WEBVTT

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 Good evening.

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 Let's pray together.

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 Lord, we do pray that you would be glorified through us,

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 and I pray that you'd be glorified through me and these words that I speak.

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 I pray that your word would speak to us,

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 and I would love you more for having heard from you.

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 In the name of Jesus, I pray these things.

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 Amen.

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 I want you to imagine with me, or better, remember with me,

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 if you've had an experience like this,

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 a situation you may have experienced while taking a road trip.

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 You're on the highway, driving along at your usual seven miles an hour above the speed limit.

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 You know already that you're not going to arrive at your destination on time.

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 And suddenly it becomes clear to you that in a quarter mile,

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 the highway is going to fork.

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 And that one of the options holds the promise of getting you to your destination not so very late.

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 And the other one will mean a 20-minute detour out of your way,

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 and you're not sure which one to take.

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 So you inquire.

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 Which way do I go?

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 You ask your navigator, who took his eyes off the road and onto Facebook for a bit too long.

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 Let me check, he says.

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 And you speed toward the decisive point.

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 Which way do I go?

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 You ask again.

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 Just a second, your navigator says.

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 Your stress levels spike through the roof.

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 Your mind is filled with unholy rage at the fact that you ever let this navigator be your friend,

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 which is a problem you will soon remedy.

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 Left.

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 No, right.

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 No, left, he says.

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 And as you follow his direction and take the left exit,

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 you are distraught to hear those two words coming from your GPS

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 that signal you took the wrong turn recalculating route.

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 In our passage for tonight,

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 Jesus speaks of precisely this sort of decisive, dividing choice.

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 But the stakes are infinitely higher here than they are in following road directions.

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 Our passage for tonight is Luke 12, verse 35 to 59.

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 I'm going to read the whole passage together.

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 And as we read this passage and meditate on it tonight,

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 I want us to see one thing.

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 Christ divides.

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 So let's read that passage together.

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 Luke 12, 35 to 59.

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 Jesus said,

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 Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning

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 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast

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 so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

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 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.

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 Truly I say to you,

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 he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table

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 and he will come and serve them.

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 If he comes in the second watch or in the third and finds them awake,

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 blessed are those servants.

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 But know this,

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 that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming,

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 he would not have left his house to be broken into.

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 And you also must be ready

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 for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

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 Peter said,

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 Lord, are you telling us this parable for us or for all?

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 And the Lord said,

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 Who then is the faithful and wise manager

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 whom his master will set over his household

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 to give them their portion of food at the proper time?

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 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

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 Truly I say to you,

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 he will set him over all his possessions.

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 But if that servant says to himself,

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 my master is delayed in coming

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 and begins to beat the male and female servants

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 and then to eat and get drunk

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 and drink and get drunk,

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 the master of that servant will come on a day

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 when he does not expect him

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 and at an hour he does not know

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 and will cut him in pieces

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 and put him with the unfaithful.

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 And that servant who knew his master's will

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 but did not get ready or act according to his will

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 will receive a severe beating.

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 But the one who did not know

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 and did what deserved a beating

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 will receive a light beating.

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 Everyone to whom much was given,

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 of him much will be required.

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 And from him to whom they entrusted more,

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 much they will demand the more.

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 I came to cast fire on the earth

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 and would that it were already kindled.

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 I have a baptism to be baptized with

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 and how great is my distress

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 until it is accomplished.

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 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?

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 No, I tell you,

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 but rather division.

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 For from now on in one house,

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 there will be five divided,

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 three against two and two against three.

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 They will be divided.

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 Father against son and son against father.

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 Mother against daughter and daughter against mother.

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 Mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law

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 and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

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 He said also to the crowds,

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 when you see a cloud rising in the west,

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 you say at once,

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 a shower is coming.

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 And so it happens.

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 And when you see the south wind blowing,

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 you say,

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 there will be scorching heat.

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 And it happens.

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 You hypocrites.

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 You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky,

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 but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

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 And why do you not judge for yourself what is right?

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 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate,

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 make an effort to settle with him on the way,

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 lest he drag you to the judge

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 and the judge hands you over to the officer

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 and the officer puts you in prison.

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 I tell you,

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 you will never get out of there

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 until you've paid the very last penny.

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 So, this passage has plenty of confusing material in it.

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 And so I want to walk through it bit by bit

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 and then come back and meditate

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 on what this passage means for us here today.

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 We just read it in the order that it was written in,

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 but I think that we can get a better sense of what's going on

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 if we read it a bit out of order.

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 I think the main idea of the entire passage

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 is this startling claim that Jesus makes in verse 51.

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 Do you think that I've come to give peace on earth?

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 No, I tell you, but rather division.

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 I think that's the heart of the whole idea.

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 I say this is startling

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 because we have a temptation to emphasize

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 that Jesus is a minister of peace.

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 He's a bringer of peace.

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 And indeed, the prophecies that tell of his coming

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 give us good reason to think that he does bring peace.

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 Isaiah 9 calls him a prince of peace.

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 So, I don't want us to misunderstand Jesus here

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 by saying that he comes to bring division instead of peace.

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 Rather, I think he's saying that he comes to bring division

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 so that we might finally have peace.

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 That is, a true peace, not a false peace.

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 Jesus is the one who brings true peace by dividing.

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 I'll return to that idea in a little bit.

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 So, I think that's the central idea.

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 He has inaugurated this division by his first coming

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 and he is going to complete it at his second coming.

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 So, he warns him in verse 40,

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 you must be ready for the son of man is coming

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 at an hour you do not expect.

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 What's he going to do?

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 He's going to judge his servants,

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 those who have been found faithful

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 and those who have not been found faithful.

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 He's going to divide them at his coming.

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 This is the big idea.

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 He does this work of dividing

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 through kindling the world with fire.

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 Verse 49,

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 I came to cast fire on the earth

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 and would that it were already kindled.

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 A strange idea.

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 But throughout the New Testament,

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 this metaphor of fire is used frequently

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 as a cleansing, purging force.

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 Not a destroying fire,

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 except against evil.

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 Our God is a consuming fire

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 for all things that are evil.

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 He comes to cleanse the world with fire.

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 The function of Jesus

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 purifying the world by fire

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 is in fact a purification,

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 not a destruction.

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 Our God is a consuming fire,

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 Hebrews tells us.

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 Everyone's work one day will be manifest

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 for the day of judgment will disclose it

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 because it will be revealed by fire.

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 And the fire will test

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 what sort of work each one has done,

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 1 Corinthians 3 tells us.

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 It's been predicted by the prophets

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 over and over

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 that Jesus will do this sort of thing

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 with fire.

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 Most closely,

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 John the Baptist says this,

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 I baptize you with water for repentance,

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 but he who is coming after me

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 is mightier than I,

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 whose sandals I'm not worthy to carry.

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 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

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 and with fire.

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 His winnowing fork is in his hand

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 and he will clear his threshing floor

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 and gather his wheat into the barn.

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 With the chaff,

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 he will burn with unquenchable fire.

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 That's Matthew 3.

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 So you see the same dynamic

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 that John the Baptist is predicting there.

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 He's going to purge the world with fire.

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 He's got a winnowing fork in his hand.

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 A winnowing fork separates out

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 the wheat from the chaff,

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 the good usable produce of the earth

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 from the unusable husks.

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 So he's coming with fire to divide.

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 Same idea that Jesus is speaking of here.

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 Hundreds of years before John the Baptist prophecy,

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 Malachi prophesies a very similar thing.

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 He says,

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 behold, I send my messenger.

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 Jesus,

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 the Lord speaking through Malachi says,

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 behold, I send my messenger

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 and he will prepare the way before me.

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 And the Lord whom you seek

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 will suddenly come to his temple.

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 And the messenger of the covenant

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 in whom you delight,

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 behold, he is coming,

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 says the Lord of hosts.

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 So predicting the coming of the anointed one,

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 the Messiah,

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 this is a great day of great rejoicing for sure.

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 But then the verse immediately following is,

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 but who can endure the day of his coming?

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 And who can stand when he appears?

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 He's like a refiner's fire.

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 He's like a fuller's soap.

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 So do you see again?

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 He's coming,

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 but who can stand in his day?

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 Why?

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 Why is it a question?

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 Who will stand in this day?

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 Because he's like a refiner's fire.

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 He's like a fuller's soap.

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 He's coming to wash,

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 clean the world

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 and purge it by fire.

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 So Jesus comes to divide.

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 He brings division on the earth

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 through his coming.

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 He does this through a cleansing fire.

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 That's the heart of this text

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 and the rest of it flows out of that claim.

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 There are two stories that bracket this idea

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 and they illustrate what we ought to do

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 given that there is a decisive moment

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 of division and judgment that's coming.

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 These two stories,

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 they bracket the central idea.

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 They frame it like a picture frame.

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 The first story is the parable

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 of the servants of a house

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 whose master is away at a wedding feast.

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 They know that their master is returning,

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 but they don't know when.

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 Therefore, Jesus says,

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 they ought to be constantly ready

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 so that they can be prepared for him

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 when he returns.

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 For at his return,

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 he will make sure his house is set in order.

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 And if it is,

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 he will reward his servants.

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 And if it's not,

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 he says they will cut those servants in pieces.

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 Make them go with the unfaithful.

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 This is no playful master who's coming back.

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 This is a master who has a concern

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 for the way his house is organized.

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 He will not let his house languish in disorder,

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 but he will come and clean it.

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 And similarly,

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 the parable at the end of this passage

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 is about going with your accuser to court.

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 The man is walking with his accuser to court.

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 He knows he's guilty.

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 He knows the judge is going to find out he's guilty.

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 And what is he encouraged then to do?

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 To make amends,

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 to settle with his accuser

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 before he gets to court.

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 So both of these parables

00:12:49.460 --> 00:12:51.040
 are preparation parables.

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:53.219
 Something is coming

00:12:53.219 --> 00:12:55.299
 for which you ought to prepare.

00:12:55.939 --> 00:12:56.659
 And guess what?

00:12:56.819 --> 00:12:59.139
 You're probably not prepared for it.

00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:01.459
 That's the central idea.

00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.039
 Those are the picture frames

00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:05.879
 that bracket the central idea.

00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:07.539
 What's the thing that's coming?

00:13:08.419 --> 00:13:09.419
 Christ is coming

00:13:09.419 --> 00:13:10.699
 to divide,

00:13:11.219 --> 00:13:12.599
 to purge by fire.

00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:16.080
 So this passage then

00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:17.420
 is about the warning

00:13:17.420 --> 00:13:19.259
 of the second coming of Christ

00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:21.279
 to cleanse the world.

00:13:23.040 --> 00:13:24.180
 And now that we have

00:13:24.180 --> 00:13:26.480
 a general sense of what's going on,

00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:28.460
 the main moves of the passage,

00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:30.980
 I want to spend the rest of our time tonight

00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:31.860
 thinking about

00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:34.080
 what this might possibly mean

00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:35.100
 for us today.

00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:37.779
 I have four things

00:13:37.779 --> 00:13:38.879
 this might mean for us.

00:13:39.820 --> 00:13:40.220
 First,

00:13:40.220 --> 00:13:42.120
 this passage

00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:43.240
 is an encouragement

00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:44.139
 to God's people

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:45.800
 because it tells us

00:13:45.800 --> 00:13:46.759
 what he's doing

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:47.420
 in the world.

00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:50.379
 I was

00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:53.120
 with some Jewish friends

00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:53.779
 in Israel

00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:54.920
 a couple summers ago

00:13:54.920 --> 00:13:56.019
 and we got,

00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:56.879
 as we always do,

00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:57.720
 got talking about

00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.019
 why they don't believe

00:13:59.019 --> 00:13:59.940
 Jesus is the Messiah.

00:14:01.700 --> 00:14:03.320
 And they say to me,

00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:03.540
 look,

00:14:04.460 --> 00:14:05.160
 the text says

00:14:05.160 --> 00:14:05.759
 that he will be

00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:06.779
 a prince of peace.

00:14:08.060 --> 00:14:09.220
 Does this world

00:14:09.220 --> 00:14:10.080
 look like it's governed

00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.240
 by a prince of peace?

00:14:12.520 --> 00:14:12.920
 Therefore,

00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:14.259
 he must not have come yet.

00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:18.520
 Plausible argument,

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.259
 it seems to me.

00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:21.000
 If he comes to bring

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:22.300
 good news to people,

00:14:22.560 --> 00:14:23.560
 if he comes to make

00:14:23.560 --> 00:14:24.879
 his people rejoice again

00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:25.680
 and we look

00:14:25.680 --> 00:14:26.580
 and we read the newspaper

00:14:26.580 --> 00:14:28.080
 and that's not what we see,

00:14:28.540 --> 00:14:29.460
 we might think

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:30.200
 that he's not

00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:31.040
 the Messiah.

00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:34.120
 But this passage

00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:35.020
 is comforting

00:14:35.020 --> 00:14:35.860
 to God's people

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:36.980
 because it tells us

00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:38.340
 why we do not yet

00:14:38.340 --> 00:14:39.899
 see the peace

00:14:39.899 --> 00:14:40.860
 overcoming

00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:42.039
 the entire world.

00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:42.740
 Why?

00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:44.480
 Because he has come

00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:45.600
 to divide.

00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:49.580
 Who among us

00:14:49.580 --> 00:14:50.340
 has not felt

00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:51.180
 at some time

00:14:51.180 --> 00:14:52.680
 like his own life

00:14:52.680 --> 00:14:53.899
 is out of control?

00:14:54.420 --> 00:14:55.620
 That it's directionless?

00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:57.240
 Perhaps even meaningless?

00:14:57.960 --> 00:14:59.379
 And history itself

00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:00.840
 equally meaningless?

00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:02.620
 What are we to do

00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:03.240
 when we hear

00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:04.639
 of famine in Africa

00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:05.720
 or ISIS

00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:06.620
 in the Middle East

00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:07.280
 or Zika

00:15:07.280 --> 00:15:08.379
 in South America

00:15:08.379 --> 00:15:09.440
 or racism

00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:10.440
 in New Haven?

00:15:10.560 --> 00:15:11.259
 What are we to do

00:15:11.259 --> 00:15:12.100
 with these things?

00:15:12.780 --> 00:15:13.600
 What are we to do

00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.160
 when the Bible

00:15:14.160 --> 00:15:14.920
 makes the claim

00:15:14.920 --> 00:15:15.360
 that Christ

00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:16.500
 is a prince of peace

00:15:16.500 --> 00:15:17.060
 and we do not

00:15:17.060 --> 00:15:18.080
 see that peace?

00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.340
 I think we ought

00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:22.700
 to understand

00:15:22.700 --> 00:15:23.259
 that God

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:24.120
 has introduced

00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:25.139
 a sword

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:26.040
 into the world

00:15:26.040 --> 00:15:27.580
 not because

00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:28.320
 he is a God

00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:29.400
 who loves violence

00:15:29.400 --> 00:15:30.940
 but because

00:15:30.940 --> 00:15:31.420
 this world

00:15:31.420 --> 00:15:31.820
 is held

00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:32.759
 by a usurper.

00:15:34.680 --> 00:15:35.780
 There is a kind

00:15:35.780 --> 00:15:36.360
 of peace

00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:37.120
 that comes

00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:38.240
 with tyranny.

00:15:39.160 --> 00:15:40.160
 It's the peace

00:15:40.160 --> 00:15:40.680
 that allows

00:15:40.680 --> 00:15:42.040
 no kinds

00:15:42.040 --> 00:15:42.740
 of quarreling

00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:43.140
 at all

00:15:43.140 --> 00:15:43.580
 because it's

00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:44.780
 enforced by a sword.

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:45.860
 It's a false

00:15:45.860 --> 00:15:46.860
 sort of peace.

00:15:47.340 --> 00:15:47.759
 Tyrants

00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:48.879
 pride themselves

00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:49.860
 on this sort

00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:50.360
 of peace

00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:52.000
 but the people

00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:52.659
 are not free

00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:54.299
 and the peace

00:15:54.299 --> 00:15:54.919
 in that regime

00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:55.980
 is not a true peace.

00:15:58.179 --> 00:15:58.679
 And Christianity

00:15:58.679 --> 00:15:59.740
 says that this

00:15:59.740 --> 00:16:00.259
 is the world

00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:01.039
 that we live in

00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:02.080
 that has been

00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:02.460
 taken over

00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:03.360
 by a usurper

00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.919
 an evil one

00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:06.919
 and that God

00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.779
 has launched

00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:08.480
 an invasion

00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:09.819
 into this world.

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:11.639
 He's launched

00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:12.100
 an invasion

00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:12.860
 into this world

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.919
 to purify

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:14.659
 for himself

00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.220
 a people

00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:16.139
 to reclaim

00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:17.200
 those people

00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.280
 for himself

00:16:18.280 --> 00:16:19.400
 and to bring

00:16:19.400 --> 00:16:20.220
 them home

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:20.660
 with him.

00:16:21.040 --> 00:16:22.040
 That's what he's

00:16:22.040 --> 00:16:22.420
 doing

00:16:22.420 --> 00:16:23.660
 in this world.

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:25.420
 So this world

00:16:25.420 --> 00:16:26.500
 is redemptive

00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:27.480
 in the midst

00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:28.360
 of all of its

00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:29.120
 pain.

00:16:29.900 --> 00:16:30.900
 The peace

00:16:30.900 --> 00:16:31.600
 the prince

00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.220
 of peace

00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:32.800
 brings

00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:34.200
 we do not

00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:35.280
 yet see.

00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:37.240
 In this

00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:38.360
 astounding passage

00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:39.200
 Hebrews says

00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:40.520
 that the Lord

00:16:40.520 --> 00:16:41.000
 God

00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:41.540
 has put

00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:42.259
 all things

00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:43.179
 into subjection

00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:44.419
 to Jesus.

00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:46.339
 But

00:16:46.339 --> 00:16:47.059
 and then

00:16:47.059 --> 00:16:47.539
 in the most

00:16:47.539 --> 00:16:49.620
 astounding

00:16:49.620 --> 00:16:50.279
 parenthetical

00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:51.879
 we do not

00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:52.539
 yet see

00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:53.339
 all things

00:16:53.339 --> 00:16:54.179
 put in

00:16:54.179 --> 00:16:54.679
 subjection

00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:55.000
 to him.

00:16:56.699 --> 00:16:57.799
 That could be

00:16:57.799 --> 00:16:58.379
 the headline

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:58.899
 for the New York

00:16:58.899 --> 00:16:59.659
 Times tomorrow.

00:17:00.339 --> 00:17:00.980
 Headline

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:02.620
 things still

00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:03.019
 not in

00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:03.500
 subjection

00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:03.839
 to him.

00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:05.519
 Today

00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:06.940
 the world

00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:07.379
 not in

00:17:07.379 --> 00:17:07.819
 subjection

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:08.159
 to him.

00:17:10.779 --> 00:17:11.519
 But this

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:11.919
 passage

00:17:11.919 --> 00:17:12.460
 tells us

00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:12.960
 what God

00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:13.419
 is doing.

00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.799
 It allows

00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:16.480
 us to read

00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:17.000
 the signs

00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:17.619
 of the times.

00:17:18.099 --> 00:17:18.319
 Do you see

00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:18.879
 that bit

00:17:18.879 --> 00:17:19.379
 there from

00:17:19.379 --> 00:17:20.259
 54 to

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:20.639
 56?

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:21.899
 We know

00:17:21.899 --> 00:17:22.099
 how to

00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:22.319
 interpret

00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:22.679
 the weather

00:17:22.679 --> 00:17:22.899
 but we

00:17:22.899 --> 00:17:23.059
 don't know

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:23.220
 how to

00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:23.419
 interpret

00:17:23.419 --> 00:17:24.139
 the times.

00:17:24.779 --> 00:17:24.939
 This

00:17:24.939 --> 00:17:25.619
 interpreting

00:17:25.619 --> 00:17:26.159
 the times

00:17:26.159 --> 00:17:26.559
 knowing

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.159
 what God

00:17:27.159 --> 00:17:27.700
 is doing

00:17:27.700 --> 00:17:28.059
 in the

00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:28.339
 world

00:17:28.339 --> 00:17:29.059
 this is

00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:29.480
 what Jesus

00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:29.879
 would have

00:17:29.879 --> 00:17:30.639
 us do.

00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:32.039
 So the

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:32.439
 first

00:17:32.439 --> 00:17:33.139
 function

00:17:33.139 --> 00:17:33.559
 this

00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:34.019
 passage

00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:34.799
 plays

00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:35.319
 for us

00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:35.919
 is to

00:17:35.919 --> 00:17:36.539
 encourage

00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:36.960
 God's

00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:37.259
 people

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:37.539
 about

00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:38.079
 what he's

00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:38.440
 doing

00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:38.819
 in the

00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:39.159
 world.

00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:40.319
 He's

00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:40.639
 come

00:17:40.639 --> 00:17:41.099
 to

00:17:41.099 --> 00:17:41.619
 refine

00:17:41.619 --> 00:17:41.839
 the

00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:42.119
 world

00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:42.559
 with

00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:43.079
 fire.

00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:47.940
 Paul

00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:48.119
 in

00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:48.480
 Romans

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.319
 speaks

00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:49.619
 about

00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:49.899
 these

00:17:49.899 --> 00:17:50.579
 refining

00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:51.319
 sufferings

00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:51.899
 of the

00:17:51.899 --> 00:17:52.180
 world

00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:52.779
 like this

00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:53.299
 in Romans

00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:53.599
 8.

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:54.480
 He says

00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:55.039
 I consider

00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:55.359
 that the

00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:55.799
 sufferings

00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:56.039
 at this

00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:56.319
 present

00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.659
 time

00:17:56.659 --> 00:17:56.980
 are not

00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:57.379
 worthy

00:17:57.379 --> 00:17:57.859
 to be

00:17:57.859 --> 00:17:58.299
 compared

00:17:58.299 --> 00:17:58.759
 to the

00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.139
 glory

00:17:59.139 --> 00:17:59.379
 that

00:17:59.379 --> 00:17:59.579
 shall

00:17:59.579 --> 00:17:59.740
 be

00:17:59.740 --> 00:18:00.220
 revealed

00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:00.559
 in

00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:01.079
 us.

00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:02.519
 For

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:02.700
 the

00:18:02.700 --> 00:18:03.200
 creation

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:04.159
 waits

00:18:04.159 --> 00:18:04.680
 with

00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:05.000
 eager

00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:05.480
 longing

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.220
 for the

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:06.639
 revealing

00:18:06.639 --> 00:18:07.079
 of the

00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:07.339
 sons

00:18:07.339 --> 00:18:07.519
 of

00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:07.939
 God.

00:18:08.879 --> 00:18:09.139
 For

00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:09.379
 we

00:18:09.379 --> 00:18:09.720
 know

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.019
 the

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:10.299
 whole

00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:10.799
 creation

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:11.079
 has

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:11.279
 been

00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:11.699
 groaning

00:18:11.699 --> 00:18:12.099
 together

00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:12.439
 in the

00:18:12.439 --> 00:18:12.819
 pains

00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:13.119
 of

00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:14.179
 childbirth

00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:14.919
 until

00:18:14.919 --> 00:18:15.639
 now.

00:18:17.199 --> 00:18:17.759
 The

00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:18.199
 pains

00:18:18.199 --> 00:18:18.559
 of the

00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:18.839
 world

00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:19.299
 are not

00:18:19.299 --> 00:18:19.519
 the

00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:19.960
 pains

00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:20.559
 of

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.059
 a

00:18:21.059 --> 00:18:21.339
 sickness

00:18:21.339 --> 00:18:21.740
 leading

00:18:21.740 --> 00:18:21.960
 to

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:22.359
 death.

00:18:22.939 --> 00:18:23.259
 They

00:18:23.259 --> 00:18:23.439
 are

00:18:23.439 --> 00:18:23.699
 the

00:18:23.699 --> 00:18:24.419
 pangs

00:18:24.419 --> 00:18:25.019
 of

00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:25.259
 a

00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:26.199
 pain

00:18:26.199 --> 00:18:26.679
 leading

00:18:26.679 --> 00:18:27.079
 to

00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:27.859
 birth.

00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:28.939
 New

00:18:28.939 --> 00:18:29.740
 life.

00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:31.039
 That's

00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:31.399
 what God

00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:31.759
 is doing

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.019
 in the

00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:32.299
 world.

00:18:33.379 --> 00:18:33.579
 And

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:33.819
 again,

00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:34.359
 Paul

00:18:34.359 --> 00:18:34.859
 applies

00:18:34.859 --> 00:18:35.199
 this not

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:35.500
 only to

00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:35.640
 the

00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:35.799
 world

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:35.940
 but

00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:36.120
 also

00:18:36.120 --> 00:18:36.299
 to

00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:36.860
 himself

00:18:36.860 --> 00:18:38.100
 individually.

00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:38.539
 In

00:18:38.539 --> 00:18:38.759
 2nd

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:39.059
 Corinthians

00:18:39.059 --> 00:18:39.299
 he

00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:39.539
 says

00:18:39.539 --> 00:18:39.940
 after

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:40.519
 confessing

00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:40.819
 a few

00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:41.100
 things

00:18:41.100 --> 00:18:41.340
 he

00:18:41.340 --> 00:18:41.759
 says

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:41.880
 that

00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:41.980
 he

00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:42.200
 has

00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:42.440
 this

00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.779
 terrible

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:44.240
 sentence

00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:44.480
 of

00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:44.819
 death

00:18:44.819 --> 00:18:44.960
 in

00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:45.279
 himself.

00:18:45.380 --> 00:18:45.480
 He's

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:45.660
 under

00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:46.019
 so much

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:46.880
 persecution

00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:47.180
 and

00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:47.519
 suffering

00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:47.700
 that

00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:47.860
 he

00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:48.140
 counts

00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:48.460
 himself

00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:48.640
 as

00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:48.840
 good

00:18:48.840 --> 00:18:48.960
 as

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:49.400
 dead.

00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:49.840
 He

00:18:49.840 --> 00:18:50.380
 says

00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:51.640
 this

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:52.000
 light

00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:52.720
 momentary

00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.279
 affliction

00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:54.200
 is

00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:54.559
 preparing

00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:54.960
 for

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.319
 us

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:55.880
 an

00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:56.360
 eternal

00:18:56.360 --> 00:18:56.900
 weight

00:18:56.900 --> 00:18:57.140
 of

00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:57.600
 glory

00:18:57.600 --> 00:18:58.400
 beyond

00:18:58.400 --> 00:18:58.779
 all

00:18:58.779 --> 00:18:59.660
 comparison.

00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:02.380
 This

00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:02.840
 is what's

00:19:02.840 --> 00:19:03.160
 happening

00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:03.620
 in the

00:19:03.620 --> 00:19:04.000
 history

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.420
 around

00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:04.840
 us.

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:05.740
 It

00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:05.900
 is

00:19:05.900 --> 00:19:06.340
 not

00:19:06.340 --> 00:19:07.140
 meaningless.

00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:09.799
 The

00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:10.240
 world

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.660
 is

00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:11.400
 convulsing

00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:11.799
 in the

00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:13.120
 pains

00:19:13.120 --> 00:19:13.559
 and the

00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:13.960
 pangs

00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:14.819
 of new

00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:15.600
 life.

00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:17.559
 And we

00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:18.259
 individually

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:18.840
 are

00:19:18.840 --> 00:19:19.440
 through our

00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:20.180
 sufferings

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:22.200
 being

00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:22.980
 transformed

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:23.580
 into an

00:19:23.580 --> 00:19:23.980
 image of

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.420
 glory.

00:19:25.580 --> 00:19:26.120
 This

00:19:26.120 --> 00:19:26.620
 is happening

00:19:26.620 --> 00:19:27.340
 day

00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:28.120
 by day.

00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:29.980
 That's the

00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:30.259
 first in

00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:30.680
 this passage

00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:30.960
 does.

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:31.580
 The

00:19:31.580 --> 00:19:31.819
 second

00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:32.120
 thing

00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:32.259
 I

00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:32.539
 think

00:19:32.539 --> 00:19:33.539
 is

00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:33.799
 that it

00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:34.240
 warns

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:34.539
 us

00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.240
 of the

00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:35.500
 coming

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:35.980
 division

00:19:35.980 --> 00:19:36.539
 that

00:19:36.539 --> 00:19:36.960
 Christ

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.460
 will

00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:37.799
 bring.

00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:38.740
 It

00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:39.299
 warns

00:19:39.299 --> 00:19:39.680
 us.

00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:41.720
 In the

00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:42.159
 example I

00:19:42.159 --> 00:19:42.399
 used at

00:19:42.399 --> 00:19:42.700
 the beginning

00:19:42.700 --> 00:19:43.019
 of this

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:43.240
 sermon,

00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:43.940
 the problem

00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:45.220
 with that

00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:45.579
 fork in

00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:45.859
 the road

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:46.359
 is that

00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:46.480
 your

00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:46.920
 navigator

00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:47.200
 didn't

00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.519
 see it

00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:47.799
 coming.

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:49.039
 It

00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.299
 snuck up

00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:50.659
 on you.

00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:52.379
 You're

00:19:52.379 --> 00:19:52.740
 caught off

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:53.000
 guard.

00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:53.779
 But here

00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:54.559
 Christ is

00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:54.940
 warning

00:19:54.940 --> 00:19:55.539
 all of

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:55.859
 us,

00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:57.000
 be on

00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:57.420
 your

00:19:57.420 --> 00:19:57.759
 guard.

00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:58.759
 God

00:19:58.759 --> 00:19:59.759
 said

00:19:59.759 --> 00:19:59.980
 if you're

00:19:59.980 --> 00:20:00.140
 here

00:20:00.140 --> 00:20:00.579
 tonight,

00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:01.579
 you no

00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:02.099
 longer

00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:02.480
 can

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:02.980
 ever

00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:03.660
 say

00:20:03.660 --> 00:20:04.859
 that

00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:05.000
 you

00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:05.200
 did

00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:05.440
 not

00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:05.960
 know

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.400
 that

00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:06.879
 Christ's

00:20:06.879 --> 00:20:07.299
 return

00:20:07.299 --> 00:20:07.759
 was at

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.119
 any

00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:08.599
 minute.

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:10.319
 You

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:10.559
 are

00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.140
 now

00:20:11.140 --> 00:20:12.480
 without

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:12.819
 an

00:20:12.819 --> 00:20:13.440
 excuse.

00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:14.980
 Christ

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:15.200
 has

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:15.619
 told

00:20:15.619 --> 00:20:15.980
 us

00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:16.359
 that

00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:16.519
 he's

00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:16.940
 coming.

00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:19.379
 He's

00:20:19.379 --> 00:20:19.920
 advertising

00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:20.579
 it to

00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:20.940
 us.

00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:24.140
 And so

00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:24.379
 what are we

00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:24.720
 supposed to

00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:25.379
 do?

00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:27.380
 What are

00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:27.640
 supposed to

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.060
 do in

00:20:28.060 --> 00:20:28.360
 the face

00:20:28.360 --> 00:20:28.580
 of this

00:20:28.580 --> 00:20:28.840
 warning?

00:20:30.080 --> 00:20:30.380
 Well,

00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:32.860
 if you're

00:20:32.860 --> 00:20:33.260
 here tonight

00:20:33.260 --> 00:20:33.620
 and you've

00:20:33.620 --> 00:20:33.980
 not yet

00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:34.580
 made your

00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:35.340
 decision to

00:20:35.340 --> 00:20:36.160
 be with

00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:36.600
 Christ,

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.760
 to claim

00:20:38.760 --> 00:20:39.420
 him as

00:20:39.420 --> 00:20:40.180
 master and

00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:40.700
 be his

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:41.280
 servant and

00:20:41.280 --> 00:20:42.260
 work in

00:20:42.260 --> 00:20:43.000
 his vineyard,

00:20:44.080 --> 00:20:45.020
 if you're

00:20:45.020 --> 00:20:45.500
 not yet

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.320
 allied with

00:20:46.320 --> 00:20:46.960
 Christ through

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:47.400
 faith,

00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:51.340
 flee to

00:20:51.340 --> 00:20:51.560
 him.

00:20:52.540 --> 00:20:53.020
 That is

00:20:53.020 --> 00:20:53.660
 the main

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:54.280
 message of

00:20:54.280 --> 00:20:54.820
 this text.

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:55.559
 he is

00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:55.919
 coming,

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:56.539
 he is

00:20:56.539 --> 00:20:56.939
 like a

00:20:56.939 --> 00:20:57.639
 refiner's

00:20:57.639 --> 00:20:58.139
 fire,

00:20:58.439 --> 00:20:58.839
 he will

00:20:58.839 --> 00:20:59.659
 purge the

00:20:59.659 --> 00:21:00.319
 world of

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:00.619
 evil.

00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:02.279
 And if we

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:02.879
 put on the

00:21:02.879 --> 00:21:03.460
 jersey of

00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:04.359
 evil rather

00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:04.740
 than the

00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:05.220
 jersey of

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:05.500
 Jesus,

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:06.579
 you will

00:21:06.579 --> 00:21:07.220
 be purged.

00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:09.460
 This is a

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:09.960
 promise.

00:21:11.159 --> 00:21:11.460
 Jesus

00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:13.019
 comes and

00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:13.679
 says this.

00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.279
 Jesus

00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:14.960
 himself,

00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:16.819
 the docile

00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:17.539
 one that the

00:21:17.539 --> 00:21:18.220
 children play

00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:18.599
 with,

00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:19.740
 he talks about

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:20.559
 coming and

00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.240
 purging the

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:21.619
 world in

00:21:21.619 --> 00:21:22.139
 fire.

00:21:22.140 --> 00:21:24.320
 God

00:21:24.320 --> 00:21:24.980
 the way we

00:21:24.980 --> 00:21:26.000
 avoid this,

00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:26.720
 Christianity

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.160
 teaches,

00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:28.740
 is that we,

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.259
 as these

00:21:29.259 --> 00:21:30.100
 songs sung,

00:21:30.360 --> 00:21:31.100
 we claim

00:21:31.100 --> 00:21:32.360
 Jesus' blood

00:21:32.360 --> 00:21:33.259
 for ourself.

00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:34.060
 We plead

00:21:34.060 --> 00:21:34.640
 guilty.

00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:35.600
 At the end

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:35.960
 of this

00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:36.460
 passage,

00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:37.080
 when we're

00:21:37.080 --> 00:21:37.800
 going to

00:21:37.800 --> 00:21:38.740
 the court

00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:39.259
 with our

00:21:39.259 --> 00:21:39.680
 accuser,

00:21:39.780 --> 00:21:40.240
 we plead

00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:40.640
 guilty.

00:21:41.180 --> 00:21:41.720
 We make a

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:42.220
 plea bargain.

00:21:43.020 --> 00:21:43.740
 And Jesus

00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.920
 has come and

00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:45.480
 said that he

00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:46.080
 will take

00:21:46.080 --> 00:21:46.759
 the penalty.

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:48.420
 if only we

00:21:48.420 --> 00:21:49.140
 trust in

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:49.339
 him,

00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:50.359
 if only we

00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:51.180
 have faith

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:51.740
 and believe

00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:52.140
 in him.

00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:53.579
 If you're

00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:53.900
 not a

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:54.279
 Christian and

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:54.579
 you want to

00:21:54.579 --> 00:21:55.019
 talk more

00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:55.619
 about that,

00:21:55.859 --> 00:21:56.140
 at some

00:21:56.140 --> 00:21:56.379
 time,

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:57.000
 I'd love to

00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:57.279
 talk to

00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:57.480
 you after

00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:57.960
 the service

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.539
 or the

00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.000
 pastors would

00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:59.259
 love to

00:21:59.259 --> 00:21:59.559
 talk to

00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:00.119
 you as

00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:00.379
 well.

00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:01.480
 That's

00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:01.799
 what you

00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:02.819
 do in

00:22:02.819 --> 00:22:03.539
 response to

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:03.779
 Jesus'

00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:04.680
 warning if

00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:04.900
 you are

00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.379
 not yet

00:22:05.379 --> 00:22:06.079
 a Christian.

00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:08.660
 If you

00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:09.140
 are a

00:22:09.140 --> 00:22:09.460
 Christian,

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:11.279
 I think

00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:11.900
 this passage

00:22:11.900 --> 00:22:13.079
 is comforting

00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:13.740
 to us

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:14.519
 because it

00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:15.059
 gives us

00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:16.079
 final hope

00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.119
 that the

00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:17.579
 sin that

00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:18.099
 so easily

00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:18.839
 besets us

00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:19.679
 is doomed

00:22:19.679 --> 00:22:20.199
 to pass

00:22:20.199 --> 00:22:20.539
 away.

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.399
 This is

00:22:21.399 --> 00:22:21.779
 the third

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:22.500
 thing this

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.139
 passage teaches

00:22:23.139 --> 00:22:23.539
 us.

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.159
 It's comforting

00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:25.619
 to the

00:22:25.619 --> 00:22:26.519
 Christian because

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.240
 it gives us

00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:28.099
 final hope

00:22:28.099 --> 00:22:28.619
 that the

00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:29.119
 sin that

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:29.639
 so easily

00:22:29.639 --> 00:22:30.379
 besets us

00:22:30.379 --> 00:22:31.199
 is doomed

00:22:31.199 --> 00:22:31.939
 to pass

00:22:31.939 --> 00:22:32.439
 away.

00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:34.199
 Think of

00:22:34.199 --> 00:22:34.879
 this metaphor

00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.679
 that the

00:22:35.679 --> 00:22:36.199
 prophets

00:22:36.199 --> 00:22:37.659
 say about

00:22:37.659 --> 00:22:38.000
 Jesus.

00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:38.879
 He is like

00:22:38.879 --> 00:22:39.939
 a refiner's

00:22:39.939 --> 00:22:40.720
 fire.

00:22:41.439 --> 00:22:42.519
 He divides

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.579
 between good

00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:44.259
 and evil.

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:45.419
 And he

00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:45.960
 does this

00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:46.640
 not only

00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:46.940
 for

00:22:46.940 --> 00:22:48.620
 peoples,

00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:50.140
 but he

00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:50.539
 does it

00:22:50.539 --> 00:22:50.980
 with the

00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:51.560
 loves in

00:22:51.560 --> 00:22:52.140
 our own

00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:52.680
 heart.

00:22:54.600 --> 00:22:55.140
 This

00:22:55.140 --> 00:22:55.660
 world,

00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:56.279
 Christianity

00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:56.680
 says,

00:22:56.779 --> 00:22:57.360
 is a mix

00:22:57.360 --> 00:22:57.840
 of those

00:22:57.840 --> 00:22:58.140
 who have

00:22:58.140 --> 00:22:58.740
 claimed

00:22:58.740 --> 00:22:59.060
 allegiance

00:22:59.060 --> 00:22:59.519
 to Jesus

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.200
 and those

00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:00.400
 who have

00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:00.759
 set their

00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:01.000
 mind

00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:01.519
 against

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.080
 Jesus.

00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:04.060
 And so

00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:05.080
 is all

00:23:05.080 --> 00:23:05.660
 of our

00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:06.340
 heart.

00:23:07.860 --> 00:23:08.380
 Each of

00:23:08.380 --> 00:23:08.840
 our heart

00:23:08.840 --> 00:23:10.360
 is precisely

00:23:10.360 --> 00:23:11.340
 that same

00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:11.840
 sort of

00:23:11.840 --> 00:23:12.539
 ambiguous

00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:13.279
 mixture

00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:14.480
 of good

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.159
 desires,

00:23:15.399 --> 00:23:15.859
 of good

00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:16.379
 love of

00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:16.700
 Christ

00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:17.180
 and love

00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:17.639
 of neighbor,

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:18.339
 and of

00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:18.980
 evil,

00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:19.799
 perverted

00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.639
 self-love,

00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:21.259
 the desire

00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:21.960
 to use

00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:22.420
 other people

00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.139
 around us

00:23:23.139 --> 00:23:24.019
 manipulatively

00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:24.779
 for our

00:23:24.779 --> 00:23:25.879
 own benefit.

00:23:26.879 --> 00:23:27.420
 The

00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:28.200
 refiner's

00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:29.420
 fire is

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:29.859
 not only

00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:30.259
 for the

00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:30.799
 world,

00:23:31.399 --> 00:23:31.759
 but is

00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:32.299
 also for

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.720
 our

00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:33.559
 hearts.

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:35.960
 If you

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:36.240
 are a

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:36.500
 Christian

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:36.839
 in this

00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:37.079
 room,

00:23:37.659 --> 00:23:38.039
 and you've

00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:38.240
 been a

00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:38.420
 Christian

00:23:38.420 --> 00:23:38.759
 for any

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:38.960
 amount

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.100
 of

00:23:39.100 --> 00:23:39.400
 time,

00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:40.200
 you know

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:40.519
 what it

00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:41.200
 is to

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:41.640
 fight

00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.279
 your own

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:42.660
 sin.

00:23:43.580 --> 00:23:44.300
 You know

00:23:44.300 --> 00:23:44.580
 what it

00:23:44.580 --> 00:23:45.640
 is to

00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:46.120
 be in a

00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:46.660
 battle with

00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:47.180
 the world

00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:47.560
 and the

00:23:47.560 --> 00:23:48.039
 flesh and

00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:48.420
 the devil.

00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:49.680
 You know

00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:49.980
 what it

00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.300
 is to

00:23:50.300 --> 00:23:50.519
 say,

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:51.340
 never again

00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:51.700
 will I

00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:52.140
 do this

00:23:52.140 --> 00:23:52.460
 sin,

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:53.340
 and the

00:23:53.340 --> 00:23:53.960
 next day

00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:54.519
 to do

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.039
 that sin.

00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:55.980
 You know

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:56.240
 what it

00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:56.700
 is to

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.100
 come to

00:23:57.100 --> 00:23:57.440
 church

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:57.900
 Sunday

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.220
 after

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:58.779
 Sunday,

00:23:59.120 --> 00:23:59.800
 repenting,

00:24:00.080 --> 00:24:00.400
 hoping,

00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:01.060
 praying that

00:24:01.060 --> 00:24:01.500
 you never

00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:02.300
 sin again,

00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:03.039
 only to

00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:03.440
 have to

00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:04.279
 confess the

00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:05.000
 same sin

00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:05.680
 the next

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.039
 week.

00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:07.819
 And the

00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:08.259
 glorious

00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:08.859
 teaching of

00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:09.299
 the Bible

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:10.420
 is that

00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:11.799
 one day

00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:13.480
 those evil

00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:14.420
 desires in

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:15.019
 your heart

00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:15.659
 and mine

00:24:15.659 --> 00:24:16.559
 that we

00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:17.220
 fight with

00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:18.000
 every day

00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:19.139
 that easily

00:24:19.139 --> 00:24:19.960
 beset us

00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:22.119
 will be

00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:22.559
 scrubbed

00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:22.899
 away,

00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:24.940
 will be

00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:25.619
 purged in

00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.480
 the refiner's

00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:27.159
 fire,

00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:29.579
 that we

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:30.220
 ourselves

00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:31.259
 will be

00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:31.839
 separated

00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:33.139
 not only

00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:33.940
 from other

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.399
 sinners,

00:24:34.980 --> 00:24:35.759
 but from

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.539
 our own

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.180
 sin.

00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:40.059
 This is the

00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:40.519
 message of

00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:40.980
 Christianity,

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:42.119
 and this is

00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:43.279
 why God's

00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:43.980
 cleansing,

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.339
 purifying fire

00:24:45.339 --> 00:24:46.039
 for us

00:24:46.039 --> 00:24:47.039
 is good

00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:47.759
 news.

00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:50.740
 C.S.

00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:51.180
 Lewis writes

00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:51.440
 a book

00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:51.660
 called

00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.740
 The Great

00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:53.379
 Divorce.

00:24:53.700 --> 00:24:54.079
 It's an

00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:54.859
 allegory about

00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:55.299
 heaven and

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:55.500
 hell,

00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.000
 and in one

00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:56.379
 scene,

00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:57.140
 there's a

00:24:57.140 --> 00:24:58.099
 ghost person,

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:58.779
 a person who

00:24:58.779 --> 00:24:59.279
 may or may

00:24:59.279 --> 00:24:59.599
 not have

00:24:59.599 --> 00:24:59.960
 died,

00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.420
 the imagery

00:25:00.420 --> 00:25:00.980
 is strange.

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:01.579
 The important

00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:02.039
 thing is a

00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:02.519
 person has

00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:02.839
 got a

00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:03.279
 lizard on

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:04.059
 his shoulder,

00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:04.859
 and this

00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:05.720
 lizard represents

00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.480
 lust,

00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:07.279
 and it

00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.059
 whispers into

00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:08.960
 his ear over

00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:09.400
 and over

00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:09.920
 and over

00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:10.559
 lustful

00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:10.960
 thoughts.

00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:12.200
 An angel

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:12.640
 comes to

00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.039
 this man

00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:13.500
 and says,

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.380
 do you want

00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:14.759
 me to get

00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:15.279
 rid of that?

00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.299
 Oh,

00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:16.519
 yes,

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.019
 it has been

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.380
 annoying me

00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:17.640
 for quite

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.039
 some time,

00:25:18.100 --> 00:25:18.319
 that'd be

00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:18.880
 quite nice.

00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:19.519
 Okay,

00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:20.100
 can I

00:25:20.100 --> 00:25:20.519
 kill it?

00:25:21.660 --> 00:25:22.180
 Can I

00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:22.519
 kill your

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.039
 lust right

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.319
 here?

00:25:24.860 --> 00:25:25.380
 And the

00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:25.920
 man says,

00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:26.600
 I don't

00:25:26.600 --> 00:25:26.960
 know if I'm

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:27.220
 ready for

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:27.360
 that,

00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:27.779
 I'm not

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:28.259
 quite sure,

00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:28.880
 it might

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:29.220
 hurt.

00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:30.940
 The angel

00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.120
 says,

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:31.360
 it will

00:25:31.360 --> 00:25:31.640
 surely

00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:31.960
 hurt.

00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:33.180
 I am

00:25:33.180 --> 00:25:33.579
 a messenger

00:25:33.579 --> 00:25:34.319
 of fire.

00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.440
 And after

00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:36.819
 some back

00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:37.259
 and forth,

00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:37.920
 the man

00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:38.880
 decides finally

00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:39.559
 that yes,

00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:40.200
 he will allow

00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:40.720
 the angel

00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.240
 of fire

00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:42.279
 to grab

00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:42.720
 the lizard

00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.160
 of lust

00:25:43.160 --> 00:25:43.740
 off his

00:25:43.740 --> 00:25:44.420
 shoulder that

00:25:44.420 --> 00:25:46.019
 whispers lustful

00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:46.420
 thoughts into

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:46.920
 his ear and

00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:47.460
 break its

00:25:47.460 --> 00:25:47.900
 back.

00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.400
 And when

00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:51.240
 his lust

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:51.920
 is broken,

00:25:52.840 --> 00:25:54.100
 that man

00:25:54.100 --> 00:25:55.480
 ceases being

00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:56.220
 shriveled up

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:57.279
 and becomes a

00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:58.140
 strong and

00:25:58.140 --> 00:25:58.880
 sturdy man.

00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.720
 the lizard

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.660
 now dead

00:26:00.660 --> 00:26:01.560
 is transformed

00:26:01.560 --> 00:26:02.100
 into a

00:26:02.100 --> 00:26:02.660
 stallion

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:03.480
 that the

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.060
 man gets

00:26:04.060 --> 00:26:05.120
 onto and

00:26:05.120 --> 00:26:05.800
 rides in

00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:06.280
 the direction

00:26:06.280 --> 00:26:06.980
 of the

00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:07.220
 heavenly

00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:07.820
 mountains.

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:09.780
 The idea

00:26:09.780 --> 00:26:10.300
 Lewis is

00:26:10.300 --> 00:26:10.680
 saying here

00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:10.940
 is that

00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:11.740
 your lust

00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:12.500
 keeps you

00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:13.000
 away from

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:13.460
 God,

00:26:13.560 --> 00:26:13.900
 but when

00:26:13.900 --> 00:26:14.180
 it is

00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.640
 broken,

00:26:15.100 --> 00:26:15.820
 the love,

00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:16.560
 the good

00:26:16.560 --> 00:26:17.100
 love,

00:26:17.540 --> 00:26:18.040
 is actually

00:26:18.040 --> 00:26:18.640
 a vehicle

00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:19.220
 to wing

00:26:19.220 --> 00:26:19.600
 you on

00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:20.020
 your flight

00:26:20.020 --> 00:26:20.660
 to heaven.

00:26:21.560 --> 00:26:22.060
 And the

00:26:22.060 --> 00:26:22.660
 good news

00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:23.320
 of Christianity

00:26:23.320 --> 00:26:24.140
 for Christians

00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:25.100
 is that

00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:26.260
 our warfare

00:26:26.260 --> 00:26:27.120
 against our

00:26:27.120 --> 00:26:27.920
 own sin

00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:28.759
 will one

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:29.519
 day be

00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:29.840
 over.

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:31.740
 He will

00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:32.500
 cleanse us.

00:26:33.620 --> 00:26:33.960
 He will

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.420
 wipe away

00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.140
 our sins

00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:36.300
 and those

00:26:36.300 --> 00:26:37.200
 evil temptations

00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:37.880
 that beset us

00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:38.640
 day by day

00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:40.000
 we will be

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.480
 freed from.

00:26:41.660 --> 00:26:42.320
 That's the

00:26:42.320 --> 00:26:42.740
 third thing.

00:26:43.320 --> 00:26:43.560
 And the

00:26:43.560 --> 00:26:43.920
 fourth and

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:44.279
 finally,

00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:45.480
 the thing

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:45.820
 that this

00:26:45.820 --> 00:26:46.660
 passage

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:47.460
 teaches us,

00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:49.840
 for those

00:26:49.840 --> 00:26:50.180
 who are in

00:26:50.180 --> 00:26:50.519
 Christ,

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.460
 this passage

00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.680
 is an

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.480
 exhortation

00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:54.500
 to continue

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.560
 waiting for

00:26:55.560 --> 00:26:56.600
 his return.

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:58.500
 For those

00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:58.779
 who are in

00:26:58.779 --> 00:26:59.019
 Christ,

00:26:59.120 --> 00:26:59.600
 this passage

00:26:59.600 --> 00:26:59.920
 is an

00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:00.560
 exhortation

00:27:00.560 --> 00:27:02.039
 to continue

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:02.860
 waiting for

00:27:02.860 --> 00:27:04.360
 his return.

00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.720
 How much

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:06.940
 of your

00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:07.840
 life and

00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:08.120
 each of

00:27:08.120 --> 00:27:08.680
 your days

00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:09.800
 is spent

00:27:09.800 --> 00:27:10.840
 eagerly

00:27:10.840 --> 00:27:11.480
 meditating

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.100
 and waiting

00:27:12.100 --> 00:27:12.500
 for the

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:13.160
 return of

00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:13.560
 the Lord?

00:27:15.800 --> 00:27:16.720
 For myself,

00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:17.560
 not so much.

00:27:18.840 --> 00:27:19.600
 I'm far

00:27:19.600 --> 00:27:20.039
 more interested

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.920
 in trivial

00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:21.660
 concerns and

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:21.960
 cares.

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:24.360
 We find it

00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:25.140
 difficult to

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:25.700
 wait for

00:27:25.700 --> 00:27:27.140
 Christ eagerly.

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.440
 it's

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:29.900
 difficult to

00:27:29.900 --> 00:27:30.160
 wait for

00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.560
 him eagerly

00:27:30.560 --> 00:27:31.160
 because it's

00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:31.600
 so easy

00:27:31.600 --> 00:27:32.019
 to live

00:27:32.019 --> 00:27:32.460
 lives

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:32.980
 forgetting

00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:33.259
 about

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:33.420
 his

00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:33.800
 promises

00:27:33.800 --> 00:27:34.000
 of

00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:34.340
 return.

00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:36.539
 Do you

00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:37.140
 find yourself

00:27:37.140 --> 00:27:37.759
 to be like

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:38.160
 the man

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:38.440
 in the

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:38.779
 passage

00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:39.480
 right before

00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:40.000
 this one?

00:27:40.320 --> 00:27:40.860
 The man

00:27:40.860 --> 00:27:41.420
 who builds

00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:41.720
 bigger

00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.340
 barns

00:27:42.340 --> 00:27:42.840
 after a

00:27:42.840 --> 00:27:43.480
 windfall

00:27:43.480 --> 00:27:44.000
 crop.

00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:45.220
 He concerns

00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:46.180
 himself with

00:27:46.180 --> 00:27:46.900
 his economic

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.920
 status rather

00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:48.240
 than the

00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:48.779
 condition of

00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:49.460
 his soul.

00:27:50.820 --> 00:27:51.300
 Jesus calls

00:27:51.300 --> 00:27:52.060
 him a fool

00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:52.800
 for being

00:27:52.800 --> 00:27:53.380
 concerned about

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:53.720
 these sort

00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:54.120
 of things

00:27:54.120 --> 00:27:54.700
 to the

00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.259
 exclusion of

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:55.759
 being concerned

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:56.160
 about his

00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:56.420
 soul.

00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:58.880
 Maybe you

00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.220
 don't care

00:27:59.220 --> 00:27:59.960
 about barns

00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:00.400
 and crops

00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:00.980
 but do

00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:01.380
 your thoughts

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:01.920
 run more

00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:02.360
 often to

00:28:02.360 --> 00:28:03.080
 paying bills

00:28:03.080 --> 00:28:04.300
 or advancing

00:28:04.300 --> 00:28:04.560
 in your

00:28:04.560 --> 00:28:06.039
 career and

00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:06.620
 less on

00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:07.259
 preparing for

00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:07.900
 this decisive

00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:09.120
 day when

00:28:09.120 --> 00:28:09.580
 Christ shall

00:28:09.580 --> 00:28:09.960
 return?

00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:14.120
 To meditate

00:28:14.120 --> 00:28:14.960
 often on the

00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:15.420
 return of

00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:17.300
 Christ is to

00:28:17.300 --> 00:28:18.100
 remind ourselves

00:28:18.100 --> 00:28:19.400
 that a great

00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:20.200
 reckoning is

00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:21.860
 coming and

00:28:21.860 --> 00:28:22.300
 we ought to

00:28:22.300 --> 00:28:23.120
 spend our days

00:28:23.120 --> 00:28:23.940
 in preparation

00:28:23.940 --> 00:28:24.960
 for that

00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.420
 reckoning.

00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:27.759
 for those

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.120
 who are in

00:28:28.120 --> 00:28:28.920
 Christ we

00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:29.300
 know that

00:28:29.300 --> 00:28:30.259
 this reckoning

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:31.279
 will be a

00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:32.560
 good day

00:28:32.560 --> 00:28:33.519
 rather than

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:33.900
 an evil

00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:34.240
 one.

00:28:35.860 --> 00:28:36.420
 And so our

00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:37.420
 hearts ought to

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.460
 be uplifted in

00:28:38.460 --> 00:28:39.380
 desire for

00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:40.360
 this day to

00:28:40.360 --> 00:28:40.700
 come.

00:28:43.300 --> 00:28:44.100
 But there's

00:28:44.100 --> 00:28:44.720
 another reason

00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.779
 it's so hard

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:46.360
 to wait for

00:28:46.360 --> 00:28:47.300
 Christ's return

00:28:47.300 --> 00:28:48.720
 and I think

00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.120
 it's just that

00:28:49.120 --> 00:28:50.220
 we're just bad

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:50.880
 at waiting for

00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:51.820
 anything for

00:28:51.820 --> 00:28:52.380
 any amount of

00:28:52.380 --> 00:28:52.720
 time.

00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:55.059
 waiting through

00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:55.920
 tribulation is

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:56.319
 hard.

00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.440
 We're like the

00:28:58.440 --> 00:28:59.140
 servant in the

00:28:59.140 --> 00:29:00.000
 night in Jesus'

00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:00.960
 parable here.

00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:02.039
 The night watches

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:02.940
 at 4 a.m.

00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.360
 The servant who's

00:29:04.360 --> 00:29:05.120
 tempted just to

00:29:05.120 --> 00:29:05.819
 sit down on his

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:06.720
 cushion because his

00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:07.519
 master is not

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.319
 home and is not

00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:08.940
 coming home.

00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:11.720
 Do you remember

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.480
 ever trying to

00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:13.360
 pull all-nighters?

00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.539
 Do you remember

00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:16.480
 how your eyes

00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:17.559
 begin to close

00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:18.500
 involuntarily

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:19.140
 against your

00:29:19.140 --> 00:29:19.640
 control?

00:29:19.860 --> 00:29:20.799
 How your brain

00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:21.799
 begins to go on

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.759
 protest against

00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.680
 you pulling

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.139
 any more

00:29:24.139 --> 00:29:24.919
 information out

00:29:24.919 --> 00:29:25.200
 of it?

00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:27.579
 And is not

00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:28.059
 waiting for

00:29:28.059 --> 00:29:29.399
 Christ in this

00:29:29.399 --> 00:29:30.599
 world like that?

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:33.879
 Our desires are

00:29:33.879 --> 00:29:34.339
 low.

00:29:35.099 --> 00:29:36.099
 We can't sustain

00:29:36.099 --> 00:29:37.059
 a desire for him

00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:37.899
 coming back very

00:29:37.899 --> 00:29:39.180
 often or very

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:39.579
 strongly.

00:29:40.659 --> 00:29:41.680
 We individually

00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.279
 have passed

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.099
 decades here on

00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:44.200
 this earth and

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:44.839
 our earth has

00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:45.779
 passed thousands

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.700
 of years since

00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:47.700
 Christ's ascension

00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:49.319
 and still we

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:49.919
 don't see him.

00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:53.339
 surely then the

00:29:53.339 --> 00:29:53.899
 temptation to

00:29:53.899 --> 00:29:54.279
 think that he's

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:55.079
 not coming is

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:55.519
 great.

00:29:58.059 --> 00:29:58.919
 But if we

00:29:58.919 --> 00:29:59.399
 would be

00:29:59.399 --> 00:30:01.220
 faithful and

00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:02.180
 heed the words

00:30:02.180 --> 00:30:02.879
 of our Lord,

00:30:03.659 --> 00:30:04.740
 we cannot

00:30:04.740 --> 00:30:06.000
 allow ourselves

00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:07.159
 to slip into

00:30:07.159 --> 00:30:08.220
 imagining that

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:08.839
 he will not

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.460
 return.

00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:11.319
 We cannot

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:12.220
 allow ourselves

00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:12.960
 to slip into

00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:13.619
 thinking that our

00:30:13.619 --> 00:30:14.419
 greatest concern

00:30:14.419 --> 00:30:15.440
 is the building

00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:16.559
 of bigger barns

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:17.440
 to hold our

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.159
 great harvest.

00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:22.200
 Christ's promise

00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:24.000
 of return is

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:25.019
 as sure as

00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:25.700
 his promise

00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.740
 that he has

00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:27.640
 wiped away all

00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:28.460
 of our sins.

00:30:29.840 --> 00:30:30.519
 And if we

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.300
 would believe him

00:30:31.300 --> 00:30:31.680
 that he has

00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:32.300
 wiped away our

00:30:32.300 --> 00:30:33.960
 sins, we must

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:35.060
 believe him as

00:30:35.060 --> 00:30:36.720
 eagerly and as

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:38.259
 sincerely when he

00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:38.920
 promises to

00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:39.320
 return.

00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:44.480
 But will we not

00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:45.380
 grow tired in

00:30:45.380 --> 00:30:46.600
 waiting for the

00:30:46.600 --> 00:30:47.060
 return of the

00:30:47.060 --> 00:30:47.259
 Lord?

00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:50.600
 I think we

00:30:50.600 --> 00:30:50.779
 will.

00:30:52.580 --> 00:30:53.380
 So how do we

00:30:53.380 --> 00:30:54.100
 rouse ourselves

00:30:54.100 --> 00:30:55.100
 awake again and

00:30:55.100 --> 00:30:56.040
 again as the

00:30:56.040 --> 00:30:56.640
 night watches

00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:57.460
 pass and the

00:30:57.460 --> 00:30:57.920
 nights grow

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:58.680
 darker and

00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.600
 darker that we

00:30:59.600 --> 00:31:00.180
 wait for the

00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:01.080
 coming of our

00:31:01.080 --> 00:31:01.360
 Lord?

00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:05.340
 Two things we

00:31:05.340 --> 00:31:06.380
 can do to help

00:31:06.380 --> 00:31:07.820
 us wait eagerly

00:31:07.820 --> 00:31:08.300
 for the coming

00:31:08.300 --> 00:31:08.779
 of the Lord.

00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:11.220
 The first thing

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:12.440
 we can do is

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.460
 recall the

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.220
 faithfulness of

00:31:14.220 --> 00:31:15.259
 God that we've

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.200
 seen in our own

00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:18.000
 lives and in the

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:18.880
 lives of other

00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:19.400
 Christians.

00:31:20.839 --> 00:31:21.839
 Recall God's

00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:23.180
 faithfulness to

00:31:23.180 --> 00:31:24.019
 us in our own

00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:25.299
 lives and in the

00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:25.920
 lives of other

00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:26.319
 Christians.

00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:27.619
 This by the way

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:29.160
 is one of the

00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:29.720
 reasons church

00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.640
 history is really

00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:31.460
 useful.

00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:33.519
 Seeing God's

00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:34.220
 faithfulness not

00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:35.119
 only across my own

00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:36.299
 27 years but

00:31:36.299 --> 00:31:37.900
 across 2,000 years

00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:38.720
 of church history

00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:40.920
 has so inflamed my

00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:42.180
 trust in Christ.

00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:44.220
 again if you want

00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:45.019
 to have a

00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:45.680
 conversation about

00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:46.380
 what church history

00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:46.820
 you ought to read

00:31:46.820 --> 00:31:47.380
 I'd be happy to

00:31:47.380 --> 00:31:47.920
 talk to you about

00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:48.200
 that.

00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:51.380
 We can recall the

00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:52.460
 faithfulness of God

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:53.460
 that we've seen in

00:31:53.460 --> 00:31:54.880
 our own lives and

00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.779
 wait patiently

00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:57.160
 because we know

00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:57.779
 that those

00:31:57.779 --> 00:31:59.380
 faithfulnesses are a

00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:00.580
 down payment of

00:32:00.580 --> 00:32:02.279
 his greater final

00:32:02.279 --> 00:32:03.060
 faithfulness.

00:32:05.060 --> 00:32:05.920
 The medieval

00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:06.840
 theologian Bernard

00:32:06.840 --> 00:32:08.580
 of Clairvaux in his

00:32:08.580 --> 00:32:09.880
 exegesis of Song of

00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:11.640
 Solomon he observes

00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:12.440
 that the bride

00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:14.680
 waits and pines

00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:15.840
 away after her

00:32:15.840 --> 00:32:16.760
 husband on the

00:32:16.760 --> 00:32:19.260
 bed and as she

00:32:19.260 --> 00:32:20.100
 waits for him she

00:32:20.100 --> 00:32:21.820
 is refreshed in

00:32:21.820 --> 00:32:23.040
 her desire and

00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:23.920
 prevented from

00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:25.300
 fainting by desire

00:32:25.300 --> 00:32:26.860
 by eating the

00:32:26.860 --> 00:32:27.920
 pomegranates of his

00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:30.220
 garden and smelling

00:32:30.220 --> 00:32:31.280
 the flowers there.

00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:35.300
 Bernard writes

00:32:35.300 --> 00:32:36.120
 what are these

00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:37.020
 pomegranates and

00:32:37.020 --> 00:32:37.460
 what are these

00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:37.920
 flowers?

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:40.640
 with these fruits

00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.400
 and flowers the

00:32:41.400 --> 00:32:42.519
 bride begs to be

00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:43.200
 surrounded and

00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:44.080
 nourished now.

00:32:45.420 --> 00:32:46.240
 I believe that she

00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:47.240
 does so sensing that

00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:48.140
 the warmth of her

00:32:48.140 --> 00:32:49.180
 love can easily

00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:50.640
 cool if it's not

00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:51.480
 encouraged and

00:32:51.480 --> 00:32:52.539
 supported until she

00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:53.720
 is led into her

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.600
 husband's chamber

00:32:54.600 --> 00:32:55.680
 where she will be

00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:56.560
 held in the long

00:32:56.560 --> 00:32:58.180
 desired embrace and

00:32:58.180 --> 00:32:59.259
 she can say his

00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:00.140
 left hand is under

00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:01.400
 my head and his

00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:02.039
 right hand has

00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:02.700
 embraced me.

00:33:02.700 --> 00:33:06.420
 This means that as

00:33:06.420 --> 00:33:07.200
 long as the world

00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:08.460
 lasts in which one

00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:09.500
 generation is succeeded

00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:11.279
 by another God's

00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:12.340
 chosen ones will not

00:33:12.340 --> 00:33:12.940
 be without the

00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:14.100
 consolation of memory

00:33:14.100 --> 00:33:15.960
 until they can enjoy

00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:17.059
 the feast of God's

00:33:17.059 --> 00:33:17.759
 presence.

00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:20.900
 So memory which is

00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:21.860
 signified by these

00:33:21.860 --> 00:33:23.019
 pomegranates is for

00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:24.059
 the generations of

00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:25.100
 people in this world

00:33:25.100 --> 00:33:27.559
 the presence of God

00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:28.819
 belongs to those in

00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:29.640
 the kingdom of heaven

00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:31.180
 and the memories of

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:32.840
 God's faithfulness are

00:33:32.840 --> 00:33:34.080
 those on earth.

00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:36.040
 This generation on

00:33:36.040 --> 00:33:37.720
 earth which is still

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:38.720
 on its pilgrimage to

00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:40.600
 heaven is comforted in

00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:42.000
 the meantime by

00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.420
 memory.

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:44.940
 We remember the great

00:33:44.940 --> 00:33:45.900
 works that God has

00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:47.720
 done for us and we

00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:49.380
 trust that those are

00:33:49.380 --> 00:33:50.860
 the down payments of

00:33:50.860 --> 00:33:52.640
 his future faithfulness.

00:33:53.060 --> 00:33:53.920
 That's the first thing

00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:55.220
 we do to help us wait.

00:33:55.480 --> 00:33:56.340
 The second thing we do

00:33:56.340 --> 00:33:58.960
 we trust not only in

00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:00.579
 memories but in the

00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:01.100
 promises.

00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:03.740
 We look back and we

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:04.660
 look forward.

00:34:06.380 --> 00:34:07.380
 Look at the great

00:34:07.380 --> 00:34:08.780
 promises set out here

00:34:08.780 --> 00:34:09.500
 for us.

00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:12.019
 Look particularly in

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:13.079
 verse 37.

00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:16.320
 This is astounding to

00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:16.519
 me.

00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:19.360
 When the master returns

00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:21.420
 he does not demand that

00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:22.720
 the servants serve him

00:34:22.720 --> 00:34:24.539
 but rather this happens.

00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.019
 Blessed are those

00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.740
 servants whom the

00:34:26.740 --> 00:34:27.800
 master finds awake when

00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:28.280
 he comes.

00:34:28.780 --> 00:34:30.280
 Truly I say to you he

00:34:30.280 --> 00:34:31.560
 will dress himself for

00:34:31.560 --> 00:34:32.019
 service.

00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:33.860
 He will have them

00:34:33.860 --> 00:34:35.940
 recline at table and

00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:37.519
 he will come and serve

00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:37.900
 them.

00:34:40.760 --> 00:34:41.840
 Do you get the vision?

00:34:42.100 --> 00:34:43.340
 This master has returned

00:34:43.340 --> 00:34:44.080
 from a wedding feast.

00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:45.740
 Perhaps his own wedding

00:34:45.740 --> 00:34:46.140
 feast.

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:49.280
 He is overjoyed.

00:34:49.700 --> 00:34:52.420
 He abounds in joy and

00:34:52.420 --> 00:34:53.039
 rejoicing.

00:34:53.660 --> 00:34:55.120
 And what does he do as

00:34:55.120 --> 00:34:56.300
 soon as he sees his

00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:56.760
 servants?

00:34:57.320 --> 00:34:58.460
 He invites them to

00:34:58.460 --> 00:34:59.800
 rejoice with him.

00:35:00.680 --> 00:35:02.500
 He gives to them their

00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:02.880
 food.

00:35:03.420 --> 00:35:05.100
 He serves them.

00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:07.780
 The promise that we

00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:09.260
 wait for at the coming

00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:11.960
 of our master Jesus is

00:35:11.960 --> 00:35:14.980
 for him to serve us.

00:35:16.780 --> 00:35:18.860
 It would be blasphemy to

00:35:18.860 --> 00:35:20.420
 say we're not the Bible so

00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:22.220
 very clear that this is what

00:35:22.219 --> 00:35:23.179
 we wait for.

00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:30.159
 Jesus himself will prepare a

00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:31.139
 table before us.

00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:35.099
 Jesus himself will not

00:35:35.099 --> 00:35:36.179
 drink of the fruit of the

00:35:36.179 --> 00:35:38.259
 vine, the wine of rejoicing

00:35:38.259 --> 00:35:39.919
 and of grand marriage

00:35:39.919 --> 00:35:41.879
 supper until we drink it

00:35:41.879 --> 00:35:42.559
 with him.

00:35:43.279 --> 00:35:46.039
 Jesus himself prepares a

00:35:46.039 --> 00:35:46.919
 house for us.

00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:49.680
 Jesus himself shall fill his

00:35:49.680 --> 00:35:51.400
 people with glad rejoicing

00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:53.420
 by inviting them to his

00:35:53.420 --> 00:35:54.539
 bridal feast.

00:35:55.579 --> 00:35:57.599
 The Christian in this life

00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:59.400
 waits with eagerness

00:35:59.400 --> 00:36:02.280
 knowing that the eternity

00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:04.139
 that waits in front of us is

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:05.559
 not an eternity of being

00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:07.400
 cajoled and commanded

00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:10.019
 but an eternity of being

00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:13.240
 wooed by the great lover of

00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:13.939
 our souls.

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:17.739
 He will gird himself

00:36:17.739 --> 00:36:20.579
 and serve his servants.

00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:26.479
 This is a sweet grounds

00:36:26.479 --> 00:36:29.799
 for our hope in the future.

00:36:31.719 --> 00:36:33.359
 But why does he tarry so

00:36:33.359 --> 00:36:34.599
 long before he comes?

00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:37.139
 I think there's a reason for

00:36:37.139 --> 00:36:37.639
 this too.

00:36:38.759 --> 00:36:40.479
 Note how Jesus specifies the

00:36:40.479 --> 00:36:42.799
 time for these servants.

00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:43.760
 Verse 38.

00:36:44.300 --> 00:36:45.240
 If he comes in the second

00:36:45.240 --> 00:36:46.560
 watch or in the third

00:36:46.560 --> 00:36:47.820
 and he finds his servants

00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:49.380
 awake, blessed are those

00:36:49.380 --> 00:36:49.700
 servants.

00:36:50.300 --> 00:36:51.100
 Now I don't want to make

00:36:51.100 --> 00:36:52.280
 too much about a parable

00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:52.519
 right?

00:36:52.560 --> 00:36:53.620
 In every parable you can't

00:36:53.620 --> 00:36:55.140
 find something out of every

00:36:55.140 --> 00:36:56.640
 particular detail but I

00:36:56.640 --> 00:36:57.240
 think there's something

00:36:57.240 --> 00:36:58.660
 significant about the

00:36:58.660 --> 00:37:00.280
 waiting of the coming of

00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:00.700
 the Lord.

00:37:01.220 --> 00:37:03.240
 Why does he wait?

00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:09.320
 We live in an Amazon

00:37:09.320 --> 00:37:12.019
 Prime world where we

00:37:12.019 --> 00:37:14.119
 the first generation in all

00:37:14.119 --> 00:37:15.420
 of human history can get

00:37:15.420 --> 00:37:18.559
 almost any object with free

00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:19.139
 two-day shipping.

00:37:20.679 --> 00:37:22.360
 This means we rarely have

00:37:22.360 --> 00:37:24.420
 opportunities to wait and

00:37:24.420 --> 00:37:25.960
 eagerly long for anything we

00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:26.199
 want.

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:29.139
 We get frustrated when we

00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:30.420
 have to wait 20 seconds for a

00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:31.400
 YouTube video to load.

00:37:32.280 --> 00:37:34.059
 How are we prepared to wait

00:37:34.059 --> 00:37:35.940
 decades for the coming of

00:37:35.940 --> 00:37:36.320
 Christ?

00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:36.420
 Christ.

00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:40.740
 When I was younger my parents

00:37:40.740 --> 00:37:42.160
 would make Christmas a big

00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:42.519
 deal.

00:37:43.120 --> 00:37:44.160
 They would start talking about

00:37:44.160 --> 00:37:45.559
 it two, three months in

00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:46.019
 advance.

00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:47.920
 My sister still does this.

00:37:48.880 --> 00:37:51.640
 In October and November her

00:37:51.640 --> 00:37:54.440
 eagerness for Christmas is so

00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:56.360
 profound she could explode.

00:37:57.380 --> 00:37:58.700
 You don't get that with Amazon

00:37:58.700 --> 00:37:59.160
 Prime.

00:37:59.159 --> 00:38:03.759
 And on Christmas Eve she is so

00:38:03.759 --> 00:38:05.059
 excited for the coming of

00:38:05.059 --> 00:38:07.719
 Christmas precisely because she

00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:09.219
 has waited for so long.

00:38:09.879 --> 00:38:11.859
 This time of waiting has

00:38:11.859 --> 00:38:13.659
 heightened her longing for the

00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.339
 coming of Christmas.

00:38:16.879 --> 00:38:18.339
 I think this is one of the

00:38:18.339 --> 00:38:20.259
 reasons that Christ tarries.

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:23.179
 So that our desire for him might

00:38:23.179 --> 00:38:23.779
 be heightened.

00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:27.940
 Like those servants who the

00:38:27.940 --> 00:38:29.740
 master returns to in the second

00:38:29.740 --> 00:38:32.100
 and third watches at midnight

00:38:32.100 --> 00:38:33.180
 and 3 a.m.

00:38:34.180 --> 00:38:37.080
 They yearn for him to come back.

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:40.760
 Every hour they wait they yearn

00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:42.420
 more and more for him to come

00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:42.960
 back.

00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:46.460
 The psalmist says something

00:38:46.460 --> 00:38:46.900
 similar.

00:38:47.540 --> 00:38:48.500
 I wait for the Lord.

00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:50.700
 My soul waits and in his word I

00:38:50.700 --> 00:38:51.019
 hope.

00:38:51.420 --> 00:38:53.760
 My soul waits for the Lord more

00:38:53.780 --> 00:38:55.360
 than watchman for the morning

00:38:55.360 --> 00:38:57.140
 more than watchman for the

00:38:57.140 --> 00:38:57.480
 morning.

00:38:58.100 --> 00:39:00.700
 The watchman a soldier set at his

00:39:00.700 --> 00:39:04.980
 post all night long yearns for

00:39:04.980 --> 00:39:07.260
 the morning and he yearns for it

00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:09.120
 more at 1 a.m. than he did at

00:39:09.120 --> 00:39:11.240
 midnight and more at 2 a.m. than

00:39:11.240 --> 00:39:11.940
 at 1 a.m.

00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:15.080
 And as the waiting continues so also

00:39:15.080 --> 00:39:17.019
 does his desire increase.

00:39:18.480 --> 00:39:20.340
 I think this is one of the reasons

00:39:20.340 --> 00:39:22.360
 why Jesus tarries.

00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:26.800
 Because only when our desires are

00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:30.260
 high do we fully realize how

00:39:30.260 --> 00:39:32.140
 desirable Christ is.

00:39:36.640 --> 00:39:39.940
 The watchman, his aching body and

00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:43.420
 fatigued mind cry out all the more

00:39:43.420 --> 00:39:44.860
 for the dawning of the day.

00:39:44.860 --> 00:39:49.300
 And then at the pinnacle of his

00:39:49.300 --> 00:39:52.000
 desire dawn.

00:39:53.740 --> 00:39:56.860
 Light shall arise in the darkness for

00:39:56.860 --> 00:39:59.099
 the upright the psalmist says.

00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:03.820
 And so also will Christ come to all

00:40:03.820 --> 00:40:07.140
 those who love him and desire his

00:40:07.140 --> 00:40:07.400
 coming.

00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:09.599
 Let's pray.

00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:19.139
 Lord we do pray that you would give

00:40:19.139 --> 00:40:22.820
 us the grace tonight to place our

00:40:22.820 --> 00:40:25.519
 trust in you and faith in you so that

00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:28.440
 as you come to divide the world we

00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:30.860
 would not be on the side of those who

00:40:30.860 --> 00:40:32.980
 have set our minds and hearts against

00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:33.280
 you.

00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:36.300
 But we would be among those who

00:40:36.300 --> 00:40:37.900
 eagerly desire your coming.

00:40:39.179 --> 00:40:41.280
 And we pray that you would sustain us

00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:44.300
 with memories of your faithfulness in

00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:46.539
 the past and the promise of your

00:40:46.539 --> 00:40:49.280
 coming to dwell with us forever in the

00:40:49.280 --> 00:40:49.599
 future.

00:40:50.800 --> 00:40:53.000
 I pray that you would give us a renewed

00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:55.800
 desire to see your kingdom come and

00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:57.559
 your will be done on this earth.

00:40:57.559 --> 00:41:00.619
 I pray that you would come quickly Lord

00:41:00.619 --> 00:41:03.579
 Jesus and satisfy the desires of your

00:41:03.579 --> 00:41:03.900
 people.

00:41:05.239 --> 00:41:06.679
 In the name of Jesus I pray all these

00:41:06.679 --> 00:41:07.000
 things.

00:41:07.880 --> 00:41:08.059
 Amen.