WEBVTT

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 Father, we confess before you that we are far better at seeing sin in other people than seeing sin in ourselves.

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 That we are far better at seeing evil motives and being cynical about others and very poor at seeing evil motives in ourselves.

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 But at the same time, Father, we confess before you that we often seem to go between great pride and great despair when our proud pretensions get pricked.

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 And so, Father, we are unstable and we give you thanks and praise that you have set it up, that your people gather once a week on your day to gather together and hear your word, to be recharged and recommitted as we hear the gospel and think about your word.

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 And so, Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would very powerfully bring your word this morning home deep into our lives, that we might be disciples of Jesus who are gripped by the gospel, learning to live day by day for your great glory.

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 And this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 Some of you, I don't know how many of you have heard of David Woods in Acts 17 Apologetics Ministries.

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 I'd heard of him and some of you know as well, I actually spent several days, 10 days with him on a tour in Israel back in October and not just him but some other people.

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 And I had never watched his video about his conversion.

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 Everybody asked me on the tour, have you seen David Woods' conversion video?

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 And I said, no, I haven't.

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 So when I finally came back, I watched it.

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 I was really struck by it.

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 It just powerfully impacted me.

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 And I think I've shared it with you.

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 I told my family.

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 But I've noticed something.

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 I don't know how many of you have watched the video since I suggested, you know, Google David Woods' conversion video.

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 But many people are deeply offended and troubled by the conversion video.

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 Like deeply troubled and offended by it.

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 And I've been thinking about that.

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 I just had a conversation the other day about it by people who were worried about the man.

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 Just, you know, full disclosure.

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 And this fits very well with the book of Judges that we're looking at.

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 Because the book of Judges, part of the problem we have when we read the book of Judges is that it's filled with violence and evil.

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 Like today we're going to see a man who has sex with his slave, who murders and tortures people and produces a son who does even more murder and torture.

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 I mean, just like your normal uplifting thought on a Sunday morning.

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 But one of the things in the video is that part of the step of this fellow David Woods becoming a Christian is when he tries to hammer his father to death.

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 I'll give you a warning up front about it.

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 And I was thinking about, you know, why it is that I was so powerfully, I've never thought about hammering my father to death, by the way.

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 But why was I so powerfully affected by it?

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 And I think the reason was, is that I became a Christian in grade 12.

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 Continued on with my high school.

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 Went and did a degree in sociology and philosophy in graduate school.

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 And, you know, to be honest, for about the next seven or eight years of my life, I would go through bouts of doubting the Christian faith and almost giving up on being a Christian.

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 And for me, this is just saying something about me.

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 I was never tempted by Buddhism or Hinduism.

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 Never even for a moment was that a temptation to me.

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 My great temptation has always been nihilism, nihilism, atheism.

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 That's always been my thing.

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 And part of that is, and I just, I mean, when I talk to atheists, I try to restrain myself with this.

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 Because I actually think when somebody says they're an atheist, I said, no, you're not.

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 You know, because if you're a real atheist, you're gripped by Dostoevsky's statement that if God is dead, all things are permissible.

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 There is no meaning in life.

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 There is no morality.

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 There is no better or worse.

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 All there is is power and appetite.

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 Right.

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 And I don't know what that says about me, but for me, for seven or eight years, I would go through seasons.

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 I mean, I'm studying Marx.

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 I'm studying Feuerbach.

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 I'm studying Weber.

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 I'm studying all of these.

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 I'm studying Skinner.

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 I'm studying all these people at school.

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 I'm studying, you know, from a scientistic point of view and an atheistic point of view.

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 And I'd go through these periods of deep doubt.

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 And for me, the great temptation was that.

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 Is that true?

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 Am I wrong to be a Christian?

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 And if I'm wrong to be a Christian, that is what I would believe.

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 It would still be the case today.

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 If I was to stop being a Christian, that is what I would believe.

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 And that's what David Woods struggles with.

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 And I think that's why.

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 If any of you, if that's your temptation, then that's the video for you.

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 If you can't even begin to understand why somebody would even think those things, don't bother watching it.

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 It'll just offend you.

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 But I mention all of this because one of the things, it's a common Christian problem and it's a common human problem.

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 On one hand, there is a deep part of us that longs to arrive.

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 And when we've arrived, then life will be easier.

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 In Christian circles, it happens because we long that if we just had that miracle, if we just had that anointing,

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 if we just had that powerful religious experience, and after that, life would be easier and life would be better.

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 I wouldn't have these doubts.

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 I wouldn't have these problems.

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 I would have this certainty.

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 Praise the Lord.

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 I would walk in victory.

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 And there's many churches that teach that.

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 I grew up in a church that often taught that type of stuff.

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 If you just have this one spiritual, emotional breakthrough, then life is easier.

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 And we see it all around us in the world as well.

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 On one hand, if I just meet the right person, if I can just marry the right person, if I can just get this degree,

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 if I can just get this job, if I can just get this house,

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 if I can just get these kids, if I can just learn this technique of how to deal with people,

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 if I can just have this experience, if I can have this peak, then life will be easier.

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 And on one hand, it's a very powerful desire and drive.

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 And at the same time we have it, we doubt it.

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 And in fact, often if we hear somebody else talking about this,

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 in our hearts, we have a certain degree of despising of them

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 because we think it's very naive.

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 That's not how life works.

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 But at the same time that we see that in others,

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 we at ourselves, we always long,

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 could there just be this moment,

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 this relationship, this church,

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 this fill in the blank,

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 and then life will be better.

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 We're going through the book of Judges.

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 That's one of the things we do here at Church of the Messiah.

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 You know, the Bible is 66 books.

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 And other than Proverbs and maybe James and maybe 1 John,

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 they all have a very, very particular order.

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 They're written as books, and so we go through them as books.

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 And we're getting up to chapter 8 and chapter 9 of Judges today.

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 It's the longest text of Scripture I've ever tried to preach on in my life, 97 verses.

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 It has caused me lots of prayer and anguish all week, I will be honest.

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 And we've come to the story of Gideon.

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 And often what happens when people tell the story of Gideon,

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 they tell it in such a way that they think that by the end of the story of Gideon,

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 he lives happily ever after.

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 But that's, in fact, not how the story works.

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 Like, unconsciously, we Christians tell the story or part of the story of Gideon

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 as if it fits into this scenario.

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 But that's literally not how the thing goes.

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 If we were doing a Netflix of the series, limited series of the story of Gideon,

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 there'd be at least three episodes, maybe four,

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 depending on how you want it to break up chapter 8 and 9.

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 Really, it should be together.

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 But in chapter 6, and that's what we looked at a couple of weeks ago,

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 for those of you who don't know what the story of Gideon is,

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 it's a very, very powerful story.

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 It's one that's historically, like, you know,

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 I think to myself, you just watch the unfolding crisis in the Middle East,

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 and every time you think it can't get worse, it seems to get worse.

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 Hundreds of thousands of refugees trying to get into Turkey,

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 banned by Turkey, attacked by Russia and Syria and others.

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 And the story in chapter 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the book of Gideon

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 is that there's been this people group called the Midianites and the Amalekites

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 and their other different tribal allies.

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 And for seven years, they come into Israel,

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 and they don't try to take Israel over.

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 They don't try to annex it or occupy it.

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 All they do is they come in,

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 they steal all the food and eat as much food as they can carry and consume.

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 And then when they sort of load it up,

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 what they do is they kill, they destroy all the other food.

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 They try to destroy all the other food.

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 For seven years, you have genocide.

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 For seven years, you have what the Soviet Union tried to do

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 and killed millions of people in the Ukraine

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 by an artificial forced famine of stealing the food.

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 All the while, while the smart people in the West

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 were saying that the Soviet Union was a socialist, communist utopia,

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 they were forcing, they were creating forced starvation of the Ukrainian people.

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 And so this is what's going on in Midian,

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 and Israel can't fight against them,

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 and they're getting diminished and diminished and diminished.

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 And God goes and calls Gideon,

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 and if you look at chapter 6, in the course of chapter 6,

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 there's two very remarkable miracles

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 that finally convince Gideon

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 that God is calling him to go and deal with this.

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 The first miracle is where a large amount of food

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 is just put on a dry rock,

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 and the angel of the Lord representing God just touches it,

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 and the whole thing gets consumed in fire and disappears.

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 Just be honest, how many of us wouldn't love

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 to have the odd miracle like that appear

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 just to bolster our faith?

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 Just be honest.

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 And then the next one is the miracle around the fleeces.

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 And then in chapter 7, it would be episode 2

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 if we were doing a Netflix series about it,

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 that Gideon has to actually go and fight the Midianites.

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 And so he goes, the Spirit of God comes upon him,

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 he goes and he gathers up the tribes,

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 and he has 32,000 people who are going to go

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 and march up to this battle.

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 But in chapter 7, verse 2,

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 the verse which is the key to understanding

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 all four chapters, 6, 7, 8, and 9,

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 is in chapter 7, verse 2.

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 And God says to Gideon,

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 I'm concerned that if all of those soldiers

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 go and fight against Midian,

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 that what will happen when I deliver,

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 when I defeat the Midianites,

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 you folks are going to boast over me.

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 You're going to boast over me

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 as if it's something that you accomplished.

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 I'm concerned about that.

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 So it's a famous story.

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 So Gideon goes and tells people

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 if they're afraid, you don't have to go.

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 22,000 people leave, leaving 10,000 soldiers.

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 God says to Gideon, still too many people.

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 And so then, you know,

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 we know the famous thing about the water,

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 and the point is there's only 300 guys

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 left at the end of it,

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 and then there's Gideon and 300 guys,

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 and Gideon's still obviously afraid,

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 and then God does another miracle,

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 one which would have been very significant

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 for a paganized man like Gideon,

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 and that is that he has Gideon over here,

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 the dream of an enemy,

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 and how the enemy interprets the dream.

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 And in the ancient culture,

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 as in most of the world today,

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 dreams can have unbelievable importance

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 in terms of the gods speaking

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 or gods speaking to a human being,

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 and Gideon now really knows

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 that God's going to do this,

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 and there's the thing with the trumpets,

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 et cetera, et cetera.

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 The whole army of Midian is thrown into confusion.

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 They fight each other.

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 They kill each other.

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 They scatter,

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 and some of the Israelites come out of the mountains

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 and chase some of them

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 and hold the fords

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 and kill many, many more,

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 and that's how the story ends,

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 and usually in Sunday school

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 and in churches,

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 you don't hear what happens next.

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 You assume,

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 and they all lived happily ever after.

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 No.

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 I don't have time to read all of chapter 8 and 9,

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 but I'll just start to summarize

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 what happens immediately after.

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 Immediately after,

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 a very powerful tribe

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 that had been way up in the mountains

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 where it was hard for the Midianites

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 to go and fight them,

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 they come and they've actually killed

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 the two Midianite generals,

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 and they come and confront Gideon

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 and said,

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 how come you didn't call us

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 so we could go?

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 What do they want to do?

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 They basically say,

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 we wanted to share in the glory of that victory.

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 You robbed us of a chance to have glory.

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 Now, Gideon, in the story,

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 seems to give a very, very humble,

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 et cetera, et cetera, you know, answer,

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 but he's not humble.

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 They're too powerful for him to deal with.

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 In fact, one of the interesting things about this,

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 it's a very, very common biblical lesson.

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 Friends, how you treat very, very weak people

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 shows you who you really are.

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 If you meet somebody very powerful

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 or very rich or very famous

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 and you're nice to them,

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 that doesn't show you who you are.

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 It's when you meet somebody that nobody likes.

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 If you're in an office or if you're in a school

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 and there's the awkward, socially awkward,

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 irritating person that absolutely nobody likes,

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 and if you join in,

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 that reveals what you really like.

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 That reveals what you really like.

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 Because we see this very next, after this,

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 Gideon's going to try to kill

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 the two kings of Midian that have escaped,

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 and he comes up to a smaller city

00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:09.019
 and asks for some help,

00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:10.059
 and they won't give him any help.

00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:10.939
 And he says, listen,

00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:13.539
 when I come back successful,

00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:17.139
 I'm going to torture all the leaders.

00:14:18.179 --> 00:14:19.620
 And he goes to another little village

00:14:19.620 --> 00:14:21.659
 that he could easily handle,

00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:23.259
 and they don't give him any help as well.

00:14:23.299 --> 00:14:23.720
 And he says, listen,

00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:24.879
 when I come back victorious,

00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:25.939
 I'm going to kill you all.

00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:28.759
 I'm going to kill you all.

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:31.159
 And he gets the two kings,

00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:32.439
 and he goes back,

00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:35.199
 and he does torture, torture, torture,

00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:38.580
 all of the elders of the first city.

00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.940
 And he does murder all of the people

00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:43.640
 of the second city.

00:14:44.400 --> 00:14:46.540
 How many of you hear this in Sunday school?

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:50.520
 How many of you hear this

00:14:50.520 --> 00:14:52.700
 in character studies of Gideon?

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:55.320
 And then you discover that the reason

00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:57.220
 he went to capture the two kings

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:59.340
 wasn't because he was concerned

00:14:59.340 --> 00:15:00.860
 for fulfilling God's will.

00:15:00.860 --> 00:15:04.340
 It was a private quest for revenge

00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:06.159
 because they had killed his brothers.

00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:09.539
 And he actually tries to get

00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:10.919
 his very young child

00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:12.800
 to pick up a sword to kill them.

00:15:13.860 --> 00:15:15.240
 But the child can't,

00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:16.419
 so Gideon kills them.

00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:18.759
 And now,

00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:20.680
 we'll get to the part

00:15:20.680 --> 00:15:21.480
 that we're going to read.

00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:23.259
 Verse 22 of chapter 8.

00:15:23.300 --> 00:15:24.080
 If you have your Bibles,

00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:25.120
 you can follow along.

00:15:25.580 --> 00:15:27.820
 Chapter 8, verse 22.

00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:30.019
 And here's what happens.

00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:35.860
 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon,

00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:37.580
 because, you know,

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.680
 now obviously Midian's

00:15:38.680 --> 00:15:39.960
 completely and utterly crushed.

00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:42.560
 The men of Israel said to Gideon,

00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:43.480
 rule over us,

00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.539
 you and your son

00:15:44.539 --> 00:15:45.580
 and your grandson also,

00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:46.919
 for you have saved us

00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:48.220
 from the hand of Midian.

00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:50.019
 Don't say God did it.

00:15:50.580 --> 00:15:52.980
 300 huge army,

00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:54.180
 but it's,

00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:56.220
 Gideon's getting the credit.

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:58.480
 Now Gideon seems to give,

00:15:58.539 --> 00:15:59.320
 in verse 23,

00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:01.580
 a theologically precise

00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:03.700
 and perfect response.

00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:05.340
 And it is

00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:07.640
 a theologically precise

00:16:07.640 --> 00:16:09.760
 and perfect response.

00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:11.080
 He says,

00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:14.640
 I will not rule over you,

00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:16.480
 and my son will not rule over you.

00:16:16.760 --> 00:16:18.360
 The Lord will rule over you.

00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:23.060
 And we're just going to stop here.

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.399
 Now, what happens now,

00:16:24.620 --> 00:16:25.300
 we need to,

00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:26.860
 I forgot to bring it.

00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.600
 So just imagine for a second

00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:30.379
 that I don't have a Bible here.

00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:31.940
 This is like a fitness thing.

00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:33.180
 I'm a fitness star,

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:36.240
 and I'm a YouTube influencer

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.220
 on fitness and on diet,

00:16:38.899 --> 00:16:40.519
 and hundreds and hundreds

00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:41.659
 of thousands of followers,

00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:42.759
 and I'm now standing here

00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:43.620
 talking to you.

00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:45.019
 And I have a bowl here.

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:47.659
 And as I start to talk to you

00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.379
 about what I,

00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:48.659
 you know,

00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:49.419
 my secrets

00:16:49.419 --> 00:16:50.620
 and what I'm sharing with you,

00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:51.919
 my secrets to success

00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:52.759
 and perfect health,

00:16:53.139 --> 00:16:54.399
 as I begin to talk to you,

00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:55.299
 I open a bag

00:16:55.299 --> 00:16:56.560
 of barbecue potato chips.

00:16:56.700 --> 00:16:56.980
 Kettle.

00:16:57.960 --> 00:16:59.399
 Southwest barbecue.

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:01.179
 Potato chips.

00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:02.460
 The best tasting

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:03.639
 barbecue potato chips

00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:04.220
 in the world.

00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:05.240
 We'll have to make sure

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:06.019
 that's not on the,

00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:07.240
 unless they want to

00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.619
 give us an advertising dollars,

00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:09.720
 Andrew.

00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:11.620
 And I pour the bag

00:17:11.620 --> 00:17:12.539
 of potato chips,

00:17:12.600 --> 00:17:13.559
 the whole bag in there,

00:17:13.620 --> 00:17:14.539
 and I have this bag.

00:17:14.620 --> 00:17:15.860
 As I'm talking to you,

00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:17.319
 eating potato chips,

00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:17.980
 I say,

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:19.259
 I treat my body

00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:19.839
 as a temple.

00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:21.440
 Chomp, chomp, chomp.

00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:23.480
 I never eat potato chips.

00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:24.940
 Chomp, chomp, chomp.

00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.819
 Potato chips are bad for you.

00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:27.779
 You should never eat them.

00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:29.140
 Chomp, chomp, chomp.

00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:31.460
 I never have saturated fats.

00:17:32.339 --> 00:17:33.220
 Chomp, chomp, chomp.

00:17:33.220 --> 00:17:34.220
 They're going to cause you

00:17:34.220 --> 00:17:35.200
 all these problems.

00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:36.360
 Chomp, chomp, chomp.

00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.360
 You get the picture.

00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:38.359
 Chomp, chomp.

00:17:38.439 --> 00:17:40.159
 So, Gideon says,

00:17:40.719 --> 00:17:43.059
 Oh, I'm not going to rule.

00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:44.859
 My sons aren't going to rule.

00:17:45.379 --> 00:17:46.979
 Only the Lord will rule over you.

00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:49.159
 And then look what happens

00:17:49.159 --> 00:17:50.179
 in the very next verse.

00:17:51.219 --> 00:17:52.359
 And Gideon said to them,

00:17:52.399 --> 00:17:53.039
 verse 24,

00:17:53.259 --> 00:17:54.619
 Let me make a request of you,

00:17:54.679 --> 00:17:55.279
 every one of you,

00:17:55.379 --> 00:17:56.359
 give me the earrings

00:17:56.359 --> 00:17:58.139
 from his spoil.

00:17:58.979 --> 00:18:00.259
 For they had golden earrings

00:18:00.259 --> 00:18:02.719
 because they were Ishmaelites,

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.819
 the people that they defeated.

00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:05.740
 And the people answered,

00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.059
 We will willingly give them.

00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:08.200
 And they spread a cloak

00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:09.399
 and every man threw in it

00:18:09.399 --> 00:18:10.700
 the earrings of his spoil.

00:18:11.419 --> 00:18:12.819
 And the weight of the golden earrings

00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:13.579
 that he requested

00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:17.779
 were 1,700 shekels,

00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:19.919
 about 20 kilos of gold.

00:18:20.159 --> 00:18:21.519
 20 kilos of gold.

00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:23.399
 Because the crescent ornaments

00:18:23.399 --> 00:18:24.119
 and the pendants

00:18:24.119 --> 00:18:25.200
 and the purple garments

00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.819
 worn by the kings of Midian.

00:18:27.399 --> 00:18:27.819
 So, in other words,

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:29.700
 not only does he get 20 kilos of gold,

00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:31.399
 he also gets some other ornaments.

00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:33.539
 Earlier, I forgot to tell you,

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:35.379
 he takes the royal ornaments

00:18:35.379 --> 00:18:37.579
 from the battle horses

00:18:37.579 --> 00:18:38.859
 of the Midianite kings

00:18:38.859 --> 00:18:40.059
 and he keeps them for himself.

00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:41.720
 And then look at this.

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:42.899
 And he also takes

00:18:42.899 --> 00:18:43.899
 the purple garments

00:18:43.899 --> 00:18:45.359
 worn by the kings of Midian

00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:46.960
 beside the collars

00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:47.559
 that were around

00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:48.740
 the necks of their camels.

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:52.240
 Now, we'll get to the next bit

00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:52.839
 in a bit here.

00:18:53.579 --> 00:18:56.339
 Now, just look at what happens.

00:18:56.399 --> 00:18:56.700
 So he said,

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:57.879
 No, no, no, the Lord...

00:18:57.880 --> 00:18:59.020
 So there's several things

00:18:59.020 --> 00:18:59.500
 going on here.

00:18:59.560 --> 00:19:00.160
 Imagine this.

00:19:02.120 --> 00:19:04.160
 I hope I'm not offending

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:04.940
 anybody here.

00:19:06.180 --> 00:19:07.360
 But I...

00:19:07.360 --> 00:19:08.920
 And maybe afterwards

00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:09.960
 you can just pray

00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:10.540
 that, George,

00:19:10.580 --> 00:19:11.420
 you're very cynical

00:19:11.420 --> 00:19:12.680
 and you're lacking of faith.

00:19:13.540 --> 00:19:15.640
 And I do know I lack faith.

00:19:16.360 --> 00:19:18.320
 But when I see people saying

00:19:18.320 --> 00:19:18.880
 there's going to be

00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:20.000
 a miracle service

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.120
 at a certain time

00:19:21.120 --> 00:19:21.860
 in a certain place,

00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:23.020
 I think to myself,

00:19:23.760 --> 00:19:24.880
 how on earth

00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.340
 could you ever possibly know

00:19:26.339 --> 00:19:27.279
 that God is going to do

00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.459
 a miracle at that time?

00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:30.019
 Like, I'm sorry,

00:19:30.099 --> 00:19:31.879
 it just seems very presumptuous.

00:19:33.879 --> 00:19:35.319
 Like, God does a miracle

00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:36.339
 when he's going to do a miracle.

00:19:36.439 --> 00:19:37.379
 How can you advertise

00:19:37.379 --> 00:19:38.740
 in advance a miracle?

00:19:38.879 --> 00:19:39.220
 I don't know.

00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.299
 Like, I just find that presumptuous.

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.519
 But let's say,

00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:43.779
 having preached on that,

00:19:44.379 --> 00:19:45.419
 all of a sudden

00:19:45.419 --> 00:19:46.899
 we hear some shots outside

00:19:46.899 --> 00:19:47.480
 and some yelling

00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:49.480
 and a guy comes walking in,

00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:50.799
 stumbling in,

00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:51.579
 and you can see

00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:53.019
 three bullet holes

00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:54.220
 in his chest,

00:19:54.679 --> 00:19:55.939
 blood pouring out of it.

00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:56.820
 And he comes

00:19:56.820 --> 00:19:57.620
 and he falls,

00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:58.420
 white-faced,

00:19:58.539 --> 00:19:59.460
 right over there.

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:00.840
 We're all completely

00:20:00.840 --> 00:20:02.100
 and utterly in shock.

00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:03.340
 I run over

00:20:03.340 --> 00:20:04.720
 and I pray,

00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:05.200
 Lord,

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.799
 heal this man.

00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:08.100
 Father,

00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:09.240
 you can do this.

00:20:09.340 --> 00:20:09.860
 We believe,

00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:10.620
 you know,

00:20:10.700 --> 00:20:11.799
 if you don't heal him,

00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.559
 help him to be prepared

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.200
 to meet Jesus.

00:20:14.360 --> 00:20:14.700
 But Father,

00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:15.600
 we ask that you would

00:20:15.600 --> 00:20:16.559
 heal this man.

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.580
 And in front of all

00:20:17.580 --> 00:20:18.500
 of our eyes,

00:20:20.019 --> 00:20:21.500
 the blood stops.

00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:23.820
 The wounds are healed.

00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:26.619
 Color returns to his face

00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:28.279
 and he stands up

00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:28.980
 and thanks me.

00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.480
 Now,

00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:34.599
 that would be a church service

00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:35.339
 for the ages.

00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:36.799
 But then imagine,

00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.720
 I turn and say to you,

00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:39.919
 folks,

00:20:40.419 --> 00:20:43.339
 I'd like to pass the plate

00:20:43.339 --> 00:20:44.220
 right now

00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:46.359
 because I would really,

00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.039
 I really,

00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:47.480
 really,

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:48.119
 really would like

00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:49.099
 a Porsche SUV.

00:20:49.099 --> 00:20:51.859
 And it's not a donation

00:20:51.859 --> 00:20:52.379
 to the church,

00:20:52.439 --> 00:20:53.359
 it's a donation to me.

00:20:53.399 --> 00:20:54.079
 You just saw the miracle

00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:54.379
 I did,

00:20:54.459 --> 00:20:54.779
 didn't you?

00:20:55.439 --> 00:20:56.480
 So if you could just

00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:57.179
 pass the plate,

00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:58.059
 I want to keep passing

00:20:58.059 --> 00:20:59.039
 and passing and passing

00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:00.039
 until there's enough money

00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:00.480
 in the plate

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.980
 for me to buy a Porsche SUV.

00:21:03.779 --> 00:21:04.899
 I have a color in mind

00:21:04.899 --> 00:21:05.219
 as well

00:21:05.219 --> 00:21:06.059
 and I want all the features.

00:21:06.159 --> 00:21:06.819
 Don't be cheap.

00:21:09.619 --> 00:21:10.559
 Now you laugh,

00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:11.599
 but that would be just

00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:12.199
 so wrong

00:21:12.199 --> 00:21:12.959
 and so offensive.

00:21:15.179 --> 00:21:15.539
 Right?

00:21:15.539 --> 00:21:17.180
 So here's Gideon,

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.319
 300 men

00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:20.980
 and I'm sure

00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.839
 when they were holding

00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:23.639
 the torches,

00:21:23.899 --> 00:21:25.019
 they weren't holding them

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:25.559
 like this,

00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:26.480
 they were holding them

00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:27.200
 like this

00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:28.639
 because their knees

00:21:28.639 --> 00:21:29.859
 were going like this.

00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:32.220
 And God does this

00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:32.920
 remarkable thing

00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.720
 and God does this

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.359
 whole miracle

00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:35.279
 and then after God

00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.200
 has done the whole miracle,

00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:37.980
 Gideon asked for

00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:39.359
 20 pounds of gold

00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:42.240
 and 20 kilos of gold.

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:43.819
 That's 44 pounds.

00:21:44.159 --> 00:21:45.079
 That's a lot of gold.

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:47.440
 So,

00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:52.839
 and it even gets worse.

00:21:53.159 --> 00:21:53.920
 Look at what happens

00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.220
 in 27 and 28.

00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:57.799
 And Gideon made

00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:58.639
 an ephod,

00:21:58.759 --> 00:22:00.180
 ephod of it,

00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:01.259
 some of the gold

00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:03.359
 and put it in a city

00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.279
 in Ophrah

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:05.680
 and all Israel

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:07.480
 hoared or prostituted

00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:09.059
 themselves after it there

00:22:09.059 --> 00:22:10.879
 and it became a snare

00:22:10.879 --> 00:22:11.500
 to Gideon

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.359
 and to his family.

00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:14.500
 So Midian was subdued

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:15.119
 before the people

00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:15.519
 of Israel

00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:16.140
 and they raised

00:22:16.140 --> 00:22:16.960
 their heads no more

00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:17.920
 and the land had rest

00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.140
 for 40 years

00:22:19.140 --> 00:22:20.180
 in the days of Gideon.

00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:22.079
 So what he does

00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.319
 as well is this.

00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:26.720
 He makes an ephod

00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:29.720
 and an ephod

00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:30.480
 was something

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.220
 that was used

00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:31.779
 in connection

00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:32.440
 with worship.

00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:33.420
 Only the high priest

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.059
 could wear it.

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.299
 It would be connected

00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:36.220
 to going to the Ark

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:36.799
 of the Covenant

00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.019
 and going into the tent

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:39.919
 and part of the ephod

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:40.759
 was that there was

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:42.399
 something right here

00:22:42.399 --> 00:22:43.519
 that contained

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:43.960
 the umim

00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:44.599
 and the thumim

00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:47.019
 and in times of crisis

00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:48.680
 in the context

00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:49.980
 of worship of the Lord

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:51.480
 the high priest

00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.279
 could take the umim

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:52.799
 and thumim

00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:53.460
 and ask God

00:22:53.460 --> 00:22:53.919
 to give them

00:22:53.919 --> 00:22:54.859
 an answer and direction

00:22:54.859 --> 00:22:56.960
 and that would be provided

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.440
 by God.

00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:00.419
 And what Gideon has done

00:23:00.419 --> 00:23:01.720
 is not in connection

00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:03.259
 in fact in the original thing

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:04.099
 it's probably in connection

00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:04.700
 to an idol

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.119
 that he made

00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:06.299
 with some of the gold as well.

00:23:06.979 --> 00:23:07.639
 And so what God

00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:09.799
 what Gideon has done

00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:10.899
 is said in connection

00:23:10.899 --> 00:23:12.379
 with worshiping this idol

00:23:12.379 --> 00:23:13.759
 I am going to have

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:15.099
 my own ephod

00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:17.359
 and if you want God

00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.679
 to speak to you

00:23:18.679 --> 00:23:19.500
 if you want

00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:21.239
 to hear what God

00:23:21.239 --> 00:23:21.799
 has to say

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:23.039
 about your business deal

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:23.979
 your marriage

00:23:23.979 --> 00:23:25.159
 your trip

00:23:25.159 --> 00:23:26.719
 you come to me

00:23:26.719 --> 00:23:28.039
 and I will use

00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:29.399
 my ephod

00:23:29.399 --> 00:23:30.459
 because I'm the one

00:23:30.459 --> 00:23:31.799
 who had all these miracles

00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:32.679
 happen to me

00:23:32.679 --> 00:23:33.719
 and look at all the wonderful

00:23:33.719 --> 00:23:34.439
 things I've done

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.640
 and you come to me

00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:37.140
 to hear the voice of God.

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:40.160
 And needless to say

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.880
 it became

00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:43.539
 a snare

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.660
 to the people.

00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:48.900
 Now

00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:51.340
 if you could put up

00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:52.320
 the first point Andrew

00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:55.340
 so one of the things

00:23:55.340 --> 00:23:56.259
 we see in this text

00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:56.900
 is success

00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:58.259
 can be your downfall.

00:23:58.880 --> 00:23:59.920
 It teaches you

00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:01.100
 to boast over God

00:24:01.100 --> 00:24:02.160
 and exalt yourself.

00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:04.240
 success can be

00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:05.040
 your downfall.

00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:06.120
 It tempts you

00:24:06.120 --> 00:24:07.560
 to boast over God

00:24:07.560 --> 00:24:09.140
 and exalt yourself.

00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:11.120
 Now let's be honest

00:24:11.120 --> 00:24:11.880
 about this.

00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:14.580
 If

00:24:14.580 --> 00:24:18.160
 I got

00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:19.460
 300 people

00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:19.720
 and

00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:20.640
 there were

00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:22.100
 120 some odd

00:24:22.100 --> 00:24:22.600
 thousand

00:24:22.600 --> 00:24:23.200
 Soviet

00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:24.320
 and Syrian

00:24:24.320 --> 00:24:25.820
 and Iranian

00:24:25.820 --> 00:24:26.660
 troops

00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:28.140
 that were going to be

00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:29.060
 coming against

00:24:29.060 --> 00:24:30.279
 a particular place

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:30.960
 and I went off

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.059
 with 300 of you

00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:34.440
 and not 300 of you here

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.379
 but our congregation

00:24:35.379 --> 00:24:36.099
 a couple of others

00:24:36.099 --> 00:24:37.139
 and the 300 of us

00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:38.000
 go and God

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:38.960
 does a mighty miracle

00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:40.299
 and the 120,000

00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:41.160
 Russian, Syrian

00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:41.740
 and Iranian

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:42.200
 troops

00:24:42.200 --> 00:24:42.940
 are all defeated.

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.359
 I'd have a hard time

00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:47.200
 not bringing that up

00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:47.940
 in conversation

00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:48.639
 occasionally.

00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:52.279
 You know

00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:53.139
 somebody's asking me

00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:53.879
 for some advice

00:24:53.879 --> 00:24:54.420
 and I'd say

00:24:54.420 --> 00:24:55.160
 well it makes me

00:24:55.160 --> 00:24:56.200
 think about that time

00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:57.059
 when I defeated

00:24:57.059 --> 00:24:59.200
 120,000 Russians

00:24:59.200 --> 00:24:59.919
 and Syrians

00:24:59.919 --> 00:25:00.740
 and Iranians

00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:01.899
 with 300 people.

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.599
 Did I tell you

00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.279
 about the time?

00:25:06.159 --> 00:25:07.460
 Maybe I'm the only one

00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:09.179
 because I'm probably

00:25:09.179 --> 00:25:09.740
 a worse sinner

00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.500
 than most of you

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:12.500
 but it'd be pretty hard

00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:13.399
 not to be tempted

00:25:13.399 --> 00:25:14.619
 to do something like that

00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:15.799
 on a regular basis.

00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:18.119
 So regular

00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:18.879
 you'd be sick

00:25:18.879 --> 00:25:19.279
 and tired

00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:20.059
 of hearing it.

00:25:20.879 --> 00:25:21.079
 Now

00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:21.899
 here's the thing

00:25:21.899 --> 00:25:22.359
 that's going on

00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:23.039
 in this text.

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.779
 Remember I said

00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:28.379
 that we long

00:25:28.379 --> 00:25:29.279
 for some type

00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:30.139
 of experience

00:25:30.139 --> 00:25:32.839
 that's going

00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:35.559
 to just make

00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:36.460
 things all right.

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:37.859
 Like many of us

00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:38.460
 sort of wish

00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:38.980
 that if God

00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:39.579
 could just do

00:25:39.579 --> 00:25:40.599
 a mighty miracle

00:25:40.599 --> 00:25:41.440
 that we could see

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:41.899
 that would be

00:25:41.899 --> 00:25:42.779
 undisputed

00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:44.680
 that that would be

00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:45.879
 fine.

00:25:46.059 --> 00:25:46.819
 We would live

00:25:46.819 --> 00:25:47.099
 with that.

00:25:47.180 --> 00:25:47.680
 Life would be

00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.500
 better after that.

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.359
 If only God

00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:50.379
 would speak to us

00:25:50.379 --> 00:25:50.899
 or communicate

00:25:50.899 --> 00:25:51.339
 to us

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:52.420
 in a very powerful

00:25:52.420 --> 00:25:53.099
 powerful

00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:54.519
 unmistakeful way

00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:56.220
 then that would

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:56.759
 be fine.

00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:57.839
 If only God

00:25:57.839 --> 00:25:58.759
 would do something

00:25:58.759 --> 00:25:59.720
 just to vindicate

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.180
 us

00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:01.259
 and to show

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.259
 that he's with us

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:02.960
 and if he could

00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:03.500
 do it in a very

00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.639
 very powerful way

00:26:04.639 --> 00:26:06.559
 then life

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.379
 would be fine.

00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:14.019
 But all of those

00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:14.599
 things happen

00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:15.160
 to Gideon

00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:17.799
 and it hasn't

00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:18.839
 changed his heart.

00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:22.519
 in fact

00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:23.799
 what is getting

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.980
 pointed at here

00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.699
 and touched on

00:26:25.699 --> 00:26:26.439
 here is something

00:26:26.439 --> 00:26:27.240
 which is a very

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.179
 very very deep

00:26:28.179 --> 00:26:29.039
 human problem

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:31.599
 and it's a deep

00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:32.079
 human problem.

00:26:32.159 --> 00:26:32.619
 It doesn't matter

00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:34.220
 if you claim

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.799
 to practice

00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:35.279
 Buddhism

00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:35.980
 or Islam

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.980
 or you're an

00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:37.359
 atheist

00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:38.139
 or completely

00:26:38.139 --> 00:26:38.559
 and utterly

00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:39.500
 just indifferent

00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:39.980
 to the whole

00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:40.439
 topic

00:26:40.439 --> 00:26:42.059
 that there's

00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:42.519
 this very

00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:43.179
 very very

00:26:43.179 --> 00:26:44.599
 deep human

00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:45.619
 bias

00:26:45.619 --> 00:26:46.379
 and prejudice

00:26:46.379 --> 00:26:47.099
 that makes it

00:26:47.099 --> 00:26:47.819
 hard for us

00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:48.519
 to imagine

00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:49.799
 that

00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:54.439
 if the universe

00:26:54.439 --> 00:26:55.079
 is going

00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:55.720
 in its proper

00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:56.299
 direction

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:58.359
 or if

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.740
 God

00:26:59.740 --> 00:27:00.319
 is going to

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:00.659
 work

00:27:00.659 --> 00:27:01.460
 in a way

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.099
 that brings

00:27:02.099 --> 00:27:02.799
 him glory

00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:04.619
 then obviously

00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:05.960
 it has to

00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:06.960
 include me.

00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:08.399
 Like it's

00:27:08.399 --> 00:27:08.939
 impossible

00:27:08.939 --> 00:27:09.839
 for God

00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.919
 to be glorified

00:27:10.919 --> 00:27:12.559
 and for me

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:13.439
 to do poorly

00:27:13.439 --> 00:27:15.519
 because we

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.039
 have a very

00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:16.700
 very hard

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:17.240
 time.

00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:17.940
 we very

00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:18.819
 very quickly

00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:19.579
 blur the

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.500
 line between

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.299
 us

00:27:21.299 --> 00:27:23.240
 I quickly

00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:24.079
 blur the

00:27:24.079 --> 00:27:24.819
 line between

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:25.440
 God and

00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:25.759
 me

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:27.660
 upon God's

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.180
 glory and

00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:28.740
 my glory

00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.660
 God's success

00:27:29.660 --> 00:27:30.160
 and my

00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.640
 success

00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.480
 my success

00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:32.180
 and God's

00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:32.700
 success

00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:36.579
 it very very

00:27:36.579 --> 00:27:37.620
 quickly comes

00:27:37.620 --> 00:27:37.980
 that I

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.940
 blur those

00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:39.440
 things

00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.140
 things

00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:41.620
 it's hard

00:27:41.620 --> 00:27:42.059
 to imagine

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.420
 that I

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.000
 could take

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.779
 a stand

00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:45.940
 for God

00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:46.660
 or take

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:47.100
 a stand

00:27:47.100 --> 00:27:48.000
 for justice

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:49.480
 and I

00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:49.799
 don't get

00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:50.620
 any recognition

00:27:50.620 --> 00:27:51.299
 for it

00:27:51.299 --> 00:27:51.580
 and I

00:27:51.580 --> 00:27:52.259
 get fired

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:52.920
 and I

00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:53.240
 end up

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:53.600
 having to

00:27:53.600 --> 00:27:53.860
 be on

00:27:53.860 --> 00:27:54.299
 welfare

00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:54.960
 and I

00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:55.400
 lose my

00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:55.860
 house

00:27:55.860 --> 00:27:56.460
 and I

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:56.700
 have to

00:27:56.700 --> 00:27:56.940
 live in

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:57.500
 subsidized

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.100
 housing

00:27:58.099 --> 00:28:00.439
 and we

00:28:00.439 --> 00:28:01.419
 all in

00:28:01.419 --> 00:28:01.959
 our culture

00:28:01.959 --> 00:28:02.480
 think that

00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:02.919
 that is a

00:28:02.919 --> 00:28:03.279
 very very

00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:03.859
 good argument

00:28:03.859 --> 00:28:04.319
 that God

00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:05.039
 doesn't exist

00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:05.419
 that there's

00:28:05.419 --> 00:28:05.899
 something wrong

00:28:05.899 --> 00:28:06.199
 with the

00:28:06.199 --> 00:28:06.459
 universe

00:28:06.459 --> 00:28:07.740
 because it

00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:08.500
 is just so

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.559
 deeply a part

00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.139
 of our

00:28:10.139 --> 00:28:10.859
 imagination

00:28:10.859 --> 00:28:12.439
 that it is

00:28:12.439 --> 00:28:13.539
 impossible for

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.819
 me to

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:16.719
 not have

00:28:16.719 --> 00:28:17.879
 for the world

00:28:17.879 --> 00:28:18.339
 not to be

00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:18.879
 right and for

00:28:18.879 --> 00:28:19.559
 me not to be

00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:19.980
 able to have

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:20.599
 success

00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:21.419
 but for me

00:28:21.419 --> 00:28:21.719
 not

00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:23.299
 it's just

00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:24.319
 it's a deep

00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:25.420
 thing in us

00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:28.819
 I don't have

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.380
 time to read

00:28:29.380 --> 00:28:29.740
 the rest of

00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:30.100
 the story

00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:30.640
 I want to

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:31.200
 unpack a

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:31.539
 couple of

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.000
 things but

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:32.339
 the thing

00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:32.720
 if you go

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.100
 back and

00:28:33.100 --> 00:28:33.299
 you read

00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:33.579
 the book

00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:34.140
 of chapter

00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:34.660
 nine it

00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:35.059
 even gets

00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:35.460
 worse

00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:37.519
 because you

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:37.839
 know it's a

00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:38.200
 very very

00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:38.980
 common thing

00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:39.620
 in television

00:28:39.620 --> 00:28:40.140
 and movies

00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:40.880
 and stories

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:41.579
 the sin

00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:41.960
 of the

00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:42.400
 mother or

00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:42.880
 the father

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.779
 the way

00:28:43.779 --> 00:28:44.460
 that somebody

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.000
 has treated

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:45.440
 you and

00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:45.860
 how that

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:47.579
 has consequences

00:28:47.579 --> 00:28:48.500
 that go down

00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:49.200
 for years

00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:49.640
 and years

00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:50.240
 and decades

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:50.920
 and decades

00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:51.640
 afterwards

00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:53.640
 and Gideon

00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.240
 by the way

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.360
 one of his

00:28:55.360 --> 00:28:56.220
 he ends up

00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:56.780
 having many

00:28:56.780 --> 00:28:57.500
 many wives

00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:58.720
 he has a

00:28:58.720 --> 00:28:59.420
 slave and he

00:28:59.420 --> 00:28:59.860
 makes one of

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:00.360
 his slaves

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.080
 a concubine

00:29:01.080 --> 00:29:01.600
 which means

00:29:01.600 --> 00:29:02.040
 he can have

00:29:02.040 --> 00:29:02.680
 sex with her

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:03.040
 and she has

00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:03.500
 a kid

00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.320
 and he names

00:29:04.320 --> 00:29:04.759
 the kid

00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.280
 my dad

00:29:05.280 --> 00:29:05.860
 is king

00:29:05.860 --> 00:29:06.300
 that's what

00:29:06.300 --> 00:29:06.780
 Abimelech

00:29:06.780 --> 00:29:07.240
 means

00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:08.020
 my dad

00:29:08.020 --> 00:29:08.500
 is king

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:08.900
 at the same

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:09.380
 times that he

00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:09.720
 said he's

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.120
 not a king

00:29:10.120 --> 00:29:10.460
 he names

00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:10.900
 his kid

00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:11.360
 my dad

00:29:11.360 --> 00:29:11.880
 is king

00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:13.960
 and Abimelech

00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:14.800
 goes and

00:29:14.800 --> 00:29:15.720
 seizes the

00:29:15.720 --> 00:29:16.060
 kingdom

00:29:16.060 --> 00:29:16.740
 he murders

00:29:16.740 --> 00:29:17.480
 his brothers

00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:19.100
 he ends

00:29:19.100 --> 00:29:19.680
 up causing

00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.860
 he ends up

00:29:20.860 --> 00:29:21.560
 being

00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:22.080
 responsible

00:29:22.080 --> 00:29:22.560
 for the

00:29:22.560 --> 00:29:22.780
 murder

00:29:22.780 --> 00:29:23.240
 of whole

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:23.759
 region

00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:25.160
 of Israel

00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:26.400
 and the

00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:26.880
 sins

00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:27.840
 of Gideon

00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.420
 and the

00:29:28.420 --> 00:29:29.040
 consequences

00:29:29.040 --> 00:29:29.820
 of Gideon's

00:29:29.820 --> 00:29:30.100
 life

00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:30.380
 and his

00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:30.720
 pride

00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:30.960
 and his

00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:31.280
 vanity

00:29:31.280 --> 00:29:31.600
 and his

00:29:31.600 --> 00:29:32.060
 arrogance

00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:32.680
 have

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.440
 reverberations

00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:33.920
 throughout the

00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:34.180
 whole

00:29:34.180 --> 00:29:36.440
 about the

00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:36.860
 generation

00:29:36.860 --> 00:29:37.320
 that comes

00:29:37.320 --> 00:29:37.820
 even after

00:29:37.820 --> 00:29:38.360
 he's died

00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:41.839
 if you

00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:42.159
 could put up

00:29:42.159 --> 00:29:42.419
 the next

00:29:42.419 --> 00:29:42.699
 point

00:29:42.699 --> 00:29:43.039
 Andrew

00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:44.479
 just to

00:29:44.479 --> 00:29:44.779
 try to

00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:45.479
 bring this

00:29:45.479 --> 00:29:45.799
 home

00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:47.699
 you know

00:29:47.699 --> 00:29:48.240
 I said

00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:48.679
 that on

00:29:48.679 --> 00:29:49.259
 one hand

00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:49.759
 there's this

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.240
 very very

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:50.839
 powerful

00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:51.479
 sense

00:29:51.479 --> 00:29:52.099
 of us

00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:52.459
 as human

00:29:52.459 --> 00:29:52.740
 beings

00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:53.079
 that there

00:29:53.079 --> 00:29:53.479
 must be

00:29:53.479 --> 00:29:54.279
 some way

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:55.319
 that we

00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:55.859
 can arrive

00:29:55.859 --> 00:29:56.599
 some way

00:29:56.599 --> 00:29:56.899
 that we

00:29:56.899 --> 00:29:57.359
 can turn

00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:57.859
 a corner

00:29:57.859 --> 00:29:58.219
 and our

00:29:58.219 --> 00:29:58.659
 life will

00:29:58.659 --> 00:29:59.319
 always be

00:29:59.319 --> 00:29:59.740
 better

00:29:59.740 --> 00:30:00.939
 whether

00:30:00.939 --> 00:30:01.339
 it's the

00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:01.839
 degree

00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:02.839
 the amount

00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:03.179
 of money

00:30:03.179 --> 00:30:03.480
 in the

00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:03.939
 bank

00:30:03.939 --> 00:30:04.859
 the academic

00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:05.740
 accomplishment

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.500
 the artistic

00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:07.279
 accomplishment

00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:07.899
 the business

00:30:07.899 --> 00:30:08.559
 success

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:09.159
 the marital

00:30:09.159 --> 00:30:09.839
 success

00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:10.919
 the success

00:30:10.919 --> 00:30:11.619
 in children

00:30:11.619 --> 00:30:13.019
 the success

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:13.559
 in terms

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.000
 of learning

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:14.500
 how to

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.199
 practice

00:30:15.199 --> 00:30:15.899
 mindfulness

00:30:15.899 --> 00:30:16.599
 so that we

00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:17.480
 can manage

00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:18.179
 our emotions

00:30:18.179 --> 00:30:18.740
 some other

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:19.259
 technique

00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:19.919
 for managing

00:30:19.919 --> 00:30:20.539
 our emotions

00:30:20.539 --> 00:30:21.459
 some type

00:30:21.459 --> 00:30:22.019
 of yoga

00:30:22.019 --> 00:30:22.659
 breakthrough

00:30:22.659 --> 00:30:23.259
 so that we

00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:23.720
 have some

00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:24.179
 type of

00:30:24.179 --> 00:30:24.759
 ongoing

00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:25.459
 and merging

00:30:25.459 --> 00:30:25.919
 peace

00:30:25.919 --> 00:30:26.199
 and we

00:30:26.199 --> 00:30:27.019
 have this

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.899
 very very

00:30:27.899 --> 00:30:28.519
 profound

00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:29.259
 sense in

00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:29.779
 so many

00:30:29.779 --> 00:30:30.480
 different ways

00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:31.079
 secular

00:30:31.079 --> 00:30:31.759
 and religious

00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:32.619
 and spiritual

00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:33.099
 and even

00:30:33.099 --> 00:30:33.579
 Christian

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.299
 versions of

00:30:34.299 --> 00:30:34.420
 it

00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:35.000
 and we

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.420
 have this

00:30:35.420 --> 00:30:36.079
 deep sense

00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:36.400
 that there

00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:36.839
 should be

00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:37.579
 something like

00:30:37.579 --> 00:30:38.160
 that but at the

00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:38.799
 same time we

00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:39.339
 know that that

00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:40.079
 is not true

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:41.460
 and we make fun

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:42.720
 of other people

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.559
 who have their own

00:30:43.559 --> 00:30:44.240
 way of doing that

00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:45.039
 and we make fun

00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:45.379
 of them

00:30:45.379 --> 00:30:47.819
 and what the

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:48.599
 story in

00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:49.299
 Judges is

00:30:49.299 --> 00:30:49.980
 teaching us

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:50.440
 is this

00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:51.539
 if both

00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:52.440
 success and

00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:53.460
 failure keeps

00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:54.039
 you from the

00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:54.980
 triune God

00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:57.200
 then only he

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.680
 can act to

00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.359
 save you

00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:01.379
 see that's what

00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:01.900
 happening in

00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:02.400
 the story

00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:03.040
 the story

00:31:03.040 --> 00:31:04.580
 is posing

00:31:04.580 --> 00:31:05.400
 riddles to

00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:05.740
 us

00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:07.040
 you think a

00:31:07.040 --> 00:31:07.600
 miracle will

00:31:07.600 --> 00:31:08.000
 change your

00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:08.320
 life

00:31:08.320 --> 00:31:11.240
 we'll do a

00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:11.740
 miracle of the

00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.040
 food

00:31:12.040 --> 00:31:12.960
 we'll do a

00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:13.500
 miracle of the

00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:13.980
 fleece

00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:14.740
 we'll do a

00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:15.280
 miracle of the

00:31:15.280 --> 00:31:15.540
 dream

00:31:15.540 --> 00:31:16.480
 we'll do a

00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:16.960
 miracle of the

00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:17.300
 battle

00:31:17.300 --> 00:31:19.300
 and Gideon's

00:31:19.300 --> 00:31:19.880
 heart is not

00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:20.420
 changed

00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:23.060
 and obviously

00:31:23.060 --> 00:31:24.000
 his failures

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:25.720
 don't endear him

00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:26.360
 to the triune

00:31:26.360 --> 00:31:26.560
 God

00:31:26.560 --> 00:31:27.340
 nobody thinks

00:31:27.340 --> 00:31:27.620
 that his

00:31:27.620 --> 00:31:28.240
 failures

00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.720
 makes him

00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.259
 closer to

00:31:30.259 --> 00:31:30.539
 God

00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:32.019
 and so in

00:31:32.019 --> 00:31:32.559
 Gideon's

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.279
 life you see

00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:33.779
 both this

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:34.559
 mixture of

00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:35.359
 success and

00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:35.859
 failure

00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:37.079
 and if both

00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:37.839
 success and

00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:38.740
 failure keep

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.779
 you from the

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.740
 triune God

00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:46.240
 well then maybe

00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:47.140
 the nihilism

00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:47.759
 the nihilism

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:48.259
 that I talked

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:48.599
 about at the

00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:48.960
 beginning of the

00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:49.420
 service is

00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:50.059
 completely and

00:31:50.059 --> 00:31:50.720
 utterly correct

00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:52.000
 and Dostoevsky

00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.880
 is completely and

00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:53.500
 utterly correct

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.039
 if God is

00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:54.620
 dead all things

00:31:54.620 --> 00:31:55.160
 are permissible

00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:55.920
 all that is

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:57.039
 left is my

00:31:57.039 --> 00:31:58.639
 power and

00:31:58.639 --> 00:32:00.339
 my appetite

00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:02.180
 and my

00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:03.420
 desires

00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:05.099
 and my

00:32:05.099 --> 00:32:06.220
 comfort

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:07.240
 and that is

00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:08.559
 all that is

00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:09.480
 left and

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:10.019
 there is

00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:10.639
 nothing

00:32:10.639 --> 00:32:11.599
 no social

00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:12.099
 claim

00:32:12.099 --> 00:32:12.819
 no religious

00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:13.599
 or spiritual

00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:14.339
 claim can

00:32:14.339 --> 00:32:14.799
 make any

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:15.440
 difference to

00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:15.659
 me

00:32:15.659 --> 00:32:16.440
 all that

00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:17.119
 matters is

00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:18.139
 my calculations

00:32:18.139 --> 00:32:18.899
 to maximize

00:32:18.899 --> 00:32:19.759
 myself

00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.359
 or maybe

00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:22.799
 there is a

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:23.279
 God that's

00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:24.000
 just completely

00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:24.579
 and utterly

00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:25.639
 abandoned us

00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.900
 because the

00:32:26.900 --> 00:32:27.340
 fact of the

00:32:27.340 --> 00:32:27.800
 matter is

00:32:27.800 --> 00:32:28.300
 is if both

00:32:28.300 --> 00:32:29.020
 success and

00:32:29.020 --> 00:32:29.700
 failure do

00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.480
 not work

00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:33.020
 then unless

00:32:33.020 --> 00:32:33.660
 God has

00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:34.280
 mercy and

00:32:34.280 --> 00:32:34.840
 does something

00:32:34.840 --> 00:32:35.500
 for us we

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:36.340
 have no hope

00:32:36.340 --> 00:32:38.320
 we have no

00:32:38.320 --> 00:32:38.680
 hope

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:41.600
 only God

00:32:41.600 --> 00:32:46.580
 only God

00:32:46.579 --> 00:32:47.279
 God

00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:52.879
 now if you

00:32:52.879 --> 00:32:53.199
 could put up

00:32:53.199 --> 00:32:53.460
 the next

00:32:53.460 --> 00:32:53.859
 point just

00:32:53.859 --> 00:32:54.500
 very briefly

00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:57.299
 you will

00:32:57.299 --> 00:32:57.799
 always have

00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:58.240
 to struggle

00:32:58.240 --> 00:32:58.559
 with the

00:32:58.559 --> 00:32:58.980
 world the

00:32:58.980 --> 00:32:59.399
 flesh and

00:32:59.399 --> 00:32:59.799
 the devil

00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:01.079
 until you

00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:01.679
 die that's

00:33:01.679 --> 00:33:01.960
 one of the

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:02.519
 messages of

00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:02.980
 the Bible

00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:03.980
 that there

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.799
 is no sense

00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:05.619
 of arriving

00:33:05.619 --> 00:33:06.619
 in that sense

00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:06.879
 that we're

00:33:06.879 --> 00:33:07.619
 often looking

00:33:07.619 --> 00:33:08.799
 for but if

00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:09.119
 you could put

00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.519
 up the next

00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:10.179
 point Andrew

00:33:10.179 --> 00:33:11.500
 by grace

00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:12.059
 alone through

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:12.939
 faith alone in

00:33:12.939 --> 00:33:13.639
 Christ alone

00:33:13.640 --> 00:33:15.000
 you have both

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.660
 the certainty

00:33:15.660 --> 00:33:16.300
 of eternal

00:33:16.300 --> 00:33:17.259
 security and

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:17.900
 the certainty

00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:19.240
 of help for

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:19.660
 the daily

00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:20.500
 struggle against

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:21.200
 the world the

00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:22.060
 flesh and

00:33:22.060 --> 00:33:22.620
 the devil so

00:33:22.620 --> 00:33:23.300
 let me unpack

00:33:23.300 --> 00:33:24.320
 all of this

00:33:24.320 --> 00:33:25.920
 see if only

00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:26.720
 God if we

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.120
 have this

00:33:27.120 --> 00:33:28.140
 basic problem

00:33:28.140 --> 00:33:30.140
 and you know

00:33:30.140 --> 00:33:30.420
 one of the

00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:30.920
 things which is

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:31.600
 so powerful

00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:32.100
 about the

00:33:32.100 --> 00:33:32.900
 Bible if you

00:33:32.900 --> 00:33:33.660
 if you listen

00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:34.400
 to the stories

00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:35.080
 is that the

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:36.000
 the Bible

00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:38.060
 regularly surprises

00:33:38.060 --> 00:33:39.200
 us because if

00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:40.020
 we're honest about

00:33:40.020 --> 00:33:40.880
 the longings and

00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:41.720
 the yearnings and

00:33:41.720 --> 00:33:42.380
 our doubts and

00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:43.140
 our uncertainties

00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:44.480
 time and time

00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:45.200
 and time again

00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:46.040
 we see that

00:33:46.040 --> 00:33:47.140
 only the Bible

00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:49.300
 fulfills in

00:33:49.300 --> 00:33:50.220
 its own way

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:51.320
 in a deeper

00:33:51.320 --> 00:33:52.020
 and wiser

00:33:52.020 --> 00:33:52.980
 and truer way

00:33:52.980 --> 00:33:54.420
 the longings and

00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:55.040
 the yearnings of

00:33:55.040 --> 00:33:56.520
 our hearts and

00:33:56.520 --> 00:33:57.920
 can speak to

00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:58.800
 the cynicism and

00:33:58.800 --> 00:33:59.640
 the skepticism

00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:00.920
 that we bring

00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:01.580
 against our own

00:34:01.580 --> 00:34:02.259
 longings and our

00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:04.640
 yearnings you

00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:05.020
 see if we're

00:34:05.020 --> 00:34:05.860
 honest success

00:34:05.860 --> 00:34:06.780
 and failure don't

00:34:06.780 --> 00:34:07.320
 seem to work

00:34:07.320 --> 00:34:07.600
 because it

00:34:07.600 --> 00:34:08.360
 doesn't change

00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:09.220
 this fundamental

00:34:09.220 --> 00:34:10.660
 desire I have

00:34:10.660 --> 00:34:11.900
 for glory

00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:14.280
 and to be the

00:34:14.280 --> 00:34:14.700
 center

00:34:14.700 --> 00:34:17.099
 and so what

00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:17.980
 this is preparing

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:19.160
 us for in the

00:34:19.160 --> 00:34:20.059
 book of Judges is

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:20.519
 what's going to

00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:20.980
 happen in the

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:21.440
 cross

00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:24.820
 you see at the

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.639
 very very heart of

00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:26.440
 reality as is

00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:27.119
 revealed in the

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:28.860
 cross isn't a

00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:29.940
 solitary God who

00:34:29.940 --> 00:34:30.820
 is lonely who had

00:34:30.820 --> 00:34:31.519
 to create human

00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:32.500
 beings because he

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:33.240
 had nobody to

00:34:33.240 --> 00:34:34.059
 love or she had

00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:34.880
 nobody to love

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:37.160
 and unlike in the

00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:38.019
 stories of the

00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:38.740
 east and in

00:34:38.740 --> 00:34:39.720
 paganism it isn't

00:34:39.720 --> 00:34:40.260
 as if there was

00:34:40.260 --> 00:34:41.160
 some type of God

00:34:41.159 --> 00:34:41.500
 and there was

00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.179
 some cosmic

00:34:42.179 --> 00:34:43.119
 catastrophe as

00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:43.519
 if for a

00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:44.059
 moment God

00:34:44.059 --> 00:34:45.480
 forgot that he

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:46.279
 was God and

00:34:46.279 --> 00:34:47.579
 lost control and

00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:48.579
 some catastrophe

00:34:48.579 --> 00:34:49.399
 happened it

00:34:49.399 --> 00:34:50.460
 happened somewhere

00:34:50.460 --> 00:34:53.000
 else and and

00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:54.299
 now he might or

00:34:54.299 --> 00:34:54.940
 might not deal

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.379
 with and get

00:34:55.379 --> 00:34:57.239
 around to dealing

00:34:57.239 --> 00:34:57.819
 with it no the

00:34:57.819 --> 00:34:59.039
 very heart as is

00:34:59.039 --> 00:34:59.960
 revealed in Jesus

00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:02.699
 and as he unlocks

00:35:02.699 --> 00:35:03.500
 the true meaning of

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.079
 the Old Testament

00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:05.339
 the very heart of

00:35:05.339 --> 00:35:06.199
 who God is is

00:35:06.199 --> 00:35:06.799
 that from all

00:35:06.799 --> 00:35:07.440
 eternity the

00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:08.099
 father is love

00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:10.059
 the son and

00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:11.820
 the Holy Spirit

00:35:11.820 --> 00:35:12.639
 is both the

00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:13.559
 means by which

00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:14.179
 that love is

00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:16.440
 communicated and

00:35:16.440 --> 00:35:17.400
 his love himself

00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.940
 and the son has

00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:19.559
 received the

00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:20.420
 father's love and

00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:21.299
 his love the father

00:35:21.299 --> 00:35:22.079
 back and the Holy

00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:23.039
 Spirit is both the

00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:24.099
 very means by which

00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:25.000
 that is communicated

00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.219
 and carried and

00:35:26.219 --> 00:35:27.360
 his love himself as

00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:29.539
 well and from all

00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:30.599
 eternity the father

00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:32.159
 has revealed himself

00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:34.119
 to the son communicated

00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:35.119
 and carried by the

00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:37.980
 Holy Spirit and the

00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.880
 son has revealed

00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:40.019
 himself back to the

00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:42.139
 father in delight

00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:43.059
 and in love and it

00:35:43.059 --> 00:35:43.599
 is out of the

00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:45.559
 overflow of who

00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:47.920
 God is that the

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:49.199
 triune God created

00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:51.400
 human beings and

00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:52.760
 when we decided that

00:35:52.760 --> 00:35:53.639
 we would be like God

00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:55.340
 ourselves and we

00:35:55.340 --> 00:35:57.159
 bent and warped and

00:35:57.159 --> 00:36:00.019
 twist our nature God

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:01.639
 did not despise us or

00:36:01.639 --> 00:36:02.840
 abandon us because it

00:36:02.840 --> 00:36:03.980
 is the very nature of

00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:05.420
 God that he is love

00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:08.000
 an overflow of love

00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:10.480
 an overflow of

00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:13.659
 goodness and so in

00:36:13.659 --> 00:36:14.639
 the fullness of time

00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:15.680
 through stories like

00:36:15.680 --> 00:36:17.400
 this posing riddles to

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:19.139
 us about how is it

00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.340
 that we have longings

00:36:20.340 --> 00:36:21.460
 for having arrived but

00:36:21.460 --> 00:36:22.440
 at the same time doubt

00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:23.240
 that we could ever

00:36:23.240 --> 00:36:26.500
 arrive and how is it

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.880
 that both success can

00:36:27.880 --> 00:36:29.280
 ruin us and failure

00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.700
 ruins us and if both

00:36:30.700 --> 00:36:32.300
 success and failure

00:36:32.300 --> 00:36:34.039
 ruins us and we have a

00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:35.759
 longing to be whole how

00:36:35.759 --> 00:36:38.480
 can that ever be and

00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:39.960
 so the story is posing

00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:41.599
 these riddles for us to

00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:43.739
 read and enter into so

00:36:43.739 --> 00:36:45.139
 that when we come to

00:36:45.139 --> 00:36:47.059
 Jesus and we learn of

00:36:47.059 --> 00:36:48.320
 the father's eternal love

00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:49.400
 of the son and the son's

00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:50.119
 eternal love of the

00:36:50.119 --> 00:36:50.860
 father and the Holy

00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:52.480
 Spirit both God himself

00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:53.900
 but also the love that

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:54.900
 flows between and the

00:36:54.900 --> 00:36:56.179
 creation of all things

00:36:56.179 --> 00:36:57.239
 out of the overflow of

00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:58.699
 love and God never

00:36:58.699 --> 00:37:00.579
 stopping being loving and

00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.800
 seeing you and me and

00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:03.039
 our profound unfixable

00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:08.579
 need that Jesus does the

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:10.880
 exact God the son of

00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:12.420
 God does the exact

00:37:12.420 --> 00:37:14.320
 opposite of our

00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:16.159
 condition if our

00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:19.460
 condition is to be so

00:37:19.460 --> 00:37:20.699
 bent that we somehow

00:37:20.699 --> 00:37:21.880
 think we could be like

00:37:21.880 --> 00:37:24.079
 God God the son of God

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:25.420
 remaining in nature God

00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:26.699
 strips himself of his

00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:28.139
 appearance of God of his

00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:31.440
 power as God and becomes

00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:35.719
 no human being is more

00:37:35.719 --> 00:37:36.819
 weak than they are when

00:37:36.819 --> 00:37:38.219
 then than when they are a

00:37:38.219 --> 00:37:40.480
 zygote in their mother's

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:45.019
 womb no human being is

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:47.299
 weaker than when they are a

00:37:47.299 --> 00:37:49.219
 zygote in their mother's

00:37:49.219 --> 00:37:52.159
 womb and God the son of God

00:37:52.159 --> 00:37:54.199
 takes into himself our human

00:37:54.199 --> 00:37:55.939
 nature becomes one person

00:37:55.939 --> 00:37:58.859
 and enters our human race as a

00:37:58.859 --> 00:38:02.039
 zygote in the womb of

00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:06.439
 Mary and the only thing that

00:38:06.439 --> 00:38:09.279
 can be lower than that is what

00:38:09.279 --> 00:38:11.039
 happens at the end of his life

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:14.460
 when he dies because you can't

00:38:14.460 --> 00:38:16.819
 be poorer than dead that's

00:38:16.819 --> 00:38:18.339
 something Flannery O'Connor said

00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:19.760
 you can't be poorer than dead

00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:25.220
 and on the cross we see this

00:38:25.220 --> 00:38:28.120
 wonderful offer that God makes

00:38:28.120 --> 00:38:31.000
 to us to solve the riddle of

00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:32.480
 our longings and our yearnings

00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:37.300
 and the riddles posed by our

00:38:37.300 --> 00:38:39.260
 cynicisms and our doubts

00:38:39.260 --> 00:38:44.880
 that God the son of God says I

00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:47.840
 will die a death in your place

00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:52.620
 and you know George after you're

00:38:52.620 --> 00:38:53.840
 dead and gone and your kids

00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:55.300
 talk freely about the different

00:38:55.300 --> 00:38:56.740
 ways that you weren't a perfect

00:38:56.740 --> 00:38:58.140
 dad and you bent their life out

00:38:58.140 --> 00:39:02.680
 of shape and your grandkids and

00:39:02.680 --> 00:39:04.320
 you know the ministry interns in

00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:05.680
 your congregations and your

00:39:05.680 --> 00:39:07.740
 neighbors and all those other

00:39:07.740 --> 00:39:09.240
 people and not only all the

00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:10.579
 things the ways that your pride

00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:12.340
 bent you out of shape and bent

00:39:12.340 --> 00:39:13.500
 other people out of shape and

00:39:13.500 --> 00:39:15.220
 hurt them and helped to bend them

00:39:15.220 --> 00:39:16.340
 out of shape and all the things

00:39:16.340 --> 00:39:17.620
 that they could say against you

00:39:17.619 --> 00:39:19.000
 and all the things that they wish

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.739
 that could be said to you and the

00:39:20.739 --> 00:39:22.000
 ways that you should be punished

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:23.619
 because of the different ways they

00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:26.079
 hurt you hurt them all of those

00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:29.239
 will be on me George that will

00:39:29.239 --> 00:39:33.799
 unmake you and I offer to take your

00:39:33.799 --> 00:39:37.960
 place and have all of that come on me

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:42.659
 because I love you and George your

00:39:42.659 --> 00:39:46.380
 inability whether through success or

00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:50.780
 failure to live a life that is in

00:39:50.780 --> 00:39:53.240
 harmony with God the Father and the

00:39:53.240 --> 00:39:55.019
 Holy Spirit and that love and that

00:39:55.019 --> 00:39:57.619
 truth and that the beauty and that

00:39:57.619 --> 00:40:00.300
 that wonder that's been eternally

00:40:00.300 --> 00:40:02.079
 communicated between the Father and

00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:03.800
 the Son through the Holy Spirit and by

00:40:03.800 --> 00:40:05.920
 the Holy Spirit and your inability to

00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:09.660
 ever even remotely be at home with

00:40:09.660 --> 00:40:12.880
 that and my perfect at homeness in

00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:16.500
 that I will offer that to you I will

00:40:16.500 --> 00:40:19.100
 trade places with you George I will

00:40:19.100 --> 00:40:24.160
 bear the consequence of your pride and

00:40:24.160 --> 00:40:28.600
 I will offer you the destiny of my

00:40:28.599 --> 00:40:32.239
 great humility and love to clothe you

00:40:32.239 --> 00:40:36.440
 and there is nothing you can do by

00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:38.539
 success or failure George all you can

00:40:38.539 --> 00:40:43.400
 do is receive it by faith and here's the

00:40:43.400 --> 00:40:46.900
 wonderful thing about this you see when

00:40:46.900 --> 00:40:48.920
 you put your faith and trust in Jesus the

00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:52.119
 Bible has this constant message of

00:40:52.119 --> 00:40:55.519
 eternal security it means that after

00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:57.839
 today if I have done before I came into

00:40:57.840 --> 00:40:59.780
 this church God does not love me any

00:40:59.780 --> 00:41:01.480
 more if I've done a good job in the

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:03.700
 sermon than he will if I've done a bad

00:41:03.700 --> 00:41:05.860
 job in the sermon I standing with him

00:41:05.860 --> 00:41:07.640
 does not depend upon my ability to

00:41:07.640 --> 00:41:10.620
 accomplish these things when I put my

00:41:10.620 --> 00:41:12.460
 faith and trust in Jesus and I know

00:41:12.460 --> 00:41:14.579
 that he has done everything that my

00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:16.420
 pride doesn't demands to be punished

00:41:16.420 --> 00:41:18.460
 and he has taken that upon himself and

00:41:18.460 --> 00:41:20.360
 all that my success and failure cannot

00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:22.019
 accomplish because of my bended knee

00:41:22.019 --> 00:41:24.340
 that he clothes him with his own he

00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:26.660
 closed me with his destiny and I

00:41:26.659 --> 00:41:28.719
 receive both by faith when I put my

00:41:28.719 --> 00:41:31.619
 faith and trust in him it means that the

00:41:31.619 --> 00:41:34.480
 moment after I die it does not matter

00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:36.779
 how the world has evaluated me or how

00:41:36.779 --> 00:41:38.719
 the world has evaluated you but the

00:41:38.719 --> 00:41:43.500
 moment after I die or you die in Jesus

00:41:43.500 --> 00:41:47.480
 the words of the triune God to you will

00:41:47.480 --> 00:41:56.539
 be welcome home you are mine and I am

00:41:56.539 --> 00:41:59.860
 yours welcome home

00:41:59.860 --> 00:42:05.519
 so on one hand through the gospel I

00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:07.559
 have an eternal security not based on

00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:10.639
 my accomplishment or my failure and at

00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:13.119
 the same time as we are gripped by the

00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:16.380
 gospel and it begins to soften our heart

00:42:16.380 --> 00:42:18.920
 towards gratitude and soften our heart

00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:21.799
 towards humility as this story of the

00:42:21.799 --> 00:42:24.500
 gospel becomes that upon which we stand

00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:26.719
 and that by which we begin to see the

00:42:26.719 --> 00:42:29.000
 world and begin to see ourselves it

00:42:29.000 --> 00:42:31.000
 means that week by week and day by day

00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:33.199
 but week by week in particular when we

00:42:33.199 --> 00:42:35.119
 gather together with other people who

00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:37.839
 are followers of Jesus on the Lord's day

00:42:37.839 --> 00:42:41.400
 to be reminded of this it gives me and

00:42:41.400 --> 00:42:43.460
 gives you as the gospel grips us more

00:42:43.460 --> 00:42:45.539
 and more a firm place to stand and say

00:42:45.539 --> 00:42:51.019
 Lord my pride has really had a field day

00:42:51.019 --> 00:42:53.820
 of wrecking my life this week my

00:42:53.820 --> 00:42:59.340
 arrogance my selfishness thank you so

00:42:59.340 --> 00:43:00.720
 much for what you did for me on the

00:43:00.720 --> 00:43:03.639
 cross I give these things before you

00:43:03.639 --> 00:43:07.660
 Lord help me to amend my life that I

00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:08.780
 might be more like Jesus

00:43:08.780 --> 00:43:13.920
 it gives us the certainty without the

00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:21.620
 cynicism to live with Jesus by grace

00:43:21.620 --> 00:43:23.480
 alone through faith alone in Christ

00:43:23.480 --> 00:43:25.460
 alone you have both the certainty of

00:43:25.460 --> 00:43:27.760
 eternal security and the certainty of

00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:30.680
 help for the daily struggle against the

00:43:30.680 --> 00:43:33.620
 world the flesh and the devil until you

00:43:33.620 --> 00:43:36.780
 see God face to face and he says welcome

00:43:36.780 --> 00:43:42.320
 home my beloved invite you to stand

00:43:42.320 --> 00:43:54.440
 just bow our heads in prayer

00:43:54.440 --> 00:43:59.000
 father just as we go into this prayer you

00:43:59.000 --> 00:44:00.640
 know the state of all of our hearts and

00:44:00.640 --> 00:44:03.220
 father if there is one here or more that

00:44:03.219 --> 00:44:04.980
 have not yet at this time given their

00:44:04.980 --> 00:44:08.619
 lives to Jesus we ask father those of us

00:44:08.619 --> 00:44:12.259
 who know the the wonder of grace we ask

00:44:12.259 --> 00:44:14.539
 father that you would move in a powerful

00:44:14.539 --> 00:44:17.419
 way in their lives and help them even now

00:44:17.419 --> 00:44:20.559
 at this time to say Jesus be my savior

00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:25.179
 Jesus be my savior father save me through

00:44:25.179 --> 00:44:29.839
 Jesus and father for all of us you know our

00:44:29.840 --> 00:44:33.800
 hearts you know how our wake week has been

00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:36.539
 you know those of us who can't forgive you

00:44:36.539 --> 00:44:38.640
 know those of us who are filled with

00:44:38.640 --> 00:44:40.480
 revenge you know those of us who are

00:44:40.480 --> 00:44:44.720
 consumed with envy those of us who are

00:44:44.720 --> 00:44:46.940
 consumed with pride with gluttony with

00:44:46.940 --> 00:44:50.280
 greed with anger father you know those of

00:44:50.280 --> 00:44:52.100
 us who struggle with this all this week we

00:44:52.100 --> 00:44:54.380
 you're children but we still struggle with

00:44:54.380 --> 00:44:56.180
 it and father we thank you that we can be

00:44:56.179 --> 00:44:59.799
 reminded in your word of the gospel and we

00:44:59.799 --> 00:45:01.859
 ask father that you would make us disciples

00:45:01.859 --> 00:45:04.739
 of Jesus gripped by the gospel learning to

00:45:04.739 --> 00:45:07.339
 live for your glory that you would grip us

00:45:07.339 --> 00:45:10.819
 with this eternal security and in the power

00:45:10.819 --> 00:45:12.839
 of the Holy Spirit that we can look at our

00:45:12.839 --> 00:45:16.079
 day in our week in our lives with realism

00:45:16.079 --> 00:45:19.339
 but without cynicism without despair but

00:45:19.339 --> 00:45:22.699
 with hope and that you would bring those

00:45:22.699 --> 00:45:24.599
 things to our mind that we can lay at your

00:45:24.599 --> 00:45:26.019
 feet and ask for your help and your

00:45:26.019 --> 00:45:29.039
 strength that we might be disciples of

00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:30.860
 Jesus gripped by the gospel learning to

00:45:30.860 --> 00:45:33.960
 live for your glory and all God's people

00:45:33.960 --> 00:45:35.659
 said amen