WEBVTT

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 I had holidays a little over a month ago, and I had a whole three weeks off, which was fantastic.

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 It was a good chance to spend time with people who I don't normally see.

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 And one of the particular highlights for me was the chance to have a conversation with someone who I really care about, about following Jesus.

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 They're somebody who would call themselves a Christian, somebody who has been around church, knows the answers, they know how it works.

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 But by their own admission, they would say they're a Christian, but not a Christian like me.

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 In their mind, there's kind of the levels of Christian.

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 So there's the fanatics, which I assume is the end she's placing me in, and then the normal Christians who are normal, but like Jesus.

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 And the conversation was around why she makes that distinction a little bit.

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 For her, there are some things that she's just uncomfortable with, some things she doesn't understand, some doubts she's got.

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 And those things for her get in the way of wanting to make that step to go, you know what, I'm all in.

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 I'm all for God.

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 I'm going to live for Him.

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 It's all about Him.

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 And the major sticking point for her was something that a lot of us actually struggle with.

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 And it could even be a question that you're wrestling with right now.

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 And that was the question of, how can a God who is loving send good people to hell?

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 How can a God who is loving send good people to hell?

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 So this person I'm chatting to just can't fathom that nice people who do good things for others and give to charity and just kind of are nice,

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 could end up being sent to hell by God.

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 And that could be a tension that you feel as well, as you think of family members, friends, people who are precious to you,

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 who are really nice, but aren't Christian.

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 And maybe you find it hard to imagine how God can be loving and send that person to hell.

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 It's something that I've wrestled with.

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 Now, this person I was chatting with, the answer for them was that God can't send those people to hell.

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 Because they couldn't fathom a God who's loving and a God who would send people like that to hell,

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 the solution was God won't do it.

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 I asked them about Jesus and about the kinds of things that Jesus says,

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 like, I'm the only way to the Father.

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 I'm the only way to heaven.

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 And that just left them feeling a little bit frustrated because it didn't kind of fit with their solution.

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 They'd come up with a solution.

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 They'd resolve the tension.

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 It didn't fit with the stuff that I was kind of suggesting out of the Bible.

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 Now, behind this question, behind the question of a loving God and people going to hell,

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 is potentially something personal.

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 It's not so much a question of how could a good God, a loving God, send good people out there to hell.

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 It's actually a question that comes from our own fear and insecurity.

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 The question is, how could a loving God send someone good like me to hell?

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 It's that fear, especially for people who are following Jesus and want to go to heaven

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 and just maybe don't feel 100% sure.

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 They want an insurance policy.

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 They want kind of a blank check from God that says,

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 you know what, if you're above this line, let's just agree, all of you will get in.

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 Just take the pressure off a little bit.

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 We want to know for sure.

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 We want God's approval.

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 But there can be just this lingering doubt, especially when we open the Bible like we have in Amos these last couple of weeks

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 and just get hammered with talk of God's judgment,

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 with a reminder that God is a just God, that God doesn't tolerate sin.

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 When we get faced with the judgment of God, it leaves us with a couple of options.

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 It leaves us in a couple of camps, especially if you're somebody who wants to follow God,

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 someone who's trying to follow God.

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 There are, of course, those who are secure, even hearing about God's judgment.

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 They're confident that they're loved by God and that that's appropriate confidence.

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 There's people just slightly this direction who hear about it and really want to

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 and might be 99% sure or maybe much lower, but there's just that lingering doubt.

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 There's just that pressure and fear every time you stuff up that just escalates.

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 And then when you're going well, it kind of gets reined in a little bit.

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 And you know that feeling of trying to follow God, but sometimes feeling like,

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 I hope he still loves me today.

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 And then there is another group just a little bit further down the spectrum

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 who are secure.

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 They're confident.

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 They're sure that God loves them.

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 But maybe they're deluded in their confidence.

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 Maybe it's a wrong confidence.

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 There's a part of them that's trying to follow God

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 and enough to the point where they think they've got it all figured out,

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 but the reality is they don't.

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 So far in Amos, through this series,

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 we've been hearing warning after warning from God to his people Israel.

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 Amos has been explaining judgment is coming.

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 He's been telling the people that those who claim to be gods but aren't truly,

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 those who speak the words but live a different way will face judgment.

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 Amos is not the first prophet with this message.

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 He won't be the last one.

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 And yet so far,

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 Israel

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 don't seem to be taking him seriously at all.

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 God has just promised in those few verses that Deb read out

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 that their cities will be destroyed,

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 that they'll be carted off as slaves to another country,

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 and nothing seems to be registering.

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 Israel falls into this third category

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 of people who are sure that God loves them,

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 but it doesn't seem to be reflective of what God is saying.

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 I mean, at best, they're ignoring what he's saying,

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 but at worst, they're trying to shut him up.

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 They're trying to say, stop talking to us.

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 I mean, in chapter 7 that Deb just read out,

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 there's this face-off in the second half from verses 10 onwards.

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 This is between Amos, who wrote Amos,

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 and Amaziah, who's the priest for Israel.

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 He's like the religious leader.

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 So you'd expect out of anyone,

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 he should be in tune with God and what's going on.

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 But listen to the way he describes Amos' message.

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 This is in verse 10.

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 He's writing a letter to the king.

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 He says,

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 Amos is raising a conspiracy against you

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 in the very heart of Israel.

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 He says,

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 The land cannot bear all his words,

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 for this is what Amos is saying.

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 When a prophet speaks in the Bible,

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 they speak with the weight of God's own voice.

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 They speak with the authority of the God

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 who sent them this message,

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 and yet Amaziah the priest hears this and says,

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 It's just some wacko.

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 It's just some guy.

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 We don't have to take him seriously.

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 Let's not listen to him.

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 In fact, not just let's ignore him,

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 let's try and get rid of him.

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 I mean, this message he sends to the king,

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 he's trying to have Amos killed for treason.

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 He's accusing him of trying to subvert the king

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 and then effectively says,

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 Go home.

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 Stop annoying us.

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 We don't want to listen to you.

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 Go back south.

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 Go to the farm you came from.

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 Stop prophesying.

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 We don't want to listen.

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 But the really scary part of this bit in Amaziah,

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 sorry, this bit in Amos,

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 is that Amaziah,

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 at least it seems,

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 and all of Israel,

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 genuinely don't see what they're doing as a rejection of God.

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 So remember,

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 this third group that's confident,

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 but wrongly confident,

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 is actually trying to follow God.

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 That's the starting point for that third group.

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 That's the starting point for Israel.

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 They're God's people.

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 And even as they tell this prophet,

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 go away,

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 we're not interested,

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 they genuinely believe they're in God's good books.

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 They genuinely believe that he loves them

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 and he's happy with them

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 and they are securely there in his favor.

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 That's why they're not listening.

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 The idea that God would judge them

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 is so inconceivable

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 that they have no motivation to even listen,

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 let alone respond to this warning

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 and this call to repent and return to God.

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 But for us and for them,

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 it begs a really, really important question.

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 Why are they so confident?

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 What's the basis for this group

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 being so sure that God is going to show them mercy?

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 Because we can look at this passage and this story

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 and even before we know in a few years

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 God's going to come through on his promise,

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 he's going to destroy them,

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 he's going to crush this nation

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 under the military power of Assyria.

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 Even before you get there,

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 it's pretty clear from what we've seen

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 in the first few chapters of this book,

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 Israel's lives do not reflect

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 what God expects from those who love him.

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 We've heard stories of the prostitutes in the temple,

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 of the oppression of the poor.

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 So what basis is there for them to be confident?

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 What reason could they possibly have

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 to believe that God is happy with them?

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 Let me show you two.

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 Firstly, Israel's confidence

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 flows out of their worship.

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 Flick to chapter 5

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 if you've got your Bible open in front of you

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 and we're looking around verse 5,

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 4, 5, 6.

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 We look at what they were doing

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 in their version of church in the temple

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 and go,

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 it's got some serious issues,

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 it's clearly flawed for us

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 but for them,

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 it was the basis

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 of their confidence

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 that God was going to love them.

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 God, when he called his people

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 and when he created the relationship

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 between them,

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 created the covenant,

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 he placed himself in their midst

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 in a building called the temple

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 which he placed in Jerusalem.

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 That was the one place

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 where they would meet with him,

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 where they would sacrifice to him,

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 where he would speak to them,

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 they would pray to him.

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 It was a unique symbol

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 of God's presence.

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 But the problem with that is

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 we're talking to Israel.

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 So Israel is a group of 12 tribes

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 that broke in half,

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 two stayed down at Jerusalem

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 and 10 stayed up the top,

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 in fact moved north.

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 That's Israel now.

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 That's who we're talking to.

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 So they've moved away from the temple

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 where God said,

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 I'll be there,

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 come and meet with me.

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 Now, you know,

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 that sounds like a disaster.

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 They have no intention of going

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 and visiting the place

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 that God said to worship.

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 So they figure,

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 we can solve that problem.

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 And they come up

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 with three new places to go.

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 They're there in those verses,

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 in chapter 5.

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 Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba.

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 You don't have to remember

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 all these names.

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 It's okay.

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 But for a second,

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 we do have to look at them.

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 Because Israel didn't just choose,

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 that's a nice hill,

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 let's put a church there.

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 These are really specifically

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 and intentionally chosen places

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 that they thought

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 would help them do

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 worshiping God.

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 And let me show you why.

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 Bethel is a place,

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 earlier in the Bible,

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 in Genesis,

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 where Jacob,

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 who was kind of the forefather

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 of this nation Israel,

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 encounters God twice.

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 The first time he goes there,

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 he has this vision

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 and he wakes up

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 and he says,

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 clearly,

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 this is a place

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 where the Lord is.

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 And then in his travels,

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 he ends up back there

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 another time

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 and God shows up

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 and engages him

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 and changes his name

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 from Jacob to Israel.

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 It is a place

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 that was symbolic

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 for God's presence.

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 And so,

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 this nation thought,

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 well,

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 we can't worship

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 where we're supposed to

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 but if we build a temple

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 at Bethel

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 and we worship there,

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 then God will have

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 to be present with us

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 because that's a place

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 of God's presence.

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 Now,

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 the problem is,

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 that's not what God

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 told them to do.

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 That's not what God promised

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 but that was their strategy.

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 Bethel.

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 Second place is Beersheba.

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 Beersheba is another place

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 that comes out

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 from earlier in the Bible

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 in Genesis

00:12:31.259 --> 00:12:32.100
 where Abraham,

00:12:32.680 --> 00:12:33.860
 Isaac and Jacob,

00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:34.520
 again,

00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:35.280
 these are the guys

00:12:35.280 --> 00:12:35.800
 who kind of,

00:12:36.160 --> 00:12:37.180
 the great grandfathers

00:12:37.180 --> 00:12:38.259
 of this nation Israel,

00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:40.520
 they all encounter God

00:12:40.520 --> 00:12:41.320
 in this place,

00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:41.940
 Beersheba.

00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:44.020
 And they all encounter God

00:12:44.020 --> 00:12:45.080
 in a unique way

00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:46.440
 where they are on a journey

00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:48.580
 to which they don't know

00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:49.080
 the outcome.

00:12:49.900 --> 00:12:50.759
 Abraham is travelling

00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:52.120
 to a land that's not his,

00:12:52.220 --> 00:12:53.020
 that God has told him

00:12:53.020 --> 00:12:53.740
 is going to be his.

00:12:53.940 --> 00:12:54.780
 He's freaking out

00:12:54.780 --> 00:12:55.379
 and God says,

00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:56.240
 do not fear,

00:12:56.700 --> 00:12:57.580
 I will go with you.

00:12:58.660 --> 00:12:59.700
 Jacob is travelling

00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:01.240
 on his way to Egypt

00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:02.120
 because of a famine

00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:03.140
 and he's nervous

00:13:03.140 --> 00:13:03.940
 about going to Egypt

00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:04.820
 and rightfully so

00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:05.780
 because his descendants

00:13:05.780 --> 00:13:07.060
 will end up being slaves there.

00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:08.500
 But God says,

00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:09.560
 do not fear,

00:13:10.060 --> 00:13:11.100
 I will go with you.

00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:12.980
 So Beersheba

00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:14.720
 is this symbolic reminder

00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:17.120
 that God protects his people.

00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:19.040
 And so these geniuses

00:13:19.040 --> 00:13:19.700
 come up with an idea,

00:13:19.780 --> 00:13:20.400
 we'll put a temple

00:13:20.400 --> 00:13:21.140
 at Beersheba,

00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:22.620
 we'll do church there

00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.340
 and then God

00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:24.660
 will have to protect us.

00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.920
 But God didn't promise that.

00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:30.440
 Last one,

00:13:30.660 --> 00:13:31.000
 Gilgal.

00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:34.080
 Gilgal was the first place

00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:35.520
 that God's people camped

00:13:35.520 --> 00:13:36.360
 when they moved

00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:37.540
 into the promised land,

00:13:37.620 --> 00:13:38.360
 the land that God

00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:38.980
 was giving them.

00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:40.480
 It's a place

00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:41.180
 where they stopped

00:13:41.180 --> 00:13:42.680
 and they had a big celebration

00:13:42.680 --> 00:13:44.320
 to recommit to God.

00:13:44.920 --> 00:13:46.379
 It was the first place

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.480
 where they got to enjoy

00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:48.100
 this land

00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:49.100
 that they'd been waiting

00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:49.759
 and waiting

00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.940
 and waiting to get.

00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:52.879
 They enjoyed the fruit.

00:13:52.980 --> 00:13:53.620
 It was symbolic

00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.860
 of the inheritance

00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:56.060
 that God had promised

00:13:56.060 --> 00:13:57.220
 to this nation Israel.

00:13:57.220 --> 00:13:58.060
 The inheritance

00:13:58.060 --> 00:13:59.340
 they were enjoying now

00:13:59.340 --> 00:14:00.120
 in the land

00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:00.840
 that they lived in.

00:14:01.040 --> 00:14:02.160
 It was a great land,

00:14:02.259 --> 00:14:03.100
 good for farming,

00:14:03.220 --> 00:14:04.139
 good for all these things

00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:04.980
 and so they thought

00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:06.820
 we'll put a church there

00:14:06.820 --> 00:14:08.680
 and we'll go and worship there

00:14:08.680 --> 00:14:09.379
 and then God

00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:10.180
 will have to

00:14:10.180 --> 00:14:11.420
 protect our inheritance.

00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:12.879
 He'll have to protect

00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:13.460
 our borders

00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:14.480
 because we're worshipping

00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:15.080
 at the place

00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:16.600
 where some stuff happened

00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:19.040
 but God didn't promise that.

00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:20.700
 See,

00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:22.639
 there are two

00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:23.940
 really big issues

00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:24.660
 with this new

00:14:24.660 --> 00:14:25.480
 religious system.

00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:25.920
 Now,

00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:27.379
 give them some credit.

00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:29.680
 The desire is right.

00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:32.060
 The intention is right.

00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:34.360
 But the big issue is,

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:34.940
 firstly,

00:14:36.060 --> 00:14:37.980
 they've completely ignored

00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:39.120
 and even rejected

00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:40.659
 the explicit instruction

00:14:40.659 --> 00:14:41.980
 that God gave in His law

00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:43.000
 that He will dwell

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:43.860
 in His temple

00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:44.639
 at Jerusalem.

00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.279
 They've just kind of

00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:47.039
 ignored that

00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:47.920
 and used their

00:14:47.920 --> 00:14:49.420
 brilliant powers of logic

00:14:49.420 --> 00:14:50.680
 to invent a new way

00:14:50.680 --> 00:14:52.279
 of engaging with God.

00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:55.379
 They've explicitly rejected

00:14:55.379 --> 00:14:57.480
 the gift that God gave them

00:14:57.480 --> 00:14:58.000
 to tell them

00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:58.839
 how to engage Him.

00:14:59.439 --> 00:14:59.600
 I mean,

00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:00.259
 do you guys remember

00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:01.120
 a few months ago

00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:01.519
 in church

00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:02.299
 we did a big series

00:15:02.299 --> 00:15:02.939
 in Leviticus?

00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:04.199
 There was a lot of blood,

00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:05.100
 there was a lot of dead animals

00:15:05.100 --> 00:15:05.699
 if you remember it,

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:06.579
 in the stories,

00:15:06.659 --> 00:15:07.159
 not in church,

00:15:07.199 --> 00:15:07.759
 just to clarify

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.399
 if you're a guest.

00:15:09.579 --> 00:15:10.639
 The book of Leviticus

00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:11.339
 and some of the other

00:15:11.339 --> 00:15:11.720
 big books

00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.139
 at the beginning

00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:12.639
 of the Bible

00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.179
 are just full of details

00:15:14.179 --> 00:15:15.659
 of God laying out,

00:15:15.839 --> 00:15:17.339
 here's how you can worship me.

00:15:18.319 --> 00:15:19.399
 Here's how you can

00:15:19.399 --> 00:15:20.159
 have access to me.

00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:21.059
 Here's what the priests

00:15:21.059 --> 00:15:21.439
 will wear,

00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.159
 here's the animals

00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.699
 you will use,

00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:23.500
 here's what the building

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.139
 will look like.

00:15:24.339 --> 00:15:25.719
 It was very, very specific

00:15:25.719 --> 00:15:26.599
 because it mattered

00:15:26.599 --> 00:15:28.759
 because God was God

00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:29.619
 and they were not

00:15:29.619 --> 00:15:30.659
 and yet here they are

00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:31.879
 and they've just ignored

00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:33.019
 all of that stuff

00:15:33.019 --> 00:15:33.919
 that God told them

00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:34.899
 and come up

00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:35.739
 with their own solution

00:15:35.739 --> 00:15:37.959
 and so not surprisingly

00:15:37.959 --> 00:15:39.139
 it's not working.

00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:41.079
 But the second issue

00:15:41.079 --> 00:15:41.719
 is even bigger.

00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:45.219
 The whole system

00:15:45.219 --> 00:15:46.079
 that they have built

00:15:46.079 --> 00:15:47.559
 for relating to God here,

00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:49.479
 the whole religious calendar

00:15:49.479 --> 00:15:50.219
 and structure

00:15:50.220 --> 00:15:51.560
 is built around

00:15:51.560 --> 00:15:52.420
 a wrong view

00:15:52.420 --> 00:15:53.440
 of who God is.

00:15:55.180 --> 00:15:55.360
 I mean,

00:15:55.420 --> 00:15:56.399
 in this system,

00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:57.480
 worship

00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:59.320
 is a transaction.

00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:01.940
 In this system,

00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:03.600
 if I go to Bethel

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:05.300
 and do my church there,

00:16:05.660 --> 00:16:06.759
 then God owes me

00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:07.340
 his presence.

00:16:08.500 --> 00:16:10.340
 If I go to Gilgal,

00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.700
 then God owes me

00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:12.279
 this land.

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.500
 If I go to Beersheba,

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.660
 then God owes me

00:16:14.660 --> 00:16:15.500
 protection.

00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:16.680
 See,

00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:17.719
 all the things

00:16:17.719 --> 00:16:18.399
 that they have,

00:16:18.479 --> 00:16:19.059
 all the things

00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:20.439
 these places represent

00:16:20.439 --> 00:16:21.379
 are gifts

00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:22.559
 that God gave them

00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:23.739
 out of his goodness

00:16:23.739 --> 00:16:24.479
 and generosity

00:16:24.479 --> 00:16:25.919
 and they have turned

00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:26.759
 them into things

00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:28.139
 that they are bartering

00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:28.599
 for,

00:16:29.459 --> 00:16:30.459
 trying to purchase

00:16:30.459 --> 00:16:30.979
 from God,

00:16:31.079 --> 00:16:31.939
 trying to earn.

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:34.659
 Suddenly,

00:16:34.819 --> 00:16:35.599
 God has become

00:16:35.599 --> 00:16:36.559
 someone who can be

00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:37.199
 manipulated,

00:16:38.079 --> 00:16:39.319
 even blackmailed

00:16:39.319 --> 00:16:40.859
 into giving us stuff

00:16:40.860 --> 00:16:43.720
 and the result

00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:45.379
 is that because

00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:46.080
 they feel like

00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:46.740
 they've held up

00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:47.600
 their side of the bargain,

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.220
 they feel like

00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:51.639
 God has to hold up

00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:52.560
 his side of the bargain

00:16:52.560 --> 00:16:55.800
 and one of the reasons

00:16:55.800 --> 00:16:56.320
 they were feeling

00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:57.000
 so secure

00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:58.620
 is because materially

00:16:58.620 --> 00:16:59.320
 at this point,

00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:00.639
 they're doing really well.

00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:02.600
 It seems like

00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:03.100
 it's working.

00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:04.640
 They've rejected

00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:05.400
 what he said,

00:17:05.620 --> 00:17:06.220
 they've chosen

00:17:06.220 --> 00:17:06.940
 their own adventure,

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.200
 they've completely

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.120
 misunderstood him

00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:09.940
 and shrunk him down

00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:10.559
 into somebody

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.519
 who is on par

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:11.900
 with them

00:17:11.900 --> 00:17:12.539
 that they can deal

00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:13.360
 with like an equal

00:17:13.360 --> 00:17:15.480
 and at first glance

00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:15.860
 for them,

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.440
 it seems like

00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:16.940
 it's working.

00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:18.440
 They're having

00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:19.259
 bumper crops,

00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:19.860
 they're rich,

00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:20.340
 they're beating

00:17:20.340 --> 00:17:20.980
 other armies,

00:17:21.120 --> 00:17:21.900
 life is good.

00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:25.320
 They're basing

00:17:25.320 --> 00:17:26.160
 their understanding,

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:26.940
 their confidence

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:27.980
 in God's approval

00:17:27.980 --> 00:17:31.019
 on their circumstances

00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:33.080
 instead of

00:17:33.080 --> 00:17:34.120
 on what God

00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:34.759
 has explicitly

00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:35.500
 said to them

00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:36.340
 in his word,

00:17:37.080 --> 00:17:37.620
 in the law.

00:17:38.340 --> 00:17:39.039
 Instead of

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:39.700
 on the message

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.200
 that he is

00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:40.860
 speaking to them

00:17:40.860 --> 00:17:41.480
 through the prophet

00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:42.380
 right at this moment,

00:17:42.620 --> 00:17:43.140
 they don't want

00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:43.640
 to hear that

00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:44.279
 because they've

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:45.000
 found a story,

00:17:45.299 --> 00:17:45.960
 their own version,

00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:46.920
 that's kind of

00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:47.900
 nicer to listen to.

00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:49.680
 Life's good,

00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.420
 we just keep doing

00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:51.019
 what we're doing,

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.720
 everything's easy.

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:54.940
 Israel has

00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:55.759
 security,

00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:57.880
 false security,

00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:00.180
 because it's

00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:01.080
 completely lost

00:18:01.080 --> 00:18:01.920
 sight of who

00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.840
 God really is.

00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:05.380
 That was the answer.

00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:07.220
 they put themselves

00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:08.040
 in a situation

00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:09.000
 where they were

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:09.800
 kind of offside

00:18:09.800 --> 00:18:10.240
 with God

00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:10.760
 because they'd

00:18:10.760 --> 00:18:11.380
 moved away

00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:12.440
 and the way

00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:12.840
 they dealt

00:18:12.840 --> 00:18:13.120
 with it

00:18:13.120 --> 00:18:13.900
 was by shrinking

00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:14.580
 God so that

00:18:14.580 --> 00:18:14.940
 they could

00:18:14.940 --> 00:18:16.380
 delude themselves

00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:17.300
 into being a

00:18:17.300 --> 00:18:17.980
 little bit more

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:18.840
 comfortable.

00:18:21.320 --> 00:18:22.220
 But God's not

00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:22.680
 open to

00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:23.500
 redefinition.

00:18:25.560 --> 00:18:26.340
 There in verse

00:18:26.340 --> 00:18:26.600
 eight,

00:18:27.260 --> 00:18:27.960
 having rebuked

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:28.580
 them for going

00:18:28.580 --> 00:18:29.120
 to Bethel

00:18:29.120 --> 00:18:29.720
 and Gilgal

00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:30.480
 and Beersheba,

00:18:30.600 --> 00:18:31.280
 Amos says,

00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:32.680
 he who made

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.220
 this is in

00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:33.680
 chapter five,

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.299
 he who made

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:34.839
 the Pleiades

00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:35.379
 and Orion

00:18:35.379 --> 00:18:36.180
 who turns

00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:36.899
 midnight into

00:18:36.899 --> 00:18:37.319
 dawn,

00:18:37.460 --> 00:18:38.079
 darkens day

00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:38.700
 into night,

00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.240
 who calls

00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:39.539
 for the

00:18:39.539 --> 00:18:39.960
 waters of

00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:40.379
 the sea

00:18:40.379 --> 00:18:41.200
 and pours

00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:41.519
 them out

00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:41.819
 over the

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.220
 face of

00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:42.599
 the land,

00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:43.619
 the Lord

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:44.660
 is his

00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:44.980
 name.

00:18:46.339 --> 00:18:46.759
 He has

00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:47.339
 no equal,

00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:48.019
 no rival.

00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:48.920
 He's the

00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:49.660
 creator and

00:18:49.660 --> 00:18:50.379
 sustainer and

00:18:50.379 --> 00:18:51.180
 he's not open

00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:52.440
 to redefinition.

00:18:53.579 --> 00:18:54.180
 He's not a

00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:55.019
 movable feast.

00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:56.240
 We can't

00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.019
 adjust him to

00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:57.720
 suit us

00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.500
 just because

00:18:59.500 --> 00:19:00.259
 something's

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:01.019
 uncomfortable or

00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:01.440
 difficult.

00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.619
 And yet,

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:05.099
 for a heap

00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:05.359
 of us,

00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:05.900
 that's exactly

00:19:05.900 --> 00:19:06.440
 what we do.

00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:09.700
 When we

00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:10.180
 come across

00:19:10.180 --> 00:19:10.740
 things in

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:11.240
 God's word

00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:11.579
 that are

00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:12.119
 challenging,

00:19:12.859 --> 00:19:13.180
 that are

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:13.759
 maybe calling

00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:14.500
 for change

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.259
 or sacrifice,

00:19:16.019 --> 00:19:16.480
 when we

00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:16.740
 look at

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.319
 parts of

00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:17.700
 God that

00:19:17.700 --> 00:19:18.220
 are difficult

00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:18.920
 to hold

00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:19.500
 like his

00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:20.079
 wrath and

00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:20.700
 his judgment,

00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:23.379
 or when our

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:24.099
 circumstances

00:19:24.099 --> 00:19:24.700
 aren't playing

00:19:24.700 --> 00:19:25.139
 out the way

00:19:25.139 --> 00:19:25.379
 that we

00:19:25.379 --> 00:19:26.039
 think they

00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:26.420
 should,

00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:31.259
 we

00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:31.680
 adjust

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:32.060
 God.

00:19:32.840 --> 00:19:33.340
 We

00:19:33.340 --> 00:19:33.880
 ignore what

00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:34.440
 he's saying

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:34.940
 to us in

00:19:34.940 --> 00:19:35.460
 his word

00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:39.259
 and instead

00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:40.000
 lead ourselves

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.500
 into this

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:41.420
 false security.

00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:43.860
 For example,

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:45.380
 right now as a

00:19:45.380 --> 00:19:45.700
 church,

00:19:45.800 --> 00:19:46.259
 we're in a

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.300
 season where

00:19:47.300 --> 00:19:47.700
 there is a

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.340
 clear sense

00:19:48.340 --> 00:19:48.820
 that God

00:19:48.820 --> 00:19:49.460
 is pushing

00:19:49.460 --> 00:19:50.019
 us.

00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:50.860
 If you've

00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:51.340
 been around

00:19:51.340 --> 00:19:51.800
 here for

00:19:51.800 --> 00:19:52.160
 more than

00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:52.519
 a month

00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:52.900
 or two,

00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:53.259
 you'll get

00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:53.700
 a sense

00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:54.259
 that God's

00:19:54.259 --> 00:19:54.700
 been doing

00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.080
 a work

00:19:55.080 --> 00:19:55.360
 on us

00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:55.600
 where he

00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:56.200
 keeps pressing

00:19:56.200 --> 00:19:56.720
 the same

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.000
 button about

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.259
 us upping

00:19:59.259 --> 00:19:59.779
 our game

00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:00.380
 when it comes

00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:01.400
 to sacrificially

00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:02.019
 loving our

00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:02.299
 neighbour,

00:20:03.380 --> 00:20:03.940
 caring for

00:20:03.940 --> 00:20:04.420
 those who

00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:04.920
 are in need

00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:05.240
 in the

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:05.559
 world.

00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:08.799
 That's

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:09.299
 uncomfortable

00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:09.840
 to hear

00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:12.220
 because to

00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:13.200
 sacrificially care

00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:13.559
 for other

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.100
 people means

00:20:14.100 --> 00:20:14.380
 you've got to

00:20:14.380 --> 00:20:14.819
 sacrifice.

00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:16.120
 It means

00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:16.460
 you've got to

00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:16.740
 give up

00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.220
 something in

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:17.559
 your life

00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:17.860
 that you

00:20:17.860 --> 00:20:18.299
 enjoy,

00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:20.420
 something that's

00:20:20.420 --> 00:20:21.460
 become part

00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:21.860
 of the way

00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:22.500
 you work,

00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:23.380
 part of your

00:20:23.380 --> 00:20:23.700
 rhythm.

00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:26.380
 Maybe you

00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:26.819
 were sitting

00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:27.180
 there as

00:20:27.180 --> 00:20:27.539
 we've gone

00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:27.960
 through these

00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:28.580
 series after

00:20:28.580 --> 00:20:29.039
 series and

00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:29.340
 it keeps

00:20:29.340 --> 00:20:29.880
 coming up and

00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:30.240
 you're thinking,

00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.380
 I already

00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:31.900
 give some.

00:20:32.059 --> 00:20:32.460
 In fact,

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:33.059
 I even upped

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:33.779
 my giving just

00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:34.779
 recently and

00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:35.340
 just after that

00:20:35.340 --> 00:20:35.900
 God gave me a

00:20:35.900 --> 00:20:36.580
 pay rise so

00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:37.059
 he must be

00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:37.600
 pretty happy

00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:38.080
 with what I'm

00:20:38.080 --> 00:20:39.100
 doing because

00:20:39.100 --> 00:20:39.700
 stuff's kind of

00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:40.400
 working out for

00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:40.480
 me.

00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:40.799
 It's all

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.299
 fallen into

00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:41.779
 place.

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.640
 So this

00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:46.200
 challenge must

00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:46.580
 be for the

00:20:46.580 --> 00:20:47.100
 other people.

00:20:51.620 --> 00:20:52.319
 One of the

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.500
 key signs,

00:20:53.500 --> 00:20:55.079
 warning signs

00:20:55.079 --> 00:20:55.519
 that you've

00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:56.259
 wandered across

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.059
 into this

00:20:57.059 --> 00:20:58.099
 false security

00:20:58.099 --> 00:21:01.279
 group is a

00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:02.099
 refusal to

00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:02.960
 hear challenge

00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:03.579
 from God,

00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:06.940
 is a refusal

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:07.559
 to be

00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:08.720
 corrected and

00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:09.299
 rebuked.

00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:10.720
 If you're

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.359
 wondering whether

00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:11.799
 or not you've

00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:12.519
 strayed over into

00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:13.279
 this land,

00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:15.900
 a good clue

00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:16.480
 will be how

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.220
 do you approach

00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:18.319
 hearing God's

00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:18.579
 word?

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.000
 How do you

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:20.480
 approach what

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:20.819
 the Bible

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.319
 says?

00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.120
 As soon as

00:21:22.120 --> 00:21:22.460
 you find

00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:23.180
 yourself tuning

00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:24.720
 out or when

00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.079
 we start

00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:25.640
 applying the

00:21:25.640 --> 00:21:26.140
 Bible, you're

00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:26.519
 sitting there

00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:27.140
 making a note

00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:27.880
 of which people

00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:28.420
 in this room

00:21:28.420 --> 00:21:28.900
 need to hear

00:21:28.900 --> 00:21:29.180
 that?

00:21:33.360 --> 00:21:34.079
 That is a

00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:34.839
 sure sign

00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:36.500
 that you are

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.240
 starting to base

00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:38.160
 your security on

00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:38.720
 something that's

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.160
 not God.

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.120
 You might be

00:21:41.120 --> 00:21:41.819
 still calling it

00:21:41.819 --> 00:21:44.539
 God, but your

00:21:44.539 --> 00:21:46.720
 confidence is

00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:48.620
 now on who

00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:49.639
 you are compared

00:21:49.639 --> 00:21:51.719
 to them, how

00:21:51.719 --> 00:21:52.199
 hard you're

00:21:52.199 --> 00:21:54.859
 working, how

00:21:54.859 --> 00:21:56.299
 good life is as

00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.159
 evidence that God

00:21:57.159 --> 00:21:57.739
 must be happy

00:21:57.739 --> 00:21:58.159
 with you.

00:22:00.439 --> 00:22:01.379
 It's what Israel

00:22:01.379 --> 00:22:01.659
 did.

00:22:03.099 --> 00:22:03.399
 And you know,

00:22:03.459 --> 00:22:04.179
 once they stopped

00:22:04.179 --> 00:22:05.119
 listening to God,

00:22:06.459 --> 00:22:07.479
 once they replaced

00:22:07.479 --> 00:22:08.699
 the real God with

00:22:08.699 --> 00:22:09.519
 their own small

00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:10.459
 unimpressive version

00:22:10.459 --> 00:22:10.959
 of God, it didn't

00:22:10.959 --> 00:22:11.699
 take them long to

00:22:11.699 --> 00:22:12.619
 go the next step and

00:22:12.619 --> 00:22:13.579
 just start worshipping

00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:14.279
 other gods.

00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:16.899
 God shrunk so

00:22:16.899 --> 00:22:17.879
 much for them that

00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:18.740
 these temples that

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:19.480
 they made at

00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:20.700
 first as a means

00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:21.700
 of worshipping the

00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:23.800
 God became houses

00:22:23.800 --> 00:22:24.500
 where they worshipped

00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.200
 any God they could

00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.620
 find.

00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:27.380
 The gods from the

00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:28.040
 countries around

00:22:28.040 --> 00:22:28.300
 them.

00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:30.600
 I mean, it's the

00:22:30.600 --> 00:22:31.940
 logical conclusion.

00:22:33.540 --> 00:22:34.480
 When you start

00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:35.560
 changing God, which

00:22:35.560 --> 00:22:36.060
 is essentially

00:22:36.060 --> 00:22:37.120
 inventing God, you

00:22:37.120 --> 00:22:37.600
 may as well

00:22:37.600 --> 00:22:38.600
 worship any God.

00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:40.340
 They're equally

00:22:40.340 --> 00:22:40.940
 powerless.

00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:45.000
 Now, it sounds

00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:46.140
 disgraceful, or it

00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:46.640
 should sound

00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:47.740
 disgraceful, because

00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:48.240
 it is.

00:22:49.040 --> 00:22:50.259
 That this people

00:22:50.259 --> 00:22:51.460
 who were chosen

00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:52.580
 by God, who were

00:22:52.580 --> 00:22:53.280
 rescued out of

00:22:53.280 --> 00:22:54.240
 slavery, who God

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.240
 has provided for,

00:22:55.520 --> 00:22:56.080
 who God went

00:22:56.080 --> 00:22:56.820
 before to give

00:22:56.820 --> 00:22:57.440
 them this whole

00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.100
 land that they're

00:22:58.100 --> 00:22:58.840
 now living in,

00:22:59.100 --> 00:23:00.120
 could somehow get

00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:01.340
 to the point where

00:23:01.340 --> 00:23:02.640
 they treat God like

00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:03.520
 he's somebody that

00:23:03.520 --> 00:23:04.280
 they can deal

00:23:04.280 --> 00:23:06.480
 with, someone they

00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:07.480
 can handle and

00:23:07.480 --> 00:23:08.259
 control and

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:08.759
 manipulate.

00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:14.339
 But before you

00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:15.759
 shake your head at

00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.559
 them too much,

00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:19.180
 you've got to

00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:19.799
 stop and ask

00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.359
 yourself the

00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:21.799
 question, where

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.539
 am I doing the

00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:23.099
 same thing?

00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:27.480
 Have I started

00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:28.519
 down a path of

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:29.759
 redefining God to

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:30.500
 suit me better?

00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:33.000
 Are there things

00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:33.460
 that would be

00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:35.180
 controversial amongst

00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:36.299
 my friends that I've

00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.440
 decided to reject as

00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:38.299
 well, even though

00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:39.380
 God's Word says

00:23:39.380 --> 00:23:39.559
 it?

00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:41.640
 Are there things

00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.620
 that he's asking me

00:23:42.620 --> 00:23:43.720
 to do in my life

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:44.440
 that I've decided

00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:45.160
 would just be a

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:45.900
 little bit too

00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:46.279
 much?

00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:47.519
 I'll stay in the

00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:48.360
 normal Christian, I

00:23:48.360 --> 00:23:48.960
 don't want to be one

00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:49.620
 of those fanatics

00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:50.059
 categories?

00:23:55.019 --> 00:23:55.759
 Where does your

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.600
 confidence come

00:23:56.600 --> 00:23:56.880
 from?

00:23:58.880 --> 00:23:59.720
 Your confidence

00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:00.480
 that God loves

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:00.680
 you?

00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:03.279
 Is it how hard you

00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:04.360
 work to serve him

00:24:04.360 --> 00:24:05.200
 here at church?

00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:07.220
 Is it how nice you

00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:07.900
 are compared to

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:08.400
 other people?

00:24:09.620 --> 00:24:10.480
 Is it how great

00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:11.400
 life is going right

00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:11.700
 now?

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:16.160
 Or is it what God

00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:19.680
 has said in his

00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:19.960
 Word?

00:24:22.420 --> 00:24:23.539
 See, the scary

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:24.580
 part about this is

00:24:24.580 --> 00:24:25.600
 this false

00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:26.519
 confidence group

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:28.880
 and this insecure

00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:30.400
 group are actually

00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:31.200
 closer than you

00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:31.480
 think.

00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:34.059
 they actually

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:35.019
 have the same

00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.480
 problem.

00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:38.420
 For both

00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:39.019
 groups, the

00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:40.200
 issue is they

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:40.980
 have a wrong

00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:41.980
 view of God.

00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:44.620
 Some people I

00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:45.240
 spoke to who

00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:45.920
 left our church

00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:46.720
 several years ago

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.740
 expressed their

00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:49.079
 frustration that

00:24:49.079 --> 00:24:49.960
 sometimes when we

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.599
 open the Bible,

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:51.900
 they felt scolded

00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:52.680
 or rebuked.

00:24:53.700 --> 00:24:54.240
 And what they

00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:55.019
 wanted was to be

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:55.700
 told that God

00:24:55.700 --> 00:24:57.299
 loved them, which

00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:58.319
 is true and is a

00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:59.079
 good thing to hear.

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.240
 But they

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:03.000
 weren't looking for

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:04.039
 a God to serve

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:04.720
 and a God to

00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:06.079
 obey, they were

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:06.539
 looking for a

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:06.799
 puppy.

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:09.000
 They just wanted

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:10.140
 somebody to get

00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:10.880
 excited when they

00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:11.579
 saw them and make

00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:12.220
 them feel good.

00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:15.180
 And so they

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:15.860
 went looking for a

00:25:15.860 --> 00:25:17.140
 church where their

00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:17.900
 version of God

00:25:17.900 --> 00:25:18.400
 wouldn't be

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:19.839
 challenged and

00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:20.779
 where they

00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:21.620
 themselves wouldn't

00:25:21.620 --> 00:25:22.220
 be challenged.

00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:26.220
 For some people,

00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:27.240
 opening the Bible,

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:28.039
 coming to church

00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:29.640
 is a process of

00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.339
 let's hear what

00:25:30.339 --> 00:25:31.319
 God has to say so

00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:32.059
 I can decide whether

00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:32.519
 or not I want to

00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:32.980
 do this.

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.400
 Let's check if this

00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:36.339
 fits in with how

00:25:36.339 --> 00:25:37.400
 my life's going and

00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:38.279
 what I think is

00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:39.019
 reasonable, what my

00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:39.660
 friends say.

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:41.880
 And if it fits,

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.680
 then I'm on

00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:42.880
 board.

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:47.279
 But the

00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:47.920
 problem with that

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:49.880
 is becoming a

00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:50.240
 Christian,

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:52.480
 following God

00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:54.660
 is the decision

00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:55.900
 to follow God

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.720
 no matter what.

00:25:58.140 --> 00:25:58.620
 You kind of

00:25:58.620 --> 00:25:59.240
 can't take a

00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:00.120
 half step in.

00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:02.480
 That's kind of

00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:02.900
 why the whole

00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:03.559
 idea of normal

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:04.420
 and fanaticals

00:26:04.420 --> 00:26:05.240
 is not

00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:05.720
 particularly

00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:06.120
 helpful.

00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:09.779
 The decision

00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:11.180
 to follow God

00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:12.180
 means that having

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:13.660
 seen who he is,

00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:15.099
 having seen what

00:26:15.099 --> 00:26:16.079
 he has done in

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.059
 sending his son to

00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:18.079
 die in our place,

00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:22.720
 means we open

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.319
 our Bibles

00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:25.799
 and we arrive

00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:26.480
 here at church

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:27.059
 with an attitude

00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:27.599
 of God,

00:26:27.699 --> 00:26:28.279
 I'm in,

00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:28.919
 just tell me

00:26:28.919 --> 00:26:29.179
 what.

00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:31.980
 You say jump,

00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:33.000
 I'll say how

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:33.339
 high.

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.639
 I'm yours,

00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:35.419
 whatever you need,

00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:36.220
 whatever it costs

00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:36.460
 me.

00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:39.139
 God, I know I'm

00:26:39.139 --> 00:26:39.859
 not finished,

00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:40.759
 I know there's

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.599
 work to be done,

00:26:41.699 --> 00:26:42.299
 so just show me

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:42.939
 what it is I need

00:26:42.939 --> 00:26:43.379
 to do,

00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:45.019
 or stop doing,

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:46.220
 or confess.

00:26:46.220 --> 00:26:49.579
 It's the attitude

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.519
 that recognizes

00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:51.480
 that God has

00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.900
 absolute authority,

00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:56.839
 that God owes

00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:57.380
 us nothing.

00:26:58.680 --> 00:26:59.380
 The message of

00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:00.240
 Amos, and in

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:00.819
 fact the whole

00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:02.600
 Bible, is to

00:27:02.600 --> 00:27:02.940
 repent,

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:03.819
 calling us to

00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:04.460
 come back to

00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:05.579
 God as he

00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:06.559
 really is,

00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:07.660
 as he's shown

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.519
 himself to be,

00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:09.420
 in his word,

00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.400
 in Jesus.

00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:13.720
 It's a call to

00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:14.480
 keep listening to

00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:16.039
 him, to keep

00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:16.720
 submitting to

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.180
 him, to

00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:18.700
 keep being

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.440
 directed by

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:19.859
 him, to

00:27:19.859 --> 00:27:20.639
 keep obeying

00:27:20.639 --> 00:27:23.339
 him, because

00:27:23.339 --> 00:27:24.759
 otherwise, all

00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:27.240
 that's left is

00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:27.659
 judgment.

00:27:31.299 --> 00:27:32.279
 Our natural

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:33.240
 tendency, just

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:33.980
 like Israel's

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:34.980
 was, is to

00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:36.480
 overemphasize the

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:37.399
 mercy of God.

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:40.879
 That's the bit

00:27:40.879 --> 00:27:41.619
 that we hear,

00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.200
 that's the bit

00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:43.000
 we take home and

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.940
 remember from the

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.220
 sermon.

00:27:44.220 --> 00:27:46.259
 Even here in

00:27:46.259 --> 00:27:46.960
 chapter 7 that

00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:47.440
 Deborah had out

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.819
 for us, there's

00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:49.900
 two judgments that

00:27:49.900 --> 00:27:50.980
 God pronounces, the

00:27:50.980 --> 00:27:51.700
 locust and the

00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:52.420
 second one, which I

00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:53.019
 don't have in front

00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:53.259
 of me.

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.579
 And after Amos

00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:57.500
 pleads with him for

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.360
 these judgments, God

00:27:58.360 --> 00:27:59.600
 relents, says I

00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:01.000
 won't do it, and

00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:01.600
 he's merciful.

00:28:01.960 --> 00:28:02.600
 And we want to

00:28:02.600 --> 00:28:03.339
 stop there and go,

00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:03.700
 amen.

00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:05.740
 That's the message

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.720
 for tonight, God is

00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:07.100
 merciful.

00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:07.940
 He gets angry,

00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:08.759
 rightfully, fair

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.660
 enough, but he

00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.420
 doesn't follow through,

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.100
 so it's okay,

00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:11.740
 fantastic.

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:12.640
 And God is

00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:14.700
 merciful, but he's

00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:16.299
 not only merciful.

00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:19.900
 And if you find

00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:21.880
 yourself with this

00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:23.559
 kind of tendency to

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.920
 only ever hear, or

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:25.859
 only ever recognize,

00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:27.039
 or only ever engage

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.000
 with God as the one

00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.779
 who will always let

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:30.339
 you off, you need to

00:28:30.339 --> 00:28:32.380
 hear the words, the

00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:33.859
 warning of chapter 7

00:28:33.859 --> 00:28:34.480
 verse 7.

00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:36.460
 Having just

00:28:36.460 --> 00:28:37.480
 relented twice,

00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:40.140
 says, this is what he

00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:40.720
 showed me.

00:28:41.380 --> 00:28:42.100
 The Lord was

00:28:42.100 --> 00:28:43.160
 standing by a wall

00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:44.100
 that had been built

00:28:44.100 --> 00:28:44.880
 true to plumb.

00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:46.840
 With a plumb line in

00:28:46.840 --> 00:28:48.400
 his hand, the Lord

00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:49.220
 asked me, what do you

00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:49.980
 see, Amos?

00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:51.800
 A plumb line, I

00:28:51.800 --> 00:28:52.220
 replied.

00:28:53.120 --> 00:28:53.900
 Then the Lord said,

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.400
 look, I'm setting a

00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:56.440
 plumb line among my

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:57.300
 people Israel.

00:28:59.520 --> 00:29:00.840
 I will spare them

00:29:00.840 --> 00:29:01.680
 no longer.

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:05.640
 I will spare them

00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:06.900
 no longer.

00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:09.660
 The high places of

00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.259
 Isaac will be

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:11.420
 destroyed and the

00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:12.300
 sanctuaries of Israel

00:29:12.300 --> 00:29:12.920
 will be ruined.

00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:14.000
 With my sword, I will

00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:15.200
 rise against the

00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:16.360
 house of Jeroboam.

00:29:17.460 --> 00:29:18.740
 The message to a

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:20.300
 complacent, overconfident

00:29:20.300 --> 00:29:21.460
 Israel, and maybe the

00:29:21.460 --> 00:29:22.780
 message for us, is that

00:29:22.780 --> 00:29:24.340
 mercy has its limits.

00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:29.100
 If you begin to see

00:29:29.100 --> 00:29:30.440
 this merciful God as a

00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:31.519
 blank check who doesn't

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.700
 care about how you live

00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:33.500
 or what you do,

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:36.079
 then the time has

00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:36.440
 come.

00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:40.859
 Here, the time has

00:29:40.859 --> 00:29:42.019
 come for Israel to face

00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:44.059
 its judgment, and

00:29:44.059 --> 00:29:45.000
 eventually the time will

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:46.039
 come for every one of

00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:48.400
 us to face God.

00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:51.460
 For those of you who

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.180
 aren't familiar with

00:29:52.180 --> 00:29:53.380
 building techniques, and

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:54.160
 I need to put my hand up

00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:55.039
 and own that I'm one of

00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:56.500
 those people, I did a

00:29:56.500 --> 00:29:57.359
 very small amount of

00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:58.279
 research to find out

00:29:58.279 --> 00:29:59.220
 what a plumb line is.

00:30:00.099 --> 00:30:01.039
 A plumb line is

00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:02.019
 basically a piece of

00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:03.059
 string with a weight on

00:30:03.059 --> 00:30:03.200
 it.

00:30:03.879 --> 00:30:05.139
 It's used by builders to

00:30:05.139 --> 00:30:06.019
 make sure a wall is

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.039
 upright and straight.

00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:08.879
 The point being, you

00:30:08.879 --> 00:30:09.759
 use it and if the wall is

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.539
 not straight, you either

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.279
 knock it down or you

00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:11.720
 fix it.

00:30:12.679 --> 00:30:14.119
 Clearly the sense here is

00:30:14.119 --> 00:30:14.960
 God is going to

00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:16.799
 measure and he will get

00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:17.799
 rid of anything that

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:18.639
 doesn't measure up.

00:30:20.339 --> 00:30:24.159
 But the measure that he

00:30:24.159 --> 00:30:25.599
 will use is the measure

00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.839
 that he used to build his

00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:27.859
 people in the first place.

00:30:27.919 --> 00:30:28.579
 Did you catch that?

00:30:28.639 --> 00:30:29.879
 The wall has been built

00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:31.180
 true to plumb.

00:30:32.760 --> 00:30:34.160
 The wall has been built

00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:35.880
 on the truth of who

00:30:35.880 --> 00:30:36.700
 God is.

00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:38.880
 Of God's character

00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:40.240
 revealed in the way that

00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:41.400
 he chose them and he

00:30:41.400 --> 00:30:42.260
 rescued them.

00:30:43.040 --> 00:30:44.260
 God's character revealed

00:30:44.260 --> 00:30:45.300
 in the law that he gave

00:30:45.300 --> 00:30:46.140
 to them and the worship

00:30:46.140 --> 00:30:47.180
 that he made possible.

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:49.100
 It's the same standard by

00:30:49.100 --> 00:30:50.840
 which all people ever

00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:52.140
 will be judged.

00:30:53.840 --> 00:30:55.380
 Right worship of God

00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:58.420
 and right justice for

00:30:58.420 --> 00:30:58.880
 one another.

00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:02.060
 The standard which

00:31:02.060 --> 00:31:03.720
 Israel is being held to

00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:05.060
 is are they loving God

00:31:05.060 --> 00:31:05.780
 with all their heart,

00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:06.900
 soul, mind and strength

00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:08.160
 and are they loving their

00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.220
 neighbour as themselves?

00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:12.500
 The question God will

00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:14.860
 ask is, is Israel's

00:31:14.860 --> 00:31:17.920
 worship fitting for a

00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:19.060
 sovereign God who rules

00:31:19.060 --> 00:31:19.600
 over all?

00:31:21.320 --> 00:31:22.860
 And do they seek justice

00:31:22.860 --> 00:31:23.760
 for the poor and

00:31:23.760 --> 00:31:24.140
 oppressed?

00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:24.800
 And the resounding

00:31:24.800 --> 00:31:25.700
 answer in this book

00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:28.600
 so far is no chance.

00:31:30.040 --> 00:31:30.560
 I mean they're

00:31:30.560 --> 00:31:31.440
 worshipping false

00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:31.920
 gods.

00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:33.480
 They're watering down

00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:34.220
 the real God.

00:31:34.380 --> 00:31:35.380
 They're trampling on the

00:31:35.380 --> 00:31:36.360
 poor in the process

00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:37.280
 and worst of all

00:31:37.280 --> 00:31:38.420
 they won't listen to

00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.180
 the warning and the

00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:40.080
 call to repent and

00:31:40.080 --> 00:31:40.680
 come back.

00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:44.720
 And so God's mercy

00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:45.640
 has reached its

00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:46.040
 limits.

00:31:47.080 --> 00:31:48.000
 And he says,

00:31:48.100 --> 00:31:48.840
 I will spare them

00:31:48.840 --> 00:31:49.800
 no longer.

00:31:51.580 --> 00:31:52.380
 Now it's really

00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:53.020
 important that you

00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:53.819
 understand, I'm not

00:31:53.819 --> 00:31:55.720
 saying here that God's

00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:57.139
 mercy has run out.

00:31:58.619 --> 00:32:00.799
 I'm not saying that his

00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:02.259
 allocation of mercy is

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:02.759
 exhausted.

00:32:03.379 --> 00:32:04.359
 I'm not saying that

00:32:04.359 --> 00:32:05.579
 Israel has failed too

00:32:05.579 --> 00:32:06.720
 many times and so

00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:07.680
 they've used up their

00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:08.059
 bit.

00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:11.200
 God's mercy is part of

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:11.980
 who he is.

00:32:12.059 --> 00:32:13.720
 He is the merciful God.

00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:17.200
 So he's the same amount

00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:18.579
 merciful right now that

00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:19.819
 he was before he created

00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:20.319
 the world.

00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:21.900
 He's eternally merciful.

00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:23.039
 He will always be

00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:23.519
 merciful.

00:32:23.940 --> 00:32:25.640
 The issue for Israel

00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.940
 is that once you

00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:28.339
 ignore or reject the

00:32:28.339 --> 00:32:29.380
 mercy that is offered

00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:32.200
 you won't find more.

00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:36.220
 Once you reject the

00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:37.299
 way that he has offered

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:38.440
 mercy and go looking

00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:39.880
 elsewhere you won't

00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:40.460
 find it.

00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:42.920
 It is limited in the

00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:44.220
 sense of where it is,

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.400
 where God has placed

00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:45.559
 it.

00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:47.180
 God has offered mercy

00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:48.500
 to Israel by giving

00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:49.579
 them the law to guide

00:32:49.579 --> 00:32:50.400
 them in how to live.

00:32:51.100 --> 00:32:51.880
 He's offered them

00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:53.059
 mercy by rescuing

00:32:53.059 --> 00:32:53.279
 them.

00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:54.039
 He's offered them

00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:55.600
 mercy by providing for

00:32:55.600 --> 00:32:56.860
 their worship and their

00:32:56.860 --> 00:32:57.779
 religious practice,

00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:58.539
 giving them a

00:32:58.539 --> 00:33:00.140
 sacrificial system so

00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:00.920
 that they might always

00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:02.660
 remember who he is,

00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:04.259
 how holy he is,

00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:06.100
 how serious sin is,

00:33:06.259 --> 00:33:07.819
 how unworthy they are,

00:33:07.819 --> 00:33:08.899
 and most importantly

00:33:08.899 --> 00:33:10.919
 that in spite of all

00:33:10.919 --> 00:33:12.359
 of that he is making

00:33:12.359 --> 00:33:13.519
 a way for them to

00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:14.039
 know him.

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.419
 God has shown the

00:33:17.419 --> 00:33:19.619
 mercy, the mercy of

00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:21.079
 the fact that in spite

00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:22.000
 of their unworthiness

00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:23.700
 he has made a way for

00:33:23.700 --> 00:33:24.599
 them to be his.

00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:27.720
 And so if they reject

00:33:27.720 --> 00:33:29.779
 that, if they pervert

00:33:29.779 --> 00:33:31.179
 that, if they take that

00:33:31.179 --> 00:33:32.939
 gift and just mistreat

00:33:32.939 --> 00:33:33.960
 it and change it,

00:33:34.379 --> 00:33:36.279
 there is nothing else on

00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:36.579
 offer.

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:40.599
 And so all that's

00:33:40.599 --> 00:33:42.279
 left is judgment.

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:47.039
 Do you remember the

00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:47.899
 conversation that I

00:33:47.899 --> 00:33:48.879
 opened with, that I

00:33:48.879 --> 00:33:49.920
 had over my holidays?

00:33:52.399 --> 00:33:54.960
 That tension that we

00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:56.500
 feel about a God who

00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.599
 is loving and the good

00:33:57.599 --> 00:33:58.460
 people we know who

00:33:58.460 --> 00:33:59.259
 might end up in hell?

00:33:59.259 --> 00:34:06.619
 Not one person will

00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:07.660
 end up in hell who

00:34:07.660 --> 00:34:09.219
 hasn't chosen to

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:10.400
 reject the mercy that

00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:11.219
 God has offered them.

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:13.000
 Not one.

00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:14.980
 God is eternally

00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:16.119
 merciful and his

00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:17.139
 mercy is more than

00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:18.519
 sufficient for every

00:34:18.519 --> 00:34:19.320
 person ever.

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:22.480
 So those that end up

00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.480
 facing his judgment

00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:24.500
 will be those that

00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.800
 choose to reject the

00:34:25.800 --> 00:34:26.980
 mercy that he offers.

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:30.199
 The issue for Israel

00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:31.539
 wasn't lack of mercy,

00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.199
 it was that they

00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:33.480
 rejected the mercy God

00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:34.460
 had provided in his

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:35.679
 law and in the

00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:36.699
 sacrificial system.

00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:38.980
 And so all that was

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:40.219
 left for them was

00:34:40.219 --> 00:34:40.599
 judgment.

00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:43.699
 Remember these two

00:34:43.699 --> 00:34:44.780
 groups here.

00:34:44.860 --> 00:34:46.000
 If you're over here in

00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:47.320
 this secure in God

00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:48.820
 category, I want to say

00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:49.260
 that's something to

00:34:49.260 --> 00:34:50.079
 thank God for.

00:34:50.360 --> 00:34:51.240
 That's a good thing.

00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:52.360
 And I hope you're

00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:53.059
 encouraged to be

00:34:53.059 --> 00:34:53.940
 reminded tonight by

00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:55.579
 just how merciful your

00:34:55.579 --> 00:34:57.059
 God is, but I think a

00:34:57.059 --> 00:34:57.960
 whole bunch of us live

00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.799
 in this middle group.

00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:00.840
 We'd love to be over

00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:03.299
 here, but on bad days

00:35:03.299 --> 00:35:04.400
 we just kind of think,

00:35:04.579 --> 00:35:05.739
 does God actually love

00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:05.900
 me?

00:35:07.719 --> 00:35:08.799
 Maybe you're starting to

00:35:08.799 --> 00:35:09.900
 recognize tonight that

00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:11.079
 you're even over in this

00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:11.380
 group.

00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:14.940
 The issues for the

00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:16.599
 overconfident group and

00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:17.679
 the insecure group are

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.559
 essentially the same.

00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:21.739
 It's your view of God.

00:35:21.739 --> 00:35:24.959
 The overconfident group

00:35:24.959 --> 00:35:26.699
 gets apathetic in their

00:35:26.699 --> 00:35:27.459
 following Jesus.

00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:28.819
 That's Israel.

00:35:30.259 --> 00:35:32.039
 They don't care about

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.879
 anything other than

00:35:32.879 --> 00:35:33.959
 ticking the box of going

00:35:33.959 --> 00:35:35.599
 to church because God's

00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.299
 going to forgive them

00:35:36.299 --> 00:35:36.699
 anyway.

00:35:37.439 --> 00:35:38.399
 They've got him over a

00:35:38.399 --> 00:35:38.659
 barrel.

00:35:38.779 --> 00:35:39.819
 They've ticked their bit.

00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:41.099
 He has to show them

00:35:41.099 --> 00:35:41.479
 mercy.

00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:43.119
 It's what we sometimes

00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:44.219
 call cheap grace.

00:35:45.759 --> 00:35:46.919
 Where all you know about

00:35:46.919 --> 00:35:48.139
 God is that he has to

00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:48.839
 love you and say, you

00:35:48.839 --> 00:35:49.379
 can just do whatever you

00:35:49.379 --> 00:35:49.519
 want.

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:53.000
 But that's not the whole

00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:53.800
 picture with God.

00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:55.159
 Yes, God is merciful, but

00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:56.039
 God is just.

00:35:58.239 --> 00:35:59.380
 Now for the insecure

00:35:59.380 --> 00:36:02.900
 group, our issue is that

00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:04.759
 we look at God and we get

00:36:04.759 --> 00:36:05.820
 concerned that God's like

00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.219
 us.

00:36:07.259 --> 00:36:08.719
 So his mercy is like our

00:36:08.719 --> 00:36:10.500
 mercy, which means it

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:12.000
 might disappear if we push

00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:12.699
 him too hard.

00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:15.239
 We get concerned that he's

00:36:15.239 --> 00:36:16.840
 going to get angry and his

00:36:16.840 --> 00:36:18.380
 anger is going to ride over

00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:20.460
 the top of his mercy, that

00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:21.119
 we might do something

00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:22.480
 that's just unforgivable.

00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:25.619
 And so we serve and we go

00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:26.960
 to church and we be nice to

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:28.460
 people, but it is driven by

00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:30.460
 this weight of guilt and fear

00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:32.000
 that if I don't, God won't

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:32.720
 love me anymore.

00:36:37.460 --> 00:36:39.740
 But that's not who God has

00:36:39.740 --> 00:36:41.240
 revealed himself to be either.

00:36:41.239 --> 00:36:44.579
 God has shown us time and time

00:36:44.579 --> 00:36:46.659
 again in Scripture, in history

00:36:46.659 --> 00:36:48.679
 and most importantly in his son

00:36:48.679 --> 00:36:51.559
 Jesus, that he is patient, he is

00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:54.479
 merciful, he is just, he will not

00:36:54.479 --> 00:36:56.239
 let the guilty go unpunished and

00:36:56.239 --> 00:36:58.000
 that he owes us nothing.

00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:03.739
 That we have no entitlement to his

00:37:03.739 --> 00:37:04.159
 mercy.

00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:08.579
 And yet he chooses to offer it

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:09.159
 anyway.

00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:13.960
 What we find in the Scripture as

00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:16.239
 we go through is that he chooses

00:37:16.239 --> 00:37:18.579
 to send Jesus to die in our place

00:37:18.579 --> 00:37:21.059
 even though it's us who deserve

00:37:21.059 --> 00:37:21.840
 that punishment.

00:37:23.079 --> 00:37:25.019
 Even though it's us who mistreat

00:37:25.019 --> 00:37:25.480
 God.

00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:27.340
 Even though it's us who mistreat

00:37:27.340 --> 00:37:27.900
 one another.

00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:29.320
 Even though it's us who live

00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:30.500
 like we're the center of the

00:37:30.500 --> 00:37:30.860
 universe.

00:37:31.780 --> 00:37:33.760
 God chooses to intervene and

00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:36.140
 offer mercy to people like us.

00:37:37.600 --> 00:37:40.100
 He chooses to take the punishment

00:37:40.100 --> 00:37:41.600
 that makes it possible for

00:37:41.600 --> 00:37:43.400
 unworthy people like you and me

00:37:43.400 --> 00:37:47.460
 to not just know him, but to call

00:37:47.460 --> 00:37:48.400
 him father.

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:52.360
 To be brought into his family.

00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:57.300
 It is not possible to find

00:37:57.300 --> 00:38:00.740
 security in your attempts to follow

00:38:00.740 --> 00:38:01.539
 and serve God.

00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:05.740
 It might work for a little while,

00:38:06.620 --> 00:38:08.539
 but all it will take is one bad

00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:08.880
 week.

00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:11.780
 One lapse in concentration and

00:38:11.780 --> 00:38:13.019
 character and suddenly you've done

00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:14.120
 something you know is not good

00:38:14.120 --> 00:38:15.300
 enough and you're trapped back in

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:16.340
 insecurity and fear.

00:38:18.019 --> 00:38:20.180
 It is not possible to find security

00:38:20.179 --> 00:38:21.619
 in your circumstance.

00:38:25.619 --> 00:38:27.579
 Because circumstances change quickly

00:38:27.579 --> 00:38:27.919
 too.

00:38:32.299 --> 00:38:34.539
 The only security you will find when

00:38:34.539 --> 00:38:36.440
 it comes to the judgment of God is

00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:38.259
 found in God himself.

00:38:38.619 --> 00:38:40.940
 Because his mercy and his love are not

00:38:40.940 --> 00:38:41.779
 based on you.

00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:43.619
 They're based in him.

00:38:43.619 --> 00:38:45.319
 They're who he is and they are

00:38:45.319 --> 00:38:47.759
 demonstrated concretely and visibly

00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:50.180
 in what Jesus does on the cross.

00:38:51.740 --> 00:38:53.680
 On the cross the punishment that you

00:38:53.680 --> 00:38:55.280
 deserve is poured out on him

00:38:55.280 --> 00:38:57.900
 completely and satisfied fully.

00:38:58.840 --> 00:39:00.780
 And so because of Jesus you can stand

00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:02.800
 as somebody who is unworthy and know

00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:04.980
 that God's love for you will never be

00:39:04.980 --> 00:39:05.540
 turned away.

00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:10.420
 If you accept the mercy that God offers

00:39:10.420 --> 00:39:13.820
 when he says come to me, if you go to

00:39:13.820 --> 00:39:18.000
 Jesus looking for forgiveness, the answer

00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:21.039
 is always irreversibly unconditionally

00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:21.759
 yes.

00:39:23.279 --> 00:39:25.259
 In those moments where you wonder does

00:39:25.259 --> 00:39:26.659
 God still love me?

00:39:26.840 --> 00:39:29.400
 What Jesus does is prove to you that God

00:39:29.400 --> 00:39:32.179
 has given you the most costly thing he

00:39:32.179 --> 00:39:32.639
 could.

00:39:33.819 --> 00:39:36.460
 His perfect and only son.

00:39:37.859 --> 00:39:39.579
 And he did it when you were at your

00:39:39.579 --> 00:39:40.079
 worst.

00:39:41.339 --> 00:39:43.079
 He did it knowing everything that would

00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:44.960
 come after that point and he still

00:39:44.960 --> 00:39:45.960
 chose to do it.

00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:47.699
 Which means you can stand in your

00:39:47.699 --> 00:39:50.639
 imperfection and failure as somebody

00:39:50.639 --> 00:39:52.339
 confident that God loves you.

00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:55.159
 Not because of you, because of him.

00:39:57.859 --> 00:40:00.019
 That is the call to let go of the

00:40:00.019 --> 00:40:02.039
 things that we are placing our trust in.

00:40:02.039 --> 00:40:03.719
 To let go of the things that we reach

00:40:03.719 --> 00:40:05.239
 out to when we're feeling uncomfortable

00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:07.539
 and to come back to God as he has

00:40:07.539 --> 00:40:08.519
 revealed himself.

00:40:09.880 --> 00:40:12.079
 To come back to the cross and understand

00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:14.840
 that there we will be released to love

00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:16.940
 God and to love people not out of guilt,

00:40:17.219 --> 00:40:20.820
 not out of fear, but out of the security

00:40:20.820 --> 00:40:24.380
 and peace and hope of being the precious

00:40:24.380 --> 00:40:27.079
 sons and daughters of a heavenly father

00:40:27.079 --> 00:40:32.539
 who is merciful and just and sovereign and

00:40:32.539 --> 00:40:33.159
 powerful.

00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:41.539
 God's mercy is only limited in the sense of

00:40:41.539 --> 00:40:43.019
 where you can find it.

00:40:43.019 --> 00:40:45.019
 God's mercy is only limited in the sense of

00:40:45.019 --> 00:40:45.280
 God.

00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:47.739
 So long as you have breath in your lungs,

00:40:48.219 --> 00:40:52.059
 if you ask God to forgive you, he will do it.

00:40:55.199 --> 00:40:57.980
 If you ask him to show you the peace and

00:40:57.980 --> 00:41:02.059
 hope and joy and freedom of being irreversibly,

00:41:02.219 --> 00:41:04.800
 unconditionally and eternally loved by him,

00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:09.019
 then today you will experience that.

00:41:11.660 --> 00:41:13.820
 Right now we're about to share in a meal

00:41:13.820 --> 00:41:15.200
 called the Lord's Supper.

00:41:16.160 --> 00:41:18.280
 This is a meal that Jesus gave to his

00:41:18.280 --> 00:41:19.860
 disciples just before he died.

00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:23.280
 It's a meal that he gave to his disciples

00:41:23.280 --> 00:41:27.500
 and for us as a means of drawing us back

00:41:27.500 --> 00:41:29.440
 to what he had done.

00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:31.960
 Drawing us back to the foundation that enables

00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:35.059
 us to stand before a holy God, a God who

00:41:35.059 --> 00:41:39.280
 will judge confident, not because of us,

00:41:39.340 --> 00:41:41.139
 but because of the body that was broken

00:41:41.139 --> 00:41:43.139
 for us, because of the blood that was

00:41:43.139 --> 00:41:44.019
 shed for us.

00:41:45.940 --> 00:41:47.960
 And so as we get ready to share in this

00:41:47.960 --> 00:41:49.039
 meal, I want to challenge you.

00:41:49.099 --> 00:41:50.519
 Don't just go through the motions like,

00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:52.340
 you know, we do this, pass it on, next,

00:41:52.480 --> 00:41:52.679
 what?

00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:56.740
 If you are somebody who lives in this space

00:41:56.740 --> 00:41:58.860
 of insecurity, I want to invite you to hand

00:41:58.860 --> 00:42:00.000
 it over to God tonight.

00:42:01.960 --> 00:42:04.920
 I want to invite you to recognize that the

00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:07.000
 reason you're insecure is because you're

00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:09.019
 trying to trust your version of God.

00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:11.099
 But the real God is here.

00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:15.199
 The real God is in what Jesus has done.

00:42:15.659 --> 00:42:17.380
 And if you stand there, you don't have to

00:42:17.380 --> 00:42:17.619
 fear.

00:42:18.000 --> 00:42:19.079
 You don't have to wonder.

00:42:19.199 --> 00:42:19.820
 You can know.

00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:23.440
 And if you're over here and recognizing for

00:42:23.440 --> 00:42:25.559
 the first time tonight that God's not okay

00:42:25.559 --> 00:42:27.720
 with a blank check and you just get to do

00:42:27.720 --> 00:42:28.460
 whatever you want,

00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:35.380
 tonight is your chance to be forever accepted

00:42:35.380 --> 00:42:35.960
 by God.

00:42:37.260 --> 00:42:39.659
 Tonight is your chance to be welcomed into the

00:42:39.659 --> 00:42:40.039
 family.

00:42:40.400 --> 00:42:42.280
 Tonight is your chance to recognize that the

00:42:42.280 --> 00:42:45.579
 call to sacrifice, to serve for God, to give

00:42:45.579 --> 00:42:47.980
 for God, to love other people for God is

00:42:47.980 --> 00:42:49.280
 actually a blessing.

00:42:49.880 --> 00:42:50.820
 It's not a burden.

00:42:50.940 --> 00:42:52.699
 It's not a standard you've got to meet up to.

00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:57.500
 The plumb line, the measure that God demands is

00:42:57.500 --> 00:42:58.119
 perfection.

00:43:00.619 --> 00:43:04.419
 And this bread and this juice is symbolic that

00:43:04.419 --> 00:43:06.359
 Jesus meets that standard for us.

00:43:08.179 --> 00:43:10.739
 Whenever you wonder whether or not God loves

00:43:10.739 --> 00:43:15.859
 you, all you need do is look at the perfect

00:43:15.859 --> 00:43:21.699
 Savior who died in your place and know that now the

00:43:21.699 --> 00:43:25.399
 words of approval reserved for Jesus are available

00:43:25.399 --> 00:43:25.939
 to you.

00:43:28.500 --> 00:43:31.119
 The words that God speaks when Jesus is baptized,

00:43:31.460 --> 00:43:34.199
 this is my son whom I love, with him I am well

00:43:34.199 --> 00:43:39.439
 pleased, are now yours if you accept the mercy that

00:43:39.439 --> 00:43:42.919
 God offers in his son and only in his son.

00:43:44.579 --> 00:43:47.199
 I want to invite the helpers who are going to bring

00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:48.759
 this round, but I want to encourage you, hold on to

00:43:48.759 --> 00:43:49.559
 these two things.

00:43:49.559 --> 00:43:52.400
 Because we're going to eat and drink them together.

00:43:54.460 --> 00:43:57.860
 But if you're not a Christian, when you get this

00:43:57.860 --> 00:44:00.159
 bread and this juice, you might not know what this is

00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:01.139
 about, how it works.

00:44:01.440 --> 00:44:03.239
 I want you to grab them anyway because this is your

00:44:03.239 --> 00:44:06.380
 chance to actually accept the mercy that God offers in

00:44:06.380 --> 00:44:06.639
 Jesus.

00:44:07.480 --> 00:44:10.279
 This is your chance to go from not sure to secure.

00:44:10.280 --> 00:44:15.420
 And if you're someone who's following Jesus, this is your

00:44:15.420 --> 00:44:19.620
 chance to come back again to the immovable foundation that

00:44:19.620 --> 00:44:20.860
 God offers us in Jesus.

00:44:20.860 --> 00:44:22.800
 And if you're not a Nope Salesman, you can put

00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:23.940
 out of that for me.

00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:27.300
 And if you four days before him, you want to

00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:38.320
 London again and then Drop it in space and

00:44:38.320 --> 00:44:38.559
 use them access to him.

00:44:39.059 --> 00:44:41.360
 And put the Devil in, then password down in life.

00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:43.019
 And you can certainly hold on your help right now.

00:44:43.019 --> 00:44:43.760
 And it's never for me, or for you life.

00:44:43.760 --> 00:44:44.460
 And we would say through this, because there is a

00:44:44.460 --> 00:44:45.579
 long switch coming back, and you're not a

00:44:45.579 --> 00:44:47.120
 thing coming back, but they've been

00:44:47.120 --> 00:44:47.500
 by the way.