WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful 00:00:16.780 --> 00:00:20.780 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either 00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:24.920 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:31.520 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really, 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible, 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.760 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will 00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.219 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me, actually, to know, as I'm preaching, how to 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:07.760 deal with the types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:21.599 Let's just bow our heads in prayer. Father, you know how starved human beings are for meaning 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:28.839 and how starved human beings are for hope. And you know, Father, the sorrows of our hearts as well as 00:01:28.839 --> 00:01:36.539 the joys. And you know our fears of death and you know, Father, just our struggles to navigate things 00:01:36.539 --> 00:01:42.799 like hope and meaning in our world and in our lives. We thank you so much, Father, for your Word that you 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:48.739 have spoken to us and the Holy Spirit that brings your Word home to us. We ask that your Holy Spirit would 00:01:48.739 --> 00:01:54.159 help us to know Jesus better in who he is and what he's accomplished and what he's doing in our lives, 00:01:54.739 --> 00:02:00.319 that we might have a living hope, that we might know there is a meaning to our lives. And we ask 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:05.419 these things in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. 00:02:05.420 --> 00:02:15.199 I think, hopefully, Claire, I think, has been able to find this. You can put up that picture now of the 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:23.560 book. Yeah, there we go. I was listening to an hour-long interview, a 67-minute-long interview just 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:31.139 the other day. And it was an interview with this fellow here by the name of Ming Wang. And the interview 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:36.559 was about partly because there's a movie based on his life, which is coming out sometime in May. 00:02:37.059 --> 00:02:42.839 But it was a very fascinating story. I was quite mesmerized by listening to the interviewer. 00:02:43.459 --> 00:02:49.139 He grew up in China, and when he was just about to enter into school, the cultural revolution happened 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:55.659 in China. And that's something which has been largely forgotten by most people in North America. 00:02:55.659 --> 00:03:03.740 But basically, from 66 to 76, an absolutely terrible experiment was played upon the population 00:03:03.740 --> 00:03:09.319 of China, where the children of the educated people were taken from them and basically condemned 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:15.680 to 10 years of no education, thrown out into the rural areas. And many people died of a very 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:20.939 terrible thing. And he was just coming into school when this was happening. I think it happened 00:03:20.939 --> 00:03:27.520 when he was maybe just... Anyway, it's a story of his life, how he made it through all of that, 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.659 the poverty, even though his parents were doctors, the great poverty that he grew up in. 00:03:32.099 --> 00:03:37.360 Very interesting thing about just the love of his parents for him. And through a series of 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:43.079 circumstances, he comes to the United States with $50 in his pocket, but he's received a scholarship. 00:03:43.659 --> 00:03:49.719 He's a very, very bright student. And he ends up doing a PhD in physics at MIT, 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:58.219 at the same time as doing his becoming a surgeon through Harvard. So he's a double doctorate, 00:03:58.300 --> 00:04:06.219 a PhD in physics, and a surgeon. And he graduates magna cum laude in both places. Very hardworking, 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:11.659 studious person. And the reason I'm telling you all of this is that he, of course, grows up in a 00:04:11.659 --> 00:04:17.620 completely atheistic educational system. He has atheist parents and family. He doesn't know anybody who's 00:04:17.620 --> 00:04:21.980 Christian. And the only thing that he heard other than atheism was he would hear a little bit, of 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:26.819 course, of Confucian type of wisdom and a little bit of awareness of the outside world, but a 00:04:26.819 --> 00:04:34.019 completely atheist system of thought. And as we all know, Harvard and MIT are hotbeds of Christian 00:04:34.019 --> 00:04:43.319 fundamentalism. And so he goes to Harvard and MIT to study. And he becomes fascinated with the eye. 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:50.740 And one of the things he says, I didn't know this, half of the neurons in your brain are connected to 00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:57.219 you being able to see. And the more he studies the eye, everything about it, the intricacy of it, 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:01.839 all of the different biological systems and the feedback loops and how it's connected to the brain, 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:07.379 the more and more he looked at it, he just couldn't believe that anything so complicated could 00:05:07.379 --> 00:05:14.819 actually work all the time and how it could actually develop and come to be. And at first he had these 00:05:14.819 --> 00:05:22.060 just like massive questions. The more he studied the eye, the more just not unbelievable it is, 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:27.459 because obviously it exists, but just like mind-blowing it was in terms of its complexity 00:05:27.459 --> 00:05:33.339 and all of the systems. And he starts to ask his professors, how on earth could this be? It's just 00:05:33.339 --> 00:05:41.539 so unbelievably complex. It's just mind-blowing. And finally, one of the professors overheard that 00:05:41.539 --> 00:05:45.560 he'd been asking these other professors all about that. And he said to him one day, you and I should 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:52.000 go for lunch. So they go for lunch. They sit down at a restaurant by the window. And after they've had 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:59.599 their pleasantries, the doctor who invites Ming out for lunch says to him, you see that car over there? 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:05.920 And Ming says, yeah. He said, the doctor says to Ming, what's the difference between the eye and that 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:11.320 car? And Ming mentions a couple of things, but at the end he says, actually the most important 00:06:11.320 --> 00:06:18.100 difference between the eye and the car is the eye is vastly, incomparably more complex than a car. 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:25.140 Car's very, very simple. The eye isn't simple. And then the doctor says to him, what would you say 00:06:25.139 --> 00:06:30.779 if I told you that that car developed just by chance, just by explosions and the blowing of the 00:06:30.779 --> 00:06:38.139 wind and earthquakes? And as soon as he said that, there was a break in the dam in his mind. 00:06:39.039 --> 00:06:41.159 He realized that atheism was wrong. 00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:49.379 And that what he'd been taught in terms of the overall view just couldn't possibly be true. 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:56.199 It just could not possibly be true that something like the eye, if he couldn't believe that something 00:06:56.199 --> 00:07:02.199 like the car could happen by chance, it was completely implausible and impossible that the eye 00:07:02.199 --> 00:07:08.620 happened by chance. And that led him on a search that culminated. And actually it's very interesting. 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:15.259 One of the things that led him to Christianity was its openness to evidence because he was a scientist, 00:07:15.259 --> 00:07:21.159 scientist, science-driven, experimental and evidence-driven. And Christianity is open to evidence, 00:07:21.300 --> 00:07:26.120 especially around things like the resurrection, to which he ended up coming to the conclusion had to 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:34.019 actually happen. He becomes a Christian. And the rest of it is about his work helping people be able to see. 00:07:34.019 --> 00:07:44.779 Now, I mention all of this because the Bible text today talks about two things which nobody in Canada 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:52.779 are interested in are basically hope and meaning, being facetious. We don't live in a time that hope 00:07:52.779 --> 00:07:58.939 is characterized as I think most Canadians. And we don't live in a time when meaning is something 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:04.679 which really, I mean, people obviously are always seeking hope and meaning. But we live in a bit of a 00:08:04.679 --> 00:08:11.899 time where there's a meaning crisis, and in many ways, a hope crisis as well. In fact, surveys regularly show 00:08:11.899 --> 00:08:17.620 that Canadians have less hope for the future than previous generations. And that gets even worse 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:24.899 as you become younger. The text we're going to look at today speaks directly to these two questions. 00:08:24.899 --> 00:08:33.779 So let's look at it. It's 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 3 to 12. 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 3 to 12. 00:08:34.740 --> 00:08:40.899 Okay, a little time out. All you grammar geeks, there's a really interesting grammar geek thing 00:08:40.899 --> 00:08:46.259 right here. Verses 3 to 12 in the original language is one sentence. That's pretty cool. 00:08:46.939 --> 00:08:51.819 No editor will allow something like that now. I know some of you have to do writing. I think some of you 00:08:51.820 --> 00:08:56.720 have to do legal opinions. I don't think even lawyers would allow you to write a sentence which 00:08:56.720 --> 00:09:01.940 is so long with so many clauses. And here's the other grammar geek moment. Sorry. Then we'll go 00:09:01.940 --> 00:09:05.340 back to the thing for the rest of you non-grammar geeks that you're going to find interesting. 00:09:05.700 --> 00:09:10.300 The other really interesting grammar geek thing is the very first phrase which we're going to read 00:09:10.300 --> 00:09:15.600 is the governing phrase of the whole sentence. So all of the other clauses are actually just 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:21.820 adorning this fundamental first phrase. There you go. We'll get out of grammar geek moment into the 00:09:21.820 --> 00:09:26.700 text. And here's how it begins. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:28.139 --> 00:09:32.200 That's a wonderful way to begin a sentence. And everything else in the entire sentence is going 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:39.660 to just try to unpack that, help us to understand its implied verb. It's calling us to bless God, 00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:47.059 the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. And blessing is like a type of, an even type of higher praise. 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:53.100 It implies that we're willing to humble ourselves, to get on our knees, to bow to him, to acknowledge 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:59.959 his greatness, his glory, his beauty, his love, his justice, the things he has done, all of the 00:09:59.959 --> 00:10:09.319 excellencies in and of himself. And it's a call for us to do that. And it's a very, very powerful thing. 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:16.560 Now, the next thing that it goes into is something that I talk about a fair lot. And I know that when 00:10:16.560 --> 00:10:21.400 I talk sometimes to non-Christians about it, their eyes sort of glaze over. It sounds a little bit 00:10:21.400 --> 00:10:26.900 like trying to get into a bit of an argument about, you know, something in history or something like 00:10:26.900 --> 00:10:32.200 that. It seems a little bit abstract. But for Paul, when he's writing this, this is not abstract. 00:10:32.520 --> 00:10:37.620 This is life and death. This letter that we're reading, you know, it looks all fancy in a book like 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:42.679 this. And at one time, this, you know, this, who has, other than Bibles, who has pages like this, 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:47.600 right? And there was some gold type stuff on the edge. It looks very fancy. But this was just 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:54.700 originally written probably around the year 62. It was, it would have been on some type of parchment 00:10:54.700 --> 00:11:00.220 or scroll. And Paul, Peter would have wrote it or had somebody else read it. I mean, if I was going 00:11:00.220 --> 00:11:04.159 to write something that had to go circulate to a lot of people, I'd want somebody with neater 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:09.419 handwriting than mine, actually doing the writing so that people could actually read it. And it was 00:11:09.419 --> 00:11:15.519 a circular letter sent to a variety of churches. And it's written in 62. And so listen how he begins. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:21.980 So verse three begins, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And here's the thing 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:28.699 where that which a lot of us, a lot of Canadians just think is like sort of nitpicking and abstract, 00:11:28.700 --> 00:11:35.440 doesn't matter. Peter tries it directly to meaning and hope. Look what he does. According 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:43.140 to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection 00:11:43.140 --> 00:11:48.180 of Jesus Christ from the dead. We're going to pause there. Look at that. According to his great mercy, 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:55.620 he has caused us, God has caused us who are Christians to be born again. God caused that. 00:11:55.620 --> 00:12:01.820 And when he causes us to be born again, he's also giving us a living hope through the resurrection 00:12:01.820 --> 00:12:07.679 of Jesus Christ from the dead. Now, you know, as I said, a lot of Canadians think that's a bit 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:15.740 like nitpicky or like it's just history or this is for Peter within a couple of years of writing this, 00:12:16.060 --> 00:12:25.100 Peter will die a torturous death in Rome under the emperor Nero. And he's going to die this 00:12:25.100 --> 00:12:30.940 torturous death within a couple of years of writing this. And he could have spared that entire death 00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:36.980 if he had just said to Nero and to others, actually, we made it up. 00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:46.000 He didn't rise from the dead. And if Peter had just said that, we just made it up. 00:12:47.940 --> 00:12:56.000 He didn't rise from the dead. He would have been spared a torturous death in public. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:06.600 But he didn't recant. You know, when we watch the unfolding, ongoing tragedy in, and I'm just 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:13.139 partly using this, the thing of Hamas and Gaza, because it's so much in the news. And one of the 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:19.080 things I feel when I say things like this, I know there's lots of other very, very terrible conflicts 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:24.800 going on in the world that don't get the same coverage. Part of the reason that the coverage 00:13:24.800 --> 00:13:30.600 in Hamas gets so much coverage is that one, first of all, there's a lot of anti-Semitism in our 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:37.300 country. And the other thing is, I've been to Tel Aviv. And I've been to lots of parts of the only 00:13:37.300 --> 00:13:42.680 parts of the third world that I've been to are Africa. If you want to cover a news thing, you'd way 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:50.000 rather be in Tel Aviv than a lot of other places. Reporters don't mind going to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:55.199 is a spectacular, wonderful, vibrant city right on the Mediterranean with wonderful beaches, 00:13:55.679 --> 00:14:00.979 great food, and culture. It's one of the reasons it gets covered so much compared to the ongoing 00:14:00.979 --> 00:14:07.299 problems in Iraq and Syria and Sudan and Ethiopia and a whole lot of other places. But here's the point. 00:14:07.299 --> 00:14:14.299 I mean, obviously, one of the problems with Hamas is they'd much rather have innocent civilians die 00:14:14.299 --> 00:14:23.279 rather than themselves. But they are willing to die for their cause. But what Peter does is not at all 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:40.179 the same of what Hamas is doing. Peter dies for a fact. I mean, on one level, of course, he's dying 00:14:40.179 --> 00:14:46.459 for a cause, but he dies for a fact. If he merely was to say, no, the resurrection didn't happen, 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:56.500 he would have been spared. But he doesn't deny it. He'll go to his death affirming that the grave was 00:14:56.500 --> 00:15:05.900 empty. And they saw Jesus alive. And he really did rise from the dead. And Peter will go to the 00:15:05.900 --> 00:15:12.780 grave maintaining that. This would have been one of the many pieces of evidence that a doctor like Ming 00:15:12.779 --> 00:15:18.299 Wang would have taken as being so remarkable about the Christian faith that it would hang on something 00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:24.919 which is open to evidence like this. It's really quite remarkable and absolutely unique amongst the 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:30.279 religions of the world and the spiritualities of the world, this openness to evidence and this concern 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:35.360 for the truth. And if we were to say, well, you know, surely if Jesus rose from the dead, there'd be 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:44.659 some type of evidence like maybe letters. Duh. And on and on and on and on. All written by people who said, 00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:55.300 we saw him. The grave is empty. We saw him. Now, if you could put up the first point, Claire, that would be 00:15:55.300 --> 00:15:59.820 very helpful because it's, I mean, the resurrection is going to be important in everything that follows. But here's my 00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:08.620 first point. Only in Jesus can you have true living hope. Only in Jesus can you have true living hope. 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:16.600 You have, another way to put it would be, you have true living hope in the person of Jesus. Now, hope and 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.879 meaning are very, very puzzling things. Canadians don't think about it enough, the average Canadian, 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:28.560 because on one hand, we desperately need hope. We desperately need hope. And when people lose hope, 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:35.299 they want to die. It's connected to depression. It's connected to suicide. It's connected to 00:16:35.299 --> 00:16:42.639 alcoholism. It's connected to affairs, to gambling, to going into debt, to risky behavior, to cutting 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:49.219 yourself. On and on and on. When people lose hope, all sorts of bad things happen. But, you know, from a 00:16:49.219 --> 00:16:56.379 secular Canadian point of view, hope makes no sense. It is not something that helps you in terms of 00:16:56.379 --> 00:17:03.100 evolution. And anybody who studies it knows that's the case. Human beings have only been around for 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:08.759 a very short period of time. What's the most successful creature on the planet that's been 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:17.039 around the longest? The jellyfish, according to evolutionists, have been around 700 million years. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:30.200 Does a jellyfish concern itself with hope? No. They are vastly more able to survive. And you just go on 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:38.099 and on and on and on. How long have crocodiles been around? 95 million years. Do crocodiles struggle 00:17:38.099 --> 00:17:44.299 with issues of hope? No. Do they need hope to survive? No. Hope would add nothing. 00:17:46.159 --> 00:17:55.139 Well, jellyfish and crocs aren't particularly very social. Ants, little tiny ants. Well, they first 00:17:55.139 --> 00:18:00.439 appeared, according to evolutionists, 90 million years ago. Around 50 million years ago, they really 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:08.759 multiplied and spread. So they've been around 50 million years. And ants are social or communal 00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:17.180 types of insects. And no ant thinks about hope. Why does hope even exist as a category? See, that's 00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:23.660 part of the whole thing about why this, you see, part of what's so beautiful about the Christian faith 00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:30.040 is that there's a deep coherence and beauty to it. A deep coherence and beauty to it. 00:18:31.140 --> 00:18:36.640 That, and part of what's connected to hope is not just a deep coherence and beauty, but an overarching 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:42.740 story that makes sense of human life and human history and human desires and human yearnings. 00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:48.660 And we can understand that we're not just a result of blind chance in evolution, but there is a God, 00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:54.500 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three persons, one God. And that God created all things 00:18:54.500 --> 00:19:00.400 that exist. And he created human beings in his own image. And part of how he created human beings, 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:06.279 God himself is outside of time, but he created us to be in time. And one of the aspects of us as human 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:10.180 beings is that he built us to hope. 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:18.420 To think of the future and to think of the end and to hope. 00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:26.200 I mean, you know, in a sense, because when he created all things, there was no sin and was no death. 00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:29.380 You plant seeds in the garden, you hope. 00:19:31.580 --> 00:19:34.259 You know, you're raising chickens, you hope. 00:19:37.300 --> 00:19:40.380 It's built into us, it's hardwired into us. 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:45.420 Like, to my secular Canadian friends, it's explained to me hope. 00:19:45.420 --> 00:19:52.860 Why it is so desperately needed, and how it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever from the governing myth 00:19:52.860 --> 00:19:55.259 of Canadian society and culture. 00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:57.940 We need hope. 00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:07.200 And the other thing about it is that not only do we need hope, but we, if we only have hope in this world, 00:20:07.340 --> 00:20:08.259 it's not enough. 00:20:09.620 --> 00:20:11.580 Now, I have a counseling degree. 00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:14.539 I know, and every time I say this, people wonder, why am I not nicer? 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:18.840 But that's a whole other separate topic of conversation. 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:21.079 But I actually have a master's degree in counseling. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:26.259 And I don't know what they, you know, it was just after fire was invented and the wheel was invented 00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:28.339 that I took my training to be a counselor. 00:20:28.659 --> 00:20:33.119 So I don't know what they do nowadays where people are more hip and, you know, all that. 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:38.480 You know, they're way smarter because TikTok's been invented and Instagram and Facebook. 00:20:38.659 --> 00:20:39.720 So I don't know what they teach now. 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:45.039 But one of the things that was drummed into us all the time when you're in a counseling situation is there's three, 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:52.380 there are four words you never say in a counseling situation. 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:54.200 Things will get better. 00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:56.960 Never say it. 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:00.700 Because things will get better. 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:05.579 They get diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease a week later. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:07.980 Their wife leaves them later. 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:09.380 They get fired. 00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:11.519 They discover they have cancer. 00:21:12.100 --> 00:21:13.740 You don't know what's going to happen to them in three. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:15.120 You don't know what's going to happen to them. 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.740 You can't say things will get better. 00:21:18.819 --> 00:21:21.100 You're going to feel that because people go into counseling. 00:21:21.700 --> 00:21:25.880 Well, a lot of people go into counseling because they're massively screwed up. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:29.839 You can figure out whether how much of that was why I got a degree in it. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:33.720 Once again, that's something for you guys to discuss when I'm not around over coffee. 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:41.640 But I know some of the things you'll say, I probably have to say I resemble that comment. 00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:44.660 Not resent, but I resemble it. 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:48.840 But mostly people go into it because, of course, they're compassionate people. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:49.300 They want to help. 00:21:49.340 --> 00:21:50.180 They want to make a difference. 00:21:50.180 --> 00:21:55.840 And so it's very human desire to give that type of comfort because people need hope. 00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:57.320 But we can't say it. 00:21:57.400 --> 00:22:01.360 Now, I won't go into what you do try to say in counseling, and I've forgotten a lot of it. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:10.259 But, you see, the point is that that comment shows that what we desperately need is a hope that's both relevant to our day-to-day life, 00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:15.859 but is greater than life, that in a sense is outside of this order. 00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:18.639 And only the gospel provides that. 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:20.679 Listen again to the scripture sentence. 00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:22.899 Verse 3. 00:22:22.900 --> 00:22:26.400 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:34.019 According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:22:36.620 --> 00:22:38.580 Why is the resurrection so important? 00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:39.980 Christianity hangs on it. 00:22:40.040 --> 00:22:42.400 If the resurrection is true, Christianity is true. 00:22:42.780 --> 00:22:44.680 And why is the resurrection so important? 00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:48.160 It means that it's something connected to our day-to-day life. 00:22:48.540 --> 00:22:50.460 Jesus lived a normal human life. 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:52.240 He had to work. 00:22:52.340 --> 00:22:53.019 He had to eat. 00:22:53.100 --> 00:22:54.380 He had to clip his toenails. 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:55.539 He had to cut his hair. 00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:02.259 He had to learn how to deal with business customers before he went into his three years of ministry. 00:23:02.360 --> 00:23:04.420 He had to suffer with trials and temptations. 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:09.019 And he lives a life that you and I should have lived but aren't able to live. 00:23:09.100 --> 00:23:10.240 He lives a sinless life. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:12.059 He dies the death you and I deserve. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:15.620 He conquers that which causes death, which is sin. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.680 He conquers death. 00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:18.180 I mean, he pays for the sin. 00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:19.640 He conquers death. 00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:20.720 He's resurrected. 00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:22.000 He cannot die again. 00:23:22.080 --> 00:23:23.320 He's on the far side of it. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:29.340 And when we put our faith and trust in him, we are entering into Christ who is on the far side of death. 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:38.480 And so we are embracing and receiving a hope that is both understanding of life, relevant to life, but is beyond death. 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:44.259 I didn't do very much racing. 00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:47.319 But when I was younger, I did a few races. 00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:51.679 And one of the things you learn in a race is you don't shoot for the finish line. 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:55.759 You shoot for 10 yards past the finish line. 00:23:57.299 --> 00:24:02.039 Because if you shoot for the finish line, unconsciously you'll start to slow down at the end and then somebody will pass you. 00:24:02.339 --> 00:24:03.419 You shoot for whatever. 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:05.059 There's 10 yards, 15 yards, whatever. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:07.980 You shoot from beyond it as if that's the real finish line. 00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:09.919 And you keep going so you finish well. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:14.640 And that's exactly what Christ offers us in the Christian faith. 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:23.720 Now, there's another thing which goes on here, which is just as a bit of an aside. 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:37.579 You know, and this is, we every week we set this up to be able to help people who aren't able to come to church to be able to worship with us. 00:24:37.660 --> 00:24:39.779 And we're going to continue doing this into the future. 00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:42.579 And there are shut-ins and all, and there are people who are distant. 00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:44.539 And you're not able to come to church. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.420 And we understand. 00:24:45.500 --> 00:24:50.819 We also understand that there are people who watch this because they're trying to figure out the Christian faith a little bit. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:52.500 And they're trying to figure out what's going on. 00:24:52.500 --> 00:25:04.279 I just want to say to some of you who maybe don't fit into those two categories, you really need to do worship face-to-face. 00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:11.259 Like, it's not just about Jesus giving you hope in the future. 00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:12.579 It is that. 00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:21.980 But one of the means that he gives you for grace, because, you see, one of the things we need to do is we need to be reminded about this because we forget about it. 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:24.220 We need to pledge our allegiance to Christ together. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:29.819 And it's not just that when we're dealing with these things of suffering and all, which I'm going to talk about again in a moment, 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:38.620 that one of the things which is so precious about the Christian faith is that his presence is with you when you're dealing with trials and suffering, 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:40.220 and his power is with you. 00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:42.839 But it's not just his presence and his power. 00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:44.180 It's also his people. 00:25:46.380 --> 00:25:48.120 He's given you his people. 00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:50.539 And you need to be face-to-face. 00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:51.860 I just want to encourage you. 00:25:52.620 --> 00:25:53.779 Yes, it's inconvenient. 00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:59.259 It's way easier to watch a service in your pajamas and at your convenience. 00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:02.319 And I'm not, we're not going to stop doing this. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:04.039 I just really want to encourage you. 00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:11.319 Face-to-face worship is so important to hope and meaning and living the Christian life. 00:26:11.379 --> 00:26:12.259 I just want to encourage you. 00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:13.480 I just want to encourage you. 00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.299 That's all. 00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:17.659 Anyway, let's get back to the text. 00:26:17.779 --> 00:26:18.899 I have to watch my time. 00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:19.839 There's a few more things. 00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:22.599 We'll be a bit quicker going through the rest of the text. 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:32.699 One of the things which is so neat about the Christian faith, well, here, let's see where this next bit goes. 00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:40.059 Just as I said, you need to be part of a face-to-faceness, and not just face-to-face on Sunday morning, 00:26:40.219 --> 00:26:47.219 but the women's ministry led by Lisa and others, and we're hoping that as early as July, 00:26:47.219 --> 00:26:51.319 but if not, it looks like we have a person to lead a men's ministry as of September, 00:26:51.319 --> 00:26:56.079 and there's a youth group which is going on, and there's small groups, and there's friendships, 00:26:56.359 --> 00:27:00.700 and there's all of those types of community things which are all very, very desperately needed, 00:27:00.879 --> 00:27:04.220 but the Lord knows that we get discouraged. 00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:09.559 And so listen to what he says next to help us in our discouragement. 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:11.439 Verse 4 and 5, right? 00:27:11.939 --> 00:27:15.379 So he's talking, he's giving a resurrection from the dead, verse 4, 00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:22.620 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 00:27:23.080 --> 00:27:28.080 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for his salvation, 00:27:28.600 --> 00:27:32.320 ready to be revealed in the last time. 00:27:32.360 --> 00:27:35.060 If you could put up the next point, that would be great, Claire. 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:41.540 Only in Jesus does God pledge to keep you and your inheritance until the end and beyond. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:43.960 That's the powerful thing here. 00:27:43.960 --> 00:27:46.160 You see, this is one of the things that's wonderful about the Christian faith. 00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:49.240 It's not just, in a sense, putting my faith in Christ, 00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:52.779 and then I'm born again, and I'm going to live forever in heaven. 00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:56.100 What you're really entering into, the Bible constantly says 00:27:56.100 --> 00:27:59.120 that what you're entering into is a covenant, a new covenant. 00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:01.360 You're entering into God's kingdom, 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:05.120 and that kingdom begins in tiny little seed form, 00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:08.660 and with all sorts of imperfections on this side of the grave, 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:11.860 and will be consummated in the new heaven and the new earth. 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:14.099 And so, in a sense, if you were to go into a covenant, 00:28:14.199 --> 00:28:15.199 it's a little bit like marriage. 00:28:15.879 --> 00:28:20.139 The whole Christian understanding of marriage is that marriage is a type of covenant. 00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:24.599 And so, if you go to a marriage ceremony, a Christian marriage ceremony, 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:28.759 the husband and the wife, they make pledges to each other. 00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:30.500 They make promises to each other. 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:36.500 And then they seal that with the joining of hands, with a ring, etc., etc. 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:41.359 And it's the same type of model in terms of when you come to put your faith and trust in Christ. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:43.519 You come to Jesus and say, 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:46.460 Jesus, I need hope in my life. 00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:47.799 I need meaning in my life. 00:28:47.900 --> 00:28:49.319 There's an emptiness in my life. 00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:51.480 I've done wrong, and I can't fix myself. 00:28:51.819 --> 00:28:54.940 And I've come to believe that you really did. 00:28:55.539 --> 00:28:56.759 You really are the Savior. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:00.160 You really have risen from the dead. 00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:02.319 And you hear me when I speak to you. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:04.240 And I'm coming to you. 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:05.799 I give myself to you. 00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:06.819 That's the pledge. 00:29:06.939 --> 00:29:08.399 I give myself to you. 00:29:10.379 --> 00:29:12.859 And I'm so thankful that you will take me. 00:29:14.679 --> 00:29:16.939 And when it's not just that Jesus takes you, 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:18.960 it's also God the Father and the Holy Spirit. 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:20.579 And when God takes you, 00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:22.799 he makes a pledge to you. 00:29:26.179 --> 00:29:27.899 He pledges to you. 00:29:29.859 --> 00:29:31.919 I have an inheritance for you. 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:39.179 And I pledge that I will keep that inheritance for you. 00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:41.159 And I pledge to you, 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:43.779 weak Christian, 00:29:44.339 --> 00:29:45.759 I pledge to you 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:48.099 that I will keep you 00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:50.599 until you receive that inheritance. 00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:54.579 That's what's being said here in the text. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:56.980 I pledge to you, God the Father says. 00:29:56.980 --> 00:30:00.120 Your grip is weak. 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:02.440 Your grip will let go. 00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.920 Your eyes will be distracted. 00:30:05.980 --> 00:30:08.220 You will have limp knees. 00:30:09.720 --> 00:30:12.319 You will have times of great selfishness. 00:30:12.839 --> 00:30:14.620 And you will have times of great pain 00:30:14.620 --> 00:30:16.660 where it's hard for you to believe that I even exist. 00:30:16.779 --> 00:30:18.660 But my eyes will never leave you. 00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:21.839 My hand will never let go of you. 00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:25.439 I will always hold you in the hollow of my hand. 00:30:25.939 --> 00:30:28.439 I, the one who have brought you to faith in Christ, 00:30:28.899 --> 00:30:30.220 I will keep you. 00:30:31.199 --> 00:30:34.399 And I will keep you for a future or an end 00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:36.379 that will not ever perish, 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:38.939 not ever fade, 00:30:39.699 --> 00:30:40.419 not ever, 00:30:40.679 --> 00:30:42.619 what's the other word that he uses here, 00:30:42.619 --> 00:30:45.739 that will not ever be defiled. 00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:51.779 That's his pledge to us 00:30:51.779 --> 00:30:53.319 when we put our faith and trust in him. 00:30:55.719 --> 00:30:57.239 Now, you can't have, 00:30:58.859 --> 00:31:00.559 if there's no hope in life, 00:31:00.639 --> 00:31:01.419 there is no meaning. 00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:04.339 And if there is no meaning in life, 00:31:04.419 --> 00:31:05.519 there can be no hope. 00:31:06.439 --> 00:31:07.439 And in Canada, 00:31:07.679 --> 00:31:08.679 and for many people, 00:31:08.739 --> 00:31:09.839 it's very hard to believe 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:11.579 there can be meaning or hope 00:31:11.579 --> 00:31:13.720 when death is the final word about us. 00:31:14.919 --> 00:31:16.319 Or where there is suffering 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.379 or there is pain. 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:19.899 And the Bible directly tackles that. 00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.399 In fact, one of the things, 00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:22.740 this is just opening it up, 00:31:22.779 --> 00:31:24.699 I'm not going to say very much about it right now, 00:31:25.179 --> 00:31:28.639 because a good part of chapter 3 and chapter 4 00:31:28.639 --> 00:31:31.220 are all going to be about the topic of suffering. 00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:33.319 It's going to be one of the main things 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:34.179 that we're going to talk about 00:31:34.179 --> 00:31:36.059 in the book of 1 Peter over the coming weeks. 00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:38.899 But look at how the Bible anticipates 00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:42.640 this human concern with discouragement, 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:44.320 which he's already starting to address 00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:45.820 about his pledge to you, 00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:47.220 that he will keep you 00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:48.540 and he will keep your inheritance. 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.300 But look at this, verse 6. 00:31:51.100 --> 00:31:52.340 So in this you rejoice, 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:53.220 right, 00:31:53.360 --> 00:31:55.080 the fact that you have an inheritance and all, 00:31:55.800 --> 00:31:57.240 that God is keeping you. 00:31:57.320 --> 00:31:57.700 But listen, 00:31:57.960 --> 00:31:58.600 though, 00:31:59.060 --> 00:31:59.940 in this you rejoice, 00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:00.920 though, 00:32:01.780 --> 00:32:03.960 though now for a little while, 00:32:03.960 --> 00:32:05.440 if necessary, 00:32:06.140 --> 00:32:07.340 you have been grieved 00:32:07.340 --> 00:32:09.059 by various trials. 00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:12.380 Trials means hard times. 00:32:14.980 --> 00:32:15.940 Hard times. 00:32:17.019 --> 00:32:17.779 Hard times. 00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:19.400 Maybe it's a hard time of depression 00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:20.960 that leads you to cutting yourself. 00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:22.319 Maybe it's a hard time 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:24.220 that leads you to drinking. 00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:25.600 Maybe it's a hard time 00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:26.960 that just leads you to despair. 00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:28.680 Hard time that means 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:30.340 you just want to spend all your time in bed. 00:32:30.420 --> 00:32:31.420 But hard times. 00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:34.060 Just read that again. 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:34.640 If necessary, 00:32:34.759 --> 00:32:35.400 you have been grieved 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:36.600 by various trials. 00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.500 But listen to that word, 00:32:38.660 --> 00:32:38.840 so. 00:32:39.080 --> 00:32:41.460 So that the tested genuineness 00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.340 of your faith, 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:44.500 more precious than gold 00:32:44.500 --> 00:32:45.200 that perishes 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:46.820 though it is tested by fire, 00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:48.759 may be found to result 00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:50.600 in praise and glory and honor 00:32:50.600 --> 00:32:52.900 at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:54.039 That's the second coming 00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:55.840 or when you see him face to face 00:32:55.840 --> 00:32:56.840 at your moment of death. 00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:59.300 Though you have not seen him, 00:32:59.800 --> 00:33:00.539 you love him. 00:33:00.539 --> 00:33:03.119 Though you do not now see him, 00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:04.579 you believe in him 00:33:04.579 --> 00:33:05.839 and rejoice with joy 00:33:05.839 --> 00:33:07.639 that is inexpressible 00:33:07.639 --> 00:33:08.680 and filled with glory, 00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:10.220 obtaining the outcome 00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:10.879 of your faith, 00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:12.180 the salvation of your soul. 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:13.799 Now there's 00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:17.119 that word rejoice 00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:17.700 and all that. 00:33:17.899 --> 00:33:18.740 It's one of those 00:33:18.740 --> 00:33:19.799 double meaning words 00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:20.720 in the original language 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:22.039 which English can't happen 00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:22.779 so you have to choose 00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:23.359 one or the other. 00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:24.740 But it's in a sense 00:33:24.740 --> 00:33:25.879 speaking to two groups 00:33:25.879 --> 00:33:26.960 in the room right now. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:32.120 Back when I was in Eganville, 00:33:32.220 --> 00:33:33.539 there were two elderly ladies 00:33:33.539 --> 00:33:34.759 that I had to go and visit. 00:33:35.840 --> 00:33:37.180 One elderly lady 00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:38.600 had been brought up 00:33:38.600 --> 00:33:39.519 very well off. 00:33:40.900 --> 00:33:41.340 I mean, I don't know, 00:33:41.340 --> 00:33:42.160 if she was still alive now, 00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:43.500 she'd be in her early hundreds, 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:44.920 maybe 110. 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:46.120 She went to university 00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:47.660 when that was very rare for women, 00:33:48.120 --> 00:33:48.980 grew up with money, 00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:51.019 was very, very well trained, 00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:52.259 had two daughters 00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:52.980 who loved her 00:33:52.980 --> 00:33:54.680 and paid lots of attention to her, 00:33:55.120 --> 00:33:56.440 had grandkids, 00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:58.259 lived in a really beautiful house, 00:33:58.400 --> 00:33:59.240 had house help 00:33:59.240 --> 00:33:59.980 and housekeeper 00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.880 and all of her needs 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:01.539 were being met 00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:03.620 and every time I visited her, 00:34:03.779 --> 00:34:05.279 all she did was complain. 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:10.039 It was the most depressing visit. 00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:12.780 She'd complain 00:34:12.780 --> 00:34:14.219 because she couldn't play the piano 00:34:14.219 --> 00:34:15.079 the way she used to. 00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:16.579 She'd complain about the fact 00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.320 that the person 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:18.860 who her daughters were paying 00:34:18.860 --> 00:34:19.880 to look after her 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:21.460 didn't clean the counter 00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:22.000 the right way. 00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:23.079 She would just complain 00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:24.119 and complain and complain. 00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:24.960 At the same time, 00:34:25.019 --> 00:34:26.179 I was visiting another woman 00:34:26.179 --> 00:34:27.639 who was at the end of her life 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:28.539 who grew up 00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:30.500 and continued to be dirt poor. 00:34:32.099 --> 00:34:33.760 She had a physical handicap. 00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:35.440 She had never been married. 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.440 She had no children 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.199 or grandchildren. 00:34:38.440 --> 00:34:40.019 She was on welfare. 00:34:41.480 --> 00:34:43.139 And her smile lit up the room. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.980 Her smile lit up the room. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:53.800 Now, this thing of rejoice 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:55.039 is speaking to two groups 00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:56.500 of people who can be in this room. 00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.920 And I can think of many people 00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:01.000 that I've known over the years 00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:03.280 who've suffered very, very trying things 00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:04.500 but somehow have a joy 00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:05.320 in the midst of it. 00:35:06.460 --> 00:35:08.059 And this sense of rejoice 00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:08.519 in the Greek, 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:09.079 it's one of the things, 00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:10.280 one of the reasons I think 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:11.500 God chose to reveal 00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:13.139 the New Testament in Greek 00:35:13.139 --> 00:35:14.340 is that it often has 00:35:14.340 --> 00:35:15.340 this double meaning 00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:17.400 so he can speak to two audiences 00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.219 at the same time. 00:35:18.219 --> 00:35:19.039 And for those of us 00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:20.199 who are living that right now, 00:35:20.439 --> 00:35:20.959 you're going through 00:35:20.959 --> 00:35:21.959 a very hard time 00:35:21.959 --> 00:35:23.480 but somehow there's a sense of joy. 00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:26.559 The Bible's speaking to you. 00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:28.619 And for those of us 00:35:28.619 --> 00:35:29.139 who are going through 00:35:29.139 --> 00:35:30.179 a very hard time 00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:30.899 but we don't, 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:32.139 it's speaking to you 00:35:32.139 --> 00:35:33.099 to turn to him. 00:35:33.879 --> 00:35:34.619 Choose joy. 00:35:36.379 --> 00:35:37.959 Choose to be like that poor woman, 00:35:38.339 --> 00:35:40.199 not like the complaining woman 00:35:40.199 --> 00:35:42.299 because often joy is a choice. 00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:43.079 At least a part, 00:35:43.139 --> 00:35:44.199 it begins with a choice. 00:35:45.299 --> 00:35:46.199 But here's the thing 00:35:46.199 --> 00:35:47.439 about the whole sentence. 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:48.539 If you could put up the point, 00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:51.159 Claire, that would be helpful. 00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:52.099 Only in Jesus 00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:53.440 does your suffering 00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:55.179 have meaning and purpose. 00:35:55.559 --> 00:35:56.280 That's the whole thing. 00:35:56.340 --> 00:35:56.780 You go back 00:35:56.780 --> 00:35:57.840 and you look at the verse again. 00:35:58.400 --> 00:35:59.380 There's a sense that, 00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:00.380 there's an acknowledgement 00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:01.599 that on this side of the grave, 00:36:01.639 --> 00:36:02.700 and I'm going to talk a little bit 00:36:02.700 --> 00:36:03.599 in the next coming weeks, 00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:04.559 I wasn't going to do it now, 00:36:05.139 --> 00:36:06.599 I saw that I'm going to have 00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:07.740 about two or three sermons 00:36:07.740 --> 00:36:08.619 later on about it 00:36:08.619 --> 00:36:09.860 so I'm just planning an idea here. 00:36:09.920 --> 00:36:11.280 One of these fundamental ideas 00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:12.480 is that contrary 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:13.900 to what Canadians expect, 00:36:14.260 --> 00:36:15.220 just as we understand 00:36:15.220 --> 00:36:16.420 at an intuitive level 00:36:16.420 --> 00:36:17.380 if there's no meaning, 00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:18.420 there can't be any hope. 00:36:18.700 --> 00:36:19.700 And if there's no hope, 00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:20.720 there can't be meaning. 00:36:20.820 --> 00:36:21.720 But if there is hope, 00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:22.740 there must be meaning. 00:36:23.139 --> 00:36:24.099 And if there is meaning, 00:36:24.220 --> 00:36:25.059 there must be hope. 00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:26.180 And the Bible says 00:36:26.180 --> 00:36:26.840 there's both 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.579 and it comes to you. 00:36:27.800 --> 00:36:29.460 It's created into you 00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:30.059 by God 00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:31.700 that you desire these things 00:36:31.700 --> 00:36:32.840 as human beings. 00:36:33.420 --> 00:36:34.200 And as a result 00:36:34.200 --> 00:36:35.039 of your fall 00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:36.460 and rebellion against God, 00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:37.420 it's something now 00:36:37.420 --> 00:36:39.180 which is fractured within you, 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:40.360 which is lost 00:36:40.360 --> 00:36:41.340 within your power, 00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:42.720 but you still have a sense 00:36:42.720 --> 00:36:43.860 that drives you 00:36:43.860 --> 00:36:44.680 that you need it. 00:36:44.980 --> 00:36:45.740 And the gospel 00:36:45.740 --> 00:36:46.940 is the answer 00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.960 to the longings 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:48.620 and the yearnings 00:36:48.620 --> 00:36:49.500 and the brokenness 00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:50.200 of your heart 00:36:50.200 --> 00:36:51.760 to say that God 00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:52.460 has come 00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.579 in the person of his son 00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:54.579 to restore to you 00:36:54.579 --> 00:36:55.420 hope and meaning, 00:36:55.740 --> 00:36:56.860 a hope and a meaning 00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:58.420 even in the presence 00:36:58.420 --> 00:36:59.200 and the face 00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:00.260 of very, very, 00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:01.559 very hard times. 00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.059 One of the things 00:37:04.059 --> 00:37:04.460 that's going to be 00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:05.760 so powerful about this, 00:37:05.820 --> 00:37:06.680 he's going to be talking 00:37:06.680 --> 00:37:07.360 later on 00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:08.519 to women 00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:09.920 who become Christians 00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:10.960 and women in that status 00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:12.340 have next to no society 00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:13.340 and those of them 00:37:13.340 --> 00:37:14.940 who have pagan husbands 00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:16.420 and how do they have meaning 00:37:16.420 --> 00:37:17.160 and have hope? 00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:19.220 He's talking to a society, 00:37:19.340 --> 00:37:19.420 you know, 00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.780 in the time of Roman society, 00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:22.600 one third of the entire empire 00:37:22.600 --> 00:37:24.000 were slaves 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:25.300 and many of the people 00:37:25.300 --> 00:37:25.960 that he's writing to 00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:26.519 are slaves. 00:37:26.820 --> 00:37:27.660 How do you have hope 00:37:27.660 --> 00:37:28.320 and see meaning 00:37:28.320 --> 00:37:29.300 when you're a slave? 00:37:30.260 --> 00:37:31.240 And he's going to say 00:37:31.240 --> 00:37:32.079 there is meaning 00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:33.140 and there is hope. 00:37:33.720 --> 00:37:34.980 And you can go looking for it 00:37:34.980 --> 00:37:35.380 and pray 00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:36.800 and pour out your heart to God 00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:37.660 to know that you're looking 00:37:37.660 --> 00:37:38.880 for something which is there. 00:37:38.880 --> 00:37:42.599 And this comes up 00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:43.780 to the very final point 00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:44.940 as I close up. 00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:45.119 You know, 00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:46.220 it's really interesting 00:37:46.220 --> 00:37:47.240 that he acknowledges 00:37:47.240 --> 00:37:47.800 the fact 00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:49.200 that many of the people 00:37:49.200 --> 00:37:50.000 he's writing the letter to 00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:51.059 have never seen Jesus 00:37:51.059 --> 00:37:52.119 yet they believe in him 00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:52.760 and trust in him. 00:37:52.820 --> 00:37:53.720 Why on earth is that? 00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:54.780 Why can that be? 00:37:55.980 --> 00:37:56.180 Well, 00:37:56.220 --> 00:37:57.220 that's because God's 00:37:57.220 --> 00:37:58.119 not just purely 00:37:58.119 --> 00:37:58.760 in the business 00:37:58.760 --> 00:38:00.519 of revealing facts to us. 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:02.420 He wants to save us. 00:38:02.840 --> 00:38:03.480 And look at this 00:38:03.480 --> 00:38:04.599 very, very powerful thing. 00:38:04.720 --> 00:38:05.500 I'll then explain 00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:06.140 what it means. 00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:08.220 Verses 10 through 12. 00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:10.440 Concerning this salvation, 00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:14.619 the prophets who prophesied 00:38:14.619 --> 00:38:15.340 about the grace 00:38:15.340 --> 00:38:16.260 that was to be yours 00:38:16.260 --> 00:38:18.019 searched and inquired carefully, 00:38:19.079 --> 00:38:21.800 inquiring what person or time, 00:38:22.099 --> 00:38:23.240 now listen to this, 00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:25.119 what person or time 00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:26.599 the Spirit of Christ 00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:28.559 in them was indicating 00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:30.039 when he, 00:38:30.220 --> 00:38:31.680 that is the Spirit of Christ, 00:38:32.200 --> 00:38:34.240 predicted the sufferings of Christ 00:38:34.240 --> 00:38:35.640 and the subsequent glories. 00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:38.259 One of the things 00:38:38.259 --> 00:38:38.839 which is going to be 00:38:38.839 --> 00:38:40.019 so important and precious 00:38:40.019 --> 00:38:41.119 in dealing with suffering 00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:41.819 is to understand 00:38:41.819 --> 00:38:42.639 that Christ suffered. 00:38:45.299 --> 00:38:46.379 Just as one of the things 00:38:46.379 --> 00:38:47.299 which is so important 00:38:47.299 --> 00:38:47.940 to understanding 00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:49.159 the meaning of suffering 00:38:49.159 --> 00:38:50.119 is to understand 00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:53.159 that Jesus defeated death 00:38:53.159 --> 00:38:54.940 and sin on the cross 00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:56.739 and in his resurrection. 00:38:57.719 --> 00:38:59.299 But notice it's the Spirit. 00:38:59.619 --> 00:39:00.779 When we read the Old Testament, 00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:01.839 it was the Spirit 00:39:01.839 --> 00:39:03.099 who caused the Old Testament 00:39:03.099 --> 00:39:03.759 to be written. 00:39:04.420 --> 00:39:05.539 And then look at verse 12. 00:39:06.179 --> 00:39:07.440 It was revealed to them, 00:39:08.099 --> 00:39:10.099 that's the Old Testament writers, 00:39:10.279 --> 00:39:11.119 that they were serving 00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:11.920 not themselves, 00:39:12.119 --> 00:39:12.559 but you. 00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:14.639 And this you is speaking 00:39:14.639 --> 00:39:15.539 to you guys too, 00:39:15.900 --> 00:39:16.360 to me, 00:39:16.860 --> 00:39:17.500 in the things 00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:18.619 that have now been announced 00:39:18.619 --> 00:39:19.799 to you through those 00:39:19.799 --> 00:39:21.420 who preach the good news 00:39:21.420 --> 00:39:22.900 to you by the Holy Spirit 00:39:22.900 --> 00:39:23.839 sent from heaven, 00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:25.380 things into which, 00:39:25.619 --> 00:39:26.960 beautiful phrase, 00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:28.719 things into which 00:39:28.719 --> 00:39:30.460 angels long to look. 00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:33.099 If you could put up 00:39:33.099 --> 00:39:33.820 the final point, 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:34.119 Claire, 00:39:34.179 --> 00:39:34.900 that would be wonderful. 00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:36.220 The same Holy Spirit 00:39:36.220 --> 00:39:38.320 that inspired the Old Testament 00:39:38.320 --> 00:39:40.360 is the same Holy Spirit 00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:41.920 that inspired the New Testament 00:39:41.920 --> 00:39:43.800 is the same Holy Spirit 00:39:43.800 --> 00:39:44.519 that brought you 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:45.659 to saving faith 00:39:45.659 --> 00:39:47.039 in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:48.260 when you heard 00:39:48.260 --> 00:39:49.519 the one and only 00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:50.960 biblical gospel. 00:39:53.340 --> 00:39:54.539 One Holy Spirit, 00:39:54.740 --> 00:39:55.139 seamless. 00:39:57.400 --> 00:39:58.860 One of my favorite hymns 00:39:58.860 --> 00:40:00.099 is Great is Thy Faithfulness. 00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:01.039 And I, 00:40:01.299 --> 00:40:02.420 earlier on in the service, 00:40:02.539 --> 00:40:03.460 I urged people 00:40:03.460 --> 00:40:04.219 to consider 00:40:04.219 --> 00:40:05.219 how important it is 00:40:05.219 --> 00:40:06.519 to have face-to-face worship. 00:40:09.079 --> 00:40:10.480 One of the lines 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:11.679 I love in that hymn 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:11.880 is, 00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:13.579 Thine own dear presence 00:40:13.579 --> 00:40:15.539 to cheer and to guide. 00:40:17.659 --> 00:40:19.059 I was talking 00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:20.219 to a sports psychologist 00:40:20.219 --> 00:40:21.279 a couple of months ago, 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:21.860 and one of the things 00:40:21.860 --> 00:40:22.519 which are interesting 00:40:22.519 --> 00:40:23.839 about sports psychologists 00:40:23.839 --> 00:40:26.099 is unlike all other psychology 00:40:26.099 --> 00:40:27.699 that basically deals 00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:28.659 with problems, 00:40:28.659 --> 00:40:30.019 sports psychologists 00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:31.779 deal with how to get better, 00:40:32.139 --> 00:40:34.359 how to succeed. 00:40:35.279 --> 00:40:35.980 And anyway, 00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:36.480 one of the things 00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:38.799 I was talking to her about 00:40:38.799 --> 00:40:39.319 is I said, 00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:39.639 you know, 00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.519 I said, 00:40:42.599 --> 00:40:42.719 you know, 00:40:42.719 --> 00:40:43.199 what you're doing 00:40:43.199 --> 00:40:43.579 is really, 00:40:43.719 --> 00:40:44.259 really important, 00:40:44.399 --> 00:40:45.279 and there's lots of things 00:40:45.279 --> 00:40:45.599 that, you know, 00:40:45.599 --> 00:40:46.119 I can learn 00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:47.219 and others can learn from it. 00:40:47.899 --> 00:40:48.619 I said, 00:40:48.679 --> 00:40:49.019 but you know, 00:40:49.059 --> 00:40:49.599 one of the things 00:40:49.599 --> 00:40:51.179 is that having 00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:51.619 a really, 00:40:51.779 --> 00:40:52.739 really good attitude 00:40:52.739 --> 00:40:53.599 and believing 00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:55.019 all of these positive things 00:40:55.019 --> 00:40:56.319 doesn't stop bad things 00:40:56.319 --> 00:40:57.399 from happening to you. 00:40:59.359 --> 00:41:00.439 So we can understand 00:41:00.439 --> 00:41:01.119 that there's meaning 00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:01.699 and there's hope, 00:41:01.779 --> 00:41:02.500 and it doesn't mean 00:41:02.500 --> 00:41:03.639 that those bad things 00:41:03.639 --> 00:41:04.479 aren't going to happen to you, 00:41:04.519 --> 00:41:05.379 but here's the thing. 00:41:06.659 --> 00:41:08.000 Think about those two women 00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:08.819 that I was describing 00:41:08.819 --> 00:41:10.799 that I was visiting with 00:41:10.799 --> 00:41:11.679 back when I was 00:41:11.679 --> 00:41:12.819 in my previous parish. 00:41:13.859 --> 00:41:15.119 It's way easier 00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:16.779 to deal with hard things 00:41:16.780 --> 00:41:19.780 if you have a sense 00:41:19.780 --> 00:41:20.400 that there's meaning 00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:20.940 and hope 00:41:20.940 --> 00:41:23.140 than dealing with hard things 00:41:23.140 --> 00:41:24.420 if all you are 00:41:24.420 --> 00:41:25.460 is grumpy and selfish 00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:25.880 and you think 00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:26.519 there's no hope. 00:41:27.519 --> 00:41:28.519 And it's not only 00:41:28.519 --> 00:41:29.320 that it's easier 00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:30.640 to deal with hard things, 00:41:31.460 --> 00:41:32.480 the Bible says 00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:33.160 you're not dealing 00:41:33.160 --> 00:41:34.100 with these hard things 00:41:34.100 --> 00:41:34.920 by yourself. 00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:37.640 The Holy Spirit 00:41:37.640 --> 00:41:38.720 is present with you. 00:41:39.140 --> 00:41:40.200 You do not walk 00:41:40.200 --> 00:41:41.140 that walk alone. 00:41:42.680 --> 00:41:43.920 The presence of Jesus, 00:41:44.140 --> 00:41:45.700 the presence of the Holy Spirit, 00:41:45.820 --> 00:41:46.760 the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:48.080 is with you 00:41:48.080 --> 00:41:49.300 as you deal with those 00:41:49.300 --> 00:41:51.660 very, very, very hard things. 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:53.760 And hopefully, 00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:54.620 by God's grace, 00:41:54.700 --> 00:41:55.160 and obviously, 00:41:55.300 --> 00:41:56.580 this cannot always happen, 00:41:57.519 --> 00:41:58.480 also His people, 00:41:58.620 --> 00:41:59.440 the three Ps, 00:42:00.280 --> 00:42:01.780 His presence, 00:42:02.860 --> 00:42:03.560 His power, 00:42:04.040 --> 00:42:04.720 and His people 00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:05.880 as you deal 00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:07.460 with those hard things. 00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:09.040 And not only that, 00:42:09.800 --> 00:42:10.740 as you celebrate 00:42:10.740 --> 00:42:11.940 the good things. 00:42:12.580 --> 00:42:13.880 So many people now, 00:42:13.980 --> 00:42:14.840 they're so alone, 00:42:15.580 --> 00:42:16.600 they need to hear 00:42:16.599 --> 00:42:17.699 way to go. 00:42:19.199 --> 00:42:19.699 And actually, 00:42:19.759 --> 00:42:20.239 you can get through 00:42:20.239 --> 00:42:20.920 a small group 00:42:20.920 --> 00:42:21.380 in a church, 00:42:21.639 --> 00:42:22.480 way to go. 00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:24.039 Great that you got 00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:24.799 that promotion. 00:42:25.719 --> 00:42:26.579 You can come 00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:27.219 and be thankful 00:42:27.219 --> 00:42:27.860 for others, 00:42:27.980 --> 00:42:29.059 and you can get 00:42:29.059 --> 00:42:30.119 the back slapping, 00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:30.799 the hugs, 00:42:30.960 --> 00:42:32.639 the singing of the praises, 00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:34.119 it's all one. 00:42:36.179 --> 00:42:36.860 It's the beauty 00:42:36.860 --> 00:42:37.539 of the gospel. 00:42:38.199 --> 00:42:38.880 Let's stand. 00:42:38.880 --> 00:42:47.320 bow our heads in prayer. 00:42:49.480 --> 00:42:50.340 Father, we give you 00:42:50.340 --> 00:42:51.180 thanks and praise 00:42:51.180 --> 00:42:52.260 that when we put our 00:42:52.260 --> 00:42:53.579 faith and trust in Jesus, 00:42:53.800 --> 00:42:54.579 that we are entering 00:42:54.579 --> 00:42:55.440 into a covenant 00:42:55.440 --> 00:42:55.940 with you, 00:42:56.039 --> 00:42:56.680 Father, Son, 00:42:56.740 --> 00:42:57.519 and Holy Spirit, 00:42:57.740 --> 00:42:59.300 that not only do we, 00:42:59.360 --> 00:42:59.680 in a sense, 00:42:59.780 --> 00:43:01.140 pledge ourselves to you 00:43:01.140 --> 00:43:02.340 and give ourselves to you, 00:43:02.400 --> 00:43:03.079 but that you make 00:43:03.079 --> 00:43:04.280 a pledge to us. 00:43:04.740 --> 00:43:05.980 You pledge to us 00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:07.500 that we will be born again. 00:43:08.039 --> 00:43:09.159 You pledge to us 00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:10.579 that you will receive us 00:43:10.579 --> 00:43:11.559 and that we are yours. 00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:13.460 You pledge to us 00:43:13.460 --> 00:43:14.920 that our sins are forgiven, 00:43:15.400 --> 00:43:16.119 that that slate 00:43:16.119 --> 00:43:17.300 has been wiped clean. 00:43:17.740 --> 00:43:18.820 You pledge to us 00:43:18.820 --> 00:43:19.539 that the righteousness 00:43:19.539 --> 00:43:21.000 of Christ will be ours. 00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:22.679 You pledge to us 00:43:22.679 --> 00:43:23.579 that we have 00:43:23.579 --> 00:43:24.780 an inheritance in heaven. 00:43:24.920 --> 00:43:26.159 You pledge to us 00:43:26.159 --> 00:43:27.460 that you will keep us, 00:43:27.860 --> 00:43:29.079 that we might persevere, 00:43:29.219 --> 00:43:30.599 and you pledge to us 00:43:30.599 --> 00:43:32.780 that there is, in fact, 00:43:32.900 --> 00:43:33.820 the possibility 00:43:33.820 --> 00:43:35.199 to understand a purpose 00:43:35.199 --> 00:43:35.800 and a meaning 00:43:35.800 --> 00:43:37.240 in even the hardest times 00:43:37.240 --> 00:43:37.920 in our lives. 00:43:38.320 --> 00:43:38.640 And, Father, 00:43:38.720 --> 00:43:39.640 we are so grateful 00:43:39.640 --> 00:43:40.480 for your mercy 00:43:40.480 --> 00:43:41.640 and kindness to us 00:43:41.640 --> 00:43:42.780 in doing this. 00:43:43.500 --> 00:43:44.180 We thank you 00:43:44.180 --> 00:43:45.760 that you do not weigh 00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:46.480 our merits 00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:48.380 or our social capital 00:43:48.380 --> 00:43:49.480 or our social worth 00:43:49.480 --> 00:43:50.940 when you make this offer to us. 00:43:51.660 --> 00:43:52.900 You make this offer 00:43:52.900 --> 00:43:54.180 to rich and poor alike. 00:43:54.560 --> 00:43:55.660 You make this offer 00:43:55.660 --> 00:43:56.340 to people 00:43:56.340 --> 00:43:57.680 in every ethnic group 00:43:57.680 --> 00:43:58.580 and racial group 00:43:58.580 --> 00:43:59.500 and language group 00:43:59.500 --> 00:44:00.680 and cultural group 00:44:00.680 --> 00:44:02.160 that you do not weigh 00:44:02.160 --> 00:44:03.620 any of these accomplishments 00:44:03.620 --> 00:44:04.320 that you know 00:44:04.320 --> 00:44:05.560 that we all stand 00:44:05.559 --> 00:44:06.679 equal before you 00:44:06.679 --> 00:44:07.799 in terms of our need. 00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:09.420 And you make this offer 00:44:09.420 --> 00:44:10.539 and this pledge to us 00:44:10.539 --> 00:44:11.860 and we thank and praise you 00:44:11.860 --> 00:44:12.900 for those of us 00:44:12.900 --> 00:44:13.719 who are in Christ 00:44:13.719 --> 00:44:15.079 that your Holy Spirit 00:44:15.079 --> 00:44:16.019 moved us 00:44:16.019 --> 00:44:17.619 to make such a pledge 00:44:17.619 --> 00:44:19.320 that we would be yours. 00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:21.079 And we thank you, Father, 00:44:21.159 --> 00:44:22.119 that when we gather 00:44:22.119 --> 00:44:23.119 on a Sunday morning 00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:23.719 like today 00:44:23.719 --> 00:44:25.219 that as Steve leads us 00:44:25.219 --> 00:44:26.039 in the Lord's Supper 00:44:26.039 --> 00:44:27.059 that we can remember 00:44:27.059 --> 00:44:27.940 once again 00:44:27.940 --> 00:44:29.480 how we've fallen, 00:44:29.659 --> 00:44:30.759 how you forgive us, 00:44:30.760 --> 00:44:32.420 and the new covenant 00:44:32.420 --> 00:44:34.400 that Jesus inaugurated 00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:36.780 and remind us 00:44:36.780 --> 00:44:37.480 of what he accomplished 00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:38.400 for us on the cross 00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:39.420 and that we can do that 00:44:39.420 --> 00:44:40.600 until he comes to gain 00:44:40.600 --> 00:44:41.920 or until we see you 00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:42.700 face to face. 00:44:43.060 --> 00:44:43.360 And Father, 00:44:43.400 --> 00:44:44.420 we thank you for this. 00:44:44.540 --> 00:44:45.340 We ask, Father, 00:44:45.420 --> 00:44:46.060 that you help us 00:44:46.060 --> 00:44:46.680 to grow 00:44:46.680 --> 00:44:48.040 in our gripping 00:44:48.040 --> 00:44:49.000 of the gospel 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:50.260 and grow in our ability 00:44:50.260 --> 00:44:51.680 to celebrate with others, 00:44:52.080 --> 00:44:53.220 commiserate with others, 00:44:53.360 --> 00:44:54.680 and lift each other up 00:44:54.680 --> 00:44:55.080 in prayer. 00:44:55.160 --> 00:44:56.360 And we ask all these things 00:44:56.360 --> 00:44:57.640 in Jesus' name, 00:44:57.780 --> 00:44:58.100 saying, 00:44:58.099 --> 00:44:59.079 Amen.