WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.360 Now, can you turn with me again in your Bibles, this time to the book of Numbers? 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:08.620 We're going to be in Numbers chapter 6. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:16.359 In a little section headed in our Bibles, the priestly blessing. 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:22.320 If you've been to baptisms before, you may very well have heard these words 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:29.000 being spoken by a minister over a person being baptized. 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:33.659 So I want to spend a few minutes thinking about them together this evening. 00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:37.179 So Numbers chapter 6 and at verse 22. 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:47.019 The Lord said to Moses, tell Aaron and his sons, this is how you are to bless the Israelites. 00:00:47.760 --> 00:00:52.120 Say to them, the Lord bless you and keep you. 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:58.079 The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:03.899 The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace. 00:01:04.420 --> 00:01:11.519 So they will put my name on the Israelites and I will bless them. 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:13.120 Amen. 00:01:13.259 --> 00:01:13.920 Lovely words. 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:15.539 So we're here this evening. 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:20.840 Most of us are here this evening to witness the baptism of Emily Allison. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:24.939 It's wonderful to have so many people here gathered for that occasion. 00:01:24.939 --> 00:01:32.060 It is, as always, a time of joy, a time of people coming together to support the family 00:01:32.060 --> 00:01:34.420 and to share in their happiness. 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:40.799 For us, as a church, we get to formally welcome Emily into our church family. 00:01:40.939 --> 00:01:45.420 Having had Stephen and Tizzy with us for a number of years, it's a chance for us to pray 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:52.280 for them and to continue to pray for them and to commit as a church to doing that. 00:01:52.280 --> 00:02:02.159 But as they begin family life with its unknowns, these are wonderful words of promise from God. 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:05.700 Here is God promising his blessing. 00:02:05.859 --> 00:02:11.280 Here is God committing himself to being for his people. 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:17.780 And we're going to think about what that means for the people then and what it means for ourselves today. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:26.159 But one thing as we begin that becomes very clear is that this little passage reminds us of the generosity of God. 00:02:26.780 --> 00:02:32.280 As we read, you'll have noticed that word that kept repeating the word bless. 00:02:32.460 --> 00:02:34.639 Comes up, first of all, in verse 23. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:39.860 Tell Aaron and his sons, this is how you are to bless the Israelites. 00:02:39.979 --> 00:02:45.699 And that's one of those kind of churchy words, but it's also something that we hear on the streets. 00:02:45.699 --> 00:02:46.479 What does it mean? 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:55.219 Well, it's much more than simply God bless you, which we hear quite a lot, which can simply mean, well, I wish you well. 00:02:56.439 --> 00:02:58.139 One writer puts it this way. 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:07.819 God's blessing is the effective movement of sovereign grace from heaven to earth. 00:03:07.819 --> 00:03:10.900 So the picture here is of God as king. 00:03:11.459 --> 00:03:16.979 And God as king who loves and who wants to give out of his kindness, out of his generosity. 00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:25.879 And so there's this demonstration of that as he pours gifts down on us here on the earth. 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:34.400 When God blesses, it's a deliberate act of his kindness, which has specific advantages then for his people. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.480 And this ties in with the message of the Bible. 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:46.420 One of Jesus' half-brothers by the name of James tells us in the New Testament that every good and every perfect gift comes from God. 00:03:46.580 --> 00:03:48.340 And God is unchanging. 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:55.300 So the good things that we enjoy today, whoever we are, wherever we come from, are a gift from God. 00:03:55.300 --> 00:04:03.620 So we can think specifically this evening, the gift of life and family and friendship and health and community and work and good food. 00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:12.360 All of these are good gifts from God for us to enjoy, for us to return thanks to God for. 00:04:13.540 --> 00:04:19.879 Now, also interesting in this little section is why does the promise of blessing come? 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:21.300 Look at verse 22. 00:04:21.300 --> 00:04:21.840 Verse 22. 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:24.699 Who begins the conversation? 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:26.620 Who takes the initiative? 00:04:26.819 --> 00:04:29.900 What we have is the Lord said to Moses. 00:04:30.540 --> 00:04:35.420 This isn't God's people praying, God bless me, God shower your kindness on me. 00:04:35.420 --> 00:04:43.360 Here's God taking the initiative and promising, committing himself to be for the good of his people. 00:04:44.460 --> 00:04:48.759 So that even though it's the priests that speak, it's Aaron and his sons and their priests, 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:51.120 they're speaking as God's representatives. 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:54.899 They're speaking God's words, promising God's blessing. 00:04:55.019 --> 00:04:55.839 And that's clear. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:58.339 Verse 24, verse 25, verse 26. 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:02.459 The Lord is the one who blesses. 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:06.480 When does this promise come? 00:05:06.939 --> 00:05:07.719 In history. 00:05:08.459 --> 00:05:11.659 Comes at a really important time for God's people, Israel. 00:05:12.420 --> 00:05:13.219 Because here they are. 00:05:13.220 --> 00:05:18.380 If you know the story of Moses and the Exodus, they've been set free from slavery. 00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:23.660 But now they find themselves in the wilderness, but they're told to move on. 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:27.360 They're told to go on a journey towards the land that God had promised. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.800 But that brings with it certain uncertainties. 00:05:31.960 --> 00:05:33.900 Challenges that they don't know about. 00:05:34.260 --> 00:05:41.320 And so here is a promise to them that God would be with them and for them. 00:05:41.319 --> 00:05:47.839 It's important too to notice who does this promise come to. 00:05:48.459 --> 00:05:49.860 Again, verse 23. 00:05:50.939 --> 00:05:53.259 This is how you are to bless the Israelites. 00:05:53.379 --> 00:05:57.600 So this is words from God for the whole community of faith. 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:02.800 But at the same time, in verse 24 and verse 25 and verse 26, 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:04.519 you see the Lord bless you. 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:06.459 And that's you singular. 00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:12.319 So here is a word for the community, but it's for the individuals in that community. 00:06:12.459 --> 00:06:16.159 This isn't a group of faceless individuals who are lost in a crowd. 00:06:16.299 --> 00:06:23.319 Here is God personally promising to bless the people who put their faith in him. 00:06:23.359 --> 00:06:29.079 Which is why it's very appropriate for us to use these words at times like a baptism. 00:06:29.079 --> 00:06:36.519 Now one particular way this generosity is shown that I want us to notice is in verse 27. 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:39.039 Verse 27. 00:06:40.159 --> 00:06:45.899 So they will put my name on the Israelites and I will bless them. 00:06:45.919 --> 00:06:50.459 Now there's two ways to think about this picture of God's name being put on his people. 00:06:50.860 --> 00:06:54.240 First of all, we can think about God placing a stamp of ownership saying, 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:59.180 these are my people, they belong to me, they're my treasured possession. 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:04.139 And we can think about it in that way, but we can also think about it in this way. 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:08.160 Here is God saying, I'm going to be a father to these people. 00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:10.620 Here is language of adoption. 00:07:10.740 --> 00:07:15.379 I'm going to bring them into my family so I might love and take care of them. 00:07:15.379 --> 00:07:22.759 They have my family name on them, so I'm committing myself to be for them. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:31.040 When we think about Emily, she's under the love and care of Stephen and Tizzy. 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:40.439 She has the family name Allison on her with all the promises, all the protection that comes with that. 00:07:41.060 --> 00:07:52.960 And here is God's generous gift that he is willing to become father to us, to adopt us, to love us. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:08:00.939 He gives his son Jesus to be our savior so that we might know God as our father in heaven. 00:08:00.939 --> 00:08:10.879 The one who promises to be with us and for us on our journey of life with all the uncertainty that that might bring with it. 00:08:11.659 --> 00:08:15.699 So we see the generosity of God really clearly here. 00:08:15.699 --> 00:08:20.199 It was good news then and it continues to be good news now. 00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:25.659 But let's think specifically about the words of the blessing. 00:08:25.819 --> 00:08:31.560 Let's think first of all in verse 24 about the care of God. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.139 There are in this blessing three lines. 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:37.559 There are two statements about God in each. 00:08:37.620 --> 00:08:40.600 And the second adds more detail to the first. 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:45.940 So we think about the first line, it says, the Lord bless you and keep you. 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:54.540 In other words, one way that the Lord will bless his people is by keeping them, is by caring for them, is by protecting them. 00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:57.180 This was, again, great news for Israel. 00:08:57.179 --> 00:09:03.500 Because they'd seen how God had acted in their past to set them free from King Pharaoh. 00:09:04.459 --> 00:09:09.879 They had received God's kindness while they were in the desert and they didn't have food to eat. 00:09:09.979 --> 00:09:10.699 God provided. 00:09:10.839 --> 00:09:13.019 When they didn't have water to drink, God provided. 00:09:13.439 --> 00:09:18.159 Here is God saying, I'm not about to stop caring for you now. 00:09:18.599 --> 00:09:20.959 He will keep them. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:27.040 As they move into unknown territory, God would go ahead of them. 00:09:28.259 --> 00:09:37.460 So while when we think about blessing, it can apply to lots of things in the material world, like good crops and a home and a family and all of those things. 00:09:38.100 --> 00:09:42.440 Fundamental to it is God saying, I am with you. 00:09:42.560 --> 00:09:44.000 I will defend you. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:46.500 And I will take care of you. 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:53.759 And I think instinctively, there are times when we appreciate that as being good news. 00:09:54.379 --> 00:10:01.559 Maybe you remember from your own childhoods or perhaps you know the experience as a parent. 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:08.139 The time when a child has something to do that they think is maybe a little bit scary, a little bit difficult. 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:10.340 Going somewhere that they don't know. 00:10:10.460 --> 00:10:11.659 They've never been there before. 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:12.820 Especially if it's a young child. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:13.500 What's their instinct? 00:10:13.500 --> 00:10:18.259 It's to reach out for the hand of mom and dad. 00:10:19.500 --> 00:10:23.159 Well, even more amazing and comforting is this. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:29.100 The God of the universe is here committing to walk with his people. 00:10:29.539 --> 00:10:34.620 To hold us in his hands if we will put our trust in him. 00:10:34.620 --> 00:10:43.940 When Jesus came into the world, he spoke to his disciples' fears by saying, I am with you. 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:50.259 Jesus, fully man, fully God, said, I am with you. 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:53.620 I will never leave you. 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:58.379 He spoke peace to their fears by saying, I'm here. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.240 And I'm mighty to save and to help. 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:12.560 When we think about the story of Jesus, we recognize that he is the one who was willing to face the cross alone. 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:22.519 Jesus walked willingly to a place of pain and loneliness and judgment for sin to become a savior for us. 00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:29.899 He was the one who, in that moment, was not kept, as it were, so that we might always be. 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:38.600 And so the cross is good news for us and it gives us hope as we see the extent of the care of God for us. 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:47.519 In verse 25, as we move to the next line of this blessing, we see something still more remarkable. 00:11:47.800 --> 00:11:52.639 We are introduced to the smile of God. 00:11:53.659 --> 00:11:59.980 The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:04.139 Now we know the expression, don't we, in English, that when somebody's face lights up, 00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:09.299 when the person that they love and delight in walks in the room, maybe somebody you haven't seen for a while, 00:12:09.699 --> 00:12:14.779 family in another country, and they come back home, your face lights up. 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:16.299 We know that. 00:12:16.819 --> 00:12:22.179 Maybe that's one of the best bits about being a dad to babies and young children. 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:25.080 You can be out for the day, a hard day at work. 00:12:25.139 --> 00:12:27.139 As soon as you walk in, you get the smile. 00:12:27.299 --> 00:12:28.980 Poor mums put all the graft in. 00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:30.919 They don't always get that response. 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:34.019 But that's because we're so busy being away all the time. 00:12:34.219 --> 00:12:39.819 But we know what it means when somebody's face lights up, when somebody is beaming, 00:12:39.939 --> 00:12:43.459 when somebody is glowing, because there is joy, there is happiness, there is delight. 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:50.059 And here is what the Bible is saying to us, that the Lord delights in his people. 00:12:51.459 --> 00:12:56.699 The Lord, the personal God, the powerful God, the perfect God, 00:12:56.700 --> 00:13:05.500 the God who makes promises, the one who made the universe, delights in and loves his people. 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:11.280 One Bible writer by the name of Terence Fretheim, he says this, 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:18.379 it's amazing grace to see God's face glowing, not glaring. 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:23.419 And when we stop and think about it for a minute, that makes sense, 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:28.240 because when we take a look in the mirror, when we think about our own lives, 00:13:28.299 --> 00:13:32.019 perhaps we'll begin to think, well, how is it that a perfect God, 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:38.659 that a truly wonderful God could love and delight in people like this, 00:13:38.740 --> 00:13:41.039 people in Israel's story, people like me? 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:45.740 If you know anything of Israel's story, what you'll discover is, 00:13:46.219 --> 00:13:51.799 there are people who seem determined to grumble at every corner. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:57.659 Their life is marked by unbelief and disobedience. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:02.439 That when Moses, their leader, goes away for a number of weeks to speak with God, 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:09.719 they decide to craft for themselves a golden calf that they can worship as a false god. 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:15.879 God, it's this people that God is saying he delights in. 00:14:16.300 --> 00:14:17.740 And we need to ask, how is that possible? 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:25.560 And if you know your own heart, maybe you recognize that their story is not so far different from our own. 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:28.820 That when we compare ourselves to others, 00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:33.320 now we can maybe feel that we're doing okay and God might accept us, 00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:36.279 but when we consider God's perfect standard, 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:40.899 when he says that we are to love with all our heart and soul and mind and strength 00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:43.740 and to love our neighbor the way that we love ourselves, 00:14:45.079 --> 00:14:50.519 then perhaps we begin to see that it should be God's glaring face, 00:14:50.839 --> 00:14:54.459 not his glowing face that we experience. 00:14:54.539 --> 00:14:56.620 So how is that possible? 00:14:57.399 --> 00:15:00.220 How can we know God delighting in us? 00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:02.279 Well, we need to keep looking at verse 25. 00:15:03.220 --> 00:15:06.360 We need to see God's grace. 00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:12.940 The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 00:15:13.300 --> 00:15:17.300 May God extend undeserved kindness to you. 00:15:19.060 --> 00:15:20.379 Now, let's just stop for a moment. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:22.700 Who speaks this blessing? 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:27.740 In verse 23, we were told this message from God comes from Aaron. 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:34.779 Aaron is the one who made the golden calf idol that the people worship. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:39.620 He is the one who is responsible for helping to turn the people away 00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:41.220 from worshiping the true God. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:43.899 So Aaron, as he speaks this word of grace, 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:48.720 is one who knows from firsthand experience the mercy 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:53.419 and the forgiveness of God which he knows he didn't deserve. 00:15:53.419 --> 00:16:02.179 Grumbling, complaining, disbelieving, false worshipers 00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:08.479 can only know God's gracious smile because of Jesus. 00:16:09.799 --> 00:16:12.360 When we read about Jesus' baptism, 00:16:12.819 --> 00:16:17.000 maybe you remember the words that God the Father spoke from heaven. 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:19.860 He said, this is my son whom I love. 00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:22.060 God delighted in Jesus. 00:16:22.220 --> 00:16:24.820 God's smile was on Jesus. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:27.379 But at his day, 00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:30.680 as Jesus becomes our substitute, 00:16:30.940 --> 00:16:32.340 bearing our sin and guilt, 00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:35.960 as Jesus becomes that sacrifice to pay for our sin 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:37.159 and to set us free, 00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:39.800 this beloved son cries out, 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:42.019 my God, my God, 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:44.840 why have you abandoned me? 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:49.360 He loses that sense of the smile of God 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:51.700 so that by faith in Jesus, 00:16:51.820 --> 00:16:53.000 we could know it forever. 00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:55.899 That by faith in Jesus, 00:16:56.120 --> 00:16:58.720 we can know that God delights in us 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:03.060 because we are in Christ Jesus. 00:17:04.180 --> 00:17:06.220 The last thing to notice 00:17:06.220 --> 00:17:09.340 about this wonderful blessing, 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:12.199 so we've seen God's care, 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.740 we've seen God's delight, 00:17:13.859 --> 00:17:16.000 we also see in verse 26, 00:17:16.159 --> 00:17:18.579 the peace of God. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.199 The Lord turn his face towards you 00:17:23.199 --> 00:17:25.559 and give you peace. 00:17:26.959 --> 00:17:31.399 It's said that we live in the age of distraction. 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:36.400 I guess especially with our smartphones, 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:38.820 that's perhaps especially true. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:40.980 One thing about children 00:17:40.980 --> 00:17:43.620 is that they can spot it a mile off 00:17:43.620 --> 00:17:46.920 when their parents are distracted, 00:17:47.560 --> 00:17:49.240 when their thoughts are elsewhere 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:52.160 or their attention is elsewhere. 00:17:52.800 --> 00:17:53.340 And sometimes, 00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:54.900 and maybe you've had this experience, 00:17:55.040 --> 00:17:57.560 sometimes children will literally grab your face 00:17:57.560 --> 00:17:58.800 and turn it towards them 00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:01.839 so that they can share their big news. 00:18:02.579 --> 00:18:04.759 Now here's a wonderful promise of blessing 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:06.919 from God as Father, 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:07.839 and it's this. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:10.779 He is not like us. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:14.059 He is not like human fathers 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.859 when we're too distracted 00:18:15.859 --> 00:18:17.399 to pay attention to our kids, 00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.519 where we're kind of listening, 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:19.659 but kind of elsewhere. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:21.700 He's not like that. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:23.919 He doesn't get distracted. 00:18:24.339 --> 00:18:26.099 He's never absent-minded. 00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:27.700 He's never too busy. 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:31.240 He is always fully committed to His people, 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:34.279 both as a community of faith 00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:36.440 and as individuals. 00:18:37.840 --> 00:18:41.840 There's a sense of wonderful mystery about that, 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:43.360 that God can make this promise 00:18:43.360 --> 00:18:44.480 to the whole community. 00:18:44.580 --> 00:18:47.220 Let's say there's maybe a million or so people 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:49.440 in the nation of Israel at that time, 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:51.039 and God can say to each of them, 00:18:51.299 --> 00:18:53.279 I will turn my face towards you, 00:18:53.340 --> 00:18:54.660 and I will hear your prayers, 00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:55.860 and I will pay attention, 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:59.080 and I will respond in just the right way 00:18:59.080 --> 00:19:00.240 to each one. 00:19:00.320 --> 00:19:03.620 No individual will get lost in the crowd. 00:19:04.120 --> 00:19:05.960 And that's an amazing thing for us to think of. 00:19:06.040 --> 00:19:08.060 I'm not a multitasker, 00:19:08.080 --> 00:19:10.580 and I don't understand how that works, 00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:13.320 but that is reality. 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:16.180 So it's true for every Christian believer 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:16.759 in the whole world. 00:19:16.840 --> 00:19:18.300 God is never too busy for us. 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:20.880 God always hears when we pray. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.980 He's always ready to respond. 00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:25.500 And no wonder then that the consequence 00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:28.220 of the Lord turning His face towards us 00:19:28.220 --> 00:19:29.600 is peace. 00:19:30.300 --> 00:19:33.760 Peace from God for the people of God. 00:19:34.620 --> 00:19:36.320 To know that this God, 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:39.200 this one is turned towards us, 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.700 loving us, caring for us, 00:19:40.800 --> 00:19:42.260 delighting in us. 00:19:42.360 --> 00:19:44.580 Here is the ultimate source 00:19:44.580 --> 00:19:46.280 of deep inner peace and joy. 00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:49.059 Here is where wholeness and rightness 00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:51.440 comes in our lives. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.839 And again, it's all because of Jesus for us. 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.519 Because Jesus went to the cross, 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:00.740 and He experienced the loss of peace 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:04.779 at the cross to gift to us. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:06.660 Peace with God, 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:08.799 because He cancels our sin, 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:11.680 and peace from God, 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:13.740 of knowing that we are His, 00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:17.460 that we are secure with Him. 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:20.539 The ultimate hope of the Bible 00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:23.740 is connected to this. 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:27.099 Again, one of Jesus' closest friends, 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:29.640 John, in his first letter, 00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:30.460 writes this, 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.500 Dear friends, 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:34.500 now we are children of God, 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:36.420 and what we will be 00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:38.200 is not yet been made known, 00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:41.660 but we know that when He appears, 00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:44.019 we shall be like Him, 00:20:44.980 --> 00:20:46.440 for we shall see Him 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:48.460 as He is. 00:20:48.460 --> 00:20:51.259 The greatest blessing God offers 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:52.060 is Himself. 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:54.860 The ultimate hope of the Christian life 00:20:54.860 --> 00:20:56.779 is that one day we will see Jesus 00:20:56.779 --> 00:20:58.279 face to face, 00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:00.820 that He will wipe every tear 00:21:00.820 --> 00:21:01.660 from our eyes, 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:03.360 having made everything new, 00:21:03.779 --> 00:21:07.440 inviting us to enjoy perfect life 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:10.180 and light and love 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:12.759 for all eternity. 00:21:14.420 --> 00:21:16.019 So this is our prayer 00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:17.640 for Emily 00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:19.500 on the day of her baptism, 00:21:20.340 --> 00:21:21.480 that she would know 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:23.160 this wonderful peace, 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:24.440 that she would know 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:25.820 the smile of God, 00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:27.460 the protection of God 00:21:27.460 --> 00:21:28.400 in her life. 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:30.299 And it's God's blessing 00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:31.019 that's available 00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:32.500 to us all, 00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:34.220 whoever we are, 00:21:34.840 --> 00:21:35.620 through faith 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:37.159 and the Lord Jesus.