WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.559
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah.

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 It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah,

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 either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all,

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 would you pray for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like

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 yourself? The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian,

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 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,

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 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will

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 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you are a

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 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

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 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the

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 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

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 Just remaining standing, I invite you just to bow your heads in prayer. Father, we are in your

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 presence. We might not feel your presence, but Father, we have gathered together in the name of

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 Jesus to be in your presence in the power of the Holy Spirit. And we ask, Father, that the Holy Spirit

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 would fall with gentle but mighty power upon each one of us, so that Jesus might minister grace to us,

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 and that we might respond to that gift of grace that is freely given yet again today, that we might

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 respond to that in a worthy manner, Father, that is good for us and brings glory to you. So Father,

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 pour out the Holy Spirit gently but deeply upon us, and we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son,

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 and the only Savior. Amen. Please be seated.

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 So some of you know that, I mean, I don't just go to coffee shops. I also read books,

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 and I like reading mysteries or thrillers or something like that, and it's a very common feature

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 in books like this to have a type of tragic anti-hero, somebody who's going to end up being

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 the hero of the book, but is deeply wounded. And often, the wound is that they have done something

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 terrible in their life that has caused tragedy, and they've never been able to come to terms with it.

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 And the constant sort of ongoing theme within the book from other characters is that they need to

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 learn to forgive themselves. It's a very, very common thing. In fact, actually, it's one of those things

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 that doesn't matter if you vote for Trump or Biden, it doesn't matter if you vote for McKinney or Sutcliffe

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 or Shirely, that that would probably be a very common type of North American advice is that we need to learn

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 to forgive ourselves. The text that we're going to look at today speaks directly to this particular

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 piece of advice and actually points us in a way that is vastly better, that accomplishes what we desire,

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 because I actually think forgiving yourself doesn't actually ever work, but this points us in the

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 direction of something that does work. And so for those of us who are troubled in our conscience with

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 things that we have done or failed to do in the past that has caused harm, this is very important and

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 very good news for us. So I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 11, and we're going to

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 begin at the first verse, Mark chapter 11, verse 1, and if you're using this version, it's on page 68.

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 And some of you are familiar with this, some of you might not be, but we're going through this

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 ancient biography of Jesus written by one who was an eyewitness of some of the things, but it's based on

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 eyewitness testimony written when eyewitnesses were still alive. And one of the ways that we,

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 one of the things in the story is that Jesus has predicted since chapter 8 that he's going to go to

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 Jerusalem, and he's going to go to Jerusalem, he's going to die. And one of the things which is,

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 when you're telling a story like this, it's not that you necessarily have the same number of words

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 for every part of a person's life. A third of the gospel of Mark is taken up with this last week

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 of Jesus's life. And so now he's been saying he's going to Jerusalem, now he arrives,

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 and this is how he arrives. It goes like this, verse 1 of chapter 11.

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 Now when, sorry, yeah, never mind. Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethpage and Bethany,

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 at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them,

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 go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied on which

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 no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, why are you doing this? Say,

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 the Lord has need of it, and we'll send it back here immediately. And they, that is the two disciples,

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 went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those

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 standing there said to them, what are you doing untying the colt? And they told them what Jesus had said,

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 and they let them go. Now just sort of pause here for a second. This is a very, very odd story

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 in lots of ways. In fact, actually, often what happens in Bible studies and in commentaries,

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 in fact, is there's a bit of a discussion about how this came to be. Had Jesus secretly arranged it

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 in advance? Like what was just going on? And I think one of the things that we are to take it from this,

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 just as it's an important aside, is, well, here's the thing. I can tell you of a couple of times

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 that I've had answered prayer that is just miraculous. There's no naturalistic account for it.

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 A couple of years ago, I was with a couple of doctors, and one of the doctors who was a Christian

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 said, you know, anybody who's been a doctor for a very long time, or any length of time at all,

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 they will tell you, if you're very honest, it comes to that point in the night, you know,

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 they're all having the red wine or the white wine or whatever, and it comes to that point in the night,

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 they'll all say that there have been medical cases they've dealt with that don't make any sense.

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 Now, because they're non-Christians, they wouldn't say that it was because of a miracle or answered

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 prayer. They would just say, I know of a case where it just, you know, the x-ray showed this,

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 the x-ray showed this, the x-ray showed this, and then the next day showed that there was nothing.

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 And so, and maybe some of us here, if we had a conversation, we could talk about something that

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 really did, like, really miracle is the only way to explain it, but most of our prayers are answered

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 in a way that there can be a naturalistic explanation. That, you know, it just happened this,

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 and just happened like this, and just happened like this, and in some ways, I think what is really

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 neat about this is that it shows that, like, that you could have a miraculous, I mean, Jesus wanted it,

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 and it happened that way, but maybe there was some other naturalistic explanation of it, but that's

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 just part of the life of faith for us as Christians. I mean, the heart of the text is going to be talking

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 about what it means to have faith, and part of it for us is in faith is we pray to Jesus who knows all

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 things, and sometimes when he says yes, it won't be clear whether it was, in a sense, just a coincidence

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 that nature would have produced, or some other thing happened, or whether it's a miracle, but we

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 don't have to care about that. Here we see Jesus sovereignly handling events so that he would enter

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 as he sovereignly desires to enter in. That's what happens here in verse 7. If you look at it, verse 7,

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 and they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on it, and many spread

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 their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields,

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 and those who went before and those who followed were shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in

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 the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!

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 Blessed. Now just sort of pause. You know, this week I was thinking about it. If this was organized

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 by Hollywood, this is how the gospel would end. Isn't this how a Hollywood movie ends? With a big

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 crowd cheering, and all that's missing is Jesus kissing a pretty woman, and if Jesus was to kiss a

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 pretty woman after this big crowd, that would be a Hollywood ending. The producers and the directors

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 would say, that's a wrap. Let's get it out, and we're going to make lots of money with this particular story.

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 But in this case, it's not the end of the story. It's in fact getting to the very point of the story.

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 And one of the things, those of you who are very familiar with the Bible, you'll know that all four

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 of the ancient eyewitness biographies of Jesus include this incident. All four of them.

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 And some of you will remember bits and pieces of the stories which are a bit different. I think what

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 Mark is doing in his telling is very significant and very important, but not...

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 I really love those songs that we were singing, and it's made me hoarse. I had to stop singing the last verse.

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 Because I was singing it too much. Can you... Where's Deborah? Can you sing too much? I don't know. I guess you can, if it hurts your voice.

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 But what's happening is this. Jesus didn't die on the cross in a cathedral between two candles.

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 Jesus did not die on the cross and rise from the dead in the way that often, like in Mormonism,

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 nobody sees the angels except Joseph Smith, and nobody sees the gold tablets.

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 And it's not that Jesus' death and resurrection happened in some secret type of way that only one person saw or nobody saw.

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 There were three times in the year when the city of Jerusalem increased threefold, fivefold, sixfold,

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 because people came from all over.

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 And this is one of those times. It's the Passover is about to be celebrated.

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 And so the population of Jerusalem is swollen immensely.

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 And Jesus just made it that everybody knew he was there.

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 Everybody knows he's there. That's what he's done.

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 He's orchestrated it.

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 So it's not... If you go back and read some of the other ancient biographies,

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 there's sometimes that Jesus just sort of slips into the temple.

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 He maybe has just a couple of interactions and he slips out or slips into Jerusalem and then leaves.

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 But this time, everybody knows he's there.

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 And when everybody would have been talking about this entrance,

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 some of them probably will have stains of donkey poop on their clothes that they have to get rid of.

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 It's going to be talked about all week.

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 And when he dies, everybody knows it.

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 You see, this is the exact opposite of a secret type of mystery religion.

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 The Christian faith is a public faith.

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 It's a public revelation that can be tested.

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 And Jesus is just guaranteed that everybody knows he's there.

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 And when he dies, everybody will know that he dies by crucifixion.

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 And in verse 11, remember I said that in some ways that earlier part of the story talks about Jesus,

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 in a sense, being sovereign, that he sovereignly wants...

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 It's actually really interesting.

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 One of the things which is sort of cool about this text is that it shows both...

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 The stories that we're looking at today, it throws together both the godness of Jesus and the sovereignty of Jesus and the humanity of Jesus in a very powerful way.

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 Jesus is so poor he doesn't own a donkey.

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 He has to borrow a donkey.

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 And a little bit later, we're going to see that Jesus is hungry.

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 Yet, the same one who is poor and can't even afford a donkey, he sovereignly organizes a donkey for him to come in.

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 And in verse 11, it doesn't look as much in English, like it's there, but it's more powerful in the original language.

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 And verse 11,

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 And Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple.

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 And when he had looked around at everything, as was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

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 Now, in the original language, this phrase, looked around, he's not looking around like a tourist.

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 Looking around.

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 Looking around.

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 Looking around.

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 Looking around.

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 Looking around.

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 Looking around.

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 Looking around.

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 The churches, which had now become museums.

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 He's not looking around as if one of you finally gets an opportunity to buy a house and you go sort of looking around to see if you want to buy the house.

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 The word looking around implies that he's the owner who's come to what he owns after being gone for a while to do an inspection.

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 That's what's being implied in the original language.

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 The owner of the temple has come.

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 And he's looking around to see if it's as he intended.

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 Now, one of the things which is so brilliant about the Gospel of Mark, and it's one of the reasons, even from a human point of view, people still read it,

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 is the way that Mark often will tell things without using, like, clearly explaining it, but allowing the story to unfold, to communicate at the level of a story.

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 And stories communicated at a deep level for us as human beings.

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 And so, Jesus is going to be saying something about how he is doing a new thing.

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 In a sense that everything that the Old Testament had been promising is about to be fulfilled.

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 And that God is about to do a new thing in terms of how he relates to human beings.

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 And that he communicates by these very clever little stories.

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 And then this odd aside about prayer that talks about forgiveness.

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 Look what happens in verse 12.

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 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.

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 Remember I said to you one of the things about, you know, in our day and age, we have a hard time believing that Jesus was God.

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 But for the first several centuries, Christians and others had a hard time believing that he was human.

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 And so, texts like this were very important in the forming of the early creeds and doctrinal definitions

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 to remind people that Jesus is fully human and fully God, but one person.

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 And he's hungry.

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 In verse 13,

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 And seen in the distance a fig tree and leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it.

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 Note it doesn't say necessarily food, just find anything on it.

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 And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

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 And Jesus said to it,

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 May no one ever eat fruit from you again.

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 And his disciples heard it.

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 Now,

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 this has been a,

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 this part and the part that's going to come in a few verses has

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 troubled lots of Christians off and on throughout the years.

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 And lots of people from outside

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 who look in at the text.

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 And it's a very puzzling text.

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 Like,

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 it seems as if,

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 in fact, actually,

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 in some ways, this text touches at one of the deep fears

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 that even we Christians have.

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 But it especially touches on a deep fear that those outside the Christian faith,

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 when they look at it,

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 they have.

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 And that deep fear is that,

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 you know, good grief,

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 God is just unreasonable.

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 He's just unfair and unreasonable.

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 And this story perfectly illustrates his unfairness and his unreasonableness.

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 that here it is.

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 It isn't even the season for figs.

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 And he still goes ahead and curses it.

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 Like, how unfair is that?

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 And for many people outside the faith,

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 one of the barriers to them coming in

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 is they have this sense that the God that they'll meet is an unfair God

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 who makes impossible demands

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 and then blames you for not being able to meet it.

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 Now,

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 the fear is real.

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 But the text actually doesn't illustrate it.

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 And part of it is,

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 has to do with translation issues.

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 That little bit for it was not the season for figs

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 in the original language can go in different places in the sentence.

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 So here's what's really going on.

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 It wasn't the season for figs.

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 And yet,

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 and for a fig tree,

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 when it's not the season for figs,

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 the tree has no leaves.

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 So it would be the same for us

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 in the spring

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 when all the trees are bare

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 and there's still snow on the ground

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 and it's not spring yet

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 because it's February or whatever

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 and all of a sudden you see a tree,

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 a maple tree,

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 with green leaves.

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 Or a better example,

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 an apple tree with green leaves.

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 And you go,

00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:25.420
 oh, wow,

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 there's an apple tree with green leaves.

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 Like, it draws your attention.

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 And so he goes to see if there's anything on it.

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 And I only know this

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 because obviously I don't know anything about fig trees.

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 I've depended upon commentaries for this.

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 And what happens is

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 at the very same time

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 in a healthy fig tree,

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 as soon as the figs are being produced,

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 the figs are also being produced.

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 The leaves and the figs grow at the exact same time.

00:18:55.179 --> 00:18:55.579
 So,

00:18:56.059 --> 00:18:59.159
 we're going to see more about this in a moment.

00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:01.579
 What Jesus is doing here is

00:19:01.579 --> 00:19:04.279
 one commentator called it a portent,

00:19:04.459 --> 00:19:05.599
 an old-fashioned word.

00:19:06.219 --> 00:19:07.519
 One of those little things,

00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:08.539
 a harbinger.

00:19:08.639 --> 00:19:08.779
 Sorry,

00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:10.200
 that's another old-fashioned word

00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:11.519
 that some of you won't know what it means.

00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:12.099
 It's something,

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:13.579
 it's sending a bit of a signal

00:19:13.579 --> 00:19:15.980
 about something that's going to happen.

00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:20.720
 And the signal about what's going to happen

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.579
 is that

00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:25.220
 out of all the nations on the earth,

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:28.500
 how odd of God to choose the Jews.

00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:31.839
 And he chose them.

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:32.440
 If you go back,

00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:34.600
 those of you who remember the stories of Abraham,

00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:37.240
 he chose Abraham and then his descendants

00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:39.279
 to be a blessing for the nations,

00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:42.339
 to be the means by which

00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:44.779
 his glory is made known to the world.

00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:48.639
 And out of all the nations,

00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:49.579
 they're the only one.

00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.319
 Out of all the trees in February,

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:54.559
 there's only that one tree that has leaves.

00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:57.240
 And unlike an apple tree,

00:19:57.339 --> 00:19:58.259
 where you can have the leaves

00:19:58.259 --> 00:19:59.779
 without the beginning of the apple

00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:00.440
 and the fig tree,

00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:02.079
 you have to have both at the same time.

00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:02.839
 And he goes.

00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:05.839
 And it has the appearance of life,

00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:08.480
 the appearance of what it should have,

00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:10.640
 but it has absolutely no fruit.

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.420
 It's barren.

00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:17.519
 Now, it's beyond the scope of this sermon

00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:21.500
 because one of the things

00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:23.880
 which those outside the Christian faith

00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:25.779
 have as a great dislike

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:27.559
 about the Christian faith

00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:29.759
 is the idea of God's judgment.

00:20:31.779 --> 00:20:35.000
 It's a very peculiar fear

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:36.839
 because, gosh,

00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:38.460
 if there's one thing about our age

00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:40.460
 we live in an un...

00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:44.900
 We live in a hyperjudgmental age.

00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:50.160
 You say the wrong word in a tweet

00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:52.039
 and the internet explodes.

00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:55.460
 You say...

00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:57.900
 There's one fellow that I watch on YouTube

00:20:57.900 --> 00:20:59.460
 called John Campbell.

00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:01.180
 It's a very interesting source

00:21:01.180 --> 00:21:03.819
 of sort of just main actual data

00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:05.480
 on COVID and other types of issues.

00:21:05.600 --> 00:21:07.019
 He's had a couple of warnings

00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:10.259
 and it's just a little aside that he made

00:21:10.259 --> 00:21:12.440
 that brought the censors down on him

00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:15.379
 and now it's almost painful to watch him

00:21:15.379 --> 00:21:17.980
 because he's worried about saying one wrong word

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:19.160
 that will cancel him.

00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:21.299
 And it's a very puzzling thing

00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:22.200
 that we live in an age

00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:24.579
 where people feel completely and utterly free

00:21:24.579 --> 00:21:25.519
 to judge others

00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:27.160
 and condemn them to cancellation

00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:28.680
 and destruction,

00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:32.019
 but don't like a God that might judge them.

00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:35.160
 In fact, it's actually usually a feature

00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:36.400
 of being judgmental.

00:21:38.560 --> 00:21:39.160
 Ourselves.

00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.840
 That we don't like the idea

00:21:40.840 --> 00:21:42.700
 of someone else,

00:21:43.080 --> 00:21:44.900
 especially God, judging us.

00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:49.880
 And except as we'll see,

00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:52.840
 Jesus giving this parable

00:21:52.840 --> 00:21:56.600
 of God's judgment

00:21:56.600 --> 00:21:58.820
 on the Jewish people.

00:21:58.920 --> 00:21:59.980
 This is not a text

00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:02.480
 about God replacing the Jewish people.

00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:05.740
 It is a text about the fact

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:07.580
 that the temple and the priesthood

00:22:07.580 --> 00:22:09.100
 will come to an end.

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:11.460
 And in fact, it does come to an end.

00:22:11.580 --> 00:22:13.120
 In the year 70, it's come to an end.

00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:14.139
 It's never been returned.

00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.379
 God's not finished with the Jewish people.

00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:20.000
 But the temple

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:22.359
 and that phase

00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:23.839
 has come to an end.

00:22:24.939 --> 00:22:26.899
 But I'm getting a little bit ahead.

00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:29.679
 You'd expect maybe to see,

00:22:30.059 --> 00:22:31.000
 just look,

00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:33.279
 remember I said how Mark

00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:34.119
 sort of tells things

00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:35.859
 by using the story to unfold it?

00:22:35.879 --> 00:22:37.399
 Look what happens in verse 15.

00:22:37.899 --> 00:22:39.539
 It's page 70 if you're using this.

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:42.599
 And they came to Jerusalem

00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:45.539
 so that he says this to the fig tree

00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:46.299
 and then they walk away.

00:22:46.379 --> 00:22:47.339
 The fig tree is just there,

00:22:47.419 --> 00:22:48.539
 has all the leaves and everything.

00:22:48.939 --> 00:22:50.099
 And they came to Jerusalem

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:51.279
 and he entered the temple

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.439
 and began to drive out

00:22:52.439 --> 00:22:53.619
 those who sold

00:22:53.619 --> 00:22:55.299
 and those who bought in the temple.

00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:57.299
 And he overturned the tables

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.319
 of the money changers

00:22:58.319 --> 00:22:59.480
 and the seats of those

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.379
 who sold pigeons.

00:23:01.219 --> 00:23:02.679
 And he would not allow anyone

00:23:02.679 --> 00:23:04.500
 to carry anything through the temple.

00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:06.400
 And he was teaching them

00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:07.299
 and saying to them,

00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:09.079
 Is it not written,

00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:10.859
 My house shall be called

00:23:10.859 --> 00:23:11.779
 a house of prayer

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:12.880
 for all the nations?

00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:14.859
 But you have made it

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:16.279
 a den of robbers.

00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.200
 And the chief priests

00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:19.339
 and the scribes heard it

00:23:19.339 --> 00:23:20.359
 and were seeking a way

00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:21.339
 to destroy him

00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:22.319
 for they feared him

00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.819
 because all the crowd

00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:25.339
 was astonished at his teaching.

00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:27.059
 And when evening came,

00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.200
 they went into the city,

00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:28.980
 out of the city.

00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.500
 Now, this is not

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:32.039
 an anti-capitalist text.

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:33.120
 It's not that Jesus

00:23:33.120 --> 00:23:34.640
 has something against markets.

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:36.740
 It's not that he has something

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:37.920
 against selling pigeons.

00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:39.940
 It's not like that at all.

00:23:41.059 --> 00:23:42.240
 If you ever have a chance

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:43.099
 to go to Jerusalem,

00:23:44.019 --> 00:23:45.259
 it's very interesting.

00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:46.059
 One of the things

00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:47.620
 I really recommend you do

00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:48.960
 is you go into a church

00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.019
 like Christ Church

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:52.220
 in the old city of Jerusalem.

00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:54.380
 And it's a very,

00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:55.779
 very interesting place.

00:23:56.680 --> 00:23:57.500
 Not only is it

00:23:57.500 --> 00:23:59.380
 the very first Protestant,

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:01.180
 in fact, evangelical church

00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:02.640
 that was ever set

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.640
 in the Holy Land

00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:04.839
 in Jerusalem.

00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:06.559
 But it has sort of

00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:07.579
 like a bit of a,

00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:08.700
 like a lot of places there.

00:24:08.779 --> 00:24:09.839
 There's a wall around it

00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.160
 and everything.

00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.400
 There's a variety of buildings.

00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.599
 It's a bit of a complex.

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:14.200
 And you're going through

00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:15.319
 the old city of Jerusalem,

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.920
 which is filled with tourists

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:17.960
 and pilgrims.

00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:20.480
 And it's noisy.

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:22.980
 And it's, if you like crowds

00:24:22.980 --> 00:24:24.539
 and you like excitement,

00:24:24.539 --> 00:24:25.480
 it's like a very,

00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:27.399
 it's just really amazing.

00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:28.519
 The old buildings,

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.379
 the stores,

00:24:29.659 --> 00:24:30.960
 the smell of the food,

00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:32.500
 which is delicious.

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:35.500
 And you pass through this gate

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.460
 into a courtyard.

00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:39.599
 And then you pass through

00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:40.339
 some other place

00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:41.159
 and then you finally get

00:24:41.159 --> 00:24:42.059
 into the church.

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.659
 And if you go into the church,

00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:45.279
 the church building

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.259
 is like what you would

00:24:46.259 --> 00:24:47.119
 expect it to be.

00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:49.279
 It's very still and quiet.

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.480
 It's very simple.

00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:53.039
 Very simple with a lot

00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:54.379
 of Jewish symbolism in it,

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:54.859
 obviously,

00:24:55.059 --> 00:24:56.399
 because it's a Christian,

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:58.599
 but using Old Testament symbolism.

00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:00.399
 And it's very quiet and still.

00:25:01.879 --> 00:25:03.240
 And you can just tell

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:04.039
 when you're in there

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:05.099
 that this is a place

00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:06.319
 that people have prayed in.

00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:07.000
 You know,

00:25:07.079 --> 00:25:07.799
 many of you have gone

00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:08.339
 into old places.

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:09.940
 You can have this powerful sense.

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:11.740
 This is a place where people

00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:12.460
 have come to pray

00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:13.700
 for more than a century.

00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:17.600
 The difference between there

00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:21.059
 and a two-minute walk out

00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:23.319
 is the difference between,

00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:24.680
 as the English used to say,

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.680
 chalk and cheese.

00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:28.380
 It's a huge difference.

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:31.640
 And so here we have

00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:32.900
 a temple compound.

00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:36.279
 And it'd be no problem

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:37.720
 if those places were all out,

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:39.000
 people selling all that stuff

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:39.600
 were outside.

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:40.160
 But in fact,

00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:41.580
 not only were they not outside,

00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:42.620
 but right inside.

00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:44.179
 So there is no sense

00:25:44.179 --> 00:25:45.339
 of prayer there

00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:48.159
 with the bartering

00:25:48.159 --> 00:25:49.199
 and the haggling

00:25:49.199 --> 00:25:50.759
 and the complaints

00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:51.719
 and the yelling

00:25:51.719 --> 00:25:52.679
 and the screaming

00:25:52.679 --> 00:25:54.299
 and the baying of animals.

00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:57.500
 It's as if the busy street,

00:25:57.659 --> 00:25:58.159
 it's as if...

00:25:58.159 --> 00:25:59.159
 Actually, one other thing,

00:25:59.239 --> 00:26:00.059
 if you really want to...

00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:01.319
 An even bigger contrast,

00:26:01.439 --> 00:26:02.339
 if you go to Jerusalem,

00:26:02.919 --> 00:26:03.719
 to go to Christchurch,

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.419
 but before that,

00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:05.559
 go to the Old Market,

00:26:06.679 --> 00:26:07.759
 which is just...

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.519
 You crowd it.

00:26:09.219 --> 00:26:10.379
 Everybody's pushing you.

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:11.479
 It's noisy.

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:13.039
 It's really just...

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.420
 It's quite an experience.

00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:15.420
 It's overwhelming

00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:16.339
 if you're not...

00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:17.160
 If you're from somewhere

00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:17.860
 like Ottawa,

00:26:18.120 --> 00:26:19.259
 and it's overwhelming

00:26:19.259 --> 00:26:20.420
 to be in this crowded

00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:21.559
 outdoor market.

00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:24.500
 But that outdoor market,

00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.400
 right in the temple,

00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:26.920
 how is that a place of prayer?

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:28.539
 And it's taking over

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:29.799
 the place of the courtyard

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:30.660
 of the Gentiles,

00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:31.759
 the courtyard which is

00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:33.240
 specifically for pagans

00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:34.279
 to come to pray

00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:35.220
 to the God of Israel,

00:26:36.120 --> 00:26:37.299
 which is what God had wanted

00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:38.279
 in Genesis 12,

00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:39.460
 and all the way through

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.660
 what our Jewish friends

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.460
 called the Tanakh

00:26:41.460 --> 00:26:42.759
 and we call the Old Testament,

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:43.879
 is that God wanted

00:26:43.879 --> 00:26:45.940
 the nations to come to Him.

00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:49.180
 You know, read Psalm 67.

00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:50.099
 What...

00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:51.220
 Steve, in a couple of weeks,

00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:52.440
 is going to preach

00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.420
 and challenge us

00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:54.319
 to have a sense

00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:55.539
 of the worldwide nature

00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.059
 of the church

00:26:56.059 --> 00:26:57.420
 and the missionary expansion.

00:26:58.160 --> 00:26:59.539
 And Psalm 67,

00:26:59.740 --> 00:26:59.980
 you know,

00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:01.700
 why is it that we should pray

00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.480
 that the gospel

00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:03.839
 goes to the ends of the earth?

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.339
 Because God wants

00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:06.899
 more people to praise Him.

00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:10.139
 He wants more people

00:27:10.139 --> 00:27:11.079
 to praise Him.

00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:13.579
 That's Psalm 67.

00:27:14.119 --> 00:27:15.180
 And they're stopping it.

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:17.319
 And He drives them all out.

00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:19.139
 My house shall be called

00:27:19.139 --> 00:27:19.899
 a house of prayer

00:27:19.899 --> 00:27:20.720
 for all nations.

00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:22.039
 It's not what I wanted.

00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:24.220
 You've just made it a place

00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:26.200
 where there's crooked

00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:28.200
 and non-crooked business people.

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:30.559
 And there's no prayer at all.

00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:36.119
 Now the miracle of destruction.

00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:38.359
 I have a couple of different people

00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:39.179
 who when they see me

00:27:39.179 --> 00:27:40.339
 working on my sermon now,

00:27:40.399 --> 00:27:40.859
 they ask me

00:27:40.859 --> 00:27:41.759
 what I'm going to preach on

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.319
 on Sunday.

00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:44.359
 And I said to one of them,

00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:44.859
 I said,

00:27:44.899 --> 00:27:46.779
 oh, I have the most popular topic

00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:47.759
 in Canada.

00:27:48.479 --> 00:27:49.479
 I'm going to talk about

00:27:49.479 --> 00:27:50.559
 the destruction.

00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:51.500
 I'm going to talk about

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.659
 the judgment of God.

00:27:54.459 --> 00:27:55.139
 And I said,

00:27:55.199 --> 00:27:55.339
 you know,

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:56.319
 that's just one of those topics.

00:27:56.459 --> 00:27:57.819
 If I was to advertise that,

00:27:57.859 --> 00:27:59.199
 it would just bring in the crowds

00:27:59.199 --> 00:28:00.299
 because everybody wants

00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:01.079
 to hear about it.

00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:01.719
 And he laughed.

00:28:01.979 --> 00:28:02.959
 He's not a Christian.

00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:03.500
 He laughed.

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.179
 Look what happened.

00:28:05.180 --> 00:28:05.759
 Verse 20.

00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:08.160
 As they passed by in the morning,

00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:09.860
 they saw the fig tree

00:28:09.860 --> 00:28:11.960
 withered away to its roots.

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.060
 And Peter remembered

00:28:14.060 --> 00:28:14.779
 and said to him,

00:28:14.820 --> 00:28:15.039
 Rabbi,

00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:15.620
 look,

00:28:15.940 --> 00:28:17.240
 the fig tree that you cursed

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:17.860
 has withered.

00:28:19.019 --> 00:28:20.340
 Now just sort of pause here.

00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:21.920
 There's a very funny thing

00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:22.620
 which is happening.

00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:23.799
 But the first thing is this.

00:28:23.820 --> 00:28:24.620
 This has caused

00:28:24.620 --> 00:28:26.299
 lots of people trouble.

00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:28.960
 Now,

00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:31.320
 it shouldn't cause trouble.

00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.340
 If we're going to see in a moment,

00:28:33.339 --> 00:28:35.039
 it is in fact an enacted,

00:28:35.339 --> 00:28:37.559
 it's the only miracle

00:28:37.559 --> 00:28:38.439
 of destruction

00:28:38.439 --> 00:28:39.679
 in the Gospels.

00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:41.699
 Not the only miracle

00:28:41.699 --> 00:28:42.299
 of destruction

00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:43.099
 in the New Testament,

00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:44.099
 but it's the only one

00:28:44.099 --> 00:28:44.659
 in the Gospel.

00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:46.779
 And on one hand,

00:28:46.839 --> 00:28:47.939
 it's a solemn warning

00:28:47.939 --> 00:28:52.699
 that every single human being

00:28:52.699 --> 00:28:53.480
 will one day appear

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.919
 before the judgment seat of God.

00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.819
 We don't get a pass

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.720
 because we're cute

00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:00.799
 or because we're Canadian

00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:02.240
 or because we're a victim.

00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:07.519
 And the other thing about it

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:09.399
 in terms of the death of fig tree,

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:10.940
 it's just one of those weird things.

00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:11.440
 It's like,

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:12.519
 okay, really?

00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:13.379
 You have a problem with that?

00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:14.440
 Like you've never once

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:16.019
 had a cut flower in your house?

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.599
 You do realize that

00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:18.519
 cutting the flower

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.500
 kills the flower?

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:21.480
 Or like,

00:29:22.660 --> 00:29:22.940
 like,

00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:24.559
 you know,

00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:26.279
 we don't think about stuff like that.

00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:26.980
 You know,

00:29:27.059 --> 00:29:28.660
 those little fall decorations,

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:30.099
 like trees had to die

00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:31.200
 for that to happen, right?

00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:32.880
 You do realize that.

00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:34.859
 Like it's a false problem.

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:36.980
 It's being overly sensitive

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.339
 about what doesn't matter.

00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.000
 But now you would expect

00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.259
 that Jesus is going to say

00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:42.000
 more about it.

00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:43.420
 But Jesus goes

00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:44.740
 in a very different direction,

00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:46.079
 but it's an important direction

00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:47.140
 for us to understand

00:29:47.140 --> 00:29:48.140
 because he's going to go

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:48.860
 in the direction of

00:29:48.860 --> 00:29:49.560
 what does it mean

00:29:49.560 --> 00:29:50.320
 to have fruit?

00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:52.040
 And how do we have fruit?

00:29:55.060 --> 00:29:55.820
 You see,

00:29:56.520 --> 00:29:59.600
 Jesus is going to call us

00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:01.840
 not to have a Facebook life

00:30:01.840 --> 00:30:03.820
 or an Instagram life

00:30:03.820 --> 00:30:06.180
 or a TikTok life,

00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:08.100
 but a real life.

00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:11.680
 Not all about appearances,

00:30:12.840 --> 00:30:13.960
 not about the fact

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:15.660
 that shortly after

00:30:15.660 --> 00:30:16.960
 this picture was taken,

00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:18.840
 you and your girlfriend

00:30:18.840 --> 00:30:20.160
 had an unbelievably

00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:21.600
 terrible fight

00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.320
 where you said

00:30:22.320 --> 00:30:23.300
 horrible things

00:30:23.300 --> 00:30:23.880
 to each other

00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:24.740
 and you didn't speak

00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:25.940
 to each other for a month.

00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:28.960
 But the world doesn't see that.

00:30:29.040 --> 00:30:29.820
 They just see that

00:30:29.820 --> 00:30:31.120
 cool place you went to eat

00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:33.780
 and the cool food you have, right?

00:30:33.840 --> 00:30:34.620
 That's the Instagram,

00:30:34.840 --> 00:30:35.620
 Facebook life.

00:30:36.540 --> 00:30:37.420
 All appearances.

00:30:38.340 --> 00:30:39.220
 Jesus says,

00:30:39.520 --> 00:30:40.220
 there's nothing wrong

00:30:40.220 --> 00:30:40.980
 with appearances.

00:30:42.780 --> 00:30:43.040
 You know,

00:30:43.840 --> 00:30:44.300
 George,

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:46.180
 you should wash your face

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:47.039
 before you come

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:48.059
 and try to comb your hair

00:30:48.059 --> 00:30:49.059
 before you come to church.

00:30:49.159 --> 00:30:49.659
 There's nothing wrong

00:30:49.659 --> 00:30:50.319
 with appearances.

00:30:51.319 --> 00:30:52.440
 But if all you have

00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:53.159
 is appearances,

00:30:53.399 --> 00:30:53.980
 that's like,

00:30:54.119 --> 00:30:54.500
 in a sense,

00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.399
 even in our culture,

00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:56.700
 we understand that

00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:58.180
 we don't,

00:30:58.299 --> 00:30:58.440
 like,

00:30:58.500 --> 00:30:59.079
 if you were to say

00:30:59.079 --> 00:30:59.980
 that any Canadian,

00:31:00.159 --> 00:31:00.700
 you're shallow,

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:02.039
 they would be deeply wounded.

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:02.680
 It wouldn't matter

00:31:02.680 --> 00:31:03.779
 whether who they vote for,

00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:04.980
 they would be deeply wounded.

00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:06.159
 We all,

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:07.379
 whether or not we're shallow,

00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.359
 we actually don't want

00:31:08.359 --> 00:31:08.879
 to be shallow.

00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.000
 We want to have some depth.

00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:11.700
 And Jesus says,

00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:13.079
 we've seen the fig tree

00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:15.460
 and all it has is leaves

00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:16.380
 but no fruit.

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:17.960
 And now,

00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:19.000
 I'm going to talk to you

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:19.680
 very briefly

00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:21.119
 and it's a whole other

00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:22.680
 series of sermons

00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.339
 that could be done

00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:24.500
 and I'll just try to pick up

00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:25.599
 the highlights.

00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:27.200
 Is what,

00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:28.299
 how do you,

00:31:28.420 --> 00:31:29.460
 how do you be real?

00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:32.339
 What's reality?

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:34.200
 The very first thing

00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:34.779
 he says

00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.380
 is

00:31:35.380 --> 00:31:36.740
 verse

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:38.160
 22.

00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:40.279
 and Jesus answered them

00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:41.380
 and he gives a command,

00:31:41.820 --> 00:31:42.580
 have faith

00:31:42.580 --> 00:31:44.460
 in the triune God.

00:31:45.540 --> 00:31:46.420
 Have faith

00:31:46.420 --> 00:31:47.779
 in the triune God.

00:31:48.060 --> 00:31:49.180
 That's where it begins.

00:31:50.600 --> 00:31:50.860
 Now,

00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:53.560
 faith

00:31:53.560 --> 00:31:55.160
 is one of those words

00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:56.300
 that we have trouble with.

00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:57.620
 I have to take a moment

00:31:57.620 --> 00:31:58.560
 to try to help you,

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.320
 help us all

00:31:59.320 --> 00:32:00.160
 to understand it.

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.120
 For many of us,

00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:02.800
 faith is an emotion.

00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:06.140
 We feel

00:32:06.140 --> 00:32:07.620
 like we have faith.

00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:10.279
 but emotion

00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:10.900
 is empty.

00:32:12.180 --> 00:32:12.540
 Emotion

00:32:12.540 --> 00:32:13.580
 is just appearances.

00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:16.779
 And,

00:32:16.860 --> 00:32:17.779
 and for others

00:32:17.779 --> 00:32:18.500
 of us,

00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:19.900
 faith is like a power.

00:32:21.240 --> 00:32:21.759
 I,

00:32:21.820 --> 00:32:23.040
 I talked to several people

00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:23.779
 who watched

00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:24.200
 power,

00:32:24.340 --> 00:32:25.640
 positive thinking stuff

00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:25.920
 and,

00:32:25.980 --> 00:32:26.220
 and,

00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:27.779
 and having better control

00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:28.400
 of your life

00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:28.560
 and,

00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:29.180
 and,

00:32:29.180 --> 00:32:29.900
 and it's talked,

00:32:30.040 --> 00:32:31.720
 faith will often be talked about

00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:32.680
 in those types of things

00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:33.540
 and believing it

00:32:33.540 --> 00:32:34.680
 as a type of power,

00:32:34.860 --> 00:32:35.440
 something that

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.240
 allows you

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:37.540
 to accomplish things.

00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:39.240
 But that's not what

00:32:39.240 --> 00:32:40.220
 the Bible here

00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:40.960
 is talking about

00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:42.059
 in terms of faith.

00:32:43.099 --> 00:32:44.399
 Faith is not,

00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:46.039
 it's an odd

00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:47.139
 type of power.

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.599
 You see,

00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.779
 when you talk about faith

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.539
 as like a power

00:32:51.539 --> 00:32:52.480
 to accomplish things,

00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:53.720
 they're talking about faith

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.839
 as if it's like a muscle.

00:32:56.420 --> 00:32:56.859
 And,

00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:57.920
 you know,

00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:58.799
 you want to get

00:32:58.799 --> 00:32:59.659
 really strong,

00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.480
 so you take up

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:01.319
 the three classic

00:33:01.319 --> 00:33:02.659
 deadlifting exercises,

00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:02.940
 exercises,

00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:03.640
 squats,

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.460
 deadlifts,

00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:04.700
 and,

00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:05.680
 and bench press.

00:33:06.300 --> 00:33:06.680
 And,

00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:07.420
 and you,

00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:08.480
 you eat the right way

00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:09.680
 to get your muscles bigger

00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:10.620
 and you get a coach

00:33:10.620 --> 00:33:10.940
 and you,

00:33:11.080 --> 00:33:11.519
 you,

00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:12.800
 you work on all three

00:33:12.800 --> 00:33:13.860
 of these different things

00:33:13.860 --> 00:33:14.060
 and,

00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:15.220
 and your muscles get bigger

00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:16.019
 and bigger and bigger

00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:16.920
 and you can lift more

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.880
 and more and more things.

00:33:18.040 --> 00:33:18.080
 And,

00:33:18.620 --> 00:33:19.600
 and for many people

00:33:19.600 --> 00:33:20.100
 in our culture,

00:33:20.100 --> 00:33:21.259
 we either think of faith

00:33:21.259 --> 00:33:22.400
 as something like muscles

00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:24.300
 or something like an emotion,

00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:25.100
 but it's neither.

00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:26.080
 In fact,

00:33:26.120 --> 00:33:26.960
 if I could come up

00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:28.900
 to the simplest analogy

00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:29.860
 for what faith is,

00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:30.899
 it's like listening.

00:33:35.379 --> 00:33:37.159
 It's like listening.

00:33:38.959 --> 00:33:40.240
 It's receptive.

00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:44.819
 I could,

00:33:45.099 --> 00:33:47.379
 I could go to a dinner party

00:33:47.379 --> 00:33:48.579
 and I could be all ready

00:33:48.579 --> 00:33:49.299
 to listen,

00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:51.059
 but that doesn't make

00:33:51.059 --> 00:33:52.099
 the other person speak.

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:56.299
 And all of us

00:33:56.299 --> 00:33:58.819
 have had the experience

00:33:58.819 --> 00:33:59.659
 of talking to people

00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:00.240
 who don't listen.

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.800
 So there is something there.

00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:03.380
 There's something

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:04.680
 that comes from us,

00:34:04.980 --> 00:34:06.820
 but at the end of the day,

00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:07.620
 the heart of it

00:34:07.620 --> 00:34:08.380
 is reset,

00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.200
 receiving

00:34:09.200 --> 00:34:11.460
 and connecting.

00:34:13.180 --> 00:34:14.940
 And so what he's saying is,

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:16.079
 you need to have

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:18.380
 this receiving of God,

00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:20.539
 this connecting of God,

00:34:21.180 --> 00:34:23.079
 this opening to God,

00:34:23.420 --> 00:34:24.420
 the triune God,

00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.400
 not just any God.

00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:26.740
 And one of the things

00:34:26.740 --> 00:34:27.740
 which is so significant

00:34:27.740 --> 00:34:28.840
 about these whole series

00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.980
 of stories is,

00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:31.120
 you see,

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:32.500
 the fact of the matter is,

00:34:32.600 --> 00:34:33.680
 as you think about listening,

00:34:33.780 --> 00:34:34.579
 there's lots of problems

00:34:34.579 --> 00:34:35.240
 with listening,

00:34:35.660 --> 00:34:36.539
 because one of the things

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.500
 you can do is you can listen

00:34:37.500 --> 00:34:38.440
 to people who lie.

00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:39.860
 You can listen to people

00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:40.960
 who are untrustworthy.

00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:42.500
 You can listen to things

00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:43.740
 which are just illusions,

00:34:44.039 --> 00:34:45.300
 which are delusions.

00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:46.740
 You know,

00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:48.300
 you can listen to all

00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:48.960
 of these things

00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.579
 and you can receive them

00:34:50.579 --> 00:34:51.440
 and take them in.

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.680
 And Jesus,

00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:53.900
 part of the whole point

00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:55.380
 of Jesus' life

00:34:55.380 --> 00:34:56.539
 and coming within

00:34:56.539 --> 00:34:57.840
 after all these centuries

00:34:57.840 --> 00:34:58.700
 of prophecies

00:34:58.700 --> 00:34:59.340
 in his life

00:34:59.340 --> 00:35:00.140
 and his death

00:35:00.140 --> 00:35:00.880
 and his resurrection,

00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:02.160
 that there have been

00:35:02.160 --> 00:35:03.099
 rumors of God,

00:35:03.200 --> 00:35:04.640
 there have been idols of God,

00:35:04.740 --> 00:35:06.039
 there have been false gods,

00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:07.099
 and Jesus reveals

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:08.059
 the true God

00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:09.539
 because we need to listen

00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:11.920
 and receive the truth.

00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:14.680
 And what did Mark

00:35:14.680 --> 00:35:16.059
 just do with chapter 11

00:35:16.059 --> 00:35:17.140
 with the triumphal entry

00:35:17.140 --> 00:35:17.940
 is that everybody

00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:18.840
 and their dog

00:35:18.840 --> 00:35:20.019
 now knows that Jesus

00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:21.680
 came into the community.

00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:23.199
 And when Jesus dies

00:35:23.199 --> 00:35:23.739
 on the cross,

00:35:23.899 --> 00:35:24.779
 everybody knows

00:35:24.779 --> 00:35:25.859
 that he dies on the cross.

00:35:26.119 --> 00:35:27.899
 And when his disciples

00:35:27.899 --> 00:35:29.739
 say the grave is empty

00:35:29.739 --> 00:35:31.839
 and we have seen him,

00:35:32.279 --> 00:35:33.579
 everybody in Jerusalem

00:35:33.579 --> 00:35:34.739
 can go and look

00:35:34.739 --> 00:35:35.500
 at the tomb

00:35:35.500 --> 00:35:37.119
 and look for the body

00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:37.899
 and the body

00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:39.059
 is never found.

00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:42.819
 Receive, listen,

00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:44.139
 connect to that

00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:44.859
 which is true,

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:46.179
 the true and living God,

00:35:46.279 --> 00:35:47.279
 the triune God.

00:35:48.239 --> 00:35:49.460
 And from that

00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:50.399
 flows other things.

00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:51.379
 What flows?

00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:54.419
 What flows?

00:35:56.460 --> 00:35:57.799
 What type of fruit

00:35:57.799 --> 00:35:58.799
 is going to come

00:35:58.799 --> 00:36:01.399
 from being connected

00:36:01.399 --> 00:36:02.960
 to the triune God,

00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:04.099
 to opening yourself

00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:05.079
 to the triune God

00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:05.879
 and receiving

00:36:05.879 --> 00:36:07.219
 the triune God?

00:36:08.739 --> 00:36:09.940
 Well, the first thing

00:36:09.940 --> 00:36:10.960
 is going to be prayer.

00:36:12.679 --> 00:36:14.000
 Look at what he says

00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:16.299
 in verses 23 and following.

00:36:17.179 --> 00:36:17.619
 Truly,

00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:18.719
 if those of you

00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:19.199
 who are familiar

00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:20.039
 with the old

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.940
 King James Version,

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:21.760
 that would be translated

00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:22.500
 is verily.

00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:24.480
 And it means amen.

00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:26.340
 Like this is a solemn,

00:36:27.099 --> 00:36:27.800
 true statement.

00:36:27.960 --> 00:36:28.619
 I say to you,

00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:29.280
 whoever says

00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.139
 to this mountain,

00:36:31.059 --> 00:36:31.940
 be taken up

00:36:31.940 --> 00:36:32.820
 and thrown into the sea

00:36:32.820 --> 00:36:33.700
 and does not doubt

00:36:33.700 --> 00:36:34.280
 in his heart

00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:35.059
 but believes

00:36:35.059 --> 00:36:36.099
 that what he says

00:36:36.099 --> 00:36:37.059
 will come to pass,

00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:38.220
 it will be done for him.

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:39.380
 Therefore,

00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:40.019
 I tell you,

00:36:40.059 --> 00:36:40.840
 whatever you ask

00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:41.340
 in prayer,

00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:42.240
 believe that you have

00:36:42.240 --> 00:36:42.840
 received it

00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:43.880
 and it will be yours.

00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:45.579
 Now, as I said,

00:36:45.619 --> 00:36:47.160
 you could do a whole book

00:36:47.160 --> 00:36:48.260
 trying to unpack that

00:36:48.260 --> 00:36:49.320
 just very, very briefly.

00:36:49.740 --> 00:36:50.680
 I'm already sort of

00:36:50.680 --> 00:36:51.340
 come up to the end

00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:51.860
 of my time

00:36:51.860 --> 00:36:53.059
 but I need to just say

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.760
 a couple of things

00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:54.500
 here about this.

00:36:55.300 --> 00:36:56.200
 A couple of things.

00:36:56.280 --> 00:36:56.820
 First of all,

00:36:56.920 --> 00:36:58.519
 is that when you've put

00:36:58.519 --> 00:36:59.500
 your faith and trust

00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:00.200
 and as you're putting

00:37:00.200 --> 00:37:01.140
 your faith and trust

00:37:01.140 --> 00:37:02.079
 in the triune God,

00:37:02.160 --> 00:37:02.460
 one of the things

00:37:02.460 --> 00:37:03.160
 he'll tell you to do

00:37:03.160 --> 00:37:03.960
 is to pray big.

00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:08.320
 You know what?

00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:10.440
 We should be praying

00:37:10.440 --> 00:37:12.019
 for the end

00:37:12.019 --> 00:37:14.260
 of certain systemic evils

00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:15.199
 in Canada

00:37:15.199 --> 00:37:18.619
 and the devil will tell you,

00:37:18.720 --> 00:37:20.260
 you can't pray against that.

00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:21.260
 Good grief, George.

00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:22.240
 The Supreme Court

00:37:22.240 --> 00:37:23.340
 says it's a right.

00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:25.559
 Apple likes it.

00:37:25.860 --> 00:37:27.380
 Microsoft likes it.

00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:29.059
 Amazon likes it.

00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:30.519
 Hollywood likes it.

00:37:30.599 --> 00:37:32.400
 The universities all like it.

00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:34.039
 Pray anyway.

00:37:36.820 --> 00:37:37.780
 Pray for a day.

00:37:37.960 --> 00:37:38.559
 Pray for a week.

00:37:38.720 --> 00:37:39.240
 Pray for a month.

00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:40.059
 Pray for decades.

00:37:41.760 --> 00:37:42.500
 And in heaven,

00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:43.119
 we'll find out

00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:43.800
 that one of the reasons

00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:44.960
 some of those great evils

00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:45.579
 have passed

00:37:45.579 --> 00:37:46.860
 like the evil of slavery

00:37:46.860 --> 00:37:48.039
 was that because

00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:50.079
 insignificant people

00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:50.820
 like you and me

00:37:50.820 --> 00:37:52.380
 have prayed for decades.

00:37:54.760 --> 00:37:55.579
 The second thing

00:37:55.579 --> 00:37:56.539
 about this prayer thing

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.160
 is remember

00:37:57.160 --> 00:37:58.820
 what I said about

00:37:58.820 --> 00:37:59.780
 that whole thing

00:37:59.780 --> 00:38:00.380
 in the beginning

00:38:00.380 --> 00:38:02.360
 about you could explain

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.680
 the donkey

00:38:03.680 --> 00:38:05.300
 in naturalistic ways.

00:38:06.519 --> 00:38:07.559
 I think one of the things

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.340
 that God is going to do

00:38:08.340 --> 00:38:09.099
 for us in heaven

00:38:09.099 --> 00:38:10.940
 is play nights

00:38:10.940 --> 00:38:12.500
 where we'll have

00:38:12.500 --> 00:38:13.200
 other movie nights.

00:38:13.340 --> 00:38:13.880
 I think I shared

00:38:13.880 --> 00:38:14.559
 about movie nights

00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:15.900
 for George's dumb things

00:38:15.900 --> 00:38:16.579
 he prayed for

00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:17.360
 and then, you know,

00:38:17.400 --> 00:38:17.960
 after there's been

00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:18.780
 a season in heaven,

00:38:18.780 --> 00:38:19.220
 there'll be

00:38:19.220 --> 00:38:21.480
 things which George

00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:22.980
 sort of felt grumpy

00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:23.920
 with me about.

00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:25.120
 This is how God will happen.

00:38:25.460 --> 00:38:26.400
 Things that George

00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:27.800
 was grumpy with me about

00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:28.840
 for not answering.

00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:31.120
 And they'll show me

00:38:31.120 --> 00:38:32.100
 praying for something

00:38:32.100 --> 00:38:33.000
 and then me sort of

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:33.840
 being upset that God

00:38:33.840 --> 00:38:34.519
 doesn't answer it

00:38:34.519 --> 00:38:35.140
 because I had to,

00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:35.400
 you know,

00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.059
 five years later

00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:36.700
 or ten years later

00:38:36.700 --> 00:38:37.320
 or twenty years later

00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:37.800
 it happened.

00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:39.380
 And I'd completely

00:38:39.380 --> 00:38:40.160
 forgotten that I prayed

00:38:40.160 --> 00:38:40.440
 about it.

00:38:40.460 --> 00:38:41.460
 I was grumpy in the moment

00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:42.640
 I just forgot about it.

00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:44.500
 And it could be

00:38:44.500 --> 00:38:45.820
 that it's a miraculous thing,

00:38:45.900 --> 00:38:46.300
 pray big,

00:38:46.360 --> 00:38:47.260
 but it could be that,

00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:47.539
 you know,

00:38:47.640 --> 00:38:48.140
 so to speak,

00:38:48.180 --> 00:38:48.840
 there's a bomb

00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:49.840
 that knocks that part

00:38:49.840 --> 00:38:50.220
 of the mountain

00:38:50.220 --> 00:38:51.019
 off into the sea.

00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:52.780
 And George doesn't

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.940
 remember that George

00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:54.860
 was praying for that.

00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:55.760
 Or it could be,

00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:56.620
 and this is another

00:38:56.620 --> 00:38:57.320
 part of prayer,

00:38:57.760 --> 00:38:58.980
 is that God says,

00:38:59.100 --> 00:38:59.280
 yes,

00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:00.580
 I want that mountain

00:39:00.580 --> 00:39:01.720
 taken down

00:39:01.720 --> 00:39:02.780
 and thrown into the sea

00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:03.620
 because I want,

00:39:03.680 --> 00:39:03.860
 you know,

00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:04.480
 this church

00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.060
 or this ministry

00:39:05.060 --> 00:39:05.880
 to the poor there.

00:39:06.320 --> 00:39:06.600
 So,

00:39:06.760 --> 00:39:07.260
 George,

00:39:07.320 --> 00:39:07.880
 I'm going to answer

00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:08.360
 your prayers.

00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:08.820
 George,

00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:10.580
 roll up your sleeves.

00:39:11.920 --> 00:39:12.880
 Get to work.

00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:14.860
 Get to work.

00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:15.860
 We're going to answer

00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:16.280
 that prayer.

00:39:16.380 --> 00:39:17.000
 Get to work.

00:39:17.780 --> 00:39:19.120
 Get the shovels.

00:39:19.620 --> 00:39:20.620
 Raise the funds.

00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:22.740
 Get the architect's plans.

00:39:23.740 --> 00:39:24.580
 Let's get it done.

00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:28.520
 But the main thing

00:39:28.520 --> 00:39:29.460
 is that it comes

00:39:29.460 --> 00:39:30.280
 out of our prayer.

00:39:30.560 --> 00:39:31.440
 And then this final thing,

00:39:31.540 --> 00:39:32.380
 just really final,

00:39:32.520 --> 00:39:33.340
 look at this next

00:39:33.340 --> 00:39:33.920
 particular,

00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:34.960
 and the other thing

00:39:34.960 --> 00:39:35.500
 about doubt,

00:39:35.920 --> 00:39:36.100
 sorry,

00:39:36.260 --> 00:39:36.960
 you just think about

00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.960
 the analogy of listening

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:38.560
 for a second.

00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:41.720
 One of the things

00:39:41.720 --> 00:39:43.340
 I do when I go out

00:39:43.340 --> 00:39:43.940
 with my wife

00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:44.880
 is I try to sit

00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:45.840
 with my back

00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:47.360
 to the television

00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:50.160
 because it's hard

00:39:50.160 --> 00:39:51.480
 to listen to your wife

00:39:51.480 --> 00:39:52.680
 and watch the television

00:39:52.680 --> 00:39:53.620
 at the same time.

00:39:53.619 --> 00:39:55.759
 If this was a different

00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:56.460
 type of church,

00:39:56.579 --> 00:39:56.859
 there'd be,

00:39:57.000 --> 00:39:57.420
 I'd say,

00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:58.400
 do I have an amen?

00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:02.299
 And all the women

00:40:02.299 --> 00:40:03.079
 would say amen

00:40:03.079 --> 00:40:03.539
 and the men

00:40:03.539 --> 00:40:04.400
 would look sheepish

00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:06.619
 because it's hard

00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:07.859
 to listen to two things

00:40:07.859 --> 00:40:08.559
 at the same time.

00:40:08.639 --> 00:40:09.380
 And doubt just means

00:40:09.380 --> 00:40:10.380
 being in two minds.

00:40:10.980 --> 00:40:11.659
 And the same thing

00:40:11.659 --> 00:40:12.579
 about believe in your heart,

00:40:12.619 --> 00:40:13.639
 it means commit to it.

00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:14.679
 It means if I'm going

00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:15.619
 to listen to you,

00:40:15.719 --> 00:40:17.239
 I commit to listening to you.

00:40:17.339 --> 00:40:18.099
 And I'm not listening

00:40:18.099 --> 00:40:18.819
 to three things.

00:40:18.940 --> 00:40:19.519
 I'm not listening

00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:20.179
 to the radio

00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:21.559
 and watching the TV

00:40:21.559 --> 00:40:22.159
 and listening to it

00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:22.519
 at the same time.

00:40:22.619 --> 00:40:23.480
 It doesn't work.

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:24.759
 You're not open to it

00:40:24.759 --> 00:40:25.480
 if that's happening.

00:40:26.359 --> 00:40:27.000
 And just finally,

00:40:27.139 --> 00:40:27.759
 the final thing

00:40:27.759 --> 00:40:28.460
 about forgiveness.

00:40:28.799 --> 00:40:30.659
 Look at verse 25.

00:40:31.159 --> 00:40:34.599
 And whenever you stand praying,

00:40:35.279 --> 00:40:35.500
 forgive.

00:40:36.819 --> 00:40:37.419
 If you have anything

00:40:37.419 --> 00:40:38.219
 against anyone,

00:40:38.879 --> 00:40:40.539
 so that your Father also

00:40:40.539 --> 00:40:41.299
 who is in heaven

00:40:41.299 --> 00:40:42.059
 may forgive you

00:40:42.059 --> 00:40:43.019
 your trespasses.

00:40:44.859 --> 00:40:45.299
 Now,

00:40:45.639 --> 00:40:48.440
 there's a couple of people here

00:40:48.440 --> 00:40:49.199
 who are very good

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:49.779
 with grammar.

00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:51.799
 And one of the problems

00:40:51.799 --> 00:40:52.719
 we have with understanding

00:40:52.719 --> 00:40:53.379
 this text

00:40:53.379 --> 00:40:54.799
 is that we read it

00:40:54.799 --> 00:40:55.719
 as a conditional,

00:40:56.299 --> 00:40:56.599
 sorry,

00:40:57.119 --> 00:40:58.419
 grammar geek moment.

00:40:59.879 --> 00:41:01.239
 In the original language,

00:41:01.379 --> 00:41:02.199
 it's not a conditional

00:41:02.199 --> 00:41:03.379
 but the subjunctive.

00:41:04.359 --> 00:41:05.639
 And it makes all the difference

00:41:05.639 --> 00:41:06.759
 in the world for the text.

00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:07.980
 You see,

00:41:08.059 --> 00:41:09.279
 what this text is saying

00:41:09.279 --> 00:41:09.960
 is that,

00:41:11.339 --> 00:41:12.000
 you know what,

00:41:12.279 --> 00:41:14.219
 faith is being open to God,

00:41:14.480 --> 00:41:15.579
 receptive to God,

00:41:15.779 --> 00:41:16.839
 attentive to God,

00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:17.899
 allowing of God

00:41:17.900 --> 00:41:18.579
 to come in

00:41:18.579 --> 00:41:19.900
 and coming into God,

00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:21.940
 it's that type of receptivity.

00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:24.559
 And when we do that,

00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:25.599
 it changes us.

00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:27.840
 Like when we do that

00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:28.599
 with another person,

00:41:28.660 --> 00:41:29.480
 it changes us.

00:41:30.220 --> 00:41:31.380
 Both of us change.

00:41:32.420 --> 00:41:33.400
 In the case of God,

00:41:33.500 --> 00:41:34.579
 it's not that God changes

00:41:34.579 --> 00:41:35.680
 but that we change.

00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:37.380
 You see,

00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:38.200
 this is pointing

00:41:38.200 --> 00:41:39.400
 to the fact

00:41:39.400 --> 00:41:40.400
 that what's going to happen

00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:41.180
 on the cross,

00:41:41.599 --> 00:41:42.860
 the reason we can have faith

00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.400
 in God

00:41:43.400 --> 00:41:44.619
 is that what we see

00:41:44.619 --> 00:41:45.599
 when Jesus dies

00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:46.360
 on the cross

00:41:46.360 --> 00:41:48.660
 is that God

00:41:48.660 --> 00:41:50.019
 has taken the means

00:41:50.019 --> 00:41:52.220
 so by you and I

00:41:52.220 --> 00:41:53.340
 can be forgiven

00:41:53.340 --> 00:41:55.099
 by God.

00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:57.579
 Because of Christ's death

00:41:57.579 --> 00:41:58.380
 on the cross,

00:41:59.139 --> 00:42:01.320
 when I have faith in that,

00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:02.720
 when I receive it,

00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:04.800
 when I allow it

00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:06.280
 to enter into my life,

00:42:06.460 --> 00:42:08.300
 when I enter into it,

00:42:08.300 --> 00:42:12.039
 one of the things

00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:13.280
 about Jesus' death

00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:13.940
 on the cross

00:42:13.940 --> 00:42:15.039
 is we are seeing

00:42:15.039 --> 00:42:16.039
 that God

00:42:16.039 --> 00:42:17.760
 has forgiven

00:42:17.760 --> 00:42:18.880
 you

00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:20.500
 of everything

00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:22.140
 in Christ.

00:42:25.820 --> 00:42:26.340
 You see,

00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:26.960
 the fact of the matter

00:42:26.960 --> 00:42:27.920
 is that you and I

00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:28.440
 don't need,

00:42:28.620 --> 00:42:30.000
 if you are here

00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:31.000
 or if you're watching

00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:31.720
 and you're troubled

00:42:31.720 --> 00:42:32.519
 by not being able

00:42:32.519 --> 00:42:33.440
 to forgive yourself,

00:42:33.980 --> 00:42:35.160
 what is happening

00:42:35.160 --> 00:42:35.820
 is that God

00:42:35.820 --> 00:42:36.380
 is knocking

00:42:36.380 --> 00:42:36.880
 on the door

00:42:36.880 --> 00:42:37.740
 of your heart

00:42:37.739 --> 00:42:40.259
 and saying to you,

00:42:40.759 --> 00:42:42.079
 you need to accept

00:42:42.079 --> 00:42:42.859
 my son.

00:42:44.079 --> 00:42:45.119
 You are longing

00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:48.279
 to know Jesus

00:42:48.279 --> 00:42:50.179
 without recognizing him.

00:42:51.459 --> 00:42:52.459
 Because we can't

00:42:52.459 --> 00:42:53.259
 forgive ourselves,

00:42:53.379 --> 00:42:54.399
 we can't pay our debt

00:42:54.399 --> 00:42:55.339
 to ourselves,

00:42:56.039 --> 00:42:57.099
 but we have a longing

00:42:57.099 --> 00:42:58.339
 to be forgiven,

00:42:58.839 --> 00:43:00.379
 to be forgiven

00:43:00.379 --> 00:43:01.119
 by God.

00:43:02.239 --> 00:43:02.899
 And when we put

00:43:02.899 --> 00:43:03.759
 our faith and trust

00:43:03.759 --> 00:43:04.239
 in him,

00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:06.739
 we are entering

00:43:06.739 --> 00:43:07.939
 entering into

00:43:07.939 --> 00:43:09.459
 his forgiving us

00:43:09.459 --> 00:43:10.519
 of everything

00:43:10.519 --> 00:43:11.419
 that we have ever

00:43:11.419 --> 00:43:12.579
 done that is wronged.

00:43:14.839 --> 00:43:16.019
 And when we open

00:43:16.019 --> 00:43:16.839
 ourselves to the

00:43:16.839 --> 00:43:17.899
 triune God,

00:43:18.379 --> 00:43:19.639
 he shapes us

00:43:19.639 --> 00:43:20.739
 to be ones

00:43:20.739 --> 00:43:21.419
 who forgive.

00:43:23.599 --> 00:43:25.000
 And all I can say

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:25.259
 to this,

00:43:25.299 --> 00:43:25.819
 I've really gone

00:43:25.819 --> 00:43:26.719
 over my time.

00:43:26.719 --> 00:43:29.500
 if you think

00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:29.980
 of someone

00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:30.959
 who's wronged you

00:43:30.959 --> 00:43:34.699
 and you want

00:43:34.699 --> 00:43:36.199
 to hurt them

00:43:36.199 --> 00:43:38.379
 or you want to,

00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:39.719
 you feel embarrassed,

00:43:40.739 --> 00:43:43.539
 you feel ashamed,

00:43:45.939 --> 00:43:47.339
 you have to fight

00:43:47.339 --> 00:43:48.119
 the temptation

00:43:48.119 --> 00:43:48.739
 and want others

00:43:48.739 --> 00:43:49.699
 to know how bad

00:43:49.699 --> 00:43:50.639
 they really are,

00:43:51.639 --> 00:43:53.099
 then that shows

00:43:53.099 --> 00:43:53.739
 that you have not

00:43:53.739 --> 00:43:54.379
 forgiven them.

00:43:54.380 --> 00:43:58.880
 And sometimes

00:43:58.880 --> 00:43:59.920
 when we pray

00:43:59.920 --> 00:44:01.660
 that we can

00:44:01.660 --> 00:44:02.160
 forgive another

00:44:02.160 --> 00:44:02.599
 person,

00:44:02.720 --> 00:44:03.519
 God does a miracle

00:44:03.519 --> 00:44:04.579
 and it goes away

00:44:04.579 --> 00:44:05.019
 right away.

00:44:06.320 --> 00:44:07.220
 And for others

00:44:07.220 --> 00:44:07.660
 of us,

00:44:07.780 --> 00:44:08.619
 it's a journey

00:44:08.619 --> 00:44:09.500
 of forgiveness

00:44:09.500 --> 00:44:10.519
 that we need

00:44:10.519 --> 00:44:11.039
 to pray

00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:13.059
 day in and day out

00:44:13.059 --> 00:44:13.940
 that we can forgive

00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:14.820
 that other person

00:44:14.820 --> 00:44:16.280
 until we come

00:44:16.280 --> 00:44:17.039
 to that point

00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:17.760
 where we are

00:44:17.760 --> 00:44:18.280
 free

00:44:18.280 --> 00:44:20.140
 of the hurt,

00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:21.260
 that we are

00:44:21.260 --> 00:44:21.840
 absolutely,

00:44:22.180 --> 00:44:23.119
 genuinely free,

00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:24.380
 no longer the desire

00:44:24.380 --> 00:44:25.099
 for vengeance

00:44:25.099 --> 00:44:25.759
 or to hurt

00:44:25.759 --> 00:44:26.440
 the other person

00:44:26.440 --> 00:44:26.920
 or reveal

00:44:26.920 --> 00:44:27.659
 the other person,

00:44:27.659 --> 00:44:28.739
 no longer feeling

00:44:28.739 --> 00:44:29.699
 fight or flight

00:44:29.699 --> 00:44:30.779
 or tower or cower,

00:44:31.239 --> 00:44:32.179
 that we are free.

00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:35.659
 And one of the things

00:44:35.659 --> 00:44:36.619
 our world needs

00:44:36.619 --> 00:44:37.139
 in a world

00:44:37.139 --> 00:44:38.319
 of hyper-judgment,

00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:40.219
 one of the profound

00:44:40.219 --> 00:44:41.279
 fruit that the

00:44:41.279 --> 00:44:42.039
 Christian community

00:44:42.039 --> 00:44:42.679
 can begin

00:44:42.679 --> 00:44:44.119
 to show

00:44:44.119 --> 00:44:44.980
 in our day

00:44:44.980 --> 00:44:45.559
 and age

00:44:45.559 --> 00:44:48.139
 is the truth

00:44:48.139 --> 00:44:49.099
 and the power

00:44:49.099 --> 00:44:50.139
 of forgiveness.

00:44:53.139 --> 00:44:53.719
 I invite you

00:44:53.719 --> 00:44:54.299
 to stand.

00:44:59.899 --> 00:45:00.679
 Bow our heads

00:45:00.679 --> 00:45:01.139
 in prayer.

00:45:06.879 --> 00:45:07.319
 Father,

00:45:07.399 --> 00:45:07.839
 we confess

00:45:07.839 --> 00:45:08.539
 that most of the time

00:45:08.539 --> 00:45:09.099
 we don't even think

00:45:09.099 --> 00:45:10.379
 we have to forgive people.

00:45:10.380 --> 00:45:12.099
 And,

00:45:12.160 --> 00:45:13.240
 Father,

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:15.880
 we think that

00:45:15.880 --> 00:45:16.880
 there's nothing

00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:17.660
 in our lives

00:45:17.660 --> 00:45:18.480
 that need forgiveness,

00:45:18.840 --> 00:45:19.880
 not recognizing

00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:22.500
 those resentments

00:45:22.500 --> 00:45:23.640
 that we still carry,

00:45:23.840 --> 00:45:24.640
 those desires

00:45:24.640 --> 00:45:25.280
 to wound

00:45:25.280 --> 00:45:26.360
 that we still carry,

00:45:26.519 --> 00:45:27.280
 those times

00:45:27.280 --> 00:45:27.740
 that we get

00:45:27.740 --> 00:45:28.460
 red in the face

00:45:28.460 --> 00:45:29.140
 with embarrassment

00:45:29.140 --> 00:45:29.940
 or shame,

00:45:30.160 --> 00:45:31.360
 those things

00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:31.940
 that make us

00:45:31.940 --> 00:45:33.160
 still so angry,

00:45:33.380 --> 00:45:33.619
 Father,

00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:34.640
 and we are,

00:45:34.900 --> 00:45:35.079
 Father,

00:45:35.240 --> 00:45:36.519
 constantly inundated

00:45:36.519 --> 00:45:38.300
 by experiences

00:45:38.300 --> 00:45:38.980
 that show

00:45:38.980 --> 00:45:40.180
 our desperate need

00:45:40.179 --> 00:45:40.659
 to forgive

00:45:40.659 --> 00:45:42.059
 and do not recognize

00:45:42.059 --> 00:45:42.719
 that we ask,

00:45:42.839 --> 00:45:42.980
 Lord,

00:45:43.099 --> 00:45:44.319
 that your Holy Spirit

00:45:44.319 --> 00:45:45.099
 would do a gentle

00:45:45.099 --> 00:45:46.159
 but healing work

00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:46.919
 within us,

00:45:47.480 --> 00:45:48.719
 that your Holy Spirit

00:45:48.719 --> 00:45:48.919
 would,

00:45:49.139 --> 00:45:49.199
 Father,

00:45:49.279 --> 00:45:50.119
 help us to trust

00:45:50.119 --> 00:45:51.199
 Jesus in his death

00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:51.699
 on the cross

00:45:51.699 --> 00:45:52.339
 more and more

00:45:52.339 --> 00:45:52.659
 and more.

00:45:52.759 --> 00:45:53.339
 There would be more

00:45:53.339 --> 00:45:54.279
 real to our heart

00:45:54.279 --> 00:45:55.519
 and that that

00:45:55.519 --> 00:45:56.879
 becoming real to our heart,

00:45:56.960 --> 00:45:57.940
 that it would form us

00:45:57.940 --> 00:45:58.759
 to recognize

00:45:58.759 --> 00:45:59.839
 our profound

00:45:59.839 --> 00:46:01.319
 ongoing need

00:46:01.319 --> 00:46:02.019
 to forgive

00:46:02.019 --> 00:46:05.320
 and that you would

00:46:05.320 --> 00:46:06.420
 help us to pray

00:46:06.420 --> 00:46:07.860
 that we can forgive

00:46:07.860 --> 00:46:09.860
 and make us people

00:46:09.860 --> 00:46:10.579
 who pray,

00:46:10.840 --> 00:46:11.119
 pray,

00:46:11.280 --> 00:46:11.780
 and pray

00:46:11.780 --> 00:46:13.259
 into that profound

00:46:13.259 --> 00:46:14.000
 need for us

00:46:14.000 --> 00:46:14.920
 to forgive others

00:46:14.920 --> 00:46:16.480
 and that we might

00:46:16.480 --> 00:46:18.059
 know that wonderful

00:46:18.059 --> 00:46:19.239
 fruit that you bring

00:46:19.239 --> 00:46:20.119
 into our lives,

00:46:20.420 --> 00:46:21.679
 that that time

00:46:21.679 --> 00:46:22.639
 comes when we

00:46:22.639 --> 00:46:23.400
 can forgive

00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:25.320
 and then we can say

00:46:25.320 --> 00:46:26.139
 free at last,

00:46:26.259 --> 00:46:26.940
 free at last,

00:46:27.259 --> 00:46:28.360
 praise God Almighty,

00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:29.440
 thank God Almighty,

00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:30.700
 I am free at last.

00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:32.300
 We thank you,

00:46:32.440 --> 00:46:32.639
 Father,

00:46:32.740 --> 00:46:33.260
 that you have

00:46:33.260 --> 00:46:34.320
 forgiven us in Jesus

00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:36.320
 and may that form us

00:46:36.320 --> 00:46:37.519
 in terms of how we think

00:46:37.519 --> 00:46:38.240
 and how we pray

00:46:38.240 --> 00:46:38.960
 and how we live.

00:46:39.740 --> 00:46:40.639
 And we ask all these

00:46:40.639 --> 00:46:41.840
 things in the name of Jesus,

00:46:42.019 --> 00:46:43.019
 your Son and our Savior.

00:46:43.880 --> 00:46:44.200
 Amen.

00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:00.440
 Amen.