WEBVTT

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 Thank you, Mike. Thank you, Christ the King Church, for having me here today. Good morning to all of you.

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 It's a privilege to be here again. I don't know if you remember, I was here a little over a year ago.

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 That time, neither Mike or my professor, Dr. Eric Turley, were here, which I don't know if he is today.

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 But if I'm less careful with my words, that's why. Or if I'm more careful, I should say.

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 Thank you also, Les, for leading us in our reflection for communion.

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 Him, alongside with Brian Kankowski, have been longtime partners with Escali, with our ministry, through Missions of Feud.

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 And they have been a blessing to our family, as has this church and many people here, such as Dave, who has been down to Brazil with us a few years ago.

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 And it's a privilege to think about and plan for our return.

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 My wife, Carol, and I, originally from Brazil and returning soon.

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 We couldn't be more excited for that.

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 Now let's turn to our passage in 1 Peter.

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 Peter's first letters towards the end of your Bible.

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 If you've reached Revelation, you've gone too far.

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 If you're in Hebrews, you're almost there.

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 1 Peter 1, we'll begin reading in verse 13, all the way to the end of the chapter.

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 I'll read and you can follow along in your Bibles.

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 1 Peter 1, verse 13, verse 13.

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 1 Peter 1, verse 13.

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 1 Peter 1, verse 13.

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 1 Peter 1, verse 14.

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 5 Peter 2, verse 15.

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 5 Peter 2, verse 15.

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 is the good news that was preached to you.

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 Heavenly Father, thank you for your word.

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 Thank you that it endures forever.

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 May you speak faithfully through your servant.

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 Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what you have to say

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 and transform our hearts.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 Amen.

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 The way you respond to a gift is very much dependent

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 on the kind of gift that you receive

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 and the kind of person you receive it from.

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 If you receive a quarter from a random person in the street,

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 that's very different from receiving citizenship in a safe country

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 after you fled your country from war.

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 The first gift is not going to change anything about who you are and what you do.

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 But the second gift will surely change a lot of things about you.

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 From constant fear to a life at peace.

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 From unemployment to self-sufficiency.

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 From malnourishment to probably having to watch out for your weight,

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 especially if the country is in Brazil.

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 So, in a much greater way, God's gifts to us are identity shaping.

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 What God has done for us in Christ changes who we are.

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 And in so doing, God calls us to live a new life in light of that identity.

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 And this is what this passage is all about.

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 You see, Peter is writing to a group of believers

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 who are scattered throughout Asia Minor.

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 They're suffering distress for their faith.

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 Because for some, they're seen as troublemakers

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 because they don't worship the pagan gods like everyone else does.

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 For others, they're seen as social misfits

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 because they don't take part in the parties that they take part in.

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 Yet for others, they're seen as rebellious

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 for having a higher allegiance to Christ than they do for the Caesar.

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 Yet, little does anybody suspect

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 that these meek Christians

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 are living completely different lives

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 from everyone else in the Roman Empire

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 because they belong to a different empire.

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 Another kingdom

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 that God has set them apart

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 to inherit.

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 The first 12 verses of this letter

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 were all about describing

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 the living hope that Christians have

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 beyond this life.

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 Eternal life like we sang about today.

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 And Peter concludes in verse 13 saying,

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 Therefore, preparing your minds for action

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 and being sober-minded,

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 set your hope fully

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 on the grace that will be brought to you

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 at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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 We too live in similar circumstances

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 to those that those Christians were experiencing.

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 Christ followers everywhere

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 are facing growing alienation

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 from the rest of society.

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 tighter restrictions

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 on what we can say and where.

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 And greater ridicule

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 everywhere that we show our faces.

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 Just like the first readers of this text,

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 we too who have placed our faith in Christ

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 are walking on earth as strangers

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 and exiles.

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 Wherever we go,

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 we're expecting a future kingdom

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 in the coming of Jesus Christ.

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 Which we don't see yet.

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 In light of the uncertainty

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 of their circumstances,

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 Peter was calling them

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 to set their hope

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 in the certainty

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 of what God had promised them.

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 And this is the call

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 God is issuing to us today.

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 But how does one live like that?

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 How can we prepare our minds

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 and set our hopes

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 in the future

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 while living in the present?

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 The rest of this chapter

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 is Peter's answer

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 to that question.

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 And in fact,

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 here's the main point

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 of the verses we just read.

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 The main calling

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 that God is issuing to us today.

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 Set your hope in Christ

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 by living in light

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 of your new identity.

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 Set your hope in Christ

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 by living out

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 your new identity.

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 Here's the way I want us

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 to break down today's teaching.

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 We'll see that this text

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 highlights

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 three identity-shaping gifts

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 we receive from God.

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 They're the gifts

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 of a father,

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 a ransom,

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 and a word.

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 I don't expect you

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 to get all that right now.

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 But receiving these three gifts

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 make us change everything

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 about who we are

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 and how we live in this world

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 as we wait

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 for those future promises.

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 They give us

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 a new identity

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 to step into

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 and live out

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 while we wait

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 for the coming kingdom.

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 So as we cover each gift,

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 we'll also seek

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 to understand

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 what sort of response

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 or character

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 God is calling us

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 to have

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 as we are shaped

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 by that gift.

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 Let's begin then

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 by turning again

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 to verse 14

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 where we'll reflect

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 on the first

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 identity-shaping gift

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 we receive from God,

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 which is a father

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 that we can imitate

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 and fear.

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 A father

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 that we can imitate

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 and fear.

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 Verse 14 says,

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 As obedient children,

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 do not be conformed

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 to the passions

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 of your former ignorance,

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 but as he who called you

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 is holy,

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 you also be holy

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 in all your conduct.

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 Since it is written,

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 you shall be holy

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 for I am holy.

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 I'm aware

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 that when we speak

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 of God as our father

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 and us as his children,

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 everyone will have

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 a different concept

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 of what a father is

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 or what a father should be

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 based on the kind of dads

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 that we've had

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 or that we wish we'd had.

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 But from the Bible,

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 we learn many things

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 that accurately describes

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 the perfect kind of father

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 that God is.

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 In the Sermon on the Mount,

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 Jesus said,

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 When you pray,

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 go into your room

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 and shut the door

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 and pray to your father

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 who is in secret.

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 And your father

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 who sees in secret

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 will reward you.

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 And when you pray,

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 do not heat up empty praises

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 like the Gentiles do,

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 for they think

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 that they will be heard

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 by their many words.

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 Do not be like them,

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 for your father knows

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 what you need

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 before you even ask him.

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 Now that's what

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 a perfect father looks like,

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 right?

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 The one who listens to us,

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 who rewards us,

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 who knows what we need

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 before we even ask him.

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 And those are great things.

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 And praise God the Father

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 for being like this.

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 There are some things,

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 though,

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 about having the gift

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 of God as our father

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 that we might overlook

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 or underappreciate

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 for many reasons.

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 In the same Sermon on the Mount,

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 Jesus also said,

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 You therefore must be perfect

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 as your heavenly father

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 is perfect.

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 This means that for Jesus,

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 being a child of God

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 is not only about

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 receiving good things from him,

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 but also about

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 becoming like him.

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 Part of the perfection

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 of having God as a father

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 involves calling his children up

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 to be like him.

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 That's why in verse 15,

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 when Peter's describing

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 how we ought to live

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 as obedient children,

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 he says,

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 As he who called you is holy,

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 you also be holy

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 in all your conduct.

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 So from the get-go,

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 the gift of having God

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 as a father

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 and our new identity

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 as his children

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 is not something

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 that can be received passively.

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 Like, okay,

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 he's my father.

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 Cool.

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 That will go against

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 everything that God

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 is trying to accomplish

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 in us as our father.

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 It would mess up

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 his perfect fathering

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 if we remain the same

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 after becoming his children.

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 So this gift

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 is supposed to make us

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 become like its giver

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 by imitating him

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 like a child

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 imitates her father.

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 Look at how Peter's wording

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 is intentional

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 in his challenge to us.

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 Verse 14,

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 Do not be conformed

00:11:21.019 --> 00:11:22.340
 to your former passions.

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 Instead,

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 be holy as I am holy.

00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:26.980
 That is,

00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:28.019
 do not take on

00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:28.700
 the shape

00:11:28.700 --> 00:11:29.919
 of your desires,

00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:31.340
 but take on

00:11:31.340 --> 00:11:32.100
 the shape

00:11:32.100 --> 00:11:33.039
 of God.

00:11:33.939 --> 00:11:34.899
 Desire the things

00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:35.840
 that he desires.

00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:37.039
 Reject the things

00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:38.019
 that he rejects.

00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.299
 Rejoice over the things

00:11:39.299 --> 00:11:40.220
 that he rejoices.

00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:42.639
 Conform your identity

00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.139
 to his identity.

00:11:44.139 --> 00:11:46.779
 How challenging

00:11:46.779 --> 00:11:47.779
 is this message

00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:49.319
 to our modern years

00:11:49.319 --> 00:11:50.600
 who want to talk

00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:51.759
 about our identity

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:52.679
 as ultimately

00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:53.960
 self-determined?

00:11:54.740 --> 00:11:54.939
 Right?

00:11:55.439 --> 00:11:56.279
 To begin with,

00:11:56.439 --> 00:11:57.199
 Peter crushes

00:11:57.199 --> 00:11:57.699
 the narrative

00:11:57.699 --> 00:11:59.159
 that we are free

00:11:59.159 --> 00:11:59.720
 to choose

00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:00.600
 who we want to be.

00:12:01.699 --> 00:12:02.759
 Unlike Disney

00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:03.439
 would lead us

00:12:03.439 --> 00:12:04.019
 to believe,

00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:06.659
 we are not more free

00:12:06.659 --> 00:12:07.980
 when we get to live

00:12:07.980 --> 00:12:09.220
 however way we want to.

00:12:10.580 --> 00:12:11.059
 No,

00:12:11.100 --> 00:12:11.939
 the Bible testifies

00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:12.760
 that we are either

00:12:12.760 --> 00:12:14.580
 conformed to our passions,

00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:16.560
 slaves to our sins

00:12:16.560 --> 00:12:17.820
 as Paul puts it,

00:12:18.280 --> 00:12:19.200
 or we are becoming

00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:19.980
 more like God.

00:12:20.660 --> 00:12:21.560
 There is no in-between.

00:12:21.680 --> 00:12:22.800
 There is no other option.

00:12:23.900 --> 00:12:25.180
 What seems like freedom

00:12:25.180 --> 00:12:27.300
 is only more slavery

00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:28.280
 in disguise

00:12:28.280 --> 00:12:29.800
 because we can never

00:12:29.800 --> 00:12:30.540
 act contrary

00:12:30.540 --> 00:12:31.380
 to the desires

00:12:31.380 --> 00:12:32.080
 of our heart

00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:33.960
 even if it harms us.

00:12:35.020 --> 00:12:35.780
 That's where

00:12:35.780 --> 00:12:36.820
 all addictions,

00:12:37.620 --> 00:12:38.780
 toxic relationships,

00:12:39.060 --> 00:12:39.880
 and frustrations

00:12:39.880 --> 00:12:41.320
 ultimately come from.

00:12:41.940 --> 00:12:43.260
 A misaligned heart.

00:12:44.680 --> 00:12:45.660
 But with God

00:12:45.660 --> 00:12:46.300
 as our Father,

00:12:47.220 --> 00:12:47.940
 we get to be

00:12:47.940 --> 00:12:48.640
 really free.

00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:49.960
 If the Son

00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:50.660
 sets you free,

00:12:50.780 --> 00:12:51.900
 you are free indeed.

00:12:52.340 --> 00:12:53.200
 Free from the slavery

00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.100
 of our desires.

00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:56.080
 Free from the burden

00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:57.420
 of trying to be authentic.

00:12:58.420 --> 00:12:59.660
 Free from the consequences

00:12:59.660 --> 00:13:01.200
 of a misaligned heart.

00:13:02.280 --> 00:13:03.140
 If our identity

00:13:03.140 --> 00:13:04.220
 is found

00:13:04.220 --> 00:13:05.020
 in being adopted

00:13:05.020 --> 00:13:05.920
 as God's children,

00:13:06.300 --> 00:13:07.520
 we get the privilege

00:13:07.520 --> 00:13:08.260
 of beginning

00:13:08.260 --> 00:13:09.480
 to live like our Father,

00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:10.720
 holy in all

00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:11.620
 our conduct.

00:13:12.920 --> 00:13:13.480
 He gives us

00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:14.000
 the gift

00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.100
 of a perfect Father

00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:15.700
 to imitate.

00:13:17.020 --> 00:13:18.120
 But that's not all

00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:18.760
 that should change

00:13:18.760 --> 00:13:19.440
 in our lives

00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:20.640
 once we receive

00:13:20.640 --> 00:13:22.240
 this identity-shaping gift

00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:23.240
 of being children

00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:23.740
 of God.

00:13:25.060 --> 00:13:25.980
 Peter goes on

00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:27.100
 to say in verse 17,

00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:28.120
 look with me,

00:13:28.180 --> 00:13:28.800
 verse 17,

00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:30.219
 and if you call on Him

00:13:30.219 --> 00:13:30.919
 as Father

00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:32.299
 who judges impartially

00:13:32.299 --> 00:13:33.639
 according to each one's deeds,

00:13:34.439 --> 00:13:35.339
 conduct yourselves

00:13:35.339 --> 00:13:36.000
 with fear

00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:37.159
 throughout the time

00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:37.799
 of your exile.

00:13:39.219 --> 00:13:40.299
 Now, I think it's fair

00:13:40.299 --> 00:13:40.799
 to say

00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.359
 that when we think

00:13:42.359 --> 00:13:43.599
 of a perfect Father,

00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:45.919
 being a judge

00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.059
 is not one of the first things

00:13:47.059 --> 00:13:47.679
 that comes to mind.

00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:49.179
 But here,

00:13:49.419 --> 00:13:50.359
 Peter is teaching us

00:13:50.359 --> 00:13:51.979
 that another aspect

00:13:51.979 --> 00:13:53.639
 of having this gift

00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:55.279
 of God's perfect Fatherhood

00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:56.639
 is remembering

00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.720
 that He's the one

00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.059
 who judges impartially.

00:14:01.220 --> 00:14:02.139
 In one sense,

00:14:02.220 --> 00:14:02.699
 this is supposed

00:14:02.699 --> 00:14:04.439
 to be really reassuring.

00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:06.020
 I mean,

00:14:06.180 --> 00:14:06.920
 if I knew

00:14:06.920 --> 00:14:08.220
 that my father,

00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:08.620
 Nelson,

00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:09.220
 back home

00:14:09.220 --> 00:14:11.140
 was the hometown judge,

00:14:11.780 --> 00:14:13.220
 I would be laid back

00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:13.780
 and relaxed

00:14:13.780 --> 00:14:14.460
 because no one

00:14:14.460 --> 00:14:15.400
 could mess with me.

00:14:16.820 --> 00:14:17.840
 Much more than that,

00:14:18.020 --> 00:14:19.320
 we have a Father in Heaven

00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:20.880
 who hears the cries

00:14:20.880 --> 00:14:21.620
 of His children

00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:22.960
 and delivers them

00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:24.540
 by judging the wicked

00:14:24.540 --> 00:14:25.860
 partially now

00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:26.640
 and fully

00:14:26.640 --> 00:14:27.520
 in the final judgment.

00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:29.260
 Think about

00:14:29.260 --> 00:14:29.980
 how encouraging

00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:30.620
 this was

00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:31.580
 for a community

00:14:31.580 --> 00:14:32.940
 that experienced trials

00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:33.740
 every day

00:14:33.740 --> 00:14:34.840
 while living

00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:35.480
 in a society

00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:36.700
 that was hostile

00:14:36.700 --> 00:14:37.360
 to them.

00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:39.759
 I wonder how encouraging

00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:40.620
 that is to you

00:14:40.620 --> 00:14:42.460
 who have been wronged,

00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:43.840
 who have been mistreated

00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:45.460
 by your boss,

00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:47.200
 by authorities

00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:47.960
 from the government,

00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:49.500
 by your teacher,

00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:50.460
 by your parents.

00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:53.360
 But the thing

00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:54.220
 with this judge,

00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:54.919
 our Father,

00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:56.139
 is that He judges

00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:56.940
 impartially.

00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:58.460
 Meaning that

00:14:58.460 --> 00:14:59.180
 when it comes

00:14:59.180 --> 00:14:59.740
 to judging,

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:00.899
 He actually

00:15:00.899 --> 00:15:01.860
 does not see color.

00:15:02.060 --> 00:15:02.580
 He actually

00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:03.600
 does not see wealth.

00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:05.039
 or status.

00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:06.720
 He sees everyone

00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:07.560
 with equality.

00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:08.779
 All His judging

00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:09.659
 is according

00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:10.779
 to each one's deeds.

00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:12.879
 Now,

00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:13.960
 how is the gift

00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:14.860
 of having a Father

00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:16.279
 who judges impartially

00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:18.240
 supposed to shape

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.019
 how we live?

00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:20.960
 Well,

00:15:20.980 --> 00:15:21.620
 Peter's answer

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.519
 is that

00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:23.500
 we are to conduct

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.220
 our lives

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.440
 with fear.

00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:26.740
 That's right,

00:15:26.860 --> 00:15:27.080
 fear.

00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:29.740
 The same Father

00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:30.460
 who listens

00:15:30.460 --> 00:15:31.000
 to us,

00:15:31.300 --> 00:15:32.040
 rewards us,

00:15:32.160 --> 00:15:32.900
 knows what we need

00:15:32.900 --> 00:15:33.660
 and cares for us

00:15:33.660 --> 00:15:35.120
 in innumerable ways

00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:36.840
 is also the judge

00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:37.800
 that not only

00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:38.300
 our enemies

00:15:38.300 --> 00:15:38.940
 must fear,

00:15:39.560 --> 00:15:40.300
 but us too.

00:15:42.680 --> 00:15:43.440
 But what kind

00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:43.820
 of fear

00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:44.379
 is this?

00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:46.060
 Is it a

00:15:46.060 --> 00:15:47.000
 scary fear?

00:15:48.040 --> 00:15:48.680
 What are we

00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:49.240
 supposed to do?

00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:50.500
 Is it a

00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:51.740
 paralyzing fear?

00:15:51.740 --> 00:15:53.759
 I think you know

00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:54.460
 the answer to that.

00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:56.740
 Think about this.

00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:58.899
 In the same context

00:15:58.899 --> 00:16:00.019
 of Leviticus 19

00:16:00.019 --> 00:16:01.299
 where we get

00:16:01.299 --> 00:16:01.919
 the phrase

00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:03.120
 you shall be holy

00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:03.840
 for I am holy,

00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:05.700
 it is also said

00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:06.580
 in the next verse,

00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:08.100
 every one of you

00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:08.960
 shall fear

00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:09.560
 his mother

00:16:09.560 --> 00:16:10.259
 and father.

00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:12.899
 So as he

00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:14.220
 applies Leviticus 19

00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:15.360
 to New Testament

00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:15.960
 believers,

00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:17.059
 Peter brings

00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:17.939
 these two verses

00:16:17.939 --> 00:16:18.460
 together

00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:19.759
 and calls us

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.740
 to fear God

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:21.200
 the Father

00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.439
 in a similar way

00:16:22.439 --> 00:16:23.539
 that we would fear

00:16:23.539 --> 00:16:24.679
 our earthly mother

00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:25.519
 and father.

00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:29.500
 We don't fear him

00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:31.080
 like unbelievers

00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:32.000
 and rebellious people

00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.840
 against him do,

00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.419
 but we fear him

00:16:34.419 --> 00:16:35.299
 as we do

00:16:35.299 --> 00:16:36.700
 our earthly mother

00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:37.340
 and father.

00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:39.399
 Now I don't know

00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:39.819
 what kind of

00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:40.980
 relationship you have

00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:41.780
 with your parents,

00:16:42.540 --> 00:16:43.160
 either now

00:16:43.160 --> 00:16:43.780
 or when you were

00:16:43.780 --> 00:16:44.220
 a child,

00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:45.100
 and a lot of abuse

00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:45.980
 has taken place

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:47.080
 that can make us

00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:47.860
 misunderstand

00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:49.260
 what it means

00:16:49.260 --> 00:16:50.500
 to properly fear

00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:51.260
 our parents

00:16:51.260 --> 00:16:52.460
 and consequently

00:16:52.460 --> 00:16:53.200
 what it means

00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:53.940
 to fear God.

00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:57.520
 But when godly

00:16:57.520 --> 00:16:58.020
 authority

00:16:58.020 --> 00:16:58.960
 is used

00:16:58.960 --> 00:16:59.620
 in the home,

00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:01.340
 it is not far

00:17:01.340 --> 00:17:02.260
 to see

00:17:02.260 --> 00:17:03.500
 how love

00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:04.160
 and fear

00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.000
 can go together.

00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:07.460
 It is the godly

00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:08.440
 fear of your father

00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:09.940
 that leads you

00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:11.080
 to wearing a helmet

00:17:11.080 --> 00:17:12.180
 when you go skating.

00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:13.840
 It is the fear

00:17:13.840 --> 00:17:14.340
 of your mother

00:17:14.340 --> 00:17:15.019
 that leads you

00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:16.019
 to cleaning up

00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:16.380
 your room.

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:18.259
 It is the fear

00:17:18.259 --> 00:17:19.019
 of your parents

00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:19.640
 that lead you

00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:20.600
 to respect

00:17:20.600 --> 00:17:21.059
 the elderly.

00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:23.500
 We see then

00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.960
 that both of the ways

00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:25.779
 God calls us

00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:26.900
 to live as his children

00:17:26.900 --> 00:17:28.120
 with holiness

00:17:28.120 --> 00:17:28.960
 and with fear

00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.120
 are a function

00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:31.700
 of his paternal love

00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:33.519
 because he wants us

00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:33.920
 to grow

00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:35.300
 and because he wants

00:17:35.300 --> 00:17:36.400
 to protect us.

00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:38.200
 And the more

00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:38.740
 we embrace

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:39.200
 this gift

00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.140
 of being adopted

00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:40.800
 by God,

00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:41.980
 the more we live

00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:42.519
 in light of

00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:43.380
 our identity

00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:44.180
 as his children,

00:17:44.820 --> 00:17:46.340
 the more we become

00:17:46.340 --> 00:17:47.160
 hopeful

00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:48.940
 of that future kingdom

00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:50.140
 where we

00:17:50.140 --> 00:17:52.259
 and all his children

00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:53.800
 will relate to him

00:17:53.800 --> 00:17:55.100
 with perfect holiness

00:17:55.100 --> 00:17:56.580
 and with appropriate fear.

00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:59.659
 Now let's turn

00:17:59.659 --> 00:18:00.199
 to our next

00:18:00.199 --> 00:18:01.439
 identity shaping gift

00:18:01.439 --> 00:18:02.439
 which is

00:18:02.439 --> 00:18:03.279
 a ransom

00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:04.679
 that we can trust.

00:18:05.220 --> 00:18:05.679
 A ransom

00:18:05.679 --> 00:18:07.879
 that we can trust.

00:18:08.679 --> 00:18:09.099
 Look again

00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:09.740
 at verse 18.

00:18:11.439 --> 00:18:12.319
 It says,

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.220
 Knowing that you

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:14.859
 were ransomed

00:18:14.859 --> 00:18:15.939
 from the futile ways

00:18:15.939 --> 00:18:17.460
 inherited from your forefathers,

00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:19.460
 not with perishable things

00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:20.559
 such as silver or gold,

00:18:20.939 --> 00:18:21.720
 but with the precious

00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:22.439
 blood of Christ

00:18:22.439 --> 00:18:23.359
 like that of a lamb

00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:24.099
 without blemish

00:18:24.099 --> 00:18:24.599
 or spot.

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:28.539
 I imagine you can tell

00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:29.439
 that verse 18

00:18:29.439 --> 00:18:30.279
 is just a continuation

00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:31.279
 of verse 17.

00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:33.679
 Verse 17 taught us

00:18:33.679 --> 00:18:34.859
 to live in fear of God

00:18:34.859 --> 00:18:36.059
 and now verse 18

00:18:36.059 --> 00:18:36.759
 comes to say

00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:37.740
 that we're to do so

00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:39.539
 while knowing something.

00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:41.339
 And this something

00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:42.199
 that Peter wants us

00:18:42.199 --> 00:18:42.619
 to know

00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:44.460
 will totally influence

00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:46.059
 how we see this father

00:18:46.059 --> 00:18:47.019
 that we must imitate

00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:47.519
 in fear.

00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:49.339
 Here's what we're

00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:49.960
 supposed to know.

00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:52.220
 We have been ransomed.

00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:54.960
 Now the word

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:56.559
 ransom or redemption

00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:57.740
 depending on your version

00:18:57.740 --> 00:18:59.600
 that shows up in the text,

00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:01.380
 it might not be much to you.

00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:03.579
 But to ransom someone

00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:04.720
 is to pay

00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.940
 to rescue them

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:06.980
 from something.

00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:08.860
 You ransom someone

00:19:08.860 --> 00:19:09.500
 from jail

00:19:09.500 --> 00:19:10.640
 by paying their bail

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:12.019
 and you ransom someone

00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:12.720
 from debt

00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:13.980
 by paying what they owe.

00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:15.819
 And in this case,

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.480
 we have been ransomed,

00:19:17.860 --> 00:19:18.860
 verse 18 says,

00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.799
 from the futile ways

00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.299
 inherited from your forefathers.

00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:24.720
 Which is just another way

00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:25.180
 of saying

00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:26.980
 that we were set free

00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:28.339
 from our sins.

00:19:29.159 --> 00:19:30.799
 What used to enslave us

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:31.899
 does not have

00:19:31.899 --> 00:19:33.319
 that kind of power anymore.

00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:36.039
 You see,

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.399
 the Bible speaks of

00:19:37.399 --> 00:19:38.859
 at least two different ways

00:19:38.859 --> 00:19:40.480
 in which we're set free

00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:41.519
 from our sins.

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:44.099
 Ransomed from them.

00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:45.419
 In one sense,

00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:46.159
 in one side,

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.039
 there's the liberation

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:49.139
 of the consequence of sin.

00:19:49.659 --> 00:19:50.419
 And on the other side,

00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:51.220
 there's the liberation

00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:53.279
 from the practice of sin.

00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:55.300
 And this is an important distinction.

00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.840
 The ultimate consequence of sin

00:19:57.840 --> 00:19:59.080
 is eternal death

00:19:59.080 --> 00:20:00.340
 and separation from God.

00:20:00.820 --> 00:20:02.200
 Even if we don't believe this,

00:20:02.500 --> 00:20:03.820
 our conscience testifies

00:20:03.820 --> 00:20:04.519
 to the reality

00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:05.400
 of a final judgment.

00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:07.920
 The practice of sin,

00:20:08.340 --> 00:20:09.140
 on the other hand,

00:20:09.300 --> 00:20:10.480
 is not living according

00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:11.340
 to God's way.

00:20:12.100 --> 00:20:13.000
 One is the penalty,

00:20:13.580 --> 00:20:14.840
 the other is a lifestyle.

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:16.900
 I wonder if you can tell

00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:18.380
 which one Peter's talking about here.

00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:19.740
 You will ransom

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:21.520
 from the futile ways

00:20:21.520 --> 00:20:23.240
 inherited from your forefathers.

00:20:25.100 --> 00:20:25.980
 He's talking about

00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:27.720
 the practice of sinning, right?

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:30.100
 We have been set free

00:20:30.100 --> 00:20:31.580
 from a way of living,

00:20:32.300 --> 00:20:33.520
 a sinful way of living,

00:20:33.800 --> 00:20:34.980
 and called to live

00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:35.760
 in a new way.

00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:38.720
 But the more I meditate

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.460
 on this truth,

00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:41.300
 the more I ask myself,

00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:43.840
 where does the joy

00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:45.780
 I have over my freedom

00:20:45.780 --> 00:20:46.540
 from sin

00:20:46.539 --> 00:20:48.019
 actually come from?

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:52.039
 Am I simply glad

00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:53.480
 that I don't have to go

00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:54.200
 to hell anymore?

00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:56.279
 Or am I happy

00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:58.440
 because the ways of God

00:20:58.440 --> 00:20:59.759
 are way better

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:00.619
 than the ways

00:21:00.619 --> 00:21:01.539
 I used to live on?

00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:04.680
 I believe there's space

00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:05.379
 in the Christian life

00:21:05.379 --> 00:21:06.500
 for both kinds of joy.

00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:07.680
 But here,

00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:09.240
 Peter's particularly concerned

00:21:09.240 --> 00:21:10.180
 with the second.

00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:11.519
 In fact,

00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:12.839
 Peter's talking like my mom,

00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:15.579
 who would always caution me

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.899
 about playing soccer outside

00:21:16.899 --> 00:21:17.939
 after I've already

00:21:17.939 --> 00:21:18.679
 taken a shower

00:21:18.679 --> 00:21:20.039
 and got dressed to leave.

00:21:20.579 --> 00:21:20.879
 She'll say,

00:21:20.939 --> 00:21:21.159
 boy,

00:21:21.639 --> 00:21:22.439
 why are you going back

00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:23.000
 to the dirt

00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:23.939
 if you're already

00:21:23.939 --> 00:21:24.720
 being cleaned up?

00:21:26.699 --> 00:21:27.519
 Peter's calling us

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:27.980
 to remember

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:29.480
 that we have already

00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:30.779
 been brought out

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:32.359
 from a futile way

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:32.819
 of living,

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:34.759
 cleaned out of the dirt.

00:21:36.679 --> 00:21:37.720
 So here's the question

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.199
 for us

00:21:38.199 --> 00:21:39.500
 to whom that is true.

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:42.200
 What are the futile ways

00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:42.900
 of our past

00:21:42.900 --> 00:21:44.119
 that we're still

00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:44.940
 going back to?

00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:46.759
 What is the dirt

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:47.839
 that we insist

00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:49.619
 on putting upon ourselves?

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.619
 By God's grace

00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:52.900
 and through His Spirit,

00:21:53.380 --> 00:21:54.799
 I call you to identify

00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:55.980
 what that is in your life

00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:57.660
 and put it to death

00:21:57.660 --> 00:21:59.539
 because that is what

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:01.480
 put Christ to death.

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.180
 And we shouldn't dare

00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:04.279
 to treat that casually

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:05.720
 for our Father judges

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:07.240
 and He judges impartially.

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:09.200
 But now,

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:09.980
 I get it that we're

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:11.660
 ransomed from our sins.

00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:12.960
 But why is this

00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:14.019
 the gift of a ransom

00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:15.400
 that we can trust?

00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:17.759
 Why am I labeling it

00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.299
 this way?

00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:20.299
 Well, as I said before,

00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.599
 verse 18 is nothing

00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:22.339
 but a continuation

00:22:22.339 --> 00:22:24.099
 of the previous verses.

00:22:25.059 --> 00:22:26.079
 On those verses,

00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:26.920
 we learn that God

00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:28.539
 is a holy and judging Father.

00:22:29.099 --> 00:22:29.599
 And now Peter

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.559
 is calling them

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:31.160
 to remember

00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:32.359
 that the same God

00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:34.420
 is also our Redeemer.

00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:36.860
 Look at how he makes

00:22:36.860 --> 00:22:37.320
 his argument.

00:22:38.340 --> 00:22:38.880
 Verse 18,

00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:40.220
 You were ransomed

00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:41.120
 from the futile ways

00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:42.400
 inherited from your forefathers

00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.279
 with the blood of Christ.

00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:46.880
 Peter starts by remembering us

00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.820
 that it is Christ's blood

00:22:48.820 --> 00:22:50.500
 which is the means

00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.940
 by which we were ransomed.

00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:53.600
 It is by His blood.

00:22:54.120 --> 00:22:55.620
 It is the costly price

00:22:55.620 --> 00:22:56.660
 that acquired

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:58.160
 the gift of our redemption.

00:22:59.060 --> 00:22:59.980
 So there is

00:22:59.980 --> 00:23:01.080
 an initial contrast.

00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:02.620
 On one side,

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.779
 there is this Father

00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:04.680
 that we must imitate

00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:05.200
 and fear.

00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:06.599
 On another side,

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.619
 there is Christ

00:23:07.619 --> 00:23:09.139
 who paid to redeem us

00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:09.940
 from our sins.

00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:12.660
 But before we can start

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.379
 pitting the two

00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:14.180
 against each other,

00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:15.220
 Father v. Son,

00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:16.859
 as if they somehow

00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:18.480
 had different intentions

00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:19.680
 or different affections

00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:20.460
 towards His people,

00:23:21.139 --> 00:23:22.139
 Peter explains

00:23:22.139 --> 00:23:23.139
 how Jesus

00:23:23.139 --> 00:23:24.099
 has done

00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:25.079
 what He did for us.

00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:26.180
 Verse 20,

00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:27.819
 Jesus,

00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:29.059
 the Son of God,

00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:30.759
 was foreknown

00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:31.779
 before the foundation

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:32.420
 of the world.

00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:33.920
 meaning the Son

00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:35.259
 is eternally known

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:35.980
 by the Father.

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:36.940
 Never created,

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:38.320
 always existing,

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:39.840
 but this Son

00:23:39.840 --> 00:23:40.980
 was only made manifest

00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:41.600
 by God

00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:42.720
 at a particular point

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:43.380
 in history.

00:23:43.820 --> 00:23:44.820
 2,000 years ago,

00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:47.060
 He was made manifest

00:23:47.060 --> 00:23:48.960
 for the sake of you.

00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:52.120
 This is an important phrase

00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:53.279
 I don't want us to miss out.

00:23:53.560 --> 00:23:54.860
 When Jesus showed up

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:55.480
 in this world,

00:23:56.100 --> 00:23:56.720
 His incarnation,

00:23:57.360 --> 00:23:58.259
 His life,

00:23:58.519 --> 00:23:59.200
 His ministry,

00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:00.900
 His death in our place,

00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:01.819
 His resurrection,

00:24:02.600 --> 00:24:04.000
 were all done

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:05.620
 for the sake of you,

00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:07.100
 God's children.

00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:10.319
 Jesus is God's ransom

00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.240
 sent for you.

00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:14.440
 Verse 21,

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:16.400
 through Jesus,

00:24:17.080 --> 00:24:18.360
 you are believers in God.

00:24:19.340 --> 00:24:20.259
 And this God

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.220
 is the one

00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:22.220
 who raised Jesus

00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:23.039
 from the dead

00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.120
 and gave Him glory.

00:24:24.600 --> 00:24:25.539
 The same glory

00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:26.819
 we will share with Him

00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:28.240
 in that future reward.

00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.080
 Therefore,

00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:31.860
 Jesus' work

00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:33.840
 is entirely God's work.

00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:35.519
 He was made manifest

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:35.940
 by God.

00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:37.180
 He was resurrected by God.

00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:38.660
 He was glorified by God.

00:24:39.620 --> 00:24:40.660
 If Peter could give

00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:41.180
 this people

00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:42.120
 any encouragement

00:24:42.120 --> 00:24:43.840
 of a living hope,

00:24:44.360 --> 00:24:45.279
 it is all thanks

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.380
 to God the Father

00:24:46.380 --> 00:24:47.819
 who did these things

00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:49.019
 through His Son,

00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:49.920
 the Redeemer.

00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:52.220
 That's why verse 21

00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:52.940
 ends saying,

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:54.640
 your faith and hope

00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:55.500
 are in God.

00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:58.220
 Brothers and sisters,

00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:00.039
 God's love

00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:01.200
 can be trusted.

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.360
 His fatherhood

00:25:03.360 --> 00:25:04.759
 is good for us.

00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:06.480
 If He demands holiness,

00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:08.079
 it's because holiness

00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.240
 is good for us.

00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.720
 If He causes us to live

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.880
 in reverent fear of Him,

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.440
 it's because that kind of fear

00:25:14.440 --> 00:25:15.360
 is good for us.

00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:17.220
 After all,

00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:17.920
 He's the one

00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:18.680
 who sent Jesus

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.660
 to ransom us

00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:20.360
 from our sins.

00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:22.059
 That's the gift

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:22.900
 we must remember

00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:24.140
 while we imitate

00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:25.059
 and fear the Father.

00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:27.779
 in a very costly way,

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:29.019
 He has proven

00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:30.220
 to be for us

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:31.399
 by the shedding

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:32.039
 of His blood.

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:34.379
 And now,

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.539
 for our final

00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:36.839
 identity-shaping gift

00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:38.759
 in verses 22 to 25,

00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:40.240
 we have received

00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:41.359
 a word

00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:43.099
 that enables love.

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:44.659
 A word

00:25:44.659 --> 00:25:45.899
 that enables

00:25:45.899 --> 00:25:46.819
 love.

00:25:46.819 --> 00:25:49.960
 I think we can

00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:50.799
 all relate

00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:51.939
 to our time

00:25:51.939 --> 00:25:52.619
 in our lives

00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:53.599
 when we thought

00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:54.259
 that we were doing

00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:55.259
 something amazing

00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:55.960
 as kids

00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:57.480
 just to find out

00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.179
 later that it was

00:25:58.179 --> 00:25:58.659
 our parents

00:25:58.659 --> 00:25:59.559
 doing it all along.

00:26:01.159 --> 00:26:01.659
 Kara and I

00:26:01.659 --> 00:26:02.599
 have these friends

00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:03.379
 on campus.

00:26:03.639 --> 00:26:04.099
 They used to live

00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:04.599
 on campus,

00:26:04.779 --> 00:26:05.619
 Jason and Elizabeth,

00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:06.779
 and they have

00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:08.059
 this very cute boy,

00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:08.659
 Brooks.

00:26:09.399 --> 00:26:10.839
 When we first met him,

00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:11.480
 Brooks was

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:13.019
 just one year old.

00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:14.159
 He was a one year old

00:26:14.159 --> 00:26:14.460
 baby,

00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:16.319
 and when they hosted us

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:16.940
 the first time

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:18.039
 in their house,

00:26:19.059 --> 00:26:19.700
 Brooks came

00:26:19.700 --> 00:26:20.740
 running towards me,

00:26:21.100 --> 00:26:21.960
 half running,

00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:22.700
 half crawling,

00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:24.360
 and walking

00:26:24.360 --> 00:26:25.019
 a little bit.

00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:26.220
 And without saying

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:26.819
 any words,

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:27.799
 he gave us

00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:28.519
 this drawing

00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.319
 that he had made,

00:26:30.460 --> 00:26:31.559
 which it did have

00:26:31.559 --> 00:26:32.680
 a bunch of scribbles

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:33.240
 everywhere,

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.840
 but right in the center

00:26:34.840 --> 00:26:35.140
 of it,

00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:35.880
 with big,

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:36.519
 beautiful,

00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:38.200
 perfect English letters,

00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:39.059
 said,

00:26:39.640 --> 00:26:40.039
 Welcome,

00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:40.960
 Salvianos.

00:26:41.620 --> 00:26:42.140
 We did feel

00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:42.700
 very welcome

00:26:42.700 --> 00:26:43.140
 that day.

00:26:43.140 --> 00:26:44.540
 I didn't know

00:26:44.540 --> 00:26:44.960
 any better,

00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:45.700
 so I turned

00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:46.440
 to Brooks and said,

00:26:46.840 --> 00:26:47.700
 Wow, Brooks,

00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.180
 this is so cool.

00:26:49.560 --> 00:26:50.500
 I can't believe

00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:51.120
 you already know

00:26:51.120 --> 00:26:51.740
 how to write.

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.600
 And people started

00:26:54.600 --> 00:26:55.600
 laughing that day,

00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:55.780
 too,

00:26:55.840 --> 00:26:56.600
 for some reason.

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:58.920
 I really thought

00:26:58.920 --> 00:26:59.860
 he had drawn up

00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:00.320
 the letters,

00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:01.300
 even though I knew

00:27:01.300 --> 00:27:02.860
 he couldn't read them,

00:27:03.140 --> 00:27:03.759
 but I thought,

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:05.180
 as a one year old,

00:27:05.340 --> 00:27:05.580
 sure,

00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:06.759
 he had the coordination

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.880
 to do,

00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:09.940
 to write something.

00:27:11.280 --> 00:27:11.940
 It was only

00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:12.820
 later that night,

00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:13.859
 we were having

00:27:13.859 --> 00:27:14.220
 dinner,

00:27:14.439 --> 00:27:14.960
 and I suddenly

00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:15.439
 realized,

00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:15.879
 wait a minute,

00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:17.159
 it was probably

00:27:17.159 --> 00:27:18.599
 Elizabeth who wrote

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:19.019
 the letters,

00:27:19.079 --> 00:27:19.679
 and he only did

00:27:19.679 --> 00:27:20.339
 the scribbles.

00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:22.139
 I didn't say it

00:27:22.139 --> 00:27:22.599
 all out.

00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:26.259
 In my defense,

00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:26.519
 though,

00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:27.839
 you can actually

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.379
 look at it

00:27:28.379 --> 00:27:29.240
 from both sides.

00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:31.240
 Because,

00:27:31.379 --> 00:27:32.200
 on one side,

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.779
 the drawing

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.460
 was partially

00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:35.000
 Brooks,

00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:36.059
 because he did

00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:36.659
 put a lot of

00:27:36.659 --> 00:27:37.599
 artistic effort

00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.339
 into it,

00:27:38.899 --> 00:27:39.659
 but on the other

00:27:39.659 --> 00:27:40.059
 side,

00:27:40.179 --> 00:27:40.799
 the part of the

00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.419
 drawing that put

00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:42.220
 into words,

00:27:42.380 --> 00:27:42.779
 what Brooks

00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:43.200
 wanted to

00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:43.580
 communicate,

00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:44.980
 that was all

00:27:44.980 --> 00:27:45.800
 Elizabeth's.

00:27:46.340 --> 00:27:47.279
 His work and

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.580
 her work are

00:27:48.580 --> 00:27:49.220
 two sides of

00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:49.820
 the same coin.

00:27:50.460 --> 00:27:50.860
 They're two

00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:51.580
 patterns of

00:27:51.580 --> 00:27:52.279
 the same drawing.

00:27:53.800 --> 00:27:54.500
 One of the

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:55.300
 things Peter's

00:27:55.300 --> 00:27:56.080
 describing in

00:27:56.080 --> 00:27:57.100
 verses 22 and

00:27:57.100 --> 00:27:58.660
 23 is that

00:27:58.660 --> 00:27:59.660
 the reality of

00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.480
 our conversion,

00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:01.680
 that is,

00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:02.800
 our turning away

00:28:02.800 --> 00:28:03.400
 from former

00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:04.580
 passions and

00:28:04.580 --> 00:28:05.180
 turning with

00:28:05.180 --> 00:28:06.019
 faith to God,

00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:07.539
 also has two

00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:07.960
 sides.

00:28:07.960 --> 00:28:08.039
 ones.

00:28:08.620 --> 00:28:09.299
 One of them

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:10.319
 is ours and

00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:10.860
 the other is

00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.420
 God's.

00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:13.519
 On our side,

00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:14.400
 Peter says in

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.059
 verse 22,

00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:16.240
 that you have

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:17.519
 purified your

00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:18.519
 souls by your

00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:19.220
 obedience to

00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:19.660
 the truth.

00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:21.380
 On God's

00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:21.759
 side,

00:28:22.180 --> 00:28:22.759
 he says,

00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:23.559
 verse 23,

00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:24.799
 you have been

00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.559
 born again

00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.460
 through the

00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:26.940
 living and

00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:27.860
 abiding word

00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:28.440
 of God.

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.380
 It's not an

00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:30.960
 either or.

00:28:31.640 --> 00:28:32.380
 It's a both

00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:33.019
 and kind of

00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:33.240
 thing.

00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:35.579
 Now,

00:28:35.740 --> 00:28:36.559
 when you read

00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.220
 that on our

00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:37.660
 side,

00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:38.579
 we were

00:28:38.579 --> 00:28:39.460
 purified by

00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:40.259
 obedience to

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:40.680
 the truth

00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:41.480
 in verse 22,

00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:42.720
 you might say,

00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:43.120
 wait a minute,

00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:43.440
 Peter,

00:28:43.880 --> 00:28:44.620
 I thought we

00:28:44.620 --> 00:28:45.559
 were saved by

00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:46.099
 grace through

00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:46.500
 faith.

00:28:47.099 --> 00:28:47.559
 What is this

00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.220
 obedience that

00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.620
 you're talking

00:28:48.620 --> 00:28:49.180
 about here?

00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.539
 Is Peter saying

00:28:50.539 --> 00:28:51.359
 that we are

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:52.319
 saved by works

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:52.740
 instead?

00:28:54.120 --> 00:28:54.900
 That's not at

00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:55.579
 all how Peter

00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:56.500
 is conceiving

00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:57.180
 of obedience

00:28:57.180 --> 00:28:57.460
 though.

00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.539
 After all,

00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:00.559
 we should ask

00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:01.000
 ourselves,

00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:02.299
 what does it

00:29:02.299 --> 00:29:02.819
 mean to

00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:03.659
 obey a

00:29:03.659 --> 00:29:04.000
 truth?

00:29:06.059 --> 00:29:06.980
 Gravity will

00:29:06.980 --> 00:29:07.339
 make you

00:29:07.339 --> 00:29:07.659
 fall.

00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:08.679
 That's a

00:29:08.679 --> 00:29:08.919
 truth.

00:29:09.879 --> 00:29:10.339
 How do you

00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:10.799
 obey it?

00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:12.419
 By believing

00:29:12.419 --> 00:29:13.039
 it and

00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:13.899
 living by it.

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.480
 Because you

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:15.960
 believe in the

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.339
 truth of

00:29:16.339 --> 00:29:16.679
 gravity,

00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:17.960
 you don't

00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:19.019
 jump off of

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:19.399
 a cliff

00:29:19.399 --> 00:29:20.119
 expecting that

00:29:20.119 --> 00:29:20.339
 you're going

00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:21.000
 to fly away.

00:29:22.379 --> 00:29:23.079
 When you

00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:23.539
 no only

00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.519
 refrain from

00:29:24.519 --> 00:29:24.960
 jumping,

00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.240
 you have

00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:26.839
 obeyed

00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:27.579
 gravity as

00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:27.919
 truth.

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.399
 Likewise,

00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.639
 we obey the

00:29:31.639 --> 00:29:32.480
 truth of the

00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:32.940
 good news

00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:33.579
 about Jesus

00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:35.079
 by believing

00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:36.099
 in it and

00:29:36.099 --> 00:29:36.759
 trusting in

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:38.420
 him as

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:39.160
 the highest

00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:39.960
 treasure of

00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:40.500
 our hearts.

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:42.900
 And this

00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:43.339
 obedience

00:29:43.339 --> 00:29:44.759
 purifies us,

00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:46.279
 not because of

00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:46.900
 the intensity

00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:47.339
 of our

00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:47.720
 believing,

00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:48.900
 but because of

00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.680
 the quality of

00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:50.660
 the work of

00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:51.140
 the one in

00:29:51.140 --> 00:29:51.519
 whom we

00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:51.860
 believe.

00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.640
 It is

00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:54.019
 Jesus'

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.240
 precious blood

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:56.059
 that has been

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:57.500
 sacrificed to

00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:58.740
 ransom us from

00:29:58.740 --> 00:29:59.319
 a former way

00:29:59.319 --> 00:29:59.720
 of living.

00:29:59.720 --> 00:29:59.759
 sin.

00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.059
 We obey

00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:01.559
 this by

00:30:01.559 --> 00:30:02.299
 believing in

00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:03.380
 it and

00:30:03.380 --> 00:30:04.039
 as a result

00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:05.220
 living as

00:30:05.220 --> 00:30:05.839
 people who

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.140
 have been

00:30:06.140 --> 00:30:06.559
 set free

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:07.039
 from sin.

00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.140
 And if

00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:09.740
 that's the

00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:10.200
 case,

00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:11.759
 what's the

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.779
 biggest evidence

00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:13.559
 that we're

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.100
 living in

00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:14.839
 light of

00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.360
 the truths

00:30:15.360 --> 00:30:15.720
 that we

00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:16.240
 believe about

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.539
 Jesus?

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:19.759
 Jesus himself

00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:20.200
 says it

00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:20.620
 elsewhere,

00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:21.980
 by this

00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:22.799
 everyone will

00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.140
 know that

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:23.519
 you are my

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:23.960
 disciples,

00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:25.100
 if you

00:30:25.100 --> 00:30:25.660
 love one

00:30:25.660 --> 00:30:26.039
 another.

00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:27.319
 John 13,

00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:28.120
 35.

00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:30.420
 Love is the

00:30:30.420 --> 00:30:31.240
 distinguishing

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:32.120
 attribute of

00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.660
 our obedience

00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.340
 to the truth

00:30:33.340 --> 00:30:34.019
 of who Jesus

00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:34.460
 is.

00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:36.120
 If we were

00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:37.299
 purified from

00:30:37.299 --> 00:30:37.940
 the passions

00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:38.299
 of our

00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:39.100
 former ignorance

00:30:39.100 --> 00:30:40.019
 and from

00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:40.620
 the futile

00:30:40.620 --> 00:30:41.299
 ways inherited

00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:41.740
 from our

00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:42.279
 forefathers,

00:30:42.700 --> 00:30:43.380
 this is what

00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:43.620
 we were

00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:44.579
 purified for.

00:30:46.340 --> 00:30:47.140
 You see,

00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:47.960
 for Christians,

00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:48.700
 for us

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.220
 Christians,

00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:50.620
 love has

00:30:50.620 --> 00:30:51.259
 become the

00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:52.360
 new organizing

00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:53.279
 principle of

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:53.779
 our lives.

00:30:54.380 --> 00:30:55.140
 We were

00:30:55.140 --> 00:30:56.079
 purified for

00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:57.400
 love, so

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.200
 our relationships

00:30:58.200 --> 00:30:58.940
 should be more

00:30:58.940 --> 00:30:59.539
 than anything

00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:00.680
 marked by a

00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:01.319
 distinguishing

00:31:01.319 --> 00:31:02.140
 flavor of

00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:02.480
 love.

00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:03.700
 It should be

00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:04.279
 the thing that

00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:04.980
 stands out the

00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:05.539
 most about

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:05.940
 us.

00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:06.880
 We're supposed

00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.380
 to be doing

00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:08.380
 it earnestly.

00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:11.220
 And I

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:11.660
 imagine,

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.039
 especially if

00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:13.460
 you don't know

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.039
 the Lord yet,

00:31:14.380 --> 00:31:15.160
 that this

00:31:15.160 --> 00:31:15.920
 calling is one

00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.380
 of the most

00:31:16.380 --> 00:31:16.900
 compelling

00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:18.160
 aspects of

00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:18.460
 our new

00:31:18.460 --> 00:31:18.880
 identity.

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:20.579
 I mean,

00:31:20.660 --> 00:31:21.160
 it can be

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:22.059
 pretty hard to

00:31:22.059 --> 00:31:22.500
 love other

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:22.880
 people,

00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:22.920
 people,

00:31:23.360 --> 00:31:23.800
 but we

00:31:23.800 --> 00:31:24.320
 sure love

00:31:24.320 --> 00:31:24.600
 to be

00:31:24.600 --> 00:31:25.160
 around those

00:31:25.160 --> 00:31:25.400
 who do

00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:25.760
 it well,

00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:26.780
 right?

00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:29.080
 And maybe

00:31:29.080 --> 00:31:29.520
 that's what

00:31:29.520 --> 00:31:29.840
 brought you

00:31:29.840 --> 00:31:30.260
 to visit

00:31:30.260 --> 00:31:30.760
 this church

00:31:30.760 --> 00:31:31.100
 today.

00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:33.320
 Some loving

00:31:33.320 --> 00:31:33.940
 people in

00:31:33.940 --> 00:31:34.500
 your neighborhood

00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:35.580
 who are just

00:31:35.580 --> 00:31:36.840
 too nice for

00:31:36.840 --> 00:31:37.240
 it to be

00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:38.200
 mere friendliness.

00:31:39.380 --> 00:31:39.880
 You asked

00:31:39.880 --> 00:31:40.740
 them once what

00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:41.220
 was unique

00:31:41.220 --> 00:31:41.640
 about their

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:42.040
 lives,

00:31:42.380 --> 00:31:42.880
 and soon

00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:43.240
 enough,

00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:44.120
 you're in a

00:31:44.120 --> 00:31:44.720
 place that you

00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:45.100
 thought you

00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:45.600
 never would

00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:46.080
 step foot

00:31:46.080 --> 00:31:46.380
 into.

00:31:46.900 --> 00:31:47.280
 You're in

00:31:47.280 --> 00:31:47.800
 this church.

00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:48.440
 You're listening

00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.400
 to God's

00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:49.680
 word.

00:31:50.120 --> 00:31:50.620
 My job

00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:51.059
 now is to

00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:51.480
 answer that

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:52.039
 question for

00:31:52.039 --> 00:31:52.240
 you.

00:31:53.100 --> 00:31:53.700
 Where does

00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:54.140
 this love

00:31:54.140 --> 00:31:54.620
 come from?

00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:56.200
 What is

00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:56.700
 God's

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.259
 identity

00:31:57.259 --> 00:31:57.740
 shaping

00:31:57.740 --> 00:31:58.880
 gift that

00:31:58.880 --> 00:31:59.840
 enables love

00:31:59.840 --> 00:32:00.360
 to become

00:32:00.360 --> 00:32:00.720
 true in

00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:01.180
 our lives?

00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:03.740
 Peter says

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:04.019
 that there

00:32:04.019 --> 00:32:04.539
 is a reason

00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:04.900
 why we

00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.360
 can and

00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:05.880
 should love

00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:06.299
 each other

00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:06.799
 earnestly.

00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:08.340
 Verse 23,

00:32:09.299 --> 00:32:10.200
 it is because

00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:10.820
 you have

00:32:10.820 --> 00:32:11.779
 been born

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.279
 again.

00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:14.700
 And I

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:14.960
 don't want

00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.299
 you to be

00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:15.980
 intimidated by

00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:16.519
 that phrase if

00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:16.900
 you don't know

00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:17.140
 what it

00:32:17.140 --> 00:32:17.519
 means.

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.060
 Christians

00:32:19.060 --> 00:32:19.720
 are made

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.580
 new when

00:32:20.580 --> 00:32:21.080
 they begin

00:32:21.080 --> 00:32:21.600
 to follow

00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:21.980
 Jesus.

00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:23.100
 This is what

00:32:23.100 --> 00:32:23.500
 it means to

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:23.820
 be born

00:32:23.820 --> 00:32:24.180
 again.

00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:25.180
 Starting

00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:25.640
 from our

00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.080
 hearts,

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:26.860
 which is

00:32:26.860 --> 00:32:27.519
 our body's

00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:28.280
 center of

00:32:28.280 --> 00:32:28.780
 operation,

00:32:29.360 --> 00:32:30.160
 which takes

00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:31.060
 every desire

00:32:31.060 --> 00:32:31.640
 we have

00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:32.259
 in forming

00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:32.780
 all of our

00:32:32.780 --> 00:32:33.300
 decisions.

00:32:34.280 --> 00:32:34.720
 Starting

00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.259
 from there,

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.320
 our old

00:32:36.320 --> 00:32:37.320
 life that

00:32:37.320 --> 00:32:38.160
 was ruled

00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:38.880
 by sin

00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:40.000
 has given

00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:41.060
 way to a

00:32:41.060 --> 00:32:41.680
 new life

00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:42.560
 ruled by

00:32:42.560 --> 00:32:43.040
 the Spirit

00:32:43.040 --> 00:32:43.540
 of God.

00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:45.060
 One that

00:32:45.060 --> 00:32:45.560
 leads to

00:32:45.560 --> 00:32:45.940
 holiness.

00:32:46.540 --> 00:32:46.860
 One that

00:32:46.859 --> 00:32:47.339
 leads to

00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:47.879
 abundant

00:32:47.879 --> 00:32:48.379
 joy.

00:32:48.959 --> 00:32:49.319
 One that

00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:49.759
 leads to

00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:51.199
 self-sacrificing

00:32:51.199 --> 00:32:51.759
 love.

00:32:53.419 --> 00:32:53.719
 And the

00:32:53.719 --> 00:32:54.039
 gift of

00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:54.399
 God that

00:32:54.399 --> 00:32:55.159
 enables that

00:32:55.159 --> 00:32:55.839
 to become

00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:56.339
 possible,

00:32:56.939 --> 00:32:57.619
 the imperishable

00:32:57.619 --> 00:32:58.159
 seed that

00:32:58.159 --> 00:32:58.879
 causes us to

00:32:58.879 --> 00:32:59.500
 be born again

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:00.219
 is the

00:33:00.219 --> 00:33:00.779
 living and

00:33:00.779 --> 00:33:01.240
 abiding

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.199
 word of

00:33:02.199 --> 00:33:02.519
 God.

00:33:04.679 --> 00:33:05.419
 You can

00:33:05.419 --> 00:33:06.019
 see that the

00:33:06.019 --> 00:33:06.699
 little section

00:33:06.699 --> 00:33:07.119
 of verses

00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:07.879
 24 to

00:33:07.879 --> 00:33:08.819
 25 is

00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:09.399
 formatted

00:33:09.399 --> 00:33:10.379
 different in

00:33:10.379 --> 00:33:10.859
 your Bibles.

00:33:11.419 --> 00:33:12.459
 It is indented

00:33:12.459 --> 00:33:13.599
 because it is a

00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:15.159
 quote from a

00:33:15.159 --> 00:33:15.899
 song in the

00:33:15.899 --> 00:33:16.339
 book of the

00:33:16.339 --> 00:33:17.220
 prophet Isaiah

00:33:17.220 --> 00:33:18.000
 chapter 40.

00:33:18.959 --> 00:33:20.220
 This song is

00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:20.740
 how Isaiah

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:22.000
 celebrates God's

00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:22.599
 plan for

00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:23.259
 redeeming his

00:33:23.259 --> 00:33:24.019
 people Israel

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.899
 and it was

00:33:24.899 --> 00:33:25.559
 written hundreds

00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:26.319
 of years before

00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:27.079
 Jesus came into

00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:27.480
 the world.

00:33:28.859 --> 00:33:29.539
 The prophet Isaiah

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:30.720
 listens to God's

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:31.819
 word of promise

00:33:31.819 --> 00:33:32.839
 and though it is

00:33:32.839 --> 00:33:33.859
 far yet from

00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:34.679
 being realized,

00:33:35.199 --> 00:33:36.519
 he rejoices and

00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:38.099
 celebrates because

00:33:38.099 --> 00:33:39.579
 he knows that

00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:40.459
 unlike anything

00:33:40.459 --> 00:33:42.159
 else, the word

00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:42.800
 of the Lord

00:33:42.800 --> 00:33:44.400
 endures forever.

00:33:46.220 --> 00:33:47.200
 But then Peter

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:48.320
 says, and this

00:33:48.320 --> 00:33:48.720
 is really

00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:50.279
 powerful, Peter

00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:51.080
 says that the

00:33:51.080 --> 00:33:52.440
 same word that

00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:53.240
 the prophet Isaiah

00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:54.100
 spoke of hundreds

00:33:54.100 --> 00:33:54.940
 of years before

00:33:54.940 --> 00:33:56.720
 is the good news

00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.360
 that was preached

00:33:57.360 --> 00:33:57.740
 to you.

00:33:59.080 --> 00:33:59.880
 Look at how

00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:00.900
 amazing this is.

00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.120
 The word of God

00:34:02.120 --> 00:34:02.580
 that promised

00:34:02.580 --> 00:34:03.540
 restoration to

00:34:03.540 --> 00:34:04.259
 Israel in Isaiah

00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:05.880
 40 is the good

00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:06.660
 news of the gospel

00:34:06.660 --> 00:34:07.440
 that was preached

00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:08.139
 to you.

00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:11.179
 This word is

00:34:11.179 --> 00:34:12.039
 what Peter says

00:34:12.039 --> 00:34:12.900
 is the ultimate

00:34:12.900 --> 00:34:14.039
 cause of us

00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:14.779
 being born again.

00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:16.339
 We are only

00:34:16.339 --> 00:34:17.879
 able to be

00:34:17.879 --> 00:34:19.159
 born into

00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:19.859
 this family,

00:34:20.139 --> 00:34:21.059
 to be adopted

00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.719
 as God's

00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:23.019
 children because

00:34:23.019 --> 00:34:24.639
 his word has

00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:25.279
 made it happen.

00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:27.759
 After all,

00:34:27.819 --> 00:34:28.539
 earlier in verse

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.480
 11, before our

00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:30.579
 passage, Peter

00:34:30.579 --> 00:34:31.460
 made it clear

00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:32.539
 that this word

00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:33.319
 was preached to

00:34:33.319 --> 00:34:34.359
 us by the

00:34:34.359 --> 00:34:35.179
 Holy Spirit.

00:34:36.799 --> 00:34:37.379
 And when the

00:34:37.379 --> 00:34:37.940
 Holy Spirit

00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.659
 preaches these

00:34:38.659 --> 00:34:40.179
 words, they

00:34:40.179 --> 00:34:40.880
 cease to be

00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:41.679
 merely human

00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:42.179
 words.

00:34:43.340 --> 00:34:43.679
 And they

00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:44.679
 become God's

00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:46.000
 creative power.

00:34:46.360 --> 00:34:47.139
 Just as much

00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:47.700
 as it was in

00:34:47.700 --> 00:34:48.780
 Genesis 1, he

00:34:48.780 --> 00:34:49.619
 creates new

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.320
 life in you

00:34:50.320 --> 00:34:51.240
 when by the

00:34:51.240 --> 00:34:52.200
 Spirit you

00:34:52.200 --> 00:34:53.500
 hear what he

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:53.900
 says.

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:56.440
 Friends,

00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:57.179
 thousands of

00:34:57.179 --> 00:34:57.780
 years later,

00:34:58.320 --> 00:34:58.940
 this abiding

00:34:58.940 --> 00:34:59.740
 word of God

00:34:59.740 --> 00:35:00.860
 is still causing

00:35:00.860 --> 00:35:01.500
 people to be

00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:02.000
 born again.

00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:03.639
 And that's the

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.320
 kind of community

00:35:04.320 --> 00:35:05.139
 he invites you

00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:05.800
 to be a part

00:35:05.800 --> 00:35:06.019
 of.

00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:07.900
 A holy

00:35:07.900 --> 00:35:08.840
 people of

00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:09.719
 obedient children

00:35:09.719 --> 00:35:10.739
 who conduct

00:35:10.739 --> 00:35:11.280
 their lives

00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:11.960
 with fear.

00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:13.619
 They trust

00:35:13.619 --> 00:35:14.219
 their Redeemer

00:35:14.219 --> 00:35:15.199
 and most of

00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:16.480
 all, who

00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:17.059
 love one

00:35:17.059 --> 00:35:18.139
 another earnestly.

00:35:19.420 --> 00:35:20.199
 This is the

00:35:20.199 --> 00:35:20.860
 kind of community

00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:22.059
 that in this

00:35:22.059 --> 00:35:24.920
 world, we

00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:25.820
 show that we

00:35:25.820 --> 00:35:26.759
 belong to a

00:35:26.759 --> 00:35:27.380
 different world.

00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:28.500
 This is the

00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:29.199
 kind of community

00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:30.239
 that when we

00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:31.179
 live like it,

00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:31.960
 when we live in

00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:33.019
 it, we show

00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:33.679
 that we belong

00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:34.399
 to a different

00:35:34.399 --> 00:35:35.000
 kingdom.

00:35:35.719 --> 00:35:36.399
 When we live

00:35:36.399 --> 00:35:36.899
 like this, we

00:35:36.899 --> 00:35:37.379
 show that we

00:35:37.379 --> 00:35:37.919
 are placing

00:35:37.919 --> 00:35:38.960
 our hopes in

00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:39.899
 something other

00:35:39.899 --> 00:35:40.519
 than anything

00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:41.119
 else that this

00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:41.819
 world has to

00:35:41.819 --> 00:35:42.079
 offer.

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.419
 We set our

00:35:43.419 --> 00:35:45.019
 hopes fully on

00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:45.379
 the second

00:35:45.379 --> 00:35:45.899
 coming of

00:35:45.899 --> 00:35:46.579
 Jesus Christ,

00:35:46.919 --> 00:35:47.739
 which is where

00:35:47.739 --> 00:35:48.480
 he calls our

00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:49.159
 hearts to be.

00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:52.179
 As we conclude

00:35:52.179 --> 00:35:53.480
 then, I want

00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:54.559
 to extend a

00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.279
 final call to

00:35:55.279 --> 00:35:55.480
 you.

00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:57.139
 And I'm

00:35:57.139 --> 00:35:57.960
 thinking particularly

00:35:57.960 --> 00:35:59.239
 of you who are

00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:00.059
 not familiar with

00:36:00.059 --> 00:36:00.759
 these things yet.

00:36:00.760 --> 00:36:02.320
 They have not

00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:03.280
 become personally

00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:04.340
 real to you so

00:36:04.340 --> 00:36:04.620
 far.

00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.860
 My hope is

00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:07.360
 that the new

00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:08.220
 identity God

00:36:08.220 --> 00:36:09.020
 calls his people

00:36:09.020 --> 00:36:10.540
 to live in is

00:36:10.540 --> 00:36:11.500
 compelling enough

00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:12.760
 that you would at

00:36:12.760 --> 00:36:13.560
 least consider

00:36:13.560 --> 00:36:14.520
 investigating the

00:36:14.520 --> 00:36:15.080
 faith somewhere.

00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:17.000
 A community

00:36:17.000 --> 00:36:17.500
 marked by

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.540
 sacrificial love

00:36:18.540 --> 00:36:19.500
 and who strives

00:36:19.500 --> 00:36:20.120
 to follow in the

00:36:20.120 --> 00:36:21.060
 footsteps of Jesus

00:36:21.060 --> 00:36:21.980
 should make you

00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:23.340
 think twice before

00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:24.360
 rejecting this

00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.280
 faith and the

00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:25.760
 hope that it

00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:26.060
 offers.

00:36:26.800 --> 00:36:27.600
 I encourage you

00:36:27.600 --> 00:36:28.860
 to read the rest

00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:29.700
 of this book of

00:36:29.700 --> 00:36:30.180
 1 Peter.

00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:31.500
 Find out what

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:31.920
 this is all

00:36:31.920 --> 00:36:32.900
 about and talk

00:36:32.900 --> 00:36:33.580
 to someone from

00:36:33.580 --> 00:36:34.280
 here about it.

00:36:34.900 --> 00:36:35.420
 I'm sure the

00:36:35.420 --> 00:36:36.400
 Lord has many

00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:36.980
 things to show

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:37.500
 you in that.

00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:39.560
 And I also want

00:36:39.560 --> 00:36:40.320
 to address those

00:36:40.320 --> 00:36:41.600
 of you who have

00:36:41.600 --> 00:36:42.620
 been very much

00:36:42.620 --> 00:36:43.620
 believers for a

00:36:43.620 --> 00:36:44.200
 long time.

00:36:45.700 --> 00:36:46.440
 Maybe this

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:47.540
 message was

00:36:47.540 --> 00:36:48.520
 difficult to you

00:36:48.520 --> 00:36:49.780
 because it is

00:36:49.780 --> 00:36:50.800
 yet another list

00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:52.180
 of things you're

00:36:52.180 --> 00:36:52.900
 failing to live

00:36:52.900 --> 00:36:53.120
 by.

00:36:54.520 --> 00:36:55.200
 You're not

00:36:55.200 --> 00:36:55.840
 holy enough.

00:36:56.520 --> 00:36:57.200
 You don't fear

00:36:57.200 --> 00:36:57.940
 the Lord as you

00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:58.220
 should.

00:36:58.880 --> 00:36:59.560
 You don't love

00:36:59.560 --> 00:37:00.280
 others as

00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:00.660
 yourself.

00:37:01.720 --> 00:37:02.680
 I'm right there

00:37:02.680 --> 00:37:03.260
 with you in that

00:37:03.260 --> 00:37:03.560
 struggle.

00:37:04.700 --> 00:37:05.740
 If that is your

00:37:05.740 --> 00:37:06.460
 case I want to

00:37:06.460 --> 00:37:07.800
 remind you that

00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:09.380
 God's call for a

00:37:09.380 --> 00:37:10.840
 new life comes

00:37:10.840 --> 00:37:12.280
 after his gifts

00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:12.720
 of a new

00:37:12.720 --> 00:37:13.220
 identity.

00:37:14.540 --> 00:37:15.700
 Before God ever

00:37:15.700 --> 00:37:17.080
 tells you therefore

00:37:17.080 --> 00:37:19.620
 do this he always

00:37:19.620 --> 00:37:21.240
 says because I have

00:37:21.240 --> 00:37:21.840
 done this.

00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:23.860
 Remember your

00:37:23.860 --> 00:37:24.260
 redeemer.

00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:26.040
 And may this word

00:37:26.040 --> 00:37:27.580
 today serve as a

00:37:27.580 --> 00:37:29.100
 reframing of all the

00:37:29.099 --> 00:37:29.860
 imperatives in the

00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:30.099
 Bible.

00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:32.019
 They're not a list

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:33.319
 of what you got to

00:37:33.319 --> 00:37:34.460
 do to turn his

00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:35.380
 frown into a

00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:35.739
 smile.

00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:37.500
 But they're the

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:38.420
 outflow of the

00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:39.500
 love of the

00:37:39.500 --> 00:37:40.559
 triune God for

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:40.759
 you.

00:37:41.500 --> 00:37:42.559
 It is the outflow

00:37:42.559 --> 00:37:43.420
 of the love of

00:37:43.420 --> 00:37:44.179
 your Holy Father.

00:37:44.799 --> 00:37:46.079
 The outflow of the

00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:46.659
 love of the

00:37:46.659 --> 00:37:47.400
 redeeming son.

00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:49.380
 The outflow of the

00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:50.380
 love of the spirit

00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:51.159
 in his word.

00:37:52.259 --> 00:37:53.659
 So receive his

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:55.639
 gifts gratefully and

00:37:55.639 --> 00:37:56.880
 live in light of your

00:37:56.880 --> 00:37:57.440
 new identity.

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:57.579
 humanity.

00:37:58.420 --> 00:37:58.880
 Let's pray.

00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:04.320
 Dear God thank you

00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:05.360
 for your love for

00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:05.679
 us.

00:38:07.059 --> 00:38:08.659
 Thank you because in

00:38:08.659 --> 00:38:09.860
 your love you have

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:11.659
 given us many gifts

00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.720
 that change who we

00:38:12.720 --> 00:38:12.940
 are.

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.679
 And you have promised

00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:16.039
 to us a new kingdom

00:38:16.039 --> 00:38:17.780
 which we hope for.

00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:19.700
 Help us to live as

00:38:19.700 --> 00:38:20.599
 hopeful people.

00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:22.119
 As people are waiting

00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:22.920
 for that kingdom.

00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:24.760
 May we show the

00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:26.579
 world that we belong

00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.519
 to a different kingdom

00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:28.519
 to a different world.

00:38:29.199 --> 00:38:30.039
 And may you shape us

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:31.639
 daily to live in this

00:38:31.639 --> 00:38:33.079
 new identity by the

00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:33.619
 power of your

00:38:33.619 --> 00:38:34.239
 enduring love.

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:35.099
 Amen.

00:38:35.099 --> 00:38:35.639
 Amen.

00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:35.639


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 Thank you.