WEBVTT

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 Today's New Testament reading is Romans chapter 5 verses 1 to 11.

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!

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 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

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 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.

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 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

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 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

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 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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 Friends, as a minister, I have, and I mean this when I say it, I have the supreme honor of assisting the Lord in his ministry of shepherding his flock.

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 On occasion, during my short time in ministry, I haven't been ordained for very long, since 2019.

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 People have invited me into their lives and shared some very difficult situations.

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 Situations that are deeply personal and touch on some of the most vulnerable parts of their experience.

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 Most of the times, I try to listen.

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 I try to do my best listening.

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 I'm still growing in learning how to listen well.

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 I'm trying to ask thoughtful questions and offer comfort from scripture and to pray.

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 I've come to realize that some of you are hurting.

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 Some of you are suffering.

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 And it's a good thing that you reach out for support and counsel.

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 However, and again, a very small sample size.

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 I haven't been ordained for very long.

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 But not many people have taken me up on the offer for pastoral counsel or support.

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 And I say this not to lay a guilt trip on anybody.

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 But I wonder whether this is because such suffering is seen as a deficiency of character.

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 Or an admission of great weakness.

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 Or that there is some deep traumatic experiences that are just easier to keep buried.

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 Or maybe all of the above.

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 We are not very good as a society in processing suffering.

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 We live in an interesting time when social media values both the super put together life.

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 And also the incredibly vulnerable introspective life.

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 But whether suffering is ignored or whether it's monetized.

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 Our current cultural moment doesn't seem to know how to navigate this very common experience.

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 And friends, I think it's more common than we realize.

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 It's interesting.

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 This is in my notes.

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 But I'm preparing the text this week.

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 Studying and trying to wrestle through it.

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 And this week, for a number of different reasons, has been a week where grief from way back when all of a sudden just starts popping up.

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 And I am not wanting to deal with any of it.

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 I just want to get on with my life and study the scriptures and present it to you this morning.

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 But it's interesting how the Lord works.

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 And it's interesting that on this Sunday, he saw fit for me to experience a little bit of suffering as we open the text and wrestle with the topic of suffering this morning.

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 Our text, Romans chapter 5, verses 1 to 11.

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 It's going to offer a very different take on suffering.

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 One that's very different from our current cultural moment.

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 And it's this.

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 That the only healthy way to process suffering is to rejoice in it.

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 Let me say that again.

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 The only healthy way to truly process suffering is to rejoice in it.

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 If some sirens are going off, if some, I don't know, is it okay if I say that I'm going to call, I'm going to say, if your BS meter is going off, stick with me.

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 That's not exactly a theological term, by the way.

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 Stick with me.

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 We're going to take a look.

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 We're going to take a look into the text.

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 Ask some honest questions.

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 I think this text is going to help us tremendously.

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 We're going to see that in this text, we have the basis for rejoicing, especially in suffering.

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 We're going to see that there is a love that allows for this rejoicing.

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 And then ultimately, we're going to see that we have in Christ a future that allows us to rejoice in the present.

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 Open up verse 1 of Romans chapter 5.

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 We're going to jump right into it.

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 This is what it says.

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 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Remember, we are on a journey in Romans.

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 Paul has led us through chapters 1 to 3, making a fantastic and airtight case that mankind is sinful.

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 We can't justify ourselves.

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 We can't deal with our guilt.

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 We can't deal with our sin.

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 We can't deal with our sin.

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 He ends up talking about our need for justification.

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 And now he's going to tell us that there are fruits of being justified, being made right in God's sight.

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 And the primary one, the primary fruit of justification is peace with God.

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 And it's through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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 You know, some of our sufferings, not all, but some of them stem from a lack of peace in our relationships, don't they?

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 Misunderstandings that remain unclarified.

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 Past hurts that are not properly navigated.

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 Fear of confrontation and constant deflection, broken trust.

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 The needed change that we so desperately want does not come because such a change requires peace.

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 And that peace demands humility and bravery and agreed upon terms for what peace ought to be.

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 And remember, Paul has already made it extremely clear in chapters 1 through 3 that we are a prideful people.

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 We are unable to solve our own ills, nor are we able to compel others to fix theirs.

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 So what happens? Peace remains elusive.

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 It's important to remember that the whole message of Romans so far is that a lack of peace, especially relational peace,

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 it stems from a lack of peace with our Creator and flows down into every other relationship we have.

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 Therefore, it makes sense that we see peace as flowing downstream from justification.

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 Through Christ Jesus, we have been justified, right?

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 We have been made right with God.

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 Because Christ has taken our sin, He has given us His righteousness.

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 We have imputed righteousness.

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 God counts Christ's righteousness upon us.

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 And the result says that we have peace.

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 A peace on God's terms, not just ours, which means it is a lasting peace.

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 And this peace doesn't guarantee that we will automatically be at peace with others.

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 However, it does give us a model and a hope that peace can come in our relationships.

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 Or that we'll have the strength to endure the pain of relational loss or fragmentation.

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 We can be sure of this because of what Christ has done.

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 And this, Paul will articulate to us this morning, that this is an objective reality that happened in a very specific place,

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 at a very specific time, with a very specific person.

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 That is Jesus.

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 That justification is an objective reality we have rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

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 But justification is not just a past objective access, sorry, not just a past objective reality,

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 but a very present reality, a felt reality that informs and is rooted also in our future hope.

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 Now, we're going to dig into the future hope on our third point.

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 But Paul here is going to allude to it at the second part of verse 2.

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 And this is what he says in verse 2.

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 Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.

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 And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

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 What does this mean?

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 To put it simply, we have a dynamic relationship with God that doesn't merely result in the forgiveness

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 that he won on the cross through his son in the past, and then kind of leaves us.

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 But rather, this dynamic relationship is an ongoing relationship marked by love and deep care for the life we now live.

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 And that life is lived in Christ.

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 How do we know this?

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 Because we now have a continuous access to the presence of God here on earth.

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 Though it is in part, and because we have this access to the Lord now,

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 we are promised then that we will have full access of his presence in the age to come.

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 So what we have here is a justification that touches on every aspect of our life.

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 The past, the present, and the future.

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 I really love how John Stott sums this up in his commentary on Romans chapter 5.

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 He was an English evangelical minister.

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 And he says this, quote,

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 Our relationship with God into which justification has brought us is not sporadic, but continuous.

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 Not precarious, but secure.

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 I love that.

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 But then I ask the question, and maybe this is a question you'll ask as well.

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 But what happens when our relationship with God feels at best sporadic?

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 More like precarious, or even worse, non-existent.

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 What happens when the truth of God's word,

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 namely that we are justified in the past,

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 that God continually gives us grace in the present,

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 and that there's hope for the future glory that is to come,

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 that is not felt at all.

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 And it hasn't been felt for some time.

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 And it's especially not felt when tribulations or difficulties or sufferings come.

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 And especially when those sufferings come because,

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 and precisely because, we are Christians.

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 I mean, verse 1, what does it say?

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 That we have been justified by God,

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 and he gives us peace because of that justification.

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 And if that's the case, why can't God then give us a peaceful life,

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 free of issues?

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 Why can't he throw us a bone?

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 Or at least, now that we're on his side,

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 we'll see later on that we're called enemies of his,

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 but now we're on his side.

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 Why can't he, I don't know, help us out a bit?

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 Why do we have to go through sufferings as Christians?

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 If you have been a Christian for a while,

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 this may be something you've wrestled with.

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 I think it's a very good question to wrestle with

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 because ultimately it will expose a very real and deep

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 and prolific misconception about the Christian life.

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 that suffering and joy are antithetical to what it means to be a Christian.

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 Or they're antithetical, rather, to each other.

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 That suffering is antithetical to what it means to be a Christian.

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 But look what Paul says in verse 3 here,

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 the first part of verse 3.

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 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings.

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 It's not just that sufferings will come, Paul says,

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 but that we are to rejoice in them.

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 Rejoice in our sufferings?

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 How is it possible to rejoice in our sufferings?

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 Especially if our sufferings are something very, very deep and ongoing

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 that we wear around from the moment we wake up

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 until the moment we go to bed.

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 Seven days a week.

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 Okay, 12 months a year.

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 I think it's very important that we read carefully what Paul wrote here.

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 Especially considering what he didn't write.

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 So, what does Paul say?

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 He says, not only that, but we rejoice in our suffering.

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 What he doesn't write is that we rejoice for our sufferings.

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 The scriptures are repeatedly clear that suffering is not to be celebrated

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 or sought out.

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 It's not to be endured with a stoic demeanor.

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 Mourning and loss and fasting, sorry,

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 mourning, loss and fasting for an end to calamity

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 are repeatedly seen as commendable in scripture.

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 It is a good thing and a right thing to pray to God

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 to end our suffering, whatever it may be.

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 To bring a swift end to it.

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 It's a good thing.

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 Paul is not saying, listen, suffering is going to come

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 and you need to hug it with all of you.

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 You need to embrace every aspect of it.

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 No, he is not saying that.

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 He is saying that we are to rejoice in our suffering.

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 Suffering will come in this life.

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 And it comes in this life because we live in a very fallen world

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 full of selfishness and pride and lying and disease and tragedy

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 and lots of greed.

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 We will also suffer for Christ for this fallen world is currently against him.

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 The gospel reading, if you go back into it, John 16,

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 it says that Jesus says to his disciples,

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 you're going to mourn but the world will rejoice.

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 The world is currently at odds against Christ.

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 And it is because we are in Christ,

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 made right by him, by grace, through faith,

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 that we can trust that God is allowing these sufferings,

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 but for a very specific purpose,

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 as a means for our growth and for his glory.

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 In fact, it is often the primary means he uses for our maturity.

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 But why?

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 Why not mature us with ecstatic experiences, right?

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 These fantastic experiences.

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 If you have gone to a youth conference or a charismatic conference,

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 you have these ecstatic experiences,

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 and you will capture the mountain for Jesus, okay?

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 You will proclaim his goodness.

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 You are mature in the faith.

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 Why not just give us these ecstatic experiences in Christ?

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 Why not mature us with blessings and bounty, okay?

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 Why not use logic or reason?

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 Why not a good study of history?

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 Remember the adage,

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 those who don't know history are bound to repeat it.

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 Why not mature us through a good study of history

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 to make us wise and mature in the Christian faith?

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 Such questions, as honest as they may be,

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 start, I would humbly put forward to you,

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 with a false premise.

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 And the false premise is this,

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 that tragedy and pain are the exception to life,

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 but rather what we are really about

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 and what we deserve

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 is bounty and wealth and health.

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 But I think we have collectively,

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 in the West,

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 in this modern era we live in,

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 we have forgotten that this world is jagged

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 and rough and dark and dangerous.

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 It is.

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 That this world is full of sin and evil.

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 Life is tragically taken every day,

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 but we seldom see it here in Ottawa.

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 We live in a very insulated existence

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 where we are not regularly exposed to death,

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 but this is not the case globally or historically.

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 And I just want to say,

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 thank God, okay?

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 I'm not trying to somehow make us feel guilty

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 for being a bit insulated from death,

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 but when we forget how tragic this world can be,

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 beautiful, yes,

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 I mean, nature in its splendor,

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 creation in its splendor, fantastic,

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 we can see so many wonderful things,

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 but by and large,

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 this world is marked by pain.

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 Here's a bit of an example

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 that helps to put it in perspective.

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 2025, okay?

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 Cape Town, South Africa,

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 in terms of large cities,

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 had the most homicides in 2025.

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 A city of about 4 to 5 million people

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 in urban and suburban.

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 There's about 3,000 homicides, just under.

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 Ottawa, last year,

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 19.

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 Okay, 19.

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 19 tragic losses of life,

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.660
 but it kind of goes to show

00:18:34.660 --> 00:18:37.539
 how insulated we are in this city

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:40.339
 from how tragic and difficult this world is.

00:18:40.420 --> 00:18:42.920
 I mean, we had one just this past week,

00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.279
 I think it was the 5th of the year,

00:18:44.360 --> 00:18:44.839
 we're in April.

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:48.299
 This is horrendous that five people have died this way.

00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:49.559
 Five people?

00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:51.839
 For a city of a million?

00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:58.419
 We often forget about how difficult things are globally.

00:18:58.659 --> 00:18:59.259
 But historically,

00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:02.379
 we talked about this in Catechism 100 years ago,

00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:04.980
 and then for every generation earlier,

00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:07.980
 it was almost for sure that you would outlive

00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:09.319
 at least one of your children.

00:19:10.199 --> 00:19:10.319
 Right?

00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:15.359
 That's not something we worry about by and large now.

00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:17.000
 And when children are sick,

00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:19.159
 like it was back then, a tragedy,

00:19:19.700 --> 00:19:22.799
 but it is something somewhat foreign to us.

00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:26.379
 I think we start with the wrong premise.

00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:29.259
 And the thing with suffering is that

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:31.139
 it has a way of bringing this reality

00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:32.259
 back to the forefront.

00:19:34.419 --> 00:19:36.839
 In a way that an ecstatic experience

00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:38.599
 at a youth worship service,

00:19:39.299 --> 00:19:40.559
 as good as those are,

00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:41.859
 can't do.

00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:44.519
 And a study of history can't do.

00:19:46.379 --> 00:19:48.799
 And wealth and bounty can't do.

00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:50.960
 And logic and reason just can't do.

00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:54.440
 C.S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain,

00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:55.960
 man, I'm quoting a lot of Lewis lately,

00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:57.420
 sue me, okay?

00:19:57.779 --> 00:19:58.640
 I'm reading this.

00:19:59.360 --> 00:20:02.039
 And The Problem of Pain really articulates this wonderfully.

00:20:02.600 --> 00:20:03.600
 And this is what he says.

00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:08.100
 We can rest contentedly in our sins

00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:09.319
 and in our stupidities.

00:20:10.360 --> 00:20:12.000
 And anyone who has watched gluttons

00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.100
 shoveling down the most exquisite foods

00:20:14.100 --> 00:20:16.500
 as if they did not know what they were eating

00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:18.400
 will admit that we can ignore even pleasure.

00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:22.680
 But pain insists on being attended to.

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:25.540
 God whispers to us in our pleasures.

00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:28.120
 He speaks in our conscience.

00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:31.060
 But he shouts in our pains.

00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:35.100
 It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:39.300
 Suffering gives us the opportunity

00:20:39.300 --> 00:20:42.720
 to understand that this world is very difficult,

00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.440
 but also to understand that there's a sovereign God

00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:48.039
 and that sovereign God gives grace

00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:50.799
 and that grace is like nothing else

00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:52.500
 that is offered in this world.

00:20:53.600 --> 00:20:55.620
 And it's far better than any self-help plan

00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:58.279
 or any kind of personal inventory

00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:01.039
 and therapy.

00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:02.460
 You can take good things,

00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:04.299
 but it is far greater.

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:06.759
 And suffering has this ability

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:08.960
 to help us with that.

00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:09.279
 Why?

00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:12.099
 Because when we suffer with an eye to the Lord

00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:14.740
 and our world is shaken,

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:17.359
 we realize that the things

00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:18.659
 that we've truly hoped in

00:21:18.659 --> 00:21:20.279
 turn out to be very false things.

00:21:20.919 --> 00:21:22.220
 And that these false things,

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:24.440
 those things that promise to carry us

00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:25.500
 through any storm

00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:26.700
 but shrink back

00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:28.539
 when the smallest gray cloud appears,

00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:31.079
 are exposed for what they are.

00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:34.539
 And the only thing that can help us to endure

00:21:34.539 --> 00:21:35.119
 is what?

00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:37.339
 The grace and love of God.

00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:41.960
 And we only come to that realization

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:43.199
 when pain comes.

00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:45.799
 Those painful experiences

00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:47.480
 become then opportunities

00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.819
 for us to look to Christ

00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:50.139
 and find our hope

00:21:50.139 --> 00:21:52.359
 in the unchanging God.

00:21:52.619 --> 00:21:54.240
 Look with me at verses 3, 4,

00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:55.879
 and then the first part of verse 5.

00:21:58.119 --> 00:21:59.379
 For what does the scripture say?

00:21:59.379 --> 00:22:00.379
 Oh, sorry, that's wrong.

00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:01.480
 John Page.

00:22:03.579 --> 00:22:04.279
 Verse 3.

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.119
 Not only that,

00:22:05.199 --> 00:22:07.039
 but we rejoice in our sufferings,

00:22:07.419 --> 00:22:09.859
 knowing that suffering produces endurance.

00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:11.879
 Endurance produces character.

00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:13.720
 Character produces hope.

00:22:14.359 --> 00:22:17.220
 And hope does not put us to shame.

00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:18.799
 Endurance,

00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:20.179
 or better translated,

00:22:20.399 --> 00:22:21.639
 single-mindedness,

00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:24.599
 it's an idea

00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:28.079
 that helps us to focus on the stuff

00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:29.759
 of true value.

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:32.319
 The stuff that will truly last.

00:22:32.399 --> 00:22:33.219
 The stuff of the Lord.

00:22:34.419 --> 00:22:36.619
 And as we grow in this single-mindedness,

00:22:36.919 --> 00:22:38.339
 we also grow in character.

00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:41.559
 An idea of the testedness

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:42.519
 and confidence

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:45.439
 that comes when we put our hope in God

00:22:45.439 --> 00:22:48.240
 that Christ is truly enough

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.240
 to give us the strength

00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:50.379
 in our time of need.

00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:52.740
 And what does this ultimately lead us to?

00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:55.220
 A hope

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:57.280
 that will not disappoint.

00:22:58.900 --> 00:22:59.380
 A hope

00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:01.560
 in the most sure and secure reality

00:23:01.560 --> 00:23:03.860
 that we are at peace with God

00:23:03.860 --> 00:23:05.100
 in Christ Jesus.

00:23:05.520 --> 00:23:07.600
 A hope rooted in the objective reality

00:23:07.600 --> 00:23:09.180
 of what Christ has done in the past

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:11.180
 that spills into the present.

00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:12.700
 That gives us hope

00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.900
 for the future.

00:23:13.900 --> 00:23:16.720
 And because it won't let us down,

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.540
 it means that

00:23:18.540 --> 00:23:19.740
 by His strength,

00:23:19.840 --> 00:23:20.720
 by His grace,

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:21.980
 we can

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:23.940
 face our sufferings

00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:25.660
 not with a stoic grit

00:23:25.660 --> 00:23:28.500
 or a kind of pleasure in pain,

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:32.600
 but rather in the unchanging God

00:23:32.600 --> 00:23:33.940
 who sent His glorious Son

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.620
 to die

00:23:34.620 --> 00:23:35.860
 and rise again

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:37.420
 and to conquer the very power

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:38.880
 that animates all the suffering

00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.180
 that we will ever experience.

00:23:41.840 --> 00:23:43.040
 You see, in Christ,

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.759
 suffering

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:45.200
 is transformed

00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.279
 from an utter,

00:23:47.379 --> 00:23:49.519
 unredeemable horror

00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:52.099
 into a furnace

00:23:52.099 --> 00:23:53.319
 that becomes the means

00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:55.399
 by which our lives are refined,

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:56.879
 where we grow

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:57.720
 in our love

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:58.519
 and our affection

00:23:58.519 --> 00:23:59.299
 of Christ.

00:23:59.579 --> 00:23:59.819
 You see,

00:23:59.879 --> 00:24:00.720
 what does a furnace do?

00:24:01.139 --> 00:24:02.119
 It heats

00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:03.159
 a chunk

00:24:03.159 --> 00:24:03.859
 or a hunk

00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:04.619
 of rock,

00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:05.299
 right,

00:24:05.399 --> 00:24:06.200
 that is all

00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:07.379
 a bunch of elements

00:24:07.379 --> 00:24:08.759
 mashed together

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:10.399
 and it's only with heat

00:24:10.399 --> 00:24:11.879
 that you can separate

00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:13.120
 those elements,

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:13.700
 right?

00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:15.180
 The gold

00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:16.280
 or the silver

00:24:16.280 --> 00:24:17.280
 remains

00:24:17.280 --> 00:24:18.580
 and the other things

00:24:18.580 --> 00:24:19.640
 are burnt off.

00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:20.340
 The dross,

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:21.380
 the impurities

00:24:21.380 --> 00:24:22.800
 are burnt away,

00:24:22.860 --> 00:24:23.260
 but what is,

00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:24.720
 how does that come about?

00:24:24.860 --> 00:24:26.040
 Only through a furnace.

00:24:27.040 --> 00:24:29.600
 Only through heat.

00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:31.819
 only through suffering.

00:24:34.419 --> 00:24:35.559
 It's really interesting

00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:36.259
 throughout the Bible

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:37.480
 and we see it connected here

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.419
 in verses 2 and 3

00:24:38.419 --> 00:24:40.480
 that glory

00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.219
 and suffering

00:24:41.219 --> 00:24:42.000
 are often

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:43.059
 connected

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:43.779
 throughout Scripture.

00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.819
 So why must we suffer

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.179
 to grow?

00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:48.839
 Why must we suffer

00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.480
 if we want

00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:51.699
 to partake

00:24:51.699 --> 00:24:52.819
 in the glory

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.939
 of God,

00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:55.199
 of this glorious God?

00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:57.720
 because there isn't

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.580
 really another way.

00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:02.100
 So we need to be sure

00:25:02.100 --> 00:25:02.700
 that it's true.

00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:05.279
 But it's hard to believe

00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.819
 that it's true

00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:06.620
 because some of us

00:25:06.620 --> 00:25:08.400
 have gone through stuff

00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:10.900
 and some of us

00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:12.000
 don't just have scars

00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:12.759
 from the past

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.840
 but have open wounds

00:25:14.840 --> 00:25:15.559
 in the present.

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:18.080
 Not little pricks,

00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:19.519
 not little scrapes,

00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:20.580
 pussy,

00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:21.420
 nasty,

00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.500
 painful,

00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:24.819
 difficult wounds.

00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:27.180
 The very idea

00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:27.680
 that God

00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.580
 has ordained

00:25:28.580 --> 00:25:29.220
 that

00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:31.180
 or at least

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:32.220
 at the very least

00:25:32.220 --> 00:25:32.960
 allowed it

00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:35.019
 even as a means

00:25:35.019 --> 00:25:35.779
 of refinement

00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:37.380
 may cause doubt

00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:38.400
 rather than joy

00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:39.039
 in Christ.

00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:41.620
 And more than that,

00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:42.900
 there are people,

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.860
 maybe people here

00:25:43.860 --> 00:25:44.519
 this morning

00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:46.140
 who are faith curious.

00:25:46.980 --> 00:25:47.080
 Okay?

00:25:47.580 --> 00:25:48.660
 They want to put

00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:49.539
 their trust

00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:50.519
 in a higher power

00:25:50.519 --> 00:25:51.240
 whoever he,

00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:51.640
 she,

00:25:51.860 --> 00:25:52.660
 it may be

00:25:52.660 --> 00:25:54.880
 for ultimate meaning

00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:55.680
 but also

00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:57.000
 that higher power,

00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:57.880
 it ought to work

00:25:57.880 --> 00:25:58.460
 in this life.

00:25:58.800 --> 00:25:59.780
 It has to work for me.

00:26:00.320 --> 00:26:00.800
 It has to help me

00:26:00.800 --> 00:26:01.840
 deal with the pain

00:26:01.840 --> 00:26:02.620
 and the difficulty

00:26:02.620 --> 00:26:05.120
 and it seems

00:26:05.120 --> 00:26:06.120
 that the Apostle Paul

00:26:06.120 --> 00:26:06.600
 is saying

00:26:06.600 --> 00:26:07.140
 actually

00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:08.760
 the pain persists

00:26:08.760 --> 00:26:09.540
 and it's actually

00:26:09.540 --> 00:26:10.120
 a feature

00:26:10.120 --> 00:26:13.060
 of this faith.

00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:15.140
 And this brings us

00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:15.880
 to our second point,

00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:16.980
 verses 5 to 8.

00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:18.600
 Let's read

00:26:18.600 --> 00:26:19.280
 verses 5.

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.480
 We'll read

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.060
 the full verse

00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:21.419
 but we're going

00:26:21.419 --> 00:26:21.779
 to focus

00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:22.379
 on the second

00:26:22.379 --> 00:26:23.259
 half of verse 5.

00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.139
 And hope

00:26:25.139 --> 00:26:25.980
 does not put us

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.480
 to shame

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:28.859
 because God's

00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:29.659
 love has been

00:26:29.659 --> 00:26:30.240
 poured out

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:31.159
 into our hearts

00:26:31.159 --> 00:26:32.759
 through the Holy Spirit

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:33.559
 who has been

00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:34.259
 given to us.

00:26:35.419 --> 00:26:35.919
 Suffering

00:26:35.919 --> 00:26:36.940
 in the context,

00:26:37.399 --> 00:26:38.399
 in this context

00:26:38.399 --> 00:26:39.279
 assures us

00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.679
 of God's love

00:26:40.679 --> 00:26:41.579
 which is

00:26:41.579 --> 00:26:42.259
 kind of an

00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:43.000
 ironic thing

00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:44.339
 because suffering

00:26:44.339 --> 00:26:45.200
 oftentimes

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:46.339
 can be the cause

00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:46.940
 of great doubt

00:26:46.940 --> 00:26:47.539
 about the love

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:47.919
 of God.

00:26:48.859 --> 00:26:49.460
 I know people

00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:49.840
 personally

00:26:49.840 --> 00:26:50.160
 and maybe

00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:50.840
 you have as well.

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:51.779
 Maybe you are

00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:52.519
 wrestling with this

00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:53.059
 now where

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:54.340
 the suffering

00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:55.100
 that you've

00:26:55.100 --> 00:26:55.880
 experienced

00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:59.240
 is the beginning

00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:00.160
 or at least

00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:01.319
 the very thing

00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:01.920
 that is pushing

00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:02.400
 you away

00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.180
 from the Christian

00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:03.559
 faith.

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:05.620
 Causing you

00:27:05.620 --> 00:27:06.259
 to doubt it

00:27:06.259 --> 00:27:07.360
 or to deconstruct

00:27:07.360 --> 00:27:07.920
 it altogether.

00:27:09.360 --> 00:27:09.920
 And I would say

00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:10.680
 that makes sense

00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:13.680
 if our salvation,

00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:14.740
 if our ultimate

00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.960
 hope is a

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:16.799
 self-wrought,

00:27:17.340 --> 00:27:19.100
 a self-conceived,

00:27:19.099 --> 00:27:20.559
 a self-justified

00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.179
 salvation,

00:27:21.719 --> 00:27:22.759
 even if it is

00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:23.279
 wrapped in

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:24.519
 Christian wrappings

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.139
 and in Christian

00:27:25.139 --> 00:27:25.579
 lingo

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.199
 and Christian

00:27:26.199 --> 00:27:26.740
 ritual.

00:27:28.019 --> 00:27:28.919
 If our salvation

00:27:28.919 --> 00:27:29.859
 does not begin

00:27:29.859 --> 00:27:30.639
 and end with

00:27:30.639 --> 00:27:31.059
 Christ,

00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:32.259
 then our suffering

00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:33.339
 has the real

00:27:33.339 --> 00:27:34.039
 potential to

00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:34.819
 break us.

00:27:35.459 --> 00:27:35.599
 Right?

00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:37.639
 If we are

00:27:37.639 --> 00:27:37.980
 thinking,

00:27:38.139 --> 00:27:38.359
 listen,

00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:39.099
 I am going

00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:40.000
 to do well

00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:41.059
 and be good

00:27:41.059 --> 00:27:42.639
 and try hard

00:27:42.639 --> 00:27:43.519
 and this will

00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:44.719
 get me to where

00:27:44.719 --> 00:27:45.559
 I want to go,

00:27:45.679 --> 00:27:46.559
 it will work out

00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.139
 well for me

00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:47.660
 in this life

00:27:47.660 --> 00:27:48.120
 and suffering

00:27:48.120 --> 00:27:48.540
 comes,

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.820
 then all of

00:27:50.820 --> 00:27:51.759
 our efforts

00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:52.400
 have been

00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.520
 in vain.

00:27:55.520 --> 00:27:56.280
 All of our

00:27:56.280 --> 00:27:57.000
 efforts will be

00:27:57.000 --> 00:27:57.380
 in vain.

00:27:58.020 --> 00:27:58.500
 But if our

00:27:58.500 --> 00:27:59.640
 salvation,

00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:01.160
 if it is

00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:01.980
 in Christ,

00:28:02.600 --> 00:28:03.360
 then the promise

00:28:03.360 --> 00:28:04.720
 is that we

00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.360
 have been

00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:05.840
 changed.

00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:07.800
 We have not

00:28:07.800 --> 00:28:08.980
 renovated our

00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:09.880
 soul,

00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:10.600
 but he has.

00:28:10.660 --> 00:28:11.200
 What does he do?

00:28:11.800 --> 00:28:12.280
 It says in

00:28:12.280 --> 00:28:13.100
 scripture time

00:28:13.100 --> 00:28:13.540
 and again

00:28:13.540 --> 00:28:13.960
 in both

00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:14.400
 testaments

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:14.740
 that he

00:28:14.740 --> 00:28:15.600
 removes a

00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.000
 heart of

00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:16.580
 stone

00:28:16.580 --> 00:28:17.200
 and he

00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.060
 gives instead

00:28:18.060 --> 00:28:18.580
 a heart of

00:28:18.580 --> 00:28:18.880
 flesh.

00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:19.440
 He does a

00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:19.840
 renovation

00:28:19.840 --> 00:28:20.900
 inside.

00:28:23.080 --> 00:28:23.759
 God gives

00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.300
 us a soft

00:28:24.300 --> 00:28:24.740
 heart so

00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:25.040
 that we

00:28:25.040 --> 00:28:25.720
 can experience

00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:26.420
 his love

00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:26.820
 and learn

00:28:26.820 --> 00:28:27.440
 to rejoice

00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:28.560
 in this

00:28:28.560 --> 00:28:28.960
 glorious

00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:29.480
 God.

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.620
 And along

00:28:31.620 --> 00:28:32.300
 with seeing

00:28:32.300 --> 00:28:32.860
 the world

00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:33.400
 for what it

00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:33.680
 is,

00:28:33.840 --> 00:28:34.340
 suffering can

00:28:34.340 --> 00:28:34.720
 open our

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.200
 eyes to

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.620
 the love

00:28:35.620 --> 00:28:36.240
 of God

00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:37.259
 which gives

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:38.060
 us incredible

00:28:38.060 --> 00:28:38.540
 hope.

00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:39.600
 When we

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.259
 realize the

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:40.900
 degree to

00:28:40.900 --> 00:28:41.660
 which God

00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:42.780
 loved us,

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:43.960
 we understand

00:28:43.960 --> 00:28:44.339
 that our

00:28:44.339 --> 00:28:45.099
 sufferings are

00:28:45.099 --> 00:28:45.920
 small compared

00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:46.399
 to his.

00:28:48.399 --> 00:28:48.819
 And when we

00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:49.480
 understand that

00:28:49.480 --> 00:28:50.220
 his sufferings

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:51.980
 were not

00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:52.899
 forced upon

00:28:52.899 --> 00:28:53.339
 him but

00:28:53.339 --> 00:28:53.859
 that God,

00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:54.359
 the Son of

00:28:54.359 --> 00:28:54.579
 God,

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.460
 voluntarily

00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:56.779
 takes

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:58.259
 suffering upon

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:58.859
 him because

00:28:58.859 --> 00:28:59.619
 of love,

00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:00.039
 because he

00:29:00.039 --> 00:29:00.639
 loves us,

00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:01.220
 he wants us

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:01.879
 to know and

00:29:01.879 --> 00:29:02.399
 feel his

00:29:02.399 --> 00:29:02.720
 love.

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:03.480
 Right?

00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:04.119
 Verse 5,

00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:04.500
 the second

00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:04.980
 part of it,

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:05.480
 it says that

00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:06.000
 this love is

00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:07.160
 poured out

00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:07.980
 to us,

00:29:08.639 --> 00:29:09.139
 continually

00:29:09.139 --> 00:29:09.899
 poured out.

00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:10.259
 It's like

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:11.220
 being caught

00:29:11.220 --> 00:29:11.819
 in a quick

00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:12.599
 moving river

00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:14.579
 then the

00:29:14.579 --> 00:29:15.319
 ideal of

00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:15.959
 his love

00:29:15.959 --> 00:29:16.699
 becomes

00:29:16.699 --> 00:29:17.459
 increasingly

00:29:17.459 --> 00:29:18.119
 concrete,

00:29:19.439 --> 00:29:19.799
 becomes

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.339
 increasingly

00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:20.879
 real in

00:29:20.879 --> 00:29:21.359
 our lives

00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:22.279
 and it

00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:22.639
 is because

00:29:22.639 --> 00:29:23.299
 of suffering,

00:29:23.459 --> 00:29:23.899
 it is because

00:29:23.899 --> 00:29:24.459
 of pain.

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.659
 There was

00:29:26.659 --> 00:29:27.339
 a wonderful,

00:29:27.639 --> 00:29:28.159
 beautiful lady

00:29:28.159 --> 00:29:28.619
 and I'm not

00:29:28.619 --> 00:29:29.119
 sure if she's

00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:29.699
 still around.

00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:31.459
 I knew

00:29:31.459 --> 00:29:31.719
 her,

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.359
 she was in

00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:32.959
 her 80s

00:29:32.959 --> 00:29:35.099
 but as

00:29:35.099 --> 00:29:35.879
 the early

00:29:35.879 --> 00:29:36.359
 years when I

00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:36.619
 was an

00:29:36.619 --> 00:29:37.359
 intern on

00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:38.159
 Fridays I

00:29:38.159 --> 00:29:39.740
 was an

00:29:39.740 --> 00:29:40.199
 advocate

00:29:40.199 --> 00:29:41.199
 companion to

00:29:41.199 --> 00:29:41.759
 an elderly

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.219
 man that

00:29:42.220 --> 00:29:42.460
 had

00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:42.839
 dementia

00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:44.480
 and they

00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:45.819
 were two,

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:46.500
 this wonderful

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:46.900
 couple,

00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.600
 the man had

00:29:48.600 --> 00:29:49.319
 dementia and

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:49.559
 it was

00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:50.640
 progressing and

00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:51.819
 the wife was

00:29:51.819 --> 00:29:52.539
 struggling with

00:29:52.539 --> 00:29:53.160
 her own health

00:29:53.160 --> 00:29:54.980
 issues and

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:55.259
 as the

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:55.559
 dementia

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.180
 worsened,

00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:59.480
 the man

00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:00.700
 who wasn't

00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:02.500
 violent and

00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:03.620
 who wasn't

00:30:03.620 --> 00:30:04.420
 aggressive

00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:07.079
 became violent

00:30:07.079 --> 00:30:07.799
 and became

00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:08.620
 aggressive and

00:30:08.620 --> 00:30:09.079
 she struggled

00:30:09.079 --> 00:30:09.700
 with it and

00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:09.940
 then he

00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:11.240
 died and

00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:11.559
 then her

00:30:11.559 --> 00:30:11.799
 health

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:12.200
 concern

00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:13.740
 worsened and

00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:14.100
 I remember

00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:14.720
 talking with

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:17.000
 her and

00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:17.279
 she would

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:17.740
 say in

00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:18.240
 her pain

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.140
 that she

00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:20.240
 never knew

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.920
 a closeness

00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:22.480
 to Christ

00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:24.259
 as those

00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:24.880
 last years

00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:25.220
 when her

00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:25.559
 husband was

00:30:25.559 --> 00:30:25.920
 still alive

00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:26.420
 and especially

00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:26.900
 after she

00:30:26.900 --> 00:30:28.620
 struggled and

00:30:28.620 --> 00:30:28.940
 life didn't

00:30:28.940 --> 00:30:29.960
 get easy and

00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:30.340
 I'm not sure

00:30:30.340 --> 00:30:30.900
 if she's still

00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:31.559
 alive or not.

00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:32.819
 We fell out

00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:35.299
 out of contact

00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:37.059
 but it is

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:37.939
 remarkable to

00:30:37.939 --> 00:30:39.619
 me that it

00:30:39.619 --> 00:30:41.359
 wasn't despite

00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:42.039
 suffering but

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:42.859
 because of the

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:43.439
 suffering she

00:30:43.439 --> 00:30:44.000
 went to that

00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:45.559
 drew her to

00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:46.200
 the love of

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:46.779
 God in a

00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:48.099
 way even

00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:48.500
 though she

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:50.319
 knew Christ,

00:30:50.579 --> 00:30:51.559
 knows Christ,

00:30:51.700 --> 00:30:52.359
 she's known

00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:52.859
 him since she

00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:53.379
 was just a

00:30:53.379 --> 00:30:54.759
 little girl but

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.039
 it was in

00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:55.539
 those last

00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:56.079
 years that she

00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:57.039
 really knew

00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:58.399
 his love and

00:30:58.399 --> 00:30:59.379
 really experienced

00:30:59.379 --> 00:31:00.960
 his love and

00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:01.480
 knew it so

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.200
 personally and

00:31:02.200 --> 00:31:02.840
 concretely.

00:31:05.100 --> 00:31:05.980
 And how does

00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:06.779
 God show us

00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:07.319
 his love?

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:08.819
 He doesn't

00:31:08.819 --> 00:31:11.180
 say I love

00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:12.100
 you, okay?

00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:14.240
 Pat us on

00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:14.920
 the tush as

00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.559
 we're off to

00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:15.840
 school.

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.059
 He says I

00:31:17.059 --> 00:31:17.819
 love you with

00:31:17.819 --> 00:31:18.519
 an embrace.

00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:19.680
 Okay?

00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.460
 He demonstrates

00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:21.220
 his love.

00:31:22.059 --> 00:31:22.580
 How?

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.500
 Verse 6,

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:24.799
 7, and 8.

00:31:24.900 --> 00:31:25.440
 Read with me.

00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:27.100
 For while we

00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:27.840
 were still weak

00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:28.279
 at the right

00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:28.900
 time Christ

00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:29.940
 died for the

00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:30.519
 ungodly.

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:31.840
 For one will

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:32.699
 scarcely die

00:31:32.699 --> 00:31:33.299
 for a righteous

00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:33.839
 person.

00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:34.839
 Though perhaps

00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:35.299
 for a good

00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:35.899
 person one

00:31:35.899 --> 00:31:36.500
 would dare

00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:37.139
 even to die.

00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:37.919
 But God,

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:38.599
 how does he

00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:38.919
 show his

00:31:38.919 --> 00:31:39.199
 love?

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:40.639
 Shows his

00:31:40.639 --> 00:31:41.299
 love for us

00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:42.059
 in that while

00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:42.919
 we were still

00:31:42.919 --> 00:31:43.839
 sinners Christ

00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:45.339
 died for us.

00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:47.379
 How does God

00:31:47.379 --> 00:31:47.859
 love us?

00:31:48.419 --> 00:31:49.000
 How does he

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:49.759
 show his love?

00:31:50.179 --> 00:31:50.779
 We are called

00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:51.379
 ungodly,

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:51.919
 verse 6.

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:52.399
 We are called

00:31:52.399 --> 00:31:52.759
 sinners,

00:31:52.899 --> 00:31:53.199
 verse 8.

00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:53.720
 Later on in

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.740
 verse 10 it

00:31:54.740 --> 00:31:55.199
 says that we

00:31:55.199 --> 00:31:55.759
 are enemies

00:31:55.759 --> 00:31:56.519
 of him.

00:31:57.899 --> 00:31:58.579
 We have no

00:31:58.579 --> 00:31:59.559
 business demanding

00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:00.279
 anything from

00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:00.579
 him.

00:32:00.579 --> 00:32:02.359
 enemies don't

00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:03.460
 set the terms.

00:32:04.379 --> 00:32:04.619
 Okay?

00:32:05.659 --> 00:32:06.619
 Especially when

00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:09.000
 we are sinful

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:10.079
 and God is

00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:10.480
 perfect.

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:12.220
 When we are

00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:13.139
 unrighteous and

00:32:13.139 --> 00:32:13.879
 he is righteous.

00:32:14.119 --> 00:32:14.579
 When we are

00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:16.240
 finite and he

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.859
 is infinite.

00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:17.919
 We don't set the

00:32:17.919 --> 00:32:18.519
 terms of this.

00:32:18.599 --> 00:32:19.240
 We have no

00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:20.179
 business demanding

00:32:20.179 --> 00:32:20.879
 anything from

00:32:20.879 --> 00:32:21.240
 God.

00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:23.339
 He is not in

00:32:23.339 --> 00:32:23.919
 our pocket.

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:25.460
 He does not

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.740
 owe us a red

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.220
 cent.

00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:29.279
 And what does

00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:29.640
 he do?

00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:30.980
 He loves us and

00:32:30.980 --> 00:32:31.620
 he demonstrates

00:32:31.620 --> 00:32:32.299
 his love for

00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:34.380
 us by reconciling

00:32:34.380 --> 00:32:34.779
 us.

00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:36.519
 You see our

00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:37.240
 condition was so

00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:38.559
 bad, our

00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:39.759
 rebellion so

00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:41.220
 severe that the

00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:42.079
 only means of

00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:43.240
 reconciliation was

00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:44.200
 the son of God

00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:45.019
 himself and it

00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:45.839
 says that he did

00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:46.519
 it while we were

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.839
 still his enemies.

00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:49.539
 Friends, that's

00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:49.940
 love.

00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.759
 That's a love

00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:54.860
 that is heavenly.

00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:54.959
 heavenly.

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.099
 There's no higher

00:32:57.099 --> 00:32:57.859
 love than Christ.

00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:00.619
 So you see then

00:33:00.619 --> 00:33:01.559
 that if you truly

00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:02.740
 grasp that Christ

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.819
 has justified us,

00:33:03.879 --> 00:33:04.639
 that he has made

00:33:04.639 --> 00:33:05.539
 peace with us,

00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:06.539
 that even though

00:33:06.539 --> 00:33:07.459
 suffering comes,

00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:08.359
 that it is a way

00:33:08.359 --> 00:33:09.639
 that can shake us

00:33:09.639 --> 00:33:11.219
 out of our

00:33:11.219 --> 00:33:12.979
 malaise,

00:33:13.619 --> 00:33:14.159
 out of our

00:33:14.159 --> 00:33:15.719
 spiritual slumber

00:33:15.719 --> 00:33:16.240
 and that we can

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.659
 see that Christ

00:33:17.659 --> 00:33:18.500
 is the only thing

00:33:18.500 --> 00:33:19.099
 that can truly

00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:20.319
 help us to

00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:21.099
 endure and the

00:33:21.099 --> 00:33:21.979
 only one that is

00:33:21.979 --> 00:33:22.659
 worthy of our

00:33:22.659 --> 00:33:23.179
 hope and that

00:33:23.179 --> 00:33:24.779
 when he died on

00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.359
 the cross, he

00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:27.559
 did so as for

00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:28.299
 sinners as we

00:33:28.299 --> 00:33:29.019
 were still sinners

00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:30.960
 then we

00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:31.859
 understand then

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:33.039
 that rejoicing

00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:33.819
 and suffering,

00:33:34.119 --> 00:33:36.339
 they are married

00:33:36.339 --> 00:33:36.799
 here.

00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:39.319
 This is the

00:33:39.319 --> 00:33:39.779
 source of our

00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:40.039
 hope.

00:33:41.319 --> 00:33:41.759
 He does not

00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:43.480
 speak love in

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:44.559
 the abstract but

00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:45.519
 Christ shows his

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:47.599
 love is real

00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.700
 and that it is

00:33:48.700 --> 00:33:49.619
 deep and that it

00:33:49.619 --> 00:33:50.359
 is immovable,

00:33:50.940 --> 00:33:51.960
 that it is dense

00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:55.200
 and because this

00:33:55.200 --> 00:33:57.079
 love begins in

00:33:57.079 --> 00:33:58.059
 the past, in the

00:33:58.059 --> 00:33:58.960
 historical death and

00:33:58.960 --> 00:33:59.519
 resurrection of

00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:00.279
 Christ and continues

00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:01.299
 into the present

00:34:01.299 --> 00:34:02.460
 with the love of

00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:03.340
 God continually

00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:04.160
 pouring out for

00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:05.600
 us, we can have a

00:34:05.600 --> 00:34:07.019
 certain hope that

00:34:07.019 --> 00:34:08.039
 our future will be

00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:09.059
 even greater and

00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:10.579
 more glorious and

00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:11.639
 that our pain as

00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:12.920
 deep as it is,

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:13.760
 and friends, it

00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:14.960
 might be unbelievably

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:16.800
 deep, it is

00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:18.800
 momentary compared

00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:20.320
 with the joy we

00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.400
 will experience in

00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:21.940
 eternity.

00:34:23.220 --> 00:34:24.140
 It's called divine

00:34:24.140 --> 00:34:25.640
 perspective and

00:34:25.640 --> 00:34:26.240
 brings us to our

00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:26.840
 third and final

00:34:26.840 --> 00:34:27.840
 point, look with

00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:29.180
 me at verses 9 to

00:34:29.180 --> 00:34:29.600
 11.

00:34:31.740 --> 00:34:33.519
 Since therefore we

00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:34.440
 have now been

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:35.760
 justified by his

00:34:35.760 --> 00:34:37.740
 blood, much more

00:34:37.740 --> 00:34:39.059
 shall we be saved

00:34:39.059 --> 00:34:40.340
 by him from the

00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:42.420
 wrath of God, for

00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:43.360
 if while we were

00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:44.280
 enemies we were

00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:45.580
 reconciled to God

00:34:45.580 --> 00:34:46.500
 by the death of

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.380
 his son, much

00:34:47.380 --> 00:34:49.080
 more now that we

00:34:49.080 --> 00:34:50.300
 are reconciled shall

00:34:50.300 --> 00:34:51.840
 we be saved by

00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:52.500
 his life.

00:34:53.340 --> 00:34:54.140
 More than that, we

00:34:54.140 --> 00:34:55.060
 also rejoice in

00:34:55.060 --> 00:34:55.840
 God through our

00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:56.920
 Lord Jesus Christ,

00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:58.480
 through whom we

00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:59.640
 have now received

00:34:59.640 --> 00:35:00.600
 reconciliation.

00:35:01.720 --> 00:35:03.519
 So far, we have

00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:04.100
 seen that we have

00:35:04.100 --> 00:35:06.280
 been justified, we

00:35:06.280 --> 00:35:06.680
 have been made

00:35:06.680 --> 00:35:08.360
 righteous because of

00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:10.080
 Christ, our sins

00:35:10.080 --> 00:35:11.039
 counted against us

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:12.640
 no more, therefore

00:35:12.640 --> 00:35:13.680
 we have peace with

00:35:13.680 --> 00:35:14.000
 God.

00:35:14.980 --> 00:35:16.500
 Right here, the

00:35:16.500 --> 00:35:17.800
 wrath of God is no

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:18.720
 longer a danger

00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:20.519
 against us, that at

00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:21.439
 the end of the age

00:35:21.439 --> 00:35:22.399
 we will stand before

00:35:22.399 --> 00:35:23.519
 God and we will not

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:24.439
 have to fear his

00:35:24.439 --> 00:35:26.419
 just wrath upon us.

00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:29.480
 That in Christ we

00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:29.939
 have been given

00:35:29.939 --> 00:35:32.059
 grace to grow through

00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:34.519
 trials and we are

00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:35.359
 given this ultimate

00:35:35.359 --> 00:35:36.679
 hope of the life to

00:35:36.679 --> 00:35:39.559
 come that pours into

00:35:39.559 --> 00:35:40.459
 the life in the

00:35:40.459 --> 00:35:40.859
 present.

00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:43.659
 Yet there is even

00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:45.500
 more, Paul says.

00:35:45.500 --> 00:35:47.699
 He says that we are

00:35:47.699 --> 00:35:49.400
 reconciled with God.

00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:52.960
 He says it's even

00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:53.719
 better than we could

00:35:53.719 --> 00:35:54.659
 have imagined for if

00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:55.679
 God treats his

00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:56.699
 enemies with this

00:35:56.699 --> 00:35:58.000
 kind of sacrificial

00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:00.800
 love, love that is

00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:02.579
 connected to suffering

00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:03.559
 and the greatest kind

00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:05.320
 of suffering, how

00:36:05.320 --> 00:36:06.780
 much more will God

00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:08.079
 treat us who are now

00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:09.099
 reconciled to him?

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:11.199
 If he treats his

00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:12.320
 enemies with this love,

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:14.440
 how much more will he

00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:16.440
 treat us now that we

00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:17.300
 are sons and daughters

00:36:17.300 --> 00:36:17.980
 of the Most High?

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:22.320
 We can only pose the

00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:23.260
 question, okay?

00:36:24.720 --> 00:36:25.940
 We can ponder it and

00:36:25.940 --> 00:36:26.860
 meditate on it and it

00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:27.720
 will be worth every

00:36:27.720 --> 00:36:28.760
 minute you spend doing

00:36:28.760 --> 00:36:31.000
 so, but we have no

00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:33.780
 idea the glory that we

00:36:33.780 --> 00:36:35.179
 have in Christ Jesus

00:36:35.179 --> 00:36:36.260
 now that we are sons

00:36:36.260 --> 00:36:36.980
 and daughters of the

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:37.380
 Most High.

00:36:38.880 --> 00:36:40.380
 I think to help us

00:36:40.380 --> 00:36:41.360
 understand this we have

00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:42.179
 to consider what used

00:36:42.179 --> 00:36:42.500
 to be.

00:36:43.299 --> 00:36:44.599
 The biblical story

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:45.859
 begins in a garden

00:36:45.859 --> 00:36:47.980
 that was perfect in

00:36:47.980 --> 00:36:49.059
 every way and at the

00:36:49.059 --> 00:36:49.940
 center of this

00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:50.839
 perfection it was

00:36:50.839 --> 00:36:51.359
 mankind.

00:36:52.699 --> 00:36:54.079
 The scripture talks

00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:55.839
 about mankind

00:36:55.839 --> 00:36:57.119
 enjoying a deeply

00:36:57.119 --> 00:36:58.379
 loving relationship

00:36:58.379 --> 00:36:59.359
 with God, but what

00:36:59.359 --> 00:36:59.739
 happens?

00:36:59.919 --> 00:37:01.239
 Pride enters into

00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:04.299
 the story and all

00:37:04.299 --> 00:37:05.539
 that reality of the

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:06.619
 garden was lost,

00:37:06.899 --> 00:37:07.179
 all that relational

00:37:07.819 --> 00:37:09.940
 intimacy and deep

00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:10.940
 love and friendship

00:37:10.940 --> 00:37:12.159
 was lost and humanity

00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:12.900
 has been searching

00:37:12.900 --> 00:37:13.820
 for a way back ever

00:37:13.820 --> 00:37:14.220
 since.

00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:16.480
 And what was lost in

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:18.519
 the garden in Christ

00:37:18.519 --> 00:37:19.420
 is restored.

00:37:21.539 --> 00:37:22.679
 In the garden Adam

00:37:22.679 --> 00:37:23.720
 and Eve were expelled

00:37:23.720 --> 00:37:24.619
 before they could

00:37:24.619 --> 00:37:25.980
 taste the tree of life,

00:37:26.099 --> 00:37:27.760
 but the promise for us

00:37:27.760 --> 00:37:28.780
 is that if we put our

00:37:28.780 --> 00:37:31.679
 faith in Christ who

00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:33.840
 reconciled us when we

00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:35.039
 were yet his enemies,

00:37:35.260 --> 00:37:36.360
 we will not just be

00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:37.519
 restored to this

00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:39.579
 Edenic existence,

00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:40.219
 existence, but we will

00:37:40.219 --> 00:37:42.059
 be made perfect and we

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:43.559
 will get to partake in

00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:44.400
 the tree of life.

00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:46.599
 And what is the tree of

00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:46.799
 life?

00:37:46.860 --> 00:37:48.980
 It's Christ himself who

00:37:48.980 --> 00:37:51.219
 gives himself for our

00:37:51.219 --> 00:37:54.960
 eternal nourishment so

00:37:54.960 --> 00:37:57.000
 that we can be sure that

00:37:57.000 --> 00:37:58.259
 we would be in the

00:37:58.259 --> 00:37:59.579
 presence of God forever

00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:01.079
 to experience his glory

00:38:01.079 --> 00:38:02.000
 and grandeur with

00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:03.259
 unveiled face forever

00:38:03.259 --> 00:38:05.179
 without the possibility

00:38:05.179 --> 00:38:07.299
 of falling ever again.

00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:11.500
 That's what awaits us.

00:38:12.319 --> 00:38:13.419
 And we can use human

00:38:13.419 --> 00:38:15.480
 language in the most

00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:17.179
 flowery of prose, but we

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:18.599
 will never quite grasp

00:38:18.599 --> 00:38:19.659
 what awaits us.

00:38:20.919 --> 00:38:22.059
 You know, verses 9 to 11,

00:38:22.139 --> 00:38:24.139
 it tells us that God,

00:38:25.179 --> 00:38:26.619
 this is how he treats his

00:38:26.619 --> 00:38:26.960
 enemies.

00:38:28.419 --> 00:38:29.579
 He gives them hope.

00:38:31.460 --> 00:38:32.819
 We are no longer his

00:38:32.819 --> 00:38:33.159
 enemies.

00:38:33.159 --> 00:38:34.659
 We are his sons.

00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:37.539
 The suffering we

00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:38.960
 experience is, it

00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:40.039
 prepares us for our

00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:41.199
 future glory with

00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:42.839
 Christ because it

00:38:42.839 --> 00:38:43.960
 strengthens our faith

00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:47.199
 so that we hope in

00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:50.379
 someone, not something,

00:38:50.619 --> 00:38:51.980
 that will never forsake

00:38:51.980 --> 00:38:52.359
 us.

00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:54.099
 Does that not

00:38:54.099 --> 00:38:55.059
 transform suffering?

00:38:55.960 --> 00:38:56.819
 Does that not help us

00:38:56.819 --> 00:38:58.500
 walk towards it with

00:38:58.500 --> 00:38:59.639
 bravery and courage?

00:38:59.739 --> 00:39:00.619
 Not that we've found

00:39:00.619 --> 00:39:01.739
 deep within us, but that

00:39:01.739 --> 00:39:02.799
 it is given to us from

00:39:02.799 --> 00:39:03.199
 Christ?

00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:05.319
 So suffering still is

00:39:05.319 --> 00:39:06.059
 difficult, okay?

00:39:07.219 --> 00:39:08.219
 It's still to be avoided.

00:39:09.759 --> 00:39:11.000
 But when it inevitably

00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:13.059
 comes, we can trust that

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:14.379
 God will use it to open

00:39:14.379 --> 00:39:16.459
 our spiritual eyes, give

00:39:16.459 --> 00:39:17.899
 us strength and grace, and

00:39:17.899 --> 00:39:19.219
 help us to hope in

00:39:19.219 --> 00:39:19.399
 heaven.

00:39:20.439 --> 00:39:21.519
 I'll end with this.

00:39:22.219 --> 00:39:23.379
 Before his passion,

00:39:24.799 --> 00:39:25.939
 Christ's own sufferings,

00:39:26.899 --> 00:39:28.000
 the disciples in a very

00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:28.939
 classic disciple

00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:31.179
 faction proclaim their

00:39:31.179 --> 00:39:33.360
 belief in a very

00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:35.260
 self-righteous and

00:39:35.260 --> 00:39:36.320
 self-confident way.

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.280
 They say, you know, we

00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:38.380
 believe in you, Jesus.

00:39:39.980 --> 00:39:41.059
 Jesus tells them

00:39:41.059 --> 00:39:43.340
 immediately after that

00:39:43.340 --> 00:39:44.360
 they won't stick around

00:39:44.360 --> 00:39:47.000
 when the first threat

00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:48.079
 comes their way, but

00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:49.079
 they will scatter and

00:39:49.079 --> 00:39:50.260
 that he will be left

00:39:50.260 --> 00:39:50.619
 alone.

00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:52.420
 And then he says

00:39:52.420 --> 00:39:53.159
 something remarkable.

00:39:53.500 --> 00:39:54.820
 This is from John 16,

00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:56.400
 verses 32 and 33.

00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:57.019
 He says this,

00:39:57.019 --> 00:39:58.699
 Behold, the hour is

00:39:58.699 --> 00:39:58.960
 coming.

00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:00.860
 Indeed, it has come

00:40:00.860 --> 00:40:02.139
 when you will be

00:40:02.139 --> 00:40:03.679
 scattered, each to his

00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:05.159
 own home, and will

00:40:05.159 --> 00:40:05.880
 leave me alone.

00:40:06.500 --> 00:40:07.699
 Yet I am not alone,

00:40:08.059 --> 00:40:09.059
 for the Father is with

00:40:09.059 --> 00:40:09.239
 me.

00:40:09.960 --> 00:40:10.840
 I have said these

00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:12.259
 things to you, that

00:40:12.259 --> 00:40:13.820
 in me you may have

00:40:13.820 --> 00:40:14.280
 peace.

00:40:15.179 --> 00:40:16.759
 In the world you will

00:40:16.759 --> 00:40:18.739
 have tribulation, but

00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:20.639
 take heart, I have

00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:21.519
 overcome the world.

00:40:22.659 --> 00:40:23.579
 No matter how

00:40:23.579 --> 00:40:25.280
 difficult and

00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:26.640
 frightening and

00:40:26.640 --> 00:40:29.080
 painful, the

00:40:29.080 --> 00:40:30.300
 suffering is that

00:40:30.300 --> 00:40:31.300
 you will experience,

00:40:31.460 --> 00:40:32.640
 know that if you are

00:40:32.640 --> 00:40:33.940
 in Christ Jesus, he

00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:35.220
 will give you a

00:40:35.220 --> 00:40:36.680
 peace that surpasses

00:40:36.680 --> 00:40:37.580
 all understanding.

00:40:39.320 --> 00:40:40.200
 It seems so

00:40:40.200 --> 00:40:41.060
 counterintuitive to

00:40:41.060 --> 00:40:41.840
 have a peace in the

00:40:41.840 --> 00:40:42.360
 midst of such

00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:43.560
 suffering, but this is

00:40:43.560 --> 00:40:44.380
 what is promised to

00:40:44.380 --> 00:40:44.540
 us.

00:40:44.600 --> 00:40:46.100
 Yet it is so because

00:40:46.100 --> 00:40:47.160
 Christ has overcome

00:40:47.160 --> 00:40:48.420
 every tribulation,

00:40:49.280 --> 00:40:50.280
 every evil, every

00:40:50.280 --> 00:40:52.140
 painful act that

00:40:52.140 --> 00:40:53.460
 causes our suffering.

00:40:53.460 --> 00:40:54.980
 He promises to be

00:40:54.980 --> 00:40:58.159
 with us to the end

00:40:58.159 --> 00:40:59.059
 of the age.

00:40:59.240 --> 00:40:59.480
 Why?

00:40:59.639 --> 00:41:00.599
 Because he has made

00:41:00.599 --> 00:41:01.699
 a way for us to be

00:41:01.699 --> 00:41:02.340
 in him.

00:41:03.500 --> 00:41:05.360
 Friends, that is

00:41:05.360 --> 00:41:06.280
 something to take

00:41:06.280 --> 00:41:06.760
 heart in.

00:41:07.420 --> 00:41:08.320
 That is something to

00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:08.980
 rejoice in.

00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:10.639
 that is so that

00:41:10.639 --> 00:41:12.460
 that is so

00:41:12.460 --> 00:41:13.179
 that is so

00:41:13.179 --> 00:41:13.179


00:41:13.179 --> 00:41:13.960
 that is so

00:41:13.960 --> 00:41:14.719
 that

00:41:14.719 --> 00:41:15.360
 that is so

00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:16.480
 that that is so

00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:16.480


00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:16.480


00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:17.260
 that that that

00:41:17.260 --> 00:41:18.420
 that that

00:41:18.420 --> 00:41:18.420


00:41:18.420 --> 00:41:19.800
 that that

00:41:19.800 --> 00:41:19.800


00:41:19.800 --> 00:41:19.800


00:41:19.800 --> 00:41:20.179
 that that

00:41:20.179 --> 00:41:21.840
 that that

00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:22.659
 that that

00:41:22.659 --> 00:41:23.579
 that that

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:23.579


00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:23.579


00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:24.400
 that that

00:41:24.400 --> 00:41:25.840
 that that

00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:25.840


00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:26.420
 that

00:41:26.420 --> 00:41:26.420


00:41:26.420 --> 00:41:28.360
 that

00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.360


00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.360


00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.360


00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.360


00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.360


00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.360


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