WEBVTT

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 Timmy just read Amos chapter 4 and beginning of chapter 5 out for us.

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 And what Amos says there should really change our view of God.

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 I say that and I think it's really important because there's way too many people sitting in churches,

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 particularly I think in the Western world, where we believe that Christianity means that we should work hard at being really good.

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 And they believe that God exists to serve them and by helping them in life to make them feel happy and good and secure and at peace in life.

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 And they believe that even though God might have made the world, fundamentally God isn't active in his world unless I need God to come in and fix stuff,

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 which is when we pray, when things aren't going so well, God come and fix this situation.

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 The rest of the time, they work on the assumption that God pretty much stays out of the way as I go on with my life.

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 And when I need him, he'll come in and fix things up for me, bail me out.

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 The God that we find here in Amos, in fact, the whole book of Amos, but certainly clear in Amos 4 and 5, is not like that at all.

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 As we saw last week, Amos was sent by God to preach a message of judgment to the 10 tribes of north in Israel, about 750 BC.

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 Two tribes, Israel at this point has split into two, Judah down the bottom, two tribes, 10 tribes of Israel to the north.

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 Judah has got the temple and the city and the north has got naming rights.

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 Amos was sent by God from the south to the north to preach to a people who had become corrupt and complacent and self-centered.

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 That is, they were meant to be God's people, but they were no different than the nations around them.

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 The justice system was corrupt.

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 The rich exploited the poor.

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 Their sexual standards were no different than the pagan nations.

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 And yet at the same time, and Sam will probably touch on this a bit more next week,

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 at the same time, their religion was, they were really serious about it.

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 They were deeply serious and committed to their religious practice.

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 But instead of turning their creed into deeds, they've turned their creed into greed.

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 Money and security had become their God.

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 And at the beginning of chapter four, we get a feel for the state of this nation.

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 It says, hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, bring us some drinks.

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 See, Amos here is not being particularly polite to the ladies of Israel.

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 Bashan was the richest agricultural area in Israel.

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 It was the food bowl, if you like, of Israel.

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 And the livestock from that area were plumped and round and well conditioned.

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 They were the ones who got the best price at the market.

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 And in a time back in those days where the poor looked like they really needed to have a feed, sort of like supermodels,

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 the rich, on the other hand, displayed their opulence, displayed their wealth by their figures.

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 They looked like they were well fed.

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 And so what Amos is referring to here is the champagne set.

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 They've surrounded themselves in lives of luxury.

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 These are the desperate housewives of Samaria.

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 And the problem is not so much with the champagne and the caviar and the thermomixers.

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 It's in their luxurious lifestyles.

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 Sorry, I'm just picking the thermomixers.

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 It's just the theme of mine at the moment.

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 It's a cult.

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 So I read that.

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 Sorry, I read that somewhere.

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 I read it somewhere.

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 I know I've got one.

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 Sorry.

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 The problem is, it's the fact that in all of this, they've lost sight of the poor and the needy and ultimately God.

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 They walk over the needy and they don't even notice it.

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 Like they trample them under their feet.

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 So what's God's response?

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 The wall, the city wall, the walls of Samaria, the place of their fortress, the things that they had built up for themselves.

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 Their place of their fortune and their security are going to have gaping holes in them.

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 You see, what's described here is that Haman is up in the north, up above Samaria.

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 And what is described here is what we saw last week that happened 28 years after Amos preached this message.

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 Assyria, the greater nation of Assyria, up around where Turkey is nowadays, came down from the north and they destroyed the capital city of Samaria.

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 And they led 27,000 of the rich and the elite away into captivity.

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 And one of the things they used to do, the Assyrians did, they were fairly brutal kind of people.

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 And one of the things they used to do was they would attach all of their captives together with chains.

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 And they would attach the chains through the noses or through the lips of their captives and march them.

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 And that's what's described here.

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 You're going to be carted away like fish hooks.

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 Like if you've got a fish hook stuck in your mouth, you're going to be carted away through the walls of Samaria.

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 Now, it's just not the women that he's picking on here.

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 In chapter 6, verse 1, Amos says this about the men.

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 He says,

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 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion.

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 And then in verse 4 of chapter 6, he says,

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 You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches.

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 You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.

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 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.

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 You drink wine by the volfil and you use the finest of lotions.

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 But you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

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 You do not grieve over the ruin of God's people.

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 They're celebrating, they're relaxing, and they should be grieving.

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 And the absolute height of their hypocrisy is that they think God's more interested in their sacrifices

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 and their attendance at their church services and all their religious duty

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 than he is in the state of their hearts.

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 Chapter 4, verse 4 is referring to their altar in Bethel.

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 It's where they would go and do their rituals.

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 Bethel literally means house of God.

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 So this is what they did when they went to the house of God.

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 Go to Bethel and sin.

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 That's what they did when they went to church.

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 Go to Bethel and sin.

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 Go to Gilgal and sin yet more.

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 Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years.

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 Burn your leavened bread as a thank offering.

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 And brag about your free will offerings.

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 Boast about them, you Israelites, for that is what you love to do.

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 Their religion was complacent.

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 It was smug.

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 It was self-congratulating.

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 And in chapter 5, verse 21, Sam will deal with more of this next week,

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 but it gives us a bit of a sneak peek into what God thought about their religion.

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 And it turns out here that God hated going to church with these people.

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 He says,

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 What does God want them to do?

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 He wants them to live out who they are as his special covenant people.

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 That's what he wants.

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 And what is happening here in Amos chapter 4 is God actually throwing out warning sign

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 after warning sign after warning sign in the hope that his people would remember

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 his special relationship with them and they would come back to him in repentance.

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 So let's see how God does that.

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 Let's start at verse 6.

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 I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town.

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 Yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.

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 I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away.

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 That's crucial because the three-month part is when the grain starts to form in the head.

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 No rain at that point.

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 Crops useless.

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 As sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another.

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 One field had rain, another had none and dried up.

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 People staggered from town to town for water, but did not get enough to drink.

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 Yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.

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 Many times I struck your gardens and your vineyards, destroying them with blight and mildew.

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 Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees.

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 Yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.

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 I sent plagues among you as I did in Egypt.

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 I killed your young men with a sword along with your captured horses.

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 I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps.

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 That's the rotting corpses of their children.

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 Yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.

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 I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

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 You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire.

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 Yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.

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 Five times we read there that God says,

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 I threw the warning signs out at you.

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 I threw it at you.

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 It should have been obvious for you to see so that you would return to me in repentance.

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 It should not have been a surprise to them at all.

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 They had God's word in front of them.

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 It was all spelled out to them in black and white.

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 You see, 500 years before this, 500 years before,

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 just as Israel was about to come into the promised land,

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 God speaks to them.

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 And in Deuteronomy 28,

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 we have God telling them what would happen.

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 He says,

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 If you ignore me, you get in the land and you ignore me,

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 I'll withhold the rain.

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 He says,

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 If you get in the land and you ignore me,

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 you will go hungry.

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 If you ignore me,

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 I will send blight and mildew upon your vineyards.

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 If you ignore me,

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 the promised land that I'm bringing you into will spit you out.

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 God told them it would happen.

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 And their only hope here is that they would turn back to God and repent.

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 So God is saying here,

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 I have been trying to get your attention.

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 I gave,

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 I withheld,

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 I sent,

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 I struck,

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 I killed,

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 I filled,

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 I withheld.

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 God did it all.

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 He did it all to his people.

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 He's trying to get their attention.

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 Now imagine,

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 my family sound asleep upstairs in our home at two o'clock in the morning,

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 and someone decides to throw bricks through the bedroom windows.

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 My immediate response would be,

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 that's really antisocial.

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 Probably in a slightly more extreme form than that,

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 at two o'clock in the morning.

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 But what if downstairs is on fire,

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 and those people are trying to get my attention?

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 That changes it,

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 doesn't it?

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 And that's what God's doing here.

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 All of these things came from the hand of God.

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 He's calling them to listen,

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 to read the signs,

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 to see what's happening.

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 Look,

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 look,

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 look.

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 Something is desperately wrong.

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 And he's trying to call them back.

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 He's trying to remind the Israelites of their covenant relationship.

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 These disasters were,

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 yes,

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 they did come from a God in a sense of judgment,

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 but they were the severe mercy of a patient God.

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 They were his tough love,

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 if you like.

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 God has been throwing bricks through the window for Israel,

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 but they hadn't returned.

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 They hadn't repented.

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 And so God says,

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 in chapter 4,

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 verse 12,

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 Israel,

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 prepare to meet your God.

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 And then,

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 we get a description of what this God is like.

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 This is the God who made the stars.

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 This is the God who turns blackness into dawn.

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 This is the God who speaks,

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 and the waters fill this sea.

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 This is the God who speaks,

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 and he brings mountains down to nothing.

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 This is the God who loves righteousness,

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 justice,

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 mercy,

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 and compassion.

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 So I want to ask you,

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 the very first thing,

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 how big is your God?

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 How big was the God that you came here tonight with?

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 Is he big enough to be a God of righteous anger and compassion?

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 A God who brings both blessing and disaster?

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 Or is he just the God who jumps in and solves your problems when you need to solve a problem

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 and just stay away from most of the time?

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 There are not many places in the Bible clearer on this issue than Isaiah 45,

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 exactly who this God is.

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 Isaiah 45,

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 verses 5 to 7,

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 It says,

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 I, the Lord,

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 do all of these things.

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 Is that your God?

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 That is the God of the Bible.

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 A God who,

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 as you see in,

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 for instance,

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 the book of Romans,

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 who has his heavy hand on his creation.

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 Has his heavy hand where he has set these frustrations at the creation into frustration

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 that we might not put our hope in the things that God gives us,

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 the things that he has made,

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 but in actual fact have our hope in the God who creates all things.

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 The bad things of our world are the nature of the world in which we live in under the heavy hand of God.

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 It is our God,

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 our creator,

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 lovingly,

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 mercifully throwing bricks through the window.

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 They say,

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 come back to me.

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 He's trying to get our attention to remind us that we need him

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 and that hope and glory and joy and life is found only him.

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 We need to seek him and come back to him.

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 And that's the essence of his appeal in chapter 5 of Amos.

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 It says,

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 seek me and live.

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 Seek the Lord and live or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire

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 and it will devour them and Bethel will have no one to quench it.

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 Seek me and live.

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 And Amos is saying this to Israel,

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 saying,

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 dudes,

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 it's not too late.

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 Repent.

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 Come back to God.

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 God did all of these things to Israel

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 and they should have seen the writing on the wall.

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 They should have acknowledged it as being the hand of God.

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 They should have feared him and turned back,

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 but they didn't.

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 Why?

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 Because life was too good.

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 And they just assumed that because life was good and things were flourishing,

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 that's God,

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 because that's what God does,

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 doesn't he?

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 God just,

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 he's there to support my life and my goals and my adventures.

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 And these things that were sent by God were just seen as mere speed humps.

00:16:35.139 --> 00:16:36.500
 In an otherwise comfortable,

00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:37.579
 self-indulgent life,

00:16:37.659 --> 00:16:38.599
 they ignored God.

00:16:38.599 --> 00:16:40.559
 They rejected his warning signs

00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:42.500
 and 28 years later,

00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:45.179
 fishhooks carted off to Assyria.

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:49.379
 750 years later,

00:16:49.839 --> 00:16:50.659
 after Amos,

00:16:51.119 --> 00:16:53.039
 Jesus turns up in Israel

00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:55.399
 and declares himself to be

00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:57.279
 this same God in the flesh.

00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:59.259
 It's God to come and dwell amongst his people.

00:17:00.099 --> 00:17:03.099
 The same God who made Israel his special people

00:17:03.099 --> 00:17:04.039
 centuries earlier,

00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:06.059
 has now come amongst his people.

00:17:07.139 --> 00:17:09.539
 And when God actually turned up,

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:10.899
 Israel did,

00:17:11.639 --> 00:17:12.639
 750 years later,

00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:14.139
 what they did in Amos' time

00:17:14.139 --> 00:17:16.200
 and they rejected Jesus,

00:17:16.379 --> 00:17:17.200
 is what they did.

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.960
 Luke chapter 12 to 14,

00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:20.740
 if you've got your Bibles,

00:17:20.879 --> 00:17:21.599
 flick over to Luke.

00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:23.959
 Luke chapter 12 to 14,

00:17:23.959 --> 00:17:29.839
 we have Jesus issuing warnings to Israel again

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:32.939
 and lamenting the state of Israel.

00:17:33.379 --> 00:17:35.339
 He says that Israel is desolate

00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:38.059
 and will be until,

00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:39.259
 they will be desolate,

00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:40.819
 they will be barren

00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:43.779
 until they recognize their Savior and their Lord.

00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:45.799
 And in chapter 12,

00:17:45.879 --> 00:17:46.139
 verse 49,

00:17:46.139 --> 00:17:50.440
 Jesus says that he has come to do God's will.

00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:53.220
 And his mission statement is this,

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:57.460
 I have come to bring fire on the earth

00:17:57.460 --> 00:18:00.319
 and how I wish it were already kindled.

00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:02.679
 In other words,

00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:04.619
 the same language which is used in Amos

00:18:04.619 --> 00:18:06.299
 as Jesus now uses here,

00:18:06.579 --> 00:18:07.500
 language of fire,

00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:08.960
 that is the judgment of God,

00:18:09.179 --> 00:18:10.059
 is now here.

00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:11.779
 And Jesus says,

00:18:11.899 --> 00:18:12.859
 I wish it was already kindled.

00:18:12.939 --> 00:18:13.200
 In fact,

00:18:13.379 --> 00:18:14.939
 I wish it was happening right now,

00:18:14.980 --> 00:18:15.700
 is what he says.

00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:17.179
 I've come to bring judgment

00:18:17.179 --> 00:18:18.799
 and I want it to happen right now.

00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:24.279
 And what he says is,

00:18:26.159 --> 00:18:26.680
 a little bit,

00:18:26.879 --> 00:18:28.000
 next verses on,

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.119
 anyone,

00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:32.240
 anyone who's got eyes to see

00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.599
 can see that that is what I am here to do.

00:18:37.180 --> 00:18:38.379
 Notice who I am

00:18:38.379 --> 00:18:39.639
 and what I've come to do.

00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:42.799
 You'll be able to see that God is at work.

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:44.659
 He's doing something really important.

00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.399
 And so right at the very end of chapter 12,

00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:49.220
 Jesus calls people to settle

00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:50.759
 their spiritual accounts with God.

00:18:52.140 --> 00:18:53.259
 And he says,

00:18:53.660 --> 00:18:56.900
 a failure to settle the spiritual account with God

00:18:56.900 --> 00:18:58.800
 will result in God extracting

00:18:58.800 --> 00:19:02.060
 every single last cent out of you

00:19:02.060 --> 00:19:02.980
 that you owe him.

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:07.160
 And it's a debt which is incalculable

00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:08.980
 that we can never pay back.

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:12.140
 And it's a picture of God's eternal judgment

00:19:12.140 --> 00:19:13.380
 upon sinners.

00:19:13.380 --> 00:19:17.480
 And that is what sets up

00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:19.720
 this interaction that Jesus has

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:22.140
 in Luke 13,

00:19:22.840 --> 00:19:23.800
 where he says,

00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:26.040
 now there was some present at that time.

00:19:26.120 --> 00:19:27.260
 So hearing Jesus say this,

00:19:27.320 --> 00:19:28.460
 there was some present at that time

00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:31.020
 who told Jesus about the Galileans

00:19:31.020 --> 00:19:33.840
 whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

00:19:34.340 --> 00:19:36.420
 So there's some kind of political uprising

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:37.920
 in Galilee

00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:39.820
 and Pilate comes along,

00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:40.680
 squashes it,

00:19:40.760 --> 00:19:41.600
 and he squashes it

00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:42.779
 by killing everyone in church.

00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:43.740
 That's kind of what he does.

00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:44.719
 And so,

00:19:45.719 --> 00:19:46.399
 and then it goes on,

00:19:46.459 --> 00:19:47.379
 Jesus answered,

00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:48.379
 do you think

00:19:48.379 --> 00:19:50.119
 that these Galileans

00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:50.859
 were worse sinners

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:53.139
 than all the other Galileans

00:19:53.139 --> 00:19:55.279
 because they suffered in this way?

00:19:56.719 --> 00:19:57.219
 I tell you,

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:57.579
 no.

00:19:58.659 --> 00:19:59.839
 But unless you repent,

00:19:59.959 --> 00:20:01.219
 you too will all perish.

00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:03.079
 Or,

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:05.359
 those 18 who died

00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:07.199
 when the Tower of Siloam fell on them,

00:20:07.439 --> 00:20:08.659
 do you think that they were more guilty

00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:10.259
 than all the others living in Jerusalem?

00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:12.259
 I tell you,

00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:12.619
 no.

00:20:13.660 --> 00:20:14.779
 But unless you repent,

00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:16.359
 you too will all perish.

00:20:17.819 --> 00:20:18.720
 In our world,

00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:22.059
 there's two major ways

00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:24.599
 that we respond to disasters in this world.

00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.519
 There's the moralistic,

00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:27.359
 legalistic,

00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:28.420
 religious approach,

00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:30.440
 which instinctively assumes

00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:32.299
 that when I've,

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:33.660
 when something disastrous,

00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:35.279
 some crisis hits my life,

00:20:35.579 --> 00:20:37.460
 I've done something wrong.

00:20:37.460 --> 00:20:39.140
 I cannot tell you

00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:39.920
 the number of people

00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:40.960
 who I face

00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:41.240
 who have,

00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:42.140
 who've got some problem

00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:42.920
 in their life

00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:44.579
 and their immediate response is,

00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:46.019
 I must have done something wrong.

00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.920
 I can't think of what I've done wrong.

00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:49.000
 I must have done something wrong.

00:20:52.620 --> 00:20:53.799
 We put the blame

00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:54.660
 on the individual.

00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:56.799
 Another name for it is karma

00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:57.240
 or the,

00:20:57.340 --> 00:20:59.279
 what we generally refer to

00:20:59.279 --> 00:20:59.980
 as what goes,

00:21:00.100 --> 00:21:00.799
 what goes around,

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:01.440
 comes around.

00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.140
 The other response,

00:21:06.100 --> 00:21:07.320
 so one response lays it

00:21:07.320 --> 00:21:08.279
 on the responsibility

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:08.900
 of the individual.

00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:10.660
 The other response

00:21:10.660 --> 00:21:11.480
 is the skeptical,

00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:13.220
 irreligious response

00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:14.600
 where we blame the universe

00:21:14.600 --> 00:21:15.940
 generally or God.

00:21:16.299 --> 00:21:17.559
 The purposelessness of the universe,

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:17.840
 you know,

00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:18.820
 they're really unlucky,

00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:19.600
 bad timing,

00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:20.559
 wrong place,

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.140
 wrong time,

00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:21.900
 that kind of stuff

00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:24.299
 or we just simply blame it on God.

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:25.759
 And this view

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:26.940
 works on the assumption

00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:28.720
 that most people

00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:29.320
 are good,

00:21:29.660 --> 00:21:30.320
 hardworking

00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:31.980
 and deserve a decent life.

00:21:32.619 --> 00:21:33.980
 The first one assumes

00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:35.259
 you do something wrong,

00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:36.480
 you deserve to pay for it.

00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:37.799
 The other one assumes

00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:38.599
 we're good,

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.379
 we're hardworking,

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.619
 deserve a decent life.

00:21:41.179 --> 00:21:42.700
 This means that some people

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:44.139
 don't get the good life

00:21:44.139 --> 00:21:45.000
 they deserve.

00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:46.000
 Life stinks,

00:21:46.379 --> 00:21:47.759
 it makes no sense

00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:49.019
 and the universe

00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:49.839
 or God

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.799
 is unfair

00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.879
 and doing something

00:21:51.879 --> 00:21:52.419
 terribly wrong.

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:52.960
 So it's either

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:54.159
 I'm doing something wrong

00:21:54.159 --> 00:21:55.819
 or God's doing something wrong.

00:21:55.899 --> 00:21:56.559
 That's generally

00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:57.939
 the two ways we split it.

00:21:58.500 --> 00:21:59.619
 And Jesus comes along

00:21:59.619 --> 00:21:59.879
 and says,

00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:00.100
 no,

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.660
 that's not wrong.

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.320
 That's right.

00:22:01.540 --> 00:22:02.800
 That's all totally wrong.

00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:05.040
 He said,

00:22:05.120 --> 00:22:05.380
 no,

00:22:05.460 --> 00:22:06.040
 is what he said.

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:06.700
 He said,

00:22:06.760 --> 00:22:07.020
 no.

00:22:10.520 --> 00:22:11.080
 He said,

00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:12.460
 that's not the way

00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:13.180
 to look at it.

00:22:14.080 --> 00:22:14.460
 He says,

00:22:14.600 --> 00:22:15.620
 both of those alternatives

00:22:15.620 --> 00:22:16.640
 don't work.

00:22:17.300 --> 00:22:17.920
 One makes you

00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.000
 incredibly proud

00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:19.920
 or smug

00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.520
 because no disasters

00:22:21.520 --> 00:22:22.380
 happen in my life

00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:22.880
 and I'm getting

00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:23.440
 what I deserve.

00:22:23.520 --> 00:22:24.200
 I'm doing all right.

00:22:24.280 --> 00:22:25.240
 I'm not doing anything wrong.

00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:25.880
 Proud and smug.

00:22:26.040 --> 00:22:26.760
 The other makes you

00:22:26.760 --> 00:22:27.620
 totally despondent.

00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:28.460
 Don't know if I'm going

00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:29.240
 to step out today.

00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:29.539
 I'm going to get

00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:30.480
 splattered by a bus

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.259
 no matter what I do.

00:22:31.340 --> 00:22:32.200
 It doesn't matter how I live.

00:22:33.120 --> 00:22:33.480
 Anything.

00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:34.640
 A rock can fall on me.

00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:35.200
 Who knows?

00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:38.200
 And in verses 3 and 5,

00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:39.120
 Jesus says,

00:22:40.120 --> 00:22:41.140
 no.

00:22:42.340 --> 00:22:43.079
 But if he just

00:22:43.079 --> 00:22:43.799
 lifted it at that,

00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:45.460
 the crowd would go,

00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:45.620
 well,

00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:46.039
 that's a relief.

00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:46.600
 Thanks for that.

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.079
 Fantastic.

00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:47.740
 Let's move on.

00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:49.779
 But he adds.

00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:50.039
 He says,

00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:50.420
 no.

00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:51.220
 And then he adds,

00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:53.279
 but unless you repent,

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.519
 you too will all perish.

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:58.680
 Why do you have to add

00:22:58.680 --> 00:22:59.339
 that bit?

00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:02.680
 Why does he add it?

00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:06.180
 Because he's saying

00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:07.160
 something really tough.

00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:08.420
 And it's probably

00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:09.599
 one of the hardest things

00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.480
 that Jesus says.

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.799
 This has been the category

00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:12.839
 of hard things Jesus says.

00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:15.579
 What he's saying here is

00:23:15.579 --> 00:23:19.439
 everyone deserves

00:23:19.439 --> 00:23:20.099
 to have the tower

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:20.740
 fall on them.

00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:23.399
 Not just that 18.

00:23:24.859 --> 00:23:25.699
 Everyone deserves

00:23:25.699 --> 00:23:26.359
 to have the tower

00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:27.019
 fall on them.

00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:29.619
 He's saying

00:23:29.619 --> 00:23:30.500
 if God gave us

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:31.439
 what we deserve,

00:23:32.139 --> 00:23:32.559
 if he,

00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:33.559
 going back to the end

00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:34.079
 of chapter 12,

00:23:34.179 --> 00:23:35.220
 if he extracted

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:36.259
 the very last cent

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:37.599
 out of what we owe him,

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:40.379
 we all would have

00:23:40.379 --> 00:23:41.759
 towers fall on us

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:42.619
 with no mercy

00:23:42.619 --> 00:23:43.219
 whatsoever

00:23:43.219 --> 00:23:44.959
 if he gave us

00:23:44.959 --> 00:23:45.579
 what we deserve.

00:23:46.979 --> 00:23:47.719
 He's showing us

00:23:47.719 --> 00:23:48.659
 something really important here.

00:23:48.719 --> 00:23:49.259
 Something that,

00:23:49.439 --> 00:23:49.659
 frankly,

00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:50.739
 our human hearts

00:23:50.739 --> 00:23:52.519
 don't want to accept.

00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:58.579
 There isn't a single person

00:23:58.579 --> 00:24:01.039
 who has ever received

00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:03.359
 even a small fraction

00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:05.379
 of the consequences

00:24:05.379 --> 00:24:07.119
 of the stupid

00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:08.519
 and the wrong

00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:09.819
 and the proud

00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:11.659
 and the selfish things

00:24:11.659 --> 00:24:12.399
 that they've done.

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.720
 not a single person.

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.380
 I cannot tell you

00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:18.140
 how many times

00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:19.940
 I have escaped

00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:21.280
 certain death

00:24:21.280 --> 00:24:23.060
 because of the stupidity

00:24:23.060 --> 00:24:23.759
 of my actions.

00:24:25.340 --> 00:24:27.120
 I grew up with motorbikes,

00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:28.180
 explosives,

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.200
 and guns.

00:24:29.600 --> 00:24:30.860
 Just to give you an idea.

00:24:32.580 --> 00:24:33.800
 Stupid actions.

00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:35.119
 God has rescued me.

00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:36.200
 God has rescued me.

00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:37.180
 God graciously

00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:38.680
 again and again

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.440
 and again

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:40.119
 and again

00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:41.919
 does not give us

00:24:41.919 --> 00:24:43.399
 what we deserve.

00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:47.319
 And yet,

00:24:47.399 --> 00:24:48.059
 on the other hand,

00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:49.259
 if we really saw

00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:50.319
 what was truly wrong

00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:51.180
 with our hearts,

00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:53.039
 the pride,

00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:54.460
 the anger,

00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:55.519
 the deception,

00:24:55.819 --> 00:24:56.480
 the envy,

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.619
 the denial,

00:24:57.919 --> 00:24:58.659
 the greed,

00:24:58.660 --> 00:25:01.100
 we would actually

00:25:01.100 --> 00:25:01.940
 know that God

00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:02.980
 owes us

00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:03.700
 nothing.

00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:05.779
 He doesn't owe us

00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:06.460
 anything

00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.700
 and he certainly

00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:08.680
 doesn't owe us

00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:10.279
 a comfortable life.

00:25:11.100 --> 00:25:11.759
 That is not

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:12.500
 the purpose

00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:13.900
 of his mission.

00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:17.240
 We are much more

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:17.980
 flawed and lost

00:25:17.980 --> 00:25:18.540
 than our hearts

00:25:18.540 --> 00:25:19.300
 dare believe

00:25:19.300 --> 00:25:21.180
 and yet,

00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:22.840
 what we'll see

00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:23.340
 in a moment

00:25:23.340 --> 00:25:24.080
 in Jesus,

00:25:24.280 --> 00:25:24.980
 we are much more

00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:26.160
 loved and cared for

00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:26.720
 and protected

00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.640
 than we could ever

00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:30.180
 dream possible.

00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:33.780
 Notice it's Jesus

00:25:33.780 --> 00:25:34.980
 who's doing the talking here

00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:37.140
 and notice who it is

00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:38.140
 that he's talking to.

00:25:39.080 --> 00:25:40.340
 Jesus is addressing

00:25:40.340 --> 00:25:41.920
 people who have

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.240
 witnessed

00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:44.240
 a tragedy

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:46.160
 but they haven't

00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:46.799
 experienced it

00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:47.220
 themselves.

00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.620
 They've seen

00:25:49.620 --> 00:25:50.740
 towers fall,

00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:52.500
 they've heard about it

00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:53.759
 but it's not

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.480
 falling on them.

00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:59.079
 He's warning

00:25:59.079 --> 00:25:59.799
 these people

00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:01.259
 because when you

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.099
 are going through

00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:03.180
 a smooth patch

00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:03.819
 in your life,

00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:04.400
 you're seeing

00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.160
 disaster somewhere

00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:05.480
 else but it's

00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:06.140
 not happening to you,

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:08.880
 you're in a very

00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.740
 dangerous spiritual

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.500
 territory is what

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:10.880
 he's saying.

00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:13.320
 what he's saying

00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:13.880
 here is there's

00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:14.420
 no greater

00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:15.360
 spiritual crisis

00:26:15.360 --> 00:26:16.440
 than to have

00:26:16.440 --> 00:26:17.100
 no crisis

00:26:17.100 --> 00:26:17.920
 in your life.

00:26:18.800 --> 00:26:19.600
 That was the

00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:20.760
 problem for Israel

00:26:20.760 --> 00:26:22.600
 and it's a problem

00:26:22.600 --> 00:26:23.180
 for us.

00:26:23.860 --> 00:26:24.860
 The default mode

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:25.800
 of the human heart

00:26:25.800 --> 00:26:27.380
 is it's self-justifying.

00:26:27.780 --> 00:26:28.680
 That's what it does

00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:29.840
 and there is no

00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:30.540
 better time

00:26:30.540 --> 00:26:31.780
 for self-justification

00:26:31.780 --> 00:26:32.380
 to happen

00:26:32.380 --> 00:26:33.340
 than during the

00:26:33.340 --> 00:26:34.080
 calm times,

00:26:34.360 --> 00:26:35.100
 the safe times,

00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:35.920
 the comfortable times,

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.880
 the prosperous times

00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:37.600
 because in that

00:26:37.600 --> 00:26:38.700
 moment we get

00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:40.020
 greater and greater

00:26:40.020 --> 00:26:41.320
 confidence in ourselves

00:26:41.320 --> 00:26:42.160
 and our ability

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:44.220
 and we don't need

00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:44.540
 God.

00:26:45.800 --> 00:26:47.300
 We become self-made

00:26:47.300 --> 00:26:47.740
 people

00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:49.020
 and what does

00:26:49.020 --> 00:26:50.120
 Jesus say to do

00:26:50.120 --> 00:26:50.760
 in the dangerous

00:26:50.760 --> 00:26:51.180
 times,

00:26:51.260 --> 00:26:51.960
 the safe times,

00:26:52.040 --> 00:26:52.420
 the comfortable

00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:52.960
 times,

00:26:53.580 --> 00:26:54.760
 the secure times?

00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.300
 He says repent.

00:26:56.740 --> 00:26:57.660
 That's what the call

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:58.120
 is here.

00:26:58.440 --> 00:26:58.940
 Repent

00:26:58.940 --> 00:26:59.680
 and the most

00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.280
 important time

00:27:00.280 --> 00:27:00.780
 to repent

00:27:00.780 --> 00:27:01.540
 is in fact

00:27:01.540 --> 00:27:02.120
 when things

00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:03.040
 are going well.

00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:06.079
 it's in those

00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:06.879
 times we become

00:27:06.879 --> 00:27:07.599
 complacent,

00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.220
 self-assured,

00:27:08.379 --> 00:27:08.960
 self-secure,

00:27:09.319 --> 00:27:10.059
 self-confident.

00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:11.220
 You see the essence

00:27:11.220 --> 00:27:12.319
 of sin in the Bible

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:13.259
 is where we substitute

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:14.940
 God for ourselves.

00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:16.259
 We don't need a

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:16.779
 sovereign God

00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:17.720
 to run life

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:18.500
 our way

00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:20.899
 and it's in those

00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:21.639
 days of comfort

00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:22.099
 and safety

00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:22.559
 and ease

00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:23.200
 that we're most

00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:23.899
 likely to say

00:27:23.899 --> 00:27:24.519
 we don't need

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:24.940
 God,

00:27:25.659 --> 00:27:26.200
 we've got life

00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:26.700
 worked out

00:27:26.700 --> 00:27:27.299
 ourselves.

00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:29.220
 That's what Israel

00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:30.079
 did in Amos'

00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.019
 time and in

00:27:31.019 --> 00:27:31.819
 Jesus' time,

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:32.559
 they become

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:33.299
 complacent,

00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:33.859
 they become

00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:34.639
 self-righteous,

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:35.500
 self-justifying

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:37.119
 and very

00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:38.259
 religious.

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.639
 The real hope

00:27:42.639 --> 00:27:43.940
 of their hearts

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.919
 had become

00:27:44.919 --> 00:27:45.539
 the comforts

00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:45.859
 that they were

00:27:45.859 --> 00:27:46.319
 enjoying,

00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:47.119
 they had given

00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:47.720
 their hearts

00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:47.960
 and their

00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:48.559
 allegiance to

00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:49.039
 the blessings

00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.740
 God had given

00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:50.419
 them and taken

00:27:50.419 --> 00:27:51.000
 it away from

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:51.639
 God himself.

00:27:54.159 --> 00:27:55.079
 And so like

00:27:55.079 --> 00:27:56.179
 Amos before him,

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:57.599
 Jesus walks

00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:57.980
 into this

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:58.559
 situation,

00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:59.200
 he calls

00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:00.279
 Israel and

00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:01.919
 us to

00:28:01.919 --> 00:28:02.460
 repent,

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:04.259
 and that's

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:04.799
 where Jesus

00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.519
 leaves us

00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:06.119
 as he goes

00:28:06.119 --> 00:28:06.559
 on to tell

00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:07.079
 this little

00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:08.179
 parable in

00:28:08.179 --> 00:28:08.720
 the very next

00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:10.179
 verses in

00:28:10.179 --> 00:28:11.059
 Luke 13.

00:28:11.679 --> 00:28:12.240
 Starting at

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:12.700
 verse 6,

00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:12.960
 it says,

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:13.679
 a man had a

00:28:13.679 --> 00:28:14.200
 fig tree

00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:15.220
 growing in

00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:15.859
 his vineyard

00:28:15.859 --> 00:28:16.940
 and he went

00:28:16.940 --> 00:28:17.559
 to look for

00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:18.240
 fruit on it

00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:18.819
 but did not

00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:19.379
 find any.

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:20.740
 So he said

00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:21.220
 to the man

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:21.839
 who took care

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:22.419
 of the vineyard,

00:28:22.539 --> 00:28:23.179
 for three years

00:28:23.179 --> 00:28:24.059
 now I've been

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:24.919
 coming to look

00:28:24.919 --> 00:28:25.579
 for fruit on

00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:26.319
 this fig tree

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:27.419
 and I haven't

00:28:27.419 --> 00:28:27.980
 found any.

00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.759
 Cut it down.

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:31.339
 Why should

00:28:31.339 --> 00:28:31.839
 it use up

00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:32.279
 the soil?

00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:33.660
 Sir,

00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:33.980
 the man

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:34.279
 replied,

00:28:34.359 --> 00:28:34.599
 leave it

00:28:34.599 --> 00:28:35.099
 alone for

00:28:35.099 --> 00:28:36.039
 one more

00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:36.460
 year and

00:28:36.460 --> 00:28:36.799
 I'll dig

00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:37.200
 around and

00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:37.900
 I'll fertilize

00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:38.279
 and if it

00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:38.799
 bears fruit

00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:39.319
 next year,

00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:39.680
 fine.

00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:40.980
 If not,

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:42.900
 then cut

00:28:42.900 --> 00:28:43.259
 it down.

00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:45.299
 So there's

00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:45.660
 this owner

00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:45.940
 of this

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.379
 tree,

00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:47.460
 looking for

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:47.779
 fruit,

00:28:47.879 --> 00:28:48.319
 finds no

00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:48.720
 fruit from

00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.259
 the tree.

00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.480
 Fig trees

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.279
 bore fruit

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:53.059
 in the third

00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:53.859
 year so it's

00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:55.140
 totally reasonable

00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:56.119
 that the owner

00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:56.819
 would expect

00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:57.279
 fruit from

00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:57.819
 this tree.

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.619
 There's no

00:28:58.619 --> 00:28:58.980
 fruit.

00:28:59.279 --> 00:28:59.759
 The owner

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.519
 is patient

00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:01.139
 with his

00:29:01.139 --> 00:29:02.679
 fruitless tree.

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:03.740
 It's given

00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.379
 one more

00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:05.019
 chance before

00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.720
 the chainsaw

00:29:05.720 --> 00:29:06.439
 comes out.

00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:09.919
 The person

00:29:09.919 --> 00:29:10.379
 who tends

00:29:10.379 --> 00:29:11.039
 a tree is

00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:11.259
 going to

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:11.819
 try and

00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:12.259
 make it

00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:12.720
 fruitful

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:14.359
 before it

00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:14.759
 cuts it

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:15.139
 down.

00:29:15.919 --> 00:29:16.220
 So this

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:16.700
 tree I've

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:17.059
 got in the

00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:17.839
 backyard over

00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:18.240
 at home,

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.579
 it's a

00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:21.639
 lime tree and

00:29:21.639 --> 00:29:22.379
 when I first

00:29:22.379 --> 00:29:22.839
 moved there

00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:23.159
 about eight

00:29:23.159 --> 00:29:23.599
 years ago,

00:29:23.659 --> 00:29:24.000
 I had about

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.039
 four or five

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:26.000
 limes on it.

00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:26.319
 I didn't know

00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:26.799
 what they were

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.799
 actually initially.

00:29:28.419 --> 00:29:29.159
 Found out they

00:29:29.159 --> 00:29:29.559
 were good for

00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:30.039
 G&T.

00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:33.200
 And apparently.

00:29:34.139 --> 00:29:35.700
 So this

00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:36.519
 tree, I

00:29:36.519 --> 00:29:37.019
 thought, well, I'd

00:29:37.019 --> 00:29:37.559
 like a lot more

00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.159
 limes than that.

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.259
 So I decided to

00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:40.460
 look after it.

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:41.799
 So dug around

00:29:41.799 --> 00:29:42.859
 it, fertilised it,

00:29:43.879 --> 00:29:44.779
 constantly put

00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:45.659
 trace elements in

00:29:45.659 --> 00:29:46.059
 it, all the

00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:46.379
 stuff you're

00:29:46.379 --> 00:29:46.819
 meant to do

00:29:46.819 --> 00:29:47.819
 for citrus

00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:48.379
 trees.

00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:49.379
 And ever

00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:50.159
 since then,

00:29:50.639 --> 00:29:51.500
 not a single

00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:53.159
 fruit has come

00:29:53.159 --> 00:29:53.700
 on this tree.

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.299
 Years have been

00:29:55.299 --> 00:29:55.639
 waiting.

00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:56.840
 I've even

00:29:56.840 --> 00:29:57.640
 taken Luke

00:29:57.640 --> 00:29:58.820
 13 out to

00:29:58.820 --> 00:29:59.960
 the tree and

00:29:59.960 --> 00:30:00.520
 read it to

00:30:00.520 --> 00:30:00.900
 the tree.

00:30:01.580 --> 00:30:02.700
 One more

00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:03.860
 year tree is

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:04.220
 all I'm going

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:04.759
 to give you.

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:07.820
 But no fruit

00:30:07.820 --> 00:30:08.200
 yet.

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:08.920
 I'm just

00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:09.780
 obviously patient

00:30:09.780 --> 00:30:10.380
 with this poor

00:30:10.380 --> 00:30:10.660
 tree.

00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:14.160
 So, but the

00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:14.860
 point here is

00:30:14.860 --> 00:30:15.300
 that God's

00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:16.560
 patience is long,

00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:17.520
 but we should

00:30:17.520 --> 00:30:18.000
 never be

00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:18.600
 jam on it.

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.160
 Even God's

00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:20.960
 patience has an

00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:21.340
 end.

00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:21.379
 fruit.

00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.359
 What he

00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.099
 wants here is

00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:24.379
 fruit.

00:30:24.659 --> 00:30:25.119
 And what's the

00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:25.519
 fruit that he

00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:25.819
 wants?

00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:26.459
 Repentance.

00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:26.839
 How do I

00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:27.179
 know that?

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:27.579
 Because that's

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.059
 what he calls

00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:29.000
 us to do in

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:29.279
 the early

00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:29.879
 verses of

00:30:29.879 --> 00:30:30.419
 Luke 13.

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:30.879
 He calls

00:30:30.879 --> 00:30:31.139
 us to

00:30:31.139 --> 00:30:31.539
 repent.

00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:32.319
 And what

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.839
 God's wanting

00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:33.220
 here from

00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:34.259
 Amos, from

00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:34.779
 Israel in

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.439
 Amos' time,

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.619
 again here from

00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:37.220
 Israel in

00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:37.599
 Luke, and

00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:37.859
 what he's

00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:38.459
 calling us

00:30:38.459 --> 00:30:39.220
 to here as

00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:40.079
 well, is a

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:40.539
 life of

00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:41.339
 repentance and

00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:41.759
 faith.

00:30:42.139 --> 00:30:42.879
 And repentance

00:30:42.879 --> 00:30:44.439
 and faith,

00:30:45.579 --> 00:30:46.000
 sorry,

00:30:46.139 --> 00:30:47.319
 repentance is the

00:30:47.319 --> 00:30:47.980
 fruit of

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.419
 faith.

00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:50.980
 Now, many

00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:52.360
 people, religious

00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:53.120
 people, think

00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:53.779
 that repentance

00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:54.600
 is what you

00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:55.400
 do when you've

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:55.840
 done bad

00:30:55.840 --> 00:30:56.420
 things.

00:30:57.740 --> 00:30:58.340
 But the

00:30:58.340 --> 00:30:59.320
 Bible says

00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:01.240
 all of life

00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:02.000
 is repentance.

00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:03.800
 Repentance is

00:31:03.800 --> 00:31:04.920
 all of life.

00:31:05.560 --> 00:31:06.279
 The first of

00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:07.160
 Martin Luther's

00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:08.820
 95 thesis that

00:31:08.820 --> 00:31:09.380
 he nailed to

00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:09.840
 the door at

00:31:09.840 --> 00:31:10.180
 All Saints

00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:10.640
 Church in

00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:11.640
 Wittenberg about

00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:12.820
 500 years ago,

00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:13.660
 which started the

00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:14.360
 Protestant

00:31:14.360 --> 00:31:15.100
 Reformation in

00:31:15.100 --> 00:31:15.720
 which we stand

00:31:15.720 --> 00:31:16.420
 as a church,

00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:18.100
 the very first

00:31:18.099 --> 00:31:18.779
 of the 95,

00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:20.119
 he wrote

00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:20.619
 this.

00:31:21.699 --> 00:31:22.199
 I'll read in

00:31:22.199 --> 00:31:22.799
 English because

00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:23.240
 I can't read

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:23.480
 German.

00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:24.740
 When our

00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:25.480
 Lord and

00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:26.179
 Master Jesus

00:31:26.179 --> 00:31:26.819
 Christ said

00:31:26.819 --> 00:31:28.899
 repent, he

00:31:28.899 --> 00:31:29.619
 willed the

00:31:29.619 --> 00:31:30.919
 entire life of

00:31:30.919 --> 00:31:31.639
 believers to

00:31:31.639 --> 00:31:32.719
 be one of

00:31:32.719 --> 00:31:33.459
 repentance.

00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:35.480
 And he was

00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:36.159
 particularly

00:31:36.159 --> 00:31:37.019
 kicking against

00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:37.819
 the idea you

00:31:37.819 --> 00:31:38.439
 just come to

00:31:38.439 --> 00:31:39.299
 church, you

00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:39.879
 say you're

00:31:39.879 --> 00:31:40.679
 sorry, and

00:31:40.679 --> 00:31:41.240
 then you leave

00:31:41.240 --> 00:31:41.719
 church and

00:31:41.719 --> 00:31:42.259
 you live how

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:42.679
 you want to

00:31:42.679 --> 00:31:43.059
 live for the

00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:43.399
 rest of the

00:31:43.399 --> 00:31:43.659
 week.

00:31:46.459 --> 00:31:46.899
 Religious

00:31:46.899 --> 00:31:47.619
 understanding of

00:31:47.619 --> 00:31:48.339
 repentance is

00:31:48.339 --> 00:31:49.019
 I'm atoning for

00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:49.859
 my sins once a

00:31:49.859 --> 00:31:50.399
 week, just say

00:31:50.399 --> 00:31:51.059
 sorry and that's

00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:51.239
 it.

00:31:51.659 --> 00:31:52.419
 Gospel repentance

00:31:52.419 --> 00:31:53.659
 is fruit of

00:31:53.659 --> 00:31:54.599
 faith in God.

00:31:55.339 --> 00:31:55.619
 Religious

00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:56.559
 repentance is

00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:57.299
 what I do when I

00:31:57.299 --> 00:31:57.779
 fail.

00:31:58.299 --> 00:31:59.019
 Gospel repentance

00:31:59.019 --> 00:31:59.659
 is what I do

00:31:59.659 --> 00:32:00.539
 when I succeed.

00:32:01.179 --> 00:32:02.699
 All of life is

00:32:02.699 --> 00:32:03.559
 repentance and

00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:04.199
 the fruit that

00:32:04.199 --> 00:32:04.779
 God is looking

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:05.399
 for in Luke

00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:07.679
 13 is

00:32:07.679 --> 00:32:08.239
 repentance.

00:32:10.419 --> 00:32:10.959
 You cannot

00:32:10.959 --> 00:32:12.239
 separate repentance

00:32:12.239 --> 00:32:13.000
 from faith.

00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:14.199
 That is, the

00:32:14.199 --> 00:32:15.039
 idea that you

00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:15.879
 can say, Jesus,

00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:16.500
 forgive me for

00:32:16.500 --> 00:32:17.280
 my sins, but I

00:32:17.280 --> 00:32:17.840
 don't want you

00:32:17.840 --> 00:32:18.240
 to be in

00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:18.800
 charge of my

00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:23.300
 life, is a

00:32:23.300 --> 00:32:24.000
 destructive

00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:24.800
 delusion.

00:32:27.540 --> 00:32:28.260
 Repenting of

00:32:28.260 --> 00:32:29.580
 any error means

00:32:29.580 --> 00:32:30.500
 going in the

00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:31.600
 opposite direction

00:32:31.600 --> 00:32:33.340
 by practicing the

00:32:33.340 --> 00:32:34.160
 virtues that are

00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:35.340
 directly opposite to

00:32:35.340 --> 00:32:35.960
 the vice.

00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:38.140
 Repentance is the

00:32:38.140 --> 00:32:39.980
 pathway to having

00:32:39.980 --> 00:32:41.320
 sins forgiven and

00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:42.120
 restoration of

00:32:42.120 --> 00:32:42.860
 relationship with

00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:43.160
 God.

00:32:43.280 --> 00:32:44.120
 A refusal to

00:32:44.119 --> 00:32:45.139
 repent is the

00:32:45.139 --> 00:32:45.479
 road to

00:32:45.479 --> 00:32:46.039
 destruction.

00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:47.239
 Anything,

00:32:48.239 --> 00:32:50.419
 anything can be

00:32:50.419 --> 00:32:51.739
 repaired except

00:32:51.739 --> 00:32:52.979
 for an unwillingness

00:32:52.979 --> 00:32:53.639
 to repent.

00:32:54.379 --> 00:32:55.419
 Any wrong can be

00:32:55.419 --> 00:32:56.759
 made right, but

00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:57.799
 not if you don't

00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:58.819
 admit that it is

00:32:58.819 --> 00:32:59.439
 wrong.

00:33:00.419 --> 00:33:01.599
 Disaster looms

00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:01.939
 for the

00:33:01.939 --> 00:33:02.799
 unresponsive.

00:33:02.919 --> 00:33:03.419
 That is the

00:33:03.419 --> 00:33:04.399
 message of Amos

00:33:04.399 --> 00:33:05.219
 chapter 4.

00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:06.779
 It's the message

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:08.000
 of Luke 13.

00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:11.920
 And that's the

00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.400
 toughness of

00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:13.279
 Jesus' words in

00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:14.119
 Luke 13 verse

00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:14.559
 9.

00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:15.900
 If it bears fruit

00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:16.680
 next year, fine,

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:17.680
 but if not, cut

00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:18.420
 it down.

00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:20.380
 Even God's

00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:21.299
 patience has an

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.460
 end and his

00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:23.119
 judgment will

00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:23.480
 fall.

00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:26.720
 Now the most

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:28.359
 interesting and I

00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:28.720
 think the

00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.420
 marvellous thing

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.220
 about this little

00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:31.079
 story, the fig

00:33:31.079 --> 00:33:32.740
 tree, is that

00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:33.660
 apparently there are

00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:34.759
 two people involved

00:33:34.759 --> 00:33:35.319
 in this little

00:33:35.319 --> 00:33:35.680
 story.

00:33:35.799 --> 00:33:36.259
 There's the owner

00:33:36.259 --> 00:33:36.799
 of the fig tree

00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:37.180
 and there's the

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:38.039
 person who cares

00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:38.779
 for the fig tree.

00:33:40.019 --> 00:33:40.759
 The owner who

00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:41.379
 wants the fruit

00:33:41.379 --> 00:33:42.480
 and the carer

00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:43.059
 who wants to

00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:44.160
 give it one

00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:44.940
 more chance.

00:33:47.420 --> 00:33:49.460
 In fact, it's

00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:50.099
 one person.

00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:52.900
 The owner of

00:33:52.900 --> 00:33:54.579
 the tree is in

00:33:54.579 --> 00:33:55.259
 fact the one who

00:33:55.259 --> 00:33:56.359
 tends the tree

00:33:56.359 --> 00:33:58.299
 and it's this

00:33:58.299 --> 00:33:59.180
 person who is

00:33:59.180 --> 00:33:59.819
 wrestling with

00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.779
 themselves over

00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:01.759
 the fate of

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.379
 their tree.

00:34:03.579 --> 00:34:04.420
 I want it to

00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:06.000
 bear fruit, but I

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:06.539
 will cut it

00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:06.839
 down.

00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:09.940
 There is a

00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:10.880
 desire for both

00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:11.699
 justice and

00:34:11.699 --> 00:34:12.099
 mercy.

00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:13.960
 The owner of

00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:14.639
 the tree is at

00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:15.639
 the same time

00:34:15.639 --> 00:34:17.199
 the one to be

00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:18.059
 escaped, the one

00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:18.460
 that the tree

00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:19.239
 means to escape

00:34:19.239 --> 00:34:19.900
 from because it

00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:20.239
 doesn't want to

00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:21.500
 be cut down and

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:22.579
 yet it's also the

00:34:22.579 --> 00:34:23.760
 one in which the

00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:24.440
 tree might find

00:34:24.440 --> 00:34:24.980
 refuge.

00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:27.659
 The same Jesus

00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:28.400
 who said this

00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:29.639
 hard word is

00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:30.380
 also the same

00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:32.059
 Jesus who opened

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:32.840
 up the way back

00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:33.460
 to God.

00:34:34.219 --> 00:34:34.980
 He's the one who

00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:35.159
 said,

00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:36.119
 my mission is

00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:37.920
 to bring fire,

00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:39.619
 but he's the

00:34:39.619 --> 00:34:40.559
 one who put

00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:42.440
 himself under

00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:43.000
 the flame.

00:34:44.699 --> 00:34:45.619
 He made it

00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:46.359
 possible for us

00:34:46.359 --> 00:34:47.139
 to seek God

00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:47.799
 and live.

00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:50.940
 Jesus is the

00:34:50.940 --> 00:34:51.960
 one who allowed

00:34:51.960 --> 00:34:52.719
 the ultimate

00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.319
 tower of God's

00:34:54.319 --> 00:34:55.219
 judgment to fall

00:34:55.219 --> 00:34:55.819
 on him

00:34:55.819 --> 00:34:57.000
 instead.

00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.539
 He allowed

00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:00.279
 himself to be

00:35:00.279 --> 00:35:01.019
 cut down by

00:35:01.019 --> 00:35:02.019
 God, the

00:35:02.019 --> 00:35:02.859
 massive tower of

00:35:02.859 --> 00:35:03.460
 God's eternal

00:35:03.460 --> 00:35:04.159
 justice.

00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.460
 What we deserve

00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.139
 for trusting

00:35:06.139 --> 00:35:06.900
 everything else

00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:07.720
 apart from God

00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:08.639
 and ignoring God

00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:10.039
 came down on

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:11.340
 him on the

00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:11.860
 cross.

00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:14.079
 And so the

00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:14.880
 reason God can

00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:15.720
 be so patient

00:35:15.720 --> 00:35:16.840
 with us and

00:35:16.840 --> 00:35:18.039
 good to us and

00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:18.579
 give us good

00:35:18.579 --> 00:35:19.119
 things that we

00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:20.000
 do not deserve

00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:21.079
 day in and

00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:22.139
 day out is

00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:22.880
 because Jesus

00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:24.360
 Christ got what

00:35:24.360 --> 00:35:25.460
 he didn't

00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:26.099
 deserve.

00:35:27.240 --> 00:35:28.199
 He was cut

00:35:28.199 --> 00:35:29.539
 down so that

00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:30.099
 we don't have

00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:30.340
 to.

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:32.000
 And the

00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:32.940
 reason that

00:35:32.940 --> 00:35:33.420
 God will

00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:34.000
 never give

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:34.579
 the Christian

00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:35.059
 what they

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:36.600
 deserve but

00:35:36.600 --> 00:35:37.860
 something infinitely

00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:39.160
 better is

00:35:39.160 --> 00:35:39.820
 because God

00:35:39.820 --> 00:35:40.420
 gave Jesus

00:35:40.420 --> 00:35:41.019
 what he

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:43.280
 didn't deserve.

00:35:45.680 --> 00:35:46.360
 Something

00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:48.180
 incredibly bad.

00:35:50.900 --> 00:35:51.720
 Cut down to

00:35:51.720 --> 00:35:52.120
 death and

00:35:52.120 --> 00:35:52.620
 abandoned by

00:35:52.620 --> 00:35:53.860
 God, pushed

00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:54.700
 aside so that

00:35:54.700 --> 00:35:55.039
 the great

00:35:55.039 --> 00:35:56.000
 tower might

00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:56.840
 fall on him.

00:35:56.840 --> 00:35:59.420
 and he

00:35:59.420 --> 00:36:00.440
 says to

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:02.660
 Israel, and

00:36:02.660 --> 00:36:03.200
 we get to

00:36:03.200 --> 00:36:04.079
 look on as

00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:04.740
 he says this

00:36:04.740 --> 00:36:05.380
 to Israel,

00:36:06.240 --> 00:36:08.559
 look, look

00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.860
 and see what

00:36:09.860 --> 00:36:11.100
 I am doing.

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:12.780
 Look at the

00:36:12.780 --> 00:36:13.420
 cross and

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:15.480
 marvel and

00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:16.240
 see something

00:36:16.240 --> 00:36:17.240
 significant that's

00:36:17.240 --> 00:36:17.820
 happening at the

00:36:17.820 --> 00:36:18.440
 cross here.

00:36:19.640 --> 00:36:20.400
 See the

00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:21.840
 justice of

00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:22.780
 God on

00:36:22.780 --> 00:36:25.000
 display as

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:25.680
 mercy for

00:36:25.680 --> 00:36:26.000
 you.

00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:29.720
 see the

00:36:29.720 --> 00:36:30.240
 justice of

00:36:30.240 --> 00:36:30.740
 God poured

00:36:30.740 --> 00:36:31.160
 out on the

00:36:31.160 --> 00:36:31.880
 cross and

00:36:31.880 --> 00:36:32.760
 flee to

00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:33.320
 the cross.

00:36:34.960 --> 00:36:35.400
 Don't

00:36:35.400 --> 00:36:35.840
 ignore the

00:36:35.840 --> 00:36:36.579
 cross, read

00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:37.360
 the signs,

00:36:38.120 --> 00:36:38.680
 see, look

00:36:38.680 --> 00:36:39.079
 at the cross

00:36:39.079 --> 00:36:40.180
 and see what

00:36:40.180 --> 00:36:41.960
 your sin and

00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:42.660
 your injustice

00:36:42.660 --> 00:36:43.420
 deserves.

00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:45.120
 That's what you

00:36:45.120 --> 00:36:45.680
 should be getting

00:36:45.680 --> 00:36:46.100
 when you see

00:36:46.100 --> 00:36:46.579
 Jesus on the

00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:46.760
 cross.

00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.620
 Look and see

00:36:47.620 --> 00:36:47.940
 what you

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:48.260
 should be

00:36:48.260 --> 00:36:50.260
 getting and

00:36:50.260 --> 00:36:50.780
 flee to

00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:51.240
 Jesus.

00:36:52.740 --> 00:36:53.500
 Find refuge,

00:36:53.600 --> 00:36:54.019
 as I said

00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:54.860
 last week, in

00:36:54.860 --> 00:36:55.760
 the lion who

00:36:55.760 --> 00:36:56.360
 roars.

00:36:56.840 --> 00:36:57.400
 He is a

00:36:57.400 --> 00:36:58.100
 safe place.

00:37:00.780 --> 00:37:01.460
 Now in the

00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:02.059
 last number of

00:37:02.059 --> 00:37:03.519
 weeks, I

00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:04.380
 preached on

00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:05.019
 loving our

00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:05.579
 neighbor and

00:37:05.579 --> 00:37:06.200
 the need to

00:37:06.200 --> 00:37:06.980
 live below

00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:07.820
 our means.

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:08.780
 For the

00:37:08.780 --> 00:37:09.200
 gospel of

00:37:09.200 --> 00:37:10.079
 Jesus demands

00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:10.800
 a change in

00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:11.320
 the stand of

00:37:11.320 --> 00:37:12.300
 our lifestyles.

00:37:12.640 --> 00:37:13.120
 I preached on

00:37:13.120 --> 00:37:13.480
 the spiritual

00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.100
 battle that we're

00:37:14.100 --> 00:37:14.980
 involved in and

00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:15.480
 the need for

00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:16.420
 us to be

00:37:16.420 --> 00:37:17.500
 Bible saturated

00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:18.079
 people,

00:37:18.200 --> 00:37:20.720
 committing this

00:37:20.720 --> 00:37:21.600
 church consistently,

00:37:21.740 --> 00:37:22.200
 its leaders,

00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:22.680
 its mission,

00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:23.160
 its vision,

00:37:23.260 --> 00:37:24.000
 its finances to

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:24.380
 God in

00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:24.780
 prayer.

00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:26.740
 There's been a

00:37:26.740 --> 00:37:27.059
 lot of

00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:27.680
 challenges in

00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:28.059
 the last

00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:28.500
 number of

00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:29.059
 weeks that

00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:29.380
 I've been

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:30.860
 preaching and

00:37:30.860 --> 00:37:31.240
 I want to

00:37:31.240 --> 00:37:31.980
 ask you,

00:37:32.380 --> 00:37:33.140
 what has

00:37:33.140 --> 00:37:33.900
 changed?

00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:38.599
 What have

00:37:38.599 --> 00:37:38.920
 you done?

00:37:41.140 --> 00:37:41.720
 What's

00:37:41.720 --> 00:37:42.280
 changed for

00:37:42.280 --> 00:37:42.539
 you?

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:46.659
 Because to

00:37:46.659 --> 00:37:47.139
 hear the

00:37:47.139 --> 00:37:47.440
 word of

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:49.079
 God and

00:37:49.079 --> 00:37:49.719
 to ignore

00:37:49.719 --> 00:37:50.179
 it and

00:37:50.179 --> 00:37:50.679
 for nothing

00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:51.679
 to change,

00:37:54.300 --> 00:37:54.900
 isn't that

00:37:54.900 --> 00:37:57.219
 what Israel's

00:37:57.219 --> 00:37:57.920
 been accused

00:37:57.920 --> 00:37:58.500
 of here in

00:37:58.500 --> 00:37:58.920
 Amos?

00:37:59.739 --> 00:38:00.619
 Of ignoring

00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:01.460
 the word of

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:01.739
 God?

00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:02.539
 This is a

00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:03.039
 great sermon.

00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:03.880
 In fact,

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.279
 we're actually

00:38:04.279 --> 00:38:04.659
 going to see

00:38:04.659 --> 00:38:05.119
 they were very

00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:05.579
 religious in

00:38:05.579 --> 00:38:05.980
 church all

00:38:05.980 --> 00:38:06.400
 the time.

00:38:09.400 --> 00:38:09.820
 They

00:38:09.820 --> 00:38:10.420
 presumed on

00:38:10.420 --> 00:38:10.860
 the patience

00:38:10.860 --> 00:38:11.380
 of God.

00:38:11.500 --> 00:38:11.800
 They took

00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:12.440
 his patience

00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:12.760
 as an

00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:13.240
 excuse for

00:38:13.240 --> 00:38:14.000
 complacency.

00:38:14.300 --> 00:38:14.380
 They

00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:14.780
 actually just

00:38:14.780 --> 00:38:15.320
 assumed God

00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:15.720
 was on their

00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:16.240
 side because

00:38:16.240 --> 00:38:16.519
 he wasn't

00:38:16.519 --> 00:38:16.820
 doing anything

00:38:16.820 --> 00:38:17.280
 too bad to

00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:17.440
 them.

00:38:18.139 --> 00:38:18.659
 Money and

00:38:18.659 --> 00:38:19.400
 security become

00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:19.840
 their true

00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:20.200
 God.

00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:21.159
 Money is what

00:38:21.159 --> 00:38:21.760
 they actually

00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:22.360
 served and in

00:38:22.360 --> 00:38:22.880
 the pursuit of

00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:23.260
 money they

00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:23.800
 lost sight of

00:38:23.800 --> 00:38:24.320
 what's right and

00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:24.880
 they especially

00:38:24.880 --> 00:38:25.519
 lost sight of

00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:25.820
 God.

00:38:27.200 --> 00:38:27.780
 Now let me tell

00:38:27.780 --> 00:38:28.460
 you that as I

00:38:28.460 --> 00:38:29.539
 said last week

00:38:29.539 --> 00:38:29.760
 or the week

00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:30.400
 before, we saw

00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:30.860
 an incredible

00:38:30.860 --> 00:38:31.659
 response to the

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:32.300
 mission project,

00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:32.940
 a one-off

00:38:32.940 --> 00:38:33.880
 response.

00:38:35.740 --> 00:38:36.300
 We've got a

00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:37.039
 card for it.

00:38:38.820 --> 00:38:39.599
 But the church

00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:40.480
 finances have not

00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:41.380
 changed at all.

00:38:42.440 --> 00:38:43.780
 At all.

00:38:45.099 --> 00:38:45.760
 We're currently

00:38:45.760 --> 00:38:47.059
 $37,000.

00:38:47.320 --> 00:38:47.760
 I got it wrong.

00:38:47.820 --> 00:38:48.480
 I said $34,000 this

00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:48.619
 morning.

00:38:48.720 --> 00:38:50.220
 $37,000 behind.

00:38:51.179 --> 00:38:52.000
 That's a

00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:53.019
 repentance issue.

00:38:54.220 --> 00:38:55.320
 It's not a bank

00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:55.880
 balance issue.

00:38:55.960 --> 00:38:56.619
 It's a repentance

00:38:56.619 --> 00:38:57.099
 issue.

00:38:57.200 --> 00:38:58.039
 It's a spiritual

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.500
 issue.

00:38:58.500 --> 00:39:00.519
 The New Testament

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:01.539
 word for repentance

00:39:01.539 --> 00:39:03.639
 means the

00:39:03.639 --> 00:39:04.739
 changing of my

00:39:04.739 --> 00:39:07.840
 mind so that my

00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:09.079
 values, my

00:39:09.079 --> 00:39:10.159
 views, my

00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:12.239
 goals, my

00:39:12.239 --> 00:39:13.079
 ways, my

00:39:13.079 --> 00:39:13.960
 behavior, my

00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:15.599
 lifestyle change.

00:39:16.599 --> 00:39:17.900
 All of life

00:39:17.900 --> 00:39:19.360
 changes, live

00:39:19.360 --> 00:39:19.920
 differently.

00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:21.320
 And this radical

00:39:21.320 --> 00:39:23.059
 change is both an

00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:24.260
 inward change and an

00:39:24.260 --> 00:39:25.179
 outward change.

00:39:25.340 --> 00:39:26.500
 It's my mind and my

00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:26.880
 judgment.

00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:28.019
 It's my will and my

00:39:28.019 --> 00:39:28.619
 affections.

00:39:28.760 --> 00:39:30.059
 It's my behavior and my

00:39:30.059 --> 00:39:30.460
 lifestyle.

00:39:30.660 --> 00:39:31.800
 It's my motives and my

00:39:31.800 --> 00:39:32.160
 purposes.

00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:34.079
 Everything is changed.

00:39:34.180 --> 00:39:34.860
 That's what repentance

00:39:34.860 --> 00:39:35.300
 is.

00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:35.880
 It's not just saying

00:39:35.880 --> 00:39:36.680
 sorry for doing some

00:39:36.680 --> 00:39:37.320
 bad stuff.

00:39:37.680 --> 00:39:38.619
 It's the radical

00:39:38.619 --> 00:39:40.539
 reshaping of my mind

00:39:40.539 --> 00:39:41.780
 because that's what the

00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:42.920
 gospel demands.

00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:44.119
 It's Lord and Savior

00:39:44.119 --> 00:39:45.780
 Jesus demands my

00:39:45.780 --> 00:39:47.660
 entire life.

00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:57.339
 So friends, as Amos

00:39:57.339 --> 00:39:58.679
 said to Israel, I

00:39:58.679 --> 00:40:00.420
 say to you, seek the

00:40:00.420 --> 00:40:02.319
 Lord and live.

00:40:02.420 --> 00:40:29.700
 Theologian