WEBVTT

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 Now Daisy's going to come and read God's word for us and then David's going to preach.

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 So Daisy, over to you.

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 So we're going to be reading Mark 4 from verse 21 on page 1006.

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 He said to them,

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 Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed?

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 Instead, don't you put it on its stand?

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 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed,

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 and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.

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 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.

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 Consider carefully what you hear, he continued.

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 With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more.

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 Whoever has will be given more.

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 Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

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 He also said,

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 This is what the kingdom of God is like.

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 A man scatters seed on the ground, night and day,

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 whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows,

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 though he does not know how.

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 All by itself, the soil produces corn,

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 first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

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 As soon as the corn is ripe, he puts the sickle to it,

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 because the harvest has come.

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 Again he said,

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 What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,

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 or what parable shall we use to describe it?

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 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.

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 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants,

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 with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.

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 With many similar parables, Jesus spoke the word to them,

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 as much as they could understand.

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 He did not say anything to them without using a parable,

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 but when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

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 David.

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 Thanks, Daisy.

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 Thanks, everyone.

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 Again, David, I'm one of the leaders,

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 and I've got the pleasure of sharing with you all today.

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 So let me just pray before we get started, all right?

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 Father, thank you so much for bringing us together this morning,

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 for waking us up, giving us the opportunity to open your word,

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 to read it, to consider what it has for us.

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 Father, I pray that you would give us understanding,

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 that you would open our minds and our hearts to see what you have,

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 to know what you're telling us,

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 to listen and to accept it as truth and beneficial to our lives.

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 Lord, would you move in this room this morning,

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 bring us closer to you and to one another.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 Amen.

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 Well, thanks again.

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 I'm excited to be up here.

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 So as Daisy read, we're reading in Mark chapter 4, verses 21 to 34,

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 and it contains these three little parables,

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 the lamp on the stand, the parable of the growing seed,

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 and the parable of the mustard seed.

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 And this passage, these parables, they're confusing.

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 They can be confusing.

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 They certainly take more effort to understand

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 than something that would be perfectly clear, perfectly laid out.

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 And Jesus, in the passage just before this,

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 spoke of the concept of parables and why he speaks in parables,

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 stating that the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to us,

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 but to those on the outside, everything is said in parables,

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 so that they may be ever seeing but not perceiving,

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 ever hearing but not understanding.

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 Otherwise, they might turn and be forgiven.

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 And that statement can be difficult to digest,

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 or at least hard to understand initially,

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 because it seems to suggest that there are some

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 that aren't meant to understand,

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 or aren't meant to hear what he has to say.

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 And it raises some questions, and it should raise questions, right?

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 I recently had a big contract to work on at work,

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 and there were several lawyers involved,

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 a whole team of lawyers on both sides.

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 And we would spend hours, literally hours,

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 looking at clause by clause through this contract

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 that was some 70-something pages long.

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 It was not my favorite time.

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 And the whole contract is written by lawyers in legal language,

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 I think intentionally so that the other lawyers

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 are the only ones who can understand what's in there, right?

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 It must be how they keep the racket going

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 and keep the bills getting charged.

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 If any of you are lawyers, I apologize only slightly.

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 But all of this legalese, if you will,

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 like, I'd like to think of myself as a fairly smart individual, right?

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 That I understand what the words mean.

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 I can look at words in a sentence and put those together

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 and try to make sense of it.

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 I can read those words.

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 I can tell you what they mean.

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 But when they're put together in this way,

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 on this kind of document,

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 they just make my brain want to shut down.

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 I don't want to read it anymore.

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 And sometimes it's a little bit like these parables,

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 that you can read the words.

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 You know what the words mean.

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 You can see what it's saying,

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 but the meaning is harder to see.

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 And so for the contract,

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 I have to lean on and trust in the lawyers,

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 my lawyer, to explain what it's saying.

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 And then they're actually able to use plain language

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 so that I can understand.

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 And they help me see what it says.

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 And without their help, I can't understand anything.

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 And part of what these parables are doing

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 and what they're saying is

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 that you won't be able to understand these on your own.

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 That's not the intention.

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 You need an interpreter.

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 And you need the Spirit of God

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 to make these things clear.

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 And so what we'll see today

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 is Jesus is telling the crowd what's coming.

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 This is what these parables are.

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 He's saying in these parables,

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 what we'll see is that the kingdom of God

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 is being revealed.

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 And though it may not always look promising,

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 it will gloriously prevail in the end.

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 And so let's look at each of these parables.

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 The first parable is this lamp on the stand.

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 It says, Jesus asked,

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 do you bring in a lamp

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 and you put it under a bowl or a bed?

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 No, instead, don't you put it on a stand?

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 And he explains that whatever is hidden

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 is meant to be disclosed

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 and whatever is concealed

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 is meant to be brought out into the open.

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 And he adds, if anyone has ears to hear,

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 let him hear.

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 And so this parable, in this parable,

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 Jesus is talking about himself.

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 Jesus is the lamp.

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 Jesus is the light.

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 And we see this in other places

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 where Jesus is talking about himself.

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 In John chapter 8, Jesus says,

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 I am the light of the world.

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 Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

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 but will have the light of life.

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 And so what he's saying is that

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 something is being initiated in his coming.

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 It's a prophecy about what he has come to do.

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 Jesus is saying,

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 don't you realize the light has come?

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 That God has sent his lamp into the world

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 and this lamp is Jesus.

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 He's the word of God.

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 Literally the way we can understand God.

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 Right?

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 In the same way that we use words

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 to articulate a thought or an idea,

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 God is articulated to us in Jesus.

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 Right?

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 This Jesus in whom all the treasures of wisdom

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 and knowledge are hidden.

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 We don't understand what God is doing

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 until Jesus.

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 Right?

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 The religious leaders of the day,

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 they thought they understood what God was doing.

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 They thought they had an idea of it.

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 And so when they saw Jesus,

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 they rejected him.

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 The disciples thought they understood

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 what God was doing.

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 They thought they understood why Jesus was there.

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 But when Jesus would predict his death,

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 they couldn't comprehend what he was up to.

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 God's plans had been hidden.

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 But now,

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 in Jesus,

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 they're being brought into light.

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 Just a couple chapters earlier in Mark 1,

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 Jesus comes into Galilee,

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 proclaiming the good news of God

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 by saying,

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 the time has come.

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 The kingdom of God is near.

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 Repent.

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 Repent.

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 And believe.

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 And this is the beginning of the revelation of the gospel,

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 that the light has come,

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 that the king has come to bring his kingdom.

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 And God will continue in that work

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 until all the truths of the gospel

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 and all the mysteries of the gospel

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 have been revealed.

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 And through the life of Jesus,

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 the truths are being uncovered.

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 And in his death,

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 in his death,

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 God's true purposes are being revealed.

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 And in the work of the Spirit

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 through the apostles,

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 what he had done was brought into clarity.

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 Right?

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 This is what we have

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 in the books from Romans to Revelation.

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 It's God fulfilling the promise of understanding

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 and fully uncovering

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 the lamp of understanding.

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 And the lamp that's pictured in this parable,

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 the lamp of the Spirit of Christ,

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 it still operates.

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 He still teaches.

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 He still unfolds the mysteries of God to us.

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 And he's come to unfold them

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 so that we might understand,

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 we might see him clearly.

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 And that,

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 so the veil would be lifted

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 and that we can worship him.

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 And so how do you respond to that?

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 First you listen,

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 it says,

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 let him hear.

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 And then you respond.

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 See, the reality is,

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 some will hear Jesus teaching

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 and they'll seek to understand.

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 And those are the ones described

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 as the good soil in the chapter just before,

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 the passage just before.

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 And for those who seek to understand,

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 God will give understanding.

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 But some will hear Jesus' teaching

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 and they won't seek to understand.

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 And they won't be bothered.

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 Right?

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 As we saw previously,

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 for some,

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 it's the pleasures of the world

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 that keep them from understanding.

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 For some,

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 it's the worries of the world

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 that keep them from seeking.

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 For some,

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 it's the trouble and persecution

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 that come from the world

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 that keep us from seeking.

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 And for some,

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 it's the hardness of their heart

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 that keeps us from hearing it all.

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 Look, what it says here is,

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 pay attention to what you hear.

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 With the measure you use,

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 it will be measured to you.

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 Right?

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 In your kitchen,

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 I imagine we're all the same here.

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 In your kitchen,

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 you have a variety of measuring tools.

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 I brought one.

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 This is the smallest one I could find.

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 It's one quarter teaspoon.

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 It's a very tiny amount.

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 And this one isn't in my kitchen.

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 But this one's really large.

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 This is a 30 liter jug.

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 Right?

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 And what Jesus is saying here

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 is that if you seek

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 one quarter teaspoon of understanding,

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 then you'll receive

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 one quarter teaspoon of understanding.

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 But if you seek

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 a 30 liter jug of understanding,

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 God promises to give you

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 a 30 liter jug of understanding.

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 Right?

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 Do you see that?

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 This is a theme in Mark.

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 It's happened already

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 and it will carry on.

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 But faith in God

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 is not an intellectual exercise.

00:11:32.019 --> 00:11:34.220
 Faith is an active thing

00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:35.840
 that you have to step into.

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 And if I grab a hold

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 of the understanding

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 that I have now

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 and I live

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 in the basis of the gospel,

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 and as I do that,

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 God continues

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 to mature me.

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 He continues

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 to open my mind

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 to the things

00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:49.320
 that I didn't understand before.

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 And he continues

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 to grow me

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 in knowledge

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 of what his word

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 is saying.

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 And the one

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 who uses it,

00:11:57.340 --> 00:11:58.120
 more will be given.

00:11:58.919 --> 00:11:59.340
 And the one

00:11:59.340 --> 00:12:00.500
 who doesn't listen,

00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:01.879
 doesn't hear,

00:12:02.439 --> 00:12:03.659
 what even he has

00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:04.519
 will be taken away.

00:12:05.439 --> 00:12:06.539
 Sounds harsh at first,

00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:07.000
 doesn't it?

00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:09.059
 But actually,

00:12:09.199 --> 00:12:09.879
 it's not as harsh

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:10.860
 as it initially sounds.

00:12:11.139 --> 00:12:11.980
 Because what do we know?

00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:14.279
 We know that everything

00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:15.019
 that we have,

00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:16.299
 our possessions,

00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:18.159
 our success,

00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:19.899
 our position,

00:12:20.500 --> 00:12:21.500
 our status,

00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:22.340
 our notoriety,

00:12:22.340 --> 00:12:23.600
 even our health

00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:24.440
 and our vibrancy,

00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:24.720
 right?

00:12:24.820 --> 00:12:26.080
 Everything we have

00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:27.460
 will be taken away

00:12:27.460 --> 00:12:28.240
 at some point.

00:12:29.300 --> 00:12:30.740
 For the unbeliever

00:12:30.740 --> 00:12:32.240
 and for the believer,

00:12:33.280 --> 00:12:33.519
 right?

00:12:33.580 --> 00:12:34.700
 Everything will be taken away,

00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:36.940
 but the knowledge

00:12:36.940 --> 00:12:37.980
 and the understanding

00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:39.019
 and our faith

00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:39.879
 in Jesus Christ.

00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:41.560
 And those

00:12:41.560 --> 00:12:42.899
 who hold that,

00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:44.040
 it says,

00:12:44.160 --> 00:12:45.420
 everything will be given.

00:12:47.400 --> 00:12:47.960
 Right?

00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:49.220
 As Jesus promised,

00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:50.360
 he says,

00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:51.820
 ask and it will be given to you.

00:12:51.820 --> 00:12:52.300
 To the one who seeks,

00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:53.320
 and you will find,

00:12:53.800 --> 00:12:54.680
 knock and the door

00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:55.580
 will be opened to you.

00:12:56.160 --> 00:12:57.440
 For everyone who asks,

00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:58.000
 receives.

00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:00.480
 And the one who seeks,

00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:00.920
 finds.

00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:02.800
 And to the one who knocks,

00:13:03.260 --> 00:13:04.240
 the door will be opened.

00:13:06.640 --> 00:13:07.879
 So maybe you're here today

00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:09.680
 and you aren't quite sure

00:13:09.680 --> 00:13:10.340
 what you believe.

00:13:11.160 --> 00:13:12.020
 Maybe there's something

00:13:12.020 --> 00:13:12.640
 about God,

00:13:13.400 --> 00:13:14.260
 something about the Bible

00:13:14.260 --> 00:13:15.520
 that you find hard,

00:13:16.040 --> 00:13:17.220
 that you're not quite sure

00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:18.480
 how to trust,

00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:19.500
 how to put your faith

00:13:19.500 --> 00:13:20.600
 in the God

00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:21.539
 you think you see

00:13:21.539 --> 00:13:22.159
 in that.

00:13:23.179 --> 00:13:23.759
 The question is,

00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:24.460
 have you asked him

00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:25.139
 to understand?

00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:27.120
 Have you asked him

00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.120
 to help you understand?

00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:29.879
 God says,

00:13:30.220 --> 00:13:30.840
 he promises,

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:31.620
 whatever is hidden

00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:33.220
 is meant to be disclosed.

00:13:34.100 --> 00:13:34.940
 It's not meant

00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:35.840
 to be hidden from you.

00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:36.899
 It's not meant

00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:37.580
 to be a secret.

00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:39.220
 He wants to show you.

00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.480
 He wants to reveal it to you.

00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:42.960
 Maybe you are a Christian

00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:43.480
 here today.

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:45.240
 Maybe you genuinely believe,

00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:45.940
 but there are things

00:13:45.940 --> 00:13:46.720
 that seem murky,

00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:47.840
 or not quite sure

00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:48.660
 how to make sense

00:13:48.660 --> 00:13:49.200
 of that bit

00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:49.779
 or this bit.

00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:51.019
 Right?

00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:51.960
 There are things

00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:52.740
 that if you're pressed

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:53.180
 on them,

00:13:53.680 --> 00:13:54.420
 you might struggle

00:13:54.420 --> 00:13:55.040
 to articulate

00:13:55.040 --> 00:13:55.820
 to someone

00:13:55.820 --> 00:13:57.300
 and you might keep you

00:13:57.300 --> 00:13:58.279
 from wanting to explain

00:13:58.279 --> 00:13:59.100
 that to a friend.

00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.600
 Ask God to reveal them

00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:01.940
 to you.

00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:03.680
 He certainly wants to.

00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:05.639
 His intention is

00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.540
 not for things

00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:06.960
 to be hidden.

00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:08.320
 He wants to show you.

00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:10.259
 It would please him

00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:11.040
 deeply

00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:12.720
 for you to ask him.

00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:14.920
 And so the kingdom

00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:16.019
 is at hand.

00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:17.519
 The light of the world

00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:18.299
 has come.

00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:19.719
 And he is ready

00:14:19.719 --> 00:14:21.000
 to reveal what the kingdom

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:21.879
 will be like.

00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.620
 And so we hear,

00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:25.059
 as Jesus continues

00:14:25.059 --> 00:14:26.240
 in the next parable

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.799
 of the growing seed,

00:14:27.899 --> 00:14:28.360
 he states,

00:14:29.299 --> 00:14:30.019
 this is what

00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:30.939
 the kingdom of God

00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:31.319
 is like.

00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:33.860
 A man scatters seed

00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:34.419
 on the ground.

00:14:35.079 --> 00:14:35.719
 Night and day,

00:14:35.959 --> 00:14:37.139
 whether he sleeps

00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:37.959
 or gets up,

00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:39.399
 the seed sprouts

00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:40.079
 and grows,

00:14:40.719 --> 00:14:41.399
 though he does not

00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:41.839
 know how.

00:14:42.839 --> 00:14:43.919
 The soil produces

00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:45.019
 grain on its own.

00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:47.559
 First the stalk,

00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:48.439
 then the head,

00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:49.039
 and then finally

00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:49.860
 the full kernel.

00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:51.240
 And when the grain

00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:51.659
 is ripe,

00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:52.799
 the man puts the sickle

00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:53.139
 to it,

00:14:53.199 --> 00:14:54.139
 and the harvest has come.

00:14:55.219 --> 00:14:55.959
 See, this parable

00:14:55.959 --> 00:14:56.679
 is about the kingdom

00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:57.159
 of God.

00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:58.620
 The kingdom that

00:14:58.620 --> 00:14:59.299
 was ushered in

00:14:59.299 --> 00:15:00.699
 as Jesus is the lamp

00:15:00.699 --> 00:15:01.299
 into the world.

00:15:01.779 --> 00:15:03.360
 And this shows

00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:04.079
 what the kingdom

00:15:04.079 --> 00:15:05.259
 of God is doing.

00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.219
 The fact is,

00:15:06.419 --> 00:15:07.139
 the kingdom of God

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:07.639
 is coming.

00:15:08.439 --> 00:15:08.899
 And the kingdom

00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:09.679
 of God is growing.

00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:11.799
 Whether it looks

00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:12.500
 like it or not,

00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:14.639
 even when it feels

00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:15.740
 like God is distant

00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:16.320
 or inactive

00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:17.139
 or asleep,

00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:18.840
 the seed is growing.

00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:20.600
 We may not

00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:21.360
 understand how.

00:15:21.659 --> 00:15:22.000
 In fact,

00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:23.279
 we certainly

00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:24.220
 won't understand how.

00:15:25.580 --> 00:15:26.899
 But it's producing grain.

00:15:27.019 --> 00:15:27.399
 And one day,

00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:28.159
 God will come

00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:28.799
 and harvest

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:29.860
 that ripened crop.

00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.320
 And even today,

00:15:32.539 --> 00:15:33.659
 I venture to say,

00:15:33.779 --> 00:15:35.080
 I want the gospel

00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:36.340
 to be a straight line,

00:15:36.500 --> 00:15:37.500
 a linear path

00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:39.379
 with no curves

00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:40.700
 or unexpected turns.

00:15:40.700 --> 00:15:42.220
 I want the chart

00:15:42.220 --> 00:15:42.860
 of faith

00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:43.420
 to go up

00:15:43.420 --> 00:15:44.020
 and to the right

00:15:44.020 --> 00:15:44.680
 forever.

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:46.320
 You're right.

00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.780
 But we know

00:15:48.780 --> 00:15:49.200
 from life

00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:49.860
 it's not like that.

00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:51.640
 We know from the Bible

00:15:51.640 --> 00:15:53.200
 that's not how it works.

00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:55.140
 We struggle

00:15:55.140 --> 00:15:56.140
 in our relationships

00:15:56.140 --> 00:15:56.820
 as they go

00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:57.940
 through ups and downs,

00:15:58.360 --> 00:15:59.240
 sometimes growing

00:15:59.240 --> 00:15:59.740
 healthily

00:15:59.740 --> 00:16:00.300
 and other times

00:16:00.300 --> 00:16:01.100
 it's a real challenge.

00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:02.640
 We struggle

00:16:02.640 --> 00:16:03.340
 with our children

00:16:03.340 --> 00:16:04.040
 or grandchildren

00:16:04.040 --> 00:16:04.640
 or nieces

00:16:04.640 --> 00:16:05.200
 and nephews.

00:16:06.160 --> 00:16:06.920
 They grow

00:16:06.920 --> 00:16:07.600
 and we might see

00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.520
 glimpses of maturity

00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:09.740
 and maybe even faith

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:10.500
 in them

00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:11.779
 and then other times

00:16:11.779 --> 00:16:12.379
 it seems like

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.120
 they're on a path

00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:14.519
 that we have no idea

00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:15.199
 how they got there.

00:16:16.439 --> 00:16:17.460
 We struggle with it

00:16:17.460 --> 00:16:18.079
 as we share

00:16:18.079 --> 00:16:19.100
 or try to share

00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:19.500
 the gospel

00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:20.179
 with our friends.

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.819
 Sometimes they seem

00:16:21.819 --> 00:16:22.460
 eager to hear

00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:23.460
 and they're accepting

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:24.199
 of our invitation

00:16:24.199 --> 00:16:24.720
 and sometimes

00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:25.460
 it's like speaking

00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:26.100
 to a wall.

00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:28.460
 We struggle with it

00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:29.299
 as we look at our church.

00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:31.120
 Sometimes there are times

00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:31.679
 of growth

00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:32.340
 and health

00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:33.980
 and other times

00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:34.960
 it seems stagnant

00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:35.919
 and tired.

00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:37.599
 we struggle

00:16:37.599 --> 00:16:38.099
 as we look

00:16:38.099 --> 00:16:39.120
 at the surrounding world.

00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:40.819
 More often than not

00:16:40.819 --> 00:16:41.339
 it seems like

00:16:41.339 --> 00:16:41.779
 the culture

00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:43.000
 is careening off

00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:44.360
 into an abyss.

00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.379
 We wonder

00:16:46.379 --> 00:16:47.679
 if all of this planting

00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.659
 is actually doing

00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:50.559
 anything at all.

00:16:51.579 --> 00:16:52.360
 If the seed

00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:53.299
 that we put in the soil

00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:54.719
 will ever grow.

00:16:55.899 --> 00:16:56.819
 If we'll ever

00:16:56.819 --> 00:16:57.599
 look at the soil

00:16:57.599 --> 00:16:58.539
 and see that bright

00:16:58.539 --> 00:16:59.439
 green shoot

00:16:59.439 --> 00:17:00.779
 popping up

00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:01.819
 above the surface.

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.180
 Or was it just

00:17:04.180 --> 00:17:04.899
 a waste of time

00:17:04.899 --> 00:17:05.299
 and energy?

00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:07.539
 The temptation

00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:08.519
 for us

00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:10.759
 is this.

00:17:11.800 --> 00:17:12.519
 We might feel

00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:13.140
 like we need

00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:13.840
 to do something.

00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.300
 Let me say that again.

00:17:15.580 --> 00:17:16.100
 We might feel

00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:17.360
 like we need

00:17:17.360 --> 00:17:18.000
 to do something.

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:20.000
 We try to somehow

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:21.320
 manipulate the results.

00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.840
 Like a novice gardener

00:17:25.840 --> 00:17:27.039
 says maybe we should

00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:27.960
 dig it back up

00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:29.600
 and put the seeds

00:17:29.600 --> 00:17:30.440
 in a different way.

00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:30.980
 Maybe we should

00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:32.000
 massage them a little bit.

00:17:32.060 --> 00:17:32.480
 Maybe they're not

00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:32.960
 quite ready.

00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:34.519
 Maybe we should put

00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.360
 just a bit more water

00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:35.839
 on top.

00:17:36.199 --> 00:17:37.159
 Maybe a little bit more.

00:17:37.659 --> 00:17:38.559
 Maybe a little bit more.

00:17:41.479 --> 00:17:42.339
 It doesn't work,

00:17:42.399 --> 00:17:42.699
 does it?

00:17:43.419 --> 00:17:44.159
 And there's a tendency

00:17:44.159 --> 00:17:45.439
 in the church

00:17:45.439 --> 00:17:46.819
 to look at the results.

00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:48.259
 To be centered

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:49.139
 and focused

00:17:49.139 --> 00:17:49.799
 on the results.

00:17:50.219 --> 00:17:50.819
 And if we aren't

00:17:50.819 --> 00:17:51.519
 getting the results

00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:52.000
 we want

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:52.919
 or think we should,

00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:54.379
 we tend to think

00:17:54.379 --> 00:17:55.199
 that we need

00:17:55.199 --> 00:17:55.839
 to do something.

00:17:57.539 --> 00:17:58.439
 Maybe we need

00:17:58.439 --> 00:17:59.039
 something that will

00:17:59.039 --> 00:17:59.799
 be more attractive

00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:00.379
 to people

00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:01.760
 who don't know

00:18:01.760 --> 00:18:02.460
 the gospel yet.

00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:04.580
 Maybe we aren't

00:18:04.580 --> 00:18:05.360
 being clear enough

00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:05.960
 about sin

00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:06.460
 and punishment.

00:18:07.300 --> 00:18:08.760
 Maybe if a famous

00:18:08.760 --> 00:18:09.740
 person or someone

00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:10.600
 that people

00:18:10.600 --> 00:18:11.520
 generally like

00:18:11.520 --> 00:18:12.400
 would come to faith

00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:12.960
 that would help

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.500
 people really

00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:14.040
 understand.

00:18:16.260 --> 00:18:17.200
 Maybe we need

00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.180
 different music

00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:18.940
 or we should sing

00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:19.900
 different songs.

00:18:20.020 --> 00:18:20.580
 Maybe we should

00:18:20.580 --> 00:18:21.680
 stand here or there.

00:18:21.800 --> 00:18:22.240
 Maybe we should

00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:23.360
 go longer or shorter.

00:18:23.500 --> 00:18:23.920
 Maybe we should

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.080
 start earlier or later.

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:27.119
 All of that,

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:28.679
 it's forgetting

00:18:28.679 --> 00:18:29.480
 our place.

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:30.139
 It's forgetting

00:18:30.139 --> 00:18:30.879
 our role.

00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:31.839
 It's forgetting

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:32.460
 our job.

00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:34.099
 Because our job

00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:35.619
 is to plant.

00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.460
 Our job is

00:18:37.460 --> 00:18:38.699
 to plant the seed

00:18:38.699 --> 00:18:39.980
 and you see

00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:40.559
 what it says here

00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:41.099
 about the farmer?

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:43.099
 It's really humbling

00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:43.699
 actually because

00:18:43.699 --> 00:18:44.259
 it says this,

00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:45.799
 he sleeps and rises

00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:47.619
 night and day

00:18:47.619 --> 00:18:48.179
 and the seed

00:18:48.179 --> 00:18:48.960
 sprouts and grows

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.139
 and he has no idea

00:18:50.139 --> 00:18:50.480
 how.

00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:52.699
 He has nothing

00:18:52.699 --> 00:18:53.579
 to do with the

00:18:53.579 --> 00:18:54.960
 growth of the plant.

00:18:55.859 --> 00:18:56.480
 All he did was

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.399
 plant it in the soil

00:18:57.399 --> 00:18:58.599
 and wait

00:18:58.599 --> 00:18:59.919
 because the earth

00:18:59.919 --> 00:19:01.000
 produces it by itself.

00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:03.740
 Once you've planted

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:04.199
 the seed,

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:04.980
 you've done your job,

00:19:05.059 --> 00:19:05.740
 everything else

00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:06.960
 belongs to the Lord.

00:19:08.619 --> 00:19:09.379
 Why is it that

00:19:09.379 --> 00:19:10.039
 sometimes someone

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:10.799
 will respond

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.339
 and another person

00:19:12.339 --> 00:19:13.039
 right next to them

00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:13.980
 hearing the same words,

00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:14.839
 the same presentation

00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:15.339
 of the gospel

00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:16.019
 won't respond?

00:19:17.399 --> 00:19:18.199
 Why is it that

00:19:18.199 --> 00:19:19.099
 some people's growth

00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:20.000
 seems rapid

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.099
 and others

00:19:21.099 --> 00:19:22.099
 seem to grow

00:19:22.099 --> 00:19:22.699
 so slowly?

00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:24.679
 Why is it that

00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:25.240
 some churches

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.000
 seem to grow

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:26.519
 in numbers

00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:27.299
 and explode

00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:28.860
 in fruitfulness

00:19:28.860 --> 00:19:29.840
 and others

00:19:29.840 --> 00:19:30.600
 remain small?

00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:31.920
 These are the

00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:32.779
 mysteries of the

00:19:32.779 --> 00:19:33.440
 kingdom of God.

00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:35.019
 We're looking

00:19:35.019 --> 00:19:35.720
 at the soil

00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:37.299
 and wondering,

00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:38.660
 is there ever

00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:39.340
 going to be a shoot

00:19:39.340 --> 00:19:39.640
 here?

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:40.680
 Is it ever going

00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:41.000
 to grow?

00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:41.680
 How is this

00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:42.160
 going to work?

00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:43.620
 And so it's

00:19:43.620 --> 00:19:44.160
 really important

00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:44.600
 that we know

00:19:44.600 --> 00:19:45.140
 our place,

00:19:46.060 --> 00:19:46.620
 that we plant

00:19:46.620 --> 00:19:47.100
 the seed

00:19:47.100 --> 00:19:48.380
 and God grows

00:19:48.380 --> 00:19:48.860
 the harvest.

00:19:50.060 --> 00:19:50.360
 Right?

00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:51.240
 You don't have

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:51.819
 to hold the

00:19:51.819 --> 00:19:52.439
 harvest on

00:19:52.439 --> 00:19:53.099
 your shoulders.

00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:54.839
 We don't have

00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:55.679
 to put it on us.

00:19:55.719 --> 00:19:56.500
 It's not on us.

00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:56.740
 Right?

00:19:56.919 --> 00:19:57.319
 Parents,

00:19:58.679 --> 00:19:59.379
 you have no

00:19:59.379 --> 00:20:00.419
 capacity whatsoever

00:20:00.419 --> 00:20:01.419
 to produce belief

00:20:01.419 --> 00:20:01.959
 in your children.

00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:03.179
 Grandparents,

00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:03.659
 the same.

00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:04.839
 Right?

00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:05.740
 You can't do it.

00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:06.279
 Friends,

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:06.799
 you have no

00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:08.059
 capacity to

00:20:08.059 --> 00:20:08.899
 produce belief

00:20:08.899 --> 00:20:09.539
 in the friend

00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:10.019
 or colleague

00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:10.579
 that you wish

00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:11.079
 so much

00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:11.879
 to come to

00:20:11.879 --> 00:20:12.159
 faith.

00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:15.019
 You have

00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:15.579
 no ability.

00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:16.439
 I have no

00:20:16.439 --> 00:20:16.740
 ability.

00:20:16.919 --> 00:20:17.719
 Steve has no

00:20:17.719 --> 00:20:18.719
 ability to argue

00:20:18.719 --> 00:20:19.559
 a person into

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.079
 the kingdom of

00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:20.319
 God.

00:20:21.179 --> 00:20:21.639
 That's not how

00:20:21.639 --> 00:20:22.019
 it works.

00:20:23.899 --> 00:20:24.619
 So we have

00:20:24.619 --> 00:20:25.019
 to know our

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.720
 place and we

00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:26.259
 have to trust

00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:27.379
 in God to do

00:20:27.379 --> 00:20:28.019
 what he has

00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:29.099
 promised to do.

00:20:30.259 --> 00:20:31.039
 It's not that

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:31.839
 we don't know

00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:32.299
 what's going to

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:32.519
 happen.

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:33.460
 We actually know

00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:34.039
 he's promised

00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:34.740
 to do the work

00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:35.980
 and so we can

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.839
 trust him to do

00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:37.099
 it.

00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:38.419
 Because even

00:20:38.419 --> 00:20:39.339
 the harvest

00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:40.399
 of our own

00:20:40.399 --> 00:20:40.740
 hearts,

00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:41.679
 God is still

00:20:41.679 --> 00:20:41.980
 working.

00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:43.179
 There's no

00:20:43.179 --> 00:20:43.679
 moment where

00:20:43.679 --> 00:20:44.399
 hope is lost,

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.859
 when it's been

00:20:45.859 --> 00:20:46.440
 too long,

00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:47.460
 you've come

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.200
 too many times

00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:48.559
 and it just

00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.079
 hasn't clicked

00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:49.339
 yet.

00:20:49.859 --> 00:20:50.279
 That's not

00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:51.179
 how it goes.

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:51.720
 Even when it

00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:52.179
 doesn't feel

00:20:52.179 --> 00:20:52.579
 like it,

00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.079
 God has been

00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:54.720
 working to

00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:55.299
 bring you to

00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:55.579
 him.

00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:56.539
 Wherever you

00:20:56.539 --> 00:20:57.099
 are, if you've

00:20:57.099 --> 00:20:57.839
 been a believer

00:20:57.839 --> 00:20:58.339
 for a long

00:20:58.339 --> 00:20:58.960
 time, if you've

00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.639
 been a believer

00:20:59.639 --> 00:21:00.259
 for a week

00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:01.119
 or a day,

00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:02.159
 there was a

00:21:02.159 --> 00:21:02.879
 moment at which

00:21:02.879 --> 00:21:03.599
 you thought,

00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:04.200
 I don't know,

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:04.839
 it doesn't make

00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:05.220
 sense.

00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:06.619
 And then God,

00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.379
 in his timing,

00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:08.279
 brought you to

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:08.480
 him.

00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:10.700
 Maybe you've

00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:11.079
 heard about

00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:11.659
 Jesus before.

00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:12.240
 Maybe you've

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.079
 sat in these

00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:14.059
 seats for weeks

00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:14.599
 and weeks

00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:15.179
 and weeks

00:21:15.179 --> 00:21:16.779
 and it hasn't

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.299
 ever quite

00:21:17.299 --> 00:21:17.799
 sunk in.

00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:19.419
 it's never

00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:20.079
 made sense.

00:21:21.139 --> 00:21:21.559
 The reality

00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:22.159
 is today could

00:21:22.159 --> 00:21:22.579
 be the day

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.039
 of harvest

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:23.599
 for you.

00:21:24.859 --> 00:21:25.279
 Today could

00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:25.720
 be the day

00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:26.059
 where you

00:21:26.059 --> 00:21:26.659
 realize that

00:21:26.659 --> 00:21:27.059
 you've been

00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:27.539
 trying to

00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:27.919
 make sense

00:21:27.919 --> 00:21:28.359
 of the world

00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:28.700
 on your

00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:28.960
 own,

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:29.319
 but you

00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:30.599
 need Jesus

00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:31.440
 to bring

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:32.099
 the understanding

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:32.539
 that only

00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:33.119
 he can give.

00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:36.679
 he's growing

00:21:36.679 --> 00:21:37.079
 the kingdom.

00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:38.139
 We don't

00:21:38.139 --> 00:21:38.599
 know how

00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:39.699
 and we

00:21:39.699 --> 00:21:40.079
 don't need

00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:40.319
 to.

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:42.199
 But we do

00:21:42.199 --> 00:21:42.500
 know that

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:42.759
 one day

00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.139
 the harvest

00:21:43.139 --> 00:21:43.679
 will come

00:21:43.679 --> 00:21:44.139
 and it

00:21:44.139 --> 00:21:44.539
 will be

00:21:44.539 --> 00:21:45.259
 massive.

00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:46.879
 And what

00:21:46.879 --> 00:21:47.399
 we see in

00:21:47.399 --> 00:21:47.779
 the final

00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:48.359
 parable here

00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:48.699
 in Mark

00:21:48.699 --> 00:21:49.099
 is that

00:21:49.099 --> 00:21:50.119
 this parable

00:21:50.119 --> 00:21:50.439
 of the

00:21:50.439 --> 00:21:51.079
 mustard seed

00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:52.579
 where Jesus

00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:53.079
 asks,

00:21:53.219 --> 00:21:53.539
 what shall

00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:53.979
 we say

00:21:53.979 --> 00:21:54.359
 then the

00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:54.579
 kingdom

00:21:54.579 --> 00:21:55.039
 is like?

00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:56.539
 He compares

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:56.959
 it to a

00:21:56.959 --> 00:21:57.559
 mustard seed,

00:21:57.679 --> 00:21:58.199
 the smallest

00:21:58.199 --> 00:21:59.179
 of all the

00:21:59.179 --> 00:21:59.699
 seeds on

00:21:59.699 --> 00:21:59.959
 earth.

00:22:00.659 --> 00:22:00.919
 And yet

00:22:00.919 --> 00:22:01.459
 when planted

00:22:01.459 --> 00:22:01.959
 it grows

00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:02.480
 and becomes

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.019
 the largest

00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:03.480
 of all

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:03.860
 the garden

00:22:03.860 --> 00:22:04.360
 plants,

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:05.039
 with branches

00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:05.579
 big enough

00:22:05.579 --> 00:22:06.019
 for birds

00:22:06.019 --> 00:22:06.559
 to perch

00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.420
 in its

00:22:07.420 --> 00:22:07.700
 shade.

00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.140
 The kingdom

00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:10.620
 of God,

00:22:10.900 --> 00:22:12.019
 once small,

00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:13.980
 is destined

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:14.640
 to grow

00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:15.220
 into something

00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:15.519
 mighty.

00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:18.420
 The funny

00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:18.700
 thing is

00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:19.100
 at the time

00:22:19.100 --> 00:22:19.480
 that Jesus

00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:20.039
 spoke these

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:20.400
 words,

00:22:20.900 --> 00:22:21.279
 there was

00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:22.180
 no established

00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:23.180
 church to

00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:23.660
 speak of.

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:24.559
 He only

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:25.000
 had a small

00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:25.380
 group of

00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:25.740
 followers.

00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:28.079
 This little

00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:28.880
 band of

00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.279
 followers,

00:22:30.140 --> 00:22:30.880
 and as

00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:31.759
 we know

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.440
 looking back

00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:32.839
 because we

00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:33.180
 can read

00:22:33.180 --> 00:22:33.379
 it,

00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:34.279
 that it

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:34.720
 would shrink

00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:35.299
 even further

00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:36.960
 and that

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.819
 the crowds

00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:38.319
 that once

00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:38.799
 listened to

00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:38.980
 him,

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.299
 they would

00:22:39.299 --> 00:22:39.819
 fall away.

00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:41.500
 Even the

00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:42.259
 disciples would

00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:42.819
 cower in

00:22:42.819 --> 00:22:44.079
 fear and

00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:44.779
 deny Jesus

00:22:44.779 --> 00:22:45.400
 even to a

00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:45.779
 little girl.

00:22:46.879 --> 00:22:47.680
 And all

00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:48.160
 of the

00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:48.460
 kingdom,

00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:49.039
 all of

00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:49.319
 God's

00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:49.799
 kingdom at

00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:50.299
 the moment

00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:50.700
 of the

00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:51.339
 cross is

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:51.640
 literally

00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:52.279
 just one

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:52.599
 man,

00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:53.259
 one man

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:54.059
 called

00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:54.539
 Jesus,

00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.079
 hung on

00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:55.519
 the cross.

00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:57.339
 And at

00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:57.920
 that moment,

00:22:58.680 --> 00:22:58.980
 wouldn't it

00:22:58.980 --> 00:22:59.339
 be tempting

00:22:59.339 --> 00:22:59.799
 to think,

00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:00.700
 is this it?

00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:01.640
 Is this

00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:02.720
 the kingdom?

00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:03.460
 Is this

00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:03.880
 the kingdom

00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:04.180
 that you

00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:04.539
 promised

00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:04.840
 Jesus?

00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.259
 Is this

00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:06.519
 what it's

00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:06.799
 going to

00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:07.039
 be?

00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:09.580
 Maybe you

00:23:09.580 --> 00:23:09.960
 felt that

00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:10.120
 way.

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:10.519
 You know,

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:11.220
 if you

00:23:11.220 --> 00:23:11.860
 look around

00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:12.819
 this city

00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:13.140
 that we

00:23:13.140 --> 00:23:13.440
 live in,

00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:13.700
 if you

00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:14.299
 listen to

00:23:14.299 --> 00:23:14.920
 the news

00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:15.759
 that you

00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.319
 see every

00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:16.660
 day,

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.240
 does it

00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:18.779
 look like

00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:19.299
 you that

00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:19.740
 the kingdom

00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.500
 is gloriously

00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:21.019
 expanding?

00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:23.720
 Here in

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.059
 northwest

00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:24.420
 London,

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.440
 where there

00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:25.779
 is the

00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:26.039
 lowest

00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:26.980
 proportion of

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.299
 gospel

00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:27.700
 preaching

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.519
 churches

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:29.220
 in all

00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:29.620
 of London,

00:23:29.619 --> 00:23:30.839
 it's easy

00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:31.119
 to look

00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:32.339
 around the

00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:32.939
 room and

00:23:32.939 --> 00:23:33.159
 say,

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:33.419
 well,

00:23:33.459 --> 00:23:33.879
 it's just

00:23:33.879 --> 00:23:34.259
 us.

00:23:34.979 --> 00:23:35.619
 This little

00:23:35.619 --> 00:23:35.939
 group of

00:23:35.939 --> 00:23:36.179
 people,

00:23:36.899 --> 00:23:37.639
 is this

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:37.879
 it?

00:23:39.979 --> 00:23:40.500
 See,

00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:40.859
 from that

00:23:40.859 --> 00:23:41.859
 tiny mustard

00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:42.319
 seed,

00:23:43.199 --> 00:23:44.239
 the plant

00:23:44.239 --> 00:23:44.819
 will grow

00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:45.419
 until it

00:23:45.419 --> 00:23:46.000
 becomes the

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.719
 largest of

00:23:46.719 --> 00:23:46.939
 all the

00:23:46.939 --> 00:23:47.299
 plants.

00:23:48.399 --> 00:23:48.699
 And the

00:23:48.699 --> 00:23:49.000
 growth,

00:23:49.099 --> 00:23:49.319
 it might

00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:49.559
 be

00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.259
 imperceptible.

00:23:50.979 --> 00:23:51.759
 For years

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.379
 and years,

00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:53.000
 you can't

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:53.579
 tell anything

00:23:53.579 --> 00:23:54.099
 is happening,

00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:55.319
 but it

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:55.599
 is.

00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.399
 And we

00:23:56.399 --> 00:23:56.740
 can take

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.639
 hope in

00:23:57.639 --> 00:23:58.279
 the knowledge

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.159
 that the

00:23:59.159 --> 00:23:59.419
 kingdom

00:23:59.419 --> 00:24:01.339
 will

00:24:01.339 --> 00:24:01.819
 ultimately

00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:02.419
 prevail.

00:24:03.699 --> 00:24:04.019
 Jesus

00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:04.259
 says,

00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:04.539
 let me

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:04.899
 tell you

00:24:04.899 --> 00:24:05.259
 something.

00:24:06.419 --> 00:24:06.719
 From what

00:24:06.719 --> 00:24:07.219
 seems like

00:24:07.219 --> 00:24:07.740
 the lowest

00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:08.199
 of all

00:24:08.199 --> 00:24:08.619
 moments,

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:09.699
 from the

00:24:09.699 --> 00:24:10.179
 absolute

00:24:10.179 --> 00:24:11.199
 devastation

00:24:11.199 --> 00:24:11.899
 of hope

00:24:11.899 --> 00:24:12.480
 at my

00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:12.779
 own

00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:13.159
 death,

00:24:14.679 --> 00:24:15.019
 he says,

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.359
 in three

00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:15.879
 days I

00:24:15.879 --> 00:24:16.399
 will rebuild

00:24:16.399 --> 00:24:16.879
 this temple.

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:18.839
 The brilliant

00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:19.559
 glory of the

00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:20.000
 resurrection

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:20.639
 will come,

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.599
 and out of

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.279
 this small

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:22.899
 band of

00:24:22.899 --> 00:24:23.359
 followers,

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:24.440
 is going

00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:24.859
 to come

00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:25.279
 a kingdom.

00:24:26.339 --> 00:24:27.039
 A kingdom

00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:27.420
 that will

00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:27.899
 spread from

00:24:27.899 --> 00:24:28.259
 the east

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:28.859
 to the west,

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:29.839
 from the

00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:30.279
 north to

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:30.799
 the south,

00:24:30.859 --> 00:24:31.059
 and it

00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:31.619
 will transform

00:24:31.619 --> 00:24:32.259
 the world

00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:32.579
 as we

00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:32.980
 know it.

00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:35.359
 And beyond.

00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:36.859
 Because one

00:24:36.859 --> 00:24:37.160
 day,

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:38.599
 every knee

00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:39.160
 will bow.

00:24:40.379 --> 00:24:40.940
 And one

00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:41.099
 day,

00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:41.660
 every tongue

00:24:41.660 --> 00:24:42.420
 will confess

00:24:42.420 --> 00:24:43.559
 that Jesus

00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:44.200
 is Lord.

00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:45.579
 And it

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:46.000
 will be a

00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:46.660
 worldwide,

00:24:47.319 --> 00:24:48.119
 eternity-wide

00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:48.480
 kingdom.

00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:48.559
 kingdom.

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.539
 And Jesus

00:24:52.539 --> 00:24:52.880
 says,

00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:53.779
 listen,

00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:54.700
 my kingdom

00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.880
 will come.

00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:57.819
 My will

00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:58.720
 will be

00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.799
 done on

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:00.440
 earth as

00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:00.839
 it is in

00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:01.079
 heaven.

00:25:01.539 --> 00:25:01.779
 Amen?

00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:04.700
 I want to

00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:05.039
 be part of

00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:05.400
 that kingdom.

00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:07.000
 And the

00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:07.920
 beauty of

00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:08.400
 the gospel

00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:08.819
 of Jesus

00:25:08.819 --> 00:25:09.319
 Christ is

00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:09.579
 that we

00:25:09.579 --> 00:25:09.839
 can.

00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:11.779
 Because of

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:12.099
 Jesus,

00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:13.220
 because this

00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:13.819
 Jesus came

00:25:13.819 --> 00:25:14.160
 into the

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:14.680
 world as

00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:15.120
 the lamp

00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:15.700
 to bring

00:25:15.700 --> 00:25:16.240
 light and

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:16.799
 understanding,

00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.360
 namely the

00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:18.839
 understanding

00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:19.279
 that we

00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:19.899
 could not

00:25:19.899 --> 00:25:20.519
 enter that

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:20.979
 kingdom on

00:25:20.979 --> 00:25:21.339
 our own.

00:25:22.199 --> 00:25:22.939
 That there's

00:25:22.939 --> 00:25:23.439
 no way.

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.439
 And that we

00:25:24.439 --> 00:25:24.939
 would need a

00:25:24.939 --> 00:25:25.179
 savior.

00:25:26.439 --> 00:25:27.559
 And in a

00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:28.059
 completely

00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:28.899
 unexpected,

00:25:29.639 --> 00:25:30.439
 unplanned,

00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:32.039
 something we

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.579
 could not

00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:33.339
 fathom,

00:25:34.459 --> 00:25:34.859
 in this

00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:35.599
 crazy turn

00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:36.019
 of events,

00:25:36.139 --> 00:25:36.699
 the king

00:25:36.699 --> 00:25:37.159
 of this

00:25:37.159 --> 00:25:37.559
 kingdom

00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:38.759
 gives

00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:39.359
 himself

00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:40.319
 as the

00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:40.919
 sacrifice,

00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:41.879
 as the

00:25:41.879 --> 00:25:42.240
 payment,

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:43.059
 as the

00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:43.699
 ticket to

00:25:43.699 --> 00:25:44.159
 open the

00:25:44.159 --> 00:25:44.619
 gates to

00:25:44.619 --> 00:25:45.019
 the city.

00:25:45.959 --> 00:25:46.259
 And to

00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:46.719
 let you

00:25:46.719 --> 00:25:47.059
 and let

00:25:47.059 --> 00:25:47.500
 me in.

00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:49.259
 And all

00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:49.740
 it takes

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.140
 is a

00:25:50.140 --> 00:25:50.259
 little

00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:50.680
 faith.

00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:52.559
 Even

00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:53.420
 faith the

00:25:53.420 --> 00:25:54.019
 size of

00:25:54.019 --> 00:25:54.559
 a tiny

00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:55.079
 mustard

00:25:55.079 --> 00:25:55.460
 seed.

00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:58.799
 Mark

00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:00.099
 concludes

00:26:00.099 --> 00:26:01.960
 by stating

00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:02.380
 that Jesus

00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:02.980
 spoke in

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:03.299
 many

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:03.940
 parables.

00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:05.700
 And that

00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:06.819
 he spoke

00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:07.460
 the word

00:26:07.460 --> 00:26:07.839
 to them

00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:08.220
 as much

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:08.480
 as they

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:08.619
 could

00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:09.019
 understand,

00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:09.480
 and he

00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:09.700
 didn't

00:26:09.700 --> 00:26:10.599
 say anything

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.740
 to them

00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:12.420
 without using

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:12.700
 these

00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:13.059
 parables.

00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.380
 Right?

00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:14.880
 Interestingly,

00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:15.660
 despite the

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:16.300
 stories and

00:26:16.300 --> 00:26:16.880
 the teachings

00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:17.860
 that you

00:26:17.860 --> 00:26:18.279
 read,

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.160
 that Jesus

00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:19.620
 shared,

00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:19.980
 many,

00:26:20.620 --> 00:26:21.220
 including the

00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:21.600
 disciples,

00:26:21.800 --> 00:26:22.340
 didn't fully

00:26:22.340 --> 00:26:23.540
 understand at

00:26:23.540 --> 00:26:23.960
 the time.

00:26:25.340 --> 00:26:25.860
 They were

00:26:25.860 --> 00:26:26.220
 there with

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:26.380
 him,

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:26.940
 they heard it

00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:27.220
 from his

00:26:27.220 --> 00:26:27.519
 mouth,

00:26:27.620 --> 00:26:27.840
 but they

00:26:27.840 --> 00:26:28.019
 didn't

00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:28.380
 understand.

00:26:28.560 --> 00:26:28.680
 They

00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:29.060
 needed

00:26:29.060 --> 00:26:29.960
 Jesus to

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.660
 explain the

00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.220
 parables to

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:31.460
 them.

00:26:31.840 --> 00:26:32.580
 Just as we

00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:33.000
 need the

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:33.420
 Spirit of

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:33.960
 God to

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.779
 open our

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.420
 minds and

00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:36.279
 help us to

00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:36.960
 comprehend his

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.320
 teachings.

00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:38.640
 And the

00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.200
 parables sort

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.800
 of act like a

00:26:39.800 --> 00:26:41.600
 filter for the

00:26:41.600 --> 00:26:42.140
 crowds that

00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:42.660
 might follow

00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:43.140
 Jesus.

00:26:43.840 --> 00:26:44.080
 Right?

00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:45.179
 then and

00:26:45.179 --> 00:26:45.500
 now.

00:26:49.639 --> 00:26:50.299
 They would

00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:50.500
 be,

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:51.740
 they would

00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:52.139
 blind,

00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:52.639
 the parables

00:26:52.639 --> 00:26:53.179
 would blind

00:26:53.179 --> 00:26:53.759
 the eyes of

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:54.159
 those who

00:26:54.159 --> 00:26:54.379
 wouldn't

00:26:54.379 --> 00:26:54.720
 believe.

00:26:55.439 --> 00:26:56.000
 And they

00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:56.379
 would put

00:26:56.379 --> 00:26:57.240
 deep questions

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.759
 in the hearts

00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:58.240
 of those who

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:58.759
 would believe.

00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:00.679
 But Jesus

00:27:00.679 --> 00:27:01.960
 would explain

00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:02.480
 it to them.

00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:03.539
 And the

00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:04.099
 Spirit will

00:27:04.099 --> 00:27:05.119
 explain it to

00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:05.319
 you.

00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:06.500
 And the

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:06.939
 question is,

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.179
 will you

00:27:07.179 --> 00:27:07.740
 ever understand?

00:27:08.359 --> 00:27:08.720
 Yes,

00:27:09.199 --> 00:27:09.579
 we will

00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:09.960
 understand.

00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:10.839
 There will

00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:11.359
 be a day

00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:11.799
 when we can

00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:12.220
 look back

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:12.579
 and we can

00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:12.859
 say,

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:13.619
 God,

00:27:13.699 --> 00:27:14.059
 now I

00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:14.459
 understand

00:27:14.459 --> 00:27:15.019
 your plan.

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:16.619
 Now I

00:27:16.619 --> 00:27:17.279
 understand what

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:17.519
 you were

00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:17.959
 doing all

00:27:17.959 --> 00:27:18.519
 this time.

00:27:19.639 --> 00:27:20.039
 It all

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.539
 makes sense

00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:20.839
 now.

00:27:21.579 --> 00:27:22.199
 When I was

00:27:22.199 --> 00:27:22.559
 going through

00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:23.099
 that challenge

00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:23.459
 and I

00:27:23.459 --> 00:27:23.919
 couldn't see

00:27:23.919 --> 00:27:24.479
 it because

00:27:24.479 --> 00:27:25.539
 I was stuck

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:25.779
 in the

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:25.959
 middle,

00:27:26.179 --> 00:27:27.359
 now it's

00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:27.599
 all been

00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:28.119
 made clear.

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:29.839
 When I

00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.179
 couldn't make

00:27:30.179 --> 00:27:30.519
 sense of

00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.099
 that circumstance

00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:32.279
 that I found

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:33.019
 myself in and

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:33.319
 I didn't

00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:33.919
 understand what

00:27:33.919 --> 00:27:34.119
 you were

00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:34.379
 doing,

00:27:34.979 --> 00:27:35.599
 I needed

00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:36.419
 understanding and

00:27:36.419 --> 00:27:36.939
 now you've

00:27:36.939 --> 00:27:37.399
 opened my

00:27:37.399 --> 00:27:37.719
 eyes.

00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:40.740
 I

00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:42.180
 see how

00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:42.480
 you are

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:42.900
 the lamp

00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:43.799
 and that

00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:43.940
 you're

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.140
 bringing

00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:45.400
 light and

00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:45.700
 you don't

00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.019
 want your

00:27:46.019 --> 00:27:46.360
 light to

00:27:46.360 --> 00:27:46.680
 be hidden.

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.200
 I believe

00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:48.579
 that you're

00:27:48.579 --> 00:27:48.940
 at work

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:49.360
 even when

00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:49.779
 I can't

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.360
 tell and

00:27:50.360 --> 00:27:50.600
 when I

00:27:50.600 --> 00:27:51.240
 can't see

00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:52.279
 the shoot

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:52.980
 out of the

00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:53.259
 soil,

00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:53.980
 even if it

00:27:53.980 --> 00:27:54.380
 doesn't look

00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:54.799
 like it.

00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:55.799
 And that

00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:56.200
 your kingdom

00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.920
 grows without

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.440
 your help,

00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:58.160
 without our

00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:58.339
 help,

00:27:58.440 --> 00:27:58.880
 without my

00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.120
 help.

00:28:01.120 --> 00:28:01.940
 I trust

00:28:01.940 --> 00:28:02.380
 that your

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:02.880
 kingdom will

00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:04.039
 grow and

00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:04.360
 that in

00:28:04.360 --> 00:28:05.500
 time your

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.299
 will will

00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:07.180
 ultimately be

00:28:07.180 --> 00:28:07.480
 done.

00:28:08.619 --> 00:28:09.180
 And that

00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:09.779
 your promises

00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:10.339
 will come

00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:10.639
 true.

00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:11.759
 And that

00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.220
 the sad

00:28:12.220 --> 00:28:12.759
 things of

00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:13.279
 this earth

00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.319
 and this

00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:14.940
 life will

00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:15.839
 come untrue.

00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:19.099
 So like

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:20.099
 the man

00:28:20.099 --> 00:28:20.980
 who looks

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:21.419
 at Jesus,

00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.180
 he says,

00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:23.000
 Lord,

00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:23.720
 I do

00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:24.059
 believe.

00:28:24.159 --> 00:28:24.839
 We do

00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:25.299
 believe.

00:28:26.159 --> 00:28:26.859
 Please help

00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:27.639
 our unbelief.

00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:29.859
 Shall we

00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:30.039
 pray?

00:28:32.139 --> 00:28:33.059
 Just quietly

00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:33.639
 take a moment

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 to pray

00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:35.000
 silently where

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:35.379
 you are.

00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:36.779
 Ask the

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:38.720
 Lord for

00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:39.259
 understanding

00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:40.259
 something that

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:41.139
 he's put on

00:28:41.139 --> 00:28:41.480
 your heart

00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:41.779
 in this

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:42.039
 moment.

00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:42.240
 And

00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:42.839
 you

00:28:42.839 --> 00:29:12.819
 Thank you.

00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:18.759
 For how you have sown the seeds to implant in our hearts that we might grow to know you.

00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:28.539
 Thank you for sending Jesus to be the lamp to illuminate our hearts and minds to reveal the true purposes of your kingdom.

00:29:29.539 --> 00:29:30.679
 We praise you.

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:37.359
 That even when we can't see, we can't understand how you're working, that you never sleep nor slumber.

00:29:38.139 --> 00:29:42.279
 And that through it all you're working to bring the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:46.119
 And God, we look forward to the kingdom of heaven.

00:29:46.619 --> 00:29:50.740
 That we might spend eternity with you and that our hope would be fully realized.

00:29:51.459 --> 00:29:55.059
 And we might spend our days bringing you glory and enjoying you forever.

00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:58.480
 Thank you, Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen.

00:29:58.480 --> 00:29:58.539
 Amen.

00:29:58.539 --> 00:29:58.839
 Amen.

00:29:58.839 --> 00:29:59.380
 Amen.

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