WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful

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 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either

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

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 for us 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, we really,

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

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

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 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a

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 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

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 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the

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 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

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 I invite you to pray with me as we begin.

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 Dear Heavenly Father, we ask that by your Word and your Spirit, you would open up our ears and our

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 hearts to hear you this morning. We ask that you would help us to rejoice in your goodness,

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 in your compassion, in your mercy, so much so that we would show that to those around us in our daily

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 lives, the people we meet, the people we serve, and also that we might walk with you more faithfully.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 From 1989 to 94, Stella and I lived in Vancouver. You know we've been around a lot, and so keeping

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 track of us is not easy. But there we were for those five years. She was studying at Regent College,

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 and I was working my way through a long list, a long reading list of works in Russian literature.

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 Now at the end of all that, I must have written something at least semi-coherent, because UBC,

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 University of British Columbia, gave me a nice piece of paper that I can display in my office.

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 But that's not what I'm here to talk about with you this morning, but I am going to keep us in

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 Vancouver. I want to take you to a moment in 93, the summer of 93, in fact the same month that we're in

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 now. To an event hosted by the then Dean of the Diocese of New Westminster, Michael Ingham. Here's

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 what Ingham wrote a few years after that event. In July 1993, we held a debate in Vancouver between

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 John Stott and Bishop Spong. It was held in the cathedral on a hot summer's night, and about 1400

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 people came. We turned 300 away at the door. It was an amazing event. Both men spoke passionately and

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 persuasively. They spoke with an evident measure of respect for each other, but what they described

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 were two fundamentally different understandings of human sexuality, human freedom, the interpretation

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 of scripture, and indeed the gospel itself. And they were applauded by two quite different sections of the

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 audience. He continues, and here I can ask for the slide that continues on.

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 Two things became clear to me that night. First, what a marvelous thing the Anglican church is that

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 we can hold together such diverse and opposite viewpoints within both our members and our leaders.

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 Many of us remain in good fellowship, in good relationship with each other, despite disagreement

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 on these fundamental issues. And second, what a huge gulf divides our church in its understanding of human

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 sexuality. Now, I concur with nearly everything there that he said. It was a hot day in July.

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 Many were turned away at the door. I managed to get in. Spong and Stott were quite respectful towards each

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 other in debate, and it was evident from where I sat that a huge gulf divided the church on issues of human

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 sexuality. But I'm convinced that it is not a wonderful thing when the church body contains within itself

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 contradictory views on something so central as the good news itself and what sort of authority the Bible is.

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 Now, as a matter of historical record, I myself was somewhat sitting the fence on the issue at the time.

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 In fact, as much as I admired and revered John Stott, I went sort of secretly hoping that Spong's progressive

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 view would persuade me if this was the way the Spirit was leading the church.

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 And part of my indecision was no doubt related to the kind of ideas that were floating in the academy

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 at the time. It was becoming somewhat fashionable to think, at least in my field of literature,

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 that the meaning of, say, a poem or a short story is really determined by the individual reader.

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 In other words, it was starting to become fashionable to think that everyone makes up or has their own truth.

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 And the idea has now, as you know, has become fairly mainstream. In a TED Talk a couple of years ago,

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 Catherine Marr, who is CEO of the American National Public Radio, could say this,

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 part of the reason we have such glorious chronicles to the human experience in all forms of culture is

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 because we all acknowledge that there are many different truths. I'm certain that the truth exists for you

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 and probably for the person sitting next to you. But this may not be the same truth.

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 But I believe that it was around that time that God took my heart and made it more teachable in a decisive way

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 when I wasn't especially seeking Him. He put in me a desire through means I won't try to explain here,

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 but He put in me a desire to submit to the authority of Scripture.

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 In terms of the renewal of my mind, here I mark a definite before and after. And so in a sense, I can thank

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 Bishop, who became Bishop Ingham for hosting that event, because this became a turning point for me.

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 I was starting to imagine with that theologian I mentioned last time, her name is Lindsay Perez Lopez,

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 who she writes for Sojourners. I was starting to imagine with her that Scripture

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 is a mixture of human understanding and misunderstanding as well as divine revelation. You see that lovely mix of human

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 insight, human misunderstanding, and a bit of revelation thrown in there. Isn't that nice?

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 But then God let me see why and how that was going to be a dead end. So it wasn't long before I came to be

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 certain that the man who was going to become our diocesan bishop, Mike Lingham, a senior leader in the

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 church, called to safeguard the apostolic message, was very wrong. He was wrong to be enthusiastic about the

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 existence of contradictory views of human sexuality within our church. He was wrong to imagine that we

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 might really take that on board. He was wrong, in other words, to imagine that the rainbow flag is

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 compatible with the cross. He didn't say it in those terms, obviously, but that was the meaning. His hope

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 was not only that Anglicans who believed contradictory things about human sexuality

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 and other matters could stay together, but that they should. And somehow that diversity

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 views was supposed to be a healthy thing. For vast numbers of young people today, I'm afraid,

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 who identify as as a Christian in one way or another, that's come to be almost gospel truth. It's the way

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 they have been catechized by our culture. But imagine a hockey coach saying something like,

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 isn't it a wonderful thing that among our coaching staff and among the players, we have

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 two basically contradictory views about the rules of hockey and about what equipment the game requires and

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 about how we should train for it. Imagine that. I didn't have a name for that kind of approach to

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 things at the time, but it has a name. And it's the way of institutionalism. You kind of give way to

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 the institution itself for its own sake of deciding not to decide about issues that are central to the

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 Christian faith. And so it was that our pastors in the Diocese of New Westminster let the wolves in.

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 But let's back up and assume for a moment that we believe that the Spirit is leading the church

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 to bless sexual intimacy and unions apart from the marriage between one man and one woman.

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 What is the core value that drives our belief? And I ask you to keep an eye on the next slide. What's

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 the core value that would drive our belief? Just I pulled out a few points that I think would be help

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 us make the case for that and why the Holy Spirit is leading us in that direction. Probably the main

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 reason we would we'd want to be on board with this project would be a sense of compassion towards

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 marginalized groups. If you were here with us last Sunday or you followed us remotely, you'll recall

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 the progressive idea that God's love just flows through everything, drawing everything into the divine life,

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 making the Christian life a road that you make by walking. So Paris Lopez names a second core value

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 among progressive Christians. Since life in the church, she says, must be an expression of the love that is at the

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 heart of everything. Any kind of exclusion, except exclusive forms of Christianity, which exclude

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 themselves from this embrace, is ruled out. Any kind of exclusion is ruled out. The call put to the

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 church, she says, is to celebrate differences that have traditionally been marginalized, differences with

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 respect to race, with respect to race, class, sex, and gender preference.

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 At heart, my motivation would be a concern for justice, I think. And here, there are certain parallels with the

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 Protestant Reformation. So the progressive message has a certain Protestant feel to it.

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 Let me explain. If the central theological conviction of the Reformers, like Martin Luther and others,

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 was that we are justified through faith alone, apart from works, then the new conviction would be that

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 all without exception are redeemed through God's unconditional love. All without exception are

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 redeemed through God's unconditional love. If the main concern for justice back then, in the 16th century,

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 had to do with the sale of indulgences and other forms of corruption, then today's concern has to do with

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 systems that oppress minorities, in particular sexual minorities. If the main liturgical, ceremonial concern

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 back then was to reform the Lord's Supper, to get rid of the Mass. Then today, it's to reform marriage and to get rid of

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 restrictions on who may love whom. Following on these concerns would be the felt need to celebrate diversity.

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 The assumption here would not be that God understands our weakness and he makes allowances.

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 Rather, the idea is that God positively intends a variety of forms of sexual fulfillment.

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 And this argument is often backed by the claim that the Bible really doesn't say much at all about

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 committed same-sex relationships between consenting adults, of course. To get a sense of what these

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 convictions look like in the context of the gathered community, I decided to tune in to a few sermons for

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 Pride Sunday. I don't know, maybe you did too. One pastor spoke of liberation several times throughout

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 his service to how it is that in Christ we have the freedom not to be bound by the law,

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 not to be shamed by those in power, those who inevitably appeal to a rigid orthodoxy as a way to just control others.

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 Another pastor used the word quirkiness to speak of the diversity of sexual preferences and declared that

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 God shines through our quirkiness in it and with it and not in spite of it.

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 And he grounded this in the doctrine of original blessing. Have you heard of it? Original blessing,

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 which speaks of our essential goodness as humans and questions the traditional understanding of Adam

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 and Eve's fall from grace. So as progressive Christians, what would our attitude, what sort of

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 attitude would we want to adopt towards those who don't, sorry to give my age and point back to John

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 Denver, but those who don't come stand beside us and seek a better way? Well, in the context of worship,

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 I picked up on one attitude that was fairly negative. Those who uphold the church's traditional

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 teaching on sexuality are, that nasty word, fundamentalists, because they are mainly concerned

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 for power and control. In the parts of the service devoted to prayer, I didn't hear prayers for our

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 fundamentalist siblings caught in the darkness of dogmatism and who need God's special touch.

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 Now, maybe those do happen, but I didn't hear any. The attitude was, was at least through these sermons,

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 hardly generous. It's not as though traditional Christians at least serve to raise good questions

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 so that we can refine our progressive message through dialogue. Not at all. In this approach,

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 traditionalists are, quote, hate-filled. George Conger of Anglican Inc. tells of how a certain bishop

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 described those who don't support the LGBTQ plus cause, crazy, evil, or stupid.

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 A bishop in the Church of God. Paris Lopez took a somewhat more generous view. She said this,

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 by starting with the marginalized and the vulnerable, those traditionally excluded and exploited and radiating

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 outward, we deepen the love within ourselves and reach out in the love, to the love within others.

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 We can express agreement where it exists, hold firm to our values when others challenge them,

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 and show compassion over all. Eventually, compassion wears down callousness and empathy,

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 erodes enmity. This is how we move from rivalry to relationship, exclusion to embrace.

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 And that brings me to this final point in the progressive message. For Paris Lopez,

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 the progressive vision is one driven by that basic desire for community, for fellowship,

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 which will one day, she's convinced, will embrace everyone without exception. In the meantime,

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 the circle does have a circumference, but that circumference is only drawn by those who,

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 for now, exclude themselves from God's embrace. So that's what we're up against. That's the basic shape,

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 I think, of progressive Christianity as it relates to human sexuality. It's been, you know, I come from

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 Latin America, and it's sad to see evangelical pastors, formerly evangelical pastors, move so slowly but

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 surely in this direction. It's heartbreaking to see it happen. And that's why there's a strong desire to

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 share with you these things as a way that we can together inform ourselves, understand what it is that

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 we're up against so that we can have a good response. So to a response. Well, one way would be to ask whether the

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 whole framework can reasonably be called Christian or if it would be better, say, to describe it in some

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 some other way. But, and of course, that suggestion annoys progressive Christians because they sincerely

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 believe that the way they are following is the way of Jesus. They believe it is the way of compassion.

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 But sincerity aside, since sincerity is not a reliable standard for what's right and wrong,

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 what can we actually affirm about this core value? And where do we begin to see internal problems?

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 Well, as far as I can tell, every faith system has some impulse or value that reflects something of a

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 yearning that God has put in the human heart. So in Hinduism, and you know I spent some time in India,

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 and even though you can talk to Hindus here in Canada, it's another thing altogether when you're just

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 always around Hindus. So in Hinduism, there's a yearning to be freed from the endless cycle of

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 reincarnation. And I would say we don't have to agree with reincarnation as a doctrine to affirm that

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 the desire to be freed from that, that the power of that idea is a good thing. I think we can commend,

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 I think we can say that's wonderful that you wish to be freed. Let me tell you where we find freedom.

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 So it is with progressive Christianity. We don't have to affirm its central theological convictions to

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 agree that it's a good thing to want to pursue fellowship or communion with God and with others.

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 God has made us for that. He's put it in our DNA.

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 And in my introduction, I've already mentioned the way in which we make room for progressive values.

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 Bishop Michael Ingham, when he was dean, was just making room. He wasn't stating his own views openly.

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 He was saying, isn't it wonderful that we have this diversity of views?

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 But we can make it not a hill to die on, as they say. I'm referring to that institutionalism and how

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 our leaders were teaching us to not break fellowship, which was to do injury to the body of Christ. In

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 other words, they were teaching us that schism was worse than heresy, than the possibility of serious,

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 grave error in the church. So at this point, I think we can turn directly to our passage of Scripture

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 and respond to some of its central beliefs about justice, about the human condition, and about

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 fellowship, because that's the central theme there, fellowship. Fellowship, the desire for it, and I think

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 guided by what John teaches us here in the beginning of his epistle. And if we can have the next slide.

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 No, I think we have it already. Thank you. Then guided by this passage, let me just highlight two visions

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 of fellowship. Two ways to think about what exactly fellowship is, what it's for, how we receive it, and how we

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 remain in it. So what is fellowship? Well, fellowship, according to John, is restored communion.

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 Communion with God. In other words, it's a reality that's lacking up until the moment that God grants it.

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 That's why, that's precisely why, moved by the Spirit of God, John can say to his readers there in the beginning,

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 let me tell you something, let me tell you something, so that you too can enjoy the communion with God

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 that we have come to know in Jesus.

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 Well, with what sort of God do we have communion? Well, God, according to the teaching they receive from

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 Jesus, John says, is light.

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 This speaks particularly of God's goodness.

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 As when Jesus says, no one's good, except God alone.

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 Mark 10, 18.

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 But John doesn't leave it there because he adds in verse 5 that in God there is no darkness at all.

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 And you would think, well, why do you need to spell out the negative?

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 Well, it speaks of a different attribute of God, a different quality.

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 It speaks of his holiness, no darkness at all.

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 When we speak of God's different qualities or attributes as revealed in Scripture,

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 we have to be careful not to divide him up into parts as if he were partly good and partly holy

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 or partly faithful, partly just attributes that John mentions in verse 9.

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 The truth is, God is completely and entirely all these things with no division in himself

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 as if he were torn in one direction or another.

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 Quite the contrary.

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 He is generous and gracious, taking no pleasure in the death of the wicked, Ezekiel 18.23.

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 Based on an offer of salvation that goes out to all, John can say boldly,

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 I'm writing about the things we've experienced so that you too can enter into fellowship with us

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 even as we are in fellowship with God through Jesus.

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 Now, think about it.

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 Progressive Christians find the idea that there was a moment in your life and mine

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 when we were alienated from God,

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 well, an idea that's just a little bit too hard to accept.

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 Rather, they prefer to believe that we start off in God's embrace with that original blessing

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 in harmonious relationship with him, and then at some point we pull away, perhaps,

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 through this or that influence that's external.

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 So, along with not knowing what to do with the warning that the truth is not in us,

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 as John says, if we deny that we're sinners, verse 8,

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 progressive Christians must find a way to overlook the clear diagnosis of our human problem

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 in Romans 3, 9, and 22, where Paul says this.

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 He says that all of us, Jews and Gentiles alike, are under the power of sin.

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 Under the power of sin.

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 And that God's righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

00:25:13.659 --> 00:25:15.500
 So, let's turn to the second question.

00:25:15.619 --> 00:25:17.059
 What's the purpose of fellowship?

00:25:17.059 --> 00:25:21.460
 Well, when the bad news, it turns out, isn't quite so bad,

00:25:21.619 --> 00:25:23.759
 it turns out that the flip side is true.

00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:28.539
 The good news was really not that great and spectacularly good news either.

00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:32.819
 At any rate, the progressive Christians' view of the purpose of fellowship

00:25:32.819 --> 00:25:34.720
 is very much this worldly.

00:25:35.899 --> 00:25:38.539
 The Jesus-following community, we're told,

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.440
 exists for the flourishing of society

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:44.720
 as we become more and more liberated

00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:47.960
 from unjust structures that are out there

00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:49.320
 and that we perpetuate.

00:25:50.080 --> 00:25:52.539
 But in John, we see that the end of fellowship

00:25:52.539 --> 00:25:55.160
 is, over here on the one hand,

00:25:55.580 --> 00:25:56.740
 cleansing from sin.

00:25:57.980 --> 00:26:00.299
 So the darkness of our past

00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:01.600
 is dealt with.

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:04.599
 As God applies the blood of Jesus,

00:26:04.939 --> 00:26:05.480
 verse 7,

00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:08.000
 to our unrighteousness

00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.459
 and gives us a new start,

00:26:10.899 --> 00:26:11.699
 a fresh beginning.

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:13.459
 Now, that's great news.

00:26:15.139 --> 00:26:16.859
 And our future is also,

00:26:16.959 --> 00:26:18.339
 if our past is taken care of,

00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:19.939
 our future is dealt with too

00:26:19.939 --> 00:26:22.539
 because God's design for fellowship

00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:24.179
 is also,

00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:25.740
 is fullness of joy.

00:26:26.740 --> 00:26:27.759
 Forgiveness of sins.

00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:28.859
 Fullness of joy.

00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:30.619
 In verse 4, John says,

00:26:30.939 --> 00:26:32.000
 he's writing his letter

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:35.299
 in hopes for completeness of joy

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:37.479
 as more and more people

00:26:37.479 --> 00:26:38.919
 give their lives to Jesus.

00:26:40.659 --> 00:26:41.659
 If we've been,

00:26:41.899 --> 00:26:43.959
 if you sit there and you can say,

00:26:44.379 --> 00:26:45.959
 I've been privileged to know

00:26:45.959 --> 00:26:47.219
 something of the joy

00:26:47.219 --> 00:26:48.240
 of Christian fellowship.

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:49.599
 Well,

00:26:50.639 --> 00:26:52.240
 know this,

00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:54.219
 it's because God has been kind

00:26:54.219 --> 00:26:55.240
 to you

00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:57.479
 in giving you a foretaste

00:26:57.480 --> 00:26:58.799
 of the blessings

00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:00.720
 that David was talking about

00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.980
 in, for instance,

00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:03.220
 Psalm 1611.

00:27:03.860 --> 00:27:04.299
 He said,

00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:05.660
 you make known to me

00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:06.660
 the path of life.

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.799
 There's last week.

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.860
 You will fill me

00:27:09.860 --> 00:27:11.579
 with joy in your presence,

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:13.759
 with eternal pleasures

00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:14.779
 at your right hand.

00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:19.960
 So as we put our trust in Jesus,

00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:21.819
 our deepest needs are met.

00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:23.720
 And I think

00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:26.399
 that's the kind of response

00:27:26.399 --> 00:27:28.179
 we would hope to give.

00:27:28.679 --> 00:27:29.899
 Are our deepest needs

00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:31.119
 and our deepest longings

00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:32.079
 really satisfied?

00:27:32.539 --> 00:27:33.159
 Question 3.

00:27:33.879 --> 00:27:34.059
 So,

00:27:34.179 --> 00:27:35.460
 how do we enter into fellowship?

00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:36.359
 Well,

00:27:36.419 --> 00:27:37.339
 we've heard about

00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:38.579
 the exercise of faith

00:27:38.579 --> 00:27:39.279
 from Paul

00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:40.439
 made possible

00:27:40.439 --> 00:27:41.539
 through the proclaimed

00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:42.379
 word of God.

00:27:43.159 --> 00:27:43.439
 And so,

00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:44.500
 we're reminded

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:45.259
 that faith

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.779
 depends on hearing

00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:47.720
 his word,

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:48.839
 the good news of Jesus,

00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:50.539
 as well as

00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:51.480
 the special gift

00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:53.480
 that God imparts

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:55.379
 so that we can take hold

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:56.019
 of what we hear.

00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:59.480
 But the ultimate basis

00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.839
 or ground

00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:01.579
 of our fellowship

00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:02.959
 is a person.

00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:04.759
 It's Jesus himself.

00:28:05.639 --> 00:28:07.500
 Jesus brings us

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.599
 into fellowship.

00:28:08.699 --> 00:28:09.159
 It's clear.

00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:11.059
 It's right clear in John.

00:28:11.639 --> 00:28:13.199
 See how he begins

00:28:13.199 --> 00:28:14.179
 the letter once again

00:28:14.179 --> 00:28:15.259
 in verses 1 and 2.

00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:15.939
 He says,

00:28:15.940 --> 00:28:17.360
 that which was

00:28:17.360 --> 00:28:18.080
 from the beginning,

00:28:18.320 --> 00:28:18.960
 in other words,

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.160
 God's word

00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:21.059
 or the logos,

00:28:21.840 --> 00:28:23.000
 which we have heard,

00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:24.759
 which we have seen

00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:25.440
 with our eyes,

00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.799
 which we have looked upon

00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:27.840
 and have touched

00:28:27.840 --> 00:28:28.620
 with our hands

00:28:28.620 --> 00:28:29.880
 concerning the word of life.

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:31.059
 The life,

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:31.860
 the life

00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:33.200
 was made manifest.

00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:34.420
 The life

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:35.160
 was made manifest.

00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:36.380
 In other words,

00:28:36.580 --> 00:28:37.759
 John is saying

00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.759
 that the word

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:39.680
 took on flesh

00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:41.420
 and dwelt among us

00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:42.400
 and there's more.

00:28:43.320 --> 00:28:43.960
 He continues,

00:28:44.100 --> 00:28:45.279
 and we have seen it

00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:47.019
 and testified to it

00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:48.119
 and proclaimed to you

00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:49.139
 the eternal life

00:28:49.139 --> 00:28:50.420
 which was with the Father

00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:53.240
 and was made manifest to us.

00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:54.759
 The eternal life

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:56.399
 made manifest to us.

00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:58.339
 It came in

00:28:58.339 --> 00:28:59.379
 and with Jesus.

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.440
 So yes,

00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:02.819
 we take hold of it

00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:03.480
 by faith,

00:29:04.399 --> 00:29:06.259
 but the new life

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:07.240
 comes in Jesus.

00:29:07.960 --> 00:29:09.079
 By contrast,

00:29:09.399 --> 00:29:11.160
 and here's a very sharp contrast,

00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:13.579
 the progressive gospel message

00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:14.799
 tells us that the ground

00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.579
 of our fellowship

00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:17.339
 is nature itself.

00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:19.379
 We're naturally

00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:20.279
 in fellowship.

00:29:21.199 --> 00:29:22.539
 It's our natural condition.

00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:23.759
 And the idea

00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:25.119
 that it might not be,

00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:26.419
 you're to think of

00:29:26.419 --> 00:29:27.559
 as an illusion.

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.159
 Last question.

00:29:31.939 --> 00:29:32.839
 How do we remain

00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:33.460
 in fellowship?

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:36.059
 In the progressive vision,

00:29:36.199 --> 00:29:37.240
 clearly we remain

00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:38.279
 as long as we don't

00:29:38.279 --> 00:29:39.039
 exclude ourselves

00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:40.460
 through hate

00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:42.119
 and other

00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:44.099
 attitudes,

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:45.659
 fundamentalistic attitudes

00:29:45.659 --> 00:29:47.180
 aimed at policing

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.180
 people's behavior.

00:29:49.480 --> 00:29:50.319
 But John

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:50.839
 tells us

00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:51.460
 that we remain

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.579
 in fellowship with God

00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:53.799
 as we acknowledge

00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:55.059
 and confess our sins,

00:29:56.159 --> 00:29:57.259
 expecting his pardon.

00:29:57.339 --> 00:29:57.960
 How wonderful

00:29:57.960 --> 00:30:00.039
 that Thomas Cranmer

00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:00.960
 built that

00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:02.420
 into our worship,

00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:03.279
 that we

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.940
 regularly have

00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:05.579
 an opportunity

00:30:05.579 --> 00:30:07.319
 to confess our sin

00:30:07.319 --> 00:30:08.339
 and to trust

00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:09.099
 in God's pardon.

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:10.899
 So we're always

00:30:10.899 --> 00:30:12.139
 reminding ourselves

00:30:12.139 --> 00:30:14.399
 that this is

00:30:14.399 --> 00:30:15.559
 the truth,

00:30:16.159 --> 00:30:17.419
 that we need

00:30:17.419 --> 00:30:18.899
 God's daily

00:30:18.899 --> 00:30:20.599
 cleansing,

00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:21.859
 cleanse the thoughts

00:30:21.859 --> 00:30:22.539
 of our hearts,

00:30:22.539 --> 00:30:23.759
 we say together,

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:25.059
 by the inspiration

00:30:25.059 --> 00:30:26.039
 of your Holy Spirit.

00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:28.119
 And it's here

00:30:28.119 --> 00:30:29.220
 that life

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:30.099
 in the Spirit

00:30:30.099 --> 00:30:31.399
 is not set

00:30:31.399 --> 00:30:32.039
 against

00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:33.359
 submission to law.

00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:36.019
 God cares

00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:36.759
 about what we do

00:30:36.759 --> 00:30:37.519
 with our bodies.

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:38.859
 And part of what

00:30:38.859 --> 00:30:39.519
 he commands

00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:41.019
 is that we run

00:30:41.019 --> 00:30:42.959
 from a whole series

00:30:42.959 --> 00:30:43.619
 of things

00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:44.759
 that draw us

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:45.519
 away from him.

00:30:45.639 --> 00:30:46.439
 And we're all

00:30:46.439 --> 00:30:48.319
 called to run

00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.039
 from these things

00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:49.500
 together.

00:30:49.639 --> 00:30:50.319
 At the top

00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:51.000
 of the list,

00:30:51.399 --> 00:30:52.559
 at least in Galatians

00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:53.459
 5.19,

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:55.240
 is sexual immorality.

00:30:56.139 --> 00:30:57.059
 At the top

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.619
 of the list.

00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:58.539
 In Greek,

00:30:58.639 --> 00:30:59.099
 the word is

00:30:59.099 --> 00:30:59.579
 pornea,

00:30:59.799 --> 00:31:00.359
 which is a,

00:31:00.979 --> 00:31:01.799
 if you like,

00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:03.919
 a catch-all term,

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:04.720
 which includes

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.740
 forms,

00:31:05.879 --> 00:31:06.559
 all forms

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.680
 of sexual intimacy

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:09.839
 outside of marriage

00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:10.919
 between one man

00:31:10.919 --> 00:31:11.579
 and one woman.

00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:13.359
 Now,

00:31:13.419 --> 00:31:14.079
 to be clear,

00:31:14.619 --> 00:31:15.700
 God's holy law

00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:17.000
 reveals the darkness

00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:18.000
 in all our hearts.

00:31:18.460 --> 00:31:19.159
 That's why

00:31:19.159 --> 00:31:20.740
 the regular need

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:21.440
 for repentance.

00:31:22.059 --> 00:31:22.960
 But the story,

00:31:23.639 --> 00:31:24.099
 of course,

00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:24.839
 doesn't end

00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:26.079
 with just the law

00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:27.639
 shining in the darkness

00:31:27.639 --> 00:31:28.460
 of our hearts.

00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:30.099
 Because the good news

00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:31.519
 is that we can be forgiven.

00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:32.839
 and receive

00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:35.339
 the fruit of the Spirit,

00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:36.720
 which Paul says

00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:37.440
 is love,

00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:38.079
 joy,

00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:38.960
 peace,

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:41.759
 forbearance,

00:31:41.919 --> 00:31:42.339
 kindness,

00:31:42.700 --> 00:31:43.059
 goodness,

00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:44.220
 faithfulness,

00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:45.139
 gentleness,

00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:46.079
 and self-control.

00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:47.059
 It's given,

00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:47.740
 Paul says,

00:31:47.919 --> 00:31:49.139
 to those who belong

00:31:49.139 --> 00:31:49.819
 to Christ

00:31:49.819 --> 00:31:51.220
 and have crucified

00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:52.180
 the flesh

00:31:52.180 --> 00:31:53.879
 with its passions

00:31:53.879 --> 00:31:54.759
 and desires.

00:31:56.379 --> 00:31:57.720
 So you'll notice

00:31:57.720 --> 00:31:58.759
 in my response,

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.680
 I have chosen

00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:01.200
 not to bring

00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:01.859
 a series

00:32:01.859 --> 00:32:02.400
 of what

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:03.279
 our progressive

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:04.160
 friends call

00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:05.819
 clobber passages,

00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:07.299
 as though

00:32:07.299 --> 00:32:08.400
 with seven

00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:08.940
 or eight

00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:11.039
 passages of Scripture

00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:12.039
 that deal

00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:13.220
 particularly

00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:15.099
 with homosexual acts

00:32:15.099 --> 00:32:15.740
 and so forth

00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:17.440
 would seal the deal.

00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:18.880
 I have tried

00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:19.299
 to bring

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.680
 what we understand

00:32:20.680 --> 00:32:21.539
 as the whole

00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:22.539
 overall message

00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.200
 of Scripture

00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:25.420
 so that we would

00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:26.019
 recognize

00:32:26.019 --> 00:32:27.039
 that the idea

00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:28.299
 that sexual

00:32:28.299 --> 00:32:29.860
 unions apart

00:32:29.860 --> 00:32:30.759
 from marriage

00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:32.100
 are true,

00:32:32.580 --> 00:32:32.820
 wholesome,

00:32:32.980 --> 00:32:33.440
 and lovely,

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:35.080
 the idea

00:32:35.080 --> 00:32:36.559
 that sexual unions

00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:37.660
 apart from marriage

00:32:37.660 --> 00:32:38.259
 are true,

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:38.700
 wholesome,

00:32:38.860 --> 00:32:39.180
 and lovely

00:32:39.180 --> 00:32:40.940
 can only be made

00:32:40.940 --> 00:32:41.759
 by appealing

00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:42.640
 to something

00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.320
 other than

00:32:43.320 --> 00:32:44.259
 God's written word.

00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:46.980
 So,

00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:48.480
 to pull things

00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:48.779
 together,

00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:49.779
 how do the two

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.579
 views compare?

00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:52.720
 And then a few

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.420
 questions

00:32:53.420 --> 00:32:54.680
 that we might

00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:55.980
 raise with

00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:56.940
 progressive friends.

00:32:58.039 --> 00:32:58.920
 In the progressive

00:32:58.920 --> 00:32:59.279
 view,

00:32:59.379 --> 00:32:59.960
 the new birth

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.559
 from above

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:01.079
 has already

00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:01.539
 happened

00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:03.900
 for everyone,

00:33:04.220 --> 00:33:05.160
 and this reality

00:33:05.160 --> 00:33:06.039
 just needs to be

00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:06.579
 expressed

00:33:06.579 --> 00:33:07.259
 in ever greater

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:07.759
 ways.

00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:09.279
 And since

00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:09.900
 the circle

00:33:09.900 --> 00:33:10.460
 of fellowship

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.259
 provides no

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:11.799
 standards

00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:12.460
 for sexual

00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:12.960
 intimacy,

00:33:13.559 --> 00:33:14.240
 discipleship

00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:15.180
 has no

00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:16.220
 real cost.

00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:17.200
 So,

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:17.519
 we never

00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:18.140
 quite hear

00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:18.500
 Jesus'

00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:19.220
 words in

00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:20.400
 Matthew 16,

00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:20.859
 24,

00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:22.120
 if anyone

00:33:22.120 --> 00:33:22.980
 would come

00:33:22.980 --> 00:33:23.500
 after me,

00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:23.980
 let him

00:33:23.980 --> 00:33:24.980
 deny himself,

00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:26.160
 take up his

00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:26.559
 cross,

00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:27.319
 and follow me.

00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:30.120
 But according

00:33:30.120 --> 00:33:30.819
 to the Bible,

00:33:31.059 --> 00:33:31.799
 fellowship comes

00:33:31.799 --> 00:33:32.440
 from above

00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:33.579
 through faith

00:33:33.579 --> 00:33:34.099
 in Jesus.

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.160
 And we can't

00:33:35.160 --> 00:33:36.000
 generate that,

00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:36.940
 we can't

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:37.799
 manufacture it,

00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:38.180
 we can't

00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:38.799
 take it for

00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:39.160
 granted.

00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:40.279
 It's the

00:33:40.279 --> 00:33:41.000
 blessing that

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:41.480
 is given

00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:43.039
 to all those

00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:43.700
 who seek

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.600
 the kingdom

00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:45.080
 that has

00:33:45.080 --> 00:33:45.700
 foundations,

00:33:46.420 --> 00:33:47.600
 whose architect

00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:48.620
 and builder

00:33:48.620 --> 00:33:49.160
 is God.

00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.460
 So what

00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:50.759
 should our

00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:51.480
 attitude be

00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:52.319
 towards those

00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:52.920
 who believe

00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:53.680
 that the

00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:54.819
 cross and

00:33:54.819 --> 00:33:55.840
 the pride

00:33:55.840 --> 00:33:56.480
 flag might

00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:57.160
 be compatible?

00:33:58.600 --> 00:33:58.960
 Well,

00:33:59.039 --> 00:33:59.720
 remembering that

00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:00.220
 we also

00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:01.319
 entertain confusion

00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:02.779
 in one way

00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:03.360
 or another,

00:34:04.120 --> 00:34:04.900
 our prayer

00:34:04.900 --> 00:34:05.460
 should be that

00:34:05.460 --> 00:34:06.140
 the Holy Spirit

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:06.620
 would simply

00:34:06.620 --> 00:34:07.340
 touch their

00:34:07.340 --> 00:34:08.639
 hearts with

00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:09.380
 the simplicity

00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:11.019
 of the

00:34:11.019 --> 00:34:11.579
 good news.

00:34:12.180 --> 00:34:12.840
 To that end,

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.700
 three questions

00:34:13.700 --> 00:34:14.640
 as God

00:34:14.640 --> 00:34:15.640
 gives the

00:34:15.640 --> 00:34:16.200
 opportunity.

00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:18.880
 Regarding the

00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:19.420
 pursuit of

00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:20.000
 justice,

00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:21.900
 does that

00:34:21.900 --> 00:34:22.700
 pursuit of

00:34:22.700 --> 00:34:23.800
 justice ever

00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:24.559
 get to the

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.240
 heart of the

00:34:25.240 --> 00:34:26.099
 human predicament,

00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:28.579
 the human

00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:29.059
 problem,

00:34:29.220 --> 00:34:29.519
 the human

00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:29.960
 need?

00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.420
 As we work

00:34:31.420 --> 00:34:31.960
 hard to

00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:33.119
 eradicate things

00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:34.059
 like homophobia

00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:36.440
 and colonialism,

00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:38.440
 transphobia,

00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:40.360
 climate change

00:34:40.360 --> 00:34:41.039
 deniers,

00:34:41.779 --> 00:34:42.340
 or denial,

00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:43.420
 at what

00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:45.219
 point do

00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:45.699
 we look

00:34:45.699 --> 00:34:46.239
 within our

00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:47.000
 hearts to

00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:47.880
 examine our

00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:48.519
 own motives?

00:34:50.119 --> 00:34:51.139
 I often

00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:52.739
 recall Dostoevsky

00:34:52.739 --> 00:34:53.340
 here because

00:34:53.340 --> 00:34:54.559
 he's so good

00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:55.880
 at making us

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:56.599
 think about

00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:57.219
 motives,

00:34:57.579 --> 00:34:58.099
 and in that

00:34:58.099 --> 00:34:58.639
 he's very

00:34:58.639 --> 00:34:59.299
 scriptural.

00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.679
 But what

00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:02.420
 standard would

00:35:02.420 --> 00:35:02.940
 we know?

00:35:03.099 --> 00:35:04.039
 By what

00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:05.000
 standard would

00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:05.619
 we know

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:06.079
 that our

00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:06.739
 motives are

00:35:06.739 --> 00:35:07.279
 pure and

00:35:07.279 --> 00:35:07.579
 holy?

00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:09.279
 We just

00:35:09.279 --> 00:35:09.679
 take that

00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:10.099
 for granted

00:35:10.099 --> 00:35:10.420
 too?

00:35:12.139 --> 00:35:12.920
 Question two,

00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:14.659
 you claim that

00:35:14.659 --> 00:35:15.800
 same-sex marriage

00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:17.099
 must have God's

00:35:17.099 --> 00:35:17.820
 approval because

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.380
 nowhere does

00:35:18.380 --> 00:35:19.219
 the Bible speak

00:35:19.219 --> 00:35:20.199
 to those who

00:35:20.199 --> 00:35:21.259
 seek committed

00:35:21.259 --> 00:35:22.279
 same-sex

00:35:22.279 --> 00:35:23.019
 relationships.

00:35:24.179 --> 00:35:24.880
 That's one of

00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:25.219
 the harder

00:35:25.219 --> 00:35:26.380
 questions to

00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:27.340
 respond to.

00:35:28.759 --> 00:35:29.659
 We might say,

00:35:29.719 --> 00:35:30.340
 but is it not

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:31.380
 also true that

00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:32.079
 the Bible does

00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:33.039
 not speak

00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:33.900
 directly to

00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:34.360
 those who

00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:35.860
 seek committed

00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:37.099
 lifelong

00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:38.559
 polyamorous

00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:39.860
 relationships?

00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:40.860
 If you think

00:35:40.860 --> 00:35:41.599
 I'm inventing

00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:42.000
 something,

00:35:42.180 --> 00:35:44.920
 just start

00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:46.059
 poking around

00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:46.519
 the internet.

00:35:47.820 --> 00:35:48.760
 We're back

00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:49.559
 to the question

00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:50.320
 of God's

00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:51.300
 design for

00:35:51.300 --> 00:35:52.079
 sexual intimacy.

00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:52.619
 What would

00:35:52.619 --> 00:35:54.059
 it take for

00:35:54.059 --> 00:35:54.800
 us to take

00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:55.280
 him at his

00:35:55.280 --> 00:35:56.720
 word as well

00:35:56.720 --> 00:35:57.480
 as to trust

00:35:57.480 --> 00:35:57.980
 that he's

00:35:57.980 --> 00:35:59.180
 faithful and

00:35:59.180 --> 00:36:00.559
 strong to

00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:01.539
 wrap us in

00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:02.240
 his love and

00:36:02.240 --> 00:36:03.019
 shield us from

00:36:03.019 --> 00:36:03.539
 temptation?

00:36:05.059 --> 00:36:05.579
 And thirdly,

00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:06.579
 regarding your

00:36:06.579 --> 00:36:07.159
 hopes for

00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:08.179
 lasting fellowship

00:36:08.179 --> 00:36:10.920
 by being

00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:11.639
 welcoming and

00:36:11.639 --> 00:36:12.280
 affirming of

00:36:12.280 --> 00:36:13.360
 all sexual

00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:14.239
 orientations,

00:36:14.599 --> 00:36:15.280
 can the

00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:16.059
 church for

00:36:16.059 --> 00:36:17.659
 long welcome

00:36:17.659 --> 00:36:18.239
 and affirm

00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:18.900
 people just

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.380
 as they are

00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:20.159
 setting no

00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:21.840
 specific standards

00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:22.880
 for right

00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:23.420
 belief and

00:36:23.420 --> 00:36:23.900
 behavior?

00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:25.960
 For instance,

00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:27.480
 when we

00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.480
 read, as I

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:29.000
 just did

00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:29.860
 yesterday, I

00:36:29.860 --> 00:36:30.800
 think, that

00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:31.840
 in today's

00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:32.500
 Episcopal

00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:33.000
 church in

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.340
 the United

00:36:33.340 --> 00:36:34.340
 States, there

00:36:34.340 --> 00:36:35.300
 is no room

00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:36.320
 for polyamorous

00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:39.440
 priests and

00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:39.740
 that the

00:36:39.740 --> 00:36:40.280
 clergy who

00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:40.980
 seek to have

00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:41.820
 these blessed,

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:42.640
 as there have

00:36:42.640 --> 00:36:43.660
 been, are

00:36:43.660 --> 00:36:44.340
 being disciplined

00:36:44.340 --> 00:36:44.900
 by their

00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:45.320
 bishops.

00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:47.840
 Is it not

00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:49.240
 clear that

00:36:49.240 --> 00:36:50.120
 one standard

00:36:50.120 --> 00:36:50.940
 or another,

00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:51.980
 no matter how

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:52.480
 provisional,

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:53.800
 will always be

00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:54.460
 necessary?

00:36:55.559 --> 00:36:56.180
 So I'll

00:36:56.180 --> 00:36:56.660
 close here.

00:36:56.659 --> 00:36:57.839
 the pride

00:36:57.839 --> 00:36:59.219
 flag stands

00:36:59.219 --> 00:36:59.739
 for self

00:36:59.739 --> 00:37:00.359
 celebration,

00:37:00.699 --> 00:37:01.179
 for self

00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:02.579
 actualization,

00:37:02.759 --> 00:37:03.339
 for self

00:37:03.339 --> 00:37:04.859
 salvation in

00:37:04.859 --> 00:37:05.920
 a city that

00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:06.399
 is passing

00:37:06.399 --> 00:37:06.799
 away.

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.179
 It stands

00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:08.980
 for arriving

00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:09.319
 at the

00:37:09.319 --> 00:37:10.000
 great banquet

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:12.259
 with garments

00:37:12.259 --> 00:37:13.099
 that you and

00:37:13.099 --> 00:37:13.779
 I have kind

00:37:13.779 --> 00:37:14.299
 of fashioned

00:37:14.299 --> 00:37:15.099
 for ourselves.

00:37:15.799 --> 00:37:16.639
 But the

00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:17.579
 cross stands

00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:18.460
 for salvation

00:37:18.460 --> 00:37:19.739
 that comes

00:37:19.739 --> 00:37:20.359
 from above.

00:37:21.420 --> 00:37:22.239
 As we

00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:22.759
 celebrate

00:37:22.759 --> 00:37:23.099
 Jesus'

00:37:23.359 --> 00:37:24.639
 victory over

00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:25.099
 sin and

00:37:25.099 --> 00:37:25.579
 death on

00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:26.039
 the cross,

00:37:26.659 --> 00:37:27.199
 we come

00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:27.559
 to know

00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:28.159
 peace with

00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:29.259
 God through

00:37:29.259 --> 00:37:29.759
 his shed

00:37:29.759 --> 00:37:30.159
 blood,

00:37:30.799 --> 00:37:31.399
 and as we

00:37:31.399 --> 00:37:32.179
 put on the

00:37:32.179 --> 00:37:33.159
 armor that

00:37:33.159 --> 00:37:33.719
 we need for

00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:34.219
 the battle,

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:35.079
 and we

00:37:35.079 --> 00:37:35.839
 continue on

00:37:35.839 --> 00:37:37.139
 our way to

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:37.759
 the heavenly

00:37:37.759 --> 00:37:38.839
 city that

00:37:38.839 --> 00:37:39.659
 has foundations.

00:37:39.799 --> 00:37:40.359
 The pride

00:37:40.359 --> 00:37:41.739
 flag and the

00:37:41.739 --> 00:37:43.440
 cross do not

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:43.819
 mix.

00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.000
 Shall we

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:45.219
 pray?

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:45.319
 Amen.

00:37:45.319 --> 00:37:45.559
 Amen.

00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:45.719
 Amen.

00:37:45.719 --> 00:37:45.859
 Amen.

00:37:45.859 --> 00:37:46.480
 Amen.

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.259
 Amen.

00:37:47.259 --> 00:37:47.440
 Amen.

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:47.779
 Amen.

00:37:47.779 --> 00:37:48.019
 Amen.

00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:48.719
 Amen.

00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:49.259
 Amen.

00:37:49.259 --> 00:37:50.139
 Amen.

00:37:50.139 --> 00:37:50.259
 Amen.

00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:51.399
 Amen.

00:37:51.399 --> 00:37:52.279
 Amen.

00:37:52.279 --> 00:37:52.420
 Amen.

00:37:52.420 --> 00:37:52.779
 Amen.

00:37:52.779 --> 00:37:53.359
 Amen.

00:37:53.359 --> 00:37:53.659
 Amen.

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:54.460
 Amen.

00:37:54.460 --> 00:37:54.519
 Amen.

00:37:54.519 --> 00:37:54.679
 Amen.

00:37:54.679 --> 00:37:55.659
 Amen.

00:37:55.659 --> 00:37:56.619
 Amen.

00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:57.440
 Amen.

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:58.099
 Amen.

00:37:58.159 --> 00:37:58.879
 Amen.

00:37:59.039 --> 00:37:59.519
 Amen.

00:37:59.519 --> 00:37:59.559
 Amen.

00:37:59.559 --> 00:37:59.619
 Amen.

00:37:59.619 --> 00:37:59.879
 Amen.

00:37:59.879 --> 00:38:00.139
 Amen.

00:38:00.139 --> 00:38:01.159
 Amen.

00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:02.199
 Amen.

00:38:02.199 --> 00:38:02.219
 Amen.

00:38:02.219 --> 00:38:02.500
 Amen.

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.199
 Amen.

00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:03.259
 Amen.

00:38:03.259 --> 00:38:03.619
 Amen.

00:38:03.619 --> 00:38:04.559
 Amen.

00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:04.679
 Amen.

00:38:04.679 --> 00:38:04.699
 Amen.

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:05.279
 Amen.

00:38:06.339 --> 00:38:06.739
 Amen.

00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:07.619
 Amen.

00:38:07.619 --> 00:38:08.659
 Amen.

00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:15.719
 Amen.

00:38:15.719 --> 00:38:16.079
 Amen.

00:38:16.119 --> 00:38:16.299
 Amen.

00:38:16.739 --> 00:38:17.000
 Amen.

00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:21.460
 that we would seek to win, not through fancy arguments,

00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:24.239
 but through just love, through good questions,

00:38:25.179 --> 00:38:28.320
 that we would trust in you, walk with you more faithfully,

00:38:28.880 --> 00:38:32.519
 that others may too come to know the joy of fellowship with you.

00:38:32.760 --> 00:38:34.760
 This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.