WEBVTT

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 And if you can find Malachi again in your Bibles, that would be really helpful.

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 There's a bit of a tendency today, I think, for people like us to prefer lighter things rather than heavier things.

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 We like light stuff, don't we? We like light, entertaining, funny stuff. We like triviality.

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 But God knows that what we often need is something much more substantial to live.

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 We need something weightier to take into our minds and hearts.

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 Heavier words that might be harder to hear, but actually in the long run are much better for us to swallow.

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 They go deeper down into us.

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 And the whole book of Malachi gives us a good dose of deep, heavy spiritual medicine.

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 If you look at verse 1 of Malachi, chapter 1 in your Bibles, you'll see that the book itself has great weight.

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 Malachi is given an oracle from God to speak to Israel.

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 That word oracle, it can translate as burden.

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 Malachi is burdened by a message that God gives him to speak to the people.

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 The message is heavy.

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 Heavy not in the sense of it being boring or stuffy or too much information, God.

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 But God speaks seriously and deeply.

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 So can you imagine this morning what might be the heaviest, weightiest, most sobering words that you can imagine hearing in the presence of God?

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 Angry words?

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 Words of rejection, perhaps?

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 I never knew you.

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 How does God open this heavy message in verse 2?

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 What kinds of words does he use?

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 Just look there.

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 I have loved you.

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 Those four words are the message that he gives, aren't they?

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 And unlike what we might think of those four words,

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 we hear them, don't we, in the movies, they're not light words.

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 These words, rather than turning you all gooey

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 and making Christianity a fluffy thing,

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 they're not an invitation for us to relax spiritually.

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 They are words that are very troubling.

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 They're spoken to weigh on you heavily this morning.

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 Israel, my people, you church people,

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 hear and feel the weight of these words.

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 I have loved you,

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 says the Lord.

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 So why does God choose to begin this heavy message of Malachi with these words?

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 Seems unexpected, doesn't it?

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 Well, first of all, God's love

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 is convicting.

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 God's love is convicting.

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 I don't blame you if it took a little bit longer

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 to thumb through your Bibles and find the book of Malachi.

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 It's just over two pages long, isn't it?

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 It's not easy to find.

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 A Scottish friend of mine used to say

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 that Malachi, it's wee,

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 but it's weighty.

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 One commentator calls it

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 a devastating little book.

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 We're going to work through it

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 over a few Sunday mornings.

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 Even though it's small,

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 it's heavy

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 and it's weighty.

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 And you might miss that

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 in the opening few verses

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 that we're going to look at this morning.

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 You could read the opening verses of Malachi

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 and think that he is the softies prophet.

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 What a great collection of calendar verses they are,

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 aren't they,

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 in verse 1 to 5.

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 God says,

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 I love you.

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 Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

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 But you might have sensed

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 that as we read on in the chapter earlier on,

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 things are not well

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 between God and his people.

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 This is not God

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 putting his arm around his people

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 and whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

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 No, the whole book of Malachi

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 is actually more like a row

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 between God and his people.

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 It's full of accusations,

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 accusations and excuses from the people.

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 And the loving, faithful God

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 confronts his unfaithful people.

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 Because the relationship at this point

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 has gone sour.

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 God wants them to come back to him.

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 Just a bit of context,

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 it's about 450 years

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 before Jesus Christ

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 appears on the scene.

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 And Malachi is speaking here

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 to a group of people

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 who are left behind,

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 the remnants of God's people

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 who've returned from captivity in Babylon.

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 Babylon, they were sent into exile.

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 And then Babylon is invaded by Persia

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 and the Persian emperor Cyrus

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 sends them back

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 to the land of Judah.

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 It's just after the time of Ezra

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 and Nehemiah

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 when they rebuild the walls.

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 It's after the rebuilding project

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 led by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.

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 Zechariah.

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 And the people there

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 back in the little land of Judah,

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 the temple's rebuilt.

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 It's not as it was

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 in the days of Solomon,

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 but there is a temple there.

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 And there's a period of relative peace.

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 But spiritually,

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 things are dry.

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 Worship, we will see

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 as we go through the book,

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 is there,

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 but it's formulaic

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 and it's hypocritical.

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 And so as Malachi

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 speaks those words from God,

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 he isn't relaxed.

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 He isn't preaching about God's love

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 with a smile on his face.

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 These words come not immediately

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 as a comfort,

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 but as a convicting message.

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 And they lie heavily on his heart.

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 It is not a mushy love.

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 It is a covenant commitment

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 that God has placed on his people

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 like a marriage

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 or between two allied kings.

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 So just imagine the scenario.

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 In a room,

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 in a house,

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 maybe in the kitchen,

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 there is a husband

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 whose wife was out last night

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 and she didn't come home.

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 And it turns out

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 she's been unfaithful.

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 And the two of them

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 meet for a kind of face-off.

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 And you can cut the tension

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 with a knife

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 and she stares at the floor

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 and he looks at her

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 and he has every right

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 to lay into her

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 about what happened.

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 But the conversation begins

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 with him saying,

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 I have loved you.

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 And those words

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 bring a moment

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 of introspection,

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 don't they?

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 They gently

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 shame her.

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 Later on in the book,

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 God is going to rebuke

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 his people quite harshly.

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 But his most

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 shaming indictment

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 actually

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 on their cold hearts

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 is his

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 warm love

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 for them.

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 God's love,

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 we love hearing about it,

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 don't we?

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 It cheers us

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 and it encourages us

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 and it should

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 as we know

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 that his steadfast love

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 endures forever

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 for his people

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 but his love

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 is troubling.

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 It is very serious.

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 It is a love

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 that cuts

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 into our hearts

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 as we come to terms

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 with our feelings

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 for God.

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 that we have not

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 loved the God

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 who has loved us

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 so.

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 When we turn from him

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 in different ways

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 and we do that,

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 don't we?

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 If we love something else

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 or if we spend a moment

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 maybe backsliding even

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 and living in a different way

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 than what we should,

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 we pretend

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 to do,

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 we pretend we can do that

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 because we think

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 God does not love us.

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 We pretend

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 that he's an abusive,

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 nasty,

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 hateful God

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 and so it's okay

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 to turn from him.

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 But we've hated him

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 in his love.

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 To be baptised,

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 to be a member

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 of this church

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 or any church,

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 Christian church,

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 to be a Christian

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 is to be wonderfully

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 marked

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 by God's love.

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 But that is a serious

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 and weighty thing.

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 The water

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 that was used

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 to baptise Zayn,

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 that is very heavy

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 water.

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 It marks Zayn out

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 as being loved

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 by God.

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 It is heavy

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 and serious.

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 To have his covenant

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 love set on you,

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 it is a heavy thing.

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 And if that has happened

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 to you,

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 you cannot ignore that,

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 you cannot pretend

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 that that's not the case.

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 Who is the man

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 who is offended

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 when a woman

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 sleeps with another man?

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 Well,

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 all of us should be,

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 shouldn't we?

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 All of us should be

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 offended by that.

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 But of course,

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 it's the husband,

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 isn't it?

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 He is the one

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 who is offended most.

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 The one who has set

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 his love on her

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 is most grieved

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 by any unfaithfulness

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 and any unfaithfulness

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 towards God

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 from his people

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 is never just

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 a casual goodbye.

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 His true people

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 cannot simply

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 walk away from him.

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 For God,

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 it instigates

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 a passion

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 and holy

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 jealousy

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 for his people.

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 A husband would say,

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 wouldn't he,

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 well,

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 that kind of thing

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 happens all the time.

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 It is an awful thing

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 and it's a regrettable

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 thing in society

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 but if my love

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 did that,

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 that's a different

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 thing altogether.

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 And God's love,

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 you see,

00:10:25.100 --> 00:10:26.100
 convicts us

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 when we

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 or if we

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 turn from him.

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 That is serious

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 because he has

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 loved us

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 and so he cares

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 what we do

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 especially.

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 He cares how we feel

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 or how we don't feel.

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 Convicted by his love.

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 But there is a problem

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 with that,

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 isn't there?

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 Because his love

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 can only convict us

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 this morning

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 if we actually

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 believe it's true.

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 His love convicts us

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 but secondly,

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 God's love is doubted.

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 I have loved you,

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 God says to his people.

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 But do you believe that?

00:11:09.160 --> 00:11:10.820
 God loves you.

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 We teach our children

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 that, don't we,

00:11:13.920 --> 00:11:14.640
 in Sunday school.

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 It's kind of bread and butter

00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:17.879
 of our faith

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 that God loves his people.

00:11:20.560 --> 00:11:21.920
 But do we believe it?

00:11:22.060 --> 00:11:22.740
 Do we really?

00:11:24.180 --> 00:11:25.400
 In this row

00:11:25.400 --> 00:11:26.060
 between God

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 and the people,

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 the book of Malachi,

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 it's marked out

00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:29.480
 as we'll see

00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:31.759
 by a series of arguments.

00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:33.440
 And the first argument

00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:35.460
 that is between God

00:11:35.460 --> 00:11:35.980
 and his people

00:11:35.980 --> 00:11:37.280
 is there in verse 2.

00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:38.320
 If you look there.

00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:40.240
 I have loved you,

00:11:40.340 --> 00:11:40.879
 says the Lord,

00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:42.080
 but you say,

00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:44.140
 how have you loved us?

00:11:46.160 --> 00:11:46.920
 The thing is,

00:11:47.020 --> 00:11:48.280
 in all of these arguments

00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:49.299
 in the book of Malachi,

00:11:49.419 --> 00:11:50.039
 you'll notice that

00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:50.980
 even though the people

00:11:50.980 --> 00:11:52.279
 speak back to God,

00:11:52.339 --> 00:11:53.279
 it's actually God

00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:55.000
 who says their words,

00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:55.480
 isn't it?

00:11:56.919 --> 00:11:58.120
 And he uses the words,

00:11:58.339 --> 00:11:59.579
 but you say.

00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:02.179
 That phrase is repeated

00:12:02.179 --> 00:12:03.120
 throughout the book.

00:12:03.419 --> 00:12:04.339
 But you say,

00:12:04.459 --> 00:12:05.360
 but you say.

00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.120
 So God makes a statement

00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:08.819
 of truth

00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:11.620
 and he fills in the lines

00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.500
 of the people's response.

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:15.240
 They don't have to say

00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:16.100
 a word actually

00:12:16.100 --> 00:12:18.379
 because it's obvious

00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:18.900
 from the way

00:12:18.900 --> 00:12:19.740
 that they live.

00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:22.620
 He's giving the response

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:23.540
 that maybe the people

00:12:23.540 --> 00:12:24.440
 won't articulate

00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:25.860
 themselves out loud.

00:12:26.640 --> 00:12:27.300
 God says,

00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:27.980
 I love you,

00:12:28.040 --> 00:12:28.700
 but I know

00:12:28.700 --> 00:12:29.460
 what you're thinking.

00:12:30.540 --> 00:12:31.920
 You don't have to say it.

00:12:31.920 --> 00:12:33.140
 I will verbalise

00:12:33.140 --> 00:12:34.760
 your thoughts for you.

00:12:35.020 --> 00:12:36.140
 Your inner thoughts.

00:12:36.139 --> 00:12:38.360
 Let's get all of the cards

00:12:38.360 --> 00:12:38.939
 on the table

00:12:38.939 --> 00:12:39.759
 about how things

00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:41.259
 really are in your heart.

00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:43.220
 Because even though

00:12:43.220 --> 00:12:44.179
 I love you,

00:12:44.299 --> 00:12:45.279
 I know,

00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:47.259
 I know that you

00:12:47.259 --> 00:12:48.659
 often don't believe that.

00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:52.019
 He shows us that

00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:53.220
 behind maybe

00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:54.059
 the language

00:12:54.059 --> 00:12:55.779
 that we sometimes use,

00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:58.080
 especially in church circles,

00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:00.799
 there can be a deeper

00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:02.840
 hidden subtext

00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:04.860
 of what's going on

00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:05.860
 really in our hearts.

00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:08.480
 We're not going around

00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:09.519
 necessarily lying

00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:10.259
 to each other

00:13:10.259 --> 00:13:10.840
 consciously,

00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:11.460
 are we?

00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:14.139
 But God knows

00:13:14.139 --> 00:13:15.379
 our true intentions

00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:17.279
 and the thoughts

00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:17.860
 of our hearts

00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:18.620
 at any time.

00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:19.199
 So it's like

00:13:19.199 --> 00:13:20.019
 one of those moments

00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:20.580
 when everyone

00:13:20.580 --> 00:13:21.919
 is biting their tongues.

00:13:22.139 --> 00:13:22.939
 Nobody says

00:13:22.939 --> 00:13:23.600
 what everybody

00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:24.879
 actually might be thinking

00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:26.980
 and then somebody

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:27.919
 goes and says it.

00:13:29.419 --> 00:13:30.580
 And God does that.

00:13:30.659 --> 00:13:31.220
 He says to us,

00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:32.279
 I want to get real

00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:32.659
 with you

00:13:32.659 --> 00:13:33.299
 and I want you

00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:34.799
 to be real with me.

00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:36.719
 It's time for some

00:13:36.719 --> 00:13:38.339
 candid self-examination

00:13:38.339 --> 00:13:40.620
 because the underlying

00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:41.759
 issue is that you

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.099
 doubt so often

00:13:43.099 --> 00:13:44.339
 what I'm saying here

00:13:44.339 --> 00:13:46.019
 when I say,

00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:47.259
 I love you.

00:13:47.259 --> 00:13:50.139
 I know what you're thinking

00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:52.139
 because you say

00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:52.960
 in your heart

00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:54.220
 how?

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:56.620
 How have you loved us,

00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:56.939
 God?

00:13:58.939 --> 00:13:59.700
 What have you ever

00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:00.580
 done for me, God?

00:14:00.580 --> 00:14:03.500
 you wouldn't dare

00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:05.300
 say it plainly.

00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:06.980
 You wouldn't say it

00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:07.700
 out loud.

00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:09.879
 So let me say

00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:10.860
 what you're so often

00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:11.280
 thinking.

00:14:11.460 --> 00:14:12.300
 Let me say

00:14:12.300 --> 00:14:13.700
 how you might be

00:14:13.700 --> 00:14:14.040
 feeling.

00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:15.580
 You're thinking

00:14:15.580 --> 00:14:16.800
 how have you loved

00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:17.320
 us, God?

00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:18.300
 And he's right,

00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:18.700
 isn't he,

00:14:18.700 --> 00:14:19.300
 so often.

00:14:21.020 --> 00:14:21.879
 That's why it

00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:22.900
 takes me ages

00:14:22.900 --> 00:14:24.200
 to warm up

00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:25.080
 just to saying

00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:25.720
 a prayer.

00:14:27.220 --> 00:14:28.440
 Why reading

00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:28.980
 the Bible

00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:30.000
 it seems like

00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:30.660
 a chore.

00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:32.160
 How can it

00:14:32.160 --> 00:14:32.940
 seem like a chore?

00:14:34.260 --> 00:14:35.440
 When other things

00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:36.360
 take my affection

00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:37.460
 away from the Lord,

00:14:37.540 --> 00:14:38.780
 when I don't feel

00:14:38.780 --> 00:14:40.000
 warm towards him,

00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:42.000
 it's because I don't

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.820
 think that God

00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:43.500
 loves me.

00:14:44.460 --> 00:14:45.720
 The fruit of that

00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:46.660
 forbidden tree,

00:14:46.820 --> 00:14:47.460
 it's the age-old

00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:48.500
 problem is that,

00:14:48.640 --> 00:14:48.940
 isn't it,

00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:50.140
 that it just seems

00:14:50.140 --> 00:14:50.820
 so much better

00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:51.620
 than what God

00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:52.740
 is and what he

00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:53.620
 says and that he's

00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.380
 a killjoy.

00:14:55.900 --> 00:14:56.680
 For the people

00:14:56.680 --> 00:14:57.640
 of Malachi's day,

00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:58.299
 they had a

00:14:58.299 --> 00:14:59.000
 particular set

00:14:59.000 --> 00:14:59.460
 of issues,

00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:00.159
 they had their

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:00.779
 own reasons

00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:01.259
 for thinking

00:15:01.259 --> 00:15:01.639
 that.

00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:02.720
 If you were

00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.240
 around about

00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:03.899
 this time last

00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:04.439
 year, we looked

00:15:04.439 --> 00:15:04.919
 through the book

00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:05.559
 of Haggai,

00:15:05.699 --> 00:15:06.340
 you can remember,

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:07.939
 and in that

00:15:07.939 --> 00:15:09.000
 prophecy, it's

00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:10.220
 just around about

00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:10.879
 the same time

00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:11.480
 in the life

00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:11.980
 of the people

00:15:11.980 --> 00:15:12.480
 of Israel,

00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:13.580
 there was this

00:15:13.580 --> 00:15:14.480
 grand vision,

00:15:14.580 --> 00:15:14.919
 wasn't there,

00:15:14.939 --> 00:15:15.340
 at the end

00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:15.799
 of Haggai,

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:17.059
 of the rebuilt

00:15:17.059 --> 00:15:17.779
 temple.

00:15:18.980 --> 00:15:20.199
 The latter glory

00:15:20.199 --> 00:15:21.199
 of that house

00:15:21.199 --> 00:15:21.960
 would outweigh

00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:23.019
 the former glory.

00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:25.279
 God would shake

00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:25.899
 the heavens

00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:26.840
 and the earth

00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:27.519
 and all the

00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.220
 nations would

00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:29.080
 bring their

00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:30.060
 treasures in

00:15:30.060 --> 00:15:31.240
 and there will

00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:32.160
 be this cosmic

00:15:32.160 --> 00:15:33.420
 shift and this

00:15:33.420 --> 00:15:34.540
 king Zerubbabel

00:15:34.540 --> 00:15:36.060
 was the king

00:15:36.060 --> 00:15:37.379
 named to lead

00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:38.200
 the revolution

00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:39.440
 for God's

00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:39.840
 people.

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:41.500
 But that was

00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:42.480
 about 60 years

00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:43.120
 ago now.

00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:45.080
 Zerubbabel is

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:47.180
 dead, Judah is

00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:47.860
 now surrounded

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:48.700
 by enemies,

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.460
 and they're only

00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:51.060
 there under

00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:52.320
 permission by the

00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:52.980
 Persian emperor

00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:53.440
 Cyrus.

00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:54.720
 The temple is

00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:55.420
 there, but it's

00:15:55.419 --> 00:15:56.579
 just okay.

00:15:58.339 --> 00:15:58.799
 It's been a

00:15:58.799 --> 00:15:59.579
 while since the

00:15:59.579 --> 00:16:00.120
 return from

00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:00.519
 exile.

00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:01.059
 A lot has

00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:02.019
 happened, but

00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:02.479
 there's still

00:16:02.479 --> 00:16:03.279
 obviously a lot

00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:04.039
 more still to

00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:04.539
 come, isn't

00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:04.839
 there?

00:16:05.819 --> 00:16:06.319
 And the

00:16:06.319 --> 00:16:07.679
 assured realities

00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:08.659
 of Haggai's

00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:09.639
 day, of

00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:10.539
 restoration,

00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:13.259
 are not the

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.740
 present realities

00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:16.459
 yet.

00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:18.639
 And they

00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.360
 struggle with

00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:20.299
 the now and

00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:21.199
 the not yet

00:16:21.199 --> 00:16:21.939
 of waiting

00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:23.220
 for God's

00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:23.760
 promises to

00:16:23.760 --> 00:16:24.180
 be fully

00:16:24.180 --> 00:16:24.740
 fulfilled.

00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:26.560
 And the

00:16:26.560 --> 00:16:27.280
 question in

00:16:27.280 --> 00:16:27.880
 their hearts

00:16:27.880 --> 00:16:28.820
 isn't just

00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:29.460
 then, how

00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:30.000
 has God

00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:31.080
 loved us, or

00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:31.960
 what has God

00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:32.620
 ever done for

00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:32.940
 us, but

00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:33.960
 rather, how

00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:34.460
 has God

00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:35.800
 loved us, what

00:16:35.800 --> 00:16:36.260
 has he done

00:16:36.260 --> 00:16:37.280
 for us lately?

00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.020
 How have you

00:16:41.020 --> 00:16:41.840
 loved me right

00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:43.160
 now, God?

00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:45.480
 Because the

00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:46.840
 assured realities

00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:47.580
 that you've

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:48.240
 promised are

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.240
 not the present

00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:50.300
 realities of my

00:16:50.300 --> 00:16:51.660
 life right now.

00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:54.060
 the king who

00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:54.760
 was promised, who

00:16:54.760 --> 00:16:55.460
 was going to

00:16:55.460 --> 00:16:56.400
 restore the

00:16:56.400 --> 00:16:57.060
 glory of the

00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:57.860
 temple, was

00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.940
 Jesus Christ.

00:17:00.540 --> 00:17:01.480
 And he came,

00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:01.980
 didn't he?

00:17:03.420 --> 00:17:04.539
 And much was

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:05.480
 fulfilled, and

00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:06.460
 we see much of

00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.200
 it fulfilled in

00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:07.799
 the life of the

00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:08.600
 church today.

00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:11.000
 But not

00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:12.160
 everything is

00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:12.779
 here yet, is

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:12.880
 it?

00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:13.420
 Not everything

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:14.120
 is fulfilled.

00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.019
 Victory over

00:17:17.019 --> 00:17:18.080
 sin and death,

00:17:18.120 --> 00:17:19.299
 it is complete

00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:21.200
 on the cross,

00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:22.599
 nothing more

00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:23.240
 needs to be

00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:23.759
 done by

00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.220
 Jesus.

00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:26.700
 But we

00:17:26.700 --> 00:17:27.440
 still sin,

00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:27.960
 don't we?

00:17:28.579 --> 00:17:29.079
 And we

00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:29.819
 still die.

00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:32.339
 If God

00:17:32.339 --> 00:17:33.259
 loves us, we

00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:33.839
 might ask, why

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.339
 am I still

00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:34.700
 ill?

00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.399
 Why are the

00:17:36.399 --> 00:17:36.779
 Christian

00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:37.559
 funerals?

00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:39.700
 If God

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.480
 loves me, why

00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.259
 aren't I

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:42.079
 immune from

00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:42.700
 pain and

00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:43.359
 from illness

00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.940
 and frustration

00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:46.059
 in this world?

00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:47.919
 the cross

00:17:47.919 --> 00:17:48.379
 and the

00:17:48.379 --> 00:17:49.039
 resurrection, they

00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:49.539
 were great

00:17:49.539 --> 00:17:50.259
 then, but we

00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:50.940
 might think, well

00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:51.579
 Lord, what have

00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:52.159
 you done for me

00:17:52.159 --> 00:17:52.579
 lately?

00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:55.759
 Those words at

00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:56.539
 the end of 1

00:17:56.539 --> 00:17:57.379
 Corinthians, that

00:17:57.379 --> 00:17:59.099
 death will lose

00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:01.720
 its sting, those

00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:02.960
 words are an

00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:04.099
 assured reality,

00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:04.559
 aren't they?

00:18:04.659 --> 00:18:05.559
 But are they a

00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:06.500
 present reality?

00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:09.579
 We still die.

00:18:11.179 --> 00:18:11.819
 We've been

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:12.460
 raised with

00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:12.940
 Christ.

00:18:13.659 --> 00:18:14.059
 And when a

00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.019
 person becomes a

00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:16.019
 Christian, a

00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:17.019
 new creation,

00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:17.920
 Paul says, our

00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:19.319
 life is hidden

00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:20.240
 with Christ.

00:18:21.339 --> 00:18:22.139
 Nothing more

00:18:22.139 --> 00:18:22.960
 needs to be done

00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.359
 to forgive you

00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:26.259
 or give you new

00:18:26.259 --> 00:18:27.000
 life in Christ.

00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:27.420
 But the

00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:28.339
 outworkings of

00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:29.019
 all that are

00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:29.980
 still not fully

00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:30.460
 known.

00:18:31.740 --> 00:18:32.680
 We are in the

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.660
 now and in the

00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:34.519
 not yet too,

00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:35.079
 aren't we?

00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:37.339
 And so his

00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:38.480
 love convicts,

00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:39.299
 but we so

00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:40.200
 often doubt his

00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.740
 love, looking at

00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:42.639
 our circumstances.

00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:44.619
 So God says,

00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:45.639
 let me show

00:18:45.639 --> 00:18:46.059
 you.

00:18:47.419 --> 00:18:48.099
 Let me

00:18:48.099 --> 00:18:49.019
 persuade you

00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:49.839
 that I do,

00:18:50.939 --> 00:18:51.899
 that I have

00:18:51.899 --> 00:18:52.579
 loved you.

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.359
 And the rest

00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:56.559
 of our short

00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:57.099
 section this

00:18:57.099 --> 00:18:57.899
 morning is that

00:18:57.899 --> 00:18:58.619
 proof from

00:18:58.619 --> 00:18:59.279
 verse 3 to

00:18:59.279 --> 00:18:59.759
 5.

00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:01.659
 Look at verse

00:19:01.659 --> 00:19:02.439
 3 with me.

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.299
 How is it

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:04.979
 true that I've

00:19:04.979 --> 00:19:05.539
 loved you?

00:19:06.219 --> 00:19:06.919
 And here is

00:19:06.919 --> 00:19:07.939
 the killer

00:19:07.939 --> 00:19:08.359
 blow.

00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:10.219
 Is not

00:19:10.219 --> 00:19:11.059
 Esau

00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:12.299
 Jacob's

00:19:12.299 --> 00:19:12.619
 brother.

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.000
 And we're

00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:16.500
 thinking, how

00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:16.819
 is that

00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.379
 supposed to

00:19:17.379 --> 00:19:17.659
 help?

00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:20.019
 How does

00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:20.720
 that convince

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.139
 us that

00:19:22.139 --> 00:19:22.679
 you love

00:19:22.679 --> 00:19:23.139
 us, God?

00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:25.440
 That God's

00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.119
 love is true,

00:19:26.259 --> 00:19:26.980
 it's real.

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:28.119
 How does that

00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:28.480
 help?

00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:31.259
 Well, his love

00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:32.599
 convicts us and

00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:33.359
 it is real

00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:35.220
 because it is

00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:36.519
 terrifyingly,

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:37.879
 wonderfully,

00:19:38.619 --> 00:19:39.500
 soberingly

00:19:39.500 --> 00:19:41.680
 exclusive to

00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:42.139
 us.

00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:44.039
 It is

00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:45.059
 exclusive to

00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:45.480
 us.

00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:46.639
 That is our

00:19:46.639 --> 00:19:47.200
 third thing.

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.579
 Theologians

00:19:49.579 --> 00:19:50.660
 call Malachi a

00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:51.619
 post-exilic

00:19:51.619 --> 00:19:52.440
 minor prophet.

00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:53.539
 That's just a

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.139
 posh way of

00:19:54.139 --> 00:19:54.639
 saying that he's

00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:55.039
 one of the

00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.139
 smaller prophets

00:19:56.139 --> 00:19:57.579
 that was written

00:19:57.579 --> 00:19:58.519
 after the return

00:19:58.519 --> 00:19:59.279
 from exile.

00:20:00.099 --> 00:20:00.519
 Now, if you

00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:01.139
 think about it,

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.960
 that should be

00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:03.180
 enough in and

00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:03.720
 of itself,

00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:04.180
 shouldn't it,

00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:04.940
 to convince the

00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:05.519
 people of his

00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:05.980
 love.

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:07.839
 In case you

00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.639
 forgot, God

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:09.079
 says, I

00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:09.839
 promised that

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.920
 if you left

00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:11.500
 me, this would

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.000
 happen, that

00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:12.799
 you'd be invaded

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.460
 by foreign

00:20:13.460 --> 00:20:14.200
 powers, that

00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:14.759
 you'd be taken

00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:15.220
 off to a

00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:15.980
 foreign land.

00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.160
 I promised

00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:18.079
 that as early

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:18.819
 as Deuteronomy

00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.440
 in the time of

00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:20.299
 Moses, and I

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:21.079
 warned you again

00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:21.639
 and again that

00:20:21.639 --> 00:20:22.539
 it would happen.

00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:23.960
 And it did

00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:24.639
 happen, and the

00:20:24.639 --> 00:20:25.339
 very fact that

00:20:25.339 --> 00:20:26.920
 you're back in

00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:27.700
 your homeland

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:28.559
 should say a

00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:30.279
 lot, that I

00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:31.059
 haven't left

00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:32.639
 you, and I'm

00:20:32.639 --> 00:20:33.279
 still committed

00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:33.759
 to you.

00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.599
 He could go

00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:35.319
 down that route,

00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:35.839
 couldn't he?

00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:36.939
 to convince

00:20:36.939 --> 00:20:37.459
 them that he

00:20:37.459 --> 00:20:38.019
 loved them.

00:20:38.459 --> 00:20:39.359
 But what God

00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.139
 does is more

00:20:40.139 --> 00:20:41.179
 challenging here.

00:20:42.959 --> 00:20:44.279
 He actually

00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:45.220
 addresses the

00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:46.279
 modern preacher's

00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:46.980
 least favourite

00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:48.740
 subject, it's

00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:49.480
 election.

00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:53.000
 It's God's

00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:54.759
 choice of a

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:55.899
 particular people

00:20:55.899 --> 00:20:57.059
 for salvation,

00:20:58.059 --> 00:20:58.939
 and his

00:20:58.939 --> 00:21:00.099
 rejection of

00:21:00.099 --> 00:21:01.299
 everybody else.

00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:01.399
 love.

00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:04.440
 It's the very

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:05.399
 unpopular

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:07.180
 teaching that

00:21:07.180 --> 00:21:08.720
 God's love

00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:10.839
 is exclusive

00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:12.899
 to a certain

00:21:12.899 --> 00:21:13.399
 people.

00:21:14.899 --> 00:21:15.759
 And God

00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:16.899
 uses that

00:21:16.899 --> 00:21:18.240
 as his big

00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.099
 argument here.

00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:20.200
 He preaches

00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:22.000
 election to

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:22.559
 his people.

00:21:24.379 --> 00:21:24.639
 Do you

00:21:24.639 --> 00:21:25.180
 remember, he

00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:25.779
 says, how all

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.480
 of this started?

00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:27.180
 There was this

00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:27.919
 man called

00:21:27.919 --> 00:21:28.819
 Jacob, do you

00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:29.119
 remember?

00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:30.740
 You know the

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.279
 story in

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:31.659
 Genesis.

00:21:32.939 --> 00:21:33.720
 Jacob was

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.299
 given the

00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:34.980
 name Israel.

00:21:35.139 --> 00:21:35.720
 He became

00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:36.480
 the father of

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.319
 my chosen

00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:37.720
 people.

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.339
 He was the

00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:39.740
 man that I

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.299
 chose.

00:21:40.419 --> 00:21:40.759
 And you're

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.439
 related to

00:21:41.439 --> 00:21:41.720
 him.

00:21:41.819 --> 00:21:42.299
 You're here

00:21:42.299 --> 00:21:42.740
 because of

00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.119
 him.

00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:45.539
 But don't you

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.279
 remember that he

00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:46.859
 also had a

00:21:46.859 --> 00:21:48.639
 brother, Esau.

00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:50.939
 And not only

00:21:50.939 --> 00:21:51.279
 were they

00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:51.839
 brothers, they

00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:52.480
 were twins.

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:54.339
 There was

00:21:54.339 --> 00:21:55.000
 nothing to

00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:55.799
 separate them.

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.059
 If you read

00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:58.860
 the stories of

00:21:58.860 --> 00:21:59.319
 Jacob and

00:21:59.319 --> 00:21:59.839
 Esau, you can

00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:00.279
 see that they

00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:00.700
 were both

00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:01.839
 rotten scoundrels.

00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:04.120
 Jacob was that

00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:04.779
 scheming,

00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:05.779
 conniving con

00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.339
 man who

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:07.099
 posed as the

00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:08.380
 heir, that

00:22:08.380 --> 00:22:08.819
 conniving

00:22:08.819 --> 00:22:09.480
 tow rag.

00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:11.599
 And Esau

00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.240
 was just as

00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:12.460
 bad.

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:13.099
 He gave up

00:22:13.099 --> 00:22:14.019
 his birthright

00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:15.220
 for a bowl

00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:15.779
 of stew.

00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:17.380
 They were

00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:18.059
 both as bad

00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:18.400
 as each

00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:18.740
 other.

00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:20.200
 But God

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:20.640
 says, I

00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.799
 chose one of

00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:22.039
 them.

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.480
 I chose

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:23.879
 Jacob.

00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:26.220
 I decided

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.000
 that my

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:28.740
 love was

00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:29.200
 going to be

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.299
 exclusive to

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:30.960
 one of them

00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.619
 and not to

00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:33.000
 the other.

00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:35.099
 I loved

00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:36.779
 Jacob and

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.220
 I hated

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:37.680
 Esau.

00:22:39.159 --> 00:22:39.940
 And the

00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:40.559
 story of

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.200
 Esau and

00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:42.220
 Jacob perfectly

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:43.119
 shows us that

00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:43.859
 it wasn't that

00:22:43.859 --> 00:22:44.519
 one of them

00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:45.159
 was better

00:22:45.159 --> 00:22:45.559
 than the

00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:47.559
 other, that

00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:48.839
 they both

00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:49.559
 had equally

00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:50.440
 little claim

00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:51.039
 on God's

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:51.339
 love.

00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:53.759
 his point

00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:54.220
 is that

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:54.779
 the love

00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.359
 I've shown

00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:55.720
 to you,

00:22:55.779 --> 00:22:56.279
 I've shown

00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:56.659
 to you

00:22:56.659 --> 00:22:57.700
 exclusively,

00:22:58.379 --> 00:22:59.480
 my people,

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.980
 and others

00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:02.480
 who were

00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:03.399
 just as

00:23:03.399 --> 00:23:04.119
 good as

00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:04.639
 you,

00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:06.119
 I've

00:23:06.119 --> 00:23:06.740
 passed by.

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:09.159
 Others

00:23:09.159 --> 00:23:09.819
 equally

00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:10.639
 deserving

00:23:10.639 --> 00:23:11.740
 as you

00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:13.379
 to be in

00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:13.919
 this church

00:23:13.919 --> 00:23:14.359
 now,

00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:15.740
 I've

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.139
 rejected.

00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:16.340
 love.

00:23:18.560 --> 00:23:19.220
 That is

00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:19.640
 heavy.

00:23:21.060 --> 00:23:21.680
 That is

00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:22.500
 heavy love.

00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:24.240
 That is

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.700
 serious.

00:23:26.360 --> 00:23:26.700
 It's

00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:27.540
 deep and

00:23:27.540 --> 00:23:28.580
 sobering love,

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:28.880
 isn't it,

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.360
 when you think

00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:29.860
 about it.

00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:32.020
 When we see

00:23:32.020 --> 00:23:32.520
 that there are

00:23:32.520 --> 00:23:33.440
 people in this

00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:33.960
 world, there are

00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.560
 people on your

00:23:34.560 --> 00:23:36.860
 street, there are

00:23:36.860 --> 00:23:37.480
 people that you

00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:38.560
 live next door to,

00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:39.320
 your next door

00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:40.200
 neighbours even,

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:41.840
 in this town that

00:23:41.840 --> 00:23:43.100
 are just as nice as

00:23:43.100 --> 00:23:43.720
 you are,

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.460
 and as I am,

00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:47.779
 nicer than you.

00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.460
 And God has

00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:51.580
 chosen not to love

00:23:51.580 --> 00:23:52.440
 them in this way,

00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.299
 when he's loved

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.620
 you.

00:23:54.619 --> 00:23:58.119
 I realise that

00:23:58.119 --> 00:23:58.779
 talking about

00:23:58.779 --> 00:23:59.319
 this, talking

00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:00.359
 about election,

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:01.899
 God's choice,

00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:03.339
 might be the

00:24:03.339 --> 00:24:03.919
 first time that

00:24:03.919 --> 00:24:04.500
 you've heard about

00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:05.939
 this, and that

00:24:05.939 --> 00:24:06.919
 might raise lots of

00:24:06.919 --> 00:24:07.639
 questions for you,

00:24:07.679 --> 00:24:08.359
 and I'd really

00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:09.419
 genuinely be

00:24:09.419 --> 00:24:10.879
 delighted in

00:24:10.879 --> 00:24:11.739
 chatting about

00:24:11.739 --> 00:24:12.299
 that with you

00:24:12.299 --> 00:24:12.939
 afterwards.

00:24:14.379 --> 00:24:15.239
 I can give some

00:24:15.239 --> 00:24:16.000
 time to that if

00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:16.500
 you want to ask

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:16.819
 some more

00:24:16.819 --> 00:24:17.359
 questions.

00:24:17.899 --> 00:24:18.339
 I think it's

00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:18.979
 quite interesting

00:24:18.979 --> 00:24:19.739
 how Jesus

00:24:19.739 --> 00:24:21.019
 himself, the

00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:21.859
 master preacher,

00:24:22.639 --> 00:24:23.919
 uses the subject

00:24:23.919 --> 00:24:24.599
 of God's

00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.219
 choice in

00:24:25.219 --> 00:24:26.199
 evangelism.

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:27.439
 If you read

00:24:27.439 --> 00:24:28.099
 Matthew chapter

00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:29.980
 11, it's not

00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:31.019
 off the table for

00:24:31.019 --> 00:24:32.119
 preaching, far

00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:32.679
 from it.

00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:33.619
 But for the

00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:34.240
 moment it's

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:36.539
 important that

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.199
 we say that

00:24:37.199 --> 00:24:38.519
 Esau and those

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:39.719
 chosen by God

00:24:39.719 --> 00:24:40.379
 are never

00:24:40.379 --> 00:24:42.419
 rejected against

00:24:42.419 --> 00:24:43.039
 their own

00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:43.539
 will.

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:46.219
 As people

00:24:46.219 --> 00:24:47.439
 live wanting

00:24:47.439 --> 00:24:48.539
 no part of

00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:49.579
 God as Esau

00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:50.619
 did, and

00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:51.359
 nothing to do

00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:52.759
 with him, God

00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.480
 merely gives

00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:54.039
 them what they

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:54.659
 asked for.

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.720
 Esau happily

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.579
 gave up his

00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:00.099
 right to the

00:25:00.099 --> 00:25:01.399
 inheritance for

00:25:01.399 --> 00:25:01.859
 a bowl of

00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:02.180
 stew.

00:25:03.639 --> 00:25:04.079
 And there is

00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:04.779
 no one who

00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:05.960
 is outside of

00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:07.159
 God's love at

00:25:07.159 --> 00:25:07.740
 present who

00:25:07.740 --> 00:25:08.879
 wishes otherwise.

00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:12.220
 The mercy of

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:12.980
 God comes to

00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:13.839
 people of his

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:15.339
 choice and it

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:15.720
 gives them

00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:16.279
 something that

00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:16.940
 they did not

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:19.920
 ask for or

00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:20.359
 want.

00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:22.039
 God's choice

00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:22.539
 and the

00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.099
 stories of

00:25:23.099 --> 00:25:23.619
 Jacob and

00:25:23.619 --> 00:25:24.699
 Esau serve

00:25:24.699 --> 00:25:25.219
 as the

00:25:25.219 --> 00:25:26.079
 first of the

00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.059
 dominoes of

00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:27.779
 God's choice

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:28.719
 throughout history.

00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:29.839
 Bible history

00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:30.559
 shows us that

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:31.639
 Esau's descendants

00:25:31.639 --> 00:25:33.019
 grew and

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:33.740
 developed and

00:25:33.740 --> 00:25:34.219
 they took

00:25:34.219 --> 00:25:35.059
 ownership of

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:35.619
 the land of

00:25:35.619 --> 00:25:35.979
 Eden.

00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:38.240
 And so the

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.139
 choice and the

00:25:39.139 --> 00:25:39.819
 gifts and the

00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:40.619
 calling of God

00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:42.319
 are irreversible.

00:25:43.399 --> 00:25:44.179
 Because we see

00:25:44.179 --> 00:25:44.759
 here, don't we,

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.240
 in Malachi,

00:25:45.439 --> 00:25:46.279
 centuries later,

00:25:46.439 --> 00:25:48.299
 Eden remains

00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:49.180
 rejected by

00:25:49.180 --> 00:25:49.639
 God.

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:52.619
 Ezekiel foretold

00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:53.339
 their destruction

00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:54.039
 and it's

00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:54.440
 happened.

00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.000
 They've suffered

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.680
 under military

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.460
 invasion just

00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:59.359
 like Judah has,

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.079
 just as Israel

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:00.859
 has, but notice

00:26:00.859 --> 00:26:01.419
 the difference

00:26:01.419 --> 00:26:02.359
 with Edom here.

00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:04.319
 Verse 4, if

00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:05.339
 Edom says we

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:06.039
 are shattered

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:07.240
 but we will

00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:07.960
 rebuild the

00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:08.519
 ruins, the

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:09.099
 Lord of hosts

00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:09.839
 says they may

00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:11.419
 rebuild but I'll

00:26:11.419 --> 00:26:13.039
 tear down and

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:13.680
 they'll be called

00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:14.119
 the wicked

00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:15.779
 country and the

00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:16.399
 people with whom

00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:16.899
 the Lord is

00:26:16.899 --> 00:26:17.639
 angry forever.

00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:19.139
 They think we'll

00:26:19.139 --> 00:26:20.099
 bounce back,

00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.619
 the Lord has

00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:22.379
 rejected us but

00:26:22.379 --> 00:26:23.299
 we'll be okay.

00:26:25.379 --> 00:26:26.079
 Notice the

00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:26.759
 contrast there,

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.779
 the Edomites are

00:26:27.779 --> 00:26:28.680
 self-appointed

00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:30.619
 saviours, they

00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:31.139
 think that they

00:26:31.139 --> 00:26:31.720
 can rescue

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.460
 themselves, that

00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.000
 they can build

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:33.839
 themselves up.

00:26:34.659 --> 00:26:35.419
 Ironically they

00:26:35.419 --> 00:26:36.059
 do what the

00:26:36.059 --> 00:26:36.779
 Israelites were

00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:37.839
 reluctant to do,

00:26:38.039 --> 00:26:38.619
 build up.

00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:41.359
 Both Esau and

00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:41.940
 Israel have

00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:42.940
 endured God's

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:43.579
 judgement in

00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:44.419
 history but the

00:26:44.419 --> 00:26:46.460
 end goal is

00:26:46.460 --> 00:26:47.700
 totally different.

00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:49.299
 For Esau and

00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:50.139
 Jacob in the

00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:50.539
 end.

00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.279
 For the

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.480
 loved Jacob

00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:54.500
 judgment will

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.339
 end up in

00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:57.539
 restoration and

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:58.319
 return.

00:26:59.539 --> 00:27:00.319
 And for the

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.779
 rejected Edomites

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:02.859
 it will end in

00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:04.339
 absolute destruction.

00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:07.919
 So do you get it

00:27:07.919 --> 00:27:08.339
 this morning?

00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:09.099
 Do you get what

00:27:09.099 --> 00:27:09.599
 we're saying?

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.659
 If you're a

00:27:12.659 --> 00:27:13.759
 Christian, if you're

00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:14.680
 baptised, if you're

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.799
 here even this

00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:16.379
 morning and you're

00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:17.080
 not a Christian,

00:27:17.620 --> 00:27:18.160
 you're very

00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:21.040
 privileged, can I

00:27:21.040 --> 00:27:21.860
 put it as bluntly

00:27:21.860 --> 00:27:22.440
 as possible?

00:27:23.340 --> 00:27:24.000
 God is saying

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:25.060
 here that receiving

00:27:25.060 --> 00:27:28.060
 my love is not

00:27:28.060 --> 00:27:29.380
 because you are any

00:27:29.380 --> 00:27:31.220
 different in

00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:32.340
 yourself to people

00:27:32.340 --> 00:27:33.000
 who are heading

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.820
 for hell.

00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:36.980
 The only thing

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.840
 that makes you

00:27:37.840 --> 00:27:40.120
 different is that

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:41.120
 I've chosen you.

00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:44.119
 love is exclusive

00:27:44.839 --> 00:27:45.599
 to you.

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.059
 And as you see

00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:49.239
 the final destruction

00:27:49.239 --> 00:27:51.119
 of Edom, you

00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:52.359
 will see how

00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:53.699
 differently I have

00:27:53.699 --> 00:27:55.379
 treated you in

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:55.879
 comparison.

00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:58.759
 I have loved you

00:27:58.759 --> 00:27:59.659
 in a way that I

00:27:59.659 --> 00:28:00.479
 have not loved

00:28:00.479 --> 00:28:00.919
 others.

00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:04.240
 Paul says to the

00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.060
 Ephesians, he

00:28:05.060 --> 00:28:06.440
 chose us in

00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:07.779
 him, that's in

00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:10.000
 Christ, before the

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.880
 foundation of the

00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.460
 world, that we

00:28:12.460 --> 00:28:13.400
 should be holy and

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.160
 blameless before

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.500
 him.

00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:16.580
 In love he

00:28:16.580 --> 00:28:18.080
 predestined us

00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:19.840
 for adoption to

00:28:19.840 --> 00:28:20.860
 himself as sons

00:28:20.860 --> 00:28:21.480
 through Jesus

00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:21.880
 Christ.

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:22.680
 Now notice how

00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.580
 Paul does not

00:28:23.580 --> 00:28:24.759
 say there, he

00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:26.620
 chose us because we

00:28:26.620 --> 00:28:27.539
 were holy and

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:28.140
 blameless.

00:28:28.140 --> 00:28:30.740
 No, he chose us

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:32.140
 that we should be

00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:33.200
 holy and blameless.

00:28:33.520 --> 00:28:33.960
 We were no

00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:34.540
 different.

00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.040
 C.S. Lewis writes

00:28:38.040 --> 00:28:38.900
 in his book The

00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:39.660
 Four Loves,

00:28:41.120 --> 00:28:42.280
 depth beneath

00:28:42.280 --> 00:28:43.140
 depth and

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:44.080
 subtlety within

00:28:44.080 --> 00:28:45.960
 subtlety, there

00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:46.880
 remains some

00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:48.200
 lingering idea of

00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:50.020
 our own, our

00:28:50.020 --> 00:28:50.960
 very own

00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:51.880
 attractiveness.

00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:54.720
 It is easy to

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:56.060
 acknowledge, but

00:28:56.060 --> 00:28:57.440
 almost impossible to

00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.100
 realize for

00:28:58.140 --> 00:28:58.700
 long.

00:28:59.600 --> 00:29:00.380
 That we are

00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:01.240
 mirrors whose

00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:02.560
 brightness, if we

00:29:02.560 --> 00:29:04.140
 are bright, is

00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:05.320
 wholly derived

00:29:05.320 --> 00:29:06.400
 from the sun that

00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:07.800
 shines upon us.

00:29:10.120 --> 00:29:10.680
 Another

00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:12.259
 commentator

00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:12.780
 writes, he

00:29:12.780 --> 00:29:13.980
 loves us not

00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:14.680
 because of what

00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:16.480
 we are, but

00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:17.240
 because of what

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:17.820
 he is.

00:29:18.080 --> 00:29:18.880
 The light may

00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:19.759
 shine from you

00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:21.720
 this morning, if

00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:22.800
 you are amongst

00:29:22.800 --> 00:29:25.380
 God's people, but

00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:26.280
 it is only a

00:29:26.280 --> 00:29:27.320
 reflection of the

00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:27.919
 light that has

00:29:27.919 --> 00:29:28.839
 shone on you

00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:30.439
 from God.

00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:32.839
 Simply the fact

00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:34.079
 of being here

00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:35.619
 and of being a

00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:36.839
 Christian, of being

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.919
 baptised, is a

00:29:37.919 --> 00:29:38.960
 weighty thing.

00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:41.599
 That you, my

00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:42.299
 people, have

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:43.460
 received my love

00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:45.279
 in Christ, and

00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:45.939
 that I have chosen

00:29:45.939 --> 00:29:47.059
 you, and it is a

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.000
 privilege, it is a

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:48.839
 serious thing.

00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:50.159
 Convicts us,

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:50.639
 doesn't it?

00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:53.960
 I have loved you

00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:55.860
 exclusively.

00:29:57.660 --> 00:29:58.480
 If you have been

00:29:58.480 --> 00:29:59.140
 raised in a

00:29:59.140 --> 00:30:00.640
 Christian home, if

00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:01.160
 you have got any

00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:02.640
 interest in God, it

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:04.360
 is not because you

00:30:04.360 --> 00:30:05.360
 are nicer, or

00:30:05.360 --> 00:30:07.180
 better, or more

00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:07.660
 moral.

00:30:09.560 --> 00:30:11.840
 So this love is

00:30:11.840 --> 00:30:12.860
 quite devastating,

00:30:13.020 --> 00:30:13.440
 isn't it?

00:30:13.840 --> 00:30:14.759
 It is weighty.

00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:18.559
 This week, if

00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:19.099
 your love is

00:30:19.099 --> 00:30:20.559
 cold towards God,

00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:22.700
 perhaps if you're

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:25.000
 beginning to move

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:26.140
 away from God in

00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:27.119
 your communion with

00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.980
 him, please

00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:30.779
 remember these

00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:31.299
 words.

00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:33.740
 If you're coming

00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:34.599
 to terms with

00:30:34.599 --> 00:30:36.259
 any lack of

00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:37.440
 faith, or any

00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:38.559
 lack of love, or

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:40.799
 zeal, remember

00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:41.660
 these words.

00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:44.860
 any impatience

00:30:44.860 --> 00:30:45.500
 that you might

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:46.800
 have with the

00:30:46.800 --> 00:30:48.340
 assured realities

00:30:48.340 --> 00:30:49.240
 not being the

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:50.180
 present realities

00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:51.100
 in your life,

00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:53.860
 remember these

00:30:53.860 --> 00:30:54.360
 words.

00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:56.860
 I have loved

00:30:56.860 --> 00:30:57.160
 you.

00:30:58.340 --> 00:30:59.060
 I have loved

00:30:59.060 --> 00:30:59.360
 you.

00:31:00.820 --> 00:31:01.680
 It's only the

00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:02.440
 start of the

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:03.360
 conversation, isn't

00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:04.580
 it, in the

00:31:04.580 --> 00:31:05.480
 kitchen, in

00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:07.500
 Malachi, but that

00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:08.080
 is how God

00:31:08.080 --> 00:31:10.259
 begins, with

00:31:10.259 --> 00:31:11.300
 those convicting

00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:12.079
 and heavy

00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:12.659
 words.

00:31:13.659 --> 00:31:14.559
 I have loved

00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:14.799
 you.

00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:17.019
 Let's pray.