WEBVTT

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 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us.

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 Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us as we think about your word.

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 Father, we thank you that every word that is written in 2 Corinthians 4, 7-18,

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 that every word is a word that has ultimately come from you.

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 It is the word that you desire to speak to us.

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 And Father, we acknowledge before you that it can be hard for us to listen to others

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 and it can be really hard for us to listen to you.

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 But we ask, Father, that you would gentle our minds and humble our minds and humble our hearts

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 and grant us open ears that we might hear you speak.

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 And may you speak deep into our lives so that our lives, day by day,

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 will bear much fruit that brings you glory.

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

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 Amen. Please be seated.

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 So quite a few years ago, when I was in my early 20s, there wasn't any move-in movement.

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 But I lived with four other Christian guys in a house.

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 And so we were five Christian young men, all single.

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 And we met together regularly for prayer and Bible reading.

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 And we also tried to do different types of things in the community.

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 And one of the things that we often tried to do in the community,

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 we felt fairly comfortable with this because we were five young men.

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 And we'd often bring people in to live with us for a period of time because they needed some help.

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 And one of the guys, I'm going to call him Bob,

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 often the people that we would have come and live with us had some type of mental illness.

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 And this one time we had a guy, I'll call him Bob,

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 he came to live with us and he was suffering from,

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 I guess they'd call it now bipolar disorder.

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 They used to call it manic depression.

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 And that's what he was suffering from and struggling with.

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 And he came to live with us for a little period of time because he was homeless.

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 And actually, I've made a mistake in saying that he was struggling with his bipolar disorder.

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 At the time that he was with us, he definitely wasn't struggling with it.

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 And he was surfing it like he was just completely and utterly given over to his disorder.

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 And it was July.

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 It was very, very hot as July can be in Ottawa.

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 Very hot and humid.

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 We were in a house that had no air conditioning.

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 And basically, he would wake up in the morning

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 and he would sit in this one couch, one chair in the living room all day.

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 The only time he would get up was if he went to get something to eat

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 or to go outside to smoke a cigarette.

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 And this is what he did every day.

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 And after he'd been doing this for a while, I mean, he hadn't showered, hadn't bathed.

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 He was beginning to get a ripe smell.

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 And so I was picked by the group of five guys to have a conversation with him

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 about his need to deal with he was beginning to smell quite ripe.

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 And so I actually had to literally stand at the other side of the room

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 because he was getting quite ripe.

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 And I begin to try to talk to him about this.

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 And he interrupts me and says,

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 George, if you knew who I really was, you would fall down right now and worship me.

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 And he said it with complete seriousness, you would fall down and worship me.

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 I said, I think I said something like, Bob, I know who you are and you need a shower.

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 But he said with complete and utter seriousness, if you knew who I was, you would fall down and worship me.

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 We Christians, if you're a guest here this morning and you're a seeker

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 or maybe you've just been dragged here against your will, I don't know,

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 and you're just trying to figure out the Christian faith,

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 you're an anthropologist trying to figure out this weird tribe called followers of Jesus.

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 Because, you know, we followers of Jesus, we have a very similar problem to Jim.

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 Not that we go around telling people that they have to fall down and worship us,

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 but we have a very, very similar problem.

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 And that is, if you think about it for a second, you know, in the Creed and the Bible,

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 and we tell people and we know that, you know, what is it?

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 That when we come to faith in Jesus, we've been made right with God.

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 When we come to faith in Jesus, Jesus lives in us and we live in Jesus.

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 We're given the gift of the Holy Spirit, the very same Holy Spirit that caused the Bible to be written

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 and the planets to be formed and raised Jesus from the dead.

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 That Holy Spirit lives within us.

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 And we will go to be in the new heaven and the new earth.

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 And if you think about all of these problems, here's our Jim problem.

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 Why aren't you more impressive?

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 Like, why am I not more impressive?

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 Why isn't this congregation more impressive?

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 Like, you know, if you think about it, often one of the reasons that we don't actually want to say anything

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 about our friends to our friends or our neighbors about the fact that we go to church

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 or that we're followers of Jesus is because we don't feel very impressive.

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 We say to ourselves, well, how on earth can I say something to them about Jesus?

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 I mean, they're way better educated than me.

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 You know, they're so much better at relationships.

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 They're way better behaved.

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 You know, they speak more languages than me.

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 You know, they're fitter.

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 They're younger.

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 They're prettier.

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 They're better looking.

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 Like, we go through these things.

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 And why do we go through these things?

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 Because we sort of believe that we're not very impressive.

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 And really, we should be impressive.

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 And that's our Jim problem.

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 Why aren't we more impressive if these biblical things are true?

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 The Bible text today actually has a lot of really important things to speak into this issue

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 about our desire to be more impressive and how it messes up our lives.

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 Very powerful Bible text about this.

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 So it would be a great help to me if you'd get your Bibles and you'd open them up

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 to 2 Corinthians 4, verse 7.

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 2 Corinthians 4, verse 7.

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 And it speaks directly into some of these issues.

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 It's actually a really, really, really, there's two really, really, really beautiful Bible texts

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 in here that many of you should want to memorize.

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 It's a good thing to memorize the Bible.

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 And there's wonderful texts here for us to memorize and to be able to think about.

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 And look how the text begins.

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 2 Corinthians 4, verse 7.

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 And if you're wondering why I begin at verse 7, if you're a guest here this morning,

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 we do something which is very, very old-fashioned.

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 In fact, I mean, if you go back and you read Augustine and you go back and you read St. John Chrysostom

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 and you go back and you read Ambrose, they used to preach through books of the Bible.

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 And that's sort of a lost art.

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 We're preaching through the book of 2 Corinthians.

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 And that's why we're starting at verse 7 because we did up to verse 6, you know, 1 to 6 last week.

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 And listen to what it says in 2 Corinthians 4, 7.

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

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 It's a very, very beautiful text, isn't it?

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

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 Now, some of us might say, you know, that's a really beautiful text.

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 You know, my mom always told me that I was a treasure.

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 And you know, at school they try to tell you that you're a treasure.

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 And it's like it's a really nice text.

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 I'll have to show my teacher this text or tell my mom about this text because it's very, very Canadian, right?

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 Everybody's a treasure.

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 We all have this treasure within us.

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 And so it can sound like it's a very Canadian text, but it's actually a text which is very problematic for Christians.

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 And in fact, I'm going to do something a bit dangerous with you now because at first you might say this is a really nice verse to share with your friend.

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 But when I actually show you what it means, you might be terrified that your friend finds out about this text.

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 Because it's so profoundly un-Canadian.

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 Notice in verse 7 it begins with but.

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 And I'm sorry, I can't resist it.

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 It's a big but.

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 I love saying that.

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 I don't know why.

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 It's a big but.

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay.

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 It means it's connected in a very particular way with what just goes on before it.

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 And so actually, Andrew, could you put that up on the screen?

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 Could you say this all with me?

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 It's a beautiful text, the two together.

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 For God who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

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 Isn't that a beautiful text when put together?

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 It's so beautiful.

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 And last week we talked a little bit about verse 6 because I went through verses 1 to 6 of chapter 4.

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 So there's a bit of a context about this language of for God who said, let light shine out of darkness.

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 You know, earlier on in 2 Corinthians it said how every human being is veiled or blindfolded.

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 And it talks about almost as if every human being, on one hand, we're born with this blindfold.

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 On the other hand, we like to hold it on.

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 And the blindfold means that we don't actually get to see the reality the way it is.

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 We don't see reality.

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 We like to have blindfolds on.

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 And it implies that in terms of understanding God or seeing God or understanding God that we have a blindfold on.

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 And that understanding ourselves in light of God, our hearts, the center of who we are.

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 We can only understand who we are in light of who God is.

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 And we have a blindfold on about it.

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 And then just above this verse, it talks about on top of that, the devil blinds us.

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 On my drive in here this morning, it really struck me.

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 This is a bit of an aside.

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 I know I can have problems with asides.

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 You know, Bob Dylan just got the Nobel Prize, right, for poetry.

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 He has a line in one of his songs.

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 I was blinded by the devil, born already ruined.

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 I wish I could say it the way he said it.

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 Born already ruined, stone cold dead as I stepped out of the womb.

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 And by his grace, but by his grace, I have been touched.

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 By his word, I have been healed.

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 By his hand, I've been delivered.

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 By his spirit, I've been healed.

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 I've been saved.

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 That's a Dylan song.

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 Isn't that sort of cool that he just won the Nobel Prize for poetry?

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 And that's some of his poetry.

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 It comes right from 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

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 I was blinded by the devil, born already ruined, stone cold dead as I stepped out of the womb.

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 And anyway, I think that's cool.

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 I'm an old Dylan fan.

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 So what's going on?

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 Just before this text is up here, for God who said,

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 let light shine out of darkness as shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God

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 in the face of Jesus Christ.

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

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 What the text is saying here, it's very, very powerful.

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 The same God who created all things and who on the very first day of creation said, let there be light.

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 And there's light scattering the darkness.

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 The very same God who has created all things is the same God that converts us.

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 who sees that we as human beings are veiled and blinded.

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 And earlier on in 2 Corinthians, it says that when we turn to the Lord, in other words, when we realize that unless God shows us mercy,

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 we cannot fix ourselves or help ourselves or save ourselves.

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 And we call out to God to show mercy to us.

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 And God, seeing that we are blinded and seeing that we are veiled,

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 he bypasses both.

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 And the very same God that created all things on the first day, began to create all things on the first day of creation,

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 shines in our hearts, the center of who we are, the command center of our lives.

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 And he shines into that to create the new creation.

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 The same God who creates is the same God who fits us for the new creation when we turn to Jesus in faith.

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 And that's what it's saying here in the text.

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 And when it talks about the glory of God,

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 for God who said, let light shine out of darkness as shown in our hearts

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 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,

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 the glory of God is not talking about a mystical vision.

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 It's not talking about the beatific vision.

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 It's not just saying you have to have a mystical experience.

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 No, it's not talking about that at all.

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 We'll see it more later on in 2 Corinthians.

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 But think back to the Gospel of John.

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 In the Gospel of John, the glory of God is an important theme throughout the Gospel of John.

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 And in John chapter 17, when Jesus is praying over his disciples,

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 he knows that after this prayer, he's going to go to the Garden of Gethsemane.

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 He's going to eventually be captured by his enemies and that he's going to die on the cross.

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 He knows all of that.

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 And he says to his disciples,

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 now you will see the glory of God revealed.

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 In other words,

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 Jesus dying on the cross

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 is the perfect revelation of the glory of God.

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 And that's what it's talking about here in 2 Corinthians.

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 When it says to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,

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 that God shines in our hearts,

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 it's giving a knowledge of what Jesus has done for us on the cross

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 to be gripped by what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

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 And when it says the face of Jesus,

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 it's to constantly reminding us that it's the person of Jesus who dies upon the cross for us,

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 that we're to have a personal knowledge,

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 that it's not just that some ritual happens to us

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 or that God just does some,

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 you know, it's as if he just shines a flashlight into us,

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 but that he comes and shines beneath our veiled and blinded eyes

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 into the very center of who we are

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 to bring home to us the reality of who his son is

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 and what his son has accomplished for us on the cross.

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 And so the word knowledge is personal knowledge,

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 not abstract knowledge,

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 not the way we know 2 plus 2 equals 4,

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 or that we know, you know,

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 who won the Stanley Cup last year,

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 anything like that.

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 It's not just abstract or mere information,

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 it's personal knowledge of a person

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 who has done this mighty act to save us,

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 revealing the glory of God in saving jars of clay

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 who are blinded and veiled.

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 Could you say this text with me again, please, one more time?

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 For God who said,

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 let light shine out of darkness,

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 has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge

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 of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay

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 to show that the surpassing power belongs to God

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 and not to us.

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 This is why I've now done a dangerous thing to you.

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 Because you might have said verse 7 is so wonderful,

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 I think I'll tell my teachers about that

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 or my friends about it.

00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.960
 They're always telling me,

00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:41.200
 this text is saying

00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:43.319
 that every human being

00:15:43.319 --> 00:15:44.960
 is a jar of clay.

00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:48.360
 It doesn't matter if it's

00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:51.139
 the people who win the gold medals in the Olympics,

00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.659
 it doesn't matter if it's the person

00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:54.220
 who will win the MVP award

00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:55.800
 in the NHL this year

00:15:55.800 --> 00:15:59.200
 or the MVP award in the playoffs.

00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.580
 Every human being is a fragile jar of clay.

00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:06.460
 But not every human being

00:16:06.460 --> 00:16:09.160
 has that treasure within them.

00:16:10.580 --> 00:16:12.040
 That's the bad news.

00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:14.740
 But the good news is

00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:18.680
 every jar of clay that turns to Christ,

00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:22.679
 God will turn no one away

00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:24.839
 and he will shine

00:16:24.839 --> 00:16:25.979
 and can shine

00:16:25.979 --> 00:16:27.779
 and will shine into their hearts

00:16:27.779 --> 00:16:29.859
 to bring the glory of God

00:16:29.859 --> 00:16:30.819
 and the knowledge of Christ

00:16:30.819 --> 00:16:32.139
 and all that wonderful stuff

00:16:32.139 --> 00:16:33.979
 and they will have that treasure within them.

00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:36.759
 It is both very bad news,

00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:39.359
 but it's also the best possible news

00:16:39.359 --> 00:16:40.259
 that you could hear.

00:16:40.979 --> 00:16:43.539
 All of us who struggle with being fragile.

00:16:44.959 --> 00:16:46.139
 So here we need,

00:16:46.459 --> 00:16:47.639
 just to be very honest,

00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:52.059
 most of us,

00:16:52.319 --> 00:16:53.460
 maybe all of us,

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:55.259
 like, you know,

00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:58.019
 probably many of us

00:16:58.019 --> 00:16:59.240
 in our minds

00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:01.299
 at different times

00:17:01.299 --> 00:17:02.519
 we're legends

00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:04.220
 in our own minds.

00:17:06.539 --> 00:17:07.539
 And wouldn't,

00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:08.240
 you know,

00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:08.839
 if I,

00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:11.359
 maybe I'm just way more wicked

00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.339
 than the people here

00:17:12.339 --> 00:17:13.240
 and way more pride.

00:17:13.639 --> 00:17:14.059
 You know,

00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:15.099
 it would actually be very proud

00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:15.839
 for me to think I'm

00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:17.539
 more wicked than all of you.

00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:18.840
 That's a bit of a conundrum.

00:17:20.340 --> 00:17:21.820
 I'm just averagely wicked.

00:17:22.020 --> 00:17:22.680
 I don't know.

00:17:24.840 --> 00:17:25.600
 Averagely proud.

00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:26.620
 Oh, is that proud as well?

00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:26.840
 Anyway,

00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:27.200
 you can get,

00:17:27.300 --> 00:17:27.940
 you can see the devil

00:17:27.940 --> 00:17:29.080
 can really play us

00:17:29.080 --> 00:17:29.780
 like an instrument.

00:17:30.020 --> 00:17:30.180
 I mean,

00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:30.940
 he really can.

00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:32.460
 But, you know,

00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:33.299
 here's the thing.

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:34.519
 Many of us would be so,

00:17:34.620 --> 00:17:35.980
 we'd all be so horrified

00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:37.340
 if other people

00:17:37.340 --> 00:17:38.320
 could just listen in

00:17:38.320 --> 00:17:39.080
 to how we talk

00:17:39.080 --> 00:17:39.539
 and think

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.100
 and imagine

00:17:40.100 --> 00:17:40.700
 and daydream

00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:41.360
 throughout the day.

00:17:42.620 --> 00:17:43.059
 Like,

00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:44.279
 we'd spend time

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:45.279
 both howling

00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.059
 with laughter

00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:47.279
 at how preposterous

00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:48.140
 we think we are

00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:50.800
 and then we'd be horrified

00:17:50.800 --> 00:17:52.200
 and then we'd be crying

00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:52.700
 with pity

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:55.160
 because we're addicted

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:55.920
 to boasting.

00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:57.480
 All human beings are.

00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:59.660
 That's one of the reasons

00:17:59.660 --> 00:18:00.780
 I think why this image

00:18:00.780 --> 00:18:01.840
 is so powerful

00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:04.100
 to humble us

00:18:04.100 --> 00:18:05.180
 to make us realize

00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:06.460
 that we aren't the legends

00:18:06.460 --> 00:18:07.860
 we believe in our own minds.

00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:09.620
 And most of us,

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.340
 if we're honest,

00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:11.220
 when we daydream

00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:11.980
 and when we think,

00:18:12.060 --> 00:18:13.000
 it's always around

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:14.259
 becoming more powerful

00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:15.339
 and more impressive.

00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:19.859
 And this text is saying,

00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:20.279
 you know,

00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:21.660
 when you come to Jesus

00:18:21.660 --> 00:18:24.000
 and God shines his heart,

00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:25.579
 his light into our hearts

00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:27.000
 and we have this

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:28.759
 unbelievable treasure

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:30.299
 but he leaves us

00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:31.259
 his jars of clay.

00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:35.039
 He doesn't make us superheroes.

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.779
 We don't get the bodies

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:38.599
 of Wolverine,

00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:42.079
 the wealth of Bill Gates,

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:44.539
 the intelligence

00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:45.740
 of Stephen Hawking

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:48.079
 and the niceness

00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:48.960
 of Mother Teresa.

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:51.399
 We stay jars of clay.

00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:54.359
 And this is part

00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:55.519
 of God's good plan

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.519
 for us

00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:58.119
 because he knows

00:18:58.119 --> 00:18:59.159
 how addicted we are

00:18:59.159 --> 00:18:59.839
 to boasting

00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:03.259
 and he wants to work in us

00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:03.919
 in such a way,

00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:04.859
 what does the text say?

00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:07.259
 To show that the surpassing power

00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:08.460
 belongs to God

00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:09.679
 and not to us.

00:19:10.679 --> 00:19:11.639
 Now, just as a bit

00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:12.500
 of a time out here,

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.200
 this text,

00:19:13.300 --> 00:19:14.380
 if this was the only text

00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:14.900
 in the Bible

00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:15.800
 that talked about this,

00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:16.880
 we'd have a bit of a problem

00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:18.040
 because it could almost sound

00:19:18.040 --> 00:19:18.900
 as if it means that,

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:19.620
 you know,

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:20.380
 when I'm thinking about

00:19:20.380 --> 00:19:21.680
 my sermon for the coming week,

00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:22.660
 I should plan to do

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:24.680
 as crappy a job as possible

00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:26.320
 so that God will be glorified.

00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:27.840
 It's not how it works.

00:19:29.180 --> 00:19:29.680
 You know,

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.400
 it could be that

00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.880
 you dress as bad

00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:32.540
 as you can

00:19:32.540 --> 00:19:33.740
 and you bathe

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.840
 as often as Bob

00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:36.020
 so that God,

00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:36.540
 that's not,

00:19:36.600 --> 00:19:37.680
 if this was the only text,

00:19:37.840 --> 00:19:38.880
 maybe you could think that.

00:19:39.020 --> 00:19:39.220
 I mean,

00:19:39.560 --> 00:19:40.340
 the fact of the matter

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:41.279
 is that there's lots

00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:42.299
 of Bible texts

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:43.139
 that really tell us

00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:43.559
 that if we want

00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:44.319
 to bring God glory,

00:19:44.459 --> 00:19:45.419
 why wouldn't we do

00:19:45.419 --> 00:19:46.559
 the best we absolutely

00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.500
 can do for him?

00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:49.259
 But at the same time

00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:50.079
 that this text is,

00:19:50.419 --> 00:19:51.099
 that the Bible

00:19:51.099 --> 00:19:52.119
 is encouraging us

00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:53.319
 that once we follow

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.519
 Jesus as our Lord,

00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:55.119
 that we are to try

00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:56.399
 to give our absolute best

00:19:56.399 --> 00:19:57.039
 for him,

00:19:57.500 --> 00:19:58.639
 at the same time,

00:19:58.699 --> 00:20:00.879
 it's powerfully reminding us

00:20:00.879 --> 00:20:02.399
 that we are always

00:20:02.399 --> 00:20:03.359
 jars of clay

00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:05.879
 and that the surpassing power

00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:07.199
 comes from God

00:20:07.199 --> 00:20:08.559
 and never from us

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.079
 and the praise

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.639
 for his surpassing power

00:20:11.639 --> 00:20:12.799
 must go to him

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.379
 and never to us.

00:20:16.139 --> 00:20:16.980
 And so one of the things

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:17.379
 you could do

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.200
 just as a time out,

00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:19.019
 like for us,

00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:20.000
 for those of us

00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:21.279
 who are praying

00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.980
 for our kids,

00:20:23.159 --> 00:20:23.559
 those of us

00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:24.240
 who are parents,

00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:25.519
 just here's the thing,

00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:26.460
 remember that you

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.339
 are a jar of clay.

00:20:30.259 --> 00:20:30.940
 Remember you are

00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:31.740
 a jar of clay

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:34.759
 and you're dealing

00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:35.539
 with your kids

00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:36.480
 who are jars of clay

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:36.839
 as well.

00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:37.139
 You know,

00:20:37.179 --> 00:20:38.179
 I think it's so powerful,

00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:38.779
 jars of clay

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:39.340
 are fragile.

00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:40.500
 One of the fruits

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:41.779
 of the Holy Spirit

00:20:41.779 --> 00:20:42.720
 is gentleness.

00:20:44.120 --> 00:20:45.060
 Nowhere in the Bible

00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:46.180
 does it commend us

00:20:46.180 --> 00:20:46.759
 to be a bull

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:47.759
 in a china shop.

00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:49.799
 But the virtue

00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:50.480
 of gentleness

00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.539
 is constantly

00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:53.660
 encouraged upon us

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:54.640
 and we are to pray

00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:55.500
 that we can be gentle

00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.660
 in how we handle people

00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:58.500
 and to pray

00:20:58.500 --> 00:20:59.100
 to be gentle

00:20:59.100 --> 00:20:59.880
 with our kids

00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:00.740
 and husbands

00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:01.320
 to be,

00:21:01.320 --> 00:21:01.900
 you know,

00:21:02.019 --> 00:21:03.000
 gentle with your spouse

00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:03.560
 and spouse

00:21:03.560 --> 00:21:04.160
 to be gentle

00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:04.900
 with your husband

00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:07.340
 and to remember

00:21:07.340 --> 00:21:08.240
 that we're jars

00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:08.780
 of clay

00:21:08.780 --> 00:21:09.680
 and that we have

00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.180
 to pray

00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:10.880
 that God's

00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.960
 surpassing power

00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:12.600
 will work through

00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:12.980
 the fact

00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:13.820
 that we will always

00:21:13.820 --> 00:21:15.360
 be imperfect parents.

00:21:16.820 --> 00:21:17.720
 And one of the things

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:18.560
 you can pray for us

00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:19.259
 as a church

00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:20.560
 is that when the council

00:21:20.560 --> 00:21:21.680
 meets that we remember

00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:22.820
 that we're jars of clay

00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:26.839
 and that we don't say

00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:28.000
 we can't do that

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.119
 or we can't do this,

00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:31.460
 God can't be leading us there

00:21:31.460 --> 00:21:32.599
 because we're not impressive

00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:33.619
 and powerful enough

00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:34.200
 that area,

00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:35.659
 but to remember

00:21:35.659 --> 00:21:36.700
 that we're jars of clay.

00:21:38.439 --> 00:21:39.240
 And maybe God

00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:39.759
 is going to lead,

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:41.460
 maybe God will always

00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.480
 lead us into areas

00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.359
 where we are only jars of clay

00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:45.859
 and the surpassing power

00:21:45.859 --> 00:21:47.559
 has to come from God

00:21:47.559 --> 00:21:48.879
 and we have to say

00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:49.559
 only God.

00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:52.079
 And if you're in work

00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:52.919
 and you're afraid

00:21:52.919 --> 00:21:53.980
 or your neighbors

00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:54.500
 and you're afraid

00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:55.399
 to share the gospel

00:21:55.399 --> 00:21:56.399
 or even tell people

00:21:56.399 --> 00:21:56.879
 that you know

00:21:56.879 --> 00:21:57.720
 that you go to church

00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:58.720
 on a Sunday morning

00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:00.839
 because you say to yourself,

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:01.220
 you know what,

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.720
 I don't get the best job review.

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:05.059
 You know,

00:22:05.079 --> 00:22:06.339
 maybe I'm in the bottom part

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:07.579
 of the office

00:22:07.579 --> 00:22:08.639
 in terms of job review.

00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:09.299
 Well, you know,

00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:10.019
 pray to God

00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:11.079
 that you can do better

00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:11.799
 in your job

00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:15.659
 but remember

00:22:15.659 --> 00:22:16.659
 that God uses

00:22:16.659 --> 00:22:17.579
 jars of clay.

00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:20.200
 to bear witness

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:20.859
 to others.

00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:24.779
 Now,

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.559
 some of you might say,

00:22:25.619 --> 00:22:25.839
 George,

00:22:25.919 --> 00:22:26.019
 you know,

00:22:26.059 --> 00:22:26.500
 you asked us

00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:27.299
 to have this Bible

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.940
 and while you were talking,

00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:28.419
 that was very,

00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:28.779
 you know,

00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:29.419
 good, George.

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:30.940
 But,

00:22:31.379 --> 00:22:31.759
 George,

00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:33.919
 I think that some

00:22:33.919 --> 00:22:34.319
 of the things

00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.220
 that happened after this,

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.419
 like that was very helpful,

00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:36.819
 George,

00:22:36.879 --> 00:22:37.299
 but, you know,

00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:38.559
 you've just been talking

00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:39.339
 about one verse,

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:39.919
 verse seven,

00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:40.379
 and the stuff

00:22:40.379 --> 00:22:41.200
 that comes afterwards,

00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:41.720
 I don't know

00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:42.799
 if the Bible's true,

00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:43.419
 George.

00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:44.839
 Like,

00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:45.599
 George,

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:50.079
 why is it so hard

00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:51.419
 to be a Christian often?

00:22:53.779 --> 00:22:54.099
 Like,

00:22:54.159 --> 00:22:54.259
 you know,

00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:54.559
 George,

00:22:54.619 --> 00:22:55.399
 later on it's going to say

00:22:55.399 --> 00:22:55.599
 about,

00:22:55.679 --> 00:22:55.799
 you know,

00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:56.899
 you face despair

00:22:56.899 --> 00:22:58.039
 and you're broken

00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:58.599
 but not,

00:22:58.679 --> 00:22:58.839
 you know,

00:22:58.879 --> 00:22:59.719
 crushed but not,

00:22:59.919 --> 00:23:00.199
 you know,

00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:01.079
 and all that stuff

00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:01.919
 but it's all this

00:23:01.919 --> 00:23:02.719
 other victory stuff

00:23:02.719 --> 00:23:02.899
 but,

00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:03.159
 George,

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:03.579
 I don't know,

00:23:03.639 --> 00:23:04.579
 I've been in a really long

00:23:04.579 --> 00:23:05.659
 season of despair

00:23:05.659 --> 00:23:08.319
 and I don't know

00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:08.819
 what to do

00:23:08.819 --> 00:23:09.879
 and,

00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:10.259
 you know,

00:23:10.639 --> 00:23:10.919
 you know,

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:12.379
 a lot of the praise songs

00:23:12.379 --> 00:23:13.639
 in churches,

00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:14.300
 it's all about

00:23:14.300 --> 00:23:15.080
 got the victory

00:23:15.080 --> 00:23:15.660
 and Jesus

00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:17.340
 and I'm dancing

00:23:17.340 --> 00:23:18.020
 but,

00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:18.280
 you know,

00:23:18.340 --> 00:23:19.220
 inside I don't feel

00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:19.860
 like I have victory

00:23:19.860 --> 00:23:20.400
 and I don't feel

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.060
 like I'm dancing.

00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:21.420
 George,

00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:22.600
 I have a heavy heart

00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:24.759
 and I've been in a long season

00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:25.540
 and I don't know

00:23:25.540 --> 00:23:26.300
 if it's true,

00:23:27.340 --> 00:23:27.640
 George,

00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:28.080
 or maybe,

00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:28.440
 does that mean

00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:29.220
 I'm not a Christian

00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:30.220
 because it just seems

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:31.759
 like it's so hard?

00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:35.560
 It's so hard.

00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:36.600
 Well,

00:23:36.620 --> 00:23:37.400
 there's two things

00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:38.100
 about this

00:23:38.100 --> 00:23:40.020
 and the first thing

00:23:40.020 --> 00:23:41.480
 is,

00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:41.680
 well,

00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:42.200
 let's look at

00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:43.080
 verses eight to 15

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:43.619
 and I'll talk about

00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:44.220
 the first thing

00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:44.679
 and I'll tell you

00:23:44.679 --> 00:23:45.359
 the second thing

00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:45.799
 about that

00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:46.480
 for those of us

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.119
 who aren't sure

00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:48.159
 if the Bible's true

00:23:48.159 --> 00:23:49.220
 and they're finding it

00:23:49.220 --> 00:23:49.599
 really,

00:23:49.699 --> 00:23:49.899
 really,

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:50.240
 really,

00:23:50.339 --> 00:23:51.000
 really hard

00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:53.819
 and they're wondering,

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.599
 you're wondering,

00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.419
 we're wondering

00:23:55.419 --> 00:23:56.480
 if our brokenness

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.000
 is something

00:23:57.000 --> 00:23:57.559
 that's going to be

00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:58.839
 the story of our lives.

00:23:59.659 --> 00:24:00.439
 Look at verses

00:24:00.439 --> 00:24:01.319
 eight to 15.

00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:02.480
 One of the problems

00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:03.139
 we have with it,

00:24:03.179 --> 00:24:03.799
 I'll see in a moment

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.819
 because it's a very simple

00:24:04.819 --> 00:24:05.799
 way to understand it

00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:06.939
 is it's very powerful

00:24:06.939 --> 00:24:07.960
 poetic imagery

00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:10.439
 to communicate

00:24:10.439 --> 00:24:11.399
 a simple truth

00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:13.019
 but let's read,

00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:14.680
 we are afflicted

00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:15.940
 in every way

00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:16.720
 but not crushed.

00:24:16.800 --> 00:24:17.340
 That's the part

00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:18.420
 some of us don't believe.

00:24:19.320 --> 00:24:20.120
 I'm afflicted

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:20.800
 and crushed,

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:21.280
 George.

00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:23.560
 We're perplexed

00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:24.120
 but not driven

00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:24.680
 to despair.

00:24:24.860 --> 00:24:25.040
 George,

00:24:25.100 --> 00:24:25.620
 I'm struggling

00:24:25.620 --> 00:24:26.400
 with despair.

00:24:29.040 --> 00:24:29.519
 Persecuted

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.560
 but not forsaken.

00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.800
 I feel forsaken,

00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:32.340
 George.

00:24:33.580 --> 00:24:34.380
 Struck down

00:24:34.380 --> 00:24:35.320
 but not destroyed.

00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:35.780
 George,

00:24:35.860 --> 00:24:37.400
 I feel destroyed.

00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:39.519
 Always carrying

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:40.160
 in the body

00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:41.079
 the death of Jesus

00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:41.940
 so that the life

00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:42.400
 of Jesus

00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:43.799
 may also be manifested

00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:44.599
 in our bodies.

00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:46.559
 For we who live

00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:47.579
 are always being given

00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:48.279
 over to death

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:49.379
 for Jesus' sake

00:24:49.379 --> 00:24:50.720
 so that the life

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:51.200
 of Jesus

00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:52.740
 also may be manifested

00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:53.940
 in our mortal flesh.

00:24:54.639 --> 00:24:55.299
 So death

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:56.460
 is at work in us

00:24:56.460 --> 00:24:57.759
 but life in you.

00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:00.559
 Since we have

00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.599
 the same spirit

00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:02.200
 of faith

00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:03.160
 and just pause here

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.279
 the word spirit

00:25:04.279 --> 00:25:06.700
 could be capitalized,

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.019
 probably should be capitalized.

00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:10.000
 it's the Holy Spirit.

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.700
 So it's actually saying

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.980
 that the same Holy Spirit

00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:14.420
 that caused the Bible

00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:15.139
 to be written

00:25:15.139 --> 00:25:17.759
 is the Holy Spirit

00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:19.139
 that Christians have.

00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:21.279
 Since we have

00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:22.099
 the same spirit

00:25:22.099 --> 00:25:22.559
 of faith

00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:23.160
 according to what

00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:23.680
 has been written,

00:25:23.859 --> 00:25:24.400
 I believed

00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:25.339
 and so I spoke,

00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:26.920
 we also believe

00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:28.440
 and so we also speak

00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:29.960
 knowing that

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.839
 he who raised

00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:31.720
 the Lord Jesus

00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.759
 will raise us

00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:34.099
 also with Jesus

00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:35.719
 and bring us

00:25:35.719 --> 00:25:36.659
 with you

00:25:36.659 --> 00:25:39.179
 into his presence

00:25:39.179 --> 00:25:41.019
 for it is all

00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:41.879
 for your sake

00:25:41.879 --> 00:25:43.699
 so that his grace

00:25:43.699 --> 00:25:44.579
 extends to more

00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:45.159
 and more people

00:25:45.159 --> 00:25:45.899
 it may increase

00:25:45.899 --> 00:25:46.519
 thanksgiving

00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:47.699
 to the glory

00:25:47.699 --> 00:25:48.719
 of God.

00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.659
 Here in a very

00:25:50.659 --> 00:25:51.399
 simple way,

00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:52.899
 this is a very,

00:25:53.019 --> 00:25:54.099
 very rich text

00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:55.579
 filled with powerful

00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:56.759
 poetic imagery

00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:58.679
 but in a very simple way,

00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.480
 here's the first thing

00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:00.500
 that the text is saying

00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:02.119
 in answer to why

00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:03.159
 is it that the Christian life

00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:03.920
 seems so hard

00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:05.200
 and what's it talking

00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:06.320
 about all this being broken

00:26:06.320 --> 00:26:06.920
 and death

00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:07.840
 and all of that stuff.

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:10.220
 It's Luke chapter 6

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:11.040
 verse 40.

00:26:11.560 --> 00:26:12.560
 Luke chapter 6

00:26:12.560 --> 00:26:13.019
 verse 40.

00:26:13.100 --> 00:26:13.820
 Can you put it up Andrew?

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.880
 We're not going to have us say it

00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:15.640
 but I'm just going to read it.

00:26:16.080 --> 00:26:16.980
 What does Jesus say?

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:19.060
 A disciple is not above

00:26:19.060 --> 00:26:19.820
 his teacher

00:26:19.820 --> 00:26:21.200
 but everyone

00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:22.660
 when he is fully trained

00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:25.040
 will be like his teacher.

00:26:26.320 --> 00:26:28.040
 A disciple is not above

00:26:28.040 --> 00:26:28.640
 his teacher

00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:29.220
 but everyone

00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:30.380
 when he is fully trained

00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:31.440
 will be like his teacher.

00:26:31.540 --> 00:26:32.860
 There's a four or five

00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:34.119
 places in the Gospels

00:26:34.119 --> 00:26:34.979
 where Jesus says

00:26:34.979 --> 00:26:36.539
 a variation of the same thing.

00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:40.119
 Jesus' death

00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:41.719
 upon the cross

00:26:41.719 --> 00:26:43.859
 is the lamb of

00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:44.479
 his dying

00:26:44.479 --> 00:26:45.500
 is the lamb of God

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:46.139
 who takes away

00:26:46.139 --> 00:26:46.679
 the sin of the world.

00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:47.539
 That's what his death is.

00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:48.139
 On one hand,

00:26:48.179 --> 00:26:48.959
 his death is a

00:26:48.959 --> 00:26:50.819
 sacrifice for sin

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:51.859
 that makes human beings

00:26:51.859 --> 00:26:52.659
 right with God

00:26:52.659 --> 00:26:54.119
 and that's completely

00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:55.479
 and utterly unique to Jesus.

00:26:55.679 --> 00:26:56.459
 We don't do anything

00:26:56.459 --> 00:26:57.679
 like that to save people

00:26:57.679 --> 00:26:59.500
 but Jesus consistently

00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:00.740
 tells us in the Gospel

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:03.120
 that we are to be like him

00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:04.839
 and Jesus

00:27:04.839 --> 00:27:06.599
 made himself nothing.

00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:08.579
 Jesus was tempted

00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:09.259
 by the devil

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:09.900
 in the wilderness.

00:27:10.940 --> 00:27:12.059
 Jesus got tired.

00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:14.559
 Jesus served others

00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:15.779
 and was misunderstood.

00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:16.940
 His family thought

00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.799
 he was insane.

00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:19.339
 If you go back

00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:20.220
 and read the Gospels,

00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:21.880
 they thought he was insane

00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:24.779
 and he was whipped

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.539
 and he was beaten

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:27.619
 and the Bible text

00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:28.720
 here in 2 Corinthians

00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.920
 is telling us

00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:32.039
 this very, very hard truth

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:33.180
 but it's an important truth

00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:33.639
 to remember

00:27:33.639 --> 00:27:35.299
 that all Christian ministry

00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:36.960
 and all Christians

00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.799
 have a ministry

00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:39.579
 is cruciform.

00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:40.700
 It's in the shape

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.319
 of the cross.

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.039
 Jesus says,

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:44.220
 pick up your cross

00:27:44.220 --> 00:27:45.240
 and follow me.

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.680
 And Paul here

00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:49.879
 is talking about that

00:27:49.879 --> 00:27:51.079
 in very, very powerful

00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:52.220
 poetic imagery.

00:27:52.399 --> 00:27:52.879
 Some of us,

00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:54.740
 the imagery of death

00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:55.620
 and of life,

00:27:55.820 --> 00:27:57.620
 it's a better way

00:27:57.620 --> 00:27:58.940
 to get into our consciousness

00:27:58.940 --> 00:28:00.160
 and into our hearts

00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:01.340
 than just this mere thing

00:28:01.340 --> 00:28:03.200
 that if we follow Jesus

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.060
 we'll be like him.

00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:06.040
 But that's what Paul

00:28:06.040 --> 00:28:06.800
 is saying here.

00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:09.120
 It's a very, very powerful thing.

00:28:10.340 --> 00:28:11.600
 But some of us might say,

00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:12.060
 George,

00:28:14.420 --> 00:28:14.860
 okay,

00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:17.480
 you said there's a second thing.

00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:18.560
 You know,

00:28:18.600 --> 00:28:19.640
 I'm going to be really honest

00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:20.220
 with you.

00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:20.360
 So,

00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:23.059
 you know,

00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:24.000
 I struggle with

00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:25.659
 any type of self-worth

00:28:25.659 --> 00:28:26.259
 or purpose.

00:28:26.679 --> 00:28:26.699
 And,

00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:28.719
 you know,

00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:29.759
 I don't know

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:31.119
 when to say no to people.

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:32.639
 And,

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:34.759
 you know,

00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:36.279
 in my head,

00:28:36.379 --> 00:28:37.500
 I carry around

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:39.519
 what my dad said

00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:41.059
 about not respecting me

00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:42.479
 or I'll never amount to much

00:28:42.479 --> 00:28:43.439
 or what my coach

00:28:43.439 --> 00:28:45.000
 or my teacher said.

00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:47.699
 And I carry that around

00:28:47.699 --> 00:28:49.159
 in me, George.

00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:50.320
 and I,

00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:52.720
 I mean,

00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:53.759
 I want to follow Jesus

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.300
 and I,

00:28:55.040 --> 00:28:56.080
 and I'm willing to pick up

00:28:56.080 --> 00:28:56.580
 the cross

00:28:56.580 --> 00:28:57.360
 and follow him,

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:57.600
 but,

00:28:57.900 --> 00:28:58.100
 oh,

00:28:58.320 --> 00:28:59.820
 I still don't know

00:28:59.820 --> 00:29:00.759
 if all those things

00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.080
 about,

00:29:01.600 --> 00:29:02.300
 you know,

00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:03.680
 being broken,

00:29:03.860 --> 00:29:04.180
 you know,

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:05.400
 but not finally

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.019
 and all,

00:29:06.100 --> 00:29:06.300
 I don't,

00:29:06.360 --> 00:29:07.240
 I don't know if it's true,

00:29:07.360 --> 00:29:07.540
 George.

00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:08.240
 I don't know,

00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:08.759
 George.

00:29:09.040 --> 00:29:09.380
 It just,

00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:13.780
 it just seems hard.

00:29:20.780 --> 00:29:21.220
 Well,

00:29:21.220 --> 00:29:22.920
 just look at verse 14 again.

00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:24.860
 What does it say

00:29:24.860 --> 00:29:25.760
 in verse 14?

00:29:26.540 --> 00:29:27.840
 Knowing that he who raised

00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.560
 the Lord Jesus

00:29:28.560 --> 00:29:29.380
 will raise us

00:29:29.380 --> 00:29:30.460
 also with Jesus

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:31.460
 and bring us with you

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:32.440
 into his presence.

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.900
 For it is all for your sake,

00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:37.400
 so that his grace extends

00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:38.400
 to more and more people

00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:39.140
 it may increase

00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:40.200
 thanksgiving to the glory

00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:40.580
 of God.

00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:41.660
 And then these wonderful

00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:42.600
 verses at the end,

00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:43.800
 verses 16 to 18,

00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:44.880
 more verses to memorize.

00:29:45.420 --> 00:29:46.060
 Could you put it up

00:29:46.060 --> 00:29:46.560
 on the screen

00:29:46.560 --> 00:29:47.080
 and could you,

00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:47.980
 could you folks

00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:49.120
 say it with me out loud?

00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:52.399
 So we do not lose heart.

00:29:52.979 --> 00:29:54.339
 Though our outer self

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:55.500
 is wasting away,

00:29:55.939 --> 00:29:57.059
 our inner self

00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:58.019
 is being renewed

00:29:58.019 --> 00:29:59.199
 day by day.

00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:00.619
 For this light,

00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:02.199
 momentary affliction

00:30:02.199 --> 00:30:04.199
 is preparing for us

00:30:04.199 --> 00:30:06.199
 an eternal weight of glory

00:30:06.199 --> 00:30:08.179
 beyond all comparison.

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.939
 As we look not

00:30:09.939 --> 00:30:11.519
 to the things that are seen,

00:30:11.879 --> 00:30:12.759
 but to the things

00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:13.639
 that are unseen.

00:30:14.119 --> 00:30:15.779
 For the things that are seen

00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:16.699
 are transient,

00:30:17.219 --> 00:30:18.879
 but the things that are unseen

00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:19.780
 are eternal.

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:20.840
 I mean,

00:30:21.020 --> 00:30:21.960
 here's the thing

00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:23.140
 about this Bible text

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:24.360
 about us being jars of clay.

00:30:24.420 --> 00:30:25.380
 The fact of the matter is,

00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.320
 is jars of clay

00:30:26.320 --> 00:30:27.900
 is a very, very accurate way

00:30:27.900 --> 00:30:28.860
 to describe us.

00:30:29.700 --> 00:30:30.600
 I know we have

00:30:30.600 --> 00:30:31.800
 some doctors here

00:30:31.800 --> 00:30:32.480
 and some people

00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:33.400
 who are in med school.

00:30:34.080 --> 00:30:34.960
 Tiny, tiny,

00:30:35.100 --> 00:30:36.340
 microscopic things

00:30:36.340 --> 00:30:37.300
 cause us to die.

00:30:40.020 --> 00:30:40.460
 And I mean,

00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:41.500
 this week I know

00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:42.100
 it's a shock

00:30:42.100 --> 00:30:42.860
 to politicians,

00:30:43.080 --> 00:30:44.120
 Jim Prentice dying.

00:30:47.060 --> 00:30:48.600
 And we are very fragile.

00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:50.880
 And we don't really

00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:51.960
 want to acknowledge it.

00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:53.800
 And this whole text,

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.680
 when it tells us

00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:56.080
 about us being jars of clay

00:30:56.080 --> 00:30:57.220
 and being very fragile,

00:30:57.380 --> 00:30:58.300
 and when it tells us

00:30:58.300 --> 00:31:00.600
 that if we don't have Jesus,

00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:02.280
 that treasure's not within us,

00:31:02.800 --> 00:31:05.340
 that in fact is telling us

00:31:05.340 --> 00:31:06.920
 that our situation

00:31:06.920 --> 00:31:08.560
 is vastly worse

00:31:08.560 --> 00:31:09.280
 than we normally

00:31:09.280 --> 00:31:09.940
 are comfortable

00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:10.820
 of thinking about.

00:31:12.540 --> 00:31:14.440
 That it's vastly worse,

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:16.220
 that we are in far more danger

00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:17.460
 and far more trouble

00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:19.559
 than we want to usually

00:31:19.559 --> 00:31:20.240
 think about

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:21.259
 apart from Jesus.

00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:22.500
 But the text

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:23.640
 is also telling us

00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:24.920
 that we are so much

00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.620
 more loved

00:31:25.620 --> 00:31:27.299
 than we can possibly imagine.

00:31:28.180 --> 00:31:29.380
 That once we put

00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:30.339
 our faith and trust

00:31:30.339 --> 00:31:30.920
 in Jesus

00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:32.440
 and we have

00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:33.539
 that treasure within us,

00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.259
 that doesn't just

00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:35.160
 trust touch us

00:31:35.160 --> 00:31:36.000
 at the moment

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.460
 that we realize

00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:38.420
 that we've given

00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.380
 our lives to Jesus.

00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.140
 Because some people

00:31:40.140 --> 00:31:41.319
 it's a very conscious thing

00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:41.960
 and some people

00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:42.500
 it's something

00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:44.940
 that they come to realize

00:31:44.940 --> 00:31:46.259
 with greater and greater clarity

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:46.940
 from the time

00:31:46.940 --> 00:31:48.259
 they were young children.

00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.279
 Or maybe it's something

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.019
 for some people

00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:51.359
 that over a period

00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:52.579
 of six months or a year

00:31:52.579 --> 00:31:53.779
 they make this transition

00:31:53.779 --> 00:31:54.599
 from not being

00:31:54.599 --> 00:31:55.559
 trusting in Jesus

00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:56.539
 to trusting in Jesus.

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.000
 They don't know

00:31:57.000 --> 00:31:57.720
 the moment it happened.

00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:58.420
 It doesn't matter

00:31:58.420 --> 00:31:59.119
 if you know the moment.

00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:00.279
 But that when it has,

00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:01.740
 it touches the entire length

00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:02.299
 of our lives.

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:03.480
 It goes right back to us.

00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:06.000
 Us being a jar of clay

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.799
 goes from the moment

00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:07.579
 of our conception

00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:08.359
 to the future

00:32:08.359 --> 00:32:09.119
 which is the moment

00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:09.660
 of our death

00:32:09.660 --> 00:32:11.140
 and everything in between.

00:32:11.339 --> 00:32:12.339
 And that we're a jar of clay

00:32:12.339 --> 00:32:13.279
 for that entire time.

00:32:13.639 --> 00:32:14.379
 And the treasure,

00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:15.819
 the shining of the light

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.419
 of the gospel

00:32:16.419 --> 00:32:17.379
 of the glory of God

00:32:17.379 --> 00:32:18.639
 in the face of Jesus Christ

00:32:18.639 --> 00:32:19.199
 that comes

00:32:19.199 --> 00:32:20.859
 and that takes up

00:32:20.859 --> 00:32:21.899
 the whole length

00:32:21.899 --> 00:32:23.039
 and depth of our lives

00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:24.480
 with nothing left over.

00:32:25.379 --> 00:32:26.259
 And so it means

00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:27.519
 that whether we were aware

00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:28.079
 of it or not

00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:29.139
 there is no time

00:32:29.139 --> 00:32:29.740
 in our life

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:30.679
 that we have not been

00:32:30.679 --> 00:32:31.619
 profoundly,

00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:33.379
 sacrificially,

00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:34.679
 gloriously,

00:32:35.099 --> 00:32:36.439
 deeply loved by God

00:32:36.439 --> 00:32:37.419
 even if we feel

00:32:37.419 --> 00:32:38.819
 completely and utterly alone

00:32:38.819 --> 00:32:40.480
 and we are suffering

00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:41.079
 and feeling

00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:42.379
 and afraid of despair,

00:32:42.639 --> 00:32:43.679
 there has never been

00:32:43.679 --> 00:32:44.639
 a time that we have been

00:32:44.639 --> 00:32:46.460
 not been deeply loved.

00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:49.460
 And then this text

00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:50.199
 is telling us

00:32:50.199 --> 00:32:51.399
 that it's impossible

00:32:51.399 --> 00:32:52.879
 for us to imagine

00:32:52.879 --> 00:32:55.399
 that an ever-increasing glory,

00:32:55.639 --> 00:32:57.199
 an ever-increasing weight

00:32:57.199 --> 00:32:57.859
 of glory

00:32:57.859 --> 00:32:59.579
 will be the final word

00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:00.960
 about us in Jesus.

00:33:02.619 --> 00:33:03.779
 And this is not me

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:04.379
 telling you this

00:33:04.379 --> 00:33:04.919
 in humanism,

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:06.139
 this is God telling us

00:33:06.139 --> 00:33:06.720
 in his word.

00:33:06.859 --> 00:33:07.720
 I have no authority

00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:08.240
 to tell you this

00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:09.460
 because we're jars of clay.

00:33:11.180 --> 00:33:12.460
 But the Bible says,

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.660
 for this light momentary affliction

00:33:14.660 --> 00:33:15.640
 is preparing for us

00:33:15.640 --> 00:33:16.779
 an eternal weight of glory

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:18.759
 beyond all comparison.

00:33:20.019 --> 00:33:20.500
 Jesus,

00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:22.259
 when he died upon the cross,

00:33:23.259 --> 00:33:25.359
 he took upon himself

00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:28.299
 my doom

00:33:28.299 --> 00:33:30.140
 and yours.

00:33:30.140 --> 00:33:32.600
 and as he dies

00:33:32.600 --> 00:33:33.520
 upon the cross,

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.920
 he offers you and me

00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:37.420
 his destiny.

00:33:42.540 --> 00:33:43.300
 That's what he does

00:33:43.300 --> 00:33:44.220
 for us on the cross.

00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:50.200
 Some of you might say,

00:33:50.259 --> 00:33:50.460
 George,

00:33:50.520 --> 00:33:51.520
 this can't be for me.

00:33:53.140 --> 00:33:54.020
 Come on, George,

00:33:54.080 --> 00:33:54.700
 look at this.

00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:56.800
 Looking to the things

00:33:56.799 --> 00:33:58.720
 that are not seen

00:33:58.720 --> 00:33:59.579
 and unseen

00:33:59.579 --> 00:34:00.859
 and higher things.

00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:01.220
 George,

00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.399
 I'm an ordinary guy.

00:34:02.859 --> 00:34:03.779
 I'm going to be honest with you.

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.680
 You know what I'm looking forward

00:34:04.680 --> 00:34:05.639
 to doing this afternoon?

00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:08.059
 Can a bud

00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:09.679
 and the TV on.

00:34:12.940 --> 00:34:13.440
 You know,

00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:14.259
 and maybe some others

00:34:14.259 --> 00:34:14.599
 are saying,

00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:14.960
 you know what

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:15.900
 I'm looking forward

00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.739
 towards this afternoon,

00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.099
 George?

00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:18.659
 I'm just looking forward

00:34:18.659 --> 00:34:19.739
 to a cup of coffee

00:34:19.739 --> 00:34:20.380
 and Netflix.

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:23.159
 I don't want to have to think

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:24.300
 about higher things

00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:25.199
 and whoa.

00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:26.779
 Does that mean

00:34:26.779 --> 00:34:27.219
 I have to listen

00:34:27.219 --> 00:34:28.519
 to CBC and opera

00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:29.500
 and stuff like that

00:34:29.500 --> 00:34:31.539
 and highfalutin stuff

00:34:31.539 --> 00:34:32.079
 when I'm just

00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:34.119
 an ordinary guy

00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:35.000
 or gal?

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.279
 It's not what

00:34:37.279 --> 00:34:38.099
 the text means at all.

00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:38.980
 Can you read this text

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.619
 with me again?

00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:41.960
 So we do not

00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:42.859
 lose heart.

00:34:43.319 --> 00:34:44.639
 Though our outer self

00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:45.739
 is wasting away,

00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:47.319
 our inner self

00:34:47.319 --> 00:34:48.379
 is being renewed

00:34:48.379 --> 00:34:49.539
 day by day.

00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:50.919
 For this light

00:34:50.919 --> 00:34:52.339
 momentary affliction

00:34:52.339 --> 00:34:53.960
 is preparing for us

00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:55.139
 an eternal weight

00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:55.780
 of glory

00:34:55.780 --> 00:34:57.559
 beyond all comparison.

00:34:58.119 --> 00:34:58.880
 As we look

00:34:58.880 --> 00:34:59.900
 not to the things

00:34:59.900 --> 00:35:00.699
 that are seen

00:35:00.699 --> 00:35:01.960
 but to the things

00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:02.820
 that are unseen.

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.199
 For the things

00:35:04.199 --> 00:35:04.880
 that are seen

00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:05.760
 are transient

00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:06.920
 but the things

00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:07.699
 that are unseen

00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:08.619
 are eternal.

00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:11.179
 What Paul is talking

00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:11.460
 about here,

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:11.940
 what the Bible

00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:12.639
 is talking about here

00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:13.539
 is not a distinction

00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:14.880
 between high things

00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:15.740
 and low things.

00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:16.860
 He's not talking

00:35:16.860 --> 00:35:17.880
 about high culture

00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:19.079
 versus low culture.

00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:20.240
 He's not talking

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:20.720
 about having

00:35:20.720 --> 00:35:21.639
 a hipster burger

00:35:21.639 --> 00:35:22.719
 that cost $27

00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:24.279
 and a burger

00:35:24.279 --> 00:35:25.000
 at McDonald's

00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.099
 that cost $1.49.

00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:27.420
 He's not talking

00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:28.199
 about those types

00:35:28.199 --> 00:35:28.980
 of distinctions.

00:35:29.579 --> 00:35:30.679
 And he's not talking

00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:32.219
 about the soul

00:35:32.219 --> 00:35:33.379
 versus the body.

00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.339
 He's not talking

00:35:34.339 --> 00:35:35.480
 about inner things

00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:36.920
 versus outer things.

00:35:37.339 --> 00:35:38.039
 He's not talking

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:38.420
 about that.

00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.500
 To use a big word,

00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:40.099
 he's making

00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:41.379
 an eschatological

00:35:41.379 --> 00:35:42.059
 distinction.

00:35:42.259 --> 00:35:43.139
 I know, I'm sorry,

00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:43.980
 it's a big word

00:35:43.980 --> 00:35:44.940
 and I have problems

00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.519
 spelling it.

00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:47.239
 An eschatological

00:35:47.239 --> 00:35:47.739
 difference.

00:35:48.239 --> 00:35:49.279
 What he's reminding

00:35:49.280 --> 00:35:50.280
 us is this,

00:35:50.720 --> 00:35:51.519
 that when Jesus

00:35:51.519 --> 00:35:52.940
 died upon the cross

00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:55.800
 and after he died

00:35:55.800 --> 00:35:56.700
 upon the cross

00:35:56.700 --> 00:35:58.060
 as the Lamb of God

00:35:58.060 --> 00:35:58.880
 who takes away

00:35:58.880 --> 00:35:59.900
 the sin of the world

00:35:59.900 --> 00:36:01.600
 and he descends

00:36:01.600 --> 00:36:02.920
 into death

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:03.640
 and he tastes

00:36:03.640 --> 00:36:04.320
 all there is

00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:05.280
 to taste of death,

00:36:05.940 --> 00:36:07.040
 he bears our sin

00:36:07.040 --> 00:36:08.200
 and he tastes

00:36:08.200 --> 00:36:08.780
 all there is

00:36:08.780 --> 00:36:09.780
 to taste of hell

00:36:09.780 --> 00:36:11.300
 and on the third day

00:36:11.300 --> 00:36:12.680
 he rises triumphant

00:36:12.680 --> 00:36:14.440
 and he's defeated sin,

00:36:14.900 --> 00:36:15.920
 he's defeated death,

00:36:16.420 --> 00:36:17.420
 he's defeated hell

00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:18.320
 and all hostile

00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:19.519
 spiritual powers.

00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:21.480
 The beginning

00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:22.099
 of the end

00:36:22.099 --> 00:36:22.700
 of the age

00:36:22.700 --> 00:36:23.200
 has come

00:36:23.200 --> 00:36:26.220
 and he will

00:36:26.220 --> 00:36:27.440
 surely return

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:30.720
 and when he returns,

00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:32.440
 this age,

00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:33.720
 this created order

00:36:33.720 --> 00:36:35.139
 will come to an end

00:36:35.139 --> 00:36:38.420
 and he will usher in

00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:39.720
 and bring the new heaven

00:36:39.720 --> 00:36:40.599
 and the new earth

00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:42.440
 where we will live

00:36:42.440 --> 00:36:43.820
 with resurrected

00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:44.840
 and new bodies

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:46.380
 for all eternity

00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:48.180
 in the presence of God

00:36:48.180 --> 00:36:49.660
 in a new heaven

00:36:49.660 --> 00:36:50.519
 and a new earth

00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:52.100
 and what Paul

00:36:52.100 --> 00:36:52.980
 is saying here

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:53.880
 is he's making

00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:54.740
 the distinction

00:36:54.740 --> 00:36:56.780
 between two different ways

00:36:56.780 --> 00:36:57.600
 of looking at us

00:36:57.600 --> 00:36:58.579
 as human beings.

00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:00.079
 On one hand,

00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:01.260
 you can look at us

00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.039
 as human beings

00:37:02.039 --> 00:37:02.579
 and in fact,

00:37:02.660 --> 00:37:03.480
 the word is actually

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.440
 literally in the Greek

00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:05.360
 the outer man

00:37:05.360 --> 00:37:07.280
 and on one hand,

00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:08.000
 you can look at it

00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:08.920
 from the outer man's

00:37:08.920 --> 00:37:09.360
 point of view,

00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:10.380
 it's what the Supreme Court

00:37:10.380 --> 00:37:11.220
 of Canada sees,

00:37:11.300 --> 00:37:12.420
 it's what Apple sees,

00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:13.860
 it sees George the Consumer,

00:37:13.860 --> 00:37:15.380
 it sees how much money

00:37:15.380 --> 00:37:16.260
 George has

00:37:16.260 --> 00:37:17.720
 and the types of preferences

00:37:17.720 --> 00:37:18.260
 he has

00:37:18.260 --> 00:37:19.780
 and it's the outer thing

00:37:19.780 --> 00:37:22.920
 and that's part of this age

00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:23.680
 which is going to come

00:37:23.680 --> 00:37:24.220
 to an end

00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:25.200
 but then all of a sudden

00:37:25.200 --> 00:37:25.880
 there's a slightly

00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:26.940
 different perspective

00:37:26.940 --> 00:37:27.860
 by which you can look

00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:28.200
 at things

00:37:28.200 --> 00:37:29.120
 and you can look at things

00:37:29.120 --> 00:37:30.660
 and see that George

00:37:30.660 --> 00:37:32.720
 already has the light

00:37:32.720 --> 00:37:33.559
 of the knowledge

00:37:33.559 --> 00:37:34.760
 of the glory of God

00:37:34.760 --> 00:37:36.180
 and the face of Jesus Christ

00:37:36.180 --> 00:37:36.980
 within him

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:37.660
 and that means

00:37:37.660 --> 00:37:38.700
 that he is already

00:37:38.700 --> 00:37:40.300
 part of the age to come,

00:37:40.700 --> 00:37:42.360
 that he is already God's,

00:37:42.380 --> 00:37:43.440
 he's already Christ,

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.960
 that nothing can stop that,

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.320
 that nothing can take that away

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:47.539
 and that is unseen

00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:48.920
 by the Supreme Court of Canada,

00:37:49.039 --> 00:37:49.760
 it is unseen

00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:50.559
 by the Parliament

00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:51.039
 and the Senate,

00:37:51.420 --> 00:37:52.099
 it is unseen

00:37:52.099 --> 00:37:53.059
 by the CBC

00:37:53.059 --> 00:37:54.280
 and the University of Ottawa

00:37:54.280 --> 00:37:55.440
 and the University of Toronto,

00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:56.579
 it is unseen

00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:57.679
 by the Globe of Mail

00:37:57.679 --> 00:37:58.720
 and Hollywood

00:37:58.720 --> 00:38:00.159
 and it is unseen

00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:01.179
 by Bay Street

00:38:01.179 --> 00:38:02.340
 and it is unseen

00:38:02.340 --> 00:38:03.679
 by all the principalities

00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:04.960
 and powers of this world

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:07.300
 but what is this other thing

00:38:07.300 --> 00:38:08.679
 that characterizes George

00:38:08.679 --> 00:38:10.159
 is what is unseen

00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:10.940
 by the world

00:38:10.940 --> 00:38:12.139
 is that when Jesus

00:38:12.139 --> 00:38:13.659
 died upon the cross,

00:38:13.820 --> 00:38:14.980
 it was the death

00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:15.720
 of death

00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:16.519
 in the death

00:38:16.519 --> 00:38:17.260
 of Christ

00:38:17.260 --> 00:38:21.500
 that what is unseen

00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:22.960
 was the defeat

00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:23.440
 of death

00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:24.000
 and sin

00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:24.519
 and hell

00:38:24.519 --> 00:38:25.200
 and all hostile

00:38:25.200 --> 00:38:26.200
 spiritual powers,

00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:28.039
 it is the coming

00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:29.800
 of God himself

00:38:29.800 --> 00:38:30.400
 who will bring

00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:31.119
 all things

00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:32.019
 to a completed end

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:32.960
 and those are

00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:34.059
 the unseen things

00:38:34.059 --> 00:38:34.500
 that we are

00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:35.500
 to be gripped with,

00:38:35.500 --> 00:38:37.539
 not opera

00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:39.239
 and high poetry,

00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:40.619
 I am not against those,

00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:41.199
 if you like them

00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:41.840
 that is great,

00:38:42.920 --> 00:38:43.579
 if you like country

00:38:43.579 --> 00:38:43.940
 and western

00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:44.440
 that is great,

00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:45.619
 it is irrelevant

00:38:45.619 --> 00:38:46.360
 in the Bible,

00:38:47.179 --> 00:38:48.340
 the unseen things

00:38:48.340 --> 00:38:49.079
 are what happens

00:38:49.079 --> 00:38:49.960
 on the cross,

00:38:50.260 --> 00:38:51.480
 that there is a father

00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:52.500
 who loves us,

00:38:52.739 --> 00:38:53.480
 that this is his

00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:54.219
 created order,

00:38:54.440 --> 00:38:55.599
 that he hears our prayers,

00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:56.420
 that he wants to hear

00:38:56.420 --> 00:38:56.820
 our prayers,

00:38:57.019 --> 00:38:58.340
 that Jesus will come again,

00:38:58.420 --> 00:38:58.820
 that there will be,

00:38:58.940 --> 00:39:00.820
 those are the unseen things

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:02.659
 made manifest

00:39:02.659 --> 00:39:04.340
 in his word,

00:39:04.340 --> 00:39:07.420
 the true

00:39:07.420 --> 00:39:09.960
 invisible realities

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:11.480
 made visible

00:39:11.480 --> 00:39:13.340
 by God.

00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:16.320
 That's what's to grip us.

00:39:17.220 --> 00:39:18.660
 That's what's to grip us.

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:23.720
 And so from that perspective,

00:39:23.960 --> 00:39:25.240
 I'm not diminishing,

00:39:25.320 --> 00:39:26.420
 I don't want to diminish at all,

00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:28.539
 I've had long seasons

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.280
 where it's felt

00:39:29.280 --> 00:39:30.140
 very, very dark,

00:39:30.300 --> 00:39:31.539
 maybe not as long as yours.

00:39:34.340 --> 00:39:36.019
 You know,

00:39:36.100 --> 00:39:36.980
 here's the thing,

00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:40.260
 here's the Christian claim.

00:39:43.559 --> 00:39:44.559
 We want to be able

00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:45.600
 to boast and believe

00:39:45.600 --> 00:39:46.220
 that somehow

00:39:46.220 --> 00:39:48.079
 our faith is so strong

00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:50.160
 and so impressive

00:39:50.160 --> 00:39:53.039
 and our ability

00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:53.780
 to manage life

00:39:53.780 --> 00:39:54.720
 is so strong

00:39:54.720 --> 00:39:55.680
 and so impressive

00:39:55.680 --> 00:39:56.820
 that at the end of the day

00:39:56.820 --> 00:39:57.720
 it's always about

00:39:57.720 --> 00:39:58.420
 our ability

00:39:58.420 --> 00:39:59.220
 to hold on

00:39:59.220 --> 00:40:00.180
 to the hand of Jesus.

00:40:00.179 --> 00:40:02.619
 And this text

00:40:02.619 --> 00:40:03.739
 is reminding us

00:40:03.739 --> 00:40:05.940
 that the fact of the matter is

00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:07.579
 Jesus loves us

00:40:07.579 --> 00:40:08.839
 when we squeeze his hand

00:40:08.839 --> 00:40:10.139
 and he really does.

00:40:11.099 --> 00:40:12.319
 But the Christian life

00:40:12.319 --> 00:40:12.919
 is not about

00:40:12.919 --> 00:40:14.119
 how successful I am

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:14.719
 at holding on

00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:15.599
 to the hand of Jesus.

00:40:16.299 --> 00:40:17.980
 This text is reminding me

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:19.199
 that there are so many times

00:40:19.199 --> 00:40:19.759
 in my life

00:40:19.759 --> 00:40:21.079
 that my hand's like this,

00:40:21.839 --> 00:40:22.259
 that in fact

00:40:22.259 --> 00:40:23.440
 my hand's like this,

00:40:23.940 --> 00:40:25.099
 that my hand's like this

00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:26.179
 and I'm like this.

00:40:27.199 --> 00:40:28.359
 And what the text is saying,

00:40:28.360 --> 00:40:31.620
 Jesus' hand is strong

00:40:31.620 --> 00:40:33.039
 and it never lets go of you.

00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:37.280
 It never lets go of you.

00:40:39.860 --> 00:40:40.620
 And yet,

00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:42.180
 sometimes

00:40:42.180 --> 00:40:43.039
 and for some of us,

00:40:43.140 --> 00:40:44.039
 life is really,

00:40:44.180 --> 00:40:44.820
 really hard.

00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:47.860
 And the text here

00:40:47.860 --> 00:40:48.280
 has a very,

00:40:48.380 --> 00:40:49.640
 very particular progress.

00:40:49.860 --> 00:40:50.820
 If you look at it,

00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:52.180
 you know,

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:53.099
 verse 17,

00:40:53.200 --> 00:40:54.599
 for this light momentary affliction

00:40:54.599 --> 00:40:55.760
 is preparing for us

00:40:55.760 --> 00:40:56.620
 an eternal weight of glory

00:40:56.620 --> 00:40:57.579
 beyond comparison.

00:40:58.640 --> 00:40:59.620
 Not that somehow

00:40:59.620 --> 00:41:01.019
 momentary afflictions

00:41:01.019 --> 00:41:02.039
 just do it by itself.

00:41:02.200 --> 00:41:02.980
 As we look,

00:41:03.079 --> 00:41:03.860
 not to the things

00:41:03.860 --> 00:41:04.320
 that are seen,

00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:04.900
 but the things

00:41:04.900 --> 00:41:05.480
 that are unseen.

00:41:05.680 --> 00:41:06.519
 It's calling us

00:41:06.519 --> 00:41:07.000
 in the middle

00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:08.000
 of our afflictions,

00:41:08.220 --> 00:41:09.579
 even if all we do

00:41:09.579 --> 00:41:10.640
 is crying out to God

00:41:10.640 --> 00:41:11.380
 out of a heart

00:41:11.380 --> 00:41:12.059
 of despair

00:41:12.059 --> 00:41:12.820
 and tiredness

00:41:12.820 --> 00:41:13.440
 and anxiety

00:41:13.440 --> 00:41:14.260
 and just saying,

00:41:14.420 --> 00:41:14.720
 Father,

00:41:15.220 --> 00:41:16.360
 help me to be gripped

00:41:16.360 --> 00:41:17.539
 by what Jesus did

00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:18.660
 for me on the cross.

00:41:18.659 --> 00:41:22.599
 And it's as we're gripped

00:41:22.599 --> 00:41:24.159
 by these unseen things

00:41:24.159 --> 00:41:25.219
 that we start to have

00:41:25.219 --> 00:41:26.500
 some type of sense,

00:41:26.579 --> 00:41:27.639
 even if it doesn't change

00:41:27.639 --> 00:41:28.739
 our emotion or our pain,

00:41:29.739 --> 00:41:31.039
 that from the perspective

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:31.759
 of eternity,

00:41:32.539 --> 00:41:33.759
 our pain

00:41:33.759 --> 00:41:34.639
 and our darkness

00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:35.879
 is not the final word

00:41:35.879 --> 00:41:36.500
 about us,

00:41:37.219 --> 00:41:38.319
 but the final word

00:41:38.319 --> 00:41:39.179
 about you and me

00:41:39.179 --> 00:41:39.940
 in Christ

00:41:39.940 --> 00:41:41.399
 is an eternal weight

00:41:41.399 --> 00:41:41.899
 of glory

00:41:41.899 --> 00:41:45.099
 beyond our ability

00:41:45.099 --> 00:41:45.860
 to imagine.

00:41:47.179 --> 00:41:48.339
 And when we put our faith

00:41:48.339 --> 00:41:49.360
 and trust in Jesus,

00:41:49.819 --> 00:41:51.059
 that is final

00:41:51.059 --> 00:41:53.659
 and unshakable.

00:41:55.099 --> 00:41:56.860
 And while it may be hard now,

00:41:57.239 --> 00:41:57.819
 in eternity,

00:41:57.960 --> 00:41:58.619
 we will realize

00:41:58.619 --> 00:41:59.299
 that our troubles

00:41:59.299 --> 00:42:00.719
 really were just momentary.

00:42:04.659 --> 00:42:05.539
 Please stand.

00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:11.619
 If you're here this morning

00:42:11.619 --> 00:42:14.199
 and you have a sense

00:42:14.199 --> 00:42:15.259
 that either you have

00:42:15.259 --> 00:42:16.719
 not really done work

00:42:16.719 --> 00:42:17.319
 with Jesus

00:42:17.319 --> 00:42:18.679
 to give your life to him

00:42:18.679 --> 00:42:19.500
 that he hasn't shown

00:42:19.500 --> 00:42:20.179
 in your heart,

00:42:21.179 --> 00:42:21.480
 you know,

00:42:21.539 --> 00:42:22.179
 I'm not going to tell you

00:42:22.179 --> 00:42:23.319
 there's no magic words

00:42:23.319 --> 00:42:23.779
 of prayer.

00:42:23.919 --> 00:42:24.500
 You know what you should

00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:25.000
 just say?

00:42:25.119 --> 00:42:26.460
 You should just take your Bible

00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:28.419
 and look at verses 6 and 7

00:42:28.419 --> 00:42:29.539
 and say,

00:42:29.639 --> 00:42:30.039
 God,

00:42:31.179 --> 00:42:34.759
 make that mine.

00:42:37.259 --> 00:42:39.000
 Make that mine.

00:42:39.859 --> 00:42:40.699
 Or those words

00:42:40.699 --> 00:42:41.379
 that were just up

00:42:41.379 --> 00:42:41.879
 on the screen,

00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:42.559
 maybe put up,

00:42:42.899 --> 00:42:43.059
 yeah,

00:42:43.059 --> 00:42:44.019
 put verse 6 and 7

00:42:44.019 --> 00:42:44.739
 up on the screen,

00:42:44.820 --> 00:42:45.000
 Andrew,

00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:45.779
 if you could do that.

00:42:46.659 --> 00:42:47.380
 Just say to God,

00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:48.039
 make that mine.

00:42:49.259 --> 00:42:50.099
 For those of us

00:42:50.099 --> 00:42:50.559
 who are having

00:42:50.559 --> 00:42:51.539
 a hard time in prayer,

00:42:51.659 --> 00:42:53.179
 just look at the final verses,

00:42:53.340 --> 00:42:54.079
 16 to 18,

00:42:54.139 --> 00:42:54.559
 and just say,

00:42:54.619 --> 00:42:54.840
 Lord,

00:42:55.219 --> 00:42:56.179
 make that me.

00:42:57.320 --> 00:42:57.659
 Lord,

00:42:57.779 --> 00:42:58.360
 make that me.

00:42:58.400 --> 00:42:59.400
 I can hardly even say it.

00:42:59.420 --> 00:43:00.840
 I'm so broken,

00:43:00.980 --> 00:43:01.400
 but Lord,

00:43:01.539 --> 00:43:02.480
 make that me.

00:43:05.039 --> 00:43:06.320
 And God hears,

00:43:06.980 --> 00:43:07.980
 and God will do it.

00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:09.960
 And if you've done it

00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:10.679
 for the first time

00:43:10.679 --> 00:43:11.339
 after the service,

00:43:11.339 --> 00:43:12.239
 just tell somebody

00:43:12.239 --> 00:43:12.819
 that you've done it

00:43:12.819 --> 00:43:13.659
 for the first time.

00:43:14.099 --> 00:43:14.899
 Devil will tell you

00:43:14.899 --> 00:43:15.519
 to be silent.

00:43:16.279 --> 00:43:16.679
 Tell the devil

00:43:16.679 --> 00:43:17.299
 to shut up

00:43:17.299 --> 00:43:19.799
 and tell somebody.

00:43:19.960 --> 00:43:20.519
 Let's just pray.

00:43:21.699 --> 00:43:22.079
 Father,

00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:25.179
 we thank you so much

00:43:25.179 --> 00:43:26.619
 that we are jars of clay.

00:43:27.960 --> 00:43:28.639
 And yet,

00:43:28.759 --> 00:43:30.219
 even though we are jars of clay,

00:43:30.480 --> 00:43:31.980
 you loved us so much,

00:43:32.079 --> 00:43:33.099
 seeing our deep need

00:43:33.099 --> 00:43:34.519
 that you sent your son

00:43:34.519 --> 00:43:36.980
 to take upon himself

00:43:36.980 --> 00:43:38.259
 a jar of clay

00:43:38.259 --> 00:43:40.199
 and live amongst us

00:43:40.199 --> 00:43:41.259
 fully and completely

00:43:41.259 --> 00:43:42.860
 as a jar of clay,

00:43:43.400 --> 00:43:46.239
 to die for jars of clay,

00:43:46.639 --> 00:43:49.500
 so that when we put our faith

00:43:49.500 --> 00:43:50.519
 and trust in you,

00:43:51.099 --> 00:43:54.300
 the glory of salvation

00:43:54.300 --> 00:43:55.800
 and Jesus

00:43:55.800 --> 00:43:58.300
 will live within us

00:43:58.300 --> 00:43:59.639
 and never leave

00:43:59.639 --> 00:44:01.380
 and fit and prepare us

00:44:01.380 --> 00:44:02.920
 for the new heaven

00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:03.599
 and the new earth.

00:44:03.599 --> 00:44:04.199
 Father,

00:44:04.279 --> 00:44:05.039
 we thank you

00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:06.400
 for this great promise

00:44:06.400 --> 00:44:07.639
 and this great victory

00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:08.380
 of your son

00:44:08.380 --> 00:44:09.860
 and this great love

00:44:09.860 --> 00:44:10.440
 for us

00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:11.659
 that you have

00:44:11.659 --> 00:44:12.699
 and this great glory

00:44:12.699 --> 00:44:13.719
 you have promised us

00:44:13.719 --> 00:44:14.940
 beyond our comparison.

00:44:16.139 --> 00:44:16.940
 Help us,

00:44:17.239 --> 00:44:17.339
 Father,

00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:18.420
 to begin

00:44:18.420 --> 00:44:19.519
 to be comfortable

00:44:19.519 --> 00:44:21.099
 with being jars of clay

00:44:21.099 --> 00:44:22.219
 and being weak

00:44:22.219 --> 00:44:24.960
 and call out to you

00:44:24.960 --> 00:44:25.380
 and walk

00:44:25.380 --> 00:44:26.460
 and follow you

00:44:26.460 --> 00:44:26.980
 in faith

00:44:26.980 --> 00:44:28.719
 so that your great power

00:44:28.719 --> 00:44:30.360
 may be displayed

00:44:30.360 --> 00:44:31.119
 in the world

00:44:31.119 --> 00:44:32.639
 in a way that brings

00:44:32.639 --> 00:44:34.179
 no glory to us

00:44:34.179 --> 00:44:35.199
 but only to you.

00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:37.839
 Make us disciples of Jesus

00:44:37.839 --> 00:44:39.339
 gripped by the gospel

00:44:39.339 --> 00:44:40.799
 living for your glory.

00:44:41.139 --> 00:44:42.339
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:44:42.799 --> 00:44:43.139
 Amen.