WEBVTT

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 Father, we ask that you would pour the Holy Spirit out upon us at this time as we think upon your Word.

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 I ask that you would pour the Holy Spirit upon me, that I not only be a hearer of the Word, but a doer of your Word.

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 And Father, for myself and for all who are listening and entering into worship,

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 I ask, Father, I give, we give an unconditional permission and invitation for your Word

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 to speak into our hearts and rule into our hearts.

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 And this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 I'm so programmed, I want to say please be seated as if we're all together in the same place

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 and you've all been standing because of the creed.

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 The Bible text that Matt read today, it's too bad that it's just a really obscure, irrelevant topic.

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 I mean, all it does is talk about the problem of being judgmental, the problem of arrogance,

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 the problem of arrogant planning, injustice and oppression by the rich.

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 So it has actually nothing to say about anything that's going on in the world today or your life.

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 Obviously, I'm joking.

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 But some of you, if you listened to the text at all when Matt was reading it,

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 if you were paying any attention to it,

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 you might come back and say, George, first of all, it's a little bit interesting to us,

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 especially if you're entering into this today as a bit of a seeker,

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 or maybe you've been burned out by religion,

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 by some type of form of the Christian faith or some other religion.

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 And so you watch this.

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 There we go.

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 You watch this and you think, well, George,

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 it's sort of interesting to discover that the Bible condemns people for being judgmental.

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 But, George, don't you agree that most Christians are very, very judgmental?

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 In fact, that that's a common experience that I've had

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 and many people have had when they meet Christians,

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 that they're very, very judgmental.

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 So I guess all I can say now, George, is not only are they judgmental,

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 they're hypocritical because they go against what their own book tells them to do.

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 But I don't know, like, George, you know,

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 so it's good to know that the Bible text is against being judgmental and all that.

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 But you know what it talked about in terms of planning and all?

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 Like, that just sounds completely absurd,

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 as if you should just, you know, not make any plans about the future.

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 It just sort of says, I don't know, do nothing.

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 That doesn't seem to be very helpful.

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 And then I guess for some of you, if you were listening to it,

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 for those of you who are more left-wing and vote NDP,

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 you're going, yay, about what the Bible says about judgment,

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 about the rich and all of that.

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 But for those who are more conservative, you're going, boo,

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 it sounds like it's a sort of a socialist text and anti-capitalist.

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 So sort of what's going on?

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 So here's a little bit of a thing to try to sort of figure out

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 what's going on with the text.

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 I'm going to say you're not going to be surprised by this

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 because I'm a Christian.

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 And I think the Bible here gives very profound advice

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 worth meditating upon in all of these different areas

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 that it talks about.

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 And in fact has, well, here's the thing about your comment.

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 I'm not going to deny that many Christians are judgmental.

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 I'm not going to deny that.

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 And if some of you who are watching this have had experience

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 of me being judgmental, that might very well be the case.

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 I'm not going to say I'm perfect in these areas.

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 And I just would like to say I'd like to apologize to you.

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 But there's a bit of a riddle here about how Canadians think

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 about being judgmental.

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 Like before, in some ways, it's actually a bit judgmental to say

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 that Christians are judgmental, if you think about it for a second.

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 Like in a bit of a paradoxical or ironic thing,

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 if you're saying Christians are judgmental,

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 that sounds a bit judgmental.

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 But I'm not going to complain about that.

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 I'm not going to take the victim role.

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 I'm actually going to say that we Canadians are actually very confused

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 about the issue and don't realize it.

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 And I'll just give you two sort of things.

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 On one hand, we say you should never be judgmental.

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 That's true.

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 But on the other hand, what it doesn't actually address

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 is how do you have moral confrontation,

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 a moral confrontation which is valid.

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 So in other words, if you were to hear that a teenager,

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 for instance, his parents catch him lying

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 and the parents confront him about lying.

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 And then you hear the teenager respond,

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 you guys are so judgmental.

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 Well, I mean, depending on the nature of the lie,

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 you might say, well, one moment here,

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 like did you lie?

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 And did you lie about things who are really important?

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 Like, so is that actually being judgmental

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 to capture somebody who's lying about something

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 which is very important?

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 Or maybe a better example,

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 if, you know, over coffee,

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 you find out that a woman has found out

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 that her husband has had an affair

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 and she confronts him about it

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 and he said, you're so judgmental.

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 Well, how many of you would back the husband

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 in that particular thing?

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 So if you think about it for a second,

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 there's a bit of an issue about how do we actually

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 figure out both how,

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 I mean, we all sort of have a sense

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 that there's two things that both have to be true,

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 but in fact, we Canadians don't really know

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 how to figure it out

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 other than just I decide this,

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 I decide this is judgmental

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 and I decide this is valid.

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 But one moment, I mean, in the case,

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 the husband and the wife are both making decisions

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 and they're obviously disagreeing.

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 Like, how do you figure out

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 how to have a valid moral confrontation

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 and at the same time,

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 accept that there is, in fact,

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 something called judgmentalism,

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 which Christians are going to say

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 with everybody else in Canada,

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 probably just about everybody else,

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 that it's wrong to be judgmental.

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 So how do you actually have to,

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 how can you deal with that?

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 Well, believe it or not,

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 I think that what at first

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 we might dismiss about the text

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 is actually uniquely wise

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 in the world of conversation

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 about this particular issue.

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 So let's get our Bibles.

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 We're going to walk towards it.

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 We're going to meditate upon the text.

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 If you're watching this for the first time,

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 one of the things that we do

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 at Church of the Messiah,

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 which is a bit unique

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 in the Canadian context today,

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 is that we preach through books of the Bible.

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 And that means that we get to,

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 you know, it's not like I felt like

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 talking about judgmentalism

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 or anything like that.

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 We preach through the books of the Bible.

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 We just look at what is there.

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 They're written as books.

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 It's like the smart way to actually,

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 if you think about it,

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 it's the smart way to study it.

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 Because it was written as a book

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 and we preach through the whole bit.

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 So let's look at it.

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 James chapter 4, verses 11 to 12.

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 Now, just one other little bit

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 of encouragement.

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 And we're going to show the Bible verse

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 on the screen as I read.

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 But it's really helpful

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 if you have your own Bible with you

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 for these sections,

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 especially a paper version of the Bible.

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 And you can look at the text yourself

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 and think about it.

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 The text isn't always going to be on the screen,

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 or I might go from 11 to 12.

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 And it's just very helpful.

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 Because, you see,

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 we want to help you read the Bible for yourself.

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 That's what we want you to do.

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 Like, at the end of the day,

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 what matters is what the Bible teaches for me.

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 I'm just sharing with you.

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 For me, what matters is what the Bible teaches,

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 not what I say.

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 I'm under the Bible,

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 and I'm just trying to help us

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 to understand and appreciate the Bible.

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 But at the end of the day,

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 remembering the Bible is far more important

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 than remembering anything I say.

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 Anyway, so just James 4, verses 11 to 12.

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 And just a bit of a context.

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 Last week, we talked about how, in some ways,

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 the very heart of the whole book of James

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 is captured in verses 6 and 10,

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 which is that God always gives more grace.

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 God opposes the proud

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 and gives grace to the humble.

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 That's verse 6.

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 And then verse 10,

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 that's unpacked in verses 7, 8, and 9.

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 And then verse 10,

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 it has this wonderful, wonderful text that says,

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 just make sure you read,

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 humble yourselves before the Lord,

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 and he will exalt you.

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 And immediately from that,

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 it goes into this topic.

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 And here's what it says.

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 Verses 11 and 12.

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 Do not speak evil against one another,

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 brothers and sisters.

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 The one who speaks against a brother

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 or judges his brother

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 speaks evil against the law

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 and judges the law.

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 But if you judge the law,

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 you are not a doer of the law,

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 but a judge.

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 There is only one lawgiver and judge,

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 he who is able to save and to destroy.

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 But who are you to judge your neighbor?

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 Now, this is a text designed to be meditated upon.

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 And some of you might say,

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 okay, George,

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 I mean, now, you know,

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 Matt read the text,

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 and I was listening,

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 but I didn't really catch it.

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 I mean, you didn't make me sort of look at the text

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 as closely as I did when you just read it.

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 But now that you read it,

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 actually, George,

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 don't you think it comes across

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 as very unhelpful?

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 Like, doesn't it sound very judgmental?

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 In fact, like, George,

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 I actually think that Christianity

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 is inherently judgmental,

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 and that you have, like, a problem.

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 That's one of the reasons I'm not a Christian,

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 some people would say.

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 Like, this whole idea about God being a lawgiver

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 and God being a judge,

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 able to save and destroy,

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 like, George, that sounds like,

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 I mean, I'll just be honest,

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 that sounds very judgmental.

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 Like, George, don't you think,

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 like, the average Canadian would say,

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 I think, that they could not worship

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 or believe in a God like this,

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 a judge who judges.

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 The average Canadian would say

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 that they can only believe in a God of love.

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 And this text doesn't seem to talk

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 about a God of love.

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 It seems to talk about a God

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 who judges,

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 who is the judge,

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 and who judges,

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 and they can't believe in it.

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 But here's the problem.

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 To those of you who,

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 and I can understand it, by the way,

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 the Bible is often very shocking

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 and surprising

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 when you look at it very closely.

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 But the question is,

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 is the problem in the text,

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 and I'm saying, you know,

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 hopefully you can see a little bit

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 of my body language,

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 I'm not against you,

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 I'm for you,

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 but is the problem,

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 I'm trying to say this very gently,

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 is the problem in the text or in you?

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 And you'd say,

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 George,

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 the text,

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 the problem is in me.

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 Well,

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 just think about it for a second.

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 Two things that the average Canadian would say.

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 The average Canadian would say

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 they cannot believe

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 in a God like this,

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 a judge who judges.

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 I believe in a God of love.

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 But then it's not unusual

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 when I've had conversations with people

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 that one minute later

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 they say something like this,

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 I cannot believe

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 in the God of the Bible

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 because he does not judge evil.

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 Whoa,

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 one second.

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 You can't believe in a God

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 who judges

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 and you can't believe in a God

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 who doesn't judge evil.

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 Like,

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 those two thoughts

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 don't fit together.

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 I hate saying this,

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 I have a big smile,

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 maybe a little bit

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 because I'm nervous.

00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:09.340
 Like,

00:11:09.340 --> 00:11:10.980
 that's actually incoherent.

00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:12.600
 It's like asking God

00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:14.040
 to make you full and hungry

00:11:14.040 --> 00:11:15.000
 at the same time.

00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:17.600
 It's like God asking you

00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.960
 to make you so,

00:11:19.500 --> 00:11:21.259
 fill you so much up with fluid

00:11:21.259 --> 00:11:22.220
 that you have to go pee

00:11:22.220 --> 00:11:23.060
 but at the same time

00:11:23.060 --> 00:11:24.980
 that he makes you thirsty.

00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:25.720
 Like,

00:11:25.899 --> 00:11:28.139
 it just doesn't fit together.

00:11:29.940 --> 00:11:30.399
 And in fact,

00:11:30.580 --> 00:11:31.060
 actually,

00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:32.879
 the problem is

00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:34.240
 not only is it

00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:35.120
 that most Canadians

00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:35.820
 don't realize

00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:36.360
 that they have,

00:11:37.100 --> 00:11:38.019
 that this is a problem,

00:11:38.200 --> 00:11:39.019
 they don't even aware

00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:39.460
 of the fact

00:11:39.460 --> 00:11:40.039
 that there's a type

00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:41.500
 of incoherence in them.

00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:41.980
 And by the way,

00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.019
 a lot of Canadian Christians

00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:43.679
 are the same way.

00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:44.679
 Many Canadian Christians

00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:45.460
 are very bothered

00:11:45.460 --> 00:11:46.500
 with texts like this

00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:47.259
 and very,

00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:47.939
 very bothered

00:11:47.939 --> 00:11:48.819
 with this whole idea

00:11:48.819 --> 00:11:49.539
 of God judging

00:11:49.539 --> 00:11:50.299
 and they're bothered

00:11:50.299 --> 00:11:51.299
 by the problem of evil.

00:11:51.779 --> 00:11:52.639
 And for many of us,

00:11:52.699 --> 00:11:53.460
 we don't realize

00:11:53.460 --> 00:11:54.159
 that there's a type

00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:55.460
 of incoherence

00:11:55.460 --> 00:11:55.960
 within us

00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:56.399
 when we look

00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:57.159
 at these things.

00:11:58.679 --> 00:11:59.079
 So,

00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:01.220
 how does Christianity

00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:02.019
 solve this?

00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:02.240
 Well,

00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:02.659
 actually,

00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:03.480
 there's many ways

00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:04.120
 that Christianity

00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:06.000
 solves this particular problem

00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:06.639
 and in fact

00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:07.539
 maintains that God

00:12:07.539 --> 00:12:08.360
 is a God of love

00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.860
 and that he's worthy

00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:10.379
 of worship

00:12:10.379 --> 00:12:11.680
 and that he judges evil.

00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:13.820
 But it's,

00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:15.320
 and it also actually,

00:12:15.500 --> 00:12:16.539
 this text is actually

00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:18.620
 extremely wise

00:12:18.620 --> 00:12:19.740
 about the problem

00:12:19.740 --> 00:12:21.440
 of judgmentalism.

00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:22.860
 So,

00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:24.080
 let's look at,

00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.560
 let's look at the verse again.

00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.259
 It says in verse 11,

00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:30.819
 do not speak evil

00:12:30.819 --> 00:12:32.559
 against one another,

00:12:33.340 --> 00:12:34.240
 brothers and sisters.

00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:35.600
 The one who speaks

00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:36.919
 against a brother

00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:38.299
 or judges his brother

00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:39.319
 speaks evil

00:12:39.319 --> 00:12:40.679
 against the law

00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:42.100
 and judges the law.

00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:43.779
 But if you judge the law,

00:12:43.860 --> 00:12:44.779
 you are not a doer

00:12:44.779 --> 00:12:45.220
 of the law

00:12:45.220 --> 00:12:45.819
 but a judge.

00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:46.379
 And here,

00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:47.200
 this is in a sense

00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:48.080
 talking about the fact

00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.679
 that there is a real moral order

00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:51.240
 that really does exist

00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:51.899
 because there really

00:12:51.899 --> 00:12:52.539
 is a God

00:12:52.539 --> 00:12:53.299
 who does exist

00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:54.439
 who's not an amoral

00:12:54.439 --> 00:12:55.439
 or an immoral God

00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:56.400
 but in fact,

00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:58.300
 all right and wrong

00:12:58.300 --> 00:12:59.780
 is fundamentally based

00:12:59.780 --> 00:13:00.860
 on who God is

00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:02.740
 and God is fundamentally good.

00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:04.660
 But it says here,

00:13:04.900 --> 00:13:05.480
 do you notice it?

00:13:05.520 --> 00:13:06.080
 It's actually here,

00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:07.520
 the ESV,

00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:08.620
 last week,

00:13:08.780 --> 00:13:09.640
 the last two weeks

00:13:09.640 --> 00:13:10.440
 if you watch these,

00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:12.300
 I changed one of the verses

00:13:12.300 --> 00:13:13.020
 that I read

00:13:13.020 --> 00:13:16.020
 to get around a problem.

00:13:16.660 --> 00:13:18.120
 It's not a bad problem.

00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:18.400
 I just,

00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:18.960
 to try to help

00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:19.720
 to make sure

00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:20.340
 you can understand.

00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:20.620
 Here,

00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:21.860
 the text is actually

00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:22.600
 very literal

00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:23.360
 in terms of what

00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:24.000
 the Greek says.

00:13:24.420 --> 00:13:25.420
 Speak against

00:13:25.419 --> 00:13:27.019
 speak evil

00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:28.559
 against one another.

00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:29.599
 Speak evil

00:13:29.599 --> 00:13:30.379
 against

00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:31.659
 or speak against

00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:32.240
 a brother.

00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:34.019
 Speak evil

00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:35.000
 against the law.

00:13:35.059 --> 00:13:35.579
 It's actually being

00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:36.799
 very, very literal.

00:13:36.959 --> 00:13:37.839
 So here's the question.

00:13:38.299 --> 00:13:39.159
 Is God for you

00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:39.919
 or against you?

00:13:41.479 --> 00:13:42.939
 Is the triune God

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:43.799
 for you

00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:45.139
 or against you?

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:46.899
 So,

00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:47.919
 what a Christian

00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:48.439
 would say

00:13:48.439 --> 00:13:49.339
 is that I have

00:13:49.339 --> 00:13:50.379
 very good news

00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:51.339
 and it's not news

00:13:51.339 --> 00:13:52.139
 that I invented,

00:13:52.319 --> 00:13:53.480
 it's news that I was told

00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.599
 and the very good news

00:13:54.599 --> 00:13:55.099
 is this.

00:13:55.419 --> 00:13:56.159
 Is that God

00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:57.479
 is the triune God

00:13:57.479 --> 00:13:58.399
 is for you.

00:13:58.500 --> 00:13:58.819
 In fact,

00:13:58.879 --> 00:13:59.699
 the triune God

00:13:59.699 --> 00:14:00.539
 is for you

00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:01.719
 vastly more

00:14:01.719 --> 00:14:03.139
 than you can possibly

00:14:03.139 --> 00:14:04.339
 ever imagine

00:14:04.339 --> 00:14:05.799
 or retain.

00:14:05.939 --> 00:14:06.139
 That's,

00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:06.439
 in fact,

00:14:06.500 --> 00:14:07.219
 one of the reasons

00:14:07.219 --> 00:14:08.599
 why Christians

00:14:08.599 --> 00:14:09.459
 are to gather

00:14:09.459 --> 00:14:10.799
 on a weekly basis

00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:11.979
 and we're to open

00:14:11.979 --> 00:14:12.479
 the word

00:14:12.479 --> 00:14:13.179
 and the hope

00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:14.559
 for every good congregation

00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:15.199
 should be

00:14:15.199 --> 00:14:16.179
 that the pastor

00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:17.439
 always reminds them

00:14:17.439 --> 00:14:18.159
 of the gospel

00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:19.199
 is because

00:14:19.199 --> 00:14:20.360
 this good news

00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:22.679
 is so good,

00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:24.699
 it's so beyond

00:14:24.699 --> 00:14:25.579
 our ability

00:14:25.579 --> 00:14:26.279
 to imagine

00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:26.939
 and retain

00:14:26.939 --> 00:14:28.439
 and go so against

00:14:28.439 --> 00:14:30.279
 how we are ingrained

00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:31.039
 to think of the world

00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.039
 that we need to be reminded

00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:33.019
 of it time and time

00:14:33.019 --> 00:14:34.120
 and time and time again

00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:34.859
 for it to begin

00:14:34.859 --> 00:14:35.779
 to sink in.

00:14:36.339 --> 00:14:37.139
 But the good news

00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:37.620
 of the Bible

00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:38.439
 is that God

00:14:38.439 --> 00:14:39.659
 is not against you,

00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:41.019
 God is for you

00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:42.339
 in a way

00:14:42.339 --> 00:14:43.299
 vastly beyond

00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:44.000
 anything you could

00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:45.179
 ever possibly imagine.

00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:46.679
 Remember how I began

00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:47.059
 by that?

00:14:47.059 --> 00:14:48.059
 The context was

00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:49.079
 is that God

00:14:49.079 --> 00:14:50.339
 gives greater grace.

00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:52.479
 No matter how messed up

00:14:52.479 --> 00:14:53.619
 or whatever your situation

00:14:53.619 --> 00:14:54.339
 in life is,

00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:55.679
 no matter what your history is,

00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.479
 God's grace

00:14:56.479 --> 00:14:57.579
 is greater.

00:14:57.939 --> 00:14:59.500
 His unmerited kindness,

00:14:59.699 --> 00:15:01.259
 his unmerited compassion,

00:15:01.439 --> 00:15:02.839
 his unmerited love,

00:15:03.199 --> 00:15:04.819
 his unmerited power

00:15:04.819 --> 00:15:07.039
 to deal with that

00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:08.199
 in a very powerful way,

00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:08.959
 it is greater.

00:15:09.079 --> 00:15:10.419
 And God opposes the proud,

00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:11.599
 but he gives grace

00:15:11.599 --> 00:15:12.219
 to the humble.

00:15:12.599 --> 00:15:13.799
 And so humble yourself

00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:14.539
 before the Lord

00:15:14.539 --> 00:15:16.059
 and he will exalt you.

00:15:16.059 --> 00:15:16.919
 And the great,

00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:17.419
 great,

00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:17.759
 great,

00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:18.819
 great news

00:15:18.819 --> 00:15:21.759
 is that the Bible,

00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:22.719
 the God of the Bible

00:15:22.719 --> 00:15:24.779
 is not an impartial God

00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:25.879
 or a mild,

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:27.559
 like your Uncle Bob

00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:28.459
 or your Aunt Sue

00:15:28.459 --> 00:15:29.639
 who just wants

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:30.459
 to encourage you.

00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:30.979
 But meanwhile,

00:15:31.099 --> 00:15:31.659
 they're just waiting

00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:32.959
 to see if you can finally

00:15:32.959 --> 00:15:33.759
 get your alcohol

00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:34.559
 under control

00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.559
 or get good enough

00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:36.879
 or be nice enough

00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:37.719
 or smart enough

00:15:37.719 --> 00:15:38.459
 or young enough

00:15:38.459 --> 00:15:40.000
 or good looking enough

00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.219
 or rich enough

00:15:41.219 --> 00:15:42.179
 or popular enough

00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:43.259
 that he'll finally say,

00:15:43.359 --> 00:15:44.179
 okay, you've passed.

00:15:44.339 --> 00:15:44.799
 No.

00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:44.879
 No.

00:15:45.539 --> 00:15:46.539
 Not at all.

00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:48.459
 He's not a God

00:15:48.459 --> 00:15:50.620
 who is on the sidelines

00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:51.359
 waiting for you

00:15:51.359 --> 00:15:52.539
 to sort your life out.

00:15:53.240 --> 00:15:54.659
 He is for you.

00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:56.399
 And so even when you

00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:57.240
 could not deal

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.219
 with anything yourself,

00:15:58.399 --> 00:15:58.740
 God,

00:15:58.859 --> 00:15:59.599
 the Son of God,

00:15:59.719 --> 00:16:01.159
 sets aside his glory,

00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:02.919
 sets aside his prerogatives,

00:16:03.459 --> 00:16:06.179
 sets aside his being worshipped

00:16:06.179 --> 00:16:07.019
 and all of that,

00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:08.500
 sets aside the angels.

00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:10.799
 He empties himself

00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:12.159
 of all of that,

00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:13.979
 meaning fully God.

00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:15.319
 He humbles himself

00:16:15.319 --> 00:16:15.899
 to the point

00:16:15.899 --> 00:16:17.620
 of even taking into himself

00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:18.500
 our human nature,

00:16:18.699 --> 00:16:21.439
 being a zygote

00:16:21.439 --> 00:16:22.259
 in the womb

00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:23.659
 of Mary,

00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:27.120
 of living a fully human life

00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:28.959
 as part of an oppressed people group

00:16:28.959 --> 00:16:31.740
 and dying on a cross

00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:33.359
 and on the cross

00:16:33.359 --> 00:16:35.339
 bearing all of the shame

00:16:35.339 --> 00:16:36.740
 that you might have,

00:16:36.819 --> 00:16:37.959
 all of the accusations

00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:39.019
 against you.

00:16:39.700 --> 00:16:40.800
 Everything like that

00:16:40.800 --> 00:16:41.560
 is completely

00:16:41.560 --> 00:16:43.420
 and utterly laid on him

00:16:43.420 --> 00:16:44.519
 and he does it

00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:45.120
 knowing

00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:46.780
 that you can't

00:16:46.780 --> 00:16:48.000
 meet the moral standards,

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:48.900
 that you can't

00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:49.600
 get your life

00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:50.860
 in perfect order,

00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:51.900
 that you can't

00:16:51.900 --> 00:16:52.560
 defeat death.

00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:53.139
 He does that

00:16:53.139 --> 00:16:54.180
 knowing you can't

00:16:54.180 --> 00:16:55.420
 do all of those things

00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:56.580
 and long before

00:16:56.580 --> 00:16:57.480
 you even begin

00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:58.139
 to desire

00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:59.040
 to turn to him,

00:16:59.180 --> 00:17:00.220
 Jesus did that

00:17:00.220 --> 00:17:00.960
 for you

00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.240
 because God,

00:17:02.420 --> 00:17:03.080
 the Father,

00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:03.480
 the Son,

00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:04.079
 and the Holy Spirit

00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:05.240
 is for you,

00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:06.440
 not against you.

00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:08.460
 that's the good news

00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:09.120
 of the gospel,

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.059
 that he is for you.

00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:14.799
 But then some of you

00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:15.039
 might say,

00:17:15.100 --> 00:17:15.700
 okay, well, George,

00:17:15.900 --> 00:17:16.420
 but like,

00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:17.000
 I don't know, George,

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:17.740
 is that what the text

00:17:17.740 --> 00:17:18.100
 is saying?

00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:18.400
 I mean,

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.360
 I remember a little bit

00:17:19.360 --> 00:17:20.420
 about what Matt was saying

00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:22.220
 and it seems as if God's,

00:17:22.220 --> 00:17:22.600
 you know,

00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:23.980
 like against luxury.

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:24.420
 Like,

00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:25.519
 why is he against me

00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:27.120
 just having a comfortable bed

00:17:27.120 --> 00:17:28.980
 or like a really nice TV

00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:29.580
 or something?

00:17:29.580 --> 00:17:31.120
 And it does sound

00:17:31.120 --> 00:17:31.880
 a little bit like

00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:32.680
 he's against you,

00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:34.460
 like God opposes the proud.

00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:35.080
 I thought you said

00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:35.720
 that's what it said

00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.419
 in verse 6.

00:17:36.639 --> 00:17:36.919
 You know,

00:17:36.939 --> 00:17:38.299
 he opposes the proud.

00:17:38.619 --> 00:17:39.419
 And don't you say,

00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:39.779
 George,

00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:41.000
 that all of us are proud?

00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:42.559
 So if all of us are proud

00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:43.639
 and he opposes the proud,

00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:44.740
 how is he for us?

00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:47.500
 Well, first of all,

00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:48.939
 the Bible does teach

00:17:48.939 --> 00:17:49.720
 that all are proud.

00:17:50.159 --> 00:17:51.220
 And that includes me.

00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:53.159
 I have a pride problem.

00:17:53.779 --> 00:17:55.099
 And I will have a pride problem

00:17:55.099 --> 00:17:55.939
 until I die

00:17:55.939 --> 00:17:58.019
 and see Jesus face to face.

00:17:58.059 --> 00:17:59.439
 And I have a final healing.

00:17:59.919 --> 00:18:00.879
 And I can tell you

00:18:00.879 --> 00:18:02.220
 that if you're in Jesus,

00:18:02.399 --> 00:18:03.259
 if you've given your life

00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:05.099
 to Jesus and you've received him

00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:06.240
 as your Savior and Lord,

00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:08.460
 that the moment of your death,

00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:09.519
 you will,

00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:11.440
 your pride problem

00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.960
 will be lifted finally,

00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:14.099
 completely and utterly

00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:15.640
 separate from who you are.

00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.799
 And you will cry

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.059
 in the words of that great

00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:19.700
 African-American spiritual,

00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:20.819
 free at last,

00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:22.140
 free at last.

00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:23.879
 Praise God Almighty.

00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:25.680
 I'm free at last.

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:27.579
 That's what you'll say.

00:18:27.579 --> 00:18:29.699
 You see,

00:18:30.439 --> 00:18:31.819
 the problem about this,

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.919
 the text is very,

00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:33.579
 very profound.

00:18:33.699 --> 00:18:34.859
 That's why if you think about

00:18:34.859 --> 00:18:35.899
 God opposes the proud,

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.960
 if you think about the fact

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:37.659
 that this text

00:18:37.659 --> 00:18:38.799
 in verses 11 and 12

00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:40.339
 is about the problem

00:18:40.339 --> 00:18:41.839
 of speaking against,

00:18:42.339 --> 00:18:43.099
 and you understand

00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:43.799
 that at the heart

00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:44.339
 of the gospel

00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:45.879
 is that God is not against you

00:18:45.879 --> 00:18:46.740
 but for you.

00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:48.480
 And so why is it

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:49.279
 that he's against proud?

00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:50.199
 The problem is,

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.299
 when it says that

00:18:51.299 --> 00:18:52.460
 God opposes the proud,

00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.559
 the problem is

00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:55.319
 that every single one of us,

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:56.019
 me included,

00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:58.200
 base our identity

00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:00.179
 on sin and idols.

00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:03.559
 Every single one of us

00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:05.500
 base our identity,

00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:07.359
 our worth,

00:19:08.299 --> 00:19:09.379
 our value

00:19:09.379 --> 00:19:11.339
 on different sins

00:19:11.339 --> 00:19:12.700
 and different idols.

00:19:12.859 --> 00:19:14.139
 Every single one of us.

00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.799
 And the fact of the matter is,

00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.139
 is that these different things

00:19:18.139 --> 00:19:19.599
 are so fundamental

00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:20.659
 to our identity

00:19:20.659 --> 00:19:23.299
 that it feels as if God,

00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:25.440
 like if God was to come

00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.159
 against that

00:19:26.159 --> 00:19:26.899
 and tell us that

00:19:26.899 --> 00:19:28.879
 that has to be removed

00:19:28.879 --> 00:19:29.519
 from us,

00:19:30.460 --> 00:19:31.539
 it would feel as if

00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:32.279
 God's completely

00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:33.740
 and utterly opposed

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.359
 to it.

00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:37.740
 So, in other words,

00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:38.940
 like we say things like,

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:39.740
 how can I exist

00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:40.559
 without my looks?

00:19:40.879 --> 00:19:41.740
 How can I exist

00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:42.460
 without my money?

00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:43.659
 How can I exist

00:19:43.659 --> 00:19:44.500
 without my alcohol?

00:19:44.859 --> 00:19:45.500
 How can I exist

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:46.460
 without my drugs?

00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:47.819
 How can I exist

00:19:47.819 --> 00:19:48.779
 without that person?

00:19:48.899 --> 00:19:49.619
 How can I exist

00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:50.079
 without being

00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.259
 in a romantic relationship?

00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.039
 How can I exist

00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:52.839
 without sex?

00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:53.959
 How can I exist

00:19:53.959 --> 00:19:54.799
 without control?

00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:55.859
 How can I exist

00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.619
 without power?

00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.939
 How can I exist

00:19:57.939 --> 00:19:59.599
 if I don't have

00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:00.859
 these particular positions?

00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:02.159
 How can I exist

00:20:02.159 --> 00:20:02.980
 if I don't have

00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:03.819
 my health?

00:20:03.939 --> 00:20:04.639
 How can I exist

00:20:04.639 --> 00:20:05.199
 if I don't...

00:20:05.199 --> 00:20:06.179
 And that's what we say.

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:08.659
 We find it completely

00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:09.980
 and utterly impossible

00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:10.679
 to imagine.

00:20:10.859 --> 00:20:11.699
 And the funny thing is

00:20:11.699 --> 00:20:12.480
 is that we all notice

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:13.119
 that primarily

00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.019
 about other people.

00:20:14.419 --> 00:20:15.139
 We'll notice

00:20:15.139 --> 00:20:16.119
 that we have a friend

00:20:16.119 --> 00:20:17.220
 who's consumed

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:17.839
 with money

00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.839
 and that they don't seem

00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:19.759
 as if they can exist

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.359
 without money

00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:21.059
 or they don't think

00:20:21.059 --> 00:20:21.679
 they can exist

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.200
 if they don't have

00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:23.340
 these particular possessions.

00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:24.779
 But because the things

00:20:24.779 --> 00:20:25.700
 that we don't think

00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:26.500
 we can exist with

00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:27.320
 are different than them,

00:20:27.360 --> 00:20:28.220
 we make fun of them

00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:29.539
 or we feel pity for them.

00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:31.539
 We think to ourselves,

00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:32.460
 how ridiculous

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:33.680
 to think you can't exist

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:34.360
 without a Rolex.

00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:35.940
 Like, that's just so shallow.

00:20:37.340 --> 00:20:38.000
 But the other time

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.779
 we have somebody else

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:38.920
 saying,

00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:39.460
 well, how on earth

00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:39.980
 can you think

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:40.720
 you can't exist

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.539
 without having

00:20:41.539 --> 00:20:42.880
 that particular relationship

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:43.920
 or without maintaining

00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:44.480
 your looks

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.100
 or without having

00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:46.640
 that type of physique

00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:47.740
 or whatever it is.

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:49.420
 And this is a fundamentally

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:50.579
 human problem.

00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:52.920
 You know,

00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:54.680
 we see it very clearly

00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:56.079
 when we confront somebody

00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:56.819
 who has a problem

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:57.500
 with racism.

00:20:58.240 --> 00:20:58.599
 You know,

00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.859
 how can I exist

00:20:59.859 --> 00:21:01.579
 if I'm equal

00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:02.599
 to blacks

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:03.599
 or something like that

00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:04.660
 or if they're,

00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:05.279
 like,

00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:06.620
 you see what I mean?

00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:08.920
 And so here's this wonderful thing

00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:09.720
 about the Bible

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:12.339
 is that in the gospel,

00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:14.120
 God is for you

00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:15.140
 to redeem you

00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:16.539
 despite this.

00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:20.160
 despite the fact

00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:21.240
 that human beings

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:22.799
 base their identity,

00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:24.279
 I base my identity

00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:25.420
 on different sins

00:21:25.420 --> 00:21:26.460
 and different idols.

00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.579
 Despite that,

00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.480
 God loved me.

00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.359
 Despite that,

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:32.240
 God loved me.

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:33.519
 And he deals

00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:34.480
 with my idols.

00:21:34.620 --> 00:21:36.039
 He deals with my sin.

00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:37.539
 He deals with the shame

00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:38.099
 I get

00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:39.380
 from not being able

00:21:39.380 --> 00:21:40.640
 to live up to my idols

00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:41.960
 and live up to my sin.

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:43.720
 And he deals with that.

00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:46.440
 And his great act of love

00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:47.299
 is to begin

00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:48.860
 to separate me

00:21:48.860 --> 00:21:51.200
 as the gospel grips me,

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.039
 as I become more

00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:52.620
 and more aware

00:21:52.620 --> 00:21:53.080
 of the fact

00:21:53.080 --> 00:21:53.980
 that God sees

00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:55.100
 the real me,

00:21:55.400 --> 00:21:56.420
 the real me

00:21:56.420 --> 00:21:57.559
 in both those things

00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:58.580
 in me that are glorious

00:21:58.580 --> 00:21:59.440
 but also the things

00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:01.559
 in me that are quite bad.

00:22:01.860 --> 00:22:03.039
 And he sees the real me

00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:04.620
 and he loves the real me.

00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.980
 And he knows the real me

00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:06.539
 from the moment

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:07.180
 of my conception

00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:07.740
 to the moment

00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.340
 of my death.

00:22:08.340 --> 00:22:09.840
 He knows beneath

00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:11.019
 all of my fronts,

00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:11.480
 everything.

00:22:11.620 --> 00:22:12.980
 He knows the real me

00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:14.680
 and he loves me

00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:15.720
 even though

00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:17.500
 I am pathetic.

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:21.259
 I am pathetic.

00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:24.079
 But part of the gospel

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:25.579
 is to begin

00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:27.160
 to separate me

00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:28.160
 from my idols,

00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:29.599
 to separate me

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.599
 from my sin,

00:22:31.120 --> 00:22:32.039
 to separate me

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.480
 from having

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:34.140
 an idol-based identity

00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:35.500
 and sin-based identity

00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:36.319
 and to begin

00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:37.120
 to give me

00:22:37.120 --> 00:22:38.180
 an identity

00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:39.660
 based on grace

00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:40.940
 and love,

00:22:40.940 --> 00:22:42.519
 his grace

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.440
 and his love,

00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:44.759
 an identity

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:46.640
 which is everlasting

00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:48.559
 and truly fulfills

00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:49.180
 the longing

00:22:49.180 --> 00:22:50.019
 of my heart.

00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:52.220
 And that is what

00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:52.980
 the gospel wants

00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:53.580
 to give you.

00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:56.660
 So God condemns

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:57.860
 the sin you do

00:22:57.860 --> 00:22:59.799
 and he dies

00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:01.039
 for the sin you do

00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:02.600
 out of love

00:23:02.600 --> 00:23:03.700
 for you.

00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:04.539
 I'll say it again.

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:05.539
 God condemns

00:23:05.539 --> 00:23:07.420
 the sin you do

00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:10.700
 and the idol worship

00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:11.440
 you do

00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.799
 and he dies

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.620
 for it

00:23:13.620 --> 00:23:14.240
 because

00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.319
 he loves you.

00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.240
 See,

00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:18.759
 this begins

00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:19.200
 to give us

00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:19.580
 a little bit

00:23:19.580 --> 00:23:20.059
 of an insight

00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:20.940
 about how this

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.180
 is a bit of an answer

00:23:22.180 --> 00:23:22.700
 to the riddle

00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:23.819
 that we began with

00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:25.080
 about how is it

00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:25.740
 that you can both

00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:26.720
 have a problem

00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.740
 with judgmentalism

00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:28.519
 in relationships

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:30.140
 but at the same time

00:23:30.140 --> 00:23:31.259
 in a normal

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:32.180
 human relationship

00:23:32.180 --> 00:23:32.960
 you have to be able

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.340
 to have

00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:34.700
 moral conversation,

00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:36.279
 a moral confrontation

00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:37.519
 about things

00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:38.700
 that really are wrong

00:23:38.700 --> 00:23:40.680
 that in fact

00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:41.319
 a husband

00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:42.100
 is not right

00:23:42.100 --> 00:23:42.500
 to say

00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:43.059
 that his wife

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:43.960
 is judgmental

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:45.160
 if she challenges

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:46.160
 him on an affair

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.380
 and a boss

00:23:47.380 --> 00:23:48.880
 is not being judgmental

00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:49.840
 if he or she

00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:51.039
 challenges you

00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:52.920
 about a lie

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:53.660
 that you've done

00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.539
 or embezzlement

00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:55.779
 yet there still

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:56.400
 is reality

00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.519
 of judgmentalism.

00:23:58.400 --> 00:23:58.580
 You see,

00:23:58.660 --> 00:23:59.299
 the key is that

00:23:59.299 --> 00:24:00.700
 God opposes

00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:01.680
 the proud

00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:03.460
 and we regularly

00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:05.140
 are proud.

00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:06.980
 it is not judgmental

00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:07.759
 to humbly

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:08.580
 but clearly

00:24:08.580 --> 00:24:09.400
 point out

00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:11.140
 a real moral law

00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:12.160
 and how you have

00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:12.640
 broken it.

00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:13.240
 Now there's a whole

00:24:13.240 --> 00:24:14.020
 other range

00:24:14.020 --> 00:24:14.920
 of biblical teaching

00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:16.420
 about we flatter

00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:17.320
 ourselves too much

00:24:17.320 --> 00:24:18.060
 to detect or hate

00:24:18.060 --> 00:24:18.700
 our own sin

00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:19.860
 and we see the speck

00:24:19.860 --> 00:24:20.780
 in another person's eye

00:24:20.780 --> 00:24:21.300
 and not in the log

00:24:21.300 --> 00:24:21.880
 in another eye

00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:22.860
 and there's a whole

00:24:22.860 --> 00:24:23.560
 other realm

00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:24.620
 of conversations

00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:25.259
 that we can have

00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:25.660
 about this

00:24:25.660 --> 00:24:27.560
 but just to sort of

00:24:27.560 --> 00:24:28.140
 stick to this

00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:28.940
 particular area

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.200
 it is not judgmental

00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:30.800
 to humbly

00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:32.000
 but clearly point out

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.759
 a real moral law

00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:35.500
 and how you have

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.240
 broken it.

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.759
 To do it in a way

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:38.640
 that shows that

00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:39.660
 both the person

00:24:39.660 --> 00:24:40.819
 who says this

00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:41.720
 and the person

00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:42.700
 who is

00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:43.819
 the person who

00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:44.319
 confronts

00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:44.779
 and the person

00:24:44.779 --> 00:24:45.259
 under it

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:45.640
 that we

00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:46.720
 who's broken it

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.720
 are both equally

00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:48.900
 under it

00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:50.180
 and we're called

00:24:50.180 --> 00:24:51.039
 to try to live up

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.480
 to it.

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:53.059
 But the problem

00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:53.559
 is

00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:56.119
 the problem is

00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:56.640
 and this is where

00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:58.140
 judgmentalism comes in

00:24:58.140 --> 00:24:59.799
 is that each of us

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:00.359
 and this is part

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:01.019
 of our pride

00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:02.039
 is that each of us

00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:03.500
 in significant ways

00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:05.980
 thinks that we

00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:07.079
 are the moral center.

00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:08.460
 There are significant ways

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.799
 that I will fall into

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:10.839
 thinking that I am

00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:11.779
 the moral center

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:13.519
 not God.

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:15.460
 You have different ways

00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:16.599
 that you fall into

00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:17.759
 believing that you

00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:19.000
 are the moral center

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:20.279
 but not God.

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.240
 And you might say

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:22.859
 George that sounds

00:25:22.859 --> 00:25:24.019
 awfully judgmental really

00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:24.819
 I don't think you can

00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:25.740
 possibly prove that

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.460
 I can prove that

00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:27.680
 very very effortlessly

00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.319
 and easily.

00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.200
 There are many many

00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:31.160
 many people who say

00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:33.019
 I cannot follow a God

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:34.480
 who does not

00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:36.059
 accept my sexuality.

00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:41.700
 I cannot follow a God

00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:42.599
 who will not

00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:44.000
 encourage me

00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.799
 in my desire

00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:46.480
 to be

00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:47.379
 the real me

00:25:47.379 --> 00:25:48.059
 who is really me.

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:48.920
 I cannot worship

00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:49.480
 or accept

00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:50.160
 or live under

00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:51.339
 any type of censor

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:51.879
 from that.

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:53.680
 I cannot accept

00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.740
 or follow any God

00:25:54.740 --> 00:25:55.639
 who makes any claim

00:25:55.639 --> 00:25:56.200
 on what I do

00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:56.759
 with my money.

00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:59.640
 I cannot follow

00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.319
 or acknowledge

00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:00.859
 any God

00:26:00.859 --> 00:26:02.019
 who makes any claim

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:03.119
 upon how I spend

00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:03.759
 my time.

00:26:05.379 --> 00:26:05.720
 And you see

00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:06.319
 the thing is

00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:07.180
 is that most of you

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:07.599
 are saying

00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:08.259
 oh George

00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:08.819
 this is getting

00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:09.559
 a little bit hot

00:26:09.559 --> 00:26:10.240
 like what's wrong

00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:10.740
 with saying that

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.440
 about sexuality?

00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.140
 What's wrong

00:26:12.140 --> 00:26:12.759
 with saying that

00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:13.279
 about money?

00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:13.759
 What's wrong

00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:14.240
 with saying that

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.799
 about time?

00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:15.680
 But I'll tell you

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:16.619
 exactly what's wrong

00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:17.000
 with it

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.980
 because it's

00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.759
 when we put

00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:19.420
 different things

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:19.900
 which aren't

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.839
 culturally accepted

00:26:20.839 --> 00:26:21.339
 that we see

00:26:21.339 --> 00:26:22.140
 that there's a problem.

00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:23.799
 I cannot accept

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.420
 that there's going

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:25.400
 to be any type of God

00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:25.880
 who's going to make

00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:26.660
 any claim on me

00:26:26.660 --> 00:26:27.460
 owning slaves.

00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:29.860
 I cannot accept

00:26:29.860 --> 00:26:30.900
 any type of God

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.420
 who's going to make

00:26:31.420 --> 00:26:32.440
 any type of claim

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:32.940
 on me

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:34.340
 thinking that women

00:26:34.340 --> 00:26:35.280
 are just

00:26:35.280 --> 00:26:37.440
 playthings for me

00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:38.380
 or that they're dumb

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:40.019
 or that black people

00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:41.380
 are just less than me.

00:26:41.460 --> 00:26:42.080
 I can't accept

00:26:42.080 --> 00:26:42.680
 a God that's going

00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:43.480
 to challenge that.

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:45.540
 I can't accept

00:26:45.540 --> 00:26:46.040
 a God

00:26:46.040 --> 00:26:48.019
 that doesn't have

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.519
 my view

00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:49.259
 on the Israeli

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:50.720
 Palestinian conflict.

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:51.460
 We go on

00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.060
 and on and on.

00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.040
 Every time we say

00:26:53.040 --> 00:26:54.860
 I cannot accept

00:26:54.859 --> 00:26:56.639
 I am saying

00:26:56.639 --> 00:26:59.419
 I am the moral

00:26:59.419 --> 00:27:00.039
 arbiter.

00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:03.240
 I am the person

00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:04.479
 who clarifies

00:27:04.479 --> 00:27:05.419
 and makes clear

00:27:05.419 --> 00:27:06.719
 what's right

00:27:06.719 --> 00:27:07.599
 and what's wrong.

00:27:08.119 --> 00:27:09.599
 And here's the problem.

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:11.139
 You're in a couple

00:27:11.139 --> 00:27:12.419
 and both of you

00:27:12.419 --> 00:27:13.159
 have that view.

00:27:13.419 --> 00:27:14.240
 You're in a family

00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:15.379
 and you have three kids.

00:27:15.659 --> 00:27:16.500
 All five of you

00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:17.240
 have that view.

00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:18.319
 You're in a workplace.

00:27:18.699 --> 00:27:19.740
 Everybody in that workplace

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:20.679
 has that view.

00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:23.799
 And maybe it's all right

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:24.900
 if every one of you

00:27:24.900 --> 00:27:25.980
 happened to be centered

00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:27.039
 around the same type

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:27.700
 of idol

00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:29.220
 or politics

00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:30.759
 but then all that does

00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:32.019
 is just encourage you

00:27:32.019 --> 00:27:33.380
 to look at the outside world

00:27:33.380 --> 00:27:34.640
 and see all those other people

00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.600
 that you look down on

00:27:35.600 --> 00:27:36.740
 and so all you've done

00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:37.420
 is you've saved

00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:38.039
 the conflict

00:27:38.039 --> 00:27:38.880
 in your family

00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:39.560
 or your marriage

00:27:39.560 --> 00:27:40.279
 or your workplace

00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:41.160
 but all you've done

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.460
 is made the conflict

00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:43.320
 in the world more.

00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:45.080
 Because when you say

00:27:45.080 --> 00:27:45.960
 that I cannot

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:47.519
 then you're saying

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.460
 you're the moral center

00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:49.220
 of the universe

00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:51.380
 and when you're

00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:52.200
 the moral center

00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:52.819
 of the universe

00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:53.640
 and you confront

00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:54.380
 another person

00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:57.519
 that is judgmentalism

00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:59.980
 and that is what

00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:01.500
 the Bible here

00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:02.660
 is pointing out

00:28:02.660 --> 00:28:04.380
 is the fundamental problem.

00:28:04.819 --> 00:28:05.940
 It is saying

00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:08.000
 there is only one law giver

00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:09.980
 and there's only one judge

00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:10.840
 and guess what?

00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:11.740
 He didn't die

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:13.019
 and give you the job.

00:28:13.940 --> 00:28:15.019
 He didn't die

00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:16.299
 and give me the job.

00:28:17.620 --> 00:28:18.340
 Don't we often say

00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:18.919
 that people?

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.159
 Who died

00:28:20.159 --> 00:28:21.220
 and made you the judge?

00:28:23.659 --> 00:28:24.579
 That's even a very

00:28:24.579 --> 00:28:25.859
 Canadian thing to say

00:28:25.859 --> 00:28:26.619
 and that's what

00:28:26.619 --> 00:28:27.639
 the text is confronting

00:28:27.639 --> 00:28:28.179
 us about.

00:28:29.459 --> 00:28:30.399
 That's what the text

00:28:30.399 --> 00:28:31.559
 is confronting us about.

00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:33.199
 You see

00:28:33.199 --> 00:28:34.720
 you are not

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.619
 the moral center.

00:28:37.139 --> 00:28:38.119
 There is

00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:39.179
 a moral order

00:28:39.179 --> 00:28:39.959
 that's over you

00:28:39.959 --> 00:28:40.339
 and me

00:28:40.339 --> 00:28:41.220
 and all we can do

00:28:41.220 --> 00:28:42.099
 is humbly acknowledge

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:42.799
 that we're under it

00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:44.119
 and that moral order

00:28:44.119 --> 00:28:44.919
 is not

00:28:44.919 --> 00:28:46.779
 by a God

00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:48.399
 made by some God

00:28:48.399 --> 00:28:49.200
 arbitrarily

00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:49.720
 a God

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:50.539
 whose whole goal

00:28:50.539 --> 00:28:50.940
 is to

00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:52.139
 he will be exalted

00:28:52.139 --> 00:28:53.440
 while people die for him.

00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:53.759
 No,

00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:54.859
 the complete opposite.

00:28:55.139 --> 00:28:55.779
 It's a God

00:28:55.779 --> 00:28:57.220
 who humbles himself

00:28:57.220 --> 00:28:58.099
 to die

00:28:58.099 --> 00:28:59.539
 so that you will live.

00:28:59.879 --> 00:29:00.859
 He is for you.

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.079
 You are not God

00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:03.799
 and when you come

00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:04.720
 to the true God,

00:29:04.779 --> 00:29:05.460
 the living God,

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.299
 God the Father,

00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:06.960
 God the Son,

00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:07.680
 God the Holy Spirit,

00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:08.859
 when you come to Jesus

00:29:08.859 --> 00:29:10.420
 and accept what he has done

00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:11.240
 for you on the cross,

00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:12.000
 he says to you,

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:12.779
 my yoke is easy

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.799
 and my burden is light.

00:29:15.619 --> 00:29:17.000
 Lay down your burdens.

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:19.539
 Lay down

00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:20.759
 the profound

00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:22.140
 anxious

00:29:22.140 --> 00:29:23.519
 causing weight

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.259
 of believing

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:24.819
 that you are

00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:25.700
 the moral center

00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:27.819
 because a lot

00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:28.680
 of the anxiety

00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:29.359
 that you feel

00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:29.940
 in your life

00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:30.940
 is because you think

00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:31.619
 you are God

00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:32.420
 or a goddess.

00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:33.559
 In fact,

00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:34.220
 that's going to come up

00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:35.380
 in the very next story

00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.680
 that in fact

00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:37.960
 not only do you think

00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:39.119
 that you're the moral center

00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:39.759
 but you think

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.799
 you're the Lord of time

00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:42.079
 and you can control things

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:42.740
 and if you think

00:29:42.740 --> 00:29:43.599
 you're the moral center

00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:44.799
 that causes anxiety

00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.599
 because you know what?

00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:46.500
 You're not.

00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:47.799
 And if you think

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.399
 you have control

00:29:48.399 --> 00:29:49.099
 of the future,

00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:50.099
 you're the Lord

00:29:50.099 --> 00:29:50.639
 of the future,

00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.559
 you're the...

00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:52.379
 You're not.

00:29:53.659 --> 00:29:54.859
 And these false beliefs,

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:56.559
 they just pile anxiety

00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:57.440
 upon anxiety

00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:58.339
 upon anxiety

00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:59.019
 upon you.

00:29:59.460 --> 00:30:00.839
 That is why Jesus says

00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:02.240
 you will know the truth.

00:30:02.379 --> 00:30:03.859
 When you give yourself to him,

00:30:03.899 --> 00:30:04.779
 you will know the truth

00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:05.559
 and the truth

00:30:05.559 --> 00:30:06.879
 will make you free.

00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:11.680
 I have to be very brief

00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:13.280
 over these last three.

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:16.060
 I sort of jumped ahead a little bit,

00:30:16.100 --> 00:30:17.040
 but let's look at what it says

00:30:17.040 --> 00:30:18.460
 in verses 13 to 16.

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:20.220
 What the text is not saying

00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:21.600
 is the text is not saying

00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.980
 that you should try

00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:24.020
 to give up any type

00:30:24.020 --> 00:30:24.520
 of an attempt

00:30:24.520 --> 00:30:25.680
 to control the future

00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:27.500
 and God's goal for you

00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:27.980
 is to be...

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.940
 You know those old-fashioned

00:30:28.940 --> 00:30:30.000
 pinball machines?

00:30:30.520 --> 00:30:31.360
 You know where you

00:30:31.360 --> 00:30:34.340
 bang off a ball

00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:35.340
 and it goes around

00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:36.359
 and then all the bumpers

00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:36.939
 move it around?

00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:38.019
 The Bible is not saying

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:39.159
 that the goal of the Christian life

00:30:39.159 --> 00:30:40.199
 is to be like a ball

00:30:40.199 --> 00:30:41.240
 knocked around

00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:42.240
 by all the bumpers

00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:43.379
 where somebody else

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:44.419
 controls the flippers.

00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:46.379
 That's not what it's saying at all.

00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:47.799
 But let's listen

00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:48.399
 to what it says.

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.899
 Verse 13.

00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:51.119
 Who is wise

00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:52.379
 and understanding among you?

00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:54.099
 By his good conduct

00:30:54.099 --> 00:30:55.279
 let him show his works

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:56.579
 in the meekness of wisdom.

00:30:57.599 --> 00:30:57.919
 Oh, sorry.

00:30:58.039 --> 00:31:00.220
 I'm reading the wrong verse 13.

00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:00.879
 It would be helpful

00:31:00.879 --> 00:31:01.959
 if I wrote the right...

00:31:01.959 --> 00:31:02.119
 Sorry.

00:31:02.379 --> 00:31:04.159
 Those were good verses

00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.380
 as well in chapter 3.

00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:07.040
 Chapter 4, verse 13.

00:31:07.320 --> 00:31:08.000
 Come now,

00:31:08.100 --> 00:31:08.640
 you who say

00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:09.400
 today or tomorrow

00:31:09.400 --> 00:31:10.200
 we will go into

00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:11.200
 such and such a town

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:12.279
 and spend a year there

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:12.860
 and trade

00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:14.080
 and make a profit.

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:15.640
 Yet you do not know

00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:16.580
 what tomorrow will bring.

00:31:16.840 --> 00:31:17.600
 What is your life?

00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:18.860
 For you are a mist

00:31:18.860 --> 00:31:19.680
 or a vapor

00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:21.700
 that appears for a little time

00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:22.500
 and then vanishes.

00:31:23.380 --> 00:31:24.500
 Instead you ought to say

00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:25.860
 if the Lord wills

00:31:25.860 --> 00:31:26.720
 we will live

00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:27.960
 and do this or that.

00:31:28.300 --> 00:31:28.840
 As it is

00:31:28.840 --> 00:31:30.140
 you boast in your arrogance

00:31:30.140 --> 00:31:31.920
 all such boasting

00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:33.080
 is evil.

00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:34.820
 Now,

00:31:35.580 --> 00:31:37.520
 very briefly,

00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:39.759
 since we last met

00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:41.280
 I've had two friends die.

00:31:43.300 --> 00:31:44.380
 A week ago,

00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.240
 tonight,

00:31:45.580 --> 00:31:47.060
 my friend Ron Bales died

00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:48.600
 suddenly and unexpectedly.

00:31:49.800 --> 00:31:50.660
 And then this just passed

00:31:50.660 --> 00:31:51.100
 this Monday

00:31:51.100 --> 00:31:51.920
 another friend of mine,

00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.580
 Randy Jost,

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:54.540
 the long-time minister

00:31:54.540 --> 00:31:54.920
 at the Met,

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.400
 he died.

00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:57.220
 And even though

00:31:57.220 --> 00:31:57.920
 we knew he was sick

00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:58.940
 it was still a bit of a shock.

00:31:58.940 --> 00:32:01.759
 Why is it that

00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:03.340
 Canadians are bothered

00:32:03.340 --> 00:32:04.400
 if I remind them

00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:05.160
 that they will die?

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.860
 You're going to die.

00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:08.340
 So will I.

00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:10.320
 Why is it that

00:32:10.320 --> 00:32:11.720
 Canadians

00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:13.160
 are bothered

00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:15.120
 if I say to you,

00:32:15.120 --> 00:32:15.240
 you know,

00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:16.200
 you have no guarantee

00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:16.900
 that you'll live

00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:18.799
 to be 80 or 85 or 90.

00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:20.720
 You have zero guarantee

00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:21.400
 about that.

00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:22.820
 Why is it that

00:32:22.820 --> 00:32:23.720
 Canadians are bothered

00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:24.600
 if we say to them

00:32:24.600 --> 00:32:25.740
 you might die this afternoon,

00:32:25.860 --> 00:32:26.940
 it might be an aneurysm,

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:28.000
 it might be a blood clot,

00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:29.240
 it might be a car accident,

00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:31.980
 it might be some horrific

00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:33.079
 act of murder

00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:34.119
 by some crazed,

00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:35.059
 deranged person

00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:35.640
 with a gun.

00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:37.900
 Why is it that

00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:38.680
 we are bothered

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.680
 by that?

00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:42.740
 The fact of the matter

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:43.119
 is,

00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:44.059
 is that Canadians

00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:44.940
 have a very,

00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:45.940
 very hard time

00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:47.240
 imagining how to answer

00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:47.779
 this text

00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.619
 because Canadians

00:32:48.619 --> 00:32:49.400
 are addicted

00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:50.460
 to the type of

00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:51.480
 arrogant belief

00:32:51.480 --> 00:32:52.160
 they control

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:52.900
 the future

00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:54.779
 that this text

00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:55.519
 is talking about.

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.819
 You want to know

00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:57.839
 a perfect example

00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:58.359
 about that

00:32:58.359 --> 00:32:58.900
 is you just look

00:32:58.900 --> 00:33:00.119
 at the opinion polls

00:33:00.119 --> 00:33:00.599
 and you look

00:33:00.599 --> 00:33:01.220
 at politics

00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:01.819
 in Canada.

00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:03.920
 What has COVID

00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:04.599
 taught us?

00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:06.579
 COVID taught us

00:33:06.579 --> 00:33:07.700
 that on January 1st,

00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:08.700
 2020,

00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:09.819
 nobody knew,

00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:11.099
 nobody knew

00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:12.480
 that the entire

00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:13.559
 economy and world

00:33:13.559 --> 00:33:14.099
 was going to be

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:15.119
 completely and utterly

00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.960
 transformed

00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:17.039
 in people's lives.

00:33:17.160 --> 00:33:18.059
 Their religious freedoms

00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:19.139
 were going to be suppressed.

00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:21.079
 Their abilities

00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:21.680
 to gather

00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:22.240
 were going to be

00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:24.139
 taken away.

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:25.140
 that thousands

00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:25.640
 of people

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:25.980
 would die.

00:33:26.060 --> 00:33:26.500
 Nobody knew

00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:27.540
 that on January 1st,

00:33:27.580 --> 00:33:28.000
 2020,

00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:28.420
 right?

00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:29.200
 I mean,

00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:30.140
 that's a common place.

00:33:30.940 --> 00:33:31.720
 But how

00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:33.340
 have we responded

00:33:33.340 --> 00:33:34.160
 to the fact

00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:35.080
 that it has been

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:35.920
 revealed to us,

00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:36.180
 one,

00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:37.220
 that people will die?

00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:38.920
 I'm not being callous,

00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:39.360
 I'm just trying

00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:39.940
 to get us to think,

00:33:40.040 --> 00:33:40.820
 why is it that

00:33:40.820 --> 00:33:41.700
 we Canadians,

00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:43.920
 after it's been

00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:45.360
 unbelievably

00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:46.960
 powerfully revealed

00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:47.400
 to us

00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:48.360
 that we do not know

00:33:48.360 --> 00:33:49.080
 what's going to happen

00:33:49.080 --> 00:33:49.780
 in the future

00:33:49.780 --> 00:33:51.380
 and that people die,

00:33:51.380 --> 00:33:53.380
 and what's the response

00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:54.380
 of Canadians?

00:33:55.580 --> 00:33:57.160
 A greater control

00:33:57.160 --> 00:33:58.080
 of the future.

00:33:59.640 --> 00:33:59.920
 Whoa,

00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:00.080
 whoa,

00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:00.220
 whoa,

00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:00.720
 one second.

00:34:01.620 --> 00:34:02.780
 COVID-19 just showed

00:34:02.780 --> 00:34:03.800
 that we have no control

00:34:03.800 --> 00:34:04.360
 of the future

00:34:04.360 --> 00:34:05.140
 and know about it.

00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:06.580
 And yet,

00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:07.900
 how's our response?

00:34:08.260 --> 00:34:08.480
 Well,

00:34:08.640 --> 00:34:09.900
 I'm not being political here.

00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:11.539
 You take the liberal budget

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:12.720
 and I know the NDP,

00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:13.720
 they'd add a couple

00:34:13.720 --> 00:34:15.780
 of dozen billion dollars

00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:16.300
 to it.

00:34:16.680 --> 00:34:17.920
 And I know the conservatives,

00:34:18.300 --> 00:34:18.840
 they'd say,

00:34:18.940 --> 00:34:18.980
 well,

00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:19.640
 be conservatives

00:34:19.639 --> 00:34:20.539
 and we're going to just

00:34:20.539 --> 00:34:22.019
 knock it down 10 billion,

00:34:22.579 --> 00:34:24.259
 but all of the parties

00:34:24.259 --> 00:34:26.339
 all double down

00:34:26.339 --> 00:34:27.259
 on a belief

00:34:27.259 --> 00:34:28.400
 that they know the future

00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:29.239
 and they can control

00:34:29.239 --> 00:34:29.779
 the future

00:34:29.779 --> 00:34:30.619
 and they can control

00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.920
 interest rates

00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:32.699
 and they can control

00:34:32.699 --> 00:34:33.579
 all these other things

00:34:33.579 --> 00:34:33.960
 that happen.

00:34:34.199 --> 00:34:35.679
 We double down on it.

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:37.179
 It bothers us

00:34:37.179 --> 00:34:37.900
 that the government

00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:39.199
 cannot control

00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:40.239
 the vaccines.

00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:40.759
 It cannot.

00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:42.539
 So rather than just saying,

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:43.199
 you know,

00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:44.139
 we need to be a little bit

00:34:44.139 --> 00:34:45.219
 more humble and loose

00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:45.920
 about the fact

00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:46.960
 that our control

00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:47.500
 of the future,

00:34:47.639 --> 00:34:49.179
 we double down on it.

00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:51.239
 It's like an alcoholic

00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:52.460
 who thinks the solution

00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:53.099
 to the fact

00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:54.099
 that they only have

00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:54.719
 a bit of a buzz

00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:55.639
 after four drinks

00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:56.739
 is to have eight drinks.

00:34:58.299 --> 00:34:59.599
 Or the person who says,

00:34:59.699 --> 00:34:59.839
 well,

00:34:59.859 --> 00:35:00.279
 I don't know,

00:35:00.379 --> 00:35:01.420
 just smoke and marijuana

00:35:01.420 --> 00:35:02.759
 hasn't dealt with my problems.

00:35:02.819 --> 00:35:03.639
 I guess I need to add

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.980
 some other drugs to it.

00:35:06.279 --> 00:35:06.679
 Like,

00:35:06.779 --> 00:35:07.699
 rather than saying,

00:35:07.799 --> 00:35:09.539
 maybe there's a problem here,

00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:11.819
 we double down on it

00:35:11.819 --> 00:35:13.639
 because we don't want

00:35:13.639 --> 00:35:14.179
 to acknowledge

00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:14.980
 that people die.

00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:15.859
 We don't want to acknowledge,

00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:16.759
 I don't want to acknowledge,

00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:17.800
 you don't want to acknowledge

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:17.980
 it,

00:35:18.040 --> 00:35:18.540
 you die.

00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:20.260
 And Canadians,

00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:22.680
 you know,

00:35:22.720 --> 00:35:23.980
 four years ago this summer,

00:35:24.020 --> 00:35:25.220
 I got the great privilege

00:35:25.220 --> 00:35:25.760
 to be invited

00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:26.720
 to go to Angola

00:35:26.720 --> 00:35:29.100
 and to be part of SIM

00:35:29.100 --> 00:35:30.100
 for a short while

00:35:30.100 --> 00:35:31.040
 and do some teaching.

00:35:32.520 --> 00:35:33.600
 And so,

00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:35.100
 there's a local church

00:35:35.100 --> 00:35:35.600
 that wanted me

00:35:35.600 --> 00:35:36.880
 to do a morning of teaching,

00:35:37.060 --> 00:35:38.780
 like about three or four hours.

00:35:39.540 --> 00:35:40.440
 And so,

00:35:40.520 --> 00:35:41.200
 they wanted me to speak

00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:42.180
 for three to four hours

00:35:42.180 --> 00:35:43.100
 and lead some discussions,

00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:43.440
 right,

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.659
 for three to four hours,

00:35:44.799 --> 00:35:45.039
 okay?

00:35:45.400 --> 00:35:45.960
 And so,

00:35:46.199 --> 00:35:46.460
 you know,

00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:47.199
 I try to find out

00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:47.860
 before I go

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:49.239
 what they'd like me to do,

00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:50.099
 no answer.

00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:51.480
 I get there

00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:53.460
 and I'm still two more weeks

00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:54.239
 before I ask

00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:54.860
 what I want to do

00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:55.759
 and there's still no answer.

00:35:56.599 --> 00:35:57.400
 Monday before,

00:35:57.579 --> 00:35:58.119
 no answer.

00:35:58.440 --> 00:35:59.079
 Wednesday before,

00:35:59.199 --> 00:35:59.819
 no answer.

00:36:00.039 --> 00:36:00.739
 Thursday before,

00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.420
 why don't you come

00:36:01.420 --> 00:36:02.279
 meet me in my office

00:36:02.279 --> 00:36:03.079
 tomorrow morning

00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:03.779
 about what you're going

00:36:03.779 --> 00:36:04.799
 to do on Saturday?

00:36:06.839 --> 00:36:07.900
 And I sent a blog

00:36:07.900 --> 00:36:08.819
 back to the church

00:36:08.819 --> 00:36:09.159
 and said,

00:36:09.219 --> 00:36:10.099
 Angolan Christians

00:36:10.099 --> 00:36:11.339
 are very Angolan.

00:36:12.039 --> 00:36:12.659
 But then again,

00:36:12.659 --> 00:36:13.399
 Canadian Christians

00:36:13.399 --> 00:36:14.279
 are very Canadian.

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:15.659
 I mean,

00:36:15.699 --> 00:36:16.440
 I guess in one level,

00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:17.119
 in Angola,

00:36:17.299 --> 00:36:18.079
 there's all these things

00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:18.759
 that kill you

00:36:18.759 --> 00:36:19.839
 and people have

00:36:19.839 --> 00:36:21.000
 a lower life expectancy

00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:22.719
 and you don't know

00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:23.339
 when all of a sudden

00:36:23.339 --> 00:36:23.759
 there's going to be

00:36:23.759 --> 00:36:24.639
 a gas ration

00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:26.519
 and it doesn't mean

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:26.980
 that they'd like

00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:27.619
 to have some type

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:28.059
 of control

00:36:28.059 --> 00:36:28.599
 but there's just

00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:29.359
 so many things

00:36:29.359 --> 00:36:30.119
 in that world

00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:31.440
 that just go wrong.

00:36:33.739 --> 00:36:34.579
 And maybe there's

00:36:34.579 --> 00:36:34.859
 some other,

00:36:34.940 --> 00:36:35.399
 just some very,

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:36.379
 very good virtues

00:36:36.379 --> 00:36:37.000
 as well

00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:38.739
 in their temperament

00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:39.779
 and they could maybe

00:36:39.779 --> 00:36:40.539
 look at us

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.199
 and laugh

00:36:41.199 --> 00:36:41.759
 at our,

00:36:41.760 --> 00:36:43.600
 maybe both laugh

00:36:43.600 --> 00:36:44.320
 and feel pity

00:36:44.320 --> 00:36:46.560
 at North America.

00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:47.580
 It's hard for us

00:36:47.580 --> 00:36:48.200
 to imagine

00:36:48.200 --> 00:36:48.880
 how this

00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:50.220
 is not the way

00:36:50.220 --> 00:36:50.860
 to live.

00:36:51.800 --> 00:36:52.560
 Just a couple

00:36:52.560 --> 00:36:53.000
 of things.

00:36:53.720 --> 00:36:54.560
 What the text

00:36:54.560 --> 00:36:54.960
 is saying

00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:56.160
 is that we Christians,

00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:57.580
 and this is the way

00:36:57.580 --> 00:36:58.220
 of wisdom,

00:36:59.220 --> 00:37:01.000
 it is not a bad thing

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:01.500
 to remember

00:37:01.500 --> 00:37:02.300
 that you are mortal

00:37:02.300 --> 00:37:03.260
 because you are mortal.

00:37:03.260 --> 00:37:06.900
 and it's not a bad thing

00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:07.520
 to remind you

00:37:07.520 --> 00:37:08.300
 that you literally

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:08.860
 do not know

00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:09.480
 what's going to happen

00:37:09.480 --> 00:37:09.920
 tomorrow.

00:37:10.040 --> 00:37:11.160
 You literally do not.

00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:13.440
 You literally do not.

00:37:15.580 --> 00:37:16.640
 But at the same time

00:37:16.640 --> 00:37:17.960
 as being a human being

00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:18.660
 there needs to be

00:37:18.660 --> 00:37:19.360
 some planting,

00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:20.320
 there needs to be

00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:20.980
 some planting.

00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:22.500
 If I want to enjoy

00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:23.180
 tomatoes

00:37:23.180 --> 00:37:24.780
 from my garden

00:37:24.780 --> 00:37:25.960
 in August,

00:37:26.240 --> 00:37:26.880
 you've got to plant

00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:27.480
 the seeds.

00:37:28.160 --> 00:37:29.120
 You can't just

00:37:29.120 --> 00:37:29.980
 do nothing

00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:30.620
 and expect there

00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:31.180
 to be garden.

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:32.299
 So what the Bible

00:37:32.299 --> 00:37:32.699
 is saying

00:37:32.699 --> 00:37:33.739
 is something like this,

00:37:33.799 --> 00:37:34.399
 that we need to,

00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:34.859
 in a sense,

00:37:35.299 --> 00:37:35.960
 meditate upon

00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:36.779
 these truths

00:37:36.779 --> 00:37:37.679
 to get a type

00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:38.719
 of healthy balance,

00:37:38.980 --> 00:37:40.000
 a wise balance

00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:41.199
 to having a beautiful life.

00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:43.440
 That only the triune God

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.119
 is sovereign

00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:44.919
 and omniscient.

00:37:45.339 --> 00:37:46.159
 Only he is.

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:48.659
 You are vapor.

00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:51.099
 You had a beginning.

00:37:51.639 --> 00:37:52.619
 You'll have an end.

00:37:53.719 --> 00:37:54.759
 You have not lived forever.

00:37:55.299 --> 00:37:56.159
 You aren't eternal.

00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:58.419
 You aren't everlasting.

00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:00.539
 And life

00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:01.940
 is always too short.

00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:04.820
 That only the triune God

00:38:04.820 --> 00:38:05.480
 is sovereign

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:06.139
 and omniscient.

00:38:06.659 --> 00:38:07.400
 You are vapor.

00:38:08.179 --> 00:38:09.179
 You do not know

00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:10.340
 or control the future.

00:38:11.019 --> 00:38:11.860
 And for a Christian,

00:38:12.579 --> 00:38:13.860
 and this is the profound

00:38:13.860 --> 00:38:15.259
 comfort of this text,

00:38:16.360 --> 00:38:18.239
 you are in the palm

00:38:18.239 --> 00:38:19.159
 of his hand.

00:38:19.159 --> 00:38:25.879
 You are in the palm

00:38:25.879 --> 00:38:26.739
 of his hand.

00:38:28.799 --> 00:38:29.819
 You are in the palm

00:38:29.819 --> 00:38:30.379
 of the hand

00:38:30.379 --> 00:38:30.799
 of the one

00:38:30.799 --> 00:38:31.359
 who does know

00:38:31.359 --> 00:38:31.879
 the future.

00:38:32.460 --> 00:38:33.440
 You are in the palm

00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:34.000
 of the hand

00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:34.399
 of the one

00:38:34.399 --> 00:38:35.379
 who is for you,

00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:36.319
 not against you.

00:38:36.839 --> 00:38:37.879
 You are in the palm

00:38:37.879 --> 00:38:38.480
 of the hand

00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:39.000
 of the one

00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:39.319
 who,

00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:40.519
 as the Bible says,

00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:41.799
 if you humble yourself,

00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:44.659
 he will exalt you.

00:38:45.859 --> 00:38:46.699
 That God

00:38:46.699 --> 00:38:48.219
 gives more grace.

00:38:48.439 --> 00:38:49.699
 He opposes the proud

00:38:49.699 --> 00:38:50.500
 but gives grace

00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:51.099
 to the humble.

00:38:52.419 --> 00:38:53.779
 And in the context

00:38:53.779 --> 00:38:55.279
 of remembering regularly

00:38:55.279 --> 00:38:56.739
 that only the triune God

00:38:56.739 --> 00:38:57.319
 is sovereign

00:38:57.319 --> 00:38:58.059
 and omniscient,

00:38:58.460 --> 00:38:59.379
 that you are vapor,

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:00.579
 that you do not know

00:39:00.579 --> 00:39:01.619
 or control the future,

00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:02.859
 that you are in his hand

00:39:02.859 --> 00:39:03.559
 with love,

00:39:03.939 --> 00:39:05.079
 it is in that context

00:39:05.079 --> 00:39:05.739
 that you build

00:39:05.739 --> 00:39:06.199
 and plan

00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:06.659
 and grow.

00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:09.819
 Because God

00:39:09.819 --> 00:39:10.919
 wants us to grow.

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:11.699
 He wants us

00:39:11.699 --> 00:39:12.259
 to plan.

00:39:12.260 --> 00:39:15.740
 He wants us

00:39:15.740 --> 00:39:16.320
 to think about

00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:17.000
 our retirement.

00:39:17.220 --> 00:39:17.700
 He wants us

00:39:17.700 --> 00:39:19.840
 to do these things.

00:39:21.140 --> 00:39:22.500
 But to do it humbly

00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:24.580
 under the power

00:39:24.580 --> 00:39:25.120
 of God.

00:39:27.600 --> 00:39:28.220
 Just want to,

00:39:29.940 --> 00:39:30.340
 you know,

00:39:31.660 --> 00:39:33.880
 so much anxiety

00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:34.940
 in life comes

00:39:34.940 --> 00:39:36.080
 from thinking

00:39:36.080 --> 00:39:37.020
 that you control

00:39:37.020 --> 00:39:37.620
 the future.

00:39:37.619 --> 00:39:41.639
 that you have

00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.500
 to know everything.

00:39:43.859 --> 00:39:44.619
 That so much

00:39:44.619 --> 00:39:45.339
 of your anxiety

00:39:45.339 --> 00:39:46.279
 comes because

00:39:46.279 --> 00:39:47.339
 you constantly

00:39:47.339 --> 00:39:48.619
 seek to be a god

00:39:48.619 --> 00:39:49.380
 or a goddess.

00:39:50.759 --> 00:39:51.779
 And your anxiety

00:39:51.779 --> 00:39:52.519
 is only doubled

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.239
 because you're

00:39:53.239 --> 00:39:53.779
 with others

00:39:53.779 --> 00:39:54.799
 seeking to be gods

00:39:54.799 --> 00:39:55.579
 and goddesses

00:39:55.579 --> 00:39:56.679
 and you don't all agree

00:39:56.679 --> 00:39:57.420
 because you can only

00:39:57.420 --> 00:39:58.159
 be one god,

00:39:58.440 --> 00:39:59.500
 only be one goddess.

00:40:01.179 --> 00:40:01.980
 And so this

00:40:01.980 --> 00:40:02.679
 biblical text

00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:03.420
 is a profound

00:40:03.420 --> 00:40:04.679
 invitation for you

00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:05.279
 to understand

00:40:05.279 --> 00:40:05.880
 that there is

00:40:05.880 --> 00:40:06.559
 a moral order,

00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:06.960
 that there really

00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:07.779
 is right and wrong,

00:40:07.860 --> 00:40:08.900
 that God is for you,

00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:09.779
 that he loves you,

00:40:10.400 --> 00:40:11.139
 that he really

00:40:11.139 --> 00:40:12.179
 loves you vastly

00:40:12.179 --> 00:40:12.880
 beyond what you

00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:13.539
 can imagine,

00:40:14.139 --> 00:40:15.139
 that he reaches

00:40:15.139 --> 00:40:16.059
 his hand of love

00:40:16.059 --> 00:40:16.759
 out for you,

00:40:16.920 --> 00:40:17.460
 that you would

00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:18.199
 take his hand

00:40:18.199 --> 00:40:19.000
 and you can't

00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:19.579
 reach his hand

00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:20.239
 but his hand

00:40:20.239 --> 00:40:21.059
 can reach you

00:40:21.059 --> 00:40:22.519
 and he will reach

00:40:22.519 --> 00:40:23.480
 you and hold you

00:40:23.480 --> 00:40:24.360
 and he will make

00:40:24.360 --> 00:40:25.380
 you his child

00:40:25.380 --> 00:40:26.659
 by adoption and grace

00:40:26.659 --> 00:40:27.340
 and then you can

00:40:27.340 --> 00:40:30.000
 live into eternity,

00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:30.900
 into the everlasting

00:40:30.900 --> 00:40:31.840
 life knowing

00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:33.820
 that he loves you,

00:40:33.880 --> 00:40:34.320
 that you're in the

00:40:34.320 --> 00:40:35.259
 palm of his hand.

00:40:35.260 --> 00:40:36.620
 And it is from

00:40:36.620 --> 00:40:37.280
 that posture

00:40:37.280 --> 00:40:38.040
 being in the palm

00:40:38.040 --> 00:40:38.660
 of his hand

00:40:38.660 --> 00:40:39.180
 that we are to

00:40:39.180 --> 00:40:39.900
 look at the world

00:40:39.900 --> 00:40:41.400
 to see how we

00:40:41.400 --> 00:40:42.120
 can bless it,

00:40:42.600 --> 00:40:43.140
 to see how we

00:40:43.140 --> 00:40:44.100
 can share the gospel,

00:40:44.640 --> 00:40:45.420
 to see how we

00:40:45.420 --> 00:40:46.520
 can plan the tomatoes,

00:40:47.460 --> 00:40:48.460
 plan our families,

00:40:48.820 --> 00:40:49.720
 plan our finances,

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:50.860
 plan our generosity.

00:40:51.500 --> 00:40:52.700
 There is no wiser

00:40:52.700 --> 00:40:53.820
 place to live

00:40:53.820 --> 00:40:55.060
 than in the palm

00:40:55.060 --> 00:40:55.620
 of his hand.

00:40:55.820 --> 00:40:56.360
 Let's pray.

00:40:57.160 --> 00:40:57.780
 Father, we ask

00:40:57.780 --> 00:40:58.200
 that you would

00:40:58.200 --> 00:40:59.300
 pour the Holy Spirit

00:40:59.300 --> 00:41:00.040
 upon us with

00:41:00.040 --> 00:41:00.900
 might and power

00:41:00.900 --> 00:41:01.800
 and deep conviction

00:41:01.800 --> 00:41:03.400
 that for any

00:41:03.400 --> 00:41:04.300
 who have not

00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:04.980
 yet had that

00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:06.420
 move to give

00:41:06.420 --> 00:41:07.160
 themselves to

00:41:07.160 --> 00:41:08.000
 Jesus, that even

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:08.580
 now you would

00:41:08.580 --> 00:41:09.039
 help them,

00:41:09.300 --> 00:41:11.060
 Father, to humble

00:41:11.060 --> 00:41:12.260
 themselves, to give

00:41:12.260 --> 00:41:13.300
 themselves to Jesus,

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.140
 that he might be

00:41:14.140 --> 00:41:14.880
 their Savior and

00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:15.120
 Lord.

00:41:15.519 --> 00:41:16.060
 And Father, for

00:41:16.060 --> 00:41:16.760
 those of us who

00:41:16.760 --> 00:41:17.960
 call Jesus as Savior

00:41:17.960 --> 00:41:18.600
 and Lord, we

00:41:18.600 --> 00:41:19.660
 recommit to you,

00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:20.840
 we remember once

00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.860
 again why it is

00:41:21.860 --> 00:41:22.560
 that you are so

00:41:22.560 --> 00:41:23.480
 beautiful, that you

00:41:23.480 --> 00:41:24.340
 are so good.

00:41:24.760 --> 00:41:25.880
 It is so good,

00:41:26.060 --> 00:41:26.800
 Father, to be

00:41:26.800 --> 00:41:27.660
 reminded that you

00:41:27.660 --> 00:41:28.720
 are for us,

00:41:29.160 --> 00:41:30.160
 that you love us,

00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:31.279
 that Jesus died

00:41:31.279 --> 00:41:33.119
 for us, that we

00:41:33.119 --> 00:41:33.819
 are in the hollow

00:41:33.819 --> 00:41:34.859
 of your hand, that

00:41:34.859 --> 00:41:36.159
 we are safe there,

00:41:36.299 --> 00:41:37.639
 that we can deal

00:41:37.639 --> 00:41:38.599
 with the valley of

00:41:38.599 --> 00:41:39.519
 the shadow of death

00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:40.179
 when we are in the

00:41:40.179 --> 00:41:41.440
 palm of your hand,

00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:42.799
 that we can plan

00:41:42.799 --> 00:41:43.639
 for the future, we

00:41:43.639 --> 00:41:44.460
 can fight against

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:45.719
 injustice, we can be

00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:47.119
 generous, we can

00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:48.819
 start to set aside

00:41:48.819 --> 00:41:50.460
 our sin and idol-based

00:41:50.460 --> 00:41:51.379
 identities to get

00:41:51.379 --> 00:41:52.399
 that identity that

00:41:52.399 --> 00:41:53.539
 you desire to give

00:41:53.539 --> 00:41:54.539
 us, that is the

00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:55.460
 longing of our hearts

00:41:55.460 --> 00:41:56.279
 that goes into all

00:41:56.279 --> 00:41:56.839
 of eternity.

00:41:57.339 --> 00:41:58.839
 Child, your child,

00:41:58.840 --> 00:42:00.700
 your child, your

00:42:00.700 --> 00:42:02.240
 friend, Father, we

00:42:02.240 --> 00:42:03.340
 give you thanks so

00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:05.059
 much for Jesus, and

00:42:05.059 --> 00:42:05.820
 we ask that you would

00:42:05.820 --> 00:42:06.800
 grip us again with the

00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:08.300
 truth of the gospel, and

00:42:08.300 --> 00:42:09.340
 all God's people said,

00:42:10.039 --> 00:42:10.300
 Amen.