WEBVTT

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 Okay, how you guys doing today?

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 Good?

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 Just good?

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 All the dads get their nice watches?

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 I'm trying for us, guys.

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 I'm trying, okay?

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 So just, we'll see what happens.

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 You know, this has been a crazy, crazy week for us.

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 I don't know what we were thinking.

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 We had three birthday parties this week.

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 We have four kids, I think.

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 Four kids, right?

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 And we had three birthday parties.

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 So on Tuesday, we had a birthday party for Rebecca, and we had six girls spend the night.

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 So the birthday party Tuesday, spent the night.

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 Wednesday was the day off, and chaos ensued, right?

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 On Friday, we had Kip's birthday party, and we had about six boys spend the night, 11-year-olds,

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 and Lego wars, and just give them some Nerf guns, and everything's good, and chaos.

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 Then last night, we had six little seven-year-olds spend the night at our house.

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 And it was all about Barbie and talking, and I realized that I need a lot of help.

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 As a dad, I mean, I'm very teachable these times.

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 I realized that sometimes it's easier to give the boys a gun and let them go play, but that's

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 not a good model.

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 And so you give the daughters dolls, and you let them go play, and that's not necessarily

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 a good model either.

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 So you're kind of stuck in between how do you model for your kids, and what does it look

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 like to be a good parent in that sense.

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 And so we're very, very, very teachable right now.

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 It seems like parenting goes in cycles.

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 It seems like there are times when things are ordered and calm, and God is where he should

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 be in the household, and everything is good.

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 And you come home, and just, you know, your wife meets you at the door, or you meet your

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 wife at the door, and everything just seems like, oh, this is perfect.

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 And then there's times when things are just chaotic and out of control.

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 And just recently, we had one of those chaotic times, and our kids just seemed to be undisciplined.

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 And so we were realizing that we were going to go home on home leave, and we needed to send

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 them to boot camp to give them some codes, and some values, and some ethics, and some

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 things they do, and things they don't do in grandparents' house.

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 And so I came up with these rules, and I wrote them out there, and I said, here they are.

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 They're cowboy rules, which I thought would be kind of cool, because the kids could get

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 into that, because we're going to Texas.

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 And so we listed out the rules, and so we started teaching our kids these rules.

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 Rules, rule number one, cowboy rule number one, boys always open the doors for girls.

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 Cowboy rule number two, take your hat off when you come inside the house.

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 Cowboy rule number three, always say yes, ma'am, and yes, sir, to adults.

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 Number four, if you take something out, make sure you put it back where you found it.

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 Now, these are all pretty profound rules, aren't they?

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 You wonder what the family would be like if everybody obeyed these rules and did these

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 things, and it would just be great.

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 Cowboy rule number five, no talking with your mouth full.

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 Cowboy rule number six, be nice to your sisters.

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 You know who that's for.

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 And so we went home, and we're trying to give these rules to them, and we were out, and

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 we were, I think it was that we went to a Target, and for some reason, Targets have these

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 magnets in our family, and it just attracts the ladies in our family, and they just disappear.

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 And it was well past the time we were supposed to gather in an orderly way and to check out

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 and go on to the next place, and everybody was gone.

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 And Kip and I were there, and we were looking at each other, and we were like, okay, where

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 are all the women?

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 What's going on with these girls?

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 And Kip looked at me, and he goes, cowboy rule 100.

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 I'm like, cowboy rule 100?

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 We don't have a cowboy rule 100.

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 What's cowboy rule 100?

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 He goes, women like to shop.

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 That's out of the mind of a nine-year-old, right?

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 So you can give him some grace.

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 But I realized we had these cowboy rules, but then as we went through the summer, something

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 happened.

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 The cowboy rules started getting broken.

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 One of my kids broke it.

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 I'm not going to say who, but they have an XY chromosome in their body.

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 That's guys, if you don't know biology.

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 And he broke the cowboy rules, and I called him on it, and I said, dude, you broke these

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 four cowboy rules.

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 How could you do that?

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 And he looked at me, and he said, dad, I thought these cowboy rules were only for the house.

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 Because when I go outside of the house, I have to have a different set of rules.

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 Because no one knows you can have the same rules in the house as you can have outside the

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 house, because you need different rules for different parts of your life.

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 And I sat there going, wow, my eight-year-old, he's already learned compartmentalization.

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 He's already learned how to bifurcate his life into house and outside and with his friends.

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 And you know, as I thought about that, and I thought about this talk that we're going to

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 do today and for the next couple of days, that's one of the things that people tell me often

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 when I talk to them about business in Hong Kong.

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 I don't know if it's the same everywhere.

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 But they tell me these things.

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 You've got to have different sets of rules for different parts of your life.

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 They tell me that the biggest challenge for us as Christians is to keep the same rules

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 in all the compartments.

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 I put a quote for you in your bulletin.

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 I don't know what he is like, what Stephen Green is like, but I love this quote because

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 it speaks so well of what we want to talk about.

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 This is what he says.

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 Stephen Green used to be the former chairman of HSBC.

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 He said, compartmentalization, dividing up your life into different realms with different

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 ends and subject to different rules.

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 Compartmentalization is a refuge from ambiguity.

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 It enables us to simplify the rules by which we live in our different realms of life.

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 And so if we do this, and if we're not careful, we can avoid moral and spiritual questions.

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 One of the most obvious and commonplace manifestations in the tendency to compartmentalize is seeing our

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 work life as being a neutral realm in which the questions of value other than shareholder value

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 or of rightness other than what is lawful or of wisdom other than what is practical need not arise.

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 There are many other ways in which we compartmentalize our lives.

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 Work, family, friends, society.

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 These are different, though often they partially overlap different realms of our life.

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 And it is all too easy in a thousand ways to play a different set of rules for each of them.

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 These different realms of being also overlap with the inner realm of our self, but none of them completely.

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 The question is, what star does your inner self navigate?

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 And would it even know when it's off course?

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 Compartmentalization helps us to shut down these questions.

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 What do you think of that?

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 I thought, dude, that is, that's powerful.

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 I hope you hear our heart here.

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 Our desire and our expectation is not within one sermon or one set of sermons or one time coming together

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 to change everybody's ethics, morals, and values.

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 I didn't bring up my article here, but I was on vacation.

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 We took people to Israel, and I was reading an article from Vanity Fair.

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 It was talking about hunting down this guy, and you know him if you're in business.

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 It's Steve Cohen.

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 And it seems like the Fed is closing in on him and going after all the people around him.

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 And there was one quote there that really stuck out to me.

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 The quote was this.

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 They had just arrested one of the junior guys in a firm that was attached to his, and the FBI was interviewing him,

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 and he said, what wouldn't you do for 20% of $350 million?

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 You do a lot of effing stuff.

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 That's what he said, for 20% of $350 million.

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 In my world, there is no black and white.

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 There is only gray.

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 And the question is, how close do you want to get to the gray?

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 I know that some of us in this congregation right now are walking in gray and black areas.

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 It's human nature.

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 Stephen Green says it's the inevitable thing when you compartmentalize your life, and you have different rules.

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 And sometimes we forget what rules we're playing by and which compartment.

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 So again, this isn't a guilt trip, but it's a journey that we can do as a family and see,

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 what does the Bible have to say with our work?

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 What does the Bible have to say with how I should act in the workplace?

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 What does the Bible say that I should be doing and I should trust the Lord for on this journey that we're in?

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 And I'm hoping that as we discuss it, we will come up with some changes and some things in our life

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 and maybe even challenge each other on what that looks like.

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 I want to look at just three principles today in the passages that were laid out before you.

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 The three principles are very basic.

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 They're very simple.

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 They're very fundamental.

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 You've probably heard them a billion times.

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 They're probably going to be, well, that was the most simplistic sermon I've ever heard.

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 Why did he even talk about that?

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 But I think that we want to get it out there and we want to lay down this foundation of what that looks like in our life.

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 And the first principle is just seen in the Genesis passages that I laid out.

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 And the principle is this.

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 In the beginning, God was working.

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 God worked to create.

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 And after he created, he made you and I and he put us in the garden to continue his work.

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 Work is seen as a good thing.

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 Work is seen as an honorable thing.

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 The Bible says that when we work, we reflect God's glory.

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 We reflect how we were made and put together as individuals.

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 Our gifting, our talent, everything about us.

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 And when we work, whatever you do, Scripture says that is where God has placed you.

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 And the Bible says that you reflect God's glory to creation all around you.

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 I don't know what you think about that first basic principle.

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 I grew up in a world where people really struggled with that.

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 They saw work as something bad.

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 They saw work as something evil.

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 They saw work as something that they had to do.

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 They saw work as something that happened because of sinfulness in the world.

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 And most of the people that I grew up with would say something like this.

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 I can't wait until I can retire so I can just relax and do nothing.

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 I can't wait until I can retire.

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 Then I can go do something that I really want to do.

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 Maybe work in an NGO and do something worthwhile.

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 But the Bible says that work is honorable.

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 It's how we're made.

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 In fact, the Scripture says that we were made to work.

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 There's never a time that we shouldn't not be working except on the Sabbath

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 when we're trusting God for our future.

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 And that if we don't work, we're not who God made us to be.

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 I studied medicine.

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 I love reading documents and articles and latest articles.

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 And it seems to be there's a lot of information and correlation coming in

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 about people's mental health, their physical health, and their ability to work,

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 and if they are working and if they retire.

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 And it seems like there's preponderance of evidence that suggests,

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 in a physiological sense, the same thing that Scripture says,

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 that if people are not working, something's wrong with them.

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 And they feel that in their heart and in their soul.

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 I was talking to one psychiatrist, psychologist,

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 and we're talking about dealing with people who go into death

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 and they find out they're going to die.

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 And they made a very interesting statement to me.

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 They said this.

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 They said, you know, sometimes with guys,

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 it's easier for me to counsel him through death

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 than it is for me to counsel him through losing his job

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 and being let go.

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 Because there's something about job in a work

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 that speaks to the very heart and nature of how God made us.

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 Now, you might be sitting here going, yeah, yeah, yeah, I agree, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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 But when Paul shared that in his day, no one agreed.

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 That would have been the most shocking, revolutionary thing

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 that Paul shared to the church in Ephesians.

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 Because the Greeks and the Romans,

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 they all believed that work was an evil

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 and it was nothing that you should be doing.

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 And you should always work to get out of work

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 and that a satisfied, a life that was well-lived

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 was a life that lived in not having to work

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 and do anything.

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 So when Paul said work is valuable, it's good,

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 it's something that we should be doing,

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 no one in the congregation, no one listening to him

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 would have agreed.

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 They all would have seen it as just something evil

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 and necessary and that they want to escape.

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 And Paul's saying this to a church

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 that's full of slaves and masters

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 and something that never was experienced before

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 in a synagogue.

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 And so he's trying to talk to them about,

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 this is what God did, this is how he made us.

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 And we see from the very beginning of the Bible,

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 work and in the very last book of the Bible,

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 Revelation, work.

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 And the truth is, is that God made you to work.

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 And as you work, you glorify him,

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 you are completed, you feel his presence,

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 you feel his joy,

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 and you understand what life is about.

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 Work isn't just to earn beer and peanuts,

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 but it's to do what God has created you to do.

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 In this series of sermons, what I wanted to do,

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 what we've been praying about,

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 is to bring some people up front

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 and to have them share their testimony,

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 to share what's going on in their life,

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 and so they can just share their experiences.

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 And so our first guinea pig,

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 our first gracious person to come up and share,

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 I've asked Bernard, Bernard Yee to come up,

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 and I wanted Bernard just to come on up,

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 come on up, Bernard.

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 And I promised that I was going to be nice to him.

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 Yeah.

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 And so I gave him four questions

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 just to kind of think and prompt,

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 but we just want to talk,

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 and I'm not going to ask any of them.

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 I want to ask all brand new ones, right?

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 So, yeah.

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 So Bernard, come on over here.

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 I'm not going to bite you.

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 So Bernard and Angeline,

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 we've known them for many years,

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 and they've been a part of Watermark

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 for about a year now.

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 And so the kids are involved in the youth group,

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 and they come to our community group.

00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:40.620
 And so just, Bernard,

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:42.899
 hopefully you'll relax.

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:43.240
 Sure.

00:16:43.560 --> 00:16:43.759
 Okay.

00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:46.340
 So I wanted you to start off

00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:47.920
 and begin to share a little bit about yourself

00:16:47.920 --> 00:16:51.060
 and just where you are on your journey with work,

00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:51.680
 what you do,

00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:53.720
 and where God has placed you.

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:57.200
 I think maybe the first thing I'll start by saying

00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:01.560
 is I struggle with this concept

00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:03.659
 of how does work fit within my faith.

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:07.179
 But for many years, I didn't struggle with it

00:17:07.179 --> 00:17:08.839
 because I thought it was a very simple,

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:10.839
 as a Christian, I thought it was a very simple thing.

00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:12.639
 Basically, you go to work,

00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:16.339
 you don't go and cheat people,

00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:19.419
 and you don't go and sleep with your coworkers,

00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:24.779
 and then you earn your salary,

00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:26.560
 and you take the money,

00:17:26.800 --> 00:17:29.259
 and you be a good steward of your money.

00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:30.380
 And that was it.

00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.259
 So for many, many years,

00:17:32.300 --> 00:17:33.720
 I didn't struggle with it at all.

00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.039
 But until a few years ago,

00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:40.820
 and I heard a sermon on the Garden of Eden,

00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:43.120
 and I had a problem.

00:17:43.679 --> 00:17:45.799
 I couldn't find something in the Garden of Eden,

00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:48.739
 and that was I couldn't find a collection box.

00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:52.699
 So God told Adam to go and work,

00:17:53.139 --> 00:17:56.559
 but I couldn't find where Adam would go

00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.019
 and donate his money.

00:17:58.699 --> 00:18:00.559
 So I kind of figured out,

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:01.239
 you know what,

00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.339
 maybe that wasn't the answer for work,

00:18:04.619 --> 00:18:05.579
 of earning the money

00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:07.479
 and re-deposit it in the Garden of Eden

00:18:07.479 --> 00:18:08.879
 because I couldn't find a box.

00:18:09.659 --> 00:18:11.199
 Similar to Watermark, actually,

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:13.500
 it's kind of hard to find a collection box.

00:18:14.100 --> 00:18:16.660
 But I think that was when,

00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:18.640
 as you first triggered in my mind,

00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:21.259
 that it wasn't just about earning the money

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.819
 and being a good steward of money,

00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:25.480
 but work must mean something

00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:26.920
 at this intrinsic value.

00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:29.240
 I work for a telecommunication company.

00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.500
 It's an American company called AT&T.

00:18:32.340 --> 00:18:34.860
 And so I kind of try to figure out,

00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:35.120
 you know,

00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:37.080
 there's no mention of telecommunication

00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:41.059
 or Wi-Fi or 4G in the Old Testament

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:41.960
 or the New Testament,

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:42.579
 for that matter.

00:18:43.859 --> 00:18:45.079
 So it was all done by the Holy Spirit.

00:18:45.159 --> 00:18:45.419
 Yeah.

00:18:45.419 --> 00:18:45.819
 The Holy Spirit.

00:18:45.939 --> 00:18:47.099
 I couldn't figure it out.

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:49.859
 So it really bothered me

00:18:49.859 --> 00:18:53.099
 how working for a technology company

00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:55.799
 has anything to do with Scripture.

00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.119
 And after a while,

00:18:58.579 --> 00:19:01.279
 part of my work is explaining to clients

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:03.259
 how a technology helps them

00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:05.200
 with their companies

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:06.599
 and how it makes them work.

00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:09.139
 So finally a light bulb went off in my head,

00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:10.480
 which is seldom.

00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:12.700
 But a light bulb did actually go off.

00:19:12.899 --> 00:19:17.039
 And I finally got this picture in my head

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:18.399
 of what I actually do.

00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:20.440
 What I actually do during the day

00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:24.799
 is helping Wi-Fi enable the Garden of Eden.

00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:26.259
 Okay?

00:19:26.820 --> 00:19:31.240
 So all of you who are also gardeners

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:32.240
 in the Garden of Eden

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.299
 can be more effective gardeners.

00:19:34.860 --> 00:19:37.799
 So helping Wi-Fi enable the Garden of Eden

00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:40.559
 so that all of you can, you know,

00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:43.600
 use your smartphones in the Garden of Eden

00:19:43.600 --> 00:19:46.799
 to be more effective in your gardening.

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.340
 So that was kind of the picture

00:19:48.340 --> 00:19:49.420
 I had in my head.

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.080
 That's good.

00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:50.439
 That's good.

00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:51.319
 So everybody got that?

00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:53.179
 Wi-Fi, gardening?

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:53.839
 Okay, okay, okay.

00:19:54.399 --> 00:19:57.039
 So I guess as you thought about

00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.759
 planting your citrus fields

00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:00.859
 throughout the Garden of Eden

00:20:00.859 --> 00:20:02.220
 so everybody can interconnect

00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:03.000
 and work well

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:03.899
 and all that type of thing,

00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:05.759
 what would you say is,

00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:07.019
 as a Christian

00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:08.740
 or a person who's following Christ

00:20:08.740 --> 00:20:10.519
 in the workplace,

00:20:11.059 --> 00:20:13.439
 what would you say is the biggest area

00:20:13.439 --> 00:20:14.319
 that you're most compromised,

00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:15.480
 you're willing to compromise,

00:20:15.699 --> 00:20:16.139
 or not willing,

00:20:16.199 --> 00:20:16.819
 but you're tempted

00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:19.079
 to compromise

00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:20.359
 or compartmentalize

00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:21.960
 what we talked about in your word?

00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:24.839
 I think the one that most people talk about,

00:20:24.939 --> 00:20:25.839
 I mentioned it before,

00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.740
 even in my old thoughts,

00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:28.220
 was, well,

00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:30.859
 you shouldn't go and do something unethical

00:20:30.859 --> 00:20:31.879
 or, you know,

00:20:31.879 --> 00:20:33.119
 go and sleep with the coworkers

00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:34.879
 and so forth.

00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:37.080
 But I think apart from that,

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:38.200
 the underlining thing,

00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:40.340
 what I found the hardest in my life

00:20:40.340 --> 00:20:42.460
 is feeling entitled.

00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:43.500
 There's entitlement.

00:20:44.020 --> 00:20:47.520
 So kind of like where I was in my company,

00:20:48.080 --> 00:20:50.620
 I felt like I had worked really hard

00:20:50.620 --> 00:20:51.580
 to get there.

00:20:52.080 --> 00:20:53.480
 I studied

00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:56.480
 or I worked long hours

00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:59.140
 and it was my own talents

00:20:59.140 --> 00:20:59.980
 or if you like,

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.420
 I created my own opportunities.

00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:04.500
 So there's this whole,

00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:05.140
 you know,

00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:06.900
 self-made kind of attitude.

00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.019
 And I think ultimately

00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:10.680
 what I realized was

00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:13.759
 that wasn't true.

00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:15.480
 Or if I look deeply

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:16.759
 into the opportunities,

00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:19.799
 into whatever talents I have,

00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:21.220
 they were given by God.

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:22.380
 So ultimately,

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:24.880
 I didn't get to where I was.

00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:26.720
 Because once you feel entitled,

00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:27.779
 then you feel

00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:29.700
 you have a different set of rules.

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.279
 Because, you know,

00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:32.360
 somebody would say to me,

00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:32.700
 you know,

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:32.980
 Bernard,

00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:33.860
 you shouldn't be doing that.

00:21:33.940 --> 00:21:35.500
 Well, you don't know how hard I work.

00:21:35.620 --> 00:21:35.740
 You know,

00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:36.680
 you don't know how many hours

00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:38.200
 I spend doing this.

00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:39.740
 I am kind of entitled

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:41.380
 to that little bit of extra.

00:21:41.579 --> 00:21:44.440
 So I think that was the thing

00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:47.100
 that clicked in my head.

00:21:47.600 --> 00:21:49.440
 Okay, so just the idea of entitlement

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.480
 and, okay.

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:52.079
 As you think about

00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:52.839
 on this journey,

00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:54.420
 and so you've been with AT&T now

00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:54.860
 how long?

00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:55.940
 20 years.

00:21:56.120 --> 00:21:56.740
 20 years.

00:21:56.819 --> 00:21:57.720
 Okay, so you've been building

00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:58.900
 a lot of connections

00:21:58.900 --> 00:21:59.900
 in the garden, right?

00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.120
 Yeah.

00:22:02.819 --> 00:22:03.880
 I'm trying to run off

00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:04.960
 of your analogy.

00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:06.740
 So, which I think is very good.

00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:07.819
 But we don't think about it

00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:09.019
 that way very often, right?

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.299
 I think,

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:11.079
 I would say most people in here,

00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:12.680
 if we hear this talk,

00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:13.880
 I would probably say

00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:15.220
 there's probably 20%

00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:15.860
 of the people in here

00:22:15.860 --> 00:22:17.240
 who think of what they do

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.099
 and they would have

00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:19.160
 a very hard time

00:22:19.160 --> 00:22:20.059
 thinking of how,

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:20.799
 what they do

00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.679
 fits into the garden, right?

00:22:22.740 --> 00:22:23.279
 Would you agree?

00:22:23.879 --> 00:22:24.700
 Yes, absolutely.

00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:26.000
 Yeah, yeah.

00:22:26.139 --> 00:22:27.579
 Okay, so as you think about

00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:28.419
 then on this journey,

00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:29.740
 what would be some things

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.460
 you would say

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:32.779
 as you look at your career

00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:33.379
 and work

00:22:33.379 --> 00:22:34.139
 that you've been able

00:22:34.139 --> 00:22:35.500
 to pass on to your kids?

00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:36.399
 Or what would be some things,

00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:37.759
 because Hong Kong

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.559
 is just insane

00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:39.419
 with the way it

00:22:39.419 --> 00:22:42.220
 wants to prepare our kids

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:43.240
 to work in the garden,

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:45.180
 even though, you know,

00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.240
 and usually there's only

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.920
 certain jobs

00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.359
 they're going to do

00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:48.859
 in the garden.

00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.220
 But for you,

00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:51.200
 have you struggled

00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:51.940
 through these things?

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:52.740
 What are some of the things

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:53.740
 you've been thinking about

00:22:53.740 --> 00:22:54.500
 in that sense?

00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:55.940
 Yeah, I think

00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:58.740
 as a parent of three kids,

00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:00.680
 it's very easy

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.279
 in Hong Kong

00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:02.240
 to get sucked into

00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:02.940
 what I call

00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:05.240
 the feeder syndrome,

00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:06.440
 right?

00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:08.000
 So the ultimate end

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.220
 of that feeder syndrome

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:10.980
 is Ivy League University.

00:23:11.320 --> 00:23:12.360
 Then you have to get them

00:23:12.360 --> 00:23:13.799
 into feeder high schools,

00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:14.900
 and then in order

00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:15.320
 to get them

00:23:15.320 --> 00:23:16.460
 into feeder high schools,

00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.100
 you've got to get them

00:23:17.100 --> 00:23:18.640
 into feeder primary schools,

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.720
 and then in order

00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.320
 to that,

00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:21.799
 feeder kindergarten,

00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:23.259
 feeder play group,

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:25.019
 and then it's kind of

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:27.180
 a whole ecosystem

00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:28.980
 of feeder thing.

00:23:29.340 --> 00:23:31.779
 But I think

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:33.259
 the biggest thing

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:34.000
 I've learned

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:35.539
 working

00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:36.659
 and what I can pass

00:23:36.659 --> 00:23:37.500
 on to my kids

00:23:37.500 --> 00:23:39.819
 is it's very hard.

00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:40.379
 Originally,

00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:41.200
 years ago,

00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:42.139
 I had this concept

00:23:42.139 --> 00:23:43.579
 of how do I be

00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:46.139
 a good Christian

00:23:46.139 --> 00:23:47.200
 business person?

00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:48.960
 And it was just

00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:49.579
 really hard

00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:50.539
 because it was

00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:52.019
 just thinking about

00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:53.039
 what should I do,

00:23:53.159 --> 00:23:54.119
 what shouldn't I do,

00:23:54.920 --> 00:23:55.899
 what are the things

00:23:55.899 --> 00:23:57.339
 I'm allowed to do,

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:57.879
 what are the things

00:23:57.879 --> 00:23:58.680
 I should say,

00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.200
 what are the things

00:23:59.200 --> 00:23:59.920
 I shouldn't say.

00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:01.960
 So this whole concept

00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:03.399
 of being a Christian doctor,

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.799
 a Christian architect,

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.139
 a Christian banker,

00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:07.859
 or a Christian teacher,

00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:10.220
 I think it's very difficult

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:10.599
 to,

00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:11.720
 how do you get

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.759
 your arms around that?

00:24:12.919 --> 00:24:15.099
 So instead of that,

00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:15.859
 I think,

00:24:16.119 --> 00:24:17.919
 I always told Tobin this,

00:24:18.180 --> 00:24:19.980
 C.S. Lewis said,

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:20.940
 we don't need

00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:21.919
 more Christian writers,

00:24:22.419 --> 00:24:23.519
 we need more writers

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.460
 who are Christian.

00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:26.299
 So what that said

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:27.220
 to me was,

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.259
 you know what,

00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:29.379
 I don't need to focus

00:24:29.379 --> 00:24:30.240
 on what it looks like

00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.399
 to be a Christian businessman,

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:32.880
 I just need to look

00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:34.160
 after my own faith,

00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:35.840
 make sure my walk

00:24:35.840 --> 00:24:36.580
 is active,

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:37.740
 I have accountability

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:38.700
 relationships,

00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:40.120
 and you know what,

00:24:40.560 --> 00:24:41.080
 through that,

00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.440
 C.S. Lewis said,

00:24:42.540 --> 00:24:43.519
 through the soil

00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.500
 of your faith,

00:24:45.040 --> 00:24:46.240
 you do what you love,

00:24:46.800 --> 00:24:47.519
 and by,

00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:49.080
 if you look after

00:24:49.080 --> 00:24:49.680
 your own faith,

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:51.040
 and just do the things

00:24:51.040 --> 00:24:51.500
 you love,

00:24:52.040 --> 00:24:52.360
 and what,

00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:53.380
 so what you should do

00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:54.780
 is look after

00:24:54.780 --> 00:24:55.380
 your own faith,

00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.040
 and just be

00:24:56.040 --> 00:24:57.180
 an excellent teacher,

00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:58.400
 look after your own faith,

00:24:58.480 --> 00:24:59.560
 be an excellent architect,

00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:01.579
 or be an excellent dentist,

00:25:02.059 --> 00:25:02.359
 you know,

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.619
 and so forth.

00:25:03.679 --> 00:25:05.319
 So it's less about,

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.960
 what does a Christian dentist

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.559
 look like?

00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:08.319
 Actually,

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:08.740
 I don't know,

00:25:08.899 --> 00:25:10.079
 what would a Christian dentist

00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:10.639
 look like?

00:25:11.159 --> 00:25:11.319
 You know,

00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:11.720
 but,

00:25:11.879 --> 00:25:12.759
 no pain,

00:25:12.919 --> 00:25:13.519
 no hurt,

00:25:13.619 --> 00:25:13.819
 no,

00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:14.099
 yeah.

00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.559
 Or the pain,

00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:16.779
 pain builds character,

00:25:17.159 --> 00:25:17.460
 you know,

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.399
 or something like that,

00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:18.720
 you know,

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:19.220
 but,

00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:19.519
 but,

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:20.059
 you know,

00:25:20.139 --> 00:25:21.039
 but instead of being,

00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:22.079
 what's that looks like,

00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:23.000
 which is really hard

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:24.859
 to get your head around,

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.379
 I couldn't,

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:27.679
 is just be strong

00:25:27.679 --> 00:25:28.399
 in your own faith,

00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:29.220
 and do,

00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.660
 give excellence,

00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:32.259
 and do the things you love,

00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:33.000
 and,

00:25:33.420 --> 00:25:35.259
 and your faith will come out naturally,

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:36.720
 and it won't be forced,

00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:38.519
 and it will be just more natural,

00:25:38.860 --> 00:25:40.060
 and that's what I would try,

00:25:40.060 --> 00:25:41.700
 and pass on to the kids,

00:25:41.780 --> 00:25:42.120
 and I think,

00:25:42.360 --> 00:25:42.620
 ultimately,

00:25:42.780 --> 00:25:43.640
 that applies to,

00:25:43.860 --> 00:25:45.440
 how do you be a Christian father,

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:47.540
 or how do you be a Christian mom?

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.320
 You know what,

00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:49.340
 I think at the end of the day,

00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:51.259
 is if you look after your own faith,

00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:52.820
 and you just parent,

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:54.960
 God will show you how to do that,

00:25:55.019 --> 00:25:55.320
 versus,

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.100
 you know,

00:25:56.099 --> 00:25:58.199
 what does a Christian father look like?

00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:58.719
 Okay,

00:25:59.240 --> 00:25:59.539
 that's good,

00:25:59.919 --> 00:26:01.879
 so I want to throw one question at you,

00:26:01.939 --> 00:26:03.359
 that wasn't in the bulletin,

00:26:03.459 --> 00:26:03.579
 but,

00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:04.539
 it's a,

00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:06.559
 it's a question that I hear a lot,

00:26:06.639 --> 00:26:08.259
 and I think all of us have struggled with,

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:09.299
 and the question is this,

00:26:09.419 --> 00:26:09.639
 or,

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.859
 this is how the statement would go,

00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:13.579
 I'm new to my work,

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.000
 or I'm junior,

00:26:15.719 --> 00:26:17.000
 and I don't feel,

00:26:17.459 --> 00:26:18.219
 the confidence,

00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:18.799
 or,

00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:20.919
 if I can do these type of things,

00:26:20.979 --> 00:26:21.719
 maybe with partners,

00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:22.459
 or talk about,

00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:23.139
 or hold a stand,

00:26:23.219 --> 00:26:23.319
 or,

00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.399
 what it would look like,

00:26:24.639 --> 00:26:26.139
 I'm just going to,

00:26:26.139 --> 00:26:27.219
 toe the party line,

00:26:27.679 --> 00:26:28.839
 do what I know,

00:26:28.899 --> 00:26:30.119
 will get me up the ladder,

00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:31.659
 and then once I get up the ladder,

00:26:31.979 --> 00:26:32.979
 then I can change,

00:26:33.059 --> 00:26:34.339
 and do what God wants me to do.

00:26:34.979 --> 00:26:36.219
 How do you respond to that?

00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:38.420
 That's a great question,

00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:40.720
 because I remember starting off in my career,

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:41.160
 and,

00:26:41.160 --> 00:26:41.460
 and,

00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:41.860
 you know,

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:43.460
 you're the bottom of the,

00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:45.680
 food chain,

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:46.339
 so to speak,

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.059
 at work,

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:47.920
 and,

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.440
 and you basically just got to,

00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.640
 toe the party line,

00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:50.940
 and,

00:26:50.940 --> 00:26:52.440
 and I felt very alone,

00:26:52.660 --> 00:26:54.500
 because I felt like I was the only,

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:57.140
 Christian in my workplace,

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:57.759
 and,

00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:58.400
 and I think,

00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.539
 that struggle,

00:26:59.720 --> 00:26:59.980
 firstly,

00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:00.660
 is healthy,

00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:01.880
 and,

00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:03.240
 we are not,

00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:04.680
 to struggle alone,

00:27:05.100 --> 00:27:06.200
 I think that's the key,

00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.059
 I think,

00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:08.819
 finding a community,

00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:10.519
 where you can talk about that,

00:27:10.860 --> 00:27:11.500
 with,

00:27:11.600 --> 00:27:12.400
 with others,

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:14.079
 it could be in a community group,

00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:15.660
 or in the men's group,

00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:16.860
 or the ladies group,

00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:18.279
 or whatever it may be,

00:27:18.660 --> 00:27:20.200
 you don't have to struggle alone,

00:27:20.460 --> 00:27:21.960
 I think that's the first thing,

00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:22.819
 and the second thing,

00:27:22.900 --> 00:27:24.299
 I'll just go back to that one point,

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.440
 if you look after,

00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:27.980
 and keep focused on your faith,

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:28.240
 and,

00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:30.740
 and looking after your own daily,

00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:31.759
 quiet time,

00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:32.559
 and,

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:33.500
 and accountability,

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:35.059
 then,

00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:36.299
 with the community,

00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:37.019
 I think,

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:38.559
 you can navigate that,

00:27:38.659 --> 00:27:38.779
 but,

00:27:38.859 --> 00:27:40.099
 it's a healthy tension,

00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:41.139
 because I think,

00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:42.579
 if you don't have any tension,

00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:43.299
 in your work,

00:27:43.639 --> 00:27:44.339
 and you don't,

00:27:44.339 --> 00:27:45.899
 feel bad sometimes,

00:27:46.299 --> 00:27:46.599
 then,

00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:47.240
 you're just,

00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:48.720
 kind of sucked into,

00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:50.079
 how the world,

00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:51.460
 will have you go,

00:27:51.539 --> 00:27:52.659
 you're just going with the current,

00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.240
 all the time,

00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:53.919
 so sometimes,

00:27:54.039 --> 00:27:55.220
 you have to swim against the current,

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:56.119
 if you want to,

00:27:56.639 --> 00:27:57.839
 get to where you want to be,

00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:59.079
 good,

00:27:59.079 --> 00:27:59.159
 good,

00:27:59.519 --> 00:27:59.939
 thanks,

00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:00.240
 thanks,

00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:01.699
 so I'm going to pray for you,

00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:02.279
 can I pray for you,

00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:03.000
 yeah,

00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:03.419
 so let's,

00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:05.000
 so Bernard's going to be around,

00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:07.019
 we're having a church-wide lunch afterwards,

00:28:07.179 --> 00:28:08.179
 and we're going to bring up other people,

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:08.619
 to talk,

00:28:08.659 --> 00:28:09.399
 and share the story,

00:28:09.879 --> 00:28:11.019
 and there's actually,

00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:13.059
 the text message we have,

00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:14.839
 for people to text questions,

00:28:14.939 --> 00:28:15.659
 in the business field,

00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.179
 so that's,

00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:17.740
 been getting some questions,

00:28:17.959 --> 00:28:18.959
 so please feel free,

00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:20.539
 to continue doing that,

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:22.019
 and so let me pray for us,

00:28:22.339 --> 00:28:22.500
 Father,

00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:23.299
 thank you for,

00:28:23.379 --> 00:28:24.539
 thank you for Bernard and Angie,

00:28:24.699 --> 00:28:25.480
 and for their kiddos,

00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.680
 I pray that you would be with him,

00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:27.660
 I pray,

00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:28.920
 we thank you that you've brought him,

00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:29.440
 to this place,

00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:30.460
 but in the realization,

00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:31.980
 that you are the one who's done it,

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:33.839
 and that you go before him,

00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:34.819
 in the next stage,

00:28:34.860 --> 00:28:35.740
 of wherever that is,

00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:36.460
 we thank you Lord,

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:38.039
 that you've gifted him,

00:28:38.099 --> 00:28:39.519
 like you've gifted everyone here,

00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:40.180
 with talents,

00:28:40.360 --> 00:28:41.960
 and you've allowed him,

00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:42.779
 to see your son,

00:28:42.860 --> 00:28:43.519
 and to realize,

00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:44.640
 that the most important thing,

00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:46.019
 is him,

00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.759
 in our walk with him,

00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:49.420
 so I thank you for my brother here,

00:28:49.480 --> 00:28:50.599
 and for his willingness to share,

00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:52.019
 and we thank you,

00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:53.640
 that we're on all on this journey together,

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.680
 in Jesus name we pray,

00:28:54.839 --> 00:28:55.079
 amen.

00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:56.860
 Thanks guys,

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:57.559
 thanks Vern.

00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:04.200
 I want to share with you,

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:04.759
 two things,

00:29:04.839 --> 00:29:06.559
 that the passage says to me,

00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:08.620
 I think it says to all of us,

00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:08.920
 okay,

00:29:09.460 --> 00:29:09.980
 and I think that,

00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:11.120
 we need to look at it,

00:29:11.180 --> 00:29:12.920
 as people who are on a journey together,

00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:14.039
 we need to look at it,

00:29:14.039 --> 00:29:15.380
 as we've all made mistakes,

00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.420
 we need to look at it,

00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:18.220
 as if we're all broken,

00:29:18.360 --> 00:29:19.039
 we need to look at it,

00:29:19.059 --> 00:29:19.860
 as if we all,

00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:21.539
 desperately need each other,

00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:22.720
 to encourage each other,

00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.599
 and pray for each other,

00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:24.799
 and speak into our lives,

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:27.359
 and to forgive us,

00:29:27.379 --> 00:29:28.859
 sometimes when we've made mistakes,

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:31.799
 and what the passage says is this,

00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:33.259
 and I'm in this church,

00:29:34.259 --> 00:29:35.440
 Christianity had come in,

00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:36.579
 and Paul was converted,

00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:38.379
 and what they started seeing,

00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:39.639
 was that a whole bunch of people,

00:29:39.740 --> 00:29:40.980
 from all different walks of life,

00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:41.440
 were coming,

00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:43.460
 and as these people gathered together,

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.200
 they didn't really know,

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:45.400
 how to interact with each other,

00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:48.140
 and so you see in Ephesians 5,

00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:50.779
 codes of ethics,

00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:51.480
 and values,

00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:52.080
 and families,

00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:53.580
 and so Paul talks,

00:29:53.840 --> 00:29:55.059
 about how men and women,

00:29:55.180 --> 00:29:56.340
 are to interact with each other,

00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:58.160
 Paul talks about,

00:29:58.279 --> 00:29:59.259
 how parents,

00:29:59.820 --> 00:30:00.559
 and kiddos,

00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:01.680
 are to interact with each other,

00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:02.759
 he specifically talks,

00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:03.980
 to the dads,

00:30:04.019 --> 00:30:05.080
 which I think all of us dads,

00:30:05.140 --> 00:30:05.860
 need to think about,

00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:07.640
 and hear today,

00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:09.120
 on this journey,

00:30:09.220 --> 00:30:09.940
 of Father's Day,

00:30:10.360 --> 00:30:11.100
 but then he goes in,

00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:12.019
 and he talks about something,

00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:13.640
 that no one ever would have talked about,

00:30:13.720 --> 00:30:15.039
 in Roman or Greek society,

00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:16.740
 he talks about how slaves,

00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:18.360
 interact with their masters,

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:19.860
 now I don't know,

00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.500
 if you understand,

00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:21.480
 what he's doing,

00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.200
 as he does this,

00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:23.039
 because no one else,

00:30:23.080 --> 00:30:23.880
 would have agreed with him,

00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:24.940
 and no one else,

00:30:24.980 --> 00:30:25.620
 ever introduced,

00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.840
 or talked about a slave,

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:28.120
 and maybe you're in here,

00:30:28.120 --> 00:30:28.480
 and you're saying,

00:30:28.600 --> 00:30:29.440
 well that's about slaves,

00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.340
 it's 2,000 years ago,

00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:31.759
 it has nothing to do with me,

00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.759
 but the passage,

00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:33.900
 and how it's interacted,

00:30:34.059 --> 00:30:34.660
 in our life,

00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.799
 and how it is applied to us,

00:30:36.840 --> 00:30:37.480
 has everything,

00:30:37.840 --> 00:30:39.460
 to do with everybody,

00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:40.900
 here today,

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.840
 you can substitute,

00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:43.779
 slaves,

00:30:44.080 --> 00:30:45.100
 for employees,

00:30:45.900 --> 00:30:46.660
 and you can substitute,

00:30:46.840 --> 00:30:47.220
 masters,

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:48.620
 for employers,

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:50.200
 but what Paul is doing,

00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:51.320
 is he's trying to bring together,

00:30:51.580 --> 00:30:52.279
 this idea,

00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:53.000
 and this thought,

00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:54.279
 of how we interact,

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.500
 with each other,

00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:57.160
 now slaves lives,

00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:58.019
 in Paul's day,

00:30:58.120 --> 00:30:58.840
 were terrible,

00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:00.400
 from most things,

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:00.900
 I've read,

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:01.500
 and accounts,

00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:02.120
 and historians,

00:31:02.539 --> 00:31:03.200
 about one third,

00:31:03.259 --> 00:31:03.960
 of the population,

00:31:04.220 --> 00:31:04.920
 were slaves,

00:31:05.840 --> 00:31:06.460
 slaves,

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.380
 were used,

00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:08.840
 abused,

00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:10.240
 and killed,

00:31:10.519 --> 00:31:10.980
 openly,

00:31:11.360 --> 00:31:12.200
 without excuse,

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.120
 and without a reason,

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.799
 they were worthless,

00:31:16.620 --> 00:31:17.960
 one of the Greek philosophers,

00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:19.080
 basically Aristotle,

00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:19.740
 said that there are,

00:31:19.860 --> 00:31:20.920
 three types of tools,

00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:22.259
 in your household,

00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:23.620
 there's a tool,

00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:24.440
 that can speak,

00:31:25.140 --> 00:31:26.100
 which is a slave,

00:31:26.580 --> 00:31:27.200
 there's a tool,

00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:28.240
 that cannot speak,

00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.099
 but makes noises,

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.039
 which is a cow,

00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:31.359
 and there's a tool,

00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:32.480
 which is silent,

00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.519
 but does a lot of work,

00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:34.339
 which is a wagon,

00:31:35.160 --> 00:31:36.359
 and those three tools,

00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:37.880
 made up the average household,

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:38.460
 in Rome,

00:31:38.539 --> 00:31:39.059
 and Greece,

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.839
 and so when Paul is talking,

00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:42.019
 about all these Greeks,

00:31:42.620 --> 00:31:43.220
 and Romans,

00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:44.160
 and these slaves,

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.539
 who are coming together,

00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:46.500
 they're coming to Christ,

00:31:46.579 --> 00:31:47.559
 and they're gathering together,

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.440
 it would have been,

00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:49.519
 something very unusual,

00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:50.400
 and very different,

00:31:51.400 --> 00:31:52.240
 something we cannot,

00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:52.759
 comprehend,

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.299
 and understand,

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.440
 but it was changing,

00:31:54.440 --> 00:31:55.559
 the face of the world,

00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:56.240
 it was changing,

00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:57.180
 the face of the church,

00:31:57.599 --> 00:31:58.579
 in Paul's day,

00:31:58.940 --> 00:31:59.980
 and so as you read this,

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:00.680
 I just want to read,

00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:01.380
 these things to you,

00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:02.099
 and I want to ask,

00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:02.660
 some questions,

00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:04.019
 because I've been trying,

00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:04.539
 to figure out,

00:32:04.680 --> 00:32:06.039
 how we can go,

00:32:06.160 --> 00:32:06.900
 on this journey together,

00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:07.660
 and talk about,

00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:08.160
 these things,

00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:09.480
 and deal with,

00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:10.079
 these things,

00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.660
 and so this is,

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.359
 what I'm going to do,

00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:12.900
 I'm going to say,

00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:15.880
 what would it be like,

00:32:16.120 --> 00:32:18.339
 if on Monday,

00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:19.900
 you walked,

00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:20.799
 into your work,

00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:23.879
 and the most important thing,

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:26.519
 the most important relationship,

00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:27.299
 that governed,

00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:28.619
 everything you did,

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:30.740
 was your walk,

00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:31.619
 with Jesus Christ,

00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:34.700
 what would that be like,

00:32:36.159 --> 00:32:37.319
 Paul says it,

00:32:37.399 --> 00:32:38.180
 in verses five,

00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:38.639
 six,

00:32:38.779 --> 00:32:39.339
 and seven,

00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:40.899
 he says,

00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:42.680
 employees be obedient,

00:32:43.579 --> 00:32:44.579
 he's talking about,

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:45.460
 through your whole heart,

00:32:45.579 --> 00:32:46.399
 through your whole actions,

00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:47.579
 the Greek words,

00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.440
 are awe,

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:48.940
 awe,

00:32:49.320 --> 00:32:50.400
 and reverence,

00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:51.900
 and a desire,

00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:53.900
 to do the right thing,

00:32:54.620 --> 00:32:56.360
 in the sincerity of your heart,

00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:58.180
 as to Christ,

00:32:59.460 --> 00:33:00.259
 so Paul says,

00:33:00.320 --> 00:33:00.940
 that when you walk,

00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:01.720
 into your work,

00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:02.680
 on Monday,

00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:04.420
 realize that you see,

00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:05.220
 a boss there,

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:06.880
 who's probably adversarial,

00:33:07.100 --> 00:33:07.860
 he's against you,

00:33:08.100 --> 00:33:09.200
 he's not for you,

00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:12.360
 but you have a greater boss,

00:33:12.920 --> 00:33:14.519
 who is Jesus Christ,

00:33:14.840 --> 00:33:16.220
 and everything you do,

00:33:16.220 --> 00:33:17.299
 for your boss,

00:33:17.299 --> 00:33:18.440
 Paul says,

00:33:18.539 --> 00:33:19.460
 in Ephesians five,

00:33:19.899 --> 00:33:21.200
 with your whole heart,

00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:22.919
 you're actually doing,

00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:24.339
 for God,

00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:27.200
 what would the workplace,

00:33:27.339 --> 00:33:27.759
 be like,

00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:30.059
 if you walked in there,

00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:30.500
 and you said,

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:31.819
 the most important relationship,

00:33:31.940 --> 00:33:32.399
 I have today,

00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:33.039
 is my relationship,

00:33:33.139 --> 00:33:33.779
 with Jesus Christ,

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:34.980
 I see my boss,

00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:35.680
 he's a jerk,

00:33:36.019 --> 00:33:37.359
 but I'm going to serve him,

00:33:37.419 --> 00:33:38.399
 and I'm going to do everything,

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.639
 that I'm called to do,

00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:40.419
 because I'm not really,

00:33:40.419 --> 00:33:41.460
 doing it for my boss,

00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:43.700
 I'm doing it for God,

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:45.799
 he goes on,

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:45.980
 he says,

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:47.700
 not by way of eye service,

00:33:48.120 --> 00:33:49.279
 the Greek words are,

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:51.080
 don't do something,

00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:52.519
 just because you're seen,

00:33:53.700 --> 00:33:54.940
 I know none of us,

00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:55.759
 have that problem,

00:33:55.860 --> 00:33:56.559
 in Hong Kong,

00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:58.840
 none of us wait,

00:33:58.880 --> 00:33:59.500
 until the boss,

00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:00.420
 comes in the office,

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.299
 and making sure,

00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:01.799
 that we're there,

00:34:01.860 --> 00:34:02.660
 before they're there,

00:34:02.819 --> 00:34:03.440
 and making sure,

00:34:03.539 --> 00:34:04.120
 that we leave,

00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:04.920
 after they leave,

00:34:04.980 --> 00:34:05.580
 so they don't see us,

00:34:05.580 --> 00:34:06.160
 to do anything,

00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:07.380
 and they don't make sure,

00:34:07.380 --> 00:34:07.940
 that every time,

00:34:08.019 --> 00:34:08.500
 they look at us,

00:34:08.519 --> 00:34:09.480
 they see us working,

00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:11.000
 but Paul says,

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:12.219
 don't do things,

00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:13.659
 by way of eye service,

00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:16.300
 or as men pleasers,

00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:19.579
 the Greek is,

00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:20.599
 butt kissers,

00:34:21.139 --> 00:34:22.340
 or something equivalent,

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:22.860
 to that,

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:23.539
 I don't know,

00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:24.480
 if I can say that in church,

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.159
 can I say that in church,

00:34:25.239 --> 00:34:25.619
 I just did,

00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:25.780
 okay,

00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:29.139
 but as slaves,

00:34:29.260 --> 00:34:30.139
 of Jesus,

00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:32.119
 doing the will of God,

00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:32.760
 from your heart,

00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:34.000
 he's saying,

00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:34.699
 what would it look like,

00:34:34.780 --> 00:34:35.059
 if Monday,

00:34:35.239 --> 00:34:36.059
 you walk into your office,

00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.260
 and you just did everything,

00:34:37.380 --> 00:34:38.320
 that was expected of you,

00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:39.179
 and you did it,

00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:39.860
 whether your boss,

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.599
 was there or not,

00:34:40.599 --> 00:34:41.500
 whether your boss,

00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:42.319
 saw you or not,

00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:43.420
 because you didn't care,

00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:44.559
 because your ultimate boss,

00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:45.179
 saw you,

00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:46.219
 and it was God,

00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:47.420
 and God was the one,

00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:48.239
 that really mattered,

00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:50.400
 what would the workplace,

00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:51.159
 look like,

00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:52.759
 if we walked in there,

00:34:52.779 --> 00:34:53.480
 as Christians,

00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:54.579
 and we did it,

00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:55.980
 not so that we can be seen,

00:34:56.099 --> 00:34:57.239
 not so that we can please men,

00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:58.599
 but so that we can please God,

00:35:00.759 --> 00:35:02.019
 with good will,

00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:03.799
 render service,

00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:05.920
 full heart,

00:35:06.299 --> 00:35:06.779
 goodness,

00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:07.519
 gentleness,

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:08.699
 he's not just saying,

00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:10.259
 these are your outward actions,

00:35:10.260 --> 00:35:10.760
 he's saying,

00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:12.200
 what's going on in your heart,

00:35:13.820 --> 00:35:14.980
 as to the Lord,

00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:16.360
 not to the men,

00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:19.660
 what would it look like,

00:35:19.740 --> 00:35:20.980
 if you walked into your workplace,

00:35:21.040 --> 00:35:21.540
 on Monday,

00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:22.580
 and you realize,

00:35:22.740 --> 00:35:23.280
 I'm here,

00:35:23.620 --> 00:35:24.400
 but my main purpose,

00:35:24.520 --> 00:35:25.480
 is to serve God,

00:35:26.160 --> 00:35:27.440
 and I'm going to trust God,

00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:28.260
 with whatever happens,

00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:28.820
 in my life,

00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:29.640
 and I'm going to be,

00:35:29.720 --> 00:35:30.500
 the best employee,

00:35:30.580 --> 00:35:31.140
 that I can be,

00:35:31.420 --> 00:35:32.320
 and I'm going to do things,

00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:32.920
 even when people,

00:35:33.040 --> 00:35:33.460
 aren't looking,

00:35:34.040 --> 00:35:34.720
 at me,

00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:37.439
 and I'm not going,

00:35:37.439 --> 00:35:38.559
 to do bad things,

00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:40.099
 when people,

00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:41.379
 aren't looking at me,

00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:42.439
 like playing,

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.199
 whatever you play,

00:35:44.259 --> 00:35:44.799
 on your computer,

00:35:44.899 --> 00:35:45.339
 when your boss,

00:35:45.379 --> 00:35:45.959
 is out the door,

00:35:46.379 --> 00:35:48.439
 but I'm going to serve,

00:35:48.599 --> 00:35:48.859
 the Lord,

00:35:48.919 --> 00:35:49.959
 in everything that I do,

00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:51.779
 with good will,

00:35:51.939 --> 00:35:52.819
 render service,

00:35:52.939 --> 00:35:53.879
 as to the Lord,

00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:55.439
 and not to men,

00:35:56.439 --> 00:35:57.959
 what would life look like,

00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:58.579
 if you did that,

00:35:58.579 --> 00:36:01.360
 would there be a difference,

00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.039
 in the workplace,

00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:05.819
 and what would it look like,

00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:07.000
 if all of the Christians,

00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:08.940
 in Hong Kong,

00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:10.719
 on Monday,

00:36:11.799 --> 00:36:13.159
 walked into their office,

00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:15.099
 and understood,

00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:17.400
 that work has value,

00:36:17.699 --> 00:36:18.440
 it's significant,

00:36:18.679 --> 00:36:19.739
 it's how God made me,

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.019
 God is in control,

00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:22.400
 and I'm going to serve,

00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:23.440
 and work in my office,

00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:24.279
 whether my boss,

00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.099
 sees me or not,

00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:26.360
 or whether they appreciate me,

00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:26.819
 or not,

00:36:26.820 --> 00:36:29.700
 because the passage,

00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:31.340
 says that God appreciates me,

00:36:32.519 --> 00:36:33.900
 and God sees me,

00:36:35.460 --> 00:36:36.400
 and he's the one,

00:36:36.500 --> 00:36:38.059
 who ultimately matters,

00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:39.140
 in everything,

00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:41.360
 the question comes down to,

00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:42.539
 can we really trust God,

00:36:42.600 --> 00:36:43.019
 isn't it,

00:36:44.720 --> 00:36:45.820
 I mean the question comes down,

00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:46.860
 is God really good,

00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:49.080
 can we really trust him,

00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:49.660
 I mean yeah,

00:36:49.720 --> 00:36:50.400
 he saved us,

00:36:50.460 --> 00:36:51.220
 and now we're going to heaven,

00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:51.620
 woo woo,

00:36:52.120 --> 00:36:53.000
 but can we trust him,

00:36:53.000 --> 00:36:54.140
 for now in the garden,

00:36:54.260 --> 00:36:54.960
 as we're doing things,

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.780
 and fixing things,

00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:59.880
 or do we need to please men,

00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:02.580
 and do we need to do things,

00:37:02.640 --> 00:37:03.260
 in front of people,

00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:04.200
 so they can see us,

00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:06.560
 what would that look like,

00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:10.720
 Paul goes on,

00:37:11.120 --> 00:37:12.560
 and he shares one more thing,

00:37:12.660 --> 00:37:13.560
 which I think is probably,

00:37:13.720 --> 00:37:14.640
 the hardest thing to do,

00:37:14.720 --> 00:37:15.519
 and hardest thing to say,

00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:16.940
 and this is what he says,

00:37:17.860 --> 00:37:18.960
 verses eight and nine,

00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:21.680
 the question would be this,

00:37:22.700 --> 00:37:23.800
 what would it look like,

00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:24.840
 if you walked into your work,

00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:25.280
 on Monday,

00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.740
 and you realize that God,

00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:28.840
 was your ultimate master,

00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.600
 and boss,

00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:32.880
 and that he was the one,

00:37:32.980 --> 00:37:33.680
 that you're going to receive,

00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:34.900
 your compensation from,

00:37:35.740 --> 00:37:37.880
 you weren't worried,

00:37:37.940 --> 00:37:38.800
 about your bonus,

00:37:39.780 --> 00:37:41.059
 you weren't worried,

00:37:41.180 --> 00:37:42.780
 about getting that 20% raise,

00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:43.720
 that you're entitled to,

00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:44.680
 and that you deserve,

00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:45.000
 you're going to receive,

00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:47.099
 but you realize,

00:37:47.239 --> 00:37:48.719
 that God saw everything,

00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:50.139
 he knew everything,

00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:51.879
 and that he is the one,

00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:53.259
 who will take care of you,

00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:55.239
 and you might not receive it here,

00:37:55.319 --> 00:37:56.179
 right now,

00:37:57.179 --> 00:37:59.919
 but you will ultimately in heaven,

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:04.619
 what would Monday look like,

00:38:06.200 --> 00:38:09.200
 would it be different,

00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:12.360
 maybe you're in here,

00:38:12.420 --> 00:38:12.800
 and you're saying,

00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:13.900
 it wouldn't look any different to me,

00:38:13.940 --> 00:38:14.440
 that's great,

00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:15.460
 I think that's amazing,

00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:17.500
 because I think most of us,

00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:17.900
 really,

00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:18.880
 really,

00:38:19.200 --> 00:38:19.720
 struggle,

00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:20.860
 with that,

00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:23.159
 most of us really struggle,

00:38:23.320 --> 00:38:23.800
 with understanding,

00:38:23.800 --> 00:38:25.240
 that God is our ultimate boss,

00:38:25.340 --> 00:38:26.220
 most of us really struggle,

00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:26.660
 with understanding,

00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:28.080
 that God is ultimately good,

00:38:28.380 --> 00:38:29.080
 and he's for us,

00:38:29.320 --> 00:38:31.039
 most of us ultimately struggle,

00:38:31.140 --> 00:38:31.720
 with understanding,

00:38:31.920 --> 00:38:33.519
 that what we receive here,

00:38:33.600 --> 00:38:33.920
 in heaven,

00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:34.560
 on earth,

00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:35.820
 is nothing,

00:38:36.700 --> 00:38:38.280
 nothing,

00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:40.920
 compared to what God,

00:38:40.920 --> 00:38:41.860
 has for us in heaven,

00:38:43.160 --> 00:38:46.060
 knowing that whatever good thing,

00:38:46.180 --> 00:38:47.240
 each one does,

00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:48.840
 this he will receive back,

00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:49.500
 from the Lord,

00:38:49.580 --> 00:38:50.360
 there's a promise,

00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:51.740
 that whatever we do,

00:38:51.740 --> 00:38:53.340
 as we walk in our work,

00:38:53.340 --> 00:38:54.960
 as we serve the Lord,

00:38:55.079 --> 00:38:55.820
 not our bosses,

00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:57.900
 we will receive that back,

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.380
 from God,

00:38:58.480 --> 00:38:59.720
 God has put his name out there,

00:38:59.740 --> 00:39:00.640
 and he's promised that,

00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:01.780
 whether we're slave,

00:39:01.860 --> 00:39:02.480
 or slave,

00:39:02.600 --> 00:39:03.019
 or free,

00:39:03.120 --> 00:39:04.519
 whether we're boss,

00:39:04.720 --> 00:39:05.500
 or helper,

00:39:05.740 --> 00:39:06.400
 or employer,

00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:07.740
 whatever we're doing,

00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:09.360
 we know that God,

00:39:09.460 --> 00:39:10.780
 will give that back to us,

00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:12.280
 and will receive that back to us,

00:39:13.600 --> 00:39:14.380
 verse nine,

00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:15.680
 has always stuck out to me,

00:39:16.200 --> 00:39:18.059
 because he looks at the bosses,

00:39:18.900 --> 00:39:19.760
 the employers,

00:39:20.760 --> 00:39:21.400
 and he said,

00:39:21.680 --> 00:39:22.340
 you employer,

00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:25.559
 do the same things above,

00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:26.940
 so he basically just says,

00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:28.120
 whatever I said to the workers,

00:39:28.280 --> 00:39:28.860
 you do it too,

00:39:30.059 --> 00:39:31.559
 but he adds something to it,

00:39:31.579 --> 00:39:31.960
 he says,

00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:33.500
 stop threatening people,

00:39:35.180 --> 00:39:37.539
 stop treating them differently,

00:39:37.680 --> 00:39:38.760
 than you would treat yourself,

00:39:40.180 --> 00:39:42.360
 do we do that,

00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:45.780
 do we get to a place,

00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:46.539
 in our work,

00:39:46.620 --> 00:39:47.380
 and in our life,

00:39:47.440 --> 00:39:48.380
 where we're at this level,

00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:49.500
 and then when people come in,

00:39:49.500 --> 00:39:50.679
 in this level,

00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:51.760
 we kind of look at them,

00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:51.980
 and go,

00:39:52.119 --> 00:39:53.679
 come on,

00:39:53.739 --> 00:39:54.179
 get out of here,

00:39:55.099 --> 00:39:56.179
 we don't have time to waste with you,

00:39:56.980 --> 00:39:59.820
 what would it look like,

00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:00.360
 in our workplace,

00:40:00.460 --> 00:40:01.340
 if we didn't do that,

00:40:01.340 --> 00:40:07.360
 what would it look like,

00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:08.659
 if you were the employer,

00:40:08.659 --> 00:40:10.319
 who treated,

00:40:10.319 --> 00:40:10.339
 who treated,

00:40:10.539 --> 00:40:12.099
 every employee you had,

00:40:12.719 --> 00:40:13.859
 the same way,

00:40:13.899 --> 00:40:15.000
 that you wanted to be treated,

00:40:16.500 --> 00:40:19.819
 would the world be different,

00:40:21.399 --> 00:40:22.679
 I mean it's interesting,

00:40:22.799 --> 00:40:23.319
 in this passage,

00:40:23.420 --> 00:40:24.359
 because Paul doesn't say,

00:40:24.659 --> 00:40:25.839
 slavery is bad,

00:40:25.879 --> 00:40:26.920
 even though he disagrees,

00:40:27.000 --> 00:40:27.539
 with slavery,

00:40:27.759 --> 00:40:28.679
 he's not telling people,

00:40:28.879 --> 00:40:29.279
 revolt,

00:40:29.599 --> 00:40:30.099
 and fight,

00:40:30.219 --> 00:40:30.940
 and get over it,

00:40:31.059 --> 00:40:31.920
 and you're going to overcome,

00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:32.539
 your bondage,

00:40:32.579 --> 00:40:33.179
 and you're going to beat up,

00:40:33.239 --> 00:40:33.659
 your masters,

00:40:33.759 --> 00:40:34.440
 and everything's going to be good,

00:40:34.579 --> 00:40:35.440
 he doesn't say that,

00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:36.260
 and most of the time,

00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:37.320
 the Bible doesn't say that,

00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:39.079
 most of the time,

00:40:39.139 --> 00:40:39.740
 people come to me,

00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:40.179
 and they say,

00:40:40.420 --> 00:40:41.700
 I'm in this bad situation,

00:40:41.800 --> 00:40:42.639
 I want to get out of it,

00:40:42.659 --> 00:40:43.039
 right now,

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:43.659
 what do I need to do,

00:40:43.700 --> 00:40:44.179
 to get out of it,

00:40:44.240 --> 00:40:44.960
 help me get out of it,

00:40:44.960 --> 00:40:45.720
 my boss is terrible,

00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:46.480
 my work is bad,

00:40:46.659 --> 00:40:47.619
 I'm not married,

00:40:48.039 --> 00:40:49.079
 my kids are a wreck,

00:40:49.400 --> 00:40:50.500
 these situations are bad,

00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:51.519
 help me get out of it,

00:40:52.240 --> 00:40:54.840
 but what we see in scripture,

00:40:55.019 --> 00:40:56.800
 is that God rarely says,

00:40:57.139 --> 00:40:58.599
 this is how you get out of it,

00:40:59.320 --> 00:41:02.340
 what the Bible teaches us,

00:41:02.440 --> 00:41:03.599
 is God says,

00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:06.500
 this is how you walk through this,

00:41:07.059 --> 00:41:10.779
 because as you walk through this situation,

00:41:11.519 --> 00:41:13.559
 I'm going to be with you,

00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:17.099
 and you're going to be stronger,

00:41:23.099 --> 00:41:25.099
 employers do the same thing to them,

00:41:25.239 --> 00:41:26.299
 give up threatening them,

00:41:26.380 --> 00:41:29.079
 knowing that you both have a master,

00:41:31.099 --> 00:41:32.299
 and yours is in heaven,

00:41:32.300 --> 00:41:35.560
 where there's no partiality with him,

00:41:35.560 --> 00:41:40.940
 God looks at us,

00:41:42.440 --> 00:41:44.620
 he sees street sleeper,

00:41:45.800 --> 00:41:46.700
 Filipino helper,

00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:48.600
 driver,

00:41:49.900 --> 00:41:50.660
 office boy,

00:41:51.720 --> 00:41:52.300
 cleric,

00:41:53.340 --> 00:41:53.760
 lawyer,

00:41:55.039 --> 00:41:55.519
 intern,

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:57.960
 internist,

00:41:58.700 --> 00:41:59.320
 doctor,

00:41:59.320 --> 00:42:01.200
 senior partner,

00:42:02.080 --> 00:42:02.980
 managing director,

00:42:03.720 --> 00:42:04.240
 director,

00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:06.380
 wherever title you want,

00:42:06.620 --> 00:42:07.360
 pastor,

00:42:08.080 --> 00:42:09.380
 whatever title you are,

00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:11.700
 God looks at all of his people,

00:42:12.600 --> 00:42:15.460
 and he sees the same,

00:42:18.580 --> 00:42:20.340
 I taught this once in China,

00:42:20.519 --> 00:42:21.300
 and I asked my students,

00:42:21.420 --> 00:42:22.180
 what does this mean,

00:42:23.260 --> 00:42:24.920
 and one of the guys gave me the best answer ever,

00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:25.680
 he came back to me,

00:42:25.740 --> 00:42:25.900
 he says,

00:42:25.900 --> 00:42:26.180
 he says,

00:42:27.180 --> 00:42:28.780
 he means God sees with a clean eye,

00:42:30.900 --> 00:42:31.160
 I'm like,

00:42:31.240 --> 00:42:31.539
 dude,

00:42:32.340 --> 00:42:33.619
 that will preach,

00:42:35.160 --> 00:42:39.139
 Paul says that God sees with a clean eye,

00:42:41.220 --> 00:42:42.619
 so what would it look like,

00:42:43.160 --> 00:42:43.980
 if on Monday,

00:42:44.539 --> 00:42:45.639
 we followed scripture,

00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:46.280
 and we said,

00:42:46.480 --> 00:42:47.780
 this is what God wants you to do,

00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:49.519
 and this is what it's going to look like,

00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:52.780
 would our office place be different,

00:42:54.019 --> 00:42:56.400
 would Hong Kong be different,

00:42:57.619 --> 00:42:59.659
 would your family,

00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:01.460
 be different,

00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:06.780
 if you're like me,

00:43:06.840 --> 00:43:07.519
 and you're listening to this,

00:43:07.579 --> 00:43:08.380
 you're probably thinking,

00:43:08.480 --> 00:43:09.460
 I wrote down these thoughts,

00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:11.199
 as I listened to this sermon to myself in my head,

00:43:11.559 --> 00:43:11.800
 I read,

00:43:11.920 --> 00:43:12.119
 I said,

00:43:12.179 --> 00:43:12.400
 Tobin,

00:43:12.460 --> 00:43:12.599
 okay,

00:43:12.679 --> 00:43:13.559
 so what you're asking me to,

00:43:13.619 --> 00:43:14.159
 is you're asking me,

00:43:14.320 --> 00:43:15.840
 not to compartmentalize my life,

00:43:16.119 --> 00:43:17.759
 you're asking me to have the same values,

00:43:18.019 --> 00:43:19.380
 and criteria everywhere,

00:43:19.840 --> 00:43:20.559
 you're asking me,

00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:21.719
 and you're showing me,

00:43:21.780 --> 00:43:22.679
 that work is noble,

00:43:23.019 --> 00:43:23.800
 and it's good,

00:43:23.920 --> 00:43:25.480
 and it's a part of how God made me,

00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:27.300
 and I need to never think about retirement,

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:28.800
 I always need to think about working,

00:43:29.079 --> 00:43:30.139
 and work basically is,

00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:31.800
 using the gifts and talents,

00:43:31.800 --> 00:43:32.800
 that God has given me,

00:43:33.099 --> 00:43:34.460
 to serve other people,

00:43:35.139 --> 00:43:37.840
 you're asking me to go in on Monday,

00:43:37.960 --> 00:43:38.980
 and serve the boss,

00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:40.119
 like I'm serving the Lord,

00:43:40.320 --> 00:43:41.300
 with my whole heart,

00:43:41.420 --> 00:43:42.559
 to serve and to submit,

00:43:42.639 --> 00:43:43.599
 to people I dislike,

00:43:43.860 --> 00:43:44.780
 to people who hate me,

00:43:45.059 --> 00:43:45.800
 to people who are basically,

00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:46.539
 going to use me,

00:43:47.460 --> 00:43:48.699
 you're asking me not to worry,

00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:49.400
 about my future,

00:43:49.719 --> 00:43:50.300
 you're asking me,

00:43:50.340 --> 00:43:51.480
 to understand that God,

00:43:51.539 --> 00:43:52.360
 is my ultimate boss,

00:43:52.659 --> 00:43:53.579
 that God sees everything,

00:43:53.659 --> 00:43:54.480
 that he takes care of me,

00:43:54.719 --> 00:43:55.480
 that he's going to take me,

00:43:55.519 --> 00:43:56.039
 through this journey,

00:43:56.340 --> 00:43:56.920
 and that ultimately,

00:43:57.059 --> 00:43:57.920
 I can count on God,

00:43:57.980 --> 00:43:58.820
 from receiving everything,

00:43:58.920 --> 00:43:59.599
 that I need from God,

00:43:59.639 --> 00:44:00.820
 because he is good,

00:44:00.900 --> 00:44:01.679
 and he will do it,

00:44:03.179 --> 00:44:03.619
 and again,

00:44:03.679 --> 00:44:04.179
 did I mention,

00:44:04.280 --> 00:44:04.699
 that my boss,

00:44:04.780 --> 00:44:05.599
 is not a nice person,

00:44:06.119 --> 00:44:08.239
 you're asking me,

00:44:08.280 --> 00:44:09.079
 to do all those things,

00:44:09.139 --> 00:44:10.440
 how do I do those things,

00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:15.019
 and the scripture says,

00:44:15.079 --> 00:44:15.380
 the only way,

00:44:15.460 --> 00:44:16.340
 you can do those things,

00:44:17.400 --> 00:44:18.679
 is that you can't,

00:44:19.679 --> 00:44:22.159
 you can't,

00:44:22.159 --> 00:44:25.599
 when I grew up,

00:44:26.059 --> 00:44:26.559
 my parents,

00:44:26.619 --> 00:44:27.279
 were not believers,

00:44:28.579 --> 00:44:29.099
 and my parents,

00:44:29.139 --> 00:44:29.779
 were trying to shape,

00:44:29.859 --> 00:44:30.379
 my life,

00:44:30.420 --> 00:44:31.059
 and my values,

00:44:31.139 --> 00:44:31.739
 and my character,

00:44:31.739 --> 00:44:34.139
 in a very early age,

00:44:34.179 --> 00:44:35.199
 they gave me this letter,

00:44:35.699 --> 00:44:36.379
 that was written,

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:37.059
 by an editor,

00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:37.719
 of a newspaper,

00:44:38.779 --> 00:44:40.179
 the letter is called,

00:44:40.459 --> 00:44:41.199
 actually the letter,

00:44:41.299 --> 00:44:43.119
 had no name on it,

00:44:43.159 --> 00:44:44.259
 when the guy wrote it,

00:44:44.319 --> 00:44:45.059
 in 1899,

00:44:45.959 --> 00:44:46.479
 it was just a,

00:44:46.479 --> 00:44:47.879
 it's just a nameless article,

00:44:47.879 --> 00:44:48.699
 that he wrote,

00:44:49.059 --> 00:44:49.939
 he stuck in the paper,

00:44:50.039 --> 00:44:50.459
 as a filler,

00:44:50.959 --> 00:44:51.539
 and he said,

00:44:51.859 --> 00:44:53.219
 hey let's just run this,

00:44:53.419 --> 00:44:55.139
 and added space up,

00:44:55.179 --> 00:44:55.679
 and he didn't think,

00:44:55.699 --> 00:44:56.299
 anything about it,

00:44:56.359 --> 00:44:57.159
 but then two weeks later,

00:44:57.219 --> 00:44:57.639
 he started getting,

00:44:58.359 --> 00:44:59.639
 requests for more papers,

00:44:59.859 --> 00:45:00.579
 and three weeks later,

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:01.219
 he got more papers,

00:45:01.219 --> 00:45:02.099
 and he finally had,

00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:02.659
 this news guy,

00:45:02.879 --> 00:45:03.719
 this railroad guy said,

00:45:03.799 --> 00:45:04.980
 I want one million copies,

00:45:05.019 --> 00:45:05.559
 of this paper,

00:45:06.019 --> 00:45:06.659
 and the guy's going,

00:45:06.739 --> 00:45:07.619
 what's the big deal,

00:45:07.679 --> 00:45:08.079
 why does everybody,

00:45:08.219 --> 00:45:08.779
 want this newspaper,

00:45:09.219 --> 00:45:09.919
 and his helper said,

00:45:09.959 --> 00:45:10.639
 it's because that article,

00:45:10.759 --> 00:45:11.079
 you wrote,

00:45:12.439 --> 00:45:13.219
 because I just wrote it,

00:45:13.219 --> 00:45:13.779
 on a fly,

00:45:13.859 --> 00:45:14.879
 and it's filled it in there,

00:45:15.459 --> 00:45:16.079
 and the article,

00:45:16.219 --> 00:45:16.739
 is called,

00:45:16.859 --> 00:45:17.819
 a letter to Garcia,

00:45:18.859 --> 00:45:19.739
 it's about the Spanish,

00:45:19.819 --> 00:45:20.399
 American war,

00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:21.239
 and it's about this general,

00:45:21.359 --> 00:45:21.859
 they're about to go,

00:45:22.019 --> 00:45:22.859
 help the people in Cuba,

00:45:23.079 --> 00:45:24.119
 and they needed to get a hold,

00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:24.619
 of this guy,

00:45:24.679 --> 00:45:25.959
 who was a rebel leader,

00:45:25.959 --> 00:45:26.599
 in the mountains,

00:45:27.439 --> 00:45:28.179
 and they didn't know,

00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:29.079
 how to get a hold of him,

00:45:29.399 --> 00:45:30.739
 and so they wrote this letter,

00:45:31.219 --> 00:45:31.599
 and they goes,

00:45:31.679 --> 00:45:32.379
 how do we get this letter,

00:45:32.439 --> 00:45:32.959
 to this guy,

00:45:33.319 --> 00:45:34.739
 who will go do it,

00:45:34.739 --> 00:45:35.659
 without being asked,

00:45:35.819 --> 00:45:36.599
 who will do it,

00:45:36.739 --> 00:45:37.879
 without asking questions,

00:45:38.000 --> 00:45:38.519
 who will do it,

00:45:38.559 --> 00:45:39.139
 no matter what,

00:45:39.459 --> 00:45:39.979
 who's going to be,

00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:40.739
 the most faithful person,

00:45:40.819 --> 00:45:41.119
 we have,

00:45:41.379 --> 00:45:41.899
 and this guy goes,

00:45:41.939 --> 00:45:42.379
 I know this guy,

00:45:42.459 --> 00:45:43.500
 his name's Lieutenant Rohan,

00:45:44.219 --> 00:45:45.119
 you give Lieutenant Rohan,

00:45:45.159 --> 00:45:45.859
 the letter to Garcia,

00:45:46.019 --> 00:45:46.599
 and he'll get there,

00:45:46.639 --> 00:45:47.139
 no matter what,

00:45:47.199 --> 00:45:47.919
 he won't ask you,

00:45:47.959 --> 00:45:48.479
 he won't do it,

00:45:48.739 --> 00:45:49.539
 he'll do it on his own,

00:45:49.579 --> 00:45:50.299
 he'll take the initiative,

00:45:50.699 --> 00:45:51.339
 he'll sacrifice,

00:45:51.500 --> 00:45:52.159
 he'll do everything that's needed,

00:45:52.219 --> 00:45:52.739
 he'll get it done,

00:45:54.299 --> 00:45:54.939
 and so they gave the letter,

00:45:55.039 --> 00:45:55.839
 to Lieutenant Rohan,

00:45:56.979 --> 00:45:57.819
 and he went out,

00:45:57.879 --> 00:45:58.699
 and he found Garcia,

00:45:58.699 --> 00:46:00.259
 and he coordinated the efforts,

00:46:00.379 --> 00:46:01.279
 and they were able to free,

00:46:01.359 --> 00:46:02.019
 the people of Cuba,

00:46:02.099 --> 00:46:02.679
 at that time,

00:46:04.079 --> 00:46:05.439
 and my parents gave me this letter,

00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:05.719
 and say,

00:46:05.799 --> 00:46:06.419
 see you need to be,

00:46:06.539 --> 00:46:07.199
 just like that guy,

00:46:08.980 --> 00:46:09.879
 you need to be like Rohan,

00:46:10.339 --> 00:46:11.219
 who takes an order,

00:46:11.379 --> 00:46:12.179
 he just says yes sir,

00:46:12.239 --> 00:46:12.500
 and he goes,

00:46:12.539 --> 00:46:12.839
 does it,

00:46:13.099 --> 00:46:13.839
 he doesn't ask questions,

00:46:13.919 --> 00:46:14.619
 he just makes it happen,

00:46:14.679 --> 00:46:15.179
 he gets it done,

00:46:15.439 --> 00:46:16.139
 that's the type of people,

00:46:16.199 --> 00:46:16.939
 people are looking for,

00:46:17.000 --> 00:46:17.639
 that's what's going to make,

00:46:17.719 --> 00:46:18.519
 successful in the world,

00:46:18.939 --> 00:46:19.899
 everybody needs to be like that,

00:46:19.960 --> 00:46:20.839
 everybody needs to take the initiative,

00:46:23.219 --> 00:46:23.819
 again my parents,

00:46:23.879 --> 00:46:24.500
 weren't believers,

00:46:24.699 --> 00:46:26.039
 and so that was the best standard,

00:46:26.179 --> 00:46:26.939
 they could give me,

00:46:26.940 --> 00:46:28.980
 and I walked away,

00:46:29.059 --> 00:46:30.539
 with that article in my hand,

00:46:30.619 --> 00:46:31.220
 I'm going wow,

00:46:31.300 --> 00:46:32.519
 that's amazing,

00:46:32.659 --> 00:46:33.800
 and there's something deep inside of me,

00:46:33.840 --> 00:46:34.159
 that says,

00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:35.579
 I need to be like that,

00:46:35.720 --> 00:46:36.659
 but I asked the question,

00:46:36.760 --> 00:46:38.059
 how do I be like that,

00:46:39.000 --> 00:46:39.780
 because there's sometimes,

00:46:39.880 --> 00:46:41.099
 I don't want to be like that,

00:46:42.159 --> 00:46:42.619
 I mean often,

00:46:42.720 --> 00:46:43.920
 I don't want to be like that,

00:46:47.400 --> 00:46:49.119
 I started teaching in China,

00:46:49.940 --> 00:46:50.920
 in the late 80's,

00:46:52.119 --> 00:46:53.340
 my Chinese students,

00:46:53.420 --> 00:46:54.500
 had a Lieutenant Rohan also,

00:46:55.679 --> 00:46:56.619
 his name was Lei Feng,

00:46:56.940 --> 00:46:58.700
 and whenever they wanted,

00:46:58.780 --> 00:46:59.619
 Chinese students to do something,

00:46:59.700 --> 00:47:00.159
 they said do it,

00:47:00.179 --> 00:47:00.940
 because Lei Feng did it,

00:47:01.720 --> 00:47:02.360
 he sacrificed,

00:47:02.659 --> 00:47:03.099
 he worked,

00:47:03.200 --> 00:47:04.179
 he did it for the good of the people,

00:47:04.539 --> 00:47:05.340
 he didn't ask questions,

00:47:05.420 --> 00:47:06.099
 he was sacrificial,

00:47:06.240 --> 00:47:07.320
 he did everything he needed to do,

00:47:07.659 --> 00:47:08.519
 be like Lei Feng,

00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:10.800
 as I taught my students,

00:47:10.980 --> 00:47:12.280
 we were reading that,

00:47:12.340 --> 00:47:13.220
 and thinking about that,

00:47:13.619 --> 00:47:15.240
 I said well how do you do that,

00:47:16.700 --> 00:47:17.780
 I mean where do you get the power,

00:47:17.900 --> 00:47:18.780
 to be like that,

00:47:20.059 --> 00:47:20.760
 and they go,

00:47:20.880 --> 00:47:22.420
 don't ask me,

00:47:22.480 --> 00:47:23.099
 it's impossible,

00:47:23.099 --> 00:47:27.139
 and Paul says yes,

00:47:27.179 --> 00:47:27.539
 you're right,

00:47:27.599 --> 00:47:28.619
 it is impossible,

00:47:30.420 --> 00:47:32.159
 the only way you can do it,

00:47:33.299 --> 00:47:34.639
 is by looking at Jesus,

00:47:35.639 --> 00:47:38.900
 who was a master,

00:47:39.900 --> 00:47:40.819
 but became a servant,

00:47:42.259 --> 00:47:43.819
 who came to earth,

00:47:44.819 --> 00:47:46.119
 was treated like crap,

00:47:47.119 --> 00:47:48.519
 but he still served,

00:47:48.519 --> 00:47:51.039
 and he gave sacrificially,

00:47:52.440 --> 00:47:54.880
 he was ultimately crucified,

00:47:54.880 --> 00:47:55.800
 on a cross,

00:47:56.460 --> 00:47:58.360
 by his masters,

00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:01.300
 I'm sure some of you,

00:48:01.380 --> 00:48:02.179
 feel like that at work,

00:48:02.360 --> 00:48:03.059
 on Mondays,

00:48:04.019 --> 00:48:08.320
 he died for you and me,

00:48:08.420 --> 00:48:09.440
 he rose again,

00:48:10.840 --> 00:48:13.099
 the only way you can be like Garcia,

00:48:13.440 --> 00:48:14.860
 the only way you can be like Rohan,

00:48:14.940 --> 00:48:16.840
 the only way you can be like Lei Feng,

00:48:16.840 --> 00:48:20.680
 is by gazing at what Christ,

00:48:20.740 --> 00:48:21.660
 has been for you,

00:48:24.980 --> 00:48:26.300
 and surrender your life,

00:48:28.360 --> 00:48:29.340
 allowing the Holy Spirit,

00:48:29.400 --> 00:48:29.980
 to come in,

00:48:31.100 --> 00:48:32.039
 and to change you,

00:48:33.800 --> 00:48:35.200
 if you try to do it on your own,

00:48:35.280 --> 00:48:36.340
 if you try to do all these things,

00:48:36.400 --> 00:48:37.600
 I'm going to be the best employer,

00:48:37.600 --> 00:48:38.680
 on Monday I can ever be,

00:48:39.320 --> 00:48:40.720
 the Bible says you're going to fail,

00:48:41.800 --> 00:48:44.400
 because you're sinful and broken,

00:48:44.400 --> 00:48:47.900
 if you're a dad,

00:48:47.960 --> 00:48:48.780
 try to be the best dad,

00:48:48.800 --> 00:48:49.539
 you can be today,

00:48:50.539 --> 00:48:51.960
 if you're like me,

00:48:52.000 --> 00:48:52.559
 you're going to fail,

00:48:52.619 --> 00:48:53.160
 an alligator,

00:48:54.559 --> 00:48:55.940
 because you're going to be impatient,

00:48:57.000 --> 00:48:58.079
 you're going to be frustrated,

00:48:58.920 --> 00:49:00.320
 you're going to want to take a break,

00:49:00.360 --> 00:49:01.400
 because you've worked so hard,

00:49:01.440 --> 00:49:02.420
 and you deserve this break,

00:49:02.460 --> 00:49:03.480
 and now your kids are coming in,

00:49:03.519 --> 00:49:04.680
 and disturbing your break,

00:49:05.360 --> 00:49:06.780
 you're entitled,

00:49:06.780 --> 00:49:10.820
 but the passage says,

00:49:11.260 --> 00:49:13.800
 we can do these things,

00:49:14.000 --> 00:49:15.160
 and we can be these things,

00:49:15.160 --> 00:49:16.500
 only as we look at Jesus,

00:49:18.040 --> 00:49:20.400
 and realize he's already done them for us,

00:49:21.840 --> 00:49:24.440
 and as we surrender our lives to him,

00:49:24.480 --> 00:49:26.060
 and ask him to change us,

00:49:27.500 --> 00:49:28.460
 he does,

00:49:29.820 --> 00:49:31.040
 it's not like that,

00:49:31.960 --> 00:49:32.800
 it's a journey,

00:49:34.260 --> 00:49:36.160
 but you change on the journey,

00:49:36.780 --> 00:49:39.540
 not because you're being a better person,

00:49:40.940 --> 00:49:43.300
 but because you understand the gospel,

00:49:44.700 --> 00:49:47.019
 and you're looking at Christ,

00:49:48.019 --> 00:49:51.360
 does that make sense,

00:49:53.580 --> 00:49:59.340
 how do we do good at work,

00:49:59.440 --> 00:50:00.260
 how do we be the person,

00:50:00.260 --> 00:50:01.440
 that our employers,

00:50:01.660 --> 00:50:02.760
 or employees want us to be,

00:50:02.840 --> 00:50:03.920
 how do we do all these things,

00:50:03.980 --> 00:50:05.019
 and treat people like ourselves,

00:50:05.019 --> 00:50:07.219
 and realize that our greater reward,

00:50:07.280 --> 00:50:07.699
 is in heaven,

00:50:07.900 --> 00:50:09.659
 how do we do these things,

00:50:09.699 --> 00:50:10.780
 as Paul is telling these slaves,

00:50:10.840 --> 00:50:12.480
 and remember slaves had no rights,

00:50:13.820 --> 00:50:14.940
 they had no rights,

00:50:15.820 --> 00:50:16.599
 they could go back home,

00:50:16.639 --> 00:50:17.860
 and they could be killed just like that,

00:50:18.099 --> 00:50:19.340
 and he's telling them to act,

00:50:19.380 --> 00:50:20.239
 and do these things,

00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:21.139
 in an environment,

00:50:21.280 --> 00:50:22.780
 where they weren't going to receive a bonus,

00:50:24.059 --> 00:50:26.300
 they weren't going to get a better pay raise,

00:50:26.320 --> 00:50:26.940
 at the end,

00:50:26.940 --> 00:50:30.480
 he said the only way you can do it,

00:50:30.559 --> 00:50:32.119
 is by contemplating,

00:50:32.179 --> 00:50:33.240
 what Christ has already done,

00:50:33.460 --> 00:50:34.079
 for you,

00:50:35.079 --> 00:50:39.320
 father we thank you for this day,

00:50:39.420 --> 00:50:40.200
 we thank you for your goodness,

00:50:40.380 --> 00:50:41.500
 and your mercy in our life,

00:50:42.420 --> 00:50:44.539
 we thank you that you have gone before us,

00:50:44.579 --> 00:50:46.200
 that you are the ultimate master,

00:50:46.200 --> 00:50:47.240
 who became a slave,

00:50:47.920 --> 00:50:49.480
 you're probably the only master,

00:50:49.480 --> 00:50:51.659
 who ever died for his employees,

00:50:51.659 --> 00:50:53.599
 that I know of,

00:50:55.000 --> 00:50:58.159
 and yet your word says,

00:50:58.259 --> 00:50:59.619
 that you continue to pursue us,

00:50:59.639 --> 00:51:00.859
 even when we make mistakes,

00:51:01.920 --> 00:51:04.119
 you can continue to pursue us,

00:51:04.139 --> 00:51:06.259
 even when we compartmentalize our lives,

00:51:06.299 --> 00:51:07.960
 even when we live by different rules,

00:51:08.039 --> 00:51:08.879
 and we make mistakes,

00:51:09.559 --> 00:51:10.239
 your word says,

00:51:10.279 --> 00:51:11.599
 that you never give up on us,

00:51:11.679 --> 00:51:13.239
 that your grace is amazing,

00:51:13.539 --> 00:51:14.960
 and it changes us,

00:51:16.559 --> 00:51:18.879
 so we come before you as your people,

00:51:19.059 --> 00:51:19.799
 and we just ask you,

00:51:19.879 --> 00:51:21.199
 to continue to change us,

00:51:21.659 --> 00:51:25.920
 help us to be the employees,

00:51:26.159 --> 00:51:28.779
 this week that focuses on our relationship,

00:51:28.779 --> 00:51:30.000
 with you above all else,

00:51:30.019 --> 00:51:31.440
 and realizes that all good things,

00:51:31.519 --> 00:51:32.179
 come from you,

00:51:33.679 --> 00:51:35.299
 sure that might get us fired,

00:51:35.420 --> 00:51:37.279
 the first day,

00:51:37.359 --> 00:51:38.460
 when we choose not to do something,

00:51:38.460 --> 00:51:40.940
 that's counter your will,

00:51:42.219 --> 00:51:43.480
 but even if it does,

00:51:43.559 --> 00:51:44.319
 your word says,

00:51:44.460 --> 00:51:46.139
 that you watch out after us,

00:51:46.159 --> 00:51:47.359
 and you provide for us,

00:51:48.199 --> 00:51:49.559
 and you go before us,

00:51:49.619 --> 00:51:51.219
 and that we have that reward,

00:51:51.219 --> 00:51:52.259
 waiting for us,

00:51:52.899 --> 00:51:53.939
 when we see you,

00:51:54.259 --> 00:51:55.000
 the next time,

00:51:55.000 --> 00:51:57.519
 Father,

00:51:57.599 --> 00:51:58.139
 I pray for us,

00:51:58.179 --> 00:51:59.079
 who are employers,

00:51:59.519 --> 00:52:00.159
 and dads,

00:52:00.260 --> 00:52:00.840
 and moms,

00:52:01.000 --> 00:52:02.699
 and oversee any people,

00:52:02.780 --> 00:52:03.360
 in our world,

00:52:03.440 --> 00:52:05.340
 help us to love them,

00:52:05.400 --> 00:52:06.480
 and to encourage them,

00:52:06.500 --> 00:52:07.699
 and to serve them,

00:52:07.719 --> 00:52:09.159
 like your son served us,

00:52:09.699 --> 00:52:10.699
 and to die,

00:52:10.780 --> 00:52:11.519
 if need be,

00:52:12.179 --> 00:52:13.800
 to ourselves,

00:52:13.800 --> 00:52:16.039
 for them,

00:52:16.260 --> 00:52:16.800
 for them,

00:52:16.800 --> 00:52:18.800
 for them,

00:52:18.800 --> 00:52:18.820
 Lord,

00:52:18.860 --> 00:52:19.440
 I wonder what,

00:52:19.440 --> 00:52:20.640
 Hong Kong would be like,

00:52:20.700 --> 00:52:21.820
 I wonder what our workplaces,

00:52:21.820 --> 00:52:22.480
 would be like,

00:52:22.519 --> 00:52:23.539
 I wonder what our homes,

00:52:23.640 --> 00:52:24.300
 would be like,

00:52:25.300 --> 00:52:27.900
 if we just thought about you,

00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:28.560
 and our love,

00:52:28.720 --> 00:52:29.920
 and our relationship for you,

00:52:29.980 --> 00:52:30.680
 and we allowed you,

00:52:30.720 --> 00:52:31.760
 to go before us,

00:52:33.200 --> 00:52:33.920
 so Lord,

00:52:33.940 --> 00:52:34.900
 we pray as a church,

00:52:34.980 --> 00:52:35.580
 and as individuals,

00:52:35.720 --> 00:52:36.620
 that we would trust you,

00:52:36.700 --> 00:52:37.440
 that we would see you,

00:52:37.500 --> 00:52:38.000
 as big,

00:52:38.920 --> 00:52:39.500
 and mighty,

00:52:40.420 --> 00:52:41.320
 and good,

00:52:42.260 --> 00:52:43.159
 and in control,

00:52:44.639 --> 00:52:47.940
 we would worship at your feet,

00:52:50.139 --> 00:52:51.400
 we pray all these things,

00:52:51.460 --> 00:52:51.820
 your son,

00:52:51.900 --> 00:52:52.119
 Jesus,

00:52:52.260 --> 00:52:52.800
 holy name,

00:52:53.539 --> 00:52:53.800
 amen.