WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.120 Good morning. Good morning, Watermark. My name's Chris. I help oversee community groups here at 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:14.780 Watermark Church. You're very welcome this morning. We're going to move into a time of communion 00:00:14.780 --> 00:00:21.359 in a minute. And communion is a family meal. You can't take communion by yourself. 00:00:22.699 --> 00:00:29.260 And right at the heart of this family meal is two elements, the bread and the wine, 00:00:29.260 --> 00:00:36.140 which symbolize Jesus' death on the cross for us. Jesus' death, which makes us a family, 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:40.600 which brings us together from many different backgrounds. If you look around at each other, 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:46.079 you're not all the same. We're different. But the one thing which has brought us together is Jesus' 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:56.420 death on the cross. Sociologists say that most tight-knit social groups identify themselves 00:00:56.420 --> 00:01:03.420 in opposition to lots of other people. So for example, Hong Kong people against the mainland 00:01:03.420 --> 00:01:13.460 government, or expats against locals, or employees against employers. But when Jesus instituted this 00:01:13.460 --> 00:01:23.379 meal, he was saying, my death breaks down every barrier, every social, every economic, every moral, 00:01:23.379 --> 00:01:30.239 every racial barrier, and brings you together to be one family because of my death. 00:01:31.759 --> 00:01:42.379 Now, communion is both a challenge to us and a comfort. In 1 Corinthians, Paul talks to a church 00:01:42.379 --> 00:01:50.759 in Greece which has actually got this meal very wrong. Because at the time in the first century, 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:55.420 people would come together and they would have a meal because meals symbolized welcome and acceptance 00:01:55.420 --> 00:02:02.320 and belonging. And that's the context in which they would take communion. But he talks to this church 00:02:02.320 --> 00:02:07.600 and he doesn't have many good words to say for them. Because when the people arrived for the meal, 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:13.140 the rich people tended to arrive maybe first. And they would be there in their corner and they would be 00:02:13.139 --> 00:02:22.039 eating all the food for themselves. The poorer people, the domestic workers would be, they would have 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:28.179 only be able to leave when their employers let them leave. And so they would come in and there'd be no 00:02:28.179 --> 00:02:32.239 food left. Or the food that was there, the rich people were not sharing with them. 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:43.080 And Paul says to them, listen, you haven't understood what this meal is all about. In fact, he says some 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:49.760 quite strong words to them. He says, therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an 00:02:49.760 --> 00:02:58.240 unworthy manner, just as they're doing, they're showing division, not unity, sins, is guilty of sinning against 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:04.420 the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and 00:03:04.420 --> 00:03:09.760 drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:15.080 judgment on himself. Now I'm not going to go into all that he's talking about there, but basically 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:22.060 Paul is doing a play on words with the body. The body is both Jesus, symbolizing Jesus' death on the 00:03:22.060 --> 00:03:30.379 cross. But it's also symbolizing the family of God, Jesus' body, his family. And what he's saying here is, you 00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:37.460 haven't understood what this meal is all about. You haven't understood that Jesus died to make you a family, but 00:03:37.460 --> 00:03:46.319 you're not living as a family. That's what Paul's saying to this church. And the rich people were so 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:52.099 concerned and so wrapped up in their own things that they'd forgotten about all the others. And here's 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:55.919 the challenge of community, because I find this really challenging when I think about myself. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:03.699 Because I find that I'm often so wrapped up in my own world that I forget about the people in my 00:04:03.699 --> 00:04:10.439 church family. I forget about how do I love the people in my community group. Maybe they've become 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:17.980 frustrating and annoying to me sometimes. Maybe I don't look to encourage them or serve them, but I'm more 00:04:17.980 --> 00:04:26.659 concerned for myself. And the challenge of communion here is actually Jesus died to make you a family. So Paul 00:04:26.659 --> 00:04:34.740 says, examine yourself and repent where we haven't done that. But it's not just a challenge, it's also a comfort, 00:04:34.740 --> 00:04:41.819 because honestly, all of us have not been what we should be. But actually, communion reminds us that 00:04:41.819 --> 00:04:49.000 Jesus' death wipes away every sin. He takes the guilt. You can have a new start, a fresh start. The 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:55.379 shame is gone. You don't have to live feeling as a failed Christian any longer. You can be free to walk 00:04:55.379 --> 00:05:02.819 in this next week to learn how to love each other as Jesus' death has bought for us. So as the communion 00:05:02.819 --> 00:05:09.659 stewards come up, I'd like you just to think about that. How have I loved my church family this last 00:05:09.659 --> 00:05:16.759 week? And repent if there's ways you haven't. And enjoy the forgiveness that God brings in that 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:23.740 situation. This is a family meal, which means that if you're not a follower of Jesus, we just ask you to 00:05:23.740 --> 00:05:31.379 not take the elements, but to watch and to ask questions, to ask people, what is this all about? What is 00:05:31.379 --> 00:05:37.699 Jesus' death all about? If you've got kids as well, we ask you, you know where they are spiritually. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:44.199 If they have not yet made a profession of faith in Christ, bring them up, but don't let them take 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:50.639 the elements, but use it as a time to teach them about what it means, what Jesus' death means for 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:57.560 them. So when you've just had some time just to examine yourself and just ask God to forgive you 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:02.379 where you need that, come up and take the communion. We'll all take it together in a minute. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:11.240 On the night that he was betrayed, Jesus took the bread. He gave it to the disciples and he said, 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:16.300 take this, take this, eat it. This is my body, which is given for you. Take and eat. 00:06:23.819 --> 00:06:31.780 And on that same night, he took a cup and he said, this is my blood of the new covenant, 00:06:31.780 --> 00:06:39.860 which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins, to bring you, to make you one, reconciled with God 00:06:39.860 --> 00:06:51.120 and reconciled with each other. Take the cup. Father, we thank you so much that your death is 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:58.720 the center of our life. It's the center of everything we are, Lord. Forgive us where we don't always live 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:05.460 as the family you've made us to be, but thank you so much that your grace extends to us, Lord. 00:07:05.459 --> 00:07:13.180 I pray that you would bless the kids as they go out now to their classes. I pray that they would have 00:07:13.180 --> 00:07:21.240 a greater understanding of what it means to be forgiven, to be reconciled with you and to learn 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:26.339 to live together as a family. Lord, thank you so much for the cross. Amen. 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:33.479 Watermark kids and I think youth, you are dismissed this way. 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:41.720 The scripture reading today comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16. Please follow along in your bulletin. 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:59.259 He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 00:07:59.259 --> 00:08:06.459 Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the riches to you? 00:08:07.259 --> 00:08:13.500 And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 00:08:14.219 --> 00:08:24.379 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. 00:08:24.379 --> 00:08:27.659 You cannot serve God and wealth. 00:08:28.779 --> 00:08:34.259 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at him. 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:36.080 And he said to them, 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:41.860 You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:47.600 For that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:52.159 The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:09:00.379 Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 00:09:01.040 --> 00:09:07.960 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the law to fail. 00:09:09.540 --> 00:09:14.440 Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:20.500 And he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery. 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:22.560 This is God's word. 00:09:26.040 --> 00:09:27.240 Good morning, Watermark. 00:09:27.680 --> 00:09:30.580 It's a privilege to be standing in front of you again. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:34.840 I'd just like to begin by telling you a little bit more about myself. 00:09:35.220 --> 00:09:41.080 I grew up in South Africa, obviously, and I spent my early childhood on a banana farm. 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:46.420 And later, I went to the University of Natal. 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:52.840 Now, that would probably mean nothing to most of you, but the University of Natal is famous. 00:09:53.040 --> 00:10:05.340 Because in the mid-1990s, from my university, we produced a professor who invented a machine that was able to lower your IQ for a brief period of time. 00:10:05.560 --> 00:10:06.220 This wasn't about me. 00:10:06.220 --> 00:10:07.840 I said, I'm serious here, right? 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:14.800 And so what he did is he invited all the professors from all over the world to come, and they were going to conduct an experiment. 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:18.540 So they all came, and he got his PhD students. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:23.440 Now, these were guys, 145 IQ plus, real geniuses. 00:10:23.500 --> 00:10:28.000 And he rigged them up to the machine, and they asked a series of questions. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:30.740 And then they would lower the IQ, like, how are you? 00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:31.500 How are you feeling? 00:10:31.620 --> 00:10:32.179 Where are you? 00:10:32.259 --> 00:10:36.360 And started off, put them on, and these guys gave very elaborate answers. 00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:38.600 I'm in full function of my capacity. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:41.600 I am full aware of my surroundings. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:43.120 And they gave these good answers. 00:10:43.220 --> 00:10:44.840 And they thought, well, let's take it down. 00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:51.399 And they took it down to about 90, asked the same questions, a little less, just, I'm fine. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:52.940 No problem. 00:10:52.940 --> 00:10:57.380 And then they took it right down to about 45, and they asked the same questions. 00:10:57.500 --> 00:10:59.420 And then the answers were a little bit different. 00:11:01.180 --> 00:11:02.880 Yeah, I don't know. 00:11:03.620 --> 00:11:05.600 Okay, and then they thought, well, let's take it down even further. 00:11:05.700 --> 00:11:12.000 So they took it right down to about 20, asked the questions, this time just a grunt, nothing. 00:11:12.420 --> 00:11:14.660 These guys were just drooling, nothing there. 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:16.060 And they thought, well, that's the end of the experiment. 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:17.320 But we've come this far. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:20.420 Let's take it right down to zero and see what happens. 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:21.379 And they did that. 00:11:21.459 --> 00:11:24.159 And for the sake of the experiment, they asked the questions, how are you feeling? 00:11:24.259 --> 00:11:25.860 And they go, howdy, ma'am. 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:27.399 Welcome to Dallas, Texas. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:29.759 All right. 00:11:30.099 --> 00:11:38.240 Now, just before any Americans want to jump on the stage and attack me, I have to tell you, 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:43.399 the first time I heard that joke, I was sitting in a group of South Africans, and an Australian 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:45.319 came in and sat amongst us. 00:11:45.719 --> 00:11:47.379 But it was a different punchline. 00:11:47.379 --> 00:11:49.480 Just by the way, that is a joke. 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:53.340 The university I went to is famous for absolutely nothing. 00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:57.559 And there is no machine that can lower your IQ. 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:02.179 The only thing that can lower your IQ is something called baseball. 00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:11.100 But anyway, just by the way, I did get permission from Tobin to make fun of the people from Texas. 00:12:11.100 --> 00:12:19.220 And just so you know, at Watermark, we use humor as a sign of affection, never as a weapon. 00:12:20.340 --> 00:12:20.500 Okay. 00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:27.220 But I want to ask, those of you who are from Dallas and you heard this punchline, 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:31.100 how did you feel when you heard that punchline? 00:12:31.100 --> 00:12:39.340 My guess is that you probably felt a little bit offended and thought, who does that farm boy think he is? 00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:45.080 You know, is he implying that we from Texas are not that bright? 00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:48.519 Doesn't he know we're geniuses down here? 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:55.740 And this is exactly how the Pharisees would have felt when Jesus got to his punchline. 00:12:57.439 --> 00:12:58.679 And Jesus said this. 00:12:58.740 --> 00:12:59.659 This was his punchline. 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:04.279 He said, you cannot serve both God and money. 00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:08.639 If you do, something will happen to your motives, your thoughts, your feelings. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:11.039 There's just no room in your life for both. 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:14.860 And the Pharisees heard this and it says they scoffed. 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:18.639 Now, to scoff literally means to lift your nose up. 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:23.580 So, who does this carpenter from Nazareth think he is? 00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:29.440 Doesn't he know we worship God and we have lots of money? 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:30.940 Doesn't he know? 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:35.860 And we have to understand something about these Pharisees. 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:39.960 They were very influential in their society, right? 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:44.159 They were wealthy and they were religious and people looked up to them. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:48.480 But we have to ask the question, how did they get their wealth? 00:13:49.319 --> 00:13:52.439 And unfortunately, they got their wealth in the wrong way. 00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:59.339 So, they got their money from religion because they were in charge of the temple activities 00:13:59.339 --> 00:14:02.480 and all the sacrifices and worship that went on there. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:08.019 So, these pilgrims would come and they would bring their sheep and their goat to offer as a sacrifice. 00:14:08.019 --> 00:14:12.519 And they would be standing and say, sorry, that goat's not good enough. 00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:13.980 You need to buy ours. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:16.779 And they were in charge of the money changes. 00:14:17.319 --> 00:14:19.860 So, they would say, you know, you can't use your money. 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:21.720 You need to use the temple shekel. 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:23.500 So, you need to change your money. 00:14:23.579 --> 00:14:26.240 And they were charging this high rate of interest. 00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:28.980 And you can just imagine what was happening. 00:14:29.139 --> 00:14:31.199 These guys were lining their pockets. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:37.580 And it's kind of like if at Watermark next week we decide we're going to introduce the Watermark dollar. 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:38.560 Okay? 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:43.879 And so, we still want you to give exactly the same amount. 00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:48.420 But because it's kind of holy money now, the Watermark dollar, you're going to have to just, 00:14:48.560 --> 00:14:50.680 before you come in, you're going to exchange your money. 00:14:50.780 --> 00:14:53.500 It'll probably be a South African working at the exchange desk. 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:55.860 But you need to exchange your money. 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:59.139 And because it's holy, we're going to charge you a little bit of interest. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:02.139 And someone's going to get rich out of it, as you can imagine. 00:15:02.220 --> 00:15:04.679 And this is exactly what was happening. 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:13.840 And, you know, the point of this is you can have little and love money. 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:18.480 And you can have plenty and not love money. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:22.320 The point here is the Pharisees loved money. 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:23.860 Okay? 00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:28.720 And they had this idea deep down in the human heart, sometimes it happens to us, 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:33.799 that wealth is a blessing and poverty is a curse. 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:38.700 That material wealth is a sign of God's blessing. 00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:40.700 And this is exactly what the Pharisees were thinking. 00:15:40.820 --> 00:15:43.960 So, we are proof that God blesses us financially. 00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:50.039 And, you see, when you love wealth and you gain wealth and you gain more, 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:55.959 or something begins to happen to our hearts, and we become a little bit proud, 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:57.899 and we start thinking, well, you know what? 00:15:58.579 --> 00:15:59.539 I deserve it. 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:00.919 I work really hard. 00:16:00.959 --> 00:16:01.939 I deserve it. 00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:05.639 Or maybe we start thinking, you know what? 00:16:05.779 --> 00:16:08.779 I'm just a little bit better than other people, 00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:12.199 and that's why I've got it, right? 00:16:12.319 --> 00:16:13.399 I'm just a little bit better. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:18.000 Or we start thinking that perhaps we're doing something right. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:22.340 You know, God must look down at our lives and think, wow, they're just so amazing, 00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:25.639 and therefore I'm just going to bless them financially. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:33.019 And Jesus says to them, you may have impressed men, but you haven't impressed God. 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:40.579 In about 2005, I had my 10-year high school reunion. 00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:41.799 So, you can do the maths. 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:45.139 And I couldn't go, unfortunately. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:49.179 So, I phoned a friend of mine who had been to find out what men are. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:52.019 Unfortunately, this was the day before Facebook, right, 00:16:52.079 --> 00:16:55.939 where you couldn't find out what someone you went to school with just had for breakfast. 00:16:56.299 --> 00:16:59.519 You actually had to phone someone who had been there. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.240 So, I phoned my friend, and I'm chatting. 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:02.919 His name's Grant. 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:05.019 And I said, hey, Grant, how was the reunion? 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:06.220 He said, oh, you wouldn't believe it. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:06.900 It was fantastic. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.660 It was so good to see everyone again. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:14.319 And so, I really, the only reason I found out is I just want to know what happened to people, right? 00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:15.759 That's why we go to our reunions. 00:17:15.859 --> 00:17:17.700 We just want to find out what's coming from everyone. 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:19.839 So, I kind of asked a few questions. 00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:21.759 I said, well, Trevor, what's happened to Trevor? 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.279 He goes, Trevor, you wouldn't believe it. 00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.279 This guy here arrives. 00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:27.940 He's got a big 5 Series BMW, and he's got, oh, his girlfriend. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:29.160 She's just beautiful. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.180 And he started his own business. 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:32.579 He's making so much money. 00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:34.559 He's done so well for himself. 00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:37.240 And, all right, well, what about Gareth? 00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:37.720 Gareth. 00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:38.319 Oh, Gareth. 00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:39.859 Remember how clever he was at school? 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:47.139 Well, that guy, he's already a junior partner at PwC, one of the youngest junior partners they've ever had. 00:17:47.140 --> 00:17:50.640 And so, our conversation went on. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:18:01.600 And you see, our definition of success was who had made lots of money or who had advanced really quickly in their careers. 00:18:01.660 --> 00:18:03.680 And, of course, who had a pretty girlfriend as well. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:07.779 But, you see, that's what impresses us. 00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:09.500 That's what impresses us. 00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:12.539 Wealth impresses us. 00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:17.340 Nice homes, nice cars impress us. 00:18:18.140 --> 00:18:21.420 Natural talent impresses us. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:24.860 Fame impresses us. 00:18:24.859 --> 00:18:26.559 And you know what? 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:28.559 We can fool ourselves. 00:18:29.199 --> 00:18:33.439 And we can think that these are the things that really matter in life. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.439 These are the things that give us significance and make us who we are. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:39.620 But we can't fool God. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.940 Jesus says to them, 00:18:46.600 --> 00:18:50.820 You think the love of money has no effect on you. 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:51.759 But it does. 00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:53.120 And they go, Jesus, how? 00:18:53.220 --> 00:18:56.360 How on earth can the love of money, can't you see we respect it? 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.700 And he said two things. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:03.180 He said, your attitude to the gospel and your attitude to the law of God is wrong. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:09.680 The gospel. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:14.080 I'm going to tell you something now that might get me killed later. 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:14.559 Okay. 00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:16.779 But here we go. 00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:20.640 In the mornings when I wake up and I'm looking at my wife, 00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:25.660 I want to lean over and I try to give her a kiss. 00:19:25.840 --> 00:19:25.920 Right. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:28.019 Because she's cute and cuddly and I love her. 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:31.580 And because the weather's a little bit cooler at the moment, it's nice to cuddle. 00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:33.019 So I lean over. 00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.820 But my wife is amazing. 00:19:34.820 --> 00:19:35.120 Right. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:37.719 It's like she has this sixth sense or something. 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:42.339 And just as I'm about to kiss her, this hand shoots up over my mouth. 00:19:42.379 --> 00:19:43.619 And she said, I'm not kissing you. 00:19:43.739 --> 00:19:44.679 You've got morning breath. 00:19:44.739 --> 00:19:45.579 Go and brush your teeth. 00:19:46.619 --> 00:19:48.159 So disappointed. 00:19:48.459 --> 00:19:49.619 I get out of bed. 00:19:49.679 --> 00:19:50.799 I stumble out of bed. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.779 And I go into the bathroom. 00:19:52.899 --> 00:19:55.619 And when I get to the bathroom, turn on the light. 00:19:55.699 --> 00:19:55.959 And I look. 00:19:56.059 --> 00:19:59.099 And there's this thing looking back at me called a mirror. 00:19:59.099 --> 00:20:02.659 And when I first look at the mirror, I'm stopping it. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.579 That's not too bad. 00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:12.419 That's quite a good South African piece of beef right there. 00:20:12.420 --> 00:20:15.920 But then I take a step a little bit closer. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:17.160 And I look and I start. 00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:20.060 Actually, my hair is not all that great. 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:23.580 And there's a big piece of sleep still stuck in my eyes. 00:20:23.740 --> 00:20:25.640 And then I take another step closer. 00:20:25.820 --> 00:20:30.120 And I start to see, well, there's a little bit of last night's dinner still stuck in my teeth. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.879 And there's a little bit of snot left on the side of my nose. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:36.399 And my eyebrows are sticking up. 00:20:36.459 --> 00:20:38.819 Like my wife says, they look like little cockroach feelers. 00:20:38.979 --> 00:20:39.539 And they start. 00:20:39.939 --> 00:20:46.219 And the closer I get to looking at this mirror, it's just like I get to see more and more of this ugly stuff. 00:20:46.379 --> 00:20:48.819 And it's like this mirror's just start shouting at me. 00:20:48.919 --> 00:20:49.899 And it's shouting this. 00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:51.819 It's just deafening. 00:20:51.899 --> 00:20:53.459 And it's shouting, you need help. 00:20:53.939 --> 00:20:55.039 You really, you need help. 00:20:55.099 --> 00:20:55.819 You need soap. 00:20:55.859 --> 00:20:56.579 And you need water. 00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:58.739 You need to get cleaned up. 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:01.099 And you know what? 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:02.439 That is like the law of God. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.419 The law of God. 00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:06.079 There's nothing wrong with the mirror, right? 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:07.679 The mirror is perfect. 00:21:07.979 --> 00:21:10.819 But the mirror is just saying, you need help. 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:12.279 Okay? 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:17.699 And that was like the law and the prophets, like my wife's voice shouting at me, go and do something. 00:21:17.819 --> 00:21:18.319 Get help. 00:21:18.659 --> 00:21:20.179 It's like help is coming. 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:23.699 Jesus is the soap and water coming to wash you. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:26.579 And the Pharisees, they stood in front of the mirror. 00:21:26.699 --> 00:21:29.839 And they were the sole interpreters of God's law. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:32.639 And they thought they actually looked pretty good. 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:41.539 And, but what they didn't realize when they looked in the mirror and they just couldn't see it is they had this big, fat, ugly pimple right in the middle of their head. 00:21:41.639 --> 00:21:42.879 And they just couldn't see it. 00:21:43.159 --> 00:21:47.939 And it was a big, fat pimple called self-righteousness. 00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:50.259 Because this is the thing, right? 00:21:50.340 --> 00:21:55.519 The closer we get to keeping the law of God, the more proud we become. 00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:59.120 And we start thinking, well, I did that. 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:00.799 I'm pretty good. 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:04.140 Gee, I'm a lot better than my neighbor. 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:08.840 And we become filled with self-righteousness. 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:15.119 I have a little two and a half year old boy called Elijah. 00:22:15.919 --> 00:22:21.919 And the other day I get home and I open the door and he's just so excited to see me. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:23.720 He goes, Papa, Papa, come see, come see. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.339 And he's into cars and trains at the moment. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.500 So anyway, he's leading me by the hand. 00:22:28.579 --> 00:22:29.639 And I say, is it a car? 00:22:29.699 --> 00:22:31.359 And he goes, no, Papa, no, Papa, come see. 00:22:31.639 --> 00:22:32.500 I say, is it a train? 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:33.779 No, Papa, no, Papa, come see. 00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:35.819 And he's got me by the hand and he's leading me. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:37.440 And he leads me into the bathroom. 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:38.619 And I'm looking there. 00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:41.139 And then suddenly I'm looking over his potty. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:48.399 And I'm staring down at this big, stinky pile of, you know what I'm looking at, right? 00:22:48.819 --> 00:22:50.639 And my little boy, he's so excited. 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:51.779 He goes, Papa, I poo-pooed. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:52.559 I poo-pooed. 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:55.139 And I just, you know, I'm looking at it. 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:55.920 It doesn't smell good. 00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:57.259 And I'm trying to be a good dad. 00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.519 And I say, well done, my son. 00:22:58.920 --> 00:22:59.519 That's good. 00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:02.200 Can we flush this and move on? 00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:05.019 And you know what? 00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:09.399 That's exactly what our self-righteousness is like to God. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:14.460 It's like a little boy filling up his potty and going to God, look, Papa, look what I did. 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:17.019 Okay, Paul says it like this. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:22.819 He says, whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:30.059 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the support greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, 00:23:30.379 --> 00:23:32.339 for whose sake I have lost all things. 00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:38.480 I consider them, probably in your versions is the word rubbish. 00:23:39.099 --> 00:23:44.099 But actually, it's a very crude Greek word for human, okay? 00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:49.379 There's a very good English equivalent word, but we're in church, so I can't use it. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.939 But you know what it is, right? 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:54.879 I consider them crap, okay? 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:57.140 There's another word, but crap. 00:23:57.140 --> 00:24:05.420 That I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, 00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:09.160 but that which is through faith in Christ. 00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:15.520 The righteousness that comes from God is by faith. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:21.200 And it says, the law and the prophets were proclaimed up until time of John. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:24.920 And then, since then, the good news of the kingdom is being preached. 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:27.139 And this is the good news of the kingdom, right? 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:30.259 Jesus is personified in the kingdom. 00:24:30.460 --> 00:24:31.779 He is there in the flesh. 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:35.980 And people were hearing this, and it says they were forcing their way in. 00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:37.460 And actually, the word is snatching. 00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:39.980 They were snatching the good news of the gospel. 00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:44.120 Okay, but who was snatching? 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:49.900 Was it the Pharisees and the Sadducees who loved money? 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:53.160 Unfortunately, it wasn't. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:55.680 It was the tax collectors and the prostitutes. 00:24:55.880 --> 00:25:00.259 The people who deceived and cheated and did all things wrong. 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:04.759 They knew they were bad people, but they found they could be righteous. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.120 They could be righteous. 00:25:06.120 --> 00:25:09.559 You don't need to tell a prostitute that she's a bad person. 00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:10.920 Excuse me. 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:12.599 Have you ever thought about your life? 00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:15.599 They're not going to say, well, actually, I'm quite a good person. 00:25:16.059 --> 00:25:17.779 You know, they know they're bad. 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:22.220 But you tell a prostitute that they can be washed clean, 00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:24.519 that they can be washed whiter than snow, 00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:27.700 that they can be righteous, and they will snatch. 00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:30.299 That's good news, right? 00:25:30.360 --> 00:25:31.259 It's good news. 00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:33.860 Tax collectors, cheats, people who've deceived. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:34.799 Good news. 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:36.200 I've got nothing to bring. 00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:37.620 Nothing in my hand I bring. 00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:40.699 Only to your cross I cling. 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:44.539 And the Pharisees just missed it. 00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:51.359 While I was preparing for this, 00:25:52.139 --> 00:25:56.399 I've been kind of watching people in Hong Kong. 00:25:56.419 --> 00:25:57.579 Not in a weird way, okay? 00:25:57.599 --> 00:25:58.739 Not like a freak or anything. 00:25:58.879 --> 00:26:02.859 I'm just like, I've been observing people in the MTR, in the buses, 00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:11.979 and I start thinking to myself, are we living in a society and amongst the people who snatch the gospel, 00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:14.759 who are so eager for it, 00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:21.799 or, you know, they just consider it the best pearl that they're willing to sell all other pearls to get. 00:26:21.959 --> 00:26:23.579 Do they see the gospel like that? 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:35.299 Or are we living amongst the people who would rather spend more time reading the financial times than they would the word of God? 00:26:36.059 --> 00:26:44.720 Or they spend more time looking at shoe sales and the latest catalog and the discount on handbags and computers 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:49.259 than they do thinking about the gospel. 00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:53.339 And you know what? 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:55.599 This is the most amazing thing, right? 00:26:55.700 --> 00:27:01.839 They were just, they were people, I think we live amongst a society which people are more eager for a business deal, right? 00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:08.839 More eager to snatch a sale than they would be to actually snatch the greatest opportunity that would ever be given them. 00:27:08.839 --> 00:27:16.579 And we have to understand about the Pharisees is that they were very respectable people. 00:27:16.699 --> 00:27:18.939 They were there every Sabbath. 00:27:19.199 --> 00:27:21.619 On the outside, they looked very good. 00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:22.639 They had it all. 00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:24.399 They really did. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:27.279 But they missed the gospel. 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:32.299 They missed the central point of the whole thing of the law and the prophets was pointing to Jesus. 00:27:32.500 --> 00:27:33.619 And they missed it. 00:27:34.419 --> 00:27:35.539 They missed it. 00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:40.599 And, you know, it can happen to us too. 00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:45.759 There's a church that Jesus writes to in Laodicea. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:49.019 And this is what the church thought of themselves. 00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:49.680 They said, 00:27:50.519 --> 00:27:52.299 I say, I am rich. 00:27:52.659 --> 00:27:55.920 I have acquired great wealth and do not need a thing. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:00.059 And Jesus looks at the church and he says this to them. 00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:01.079 He says, 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:10.079 But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:16.480 Sometimes the way we see things, the way we see circumstances is very different to the way Jesus sees them. 00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:20.960 I just think it's the saddest point that we can get to where we say, 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:22.759 I don't need a thing. 00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:25.339 And reading between the lines there, you just get, 00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:28.039 We don't really need God. 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:29.339 I don't need a thing. 00:28:29.339 --> 00:28:38.819 And I think to myself, sometimes the hardest people to reach are those who have everything money can buy. 00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:41.539 Because they don't think they need anything. 00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:46.319 And they think because they've gained it and they've done well and they've got all this respect because of it, 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:48.839 that they're really so good. 00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:57.119 And yeah, it just kind of, it gets to that point, right? 00:28:57.179 --> 00:29:00.659 Where you think God is no use to you anymore. 00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:02.079 You've done it all on your own. 00:29:04.399 --> 00:29:05.299 And Jesus says, 00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:14.259 It's not only does your love of money affect how you view the gospel, but it also affects what you do to the law of God. 00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:19.579 And this is what they were doing, right? 00:29:19.619 --> 00:29:26.099 There's this view today that Jesus actually came to lower the standards of God, right? 00:29:26.140 --> 00:29:28.579 The God of the Old Testament, he was very strict. 00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:29.619 He had high standards. 00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:31.779 And then Jesus came and he just lowered it all. 00:29:31.779 --> 00:29:37.319 But Jesus makes it quite clear in this passage that not one stroke of the Lord, 00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:40.579 like literally not one jot or tittle will be changed. 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:44.420 It's more the money lovers who are likely to do that sort of thing. 00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:44.960 And they're saying, 00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:46.680 Jesus, what are you talking about? 00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:47.720 Give us an example. 00:29:48.139 --> 00:29:48.639 And he says, 00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:49.019 Right. 00:29:50.139 --> 00:29:53.799 Your attitude to divorce and remarriage. 00:29:53.799 --> 00:30:02.159 And in preparing for this, I looked up the divorce statistics in Hong Kong. 00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:06.619 And the latest available statistics we have are from 2011. 00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:16.099 And in 2011, we had the record number of divorces in recorded history in Hong Kong. 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:22.299 And we also had the record number of remarriages in the same year. 00:30:22.299 --> 00:30:26.639 And I just think it doesn't only happen in Hong Kong. 00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:33.419 I looked up and then it was the wealthy, the nations in the world with the highest divorce 00:30:33.419 --> 00:30:36.079 and remarriage rates are all the wealthy nations. 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:38.399 It's like we ask ourselves this question, 00:30:38.599 --> 00:30:42.599 Why does it happen in wealthy societies? 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:49.379 Why should the love of money develop a lax attitude to divorce and remarriage? 00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:53.700 I can see why and I can see how it happens. 00:30:54.360 --> 00:30:58.700 You see, because when you have money and you love it, 00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:04.060 you can buy what you want and throw away what you don't want. 00:31:05.100 --> 00:31:09.240 And marriage kind of becomes this business deal or this business contract. 00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:11.120 And it's no longer a covenant. 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:14.739 And, you know, well, it doesn't work out. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:17.359 We just write it off as a loss and we try again. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:23.979 And, you know, we sometimes think, well, you know, Jesus, he just didn't understand. 00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:25.500 He lives in a different time. 00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:28.719 And, you know, he can't be compared with the modern times you live in 00:31:28.719 --> 00:31:30.839 and the stress and the pressures and all that kind of thing. 00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:31.819 But you know what? 00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:37.000 In Jesus' day, divorce and remarriage was rampant. 00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:40.980 Amongst the Greeks and the Romans, it was crazy. 00:31:41.159 --> 00:31:42.379 Just high rate of divorce. 00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:45.319 And it also became amongst the rabbis. 00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:50.619 There were three rabbis in particularly who were arguing about this whole thing of divorce and remarriage. 00:31:50.619 --> 00:31:55.279 And they were debating, you know, when can you divorce, when can't you divorce. 00:31:55.439 --> 00:32:01.799 And one of them said, well, you know, if you're not compatible, find someone who you are compatible with. 00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:03.419 That's the basic thing. 00:32:03.479 --> 00:32:05.959 And then people saying, well, you know, what makes us incompatible? 00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:11.019 And then they would come to the rabbis and say, well, you know, my wife's got a loud voice. 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.739 And that's kind of irritating. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:14.179 Can I get a divorce? 00:32:14.599 --> 00:32:15.319 The rabbi thinks about it. 00:32:15.379 --> 00:32:18.439 He goes, yeah, you know, actually that won't do. 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.479 A loud voice? 00:32:19.480 --> 00:32:21.160 Oh, that's terrible, right? 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:22.039 You can divorce her. 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:27.519 And they say, well, you know, they come to the rabbi and they said, my wife burnt my breakfast. 00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:29.299 I say, what? 00:32:29.339 --> 00:32:30.180 She burnt your breakfast? 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:31.079 That's terrible. 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:32.160 I mean, that's it. 00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:35.680 Just write a letter of divorce and give her the certificate and send her on her way. 00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:40.279 Now, you might think I'm joking, but that's seriously what was happening. 00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:42.360 That's what it had become. 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:53.339 And you see, our love of money dulls our sensitivity to the opportunity to receive grace. 00:32:53.339 --> 00:33:08.599 And the question for me, I ask as I'm doing this, I think to myself, are my desires for money, for nice homes and nice cars and nice holidays, 00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:12.379 are they dulling me to the gospel? 00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:21.579 Are they dulling me to the fact that I live in a society where people need Jesus Christ? 00:33:23.059 --> 00:33:27.839 Do I just block it out of my head and I just don't think about it because I've become so dull? 00:33:28.059 --> 00:33:32.799 You see, what was the real problem with the Pharisees? 00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:37.740 Yes, they loved money, and Jesus points that out. 00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:43.259 Yes, they were full of self-righteousness and just missed the gospel completely. 00:33:43.460 --> 00:33:47.579 But those are all just symptoms of a much deeper issue. 00:33:48.419 --> 00:33:55.099 You see, because these guys, they chose when to submit to God's word, 00:33:55.440 --> 00:34:00.680 and then anything they didn't like or they disagreed with, just scoffed at, lifted their nose up. 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:04.700 And Jesus is actually hitting them for their hypocrisy, right? 00:34:04.740 --> 00:34:06.820 They just pick and choose what they like. 00:34:06.900 --> 00:34:10.980 I like that, don't really like that, doesn't work for me, move on. 00:34:11.880 --> 00:34:19.720 And, you know, we can point our finger at the Pharisees, and we can say, well, what dreadful people. 00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:24.860 And when we hear, you know, maybe the love of money is not an issue for you, 00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:29.220 so when you hear you cannot serve both God and money, you think, yes, amen. 00:34:29.219 --> 00:34:30.619 We can't live like that. 00:34:30.679 --> 00:34:31.919 We only live for God. 00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:40.099 But maybe the other areas of the gospel and God's word that we scoff at. 00:34:40.799 --> 00:34:45.719 For me, there's this one thing that Jesus said, and it just gets under my skin, 00:34:45.859 --> 00:34:50.219 and I just think, Jesus, you don't understand, really. 00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:52.539 You don't understand my life. 00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:54.659 And I read it, and it says this. 00:34:55.279 --> 00:34:57.940 Jesus said, do not worry. 00:34:59.259 --> 00:34:59.380 Okay? 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:04.579 And I said, you know, sons and daughters of the kingdom don't have to worry. 00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:08.199 I said, Jesus, you just don't understand, do you? 00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:13.840 And in my heart, what I'm really doing is I'm just scoffing and thinking, 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:17.559 yeah, you know, you're right on a whole lot of things, but this, you kind of got wrong. 00:35:17.559 --> 00:35:25.440 And, you know, maybe for us, it's not what Jesus has to say about the love of money 00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:28.719 or maybe divorce and remarriage or worry, 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:33.179 but maybe it's what he said about sex. 00:35:33.779 --> 00:35:39.480 Maybe it's what he said about loving your enemies or forgiveness. 00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:43.199 I don't know. 00:35:45.320 --> 00:35:46.900 See, we have a choice. 00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:51.119 Are we willing to submit to all of God's word, 00:35:51.800 --> 00:35:56.860 or do we just choose some and we scoff at the rest? 00:35:57.860 --> 00:36:03.199 But when we do that, there's really a deeper question at work, and it's this. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:07.240 Do we really believe that God is good? 00:36:07.239 --> 00:36:10.619 Paul writes in Romans 11, he says, 00:36:10.699 --> 00:36:14.839 Behold the goodness and the severity of God. 00:36:16.059 --> 00:36:21.159 And sometimes I think I forget and I think we forget that God really is good. 00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:22.559 He really is good. 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:25.619 And sometimes I think we really forget the severity of God. 00:36:25.759 --> 00:36:28.779 And we think, God, he won't really do what he says he'll do. 00:36:28.859 --> 00:36:31.199 He's just bluffing somehow. 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:37.119 Now, and, you know, we say to ourselves what I say to myself. 00:36:37.219 --> 00:36:38.019 Maybe I'm different. 00:36:38.179 --> 00:36:41.980 And I just say, I'll trust and I'll obey until a certain point. 00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:44.799 And then it becomes a little bit difficult for me. 00:36:45.779 --> 00:36:47.980 And I start saying to myself, you know what? 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:50.239 In that regard, I'll make up my own rules. 00:36:50.419 --> 00:36:51.679 I'll decide what's right. 00:36:52.579 --> 00:36:55.299 I'll do what's right in my own eyes. 00:36:55.300 --> 00:37:04.039 I want to leave you with this. 00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:06.680 Jesus. 00:37:06.680 --> 00:37:06.860 Jesus. 00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:14.140 He who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, 00:37:14.640 --> 00:37:21.220 in order that through his poverty we might become rich. 00:37:21.680 --> 00:37:23.980 Rich in mercy. 00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:26.780 Rich in forgiveness. 00:37:27.740 --> 00:37:29.079 Rich in acceptance. 00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:31.619 Rich in purpose. 00:37:32.260 --> 00:37:33.900 Rich in righteousness. 00:37:34.599 --> 00:37:35.840 Rich in generosity. 00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:38.360 Rich in peace. 00:37:39.619 --> 00:37:41.460 That's the God we submit to. 00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:45.960 And he's wanting to give us these things. 00:37:46.679 --> 00:37:48.900 He's wanting to give us these things. 00:37:50.460 --> 00:37:52.079 Now, I just have to be honest with you. 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:54.440 This is a really tough passage. 00:37:54.579 --> 00:37:57.639 When Tobin emailed it to me, I thought, he's joking, right? 00:37:58.219 --> 00:38:00.519 But he wasn't, unfortunately. 00:38:01.139 --> 00:38:03.239 And it's a tough passage to prepare. 00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:10.579 I think mainly because it was, it just hit me so much, right? 00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:11.920 Because I'm preparing it and I'm thinking, 00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:15.920 so much of my life has been shown up in this verse. 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:24.860 But my prayer is that we will leave today and that we will see Jesus as a good, faithful, 00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:28.099 and above all, trustworthy king. 00:38:29.200 --> 00:38:30.240 Trustworthy king. 00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:34.639 You know, when we say Jesus is Lord, that's really what we mean. 00:38:34.680 --> 00:38:36.300 We mean he's Lord of everything. 00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:37.280 He is master. 00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:39.659 He is king over our lives. 00:38:39.659 --> 00:38:41.779 Not just little bits, but he really is king. 00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:45.659 The question is, are we willing to be his followers? 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:47.920 Are we willing to be the king's subjects? 00:38:50.420 --> 00:38:52.440 Thank you so much for listening. 00:38:52.719 --> 00:38:53.659 You've been very patient. 00:38:54.119 --> 00:38:57.839 And I wouldn't like to listen to a South African accent for too long, 00:38:57.940 --> 00:38:58.699 but you guys have. 00:38:58.759 --> 00:38:59.319 So thank you. 00:38:59.719 --> 00:39:03.379 I'd just like to close and I'd like to pray for us, if that's okay. 00:39:03.380 --> 00:39:04.780 So could I ask you to stand? 00:39:18.460 --> 00:39:22.720 Lord Jesus, we stand before you this morning as your people. 00:39:23.740 --> 00:39:28.340 And Lord, we want to say as a people, as a family, as the body of Christ, 00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:32.840 that you are the king of kings and the Lord of lords. 00:39:32.840 --> 00:39:35.320 You are ruler of all creation. 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:39.660 Lord, I pray, forgive me. 00:39:39.820 --> 00:39:44.539 Forgive us where we've scoffed at your word 00:39:44.539 --> 00:39:47.980 and where we've decided what's right and what's wrong 00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:50.280 and we've turned away from you. 00:39:50.420 --> 00:39:54.960 Lord, we thank you that you are full of mercy. 00:39:55.880 --> 00:40:00.280 You're full of grace and you're a king who wants to give us so much 00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:01.800 much more than that. 00:40:01.860 --> 00:40:05.440 You're a king who's adopted us as his children. 00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:10.620 And Lord, I pray for us that as we go out into the world tomorrow, 00:40:10.740 --> 00:40:16.240 as we go out into our places of work and our schools and our universities, 00:40:16.920 --> 00:40:21.519 Lord, I pray that we will not be dull to the authority of your word, 00:40:21.519 --> 00:40:27.159 that we will not be dull to a world that so desperately needs your son, 00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:32.159 and that we ourselves will not be dull to what you're doing in our lives. 00:40:33.280 --> 00:40:36.639 Lord Jesus, we love you and we just say thank you. 00:40:37.780 --> 00:40:38.099 Amen. 00:40:38.099 --> 00:40:41.039 Thank you. 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:43.179 We're just about at the end of the meeting, 00:40:43.299 --> 00:40:45.000 but what has God been saying to you? 00:40:45.799 --> 00:40:49.179 Don't go away from here thinking that was a nice time together. 00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:50.799 That was a nice talk. 00:40:51.279 --> 00:40:53.319 But actually, God, who created the universe, 00:40:53.420 --> 00:40:54.819 wants to speak to you this morning. 00:40:55.539 --> 00:40:56.639 He wants to change us. 00:40:56.719 --> 00:40:59.659 He wants to help us to grow to love Jesus more 00:40:59.659 --> 00:41:01.339 so that we don't scoff at his word, 00:41:01.639 --> 00:41:03.159 but we submit to his word. 00:41:04.380 --> 00:41:06.059 If any of you want more prayer, 00:41:06.059 --> 00:41:08.659 afterwards there will be people up here who can pray for you 00:41:08.659 --> 00:41:09.840 through some of these things. 00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:15.159 There's just a few announcements before we go. 00:41:16.380 --> 00:41:20.380 Next Sunday, the 24th of February, 00:41:20.779 --> 00:41:23.559 there's going to be a members class, a new members class. 00:41:23.639 --> 00:41:24.980 If any of you are not members, 00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:28.460 but would like to find out what is the church really all about, 00:41:29.019 --> 00:41:30.420 how do I become a member, 00:41:30.420 --> 00:41:33.759 on the 24th, after the service here, 00:41:33.760 --> 00:41:38.080 there will just be an hour or so where you can ask questions, 00:41:38.280 --> 00:41:41.020 and we'll go through what Watermark is really all about. 00:41:41.400 --> 00:41:45.260 Please, if you're interested, sign up at the welcome desk afterwards. 00:41:46.140 --> 00:41:49.900 The day before that, on Saturday, the 23rd of February, 00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:53.960 we're going to run, in the morning, from 9.30 to 12.30, 00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:56.180 an Old Testament class. 00:41:56.300 --> 00:41:57.280 Some of you may have thought, 00:41:57.600 --> 00:42:00.340 what on earth is the Old Testament all about? 00:42:00.340 --> 00:42:04.120 You may have read all kinds of things about mildew 00:42:04.120 --> 00:42:05.940 and just strange sacrifices, 00:42:06.280 --> 00:42:07.980 and be thinking, is this relevant? 00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:11.620 So if that's you, sign up again by the welcome desk, 00:42:11.740 --> 00:42:15.160 the 23rd, Saturday, 9.30 till 12.30. 00:42:15.200 --> 00:42:17.660 We'll be having a look at some of the overview, 00:42:17.780 --> 00:42:19.079 what's the Old Testament story, 00:42:19.220 --> 00:42:21.360 how is it relevant to our lives. 00:42:23.100 --> 00:42:25.100 Next Sunday, we'll be here again. 00:42:25.780 --> 00:42:27.320 So don't go to the ninth floor, 00:42:27.579 --> 00:42:28.880 we'll be in this place. 00:42:28.880 --> 00:42:33.200 And also, outside, Chinese New Year is coming up. 00:42:33.300 --> 00:42:34.599 There are some red packets. 00:42:34.780 --> 00:42:36.360 I've left mine over there, 00:42:36.420 --> 00:42:37.240 but there are some red packets. 00:42:37.300 --> 00:42:38.400 Yeah, if you'd like to wave them. 00:42:40.059 --> 00:42:40.539 Here we go. 00:42:41.260 --> 00:42:41.700 Thank you. 00:42:42.180 --> 00:42:44.320 There's some red packets in here. 00:42:45.019 --> 00:42:46.900 You can buy some from, 00:42:47.360 --> 00:42:48.539 just from the welcome desk. 00:42:48.680 --> 00:42:50.640 Inside, they have something about 00:42:50.640 --> 00:42:53.140 the message of Jesus in there, 00:42:53.160 --> 00:42:56.180 which you can share with the guards 00:42:56.179 --> 00:42:57.599 in your building, 00:42:57.819 --> 00:42:58.379 with your friends, 00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:59.219 with your colleagues. 00:42:59.519 --> 00:43:00.679 It's a great opportunity 00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:03.319 over Chinese New Year to do that. 00:43:03.839 --> 00:43:04.599 We don't take, 00:43:05.099 --> 00:43:06.879 we don't pass an offering round, 00:43:07.099 --> 00:43:08.839 because we believe that offering 00:43:08.839 --> 00:43:10.379 is an act of worship 00:43:10.379 --> 00:43:11.899 and response to what God 00:43:11.899 --> 00:43:13.039 has been doing in your life. 00:43:13.419 --> 00:43:15.679 There are some envelopes 00:43:15.679 --> 00:43:17.699 for you just to, 00:43:17.919 --> 00:43:20.519 as an expression of how you love Jesus, 00:43:20.519 --> 00:43:23.059 to put in there what you feel 00:43:23.059 --> 00:43:24.679 is an appropriate expression 00:43:24.679 --> 00:43:25.340 of your worship. 00:43:26.199 --> 00:43:28.960 So let me just close us with praying. 00:43:30.019 --> 00:43:33.000 Father, thank you so much 00:43:33.000 --> 00:43:35.280 that you are so gracious to us. 00:43:35.840 --> 00:43:37.759 Thank you that you are good to us. 00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:42.159 Forgive us where we scoff 00:43:42.159 --> 00:43:45.000 at your word in so many areas, Lord. 00:43:45.880 --> 00:43:47.940 Please, I pray that you would convict us 00:43:47.940 --> 00:43:48.780 of those things 00:43:48.780 --> 00:43:50.179 and remind us that 00:43:50.179 --> 00:43:51.740 your word is not there 00:43:51.740 --> 00:43:53.079 to beat us over the head, 00:43:53.260 --> 00:43:55.139 but it's there because you love us, 00:43:55.440 --> 00:43:57.099 because you want our best, 00:43:57.500 --> 00:43:58.720 because you're a good God. 00:43:59.460 --> 00:44:02.139 Please, I pray that as we go out this week, 00:44:02.220 --> 00:44:04.139 we would remember just how good you are 00:44:04.139 --> 00:44:05.700 and your word would begin 00:44:05.700 --> 00:44:07.639 to shape our lives in every area. 00:44:08.420 --> 00:44:09.639 Thank you so much, Father. 00:44:10.240 --> 00:44:10.579 Amen.