WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:06.160 Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would fall with gentle but deep power upon each of us who are gathered here 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.839 and upon each who are entering into the service through YouTube Live. 00:00:10.439 --> 00:00:13.179 Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would fall with gentle power 00:00:13.179 --> 00:00:17.400 and that you would help us to know that we are in your presence, 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:21.440 that you are the one who gives grace, 00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:24.080 and we ask that you help us to be in your presence, 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:28.320 to receive grace from you and respond to you in a worthy manner. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:33.039 And we ask, Father, that this be a day where your Word so works in our lives 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:35.299 and Jesus is so real and present to us 00:00:35.299 --> 00:00:39.259 that we recommit to you and recommit to walk and to live 00:00:39.259 --> 00:00:45.039 under your loving authority and to your great praise and acclaim. 00:00:45.219 --> 00:00:48.560 And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:50.100 Please be seated. 00:00:53.519 --> 00:00:58.299 So a long time ago, when I was in graduate school at Carleton University, 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:01.899 I started going to the fitness center. 00:01:02.020 --> 00:01:03.719 That's what it was called back in those days. 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:06.640 It's where the weights were and the exercise bikes, etc. 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:09.519 And I became a regular at the fitness center. 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:13.680 And, you know, one of the things about becoming a regular at a place like a fitness center 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.120 is you get to chat with people and, you know, you sort of become friends a bit. 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:21.640 And anyway, so after I'd been a regular there for a while, 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:28.620 there's this fellow who showed up one day and he was instantly noticeable to everybody. 00:01:29.340 --> 00:01:35.780 The reason he was so noticeable was he, I mean, he was probably about six foot tall 00:01:35.780 --> 00:01:38.079 and 120, 125 pounds. 00:01:38.219 --> 00:01:42.659 But don't think Ethiopian or Kenyan winner of a marathon. 00:01:43.460 --> 00:01:47.599 Think somebody who's just been through a terrible, wasting, debilitating disease. 00:01:47.960 --> 00:01:51.000 He looked very, very, very unhealthy. 00:01:51.240 --> 00:01:52.740 He looked emaciated. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:54.659 He looked sad. 00:01:54.659 --> 00:01:56.959 And he came into the gym. 00:01:57.039 --> 00:01:58.579 He could only go on the exercise bike. 00:01:58.700 --> 00:02:04.560 And after five minutes of like virtually no pressure, no tension and not going very fast, 00:02:04.620 --> 00:02:05.239 he was tired. 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:08.079 He would take the tiniest little dumbbells that they had in the gym 00:02:08.079 --> 00:02:10.759 and he'd do a couple of little exercises like this. 00:02:11.079 --> 00:02:11.919 And then he'd leave. 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:14.800 And he became a regular for a couple of weeks, 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.579 coming in two or three times a week around the same time that I came in. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:19.919 And people talked about him. 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:25.979 And one of the most common theories was that maybe he'd been in Africa or Asia, 00:02:26.079 --> 00:02:30.859 got one of those rare diseases or got terrible malaria or something like that 00:02:30.859 --> 00:02:33.899 that just completely emaciated him, made him very, very unhealthy. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:35.919 And he was back in Canada. 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:41.799 And we were trying to put a positive spin on somebody who looked manifestly unhealthy. 00:02:42.619 --> 00:02:47.539 But then one day he came up and put up two posters stamped by the authorities 00:02:47.539 --> 00:02:48.959 on the bulletin board. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:52.879 And both of them, and we all, we got to know his, we knew his name. 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:58.980 And both of them were advertising talks he was going to give on how to become more healthy. 00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:01.620 I'm not making it up. 00:03:02.140 --> 00:03:06.200 Like, we were all gobsmacked like the regulars. 00:03:06.939 --> 00:03:10.680 Like, this guy looked like he needed to go to a workshop on how to become healthy, 00:03:10.740 --> 00:03:14.620 not give a workshop on how to become more healthy, more robust, etc. 00:03:14.700 --> 00:03:16.140 All this, you know, blah, blah, woof, woof. 00:03:16.139 --> 00:03:21.459 So the reason I'm sharing this story is that we're going to look at a teaching today in the Bible 00:03:21.459 --> 00:03:26.279 that for many of our non-Christian friends, if you're here and you're just sort of curious 00:03:26.279 --> 00:03:29.899 about the Christian faith, or if you're watching online and you're curious about the Christian faith, 00:03:30.539 --> 00:03:35.659 it's going to be a teaching that basically most Canadians would say, 00:03:35.659 --> 00:03:41.699 George, if you actually followed that, you would become less healthy, less, like, 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:45.300 why on earth would you give this advice to anybody? 00:03:45.579 --> 00:03:48.419 Because it just looks like it's going to make you unhealthy, 00:03:48.419 --> 00:03:51.819 and nobody in their right mind would want to come close to it. 00:03:51.819 --> 00:03:57.060 So, let's look, if you have Bibles with you, at 2 Timothy chapter 1. 00:03:57.620 --> 00:04:01.519 One of the things that we do in this church, most of the time we just finished a summer series 00:04:01.519 --> 00:04:06.479 where we did the attributes of God, but generally our meat and potatoes in this church 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:07.959 is we preach through books of the Bible. 00:04:08.659 --> 00:04:10.560 And so this is a six-week series. 00:04:10.699 --> 00:04:12.240 We're going to go through 2 Timothy. 00:04:12.959 --> 00:04:16.819 And if you don't have a Bible, by the way, I mean, we will have the Bible passages up front, 00:04:16.819 --> 00:04:21.939 but there's also a couple of free Bibles here which you're welcome to take during the service 00:04:21.939 --> 00:04:24.879 and keep our gift to you if you'd like to have a Bible. 00:04:25.459 --> 00:04:29.500 So, it's 2 Timothy chapter 1, and here's how it begins. 00:04:30.779 --> 00:04:33.879 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, 00:04:34.459 --> 00:04:37.980 according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus. 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:44.620 To Timothy, my beloved child, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:04:44.620 --> 00:04:46.340 And just sort of pause here for a second. 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:48.620 Timothy isn't his child. 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:50.780 It's a term of endearment. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.439 Paul is quite a bit older than Timothy. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:55.480 Timothy's a young guy. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:01.560 And so Paul's writing this letter to Timothy, 00:05:01.780 --> 00:05:04.560 and we're going to talk a little bit more about the letter in a moment. 00:05:05.100 --> 00:05:07.259 But just a bit of an aside here, time out. 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:10.459 Sorry, I didn't manage that transition very well. 00:05:12.259 --> 00:05:14.360 This is just an interesting little thing. 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:18.840 The Jehovah Witnesses try to take all references to the Trinity out of the Bible, 00:05:18.960 --> 00:05:20.639 but they can't actually manage it. 00:05:20.699 --> 00:05:22.400 They don't actually have a translation of the Bible. 00:05:22.540 --> 00:05:26.280 They basically take an English Bible and try to change the words occasionally. 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:29.680 In the original language, where it says, 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:32.460 grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:35.660 You can see it in English, but it's even stronger in the original language. 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:41.080 Basically, it's saying grace, mercy, and peace are coming equally from God the Father in Jesus. 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:45.800 In other words, it's one of those many texts in the Bible that show that the Bible believes that 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:47.899 Jesus is God the Son. 00:05:48.139 --> 00:05:50.060 God the Father exists, yet there's only one God. 00:05:50.180 --> 00:05:51.359 Anyway, there's the end of the little thing. 00:05:51.859 --> 00:05:53.800 Anyway, here's the thing about the text. 00:05:53.800 --> 00:06:06.840 Paul is not writing this like as a rich, powerful, white guy who's going to give this very, very odd type of advice 00:06:06.840 --> 00:06:12.540 to people hoping that they all follow it while he lives a very different type of life. 00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:19.100 I tried to impress you by looking up really expensive designers, and I realized it's hopeful. 00:06:19.200 --> 00:06:20.160 I'm just going to pick one. 00:06:20.640 --> 00:06:24.300 Those of you who actually know expensive clothes, I don't know if this would resonate with you. 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:29.500 But Paul isn't sort of outside of his expensive condo at one of those. 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:34.400 He's all decked out, Tom Ford bespoke suits, and all decked out in Tom Ford clothes. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:43.519 He's eating, you know, having his $10 a glass, organic, freshly squeezed orange juice, eating a really luxurious meal, 00:06:44.179 --> 00:06:47.179 and writing down and scribbling a few little thoughts. 00:06:47.819 --> 00:06:50.719 This letter is coming from a man who's doing hard time in jail. 00:06:53.099 --> 00:06:57.479 In fact, actually, and not only that, he's suffering in lots of different ways. 00:06:57.480 --> 00:07:02.080 If you just look at the very end of the text that we're looking at, verses 15 to 18, 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.480 you'll get a bit of a picture of the context within which Paul is writing. 00:07:07.520 --> 00:07:08.580 Look at verse 15. 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:11.840 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me. 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:14.480 Like, just pause here for a second. 00:07:14.640 --> 00:07:21.060 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are figilous and homogenous. 00:07:21.860 --> 00:07:26.580 Now, he's being a bit maybe extreme, exaggerating a little bit, 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:28.839 but the fundamental truth is here he is. 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:29.800 We'll continue. 00:07:30.339 --> 00:07:33.199 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Anisiphorus, 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:37.680 for he often refreshed me and was not afraid of my chains. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.240 But when he had arrived in Rome, he searched for me and earnestly found me. 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:46.339 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. 00:07:46.899 --> 00:07:49.419 And you all know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. 00:07:49.719 --> 00:07:53.180 And Ephesus is part of what was then called Asia. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.379 We would now call it Turkey. 00:07:54.379 --> 00:07:56.699 It was a very important part of the Roman Empire. 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:00.300 So what we see here is that Paul is writing this letter from jail. 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:02.399 And he's doing hard time. 00:08:02.459 --> 00:08:03.699 He's not under house arrest. 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:08.639 He's actually in some type of a more dungeon-y, prison-y-like place in chains. 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:18.139 A huge section of the Christian world that he had been directly responsible for bringing into existence 00:08:18.139 --> 00:08:19.279 have abandoned him. 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:20.360 They're ashamed of him. 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:21.740 They've turned away from him. 00:08:22.259 --> 00:08:22.959 He's in jail. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:25.139 And we'll look at this in a couple of weeks. 00:08:25.219 --> 00:08:28.739 But if you go back later on and you look at the end of the book, 00:08:29.239 --> 00:08:32.360 you'll see that Paul has a sense from the Holy Spirit 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:36.379 that this time the only way he's leaving jail 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:39.100 is not being let out a door to go free, 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.199 but being let out a door to be executed. 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:44.159 That he's in the midst of appeals. 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:49.879 He knows, he has this basic sense that his time of making successful appeals has run out. 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:58.279 So this is a letter from a man in jail where a large number of his friends have abandoned him and turned away from him. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:00.620 And he knows he's going to die. 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:02.379 And he's at the end of his life. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:09.740 And as you can well imagine, if you had started businesses or you had a lot of friends and all of those things turned away from you, 00:09:09.740 --> 00:09:15.340 many of us, the normal type of thing would be to wonder whether or not our lives had been worth anything at all. 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:17.820 Now, I'm not going to say that. 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:20.659 In fact, one of the interesting things is that Paul doesn't talk about that. 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:25.180 But it's a very important thing for you to hear this shocking thing in the text, 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:26.659 which we're going to see in a couple of verses, 00:09:27.460 --> 00:09:30.779 that for the average Canadian, including the average Canadian Christian, 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:35.340 is sort of a repulsive thing, a repellent thing that Paul says. 00:09:35.340 --> 00:09:38.220 So let's look back at the text, verse 3. 00:09:39.920 --> 00:09:43.820 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, 00:09:44.160 --> 00:09:47.019 as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 00:09:47.580 --> 00:09:52.660 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 00:09:53.460 --> 00:09:59.080 I am reminded of your sincere faith, the faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, 00:09:59.300 --> 00:10:01.600 and now I am sure dwells in you as well. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:03.920 Just pause here for a second. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.199 And it's not required in the original language, 00:10:07.419 --> 00:10:11.819 but the original language suggests that Lois and Eunice have died. 00:10:13.419 --> 00:10:16.779 In other words, that they came to a faith in Jesus, 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:19.379 and they kept the faith in Jesus right up until their death. 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:21.419 It's very interesting. 00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:25.419 We also see here Paul's great heart is that he's human, just like you and me, 00:10:25.899 --> 00:10:31.559 and what he would really like before he dies is to see his young friend Timothy one more time. 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:37.179 And he's reminding Timothy that when they parted, they parted with Timothy in tears. 00:10:37.319 --> 00:10:38.919 In fact, you have to wonder, did they part? 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:43.219 Was it the case that Paul did the funeral for Lois and Eunice? 00:10:43.220 --> 00:10:48.680 And then shortly after he did the funeral, he had to depart for wherever he was going next, 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:53.960 which ultimately led to him being caught by the Roman authorities and thrown in jail. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:57.019 And you need to understand one thing as well. 00:10:57.480 --> 00:10:59.100 I'm not going to develop it much this week. 00:10:59.160 --> 00:11:00.940 We'll develop it in some of the weeks to come. 00:11:00.940 --> 00:11:05.080 And I'm very, very conscious that we write this. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:11.100 I'm doing this sermon the day after the 20th anniversary of September 11th, 2001, 00:11:11.780 --> 00:11:15.800 where I think it was 19 men sought death 00:11:15.800 --> 00:11:24.460 and sought death in the name of a religion that they believed in 00:11:24.460 --> 00:11:29.060 and sought death in a way that would kill thousands and thousands of innocent people. 00:11:31.740 --> 00:11:38.019 But Paul isn't suffering because he is some type of a fanatic or terrorist like that. 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:42.600 We're all familiar, unfortunately, over these last 20 years 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:46.860 with people who give their lives, willingly give their lives, 00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:50.019 for some type of ideology or some type of religion. 00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:56.100 What has led Paul to be in jail, which we're going to develop more in the weeks to come, 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:01.500 is amongst other things, first and foremost, he's going to die for a fact. 00:12:04.019 --> 00:12:05.079 A fact. 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:14.360 And the fact is that Jesus died beyond any question, 00:12:14.779 --> 00:12:19.360 that he died a horrible, shameful death beyond any question. 00:12:20.019 --> 00:12:24.699 But on the third day, the body was gone, the grave was empty, 00:12:25.100 --> 00:12:28.159 and he appeared alive to many witnesses. 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:33.860 And Paul is in jail and will die for that fact. 00:12:34.419 --> 00:12:38.779 And all that that momentous fact means and implies. 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:41.819 And that's why he's in jail. 00:12:42.759 --> 00:12:45.519 If he had just denied the fact, he could go. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:54.039 So it's not an ideologically driven pursuit of martyrdom that leads him to jail. 00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:58.980 And we're going to see that developed in these next few things that he says. 00:13:00.100 --> 00:13:02.639 Anyway, we see a very human tender part here, right? 00:13:02.699 --> 00:13:04.340 Because this, it looks all fancy. 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:07.159 It's, you know, especially my version here. 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:09.879 But you have to remember, if you're watching this, 00:13:09.939 --> 00:13:11.399 and you don't know much about the Christian faith, 00:13:11.459 --> 00:13:14.779 that all this is, it's now considered very precious. 00:13:14.939 --> 00:13:18.139 And for a variety of reasons, the Christians believe that this is actually, 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:20.240 ultimately, what God wanted written, 00:13:20.439 --> 00:13:24.079 so that you and I could know about him and how to be free. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.379 But this was originally, you have to understand, 00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:33.220 this was originally some guy in a dungeon writing. 00:13:36.420 --> 00:13:39.160 And then passing it maybe through a guard to some friends 00:13:39.160 --> 00:13:41.080 who eventually took it to Timothy. 00:13:41.780 --> 00:13:44.560 And eventually it was considered to be so precious that we now, 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:47.259 and for a variety of reasons, which a whole other topic, 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.259 we now understand to be God's word. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.600 But that's what this is. 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:53.320 And so humanly speaking, he's in jail. 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:58.080 He'd love to see, before he dies, his young friend one more time. 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.920 And he remembers his tears. 00:14:02.300 --> 00:14:04.080 Now, it's not seen in here, 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:06.879 but Timothy has shown up in other places in the New Testament. 00:14:07.020 --> 00:14:08.260 We know a few things about him. 00:14:08.680 --> 00:14:11.000 And so these next words are actually very significant, 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:13.200 and they pave the way for the shocking thing. 00:14:13.280 --> 00:14:14.940 I know I keep saying there's a shocking thing. 00:14:15.340 --> 00:14:17.040 When you see it, you'll see it's shocking. 00:14:17.420 --> 00:14:18.440 But look at verse 6. 00:14:19.460 --> 00:14:20.540 He's talking about the faith, 00:14:20.539 --> 00:14:23.659 his tears and the faith of his mother and his grandmother 00:14:23.659 --> 00:14:24.860 and the faith he has. 00:14:25.299 --> 00:14:25.919 Verse 4. 00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:26.699 For this reason, 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:29.659 I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, 00:14:30.059 --> 00:14:32.539 which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 00:14:33.339 --> 00:14:34.559 Laying on of my hands. 00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:36.299 For God gave us a spirit, 00:14:36.439 --> 00:14:37.500 should be capitalized, 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:38.879 not of fear, 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:42.480 but of power and love and self-control. 00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:45.840 Now, the word fear there in the original language 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:50.259 should really probably be better translated as timid or cowardly. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:53.379 If other places in the New Testament, 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.820 you might hear of a virtue of being fearing God 00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:56.779 or the fear of the Lord. 00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:58.559 That's not the same word which is here. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:02.159 This is the word implying cowardliness or being timid. 00:15:02.439 --> 00:15:04.340 And we know from other places in the New Testament 00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:06.360 that one of the things that Timothy struggled with 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:07.179 was being timid. 00:15:07.179 --> 00:15:09.219 So he's not writing, 00:15:09.359 --> 00:15:11.000 Paul isn't writing this letter to somebody 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:12.179 who's won the Medal of Honor, 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:15.199 highest level for bravery in the U.S. Armed Forces. 00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:18.379 He's writing this to a younger guy, 00:15:18.479 --> 00:15:19.079 but by younger, 00:15:19.179 --> 00:15:21.219 I mean he's probably in his 30s, early 30s, 00:15:21.219 --> 00:15:22.719 who has a problem. 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:25.679 He has a limp, so to speak. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:27.620 He follows Jesus with a limp. 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:31.219 And his limp is that he easily is timid. 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:33.139 He's easily frightened. 00:15:33.819 --> 00:15:35.019 He easily backs away. 00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:38.639 And so Paul reminds him that when the Holy Spirit, 00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:40.399 with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, 00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:41.299 comes into your life, 00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:43.039 as the Holy Spirit comes closer to you, 00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:45.199 what the Holy Spirit always brings 00:15:45.199 --> 00:15:48.039 is power, love, and self-control. 00:15:49.579 --> 00:15:51.059 Now just as a bit of an aside, 00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:53.919 you know, for those wondering about the Christian faith, 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:58.179 we Christians can sometimes be very afraid 00:15:58.179 --> 00:16:00.360 of having the Holy Spirit have a deeper role in our lives, 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:01.560 but we shouldn't really be afraid 00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:04.600 because as the Holy Spirit has a deeper role in our lives, 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.120 as the Holy Spirit brings Jesus 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:08.460 and what he's done for us deeper into our lives, 00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:11.639 what comes isn't being cowardly or fearful. 00:16:11.779 --> 00:16:14.300 What comes is power, love, and self-control. 00:16:14.460 --> 00:16:16.700 And isn't that a wonderful three-legged stool? 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:18.480 Like in fact, 00:16:18.539 --> 00:16:19.700 if there was a therapist 00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:21.460 who could write a book 00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:23.300 that says by the end of this book, 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:25.580 power, love, and self-control 00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:26.840 would grow in your life, 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:28.240 and if it actually happened, 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:30.580 that book would be always sold out. 00:16:30.660 --> 00:16:31.660 It would be a bestseller. 00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:34.160 And it's such a wonderful thing. 00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:35.500 In fact, imagine for a moment, 00:16:35.560 --> 00:16:36.300 if somebody just said, 00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:37.759 well, I'm going to give you power and control, 00:16:37.920 --> 00:16:39.000 self-control, but no love, 00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:39.620 you'd go, really? 00:16:40.860 --> 00:16:42.080 In fact, we wouldn't like a person 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:44.820 who'd only want power and self-control without love. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:47.280 And we're all familiar with people 00:16:47.280 --> 00:16:48.420 who have love and self-control, 00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:49.680 but they seem powerless. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:52.700 But this is a wonderful thing, 00:16:52.700 --> 00:16:55.060 this idea that is the Holy Spirit, 00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:56.979 as the gift of the Holy Spirit 00:16:56.979 --> 00:16:58.139 and the Holy Spirit's gifts 00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:59.719 become more real in our lives, 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:01.779 what will happen is that 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:03.819 even though some of us 00:17:03.819 --> 00:17:06.240 will always still follow Jesus with a limp 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:07.740 till we die, 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:11.659 the presence of the Holy Spirit 00:17:11.659 --> 00:17:12.940 starts to form us 00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:15.839 to having power, love, and self-control. 00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:18.119 But then the shocker, 00:17:18.159 --> 00:17:18.940 look at verse 8, 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:19.480 the therefore. 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:21.980 Therefore, do not be ashamed 00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:23.899 of the testimony about our Lord, 00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:25.340 nor of me as prisoner, 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:27.100 but share in suffering for the gospel 00:17:27.100 --> 00:17:28.140 by the power of God, 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.580 who saved us and called us 00:17:29.580 --> 00:17:30.780 to a holy calling, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:17:30.860 --> 00:17:31.759 We quickly skip over, 00:17:31.860 --> 00:17:33.400 but just pause here for verse 8. 00:17:34.220 --> 00:17:36.340 Verse 8 sets before us a choice 00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:37.980 that no Canadian likes. 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:43.940 Verse 8 sets before us a choice 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:46.280 that no Canadian likes. 00:17:46.780 --> 00:17:48.000 Now, if you're here 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.820 and you're not a Christian, 00:17:48.900 --> 00:17:49.700 if you're watching this, 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.480 you're not a Christian, 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:52.559 I'm going to take a moment 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.599 to really speak directly 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:54.519 to Christians, 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:57.740 and you can just take the role 00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:59.160 of an anthropologist 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:01.059 studying a really weird tribe 00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.440 or a psychologist 00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:03.480 trying to figure out 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.400 a really weird mental disease, 00:18:06.620 --> 00:18:08.019 and you can listen to this. 00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:09.740 But what this text is saying 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:10.279 is this, 00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:11.920 that in our lives, 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.240 we constantly face 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.839 everything from micro decisions 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:16.259 to very, very, very, 00:18:16.339 --> 00:18:17.319 very big decisions, 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:18.399 micro decisions about 00:18:18.399 --> 00:18:19.059 like what to say 00:18:19.059 --> 00:18:21.119 in a conversation over coffee 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:22.319 to macro decisions 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:23.559 like who you're going to marry. 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:27.419 Really big decisions, right? 00:18:28.419 --> 00:18:29.939 What job you're going to take. 00:18:29.939 --> 00:18:30.720 Big decisions. 00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:32.519 And it's saying 00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:34.579 that in life, 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:36.779 everything from micro decisions 00:18:36.779 --> 00:18:37.939 to macro decisions, 00:18:38.159 --> 00:18:39.279 there will be times 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.359 when the conversation 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:42.119 will turn in such a way 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:43.799 that you can reveal 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:45.379 either by, 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:47.899 or that it's open to you, 00:18:48.139 --> 00:18:49.740 maybe you feel a pressure 00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:50.480 that you should bear 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:51.879 some witness to the fact 00:18:51.879 --> 00:18:53.759 that you follow Jesus 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:55.259 and you belong to Him, 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:56.879 that He is your Savior 00:18:56.879 --> 00:18:57.680 and your Lord, 00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:59.680 and you trust Him, 00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.680 and you believe what He says. 00:19:02.159 --> 00:19:03.519 And whether it's a micro decision 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.359 or a macro decision, 00:19:04.659 --> 00:19:05.940 it could be 00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:08.460 that later on next week, 00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:10.180 people, 00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:11.759 I can't remember 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.519 when Owen's group meets. 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:13.779 Is it Thursdays at Owen's group? 00:19:13.879 --> 00:19:14.279 Is that your name? 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:14.440 Yeah. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:15.339 So it could be 00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:16.299 that next Friday, 00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:18.680 you get together 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:20.220 with some co-workers, 00:19:20.379 --> 00:19:21.259 you decide to stop 00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:21.900 meeting with Zoom, 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:22.859 you decide to get together 00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:23.420 and have a beer 00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:24.359 or something like that 00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:24.859 at lunch, 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:26.359 and they all get talking, 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:26.639 you know, 00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:27.359 there's four of you, 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.200 and the four of you, 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.059 the three people 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.700 start to talk 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.819 about what you did last night, 00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:32.059 and one of the people said, 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:32.819 oh gosh, 00:19:32.859 --> 00:19:33.680 I went to this place 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:34.460 in Wakefield, 00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.819 it was an organic farm, 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:38.460 and it was this 00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:40.339 top award-winning chef, 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:41.920 the meal was fantastic, 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:44.380 it was all locally sourced, 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:44.940 organic, 00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:46.120 it was so delicious, 00:19:46.340 --> 00:19:47.019 the atmosphere, 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:48.140 there was a folk musician 00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:48.900 in the background, 00:19:49.320 --> 00:19:49.820 and you're all going, 00:19:49.940 --> 00:19:50.060 wow, 00:19:50.120 --> 00:19:50.820 that sounds really neat, 00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:51.539 and then another person 00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:51.720 said, 00:19:51.779 --> 00:19:52.120 what did you do? 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:52.300 Well, 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:52.620 you know, 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.640 I went rock climbing, 00:19:53.800 --> 00:19:55.480 I left work a little bit early, 00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:56.660 and I went to this place, 00:19:56.700 --> 00:19:57.440 and I did rock climbing, 00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.960 it was a spectacular day, 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:01.300 I managed to do all of this, 00:20:01.340 --> 00:20:02.000 and then afterwards, 00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:02.900 we had a few beers, 00:20:03.140 --> 00:20:03.820 and chatted, 00:20:03.940 --> 00:20:04.440 everybody's going, 00:20:04.539 --> 00:20:04.640 wow, 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:05.120 that's really, 00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:05.880 really fantastic, 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:06.840 and then another one, 00:20:06.900 --> 00:20:07.120 he said, 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:07.960 well actually, 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.259 you know, 00:20:08.420 --> 00:20:09.960 I'm part of this theater group, 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:12.140 and we're finally getting back together, 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:13.600 we're going to be doing this performance, 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:14.940 and we've decided to do 00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:16.400 some of this avant-garde, 00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:17.279 early French, 00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:18.160 you know, 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:19.420 20th century stuff, 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:20.340 a bit of surrealism, 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:21.759 and we go on a little bit about 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.960 surreal art in the back, 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:23.720 and people are going, 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:24.460 oh wow, 00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:26.519 and then they ask you what you did, 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:29.400 now you went to Owen's Bible study, 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:33.980 so what do you say? 00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:37.819 that's a micro decision, 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:41.480 do you do something, 00:20:41.860 --> 00:20:43.900 so that nobody ever asked you, 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:44.880 what you did last night, 00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:46.640 or do you just say, 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:47.220 I got together, 00:20:47.319 --> 00:20:48.579 and hung out with a few friends, 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:50.519 but you leave Jesus out of it, 00:20:52.120 --> 00:20:52.860 Paul's saying, 00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:56.039 you were ashamed of Jesus, 00:20:57.880 --> 00:21:03.279 you didn't want to suffer, 00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:06.480 and let's be serious, 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:07.579 the worst that would, 00:21:07.779 --> 00:21:09.099 well maybe lots could happen in that, 00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:10.299 because maybe there were co-workers, 00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:10.940 it might mean, 00:21:11.900 --> 00:21:13.740 that they don't want to give you a job, 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:15.680 or give you a promotion down the road, 00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:16.779 because they think you're going to be 00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:19.160 unsound, 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:21.319 on certain, 00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:24.360 woke political issues, 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:25.620 which are all the vogue, 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:28.620 and so it might be, 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:29.880 that it's going to make it harder, 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:30.799 for you to get a promotion, 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:31.860 but it just might be, 00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:33.539 that they don't think of you as highly, 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:36.480 or they look down their nose at you, 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:39.039 or they're going to start making fun of you, 00:21:39.120 --> 00:21:39.839 or razzing you, 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:41.400 but what you did, 00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:41.900 is you said, 00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:42.680 I don't want to suffer, 00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:43.759 and when you say, 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:44.980 you don't want to suffer for Jesus, 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:46.200 you don't want to take that risk, 00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.480 what you've just said is, 00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:48.480 I'm ashamed of Jesus, 00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:53.279 and here's this big verse, 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:54.680 and it's very obvious, 00:21:55.079 --> 00:21:55.920 even in English, 00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:57.339 but especially in the original language, 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.079 is fundamental parting the way, 00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:03.059 and this actually is a key discipleship issue, 00:22:03.179 --> 00:22:03.659 and by the way, 00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:04.679 this is one of the reasons, 00:22:04.879 --> 00:22:05.879 this is one of the reasons, 00:22:05.879 --> 00:22:07.359 this book is so important, 00:22:08.139 --> 00:22:09.179 Being the Bad Guys, 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.639 How to Live for Jesus in a World, 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.720 That Says You Shouldn't, 00:22:12.419 --> 00:22:13.779 it's just talking about the fact, 00:22:13.899 --> 00:22:14.879 that in our day and age, 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:17.299 Christianity is often seen as toxic, 00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:20.419 by large segments of our community, 00:22:20.899 --> 00:22:22.019 and that if you say, 00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:22.799 if you reveal, 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:24.559 that you actually trust Jesus, 00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:26.119 and you trust what he says, 00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:27.799 you're revealing yourself, 00:22:27.919 --> 00:22:28.519 not as a lover, 00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:29.159 but a hater, 00:22:29.479 --> 00:22:30.679 not as part of the solution, 00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:31.759 but part of the problem, 00:22:32.239 --> 00:22:33.979 not as anything good, 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:35.059 something toxic, 00:22:36.479 --> 00:22:37.159 and so it's, 00:22:37.739 --> 00:22:39.579 what he talks about is that pressure, 00:22:39.979 --> 00:22:40.799 and in a sense, 00:22:40.879 --> 00:22:42.159 how to live as an out Christian, 00:22:43.379 --> 00:22:46.059 to appropriate language from our gay friends, 00:22:46.399 --> 00:22:47.659 how to live as an out Christian, 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:51.599 now you see, 00:22:51.719 --> 00:22:52.539 these micro decisions, 00:22:52.699 --> 00:22:53.439 and macro decisions, 00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:54.219 what happens is, 00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:55.079 what Paul is saying is, 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:57.139 this is a key discipleship issue for you, 00:22:57.159 --> 00:22:57.759 and as we all know, 00:22:57.839 --> 00:22:59.039 micro decisions matter, 00:23:00.159 --> 00:23:02.579 and so will you be ashamed of Jesus, 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:04.599 or are you willing to suffer for him? 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:07.099 I think one of the reasons why, 00:23:07.199 --> 00:23:09.379 if you've ever read any of the deconversion blogs, 00:23:09.439 --> 00:23:10.799 and maybe some of you are here today, 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:12.359 after having gone through, 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:14.519 you would have said that you've left the Christian faith, 00:23:14.599 --> 00:23:15.619 and maybe you're coming back, 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:18.179 I think one of the reasons that many people talk about, 00:23:18.659 --> 00:23:20.319 the great sense of relief, 00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:21.579 and release, 00:23:22.059 --> 00:23:24.019 when they finally just stop being a Christian, 00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:25.619 is the fact that, 00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:27.799 there's been accumulated shame in their lives, 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.839 and now they can just walk away from it, 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:31.839 except, 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:32.759 as we all know, 00:23:32.859 --> 00:23:34.619 shame doesn't work that easily in our lives, 00:23:34.619 --> 00:23:35.599 but the fact is, 00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:37.460 if you continue to be ashamed, 00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:39.420 if I continue to be ashamed for Jesus, 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:41.119 that shame will only grow, 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:41.400 and grow, 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:41.819 and grow, 00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:43.379 and the only solution to it, 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:44.779 isn't speaking in tongues, 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:45.879 sorry, 00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:48.160 it isn't having a private, 00:23:48.299 --> 00:23:48.639 religious, 00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:50.160 mystical experience, 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.900 Paul is saying, 00:23:52.040 --> 00:23:53.380 the solution is to suffer, 00:23:54.120 --> 00:23:54.480 oh, 00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:55.120 dang, 00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:57.500 I want the choice to be, 00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:59.240 shall I be a hip Christian, 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:01.720 or a rich Christian, 00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:03.940 will I be a healthy Christian, 00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:04.080 or, 00:24:06.259 --> 00:24:07.480 you know, 00:24:07.540 --> 00:24:08.240 those are, 00:24:08.320 --> 00:24:08.700 you know, 00:24:08.800 --> 00:24:09.920 fill in the blank, 00:24:10.120 --> 00:24:11.620 that's what we'd like Paul to say, 00:24:11.820 --> 00:24:13.380 here's the choice before you, 00:24:13.580 --> 00:24:14.820 will you be hip, 00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:16.300 or will you be rich, 00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:17.720 or will you be popular, 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:19.660 will you be cutting edge, 00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:21.160 will you be avant-garde, 00:24:21.380 --> 00:24:22.539 will you be successful, 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:24.160 those are the choices we want, 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:25.319 we don't want them to say, 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:26.860 the choice is between shame, 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:27.440 or suffering, 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:30.799 but that's the choice, 00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:31.920 this is the Bible, 00:24:32.600 --> 00:24:34.079 and our non-Christian friends, 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:34.460 now say, 00:24:34.539 --> 00:24:34.759 George, 00:24:34.860 --> 00:24:35.079 okay, 00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:35.460 whoa, 00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:36.160 time out, 00:24:36.360 --> 00:24:38.559 who on earth would want that, 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:40.200 if Chris, 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:40.680 you've just, 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:40.980 George, 00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:42.579 you've just given me another reason, 00:24:42.579 --> 00:24:43.819 to not be a Christian, 00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:45.880 if I followed that, 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:47.980 I'd be like that guy in the gym, 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:49.420 emaciated, 00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:50.320 and unhealthy, 00:24:50.560 --> 00:24:51.840 pretending to tell people, 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.660 how to be healthy, 00:24:52.660 --> 00:24:53.380 like him, 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:56.500 that's what our non-Christian friends, 00:24:56.560 --> 00:24:57.000 would say, 00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:02.640 let's just pause, 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:03.400 and think about that, 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:03.980 for a second, 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:07.380 because the fact of the matter is, 00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:08.120 as human beings, 00:25:08.280 --> 00:25:09.740 nobody desires to suffer, 00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:10.780 and nobody desires, 00:25:10.780 --> 00:25:11.620 to be ashamed, 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:14.020 and the fact of the matter is, 00:25:14.020 --> 00:25:14.800 is that's a very, 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:16.220 very common human thing, 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:16.659 human, 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.220 I mean, 00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:18.759 the whole religion of Buddhism, 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:20.299 is all around, 00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:21.460 dealing with suffering, 00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:24.299 and most, 00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:25.419 a lot of counseling, 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:25.960 in fact, 00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:27.740 is just trying to deal with shame, 00:25:28.159 --> 00:25:30.259 and the consequences of suffering, 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:32.039 and the reason you go take, 00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:33.019 self-help courses, 00:25:33.159 --> 00:25:33.919 the reason you go, 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:36.059 you try to read a John Maxwell book, 00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:37.180 or a Robbins book, 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:38.659 or you spend money for these courses, 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:40.240 is how to be victorious, 00:25:40.599 --> 00:25:41.859 how to be a winner, 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:43.399 how to move forward, 00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:44.560 how to get the promotion, 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:46.000 how to get the brass ring, 00:25:46.080 --> 00:25:46.900 how to be healthier, 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.019 how to live longer, 00:25:48.340 --> 00:25:49.780 how to be better looking, 00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:51.380 how to have more friends, 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:54.420 that's what the self-help section, 00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:55.420 is all filled with, 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:57.300 it's a big human desire, 00:25:58.300 --> 00:26:03.240 and people peddle this idea, 00:26:03.360 --> 00:26:05.120 that there is a way of living, 00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:07.300 if you just learn it, 00:26:07.540 --> 00:26:08.740 that you won't suffer, 00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.580 and you won't have any shame, 00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:12.279 but the reason, 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:13.500 that there's so many books, 00:26:13.500 --> 00:26:14.299 in those stores, 00:26:14.439 --> 00:26:16.019 is because they don't work, 00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:19.720 because if there was ever, 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:20.839 a book that worked, 00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:23.519 you just buy that book, 00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:26.939 the whole self-help section, 00:26:27.139 --> 00:26:29.259 would be one book, 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:32.240 or one course, 00:26:33.159 --> 00:26:34.399 but here, 00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.240 you have to think about it, 00:26:35.259 --> 00:26:35.599 for a second, 00:26:35.699 --> 00:26:36.679 this desire to think, 00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:37.559 that there's a way of living, 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:38.279 without suffering, 00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:38.920 and without shame, 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:39.899 one of the ways, 00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:41.279 I could really insult, 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:42.160 a non-Christian, 00:26:42.859 --> 00:26:43.559 or you, 00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:44.639 is to say, 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:45.839 that you're a heard thinker, 00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:48.200 you're just a heard thinker, 00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:49.420 you know, 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:50.279 whatever's popular, 00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:50.920 on TikTok, 00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:51.799 and on YouTube, 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:53.319 and in the media, 00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:54.480 and social influencers, 00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:55.379 you just go along, 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:56.480 with whatever's popular, 00:26:57.180 --> 00:26:59.779 dagger, 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:02.160 they would be terribly, 00:27:02.379 --> 00:27:03.200 terribly insulted, 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:03.859 if I just said, 00:27:03.940 --> 00:27:05.000 you're just a quirk, 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:07.039 you're just a quirk, 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:08.220 floating along, 00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:09.519 on the currents of the culture, 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:10.740 doing whatever they say, 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:11.500 they say, 00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:11.920 no, 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:14.920 I'm striving to be authentic, 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:16.579 I'm striving to be autonomous, 00:27:16.839 --> 00:27:18.359 I'm striving to be myself, 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:19.640 I'm striving to be, 00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:20.619 all of this, 00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:23.980 but the fact of the matter is, 00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:24.799 is, 00:27:25.019 --> 00:27:27.140 that you cannot actually be, 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:29.359 an independent thinker, 00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:30.940 and not, 00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:31.779 and to be, 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:32.480 some bit more like, 00:27:32.500 --> 00:27:33.480 a fish in the water, 00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:34.940 swimming against the current, 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:36.339 rather than a quirk, 00:27:36.660 --> 00:27:37.940 if you don't make, 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.779 intellectual, 00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:40.400 and moral commitments, 00:27:40.579 --> 00:27:40.980 freely, 00:27:41.180 --> 00:27:42.640 and you hold to them, 00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:44.480 even if the culture, 00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:45.700 and all of your friends, 00:27:45.859 --> 00:27:46.400 disagree, 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:50.200 and if you actually, 00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:51.740 hold a position like that, 00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:53.599 that's different from your friends, 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:55.019 guess what will happen, 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:56.940 you will suffer for it, 00:27:57.140 --> 00:28:00.779 if you pursue a path, 00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:01.460 of no suffering, 00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:02.160 and no shame, 00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:03.880 you're pursuing a path, 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:05.240 of being a herd thinker, 00:28:05.580 --> 00:28:07.220 of a cork on the water, 00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:09.060 it is not the characteristic, 00:28:09.060 --> 00:28:10.140 of a free person, 00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:13.320 oh, 00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:15.440 so maybe the Bible, 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.680 has something, 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:18.180 insightful, 00:28:18.540 --> 00:28:19.760 let's think as well, 00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:20.580 about suffering, 00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:24.199 first of all, 00:28:24.199 --> 00:28:25.019 we have to acknowledge, 00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:26.099 that some things, 00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:26.980 can't be accomplished, 00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:27.699 that are very, 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:28.179 very good, 00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.139 that you desperately want, 00:28:29.179 --> 00:28:29.899 without suffering, 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:32.240 if after, 00:28:32.439 --> 00:28:33.699 as a result of this sermon, 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:34.839 for some odd reason, 00:28:34.919 --> 00:28:35.799 the takeaway was, 00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:36.500 that I'm going to run, 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:38.359 a sub three hour marathon, 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:39.559 I can tell you, 00:28:39.639 --> 00:28:40.299 as one who, 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:40.740 many, 00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:41.000 many, 00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:41.319 many, 00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:41.559 many, 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:42.279 many decades, 00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:44.339 ran a sub three hour marathon, 00:28:44.919 --> 00:28:45.779 you can't do it, 00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:46.519 without suffering, 00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:51.119 even those, 00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:53.099 120 pound Ethiopian, 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.940 and Kenyans, 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:54.700 who seem like, 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:55.119 their feet, 00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:56.500 barely touch the ground, 00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:57.940 couldn't do it, 00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:58.759 without suffering, 00:28:59.139 --> 00:29:01.000 you want to have good kids, 00:29:01.379 --> 00:29:02.099 you got to suffer, 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.599 the woman has to go through, 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.859 the suffering of pregnancy, 00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:06.680 and then the parents, 00:29:06.680 --> 00:29:07.220 have to go through, 00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:08.599 the suffering of waking up, 00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:09.440 in the middle of the night, 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:10.519 dealing with vomit, 00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:10.940 and dealing, 00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:11.680 you go, 00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:12.259 I don't want to go, 00:29:12.319 --> 00:29:13.139 any farther with that, 00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:14.500 just a bit of an aside, 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:15.980 the farewell for me, 00:29:15.980 --> 00:29:16.839 when I was in Eganville, 00:29:16.900 --> 00:29:17.420 when I was leaving, 00:29:17.500 --> 00:29:18.339 the parish of Eganville, 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.620 we had a daughter, 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.120 who was I think, 00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:21.860 around eight months, 00:29:21.900 --> 00:29:22.880 or something at the time, 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.920 and so they had this big thing, 00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:25.980 at the legion, 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:26.920 for everybody, 00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.519 who wanted to come, 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:28.620 from all of the different points, 00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:29.640 this big big meal, 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:30.539 and they're doing all these things, 00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:31.240 and they roast me, 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:31.500 and all that, 00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:31.680 you know, 00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.160 good fun, 00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:32.360 right, 00:29:32.500 --> 00:29:32.680 pointing, 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:33.620 making fun of, 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:33.860 you know, 00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:34.799 the shorts I wore, 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:36.019 and all that type of stuff, 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:36.759 anyway, 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:38.860 I'm looking after my daughter, 00:29:39.019 --> 00:29:39.420 Catherine, 00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:40.180 listening to it, 00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:41.319 bouncing her like this, 00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:42.860 and just before it's time, 00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:44.120 for me to go up on stage, 00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:46.079 she throws that up down my back, 00:29:46.479 --> 00:29:49.379 and all over my shoulder, 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:51.299 like a really good one, 00:29:51.459 --> 00:29:53.079 like just all over, 00:29:53.459 --> 00:29:53.779 anyway, 00:29:54.019 --> 00:29:54.919 I went up, 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.319 and did my final remarks, 00:29:56.959 --> 00:29:58.919 with young child, 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:00.039 spit up vomit, 00:30:00.199 --> 00:30:01.199 all over my shoulder, 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:02.039 and down my back, 00:30:02.439 --> 00:30:02.699 and then, 00:30:02.939 --> 00:30:03.159 anyway, 00:30:03.459 --> 00:30:04.299 that wasn't much suffering, 00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.459 because everybody just thought it was funny, 00:30:05.959 --> 00:30:07.219 and they were used to me, 00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:08.279 having very little shame, 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.219 about stuff like that, 00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:10.059 but the fact of the matter, 00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:10.960 is you can't accomplish, 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:11.599 a lot of good things, 00:30:11.639 --> 00:30:12.259 without suffering, 00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:13.460 the other thing about it, 00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:14.659 is that suffering is inevitable, 00:30:15.659 --> 00:30:18.679 it's called aging, 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:22.440 like if you're here, 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:23.359 and you're 20 something, 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:25.740 well, 00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:25.980 no, 00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:27.500 ask me after the service, 00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:28.559 to do the splits, 00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:32.099 my kids bug me, 00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:32.619 because I, 00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:32.899 I mean, 00:30:32.919 --> 00:30:34.399 I can't even touch my ankles, 00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:35.899 I can only touch my toes, 00:30:35.899 --> 00:30:36.899 if I do this, 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:37.659 actually, 00:30:38.059 --> 00:30:38.859 even that gave me, 00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:39.659 a bit of a cramp, 00:30:39.660 --> 00:30:40.880 in my calf, 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:43.400 you know, 00:30:43.460 --> 00:30:44.560 suffering is inevitable, 00:30:45.380 --> 00:30:46.840 and then on top of that, 00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:48.720 at the end of suffering, 00:30:48.840 --> 00:30:49.360 in our life, 00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:50.040 you die, 00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.860 which means, 00:30:51.940 --> 00:30:52.460 your suffering, 00:30:52.860 --> 00:30:53.620 and your life, 00:30:54.300 --> 00:30:55.440 was meaningless, 00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:04.580 and in fact, 00:31:04.660 --> 00:31:05.500 if all that you've done, 00:31:05.580 --> 00:31:06.200 in your life, 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:07.560 is things which are, 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.519 relatively meaningless, 00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:10.700 your life is really meaningless, 00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:12.859 but you die at the end, 00:31:13.859 --> 00:31:14.879 and one of the things, 00:31:14.980 --> 00:31:15.740 which is most hardest, 00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:16.480 about suffering, 00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.279 is when it's meaningless, 00:31:17.400 --> 00:31:17.579 you see, 00:31:17.619 --> 00:31:18.279 it's one of the reasons, 00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:18.680 why, 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:20.440 even though you have to suffer, 00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:22.000 to do a sub three hour marathon, 00:31:22.379 --> 00:31:23.059 it's worth it, 00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:23.900 because that's purpose, 00:31:23.900 --> 00:31:24.900 purpose, 00:31:24.900 --> 00:31:25.220 the purpose, 00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:25.940 the purpose is very shallow, 00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:26.780 because I'm going to die, 00:31:27.780 --> 00:31:29.300 you're going to die, 00:31:29.800 --> 00:31:32.380 but what if there is, 00:31:32.560 --> 00:31:32.880 in fact, 00:31:33.060 --> 00:31:36.460 a suffering that comes out of a profound purpose, 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:38.980 profound meaning, 00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.940 from a profound gift, 00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:44.460 that makes all of your life, 00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:45.700 on this side of the grave, 00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:46.960 have, 00:31:47.080 --> 00:31:48.259 begin to have purpose, 00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:48.759 and meaning, 00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:50.440 which will only, 00:31:50.879 --> 00:31:51.460 in fact, 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:53.079 be deepened at death, 00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.900 not removed at death, 00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:56.900 let's consider shame, 00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:57.599 very briefly, 00:31:58.319 --> 00:32:00.220 shame is a constant problem, 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:01.879 in our culture, 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:02.839 often, 00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:03.519 one of the ways, 00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:04.779 that people talk about, 00:32:04.940 --> 00:32:05.519 shame, 00:32:05.619 --> 00:32:06.500 and getting rid of shame, 00:32:06.579 --> 00:32:08.019 is they try to get rid of guilt, 00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:08.779 you know, 00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:09.980 one of the really funny things, 00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:10.720 is that you have, 00:32:11.059 --> 00:32:11.940 lots of different courses, 00:32:12.099 --> 00:32:12.940 and ways of talking, 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:13.940 about getting rid of guilt, 00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:14.940 because if you get rid of guilt, 00:32:15.019 --> 00:32:15.859 you'll get rid of shame, 00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:17.719 but here's the thing, 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.619 what is the definition, 00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:19.559 of a sociopath, 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:22.339 a person doesn't feel guilt, 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:24.740 these courses, 00:32:24.859 --> 00:32:25.299 are courses, 00:32:25.419 --> 00:32:26.639 on how to be a sociopath, 00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:28.639 obviously, 00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:29.339 they don't put that, 00:32:29.439 --> 00:32:29.959 on the title, 00:32:30.339 --> 00:32:32.379 but in fact, 00:32:32.439 --> 00:32:33.059 the matter is, 00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:34.179 is if you try to live a life, 00:32:34.259 --> 00:32:34.799 with no guilt, 00:32:34.879 --> 00:32:35.979 so you feel no shame, 00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:37.319 what you're actually trying to do, 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:39.099 is to emulate sociopaths, 00:32:39.099 --> 00:32:39.959 and feel no guilt, 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:41.579 what you need, 00:32:42.439 --> 00:32:43.719 is how do you deal with guilt, 00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:46.460 in a way that's real, 00:32:46.660 --> 00:32:47.299 and doesn't lead you, 00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:48.420 into being a sociopath, 00:32:48.700 --> 00:32:49.720 in many cultures, 00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:50.960 how you deal with shame, 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:52.079 is you kill the person, 00:32:52.120 --> 00:32:53.259 who's brought shame to you, 00:32:53.900 --> 00:32:55.360 or you punish them, 00:32:55.400 --> 00:32:56.380 or ostracize them, 00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:57.440 in some particular way, 00:32:58.460 --> 00:32:59.380 and then of course, 00:32:59.620 --> 00:32:59.940 finally, 00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:00.980 that the thing, 00:33:01.100 --> 00:33:01.980 which is most often, 00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:03.000 talked about in our culture, 00:33:03.100 --> 00:33:03.720 and that some people, 00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:04.779 actually mistakenly, 00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:05.500 think is Christian, 00:33:05.620 --> 00:33:06.559 and I want to tell you right now, 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:07.920 this is not a Christian idea, 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:10.140 it isn't a Christian idea, 00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:11.640 to learn how to forgive yourself, 00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:16.120 and the fact of the matter is, 00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:17.140 is that forgiving yourself, 00:33:17.140 --> 00:33:17.840 doesn't work, 00:33:19.020 --> 00:33:21.440 you see the very structure, 00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:22.400 of how human beings, 00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:23.240 are human beings, 00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.240 is that there's something, 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:25.100 inside of us, 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.060 which unless it's, 00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:26.840 unless you've become, 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:27.840 a true sociopath, 00:33:28.040 --> 00:33:29.160 so you have no conscience, 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.300 and one of the things, 00:33:30.340 --> 00:33:31.000 about conscience, 00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:31.820 is that conscience, 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:32.680 is both something, 00:33:32.820 --> 00:33:33.920 which is deeply personal, 00:33:34.040 --> 00:33:34.680 and within you, 00:33:35.060 --> 00:33:35.680 you know that the sometime, 00:33:35.880 --> 00:33:37.200 as well feels a bit external, 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:37.620 to you, 00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:39.020 and independent to you, 00:33:39.019 --> 00:33:40.420 and you can try, 00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:41.400 to forgive yourself, 00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:42.279 and forgive yourself, 00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:43.720 and even Christians, 00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:44.319 talk about it, 00:33:44.339 --> 00:33:45.639 but it's not a Christian idea, 00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.359 it's the opposite, 00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:47.500 of a Christian idea, 00:33:47.799 --> 00:33:48.579 is that you need, 00:33:48.639 --> 00:33:49.440 to forgive yourself, 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.579 but you can't actually, 00:33:50.579 --> 00:33:51.460 forgive yourself, 00:33:51.539 --> 00:33:52.420 you've done these things, 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.200 and even if you can, 00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:54.779 even if you could, 00:33:54.859 --> 00:33:55.559 forgive yourself, 00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:57.119 what do your victims think, 00:33:57.660 --> 00:33:58.680 what would they think, 00:33:58.700 --> 00:33:59.279 if you say, 00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:00.519 well I'm feeling a lot better, 00:34:00.619 --> 00:34:01.700 I've forgiven myself, 00:34:01.859 --> 00:34:02.839 and what would you say, 00:34:03.139 --> 00:34:04.839 how dare you forgive yourself, 00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:06.099 for what you did to me, 00:34:06.099 --> 00:34:10.980 how dare you forgive yourself, 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:13.539 I carry these scars, 00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:14.139 and these wounds, 00:34:14.219 --> 00:34:15.599 and you forgive yourself, 00:34:16.279 --> 00:34:17.440 you narcissistic, 00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:18.360 blah, blah, blah, 00:34:18.360 --> 00:34:26.299 let's listen to verses, 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:27.440 8 to 12 again, 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:29.759 now in the original language, 00:34:29.860 --> 00:34:30.719 verses 8 to 12, 00:34:30.799 --> 00:34:32.219 are all one sentence in Greek, 00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:33.199 and we'll just look at it, 00:34:33.380 --> 00:34:33.799 very briefly, 00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.480 but it's very, 00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.219 very powerful, 00:34:35.219 --> 00:34:35.659 and very, 00:34:35.779 --> 00:34:36.399 very wise, 00:34:36.859 --> 00:34:37.839 listen to what it says, 00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:40.239 therefore do not be ashamed, 00:34:40.339 --> 00:34:41.000 of the testimony, 00:34:41.239 --> 00:34:41.839 about our Lord, 00:34:42.739 --> 00:34:43.980 nor of me as prisoner, 00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:46.059 but share in suffering, 00:34:46.059 --> 00:34:46.759 for the gospel, 00:34:46.899 --> 00:34:47.919 by the power of God, 00:34:48.379 --> 00:34:50.000 remember this is all flowing, 00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:51.019 from the fact that, 00:34:51.299 --> 00:34:52.139 the Holy Spirit, 00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:53.379 has come into Timothy's life, 00:34:53.439 --> 00:34:54.339 and the Holy Spirit, 00:34:54.899 --> 00:34:55.759 as the Holy Spirit, 00:34:55.759 --> 00:34:56.719 has a deeper role, 00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:57.980 and power in your life, 00:34:58.019 --> 00:34:58.859 what will happen, 00:34:58.980 --> 00:34:59.480 is power, 00:34:59.659 --> 00:34:59.839 love, 00:34:59.859 --> 00:35:00.759 and self-control, 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:02.339 verse 9, 00:35:02.419 --> 00:35:03.359 who saved us, 00:35:03.360 --> 00:35:04.840 and called us, 00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:05.940 to a holy calling, 00:35:06.660 --> 00:35:08.220 not because of our works, 00:35:08.280 --> 00:35:08.660 in other words, 00:35:08.700 --> 00:35:09.240 what we've done, 00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:10.820 but because of his own purpose, 00:35:10.820 --> 00:35:11.420 and grace, 00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:13.220 which he gave us, 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:14.220 in Christ Jesus, 00:35:14.700 --> 00:35:16.220 before the ages began, 00:35:17.140 --> 00:35:17.840 and which now, 00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:18.720 has been manifested, 00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:19.599 through the appearing, 00:35:19.720 --> 00:35:21.019 of our Savior Christ Jesus, 00:35:21.240 --> 00:35:22.800 who abolished death, 00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:25.180 and brought life, 00:35:25.220 --> 00:35:26.039 and immortality, 00:35:26.120 --> 00:35:27.180 to light through the gospel, 00:35:27.179 --> 00:35:28.940 for which I was appointed, 00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:29.480 a preacher, 00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:30.079 an apostle, 00:35:30.199 --> 00:35:30.679 and a teacher, 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.639 which is why I suffer, 00:35:32.739 --> 00:35:33.199 as I do, 00:35:33.719 --> 00:35:35.059 but I am not ashamed, 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:36.279 for I know, 00:35:36.419 --> 00:35:37.319 whom I have believed, 00:35:37.579 --> 00:35:38.879 and I am convinced, 00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:40.099 that he is able, 00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:40.759 to guard, 00:35:40.899 --> 00:35:42.039 until that day, 00:35:42.399 --> 00:35:43.440 what has been entrusted, 00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:44.039 to me, 00:35:46.039 --> 00:35:46.919 in other words, 00:35:46.980 --> 00:35:47.719 his whole mission, 00:35:48.119 --> 00:35:48.859 his whole life, 00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:50.159 the purposes of his life, 00:35:50.440 --> 00:35:51.019 the suffering, 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:51.960 everything that's been, 00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:52.919 entrusted to him, 00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:54.239 Jesus is able, 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:54.719 to guard, 00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:55.539 it's a very, 00:35:55.639 --> 00:35:55.799 very, 00:35:55.899 --> 00:35:56.940 very powerful message, 00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:57.420 first of all, 00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:58.360 let's just look at this thing, 00:35:58.500 --> 00:35:58.619 in the, 00:35:58.960 --> 00:35:59.820 and if you can find it, 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:00.480 verse nine, 00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:01.500 who saved us, 00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.059 and called us, 00:36:02.119 --> 00:36:02.920 to a holy calling, 00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:04.079 not because of our works, 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:05.360 but because of his own purpose, 00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:05.880 and grace, 00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:06.840 which he gave us, 00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:07.519 in Christ Jesus, 00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:08.860 before the ages began, 00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.780 and this idea of the call, 00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:11.139 and what this actually is, 00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:11.700 is literally, 00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:13.019 it's saying from eternity, 00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.420 from the eternal, 00:36:15.059 --> 00:36:16.099 and this is one of the things, 00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:16.980 which is so amazing, 00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:17.740 about the gospel, 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:18.700 is it isn't if God, 00:36:18.700 --> 00:36:19.679 looks down at someone, 00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:20.720 like you and me, 00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:22.000 and it's like he's going, 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:22.960 through a dating app, 00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:23.780 and he can't decide, 00:36:23.900 --> 00:36:24.900 whether he's going to flick left, 00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:25.619 or flick right, 00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:26.460 but even if he flips, 00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:27.579 otherwise it's just a whim, 00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:28.719 doesn't mean anything, 00:36:29.199 --> 00:36:29.739 and here today, 00:36:29.859 --> 00:36:30.599 gone tomorrow, 00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:32.199 it's, 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:33.940 but what it is saying here, 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:35.559 is that from outside of time, 00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:37.219 God who is from outside of time, 00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:37.599 in a sense, 00:36:37.659 --> 00:36:38.839 before there was time, 00:36:39.279 --> 00:36:41.179 God was calling George, 00:36:41.799 --> 00:36:43.420 God was calling Jason, 00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:44.079 or Jill, 00:36:44.859 --> 00:36:46.000 and that even now, 00:36:46.099 --> 00:36:47.699 God who is outside of time, 00:36:47.699 --> 00:36:48.940 is calling George, 00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:49.960 is calling Jason, 00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:50.500 or Jill, 00:36:50.779 --> 00:36:51.500 and that in a sense, 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:52.839 for what is our future, 00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:53.880 beyond our death, 00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:55.059 God is calling, 00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:55.840 calling us, 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:56.559 he's calling us, 00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:57.880 from before you were born, 00:36:58.199 --> 00:36:58.900 he's calling you, 00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:00.059 right in the midst of your life, 00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:00.900 he's calling you, 00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:02.259 from after death, 00:37:02.299 --> 00:37:03.239 and after judgment, 00:37:03.539 --> 00:37:05.099 it means that when he calls you, 00:37:05.299 --> 00:37:06.900 he knows everything about you, 00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:08.299 because he's outside of time, 00:37:08.360 --> 00:37:08.940 and he's God, 00:37:09.019 --> 00:37:09.940 he knows everything, 00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:11.139 that you've done wrong, 00:37:11.259 --> 00:37:12.000 from the time, 00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:13.219 you could do anything wrong, 00:37:13.579 --> 00:37:14.460 he knows the things, 00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:15.360 you've forgotten about, 00:37:15.420 --> 00:37:16.299 he knows the things, 00:37:16.299 --> 00:37:17.639 that you will still do, 00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:18.219 in the future, 00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:20.299 he knows all of these things, 00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:21.940 and still he calls you, 00:37:22.019 --> 00:37:22.880 to be his child, 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:26.760 and he's calling you, 00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:27.559 to be his child, 00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:28.820 through the person of Jesus, 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:30.360 and there's this profound gift, 00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:31.599 that's won by Jesus, 00:37:31.780 --> 00:37:32.500 is that Jesus, 00:37:32.740 --> 00:37:33.720 lives this life, 00:37:33.800 --> 00:37:34.640 that you could not live, 00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:37.200 and dies this death, 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:38.840 and when you see Paul, 00:37:38.980 --> 00:37:40.220 when you see Jesus dying, 00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:40.940 you see in a sense, 00:37:41.059 --> 00:37:42.440 death swallowing Jesus, 00:37:42.680 --> 00:37:43.559 but what Paul, 00:37:43.740 --> 00:37:44.900 is proclaiming, 00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:46.420 is that it looked as if, 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.320 in fact it's true, 00:37:47.680 --> 00:37:49.140 death swallowed Jesus, 00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:50.180 but when Jesus, 00:37:50.180 --> 00:37:51.480 was inside death, 00:37:51.660 --> 00:37:52.780 he swallowed death, 00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:57.059 and he emerges alive, 00:37:57.260 --> 00:37:58.579 on the other side of death, 00:37:58.619 --> 00:37:59.780 having swallowed death, 00:37:59.800 --> 00:38:00.820 on the third day, 00:38:01.140 --> 00:38:02.200 and Paul knows, 00:38:02.340 --> 00:38:03.099 that the only way, 00:38:03.220 --> 00:38:04.660 that God could swallow death, 00:38:04.740 --> 00:38:05.920 is by swallowing that, 00:38:05.980 --> 00:38:07.119 which caused death, 00:38:07.180 --> 00:38:08.200 which is your rebellion, 00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:09.340 and mine against God, 00:38:09.460 --> 00:38:10.160 and Jesus, 00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:11.500 knows all of that, 00:38:11.579 --> 00:38:12.760 from the moment of your birth, 00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:13.860 to the moment of your death, 00:38:13.880 --> 00:38:14.980 and everything in between, 00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:16.900 and he dealt with all of it, 00:38:16.920 --> 00:38:18.240 when he died upon the cross, 00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:19.579 that when you come to Jesus, 00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:21.340 it is not as if God says, 00:38:21.340 --> 00:38:23.340 George is so good at theology, 00:38:23.480 --> 00:38:24.600 he's so good at ethics, 00:38:24.680 --> 00:38:25.740 he's so good at living, 00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:27.320 he's so successful at money, 00:38:27.400 --> 00:38:28.840 he's so successful in life, 00:38:29.059 --> 00:38:29.880 I think I'll let him, 00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:30.539 into my kingdom, 00:38:30.720 --> 00:38:31.019 no, 00:38:32.640 --> 00:38:33.800 he doesn't look at any of that, 00:38:33.900 --> 00:38:34.300 at all, 00:38:35.300 --> 00:38:38.760 he said, 00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:39.720 I'm calling you George, 00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:41.299 because I am love, 00:38:41.919 --> 00:38:42.839 I am mercy, 00:38:42.939 --> 00:38:43.559 I am grace, 00:38:43.899 --> 00:38:45.699 and I have provided the gift, 00:38:45.819 --> 00:38:47.259 I have provided my son, 00:38:47.919 --> 00:38:49.899 who does what you cannot do, 00:38:49.959 --> 00:38:51.059 and he swallows death, 00:38:51.099 --> 00:38:51.639 and that means, 00:38:51.699 --> 00:38:52.359 he's swallowed, 00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:54.019 and taken into himself, 00:38:54.259 --> 00:38:56.219 all of the punishment you deserve, 00:38:56.480 --> 00:38:58.259 all of the shame you deserve, 00:38:58.959 --> 00:39:01.819 and not only that, 00:39:01.939 --> 00:39:02.339 that I, 00:39:02.539 --> 00:39:04.379 he has swallowed that for you, 00:39:04.380 --> 00:39:06.720 but now you stand, 00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:07.940 before me, 00:39:08.140 --> 00:39:09.559 clothed with his, 00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:11.519 perfect life, 00:39:12.220 --> 00:39:17.039 and then when it talks about that day, 00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:18.420 if you look again, 00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:19.200 verse, 00:39:19.360 --> 00:39:20.700 verse 12, 00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:22.220 which is why I suffer as I do, 00:39:22.320 --> 00:39:23.360 but I am not ashamed, 00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:25.119 for I know whom I have believed, 00:39:25.200 --> 00:39:26.079 and I am convinced, 00:39:26.180 --> 00:39:28.099 that he is able to guard until that day, 00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:29.619 what has been entrusted to me, 00:39:29.619 --> 00:39:31.200 that day means the end, 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:33.319 and the fact of the matter is, 00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:34.480 it doesn't matter, 00:39:34.739 --> 00:39:36.339 if your rich brother-in-law, 00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:37.619 says you should be ashamed, 00:39:37.699 --> 00:39:38.779 because you're so poor, 00:39:38.960 --> 00:39:40.019 it doesn't matter, 00:39:40.139 --> 00:39:41.079 if the health guru, 00:39:41.279 --> 00:39:42.439 says you should be ashamed, 00:39:42.539 --> 00:39:43.759 because you have 20 pounds, 00:39:43.879 --> 00:39:44.619 too much on you, 00:39:44.819 --> 00:39:45.699 it doesn't matter, 00:39:45.859 --> 00:39:46.000 if the, 00:39:46.319 --> 00:39:47.419 if your dad says, 00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:48.119 I always knew, 00:39:48.199 --> 00:39:49.259 you'd never be any good, 00:39:49.299 --> 00:39:50.779 and that's why you went into drugs, 00:39:50.899 --> 00:39:51.839 it doesn't matter, 00:39:51.839 --> 00:39:52.960 what your teachers say, 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:53.519 it doesn't matter, 00:39:53.599 --> 00:39:54.879 what you're saying to yourself, 00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:55.719 it doesn't matter, 00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:56.519 any of these things, 00:39:56.599 --> 00:39:57.579 what really matters, 00:39:57.699 --> 00:39:59.379 is the voice of the one person, 00:39:59.519 --> 00:40:00.879 who knows everything, 00:40:01.199 --> 00:40:03.279 and that is the triune God, 00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:04.879 and what he says, 00:40:04.919 --> 00:40:07.219 is that when you have given yourself to Jesus, 00:40:07.359 --> 00:40:08.139 and allow that, 00:40:08.559 --> 00:40:09.839 Jesus to do that work, 00:40:09.879 --> 00:40:11.460 of accepting you as his child, 00:40:11.699 --> 00:40:13.159 that on the last day, 00:40:13.739 --> 00:40:15.039 he will say welcome, 00:40:16.519 --> 00:40:18.559 he will say, 00:40:18.639 --> 00:40:20.279 I have seen you face to face, 00:40:20.319 --> 00:40:21.159 and I am so glad, 00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:23.059 that now you can see me face to face, 00:40:23.739 --> 00:40:27.039 the true antidote to shame, 00:40:27.639 --> 00:40:30.480 is knowing that Jesus has paid it all, 00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:32.179 and that the final word about you, 00:40:32.219 --> 00:40:32.940 is not shame, 00:40:33.039 --> 00:40:33.460 and death, 00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:34.320 and unsuccess, 00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:35.960 and meaninglessness, 00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:40.039 but I have had a purpose for you, 00:40:40.840 --> 00:40:42.059 I have had things, 00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:43.119 that you could do in the world, 00:40:43.199 --> 00:40:43.900 and you have done them, 00:40:43.940 --> 00:40:45.000 and you have paid the price, 00:40:45.340 --> 00:40:47.039 and I'm not letting you know my kingdom, 00:40:47.139 --> 00:40:48.360 because you are so successful, 00:40:48.360 --> 00:40:49.240 for any of these things, 00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:50.059 but I have my grace, 00:40:50.139 --> 00:40:50.480 and mercy, 00:40:50.539 --> 00:40:50.820 and love, 00:40:50.840 --> 00:40:51.320 and peace, 00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:53.760 and when we suffer, 00:40:53.760 --> 00:40:55.139 for the testimony of Jesus, 00:40:55.280 --> 00:40:56.380 we are doing something, 00:40:56.460 --> 00:40:58.019 which makes our father smile, 00:40:58.019 --> 00:41:01.219 and we are doing something, 00:41:01.219 --> 00:41:02.179 which bears witness, 00:41:02.259 --> 00:41:02.860 and testimony, 00:41:03.320 --> 00:41:04.119 to a broken, 00:41:04.259 --> 00:41:05.059 and hurting world, 00:41:06.179 --> 00:41:07.619 that there is an answering, 00:41:07.759 --> 00:41:08.460 to their suffering, 00:41:08.579 --> 00:41:09.179 and their shame, 00:41:09.259 --> 00:41:09.880 and their guilt, 00:41:10.179 --> 00:41:11.840 that there is a better thing, 00:41:11.900 --> 00:41:12.719 than being forgiven, 00:41:13.199 --> 00:41:14.239 forgiving yourself, 00:41:14.360 --> 00:41:15.280 but by being forgiven, 00:41:15.400 --> 00:41:16.300 by almighty God, 00:41:17.300 --> 00:41:22.259 and that is what you're invited, 00:41:22.380 --> 00:41:23.019 and ushered into, 00:41:23.019 --> 00:41:26.219 so just in closing friends, 00:41:27.519 --> 00:41:31.360 what Paul is saying, 00:41:31.699 --> 00:41:33.739 is that we need to recommit, 00:41:33.820 --> 00:41:34.340 to Christ, 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.900 and learn to live, 00:41:36.019 --> 00:41:37.400 as an out Christian, 00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:40.539 and one of the things, 00:41:40.639 --> 00:41:41.420 that you can pray for us, 00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:41.920 as a church, 00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.539 is it will be, 00:41:42.599 --> 00:41:44.019 an out community, 00:41:44.940 --> 00:41:46.420 we need small groups, 00:41:46.739 --> 00:41:47.679 Owen's going to talk about it, 00:41:47.699 --> 00:41:48.039 in a moment, 00:41:48.179 --> 00:41:49.440 we need small groups, 00:41:49.500 --> 00:41:50.280 where we can live, 00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:51.099 as out Christians, 00:41:51.539 --> 00:41:52.639 in an out group, 00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:56.559 and share each other's lives, 00:41:56.659 --> 00:41:58.779 as we share our triumphs, 00:41:58.799 --> 00:41:59.500 and our suffering, 00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:00.879 and our struggles, 00:42:01.019 --> 00:42:01.759 and our successes, 00:42:03.179 --> 00:42:04.539 and we need out mentors, 00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:06.099 and disciples, 00:42:06.319 --> 00:42:07.920 who we can pour out our heart to, 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:08.819 and get some wisdom, 00:42:08.819 --> 00:42:09.839 about moving forward, 00:42:10.440 --> 00:42:13.379 and if you are listening to this, 00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:13.879 you are here, 00:42:13.960 --> 00:42:14.839 and you haven't given your life, 00:42:14.920 --> 00:42:15.299 to Jesus, 00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:16.940 and you feel any type of pressure, 00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:18.079 now maybe within you, 00:42:18.139 --> 00:42:19.179 to give your life to Jesus, 00:42:19.279 --> 00:42:20.359 that's Jesus knocking, 00:42:20.360 --> 00:42:23.440 you are now starting to feel, 00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:24.740 and sense that call, 00:42:24.800 --> 00:42:25.599 on your life, 00:42:25.700 --> 00:42:27.300 that began before you were born, 00:42:27.880 --> 00:42:28.780 and is also coming, 00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:29.519 from the future, 00:42:30.740 --> 00:42:31.579 that you'd open the door, 00:42:31.660 --> 00:42:32.200 of your heart, 00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:33.260 and let Jesus in, 00:42:33.300 --> 00:42:34.260 as your Savior and Lord, 00:42:34.860 --> 00:42:35.820 and there's no better time, 00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:36.460 than right now, 00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:37.019 to do that, 00:42:38.079 --> 00:42:38.920 please stand, 00:42:38.920 --> 00:42:52.059 Father, 00:42:52.200 --> 00:42:52.579 you know, 00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:54.260 you know the things about us, 00:42:54.280 --> 00:42:55.240 that are really strong, 00:42:55.380 --> 00:42:55.539 Father, 00:42:55.639 --> 00:42:56.659 you know those amongst us, 00:42:56.740 --> 00:42:57.019 who just, 00:42:57.440 --> 00:42:57.840 I don't know, 00:42:57.900 --> 00:42:59.200 maybe because of our parents, 00:42:59.400 --> 00:43:00.240 and our DNA, 00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:02.200 we just are naturally brave, 00:43:02.440 --> 00:43:03.260 and Father, 00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:04.539 you know the ones amongst us, 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:05.980 who are not naturally brave, 00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:07.139 but naturally timid, 00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:08.139 and we give you thanks, 00:43:08.139 --> 00:43:09.339 and praise that you call both, 00:43:09.639 --> 00:43:11.139 and we ask, 00:43:11.359 --> 00:43:11.400 Father, 00:43:11.460 --> 00:43:12.159 for those of us, 00:43:12.199 --> 00:43:13.179 who are naturally brave, 00:43:13.299 --> 00:43:13.539 Father, 00:43:13.619 --> 00:43:14.879 we ask that the Holy Spirit, 00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:16.400 would help them to be brave, 00:43:16.500 --> 00:43:17.379 in a godly way, 00:43:17.480 --> 00:43:18.900 to grow in that power, 00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:19.339 and love, 00:43:19.379 --> 00:43:20.259 and self-discipline, 00:43:20.299 --> 00:43:21.059 that comes from you, 00:43:21.099 --> 00:43:21.900 and have a confidence, 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:23.039 not in their own bravery, 00:43:23.219 --> 00:43:23.779 but in you, 00:43:24.299 --> 00:43:25.159 and in your gospel, 00:43:25.799 --> 00:43:26.219 and Father, 00:43:26.299 --> 00:43:27.000 for those of us, 00:43:27.059 --> 00:43:27.179 who, 00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:28.900 we walk with a limp, 00:43:29.599 --> 00:43:30.799 in following Jesus, 00:43:30.980 --> 00:43:32.099 and we walk with a limp, 00:43:32.099 --> 00:43:34.519 of being easily frightened, 00:43:34.519 --> 00:43:35.759 Father, 00:43:35.800 --> 00:43:36.559 we give you thanks, 00:43:36.619 --> 00:43:37.059 and praise, 00:43:37.139 --> 00:43:37.699 that your word, 00:43:37.780 --> 00:43:38.619 has reminded us, 00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:39.219 of the fact, 00:43:39.320 --> 00:43:40.219 that we can follow you, 00:43:40.300 --> 00:43:40.759 with a limp, 00:43:41.500 --> 00:43:42.980 that Jesus takes our hand, 00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:43.860 and won't let us go, 00:43:44.139 --> 00:43:45.559 and we ask, 00:43:45.719 --> 00:43:45.880 Lord, 00:43:45.960 --> 00:43:46.800 that the Holy Spirit, 00:43:46.800 --> 00:43:47.759 would become more real, 00:43:47.800 --> 00:43:48.300 in our lives, 00:43:48.360 --> 00:43:48.820 your word, 00:43:48.900 --> 00:43:49.300 more real, 00:43:49.340 --> 00:43:50.019 in our lives, 00:43:50.099 --> 00:43:52.000 that in our micro decisions, 00:43:52.239 --> 00:43:53.099 that we would be willing, 00:43:53.099 --> 00:43:54.820 to suffer for you, 00:43:55.179 --> 00:43:55.980 and bear testimony, 00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:56.539 to Jesus, 00:43:57.179 --> 00:43:57.759 and we thank, 00:43:57.759 --> 00:43:58.280 and praise you, 00:43:58.519 --> 00:43:58.559 Father, 00:43:58.619 --> 00:43:59.679 that you are still calling, 00:43:59.679 --> 00:44:00.619 people in this city, 00:44:00.699 --> 00:44:01.759 and in every people group, 00:44:01.760 --> 00:44:02.340 and to the edge, 00:44:02.440 --> 00:44:03.220 of the end of the world, 00:44:03.600 --> 00:44:04.580 that you are calling people, 00:44:04.660 --> 00:44:05.380 to follow Jesus, 00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:07.060 we thank you, 00:44:07.140 --> 00:44:07.840 that you use, 00:44:08.020 --> 00:44:08.540 very, 00:44:08.660 --> 00:44:09.000 very, 00:44:09.400 --> 00:44:14.100 weak vessels, 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:15.120 like us, 00:44:15.560 --> 00:44:16.400 to bear testimony, 00:44:16.540 --> 00:44:16.940 to Jesus, 00:44:17.680 --> 00:44:19.180 and Father, 00:44:19.280 --> 00:44:19.940 if there are any here, 00:44:20.040 --> 00:44:21.120 who are hearing the door, 00:44:21.560 --> 00:44:22.680 their heart being knocked on, 00:44:22.740 --> 00:44:23.200 by Jesus, 00:44:23.300 --> 00:44:24.520 we ask that you help them now, 00:44:24.580 --> 00:44:25.420 by your Holy Spirit, 00:44:25.500 --> 00:44:26.300 to open that door, 00:44:26.420 --> 00:44:27.480 and welcome Jesus in, 00:44:27.520 --> 00:44:27.800 knowing, 00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:30.480 that he is their hope, 00:44:30.560 --> 00:44:31.000 of glory, 00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:31.980 their comfort, 00:44:32.099 --> 00:44:32.639 and suffering, 00:44:33.300 --> 00:44:34.480 the antidote to shame, 00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:36.159 Father, 00:44:36.199 --> 00:44:37.179 we ask all these things, 00:44:37.260 --> 00:44:38.340 in the precious name of Jesus, 00:44:38.500 --> 00:44:39.599 and all God's people said, 00:44:40.239 --> 00:44:40.559 Amen.