WEBVTT

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 I don't think anybody particularly enjoys waiting.

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! But the one that brings the worst out in me is waiting on the phone.

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! And what I mean by that is when you phone up a big company or organization

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! and you greet it not by a person but by a machine

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 and they tell you that you will be spoke, you can speak to somebody soon

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 but you get passed from person to person and some music kicks in to entertain you

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 and to keep your day happy and alive and every now and then one of those voices

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 kind of kicks in and says your call is important to us.

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 Maybe laugh, there was a meme I came across recently where he said

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 your call is important to us, please stay on the line until your call is no longer important to you.

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 But there is a very serious type of waiting.

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 A deadly serious type of waiting and that's the type of waiting

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 which knows about suffering or injustice.

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 An agonizing wait perhaps for something that might be a very heartbreaking situation.

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 A very stressful situation.

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 Perhaps the type of waiting that knows the reality of opposition over and over again.

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 That's the type of waiting that causes biblical writers to cry out how long, oh Lord.

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 Those sort of times when we just wait and wait and wait and we just long for God to step in

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 and do something.

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 If that's you, if that summarizes you in any remote sort of kind of way,

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 be assured and encouraged that this parable that Jesus gives us speaks directly into that experience of waiting.

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 How so?

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 Well, because when Jesus gives us this parable,

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 he's saying to us that when you experience those things,

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 that experience of waiting,

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 don't be surprised when there's opposition.

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 Don't be surprised by the agony of the wait.

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 Don't be surprised when something stirs within your heart that calls out,

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 when, oh Lord, is this going to change?

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 Don't be surprised when the weeds of opposition and pain wrap around the wheat of the good things in life.

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 And whilst that itself does not accelerate the experience of waiting,

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 whilst it doesn't in itself change the reality,

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 the very fact that Jesus taught us specifically that we are to expect to wait,

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 and we expect the reality of the weeds in our lives,

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 it changes the way we see things and we experience them.

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 And let's just over these few minutes,

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 just dip into this parable and just ask ourselves a little bit more about what it might be saying to us.

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 Jesus says, imagine a field of good soil and a good seed which presents good wheat is sown.

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 It reminds us that God actually wants life to be blessed.

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 That life itself is good.

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 That the world is good because it is God's creation.

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 And that God wants you and me to live full, happy lives.

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 But as the story goes on, he says,

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 the enemy comes along and plants the seeds of weeds in among the good seeds.

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 And so they grow up.

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 When Jesus gives us this image,

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 he is bringing us back to a very basic but vitally important worldview.

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 It's this.

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 That when we look at our lives and we see the sense of wanting the good,

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 but yet experiencing the bad,

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 don't be surprised.

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 Because there is the reality of good and evil in the world.

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 We don't live in a spiritual vacuum.

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 Life has this spiritual dimension and it has good spirit,

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 but there is also opposition.

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 There is the enemy.

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 There is the devil.

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 There are the powers of darkness.

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 And scripture provides us with this worldview,

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 this lens through which we are to see reality,

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 which presents it as a battle between the principalities and powers.

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 The forces of good, the kingdom of God,

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 the kingdom of light and all that is good,

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 that God intends for his creation and which ultimately will come to pass.

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 But the forces of opposition that will go to battle with those things.

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 That when there is good,

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 we can expect there to be opposition.

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 Because of the enemy.

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 And it's important that we grasp that

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 because it means that when things go wrong,

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 when we face opposition,

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 when we face pain,

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 it's not that there's something wrong with you.

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 It's not that there's something weird or strange or different or quirky about you.

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 It's not that God doesn't love you.

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 It's not that God doesn't care about you

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 or that he's ignoring you

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 because Jesus says that this is how you are to expect life to be.

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 And the reality is,

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 is that wherever we see that there is goodness in life,

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 we will find that there are weeds that grow up around that goodness.

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 Weeds get sown in all sorts of places.

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 Weeds get sown into marriages and families,

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 into neighbourhoods, into schools,

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 into workplaces and organisations and governments.

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 Every single person on the planet

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 seeks the good in life.

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 We all seek blessings.

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 But as Bishop Sandy Miller once put it,

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 no blessing goes uncontested.

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 Whenever you seek blessing in life,

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 expect it to be contested.

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 I can guarantee there is not a single person

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 in this room right now

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 who doesn't want some kind of blessing.

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 That might be over a health issue.

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 It might be over a relationship issue

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 in family or friends.

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 It might be a work-related issue.

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 It might be seeking peace of mind.

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 It might be financial freedom,

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 whatever it may be.

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 We all seek blessing.

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 And when we look at life,

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 it probably is a mixture of blessing

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 and battle and opposition.

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 And so we're brought back to this image

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 of good seed, good wheat, good plants

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 representing that which is good,

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 which God intends for us,

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 but entwined with weeds of opposition

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 that would seem to threaten

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 and thwart the blessing.

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 No blessing goes uncontested.

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 Indeed, the greater the blessing,

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 the greater the anointing,

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 perhaps expect more and more opposition.

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 It's no accident that whenever Christians

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 and groups of Christians,

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 individual Christians and churches

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 and Christian organisations

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 set out to do good things,

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 there will be opposition.

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 Because it's a fact of this period

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 between Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom

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 and his coming again.

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 And indeed, we can expect

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 that the more we seek out

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 to bless others

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 and to bring blessing

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 into other people's lives,

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 the more we can expect

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 that kind of opposition.

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 No more clearly do we see this

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 illustrated in the life of Jesus himself,

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 who is God's ultimate blessing to us.

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 You cannot see more blessing

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 than in the life of Jesus

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 when God comes to us

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 in human form.

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 He makes his dwelling among us

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 in human flesh.

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 And yet he's crucified.

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 No blessing ever goes uncontested.

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 And it's important

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 that we hold fast to that

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 because when we find ourselves

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 in the midst of the waiting,

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 when our prayers are some form of,

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 when, O Lord,

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 when, O Lord,

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 will you change this?

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 Lord, will your kingdom come?

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 Will your will be done

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 on earth in heaven?

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 Lord, set us free.

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 When, Lord, will this change?

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 When our prayers resonate with that,

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 don't be surprised

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 that there's opposition

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 because the weeds are reality.

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 The weeds are a fact of life

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 that Jesus said would be there.

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 Now that may not take the weeds away

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 straight away,

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 but the fact that we know

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 that Jesus told us

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 that that is what we should expect,

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 perhaps,

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 just perhaps,

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 may encourage us.

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 One of the reasons

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 why I find the Christian gospel

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 and all its claims so compelling

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 is because it doesn't try to pretend

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 that certain realities aren't there.

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 Rather, it engages with them.

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 Yes, there is suffering.

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 Yes, there is pain.

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 Yes, there are weeds.

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 But that's not the ultimate reality.

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 We'll come to that in a moment.

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 But first, let's just consider something

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 I think that's quite important here

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 that Jesus says about these weeds.

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 And it's this,

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 that not everyone can tell the difference

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 between the wheat and the weeds.

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 Let me say that again.

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 Not everyone,

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 when we look at the whole of the world

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 and human society and culture,

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 not everybody can discern the difference

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 between the wheat and the weeds,

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 between right and wrong,

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 between the powers of good

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 and the powers of darkness.

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 Commentators are pretty much agreed

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 that when Jesus was talking about the weeds,

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 he wasn't just talking about

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 just a slightly annoying plant.

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 He was talking about

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 a very specific type of weed

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 which contemporary farmers

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 in the day of Jesus

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 would have known all about.

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 A species called the bearded darnel.

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 Two interesting things

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 about the bearded darnel.

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 Firstly, it was toxic.

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 Poisonous.

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 If you ate it,

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 you would die.

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 The second thing

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 about the bearded darnel

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 is that in its early stages of growth,

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 it was virtually indistinguishable

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 from wheat.

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 So you've got this picture

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 of wheat and weeds,

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 but it's not just weeds.

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 It's the threat

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 to destroy the wheat.

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 It's two things

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 that one is good for you

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 and life's sustaining.

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 The other will kill you.

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 And yet,

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 they're virtually indistinguishable

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 to the naked eye,

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 at least in the early stages of growth.

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 We live in a culture

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 that for much of the time,

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 that wider culture,

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 will look at the same realities

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 as those who are followers of Jesus

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 and will be able to discern

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 that which is good

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 from that which is bad.

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 Perhaps most of the time,

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 our wider culture can do that.

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 But not always.

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 And thus,

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 we should not be surprised

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 if we take this parable seriously.

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 when we find those times

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 when our own culture,

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 our wider society,

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 cannot differentiate

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 between the things

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 that are good

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 and life-giving

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 and that are sanctioned by God

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 and those things

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 that are the very opposite.

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 And our task as Christians

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 is one of discernment.

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 You see,

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 it's not always easy

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 because very often,

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 issues can make their way

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 into public life

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 which seems so plausible

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 that we find

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 that certain moral values

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 become normalised

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 because they have become legalised.

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 And yet,

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 just because something

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 is enshrined in law,

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 it does not mean

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 that it is morally right.

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 Just because

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 a nation

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 may legalise something,

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 it does not mean

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 that that which it legalises

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 is that which God blesses.

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 And yet,

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 the reality is

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 is that when things

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 become legalised,

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 so in the public psyche,

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 they become normalised.

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 We accept them.

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 such that with the course

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 of time,

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 certain things

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 that a previous generation

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 would have said

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 more widely,

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 no,

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 this just is not right.

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 Gradually,

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 they become accepted

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 and normalised,

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 even to the extent

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 that those things

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 can become normalised

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 within church life

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 and culture.

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 And as we look back

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 over the last 50 years

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 or so,

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 we see this happen

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 again and again

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 and again

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 within our own nation.

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 I'm thinking of abortion.

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 I'm thinking of

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 wider cultural attitudes

00:15:30.179 --> 00:15:33.000
 to human sexuality

00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:33.659
 and marriage.

00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:36.740
 I'm thinking about

00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:37.519
 euthanasia.

00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:38.799
 And so the list

00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:39.860
 goes on and on and on.

00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:43.139
 Wesley said,

00:15:44.100 --> 00:15:45.279
 what one generation

00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.120
 tolerates,

00:15:46.659 --> 00:15:48.079
 the next will embrace.

00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:55.620
 our calling

00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:56.280
 as Christians

00:15:56.280 --> 00:15:57.840
 in every generation,

00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:59.300
 each and every generation,

00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.120
 is to be awake

00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:03.500
 to what God is saying

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:05.400
 is good

00:16:05.400 --> 00:16:09.020
 and that which is not.

00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:11.860
 and to be bold

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.500
 and brave enough

00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:13.220
 to call it out

00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:13.759
 when it needs

00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:14.500
 to be called out.

00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:21.639
 But this parable

00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:22.779
 is a parable of hope.

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.360
 And if we may find ourselves,

00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:26.740
 although we may find ourselves

00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:27.319
 in the midst

00:16:27.319 --> 00:16:28.019
 of the waking

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:30.919
 with a sense of

00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:32.399
 somehow overwhelm

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.439
 maybe at times

00:16:33.439 --> 00:16:35.259
 over what seem to be

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:36.500
 the forces of opposition

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:38.860
 and the forces

00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:40.840
 that can seem

00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:41.620
 to thwart

00:16:41.620 --> 00:16:43.399
 what would seem

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.320
 to be God's plan

00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:44.960
 and God's will,

00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:47.139
 if in those times

00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:47.759
 in the waiting

00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:48.779
 we may be tempted

00:16:48.779 --> 00:16:49.560
 to despair,

00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.500
 as Jesus tells us

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:52.039
 this parable,

00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:52.600
 remember,

00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:54.580
 the parable ends

00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:55.440
 with a promise.

00:16:56.980 --> 00:16:57.759
 The weeds won't

00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:58.600
 always be there.

00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:01.220
 That there will be

00:17:01.220 --> 00:17:01.840
 a harvest

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.560
 when all that

00:17:03.560 --> 00:17:05.000
 thwarts and threatens

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.660
 the goodness

00:17:05.660 --> 00:17:06.860
 of God's creation

00:17:06.860 --> 00:17:08.839
 will be rooted out.

00:17:08.859 --> 00:17:11.019
 and separated

00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:15.459
 and all will be made new.

00:17:18.419 --> 00:17:19.439
 That's important

00:17:19.439 --> 00:17:21.579
 because the promise

00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.419
 that the wait

00:17:22.419 --> 00:17:23.259
 won't be forever,

00:17:24.379 --> 00:17:25.119
 the promise

00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:26.000
 that the kingdom

00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:26.659
 is coming,

00:17:28.719 --> 00:17:30.199
 that hope

00:17:30.199 --> 00:17:31.199
 and that expectation

00:17:31.199 --> 00:17:32.399
 makes all the difference

00:17:32.399 --> 00:17:34.719
 because it means

00:17:34.719 --> 00:17:36.039
 that in the waiting

00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:37.839
 God is to be found.

00:17:40.159 --> 00:17:41.319
 One last story.

00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:43.779
 There's a story

00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:44.399
 about a boy

00:17:44.399 --> 00:17:45.299
 who was in hospital.

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.619
 The hospital

00:17:46.619 --> 00:17:47.599
 had an educational

00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:48.460
 program.

00:17:49.159 --> 00:17:50.240
 Tutors would come in,

00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:50.920
 they would liaise

00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:51.839
 with local schools

00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:52.680
 and they would help

00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:53.559
 children that were

00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:54.159
 in hospital

00:17:54.159 --> 00:17:56.079
 with their education

00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:56.940
 whilst they were

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:57.619
 out of school

00:17:57.619 --> 00:17:58.500
 during their stay

00:17:58.500 --> 00:17:59.059
 in hospital.

00:17:59.059 --> 00:17:59.980
 There was one

00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:00.659
 particular boy

00:18:00.659 --> 00:18:01.519
 he'd been very ill

00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:01.919
 indeed.

00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:03.579
 This tutor

00:18:03.579 --> 00:18:04.059
 who had never

00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:04.559
 met him

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:05.319
 had met with

00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:06.659
 one of his

00:18:06.659 --> 00:18:07.299
 teachers

00:18:07.299 --> 00:18:08.559
 who said

00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.720
 could you

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.480
 when you go in

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.159
 spend a good

00:18:11.159 --> 00:18:11.960
 amount of time

00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:12.720
 going through

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.279
 nouns

00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:14.639
 and adverbs

00:18:14.639 --> 00:18:15.639
 because he needs

00:18:15.639 --> 00:18:16.059
 to do it

00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:16.480
 and I'm worried

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:16.799
 he's going to

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.379
 fall behind.

00:18:19.419 --> 00:18:20.379
 Well the tutor

00:18:20.379 --> 00:18:20.919
 went in

00:18:20.919 --> 00:18:21.759
 and when she saw

00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:22.240
 this boy

00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:22.740
 in this ward

00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:23.539
 she was shocked.

00:18:23.539 --> 00:18:25.619
 he looked so ill

00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:28.000
 he looked so

00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.819
 despairing

00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:29.119
 and she thought

00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:29.899
 how on earth

00:18:29.899 --> 00:18:30.440
 am I going to

00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:31.200
 teach a lesson

00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.339
 on nouns

00:18:32.339 --> 00:18:33.200
 and adverbs

00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.720
 here in this

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.220
 situation

00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:35.799
 it just doesn't

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:36.539
 feel appropriate

00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:37.379
 but she had

00:18:37.379 --> 00:18:38.000
 her instructions

00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:38.659
 so she did

00:18:38.659 --> 00:18:40.259
 and she found

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:40.700
 it a really

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.240
 distressing

00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:42.159
 experience

00:18:42.159 --> 00:18:43.099
 trying to go

00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:43.799
 through the

00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:44.399
 differences

00:18:44.399 --> 00:18:45.299
 between

00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:46.220
 nouns

00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:47.200
 and adverbs

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:48.319
 with a boy

00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:48.740
 who just

00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:49.440
 seems so

00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:49.940
 poorly.

00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:53.480
 She left

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:54.339
 and as she

00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:54.579
 left

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.440
 she was so

00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:56.099
 dispirited

00:18:56.099 --> 00:18:57.079
 so downhearted

00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:00.120
 she went back

00:19:00.120 --> 00:19:00.519
 about a week

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:00.920
 later

00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:02.799
 before she went

00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:03.360
 into the ward

00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:04.079
 she saw the

00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:04.339
 nurse

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:04.860
 and the nurse

00:19:04.860 --> 00:19:05.579
 said to her

00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:06.720
 I don't know

00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:07.319
 what you did

00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:08.120
 last time you

00:19:08.120 --> 00:19:08.900
 came in

00:19:08.900 --> 00:19:10.539
 she got ready

00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:11.220
 to apologise

00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:11.759
 she said

00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.420
 but after you

00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:12.700
 left

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.180
 that lad

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:13.860
 turned a corner

00:19:13.860 --> 00:19:15.900
 she said

00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:16.240
 really

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:17.339
 she said

00:19:17.339 --> 00:19:18.019
 go and see him

00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:18.240
 now

00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.860
 she went in

00:19:18.860 --> 00:19:19.539
 he was like

00:19:19.539 --> 00:19:20.079
 a different

00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:21.799
 different kid

00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:25.639
 and

00:19:25.639 --> 00:19:27.119
 she said

00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:27.399
 you just

00:19:27.399 --> 00:19:27.759
 seem so

00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:28.399
 much better

00:19:28.399 --> 00:19:29.619
 what's

00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:29.980
 happened

00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:31.779
 he said

00:19:31.779 --> 00:19:32.159
 this

00:19:32.159 --> 00:19:35.119
 I had

00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:35.700
 given up

00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:36.299
 all hope

00:19:36.299 --> 00:19:38.099
 until

00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:38.919
 your visit

00:19:38.919 --> 00:19:41.240
 when I

00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:41.980
 realised

00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:42.480
 that they

00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.019
 had sent

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:43.659
 a teacher

00:19:43.659 --> 00:19:44.359
 to me

00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:45.579
 to go

00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:45.919
 through

00:19:45.919 --> 00:19:46.480
 nouns

00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:48.399
 and adverbs

00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:51.040
 I realised

00:19:51.040 --> 00:19:52.660
 that somebody

00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:53.480
 was expecting

00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.060
 me to get

00:19:54.060 --> 00:19:54.440
 better

00:19:54.440 --> 00:20:02.019
 focus on

00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:02.440
 the fact

00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:04.040
 that God

00:20:04.040 --> 00:20:04.560
 has a future

00:20:04.560 --> 00:20:05.080
 for you

00:20:05.080 --> 00:20:07.320
 not the weeds

00:20:07.320 --> 00:20:09.160
 not those

00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:09.560
 things that

00:20:09.560 --> 00:20:09.880
 cause you

00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:10.600
 to despair

00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:11.380
 the sense

00:20:11.380 --> 00:20:12.940
 of opposition

00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:13.940
 the sense

00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:14.940
 of discouragement

00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:15.620
 those things

00:20:15.620 --> 00:20:16.100
 that can cause

00:20:16.100 --> 00:20:16.440
 you to give

00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:16.840
 up hope

00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:17.039
 no

00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:18.379
 when you're

00:20:18.379 --> 00:20:18.720
 feeling

00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:19.419
 in the midst

00:20:19.419 --> 00:20:19.879
 of the wait

00:20:19.879 --> 00:20:20.179
 and you're

00:20:20.179 --> 00:20:20.439
 crying

00:20:20.439 --> 00:20:21.379
 how long

00:20:21.379 --> 00:20:22.000
 oh Lord

00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.119
 be reminded

00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:24.259
 of the promise

00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:24.819
 that he is

00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:25.480
 coming again

00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:26.539
 and that promise

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.259
 of hope

00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.379
 is the promise

00:20:28.379 --> 00:20:29.359
 that there is

00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:30.000
 a future

00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:30.740
 for you

00:20:30.740 --> 00:20:32.599
 and because

00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:33.179
 we know

00:20:33.179 --> 00:20:33.559
 there is

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:34.139
 that future

00:20:34.139 --> 00:20:35.059
 for us

00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:40.339
 God can be

00:20:40.339 --> 00:20:40.839
 found in the

00:20:40.839 --> 00:20:41.139
 waiting

00:20:41.139 --> 00:20:44.039
 let's pray

00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:50.480
 Lord

00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.720
 thank you

00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:54.339
 for this

00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:55.299
 story

00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:56.079
 of the

00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:57.720
 wheats

00:20:57.720 --> 00:20:58.200
 and the

00:20:58.200 --> 00:20:58.619
 weeds

00:20:58.619 --> 00:21:01.299
 and help

00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:01.659
 us

00:21:01.659 --> 00:21:03.339
 when we

00:21:03.339 --> 00:21:04.099
 find ourselves

00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:04.980
 in the midst

00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:05.839
 of the waiting

00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:06.839
 where blessing

00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:07.899
 seems to be

00:21:07.899 --> 00:21:08.759
 contested

00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:09.839
 and opposed

00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:11.179
 and when we

00:21:11.179 --> 00:21:11.519
 may feel

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.079
 that sense

00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:13.439
 of overwhelm

00:21:13.439 --> 00:21:14.980
 what is

00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.579
 represented

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.220
 by the

00:21:16.220 --> 00:21:16.959
 weeds

00:21:16.959 --> 00:21:19.339
 help us

00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:19.839
 to remember

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:20.379
 that you

00:21:20.379 --> 00:21:21.039
 have a future

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:21.740
 for us

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:23.879
 and because

00:21:23.879 --> 00:21:24.519
 you have a

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.480
 future for us

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.419
 we may find

00:21:26.419 --> 00:21:27.059
 life in the

00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:27.500
 present

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:28.259
 now

00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:31.519
 thank you

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:31.720
 Lord

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:32.159
 for the way

00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:32.559
 that this

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.139
 parable

00:21:33.139 --> 00:21:34.259
 urges us

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:34.759
 to hold

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.240
 fast

00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:35.640
 to

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:36.880
 the

00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:37.519
 reality

00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:38.700
 that

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.559
 life will

00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:40.200
 not always

00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:40.720
 be as it

00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.279
 is now

00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:43.900
 that ultimately

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:44.620
 there will be

00:21:44.620 --> 00:21:45.299
 a harvest

00:21:45.299 --> 00:21:47.420
 that ultimately

00:21:47.420 --> 00:21:48.099
 your kingdom

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:48.759
 will come

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:49.400
 in all

00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:49.880
 fullness

00:21:49.880 --> 00:21:50.839
 and there

00:21:50.839 --> 00:21:51.140
 will be

00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:51.599
 no more

00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:51.980
 suffering

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:58.140
 Lord

00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:58.599
 in the

00:21:58.599 --> 00:21:58.900
 midst

00:21:58.900 --> 00:21:59.299
 of our

00:21:59.299 --> 00:21:59.799
 waiting

00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:00.960
 whatever

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.839
 that means

00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:02.720
 and whatever

00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.380
 that looks

00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:03.799
 like

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:06.779
 meet with

00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:07.279
 us

00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:10.500
 in the

00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:11.079
 power of

00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:11.240
 your

00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:12.139
 Holy Spirit

00:22:12.139 --> 00:22:19.200
 in Jesus

00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:19.659
 name

00:22:19.659 --> 00:22:21.960
 Amen