WEBVTT

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 We've all gone through various hardships and crises through the years.

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 Of course we have.

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 But overall, for many of us, life has been relatively good.

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 And we need to be abundantly grateful to God for that.

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 But we also need to recognize that fortune has the potential of acting like an anesthetic

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 that numbs us to the reality of brokenness in our lives.

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 Too many people understand this.

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 And so what they do is they spend their lives chasing after fortune,

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 thinking that prosperity is actually the only hope that we have

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 against the brokenness that seems to pursue us.

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 Right?

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 So we don't set our hope on things that are religious at all.

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 We don't set our hopes on people necessarily at all.

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 We set our hopes on fortune.

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 If I can just get my hands on blessing,

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 if I can just get my hands on more stuff,

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 that's the thing that is going to give me security.

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 That's the thing that's going to provide real hope that I can escape the just travesties of my life

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 and the hardships that I've experienced in my life.

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 If I can just get to the blessing,

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 that's where hope and brokenness will ultimately be found.

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 And then when blessing finally comes,

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 and for many of us it does,

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 it quickly sets us on a path of what we would call blissful ignorance.

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 We're ignorant now sometimes of our own brokenness,

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 and we're happy to be so.

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 Blind to the suffering of others in some cases.

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 It's numb, especially to our own sinful condition.

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 Now if you're ignorant of brokenness,

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 the problem is you'll also be ignorant of gospel hope.

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 Because remember, it requires brokenness,

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 the recognition of brokenness,

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 before we can actually get to anything good and substantial about hope and about the gospel.

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 Think about it.

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 There's a reason Jesus said that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

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 Why did he say something like that?

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 It's nearly impossible for those of us who have been extraordinarily blessed

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 to get a sense of our own need.

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 And when we do,

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 it's very difficult to transfer our hope from wealth,

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 and from pleasure,

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 and from money or whatever it is that we would describe as being fortunate and blessed.

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 It's very hard to transfer our hope from that

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 to a Messiah that was said to have been born 2,000 years ago.

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 That's a hard thing to do for anyone.

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 It's especially a hard thing to do

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 for someone who feels secure in their blessing.

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 But there's also a kind of spiritual prosperity

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 that is just as damning.

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 On one hand, we have the ignorance of brokenness

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 because we are a wealthy people.

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 Maybe not in comparison to other Americans,

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 but relative to the world,

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 we have been extraordinarily blessed.

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 And that blinds us sometimes to some of the realities of suffering,

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 but also to our own brokenness.

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 But then there's this spiritual dynamic as well

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 that's at work here.

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 It's an enemy for us.

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 The Pharisees, for example,

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 were so proud of their ability to keep the law

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 that they lost all sense of their own sinfulness.

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 Theirs wasn't a material blessing necessarily.

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 It was a religious blessing.

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 It was a path of prosperity in terms of their faith.

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 They rejected Jesus, ironically.

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 The only true hope that they actually had.

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 And why did they reject him?

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 Because they expected when the Messiah would come,

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 he would come to reward them

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 because they had done so well

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 because of their spiritual prosperity.

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 Messiah, when he comes,

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 yeah, Jesus can do these wonderful works.

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 He can do these amazing things.

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 But if he was really the Messiah,

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 he would be here to reward us

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 for our ability to keep the law.

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 But what Jesus actually came doing was warning them.

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 You can go to some passage where he pronounces

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 extraordinary woes against the scribes and Pharisees.

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 Why?

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 Because their spiritual prosperity

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 had actually blinded them

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 to the reality of their own sinfulness.

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 Self-righteousness became their hope,

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 making them ignorant of their own brokenness.

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 Okay?

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 So we've got at least two enemies

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 that I'm dealing with today.

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 The first one is just ignorance.

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 Sometimes that's ignorance

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 that comes from material blessing

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 and we just kind of get numb to the fact

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 that we're sinners

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 and that we've got issues

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 and that other people have issues

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 and we're just content to set our hope on wealth.

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 Then there's the ignorance

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 that comes from spiritual blessing.

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 You know, we're just really good Christians

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 and when we're really, really good Christians,

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 we start to forget

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 that we're actually really, really bad sinners too.

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 And the gospel gets muddied up and all of that.

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 Okay, enemy number two.

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 The enemy of denial.

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 The enemy of denial.

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 Now, how is this different?

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 We can also be oblivious to brokenness

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 simply because we choose to be.

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 We just choose to be.

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 An awareness of brokenness,

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 both spiritual and material,

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 is an immensely heavy burden for us to bear.

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 Many of us, we have a particular way

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 that we want to view ourselves.

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 We have a particular way

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 that we want to view the world around us

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 and we will consciously turn away from things

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 that interfere with that vision.

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 This is why churches stop dealing with issues of sin

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 in their services

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 because it's uncomfortable

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 to understand the reality of our sinfulness

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 and to see holiness and justice in God

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 is a heavy burden.

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 We don't like to hear those things,

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 so we don't hear those things.

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 We choose not to hear them.

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 We choose not to say them.

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 It's far easier to cope

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 when you just remove any reminders

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 of how broken the world really is.

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 We do this in all kinds of ways, don't we?

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 People aren't always so genuinely interested

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 in helping a people group like the homeless,

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 but they really don't like it

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 when the homeless colonies are set up

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 with all their tents and their tarps

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 on someone's commute into work.

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 They're not always so interested

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 in actually helping those people,

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 but they want them moved out of the way

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 so they don't have to look at it every day

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 when they're driving to work, right?

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 It's this ignorance of denial

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 we see brokenness,

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 but we don't want to see it anymore.

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 We just want to get it out of the way

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 so we don't have to think about that anymore, right?

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 We refuse, in some cases,

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 to use language of death, right?

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 Why do we do that?

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 We choose rather.

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 We want to use phrases like,

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 well, they've passed on

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 or they've moved on.

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 Why do we do that?

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 Because death is a heavy burden to bear.

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 We want to try to deny its reality

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 as much as we possibly can.

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 And so we try to soften it

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 even with the language that we use.

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 We don't want to watch the news.

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 We don't want to read the newspaper.

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 You know why?

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 Because all it does is tell us

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 how broken we actually are.

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 We don't want to read about

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 nearly 6,000 children

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 who have been killed in the last two months

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 because of Israeli airstrikes.

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 6,000 in two months' time.

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 That's hard to read about.

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 That's hard to acknowledge.

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 So what do we do?

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 Well, we do everything we can

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 to just get those things out of the way.

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 We don't want to see it.

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 We don't want to look at it.

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 And there's a spiritual version of this

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 denial among some professing Christians

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 that completely destroys the gospel.

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 I told you about a conversation

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 I had last night with Herman.

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 I had a conversation earlier this week

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 with another man named Mike

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 who's connected with a Presbyterian church,

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 USA, in Rock Hill.

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 And he was sharing with me

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 some of his frustrations about this church

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 because the pastor has now decided

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 to be a universalist.

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 He denies now that there is a literal hell,

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 that there is a place of conscious torment

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 for anybody at this point.

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 And his statement would be

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 basically a Christian version of atheism

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 and atheistic arguments,

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 which is if God really is loving,

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 then he would never actually send someone

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 to a place like hell.

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 And they have adopted this doctrine as a church

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 to where even in our own backyard in Rock Hill

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 and probably all over the place,

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 even here in Cornelius and Davidson,

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 there is teaching that,

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 no, hell isn't a real thing.

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 That's not really what the Bible is teaching.

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 And no, everybody's gonna be fine

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 because Jesus is loving,

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 because Jesus has died.

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 Everybody's good now.

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 Well, it's just not true.

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 It's totally inconsistent with the Bible.

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 So where does such teaching come from?

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 It comes from a place of denial

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 about the realities of sin

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 and judgment and hell.

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 It comes from those

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 who have a way that they want to view God

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 and a way that they want to view the world,

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 and they will not even let the Bible

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 interfere with that vision.

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 Just put these two things together,

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 the ignorance and the denial.

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 Both of those things come with a measure

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 of security, don't they?

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 If we're ignorant of brokenness and sinfulness,

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 if we're in denial of brokenness and sinfulness,

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 then we feel secure in that position, right?

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 We fight for it even in some cases.

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 But this security is a false hope.

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 It's not actually real.

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 But there is a true and lasting hope

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 that can be found,

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 but it requires that we first come to terms

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 with the fact that we are broken, sinful people.

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 Scriptures actually go to great lengths

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 to tell us that.

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 Not because they want to beat us up,

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 not because God's just trying to beat us up,

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 but because it's only through that recognition

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 that we can actually get to

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 any kind of true gospel hope.

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 Now, Jesus shows us a better way,

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 and he shows us this better way

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 in just a glimpse here in this text

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 in verses 22 and 24.

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 In the incarnation,

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 Jesus does not ignore our brokenness,

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 neither does he deny our brokenness.

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 In the incarnation,

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 Jesus enters our brokenness,

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 willingly enters it,

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 endures it,

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 in order that he might identify

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 with those that he came to save.

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 Just look here at the first couple of verses.

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 Verse 22,

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 and when the time came for their purification,

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 according to the law of Moses,

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 they brought him up to Jerusalem

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 to present him to the Lord,

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 as it's written in the law of the Lord,

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 every male who first opens the womb

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 shall be called holy to the Lord,

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 and to offer a sacrifice

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 according to what is said in the law of the Lord,

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 a pair of turtle doves

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 or of two young pigeons.

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 So the presentation of Jesus

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 at the temple in Jerusalem,

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 it involved purification rituals

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 that included sacrifice.

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 And at some point along the way,

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 circumcision would have been linked to this process.

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 I don't know if it would have happened

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 on this particular moment at the temple

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 or if it would have happened prior,

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 but this would have been a part of the process as well.

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 Well, all of these things were commanded

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 in the Old Testament law of God

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 as a symbol of sin,

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 as a reminder of our need

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 for spiritual cleansing.

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 But that brings us to an interesting moment

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 of conflict.

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 If Jesus is the Son of God,

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 the sinless Son of God,

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 why was it actually necessary

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 or was it even necessary

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 for him to go through these same practices?

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 Why would he need to go through circumcision,

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 which is just all about cutting out sin?

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 Why would he need to have a sacrifice

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 done for his purification as a baby?

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 I thought he's the sinless Son of God,

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 and yet Mary and Joseph still take him

00:12:47.179 --> 00:12:48.299
 and they do this thing with him.

00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:49.000
 Why?

00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:50.759
 Is that not a contradiction?

00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:52.799
 Well, no, it's not.

00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:54.939
 On one hand,

00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:56.559
 this shows the faithfulness

00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:57.679
 of Joseph and Mary.

00:12:58.439 --> 00:12:59.559
 Now, I want you to think about something.

00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:00.539
 I don't know if you've ever thought

00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:01.240
 about this before,

00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:04.080
 but we see all of these moments

00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.139
 in the Gospels

00:13:05.139 --> 00:13:06.759
 about angels appearing

00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:07.779
 to Joseph and Mary

00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:08.919
 and telling them what to do.

00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:11.539
 You're going to have a child?

00:13:12.059 --> 00:13:13.200
 Call his name Jesus.

00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:14.700
 Do this.

00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:15.360
 Do that.

00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:16.620
 So on it goes.

00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:17.960
 Then the angels appear

00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:19.179
 to the shepherds,

00:13:19.179 --> 00:13:20.439
 and they give a little more information,

00:13:20.659 --> 00:13:22.000
 and then there's the Lord's working

00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:22.799
 in all these different ways.

00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:24.799
 Here's something that we never read about

00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:25.519
 in the Gospels.

00:13:25.899 --> 00:13:28.219
 No angel ever comes to Joseph and Mary

00:13:28.219 --> 00:13:28.639
 and says,

00:13:28.739 --> 00:13:28.979
 all right,

00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:30.359
 here's the manual

00:13:30.359 --> 00:13:33.419
 on how to raise the Son of God.

00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:35.179
 This is what you do,

00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:37.359
 and this is how you go about it,

00:13:37.779 --> 00:13:39.519
 and this is what you teach him.

00:13:40.319 --> 00:13:41.659
 There's no manual for that.

00:13:41.659 --> 00:13:45.419
 So surely at some point in Bethlehem,

00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.019
 after Jesus has finally been born

00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:48.219
 and Mary perhaps was able

00:13:48.219 --> 00:13:48.899
 to get some rest,

00:13:49.199 --> 00:13:50.639
 perhaps Joseph looks at her

00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:50.860
 and says,

00:13:50.959 --> 00:13:52.039
 what are we supposed to do now?

00:13:52.980 --> 00:13:53.939
 There's no more angels.

00:13:54.719 --> 00:13:55.539
 What do we do?

00:13:56.100 --> 00:13:57.100
 And what was their answer?

00:13:58.199 --> 00:13:59.480
 Well, what does the Scripture say

00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.459
 that we're supposed to do?

00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:02.500
 Well, the Scripture says

00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:03.339
 on the eighth day,

00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.439
 he's to be circumcised,

00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:05.199
 he's to be presented

00:14:05.199 --> 00:14:06.279
 because he's the firstborn

00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:06.819
 from your womb.

00:14:07.019 --> 00:14:07.939
 That means that he's holy

00:14:07.939 --> 00:14:08.539
 unto the Lord,

00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:09.919
 and we have to do these things.

00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.299
 And so what does Mary and Joseph do?

00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:14.079
 They faithfully follow the Word of God

00:14:14.079 --> 00:14:16.199
 and praise God that they did

00:14:16.199 --> 00:14:17.579
 because that's essential

00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:18.740
 for him to be Messiah.

00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:22.259
 For Jesus to be the Messiah

00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:24.219
 means not only that he dies,

00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:26.100
 it means that he fulfills.

00:14:27.319 --> 00:14:29.819
 And the only way he can fulfill the law

00:14:29.819 --> 00:14:32.759
 is if the one born under the law

00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:35.079
 goes through the circumcision

00:14:35.079 --> 00:14:36.559
 and is presented at the temple.

00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:39.059
 It wasn't done for his sake.

00:14:39.059 --> 00:14:41.819
 It was done for our sake.

00:14:42.439 --> 00:14:43.279
 Isn't that amazing?

00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:45.439
 He enters our brokenness,

00:14:45.539 --> 00:14:47.559
 and then he identifies with us

00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:49.179
 in our brokenness.

00:14:49.979 --> 00:14:51.479
 And in this salvation,

00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:52.919
 the righteousness of Christ

00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:54.199
 is imputed to us,

00:14:54.459 --> 00:14:56.500
 and it is a complete righteousness.

00:14:57.119 --> 00:14:58.599
 No portion of the law

00:14:58.599 --> 00:15:00.199
 was left unturned

00:15:00.199 --> 00:15:03.399
 in terms of Jesus fulfilling it.

00:15:03.599 --> 00:15:04.839
 He fully obeyed

00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:06.019
 and fulfilled God's law

00:15:06.019 --> 00:15:08.560
 on our behalf.

00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:12.100
 And much like his later baptism,

00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:14.100
 these rituals were not performed

00:15:14.100 --> 00:15:15.180
 because he was a sinner,

00:15:15.420 --> 00:15:16.540
 but because he desired

00:15:16.540 --> 00:15:18.600
 to identify with sinners.

00:15:20.180 --> 00:15:21.160
 Think about this.

00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:22.899
 Sacrifice of birds

00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:23.660
 and young pigeons.

00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:26.560
 That's not the typical sacrifice.

00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:29.919
 Why did they have to do that?

00:15:30.579 --> 00:15:31.699
 Because they were poor.

00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:33.379
 They had no money.

00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:35.779
 They couldn't afford a lamb

00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:36.939
 to sacrifice.

00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:39.479
 So Jesus not only comes

00:15:39.479 --> 00:15:40.659
 and identifies with us

00:15:40.659 --> 00:15:41.599
 by going through the rituals,

00:15:41.859 --> 00:15:43.039
 but when he comes,

00:15:44.199 --> 00:15:46.459
 he comes to the lowliest of people.

00:15:47.479 --> 00:15:49.439
 He's born in the humblest

00:15:49.439 --> 00:15:51.039
 of scenarios.

00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:51.679
 Why?

00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:53.219
 To identify

00:15:53.220 --> 00:15:54.980
 with sinners

00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:57.720
 leaving the riches of heaven.

00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:00.040
 Jesus identified

00:16:00.040 --> 00:16:01.180
 with the lowly on earth.

00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:03.220
 He was born under the law,

00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.300
 Galatians 4,

00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:07.940
 so that he might redeem those

00:16:07.940 --> 00:16:09.600
 who are under the law

00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.860
 to make us

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:13.779
 sons of God

00:16:13.779 --> 00:16:15.720
 like him.

00:16:18.060 --> 00:16:19.639
 So rather than ignore

00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:21.120
 and deny our brokenness,

00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:23.159
 Jesus was broken

00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:24.720
 for us.

00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:26.399
 Isn't that amazing?

00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:29.980
 And until you see

00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:30.799
 your hopelessness

00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:31.399
 without him,

00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:33.759
 you'll never understand

00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:34.779
 the immense hope

00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:36.440
 that you can have

00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:37.120
 through him.

00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:40.179
 That's why we begin here.

00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:41.299
 I'm not just trying

00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:42.039
 to beat you up.

00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.000
 I'm not just trying

00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:44.120
 to tell you how bad you are.

00:16:44.179 --> 00:16:44.460
 In fact,

00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:45.659
 relative to other people,

00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:46.620
 you're probably pretty good.

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:48.860
 But the comparison

00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:50.560
 and the bar

00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:51.320
 that has been set

00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:51.639
 for us

00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:52.240
 has not been set

00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:52.980
 by other people.

00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:54.820
 It's been set

00:16:54.820 --> 00:16:55.840
 by a holy God.

00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:57.740
 And the reality

00:16:57.740 --> 00:16:58.779
 is that each of us,

00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:00.440
 whether you're 80 years old

00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:01.419
 or you're 8 years old

00:17:01.419 --> 00:17:02.180
 in this room today,

00:17:02.220 --> 00:17:03.340
 no matter who you are,

00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:04.480
 you are absolutely

00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:05.120
 hopeless

00:17:05.120 --> 00:17:05.860
 and broken

00:17:05.860 --> 00:17:06.579
 and sinful

00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:07.740
 without Christ.

00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:08.620
 And until you begin

00:17:08.620 --> 00:17:09.500
 to understand that,

00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:10.700
 you'll never really

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:11.420
 understand

00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:13.240
 that he is hope.

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:15.180
 You'll never understand

00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:17.500
 the advent of hope

00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:19.320
 in the advent of Christ.

00:17:20.120 --> 00:17:20.320
 All right.

00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.460
 Number two.

00:17:23.580 --> 00:17:24.700
 Hope not only requires

00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:26.000
 that we recognize brokenness,

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:27.900
 hope requires

00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:29.660
 we believe

00:17:29.660 --> 00:17:30.900
 the brokenness

00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:31.620
 can be fixed.

00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:33.799
 Hope requires

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:35.299
 that we believe

00:17:35.299 --> 00:17:36.920
 that the brokenness

00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:39.620
 can actually be fixed.

00:17:40.220 --> 00:17:40.660
 Now,

00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:41.940
 my desire

00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:42.660
 is that all of us

00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:43.680
 are thinking truthfully

00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:44.519
 about brokenness

00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:45.140
 at this point,

00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:45.900
 but the fact is

00:17:45.900 --> 00:17:47.200
 that most of you

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.000
 probably didn't need

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.600
 to be convinced.

00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:52.380
 Some of you

00:17:52.380 --> 00:17:53.299
 may not identify

00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:53.920
 at all

00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:54.779
 with the predicament

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:56.000
 that Michael Buble

00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:56.940
 found himself in.

00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.360
 In fact,

00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:59.220
 you're routinely

00:17:59.220 --> 00:18:00.740
 in your life

00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:01.220
 plagued

00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:01.920
 with the reality

00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.539
 of sin

00:18:02.539 --> 00:18:04.240
 and suffering

00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:05.740
 that is not only

00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:06.080
 in you

00:18:06.080 --> 00:18:06.940
 but around you.

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:08.000
 You know what that's like,

00:18:08.120 --> 00:18:08.940
 which brings us

00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:09.820
 to the next point

00:18:09.820 --> 00:18:10.299
 of emphasis.

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.920
 Are we to expect

00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:12.640
 that any of this

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.519
 can actually be made

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:13.960
 better?

00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:16.240
 Can it be fixed?

00:18:16.859 --> 00:18:17.879
 Can it be made better?

00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:19.279
 Even more,

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:21.680
 can it be made right?

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.400
 Or are we just

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:25.440
 on this

00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:27.440
 crazy path

00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.059
 of

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:29.599
 we're just here,

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.539
 there's no purpose,

00:18:30.879 --> 00:18:31.319
 we're just

00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.440
 got to do the best

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:33.079
 that we can?

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:35.799
 Some seem

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:36.619
 to struggle

00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:37.500
 to see how bad

00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:38.039
 things are.

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.420
 Many find it difficult

00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:39.900
 to believe

00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:40.579
 that it can actually

00:18:40.579 --> 00:18:41.259
 be made better.

00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:43.099
 Well,

00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:43.299
 again,

00:18:43.339 --> 00:18:43.980
 there's two dangers

00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:44.559
 at this point.

00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.720
 The first danger

00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:46.519
 is cynicism,

00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:48.319
 which causes

00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:48.879
 a person

00:18:48.879 --> 00:18:50.059
 to resign themselves

00:18:50.059 --> 00:18:50.759
 to the notion

00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:51.859
 that none of it

00:18:51.859 --> 00:18:52.339
 can actually

00:18:52.339 --> 00:18:53.000
 be made right.

00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:54.039
 In that view,

00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:54.640
 our only course

00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:55.059
 of action

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:55.779
 is just do

00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:56.460
 the best you can

00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:56.960
 and hope that

00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:57.579
 you fare better

00:18:57.579 --> 00:18:58.400
 than other people.

00:18:59.539 --> 00:19:00.279
 That's cynicism,

00:19:00.420 --> 00:19:00.559
 right?

00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:00.900
 Just,

00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:01.859
 it can't be made

00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:02.079
 better.

00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:03.920
 The other danger

00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:04.240
 here

00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:06.839
 is a misguided

00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:07.620
 optimism,

00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:08.599
 okay?

00:19:08.940 --> 00:19:09.839
 Misguided optimism.

00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:12.359
 This is what

00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:13.420
 we see predominantly

00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:14.539
 at this Christmas

00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:15.039
 season,

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:15.819
 at least in our

00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:16.519
 secular world.

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.039
 It leads an

00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:19.200
 individual to set

00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:19.980
 their hope on

00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:21.400
 things that

00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.500
 cannot actually

00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:23.599
 make any difference

00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:24.259
 in their life,

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:24.900
 but they just

00:19:24.900 --> 00:19:25.559
 really believe

00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:26.220
 that it can,

00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:26.940
 and they really

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.579
 hope that it

00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:27.680
 can,

00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:28.279
 but it can't,

00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:28.640
 it can't do

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.059
 anything.

00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:31.079
 Hard work,

00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:32.539
 a positive spirit,

00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.440
 even a strong

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.299
 moral compass

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:35.640
 cannot provide

00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:36.400
 what we need.

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:37.539
 So how can we

00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:38.460
 actually come to

00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:39.960
 believe that a

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:40.840
 real and lasting

00:19:40.840 --> 00:19:41.720
 hope exists?

00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:43.160
 This is where

00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:44.019
 Simeon and Anna

00:19:44.019 --> 00:19:45.100
 are so helpful

00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:45.860
 to us,

00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.500
 because both of

00:19:47.500 --> 00:19:48.200
 them show us

00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:48.880
 what it's like

00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:50.039
 to live with

00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:50.660
 a hopeful

00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:51.700
 expectancy

00:19:51.700 --> 00:19:53.299
 that's not rooted

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:54.140
 in the human

00:19:54.140 --> 00:19:55.380
 spirit or in

00:19:55.380 --> 00:19:55.799
 the, quote,

00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:56.779
 Christmas spirit,

00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:57.779
 but is rooted

00:19:57.779 --> 00:19:58.559
 in the power

00:19:58.559 --> 00:19:59.279
 and the promises

00:19:59.279 --> 00:19:59.860
 of God,

00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.240
 okay?

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.039
 Look with me

00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:01.700
 in verse 25.

00:20:01.880 --> 00:20:02.440
 Let's read first

00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:03.059
 about Simeon.

00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:03.759
 Now there was

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:04.339
 a man in

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.099
 Jerusalem whose

00:20:05.099 --> 00:20:05.460
 name was

00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:05.919
 Simeon,

00:20:06.099 --> 00:20:07.000
 and this man

00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:07.639
 was righteous

00:20:07.639 --> 00:20:08.619
 and devout,

00:20:08.899 --> 00:20:09.980
 waiting for the

00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:10.899
 consolation of

00:20:10.899 --> 00:20:11.240
 Israel,

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.539
 and the Holy

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:13.519
 Spirit was upon

00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:13.819
 him,

00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:14.980
 and it had been

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:15.879
 revealed to him

00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:16.399
 by the Holy

00:20:16.399 --> 00:20:17.740
 Spirit that he

00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:18.519
 would not see

00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.379
 death before he

00:20:19.379 --> 00:20:19.940
 had seen the

00:20:19.940 --> 00:20:20.639
 Lord's Christ,

00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:21.899
 and he came in

00:20:21.899 --> 00:20:22.579
 the Spirit into

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:23.059
 the temple,

00:20:23.539 --> 00:20:24.039
 and when the

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:24.899
 parents brought

00:20:24.899 --> 00:20:25.460
 in the child

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:26.339
 Jesus to do

00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:27.000
 for him according

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:27.599
 to the custom

00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:28.119
 of the law,

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:29.279
 he took him up

00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:29.919
 in his arms,

00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:30.919
 and he blessed

00:20:30.919 --> 00:20:31.240
 God.

00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:31.980
 He's not

00:20:31.980 --> 00:20:33.019
 only expecting

00:20:33.019 --> 00:20:33.640
 that this is

00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:34.339
 going to happen,

00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:35.579
 but he recognized

00:20:35.579 --> 00:20:36.279
 when it does

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:36.620
 happen,

00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.359
 and he blesses

00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.319
 God for it.

00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:39.180
 Now skip to

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.799
 verse 36.

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:40.779
 Let's look at

00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:41.059
 Anna.

00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:42.759
 And there was a

00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:43.420
 prophetess,

00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:43.920
 Anna,

00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.220
 the daughter of

00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:45.660
 Phanuel,

00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.299
 the tribe of

00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:47.680
 Asher.

00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.480
 She was advanced

00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:49.039
 in years,

00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:50.220
 having lived with

00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:50.980
 her husband seven

00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:51.700
 years from when

00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:52.359
 she was a virgin,

00:20:52.620 --> 00:20:53.460
 and then as a

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.240
 widow until she

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:54.819
 was 84.

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:56.579
 She did not

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.319
 depart from the

00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:57.619
 temple,

00:20:58.779 --> 00:20:59.500
 worshiping,

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:00.839
 fasting,

00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:01.980
 prayer,

00:21:02.220 --> 00:21:03.200
 night and day.

00:21:04.439 --> 00:21:05.319
 Why would she

00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:05.720
 do that?

00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:07.799
 Hopeful expectancy,

00:21:08.019 --> 00:21:08.179
 right?

00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:09.879
 And coming up at

00:21:09.879 --> 00:21:10.599
 that very hour,

00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:11.399
 she began to give

00:21:11.399 --> 00:21:12.259
 thanks to God

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.240
 and to speak of

00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:14.299
 Jesus to all

00:21:14.299 --> 00:21:15.319
 who were waiting

00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:17.359
 for the redemption

00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:18.939
 of Jerusalem.

00:21:19.659 --> 00:21:20.759
 Now Simeon and

00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:22.000
 Anna here are

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:23.639
 wonderful examples

00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:24.800
 of the spirit of

00:21:24.800 --> 00:21:26.000
 Advent that we

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.580
 talked so much

00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:27.560
 about last week.

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.860
 Remember Advent

00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:29.540
 from the Latin

00:21:29.540 --> 00:21:30.160
 Adventus.

00:21:30.280 --> 00:21:31.300
 It means coming

00:21:31.300 --> 00:21:32.880
 or arrival.

00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:34.380
 There's two

00:21:34.380 --> 00:21:35.140
 Advents in the

00:21:35.140 --> 00:21:35.460
 scripture.

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.460
 The first Advent

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:37.280
 being the

00:21:37.280 --> 00:21:38.220
 incarnation of

00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:38.500
 Christ.

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.759
 The second Advent

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.700
 being the return

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.420
 of Christ.

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:42.440
 And of course

00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:43.020
 they're awaiting

00:21:43.020 --> 00:21:44.360
 for the first

00:21:44.360 --> 00:21:45.320
 Advent of Christ.

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.120
 And I want you

00:21:46.120 --> 00:21:46.580
 to think about

00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:47.140
 this in terms

00:21:47.140 --> 00:21:47.660
 of the Advent

00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:48.420
 season for just

00:21:48.420 --> 00:21:48.860
 a moment.

00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:50.540
 The Advent

00:21:50.540 --> 00:21:51.560
 season is a

00:21:51.560 --> 00:21:52.700
 time of longing

00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:54.180
 and hopeful

00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:56.100
 expectation that

00:21:56.100 --> 00:21:57.299
 Christ will come

00:21:57.299 --> 00:21:58.299
 to save his

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:58.640
 people.

00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:01.319
 Just as Israel

00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:02.160
 and Simeon

00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:02.740
 and Anna

00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:03.799
 longed for

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:05.039
 and awaited

00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:05.720
 the Advent

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:06.559
 of the Messiah,

00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:08.200
 Christians now,

00:22:08.360 --> 00:22:08.759
 us,

00:22:08.980 --> 00:22:10.299
 we long for

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:10.940
 and await

00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:11.779
 the Messiah's

00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:13.080
 return.

00:22:13.860 --> 00:22:15.059
 In the same

00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:15.940
 spirit of it.

00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:17.720
 And no one

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.299
 in the Christmas

00:22:18.299 --> 00:22:19.140
 narratives

00:22:19.140 --> 00:22:20.440
 displays this

00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:21.180
 sense of hope

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:21.900
 and certainty

00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:23.279
 quite like

00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.880
 Simeon and

00:22:23.880 --> 00:22:24.460
 Anna do.

00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:26.299
 Though they

00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:27.740
 understood the

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:29.060
 deep reality

00:22:29.060 --> 00:22:30.060
 of brokenness

00:22:30.060 --> 00:22:30.580
 and sin,

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:32.320
 they were fully

00:22:32.320 --> 00:22:34.000
 convinced that

00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:34.620
 God would

00:22:34.620 --> 00:22:35.340
 fulfill his

00:22:35.340 --> 00:22:36.120
 promises of

00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:36.640
 salvation.

00:22:37.320 --> 00:22:38.120
 Fully convinced.

00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:39.180
 It's unmistakable

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:39.940
 in this passage.

00:22:41.100 --> 00:22:42.480
 Not even yet

00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:43.180
 with the Christ

00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:43.779
 coming to the

00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:44.620
 temple, but just

00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:45.740
 the practices of

00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:46.480
 Simeon and Anna

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.420
 before that,

00:22:47.640 --> 00:22:48.820
 full of hopeful

00:22:48.819 --> 00:22:49.879
 expectation,

00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:51.220
 trusting God,

00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:52.559
 believing in

00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.240
 his promises.

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.279
 They both gave

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:55.919
 their lives to

00:22:55.919 --> 00:22:56.819
 prayer and to

00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:57.539
 worship and

00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:58.759
 proclamation about

00:22:58.759 --> 00:22:59.319
 this hope,

00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:00.639
 and God blessed

00:23:00.639 --> 00:23:01.500
 both of them to

00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:03.079
 speak prophetically

00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:04.539
 about the hope

00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:05.359
 that had come in

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:06.200
 the child Jesus.

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:08.000
 But the question

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.019
 is, how could

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:09.619
 they actually

00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:10.819
 possess that kind

00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:11.119
 of hope?

00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:12.359
 What gave them

00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:13.480
 such assurance

00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:14.599
 in that moment?

00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:16.819
 Is it that they

00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:17.359
 were doing what

00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.259
 everybody else was,

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:18.720
 they were just

00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:19.559
 picking something

00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:20.379
 to put their

00:23:20.379 --> 00:23:20.900
 hope in, and

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:21.579
 they just happened

00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:22.160
 to be the ones

00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:22.779
 that were right?

00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:24.460
 No, that's not

00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:24.759
 it.

00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:25.879
 And I think the

00:23:25.879 --> 00:23:26.519
 answer can be

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:27.319
 found for us if

00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:27.900
 we look a little

00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:29.140
 closer at

00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:29.680
 Simeon.

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.879
 If you notice

00:23:31.879 --> 00:23:32.619
 in these verses,

00:23:33.379 --> 00:23:34.539
 Simeon's hope

00:23:34.539 --> 00:23:37.339
 is directly linked

00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:39.420
 in the text to

00:23:39.420 --> 00:23:40.160
 his righteousness

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:41.720
 and devotion.

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:43.519
 He was a

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.779
 righteous and

00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.640
 devout man.

00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:47.220
 Now this is not

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:48.640
 that pseudo form

00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:50.019
 of hope that

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:50.799
 attempts to

00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:51.799
 will or to

00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:53.019
 manifest things

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:54.279
 by the power

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:54.740
 of positive

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:55.120
 thinking.

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.180
 That is all the

00:23:56.180 --> 00:23:56.920
 rage these days,

00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:57.380
 and there's some

00:23:57.380 --> 00:23:58.000
 Christians that are

00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:58.640
 dabbling in this,

00:23:58.720 --> 00:23:59.200
 and let me just

00:23:59.200 --> 00:23:59.880
 take this as a

00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:00.700
 byway for just a

00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:00.900
 moment.

00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:02.200
 Stay away from

00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:03.259
 this manifesting

00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:03.920
 ideology.

00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:06.500
 It's not real.

00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:07.819
 It's demonic

00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:09.460
 New Age theology

00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:10.900
 that says if I just

00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:11.759
 think it hard enough

00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:12.640
 and I think it over

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.500
 and over and over

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.420
 again, I can

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:15.579
 manifest into

00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:16.559
 existence the good

00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:17.159
 things that I want

00:24:17.159 --> 00:24:17.619
 in my life.

00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:18.740
 There are Christians

00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:19.639
 who are treating

00:24:19.639 --> 00:24:20.480
 God that way,

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.199
 where they just

00:24:21.199 --> 00:24:21.779
 think if I just

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.419
 think positively

00:24:22.419 --> 00:24:23.439
 enough, if I pray

00:24:23.439 --> 00:24:24.220
 enough in Jesus'

00:24:24.399 --> 00:24:25.039
 name, I can

00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:26.019
 manifest through

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:27.220
 this power, this

00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:28.119
 divine power that

00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:28.539
 is in me.

00:24:28.679 --> 00:24:29.699
 I can manifest

00:24:29.699 --> 00:24:30.480
 these things that I

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.039
 want out of life.

00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:32.059
 Stay away from

00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:32.359
 that.

00:24:33.159 --> 00:24:33.879
 That's false.

00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:34.480
 That's not a

00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:34.799
 gospel.

00:24:34.919 --> 00:24:35.519
 That's a false

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:35.919
 gospel.

00:24:36.339 --> 00:24:37.059
 Stay away from

00:24:37.059 --> 00:24:37.519
 those things.

00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:38.659
 That's not what

00:24:38.659 --> 00:24:39.500
 Simeon is doing

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:39.839
 here.

00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:42.099
 Rather, Simeon's

00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:43.599
 hope is grounded in

00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:45.599
 an objective source,

00:24:46.639 --> 00:24:47.480
 the written word

00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:48.059
 of God.

00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:51.000
 Righteous and

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:51.919
 devout are terms

00:24:51.919 --> 00:24:52.959
 that can only be

00:24:52.959 --> 00:24:53.779
 understood in this

00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:55.379
 context in light of

00:24:55.379 --> 00:24:57.079
 a commitment to the

00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:57.419
 scriptures.

00:24:59.779 --> 00:25:00.919
 Righteous means that

00:25:00.919 --> 00:25:02.339
 Simeon lived according

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.439
 to God's commands.

00:25:03.899 --> 00:25:04.939
 Devout means that he

00:25:04.939 --> 00:25:05.980
 was devoted in

00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:07.480
 genuine faith and

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.539
 service to the

00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:10.199
 Lord, including

00:25:10.199 --> 00:25:12.399
 trusting the promises

00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:13.200
 of a Savior.

00:25:14.600 --> 00:25:15.580
 And furthermore,

00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:17.580
 God blessed

00:25:17.580 --> 00:25:19.320
 Simeon graciously

00:25:19.320 --> 00:25:20.720
 with the presence

00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:22.140
 and the power of

00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:22.960
 the Holy Spirit

00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:24.500
 who drove him

00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:25.700
 forward in

00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:26.720
 hopefulness.

00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:28.340
 That's the source

00:25:28.340 --> 00:25:29.000
 of his hope.

00:25:29.320 --> 00:25:30.380
 That's the source

00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:31.060
 of his certainty

00:25:31.060 --> 00:25:31.460
 here.

00:25:32.340 --> 00:25:32.740
 And there's

00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:33.519
 something significant

00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.519
 in this for us.

00:25:35.780 --> 00:25:38.200
 True hope is a

00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:40.620
 divine gift from

00:25:40.620 --> 00:25:41.440
 the Holy Spirit.

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:43.720
 that is grounded

00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:45.220
 in the Bible.

00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:47.860
 True hope,

00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:48.720
 if you have it,

00:25:49.620 --> 00:25:50.779
 is a gift

00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:52.620
 from the Holy Spirit

00:25:52.620 --> 00:25:54.559
 that is rooted

00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:56.740
 in the word of God,

00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:58.539
 which Paul says

00:25:58.539 --> 00:25:59.500
 later is the

00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:01.400
 sword of the Spirit.

00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.559
 It is the weapon

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.299
 that the Spirit

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:04.340
 yields and

00:26:04.340 --> 00:26:05.539
 wields in order

00:26:05.539 --> 00:26:07.100
 to do the work

00:26:07.100 --> 00:26:07.840
 of God in our

00:26:07.840 --> 00:26:08.340
 lives.

00:26:08.339 --> 00:26:10.919
 hope can only

00:26:10.919 --> 00:26:11.559
 be understood

00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:12.359
 and strengthened

00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.679
 as we submit

00:26:13.679 --> 00:26:14.579
 to the leadership

00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:15.879
 of the Holy Spirit

00:26:15.879 --> 00:26:17.799
 and devote ourselves

00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:19.039
 to the faithful

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.439
 study of the

00:26:20.439 --> 00:26:21.059
 inerrant,

00:26:21.419 --> 00:26:22.240
 authoritative

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:23.619
 word of God.

00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:25.659
 It is in the

00:26:25.659 --> 00:26:26.679
 scriptures alone

00:26:26.679 --> 00:26:28.500
 that we find the

00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.279
 hope of the gospel.

00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:29.379
 faithful.

00:26:30.339 --> 00:26:31.039
 And it is the

00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:31.779
 Holy Spirit

00:26:31.779 --> 00:26:33.660
 who illuminates

00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:34.440
 the word in our

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.639
 hearts and minds,

00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:36.960
 giving us the

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.639
 same assurance

00:26:37.639 --> 00:26:38.500
 that Simeon

00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:39.940
 and Anna had.

00:26:40.779 --> 00:26:41.339
 You say,

00:26:41.420 --> 00:26:42.480
 I just feel so

00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:44.440
 unsure

00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:45.700
 of everything.

00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:48.660
 Well, are you

00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:50.340
 devoted to the

00:26:50.340 --> 00:26:50.779
 word?

00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:53.240
 Are you

00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:54.340
 righteous in your

00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:55.319
 obedience to it,

00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.360
 faithful in your

00:26:56.360 --> 00:26:57.000
 devotion?

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.660
 A cynic will

00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:01.660
 never experience

00:27:01.660 --> 00:27:03.120
 hope because they

00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:03.920
 refuse to believe

00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:04.759
 in anything at all,

00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:05.920
 but neither is a

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.940
 sense of hopefulness

00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:08.860
 itself worth

00:27:08.860 --> 00:27:10.480
 anything if it

00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:11.460
 isn't rooted in

00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:11.960
 an objective

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:12.500
 truth.

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:16.259
 the brokenness

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:17.019
 of this world

00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:18.680
 can and

00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:19.599
 ultimately will

00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:20.240
 be fixed.

00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:21.680
 It will all be

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:22.180
 made right.

00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:24.220
 But the only

00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:24.940
 place you will

00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:25.579
 find true

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.279
 grounds for

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:27.220
 believing that

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:28.740
 is in the

00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.099
 Bible.

00:27:30.339 --> 00:27:30.940
 It's the only

00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:31.500
 place.

00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:33.680
 Hope is not

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:34.299
 something you

00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:35.599
 can conjure up

00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:36.519
 from deep

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:37.240
 within you.

00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:38.660
 It is a gift

00:27:38.660 --> 00:27:39.460
 from God that

00:27:39.460 --> 00:27:39.920
 he delivers

00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:40.339
 through his

00:27:40.339 --> 00:27:40.619
 word.

00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:42.400
 So if

00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:42.880
 you're without

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:43.540
 hope today,

00:27:43.780 --> 00:27:45.259
 what you need

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.120
 is the word.

00:27:46.820 --> 00:27:47.120
 You need to

00:27:47.120 --> 00:27:47.560
 come to the

00:27:47.560 --> 00:27:48.620
 word because

00:27:48.620 --> 00:27:49.259
 it's the word

00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:49.800
 that the Spirit

00:27:49.800 --> 00:27:50.400
 will use to

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.840
 give you this

00:27:50.840 --> 00:27:51.100
 hope.

00:27:52.040 --> 00:27:52.259
 Okay,

00:27:52.600 --> 00:27:53.400
 finally,

00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:54.440
 we've seen

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:55.560
 hope requires

00:27:55.560 --> 00:27:56.640
 we recognize

00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:57.320
 brokenness.

00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:59.140
 Hope requires

00:27:59.140 --> 00:27:59.880
 that we actually

00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:00.400
 believe that

00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:00.980
 things can get

00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:01.300
 better.

00:28:01.580 --> 00:28:02.259
 If you don't

00:28:02.259 --> 00:28:02.780
 believe that,

00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:03.400
 then you

00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:04.460
 literally don't

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:05.040
 have any hope

00:28:05.040 --> 00:28:05.519
 at all,

00:28:05.820 --> 00:28:06.040
 right?

00:28:06.840 --> 00:28:07.320
 Thirdly,

00:28:08.800 --> 00:28:09.480
 hope is made

00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:11.540
 certain only

00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:13.200
 through Jesus.

00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:15.460
 Hope is made

00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:17.240
 certain only

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:18.859
 through Jesus.

00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:20.559
 Now,

00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.599
 everything we've

00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:22.059
 covered up to

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:22.740
 this point has

00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.379
 been framed

00:28:23.379 --> 00:28:24.839
 around hope's

00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:25.920
 potential.

00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:26.839
 Okay?

00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.259
 Hope's potential.

00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:30.940
 But now I want

00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:31.639
 you to see that

00:28:31.639 --> 00:28:32.399
 through the gospel

00:28:32.399 --> 00:28:33.099
 of Jesus,

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:35.079
 true hope is a

00:28:35.079 --> 00:28:37.579
 certainty that you

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.599
 can personally

00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:40.099
 experience.

00:28:40.099 --> 00:28:40.719
 okay?

00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.179
 Are you with

00:28:41.179 --> 00:28:41.599
 me still?

00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:42.399
 Right?

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:42.719
 I know it's

00:28:42.719 --> 00:28:43.199
 kind of warm.

00:28:43.399 --> 00:28:43.719
 Give me your

00:28:43.719 --> 00:28:44.299
 eyes for just a

00:28:44.299 --> 00:28:44.439
 second.

00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:44.740
 Will you do

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:44.980
 that?

00:28:45.419 --> 00:28:45.639
 I'm going to

00:28:45.639 --> 00:28:46.159
 say that just

00:28:46.159 --> 00:28:46.599
 once more.

00:28:48.219 --> 00:28:49.139
 I want you to

00:28:49.139 --> 00:28:49.500
 know,

00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:50.679
 okay,

00:28:50.719 --> 00:28:51.319
 are you listening?

00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:52.139
 Everybody,

00:28:52.579 --> 00:28:53.359
 I want you to

00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:55.839
 know that the

00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:56.299
 hope of the

00:28:56.299 --> 00:28:58.639
 gospel is a

00:28:58.639 --> 00:28:59.099
 certainty.

00:28:59.279 --> 00:28:59.839
 It's a certain

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:01.659
 hope and you

00:29:01.659 --> 00:29:02.359
 can have it.

00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:02.719
 Okay?

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:04.359
 So I want you to

00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:05.740
 know and hear me

00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:06.559
 out for just a few

00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:07.039
 more minutes.

00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.379
 It's okay.

00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:09.359
 And the Bible

00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:10.119
 speaks of hope.

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.279
 It doesn't speak of

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:12.619
 it in reference to

00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:13.379
 wishful thinking.

00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:14.059
 That's how we

00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:14.819
 typically use that

00:29:14.819 --> 00:29:15.059
 word.

00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:15.859
 It's not how the

00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:16.599
 Bible uses that

00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:16.859
 word.

00:29:18.159 --> 00:29:19.579
 The Bible uses it

00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:20.639
 in terms of a

00:29:20.639 --> 00:29:21.899
 present assurance

00:29:21.899 --> 00:29:23.759
 of a future

00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:24.420
 reality.

00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:24.920
 Okay?

00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:27.099
 I am certain

00:29:27.099 --> 00:29:28.980
 today of what

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.659
 will be

00:29:29.659 --> 00:29:30.819
 tomorrow.

00:29:31.139 --> 00:29:31.339
 Okay?

00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:32.460
 That's kind of the

00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:34.159
 terms of biblical

00:29:34.159 --> 00:29:35.039
 hope that we're

00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:36.079
 working with here.

00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:37.539
 And this

00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:38.319
 assurance that the

00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:38.879
 Bible gives us,

00:29:38.919 --> 00:29:39.539
 it has everything

00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:40.019
 to do with

00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:40.359
 Jesus.

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:42.339
 With the advent

00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:43.480
 of Christ came

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.220
 the advent of

00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:45.139
 everlasting hope.

00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:46.480
 And we can begin

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.019
 to see this if we

00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:48.599
 look at what

00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:49.799
 Simeon said.

00:29:50.199 --> 00:29:50.419
 Okay?

00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:51.559
 Verse 28.

00:29:53.079 --> 00:29:54.299
 He took Jesus up

00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:54.960
 in his arms and

00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.699
 blessed God and

00:29:55.699 --> 00:29:55.960
 said,

00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:57.919
 Lord, now you are

00:29:57.919 --> 00:29:58.939
 letting your servant

00:29:58.939 --> 00:30:00.139
 depart in peace

00:30:00.139 --> 00:30:01.019
 according to your

00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:01.399
 word.

00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:03.159
 For my eyes have

00:30:03.159 --> 00:30:04.379
 seen your salvation

00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:04.919
 that you have

00:30:04.919 --> 00:30:05.659
 prepared in the

00:30:05.660 --> 00:30:06.320
 presence of all

00:30:06.320 --> 00:30:06.680
 people.

00:30:07.060 --> 00:30:08.300
 A light for

00:30:08.300 --> 00:30:09.340
 revelation to the

00:30:09.340 --> 00:30:10.860
 Gentiles and for

00:30:10.860 --> 00:30:11.660
 glory to your

00:30:11.660 --> 00:30:12.400
 people Israel.

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.860
 And his father

00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:15.120
 and mother marveled

00:30:15.120 --> 00:30:16.320
 at what was said

00:30:16.320 --> 00:30:16.860
 about him.

00:30:18.019 --> 00:30:18.820
 These are not the

00:30:18.820 --> 00:30:19.640
 words of a man

00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:21.300
 who simply wished

00:30:21.300 --> 00:30:22.660
 that this child

00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:23.300
 would be the one

00:30:23.300 --> 00:30:24.160
 to bring salvation,

00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:25.820
 but of someone

00:30:25.820 --> 00:30:26.660
 who was entirely

00:30:26.660 --> 00:30:27.759
 convinced of it.

00:30:28.800 --> 00:30:29.540
 But don't you

00:30:29.540 --> 00:30:30.259
 find it interesting

00:30:30.259 --> 00:30:31.320
 that for some

00:30:31.320 --> 00:30:32.620
 reason now he's

00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:33.519
 interested in dying?

00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:35.480
 That doesn't make

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.259
 a lot of sense.

00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:38.579
 If he believes that

00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:39.460
 Messiah has now

00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:41.200
 come, why is it

00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:42.019
 that now he turns

00:30:42.019 --> 00:30:42.599
 and he says to

00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:43.339
 God, okay Lord,

00:30:43.579 --> 00:30:44.859
 I can die now.

00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:46.279
 I've seen him.

00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:47.700
 Wouldn't he want to

00:30:47.700 --> 00:30:48.660
 stay around for a

00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:50.299
 few more years to

00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:50.859
 see what would

00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:52.379
 actually come of

00:30:52.379 --> 00:30:53.559
 this child?

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:55.200
 But that's not

00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:55.920
 what he asked for.

00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:57.400
 He says, I'm ready

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:57.859
 to die.

00:30:57.859 --> 00:30:59.959
 Simeon's hope

00:30:59.959 --> 00:31:01.439
 as gifted to him

00:31:01.439 --> 00:31:02.319
 by God's spirit

00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:04.399
 was so certain

00:31:04.399 --> 00:31:05.939
 that he didn't need

00:31:05.939 --> 00:31:06.899
 to see anything else.

00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:09.699
 He didn't have to

00:31:09.699 --> 00:31:10.759
 ask any more questions.

00:31:11.659 --> 00:31:13.199
 He was so assured

00:31:13.199 --> 00:31:14.519
 that eternal salvation

00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.319
 would come through

00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:15.939
 this child

00:31:15.939 --> 00:31:16.959
 that it gave him

00:31:16.959 --> 00:31:17.879
 complete peace

00:31:17.879 --> 00:31:19.039
 to just go ahead

00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:20.099
 and die.

00:31:20.539 --> 00:31:21.159
 He wasn't worried

00:31:21.159 --> 00:31:21.659
 about what was

00:31:21.659 --> 00:31:22.279
 coming next.

00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:22.719
 Why?

00:31:23.159 --> 00:31:24.479
 He was so certain

00:31:24.479 --> 00:31:25.879
 of what was true

00:31:25.879 --> 00:31:27.539
 about this baby Jesus.

00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:29.699
 But it gets even

00:31:29.699 --> 00:31:30.079
 better.

00:31:30.879 --> 00:31:31.759
 Simeon declares

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:32.619
 that this gospel

00:31:32.619 --> 00:31:33.379
 hope was not

00:31:33.379 --> 00:31:34.099
 just for him.

00:31:34.719 --> 00:31:35.559
 He says it has

00:31:35.559 --> 00:31:36.159
 been revealed

00:31:36.159 --> 00:31:37.819
 before all peoples.

00:31:37.979 --> 00:31:39.079
 That means you

00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.099
 and I can also

00:31:40.099 --> 00:31:41.199
 benefit from

00:31:41.199 --> 00:31:42.339
 this certainty

00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:43.359
 at least as far

00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:44.039
 as Simeon is

00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:44.479
 concerned.

00:31:45.479 --> 00:31:46.079
 In other words,

00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:47.779
 the hope that

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.559
 Simeon possessed,

00:31:48.659 --> 00:31:49.379
 it can be yours.

00:31:49.479 --> 00:31:50.259
 It can be mine.

00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:52.179
 But we have to

00:31:52.179 --> 00:31:52.839
 take one step

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.899
 further to understand

00:31:53.899 --> 00:31:54.779
 why.

00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:56.439
 What exactly

00:31:56.439 --> 00:31:57.159
 is it about

00:31:57.159 --> 00:31:57.619
 Jesus

00:31:57.619 --> 00:31:59.039
 that assures

00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:00.339
 us so certainly

00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:01.459
 of this salvation?

00:32:02.239 --> 00:32:02.599
 Well, look at

00:32:02.599 --> 00:32:03.299
 verse 34.

00:32:04.699 --> 00:32:05.479
 Simeon suddenly,

00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:06.199
 and I would imagine

00:32:06.199 --> 00:32:07.219
 solemnly at this

00:32:07.219 --> 00:32:07.500
 point,

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:08.719
 turns and he

00:32:08.719 --> 00:32:09.479
 looks at Mary

00:32:09.479 --> 00:32:10.359
 and he says,

00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.639
 Behold,

00:32:12.739 --> 00:32:13.500
 this child is

00:32:13.500 --> 00:32:14.859
 appointed for the

00:32:14.859 --> 00:32:16.000
 fall and rising

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:16.939
 of many in Israel

00:32:16.939 --> 00:32:18.019
 and he will be

00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:18.799
 a sign that's

00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:19.519
 opposed.

00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:21.779
 As much as I

00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.359
 love him and

00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:23.000
 am blessed by

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:23.539
 his presence,

00:32:23.659 --> 00:32:23.919
 Mary,

00:32:24.659 --> 00:32:25.319
 not everybody's

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:25.619
 going to be

00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:26.399
 blessed by him.

00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:26.940
 In fact,

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:27.660
 a lot of people

00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:27.980
 are going to

00:32:27.980 --> 00:32:28.840
 oppose him.

00:32:29.120 --> 00:32:29.440
 And then he

00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:29.980
 gives this little

00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:30.920
 parenthetical statement

00:32:30.920 --> 00:32:31.480
 to Mary.

00:32:31.620 --> 00:32:32.140
 In fact,

00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:32.580
 Mary,

00:32:33.860 --> 00:32:34.740
 a sword will

00:32:34.740 --> 00:32:35.220
 pierce through

00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:36.040
 your soul

00:32:36.040 --> 00:32:36.740
 also.

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:38.920
 Why?

00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:40.259
 So that the

00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:40.960
 thoughts from

00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:41.560
 many hearts

00:32:41.560 --> 00:32:42.300
 may be revealed.

00:32:42.600 --> 00:32:42.860
 Okay,

00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:43.380
 now we're getting

00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:43.880
 to the heart

00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:44.320
 of the gospel

00:32:44.320 --> 00:32:44.560
 here,

00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:44.900
 aren't we?

00:32:46.780 --> 00:32:47.600
 Simeon declared

00:32:47.600 --> 00:32:48.120
 that Jesus

00:32:48.120 --> 00:32:48.780
 would be the

00:32:48.780 --> 00:32:49.420
 judge who

00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:50.100
 would bring

00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.560
 about the

00:32:50.560 --> 00:32:51.080
 fall of the

00:32:51.080 --> 00:32:51.540
 prideful,

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:52.400
 and he would

00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:53.060
 be the savior

00:32:53.060 --> 00:32:53.880
 who would exalt

00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:54.360
 the humble.

00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:54.740
 Okay,

00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:55.099
 that's the

00:32:55.099 --> 00:32:55.759
 first phrase.

00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:57.000
 Appointed for

00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:57.500
 the fall and

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:57.979
 rising of

00:32:57.979 --> 00:32:58.259
 many in

00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:58.559
 Israel.

00:32:59.219 --> 00:32:59.519
 Then he

00:32:59.519 --> 00:32:59.959
 hinted that

00:32:59.959 --> 00:33:00.879
 this work

00:33:00.879 --> 00:33:01.659
 of salvation

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.159
 would come

00:33:02.159 --> 00:33:02.719
 through such

00:33:02.719 --> 00:33:05.519
 opposition that

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.059
 it would feel

00:33:06.059 --> 00:33:06.919
 for Mary as

00:33:06.919 --> 00:33:07.740
 though her

00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:08.859
 very soul had

00:33:08.859 --> 00:33:09.459
 been pierced

00:33:09.459 --> 00:33:10.079
 with a sword.

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:12.419
 Now at the

00:33:12.419 --> 00:33:13.299
 time that Simeon

00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:14.419
 says those words,

00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:15.559
 it's shrouded in

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:15.919
 mystery.

00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:16.679
 There's no way

00:33:16.679 --> 00:33:17.500
 for Mary and

00:33:17.500 --> 00:33:18.259
 Joseph to really

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:19.779
 understand what

00:33:19.779 --> 00:33:20.299
 he was getting

00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:20.959
 at about that.

00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:22.400
 we have the

00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:22.960
 blessing of

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:23.799
 looking back on

00:33:23.799 --> 00:33:24.220
 that moment

00:33:24.220 --> 00:33:24.640
 now, don't

00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:24.860
 we?

00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:25.539
 And we

00:33:25.539 --> 00:33:26.340
 understand exactly

00:33:26.340 --> 00:33:26.840
 what this is

00:33:26.840 --> 00:33:27.160
 about.

00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:28.240
 This was

00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:28.840
 pointing toward

00:33:28.840 --> 00:33:30.319
 Jesus' crucifixion,

00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:32.759
 which Mary

00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:33.680
 herself was a

00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:34.340
 personal witness,

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.279
 eyewitness of.

00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:36.840
 Now can you

00:33:36.840 --> 00:33:37.600
 imagine, those of

00:33:37.600 --> 00:33:37.940
 you who are

00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:38.480
 mothers, can you

00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:39.299
 imagine watching

00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:40.380
 your child go

00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:40.940
 through such

00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:41.660
 torment and

00:33:41.660 --> 00:33:43.660
 pain and to

00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:45.620
 be murdered in

00:33:45.620 --> 00:33:46.120
 such a cruel

00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:46.400
 way?

00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:46.960
 Would that not

00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:47.600
 feel like your

00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:48.220
 own soul has

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:48.700
 been pierced

00:33:48.700 --> 00:33:49.259
 with the sword?

00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:51.259
 Is that not

00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:51.620
 what he's

00:33:51.620 --> 00:33:52.080
 getting at

00:33:52.080 --> 00:33:52.259
 here?

00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:54.299
 Jesus indeed

00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:55.620
 is the Lord

00:33:55.620 --> 00:33:56.400
 and Savior who

00:33:56.400 --> 00:33:57.539
 brought the

00:33:57.539 --> 00:33:57.900
 hope of

00:33:57.900 --> 00:33:58.539
 salvation, but

00:33:58.539 --> 00:33:59.920
 he did it by

00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:00.580
 dying in our

00:34:00.580 --> 00:34:02.580
 place as a

00:34:02.580 --> 00:34:02.940
 substitute.

00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:05.420
 Remember all

00:34:05.420 --> 00:34:06.160
 that brokenness

00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:06.840
 of sin we

00:34:06.840 --> 00:34:07.680
 emphasized earlier?

00:34:09.780 --> 00:34:10.720
 Jesus came to

00:34:10.720 --> 00:34:12.519
 give his life as

00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:13.519
 an atonement for

00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:15.039
 that sin.

00:34:16.380 --> 00:34:17.460
 He lived the

00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:18.220
 life that we

00:34:18.220 --> 00:34:18.679
 were meant to

00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:19.119
 live.

00:34:19.539 --> 00:34:20.019
 That's the

00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:20.559
 fulfillment of

00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:20.980
 the law.

00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:22.940
 Then he died the

00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:23.619
 death that we

00:34:23.619 --> 00:34:24.419
 deserve to die.

00:34:24.519 --> 00:34:24.899
 That's the

00:34:24.899 --> 00:34:26.399
 crucifixion on a

00:34:26.399 --> 00:34:26.859
 cross.

00:34:27.759 --> 00:34:28.759
 So that instead

00:34:28.759 --> 00:34:30.159
 of eternal hell,

00:34:30.279 --> 00:34:30.699
 which is a

00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:31.839
 reality for those

00:34:31.839 --> 00:34:32.699
 who go to death

00:34:32.699 --> 00:34:33.619
 without Christ,

00:34:34.039 --> 00:34:35.299
 we might instead

00:34:35.299 --> 00:34:36.379
 inherit eternal

00:34:36.379 --> 00:34:39.379
 life by faith as

00:34:39.379 --> 00:34:40.259
 the true children

00:34:40.259 --> 00:34:40.839
 of God.

00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:42.960
 That's what he

00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:43.339
 did.

00:34:43.799 --> 00:34:44.739
 That's why he

00:34:44.739 --> 00:34:45.259
 did it.

00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:47.039
 But the hope of

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:48.079
 this salvation was

00:34:48.079 --> 00:34:49.380
 ultimately secured

00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:50.400
 after the

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:51.139
 crucifixion.

00:34:51.759 --> 00:34:52.619
 Because the

00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:53.739
 crucifixion doesn't

00:34:53.739 --> 00:34:55.980
 mean anything until

00:34:55.980 --> 00:34:56.639
 the resurrection

00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:58.599
 happens three days

00:34:58.599 --> 00:34:59.380
 later.

00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:01.299
 How can we be

00:35:01.299 --> 00:35:02.159
 certain that Jesus

00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:02.659
 has brought

00:35:02.659 --> 00:35:03.219
 salvation?

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.519
 Because God

00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:05.420
 raised him up to

00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:07.139
 say, I proved it.

00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:09.059
 He's the one.

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:10.519
 He fulfilled the

00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:10.819
 law.

00:35:10.819 --> 00:35:12.119
 He has satisfied

00:35:12.119 --> 00:35:12.980
 my wrath.

00:35:12.980 --> 00:35:14.240
 And now you can

00:35:14.240 --> 00:35:15.500
 have life through

00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.340
 his life.

00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:17.639
 That's what the

00:35:17.639 --> 00:35:18.519
 resurrection says.

00:35:18.740 --> 00:35:19.619
 It's what we read

00:35:19.619 --> 00:35:20.860
 about in 1 Peter just

00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:21.800
 a few moments ago.

00:35:22.019 --> 00:35:22.860
 I'll read it again.

00:35:23.320 --> 00:35:24.460
 Blessed be the God

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:25.380
 and Father of our

00:35:25.380 --> 00:35:26.059
 Lord Jesus.

00:35:26.659 --> 00:35:27.579
 According to his

00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:29.539
 great mercy, he has

00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:30.980
 caused us to be born

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.340
 again to a living

00:35:32.340 --> 00:35:33.099
 hope.

00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:34.139
 And what is that

00:35:34.139 --> 00:35:35.019
 living hope in?

00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:36.719
 The resurrection of

00:35:36.719 --> 00:35:37.940
 Jesus Christ from the

00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:38.260
 dead.

00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:39.659
 And what does it do?

00:35:39.659 --> 00:35:41.799
 It gives us an

00:35:41.799 --> 00:35:42.420
 inheritance.

00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:43.899
 Remember Galatians

00:35:43.899 --> 00:35:44.299
 4.

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:46.279
 We are now heirs.

00:35:46.799 --> 00:35:47.500
 And what is the

00:35:47.500 --> 00:35:48.500
 inheritance that we

00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:49.719
 receive as heirs if

00:35:49.719 --> 00:35:50.579
 we're in Christ?

00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:52.779
 Peter tells us it's an

00:35:52.779 --> 00:35:53.659
 inheritance that's

00:35:53.659 --> 00:35:54.440
 imperishable.

00:35:54.980 --> 00:35:56.500
 It is undefiled.

00:35:57.179 --> 00:35:58.359
 It's unfading.

00:35:59.099 --> 00:36:00.399
 And it's kept in

00:36:00.399 --> 00:36:01.859
 heaven for us.

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:02.599
 It's secure.

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:05.559
 Who is it secured

00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:05.980
 for?

00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:09.139
 Those who by God's

00:36:09.139 --> 00:36:10.799
 power are being

00:36:10.799 --> 00:36:12.339
 guarded through faith

00:36:12.339 --> 00:36:14.679
 for a salvation that's

00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:16.359
 ready to be revealed.

00:36:17.359 --> 00:36:18.119
 Do you see that?

00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:19.319
 Salvation ready to be

00:36:19.319 --> 00:36:19.639
 revealed.

00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:21.539
 Salvation, present

00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:24.319
 possession of a future

00:36:24.319 --> 00:36:25.139
 reality.

00:36:26.259 --> 00:36:27.799
 That's what we call

00:36:27.799 --> 00:36:28.699
 hope.

00:36:29.319 --> 00:36:30.679
 And that hope comes

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:32.739
 only through the

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:34.400
 crucifixion and the

00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:36.279
 resurrection of the

00:36:36.279 --> 00:36:36.920
 Lord Jesus.

00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:37.139
 Jesus.

00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:39.619
 And Jesus offers this

00:36:39.619 --> 00:36:41.639
 hope to you now.

00:36:42.440 --> 00:36:43.079
 Now.

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:46.360
 If you will just

00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:47.659
 trust him by faith,

00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:49.619
 he will save you.

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:52.380
 He will forgive all of

00:36:52.380 --> 00:36:54.119
 the sin that has led to

00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:55.180
 the brokenness you have

00:36:55.180 --> 00:36:56.079
 experienced in your

00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:56.420
 life.

00:36:56.659 --> 00:36:57.599
 He'll forgive it.

00:36:58.139 --> 00:36:59.500
 He'll cleanse it.

00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:01.619
 He'll give you his

00:37:01.619 --> 00:37:02.079
 righteousness.

00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.079
 He'll give you his

00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:04.599
 life.

00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:07.119
 He'll satisfy God's

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.839
 wrath that is

00:37:08.839 --> 00:37:10.139
 determined against you.

00:37:11.759 --> 00:37:14.039
 And today can be the

00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:15.440
 advent of hope in your

00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:15.940
 life.

00:37:17.139 --> 00:37:18.699
 If you will just turn and

00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:19.079
 believe.

00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:21.539
 And why wouldn't you

00:37:21.539 --> 00:37:21.900
 believe?

00:37:23.339 --> 00:37:24.659
 It's so awesome.

00:37:26.319 --> 00:37:27.559
 And it's real.

00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:28.639
 That's the best part of

00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:28.779
 it.

00:37:28.839 --> 00:37:29.519
 It's not this.

00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:30.840
 It's not this

00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:32.480
 therapeutic mumbo

00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:33.820
 jumbo that we're just

00:37:33.820 --> 00:37:34.639
 like really hopeful

00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:35.519
 because that's the kind

00:37:35.519 --> 00:37:36.159
 of people we are.

00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:37.159
 We're super positive and

00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:37.920
 good things happen to

00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:38.639
 positive people.

00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:39.300
 No,

00:37:39.380 --> 00:37:40.420
 really bad things happen

00:37:40.420 --> 00:37:41.440
 to positive people too.

00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:43.119
 No,

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:44.440
 this is real hope.

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:46.440
 And it will only be

00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:48.380
 found in Jesus.

00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:50.579
 Let me finish this way

00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:52.099
 as we set our thoughts

00:37:52.099 --> 00:37:54.059
 back on Advent again.

00:37:54.059 --> 00:37:57.279
 Jesus is the Savior

00:37:57.279 --> 00:37:58.320
 who came to die

00:37:58.320 --> 00:37:59.279
 for our sins.

00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:01.980
 He's also the

00:38:01.980 --> 00:38:02.759
 sovereign Lord

00:38:02.759 --> 00:38:04.360
 who will return

00:38:04.360 --> 00:38:05.259
 to judge the earth.

00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:07.840
 So if

00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:09.039
 the issue

00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:10.259
 of our brokenness

00:38:10.259 --> 00:38:11.039
 in terms of our

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:11.759
 personal

00:38:11.759 --> 00:38:13.019
 sinful condition

00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:14.739
 is

00:38:14.739 --> 00:38:15.820
 met

00:38:15.820 --> 00:38:16.880
 at the cross

00:38:16.880 --> 00:38:17.340
 of Christ,

00:38:18.299 --> 00:38:19.420
 what are we then

00:38:19.420 --> 00:38:20.099
 to do with

00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:21.440
 the news

00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:22.039
 that we read

00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:23.460
 about the 6,000 kids

00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:25.279
 dead in Gaza

00:38:25.279 --> 00:38:26.480
 or about

00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:27.179
 all of the

00:38:27.179 --> 00:38:28.719
 Jews who were

00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:30.400
 kidnapped as hostages

00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:31.380
 and many of them

00:38:31.380 --> 00:38:31.900
 subsequently

00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:32.739
 have been killed?

00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:33.460
 What do we do

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:34.440
 about the conflicts

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.179
 between Russia

00:38:35.179 --> 00:38:35.619
 and Ukraine

00:38:35.619 --> 00:38:36.980
 and all of the injustices

00:38:36.980 --> 00:38:37.800
 that are happening there?

00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:38.639
 What do we do

00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:40.279
 about when we turn

00:38:40.279 --> 00:38:40.679
 on the news

00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:41.179
 and we see

00:38:41.179 --> 00:38:42.380
 the people again

00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:42.820
 this week

00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:44.300
 who don't get a job

00:38:44.300 --> 00:38:46.099
 and they're so mad

00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:47.099
 that they didn't get the job

00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:47.779
 they take a gun

00:38:47.779 --> 00:38:48.199
 and they go

00:38:48.199 --> 00:38:48.960
 and they kill

00:38:48.960 --> 00:38:49.619
 a bunch of people

00:38:49.619 --> 00:38:50.400
 at the place

00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:50.900
 that they were

00:38:50.900 --> 00:38:51.579
 hoping to work?

00:38:52.039 --> 00:38:52.820
 What do we do

00:38:52.820 --> 00:38:53.239
 with that?

00:38:53.739 --> 00:38:54.519
 How will that

00:38:54.519 --> 00:38:55.320
 be made right?

00:38:57.000 --> 00:38:57.619
 That's what we're

00:38:57.619 --> 00:38:58.519
 longing for isn't it?

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:00.519
 That's the second

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:00.820
 advent.

00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:03.360
 He is the

00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:03.880
 sovereign Lord

00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:04.940
 and he will return

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:06.219
 and when he returns

00:39:06.219 --> 00:39:07.279
 he will make

00:39:07.279 --> 00:39:08.159
 everything right.

00:39:10.000 --> 00:39:10.980
 Those who do not

00:39:10.980 --> 00:39:11.800
 belong to him

00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:13.340
 will be judged.

00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:16.000
 Now we take that

00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:16.559
 as a warning

00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:17.199
 on one hand

00:39:17.199 --> 00:39:19.599
 to make sure

00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:20.679
 that you're

00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:21.340
 in Christ

00:39:21.340 --> 00:39:22.440
 okay

00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:24.640
 but those of us

00:39:24.640 --> 00:39:25.360
 that are in Christ

00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:26.680
 we take that

00:39:26.680 --> 00:39:28.300
 as a joyful

00:39:28.300 --> 00:39:28.840
 thing

00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:31.100
 not that we

00:39:31.100 --> 00:39:31.640
 want to take

00:39:31.640 --> 00:39:32.039
 pleasure

00:39:32.039 --> 00:39:32.700
 in the destruction

00:39:32.700 --> 00:39:33.260
 of the wicked

00:39:33.260 --> 00:39:33.960
 not even God

00:39:33.960 --> 00:39:34.480
 takes pleasure

00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.079
 in the destruction

00:39:35.079 --> 00:39:35.579
 of the wicked

00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:36.380
 the Bible tells us

00:39:36.380 --> 00:39:37.120
 that plainly

00:39:37.120 --> 00:39:38.539
 no we rejoice

00:39:38.539 --> 00:39:39.680
 in the justice

00:39:39.680 --> 00:39:40.800
 of God

00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:42.600
 that he will

00:39:42.600 --> 00:39:43.280
 make all things

00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:43.600
 right

00:39:43.600 --> 00:39:45.960
 so Simeon and Anna

00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:46.519
 they're going to

00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:47.380
 the temple every day

00:39:47.380 --> 00:39:48.400
 and they're longing

00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:49.320
 for the Messiah

00:39:49.320 --> 00:39:50.039
 who will come

00:39:50.039 --> 00:39:50.640
 to bring them

00:39:50.640 --> 00:39:51.180
 salvation

00:39:51.180 --> 00:39:51.820
 you know what

00:39:51.820 --> 00:39:52.240
 we're doing

00:39:52.240 --> 00:39:52.800
 now that we've

00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:53.260
 received that

00:39:53.260 --> 00:39:53.760
 salvation

00:39:53.760 --> 00:39:55.000
 day by day

00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:55.860
 we're longing

00:39:55.860 --> 00:39:56.580
 for him to come

00:39:56.580 --> 00:39:56.980
 back

00:39:56.980 --> 00:39:58.440
 come back

00:39:58.440 --> 00:39:58.920
 and just make

00:39:58.920 --> 00:39:59.420
 it all right

00:39:59.420 --> 00:39:59.680
 Lord

00:39:59.680 --> 00:40:01.240
 come back

00:40:01.240 --> 00:40:02.559
 and rescue us

00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:03.300
 from the presence

00:40:03.300 --> 00:40:04.080
 of sin in our

00:40:04.080 --> 00:40:04.800
 life now Lord

00:40:04.800 --> 00:40:05.900
 rescue us

00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:07.220
 make the world

00:40:07.220 --> 00:40:07.740
 what it was

00:40:07.740 --> 00:40:08.620
 intended to bring

00:40:08.620 --> 00:40:10.080
 bring us back

00:40:10.080 --> 00:40:10.760
 to the garden

00:40:10.760 --> 00:40:11.580
 that's what

00:40:11.580 --> 00:40:12.019
 we're longing

00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:12.380
 for

00:40:12.380 --> 00:40:13.640
 that's the spirit

00:40:13.640 --> 00:40:14.180
 of advent

00:40:14.180 --> 00:40:14.940
 for those of us

00:40:14.940 --> 00:40:15.760
 who are in Christ

00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:16.840
 still a spirit

00:40:16.840 --> 00:40:17.260
 of longing

00:40:17.260 --> 00:40:18.079
 and expectation

00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:19.500
 and just as we

00:40:19.500 --> 00:40:19.980
 are certain

00:40:19.980 --> 00:40:20.600
 of the first

00:40:20.600 --> 00:40:21.460
 advent's

00:40:21.460 --> 00:40:22.860
 fulfillment

00:40:22.860 --> 00:40:23.720
 of our salvation

00:40:23.720 --> 00:40:24.820
 we are just as

00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:25.320
 certain that he

00:40:25.320 --> 00:40:25.820
 will return

00:40:25.820 --> 00:40:26.220
 and he will

00:40:26.220 --> 00:40:26.620
 make things

00:40:26.620 --> 00:40:26.880
 right

00:40:26.880 --> 00:40:28.079
 so live in

00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:28.519
 light of that

00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:28.940
 certainty

00:40:28.940 --> 00:40:29.960
 you know what

00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:30.519
 that brings

00:40:30.519 --> 00:40:31.400
 joy

00:40:31.400 --> 00:40:33.920
 yeah life

00:40:33.920 --> 00:40:34.400
 is hard

00:40:34.400 --> 00:40:37.539
 but he's

00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:38.300
 coming back

00:40:38.300 --> 00:40:39.380
 and he's

00:40:39.380 --> 00:40:39.800
 going to make

00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:40.340
 it all right

00:40:40.340 --> 00:40:41.760
 and we can

00:40:41.760 --> 00:40:42.360
 rest in that

00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:42.880
 better

00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:42.880


00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:42.880


00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:42.880


00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:42.880


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00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:43.059
!

00:40:43.059 --> 00:40:43.840
 better

00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:43.840


00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:44.360
 better

00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:44.360


00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:44.880
 better

00:40:44.880 --> 00:40:44.880


00:40:44.880 --> 00:40:44.880


00:40:44.880 --> 00:40:44.880


00:40:44.880 --> 00:40:46.960
 better

00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:46.960


00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:46.960


00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:46.960


00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:46.960


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