WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.180 Father, thank you that we can meet. 00:00:05.520 --> 00:00:06.940 Viruses come and go. 00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:11.179 Worry and anxiety comes and goes. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:15.880 Being popular or unpopular, 00:00:16.460 --> 00:00:18.240 fitting in with the culture or not, 00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:19.660 all of these things come and go. 00:00:20.420 --> 00:00:22.480 And we give you thanks and praise that this morning 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:26.600 we can gather together to be in your presence, 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.080 to hear your word, to receive grace from you. 00:00:30.500 --> 00:00:33.280 And we ask, Lord, that you help us to be in your presence, 00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:36.320 to be open and receptive to your grace 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:37.939 that you desire to give us this morning, 00:00:38.300 --> 00:00:40.960 and help us to respond in a way which is worthy, 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.740 that is good for us and worthy of you. 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:47.400 And we ask this in the precious name of Jesus, 00:00:47.540 --> 00:00:49.100 your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:00:50.579 --> 00:00:51.380 Please be seated. 00:00:52.040 --> 00:00:55.799 Do we have both mics on, or is it just my hearing or something? 00:00:57.020 --> 00:00:58.800 Everything's fine? Okay, it's just my hearing. 00:01:00.539 --> 00:01:01.920 You guys watching it online, 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:04.640 you always get this little bit of extra commentary from me. 00:01:06.939 --> 00:01:09.340 So I don't have my hearing aid in either, 00:01:09.460 --> 00:01:10.480 so that might be part of it. 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:12.980 So one of the things which, 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.219 I don't know if I'm very different than other people, 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:17.640 I seem to be different than a lot of people in my family, 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:21.319 and that is that I have very few memories of my childhood. 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:25.959 In fact, I don't know if I have any memories, 00:01:26.199 --> 00:01:29.159 other than maybe one, of before I was six. 00:01:31.219 --> 00:01:34.000 And even, I think, you know, the couple of years after that, 00:01:34.059 --> 00:01:37.359 it's hard for me to have really that many specific memories of them. 00:01:37.419 --> 00:01:39.919 And I know, at least in the case of my family, 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:41.500 that I seem to be an outlier. 00:01:41.759 --> 00:01:44.159 A lot of, you know, my wife and my kids 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:47.399 have a lot more memories of their childhood. 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:50.400 So what I can say, you know, spoiler alert, 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:52.180 if you're watching this or something like that, 00:01:52.219 --> 00:01:54.540 I don't know when I stop believing in Santa, 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:55.820 like I probably did. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.980 But I have no memory of believing in Santa, 00:01:58.060 --> 00:02:00.420 and I have no memory of stopping believing in Santa. 00:02:00.540 --> 00:02:02.440 But then again, that's not surprising, 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:05.620 since I have no memories of my childhood, 00:02:05.980 --> 00:02:07.060 or my early childhood. 00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:08.520 So it doesn't surprise me, 00:02:08.659 --> 00:02:09.500 that it shouldn't surprise me 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:10.599 that I don't have memories of it. 00:02:12.420 --> 00:02:14.280 The point of this is that 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.479 the Santa story is actually better 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:18.800 if it's not true. 00:02:19.699 --> 00:02:21.159 Like, it's a better story 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:22.780 if you know that it's not true. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:24.379 Like, if you think about it for a second, 00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:26.360 if Santa's story is true, 00:02:27.099 --> 00:02:28.319 it would be a bit creepy. 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:30.840 Like, he knows if you're being naughty and nice. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:31.379 Like, really? 00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:32.819 He's looking at you all the time? 00:02:32.920 --> 00:02:33.960 Like, that's a bit creepy. 00:02:34.539 --> 00:02:36.599 I mean, we'd actually call that stalking, 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:39.879 and there's laws against it in Canada. 00:02:40.300 --> 00:02:41.680 And the second thing about it, 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:42.740 if you think about it is, 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:44.420 and maybe I'm the only one, 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:46.460 but I've never got a gift from Santa. 00:02:46.920 --> 00:02:48.500 I mean, it would actually be sort of interesting 00:02:48.500 --> 00:02:50.980 if one day they discovered that Santa's true, 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:52.860 the whole Santa story is correct, 00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:54.620 and what's actually happened 00:02:54.620 --> 00:02:57.400 is that all of North America and Europe are naughty, 00:02:58.060 --> 00:02:59.719 and that's why we haven't gotten any gifts. 00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:02.240 And that would actually make us all pretty mad 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:04.980 to discover that we're so bad in Santa's eyes 00:03:04.980 --> 00:03:06.080 that we haven't gotten any gifts. 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:09.500 So the Santa story is actually better if it's not true, 00:03:09.500 --> 00:03:11.340 and it's, you know, a fine enough story. 00:03:11.340 --> 00:03:14.780 The thing is, though, that for real Christians, 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:18.340 the Christmas story has to be true. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:22.240 You know, I think for a lot of my secular friends, 00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:24.520 I mean, they'd almost think, 00:03:24.620 --> 00:03:26.039 I mean, they'd know that, obviously, 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:27.659 Jesus probably really lived, 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:30.620 but they'd probably not make much of a distinction 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:32.879 between the Jesus birth story 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:35.120 and the Santa story and the other types of things. 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:37.500 They're all just sort of close to each other, 00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:38.780 but most of them would acknowledge 00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:41.180 that Jesus probably really lived in history, 00:03:41.740 --> 00:03:44.159 just like the Buddha really lived in history. 00:03:44.620 --> 00:03:46.159 But they don't, it doesn't really, 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:48.920 well, for my secular friends, 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:50.099 if you happen to be watching, 00:03:50.280 --> 00:03:53.099 for Christians, it's absolutely essential 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:53.900 that the Christians, 00:03:54.259 --> 00:03:58.159 that the birth story of Jesus is true. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:03:59.420 And so we're going to look at it, 00:03:59.420 --> 00:04:00.180 and we're going to look a little bit 00:04:00.180 --> 00:04:01.780 about why it is that we would be so odd 00:04:02.420 --> 00:04:04.120 to think that it matters, that it's true. 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:05.620 Today we're looking at the, 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:07.280 in fact, actually what we're doing is 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:09.319 because Daniel Avitan and his church plant 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:12.300 is his first time preaching through Christmas, 00:04:12.420 --> 00:04:13.439 I decided we would use 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:15.300 the three classic Christmas texts 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:17.399 for this Sunday, Christmas Eve, 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:18.399 and Christmas morning. 00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:21.420 So Matthew 1, Luke 2, and John 1. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:23.120 And so today we're looking at Matthew 1. 00:04:23.480 --> 00:04:24.920 And if you turn to your Bible, 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:27.360 that would be a great help as we look at it. 00:04:27.379 --> 00:04:28.319 But I have to warn you 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.519 that we're going to not begin where I read the text. 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:32.959 We're going to begin with the really boring bit 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.300 that goes before it, 00:04:34.300 --> 00:04:35.439 which is the genealogy. 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:37.560 So we're going to start at Matthew 1, verse 1. 00:04:38.139 --> 00:04:39.879 I was thinking about that this week, 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:43.600 that the way the Bible is usually used in Hollywood, 00:04:44.300 --> 00:04:45.480 you actually hear it a lot. 00:04:45.620 --> 00:04:47.980 It depends, I guess, on the type of movie you watch. 00:04:48.139 --> 00:04:49.580 But you often hear them say, 00:04:49.660 --> 00:04:50.600 it's going to be biblical. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:53.439 And that means the slaughter and explosions 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:54.519 are going to be massive. 00:04:55.580 --> 00:04:56.840 It's going to be biblical. 00:04:57.379 --> 00:04:59.240 But probably there'd be another word. 00:04:59.300 --> 00:05:00.379 If you said it's going to be biblical, 00:05:00.379 --> 00:05:01.699 it would also mean boring. 00:05:01.860 --> 00:05:03.019 It's going to be very boring. 00:05:03.019 --> 00:05:04.000 It's going to be biblical. 00:05:04.299 --> 00:05:05.560 Because that's how a lot of Christians 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:08.039 and non-Christians view bits of the Bible, 00:05:08.180 --> 00:05:09.419 especially ones like this. 00:05:09.599 --> 00:05:10.319 And here's how it goes. 00:05:10.459 --> 00:05:11.899 But it's actually really significant. 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:13.599 Look at how it begins. 00:05:14.919 --> 00:05:16.339 Matthew 1, verse 1. 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:18.919 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:20.560 the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:23.120 Abraham was the father of Isaac, 00:05:23.579 --> 00:05:25.120 and Isaac the father of Jacob, 00:05:25.620 --> 00:05:27.839 and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 00:05:28.299 --> 00:05:29.799 And we'll just pause there for a second. 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.699 Now, here's the thing. 00:05:33.520 --> 00:05:36.800 This story doesn't begin with once upon a time. 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:42.340 It doesn't begin with any of the type of language 00:05:42.340 --> 00:05:46.580 of mythology or metaphor or symbolism. 00:05:47.699 --> 00:05:50.720 It begins with a genealogy. 00:05:50.939 --> 00:05:53.040 It begins as if we're going to be talking about 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:54.300 real people who really lived. 00:05:54.420 --> 00:05:55.519 And I've just paused there, 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:57.199 but when we go through it in a bit, 00:05:57.799 --> 00:05:59.659 we're going to see that they mention in it 00:05:59.659 --> 00:06:00.759 like people who, 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:02.879 it doesn't matter if you're an atheist 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:05.279 or the world's biggest skeptic, 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:07.419 there's no denying that some of the people 00:06:07.419 --> 00:06:09.019 who are mentioned in this genealogy 00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:10.879 are clear historical people 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.799 of whom there is archaeological evidence 00:06:13.799 --> 00:06:14.799 of their existence 00:06:14.799 --> 00:06:17.259 and their existence having been reported 00:06:17.259 --> 00:06:18.459 in other types of cultures. 00:06:19.139 --> 00:06:19.859 So the thing is, 00:06:19.959 --> 00:06:21.199 in fact, if you could put up the first point, 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:25.019 the first point is that Jesus is really real and true. 00:06:25.740 --> 00:06:27.319 And he's really human. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:29.159 He really did live. 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:29.899 And the whole, 00:06:30.159 --> 00:06:31.519 the beginning of the rest of the story, 00:06:31.620 --> 00:06:32.339 even if it's going to talk about 00:06:32.339 --> 00:06:33.620 these remarkable miracles, 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:34.939 it's going to be talking about 00:06:34.939 --> 00:06:37.039 his claims to being God. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:38.719 It's going to talk about 00:06:38.719 --> 00:06:40.560 the things he did to offend people 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:41.480 and all of this. 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:44.099 But it begins by Matthew saying 00:06:44.099 --> 00:06:46.819 in as concrete and specific a way as possible, 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:48.639 Jesus really existed. 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:50.919 Like, it's true that he existed. 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:52.399 These things actually happened. 00:06:52.479 --> 00:06:53.599 Now, you might disagree with him. 00:06:53.659 --> 00:06:54.659 You might think they're lying. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:55.959 But you have to understand 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:57.180 that's at least the claim. 00:06:57.599 --> 00:06:59.079 And the claim that they happened 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:01.060 is also going to be connected in a moment 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:02.879 to the significance of the events, 00:07:02.899 --> 00:07:04.959 not just the fact that they happened. 00:07:05.779 --> 00:07:06.919 And so that's, you know, 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:08.839 that's how it begins right off the bat. 00:07:09.319 --> 00:07:10.300 But then it takes 00:07:10.300 --> 00:07:14.000 this really weird turn in verse 3. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:16.759 Actually, we'll just read verse 3 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:17.439 and then I'll tell you 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:18.800 what the big weird turn is. 00:07:19.339 --> 00:07:21.420 And Judah, the father of Perez, 00:07:21.740 --> 00:07:23.779 and Zerah by Tamar, 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:27.079 and Perez, the father of Hezron, 00:07:27.139 --> 00:07:28.560 and Hezron, the father of Ram. 00:07:29.099 --> 00:07:30.459 Now, just pause here. 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:32.219 And I don't know if we're going to read 00:07:32.219 --> 00:07:33.759 all of the verses in the genealogy, 00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:34.879 but we're going to read most of them. 00:07:35.300 --> 00:07:37.360 Now, this is a very, very weird turn 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:38.779 that's just been taken here. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:40.800 And most of us, 00:07:40.860 --> 00:07:42.079 and I'm just like you, by the way, 00:07:42.099 --> 00:07:43.759 when I come to genealogies in the Bible, 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:45.360 I don't read them minutely. 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:49.579 I sort of let my eyes pass over them 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:50.659 and then at some point in time 00:07:50.659 --> 00:07:52.599 I realize I've actually sort of finished 00:07:52.599 --> 00:07:53.779 reading the whole genealogy 00:07:53.779 --> 00:07:54.779 and not much stuck. 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:57.860 So in the ancient world, 00:07:58.219 --> 00:08:00.459 and still in lots of parts of the world today, 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:03.139 genealogies are, in a sense, 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:04.120 almost like a CV. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:07.659 It's trying to communicate to you 00:08:07.659 --> 00:08:09.699 why this individual is important, 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:10.819 why they're significant, 00:08:10.819 --> 00:08:13.439 why they're a person of substance. 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:15.699 And for lots of our, 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:18.540 our culture has different ways to present this. 00:08:19.459 --> 00:08:21.599 For instance, quite a few years ago now, 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:23.300 I was in a place that I had 00:08:23.300 --> 00:08:24.740 a regular coffee shop at. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:26.560 There was a, the owner was Muslim, 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:27.579 really, really fine guy. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:28.639 We had lots of good talks, 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:29.819 but his father-in-law, 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:31.680 who also worked in the restaurant, 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:32.899 would never look at me. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:34.139 He'd see me there with the Bible. 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:35.340 He would never talk to me, 00:08:35.419 --> 00:08:36.399 never smile to me. 00:08:36.819 --> 00:08:38.559 If I tried to talk to him at all, 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:40.219 he would ignore me. 00:08:41.019 --> 00:08:42.119 And then I'd heard a talk, 00:08:42.539 --> 00:08:45.139 and I discovered that from that part of the world 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:46.399 where the man was, 00:08:46.439 --> 00:08:47.919 because I knew the part of the world he was from, 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:50.939 that sons were a marker of significance 00:08:50.939 --> 00:08:52.739 and substance. 00:08:53.839 --> 00:08:55.519 And so I started to pray about this, 00:08:55.779 --> 00:08:58.179 and about a week or two after I was praying about it, 00:08:58.319 --> 00:08:59.899 the owner was there, 00:09:00.599 --> 00:09:03.500 and his father-in-law was right behind him. 00:09:03.839 --> 00:09:05.239 And the owner said, 00:09:05.239 --> 00:09:06.679 you have lots of kids, don't you? 00:09:06.679 --> 00:09:08.439 And the father-in-law looked, 00:09:08.819 --> 00:09:11.379 and I said, yeah, I have five sons. 00:09:13.079 --> 00:09:14.459 And the man looked at me. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:16.699 He looked at me for the first time. 00:09:17.979 --> 00:09:19.439 And from that time on, 00:09:20.079 --> 00:09:21.079 he talked to me. 00:09:22.699 --> 00:09:23.719 In his culture, 00:09:23.839 --> 00:09:25.739 I was a man of substance, 00:09:25.979 --> 00:09:26.759 of significance. 00:09:27.019 --> 00:09:28.399 Didn't matter if I was rich or poor, 00:09:28.459 --> 00:09:29.459 I had five sons. 00:09:31.079 --> 00:09:32.419 And so in the ancient world, 00:09:32.419 --> 00:09:35.819 often genealogies are helping to communicate to people, 00:09:35.820 --> 00:09:37.760 your significance and your specialness. 00:09:38.580 --> 00:09:39.340 But here's what's, 00:09:39.420 --> 00:09:40.640 there's several things about this, 00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:41.420 which should just happen, 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:42.120 which is really, 00:09:42.220 --> 00:09:42.400 really, 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:43.160 really weird, 00:09:43.160 --> 00:09:43.780 and very, 00:09:43.900 --> 00:09:44.660 very revolutionary, 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:47.360 and starts to set the stage that this story, 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:48.460 historical, 00:09:48.680 --> 00:09:48.879 true, 00:09:48.980 --> 00:09:50.040 real story of Jesus, 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:52.780 is going to be radically different than people would expect. 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:53.660 First of all, 00:09:53.680 --> 00:09:54.500 it mentions a woman, 00:09:55.379 --> 00:09:58.320 which isn't unusual in our culture, 00:09:58.780 --> 00:10:00.320 but in the ancient world, 00:10:00.380 --> 00:10:01.380 you wouldn't have them mentioned. 00:10:02.100 --> 00:10:04.080 But here's the other thing which is significant about it, 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:06.960 and you have to know what the relationship of Judah and Tamar is. 00:10:07.659 --> 00:10:07.820 Now, 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:09.919 in the world at that time, 00:10:10.659 --> 00:10:12.500 I know this sounds really weird to us, 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:14.659 but we can't be ethnocentric. 00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:16.659 We can't see the world just through our eyes. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:18.639 We have to understand that cultures are different. 00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:20.480 In the ancient world, 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:22.220 the land was very significant, 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:24.259 and passing on the land, 00:10:24.259 --> 00:10:26.500 and your name was very significant. 00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:28.600 So there was a law that, 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:29.179 like, 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:29.600 you know, 00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:31.080 in my case, 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:32.799 because I have a sister and a brother, 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:34.240 if I had died, 00:10:34.299 --> 00:10:34.980 I married Louise, 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:39.179 and if I died before Louise and I were able to have a child, 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:44.500 then it would be my brother Stephen's obligation to sleep with Louise 00:10:44.500 --> 00:10:48.639 so she could have a child that would carry on my line. 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:50.679 It wouldn't carry on his line, 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:52.279 it would carry on my line. 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:56.220 And so that was the law at that particular time of Judah. 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:58.500 And what happened is Judah's son, 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.100 he had three sons. 00:11:00.220 --> 00:11:02.299 The first son is given in marriage to Tamar, 00:11:02.579 --> 00:11:05.579 but the son dies before Tamar is able to have a child. 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:09.259 So Judah follows the law and the custom of the day 00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:10.539 and gives his second son, 00:11:10.620 --> 00:11:14.299 but the second son dies before a baby is able to be produced. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:17.799 So now Judah is getting very superstitious, 00:11:18.179 --> 00:11:21.459 and he worries that if he gives his last son, 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:25.279 to this woman to produce the heir, 00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:26.899 that that son will die. 00:11:26.959 --> 00:11:27.779 But the son's young, 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:29.059 so he puts off the woman. 00:11:29.199 --> 00:11:31.039 But he does more than that if you read the story. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:33.000 I guess nowadays we call it, 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:33.939 he ghosts her. 00:11:34.079 --> 00:11:34.779 Is that the right word? 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:36.059 He ghosts her. 00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:37.740 And not only does he ghost her, 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:39.179 he doesn't even provide for her. 00:11:39.299 --> 00:11:40.579 She has to go way off. 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:41.620 He doesn't provide for her. 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:42.639 He forgets about her. 00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:44.360 He just hopes she goes away, 00:11:44.439 --> 00:11:47.019 maybe dies of some virus or something like that. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:50.079 But the woman keeps track, 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:52.920 and she sees that the son is now old enough to get married, 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:55.120 but Judah's not doing anything about it. 00:11:55.680 --> 00:11:58.100 So Tamar hears through the grapevine 00:11:58.100 --> 00:12:01.300 that Judah's going to be in the area for some events. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:04.040 So she dresses like a prostitute, 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:08.439 and she goes to where the prostitutes hang out, 00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:10.360 and Judah's not a good guy. 00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:13.759 Judah feels like having sex with a prostitute. 00:12:14.419 --> 00:12:16.799 So he goes to where the prostitutes hang out, 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:18.120 and he picks up Tamar, 00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:20.159 and he sleeps with her. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.179 That's called incest. 00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:31.779 And he produces Perez and Zerah, twins. 00:12:34.599 --> 00:12:37.099 So, okay. 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:39.199 Like, you know, sometimes, 00:12:39.359 --> 00:12:40.479 like my kids all know, 00:12:40.599 --> 00:12:41.139 because, you know, 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:42.339 I have an older kid and younger kid. 00:12:42.359 --> 00:12:43.099 My kids now know, 00:12:43.199 --> 00:12:46.039 don't go to dad for advice about CVs, 00:12:46.079 --> 00:12:47.559 because dad hasn't had to write a CV. 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:50.500 Like, I mean, the wheel had just been invented, 00:12:51.199 --> 00:12:53.899 and back when I last had to do something, 00:12:53.979 --> 00:12:54.559 so I don't know how to get it. 00:12:54.699 --> 00:12:55.739 But I think I know enough about, 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:58.239 you don't put that type of stuff in your CV to impress. 00:12:58.479 --> 00:13:00.859 Like, you leave that stuff out. 00:13:01.099 --> 00:13:02.439 Like, you put the heroes, 00:13:02.719 --> 00:13:03.899 the successful people, 00:13:03.979 --> 00:13:04.699 you do all of that, 00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:06.019 but you leave this out. 00:13:07.179 --> 00:13:09.839 His lineage goes back to 00:13:09.839 --> 00:13:14.519 a guy who goes to prostitutes, 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:15.839 has incest, 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:19.660 and that's part of Jesus' lineage. 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.379 Like, for devout Jewish people 00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:26.240 who would have read that 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.720 in the days when Matthew first wrote this, 00:13:29.300 --> 00:13:29.800 they would have gone, 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:31.680 like, hmm. 00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:33.420 You didn't have to put that in. 00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:34.940 You know? 00:13:35.660 --> 00:13:37.420 But this isn't just like 00:13:37.420 --> 00:13:38.500 a little bit of an accident, 00:13:38.780 --> 00:13:39.379 as if, you know, 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:41.259 it's just like for one of us, 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:42.480 you know, we're doing our emails, 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.540 and we're doing our emails, 00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:44.720 and then you press send, 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.040 and then afterwards you're going, 00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:46.899 oops, I shouldn't have, 00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:47.519 well, sure, 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:50.120 I forgot to edit that out. 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:50.759 No, no, no. 00:13:50.860 --> 00:13:52.779 You see that it's not a bug, 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:53.600 it's a feature 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:55.639 of the genealogy. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:57.720 Because look what continues happening 00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:58.920 in verse 4. 00:14:00.660 --> 00:14:03.040 And Ram, the father of Amminadab, 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:04.940 and Amminadab, the father of Nishan, 00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:06.500 and Nishan, the father of Salmon, 00:14:06.500 --> 00:14:08.039 and Sammon, the father of Boaz, 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:09.039 by Rahab, 00:14:09.659 --> 00:14:12.460 and Boaz, the father of Obed, 00:14:12.539 --> 00:14:13.120 by Ruth, 00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:14.799 and Obed, the father of Jesse, 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:16.460 and now just stop there for a second, 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:17.299 Rahab. 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:19.700 Now, why is that sort of all of a sudden? 00:14:19.740 --> 00:14:20.620 First of all, it's another woman. 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:22.960 So obviously, 00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:24.440 it's not just that he forgot 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:25.279 to do the editing 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:26.440 when he pressed send, 00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:29.700 but it's also very interesting 00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:30.240 for another reason. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:31.179 You see, who's Rahab? 00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:32.460 Well, Rahab was a prostitute. 00:14:32.460 --> 00:14:35.000 Now, she also ends up 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:36.000 being the hero of the faith, 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:37.379 but she's a prostitute. 00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:39.379 And in a culture 00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:40.519 which is concerned 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:41.840 with having, in a sense, 00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:45.400 the biological line being pure, 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:46.980 and by the way, 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:48.300 as soon as I say that, 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:49.400 most, I don't know who, 00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:50.780 I don't care who'd be watching this, 00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:52.680 most Canadians would say, 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:54.060 like, that's a creepy idea. 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:54.960 But you know one of the reasons 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:56.460 why you think it's a creepy idea 00:14:56.460 --> 00:14:57.540 of pure lineage? 00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:01.560 It's because it's a Christian reason. 00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:03.580 Like, even if you don't remember 00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:04.660 that it ultimately comes 00:15:04.660 --> 00:15:05.280 from Christianity, 00:15:05.340 --> 00:15:06.680 that's actually where it comes from. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:10.280 It comes from 00:15:10.280 --> 00:15:13.900 the gospel and Christianity 00:15:13.900 --> 00:15:15.620 that we start to challenge 00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:17.900 this whole idea of racial purity. 00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:20.340 It's like, in fact, 00:15:20.420 --> 00:15:20.900 you see, when, 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.840 I just watch a really, really, 00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:25.360 really, really good movie. 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:26.160 I don't, you know, 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:27.500 a lot of times I watch movies 00:15:27.500 --> 00:15:28.540 I'm not necessarily recommending 00:15:28.540 --> 00:15:29.120 you watch it, 00:15:29.180 --> 00:15:30.240 but I'm watching a really, 00:15:30.400 --> 00:15:30.860 really good movie, 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.800 just watch a good movie 00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:32.599 on Netflix called 00:15:32.599 --> 00:15:33.319 Just Mercy. 00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:34.639 True story. 00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:36.479 And if you watch that movie, 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:37.079 one of the things 00:15:37.079 --> 00:15:38.299 that's just so offensive 00:15:38.299 --> 00:15:39.719 is that it doesn't say 00:15:39.719 --> 00:15:41.439 that all of the white people 00:15:41.439 --> 00:15:42.759 in Alabama are Christians, 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:44.259 but you know they probably are. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.579 And their racial concerns 00:15:46.579 --> 00:15:49.159 is so abhorrent to the Bible. 00:15:49.319 --> 00:15:51.699 It is so deeply abhorrent 00:15:51.699 --> 00:15:52.620 to the Bible. 00:15:55.079 --> 00:15:56.159 And if nothing else, 00:15:56.219 --> 00:15:57.039 they just know to have it 00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:57.860 look at right here 00:15:57.860 --> 00:15:59.459 that Jesus' lineage 00:15:59.459 --> 00:16:00.620 includes a pagan 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:02.439 who was a prostitute. 00:16:03.819 --> 00:16:05.319 And that's part of his lineage. 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:07.759 Now, Ruth is also a pagan, 00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:09.620 but is a heroine, 00:16:09.699 --> 00:16:10.199 so to speak, 00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:11.059 within the story. 00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:12.319 But then notice this, 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.599 and then I'm going to do 00:16:13.599 --> 00:16:14.839 two more in this lineage, 00:16:14.959 --> 00:16:15.719 and then we'll move on. 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:16.959 But you're getting the idea. 00:16:17.079 --> 00:16:20.179 Look at verse 6. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:20.639 And Jesse, 00:16:20.719 --> 00:16:22.000 the father of David the king, 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:23.860 and David was the father of Solomon 00:16:23.860 --> 00:16:25.840 by the wife of Uriah. 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:28.960 Now, that's a better-known story. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.899 But what is that story about? 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:32.700 Well, David's up one day, 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:35.320 and he sees Bathsheba, 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:37.019 and he thinks she's really sexy-looking. 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:41.840 So he wines and dines her 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:43.379 and sleeps with her. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:46.899 And he makes her pregnant. 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:50.100 And this is a big scandal. 00:16:50.100 --> 00:16:52.379 So he wants to cover it up. 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:56.420 So he brings Bathsheba's wife, 00:16:57.680 --> 00:16:59.700 Bathsheba's husband Uriah, 00:16:59.800 --> 00:17:00.759 back from battle 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:03.320 in the hope that Uriah 00:17:03.320 --> 00:17:05.160 will sleep with his wife 00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:06.460 and then mistakenly 00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.900 get the dates all mixed up 00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:09.200 and think that he's 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:10.539 the father of the child. 00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:12.420 But if you read the story, 00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:14.059 the first night Uriah 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:14.740 doesn't do it 00:17:14.740 --> 00:17:15.400 because he's, 00:17:16.059 --> 00:17:17.799 dang, he's so honorable. 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:20.659 How can I go to see my wife 00:17:20.659 --> 00:17:22.159 when the king's army 00:17:22.159 --> 00:17:24.000 is out there sleeping in tents 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:25.119 without those creature comforts? 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.419 And David's probably saying, 00:17:27.899 --> 00:17:29.839 dang, I have to have a moral man 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:32.539 when I've done something deeply immoral. 00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:33.799 And so the next night, 00:17:33.879 --> 00:17:35.259 David gets Uriah drunk. 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.599 And even when Uriah's drunk, 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.960 he's still an honorable, 00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:42.099 courageous, upstanding guy. 00:17:42.099 --> 00:17:44.740 And so David does, of course, 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:45.679 the next best thing, 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:47.119 which he has Uriah murdered. 00:17:52.199 --> 00:17:54.819 And Matthew puts this in here 00:17:54.819 --> 00:17:58.480 when he's doing his lineage. 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:00.039 The child of that, 00:18:01.399 --> 00:18:03.259 of the adultery, dies. 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.779 And the next child that's born 00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:05.359 is Solomon, 00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:06.759 who ends up becoming the king. 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:09.960 If you just skip down a little bit 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:12.460 to verse 10, 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.920 we'll just give you one more thing 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:15.039 about this whole lineage. 00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:16.559 Look at verse 10. 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:19.680 And Hezekiah, the father of Manasseh, 00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:21.740 and Manasseh, the father of Amos, 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:23.539 and Amos, the father of Joseph. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:24.140 Well, Josiah. 00:18:24.220 --> 00:18:24.740 Well, first of all, 00:18:24.980 --> 00:18:26.220 you could go through this whole thing 00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:26.900 and if you looked up 00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:28.660 the different biblical references to them, 00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:29.640 you'd be a bit shocked. 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:30.519 I mean, they're not all 00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:31.799 just really terrible people. 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:35.180 But Amos was such a bad king 00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:37.519 that the officials killed him. 00:18:39.140 --> 00:18:40.420 But Manasseh, 00:18:40.860 --> 00:18:44.539 Manasseh brought fertility religions back in. 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:46.080 And now what is fertility religions? 00:18:46.740 --> 00:18:48.180 Well, fertility religions mean 00:18:48.180 --> 00:18:49.200 if let's say the Morides 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:50.160 or some other family 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:50.940 or the Sinclairs, 00:18:51.100 --> 00:18:51.779 I was really happy. 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.620 You know, we were really, 00:18:52.840 --> 00:18:53.920 money was really tight 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.200 for decades with us. 00:18:55.560 --> 00:18:56.620 So one way out of it 00:18:56.620 --> 00:18:57.519 is I could have sold 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:58.519 some of my daughters 00:18:58.519 --> 00:18:59.360 to the temple 00:18:59.360 --> 00:19:00.920 and got money. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.820 And if I sold my daughters 00:19:02.820 --> 00:19:04.140 to the temple for money, 00:19:04.140 --> 00:19:05.480 I'd get money, 00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:06.060 I'd be helped, 00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:07.100 I'd have two less mouths. 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.500 Let's say I sold two of my daughters. 00:19:08.840 --> 00:19:10.480 I'd have two less mouths to feed 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:12.740 and I'd have a good chunk of money 00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.600 and my daughter 00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:14.540 would become a prostitute 00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:15.880 for the temple 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:16.880 because there's a, 00:19:17.320 --> 00:19:18.320 Manasseh brought back 00:19:18.320 --> 00:19:19.620 into Israel this idea 00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:20.700 that a guy could go 00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:21.360 into a temple 00:19:21.360 --> 00:19:22.759 and have sex with a woman 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:24.020 as an act of worship. 00:19:26.360 --> 00:19:27.680 Like this is horrific 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:29.380 and that's what Manasseh brought back 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:30.259 and he even brought back 00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:31.240 in another practice 00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:32.599 that if I wasn't having 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:34.259 enough favor from God, 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:36.240 well, I have five sons, 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:37.640 I can kill one of the sons 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:38.700 because I believe 00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:39.240 that there's this, 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:40.599 like, how do you want to get 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:41.900 the most powerful God 00:19:41.900 --> 00:19:42.579 is going to ask you 00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:44.180 to do the most horrific things. 00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:44.880 Like that's how 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:46.299 the ancient mind thinks. 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:48.339 The most powerful God 00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:49.779 asks you to do 00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:51.339 the most horrific things. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.160 And so what could be 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:52.740 more horrific 00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:54.440 than going and having 00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:56.579 my own son murdered 00:19:56.579 --> 00:19:59.579 so that I could earn favor 00:19:59.579 --> 00:20:00.240 with God 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:01.379 and be prosperous. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:04.399 And that's what Manasseh 00:20:04.399 --> 00:20:05.179 did himself. 00:20:05.399 --> 00:20:06.519 He not only introduced it, 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.659 that's what he did. 00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:09.679 And he's in the lineage. 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:19.859 Sorry, I just love this. 00:20:20.159 --> 00:20:20.859 You know, they talk about 00:20:20.859 --> 00:20:21.460 the Christian radio, 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:22.359 they want to say the word 00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:23.339 Christian for the Christian 00:20:23.339 --> 00:20:23.960 radio station 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:25.139 so they call it family 00:20:25.139 --> 00:20:26.119 and it's family friendly. 00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:27.619 This isn't family friendly. 00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:31.359 Like, they wouldn't be able 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.339 to tell the story 00:20:32.339 --> 00:20:34.779 on a family friendly 00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:35.699 radio station. 00:20:35.979 --> 00:20:36.779 Like, this isn't what 00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:37.500 you're expecting. 00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:38.899 And I can just imagine 00:20:38.899 --> 00:20:39.899 my non-Christian friends 00:20:39.899 --> 00:20:40.319 saying, whoa, 00:20:40.399 --> 00:20:41.099 I didn't realize 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:42.039 there's a lot more drama 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:43.139 in the Bible 00:20:43.139 --> 00:20:44.199 than I thought there was 00:20:44.199 --> 00:20:45.159 in this boring thing. 00:20:45.459 --> 00:20:46.719 But here's the thing. 00:20:47.659 --> 00:20:48.439 Here's the thing. 00:20:48.659 --> 00:20:49.479 If you could put up the point. 00:20:50.159 --> 00:20:51.199 Jesus' lineage 00:20:51.199 --> 00:20:52.739 is a train wreck. 00:20:54.639 --> 00:20:55.659 Jesus' lineage 00:20:55.660 --> 00:20:56.840 is a train wreck. 00:20:59.560 --> 00:21:00.340 That's the point. 00:21:02.100 --> 00:21:03.700 And there's a whole lot 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:04.240 of other things 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:04.940 you could talk about 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.900 just with this one, 00:21:06.040 --> 00:21:07.420 you know, boring linea. 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:07.980 You know, boring 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.940 if you just started reading it 00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.340 like I am. 00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:10.100 But if you think about it, 00:21:10.100 --> 00:21:10.700 there's something that 00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:12.120 Matthew does 00:21:12.120 --> 00:21:13.340 which is so cool 00:21:13.340 --> 00:21:14.560 is he begins 00:21:14.560 --> 00:21:16.380 with this train wreck 00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:17.279 where, you know, 00:21:17.360 --> 00:21:18.440 he has a prostitute, 00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:19.320 there's incest, 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.600 there's terrible kings, 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:22.279 there's murdering 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:23.159 of your kids, 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:23.919 like there's selling 00:21:23.919 --> 00:21:24.740 of your daughters 00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:26.019 into prostitution, 00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:27.399 like it begins 00:21:27.399 --> 00:21:28.299 with all of this 00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:30.899 and partly what it's doing 00:21:30.899 --> 00:21:31.639 that, Tim Keller 00:21:31.639 --> 00:21:32.679 has this wonderful line. 00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:33.179 You know how on, 00:21:33.419 --> 00:21:33.899 it used to be, 00:21:33.899 --> 00:21:34.679 I don't know if they do it anymore, 00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:35.299 it used to be that 00:21:35.299 --> 00:21:36.459 on the day after Christmas 00:21:36.459 --> 00:21:38.079 like there'd be certain stores, 00:21:38.179 --> 00:21:38.899 big box stores 00:21:38.899 --> 00:21:39.579 where they're gonna have 00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:40.480 such special deals 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.279 that people would get there 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:41.959 like at two o'clock 00:21:41.959 --> 00:21:42.379 in the morning 00:21:42.379 --> 00:21:43.079 and camp out 00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:43.539 because they wanted 00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:43.980 to get in 00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:44.719 the second they could. 00:21:45.219 --> 00:21:45.519 Tim Keller 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:46.559 has this wonderful line, 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:48.119 even if you're camping 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:49.119 out at the gate of hell, 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:52.379 you are not so bad 00:21:52.379 --> 00:21:53.259 that Jesus didn't die 00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:53.839 to save you. 00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:55.599 Isn't that a great line? 00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:58.079 Even if you're camping 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:00.139 out at the gate of hell, 00:22:00.899 --> 00:22:01.759 you're not too bad. 00:22:02.579 --> 00:22:03.460 You can look at it 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:04.000 in this lineage 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:05.399 and the thing 00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:06.480 that Matthew does 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:07.379 which is so cool 00:22:07.379 --> 00:22:08.279 is he begins with this 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:09.039 and how does the book, 00:22:09.159 --> 00:22:10.139 how does Matthew end? 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:10.519 It ends, 00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:12.919 go to all the people groups 00:22:12.919 --> 00:22:14.039 and make disciples 00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:15.639 and you can see 00:22:15.639 --> 00:22:16.259 that in a sense 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:17.400 the people groups 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:18.940 and the bad people 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:19.799 are all included 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.960 in Jesus' lineage 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:22.500 and because you see 00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.599 Jesus' lineage 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:24.500 is a train wreck, 00:22:24.619 --> 00:22:25.779 you know that only God 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:26.839 has to do something. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:28.500 This isn't natural. 00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:29.640 It isn't as if 00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:30.379 the lineage is, 00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:31.500 whoa, Abraham 00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:32.299 is really great 00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:33.319 and then the next guy 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:34.700 is like really even better 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:35.720 and then the next guy 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.680 and then the next guy 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.640 and then the next guy 00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:38.579 and then the next guy 00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:39.019 and boy, 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:40.240 by the time you get to Jesus 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:40.920 it's like, 00:22:41.379 --> 00:22:42.019 I don't know, 00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:42.599 it's like, 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.119 you know, 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:44.420 40 generations 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:45.519 of superheroes 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:47.099 marrying superheroes 00:22:47.099 --> 00:22:47.740 and they're like 00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:48.200 the super, 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:48.519 super, 00:22:48.619 --> 00:22:49.139 like they're just, 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:49.740 you can't have enough 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:50.740 supers before them, 00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.700 they can do everything. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:52.759 No. 00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.900 God has to do something 00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:57.940 in the person of Jesus 00:22:57.940 --> 00:22:58.740 because his lineage 00:22:58.740 --> 00:22:59.660 is a train wreck 00:22:59.660 --> 00:23:04.440 and given that he comes 00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.279 to be the savior 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:06.980 when it says in a moment 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:08.380 that Jesus is Emmanuel, 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:09.420 God with us 00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:10.420 which means that he comes 00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.779 to live amongst our mess, 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:14.620 Matthew is communicating 00:23:14.620 --> 00:23:15.759 this is real, 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:18.100 look at his genealogy, 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.100 it's a mess 00:23:19.100 --> 00:23:23.000 and that's Jesus. 00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:28.380 Now, 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.240 verse 17, 00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:29.940 if you just want to 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:30.900 flip through it, 00:23:30.980 --> 00:23:31.779 it's just a little, 00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:32.880 tiny little thing here, 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.920 so all the generations 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:34.940 from Abraham to David 00:23:34.940 --> 00:23:35.539 were 14 00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:36.920 and from David 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:37.740 to the deportation 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:38.140 to Babylon, 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:38.660 14 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:39.960 and from the deportation 00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:40.319 to Babylon 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:40.900 to the Christ, 00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:42.339 14 generations. 00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:44.059 Just a simple little, 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:45.319 it's a little number thing 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:46.279 there for people 00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.859 who are motivated 00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:48.579 by numbers 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:48.980 is that 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:49.700 if you go through 00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.759 the entire Tanakh, 00:23:50.859 --> 00:23:51.220 the Torah, 00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:51.900 the Old Testament, 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:52.720 you'll see that the number 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.800 seven is very special, 00:23:53.940 --> 00:23:54.540 world is created 00:23:54.540 --> 00:23:55.080 in six days, 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:55.920 seventh day at rest, 00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.480 two sevens, 00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:59.040 two sevens, 00:23:59.280 --> 00:24:00.160 two sevens, 00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:01.320 two sevens, 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:02.759 Jesus, 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.960 the seventh seven. 00:24:07.060 --> 00:24:08.440 That's why it's the 14, 00:24:08.860 --> 00:24:09.480 14, 00:24:09.620 --> 00:24:09.960 14, 00:24:10.100 --> 00:24:10.440 14. 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:11.180 It's, 00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:12.060 this is something, 00:24:12.180 --> 00:24:15.120 a new series of generations 00:24:15.120 --> 00:24:16.280 are going to come from this, 00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.240 the perfect one, 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:19.340 the rest of God, 00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:21.680 which the writer of Hebrews 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:22.240 takes up. 00:24:22.560 --> 00:24:23.200 Now verse 18, 00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:24.519 now the birth of Jesus Christ 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:26.200 took place in this way 00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:27.380 and sort of 00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:28.160 before we go any further, 00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:29.360 we can also already see 00:24:29.360 --> 00:24:30.620 that part of the misconception 00:24:30.620 --> 00:24:32.060 about the Bible 00:24:32.060 --> 00:24:32.980 and about Christianity, 00:24:33.620 --> 00:24:34.180 you know, 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:34.539 that it's, 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:34.840 you know, 00:24:34.840 --> 00:24:35.460 all white 00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:35.900 or it's, 00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:36.160 you know, 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:37.480 like all of that type of thing, 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:38.019 you see that, 00:24:38.340 --> 00:24:38.480 yeah, 00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:39.680 there's been lots of Christians 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:40.560 who live in complete 00:24:40.560 --> 00:24:41.640 and utter defiance 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:43.060 of the Bible, 00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:45.700 complete and utter defiance 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.080 of the Bible, 00:24:46.080 --> 00:24:46.720 but the Bible 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:48.080 is actually remarkable 00:24:48.080 --> 00:24:49.120 and you can see how 00:24:49.120 --> 00:24:50.519 that time and time 00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.279 and time again, 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:52.460 whether it's Wilberforce 00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:53.299 with slavery, 00:24:53.940 --> 00:24:54.220 you know, 00:24:54.299 --> 00:24:55.160 wherever it is, 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:55.980 is that when Christians 00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:56.519 actually, 00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:57.740 it isn't that we need 00:24:57.740 --> 00:25:00.059 to hear post-modern theorists 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.759 or theory 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:01.740 to try to wake us up, 00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.720 we just have to all of a sudden 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:04.019 be woken up by the Bible 00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:05.319 and we realize that racism 00:25:05.319 --> 00:25:05.839 is wrong 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.619 or this is wrong 00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:07.339 or some other great, 00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:08.879 or slavery is wrong, 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:10.220 it just is all of a sudden 00:25:10.220 --> 00:25:11.519 the Bible wakes us up 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:11.879 and we go, 00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.539 oh my, 00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:12.639 hey, 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:14.359 I have to change my life, 00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:18.759 but the problem we have 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.759 with the rest of the story, 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:21.119 even though we say, 00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:21.319 well, 00:25:21.399 --> 00:25:21.539 okay, 00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:22.399 there's more to that story 00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:23.139 than I thought, 00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:24.720 it still has a problem 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.819 of a weird miracle 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:28.460 and there's still 00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:29.779 this offensive little thing, 00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:29.980 you know, 00:25:30.139 --> 00:25:31.819 one of the big problems 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:33.139 that I think most Canadians 00:25:33.139 --> 00:25:34.639 have and Canadian Christians 00:25:34.639 --> 00:25:35.559 have is at the heart 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:35.960 of hearts, 00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:37.379 what is it that our culture 00:25:37.379 --> 00:25:38.299 teaches us time 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:38.659 and time 00:25:38.659 --> 00:25:39.359 and time again? 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:41.779 you've got to be the hero 00:25:41.779 --> 00:25:42.819 of your own story, 00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:45.939 you've got to be the hero 00:25:45.939 --> 00:25:46.879 of your own story, 00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:48.079 weaklings, 00:25:49.699 --> 00:25:49.959 I mean, 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.879 that's the whole problem 00:25:50.879 --> 00:25:51.799 with all those movies 00:25:51.799 --> 00:25:53.099 made before recent days 00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:53.679 where the woman 00:25:53.679 --> 00:25:54.779 is rescued by the man, 00:25:54.879 --> 00:25:55.019 no, 00:25:55.099 --> 00:25:55.799 we have to understand, 00:25:55.899 --> 00:25:56.639 women have to learn 00:25:56.639 --> 00:25:57.219 that they have to be 00:25:57.219 --> 00:25:58.419 the hero of their own story 00:25:58.419 --> 00:25:59.879 and men have to be 00:25:59.879 --> 00:26:01.099 the hero of their own story 00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:03.240 and that's so deeply 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:04.159 ingrained within us 00:26:04.159 --> 00:26:04.699 that when we come 00:26:04.699 --> 00:26:05.319 to a story 00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:06.240 of the birth of a hero, 00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:06.539 we go, 00:26:06.639 --> 00:26:07.059 yeah, 00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:10.240 let's look, 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.559 verse 18, 00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:12.779 now the birth of Jesus Christ 00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.879 took place in this way, 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:15.539 when his mother Mary 00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:17.279 had been betrothed to Joseph 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:18.460 before they came together, 00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:20.299 she was found to be with child 00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:21.299 from the Holy Spirit 00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:23.779 and her husband Joseph, 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.559 being a just man 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.919 and unwilling to put her to shame, 00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:28.619 resolved to divorce her quietly, 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:31.259 just in those days, 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.599 the way it worked 00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:33.480 is in a sense 00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:34.559 when you were engaged, 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:36.539 you could use the title 00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:37.460 husband and wife, 00:26:38.679 --> 00:26:39.500 even though, 00:26:40.179 --> 00:26:41.839 even though, 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:43.720 by our way of using words, 00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:44.779 it's not the way it works, 00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:45.460 but in those days 00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:46.579 that's how it would work, 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:47.139 you, 00:26:47.919 --> 00:26:48.679 Joseph in a sense 00:26:48.679 --> 00:26:49.240 could be called 00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:50.399 the husband of Mary 00:26:50.399 --> 00:26:52.099 as soon as he was engaged, 00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:53.819 so they're engaged still, 00:26:54.619 --> 00:26:56.879 the biblical pattern then 00:26:56.879 --> 00:26:57.839 was that you would have 00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:58.679 sexual knowing 00:26:58.679 --> 00:27:00.200 after you, 00:27:00.379 --> 00:27:01.539 after you were married, 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:02.940 became husband and wife, 00:27:02.940 --> 00:27:04.380 so they're engaged, 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:05.720 but they can use this language, 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.620 she's pregnant 00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:08.519 and it says 00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:09.320 from the Holy Spirit, 00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:09.880 which is going to be 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:10.759 explained in a moment, 00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:12.160 verse 19 again, 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:13.200 and her husband Joseph, 00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:15.039 being a just man 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.779 and unwilling to put her to shame, 00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:18.360 resolved to divorce her quietly, 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:20.059 but as he considered 00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:20.580 these things, 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:21.059 behold, 00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:22.299 an angel of the Lord 00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:22.880 appeared to him 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.820 in a dream saying, 00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:24.860 Joseph, 00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:25.600 son of David, 00:27:25.600 --> 00:27:26.840 do not fear to take Mary 00:27:26.840 --> 00:27:27.559 as your wife, 00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:29.700 for that which is conceived 00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:30.259 in her 00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:31.880 is from the Holy Spirit, 00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:33.420 she will bear a son 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:34.440 and you shall call 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:35.220 his name Jesus, 00:27:35.740 --> 00:27:36.980 for he will save his people 00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.820 from their sins, 00:27:37.900 --> 00:27:38.860 and just sort of pause, 00:27:39.520 --> 00:27:40.840 one of the things 00:27:40.840 --> 00:27:43.860 I do with coffee people 00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:45.800 or people in Loblaws 00:27:45.800 --> 00:27:46.260 or something 00:27:46.260 --> 00:27:47.260 who are serving me 00:27:47.260 --> 00:27:47.980 after I've been there 00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:48.620 a couple of times 00:27:48.620 --> 00:27:49.940 and they obviously come 00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:50.980 from another part of the world, 00:27:51.340 --> 00:27:52.160 I'll often ask them 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.120 what their name means, 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.140 like my name means, 00:27:56.600 --> 00:27:57.680 my name technically 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.480 means farmer, 00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.380 but my parents 00:27:59.380 --> 00:28:00.060 didn't name me 00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:01.079 because it meant farmer, 00:28:01.539 --> 00:28:02.500 but often if you come 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:03.599 from many parts of the world, 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:05.039 your name has a significance 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:06.240 in your original language 00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:06.720 and culture, 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:07.460 so I'll just ask them, 00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.139 what does your name mean, 00:28:08.159 --> 00:28:09.379 and they'll tell me usually, 00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:10.779 they might say sometimes 00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:11.700 it's hard to translate 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:13.079 or get into English 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:13.480 or whatever, 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.240 but they'll tell me 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.099 roughly what it means, 00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:16.559 so it was the same 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:17.139 by the way then 00:28:17.139 --> 00:28:17.740 at the time 00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:19.019 that the Bible was written, 00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.179 so there's actually 00:28:20.179 --> 00:28:21.179 a bit of a pun here, 00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:22.339 she will bear a son 00:28:22.339 --> 00:28:23.139 and you shall name, 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:24.879 call his name God saves, 00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.339 because that's what 00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:27.279 Jesus means, 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:29.019 so I'll read it again 00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:29.559 verse 21, 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:30.579 she will bear a son 00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:31.379 and you shall call 00:28:31.379 --> 00:28:32.619 his name God saves, 00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:33.480 for he will save 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:34.619 his people from their sins, 00:28:35.139 --> 00:28:38.839 and this took place, 00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:39.480 verse 22, 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:40.319 all this took place 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:41.240 to fulfill what the Lord 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:42.240 has spoken by the prophet, 00:28:42.399 --> 00:28:43.680 behold the virgin 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.440 shall conceive 00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:45.200 and bear a son 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:45.899 and they shall call 00:28:45.899 --> 00:28:46.839 his name Emmanuel, 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.399 and then Matthew 00:28:48.399 --> 00:28:49.579 tells us what it means, 00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:51.139 which means God with us, 00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:53.299 when Joseph woke from sleep, 00:28:53.379 --> 00:28:54.160 he did as the angel 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:55.319 of the Lord commanded him, 00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:56.339 he took his wife, 00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:57.639 but knew her not 00:28:57.639 --> 00:28:58.839 until she had given 00:28:58.839 --> 00:28:59.679 birth to a son 00:28:59.679 --> 00:29:01.099 and he called his name 00:29:01.099 --> 00:29:01.579 Jesus, 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.720 God saves. 00:29:04.039 --> 00:29:04.439 Now, 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.480 here's the thing 00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:06.119 to understand, 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:06.799 if you could put up 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.559 the first thing here 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.740 is that Jesus' birth 00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:10.519 began with a profound miracle, 00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.619 Jesus' birth 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:14.619 began with a profound miracle, 00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:15.699 what the Bible text 00:29:15.699 --> 00:29:16.619 is saying is this, 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:18.259 if in a sense 00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:19.199 if you could go back 00:29:19.199 --> 00:29:19.779 in time 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.980 with all of the modern 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:22.339 scientific equipment, 00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:24.839 even more advanced 00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:25.439 than what we have 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.000 right now, 00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:28.259 one moment, 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:30.900 Mary just had 00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:31.940 a normal womb 00:29:31.940 --> 00:29:34.559 and she wasn't pregnant, 00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:37.180 and if you go back 00:29:37.180 --> 00:29:37.820 and look at Luke 00:29:37.820 --> 00:29:38.980 where there's the conversation 00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:40.100 about the angel 00:29:40.100 --> 00:29:40.820 asking Mary 00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:41.660 whether she was willing 00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:43.200 to take this big risk 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:44.920 and bear the cost 00:29:44.920 --> 00:29:45.680 and the price 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:46.680 of being the one 00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:47.440 by which God 00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:48.880 would enter into the world 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:50.019 to save human beings, 00:29:50.100 --> 00:29:51.140 and she says she is, 00:29:52.299 --> 00:29:53.519 then one moment, 00:29:53.860 --> 00:29:55.240 it's just a normal womb, 00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.360 no pregnancy, 00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:57.320 the next moment, 00:29:57.820 --> 00:29:58.880 there's a zygote 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:01.299 attached to the uterus, 00:30:01.820 --> 00:30:04.759 that's what happens, 00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:07.940 now, 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:11.299 here's, 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:12.819 it's very interesting, 00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:15.240 like many modern people 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:16.319 believe the myth 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:19.079 that Christianity 00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:21.059 is opposed to science 00:30:21.059 --> 00:30:22.339 or undermines science, 00:30:22.579 --> 00:30:23.519 I'm trying to work up 00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.299 a bit of the courage 00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:25.039 to write a blog 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.700 about the fact 00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.379 that actually 00:30:26.379 --> 00:30:27.299 in our culture 00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:28.420 it's only Christianity 00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:29.859 which is preserving science 00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:30.420 increasingly, 00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:31.640 which is under attack 00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:33.600 by irrationalism, 00:30:34.080 --> 00:30:36.400 like most woke 00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:37.780 progressive politics 00:30:37.780 --> 00:30:39.800 are inherently irrational 00:30:39.800 --> 00:30:43.020 and undermining science, 00:30:44.020 --> 00:30:45.120 but you see, 00:30:45.780 --> 00:30:47.040 just imagine for a moment, 00:30:47.160 --> 00:30:48.520 here's how miracles work, 00:30:48.620 --> 00:30:48.820 you see, 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:50.700 miracles actually only work 00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:52.280 if there's regular order 00:30:52.280 --> 00:30:53.340 of cause and effect 00:30:53.340 --> 00:30:54.420 in scientific laws, 00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.259 otherwise miracles 00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:56.200 actually don't work, 00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:57.460 and that's why 00:30:57.460 --> 00:30:58.299 in a sense 00:30:58.299 --> 00:30:59.900 science emerged 00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:00.680 out of the Christian 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:01.559 Jewish worldview 00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:02.059 as people, 00:31:02.100 --> 00:31:03.160 it dawned on people 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:03.960 that the Bible, 00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:05.700 that God has a mind, 00:31:05.819 --> 00:31:06.700 that he's a creator, 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.940 that he's a law giver, 00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:09.340 that they can go and look 00:31:09.340 --> 00:31:10.220 and see how he's 00:31:10.220 --> 00:31:11.220 ordered creation 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:12.900 and it's all because 00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:14.120 there's ordered creation 00:31:14.120 --> 00:31:14.840 that there can be 00:31:14.840 --> 00:31:15.840 something like a miracle 00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:16.980 and the miracles 00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:17.680 don't involve 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.880 suspending the laws 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:19.460 of science 00:31:19.460 --> 00:31:20.480 very rarely 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:22.039 or doing anything like that, 00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:23.500 it's an insertion 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.759 into cause-effect, 00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.360 cause-effect, 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:25.959 cause-effect, 00:31:26.099 --> 00:31:26.519 cause-effect, 00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:27.079 cause-effect, 00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:27.639 cause-effect, 00:31:27.919 --> 00:31:29.319 and it would be 00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:31.059 a little bit as if, 00:31:31.059 --> 00:31:32.359 you know, 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.519 I don't know, 00:31:33.959 --> 00:31:34.579 Louise and I, 00:31:34.899 --> 00:31:35.939 I'm walking out 00:31:35.939 --> 00:31:37.759 and a lottery ticket 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.679 flutters down 00:31:38.679 --> 00:31:40.039 and I pick it up 00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:41.079 and a couple of days later 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:42.659 I've won 40 million dollars, 00:31:42.959 --> 00:31:43.679 that's the only way 00:31:43.679 --> 00:31:44.159 I'll ever win 00:31:44.159 --> 00:31:45.019 with a lottery ticket, 00:31:45.219 --> 00:31:46.659 God will have to have it 00:31:46.659 --> 00:31:47.819 flutter into my hands 00:31:47.819 --> 00:31:48.979 or I'll find it on the ditch 00:31:48.979 --> 00:31:49.799 or something like that 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:50.599 and I win all the money, 00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.699 and so we want to bless 00:31:52.699 --> 00:31:53.439 our kids when they go 00:31:53.439 --> 00:31:54.000 into university 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.699 and we just say, 00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:55.460 you know, 00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:55.860 how about, 00:31:56.120 --> 00:31:56.400 you know, 00:31:56.580 --> 00:31:56.880 Bria, 00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:58.259 are you willing to have us 00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:59.279 sort of have entry 00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:00.240 into your bank account 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.720 and she says yes 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:01.940 because, 00:32:02.059 --> 00:32:02.180 you know, 00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:02.940 I love you Nana 00:32:02.940 --> 00:32:03.340 and Papa 00:32:03.340 --> 00:32:04.000 and I trust you 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:04.319 and you know, 00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:04.840 we see the, 00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.120 you know, 00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:06.000 student loan money 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.460 going in 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.420 and this going in 00:32:07.420 --> 00:32:08.200 and that going out 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:09.440 and she gets a part-time job 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:10.580 and this is going in 00:32:10.580 --> 00:32:10.880 and out 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:11.440 and in and out 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:11.900 and in and out 00:32:11.900 --> 00:32:12.299 and it's all 00:32:12.299 --> 00:32:13.279 the law of mathematics, 00:32:14.340 --> 00:32:14.960 it's all the law 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.539 of mathematics, 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.340 it's never wrong, 00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:17.400 just the law of mathematics 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:18.240 but one day 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:19.400 we just decided 00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:20.759 to plunk in $500 00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:21.920 to her account. 00:32:23.840 --> 00:32:24.280 Now, 00:32:24.360 --> 00:32:25.080 we haven't done anything 00:32:25.080 --> 00:32:25.720 against the laws 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:26.460 of mathematics, 00:32:26.620 --> 00:32:27.380 the law of mathematics 00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:28.320 just keep on going 00:32:28.320 --> 00:32:29.320 but all of a sudden, 00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:30.860 one second after we've 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:31.740 plunked in $500, 00:32:32.100 --> 00:32:32.780 her bank balance 00:32:32.780 --> 00:32:33.860 is $500 more 00:32:33.860 --> 00:32:34.700 but then what happens? 00:32:34.780 --> 00:32:35.820 All the other normal laws, 00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:36.140 it just, 00:32:36.600 --> 00:32:36.680 it, 00:32:36.780 --> 00:32:37.100 the mirror, 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:37.519 in a sense, 00:32:37.580 --> 00:32:38.080 the miracle, 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:38.340 just, 00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:39.580 the flow just continues. 00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:42.160 Mary's able to have babies 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:44.340 like she is. 00:32:45.060 --> 00:32:46.600 She's old enough, 00:32:46.660 --> 00:32:47.480 she's healthy enough, 00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:48.860 there's this miracle 00:32:48.860 --> 00:32:49.640 of the zygote 00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:49.960 all, 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:51.220 one moment 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:52.500 in the twinkling of an eye 00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:53.220 there's a zygote 00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:54.519 attached to the womb of Mary 00:32:54.519 --> 00:32:56.200 and then all of the normal 00:32:56.200 --> 00:32:58.080 biological and scientific processes 00:32:58.080 --> 00:32:59.400 which were never suspended 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:00.340 continue to happen 00:33:00.340 --> 00:33:02.800 and eventually she has a baby 00:33:02.800 --> 00:33:05.900 and that's at the very heart 00:33:05.900 --> 00:33:06.740 of the Christian story 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.759 and it also helps us 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:08.600 to understand 00:33:08.600 --> 00:33:11.779 how miracles work 00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:12.960 and why it actually, 00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:15.279 it's only if there's 00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:16.240 the laws of science 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.639 that miracles can be happening 00:33:17.639 --> 00:33:18.759 if there is a God 00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.960 as described in the Bible. 00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:22.740 But why does any of this matter? 00:33:23.539 --> 00:33:24.039 If you could put up 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.660 the final point 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:25.619 that would be very helpful. 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:26.440 Emmanuel, 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:27.779 God with us, 00:33:27.980 --> 00:33:28.319 Jesus, 00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:30.480 the transcendent 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:31.420 became human 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:32.839 to really deliver you 00:33:32.839 --> 00:33:35.099 from your transcendent 00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:36.079 offense 00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:37.039 or offenses 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:37.920 would probably be 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:38.879 a better way to put it. 00:33:41.779 --> 00:33:44.440 there's lots of good advice 00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:45.759 by people out there. 00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:47.859 We have Daniel Gilman 00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:49.079 visiting us 00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:49.619 and I don't know 00:33:49.619 --> 00:33:51.399 with his Ravi Zacharias training, 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:51.899 I don't know 00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:53.019 what they used to tell him 00:33:53.019 --> 00:33:53.960 about the word sin 00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:55.720 but there's lots of people 00:33:55.720 --> 00:33:56.059 out there 00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:57.019 who advise Christians 00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:58.279 not to use the word sin. 00:33:58.700 --> 00:33:59.500 I mention this 00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:00.319 because if you look here, 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:01.700 look back up at, 00:34:02.980 --> 00:34:03.920 where is it here? 00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:04.960 Verse 21, 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:05.940 she will bear a son 00:34:05.940 --> 00:34:07.160 and you shall call his name Jesus 00:34:07.160 --> 00:34:08.179 for he will save his people 00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:09.039 from their sins. 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:11.179 And so there's lots of people 00:34:11.179 --> 00:34:11.860 who advise us 00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:13.099 not to use the word sin 00:34:13.099 --> 00:34:14.639 and there's some reason for that. 00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:15.239 There's some like, 00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.739 it's because partially 00:34:16.739 --> 00:34:18.279 the word sin 00:34:18.279 --> 00:34:20.719 is often for non-Christians 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:21.300 that they think 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:22.300 it just means sex, 00:34:22.759 --> 00:34:23.519 like being naughty 00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:24.619 about sexual things. 00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:26.340 But the big thing is 00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:27.500 is it's easily mocked. 00:34:28.440 --> 00:34:28.759 Like, 00:34:29.259 --> 00:34:30.360 if I got a comedy 00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.340 Netflix special, 00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:32.880 I could just come 00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:34.199 walking out to the stage 00:34:34.199 --> 00:34:34.599 and say, 00:34:34.699 --> 00:34:35.480 I see a lot of sinners 00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.099 out here 00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:37.239 and everybody would laugh 00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:39.339 because it's a ridiculous idea. 00:34:40.139 --> 00:34:41.259 Have you been sinning? 00:34:41.379 --> 00:34:42.259 I just have to say that. 00:34:42.339 --> 00:34:43.159 People will laugh. 00:34:43.359 --> 00:34:44.459 It's a ridiculous idea. 00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:45.599 It's mocked in our culture. 00:34:46.439 --> 00:34:47.359 And so people will 00:34:47.359 --> 00:34:49.439 tell us to get rid of it. 00:34:49.739 --> 00:34:50.500 But here's the thing 00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:51.099 and I might, 00:34:51.219 --> 00:34:51.819 I don't think I'll lose 00:34:51.819 --> 00:34:52.459 anybody in this room. 00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:53.259 I might lose some of you 00:34:53.259 --> 00:34:54.239 online by saying this 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:56.059 but just give me some grace. 00:34:57.139 --> 00:34:57.899 Jordan Peterson 00:34:57.899 --> 00:34:59.519 has some very wise advice 00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.539 about things. 00:35:00.939 --> 00:35:01.959 He's reacting to 00:35:01.959 --> 00:35:03.379 forced use of pronouns 00:35:03.379 --> 00:35:04.439 and other types of things 00:35:04.439 --> 00:35:05.599 and he says basically this 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:06.899 which is just completely true. 00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:07.599 It's just reasonable. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.220 We think with words. 00:35:11.099 --> 00:35:12.240 There's no thinking 00:35:12.240 --> 00:35:13.900 without the use of words. 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:15.940 And if you have 00:35:15.940 --> 00:35:17.240 controlled speech 00:35:17.240 --> 00:35:19.500 and certain words 00:35:19.500 --> 00:35:20.260 aren't allowed 00:35:20.260 --> 00:35:21.740 then you have 00:35:21.740 --> 00:35:22.880 controlled thought. 00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:24.960 But controlled thought 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:26.260 is an oxymoron. 00:35:27.720 --> 00:35:29.340 If your thought's controlled 00:35:29.340 --> 00:35:30.300 it's not thought. 00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:31.260 You're not thinking. 00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:34.539 And so if you control 00:35:34.539 --> 00:35:35.360 the language 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:36.480 you control 00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:37.460 how people think. 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:38.260 It's an Orwellian 00:35:38.260 --> 00:35:39.579 1984 world. 00:35:39.820 --> 00:35:40.760 Welcome to Canada 00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:41.480 in 2021. 00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:44.200 And that's part of the reason 00:35:44.200 --> 00:35:45.079 why we have to 00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:46.800 find ways to resist it 00:35:46.800 --> 00:35:48.480 and to not allow 00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:49.860 our words to be controlled. 00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:50.960 And so here's the importance 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:51.740 of the word sin. 00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:52.820 Why we need to keep it. 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:53.680 Even if 00:35:53.680 --> 00:35:54.860 it might be that 00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:55.720 I'm talking to people 00:35:55.720 --> 00:35:56.660 I might not use it 00:35:56.660 --> 00:35:58.280 but I have to keep the word 00:35:58.280 --> 00:35:59.380 and not be ashamed 00:35:59.380 --> 00:36:00.340 or embarrassed at the word. 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.039 And here's the reason 00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:02.140 the word is so important. 00:36:02.139 --> 00:36:03.559 The word sin 00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:05.719 actually is helpful 00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:07.079 to Canadians 00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:08.379 that just don't realize it 00:36:08.379 --> 00:36:09.199 and it's very helpful 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:10.079 to Christians 00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:11.579 because it maintains 00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:12.359 the idea 00:36:12.359 --> 00:36:13.859 of transcendence. 00:36:15.339 --> 00:36:16.059 You see 00:36:16.059 --> 00:36:16.699 our culture 00:36:16.699 --> 00:36:17.839 does have the idea 00:36:17.839 --> 00:36:18.839 that some things 00:36:18.839 --> 00:36:20.579 well you know 00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:20.960 if 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:22.039 if I 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:22.339 if 00:36:22.339 --> 00:36:23.779 Louise slapped me 00:36:23.779 --> 00:36:24.759 that would just be wrong. 00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:25.259 Okay? 00:36:25.260 --> 00:36:28.140 If I discovered 00:36:28.140 --> 00:36:28.760 that one of you 00:36:28.760 --> 00:36:29.720 had ripped off 00:36:29.720 --> 00:36:31.100 an insurance company 00:36:31.100 --> 00:36:32.640 for a hundred thousand dollars 00:36:32.640 --> 00:36:33.620 well that would be wrong. 00:36:35.420 --> 00:36:36.480 And there's a lot of things 00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.000 most things 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:38.100 that are just sort of wrong. 00:36:38.720 --> 00:36:39.660 But our culture 00:36:39.660 --> 00:36:40.880 still has this idea 00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:42.260 that there's some things 00:36:42.260 --> 00:36:43.080 that are wrong 00:36:43.080 --> 00:36:45.240 that touch on the transcendent. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:47.620 Like when we say 00:36:47.620 --> 00:36:48.780 that somebody is guilty 00:36:48.780 --> 00:36:50.500 of a crime against humanity 00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:52.080 that's what we're trying 00:36:52.080 --> 00:36:52.860 to get at. 00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:54.980 That a crime against humanity 00:36:54.980 --> 00:36:56.620 is not just ripping off 00:36:56.620 --> 00:36:58.579 an insurance company. 00:36:58.700 --> 00:37:00.120 It's not just robbing a bank. 00:37:00.240 --> 00:37:01.140 It's not just 00:37:01.140 --> 00:37:01.960 you know 00:37:01.960 --> 00:37:03.160 two drunk guys 00:37:03.160 --> 00:37:05.180 fighting over a girl 00:37:05.180 --> 00:37:06.220 and punching one another. 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.099 And that's all bad. 00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:07.760 It's all bad. 00:37:07.820 --> 00:37:08.400 It's all bad. 00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.740 But there's certain types 00:37:09.740 --> 00:37:10.920 of things that we want to try. 00:37:11.240 --> 00:37:12.300 Our culture doesn't have 00:37:12.300 --> 00:37:13.860 the language of transcendence 00:37:13.860 --> 00:37:14.360 but even though 00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:15.300 we don't have the language 00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:16.240 of transcendence 00:37:16.240 --> 00:37:17.820 we still have the sense 00:37:17.820 --> 00:37:19.860 that there's something transcendent. 00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:20.960 And some things 00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:22.579 aren't just wrong 00:37:22.579 --> 00:37:24.599 they're wrong in a way 00:37:24.599 --> 00:37:26.679 and we start reaching 00:37:26.679 --> 00:37:28.920 it's a crime against humanity. 00:37:29.179 --> 00:37:30.179 To find out about somebody 00:37:30.179 --> 00:37:31.179 doing ethnic cleansing 00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:33.759 that's a crime against humanity. 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:34.599 Part of the reason 00:37:34.599 --> 00:37:36.340 our culture is so concerned 00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:37.420 about hate speech 00:37:37.420 --> 00:37:38.360 is it's saying 00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:39.279 that it's not just 00:37:39.279 --> 00:37:40.039 that I call 00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.440 you know 00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:41.539 somebody in the congregation 00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:42.079 a not 00:37:42.079 --> 00:37:43.219 some type of thing. 00:37:43.480 --> 00:37:44.599 But if there's a sense 00:37:44.599 --> 00:37:45.860 that it's motivated 00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:47.539 by a hatred 00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:48.440 and a prejudice 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:49.739 of a whole race 00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.599 or a whole class 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.159 of people 00:37:51.159 --> 00:37:52.739 that are culturally 00:37:52.739 --> 00:37:53.339 you know 00:37:53.339 --> 00:37:54.380 important right now 00:37:54.380 --> 00:37:55.599 that in some ways 00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:57.239 that's not just me 00:37:57.239 --> 00:37:58.639 not being right 00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.539 with my language. 00:37:59.759 --> 00:38:00.659 When you call it 00:38:00.659 --> 00:38:01.179 a hate crime 00:38:01.179 --> 00:38:02.360 we're trying to say 00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.159 it's touching 00:38:03.159 --> 00:38:04.119 on something 00:38:04.119 --> 00:38:05.519 transcendent 00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:07.440 that we violated. 00:38:09.299 --> 00:38:10.159 And if you know 00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:11.159 anything about our culture 00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:13.059 there's no remedy 00:38:13.059 --> 00:38:14.299 against something 00:38:14.299 --> 00:38:15.719 which is transcendent 00:38:15.719 --> 00:38:16.940 which has been violated. 00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:19.400 we will all say 00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:20.740 if I kill somebody 00:38:20.740 --> 00:38:21.599 and there's a sense 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:22.700 that I didn't just kill them 00:38:22.700 --> 00:38:24.700 but that it's a hate crime 00:38:24.700 --> 00:38:25.960 or it's a crime 00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:26.820 against humanity 00:38:26.820 --> 00:38:28.659 people would be saying 00:38:28.659 --> 00:38:29.760 that 20 years in jail 00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:30.480 isn't enough. 00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:33.780 You should be in jail 00:38:33.780 --> 00:38:34.639 for the rest of your life 00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:35.539 and not only that 00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.240 that on social media 00:38:37.240 --> 00:38:38.320 and other types of things 00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:40.220 my sin and my guilt 00:38:40.220 --> 00:38:41.619 has to be brought to me 00:38:41.619 --> 00:38:42.280 day and day 00:38:42.280 --> 00:38:43.099 and day and day again. 00:38:43.220 --> 00:38:44.539 I have to be crushed 00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:45.679 belittled with 00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:47.159 and made 00:38:47.159 --> 00:38:48.980 if I don't feel shame 00:38:48.980 --> 00:38:50.460 everybody else 00:38:50.460 --> 00:38:52.340 should feel ashamed of me. 00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:56.199 Because there's some things 00:38:56.199 --> 00:38:57.179 that people do 00:38:57.179 --> 00:38:58.779 which isn't just wrong 00:38:58.779 --> 00:39:00.099 it is wrong 00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:02.279 against the transcendent. 00:39:03.639 --> 00:39:05.320 And our culture has that 00:39:05.320 --> 00:39:06.980 even if we can't articulate it 00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:07.659 very clearly. 00:39:08.820 --> 00:39:09.679 And you see 00:39:09.679 --> 00:39:11.039 this is what is so important 00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:12.400 with the word sin. 00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:15.500 is that what the Christian story 00:39:15.500 --> 00:39:16.559 is saying is this 00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:17.700 Emmanuel 00:39:17.700 --> 00:39:19.500 God with us 00:39:19.500 --> 00:39:20.660 Jesus 00:39:20.660 --> 00:39:21.980 God saves 00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:25.940 that the transcendent 00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:28.079 became human 00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:30.019 to really deliver 00:39:30.019 --> 00:39:31.500 you and me 00:39:31.500 --> 00:39:34.160 from your transcendent offenses. 00:39:34.900 --> 00:39:35.760 Because you see 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:36.360 if we start 00:39:36.360 --> 00:39:37.119 you know there's no way 00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:38.119 if you've cleansed 00:39:38.119 --> 00:39:38.860 an ethnic group 00:39:38.860 --> 00:39:40.480 how can that whole group 00:39:40.480 --> 00:39:42.880 like 00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:45.340 we have this sense 00:39:45.340 --> 00:39:46.300 of the transcendent 00:39:46.300 --> 00:39:47.519 but it's transcendent 00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:48.639 and the transcendent 00:39:48.639 --> 00:39:50.639 is connected to justice 00:39:50.639 --> 00:39:51.240 but we just 00:39:51.240 --> 00:39:51.539 it 00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:52.679 there's no 00:39:52.679 --> 00:39:54.599 way to connect it 00:39:54.599 --> 00:39:57.059 to satisfy it 00:39:57.059 --> 00:39:58.199 and if 00:39:58.199 --> 00:39:59.159 there was anything 00:39:59.159 --> 00:39:59.880 it would have to be 00:39:59.880 --> 00:40:00.219 as if 00:40:00.219 --> 00:40:02.000 all of that ethnic group 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:03.980 were every gay 00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:04.960 who's ever lived 00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:07.519 or every person 00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:08.699 who's African American 00:40:08.699 --> 00:40:09.320 or African 00:40:09.320 --> 00:40:10.380 who's ever lived 00:40:10.380 --> 00:40:11.720 could somehow 00:40:11.720 --> 00:40:12.880 as one 00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:15.500 speak into it 00:40:15.500 --> 00:40:16.600 and deal with it. 00:40:18.780 --> 00:40:20.000 And Christians believe 00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:20.240 that 00:40:20.240 --> 00:40:21.780 every human being 00:40:21.780 --> 00:40:22.740 is made in the image 00:40:22.740 --> 00:40:23.280 of God 00:40:23.280 --> 00:40:25.360 and the image 00:40:25.360 --> 00:40:26.780 itself 00:40:26.780 --> 00:40:28.059 comes amongst 00:40:28.059 --> 00:40:30.700 his image bearers 00:40:30.700 --> 00:40:32.360 the transcendent 00:40:32.360 --> 00:40:33.660 himself 00:40:33.660 --> 00:40:35.420 becomes human 00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:38.220 to deal with that 00:40:38.220 --> 00:40:40.099 that only the transcendent 00:40:40.099 --> 00:40:41.079 can deal with 00:40:41.079 --> 00:40:42.059 in a way that is 00:40:42.059 --> 00:40:43.260 both fully just 00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:45.380 and fully merciful 00:40:45.380 --> 00:40:48.220 where you have the sense 00:40:48.220 --> 00:40:48.980 that justice 00:40:48.980 --> 00:40:50.220 has been done 00:40:50.220 --> 00:40:51.940 with no violation 00:40:51.940 --> 00:40:53.519 at all 00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:55.380 not covered up 00:40:55.380 --> 00:40:57.700 not ignored 00:40:57.700 --> 00:40:59.139 not forgotten 00:40:59.139 --> 00:41:01.139 completely revealed 00:41:01.139 --> 00:41:03.219 and the transcendent 00:41:03.219 --> 00:41:04.259 has both revealed 00:41:04.259 --> 00:41:06.420 that transcendent 00:41:06.420 --> 00:41:07.000 offense 00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:09.339 and dealt 00:41:09.339 --> 00:41:09.699 with it 00:41:09.699 --> 00:41:10.699 in a just way 00:41:10.699 --> 00:41:13.079 but in a way 00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:13.759 which is also 00:41:13.759 --> 00:41:14.379 merciful 00:41:14.379 --> 00:41:16.079 and gives you 00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:16.379 hope 00:41:16.379 --> 00:41:17.179 even if you're 00:41:17.179 --> 00:41:18.139 camping at the gate 00:41:18.139 --> 00:41:18.539 of hell. 00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:21.819 And that's what 00:41:21.819 --> 00:41:22.619 the Christmas story 00:41:22.619 --> 00:41:23.000 is. 00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:26.619 The transcendent 00:41:26.619 --> 00:41:28.900 becomes human 00:41:28.900 --> 00:41:31.719 to deal with that 00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:32.940 which only the transcendent 00:41:32.940 --> 00:41:33.759 can deal with 00:41:33.759 --> 00:41:35.420 for us human beings 00:41:35.420 --> 00:41:36.799 who violate 00:41:36.799 --> 00:41:41.900 a moral order 00:41:41.900 --> 00:41:43.139 and moral things 00:41:43.139 --> 00:41:44.359 which are transcendent. 00:41:45.739 --> 00:41:46.759 There's hope. 00:41:47.359 --> 00:41:48.400 It's the birth of hope. 00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:50.460 Please stand. 00:41:50.460 --> 00:41:50.539 Thank you. 00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:59.039 Let's bow our heads 00:41:59.039 --> 00:41:59.480 in prayer. 00:42:00.339 --> 00:42:00.759 And by the way 00:42:00.759 --> 00:42:01.599 just before I pray 00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:02.359 if you're watching 00:42:02.359 --> 00:42:03.259 this online 00:42:03.259 --> 00:42:04.039 either today 00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:04.759 or later on 00:42:04.759 --> 00:42:06.019 and if you have 00:42:06.019 --> 00:42:06.739 never given your life 00:42:06.739 --> 00:42:07.219 to Jesus 00:42:07.219 --> 00:42:08.000 there's no time 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:08.880 better than just now 00:42:08.880 --> 00:42:09.519 saying Jesus 00:42:09.519 --> 00:42:12.539 I've been camping 00:42:12.539 --> 00:42:13.539 at the gates of hell 00:42:13.539 --> 00:42:15.599 and I didn't realize 00:42:15.599 --> 00:42:16.400 that there was a way 00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:18.900 that all those things 00:42:18.900 --> 00:42:19.819 in my past 00:42:19.819 --> 00:42:20.779 in my present 00:42:20.779 --> 00:42:21.619 that I've dealt with 00:42:21.619 --> 00:42:22.400 can be dealt with 00:42:22.400 --> 00:42:22.880 by you 00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:24.019 in a way that is just 00:42:24.019 --> 00:42:25.179 but is also full of 00:42:25.179 --> 00:42:26.000 grace and mercy 00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:27.400 that you can give me 00:42:27.400 --> 00:42:28.420 new life in you 00:42:28.420 --> 00:42:30.639 that you are Emmanuel 00:42:30.639 --> 00:42:31.699 that you are with me 00:42:31.699 --> 00:42:32.440 in my mess 00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:33.380 and in the midst 00:42:33.380 --> 00:42:34.000 of my mess 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:34.780 you saved me 00:42:34.780 --> 00:42:35.579 and redeemed me. 00:42:36.159 --> 00:42:36.840 There's no time 00:42:36.840 --> 00:42:37.340 better now 00:42:37.340 --> 00:42:38.059 than say Jesus 00:42:38.059 --> 00:42:39.260 be my Emmanuel 00:42:39.260 --> 00:42:41.420 be my Jesus 00:42:41.420 --> 00:42:42.739 be my Christ 00:42:42.739 --> 00:42:43.699 be my Savior 00:42:43.699 --> 00:42:45.639 and never let me go. 00:42:46.460 --> 00:42:47.059 Let's pray. 00:42:47.199 --> 00:42:48.280 Father thank you so much 00:42:48.280 --> 00:42:48.840 that Jesus 00:42:48.840 --> 00:42:50.820 is God with us 00:42:50.820 --> 00:42:53.320 that he is your 00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:54.219 great provision 00:42:54.219 --> 00:42:56.559 for our great need 00:42:56.559 --> 00:42:58.739 that he is 00:42:58.739 --> 00:42:59.959 justice 00:42:59.959 --> 00:43:01.699 transcendent 00:43:01.699 --> 00:43:02.639 and real 00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:03.679 justice 00:43:03.679 --> 00:43:04.639 real at the level 00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:05.279 of history 00:43:05.279 --> 00:43:06.799 transcendent 00:43:06.799 --> 00:43:08.399 as well 00:43:08.399 --> 00:43:09.679 that he is 00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:10.199 mercy 00:43:10.199 --> 00:43:11.859 that he is love 00:43:11.859 --> 00:43:13.259 that he is grace 00:43:13.259 --> 00:43:15.959 and that by his 00:43:15.959 --> 00:43:16.819 life and death 00:43:16.819 --> 00:43:18.059 and resurrection 00:43:18.059 --> 00:43:21.699 those things 00:43:21.699 --> 00:43:22.259 which keep 00:43:22.259 --> 00:43:22.920 human beings 00:43:22.920 --> 00:43:23.440 like us 00:43:23.440 --> 00:43:24.119 far from you 00:43:24.119 --> 00:43:24.739 have all been 00:43:24.739 --> 00:43:25.239 dealt with 00:43:25.239 --> 00:43:25.799 and bridged 00:43:25.799 --> 00:43:26.659 in his life 00:43:26.659 --> 00:43:27.019 and death 00:43:27.019 --> 00:43:27.539 and resurrection 00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:29.440 and so Father 00:43:29.440 --> 00:43:30.259 we give you 00:43:30.259 --> 00:43:31.000 thanks for this 00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:31.699 we ask that you 00:43:31.699 --> 00:43:32.119 help us 00:43:32.119 --> 00:43:32.440 Father 00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:34.820 to treasure 00:43:34.820 --> 00:43:35.639 these truths 00:43:35.639 --> 00:43:36.559 and to be like 00:43:36.559 --> 00:43:36.900 Mary 00:43:36.900 --> 00:43:37.699 and to ponder 00:43:37.699 --> 00:43:38.019 them 00:43:38.019 --> 00:43:39.739 to live out 00:43:39.739 --> 00:43:40.739 of the pondering 00:43:40.739 --> 00:43:41.719 upon these 00:43:41.719 --> 00:43:42.400 great treasures 00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:43.099 of the truth 00:43:43.099 --> 00:43:43.639 of the Christmas 00:43:43.639 --> 00:43:44.079 story 00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:45.139 Father 00:43:45.139 --> 00:43:46.380 help that 00:43:46.380 --> 00:43:47.639 to be more 00:43:47.639 --> 00:43:48.039 and more 00:43:48.039 --> 00:43:49.420 what describes 00:43:49.420 --> 00:43:50.039 our lives 00:43:50.039 --> 00:43:51.420 and we ask this 00:43:51.420 --> 00:43:51.819 in the name 00:43:51.819 --> 00:43:52.400 of Jesus 00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:54.059 your son 00:43:54.059 --> 00:43:54.759 and our savior 00:43:54.759 --> 00:43:55.819 amen 00:43:55.819 --> 00:43:57.819 you