WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.480 You know, this is just a really good time to remember how blessed we are to live in this city. 00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:13.240 When I was in Angola a year ago, when I arrived in Angola, the power was all out in that part of Lubangu, which is where I was. 00:00:13.300 --> 00:00:18.240 I was there for just over two weeks by the invitation of SIM to do some teaching. 00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:27.199 And every single day that I was in Lubangu, there was not a single day when there was not a power outage for a significant number of hours. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:31.559 And that's just normal life there. That's just normal life. You don't have power all the time. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:39.359 And we just take it for granted. And so it's just one of those things that we should be thankful for, that we have a power grid. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:48.700 And it connects to the fact, which is sort of my next point, is that, you know, we have just normal, ordinary desires that are just very good desires. 00:00:48.700 --> 00:00:57.700 And it's good to work to help meet the ordinary human desires of our community to seek to be a blessing in the city. 00:00:59.580 --> 00:01:06.280 Switching more specifically to my sermon, I grew up in a Christian house. 00:01:07.020 --> 00:01:11.620 But in some ways, it was growing up in a Christian house that made it hard for me to become a Christian. 00:01:11.620 --> 00:01:16.240 And part of that was because I was very familiar with the Christian culture. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:18.900 And I didn't like Christian culture. 00:01:22.080 --> 00:01:29.000 I didn't want, I thought if I had to become a Christian, I had to sort of like the Christian culture that I saw, 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:33.640 which was as a child and as a teenager, it was the only Christian culture I knew. 00:01:34.080 --> 00:01:36.840 And I didn't like the music. I didn't like the way they dressed. 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:39.620 I didn't like how they wanted me to spend my time. 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:42.020 I just didn't like a whole lot of it. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.659 And I wanted to sort of be part of a different culture. 00:01:44.820 --> 00:01:46.260 And it was a real problem for me. 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:53.659 It felt as if I was going to have to sort of kiss my normal desires that I had for how I wanted to live my life goodbye 00:01:53.659 --> 00:01:57.659 and sort of force myself to do something that didn't fit. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:04.420 And it's a very common concern that people have that if they're going to become a follower of Jesus, 00:02:04.420 --> 00:02:09.039 that there's a whole pile of things that they desire, that they like, that they just have to get rid of. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:12.280 Because God's going to say, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:17.280 And our life will seem smaller rather than bigger as a result of giving our lives to Jesus. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:25.199 And this very ancient story that we're going to look at actually talks about human desires in a very, very interesting way 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:32.219 and helps us to understand what it means to follow Jesus, even though it's a story set 1100 B.C. 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:37.280 So if you have your Bibles, turn in them to Ruth chapter 3, Ruth 3. 00:02:37.799 --> 00:02:43.039 And we're going to also have the text up on the screen for those who don't have your Bibles 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.599 or just find it easier to follow along like that. 00:02:46.239 --> 00:02:50.679 And if you're a guest here this morning, here's a little thing about this. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.459 So this is a story set around 1100 B.C. 00:02:53.460 --> 00:02:55.900 We don't know exactly when it was written. 00:02:56.980 --> 00:03:00.360 And the way to understand this story is a little bit like if you watch Netflix 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:03.960 and you get something which has been made specifically for Netflix 00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:09.159 or maybe something like from Europe, you know, where they have shorter series 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:12.180 and the series all stands together as one. 00:03:12.300 --> 00:03:14.360 And so this is like a four episode series. 00:03:15.219 --> 00:03:17.280 And we've looked at episode one and two. 00:03:17.379 --> 00:03:18.960 Today we're looking at episode three. 00:03:19.180 --> 00:03:21.280 And next week we look at episode four. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:28.080 And each episode sort of stands alone, but it's all part of four episodes that make up a big story. 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:33.420 And in the first episode, what we saw, we were introduced to a man by the name of Elimelech 00:03:33.420 --> 00:03:37.460 and his wife Naomi and their two sons, Malon and Kilian, 00:03:37.939 --> 00:03:40.139 and how they had to leave Bethlehem. 00:03:40.139 --> 00:03:44.919 Ironically, they had to leave the house of bread because there was no bread in the house of bread. 00:03:45.019 --> 00:03:45.619 It was a famine. 00:03:46.139 --> 00:03:49.199 And so they go to a place which was a traditional enemy of Israel. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:53.839 And while there, all of their dreams come to an end. 00:03:54.699 --> 00:03:55.559 Elimelech dies. 00:03:55.699 --> 00:03:56.859 The two sons marry. 00:03:57.339 --> 00:04:00.459 After more than 10 years of marriage, the sons die. 00:04:00.539 --> 00:04:01.339 There's no children. 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:05.259 And all it is is just tragedy after tragedy after tragedy. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:12.939 And by the end of the story, Naomi says, you can't call me Naomi anymore because that means pleasant. 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:15.099 Call me Mara, which means bitter. 00:04:15.500 --> 00:04:19.560 And she delivers two sort of rants against God. 00:04:19.620 --> 00:04:20.780 And that's episode one. 00:04:21.620 --> 00:04:23.560 Episode two we looked at last week. 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:27.600 In episode two, as I said last week, in some ways it's a little bit like a rom-com. 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:35.540 A bit of a shock after a whole series of tragedies and complaints and bitterness against God. 00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:41.620 And here we see Ruth, who's a woman who's introduced in the first episode. 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:45.560 One of Naomi's sons marries Ruth in Moab. 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:46.920 And so she's a Moabitess. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:52.100 And Ruth and Naomi have come back to Israel. 00:04:52.100 --> 00:04:55.580 And Ruth, in a sense, is an economic migrant. 00:04:57.640 --> 00:05:01.300 And Naomi has come home because there's prosperity back in Israel. 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:08.939 And what we see in the last episode is that things start to turn for the better for Naomi and for Ruth. 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:11.660 Through Ruth going to work in the field. 00:05:11.960 --> 00:05:15.840 And by a chance encounter, she comes across Boaz. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:21.759 And that's the beginning of a turnaround in Ruth and Naomi's life. 00:05:22.159 --> 00:05:24.359 This chance encounter. 00:05:24.619 --> 00:05:31.759 And if you remember last week, I shared how in the original language, when it says that they happened by chance, it says, 00:05:31.919 --> 00:05:33.219 By chance they chanced. 00:05:33.220 --> 00:05:42.220 And you can't capture it in English, but in the original language, it's a literary device to say the opposite. 00:05:43.060 --> 00:05:47.840 It would be as if I said, by chance, this happened. 00:05:47.980 --> 00:05:48.220 Right? 00:05:48.260 --> 00:05:51.260 With all the hand gestures to let you know that it's not by chance. 00:05:51.260 --> 00:05:52.360 That it's by providence. 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:56.400 That God has been working anonymously. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:59.719 But present and with power in this situation. 00:06:00.539 --> 00:06:02.139 And now we come to episode three. 00:06:02.379 --> 00:06:03.359 And here's how it goes. 00:06:04.979 --> 00:06:09.839 Then Naomi, her mother-in-law, that's Ruth's mother-in-law, said to her, 00:06:09.979 --> 00:06:14.779 My daughter, should I not seek rest for you that it may be well with you? 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:15.959 And just sort of pause. 00:06:16.419 --> 00:06:19.299 In the original language, it's literally the place of rest. 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:24.000 And so what Naomi is saying to Ruth is, listen, you need a place of rest. 00:06:24.299 --> 00:06:25.339 You don't just need a nap. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:28.339 You need a place of rest. 00:06:28.479 --> 00:06:31.019 She's really saying what you need is you need some security. 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:35.859 You need some financial security, some emotional security, some physical security. 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:38.699 And in the context, we'll talk about this a little bit more. 00:06:38.779 --> 00:06:40.199 She's saying you need a husband. 00:06:41.939 --> 00:06:44.799 And Naomi says, Ruth, that's what you need. 00:06:44.859 --> 00:06:47.060 You're still a young woman, and that's what you need. 00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:51.839 So verse two, she says, Naomi's still speaking. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:56.019 It's not Boaz, our relative, with whose young women you were with. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:00.299 See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 00:07:01.019 --> 00:07:06.379 Wash, therefore, and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak, and go down to the threshing 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:06.799 floor. 00:07:07.359 --> 00:07:11.199 But do not make yourself known to the man until he is finished eating and drinking. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:15.959 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. 00:07:16.579 --> 00:07:21.899 Then go and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will tell you what to do. 00:07:22.579 --> 00:07:25.239 And she replied, all that you say I will do. 00:07:25.620 --> 00:07:26.639 Now, just pause here. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:34.319 These few verses that I just read, if you read an academic commentary, a huge, way, way more 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:36.099 time than you'd think was spent on this. 00:07:37.159 --> 00:07:41.120 Like, there's probably about four times more work done on these few verses than all the 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:41.899 rest of the chapter. 00:07:42.139 --> 00:07:42.479 Why? 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:47.819 Well, one of the things is that in the Old Testament, the word feet is sometimes used 00:07:47.819 --> 00:07:50.280 when they want to refer to a man's sexual member. 00:07:52.819 --> 00:07:55.319 I didn't know that before I read the commentaries either. 00:07:56.680 --> 00:08:00.680 In other words, they don't want to come out and just say it, so it's a type of a polite 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:02.620 way to talk about a man's sexual member. 00:08:02.620 --> 00:08:09.319 And so, there's a lot of commentaries about what's actually, what is Naomi actually telling 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:11.680 Ruth to do here in this situation. 00:08:12.379 --> 00:08:16.879 So, if you want to read pages and pages of academic commentary, you can go and do it, 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:19.399 but I'll just tell you this very briefly. 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:27.000 Sometimes feet is a way of referring to a man's sexual member, and sometimes it's just 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:27.780 talking about feet. 00:08:27.779 --> 00:08:32.459 And in this case, it's actually just talking about feet. 00:08:32.959 --> 00:08:35.919 And it has to do, there's a, you don't want to know all the literature. 00:08:36.319 --> 00:08:38.360 Literary geeks, find an academic commentary. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:45.079 You can look it up and you can geek out over verb tenses and constructions and nouns connected 00:08:45.079 --> 00:08:45.839 to other stuff. 00:08:46.319 --> 00:08:48.679 But basically, there's a lot of stuff that goes on. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:53.519 Naomi doesn't say to Ruth, dress provocatively. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:59.120 And some commentaries, believe it or not, some preachers will say that Naomi has told 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:03.860 Ruth to get dressed in a wedding gown and go and do this, trying to make it sound more 00:09:03.860 --> 00:09:04.279 pure. 00:09:05.019 --> 00:09:06.539 It's just a cloak. 00:09:07.819 --> 00:09:14.340 In fact, the word that she urges Ruth to, the piece of clothing that Naomi tells Ruth to 00:09:14.340 --> 00:09:17.679 wear is basically sort of like a poncho. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:23.120 It's a heavy outer garment that if you don't have a blanket, you can use as a blanket to 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:23.639 sleep in. 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:28.459 So she's not saying get sexually provocatively dressed. 00:09:29.099 --> 00:09:35.939 She's not saying go in proposition or try to hook up with Boaz or tempt him, nothing 00:09:35.939 --> 00:09:36.659 like that. 00:09:37.059 --> 00:09:39.439 Something completely and utterly different is going on. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:40.620 It's very, very simple. 00:09:41.319 --> 00:09:43.459 And we're going to see what's going on in a moment. 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.120 But she says, listen, you know, it's going to be dark. 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:47.060 He's going to be there. 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:53.299 Watch where he is in sort of secret, sort of sneak up to where he is, do these actions. 00:09:54.179 --> 00:09:55.460 And well, what's going to happen? 00:09:55.860 --> 00:09:57.279 Let's read up verse six. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:03.480 So Ruth goes down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:03.779 her. 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:10.440 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:11.299 the heap of grain. 00:10:11.299 --> 00:10:16.959 Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 00:10:17.359 --> 00:10:18.439 And just sort of pause. 00:10:20.139 --> 00:10:24.759 One of the things I like telling couples when I'm preparing them for marriage is that during 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:28.679 the wedding ceremony, there has to be three sober people in the room. 00:10:29.979 --> 00:10:33.659 I mean, hopefully there's a whole room full of sober people, but there needs to be a minimum 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:35.319 of three sober people in the room. 00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:37.720 The couple getting married and me. 00:10:38.660 --> 00:10:43.680 And if everybody else in the room is under the influence of some soon to be no longer 00:10:43.680 --> 00:10:50.060 controlled substances or alcohol, I said, then what we'll do is I'll go out to the street 00:10:50.060 --> 00:10:53.860 corner and I'll find two sober people over the age of 18 and I'll say, could you come in 00:10:53.860 --> 00:10:54.260 for a minute? 00:10:54.520 --> 00:10:56.300 We need you to witness a legal document. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:01.820 Because if you are drunk and you exchange vows and then sign a document afterwards, you can 00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:02.100 say, what? 00:11:02.220 --> 00:11:03.600 I didn't mean that. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:04.420 I thought I was drunk. 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:06.759 So just here's the thing. 00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:08.820 Whatever's happening now is Boaz isn't drunk. 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:14.720 In the original language, all it says is he's just feeling good. 00:11:15.779 --> 00:11:17.379 He's had a good meal. 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:21.180 He's had an appropriate amount of an alcoholic beverage. 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:21.980 He's not drunk. 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:26.080 He is just feeling a thousand percent. 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:31.759 You know, for some of you, he's had quinoa and kale and chickpeas. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:38.939 And for others of us, you know, he's had some juicy lamb and some quinoa and some kale because 00:11:38.939 --> 00:11:39.860 we're going to be healthy. 00:11:40.340 --> 00:11:41.939 So, but he's just feeling great. 00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:43.179 That's all that's going on here. 00:11:43.299 --> 00:11:44.519 So he's just feeling great. 00:11:44.580 --> 00:11:46.980 He goes to lie down and he goes to sleep. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:54.700 By the way, cultural context, at celebrations like this, often prostitutes would show up because 00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:57.220 there's people flush, young men flush with cash. 00:11:57.220 --> 00:12:00.379 But that's not what's going on here. 00:12:00.460 --> 00:12:01.480 It's all very chaste. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:03.639 So what happens? 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.700 She lays down. 00:12:04.820 --> 00:12:05.600 She's uncovered his feet. 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:06.100 Verse eight. 00:12:06.660 --> 00:12:13.820 At midnight, the man, that's Boaz, was startled and turned over, turned over, and behold, 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:16.080 a woman laid his feet. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:18.340 He said, who are you? 00:12:18.340 --> 00:12:23.139 And she answered, I am Ruth, your servant. 00:12:23.920 --> 00:12:29.620 Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer. 00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:31.560 And just sort of pause here. 00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:37.620 Now, this is a huge ask. 00:12:38.160 --> 00:12:44.600 And you don't realize until right now the huge risk that Naomi has urged Ruth to take. 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:49.519 Ruth has just asked Boaz to marry him, marry her. 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:53.300 Spread your wings. 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:55.860 There's some other ways you can translate that. 00:12:55.920 --> 00:12:59.159 If you have different versions of your Bible, it can sometimes be your covering. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:05.720 More literally, it's spread your wings over your servant is an idiom for marrying me. 00:13:05.920 --> 00:13:10.259 By idiom, you know how an idiom is when they say something which we all know what it means, 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:12.500 but literally it doesn't make any sense. 00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:18.679 If I say that somebody's a few bricks shy of a load, you know, if somebody has a screw loose, 00:13:19.139 --> 00:13:20.580 most of you know what that means. 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:23.440 I don't mean literally they have screws in their head and it's a little bit loose. 00:13:23.659 --> 00:13:25.799 You know, I mean they're a bit crazy or whatever, right? 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:27.299 So this is an idiom. 00:13:27.460 --> 00:13:33.139 So Ruth has just asked Boaz to marry her. 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:35.960 This is a huge risk. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:40.100 Remember, Boaz is rich. 00:13:40.899 --> 00:13:42.039 Ruth is poor. 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:45.860 Boaz is a native-born Israelite. 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:48.480 Ruth is an economic migrant. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:51.679 Boaz is older. 00:13:52.220 --> 00:13:52.960 Ruth is younger. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.460 Boaz is a man. 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.519 Ruth is a woman. 00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:56.940 Huge risk. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:00.720 She's also asked that he will redeem her. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:10.420 Now, we're going to talk about this a little bit more in a moment, but for some people, 00:14:11.060 --> 00:14:14.800 this is very, very, very problematic. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:25.299 Because some people might wonder, is the Bible here teaching that a woman needs a man to fix her? 00:14:25.299 --> 00:14:31.620 Does a woman need a man to make her more complete? 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:34.899 Does a woman need a man to redeem her life? 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:36.840 Is that what the Bible is teaching here? 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:37.840 Well, we have to read the rest of the story. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:47.720 Well, we have to read the rest of the story, but I'm going to come back to it. 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:52.160 If I don't come back to it, start waving your arms, which either means you have had a charismatic moment, 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:55.620 or you're trying to get my attention to return to the story. 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:57.699 So how does Boaz react? 00:14:57.799 --> 00:14:59.120 This is a huge risk. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:01.259 Huge, huge, huge, huge risk. 00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:06.819 Even today, with far more equal relations between men and women, 00:15:06.819 --> 00:15:10.419 I said far more, not perfect, but far more, that would be a huge risk. 00:15:11.199 --> 00:15:18.159 Can you imagine an Iraq or a Syrian economic migrant who comes to our country and a woman? 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.360 It's still a huge risk. 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:22.019 So how does Boaz react? 00:15:22.939 --> 00:15:23.679 Verse 10. 00:15:25.419 --> 00:15:31.399 And he said, may you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. 00:15:31.579 --> 00:15:32.439 Just pause here. 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:40.579 You know, they don't say anything about it, but I bet her sweat was pouring off her palms and her underarms, 00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:44.459 and she was probably shaking when she asked this. 00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:48.819 And his initial response, she'll start to relax. 00:15:50.339 --> 00:15:52.000 Because he doesn't say, how dare you? 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:53.399 Like, what? 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:53.779 Are you? 00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:56.639 He doesn't act with disgust. 00:15:57.419 --> 00:16:00.879 His first words are, may you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:07.679 Daughter here means, it's helped one of the many pieces of Edvin said he was older than her, 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:09.840 but it's a term of affection and care. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:14.740 You have made this last kindness greater than the first. 00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:15.980 And that you have said, 00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:21.340 And now, my daughter, do not fear. 00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:23.460 I will do for you all that you ask. 00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:27.539 For all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 00:16:27.539 --> 00:16:32.919 And now it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:36.779 Remain tonight and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good. 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:37.980 Let him do it. 00:16:38.599 --> 00:16:42.759 But if he is not willing to redeem you, then as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. 00:16:43.199 --> 00:16:44.740 Lie down until the morning. 00:16:45.419 --> 00:16:46.779 And I just sort of pause here. 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:50.179 This is another important thing to gather about this story. 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:52.479 He's not mansplaining. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:57.099 He's not mansplaining. 00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:59.919 He's not saying, well, you just said a few words. 00:16:59.979 --> 00:17:00.839 I'm going to say a lot of words. 00:17:00.899 --> 00:17:04.279 I'm going to tell you how it all works out because I'm a man and I'm smart and you're dumb. 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:05.639 It's not what's happening in the story. 00:17:06.899 --> 00:17:10.480 Once again, if I don't explain it in a moment, wave your arms. 00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:12.119 But we will talk about it in a moment. 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:18.059 But the main thing is, it's not mansplaining. 00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:23.659 But it's very, very, very significant to what it means to walk with Jesus. 00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.899 And it's very significant in the story. 00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:27.839 So what does she do? 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:31.000 You know, verse 14, she doesn't say, you're mansplaining. 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:32.899 I think I take my offer back. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:33.960 No, she doesn't say that. 00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:37.220 What she does, verse 14, so she lay at his feet until morning. 00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:41.940 But arose before anyone could recognize her. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:44.339 When anyone could recognize another. 00:17:44.339 --> 00:17:48.259 And he said, let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:51.259 And he said, bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out. 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.559 So she held it. 00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:55.699 And he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. 00:17:55.939 --> 00:17:57.259 Then she went into the city. 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:58.539 And just sort of pause here. 00:17:58.579 --> 00:17:59.819 There's lots of things going on. 00:18:00.199 --> 00:18:03.279 Basically, what he's doing is he's protecting her honor. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:10.220 And he's also giving her a cover in case she stopped. 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:15.940 But more importantly, the fundamental thing she's doing is she goes home and it's real. 00:18:19.139 --> 00:18:24.799 You know, Naomi will see the barley and she knows it's real. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.660 It's not just a few words. 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.660 He's serious. 00:18:28.580 --> 00:18:30.279 It's almost like giving a ring. 00:18:32.300 --> 00:18:33.920 It's something which is real. 00:18:37.100 --> 00:18:39.259 Siri thinks I'm talking to it. 00:18:39.360 --> 00:18:39.620 Sorry. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.960 And verse 16. 00:18:43.100 --> 00:18:48.400 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, how did you, the mother-in-law said, how did it fare my daughter? 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:53.360 Then Ruth told her all that the man had done, saying, these six measures of barley he gave me. 00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:56.860 For he said to me, you must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law. 00:18:57.320 --> 00:19:01.080 And Naomi replied, wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out. 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:04.360 For the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today. 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:13.220 And because if you were paying attention a little bit earlier, Boaz said, there's technical problems and legal and other problems with me actually being the redeemer. 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:18.220 However, it's a cliffhanger and you have to come back next week to find out what happens next. 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:20.759 So what's going on here? 00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:21.100 Okay. 00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:26.860 So some of you might say, okay, George, I'm going to be, let's see if you have your dancing shoes on here. 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:33.679 Because we all know that things in 1100 BC and so much stuff in the Bible, it's very, very, it's filled with patriarchy. 00:19:33.899 --> 00:19:38.539 It's oppressive to women and others who weren't in positions of power. 00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:45.559 And it sure seems as if this story is about Boaz having to redeem Ruth. 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:57.440 And don't you think it's a little bit insulting that in 2018 in a city like this, right beside a university, that some type of a story like this would even be read? 00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:59.700 It seems to be teaching that women have to be passive. 00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:01.759 They have to be dependent upon men. 00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:03.700 They find their identity in a man. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:07.379 And don't you think this is just not an appropriate story? 00:20:07.379 --> 00:20:11.299 Why on earth would you read it in a story today? 00:20:11.299 --> 00:20:11.379 Okay. 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:16.940 By the way, these are all great questions. 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:21.500 Every single one of those is a great question. 00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:32.839 So part of it, before we actually look at a little bit of trying to understand this Redeemer thing, I mentioned this the first week. 00:20:32.879 --> 00:20:33.639 I'm going to say it again. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:37.099 Actually, could you all turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 24? 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.200 Luke, those of you have Bibles. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:45.720 It's not going to be on the screen, unfortunately, but Luke chapter 24 and verses 25 to 27. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:49.460 Luke chapter 24, verses 25 to 27. 00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:56.960 And in the flow of the book of Luke, this is after Jesus has risen from that he's died on the cross. 00:20:57.080 --> 00:20:57.680 He's been buried. 00:20:58.299 --> 00:21:00.940 And on the third day, he's risen from the dead. 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:06.539 And it's a series of resurrection encounters where Jesus is showing people that he's fully alive. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:13.680 And in this particular encounter, in the road to Emmaus, he talks to two disciples. 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:17.700 And in them, he says, in verse 25, he said to them, 00:21:17.779 --> 00:21:21.740 Oh, foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. 00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:28.240 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? 00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:38.200 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:40.620 That's really important. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:44.880 Moses and the prophets is one of the ways that you say what we would call the Old Testament, 00:21:45.080 --> 00:21:49.600 what Jewish people call the Tanakh, all of the 39 books written before Jesus. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.319 And Jesus is saying to the disciples, 00:21:52.819 --> 00:22:03.160 Listen, in all of the Old Testament, it's all about me, all about my life, my death on the cross, my resurrection. 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:10.900 And in verse 27, in beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself, 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.980 in all of the scriptures. 00:22:13.100 --> 00:22:18.680 So that means for us, the reason I'm saying this is why do we read a story set in 1100 BC? 00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:21.400 We read it because Jesus told us to. 00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:24.920 That's why I read it, because Jesus told me to. 00:22:26.080 --> 00:22:31.160 And Jesus said, when I read these stories, when he said that the stories all refer to him, 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:36.300 what it's saying is that in a particular sense, Jesus is deconstructing the Old Testament. 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:40.940 And what I mean by deconstructing, there's sort of two senses of deconstructing. 00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:43.680 I mean the sense that he's helping us to reinterpret it. 00:22:44.300 --> 00:22:48.160 So that if we read an Old Testament text and say, oh, it teaches patriarchy, 00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:50.220 it teaches that we should uphold patriarchy, 00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:54.160 it teaches that a woman needs a man to be a full woman, 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.320 or a woman needs to be married to be a full... 00:22:56.320 --> 00:22:57.680 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:00.000 Jesus has deconstructed the Old Testament. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:04.420 He said we have to read the Old Testament always within the perspective 00:23:04.420 --> 00:23:07.000 that it's helping us to understand who Jesus is, 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:10.359 what he did for us on the cross, and what it means to follow him. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:13.119 That's always going to be the context. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:14.019 It's about Jesus. 00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:19.180 So if that's the case, then what on earth is going on with the story? 00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:22.019 If you could put up the first point, that would be wonderful. 00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:26.700 In the Old Testament, so it's said in 1100 BC, 00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:31.799 everything in the story assumes that there's only five books of what we now call the Bible, 00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:35.819 which would be known to people, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:41.039 And in those five books, there's a very powerful idea taught, the idea of the Redeemer. 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:47.039 And the thing about a Redeemer is the Redeemer owns your insoluble problems 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:50.339 and works on them until they are made right. 00:23:52.819 --> 00:23:54.319 That's what a Redeemer does. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:59.279 A Redeemer owns your insoluble problems. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:03.839 Notice, owns your insoluble, unsolvable problems 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:07.960 and works on them until they are made right. 00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:10.119 I can't solve certain problems. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:13.240 A Redeemer comes and works on them until they're made right. 00:24:13.240 --> 00:24:15.839 And they own the problem. 00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:19.660 You see, you and I don't need a rock star. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:22.480 And most of the time, we don't need a guru. 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:24.180 We don't need a consultant. 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:25.700 We don't need a coach. 00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:28.299 Sometimes we need a Redeemer. 00:24:29.319 --> 00:24:32.500 You know, off and on, those of you who come to our church for very long, 00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:35.120 you know there's all sorts of things we don't know do very well. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:38.700 I used to joke that if you don't like organized religion, 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:39.960 come to Church of the Messiah 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:44.019 because we're not really always very organized as we should be. 00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:45.920 But one of the things that happens sometimes 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:47.680 is that some people, they see a problem 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:50.180 and they come and they give me a written report 00:24:50.180 --> 00:24:51.680 and advice about how to fix it. 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:55.299 Once I had an 18-page report. 00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:57.980 Another time, I had a 16-page report. 00:24:58.140 --> 00:24:59.519 Normally, they're shorter than that. 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:02.440 And they come, and with a great sense of accomplishment, 00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:05.019 they come and they put it on my table and say, 00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:07.140 George, you read and follow all of these things 00:25:07.140 --> 00:25:08.340 and the problem will be solved 00:25:08.340 --> 00:25:10.360 and then they walk away feeling very virtuous. 00:25:11.300 --> 00:25:13.460 And I take it and throw it in the garbage 00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:16.700 because it's completely and utterly worthless. 00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:21.200 The reason it's worthless is I don't need a consultant. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:25.560 I need somebody to roll up their sleeves and say, 00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:26.980 George, I know how to fix this 00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:28.640 and I know that you can't fix it 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:30.280 and I'm going to own the problem. 00:25:31.280 --> 00:25:32.500 I'm going to own the problem. 00:25:33.360 --> 00:25:34.780 I'm going to help you to get it done. 00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:37.460 I'm going to help to teach you how to get it done. 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:39.240 I'm going to coach, but I'm not just going to coach and help. 00:25:39.299 --> 00:25:40.079 I'm going to get it done. 00:25:40.599 --> 00:25:41.980 I'm going to own the problem. 00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:44.279 See, a consultant doesn't own the problem. 00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:47.240 They own the paycheck after the problem. 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.680 I'm not putting down those of you 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:50.680 who are blessed to have jobs as a consultant. 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:52.879 And sometimes consultants are, in fact, 00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:54.539 very, very helpful. 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:55.980 I'm not knocking consultants. 00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:58.779 I'm just saying that there are sometimes some issues 00:25:58.779 --> 00:26:00.160 where you don't need a few new ideas, 00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:02.059 you don't need a little bit of help. 00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:04.099 You need somebody to roll up their sleeves 00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:07.099 and work on a problem you cannot solve by yourself 00:26:07.099 --> 00:26:08.299 until it's solved. 00:26:08.639 --> 00:26:11.139 And that's what Boaz does for Ruth. 00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:15.960 He says, if I am not, you will be redeemed. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:17.299 And that's what he does. 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:19.599 He says to her, he says, listen, 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:23.740 I understand you have debt issues, property issues, 00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:27.700 ownership issues, financial issues, status issues. 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:31.299 And because you are an economic migrant from another country, 00:26:31.299 --> 00:26:33.299 you can't solve those things. 00:26:33.580 --> 00:26:35.620 I'm going to own your problem. 00:26:37.080 --> 00:26:40.920 And so that's why in the text, he's not mansplaining. 00:26:41.840 --> 00:26:44.779 Because you see, if he said, I'm going to own your problem, 00:26:44.840 --> 00:26:46.980 and then afterwards he said, oh, by the way, what's your problem? 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.960 You'd go, oh, gosh. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:53.740 I got a dork, not a redeemer. 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:56.079 Like I got a clueless person. 00:26:56.940 --> 00:27:00.380 The fact that he knows what's going on isn't the mansplaining. 00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:05.799 And it's not making a general comment about the relationship of men or women. 00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:08.620 In fact, you think about it, that's exactly, 00:27:08.840 --> 00:27:12.460 this helps you and me to understand what it is that Jesus does for us. 00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:15.299 If you could put up the next point. 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:19.339 I mean, this is really hard news. 00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:21.839 But, you know, the fact of the matter is, 00:27:21.879 --> 00:27:24.019 is that you are separated from the Lord. 00:27:25.019 --> 00:27:26.119 And you are dying. 00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:30.579 I mean, the second you are born, you begin to die. 00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:36.799 You get older, you get better looking and stronger and richer 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:38.019 and all that type of stuff. 00:27:38.159 --> 00:27:41.139 But the fact of the matter is, is that you're born mortal. 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:44.019 And mortal means you will die. 00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:50.399 And the Bible says that physical death is a constant reminder 00:27:50.399 --> 00:27:55.059 of the spiritual truth that we are separated from God 00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:57.579 and cannot fix that problem ourselves. 00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:02.919 And you and I are separated from the Lord. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:04.720 You and I, we are dying. 00:28:05.159 --> 00:28:07.579 And you and I, we cannot fix this. 00:28:07.579 --> 00:28:11.559 And Jesus is the Redeemer. 00:28:12.179 --> 00:28:14.919 Call out to him with humble, penitent trust, 00:28:15.439 --> 00:28:17.679 and he will be your Redeemer. 00:28:18.139 --> 00:28:19.559 Why is he the Redeemer? 00:28:19.679 --> 00:28:20.799 He's God's provision. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:26.059 It is God owning my problem and yours. 00:28:26.179 --> 00:28:27.299 It's not God's problem. 00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:28.799 It's my problem and yours. 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:33.539 And when you understand in the New Testament that Jesus is called the Redeemer, 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:38.119 this story helps you to understand what exactly that means. 00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:42.720 That Jesus says, I will do everything that has to be done 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:44.639 because you cannot solve this problem yourself, 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:46.759 and I will do everything that has to be done 00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:49.139 to make it right. 00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:52.660 And that's what he does. 00:28:53.600 --> 00:28:54.980 His sinless life. 00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:56.680 His death upon the cross. 00:28:57.140 --> 00:29:00.180 His tasting all there is to taste of death without anything left over. 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.340 His resurrection. 00:29:01.840 --> 00:29:02.520 His ascension. 00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.380 His coming again. 00:29:05.100 --> 00:29:08.500 His dealing with the just penalty of our sins. 00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:11.600 His perfect life standing for ours. 00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:13.860 His defeat of death, which he shares with ours. 00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:16.940 He does everything that has to be done that we cannot do ourselves. 00:29:16.940 --> 00:29:22.920 And humble, penitent trust doesn't mean groveling. 00:29:22.980 --> 00:29:27.000 It just means to come to that point where we say to Jesus, 00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:29.220 I can't fix this. 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:32.500 I need a Redeemer. 00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:38.400 And the wonderful news of the Gospel is that there's no one here so rich or powerful 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:39.860 that they do not need a Redeemer. 00:29:40.340 --> 00:29:44.299 And there is no one here so passed over or so broken 00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:47.579 that Jesus will pass over you. 00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:53.139 We will not need a single person ever in our lives 00:29:53.139 --> 00:29:58.099 who are so passed over or forgotten or derided 00:29:58.099 --> 00:30:00.579 that Jesus will not be their Redeemer. 00:30:00.579 --> 00:30:07.939 And that's what this story is opening up to us. 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:15.220 Well, some of you might say, 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:21.460 George, I can see how this sort of fits about the Redeemer. 00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:24.759 But, you know, George, I don't know if you got it straight. 00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:30.859 Doesn't it seem as if this is really all about Ruth doing it herself? 00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:34.980 Like, God isn't even mentioned in this story, George. 00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:38.359 Like, Ruth is the one who takes the risk. 00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:41.779 And Ruth is the gutsy one. 00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:45.720 And Ruth and Naomi, they're the ones who figure out the strategy. 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:50.460 Like, it's going to be really dark and we won't know where Boaz lies down. 00:30:50.620 --> 00:30:55.299 So sort of, you know, take a hiding place and just watch where he goes to lie down 00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:59.400 and keep track of him and then sneak in after people are sleeping and do all that. 00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:04.480 It seems like it's all Ruth and Naomi taking the risk and doing everything like this. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:07.120 But don't you think the story is a little bit more about telling us 00:31:07.120 --> 00:31:08.660 to sort of do all that type of stuff? 00:31:08.660 --> 00:31:13.660 Well, that's... 00:31:14.540 --> 00:31:15.820 Here's the thing. 00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:18.660 Last week, I shared with you... 00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:20.160 Remember, and I did it at the introduction. 00:31:20.300 --> 00:31:22.860 I said how when in chapter 2 it goes, 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:25.640 by chance, they chanced. 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:29.060 In other words, it's a literary device to let you know 00:31:29.060 --> 00:31:31.600 that this is going to be a story about God's providence. 00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:35.360 And it's introduced in chapter 2, not in chapter 1. 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:37.400 It's not as if by God's providence, 00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:39.820 if God caused all these terrible things to happen, 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:41.960 that the solution to the Christian problem of evil 00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:44.840 isn't that God does all the evil things, by the way, and the good things. 00:31:44.920 --> 00:31:47.259 No, the issue of providence is brought in 00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:51.620 after Naomi blasts God for being a terrible God 00:31:51.620 --> 00:31:53.200 and ruining her life. 00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:55.420 Naomi blasts God. 00:31:55.820 --> 00:31:58.340 And remember I shared how rather than God, 00:31:58.560 --> 00:32:01.140 the Lord erasing Naomi's complaint, 00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:03.540 he caused it to be written in Scripture so we hear it. 00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:06.580 It's an invitation for us to be honest to God 00:32:06.579 --> 00:32:08.559 when things are just going really, really crappy. 00:32:09.139 --> 00:32:11.379 And this idea of providence comes in, 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:13.919 and there's a bookend because when you're next week, 00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:15.299 you're a bit of a spoiler alert, 00:32:15.619 --> 00:32:16.659 but at the very end, 00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:21.119 it emphasizes how God's providence has been working for 700 years. 00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:23.720 This is a story about God's providence. 00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:27.939 And providence just means that God acts anonymously. 00:32:27.940 --> 00:32:30.900 He is present anonymously in our lives. 00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:34.019 And he's present anonymously, but with power in our lives 00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:38.259 because providence is all about God leaving you and me space. 00:32:40.320 --> 00:32:41.940 Well, why does he leave a space? 00:32:42.580 --> 00:32:43.380 Let me tell you. 00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:47.799 If God, with even a zillionth of his glory, 00:32:48.100 --> 00:32:49.860 appeared right here, right now, 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:53.140 or a spectacular miracle appeared here, right now, 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:53.860 what happens? 00:32:53.859 --> 00:32:56.139 It sucks the air out of the room. 00:32:59.139 --> 00:33:00.759 It sucks the air out of the room. 00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:01.639 There's no space. 00:33:03.959 --> 00:33:06.459 There's just the force of God's presence 00:33:06.459 --> 00:33:08.459 hammering you like this. 00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:13.539 And there is no space for a personal response of faith. 00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:20.799 And in fact is that the main way that God relates to human beings 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:23.579 is anonymously, 00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:25.559 through his providence, 00:33:26.039 --> 00:33:27.079 his presence, 00:33:27.980 --> 00:33:28.480 acting. 00:33:29.180 --> 00:33:30.700 It's through providence 00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:33.220 that Naomi and Ruth 00:33:33.220 --> 00:33:35.019 and their trust in God's providence 00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:36.519 that they come upon a world planet. 00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:39.299 It is through providence that Boaz is predisposed 00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:39.900 to say yes, 00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:42.079 just as it was by providence that they met. 00:33:43.139 --> 00:33:44.059 And here's the thing. 00:33:44.119 --> 00:33:45.139 If you could put up the next point, 00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:46.139 that would be very helpful. 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:49.019 The gospel will shape you 00:33:49.019 --> 00:33:52.059 to live under the Lord's providence 00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:53.680 without passivity 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:55.400 or presumption. 00:33:56.859 --> 00:33:58.519 The gospel will shape you 00:33:58.519 --> 00:34:00.700 to live under the Lord's providence 00:34:00.700 --> 00:34:02.460 without passivity 00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:04.059 being overly passive 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:04.980 or presumption. 00:34:04.980 --> 00:34:06.160 You see, 00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:07.519 once we understand 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:08.900 that Jesus is the Redeemer 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:11.019 who takes our insoluble problem 00:34:11.019 --> 00:34:12.199 and works on it 00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:14.099 until it's made right 00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.880 and that on one hand 00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:17.519 we now have this secure identity 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:18.579 with God, 00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:19.760 a secure identity 00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:20.559 that even though 00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:21.719 I'm going to screw up 00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:22.719 and I'm going to do 00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:24.059 all these terrible things 00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:24.679 and I'm not going to live 00:34:24.679 --> 00:34:25.420 a perfect life 00:34:25.420 --> 00:34:26.740 but I have this secure identity 00:34:26.740 --> 00:34:27.659 that's given to me 00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:28.840 as a gift by grace 00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:30.099 and that the Redeemer 00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:31.000 doesn't just sort of say, 00:34:31.159 --> 00:34:31.260 okay, 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:31.920 oh yeah, 00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:32.400 okay, 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:33.500 I got George done that 00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.240 with conversion. 00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:34.900 I'm going to go off 00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:35.300 and no, 00:34:35.400 --> 00:34:35.579 no, 00:34:35.720 --> 00:34:37.240 he now continues to work 00:34:37.240 --> 00:34:38.440 in my life through providence. 00:34:38.579 --> 00:34:39.420 He never lets me go. 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:40.360 He never abandons me. 00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:41.820 There's a security there 00:34:41.820 --> 00:34:43.500 to trust 00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:44.400 that through even 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:45.300 the circumstances 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:46.039 of my life 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:47.680 that God can still be at work 00:34:47.680 --> 00:34:49.800 and as the gospel grips us, 00:34:50.940 --> 00:34:52.079 it teaches us 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:53.240 that we shouldn't be passive 00:34:53.240 --> 00:34:55.400 but we also shouldn't be presumptuous. 00:34:55.780 --> 00:34:56.360 By passive, 00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:57.039 it means that, 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:57.519 well, 00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:58.320 I need a job 00:34:58.320 --> 00:34:59.559 and I'm going to just trust 00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:00.620 in God's providence 00:35:00.620 --> 00:35:01.860 so I'm going to sit 00:35:01.860 --> 00:35:03.240 playing PlayStation 00:35:03.240 --> 00:35:05.120 and eating potato chips 00:35:05.120 --> 00:35:06.960 until that job 00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:08.300 as the head of the CBC 00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:10.220 is given to me 00:35:10.220 --> 00:35:11.480 because they call me 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.000 out of the blue. 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:14.559 That's not understanding 00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:15.559 God's providence. 00:35:16.680 --> 00:35:17.400 God's providence 00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.400 gives you security 00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:19.700 to act and take risks 00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:21.200 but it's also not saying 00:35:21.200 --> 00:35:22.240 that providence 00:35:22.240 --> 00:35:24.120 is a Christian superpower. 00:35:26.100 --> 00:35:27.720 We don't have superpowers. 00:35:27.719 --> 00:35:28.879 if you're a Christian. 00:35:29.819 --> 00:35:30.879 So you can't say, 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:31.099 well, 00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:32.519 because of God's providence, 00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:33.359 I'm going to jump off 00:35:33.359 --> 00:35:34.379 the edge of this building 00:35:34.379 --> 00:35:35.879 because under God's providence 00:35:35.879 --> 00:35:37.179 nothing bad will happen to me. 00:35:37.419 --> 00:35:37.739 No, 00:35:37.839 --> 00:35:38.699 that's presumption. 00:35:39.799 --> 00:35:41.159 Do we get things wrong? 00:35:41.299 --> 00:35:42.419 Sometimes are we too passive? 00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:44.079 Sometimes are we presumptuous? 00:35:44.759 --> 00:35:45.179 Yes. 00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:47.379 That's why we need a redeemer. 00:35:49.839 --> 00:35:51.980 But as the gospel shapes us 00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:53.359 and we start to understand 00:35:53.359 --> 00:35:54.759 that God is present 00:35:54.759 --> 00:35:56.059 and powerful in our lives 00:35:56.059 --> 00:35:56.919 anonymously 00:35:56.920 --> 00:35:57.860 through strangers, 00:35:58.099 --> 00:35:59.159 through circumstances 00:35:59.159 --> 00:36:00.700 that he hasn't left us 00:36:00.700 --> 00:36:01.440 or abandoned us 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:02.579 as we start to understand 00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:04.260 that this is my father's world, 00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:05.740 this is God's world, 00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:07.820 if as that grips us, 00:36:08.139 --> 00:36:09.700 it allows us to take risks. 00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:13.300 It allows us to step out in faith. 00:36:14.700 --> 00:36:15.980 And even if we get it wrong, 00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:18.980 it's not the end of the story, 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:19.940 it's not the end of the world. 00:36:21.180 --> 00:36:22.320 But some of you might say, 00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:22.760 well, George, 00:36:22.860 --> 00:36:23.019 okay, 00:36:23.139 --> 00:36:23.280 just, 00:36:23.400 --> 00:36:23.519 you know, 00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:24.119 before you leave, 00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:24.759 that's all very, 00:36:24.859 --> 00:36:25.259 very good, 00:36:25.400 --> 00:36:25.579 George, 00:36:25.639 --> 00:36:26.599 but here's the thing. 00:36:27.019 --> 00:36:28.099 You're talking about all these 00:36:28.099 --> 00:36:30.400 high spiritual types of things, 00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:30.940 but look, 00:36:31.339 --> 00:36:31.739 George, 00:36:31.859 --> 00:36:33.799 all she wants is a husband. 00:36:34.799 --> 00:36:36.960 All she wants is to get out of debt. 00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:39.779 All she wants is some financial security. 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:41.819 All she wants is a home 00:36:41.819 --> 00:36:43.219 that is hers. 00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:45.659 And all she wants is maybe a baby. 00:36:46.500 --> 00:36:46.699 Like, 00:36:46.699 --> 00:36:48.659 she doesn't want all these highfalutin, 00:36:48.779 --> 00:36:49.460 spiritual, 00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:50.960 evangelistic stuff. 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:52.699 She just wants normal things. 00:36:54.059 --> 00:36:55.199 And here we come right back 00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:56.339 to the beginning of the sermon. 00:36:57.059 --> 00:36:58.199 If you remember at the beginning of the sermon, 00:36:58.239 --> 00:36:59.319 I don't expect you all to remember. 00:36:59.399 --> 00:37:00.519 I'm not even sure how many of you are awake. 00:37:00.619 --> 00:37:00.739 No, 00:37:00.799 --> 00:37:01.399 that's an aside. 00:37:01.919 --> 00:37:02.279 But that, 00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:03.480 at the beginning, 00:37:03.579 --> 00:37:03.859 I said, 00:37:03.919 --> 00:37:04.019 you know, 00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:04.960 one of the problems I had 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:05.899 with the Christian faith 00:37:05.899 --> 00:37:07.139 is that I was very familiar 00:37:07.139 --> 00:37:08.079 with Christian culture 00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:09.179 and I didn't like it. 00:37:10.319 --> 00:37:11.299 And I was worried 00:37:11.299 --> 00:37:12.559 that if I became a Christian, 00:37:12.659 --> 00:37:14.239 I would have to say goodbye 00:37:14.239 --> 00:37:15.659 to a lot of the normal desires 00:37:15.659 --> 00:37:17.399 that I thought were just normal desires. 00:37:17.879 --> 00:37:20.799 And I had to say goodbye to them. 00:37:20.879 --> 00:37:22.940 I had to take on these new desires. 00:37:23.259 --> 00:37:23.699 And it just, 00:37:23.819 --> 00:37:25.199 it was very hard for me. 00:37:25.219 --> 00:37:25.899 It was a barrier 00:37:25.899 --> 00:37:26.819 to be coming to faith. 00:37:27.839 --> 00:37:28.940 So here's where this story 00:37:28.940 --> 00:37:29.639 is very helpful. 00:37:29.759 --> 00:37:31.500 It's precisely the ordinariness 00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:32.619 of the desires. 00:37:32.779 --> 00:37:34.000 If you could put up the final point, 00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:35.159 that would be wonderful. 00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:37.039 The Lord made you 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:38.639 to have ordinary desires. 00:37:39.219 --> 00:37:40.579 And when he saves you, 00:37:40.699 --> 00:37:42.599 he does not kill your desires. 00:37:43.339 --> 00:37:44.259 He reorders 00:37:44.260 --> 00:37:45.860 and purifies them. 00:37:46.080 --> 00:37:47.100 The Lord made you 00:37:47.100 --> 00:37:48.280 to have ordinary desires. 00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:49.500 And when he saves you, 00:37:49.540 --> 00:37:51.000 he does not kill your desires. 00:37:51.440 --> 00:37:52.300 He reorders 00:37:52.300 --> 00:37:53.860 and purifies them. 00:37:54.740 --> 00:37:55.120 You see, 00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:56.920 what happens is, 00:37:57.120 --> 00:37:58.740 unlike in mysticism 00:37:58.740 --> 00:37:59.800 and unlike in religion 00:37:59.800 --> 00:38:01.240 and unlike in spirituality, 00:38:01.400 --> 00:38:02.700 in religion and spirituality, 00:38:03.060 --> 00:38:03.680 what you have to do 00:38:03.680 --> 00:38:04.900 is you have to purify yourself, 00:38:05.060 --> 00:38:05.800 purify yourself, 00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:06.640 cleanse yourself, 00:38:06.820 --> 00:38:07.520 deny yourself, 00:38:07.640 --> 00:38:08.580 go through rituals, 00:38:09.100 --> 00:38:09.700 do all of this 00:38:09.700 --> 00:38:10.200 and all of this 00:38:10.200 --> 00:38:10.640 and all of this. 00:38:10.700 --> 00:38:11.940 And maybe at the end of it, 00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:13.520 you eventually have union with God. 00:38:14.260 --> 00:38:15.640 And the Bible says 00:38:15.640 --> 00:38:16.600 none of that's going to work. 00:38:16.740 --> 00:38:17.540 You need a redeemer. 00:38:17.900 --> 00:38:19.120 You've got to begin with union. 00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:22.400 And that only comes as a gift. 00:38:23.560 --> 00:38:24.820 And out of union 00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:26.120 that comes out of a gift, 00:38:26.680 --> 00:38:27.980 then the gospel starts 00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:28.940 to shape you, 00:38:29.600 --> 00:38:30.720 to trust him, 00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:32.500 to shape your identity 00:38:32.500 --> 00:38:34.560 and to shape your desires. 00:38:34.820 --> 00:38:35.540 And you're shaped 00:38:35.540 --> 00:38:36.280 out of gratitude. 00:38:36.900 --> 00:38:37.660 You're shaped 00:38:37.660 --> 00:38:38.760 out of security. 00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:40.380 You're drawn 00:38:40.380 --> 00:38:41.360 and propelled 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:42.880 to change 00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:45.000 out of security, 00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:45.960 out of grace, 00:38:46.240 --> 00:38:47.140 out of generosity, 00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:48.200 out of love, 00:38:48.620 --> 00:38:49.320 out of mercy. 00:38:50.560 --> 00:38:51.960 And that's what shapes you. 00:38:54.220 --> 00:38:56.480 And so the gospel 00:38:56.480 --> 00:38:58.260 comes to you 00:38:58.260 --> 00:38:59.260 and then change. 00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:00.560 And the gospel, 00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:01.440 what happens 00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:03.340 is that the Holy Spirit 00:39:03.340 --> 00:39:04.600 applies the gospel 00:39:04.600 --> 00:39:06.220 to deeper and deeper levels 00:39:06.219 --> 00:39:06.980 of our heart 00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:08.319 so we start 00:39:08.319 --> 00:39:09.679 to be able to change. 00:39:10.599 --> 00:39:11.359 And some of you might say, 00:39:11.419 --> 00:39:11.719 but George, 00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:12.459 doesn't the Bible say 00:39:12.459 --> 00:39:13.839 you've got to crucify the flesh, 00:39:13.879 --> 00:39:15.159 you've got to pick up your cross 00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:17.419 and follow him. 00:39:18.059 --> 00:39:19.379 And are you saying 00:39:19.379 --> 00:39:21.019 that all desires are good? 00:39:21.379 --> 00:39:21.819 And here, 00:39:22.059 --> 00:39:22.839 I'm just going to take a moment, 00:39:22.959 --> 00:39:23.219 I'm going to, 00:39:23.339 --> 00:39:24.059 like there's an elephant 00:39:24.059 --> 00:39:24.459 in the room, 00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:24.899 are you saying 00:39:24.899 --> 00:39:26.179 that gay desires are good? 00:39:26.259 --> 00:39:26.639 Are you saying 00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:28.219 transgender desires are good? 00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:30.219 And what about terrorists 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:31.579 and their desire 00:39:31.579 --> 00:39:32.279 to kill people? 00:39:32.339 --> 00:39:32.719 Are you saying 00:39:32.719 --> 00:39:34.279 that all desires are good? 00:39:34.280 --> 00:39:35.280 If you had thought 00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:35.940 of that question, 00:39:36.040 --> 00:39:37.540 that means that's a great question. 00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:38.660 It really is. 00:39:40.440 --> 00:39:41.620 It's a really good question. 00:39:43.380 --> 00:39:44.200 You have to come back 00:39:44.200 --> 00:39:44.560 next week 00:39:44.560 --> 00:39:45.040 and we'll answer it. 00:39:45.080 --> 00:39:45.760 No, just joking. 00:39:46.040 --> 00:39:46.840 Just very, very, 00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:47.780 very, very briefly. 00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:49.720 So here's the thing. 00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:52.280 Those things are in the Bible 00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:53.420 about crucifying the flesh 00:39:53.420 --> 00:39:54.620 and picking up your cross. 00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:55.900 But we need to think 00:39:55.900 --> 00:39:57.260 about two different things. 00:39:58.180 --> 00:39:58.880 First of all, 00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:00.580 some desires that we have 00:40:00.580 --> 00:40:02.260 are idols. 00:40:04.280 --> 00:40:05.920 That's why I said 00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:06.920 in my point up there 00:40:06.920 --> 00:40:07.800 that the Lord 00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:09.360 is going to reorder 00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:10.680 your desires. 00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:13.560 And by that I mean 00:40:13.560 --> 00:40:14.680 there's nothing wrong 00:40:14.680 --> 00:40:16.000 for a young man 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:16.600 or a young woman 00:40:16.600 --> 00:40:17.480 to have ambition 00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:19.140 to want to be able 00:40:19.140 --> 00:40:19.980 to get a good job. 00:40:22.160 --> 00:40:23.460 That's completely fine. 00:40:23.500 --> 00:40:24.480 But it's not fine 00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:25.380 if all of a sudden 00:40:25.380 --> 00:40:26.519 getting more and more 00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:27.140 promotions 00:40:27.140 --> 00:40:28.380 and more and more money 00:40:28.380 --> 00:40:29.120 starts to become 00:40:29.120 --> 00:40:29.780 bigger and bigger 00:40:29.780 --> 00:40:30.480 and bigger part 00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:31.180 of your life. 00:40:31.179 --> 00:40:32.759 that desire 00:40:32.759 --> 00:40:34.179 has gotten disordered. 00:40:34.319 --> 00:40:35.079 It's gone out of order. 00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:35.879 It's become an idol. 00:40:35.980 --> 00:40:36.659 It's become a god. 00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:37.719 And one of the things 00:40:37.719 --> 00:40:38.859 that the gospel starts to do 00:40:38.859 --> 00:40:39.579 is it starts to put 00:40:39.579 --> 00:40:40.219 your order, 00:40:40.379 --> 00:40:41.059 your desires 00:40:41.059 --> 00:40:42.279 in some type of order 00:40:42.279 --> 00:40:42.899 with the desire 00:40:42.899 --> 00:40:44.019 for God first 00:40:44.019 --> 00:40:47.500 and having a proper desire 00:40:47.500 --> 00:40:48.119 for others 00:40:48.119 --> 00:40:49.179 and having desires 00:40:49.179 --> 00:40:49.980 to be generous 00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:50.819 and hospitable 00:40:50.819 --> 00:40:52.639 which is a natural 00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:53.319 human desire 00:40:53.319 --> 00:40:54.000 to be generous. 00:40:54.179 --> 00:40:55.519 But if you get so consumed 00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:56.319 and make an idol 00:40:56.319 --> 00:40:56.899 out of money 00:40:56.899 --> 00:40:58.399 then that normal desire 00:40:58.400 --> 00:40:59.619 for generosity 00:40:59.619 --> 00:41:00.740 completely and utterly 00:41:00.740 --> 00:41:02.440 dies in you. 00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:04.220 And so what the gospel does 00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:05.059 the Holy Spirit 00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:05.700 as the Holy Spirit 00:41:05.700 --> 00:41:06.480 applies the gospel 00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:07.099 to your life 00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:08.320 your desires start 00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:09.340 to be reordered 00:41:09.340 --> 00:41:10.920 and put in a proper order 00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.700 so you're free. 00:41:12.519 --> 00:41:13.340 Not so you don't have 00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:13.820 any desires 00:41:13.820 --> 00:41:14.760 but so you're free. 00:41:15.720 --> 00:41:16.780 I put to death 00:41:16.780 --> 00:41:17.380 idols 00:41:17.380 --> 00:41:19.840 and idolatrous desires 00:41:19.840 --> 00:41:21.380 inordinate desires 00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:23.599 but not normal desires 00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:24.260 to be able to make 00:41:24.260 --> 00:41:24.740 enough money 00:41:24.740 --> 00:41:25.619 to eat 00:41:25.619 --> 00:41:26.360 and to live 00:41:26.360 --> 00:41:26.940 and have a roof 00:41:26.940 --> 00:41:27.680 over my head. 00:41:27.679 --> 00:41:29.579 The Lord doesn't kill those. 00:41:30.980 --> 00:41:31.919 And the other aspect 00:41:31.919 --> 00:41:32.559 of it is 00:41:32.559 --> 00:41:34.059 is that he purifies them 00:41:34.059 --> 00:41:35.599 because the problem 00:41:35.599 --> 00:41:36.579 isn't the desire 00:41:36.579 --> 00:41:37.500 but the object 00:41:37.500 --> 00:41:38.239 of the desire. 00:41:40.419 --> 00:41:41.199 The problem 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:42.079 isn't the desire 00:41:42.079 --> 00:41:42.879 the problem 00:41:42.879 --> 00:41:43.440 is the object 00:41:43.440 --> 00:41:44.179 of the desire. 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:48.919 And often connected 00:41:48.919 --> 00:41:49.719 with idolatry 00:41:49.719 --> 00:41:50.899 but he purifies them 00:41:50.899 --> 00:41:51.299 as well. 00:41:52.199 --> 00:41:52.559 You see 00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:54.940 it's a normal 00:41:54.940 --> 00:41:55.980 human desire 00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:57.299 a proper desire 00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:58.220 to feel at peace 00:41:58.220 --> 00:41:58.960 with your body. 00:42:01.500 --> 00:42:02.500 To feel at peace 00:42:02.500 --> 00:42:03.200 with your body. 00:42:04.740 --> 00:42:05.940 To be at home 00:42:05.940 --> 00:42:06.320 with it. 00:42:08.160 --> 00:42:09.460 And that's a hard thing 00:42:09.460 --> 00:42:10.700 for almost everybody here. 00:42:10.820 --> 00:42:11.480 Lots of us 00:42:11.480 --> 00:42:12.440 we're not at home 00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:13.080 with our body 00:42:13.080 --> 00:42:13.860 because our body 00:42:13.860 --> 00:42:14.580 is too skinny 00:42:14.580 --> 00:42:15.420 it's too fat 00:42:15.420 --> 00:42:16.080 it's too young 00:42:16.080 --> 00:42:16.760 it's too old 00:42:16.760 --> 00:42:17.920 not enough hair 00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:19.039 too much hair 00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:20.000 loosen the hair 00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:21.180 wish I had hair. 00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:23.019 That's separate 00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:23.500 from other 00:42:23.500 --> 00:42:24.539 I don't want to be 00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:25.360 trivial about it 00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:25.840 but it's also 00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:26.579 connected to 00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:27.739 the whole problem 00:42:27.739 --> 00:42:28.519 of I don't feel 00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:29.320 like I'm a man 00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:32.019 and I feel like 00:42:32.019 --> 00:42:32.880 I'm something else 00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:33.760 and I have desire 00:42:33.760 --> 00:42:34.440 listen 00:42:34.440 --> 00:42:36.780 the Lord 00:42:36.780 --> 00:42:37.900 it's a natural 00:42:37.900 --> 00:42:39.320 very proper desire 00:42:39.320 --> 00:42:39.920 to feel at home 00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:40.539 in your body 00:42:40.539 --> 00:42:44.340 and the wisdom 00:42:44.340 --> 00:42:44.960 of the body 00:42:44.960 --> 00:42:46.340 because the Bible 00:42:46.340 --> 00:42:47.219 is deeply 00:42:47.219 --> 00:42:48.940 in favor of the body 00:42:48.940 --> 00:42:53.000 but my normal desire 00:42:53.000 --> 00:42:53.880 you see what the Bible 00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:54.480 will do 00:42:54.480 --> 00:42:56.119 is for those of us 00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:56.840 who struggle 00:42:56.840 --> 00:42:57.559 with feeling 00:42:57.559 --> 00:42:58.279 as if we're not 00:42:58.279 --> 00:42:59.000 the gender 00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:00.340 that our biology is 00:43:00.340 --> 00:43:01.199 is that the gospel 00:43:01.199 --> 00:43:02.279 starts to shape you 00:43:02.279 --> 00:43:04.639 it will start to heal you 00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:07.239 to love your body 00:43:07.239 --> 00:43:10.359 and love who you are 00:43:10.359 --> 00:43:11.539 and come to peace 00:43:11.539 --> 00:43:11.959 with it 00:43:11.959 --> 00:43:13.939 and it's a natural 00:43:13.939 --> 00:43:14.799 thing to desire 00:43:14.799 --> 00:43:15.879 sexual intimacy 00:43:15.879 --> 00:43:19.899 and the Lord 00:43:19.899 --> 00:43:20.639 will start to either 00:43:20.639 --> 00:43:21.319 shape you 00:43:21.319 --> 00:43:21.799 to be 00:43:21.799 --> 00:43:22.479 to realize 00:43:22.479 --> 00:43:23.579 that most 00:43:23.579 --> 00:43:24.419 of us 00:43:24.419 --> 00:43:25.379 spend a large part 00:43:25.379 --> 00:43:25.959 of our lives 00:43:25.959 --> 00:43:26.839 not in a sexual 00:43:26.839 --> 00:43:27.500 partnership 00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:31.419 many never 00:43:31.419 --> 00:43:32.179 enter into it 00:43:32.179 --> 00:43:32.799 and many 00:43:32.799 --> 00:43:33.459 are in it 00:43:33.459 --> 00:43:34.299 just for a season 00:43:34.299 --> 00:43:35.579 but their husband 00:43:35.579 --> 00:43:36.239 or their wife 00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:37.000 dies before 00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:37.420 they do 00:43:37.420 --> 00:43:37.840 and they spend 00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:38.679 many many years 00:43:38.679 --> 00:43:39.139 single 00:43:39.139 --> 00:43:41.960 and the ordering 00:43:41.960 --> 00:43:42.559 of desires 00:43:42.559 --> 00:43:43.139 is there's 00:43:43.139 --> 00:43:44.420 other things 00:43:44.420 --> 00:43:45.159 which are higher 00:43:45.159 --> 00:43:45.719 and there's ways 00:43:45.719 --> 00:43:46.480 of coming to the Lord 00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:47.280 and crying out to him 00:43:47.280 --> 00:43:48.719 for those unfulfilled desires 00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:50.300 but more importantly 00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:50.739 is that 00:43:50.739 --> 00:43:52.000 at some point in time 00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:53.019 in your discipleship 00:43:53.019 --> 00:43:53.659 the ordering 00:43:53.659 --> 00:43:54.400 of your desire 00:43:54.400 --> 00:43:54.860 what it is 00:43:54.860 --> 00:43:55.579 that you long for 00:43:55.579 --> 00:43:56.219 will fit 00:43:56.219 --> 00:43:57.400 with what your body is 00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:58.260 because it's part 00:43:58.260 --> 00:43:59.280 of God's good creation 00:43:59.280 --> 00:43:59.920 for you 00:43:59.920 --> 00:44:06.920 and so you see 00:44:06.920 --> 00:44:07.940 this text 00:44:07.940 --> 00:44:09.019 in the very 00:44:09.019 --> 00:44:09.920 ordinariness 00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:10.940 of desires 00:44:10.940 --> 00:44:12.619 like Buddhism 00:44:12.619 --> 00:44:13.000 would say 00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:14.200 desire is the problem 00:44:14.200 --> 00:44:15.019 religion 00:44:15.019 --> 00:44:15.880 and spirituality 00:44:15.880 --> 00:44:16.659 of almost 00:44:16.659 --> 00:44:17.579 every stripe 00:44:17.579 --> 00:44:18.800 says that a key part 00:44:18.800 --> 00:44:19.559 to being godly 00:44:19.559 --> 00:44:20.680 is to kill your desires 00:44:20.680 --> 00:44:21.780 but we see here 00:44:21.780 --> 00:44:23.159 a celebration 00:44:23.159 --> 00:44:25.079 of ordinary desires 00:44:25.079 --> 00:44:25.840 which is good 00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:28.900 because 00:44:28.900 --> 00:44:30.059 you and me 00:44:30.059 --> 00:44:30.860 having a body 00:44:30.860 --> 00:44:31.780 isn't a mistake 00:44:31.780 --> 00:44:33.600 it's not an error 00:44:33.600 --> 00:44:34.980 it's not something 00:44:34.980 --> 00:44:35.860 we have to get over 00:44:35.860 --> 00:44:38.200 and the gospel 00:44:38.200 --> 00:44:38.800 shapes us 00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:39.440 to have our identity 00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:39.920 in him 00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:41.180 and to start to learn 00:44:41.180 --> 00:44:42.660 to be at peace 00:44:42.660 --> 00:44:44.420 with our body 00:44:44.420 --> 00:44:46.800 could you all 00:44:46.800 --> 00:44:47.539 stand please 00:44:47.539 --> 00:44:52.300 I know I've said 00:44:52.300 --> 00:44:53.440 some controversial things 00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:54.760 I'm fine with pushback 00:44:54.760 --> 00:44:58.000 but the main thing is 00:44:58.000 --> 00:44:58.680 I just want you to 00:44:58.680 --> 00:44:59.520 understand this 00:44:59.520 --> 00:45:00.420 as we go 00:45:00.420 --> 00:45:01.400 our different way 00:45:01.400 --> 00:45:01.940 is that 00:45:01.940 --> 00:45:03.120 the big thing here 00:45:03.120 --> 00:45:03.840 is this story 00:45:03.840 --> 00:45:04.500 is helping us 00:45:04.500 --> 00:45:05.120 to understand 00:45:05.120 --> 00:45:06.180 who Jesus is 00:45:06.180 --> 00:45:08.300 that he comes 00:45:08.300 --> 00:45:09.260 to you today 00:45:09.260 --> 00:45:10.380 as the redeemer 00:45:10.380 --> 00:45:12.980 that's who he comes 00:45:12.980 --> 00:45:13.680 to you as 00:45:13.680 --> 00:45:14.380 the redeemer 00:45:14.380 --> 00:45:16.880 your big 00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:19.480 insoluble problem 00:45:19.480 --> 00:45:20.540 he will be 00:45:20.540 --> 00:45:21.080 your redeemer 00:45:21.080 --> 00:45:22.200 and you have 00:45:22.200 --> 00:45:23.360 other lesser 00:45:23.360 --> 00:45:23.960 but still 00:45:23.960 --> 00:45:24.880 very important 00:45:24.880 --> 00:45:25.639 insoluble 00:45:25.639 --> 00:45:26.260 problems 00:45:26.260 --> 00:45:28.599 and he will be 00:45:28.599 --> 00:45:29.440 your redeemer 00:45:29.440 --> 00:45:31.780 and if you have not 00:45:31.780 --> 00:45:32.300 given your life 00:45:32.300 --> 00:45:32.720 to Christ 00:45:32.720 --> 00:45:33.400 there's no better 00:45:33.400 --> 00:45:34.039 time now 00:45:34.039 --> 00:45:34.760 than to call out 00:45:34.760 --> 00:45:35.000 to him 00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:35.300 and say 00:45:35.300 --> 00:45:35.659 Jesus 00:45:35.659 --> 00:45:36.639 be my redeemer 00:45:36.639 --> 00:45:38.420 I humbly 00:45:38.420 --> 00:45:39.720 just be my redeemer 00:45:39.720 --> 00:45:41.400 and for those of us 00:45:41.400 --> 00:45:41.900 who are dealing 00:45:41.900 --> 00:45:42.300 with some 00:45:42.300 --> 00:45:43.599 very insoluble 00:45:43.599 --> 00:45:44.280 problems 00:45:44.280 --> 00:45:46.340 the bible here 00:45:46.340 --> 00:45:46.960 is inviting us 00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:47.519 to call out 00:45:47.519 --> 00:45:47.760 to him 00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:48.019 and say 00:45:48.019 --> 00:45:48.320 Lord 00:45:48.320 --> 00:45:48.740 you have been 00:45:48.740 --> 00:45:49.360 my redeemer 00:45:49.360 --> 00:45:50.199 and the big thing 00:45:50.199 --> 00:45:51.000 and the eternal thing 00:45:51.000 --> 00:45:53.300 I have this anger 00:45:53.300 --> 00:45:54.000 problem 00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:55.219 I have this greed 00:45:55.219 --> 00:45:55.800 problem 00:45:55.800 --> 00:45:57.059 I have this lack 00:45:57.059 --> 00:45:57.699 of generosity 00:45:57.699 --> 00:45:58.460 problem 00:45:58.460 --> 00:45:59.679 I have this 00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:01.039 workaholism problem 00:46:01.039 --> 00:46:02.400 I really need 00:46:02.400 --> 00:46:03.159 your help 00:46:03.159 --> 00:46:05.800 please be my redeemer 00:46:05.800 --> 00:46:08.400 there's no better 00:46:08.400 --> 00:46:08.980 time than now 00:46:08.980 --> 00:46:09.739 to call out to him 00:46:09.739 --> 00:46:10.440 and do that business 00:46:10.440 --> 00:46:11.019 with the Lord 00:46:11.019 --> 00:46:11.679 let's pray 00:46:11.679 --> 00:46:12.820 Father 00:46:12.820 --> 00:46:15.139 thank you 00:46:15.139 --> 00:46:15.579 that you are 00:46:15.579 --> 00:46:16.639 gentle with us 00:46:16.639 --> 00:46:18.019 thank you 00:46:18.019 --> 00:46:18.719 that you do 00:46:18.719 --> 00:46:19.460 shake us 00:46:19.460 --> 00:46:20.179 grab us 00:46:20.179 --> 00:46:20.920 by the shirt 00:46:20.920 --> 00:46:22.139 and shake us 00:46:22.139 --> 00:46:22.639 sometimes 00:46:22.639 --> 00:46:23.559 but that you are 00:46:23.559 --> 00:46:24.819 you are kind 00:46:24.819 --> 00:46:26.759 you are good 00:46:26.759 --> 00:46:28.960 and we thank you 00:46:28.960 --> 00:46:29.619 that Jesus 00:46:29.619 --> 00:46:30.779 has come to redeem 00:46:30.779 --> 00:46:32.759 Father 00:46:32.759 --> 00:46:33.119 you know 00:46:33.119 --> 00:46:34.000 those insoluble 00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:34.519 problems 00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:34.940 going on 00:46:34.940 --> 00:46:35.400 in our lives 00:46:35.400 --> 00:46:35.859 right now 00:46:35.859 --> 00:46:36.379 you know 00:46:36.379 --> 00:46:36.719 it better 00:46:36.719 --> 00:46:37.339 than we do 00:46:37.339 --> 00:46:37.940 and we just 00:46:37.940 --> 00:46:38.699 invite and give 00:46:38.699 --> 00:46:39.319 you permission 00:46:39.319 --> 00:46:40.000 to come 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:40.819 and work 00:46:40.819 --> 00:46:41.159 in us 00:46:41.159 --> 00:46:41.819 in a powerful 00:46:41.819 --> 00:46:42.460 and deep way 00:46:42.460 --> 00:46:43.480 to apply the gospel 00:46:43.480 --> 00:46:44.279 to our lives 00:46:44.279 --> 00:46:45.359 that we might know 00:46:45.359 --> 00:46:45.719 that you are 00:46:45.719 --> 00:46:46.319 the redeemer 00:46:46.320 --> 00:46:48.820 and we ask 00:46:48.820 --> 00:46:49.160 Father 00:46:49.160 --> 00:46:49.740 especially 00:46:49.740 --> 00:46:50.800 because I brought 00:46:50.800 --> 00:46:51.100 it up 00:46:51.100 --> 00:46:51.740 that you help 00:46:51.740 --> 00:46:52.720 us to be 00:46:52.720 --> 00:46:53.180 at home 00:46:53.180 --> 00:46:53.840 in our body 00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:54.580 that you heal 00:46:54.580 --> 00:46:54.920 us 00:46:54.920 --> 00:46:56.380 in our embodied 00:46:56.380 --> 00:46:57.300 existence 00:46:57.300 --> 00:47:00.500 and that's really 00:47:00.500 --> 00:47:00.880 Father 00:47:00.880 --> 00:47:01.380 I know that 00:47:01.380 --> 00:47:01.940 for many of us 00:47:01.940 --> 00:47:02.880 that's a complicated 00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:04.260 multifaceted prayer 00:47:04.260 --> 00:47:04.940 but we just 00:47:04.940 --> 00:47:05.920 thank you 00:47:05.920 --> 00:47:06.360 that you will 00:47:06.360 --> 00:47:07.220 not leave us 00:47:07.220 --> 00:47:07.680 you will not 00:47:07.680 --> 00:47:08.340 abandon us 00:47:08.340 --> 00:47:08.860 you will not 00:47:08.860 --> 00:47:09.280 forsake 00:47:09.280 --> 00:47:10.140 give up on us 00:47:10.140 --> 00:47:10.980 that you will 00:47:10.980 --> 00:47:11.740 redeem us 00:47:11.740 --> 00:47:13.780 and so we ask 00:47:13.780 --> 00:47:14.340 you to come 00:47:14.340 --> 00:47:14.840 and be our 00:47:14.840 --> 00:47:15.200 redeemer 00:47:15.200 --> 00:47:16.300 and this we ask 00:47:16.300 --> 00:47:16.740 in the name 00:47:16.740 --> 00:47:17.180 of Jesus 00:47:17.180 --> 00:47:17.760 your son 00:47:17.760 --> 00:47:18.060 and our 00:47:18.060 --> 00:47:18.380 savior 00:47:18.380 --> 00:47:19.400 amen