WEBVTT

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 Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would fall with gentle power upon us, not just at

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 this time as we open your word, but throughout the rest of the service, and in fact, Father,

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 for the rest of the day and the rest of our life.

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 We ask that the Holy Spirit would fall with deep but gentle and penetrating power, and

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 that your Holy Spirit would bring these profound truths of the person and work of Jesus into

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 our hearts, and that your Holy Spirit would make Jesus more real to us, so that we might

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 stand, in a sense, in who Jesus is, in his presence with us, what he has accomplished

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 for us, and what he will accomplish for us, and in us, day by day, until we see him face

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 to face.

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 And we ask this in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior.

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 Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So I don't know what led you here.

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 Some of you maybe were dragged here by your parents, or a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, or

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 a husband, or a wife.

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 I don't know why you were here, but you are very welcome.

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 And for those who are joining online, either right immediately live as we're doing it, or

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 later in the day, or later in the week, we welcome you.

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 I know that Christianity is not very popular right now.

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 And in fact, actually saying that it's not very popular is an exaggeration.

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 I know that Christianity is seen generally as something that adds poison or toxic stuff

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 to your life, and not something that enhances your life.

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 And so if you're joining us, or if you're here because you're a believer, welcome.

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 If you're here because you're a seeker, welcome.

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 If you're here because you're a skeptic, maybe even a very profound skeptic, I'd like to welcome

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 you here as we celebrate Easter.

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 I know that in Canadian culture, Christianity is seen as being something that's more likely

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 to be toxic and life taking away rather than life giving.

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 But I disagree.

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 Amen!

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 I paid him a lot of dollars just to clap and cheer like that.

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 Actually, I didn't.

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 I didn't know what was going to happen.

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 So if you're curious or skeptical or a believer, really on this Easter Sunday, I would just like

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 to share what the basic Christian hope is.

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 What the Christian hope is that makes people like me, who had a completely secular education,

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 want to become a Christian and would remain a Christian.

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 Even though I'm immersed, in a sense, in the secular world all of the time, I read the

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 newspapers, I look at news summaries, I read novels, all by non-Christians, and why I am

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 a Christian, became a Christian, and why I am still a Christian.

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 And the first thing to sort of just, we're going to look actually at an ancient text.

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 I'm not going to just sort of pop, say something that just purely comes from my own head.

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 And if you have your Bibles with you, I'm going to be looking at 1 Corinthians 15, verses

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 1 to 11.

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 But even actually when I say that, some of you sort of might, those who are a bit skeptical

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 or those of other, you know, religions who have other, have religious reasons and those

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 who have intellectual reasons to be skeptical, I say, oh yeah, okay, there he's going to

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 quote the Bible, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

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 It's all just sort of as if by quoting the Bible, you're doing something like telling

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 the story of Santa Claus or the Great Pumpkin or talking about the Easter Bunny or something

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 like that.

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 But it's actually, what you need to know about this little piece of stuff that I'm about

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 to read, what you need to know about it is this.

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 There's four ancient biographies of the person of Jesus and his life.

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 And there's so many different cross-references to things in history.

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 And by things in history, I mean not just Christian history, but the Jewish and pagan historians talk

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 about that scholars are able to know that the day that Jesus died on the cross was either

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 April 3rd, 33, or April 5th, 30.

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 That's the day Jesus died.

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 And the death of Jesus upon the cross is one of the most certain truths of history.

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 Even the most radical, skeptical scholars would accept that Jesus died upon a cross.

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 And there are so many cross-references to history that scholars know.

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 And not only history, but science, because the history is connected to when there's full

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 moons and all of that type of stuff.

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 And so they know that he died.

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 I would say that he probably died on the 3rd of April, 33.

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 But those who hold that he died on the 5th of April, the year 30, we would just have to

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 agree to disagree.

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 But it's one of those two days that he died.

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 And right away you see that what we're talking about is a thousand percent different than

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 talking to you, giving you a story about Santa Claus or the Easter bunny or the great pumpkin.

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 And the other thing which is really interesting is I'm going to read this.

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 And as I've said before at different times, it's in some ways unfortunate that I'm going

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 to read something.

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 And you can see that this is a book that has like expensive fine paper.

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 And it used to have some type of goldish stuff on the side.

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 And it makes it look like a special book.

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 And I, of course, for a wide range of reasons, believe that it is a special book.

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 But what I'm reading from is actually a letter that was written by a man who was, if we had

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 known him before his conversion, we would have wanted to always keep our eye on him and not

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 allow him to get behind us because he was a very, very aggressive fanatic for religious observance.

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 To think about it a little bit, it would be as if you went, if you, you know, you've seen

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 pictures maybe of Islamic, very, very fundamentalist Islamic countries.

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 And they have people who have sticks and stuff like that.

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 So that if they see a woman whose, you know, robes aren't sufficiently long or that, you know,

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 that goes a little bit too below her nose, they can get in all sorts of trouble.

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 Well, the man who wrote this letter was that type of guy for Jewish observance.

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 And the amazing thing is he's writing this and to a group of people who used to be pagans.

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 And that's very interesting because in the city where they used to be pagans, the main

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 goddess for that city is the goddess Aphrodite, which is the Greek version of the goddess Venus.

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 And it meant that the temple, as part of their worship, had prostitutes, which were part of

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 the temple and part of, in a sense, the service of the temple were prostitutes.

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 And in a sense, it was a non-discriminatory type of worship.

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 There were very inexpensive prostitutes for those who didn't have much money.

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 And then there were expensive prostitutes for those who had a lot of money.

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 And that's the, and the, so this fellow who used to be so completely and utterly against

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 anything other than most minute, minute, minute observance of the, of the Jewish law, even

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 to the point that he contributed to seeking people out and, and making sure that they were

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 either beaten or punished or jailed or even put to death.

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 And that's this guy, but now he said all of that behind.

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 And he's writing to a group of people who used to worship Aphrodite and Poseidon and

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 probably Caesar and who've left that behind and are now Christians.

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 They're both Christians.

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 And there's enough historical references that are made in this letter and other things around

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 it that are ancient that scholars know that he wrote this letter somewhere between the

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 year 53 and the year 55.

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 They know that they don't know for sure in between that, probably earlier rather than

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 later.

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 And, and so what that means is he's writing this letter to a group of ex pagans and he's

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 writing it approximately 20 to 21 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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 So that's what we're reading translated into English.

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 Like that, that's what we're reading like a letter.

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 And, um, well, what does it say?

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 Uh, and by the way, so this is really important.

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 So what, what, if you're hearing me, what we're reading now isn't like the Quran and I'm

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 not going to say anything against the Quran or anything like that, but a devout, if you

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 have friends who are devout Muslims, uh, they will tell you that, um, God through the angel

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 gave, uh, Muhammad, uh, since divine revelations.

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 And these divine revelations, they happened to Muhammad in the 600s.

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 And these divine revelations talk about things in the past and things in the present and

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 things in the future.

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 And so what, what Christians are doing here, it's completely and utterly different than

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 the Quran, right?

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 Is we're actually quoting you a letter written 20 to 21, 22 years, maybe up to most 25 years

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 after the death and resurrection of Jesus that has so many historical references that historians

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 can date the writing of this letter.

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 And, and that's what we're, we're looking at.

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 So it's not six centuries later prophecies that we're just asking to believe by faith.

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 Um, this is very, very close to the actual facts.

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 And, and here's what this man says.

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 If we read it, it goes like this first one.

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 Now I would remind you brothers and sisters of the gospel and gospel just means good news.

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 Um, I, now I would remind you brothers and sisters.

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 If the good news, I preached to you, which you received in which you stand and by which

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 you were being saved.

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 If you hold fast to the word, I preached to you unless you believed in vain.

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 So what Paul is saying here is he has this profound good news, uh, which he's told them

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 before and he's reminding them of this good news.

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 And the good news is, uh, as we're going to find out in a moment about a person and what

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 that person did and what that person continues to do and can do and will do in people's

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 lives.

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 And that's why it's good news.

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 And I remember I began my sermon by thanking you for being here, welcoming you here, because

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 I know that for most of the people in Canada, they don't think of the Christian faith as

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 being good news.

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 They think of it as being bad news.

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 In fact, I know that maybe if you're watching this, you realize that if you became a Christian

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 and you told your friend that you'd become a Christian, they'd say to your other friends,

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 I don't know what happened to him or I don't know what happened to her.

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 They used to be so nice and they used to be so reasonable.

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 I don't know what happened to them that they would become a Christian because that's how

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 it's in a sense, that's how the culture forms us to think of the Christian faith.

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 But here's this fellow, an ex religious Jewish religious fanatic who would definitely hated

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 pagans writing to a group of ex pagans who used to worship Aphrodite and Poseidon.

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 And he calls them brothers and sisters.

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 He calls them brothers and sisters.

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 I mean, if you think about it for a second, we live in a world that's only becoming more

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 and more and more and more divided.

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 We live in a world that's where I'm assuring you a couple of weeks ago how a columnist can

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 call people names and call people names and then without any type of sense that they've

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 been calling people names for two years or longer than say the most important thing is

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 that we can build bridges.

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 And you go, what?

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 Like you've been called, you're like a name caller.

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 And we realize how there were in a world where people yell at each other across the divide.

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 And I mean, if nothing else, if you're a seeker or even a skeptic, surely something like this

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 where there is a possibility of going from a profound, even murderous divide to the point

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 where you would call a person on the other side, now your brother, your sister is worth something

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 thinking about and considering.

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 In a culture, in a time when everything is creating distance and permission to yell and

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 permission to cancel, canceling the other side is seen as a virtue.

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 And here we have this fellow calling the other people brothers and sisters.

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 And what they've done is they've received this good news about a person and what they've done

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 and what that person's still doing.

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 They've, they're standing on it and standing on it means that it becomes the basis by which

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 you start to understand yourself and you start to understand the world around you and you

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 start to, and you start to act.

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 It's, you, you, you, you act out of where you stand.

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 And then he uses this word.

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 Well, here's one of the things he uses this word believe.

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 And I've talked to many people over the years who have problems with this because they say,

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 George, how is it that just having a different idea in my head or a different opinion that

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 that's connected to me being saved?

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 Like that, George, that just, just doesn't make any sense.

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 But you see, here's the thing which is so wonderful about this word, right?

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 It's good news about a person and what that person's done and what he has done for you and

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 what he can do, will do for you and is going to do for you and he will do for you until the

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 point of your death.

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 And, and the word here believe isn't have an opinion.

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 It's, it's, it's really like, so the other day at a Starbucks, I saw this really neat scene.

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 I happen to know, cause I talked to her before, she's a homeschooling mom and she has a little

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 six or seven year old boy and a little girl who's like two years younger.

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 And the mom stood outside and gave the son a $20 bill and the little boy went into the

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 Starbucks and ordered for himself, his sister and his mom.

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 Isn't that sort of neat?

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 And the mom just stood outside, didn't come in, didn't stand over, didn't, wasn't being

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 a helicopter mom, just stood outside and watched.

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 And the little boy spoke with a nice clear, loud voice and kept using the word actually.

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 It was really cute.

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 The mom, what does the mom do?

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 The mom believed in the son, right?

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 The mom believed in the son.

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 And that's the word which is being used here for us in Christ.

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 We believe in him.

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 We don't just believe about him.

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 We believe in him.

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 So what, what is this good news?

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 Well, this is now what Paul is going to sort of just start to give it very, this very brief

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 thing.

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 It's going to look at, look at verses three to five.

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 It goes like this.

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 For I delivered to you as a first importance, what I also received, that Christ died for our

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 sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried.

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 That he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures and that he appeared to

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 Cephas and then to the 12.

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 And Cephas is just a different name for Peter.

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 And the 12, obviously it doesn't include Judas who's, who's been dead.

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 But the 12 in a sense, like the special group of disciples now in a sense, the 11, but it's

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 always referred to as, as the 12.

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 Now here's the thing.

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 And this is going to maybe bother some people when I say this, but I'm going to deal with

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 the bothering.

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 But if you look at that word in verse three again, for I delivered to you as a first importance,

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 what I also received.

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 So I was talking to a young woman after church last Sunday who speaks three languages.

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 I don't know if we have at least one person here who speaks at minimum of four languages

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 and a lot of you speak at least two languages.

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 And you know that it's impossible to perfectly translate from one language into another.

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 It's just impossible.

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 There's just words in one language where there's, you might need a whole sentence or three sentences

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 or a paragraph to try to explain any other language.

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 And, and, and, and so what, what you don't know is that here when it says delivered and

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 where it says received, it's technical language in the original language.

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 It's technical language.

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 And it's the technical language of handing on tradition.

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 And handing on tradition sounds, oh, boring, you know, snooze and who cares about tradition

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 and it's best not to have tradition.

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 But then I need to translate that word tradition because I'm using it and the scholars use it

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 in a sense that would have been understood like 200 years ago, but isn't understood today.

00:16:55.780 --> 00:16:58.480
 In a sense what it's, he's, he's handing you the DNA.

00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.120
 He's passing on the DNA.

00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:08.740
 He's passing on the foundation of the building block.

00:17:09.360 --> 00:17:15.100
 It would be as if, you know, there was to be a, you know, one of those virus movies

00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:18.299
 where the whole world is being destroyed by the virus.

00:17:18.459 --> 00:17:24.219
 And then in some little remote lab, they get the, they get the thing that fixes the antidote.

00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:27.619
 They get that little sample and they break that sample up into little bits.

00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:32.000
 And it would be the whole point of the movie that, that those people take that little bit

00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:35.639
 that they've received and they take it to the other small remaining labs.

00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.099
 And they take it without any variation.

00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:38.939
 They don't spit in it.

00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:40.179
 They don't add their own ingredients.

00:17:40.339 --> 00:17:41.859
 They say, I would be better with some salt.

00:17:42.099 --> 00:17:43.079
 They don't do anything like that.

00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:48.740
 They take that, that stuff, the antidote, the thing which has been perfectly made that

00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:51.379
 will destroy the virus and save the human race.

00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:57.939
 And it's taken without anything at all being done to it and given to these other labs where

00:17:57.939 --> 00:18:01.059
 the labs can create the vaccines, which is going to, is going to save the human race.

00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:06.179
 And that's this, that's what's understood with this word delivered and received.

00:18:07.319 --> 00:18:11.259
 And, and, and, and so the thing which bothers people sometimes is when they hear things like

00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:13.180
 that, they said, well, George, here's the thing about the Christian faith.

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:15.480
 Like why, why couldn't God have just made it?

00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:18.240
 Why couldn't God have just made it that it was obvious?

00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.879
 Like why did he make the faith in such a way that I have to learn from you?

00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:24.259
 Like, why can't I figure that out for myself?

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:28.599
 It seems like it's a, it's a mistake in the Christian faith, but all I can say to you is

00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:30.039
 no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:31.460
 It's not a design flaw.

00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:32.859
 It's a design feature.

00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:35.579
 It's not a design flaw.

00:18:35.660 --> 00:18:37.019
 It's a design feature.

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:40.339
 Like, why is it a design feature?

00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:41.680
 Well, for two reasons.

00:18:42.299 --> 00:18:47.980
 It's a design feature because God, when he caused these scriptures to be written, he wanted

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:54.359
 people from every people of the group of the world to hear about himself in their heart

00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:54.900
 language.

00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:06.359
 He didn't want, he didn't want a remote tribe in the Amazon to learn Koine Greek and postmodern

00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:10.799
 Canadians in downtown Ottawa to learn Koine Greek.

00:19:11.179 --> 00:19:14.439
 He wanted us to hear about Jesus in our heart language.

00:19:16.199 --> 00:19:21.500
 And then that goes on with this other part, which is not a design flaw, but a design feature

00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:26.859
 that while we enter the Christian faith one by one, like we make a personal decision or

00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:32.919
 we recognize that a decision has been made sometime in the past, that sometime in the past

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:37.980
 that we, we've come to this faith, but we, we enter it, but we don't walk it by ourselves.

00:19:38.120 --> 00:19:39.720
 We walk the faith with others.

00:19:40.840 --> 00:19:45.000
 If you haven't watched the Good Friday service, one of the wonderful things that Victory said

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:50.880
 in her little, her little talk, it was a really wonderful point, is that, you know, she, she

00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:52.680
 comes from, she comes from a place.

00:19:52.820 --> 00:19:53.680
 You don't mind me saying this.

00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:54.320
 You said everything.

00:19:54.460 --> 00:19:56.380
 You put her on YouTube on Friday.

00:19:56.380 --> 00:19:59.780
 And she came from a place where everybody in a sense knew her name.

00:19:59.860 --> 00:20:01.960
 She had lots of mothers and brothers and fathers.

00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:04.520
 And she comes without her mother, brother, father to this place.

00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:10.300
 And then the Christian community, she can play with kids and she has mothers and fathers and

00:20:10.300 --> 00:20:11.100
 brothers and sisters.

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:15.420
 And God doesn't want us to follow Jesus all by ourselves.

00:20:15.420 --> 00:20:21.720
 It's a design feature that we need to gather.

00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:28.500
 And the church has set aside people like me to study and to learn the resources and to,

00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:34.000
 and to, to, to, to trust the, the broader church that I, I can read a scholar who wrote a book

00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:35.080
 20 years ago.

00:20:35.320 --> 00:20:40.120
 I can read scholars that have died long ago and I can get to understand things.

00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:41.380
 I get to impart it to you.

00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:44.820
 And it's a design feature and it's a wonderful feature.

00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:48.000
 You can hear Jesus in your heart language.

00:20:56.340 --> 00:20:56.740
 Okay.

00:20:56.840 --> 00:20:59.519
 Well, I mean, why trust Paul?

00:21:01.580 --> 00:21:04.580
 I mean, in lots of circles, Paul is the big bad guy.

00:21:04.580 --> 00:21:08.400
 And Paul's the guy writing this letter to our Muslim friends.

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:12.259
 They, they will tell you that Paul was the one you can't trust.

00:21:12.360 --> 00:21:13.380
 He changes everything.

00:21:13.380 --> 00:21:18.340
 There's many, many people throughout the last 150 years of scholarship.

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:24.280
 And, and not only that, but throughout, throughout history of, of different others that who just

00:21:24.280 --> 00:21:25.500
 say, Paul gets everything wrong.

00:21:25.580 --> 00:21:26.640
 Why, why trust Paul?

00:21:26.860 --> 00:21:27.900
 Here's the other thing you see.

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:29.000
 So what, what, what did Paul say?

00:21:29.040 --> 00:21:33.700
 There's two things here, which are just so profoundly cool about what this letter written 20 years

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:42.279
 after the death and resurrection of Jesus by an ex-Jewish religious fanatic to ex-Aphrodite and Poseidon worships,

00:21:42.420 --> 00:21:44.640
 worshipers who are now his brothers and sisters.

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:48.920
 And one of the things which is so cool about that is also the word that.

00:21:49.320 --> 00:21:51.180
 You didn't just, we'll read it again.

00:21:51.320 --> 00:21:53.900
 Look at verse 3b and, and, and, and notice this.

00:21:54.340 --> 00:22:00.020
 Remember I said, for I delivered to you and this delivered and received that that's like the language of receiving something,

00:22:00.020 --> 00:22:04.460
 which is like the antidote, the DNA, which you receive on and without changing it.

00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:06.180
 And you pass it on without changing it.

00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:11.140
 And then he goes, I'll receive that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,

00:22:11.360 --> 00:22:15.860
 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,

00:22:15.980 --> 00:22:18.579
 and that he appeared to Cephas and then to the 12.

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:21.420
 And one of the things is in the ancient writings, they didn't have quote marks.

00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:26.000
 The that, in a sense, functions like quote marks.

00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:28.259
 So here's the thing.

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:31.640
 This is so cool.

00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:34.220
 That little bit that I just read.

00:22:34.360 --> 00:22:39.920
 Remember I said to you, we can now, scholars know, because there's so many historical cross references.

00:22:40.540 --> 00:22:47.520
 They know that Paul became, saw the risen Jesus and became a Christian somewhere towards the end of 33

00:22:47.520 --> 00:22:49.380
 or somewhere in the year 34.

00:22:49.380 --> 00:23:00.380
 And if Jesus died on April the 3rd, 33, and rose from the dead three days later,

00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:08.180
 that means that potentially only several months after Paul sees the risen Jesus,

00:23:09.660 --> 00:23:14.200
 what he's saying is he received this when he became a Christian.

00:23:15.360 --> 00:23:17.400
 He's quoting what he received.

00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:32.440
 When I read that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,

00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:38.300
 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,

00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:41.120
 and that he appeared to Cephas and then to the 12.

00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:50.059
 You are hearing the witness of his mother, his brothers, the 500,

00:23:50.739 --> 00:23:54.159
 and all of the people who saw the risen Jesus.

00:23:56.339 --> 00:23:57.799
 This is their message.

00:23:57.799 --> 00:24:06.619
 This is their message carried through the years and through the ages to you and me today.

00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:23.500
 If you think about it for a second, it's a very, very simple set of statements.

00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:29.579
 It's a type of statements that if you were to go and try to teach a little three-year-old

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:34.660
 that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Bible,

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:40.460
 Christ was buried, Christ was raised on the third day in accordance with the Bible,

00:24:41.579 --> 00:24:44.680
 Christ appeared to Cephas and the 12 and others.

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:48.380
 And a little child could learn that off by heart.

00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:54.400
 And they wouldn't understand everything, but they could hear it.

00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:58.960
 And it wouldn't take very much to try to teach them those little bits of things,

00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:01.200
 which I'll say a little bit more of in a moment.

00:25:02.180 --> 00:25:06.380
 But at the same time, that very, very simple message...

00:25:08.840 --> 00:25:12.900
 Like one of the things when I talk sometimes about what Jesus does first on the cross,

00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:14.560
 I just remember the word rise.

00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:15.559
 Okay?

00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:20.559
 And when I remember the word rise, then I can say Jesus was our representative.

00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:21.839
 He identified with us.

00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:22.799
 He was our substitute.

00:25:23.179 --> 00:25:25.700
 And his death was an act of exchange.

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:33.759
 There's simple little things that you can do that help you to remember.

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:39.059
 And you could see these simple little words that a very simple child

00:25:39.059 --> 00:25:42.179
 or a person with a very low IQ could get them.

00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:46.500
 But at the same time, a poet, a musician,

00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:50.180
 a person with a profound...

00:25:50.860 --> 00:25:56.080
 an artist, a philosopher, a scientist,

00:25:56.560 --> 00:26:00.740
 one who has great education and a great IQ.

00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:05.860
 The child can believe it and understand it.

00:26:05.859 --> 00:26:10.979
 And people like Paul, who are very, very well educated,

00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:14.059
 he could take those symbols, those simple words,

00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:20.659
 and he could think through how they matter to a world that worships Aphrodite and Poseidon.

00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:25.299
 And he can think about all of the different Old Testament texts that refer to it.

00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:31.839
 And he can take that and he can go and look about how it fits with Psalm 2 and Psalm 110

00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:36.379
 and with this text in Leviticus and this text in Genesis chapter 1

00:26:36.379 --> 00:26:39.419
 and this text in Zechariah and this text in Malachi.

00:26:39.879 --> 00:26:43.159
 And he can think of how these things connect to what the Greek poets think,

00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:45.000
 which he does in Acts chapter 17.

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:48.660
 And you see that on one level it's all there.

00:26:52.059 --> 00:26:55.000
 And somebody who's just very, very simple-minded or somebody...

00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:57.900
 And actually, by the way, I'm very simple-minded.

00:27:00.339 --> 00:27:03.059
 Where people have great powers of abstract thought,

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:06.200
 it's a seed and it communicates everything

00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:08.079
 and it opens this door

00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:12.819
 just to see the world in a radically different place.

00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:21.519
 And it's the ancient witness

00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:25.059
 that those early people who were witnesses

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:27.960
 still in the face of profound opposition

00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:30.740
 and we have to remember that,

00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:33.980
 well, people will, if you're maybe not aware of it,

00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:36.419
 people will, I mean, one of the really, really stupid things

00:27:36.419 --> 00:27:38.700
 that people will say, sorry, not stupid, I didn't mean to say that.

00:27:38.879 --> 00:27:41.319
 If you believe it, I didn't mean to call you stupid.

00:27:41.419 --> 00:27:41.919
 I apologize.

00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:45.220
 One of the things which is just not well-informed

00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:47.480
 is that somehow another Constantine,

00:27:47.560 --> 00:27:49.420
 when he became a Christian in the 300s,

00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:52.080
 somehow another forced all these creedal things on the church,

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:53.580
 which is just not true.

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:58.300
 For basically the first 300 years of Christianity,

00:27:58.519 --> 00:28:01.519
 to become a Christian was to become unpopular and persecuted.

00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:03.940
 And the early Christians weren't celebrated,

00:28:04.060 --> 00:28:04.880
 they were persecuted.

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:08.740
 It wasn't very long after the Christians,

00:28:09.060 --> 00:28:10.860
 that Jesus died and rose from the dead

00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:12.100
 and the Christian faith began,

00:28:12.260 --> 00:28:15.040
 that the first martyrs were martyred.

00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:24.180
 And so we hear this very, very ancient testimony

00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:26.379
 of what had actually happened,

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:30.180
 and structured in such a way that everything from the youngest

00:28:30.180 --> 00:28:33.899
 to the most brilliant minds

00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:39.860
 can be fed by it and can develop it.

00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:45.339
 And so it's not here that something that Paul is just trying to make up

00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:47.559
 out of his own head.

00:28:47.679 --> 00:28:50.919
 It's something that he's giving that goes right back.

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:53.019
 And part of the reason, by the way,

00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:54.679
 that you should believe it is that, I mean,

00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:57.199
 Paul ends up going to the death rather than denying

00:28:57.199 --> 00:28:58.919
 that Jesus actually rose from the dead.

00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:03.200
 that he goes, he dies for a fact.

00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:08.400
 And he hands down the interpretation of that fact.

00:29:11.380 --> 00:29:12.640
 So what does he say again?

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:14.000
 Well, let's look at it very briefly,

00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:15.680
 sort of getting close to the end.

00:29:16.759 --> 00:29:17.640
 Verse 3 again,

00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:19.440
 For I delivered to you as of first importance

00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.519
 what I also received,

00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:24.160
 that Christ died for our sins

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.680
 in accordance with the Scriptures.

00:29:26.519 --> 00:29:28.460
 And I just want to point out that one thing

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:29.440
 that the word for,

00:29:30.360 --> 00:29:31.759
 in the original language,

00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:34.440
 it means for the benefit of somebody else.

00:29:35.360 --> 00:29:38.680
 So Jesus died for the benefit of you

00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:41.600
 because of your sin.

00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:45.100
 And this is just so profound.

00:29:48.360 --> 00:29:49.079
 You know,

00:29:49.860 --> 00:29:53.620
 sometimes those of you who've been blessed with children,

00:29:55.620 --> 00:29:57.180
 what was I,

00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:57.400
 it was,

00:29:57.620 --> 00:29:59.340
 it was not that great,

00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:01.259
 not that great of a,

00:30:01.360 --> 00:30:02.019
 of a movie,

00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:03.720
 the new Ryan Reeves movie,

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.640
 The Adam Project.

00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:06.420
 And he's meeting his,

00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:07.000
 you know,

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.860
 he goes back in time

00:30:07.860 --> 00:30:09.019
 and he's talking to his mom

00:30:09.019 --> 00:30:09.960
 and his mom doesn't know

00:30:09.960 --> 00:30:11.560
 that this is her son,

00:30:11.660 --> 00:30:12.140
 but like whatever,

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:13.080
 30 years later.

00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.400
 And she's talking about

00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:15.700
 how difficult her son is.

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.320
 And she says,

00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:17.759
 what is it she was thinking

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:18.539
 of putting her son

00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.560
 in a boarding school

00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:21.539
 where it was like,

00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:23.220
 it was the ISIS stronghold.

00:30:25.619 --> 00:30:25.980
 That's,

00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:28.079
 that's how much he was driving her crazy

00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:29.179
 that he was going to put her,

00:30:29.299 --> 00:30:30.220
 she was going to put her son

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:31.339
 in a boarding school

00:30:31.339 --> 00:30:32.159
 right in the center

00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:34.119
 of the ISIS craziness.

00:30:34.379 --> 00:30:36.259
 And sometimes we want to strangle our kids,

00:30:36.419 --> 00:30:36.519
 but,

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.339
 and part of the way we,

00:30:37.379 --> 00:30:38.119
 we get around it

00:30:38.119 --> 00:30:38.480
 is we just,

00:30:38.599 --> 00:30:39.659
 we also think about the things

00:30:39.659 --> 00:30:40.839
 that are wonderful about them.

00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:42.339
 But the thing about,

00:30:42.659 --> 00:30:44.059
 about this word for,

00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:45.679
 is that Jesus died

00:30:45.679 --> 00:30:47.079
 for the worst of you.

00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:49.559
 Like he died

00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:51.579
 knowing the worst about you.

00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:53.980
 He doesn't die thinking,

00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:56.059
 that George,

00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:56.579
 you know,

00:30:56.899 --> 00:30:57.399
 gosh,

00:30:57.579 --> 00:30:59.759
 there's so many good things about him.

00:31:00.179 --> 00:31:01.659
 I think I'll die for him

00:31:01.659 --> 00:31:02.259
 because he just,

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:03.740
 all those things,

00:31:03.879 --> 00:31:04.200
 no.

00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:07.059
 Jesus died for me

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:08.559
 knowing the worst about me.

00:31:10.279 --> 00:31:11.399
 And his death

00:31:11.399 --> 00:31:12.440
 is a death

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:14.200
 which creates a benefit for me.

00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:15.820
 The,

00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:16.960
 the other thing about for

00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:18.240
 is it's sometimes a synonym

00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:18.900
 for the word

00:31:18.900 --> 00:31:19.140
 in,

00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:20.140
 in the place of.

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:21.059
 So that he dies

00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:21.980
 in my place

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:23.380
 and he dies for my benefit.

00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:25.259
 And he dies for my benefit

00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:27.460
 mindful of the absolute worst

00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:28.320
 about me.

00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:32.240
 And then verse four,

00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:33.460
 that he was buried.

00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:37.400
 I remember still,

00:31:37.600 --> 00:31:38.180
 very clearly,

00:31:38.299 --> 00:31:38.779
 the first time

00:31:38.779 --> 00:31:39.799
 I touched a dead body.

00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:43.220
 And it was a shock.

00:31:43.339 --> 00:31:44.180
 And I have to confess,

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:44.859
 I was nervous

00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:45.940
 about touching the body.

00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:46.480
 I wasn't sure

00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.079
 if I was going to get,

00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:47.940
 I don't know,

00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.240
 bad things

00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:50.359
 transmitted to me

00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:50.539
 by,

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:51.180
 like I'm just,

00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:51.539
 I don't know,

00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:52.339
 just being honest,

00:31:52.399 --> 00:31:52.579
 right?

00:31:53.079 --> 00:31:54.319
 But if you touch a dead body,

00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:55.180
 it definitely doesn't feel

00:31:55.180 --> 00:31:55.899
 like a live body.

00:31:57.619 --> 00:31:57.980
 And,

00:31:58.039 --> 00:31:58.759
 and so this thing

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.680
 is just emphasizing

00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:01.039
 the death of Jesus

00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:02.500
 that the,

00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:02.859
 the,

00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:03.759
 that some

00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:05.119
 two men

00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:06.839
 took the body

00:32:06.839 --> 00:32:07.359
 down

00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:08.579
 from the cross.

00:32:10.879 --> 00:32:11.599
 They don't go

00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:12.399
 into the details

00:32:12.399 --> 00:32:13.759
 about how they

00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:14.519
 got the nails

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:15.480
 out of his hands

00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:16.379
 and out of his,

00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:17.559
 and his feet.

00:32:18.679 --> 00:32:19.519
 But they would have

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:19.959
 somehow

00:32:19.959 --> 00:32:21.220
 gotten that

00:32:21.220 --> 00:32:21.879
 out.

00:32:22.139 --> 00:32:22.720
 And I,

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.359
 I can imagine

00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:24.399
 the squeamishness

00:32:24.399 --> 00:32:25.059
 about it.

00:32:25.959 --> 00:32:26.519
 And they

00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:27.679
 get that out

00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:28.500
 and they,

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.059
 they put him

00:32:29.059 --> 00:32:29.559
 in something

00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:30.819
 to carry him

00:32:30.819 --> 00:32:31.259
 or put him

00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:31.919
 on a donkey

00:32:31.919 --> 00:32:32.480
 or something

00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:33.179
 and they take him

00:32:33.179 --> 00:32:34.220
 to a different place.

00:32:34.220 --> 00:32:35.900
 And then they

00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:36.180
 would have

00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:36.779
 put him down

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.440
 and done at least

00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.240
 a bit of washing

00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:38.720
 of him

00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:39.839
 and taking his clothes

00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:40.059
 off.

00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:40.660
 We didn't have

00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:41.279
 any clothes on

00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:42.000
 when he was crucified.

00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:42.740
 So they would have

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:43.420
 washed the body

00:32:43.420 --> 00:32:44.039
 at least a bit.

00:32:44.600 --> 00:32:44.960
 They would have

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.839
 applied spices

00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:46.220
 on him

00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:46.559
 and then they

00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:46.819
 would have

00:32:46.819 --> 00:32:47.319
 wrapped him

00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:48.400
 relatively tightly

00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:48.940
 and they would have

00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:49.559
 wrapped something

00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:50.319
 separate around

00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:50.860
 his head.

00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:51.680
 And they would have

00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:52.000
 done that

00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:52.960
 with their bare hands

00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:53.380
 and then they

00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:53.620
 would have

00:32:53.620 --> 00:32:54.220
 picked him up

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:55.319
 and they would

00:32:55.319 --> 00:32:55.720
 have put him

00:32:55.720 --> 00:32:56.259
 on something

00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:56.660
 and then they

00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:56.900
 would have

00:32:56.900 --> 00:32:57.360
 carried him

00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:57.980
 to the tomb

00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.980
 which was a cave

00:32:58.980 --> 00:32:59.539
 and then they

00:32:59.539 --> 00:32:59.860
 would have

00:32:59.860 --> 00:33:01.779
 somehow still

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:02.519
 picked up that

00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:02.839
 body

00:33:02.839 --> 00:33:03.579
 and put him

00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.240
 in a cave

00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.759
 and then the

00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:06.339
 soldiers rolled

00:33:06.339 --> 00:33:06.779
 the stone

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:07.319
 and sealed

00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:07.899
 it and guarded

00:33:07.899 --> 00:33:08.199
 it.

00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:09.759
 And all of that

00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:10.399
 isn't covered

00:33:10.399 --> 00:33:10.899
 in that very

00:33:10.899 --> 00:33:11.539
 simple word

00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:11.919
 buried.

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:12.720
 It's emphasizing

00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:13.500
 his death.

00:33:16.179 --> 00:33:16.460
 And then

00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:18.240
 that

00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:19.619
 he was buried

00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:20.419
 that he was

00:33:20.419 --> 00:33:21.000
 raised on the

00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:21.359
 third day

00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:21.799
 in accordance

00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:22.279
 with the

00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:22.619
 scriptures.

00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:26.019
 And one of the

00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:26.619
 things which is

00:33:26.619 --> 00:33:27.259
 really interesting

00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:27.679
 about this

00:33:27.679 --> 00:33:28.259
 you can see it

00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:28.759
 in the English

00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:29.480
 that he was

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:29.960
 raised.

00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:31.559
 It's passive.

00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:33.679
 The text is

00:33:33.679 --> 00:33:34.339
 making clear

00:33:34.339 --> 00:33:34.819
 that it's

00:33:34.819 --> 00:33:35.980
 not some

00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.259
 development

00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:38.460
 of human

00:33:38.460 --> 00:33:39.119
 evolution

00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:39.879
 and that

00:33:39.879 --> 00:33:40.579
 Jesus is

00:33:40.579 --> 00:33:41.119
 this new

00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:41.539
 pinnacle

00:33:41.539 --> 00:33:42.039
 of human

00:33:42.039 --> 00:33:42.500
 evolution

00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:43.519
 and it's

00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.220
 some power

00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:45.139
 in him

00:33:45.139 --> 00:33:46.220
 by which

00:33:46.220 --> 00:33:46.579
 he is

00:33:46.579 --> 00:33:46.980
 raised.

00:33:47.079 --> 00:33:47.460
 It's not

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:47.740
 some

00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:48.480
 technological

00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:49.819
 or some

00:33:49.819 --> 00:33:50.899
 communal

00:33:50.899 --> 00:33:51.700
 technological

00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:52.399
 thing with

00:33:52.399 --> 00:33:52.679
 him and

00:33:52.679 --> 00:33:53.139
 his buddies

00:33:53.139 --> 00:33:53.720
 that he

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.339
 by his

00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:54.839
 power

00:33:54.839 --> 00:33:55.240
 is

00:33:55.240 --> 00:33:56.179
 resurrected.

00:33:56.659 --> 00:33:57.019
 It's

00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:57.639
 passive.

00:33:58.099 --> 00:33:58.519
 He is

00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:59.119
 dead.

00:33:59.119 --> 00:33:59.239
 dead.

00:34:00.239 --> 00:34:01.119
 He is

00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:01.639
 dead,

00:34:01.899 --> 00:34:02.219
 dead,

00:34:02.519 --> 00:34:02.859
 dead,

00:34:03.159 --> 00:34:03.479
 dead,

00:34:03.719 --> 00:34:04.359
 dead and

00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:05.099
 buried and

00:34:05.099 --> 00:34:05.559
 no one

00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:06.079
 thought he

00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:06.639
 would rise

00:34:06.639 --> 00:34:07.000
 from the

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:07.759
 dead and

00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:08.920
 God does

00:34:08.920 --> 00:34:09.960
 something in

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.359
 him.

00:34:11.839 --> 00:34:12.619
 He is

00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.139
 resurrected.

00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:14.940
 It does

00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:15.500
 not mean

00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:15.819
 he's

00:34:15.819 --> 00:34:16.579
 resuscitated

00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.019
 to this

00:34:17.019 --> 00:34:17.480
 size of

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:17.980
 death only

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:18.359
 to die

00:34:18.359 --> 00:34:18.819
 again.

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:19.519
 He has

00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:19.980
 defeated

00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:20.519
 death.

00:34:21.339 --> 00:34:21.579
 He has

00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:21.920
 defeated

00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:22.619
 the sin,

00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:23.639
 the worst

00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:24.119
 in you

00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:25.779
 which contributes

00:34:25.779 --> 00:34:26.719
 to your

00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:27.019
 death.

00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:27.279
 He has

00:34:27.279 --> 00:34:27.719
 defeated

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:27.980
 that.

00:34:28.059 --> 00:34:28.279
 He has

00:34:28.279 --> 00:34:28.639
 dealt

00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:29.139
 with it.

00:34:29.859 --> 00:34:30.159
 He has

00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:30.339
 in a

00:34:30.339 --> 00:34:30.539
 sense

00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:31.079
 swallowed

00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:31.359
 it,

00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:31.779
 eaten

00:34:31.779 --> 00:34:32.039
 it,

00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:32.679
 consumed

00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:33.139
 it,

00:34:33.859 --> 00:34:34.159
 drank

00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:34.440
 the

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:34.859
 cup,

00:34:36.319 --> 00:34:36.639
 made

00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:36.799
 it

00:34:36.799 --> 00:34:37.539
 finished,

00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:38.579
 no

00:34:38.579 --> 00:34:39.059
 more,

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.859
 for you,

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:41.639
 for your

00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:42.239
 benefit.

00:34:42.879 --> 00:34:43.359
 And then

00:34:43.359 --> 00:34:44.539
 God raises

00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:45.359
 him to

00:34:45.359 --> 00:34:46.099
 life on

00:34:46.099 --> 00:34:46.400
 the other

00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:46.900
 side of

00:34:46.900 --> 00:34:47.440
 death where

00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:48.259
 death and

00:34:48.259 --> 00:34:48.799
 sin have

00:34:48.799 --> 00:34:49.359
 no power

00:34:49.359 --> 00:34:49.879
 over him

00:34:49.879 --> 00:34:50.359
 whatsoever.

00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:52.879
 And he

00:34:52.879 --> 00:34:53.400
 does it

00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:54.440
 for you

00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:55.480
 and for

00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:55.759
 me.

00:34:56.619 --> 00:34:57.559
 This is

00:34:57.559 --> 00:34:58.079
 the Christian

00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.420
 hope.

00:34:58.639 --> 00:34:58.900
 Not

00:34:58.900 --> 00:34:59.440
 butterflies,

00:35:00.259 --> 00:35:00.659
 not

00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:01.319
 seasons.

00:35:03.799 --> 00:35:04.460
 This is

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:04.920
 the Christian

00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:05.299
 hope.

00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:07.599
 Is it

00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:07.859
 true?

00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:08.519
 The word

00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:08.960
 appeared

00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:09.500
 means

00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:10.539
 convincingly

00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.199
 made

00:35:11.199 --> 00:35:11.699
 present.

00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:12.279
 To

00:35:12.279 --> 00:35:12.739
 Cephas,

00:35:12.819 --> 00:35:13.099
 then to

00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.239
 the

00:35:13.239 --> 00:35:13.659
 twelve.

00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:14.420
 Then he

00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:14.900
 appeared to

00:35:14.900 --> 00:35:15.259
 more than

00:35:15.259 --> 00:35:16.359
 five hundred

00:35:16.359 --> 00:35:16.980
 brothers and

00:35:16.980 --> 00:35:17.559
 sisters at

00:35:17.559 --> 00:35:18.259
 one time,

00:35:18.619 --> 00:35:19.000
 most of

00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:19.259
 whom are

00:35:19.259 --> 00:35:19.879
 still alive,

00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:20.339
 though some

00:35:20.339 --> 00:35:20.699
 have fallen

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.239
 asleep,

00:35:21.619 --> 00:35:21.900
 synonym

00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:22.559
 for death.

00:35:23.099 --> 00:35:23.539
 Then he

00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:24.059
 appeared to

00:35:24.059 --> 00:35:24.460
 James,

00:35:24.579 --> 00:35:24.859
 then to

00:35:24.859 --> 00:35:25.179
 all the

00:35:25.179 --> 00:35:25.639
 apostles.

00:35:25.639 --> 00:35:26.219
 Last of

00:35:26.219 --> 00:35:26.539
 all to

00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:26.719
 one

00:35:26.719 --> 00:35:27.179
 untimely

00:35:27.179 --> 00:35:27.460
 born,

00:35:27.559 --> 00:35:27.619
 he

00:35:27.619 --> 00:35:27.920
 appeared

00:35:27.920 --> 00:35:28.559
 also to

00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:28.900
 me.

00:35:30.900 --> 00:35:31.239
 To which

00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:31.679
 even with

00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:32.599
 this litany

00:35:32.599 --> 00:35:33.460
 of evidence,

00:35:33.940 --> 00:35:34.500
 someone might

00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:34.980
 say,

00:35:35.079 --> 00:35:35.500
 but George,

00:35:35.579 --> 00:35:36.000
 this is a

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.859
 misogynistic

00:35:36.859 --> 00:35:37.440
 text.

00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:40.639
 Well,

00:35:40.720 --> 00:35:40.960
 it's not

00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:41.480
 entirely.

00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.220
 Apostles

00:35:42.220 --> 00:35:42.780
 include men

00:35:42.780 --> 00:35:43.119
 and women,

00:35:43.260 --> 00:35:43.639
 and brothers

00:35:43.639 --> 00:35:44.260
 and sisters

00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:45.099
 well implies

00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:46.860
 sisters with

00:35:46.860 --> 00:35:47.240
 brothers.

00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:50.139
 But why

00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:50.480
 doesn't he

00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:51.260
 mention Mary,

00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:51.700
 and why

00:35:51.700 --> 00:35:51.980
 doesn't he

00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:52.420
 mention his

00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:52.720
 mother,

00:35:52.920 --> 00:35:53.139
 and why

00:35:53.139 --> 00:35:53.440
 doesn't he

00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:54.059
 mention the

00:35:54.059 --> 00:35:54.900
 two people

00:35:54.900 --> 00:35:55.260
 on the road

00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:55.780
 to Emmaus,

00:35:55.860 --> 00:35:56.240
 one of whom

00:35:56.240 --> 00:35:56.659
 was almost

00:35:56.659 --> 00:35:57.220
 definitely a

00:35:57.220 --> 00:35:57.420
 woman?

00:35:58.220 --> 00:35:58.900
 Why does he

00:35:58.900 --> 00:35:59.559
 ignore those

00:35:59.559 --> 00:35:59.880
 people?

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:00.880
 Nobody knows

00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:01.300
 why, but

00:36:01.300 --> 00:36:01.960
 here's, I

00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:02.260
 think, a

00:36:02.260 --> 00:36:02.599
 very, very

00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:03.220
 good reason.

00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:04.639
 Remember,

00:36:05.400 --> 00:36:06.320
 you have to

00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:06.780
 just remember

00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:07.640
 how historical

00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:08.280
 this is,

00:36:08.380 --> 00:36:08.720
 that this

00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:10.260
 is as if,

00:36:10.580 --> 00:36:10.820
 I mean,

00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:11.860
 we don't have

00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:12.340
 the actual

00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:13.480
 original letter,

00:36:14.019 --> 00:36:14.400
 but there's

00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:14.780
 no reason

00:36:14.780 --> 00:36:15.120
 to doubt

00:36:15.120 --> 00:36:15.560
 this,

00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:18.120
 and if you

00:36:18.120 --> 00:36:18.519
 went back

00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:18.900
 in time,

00:36:19.260 --> 00:36:20.060
 the suggestion

00:36:20.060 --> 00:36:20.980
 is that Paul

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:22.019
 lists people

00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:22.580
 who are still

00:36:22.580 --> 00:36:23.120
 alive.

00:36:24.680 --> 00:36:24.940
 Well,

00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:25.260
 actually,

00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:25.640
 with one

00:36:25.640 --> 00:36:26.100
 exception,

00:36:26.820 --> 00:36:27.620
 because James

00:36:27.620 --> 00:36:28.240
 is probably

00:36:28.240 --> 00:36:28.540
 dead,

00:36:28.640 --> 00:36:29.080
 but he

00:36:29.080 --> 00:36:29.760
 mentions the

00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:30.640
 two biggies,

00:36:32.060 --> 00:36:33.380
 Peter and

00:36:33.380 --> 00:36:33.960
 James in

00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:34.320
 the 12,

00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:34.760
 that's in a

00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:35.080
 sense the

00:36:35.080 --> 00:36:35.720
 two biggies,

00:36:35.880 --> 00:36:36.260
 and then the

00:36:36.260 --> 00:36:36.700
 rest of

00:36:36.700 --> 00:36:37.800
 them are

00:36:37.800 --> 00:36:38.500
 probably people

00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:38.960
 who are still

00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:39.280
 alive.

00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:39.700
 He's in a

00:36:39.700 --> 00:36:40.160
 sense saying,

00:36:40.420 --> 00:36:40.580
 you know,

00:36:40.640 --> 00:36:40.940
 you're in

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:41.200
 Corinth,

00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:41.840
 you can get

00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:42.280
 on a boat,

00:36:42.540 --> 00:36:43.020
 you can go

00:36:43.020 --> 00:36:43.560
 on a walking

00:36:43.560 --> 00:36:43.900
 tour,

00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:44.940
 you can go

00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.440
 back to

00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:45.900
 Jerusalem,

00:36:46.420 --> 00:36:47.100
 you can talk

00:36:47.100 --> 00:36:47.480
 to these

00:36:47.480 --> 00:36:47.900
 people,

00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:51.540
 and that's

00:36:51.540 --> 00:36:52.180
 maybe why he

00:36:52.180 --> 00:36:52.760
 didn't include

00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:53.520
 Mary Magdalene,

00:36:53.620 --> 00:36:54.140
 20 years,

00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:54.920
 Mary Magdalene,

00:36:55.680 --> 00:36:56.200
 just as there

00:36:56.200 --> 00:36:56.660
 are lots of

00:36:56.660 --> 00:36:57.060
 things that

00:36:57.060 --> 00:36:57.660
 kill us today,

00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:58.400
 there are even

00:36:58.400 --> 00:36:59.100
 more things that

00:36:59.100 --> 00:36:59.620
 would kill you

00:36:59.620 --> 00:37:00.200
 back then.

00:37:00.199 --> 00:37:04.139
 that's how

00:37:04.139 --> 00:37:05.019
 confidence he

00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:06.039
 is in the

00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:06.699
 story and the

00:37:06.699 --> 00:37:07.659
 reality of it,

00:37:07.699 --> 00:37:08.019
 and I just

00:37:08.019 --> 00:37:08.359
 need to,

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:09.279
 you know,

00:37:09.359 --> 00:37:09.779
 and so why

00:37:09.779 --> 00:37:10.359
 does this matter

00:37:10.359 --> 00:37:10.799
 and why is

00:37:10.799 --> 00:37:11.559
 this good news?

00:37:12.179 --> 00:37:12.779
 Now here I'm

00:37:12.779 --> 00:37:13.179
 going to share

00:37:13.179 --> 00:37:13.980
 something which,

00:37:16.119 --> 00:37:20.359
 there was a

00:37:20.359 --> 00:37:20.960
 time once I

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:21.299
 asked,

00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:22.460
 I've met a

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:22.779
 couple of

00:37:22.779 --> 00:37:23.279
 people who've

00:37:23.279 --> 00:37:23.859
 translated the

00:37:23.859 --> 00:37:24.139
 Bible,

00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:25.359
 and I

00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:25.879
 remember asking

00:37:25.879 --> 00:37:26.299
 one of them

00:37:26.299 --> 00:37:26.599
 once,

00:37:26.819 --> 00:37:27.039
 like,

00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:27.779
 he was talking

00:37:27.779 --> 00:37:28.359
 about what the

00:37:28.359 --> 00:37:29.019
 word actually

00:37:29.019 --> 00:37:29.559
 meant in the

00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:30.199
 original language

00:37:30.199 --> 00:37:30.679
 and how it's

00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:31.079
 translated,

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:31.579
 and I asked him

00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:32.139
 afterwards why

00:37:32.139 --> 00:37:32.539
 do they do

00:37:32.539 --> 00:37:32.799
 that,

00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:33.920
 and he said

00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:34.119
 well,

00:37:34.219 --> 00:37:34.379
 you know,

00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:34.879
 we could do

00:37:34.879 --> 00:37:35.039
 that,

00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:35.500
 but the fact

00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:35.739
 of the matter

00:37:35.739 --> 00:37:36.299
 is publishers

00:37:36.299 --> 00:37:36.859
 don't want to

00:37:36.859 --> 00:37:37.639
 publish it if

00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:38.279
 you put certain

00:37:38.279 --> 00:37:39.059
 types of words

00:37:39.059 --> 00:37:39.319
 in,

00:37:39.960 --> 00:37:40.519
 and so that's

00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:41.159
 why it's done,

00:37:42.079 --> 00:37:42.980
 and so they've

00:37:42.980 --> 00:37:43.719
 smoothed over

00:37:43.719 --> 00:37:44.139
 something,

00:37:44.219 --> 00:37:44.559
 and I'm going to

00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.019
 tell you what

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.679
 they've smoothed

00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:45.960
 over,

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.480
 and I know it

00:37:47.480 --> 00:37:48.420
 could be something

00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:49.199
 which is painful

00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:49.900
 for me to say

00:37:49.900 --> 00:37:50.139
 here,

00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:50.960
 so I want to

00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.179
 say,

00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:53.599
 because it's

00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:53.919
 going to be,

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:54.719
 it's an abortion

00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:55.339
 reference,

00:37:55.919 --> 00:37:56.639
 and it's not me

00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:57.379
 imposing it,

00:37:57.500 --> 00:37:58.079
 because it's

00:37:58.079 --> 00:37:58.659
 actually there

00:37:58.659 --> 00:37:59.679
 in the underlying

00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:00.279
 language,

00:38:01.059 --> 00:38:01.859
 so what I want

00:38:01.859 --> 00:38:02.359
 to say is,

00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:03.079
 I want to say

00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:03.440
 that this,

00:38:03.619 --> 00:38:03.819
 I'm not,

00:38:03.940 --> 00:38:04.339
 I know this

00:38:04.339 --> 00:38:04.719
 could be a

00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:05.299
 trigger thing

00:38:05.299 --> 00:38:05.739
 for some

00:38:05.739 --> 00:38:06.079
 people,

00:38:06.679 --> 00:38:08.159
 but this

00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:08.859
 isn't an

00:38:08.859 --> 00:38:09.440
 us versus

00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:10.219
 them thing,

00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:12.319
 there are

00:38:12.319 --> 00:38:13.119
 people here

00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:13.619
 and watching

00:38:13.619 --> 00:38:14.259
 here who've

00:38:14.259 --> 00:38:14.659
 either had

00:38:14.659 --> 00:38:15.399
 abortions or

00:38:15.399 --> 00:38:16.099
 contributed to

00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:16.839
 abortions,

00:38:17.699 --> 00:38:18.339
 and so this

00:38:18.339 --> 00:38:18.940
 isn't trying to

00:38:18.940 --> 00:38:19.599
 trigger anything

00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:20.099
 or make you

00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:20.719
 feel guilty

00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:21.339
 or anything

00:38:21.339 --> 00:38:21.959
 like that,

00:38:22.859 --> 00:38:24.519
 many people

00:38:24.519 --> 00:38:24.739
 have had

00:38:24.739 --> 00:38:25.339
 abortions and

00:38:25.339 --> 00:38:25.799
 don't feel

00:38:25.799 --> 00:38:26.159
 guilty,

00:38:26.359 --> 00:38:26.819
 and some

00:38:26.819 --> 00:38:27.259
 have had

00:38:27.259 --> 00:38:27.819
 abortions,

00:38:27.939 --> 00:38:28.279
 many have

00:38:28.279 --> 00:38:28.819
 had abortions

00:38:28.819 --> 00:38:29.319
 and do feel

00:38:29.319 --> 00:38:29.679
 guilty,

00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:32.399
 I do want

00:38:32.399 --> 00:38:32.980
 to take this

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:33.779
 opportunity to

00:38:33.779 --> 00:38:34.239
 say that

00:38:34.239 --> 00:38:35.500
 anytime,

00:38:35.719 --> 00:38:36.219
 anything like

00:38:36.219 --> 00:38:36.819
 this which is

00:38:36.819 --> 00:38:37.399
 painful that

00:38:37.399 --> 00:38:37.939
 comes up in

00:38:37.939 --> 00:38:38.399
 the Bible,

00:38:39.219 --> 00:38:39.679
 it's not,

00:38:40.219 --> 00:38:41.019
 remember Jesus

00:38:41.019 --> 00:38:41.939
 died knowing

00:38:41.939 --> 00:38:42.480
 the worst

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:43.099
 about you,

00:38:44.119 --> 00:38:44.719
 he didn't

00:38:44.719 --> 00:38:45.619
 die for you

00:38:45.619 --> 00:38:46.239
 because you're

00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:47.219
 so cute,

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:48.839
 good looking,

00:38:49.639 --> 00:38:50.339
 successful,

00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:51.039
 smart,

00:38:51.260 --> 00:38:51.620
 holy,

00:38:52.059 --> 00:38:52.720
 and now he

00:38:52.720 --> 00:38:53.140
 finds out

00:38:53.140 --> 00:38:53.920
 something bad

00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:54.420
 about you,

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:56.220
 he knows all

00:38:56.220 --> 00:38:56.800
 the worst

00:38:56.800 --> 00:38:57.340
 about you

00:38:57.340 --> 00:38:57.820
 and he dies

00:38:57.820 --> 00:38:58.240
 for you,

00:38:58.780 --> 00:38:59.660
 so if you go

00:38:59.660 --> 00:39:00.240
 back and read

00:39:00.240 --> 00:39:00.700
 verse 8,

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:01.460
 here's the

00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:01.740
 thing,

00:39:02.860 --> 00:39:04.420
 last of all,

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:05.440
 as to an

00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:06.440
 aborted fetus,

00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:08.220
 he appeared

00:39:08.220 --> 00:39:08.860
 also to me,

00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:26.700
 the rejected,

00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:28.260
 the discarded,

00:39:28.260 --> 00:39:29.700
 the worthless,

00:39:29.699 --> 00:39:36.839
 ashamed,

00:39:36.839 --> 00:39:37.019
 the ashamed,

00:39:39.019 --> 00:39:41.419
 Paul is

00:39:41.419 --> 00:39:41.739
 saying that

00:39:41.739 --> 00:39:42.179
 was me,

00:39:42.179 --> 00:39:47.039
 some scholars

00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:47.679
 think that it

00:39:47.679 --> 00:39:48.079
 was one of the

00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:48.599
 ways that his

00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:49.219
 opponents

00:39:49.219 --> 00:39:51.659
 attacked him

00:39:51.659 --> 00:39:52.259
 and called

00:39:52.259 --> 00:39:52.779
 them names,

00:39:52.980 --> 00:39:53.579
 and just as our

00:39:53.579 --> 00:39:54.339
 gay friends have

00:39:54.339 --> 00:39:54.919
 embraced the

00:39:54.919 --> 00:39:55.480
 word queer,

00:39:56.919 --> 00:39:57.500
 he in a sense

00:39:57.500 --> 00:39:58.279
 embraces it,

00:39:58.280 --> 00:40:02.019
 and he says

00:40:02.019 --> 00:40:02.580
 in verse 9,

00:40:02.680 --> 00:40:03.140
 for I am the

00:40:03.140 --> 00:40:03.620
 least of the

00:40:03.620 --> 00:40:04.080
 apostles,

00:40:04.220 --> 00:40:04.900
 unworthy to be

00:40:04.900 --> 00:40:05.320
 called an

00:40:05.320 --> 00:40:06.000
 apostle because

00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:06.740
 I persecuted

00:40:06.740 --> 00:40:07.400
 the church of

00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:07.720
 God,

00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.260
 but by the

00:40:09.260 --> 00:40:09.860
 grace of

00:40:09.860 --> 00:40:10.400
 God,

00:40:10.620 --> 00:40:11.100
 see that's

00:40:11.100 --> 00:40:11.420
 why it's

00:40:11.420 --> 00:40:11.980
 good news,

00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:13.400
 by the

00:40:13.400 --> 00:40:14.240
 grace of

00:40:14.240 --> 00:40:14.780
 God,

00:40:15.480 --> 00:40:15.940
 I am

00:40:15.940 --> 00:40:16.200
 what I

00:40:16.200 --> 00:40:16.480
 am,

00:40:17.780 --> 00:40:18.540
 and his

00:40:18.540 --> 00:40:19.080
 grace toward

00:40:19.080 --> 00:40:19.720
 me was not

00:40:19.720 --> 00:40:20.240
 in vain,

00:40:21.280 --> 00:40:21.880
 on the

00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:22.400
 contrary,

00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:23.440
 I worked

00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:23.840
 harder than

00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.260
 any of them,

00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:24.580
 though it

00:40:24.580 --> 00:40:25.360
 was not I,

00:40:25.660 --> 00:40:26.340
 but the grace

00:40:26.340 --> 00:40:27.240
 of God that

00:40:27.240 --> 00:40:27.960
 is with me,

00:40:27.960 --> 00:40:30.099
 whether that

00:40:30.099 --> 00:40:30.360
 was,

00:40:30.460 --> 00:40:30.880
 it was I

00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:31.139
 or they,

00:40:31.260 --> 00:40:31.519
 so we

00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:31.960
 preached and

00:40:31.960 --> 00:40:32.199
 so we

00:40:32.199 --> 00:40:32.539
 believed,

00:40:32.639 --> 00:40:33.260
 but the

00:40:33.260 --> 00:40:33.699
 verse 10,

00:40:33.880 --> 00:40:34.460
 you see,

00:40:34.539 --> 00:40:34.980
 this is the

00:40:34.980 --> 00:40:35.840
 wonderful thing

00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:36.800
 about the

00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:37.260
 gospel,

00:40:38.139 --> 00:40:40.480
 you see,

00:40:40.800 --> 00:40:41.420
 if you're

00:40:41.420 --> 00:40:41.960
 watching or

00:40:41.960 --> 00:40:42.360
 listening to

00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:42.659
 this,

00:40:42.780 --> 00:40:43.000
 and you

00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:43.619
 think life,

00:40:44.059 --> 00:40:44.619
 as far as

00:40:44.619 --> 00:40:45.179
 you're concerned,

00:40:45.300 --> 00:40:45.840
 life is just

00:40:45.840 --> 00:40:46.980
 about having a

00:40:46.980 --> 00:40:47.599
 nice house,

00:40:47.720 --> 00:40:48.440
 making lots of

00:40:48.440 --> 00:40:48.720
 money,

00:40:48.980 --> 00:40:50.579
 having careers,

00:40:50.740 --> 00:40:51.179
 having nice

00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:51.559
 holidays,

00:40:52.420 --> 00:40:53.179
 having lots of

00:40:53.179 --> 00:40:53.980
 popular things,

00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:54.659
 then in a sense

00:40:54.659 --> 00:40:55.300
 Christianity has

00:40:55.300 --> 00:40:56.039
 nothing to say to

00:40:56.039 --> 00:40:56.720
 you whatsoever,

00:40:56.719 --> 00:41:00.699
 all I can say

00:41:00.699 --> 00:41:01.279
 to you is

00:41:01.279 --> 00:41:02.399
 hopefully a time

00:41:02.399 --> 00:41:02.939
 will come when

00:41:02.939 --> 00:41:03.500
 you will realize

00:41:03.500 --> 00:41:03.859
 that there's

00:41:03.859 --> 00:41:04.359
 something more

00:41:04.359 --> 00:41:04.739
 to life.

00:41:04.899 --> 00:41:05.279
 If you think

00:41:05.279 --> 00:41:06.099
 about Zuckerberg

00:41:06.099 --> 00:41:06.579
 who owns

00:41:06.579 --> 00:41:07.159
 Facebook,

00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:08.739
 I mean he

00:41:08.739 --> 00:41:09.639
 has a thousand

00:41:09.639 --> 00:41:11.159
 billion times

00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:11.859
 probably more

00:41:11.859 --> 00:41:12.279
 money than

00:41:12.279 --> 00:41:12.859
 most of you,

00:41:14.859 --> 00:41:15.679
 and he's

00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:17.579
 despised by

00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:18.199
 billions of

00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:18.599
 people,

00:41:19.599 --> 00:41:22.919
 isn't he?

00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:25.220
 why do you

00:41:25.220 --> 00:41:25.960
 think that

00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:26.579
 becoming like

00:41:26.579 --> 00:41:27.980
 Zuckerberg will

00:41:27.980 --> 00:41:28.579
 actually make

00:41:28.579 --> 00:41:29.139
 you happier,

00:41:29.280 --> 00:41:29.840
 more liked,

00:41:30.700 --> 00:41:32.180
 and not

00:41:32.180 --> 00:41:33.099
 despised?

00:41:33.099 --> 00:41:38.319
 see,

00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:39.400
 Paul cannot

00:41:39.400 --> 00:41:40.079
 change his

00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:40.539
 past,

00:41:40.920 --> 00:41:42.179
 he was a

00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:42.440
 very,

00:41:42.559 --> 00:41:42.759
 very,

00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.519
 very bad

00:41:43.519 --> 00:41:43.920
 man,

00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:45.839
 but the

00:41:45.839 --> 00:41:46.360
 grace of

00:41:46.360 --> 00:41:46.819
 God,

00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:48.619
 Jesus dying

00:41:48.619 --> 00:41:49.059
 for the

00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:49.599
 worst of

00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:49.860
 him,

00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:53.159
 to give him

00:41:53.159 --> 00:41:53.719
 something,

00:41:53.940 --> 00:41:54.559
 gives him

00:41:54.559 --> 00:41:55.839
 something that

00:41:55.839 --> 00:41:56.299
 he cannot

00:41:56.299 --> 00:41:56.839
 give for

00:41:56.839 --> 00:41:57.420
 himself,

00:41:58.079 --> 00:41:59.039
 it gives

00:41:59.039 --> 00:41:59.679
 him an

00:41:59.679 --> 00:42:00.639
 acceptance by

00:42:00.639 --> 00:42:01.199
 God,

00:42:01.819 --> 00:42:02.679
 to be

00:42:02.679 --> 00:42:03.519
 connected to

00:42:03.519 --> 00:42:03.920
 God,

00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:05.059
 he cannot

00:42:05.059 --> 00:42:05.739
 change his

00:42:05.739 --> 00:42:06.199
 past,

00:42:06.420 --> 00:42:06.799
 but he

00:42:06.799 --> 00:42:07.639
 can change

00:42:07.639 --> 00:42:08.219
 his present,

00:42:08.359 --> 00:42:08.699
 and that's

00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:09.139
 what grace

00:42:09.139 --> 00:42:09.379
 does,

00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:09.960
 it changes

00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:10.639
 your present

00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:11.059
 and your

00:42:11.059 --> 00:42:11.539
 future,

00:42:11.960 --> 00:42:12.319
 and when

00:42:12.319 --> 00:42:12.920
 your present

00:42:12.920 --> 00:42:13.539
 and future

00:42:13.539 --> 00:42:14.219
 is changed,

00:42:14.319 --> 00:42:14.879
 it changes

00:42:14.879 --> 00:42:15.679
 your past.

00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:22.019
 The things

00:42:22.019 --> 00:42:23.119
 which most

00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:24.039
 were wrong

00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:24.559
 about him

00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:24.879
 and so

00:42:24.879 --> 00:42:25.339
 deeply

00:42:25.339 --> 00:42:25.759
 broken

00:42:25.759 --> 00:42:26.339
 about him

00:42:26.339 --> 00:42:26.599
 and yet

00:42:26.599 --> 00:42:27.119
 he was so

00:42:27.119 --> 00:42:27.519
 deeply

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:28.179
 proud of,

00:42:28.319 --> 00:42:29.359
 now by grace

00:42:29.359 --> 00:42:29.859
 he sees

00:42:29.859 --> 00:42:30.619
 their wrongness,

00:42:30.639 --> 00:42:32.579
 and rather

00:42:32.579 --> 00:42:32.960
 than it

00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:33.519
 filling him

00:42:33.519 --> 00:42:34.400
 with constant

00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:35.239
 memories of

00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:35.839
 dread and

00:42:35.839 --> 00:42:36.379
 regret,

00:42:36.980 --> 00:42:38.139
 it helps

00:42:38.139 --> 00:42:38.480
 him to

00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:39.599
 understand the

00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:40.199
 depth of

00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:41.039
 Christ's love

00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:41.659
 for him

00:42:41.659 --> 00:42:43.500
 and it gives

00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:44.460
 him a heart

00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:45.400
 and compassion

00:42:45.400 --> 00:42:46.219
 for people

00:42:46.219 --> 00:42:47.039
 who are bound

00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:47.679
 and broken

00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:48.879
 by so many

00:42:48.879 --> 00:42:50.099
 things and

00:42:50.099 --> 00:42:50.679
 he can

00:42:50.679 --> 00:42:51.819
 understand at

00:42:51.819 --> 00:42:52.279
 the deepest

00:42:52.279 --> 00:42:52.739
 and most

00:42:52.739 --> 00:42:53.599
 profound level

00:42:53.599 --> 00:42:54.119
 their need

00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:54.759
 for Jesus,

00:42:55.960 --> 00:42:56.739
 their need

00:42:56.739 --> 00:42:57.480
 for grace,

00:42:58.539 --> 00:42:59.299
 their need

00:42:59.300 --> 00:42:59.880
 for the

00:42:59.880 --> 00:43:00.500
 message of

00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:01.380
 sins forgiven,

00:43:02.060 --> 00:43:02.560
 their need

00:43:02.560 --> 00:43:02.980
 for his

00:43:02.980 --> 00:43:03.620
 presence

00:43:03.620 --> 00:43:04.660
 and power

00:43:04.660 --> 00:43:05.840
 in their

00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:06.380
 lives,

00:43:06.820 --> 00:43:07.519
 the need

00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:08.280
 for grace

00:43:08.280 --> 00:43:08.840
 to be the

00:43:08.840 --> 00:43:09.620
 fuel that

00:43:09.620 --> 00:43:10.140
 gets you

00:43:10.140 --> 00:43:10.600
 through the

00:43:10.600 --> 00:43:11.720
 day and

00:43:11.720 --> 00:43:12.240
 that begins

00:43:12.240 --> 00:43:12.840
 to shape

00:43:12.840 --> 00:43:13.580
 your dreams

00:43:13.580 --> 00:43:13.900
 and your

00:43:13.900 --> 00:43:14.460
 imagination

00:43:14.460 --> 00:43:15.320
 and how you

00:43:15.320 --> 00:43:15.780
 see your

00:43:15.780 --> 00:43:16.280
 city and

00:43:16.280 --> 00:43:16.960
 your family

00:43:16.960 --> 00:43:17.780
 and your

00:43:17.780 --> 00:43:18.460
 future and

00:43:18.460 --> 00:43:19.060
 your past,

00:43:19.460 --> 00:43:20.140
 he can see

00:43:20.140 --> 00:43:21.080
 their profound

00:43:21.080 --> 00:43:22.640
 need for

00:43:22.640 --> 00:43:23.100
 grace.

00:43:23.099 --> 00:43:27.319
 that is

00:43:27.319 --> 00:43:27.579
 why I'm

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:28.000
 a Christian.

00:43:31.659 --> 00:43:32.119
 That is

00:43:32.119 --> 00:43:32.599
 why I hope

00:43:32.599 --> 00:43:32.880
 you would,

00:43:33.139 --> 00:43:33.500
 if you're

00:43:33.500 --> 00:43:33.819
 not a

00:43:33.819 --> 00:43:34.279
 Christian now

00:43:34.279 --> 00:43:34.519
 that you

00:43:34.519 --> 00:43:34.940
 will become

00:43:34.940 --> 00:43:35.219
 one.

00:43:37.159 --> 00:43:37.739
 And if you

00:43:37.739 --> 00:43:38.119
 feel any

00:43:38.119 --> 00:43:38.579
 stirring in

00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:39.000
 your heart,

00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:40.819
 if you're

00:43:40.819 --> 00:43:41.400
 not yet,

00:43:41.519 --> 00:43:41.900
 say that you

00:43:41.900 --> 00:43:42.119
 are a

00:43:42.119 --> 00:43:42.259
 Christian,

00:43:42.339 --> 00:43:42.659
 feel any

00:43:42.659 --> 00:43:43.039
 stirring in

00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:43.259
 your heart,

00:43:43.299 --> 00:43:43.480
 if you

00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:43.619
 don't,

00:43:43.679 --> 00:43:43.860
 that's

00:43:43.860 --> 00:43:44.099
 fine,

00:43:44.339 --> 00:43:44.519
 maybe,

00:43:44.679 --> 00:43:45.199
 I pray

00:43:45.199 --> 00:43:45.619
 that someday

00:43:45.619 --> 00:43:46.019
 you will.

00:43:46.739 --> 00:43:47.059
 But if you

00:43:47.059 --> 00:43:47.440
 feel any

00:43:47.440 --> 00:43:48.000
 stirring in

00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:48.380
 your heart,

00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:49.980
 that's

00:43:49.980 --> 00:43:51.339
 Jesus doing

00:43:51.339 --> 00:43:52.059
 this to you

00:43:52.059 --> 00:43:52.659
 right now

00:43:52.659 --> 00:43:53.259
 and saying

00:43:53.259 --> 00:43:54.799
 it's time.

00:43:57.319 --> 00:43:58.019
 Lay down

00:43:58.019 --> 00:43:58.699
 your defenses,

00:43:59.920 --> 00:44:00.460
 the idols

00:44:00.460 --> 00:44:00.779
 that you

00:44:00.779 --> 00:44:01.399
 cling to,

00:44:02.639 --> 00:44:03.460
 and turn

00:44:03.460 --> 00:44:03.920
 to me,

00:44:05.079 --> 00:44:05.699
 and I

00:44:05.699 --> 00:44:06.099
 will take

00:44:06.099 --> 00:44:06.359
 you as

00:44:06.359 --> 00:44:06.799
 my own.

00:44:08.940 --> 00:44:09.599
 And as

00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:09.920
 victory

00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:10.440
 shared on

00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:10.819
 Friday,

00:44:11.319 --> 00:44:12.019
 I will

00:44:12.019 --> 00:44:12.359
 introduce

00:44:12.359 --> 00:44:13.119
 you to

00:44:13.119 --> 00:44:13.480
 your brothers

00:44:13.480 --> 00:44:14.139
 and sisters

00:44:14.139 --> 00:44:15.480
 as you

00:44:15.480 --> 00:44:16.500
 follow me

00:44:16.500 --> 00:44:18.639
 with them.

00:44:19.739 --> 00:44:20.299
 Please

00:44:20.299 --> 00:44:20.659
 stand.

00:44:22.659 --> 00:44:29.519
 bow our

00:44:29.519 --> 00:44:29.899
 heads in

00:44:29.899 --> 00:44:30.119
 prayer.

00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:32.480
 Father,

00:44:32.539 --> 00:44:32.879
 we thank

00:44:32.879 --> 00:44:33.199
 you for

00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:33.539
 Jesus.

00:44:34.179 --> 00:44:34.719
 We thank

00:44:34.719 --> 00:44:35.019
 you for

00:44:35.019 --> 00:44:35.379
 grace.

00:44:35.519 --> 00:44:35.819
 We thank

00:44:35.819 --> 00:44:36.000
 you,

00:44:36.119 --> 00:44:36.299
 Father,

00:44:36.399 --> 00:44:36.679
 that it

00:44:36.679 --> 00:44:36.940
 is a

00:44:36.940 --> 00:44:37.299
 wonderful

00:44:37.299 --> 00:44:37.759
 story.

00:44:37.819 --> 00:44:38.179
 It is a

00:44:38.179 --> 00:44:38.619
 powerful

00:44:38.619 --> 00:44:39.199
 story.

00:44:40.019 --> 00:44:40.599
 Yet it's

00:44:40.599 --> 00:44:41.359
 not like

00:44:41.359 --> 00:44:42.099
 Santa Claus

00:44:42.099 --> 00:44:42.359
 or the

00:44:42.359 --> 00:44:42.960
 Easter Bunny

00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:43.719
 or the

00:44:43.719 --> 00:44:44.339
 Tooth Fairy

00:44:44.339 --> 00:44:46.099
 or the

00:44:46.099 --> 00:44:47.000
 Great Pumpkin

00:44:47.000 --> 00:44:49.460
 or any

00:44:49.460 --> 00:44:50.539
 obviously

00:44:50.539 --> 00:44:51.460
 false story.

00:44:51.539 --> 00:44:51.800
 And it's

00:44:51.800 --> 00:44:52.280
 not like

00:44:52.280 --> 00:44:53.099
 the many

00:44:53.099 --> 00:44:54.059
 false cultural

00:44:54.059 --> 00:44:54.820
 stories that

00:44:54.820 --> 00:44:55.639
 Canadians tell

00:44:55.639 --> 00:44:56.219
 themselves,

00:44:56.739 --> 00:44:57.420
 that this

00:44:57.420 --> 00:44:58.219
 Father is a

00:44:58.219 --> 00:44:58.940
 story that's

00:44:58.940 --> 00:44:59.360
 rooted in

00:44:59.360 --> 00:45:00.059
 your heart,

00:45:00.920 --> 00:45:01.480
 that's rooted

00:45:01.480 --> 00:45:02.320
 in history,

00:45:03.119 --> 00:45:03.780
 that's

00:45:03.780 --> 00:45:04.519
 completely and

00:45:04.519 --> 00:45:05.320
 utterly true.

00:45:06.280 --> 00:45:07.099
 And it's not

00:45:07.099 --> 00:45:07.739
 just for the

00:45:07.739 --> 00:45:08.500
 mind, but it's

00:45:08.500 --> 00:45:08.960
 for the very

00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:09.780
 center of who

00:45:09.780 --> 00:45:10.139
 we are.

00:45:10.139 --> 00:45:10.579
 We thank

00:45:10.579 --> 00:45:11.059
 and praise

00:45:11.059 --> 00:45:11.440
 you that

00:45:11.440 --> 00:45:11.859
 Jesus,

00:45:12.639 --> 00:45:14.199
 he died

00:45:14.199 --> 00:45:15.299
 for us

00:45:15.299 --> 00:45:15.839
 knowing our

00:45:15.839 --> 00:45:16.299
 worst,

00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:17.799
 that he was

00:45:17.799 --> 00:45:18.599
 truly dead

00:45:18.599 --> 00:45:19.619
 and entombed,

00:45:19.739 --> 00:45:20.379
 that he rose

00:45:20.379 --> 00:45:21.460
 again on the

00:45:21.460 --> 00:45:22.179
 third day

00:45:22.179 --> 00:45:23.679
 and he appeared

00:45:23.679 --> 00:45:24.059
 to many

00:45:24.059 --> 00:45:24.559
 witnesses,

00:45:25.699 --> 00:45:26.659
 and that to

00:45:26.659 --> 00:45:27.739
 hear these

00:45:27.739 --> 00:45:28.659
 words today is

00:45:28.659 --> 00:45:29.319
 to hear Jesus

00:45:29.319 --> 00:45:30.199
 speak to us

00:45:30.199 --> 00:45:30.839
 and he speaks

00:45:30.839 --> 00:45:31.460
 to us to

00:45:31.460 --> 00:45:32.179
 come to him,

00:45:32.759 --> 00:45:33.559
 that we might

00:45:33.559 --> 00:45:34.440
 receive grace

00:45:34.440 --> 00:45:35.059
 from him,

00:45:35.699 --> 00:45:36.559
 that our sins

00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:37.119
 will be done

00:45:37.119 --> 00:45:37.859
 away with,

00:45:38.319 --> 00:45:39.239
 that he makes

00:45:39.239 --> 00:45:39.819
 us new,

00:45:40.139 --> 00:45:41.199
 that he

00:45:41.199 --> 00:45:42.059
 reshapes the

00:45:42.059 --> 00:45:42.719
 story of our

00:45:42.719 --> 00:45:43.379
 lives and

00:45:43.379 --> 00:45:44.139
 reshapes the

00:45:44.139 --> 00:45:44.519
 end,

00:45:45.159 --> 00:45:46.079
 that in Christ

00:45:46.079 --> 00:45:46.879
 the end will

00:45:46.879 --> 00:45:47.719
 not be how

00:45:47.719 --> 00:45:48.539
 bad you were,

00:45:48.619 --> 00:45:49.199
 how terrible

00:45:49.199 --> 00:45:49.659
 you were,

00:45:49.759 --> 00:45:50.339
 how much of a

00:45:50.339 --> 00:45:51.199
 failure you were,

00:45:51.299 --> 00:45:51.920
 how you were a

00:45:51.920 --> 00:45:52.239
 loser,

00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:54.139
 but in Christ

00:45:54.139 --> 00:45:54.900
 and because of

00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:55.259
 Christ,

00:45:55.379 --> 00:45:56.099
 the end of my

00:45:56.099 --> 00:45:56.859
 story and the

00:45:56.859 --> 00:45:57.460
 end of every

00:45:57.460 --> 00:45:58.339
 story of every

00:45:58.339 --> 00:45:58.920
 person in

00:45:58.920 --> 00:45:59.319
 Christ,

00:45:59.900 --> 00:46:00.819
 whether it be

00:46:00.819 --> 00:46:01.599
 Zuckerberg,

00:46:01.980 --> 00:46:02.779
 to the poorest,

00:46:02.920 --> 00:46:03.440
 most broken

00:46:03.440 --> 00:46:04.099
 person in the

00:46:04.099 --> 00:46:04.440
 world,

00:46:04.839 --> 00:46:05.619
 that not because

00:46:05.619 --> 00:46:06.339
 of who we are,

00:46:06.420 --> 00:46:07.079
 but because of

00:46:07.079 --> 00:46:07.420
 Christ,

00:46:07.500 --> 00:46:08.319
 the final word

00:46:08.319 --> 00:46:09.599
 will be from

00:46:09.599 --> 00:46:09.879
 you,

00:46:09.880 --> 00:46:10.380
 Father,

00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:10.960
 welcome.

00:46:14.260 --> 00:46:15.180
 I have so

00:46:15.180 --> 00:46:16.539
 longed to have

00:46:16.539 --> 00:46:17.180
 you see me

00:46:17.180 --> 00:46:18.000
 face to face,

00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:20.599
 come deeper

00:46:20.599 --> 00:46:21.539
 in and higher

00:46:21.539 --> 00:46:24.880
 up into the

00:46:24.880 --> 00:46:25.340
 love of the

00:46:25.340 --> 00:46:26.000
 Father and the

00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:26.360
 Son and the

00:46:26.360 --> 00:46:27.039
 Holy Spirit

00:46:27.039 --> 00:46:27.780
 this day and

00:46:27.780 --> 00:46:28.460
 every day for

00:46:28.460 --> 00:46:29.140
 all eternity,

00:46:30.619 --> 00:46:31.220
 that in Christ

00:46:31.220 --> 00:46:31.720
 that is the

00:46:31.720 --> 00:46:32.619
 final word that

00:46:32.619 --> 00:46:34.000
 transforms every

00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:34.640
 moment of our

00:46:34.640 --> 00:46:35.039
 lives.

00:46:35.039 --> 00:46:39.920
 God's people

00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:41.320
 and we ask

00:46:41.320 --> 00:46:41.699
 that that might

00:46:41.699 --> 00:46:42.179
 be the means

00:46:42.179 --> 00:46:42.820
 by which we

00:46:42.820 --> 00:46:43.699
 stand and see

00:46:43.699 --> 00:46:44.199
 the world,

00:46:45.119 --> 00:46:45.920
 see ourselves,

00:46:46.099 --> 00:46:46.619
 our past,

00:46:46.719 --> 00:46:47.139
 our present,

00:46:47.259 --> 00:46:47.820
 and our future.

00:46:48.980 --> 00:46:49.960
 We thank you for

00:46:49.960 --> 00:46:50.800
 this great act of

00:46:50.800 --> 00:46:51.139
 grace,

00:46:51.639 --> 00:46:52.420
 this great act of

00:46:52.420 --> 00:46:52.659
 love.

00:46:53.420 --> 00:46:54.300
 And we ask and

00:46:54.300 --> 00:46:54.920
 thank all these

00:46:54.920 --> 00:46:55.619
 things in the name

00:46:55.619 --> 00:46:56.079
 of Jesus,

00:46:56.219 --> 00:46:57.019
 your Son and our

00:46:57.019 --> 00:46:57.659
 Savior and all

00:46:57.659 --> 00:46:58.579
 God's people said,

00:46:58.579 --> 00:46:59.639
 Amen.