WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.599
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah.

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! It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah,

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 either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray for us

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 that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

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 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian,

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 we really, I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the

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 Bible, they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will do

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 what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a non-Christian,

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 checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't hesitate to send us

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 questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the types of things

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 that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

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 It is a privilege to speak this morning to you, opening up God's Word as we just heard it in John.

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 John, as a former student of Anton Chekhov, I worry about that right there, because apparently

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 nothing on stage was to be there unless it was going to be used at some point. And I've got those

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 fangs there, but they keep me on my toes. Let's pray before we dig in. Thank you, Lord, for the joy of

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 celebrating a baptism, for the joy of breaking bread together, for the joy of hearing your Word.

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 And we ask that by your Holy Spirit, you would open our hearts, soften us to take hold of your promise.

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 May we see Jesus. May we hear him today. And in his name we pray. Amen.

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 Amen. Now, if you heard last week's sermon, you'll recall that George mentioned how in his younger

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 years he knew a woman who had a word from God regarding whom she was to marry, and that that

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 person was to be George. Well, a few years ago I recall reading an article about a woman in Kenya

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 who believed that God had told her that she was to marry the Holy Spirit, and with a full wedding

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 and everything, not just in some informal way. And I'm not telling you this to poke any fun at her at all,

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 because as far as I can tell, she was very sincere in her desire to see people come to know Jesus.

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 But the fact is, there's a lot of confusion that surrounds the question of how God speaks today.

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 It's linked to a confusion about the Holy Spirit's person and his work, and who he is and what he does.

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 Anyway, here's what happened. The lady's name was Elizabeth Nalem. I think I'm pronouncing that right.

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 She believed she had a word from God. Along with instructions to marry the Holy Spirit, she was told to go preach the gospel,

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 first in neighboring Uganda, and then to the United States, to the uttermost parts of the earth, if you like.

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 So she invited her friends to church, where the ceremony took place. But it didn't go down as she had hoped,

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 because, well, the party was somewhat spoiled by a certain man. It turned out to be her husband.

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 He wasn't on board with every detail there that day.

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 He said, well, the decision had involved him more or less staying back to care for their children.

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 And here's what he said. She didn't inform me about the wedding.

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 We are still duly married, and this is a lot of work.

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 He also pointed out, just for the record, that he had paid a substantial dowry of 22 cows and 16 goats.

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 Well, this was an Anglican network she was part of, and the bishop was brought into the situation,

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 and he came down on the husband's side.

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 Once he'd heard that Mrs. Nalem had gone through with the ceremony,

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 he said, we don't support what happened because Holy Spirit things don't happen that way.

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 Holy Spirit things don't happen that way.

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 Well, on what grounds could he say that?

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 On what grounds could you and I claim such a thing?

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 Before we try to answer that, and before we turn to our text,

00:05:02.539 --> 00:05:08.899
 consider two main areas of confusion about the person and work of the Holy Spirit today.

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 Some of us are going to be inclined to think at times that the Holy Spirit is a power

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 that keeps everything and everyone connected.

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 In other words, the world and the Holy Spirit share a very tight relationship,

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 a natural kind of intimacy, if you like.

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 And since it's by this power that relationships happen,

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 it has the appearance of being personal.

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 But the power itself, we have to be clear, is an impersonal one that animates the world.

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 To live rightly, according to this understanding, is to stay connected.

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 In other words, to live in unity, in the connectedness of all things that's already there by the Spirit.

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 To sin, on the other hand, against the Spirit, is to disconnect.

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 It's to create boundaries, like when we draw distinctions between God and creation,

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 good and bad, redeemed, lost, gay, straight, so forth.

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 John Denver, one of my heroes, seems to have been into this kind of understanding

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 when he, years back, sang a song called Wind Song.

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 And he thought of the wind as the whisper of our mother, the earth,

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 the wind as the weaver of darkness, bringer of dawn,

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 or the sweet taste of love on a slow summer's day.

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 I think that captured something of this understanding of the Spirit.

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 Now, others like to think of the Holy Spirit as the present God,

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 who's to be distinguished from the God who was active in the past,

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 as Father and Son, in different ages, under different modes.

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 The idea that God is personal is here at least a bit more promising

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 because God is understood to speak to us from beyond all created things,

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 telling us his name and his will for us and for creation.

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 But, and here's the problem,

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 what he says in one age may well be superseded by what he says in the next.

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 And here's what it looks like.

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 The Father's ministry gives way to the sons,

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 and then that's replaced by the spirits.

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 In practical terms, in the present age of the spirit,

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 we don't really look for God to reveal his will in ways exclusively through past events

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 and through an authoritative word about those events, as we have in Scripture,

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 but more directly, either through an inner voice to the individual heart

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 or to the church through its collective wisdom over the years.

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 Now, in practice, we tend to be inconsistent,

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 so we won't fall neatly into these categories.

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 So Mrs. Nalem may very well have been diligent in her reading of Scripture,

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 even while actively seeking after a more direct revelation

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 of what God required for her salvation

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 or for the building up of the church.

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 The same confusion is there for those who try to hold both Scripture

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 and church tradition as sources of revelation.

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 This way may look more cautious and more restrained,

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 but in practice, it becomes very easy for a church

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 slowly but surely to invent stuff

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 that it considers necessary for our salvation

00:09:00.420 --> 00:09:03.360
 or for our unity or for the advancement of the kingdom,

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 for the building up of the church,

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 but that God hasn't required

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 or that God has expressly forbidden in Scripture.

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 So we have Scripture as God's Word written,

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 as our only infallible standard for discerning these things.

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 I'll say a bit more about that towards the end,

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 but for now, let's just ask this.

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 What does Jesus teach about the Holy Spirit?

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 Who is the Holy Spirit and what is his work?

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 So let's go through that reading together.

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 If you have your Bibles there or your devices,

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 follow with me as we go through this passage once again

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 broken down in three segments.

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 The first segment, verses 5 to 7,

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 is a necessary preface to what Jesus teaches

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 about the Holy Spirit's work and person and work

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 because it has to do with the fact

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 and the blessings of his going away.

00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:02.600
 Verse 5,

00:10:02.680 --> 00:10:05.500
 But now I am going to him who sent me,

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 and none of you asks me,

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 Where are you going?

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 But because I have said these things to you,

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 sorrow has filled your heart.

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 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth,

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 it is to your advantage that I go away.

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 For if I do not go away,

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 the helper,

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 some translations say comforter or consoler,

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 will not come to you.

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 But if I go,

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 I will send him to you.

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 Just let me make three brief points on this section.

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 I'm going to him who sent me,

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 says Jesus.

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 I'm going to the Father.

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 In the Creed,

00:10:44.079 --> 00:10:46.379
 we confess that Jesus ascended into heaven,

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 but we often overlook that event,

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 don't we?

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 Since we tend to focus more on Jesus'

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 direct presence in our lives

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 at the expense of a real departure.

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 And the upshot, I think,

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 is that we tend to overlook

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 the necessary role of the Holy Spirit.

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 So we do well to note

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 how perplexed the disciples are.

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 And apart from being troubled,

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 which I'll mention a little further down,

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 Jesus has earlier,

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 just in the previous chapter,

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 said to them,

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 remain in me,

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 even as I remain in you.

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 And now he says he's leaving.

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 And so naturally,

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 we'd be asking,

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 how is that supposed to happen?

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 And then Jesus, in effect,

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 answers the question.

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 Because he says,

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 it's to your advantage,

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 and this is my second point,

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 it's to your advantage that I go away.

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 Here we need to grasp, I think,

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 why exactly Jesus' departure

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 is a real benefit to them.

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 Now, if we think

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 that a spiritual presence

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 is something less than real,

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 then we will run into difficulties.

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 But the fact is,

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 and as commentaries can help us to see,

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 to remain would limit Jesus

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 geographically, spatially.

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 And what God has in store

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 in this glorious sending

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 of the Holy Spirit

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 at Pentecost,

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 it's not that he wasn't active,

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 the Spirit wasn't active before,

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 but there's this special outpouring

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 at Pentecost.

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 God's design in this wonderful moment

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 means that there are no such limitations

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 to God's power

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 to make Jesus present

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 to every heart

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 that's willing to make him room,

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 as we sing at Christmas time,

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 to receive him for every group,

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 to any group

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 that gathers in his name.

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 And that's the wonder

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 of a personal relationship with Jesus.

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 We sometimes maybe overuse that term,

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 and it's good to know what we mean.

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 But it's a good term.

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 It's the wonder

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 of a personal relationship with Jesus

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 when, by God's mercy,

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 we're brought into it

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 through our repentance

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 and faith in Jesus,

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 as we've heard so well

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 in our baptismal rite.

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 That's the most important decision

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 we could ever make.

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 Now, the phrase itself, of course,

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 can be misunderstood,

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 personal relationship,

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 as when we think of

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 other personal things,

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 like personal belongings,

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 personal careers,

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 things that you and I

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 can kind of more or less

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 direct and control.

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 But to enjoy a personal relationship

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 with Jesus

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 is really,

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 it's really about Jesus.

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 Brought about by the Spirit

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 who gives life,

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 and it's to have him direct us

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 and govern our lives.

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 He's in charge,

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 and there really is no other way

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 for a relationship with Jesus

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 to happen.

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 And then the third point

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 has this promise.

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 Jesus says,

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 if I go,

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 I will send him to you.

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 What we learn here

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 is that the Holy Spirit,

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 sent from the Father,

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 according to Jesus'

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 earlier promise as well,

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 also comes from the Son.

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 That's why,

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 and incidentally,

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 it was not wrong

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 to add the filioque clause

00:14:21.780 --> 00:14:22.560
 to the creed.

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 As when we declare

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 that the Holy Spirit

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 proceeds from the Father,

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 and the Son.

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 There's a theological significance

00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:35.500
 I won't dwell on here.

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 We can talk about that after.

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 But,

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 because now all we need to do

00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:41.340
 is understand why

00:14:41.340 --> 00:14:42.800
 Scripture itself

00:14:42.800 --> 00:14:44.280
 speaks of the Spirit

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 belonging,

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 as belonging to Jesus.

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 Yes,

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 they are distinct persons

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 of the Godhead,

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 but when Paul writes

00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:53.580
 in Galatians 4, 6,

00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:55.300
 that God's children

00:14:55.300 --> 00:14:57.200
 are able to address God

00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:57.940
 as Abba,

00:14:58.180 --> 00:14:58.960
 as Father,

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 because of the,

00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:02.040
 because of the,

00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:02.860
 because the,

00:15:02.900 --> 00:15:04.060
 because the Spirit

00:15:04.060 --> 00:15:05.340
 of His Son

00:15:05.340 --> 00:15:06.540
 is in their hearts,

00:15:06.540 --> 00:15:08.480
 we're meant to understand

00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:10.200
 the unity of purpose

00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:11.540
 that the Son

00:15:11.540 --> 00:15:12.639
 and the Spirit share.

00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:14.680
 So we should never

00:15:14.680 --> 00:15:16.639
 drive a wedge

00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:17.340
 between the work

00:15:17.340 --> 00:15:17.940
 of the Son

00:15:17.940 --> 00:15:18.620
 on the one hand

00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:19.120
 and the work

00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:19.759
 of the Spirit

00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:20.300
 on the other.

00:15:20.400 --> 00:15:21.019
 This text

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:22.900
 draws us marvelously

00:15:22.900 --> 00:15:23.879
 into that truth.

00:15:24.300 --> 00:15:24.680
 So that,

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 turn with me

00:15:25.500 --> 00:15:26.300
 to verse 8,

00:15:26.400 --> 00:15:27.120
 the second part

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:27.759
 of the passage.

00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:29.360
 In this second part,

00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:30.539
 verses 8 to 11,

00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:32.759
 Jesus describes

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:33.960
 the Holy Spirit's work

00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:35.039
 there in the world.

00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:36.879
 Verse 8,

00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:37.679
 and when He comes,

00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:38.899
 He will convict

00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:39.659
 the world

00:15:39.659 --> 00:15:41.100
 concerning sin

00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:42.320
 and righteousness

00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.379
 and judgment.

00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:45.679
 Concerning sin

00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.500
 because they do not

00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:47.179
 believe in me.

00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.820
 Concerning righteousness

00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:50.679
 because I go

00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:51.279
 to the Father

00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.820
 and you will see

00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:53.539
 me no longer.

00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:55.180
 Concerning judgment

00:15:55.179 --> 00:15:56.299
 because the ruler

00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:57.000
 of this world

00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:57.659
 is judged.

00:15:58.339 --> 00:15:59.799
 Two brief points

00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:00.939
 here in this text.

00:16:01.719 --> 00:16:03.500
 The convicting work

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:04.419
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:16:04.859 --> 00:16:05.620
 What does it mean

00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:06.519
 to be convicted

00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:07.579
 of sin?

00:16:08.479 --> 00:16:08.739
 Well,

00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:09.339
 it's to have

00:16:09.339 --> 00:16:10.379
 its true nature

00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:11.000
 exposed

00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:12.379
 so that we understand

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:14.139
 what it is exactly

00:16:14.139 --> 00:16:15.579
 and what its consequences

00:16:15.579 --> 00:16:16.000
 are.

00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.379
 It's to be aware

00:16:18.379 --> 00:16:19.099
 and convinced

00:16:19.099 --> 00:16:20.179
 of its real nature.

00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:21.819
 And I think

00:16:21.819 --> 00:16:23.439
 what I want to highlight

00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:24.760
 here is that

00:16:24.760 --> 00:16:26.200
 an impersonal God

00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:27.860
 can't possibly

00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:28.760
 make that happen.

00:16:29.680 --> 00:16:30.880
 An impersonal God

00:16:30.880 --> 00:16:31.420
 is mute.

00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:34.140
 Even convenient.

00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:35.820
 And convenient

00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:36.680
 because we get

00:16:36.680 --> 00:16:37.680
 to decide ultimately

00:16:37.680 --> 00:16:39.600
 what is what sin is

00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:40.680
 if there is such a thing

00:16:40.680 --> 00:16:41.720
 and what its consequences

00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:42.160
 are.

00:16:43.140 --> 00:16:44.040
 But here we see

00:16:44.040 --> 00:16:44.960
 that the Holy Spirit

00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:45.800
 is personal.

00:16:47.060 --> 00:16:47.920
 He's sovereign.

00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:50.319
 His work,

00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:50.919
 far from

00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:51.860
 inserting

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:53.120
 some kind of

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:55.099
 general glue

00:16:55.099 --> 00:16:55.639
 that holds

00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.500
 all things together,

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:58.000
 is very specific

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:59.000
 related to the

00:16:59.000 --> 00:16:59.879
 saving purposes

00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:00.500
 of God.

00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:02.240
 And he works

00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:02.979
 particularly

00:17:02.979 --> 00:17:04.099
 and specially.

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:07.079
 As Sinclair Ferguson

00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:07.559
 puts it,

00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:08.339
 the New Testament

00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:09.599
 places the spirit

00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.019
 and the world

00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:12.359
 in an antithetical,

00:17:12.859 --> 00:17:14.420
 not conciliatory

00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:15.259
 relationship.

00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:16.079
 That's because

00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:17.500
 two chapters back,

00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:18.319
 John 14,

00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:20.420
 Jesus tells the disciples

00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:21.420
 that the world

00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:22.779
 does not know

00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:23.319
 the spirit

00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:25.140
 and therefore

00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:26.299
 cannot receive him.

00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:29.319
 The second point,

00:17:29.579 --> 00:17:29.640
 we,

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:30.640
 in the second point

00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:31.379
 here is that

00:17:31.379 --> 00:17:32.599
 the convicting work

00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:33.940
 is very specific

00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:35.039
 and it's very

00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:36.339
 closely,

00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:37.500
 tightly related

00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:39.000
 to Jesus'

00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:40.339
 person and work.

00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:42.720
 It has a very

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:44.900
 Christological focus.

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.400
 It's very

00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:46.800
 Jesus-centered here.

00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:47.259
 In other words,

00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:48.480
 when the Holy Spirit

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.160
 comes,

00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:51.040
 he will apply

00:17:51.040 --> 00:17:51.500
 Jesus'

00:17:51.780 --> 00:17:52.400
 saving work

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:53.220
 in three ways.

00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.480
 He's going to

00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:55.420
 turn hearts

00:17:55.420 --> 00:17:56.259
 from unbelief

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:56.880
 in Jesus

00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:57.880
 to belief

00:17:57.880 --> 00:17:58.420
 in Jesus.

00:17:59.220 --> 00:18:00.360
 He's going to

00:18:00.360 --> 00:18:01.680
 give the remedy

00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:02.300
 for sin

00:18:02.300 --> 00:18:03.040
 through faith

00:18:03.040 --> 00:18:03.660
 in Jesus

00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:04.860
 and his righteousness,

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.220
 taking on

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:07.440
 his righteousness

00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:09.400
 as like a mantle.

00:18:10.080 --> 00:18:10.640
 And he'll

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.860
 establish

00:18:11.859 --> 00:18:12.519
 Jesus'

00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:13.500
 lordship

00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:14.719
 and righteous

00:18:14.719 --> 00:18:15.579
 rule over all

00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:15.939
 things,

00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:17.879
 given the victory

00:18:17.879 --> 00:18:19.000
 over Satan

00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:19.679
 that he's won

00:18:19.679 --> 00:18:20.399
 through the cross.

00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:23.019
 And that's his

00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:23.879
 work in the world

00:18:23.879 --> 00:18:24.879
 which will continue

00:18:24.879 --> 00:18:26.079
 right to the day,

00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:27.219
 the glorious day

00:18:27.219 --> 00:18:28.079
 when Jesus comes

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.459
 again.

00:18:29.179 --> 00:18:29.879
 And here we see

00:18:29.879 --> 00:18:30.699
 the Holy Spirit

00:18:30.699 --> 00:18:31.979
 not attracting

00:18:31.979 --> 00:18:33.199
 attention to himself.

00:18:33.439 --> 00:18:33.959
 He's always

00:18:33.959 --> 00:18:34.740
 pointing us

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:35.799
 and leading us

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:36.299
 to Jesus.

00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:36.460
 Jesus.

00:18:37.639 --> 00:18:38.240
 Let's see

00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:38.980
 the third part

00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:40.539
 which concerns

00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:41.899
 the Holy Spirit's

00:18:41.899 --> 00:18:42.740
 work in the lives

00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:43.379
 of disciples.

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:46.259
 Verse 12,

00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:46.899
 I still have

00:18:46.899 --> 00:18:47.359
 many things

00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:47.980
 to say to you

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:48.619
 but you cannot

00:18:48.619 --> 00:18:49.379
 bear them

00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:50.220
 now.

00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:51.779
 When the spirit

00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:52.720
 of truth comes

00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.659
 he will guide you

00:18:53.659 --> 00:18:54.899
 into all the truth

00:18:54.899 --> 00:18:56.480
 for he will not

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.399
 speak on his own

00:18:57.399 --> 00:18:58.039
 authority but

00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:58.919
 whatever he hears

00:18:58.919 --> 00:18:59.759
 he will speak

00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:01.099
 and he will

00:19:01.099 --> 00:19:01.779
 declare to you

00:19:01.779 --> 00:19:02.319
 the things

00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:02.980
 that are to come.

00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:04.500
 He will glorify

00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:04.899
 me

00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:06.240
 for he will

00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:06.800
 take what is

00:19:06.800 --> 00:19:07.160
 mine

00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:08.200
 and declare

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:08.820
 it to you.

00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:10.800
 All that the

00:19:10.800 --> 00:19:11.460
 Father has

00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:12.080
 is mine

00:19:12.080 --> 00:19:13.840
 therefore I said

00:19:13.840 --> 00:19:14.400
 that he will

00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:15.180
 take what is

00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:15.480
 mine

00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:16.519
 and declare

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.140
 it to you.

00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:19.340
 So just

00:19:19.340 --> 00:19:20.160
 once again

00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:21.180
 some brief

00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:21.880
 points here.

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:24.820
 The first

00:19:24.820 --> 00:19:25.340
 has to do

00:19:25.340 --> 00:19:26.259
 with who

00:19:26.259 --> 00:19:27.620
 is the

00:19:27.620 --> 00:19:28.000
 person

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.700
 of the Holy

00:19:28.700 --> 00:19:29.060
 Spirit.

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:30.920
 We have

00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:31.440
 confessed

00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:31.820
 in the

00:19:31.820 --> 00:19:32.100
 Creed

00:19:32.100 --> 00:19:33.660
 that he

00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:34.240
 is Lord

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:34.779
 and life

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:35.180
 giver

00:19:35.180 --> 00:19:37.000
 and we

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:37.640
 have solid

00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:38.000
 biblical

00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:38.880
 reasons for

00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:39.799
 confessing

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:40.140
 that.

00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:41.180
 And here

00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:41.920
 Jesus tells

00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:42.440
 us that he

00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:42.740
 is the

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.240
 spirit of

00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:43.599
 truth.

00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:45.120
 There are

00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:45.660
 many things

00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:45.980
 we could

00:19:45.980 --> 00:19:46.940
 say about

00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:47.319
 the Holy

00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:47.839
 Spirit's

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.740
 person but

00:19:48.740 --> 00:19:49.099
 these are

00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:49.420
 the two

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:49.720
 that I

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:49.960
 want to

00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:50.240
 highlight

00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:50.660
 here.

00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:51.539
 He's the

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.279
 life and

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.960
 he's truth.

00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:54.039
 And what

00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:54.680
 it's wonderful

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.620
 how wonderful

00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:56.420
 it is to

00:19:56.420 --> 00:19:58.019
 understand

00:19:58.019 --> 00:19:59.240
 to grasp

00:19:59.240 --> 00:19:59.599
 that the

00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:00.380
 life that the

00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:00.940
 Holy Spirit

00:20:00.940 --> 00:20:01.960
 brings is

00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:02.680
 not somehow

00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:03.440
 disconnected

00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.180
 or separate

00:20:04.180 --> 00:20:04.880
 from the

00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:05.400
 truth that

00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:06.259
 he imparts.

00:20:06.820 --> 00:20:07.160
 To get

00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:07.779
 one is to

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.100
 get the

00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:08.320
 other.

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:09.720
 We're so

00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:10.240
 prone to

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:11.360
 put those

00:20:11.360 --> 00:20:11.940
 things,

00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:12.840
 life and

00:20:12.840 --> 00:20:13.240
 truth,

00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:13.940
 in separate

00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:14.940
 boxes as

00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:15.299
 though we

00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:16.019
 could select

00:20:16.019 --> 00:20:17.279
 one and

00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:18.060
 take one and

00:20:18.060 --> 00:20:18.380
 leave the

00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:19.080
 other aside.

00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:20.700
 So we can

00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:21.380
 say that the

00:20:21.380 --> 00:20:22.160
 Holy Spirit's

00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:23.860
 work is to

00:20:23.860 --> 00:20:25.000
 give us the

00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:25.740
 truth about

00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:26.240
 who God

00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:27.539
 is and

00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:28.220
 what he has

00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:28.940
 done even

00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:30.660
 even as

00:20:30.660 --> 00:20:31.620
 he gives

00:20:31.620 --> 00:20:32.019
 us new

00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:32.500
 life.

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:34.180
 Everything

00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:34.940
 he does

00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:35.519
 serves the

00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:36.039
 purpose of

00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:37.279
 revealing the

00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:37.940
 truth and

00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:38.480
 the beauty

00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:39.600
 of Jesus,

00:20:40.059 --> 00:20:40.700
 whether it

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:41.779
 means shining

00:20:41.779 --> 00:20:42.420
 light into

00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:43.160
 our hearts

00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:45.019
 to expose

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.519
 things that

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:45.960
 are not of

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:46.900
 God or

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:47.500
 giving us

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.259
 insight and

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:48.700
 gifts we

00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:49.559
 need for

00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:50.200
 building up

00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:51.240
 the church

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:52.580
 and advancing

00:20:52.580 --> 00:20:53.580
 Christ's

00:20:53.580 --> 00:20:53.860
 kingdom.

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:55.460
 A second

00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:55.820
 point.

00:20:56.360 --> 00:20:56.880
 Jesus says

00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:57.500
 he will guide

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.519
 you into

00:20:58.519 --> 00:20:59.200
 all truth.

00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:01.099
 Whom will

00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:01.660
 he guide?

00:21:02.019 --> 00:21:02.279
 Is the

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:02.960
 question here.

00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:04.819
 And in the

00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:05.660
 primary sense

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:06.160
 we have to

00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:06.839
 recognize that

00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:07.299
 he's speaking

00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:07.920
 directly to

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:08.579
 his disciples.

00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:09.859
 His promise

00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:10.640
 is that the

00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:11.200
 Holy Spirit

00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:12.400
 is going to

00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:15.039
 reveal what

00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:15.859
 they will need

00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.480
 to know and

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.660
 understand so

00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:19.220
 that his

00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:22.000
 word can be

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:22.920
 complete and

00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:23.519
 his written

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:24.299
 word can be

00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:24.799
 completed,

00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:25.980
 can be sealed

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:26.599
 if you like.

00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:27.359
 That's why

00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:28.059
 he told them

00:21:28.059 --> 00:21:28.459
 in John

00:21:28.459 --> 00:21:29.419
 14, 26,

00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:30.299
 he will

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:30.839
 teach you

00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:31.539
 all things

00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.079
 and bring

00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:32.459
 to your

00:21:32.459 --> 00:21:32.939
 remembrance

00:21:32.939 --> 00:21:34.019
 all that

00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:34.439
 I've said

00:21:34.439 --> 00:21:34.819
 to you.

00:21:35.459 --> 00:21:35.959
 But the

00:21:35.959 --> 00:21:36.639
 Holy Spirit's

00:21:36.639 --> 00:21:37.379
 guidance doesn't

00:21:37.379 --> 00:21:37.879
 end there.

00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:39.899
 We believers

00:21:39.899 --> 00:21:41.139
 of the 21st

00:21:41.139 --> 00:21:42.439
 century benefit

00:21:42.439 --> 00:21:43.179
 from the very

00:21:43.179 --> 00:21:44.039
 same ministry.

00:21:45.899 --> 00:21:47.119
 There is one

00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:48.000
 important difference.

00:21:48.439 --> 00:21:49.179
 The Holy Spirit

00:21:49.179 --> 00:21:51.579
 now leads us

00:21:51.579 --> 00:21:52.459
 into the truth

00:21:52.459 --> 00:21:53.379
 not so as to

00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.619
 add to the

00:21:54.619 --> 00:21:55.519
 revelation that's

00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:56.279
 already there

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:57.220
 but so that

00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:58.339
 we will grow

00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:58.879
 in our

00:21:58.879 --> 00:21:59.879
 understanding of

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:00.619
 that revelation

00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:02.339
 so that more

00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:03.299
 light may be

00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:05.379
 shed on the

00:22:05.379 --> 00:22:05.839
 meaning of

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.980
 scripture as we

00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:08.740
 apply it in

00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:09.599
 different and

00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.480
 new contexts

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.059
 and to new

00:22:11.059 --> 00:22:11.740
 situations.

00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:13.379
 That's the

00:22:13.379 --> 00:22:14.240
 difference between

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.180
 the Holy Spirit's

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:17.279
 revelation and

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.400
 his illumination

00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:19.200
 and I think it's

00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:20.519
 a crucial distinction

00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.460
 for us to make.

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:23.700
 So to the

00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:24.380
 last point in

00:22:24.380 --> 00:22:24.920
 the passage

00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:26.740
 he will take

00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:27.700
 what is mine

00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:28.579
 and declare it

00:22:28.579 --> 00:22:29.019
 to you.

00:22:29.819 --> 00:22:30.360
 There again

00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:31.480
 here we see

00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:33.039
 the unity of

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.120
 purpose between

00:22:34.120 --> 00:22:34.980
 Jesus and the

00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:35.579
 Holy Spirit.

00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.640
 We see here

00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:38.579
 that it's Jesus

00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:39.220
 who will be

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:40.759
 speaking through

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.680
 the Holy Spirit.

00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:44.500
 We see the

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:46.539
 unity in their

00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:47.720
 present ministry.

00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:48.799
 It's not as

00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:49.680
 though we have

00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:50.680
 Jesus speaking

00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:51.320
 only in the

00:22:51.320 --> 00:22:53.000
 past and the

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:53.560
 Holy Spirit

00:22:53.560 --> 00:22:54.500
 speaking today.

00:22:55.080 --> 00:22:56.019
 No, it's

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:57.779
 Jesus speaking

00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:59.120
 today through

00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:00.000
 the Holy Spirit.

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:01.500
 So let's

00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:02.259
 turn to a

00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:02.620
 couple of

00:23:02.620 --> 00:23:04.519
 practical questions.

00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:05.700
 What about

00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.460
 God revealing

00:23:06.460 --> 00:23:07.160
 the name of

00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:07.580
 the person

00:23:07.580 --> 00:23:08.000
 we're supposed

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:08.400
 to marry?

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:10.140
 What about

00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:11.299
 what should

00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:11.960
 we expect

00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:13.259
 how should we

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:14.019
 expect to hear

00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:14.860
 Jesus' voice

00:23:14.860 --> 00:23:15.180
 today?

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.140
 Given that

00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:16.519
 there are

00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:17.039
 competing

00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.600
 understandings

00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:19.980
 of this?

00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.079
 Well, the

00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:21.799
 first question

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:23.119
 raises what's

00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:23.539
 called the

00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:24.119
 doctrine of

00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:24.959
 the Scripture's

00:23:24.959 --> 00:23:25.719
 finality.

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:27.240
 You can make

00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:27.619
 a note of

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:27.779
 that.

00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:28.500
 The Scripture's

00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:29.159
 finality.

00:23:29.439 --> 00:23:29.799
 And the best

00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:30.759
 way I try to

00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:31.699
 explain that

00:23:31.699 --> 00:23:33.399
 is just as

00:23:33.399 --> 00:23:34.240
 we seek no

00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:35.419
 further Christ

00:23:35.419 --> 00:23:37.099
 beyond Jesus

00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:37.799
 of Nazareth,

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:39.359
 the same

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:40.399
 risen Lord

00:23:40.399 --> 00:23:41.039
 Jesus who

00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:41.659
 will come

00:23:41.659 --> 00:23:42.879
 again in

00:23:42.879 --> 00:23:43.699
 glory to

00:23:43.699 --> 00:23:44.299
 judge the

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:44.699
 living and

00:23:44.699 --> 00:23:45.019
 the dead.

00:23:45.019 --> 00:23:46.539
 we seek no

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:48.039
 further revelation

00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:48.779
 from God

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:50.619
 concerning salvation.

00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:52.079
 Finality.

00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:54.279
 Scriptures are

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:55.259
 God's final

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.240
 revelation.

00:23:57.180 --> 00:23:57.980
 This means that

00:23:57.980 --> 00:23:58.539
 they are the

00:23:58.539 --> 00:23:59.900
 only standard

00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:00.660
 for testing

00:24:00.660 --> 00:24:01.240
 any and

00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:01.940
 every idea

00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:02.859
 that we might

00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:03.619
 consider to be

00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:04.180
 from God.

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:06.859
 Let me bring

00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:07.879
 in Sinclair

00:24:07.879 --> 00:24:08.700
 Ferguson again

00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:09.359
 here because I

00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:09.980
 think he makes

00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:11.019
 the point far

00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:11.660
 better than I

00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:11.859
 could.

00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:12.619
 He says this,

00:24:12.619 --> 00:24:14.179
 since the

00:24:14.179 --> 00:24:15.899
 Scriptures record

00:24:15.899 --> 00:24:17.000
 God's last

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:17.719
 word for the

00:24:17.719 --> 00:24:18.359
 last days,

00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:19.639
 we should not

00:24:19.639 --> 00:24:20.939
 now expect

00:24:20.939 --> 00:24:21.439
 that God

00:24:21.439 --> 00:24:22.479
 will speak

00:24:22.479 --> 00:24:23.259
 to us

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:23.939
 directly.

00:24:25.299 --> 00:24:26.059
 Let's hear

00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:26.559
 what he means.

00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:28.359
 Now that he

00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:29.379
 has spoken in

00:24:29.379 --> 00:24:30.179
 Christ and

00:24:30.179 --> 00:24:30.679
 through the

00:24:30.679 --> 00:24:31.119
 apostles,

00:24:31.459 --> 00:24:32.419
 we discover

00:24:32.419 --> 00:24:33.359
 his will by

00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:35.039
 applying

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:36.759
 Scripture to

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:37.459
 all the

00:24:37.459 --> 00:24:38.799
 varied circumstances

00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:39.519
 in which we

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:39.839
 live.

00:24:40.479 --> 00:24:41.059
 We do not

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:41.799
 expect, for

00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:42.599
 example, that

00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:43.119
 God will

00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:43.980
 whisper to

00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:44.939
 us the

00:24:44.939 --> 00:24:45.799
 name of

00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:46.399
 the person

00:24:46.399 --> 00:24:47.139
 we are to

00:24:47.139 --> 00:24:49.059
 marry, the

00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:49.899
 calling we

00:24:49.899 --> 00:24:50.259
 are to

00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:52.139
 pursue, the

00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:52.819
 church to

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.259
 which we

00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:53.579
 are to

00:24:53.579 --> 00:24:55.639
 belong, or

00:24:55.639 --> 00:24:56.319
 the place we

00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:56.859
 should live.

00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.879
 We discover

00:24:58.879 --> 00:24:59.699
 God's will in

00:24:59.699 --> 00:25:00.399
 these areas by

00:25:00.399 --> 00:25:01.139
 the careful

00:25:01.139 --> 00:25:02.480
 and ongoing

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:04.279
 application of

00:25:04.279 --> 00:25:04.980
 the principles,

00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.859
 commands, and

00:25:05.859 --> 00:25:06.759
 illustrations we

00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:07.839
 find in

00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:08.939
 Scripture to

00:25:08.939 --> 00:25:09.379
 the life

00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:10.379
 situations in

00:25:10.379 --> 00:25:11.000
 which we find

00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:11.500
 ourselves.

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:22.799
 God has

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.359
 given me a

00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:24.079
 word for

00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:24.359
 you.

00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:27.059
 But when

00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:27.740
 it happens,

00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:30.319
 what is the

00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.880
 way to

00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:32.839
 receive such

00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:33.880
 a report?

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.259
 Well, I have

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:35.920
 the option of

00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.839
 my own dad's

00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:37.619
 very practical

00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:38.160
 example.

00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.860
 He says,

00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:40.560
 okay, brother

00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.100
 or sister,

00:25:41.300 --> 00:25:41.680
 thanks for

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:41.960
 that.

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.600
 When God

00:25:43.600 --> 00:25:44.180
 tells me the

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:44.880
 same thing, I'll

00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:45.440
 let you know.

00:25:47.860 --> 00:25:48.759
 It's one way to

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.400
 go about it,

00:25:49.560 --> 00:25:49.820
 right?

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:51.880
 But if

00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:52.779
 Ferguson is

00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:54.660
 right in

00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:55.200
 his judgment,

00:25:55.320 --> 00:25:56.200
 as I believe

00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:57.000
 he is, in our

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.660
 efforts to

00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:59.259
 apply biblical

00:25:59.259 --> 00:26:00.259
 principles to

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:01.100
 life situations,

00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:02.179
 at times we

00:26:02.179 --> 00:26:04.019
 do get a

00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:04.939
 strong sense

00:26:04.939 --> 00:26:05.879
 that this

00:26:05.879 --> 00:26:07.279
 way, as

00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:07.839
 opposed to

00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:09.159
 that way, is

00:26:09.159 --> 00:26:09.799
 the right way

00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:11.019
 to go forward.

00:26:12.459 --> 00:26:13.419
 After all, the

00:26:13.419 --> 00:26:14.480
 Holy Spirit does

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:16.199
 enlighten our

00:26:16.199 --> 00:26:20.379
 path by his

00:26:20.379 --> 00:26:21.199
 word, giving

00:26:21.199 --> 00:26:21.740
 us that

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.480
 discernment.

00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:23.559
 But even

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.139
 there we have

00:26:24.139 --> 00:26:24.699
 to recognize

00:26:24.699 --> 00:26:25.159
 that our

00:26:25.159 --> 00:26:26.000
 vision is

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.659
 going to be

00:26:26.659 --> 00:26:27.139
 fallible.

00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:28.440
 we can

00:26:28.440 --> 00:26:29.200
 never apply

00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:29.660
 to our

00:26:29.660 --> 00:26:30.480
 interpretations

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:31.280
 of God's

00:26:31.280 --> 00:26:31.860
 will for us

00:26:31.860 --> 00:26:32.780
 any kind

00:26:32.780 --> 00:26:33.180
 of thus

00:26:33.180 --> 00:26:33.740
 saith the

00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:34.020
 Lord.

00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:35.100
 We have

00:26:35.100 --> 00:26:35.680
 to recognize

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.180
 that our

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.960
 strong sense

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.580
 may also

00:26:37.580 --> 00:26:38.380
 have other

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:39.360
 motives attached

00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:40.280
 to it that

00:26:40.280 --> 00:26:40.820
 could cloud

00:26:40.820 --> 00:26:41.620
 our understanding.

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:44.759
 So to the

00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:45.240
 question of

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:45.560
 how does

00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:46.180
 Jesus speak

00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:47.560
 today, I

00:26:47.560 --> 00:26:48.300
 do pray that

00:26:48.300 --> 00:26:49.700
 this, what

00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:50.360
 I share here

00:26:50.360 --> 00:26:51.520
 will be of

00:26:51.520 --> 00:26:52.860
 help, as

00:26:52.860 --> 00:26:53.600
 it has been

00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:54.120
 in my own

00:26:54.120 --> 00:26:54.360
 life.

00:26:54.420 --> 00:26:54.860
 It's not

00:26:54.860 --> 00:26:56.220
 intended to

00:26:56.220 --> 00:26:57.380
 oversimplify

00:26:57.380 --> 00:26:58.779
 something that

00:26:58.779 --> 00:27:00.339
 can be rather

00:27:00.339 --> 00:27:02.220
 complex, but

00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:03.220
 simply to set

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:04.339
 different perspectives

00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:05.380
 side by side

00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:06.180
 so that we

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:06.720
 can compare

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:07.559
 them and

00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:08.079
 see them

00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:09.100
 hopefully for

00:27:09.100 --> 00:27:09.480
 what they

00:27:09.480 --> 00:27:09.720
 are.

00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:10.779
 I didn't

00:27:10.779 --> 00:27:11.259
 come up with

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:11.559
 this.

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.019
 I got it

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:12.900
 from John

00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:14.039
 Stott, who

00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:14.600
 some years

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:15.400
 back outlined

00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:17.000
 five answers

00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:17.900
 to the question

00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:18.480
 how does

00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:19.900
 Jesus speak

00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:20.360
 today?

00:27:21.360 --> 00:27:22.440
 The classic

00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:23.559
 Roman Catholic

00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:25.140
 answer, Jesus

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.380
 speaks today

00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:29.900
 through the

00:27:29.900 --> 00:27:30.780
 magisterium,

00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:31.500
 okay?

00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:32.720
 The teaching

00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.540
 office of the

00:27:33.540 --> 00:27:34.180
 Pope and his

00:27:34.180 --> 00:27:35.300
 fellow Roman

00:27:35.300 --> 00:27:36.100
 Catholic bishops

00:27:36.100 --> 00:27:37.060
 who rely on

00:27:37.060 --> 00:27:37.759
 both scripture

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:39.020
 and tradition

00:27:39.020 --> 00:27:39.900
 in doing that.

00:27:40.420 --> 00:27:41.500
 That's a

00:27:41.500 --> 00:27:43.740
 standard and

00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:45.320
 official, in a

00:27:45.320 --> 00:27:46.259
 sense, Roman

00:27:46.259 --> 00:27:46.680
 Catholic

00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:47.740
 explanation.

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:48.560
 But the

00:27:48.560 --> 00:27:49.380
 problem here,

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.520
 apart from

00:27:50.520 --> 00:27:51.200
 having a sort

00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.580
 of expanding

00:27:52.580 --> 00:27:53.420
 Bible, if you

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.080
 like, to which

00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:54.599
 we can add

00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.319
 more infallible

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:56.500
 texts, has

00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:56.919
 to do with

00:27:56.919 --> 00:27:57.539
 the fact that

00:27:57.539 --> 00:27:58.500
 final authority

00:27:58.500 --> 00:28:00.299
 rests with a

00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:00.879
 body of

00:28:00.879 --> 00:28:02.379
 bishops, not

00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:04.039
 a body of

00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:04.399
 books.

00:28:05.639 --> 00:28:06.039
 C.S.

00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:06.819
 Lewis identified

00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:07.339
 the problem

00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:08.019
 well when he

00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:09.839
 was asked why

00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:10.419
 he wasn't a

00:28:10.419 --> 00:28:10.839
 Roman Catholic

00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:11.399
 or was asked

00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:12.319
 to address the

00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:13.179
 question of

00:28:13.179 --> 00:28:13.919
 why he wasn't

00:28:13.919 --> 00:28:14.619
 Roman Catholic.

00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:15.779
 And even

00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:16.199
 though he was

00:28:16.199 --> 00:28:16.859
 very gracious

00:28:16.859 --> 00:28:17.799
 in his dealings

00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:19.799
 with his

00:28:19.799 --> 00:28:20.500
 close Roman

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.139
 Catholic friends,

00:28:21.439 --> 00:28:22.000
 he answered

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.699
 something like,

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:24.440
 to become a

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:25.340
 Roman Catholic,

00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:27.220
 I not only

00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:27.860
 must accept

00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:28.200
 what you

00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:29.080
 teach today,

00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:31.200
 I'm committed

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:31.920
 to accepting

00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:32.340
 what you

00:28:32.340 --> 00:28:32.900
 might teach

00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:33.559
 me tomorrow

00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:34.900
 because of

00:28:34.900 --> 00:28:36.279
 this open

00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:37.240
 canon idea.

00:28:37.700 --> 00:28:38.220
 The Eastern

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:39.059
 Orthodox view

00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:39.600
 is the second

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:39.840
 one.

00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:40.880
 Jesus speaks

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:41.480
 today through

00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:42.240
 holy tradition.

00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:43.519
 That is,

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.580
 principally through

00:28:44.580 --> 00:28:45.120
 the Bible,

00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.039
 which has pride

00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:46.600
 of place,

00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:48.340
 but also the

00:28:48.340 --> 00:28:49.059
 creed, the

00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:49.779
 first seven

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.700
 councils, the

00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:51.299
 teachings of

00:28:51.299 --> 00:28:51.880
 the fathers,

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.840
 within that

00:28:52.840 --> 00:28:53.440
 period, the

00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:54.640
 liturgy, holy

00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.620
 icons as well,

00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:56.320
 and perhaps one

00:28:56.320 --> 00:28:56.820
 or two other

00:28:56.820 --> 00:28:57.260
 things.

00:28:57.800 --> 00:28:59.020
 But here also

00:28:59.020 --> 00:29:01.000
 the authority

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.560
 rests with the

00:29:02.560 --> 00:29:03.840
 church, understood

00:29:03.840 --> 00:29:04.560
 in a kind of

00:29:04.560 --> 00:29:06.300
 dynamic liturgical

00:29:06.300 --> 00:29:07.220
 sense, what the

00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:08.340
 church in its

00:29:08.340 --> 00:29:09.800
 liturgical life,

00:29:09.860 --> 00:29:10.820
 its worship life,

00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:12.400
 sees fit to

00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:13.540
 incorporate into

00:29:13.540 --> 00:29:14.260
 that great

00:29:14.260 --> 00:29:14.840
 tradition.

00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:16.000
 I'd like to

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:16.640
 illustrate that,

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:17.300
 but I don't

00:29:17.300 --> 00:29:17.840
 think I have

00:29:17.840 --> 00:29:18.240
 time.

00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:19.320
 But talk to

00:29:19.320 --> 00:29:19.780
 me after,

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:20.600
 and I have a

00:29:20.600 --> 00:29:20.860
 way of

00:29:20.860 --> 00:29:21.800
 illustrating that.

00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:23.260
 that I think

00:29:23.260 --> 00:29:25.060
 highlights this

00:29:25.060 --> 00:29:26.140
 Eastern Orthodox

00:29:26.140 --> 00:29:27.080
 understanding as

00:29:27.080 --> 00:29:28.060
 distinct from the

00:29:28.060 --> 00:29:28.640
 Roman Catholic

00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:28.960
 one.

00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:30.720
 What's the

00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:31.420
 liberal answer?

00:29:32.540 --> 00:29:33.820
 Jesus speaks

00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:35.160
 today, these

00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:35.500
 are John

00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:36.040
 Stott's words,

00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:37.440
 through individual

00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:38.740
 reason, conscience,

00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:40.240
 experience, or the

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.620
 consensus of

00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:42.500
 educated opinion.

00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:45.200
 This is the most

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:46.160
 subjective option,

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.280
 and at best it

00:29:47.280 --> 00:29:48.900
 leaves us with a

00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.980
 provisional head

00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:50.320
 count.

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:52.700
 especially among

00:29:52.700 --> 00:29:53.379
 those who are

00:29:53.379 --> 00:29:54.200
 educated, right?

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:54.720
 The fourth

00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.539
 option, John

00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:57.799
 Stott gives, is

00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:59.079
 the popular

00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:00.179
 Anglican way.

00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:02.039
 He says, we

00:30:02.039 --> 00:30:02.740
 hear Jesus'

00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:03.500
 voice today

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:03.899
 through the

00:30:03.899 --> 00:30:04.359
 threefold

00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:04.859
 cord of

00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:05.319
 scripture,

00:30:05.859 --> 00:30:06.659
 tradition, and

00:30:06.659 --> 00:30:07.019
 reason.

00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:08.259
 So we have

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:09.359
 something of an

00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:10.500
 improvement on

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:11.139
 the liberal

00:30:11.139 --> 00:30:12.599
 approach, but it's

00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:13.339
 still subjective

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:14.519
 because it's

00:30:14.519 --> 00:30:15.279
 really left to

00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:15.879
 the individual,

00:30:16.419 --> 00:30:16.879
 or to the

00:30:16.879 --> 00:30:17.700
 individual body

00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:18.500
 of Christians

00:30:18.500 --> 00:30:19.880
 to decide how

00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.460
 to coordinate

00:30:20.460 --> 00:30:21.220
 these things,

00:30:21.360 --> 00:30:21.740
 scripture,

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:22.700
 tradition,

00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:23.700
 reason,

00:30:24.120 --> 00:30:24.819
 experience.

00:30:25.160 --> 00:30:26.279
 Usually, and

00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:26.840
 in our own

00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:28.080
 times, experience

00:30:28.080 --> 00:30:29.420
 gets to win.

00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:31.580
 So Stott comes

00:30:31.580 --> 00:30:32.240
 to the fifth,

00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:33.900
 what he calls

00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:34.680
 the evangelical

00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:36.220
 answer to the

00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:36.640
 question,

00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:38.440
 Jesus speaks

00:30:38.440 --> 00:30:40.480
 today through

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.319
 holy scripture.

00:30:41.319 --> 00:30:41.399
 scripture.

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:42.799
 Why?

00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:43.779
 Well, for the

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.399
 simple reason

00:30:44.399 --> 00:30:44.919
 that Jesus

00:30:44.919 --> 00:30:46.379
 submitted to

00:30:46.379 --> 00:30:47.599
 scripture and

00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:48.279
 urged his

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:49.179
 disciples to do

00:30:49.179 --> 00:30:49.659
 the same.

00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:50.599
 Now, if we

00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:51.039
 ask, well,

00:30:51.639 --> 00:30:52.339
 wasn't Jesus

00:30:52.339 --> 00:30:53.279
 getting his

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.000
 disciples to

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.759
 submit to the

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.339
 Hebrew Bible,

00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:55.839
 to the Old

00:30:55.839 --> 00:30:56.179
 Testament?

00:30:56.399 --> 00:30:56.899
 Well, yes,

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:58.659
 but he

00:30:58.659 --> 00:31:00.200
 explicitly provided

00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.279
 for the new

00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:02.579
 with his promise

00:31:02.579 --> 00:31:03.179
 that the Holy

00:31:03.179 --> 00:31:04.319
 Spirit would

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:05.240
 teach his

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:06.619
 disciples what

00:31:06.619 --> 00:31:07.059
 they weren't

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:07.779
 yet ready to

00:31:07.779 --> 00:31:08.019
 bear.

00:31:08.019 --> 00:31:11.420
 So how

00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:12.059
 might we

00:31:12.059 --> 00:31:13.379
 respond to

00:31:13.379 --> 00:31:13.960
 what we've

00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:14.319
 heard from

00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:14.819
 God's word

00:31:14.819 --> 00:31:15.299
 this morning?

00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.440
 Just a few

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:18.559
 concluding thoughts.

00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:20.859
 As we reflect

00:31:20.859 --> 00:31:21.379
 on Jesus'

00:31:21.619 --> 00:31:22.299
 teaching about

00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:22.680
 the Holy

00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.720
 Spirit, I

00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:24.559
 think that

00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:25.559
 this morning

00:31:25.559 --> 00:31:26.160
 we can be

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:27.200
 grateful for

00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:27.700
 the truth

00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:28.660
 that the

00:31:28.660 --> 00:31:29.400
 same Holy

00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:31.039
 Spirit impresses

00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:32.119
 on your heart

00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:32.900
 and on mine

00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:34.539
 as we attend,

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:36.480
 as we attend

00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:36.900
 the Holy

00:31:36.900 --> 00:31:37.220
 Scripture,

00:31:37.339 --> 00:31:38.000
 as we listen

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:39.700
 as we consider

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.220
 it, as we

00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:40.960
 meditate on it,

00:31:40.980 --> 00:31:41.779
 as we discuss

00:31:41.779 --> 00:31:43.599
 it with others.

00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:45.880
 We can also

00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:46.680
 be encouraged

00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:47.500
 by the hope

00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.119
 it puts in

00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:48.700
 our hearts

00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:50.180
 and also

00:31:50.180 --> 00:31:51.039
 challenged

00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:55.259
 by the

00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:56.599
 Holy Spirit's

00:31:56.599 --> 00:31:58.460
 inward work

00:31:58.460 --> 00:31:59.279
 as we look

00:31:59.279 --> 00:31:59.640
 ahead.

00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:00.140
 So I'll be

00:32:00.140 --> 00:32:00.779
 very brief.

00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:01.859
 First, we're

00:32:01.859 --> 00:32:02.420
 called to be

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:02.859
 grateful.

00:32:03.799 --> 00:32:04.339
 If you're

00:32:04.339 --> 00:32:04.740
 like me,

00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:05.319
 most of the

00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:06.019
 time you're

00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:06.619
 not thinking,

00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:07.000
 wow,

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:08.680
 the truth

00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:09.759
 that is now

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.380
 clearing the

00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:11.099
 fog of my

00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:12.059
 brain and

00:32:12.059 --> 00:32:13.839
 unbelief as

00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:14.720
 I meditate on

00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:15.480
 Scripture is the

00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:15.900
 work of the

00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:16.480
 Holy Spirit.

00:32:17.099 --> 00:32:17.619
 And yet it

00:32:17.619 --> 00:32:18.000
 is.

00:32:19.220 --> 00:32:20.180
 So let's give

00:32:20.180 --> 00:32:21.660
 thanks that the

00:32:21.660 --> 00:32:23.299
 Holy Spirit is

00:32:23.299 --> 00:32:24.200
 the spirit of

00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:24.579
 truth,

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:26.339
 clearing that

00:32:26.339 --> 00:32:27.700
 fog of our

00:32:27.700 --> 00:32:28.660
 confusion and

00:32:28.660 --> 00:32:29.140
 unbelief.

00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:30.160
 Second, we're

00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:30.619
 called to be

00:32:30.619 --> 00:32:31.900
 encouraged by the

00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:32.640
 hope it brings.

00:32:33.140 --> 00:32:34.140
 The Holy Spirit

00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:35.080
 does the work

00:32:35.080 --> 00:32:35.880
 of uniting us

00:32:35.880 --> 00:32:36.680
 to Jesus and

00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:37.520
 keeping him

00:32:37.520 --> 00:32:39.640
 united to

00:32:39.640 --> 00:32:40.460
 Jesus, who is

00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:41.020
 the way, the

00:32:41.020 --> 00:32:41.600
 truth, and the

00:32:41.600 --> 00:32:41.920
 life.

00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.360
 To have Jesus

00:32:43.360 --> 00:32:44.880
 is to have a

00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:46.259
 profound and

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.860
 lasting hope that

00:32:47.860 --> 00:32:48.560
 he will do

00:32:48.560 --> 00:32:49.640
 precisely as he

00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:50.140
 has promised.

00:32:51.520 --> 00:32:52.240
 Finally, we're

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.100
 challenged as we

00:32:53.100 --> 00:32:53.600
 look ahead.

00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:54.820
 The immediate

00:32:54.820 --> 00:32:56.000
 context of the

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:57.200
 passage is

00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:58.320
 Jesus is teaching

00:32:58.320 --> 00:32:59.320
 about abiding in

00:32:59.320 --> 00:32:59.800
 him and his

00:32:59.800 --> 00:33:00.320
 word, as I

00:33:00.320 --> 00:33:01.320
 mentioned, but

00:33:01.319 --> 00:33:02.000
 also the

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:04.460
 consequences that

00:33:04.460 --> 00:33:05.240
 will necessarily

00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:06.779
 follow from

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:08.039
 following him.

00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:09.059
 It makes

00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:09.799
 perfect sense

00:33:09.799 --> 00:33:10.599
 then that the

00:33:10.599 --> 00:33:11.240
 disciples are

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:12.700
 troubled, and

00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:13.159
 he's just

00:33:13.159 --> 00:33:14.419
 warned them that

00:33:14.419 --> 00:33:15.240
 the suffering is

00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:15.839
 going to come.

00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:17.379
 He even says

00:33:17.379 --> 00:33:18.879
 in chapter 16,

00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:19.899
 verse 2, that

00:33:19.899 --> 00:33:20.359
 they're going to

00:33:20.359 --> 00:33:20.859
 be put to

00:33:20.859 --> 00:33:23.279
 death with

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:23.960
 those who kill

00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:24.460
 them thinking

00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:25.000
 they're actually

00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:25.799
 serving God.

00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:27.379
 And I can't

00:33:27.379 --> 00:33:28.059
 help think

00:33:28.059 --> 00:33:30.659
 here of a

00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:31.740
 period of time

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.200
 that I've been

00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:33.100
 studying, the

00:33:33.100 --> 00:33:33.779
 16th century

00:33:33.779 --> 00:33:35.080
 Spain, with

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:36.600
 the church and

00:33:36.600 --> 00:33:37.600
 all its outward

00:33:37.600 --> 00:33:38.519
 signs of

00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:39.519
 authority and

00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:40.740
 even representing

00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:41.880
 Jesus, somehow

00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:43.380
 thinking through

00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:44.279
 the Inquisition that

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:44.860
 they were doing

00:33:44.860 --> 00:33:46.540
 the Lord's work as

00:33:46.540 --> 00:33:47.200
 they burnt so

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:48.080
 many at the stake

00:33:48.080 --> 00:33:50.700
 for their faith in

00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:52.140
 Jesus in 16th

00:33:52.140 --> 00:33:52.800
 century Spain.

00:33:52.900 --> 00:33:53.440
 I think in

00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:54.019
 light of this

00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:56.040
 reality, we can

00:33:56.040 --> 00:33:56.880
 be challenged in

00:33:56.880 --> 00:33:57.400
 a couple of

00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:57.660
 ways.

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:58.160
 We can be

00:33:58.160 --> 00:33:58.759
 challenged to

00:33:58.759 --> 00:33:59.660
 depend more on

00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:01.620
 the Holy Spirit's

00:34:01.620 --> 00:34:02.900
 ministry, in

00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:04.400
 guiding us, in

00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:05.840
 dwelling, letting

00:34:05.840 --> 00:34:07.080
 Christ's word dwell

00:34:07.080 --> 00:34:08.220
 in us richly, as

00:34:08.220 --> 00:34:09.280
 Paul says in

00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:10.920
 Colossians 3, so

00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:11.360
 that we can

00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:13.059
 encourage others

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:14.780
 more and more and

00:34:14.780 --> 00:34:15.659
 also be moved to

00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.260
 give thanks.

00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:17.340
 But the second

00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:18.380
 way we can be

00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:20.200
 challenged is as

00:34:20.200 --> 00:34:21.260
 we recognize the

00:34:21.260 --> 00:34:22.139
 real battle that's

00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:23.740
 there, never to

00:34:23.740 --> 00:34:24.680
 lose sight of the

00:34:24.680 --> 00:34:25.740
 fact that there

00:34:25.740 --> 00:34:27.460
 is a battle going

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:28.539
 on for our souls.

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:30.039
 The cross is a

00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:31.940
 permanent mark of

00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:32.519
 disciples.

00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:34.119
 All who will live

00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:35.139
 godly in Christ

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:36.380
 Jesus, says Paul to

00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:37.920
 Timothy, shall suffer

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:38.699
 persecution.

00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:40.920
 2 Timothy 3.12.

00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:42.739
 The truth is,

00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:44.480
 opposition to God's

00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:45.259
 word is relentless,

00:34:46.279 --> 00:34:48.360
 so in a sense, I

00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:48.900
 don't want to be

00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:49.960
 misunderstood here, in

00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:51.000
 a sense we shouldn't

00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:52.820
 be drawing a sharp

00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.980
 distinction between the

00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:55.639
 persecuted church as

00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:57.380
 distinct from the one

00:34:57.380 --> 00:34:57.920
 that isn't.

00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:00.019
 There are degrees of

00:35:00.019 --> 00:35:00.940
 public and visible

00:35:00.940 --> 00:35:02.320
 persecution, of course,

00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:04.019
 but every Christian is

00:35:04.019 --> 00:35:04.980
 called to do battle

00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:06.900
 against spiritual forces

00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:07.680
 of evil in the

00:35:07.680 --> 00:35:08.539
 heavenly places.

00:35:09.200 --> 00:35:10.380
 If it were otherwise,

00:35:11.200 --> 00:35:12.880
 the armor of God

00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:13.800
 would only be something

00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:15.340
 we'd need to have on

00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:15.860
 occasionally.

00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:18.660
 So may the Lord

00:35:18.660 --> 00:35:21.120
 strengthen us to keep

00:35:21.120 --> 00:35:23.200
 it on by his

00:35:23.200 --> 00:35:24.440
 spirit, strengthen us

00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:25.760
 to keep that armor

00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:27.820
 on, and in every

00:35:27.820 --> 00:35:30.200
 victory we gain,

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:31.280
 may we give God the

00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:32.320
 praise and the glory.

00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:33.599
 Amen.

00:35:33.599 --> 00:35:33.700
 Amen.

00:35:33.700 --> 00:35:33.720
 Amen.

00:35:33.720 --> 00:35:33.720


00:35:33.720 --> 00:35:33.720


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00:35:33.720 --> 00:35:33.720


00:35:33.720 --> 00:35:35.720
 Amen.