WEBVTT

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 Heavenly Father, this morning as we gather, we are conscious of the fact that we are coming before a holy God, a sovereign God, the majestic creator of all the universe.

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 God, we agree with so many of the writers in the scriptures who ask the question, who is there like our God?

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 And we say with a resounding answer, there is no one and none like you.

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 There's no one as holy as you, God.

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 No one is set apart as you.

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 No one is kind and as just, as gracious and merciful as you, God.

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 And so we've come to worship you.

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 We've come to praise your name.

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 We've come to lift our voice in worship and to declare, God, that our hope is in you, God.

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 Lord, we've come to adore you this morning.

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 We've come to align ourselves to you.

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 Father, this morning, won't you give us faith where faith is lacking?

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 Won't you open our eyes to see you again and to draw us back to yourself, we pray, God.

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 We've come to worship you.

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 Father, this morning we pray for those in our midst that are struggling, those that are hurting,

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 those that are making big decisions, those that are facing trials and difficulties.

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 God, we pray, won't you draw near?

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 Won't you love us, God?

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 Won't you help us see your infinite wisdom and your perfect perspective?

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 God, open our eyes to see the way things you see things, God.

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 Help us, Father, not to insist in our own way, but to trust you in the midst of the storms,

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 in the midst of the fire, Lord God.

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 God, give us faith to trust you, though we do not always understand your ways and we do not understand the future,

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 but help us to know that you're good and you're gracious and that you're trustworthy.

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 God, we bring ourselves and we bring our brothers and our sisters before you.

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 God, come and draw near to us, we pray.

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 Come give us your Holy Spirit.

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 Father, this morning we pray for our city and we pray for the gospel in our city.

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 We pray for other churches gathered now all across Hong Kong, God,

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 from English churches, Chinese churches, Filipino churches, every language.

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 God, we lift them up before you and we ask you, God, pour out your spirit, God.

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 Pray for a renewal of the gospel in our city, God.

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 We pray for their evangelism programs and our evangelism programs.

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 We pray, God, that people will come to know you, God.

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 God, we lift up the church in Hong Kong.

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 Pray for Eric and Justine at the bridge, God.

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 Pray for Steve at community church and John and Rachel at ambassador and Brett and Shannon at island, God.

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 And Andrew at the vine and so many others.

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 We lift them up before you this morning.

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 God, this morning as they gathered, won't you minister to them?

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 Won't you pour out your grace on those communities as we pray for ourselves?

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 We pray, God, for your gospel to go forward in Hong Kong.

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 And finally, God, we pray for our city leaders.

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 We pray for our civic leaders and our politicians.

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 We pray, God, for great courage to make the right decisions,

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 make even unpopular decisions, but those that are good for the city and the country.

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 We pray, God, for the care for the poor.

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 We pray for the marginalized and the hurting.

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 That, God, our leaders will take care of the poor in our city.

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 They'll make decisions that look after them.

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 God, we pray if there's any corruption for that to be exposed and brought to light.

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 And we pray, God, for wisdom for complex issues facing our city.

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 Schooling, education, housing, accommodation.

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 We pray, God, give our leaders wisdom.

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 Help them to see through the complex issues and come up with solutions that will serve the citizens of the city, we pray.

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 We pray all these things in your wonderful and holy name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Thank you.

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 Thank you for praying for our city and our church together.

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 It's wonderful to pray together.

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 Let's listen to God's word as Echo is going to come and read to us from Matthew chapter 3.

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 The scripture reading comes from Matthew 3.

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 Please follow along in your bulletins and on the screen.

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 In those days, John the Baptist came from preaching in the wilderness of Judea.

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 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

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 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight.

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 Now, John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

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 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

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 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,

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 You brood of vipers, who warns you to flee from the wrath to come?

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 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves,

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 We have Abraham as our father.

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 For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

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 Even now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees.

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 Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

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 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I,

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 whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.

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 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

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 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn,

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 but the chaff he will burn with uncreenchable fire.

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 This is the Word of God.

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 Great. Thank you, Echo.

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 Great. Well, as everyone else has said, Happy New Year.

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 If you've been away, welcome back to Hong Kong. It's great to see you.

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 And if you're new to Hong Kong or new to Watermark, it's wonderful to have you with us this morning.

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 Now, as a church family, in December, we started looking at the first few chapters in Matthew's Gospel

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 in the build-up to Christmas, and we're going to continue with Matthew's Gospel for the next five months

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 as we work through the next five chapters, chapters three until the end of the Sermon of the Mount in chapter seven.

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 And we're going to do that between now and the end of May.

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 And we're doing that for two reasons.

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 The first is because as a church, we want to be God-centered, and we want to hear what God has to say to us.

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 And so the best way to do that is to work expositionally through God's Word in our preaching.

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 As a church, we are not all that interested in doing cute sermon series on three ways to find a girlfriend,

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 or five ways to make a success of your life, or how to handle your emotions.

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 What we want to do is we want to encounter the living God in His Word.

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 We want to hear from what God has to say, and we want to know what God is like.

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 And we believe that as we do that, both individually and as a church, God will change us.

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 He will make us more like Himself.

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 He will teach us how to handle our emotions.

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 He will teach us how to handle both success and failure in life in a God-centered way.

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 And so for that reason, as a church, we are committed to working through His Word.

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 The second reason why we're going to be doing this is Matthew's Gospel is all about Jesus and the upside-down kingdom of God.

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 As someone who's relatively new to Hong Kong, we've been here just over a year,

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 one of the things that struck me when we moved here is that no matter what city in the world you live in,

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 whether you're from lowly Cape Town, or Singapore, or Hong Kong, or Tokyo, or Toronto, or London,

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 the basic modus operandi, the basic mode of operation of all human beings everywhere is,

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 let my kingdom come.

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 My will be done.

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 And Jesus comes to bring us a different kind of kingdom.

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 He shows us what true life in the true kingdom is like.

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 But Jesus' kingdom is often upside down.

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 It's not the way we expect it to be.

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 It's often counterintuitive and countercultural.

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 But it is the way that leads to life.

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 And so for the next couple of months, we're going to be exploring this as we work through Matthew's Gospel together.

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 Okay.

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 Now, today's passage of Scripture, we meet this guy called John, right?

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 Known as John the Baptist.

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 And John is an interesting guy, to say the very least, right?

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 How many of you, like me, that have daughters, would like John the Baptist for a son-in-law?

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 Anyone?

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 Or how many of you young ladies would like to take John to that work function, that dinner,

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 or maybe to your reunion dinner at the up-and-coming Chinese New Year?

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 John is an interesting guy.

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 He's a little rough around the edges.

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 I mean, look at his fashion sense, right?

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 He wears this camel's leather outfit.

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 And this isn't like Italian dyed, polished leather.

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 This is probably his trusty steed that got to the end of its life, and he skinned it himself.

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 And, you know, that's his outfit.

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 Camel skin and a leather belt.

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 John's not very tactful, right?

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 Tactful means knowing how to say the right things at the right time.

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 John says to the establishment, the leaders of society, the kind of legislative council of Israel,

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 the first thing he says to them is, you brood of vipers.

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 In other words, you offspring of snakes.

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 Not very tactful, right?

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 John's a little confrontational.

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 He likes to get into people's faces.

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 Imagine him sitting next to your grandma at your reunion dinner,

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 and the first thing he says is, repent.

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 This is John.

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 And, of course, don't forget his eating habits, right?

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 Wild locusts and wild honey.

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 And this isn't organic, caught on blue locusts from City Super.

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 This is the stuff he's caught just outside of his cave in the mountains.

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 John's a little rough around the edges.

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 He's an interesting guy.

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 And yet for all of his kind of unrefined ways, his peculiarities,

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 there's something special about John.

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 John has been sent by God.

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 Look at what verse 3 in our passage says.

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 It says,

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 This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah.

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 When Isaiah said,

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 The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

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 Prepare the way of the Lord.

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 Make straight his paths.

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 And so what's happening here is in Isaiah's word 700 years beforehand,

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 in ancient times when a king or a member of the royal family

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 were to travel long distances,

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 for the weeks and months beforehand,

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 all the people would be working on the roads.

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 They'd be repairing it and fixing it and smoothing it out

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 and fixing potholes and making sure that the highway,

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 the road which the king was to travel on, was smooth.

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 And so they would prepare the way for the king to go.

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 Now what's happening here is that Israel, God's people,

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 are in Babylon.

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 Or they're about to go into Babylon.

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 And Isaiah is writing to them prophetically

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 to say that they're in Babylon because of their sin,

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 because of their rebellion,

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 because of the fact that they've turned away from God,

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 they've rejected him.

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 But God has not rejected them.

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 God has not forgotten his promises.

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 And so God is coming to rescue them.

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 He's coming to save them.

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 He's coming to bring them out of Babylon,

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 out of exile, out of captivity,

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 and to restore them to Israel.

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 And so a voice in Isaiah 40 cries out,

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 and this is what it says,

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 Comfort, comfort to all my people.

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 Tell my people that her warfare has ended.

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 Her sins have been pardoned.

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 And then Isaiah goes on.

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 A voice cries out in the wilderness,

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 Prepare the way of the Lord.

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 Make straight the path or the highway of our God.

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 And so what Isaiah is saying is this.

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 You Israelites, the people of God,

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 have been in Babylon in exile

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 because of your sin and your rebellion,

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 but God has not forgotten you.

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 Prepare the way because the king, God himself,

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 is coming.

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 And he's coming to Babylon to deliver you,

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 to set you free,

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 to bring you out of exile,

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 and to restore you.

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 And so God's messenger, Isaiah,

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 says,

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 Get ready.

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 Prepare the way for the king.

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 God is coming to set you free

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 and to rescue you.

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 And Matthew tells us

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 that what is true of Isaiah 700 years before

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 is just as true of John.

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 That John, on one sense,

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 he's this prophet like Isaiah and Elijah

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 that is saying,

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 Get ready for the king.

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 The king is coming to rescue you and restore you.

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 But on the other hand,

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 John is a nobody.

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 He's just a voice.

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 He's just a voice in the desert.

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 And he's calling out to those

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 that are far from God,

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 Prepare the way.

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 You may have forgotten God,

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 but he hasn't forgotten you.

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 He's coming to set you free.

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 Okay?

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 Now, how does John do this?

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 What does John say?

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 How does he prepare God's people

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 to meet with the coming king?

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 Well, let's look at verse 2.

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 What does it say?

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 He says,

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 Repent,

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 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 Repent.

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 Repentance is one of those words

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 that we don't like to talk about too much, right?

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 We probably don't like it as much

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 as John's original hearers,

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 the audience,

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 like to hear it themselves.

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 But if we were to just flip over the page,

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 we see that actually in Matthew chapter 4,

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 Jesus says the exact same thing

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 that John says in chapter 3.

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 In chapter 4, verse 17,

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 Matthew writes and he says,

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 Jesus now went throughout the whole region

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 preaching,

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 and this is what he said,

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 Repent,

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 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 And then if we flip over our Bibles

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 a few more pages

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 in the book of Acts,

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 the apostles are going throughout

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 the city of Jerusalem,

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 throughout Judea,

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 and the known world,

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 and this is their message.

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 Repent,

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 be baptized,

00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:22.899
 every one of you,

00:14:23.199 --> 00:14:25.439
 for the forgiveness of sins.

00:14:26.299 --> 00:14:26.679
 Now,

00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.219
 let's think about this for a second.

00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:30.099
 What is repentance,

00:14:30.699 --> 00:14:32.039
 and why does it matter?

00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:33.819
 Why is it so important?

00:14:33.959 --> 00:14:35.659
 Why is it that John and Jesus

00:14:35.659 --> 00:14:36.419
 and the apostles,

00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:36.919
 in fact,

00:14:37.199 --> 00:14:38.240
 the entire New Testament,

00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:38.839
 the Old Testament,

00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:40.579
 why is it that God's people

00:14:40.579 --> 00:14:42.620
 keep on going on about this thing

00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:43.599
 of repentance?

00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:44.439
 Well,

00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:45.679
 that's actually what our passage

00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:46.559
 today is all about.

00:14:47.099 --> 00:14:47.779
 What is it,

00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:49.319
 and why is it so important?

00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:50.599
 And so let's dive into that.

00:14:50.719 --> 00:14:51.139
 First thing,

00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:52.740
 what is repentance?

00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:53.959
 Well,

00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:55.699
 in the New Testament,

00:14:55.939 --> 00:14:57.379
 which was written in Greek,

00:14:57.579 --> 00:14:59.319
 there are numerous Greek words

00:14:59.319 --> 00:15:00.539
 to refer to repentance.

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:02.620
 And one of the most common of them,

00:15:02.699 --> 00:15:03.620
 the one that's used here

00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:04.639
 in Matthew chapter 3,

00:15:04.740 --> 00:15:06.059
 is the word metanoio,

00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:06.579
 okay,

00:15:06.659 --> 00:15:07.620
 something like that.

00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:09.019
 I don't know how to pronounce it,

00:15:09.079 --> 00:15:10.419
 but let's just pretend

00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:11.120
 I said it right,

00:15:11.199 --> 00:15:11.360
 okay?

00:15:11.959 --> 00:15:12.360
 Metanoio.

00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:13.659
 And what it means

00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:15.560
 is to change your mind

00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:17.139
 or to turn around

00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:19.519
 for a change to take place

00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.279
 in your thinking

00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:22.519
 or maybe even in your body.

00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:24.320
 But it doesn't necessarily

00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.560
 hold a moral connotation.

00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:27.919
 It's like you can change your mind

00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:29.379
 from one day you like red,

00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:30.639
 the next day you like blue,

00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:30.919
 okay?

00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:31.580
 It's not necessarily

00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:32.680
 a moral connection.

00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:34.080
 But that's what,

00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:35.000
 in nominal sense,

00:15:35.060 --> 00:15:35.940
 that's what the word meant.

00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:37.780
 But when the Bible uses it,

00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:39.440
 when the New Testament writers

00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:40.700
 use this word repent,

00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:42.500
 it often means three things.

00:15:42.580 --> 00:15:44.300
 It has three key ingredients to it.

00:15:44.780 --> 00:15:47.140
 It means realizing

00:15:47.140 --> 00:15:48.280
 or discovering

00:15:48.280 --> 00:15:49.640
 or seeing something

00:15:49.640 --> 00:15:51.120
 anew in fresh light.

00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:52.800
 Discovering something

00:15:52.800 --> 00:15:54.220
 that you hadn't discovered before.

00:15:54.400 --> 00:15:55.660
 Seeing something in a new way.

00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:57.000
 It means secondly,

00:15:57.500 --> 00:15:59.920
 your heart is grieved

00:15:59.920 --> 00:16:01.380
 or your heart is now anxious

00:16:01.380 --> 00:16:03.080
 about what you've just discovered.

00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:05.460
 There's an anxiety in your heart

00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:07.700
 about this new state of affairs

00:16:07.700 --> 00:16:09.440
 or what you've just thought about.

00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:10.820
 And then thirdly,

00:16:11.060 --> 00:16:13.139
 it means a change that takes place.

00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:14.540
 You were facing this way,

00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:15.700
 you're now gonna do this.

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:17.759
 You used to think I'll go there,

00:16:18.020 --> 00:16:19.340
 you now think I'm gonna go here.

00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:20.840
 So these three ingredients,

00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.360
 a change in your mind,

00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:24.120
 an anguish in your heart

00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.340
 about the current situation

00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:27.060
 or what you previously thought,

00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:29.020
 and then a change that takes place

00:16:29.020 --> 00:16:30.360
 from the old way to the new.

00:16:30.520 --> 00:16:31.360
 Does that make sense?

00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:32.540
 Okay.

00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:34.519
 Maybe an analogy will help.

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.480
 Think about that situation

00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:38.059
 Chris helped me with this this week.

00:16:38.439 --> 00:16:39.679
 Think about a movie, okay?

00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:41.019
 Your favorite movie.

00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:42.360
 In every movie,

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:43.379
 there's that point

00:16:43.379 --> 00:16:44.199
 when something,

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:45.679
 a change takes place, right?

00:16:46.179 --> 00:16:47.779
 So the main character

00:16:47.779 --> 00:16:49.360
 is about to do something dreadful.

00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:51.419
 They're about to leave their family,

00:16:51.579 --> 00:16:52.339
 their wife and children

00:16:52.339 --> 00:16:53.740
 to go move in with someone else.

00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.179
 They're about to make

00:16:55.179 --> 00:16:56.579
 that billion dollar investment,

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.459
 but it's a scam.

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:59.279
 They're about to get on the airplane,

00:16:59.459 --> 00:17:00.559
 but you know that there's a bomb

00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:01.120
 on the airplane.

00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:02.399
 They're about to do something

00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:04.039
 that's going to end badly.

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.319
 And then,

00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.720
 they get a text message,

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.980
 they see something

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:09.039
 out the corner of their eye,

00:17:09.139 --> 00:17:10.420
 they overhear a conversation,

00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:12.000
 something happens

00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.339
 that gives them

00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:14.180
 a new understanding

00:17:14.180 --> 00:17:15.079
 of the situation,

00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:16.819
 their heart realizes

00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:17.920
 this is not good,

00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:19.480
 and they make that radical change,

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:19.700
 right?

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.920
 They run through the airport

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:22.359
 and they hug their wife again,

00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:24.480
 or they cancel the business deal,

00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:25.960
 or they tackle the terrorist

00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:26.639
 who's about to,

00:17:26.639 --> 00:17:27.480
 you know,

00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:28.379
 blow up the plane,

00:17:28.700 --> 00:17:29.420
 something like that.

00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:30.240
 Does that make sense?

00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:31.759
 Not really.

00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:32.100
 Okay.

00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:32.900
 Well,

00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:35.660
 sorry about that.

00:17:37.019 --> 00:17:37.940
 In some ways,

00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:39.600
 this is what repentance is like.

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:41.420
 It's not just acknowledgement

00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:43.120
 of something.

00:17:43.259 --> 00:17:44.860
 It's not just changing your mind.

00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:46.680
 It's a radical change

00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:47.500
 in orientation

00:17:47.500 --> 00:17:48.480
 from this way

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.039
 to that,

00:17:49.080 --> 00:17:49.720
 a disposition.

00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:51.060
 It's forsaking the old

00:17:51.060 --> 00:17:52.180
 and it's turning

00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:53.080
 to something new

00:17:53.080 --> 00:17:54.140
 because your eyes

00:17:54.140 --> 00:17:54.740
 have been opened

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.500
 to see things

00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.320
 as they really are.

00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.099
 Charles Spurgeon

00:17:58.099 --> 00:17:59.159
 said it like this.

00:17:59.720 --> 00:17:59.919
 He said,

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:01.539
 Repentance is a discovery,

00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:02.339
 a revelation

00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:04.279
 of the evil of sin,

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:05.859
 a mourning,

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:06.720
 a grieving

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.879
 that we've committed it

00:18:07.879 --> 00:18:09.139
 and a resolution

00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:10.179
 to forsake it.

00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:11.319
 It is, in fact,

00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:12.379
 a change of mind

00:18:12.379 --> 00:18:13.379
 that is so deep

00:18:13.379 --> 00:18:14.960
 and of a practical nature

00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:16.639
 that it causes a man

00:18:16.639 --> 00:18:17.339
 to hate

00:18:17.339 --> 00:18:18.339
 what he once loved

00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:19.740
 and to now love

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:21.000
 what he once hated.

00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:21.919
 But do you see

00:18:21.919 --> 00:18:22.679
 those three ingredients?

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:24.299
 It's a discovery

00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:25.399
 of the evil of sin.

00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:26.920
 It's a grievous mourning

00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:27.600
 that we've committed.

00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:29.000
 It's a resolution

00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.759
 to change your disposition

00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:32.259
 and your orientation.

00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:33.060
 You see,

00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:34.080
 repentance is not just

00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:34.900
 thinking differently

00:18:34.900 --> 00:18:35.600
 about something.

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.800
 It's not just saying,

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:37.200
 hey,

00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:37.840
 I used to think

00:18:37.840 --> 00:18:38.540
 camel's hair

00:18:38.540 --> 00:18:39.220
 and leather belts

00:18:39.220 --> 00:18:41.660
 were in

00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:42.300
 and fashionable

00:18:42.300 --> 00:18:43.500
 but now I'm not

00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:44.259
 so sure anymore.

00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:46.300
 That's not quite repentance.

00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:47.920
 Repentance is not

00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:49.019
 an attempt

00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:50.300
 at self-approval

00:18:50.300 --> 00:18:52.759
 or reforming our lives.

00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:53.480
 It's not like

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:54.460
 New Year's resolutions

00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:55.019
 where you say,

00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:56.060
 this year,

00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:56.980
 I really should get

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:58.060
 bit at not lying.

00:18:58.200 --> 00:18:58.680
 I'm going to try

00:18:58.680 --> 00:18:59.400
 and tell the truth

00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:00.080
 more this year.

00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:01.980
 Repentance is not

00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:03.160
 even feeling guilty

00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:03.880
 about something

00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:04.880
 and trying to atone

00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:05.280
 for it.

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.440
 Like maybe you feel

00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:07.380
 guilty about the fact

00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:07.960
 that you lied

00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:08.660
 to your mother-in-law

00:19:08.660 --> 00:19:09.840
 about Christmas plans

00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:11.120
 and so you decide,

00:19:11.560 --> 00:19:11.820
 okay,

00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:12.620
 Chinese New Year,

00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:13.300
 I'm going to tell her

00:19:13.300 --> 00:19:13.640
 the truth.

00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:14.100
 I'm going to be

00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:15.280
 really nice to her

00:19:15.280 --> 00:19:16.040
 to make up

00:19:16.040 --> 00:19:16.900
 for Christmas,

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.240
 right?

00:19:17.980 --> 00:19:18.320
 No, no,

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:19.140
 maybe you just feel

00:19:19.140 --> 00:19:20.259
 bad because we are,

00:19:20.820 --> 00:19:21.400
 I'm proud

00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.440
 or I'm self-righteous.

00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:24.059
 Repentance sees

00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:25.180
 the ugliness of sin

00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:26.840
 such that it changes

00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:28.220
 not only my mind,

00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:29.460
 it changes the way

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.420
 I see life.

00:19:31.120 --> 00:19:32.600
 It causes an anxiety

00:19:32.600 --> 00:19:33.259
 in my heart

00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:34.660
 to say this is not right

00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:36.340
 and it causes a change

00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:37.440
 in my orientation

00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:38.460
 from one way

00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:39.559
 to the next.

00:19:40.700 --> 00:19:41.620
 Maybe I can give you

00:19:41.620 --> 00:19:42.059
 an example

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:43.000
 from my life.

00:19:43.600 --> 00:19:44.600
 Something that happened

00:19:44.600 --> 00:19:46.279
 in recent,

00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:47.360
 in the last few years.

00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:51.439
 there was a situation

00:19:51.439 --> 00:19:52.159
 where I listened

00:19:52.159 --> 00:19:53.039
 to a sermon,

00:19:53.199 --> 00:19:54.159
 an online sermon

00:19:54.159 --> 00:19:55.259
 of another preacher

00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:57.519
 from my city

00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:59.419
 and truth be told,

00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:00.179
 I didn't think

00:20:00.179 --> 00:20:01.240
 the sermon was very,

00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:03.079
 I wasn't that impressed,

00:20:03.159 --> 00:20:03.579
 I didn't think

00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:04.359
 it was very good

00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:05.199
 and,

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.539
 but

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:09.279
 in my self-righteousness

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.319
 and in my arrogance,

00:20:10.819 --> 00:20:12.159
 I told myself

00:20:12.159 --> 00:20:13.379
 that's a terrible sermon

00:20:13.379 --> 00:20:14.500
 and I told,

00:20:14.639 --> 00:20:15.479
 I gave myself

00:20:15.479 --> 00:20:16.439
 all these reasons

00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:17.100
 why I thought

00:20:17.100 --> 00:20:17.940
 it was so bad.

00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:18.880
 He didn't do this

00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:19.700
 and didn't do this

00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:20.700
 and didn't do this

00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:21.720
 and he should have done this.

00:20:22.320 --> 00:20:22.440
 Now,

00:20:22.539 --> 00:20:23.120
 truth be told,

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:23.840
 I might have taken

00:20:23.840 --> 00:20:24.600
 a different approach,

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:25.559
 that's truth,

00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.920
 but my self-righteousness,

00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:28.660
 my arrogance

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:31.080
 was very judgmental.

00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:33.720
 And then what happened

00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:35.019
 in the next couple of months,

00:20:35.080 --> 00:20:35.779
 I happened to have

00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:36.640
 two conversations

00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:37.940
 with two different people

00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:39.580
 where this church

00:20:39.580 --> 00:20:40.740
 and the approaching

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:42.019
 came up in the conversation.

00:20:42.820 --> 00:20:44.299
 And so the very humble person

00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:45.000
 that I am

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:46.200
 decided to,

00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:47.240
 tell this person

00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:47.960
 what I thought.

00:20:48.620 --> 00:20:49.220
 And so I said,

00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.200
 I listened to their sermon

00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:50.779
 and I didn't think

00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:51.720
 they were very good at all

00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:53.220
 and these were the reasons,

00:20:53.360 --> 00:20:55.000
 A, B, C, D.

00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:56.960
 Now,

00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:58.299
 if I'm honest,

00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.340
 at the time

00:20:59.340 --> 00:21:00.259
 that that was happening,

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:02.660
 I think the Holy Spirit

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.380
 is probably at work

00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:03.759
 in my heart,

00:21:03.840 --> 00:21:03.980
 saying,

00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:04.240
 Kevin,

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:05.299
 this is not honoring me,

00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.120
 this is not good.

00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.460
 But I quickly shut that out

00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:08.039
 because I didn't want

00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:08.539
 to listen to him

00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:09.460
 because I wanted

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:10.100
 to feel better

00:21:10.100 --> 00:21:10.779
 about myself.

00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:14.019
 Until a few months later,

00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:14.860
 I read a book

00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:16.059
 by an English pastor

00:21:16.059 --> 00:21:17.379
 from 300 years ago

00:21:17.379 --> 00:21:18.379
 called Richard Baxter.

00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:19.779
 And in this book,

00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:20.379
 he talks about

00:21:20.379 --> 00:21:23.259
 how proud ministers can be,

00:21:23.419 --> 00:21:24.119
 pastors can be.

00:21:24.639 --> 00:21:25.339
 And he gives a whole lot

00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:25.639
 of things

00:21:25.639 --> 00:21:26.059
 and he says,

00:21:26.059 --> 00:21:26.879
 in fact,

00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:28.419
 pastors can be so proud

00:21:28.419 --> 00:21:29.419
 that sometimes

00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:30.639
 they'll even speak badly

00:21:30.639 --> 00:21:31.599
 about other pastors

00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:32.480
 to make themselves

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:33.980
 feel better about themselves.

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.299
 And when I read that,

00:21:37.419 --> 00:21:39.319
 I was absolutely devastated.

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:41.220
 I remember lying

00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:42.019
 in my bed at night

00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:42.859
 just weeping

00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:44.720
 at the realization

00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:46.200
 of who I was

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:47.119
 and what I'd done.

00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:48.940
 That another pastor

00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:49.440
 in the city

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.099
 that I could go

00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:51.359
 and talk behind his back

00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:52.679
 and slander him

00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:54.240
 to make myself

00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:54.960
 feel better

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:56.440
 about myself.

00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:57.700
 And so,

00:21:57.820 --> 00:21:58.680
 over the next few weeks,

00:21:58.759 --> 00:21:59.620
 I had to call

00:21:59.620 --> 00:22:00.519
 those two people

00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:01.900
 that I had conversations with

00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:03.019
 and say,

00:22:03.140 --> 00:22:03.860
 I'm so sorry

00:22:03.860 --> 00:22:05.180
 that I included you

00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:05.759
 in my sin.

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.360
 Won't you please

00:22:07.360 --> 00:22:08.080
 forgive me

00:22:08.080 --> 00:22:10.420
 and I need to make it right.

00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:12.120
 And then I had to

00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:13.640
 have a very awkward coffee

00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:14.480
 with this pastor

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:16.000
 and sit across the table,

00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:18.220
 tears streaming down my face

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:18.640
 and say,

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.420
 I'm so sorry

00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:20.039
 for what I've done.

00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:21.019
 This is what I've done

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.620
 and this is what

00:22:21.620 --> 00:22:22.380
 I've said about you.

00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:23.360
 And please,

00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.279
 will you forgive me?

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.799
 I don't want to be

00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:26.640
 that kind of person.

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.420
 Now,

00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:28.080
 to be honest,

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:28.880
 on the one hand,

00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:30.320
 it wasn't an easy thing to do.

00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:32.200
 I wasn't looking forward to it.

00:22:32.580 --> 00:22:33.279
 Part of me wanted

00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:34.500
 to just confess to Jesus

00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:35.200
 in my room

00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.320
 and get on with it

00:22:36.320 --> 00:22:37.220
 and just leave it there.

00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:38.299
 But I knew

00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:39.200
 that I couldn't hold

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.080
 on to my pride.

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.799
 I couldn't hold on

00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:41.440
 to my honor

00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.980
 and repent honestly

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:44.000
 at the same time.

00:22:44.580 --> 00:22:45.320
 And so part of me

00:22:45.320 --> 00:22:46.120
 didn't want to do it.

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:47.100
 But on the other hand,

00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:47.720
 if I'm honest,

00:22:47.779 --> 00:22:49.039
 I couldn't wait to do it.

00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.380
 And the reason was

00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:51.460
 because my awareness

00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:52.140
 of my sin

00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:52.920
 was like a weight

00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:53.620
 on my shoulders.

00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:54.520
 It had become

00:22:54.520 --> 00:22:56.000
 disgusting in my mouth.

00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:57.640
 And as I saw

00:22:57.640 --> 00:22:58.660
 the wonder of Jesus

00:22:58.660 --> 00:23:00.300
 and the beauty of truth

00:23:00.300 --> 00:23:01.460
 and the horror

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:02.600
 of my sin,

00:23:03.140 --> 00:23:04.940
 what I once enjoyed

00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:05.759
 putting down

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:06.700
 somebody else

00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:08.800
 and I now

00:23:08.800 --> 00:23:09.860
 saw as disgusting

00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:10.740
 and what I once

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:12.160
 loathed or hated,

00:23:12.340 --> 00:23:12.960
 the idea of me

00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:13.580
 being humbled,

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.759
 suddenly looked

00:23:14.759 --> 00:23:15.660
 beautiful

00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:16.140
 and liberating

00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:16.740
 liberating

00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:17.660
 and freeing.

00:23:18.340 --> 00:23:19.020
 And so as I

00:23:19.020 --> 00:23:20.220
 sat down with him,

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.020
 tears streaming

00:23:21.020 --> 00:23:21.940
 down my face,

00:23:22.360 --> 00:23:23.460
 telling him what I'd done,

00:23:23.560 --> 00:23:24.660
 asking him to forgive me,

00:23:25.020 --> 00:23:26.660
 I felt free.

00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:28.840
 I felt liberated.

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.240
 It was the most

00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:31.020
 beautiful thing.

00:23:31.800 --> 00:23:32.200
 Now friends,

00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:32.880
 I tell you that

00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:34.000
 not because I'm a hero

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.920
 that's got it right.

00:23:35.380 --> 00:23:36.080
 I tell you that

00:23:36.080 --> 00:23:36.880
 because I'm a sinner

00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:37.620
 that gets it wrong

00:23:37.620 --> 00:23:39.120
 time and time

00:23:39.120 --> 00:23:40.280
 and time again.

00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:41.600
 But I tell you that

00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:42.340
 because the more

00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:43.520
 I grow as a Christian,

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.460
 the more I realize

00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:45.359
 how sinful I am

00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:46.599
 and the more beautiful

00:23:46.599 --> 00:23:47.740
 God's grace looks

00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:48.980
 and the more liberating

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:49.599
 and wonderful

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.559
 repentance looks.

00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:51.940
 And I remember

00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:52.539
 the words of

00:23:52.539 --> 00:23:53.259
 John Newton

00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:54.259
 who was a former

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:55.059
 slave trader.

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:55.859
 He said this,

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.240
 the older I get

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.440
 my memory is fading

00:23:58.440 --> 00:23:59.619
 but two things

00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:00.119
 I remember,

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:01.720
 I am a great sinner

00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:03.379
 and Christ is a great

00:24:03.379 --> 00:24:03.799
 savior.

00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:05.680
 Charles Spurgeon

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.220
 said this,

00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:07.059
 we spoke about earlier,

00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:08.579
 repentance is the discovery

00:24:08.579 --> 00:24:10.059
 of the evil of sin.

00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.440
 It's a grieving

00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.579
 that we've committed it

00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:14.119
 and it's a resolution

00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:15.159
 to forsake it.

00:24:15.439 --> 00:24:16.579
 It's a change of mind

00:24:16.579 --> 00:24:17.359
 so deep

00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:18.259
 and so practical

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:19.159
 that it causes you

00:24:19.159 --> 00:24:20.559
 to hate what you once loved

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.679
 and to love

00:24:21.679 --> 00:24:22.980
 what you once hate.

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.319
 And we see this

00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:25.319
 in our passage today.

00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:26.359
 In our passage

00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:26.919
 that we read

00:24:26.919 --> 00:24:28.079
 we actually see an example

00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.299
 of genuine repentance

00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:30.199
 and example of

00:24:30.199 --> 00:24:31.319
 fraudulent repentance.

00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:33.139
 Look at verse 5 and 6

00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:33.500
 with me

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.179
 for an example

00:24:34.179 --> 00:24:35.259
 of real repentance.

00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:36.699
 John is preaching,

00:24:36.899 --> 00:24:37.939
 he's crying in the wilderness,

00:24:38.199 --> 00:24:39.059
 repent for the kingdom

00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:39.919
 of heaven is here.

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.399
 And then verse 5

00:24:41.399 --> 00:24:41.899
 says this,

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:43.080
 when Jerusalem

00:24:43.080 --> 00:24:44.580
 and all Judea

00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:47.960
 and all the region

00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:48.640
 about the Jordan

00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:49.560
 were going out to him

00:24:49.560 --> 00:24:50.759
 and they were baptized

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:51.580
 by him

00:24:51.580 --> 00:24:52.420
 in the river Jordan

00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:53.960
 confessing their sins.

00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:54.780
 So,

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:56.240
 what does real repentance

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:56.860
 look like?

00:24:57.180 --> 00:24:58.180
 Well the first thing we see

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.500
 involves confessing

00:24:59.500 --> 00:25:00.080
 their sins.

00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.380
 Now the passage,

00:25:01.620 --> 00:25:02.740
 it seems like

00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:03.720
 they weren't just

00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:04.580
 confessing their sins

00:25:04.580 --> 00:25:05.259
 to themselves

00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:06.300
 or to Jesus,

00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:07.440
 they were actually

00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:08.460
 confessing it to John

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.700
 or maybe to one another.

00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:11.140
 They were coming to John

00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:11.360
 saying,

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:11.600
 John,

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.560
 can I be honest?

00:25:12.600 --> 00:25:13.380
 This is what's happened.

00:25:13.860 --> 00:25:14.660
 This is what I've done.

00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:15.820
 This is where I've gone

00:25:15.820 --> 00:25:16.420
 my own way.

00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:17.480
 And John says,

00:25:17.560 --> 00:25:17.680
 hey,

00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:18.540
 you confessed your sin.

00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:19.340
 Wonderful brother.

00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:20.600
 Let's put that right.

00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:21.900
 And he stands with him.

00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:22.720
 Friends,

00:25:22.780 --> 00:25:23.440
 one of the marks

00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.460
 of genuine repentance

00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:25.300
 is that we cannot

00:25:25.300 --> 00:25:26.640
 hold on to our honor,

00:25:27.140 --> 00:25:28.420
 hold on to our pride,

00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:29.660
 and repent honestly

00:25:29.660 --> 00:25:30.520
 at the same time.

00:25:31.280 --> 00:25:32.080
 Genuine repentance

00:25:32.080 --> 00:25:33.160
 means such a deep

00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:34.220
 and radical hatred

00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:35.460
 for what once

00:25:35.460 --> 00:25:36.380
 was part of our lives,

00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:37.360
 what we once enjoyed,

00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:38.339
 that we now are

00:25:38.339 --> 00:25:39.459
 willing to lose face,

00:25:39.859 --> 00:25:40.839
 even lose honor

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:42.299
 in order to forsake it.

00:25:42.979 --> 00:25:43.339
 Remember,

00:25:43.479 --> 00:25:44.179
 Israel here

00:25:44.179 --> 00:25:45.959
 is an honor and shame culture

00:25:45.959 --> 00:25:47.299
 just as much as Hong Kong.

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:48.839
 They were very concerned

00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:50.019
 about saving face,

00:25:50.379 --> 00:25:51.299
 about not damaging

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:52.159
 the family name,

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.419
 the family reputation,

00:25:53.699 --> 00:25:55.119
 but their eyes are open

00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:55.819
 to seeing what

00:25:55.819 --> 00:25:56.639
 they once were doing.

00:25:57.059 --> 00:25:57.959
 And they come to John,

00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:58.240
 they say,

00:25:58.299 --> 00:25:58.459
 John,

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:59.299
 I want to come clean.

00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:00.699
 This is what's happened.

00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:02.959
 It involves confession of sin.

00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:04.519
 But what's more,

00:26:04.879 --> 00:26:05.779
 look at what happens here.

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:06.700
 They get baptized.

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:08.579
 Now the word baptism

00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:10.700
 means to immerse

00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:11.879
 or to dunk

00:26:11.879 --> 00:26:13.599
 or to drown something

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:14.480
 in water.

00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:16.460
 It's a public picture

00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:17.440
 or demonstration

00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:19.099
 of what happens

00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:19.819
 when someone becomes

00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:20.240
 a Christian.

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.599
 So here are these people,

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.480
 they come to John

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.339
 and they say,

00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:23.759
 John,

00:26:23.980 --> 00:26:25.119
 this is what we've done.

00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:26.019
 We want to be put

00:26:26.019 --> 00:26:26.660
 right with him.

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:27.599
 And John says,

00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.619
 let's baptize you.

00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:29.799
 Let's immerse you

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:30.599
 in water as a picture

00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:31.700
 that your old life,

00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:33.119
 your old disposition,

00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:34.740
 your old orientation

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.759
 is dead

00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.460
 and buried

00:26:36.460 --> 00:26:37.500
 and in the grave.

00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:38.720
 And as you come up,

00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:39.279
 it's a picture

00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.299
 of your new life.

00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:41.720
 You've changed direction.

00:26:41.859 --> 00:26:42.819
 You were this person,

00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:44.019
 you're now this person.

00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:45.380
 You were this person,

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.440
 you're now alive

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:48.079
 and a new person again.

00:26:48.539 --> 00:26:49.819
 It's a radical picture

00:26:49.819 --> 00:26:50.920
 of so completely

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.680
 turning away

00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:52.700
 from the old life

00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:53.920
 of self-righteousness

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:55.279
 and self-sufficiency,

00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.339
 wanting to be

00:26:56.339 --> 00:26:57.079
 their own God,

00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:57.940
 that they make

00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:58.880
 a public picture

00:26:58.880 --> 00:26:59.259
 saying,

00:26:59.740 --> 00:27:00.440
 that old life

00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:01.200
 is dead.

00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:02.620
 I'm a new person

00:27:02.620 --> 00:27:03.819
 in Christ.

00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.319
 You see that?

00:27:06.360 --> 00:27:06.740
 Friends,

00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:07.279
 let me ask you

00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:07.779
 this question.

00:27:09.080 --> 00:27:09.860
 What do you think

00:27:09.860 --> 00:27:10.740
 our church

00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:11.539
 would look like?

00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:13.000
 What do you think

00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:13.660
 our CGs

00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:14.519
 would look like

00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:16.360
 if we were a community

00:27:16.360 --> 00:27:17.960
 marked by genuine repentance?

00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:20.519
 I'll tell you

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.440
 what it won't look like.

00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:23.299
 It won't look like

00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:24.740
 a group of people

00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:25.279
 that are always

00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:26.340
 putting their best foot forward.

00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:28.259
 It won't look like

00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:28.960
 a church where

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:29.880
 we all pretend

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:30.539
 that we've got it

00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:31.059
 all together.

00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:32.400
 Because friends,

00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:32.920
 we don't have it

00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:33.340
 all together.

00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:34.600
 We're broken.

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:35.819
 We're sinners.

00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.279
 But you know

00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:37.620
 what I think

00:27:37.620 --> 00:27:38.299
 it will look like?

00:27:38.900 --> 00:27:40.220
 I think it'll look like

00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:41.140
 a community

00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:41.920
 of gentleness,

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:43.360
 a community

00:27:43.360 --> 00:27:44.180
 of grace,

00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:45.559
 a community

00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:46.259
 of forgiveness.

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.180
 Count intuitively,

00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:48.920
 it'll look like

00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:49.380
 a community

00:27:49.380 --> 00:27:51.059
 full of non-judgmentalism

00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:52.480
 because we all

00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:53.279
 know that we're broken.

00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:54.180
 There's no room

00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:55.440
 for us to be judgmental

00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:55.940
 and look down

00:27:55.940 --> 00:27:56.799
 our nose at others.

00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:58.120
 I think it'll be

00:27:58.120 --> 00:27:58.700
 a community

00:27:58.700 --> 00:27:59.319
 that is marked

00:27:59.319 --> 00:28:00.460
 by unbelievable

00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:01.180
 humility

00:28:01.180 --> 00:28:02.000
 and sincerity.

00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:03.680
 I think it'll be

00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:04.160
 a community

00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:04.680
 that's marked

00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:05.400
 by tears.

00:28:06.060 --> 00:28:06.960
 Tears of sadness

00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.019
 at the horror of sin,

00:28:08.580 --> 00:28:09.680
 but tears of joy

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.460
 at restoration

00:28:10.460 --> 00:28:11.299
 and healing

00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:12.460
 and repentance.

00:28:13.340 --> 00:28:14.100
 And I think it'll be

00:28:14.100 --> 00:28:14.600
 marked by

00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:16.140
 supernatural power,

00:28:16.860 --> 00:28:18.060
 supernatural life,

00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:19.920
 and supernatural freedom.

00:28:20.580 --> 00:28:21.620
 Because in Acts chapter 3,

00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:22.580
 when Peter's preaching,

00:28:23.100 --> 00:28:23.500
 he says,

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:24.160
 repent,

00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.339
 repent,

00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:24.500
 repent,

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:24.660
 repent,

00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:25.200
 brothers and sisters,

00:28:25.380 --> 00:28:26.019
 turn back,

00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:26.940
 that your sins

00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:27.880
 may be blotted out,

00:28:28.339 --> 00:28:29.799
 that times of refreshing

00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:31.259
 and times of healing

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:32.279
 may come upon you.

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:32.960
 Friends,

00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:33.740
 that's what happens

00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:34.779
 when we turn to God.

00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:36.880
 There's a supernatural freedom

00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:38.079
 and refreshing

00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:39.339
 and life

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:40.380
 that is given.

00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:43.000
 May we be such a church

00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.500
 as that.

00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:45.519
 But then we see here

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:46.859
 in verse 7 to 9,

00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:47.440
 look at me,

00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.819
 look with me

00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:49.559
 at this passage.

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:51.159
 We see an example

00:28:51.159 --> 00:28:52.259
 of fake repentance

00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:53.919
 or religious repentance.

00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:55.139
 Matthew says that

00:28:55.139 --> 00:28:56.559
 when many,

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.480
 when they saw,

00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:58.899
 when John saw

00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:59.720
 the Pharisees

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.539
 and the Sadducees

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.919
 coming to his baptism,

00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.200
 he said to them,

00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:04.740
 you brood of vipers,

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:05.960
 who warned you

00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:06.819
 to flee from the wrath

00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:07.299
 to come?

00:29:07.919 --> 00:29:08.619
 Keep fruit

00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:09.980
 and bearing with repentance.

00:29:10.139 --> 00:29:11.579
 And don't say to yourselves,

00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:12.440
 oh, we find

00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:13.220
 we've got Abraham

00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:13.859
 as our father.

00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:15.019
 God is able to

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:15.819
 raise up children

00:29:15.819 --> 00:29:16.419
 of Abraham

00:29:16.419 --> 00:29:17.740
 from these very stones.

00:29:18.179 --> 00:29:19.460
 Now what's going on here

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.900
 is that John,

00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:22.720
 this rough around

00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.779
 the edges guy,

00:29:23.980 --> 00:29:24.960
 is getting a bit

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:25.579
 of a crowd.

00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.299
 People are starting

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:28.120
 to hear about him

00:29:28.120 --> 00:29:29.039
 and people are leaving

00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:30.180
 the city to go out

00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:30.759
 to the wilderness

00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:32.120
 to listen to him.

00:29:32.620 --> 00:29:34.019
 Now the religious leaders,

00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:35.940
 they can't just stay

00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:36.500
 in the city

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.660
 while everyone's

00:29:37.660 --> 00:29:38.420
 flocking out

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:38.960
 to go and listen

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.880
 to what John is saying.

00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:40.840
 They better get

00:29:40.840 --> 00:29:41.340
 to the picture

00:29:41.340 --> 00:29:42.079
 and go and find out

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:42.620
 what's happening.

00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:44.059
 And so they go out

00:29:44.059 --> 00:29:44.620
 into the wilderness

00:29:44.620 --> 00:29:45.340
 and they're watching

00:29:45.340 --> 00:29:46.019
 what's happening

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:47.240
 and they're seeing

00:29:47.240 --> 00:29:48.960
 their entire congregations

00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.720
 are confessing

00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:50.220
 their sins.

00:29:50.360 --> 00:29:51.319
 They're getting baptized.

00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:52.600
 They're rejoicing

00:29:52.600 --> 00:29:53.840
 and celebrating in God.

00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:55.120
 And the religious leaders

00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:55.700
 are thinking,

00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:57.380
 gee, it's a little embarrassing

00:29:57.380 --> 00:29:58.200
 if we're just standing

00:29:58.200 --> 00:29:59.079
 on the side watching.

00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:00.860
 We better get involved.

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.100
 But they don't want

00:30:02.100 --> 00:30:02.720
 to get involved.

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.299
 And so they shuffle along

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:04.680
 and they say,

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.940
 just grin and bear it.

00:30:06.360 --> 00:30:07.000
 Join the queue.

00:30:07.100 --> 00:30:07.779
 Get baptized.

00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.980
 It'll just take five minutes

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:09.740
 and we'll be back

00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:10.240
 on our way.

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.759
 And so they shuffle along

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.660
 and they join the queue

00:30:12.660 --> 00:30:13.000
 and they say,

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.840
 yes, we too want

00:30:13.840 --> 00:30:14.940
 to get baptized, John.

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.500
 But John sees

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:17.500
 through the hypocrisy.

00:30:18.099 --> 00:30:18.859
 And so what does he do?

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:19.799
 He says,

00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:21.079
 you guys are being deceptive.

00:30:21.140 --> 00:30:22.440
 You like snakes, right?

00:30:22.539 --> 00:30:23.559
 Not a very complimentary

00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:24.420
 thing to say

00:30:24.420 --> 00:30:25.380
 to the religious leaders.

00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:26.559
 He says,

00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.559
 who warned you

00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:29.579
 to flee from the wrath

00:30:29.579 --> 00:30:30.319
 that's coming?

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:31.799
 Now, I was being sarcastic

00:30:31.799 --> 00:30:32.599
 because they're not really

00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:33.680
 fleeing from anything.

00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:34.359
 They're not,

00:30:34.859 --> 00:30:35.640
 they're just putting up

00:30:35.640 --> 00:30:36.640
 a pretense, right?

00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:37.880
 Friends,

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:39.140
 religious repentance,

00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:40.500
 by that I mean

00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:41.599
 repentance which is not

00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:42.259
 born out of

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:43.859
 seeing the horror of sin

00:30:43.859 --> 00:30:44.319
 and the wonder

00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:44.940
 of the gospel.

00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:46.620
 religious repentance

00:30:46.620 --> 00:30:47.600
 is always marked

00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:48.440
 by three things.

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:49.580
 By selfishness,

00:30:50.360 --> 00:30:51.840
 by self-righteousness

00:30:51.840 --> 00:30:54.059
 and by defensiveness.

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.100
 In other words,

00:30:55.140 --> 00:30:55.799
 we find a way

00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:56.960
 to justify ourselves.

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.720
 We tell ourselves

00:30:57.720 --> 00:30:58.340
 there's a reason

00:30:58.340 --> 00:30:59.200
 why we don't really

00:30:59.200 --> 00:30:59.880
 need to repent

00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:00.840
 or why we fine.

00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:02.039
 Look at what they do.

00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:02.519
 They say,

00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:03.460
 oh, it's fine.

00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.700
 We are children of Abraham.

00:31:06.299 --> 00:31:07.539
 Because we are good Jews,

00:31:07.620 --> 00:31:08.180
 it'll be fine.

00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:08.640
 We don't need

00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:09.380
 to really repent.

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:10.840
 Think about what Adam

00:31:10.840 --> 00:31:12.100
 and Eve did in the garden, right?

00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:12.900
 God comes to Adam

00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:13.140
 and says,

00:31:13.340 --> 00:31:14.200
 Adam, what happened here?

00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:14.680
 And he says,

00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:15.680
 Eve made me do it.

00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:17.100
 Eve, what happened here?

00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:18.319
 The snake made me do it.

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:19.720
 What happens when

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:21.559
 Samuel comes to Saul

00:31:21.559 --> 00:31:22.319
 in the Old Testament?

00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:23.000
 Saul says,

00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:23.880
 oh, well,

00:31:23.880 --> 00:31:24.740
 I was going to wait for you

00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:25.660
 but you took so long

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:26.340
 I just couldn't wait

00:31:26.340 --> 00:31:26.900
 any longer.

00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:28.980
 Self-righteousness,

00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:30.360
 selfishness,

00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.440
 defensiveness.

00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:33.100
 And that's what we see

00:31:33.100 --> 00:31:33.700
 happening here.

00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:35.319
 John says that

00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.539
 if they genuinely repent,

00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:38.019
 there'll be fruit of it.

00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.380
 There'll be a humility.

00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:40.480
 There'll be a brokenness.

00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:41.460
 There'll be a distaste

00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:41.960
 for sin

00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:43.160
 and a longing for truth.

00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:44.580
 There'll be a gentleness

00:31:44.580 --> 00:31:45.480
 and a sincerity,

00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:47.340
 a delighting in the things of God.

00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:49.279
 Except rather than forsaking

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:49.960
 their pride

00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:51.259
 and their honor,

00:31:52.180 --> 00:31:52.820
 here these people

00:31:52.820 --> 00:31:54.000
 are holding on to their pride.

00:31:54.560 --> 00:31:55.680
 They're holding on to their honor.

00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:57.060
 They are saving face.

00:31:57.660 --> 00:31:58.380
 They don't want to look

00:31:58.380 --> 00:31:59.920
 disrespectful before others.

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:01.940
 Rather than letting God

00:32:01.940 --> 00:32:02.660
 be their God,

00:32:02.759 --> 00:32:03.540
 they still want to be

00:32:03.540 --> 00:32:04.259
 their own God.

00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:06.100
 And the consequences

00:32:06.100 --> 00:32:07.600
 are disastrous.

00:32:07.800 --> 00:32:08.900
 Because look at verse 10.

00:32:08.900 --> 00:32:10.100
 John says,

00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:11.259
 even now the axe

00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:12.220
 is laid at the root

00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:12.800
 of the tree.

00:32:13.620 --> 00:32:14.600
 Every tree that does

00:32:14.600 --> 00:32:15.280
 not bear fruit

00:32:15.280 --> 00:32:16.040
 is cut down

00:32:16.040 --> 00:32:16.720
 and it's thrown

00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:17.500
 into the fire.

00:32:18.280 --> 00:32:18.640
 Friends,

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.500
 can I say this

00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:20.700
 as gently as possible?

00:32:21.820 --> 00:32:22.920
 It is possible

00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:23.900
 for us to

00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:25.800
 deceive our bosses.

00:32:26.580 --> 00:32:27.519
 It is possible

00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:28.500
 for us to deceive

00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:29.600
 the government officials.

00:32:29.820 --> 00:32:30.580
 It's even possible

00:32:30.580 --> 00:32:31.380
 for us to deceive

00:32:31.380 --> 00:32:31.980
 our spouses.

00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:33.320
 But friends,

00:32:33.380 --> 00:32:34.600
 we cannot dodge God.

00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:36.839
 God will never be able

00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:37.579
 to deceive him.

00:32:38.359 --> 00:32:39.139
 God looks into

00:32:39.139 --> 00:32:40.319
 the reality of things.

00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:41.659
 And John gives

00:32:41.659 --> 00:32:43.519
 a stern warning here.

00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:43.759
 He says,

00:32:43.859 --> 00:32:44.799
 the axe is ready.

00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:46.699
 It's laying weight.

00:32:47.219 --> 00:32:47.899
 And every tree

00:32:47.899 --> 00:32:49.219
 that doesn't bear fruit

00:32:49.219 --> 00:32:50.519
 is going to be thrown

00:32:50.519 --> 00:32:51.059
 ultimately

00:32:51.059 --> 00:32:52.539
 in the fire.

00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:54.000
 Now,

00:32:54.719 --> 00:32:55.619
 why is this

00:32:55.619 --> 00:32:56.539
 all so important?

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:57.699
 Why are we making

00:32:57.699 --> 00:32:58.659
 such a big deal

00:32:58.659 --> 00:32:59.099
 of this?

00:32:59.439 --> 00:32:59.639
 Well,

00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:01.000
 up until now,

00:33:01.099 --> 00:33:01.759
 everything John

00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:02.439
 has been saying

00:33:02.439 --> 00:33:03.579
 has been really important.

00:33:04.439 --> 00:33:04.839
 Remember,

00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:05.519
 this is central

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.399
 not only to John,

00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:06.939
 this is central

00:33:06.939 --> 00:33:07.500
 to Jesus

00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:08.379
 and the New Testament

00:33:08.379 --> 00:33:09.299
 and in fact

00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:09.939
 the whole Bible.

00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:11.619
 It's really important

00:33:11.619 --> 00:33:12.699
 but

00:33:12.699 --> 00:33:14.299
 it's not the most

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:15.059
 important thing.

00:33:15.919 --> 00:33:16.679
 In other words,

00:33:17.159 --> 00:33:17.960
 in some ways,

00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:18.879
 repentance

00:33:18.879 --> 00:33:20.279
 is so important

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.159
 but in other ways,

00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:22.519
 it's just the doorway.

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:24.539
 It's just the house keys.

00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:26.699
 It's just the entrance hall

00:33:26.699 --> 00:33:28.659
 into what is really important.

00:33:29.399 --> 00:33:29.879
 In other words,

00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:31.579
 it's absolutely vital

00:33:31.579 --> 00:33:32.720
 that we practice

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:33.960
 what Jesus and the Bible

00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:34.980
 say when they call us

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:35.519
 to repentance

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:37.180
 but this mustn't become

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:38.339
 the focus of the church

00:33:38.339 --> 00:33:39.180
 as if we go around

00:33:39.180 --> 00:33:40.019
 saying to our brothers

00:33:40.019 --> 00:33:40.480
 and sisters,

00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:41.480
 have you repented today,

00:33:41.579 --> 00:33:41.759
 brother?

00:33:42.100 --> 00:33:43.120
 Have you repented today?

00:33:43.620 --> 00:33:44.819
 It's so important

00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:46.059
 but it's not the most

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:46.720
 important thing.

00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:47.759
 How do we know?

00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:48.519
 Well,

00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:49.319
 two things that John

00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:49.819
 tells us here.

00:33:49.900 --> 00:33:50.519
 Look at what he says

00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:51.100
 in verse 2.

00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:52.240
 Repent.

00:33:52.620 --> 00:33:53.059
 Why?

00:33:54.059 --> 00:33:54.400
 Why?

00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:56.240
 For the king

00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.539
 and his kingdom

00:33:57.539 --> 00:33:58.620
 are here.

00:33:59.319 --> 00:33:59.480
 Okay?

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.079
 Secondly,

00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:00.720
 look at what he says

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.419
 in verse 11.

00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:02.299
 He says,

00:34:02.339 --> 00:34:03.720
 I baptize you with water

00:34:03.720 --> 00:34:04.399
 for repentance

00:34:04.399 --> 00:34:06.139
 but there is one

00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:07.119
 coming after me,

00:34:07.699 --> 00:34:08.940
 he who is mightier

00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:09.360
 than I,

00:34:09.759 --> 00:34:10.699
 who is infinitely

00:34:10.699 --> 00:34:11.559
 more worthy

00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:12.259
 than I am

00:34:12.259 --> 00:34:14.059
 and he will baptize you

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:15.039
 with the Holy Spirit

00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:15.759
 and with fire.

00:34:16.319 --> 00:34:17.239
 You see why repentance

00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:18.039
 is so important?

00:34:18.360 --> 00:34:19.860
 Because it's the gateway,

00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:21.480
 it's the entrance hall,

00:34:21.779 --> 00:34:22.980
 it's the house keys

00:34:22.980 --> 00:34:24.279
 to the ultimate thing

00:34:24.279 --> 00:34:25.460
 which is knowing

00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.460
 and loving

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.599
 and savoring

00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:28.480
 and walking

00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:29.619
 with the king,

00:34:30.259 --> 00:34:31.079
 with King Jesus.

00:34:31.719 --> 00:34:32.199
 Friends,

00:34:32.299 --> 00:34:33.420
 the story of the Bible

00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:35.139
 is not about how

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:37.279
 religious

00:34:37.279 --> 00:34:38.980
 we should be.

00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:40.119
 It's about how

00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:41.599
 wonderful King Jesus is.

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:43.219
 So great and glorious

00:34:43.219 --> 00:34:44.199
 is this king

00:34:44.199 --> 00:34:45.299
 that he's come

00:34:45.299 --> 00:34:46.139
 not to introduce

00:34:46.139 --> 00:34:47.319
 a new religious system,

00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:48.619
 not to introduce

00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.440
 a religion,

00:34:49.880 --> 00:34:50.900
 he's come not to even

00:34:50.900 --> 00:34:51.920
 make us feel bad

00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:52.559
 about ourselves,

00:34:52.799 --> 00:34:53.980
 he's come to bring us

00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:54.819
 into his family,

00:34:55.219 --> 00:34:56.480
 he's come to welcome us

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.199
 into his kingdom.

00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:58.119
 Friends,

00:34:58.239 --> 00:34:59.099
 every human being

00:34:59.099 --> 00:35:00.019
 is born into sin.

00:35:00.299 --> 00:35:01.440
 We cannot help but sin.

00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.159
 We are children

00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:03.059
 of Adam and Eve

00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:05.119
 and our heart's disposition

00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:06.179
 is against God

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:07.299
 and towards ourselves.

00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:09.039
 We've rebelled against God,

00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:09.779
 we've wanted to be

00:35:09.779 --> 00:35:10.539
 our own God

00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:12.159
 and we've hurt ourselves,

00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.239
 we've hurt one another,

00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:14.480
 we've dishonored God

00:35:14.480 --> 00:35:15.940
 and God could have said,

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:16.460
 fine,

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.440
 have things your way

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.900
 and the consequence

00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:21.279
 is eternal fire.

00:35:22.219 --> 00:35:23.179
 But God didn't do that.

00:35:23.779 --> 00:35:24.440
 He came,

00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:26.179
 He came to rescue us,

00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:27.719
 He came to deliver us,

00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:29.259
 He came to save us,

00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:31.000
 He came to pardon our sin.

00:35:31.379 --> 00:35:32.000
 Not only that,

00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:32.919
 He came to bring us

00:35:32.919 --> 00:35:33.799
 back to His family,

00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:35.460
 He came to make rebels

00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:36.139
 His children,

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.480
 He came to make sinners

00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:38.659
 like me and you

00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:40.019
 sons and daughters.

00:35:40.579 --> 00:35:41.399
 Christ the King

00:35:41.399 --> 00:35:42.579
 came to rescue us

00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:44.219
 from the gutter of sin

00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:45.619
 and to bring us back

00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:46.359
 into His family

00:35:46.359 --> 00:35:47.460
 with God as our King

00:35:47.460 --> 00:35:49.319
 and we as His beloved children.

00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:50.659
 And John says,

00:35:50.659 --> 00:35:52.179
 I baptize you with water

00:35:52.179 --> 00:35:53.219
 for repentance

00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:54.659
 but there is one

00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:55.539
 coming after me

00:35:55.539 --> 00:35:57.559
 and He is what it's all about

00:35:57.559 --> 00:35:59.539
 and He will baptize you

00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:00.920
 with fire and the Holy Spirit.

00:36:01.319 --> 00:36:01.639
 He says,

00:36:01.719 --> 00:36:02.599
 this one who's coming,

00:36:02.879 --> 00:36:04.259
 He's infinitely mightier

00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:05.179
 than I could ever be.

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:06.519
 This one who's coming,

00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:08.119
 He's infinitely more worthy

00:36:08.119 --> 00:36:09.199
 than I could ever be.

00:36:09.779 --> 00:36:10.899
 You might know this

00:36:10.899 --> 00:36:12.599
 but in John's day,

00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.259
 a disciple,

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.279
 the way a disciple

00:36:16.279 --> 00:36:17.460
 treated his rabbi

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:18.260
 is the same

00:36:18.260 --> 00:36:19.260
 that a way a slave

00:36:19.260 --> 00:36:20.480
 treats his master.

00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:21.199
 They were expected

00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:22.199
 to do the same thing.

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:23.539
 What a slave does

00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:24.220
 for his master,

00:36:24.720 --> 00:36:25.800
 a disciple does

00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:26.320
 for his rabbi

00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:27.360
 except one thing.

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:28.519
 There's one thing

00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:29.179
 that a disciple

00:36:29.179 --> 00:36:30.059
 never had to do

00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:30.599
 for their rabbi

00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:31.500
 and that was carry

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:32.840
 their smelly shoes.

00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:34.039
 That was considered

00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:35.720
 one level too low,

00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:37.159
 too humiliating.

00:36:38.019 --> 00:36:38.720
 John says this,

00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:39.519
 so worthy,

00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:40.900
 so glorious,

00:36:41.300 --> 00:36:41.940
 so beautiful

00:36:41.940 --> 00:36:42.619
 is this King

00:36:42.619 --> 00:36:43.920
 that even if he were

00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:44.579
 to ask me

00:36:44.579 --> 00:36:46.039
 to carry his smelly shoes,

00:36:46.260 --> 00:36:47.300
 I wouldn't even consider

00:36:47.300 --> 00:36:48.380
 myself worthy enough

00:36:48.380 --> 00:36:49.720
 to be after the task.

00:36:50.120 --> 00:36:50.800
 John is saying

00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:51.539
 what he's been saying

00:36:51.539 --> 00:36:52.039
 all along.

00:36:52.519 --> 00:36:53.360
 I am nothing

00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:54.400
 compared to this one.

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.880
 Who he is

00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:56.960
 and what he does

00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:58.640
 is infinitely more important

00:36:58.640 --> 00:36:59.480
 than who I am

00:36:59.480 --> 00:37:00.400
 and what I do.

00:37:00.740 --> 00:37:01.840
 I am the voice.

00:37:02.060 --> 00:37:02.820
 He is the King.

00:37:03.100 --> 00:37:04.100
 I am temporary.

00:37:04.400 --> 00:37:05.240
 He is eternal.

00:37:05.700 --> 00:37:06.760
 I must decrease.

00:37:07.039 --> 00:37:08.039
 He must increase.

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:09.400
 I am man.

00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:11.160
 He is God.

00:37:11.900 --> 00:37:12.539
 And friends,

00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:14.200
 that's why repentance

00:37:14.200 --> 00:37:15.180
 is so important.

00:37:15.960 --> 00:37:16.960
 Not so that we can be

00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.960
 super Christians

00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:19.220
 who show how serious

00:37:19.220 --> 00:37:20.679
 and how religious

00:37:20.679 --> 00:37:22.659
 and how dedicated we are,

00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:24.199
 but so that we can know

00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:25.220
 the King.

00:37:26.079 --> 00:37:27.320
 We can walk in relationship

00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:28.639
 with the King.

00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:29.840
 Friends,

00:37:29.940 --> 00:37:30.880
 baptism and repentance

00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:31.639
 are important,

00:37:32.300 --> 00:37:33.480
 but in and of themselves,

00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:34.380
 they are nothing.

00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:35.880
 They are utterly meaningless

00:37:35.880 --> 00:37:37.780
 unless they lead you

00:37:37.780 --> 00:37:38.420
 to knowing,

00:37:39.139 --> 00:37:39.840
 walking with,

00:37:40.220 --> 00:37:40.780
 delighting,

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.599
 and enjoying,

00:37:42.019 --> 00:37:43.179
 and glorifying

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:44.659
 in God the King

00:37:44.659 --> 00:37:46.219
 and Christ your Savior.

00:37:48.859 --> 00:37:50.399
 Fiona read it to us earlier,

00:37:50.659 --> 00:37:52.679
 but Psalm 51,

00:37:53.859 --> 00:37:54.779
 David has sinned.

00:37:54.899 --> 00:37:57.239
 He's committed adultery

00:37:57.239 --> 00:37:57.940
 with Bathsheba.

00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.480
 He's then gone

00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:00.940
 and murdered Bathsheba's husband

00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:02.159
 so that he can marry her,

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.960
 and he's made aware

00:38:03.960 --> 00:38:04.559
 of his sin.

00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:07.139
 And he doesn't just say,

00:38:07.139 --> 00:38:08.159
 oh God,

00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:09.139
 I'm such a sinner.

00:38:10.379 --> 00:38:12.559
 Please put things right again.

00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:15.119
 The thing that David misses

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:16.420
 is the sweet communion

00:38:16.420 --> 00:38:17.440
 with the living God.

00:38:18.319 --> 00:38:19.619
 What grieves his heart

00:38:19.619 --> 00:38:20.639
 is that relationship

00:38:20.639 --> 00:38:21.519
 with the King,

00:38:21.699 --> 00:38:22.480
 with Christ,

00:38:23.099 --> 00:38:23.900
 with the glorious

00:38:23.900 --> 00:38:25.799
 and infinitely worthy God

00:38:25.799 --> 00:38:26.440
 has been broken.

00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:29.000
 And so listen to his prayer.

00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:29.500
 He says,

00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:30.539
 God,

00:38:30.639 --> 00:38:32.340
 let me hear joy

00:38:32.340 --> 00:38:33.280
 and gladness again.

00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.679
 Let the bones

00:38:34.679 --> 00:38:35.559
 that have been broken

00:38:35.559 --> 00:38:36.079
 rejoice.

00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:37.480
 God,

00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:38.360
 do not hide

00:38:38.360 --> 00:38:39.300
 your face from me

00:38:39.300 --> 00:38:39.880
 any longer.

00:38:40.780 --> 00:38:41.460
 Create in me

00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:42.280
 a clean heart,

00:38:42.360 --> 00:38:42.659
 God.

00:38:42.760 --> 00:38:43.820
 Renew what is right

00:38:43.820 --> 00:38:44.340
 within me.

00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:46.239
 Do not cast me away

00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:47.199
 from your presence

00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:48.079
 any longer.

00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:49.920
 And do not take

00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:50.840
 your Holy Spirit

00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:51.539
 from me.

00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:53.539
 This is what John says.

00:38:54.340 --> 00:38:54.739
 John says,

00:38:54.820 --> 00:38:55.940
 I've come to baptize you

00:38:55.940 --> 00:38:56.559
 for repentance,

00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:57.579
 but there is one

00:38:57.579 --> 00:38:58.539
 coming after me,

00:38:58.539 --> 00:39:00.199
 and he will baptize you

00:39:00.199 --> 00:39:01.059
 with the Holy Spirit

00:39:01.059 --> 00:39:01.880
 and with fire.

00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:03.259
 But what does it mean?

00:39:03.980 --> 00:39:04.219
 Well,

00:39:04.259 --> 00:39:04.980
 it means a whole bunch

00:39:04.980 --> 00:39:05.320
 of things,

00:39:05.420 --> 00:39:06.400
 but two things in particular.

00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:08.679
 It means being immersed,

00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:09.739
 being dunked,

00:39:09.860 --> 00:39:10.659
 being soaked,

00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:11.860
 being drowned

00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:13.119
 in the life

00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:13.940
 and the presence

00:39:13.940 --> 00:39:15.619
 of the eternal God.

00:39:16.259 --> 00:39:16.539
 Remember,

00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:17.500
 that's what baptism means.

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.599
 It means to drown something.

00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:19.699
 John says that

00:39:19.699 --> 00:39:21.340
 when Jesus baptizes you

00:39:21.340 --> 00:39:22.039
 in the Holy Spirit,

00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:23.699
 he will so radically

00:39:23.699 --> 00:39:25.039
 pour out his Holy Spirit

00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:25.779
 upon your life

00:39:25.779 --> 00:39:27.119
 that no area

00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:27.659
 of your life

00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:28.519
 will be unaffected.

00:39:29.019 --> 00:39:29.559
 Think about

00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:30.440
 if you get baptized,

00:39:30.579 --> 00:39:30.800
 right?

00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:32.559
 You can't get baptized

00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:33.559
 in the pool outside

00:39:33.559 --> 00:39:33.920
 and say,

00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:34.239
 just,

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:36.239
 I don't want my right side

00:39:36.239 --> 00:39:36.719
 of my body

00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:37.279
 to be wet,

00:39:37.380 --> 00:39:37.519
 please,

00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:38.380
 just the left side

00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:38.880
 of my body,

00:39:38.960 --> 00:39:39.199
 right?

00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:40.239
 Friends,

00:39:40.259 --> 00:39:40.960
 when the Holy Spirit,

00:39:41.460 --> 00:39:42.340
 when you get baptized

00:39:42.340 --> 00:39:43.279
 in the Holy Spirit,

00:39:43.759 --> 00:39:44.400
 God touches

00:39:44.400 --> 00:39:45.759
 every area of your life,

00:39:45.880 --> 00:39:46.880
 your financial life,

00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:48.380
 your sexual life,

00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:50.239
 your vocational life,

00:39:50.559 --> 00:39:51.639
 your relational life,

00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:52.800
 your emotional life.

00:39:53.340 --> 00:39:53.960
 Jesus says

00:39:53.960 --> 00:39:54.960
 that when he comes,

00:39:55.059 --> 00:39:56.380
 he will douse you,

00:39:56.380 --> 00:39:57.380
 he will drown you

00:39:57.380 --> 00:39:57.960
 in the life

00:39:57.960 --> 00:39:58.539
 and the power

00:39:58.539 --> 00:39:59.800
 of the living God.

00:39:59.900 --> 00:40:01.140
 John Piper put it like this,

00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:03.240
 baptizing with the Holy Spirit

00:40:03.240 --> 00:40:04.720
 and baptizing water

00:40:04.720 --> 00:40:05.480
 is the difference

00:40:05.480 --> 00:40:06.780
 between a lightning bolt

00:40:06.780 --> 00:40:08.579
 and a firefly.

00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:09.780
 It's the difference

00:40:09.780 --> 00:40:11.019
 between a real person

00:40:11.019 --> 00:40:12.240
 and a photograph,

00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:13.840
 between a marriage

00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:15.200
 and a wedding ring,

00:40:15.660 --> 00:40:17.160
 between a real life birth

00:40:17.160 --> 00:40:18.300
 and the delivery ward

00:40:18.300 --> 00:40:19.980
 and a birth certificate.

00:40:19.980 --> 00:40:22.039
 And that's what Jesus is saying,

00:40:22.539 --> 00:40:23.659
 that when he comes

00:40:23.659 --> 00:40:24.340
 with repentance,

00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:25.940
 leads us to this encounter

00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:27.380
 that changes our lives forever

00:40:27.380 --> 00:40:28.719
 with the living God.

00:40:29.740 --> 00:40:30.440
 But then secondly,

00:40:30.539 --> 00:40:30.880
 he says,

00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:31.820
 I'll baptize you

00:40:31.820 --> 00:40:32.639
 with fire.

00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:34.360
 It means we'll be filled

00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:35.380
 with God's purifying,

00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:36.400
 cleansing power.

00:40:37.059 --> 00:40:37.619
 It means God

00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:38.760
 actually empowering us

00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:39.800
 to turn from our sin

00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:40.440
 which we hate

00:40:40.440 --> 00:40:41.599
 and empowering us

00:40:41.599 --> 00:40:42.579
 to turn to life

00:40:42.579 --> 00:40:44.019
 which we love.

00:40:44.380 --> 00:40:45.659
 Turning from sin

00:40:45.659 --> 00:40:48.059
 which kills us

00:40:48.059 --> 00:40:49.319
 and full of darkness

00:40:49.319 --> 00:40:50.899
 to life and purity

00:40:50.899 --> 00:40:51.899
 and lives of holiness.

00:40:52.579 --> 00:40:52.839
 Friends,

00:40:52.960 --> 00:40:53.899
 Christians are not only

00:40:53.899 --> 00:40:54.739
 those that are saved

00:40:54.739 --> 00:40:55.739
 by the blood of Jesus

00:40:55.739 --> 00:40:56.519
 for heaven.

00:40:57.039 --> 00:40:57.699
 Christians are those

00:40:57.699 --> 00:40:58.519
 who are made ready

00:40:58.519 --> 00:40:59.659
 for heaven

00:40:59.659 --> 00:41:01.339
 by the Spirit of Christ.

00:41:01.739 --> 00:41:02.619
 And when God

00:41:02.619 --> 00:41:03.679
 comes on his people,

00:41:04.259 --> 00:41:04.839
 that's the one

00:41:04.839 --> 00:41:05.980
 that he changes us.

00:41:06.339 --> 00:41:07.599
 He makes us more like Jesus.

00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:09.239
 He baptizes us

00:41:09.239 --> 00:41:11.460
 with his purifying fire.

00:41:12.420 --> 00:41:13.339
 John said this,

00:41:13.339 --> 00:41:14.579
 I come to baptize you

00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:15.039
 with water

00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:16.259
 but there is one

00:41:16.259 --> 00:41:17.099
 coming after me

00:41:17.099 --> 00:41:18.179
 who will baptize you.

00:41:18.679 --> 00:41:19.500
 He will baptize you

00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:20.400
 with the Holy Spirit

00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:21.639
 and with fire.

00:41:22.139 --> 00:41:22.779
 And that's why

00:41:22.779 --> 00:41:23.579
 he calls us

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:24.800
 to repentance.

00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:25.659
 Now,

00:41:26.300 --> 00:41:28.019
 let's land with this.

00:41:28.059 --> 00:41:28.639
 I want to land with

00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:29.940
 three very practical

00:41:29.940 --> 00:41:30.779
 applications

00:41:30.779 --> 00:41:32.579
 last three minutes.

00:41:33.539 --> 00:41:34.739
 Application number one.

00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:36.599
 If you're here this morning

00:41:36.599 --> 00:41:37.679
 and you're not a Christian,

00:41:38.460 --> 00:41:38.960
 maybe you're still

00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:39.900
 a spiritual seeker,

00:41:40.699 --> 00:41:41.619
 maybe you're trying

00:41:41.619 --> 00:41:42.199
 to make sense

00:41:42.199 --> 00:41:42.759
 of the Bible

00:41:42.759 --> 00:41:44.519
 and you're not yet

00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:45.480
 convinced about Jesus.

00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:46.679
 This is the first

00:41:46.679 --> 00:41:47.699
 application for you.

00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:49.659
 Can I gently

00:41:49.659 --> 00:41:51.860
 and yet very clearly

00:41:51.860 --> 00:41:53.280
 urge you

00:41:53.280 --> 00:41:54.420
 and implore you

00:41:54.420 --> 00:41:55.900
 to take seriously

00:41:55.900 --> 00:41:57.099
 John's words

00:41:57.099 --> 00:41:58.460
 and Jesus' words

00:41:58.460 --> 00:41:59.840
 to come to him

00:41:59.840 --> 00:42:00.980
 in repentance?

00:42:02.139 --> 00:42:02.559
 Friends,

00:42:03.059 --> 00:42:04.219
 turning from sin

00:42:04.219 --> 00:42:05.480
 and turning to the living God

00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:06.780
 is the only way

00:42:06.780 --> 00:42:07.400
 to salvation

00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:08.860
 and it's the only way

00:42:08.860 --> 00:42:09.420
 to knowing

00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:10.480
 and encountering

00:42:10.480 --> 00:42:12.199
 the one true living God.

00:42:12.199 --> 00:42:13.899
 your giving money

00:42:13.899 --> 00:42:14.519
 to the poor

00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:15.639
 won't help you a bit.

00:42:16.359 --> 00:42:17.919
 Your religious observation

00:42:17.919 --> 00:42:18.719
 and dedication

00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:19.939
 won't help you a bit.

00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:21.319
 Your moral

00:42:21.319 --> 00:42:22.619
 and ethical endeavors

00:42:22.619 --> 00:42:23.539
 won't help you

00:42:23.539 --> 00:42:24.299
 a single bit.

00:42:24.819 --> 00:42:25.599
 The only way

00:42:25.599 --> 00:42:26.279
 to come to know

00:42:26.279 --> 00:42:28.279
 the one true living God

00:42:28.279 --> 00:42:29.719
 is to come to him

00:42:29.719 --> 00:42:31.039
 in sincerity,

00:42:31.899 --> 00:42:32.379
 humility,

00:42:32.379 --> 00:42:33.759
 and repentance.

00:42:34.339 --> 00:42:35.460
 And the good news is

00:42:35.460 --> 00:42:37.000
 he longs to give it to you.

00:42:37.359 --> 00:42:38.639
 That's why Jesus came.

00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:40.539
 He loves you so much

00:42:40.539 --> 00:42:41.860
 that he wants to give it to you.

00:42:42.139 --> 00:42:43.420
 He loves you so much

00:42:43.420 --> 00:42:44.519
 he died on the cross

00:42:44.519 --> 00:42:45.400
 to give it to you.

00:42:45.980 --> 00:42:46.259
 Friends,

00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:46.900
 come to him

00:42:46.900 --> 00:42:47.840
 this morning.

00:42:48.460 --> 00:42:49.739
 Let today be the day

00:42:49.739 --> 00:42:51.099
 that he turns your life around.

00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:52.619
 Let today be the day

00:42:52.619 --> 00:42:53.860
 that he baptizes you

00:42:53.860 --> 00:42:54.559
 with power

00:42:54.559 --> 00:42:55.940
 on the Holy Spirit.

00:42:56.739 --> 00:42:56.960
 Friends,

00:42:57.039 --> 00:42:57.719
 maybe some of us here

00:42:57.719 --> 00:42:58.159
 this morning

00:42:58.159 --> 00:42:59.099
 think we're Christians,

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:00.719
 but maybe we're not.

00:43:01.820 --> 00:43:02.579
 Can I ask you

00:43:02.579 --> 00:43:04.460
 to observe yourself?

00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:05.940
 Can I ask you

00:43:05.940 --> 00:43:07.179
 to really examine

00:43:07.179 --> 00:43:08.480
 whether you truly are saved?

00:43:08.739 --> 00:43:09.759
 Test the genuineness

00:43:09.760 --> 00:43:10.460
 of your repentance?

00:43:11.320 --> 00:43:11.900
 Is it marked

00:43:11.900 --> 00:43:12.780
 by selfishness

00:43:12.780 --> 00:43:13.940
 and self-righteousness?

00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:15.120
 Is it marked

00:43:15.120 --> 00:43:16.040
 by defensiveness

00:43:16.040 --> 00:43:16.880
 and excuses?

00:43:18.120 --> 00:43:18.560
 Friends,

00:43:19.160 --> 00:43:19.840
 come to him.

00:43:20.500 --> 00:43:21.260
 Come to Jesus.

00:43:22.240 --> 00:43:23.060
 Come to the one

00:43:23.060 --> 00:43:24.580
 who died on the cross

00:43:24.580 --> 00:43:24.980
 for you,

00:43:25.460 --> 00:43:26.460
 but come to the one

00:43:26.460 --> 00:43:27.740
 who can give you

00:43:27.740 --> 00:43:28.360
 true life

00:43:28.360 --> 00:43:29.120
 and salvation.

00:43:29.340 --> 00:43:30.420
 That's the first application.

00:43:30.600 --> 00:43:31.320
 Second application

00:43:31.320 --> 00:43:31.820
 is this.

00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:33.000
 For those of us

00:43:33.000 --> 00:43:33.620
 that are Christians,

00:43:34.700 --> 00:43:35.700
 do we think

00:43:35.700 --> 00:43:36.720
 that repentance

00:43:36.720 --> 00:43:37.280
 is something

00:43:37.280 --> 00:43:38.680
 we did once upon a time

00:43:38.679 --> 00:43:39.719
 and we've moved on from?

00:43:40.259 --> 00:43:41.199
 Or do we realize

00:43:41.199 --> 00:43:42.440
 it's a daily endeavor?

00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:44.099
 Martin Luther,

00:43:44.219 --> 00:43:46.159
 the great reforming monk

00:43:46.159 --> 00:43:46.899
 said it like this.

00:43:46.940 --> 00:43:47.219
 He said,

00:43:47.319 --> 00:43:48.199
 the entire life

00:43:48.199 --> 00:43:48.759
 of believers

00:43:48.759 --> 00:43:49.480
 should be marked

00:43:49.480 --> 00:43:50.259
 by repentance.

00:43:50.919 --> 00:43:51.359
 In other words,

00:43:51.399 --> 00:43:52.319
 the life of a Christian

00:43:52.319 --> 00:43:53.000
 is a life

00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:54.279
 that's continually marked

00:43:54.279 --> 00:43:55.399
 by turning from one

00:43:55.399 --> 00:43:56.639
 and turning to the other.

00:43:57.099 --> 00:43:57.940
 Turning from death

00:43:57.940 --> 00:43:58.899
 and turning to life.

00:43:59.039 --> 00:44:00.039
 Turning from me

00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:01.139
 and turning towards God.

00:44:01.279 --> 00:44:02.839
 Turning from self-sufficiency

00:44:02.839 --> 00:44:04.940
 and turning to God dependency.

00:44:05.500 --> 00:44:06.639
 Turning to align myself

00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:07.219
 with the truth

00:44:07.219 --> 00:44:07.960
 of who God is.

00:44:08.599 --> 00:44:08.859
 Friends,

00:44:08.900 --> 00:44:10.000
 every day we should wake up

00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:10.279
 and say,

00:44:10.359 --> 00:44:10.699
 Christ,

00:44:10.799 --> 00:44:11.859
 have your way in my life.

00:44:12.639 --> 00:44:12.839
 Friends,

00:44:12.879 --> 00:44:14.179
 have you repented recently?

00:44:15.039 --> 00:44:15.599
 For those of us

00:44:15.599 --> 00:44:16.299
 that are Christians,

00:44:16.639 --> 00:44:17.619
 let us be a mark

00:44:17.619 --> 00:44:18.279
 of our life.

00:44:18.940 --> 00:44:19.619
 And then thirdly

00:44:19.619 --> 00:44:20.099
 and finally,

00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:21.119
 for those of us

00:44:21.119 --> 00:44:21.699
 that are Christians,

00:44:21.940 --> 00:44:23.019
 let us prepare the way

00:44:23.019 --> 00:44:23.839
 like John the Baptist.

00:44:24.900 --> 00:44:25.239
 Friends,

00:44:25.319 --> 00:44:26.279
 the cities of Asia

00:44:26.279 --> 00:44:27.359
 are filled

00:44:27.359 --> 00:44:27.980
 with literally

00:44:27.980 --> 00:44:29.579
 billions of people

00:44:29.579 --> 00:44:31.000
 that do not know

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:32.719
 the life-giving water

00:44:32.719 --> 00:44:33.719
 of the living God.

00:44:34.359 --> 00:44:35.440
 Our cities are filled

00:44:35.440 --> 00:44:36.880
 with billions of people

00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:37.980
 who have never encountered

00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:39.260
 heaven and earth's true king.

00:44:39.639 --> 00:44:40.440
 Who have never come

00:44:40.440 --> 00:44:41.360
 to know the good news

00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:42.480
 of his rescue plan

00:44:42.480 --> 00:44:43.179
 for salvation.

00:44:43.780 --> 00:44:44.500
 Billions of people

00:44:44.500 --> 00:44:45.460
 who have never encountered

00:44:45.460 --> 00:44:46.659
 the life and the love

00:44:46.659 --> 00:44:47.139
 of Jesus.

00:44:47.700 --> 00:44:48.539
 They've never known

00:44:48.539 --> 00:44:50.000
 that his upside-down kingdom

00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:51.280
 is the true kingdom.

00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:52.820
 The everlasting kingdom.

00:44:53.220 --> 00:44:54.559
 The kingdom that never ends.

00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:55.639
 They've never met

00:44:55.639 --> 00:44:57.280
 the one who is infinitely mighty

00:44:57.280 --> 00:44:58.599
 and infinitely worthy.

00:44:59.240 --> 00:44:59.440
 Friends,

00:44:59.500 --> 00:45:01.039
 our cities are full of people

00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:02.280
 that have never been baptized

00:45:02.280 --> 00:45:03.340
 in his love

00:45:03.340 --> 00:45:04.580
 and the Holy Spirit

00:45:04.580 --> 00:45:05.720
 and with fire.

00:45:06.500 --> 00:45:06.800
 Friends,

00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:08.080
 Jesus says he stands

00:45:08.080 --> 00:45:09.080
 ready to separate

00:45:09.080 --> 00:45:09.880
 those that are his

00:45:09.880 --> 00:45:10.840
 from those that are not.

00:45:11.700 --> 00:45:12.660
 He sends us out

00:45:12.660 --> 00:45:13.500
 with good news

00:45:13.500 --> 00:45:14.620
 that the king

00:45:14.620 --> 00:45:15.360
 and the kingdom

00:45:15.360 --> 00:45:16.820
 are at hand

00:45:16.820 --> 00:45:17.940
 and therefore,

00:45:18.060 --> 00:45:18.860
 we graciously

00:45:18.860 --> 00:45:20.340
 and gently

00:45:20.340 --> 00:45:22.080
 and winsomely

00:45:22.080 --> 00:45:23.760
 but urgently

00:45:23.760 --> 00:45:25.880
 call our brothers

00:45:25.880 --> 00:45:26.580
 and sisters,

00:45:27.160 --> 00:45:28.400
 our fellow Hong Kongers,

00:45:28.540 --> 00:45:29.040
 to come

00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:30.279
 and encounter

00:45:30.279 --> 00:45:31.599
 King Jesus.

00:45:32.440 --> 00:45:33.219
 John said this,

00:45:33.340 --> 00:45:34.599
 I baptize you with water

00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:35.860
 for the repentance of sin

00:45:35.860 --> 00:45:37.320
 but there is one

00:45:37.320 --> 00:45:38.159
 coming after me,

00:45:38.659 --> 00:45:39.500
 the true king.

00:45:40.219 --> 00:45:40.840
 He is infinitely

00:45:40.840 --> 00:45:41.679
 mightier than I,

00:45:42.199 --> 00:45:42.800
 he is infinitely

00:45:42.800 --> 00:45:43.519
 more worthy

00:45:43.519 --> 00:45:44.400
 and holy than I

00:45:44.400 --> 00:45:46.400
 and he will baptize you

00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:47.179
 with power,

00:45:47.539 --> 00:45:48.779
 with the Holy Spirit

00:45:48.779 --> 00:45:50.980
 and with fire.

00:45:51.420 --> 00:45:52.519
 Let's come to him

00:45:52.519 --> 00:45:53.579
 now.