WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.780 How you guys doing? 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:02.580 Well, that's terrible. 00:00:03.859 --> 00:00:04.919 It's like three people. 00:00:06.020 --> 00:00:06.600 How you guys doing? 00:00:07.700 --> 00:00:10.320 Yeah, it was a great day to be here with you guys. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:14.019 So my name is Tobin. 00:00:14.060 --> 00:00:17.000 I'm one of the teachers here, pastors. 00:00:18.379 --> 00:00:19.719 And I have a problem. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:21.620 It's this massive problem. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:26.320 Struggle with this darkness inside of me. 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:28.719 Sometimes I don't see the darkness. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:31.980 Sometimes I just go on and think I'm doing okay. 00:00:32.219 --> 00:00:33.100 The darkness is hidden. 00:00:33.339 --> 00:00:41.219 But I know it's there because it's looking for little opportunities to jump out and to grab me and to change me. 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:46.739 I've said over and over again that one of my biggest struggles is being a dad. 00:00:47.620 --> 00:00:49.620 I mean, I feel like I'm very teachable as a parent. 00:00:49.739 --> 00:00:54.159 I mean, I feel like I'm trying to figure out what does it mean to be a dad and a husband and all these things. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:57.119 And reading books and asking questions. 00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:02.280 And I realize as often as a dad that the darkness comes out. 00:01:03.519 --> 00:01:06.519 I really blew it last night. 00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:11.539 So we had got this little thing that we wanted to do as a couple. 00:01:11.699 --> 00:01:14.399 And we started doing it maybe last Christmas as a family. 00:01:14.579 --> 00:01:16.640 And we'd watch movies on Saturday nights. 00:01:16.739 --> 00:01:18.599 And we'd watch them and then we would discuss them. 00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:21.099 And almost all the movies are hallmark movies. 00:01:21.399 --> 00:01:26.060 And they're talking about, you know, usually someone gets a divorce or their spouse dies. 00:01:26.179 --> 00:01:28.560 And then someone comes in to the back door. 00:01:28.679 --> 00:01:30.359 And there's these four kids that are out of control. 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:32.519 And then they find this perfect relationship. 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:34.840 And within an hour and a half everything's fixed and it's perfect. 00:01:34.939 --> 00:01:35.579 And we watch it. 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:37.539 And then we discuss it with our kids afterwards. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:42.959 But one of the things I realized really quickly is that, and I think it's the curse of technology, 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:44.859 all of our components don't fit, right? 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:47.620 You buy something new and then you have to upgrade the other thing. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.579 And it's, you women know what I'm talking about. 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:54.039 Like when you do accessories or you buy a new dress, you can't just use the old shoes. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:57.079 You've got to buy new shoes and new hats and all these things. 00:01:57.159 --> 00:01:58.359 Clarissa's back there shaking her head. 00:01:58.359 --> 00:01:59.859 Everybody, I'm catching here. 00:01:59.859 --> 00:02:03.260 And so I realized that we can't get sound. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:07.859 So I'm trying to communicate between my Mac and this Samsung TV. 00:02:08.539 --> 00:02:09.620 And it's just worthless. 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:15.240 I might as well just buy a computer that Samsung has copied from Mac and allow them to use and connect. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.360 Because then you'll at least have two quasi-Samsung, you know, things working together. 00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:21.460 And so I've tried everything. 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:22.780 I've tried cords and cables. 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:28.439 And we just sit really close to the computer and we're listening to the speakers of the computer 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:29.360 trying to figure out what's going on. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:31.580 And so finally I said, okay, I got it down. 00:02:31.640 --> 00:02:37.500 And so I did all this research and found out a way to do a Bluetooth speaker to our computer. 00:02:37.500 --> 00:02:40.100 And we'll have it behind us and we can listen to it. 00:02:40.480 --> 00:02:42.000 And I'm like, this is going to be great. 00:02:42.060 --> 00:02:43.280 The kids are going to be excellent. 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:45.000 And their kids are going to be like, praise dad. 00:02:45.040 --> 00:02:47.220 I'm going to build this monument to me as a dad, right? 00:02:47.219 --> 00:02:49.979 I'm making a name for myself as a dad. 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:55.680 And it's going to be amazing because once we can finally hear music without sitting two inches from the computer, 00:02:56.219 --> 00:02:57.680 everybody's like, hallelujah. 00:02:57.939 --> 00:02:58.840 You are so great. 00:02:58.900 --> 00:02:59.419 You are great. 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:02.599 And so we get to this place where last night was that night. 00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:07.219 So I get everything set up and get this, you know, I did all this research and got this, 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:11.299 and it wasn't a cheap Bluetooth thing, but it was, you know, it's okay. 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:12.919 And this would get the job done. 00:03:12.959 --> 00:03:13.439 It will work. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:15.319 And charge it up. 00:03:15.359 --> 00:03:16.719 And we got down there and we sat down. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:18.400 And, okay, so here's the moment of truth. 00:03:18.580 --> 00:03:19.180 Praise the Lord. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:19.859 Praise dad. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:23.080 And I turned on the computer and we turned on the speaker. 00:03:23.219 --> 00:03:25.819 And Christina's looking at me and we're syncing them. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:26.379 And they sync. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:32.860 And as the sound starts in the computer and on the screen, the speaker right beside us goes, 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:40.159 and Kiki looks at me and goes, who farted? 00:03:41.579 --> 00:03:42.300 For the Chinese. 00:03:42.300 --> 00:03:47.200 And he said, someone run from Pima, you know, and so, and I'm like, what? 00:03:48.219 --> 00:03:49.320 This is the great moment. 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.719 This is the moment where everything's going to be good and I'm going to get praise. 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:52.420 I'll make my name great. 00:03:52.460 --> 00:03:53.160 I'm going to build this monument. 00:03:53.860 --> 00:03:55.219 And so I said, there must be something wrong. 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:59.480 And I reset it and I set it up again and we're going to play it again and turn on the computer 00:03:59.480 --> 00:04:05.820 and put the speaker right beside it and turn it on and, I mean, it makes this incredibly, 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:09.580 I don't know if I could say pass gas or fart in the church, but I did. 00:04:10.340 --> 00:04:12.980 And so it is, and all my kids are laughing, right? 00:04:13.020 --> 00:04:14.280 They just think it's the greatest thing. 00:04:14.520 --> 00:04:16.020 Hey, can we go buy some more of these things? 00:04:16.060 --> 00:04:17.199 Because I want to give them to my friends. 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:19.280 Because what a great machine. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:21.720 It makes farting noises when you turn it on. 00:04:22.080 --> 00:04:27.680 And I'm just sitting there like, okay, my idol is falling down and my name is becoming, 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:33.360 instead of the dad who fixes the sound, I'm the dad who farts or makes a fart machine, right? 00:04:33.860 --> 00:04:36.740 And so my kids are laughing and they love it and they just think it's the greatest thing. 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:39.139 And inside, I'm just, I'm dying. 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:42.280 I mean, I'm furious. 00:04:42.780 --> 00:04:44.240 Like, okay, I did all this research. 00:04:44.340 --> 00:04:44.939 I got all this stuff. 00:04:44.980 --> 00:04:45.680 I spent all this money. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:49.220 I mean, I want to go back today and I take that speaker to those guys and just say, 00:04:49.740 --> 00:04:52.019 I cannot tell you how disappointed I am right now. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:58.579 But I'm just, and I'm dying and I'm walking away and I'm so angry. 00:04:58.579 --> 00:05:04.279 Because I had all these great expectations, all these things and all these praises. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:05.819 And dad, you really came through for us. 00:05:06.359 --> 00:05:10.979 And basically what I felt like was this loser written on me. 00:05:12.659 --> 00:05:15.860 And I had to get up the next day, today, and preach a sermon. 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:22.039 And I have all this anger and frustration because I wanted to be made great and make my name great 00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:32.780 and my kids love me and I felt like a failure, a struggle, the darkness, the shadow, 00:05:33.260 --> 00:05:36.320 the shadow that's in there and it comes out when I least expect it. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:42.600 When I want to be made great, it comes out and makes me about that tall. 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:46.960 You ever felt the shadow? 00:05:50.760 --> 00:05:51.680 You ever felt the struggle? 00:05:54.379 --> 00:05:58.600 You ever done something so perfect and so righteous and you're expecting this amazing response 00:05:58.600 --> 00:05:59.600 and all of a sudden it's just... 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:07.540 Why did I share that story? 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:09.340 Yeah, I don't know. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:11.320 We'll get back to it later on. 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:19.240 So, we are, if you are here, we are looking at this thing called God's story and our story. 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:24.379 And we're looking at the Bible as one story because sometimes we realize that we come to the Bible 00:06:24.379 --> 00:06:27.980 and we look at it as a whole bunch of different small stories. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:33.139 And when we get these small stories and don't see this big story, we get lost. 00:06:33.719 --> 00:06:38.659 But the Bible is actually this huge story and at the center of this story, there's just one hero. 00:06:38.660 --> 00:06:43.660 And I think we get confused sometimes because we think that the Bible is about us, 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:49.080 but the Bible is really about God and he's the one who is the hero. 00:06:49.860 --> 00:06:54.380 And as we look at him in this story, we realize a lot about us. 00:06:55.340 --> 00:06:57.620 Now, if you're new to Watermark, I'm going to say it out here right now, 00:06:57.660 --> 00:07:00.580 that we believe that the Bible is God's inspired word to us. 00:07:00.579 --> 00:07:05.039 We believe that it's the instruction manual for life. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:06.879 It's better than Oprah. 00:07:07.259 --> 00:07:08.379 It's better than Dr. Phil. 00:07:09.039 --> 00:07:13.419 If you come to us and you're having struggles, one of the first things we'll probably say as a staff 00:07:13.419 --> 00:07:16.479 is not how you're feeling or how you're doing, but we might say, 00:07:17.019 --> 00:07:18.079 have you looked into God's word? 00:07:18.139 --> 00:07:20.339 And what does God's word say to you? 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:21.459 It's timeless. 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:22.979 It's wisdom. 00:07:22.980 --> 00:07:30.460 Again, it's wiser than Bloomberg and Kramer and Morningstar if you want to order your life and be successful. 00:07:31.860 --> 00:07:35.040 So we've been looking through this story of God's story and our story, 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:40.759 and we're still in the book of Genesis because those first 11 chapters of Genesis are just massive. 00:07:40.900 --> 00:07:44.879 They are the foundation for everything we're going to do from here on out as God's people 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:46.960 as we read these next series here. 00:07:47.340 --> 00:07:49.200 And remember that Genesis is written by Moses. 00:07:50.060 --> 00:07:52.120 So Moses had just taken the people out of Egypt. 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.920 They had been in bondage in Egypt for 400 years. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:08:00.680 They had been building towers and monuments with brick and stone, I mean with stone and just great stuff. 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:04.660 And they're heading out of Egypt, and they're heading to this promised land. 00:08:05.540 --> 00:08:06.459 It's not Texas. 00:08:07.139 --> 00:08:08.560 That is one of the promised lands. 00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:11.019 But it's, you're supposed to laugh, guys, come on. 00:08:11.840 --> 00:08:14.459 But it's Canaan, and Moses is writing them. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:18.259 He's writing these stories of God, and God is the hero, 00:08:18.259 --> 00:08:21.139 to remind them as they go into this new land, 00:08:21.259 --> 00:08:24.560 and they go on this new journey of God's faithfulness and of our struggles. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:29.000 The first five books of the Bible, if you're Jewish, we call them the Torah. 00:08:29.219 --> 00:08:30.639 It's the law and the prophets and the histories. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.340 If you're here at Watermark, we just call them the Pentateuch. 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:37.000 We call them the Pentateuch, meaning five, right? 00:08:37.379 --> 00:08:39.680 And Tuch, meaning toque. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:41.580 It doesn't really mean toque. 00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:43.000 It means scrolls. 00:08:43.040 --> 00:08:44.820 And so we're looking at these five scrolls, 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:48.280 and we're basically saying that all of these things are just one book. 00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:50.500 And two weeks ago, we looked at Genesis 1 and 2. 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:52.879 And in Genesis 1 and 2, we looked at the creation story, 00:08:52.899 --> 00:08:55.200 and we saw that God has existed from eternity, 00:08:55.860 --> 00:08:56.860 that he's within a trinity. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:59.280 He's Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:03.480 And they have been communing and fellowshipping together from eternity past, 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.139 and they get together, and they create. 00:09:06.299 --> 00:09:08.980 They create everything that's here, everything that you see now, 00:09:09.439 --> 00:09:12.639 the potential for it, it's been created by God. 00:09:13.699 --> 00:09:16.120 And after each creative act, God said it was good. 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:17.319 And he looked at it, and he said, it's good. 00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:21.139 And we learned that God established his rule, his authority. 00:09:21.240 --> 00:09:22.839 He gave us his word. 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:24.659 He created a place. 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:25.559 He created a garden. 00:09:25.659 --> 00:09:26.480 We call it Eden. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:29.360 And finally, he makes people. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:31.259 He made us in his image. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:33.560 You and I are unique. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:37.440 We would say that each one of us has God's DNA and fingerprint on us. 00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:41.700 We would say that each one of us has God's watermark on us. 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:45.180 And we see in the passage that God created us for community. 00:09:46.259 --> 00:09:49.899 We also see that you and I are meant to live within relationships, 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:53.200 that single and by ourselves, without relationships, 00:09:53.300 --> 00:09:54.860 is not God's plan for us. 00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:58.639 God means for us to be in community and in relations with others. 00:10:00.100 --> 00:10:01.399 Last week, we looked at Genesis 3, 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:03.820 and we saw this breaking of this relationship with God. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:05.560 We call it the fall in the Bible. 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:10.120 It's in Eden, and God brings the couple, Adam and Eve, into the garden, 00:10:10.419 --> 00:10:13.300 and he gives them everything, but he commands them not to eat out of one tree. 00:10:13.659 --> 00:10:15.259 He says, just don't eat out of this certain tree. 00:10:16.860 --> 00:10:18.060 He gives them a choice. 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:20.159 He gives them a choice. 00:10:20.319 --> 00:10:21.600 Are we going to trust him? 00:10:22.339 --> 00:10:23.480 Are we going to trust that he's good? 00:10:23.539 --> 00:10:25.980 Are we going to trust that he has our best at heart? 00:10:26.059 --> 00:10:27.719 Are we going to trust that he's going to take care of us? 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:32.360 I mean, he gave them everything, and he also gives them freedom of choice. 00:10:33.419 --> 00:10:36.459 And he's asking them, he's asking us, do we want to be in community with him? 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:39.620 Do we want to be his people, or do we not want to be? 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:43.000 And we saw that the couple disobeyed God. 00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:45.019 They doubted God's goodness. 00:10:45.220 --> 00:10:49.200 Eve struggled with this question that you and I, if we're honest, 00:10:49.259 --> 00:10:51.700 we struggle with probably more than one time a day. 00:10:51.779 --> 00:10:54.460 And the question is, can I really trust God to look out for me? 00:10:56.100 --> 00:10:58.019 Is God really good? 00:10:58.080 --> 00:10:59.580 Will he really do good for me? 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:02.279 Or do I need to do good for myself? 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:06.860 And when Eve struggled with this question internally and by herself, 00:11:06.939 --> 00:11:09.220 not talking to anybody, not even talking to God about this, 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:10.379 she said no. 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:14.439 And she sought to find her identity apart from God. 00:11:15.740 --> 00:11:16.819 She ate the fruit. 00:11:17.699 --> 00:11:19.799 And we see that man quickly followed them. 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.959 And the passage says that our sin, our parents, our first parents, 00:11:23.959 --> 00:11:27.299 they sinned, and when they sinned in creation, in this perfection, 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:29.139 that everything was twisted. 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:31.819 Everything became broken. 00:11:31.820 --> 00:11:33.620 Everything became shadowy. 00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:35.200 Our view of God was broken. 00:11:35.300 --> 00:11:36.640 Our relationship with God was broken. 00:11:36.980 --> 00:11:38.640 And if our relationship with our Creator is broken, 00:11:38.760 --> 00:11:40.920 then if we see God and we don't see Him right, 00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:42.379 then we're not going to see ourselves right. 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:43.640 How we see ourselves is broken. 00:11:44.520 --> 00:11:46.360 Because we measure everything by God. 00:11:47.060 --> 00:11:48.200 That's the way we are made to be. 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:50.720 And if we can't see ourselves properly, 00:11:50.760 --> 00:11:51.960 we don't understand ourselves, 00:11:52.580 --> 00:11:54.320 then we don't see other people around us, 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:56.980 and we don't deal with other people like God meant for us to be 00:11:56.980 --> 00:11:59.580 because we're twisted and we're broken and we have these shadows. 00:11:59.580 --> 00:12:02.700 And if we don't see God and we don't see ourselves and we don't see others, 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:05.940 then we surely don't see creation the way God meant for it to be. 00:12:06.280 --> 00:12:08.620 And all of these things, as we look around in God's Word, 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:10.800 they're tainted and they're changed and it's broken. 00:12:12.200 --> 00:12:15.820 And instead of getting this massive blessing that our first parents thought they were going to get, 00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:17.440 they actually got this curse. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:21.300 And we saw last week that God, He pursued them, 00:12:21.340 --> 00:12:23.420 and they tried to hide, but He kept coming after them. 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:25.000 He kept trying to bring grace, 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:27.360 and there was punishment for disobedience. 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:29.299 And He pronounces punishment, 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:30.779 but right afterwards, 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:33.299 He covers them. 00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:36.279 He covers them with these animal skins. 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:38.080 It's the first blood sacrifice 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:41.139 in the history of the history. 00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:43.759 He kills these animals, 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:46.220 and blood is shed, 00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:49.080 and the skin is put on them 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:50.480 so that their guilt 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:52.360 and their nakedness 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:53.800 could be covered 00:12:53.800 --> 00:12:55.980 so that God, 00:12:56.340 --> 00:12:57.420 in fellowship with God, 00:12:57.500 --> 00:12:58.280 can be restored. 00:12:59.280 --> 00:13:00.900 And we see for the first time last week 00:13:00.900 --> 00:13:02.639 that this announcement of the first gospel, 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:03.560 it begins in Genesis. 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:04.900 It's the first good news. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.520 And what we hear 00:13:05.520 --> 00:13:07.100 in this idea of ultimate grace 00:13:07.100 --> 00:13:08.440 is that God is going to, 00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:09.280 through this woman, 00:13:09.780 --> 00:13:11.440 bring up a Savior, 00:13:12.680 --> 00:13:13.820 a man who will be born 00:13:13.820 --> 00:13:16.120 to save us from the curse 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:18.700 that we receive from our first parents. 00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:20.320 And then what we see 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:21.340 in the passage from last week 00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:22.360 is they were sent out of Eden. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:24.680 They were sent out of God's place. 00:13:24.780 --> 00:13:26.420 They were sent out of God's blessing. 00:13:26.520 --> 00:13:27.580 They were removed from the land 00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:29.780 that God specifically made for them, 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.140 for us. 00:13:32.400 --> 00:13:33.320 And from that point on, 00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:35.320 we see there's a symbolism in God's word 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:37.020 that whenever we go east, 00:13:37.560 --> 00:13:38.520 whenever we go east, 00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:40.660 it's a symbol of that we're leaving God. 00:13:40.780 --> 00:13:41.660 We're leaving blessings. 00:13:41.900 --> 00:13:42.940 We're leaving His grace. 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:45.380 We're trying to pursue blessings on our own. 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.220 We're saying that He's not good. 00:13:47.740 --> 00:13:48.620 We need to do it. 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:50.440 We want to make a name for ourselves. 00:13:50.540 --> 00:13:52.700 We want to build a tower to our fatherhood. 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:55.780 And what we see for the next eight chapters 00:13:55.780 --> 00:13:58.000 is that mankind just kind of spirals. 00:13:58.800 --> 00:13:59.920 And if we could draw it on this board, 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:02.000 we'd be going down and down and down. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:03.880 And we're going farther east from God 00:14:03.880 --> 00:14:04.560 and farther east. 00:14:04.640 --> 00:14:05.680 And God is pursuing us. 00:14:05.900 --> 00:14:07.000 And we're trying to fix ourselves. 00:14:07.060 --> 00:14:08.080 We're trying to get rid of the curse. 00:14:08.660 --> 00:14:09.780 We're trying to find blessing. 00:14:10.540 --> 00:14:12.060 We're trying to get our own identity. 00:14:12.059 --> 00:14:13.779 We're trying to say this is who I am. 00:14:14.579 --> 00:14:16.159 And we try to do it in things. 00:14:17.439 --> 00:14:18.399 And what the passage says, 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:21.599 that the world gets worse and worse and worse 00:14:21.599 --> 00:14:24.919 and sin and shame and guilt and depravity 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:29.039 and envy and self-centeredness and wickedness abound. 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:31.679 And the world is not good. 00:14:34.839 --> 00:14:35.979 Adam and Eve go off. 00:14:36.059 --> 00:14:36.859 And in chapter four, 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:38.139 we see they have these two sons. 00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:39.539 The first one's name is Cain. 00:14:40.059 --> 00:14:42.639 And his name actually means successful and productive. 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:45.240 The second son's name is Abel. 00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:50.340 And his name means weak, vapor, nobody. 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:53.460 I mean, you can already guess who's the favorite son, right? 00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:55.960 And we're told that both of these boys 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:57.059 have fellowship with God. 00:14:57.319 --> 00:14:59.439 And one day, they bring this offering to God. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:02.980 And God, we're told, notices Abel's offering 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:06.080 because it's in faith. 00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:08.680 Abel's a shepherd. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.280 And he brings the first fruit of his flock. 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.720 We're going to come back to this later on, 00:15:14.760 --> 00:15:17.020 but the first fruit is this idea that it's the best. 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:18.020 It's the very first. 00:15:18.380 --> 00:15:19.360 It'd be like when you get a paycheck, 00:15:19.620 --> 00:15:20.360 whatever you're giving, 00:15:20.660 --> 00:15:23.280 whoever you give to your parents or your church 00:15:23.280 --> 00:15:24.180 or whatever that looks like, 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:25.800 you give the first fruit, 00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:27.779 it means you're giving the biggest chunk, 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:30.719 the very first thing to whoever you're giving it to. 00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:33.899 With this idea that no matter what happens, 00:15:33.959 --> 00:15:34.959 even if things get hard, 00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:37.419 Abel knew that God was going to take care of him 00:15:37.419 --> 00:15:41.219 because he was worshiping the Lord. 00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:44.479 We're seeing that Abel gave these fat portions. 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:46.079 It's this idea of the best. 00:15:47.219 --> 00:15:48.939 Now, today, we don't like to talk about fat, 00:15:49.019 --> 00:15:51.099 but in that day, fat was really important 00:15:51.099 --> 00:15:52.399 because people were starving to death. 00:15:52.819 --> 00:15:54.819 And the fatty parts were the best parts. 00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:58.040 And so we see that Abel gave the first fruits 00:15:58.040 --> 00:15:58.920 and he gave the best, 00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:00.440 and this pleased the Lord 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:02.360 because he was trusting God to take care of him, 00:16:02.420 --> 00:16:03.440 even if a need should happen. 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.000 And the passage says that Cain came 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.480 and he just kind of gave some leftovers. 00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:11.740 Cain's a farmer and he brings this fruit. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.160 And it's kind of like he would look at the end of the month 00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:15.000 and whatever was left, 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:17.360 he just gave it to God or his parents 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.860 or whoever he's giving these things to. 00:16:19.380 --> 00:16:20.580 It's almost like this attitude of, 00:16:20.660 --> 00:16:21.500 I don't really need it anyway, 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.660 so I might as well give it to God 00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:24.100 because I can do without it 00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:25.279 because I have enough saved up. 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:29.100 And Cain gets angry 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:32.860 because his brother finds favor in God's eyes 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:34.779 and Cain is jealous of his brother's 00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:36.339 spiritual relationship with God. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:39.439 And the passage tells us that God steps in 00:16:39.439 --> 00:16:40.360 and he warns Cain. 00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:41.399 He begs with him. 00:16:41.439 --> 00:16:41.959 He pleads him. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:43.740 He says, hey, this thing called sin, 00:16:43.939 --> 00:16:45.360 it's at your door. 00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:47.399 It's wanting to consume you. 00:16:47.620 --> 00:16:48.279 It's sitting there. 00:16:48.379 --> 00:16:49.159 And in this passage, 00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:50.600 it's the first time this idea of sin, 00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:52.720 the word is actually used in all the Bible. 00:16:53.459 --> 00:16:54.659 That this sin is crouching. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:55.579 It's like this lion. 00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:57.299 It's trying to hide. 00:16:57.399 --> 00:16:58.759 It doesn't want to look important. 00:16:59.100 --> 00:17:00.539 It wants you to come over and play with it 00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:01.939 and touch it and hang out with it 00:17:01.939 --> 00:17:03.519 because you don't think it's going to hurt you 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:06.420 like we do all the time. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.740 And God is warning him in his grace, 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:10.399 don't get near it. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.240 Don't be quiet 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:12.240 because if you go by it, 00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:12.920 it's going to jump on you 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:13.920 and it's going to consume you. 00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:16.160 But Cain doesn't listen to God. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:18.940 And Cain allows the anger 00:17:18.940 --> 00:17:20.180 and frustration to come up 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:21.620 and we're told that he takes his brother 00:17:21.620 --> 00:17:23.000 into this field and he kills him. 00:17:25.340 --> 00:17:26.420 And we see this passage 00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:27.200 in the story of mankind 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:28.000 is out of control 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.560 and it's kind of rolling around 00:17:29.560 --> 00:17:30.880 and in the midst of this world 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:32.080 we see these two principles 00:17:32.080 --> 00:17:34.340 continually colliding with each other. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:35.940 And the first principle is that God, 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:39.380 that sin is always present in our lives. 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:41.920 That there's always this darkness 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.180 that we're going to struggle with this. 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:44.740 I know we don't like to talk about sin in here. 00:17:45.060 --> 00:17:45.820 I've had people come to me 00:17:45.820 --> 00:17:45.980 and say, 00:17:46.060 --> 00:17:47.019 I don't want to talk about sin. 00:17:47.100 --> 00:17:47.360 I just want to, 00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:48.799 okay, I'm a sinner, that's great, 00:17:48.860 --> 00:17:49.960 but let's move on 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:50.940 and I don't want to deal with sin. 00:17:51.140 --> 00:17:55.640 But the Bible deals with sin a lot. 00:17:57.160 --> 00:17:58.880 And so we see in this story of mankind 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:00.740 that sin is always present in our life 00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:01.700 and we're always going to struggle 00:18:01.700 --> 00:18:03.299 with pride and jealousy and fear 00:18:03.299 --> 00:18:04.820 and anger and lust and envy. 00:18:05.980 --> 00:18:06.440 And God says, 00:18:06.580 --> 00:18:08.180 be careful because it wants to consume you. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:09.440 It wants to destroy you. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.220 And like in the garden 00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:12.080 with our parents, 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:12.460 as parents, 00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:13.899 we're always going to have this struggle 00:18:13.899 --> 00:18:15.019 with doubting God's goodness. 00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:15.659 We're going to wonder, 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:17.199 is God really for me? 00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:18.699 And because of that, 00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:19.319 you and I, 00:18:19.439 --> 00:18:21.379 we're going to want to build our identity 00:18:21.379 --> 00:18:23.259 apart from God. 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:25.240 Because who knows what God's going to do, 00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:26.099 but I know what I'm going to do. 00:18:27.339 --> 00:18:28.439 And so we go on this journey 00:18:28.439 --> 00:18:29.980 of building our identity apart from God. 00:18:30.059 --> 00:18:30.960 We try to prove ourselves. 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:33.259 We try to make a name for ourselves. 00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:36.680 We try to make our names great. 00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.740 So here's a question. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.000 I'm going to stop the story here. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:43.920 Where are you in this story? 00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:49.180 What are you trying to grab onto today 00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:51.359 to prove yourself? 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:56.000 What is there in your life 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.299 that you're depending upon 00:18:57.299 --> 00:19:00.199 for your identity? 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:06.179 What is there that if it was taken away from you 00:19:06.179 --> 00:19:08.240 that your world would fall apart? 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:10.399 What do you try to do 00:19:10.399 --> 00:19:13.319 to make yourself great apart from God? 00:19:13.399 --> 00:19:13.959 For some of us, 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.859 it's being the best. 00:19:14.959 --> 00:19:15.459 For some of us, 00:19:15.479 --> 00:19:16.339 it's being the first. 00:19:16.719 --> 00:19:17.219 For some of us, 00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:18.219 it's being the wisest. 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:18.799 For some of us, 00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:19.479 it's being the richest. 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:20.160 For some of us, 00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:21.799 it's just having whatever we need 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:22.839 because we want that. 00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:23.960 For some of us, 00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.720 it's relationships. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.579 But the question for us today 00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:30.059 is what are we basing our identity on? 00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:33.019 Because it's this struggle 00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:34.480 that's going on around us 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.200 and it's been going on 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:35.960 throughout Scripture 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:37.220 and we're going to see it played out 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:38.480 over and over again 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.420 in God's word 00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.140 and in our lives 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.279 as we continue to go to that. 00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:43.640 The second thing we see 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:44.240 is that God, 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:45.579 even though sin 00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:46.380 and we're struggling with it, 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:47.620 God is always there. 00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:50.139 But God is pursuing His people 00:19:50.139 --> 00:19:51.779 that He's showing Himself to us. 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:53.599 He's helping us see 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.659 the shadows in our life. 00:19:54.959 --> 00:19:56.039 He's pointing to our heart 00:19:56.039 --> 00:19:56.979 like He did with Cain 00:19:56.979 --> 00:19:58.779 and with Adam and Eve 00:19:58.779 --> 00:19:59.799 and with everybody since then. 00:20:00.019 --> 00:20:01.679 He's showing us our need for Him. 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:06.079 God comes to Cain 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:06.439 and again, 00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:07.959 He passes judgment on him. 00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:10.979 But He also brings grace. 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:12.919 And if you go back 00:20:12.919 --> 00:20:13.579 and read it this week, 00:20:13.619 --> 00:20:14.299 I encourage you to 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:15.639 because I'm just flying 00:20:15.639 --> 00:20:16.359 through these things 00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:17.279 just to give us 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:18.059 a little taste of it. 00:20:18.399 --> 00:20:19.359 But it says that God 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:20.359 gives him a sign. 00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:21.859 You know, 00:20:21.940 --> 00:20:22.480 I used to think 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:23.079 and I grew up thinking 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:23.700 it meant a mark 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:24.259 that there was some kind 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:24.919 of scar on him 00:20:24.919 --> 00:20:26.539 that separated him 00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.139 and made him not 00:20:27.139 --> 00:20:27.619 because Cain, 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:28.779 Cain wasn't even worried 00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:29.879 about his brother he killed. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:30.980 Cain was more worried 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:32.000 about people killing him 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.779 when they found out. 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.879 And God just took him 00:20:34.879 --> 00:20:35.740 where he was at 00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:37.299 and we're told here 00:20:37.299 --> 00:20:38.659 that God gives him 00:20:38.659 --> 00:20:39.799 this sign, 00:20:39.919 --> 00:20:40.619 this sign 00:20:40.619 --> 00:20:41.859 that will protect him 00:20:41.859 --> 00:20:42.659 from people around him. 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:43.779 It's a sign of mercy 00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:44.600 and sign of grace. 00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:47.180 The word is the exact same word 00:20:47.180 --> 00:20:47.820 that God uses 00:20:47.820 --> 00:20:48.620 for the rainbow 00:20:48.620 --> 00:20:50.620 and the flood. 00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:53.140 It's the exact same word 00:20:53.140 --> 00:20:53.880 that God uses 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.560 for this idea 00:20:54.560 --> 00:20:55.340 of circumcision. 00:20:56.340 --> 00:20:57.140 He gives him 00:20:57.140 --> 00:20:58.279 some kind of sign 00:20:58.279 --> 00:20:59.460 of his grace 00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:00.120 and mercy 00:21:00.120 --> 00:21:01.640 that separates him 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:02.440 from all people 00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:03.120 and they realize 00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:03.980 that God's fingers 00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:04.840 are upon him 00:21:04.840 --> 00:21:06.279 and God is protecting him. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:10.040 So we have this struggle 00:21:10.040 --> 00:21:10.960 with sin and fighting 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:11.840 and we have this idea 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:12.740 of God coming in 00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:13.939 and he's pursuing us 00:21:13.939 --> 00:21:14.679 and he's bringing grace 00:21:14.679 --> 00:21:15.639 and he's talking to us. 00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.500 He's talking to us 00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:17.039 through his word, 00:21:17.179 --> 00:21:17.579 through nature, 00:21:17.699 --> 00:21:18.259 through our friends, 00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:19.259 through his spirit 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:20.319 and in our heart 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:21.259 and the question is 00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:21.939 what are we going to do 00:21:21.939 --> 00:21:22.139 with that? 00:21:22.179 --> 00:21:23.199 Are we going to take that? 00:21:23.459 --> 00:21:24.000 And what we see 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.259 in the last couple chapters 00:21:25.259 --> 00:21:26.279 before chapter 11 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:27.859 is things just get worse. 00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:29.879 I mean things start 00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:30.859 to spiral down 00:21:30.859 --> 00:21:31.419 and down 00:21:31.419 --> 00:21:31.839 and down 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:33.659 and in Genesis 6-11 00:21:33.659 --> 00:21:34.919 God basically says 00:21:34.919 --> 00:21:35.480 that the whole earth 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:36.039 is corrupt. 00:21:37.299 --> 00:21:37.899 He says there's not 00:21:37.899 --> 00:21:39.319 a person in the earth 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:40.079 at that time 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:41.399 that has a thought 00:21:41.399 --> 00:21:42.139 towards him. 00:21:43.299 --> 00:21:43.980 There's no one 00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:45.000 who wants to know God. 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:45.539 They're all wanting 00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.279 to know themselves 00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:46.839 and to build up 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:47.259 their selves 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:48.699 and build up their reputation 00:21:48.699 --> 00:21:49.579 and build up their idols 00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:50.980 and the corruption 00:21:50.980 --> 00:21:51.720 is so bad 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:52.199 that God says 00:21:52.199 --> 00:21:52.919 okay it has to come 00:21:52.919 --> 00:21:53.339 to an end 00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:54.240 and so he sends 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.319 this massive flood 00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:57.500 to destroy the corruption 00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:59.399 but before he does it 00:21:59.399 --> 00:22:00.559 he saves one man, 00:22:01.199 --> 00:22:01.439 Noah. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:03.059 And so he brings Noah 00:22:03.059 --> 00:22:03.839 into this ark 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:04.679 and into this covenant 00:22:04.679 --> 00:22:05.299 relationship 00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:06.220 and it doesn't say 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.259 that Noah was holy, 00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:08.099 that he was perfect, 00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:08.659 that he was good, 00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:09.660 he was even seeking God. 00:22:10.040 --> 00:22:10.600 All it says is 00:22:10.600 --> 00:22:11.519 for some reason 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:14.400 God had mercy on him. 00:22:15.620 --> 00:22:17.019 Pure grace was poured out 00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:18.860 and he starts over 00:22:18.860 --> 00:22:20.580 and so Noah goes in 00:22:20.580 --> 00:22:21.440 and everything's wiped out 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.220 and Noah comes out 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:22.940 and as you see 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:23.759 in the very first part 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:24.279 of your passage 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.640 again God gives Noah 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:26.380 the same command 00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:27.340 that he gave Adam and Eve 00:22:27.340 --> 00:22:28.080 and that command is 00:22:28.080 --> 00:22:29.160 for them to be fruitful 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:29.779 and multiply 00:22:29.779 --> 00:22:30.840 and fill the earth. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:32.940 But when you read 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:33.660 the story of Noah 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.380 and we're going to come back 00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.080 to it later on 00:22:35.080 --> 00:22:36.140 you see this idea 00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:37.460 that the brokenness 00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:38.000 and the shadows 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:38.660 are still there 00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:39.860 and things aren't better, 00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:40.920 they get worse 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:42.840 and within a very short time 00:22:42.840 --> 00:22:44.140 mankind starts 00:22:44.140 --> 00:22:45.340 to fall apart again. 00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:46.860 We start walking 00:22:46.860 --> 00:22:47.880 east from God, 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.840 we start walking away 00:22:48.840 --> 00:22:49.640 from God's blessing, 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:50.640 we start walking away 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.400 from God's favor, 00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.840 we're trying to build 00:22:52.840 --> 00:22:53.559 our own name, 00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:54.420 our own reputation, 00:22:54.860 --> 00:22:55.740 we're trying to build 00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:57.779 a tower 00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.559 and a city 00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.460 for ourselves 00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:01.460 and corruption 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.680 is everywhere 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:04.259 and in the midst 00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:04.880 of God's story 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:05.519 God continues 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:06.000 to pursue, 00:23:06.139 --> 00:23:06.660 God continues 00:23:06.660 --> 00:23:07.039 to pursue, 00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:07.619 God continues 00:23:07.619 --> 00:23:07.980 to pursue 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:08.879 and he comes in 00:23:08.879 --> 00:23:09.519 and he pursues us 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.400 even when we mock him, 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:11.339 even when we laugh at him, 00:23:11.660 --> 00:23:12.539 even when we don't want him, 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.440 God's mercy 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:14.000 and his grace 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.559 and his love 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:15.839 pursues his people. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:18.700 Does that make sense? 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.879 Does that make sense? 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:24.859 You're all very quiet. 00:23:26.339 --> 00:23:27.740 So we come to the passage today 00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:29.139 and I'm just going to look through it 00:23:29.139 --> 00:23:29.900 and I want us again 00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:30.819 to see two things 00:23:30.819 --> 00:23:31.759 or these two threads 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:32.799 and the first thread 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:33.400 is found in verses 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:34.139 one through four 00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:35.120 and what we're going to see 00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:35.640 is that mankind 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:36.920 continually spirals 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:37.660 and gets corrupt 00:23:37.660 --> 00:23:40.020 and falls farther away from God 00:23:40.020 --> 00:23:41.300 and we're moving east 00:23:41.300 --> 00:23:41.960 away from God, 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:43.060 we're moving into sin, 00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:44.300 we're moving into self-righteousness, 00:23:44.360 --> 00:23:45.200 we're moving into ourself 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.320 and the second thing 00:23:46.320 --> 00:23:46.740 we're going to see 00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:47.480 is that God continues 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:48.120 to pursue us, 00:23:48.180 --> 00:23:48.980 verse five through nine. 00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:51.160 We fall away, 00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:51.780 we run away, 00:23:52.060 --> 00:23:52.680 God pursues, 00:23:52.800 --> 00:23:53.560 God extends grace 00:23:53.560 --> 00:23:55.520 and that's one of the threads 00:23:55.520 --> 00:23:56.380 throughout all the Bible 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:58.440 and if we miss this, 00:23:58.520 --> 00:24:00.680 we miss God's incredible act 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:01.880 and remember that the idea 00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:02.960 that he wanted us to do 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.559 was to go out 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:04.120 and to multiply 00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:04.920 and fill the earth 00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:05.980 and make a kingdom 00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:06.920 for his name 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:07.460 and make a city 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.200 for his name 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:08.799 and make a tower 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:09.840 for his name 00:24:09.840 --> 00:24:10.660 but what you see 00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:11.160 is the people 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:13.039 start to trust themselves again. 00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:14.759 Verse one says, 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:15.360 now the whole earth 00:24:15.360 --> 00:24:16.559 has the same language, 00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:17.220 the same words. 00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:17.940 In Hebrew, 00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:18.740 the words actually mean 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:19.759 they have the same lip, 00:24:20.059 --> 00:24:21.059 they have the same speech, 00:24:21.140 --> 00:24:22.100 they have one vocabulary. 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.519 I've done a lot of research 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:23.960 on this 00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:25.360 and what all the scholars say 00:24:25.360 --> 00:24:25.840 is that everybody 00:24:25.840 --> 00:24:27.140 spoke perfect Texan, 00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:28.500 everybody. 00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:30.259 So the whole earth 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:30.819 was amazing, 00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:32.440 we spoke perfect Texas dialect 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:34.480 and we understood each other 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:35.420 and when we said 00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:37.380 eraser was an eraser 00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:38.440 and a garbage can 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:39.299 was a garbage can 00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:40.200 and not a trash can 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.759 and Nutella was Nutella 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:42.600 and everybody, 00:24:42.820 --> 00:24:43.100 everything, 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:44.360 it was just a perfect world. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:46.160 It was harmony everywhere. 00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:48.000 Diet Coke meant diet Coke 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:49.080 to everybody. 00:24:49.779 --> 00:24:50.860 It didn't mean Coke light 00:24:50.860 --> 00:24:51.740 or Coke zero. 00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:54.180 But what we see 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:54.820 in this passage 00:24:54.820 --> 00:24:56.380 verses one through four 00:24:56.380 --> 00:24:57.180 is that in our pride, 00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:57.759 in our arrogance, 00:24:57.840 --> 00:24:58.580 we just continue 00:24:58.580 --> 00:25:00.120 to travel east from God 00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:01.159 and we travel east from God 00:25:01.159 --> 00:25:02.399 and the people of God, 00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:03.759 the people of God, 00:25:03.859 --> 00:25:04.599 all that are left 00:25:04.599 --> 00:25:05.279 after the flood, 00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:06.019 so remember there's eight 00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:06.599 and now we don't know 00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:07.199 how long it's been, 00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:08.559 maybe several hundred years, 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:10.059 but they come 00:25:10.059 --> 00:25:11.019 and they settle 00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:12.139 in this valley of Shinar, 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:12.959 it's basically called 00:25:12.959 --> 00:25:13.959 the valley of the world 00:25:13.959 --> 00:25:15.779 and they come there 00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.759 and their desire 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:18.399 is not to obey God's command. 00:25:18.899 --> 00:25:19.299 Their desire 00:25:19.299 --> 00:25:20.159 is not to follow God, 00:25:20.279 --> 00:25:20.719 their desire 00:25:20.719 --> 00:25:21.579 is not to go west, 00:25:21.899 --> 00:25:22.279 their desire 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:22.859 is to go east 00:25:22.859 --> 00:25:23.579 and they want to settle 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:24.139 and they want to try 00:25:24.139 --> 00:25:24.799 to build a name, 00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:25.659 they want to try 00:25:25.659 --> 00:25:26.279 to build a city, 00:25:26.639 --> 00:25:27.059 they want to try 00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:27.719 to build a tower 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:28.339 for themselves, 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:29.220 they want to set 00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:29.980 themselves apart, 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.180 they want to set 00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:31.860 themselves apart, 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:32.640 the text says, 00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:33.539 so that the whole world 00:25:33.539 --> 00:25:34.240 looks at them 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.100 and goes, 00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:35.460 wow. 00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:38.019 The name of the place 00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.759 is called Babel, 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:39.440 it actually means 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:40.440 the gate of the gods 00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:42.279 and so they're there 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:43.400 and they want to build 00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:45.480 this big town, 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:46.039 city, 00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:46.839 tower, 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.339 so that the whole world 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:49.100 looks at them 00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:49.660 and says, 00:25:49.860 --> 00:25:50.200 God. 00:25:51.579 --> 00:25:52.620 So a question for you, 00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:56.119 if everybody 00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:57.299 is actually there 00:25:57.299 --> 00:25:57.899 with them 00:25:57.899 --> 00:25:58.819 at this time, 00:25:59.379 --> 00:26:00.939 who are they 00:26:00.939 --> 00:26:02.319 actually building 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:03.579 the tower 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:04.559 in the town 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:05.819 to say, 00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:06.959 look at what we've done? 00:26:07.679 --> 00:26:08.059 Who are they 00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:08.819 actually building it for? 00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:12.259 I mean, 00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:12.919 all of creation 00:26:12.919 --> 00:26:13.500 and all the people 00:26:13.500 --> 00:26:14.000 are there 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.339 and they're saying 00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:14.719 we want to make 00:26:14.719 --> 00:26:15.239 a name great 00:26:15.239 --> 00:26:15.679 for ourselves 00:26:15.679 --> 00:26:17.219 but they're all there 00:26:17.219 --> 00:26:17.699 so who are they 00:26:17.699 --> 00:26:18.719 trying to impress? 00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:24.139 God. 00:26:25.739 --> 00:26:26.459 Because all the people 00:26:26.459 --> 00:26:26.679 are there, 00:26:26.719 --> 00:26:27.179 they don't have anybody 00:26:27.179 --> 00:26:27.959 to impress 00:26:27.959 --> 00:26:28.599 because all the people 00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:28.859 are there 00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:29.479 and so what they're 00:26:29.479 --> 00:26:30.139 actually trying to do 00:26:30.139 --> 00:26:30.679 is what we've been 00:26:30.679 --> 00:26:31.239 trying to do 00:26:31.239 --> 00:26:32.039 all of our lives, 00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:32.459 we've been trying 00:26:32.459 --> 00:26:33.259 to show off, 00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:35.279 we're trying to impress God, 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.279 we're trying to do things 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:38.219 that God looks at us 00:26:38.219 --> 00:26:38.479 and goes, 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:39.000 wow, Tobin, 00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:39.839 he's really good, 00:26:39.899 --> 00:26:41.039 he fixed the Wi-Fi 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:41.799 and got all those things 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:42.779 set up and everything's 00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.819 perfect, 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:45.039 let's build a statue 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:45.419 for him 00:26:45.419 --> 00:26:46.899 and all along 00:26:46.899 --> 00:26:47.599 in this passage 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:48.839 we see that sin, 00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:50.979 our shadow side 00:26:50.979 --> 00:26:52.199 is going to drive us 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:53.600 to build our own identity, 00:26:55.120 --> 00:26:55.640 sin, 00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:57.220 the thing that our parents 00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:58.180 unleashed in the garden 00:26:58.180 --> 00:26:59.819 is going to help us 00:26:59.819 --> 00:27:00.700 and encourage us 00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:01.620 to make a name 00:27:01.620 --> 00:27:02.400 for ourselves, 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:03.559 to make a great name 00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:04.160 for ourselves 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:06.340 always apart from God. 00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:09.200 We had four more sermons 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:09.880 I would come back 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:11.259 and talk about this tower 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.500 in this city 00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:13.920 because the implications 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:15.019 for it are massive 00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:15.640 socially, 00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:16.759 economically, 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:17.759 and religiously. 00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:18.380 There's this guy, 00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:19.660 his name is Nimrod, 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:21.039 he's one of the sons 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:22.659 of the sons of Noah 00:27:22.659 --> 00:27:23.460 and his name 00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:24.519 actually means Nimrod, 00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:25.079 it actually means 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:26.079 we shall rebel. 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.619 Now I've never dedicated 00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.359 a little kid 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:30.139 named Nimrod 00:27:30.139 --> 00:27:31.460 which probably 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:32.559 is a good idea, 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:32.940 right? 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:34.500 But this guy's name, 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:35.240 it says it all, 00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.079 his name is 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:37.200 we're going to rebel, 00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:37.899 we're going to build 00:27:37.899 --> 00:27:38.339 these things 00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:39.339 and what we see 00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:39.819 is that they want 00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:40.559 to build this tower 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:41.500 and it's going to be 00:27:41.500 --> 00:27:42.559 incredibly significant, 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:43.039 it's going to be 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:43.960 a place of worship, 00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:44.759 it's going to be 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.319 a place where people 00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:46.099 go to make a name 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:46.500 for themselves, 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:46.859 it's going to be 00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.779 a place where people 00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:48.579 go to make 00:27:48.579 --> 00:27:49.200 their own kingdom, 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:50.220 kind of like IFC, 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:50.700 you know, 00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:51.700 one, two, and three 00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:52.380 in Hong Kong. 00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:53.880 It's kind of like that, 00:27:53.900 --> 00:27:54.039 right? 00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:55.680 That's where people go 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:56.200 to make a name 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.640 for themselves 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:57.340 and make their names 00:27:57.340 --> 00:27:58.600 great and so this 00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:59.259 is this tower 00:27:59.259 --> 00:28:00.980 and the goal behind it 00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:01.660 and all along 00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:02.440 the feeling is 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:03.580 is that they want 00:28:03.580 --> 00:28:04.700 to do it without God. 00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:06.600 They want to do it 00:28:06.600 --> 00:28:07.660 separated from God 00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:09.400 and so they start 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:09.819 to build 00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:10.279 and they're building 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:11.019 everything because 00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:11.980 they want to build 00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:12.700 their significance 00:28:12.700 --> 00:28:13.640 because they lost it. 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.799 They want to feel secure 00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:16.480 because they've lost 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:17.380 their security in the garden. 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.340 They want to do 00:28:18.340 --> 00:28:18.920 all these things 00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:19.200 to say, 00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:19.940 look at what we've done, 00:28:20.020 --> 00:28:20.560 we're okay, 00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:21.180 Tobin, 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:21.980 you are really good, 00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.840 you have your act 00:28:22.840 --> 00:28:23.160 together, 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:23.720 man, 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:24.860 you're just great. 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:27.580 Man, 00:28:28.300 --> 00:28:28.860 struggling with the 00:28:28.860 --> 00:28:29.120 darkness, 00:28:30.120 --> 00:28:30.520 sin, 00:28:30.980 --> 00:28:31.680 pursuing us, 00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:33.460 coming into our lives, 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:33.860 saying, 00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:34.020 hey, 00:28:34.040 --> 00:28:34.700 I'm not that bad, 00:28:34.780 --> 00:28:35.020 come here, 00:28:35.100 --> 00:28:35.620 play with me, 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:37.120 but when we grab it, 00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:38.640 it just rips our arm off. 00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:41.060 Then in verse five, 00:28:41.120 --> 00:28:41.800 it's kind of like the 00:28:41.800 --> 00:28:42.820 hinge of this whole passage. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.620 It's this passage 00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:45.320 where God comes in 00:28:45.320 --> 00:28:46.120 in his grace. 00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:47.319 It's where God 00:28:47.319 --> 00:28:48.519 comes into the story. 00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:50.119 The language is very 00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:50.579 colorful. 00:28:50.819 --> 00:28:51.219 It's very, 00:28:51.739 --> 00:28:52.539 if you were Hebrew, 00:28:52.659 --> 00:28:53.279 you would laugh 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.199 as you heard about 00:28:54.199 --> 00:28:54.759 what they're trying to 00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.519 build and how they're 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.159 trying to build it. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:57.519 This idea is that 00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:58.159 the people are down 00:28:58.159 --> 00:28:58.379 there saying, 00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:58.939 look at my great 00:28:58.939 --> 00:28:59.339 achievement. 00:29:00.179 --> 00:29:00.719 Look at everything 00:29:00.719 --> 00:29:01.079 I've done. 00:29:01.179 --> 00:29:01.379 Come here, 00:29:01.439 --> 00:29:01.619 God, 00:29:01.679 --> 00:29:02.239 check this out. 00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:03.179 It says God 00:29:03.179 --> 00:29:03.619 comes down 00:29:03.619 --> 00:29:04.399 and God comes down 00:29:04.399 --> 00:29:05.279 and he's looking 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:06.339 and he can't find it. 00:29:06.659 --> 00:29:06.959 All of a sudden, 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.559 he gets down on his 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.079 hands and knees 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:08.719 and he looks down 00:29:08.719 --> 00:29:09.639 and he can barely 00:29:09.639 --> 00:29:10.199 see it. 00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:11.539 It says, 00:29:11.719 --> 00:29:12.399 that's what our 00:29:12.399 --> 00:29:13.500 greatest achievements 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:16.279 look like 00:29:16.279 --> 00:29:18.319 to the creator 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:18.900 of the universe. 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:20.539 I mean, 00:29:20.579 --> 00:29:21.420 when you compare 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:22.460 the greatest achievements 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.279 we've ever done 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:24.339 to a star 00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:26.640 or to a galaxy 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:28.900 or to a human, 00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:31.559 they look like nothing. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:33.420 And in verse 6, 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.700 the language is not 00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:35.599 a language of fear 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.339 but it's a language 00:29:36.339 --> 00:29:37.339 of deep concern 00:29:37.339 --> 00:29:38.579 and deep mercy 00:29:38.579 --> 00:29:39.119 and grace 00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:39.859 and God looks at them 00:29:39.859 --> 00:29:40.700 as he looks at the Father 00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:41.160 and he says, 00:29:41.640 --> 00:29:42.220 if I allow them 00:29:42.220 --> 00:29:42.799 to keep going, 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:43.360 if I allow them 00:29:43.360 --> 00:29:44.319 to keep the same language, 00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.380 they're just going 00:29:45.380 --> 00:29:46.080 to get in trouble. 00:29:48.360 --> 00:29:49.039 The sin is going 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:49.539 to multiply 00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:49.920 and it's going 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:50.460 to become great 00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:50.779 and it's going 00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:52.259 to become close 00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:54.240 to an extinction event 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:54.799 like it did 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:55.299 in the flood 00:29:55.299 --> 00:29:56.299 and I love them 00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:56.700 too much. 00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:58.000 I don't want to see 00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:59.319 these things happen 00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:00.080 and so it says 00:30:00.080 --> 00:30:00.539 in God 00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:01.140 and his mercy 00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:01.660 and his grace, 00:30:02.039 --> 00:30:02.700 he comes down 00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:03.420 and he confuses 00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:03.960 everything. 00:30:05.299 --> 00:30:06.299 He confuses the language. 00:30:06.420 --> 00:30:06.759 He confuses 00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:07.539 the meaning of language. 00:30:07.880 --> 00:30:08.500 People are no longer 00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:09.500 speaking perfect Texan 00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:09.900 but now they're 00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:10.620 speaking Aussie. 00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:10.779 Canadian, 00:30:11.460 --> 00:30:12.500 South African 00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:14.340 and British English 00:30:14.340 --> 00:30:15.559 and even Canadian. 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:15.980 They're speaking 00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:16.680 all these things 00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:17.120 and all these 00:30:17.120 --> 00:30:17.740 different meanings, 00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:18.180 right? 00:30:18.620 --> 00:30:19.600 It's just crazy 00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:21.680 and you can't 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:22.480 get anything done 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:23.440 because everybody's 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:23.920 arguing about 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.799 what you call something. 00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:28.539 It's called Nutella. 00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:32.319 It's called nougat. 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:35.240 But my Aussie friends 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:35.980 argue with me 00:30:35.980 --> 00:30:36.660 all the time 00:30:36.660 --> 00:30:38.440 and so these people, 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:40.240 this place of unity 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:41.000 becomes this place 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:41.620 of disunity 00:30:41.620 --> 00:30:43.819 and in this craziness, 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:44.900 sometimes God uses 00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:46.019 crazy things in our life 00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:46.960 to prevent us from sin. 00:30:47.059 --> 00:30:47.839 Did you ever know that? 00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:50.339 Sometimes God allows us 00:30:50.339 --> 00:30:51.019 to lose our jobs. 00:30:51.140 --> 00:30:52.279 Sometimes God allows us 00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:54.220 to get a broken relationship. 00:30:54.380 --> 00:30:55.259 Sometimes God allows 00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:56.759 hard things to happen 00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:57.160 in our life 00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:58.460 because he loves us so much 00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.259 and he knows 00:30:59.259 --> 00:30:59.839 where we're heading 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:01.720 and he doesn't want us 00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:02.620 to see ourselves 00:31:02.620 --> 00:31:03.680 destroy ourselves. 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:05.400 And so sometimes God 00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.220 uses craziness 00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:07.660 to bring us back 00:31:07.660 --> 00:31:08.840 to him 00:31:08.840 --> 00:31:12.380 to take us away 00:31:12.380 --> 00:31:13.519 from our self-sufficiency 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:17.100 and this place of unity 00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:18.480 becomes a place of disunity 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:19.660 and the people just give up 00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:21.279 and they scatter 00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:22.180 over all the earth 00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:23.140 just like God wanted to 00:31:23.140 --> 00:31:24.080 in the very first time. 00:31:24.620 --> 00:31:25.279 It was God's plan 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:25.840 from the very beginning 00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:26.700 but we just didn't listen. 00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:28.320 And so he has to take us 00:31:28.320 --> 00:31:29.220 to all these things 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:30.059 in the midst 00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:30.620 of all these things 00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:31.579 we continue to realize 00:31:31.579 --> 00:31:32.400 that we're spiraling 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:33.220 and we're spiraling 00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:34.120 and we're spiraling 00:31:34.120 --> 00:31:35.779 and the gates of God 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.180 are no longer 00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:36.819 the gates of God. 00:31:36.920 --> 00:31:37.920 They're a place of confusion. 00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.319 From now on 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:41.299 throughout all scripture 00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:42.240 whenever you read 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:42.980 the words Babel 00:31:42.980 --> 00:31:43.559 or Babylon 00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:45.420 it's always seen 00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:46.120 as this place 00:31:46.120 --> 00:31:47.860 of opposition to God. 00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:50.019 It's always seen 00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:50.420 as a place 00:31:50.420 --> 00:31:50.980 where people try 00:31:50.980 --> 00:31:52.039 to become their own gods. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:52.559 It's always seen 00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:53.559 as a place of pride. 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:54.100 It's always seen 00:31:54.100 --> 00:31:54.579 as a place 00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:56.059 of godlessness. 00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:56.860 It's always seen 00:31:56.860 --> 00:31:57.279 as a place 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:59.200 of God's judgment. 00:31:59.220 --> 00:31:59.420 judgment. 00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:03.640 The gates of God 00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:04.380 become the gates 00:32:04.380 --> 00:32:05.200 of confusion 00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:07.160 and God wins. 00:32:09.360 --> 00:32:10.180 So we see 00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:10.759 this struggle 00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.360 that we have 00:32:11.360 --> 00:32:11.980 with the darkness. 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:17.900 We see God's grace 00:32:17.900 --> 00:32:18.620 coming in 00:32:18.620 --> 00:32:20.740 and changing us 00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:22.600 and making us 00:32:22.600 --> 00:32:23.100 his children. 00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:25.559 It's a great story 00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:25.960 isn't it? 00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:27.720 I think it's 00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:28.420 an amazing story. 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:30.380 We're going to 00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:30.860 take it up 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:32.559 more next week 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:33.900 but I want to 00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:34.160 give you 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:35.019 some thoughts 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:35.700 that I've been 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:36.460 thinking through 00:32:36.460 --> 00:32:38.660 even last night 00:32:38.660 --> 00:32:39.620 when I was hoping 00:32:39.620 --> 00:32:40.140 that I would get 00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:40.860 this large 00:32:40.860 --> 00:32:42.960 identity ego boost 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:43.740 from my family 00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:44.720 and my kids. 00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:48.100 Here's some questions 00:32:48.100 --> 00:32:48.660 I want us to think 00:32:48.660 --> 00:32:49.279 about this week. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:53.200 which direction 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:53.740 are you traveling 00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:54.279 in today? 00:32:58.960 --> 00:32:59.740 Are you traveling 00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.099 east? 00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:05.079 Are you traveling 00:33:05.079 --> 00:33:05.720 away from God? 00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:08.920 Are you traveling 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:09.440 in such a way 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:09.940 to build up 00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:10.779 your own name 00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.539 and your reputation? 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.440 Are you ignoring 00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:14.079 God's plans 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:14.859 for your life? 00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:16.299 is there this sin 00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:16.799 that you've been 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:17.299 playing with 00:33:17.299 --> 00:33:18.500 for such a long time 00:33:18.500 --> 00:33:20.159 and you've reached 00:33:20.159 --> 00:33:21.079 down to grab onto 00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:21.559 and it's just 00:33:21.559 --> 00:33:23.199 got a death grip 00:33:23.199 --> 00:33:23.719 on you? 00:33:26.719 --> 00:33:27.919 It's pulling you 00:33:27.919 --> 00:33:29.139 farther and farther 00:33:29.139 --> 00:33:30.159 away from God. 00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:34.080 Are we traveling 00:33:34.080 --> 00:33:34.500 west? 00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:38.040 Are we traveling 00:33:38.040 --> 00:33:39.000 towards God's mercy 00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:40.540 and His grace 00:33:40.540 --> 00:33:42.680 and realizing 00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:43.480 that He's always there? 00:33:43.560 --> 00:33:44.519 He's always cheering 00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:44.940 for us. 00:33:44.980 --> 00:33:46.259 He's always pursuing us. 00:33:46.320 --> 00:33:47.279 God never rests 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:50.500 because we messed up. 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:54.420 And He loves us so much 00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:55.060 He just continues 00:33:55.060 --> 00:33:55.560 to pursue 00:33:55.560 --> 00:33:56.580 and continue to pursue 00:33:56.580 --> 00:33:57.600 and continue to pursue. 00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:01.540 Second question 00:34:01.540 --> 00:34:02.279 I've been dealing with. 00:34:03.580 --> 00:34:04.480 Do you see the sin 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:05.040 in your life? 00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:08.579 I mean the passage 00:34:08.579 --> 00:34:09.300 says that sin 00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:10.380 is always present 00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:11.200 in our lives. 00:34:12.539 --> 00:34:13.119 That we're always 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:13.920 going to have this desire 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:15.300 to provide for ourselves 00:34:15.300 --> 00:34:16.360 to make our name great 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:17.420 to build ourselves up 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:18.360 without God's help. 00:34:18.659 --> 00:34:19.280 It's one of those 00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:19.900 two constants 00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:20.559 in that battle. 00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:23.119 Do you see the sin 00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:23.619 and brokenness 00:34:23.619 --> 00:34:24.099 in your life? 00:34:26.180 --> 00:34:27.180 Maybe a better question 00:34:27.180 --> 00:34:28.320 I ask myself sometimes 00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:29.360 is how am I trying 00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:29.840 to make a name 00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:30.720 for myself today? 00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:34.620 Am I trying 00:34:34.620 --> 00:34:35.340 to make my name 00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:36.460 because I want 00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:37.180 to make God great? 00:34:40.200 --> 00:34:40.800 Or am I going 00:34:40.800 --> 00:34:41.559 to try to make my name 00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:41.920 because I want 00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:43.800 to make Tobin great? 00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:48.820 How are we building towers? 00:34:51.620 --> 00:34:52.579 The passage says 00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.120 that we all have 00:34:53.120 --> 00:34:53.920 these insecurities. 00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:55.140 We all have this fallenness. 00:34:55.180 --> 00:34:56.240 We all have this brokenness. 00:34:56.640 --> 00:34:57.519 We're all struggling 00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:58.559 with this broken relationship 00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:59.079 with God 00:34:59.079 --> 00:34:59.799 and we're trying 00:34:59.799 --> 00:35:00.380 to compensate 00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.420 with those things. 00:35:02.860 --> 00:35:03.820 What kind of towers 00:35:03.820 --> 00:35:04.799 are you building today 00:35:04.799 --> 00:35:07.739 to deal with your insecurity 00:35:07.739 --> 00:35:10.940 and your sin 00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:13.599 and your separation 00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:14.199 from God? 00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:20.199 do you have somebody 00:35:20.199 --> 00:35:20.899 in your life 00:35:20.899 --> 00:35:22.639 who loves you enough 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:25.599 to point those things 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:26.139 out to you? 00:35:30.939 --> 00:35:31.879 Do you have somebody 00:35:31.879 --> 00:35:32.539 when you're building 00:35:32.539 --> 00:35:33.299 these towers 00:35:33.299 --> 00:35:35.279 and this name 00:35:35.279 --> 00:35:35.679 and you're doing 00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:36.819 all these great things 00:35:36.819 --> 00:35:38.239 and you're doing it 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:38.739 for yourself 00:35:38.739 --> 00:35:39.739 do you have somebody 00:35:39.739 --> 00:35:41.339 within your community 00:35:41.339 --> 00:35:42.079 of friends 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.900 or your family 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:45.619 who loves you so much 00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:46.400 and they don't want 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:47.199 to see you go down 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:47.880 that path 00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:49.659 and they share 00:35:49.659 --> 00:35:50.619 those things with you? 00:35:52.619 --> 00:35:53.460 Do you have somebody 00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:53.880 like that? 00:35:55.699 --> 00:35:56.619 Maybe another question 00:35:56.619 --> 00:35:56.940 will be asked 00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:57.599 how do you respond 00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:58.259 when they tell you? 00:36:01.179 --> 00:36:01.819 I mean even if there's 00:36:01.819 --> 00:36:03.299 only 10% truth 00:36:03.299 --> 00:36:04.259 in what they say 00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:05.860 what are you going 00:36:05.860 --> 00:36:06.679 to do with that 10%? 00:36:08.759 --> 00:36:09.239 Are you going 00:36:09.239 --> 00:36:09.759 to ignore it? 00:36:13.559 --> 00:36:13.919 Finally 00:36:13.919 --> 00:36:14.619 and this is the thing 00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:15.779 that I am challenged 00:36:15.779 --> 00:36:16.699 by constantly 00:36:16.699 --> 00:36:19.079 do you see God's mercy 00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:19.539 and grace 00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.039 in your life 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.559 these days? 00:36:23.619 --> 00:36:24.399 Maybe I should ask 00:36:24.399 --> 00:36:25.039 first do you see 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:25.739 God's mercy 00:36:25.739 --> 00:36:26.219 and grace 00:36:26.219 --> 00:36:26.819 in the stories 00:36:26.819 --> 00:36:27.419 and the passages 00:36:27.419 --> 00:36:28.019 I shared? 00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:30.439 The next question 00:36:30.439 --> 00:36:31.179 will be do you see 00:36:31.179 --> 00:36:31.959 God's mercy 00:36:31.959 --> 00:36:33.019 and grace 00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:33.919 in your life? 00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:36.139 Do you see 00:36:36.139 --> 00:36:36.899 his hand 00:36:36.899 --> 00:36:37.739 and his faithfulness 00:36:37.739 --> 00:36:38.319 that he's always 00:36:38.319 --> 00:36:39.479 pursuing you 00:36:39.479 --> 00:36:40.199 even when you are 00:36:40.199 --> 00:36:41.279 traveling far east 00:36:41.279 --> 00:36:41.619 of him? 00:36:41.719 --> 00:36:43.199 Do you see these things? 00:36:43.579 --> 00:36:44.079 I mean the Bible 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:45.579 is full of stories 00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:46.119 of men 00:36:46.119 --> 00:36:47.519 who try to attempt 00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:48.179 to escape 00:36:48.179 --> 00:36:49.459 the sin 00:36:49.459 --> 00:36:50.459 and the consequences 00:36:50.459 --> 00:36:51.199 and the curse 00:36:51.199 --> 00:36:52.039 they're all trying 00:36:52.039 --> 00:36:52.919 to do it on their own 00:36:52.919 --> 00:36:55.139 and the Bible 00:36:55.139 --> 00:36:56.119 says that the only way 00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:56.919 that you and I 00:36:56.919 --> 00:36:58.039 can escape this curse 00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:58.679 the only way 00:36:58.679 --> 00:36:59.299 that we can escape 00:36:59.299 --> 00:36:59.719 the curse 00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.319 and the brokenness 00:37:00.319 --> 00:37:01.379 is if God 00:37:01.379 --> 00:37:03.919 in his righteousness 00:37:03.919 --> 00:37:06.299 and through his grace 00:37:06.300 --> 00:37:08.560 takes that curse 00:37:08.560 --> 00:37:09.160 on himself 00:37:09.160 --> 00:37:12.500 do you realize that? 00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:13.720 The only way 00:37:13.720 --> 00:37:14.400 that we can escape 00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.260 this fallenness 00:37:15.260 --> 00:37:15.880 and this craziness 00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:16.700 this curse 00:37:16.700 --> 00:37:17.019 the only way 00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:17.740 that we can escape 00:37:17.740 --> 00:37:18.600 it God's word says 00:37:18.600 --> 00:37:19.900 is not to become smarter 00:37:19.900 --> 00:37:20.640 not to become better 00:37:20.640 --> 00:37:21.240 not to become 00:37:21.240 --> 00:37:22.420 more gifted 00:37:22.420 --> 00:37:23.400 or caring 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:23.900 or serving 00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:24.680 but the only way 00:37:24.680 --> 00:37:25.240 that we can escape 00:37:25.240 --> 00:37:25.640 the curse 00:37:25.640 --> 00:37:26.080 is if God 00:37:26.080 --> 00:37:26.780 comes and he takes 00:37:26.780 --> 00:37:27.660 the curse himself 00:37:27.660 --> 00:37:29.980 and you know 00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:30.760 this for some reason 00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:31.420 this is a mystery 00:37:31.420 --> 00:37:31.720 to me 00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:32.080 because I just 00:37:32.080 --> 00:37:33.100 cannot comprehend it 00:37:33.100 --> 00:37:33.740 but the Bible 00:37:33.740 --> 00:37:34.420 says that God 00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:35.420 does that 00:37:35.420 --> 00:37:38.579 that God 00:37:38.579 --> 00:37:39.680 loves us so much 00:37:39.680 --> 00:37:41.180 that he sends 00:37:41.180 --> 00:37:41.720 his son 00:37:41.720 --> 00:37:42.180 Jesus 00:37:42.180 --> 00:37:44.000 who comes 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:44.559 as we've already 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:44.900 talked 00:37:44.900 --> 00:37:45.800 100% man 00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:46.760 and 100% God 00:37:46.760 --> 00:37:48.260 he comes to 00:37:48.260 --> 00:37:49.260 humble himself 00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:50.440 he comes to serve 00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:51.980 he comes to die 00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:52.700 on a cross 00:37:52.700 --> 00:37:55.519 and Galatians 3 00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:56.220 says that he 00:37:56.220 --> 00:37:56.639 actually 00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:58.180 becomes a curse 00:37:58.180 --> 00:37:58.920 for us 00:37:58.920 --> 00:38:02.159 did you know that? 00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:04.480 the only way 00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:04.699 you're going to 00:38:04.699 --> 00:38:05.299 deal with your sin 00:38:05.299 --> 00:38:05.859 and your brokenness 00:38:05.859 --> 00:38:06.299 and your shadow 00:38:06.299 --> 00:38:07.179 that's going on 00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:07.679 inside you 00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:08.239 the only way 00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:08.379 you're going to 00:38:08.379 --> 00:38:08.960 get rid of that curse 00:38:08.960 --> 00:38:09.440 is if God 00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:10.139 takes that curse 00:38:10.139 --> 00:38:10.819 and the only way 00:38:10.819 --> 00:38:11.279 that can happen 00:38:11.279 --> 00:38:11.819 is if he sends 00:38:11.819 --> 00:38:12.179 his son 00:38:12.179 --> 00:38:13.039 to die for you 00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:13.619 and when he dies 00:38:13.619 --> 00:38:14.159 on that cross 00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:15.059 he's actually 00:38:15.059 --> 00:38:15.619 cursed 00:38:15.619 --> 00:38:17.819 by God 00:38:17.819 --> 00:38:20.960 he takes 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:21.899 our curse 00:38:21.899 --> 00:38:23.559 so that one day 00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:24.379 you and I 00:38:24.379 --> 00:38:25.980 will be free 00:38:25.980 --> 00:38:26.920 of God's judgment 00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:29.319 and we can be 00:38:29.319 --> 00:38:30.159 called his people 00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:33.000 and we can walk 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:35.039 in relationship 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:36.920 in fellowship 00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:37.759 with him 00:38:37.759 --> 00:38:41.259 the scripture 00:38:41.259 --> 00:38:41.859 says 00:38:41.859 --> 00:38:42.399 there's these two 00:38:42.399 --> 00:38:42.699 threads 00:38:42.699 --> 00:38:43.460 that flow through it 00:38:43.460 --> 00:38:45.659 you and I 00:38:45.659 --> 00:38:46.099 are always going 00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:46.379 to struggle 00:38:46.379 --> 00:38:46.779 with sin 00:38:46.779 --> 00:38:48.859 we're always going 00:38:48.859 --> 00:38:49.119 to struggle 00:38:49.119 --> 00:38:49.859 with our brokenness 00:38:49.859 --> 00:38:51.179 we're always going 00:38:51.179 --> 00:38:51.420 to struggle 00:38:51.420 --> 00:38:51.960 with the darkness 00:38:51.960 --> 00:38:53.460 now we don't want 00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:53.980 to hang out there 00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:54.420 too long 00:38:54.420 --> 00:38:55.859 but that's a truth 00:38:55.859 --> 00:38:56.299 and we have to 00:38:56.299 --> 00:38:56.819 ask ourselves 00:38:56.819 --> 00:38:57.619 what's going on 00:38:57.619 --> 00:38:58.139 and how are we 00:38:58.139 --> 00:38:58.639 dealing with those 00:38:58.639 --> 00:38:58.940 things 00:38:58.940 --> 00:39:00.920 but the passage 00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:01.519 says also 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:01.980 that God 00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:02.360 is always 00:39:02.360 --> 00:39:03.119 pursuing us 00:39:03.119 --> 00:39:05.159 that he's the 00:39:05.159 --> 00:39:05.659 God of second 00:39:05.659 --> 00:39:06.240 chances 00:39:06.240 --> 00:39:08.599 that he brings 00:39:08.599 --> 00:39:09.000 mercy 00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:10.760 he brings grace 00:39:10.760 --> 00:39:12.440 he brings forgiveness 00:39:12.440 --> 00:39:14.720 and the question 00:39:14.720 --> 00:39:15.440 is will we 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.220 accept that 00:39:16.220 --> 00:39:19.320 or will we 00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:19.940 walk away 00:39:19.940 --> 00:39:22.800 because we 00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:23.159 want to do it 00:39:23.159 --> 00:39:23.400 ourselves 00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:27.220 there's more 00:39:27.219 --> 00:39:27.739 to come next 00:39:27.739 --> 00:39:28.039 week 00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:30.179 the story 00:39:30.179 --> 00:39:30.679 gets even 00:39:30.679 --> 00:39:31.199 bigger 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:32.539 and grander 00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:33.759 as God 00:39:33.759 --> 00:39:34.379 does amazing 00:39:34.379 --> 00:39:35.599 things for us 00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:38.439 let's pray 00:39:38.439 --> 00:39:39.839 father we thank 00:39:39.839 --> 00:39:40.219 you for this 00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:40.539 day 00:39:40.539 --> 00:39:46.519 we thank you 00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:47.259 for your word 00:39:47.259 --> 00:39:50.480 how it never 00:39:50.480 --> 00:39:50.939 changes 00:39:50.939 --> 00:39:51.719 it is living 00:39:51.719 --> 00:39:52.500 and active 00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:53.339 and it moves 00:39:53.339 --> 00:39:54.179 into our lives 00:39:54.179 --> 00:39:55.139 and it penetrates 00:39:55.139 --> 00:39:55.759 our hearts 00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:56.440 and it shows 00:39:56.440 --> 00:39:56.779 us the 00:39:56.779 --> 00:39:57.159 darkness 00:39:57.159 --> 00:39:59.099 and I pray 00:39:59.099 --> 00:39:59.480 for us 00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:00.019 as a church 00:40:00.019 --> 00:40:00.239 Lord 00:40:00.239 --> 00:40:00.500 that we 00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:00.900 would deal 00:40:00.900 --> 00:40:01.319 with those 00:40:01.319 --> 00:40:01.799 things 00:40:01.799 --> 00:40:04.539 father I pray 00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:05.099 with people 00:40:05.099 --> 00:40:05.519 in here 00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:06.000 right now 00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:06.299 who 00:40:06.299 --> 00:40:08.859 they're far 00:40:08.859 --> 00:40:09.259 east from 00:40:09.259 --> 00:40:09.639 God 00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:12.259 they've never 00:40:12.259 --> 00:40:12.679 entered into 00:40:12.679 --> 00:40:13.119 the family 00:40:13.119 --> 00:40:13.559 they're trying 00:40:13.559 --> 00:40:13.859 to build 00:40:13.859 --> 00:40:14.400 monuments 00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:14.980 to themselves 00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:15.299 they're trying 00:40:15.299 --> 00:40:15.519 to make 00:40:15.519 --> 00:40:15.920 their name 00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:16.299 great 00:40:16.299 --> 00:40:16.759 they're trying 00:40:16.759 --> 00:40:17.339 to do 00:40:17.339 --> 00:40:17.739 everything 00:40:17.739 --> 00:40:18.299 so that 00:40:18.299 --> 00:40:18.759 they can 00:40:18.759 --> 00:40:19.279 overcome 00:40:19.279 --> 00:40:20.379 this fear 00:40:20.379 --> 00:40:20.799 and this 00:40:20.799 --> 00:40:21.239 doubt 00:40:21.239 --> 00:40:22.739 in this 00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:23.219 loneliness 00:40:23.219 --> 00:40:24.739 in this 00:40:24.739 --> 00:40:25.500 brokenness 00:40:25.500 --> 00:40:27.639 in this 00:40:27.639 --> 00:40:28.299 insecurity 00:40:28.299 --> 00:40:30.639 father I pray 00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:31.159 for them 00:40:31.159 --> 00:40:31.739 here right 00:40:31.739 --> 00:40:32.079 now that 00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:32.299 you would 00:40:32.299 --> 00:40:32.659 open their 00:40:32.659 --> 00:40:33.079 eyes 00:40:33.079 --> 00:40:35.099 that they 00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:35.399 would see 00:40:35.399 --> 00:40:35.879 your son 00:40:35.879 --> 00:40:37.699 they would 00:40:37.699 --> 00:40:38.139 see that 00:40:38.139 --> 00:40:38.819 he came 00:40:38.819 --> 00:40:39.779 to remove 00:40:39.779 --> 00:40:40.159 all those 00:40:40.159 --> 00:40:40.579 things from 00:40:40.579 --> 00:40:40.919 them 00:40:40.919 --> 00:40:42.859 and they 00:40:42.859 --> 00:40:43.079 would put 00:40:43.079 --> 00:40:43.539 their trust 00:40:43.539 --> 00:40:44.039 in him 00:40:44.039 --> 00:40:46.039 would I 00:40:46.039 --> 00:40:46.519 pray for my 00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:46.919 brothers and 00:40:46.919 --> 00:40:47.479 sisters there 00:40:47.479 --> 00:40:47.819 that they 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:49.039 would ask 00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:49.699 questions of 00:40:49.699 --> 00:40:50.039 those people 00:40:50.039 --> 00:40:50.419 who brought 00:40:50.419 --> 00:40:50.559 them 00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:50.759 they would 00:40:50.759 --> 00:40:51.299 ask questions 00:40:51.299 --> 00:40:51.539 of the 00:40:51.539 --> 00:40:52.019 staff and 00:40:52.019 --> 00:40:52.259 anybody 00:40:52.259 --> 00:40:52.559 they've 00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:52.880 seen up 00:40:52.880 --> 00:40:52.980 here 00:40:52.980 --> 00:40:53.179 they would 00:40:53.179 --> 00:40:53.699 ask about 00:40:53.699 --> 00:40:54.159 grace 00:40:54.159 --> 00:40:55.440 they would 00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:55.820 ask about 00:40:55.820 --> 00:40:56.759 the struggle 00:40:56.759 --> 00:40:57.420 of sin 00:40:57.420 --> 00:40:57.860 and I pray 00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:58.159 that we would 00:40:58.159 --> 00:40:58.559 be honest 00:40:58.559 --> 00:40:58.960 enough to 00:40:58.960 --> 00:40:59.299 share 00:40:59.299 --> 00:41:01.239 because I know 00:41:01.239 --> 00:41:01.679 that sometimes 00:41:01.679 --> 00:41:02.320 we go among 00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:03.000 other Christians 00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:04.579 and it looks 00:41:04.579 --> 00:41:05.159 like everybody's 00:41:05.159 --> 00:41:05.599 just perfect 00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:06.179 and there's no 00:41:06.179 --> 00:41:06.619 problems 00:41:06.619 --> 00:41:08.679 for some reason 00:41:08.679 --> 00:41:09.159 when I do 00:41:09.159 --> 00:41:09.699 that I feel 00:41:09.699 --> 00:41:10.079 like I'm 00:41:10.079 --> 00:41:10.539 retarded 00:41:10.539 --> 00:41:12.460 because I look 00:41:12.460 --> 00:41:13.039 at my life 00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:13.539 and I realize 00:41:13.539 --> 00:41:14.039 man I have 00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:14.400 a lot of 00:41:14.400 --> 00:41:14.739 problems 00:41:14.739 --> 00:41:16.820 so I pray 00:41:16.820 --> 00:41:17.400 for them 00:41:17.400 --> 00:41:17.860 that they would 00:41:17.860 --> 00:41:18.340 see that your 00:41:18.340 --> 00:41:18.960 son came 00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:20.460 to heal 00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:20.880 them 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:21.740 to change 00:41:21.740 --> 00:41:22.119 them 00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:23.320 to take 00:41:23.320 --> 00:41:23.940 the curse 00:41:23.940 --> 00:41:24.539 and to 00:41:24.539 --> 00:41:25.380 forgive them 00:41:25.380 --> 00:41:27.780 Father I pray 00:41:27.780 --> 00:41:28.260 for the rest 00:41:28.260 --> 00:41:28.720 of us your 00:41:28.720 --> 00:41:29.300 children as 00:41:29.300 --> 00:41:29.599 we're on 00:41:29.599 --> 00:41:30.159 this journey 00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:32.980 living in 00:41:32.980 --> 00:41:33.539 the city 00:41:33.539 --> 00:41:34.280 and around 00:41:34.280 --> 00:41:35.000 the towers 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:35.880 it's really 00:41:35.880 --> 00:41:37.740 easy to 00:41:37.740 --> 00:41:38.079 get 00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:39.980 confused 00:41:39.980 --> 00:41:42.480 and to 00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:43.019 forget about 00:41:43.019 --> 00:41:43.800 mercy and to 00:41:43.800 --> 00:41:44.300 forget about 00:41:44.300 --> 00:41:45.079 grace and to 00:41:45.079 --> 00:41:45.720 forget about 00:41:45.720 --> 00:41:46.960 whose name 00:41:46.960 --> 00:41:47.380 we're really 00:41:47.380 --> 00:41:48.039 living for 00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:50.199 and before 00:41:50.199 --> 00:41:50.619 you know it 00:41:50.619 --> 00:41:51.039 we're building 00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:51.500 our own 00:41:51.500 --> 00:41:51.900 towers 00:41:51.900 --> 00:41:52.320 we're building 00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:53.000 monuments to 00:41:53.000 --> 00:41:53.500 ourselves 00:41:53.500 --> 00:41:53.980 we're building 00:41:53.980 --> 00:41:55.000 a great 00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:55.500 name 00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:57.019 we're hoarding 00:41:57.019 --> 00:41:58.179 the best 00:41:58.179 --> 00:41:59.059 portions of 00:41:59.059 --> 00:41:59.699 our time 00:41:59.699 --> 00:42:00.059 and our 00:42:00.059 --> 00:42:00.579 money and 00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:01.260 our resources 00:42:01.260 --> 00:42:01.860 and our 00:42:01.860 --> 00:42:02.360 intellect 00:42:02.360 --> 00:42:03.599 for our 00:42:03.599 --> 00:42:03.880 kingdom 00:42:03.880 --> 00:42:06.179 and we're 00:42:06.179 --> 00:42:06.579 giving you 00:42:06.579 --> 00:42:06.960 just the 00:42:06.960 --> 00:42:07.440 leftovers 00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:11.199 and all the 00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:11.579 while your 00:42:11.579 --> 00:42:12.380 son comes 00:42:12.380 --> 00:42:12.800 and he 00:42:12.800 --> 00:42:14.019 pursues us 00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:16.680 and he 00:42:16.680 --> 00:42:17.380 brings mercy 00:42:17.380 --> 00:42:18.740 and grace 00:42:18.740 --> 00:42:21.619 Father I pray 00:42:21.619 --> 00:42:22.180 for us as we 00:42:22.180 --> 00:42:22.780 look at this 00:42:22.780 --> 00:42:23.400 word your 00:42:23.400 --> 00:42:24.059 word and we 00:42:24.059 --> 00:42:24.559 ask these 00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:25.300 questions that 00:42:25.300 --> 00:42:26.440 we would allow 00:42:26.440 --> 00:42:27.000 you to change 00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:29.460 us I pray 00:42:29.460 --> 00:42:29.920 there's any of 00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:30.360 us right now 00:42:30.360 --> 00:42:30.800 who's struggling 00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:31.920 with pornography 00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:34.059 or anger 00:42:34.059 --> 00:42:36.480 or abuse 00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:38.119 or even the 00:42:38.119 --> 00:42:38.780 craziness that's 00:42:38.780 --> 00:42:39.400 happened to us 00:42:39.400 --> 00:42:40.019 that we thought 00:42:40.019 --> 00:42:40.619 that we deserve 00:42:40.619 --> 00:42:41.240 something else 00:42:41.239 --> 00:42:42.500 but it didn't 00:42:42.500 --> 00:42:43.079 happen and we 00:42:43.079 --> 00:42:43.839 just have 00:42:43.839 --> 00:42:44.759 bitterness 00:42:44.759 --> 00:42:46.639 and envy 00:42:46.639 --> 00:42:47.139 and we're your 00:42:47.139 --> 00:42:47.939 people and we 00:42:47.939 --> 00:42:48.599 know that that's 00:42:48.599 --> 00:42:49.299 not right and I 00:42:49.299 --> 00:42:50.099 pray Lord that you 00:42:50.099 --> 00:42:51.459 would touch our 00:42:51.459 --> 00:42:52.219 eyes and our 00:42:52.219 --> 00:42:54.559 hearts that we'd 00:42:54.559 --> 00:42:55.159 focus on your 00:42:55.159 --> 00:42:57.559 son Christ that 00:42:57.559 --> 00:42:58.319 we'd come back to 00:42:58.319 --> 00:42:58.959 him and all that 00:42:58.959 --> 00:42:59.759 he's done and as 00:42:59.759 --> 00:43:00.219 we look at how 00:43:00.219 --> 00:43:01.299 beautiful he is 00:43:01.299 --> 00:43:03.659 we wouldn't think 00:43:03.659 --> 00:43:04.319 twice about 00:43:04.319 --> 00:43:05.079 surrendering these 00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:05.959 things to you 00:43:05.959 --> 00:43:08.399 because they're 00:43:08.399 --> 00:43:09.000 nothing compared 00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:09.439 to what you've 00:43:09.439 --> 00:43:09.739 done 00:43:09.739 --> 00:43:11.739 and what we'll 00:43:11.739 --> 00:43:14.159 receive in the 00:43:14.159 --> 00:43:14.679 true city 00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:17.339 your kingdom in 00:43:17.339 --> 00:43:17.659 heaven 00:43:17.659 --> 00:43:20.319 and what I pray 00:43:20.319 --> 00:43:20.859 for us as a 00:43:20.859 --> 00:43:21.399 church that we 00:43:21.399 --> 00:43:21.879 wouldn't forget 00:43:21.879 --> 00:43:22.519 why we're here 00:43:22.519 --> 00:43:23.099 we wouldn't just 00:43:23.099 --> 00:43:24.459 come to feel good 00:43:24.459 --> 00:43:25.079 about ourselves 00:43:25.079 --> 00:43:25.619 and then we would 00:43:25.619 --> 00:43:26.159 leave but we'd 00:43:26.159 --> 00:43:26.799 realize that we're 00:43:26.799 --> 00:43:27.779 here to reach 00:43:27.779 --> 00:43:28.519 people who aren't 00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:29.679 yet in church and 00:43:29.679 --> 00:43:30.839 don't yet know you 00:43:30.839 --> 00:43:32.500 and you surround us 00:43:32.500 --> 00:43:33.199 with all those 00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:33.979 people every day 00:43:33.979 --> 00:43:34.879 in our homes and 00:43:34.879 --> 00:43:36.279 at work and as 00:43:36.279 --> 00:43:37.000 we go out to eat 00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:39.099 father help us 00:43:39.099 --> 00:43:39.599 not to forget 00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:40.019 that 00:43:40.019 --> 00:43:42.679 help us to focus 00:43:42.679 --> 00:43:43.420 on the grace 00:43:43.420 --> 00:43:44.159 that you brought 00:43:44.159 --> 00:43:44.800 to us 00:43:44.800 --> 00:43:46.679 and to realize 00:43:46.679 --> 00:43:48.059 that 96% of 00:43:48.059 --> 00:43:48.699 Hong Kong 00:43:48.699 --> 00:43:51.119 needs that 00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:54.159 may we be a 00:43:54.159 --> 00:43:55.179 church that puts 00:43:55.179 --> 00:43:55.900 other churches 00:43:55.900 --> 00:43:56.739 out there and 00:43:56.739 --> 00:43:57.519 plants them so 00:43:57.519 --> 00:43:58.159 that they can reach 00:43:58.159 --> 00:43:59.059 other people who 00:43:59.059 --> 00:43:59.820 are not yet in 00:43:59.820 --> 00:44:00.699 church today 00:44:00.699 --> 00:44:02.320 may we be a 00:44:02.320 --> 00:44:02.960 church that's 00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:03.460 generous 00:44:03.460 --> 00:44:05.239 may we be a 00:44:05.239 --> 00:44:05.780 church that's in 00:44:05.780 --> 00:44:06.600 love with you and 00:44:06.600 --> 00:44:07.960 as we see your 00:44:07.960 --> 00:44:08.620 gospel and your 00:44:08.620 --> 00:44:09.640 grace change us 00:44:09.640 --> 00:44:11.380 we change 00:44:11.380 --> 00:44:13.940 we become more 00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:14.460 like your son 00:44:14.460 --> 00:44:17.540 father we love 00:44:17.540 --> 00:44:17.820 you 00:44:17.820 --> 00:44:21.740 we need you 00:44:21.740 --> 00:44:22.200 desperately 00:44:22.200 --> 00:44:25.540 we thank you that 00:44:25.540 --> 00:44:26.260 you never give up 00:44:26.260 --> 00:44:26.720 on us your 00:44:26.720 --> 00:44:27.040 children 00:44:27.040 --> 00:44:30.080 we pray all these 00:44:30.080 --> 00:44:30.560 things in your 00:44:30.560 --> 00:44:31.180 holy name 00:44:31.180 --> 00:44:32.620 amen