> 00:39:08.299 your darkness 00:39:08.299 --> 00:39:10.139 and make you 00:39:10.139 --> 00:39:11.119 light in such 00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:11.539 a way 00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:12.900 that you begin 00:39:12.900 --> 00:39:13.539 to become 00:39:13.539 --> 00:39:14.539 more light 00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:15.380 in your life 00:39:15.380 --> 00:39:15.880 right now 00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:16.380 but it is 00:39:16.380 --> 00:39:17.139 but a small 00:39:17.139 --> 00:39:17.759 and tiny 00:39:17.759 --> 00:39:18.299 beginning 00:39:18.299 --> 00:39:19.799 but the light 00:39:19.799 --> 00:39:20.480 will never 00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:21.279 leave you 00:39:21.279 --> 00:39:22.400 and will prepare 00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:22.820 you 00:39:22.820 --> 00:39:23.840 for an eternal 00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:24.680 weight 00:39:24.680 --> 00:39:25.660 of glory 00:39:25.660 --> 00:39:28.099 an eternal 00:39:28.099 --> 00:39:29.099 weight 00:39:29.099 --> 00:39:30.079 of glory 00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.320 where we are 00:39:31.320 --> 00:39:31.960 perfectly 00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:32.860 ordered 00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:34.420 by our loving 00:39:34.420 --> 00:39:35.180 creator 00:39:35.180 --> 00:39:36.460 and filled 00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:37.200 with him 00:39:37.200 --> 00:39:38.760 in light 00:39:38.760 --> 00:39:39.579 for all 00:39:39.579 --> 00:39:40.119 eternity 00:39:40.119 --> 00:39:41.579 with no end 00:39:41.579 --> 00:39:43.639 invite you to stand 00:39:43.639 --> 00:39:55.859 if you're here 00:39:55.859 --> 00:39:56.440 as a guest 00:39:56.440 --> 00:39:57.019 or you've been 00:39:57.019 --> 00:39:57.579 here for many 00:39:57.579 --> 00:39:58.239 many many many 00:39:58.239 --> 00:39:58.699 years 00:39:58.699 --> 00:39:59.199 and things 00:39:59.199 --> 00:39:59.739 just haven't 00:39:59.739 --> 00:40:00.139 clicked 00:40:00.139 --> 00:40:02.019 very very 00:40:02.019 --> 00:40:02.519 simple 00:40:02.519 --> 00:40:03.940 just say 00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:06.039 father 00:40:06.039 --> 00:40:07.599 there is a 00:40:07.599 --> 00:40:07.960 darkness 00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:08.400 in me 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:08.960 that cannot 00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:09.679 be defeated 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:11.359 my attempts 00:40:11.359 --> 00:40:11.819 to defeat 00:40:11.819 --> 00:40:12.059 it are 00:40:12.059 --> 00:40:12.480 darkness 00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:13.019 itself 00:40:13.019 --> 00:40:14.320 you have 00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:14.619 sent 00:40:14.619 --> 00:40:15.000 the true 00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:15.219 light 00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:15.619 into the 00:40:15.619 --> 00:40:15.960 world 00:40:15.960 --> 00:40:17.579 send 00:40:17.579 --> 00:40:18.039 Jesus 00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:18.980 the true 00:40:18.980 --> 00:40:19.300 light 00:40:19.300 --> 00:40:20.079 into my 00:40:20.079 --> 00:40:20.480 life 00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:21.440 that I 00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:21.860 might be 00:40:21.860 --> 00:40:22.380 yours 00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:22.960 that I 00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:23.340 might be 00:40:23.340 --> 00:40:23.759 light 00:40:23.759 --> 00:40:24.599 beginning 00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:25.099 today 00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:25.920 for all 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:26.360 eternity 00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:27.079 and in 00:40:27.079 --> 00:40:27.440 your own 00:40:27.440 --> 00:40:27.780 words 00:40:27.780 --> 00:40:28.340 say that 00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:28.960 to God 00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:30.340 and he 00:40:30.340 --> 00:40:31.539 will say 00:40:31.539 --> 00:40:32.380 yes 00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:35.940 and for 00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:36.280 the rest 00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:36.800 of us 00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:38.199 there's other 00:40:38.199 --> 00:40:38.980 prayers we have 00:40:38.980 --> 00:40:39.420 to pray 00:40:39.420 --> 00:40:39.860 because we 00:40:39.860 --> 00:40:40.360 all know 00:40:40.360 --> 00:40:40.960 there's things 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:41.519 within us 00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.119 which are 00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:42.759 disordered 00:40:42.760 --> 00:40:43.640 let's pray 00:40:43.640 --> 00:40:45.520 father we 00:40:45.520 --> 00:40:45.960 thank you 00:40:45.960 --> 00:40:46.280 that you 00:40:46.280 --> 00:40:46.860 saw our 00:40:46.860 --> 00:40:47.460 disorder 00:40:47.460 --> 00:40:48.720 you saw 00:40:48.720 --> 00:40:49.320 how we 00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:50.660 grasped at 00:40:50.660 --> 00:40:51.240 possessions 00:40:51.240 --> 00:40:52.580 and grasped 00:40:52.580 --> 00:40:53.060 at money 00:40:53.060 --> 00:40:54.720 and grasped 00:40:54.720 --> 00:40:55.300 at positions 00:40:55.300 --> 00:40:56.040 of authority 00:40:56.040 --> 00:40:57.320 how we 00:40:57.320 --> 00:40:58.040 grasp 00:40:58.040 --> 00:40:59.040 in the 00:40:59.040 --> 00:40:59.640 areas of 00:40:59.640 --> 00:41:00.260 sexuality 00:41:00.260 --> 00:41:00.880 how we 00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:01.960 grasp 00:41:01.960 --> 00:41:02.560 in terms 00:41:02.560 --> 00:41:03.120 of maintaining 00:41:03.120 --> 00:41:03.840 our integrity 00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:04.160 and our 00:41:04.160 --> 00:41:04.520 autonomy 00:41:04.520 --> 00:41:04.960 and our 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:05.340 terms 00:41:05.340 --> 00:41:05.600 at the 00:41:05.600 --> 00:41:06.020 expense 00:41:06.020 --> 00:41:06.460 of others 00:41:06.460 --> 00:41:07.060 while waving 00:41:07.060 --> 00:41:07.520 our fist 00:41:07.520 --> 00:41:07.760 at you 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:08.180 father you 00:41:08.180 --> 00:41:08.740 saw all 00:41:08.740 --> 00:41:09.380 those things 00:41:09.380 --> 00:41:09.860 and still 00:41:09.860 --> 00:41:10.460 you loved 00:41:10.460 --> 00:41:10.780 us 00:41:10.780 --> 00:41:11.679 and sent 00:41:11.679 --> 00:41:12.119 jesus 00:41:12.119 --> 00:41:12.579 to die 00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:13.000 upon the 00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:13.380 cross 00:41:13.380 --> 00:41:13.940 for us 00:41:13.940 --> 00:41:14.659 the light 00:41:14.659 --> 00:41:15.940 uncreated 00:41:15.940 --> 00:41:16.500 light 00:41:16.500 --> 00:41:17.480 uncreated 00:41:17.480 --> 00:41:18.000 love 00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:18.519 eternal 00:41:18.519 --> 00:41:18.900 light 00:41:18.900 --> 00:41:19.280 eternal 00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:19.659 love 00:41:19.659 --> 00:41:20.139 entered 00:41:20.139 --> 00:41:20.679 our 00:41:20.679 --> 00:41:21.119 dark 00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:21.599 world 00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:23.559 and died 00:41:23.559 --> 00:41:23.880 in our 00:41:23.880 --> 00:41:24.380 place 00:41:24.380 --> 00:41:26.019 as an 00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:26.440 act of 00:41:26.440 --> 00:41:26.820 love 00:41:26.820 --> 00:41:28.559 that we 00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:28.980 when we 00:41:28.980 --> 00:41:29.720 receive the 00:41:29.720 --> 00:41:30.099 light 00:41:30.099 --> 00:41:30.820 might be 00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:31.119 yours 00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:31.519 forever 00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:32.460 might become 00:41:32.460 --> 00:41:32.940 light 00:41:32.940 --> 00:41:33.860 might become 00:41:33.860 --> 00:41:34.420 a child 00:41:34.420 --> 00:41:34.960 of light 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:36.579 father grip 00:41:36.579 --> 00:41:36.900 us with 00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:37.059 the 00:41:37.059 --> 00:41:37.539 gospel 00:41:37.539 --> 00:41:39.079 and father 00:41:39.079 --> 00:41:39.440 as you 00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:40.639 help us 00:41:40.639 --> 00:41:40.880 to be 00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:41.079 more 00:41:41.079 --> 00:41:41.380 gripped 00:41:41.380 --> 00:41:41.739 by the 00:41:41.739 --> 00:41:42.099 gospel 00:41:42.099 --> 00:41:42.659 continue 00:41:42.659 --> 00:41:43.099 to help 00:41:43.099 --> 00:41:43.400 us to 00:41:43.400 --> 00:41:43.920 be filled 00:41:43.920 --> 00:41:44.299 by the 00:41:44.299 --> 00:41:44.519 holy 00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:44.980 spirit 00:41:44.980 --> 00:41:45.579 to walk 00:41:45.579 --> 00:41:46.219 in love 00:41:46.219 --> 00:41:47.159 and to 00:41:47.159 --> 00:41:47.539 walk in 00:41:47.539 --> 00:41:48.119 thankfulness 00:41:48.119 --> 00:41:48.500 for all 00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:48.819 that you 00:41:48.819 --> 00:41:49.319 have done 00:41:49.319 --> 00:41:50.279 father 00:41:50.279 --> 00:41:51.099 you know 00:41:51.099 --> 00:41:51.340 our 00:41:51.340 --> 00:41:51.819 deepest 00:41:51.819 --> 00:41:52.299 need 00:41:52.299 --> 00:41:52.599 this 00:41:52.599 --> 00:41:52.940 morning 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:53.159 the 00:41:53.159 --> 00:41:53.519 deepest 00:41:53.519 --> 00:41:54.119 disorder 00:41:54.119 --> 00:41:54.519 of our 00:41:54.519 --> 00:41:54.980 lives 00:41:54.980 --> 00:41:55.259 right 00:41:55.259 --> 00:41:55.519 this 00:41:55.519 --> 00:41:55.779 morning 00:41:55.779 --> 00:41:56.059 you know 00:41:56.059 --> 00:41:56.239 the 00:41:56.239 --> 00:41:57.019 unique 00:41:57.019 --> 00:41:57.719 deepest 00:41:57.719 --> 00:41:58.259 disorder 00:41:58.259 --> 00:41:58.719 of each 00:41:58.719 --> 00:41:58.960 one 00:41:58.960 --> 00:41:59.279 who is 00:41:59.279 --> 00:41:59.539 here 00:41:59.539 --> 00:42:00.199 and we 00:42:00.199 --> 00:42:00.679 ask 00:42:00.679 --> 00:42:01.219 that 00:42:01.219 --> 00:42:01.779 you 00:42:01.779 --> 00:42:02.019 would 00:42:02.019 --> 00:42:02.380 come 00:42:02.380 --> 00:42:02.779 and bring 00:42:02.779 --> 00:42:03.159 your 00:42:03.159 --> 00:42:03.980 healing 00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:04.699 authoritative 00:42:04.699 --> 00:42:05.099 light 00:42:05.099 --> 00:42:05.619 to bear 00:42:05.619 --> 00:42:06.319 at each 00:42:06.319 --> 00:42:06.659 of our 00:42:06.659 --> 00:42:07.079 points 00:42:07.079 --> 00:42:07.639 of deepest 00:42:07.639 --> 00:42:08.259 disorder 00:42:08.259 --> 00:42:08.719 that you 00:42:08.719 --> 00:42:09.400 sovereignly 00:42:09.400 --> 00:42:09.579 know 00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:10.179 we invite 00:42:10.179 --> 00:42:10.460 you to 00:42:10.460 --> 00:42:10.920 do that 00:42:10.920 --> 00:42:11.519 we give 00:42:11.519 --> 00:42:12.159 you permission 00:42:12.159 --> 00:42:12.599 to do 00:42:12.599 --> 00:42:12.819 that 00:42:12.819 --> 00:42:13.400 we long 00:42:13.400 --> 00:42:13.739 for you 00:42:13.739 --> 00:42:14.079 to do 00:42:14.079 --> 00:42:14.380 that 00:42:14.380 --> 00:42:15.460 that we 00:42:15.460 --> 00:42:15.859 might be 00:42:15.859 --> 00:42:16.359 more like 00:42:16.359 --> 00:42:16.880 Jesus 00:42:16.880 --> 00:42:18.219 and all 00:42:18.219 --> 00:42:18.579 God's 00:42:18.579 --> 00:42:19.259 people said 00:42:19.259 --> 00:42:20.380 Amen