WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.660
 The reading for this morning is Romans 1 verses 18 to 25.

00:00:05.179 --> 00:00:10.679
 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,

00:00:10.980 --> 00:00:13.560
! who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:18.760
 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:23.800
 For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature,

00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:29.260
 have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made.

00:00:29.260 --> 00:00:31.520
 So they are without excuse.

00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:36.859
 For although they know God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,

00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:40.859
 but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.

00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:46.640
 Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God

00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:51.340
 for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creepy things.

00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:52.780
 Creeping.

00:00:53.299 --> 00:00:57.680
 Therefore God gave them up in their lusts of their hearts to impurity,

00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:00.579
 to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.

00:01:01.140 --> 00:01:05.799
 Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature

00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.579
 rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.

00:01:08.939 --> 00:01:09.239
 Amen.

00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:15.219
 A couple weeks ago in Romans chapter 1, 16 and 17,

00:01:15.479 --> 00:01:20.859
 we read how the gospel is the power and revealed righteousness of God.

00:01:22.419 --> 00:01:25.539
 And a very important question that we didn't answer last week,

00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:29.659
 but that follows Romans chapter 1, 16 and 17, is this.

00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:34.679
 Why does humanity need God to show his power and righteousness to us?

00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:40.580
 The answer to that question can be a source of great discomfort, even offense.

00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:45.760
 For our text this week, Romans 1, 18 to 25,

00:01:46.420 --> 00:01:52.560
 will tell us that humanity needs the gospel of God to save us from the wrath of God.

00:01:53.580 --> 00:02:00.800
 The wrath, as we'll find out, is directed at all of humanity for their moral and social corruption,

00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:03.299
 and that no one is exempt.

00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:12.819
 And such a God in 21st century Ottawa, 2026,

00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:18.759
 it seems such a God is aggressive and unrelenting and maybe even vindictive.

00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:21.800
 Where is the love?

00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:22.939
 Where is the grace?

00:02:23.079 --> 00:02:23.900
 Where is the acceptance?

00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:27.000
 Where is gentle Jesus, meek and mild?

00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:31.900
 It's a very uncomfortable question to wrestle with about God's wrath.

00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.580
 And yet, it's a question that the church has wrestled with for centuries.

00:02:35.819 --> 00:02:40.319
 In fact, one of the earliest issues that arose in the church,

00:02:40.419 --> 00:02:42.659
 one of the earliest controversies,

00:02:43.259 --> 00:02:46.340
 came in the second century with a man named Marcion.

00:02:47.060 --> 00:02:51.960
 And he decided to do something about this wrathful and angry God that he found in the Bible.

00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:57.320
 And what he ended up doing was taking the Bible and chopping it up,

00:02:57.400 --> 00:02:59.560
 bringing a giant pair of scissors to it,

00:03:00.020 --> 00:03:01.580
 cutting out the entire Old Testament,

00:03:02.200 --> 00:03:04.340
 cutting out large portions of the New Testament,

00:03:04.600 --> 00:03:09.480
 so that all that was left was this benevolent and loving God.

00:03:10.620 --> 00:03:15.060
 Any hint of wrath, any hint of anger was gone.

00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:18.400
 And it's been like this throughout the centuries,

00:03:18.540 --> 00:03:19.600
 throughout the history of the church.

00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:25.719
 The wrath of God is a very uncomfortable thing that Christians wrestle with.

00:03:27.219 --> 00:03:28.979
 But as we're going to see in the text today,

00:03:29.579 --> 00:03:32.579
 the wrath of God is actually a key aspect of who God is.

00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:36.959
 It's not to say that you can just remove or downplay the wrath of God

00:03:36.959 --> 00:03:40.819
 and lift up or elevate, rather, his love.

00:03:40.959 --> 00:03:45.799
 But the wrath of God is a key aspect of who he is.

00:03:45.799 --> 00:03:48.579
 In fact, it is in keeping with his righteousness.

00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:55.639
 For both his righteousness and his wrath are introduced by Paul in the exact same way.

00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:59.639
 Two weeks ago, when we were in Romans 1, 16 and 17,

00:04:00.299 --> 00:04:05.240
 Paul says in verse 17 that the righteousness of God is being revealed.

00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:10.039
 And here in verse 18, he'll talk about the wrath of God that is being revealed.

00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:14.599
 Paul speaks of both righteous, God's righteousness and his wrath,

00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:18.699
 introducing it in the same type of way.

00:04:19.459 --> 00:04:21.980
 So we're going to look at what the wrath of God is

00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:26.139
 and why it is rightly directed at sinful and corrupted humanity.

00:04:27.180 --> 00:04:29.920
 And we'll see that God's wrath is rightly directed

00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:32.860
 at those who suppress the truth,

00:04:33.740 --> 00:04:35.899
 those who steal God's honor,

00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:41.500
 and those who misplace their worship to other things and other people

00:04:41.500 --> 00:04:43.399
 beside the one true God.

00:04:45.179 --> 00:04:46.560
 We have a lot of ground to cover.

00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:50.759
 So if you want to turn to page 8 of your scripture journal

00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:54.139
 or Romans 1, verse 18 in your Bible,

00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:56.259
 we'll jump right into it.

00:04:56.620 --> 00:04:59.459
 So we'll look at God's wrath that is directed and revealed

00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:01.620
 to those who suppress the truth,

00:05:02.060 --> 00:05:03.319
 verses 18 to 20.

00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:04.779
 And this is what it says.

00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:08.599
 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven

00:05:08.599 --> 00:05:12.159
 against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men

00:05:12.159 --> 00:05:15.779
 who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

00:05:16.719 --> 00:05:18.899
 For what can be known about God is plain to them

00:05:18.899 --> 00:05:20.639
 because God has shown it to them.

00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:23.100
 For his invisible attributes,

00:05:23.300 --> 00:05:25.939
 namely his eternal power and divine nature,

00:05:26.060 --> 00:05:27.439
 have been clearly perceived

00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:30.199
 ever since the creation of the world

00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:31.659
 in the things that have been made

00:05:31.660 --> 00:05:34.160
 so they are without excuse.

00:05:35.400 --> 00:05:38.780
 So a really important first point to make

00:05:38.780 --> 00:05:40.820
 is that the wrath of God here

00:05:40.820 --> 00:05:47.060
 isn't this kind of symbolic way

00:05:47.060 --> 00:05:49.220
 to speak of the consequences of evil.

00:05:49.220 --> 00:05:56.420
 There's a great temptation to, like Marcion,

00:05:56.740 --> 00:06:01.980
 save God from his wrath.

00:06:02.520 --> 00:06:08.240
 That we need to do some reputation therapy for the Lord

00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:11.140
 so that he does not come across as a wrathful God.

00:06:11.380 --> 00:06:14.080
 So wrath could be potentially understood

00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.439
 as more of like a euphemism of something else

00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.939
 except that right off the bat in verses 18,

00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:24.620
 we see that the wrath of God is actually a personal wrath.

00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:27.099
 It's manifested by God himself.

00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:30.860
 It is not this idea of something,

00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.759
 of the just consequences of evil,

00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:38.279
 but rather it is wrath from God himself

00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:40.620
 as if wrath would come from me or from you.

00:06:40.620 --> 00:06:47.379
 This is what it means when the apostle says

00:06:47.379 --> 00:06:50.160
 that the wrath is being revealed from heaven

00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:51.899
 for that is God's dwelling place.

00:06:52.860 --> 00:06:54.300
 It's an important observation

00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:58.079
 because God's personal wrath implies

00:06:58.079 --> 00:06:59.939
 that the offense that provokes it

00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:02.780
 for all the consequences and the collateral damage

00:07:02.780 --> 00:07:05.860
 that comes about from such evil

00:07:05.860 --> 00:07:08.360
 is first and foremost against God.

00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:12.040
 The offense that provokes God's wrath

00:07:12.040 --> 00:07:14.160
 is an evil rebellion

00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:16.400
 against his person,

00:07:17.139 --> 00:07:19.139
 against who he is and what he has done.

00:07:20.280 --> 00:07:22.139
 It denies God as the eternal king,

00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:24.300
 as creator and as Lord.

00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:27.740
 It seeks to destroy or corrupt or malign

00:07:27.740 --> 00:07:28.900
 God's good design

00:07:28.900 --> 00:07:31.400
 and properly ordered creation.

00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:34.660
 Because we do not have the power to do so,

00:07:35.020 --> 00:07:37.100
 we instead attempt to suppress the truth.

00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:40.340
 So it's as if we say to God,

00:07:41.340 --> 00:07:44.280
 you are not worthy to be God,

00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:45.920
 you are not worthy to sit on your throne,

00:07:46.460 --> 00:07:48.240
 we will be the ones who will take over

00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:50.220
 and yet we do not have the power to do so.

00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:52.500
 So we go on a bit of a smear campaign.

00:07:52.700 --> 00:07:53.620
 We suppress the truth.

00:07:53.740 --> 00:07:55.280
 We deny that God exists.

00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:58.300
 And because we can deny that God exists,

00:07:58.460 --> 00:08:02.200
 it frees us from his supposed tyrannical rule.

00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:05.500
 And Paul describes such behavior

00:08:05.500 --> 00:08:07.199
 as ungodliness and unrighteousness.

00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.279
 It's an evil first against God

00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:14.920
 and then it's an evil then

00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:18.240
 that leads us to denigrate

00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.759
 and to downplay the integrity of fellow people.

00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:27.000
 We suppress the truth.

00:08:28.259 --> 00:08:29.939
 And this is something that all humans,

00:08:30.099 --> 00:08:31.719
 Paul says, are guilty of.

00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:34.500
 Every person has knowledge that there is a God

00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:36.840
 and yet every person in some way or another

00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:37.919
 suppresses the truth.

00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:40.860
 It's an audacious claim that Paul makes here.

00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:43.000
 Every human heart understands

00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:44.919
 that there is a divine creator.

00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:49.179
 It's a bit of a difficult thing to wrestle with

00:08:49.179 --> 00:08:53.679
 because many of us know people that are atheists.

00:08:54.259 --> 00:08:59.740
 Maybe we ourselves are good churchgoers,

00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:02.539
 but if we are oppressed,

00:09:02.659 --> 00:09:04.120
 maybe we have atheistic tendencies

00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:06.699
 or atheistic thoughts, atheistic beliefs.

00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:09.740
 And yet Paul says,

00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:11.000
 every human heart understands

00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:12.279
 that there is a divine creator.

00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:14.539
 He is, verse 20,

00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:16.819
 eternally powerful and divine,

00:09:17.620 --> 00:09:20.740
 meaning that he is not some mortal super being

00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:23.559
 or a figment of one's imagination,

00:09:23.779 --> 00:09:26.500
 that he is eternal and divine.

00:09:26.839 --> 00:09:28.740
 And this is something that God has revealed

00:09:28.740 --> 00:09:31.419
 in the created world for all of humanity to see.

00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:35.500
 So theologians throughout the centuries

00:09:35.500 --> 00:09:38.100
 have called this God's natural revelation,

00:09:39.199 --> 00:09:42.120
 that the invisible and unknowable God

00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:46.879
 has made himself visible and knowable to humanity.

00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:49.120
 And he's done this in at least three different ways.

00:09:50.460 --> 00:09:52.000
 The first is through creation.

00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:55.080
 The world we live in is vast and complex.

00:09:55.659 --> 00:09:57.279
 It's capable of supporting life

00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:58.419
 and not just supporting life,

00:09:58.539 --> 00:10:00.679
 but seeing life flourish.

00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:04.860
 Everything is perfectly calibrated and intertwined.

00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:06.899
 consider the cosmos

00:10:06.899 --> 00:10:09.800
 and the sheer size of the universe we inhabit.

00:10:10.860 --> 00:10:14.120
 To think that all of this is a result of chance and time

00:10:14.120 --> 00:10:16.399
 is to be blind to a designer,

00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:18.340
 an intelligent designer,

00:10:18.519 --> 00:10:19.680
 God as designer.

00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:21.879
 Sir Isaac Newton,

00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:25.779
 he speaks of God's intelligent design this way.

00:10:25.860 --> 00:10:26.159
 He says,

00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:27.579
 in the absence of any proof,

00:10:27.699 --> 00:10:30.219
 the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence.

00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:33.480
 The second way,

00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.039
 and I'm going a bit quickly through

00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:37.860
 these examples of God's natural revelation,

00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:40.779
 the second way that God has made himself noble

00:10:40.779 --> 00:10:41.539
 is through beauty.

00:10:42.839 --> 00:10:44.719
 That there is something that can be observed

00:10:44.719 --> 00:10:47.620
 objectively as beautiful,

00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:51.399
 and that this is proof that life isn't merely about survival,

00:10:51.560 --> 00:10:53.299
 but that it is about enjoyment

00:10:53.299 --> 00:10:55.139
 and an elevation of the spirit.

00:10:56.179 --> 00:10:57.940
 This is key to our existence.

00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:00.759
 Good music and good song

00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:02.340
 and good poetry and good art.

00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:04.080
 All of it,

00:11:04.179 --> 00:11:07.679
 it is the means by which beauty is conveyed

00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:10.060
 and it seems that it is not just

00:11:10.060 --> 00:11:12.919
 something that is peripheral,

00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:14.680
 but is rather integral.

00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:17.679
 It is something that we need to see.

00:11:18.219 --> 00:11:19.759
 A life devoid of beauty

00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:23.779
 is a life devoid of goodness,

00:11:24.179 --> 00:11:25.879
 a life devoid of enjoyment,

00:11:26.599 --> 00:11:30.219
 and ultimately it points to a source of beauty.

00:11:31.859 --> 00:11:32.500
 And then finally,

00:11:33.739 --> 00:11:35.000
 God has revealed himself

00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:38.239
 in the universality of morality,

00:11:38.599 --> 00:11:39.359
 of ethics,

00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:43.039
 meaning that whenever there is injustice felt,

00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:46.899
 wherever there is theft or murder or deception or abuse,

00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:48.000
 and the like,

00:11:48.579 --> 00:11:50.959
 it is identified as not good.

00:11:52.319 --> 00:11:52.919
 Conversely,

00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:57.179
 benevolence and joy and love

00:11:57.179 --> 00:11:59.099
 in its purest forms,

00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:02.019
 it is recognized and it is heralded as good.

00:12:03.459 --> 00:12:04.279
 And these things

00:12:04.279 --> 00:12:07.019
 mean that we can know

00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:08.799
 what is right and wrong objectively,

00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:11.559
 and it isn't merely a social construct

00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:12.939
 or socially conditioned.

00:12:14.939 --> 00:12:16.799
 All such knowledge and creation

00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:17.879
 and beauty and morality,

00:12:18.839 --> 00:12:22.279
 they are means by which God makes himself known to all

00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.159
 and reveals our need to be connected

00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.599
 and reconciled with him.

00:12:25.719 --> 00:12:27.299
 Whether we can articulate it

00:12:27.299 --> 00:12:29.379
 in a biblical way or not,

00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:30.679
 God has left

00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:32.779
 proof of his existence

00:12:32.779 --> 00:12:35.139
 and has put within us

00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:36.139
 a yearning to

00:12:36.139 --> 00:12:37.500
 touch

00:12:37.500 --> 00:12:39.399
 the transcendent

00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:40.059
 to in

00:12:40.059 --> 00:12:41.460
 some way

00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:42.220
 connect with

00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:43.000
 the divine.

00:12:44.419 --> 00:12:44.759
 However,

00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:45.860
 this is where we bump up

00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:46.519
 against the limits

00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:47.539
 of natural revelation.

00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:49.460
 For although it reveals

00:12:49.460 --> 00:12:51.039
 our need to be connected to God,

00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:52.779
 our desire to be connected to him,

00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:55.039
 it doesn't offer salvation.

00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:57.159
 Or put another way,

00:12:57.240 --> 00:12:58.000
 natural revelation

00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.679
 shows us our need for salvation,

00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:00.879
 our need to

00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:02.299
 be reconciled with God,

00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:03.779
 but it cannot be our means

00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:05.279
 of salvation.

00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:08.519
 Yet Paul says

00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:09.779
 that all this

00:13:09.779 --> 00:13:11.100
 was denied

00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:11.819
 and suppressed.

00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:14.480
 There is no God,

00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:14.919
 or if

00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:16.079
 the God of the scripture

00:13:16.079 --> 00:13:18.740
 is not that God,

00:13:18.839 --> 00:13:19.480
 then his lordship

00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:20.799
 has no claim upon us.

00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:21.000


00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:22.039
 functionally,

00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:22.299
 we

00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:24.959
 function,

00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:25.360
 rather,

00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:27.000
 as people

00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:28.159
 that are in open rebellion

00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:28.639
 to God,

00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:29.819
 denying his existence

00:13:29.819 --> 00:13:30.699
 or at the very least

00:13:30.699 --> 00:13:31.740
 denying his lordship.

00:13:33.779 --> 00:13:35.000
 And unfortunately for us,

00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:36.019
 suppressing the truth

00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:37.240
 has dire consequences.

00:13:37.419 --> 00:13:38.779
 It will limit our ability

00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:39.879
 to know what truly

00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:40.860
 makes us human

00:13:40.860 --> 00:13:43.500
 and what our purpose is

00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:44.720
 because all that makes

00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.200
 humanity truly human,

00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:47.399
 it has to be connected

00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:47.980
 to God

00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:48.879
 for he is the one

00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:49.460
 who made us,

00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:50.399
 he designed us,

00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:51.980
 he has breathed life

00:13:51.980 --> 00:13:52.740
 into us.

00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:55.259
 We are made in his image

00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:56.179
 and his likeness

00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:57.720
 and most importantly

00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.019
 for his glory and purposes.

00:13:59.179 --> 00:13:59.960
 It means that our

00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:01.400
 our existence

00:14:01.400 --> 00:14:01.980
 has

00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:04.180
 a true

00:14:04.180 --> 00:14:05.240
 end,

00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:06.340
 a true telos

00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:07.519
 and it is found

00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:08.240
 in union

00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.120
 with God himself.

00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:12.220
 But in a pluralistic

00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:12.740
 society,

00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:14.300
 especially one we live in,

00:14:14.820 --> 00:14:15.680
 all of this

00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:16.639
 can be easily denied.

00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:17.080
 I mean,

00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:17.519
 again,

00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:19.080
 you know atheists,

00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:20.139
 your friends,

00:14:20.300 --> 00:14:20.940
 family members,

00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:21.259
 again,

00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:22.620
 maybe you yourself,

00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:23.540
 you're wrestling with it

00:14:23.539 --> 00:14:24.519
 and a lot of these

00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:25.519
 people live very good

00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:26.240
 and moral

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.379
 and upright lives.

00:14:28.599 --> 00:14:29.779
 The God of the Bible

00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:30.659
 or any other God

00:14:30.659 --> 00:14:31.259
 for that matter

00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:32.019
 can be denied

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:33.659
 and life seems

00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:34.759
 to continue to flourish,

00:14:34.939 --> 00:14:35.819
 progress continues

00:14:35.819 --> 00:14:36.459
 unabated,

00:14:37.219 --> 00:14:38.379
 but is that really

00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:38.899
 the case?

00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:41.299
 This leads to our

00:14:41.299 --> 00:14:41.980
 second point

00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:43.399
 that the wrath

00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:43.959
 of God

00:14:43.959 --> 00:14:45.779
 is revealed

00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:46.500
 against those

00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:47.659
 who steal his honor.

00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:49.019
 Look with me

00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:49.819
 at verses 21

00:14:49.819 --> 00:14:50.360
 and 22.

00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:53.759
 For although

00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.860
 they knew God,

00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:55.840
 they did not honor

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.560
 him as God

00:14:56.560 --> 00:14:57.620
 or give thanks to him,

00:14:58.279 --> 00:14:59.720
 but they became futile

00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:00.460
 in their thinking

00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:01.440
 and their foolish hearts

00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:02.039
 were darkened.

00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:03.779
 Claiming to be wise,

00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:05.080
 they became fools.

00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:07.100
 Paul is doing

00:15:07.100 --> 00:15:07.879
 something subtle

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:09.740
 but unmistakable.

00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:12.720
 He is universalizing

00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:14.240
 this open rebellion

00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:15.120
 against God

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:15.860
 by linking it

00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:17.120
 not to culture,

00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:18.600
 not to an era,

00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:19.639
 not to a specific

00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:21.179
 social or ethnic group,

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:22.960
 but to the very first

00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:23.679
 parents of all

00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:24.259
 of humanity

00:15:24.259 --> 00:15:25.720
 because this is

00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:26.860
 a very subtle

00:15:26.860 --> 00:15:28.379
 but unmistakable link

00:15:28.379 --> 00:15:30.220
 to the opening chapters

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.220
 of Genesis.

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:32.600
 So what Paul is doing

00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:34.039
 here in this section

00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:34.939
 but really in all

00:15:34.939 --> 00:15:35.899
 of verses 18

00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:37.759
 to 32,

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:41.319
 he is rehearsing

00:15:41.319 --> 00:15:42.419
 the fall of man

00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:43.740
 that we can read about

00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:45.100
 in Genesis chapter 3.

00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:46.419
 When sin entered

00:15:46.419 --> 00:15:46.879
 the world,

00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:47.439
 when mankind

00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.280
 became corrupted

00:15:49.280 --> 00:15:50.180
 and bent,

00:15:51.180 --> 00:15:52.540
 such suppression

00:15:52.540 --> 00:15:53.140
 of the truth

00:15:53.140 --> 00:15:53.820
 has been happening

00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:54.820
 since the very beginning

00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:56.480
 in every place

00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.900
 and among every people

00:15:58.900 --> 00:16:00.460
 ever since.

00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:02.840
 It always culminates

00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:03.780
 in idolatry,

00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:05.660
 idolatry being

00:16:05.660 --> 00:16:06.600
 the worship of any,

00:16:08.280 --> 00:16:08.600
 sorry,

00:16:08.760 --> 00:16:09.900
 the worshiping of

00:16:09.900 --> 00:16:10.740
 and sacrificing

00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:11.580
 to something

00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:12.200
 or someone

00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:12.960
 other than God.

00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:14.780
 In this case,

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.800
 mankind tries to

00:16:15.800 --> 00:16:16.940
 claim creation

00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:18.920
 apart from God,

00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:20.320
 feeling justified

00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:21.180
 in being more

00:16:21.180 --> 00:16:21.980
 than just a steward

00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:23.080
 of God's good creation

00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:24.100
 and a worshiper

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:24.540
 of God.

00:16:25.060 --> 00:16:25.360
 Instead,

00:16:25.560 --> 00:16:26.220
 we assume

00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:26.980
 the role

00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:27.820
 of creator,

00:16:28.900 --> 00:16:29.460
 claiming with

00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:30.280
 such bravado

00:16:30.280 --> 00:16:31.680
 that we can truly

00:16:31.680 --> 00:16:32.519
 enjoy life

00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:33.120
 apart from

00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:34.060
 the one true God.

00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.639
 We say to ourselves

00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:38.139
 that we are

00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:38.980
 the change makers.

00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:40.800
 We are the

00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:42.359
 beauty creators.

00:16:42.599 --> 00:16:43.039
 We are the

00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:44.139
 benevolent ones.

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:45.199
 We are the ones

00:16:45.199 --> 00:16:46.719
 worthy to be glorified

00:16:46.719 --> 00:16:47.979
 and honored.

00:16:49.079 --> 00:16:50.019
 There's no honor

00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:50.939
 directed to God,

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:52.359
 no thanksgiving

00:16:52.359 --> 00:16:53.659
 for his gift of life,

00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:55.059
 no recognition

00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:55.819
 of his goodness

00:16:55.819 --> 00:16:56.500
 and provision

00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:57.159
 of grace,

00:16:58.459 --> 00:16:59.000
 understanding

00:16:59.000 --> 00:16:59.919
 that the entire

00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:00.500
 cosmos,

00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:01.659
 all of creation,

00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:03.159
 was designed

00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:03.859
 by him

00:17:03.859 --> 00:17:04.980
 intelligently

00:17:04.980 --> 00:17:05.819
 and lovingly

00:17:05.819 --> 00:17:07.079
 for our benefits.

00:17:08.159 --> 00:17:09.099
 I've likened it

00:17:09.099 --> 00:17:09.720
 in some ways

00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:10.700
 to stolen valor,

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.879
 if you've seen it

00:17:12.879 --> 00:17:13.799
 on the news

00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:14.919
 around Remembrance Day

00:17:14.919 --> 00:17:15.680
 or Veterans Day

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:16.240
 in the States,

00:17:16.899 --> 00:17:17.440
 people that have

00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.159
 never served

00:17:18.159 --> 00:17:18.940
 will dress up

00:17:18.940 --> 00:17:20.700
 in military dress

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:22.500
 and take part

00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:23.440
 in a ceremony

00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:25.759
 as if they served,

00:17:25.919 --> 00:17:27.259
 as if they sacrificed

00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:28.720
 and it is incredibly

00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.240
 offensive

00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:30.539
 to steal

00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:31.279
 the honor

00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:31.960
 of those

00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.879
 that have served,

00:17:34.139 --> 00:17:34.740
 veterans

00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:35.559
 or active

00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:37.579
 duty members

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:38.440
 of the armed forces

00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:39.519
 and it's very

00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:39.960
 similar

00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:41.519
 to what we are

00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:41.940
 doing

00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:43.660
 only on a very,

00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:44.460
 very more

00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:45.539
 grand scale.

00:17:46.539 --> 00:17:47.799
 We try to steal

00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:49.299
 God's honor

00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:51.019
 and his valor.

00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:52.920
 We do not

00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:53.340
 thank him

00:17:53.340 --> 00:17:54.279
 for who he is

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:55.700
 and ironically,

00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:56.660
 we do not produce

00:17:56.660 --> 00:17:57.600
 this new

00:17:57.600 --> 00:17:58.600
 or better creation

00:17:58.600 --> 00:17:59.340
 or even build

00:17:59.340 --> 00:17:59.799
 and approve

00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:00.980
 upon the existing one

00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:02.680
 but only distort

00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:03.320
 and corrupt

00:18:03.320 --> 00:18:04.019
 God's good

00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:05.140
 and godly design.

00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:06.680
 I watched a movie

00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:07.320
 so I was sick

00:18:07.320 --> 00:18:07.740
 all week.

00:18:07.840 --> 00:18:08.540
 I watched way

00:18:08.540 --> 00:18:09.060
 too much

00:18:09.060 --> 00:18:11.500
 Netflix and Prime

00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:12.060
 but I ended up

00:18:12.060 --> 00:18:12.720
 watching a movie

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.340
 that highlighted

00:18:14.340 --> 00:18:15.560
 a type of

00:18:15.560 --> 00:18:16.180
 architecture

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:17.020
 called brutalism

00:18:17.020 --> 00:18:19.160
 and it was

00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:20.040
 an alright story.

00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:21.100
 We talk about

00:18:21.100 --> 00:18:21.720
 the movie after

00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:24.180
 but the one thing

00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:25.020
 about architecture,

00:18:25.380 --> 00:18:26.440
 brutalist architecture

00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:27.240
 is that it is

00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.040
 devoid of beauty

00:18:28.040 --> 00:18:28.840
 and you could say

00:18:28.840 --> 00:18:29.280
 well listen,

00:18:29.540 --> 00:18:30.640
 there's meaning

00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:31.340
 behind it,

00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:31.759
 there's,

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:32.100
 you know,

00:18:32.180 --> 00:18:32.440
 okay,

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.520
 I'm not convinced

00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:34.019
 personally

00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:35.480
 that brutalism

00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:36.339
 could ever be beautiful

00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:37.259
 and I think

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:37.980
 in some ways

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:40.700
 when we engage

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.660
 in creation

00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:42.559
 that does not

00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:43.460
 look to the Lord,

00:18:43.879 --> 00:18:44.779
 does not recognize

00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.700
 who he is,

00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:46.639
 does not bring honor

00:18:46.639 --> 00:18:47.160
 to him,

00:18:47.879 --> 00:18:48.539
 then we end up

00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:49.519
 building something

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:50.319
 that does not

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:52.359
 seem beautiful

00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:53.259
 or good

00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:55.180
 or doesn't bring

00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:56.119
 our eyes up

00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:58.099
 to the divine

00:18:58.099 --> 00:18:58.740
 to transcend

00:18:58.740 --> 00:18:59.379
 this world

00:18:59.379 --> 00:18:59.920
 but instead

00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.480
 it leaves us

00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:02.819
 kind of feeling

00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:03.939
 cold

00:19:03.939 --> 00:19:05.319
 and it feels

00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:05.720
 ugly

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:07.779
 and I think

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:09.019
 it's very clear

00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:09.480
 that this is

00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:10.059
 the outworking

00:19:10.059 --> 00:19:10.939
 of Adam's

00:19:10.939 --> 00:19:11.319
 rebellion.

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.299
 Here's the thing,

00:19:13.419 --> 00:19:14.399
 such stolen honor

00:19:14.399 --> 00:19:15.139
 and the suppression

00:19:15.139 --> 00:19:15.899
 of the truth

00:19:15.899 --> 00:19:17.619
 causes a great deal

00:19:17.619 --> 00:19:18.279
 of delusion.

00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:20.359
 We fashion ourselves

00:19:20.359 --> 00:19:21.579
 as being more clever

00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:22.619
 than we are,

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:24.200
 we reimagine the world

00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:25.359
 in our own image

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:26.740
 and with our own

00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:27.359
 ideals

00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:28.319
 and in doing so

00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.200
 what we do

00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.359
 is we cut ourselves

00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:31.699
 from the source

00:19:31.699 --> 00:19:32.319
 of wisdom

00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:33.099
 and knowledge

00:19:33.099 --> 00:19:33.639
 and beauty

00:19:33.639 --> 00:19:34.500
 and goodness

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:36.039
 so that in thinking

00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.859
 we are wise

00:19:36.859 --> 00:19:38.500
 we become utterly foolish.

00:19:38.659 --> 00:19:39.459
 This is what the apostle

00:19:39.459 --> 00:19:40.259
 is getting at

00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:41.599
 in verses 21 and 22.

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:42.740
 Verse 22,

00:19:42.879 --> 00:19:43.899
 claiming to be wise

00:19:43.899 --> 00:19:44.979
 they have become fools.

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:46.859
 By the way,

00:19:46.919 --> 00:19:48.159
 this is a reflection

00:19:48.159 --> 00:19:49.339
 of our intellect.

00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:51.519
 The modern materialistic

00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.619
 atheistic mind

00:19:52.619 --> 00:19:53.119
 has created

00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.939
 incredible technologies,

00:19:55.659 --> 00:19:56.359
 has deciphered

00:19:56.939 --> 00:19:58.079
 many mysteries

00:19:58.079 --> 00:19:59.220
 but its end

00:19:59.220 --> 00:19:59.899
 is always

00:19:59.899 --> 00:20:01.500
 in self-congratulation

00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:06.119
 and self-aggrandizement.

00:20:06.679 --> 00:20:07.519
 Never for the glory

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:08.079
 of God.

00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:10.759
 Never thanking him

00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:11.699
 or honoring him.

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:14.240
 Never helping

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:14.819
 other people

00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:15.720
 look up

00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:16.960
 and turn their gaze

00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:17.359
 upward.

00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:19.759
 Therefore our minds

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.279
 never truly ascend

00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.939
 or become enlightened.

00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:24.500
 They only become

00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:25.359
 more clouded

00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:26.079
 and darkened.

00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:28.579
 And now we begin

00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:29.159
 to understand

00:20:29.159 --> 00:20:30.240
 how the wrath of God

00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:31.259
 is revealed here

00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:32.399
 because we see

00:20:32.399 --> 00:20:33.539
 that God leaves us

00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:34.500
 to reap what we sow.

00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:37.079
 As we shed his good

00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:38.119
 and godly lordship

00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:38.980
 we find that we

00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:41.000
 are no longer connected

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:42.439
 to this source

00:20:42.439 --> 00:20:43.099
 and substance

00:20:43.099 --> 00:20:43.879
 of life

00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:44.519
 because God

00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:45.159
 doesn't simply

00:20:45.159 --> 00:20:46.019
 create the world

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:47.419
 but he sustains

00:20:47.419 --> 00:20:47.839
 the world

00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:49.919
 by his power

00:20:49.919 --> 00:20:51.240
 in Hebrews chapter 1

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:51.759
 verse 3.

00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:54.559
 So we have no hope

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.599
 of supplanting him,

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:56.719
 of kicking him

00:20:56.719 --> 00:20:57.319
 off the throne

00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:58.799
 and doing a better job

00:20:58.799 --> 00:20:59.319
 than him.

00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:00.719
 We are powerless

00:21:00.719 --> 00:21:01.819
 to do what only

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.539
 he can do.

00:21:03.159 --> 00:21:04.519
 We can't create a world

00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:05.119
 and we certainly

00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:06.159
 can't sustain it.

00:21:07.219 --> 00:21:07.799
 And in God's

00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:08.559
 just wrath

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.099
 what does he do?

00:21:09.199 --> 00:21:10.179
 He allows us

00:21:10.179 --> 00:21:11.399
 to feel the futility

00:21:11.399 --> 00:21:12.139
 of our thinking

00:21:12.139 --> 00:21:14.019
 and the outworking

00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:14.759
 of our actions

00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:15.659
 to know the darkness

00:21:15.659 --> 00:21:16.819
 of our foolish hearts.

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:19.459
 We'll see this

00:21:19.459 --> 00:21:21.279
 in the next section

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:23.839
 as we see

00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:25.019
 the utter futility

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:26.359
 of misplaced worship.

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:28.379
 Read with me

00:21:28.379 --> 00:21:29.299
 verses 22

00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:30.799
 to 25.

00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:33.680
 Claiming to be wise

00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:34.599
 they became fools

00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:36.359
 and exchanged

00:21:36.359 --> 00:21:36.819
 the glory

00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.720
 of the immortal God

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.339
 for images

00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:39.599
 resembling mortal man

00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:40.799
 and birds

00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.539
 and animals

00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.579
 and creeping things.

00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:45.359
 Therefore God

00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.000
 gave them up

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.039
 in the lusts

00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:47.659
 of their hearts

00:21:47.659 --> 00:21:48.379
 to impurity

00:21:48.379 --> 00:21:49.960
 to the dishonoring

00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:50.740
 of their bodies

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.720
 among themselves

00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:52.899
 because they exchanged

00:21:52.899 --> 00:21:54.279
 the truth about God

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:54.720
 for a lie

00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.319
 and worshipped

00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:56.419
 and served the creature

00:21:56.419 --> 00:21:57.659
 rather than the creator

00:21:57.659 --> 00:21:59.679
 who is forever blessed.

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:00.220
 Amen.

00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:02.879
 The knowledge of God

00:22:02.879 --> 00:22:04.099
 should lead us

00:22:04.099 --> 00:22:04.939
 to worship him.

00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:06.819
 It should begin

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:07.419
 the pursuit

00:22:07.419 --> 00:22:08.279
 of knowing him

00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:09.179
 in deeper ways

00:22:09.179 --> 00:22:10.179
 engaging with him

00:22:10.180 --> 00:22:11.500
 and transcending

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.320
 this life

00:22:12.320 --> 00:22:12.900
 to enter

00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:14.080
 into the divine life

00:22:14.080 --> 00:22:15.259
 with the transcendent God

00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:16.640
 or at least

00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.539
 die trying.

00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:18.320
 That's what it should

00:22:18.320 --> 00:22:19.120
 lead to.

00:22:20.060 --> 00:22:21.180
 However as we have seen

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:21.700
 the suppression

00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:22.420
 of the truth

00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:23.259
 of God

00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:24.259
 and the subsequent

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:25.400
 theft of his glory

00:22:25.400 --> 00:22:26.000
 and honor

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.100
 render such a pursuit

00:22:27.100 --> 00:22:28.180
 impossible.

00:22:29.060 --> 00:22:29.840
 You cannot worship

00:22:29.840 --> 00:22:30.840
 one you deny.

00:22:32.100 --> 00:22:32.820
 You cannot worship

00:22:32.820 --> 00:22:34.039
 one whom you steal

00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:35.060
 glory from.

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:36.380
 But friends

00:22:36.380 --> 00:22:37.000
 that doesn't mean

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:37.940
 we're not worshipers.

00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:39.039
 Our worship

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.519
 is merely

00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.700
 redirected from God

00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:41.420
 to something else.

00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.000
 So throughout the Bible

00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:45.099
 the understanding

00:22:45.099 --> 00:22:46.279
 is not

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:49.539
 if humans worship

00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:51.480
 but what do they worship

00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.599
 or who do they worship.

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.980
 The Bible takes for granted

00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:57.099
 that human beings worship.

00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.740
 We are worshipping beings.

00:22:59.420 --> 00:23:00.059
 It's the way God

00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:01.059
 has created us.

00:23:02.639 --> 00:23:03.200
 And the who

00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.619
 and most often

00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:05.379
 here in Ottawa

00:23:05.379 --> 00:23:06.920
 it's the what

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.639
 we worship.

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:09.660
 the what we worship

00:23:09.660 --> 00:23:10.259
 will dictate

00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:11.180
 how we live.

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:12.960
 And in every case

00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:13.920
 misplaced worship

00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:14.480
 away from

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.560
 the one

00:23:15.560 --> 00:23:17.140
 true triune God

00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.020
 and towards

00:23:18.020 --> 00:23:18.800
 other things

00:23:18.800 --> 00:23:20.200
 it will always

00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.120
 result

00:23:21.120 --> 00:23:22.400
 in some form

00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:24.080
 of immorality.

00:23:25.020 --> 00:23:25.520
 And this is what

00:23:25.520 --> 00:23:26.400
 Paul is referring to

00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.560
 here in verse 24.

00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.000
 Verse 24

00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:29.380
 he says

00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:30.100
 therefore God

00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:31.500
 gave them up.

00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:32.480
 By the way

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:33.180
 we'll see this

00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:33.960
 next week

00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.920
 when we

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:36.079
 look at

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:36.759
 verses 22

00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:37.460
 to the end

00:23:37.460 --> 00:23:37.980
 of 32

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:39.160
 that God

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:40.079
 that the

00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:40.559
 Apostle Paul

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:40.880
 will say

00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:41.200
 that God

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:42.100
 gave them up

00:23:42.100 --> 00:23:42.819
 three different

00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:43.400
 times.

00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:45.059
 It's the way

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:46.000
 in which God

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.680
 reveals his

00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.100
 justice.

00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:48.759
 He gives us

00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:49.160
 over

00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:49.980
 lets us

00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.660
 reap what we

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:50.960
 sow

00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.799
 but that God

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.779
 gave us

00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:54.140
 up

00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:55.240
 to

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:56.380
 the lusts

00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:56.860
 of our

00:23:56.860 --> 00:23:57.299
 flesh

00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:57.779
 literally

00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:58.220
 our

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:59.500
 desires

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:00.000
 but our

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:00.980
 over desires

00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:02.460
 our desires

00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:03.120
 without

00:24:03.120 --> 00:24:04.799
 limits

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:05.299
 without

00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.539
 any kind

00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:07.120
 of checks

00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:09.079
 such

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:09.920
 over desires

00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:11.099
 of the

00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:11.440
 heart

00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.640
 lead to

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.120
 impurity

00:24:13.120 --> 00:24:13.559
 to the

00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:14.220
 dishonoring

00:24:14.220 --> 00:24:15.099
 of our

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.539
 bodies

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:15.900
 among

00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:16.500
 ourselves.

00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:18.339
 So next

00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:18.680
 week we're

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:18.839
 going to

00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:19.240
 look at

00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:20.120
 how such

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:21.559
 giving over

00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:22.519
 to these

00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:23.360
 over desires

00:24:23.360 --> 00:24:24.480
 will touch

00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:25.440
 every aspect

00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:26.059
 of who we

00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:26.579
 are including

00:24:26.579 --> 00:24:27.339
 our sexuality

00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:28.680
 but even

00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:29.460
 here in

00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:30.279
 verses 24

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:30.839
 and 25

00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:31.339
 we begin

00:24:31.339 --> 00:24:32.039
 to see

00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:32.619
 how God

00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:33.180
 gives us

00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:33.859
 up to

00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:34.220
 feel the

00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:34.940
 full extent

00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:35.259
 of our

00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:36.000
 misplaced

00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:36.420
 worship

00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:37.660
 as our

00:24:37.660 --> 00:24:38.160
 desires

00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:40.039
 are unrestrained

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.299
 as they

00:24:41.299 --> 00:24:41.819
 are over

00:24:41.819 --> 00:24:42.299
 desires.

00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:43.220
 So let me

00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:43.639
 give a few

00:24:43.639 --> 00:24:44.119
 examples.

00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:45.599
 If we

00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:46.180
 over desire

00:24:46.180 --> 00:24:46.799
 success

00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:48.200
 above all

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:49.079
 what will we

00:24:49.079 --> 00:24:49.660
 do to get

00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:50.099
 that success?

00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:50.539
 We will

00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.599
 sacrifice our

00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:52.119
 integrity

00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:53.480
 our commitments

00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:54.099
 to family

00:24:54.099 --> 00:24:54.740
 our ethics

00:24:54.740 --> 00:24:55.299
 may go out

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:55.759
 the window

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.000
 they may

00:24:58.000 --> 00:24:58.379
 no longer

00:24:58.379 --> 00:24:59.160
 seem like a

00:24:59.160 --> 00:24:59.839
 strength but a

00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.220
 liability

00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:02.559
 we will do

00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:03.160
 whatever we

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.360
 can to

00:25:04.360 --> 00:25:05.700
 be successful

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.920
 and ironically

00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:08.940
 the true

00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:09.620
 form of

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:10.460
 success isn't

00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:11.079
 the accumulation

00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:11.900
 of things

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:12.539
 or titles

00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:13.880
 but is to

00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:14.600
 have well

00:25:14.600 --> 00:25:15.180
 ordered

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:16.200
 loving

00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:16.920
 relationships.

00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:18.779
 So a

00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:19.059
 well

00:25:19.059 --> 00:25:19.980
 sorry

00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:20.500
 for

00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:21.860
 over desire

00:25:21.860 --> 00:25:22.600
 for success

00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:23.180
 will not

00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:23.740
 result in

00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.279
 success in

00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:24.600
 the end

00:25:24.600 --> 00:25:25.759
 but will

00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:26.960
 instead result

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.000
 in a life

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:28.740
 that is

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:29.140
 broken.

00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:30.640
 If we

00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.539
 over desire

00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:32.519
 belonging or

00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:33.839
 respect above

00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:34.559
 all we will

00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.400
 compromise our

00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:35.839
 convictions

00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:37.400
 we'll take

00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:38.279
 offense easily

00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:38.839
 we will not

00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:39.740
 offer forgiveness

00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:41.519
 liberally

00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:43.460
 it's a recipe

00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.259
 for loneliness

00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:46.859
 it is not a

00:25:46.859 --> 00:25:47.539
 recipe for

00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:48.259
 respect or

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:48.660
 belonging

00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:50.180
 and you could

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:50.740
 fill in some

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.200
 more I'll give

00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:52.180
 one final

00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:53.180
 example if we

00:25:53.180 --> 00:25:54.140
 over desire

00:25:54.140 --> 00:25:54.680
 pleasure

00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:56.080
 we can see

00:25:56.080 --> 00:25:57.440
 people not

00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.080
 as worthy

00:25:58.080 --> 00:25:58.799
 of integrity

00:25:58.799 --> 00:25:59.279
 but as

00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:00.060
 objects to

00:26:00.060 --> 00:26:00.900
 use lust

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:02.360
 will be

00:26:02.360 --> 00:26:03.060
 justified

00:26:03.060 --> 00:26:04.299
 as necessary

00:26:04.299 --> 00:26:05.100
 maybe even

00:26:05.100 --> 00:26:05.620
 integral

00:26:05.620 --> 00:26:06.920
 to who we

00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:07.560
 are self

00:26:07.560 --> 00:26:08.100
 control

00:26:08.100 --> 00:26:09.240
 will go out

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:09.700
 the window

00:26:09.700 --> 00:26:10.220
 will be

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:10.880
 downplayed

00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:11.140
 we will

00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:11.580
 never know

00:26:11.580 --> 00:26:12.480
 real pleasure

00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:13.600
 only the

00:26:13.600 --> 00:26:14.480
 painful pursuit

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.700
 of chasing

00:26:15.700 --> 00:26:16.560
 after something

00:26:16.560 --> 00:26:17.279
 we can never

00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:17.779
 attain.

00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:20.120
 This is

00:26:20.120 --> 00:26:21.580
 what the

00:26:21.580 --> 00:26:22.279
 apostle Paul

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:22.880
 is saying

00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:23.540
 that the

00:26:23.540 --> 00:26:24.260
 wrath of

00:26:24.260 --> 00:26:24.700
 God is

00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:25.160
 being

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:25.840
 revealed

00:26:25.840 --> 00:26:26.560
 how?

00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:27.100
 By God

00:26:27.100 --> 00:26:28.680
 giving us

00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:29.340
 up to

00:26:29.340 --> 00:26:30.000
 our own

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:30.860
 over desires

00:26:30.860 --> 00:26:32.160
 to reap

00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:32.440
 what we

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:32.660
 sow.

00:26:34.300 --> 00:26:35.140
 We begin

00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:35.640
 to see this

00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:36.320
 full picture

00:26:36.320 --> 00:26:36.820
 of God's

00:26:36.820 --> 00:26:37.140
 revealed

00:26:37.140 --> 00:26:37.600
 wrath

00:26:37.600 --> 00:26:39.600
 it is

00:26:39.600 --> 00:26:40.340
 giving us

00:26:40.340 --> 00:26:40.720
 what our

00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:41.140
 truth

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:41.840
 suppressing

00:26:41.840 --> 00:26:42.380
 valor

00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:43.060
 stealing

00:26:43.060 --> 00:26:43.800
 misplaced

00:26:43.800 --> 00:26:44.380
 worshiping

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:44.740
 hearts

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.780
 overly

00:26:45.780 --> 00:26:46.480
 desire

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:48.080
 God no

00:26:48.080 --> 00:26:48.460
 longer

00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:49.400
 shields us

00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:50.260
 from ourselves

00:26:50.260 --> 00:26:50.800
 so that we

00:26:50.800 --> 00:26:51.480
 experience

00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.020
 rather the

00:26:52.020 --> 00:26:52.420
 fullness

00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:52.880
 of our

00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:53.480
 futility

00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:54.259
 not the

00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:54.580
 fullness

00:26:54.580 --> 00:26:55.000
 of his

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.460
 goodness

00:26:55.460 --> 00:26:57.240
 friends

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.960
 such a

00:26:57.960 --> 00:26:58.380
 life will

00:26:58.380 --> 00:26:58.940
 not lead

00:26:58.940 --> 00:26:59.640
 to godliness

00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:00.420
 or righteousness

00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:00.960
 but to

00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.900
 again we

00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:02.259
 see this

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:02.539
 in verses

00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:03.060
 18 and

00:27:03.060 --> 00:27:03.360
 19

00:27:03.360 --> 00:27:04.360
 ungodliness

00:27:04.360 --> 00:27:05.779
 and unrighteousness

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.660
 and this is

00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:07.279
 always a

00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:07.940
 lesser life

00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:09.519
 it is always

00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:10.220
 a subpar

00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:10.900
 existence

00:27:10.900 --> 00:27:14.000
 this is the

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.580
 core of

00:27:14.580 --> 00:27:15.340
 idolatry

00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:17.320
 we sacrifice

00:27:17.320 --> 00:27:18.220
 and sacrifice

00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:19.080
 and sacrifice

00:27:19.080 --> 00:27:20.360
 for a promise

00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:20.900
 that will never

00:27:20.900 --> 00:27:21.320
 deliver

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:24.019
 psalm 115

00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:24.899
 says that

00:27:24.899 --> 00:27:25.399
 those that

00:27:25.399 --> 00:27:26.319
 sacrifice to

00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:27.119
 idols become

00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:27.779
 like them

00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:29.279
 which is to

00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:29.879
 say less

00:27:29.879 --> 00:27:30.439
 human

00:27:30.439 --> 00:27:34.019
 broken and

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:34.480
 frail

00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:36.980
 but praise

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.480
 be to god

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:37.819
 there is a

00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:38.279
 better way

00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:40.700
 see unlike the

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.639
 false gods that

00:27:41.639 --> 00:27:42.439
 we find ourselves

00:27:42.439 --> 00:27:43.179
 worshiping and

00:27:43.179 --> 00:27:44.059
 sacrificing to

00:27:44.059 --> 00:27:45.619
 the triune god

00:27:45.619 --> 00:27:46.799
 does not demand

00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:47.519
 our sacrifice

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.619
 for appeasement

00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:49.399
 and satisfaction

00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:50.220
 of his wrath

00:27:50.220 --> 00:27:51.780
 for he knows

00:27:51.780 --> 00:27:53.460
 we are incapable

00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:54.259
 of such a

00:27:54.259 --> 00:27:54.900
 sacrifice

00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:56.340
 instead

00:27:56.340 --> 00:27:57.340
 god the son

00:27:57.340 --> 00:27:57.700
 of god

00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:58.640
 comes to us

00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.960
 taking upon

00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:01.120
 himself human

00:28:01.120 --> 00:28:01.560
 flesh

00:28:01.560 --> 00:28:02.780
 becoming fully

00:28:02.780 --> 00:28:03.440
 human and

00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:04.100
 offering himself

00:28:04.100 --> 00:28:04.900
 as a sacrifice

00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:05.780
 for us

00:28:05.780 --> 00:28:07.019
 in order that

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:07.280
 we

00:28:07.280 --> 00:28:08.940
 putting our

00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:09.660
 trust in him

00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.920
 are no longer

00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:11.820
 subject to the

00:28:11.820 --> 00:28:12.600
 just wrath

00:28:12.600 --> 00:28:13.160
 of god

00:28:13.160 --> 00:28:13.640
 why

00:28:13.640 --> 00:28:14.180
 how

00:28:14.180 --> 00:28:15.580
 for we

00:28:15.580 --> 00:28:16.019
 begin

00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.920
 by faith

00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:17.299
 to come

00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:17.779
 under his

00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:18.160
 good and

00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:18.880
 godly rule

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:20.180
 we recognize

00:28:20.180 --> 00:28:20.740
 that the

00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:21.180
 righteousness

00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:21.680
 and the

00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:22.299
 power we

00:28:22.299 --> 00:28:22.940
 need are

00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:24.519
 not found

00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:25.259
 within but

00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:25.740
 our gifts

00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.380
 from without

00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:28.500
 to be received

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:29.320
 by faith

00:28:29.320 --> 00:28:30.460
 and as we

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:31.039
 learn to live

00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:31.620
 according to

00:28:31.620 --> 00:28:32.160
 his ways

00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:32.940
 trusting in

00:28:32.940 --> 00:28:33.420
 his word

00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:35.100
 our lives

00:28:35.100 --> 00:28:36.080
 become fashioned

00:28:36.080 --> 00:28:37.420
 according to

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:37.880
 his will

00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:38.720
 and by his

00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:39.259
 power we

00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:39.700
 begin to

00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:40.440
 flourish as

00:28:40.440 --> 00:28:41.380
 he intended

00:28:41.380 --> 00:28:42.259
 us to

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:42.779
 flourish

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:44.500
 and that

00:28:44.500 --> 00:28:45.079
 doesn't mean

00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:45.519
 by the way

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:45.799
 that we

00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:46.299
 will live

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:47.980
 materially

00:28:47.980 --> 00:28:49.000
 better lives

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:49.759
 but that we

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.259
 will have a

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.899
 satisfaction

00:28:50.899 --> 00:28:51.639
 and a joy

00:28:51.639 --> 00:28:52.839
 we will know

00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:53.619
 a love

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:53.940
 that will

00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:55.019
 transcend this

00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:55.660
 life into

00:28:55.660 --> 00:28:56.660
 the life to

00:28:56.660 --> 00:28:56.940
 come

00:28:56.940 --> 00:28:58.519
 we will know

00:28:58.519 --> 00:28:59.160
 our telos

00:28:59.160 --> 00:28:59.660
 we will know

00:28:59.660 --> 00:29:00.240
 our purpose

00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:00.819
 we will know

00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:01.359
 our end

00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:03.319
 our lives

00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:03.660
 will become

00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:04.299
 rightly ordered

00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:04.680
 we can

00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:05.859
 then learn

00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:07.019
 to live

00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:08.039
 not by lies

00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:08.619
 learn to

00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:10.000
 give glory

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.680
 and honor

00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:11.420
 and thanksgiving

00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:11.940
 to god

00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:12.500
 we will learn

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:13.000
 to rightly

00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:13.880
 worship him

00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:15.500
 as the only

00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:16.160
 one worthy

00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:16.519
 of all

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:17.180
 honor and

00:29:17.180 --> 00:29:17.759
 praise

00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:18.440
 and then we

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:18.920
 begin to

00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.980
 enjoy life

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:20.460
 for what

00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:22.339
 it is

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:23.059
 a gift

00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:23.900
 and if you

00:29:23.900 --> 00:29:24.339
 were here

00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:25.299
 through ecclesiastes

00:29:25.299 --> 00:29:26.059
 this is really

00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:27.380
 a huge message

00:29:27.380 --> 00:29:28.339
 of ecclesiastes

00:29:28.339 --> 00:29:29.740
 the joy

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.579
 of a rightly

00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:31.420
 ordered life

00:29:31.420 --> 00:29:35.819
 if your life

00:29:35.819 --> 00:29:36.559
 is not rightly

00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.140
 ordered this

00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:37.440
 morning

00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:39.759
 and I'm sure

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.720
 there are

00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:41.940
 parts of

00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:42.319
 your life

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:42.779
 that are

00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:43.839
 certainly

00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:44.480
 not rightly

00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:44.839
 ordered

00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:45.839
 where you

00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:46.579
 have over

00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:47.059
 desires

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.100
 and they

00:29:48.100 --> 00:29:48.460
 are wreaking

00:29:48.460 --> 00:29:48.920
 havoc

00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:49.860
 maybe you're

00:29:49.860 --> 00:29:50.319
 good at

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:50.960
 suppressing

00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:51.279
 them

00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:52.000
 in some

00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:52.279
 kind of

00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:52.519
 way

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.980
 to do

00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.299
 a bit

00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:54.880
 of crisis

00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:55.380
 management

00:29:55.380 --> 00:29:55.779
 but if

00:29:55.779 --> 00:29:56.059
 you're

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.759
 honest

00:29:56.759 --> 00:29:58.980
 you have

00:29:58.980 --> 00:29:59.480
 a problem

00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:00.220
 with suppressing

00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:00.640
 the truth

00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:01.000
 you have a

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.420
 problem

00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.140
 with not

00:30:02.140 --> 00:30:02.660
 giving god

00:30:02.660 --> 00:30:03.140
 the honor

00:30:03.140 --> 00:30:03.700
 and glory

00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:04.380
 and thanksgiving

00:30:04.380 --> 00:30:04.880
 he deserves

00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:05.259
 you have a

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:05.839
 problem with

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.279
 worshiping

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:06.960
 other things

00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:07.980
 and not

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.319
 the one

00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:08.920
 true god

00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:09.340
 who is

00:30:09.340 --> 00:30:09.840
 eternally

00:30:09.840 --> 00:30:10.240
 blessed

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:10.680
 forever

00:30:10.680 --> 00:30:11.180
 amen

00:30:11.180 --> 00:30:12.759
 then look

00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:13.259
 to him

00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:14.700
 call out

00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:15.160
 to him

00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:16.259
 confess

00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:16.980
 your sin

00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.440
 to him

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:17.779
 confess

00:30:17.779 --> 00:30:18.279
 your need

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:18.720
 for him

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.779
 and watch

00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.079
 what he

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.600
 will do

00:30:20.600 --> 00:30:22.279
 ask him

00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:22.680
 to rightly

00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:23.240
 order your

00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:23.600
 lives

00:30:23.600 --> 00:30:24.160
 and friends

00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:25.000
 by god's

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:25.759
 good

00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:26.680
 grace

00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:27.500
 and kindness

00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:29.940
 he will

00:30:29.940 --> 00:30:30.700
 help you

00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:33.059
 will you

00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:33.580
 embrace

00:30:33.580 --> 00:30:34.620
 the gospel

00:30:34.620 --> 00:30:35.240
 by faith

00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:36.360
 this morning