WEBVTT

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 This is Jesus, King of the Jews.

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 Well, we got two, three more days of shopping left, right?

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 I did something I promised myself that I would never do.

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 I would never go to Causeway Bay during the Christmas time.

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 You can keep me accountable that I would never do it again,

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 and if I do, you're welcome to kick me in the knee as hard as you dare.

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 I figured my wife said I needed to go get a doll, so go to Toys R Us.

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 There's two mistakes there, ladies.

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 Don't ever tell your husband just to go get a doll at Toys R Us,

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 because there's something about our brain,

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 and we walk in there and we see thousands of dolls,

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 and we kind of become paralyzed, and we have no idea what to do,

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 what kind of doll to get, how to get it.

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 It was just out of control.

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 I didn't know what to do.

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 I bought a craft box instead, or as the British would say, a craft box instead.

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 I bought a craft because I couldn't decide what doll to get amongst the thousands of them.

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 And as I sat there and pondered my dilemma and what I should do,

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 I walked around, and as I walked around, I heard the most amazing music.

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 I was like, silent night, holy night.

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 All was calm.

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 All was bright.

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 And I walked through this door, and I felt so weird.

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 I felt like there was this struggle of kingdoms with inside of me.

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 I mean, I knew there is this struggle of kingdoms all around us.

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 We talk about it often.

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 There is a kingdom of Tobin, and I know how to act there, and I know what to do there,

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 and I know what is required of me there, and I know who the king is because Tobin is the king,

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 or he wants to be the king.

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 And there is the kingdom of God.

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 And as I listened and I walked through there, I felt weird because I felt this tension

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 and this battle coming up within me.

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 And I realized that within me there's this struggle of these two kingdoms.

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 And if I'm honest, if I'm brutally honest, sometimes it's so much easier to work and live in the kingdom of Tobin.

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 Because in the kingdom of Tobin, I know all the rules and everything makes sense,

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 and sometimes I don't even have to think about what I'm going to do next

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 because I just know in my flesh what I'm going to do next.

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 But in the kingdom of God, things are different.

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 We've been talking and we read things like,

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 the first shall be the last, and the last shall be the first.

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 And I just don't get that sometimes.

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 We hear things that says the greatest is the least.

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 And if you want to be great, you need to serve.

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 I've never teached that in the kingdom of Tobin, but in the kingdom of God,

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 that's a message that goes over and over and over.

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 And we struggle with it in our lives, if we're honest.

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 As a theologian, we call that a paradox.

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 There's something that's happening and we see it, but we don't understand it

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 because it shouldn't be happening the way it should happen.

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 In this journey of these last four sermons, we've been calling it invertedness

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 or upside-downness, that we see things that aren't the way they should be

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 or the way that we think that they should be, and we have a hard time.

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 And the Gospels that we've been reading for the last three years

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 share a lot about Christ's kingdom

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 and how the rules in his kingdom are so different

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 than the rules in the kingdom of Tobin.

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 And I struggle with that, and sometimes, I have to be honest,

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 I feel like it's easier to live within the kingdom of Tobin.

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 I mean, just look at the passage today.

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 Six days before this passage happened,

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 Jesus walks into this place, Jerusalem.

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 There's over a million people there now.

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 And 20,000 people are following him, and they're cheering for him,

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 and they want the Christmas story to come true.

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 They want the baby who's born, he's the king,

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 he's going to be the one who's going to rule over us.

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 But now, six days later, they're yelling,

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 crucify him, kill him, kill him.

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 It's a paradox.

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 It's upside down.

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 I mean, if I were to write this story,

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 I wouldn't end it the way we did in verse 46,

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 when Jesus yells out,

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 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

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 In my story, in the kingdom of Tobin's story,

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 the story would go something like this.

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 We'd get to verse 44,

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 and then there would be three hours of darkness.

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 The Greek says that the word is basically

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 that everyone became blind.

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 There would be three hours of darkness

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 that everyone would become blind,

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 and at the end of that three hours

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 in the kingdom of Tobin,

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 what would happen would be

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 Gandalf would run down the hill with a light,

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 and the light would be blinding out,

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 and everybody would look up to the cross,

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 and Jesus would be there in golden shield and armor

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 with a sword like this,

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 and behind him, there'd be 100,000 elves,

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 I mean, angels.

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 There'd be 100,000 angels,

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 and Jesus would be sitting there like this,

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 and he says, okay, let's get it on.

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 And he would go in there,

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 and he would just destroy and cut

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 and destroy all the enemies,

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 and he would be victorious,

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 and he would build this massive palace

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 on Jerusalem Boulevard,

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 and we would worship him there today.

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 He would be the hero.

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 But in the story we just read,

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 he's not a hero.

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 He's weak.

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 He's gentle.

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 He's mild.

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 He's meek.

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 He dies.

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 No hero ever dies.

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 I mean, Hollywood's not going to buy this script,

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 are they?

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 No way.

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 I mean, in Hollywood,

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 the hero just takes as much as he can

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 to the very, very end,

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 and finally he says, that's enough.

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 And then the higher the body count,

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 he just kills everybody.

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 The better the story is.

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 But Jesus is kind of like an anti-hero.

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 When I used to read this story

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 to my students in China

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 for the very first time,

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 the very first time they ever heard the gospel,

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 I would be reading these stories,

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 and I would get to this point,

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 and Jesus would die,

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 and I would just stop and say,

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 okay, that's the end.

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 We'll talk about it next week.

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 And my students would look at me,

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 and they would go, what?

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 Oh, me, lao, shi.

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 Bu hao, bu hao.

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 If you want to have a movie,

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 the hero has to be great.

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 He has to be strong.

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 He has to be powerful.

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 This is no good.

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 This is no good.

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 He has to be passionate

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 and have pride and dignity.

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 But the Jesus you just told us about,

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 Jesus, he's weak.

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 He's wounded.

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 He dies.

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 He's wounded.

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 He dies.

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 No good, no good.

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 I never remember the look on their faces

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 as they're trying to figure out,

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 this is a good thing?

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 But the passage says,

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 this is the Christmas story.

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 I mean, this is why the baby was born.

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 The baby was born to suffer,

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 to be his servant,

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 and to die for us.

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 We don't think about that often on Christmas, do we?

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 I mean, this is why I chose this passage today,

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 because I think this passage

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 is the ultimate upside-downness.

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 This passage is the ultimate invertedness.

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 This passage is the ultimate paradox,

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 and the ultimate paradox is basically this,

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 that the whole Christmas story

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 is about a baby being born in a manger

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 in Bethlehem

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 to go to a cross

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 to get what you deserve.

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 It's the greatest paradox.

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 The Christmas story is about a baby being born,

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 and Jesus takes God's punishment

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 for us.

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 For us.

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 We don't think that often.

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 when we go to a nativity scene.

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 Because in our kingdoms,

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 we vision things differently,

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 and we have different kings,

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 and we have different rules.

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 But in the kingdom of God,

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 things are very, very different,

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 and people act very, very different.

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 I gave you this passage today.

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 I hope that you will come back and read it,

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 and as we look through it,

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 I just want to make a couple observations

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 that have stuck out to me

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 as I've been reading Matthew 27.

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 Because I think it's full

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 of what we are supposed to do

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 and look and act like

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 in Jesus' kingdom.

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 It's supposed to be what

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 a comparison of

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 his kingdom

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 and our kingdom.

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 And I'm going to share some things

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 that I've been comparing

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 with the kingdom of Tobin.

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 In God's kingdom,

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 in the inverted kingdom,

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 in the upside-down kingdom,

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 in verses 11 through 14,

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 Jesus stands silent.

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 Jesus doesn't even answer

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 one question.

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 In fact, he answers one question,

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 the very first question.

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 Pilate answers the question,

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 asks him the question,

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 are you the king of Jews?

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 And in Greek,

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 he basically just says,

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 you say.

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 You say.

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 And by then,

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 from that point on,

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 he doesn't answer

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 any of his accusers.

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 We're told that he remains silent.

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 It drives the people crazy.

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 I mean,

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 Pilate is sitting back

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 and he's kind of laughing

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 because he's kind of liking Jesus

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 because he hates the Jews.

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 They've caused him so much trouble.

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 And here's this guy

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 who's perplexing the Jews,

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 who's causing them

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 all this trouble.

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 And you can read it in the Greek.

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 There's just kind of this amusement

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 and awe and wonder.

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 Wow.

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 This guy really can give it to them

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 without speaking.

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 accusation after accusation

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 after accusation.

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 And he says nothing.

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 But you know,

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 in my kingdom,

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 if people were to come

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 and to accuse me,

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 I would yell.

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 I might even get

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 really frustrated

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 and maybe feel like

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 I want to swing out

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 and punch them.

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 I would lash out.

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 I would blame.

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 I would accuse.

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 I would try to justify myself.

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 I would try to explain myself.

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 I might even gossip

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 to hurt other people.

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 But Jesus doesn't do that.

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 Jesus doesn't do that.

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 We're told in this passage

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 and the rest of Scripture

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 that Jesus is silent.

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 Jesus remains silent

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 so that one day

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 we can be heard.

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 When we say,

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 Dear God,

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 forgive me.

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 I need you.

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 In our kingdom

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 in verses 11 and 22,

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 when we're being condemned,

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 I mean,

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 when we're being condemned

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 in 11 and 22,

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 in my kingdom,

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 man,

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 I would be quick

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 to make excuses.

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 I would be quick

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 to justify myself.

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 I would be quick

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 to show my innocence,

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 especially if I were innocent.

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 And even if I weren't innocent,

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 I would try to make myself

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 look innocent.

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 But in the inverted kingdom,

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 in God's kingdom,

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 in Jesus' kingdom,

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 Jesus is condemned

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 and he takes all

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 of the condemnation

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 even though he's innocent.

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 He takes it.

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 He's like a sponge.

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 Have you noticed this

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 when you read the passage?

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 He's like a sponge.

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 He just,

00:12:57.919 --> 00:12:59.799
 he doesn't squeeze it out

00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:00.700
 and squeeze his wrath out.

00:13:00.740 --> 00:13:01.799
 He's just sucking it in.

00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:04.339
 And we're told it

00:13:04.339 --> 00:13:05.159
 in Jesus' kingdom.

00:13:05.359 --> 00:13:07.099
 He takes the condemnation

00:13:07.099 --> 00:13:10.459
 even though he's innocent

00:13:10.459 --> 00:13:13.740
 so that you and I

00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:14.419
 who are guilty

00:13:14.419 --> 00:13:18.019
 will one day be set free.

00:13:23.620 --> 00:13:24.599
 In our kingdom,

00:13:24.599 --> 00:13:30.179
 in Jesus' kingdom,

00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:33.000
 in the upside down kingdom.

00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.919
 In verses 26 to 33,

00:13:36.479 --> 00:13:39.059
 we read this in verse 26.

00:13:39.859 --> 00:13:42.000
 He's scourged with a flagellum.

00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:43.120
 It was this whip

00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:44.599
 with eight pieces of leather on it

00:13:44.599 --> 00:13:45.839
 with bone and metal in it.

00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:47.419
 And the Romans were perfect

00:13:47.419 --> 00:13:48.599
 and they would whip it across

00:13:48.599 --> 00:13:50.359
 and they would rip it through there

00:13:50.359 --> 00:13:51.500
 and it would rip out the flesh

00:13:51.500 --> 00:13:52.599
 and there'd be blood everywhere.

00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:55.019
 The Jews had a rule.

00:13:55.099 --> 00:13:56.179
 They couldn't lash anybody

00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:57.139
 more than 40 times

00:13:57.139 --> 00:13:57.919
 because that was the death penalty.

00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:59.479
 But the Romans had no such rule.

00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:01.379
 And so they went after Jesus.

00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:03.120
 And in upside down kingdom,

00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:04.779
 Jesus is there being scourged.

00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:07.200
 In verse 27,

00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:08.720
 in his upside down kingdom,

00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:10.779
 we see that he's stripped naked.

00:14:10.899 --> 00:14:12.080
 He's totally shamed.

00:14:12.860 --> 00:14:14.019
 Do you realize that?

00:14:14.820 --> 00:14:16.379
 I mean, when people went to the cross,

00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:17.940
 they tried to make it as shameful.

00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:19.980
 They would try to take away your name.

00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:21.779
 They'd try to take away everything from you.

00:14:23.060 --> 00:14:24.100
 And so he's stripped.

00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:25.779
 He's totally naked.

00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:27.100
 He's totally shamed.

00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:28.659
 He's totally humiliated.

00:14:28.940 --> 00:14:30.379
 We're told that Pilate brings them

00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:31.220
 into the praetorium.

00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:33.320
 We've gone there on our trips to Israel.

00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:36.040
 And he brings out the whole cohort.

00:14:36.220 --> 00:14:38.560
 So there's 600 soldiers surrounding Jesus.

00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:42.240
 They're actually playing a game with Jesus.

00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:43.659
 It's called the King's Game.

00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:44.840
 If you go there,

00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:45.480
 you can find it.

00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:46.620
 It's this little slide.

00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:47.740
 I don't know if we have the slide there,

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:48.759
 but it's on the ground.

00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:49.240
 And it's right here.

00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.100
 It's this little circle.

00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.560
 And it's this little circle

00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:52.259
 like the King of Life.

00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:53.240
 And you would roll dice.

00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:55.100
 And as you entered in from the right,

00:14:55.340 --> 00:14:56.439
 there's a little scorpion there.

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:57.179
 You can't see it.

00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:58.620
 But the scorpion meant flagellum.

00:14:58.740 --> 00:15:01.000
 You started it all off by getting ripped up.

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:03.059
 And then you would just kind of walk your way around.

00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:04.000
 And whenever they rolled the dice,

00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:05.159
 the next thing happened to you.

00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:06.500
 And the next thing happened to you.

00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:07.580
 And the next thing happened to you.

00:15:07.819 --> 00:15:08.419
 And at the end,

00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:09.279
 the end was always the same.

00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:09.799
 The end was,

00:15:10.939 --> 00:15:12.580
 you die.

00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:18.600
 And so there's 600 soldiers,

00:15:19.259 --> 00:15:20.500
 and they've stripped him naked,

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:21.560
 and they're playing this game,

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.780
 and they're totally humiliating him.

00:15:23.940 --> 00:15:24.680
 And in verse 29,

00:15:24.820 --> 00:15:26.460
 we see that in Jesus' kingdom,

00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:27.800
 in the upside-down kingdom,

00:15:28.040 --> 00:15:29.100
 they mock him.

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:31.860
 They put a crown of thorns on him.

00:15:33.280 --> 00:15:35.020
 They beat him in the head

00:15:35.020 --> 00:15:37.320
 over and over and over with a reed.

00:15:37.640 --> 00:15:38.879
 The verbs are very active.

00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:39.700
 It's not just like,

00:15:40.140 --> 00:15:41.180
 but they're very powerful.

00:15:41.300 --> 00:15:41.860
 They're very active,

00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:42.620
 and it's continually,

00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:43.419
 continually,

00:15:43.560 --> 00:15:45.060
 continually in this kingdom.

00:15:49.779 --> 00:15:50.879
 In Jesus' kingdom,

00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:52.080
 in the upside-down kingdom,

00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:53.360
 he takes the lashes

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:56.480
 so that one day you and I are healed

00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:59.779
 through his blood.

00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:04.340
 In Jesus' kingdom,

00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:05.399
 he takes the stripping,

00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:06.519
 he takes the humiliation,

00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:08.420
 he takes having all his clothes

00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:09.120
 ripped off of him

00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:10.740
 so that one day

00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:13.360
 you and I

00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:16.159
 will be clothed

00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.680
 in glory.

00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:22.060
 In Jesus' kingdom,

00:16:22.180 --> 00:16:22.980
 he's totally mocked,

00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:23.820
 he's made fun of,

00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:26.899
 he's beaten with a crown of thorns,

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:28.279
 it's pushed deeply in his head,

00:16:28.340 --> 00:16:28.799
 his head,

00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:30.440
 his scalp is copious with veins,

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:31.580
 and he's bleeding everywhere,

00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:33.299
 and his back is ripped open.

00:16:33.299 --> 00:16:36.459
 And he takes the crown of thorns

00:16:36.459 --> 00:16:37.179
 in his kingdom

00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:38.579
 so that one day you and I,

00:16:39.579 --> 00:16:43.399
 we get a crown of glory.

00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:51.759
 In the upside-down kingdom,

00:16:51.959 --> 00:16:54.539
 in verses 27 through 37,

00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:56.699
 we see that God,

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:58.379
 Jesus,

00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:00.179
 our king,

00:17:00.959 --> 00:17:02.459
 he's mocked,

00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:04.899
 he's reviled,

00:17:05.460 --> 00:17:07.319
 he's spit on,

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.899
 he has his beard pulled out,

00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:12.420
 he's beaten unrecognizable.

00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:13.420
 I mean,

00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:14.319
 he's not a cute baby

00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:15.299
 in the manger anymore.

00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:15.559
 I mean,

00:17:15.619 --> 00:17:17.039
 no one can recognize him.

00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:18.379
 He's shown no mercy.

00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:19.359
 I mean,

00:17:19.379 --> 00:17:20.059
 you think about this.

00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:22.039
 In five of the 13 verses,

00:17:22.259 --> 00:17:23.679
 all they talk about is mocking.

00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:26.359
 In five of the 13 verses

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.039
 of the crucifixion,

00:17:27.099 --> 00:17:28.220
 he's just mocked,

00:17:28.220 --> 00:17:28.759
 continually,

00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:29.440
 continually,

00:17:29.779 --> 00:17:31.220
 over and over and over.

00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:32.500
 He's mocked by the soldiers,

00:17:32.619 --> 00:17:33.700
 he's mocked by the passerbys,

00:17:33.779 --> 00:17:34.940
 he's mocked by the religious leaders,

00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:35.980
 he's mocked by,

00:17:36.139 --> 00:17:37.299
 he's even mocked by the,

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:39.240
 the guys dying on the cross with him,

00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:40.059
 they even turn around

00:17:40.059 --> 00:17:41.159
 and they mock him also.

00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:44.220
 And what we see in Jesus' kingdom

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:44.599
 is again,

00:17:44.679 --> 00:17:47.240
 that he takes all those things,

00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:51.279
 he takes all those things on him

00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:55.240
 so that one day you and I,

00:17:56.519 --> 00:17:57.700
 we might be blessed.

00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:02.779
 We might be honored.

00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:05.480
 We might be declared innocent.

00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:06.940
 We might be justified

00:18:06.940 --> 00:18:10.200
 of all our sins.

00:18:11.779 --> 00:18:13.240
 In the inverted kingdom,

00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:14.400
 in the Christmas kingdom,

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:16.880
 we see in this passage

00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.700
 that Jesus doesn't even save himself.

00:18:21.280 --> 00:18:21.840
 I mean,

00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:22.820
 he allows himself

00:18:22.820 --> 00:18:25.340
 to be forsaken by God

00:18:25.340 --> 00:18:27.960
 and he dies

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:30.100
 an incredibly painful

00:18:30.100 --> 00:18:33.080
 and humiliating death

00:18:33.080 --> 00:18:36.820
 so that one day

00:18:36.820 --> 00:18:42.320
 we can be saved.

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:46.680
 one day

00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:49.420
 we can meet God.

00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:53.780
 One day

00:18:53.780 --> 00:18:56.980
 we can be called his children.

00:19:00.560 --> 00:19:01.980
 Have you ever thought about that?

00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:04.960
 When you looked at a nativity scene?

00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:09.540
 It's the greatest paradox.

00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.460
 It's the greatest upside-downness.

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:15.539
 It's the greatest unexplainable thing

00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:16.880
 in the history of the world.

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:21.600
 It's the meaning of Christmas.

00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:25.480
 We get God's glory.

00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:30.819
 Jesus gets a cross.

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:37.460
 How do you feel about that?

00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:37.480
 How do you feel about that?

00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:47.600
 How do you feel about the Christmas story?

00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:53.079
 How do you feel about God's kingdom?

00:19:54.059 --> 00:19:55.460
 The upside-down kingdom

00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:58.220
 as opposed to your kingdom?

00:20:00.100 --> 00:20:01.160
 Does it make you feel good?

00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:04.559
 I keep reading this passage over and over

00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:08.079
 and I wonder why those 20,000 people

00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:09.299
 who were following him

00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:10.920
 for three years

00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:12.080
 and some of them less than that.

00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:12.740
 They're coming to Jerusalem.

00:20:13.060 --> 00:20:14.539
 I wonder why they give it up.

00:20:14.600 --> 00:20:15.320
 I wonder why

00:20:15.320 --> 00:20:17.220
 they turn.

00:20:18.840 --> 00:20:19.880
 I talk to people

00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:20.900
 all the time

00:20:20.900 --> 00:20:21.740
 about Christ

00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:24.200
 and what he's done for them.

00:20:26.019 --> 00:20:26.200
 You know,

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:27.240
 sometimes people look at me

00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:27.460
 and they go,

00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:28.200
 I don't want that.

00:20:31.120 --> 00:20:31.800
 That's not

00:20:31.800 --> 00:20:34.080
 the kind of God I want.

00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:36.480
 I don't really want

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.919
 I don't really want a mild God.

00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:39.339
 I really don't want a gentle God.

00:20:39.379 --> 00:20:40.439
 I really don't want a meek God.

00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.799
 I really don't want a suffering God.

00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:42.399
 I really don't want a weak Savior.

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:46.319
 I don't want a Savior like that

00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:47.679
 because I don't want to live like that

00:20:47.679 --> 00:20:48.099
 because I know

00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:49.159
 if I have a Savior like that

00:20:49.159 --> 00:20:49.839
 then he's going to call me

00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:51.319
 to live like that.

00:20:52.539 --> 00:20:54.220
 And I don't want to live like that.

00:20:54.220 --> 00:20:58.240
 I want to be

00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:01.339
 or I want a God like the soldiers

00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:04.279
 or the religious leaders.

00:21:04.620 --> 00:21:06.460
 They wanted a God who was powerful.

00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:08.720
 They wanted success.

00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:09.880
 They wanted it now.

00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:10.900
 They wanted to be sexy.

00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.920
 They wanted to be relevant.

00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:13.039
 They wanted health.

00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:14.039
 They wanted education.

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.180
 They wanted wealth.

00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:15.880
 They wanted power.

00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:17.240
 They wanted to prove it now.

00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:21.079
 Why would I choose a gentle

00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:24.679
 and meek and weak

00:21:24.679 --> 00:21:27.699
 God

00:21:27.699 --> 00:21:30.500
 over a God who can do things for me like that?

00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:33.839
 I mean, in our minds,

00:21:33.899 --> 00:21:35.079
 I think we read these passages

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:35.839
 and if we're honest,

00:21:35.899 --> 00:21:37.099
 we can't ever believe that God

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:38.379
 would really work through that way.

00:21:38.439 --> 00:21:39.759
 Would God really work through weakness?

00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:42.460
 Would God really work through failure?

00:21:42.579 --> 00:21:43.839
 Would God really work through suffering?

00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:46.539
 Would God really work through pain?

00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:48.799
 Does he want me to have pain

00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.559
 so that I can become a better person?

00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.899
 I mean, I don't think many of us

00:21:51.899 --> 00:21:52.399
 are out there saying,

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.500
 Dear Lord, please bring me

00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:54.379
 more suffering today.

00:21:54.940 --> 00:21:56.200
 I need suffering today.

00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:57.299
 I need to become a better person.

00:21:57.879 --> 00:21:59.779
 Are we really saying that?

00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:05.779
 Do we want a God like that?

00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:07.940
 I mean, we want a God

00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:09.079
 who comes down from the cross.

00:22:09.159 --> 00:22:10.279
 We want a God who's powerful.

00:22:10.399 --> 00:22:10.879
 We want a God

00:22:10.879 --> 00:22:12.419
 who takes our lives into control.

00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:13.319
 We want a God

00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:13.839
 who's going to give us

00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:14.720
 everything we want.

00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:17.619
 We don't want a weak God.

00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:17.659
 God,

00:22:18.459 --> 00:22:20.099
 I mean,

00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:21.179
 if God were to give us

00:22:21.179 --> 00:22:23.699
 stuff that was hard and difficult,

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:24.599
 we'd get angry.

00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:29.939
 We'd become mad.

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:31.339
 We'd become bitter.

00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:33.399
 We might even scoff.

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:33.739
 God,

00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:35.039
 if you were really real,

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.719
 you wouldn't make this happen to me.

00:22:36.959 --> 00:22:37.159
 God,

00:22:37.199 --> 00:22:38.319
 if you were really alive,

00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:39.579
 I wouldn't get sick.

00:22:39.679 --> 00:22:40.699
 I would be married by now.

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.419
 I would have children.

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.500
 Maybe I wouldn't have children.

00:22:42.819 --> 00:22:44.039
 Maybe my children would treat better.

00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:44.579
 God,

00:22:44.619 --> 00:22:45.839
 if you were really real,

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:47.779
 you would crush these people

00:22:47.779 --> 00:22:49.099
 who are making my life miserable.

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:55.599
 That's the God most of us want.

00:22:58.519 --> 00:22:59.339
 Isn't it?

00:23:05.139 --> 00:23:06.819
 We know the story

00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:09.500
 tells us

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:11.519
 that in God's kingdom,

00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:14.660
 in the upside down kingdom,

00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:15.700
 in the inverted kingdom,

00:23:15.879 --> 00:23:16.940
 God doesn't work that way.

00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:21.039
 God works through darkness.

00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:26.339
 You ever been in a dark place?

00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:29.160
 I have.

00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:32.660
 God works through pain.

00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:35.240
 You ever had pain?

00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:38.039
 I have.

00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:40.500
 God works through suffering.

00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:43.099
 God works through weakness.

00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:45.539
 God works through the difficult times

00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.240
 in our life.

00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:48.879
 You ever had difficult times

00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:49.379
 in your life?

00:23:52.839 --> 00:23:53.579
 I have.

00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:58.819
 Verse 45 in your bulletin

00:23:58.819 --> 00:23:59.920
 says that now

00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:00.819
 on the sixth hour,

00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:02.279
 darkness fell.

00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:03.240
 The word of the Hebrew

00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:04.539
 in Greek is skotos.

00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:06.480
 It means to become blind.

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:08.920
 And for three hours,

00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:11.299
 people could not see anything.

00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:12.079
 Do you realize that?

00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:12.819
 Jesus was crucified

00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:13.839
 at nine o'clock in the morning.

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.139
 At 12 o'clock noon,

00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:16.839
 everything just went dark.

00:24:17.879 --> 00:24:18.279
 I mean,

00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:18.960
 it was black.

00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:20.000
 I mean,

00:24:20.019 --> 00:24:20.899
 the word is you couldn't even

00:24:20.899 --> 00:24:22.119
 see your hand in front of your face.

00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:22.720
 You ever been in a place

00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:23.440
 where you can't see your hand

00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:23.940
 in front of your face?

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:24.599
 I have.

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.119
 It's kind of scary, right?

00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:27.799
 We were going through the tunnels

00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:28.619
 underneath Jerusalem

00:24:28.619 --> 00:24:29.819
 this last summer,

00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:30.639
 and we were in this tunnel,

00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:31.200
 and I realized

00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:32.339
 I'm on the front of the line,

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.500
 and I don't even have

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.259
 a light with me.

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.960
 And I'm ducking,

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.480
 and I'm weaving,

00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:37.379
 and I have my camera,

00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:38.000
 and I'm kind of trying

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:39.119
 to take a little flash

00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:39.479
 so I could see

00:24:39.479 --> 00:24:40.099
 what's ahead of me,

00:24:40.199 --> 00:24:41.719
 but I couldn't see anything

00:24:41.719 --> 00:24:42.279
 in front of me.

00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:43.379
 And the passage says

00:24:43.379 --> 00:24:44.500
 that when Jesus was crucified

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:46.199
 from 12 to 3,

00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:48.839
 people could not see anything.

00:24:50.179 --> 00:24:51.299
 It was the darkest hour.

00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:53.419
 I mean,

00:24:53.439 --> 00:24:54.299
 if you were a Jew back then,

00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:54.579
 you'd be going,

00:24:54.679 --> 00:24:54.759
 wow,

00:24:54.819 --> 00:24:55.439
 this is probably

00:24:55.439 --> 00:24:56.119
 not a good thing,

00:24:56.139 --> 00:24:56.419
 is it?

00:24:57.959 --> 00:24:58.319
 I mean,

00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:58.899
 they probably would have

00:24:58.899 --> 00:24:59.319
 been reminded

00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:00.200
 of Exodus 10

00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:00.659
 when Jesus,

00:25:01.139 --> 00:25:02.259
 when the people of God

00:25:02.259 --> 00:25:03.000
 were in Egypt,

00:25:03.439 --> 00:25:04.139
 and God was trying

00:25:04.139 --> 00:25:04.639
 to free them,

00:25:04.679 --> 00:25:05.339
 and in Exodus 10,

00:25:05.379 --> 00:25:06.240
 I think it's verse 16,

00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:07.539
 he sends this darkness

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.460
 for three days.

00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:09.960
 It says in Exodus

00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:10.599
 that the darkness

00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:11.939
 is so dark

00:25:11.939 --> 00:25:15.019
 that you

00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:17.439
 can feel it.

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:22.799
 You've never been

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.200
 in a place

00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:23.919
 where it's so dark?

00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:27.159
 You've never been

00:25:27.159 --> 00:25:28.299
 in a time in your life

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:30.339
 when it's so hard.

00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.099
 But you can feel it.

00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:36.460
 For three hours,

00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:38.619
 people can see nothing.

00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:39.119
 In Exodus,

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.019
 the people just kind of

00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:40.539
 sat down,

00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:41.019
 the Egyptians,

00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:41.799
 the Jewish people

00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:42.159
 had light,

00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:43.099
 but the Egyptians didn't

00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:44.099
 because no one

00:25:44.099 --> 00:25:45.339
 could move.

00:25:46.399 --> 00:25:46.899
 And we read

00:25:46.899 --> 00:25:47.539
 in this passage

00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:48.159
 that basically

00:25:48.159 --> 00:25:49.720
 Jesus is dying.

00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:51.399
 He's suffering.

00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:52.180
 He's experiencing

00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:54.099
 his worst nightmares

00:25:54.819 --> 00:25:57.319
 in complete darkness.

00:25:58.299 --> 00:26:00.899
 I mean,

00:26:00.980 --> 00:26:01.319
 God,

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:03.919
 God is doing

00:26:03.919 --> 00:26:04.559
 his greatest

00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:05.599
 miracles

00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:10.539
 in complete

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:10.599
 darkness.

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:15.819
 I've been thinking

00:26:15.819 --> 00:26:16.319
 about this

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:16.960
 in my kingdom,

00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:18.960
 and I wonder

00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.039
 if many of us

00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:21.759
 think that's even

00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.240
 possible.

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:25.940
 do we really

00:26:25.940 --> 00:26:26.579
 believe that God

00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:27.120
 can work

00:26:27.120 --> 00:26:28.640
 in the darkest

00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:29.599
 times in our lives?

00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:31.720
 Do we really

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.339
 believe that he's

00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:32.700
 there?

00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:33.960
 I mean,

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.440
 when we face

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.220
 hard times

00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:36.039
 and failures,

00:26:37.140 --> 00:26:38.180
 losing our jobs,

00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:39.920
 loneliness,

00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:41.740
 sickness,

00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:42.380
 betrayal,

00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:44.339
 insults,

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:44.740
 shame,

00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:45.579
 discouragement,

00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:46.500
 divorce,

00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.539
 abandonment,

00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:49.059
 hard times,

00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:49.539
 mocking,

00:26:49.539 --> 00:26:53.879
 do we really

00:26:53.879 --> 00:26:54.559
 believe that God

00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:54.879
 would allow

00:26:54.879 --> 00:26:55.460
 that to happen?

00:26:58.779 --> 00:26:59.339
 Or do we

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.059
 walk by the cross

00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:00.359
 and say,

00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:00.980
 if you were God,

00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:01.579
 come down here

00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:01.960
 and make this

00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:03.099
 fixed right now

00:27:03.099 --> 00:27:04.599
 because this is

00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:05.180
 uncomfortable.

00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:10.619
 I'm not happy.

00:27:10.619 --> 00:27:14.299
 but the passage

00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:15.239
 says that in

00:27:15.239 --> 00:27:16.359
 God's

00:27:16.359 --> 00:27:17.959
 inverted kingdom,

00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:18.579
 this is how

00:27:18.579 --> 00:27:20.659
 God works.

00:27:22.959 --> 00:27:23.639
 He works

00:27:23.639 --> 00:27:24.079
 in the darkness.

00:27:25.379 --> 00:27:26.059
 He works

00:27:26.059 --> 00:27:26.559
 in the difficult

00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:27.019
 times.

00:27:27.139 --> 00:27:27.439
 He works

00:27:27.439 --> 00:27:27.959
 in the pain.

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:28.399
 He works

00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:29.239
 in the suffering.

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:30.039
 The passage

00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:30.839
 says that God

00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:31.599
 is doing

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.419
 his greatest

00:27:32.419 --> 00:27:33.659
 work in

00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:34.199
 creation,

00:27:34.419 --> 00:27:35.299
 in your life,

00:27:35.399 --> 00:27:36.059
 in the difficult

00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:36.459
 times,

00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:37.039
 in the darkness,

00:27:37.179 --> 00:27:37.619
 in the pain,

00:27:37.699 --> 00:27:38.199
 in the suffering,

00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:38.919
 and if we don't

00:27:38.919 --> 00:27:39.479
 realize that,

00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:41.720
 we lose

00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.059
 everything.

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:45.680
 If we don't

00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:46.539
 realize that God

00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:47.099
 is working

00:27:47.099 --> 00:27:48.740
 in the darkest

00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:49.240
 hours of your

00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:49.420
 life,

00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:50.019
 that he's always

00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:50.860
 there amidst

00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:51.460
 the failures,

00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.360
 the total loss,

00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:52.900
 the poverty,

00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:54.099
 that God is

00:27:54.099 --> 00:27:54.779
 always there

00:27:54.779 --> 00:27:55.920
 when things

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:56.420
 are at their

00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:56.779
 worst,

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:57.599
 when we are

00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:58.339
 at our worst.

00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.220
 The passage

00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:00.660
 says that when

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.380
 we are at our

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:01.759
 worst,

00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:03.819
 God

00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:05.680
 is working.

00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:10.380
 Do we

00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:11.019
 believe that?

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:16.759
 The passage

00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:17.460
 says that in

00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:17.820
 the midst

00:28:17.820 --> 00:28:18.380
 of total

00:28:18.380 --> 00:28:18.840
 loss,

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.720
 total failure,

00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:21.180
 crucifixion,

00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:25.980
 the kingdom

00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:26.360
 of God

00:28:26.360 --> 00:28:26.799
 is near.

00:28:30.220 --> 00:28:30.700
 He's

00:28:30.700 --> 00:28:31.320
 pursuing you.

00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:34.419
 He wants

00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:34.879
 a relationship

00:28:34.879 --> 00:28:35.339
 with you.

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:37.639
 He wants

00:28:37.639 --> 00:28:38.139
 that relationship

00:28:38.139 --> 00:28:38.559
 back.

00:28:40.159 --> 00:28:40.839
 He wants

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.460
 you to realize

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:41.919
 that in his

00:28:41.919 --> 00:28:42.299
 kingdom,

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:43.939
 things work

00:28:43.939 --> 00:28:44.339
 differently

00:28:44.339 --> 00:28:46.339
 than in the

00:28:46.339 --> 00:28:47.119
 kingdom of Tobin.

00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:50.740
 And he has

00:28:50.740 --> 00:28:51.279
 an amazing

00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:52.819
 plan for

00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:53.419
 your life.

00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:57.399
 But sometimes

00:28:57.399 --> 00:28:57.980
 we have to go

00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:58.579
 through darkness.

00:28:58.579 --> 00:29:03.159
 sometimes we

00:29:03.159 --> 00:29:03.359
 have to go

00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:03.839
 through failure.

00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:07.039
 Sometimes we

00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.220
 have to go

00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:07.720
 through pain.

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:10.720
 Sometimes we

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:10.899
 have to go

00:29:10.899 --> 00:29:11.460
 through suffering.

00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:14.579
 Sometimes we

00:29:14.579 --> 00:29:15.099
 have to be

00:29:15.099 --> 00:29:15.960
 abandoned by

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.619
 everybody we

00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:17.339
 know and

00:29:17.339 --> 00:29:17.819
 love.

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.059
 But the

00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:23.639
 passage says

00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:24.119
 God is

00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:24.419
 there.

00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:27.599
 And he's

00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:27.879
 working.

00:29:28.579 --> 00:29:31.099
 it's the

00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:31.439
 greatest

00:29:31.439 --> 00:29:32.519
 upside down.

00:29:33.439 --> 00:29:33.819
 It's the

00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:34.279
 greatest

00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:35.419
 inverting.

00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.000
 It's the

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:38.980
 most paradoxical

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:39.399
 thing you're

00:29:39.399 --> 00:29:39.819
 ever going to

00:29:39.819 --> 00:29:40.079
 hear.

00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:42.419
 The message

00:29:42.419 --> 00:29:43.059
 of Christmas.

00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:45.779
 The baby

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.480
 coming to you

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:46.720
 in your

00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.379
 darkest hour.

00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:50.579
 To save

00:29:50.579 --> 00:29:50.819
 you.

00:29:53.879 --> 00:29:54.460
 To save

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:54.639
 you.

00:29:56.379 --> 00:29:56.960
 So the

00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:57.259
 question we

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:57.599
 have to ask

00:29:57.599 --> 00:29:58.220
 ourselves is

00:29:58.220 --> 00:30:00.700
 this Christmas.

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.220
 What kingdom

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.660
 are we

00:30:05.660 --> 00:30:06.100
 looking for?

00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.019
 What

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.500
 kingdom do

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:10.759
 we want to

00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:11.140
 be a part

00:30:11.140 --> 00:30:11.339
 of?

00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:15.720
 Probably the

00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:16.160
 more important

00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:16.559
 question we

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:16.900
 need to ask

00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:17.519
 ourselves is

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:19.980
 who do we

00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:20.299
 want to be

00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:20.559
 king?

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:20.660
 Who do we

00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:21.120
 want to be

00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:21.160
 king?

00:30:25.160 --> 00:30:26.039
 A baby

00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:27.440
 in a manger?

00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:28.900
 weak,

00:30:29.580 --> 00:30:29.980
 mild,

00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:30.960
 gentle,

00:30:31.580 --> 00:30:31.960
 humble,

00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:34.460
 who inverts

00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:34.960
 everything

00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:37.000
 so that we

00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:37.360
 might come

00:30:37.360 --> 00:30:37.720
 back to

00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:37.960
 God?

00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:38.019
 God?

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:43.779
 Father, we

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.180
 thank you for

00:30:44.180 --> 00:30:44.579
 this day.

00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:46.559
 We thank you

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.139
 that you

00:30:47.139 --> 00:30:50.639
 are so

00:30:50.639 --> 00:30:51.059
 faithful.

00:30:54.379 --> 00:30:55.160
 We thank you

00:30:55.160 --> 00:30:55.480
 that your

00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:57.400
 kingdom is

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.039
 not like our

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:58.299
 kingdom.

00:30:58.299 --> 00:30:58.359
 God.

00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:04.579
 We thank you

00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:04.859
 that you're

00:31:04.859 --> 00:31:05.440
 working in the

00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:06.139
 darkest hours

00:31:06.139 --> 00:31:06.579
 and the

00:31:06.579 --> 00:31:07.419
 darkest times

00:31:07.419 --> 00:31:07.740
 and the

00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.180
 times we

00:31:08.180 --> 00:31:08.539
 feel like

00:31:08.539 --> 00:31:09.019
 we've lost

00:31:09.019 --> 00:31:09.359
 it all.

00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:09.779
 There's no

00:31:09.779 --> 00:31:10.079
 hope.

00:31:10.839 --> 00:31:11.720
 This passage,

00:31:11.879 --> 00:31:12.379
 your son,

00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:13.159
 the cross,

00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:14.039
 it says,

00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:14.200
 no,

00:31:14.259 --> 00:31:14.879
 there's all,

00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:15.919
 there's all

00:31:15.919 --> 00:31:16.259
 hope.

00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:18.319
 But we

00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:18.919
 look for it.

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.419
 We trust you

00:31:21.419 --> 00:31:22.039
 to be God.

00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:22.079
 God.

00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:24.299
 We release

00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:25.779
 our striking

00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:26.639
 out and our

00:31:26.639 --> 00:31:28.259
 justifying in

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:28.819
 our words and

00:31:28.819 --> 00:31:29.559
 we realize that

00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:30.200
 you're God and

00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:30.519
 you've already

00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:31.339
 taken all those

00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:32.000
 things to bring

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.259
 us.

00:31:34.619 --> 00:31:35.079
 You're not just

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:35.519
 bringing us to

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:36.019
 heaven, but you're

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.639
 bringing us along

00:31:36.639 --> 00:31:37.220
 this journey.

00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:41.339
 Lord, I pray for

00:31:41.339 --> 00:31:42.259
 those of us who

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:44.899
 still want a

00:31:44.899 --> 00:31:45.299
 strong,

00:31:45.700 --> 00:31:47.639
 powerful God

00:31:47.639 --> 00:31:48.099
 that makes it

00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:48.599
 happen right

00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:49.039
 now.

00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:51.579
 Lord, I pray

00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:51.899
 that you would

00:31:51.900 --> 00:31:52.460
 just invade our

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:52.840
 hearts,

00:31:54.680 --> 00:31:55.100
 that your spirit

00:31:55.100 --> 00:31:55.600
 would show us

00:31:55.600 --> 00:31:56.019
 the meaning of

00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:56.700
 Christmas and the

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.400
 baby born in a

00:31:57.400 --> 00:31:57.940
 manger and that

00:31:57.940 --> 00:31:58.480
 all he's done

00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:00.560
 for us to turn

00:32:00.560 --> 00:32:01.400
 our worlds upside

00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:02.220
 down, to invert

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:02.840
 our kingdoms.

00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:06.300
 I pray that we

00:32:06.300 --> 00:32:06.920
 would believe,

00:32:08.620 --> 00:32:09.380
 that we'd repent

00:32:09.380 --> 00:32:10.240
 of our selfishness

00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:10.720
 and our own

00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.220
 kingship.

00:32:12.860 --> 00:32:13.680
 We'd ask you to

00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.140
 come in,

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:16.019
 become king in

00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:16.540
 our lives.

00:32:19.280 --> 00:32:19.980
 Lord, I pray for

00:32:19.980 --> 00:32:20.860
 those of us who

00:32:20.860 --> 00:32:21.840
 crowned you,

00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.379
 king, a long

00:32:22.379 --> 00:32:24.539
 time ago, but in

00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:25.039
 the midst of the

00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:25.819
 journey, we've

00:32:25.819 --> 00:32:27.500
 lost perspective,

00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:29.279
 we've lost sight,

00:32:29.379 --> 00:32:29.879
 we've lost

00:32:29.879 --> 00:32:30.619
 understanding.

00:32:32.139 --> 00:32:32.859
 We've tried to put

00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:33.699
 the crown back on

00:32:33.699 --> 00:32:34.179
 our heads.

00:32:36.579 --> 00:32:37.419
 We've tried to live

00:32:37.419 --> 00:32:37.899
 for a different

00:32:37.899 --> 00:32:38.279
 kingdom.

00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:41.959
 Lord, we thank you

00:32:41.959 --> 00:32:42.799
 for this passage

00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:43.740
 because it says that

00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:44.699
 you are the God who

00:32:44.699 --> 00:32:45.500
 never gives up on

00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:46.019
 your people,

00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.519
 that you're the God

00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.259
 of second chances.

00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:55.700
 I confess my

00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:56.619
 kingship to you.

00:32:58.720 --> 00:32:59.960
 I repent of my

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.639
 selfishness.

00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:04.319
 You fill us with

00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:05.680
 your spirit and with

00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:06.539
 your word and with

00:33:06.539 --> 00:33:07.220
 your truth.

00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:10.460
 Show us, even in the

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.339
 darkest, darkest,

00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:13.480
 darkest times, that

00:33:13.480 --> 00:33:15.039
 you're at work and

00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:15.460
 you're moving.

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:19.339
 Lord, I pray for us

00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:20.259
 as a church during

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:21.839
 this Christmas day,

00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:23.880
 these holidays,

00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:25.200
 these inverted

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.839
 days when it's so

00:33:26.839 --> 00:33:27.660
 easy to become

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:28.440
 confused.

00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:29.240
 we're going to run

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:30.100
 into people every

00:33:30.100 --> 00:33:30.820
 day and every

00:33:30.820 --> 00:33:34.279
 moment who are like

00:33:34.279 --> 00:33:35.080
 the people at the

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:37.380
 cross, but not just

00:33:37.380 --> 00:33:38.380
 for three hours or

00:33:38.380 --> 00:33:39.160
 for three days.

00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:40.320
 They've been blinded

00:33:40.320 --> 00:33:43.279
 for a long, long

00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:43.779
 time.

00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:46.640
 And the problem is

00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:47.220
 they don't even know

00:33:47.220 --> 00:33:50.299
 they're blind because

00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:50.740
 they think they're

00:33:50.740 --> 00:33:51.420
 looking for the right

00:33:51.420 --> 00:33:54.500
 king, a powerful

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:56.700
 king, a wealthy

00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:57.100
 king.

00:33:58.799 --> 00:33:59.600
 I want to pray for

00:33:59.600 --> 00:34:00.539
 us as a church that

00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:01.640
 we would be salt and

00:34:01.640 --> 00:34:04.080
 light and they would

00:34:04.080 --> 00:34:05.580
 see that we serve a

00:34:05.580 --> 00:34:06.240
 different kingdom,

00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:08.860
 that we follow a

00:34:08.860 --> 00:34:11.800
 different king, and

00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:12.519
 that you would do only

00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:13.460
 what you could do is

00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:15.059
 open their hearts and

00:34:15.059 --> 00:34:15.940
 their minds and their

00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:17.039
 eyes and their ears to

00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:18.740
 the message of your

00:34:18.740 --> 00:34:19.880
 son, these holiday

00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:23.099
 season, and that we

00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:24.159
 would be faithful to be

00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:26.519
 the hands and feet to

00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:27.340
 love them and to

00:34:27.340 --> 00:34:29.300
 encourage them to be

00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:30.219
 real and honest with

00:34:30.219 --> 00:34:32.400
 them, but to point

00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:33.019
 them to your son.

00:34:35.380 --> 00:34:36.239
 Father, we pray for

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:36.759
 our church.

00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:40.039
 We realize it's not

00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.559
 our church.

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.099
 It's your church.

00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:45.840
 It's your kingdom.

00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:49.739
 Help us to be found

00:34:49.739 --> 00:34:52.079
 worshiping the true

00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:52.360
 king.

00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:55.320
 Father, we love you.

00:34:56.780 --> 00:34:57.720
 We realize that none

00:34:57.720 --> 00:34:58.400
 of this is possible

00:34:58.400 --> 00:34:59.240
 without your power

00:34:59.240 --> 00:35:00.120
 changing us.

00:35:01.140 --> 00:35:01.820
 We realize that none

00:35:01.820 --> 00:35:02.539
 of this is possible

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:03.960
 unless we look to the

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:04.920
 true king, your son

00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:06.599
 Jesus, and realize he

00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:07.559
 did all these things so

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:08.260
 that we could do them

00:35:08.260 --> 00:35:09.019
 through his power.

00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:11.640
 Change us.

00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:14.220
 Make us different.

00:35:16.059 --> 00:35:17.000
 Father, we love you.

00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:18.880
 We pray all these things

00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:19.420
 in your son Jesus'

00:35:19.640 --> 00:35:19.800
 name.

00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:21.099
 Amen.

00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:22.280
 Amen.

00:35:22.720 --> 00:35:22.940
 Amen.

00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:23.780
 Amen.

00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:24.059
 Amen.

00:35:24.059 --> 00:35:26.099
 Amen.

00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:38.559
 Amen.

00:35:38.920 --> 00:35:40.039
 Amen.

00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:40.079
 Amen.

00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:40.099
 Amen.

00:35:42.039 --> 00:35:42.180
 Amen.

00:35:42.180 --> 00:35:42.300
 Amen.

00:35:42.300 --> 00:35:42.640
 Amen.

00:35:42.640 --> 00:35:43.220
 Amen.

00:35:44.220 --> 00:35:44.599
 Amen.

00:35:45.240 --> 00:35:45.740
 Amen.

00:35:46.740 --> 00:35:46.820
 Amen.

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:47.860
 Amen.

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.079
 Amen.

00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:48.400
 Amen.

00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:48.820
 Amen.