WEBVTT

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 Father, we know that if you have hard things to say to us,

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 you do not speak to us because you desire to belittle us,

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 shame us, insult us, diminish us, or denigrate us,

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 but that you do it, Father, because your love is unfailing,

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 that you, Father, are the unfailing God of love.

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 And so, Father, we know that even your hard words are spoken with love.

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 So we ask, Father, that you help us to trust you as we hear these words.

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 We ask, Father, that you help us to dive deep into these words,

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 knowing that it is you who speaks,

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 you who sent your Son to die upon the cross to redeem us,

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 so that we, by faith in Jesus, can become your child by adoption and grace.

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 Father, help us to plunge deep into your word and have your word plunge deep into us

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 so that our lives will bear fruit for your glory.

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 And this we ask in Jesus' name, your Son and the only Savior, our Savior.

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 Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 Amen.

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 So, you know, sometimes I have to come up with a story to try to get your attention right off the beginning,

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 but how can you beat, no one understands, no one does anything good, no one seeks God.

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 So, just imagine trying to explain that to your co-workers.

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 Imagine trying to explain that if it came over the loudspeaker at your work.

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 George believes that no one does good, no one understands, no one seeks God.

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 Ask George to explain it to you.

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 And probably we would go like this, wondering how on earth it got put on the loudspeaker.

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 And some of you are saying,

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 George, I'm not even thinking about how I'd explain it to my co-workers.

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 I don't know how I'd explain it to another Christian.

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 It seems pretty hardcore, a hardcore text.

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 It's one of the advantages, by the way, of preaching through books of the Bible,

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 because I confess to you that in my flesh, I would probably never pick this text,

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 because I'm a Canadian male.

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 And I'm a Canadian male, and, you know, I like to be liked,

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 and, you know, I naturally try to think of what could encourage,

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 or something like that.

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 I've never picked this text.

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 And so, it's one of the reasons why I preach through books of the Bible,

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 because it's good for us to hear the Bible,

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 and to hear those parts and bits that we wouldn't normally turn to,

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 or that we would quickly skip over.

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 So, what on earth is going on?

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 Andrew, could you put up Romans 1, 16 to 17 for me, please?

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 Now, remember, I said that everything in the book of Romans is all,

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 these two verses basically summarize everything in the book.

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 So, every time you come, if you go back, and if you're in a Bible study,

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 and you're trying to study the book of Romans,

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 and you're trying to figure out what's going on in the text,

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 it's always going to be helpful if you go back and you look at this text,

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 because it's going to help you to maybe at least try to say,

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 okay, this text somehow is fitting into this.

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 So, could you say this text with me out loud, please?

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 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,

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 for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

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 to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

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 For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

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 As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith.

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 So, the problem we have with this text, Romans 3, 1 and 20,

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 keep in mind that, you'd say, well, George, that's a big jump.

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 From what that's saying, it seems like it's a very big jump to this.

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 In fact, George, how is it that we can even understand that?

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 Doesn't Romans 3 sort of contradict Romans 1, 16 to 17?

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 It says no one understands,

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 but it sort of implies that we can understand Romans 1, 16 to 17.

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 And so, it seems like a bit of a contradiction.

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 And here's the thing that if you sort of think about it for a second,

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 that the problem isn't that we think that everybody only tells the truth all the time,

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 or that people only speak, they only speak what's good,

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 they only do good things.

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 Like, none of us believe that that happens all of the time.

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 But the problem is that when it seems as if, you know,

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 if the text had said, you know,

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 some of you do good things sometimes and bad things other times,

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 we'd probably be pretty fine with it.

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 And some of you understand things sometimes,

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 and some of you don't understand things other times.

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 I mean, that's what my wife says to me all the time,

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 and she's correct, you know.

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 Sometimes I just don't understand, don't get it.

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 And so, that's part of the problem with the text.

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 But as we start to look at, we're going to look at the text,

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 Romans 3, 1 to 20, turn to it in your Bibles.

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 But before we do that, I want to suggest to you

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 something that's important to keep in mind as we go through.

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 It's very common in educational theory.

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 My guess is that if you go to get a teaching degree

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 at the University of Ottawa,

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 that if you study psychology, if you study sociology,

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 that even many political philosophies,

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 if you listen to many spiritualities,

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 if you go and you were to go to chapters

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 and get books on spirituality,

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 that many, many people in our culture

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 tell us that we essentially are good.

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 That who we are is fundamentally good.

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 Why is it that we don't get as upset with that

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 as we do with Romans 3?

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 Like, why is it that we only get bothered

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 with a text that seems to be extreme in one direction?

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 Like, shouldn't we be bothered with people

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 who seem to talk in extreme ways in both directions?

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 Like, why is it that that type of extreme

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 that we're all fundamentally good

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 doesn't bother us as much as Romans 3 bothers us?

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 Like, what does that say about me?

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 What does it say about you?

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 Well, let's read the text.

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 Romans 3, 1 to 20, and we'll begin at the first verse.

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 Then what advantage has the Jew,

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 or what is the value of circumcision?

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 Just pause here before we go any further.

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 Those of you who were here last week,

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 you might remember that I talked about how

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 to get the full oomph of the text,

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 you need to do something to make the text contemporary.

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 It's a completely valid move.

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 And so take out the word Jew and put Anglican.

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 And maybe some of you said,

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 yeah, yeah, that's a good thing,

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 because Anglicans, they don't know anything.

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 They never do good things, and they don't understand.

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 So if that's the case,

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 if you come from a Pentecostal background,

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 put in Pentecostal.

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 If you come from a Baptist background,

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 put in Baptist.

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 If you come from an Associated Gospel background,

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 put in Associated Gospel.

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 If you're even saying,

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 no, no, I know there's some Baptists.

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 No, no, then put Fellowship of Evangelical Baptists

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 in everywhere you say this text.

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 Or put in Reformed Presbyterian.

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 Like, put in the denomination

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 that you think is the best.

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 Okay?

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 And put that in.

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 And every time you see the word circumcision,

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 put in the word baptism.

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 And if you do that,

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 you're going to start to get a little bit

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 of the shock of the text.

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 So if I was at the Met,

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 I would say,

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 then what advantage has the person

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 who comes to the Met?

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 Whoa.

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 Okay?

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 So I'm going to use Anglican,

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 because it'd be rude for me

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 to pick another denomination.

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 Then what advantage has the Anglican?

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 Or what is the value of baptism?

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 Much in every way.

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 To begin with,

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 the Anglicans were entrusted

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 with the oracles of God.

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 Now, we actually always thought that,

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 but that's a separate story.

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 That's where it breaks down.

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 Much in every way,

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 to begin with,

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 the Anglicans were entrusted

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 with the oracles of God.

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 I just want to pause here for a second.

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 There's something that you,

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 I could have mentioned this every week.

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 And I could mention it every week

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 in the following weeks,

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 and I will mention it several other times,

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 because it's a really important lesson.

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 But it's easy for us not to notice it.

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 Andrew, if you could put up the first point.

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 The Bible is the oracles of God.

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 The Bible is the oracles of God.

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 Some of your translations

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 say the very words of God,

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 and that's a good equivalent,

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 because oracles is a bit,

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 isn't it like a high-tech company

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 or something like that?

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 And, you know,

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 but if you put down

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 the very words of God,

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 because in the ancient world,

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 you would go to an oracle,

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 because the oracle,

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 in a sense,

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 would, you know,

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 whenever you did

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 the proper sacrifices

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 and paid the proper money

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 and do whatever you had to do,

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 I don't know,

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 a thousand push-ups upside down

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 or something like that.

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 And then you would,

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 the oracle would speak,

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 and it was as if

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 the oracle disappeared,

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 and God,

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 the gods,

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 would use the oracle's mouth

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 to speak.

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 And so when the oracle was speaking,

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 every word you heard

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 wasn't hers,

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 it was God speaking.

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 And that's what the Bible

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 has always taught about itself.

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 That's what Jesus teaches as well.

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 So I,

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 what the text is claiming

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 is that right now in my hands,

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 I am holding the very words of God.

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 That's what I'm holding.

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 That's what the Bible teaches us

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 about itself.

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 It's not a fundamentalist idea.

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 It's not something that,

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 you know,

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 those who are sort of

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 very emergent saying,

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 you know,

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 that words are a problem

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 and don't we know

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 that there's, you know,

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 issues around words

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 and it's a modernist idea

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 to say things like that.

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 It's not a modernist idea.

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 It's completely and utterly

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 not a modernist idea.

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 And all the way through

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 the book of Romans,

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 Paul is always saying,

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 it is written,

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 it is written,

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 it is written,

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 it is written.

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 In other words,

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 he's saying,

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 I'm quoting something

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 that comes from God

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 that's authoritative

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 that you've got to understand.

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 Every word is important.

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 The Bible is the oracles of God.

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 Now, some of you,

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 before we get back to reading,

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 some of you say,

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 George,

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 you've actually just made

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 the problem worse.

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 I know,

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 I'm going to do that.

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 I'm going to make it

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 as hard as I can, okay?

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 But you're actually,

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 George,

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 you're making the problem

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 way, way, way, way worse.

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 Because you see,

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 George,

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 if you just were more nuanced

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 and more enlightened,

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 you could say,

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 well, the Bible

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 isn't the word of God,

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 it contains the word of God.

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 And that means

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 that some parts of the Bible

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 are just culturally relative.

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 And it just reflects

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 a lack of proper

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 intellectual development

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 and intellectual formation.

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 It just,

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 and it means you can

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 just sort of say,

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 well, you know,

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 you know,

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 back in those days,

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 they just really talked

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 really, really hard.

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 And really what Paul is saying,

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 really what the Bible

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 is saying is that

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 sometimes you don't

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 do good things.

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 You know,

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 and so George,

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 by saying what you just said,

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 now you're making it sound

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 as if God,

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 God,

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 is just another one

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 of the long line

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 of people

00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:56.139
 who puts me down.

00:10:57.239 --> 00:10:58.199
 Now you're saying

00:10:58.199 --> 00:10:59.699
 that God is just as bad

00:10:59.699 --> 00:11:00.619
 as my dad

00:11:00.619 --> 00:11:01.319
 who told me

00:11:01.319 --> 00:11:02.159
 that I was always

00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.059
 going to be stupid

00:11:03.059 --> 00:11:04.399
 and that I would never

00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:05.419
 amount to anything.

00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:06.979
 Now you're making God

00:11:06.979 --> 00:11:07.739
 sound like

00:11:07.740 --> 00:11:08.700
 he's just like

00:11:08.700 --> 00:11:09.899
 my elementary teacher

00:11:09.899 --> 00:11:11.799
 or my coach in school

00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:13.259
 or my boss

00:11:13.259 --> 00:11:14.500
 or, you know,

00:11:14.940 --> 00:11:16.600
 that just always

00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:17.539
 putting me down.

00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:17.980
 And George,

00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:18.659
 you've actually made

00:11:18.659 --> 00:11:19.460
 the matter worse.

00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:22.159
 I don't think I have.

00:11:25.139 --> 00:11:26.159
 But, well,

00:11:27.259 --> 00:11:30.139
 is God just like that?

00:11:30.220 --> 00:11:31.259
 Is that what God is like?

00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:32.159
 Is God just like

00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:32.600
 another one

00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:33.299
 of a long line

00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:33.779
 of people

00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:35.820
 who tell us

00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:37.139
 that we are a failure

00:11:37.139 --> 00:11:38.720
 that will never

00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:39.779
 amount to anything,

00:11:40.179 --> 00:11:42.080
 that everything about us

00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:43.240
 is deeply flawed,

00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:45.000
 and that eventually

00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:46.179
 people will see

00:11:46.179 --> 00:11:47.340
 through our veneer

00:11:47.340 --> 00:11:48.439
 in our front

00:11:48.439 --> 00:11:49.319
 to realize

00:11:49.319 --> 00:11:50.799
 just how big

00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:51.240
 a failure

00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:51.860
 we really are.

00:11:51.939 --> 00:11:53.220
 Is that what God,

00:11:53.319 --> 00:11:54.199
 is that actually

00:11:54.199 --> 00:11:55.480
 God speaking to us?

00:11:56.899 --> 00:11:57.080
 Well,

00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:57.679
 let's continue

00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:58.299
 at verse 2

00:11:58.299 --> 00:11:59.080
 and we'll keep reading.

00:12:00.220 --> 00:12:01.319
 Go back to verse 2.

00:12:01.439 --> 00:12:02.159
 Much in every way.

00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:02.460
 That's,

00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:02.659
 remember,

00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:03.279
 what vanishes

00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:04.259
 have to be an Anglican?

00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:05.799
 Much in every way.

00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:06.439
 To begin with,

00:12:06.479 --> 00:12:07.199
 the Anglicans

00:12:07.199 --> 00:12:07.899
 were entrusted

00:12:07.899 --> 00:12:09.120
 with the oracles of God,

00:12:09.179 --> 00:12:10.319
 the very words of God.

00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:11.939
 What if some

00:12:11.939 --> 00:12:12.939
 were unfaithful?

00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:14.959
 That's Anglicans.

00:12:15.579 --> 00:12:16.099
 Hard to believe.

00:12:16.139 --> 00:12:16.639
 I'm just joking.

00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:18.899
 Does their faithlessness

00:12:18.899 --> 00:12:21.319
 nullify the faithfulness

00:12:21.319 --> 00:12:21.899
 of God?

00:12:22.259 --> 00:12:23.079
 By no means.

00:12:23.459 --> 00:12:24.539
 Let God be true,

00:12:24.699 --> 00:12:25.279
 though everyone

00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:26.019
 were a liar,

00:12:26.219 --> 00:12:26.979
 as it is written,

00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:28.839
 that you may be justified

00:12:28.839 --> 00:12:29.679
 in your words

00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:30.199
 and prevail

00:12:30.199 --> 00:12:31.199
 when you are judged.

00:12:31.719 --> 00:12:32.779
 That's referring to God.

00:12:32.779 --> 00:12:35.459
 But if our unrighteousness

00:12:35.459 --> 00:12:36.240
 serves to show

00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:37.059
 the righteousness

00:12:37.059 --> 00:12:37.879
 of God,

00:12:38.339 --> 00:12:39.220
 what shall we say?

00:12:39.980 --> 00:12:41.639
 That God is unrighteous

00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:43.139
 to inflict wrath on us?

00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:44.379
 I speak in a human way.

00:12:44.939 --> 00:12:45.740
 By no means.

00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:46.659
 For then,

00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:47.539
 how could God

00:12:47.539 --> 00:12:48.319
 judge the world?

00:12:48.839 --> 00:12:49.339
 But if,

00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:50.679
 through my lie,

00:12:50.939 --> 00:12:51.740
 God's truth

00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:52.919
 abounds to his glory,

00:12:53.579 --> 00:12:54.319
 why am I still

00:12:54.319 --> 00:12:55.179
 being condemned,

00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:56.480
 in other words,

00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:57.159
 found guilty,

00:12:57.620 --> 00:12:58.220
 as a sinner?

00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:00.220
 And why not do evil

00:13:00.220 --> 00:13:01.060
 that good may come,

00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:01.840
 as some people

00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.300
 slanderously charge us

00:13:03.300 --> 00:13:03.779
 with saying,

00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:05.800
 their condemnation,

00:13:05.899 --> 00:13:06.300
 in other words,

00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:06.820
 the verdict,

00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:07.740
 is just.

00:13:08.700 --> 00:13:09.360
 Now just sort of

00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:09.920
 pause here.

00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:11.420
 I'm going to,

00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:12.800
 I want to put up a point

00:13:12.800 --> 00:13:13.800
 and then I'll try to go

00:13:13.800 --> 00:13:15.100
 and see how this is actually

00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:16.300
 a very powerful text

00:13:16.300 --> 00:13:16.879
 that's telling us

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.960
 the opposite of what

00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:19.019
 we emotionally feel

00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:19.700
 when we hear it.

00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:20.519
 If you could put up

00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:21.160
 the second point,

00:13:21.259 --> 00:13:21.399
 Andrew,

00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:22.240
 that would be a great help.

00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:24.600
 The real and living God

00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:26.040
 is unhindered,

00:13:26.680 --> 00:13:27.240
 faithful,

00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:28.299
 righteous,

00:13:28.779 --> 00:13:29.419
 and true,

00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.060
 so he speaks

00:13:31.060 --> 00:13:32.680
 and judges truly.

00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:36.100
 The real and living God,

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:37.120
 not that God's

00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:38.399
 my imaginary friend,

00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:38.759
 okay,

00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:39.919
 the real God,

00:13:40.139 --> 00:13:41.120
 the God who really

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:41.840
 does exist,

00:13:41.940 --> 00:13:42.960
 who really lives,

00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:44.840
 the real and living God

00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:46.519
 is unhindered.

00:13:46.680 --> 00:13:47.460
 I couldn't figure out

00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:48.259
 a way to put prevail

00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:48.759
 in there,

00:13:49.060 --> 00:13:50.000
 and then I got this idea

00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:50.960
 of using unhindered.

00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:52.240
 Nothing's going to

00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:52.720
 hinder him,

00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:53.460
 he's going to prevail.

00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:55.340
 He's unhindered,

00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:56.799
 he's faithful,

00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:58.240
 he's righteous,

00:13:58.919 --> 00:13:59.720
 he's true,

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.639
 and so he speaks,

00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:04.159
 he speaks and judges

00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:05.259
 truly.

00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:06.519
 You know,

00:14:06.580 --> 00:14:07.600
 it's very interesting.

00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:10.000
 Parts of the book of Romans,

00:14:10.100 --> 00:14:10.919
 like a lot of the Bible,

00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:11.620
 so one of the things

00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:12.600
 about the word oracles,

00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:13.060
 by the way,

00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:14.139
 is that often the sayings

00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:15.159
 of the oracles were,

00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:17.279
 some of the sayings

00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:17.799
 of the oracles

00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:18.779
 would be very clear,

00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:19.620
 very obvious,

00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:21.000
 very easy for us

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:21.480
 to understand,

00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:22.039
 and other parts

00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:22.799
 would be dark.

00:14:23.479 --> 00:14:24.599
 Not dark in terms

00:14:24.599 --> 00:14:26.699
 of being something evil,

00:14:26.839 --> 00:14:27.740
 but dark in the sense

00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:28.879
 of it's a little bit unclear,

00:14:29.219 --> 00:14:30.019
 you have to really

00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:30.679
 think about it

00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:31.500
 and meditate upon it.

00:14:31.859 --> 00:14:32.459
 And it's the same

00:14:32.459 --> 00:14:33.259
 with the book of Romans.

00:14:33.599 --> 00:14:34.219
 All of a sudden,

00:14:34.339 --> 00:14:35.000
 it's wham!

00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:35.579
 It's like,

00:14:35.740 --> 00:14:35.899
 you know,

00:14:36.019 --> 00:14:37.019
 in next week,

00:14:37.079 --> 00:14:37.779
 for all of sin

00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:38.299
 and fall short

00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:38.939
 of the glory of God,

00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:39.719
 it's like wham!

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:40.879
 Very, very clear,

00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:41.979
 but still very, very deep.

00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:42.659
 But other parts

00:14:42.659 --> 00:14:43.099
 of the text,

00:14:43.179 --> 00:14:43.799
 it comes at you

00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.639
 sort of obliquely

00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:45.339
 and sideways.

00:14:46.939 --> 00:14:47.500
 And in fact,

00:14:47.579 --> 00:14:49.259
 these first eight verses

00:14:49.259 --> 00:14:51.080
 of the book of Romans

00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:52.919
 of chapter three

00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:54.620
 are coming at us sideways

00:14:54.620 --> 00:14:57.100
 because he does

00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:59.080
 a very, very interesting thing.

00:14:59.980 --> 00:15:01.100
 Later on in the book of Romans,

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:02.080
 he's actually going to return

00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:03.340
 to this Q&A format.

00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:04.059
 He's going to actually

00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:05.740
 give a bit of a longer answer

00:15:05.740 --> 00:15:06.559
 to each of the types

00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:07.220
 of questions

00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:08.179
 that people have.

00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:10.299
 But he uses this Q&A format

00:15:10.299 --> 00:15:11.399
 to remind us

00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:12.860
 that we're dealing with God

00:15:12.860 --> 00:15:14.419
 and to teach us about God.

00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:16.759
 So go back.

00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:17.980
 So in verse two,

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:18.759
 it's telling us

00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.680
 that God speaks,

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:22.180
 that the God who exists speaks.

00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:25.740
 And look back at verse three.

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.620
 What if some were unfaithful?

00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.399
 Does their faithlessness,

00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:31.120
 what?

00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.340
 Nullify the faithfulness of God.

00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:36.019
 In other words,

00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:37.240
 okay, who's God?

00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:38.139
 God is faithful.

00:15:39.139 --> 00:15:40.440
 We deal all the time

00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:40.960
 with people,

00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:42.240
 we deal all the time

00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:42.639
 with people

00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:43.740
 who don't keep their word,

00:15:43.980 --> 00:15:45.259
 who don't keep their promises,

00:15:45.680 --> 00:15:47.000
 who, you know,

00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:48.220
 break contracts,

00:15:48.419 --> 00:15:49.100
 break the law,

00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:50.039
 break marriages.

00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:50.639
 You know,

00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:51.120
 we all,

00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:52.120
 all of us maybe

00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:53.059
 have to deal with,

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:53.860
 I don't know,

00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:55.759
 dads who abandon the family

00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:57.320
 or moms that abandon the family.

00:15:57.460 --> 00:15:58.080
 Like all of the time,

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:59.100
 we're completely surrounded

00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.639
 by people who are faithless.

00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:03.519
 But God is never faithless.

00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:04.960
 We cannot project

00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:06.299
 our experience

00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:07.340
 of faithlessness

00:16:07.340 --> 00:16:09.059
 outside of ourselves

00:16:09.059 --> 00:16:09.919
 and even the fact

00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:11.700
 that we are often faithless.

00:16:11.779 --> 00:16:13.159
 We can't project that on God.

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.980
 God is never faithless.

00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:16.220
 God is always faithful.

00:16:16.420 --> 00:16:17.440
 He keeps faith

00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:18.460
 with the human race.

00:16:18.560 --> 00:16:19.580
 Even when the human race

00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:20.779
 turned their back on him

00:16:20.779 --> 00:16:22.120
 and rebelled against him

00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:22.920
 and were faithless,

00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:25.120
 he always was faithful.

00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:26.340
 He was faithful

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:27.139
 to human beings.

00:16:27.820 --> 00:16:28.879
 Nothing can stop him

00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:29.800
 from being faithful.

00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:32.680
 And then you keep on reading

00:16:32.680 --> 00:16:33.100
 and well,

00:16:33.180 --> 00:16:33.480
 it goes,

00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:34.240
 well, for by no,

00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:34.500
 you know,

00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:36.480
 so that's what he focuses on

00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:37.440
 is who is God?

00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:38.300
 God is faithful.

00:16:38.920 --> 00:16:39.340
 And then,

00:16:39.460 --> 00:16:39.680
 you know,

00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:40.460
 you go on

00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:42.740
 and you read verse 4

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:43.720
 and it says,

00:16:43.800 --> 00:16:45.700
 by no means let God be true,

00:16:46.780 --> 00:16:48.100
 though everyone were a liar,

00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:48.900
 as it is written,

00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:50.820
 that you may be justified

00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:51.940
 in your words

00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:53.400
 and prevail when you are judged.

00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.620
 And some of your translations

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:57.240
 might have different words there

00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:59.460
 and say prevail in judgment.

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:00.100
 And that's because

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:01.320
 in the original language,

00:17:01.420 --> 00:17:02.580
 it can either mean prevail

00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:04.860
 when people are judging you, God,

00:17:05.100 --> 00:17:06.880
 or that your judgments will prevail.

00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:07.700
 And in Greek,

00:17:07.840 --> 00:17:10.300
 it can mean both things

00:17:10.300 --> 00:17:11.200
 at the same time.

00:17:11.760 --> 00:17:11.940
 And so,

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:12.360
 but in English,

00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:13.440
 you have to put one or the other.

00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:15.200
 But in both cases,

00:17:15.340 --> 00:17:16.600
 what's it telling us about God?

00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.200
 It's telling us

00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.140
 that God will prevail,

00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:20.220
 that God is true,

00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:23.660
 that God is in and of himself

00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:24.800
 the true,

00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:27.760
 and he only speaks the truth,

00:17:28.780 --> 00:17:29.540
 and that his,

00:17:30.080 --> 00:17:31.260
 he will prevail.

00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:32.880
 He is unhindered,

00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:33.580
 as I put it,

00:17:33.620 --> 00:17:34.440
 because I couldn't figure out

00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:35.080
 how to put prevail

00:17:35.080 --> 00:17:35.740
 in the sentence.

00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:37.420
 And make it be

00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.440
 remotely good grammar.

00:17:39.160 --> 00:17:40.259
 He is unhindered.

00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:41.859
 Nothing will hinder him

00:17:41.859 --> 00:17:42.960
 from prevailing.

00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:45.240
 That's who we're talking about

00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:45.920
 with your objection.

00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:47.920
 And then you keep on reading

00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:49.480
 and you look at verse 5.

00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.440
 But if our unrighteousness

00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.160
 serves to show

00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:53.799
 the righteousness of God,

00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:56.039
 who's God?

00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:58.579
 He's always right.

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:01.079
 He's right in terms

00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:02.000
 of how he deals,

00:18:02.120 --> 00:18:02.539
 the Father,

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:02.900
 the Son,

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:03.440
 and the Holy Spirit.

00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:04.460
 There's a rightness,

00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:05.240
 a meekness,

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:06.599
 a fitness about that

00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:07.779
 that's always right,

00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:09.839
 and they do the right thing.

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.920
 And his relationship

00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:12.680
 to the creation,

00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:13.599
 we're always going to see

00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:14.720
 that it's right.

00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:16.240
 It's the right relationship,

00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:17.839
 and he does the right thing,

00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:20.160
 that God is right.

00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.519
 And he's always right.

00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:24.200
 And nothing can hinder him

00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:26.539
 from being right.

00:18:27.019 --> 00:18:28.660
 Nothing can hinder him.

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.880
 And that's who we're talking about.

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:30.920
 Nothing can hinder him

00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:31.720
 from being right.

00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:33.120
 And then you sort of go down

00:18:33.120 --> 00:18:34.839
 to verse 6,

00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:36.000
 by no means.

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:36.980
 For then how could God

00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:38.039
 judge the world?

00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:39.960
 And the God who does exist,

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.640
 he makes moral judgments

00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:44.339
 because he in and of himself

00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:45.019
 is good.

00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:46.940
 And he judges.

00:18:47.140 --> 00:18:48.500
 He's completely and utterly,

00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:49.860
 forever,

00:18:50.440 --> 00:18:52.940
 unhinderedly opposed to evil.

00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:57.200
 Unhinderedly opposed to evil.

00:18:58.080 --> 00:18:58.980
 We might give up

00:18:58.980 --> 00:18:59.920
 and give in

00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.400
 to somebody who's evil.

00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:02.559
 I mean,

00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:03.420
 the West is having

00:19:03.420 --> 00:19:04.380
 a horrible time

00:19:04.380 --> 00:19:05.640
 dealing with Putin

00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:06.460
 from Russia.

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.600
 We're hindered.

00:19:09.299 --> 00:19:10.140
 We give up.

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.420
 We say,

00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:10.819
 well, it's just,

00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.120
 you know,

00:19:11.180 --> 00:19:11.440
 okay,

00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:12.120
 it's just Syria.

00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:12.340
 Like,

00:19:12.380 --> 00:19:12.740
 let's just,

00:19:12.840 --> 00:19:13.019
 you know,

00:19:13.019 --> 00:19:13.660
 forget about it.

00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:14.500
 It's one of the next things.

00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.279
 But God is never like that.

00:19:16.360 --> 00:19:17.259
 He's never hindered.

00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:19.039
 He never stops.

00:19:20.100 --> 00:19:21.180
 Nothing can stop him.

00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:22.200
 He's always opposed.

00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.279
 And so this text,

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.720
 it says that the real

00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:26.420
 and living God

00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:27.380
 is unhindered,

00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:27.980
 faithful,

00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:28.500
 righteous,

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.019
 and true.

00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:30.400
 So he speaks

00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.400
 and judges truly.

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:32.559
 And why is this

00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:33.319
 so significant

00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:34.600
 with all of these objections?

00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:35.400
 Even though Paul

00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:36.220
 later on will give,

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:36.700
 you know,

00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.500
 in chapter 6

00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.299
 and chapter 8

00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:39.420
 and chapter 9

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.100
 and 10 and 11,

00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.740
 he'll talk about

00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:41.460
 some of these objections

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:42.000
 a little bit more.

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:42.680
 But why is this

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:44.140
 so significant for us?

00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:46.440
 Here's an example.

00:19:46.600 --> 00:19:47.180
 Some of you know

00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:47.860
 that we,

00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:48.059
 you know,

00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:48.500
 we were part,

00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:48.940
 at one time,

00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:49.319
 we were part of

00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:50.380
 the Anglican Church of Canada

00:19:50.380 --> 00:19:51.339
 and because we believed

00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:52.660
 that to be faithful

00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:53.220
 to Jesus,

00:19:53.360 --> 00:19:54.500
 to be faithful to the Bible,

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:55.700
 to be faithful to the gospel,

00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.559
 we had to separate.

00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:59.299
 And so we did.

00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:00.380
 And I had a,

00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:01.640
 I was on the committee

00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:03.059
 that was to write

00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:03.980
 the bylaws

00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:05.600
 for our new denomination.

00:20:06.660 --> 00:20:07.380
 I know God has

00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:08.079
 a sense of humor,

00:20:08.339 --> 00:20:09.759
 but I was part of that

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.660
 to help write the bylaws

00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:12.799
 for this new denomination.

00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:13.960
 And one of the things

00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:15.279
 that people were always saying,

00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:16.059
 every time we had

00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:17.279
 some type of public meeting

00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:17.640
 to, you know,

00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:19.279
 where the bylaws were,

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.660
 people would always get up

00:20:20.660 --> 00:20:20.880
 and say,

00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.120
 we got to write

00:20:22.120 --> 00:20:22.880
 the bylaws

00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:23.880
 in such a way

00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:25.340
 that what happened

00:20:25.340 --> 00:20:26.540
 to the Anglican Church of Canada

00:20:26.540 --> 00:20:28.400
 will never happen again.

00:20:29.800 --> 00:20:31.080
 And I felt like

00:20:31.080 --> 00:20:31.920
 such a loser

00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.420
 because I would always say

00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:34.500
 that what you're asking for

00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:35.120
 is completely

00:20:35.120 --> 00:20:36.220
 and utterly impossible.

00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:39.180
 I mean,

00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:40.120
 the Anglican Church of Canada

00:20:40.120 --> 00:20:41.080
 had good bylaws.

00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.500
 It wasn't that

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.520
 if you could have gone back

00:20:44.520 --> 00:20:45.500
 and tweaked the bylaws,

00:20:45.560 --> 00:20:46.600
 you would have fixed the problem.

00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:47.840
 You know,

00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.459
 the problem is

00:20:48.459 --> 00:20:49.480
 that there's human beings

00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:50.399
 in organizations.

00:20:50.659 --> 00:20:51.339
 Like, go figure.

00:20:52.659 --> 00:20:53.000
 In fact,

00:20:53.019 --> 00:20:54.500
 if you have a perfect organization

00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:55.199
 and they let you in,

00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:55.839
 it's no longer

00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:56.980
 a perfect organization.

00:20:58.279 --> 00:20:59.220
 If they let me in,

00:20:59.240 --> 00:20:59.839
 it's no longer

00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:00.659
 a perfect organization.

00:21:00.659 --> 00:21:01.220
 You're seeking

00:21:01.220 --> 00:21:02.459
 for the perfect church?

00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:03.839
 Don't go to it

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:04.759
 because when you go,

00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:05.699
 you'll make it imperfect.

00:21:06.059 --> 00:21:06.359
 Okay?

00:21:06.859 --> 00:21:08.000
 So just get over it

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.599
 and look for an imperfect church.

00:21:09.679 --> 00:21:10.559
 You'll be far happier.

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:12.099
 Not radically imperfect,

00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:14.099
 but, you know,

00:21:14.139 --> 00:21:15.139
 within limits, you know.

00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:17.179
 And so I would tell people

00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:18.100
 over and over,

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:19.200
 we're going to try to get

00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:21.299
 as wise as bylaws

00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:22.580
 as we possibly can,

00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:23.960
 but if you're expecting us

00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:24.900
 to get a bylaw

00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:25.960
 that will get around

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:27.700
 the people that you experience

00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:29.680
 who can always find a loophole,

00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:31.720
 who can always

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:33.920
 sweet talk their way

00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:34.860
 out of a problem

00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:36.320
 so that the bylaws

00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:37.299
 don't apply to them.

00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:39.460
 And not only do we all know

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:40.160
 some of those people,

00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:41.720
 but we are some of those people.

00:21:43.100 --> 00:21:43.259
 Right?

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:45.180
 You know,

00:21:45.319 --> 00:21:46.420
 we, you know,

00:21:46.500 --> 00:21:47.720
 sweet talk, you know.

00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:50.460
 But here's the thing.

00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:52.039
 So all of these objections,

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.680
 they're all connected to this.

00:21:54.019 --> 00:21:55.579
 Well, what if this person does this?

00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:56.680
 How's God going to answer this?

00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:57.680
 Or what if we do this?

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.420
 Or what do we do that?

00:21:58.440 --> 00:21:59.240
 Or how's that going to work?

00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:00.420
 That can't possibly work.

00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:01.619
 And all the way through,

00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:02.519
 Paul just goes to say,

00:22:02.579 --> 00:22:03.259
 one second here.

00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:05.819
 We're not just dealing with,

00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:06.759
 like, we're not dealing

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.660
 with bank machines.

00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:08.339
 We're not dealing

00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:09.500
 with computer software,

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.279
 which is supposed

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:10.980
 to be rational,

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:12.259
 but that's a separate story.

00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:14.319
 We're not dealing

00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:16.140
 with just a whole process.

00:22:16.380 --> 00:22:17.579
 We're dealing with God.

00:22:20.019 --> 00:22:21.680
 God is the difference maker

00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:22.339
 in this.

00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:25.779
 And the God

00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:27.160
 that really does exist,

00:22:27.620 --> 00:22:28.539
 he's only good.

00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:30.120
 And he's unhindered.

00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:31.200
 He will prevail.

00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:32.319
 And he's only true.

00:22:32.860 --> 00:22:33.960
 And he does speak

00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:34.819
 and he does judge.

00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:35.779
 And at the end of the day,

00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:37.579
 at the end of the day,

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:39.140
 all the sweet talking,

00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:40.400
 all the loop,

00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:41.220
 they don't work

00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:41.780
 because you're dealing

00:22:41.780 --> 00:22:42.519
 with God.

00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:44.300
 Our confidence

00:22:44.300 --> 00:22:45.519
 is in God.

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.880
 Not our institution,

00:22:48.120 --> 00:22:49.040
 not our bylaws,

00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:50.160
 not our denomination,

00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:51.140
 not our church,

00:22:51.580 --> 00:22:53.500
 not any human thing.

00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:54.420
 Our confidence,

00:22:54.600 --> 00:22:55.040
 ultimately,

00:22:55.180 --> 00:22:55.860
 how this is going to work,

00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:57.240
 how can it possibly work out?

00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:58.460
 Because God exists.

00:23:02.780 --> 00:23:03.960
 That's the bottom line.

00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:04.320
 You know,

00:23:04.360 --> 00:23:05.060
 later on I'm going to give you

00:23:05.060 --> 00:23:06.019
 a few other little things

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:06.660
 to help make it clear,

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:07.400
 but the bottom line

00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:08.080
 is it's God.

00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.680
 Answered, God.

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:11.759
 If it was,

00:23:11.840 --> 00:23:12.200
 if it was,

00:23:12.320 --> 00:23:12.840
 the answer is

00:23:12.840 --> 00:23:13.740
 the Anglican Church

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:14.820
 or the Associated Gospel

00:23:14.820 --> 00:23:15.900
 or the Pentecost Assemblies

00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:16.340
 of Canada,

00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:17.299
 then you have a problem.

00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:19.299
 But if the answer is God,

00:23:19.820 --> 00:23:20.460
 there's hope.

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:24.720
 And that's what Paul's setting up.

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:27.140
 Now some of you might say,

00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:28.680
 okay, that's,

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:29.039
 that's,

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:34.580
 you just dealt with the easy part

00:23:34.580 --> 00:23:35.360
 of the text.

00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:38.440
 And you haven't dealt

00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:39.519
 with the hard part of the text.

00:23:39.620 --> 00:23:40.560
 And the hard part of the text,

00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:41.019
 George,

00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:42.799
 is no one,

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:45.799
 no one is righteous.

00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:46.820
 No, not one.

00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.240
 No one understands.

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:48.820
 No one sees.

00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:49.620
 That's the hard part

00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:50.440
 of the text, George.

00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:54.600
 And you actually still have almost,

00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:56.039
 you've made it a little bit now.

00:23:56.140 --> 00:23:56.360
 Maybe,

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.779
 maybe you've sort of shown me

00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:59.080
 that God isn't like the,

00:23:59.580 --> 00:24:00.440
 like my father

00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:02.120
 who basically always treated me

00:24:02.120 --> 00:24:03.059
 like I was stupid

00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:05.340
 and basically treated me

00:24:05.340 --> 00:24:06.160
 as if I wouldn't amount

00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:06.740
 to anything

00:24:06.740 --> 00:24:09.059
 and basically thought that

00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:10.380
 I,

00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:12.220
 I was just going to be a failure.

00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:13.640
 So maybe you've convinced me

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:15.700
 that that's not what God is like,

00:24:15.820 --> 00:24:16.860
 but it still doesn't,

00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:18.099
 is that what you've just painted

00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:18.799
 about God?

00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:20.539
 Amen to that,

00:24:20.719 --> 00:24:21.319
 this text?

00:24:21.659 --> 00:24:23.240
 I don't know,

00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:24.000
 George.

00:24:24.139 --> 00:24:24.459
 Pretty,

00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.579
 pretty,

00:24:25.679 --> 00:24:26.399
 pretty hard.

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:27.799
 And in fact,

00:24:27.879 --> 00:24:28.639
 some of you might say,

00:24:28.779 --> 00:24:29.059
 George,

00:24:29.199 --> 00:24:29.779
 not only that,

00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:30.939
 but I can easily prove

00:24:30.939 --> 00:24:32.079
 that the Bible is wrong.

00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:35.899
 Because two plus two equals four.

00:24:36.439 --> 00:24:37.799
 I understand that.

00:24:38.099 --> 00:24:38.919
 Must be wrong.

00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:40.319
 Well,

00:24:40.619 --> 00:24:41.339
 let's look.

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:43.619
 Verse nine.

00:24:44.959 --> 00:24:45.559
 What then?

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:47.480
 Are we Anglicans

00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:48.639
 any better off?

00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:49.940
 Remember,

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.460
 the same question earlier,

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.480
 what advantage?

00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:53.440
 A very similar question.

00:24:53.500 --> 00:24:54.599
 He said they have all the advantages

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.139
 in the world.

00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:56.539
 I mean,

00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:57.619
 you know,

00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:59.159
 even the worst Anglican church

00:24:59.159 --> 00:24:59.579
 in the world,

00:24:59.679 --> 00:25:00.359
 they read the Bible.

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:01.819
 Sunday in,

00:25:01.899 --> 00:25:02.379
 Sunday out.

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.960
 Might not be all the Bible,

00:25:04.159 --> 00:25:05.919
 might leave some of the tricky parts up,

00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:07.460
 but they can't get rid of all the tricky parts.

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.139
 They read the Bible.

00:25:10.379 --> 00:25:11.079
 What then?

00:25:11.159 --> 00:25:12.119
 Are we Anglicans

00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:12.879
 any better off?

00:25:13.419 --> 00:25:13.819
 No,

00:25:13.819 --> 00:25:14.759
 not at all.

00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:16.599
 For we have already charged

00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:17.099
 that all,

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.539
 both Anglicans

00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:20.140
 and the rest of the world

00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:21.519
 are under sin.

00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:22.920
 As it is written,

00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.599
 notice that phrase again,

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.599
 as it is written,

00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:26.460
 it is written.

00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:28.500
 None is righteous,

00:25:28.839 --> 00:25:29.000
 no,

00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:29.559
 not one.

00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:31.500
 No one understands,

00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:33.200
 no one seeks for God.

00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:33.819
 And by the way,

00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:34.700
 as we're going through this,

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:36.299
 you know how sometimes I say

00:25:36.299 --> 00:25:37.859
 this is a perfectly good translation,

00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:38.559
 but you know,

00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:39.200
 in the English,

00:25:39.379 --> 00:25:39.640
 there's this,

00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:40.759
 the original language

00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:41.400
 is other nuance.

00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:44.400
 There are no other nuances here.

00:25:45.620 --> 00:25:46.660
 This is a really,

00:25:46.820 --> 00:25:47.080
 really,

00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:48.400
 really good translation

00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.500
 of the original language.

00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:51.920
 I'm not going to give you

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.860
 some little loophole.

00:25:53.180 --> 00:25:54.080
 I'm not going to give myself

00:25:54.080 --> 00:25:54.600
 a loophole.

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.900
 All have turned aside.

00:25:57.019 --> 00:25:58.580
 Together they have become worthless.

00:25:58.780 --> 00:25:59.560
 No one does good,

00:25:59.620 --> 00:26:00.360
 not even one.

00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.980
 Their throat is an open grave.

00:26:02.060 --> 00:26:02.900
 Just pause here.

00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:06.540
 In my,

00:26:06.820 --> 00:26:08.660
 the church I was at before this,

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:10.040
 I think it was the first funeral

00:26:10.040 --> 00:26:10.620
 that I did.

00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:13.259
 I was going to go to this little tiny,

00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:14.120
 I did a funeral,

00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:15.720
 and then we had to do the burial

00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:17.019
 about 20 kilometers,

00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:18.160
 25 kilometers away,

00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.519
 and so I didn't want to drive

00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:20.740
 as part of the funeral procession,

00:26:20.780 --> 00:26:22.800
 so I drove ahead of the funeral procession

00:26:22.800 --> 00:26:23.360
 to get there,

00:26:23.860 --> 00:26:24.820
 and I was there like,

00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.040
 you know,

00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:25.900
 10 or 15 minutes,

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.420
 you know,

00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:28.019
 before the rest of the procession,

00:26:28.060 --> 00:26:28.860
 and I walked up

00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:29.840
 to have a look at the grave,

00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:31.120
 and I discovered

00:26:31.120 --> 00:26:32.259
 that the reason they put

00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:34.539
 that artificial grass over it

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:35.400
 is that sometimes

00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:37.019
 the hole is bigger than it looks,

00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:39.379
 and to my horror,

00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:41.059
 I fell into the grave.

00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:45.299
 I fell right into the grave,

00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:48.259
 and there was no casket

00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:49.099
 at the bottom either,

00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:49.879
 which in that case

00:26:49.879 --> 00:26:50.779
 would have been a bit gross,

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.819
 but at least it would have helped me

00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:52.720
 get out of the grave,

00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:54.460
 because I discovered

00:26:54.460 --> 00:26:56.059
 that the soil was sandy,

00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:57.779
 so it couldn't go down

00:26:57.779 --> 00:26:58.920
 straight like this.

00:26:59.000 --> 00:26:59.980
 It sort of was angled

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:01.579
 with sandy soil like this,

00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:02.839
 and they had a big long part

00:27:02.839 --> 00:27:05.259
 of green grass to cover it.

00:27:05.879 --> 00:27:06.980
 Now I understood

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.919
 why the funeral,

00:27:08.099 --> 00:27:09.319
 if you've ever been a pallbearer,

00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:09.679
 they say,

00:27:09.939 --> 00:27:11.559
 make sure you walk on the planks,

00:27:11.879 --> 00:27:13.519
 because you don't actually know

00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:14.779
 where the edge of the grave is,

00:27:15.220 --> 00:27:17.019
 and I was horrified

00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:18.419
 that they would come

00:27:18.419 --> 00:27:19.659
 and find me in the grave.

00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:25.600
 So I crawled out,

00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:28.500
 full of brown dust

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:30.900
 all over my black clericals.

00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:32.320
 I went off into the bush

00:27:32.320 --> 00:27:34.460
 and was able to get most of it off.

00:27:34.540 --> 00:27:35.640
 Whether I got all of it off,

00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:36.680
 they were far too polite

00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:37.279
 to say anything.

00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:39.700
 I pulled the green grass over it

00:27:39.700 --> 00:27:40.860
 and tugged it a little bit further,

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.660
 because I'd made it even farther.

00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:44.500
 The point of all this

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:45.580
 is when it says here,

00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:47.540
 your throat is an open grave,

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:49.339
 it means that you've thrown

00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:51.200
 a dead body in there,

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:53.579
 lots of dead bodies,

00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:55.779
 and not covered it up.

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:56.759
 In other words,

00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:59.740
 it's a really harsh saying.

00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:01.859
 It's not an empty hole

00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:02.819
 to put a body in,

00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:05.200
 it's a hole that have dead bodies in,

00:28:06.159 --> 00:28:06.980
 that are now doing

00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:08.579
 what happens to dead bodies naturally.

00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:10.059
 Continue reading.

00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:12.119
 They use their tongues,

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:13.779
 their throat is an open grave,

00:28:13.879 --> 00:28:14.859
 they use their tongues

00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:15.679
 to deceive.

00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:17.519
 The venom of asps,

00:28:18.179 --> 00:28:19.159
 it's a poisonous snake,

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.419
 is under their lips.

00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:22.879
 Their mouth is full of curses

00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:23.439
 and bitterness.

00:28:24.199 --> 00:28:25.399
 Their feet are swift

00:28:25.399 --> 00:28:26.359
 to shed blood.

00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:27.979
 In their paths

00:28:27.979 --> 00:28:29.219
 are ruin and misery,

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.319
 and the way of peace

00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:31.199
 they have not known.

00:28:31.859 --> 00:28:33.139
 There is no fear of God

00:28:33.139 --> 00:28:34.139
 before their eyes.

00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:36.519
 Then he stops quoting the Bible,

00:28:37.459 --> 00:28:37.959
 and he says,

00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:38.679
 now we know that

00:28:38.679 --> 00:28:39.359
 whatever the law,

00:28:39.439 --> 00:28:40.839
 the Bible says,

00:28:40.899 --> 00:28:41.719
 it speaks to those

00:28:41.719 --> 00:28:42.679
 who are under the Bible,

00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:44.160
 so that every mouth

00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:45.039
 may be stopped,

00:28:45.320 --> 00:28:46.279
 and the whole world

00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:47.259
 may be held accountable

00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:47.960
 to God.

00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:50.240
 For by doing,

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:51.940
 for by the works

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:52.640
 of the Bible,

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:53.740
 no human being

00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:54.640
 will be justified

00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.380
 in his sight,

00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:57.000
 since through the Bible

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:58.460
 comes knowledge of sin.

00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:01.100
 So,

00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:05.900
 it's a hard text.

00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:07.160
 And you know one of the things

00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:07.820
 that makes the text

00:29:07.820 --> 00:29:08.400
 even harder?

00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:11.400
 this isn't a text

00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:11.920
 written

00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:13.740
 to all those

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:14.280
 really,

00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:15.660
 really bad people

00:29:15.660 --> 00:29:16.820
 who,

00:29:17.160 --> 00:29:18.540
 over the last week,

00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:19.320
 all they've done

00:29:19.320 --> 00:29:20.420
 is tried to figure out

00:29:20.420 --> 00:29:21.040
 how to,

00:29:21.040 --> 00:29:21.960
 how to maybe

00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:24.759
 engage in human trafficking

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:26.700
 and sell drugs

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:28.320
 and sell guns,

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.800
 and when they're not

00:29:29.800 --> 00:29:30.259
 figuring out

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:31.280
 how to make a lot of money

00:29:31.280 --> 00:29:31.940
 from this,

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.880
 they're just drinking

00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:35.920
 and cheating on their wives

00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:37.180
 and doing drugs

00:29:37.180 --> 00:29:38.019
 and,

00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:39.360
 and that's all

00:29:39.360 --> 00:29:39.940
 they're doing.

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:41.720
 The Bible text

00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.720
 isn't speaking to them

00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.640
 because they don't give a hoot

00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:44.660
 what the Bible says.

00:29:46.360 --> 00:29:47.259
 Speaking to people

00:29:47.259 --> 00:29:47.940
 who come to an

00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:49.180
 associated gospel church

00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:50.340
 or a Pentecostal church

00:29:50.340 --> 00:29:51.380
 or an Anglican church.

00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:53.640
 Speaking to good people.

00:29:54.940 --> 00:29:56.080
 Speaking to the sort of people

00:29:56.080 --> 00:29:56.660
 that you hope

00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:57.700
 move in next door

00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:58.539
 as your neighbor

00:29:58.539 --> 00:30:00.259
 because they won't be

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:01.240
 playing loud,

00:30:01.560 --> 00:30:02.340
 heavy metal music

00:30:02.340 --> 00:30:03.279
 at three in the morning.

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:06.759
 But they'll water your plants.

00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:08.039
 You'll feel safe

00:30:08.039 --> 00:30:09.039
 giving them your key.

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:11.339
 That's who this text

00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:13.039
 is primarily talking to.

00:30:14.339 --> 00:30:15.200
 And on one hand,

00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:16.920
 it addresses those other people

00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:17.859
 that I first described,

00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:18.079
 you know,

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:18.899
 the gun running

00:30:18.899 --> 00:30:19.759
 and the human trafficking.

00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:20.859
 It's addressing them as well,

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:22.019
 but it's,

00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:22.700
 in a sense,

00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:23.940
 it's the spotlight

00:30:23.940 --> 00:30:26.160
 is on you and me,

00:30:27.059 --> 00:30:28.680
 people who we hope

00:30:28.680 --> 00:30:29.639
 were pretty good neighbors.

00:30:30.639 --> 00:30:32.220
 And the gun runners

00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:33.400
 and the human traffickers,

00:30:33.600 --> 00:30:34.620
 we're hearing it

00:30:34.620 --> 00:30:36.460
 as we look on,

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.640
 as God speaks

00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:38.860
 to people

00:30:38.860 --> 00:30:40.259
 who go to the Anglican church.

00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:44.799
 As a way to get

00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:45.420
 into the story,

00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:45.900
 I'll tell you,

00:30:45.940 --> 00:30:46.500
 I'm going to adapt

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.480
 the story that I heard.

00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:48.440
 It's a famous story

00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:49.440
 that Charles Spurgeon,

00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:51.180
 a famous 19th century

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:51.940
 preacher told.

00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:54.640
 Sort of a different context,

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.360
 but it works

00:30:55.360 --> 00:30:56.220
 in this context.

00:30:56.860 --> 00:30:57.059
 You know,

00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:58.420
 there used to be

00:30:58.420 --> 00:31:00.039
 a king

00:31:00.039 --> 00:31:02.640
 and he was a very,

00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:04.180
 very wise and just king

00:31:04.180 --> 00:31:06.019
 and about once a week

00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:07.259
 he would go down this road

00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:08.580
 and sometimes

00:31:08.580 --> 00:31:09.900
 when he went along the road

00:31:09.900 --> 00:31:11.019
 he would go with his sons

00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:11.660
 and daughters,

00:31:11.800 --> 00:31:12.860
 sometimes with his wife

00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:13.720
 and sons and daughters,

00:31:13.840 --> 00:31:14.940
 often with his nobles.

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:17.680
 And there was this old couple

00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.560
 that were farmers.

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:19.680
 They had a tiny little plot

00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:20.220
 of land

00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:21.660
 right along where

00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.500
 the road would go.

00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:25.680
 And this old farm woman

00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:26.519
 who worked there,

00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:27.599
 when she'd see the king

00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:28.879
 going by about once a week,

00:31:28.940 --> 00:31:29.839
 she'd start to look forward

00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:30.779
 to it because she thought,

00:31:30.839 --> 00:31:30.940
 you know,

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:32.480
 he is such a good king.

00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:33.720
 He is such a great king.

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.319
 She just so admired

00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.299
 the way that he dealt

00:31:36.299 --> 00:31:37.079
 with his sons

00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:38.240
 and dealt with his daughters

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.019
 and the way he talked

00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:39.639
 to his wife

00:31:39.639 --> 00:31:40.660
 and the way he was dressed

00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:42.400
 and just the way he wrote

00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:43.359
 and the way he was polite

00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:43.779
 to her

00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.519
 and the way he was

00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:45.740
 with his nobles

00:31:45.740 --> 00:31:47.019
 and what she heard

00:31:47.019 --> 00:31:47.799
 about how he was running

00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:48.799
 the country.

00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:50.579
 And she was just really,

00:31:50.740 --> 00:31:51.000
 really,

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:53.079
 her heart went out to him.

00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:54.240
 She just was so glad

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.119
 that he was the king.

00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:56.339
 And one day,

00:31:56.459 --> 00:31:57.259
 off in the distance,

00:31:57.379 --> 00:31:57.879
 she could hear

00:31:57.879 --> 00:31:59.119
 the thump of the horses

00:31:59.119 --> 00:31:59.979
 that he was coming

00:31:59.979 --> 00:32:01.379
 and she was harvesting

00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:02.019
 her carrots.

00:32:02.679 --> 00:32:03.679
 And she got this really,

00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:04.739
 this bunch of carrots

00:32:04.739 --> 00:32:06.079
 and they were really

00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:07.579
 spectacular carrots,

00:32:07.699 --> 00:32:08.199
 really good.

00:32:08.719 --> 00:32:09.179
 And she thought,

00:32:09.199 --> 00:32:09.399
 you know what,

00:32:09.399 --> 00:32:09.979
 I'm going to give them

00:32:09.979 --> 00:32:10.519
 to the king.

00:32:11.500 --> 00:32:12.639
 I bet he's the sort of king

00:32:12.639 --> 00:32:13.319
 that would accept

00:32:13.319 --> 00:32:14.219
 the gift of carrots

00:32:14.219 --> 00:32:15.379
 from somebody like me.

00:32:16.219 --> 00:32:17.339
 So she totters out

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.319
 into the center of the road

00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:18.979
 and sure enough,

00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:20.099
 as the king is coming along,

00:32:20.159 --> 00:32:21.739
 he doesn't get all angry

00:32:21.739 --> 00:32:22.539
 and mad and say,

00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.419
 what on earth are you doing

00:32:23.419 --> 00:32:24.159
 getting in my way?

00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:24.800
 Don't you know I have

00:32:24.800 --> 00:32:25.860
 important business to do?

00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:26.500
 Don't you know I have

00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:27.560
 important people to see

00:32:27.560 --> 00:32:29.060
 and you're none of those things?

00:32:29.560 --> 00:32:29.740
 No,

00:32:29.820 --> 00:32:30.440
 he stops

00:32:30.440 --> 00:32:31.600
 and she just says,

00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:31.779
 you know,

00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:33.460
 I just so admire you.

00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.060
 I just so,

00:32:34.300 --> 00:32:34.600
 I just,

00:32:34.800 --> 00:32:35.140
 I just,

00:32:35.640 --> 00:32:36.820
 I know it's not much,

00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:37.880
 but these carrots

00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:38.420
 are really nice.

00:32:38.540 --> 00:32:39.320
 Would you take them

00:32:39.320 --> 00:32:40.140
 from me as a gift?

00:32:41.380 --> 00:32:42.380
 And the king

00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:43.360
 is touched

00:32:43.360 --> 00:32:46.340
 and he sends his son down

00:32:46.340 --> 00:32:47.500
 to get the carrots

00:32:47.500 --> 00:32:48.279
 and bring them back

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:48.840
 and he's touched

00:32:48.840 --> 00:32:49.279
 and he said,

00:32:50.500 --> 00:32:50.660
 you know,

00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:52.000
 that's your little plot

00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:52.759
 land right there.

00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:53.559
 I've noticed you that,

00:32:53.660 --> 00:32:53.880
 you know.

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.460
 I'd like to help you.

00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:56.000
 I'm going to give you

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.839
 a hundred acres.

00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:57.819
 I happen to own

00:32:57.819 --> 00:32:58.700
 the land behind that.

00:32:58.759 --> 00:32:59.519
 I'm giving it to you.

00:32:59.940 --> 00:33:00.619
 You and your husband,

00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:01.680
 an extra hundred acres.

00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:02.220
 It's yours.

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.619
 Thank you so much

00:33:03.619 --> 00:33:04.240
 for these carrots.

00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:06.019
 One of the nobles

00:33:06.019 --> 00:33:07.059
 is riding behind.

00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:08.039
 He thinks,

00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:09.480
 a hundred acres

00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:10.559
 for a bunch

00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:11.440
 of dirty carrots?

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:13.339
 What will the king

00:33:13.339 --> 00:33:13.740
 give me

00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:14.539
 if I give him

00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:15.619
 a really good horse?

00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:16.960
 The king loves horses.

00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:18.259
 He knows horses

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:18.799
 really well

00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:19.700
 and I have

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:21.200
 this spectacular horse.

00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:22.680
 What will the king

00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:23.079
 give me

00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:24.240
 if I give him a horse?

00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:25.980
 So the next day

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:27.420
 the king is out

00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:28.379
 amongst his stables

00:33:28.379 --> 00:33:30.980
 and the nobleman comes,

00:33:31.059 --> 00:33:31.759
 the knight comes,

00:33:31.879 --> 00:33:33.619
 bringing this spectacular horse

00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:34.960
 and the noble says,

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.119
 you know,

00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:36.079
 I've always just admired

00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:36.839
 you as my king.

00:33:36.920 --> 00:33:37.359
 I'm so glad

00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:38.119
 I can be your knight

00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:38.859
 and I would just love

00:33:38.859 --> 00:33:39.920
 to give you this horse

00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:41.259
 as a gift.

00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:43.000
 And the king

00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:43.660
 takes the horse

00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:44.500
 and walks away

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:45.799
 and he doesn't offer

00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:47.140
 the noble anything,

00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:48.160
 nothing at all.

00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:49.940
 And the king

00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:51.160
 pauses before he leaves

00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:52.000
 just like Columbo

00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:52.579
 used to do

00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:53.579
 and he pauses

00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:54.500
 before he leaves

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:55.500
 and he says,

00:33:56.379 --> 00:33:58.500
 the woman

00:33:58.500 --> 00:34:00.240
 gave me the carrot

00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:01.879
 so I gave her

00:34:01.879 --> 00:34:02.660
 a reward

00:34:02.660 --> 00:34:03.819
 but you were

00:34:03.819 --> 00:34:04.720
 giving yourself

00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:05.619
 the horse.

00:34:07.700 --> 00:34:08.599
 You were giving

00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.159
 yourself

00:34:09.159 --> 00:34:09.900
 the horse.

00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:11.519
 In other words,

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:13.019
 you gave that horse

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:13.980
 not because you

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:14.519
 wanted to give

00:34:14.519 --> 00:34:15.239
 anything to me

00:34:15.239 --> 00:34:15.900
 but you hoped

00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.599
 that I would give you

00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:17.019
 a lot more

00:34:17.019 --> 00:34:17.880
 than a hundred acres.

00:34:18.260 --> 00:34:19.120
 You were giving

00:34:19.120 --> 00:34:20.100
 yourself the gift.

00:34:22.160 --> 00:34:23.400
 So let's be honest

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:24.220
 for a moment

00:34:24.220 --> 00:34:24.780
 when we look

00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:25.600
 at this text.

00:34:26.560 --> 00:34:27.400
 The fact of the matter

00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:28.980
 is that there's

00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:30.340
 nothing that we do

00:34:30.340 --> 00:34:32.380
 that does not involve

00:34:32.380 --> 00:34:34.560
 some tinge,

00:34:35.220 --> 00:34:36.740
 some smallest hint

00:34:36.740 --> 00:34:38.440
 of self-interest,

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:40.100
 self-validation,

00:34:40.660 --> 00:34:41.940
 self-justification,

00:34:42.520 --> 00:34:43.720
 self-righteousness,

00:34:43.719 --> 00:34:45.139
 or self-glorification.

00:34:46.799 --> 00:34:47.919
 There is nothing

00:34:47.919 --> 00:34:48.619
 that we do

00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.519
 that doesn't have

00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:50.799
 even just the

00:34:50.799 --> 00:34:51.539
 teensiest,

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:52.219
 weensiest,

00:34:52.459 --> 00:34:53.579
 tiniest bit

00:34:53.579 --> 00:34:55.159
 of self-interest

00:34:55.159 --> 00:34:56.139
 connected to it.

00:34:57.899 --> 00:34:58.379
 Nothing.

00:35:00.459 --> 00:35:01.259
 And we

00:35:01.259 --> 00:35:02.980
 don't really notice

00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:03.980
 that most of the time.

00:35:04.099 --> 00:35:04.239
 I mean,

00:35:04.319 --> 00:35:04.719
 some people

00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:05.419
 it's just really,

00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:06.319
 really obvious,

00:35:06.459 --> 00:35:06.659
 you know,

00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:07.159
 that they're just,

00:35:07.239 --> 00:35:07.919
 that's all about

00:35:07.919 --> 00:35:09.099
 self-justification,

00:35:09.299 --> 00:35:10.059
 self-glorification,

00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:11.059
 and it's all about

00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:11.719
 them getting that

00:35:11.719 --> 00:35:12.320
 promotion and

00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:13.559
 turns us off.

00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:14.639
 But the fact of the

00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:15.000
 matter is,

00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:16.259
 is that every single

00:35:16.259 --> 00:35:17.059
 thing that we do,

00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:18.079
 there's always the

00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:19.440
 tiniest hint of

00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:20.059
 something about

00:35:20.059 --> 00:35:21.000
 self-glorification,

00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:21.980
 self-justification,

00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:23.340
 self-righteousness.

00:35:23.900 --> 00:35:25.960
 And that tiny little bit

00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:27.099
 doesn't sort of matter

00:35:27.099 --> 00:35:27.980
 that much in most of

00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:28.900
 our human interactions,

00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:29.719
 but the fact of the

00:35:29.719 --> 00:35:30.139
 matter is,

00:35:30.460 --> 00:35:31.340
 is that God's playing

00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:32.000
 the long game

00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:33.279
 and God's a far way off

00:35:33.279 --> 00:35:34.320
 and tiny,

00:35:34.420 --> 00:35:34.739
 tiny,

00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:35.900
 tiny little differences,

00:35:36.119 --> 00:35:36.719
 when the distance

00:35:36.719 --> 00:35:37.440
 gets a bit long,

00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:38.500
 it does make a difference.

00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:40.940
 If you were to

00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:42.300
 program a plane,

00:35:43.800 --> 00:35:45.099
 and you're going to

00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:45.840
 fly a plane from

00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.619
 Los Angeles to

00:35:46.619 --> 00:35:47.280
 San Francisco,

00:35:47.460 --> 00:35:48.820
 it's not that far,

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:50.000
 but if you were to

00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:51.599
 get your calculation

00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:54.260
 just one-tenth of

00:35:54.260 --> 00:35:55.699
 one percent off

00:35:55.699 --> 00:35:57.260
 to the left,

00:35:57.719 --> 00:35:58.940
 the plane would land

00:35:58.940 --> 00:36:00.360
 in the Pacific Ocean.

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:02.199
 It wouldn't even

00:36:02.199 --> 00:36:03.440
 hit San Francisco.

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:05.539
 That's just one-tenth

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:07.059
 of one percent.

00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:09.039
 And if you were even

00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:10.420
 one-thousandth of

00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:11.440
 one percent off,

00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:12.159
 you still wouldn't

00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:12.880
 hit the runway,

00:36:13.059 --> 00:36:13.799
 but you'd land

00:36:13.799 --> 00:36:15.460
 outside of the runway

00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:16.139
 and you'd die.

00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:17.980
 One-thousandth of

00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:18.599
 one percent.

00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:23.960
 And from that

00:36:23.960 --> 00:36:24.619
 distance,

00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:26.380
 you're not

00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:26.960
 hitting God.

00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:27.420
 Because you see,

00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:28.420
 the whole thing here

00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:29.019
 in this text,

00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:30.000
 it's all connected

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:30.940
 to our relationship

00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:31.420
 with God.

00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:32.940
 That's the fundamental

00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:34.880
 context within which

00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:36.300
 Paul is writing.

00:36:37.960 --> 00:36:41.440
 And that's what,

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:42.140
 but it's actually

00:36:42.140 --> 00:36:42.920
 saying something

00:36:42.920 --> 00:36:44.400
 even harder for us

00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:45.360
 to hear and understand.

00:36:46.539 --> 00:36:48.780
 That compared to the

00:36:48.780 --> 00:36:49.539
 whole trajectory

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:50.099
 of our life,

00:36:50.140 --> 00:36:51.000
 that's why the text

00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:51.960
 is saying what it says.

00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:52.900
 If you go back

00:36:52.900 --> 00:36:54.059
 to verse 9 and 10,

00:36:54.160 --> 00:36:54.680
 there's something

00:36:54.680 --> 00:36:55.579
 really significant

00:36:55.579 --> 00:36:56.340
 in 9 and 10

00:36:56.340 --> 00:36:57.539
 that we skip over

00:36:57.539 --> 00:36:58.140
 and we don't really,

00:36:58.240 --> 00:36:59.140
 and I have to confess,

00:36:59.360 --> 00:37:00.539
 when I first read this text,

00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:01.640
 it didn't jump out at me.

00:37:02.519 --> 00:37:03.480
 Look at 9 and 10.

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.800
 What then?

00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:06.079
 Are we Anglicans

00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:06.900
 any better off?

00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:07.639
 No, not at all.

00:37:07.699 --> 00:37:08.559
 For we have already

00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:09.420
 charged that all,

00:37:09.539 --> 00:37:10.320
 both Jews and Greeks,

00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:12.960
 are under sin.

00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:14.579
 As it is written,

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:16.039
 none is righteous,

00:37:16.219 --> 00:37:16.800
 no, not one.

00:37:16.980 --> 00:37:17.699
 And this idea

00:37:17.699 --> 00:37:18.760
 that no one is righteous

00:37:18.760 --> 00:37:19.719
 and under sin

00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:21.500
 is the same type of idea.

00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.320
 And under sin

00:37:23.320 --> 00:37:24.380
 is a perfectly good way

00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:25.079
 to translate it,

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:26.619
 but it has a political

00:37:26.619 --> 00:37:27.740
 connotation.

00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:30.380
 It has a jurisdictional

00:37:30.380 --> 00:37:31.740
 understanding.

00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:33.579
 That in a sense

00:37:33.579 --> 00:37:35.679
 that we're under something,

00:37:35.819 --> 00:37:36.539
 just like in a sense

00:37:36.539 --> 00:37:37.559
 we're in Canada,

00:37:37.699 --> 00:37:38.500
 we're under Canadian

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:39.000
 jurisdiction,

00:37:39.879 --> 00:37:41.139
 that this is sort of how,

00:37:41.279 --> 00:37:41.500
 you know,

00:37:41.559 --> 00:37:42.539
 we learn the customs

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:43.159
 of Canada,

00:37:43.339 --> 00:37:44.199
 we're in Canada

00:37:44.199 --> 00:37:45.799
 under Canadian government

00:37:45.799 --> 00:37:46.899
 jurisdiction authority,

00:37:47.479 --> 00:37:48.559
 and in the same way

00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:48.919
 it's saying that

00:37:48.919 --> 00:37:49.779
 we're under sin,

00:37:49.859 --> 00:37:50.699
 that we're in sin

00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:51.759
 in the same type of way.

00:37:52.399 --> 00:37:54.439
 And this not being righteous,

00:37:54.579 --> 00:37:56.199
 righteous is a place word.

00:37:56.339 --> 00:37:57.419
 It means in terms of

00:37:57.419 --> 00:37:58.459
 in the right relationship,

00:37:58.599 --> 00:37:59.419
 in the right place,

00:37:59.420 --> 00:38:01.740
 in the right connection.

00:38:02.340 --> 00:38:03.260
 And it means that

00:38:03.260 --> 00:38:04.400
 we're not in the right

00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:05.760
 connection with God,

00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:07.180
 the right place with God.

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.300
 And that's what

00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:09.240
 the text means.

00:38:10.300 --> 00:38:12.079
 And so here's the analogy.

00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:12.659
 Andrew, if you could

00:38:12.659 --> 00:38:13.500
 put up the third point.

00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:15.860
 It does not,

00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:17.200
 I'm adapting something

00:38:17.200 --> 00:38:18.619
 that Dietrich Bonhoeffer

00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:19.480
 said in a completely

00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:20.460
 different context,

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:21.720
 but it's relevant here.

00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:23.420
 It does not matter

00:38:23.420 --> 00:38:24.159
 if I am walking

00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:25.159
 in the right direction,

00:38:25.639 --> 00:38:27.139
 if the train I am on

00:38:27.139 --> 00:38:27.720
 is heading

00:38:27.720 --> 00:38:28.840
 in the wrong direction.

00:38:29.420 --> 00:38:32.039
 That's what it means

00:38:32.039 --> 00:38:33.420
 by under something.

00:38:33.820 --> 00:38:34.680
 I'm on a train.

00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:37.039
 I'm on a train.

00:38:37.980 --> 00:38:39.280
 And it does not matter

00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:40.019
 if I'm walking

00:38:40.019 --> 00:38:40.980
 in the right direction,

00:38:41.139 --> 00:38:42.200
 if the train I am on

00:38:42.200 --> 00:38:42.559
 is heading

00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:43.559
 in the wrong direction.

00:38:44.300 --> 00:38:44.940
 So if I'm on,

00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:45.180
 you know,

00:38:45.240 --> 00:38:46.240
 in Europe they have

00:38:46.240 --> 00:38:47.059
 these trains that go

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:47.820
 hundreds and hundreds

00:38:47.820 --> 00:38:48.840
 of kilometers an hour

00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:49.619
 and if the train's going

00:38:49.619 --> 00:38:50.360
 hundreds and hundreds

00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:51.200
 of kilometers an hour

00:38:51.200 --> 00:38:51.780
 this way,

00:38:52.400 --> 00:38:53.159
 there's a long train.

00:38:53.240 --> 00:38:53.920
 It doesn't matter

00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:54.780
 if I'm walking

00:38:54.780 --> 00:38:55.539
 in the right way

00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:56.960
 on a train

00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:58.139
 and I'm walking

00:38:58.139 --> 00:38:59.179
 maybe like this

00:38:59.179 --> 00:39:01.300
 with my goodness

00:39:01.300 --> 00:39:03.039
 in the right direction

00:39:03.039 --> 00:39:03.740
 but the train

00:39:03.740 --> 00:39:04.460
 is taking me

00:39:04.460 --> 00:39:05.519
 away from the cross

00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:06.400
 and away from God

00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:07.380
 at hundreds of kilometers

00:39:07.380 --> 00:39:07.780
 now.

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:11.340
 That's what this text,

00:39:11.380 --> 00:39:12.159
 that's how the text

00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:12.639
 begins.

00:39:15.639 --> 00:39:16.039
 George,

00:39:16.240 --> 00:39:17.380
 you shouldn't be

00:39:17.380 --> 00:39:18.599
 thinking about this

00:39:18.599 --> 00:39:19.340
 as if,

00:39:19.699 --> 00:39:19.980
 you know,

00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:20.659
 you're a really good

00:39:20.659 --> 00:39:21.099
 swimmer,

00:39:21.199 --> 00:39:21.659
 you're a really good

00:39:21.659 --> 00:39:22.079
 walker,

00:39:22.139 --> 00:39:22.559
 you're really good

00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:23.420
 at getting places

00:39:23.420 --> 00:39:24.320
 because what you

00:39:24.320 --> 00:39:24.880
 don't understand,

00:39:25.019 --> 00:39:25.159
 George,

00:39:25.220 --> 00:39:25.820
 is you're on a train

00:39:25.820 --> 00:39:26.340
 going in the wrong,

00:39:26.599 --> 00:39:27.059
 you're born,

00:39:27.200 --> 00:39:28.039
 every human being

00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:28.940
 is born on a train

00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:29.860
 going the wrong direction

00:39:29.860 --> 00:39:31.440
 at hundreds of kilometers

00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:31.740
 an hour.

00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:32.860
 Everybody's born

00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:33.460
 on that train.

00:39:33.900 --> 00:39:34.400
 It doesn't matter

00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:35.440
 if you're a soccer mom

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:35.960
 in Canada,

00:39:36.380 --> 00:39:37.019
 it doesn't matter

00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:37.659
 if you're a bishop

00:39:37.659 --> 00:39:38.579
 in the Anglican Church

00:39:38.579 --> 00:39:39.079
 of Canada,

00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:39.980
 it doesn't matter

00:39:39.980 --> 00:39:40.840
 if you're the Pope,

00:39:41.800 --> 00:39:42.500
 it doesn't matter

00:39:42.500 --> 00:39:43.940
 if you are the guy

00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:44.720
 or the gal

00:39:44.720 --> 00:39:45.440
 who's involved

00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:46.539
 in human trafficking

00:39:46.539 --> 00:39:49.680
 and gun running

00:39:49.680 --> 00:39:51.740
 and meth production.

00:39:51.739 --> 00:39:53.679
 Every human being

00:39:53.679 --> 00:39:54.859
 is born on a train

00:39:54.859 --> 00:39:56.479
 going the wrong direction.

00:39:57.579 --> 00:39:58.379
 No one's born

00:39:58.379 --> 00:39:59.339
 on any other train.

00:40:02.959 --> 00:40:03.500
 And one of the,

00:40:03.759 --> 00:40:05.119
 that's one of the things

00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:06.099
 actually you see

00:40:06.099 --> 00:40:08.219
 that's humanly

00:40:08.219 --> 00:40:09.339
 in fact the case

00:40:09.339 --> 00:40:11.079
 is that it's often

00:40:11.079 --> 00:40:11.679
 the case

00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:13.579
 that people

00:40:13.579 --> 00:40:14.959
 who are really involved

00:40:14.959 --> 00:40:15.939
 in bad things,

00:40:16.099 --> 00:40:17.039
 messed up things,

00:40:18.239 --> 00:40:19.379
 like it's often people

00:40:19.379 --> 00:40:20.500
 who become

00:40:20.500 --> 00:40:22.599
 really severe alcoholics

00:40:22.599 --> 00:40:23.480
 that they come

00:40:23.480 --> 00:40:24.239
 to a point in time

00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:24.880
 when they realize

00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:25.880
 their life is completely

00:40:25.880 --> 00:40:28.099
 and utterly unmanageable

00:40:28.099 --> 00:40:29.039
 and they've got to call out

00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:29.900
 for a higher power.

00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:31.980
 And it's often

00:40:31.980 --> 00:40:32.800
 our goodness

00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:34.320
 that keeps us

00:40:34.320 --> 00:40:34.900
 from God.

00:40:36.699 --> 00:40:37.960
 Because if we're focusing

00:40:37.960 --> 00:40:38.719
 on how good

00:40:38.719 --> 00:40:39.539
 we can jog

00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:40.360
 along that train

00:40:40.360 --> 00:40:41.099
 in the right direction,

00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:41.820
 we don't notice

00:40:41.820 --> 00:40:42.679
 that the train's going

00:40:42.679 --> 00:40:43.579
 hundreds of kilometers

00:40:43.579 --> 00:40:43.880
 an hour

00:40:43.880 --> 00:40:44.780
 in the wrong direction.

00:40:44.780 --> 00:40:55.460
 Can you put up

00:40:55.460 --> 00:40:56.140
 the fourth point,

00:40:56.400 --> 00:40:56.600
 Andrew,

00:40:56.680 --> 00:40:57.000
 the final,

00:40:57.160 --> 00:40:57.300
 well,

00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:58.300
 almost the final point.

00:40:59.300 --> 00:41:00.880
 The last idol

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:01.900
 in my heart

00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:03.560
 is self-righteousness.

00:41:04.700 --> 00:41:06.080
 No good thing

00:41:06.080 --> 00:41:07.160
 that I have

00:41:07.160 --> 00:41:07.940
 or do

00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:09.600
 has a hold

00:41:09.600 --> 00:41:10.460
 on God.

00:41:10.720 --> 00:41:11.100
 None.

00:41:11.099 --> 00:41:21.759
 You know that,

00:41:21.880 --> 00:41:22.460
 if you were here

00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:22.860
 early enough

00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:23.579
 to hear Joey's

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:24.199
 second hymn,

00:41:25.059 --> 00:41:25.440
 you know that,

00:41:25.579 --> 00:41:26.519
 all that old

00:41:26.519 --> 00:41:27.839
 evangelical hymnody

00:41:27.839 --> 00:41:29.119
 about our righteous acts

00:41:29.119 --> 00:41:30.199
 are like filthy rags.

00:41:30.279 --> 00:41:30.940
 That's where this is

00:41:30.940 --> 00:41:31.539
 coming from.

00:41:31.619 --> 00:41:32.819
 That's what they understand.

00:41:33.679 --> 00:41:34.360
 That's what some

00:41:34.360 --> 00:41:35.099
 of those old,

00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:37.039
 and not all old hymns,

00:41:37.099 --> 00:41:37.920
 because lots of old hymns

00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:38.739
 are crap.

00:41:38.739 --> 00:41:44.079
 He did not walk

00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:46.599
 in England's

00:41:46.599 --> 00:41:47.779
 verdant lands,

00:41:48.359 --> 00:41:50.019
 that favorite

00:41:50.019 --> 00:41:50.759
 Anglican hymn.

00:41:50.839 --> 00:41:51.099
 No,

00:41:51.339 --> 00:41:52.539
 that wasn't him

00:41:52.539 --> 00:41:54.319
 in 18th century England.

00:41:54.519 --> 00:41:55.899
 He's Jewish,

00:41:56.479 --> 00:41:56.779
 okay?

00:41:57.399 --> 00:41:58.219
 But some of those

00:41:58.219 --> 00:41:58.939
 old hymns,

00:41:59.039 --> 00:41:59.939
 they got it.

00:42:00.139 --> 00:42:01.459
 They got it

00:42:01.459 --> 00:42:02.879
 that our goodness

00:42:02.879 --> 00:42:04.979
 is the final barrier

00:42:04.979 --> 00:42:05.639
 that keeps us

00:42:05.639 --> 00:42:06.219
 from God,

00:42:06.359 --> 00:42:07.339
 because the fact

00:42:07.339 --> 00:42:07.779
 of the matter is

00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:08.980
 I know watching

00:42:08.980 --> 00:42:10.060
 pornography is wrong.

00:42:10.180 --> 00:42:11.060
 I know cheating

00:42:11.060 --> 00:42:12.340
 on my taxes is wrong.

00:42:12.620 --> 00:42:13.760
 I know driving

00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:14.940
 50 kilometers an hour

00:42:14.940 --> 00:42:15.700
 over the speed limit

00:42:15.700 --> 00:42:16.120
 is wrong.

00:42:16.220 --> 00:42:17.280
 I know that all

00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:18.420
 these things are wrong.

00:42:19.080 --> 00:42:20.480
 And the irony is

00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:21.380
 that even as I start

00:42:21.380 --> 00:42:22.200
 to get rid of those

00:42:22.200 --> 00:42:23.780
 bad things in my life,

00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:26.100
 inwardly I think,

00:42:26.220 --> 00:42:27.380
 boy, I'm doing a good job

00:42:27.380 --> 00:42:28.480
 at getting rid of those things,

00:42:28.540 --> 00:42:28.820
 you know?

00:42:29.460 --> 00:42:30.660
 And this whole idea

00:42:30.660 --> 00:42:31.840
 that not a single

00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:32.780
 good thing

00:42:32.780 --> 00:42:33.860
 that I has

00:42:33.860 --> 00:42:34.480
 matters

00:42:34.480 --> 00:42:36.179
 is profoundly

00:42:36.179 --> 00:42:37.840
 unsettling to me.

00:42:38.599 --> 00:42:39.860
 It makes me feel

00:42:39.860 --> 00:42:40.840
 profoundly

00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:41.699
 naked

00:42:41.699 --> 00:42:42.900
 and exposed.

00:42:43.719 --> 00:42:44.400
 Surely, God,

00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:45.300
 you'll let me hold on

00:42:45.300 --> 00:42:45.860
 to these couple

00:42:45.860 --> 00:42:46.460
 of good things

00:42:46.460 --> 00:42:47.119
 as I come to you.

00:42:47.179 --> 00:42:47.579
 Surely,

00:42:47.980 --> 00:42:48.940
 these things matter

00:42:48.940 --> 00:42:49.500
 to you, God.

00:42:49.639 --> 00:42:50.039
 Surely,

00:42:50.199 --> 00:42:50.880
 these things are

00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:51.320
 what's making

00:42:51.320 --> 00:42:52.219
 my life manageable.

00:42:52.679 --> 00:42:54.019
 The last idol,

00:42:54.539 --> 00:42:56.179
 the last idol

00:42:56.179 --> 00:42:57.920
 in my heart

00:42:57.920 --> 00:42:59.219
 isn't pornography

00:42:59.219 --> 00:43:00.319
 or alcohol

00:43:00.319 --> 00:43:01.759
 or lying

00:43:01.759 --> 00:43:03.159
 or the last idol,

00:43:03.639 --> 00:43:04.299
 the one that will

00:43:04.299 --> 00:43:05.239
 never give up

00:43:05.239 --> 00:43:06.399
 but for grace

00:43:06.399 --> 00:43:08.039
 is self-righteousness.

00:43:08.679 --> 00:43:09.319
 No good thing

00:43:09.319 --> 00:43:09.980
 that I have

00:43:09.980 --> 00:43:10.500
 or do

00:43:10.500 --> 00:43:11.139
 has a hold

00:43:11.139 --> 00:43:11.919
 on God none.

00:43:13.379 --> 00:43:14.079
 Good works,

00:43:14.259 --> 00:43:14.839
 good doctrine

00:43:14.839 --> 00:43:15.500
 can keep us

00:43:15.500 --> 00:43:16.019
 from God.

00:43:17.339 --> 00:43:17.859
 And that's,

00:43:17.959 --> 00:43:18.279
 by the way,

00:43:18.379 --> 00:43:19.139
 remember I said earlier

00:43:19.139 --> 00:43:19.819
 why is it

00:43:19.819 --> 00:43:21.059
 that when we hear

00:43:21.059 --> 00:43:21.980
 extreme talk

00:43:21.980 --> 00:43:22.399
 that we're all

00:43:22.399 --> 00:43:23.259
 basically good,

00:43:23.459 --> 00:43:24.179
 you may roll

00:43:24.179 --> 00:43:25.079
 our eyes,

00:43:26.279 --> 00:43:27.079
 but it doesn't

00:43:27.079 --> 00:43:27.980
 have that visceral

00:43:27.980 --> 00:43:31.019
 upsetness with it

00:43:31.019 --> 00:43:31.659
 as it does

00:43:31.659 --> 00:43:32.159
 when we read

00:43:32.159 --> 00:43:32.860
 Romans 3

00:43:32.860 --> 00:43:33.380
 and there's

00:43:33.380 --> 00:43:34.199
 this visceral upset

00:43:34.199 --> 00:43:35.280
 because the last idol

00:43:35.280 --> 00:43:36.500
 that we will let go of

00:43:36.500 --> 00:43:38.599
 is self-righteousness.

00:43:41.079 --> 00:43:41.519
 Andrew,

00:43:41.599 --> 00:43:42.199
 could you put up

00:43:42.199 --> 00:43:43.440
 the true final point

00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:44.380
 which is Romans 1,

00:43:44.480 --> 00:43:45.480
 16 to 17?

00:43:46.559 --> 00:43:47.360
 Could you put that up

00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:47.820
 and friends,

00:43:47.920 --> 00:43:48.639
 could you say this

00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:49.480
 with me out loud?

00:43:50.420 --> 00:43:51.780
 For I am not

00:43:51.780 --> 00:43:53.240
 ashamed of the gospel

00:43:53.240 --> 00:43:54.440
 for it is

00:43:54.440 --> 00:43:55.699
 the power of God

00:43:55.699 --> 00:43:56.619
 for salvation

00:43:56.619 --> 00:43:57.480
 to everyone

00:43:57.480 --> 00:43:58.460
 who believes,

00:43:58.740 --> 00:44:00.119
 to the Jew first

00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:01.639
 and also to the Greek.

00:44:02.199 --> 00:44:03.380
 For in the gospel

00:44:03.380 --> 00:44:04.199
 the righteousness

00:44:04.199 --> 00:44:04.980
 of God

00:44:04.980 --> 00:44:05.679
 is revealed

00:44:05.679 --> 00:44:06.500
 from faith

00:44:06.500 --> 00:44:07.119
 to faith

00:44:07.119 --> 00:44:08.519
 as it is written

00:44:08.519 --> 00:44:09.460
 the righteous

00:44:09.460 --> 00:44:10.340
 shall live

00:44:10.340 --> 00:44:11.000
 by faith.

00:44:11.460 --> 00:44:12.320
 My problem

00:44:12.320 --> 00:44:13.460
 isn't that I do

00:44:13.460 --> 00:44:14.440
 too many bad things

00:44:14.440 --> 00:44:14.880
 and not enough

00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:15.320
 good things,

00:44:15.420 --> 00:44:16.059
 my problem is

00:44:16.059 --> 00:44:17.079
 I'm on the wrong train

00:44:17.079 --> 00:44:20.699
 and I can't get off

00:44:20.699 --> 00:44:21.920
 that wrong train.

00:44:24.039 --> 00:44:24.679
 And the Bible

00:44:24.679 --> 00:44:25.719
 wants us to say

00:44:25.719 --> 00:44:27.199
 stop walking

00:44:27.199 --> 00:44:28.019
 the right direction

00:44:28.019 --> 00:44:28.500
 on the train

00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:29.519
 going the wrong direction

00:44:29.519 --> 00:44:30.879
 and you have to come

00:44:30.879 --> 00:44:31.359
 to that point

00:44:31.359 --> 00:44:31.759
 where you say

00:44:31.759 --> 00:44:32.219
 God,

00:44:32.439 --> 00:44:33.859
 only you can get me

00:44:33.859 --> 00:44:34.619
 off this train.

00:44:36.439 --> 00:44:37.619
 Only you can put me

00:44:37.619 --> 00:44:38.579
 on your train.

00:44:39.599 --> 00:44:40.500
 Only you can do it.

00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:43.839
 And if you don't do it,

00:44:44.439 --> 00:44:45.619
 I'm only going to end up

00:44:45.619 --> 00:44:46.519
 in the wrong direction.

00:44:47.099 --> 00:44:47.919
 I'm only going to end up

00:44:47.919 --> 00:44:48.480
 in the wrong place.

00:44:48.659 --> 00:44:49.179
 Only you.

00:44:50.119 --> 00:44:50.759
 Only you.

00:44:50.760 --> 00:44:52.320
 What is it?

00:44:52.620 --> 00:44:54.500
 I need God,

00:44:55.200 --> 00:44:56.920
 the power of God.

00:44:57.280 --> 00:44:58.180
 I need God

00:44:58.180 --> 00:44:58.840
 to act

00:44:58.840 --> 00:45:00.120
 with power

00:45:00.120 --> 00:45:01.060
 to take me

00:45:01.060 --> 00:45:02.000
 off the wrong train

00:45:02.000 --> 00:45:02.560
 and put me

00:45:02.560 --> 00:45:03.340
 on the right train.

00:45:04.860 --> 00:45:05.560
 And when I'm

00:45:05.560 --> 00:45:06.360
 on the right train,

00:45:06.480 --> 00:45:07.540
 I'm right with God.

00:45:09.340 --> 00:45:10.300
 And how do I

00:45:10.300 --> 00:45:11.020
 get that?

00:45:11.120 --> 00:45:11.980
 All I can do

00:45:11.980 --> 00:45:12.820
 is it's from faith

00:45:12.820 --> 00:45:13.280
 to faith.

00:45:13.420 --> 00:45:13.860
 It means that

00:45:13.860 --> 00:45:14.320
 everything,

00:45:14.600 --> 00:45:15.460
 it all is about

00:45:15.460 --> 00:45:17.240
 me coming to that moment.

00:45:17.920 --> 00:45:18.920
 When I was thinking

00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:19.380
 about this,

00:45:19.820 --> 00:45:20.920
 my little grandson,

00:45:21.079 --> 00:45:21.380
 Ruben,

00:45:21.420 --> 00:45:21.980
 when he was only

00:45:21.980 --> 00:45:22.680
 about two or three,

00:45:22.740 --> 00:45:23.300
 when he wanted

00:45:23.300 --> 00:45:24.539
 his Nana to pick him up,

00:45:25.099 --> 00:45:26.200
 he'd put his arms

00:45:26.200 --> 00:45:27.400
 way up like this

00:45:27.400 --> 00:45:28.700
 and his face way up

00:45:28.700 --> 00:45:29.240
 and he'd arch

00:45:29.240 --> 00:45:30.099
 his little back

00:45:30.099 --> 00:45:31.700
 and his whole being

00:45:31.700 --> 00:45:32.659
 was just calling

00:45:32.659 --> 00:45:33.639
 for his Nana

00:45:33.639 --> 00:45:34.920
 to pick him up.

00:45:35.480 --> 00:45:36.440
 And that's the image

00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:37.340
 I have when I think

00:45:37.340 --> 00:45:38.059
 of this text.

00:45:39.420 --> 00:45:40.280
 That's the beginning

00:45:40.280 --> 00:45:41.340
 and ending of faith,

00:45:41.440 --> 00:45:42.480
 faith to faith to faith

00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:43.740
 as you just arch your back

00:45:43.740 --> 00:45:44.619
 and you call out to God,

00:45:44.740 --> 00:45:45.240
 only God,

00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:46.420
 only you can save me

00:45:46.420 --> 00:45:47.420
 from my good things.

00:45:47.599 --> 00:45:48.599
 Only you can save me

00:45:48.599 --> 00:45:49.380
 from my bad things.

00:45:49.480 --> 00:45:50.460
 Only you can take me

00:45:50.460 --> 00:45:51.559
 from the wrong train

00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:52.219
 to the right train.

00:45:53.759 --> 00:45:54.900
 And as Paul's going to show

00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:55.860
 in Romans 12,

00:45:56.059 --> 00:45:56.940
 how you even live

00:45:56.940 --> 00:45:57.460
 a good life

00:45:57.460 --> 00:45:59.000
 completely and utterly changes.

00:46:00.339 --> 00:46:00.719
 Right?

00:46:00.819 --> 00:46:01.559
 Because, you know,

00:46:01.900 --> 00:46:02.380
 when you get on

00:46:02.380 --> 00:46:03.099
 the right train

00:46:03.099 --> 00:46:04.319
 and all of a sudden

00:46:04.319 --> 00:46:05.460
 you realize that

00:46:05.460 --> 00:46:07.239
 as you realize

00:46:07.239 --> 00:46:08.000
 you're in this right

00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:09.059
 relationship with God

00:46:09.059 --> 00:46:10.079
 that these bad things

00:46:10.079 --> 00:46:10.319
 you do,

00:46:10.380 --> 00:46:11.319
 they just don't fit.

00:46:12.119 --> 00:46:13.799
 And that you realize

00:46:13.799 --> 00:46:14.259
 that you just,

00:46:14.420 --> 00:46:15.239
 out of this gratitude

00:46:15.239 --> 00:46:16.440
 that God is taking you

00:46:16.440 --> 00:46:17.239
 from the wrong train

00:46:17.239 --> 00:46:17.599
 and putting you

00:46:17.599 --> 00:46:18.179
 on the right train,

00:46:18.599 --> 00:46:20.360
 that as the gospel

00:46:20.360 --> 00:46:21.380
 grips you,

00:46:21.980 --> 00:46:23.239
 there's a whole different

00:46:23.239 --> 00:46:25.159
 context to understand

00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:26.360
 why it is that you do

00:46:26.360 --> 00:46:27.480
 things that fit

00:46:27.480 --> 00:46:28.639
 with the train you're on

00:46:28.639 --> 00:46:29.199
 and the direction

00:46:29.199 --> 00:46:29.739
 you're going.

00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:32.659
 The whole psychology

00:46:32.659 --> 00:46:33.860
 of doing good

00:46:33.860 --> 00:46:35.480
 doesn't change right away

00:46:35.480 --> 00:46:35.920
 and it's never

00:46:35.920 --> 00:46:36.900
 a perfect change,

00:46:37.019 --> 00:46:39.059
 but it starts to change

00:46:39.059 --> 00:46:41.539
 as the gospel grips us.

00:46:42.420 --> 00:46:43.199
 But first,

00:46:43.679 --> 00:46:44.519
 you've got to get

00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:46.559
 God's effective power

00:46:46.559 --> 00:46:47.460
 in your life.

00:46:48.059 --> 00:46:48.719
 Please stand.

00:46:55.320 --> 00:46:56.199
 If there are some

00:46:56.199 --> 00:46:56.840
 of you here

00:46:56.840 --> 00:46:57.480
 and there's this

00:46:57.480 --> 00:46:58.360
 pressure in you

00:46:58.360 --> 00:47:00.239
 that your good works

00:47:00.239 --> 00:47:01.279
 in fact have been

00:47:01.279 --> 00:47:01.759
 what you've been

00:47:01.759 --> 00:47:02.320
 relying upon

00:47:02.320 --> 00:47:02.960
 and you've never

00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:04.980
 realized that you've

00:47:04.980 --> 00:47:05.619
 been on the wrong

00:47:05.619 --> 00:47:07.000
 train and that only

00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:07.960
 God can get you

00:47:07.960 --> 00:47:08.779
 to the right train,

00:47:09.340 --> 00:47:10.179
 there's no better

00:47:10.179 --> 00:47:11.119
 time than right now

00:47:11.119 --> 00:47:11.920
 to call out to him

00:47:11.920 --> 00:47:12.360
 in prayer.

00:47:13.019 --> 00:47:13.820
 And I'm not going

00:47:13.820 --> 00:47:14.440
 to tell you the

00:47:14.440 --> 00:47:15.079
 sinner's prayer

00:47:15.079 --> 00:47:15.699
 because I don't

00:47:15.699 --> 00:47:16.259
 want you to think

00:47:16.259 --> 00:47:17.039
 there's some magic

00:47:17.039 --> 00:47:17.599
 formula.

00:47:18.360 --> 00:47:18.799
 I just want you

00:47:18.799 --> 00:47:19.079
 to look.

00:47:19.199 --> 00:47:19.719
 Andrew, if you could

00:47:19.719 --> 00:47:20.480
 put Romans 1,

00:47:20.559 --> 00:47:21.420
 16 to 17

00:47:21.420 --> 00:47:22.179
 back up on the

00:47:22.179 --> 00:47:22.799
 screen, please.

00:47:23.579 --> 00:47:24.119
 I just want,

00:47:24.199 --> 00:47:25.019
 just call out to God

00:47:25.019 --> 00:47:25.239
 and say,

00:47:25.299 --> 00:47:26.179
 God, that to me.

00:47:26.559 --> 00:47:27.139
 Wrong train

00:47:27.139 --> 00:47:27.719
 to right train,

00:47:27.860 --> 00:47:28.799
 please, Jesus,

00:47:29.000 --> 00:47:29.519
 only you.

00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:30.639
 Only you.

00:47:31.059 --> 00:47:31.719
 Take me from the

00:47:31.719 --> 00:47:32.599
 wrong train

00:47:32.599 --> 00:47:33.259
 to the right train.

00:47:33.519 --> 00:47:34.400
 That text,

00:47:35.039 --> 00:47:35.519
 the mystery

00:47:35.519 --> 00:47:35.900
 and the depth

00:47:35.900 --> 00:47:36.420
 of that text,

00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:37.519
 Father, I want that.

00:47:37.579 --> 00:47:37.980
 I don't understand,

00:47:38.079 --> 00:47:38.880
 I want that.

00:47:39.420 --> 00:47:40.659
 Only you can have

00:47:40.659 --> 00:47:41.480
 that come into me

00:47:41.480 --> 00:47:41.960
 and me into you.

00:47:42.019 --> 00:47:42.880
 Whatever your words

00:47:42.880 --> 00:47:43.519
 are, there's no

00:47:43.519 --> 00:47:44.400
 better time than today

00:47:44.400 --> 00:47:45.360
 to call out to God.

00:47:46.180 --> 00:47:47.320
 And for those of us

00:47:47.320 --> 00:47:49.700
 who somehow think

00:47:49.700 --> 00:47:52.500
 that if I just

00:47:52.500 --> 00:47:53.099
 preach a better

00:47:53.099 --> 00:47:54.079
 sermon that God

00:47:54.079 --> 00:47:54.920
 will love me more,

00:47:55.000 --> 00:47:55.940
 that's not true.

00:47:56.119 --> 00:47:57.139
 God will not love me

00:47:57.139 --> 00:47:57.860
 more if I preach

00:47:57.860 --> 00:47:58.500
 a good sermon.

00:47:58.660 --> 00:47:59.280
 He won't love me

00:47:59.280 --> 00:48:00.300
 more if, he won't

00:48:00.300 --> 00:48:01.300
 love Joey more if

00:48:01.300 --> 00:48:02.380
 Joey does a spectacular

00:48:02.380 --> 00:48:03.740
 job on the next song.

00:48:04.880 --> 00:48:05.519
 Yeah, hallelujah.

00:48:07.559 --> 00:48:08.320
 And me preaching

00:48:08.320 --> 00:48:08.900
 a good sermon

00:48:08.900 --> 00:48:10.260
 or Joey doing a good

00:48:10.260 --> 00:48:11.260
 job, it's to emerge

00:48:11.260 --> 00:48:12.000
 out of being gripped

00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:12.780
 by the gospel.

00:48:12.780 --> 00:48:15.380
 Let's just bow

00:48:15.380 --> 00:48:16.080
 our heads in prayer.

00:48:19.460 --> 00:48:20.500
 Father, thank you

00:48:20.500 --> 00:48:20.920
 that you are

00:48:20.920 --> 00:48:22.060
 the faithful God,

00:48:22.740 --> 00:48:23.820
 that you are

00:48:23.820 --> 00:48:24.600
 true,

00:48:25.100 --> 00:48:26.060
 that you are

00:48:26.060 --> 00:48:26.800
 right,

00:48:27.120 --> 00:48:27.960
 that you are

00:48:27.960 --> 00:48:29.480
 unhindered

00:48:29.480 --> 00:48:31.060
 and will prevail,

00:48:31.460 --> 00:48:32.640
 that not only

00:48:32.640 --> 00:48:33.640
 do you speak

00:48:33.640 --> 00:48:34.340
 truly

00:48:34.340 --> 00:48:35.580
 and judge

00:48:35.580 --> 00:48:36.280
 truly,

00:48:36.780 --> 00:48:38.080
 but you speak

00:48:38.080 --> 00:48:39.040
 truly

00:48:39.039 --> 00:48:40.340
 to reveal

00:48:40.340 --> 00:48:41.559
 how you

00:48:41.559 --> 00:48:42.360
 will redeem

00:48:42.360 --> 00:48:42.699
 us,

00:48:42.759 --> 00:48:43.639
 how only

00:48:43.639 --> 00:48:44.179
 you can

00:48:44.179 --> 00:48:44.519
 redeem

00:48:44.519 --> 00:48:44.719
 us.

00:48:44.719 --> 00:48:45.519
 Father, bring

00:48:45.519 --> 00:48:46.099
 us to that

00:48:46.099 --> 00:48:47.480
 point that we

00:48:47.480 --> 00:48:48.099
 know that we

00:48:48.099 --> 00:48:48.900
 need to call

00:48:48.900 --> 00:48:49.420
 out to you

00:48:49.420 --> 00:48:49.759
 and say,

00:48:50.119 --> 00:48:50.599
 only God,

00:48:50.759 --> 00:48:51.360
 only you,

00:48:51.519 --> 00:48:52.259
 only you

00:48:52.259 --> 00:48:53.380
 can take us

00:48:53.380 --> 00:48:53.960
 from the wrong

00:48:53.960 --> 00:48:54.500
 train to the

00:48:54.500 --> 00:48:55.000
 right train.

00:48:55.619 --> 00:48:56.300
 Only you.

00:48:56.980 --> 00:48:57.840
 Father, for those

00:48:57.840 --> 00:48:58.420
 who may be making

00:48:58.420 --> 00:48:59.139
 that prayer for the

00:48:59.139 --> 00:48:59.559
 first time,

00:48:59.719 --> 00:49:00.320
 pour out your

00:49:00.320 --> 00:49:00.900
 Holy Spirit

00:49:00.900 --> 00:49:01.679
 with deep power

00:49:01.679 --> 00:49:02.259
 upon them.

00:49:02.659 --> 00:49:03.440
 For all of us,

00:49:03.559 --> 00:49:04.199
 Father, you know

00:49:04.199 --> 00:49:05.360
 how powerful the

00:49:05.360 --> 00:49:06.840
 idol of self-righteousness,

00:49:07.360 --> 00:49:08.360
 self-glorification,

00:49:08.360 --> 00:49:09.539
 self-justification

00:49:09.539 --> 00:49:10.220
 is, Father,

00:49:10.320 --> 00:49:11.220
 in your mercy,

00:49:12.260 --> 00:49:13.260
 humble us by what

00:49:13.260 --> 00:49:14.059
 you have done for us

00:49:14.059 --> 00:49:14.800
 on the cross

00:49:14.800 --> 00:49:17.099
 and make us to live

00:49:17.099 --> 00:49:18.519
 as disciples of Jesus

00:49:18.519 --> 00:49:19.780
 gripped by the gospel

00:49:19.780 --> 00:49:21.160
 who are learning to

00:49:21.160 --> 00:49:22.039
 live for your glory.

00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:23.120
 And this we ask

00:49:23.120 --> 00:49:24.180
 in Jesus' name.

00:49:24.660 --> 00:49:24.980
 Amen.