WEBVTT

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 This morning we have the privilege of hearing from Sulmani Magadi.

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 Sulmani and his wife Miriam attend Church of the Resurrection,

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 where Sulmani also serves as an ordained deacon.

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 You might recognize Sulmani and Miriam from a couple different places.

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 They have participated in our worship services both two weeks ago singing

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 and later on in this service they will also sing with us.

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 You might recognize them also from having participated in our annual Easter Vigil,

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 both the year before and the year before that.

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 Sulmani originally comes from Jha's, Nigeria, where he studied at ECWA Theological Seminary,

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 and later on he would study at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary,

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 the same seminary where pastors Tommy and Kevin also studied.

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 Once again, we are so happy that Sulmani joins us this morning to preach the Word of God.

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 Sulmani.

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 Well, good morning. I'm happy to be here with you today.

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 I just want to thank the Advent leadership for giving me the opportunity,

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 the honor to share God's Word with you today.

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 Let's pray before we dive in.

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 We ask, Holy Spirit, that you would speak to us,

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 that you would tell us what you want for us to get from your Word,

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 and that it would revive us, encourage us, teach us, rebuke us, and heal us.

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 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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 I want to talk about God's home, the temple of God's home.

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 When I think of the word home, what immediately comes to mind is the dictionary definition,

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 a place where one lives permanently as a member of a household or a family.

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 I remember in the mid-1990s, my father wanted to build a home for his family,

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 so he contracted builders and they laid the foundation, set up the walls, you know, they built the house.

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 And once it was completed, we moved in.

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 But we didn't really move into a house.

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 We, sorry, into a home.

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 We moved into a house.

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 And it was the shared experiences in the house that really made it into a home for us,

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 that we felt that it belonged to us.

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 So we laughed together.

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 We prayed together.

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 We ate together.

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 We messed up together.

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 And that's what really made it home, those wonderful memories that we created.

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 And it seems like that's what's happening in Genesis chapter 1,

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 when God creates all of creation.

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 The first three days, he's preparing these spaces, these places,

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 for the creatures that he's going to create in the last three days of creation.

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 And the last, of course, is mankind.

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 And then on the seventh day, God rests.

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 And he calls it holy.

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 Now, in the ancient Near East, during the time when Moses was writing this book especially,

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 when a deity wanted to rest, there was only one place that they could rest.

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 That was in their temple.

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 So here, Moses is using the language of rest that was used in the Aene, ancient Near East.

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 But that word doesn't necessarily mean a reviving of strength and energy.

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 And that's not what it means.

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 What it actually refers to is the act of taking up residence.

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 So when we are told that God rests, what actually, what that means is that God took up residence.

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 And so just like a deity would take up residence in their temple,

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 here God was taking up residence in his creation.

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 And that was his temple.

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 So all of creation was his cosmic temple.

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 And that is what completed creation.

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 Adam and Eve had a full, satisfying experience of what it means to have a true home.

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 Because God rested and took up residence with them.

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 And all of creation, being God's temple, that was his desire all along,

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 for all humanity to have a true home by dwelling with them.

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 But then God did something even more amazing.

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 He decided that he was going to give dominion to mankind, to rule, to steward his cosmic temple.

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 And interestingly, he intertwined the fate of his temple with the obedience of his children.

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 He gave them things to do.

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 And one thing that they should not do.

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 And we know how the story goes.

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 Sin came into the world.

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 And Adam and Eve were exiled from the temple.

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 Unfortunately, they lost the rest, the home of God.

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 And so we, in our present homes, no matter how great they are, we know that there is disunity at times.

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 Sometimes we say words that we can't take back.

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 And beautiful memories we created in that place called home sometimes have turned dark and sour for us.

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 Now, as the story unfolds, we see that God wants to create a proximal temple.

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 So he instructs Moses to build a tabernacle.

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 And then later on, he tells Solomon to build a splendid temple where his name would reside.

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 Solomon does.

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 And Solomon prays a prayer of dedication.

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 After he prays that prayer, listen to what God says in 1 Kings 9, from verse 3 to 9.

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 I have heard your prayer and your plea which you have made before me.

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 I have consecrated this house that you have built by putting my name there forever.

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 My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

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 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked with integrity of heart and uprightness,

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 doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules,

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 then I will establish your throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying,

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 You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.

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 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children,

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 and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you,

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 but go and serve other gods and worship them,

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 then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them,

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 and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight,

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 and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all the peoples.

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 And this house will become a heap of ruins.

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 Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss,

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 and they will say,

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 Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?

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 Then they will say,

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 Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt

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 and laid hold on other gods and worshipped them and served them.

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 Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.

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 Can you see how yet again God intertwines the flourishing of his temple,

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 of his home, where he sets his name?

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 He intertwines that with the obedience of the people,

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 here in this passage specifically the kings.

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 And when the kings don't obey the Lord,

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 when the people don't obey the Lord,

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 there are dire consequences.

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 Starting with the end of Solomon's reign,

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 the people did not keep the law.

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 King after king after king did evil in the sight of the Lord.

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 Peter Lightheart tells us that before the temple was finally destroyed,

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 it was looted seven times.

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 It's like each looting represented a step back,

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 a decreation of the temple,

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 because the people, and more specifically the king,

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 refused to repent of their sins and follow the Lord.

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 They were destroying their home.

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 And by the time we get to 2 Chronicles 25,

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 the temple has been looted three times.

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 We're told in verse 1 to 5 that Amaziah was a good king.

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 He was even familiar with the law of the Lord.

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 His father had been assassinated.

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 And when Amaziah became king and had consolidated his power,

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 he executed the assassins who killed his father.

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 But he didn't execute their families because he knew from the law

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 that you do not kill the families of those who commit sins.

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 Only the one whose sins shall die.

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 So one would expect that the temple would flourish,

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 that the home of the Lord would flourish,

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 and that Israel would still have a home under Amaziah's reign.

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 But something went wrong.

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 Something went terribly wrong.

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 Backstory a little bit.

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 During Jehoram's reign,

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 and Jehoram is Amaziah's grandfather,

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 Edom,

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 the nation state of Edom,

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 which at that point was a vassal to Judah,

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 rebelled against Judah.

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 So now during Amaziah's reign,

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 he wants to bring the Edomites back under the reign of Judah.

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 And it's something that God seems to approve.

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 But he makes his first mistake

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 by allying with Israel.

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 He asks the northern kingdom to help him

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 to take it over.

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 So a thousand men were sent from Israel.

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 The problem with this is that the northern kingdom

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 had at this point already forsaken the Lord their God.

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 And so inviting them into this endeavor

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 was inviting corruption into Judah.

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 You woke up this morning

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 and oh how you needed pep.

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 And like most people,

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 you wanted to make coffee.

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 That's where you get your pep.

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 And so you brew the coffee.

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 And as it's brewing,

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 the aroma is wafting up to you.

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 It's calling your name,

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 saying that it wants you to drink it.

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 And you can't wait.

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 You put in the creamer.

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 Oh, you put in the sugar.

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 Stir it.

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 Put it to your lips.

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 You take a sip

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 and then you immediately spit it out

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 because you actually put salt

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 instead of sugar.

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 That's what's happening here.

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 Judah cannot mix with Israel at this point

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 because it's like coffee mixing with salt.

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 Who does that?

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 Righteousness and evil cannot work hand in hand.

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 But it gets worse.

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 From verse 7 to 11,

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 we see that a prophet tells Amaziah

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 to break the alliance.

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 And to his credit,

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 the king does so.

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 And he gains victory over Edom.

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 But then,

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 after he gains victory over Edom,

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 he sees their gods

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 and takes them for himself.

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 We see that in verse 14 to 16.

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 Idolatry.

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 He takes the idols of Edom,

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 brings them back to Jerusalem,

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 sets them up as his gods,

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 and worships them,

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 making sacrifices to them.

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 I'm not even sure how that makes sense

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 because the Lord your God

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 helped you have victory over Edom.

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 And the gods that couldn't save them

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 are the gods that you take to worship.

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 God sends a prophet

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 and tells him

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 to correct his ways.

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 But his heart has been hardened

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 by the idolatry.

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 And he tells the prophet

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 to shut up

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 or he'll kill him.

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 At this point,

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 God is no longer with Amaziah.

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 Now,

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 the 100,000 men

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 that he sent home,

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 he broke the alliance with them.

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 They were, of course, angry.

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 And probably because

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 they couldn't, you know,

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 take part in the plunder

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 and they didn't have any honor

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 associated with war

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 because they were allowed

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 to keep the money.

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 So on their way back up

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 to the northern kingdom,

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 they attacked some cities of Judah.

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 And understandably,

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 Amaziah is angry with them.

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 And so,

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 puffed up by his victory

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 over Edom,

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 he sends a declaration of war

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 to Joash.

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 And here we see

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 Amaziah's third mistake.

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 It's a prideful disposition.

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 The king of Israel

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 told him,

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 this unrighteous king of Israel

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 tells him not to be puffed up

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 with his victory,

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 to be content with it.

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 He wouldn't listen.

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 And it was his pride

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 that led to his destruction.

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 So, three things

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 lead to the destruction

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 of Amaziah

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 and the fourth looting

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 of the temple.

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 The king makes

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 an unholy alliance

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 with another people.

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 The king commits adultery,

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 idolatry.

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 The king commits idolatry.

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 And

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 the king is prideful.

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 And that is what leads

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 to the vessels of God

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 being looted

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 in the temple.

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 And in some ways,

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 the looting of the temple

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 is a picture

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 of what happens

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 to Amaziah

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 and what would eventually

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 happen to the people.

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 The gods of Edom

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 looted him

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 and made him

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 their slave.

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 So Amaziah is destroyed.

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 This was true

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 to God's word

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 to Solomon.

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 The fate

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 of his resting place

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 was intertwined

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 with the obedience

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 of God's people,

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 specifically

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 the kings.

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 after Amaziah's death,

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 king

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 after king

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 after king

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 just does evil

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 before the law,

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 before the Lord.

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 And

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 Manasseh

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 is the last straw.

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 Eventually,

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 the temple

00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:14.060
 is destroyed.

00:14:15.180 --> 00:14:15.759
 Nebuchadnezzar

00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:16.440
 comes and he

00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:17.220
 exiles the people

00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:17.940
 to the Babylon,

00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:18.840
 to the east,

00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.039
 just like Adam and Eve

00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:20.700
 were exiled

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:21.899
 to the east.

00:14:21.899 --> 00:14:23.259
 the place

00:14:23.259 --> 00:14:24.279
 of God's rest

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:25.379
 is no more.

00:14:26.459 --> 00:14:26.819
 Israel

00:14:26.819 --> 00:14:28.000
 is no longer

00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:28.819
 God's home

00:14:28.819 --> 00:14:29.799
 and the people

00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:30.360
 of God

00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:31.159
 no longer

00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:31.740
 have a home.

00:14:33.179 --> 00:14:34.600
 So after the exile,

00:14:34.959 --> 00:14:35.679
 under the guidance

00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:36.259
 of the prophets,

00:14:36.659 --> 00:14:37.659
 the Jews

00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:38.259
 rebuild

00:14:38.259 --> 00:14:38.959
 the temple

00:14:38.959 --> 00:14:40.159
 and reinstate

00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:40.620
 worship.

00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:42.340
 But by the time

00:14:42.340 --> 00:14:43.519
 Jesus arrives,

00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:44.759
 things aren't

00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:45.799
 as they should be.

00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:46.740
 Because

00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:48.139
 in John chapter 2,

00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:49.100
 we're told that

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:49.960
 Jesus goes into

00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:50.360
 the temple

00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:51.240
 and he clears it,

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:51.759
 saying,

00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:54.059
 take these things

00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:54.500
 away.

00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:55.980
 Do not make

00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:56.980
 my father's house

00:14:56.980 --> 00:14:57.939
 a house of trade.

00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:59.579
 My father's

00:14:59.579 --> 00:15:00.199
 house.

00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:01.679
 Jesus is here

00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:02.879
 claiming ownership

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:03.500
 of the temple.

00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:04.559
 He's saying it's his.

00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:06.699
 Not only that,

00:15:07.059 --> 00:15:08.000
 he drives out

00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:09.259
 those who sell

00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:10.279
 and those who buy

00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:10.779
 in the temple.

00:15:11.299 --> 00:15:12.000
 He overturns

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.399
 the tables

00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:13.240
 of the money changers

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:13.720
 and the seats

00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:15.100
 of those who sell pigeons

00:15:15.100 --> 00:15:15.799
 and he would not

00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:16.500
 allow anyone

00:15:16.500 --> 00:15:17.659
 to carry anything

00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:18.500
 through the temple.

00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:20.019
 Jesus is shutting

00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:21.679
 down temple worship.

00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:23.179
 And he's shutting

00:15:23.179 --> 00:15:23.840
 down God's

00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:24.439
 resting place

00:15:24.439 --> 00:15:25.519
 because he's

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.220
 doing something new.

00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:29.100
 Though every king

00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:30.860
 before Jesus

00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:32.139
 in some way,

00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:32.879
 in one way

00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:33.319
 or another,

00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:33.939
 failed,

00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:36.079
 Jesus would not fail.

00:15:36.579 --> 00:15:37.480
 He was victorious

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.220
 in his obedience

00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:38.679
 to God

00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:39.279
 from first

00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:40.220
 to last.

00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:41.439
 Unlike Amaziah,

00:15:41.779 --> 00:15:42.439
 he did not make

00:15:42.439 --> 00:15:43.840
 an unholy alliance.

00:15:44.379 --> 00:15:45.299
 He did not

00:15:45.299 --> 00:15:47.059
 commit idolatry.

00:15:47.779 --> 00:15:49.000
 He only worshipped God.

00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:49.100
 God.

00:15:49.500 --> 00:15:51.440
 And he was not prideful.

00:15:51.539 --> 00:15:52.179
 He was humble

00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:52.879
 and obedient

00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.179
 even unto death

00:15:54.179 --> 00:15:55.299
 on the cross.

00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.980
 So when he shut down

00:15:56.980 --> 00:15:57.440
 the temple,

00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.840
 he was inaugurating

00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.600
 a new temple,

00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:01.639
 the temple of his body.

00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:03.100
 And through him,

00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:04.580
 by his death,

00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:06.080
 the people of God

00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:07.159
 would also become

00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:09.200
 the temple of God.

00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:10.179
 Not a building,

00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:10.980
 not a structure,

00:16:11.980 --> 00:16:15.000
 but the people of God

00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:15.559
 would become

00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:17.000
 the temple of God,

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:18.279
 his resting place.

00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:21.080
 This is why we're told

00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:21.980
 in 1 Peter 2

00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:23.139
 that we are like

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:23.840
 living stones

00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:24.700
 being built up

00:16:24.700 --> 00:16:25.759
 as a spiritual house

00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:27.360
 to be a holy priesthood,

00:16:27.639 --> 00:16:30.379
 to offer spiritual sacrifices

00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:31.360
 acceptable to God.

00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:32.960
 What's amazing

00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:34.659
 is that God's presence

00:16:34.659 --> 00:16:35.559
 in us

00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:36.980
 and through us

00:16:36.980 --> 00:16:38.139
 and with us

00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:39.720
 is secured

00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:40.500
 by the obedience

00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:41.440
 of King Jesus

00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:43.440
 who will never fail

00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.639
 completely.

00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:47.200
 God's resting place

00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:48.000
 will never again

00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:48.519
 be destroyed

00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:49.500
 because Jesus Christ

00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:50.519
 is our perfect king.

00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:51.940
 He will never change.

00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:52.980
 And that means

00:16:52.980 --> 00:16:53.580
 that God is going

00:16:53.580 --> 00:16:54.620
 to stay with us

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:55.240
 forever.

00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:56.759
 This is wonderful

00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:58.779
 and amazing news.

00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:00.100
 God is with us.

00:17:01.539 --> 00:17:02.720
 Take a moment with me

00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:03.940
 and think about this.

00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.039
 Think about the magnitude

00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:05.799
 of that statement

00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.920
 that you and I

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:08.140
 are God's resting place

00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:09.240
 if we believe in Christ.

00:17:10.660 --> 00:17:11.000
 Heaven,

00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:12.640
 the highest heavens,

00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:14.599
 cannot contain God.

00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:14.639
 God.

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.599
 He's majestic.

00:17:17.339 --> 00:17:18.659
 He's all-powerful.

00:17:19.399 --> 00:17:20.259
 His glory

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:22.240
 is beyond comprehension.

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:24.439
 He does great wonders.

00:17:25.439 --> 00:17:25.579
 I mean,

00:17:25.619 --> 00:17:26.279
 just think about

00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:26.980
 who God is.

00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:28.279
 It is this God

00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:29.319
 that has chosen

00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:31.019
 to rest,

00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.480
 to take up residence

00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.539
 in you

00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:34.439
 and me,

00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:36.019
 to make us

00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:36.899
 his home

00:17:36.899 --> 00:17:38.959
 and by so doing

00:17:38.959 --> 00:17:40.219
 give us

00:17:40.219 --> 00:17:41.139
 a home.

00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:42.880
 and this is

00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:43.480
 great news

00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:45.400
 because it means

00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:46.480
 Christian

00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:47.480
 that no matter

00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:48.180
 where we are,

00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:49.380
 we are home.

00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:51.520
 God is with us.

00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:53.940
 We've been welcomed

00:17:53.940 --> 00:17:55.060
 back from exile,

00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:56.320
 from the dark.

00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:57.060
 We are no longer

00:17:57.060 --> 00:17:58.100
 cast out of Eden.

00:17:58.300 --> 00:17:59.300
 We are safe with him.

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:00.820
 We are loved by him

00:18:00.820 --> 00:18:02.060
 and he is not

00:18:02.060 --> 00:18:03.100
 going anywhere.

00:18:03.300 --> 00:18:03.740
 And yes,

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.660
 we long for,

00:18:06.040 --> 00:18:07.100
 we ache for the time

00:18:07.100 --> 00:18:07.759
 when we don't have

00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:08.880
 to contend

00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:09.840
 with sin anymore.

00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:11.179
 We know that it's not perfect.

00:18:11.399 --> 00:18:12.419
 We have that feeling

00:18:12.419 --> 00:18:12.939
 in our heart

00:18:12.939 --> 00:18:14.259
 that it could be better.

00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:15.679
 We struggle with

00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:16.459
 the sin around us.

00:18:16.500 --> 00:18:17.099
 We struggle with

00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:17.539
 the darkness.

00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:18.259
 We struggle with

00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:18.899
 what we see

00:18:18.899 --> 00:18:19.740
 on the news

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:20.439
 every day.

00:18:21.059 --> 00:18:21.959
 We struggle with

00:18:21.959 --> 00:18:22.779
 that disunity

00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:23.799
 with other believers

00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:24.939
 because of denominational

00:18:24.939 --> 00:18:25.539
 distinctions

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.599
 or whatever

00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:28.059
 the case may be.

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:29.559
 But,

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:30.740
 in the midst of all this,

00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:32.019
 we are not alone.

00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:34.559
 The spirit of glory

00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:35.839
 and of God

00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:37.079
 rests,

00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:38.299
 has taken up

00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:38.879
 residence

00:18:38.879 --> 00:18:40.180
 on us

00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:41.639
 and we are home

00:18:41.639 --> 00:18:43.680
 and we are his home.

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.759
 It also means

00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.059
 that wherever we go,

00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:48.980
 we are,

00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:51.399
 we are the source

00:18:51.399 --> 00:18:52.000
 of hope

00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:52.539
 to the world.

00:18:52.659 --> 00:18:52.919
 It is,

00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:54.919
 it is by looking at us

00:18:54.919 --> 00:18:55.980
 that the world

00:18:55.980 --> 00:18:57.119
 can see God

00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:57.759
 and understand

00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:59.119
 what that real sense

00:18:59.119 --> 00:18:59.659
 of home

00:18:59.659 --> 00:19:00.779
 actually is

00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:01.559
 because we are

00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:02.180
 God's presence

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:02.819
 in the world.

00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:05.379
 and oh,

00:19:05.679 --> 00:19:07.500
 how I long

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.879
 for anyone

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:09.819
 who does not

00:19:09.819 --> 00:19:10.720
 know Jesus Christ

00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.559
 to come and join

00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:12.899
 home.

00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:14.019
 If you don't know him,

00:19:14.439 --> 00:19:15.500
 what are you waiting

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:15.859
 for?

00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:17.480
 It's dark

00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:18.139
 out there.

00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:19.519
 There is no joy.

00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:21.079
 There is no peace

00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:21.819
 in exile.

00:19:22.619 --> 00:19:23.019
 And Jesus

00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:24.039
 is inviting you

00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:24.799
 to come

00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:25.559
 and be part

00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:26.859
 of this fellowship,

00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:27.839
 to come and dine

00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.419
 with us.

00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:30.319
 Brothers and sisters

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:30.720
 are waiting

00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.740
 to embrace you.

00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.240
 Why don't you

00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:33.779
 come home?

00:19:34.939 --> 00:19:35.339
 Come.

00:19:35.980 --> 00:19:36.980
 Come to Jesus.

00:19:38.659 --> 00:19:39.480
 Let us pray.

00:19:42.879 --> 00:19:43.359
 Father,

00:19:43.419 --> 00:19:44.099
 we pray that you

00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:44.720
 would continue

00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:45.779
 to make us aware

00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:47.379
 of your,

00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:49.059
 your presence

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.579
 with us,

00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.419
 that you are home.

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:51.939
 You are our home

00:19:51.939 --> 00:19:53.859
 and we are yours.

00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:55.379
 And that we live,

00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:56.179
 that we live out

00:19:56.179 --> 00:19:56.700
 that truth

00:19:56.700 --> 00:19:57.319
 in the midst

00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:59.159
 of current difficulties

00:19:59.159 --> 00:19:59.819
 and be light

00:19:59.819 --> 00:20:00.240
 to the world.

00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:01.480
 Amen.