WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.580 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us. 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:05.200 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us. 00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:07.719 Help us, Father, to be more confident, 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:11.779 but not confident, Father, in our own powers per se, 00:00:11.980 --> 00:00:14.939 but help us, Father, to be confident that you are sovereign, 00:00:15.259 --> 00:00:17.820 that you are good, that you are real, 00:00:18.400 --> 00:00:20.260 that your grace is powerful, 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:23.300 that Jesus really is, Father, 00:00:23.660 --> 00:00:25.800 the power in his death upon the cross, 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:29.660 the power that comes from you for salvation 00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:31.140 when we receive it by faith. 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:35.260 Father, grant us an ever deeper confidence in you 00:00:35.260 --> 00:00:38.219 and your ways and your word and your power, 00:00:38.340 --> 00:00:40.159 and we ask this in Jesus' name. 00:00:40.659 --> 00:00:40.980 Amen. 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:42.280 Please be seated. 00:00:46.519 --> 00:00:49.799 I mean, why do we live in... 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:52.420 This sounds like an odd way to begin this sermon, 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:53.679 but why do we live in Ottawa? 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:55.540 I mean, maybe some of you are wondering that. 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:56.500 Why do we live in Ottawa? 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.240 Why do we live in the city? 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:02.600 My wife and I, before I came to serve in this church, 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:05.159 we served in a small little place, 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:07.299 probably had about 1,200 people living in it, 00:01:07.739 --> 00:01:08.879 called Eganville. 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:11.140 And I not only looked after Eganville, 00:01:11.260 --> 00:01:13.340 but I also looked after a tiny little church 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:14.659 in a place called Killaloo. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:17.659 That's where beaver tails are from, by the way, 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:18.659 the treat. 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:20.640 Killaloo Sunrise. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.939 It was started at the Killaloo Folk Festival 00:01:22.939 --> 00:01:25.219 many, many years ago by ex-hippies. 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:30.580 And Killaloo is a little tiny blip of about 600 people. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.560 And I also looked after two other little churches. 00:01:34.020 --> 00:01:36.420 One had no people living around. 00:01:36.680 --> 00:01:38.980 Actually, neither of them had any people living around it. 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:41.160 And when we went there, 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:43.280 they had a long history. 00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:46.260 For almost 100 years, over 100 years, 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.140 ministers who went there only stayed there 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:49.160 for about three years, 00:01:49.219 --> 00:01:50.480 and they got out as soon as they could. 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:52.480 And we stayed there over seven years. 00:01:52.579 --> 00:01:53.820 In fact, when we left the church 00:01:53.820 --> 00:01:58.540 in the 140 or 150 years history of that set of churches, 00:01:58.540 --> 00:02:00.960 I was the second longest serving minister 00:02:00.960 --> 00:02:02.620 in the church's history. 00:02:03.740 --> 00:02:07.680 And I used to feel blessed to live there. 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:09.000 I'd say to myself, 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:10.539 and I'm a city kid. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:12.840 I was born in Montreal and then lived in Ottawa. 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:14.000 But I loved it up there. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:14.800 I'd think to myself, 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:17.860 you know, other people have to take their holidays 00:02:17.860 --> 00:02:21.199 to come to live in Eganville and to enjoy this. 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:22.640 And I get to live here all year round. 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:24.460 And I really liked it. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.759 But so why did we leave the countryside? 00:02:29.980 --> 00:02:32.379 This was probably a bigger sacrifice for my wife 00:02:32.379 --> 00:02:33.259 than it was for me. 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:37.719 But we came to the city basically for our kids 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:39.759 to give them opportunities 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:42.280 and to be able to get them set up 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:44.599 in a way of living their life later on 00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:45.599 that they wouldn't have 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:47.799 if we had stayed in a place like Eganville. 00:02:48.659 --> 00:02:51.060 We had a large family, have a large family, 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:53.199 and we knew that we couldn't help them 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:54.759 go to university or college. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:58.459 And I just knew that the way that we could help them 00:02:58.459 --> 00:02:59.799 to go, and so did Louise, 00:02:59.959 --> 00:03:01.780 to go to university and or college 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:04.159 was to go to a place where there were universities 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:05.140 and a college, 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.640 and they could live at home with us 00:03:06.640 --> 00:03:09.039 while they would get further education 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:10.580 and training to go on with their lives. 00:03:11.139 --> 00:03:12.479 So it was for our kids. 00:03:13.139 --> 00:03:14.740 It was for their advancement 00:03:14.740 --> 00:03:16.060 and their opportunity 00:03:16.060 --> 00:03:18.500 that we left the country, 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:20.039 the small town in the country, 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:22.280 and came back to Ottawa 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:23.180 and why we stayed. 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:27.159 You know, it was really interesting 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:28.240 because my wife, 00:03:28.300 --> 00:03:30.400 it was very heavy for her in many ways 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.800 leaving Eganville to come to Ottawa. 00:03:33.700 --> 00:03:35.920 And in a small town like Eganville, 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:37.680 everybody knows what's going on. 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:40.819 And she was in the little fresh mart 00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:42.259 just down the hill from us, 00:03:42.780 --> 00:03:44.000 maybe just a week or two 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:46.620 before we moved to come to Ottawa. 00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:49.120 And she got talking to the cashier. 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:50.640 She talked to the cashier regularly, 00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:51.659 and the cashier said, 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:52.780 oh, I hear you're moving to Ottawa. 00:03:52.939 --> 00:03:53.800 And Louise said, yeah, 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:55.659 we don't really want to go. 00:03:55.819 --> 00:03:57.080 I don't really want to go. 00:03:57.080 --> 00:03:59.180 And the cashier looked at her 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:00.940 with complete surprise and said, 00:04:01.460 --> 00:04:03.900 who on earth wouldn't want to go to Ottawa 00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:05.180 and get out of Eganville? 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:07.960 Like, who wouldn't want to be able 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:08.720 to leave Eganville? 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:11.760 She felt trapped with her job 00:04:11.760 --> 00:04:13.600 and her kids and her roots there. 00:04:13.780 --> 00:04:15.680 And the idea of the city, 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:16.800 a city like Ottawa, 00:04:17.500 --> 00:04:18.660 of its opportunity, 00:04:19.220 --> 00:04:21.400 of everybody not knowing your business, 00:04:21.780 --> 00:04:23.420 which is what happens in Eganville 00:04:23.420 --> 00:04:25.819 if the cops pull somebody over on the road, 00:04:26.220 --> 00:04:27.879 within several hours, 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:28.620 if I wanted to, 00:04:28.640 --> 00:04:29.920 I could find out who was in the car, 00:04:30.020 --> 00:04:30.920 why they were pulled over, 00:04:30.960 --> 00:04:31.860 and what happened to them. 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:32.900 Like, that's what happens 00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:34.120 when you live in a small town. 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:36.040 And, you know, 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:37.500 but for the cashier, 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:38.319 just this, you know, 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:39.920 the city is a place of opportunity, 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:41.520 of life, 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:42.540 of not having people 00:04:42.540 --> 00:04:44.220 know everything about you, 00:04:44.860 --> 00:04:45.720 of freedom. 00:04:45.980 --> 00:04:47.439 It's just a great place to go. 00:04:48.200 --> 00:04:48.879 So believe it or not, 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:49.879 the Bible has some things 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:50.759 to say about cities, 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:52.060 and you might not have picked it up, 00:04:52.060 --> 00:04:53.500 but that text, 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:56.100 which Emily read, 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:57.720 actually introduces 00:04:57.720 --> 00:04:59.160 the notion of the city 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:01.280 in a very, very interesting way. 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:03.040 So if you could turn in your Bibles, 00:05:03.139 --> 00:05:03.920 we're going to look at that. 00:05:03.980 --> 00:05:05.439 It has far more to say 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:06.139 than just cities. 00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:07.639 It really is, 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:08.079 you know, 00:05:08.139 --> 00:05:09.420 it's like a lot of things in the Bible. 00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:11.180 It's Genesis chapter 4, verse 17. 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:13.199 It's like a lot of things in the Bible. 00:05:13.300 --> 00:05:14.399 If you just give it a quick read, 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:15.540 it looks a little bit boring. 00:05:16.220 --> 00:05:17.399 But if you pay a little bit 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:18.500 of attention to it, 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:19.759 if you especially think 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:22.019 that in the book of Genesis, 00:05:22.060 --> 00:05:22.839 in particular, 00:05:22.980 --> 00:05:24.240 these first 11 chapters, 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:25.199 but all the way through the Bible, 00:05:25.300 --> 00:05:26.360 but really here as well, 00:05:26.459 --> 00:05:27.720 every word counts. 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:29.399 Every word matters. 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:33.540 It's a very carefully crafted story 00:05:33.540 --> 00:05:36.019 filled with symbolism 00:05:36.019 --> 00:05:37.620 and meaning, 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:39.160 and every word matters. 00:05:39.779 --> 00:05:41.879 So let's just read this. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:42.459 Actually, 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:43.959 just before I start reading it, 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:44.639 verse 17, 00:05:44.740 --> 00:05:45.620 if you're not familiar 00:05:45.620 --> 00:05:46.639 with what's going on here 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:47.120 in Genesis, 00:05:47.840 --> 00:05:48.899 here's been the flow. 00:05:49.859 --> 00:05:50.779 Genesis 1, 00:05:50.819 --> 00:05:51.519 at the very beginning, 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:52.699 teaches that God creates 00:05:52.699 --> 00:05:53.839 all things out of nothing. 00:05:54.439 --> 00:05:55.179 Then it gives us 00:05:55.179 --> 00:05:56.500 sort of a story, 00:05:56.659 --> 00:05:57.939 the so-called first story 00:05:57.939 --> 00:05:58.560 of creation 00:05:58.560 --> 00:05:59.379 that teaches us 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:00.579 other things about creation 00:06:00.579 --> 00:06:01.399 and who God is 00:06:01.399 --> 00:06:02.060 and who we are. 00:06:02.539 --> 00:06:03.899 Then there's a second story 00:06:03.899 --> 00:06:04.560 of creation 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:05.299 that teaches us 00:06:05.299 --> 00:06:06.039 more things about 00:06:06.039 --> 00:06:06.799 who God is 00:06:06.799 --> 00:06:08.739 and who human beings are. 00:06:09.099 --> 00:06:10.279 And one of the main things 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:11.039 out of all of this 00:06:11.039 --> 00:06:13.099 is that God makes everything 00:06:13.099 --> 00:06:14.679 completely and utterly good. 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:16.519 And Genesis 3 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:18.439 describes how evil 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:20.000 and sin and death, 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:22.019 which we all see around us, 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:22.840 come into the world. 00:06:22.900 --> 00:06:23.840 And it comes into the world 00:06:23.840 --> 00:06:24.660 through the choices 00:06:24.660 --> 00:06:26.139 made by human beings. 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:27.900 And then we see 00:06:27.900 --> 00:06:29.040 after this choice 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:29.600 has been made 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:30.819 and Christians call it 00:06:30.819 --> 00:06:31.300 the fall, 00:06:31.420 --> 00:06:33.480 we see how God both, 00:06:34.579 --> 00:06:36.620 God shows mercy to them 00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:38.620 and promises 00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:39.720 a mighty deliverer 00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:41.800 and there's also judgment 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:43.560 and there's also prediction. 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:46.220 And immediately after that, 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:47.360 when Adam and Eve 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:48.120 are out of the garden, 00:06:48.280 --> 00:06:49.280 the very next story, 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:50.120 which is just the one 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:50.780 before this, 00:06:50.819 --> 00:06:52.540 is the story of Cain 00:06:52.540 --> 00:06:55.740 murdering his brother Abel. 00:06:57.019 --> 00:06:58.740 And this is sort of the story 00:06:58.740 --> 00:06:59.720 where Emily read 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:00.439 is continuing. 00:07:00.660 --> 00:07:01.340 Well, we'll just go up 00:07:01.340 --> 00:07:01.980 a few verses 00:07:01.980 --> 00:07:03.180 before verse 17. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:03.860 Let's start at, 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:04.259 let's say, 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:05.899 verse 13. 00:07:06.459 --> 00:07:07.920 So God has sort of 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:09.019 spoken to Cain 00:07:09.019 --> 00:07:10.139 words of punishment 00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:11.360 and Cain's response 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:12.199 in verse 13, 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:13.360 Cain said to the Lord, 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:14.780 My punishment 00:07:14.780 --> 00:07:16.339 is greater than I can bear. 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:18.980 Just last week 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:19.560 we talked about 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:21.240 how this isn't repentance, 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:23.160 this is self-pity. 00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:25.040 At no point in time 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:26.139 in Cain's response 00:07:26.139 --> 00:07:27.240 is there repentance. 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:28.980 It's self-pity. 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:30.840 My punishment 00:07:30.840 --> 00:07:32.079 is greater than I can bear. 00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:32.660 Behold, 00:07:32.779 --> 00:07:33.860 you have driven me today 00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:34.819 away from the ground 00:07:34.819 --> 00:07:36.399 and from your face 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:37.399 I shall be hidden. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.220 I shall be a fugitive 00:07:39.220 --> 00:07:39.980 and a wanderer 00:07:39.980 --> 00:07:40.579 on the earth 00:07:40.579 --> 00:07:41.779 and whoever finds me 00:07:41.779 --> 00:07:42.579 will kill me. 00:07:42.579 --> 00:07:44.740 Then the Lord said 00:07:44.740 --> 00:07:45.359 to him, 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:46.199 Not so. 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:48.259 If anyone kills Cain, 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.039 vengeance shall be taken 00:07:50.039 --> 00:07:51.719 on him sevenfold. 00:07:52.539 --> 00:07:54.099 And the Lord put a mark 00:07:54.099 --> 00:07:54.939 on Cain, 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:56.560 lest any who found him 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:57.360 should attack him. 00:07:58.219 --> 00:07:59.699 Then Cain went away 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:00.399 from the presence 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:00.919 of the Lord 00:08:00.919 --> 00:08:01.519 and settled 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:02.579 in the land of Nod. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.479 And if you look at your note, 00:08:04.979 --> 00:08:05.979 Nod means wandering. 00:08:06.479 --> 00:08:08.000 So he basically settled 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.560 in wandering away from God. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:12.819 It's a bit of a poetic wordplay. 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:14.699 What his home was, 00:08:14.780 --> 00:08:16.420 what he now saw as home, 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:18.439 was wandering away from God 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:20.060 east of Eden. 00:08:20.280 --> 00:08:21.459 And now the story continues. 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:23.500 Cain knew his wife 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:24.959 and she conceived 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:26.060 and bore Enoch. 00:08:26.579 --> 00:08:27.939 When he built a city, 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:30.019 he called the name of the city 00:08:30.019 --> 00:08:31.360 after the name of his son, 00:08:31.939 --> 00:08:32.360 Enoch. 00:08:32.659 --> 00:08:34.019 And we'll just sort of pause there. 00:08:34.019 --> 00:08:35.899 And just if you're wondering 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:37.679 who's Cain's wife, 00:08:39.299 --> 00:08:40.980 what I've decided is, 00:08:41.340 --> 00:08:43.199 what I'm going to do is 00:08:43.199 --> 00:08:44.980 next Sunday at the sermon, 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:46.439 I'm going to sort of tie together 00:08:46.439 --> 00:08:48.079 several questions 00:08:48.079 --> 00:08:49.439 or problems that we have. 00:08:49.500 --> 00:08:50.439 Like what is the flood? 00:08:50.500 --> 00:08:51.220 Is it universal? 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:52.840 Who did Cain marry? 00:08:53.199 --> 00:08:54.199 Who lived in the city? 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:55.399 I'm going to spend 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:56.079 a couple of minutes 00:08:56.079 --> 00:08:57.399 on all of those questions 00:08:57.399 --> 00:08:58.579 and group them together 00:08:58.579 --> 00:08:59.579 next Sunday. 00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:01.159 So just if you're curious, 00:09:01.579 --> 00:09:02.500 come in next Sunday 00:09:02.500 --> 00:09:03.679 or you can listen to it online 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:04.720 afterwards. 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:05.940 But here's the thing 00:09:05.940 --> 00:09:07.519 which is very, very interesting 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:09.000 is this is the first city. 00:09:10.340 --> 00:09:12.059 And it started by Cain 00:09:12.059 --> 00:09:14.080 whose home 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:15.879 is wandering away from God. 00:09:16.539 --> 00:09:17.320 And Cain 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:18.259 is the one 00:09:18.259 --> 00:09:19.399 who makes the first city. 00:09:19.940 --> 00:09:20.840 And if you'll notice, 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:21.860 it's very interesting. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:23.620 He doesn't name it after God. 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:25.700 He names it after his son. 00:09:26.940 --> 00:09:27.720 In other words, 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:29.419 the city is named 00:09:29.419 --> 00:09:31.019 in honor of Cain 00:09:31.019 --> 00:09:32.159 and his line. 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:36.240 not in honor of God 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:37.799 or in any type of way 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:39.000 of referring to God. 00:09:39.779 --> 00:09:40.700 And the other thing 00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:42.000 which is very, very interesting 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:42.539 about this 00:09:42.539 --> 00:09:43.759 is the word for city 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:44.559 here 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:46.159 can also be translated 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:46.860 as fortress. 00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:50.679 And it can also mean 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:51.379 like a wall 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:53.299 as part of a fortress. 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:55.679 So the very first city 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:56.740 is also 00:09:56.740 --> 00:09:58.799 a place of power. 00:09:59.139 --> 00:10:00.019 It's a fortress. 00:10:00.019 --> 00:10:00.179 fortress. 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:03.399 So what is this? 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:05.039 Now, here's the interesting thing. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:06.500 If this was the only place 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:07.179 in the Bible, 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:08.379 we didn't know anything else 00:10:08.379 --> 00:10:09.699 in the Bible about cities, 00:10:10.699 --> 00:10:12.460 probably the way for us 00:10:12.460 --> 00:10:13.399 to interpret this 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:14.039 would be to say 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:14.759 that Christians 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:15.960 shouldn't live in cities. 00:10:17.179 --> 00:10:17.379 I mean, 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:19.319 it's the very first city 00:10:19.319 --> 00:10:19.840 is named 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:20.799 in the honor 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:21.799 of Cain's line. 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:23.120 and Cain is the guy 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:23.759 who murders 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:25.139 his brother 00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:27.279 whose wine 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:28.579 shows no repentance, 00:10:28.959 --> 00:10:29.839 is quite happy 00:10:29.839 --> 00:10:31.099 to have his home 00:10:31.099 --> 00:10:31.899 and his whole destiny 00:10:31.899 --> 00:10:33.179 wandering away from God. 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:35.219 And it's very, very interesting 00:10:35.219 --> 00:10:35.939 that the Bible 00:10:35.939 --> 00:10:37.099 pictures him 00:10:37.099 --> 00:10:37.819 as building 00:10:37.819 --> 00:10:38.559 the very, very 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:39.859 first city. 00:10:40.719 --> 00:10:41.039 And 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:42.639 this shows 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:43.859 a very, very big 00:10:43.859 --> 00:10:44.740 human problem. 00:10:45.319 --> 00:10:46.240 Like as we just think 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:46.719 about this, 00:10:46.819 --> 00:10:47.939 especially if it's the only piece 00:10:47.939 --> 00:10:48.219 in the Bible, 00:10:48.259 --> 00:10:48.779 which it isn't, 00:10:48.839 --> 00:10:49.379 which we'll get to 00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:49.740 in a moment. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:51.720 Now, if you're a guest here 00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:52.240 and you're not 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.340 from a Christian background, 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:54.939 you might not know this, 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:55.939 but some Christians 00:10:55.939 --> 00:10:57.039 don't believe 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.360 that Christians 00:10:58.360 --> 00:10:59.960 should celebrate Christmas 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:02.620 because it's pagan, 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:05.379 because it was started by, 00:11:06.299 --> 00:11:07.679 it was a replacement 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:09.360 for a pagan festival 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.159 in a pagan country. 00:11:12.299 --> 00:11:13.240 And they, 00:11:13.539 --> 00:11:14.440 there's Christians 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:16.179 who don't celebrate Christmas. 00:11:16.419 --> 00:11:16.639 In fact, 00:11:16.700 --> 00:11:17.600 they have similar types 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.720 of things around Easter. 00:11:19.379 --> 00:11:21.379 Because of the origin 00:11:21.379 --> 00:11:22.960 of the holiday. 00:11:23.980 --> 00:11:24.779 Now, for some of you, 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:25.460 you might be saying, 00:11:25.539 --> 00:11:26.799 well, that's just really odd 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:27.960 that there are Christians 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:28.820 like this. 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:29.759 But, you know, 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:31.360 it's actually a very, very, 00:11:31.460 --> 00:11:33.019 very common human problem. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.139 Imagine that 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:36.740 there started to be 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:37.759 a cultural trend 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:38.919 or a cultural movement 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:39.799 that people are really 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:40.460 getting into. 00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:42.379 And then it came out 00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:43.200 that the person 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.340 who launched that trend 00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:47.840 had been a key 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:49.040 financial supporter 00:11:49.040 --> 00:11:50.000 of Donald Trump. 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:52.080 What would happen? 00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:54.720 Well, the Twitterverse 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:55.460 would explode. 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:57.639 People would stop it. 00:11:58.019 --> 00:11:58.320 Why? 00:11:58.460 --> 00:11:59.500 Because it's poisoned 00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:00.399 at its origin. 00:12:01.040 --> 00:12:01.980 And this isn't just 00:12:01.980 --> 00:12:03.600 a more left-wing problem 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:04.519 in quotation marks. 00:12:04.580 --> 00:12:05.080 What would happen 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:05.840 if it turned out 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:06.620 that there was a, 00:12:07.060 --> 00:12:08.940 some type of a cultural trend 00:12:08.940 --> 00:12:09.560 and it went back 00:12:09.560 --> 00:12:11.460 to Naomi Klein 00:12:11.460 --> 00:12:13.300 or Michael Moore 00:12:13.300 --> 00:12:15.980 or a big supporter 00:12:15.980 --> 00:12:17.240 of Hillary Clinton. 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:18.100 Both of those two were, 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:18.540 of course. 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:19.620 Well, there'd be 00:12:19.620 --> 00:12:20.620 a whole part of America 00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:21.019 would say, 00:12:21.160 --> 00:12:21.860 how on earth could 00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:22.780 Christians 00:12:22.780 --> 00:12:25.259 or more conservative people 00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:26.200 get on board 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:27.600 with such a movement 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:29.200 or such a celebration 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.180 given the terrible roots 00:12:31.180 --> 00:12:31.660 that it has? 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:32.120 In fact, 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.120 it's a very, very human problem 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.240 that if we know something 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:36.100 about the roots 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:36.860 of something 00:12:36.860 --> 00:12:39.560 and we don't agree with it 00:12:39.560 --> 00:12:40.500 or we think it's wrong, 00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:41.039 that we don't want 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.240 to be involved with it. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:43.960 So it's a human problem. 00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:46.279 So what's the Bible 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:46.840 doing here? 00:12:46.899 --> 00:12:47.500 Is the Bible 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:48.460 trying to communicate 00:12:48.460 --> 00:12:49.779 that cities are bad? 00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:50.679 In fact, 00:12:50.779 --> 00:12:50.919 you know, 00:12:50.940 --> 00:12:51.279 as we know, 00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:52.480 there's terrible things 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:53.460 about cities as well. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:54.039 They don't have 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:55.179 not only opportunity 00:12:55.179 --> 00:12:56.139 and universities 00:12:56.139 --> 00:12:57.700 and education 00:12:57.700 --> 00:12:58.519 and government 00:12:58.519 --> 00:12:59.539 and prosperity, 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:00.919 they also can be 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:01.860 very, very terrible, 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:02.860 brutal places, 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:05.559 places with murder rates. 00:13:06.220 --> 00:13:07.139 I guess I have a bit of a, 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:08.000 anyway. 00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:08.759 So, 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:10.980 so what's the Bible 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:11.840 doing here? 00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:13.659 Is it, 00:13:13.659 --> 00:13:13.879 um, 00:13:14.419 --> 00:13:16.659 and, 00:13:16.659 --> 00:13:16.819 and, 00:13:16.819 --> 00:13:17.600 and for some of you, 00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:17.939 I don't know, 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:18.819 maybe for some of you, 00:13:18.899 --> 00:13:19.799 there's been a time 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:20.960 in Christian history 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:21.899 not that long ago 00:13:21.899 --> 00:13:22.620 where Christians 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.519 were very suspicious 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:24.259 of the city. 00:13:25.419 --> 00:13:26.659 Where real Christians 00:13:26.659 --> 00:13:28.059 move out to the suburbs 00:13:28.059 --> 00:13:29.179 or move out to the country 00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:30.120 because the city 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:31.379 has too much vice 00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:32.799 and evil in it. 00:13:33.259 --> 00:13:34.179 So is this what 00:13:34.179 --> 00:13:35.360 this Bible text 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:36.139 is doing? 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:37.460 Why is it that, 00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:37.820 I mean, 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:38.580 apart from the fact 00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:40.060 that it probably was Cain 00:13:40.060 --> 00:13:41.259 who builds the first city, 00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:43.540 why is it that the Bible 00:13:43.540 --> 00:13:44.759 brings this out to us? 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:46.379 I want to suggest 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.360 that what's going to be 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:48.620 going on in this text, 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:50.960 and it starts here 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:51.620 with the city, 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:53.100 is that the Bible text 00:13:53.100 --> 00:13:53.980 wants to teach us 00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:55.100 something really important 00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:55.900 about God 00:13:55.900 --> 00:13:57.840 and that this text 00:13:57.840 --> 00:13:59.160 wants to humble us. 00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:01.019 And I know that's not 00:14:01.019 --> 00:14:02.100 a very popular thing. 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:03.080 People don't like going 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:03.540 to places 00:14:03.540 --> 00:14:04.420 where they're humbled. 00:14:05.060 --> 00:14:06.160 They like to go to places 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.259 where they're pumped up. 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:09.759 But this text 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:10.879 is going to humble us 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:11.679 and it's going to begin 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.959 by humbling Christians 00:14:12.959 --> 00:14:14.039 in some very, very, 00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:15.360 very powerful ways. 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:16.480 But here, 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.059 if you could put up 00:14:17.059 --> 00:14:18.100 the very first point, 00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:19.679 what we're going to see 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:20.459 here is this, 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:21.819 that even though 00:14:21.819 --> 00:14:23.459 human beings are fallen, 00:14:24.719 --> 00:14:26.839 God's common grace 00:14:26.839 --> 00:14:27.879 is still at work 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:28.379 in the world. 00:14:29.439 --> 00:14:30.879 Even though human beings 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:31.779 are fallen, 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:33.779 God's common grace 00:14:33.779 --> 00:14:34.860 is still at work 00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:35.379 in the world. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:37.159 This is really, 00:14:37.300 --> 00:14:37.940 really, really, 00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:39.159 really, really important 00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:41.279 for us to get our minds 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:42.279 around and to understand. 00:14:42.560 --> 00:14:43.759 Every single person 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:44.519 that we meet, 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:45.639 it doesn't matter 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:46.300 if the person 00:14:46.300 --> 00:14:49.300 is an angry atheist, 00:14:49.680 --> 00:14:50.460 it doesn't matter 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:52.500 if they're a settled secularist, 00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:53.560 it doesn't matter 00:14:53.560 --> 00:14:55.200 if they're a devout Muslim, 00:14:55.740 --> 00:14:56.759 a devout Hindu, 00:14:57.080 --> 00:14:57.980 a devout Buddhist, 00:14:58.460 --> 00:14:59.060 even if they're 00:14:59.060 --> 00:14:59.920 a devout witch, 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:01.139 it doesn't matter. 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:02.460 In every single human, 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:02.680 I mean, 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.039 on one level 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:03.740 those things matter, 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:04.379 but another level, 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:05.180 it doesn't matter 00:15:05.180 --> 00:15:06.399 because every single 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:07.220 human being 00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:08.779 is fallen 00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:11.100 and in every single 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:12.159 case, 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:14.240 the fall 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:14.980 doesn't have 00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:16.039 the final word 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:17.100 about human life 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:18.120 and human experience, 00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:20.120 but God's common grace 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:21.960 is always present. 00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:26.080 God's common grace 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:27.220 is always present. 00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:29.060 And what the text here 00:15:29.060 --> 00:15:29.539 is doing 00:15:29.539 --> 00:15:31.379 is in story form, 00:15:31.579 --> 00:15:32.939 it's introducing us 00:15:32.939 --> 00:15:34.259 to this idea 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:35.240 that won't be developed 00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:36.179 until later on 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:36.899 in the scriptures. 00:15:37.819 --> 00:15:38.299 And remember, 00:15:38.459 --> 00:15:39.000 if those of you 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.819 were here last week, 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:40.379 you might remember 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:41.159 that I said 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:41.959 that what's happening 00:15:41.959 --> 00:15:42.419 with, you know, 00:15:42.539 --> 00:15:44.699 Cain murders his brother, 00:15:45.139 --> 00:15:46.319 he, you know, 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:47.819 he's a smartass 00:15:47.819 --> 00:15:48.620 with God, 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:50.839 lies to God, 00:15:51.199 --> 00:15:53.120 God speaks to him 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:53.539 with grace, 00:15:54.579 --> 00:15:54.740 you know, 00:15:54.839 --> 00:15:55.860 Cain talks back, 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:57.299 Cain shows no repentance 00:15:57.299 --> 00:15:58.319 at all for having 00:15:58.319 --> 00:15:59.179 murdered his brother, 00:15:59.279 --> 00:15:59.979 he only whines 00:15:59.979 --> 00:16:01.079 and shows self-pity, 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:02.699 and then in the response 00:16:02.699 --> 00:16:04.079 to Cain's self-pity, 00:16:04.219 --> 00:16:04.659 God says, 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:04.939 no, no, 00:16:04.939 --> 00:16:05.439 I'm not going to let 00:16:05.439 --> 00:16:06.379 people kill you. 00:16:07.439 --> 00:16:08.620 And you might remember 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:09.099 that I said, 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:09.959 what you're seeing here 00:16:09.959 --> 00:16:11.179 in picture form 00:16:11.179 --> 00:16:13.579 is God's common grace, 00:16:14.859 --> 00:16:16.099 the fact that there still 00:16:16.099 --> 00:16:17.219 is beauty in the world, 00:16:17.839 --> 00:16:19.719 the land continues to grow, 00:16:20.959 --> 00:16:22.859 that there's beauty 00:16:22.859 --> 00:16:23.740 in human beings 00:16:23.740 --> 00:16:24.839 and human lives, 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:28.740 and so what happens 00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.280 with God, 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:30.180 with Cain, 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:31.340 is that Cain 00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:33.480 still has provision 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.720 and protection 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.660 from God, 00:16:36.160 --> 00:16:37.320 that's common grace, 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:38.240 provision 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.600 and protection 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:40.440 from God, 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:42.160 common grace 00:16:42.160 --> 00:16:43.460 doesn't save us, 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.460 it doesn't make us 00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:45.220 right with God, 00:16:45.259 --> 00:16:46.180 it doesn't make Cain 00:16:46.180 --> 00:16:47.040 right with God, 00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:48.840 but God acts 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:49.580 in such a way 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:50.480 that Cain 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.300 is provided for, 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.000 he's protected, 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.779 and this story here 00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:55.559 is going to continue 00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:56.740 to show other aspects 00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.779 of common grace 00:16:57.779 --> 00:16:58.700 in a way which is going 00:16:58.700 --> 00:16:59.679 to very powerfully 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:00.320 humble us 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:01.940 and not just humble Christians 00:17:01.940 --> 00:17:03.039 but the text is going 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:04.619 to go to humble all hearts 00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:06.380 to reveal our hearts 00:17:06.380 --> 00:17:07.180 pride 00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:08.339 and their boasting. 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:11.500 You know, 00:17:11.619 --> 00:17:12.279 that's why, 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:13.519 and so, 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.660 why do I say some of this 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.240 about the city? 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.400 Because here's one of the things 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:16.960 about the city, 00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:17.680 here's one of the things 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:18.059 that we know 00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:18.859 if we know other things 00:17:18.859 --> 00:17:21.519 about the rest of the Bible, 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:25.039 Jerusalem is important. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:28.960 Jerusalem, 00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:30.639 the city Jerusalem, 00:17:31.379 --> 00:17:33.660 is a powerful symbol 00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:35.799 of God's presence 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:36.720 and his purposes 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.759 and his people. 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:40.180 And for Christians, 00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:43.059 we look for the new Jerusalem, 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:45.200 we continue to have a concern 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:46.740 for the earthly Jerusalem, 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:47.700 you know, 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:48.539 the Bible tells us 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:49.559 to pray for the peace 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:50.220 of Jerusalem, 00:17:50.220 --> 00:17:51.839 and we are to do that. 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:53.200 Doesn't mean we agree 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:54.519 with everything Israel does, 00:17:54.620 --> 00:17:55.740 but the Bible tells us 00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:56.460 we don't have to agree 00:17:56.460 --> 00:17:57.460 with everything they do. 00:17:57.860 --> 00:17:58.759 We pray for the peace 00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.259 of Jerusalem 00:17:59.259 --> 00:18:00.160 and we look forward 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:01.720 to the heavenly city 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:04.120 and to the new Jerusalem. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:07.240 And in the book of Revelation, 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.579 part of how redeemed humanity 00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:10.259 is portrayed 00:18:10.259 --> 00:18:11.339 is like a city. 00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:13.919 So we know here 00:18:13.919 --> 00:18:14.659 that the city 00:18:14.659 --> 00:18:15.759 is not just something 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:16.480 which is portrayed 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.459 as evil, 00:18:18.459 --> 00:18:19.980 but it's telling us something 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:22.399 that it's not going to be the case 00:18:22.399 --> 00:18:23.079 that we're going to see 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:24.299 that all of the good things 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:25.859 just come from that line 00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:27.839 that is in obedience to God. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:30.019 It's very, very, very important 00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:31.639 to see that good things 00:18:31.639 --> 00:18:32.439 are going to come out 00:18:32.439 --> 00:18:33.500 of Cain's line 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:36.119 and it's showing us 00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:38.140 in picture language 00:18:38.140 --> 00:18:40.180 an important principle 00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:41.680 of God's common, 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:43.099 sovereign grace 00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:44.599 in human affairs. 00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:47.039 You know, 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:47.859 it's why there's lots 00:18:47.859 --> 00:18:48.940 of non-Christian marriages 00:18:48.940 --> 00:18:49.500 that are better 00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:50.539 than Christian marriages. 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:51.599 It's why there's 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:53.720 lots of non-Christians 00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:55.099 that you and I all meet 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:55.839 who are nicer, 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:56.740 kinder, 00:18:57.839 --> 00:18:58.339 smarter, 00:18:58.339 --> 00:19:01.039 more self-giving. 00:19:02.179 --> 00:19:05.319 It's God's common grace. 00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:08.199 And this is being introduced 00:19:08.199 --> 00:19:09.399 in story form, 00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:11.480 in symbolic form, 00:19:11.959 --> 00:19:12.679 not in, 00:19:13.899 --> 00:19:15.000 like in propositions 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:15.839 as I put it up there, 00:19:15.959 --> 00:19:18.039 but God uses stories 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:18.720 and images 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:20.000 to lodge things 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.759 in our mind 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:22.220 so that when we hear 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:23.199 the idea, 00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:25.459 there's both an idea 00:19:25.459 --> 00:19:26.679 and a type of image 00:19:26.679 --> 00:19:27.899 even if we're not aware of it. 00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:31.379 So, you know, 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:33.659 what else is going on 00:19:33.659 --> 00:19:35.259 here in this particular text? 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.319 You know, 00:19:37.459 --> 00:19:39.099 there's another problem 00:19:39.099 --> 00:19:40.000 which is being addressed 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.599 in this text 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:41.179 which is a very, 00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:42.299 very common problem. 00:19:42.659 --> 00:19:43.639 It's a common problem 00:19:43.639 --> 00:19:44.299 for Christians 00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:45.819 and just for all human beings. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.659 My parents are immigrants. 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:49.019 I was born a year 00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:49.899 after my parents 00:19:49.899 --> 00:19:51.000 immigrated from Europe. 00:19:51.159 --> 00:19:51.439 In fact, 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.079 they immigrated 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:53.179 from Northern Ireland. 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.079 And some of you 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:54.959 might have heard 00:19:54.959 --> 00:19:55.859 that Northern Ireland 00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:57.459 has had problems 00:19:57.459 --> 00:19:58.179 in its past 00:19:58.180 --> 00:19:59.100 between Protestants 00:19:59.100 --> 00:19:59.720 and Catholics. 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:02.400 And one of the things 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.320 about my parents 00:20:03.320 --> 00:20:04.840 is that when I did 00:20:04.840 --> 00:20:06.080 something really well, 00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:07.580 like if I made my bed 00:20:07.580 --> 00:20:08.840 really properly 00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:10.080 and cleaned my room well 00:20:10.080 --> 00:20:11.200 or cleaned the kitchen well, 00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:13.019 my mom would say to me, 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:14.680 that's very Protestant. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.340 She'd say, 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:19.500 that was very Protestant. 00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:21.400 Now, 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.560 isn't that really interesting? 00:20:22.900 --> 00:20:23.620 Catholics don't know 00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:24.519 how to make their beds 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:25.539 in clean kitchens, 00:20:26.059 --> 00:20:28.519 but Protestants do. 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:31.200 And just for the record, 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:32.819 you know, 00:20:32.859 --> 00:20:33.799 as part of God's sense 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:34.119 of humor 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:35.259 for both families, 00:20:35.460 --> 00:20:36.559 I marry Louise 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:38.920 and Louise is Polish 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:40.700 and Ukrainian. 00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:41.759 And in Poland, 00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:43.160 even the atheists 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:44.200 are Catholics, right? 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:44.980 Even Buddhists 00:20:44.980 --> 00:20:45.599 are Catholics. 00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:45.960 Like, 00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:47.240 Poland is Catholic 00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:50.599 with every letter capitalized. 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:52.339 and one of the things 00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:53.039 the family said 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:54.480 about Louise marrying me, 00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:56.219 which was a bit of a 00:20:56.219 --> 00:20:57.819 not really very good, 00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.199 was they said, 00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:00.019 sorry, 00:21:00.379 --> 00:21:01.639 at least he's not a Baptist. 00:21:04.879 --> 00:21:05.319 So, 00:21:05.719 --> 00:21:06.959 that was very faint praise. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.299 At least I'm not a Baptist 00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:10.039 because I would have been 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:10.799 really bad 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:11.439 if their daughter 00:21:11.439 --> 00:21:12.399 had married a Baptist. 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:12.859 Anyway, 00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:13.619 so, you know, 00:21:13.659 --> 00:21:14.579 there's a bit of a problem, 00:21:14.659 --> 00:21:14.819 right? 00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:15.699 That the best things 00:21:15.699 --> 00:21:16.699 come from Christians 00:21:16.699 --> 00:21:17.439 or the best things 00:21:17.439 --> 00:21:18.459 come from Protestants. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:19.759 And by the way, 00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:21.000 this isn't just a common, 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:22.019 this isn't just 00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:22.879 a Christian problem. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:24.079 What's one of the things 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:24.960 that many, many, many 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:26.379 secular people believe? 00:21:28.619 --> 00:21:29.480 Evangelicals are stupid 00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:30.160 and unread. 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:31.980 I mean, 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.420 sometimes they actually 00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.379 literally say it. 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:35.779 They literally believe 00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:37.019 if you were better educated 00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:37.680 and better read, 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:38.319 you wouldn't believe 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:38.819 the Bible. 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:41.619 If you knew more science, 00:21:41.740 --> 00:21:42.640 if you knew more art, 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.740 if you knew more philosophy, 00:21:43.879 --> 00:21:44.920 if you knew more culture, 00:21:46.619 --> 00:21:48.119 you wouldn't be a Christian. 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:50.659 What is it that Muslims believe? 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:51.879 Muslims believe 00:21:51.879 --> 00:21:53.099 there has never been 00:21:53.099 --> 00:21:54.279 a better written book 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.019 than the Koran. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:55.739 There is, 00:21:55.899 --> 00:21:56.139 in fact, 00:21:56.199 --> 00:21:57.159 one of the proofs 00:21:57.159 --> 00:21:57.639 they would use, 00:21:57.719 --> 00:21:58.259 so-called, 00:21:58.679 --> 00:21:59.739 for the superiority 00:21:59.739 --> 00:22:00.799 of the Koran 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:01.939 and why it's God's word 00:22:01.939 --> 00:22:02.619 is that it is 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:03.979 the finest example 00:22:03.979 --> 00:22:05.059 of human writing 00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.859 in existence. 00:22:09.179 --> 00:22:09.919 I mean, 00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:11.559 in the gay culture, 00:22:11.679 --> 00:22:12.179 there's often 00:22:12.179 --> 00:22:13.179 a conceit 00:22:13.179 --> 00:22:14.179 within the gay culture 00:22:14.179 --> 00:22:15.399 of its superiority 00:22:15.399 --> 00:22:17.000 over straight culture. 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:19.500 there's a common 00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:20.819 human problem 00:22:20.819 --> 00:22:21.700 of believing 00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:22.859 that your group 00:22:22.859 --> 00:22:24.480 is somehow smarter, 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:25.880 more creative, 00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:27.960 kinder, 00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:28.359 better. 00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:29.500 It's a human problem. 00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:29.759 So, 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:30.680 what is the Bible, 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:31.680 is the Bible 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:32.259 going to help 00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.019 or hurt this? 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:33.940 Well, 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:34.819 this is where the story 00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:35.779 gets very interesting. 00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:35.980 So, 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:36.680 go back to reading 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.119 the story, 00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:37.859 verse 17. 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:39.819 We've already got 00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:41.400 this idea of common grace 00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:41.980 which is being 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:42.960 illustrated here 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:43.720 because the city 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:44.980 isn't an evil place. 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:46.119 It's a bit of a mixed place 00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:46.859 on a human level 00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:47.679 but it's not saying 00:22:47.679 --> 00:22:48.579 cities are evil. 00:22:49.579 --> 00:22:49.939 17. 00:22:50.139 --> 00:22:51.059 Cain knew his wife 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:51.799 and she conceived 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:52.500 and bore Enoch. 00:22:52.899 --> 00:22:53.979 When he built a city, 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:54.779 he called the name 00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.219 of the city 00:22:55.219 --> 00:22:55.859 after the name 00:22:55.859 --> 00:22:56.459 of his son, 00:22:56.659 --> 00:22:57.039 Enoch. 00:22:57.679 --> 00:22:58.399 Then we have this 00:22:58.399 --> 00:22:59.899 genealogy. 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.479 To Enoch 00:23:00.479 --> 00:23:01.559 was born Irad 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:03.119 and Irad fathered 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:03.979 Mahujael 00:23:03.979 --> 00:23:05.259 and Mahujael 00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:06.759 fathered Methusheel 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.759 and Methusheel 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:09.199 fathered Lamech. 00:23:09.959 --> 00:23:10.199 So, 00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:10.819 the point here 00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:11.479 is this is all 00:23:11.479 --> 00:23:12.059 of the line 00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:13.259 of Cain, 00:23:13.399 --> 00:23:13.579 right? 00:23:13.579 --> 00:23:15.000 The guy who 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:16.359 murdered his brother 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:17.519 and is living 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:18.759 quite happily 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:20.039 in wandering 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:20.980 away from God 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:22.659 and this is his line. 00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:23.500 These are the people 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.319 who are following 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:26.000 in his footsteps, 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:26.960 so to speak, 00:23:27.099 --> 00:23:28.319 not only biologically 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:29.879 but in other senses 00:23:29.879 --> 00:23:30.419 as well. 00:23:30.939 --> 00:23:31.859 And then it comes down 00:23:31.859 --> 00:23:32.980 to Lamech 00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:34.839 and then in verse 19, 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.819 and Lamech took 00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:36.579 two wives. 00:23:36.679 --> 00:23:37.500 It's very interesting. 00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:38.339 The Bible shows 00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:39.240 that polygamy, 00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:40.740 which is going to show 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:41.359 is basically 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:42.359 always wrong. 00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:42.919 This is a bit 00:23:42.919 --> 00:23:43.619 of a distinction. 00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:44.199 You have to read 00:23:44.199 --> 00:23:44.859 the rest of the Bible 00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:45.359 to see it, 00:23:45.439 --> 00:23:46.979 but polygamy 00:23:46.979 --> 00:23:48.179 comes from this line 00:23:48.179 --> 00:23:48.879 and polygamy 00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:50.299 is a clear sin. 00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:51.479 Living in a city 00:23:51.479 --> 00:23:52.559 is not a sin. 00:23:52.879 --> 00:23:53.859 Polygamy is a sin. 00:23:55.339 --> 00:23:56.500 And it comes here 00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.240 from that line, 00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:58.259 but we'll continue on. 00:23:58.539 --> 00:23:59.459 And Lamech took 00:23:59.459 --> 00:24:00.039 two wives. 00:24:00.139 --> 00:24:00.659 The name of one 00:24:00.659 --> 00:24:01.500 was Ada 00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:02.639 and the name 00:24:02.639 --> 00:24:03.019 of the other 00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.639 was Zillah. 00:24:04.659 --> 00:24:06.079 Ada bore Jabal 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:08.119 and he was the father 00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:08.979 of those who dwell 00:24:08.979 --> 00:24:09.479 in tents 00:24:09.479 --> 00:24:10.379 and have livestock. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:11.819 Just pause. 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:13.699 What this is saying 00:24:13.699 --> 00:24:14.059 is a bit, 00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:14.459 I mean, 00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:15.319 you can sort of get it 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:16.500 in the translation, 00:24:16.819 --> 00:24:17.699 but in the original language 00:24:17.699 --> 00:24:18.579 it's even clearer. 00:24:20.659 --> 00:24:21.740 Civilization rests 00:24:21.740 --> 00:24:22.419 on the fact 00:24:22.419 --> 00:24:23.099 that farmers 00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:24.439 are able to breed 00:24:24.439 --> 00:24:25.339 and produce 00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:26.039 and figure out 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:26.459 how to grow 00:24:26.459 --> 00:24:27.339 lots of grain 00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:29.240 and feed animals 00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:31.039 and there's surplus. 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.699 So in a sense, 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:35.019 it's connecting 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.699 the beginning 00:24:35.699 --> 00:24:36.719 of prosperity 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:41.680 and the beginning 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:43.420 of what's needed 00:24:43.420 --> 00:24:44.539 for civilization 00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.440 that that comes 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.440 out of Cain's line. 00:24:48.819 --> 00:24:49.539 And then look 00:24:49.539 --> 00:24:50.339 what happens next. 00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:51.400 His brother's name 00:24:51.400 --> 00:24:52.160 was Jubal 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:53.220 or Jubal. 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:54.700 He was the father 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.339 of all those 00:24:55.339 --> 00:24:56.180 who played the lyre 00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:57.019 and the pipe. 00:24:58.440 --> 00:24:59.279 And what this is using 00:24:59.279 --> 00:24:59.940 and just a very, 00:25:00.140 --> 00:25:00.279 you know, 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.079 it's like one of those 00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:03.299 really good artists 00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:04.039 who can just, 00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:04.599 with a couple 00:25:04.599 --> 00:25:06.019 of very lines, 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:06.859 just three or four 00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:07.799 or five lines 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:09.119 can capture a picture. 00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:12.619 And so the significance here, 00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:14.579 it's saying that music 00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:16.139 and not only music 00:25:16.139 --> 00:25:17.119 but poetry 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:19.420 and not only music 00:25:19.420 --> 00:25:20.099 and poetry 00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:20.980 but therefore 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:22.059 of literature 00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:23.240 and basically 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.599 of all the arts 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:27.240 that this comes 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:28.259 out of Cain's line 00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:28.700 as well. 00:25:28.839 --> 00:25:29.720 In a sense, 00:25:29.980 --> 00:25:31.460 it's out of Cain's line 00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:32.279 that they're the patron 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:33.440 saint of that. 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:35.899 And then look 00:25:35.899 --> 00:25:36.619 what happens next 00:25:36.619 --> 00:25:37.240 in 22. 00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:38.440 Zillah also bore 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:39.440 Tubal Cain. 00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:41.460 He was the forger. 00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:42.339 That doesn't mean 00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:43.680 you make counterfeit money. 00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:44.599 It means he's able 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:45.480 to build things, 00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.180 make things 00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:47.619 in a forge 00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:49.119 of all instruments 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:50.599 of bronze and iron. 00:25:51.659 --> 00:25:52.180 And the sister 00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:52.980 of Tubal Cain 00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:53.700 was Nama. 00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:55.759 And the significance 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.700 of the instruments 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:57.700 is that in a sense 00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:58.279 it's the beginning 00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:59.139 of technology. 00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:00.720 It's the beginning 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:01.799 of tools. 00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:03.079 It's not just 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:03.759 stone tools 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:04.559 but tools 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:05.680 of bronze and iron. 00:26:05.819 --> 00:26:06.279 It's the beginning 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:07.019 of mining, 00:26:07.159 --> 00:26:08.019 of metallurgy. 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:09.119 It's the beginning 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:10.039 of technology 00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:11.000 and of science. 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:12.460 So isn't this 00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:13.259 very interesting? 00:26:14.299 --> 00:26:14.819 Cities 00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:16.619 come from Cain's line. 00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:18.700 Polygamy, 00:26:18.899 --> 00:26:19.980 which is clearly 00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:21.059 taught throughout 00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:21.919 all of the Bible 00:26:21.919 --> 00:26:22.899 as being wrong, 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:24.539 comes out of this line. 00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:26.599 But the Bible 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:27.500 isn't going to say 00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:28.259 that science 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:29.159 and technology 00:26:29.159 --> 00:26:29.740 are wrong. 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:31.240 You know, 00:26:31.299 --> 00:26:32.500 later on in the Old Testament 00:26:32.500 --> 00:26:33.619 when the ark 00:26:33.619 --> 00:26:34.480 is being built 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:35.700 and when the first 00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:36.879 temple is being built, 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:37.940 God gives special 00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:38.500 abilities 00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:40.279 to both 00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:41.940 a Jewish person 00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:43.399 and a non-Jewish person 00:26:43.399 --> 00:26:44.740 to build 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:46.279 all of the furnishings 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:46.720 and to bring 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:47.579 all the beauty 00:26:47.579 --> 00:26:48.319 into the temple. 00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:50.700 And the text 00:26:50.700 --> 00:26:51.240 is saying 00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:52.659 that prosperity, 00:26:52.879 --> 00:26:54.119 which is a good thing, 00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:54.519 by the way. 00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:55.539 The Bible never says 00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.139 that prosperity 00:26:56.139 --> 00:26:57.099 is a bad thing. 00:26:58.879 --> 00:27:00.519 And that's coming 00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:01.319 out of this line. 00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:03.500 And the Bible 00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.159 is not going to say 00:27:04.159 --> 00:27:05.159 that art and culture 00:27:05.159 --> 00:27:05.659 is bad 00:27:05.659 --> 00:27:06.199 because, I mean, 00:27:06.259 --> 00:27:07.000 who is the greatest 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.739 king in Israel? 00:27:08.919 --> 00:27:09.399 Who is like 00:27:09.399 --> 00:27:10.319 the archetype 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.259 and it's from 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.859 his descendants 00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:13.659 the Messiah 00:27:13.659 --> 00:27:14.019 will come 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:14.759 and it's David. 00:27:14.879 --> 00:27:16.719 But David wrote songs 00:27:16.719 --> 00:27:18.239 and played the lyre. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:20.139 So the Bible here 00:27:20.139 --> 00:27:20.599 isn't saying 00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:21.699 that music is bad. 00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:22.759 Far from it. 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:23.439 But it's saying 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:24.279 that music, 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:25.580 that culture, 00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:26.700 that science, 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:27.460 that technology, 00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:28.259 it all comes out 00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:29.200 of Cain's line. 00:27:31.620 --> 00:27:32.279 In other words, 00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:32.600 it would be 00:27:32.600 --> 00:27:33.200 as if I said 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:33.759 to my mother, 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:34.140 you know, 00:27:34.180 --> 00:27:35.120 the person who invented 00:27:35.120 --> 00:27:35.940 a well-made bed 00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:36.620 was a Catholic. 00:27:39.860 --> 00:27:40.840 Not a Protestant. 00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:42.920 Protestants never 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:43.620 dreamed it up. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:44.700 It's a Catholic idea. 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.600 It's very, 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:49.200 very interesting 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:49.880 what the text 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.779 does here, 00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:51.180 isn't it? 00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:54.080 And so here's 00:27:54.080 --> 00:27:54.900 the second point. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:56.039 This is where 00:27:56.039 --> 00:27:56.960 we have to start 00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:57.799 to get humbled, 00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:58.200 right? 00:27:58.440 --> 00:27:58.980 So I remember 00:27:58.980 --> 00:27:59.980 I began by saying 00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:00.980 that there's 00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:02.000 a human problem, 00:28:02.080 --> 00:28:02.279 right? 00:28:02.820 --> 00:28:03.740 You can see it 00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:04.960 in secular culture. 00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:05.900 You can see it 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:07.000 in, you know, 00:28:07.120 --> 00:28:08.140 people who are 00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:09.200 in the Trump side 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.000 and that whole 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.860 political equation 00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.360 in the States. 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:11.580 You know, 00:28:11.620 --> 00:28:12.100 they're the ones 00:28:12.100 --> 00:28:12.380 who are going 00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:13.400 to make America great. 00:28:14.299 --> 00:28:14.500 You know, 00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:14.900 you can see it 00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:15.900 on the Clinton side. 00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:16.200 You know, 00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.180 the Trumpers 00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:18.620 are deplorables. 00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:21.380 It's a human problem. 00:28:21.840 --> 00:28:23.559 But what we see, 00:28:23.620 --> 00:28:24.019 if you could put up 00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:24.559 the next point, 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:25.200 that would be great. 00:28:25.340 --> 00:28:26.259 Here's what this text 00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:26.799 is starting to see. 00:28:26.860 --> 00:28:27.640 The Bible is trying 00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:28.759 to undermine 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:30.360 this powerful 00:28:30.360 --> 00:28:31.240 human problem. 00:28:31.380 --> 00:28:31.620 It says, 00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:33.500 I've added Jesus 00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:33.940 in here 00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.559 because we're reading 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:35.200 it as Christians. 00:28:35.360 --> 00:28:36.299 Belonging to Jesus 00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:37.340 does not make me 00:28:37.340 --> 00:28:38.440 better than other people. 00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:41.259 Belonging to Jesus 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:42.400 does not make me 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:43.420 better than other people. 00:28:43.640 --> 00:28:44.360 Belonging to Jesus 00:28:44.359 --> 00:28:45.919 doesn't mean I make my bed 00:28:45.919 --> 00:28:46.939 better than other people. 00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.039 Actually, 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:48.759 Louise will tell you 00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:49.479 I don't make the bed 00:28:49.479 --> 00:28:50.039 at all ever. 00:28:51.339 --> 00:28:52.259 That's confession 00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:53.279 for later on. 00:28:53.339 --> 00:28:54.439 I have to confess that. 00:28:55.939 --> 00:28:57.419 And for those of you 00:28:57.419 --> 00:28:58.219 who are young, 00:28:58.479 --> 00:28:59.559 there used to be a time 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:00.000 when you didn't have 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:00.799 these comforters 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:02.059 that you just threw over beds 00:29:02.059 --> 00:29:02.919 and it covered up 00:29:02.919 --> 00:29:04.099 all sorts of lack of, 00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:05.079 you used to have to actually 00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:06.299 make everything tight. 00:29:06.479 --> 00:29:06.699 Anyway, 00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:07.119 there you go. 00:29:07.439 --> 00:29:08.359 That's a separate thing. 00:29:08.919 --> 00:29:10.099 But this is what the text 00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:10.819 is teaching us 00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:11.839 indirectly here, 00:29:11.899 --> 00:29:12.079 right? 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:14.079 It's saying that 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:16.899 it's definitely 00:29:16.899 --> 00:29:17.799 not the case 00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:18.720 that just because 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:19.299 you're a Christian 00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:19.799 you're going to be 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.599 better at science. 00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:21.720 Just because you're a Christian 00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:22.139 you're going to be 00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:22.819 better at music. 00:29:23.179 --> 00:29:24.220 Just because you're a Christian 00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:24.599 you're going to be 00:29:24.599 --> 00:29:25.419 better at poetry. 00:29:25.939 --> 00:29:26.619 Just because you're 00:29:26.619 --> 00:29:27.500 a Christian you're going 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.019 to be better at 00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:28.879 carpentry or better 00:29:28.879 --> 00:29:29.259 mechanic. 00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:30.399 The Bible's telling us 00:29:30.399 --> 00:29:31.899 that in a series 00:29:31.899 --> 00:29:32.899 of images here 00:29:32.899 --> 00:29:34.240 it's humbling us. 00:29:35.139 --> 00:29:36.059 It's telling us 00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:36.960 to reject 00:29:37.699 --> 00:29:39.220 that very powerful 00:29:39.879 --> 00:29:41.559 human drive 00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:47.720 and desire to see our tribe as better than all other tribes. 00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:51.319 It's doing this very ancient story. 00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:57.359 It's undermining this powerful human problem and drive 00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:59.819 that causes so much problem, so much prejudice 00:29:59.819 --> 00:30:02.379 and everything like that in the world. 00:30:03.679 --> 00:30:05.299 But some of you might say, 00:30:05.960 --> 00:30:09.759 okay, but George, like shouldn't grace make us better? 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:12.180 Like if you've given your life to Jesus, 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:17.879 if God has reconciled you to himself through the person of his son, 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:20.599 if the Bible is God's word written, 00:30:21.140 --> 00:30:23.319 if God gives us the Holy Spirit, 00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:26.379 shouldn't grace make us better? 00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:29.799 Shouldn't grace just make us better? 00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:34.019 Well, in some ways it does, by the way, right? 00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:39.799 I mean, it's a very, very common thing that many people, 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:44.400 what helps them in dealing with their addictions or their alcoholism 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:46.279 is in fact the grace of Christ. 00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:50.639 What can sometimes be a check on marriage being broken up 00:30:50.639 --> 00:30:54.599 is just the call of the Bible and the call of Jesus 00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:58.779 to come to him and to take his yoke upon you. 00:30:58.779 --> 00:31:02.579 And obviously in sanctification, 00:31:02.819 --> 00:31:05.259 there is to be changes in our lives. 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:07.720 But remember this thing about common grace. 00:31:07.819 --> 00:31:08.599 Let me tell you this. 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:12.220 All of my prayers, I could fast and pray. 00:31:12.539 --> 00:31:14.619 I could memorize the book of Psalms. 00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:17.839 And I will not run as fast as Usain Bolt. 00:31:20.319 --> 00:31:21.420 Talent matters. 00:31:21.420 --> 00:31:27.900 I don't have his ability to have oxygen come into his lungs 00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:29.320 and go to his muscles. 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:32.380 I don't have the percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers 00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:33.740 that he was just born with. 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:39.900 I don't have the perfect proportion of different parts of his bones 00:31:39.900 --> 00:31:44.460 to each other that just allows him to go so gloriously fast. 00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:51.980 And I can hardly draw a stick figure. 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:56.480 And I can just tell you, I could pray till the cows come home. 00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:59.200 And maybe God, for some reason, would do a miracle 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.620 and allow me to be able to paint well. 00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:01.140 But you know what? 00:32:01.220 --> 00:32:02.819 Why necessarily would he do that? 00:32:06.620 --> 00:32:08.700 See, here's the thing about this. 00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:11.380 Which is, you see, it's actually a grace of God 00:32:11.380 --> 00:32:16.000 that the way our human desire that, 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:18.080 okay, Christians are just going to be better. 00:32:18.220 --> 00:32:19.700 We're going to be the better musicians. 00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:21.960 We're going to have the best families. 00:32:22.080 --> 00:32:23.580 We're going to have the best businesses. 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:25.900 We're going to have the best made beds. 00:32:26.760 --> 00:32:28.340 You know, we're going to have the best science 00:32:28.340 --> 00:32:29.320 and the best technology. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:31.500 You know, it's actually part of God's grace 00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:33.780 that that doesn't happen to us. 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:36.460 To put up the next point, 00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:38.800 because this is what would go on in our hearts. 00:32:38.800 --> 00:32:41.120 If godliness leads to my success, 00:32:41.380 --> 00:32:44.280 if godliness leads to my success, 00:32:44.420 --> 00:32:46.900 I will choose godliness to be successful, 00:32:47.040 --> 00:32:47.960 not to be godly. 00:32:48.700 --> 00:32:50.640 Now, maybe I'm way more wicked than you, 00:32:51.420 --> 00:32:53.200 but that's what would start to happen. 00:32:54.780 --> 00:32:56.660 If it really was the case, 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:58.820 as the health and wealth gospel people 00:32:58.820 --> 00:33:01.200 fraudulently claim, 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.960 fraudulently claim, 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:07.220 that if I could just give 10% of the money 00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:09.000 that I make into the church 00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:10.119 and I'll become rich, 00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:12.400 if that really got out, 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:15.420 Kevin O'Leary would be giving 10% 00:33:15.420 --> 00:33:17.140 of his money to the church. 00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:20.000 Would he be doing that to become godly? 00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:20.660 No way. 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:22.160 He'd be doing it to become rich. 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:26.640 If it really was the fact that praying 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:28.799 would make me as fast as Usain Bolt, 00:33:29.980 --> 00:33:31.380 they'd be doing prayers 00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:33.660 at the Olympic training camp. 00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:33.940 Why? 00:33:34.040 --> 00:33:35.259 Because they want to know God? 00:33:35.360 --> 00:33:36.860 No, because they want to go faster 00:33:36.860 --> 00:33:38.240 and win a gold medal. 00:33:40.800 --> 00:33:41.160 Right? 00:33:41.400 --> 00:33:42.660 If a hockey team understood 00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:45.380 that memorizing the Ten Commandments 00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:46.460 would make them win, 00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:48.820 they'd all memorize the Ten Commandments. 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:50.120 Why? 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:52.380 Not because they want to know God, 00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:55.220 not because they want to be known by God, 00:33:55.300 --> 00:33:57.000 not because they want to be right with God, 00:33:57.000 --> 00:34:00.400 but because they can triumph themselves. 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:09.079 And so it is that it's a kindness of God to us. 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:12.639 It's a kindness of God to us. 00:34:12.679 --> 00:34:14.380 We're going to see why even more in a moment 00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:16.739 with this next surprising twist in the story, 00:34:17.579 --> 00:34:19.139 that it is not the case 00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:20.679 that when you give your life to Jesus 00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:22.119 that everything in your life 00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:23.760 will now be better than others. 00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:25.599 It won't be. 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:27.619 You know the wonderful thing about the gospel? 00:34:27.799 --> 00:34:29.019 Everything that happens in your life, 00:34:29.099 --> 00:34:29.900 you don't do it alone. 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.460 You do it with Jesus. 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:34.619 You do it with your Heavenly Father. 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:38.219 And you do it with your brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:41.319 That's a great, great, great, great, great thing. 00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:43.759 I'm going to be going to Angola in July. 00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:46.019 You know, we'll talk to you about that in a little bit 00:34:46.019 --> 00:34:49.259 to speak to some missionaries in Angola 00:34:49.259 --> 00:34:51.219 and to do some teaching to local churches. 00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:53.799 And I'll be honest, in my flesh, 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:56.780 I'm chicken when it comes to stuff like that. 00:34:57.340 --> 00:35:00.200 And I feel nervous about navigating myself 00:35:00.200 --> 00:35:03.680 around different airports in Ethiopia and Namibia 00:35:03.680 --> 00:35:06.519 and rural airports in Namibia. 00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:07.519 And I, you know what, 00:35:07.580 --> 00:35:09.019 especially one of the things that just worries me, 00:35:09.200 --> 00:35:10.800 it feels far more comfortable. 00:35:10.900 --> 00:35:12.840 I've just had one human being with me. 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:15.840 Because being with others matters, you know. 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:18.620 But we have Jesus, so we can talk about it all too. 00:35:18.619 --> 00:35:24.739 But the text goes on, and not only does it then, 00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:27.639 the text deals with another human problem 00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:33.920 that also affects churches and Christians and non-Christians. 00:35:33.960 --> 00:35:34.839 You have to watch the time. 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:37.579 One of the things that, you know, around the city right now, 00:35:37.699 --> 00:35:40.779 I'm going to take a risk of offending people, 00:35:40.859 --> 00:35:42.179 maybe not people who are here, 00:35:42.299 --> 00:35:44.099 but maybe some people who are here. 00:35:44.099 --> 00:35:48.239 There's a lot of churches which are closing in the city. 00:35:49.619 --> 00:35:51.940 And one of the things which is really interesting 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:53.699 is that these churches that are closing, 00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:55.719 some of these churches that are closing, 00:35:56.860 --> 00:36:00.920 and some of them choose not to just sell their buildings 00:36:00.920 --> 00:36:02.079 for the highest bidder. 00:36:02.279 --> 00:36:05.779 Some of them sell them for lower than their highest bidder. 00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:08.259 But they sell them to arts groups. 00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:14.820 They don't say, you know, there's a powerful move amongst God 00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:18.720 for new Canadians coming from Africa. 00:36:19.480 --> 00:36:22.760 And there's this really wonderful pastor 00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:27.140 who's come from Africa to minister to new Canadians from Africa. 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:28.920 Why don't we give the building to them? 00:36:30.640 --> 00:36:33.040 Or there's this powerful move of God 00:36:33.040 --> 00:36:36.080 amongst people who've come from China to become Canadians. 00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:39.619 And they come here to become Canadians, 00:36:39.739 --> 00:36:40.860 but then they become Christians. 00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:42.279 There's a powerful move of God. 00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:44.139 Why don't we give our building to them? 00:36:44.299 --> 00:36:44.559 No. 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:48.000 They want to give the building to an arts group. 00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:54.719 They're revealing their idol. 00:36:58.799 --> 00:37:00.500 And the fact of the matter is 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:04.960 that many, many, many, many people in our culture 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:07.320 believe that science will solve our problems, 00:37:07.460 --> 00:37:09.380 that technology will solve our problems, 00:37:09.559 --> 00:37:11.199 that art will solve our problems, 00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:13.900 that prosperity will solve our problems, 00:37:14.340 --> 00:37:16.719 that better cities will solve our problems, 00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:18.940 that better government will solve our problems. 00:37:19.340 --> 00:37:21.780 And it's a very, very, very, very, very common idea, 00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:23.300 but the Bible is far wiser. 00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:25.880 The Bible is far wiser. 00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:27.559 Look again at what the Bible does next. 00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:29.659 It's very, very, very, very interesting. 00:37:29.900 --> 00:37:30.759 Very interesting. 00:37:31.619 --> 00:37:34.960 So we've just, if you go to verse 24, 23, 00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:37.099 so the city has been invented. 00:37:39.239 --> 00:37:41.880 Prosperity is going back to Cain's line. 00:37:42.739 --> 00:37:45.139 Art, science, and technology. 00:37:46.279 --> 00:37:48.779 And then the father of this, 00:37:49.099 --> 00:37:51.500 in verse 23, Lamech said to his wives, 00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:54.019 Ada and Zillah, hear my voice. 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:57.039 You wives of Lamech, listen to what I say. 00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:59.860 I have killed a man for wounding me, 00:38:00.420 --> 00:38:03.159 a young man, literally a lad, 00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:05.019 for striking me. 00:38:05.659 --> 00:38:07.380 A lad strikes him, he kills him. 00:38:08.259 --> 00:38:09.559 A lad strikes Lamech, 00:38:09.719 --> 00:38:12.639 and Lamech in anger and rage kills the lad. 00:38:14.219 --> 00:38:15.179 Now here's the thing. 00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:17.519 If Cain's revenge, 00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:19.139 in other words, God says, 00:38:19.420 --> 00:38:21.840 I'm going to protect Cain by sevenfold protection, 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:24.059 then Lamech's, 00:38:24.660 --> 00:38:29.100 Lamech's is 77-fold. 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:32.160 Next point. 00:38:33.059 --> 00:38:35.940 I get this thing from a novel that I read. 00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:39.780 Even after science and art and prosperity and civilization, 00:38:39.780 --> 00:38:44.480 the lizard part of our brain still thrives unchanged. 00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:48.320 It comes from the Jack Reacher novels. 00:38:48.740 --> 00:38:50.000 He comes to a point, 00:38:50.260 --> 00:38:53.559 and he'll mention how the lizard part of his brain kicks in, 00:38:53.960 --> 00:38:56.740 which means he's going to kick butt in a serious way. 00:38:58.099 --> 00:39:00.539 And it's a very, very powerful image, isn't it? 00:39:00.860 --> 00:39:01.360 And you know what? 00:39:03.900 --> 00:39:05.880 University faculties that fight, 00:39:06.059 --> 00:39:07.559 women's centers that fight, 00:39:09.639 --> 00:39:10.659 mosques that fight, 00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:11.800 churches that fight, 00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:12.960 nations that fight, 00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:14.199 families that fight, 00:39:14.840 --> 00:39:15.800 streets that fight, 00:39:15.980 --> 00:39:16.980 neighborhoods that fight. 00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:24.039 Even after science and art and prosperity and civilization, 00:39:24.380 --> 00:39:28.079 the lizard part of our brain still thrives unchanged. 00:39:28.740 --> 00:39:31.179 See, it's easy for us to see, 00:39:31.340 --> 00:39:31.940 we now have, 00:39:32.019 --> 00:39:33.440 we have the beginnings of prosperity, 00:39:33.699 --> 00:39:35.059 we have the beginnings of science, 00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:36.480 we have the beginnings of technology, 00:39:36.780 --> 00:39:39.460 we have the beginnings of art and culture of civilization, 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:41.800 and it all looks very good, 00:39:41.800 --> 00:39:44.740 and it's not come out of the line that's going to worship the Lord, 00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:46.700 it's come out of the line that is seeing God, 00:39:47.180 --> 00:39:49.180 they're quite happy wandering away from God, 00:39:49.200 --> 00:39:50.200 and it can look as if, 00:39:50.560 --> 00:39:52.060 well, what we need is we need more of this, 00:39:52.100 --> 00:39:53.320 this is going to solve our problems, 00:39:53.380 --> 00:39:54.220 this is fantastic. 00:39:54.340 --> 00:39:58.680 And then the text very subtly has this boast of Lamech 00:39:58.680 --> 00:40:01.860 to remind us, 00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:04.960 the lizard part of our brain is unchanged. 00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:09.179 Is it going to put up the next point, please? 00:40:11.420 --> 00:40:14.699 Cities, prosperity, science, and art are great goods. 00:40:14.820 --> 00:40:16.079 That's what the Bible is going to teach, 00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:17.039 they're great goods. 00:40:17.659 --> 00:40:19.360 It's not a virtue to be poor. 00:40:21.059 --> 00:40:22.539 It's not a sin to be poor. 00:40:23.579 --> 00:40:25.340 People who are poor aren't sinners, 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:27.539 people who are rich aren't virtuous. 00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:28.699 It's not saying that. 00:40:28.699 --> 00:40:33.759 But cities, prosperity, science, and art are great goods, 00:40:33.879 --> 00:40:36.859 but as idols, they always fail. 00:40:38.359 --> 00:40:39.439 As idols, 00:40:40.279 --> 00:40:42.839 when we put our hope and trust in them, 00:40:42.899 --> 00:40:44.339 they always fail. 00:40:45.099 --> 00:40:47.699 And you know, the other thing which is so interesting about this 00:40:47.699 --> 00:40:50.079 is the way that the story very subtly 00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:52.519 plants in our mind this idea of their failure. 00:40:53.219 --> 00:40:54.719 So what's going to happen? 00:40:54.719 --> 00:40:56.259 Lamech makes this big boast. 00:40:56.260 --> 00:40:59.540 Chest-thumping boast. 00:41:00.020 --> 00:41:01.940 I'm way more powerful than God. 00:41:02.220 --> 00:41:04.640 You fear God, you should fear me way more. 00:41:05.180 --> 00:41:06.380 I'm way stronger. 00:41:06.660 --> 00:41:08.120 I'm meaner. 00:41:08.240 --> 00:41:08.960 I'm harder. 00:41:09.180 --> 00:41:10.000 I'm faster. 00:41:10.180 --> 00:41:10.860 I'm quicker. 00:41:11.660 --> 00:41:12.540 And what's the very... 00:41:12.540 --> 00:41:13.300 How does the Bible... 00:41:13.300 --> 00:41:14.100 What's God going to do? 00:41:14.580 --> 00:41:15.420 What's God going to do? 00:41:16.280 --> 00:41:17.820 Show him he's bigger and tougher. 00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:19.040 Send down a lightning bolt. 00:41:19.140 --> 00:41:19.460 Kill him. 00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:20.260 You know what he does? 00:41:20.420 --> 00:41:20.880 It's very simple. 00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:21.720 What happens next? 00:41:22.420 --> 00:41:23.300 A baby's born. 00:41:23.300 --> 00:41:28.260 We all know babies can sure beat big strong guys, right? 00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:29.880 A baby's born. 00:41:31.920 --> 00:41:33.940 That's the response of God in the text. 00:41:34.080 --> 00:41:34.880 A baby's born. 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:36.000 And you know the other response? 00:41:36.240 --> 00:41:37.440 Lamech's line disappears. 00:41:40.080 --> 00:41:44.460 We go to see the ruins of the Roman Empire. 00:41:45.019 --> 00:41:47.000 We don't go to visit the Roman Empire. 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:52.860 We go to see the ruins of the Mayan Empire. 00:41:53.639 --> 00:41:55.519 We don't go to visit the Mayan Empire. 00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:58.320 Look at verse 25. 00:41:58.380 --> 00:41:59.679 And Adam knew his wife again. 00:42:00.179 --> 00:42:02.420 And she bore a son and called his name Seth. 00:42:02.519 --> 00:42:06.260 For she said, God has appointed for me another seed instead of Abel. 00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:08.500 For Cain killed him. 00:42:09.079 --> 00:42:11.079 To Seth also a son was born. 00:42:11.119 --> 00:42:12.440 And he called his name Enosh. 00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:16.320 At that time, people began to call upon the name of the Lord. 00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:18.420 Now, my time is up. 00:42:18.539 --> 00:42:20.179 I just, here's the thing. 00:42:20.220 --> 00:42:21.599 You could put up the next point, please. 00:42:24.320 --> 00:42:25.960 Actually, could you all say this with me? 00:42:26.039 --> 00:42:27.039 It's a great text. 00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:33.579 But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:42:33.860 --> 00:42:38.300 by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. 00:42:38.300 --> 00:42:44.539 So the text says we have art, we have civilization, we have science, we have prosperity, 00:42:44.700 --> 00:42:45.820 we have all of these great goods. 00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:46.440 We have cities. 00:42:46.840 --> 00:42:48.060 They're great goods. 00:42:49.039 --> 00:42:51.140 But God is going to continue. 00:42:51.400 --> 00:42:54.480 His common grace is present, but his special grace will come. 00:42:55.300 --> 00:43:01.240 The line out of which the one who will slay the serpent and slay sin and death, 00:43:02.100 --> 00:43:06.180 God's promise continues in the face of all these goods, 00:43:06.179 --> 00:43:09.059 in the face of all this sin, in the face of all this human arrogance, 00:43:09.259 --> 00:43:12.139 and all this human pride, God's purpose remains. 00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:14.819 He continues to be true to his word. 00:43:16.199 --> 00:43:18.639 And he teaches that rather than boasting, 00:43:19.759 --> 00:43:22.419 wisdom says that we call on the name of the Lord. 00:43:23.419 --> 00:43:26.039 Now, that would have been hard to know what people understood of it 00:43:26.039 --> 00:43:27.339 when they first hear this story. 00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:31.399 They have to come to Exodus 3 to understand a little bit more about the Lord. 00:43:31.719 --> 00:43:35.559 They have to wait until they hear about David to hear more about what the Lord is. 00:43:35.559 --> 00:43:41.480 They need to wait until Isaiah and Daniel and Ezekiel to know a little bit more about who this, 00:43:41.739 --> 00:43:42.599 the Lord is. 00:43:42.759 --> 00:43:45.579 And ultimately, they need to wait until Jesus has come, 00:43:45.719 --> 00:43:51.059 who is the promised seed, who does slay the serpent and does slay death and sin 00:43:51.059 --> 00:43:57.699 and defeats demons and will bring in the new heaven and the new earth by his death upon the cross. 00:43:57.699 --> 00:44:01.819 The Bible says that when Jesus is dying upon the cross, 00:44:02.359 --> 00:44:10.299 it is we see before us God's power for salvation for those who receive it by faith and trust in Jesus 00:44:10.299 --> 00:44:11.460 and what he has done. 00:44:12.119 --> 00:44:16.819 And what this text is very interestingly do is the normal human tendency is, 00:44:17.079 --> 00:44:19.179 and most of our boasting is quiet. 00:44:19.179 --> 00:44:23.339 But what boasting reveals to us is, 00:44:23.659 --> 00:44:25.279 where do we get our identity? 00:44:26.299 --> 00:44:27.619 Where do we get our meaning? 00:44:28.519 --> 00:44:32.419 What makes us think that we will triumph and survive? 00:44:32.639 --> 00:44:33.799 What gives us direction? 00:44:36.179 --> 00:44:38.199 Well, it's because I'm cultured. 00:44:38.399 --> 00:44:39.940 It's because I'm good looking. 00:44:40.880 --> 00:44:43.579 It's because I'm able to control things. 00:44:44.539 --> 00:44:45.980 And you know, if you think about it, 00:44:46.019 --> 00:44:48.200 it's because I'm able to control things. 00:44:48.360 --> 00:44:49.780 Well, that's part of my identity. 00:44:50.059 --> 00:44:52.619 That's what's going to give me success. 00:44:53.260 --> 00:44:54.820 It's what I put my hope in. 00:44:55.360 --> 00:44:56.679 It's what I trust in, 00:44:56.820 --> 00:44:58.079 that I can control things, 00:44:58.119 --> 00:44:58.960 or that I'm good looking, 00:44:59.179 --> 00:45:00.880 or that I'm rich, 00:45:01.240 --> 00:45:02.880 or I have this degree, 00:45:03.119 --> 00:45:04.019 or I'm a scientist, 00:45:04.019 --> 00:45:05.019 or I'm a secularist, 00:45:05.740 --> 00:45:06.860 or I'm a Baptist, 00:45:07.119 --> 00:45:07.920 or I'm an Anglican, 00:45:07.940 --> 00:45:09.200 or something other than God. 00:45:09.199 --> 00:45:10.699 And what this text is saying 00:45:10.699 --> 00:45:13.279 is that as the gospel grips us, 00:45:13.339 --> 00:45:14.619 as we give our lives to Jesus 00:45:14.619 --> 00:45:16.139 and the gospel grips us, 00:45:16.739 --> 00:45:19.679 one of the purposes of the gospel gripping us 00:45:19.679 --> 00:45:24.139 is that we start to no longer believe 00:45:24.139 --> 00:45:25.639 that these are the things 00:45:25.639 --> 00:45:27.619 that will give us direction and success 00:45:27.619 --> 00:45:29.000 and meaning and identity, 00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:33.119 but that we are to understand 00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:35.059 that what our identity comes from 00:45:35.059 --> 00:45:37.399 is God's power given to us 00:45:37.400 --> 00:45:39.519 in the death and resurrection of Jesus 00:45:39.519 --> 00:45:41.019 to make us right with him, 00:45:41.740 --> 00:45:43.500 that nothing will change that, 00:45:43.619 --> 00:45:45.400 nothing will shake that from us. 00:45:46.280 --> 00:45:48.480 That's to be my ultimate hope. 00:45:49.099 --> 00:45:51.500 It's not whether I can have lots of children, 00:45:51.660 --> 00:45:53.200 or I can get the job that I want, 00:45:53.260 --> 00:45:54.420 or the husband that I want, 00:45:54.480 --> 00:45:55.820 or get political power. 00:45:56.039 --> 00:45:57.700 Not that these things are bad. 00:45:57.800 --> 00:45:59.099 It's not that we should seek them, 00:45:59.099 --> 00:46:02.259 but if they become our boast, 00:46:03.259 --> 00:46:07.179 if they become the thing that makes us believe 00:46:07.179 --> 00:46:09.279 that if that's the sign of success 00:46:09.279 --> 00:46:10.900 and the means of success, 00:46:11.400 --> 00:46:13.739 if that's the basis of our identity, 00:46:13.860 --> 00:46:15.039 it's going to be like Lamech, 00:46:15.099 --> 00:46:16.239 and it will fail. 00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:20.199 But as the gospel grips us, 00:46:20.759 --> 00:46:23.159 and we realize that God 00:46:23.159 --> 00:46:25.719 is not only giving common grace, 00:46:25.839 --> 00:46:27.199 but saving grace, 00:46:27.839 --> 00:46:31.339 that his strong arm has reached down 00:46:31.339 --> 00:46:35.039 and reached our tiny failing arm 00:46:35.039 --> 00:46:36.939 to put our hope and trust in him 00:46:36.939 --> 00:46:39.139 because our idols have failed, 00:46:40.339 --> 00:46:42.279 and our idols are consuming us, 00:46:42.339 --> 00:46:44.859 and our idols are only making us anxious 00:46:44.860 --> 00:46:46.760 or making us arrogant, 00:46:47.420 --> 00:46:50.260 and that we can start to understand 00:46:50.260 --> 00:46:51.380 that our identity, 00:46:51.579 --> 00:46:52.099 our hope, 00:46:52.200 --> 00:46:52.880 our trust, 00:46:53.099 --> 00:46:53.960 our ground, 00:46:54.700 --> 00:46:58.320 our shape comes from being gripped 00:46:58.320 --> 00:46:59.300 by the gospel, 00:47:00.019 --> 00:47:02.300 by Jesus' death upon the cross, 00:47:02.820 --> 00:47:04.559 by who he is and what he's done. 00:47:05.420 --> 00:47:07.740 As that becomes our boast, 00:47:09.880 --> 00:47:11.720 it doesn't mean that we leave the world, 00:47:11.820 --> 00:47:13.680 but we live in the world in a different way. 00:47:14.860 --> 00:47:17.380 that the idols that make us 00:47:17.380 --> 00:47:19.120 either arrogant or anxious 00:47:19.120 --> 00:47:23.260 start to lose their control over us, 00:47:23.480 --> 00:47:28.019 and they start to lose their allure to us 00:47:28.019 --> 00:47:30.039 as we're gripped by the gospel. 00:47:30.640 --> 00:47:31.460 Please stand. 00:47:31.460 --> 00:47:31.519 Please stand. 00:47:31.519 --> 00:47:42.119 Just before we pray, 00:47:42.199 --> 00:47:43.840 could you put that scripture passage up again, 00:47:43.880 --> 00:47:44.500 that last point? 00:47:44.559 --> 00:47:46.480 Could you just all say this with me one more time? 00:47:46.519 --> 00:47:48.460 It's a great text to memorize, by the way. 00:47:48.500 --> 00:47:50.059 I encourage you to memorize the Bible, 00:47:50.599 --> 00:47:51.460 meditate upon it, 00:47:52.219 --> 00:47:54.019 ask God to make it true in your life 00:47:54.019 --> 00:47:54.840 and in your heart 00:47:54.840 --> 00:47:57.719 that the gospel would grip you 00:47:57.719 --> 00:47:58.759 so that your boast, 00:47:58.980 --> 00:47:59.619 my boast, 00:47:59.739 --> 00:48:00.739 our church's boast 00:48:00.739 --> 00:48:01.879 will be in the gospel 00:48:01.879 --> 00:48:03.779 and in Jesus 00:48:03.779 --> 00:48:07.179 and that that will shape 00:48:07.179 --> 00:48:08.319 how we live in the world 00:48:08.319 --> 00:48:09.619 and how we do science 00:48:09.619 --> 00:48:10.779 and how we do marriage 00:48:10.779 --> 00:48:11.919 and how we do family 00:48:11.919 --> 00:48:14.079 and how we do relationships. 00:48:14.799 --> 00:48:16.639 Can you say this with me one more time? 00:48:16.719 --> 00:48:19.039 But far be it from me to boast 00:48:19.039 --> 00:48:20.879 except in the cross 00:48:20.880 --> 00:48:22.480 of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:48:22.480 --> 00:48:24.119 by which the world 00:48:24.119 --> 00:48:25.840 has been crucified to me 00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:27.320 and I to the world. 00:48:27.740 --> 00:48:29.579 Father, we thank you that, 00:48:29.760 --> 00:48:31.340 we thank you, Father, 00:48:31.420 --> 00:48:32.360 that you know that we have, 00:48:32.440 --> 00:48:33.500 we struggle with idols. 00:48:34.280 --> 00:48:35.019 Father, you know that 00:48:35.019 --> 00:48:36.640 we don't even struggle with idols. 00:48:37.019 --> 00:48:38.760 Father, you know that many of us 00:48:38.760 --> 00:48:40.920 have powerful functioning idols 00:48:40.920 --> 00:48:41.619 in our lives 00:48:41.619 --> 00:48:43.019 that we don't even struggle against. 00:48:43.119 --> 00:48:44.019 We just think that's 00:48:44.019 --> 00:48:45.820 just the way to be. 00:48:46.400 --> 00:48:47.579 And we thank you, Father, 00:48:47.660 --> 00:48:48.519 that you don't wait for us 00:48:48.519 --> 00:48:49.280 to be perfect, 00:48:49.280 --> 00:48:51.120 but you see us and you love us 00:48:51.120 --> 00:48:52.840 and you saved us through Jesus 00:48:52.840 --> 00:48:54.200 and his death upon the cross 00:48:54.200 --> 00:48:56.660 that all who call upon him 00:48:56.660 --> 00:48:57.540 to be the Lord, 00:48:57.680 --> 00:48:59.280 to call upon the name of the Lord, 00:48:59.380 --> 00:49:00.160 to be their Savior, 00:49:00.300 --> 00:49:01.740 that you will turn none away. 00:49:02.080 --> 00:49:03.360 You will turn none away 00:49:03.360 --> 00:49:04.820 who calls upon you today, 00:49:04.920 --> 00:49:06.320 right now in this place, 00:49:06.380 --> 00:49:07.560 that you turn none away, 00:49:08.000 --> 00:49:09.260 that you take them for yourself. 00:49:09.740 --> 00:49:11.460 Father, we give you thanks and praise 00:49:11.460 --> 00:49:13.220 that you do not weigh our merits, 00:49:13.760 --> 00:49:16.420 but you look at Jesus 00:49:16.420 --> 00:49:17.280 and look at us 00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:18.480 and take us in Jesus 00:49:18.480 --> 00:49:20.139 and give us Jesus 00:49:20.139 --> 00:49:21.440 and put us in Jesus 00:49:21.440 --> 00:49:22.820 and put Jesus in us. 00:49:23.440 --> 00:49:25.179 Father, make us disciples of Jesus 00:49:25.179 --> 00:49:26.740 who are gripped by the gospel, 00:49:27.400 --> 00:49:28.920 who are learning to boast 00:49:28.920 --> 00:49:30.500 in the gospel, 00:49:30.920 --> 00:49:31.880 in Jesus 00:49:31.880 --> 00:49:33.000 and what he has done for us 00:49:33.000 --> 00:49:33.500 in the cross. 00:49:33.619 --> 00:49:34.579 May that be, Father, 00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:35.340 more and more 00:49:35.340 --> 00:49:36.760 the source of our identity, 00:49:36.900 --> 00:49:38.099 the source of our hope, 00:49:38.740 --> 00:49:40.659 the lens by which we see the world, 00:49:41.119 --> 00:49:42.059 the lens by which 00:49:42.059 --> 00:49:43.519 we understand ourselves, 00:49:44.320 --> 00:49:45.320 so that we live, 00:49:45.460 --> 00:49:46.280 not, Father, 00:49:46.280 --> 00:49:47.200 for our glory 00:49:47.200 --> 00:49:48.400 or the glory of our city 00:49:48.400 --> 00:49:49.740 or for art or for science, 00:49:49.740 --> 00:49:50.840 but for your glory 00:49:50.840 --> 00:49:52.440 as we live in a city 00:49:52.440 --> 00:49:53.140 and do art 00:49:53.140 --> 00:49:53.960 and do science. 00:49:54.120 --> 00:49:54.400 And, Father, 00:49:54.460 --> 00:49:55.560 we ask all of this 00:49:55.560 --> 00:49:57.100 in the name of Jesus 00:49:57.100 --> 00:49:58.820 and all God's people said, 00:49:59.500 --> 00:49:59.800 Amen.