WEBVTT

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 In 1966, this lady called Elizabeth Elliot wrote a book called No Graven Image.

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 And Elizabeth Elliot herself was a missionary to tribesmen in South American Amazon Forest.

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 Her husband had been killed a few years before by the very people that they were trying to reach.

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 Anyway, she then writes this novel, and it's about a young lady that is a missionary to tribesmen in the Amazon.

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 And so it's quite autobiographical.

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 And in this book, there's this missionary called Margaret.

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 And her job is she does Bible translation for tribes that have no language.

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 And so she first goes and learns the language, documents it.

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 They have no written language.

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 She documents it and then translates the Bible into their language so that they can have the gospel.

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 And she's working with this tribe in the Ecuadorian mountains.

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 And key to her translation is a man called Pedro.

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 He's the only man in the world, as far as she knows, who speaks both the language of this tribe as well as Spanish.

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 And so he's the connection between her and this tribe that she's trying to reach with the gospel.

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 Anyway, one morning, she's been working for years with Pedro.

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 And she's almost at the place where she can document the language, write it down, and then start her translation work.

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 And so one morning, she's on her way to work, and she's praying this heartfelt prayer.

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 God, thank you so much for the privilege of being able to do what I do.

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 Thank you that you've called me to translate the Bible and to help this tribe to know the gospel.

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 Thank you for Pedro and just for all your blessings in my life.

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 And she's going to work, and she gets to Pedro's house.

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 And as she gets there, they say, oh, Pedro's sick.

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 He's got a cut in his leg, and it's infected.

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 And she says, no problem.

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 I'm a trained nurse.

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 And so she goes to her bag, and she gets some penicillin.

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 And she gives him an injection to deal with the infection.

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 And says, you'll be right as rain after a few days.

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 And after a few minutes, Pedro starts to convulse and shake, and he experiences anaphylaxis.

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 His throat swells, and he has an allergic reaction to the penicillin.

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 And he starts to die right there in front of her.

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 And as he's dying in front of her, Margaret, this lady, cries out,

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 Lord, you answered my prayers.

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 You gave me Pedro.

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 God, he's the only one.

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 Remember that.

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 He is the only one.

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 And Pedro dies in front of her.

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 And as he dies, all of her life's work, the last five, ten years,

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 everything she's given her life to is wiped away in an instant,

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 and it completely vanishes.

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 And towards the end of the book, she stands at Pedro's grave, and she says this.

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 She says, and God, what of him?

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 He allowed Pedro to die, or perhaps he caused me to kill him.

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 Does he now, I ask there at the graveside, does he expect me to worship him?

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 If you have ever, like Elizabeth Elliot, asked the question, God, how on earth could you let something like this happen?

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 God, where are you?

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 God, don't you care anymore?

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 You're not alone.

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 Chances are you're not the only one in this room that's asked that question.

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 And this morning, we look at a passage of Scripture.

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 We're going to start this three-week series in this book called Habakkuk, or Habakkuk.

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 And one of the biblical authors, Habakkuk, is this prophet.

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 And he, too, wrestled with this question.

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 God, how can you let this happen?

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 God, where are you?

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 Why have you abandoned me?

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 Now, in the Old Testament, the prophet was meant to be God's ambassador.

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 He speaks for God, on behalf of God, to God's people.

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 But Habakkuk is one of the unusual prophets, because nowhere in his entire book does he speak to God's people.

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 The entire book of Habakkuk is not about him speaking for God to God's people.

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 It's about him wrestling with God around this question.

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 Now, I want you to know that we actually planned this preaching series three months ago.

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 And yet, what's interesting is the entire book of Habakkuk revolves around political tension and uncertainty.

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 And about how Habakkuk is wrestling with this question, how another nation, which is far more strong and more powerful than him,

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 that he considers to be unjust, and he considers to have no regard for the law of the land,

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 is about to invade his nation and take over.

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 And so he's wrestling with this question, saying, God, where are you in the midst of it?

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 Now, I'm not making a political statement at all,

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 but it's no coincidence that in the week that we as a city have wrestled with this exact question,

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 Habakkuk two and a half thousand years ago wrestles with the same question.

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 And I think God has divinely coincident brought these things together.

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 Now, in our section that we're going to look at today, there are four parts to this passage.

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 Firstly, Habakkuk complains to God.

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 Where are you, God?

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 God then responds.

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 Habakkuk then complains again, and God responds a second time.

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 And so it's quite technical, and there's a lot of Hebrew poetry.

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 And so you're going to need your Bible in front of you or the bulletin in front of you.

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 We're going to look at a lot of Scripture.

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 I'm going to ask you to really follow the flow of the argument as we go.

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 So you're going to need your Bible in front of you.

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 And so let's dive into the first section, which is Habakkuk's first complaint.

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 And it starts off in verse 2 of chapter 1.

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 He cries out.

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 He is unhappy with what's happening in the nation of Israel.

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 And he says,

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 Oh Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear me?

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 I'll cry out to you violence, and you will not save.

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 So Habakkuk is an unhappy man.

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 And he's unhappy because the nation of Israel, which is his nation, things are not going well there.

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 There's violence.

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 There's animosity.

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 There is division.

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 There is lawlessness and hopelessness.

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 And so look what he says in verse 3.

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 He says,

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 Destruction and violence are before me.

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 Strife and contention arise.

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 Everywhere I look, I see violence.

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 I see injustice.

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 I see divisions in families.

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 I see divisions in churches.

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 I see divisions in society.

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 Everybody is looking out for themselves.

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 Nobody cares about anybody else.

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 Peace and hope and rest are a distant memory, he says.

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 And he says,

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 Your law, in other words, your word, your scripture, is paralyzed.

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 Where once upon a time, your word was sharp.

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 It would cut to the heart.

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 It was penetrating.

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 People would listen to your word and be arrested.

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 Now, he says, your word is disregarded.

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 It's like somebody's thrown it in the corner and it's gathering dust.

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 Your law, O God, is paralyzed.

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 And he says in verse 4,

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 The wicked surround the righteous.

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 In other words, those that are wanting to do the right thing are now in the minority.

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 Because the majority of people have no regard for God, disregard his word.

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 They're in the majority and they are threatening those that want to honor you.

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 They are surrounded the righteous.

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 And it seems like Habakkuk has been praying this for a long time.

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 And so now he's beginning to wonder.

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 He says,

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 How long shall I keep on crying out to you, God, and you do nothing?

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 How long shall my prayers, O God, fall on deaf ears?

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 It's like he's saying,

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 God, are you not able to answer prayer anymore?

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 Is prayer just ineffective?

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 Or maybe, he thinks,

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 Maybe the problem is not that God is not able to answer prayer.

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 Maybe the problem is not that God doesn't hear our prayers.

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 He hears it, but God is incapable of answering it.

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 His hands are tied.

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 And so look at what he says.

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 He says,

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 Why do you idly look at wrong and do nothing about it?

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 Have you too, God, been left paralyzed?

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 Well, God responds to Habakkuk's complaint.

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 And look at how God responds in verse 5.

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 He answers him and he says,

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 No, Habakkuk, your prayers have not fallen on deaf ears.

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 And no, I'm not incapable of doing something about it.

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 Look at verse 6.

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 He says,

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 Now that sounds pretty good.

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 Habakkuk, funny you ask.

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 I am not deaf to your prayers.

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 I am actually doing something about it.

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 And God says,

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 I'm doing something in your day.

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 In other words,

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 it's not like Habakkuk prayed to God and aroused God from his sleep.

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 But God now is woken from his slumber and he's kind of scratching his eyes and saying,

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 Okay, let me get to it.

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 Okay.

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 He says,

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 No, in your day,

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 while you are praying and crying out to me,

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 Look, be astounded.

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 I'm doing something.

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 Look at what I'm doing amongst the nations.

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 Finally, Habakkuk thinks we're getting somewhere.

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 God seems to be paying attention.

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 Except,

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 look at the work that God says he's doing.

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 Friends,

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 if you and I prayed for God to do something,

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 heal your mother or your father,

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 lead your brother to Christ,

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 restore some justice in the city,

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 and we pray and God says,

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 Look, I'm doing something in your day.

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 I'm doing something so amazing that if I told you about it,

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 you wouldn't even believe me.

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 I'd be pretty pleased, right?

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 But look at what God says here.

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 Except in Habakkuk's case,

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 the astounding thing that God is about to do is not good news,

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 it's bad news.

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 When God says,

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 I'm about to do something so astounding,

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 you won't believe me if I told you,

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 it's not because it's awesome,

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 as Tobin would say.

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 It's because it's awful.

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 God says to Habakkuk,

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 things are about to get worse before they get better.

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 Look at what he says.

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 Look amongst the nations,

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 see, wonder, and be astounded.

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 I am doing a work in your days

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 that you would not believe,

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 even if I told you.

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 Behold, I'm raising up the Chaldeans,

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 that bitter and hasty nation.

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 Now, the Chaldeans were part of the Babylonians,

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 and the Chaldeans were actually a province

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 at the south of Babylon,

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 and they were the most military,

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 ruthless of all the provinces.

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 And so what happened was,

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 the Chaldeans had got this fire in their belly,

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 and they had revitalized the Babylonian army.

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 And the Babylonians are now on the rise.

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 They are militarily and politically on the rise.

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 They are about to,

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 after this,

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 smash the world's superpower,

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 the Assyrian army.

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 After that,

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 they're going to smash the Egyptian army.

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 And then after that,

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 they're going to make their way through Israel

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 and wipe out Israel

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 and overtake Israel.

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 And so what happens is,

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 God is saying to Habakkuk

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 that he, God,

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 is busy raising up the Chaldeans,

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 that bitter and hasty nation,

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 as his instrument

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 to punish the nation of Israel

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 for their rampant idolatry

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 and their injustice

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 and their wickedness.

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 God is going to give Israel

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 into the hands of the Chaldeans,

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 the Babylonians,

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 and the Babylonians

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 will be God's instrument

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 to deal with the wickedness in Israel.

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 And so look at what he says.

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 Behold, I'm raising up the Chaldeans,

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 that bitter and hasty nation,

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 who march through the breadth of the earth

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 to seize dwellings not their own.

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 They are dreaded and fearsome.

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 Their justice and their dignity

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 go forth from themselves.

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 In other words,

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 they are a law unto themselves.

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 They are a respecter of no law

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 or moral code.

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 Verse eight,

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 their horses are swifter than leopards,

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 more fierce than the evening wolves.

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 Their horsemen come from afar,

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 they fly in like an eagle,

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 swift to devour.

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 And the imagery here is of a leopard

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 that is waiting to pounce on its prey

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 and devour it.

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 Or like that comes like a lightning,

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 like an eagle that flies in.

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 And before you even know what's happening,

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 it's sunk its teeth into you

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 and your life is etching away.

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 That's what he says these Babylonians are like.

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 Verse nine,

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 they come for violence.

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 They gather captives like sand in their hands.

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 And notice their arrogance

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 and their self-confidence.

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 He says,

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 Now,

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 if the book of Habakkuk starts off with a complaint

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 because Habakkuk looks around him

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 and things aren't going well

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 and he's got this burden on his heart.

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 God,

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 where are you in the midst of this?

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 Habakkuk's burden is about to get a whole lot heavier

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 because God says to him,

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 My answer to the injustice in Israel

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 is even more injustice.

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 My answer to the wickedness in Israel

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 is even more wickedness.

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 And Habakkuk is thinking,

00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:47.039
 What on earth is going on?

00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:49.340
 And this is confusing, right?

00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:50.639
 And part of what's confusing

00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:54.240
 is that what is about to happen in Israel

00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.319
 is not just a fact of history.

00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:59.360
 It's the hand of God that is causing it.

00:13:59.460 --> 00:14:00.379
 Look at what God says.

00:14:00.920 --> 00:14:01.200
 He says,

00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:01.480
 Look,

00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:02.140
 See,

00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:03.700
 One didn't be astounded.

00:14:03.920 --> 00:14:06.260
 I am doing a work in your days.

00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:06.780
 I,

00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:07.340
 God,

00:14:07.420 --> 00:14:09.400
 am raising up the Chaldeans.

00:14:10.160 --> 00:14:10.600
 Now,

00:14:10.640 --> 00:14:11.480
 we need to be clear here.

00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:12.560
 God is not saying that

00:14:12.560 --> 00:14:14.320
 He is causing the Chaldeans

00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.040
 to be wicked

00:14:15.040 --> 00:14:16.160
 and ruthless.

00:14:16.780 --> 00:14:18.480
 It's not like God took this peaceful,

00:14:19.180 --> 00:14:19.720
 gentle,

00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:21.140
 selfless,

00:14:21.300 --> 00:14:23.080
 other-seeking people

00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:24.560
 and put in them

00:14:24.560 --> 00:14:25.740
 this wicked spirit,

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.460
 cause them to be evil

00:14:27.460 --> 00:14:29.440
 and then unleash them on Israel.

00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:31.820
 God is taking a nation

00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:33.340
 that is already wicked

00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:35.620
 and God dishonoring

00:14:35.620 --> 00:14:36.379
 and ruthless.

00:14:36.560 --> 00:14:36.980
 And He says,

00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:38.460
 You will be my instruments

00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:39.280
 in my hand

00:14:39.280 --> 00:14:41.160
 to deal with the wickedness

00:14:41.160 --> 00:14:42.020
 of my people.

00:14:42.800 --> 00:14:44.060
 God is going to give Israel

00:14:44.060 --> 00:14:45.440
 into their hands.

00:14:46.020 --> 00:14:46.460
 Now,

00:14:46.540 --> 00:14:48.200
 this raises all sorts of questions

00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:48.900
 and problems.

00:14:49.540 --> 00:14:51.020
 What are we meant to make of this?

00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:52.939
 What are we meant to make of God's assertion

00:14:52.939 --> 00:14:53.480
 that He,

00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:54.659
 the sovereign God,

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.460
 is going to use the wickedness

00:14:56.460 --> 00:14:57.240
 of one people

00:14:57.240 --> 00:14:58.819
 to deal with the wickedness

00:14:58.819 --> 00:14:59.220
 of another?

00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:02.340
 How is this justice?

00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:03.939
 Well,

00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:05.419
 part of the book of Habakkuk

00:15:05.419 --> 00:15:06.659
 is that it doesn't give us

00:15:06.659 --> 00:15:08.100
 any superficial answers.

00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:09.860
 It doesn't give us

00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:11.179
 any simplistic answers.

00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:13.240
 And when we get to the end

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.379
 of the book of Habakkuk,

00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:16.439
 Habakkuk is not going to tell us

00:15:16.439 --> 00:15:17.960
 how it all resolves nicely

00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:19.539
 and just ties up at the end

00:15:19.539 --> 00:15:20.840
 with a neat bow on top.

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:22.120
 Like a Christmas present.

00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.319
 But what Habakkuk

00:15:23.319 --> 00:15:24.559
 is going to teach us

00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:26.100
 is how to live

00:15:26.100 --> 00:15:26.919
 in the midst

00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:28.340
 of the challenges of life

00:15:28.340 --> 00:15:29.460
 and still know

00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:30.379
 how to trust God.

00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:33.319
 So I want us to think

00:15:33.319 --> 00:15:34.039
 about this idea

00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:34.860
 of God's sovereignty

00:15:34.860 --> 00:15:35.419
 for a bit.

00:15:36.460 --> 00:15:37.279
 Scripture affirms

00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:38.740
 that though God

00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.759
 sometimes seems

00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:42.299
 absent from human affairs,

00:15:42.899 --> 00:15:45.399
 God rules over everything,

00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:46.579
 everywhere.

00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:46.700
 everywhere.

00:15:47.660 --> 00:15:48.980
 And this is challenging

00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:50.060
 not only because

00:15:50.060 --> 00:15:51.080
 we seldom see

00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:52.160
 God's hand involved.

00:15:52.560 --> 00:15:53.420
 So sometimes we look

00:15:53.420 --> 00:15:54.639
 at the affairs of life

00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:55.160
 and we think,

00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:57.480
 where is God involved in that?

00:15:57.540 --> 00:15:58.660
 His hand seems absent

00:15:58.660 --> 00:15:59.639
 and yet it is.

00:15:59.780 --> 00:16:01.020
 It's like a silent hand

00:16:01.020 --> 00:16:01.639
 that is guiding

00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:03.139
 and controlling things.

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:04.580
 But also it's challenging

00:16:04.580 --> 00:16:05.460
 because it challenges

00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.520
 our self-importance,

00:16:06.580 --> 00:16:08.080
 our self-sovereignty.

00:16:08.660 --> 00:16:09.980
 And yet the scripture tells us

00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:10.580
 that whether we understand

00:16:11.160 --> 00:16:11.840
 it or not,

00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:13.040
 irrespective of how

00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:14.299
 we feel about it,

00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.159
 the God who made the world

00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:16.939
 and everything in it

00:16:16.939 --> 00:16:18.360
 absolutely rules

00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:19.159
 over all of it.

00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:20.459
 There is not a single

00:16:20.459 --> 00:16:21.699
 raindrop that falls,

00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:23.179
 not a single blade of grass

00:16:23.179 --> 00:16:23.879
 that spouts,

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:26.399
 not a single law is passed

00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.139
 or cancer cell multiplies

00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:29.799
 without the sovereign God

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:31.059
 knowing about it,

00:16:31.579 --> 00:16:32.779
 allowing it to happen

00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:35.759
 and sometimes even causing it

00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:37.240
 to happen in the first place.

00:16:37.839 --> 00:16:38.599
 So let me read

00:16:38.599 --> 00:16:39.879
 three scriptures to us

00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:41.559
 that affirm this.

00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:43.019
 Proverbs chapter 19 says,

00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:44.939
 many are the plans

00:16:44.939 --> 00:16:46.179
 in the mind of a man

00:16:46.179 --> 00:16:46.860
 or a woman,

00:16:47.459 --> 00:16:48.620
 but it's the purposes

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:49.399
 of the Lord

00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:50.379
 that will stand.

00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:52.219
 Proverbs 16,

00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:54.099
 the dice is cast

00:16:54.099 --> 00:16:54.819
 into the lap.

00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:55.659
 So in the olden days

00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:57.120
 you wanted to make a decision,

00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:58.159
 you couldn't Google it,

00:16:58.500 --> 00:16:59.419
 you throw a dice

00:16:59.419 --> 00:17:00.500
 and whichever way

00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:01.480
 the dice lands

00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:02.500
 instructs you

00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:03.559
 which way to make a decision.

00:17:04.099 --> 00:17:05.359
 The dice is cast

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:06.139
 into the lap,

00:17:06.639 --> 00:17:08.039
 but it's every decision

00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:09.420
 comes from the Lord.

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:11.720
 Proverbs 21,

00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:13.559
 a king's heart

00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:15.400
 is a stream of water

00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:16.680
 in the hands of the Lord.

00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.839
 It is God

00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:18.819
 who is turning it

00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:20.279
 wherever he wills.

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:21.839
 Now,

00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:22.640
 John Piper

00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:24.480
 summarizes God's teaching,

00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.640
 the Bible's teaching

00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:26.339
 God's sovereignty

00:17:26.339 --> 00:17:27.039
 like this.

00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:28.500
 Let me step aside

00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:29.440
 and you can read it

00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:29.839
 for us.

00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:30.440
 Sorry,

00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:31.259
 Melinda keep on

00:17:31.259 --> 00:17:32.259
 bashing this microphone.

00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:33.819
 Piper says this,

00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:36.059
 when the book of Ephesians

00:17:36.059 --> 00:17:37.779
 says that God works

00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:38.559
 all things

00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:39.700
 according to the counsel

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.500
 of his will,

00:17:41.179 --> 00:17:42.279
 this all things

00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:43.000
 includes

00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:45.039
 the fall of sparrows

00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:45.599
 and animals,

00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:47.519
 the rolling of the dice,

00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:49.659
 the death of his people,

00:17:50.179 --> 00:17:51.659
 the decisions of kings,

00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:53.819
 the failing of sight,

00:17:54.339 --> 00:17:55.819
 the sickness of children,

00:17:56.439 --> 00:17:57.319
 the loss of money,

00:17:57.919 --> 00:17:59.619
 the suffering of God's saints,

00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:00.960
 the completion

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:02.759
 of travel plans,

00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:03.920
 the persecution

00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:04.840
 of Christians,

00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:05.960
 the repentance

00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:07.279
 of souls,

00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:09.259
 the gift of faith.

00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:09.819
 In other words,

00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:11.180
 coming to faith in Christ

00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:12.100
 is a gift from God.

00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:13.299
 The pursuit

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.259
 of holiness,

00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:15.480
 the growth

00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:16.380
 of believers,

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:17.980
 the giving of life

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:19.440
 and the taking in death,

00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:20.559
 and even

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.140
 the crucifixion

00:18:22.140 --> 00:18:23.380
 of his son.

00:18:24.340 --> 00:18:24.460
 Now,

00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:24.960
 just by the way,

00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:25.680
 all the slides

00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:26.539
 are going to be on the app

00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:27.200
 this afternoon

00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.160
 so you can get

00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.039
 those scriptures there.

00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.100
 What do we make of this?

00:18:33.120 --> 00:18:33.480
 Now,

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:34.240
 I wonder if you've ever

00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:35.420
 had an instance in life

00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:37.140
 when something happened

00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:38.860
 that seemed like a setback

00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:39.340
 and you thought,

00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:40.200
 that's not according

00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:40.920
 to my plans.

00:18:41.600 --> 00:18:42.019
 God,

00:18:42.100 --> 00:18:42.819
 why did you allow

00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:43.460
 this to happen?

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:45.240
 Only for later on

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:46.200
 to look back upon

00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:46.779
 that instance

00:18:46.779 --> 00:18:47.720
 and to realize

00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:48.940
 God's hand was guiding

00:18:48.940 --> 00:18:50.400
 each and every instance.

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:51.180
 So,

00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:51.620
 for instance,

00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:52.640
 a trivial example,

00:18:52.819 --> 00:18:54.460
 maybe you are at university,

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.759
 you fall sick,

00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:57.000
 and you have to miss

00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:57.940
 a whole semester

00:18:57.940 --> 00:18:58.720
 of university.

00:18:58.720 --> 00:18:59.860
 And you think,

00:18:59.980 --> 00:19:00.759
 that's going to be

00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:01.380
 bad news

00:19:01.380 --> 00:19:02.079
 because now

00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:02.880
 I'm going to graduate

00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.700
 six months after my class,

00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:05.980
 the job market

00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:06.819
 is going to be flooded

00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:08.140
 by all my classmates,

00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.180
 I'm going to be

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:09.860
 behind the curve

00:19:09.860 --> 00:19:10.299
 and it's going to be

00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:10.980
 difficult for me

00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:11.700
 to find work.

00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:14.000
 Only for you to then

00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:15.960
 come across a professor

00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:17.380
 that you never would have had

00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:18.660
 if you had graduated earlier,

00:19:19.180 --> 00:19:20.019
 a professor who

00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:21.200
 shapes your thinking

00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:22.339
 and shapes your vocation

00:19:22.339 --> 00:19:23.579
 and changes the whole course

00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:24.519
 of your career.

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.339
 Or maybe another instance,

00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:27.620
 maybe you lose your job

00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:28.679
 and you think,

00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:29.599
 this is disastrous.

00:19:30.179 --> 00:19:31.219
 I've got student debts

00:19:31.219 --> 00:19:31.839
 to pay off,

00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:32.979
 I've got student loans

00:19:32.979 --> 00:19:33.659
 to pay off,

00:19:33.939 --> 00:19:34.819
 some other debt.

00:19:35.639 --> 00:19:36.439
 How are things

00:19:36.439 --> 00:19:37.339
 going to work out?

00:19:37.939 --> 00:19:39.219
 Only to later on

00:19:39.219 --> 00:19:40.199
 find that actually

00:19:40.199 --> 00:19:41.019
 God was leading

00:19:41.019 --> 00:19:41.819
 and guiding you

00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:42.599
 because He opened

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.319
 another door

00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:44.799
 or He taught you something

00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:46.039
 or you grew in a way

00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:46.859
 that you would never

00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:47.439
 have grown

00:19:47.439 --> 00:19:48.939
 if things had worked out

00:19:48.939 --> 00:19:50.819
 according to your plans.

00:19:51.619 --> 00:19:52.299
 And at the time

00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:52.879
 it seems like,

00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:53.199
 God,

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:53.859
 where are you

00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:54.419
 in all of this?

00:19:54.459 --> 00:19:55.599
 How can you let it happen?

00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:57.539
 And yet God is guiding you

00:19:57.539 --> 00:19:58.359
 all along the way.

00:19:59.240 --> 00:19:59.939
 And so sometimes

00:19:59.939 --> 00:20:00.899
 our lives feel

00:20:00.899 --> 00:20:01.959
 like a tapestry,

00:20:02.159 --> 00:20:02.359
 right?

00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:02.959
 You know,

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:03.559
 a tapestry,

00:20:03.679 --> 00:20:04.879
 a picture that a weaver

00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:05.919
 picks with,

00:20:06.719 --> 00:20:07.659
 makes,

00:20:07.980 --> 00:20:09.259
 creates with thread.

00:20:09.619 --> 00:20:10.779
 And sometimes God

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.980
 grabs the black

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:13.019
 piece of thread

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:14.639
 and is sewing a tapestry

00:20:14.639 --> 00:20:15.259
 in our lives

00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:15.779
 and we think,

00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:16.500
 God,

00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:18.079
 why the black thread?

00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:19.619
 And you look at your friends

00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:20.299
 and God's picked

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:21.059
 the red thread

00:20:21.059 --> 00:20:22.139
 or the golden thread

00:20:22.139 --> 00:20:23.500
 or some beautiful color

00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:24.759
 and your life

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:26.119
 is just the black thread.

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.000
 And you think,

00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:27.700
 where are you,

00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:28.119
 God?

00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:29.900
 Just by the way,

00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:30.700
 social media,

00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:31.779
 you only ever see

00:20:31.779 --> 00:20:32.480
 the red threads,

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:32.740
 right?

00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:33.660
 And the golden threads.

00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:35.119
 You never see the black

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:35.700
 and the gray

00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:37.079
 and the other threads.

00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:39.099
 But friends,

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.680
 who knows

00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:41.019
 whether God right now

00:20:41.019 --> 00:20:41.960
 is leading

00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:43.079
 and shaping events

00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:44.220
 either in your life

00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:45.180
 or globally

00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:47.039
 that seem disastrous

00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:47.859
 and yet 20,

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:48.339
 60,

00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:49.519
 or 100 years from now

00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.900
 we will look back upon

00:20:50.900 --> 00:20:52.140
 and things which seem

00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:53.000
 to us as if God

00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:54.700
 had completely abandoned us

00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:56.680
 were actually strategic moments

00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:57.279
 of his leading

00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:57.880
 and his guiding.

00:20:58.779 --> 00:20:59.880
 And so the wise man

00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:00.339
 and woman

00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:01.619
 looks at events

00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:02.180
 and says,

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:02.539
 God,

00:21:02.619 --> 00:21:03.799
 where is your hand in this?

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.299
 What are you doing?

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:06.859
 How are you shaping events

00:21:06.859 --> 00:21:08.200
 for your glory

00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:09.380
 and our good?

00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:11.799
 And so that leads us

00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:14.259
 to Habakkuk's second complaint.

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:16.099
 Now as we look at this,

00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:17.240
 I want to ask us a question.

00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:18.660
 If you're a Christian

00:21:18.660 --> 00:21:19.180
 this morning,

00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:20.920
 have you ever got

00:21:20.920 --> 00:21:21.500
 to the place

00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:22.559
 in your walk with God

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.839
 where what you believed

00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:24.460
 about God

00:21:24.460 --> 00:21:25.240
 theologically

00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:26.119
 or intellectually

00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:27.159
 or from the scriptures

00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:29.559
 seems incompatible

00:21:29.559 --> 00:21:30.819
 with the reality

00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:31.799
 of life played out

00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:32.399
 before you?

00:21:33.419 --> 00:21:34.779
 So you see some instance

00:21:34.779 --> 00:21:35.319
 and you think,

00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:37.119
 that doesn't make sense.

00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:38.200
 That seems to contradict

00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:38.720
 your scriptures.

00:21:38.879 --> 00:21:39.799
 Has that ever happened to you?

00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:41.359
 Maybe for instance,

00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:42.200
 you read the Bible

00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:43.240
 and you see Jesus

00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:44.500
 just seems to heal people

00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:45.440
 everywhere he went.

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:46.899
 Everyone he encountered,

00:21:47.019 --> 00:21:47.839
 he just heals them.

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:49.819
 And then you are suffering

00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:50.480
 some disease

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.420
 or you've got a child

00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:51.880
 that's sick

00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:52.779
 and they just don't seem

00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:53.519
 to get better.

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.620
 Or maybe you read

00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.099
 in your Bible

00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:56.980
 how God has made you

00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:58.360
 a new person in Christ.

00:21:58.759 --> 00:21:59.539
 The old is gone

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.759
 and you're a new creation.

00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:02.480
 And yet there's sin

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.000
 in your life

00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:04.160
 that you just can't seem

00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:04.599
 to beat.

00:22:05.079 --> 00:22:06.759
 It seems to have paralyzed

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.779
 you and you're enslaved

00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:08.200
 to it.

00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:09.720
 What do we do?

00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:11.039
 What do we do

00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:11.779
 when our view

00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:13.180
 of who God is

00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:15.000
 and how his world operates

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:16.759
 seems incompatible

00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:17.680
 with the reality

00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:18.900
 of life on the ground?

00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:20.920
 Well, that's the dilemma

00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:22.180
 that Habakkuk is facing.

00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:23.799
 And so look at what he says

00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:24.900
 in verse 12.

00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:26.160
 He says,

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:28.160
 he now quotes back to God

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:29.880
 what he knows about God.

00:22:30.320 --> 00:22:30.720
 He says,

00:22:30.840 --> 00:22:31.160
 God,

00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:33.140
 are you not from everlasting?

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:35.100
 Oh Lord my God,

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:36.000
 my Holy One,

00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.600
 we shall not die.

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:39.140
 So he's saying,

00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:40.019
 God,

00:22:40.340 --> 00:22:41.680
 you are the Lord,

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:42.779
 you are the Holy One.

00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:44.500
 How is your holiness

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.680
 compatible

00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.240
 with the injustice

00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:48.259
 and the violence

00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:49.279
 of the Babylonians

00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:50.220
 that you are going

00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.220
 to bring to Israel?

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:52.660
 Those two things

00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:53.440
 don't compute.

00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:54.839
 They don't make sense.

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.139
 You are holy.

00:22:56.639 --> 00:22:57.980
 They are as far

00:22:57.980 --> 00:22:59.079
 from holy as you can get

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.240
 and yet you're saying

00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:00.639
 that you're going

00:23:00.639 --> 00:23:01.079
 to bring them

00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:02.079
 to Israel.

00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.180
 And he says,

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:03.519
 God,

00:23:03.619 --> 00:23:04.539
 you are from everlasting.

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:06.579
 We shall not die.

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:08.079
 Surely not.

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:11.639
 He's trying to convince

00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:13.060
 either himself or God

00:23:13.060 --> 00:23:14.340
 one way or the other.

00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:15.740
 He's reciting back to God

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.640
 what he knows about him.

00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:17.680
 But still,

00:23:17.800 --> 00:23:18.960
 this doesn't sit well with him

00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:20.280
 because granted,

00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:21.360
 Israel was bad

00:23:21.360 --> 00:23:22.820
 but Babylon is even worse.

00:23:23.520 --> 00:23:24.400
 How is it possible

00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:25.380
 that God is going to use

00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:26.700
 unjust Babylon

00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:28.580
 to teach justice

00:23:28.580 --> 00:23:29.720
 to Israel?

00:23:29.840 --> 00:23:30.759
 So look at what he says

00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:31.620
 in verse 13.

00:23:32.360 --> 00:23:32.800
 He says,

00:23:32.800 --> 00:23:33.120
 God,

00:23:33.220 --> 00:23:34.080
 why do you idly

00:23:34.080 --> 00:23:34.940
 look at traitors?

00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:36.780
 Why do you remain silent

00:23:36.780 --> 00:23:37.840
 when the wicked man

00:23:37.840 --> 00:23:39.420
 swallows up someone else

00:23:39.420 --> 00:23:40.560
 more righteous

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.139
 than himself?

00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:43.480
 And besides,

00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:43.980
 he says,

00:23:44.379 --> 00:23:45.679
 all that's going to happen

00:23:45.679 --> 00:23:47.299
 is that Babylon

00:23:47.299 --> 00:23:48.000
 is just going to

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.799
 conquer people

00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:49.759
 and they're not going

00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.740
 to give you any credit.

00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:53.240
 He says,

00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:53.559
 God,

00:23:54.579 --> 00:23:55.740
 Israel are like fish

00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.159
 in the sea

00:23:56.159 --> 00:23:57.179
 that have lost their way.

00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:58.159
 And now,

00:23:58.339 --> 00:23:59.619
 the Babylonians

00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:00.159
 are like going to

00:24:00.159 --> 00:24:00.819
 get their net,

00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:01.319
 they're going to

00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:02.119
 capture the fish,

00:24:02.539 --> 00:24:03.319
 throw them on board

00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:03.759
 the ship,

00:24:04.179 --> 00:24:04.779
 chop them up

00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:05.539
 and destroy them.

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.839
 How does that

00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:08.059
 teach your people

00:24:08.059 --> 00:24:08.659
 justice?

00:24:08.660 --> 00:24:10.860
 All he's going to do

00:24:10.860 --> 00:24:12.080
 is worship his own strength

00:24:12.080 --> 00:24:13.080
 and his military power.

00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:15.060
 And so Habakkuk

00:24:15.060 --> 00:24:15.700
 is confused

00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:16.940
 and so he ends

00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:17.740
 off his speech,

00:24:17.820 --> 00:24:18.580
 he comes to the end

00:24:18.580 --> 00:24:18.880
 himself,

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:20.040
 he's nothing more to say

00:24:20.040 --> 00:24:21.620
 and so look at what he says

00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:22.400
 in chapter 2,

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:22.900
 verse 1.

00:24:23.019 --> 00:24:23.279
 He says,

00:24:23.360 --> 00:24:24.320
 I will take my stand

00:24:24.320 --> 00:24:25.140
 at the watch post,

00:24:25.560 --> 00:24:26.720
 I will station myself

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:27.360
 on the tower,

00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.740
 I will look out

00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:29.620
 and see what God

00:24:29.620 --> 00:24:30.640
 has to say to me.

00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:32.440
 Now in the Old Testament,

00:24:33.040 --> 00:24:33.880
 the role of a prophet

00:24:33.880 --> 00:24:35.160
 was a very important one

00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:36.880
 and it was often described

00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:37.980
 as like a watchman.

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:39.220
 And so what happened

00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:40.500
 was the prophet

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.480
 would hear from God

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:42.060
 and then he would

00:24:42.060 --> 00:24:42.880
 station himself

00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:43.880
 at the city gates

00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:45.700
 or maybe on the city walls

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:47.400
 and he would watch out

00:24:47.400 --> 00:24:48.460
 over God's people

00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:50.080
 and check that they were

00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:51.000
 doing what God

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:51.900
 had told them to do.

00:24:52.360 --> 00:24:53.420
 And if they weren't

00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:54.000
 doing what God

00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:54.600
 had told them to,

00:24:54.760 --> 00:24:55.800
 they would call out

00:24:55.800 --> 00:24:56.160
 and say,

00:24:56.540 --> 00:24:57.500
 be careful,

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.640
 I'm warning you,

00:24:58.900 --> 00:25:00.080
 things are not looking good.

00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:01.920
 And so they would stand

00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:02.700
 on the watchtower

00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:04.200
 calling out to God's people.

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:05.900
 And Habakkuk says,

00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:07.420
 I will go to the watchtower

00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:08.840
 and I will take my stand.

00:25:09.299 --> 00:25:10.180
 Except this time,

00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:11.059
 he's not talking

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.779
 to God's people,

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:13.039
 he's turned his back

00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:13.860
 towards God's people

00:25:13.860 --> 00:25:14.759
 and he's facing God

00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:15.080
 and he says,

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:15.480
 God,

00:25:15.700 --> 00:25:16.880
 what are you going to say?

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:18.340
 I'm all ears.

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.940
 What do you have to say

00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:21.380
 to my complaints?

00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:23.620
 Now friends,

00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:25.440
 this begs a very important question.

00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:27.380
 How do you respond

00:25:27.380 --> 00:25:28.840
 when you've been brought

00:25:28.840 --> 00:25:29.920
 to the end of yourself

00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:31.140
 and you don't know

00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:31.799
 where to turn?

00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:33.700
 When God's not answering

00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:34.339
 your prayers,

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.399
 when God's ways

00:25:35.399 --> 00:25:36.419
 don't make sense,

00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:37.980
 when your very idea

00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:39.019
 of who God is

00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:39.799
 and how he's meant

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:40.700
 to act in the world

00:25:40.700 --> 00:25:42.079
 is lying like tatters

00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:42.740
 on the floor,

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.379
 how do you respond?

00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.139
 Where do you turn

00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:46.740
 when you've come

00:25:46.740 --> 00:25:47.759
 to the end of yourself?

00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:49.159
 Because,

00:25:51.159 --> 00:25:54.839
 let me think about

00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:55.559
 how to say this.

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.519
 In other words,

00:25:57.579 --> 00:25:58.240
 let me ask you this.

00:25:58.379 --> 00:25:58.639
 Friends,

00:25:58.759 --> 00:25:59.399
 have you,

00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:00.299
 like Habakkuk

00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:01.359
 and countless others,

00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:02.399
 been brought

00:26:02.399 --> 00:26:03.359
 to the end of yourself?

00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:05.680
 Because if you haven't,

00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:07.339
 it may just be

00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:08.139
 that the God

00:26:08.139 --> 00:26:08.980
 that you think

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:09.539
 you're serving

00:26:09.539 --> 00:26:10.259
 and the God

00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:10.940
 that you think

00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:11.619
 you're worshipping

00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:12.779
 is actually

00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.879
 a made up God

00:26:13.879 --> 00:26:14.740
 of your imagination

00:26:14.740 --> 00:26:17.119
 and not the real God

00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:18.480
 who is Lord of all.

00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:20.259
 Because throughout Scripture,

00:26:20.399 --> 00:26:21.899
 again and again and again,

00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:22.899
 anyone who comes

00:26:22.899 --> 00:26:24.159
 to know God deeply

00:26:24.159 --> 00:26:26.119
 is first confronted

00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:28.319
 by the awesome reality

00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:30.399
 that God doesn't fit

00:26:30.399 --> 00:26:31.379
 neatly into our

00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:32.779
 constructed paradigms

00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.500
 of who he is

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.500
 and how he ought

00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:35.139
 to behave.

00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:37.299
 Remember Elizabeth

00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:38.079
 Elliott's book?

00:26:38.719 --> 00:26:39.599
 The book is called

00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:40.799
 No Graven Image

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.959
 and the idea is this.

00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:42.899
 When you've got

00:26:42.899 --> 00:26:44.219
 an image of who God is

00:26:44.219 --> 00:26:44.939
 and how he's meant

00:26:44.939 --> 00:26:45.839
 to act in the world,

00:26:46.199 --> 00:26:47.079
 God is going to

00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:48.019
 shatter that image.

00:26:48.739 --> 00:26:49.359
 And so at the end

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:49.819
 of the book,

00:26:49.959 --> 00:26:50.639
 this missionary

00:26:50.639 --> 00:26:52.019
 is standing by the grave

00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:52.699
 side and remember

00:26:52.699 --> 00:26:53.419
 what she says?

00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:54.300
 She says,

00:26:54.560 --> 00:26:55.060
 and God,

00:26:55.620 --> 00:26:56.400
 he had allowed

00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:57.200
 Pedro to die

00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:57.940
 or perhaps

00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:59.240
 he had caused me

00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:00.019
 to kill him.

00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:01.820
 And does this God

00:27:01.820 --> 00:27:02.980
 now expect me

00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:04.140
 to worship him?

00:27:05.360 --> 00:27:07.320
 On the very final page

00:27:07.320 --> 00:27:07.900
 of the book,

00:27:08.340 --> 00:27:09.340
 she says the most

00:27:09.340 --> 00:27:10.180
 profound thing.

00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:11.279
 She says,

00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:11.759
 God,

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:13.360
 if he was merely

00:27:13.360 --> 00:27:14.460
 my accomplice,

00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:15.880
 if God was merely

00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:16.519
 my helper

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:17.600
 to help make my life

00:27:17.600 --> 00:27:18.700
 comfortable and convenient,

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.140
 if God was merely

00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:20.980
 there to somebody

00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:22.360
 to help me get on

00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:22.820
 in life,

00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:24.779
 God had betrayed me

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.679
 because he had

00:27:25.679 --> 00:27:26.679
 stuffed it all up.

00:27:27.639 --> 00:27:28.480
 If God is merely

00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:29.039
 my helper,

00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:29.799
 my accomplice

00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:30.519
 to make my life

00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.439
 comfortable and convenient,

00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.579
 he had betrayed me.

00:27:33.619 --> 00:27:34.659
 He was a pathetic

00:27:34.659 --> 00:27:35.539
 accomplice.

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:37.779
 But if on the other hand,

00:27:38.179 --> 00:27:39.159
 he was God,

00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:40.960
 if on the other hand,

00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:41.859
 he was the sovereign

00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:42.639
 God of all,

00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:44.399
 he had freed me.

00:27:44.939 --> 00:27:45.419
 Why?

00:27:45.939 --> 00:27:47.279
 Because he had freed me

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.000
 from the image

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.919
 I had in my head

00:27:48.919 --> 00:27:50.019
 of who God

00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:50.859
 was meant to be

00:27:50.859 --> 00:27:51.919
 and how he's meant

00:27:51.919 --> 00:27:52.519
 to behave

00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.700
 and how he's meant

00:27:53.700 --> 00:27:54.200
 to act.

00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:55.940
 And we see how God

00:27:55.940 --> 00:27:56.660
 in his kindness

00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:57.639
 brings Habakkuk

00:27:57.639 --> 00:27:58.559
 to one of the most

00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.519
 frightening places

00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.240
 he's ever been.

00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.379
 And yet it is

00:28:01.379 --> 00:28:02.379
 a precious place

00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:04.220
 because God shows him

00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:05.099
 that he's not

00:28:05.099 --> 00:28:06.359
 the picture book version

00:28:06.359 --> 00:28:06.920
 of God

00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:07.539
 that Habakkuk

00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:08.420
 has in his mind.

00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:09.500
 God says,

00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:10.220
 I'm not the God

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:11.000
 of your imagination.

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.379
 I'm fearsome,

00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:13.440
 I am awesome,

00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.460
 I am sovereign

00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:15.200
 and my ways

00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:15.639
 are higher

00:28:15.639 --> 00:28:16.599
 than your ways.

00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:17.700
 And friends,

00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:18.700
 it is a precious

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.440
 place to be.

00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.620
 It is a frightening

00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:21.259
 place to be.

00:28:21.660 --> 00:28:22.900
 But it's a holy ground

00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:24.140
 because in that place

00:28:24.140 --> 00:28:25.080
 you discover things

00:28:25.080 --> 00:28:25.759
 about God

00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.320
 and you discover

00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:27.259
 things about yourself

00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:28.460
 that you'll never

00:28:28.460 --> 00:28:29.920
 discover as you're

00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:30.940
 sailing on still

00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:32.039
 and quiet waters.

00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.559
 When life is just

00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:34.440
 rosy and everything

00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:35.180
 is going the way

00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:35.960
 that you wish it to,

00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:37.380
 you'll never discover

00:28:37.380 --> 00:28:38.299
 things about God

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:39.279
 or yourself

00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.080
 like you will

00:28:40.080 --> 00:28:41.320
 on the storms

00:28:41.320 --> 00:28:41.920
 of life.

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.380
 And so the question

00:28:43.380 --> 00:28:43.799
 is this,

00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:45.299
 when God in his kindness

00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:46.700
 brings us to that place,

00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:48.380
 when God in his kindness

00:28:48.380 --> 00:28:49.980
 shatters the picture

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.720
 perfect image

00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:51.400
 we have on him

00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:52.160
 in our minds

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:53.600
 by not allowing

00:28:53.600 --> 00:28:54.360
 things to go

00:28:54.360 --> 00:28:55.019
 the way that we

00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:55.600
 hope to,

00:28:56.059 --> 00:28:57.019
 how do we respond?

00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:59.380
 How do we respond?

00:29:00.600 --> 00:29:01.580
 Now some of us

00:29:01.580 --> 00:29:02.299
 will respond

00:29:02.299 --> 00:29:04.480
 like victims.

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.299
 We think it's not fair.

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.160
 I don't deserve it.

00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:09.920
 After all I've done

00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:10.740
 for you God,

00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:12.580
 after the way I've behaved

00:29:12.580 --> 00:29:13.200
 and treated

00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:14.500
 and my morality,

00:29:15.120 --> 00:29:16.120
 I don't deserve

00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:16.679
 this God.

00:29:16.739 --> 00:29:17.379
 It's not fair

00:29:17.379 --> 00:29:18.459
 that I'm like this.

00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:20.039
 Some of us,

00:29:20.419 --> 00:29:22.379
 when tragedy comes our way,

00:29:22.859 --> 00:29:23.619
 we'll feel sorry

00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:24.179
 for ourselves.

00:29:25.099 --> 00:29:26.159
 Some of us maybe

00:29:26.159 --> 00:29:27.219
 will be more pragmatic.

00:29:27.639 --> 00:29:28.119
 We will think,

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.379
 I've got to fix it.

00:29:29.859 --> 00:29:30.819
 We will call a meeting,

00:29:31.479 --> 00:29:32.619
 get a committee together,

00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:34.419
 organize a protest,

00:29:35.399 --> 00:29:36.339
 organize some petition.

00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:37.839
 We will double down

00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:39.079
 and work twice as hard

00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:39.699
 to make sure

00:29:39.699 --> 00:29:40.939
 that we put things

00:29:40.939 --> 00:29:41.599
 right again.

00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.639
 Let's see if there's

00:29:44.639 --> 00:29:45.159
 another way.

00:29:46.119 --> 00:29:47.519
 Look at how God responds.

00:29:47.679 --> 00:29:48.439
 This brings us

00:29:48.439 --> 00:29:48.919
 to the fourth

00:29:48.919 --> 00:29:49.919
 and the final section,

00:29:50.679 --> 00:29:51.939
 God's second response

00:29:51.939 --> 00:29:52.639
 to Habakkuk.

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.519
 What God does next

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.599
 is he comes to Habakkuk

00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.199
 in that place

00:29:56.199 --> 00:29:57.299
 and he says,

00:29:57.459 --> 00:29:58.599
 with all that's going on,

00:29:59.019 --> 00:30:00.039
 with all the turmoil

00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:00.939
 and the confusion,

00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:02.539
 I know things might not

00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:03.239
 make sense to you

00:30:03.239 --> 00:30:03.719
 right now.

00:30:04.239 --> 00:30:05.519
 I know that things

00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:06.579
 are not how you think

00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:07.479
 that they ought to be.

00:30:08.039 --> 00:30:08.959
 In all your anger

00:30:08.959 --> 00:30:09.879
 and your disappointment

00:30:09.879 --> 00:30:10.819
 and your confusion,

00:30:11.399 --> 00:30:11.899
 Habakkuk,

00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:12.919
 will you trust me?

00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:14.740
 Will you trust me?

00:30:15.380 --> 00:30:16.240
 And so look what he says

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:17.060
 in chapter 2,

00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:17.660
 verse 4.

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:19.039
 He says,

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:20.200
 Behold,

00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.560
 his soul is puffed up.

00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:23.360
 It is not right within him.

00:30:23.360 --> 00:30:24.039
 And he's talking about

00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:24.820
 the Babylonians.

00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:25.480
 He's talking about

00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:27.200
 those that don't know God.

00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:27.560
 He says,

00:30:27.800 --> 00:30:28.720
 they are puffed up.

00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:29.500
 In other words,

00:30:29.660 --> 00:30:30.539
 they look menacing,

00:30:31.060 --> 00:30:31.900
 they look fierce,

00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:33.120
 they look violent,

00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:34.380
 they're projecting an image,

00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:35.920
 but there's no substance

00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:36.560
 behind it.

00:30:36.560 --> 00:30:38.080
 It's just hot air.

00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:38.880
 It's just a balloon.

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.400
 And one pinprick

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:41.280
 is going to bring

00:30:41.280 --> 00:30:42.460
 that entire image

00:30:42.460 --> 00:30:43.280
 to its knees.

00:30:44.100 --> 00:30:44.560
 Behold,

00:30:45.060 --> 00:30:46.080
 it is puffed up.

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.880
 It is not right within him.

00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:49.360
 But the righteous

00:30:49.360 --> 00:30:51.880
 will live by faith.

00:30:52.540 --> 00:30:53.060
 And friends,

00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:53.720
 that is probably

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:55.920
 the most succinct summary

00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:57.420
 of the Christian life

00:30:57.420 --> 00:30:58.180
 in all the Bible.

00:30:58.600 --> 00:30:59.460
 That the righteous

00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:01.720
 will live by faith.

00:31:02.320 --> 00:31:02.840
 And so friends,

00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.880
 in the challenges

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:05.420
 and the turmoils of life,

00:31:06.100 --> 00:31:06.680
 the righteous

00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:08.640
 will live by faith.

00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:10.280
 And when your employer

00:31:10.280 --> 00:31:11.480
 is treating you badly

00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:12.760
 or your colleagues

00:31:12.760 --> 00:31:13.600
 are letting you down

00:31:13.600 --> 00:31:14.740
 or you get fired

00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:16.140
 unjustly from your work,

00:31:16.320 --> 00:31:17.380
 how do you respond?

00:31:18.100 --> 00:31:18.660
 The righteous

00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:21.120
 will live by faith.

00:31:21.520 --> 00:31:22.160
 And friends,

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:23.060
 when you're persecuted

00:31:23.060 --> 00:31:23.980
 for your faith

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.720
 or one day

00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:25.660
 you're put in prison

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:26.880
 or you're separated

00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:27.680
 from your children

00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:29.000
 or you lose your job

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:29.980
 because of your faith,

00:31:30.540 --> 00:31:31.160
 the righteous

00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:33.220
 will live by faith.

00:31:33.820 --> 00:31:34.240
 And friends,

00:31:34.300 --> 00:31:34.980
 as you grapple

00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:36.600
 with same-sex attraction

00:31:36.600 --> 00:31:37.700
 and the world

00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.300
 is telling you,

00:31:38.299 --> 00:31:39.419
 be who you want to be.

00:31:39.619 --> 00:31:40.700
 Act how you want to act.

00:31:41.220 --> 00:31:42.359
 Your version of truth

00:31:42.359 --> 00:31:43.500
 is your own truth.

00:31:43.940 --> 00:31:44.639
 Do what you want.

00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:45.559
 Be who you want.

00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:46.940
 How do you respond?

00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:48.240
 The righteous

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.279
 will live by faith.

00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:51.659
 And friends,

00:31:52.399 --> 00:31:53.519
 when you get

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:55.200
 a massive bonus

00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:56.700
 or you get paid

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.819
 some insane amount

00:31:57.819 --> 00:31:58.259
 of money

00:31:58.259 --> 00:32:00.299
 and your financial security

00:32:00.879 --> 00:32:01.539
 is sorted

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.680
 for the rest of your life

00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:03.619
 and you never need

00:32:03.619 --> 00:32:04.720
 to work another day

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:06.059
 and all your fears

00:32:06.059 --> 00:32:07.460
 are laid aside

00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:08.079
 because you've got

00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:08.559
 all the money

00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:09.420
 that you could ever want

00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:10.640
 to do anything with,

00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:11.819
 the righteous

00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:13.799
 will live by faith.

00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:15.299
 And friends,

00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:16.240
 when you and your spouse

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.339
 are trying to fall pregnant

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.140
 and have a kid

00:32:18.140 --> 00:32:20.120
 and you've prayed for hours

00:32:20.120 --> 00:32:20.700
 and you've cried

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:21.740
 a river of tears

00:32:21.740 --> 00:32:23.380
 and nothing is happening,

00:32:24.120 --> 00:32:24.779
 the righteous

00:32:24.779 --> 00:32:25.920
 will live by faith.

00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:27.620
 And when your kids

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.279
 make choices

00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:29.019
 that seem

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:30.100
 to contradict

00:32:30.100 --> 00:32:31.220
 everything you would

00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:32.019
 want them to do

00:32:32.019 --> 00:32:33.519
 and when your kids

00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:34.900
 week after week

00:32:34.900 --> 00:32:35.980
 seem to make choices

00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:37.100
 that choose death,

00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:37.960
 not life,

00:32:38.100 --> 00:32:39.140
 that choose destruction,

00:32:39.400 --> 00:32:40.539
 not joy,

00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:42.700
 and you have no

00:32:42.700 --> 00:32:43.860
 other way to turn,

00:32:44.100 --> 00:32:44.620
 the righteous

00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:46.600
 will live by faith.

00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:48.279
 And friends,

00:32:48.340 --> 00:32:49.019
 when you're diagnosed

00:32:49.019 --> 00:32:50.680
 with a rare terminal disease

00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:52.100
 and the doctors

00:32:52.100 --> 00:32:53.259
 have no more solution

00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:54.980
 and your life

00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:56.059
 has suddenly been given

00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:57.279
 an expiry date

00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:59.059
 far sooner than you expected,

00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:00.799
 the righteous

00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:03.519
 will live by faith.

00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:05.519
 Now friends,

00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:06.440
 what does that actually mean?

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:07.379
 What does it look like?

00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:09.519
 It means when we're confronted

00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:10.519
 with the brokenness

00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:11.299
 of this world,

00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.500
 when our city

00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:13.400
 is in uproar,

00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:15.579
 when there's division

00:33:15.579 --> 00:33:16.160
 at home

00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:17.460
 and there's office politics

00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:18.980
 and families are divided,

00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:21.440
 for the person

00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:22.420
 who's trying

00:33:22.420 --> 00:33:23.440
 to follow Christ,

00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:24.700
 our hope

00:33:24.700 --> 00:33:25.539
 and our peace

00:33:25.539 --> 00:33:26.779
 are not found

00:33:26.779 --> 00:33:28.920
 in any particular solution,

00:33:29.519 --> 00:33:30.340
 they are discovered

00:33:30.340 --> 00:33:31.039
 in the midst

00:33:31.039 --> 00:33:31.840
 of difficulty

00:33:31.840 --> 00:33:33.320
 by a deep,

00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:34.600
 heartfelt trust

00:33:34.600 --> 00:33:35.300
 in the goodness

00:33:35.300 --> 00:33:36.259
 and the grace

00:33:36.259 --> 00:33:37.180
 and the sovereignty

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:37.759
 of God.

00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:39.340
 It means, friends,

00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:40.300
 when we are confronted

00:33:40.300 --> 00:33:41.620
 by wickedness

00:33:41.620 --> 00:33:42.360
 and violence

00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:42.840
 in the world

00:33:42.840 --> 00:33:43.940
 and we see injustice

00:33:43.940 --> 00:33:44.539
 and we think,

00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:46.360
 God, this is insane,

00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:47.620
 where are you?

00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:48.980
 How is it possible

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.720
 that this can even

00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:51.180
 be allowed to happen?

00:33:51.180 --> 00:33:52.560
 We know

00:33:52.560 --> 00:33:53.480
 in those instances

00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.240
 that hope

00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:54.779
 and peace

00:33:54.779 --> 00:33:56.240
 are not found

00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.400
 in escaping

00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:58.440
 to utopia

00:33:58.440 --> 00:33:59.140
 and finding

00:33:59.140 --> 00:34:00.259
 some other place,

00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:01.680
 but they're found

00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:02.500
 by knowing

00:34:02.500 --> 00:34:03.140
 that the one

00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:04.460
 who holds true peace

00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:05.440
 will one day

00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:06.019
 put the world

00:34:06.019 --> 00:34:06.620
 right again.

00:34:07.140 --> 00:34:07.799
 And the peace

00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:08.400
 that he offers

00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:09.300
 eternally

00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:10.920
 and in this lifetime

00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:12.700
 can never be taken

00:34:12.700 --> 00:34:13.240
 from you

00:34:13.240 --> 00:34:14.700
 by no government law,

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:16.039
 by no protesters

00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:16.740
 on the street,

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:17.960
 by no family

00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:18.780
 shouting at you,

00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:20.560
 by no loss

00:34:20.560 --> 00:34:21.080
 of job,

00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:22.620
 by no financial reward,

00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:24.740
 nothing in the entire world

00:34:24.740 --> 00:34:25.480
 can take it

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.620
 away from you.

00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:27.800
 Friends,

00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:28.440
 it means when we're

00:34:28.440 --> 00:34:29.320
 confronted by the

00:34:29.320 --> 00:34:30.620
 brokenness of our own lives

00:34:30.620 --> 00:34:31.100
 and the sin

00:34:31.100 --> 00:34:32.000
 of our own hearts.

00:34:32.580 --> 00:34:32.900
 And friends,

00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:33.620
 that's the hardest

00:34:33.620 --> 00:34:35.100
 thing to be confronted by,

00:34:35.560 --> 00:34:36.340
 the rubbish

00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:37.360
 in our own lives.

00:34:40.160 --> 00:34:41.240
 To live by faith

00:34:41.240 --> 00:34:42.040
 means that trusting

00:34:42.040 --> 00:34:42.960
 that Christ has dealt

00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:43.380
 with it

00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:44.900
 and that he loves us

00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:45.840
 and he accepts us

00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:46.920
 despite all of it.

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:49.099
 As we come to close,

00:34:49.180 --> 00:34:50.139
 in the book of Galatians,

00:34:50.260 --> 00:34:51.400
 the apostle Paul writes this.

00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:51.760
 He says,

00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:52.599
 I've been crucified

00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:53.400
 with Christ

00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:55.460
 and the life I now live

00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.039
 is not about

00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:57.059
 what I want to do

00:34:57.059 --> 00:34:57.860
 or don't want to do.

00:34:57.940 --> 00:34:58.460
 It's not about

00:34:58.460 --> 00:34:59.460
 what I do

00:34:59.460 --> 00:35:00.139
 or don't do.

00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:01.380
 The life I live

00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:02.000
 in the flesh,

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:03.900
 I now live by faith

00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:05.700
 in the Son of God

00:35:05.700 --> 00:35:07.559
 who gave himself up

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:07.940
 for me

00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:09.380
 and loved me.

00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:11.940
 600 years

00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:13.180
 after Habakkuk

00:35:13.180 --> 00:35:14.940
 cries out to God,

00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:16.200
 there were a bunch

00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:17.019
 of men and women

00:35:17.019 --> 00:35:17.719
 that were faced

00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:18.659
 with an equally

00:35:18.659 --> 00:35:20.960
 unjust situation.

00:35:21.879 --> 00:35:22.699
 The night before,

00:35:22.799 --> 00:35:23.419
 they've had a meal

00:35:23.419 --> 00:35:24.000
 with Jesus

00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.039
 and during the night,

00:35:26.279 --> 00:35:27.199
 Jesus goes to pray

00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:27.779
 to his father

00:35:27.779 --> 00:35:28.679
 and he's arrested.

00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:30.339
 Throughout the night,

00:35:30.419 --> 00:35:31.019
 he's beaten,

00:35:31.639 --> 00:35:32.619
 he's flogged,

00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:33.899
 he's mocked,

00:35:34.279 --> 00:35:34.899
 he's kicked,

00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:35.919
 he's spat on

00:35:35.919 --> 00:35:37.859
 and then he's put

00:35:37.859 --> 00:35:39.099
 through an unjust trial

00:35:39.099 --> 00:35:40.960
 and during his trial,

00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:41.819
 false witnesses

00:35:41.819 --> 00:35:42.659
 are brought in,

00:35:42.919 --> 00:35:43.379
 they lie,

00:35:43.460 --> 00:35:44.199
 they tell all sorts

00:35:44.199 --> 00:35:44.960
 of false stories

00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:46.779
 to falsely implicate him

00:35:46.779 --> 00:35:48.559
 and the governor

00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:49.939
 knows that Jesus

00:35:49.939 --> 00:35:50.679
 is innocent

00:35:50.679 --> 00:35:52.079
 and yet,

00:35:52.259 --> 00:35:53.159
 in order to advance

00:35:53.159 --> 00:35:54.659
 his own political career,

00:35:55.439 --> 00:35:56.339
 he signs off

00:35:56.339 --> 00:35:57.239
 his death certificate,

00:35:57.379 --> 00:35:58.039
 his death warrant

00:35:58.039 --> 00:35:59.279
 and he signs off

00:35:59.279 --> 00:36:00.179
 his crucifixion

00:36:00.179 --> 00:36:01.879
 and the disciples

00:36:01.879 --> 00:36:02.379
 are thinking,

00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:03.339
 this is insane.

00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:05.039
 Jesus is the only

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:05.859
 innocent man

00:36:05.859 --> 00:36:06.659
 in the whole world.

00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:07.879
 He's the only one

00:36:07.879 --> 00:36:08.559
 that's never done

00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.539
 anything wrong.

00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:10.500
 He's the one

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:11.480
 who loved the poor

00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:12.800
 and healed the sick

00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:14.519
 and taught righteousness

00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:15.199
 and justice.

00:36:15.699 --> 00:36:16.159
 He's the one

00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:17.480
 Israel's been waiting for.

00:36:18.059 --> 00:36:18.920
 How on earth

00:36:18.920 --> 00:36:20.380
 can God allow this

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:20.960
 to happen?

00:36:21.960 --> 00:36:22.219
 And yet,

00:36:22.280 --> 00:36:23.099
 a few hours later,

00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:24.159
 there is Jesus,

00:36:24.460 --> 00:36:25.840
 bloody and beaten,

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.559
 carrying his cross

00:36:27.559 --> 00:36:29.159
 up Mount Calvary

00:36:29.159 --> 00:36:30.019
 where he's going

00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:30.639
 to be crucified.

00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:32.500
 And the soldiers

00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:33.099
 lay him down

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:33.619
 on the cross

00:36:33.619 --> 00:36:34.740
 and they nail his hands

00:36:34.740 --> 00:36:35.240
 on the cross,

00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:36.599
 they hoist the cross up

00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:38.299
 and there on the cross,

00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:39.579
 Jesus cries out

00:36:39.579 --> 00:36:40.000
 and he says,

00:36:40.179 --> 00:36:40.519
 Father,

00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:42.199
 why have you forsaken me?

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:44.380
 But he knows the answer.

00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:46.299
 The father's turned

00:36:46.299 --> 00:36:47.339
 his back on Jesus

00:36:47.339 --> 00:36:48.159
 because it was

00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:49.000
 a decision

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.619
 that Jesus

00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.179
 and the father

00:36:50.179 --> 00:36:51.299
 came to together

00:36:51.299 --> 00:36:52.139
 before the world

00:36:52.139 --> 00:36:52.599
 was made.

00:36:53.159 --> 00:36:53.799
 That Jesus

00:36:53.799 --> 00:36:55.159
 would take the sins

00:36:55.159 --> 00:36:56.199
 of those that trust

00:36:56.199 --> 00:36:56.539
 on him,

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:57.339
 trust in him

00:36:57.339 --> 00:36:58.239
 on his shoulders

00:36:58.239 --> 00:36:59.179
 so that we

00:36:59.179 --> 00:37:00.019
 wouldn't need to.

00:37:01.259 --> 00:37:02.420
 And there on the cross,

00:37:02.519 --> 00:37:02.940
 the soldiers

00:37:02.940 --> 00:37:03.579
 are mocking him

00:37:03.579 --> 00:37:04.099
 and they're saying,

00:37:04.559 --> 00:37:05.299
 you said you came

00:37:05.299 --> 00:37:06.039
 to save others,

00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:06.619
 why don't you

00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:07.340
 save yourself?

00:37:08.840 --> 00:37:09.519
 But Jesus

00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:10.059
 hasn't come

00:37:10.059 --> 00:37:10.840
 to save himself

00:37:10.840 --> 00:37:12.699
 and so he dies.

00:37:13.800 --> 00:37:14.519
 And the disciples

00:37:14.519 --> 00:37:15.259
 are watching this

00:37:15.259 --> 00:37:15.840
 and it's the most

00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:16.659
 unjust thing

00:37:16.659 --> 00:37:17.320
 in the whole world.

00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:18.380
 It's the most

00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:19.739
 nonsensical thing

00:37:19.739 --> 00:37:20.099
 at all.

00:37:20.759 --> 00:37:21.079
 God,

00:37:21.139 --> 00:37:21.880
 where are you?

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:22.900
 God,

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:23.480
 how can you

00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:24.340
 allow this to happen?

00:37:25.079 --> 00:37:25.400
 God,

00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:26.019
 why haven't you

00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:27.139
 heard our cries

00:37:27.139 --> 00:37:28.139
 they ask themselves?

00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:30.119
 Where are you God

00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:30.820
 and why are you

00:37:30.820 --> 00:37:32.059
 silent in all of this?

00:37:33.079 --> 00:37:34.340
 It doesn't make sense.

00:37:34.340 --> 00:37:36.400
 And yet,

00:37:36.500 --> 00:37:37.300
 it was the will

00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:37.880
 of the Lord

00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:38.620
 to crush him.

00:37:39.240 --> 00:37:40.680
 It was the sovereign

00:37:40.680 --> 00:37:42.059
 will of the sovereign God

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:44.019
 that Jesus would lay down

00:37:44.019 --> 00:37:44.460
 his life

00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:45.160
 and be nailed

00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:45.700
 to the cross

00:37:45.700 --> 00:37:47.059
 because in that moment,

00:37:47.579 --> 00:37:49.240
 Jesus was smashing

00:37:49.240 --> 00:37:50.500
 the final nail

00:37:50.500 --> 00:37:51.380
 into the coffin

00:37:51.380 --> 00:37:52.500
 of Satan,

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:53.640
 sin,

00:37:54.360 --> 00:37:54.660
 sickness,

00:37:55.200 --> 00:37:55.860
 and death.

00:37:56.280 --> 00:37:57.200
 In that moment,

00:37:57.340 --> 00:37:58.320
 Jesus was making

00:37:58.320 --> 00:37:59.280
 an end to all

00:37:59.280 --> 00:37:59.880
 the tragedy

00:37:59.880 --> 00:38:00.400
 in the world

00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:01.559
 and while our world

00:38:01.559 --> 00:38:02.559
 still deals with it,

00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:03.639
 we're on the final

00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:04.880
 death throes of sin

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:06.619
 kicking about its legs

00:38:06.619 --> 00:38:07.679
 as it comes to an end

00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:08.860
 and there is coming

00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:09.299
 in a day

00:38:09.299 --> 00:38:10.519
 where none of that

00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:11.900
 will ever exist

00:38:11.900 --> 00:38:12.940
 anymore.

00:38:14.219 --> 00:38:15.199
 Jesus dying

00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:15.779
 on the cross.

00:38:16.739 --> 00:38:17.360
 It was the most

00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:18.139
 unjust,

00:38:19.219 --> 00:38:20.119
 outrageous thing

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:21.719
 and yet it was God

00:38:21.719 --> 00:38:22.159
 doing it,

00:38:22.199 --> 00:38:23.019
 carrying his story

00:38:23.019 --> 00:38:23.900
 along all along.

00:38:24.860 --> 00:38:25.719
 Tim Keller says this,

00:38:25.779 --> 00:38:26.539
 if you go into

00:38:26.539 --> 00:38:27.579
 the furnace of life

00:38:27.579 --> 00:38:28.420
 without the gospel,

00:38:29.019 --> 00:38:29.759
 without knowing

00:38:29.759 --> 00:38:30.820
 that Jesus loves you

00:38:30.820 --> 00:38:31.579
 and gave himself

00:38:31.579 --> 00:38:32.119
 up for you,

00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:33.279
 it will not be

00:38:33.279 --> 00:38:34.279
 possible to find

00:38:34.279 --> 00:38:35.179
 God in that place.

00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.199
 You'll go through

00:38:36.199 --> 00:38:37.059
 the furnace of life,

00:38:37.139 --> 00:38:37.659
 you'll come out

00:38:37.659 --> 00:38:38.340
 the other side

00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:39.739
 and you'll be angry.

00:38:40.779 --> 00:38:41.500
 You'll be sure

00:38:41.500 --> 00:38:42.259
 that either God

00:38:42.259 --> 00:38:42.960
 has done something

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:43.539
 wrong to you

00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:44.259
 or you've done

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:44.900
 something wrong

00:38:44.900 --> 00:38:45.940
 and you'll feel

00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:47.119
 alone and isolated.

00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:48.779
 Going into the fire

00:38:48.779 --> 00:38:49.619
 without the gospel

00:38:49.619 --> 00:38:50.500
 is the most dangerous

00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:51.239
 thing you can do.

00:38:51.739 --> 00:38:52.799
 You'll be mad at God,

00:38:53.259 --> 00:38:54.059
 mad at yourself,

00:38:54.400 --> 00:38:55.340
 or mad at both.

00:38:56.219 --> 00:38:56.579
 Friends,

00:38:56.679 --> 00:38:57.219
 Paul writes this,

00:38:57.259 --> 00:38:57.960
 I've been crucified

00:38:57.960 --> 00:38:58.619
 with Christ

00:38:58.619 --> 00:39:00.360
 and the life I live

00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:01.000
 is not about what

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.620
 I want to do

00:39:01.620 --> 00:39:02.340
 or don't want to do.

00:39:03.260 --> 00:39:04.240
 The life I now live

00:39:04.240 --> 00:39:04.760
 in the flesh,

00:39:04.820 --> 00:39:05.880
 I live by faith

00:39:05.880 --> 00:39:07.539
 in the Son of God

00:39:07.539 --> 00:39:08.880
 who loved me

00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:10.240
 and gave himself

00:39:10.240 --> 00:39:10.740
 for me

00:39:10.740 --> 00:39:11.960
 on the cross.

00:39:12.460 --> 00:39:12.860
 Friends,

00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:13.740
 there is another way.

00:39:14.280 --> 00:39:14.900
 When the heat

00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:15.440
 of the furnace

00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.320
 gets turned up,

00:39:16.780 --> 00:39:17.660
 when life doesn't

00:39:17.660 --> 00:39:18.480
 make sense to you,

00:39:18.539 --> 00:39:19.500
 when God himself

00:39:19.500 --> 00:39:20.559
 doesn't even make sense

00:39:20.559 --> 00:39:20.900
 to you,

00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:22.240
 cast yourself

00:39:22.240 --> 00:39:23.460
 on the gospel truth

00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:24.599
 that the Son of God

00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:25.260
 loves you

00:39:25.260 --> 00:39:26.500
 and he gave himself

00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:27.059
 for you.

00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:28.380
 Live on that truth,

00:39:28.620 --> 00:39:29.340
 bank your life

00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:30.960
 for the righteous

00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:31.940
 will live

00:39:31.940 --> 00:39:33.120
 by faith.