WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.800
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful

00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:20.760
 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either

00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:24.920
 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray

00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:31.520
 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939
 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really,

00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579
 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,

00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.760
 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will

00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560
 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a

00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340
 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.219
 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me, actually, to know, as I'm preaching, how to

00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:07.760
 deal with the types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:18.760
 Just bow our heads in prayer for a moment. Father, we come to listen to your Word, and

00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:25.740
 Father, you know that we don't always acknowledge before you that your Word troubles us a bit if we

00:01:25.740 --> 00:01:33.460
 pay attention to it, and we sort of grumble about it, although maybe not out loud. And all we do is

00:01:33.460 --> 00:01:39.240
 grumble, don't inquire. So Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would help us to notice your Word

00:01:39.239 --> 00:01:46.239
 and to dig deep into it. And we thank you, Father, that you are a good Father in Heaven, that you love

00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:54.479
 us, that Jesus died on the cross for us to save us, that your Holy Spirit is a Spirit that leads us

00:01:54.479 --> 00:02:01.459
 into you as you live in us. And so, Father, lead us and guide us into all truth. Help us to trust your

00:02:01.459 --> 00:02:06.919
 Word. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated.

00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:09.819
 Amen. Please be seated.

00:02:18.039 --> 00:02:25.099
 Parts of the Bible we find sort of awkward and offensive. And one of the things I found as I've

00:02:25.099 --> 00:02:30.379
 been a Christian longer, and especially as I'm, in a sense, forced to think about the Bible text

00:02:30.379 --> 00:02:36.099
 because I'm going to preach on it, or I'm going to teach on it in another type of context, is over time,

00:02:36.099 --> 00:02:42.900
 with very few exceptions. And some of the exceptions are just really weird, like cultural things that you need

00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:53.099
 to give the cultural context to. But the parts of the Bible that offend us, or bother us, or make us embarrassed,

00:02:53.459 --> 00:03:00.759
 are actually probably the Bible texts that we need to listen to the most, because they have the most to teach us

00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:07.319
 in our particular situation. It shows that, in a sense, the spirit of the world and how the world thinks

00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:13.120
 has been greatly influencing us. And so we really need to, in a sense, rather than, as you heard in a prayer,

00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:17.759
 rather than just sort of grumble with it or skip over it, but actually dig deep into it and try to figure out

00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:21.359
 what it is that he's saying, why it is, in fact, a really good word.

00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:27.000
 You might not have listened to it or noticed it. If you're like me, you're sort of the Bible. You hear the Bible,

00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:33.020
 and you listen, but you don't really listen. But there's a part of that text, and we're going to look at it,

00:03:33.240 --> 00:03:37.820
 that, well, I don't know how many of you have heard the conversion story of Christopher Yuan.

00:03:38.020 --> 00:03:42.960
 He's written a couple of books. And obviously, there's a lot to it. Part of his whole conversion story,

00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:52.960
 you know, where he went to a, you know, a very, very, very, very chaotic gay lifestyle. Big drug dealer in the,

00:03:52.980 --> 00:03:57.500
 I think it was in the Boston area, gets arrested and all of that. And he had a praying mom and everything.

00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:02.120
 But his conversion story actually begins when he finds a Bible in the garbage.

00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:08.379
 And for some reason, he actually feels that he should read it. And that's actually the sort of the start of his conversion.

00:04:08.379 --> 00:04:15.500
 Anyway, imagine if you could, that maybe one of your neighbors has been cleaning out the attic or something of their grandmother or their great-grandmother,

00:04:15.979 --> 00:04:19.639
 and they come across an old Bible, and they happen to just pick it up and open it and read something.

00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:22.500
 And then they maybe come to you, because here you go to church, and they say,

00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:28.399
 look at this, look at what it says about people like me. Do you really think I'm as bad as all that?

00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:31.519
 And we'd probably have one of those deer-in-a-headlight moments.

00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:37.360
 We're not really sure what exactly to say to it. So we're going to look at that.

00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:42.439
 And so it's 1 Peter 4, and we're going to be looking at verses 1 to 11.

00:04:42.980 --> 00:04:46.300
 And if you have a Bible with you, and I encourage you to bring your own Bible when you can,

00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:50.259
 it's just helpful to be able to look at it and make your own notes, etc.

00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:54.639
 1 Peter 4, verses 1 to 11, and let's start reading it.

00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:58.360
 And just before we start reading it, just to remember...

00:04:59.259 --> 00:05:02.460
 Well, actually, here, we'll read it, and then I'll make the comments.

00:05:02.460 --> 00:05:05.800
 So 1 Peter 4, verses 1 to 11, and it begins like this.

00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:11.800
 Since, therefore, Christ, that's Jesus, suffered in the flesh...

00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:13.340
 Just sort of pause here.

00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:17.020
 It's sort of an unfortunate translation, flesh.

00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:19.960
 It's very literal and correct.

00:05:20.100 --> 00:05:23.000
 But really what we should think of here is body or physical,

00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.340
 that he physically suffered, that he suffered in his body.

00:05:26.339 --> 00:05:26.779
 Okay?

00:05:27.299 --> 00:05:30.959
 So since, therefore, Christ suffered physically in his body,

00:05:31.719 --> 00:05:34.679
 arm yourselves with the same way of thinking.

00:05:35.339 --> 00:05:41.259
 For whoever has suffered in the body, physically in the body, has ceased from sin,

00:05:41.959 --> 00:05:47.799
 so as to live for the rest of the time in his body, physically,

00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:52.099
 no longer for human passions, but for the will of God.

00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:55.660
 Now, obviously, there's a couple of odd things in there.

00:05:55.720 --> 00:06:00.500
 It makes you think of monks whipping themselves or wearing hair shirts,

00:06:00.580 --> 00:06:02.740
 and I'll get to that in a moment.

00:06:03.060 --> 00:06:06.780
 But the first thing about this to notice,

00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:10.020
 as I've said time and time again before,

00:06:10.200 --> 00:06:14.900
 Peter was one of Jesus' first disciples, one of his closest disciples.

00:06:14.899 --> 00:06:18.639
 He knows that Jesus died on the cross.

00:06:18.719 --> 00:06:23.039
 He didn't see Jesus dying on the cross because he had denied Jesus,

00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:25.859
 and he went away in despair.

00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:29.079
 But he definitely knows that Jesus died on the cross.

00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:30.379
 He knows that he was buried.

00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:32.799
 He knows that on the third day the grave was empty.

00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.139
 He saw the empty tomb, and he met the risen Jesus.

00:06:36.739 --> 00:06:38.739
 And within a couple of years of writing this,

00:06:39.259 --> 00:06:43.539
 Peter is going to die, and he's going to die a gruesome death,

00:06:43.540 --> 00:06:47.500
 and he could have avoided that gruesome death if he just said,

00:06:48.020 --> 00:06:51.960
 time out, fooled ya, it didn't really happen.

00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:54.620
 He could have avoided his painful death.

00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:57.400
 And he could have even done that and then gone on and said,

00:06:57.460 --> 00:06:58.900
 I fooled you, you really did die.

00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:01.460
 No, no, Peter would die for this.

00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:02.980
 So here's the first thing.

00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:07.160
 When he says arm yourselves with the same way of thinking,

00:07:07.820 --> 00:07:11.600
 there's something profoundly different about rooting yourself

00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:14.320
 in something which is historically true

00:07:14.320 --> 00:07:17.720
 than merely rooting yourself in a story.

00:07:19.580 --> 00:07:22.580
 You know, you could adapt the story of Santa Claus

00:07:22.580 --> 00:07:25.820
 or the story of the great pumpkin or the Easter bunny or,

00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:27.080
 you know, not even that.

00:07:27.140 --> 00:07:29.520
 If you took some of the great myths of the Oedipus myth

00:07:29.520 --> 00:07:31.480
 or anything like that, you can play around with them.

00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:32.960
 You can negotiate with them.

00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:35.860
 You can, you know, balance them with other types of things.

00:07:35.860 --> 00:07:40.540
 But there's something very, very angular and immovable

00:07:40.540 --> 00:07:43.439
 about basing yourself on something which actually happened.

00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:46.379
 And that's what's very significant here,

00:07:46.520 --> 00:07:50.840
 is that Peter is saying, listen, think about who Jesus was.

00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:53.540
 Think about what he taught.

00:07:54.139 --> 00:07:57.000
 Think about the suffering that he underwent.

00:07:57.220 --> 00:07:59.080
 Think about his death upon the cross.

00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:02.660
 Think about his burial and his resurrection.

00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:04.600
 And think about these things.

00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:06.939
 These are the things that you need to think about,

00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:07.879
 you need to remember,

00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:11.040
 and that they should form how you see the world,

00:08:11.220 --> 00:08:12.620
 how you understand yourself,

00:08:12.840 --> 00:08:14.320
 how you get your identity,

00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:15.760
 how you get value,

00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:17.820
 how you see things that are going on,

00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:19.620
 the things that you're going to do or not do.

00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:23.620
 Root all of these things in the true story,

00:08:24.180 --> 00:08:27.460
 the true story of what really happened to Jesus in reality.

00:08:27.700 --> 00:08:28.700
 That's how you base your life,

00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:29.720
 not just on stories,

00:08:30.220 --> 00:08:30.900
 but on this thing,

00:08:30.900 --> 00:08:33.120
 this particular story which is true.

00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:35.799
 And it's, you know,

00:08:37.179 --> 00:08:37.700
 like, you know,

00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:38.659
 one of the things there's,

00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:41.220
 some of us have maybe been troubled over the years by,

00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:43.299
 and if you're from outside the Christian faith,

00:08:43.340 --> 00:08:43.899
 you don't know that,

00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:45.360
 there's a whole group of people

00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:46.560
 who call themselves Christians

00:08:46.560 --> 00:08:48.460
 called health and wealth gospel people,

00:08:49.060 --> 00:08:49.539
 that, you know,

00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:51.500
 Christians are meant to only be wealthy

00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:52.379
 and only be healthy

00:08:52.379 --> 00:08:53.379
 and always to triumph

00:08:53.379 --> 00:08:54.340
 and everything like that.

00:08:54.340 --> 00:08:55.820
 And it can sound very appealing

00:08:55.820 --> 00:08:57.840
 and it can be very convincing

00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:59.420
 that the big problem with it

00:08:59.420 --> 00:09:00.920
 is they're not thinking about Jesus

00:09:00.920 --> 00:09:04.180
 who suffered and died on a cross,

00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:06.500
 didn't hit his 40th birthday.

00:09:08.280 --> 00:09:10.680
 There has to be something wrong about all that teaching.

00:09:10.800 --> 00:09:12.019
 You've got to think about Jesus.

00:09:12.700 --> 00:09:14.019
 So that's what he's saying,

00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:14.320
 you know,

00:09:14.379 --> 00:09:15.320
 first and foremost.

00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:18.320
 And Peter's going to bear witness to this by his death.

00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:19.200
 So think on this,

00:09:19.300 --> 00:09:19.840
 think through this,

00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:20.460
 and buy this.

00:09:21.100 --> 00:09:22.560
 But now what on earth does he mean

00:09:22.560 --> 00:09:23.280
 when he says,

00:09:24.160 --> 00:09:25.300
 for verse one again,

00:09:25.379 --> 00:09:28.020
 for whoever has suffered in the body physically

00:09:28.020 --> 00:09:29.200
 has ceased from sin

00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.720
 so as to live the rest of the time

00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:33.220
 in his body physically,

00:09:33.520 --> 00:09:35.280
 no longer for human passions

00:09:35.280 --> 00:09:36.440
 but for the will of God.

00:09:36.740 --> 00:09:38.620
 So this is an example of hyperbole.

00:09:39.540 --> 00:09:42.440
 He's really saying something far simpler

00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:45.500
 and something which we all recognize as true,

00:09:45.500 --> 00:09:50.179
 that every time you resist a temptation

00:09:50.179 --> 00:09:51.779
 to do something which is wrong,

00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:52.919
 you're thinking about Jesus,

00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:54.059
 thinking about what he did,

00:09:54.539 --> 00:09:55.399
 thinking about the fact

00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:57.639
 that it's not just a story about in the past

00:09:57.639 --> 00:09:59.200
 but that Jesus is with you

00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:01.279
 and that as you think about that

00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:02.980
 and it gives you the power

00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:03.559
 and the ability

00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:05.700
 to not do something which is wrong

00:10:05.700 --> 00:10:08.320
 where you know that you should do something that's right

00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.159
 and rather than avoiding doing the right thing

00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:11.399
 because it'll maybe cost you,

00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:12.720
 you actually do the right thing,

00:10:13.259 --> 00:10:14.799
 that every time you do that

00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:16.039
 in a very tiny way,

00:10:16.179 --> 00:10:18.219
 you snip the power

00:10:18.219 --> 00:10:21.359
 of rebellion against God in your life

00:10:21.359 --> 00:10:24.319
 and every time you don't do that

00:10:24.319 --> 00:10:25.539
 but give in to it,

00:10:25.599 --> 00:10:26.519
 you strengthen it.

00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:29.519
 Just a very, very simple thing.

00:10:31.479 --> 00:10:32.379
 Years ago,

00:10:32.699 --> 00:10:34.459
 there's this man in the congregation,

00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:35.399
 Tom,

00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:36.779
 he was very, very blunt,

00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:37.939
 plain spoken.

00:10:39.819 --> 00:10:40.819
 I mean, when he heard

00:10:40.819 --> 00:10:42.679
 that I was having a ninth child,

00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:44.919
 he asked me if I knew what birth control was,

00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:46.259
 like he's that type of guy,

00:10:46.359 --> 00:10:48.000
 very, very blunt, okay?

00:10:48.579 --> 00:10:52.259
 And one day I was just,

00:10:52.359 --> 00:10:53.079
 we were having lunch

00:10:53.079 --> 00:10:54.939
 and I just mentioned that something had happened

00:10:54.939 --> 00:10:56.500
 and I apologized to my wife

00:10:56.500 --> 00:10:57.799
 and he said,

00:10:57.879 --> 00:11:00.039
 I would never apologize to my wife for that

00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:03.000
 and I just had one of those Holy Spirit moments

00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:03.679
 and I said to him,

00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:05.459
 that's why you're divorced twice

00:11:05.459 --> 00:11:07.519
 and don't have anybody living with you now.

00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:11.360
 And because he was that type of blunt speaker,

00:11:11.659 --> 00:11:13.379
 he looked like he was going to be mad.

00:11:13.419 --> 00:11:13.599
 He said,

00:11:13.819 --> 00:11:14.419
 ah, you're right.

00:11:16.299 --> 00:11:16.819
 So, you know,

00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:17.719
 so here's the thing.

00:11:18.079 --> 00:11:18.379
 You know,

00:11:18.459 --> 00:11:18.719
 if I,

00:11:18.860 --> 00:11:19.819
 when I wrong Louise

00:11:19.819 --> 00:11:21.259
 and I do wrong Louise,

00:11:21.459 --> 00:11:22.779
 if I don't apologize,

00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:24.939
 but instead,

00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:26.339
 when confronted,

00:11:26.659 --> 00:11:27.939
 I just say,

00:11:27.980 --> 00:11:28.179
 no, no,

00:11:28.199 --> 00:11:29.199
 I was right to say that.

00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:30.360
 If that happens all the time,

00:11:30.699 --> 00:11:31.959
 I'm building habits

00:11:31.959 --> 00:11:33.500
 and a type of personality or character

00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:35.079
 that's going to make that more and more common.

00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:37.240
 But when I apologize,

00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:39.839
 it's creating a type of tender heart within me

00:11:39.839 --> 00:11:41.360
 that I'm going to notice when I've sinned

00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:42.319
 and I can apologize.

00:11:42.439 --> 00:11:43.419
 It's a very, very small way.

00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:44.240
 You can do it the same thing

00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:45.379
 with porn,

00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:46.199
 with power,

00:11:46.339 --> 00:11:46.879
 with generosity,

00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:47.759
 all those other things.

00:11:47.819 --> 00:11:49.500
 It's a very, very common truth.

00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:50.720
 You're given a choice

00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.600
 between living out of these passions

00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:54.919
 and passions here

00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:56.899
 mean something exorbitant and wrong.

00:11:57.100 --> 00:11:58.779
 So your passion for money,

00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:00.419
 your passion for selfishness,

00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:01.740
 your passion for pride,

00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:02.460
 your passion,

00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:03.200
 you know,

00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:04.480
 for sex outside of merit,

00:12:04.539 --> 00:12:05.480
 like all of those things.

00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:07.279
 If you either give into those things

00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:08.419
 and they get stronger

00:12:08.419 --> 00:12:11.179
 or because you're thinking about Christ

00:12:11.179 --> 00:12:12.320
 and remembering Christ

00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:13.840
 and you're realizing these things are wrong

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:14.659
 and you say no to them,

00:12:15.019 --> 00:12:15.960
 you're building strength

00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:16.799
 in that other direction.

00:12:16.940 --> 00:12:18.279
 So that's all very simple,

00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:19.659
 basic moral teaching

00:12:19.659 --> 00:12:21.120
 and something, by the way,

00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:22.519
 that a psychologist or something

00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:22.819
 would say,

00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:23.679
 yeah, yeah, that makes sense.

00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:25.059
 You're either strengthening something

00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:26.379
 or weakening something, right?

00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:27.240
 It's very, very,

00:12:27.539 --> 00:12:28.600
 just good common sense.

00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:30.199
 But now we get to the very awkward

00:12:30.199 --> 00:12:31.220
 and difficult part

00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:32.980
 that once again,

00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:34.000
 if one of our friends

00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:34.860
 or co-workers

00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:36.899
 found their grandmother's Bible

00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:38.019
 and happened to open it up

00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:38.839
 and read it,

00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:39.620
 they'd say to you,

00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:40.459
 do you,

00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:42.279
 is this how you guys think about me?

00:12:43.459 --> 00:12:44.879
 Is this how Christians think

00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:45.860
 about guys like me

00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:46.959
 or gals like me?

00:12:47.439 --> 00:12:48.179
 And not only that,

00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:49.219
 they'd not only think that,

00:12:49.299 --> 00:12:49.779
 they'd think,

00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:52.799
 like, you can think that,

00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:53.819
 but I'm a better person

00:12:53.819 --> 00:12:54.419
 than you are.

00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:56.099
 And if you think differently,

00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:57.139
 you're just full of

00:12:57.139 --> 00:12:58.339
 fill in the blank.

00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:00.439
 Well, here,

00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:01.219
 listen to what they say.

00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:02.439
 It's verses 3 and 4

00:13:02.439 --> 00:13:03.339
 of chapter 4.

00:13:04.959 --> 00:13:07.139
 For the time that has passed

00:13:07.139 --> 00:13:09.919
 suffices for doing

00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.620
 what the Gentiles want to do.

00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:12.679
 Now just sort of pause.

00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:14.639
 I'm going to make the text

00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:15.000
 harder,

00:13:15.079 --> 00:13:15.599
 not easier.

00:13:18.239 --> 00:13:19.639
 But it's meant to be

00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:19.919
 hard,

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.500
 not easy.

00:13:21.599 --> 00:13:22.939
 For Gentile here,

00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:24.019
 substitute the word

00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:25.159
 anybody who's not

00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:26.559
 a follower of Christ.

00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:28.659
 That's what it means

00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:29.739
 in this context.

00:13:29.740 --> 00:13:31.680
 So anybody who is not

00:13:31.680 --> 00:13:33.019
 a follower of Christ.

00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:35.940
 So in the times past,

00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:37.320
 you could live the way

00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:38.539
 people who don't follow

00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:39.820
 Christ want to do.

00:13:40.779 --> 00:13:43.000
 Living in sensuality,

00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:45.039
 passions,

00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:47.120
 drunkenness,

00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:49.180
 orgies,

00:13:50.180 --> 00:13:51.180
 drinking parties.

00:13:51.340 --> 00:13:52.000
 There really means

00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:53.000
 drinking parts,

00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:54.299
 the type of thing

00:13:54.299 --> 00:13:55.419
 like panda game

00:13:55.419 --> 00:13:56.379
 or something like that

00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:56.740
 afterwards,

00:13:56.740 --> 00:13:57.500
 where you have

00:13:57.500 --> 00:13:59.240
 drinking and carousing

00:13:59.240 --> 00:13:59.919
 that goes on

00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:01.039
 into the night

00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:02.320
 and involves also

00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:03.240
 probably the destruction

00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:03.799
 of property

00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:04.639
 and everything like that

00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.320
 and lawless idolatry.

00:14:08.460 --> 00:14:08.940
 Okay,

00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:10.159
 all people outside of Christ,

00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:11.299
 that's what they want to do?

00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:14.580
 Whoa,

00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:15.259
 I never noticed that

00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.039
 in the Bible before,

00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:16.200
 eh?

00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:19.840
 With respect to this,

00:14:20.299 --> 00:14:21.639
 they are surprised

00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:22.360
 when you,

00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:23.220
 Christian,

00:14:23.560 --> 00:14:24.759
 do not join them

00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:26.620
 in the same flood

00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:27.559
 of debauchery

00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:28.980
 and they malign you.

00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:31.460
 Now you can see

00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:33.240
 why a friend

00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:34.299
 who's maybe

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:34.819
 a very,

00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:36.100
 very,

00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:36.360
 very,

00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:38.960
 very passionate

00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:40.659
 advocate for the poor,

00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:42.620
 somebody who's

00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:43.639
 just living

00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:44.179
 a really,

00:14:44.259 --> 00:14:44.460
 really,

00:14:44.539 --> 00:14:45.439
 really good life

00:14:45.439 --> 00:14:46.659
 and they read this

00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:47.000
 and they say,

00:14:47.059 --> 00:14:47.220
 really,

00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:47.980
 that's how you think

00:14:47.980 --> 00:14:49.460
 people who aren't Christians

00:14:49.460 --> 00:14:50.319
 that you're like,

00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:51.500
 that we're like?

00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.259
 And frankly,

00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:53.940
 a lot of us

00:14:53.940 --> 00:14:54.679
 would be uncomfortable

00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:55.720
 now that we notice it

00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:56.720
 because one of the things,

00:14:56.980 --> 00:14:58.320
 and if you're watching this

00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:58.960
 or if you're here

00:14:58.960 --> 00:14:59.740
 and you're not

00:14:59.740 --> 00:15:00.720
 a follower of Christ,

00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:02.759
 it's a very common thing

00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:03.860
 actually for Christians

00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:04.679
 to be troubled

00:15:04.679 --> 00:15:05.440
 by the fact

00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:07.440
 that many of their

00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:08.600
 non-Christian neighbors,

00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:09.620
 their neighbors

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:10.539
 who don't follow Jesus,

00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:11.799
 are better than they are

00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:13.360
 and it's a source

00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:13.980
 of trouble

00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:15.139
 in terms of how

00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:16.159
 they think about themselves.

00:15:16.580 --> 00:15:17.480
 So this can be

00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.659
 a bit of a troubling verse.

00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.679
 So what's going on

00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:21.139
 in this particular verse?

00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:21.919
 Well,

00:15:21.940 --> 00:15:22.879
 there's a couple of things.

00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:25.379
 First of all,

00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:30.799
 actually people,

00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:32.120
 it is actually

00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:33.059
 sort of a very

00:15:33.059 --> 00:15:34.480
 common Canadian view.

00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:35.379
 I'm not going to talk

00:15:35.379 --> 00:15:36.039
 about other cultures,

00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:36.840
 but it actually is a bit

00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:38.120
 of a common Canadian view.

00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.580
 Just think about it

00:15:39.580 --> 00:15:40.100
 for a second.

00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:43.519
 If you told your neighbors,

00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:45.580
 let's say you're

00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:47.340
 a 25-year-old man

00:15:47.340 --> 00:15:48.360
 or a 25-year-old woman,

00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:49.539
 and if you told your neighbors

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:51.620
 that you'd never had sex

00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.599
 outside of marriage,

00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:53.819
 would they think

00:15:53.819 --> 00:15:54.360
 more of you

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.099
 or less of you?

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:57.860
 They'd think less of you.

00:16:00.839 --> 00:16:02.699
 If you're a 25-year-old

00:16:02.699 --> 00:16:03.240
 young woman

00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.500
 and you're dating a fellow

00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:05.759
 and he wants you

00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:06.699
 to sleep with him

00:16:06.699 --> 00:16:08.240
 after the second

00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:09.339
 or third or fourth date

00:16:09.339 --> 00:16:10.120
 and you say no

00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:10.879
 because you're not

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:11.719
 going to sleep with him

00:16:11.719 --> 00:16:12.500
 until you're married,

00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:13.519
 will he say,

00:16:14.319 --> 00:16:15.659
 oh, that's very admirable?

00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:17.939
 Or will he say,

00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:19.299
 boy, you're a weird freak.

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:21.959
 You'll never be married.

00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:22.899
 You're condemned

00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:25.439
 to a terrible life

00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:26.179
 of singleness

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:27.299
 and unhappiness.

00:16:28.339 --> 00:16:29.199
 If you were

00:16:29.199 --> 00:16:31.399
 a 28, 29-year-old man

00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:31.719
 or woman

00:16:31.719 --> 00:16:32.559
 and you told people

00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:33.159
 that you've actually

00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:33.959
 never done drugs

00:16:33.959 --> 00:16:35.120
 once in your entire life

00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:36.259
 and you've never been drunk,

00:16:37.219 --> 00:16:37.819
 will they say,

00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:39.399
 wow, that's a manly man

00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:40.539
 and a womanly woman?

00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:41.360
 What a model.

00:16:41.459 --> 00:16:42.339
 I wish I was like you.

00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.019
 No, they'll think

00:16:43.019 --> 00:16:43.759
 there's something wrong

00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.200
 with you.

00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:45.700
 Isn't that true?

00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:47.600
 So actually,

00:16:47.700 --> 00:16:48.059
 first of all,

00:16:48.100 --> 00:16:49.120
 there is something in here,

00:16:49.620 --> 00:16:50.080
 isn't there?

00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:51.519
 But the second thing

00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:52.139
 is this.

00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:55.159
 In fact,

00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:55.860
 if you study,

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.059
 if you,

00:16:57.220 --> 00:16:57.600
 first of all,

00:16:57.740 --> 00:16:58.600
 like certain types

00:16:58.600 --> 00:16:59.720
 of depth psychology

00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:00.559
 would say that

00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:01.559
 if you just scratch

00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:02.939
 beneath the veneer

00:17:02.939 --> 00:17:04.180
 of somebody like me,

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:06.000
 and I'm, by the way,

00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:07.379
 not a moral exemplar,

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.140
 but if you scratch

00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:08.900
 beneath the veneer

00:17:08.900 --> 00:17:09.819
 of somebody who says

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.740
 they're a devout Christian,

00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:11.279
 you're going to see

00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:12.440
 very dark passions.

00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:14.320
 And there's a whole

00:17:14.320 --> 00:17:15.360
 school of scholarship

00:17:15.360 --> 00:17:16.440
 that when they study

00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:17.860
 something like the Victorians

00:17:17.860 --> 00:17:19.120
 who are very concerned

00:17:19.120 --> 00:17:20.140
 about living proper

00:17:20.140 --> 00:17:21.019
 types of lives

00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:22.019
 and being good citizens

00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:23.120
 and having good marriages,

00:17:23.600 --> 00:17:24.559
 and there's an entire

00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:25.700
 academic

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:27.840
 whole world

00:17:27.840 --> 00:17:28.640
 that says

00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:29.620
 that is always

00:17:29.620 --> 00:17:30.980
 looking at their letters

00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:31.960
 and their diaries

00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.720
 and trying to convince people,

00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:34.920
 and often correctly,

00:17:35.420 --> 00:17:36.420
 that if you just scratch

00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:38.360
 beneath the civilized veneer

00:17:38.360 --> 00:17:40.180
 and their self-righteousness

00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:41.400
 and their self-justification,

00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:42.019
 what you see

00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:42.460
 is actually

00:17:42.460 --> 00:17:43.680
 something very dark

00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:45.360
 and very, very,

00:17:46.360 --> 00:17:47.039
 just something

00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.460
 very dark and chaotic,

00:17:49.140 --> 00:17:49.940
 very different

00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:51.340
 from their public persona.

00:17:52.900 --> 00:17:53.580
 But finally,

00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.920
 the real thing about,

00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:55.440
 in other words,

00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.480
 what they're saying

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:57.240
 is if you scratch

00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:57.740
 beneath things,

00:17:57.820 --> 00:17:58.279
 what you see

00:17:58.279 --> 00:18:01.160
 is what 1 Peter 4

00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:03.980
 verses 3 and 4

00:18:03.980 --> 00:18:04.440
 are saying.

00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:05.560
 And then,

00:18:05.600 --> 00:18:06.140
 but finally,

00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:07.180
 the real proof,

00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:08.019
 and this is very important,

00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:09.259
 I'm taking some time on it

00:18:09.259 --> 00:18:10.400
 because it's really important

00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:10.819
 for it,

00:18:10.879 --> 00:18:11.839
 and it's also important,

00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.099
 it's important,

00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:13.500
 you see,

00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:14.099
 one of the problems

00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:15.139
 we have with the Bible

00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:17.119
 is the Bible

00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:19.119
 is so deeply realistic

00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:21.119
 about real human life

00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:24.059
 that we turn away from it.

00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:25.960
 But one of the things

00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:26.900
 which is so beautiful

00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:27.799
 about the Bible

00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:30.119
 is it's so profoundly realistic

00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:30.839
 in helping us

00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:31.900
 to understand who we are,

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:33.019
 yet at the same time,

00:18:33.099 --> 00:18:34.559
 not to lead us into despair,

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:35.799
 but to lead us to Christ

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:37.759
 and to give us hope.

00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:39.940
 So how do we know

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:40.700
 that actually

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:42.359
 non-Christians agree with this,

00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.519
 people outside the Christian faith

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.059
 agree with this,

00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:45.160
 disaster movies.

00:18:46.779 --> 00:18:48.299
 Not just disaster movies,

00:18:48.420 --> 00:18:49.740
 but end-of-the-world movies.

00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:51.440
 So what happens

00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.779
 in every end-of-the-world movie?

00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:53.500
 It doesn't matter

00:18:53.500 --> 00:18:54.619
 if it's something like

00:18:54.619 --> 00:18:55.759
 the zombie apocalypse

00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:56.759
 is overwhelming

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:57.920
 all of the institutions

00:18:57.920 --> 00:18:58.720
 in society,

00:18:58.859 --> 00:19:00.400
 so the veneer of civilization

00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.379
 is scraped away,

00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:02.839
 and you see what people

00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:03.559
 are really like.

00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:05.660
 Maybe it's an alien invasion,

00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:07.220
 and the aliens

00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:08.880
 are triumphing,

00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:09.380
 and you see

00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:10.160
 what most people

00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:10.580
 are like

00:19:10.580 --> 00:19:11.240
 when the veneer

00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:12.000
 of civilization

00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:12.840
 is scraped away.

00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:14.180
 Maybe it's some type

00:19:14.180 --> 00:19:15.140
 of virus outbreak

00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:15.880
 which is killing

00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.700
 99% of the population,

00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.759
 and you see

00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:20.120
 what human beings

00:19:20.120 --> 00:19:20.920
 are really like,

00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:21.700
 and what do you see

00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:22.800
 in all those movies?

00:19:24.580 --> 00:19:25.060
 Raping,

00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:26.100
 murdering,

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.000
 pillaging,

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.220
 drunkenness.

00:19:28.220 --> 00:19:32.299
 All of them.

00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:35.380
 Dark passions unleashed.

00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:37.420
 Nobody's going to arrest me.

00:19:37.579 --> 00:19:38.799
 Nobody's going to punish me.

00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.900
 So let's get drunk.

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:42.500
 Let's rape.

00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:43.779
 Let's steal.

00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:46.279
 Let's destroy property.

00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:49.220
 That's what every disaster movie says.

00:19:49.299 --> 00:19:49.980
 In fact,

00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:52.940
 if you saw a disaster movie,

00:19:53.860 --> 00:19:55.640
 and as the zombie hordes

00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:57.160
 are overwhelming society,

00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:58.400
 and all they showed

00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:59.019
 was the people

00:19:59.019 --> 00:20:00.360
 not being infected

00:20:00.360 --> 00:20:01.180
 by the zombies,

00:20:01.620 --> 00:20:02.580
 was gathering

00:20:02.580 --> 00:20:03.360
 in communities

00:20:03.360 --> 00:20:04.620
 where they loved each other

00:20:04.620 --> 00:20:05.960
 and cared for each other,

00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.800
 and they nursed the sick,

00:20:08.040 --> 00:20:08.820
 and they gave

00:20:08.820 --> 00:20:09.640
 of their possessions

00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:10.680
 to help each other,

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:12.279
 you would turn

00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:12.840
 to your neighbor

00:20:12.840 --> 00:20:13.740
 watching and saying,

00:20:14.040 --> 00:20:15.180
 this must be

00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.279
 a dream sequence.

00:20:18.840 --> 00:20:19.759
 It has to be

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.560
 a dream sequence.

00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:21.640
 And in fact,

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.279
 if the whole movie

00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:23.000
 ended like that,

00:20:23.040 --> 00:20:23.600
 what would the movie

00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:24.400
 reviewers say?

00:20:25.100 --> 00:20:25.620
 Boring

00:20:25.620 --> 00:20:26.920
 and unrealistic.

00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:29.640
 And it would be

00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:30.740
 a box office flop.

00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:32.240
 Why?

00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:33.940
 You scratch beneath

00:20:33.940 --> 00:20:35.560
 the veneer of human beings

00:20:35.560 --> 00:20:36.560
 and you get

00:20:36.560 --> 00:20:38.480
 1 Peter 4,

00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:39.840
 verse 3.

00:20:41.840 --> 00:20:43.180
 It gets worse.

00:20:44.840 --> 00:20:46.180
 Why do we like movies

00:20:46.180 --> 00:20:46.820
 like that?

00:20:48.340 --> 00:20:48.940
 Well,

00:20:49.019 --> 00:20:50.180
 there's a very simple reason

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:51.120
 why we like movies

00:20:51.120 --> 00:20:51.700
 like that.

00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:53.039
 When we're watching

00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:53.920
 World War Z,

00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:55.819
 we don't say,

00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:57.059
 yeah,

00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:58.880
 I'd like that to happen.

00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.340
 I'd like an opportunity

00:21:00.340 --> 00:21:01.680
 to rape and get drunk

00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:02.340
 and pillage.

00:21:03.340 --> 00:21:03.880
 Like,

00:21:03.940 --> 00:21:05.059
 nobody says that.

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:06.740
 If they did,

00:21:07.080 --> 00:21:07.680
 you'd go,

00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:12.259
 we'd think under our breath,

00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:12.759
 psychopath.

00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:13.900
 We wouldn't want to have

00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:14.500
 anything to do

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:14.920
 with somebody

00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:15.160
 who says,

00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:15.259
 yeah,

00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:15.840
 I really love,

00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.960
 I love those parts.

00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:18.680
 I love those rapists

00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:19.759
 and murderers.

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:20.900
 No.

00:21:21.860 --> 00:21:22.880
 We all think

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:23.740
 we're Brad Pitt

00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:24.519
 and I apologize,

00:21:24.700 --> 00:21:25.120
 I don't know how

00:21:25.120 --> 00:21:25.840
 to pronounce her name,

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.340
 Muriel Enos.

00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:29.640
 That's who we think

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:29.980
 we are.

00:21:30.100 --> 00:21:30.700
 What are we saying?

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:33.380
 I'm saying,

00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:34.980
 all of you guys

00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:36.319
 would be getting drunk

00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:36.900
 and raping.

00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:38.680
 Louise and me

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.500
 are going to be the heroes.

00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:41.580
 You're watching the movie

00:21:41.580 --> 00:21:42.000
 thinking,

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.759
 George and everybody else

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.360
 are raping and pillaging

00:21:45.360 --> 00:21:46.840
 and we're going to be the hero.

00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:48.420
 In other words,

00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:49.220
 those movies show

00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:50.400
 your self-righteousness.

00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:54.120
 It shows that you believe

00:21:54.120 --> 00:21:55.299
 1 Peter 4,

00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:56.000
 verse 3,

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.460
 but you think

00:21:57.460 --> 00:21:58.039
 you're different,

00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.400
 you think you're self-righteous.

00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:02.980
 Whoa.

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.640
 Many people would say,

00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:05.820
 I didn't see that coming.

00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:09.759
 But then a very common

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.940
 human response to that

00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:11.600
 would be say,

00:22:11.820 --> 00:22:12.120
 George,

00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:13.720
 that's a really bleak way

00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.560
 of understanding

00:22:14.560 --> 00:22:15.660
 human beings.

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.620
 That's so bleak,

00:22:19.800 --> 00:22:20.440
 why on earth

00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:21.519
 would Jesus die

00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:22.540
 if that's true?

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.980
 And then we can say,

00:22:25.280 --> 00:22:26.740
 now you're understanding

00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:27.920
 the beauty of the gospel.

00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:35.420
 All my self-righteousness

00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:37.700
 combined with my dark passions

00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:39.620
 and Jesus saw them all

00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:41.759
 and still he died for me.

00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:43.820
 Still he died for you.

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:48.000
 Now you begin to see

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:48.800
 the wonder and the beauty

00:22:48.800 --> 00:22:49.519
 of the gospel.

00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:52.340
 Just one final point

00:22:52.340 --> 00:22:53.180
 before we move on,

00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:54.200
 just to bring this home.

00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:55.900
 imagine for a moment

00:22:55.900 --> 00:22:57.000
 that,

00:22:58.360 --> 00:22:59.759
 we'll use me as an example,

00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:01.220
 God just says,

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:02.080
 I'm going to take

00:23:02.080 --> 00:23:03.580
 the last 10 years

00:23:03.580 --> 00:23:05.340
 of everything

00:23:05.340 --> 00:23:06.420
 that George thought

00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:07.360
 and everything

00:23:07.360 --> 00:23:08.279
 that he imagined

00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:09.080
 and everything

00:23:09.080 --> 00:23:10.200
 he daydreamed about

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:12.080
 and it's going to be

00:23:12.080 --> 00:23:13.380
 completely unfiltered

00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:14.320
 and it's going to be

00:23:14.320 --> 00:23:15.480
 shown on that screen.

00:23:18.300 --> 00:23:19.300
 I wouldn't want to be

00:23:19.300 --> 00:23:20.380
 anywhere near this room.

00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.660
 I'd probably try

00:23:22.660 --> 00:23:23.440
 to take enough money

00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:24.240
 to go hide

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.740
 in some obscure part

00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:27.040
 of Alaska or Wyoming

00:23:27.040 --> 00:23:28.240
 in the wilderness

00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:29.200
 and hope that nobody

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:30.020
 would change my name

00:23:30.020 --> 00:23:30.740
 and hope that nobody

00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:31.860
 would ever find me.

00:23:32.560 --> 00:23:33.040
 And friend,

00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:34.120
 that would be your response

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:35.300
 too if it was your own life.

00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:39.700
 Why?

00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:41.720
 Because 1 Peter 4, 3 is true.

00:23:46.659 --> 00:23:48.000
 And now you can start

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.700
 to understand

00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:49.980
 why it's so remarkable

00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:51.639
 that Jesus would die for you,

00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:53.259
 that he would see that.

00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:54.819
 He knows what went on

00:23:54.819 --> 00:23:56.259
 in your mind and mine

00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:58.379
 and still he loved you enough

00:23:58.379 --> 00:23:59.980
 to die on the cross for you.

00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:02.259
 And can't you see

00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:03.159
 how any idea

00:24:03.159 --> 00:24:04.879
 of your own self-righteousness

00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.160
 or self-justification

00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:08.420
 is like being stoned

00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:09.100
 on drugs

00:24:09.100 --> 00:24:10.180
 that has no connection

00:24:10.180 --> 00:24:11.200
 to the real you.

00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:13.260
 You need a savior.

00:24:15.340 --> 00:24:16.540
 You need a savior.

00:24:16.860 --> 00:24:18.280
 And I have wonderful news

00:24:18.280 --> 00:24:18.720
 for you.

00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:19.840
 There is a savior.

00:24:21.780 --> 00:24:23.160
 And he died for you.

00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:30.960
 Now what does this

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.020
 last little bit mean

00:24:32.020 --> 00:24:32.740
 it sounds about

00:24:32.740 --> 00:24:33.640
 praying to the dead?

00:24:33.800 --> 00:24:34.320
 We're going to get

00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.039
 to the application

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.659
 in a moment.

00:24:35.659 --> 00:24:36.599
 But just the

00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:38.019
 verse 5 and 6,

00:24:38.099 --> 00:24:39.119
 it seems this weird thing

00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:42.379
 about preaching the gospel

00:24:42.379 --> 00:24:43.159
 to dead people.

00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:44.639
 Look at what happens next.

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:45.779
 But it really is just,

00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:47.619
 it's bringing home

00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:48.619
 the wonder of the gospel.

00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:49.599
 Verse 5,

00:24:51.019 --> 00:24:52.039
 but they will give account

00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:52.359
 to him.

00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:52.859
 In other words,

00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:55.399
 people who are maligning you.

00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:56.220
 Just remember I said,

00:24:56.679 --> 00:24:57.279
 what would they say

00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:59.819
 to a 25-year-old man

00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:01.099
 who's never slept out,

00:25:02.099 --> 00:25:03.599
 who's waiting for marriage

00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:05.059
 and hasn't slept around

00:25:05.059 --> 00:25:06.099
 or doesn't watch porn,

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:07.439
 they wouldn't believe you

00:25:07.439 --> 00:25:09.059
 and they'd think there was

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:10.399
 something lacking in you.

00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:12.299
 So they malign you.

00:25:12.419 --> 00:25:13.159
 But they will give,

00:25:13.159 --> 00:25:14.079
 verse 5 says,

00:25:14.159 --> 00:25:15.639
 but they who malign you

00:25:15.639 --> 00:25:16.359
 will give an account

00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:17.339
 to him who is ready

00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:18.240
 to judge the living

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:18.740
 and the dead.

00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.919
 Jesus will come again.

00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:23.820
 Idi Amin died

00:25:23.820 --> 00:25:25.360
 without having to face judgment

00:25:25.360 --> 00:25:26.100
 for what he did,

00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.519
 but he has not escaped

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.360
 God's judgment.

00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:31.220
 Stalin died without having

00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:32.100
 to give an account

00:25:32.100 --> 00:25:34.539
 for killing 50 million people,

00:25:34.539 --> 00:25:36.380
 but he has not escaped

00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:37.200
 God's judgment.

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.519
 That's what it's saying.

00:25:41.420 --> 00:25:43.320
 No one escapes God's judgment.

00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:46.560
 Verse 6,

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.039
 for that is,

00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:47.960
 this is why the gospel

00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:48.840
 is preached even

00:25:48.840 --> 00:25:49.860
 to those who are dead,

00:25:49.859 --> 00:25:51.039
 that though judged

00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.019
 in the body,

00:25:52.939 --> 00:25:53.359
 physically,

00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:54.379
 the way people are,

00:25:54.479 --> 00:25:55.059
 they might live

00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:55.879
 in the spirit

00:25:55.879 --> 00:25:57.619
 the way God does.

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.079
 And what this is really

00:25:59.079 --> 00:25:59.819
 meaning is this.

00:26:01.179 --> 00:26:01.959
 There's a fellow

00:26:01.959 --> 00:26:02.679
 who was a minister

00:26:02.679 --> 00:26:03.119
 in Ottawa

00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:04.179
 for quite a few years

00:26:04.179 --> 00:26:05.199
 named John Pierce.

00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:07.000
 And after he was

00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:08.019
 forced to retire,

00:26:08.379 --> 00:26:10.500
 he went to Nova Scotia,

00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:11.619
 to rural Nova Scotia

00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:12.119
 to minister.

00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:13.039
 And after he was

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.259
 forced to retire there,

00:26:14.359 --> 00:26:14.639
 he went,

00:26:14.719 --> 00:26:15.159
 I've told you

00:26:15.159 --> 00:26:15.839
 about him before,

00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:17.399
 he went into the middle

00:26:17.399 --> 00:26:18.799
 of nowhere in New Brunswick

00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.519
 where there's just

00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:20.579
 very poor people

00:26:20.579 --> 00:26:22.119
 and uneducated people

00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:23.180
 and nobody wants

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:23.740
 to go there.

00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:24.839
 And he ministered there

00:26:24.839 --> 00:26:26.740
 up until about 10 days

00:26:26.740 --> 00:26:27.799
 before he died.

00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:30.400
 So he was healthy

00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:31.720
 for his whole life.

00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:32.220
 He died,

00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:32.440
 I think,

00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.379
 at 88 or 89

00:26:33.379 --> 00:26:34.000
 and he lived

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:35.059
 a complete life

00:26:35.059 --> 00:26:37.099
 dedicated to being

00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:37.819
 with the lowly

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.440
 and the poor

00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:39.400
 and the unimportant,

00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:41.799
 the lower working class.

00:26:42.639 --> 00:26:44.519
 He was spectacularly generous.

00:26:45.619 --> 00:26:46.900
 His financial advisor

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:48.019
 kept warning him

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.680
 that he would run

00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:49.180
 out of money

00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:49.940
 and he would die

00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:51.359
 a complete pauper.

00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:54.200
 And people could say,

00:26:54.379 --> 00:26:55.359
 looking at John,

00:26:55.619 --> 00:26:55.779
 like,

00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:56.359
 what a waste.

00:26:56.879 --> 00:26:57.460
 And he just died

00:26:57.460 --> 00:26:58.400
 like everybody else.

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:01.099
 He did all that sacrifice,

00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:02.220
 but he just died

00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:03.139
 like everybody else.

00:27:03.400 --> 00:27:04.139
 And that's where

00:27:04.139 --> 00:27:05.940
 Peter wants to remind you,

00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:07.119
 no, no, no, no, no.

00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:13.079
 The gospel is always worth it

00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:14.019
 even if it changes

00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:15.240
 your life completely.

00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:16.660
 And people can't make

00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:17.160
 the judgment

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.819
 that your life

00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:18.620
 was a waste

00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:21.019
 because all will appear

00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:21.799
 before God.

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.579
 And God will say

00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:24.059
 to John,

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:24.620
 John,

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:26.140
 gosh,

00:27:26.859 --> 00:27:27.620
 way to go

00:27:27.620 --> 00:27:29.319
 with a smile.

00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:32.120
 We all appear

00:27:32.120 --> 00:27:32.779
 before God.

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.599
 Death is not

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:35.220
 the final word

00:27:35.220 --> 00:27:35.799
 about us.

00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.500
 Death is not

00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:37.980
 a judgment

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:39.240
 on all human life

00:27:39.240 --> 00:27:39.740
 and endeavor.

00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:41.720
 The final word

00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.420
 about human life

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:42.759
 and endeavor

00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:43.140
 is made

00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:44.220
 by the triune God,

00:27:44.599 --> 00:27:45.500
 by Jesus,

00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:46.160
 the same one

00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.980
 who redeemed you

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.140
 is the one

00:27:48.140 --> 00:27:48.779
 who will judge.

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.059
 So we need a Savior.

00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:56.180
 How should we live

00:27:56.180 --> 00:27:56.859
 in light of this?

00:27:57.400 --> 00:27:58.180
 Well, you know,

00:27:58.299 --> 00:27:59.220
 I could write down

00:27:59.220 --> 00:27:59.940
 some points,

00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:00.740
 but actually,

00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:01.960
 Peter gives you

00:28:01.960 --> 00:28:03.619
 how shall we then live?

00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:05.259
 And it's better

00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:05.839
 if you just hear

00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:06.779
 what he has to say

00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:07.640
 than me giving you

00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:09.319
 my lame points.

00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:10.940
 So let's look.

00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:11.759
 How do we live?

00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:13.359
 If Jesus really

00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:14.000
 did live,

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:15.059
 he really did die

00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:15.660
 on a cross,

00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:16.859
 he really was buried,

00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:17.920
 he really did rise

00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:18.480
 from the dead

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.720
 and the grave is empty,

00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:21.579
 that changes everything.

00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:23.420
 And if there really

00:28:23.420 --> 00:28:24.400
 is going to be

00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:25.559
 a return of Jesus

00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.319
 and a judging

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:26.859
 of the living

00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:27.460
 and the dead,

00:28:27.900 --> 00:28:29.279
 that changes everything.

00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:30.700
 And if these things

00:28:30.700 --> 00:28:32.079
 are rock solid true

00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:33.000
 and they should be

00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:33.960
 how we think

00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:35.500
 and how we should

00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:36.680
 understand the world,

00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:38.000
 how do we live?

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.299
 Well, Peter gives you

00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:39.920
 some ideas.

00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:40.460
 He gives you

00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:41.100
 some suggestions.

00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:41.660
 Look at it,

00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:43.380
 verses 7 through 11.

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:43.980
 That's the end

00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.740
 of our text today.

00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:45.940
 This is the application.

00:28:46.100 --> 00:28:46.640
 How shall we live?

00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:47.440
 Look at verse 7.

00:28:47.860 --> 00:28:48.779
 The end of all things

00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:49.420
 is at hand.

00:28:49.600 --> 00:28:50.240
 That's what he's saying.

00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:51.579
 Just remember the end.

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:52.600
 Therefore,

00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:54.440
 be self-controlled

00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:55.900
 and sober-minded

00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:56.680
 for the sake

00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:57.440
 of your prayers.

00:28:57.960 --> 00:28:58.420
 Now, by the way,

00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.400
 when I was setting

00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:00.420
 this list this week,

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.259
 two things

00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:02.420
 were very eye-opening

00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.299
 and one thing

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:04.620
 was very humbling to me.

00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:05.220
 I don't know

00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:05.700
 what it's going to be

00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:06.019
 for you,

00:29:06.080 --> 00:29:06.740
 but for me,

00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:08.140
 two things

00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:09.100
 were very eye-opening

00:29:09.100 --> 00:29:10.019
 and one thing

00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:11.200
 was profoundly humbling.

00:29:12.340 --> 00:29:13.799
 And this first thing,

00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:14.740
 this application,

00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:17.120
 that if you are basing

00:29:17.120 --> 00:29:18.039
 your life on Jesus

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:18.759
 and the reality

00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.460
 of the judgment

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:21.240
 and what God wants you

00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:21.519
 to do,

00:29:21.580 --> 00:29:22.340
 what he's going to form

00:29:22.340 --> 00:29:22.700
 in you,

00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.660
 what you need to ask

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.660
 him to form in you,

00:29:25.100 --> 00:29:26.640
 as you see it being formed

00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:26.880
 in you,

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.840
 you want to have it develop,

00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:28.779
 you want to have it grow,

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:29.900
 you want to encourage

00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:30.880
 your brothers and sisters

00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:32.380
 in Christ to grow in this,

00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:34.400
 to go high-five,

00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:34.980
 way to go

00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:36.220
 when you can see it developing

00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:37.140
 and when you see them

00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:37.820
 not doing it

00:29:37.820 --> 00:29:38.680
 to pray for them

00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:40.140
 is that you're praying

00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:41.220
 that people would be

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.080
 sober-minded,

00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:43.560
 sort of that they would

00:29:43.560 --> 00:29:44.600
 be self-controlled

00:29:44.600 --> 00:29:45.560
 and that they would

00:29:45.560 --> 00:29:46.440
 be sober-minded

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.519
 and a better translation

00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:48.420
 is clear-minded.

00:29:49.320 --> 00:29:49.800
 And by the way,

00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:51.040
 most Canadians

00:29:51.040 --> 00:29:51.980
 would like to be,

00:29:53.120 --> 00:29:54.259
 have self-control

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.220
 and most people

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:55.840
 would like to have

00:29:55.840 --> 00:29:57.080
 clear minds.

00:29:57.660 --> 00:29:57.860
 In fact,

00:29:58.100 --> 00:30:00.080
 a way to insult

00:30:00.080 --> 00:30:01.360
 another person in Canada

00:30:01.360 --> 00:30:01.880
 would be to say

00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:02.900
 they lack self-control

00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:03.620
 or they don't have

00:30:03.620 --> 00:30:04.160
 a clear mind

00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:05.019
 and they'd be offended.

00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:06.340
 These are things

00:30:06.340 --> 00:30:06.940
 that we want.

00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:08.080
 But here's the thing,

00:30:08.120 --> 00:30:09.120
 if you look at the verse again,

00:30:09.180 --> 00:30:10.600
 this is the important application.

00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.180
 This was the thing

00:30:12.180 --> 00:30:14.060
 that sort of shocked me.

00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:15.460
 The end of all things

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.100
 is at hand,

00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.880
 therefore be self-controlled

00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:19.040
 and sober-minded

00:30:19.040 --> 00:30:21.000
 for the sake of your prayers.

00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:23.460
 And they're both connected.

00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:25.000
 The whole point

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:26.360
 of being self-control,

00:30:27.060 --> 00:30:28.100
 having self-control

00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:29.080
 is for prayer.

00:30:29.620 --> 00:30:30.600
 The whole reason

00:30:30.600 --> 00:30:31.660
 to be clear-minded

00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:32.620
 is for prayer.

00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:34.460
 Now let's be honest.

00:30:36.860 --> 00:30:38.000
 Many of us think

00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:38.840
 if we were to develop

00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:39.740
 real self-control,

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:41.180
 I don't need to pray as much

00:30:41.180 --> 00:30:44.680
 because I got self-control.

00:30:45.060 --> 00:30:45.960
 I got to pray

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:47.019
 because I'm losing

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:47.840
 my self-control

00:30:47.840 --> 00:30:48.980
 and I've caused chaos

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.600
 in my life

00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:50.440
 and I really need God

00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:51.460
 to come and rescue me.

00:30:52.460 --> 00:30:53.759
 I lack self-control

00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.700
 with my wife.

00:30:54.940 --> 00:30:56.000
 I lack self-control

00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:56.900
 with my boss.

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.779
 I'm in trouble.

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:58.600
 God help me

00:30:58.600 --> 00:30:59.160
 and rescue me.

00:30:59.160 --> 00:30:59.860
 And we sort of think

00:30:59.860 --> 00:31:00.880
 that if we had self-control,

00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:01.720
 we need less prayer.

00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:02.720
 Same as if we were

00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:03.540
 more clear-minded,

00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:04.759
 we would need less prayer.

00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:05.820
 But what this text

00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:06.519
 is saying to you

00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.540
 is if you have

00:31:07.540 --> 00:31:08.940
 self-control without prayer,

00:31:09.019 --> 00:31:10.080
 it's not self-control.

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:11.700
 If you are clear-minded

00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:12.360
 without prayer,

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.360
 it's actually not

00:31:13.360 --> 00:31:14.540
 clear-mindedness.

00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:18.300
 I mean, that's...

00:31:18.300 --> 00:31:18.779
 For me,

00:31:18.900 --> 00:31:19.580
 I was like...

00:31:19.580 --> 00:31:20.000
 I'm just...

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:20.700
 This is just for me.

00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:21.160
 I thought, wow.

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:22.160
 Like...

00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:25.560
 I guess I've just never

00:31:25.560 --> 00:31:27.160
 noticed it in the Bible before.

00:31:27.160 --> 00:31:27.860
 But, you know,

00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:28.640
 if you think about it

00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:29.100
 for a second,

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.480
 if I was really clear-minded,

00:31:30.580 --> 00:31:31.320
 I know that I don't

00:31:31.320 --> 00:31:32.040
 know the future.

00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:34.980
 My culture and my ego

00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:36.120
 thinks I know the future,

00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:37.400
 but I don't know the future.

00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:38.480
 I have no idea.

00:31:38.820 --> 00:31:39.460
 None of us know

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:40.519
 whether each one of us

00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:41.160
 will be alive

00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:42.420
 in 24 hours.

00:31:44.300 --> 00:31:45.980
 Like, not a single one does.

00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.900
 And being clear-minded

00:31:48.900 --> 00:31:50.500
 and having self-control

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:51.779
 means that we can pray

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.980
 with self-control

00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:54.259
 and we can pray clear-minded

00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:55.440
 and we're acknowledging

00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:57.420
 that God is sovereign,

00:31:57.579 --> 00:31:58.559
 that we need his help

00:31:58.559 --> 00:32:00.240
 and we need his guidance

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.259
 and we need his wisdom

00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:03.980
 and we need to act

00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:05.180
 in terms of how he starts

00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:06.420
 to respond to us

00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:07.019
 as we pray.

00:32:07.980 --> 00:32:09.960
 So, what's another application?

00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:11.379
 That's verse 8 and 9.

00:32:12.980 --> 00:32:13.900
 Above all,

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:16.900
 keep loving one another earnestly.

00:32:17.140 --> 00:32:18.240
 Another way to translate

00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:18.980
 the word earnestly

00:32:18.980 --> 00:32:19.960
 is constantly.

00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:22.220
 Since love covers

00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:23.559
 a multitude of sins

00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:24.960
 and show hospitality

00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:26.000
 to one another

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:26.819
 without grumbling.

00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:28.400
 So, these are another

00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:29.000
 two things.

00:32:29.100 --> 00:32:30.299
 As we think about Christ,

00:32:30.460 --> 00:32:31.460
 as we think about his life,

00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:32.160
 as we think about

00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:33.240
 the last judgment,

00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.319
 one of the things

00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:35.180
 that Christ is going to

00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:36.120
 want to do within us

00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:37.299
 as we think about this

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:38.779
 is that we live a life

00:32:38.779 --> 00:32:40.019
 which is more and more loving

00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.400
 and that we become

00:32:41.400 --> 00:32:43.640
 more and more hospitable.

00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:46.460
 And that's one of the things,

00:32:46.600 --> 00:32:47.019
 once again,

00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:47.920
 that we can be praying

00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:48.779
 for us as a church,

00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:49.539
 we can be praying

00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:50.200
 for each other.

00:32:50.399 --> 00:32:51.940
 If you're in our small group

00:32:51.940 --> 00:32:52.740
 or the women's group

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.940
 or when we get the men's group

00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:54.559
 off the ground

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.500
 in a couple of months,

00:32:56.099 --> 00:32:57.480
 that as a person can share,

00:32:57.559 --> 00:32:57.720
 you know,

00:32:57.779 --> 00:32:58.500
 I really struggle

00:32:58.500 --> 00:32:59.160
 with hospitality

00:32:59.160 --> 00:33:00.220
 and I think I'm starting

00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:01.559
 finally to get

00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:03.240
 a little bit less frightened

00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:05.579
 and less sort of

00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:06.819
 needing my private space

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.980
 to show more hospitality

00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:08.960
 and we give high fives.

00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:09.940
 Way to go.

00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:12.119
 You celebrate that

00:33:12.119 --> 00:33:13.200
 because that's where

00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:13.839
 the Holy Spirit's

00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:14.660
 going to move you into.

00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:18.200
 And then this next,

00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:19.779
 this is verse 10 and 11.

00:33:19.900 --> 00:33:21.000
 This is the part

00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:22.480
 that really humbled me.

00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.019
 I don't know about

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.799
 how the word of God

00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:25.759
 is working in your life.

00:33:26.740 --> 00:33:27.880
 God works differently

00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:28.480
 in each life,

00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.500
 but here's what he says,

00:33:29.580 --> 00:33:30.259
 verse 10 and 11,

00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:31.160
 more application.

00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:33.039
 As each has received

00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:33.640
 a gift,

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.920
 now what it means here

00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:36.779
 is that God gives

00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.860
 spiritual gifts

00:33:37.860 --> 00:33:39.240
 and natural gifts.

00:33:39.860 --> 00:33:39.980
 Okay?

00:33:40.580 --> 00:33:41.700
 So a spiritual gift

00:33:41.700 --> 00:33:42.460
 might be,

00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:43.559
 a natural gift

00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:44.240
 might be the gift

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:44.860
 of the gap.

00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:45.959
 A spiritual gift

00:33:45.959 --> 00:33:46.799
 might be to,

00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:47.939
 to be able to speak

00:33:47.939 --> 00:33:48.719
 in such a way

00:33:48.719 --> 00:33:49.719
 with the Bible

00:33:49.719 --> 00:33:51.539
 that people understand

00:33:51.539 --> 00:33:52.259
 the Bible better

00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:53.099
 and their lives better,

00:33:53.139 --> 00:33:53.279
 right?

00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:53.659
 So there's,

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.299
 they're natural

00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:55.279
 and spiritual gifts.

00:33:55.379 --> 00:33:56.179
 As each has received

00:33:56.179 --> 00:33:57.059
 a gift,

00:33:57.459 --> 00:33:58.740
 use it to serve

00:33:58.740 --> 00:33:59.399
 one another

00:33:59.399 --> 00:34:01.379
 as good stewards

00:34:01.379 --> 00:34:02.759
 of God's very grace.

00:34:02.859 --> 00:34:04.539
 So it's God's gift.

00:34:05.399 --> 00:34:06.359
 It gives different gifts

00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:07.139
 to different people.

00:34:07.679 --> 00:34:08.960
 And then Peter divides

00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:09.719
 all of the gifts

00:34:09.719 --> 00:34:10.059
 into,

00:34:10.359 --> 00:34:10.859
 in a sense,

00:34:10.980 --> 00:34:11.799
 mouth gifts

00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:13.560
 and hands and feet gifts.

00:34:15.200 --> 00:34:16.260
 So whoever speaks

00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:17.039
 is one who speaks

00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:18.039
 the oracles of God.

00:34:18.100 --> 00:34:18.600
 In other words,

00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:20.000
 your speaking

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:21.200
 is always controlled

00:34:21.200 --> 00:34:22.180
 by God's word.

00:34:22.820 --> 00:34:23.980
 And whoever serves

00:34:23.980 --> 00:34:25.180
 is one who serves

00:34:25.180 --> 00:34:25.960
 by the strength

00:34:25.960 --> 00:34:26.860
 that God supplies.

00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:29.160
 Now those are good things,

00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:31.039
 really worth memorizing

00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:32.460
 and meditating upon,

00:34:32.660 --> 00:34:33.420
 really praying

00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:34.740
 that God would help us

00:34:34.740 --> 00:34:35.200
 to understand

00:34:35.200 --> 00:34:36.140
 what natural gifts,

00:34:36.680 --> 00:34:37.000
 by the way,

00:34:37.060 --> 00:34:37.580
 like some people

00:34:37.580 --> 00:34:38.539
 are just very naturally

00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:39.380
 hospitable.

00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:40.160
 Well, use it

00:34:40.160 --> 00:34:41.039
 to the glory of God.

00:34:41.800 --> 00:34:43.600
 Some people

00:34:43.600 --> 00:34:44.480
 are just naturally

00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:46.320
 better at loving people.

00:34:47.940 --> 00:34:48.420
 You know,

00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:48.980
 we'll use that

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:50.080
 to go visit the sick

00:34:50.080 --> 00:34:52.840
 or to minister

00:34:52.840 --> 00:34:53.460
 to shut-ins.

00:34:53.600 --> 00:34:54.220
 It's just a bit

00:34:54.220 --> 00:34:54.780
 of a natural thing.

00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:55.320
 Other people,

00:34:55.560 --> 00:34:56.640
 there's more spiritual

00:34:56.640 --> 00:34:57.519
 things that come in.

00:34:58.200 --> 00:34:59.460
 And we need

00:34:59.460 --> 00:35:00.300
 all of these gifts

00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:01.240
 to be exercised

00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:02.960
 for people to flourish.

00:35:03.460 --> 00:35:04.539
 But here's the next thing,

00:35:04.660 --> 00:35:05.460
 and this is the part

00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.200
 that was hard for me.

00:35:06.220 --> 00:35:07.180
 I'll read verse 11 again.

00:35:07.260 --> 00:35:07.920
 Whoever speaks

00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:08.740
 is one who speaks

00:35:08.740 --> 00:35:09.800
 oracles of God.

00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:11.240
 And whoever serves

00:35:11.239 --> 00:35:12.179
 is one who serves

00:35:12.179 --> 00:35:12.859
 by the strength

00:35:12.859 --> 00:35:13.899
 that God supplies,

00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:15.339
 excuse me,

00:35:15.419 --> 00:35:16.119
 in order,

00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:17.919
 in order

00:35:17.919 --> 00:35:20.539
 that in everything

00:35:20.539 --> 00:35:22.919
 God may be glorified

00:35:22.919 --> 00:35:24.319
 through Jesus Christ.

00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:26.579
 To him belong glory

00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:27.419
 and dominion

00:35:27.419 --> 00:35:28.259
 forever and ever.

00:35:28.419 --> 00:35:28.759
 Amen.

00:35:29.919 --> 00:35:30.699
 So the point

00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:31.500
 of all of this

00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.659
 is that in everything

00:35:32.659 --> 00:35:33.819
 God is glorified

00:35:33.819 --> 00:35:34.859
 through Jesus Christ.

00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:34.920
 Christ,

00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:37.099
 and that in fact

00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:38.579
 all glory belongs

00:35:38.579 --> 00:35:39.000
 to him

00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:40.160
 and all dominion

00:35:40.160 --> 00:35:41.000
 belongs to him

00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:42.340
 as it has been

00:35:42.340 --> 00:35:42.900
 in the past,

00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:43.440
 is now,

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.079
 and ever will be

00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:44.640
 in the future.

00:35:44.740 --> 00:35:45.599
 And here's the part

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.980
 as I was meditating

00:35:46.980 --> 00:35:47.880
 upon this text

00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:48.320
 this week

00:35:48.320 --> 00:35:49.300
 that the Holy Spirit

00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:50.599
 spoke to me

00:35:50.599 --> 00:35:51.500
 and convicted me.

00:35:52.120 --> 00:35:52.940
 Thought experiment

00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:54.740
 came to me.

00:35:56.539 --> 00:35:57.000
 Imagine,

00:35:57.660 --> 00:35:58.280
 and this is the,

00:35:58.539 --> 00:35:59.700
 somebody was praying

00:35:59.700 --> 00:36:00.099
 for me

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:01.259
 because it just came

00:36:01.259 --> 00:36:01.619
 to me

00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:03.239
 like a bit

00:36:03.239 --> 00:36:03.920
 of a confrontation

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.860
 of me

00:36:04.860 --> 00:36:05.579
 from God.

00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:07.019
 George,

00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:08.420
 imagine that God

00:36:08.420 --> 00:36:08.940
 shows up

00:36:08.940 --> 00:36:09.819
 and says to you,

00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:11.119
 I'm going to make you

00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:11.519
 a deal.

00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:12.719
 You have a choice,

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:13.679
 one of two things.

00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:16.659
 I'm willing

00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:17.679
 to bless you

00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:18.880
 and work through you

00:36:18.880 --> 00:36:19.880
 in such a way

00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:20.940
 that this church

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:23.179
 gets five times bigger.

00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:25.480
 You're used

00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:26.099
 to plant

00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:28.019
 20 churches,

00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:30.079
 lots of missionary

00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:31.480
 come from your church,

00:36:31.759 --> 00:36:32.900
 a ministry to the poor

00:36:32.900 --> 00:36:33.559
 is started,

00:36:35.239 --> 00:36:35.559
 you have,

00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:36.599
 the church

00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:38.019
 has a profound effect

00:36:38.019 --> 00:36:39.159
 on people's lives

00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:40.019
 as they're completely

00:36:40.019 --> 00:36:40.799
 transformed,

00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:41.659
 people who are

00:36:41.659 --> 00:36:42.559
 very, very far

00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:43.039
 from God

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.699
 are completely

00:36:43.699 --> 00:36:44.440
 transformed,

00:36:45.019 --> 00:36:46.360
 and this will be

00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:47.579
 something that I will do,

00:36:48.500 --> 00:36:50.159
 but nobody will think

00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:50.860
 you had anything

00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:51.779
 to do with it,

00:36:52.199 --> 00:36:52.900
 and you will get

00:36:52.900 --> 00:36:53.960
 absolutely no credit.

00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:55.380
 Would you do it?

00:36:58.259 --> 00:36:59.500
 Now, I'll be honest,

00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:01.779
 I'd at least like

00:37:01.779 --> 00:37:02.420
 a footnote.

00:37:06.099 --> 00:37:07.360
 I'd at least like

00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:08.900
 a watch

00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:10.599
 or some type

00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:11.440
 of way to go.

00:37:15.159 --> 00:37:16.659
 Like, I realize

00:37:16.659 --> 00:37:17.319
 that I'd like

00:37:17.319 --> 00:37:18.340
 some little tiny bit

00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:18.719
 of credit,

00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:23.159
 but really,

00:37:23.359 --> 00:37:24.539
 God is going to work

00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:25.219
 in my heart

00:37:25.219 --> 00:37:26.059
 to this point.

00:37:27.259 --> 00:37:28.319
 Shannon's stepping down

00:37:28.319 --> 00:37:29.939
 from the Sunday school

00:37:29.939 --> 00:37:30.359
 position.

00:37:30.500 --> 00:37:31.039
 I'm going to announce

00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:31.159
 it.

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:31.819
 I've sort of announced

00:37:31.819 --> 00:37:32.500
 it right now,

00:37:32.859 --> 00:37:34.519
 and maybe the next

00:37:34.519 --> 00:37:35.500
 Sunday school person,

00:37:36.139 --> 00:37:37.179
 if God was to come

00:37:37.179 --> 00:37:37.939
 to them and say,

00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:39.079
 we're going to send

00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:41.119
 200 kids to the church,

00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:41.719
 you're going to have

00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:42.759
 a Sunday school

00:37:42.759 --> 00:37:44.299
 that ends up being

00:37:44.299 --> 00:37:46.179
 the talk of all

00:37:46.179 --> 00:37:47.059
 of North America,

00:37:47.059 --> 00:37:48.340
 and nobody will remember

00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:49.039
 that you had anything

00:37:49.039 --> 00:37:49.619
 to do with it.

00:37:49.719 --> 00:37:50.920
 Will you do that?

00:37:52.299 --> 00:37:53.480
 And that's a hard thing.

00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:55.799
 And it might be

00:37:55.799 --> 00:37:56.579
 for some other types

00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:56.860
 of things.

00:37:56.980 --> 00:37:57.759
 Maybe God will bless

00:37:57.759 --> 00:37:58.579
 you in business

00:37:58.579 --> 00:38:01.099
 with spectacular generosity,

00:38:01.299 --> 00:38:02.619
 or God will bless you

00:38:02.619 --> 00:38:03.360
 in some other way

00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:04.340
 with profound wisdom,

00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:05.179
 but it'd be one

00:38:05.179 --> 00:38:05.699
 of those things,

00:38:06.019 --> 00:38:06.679
 gosh, there's these

00:38:06.679 --> 00:38:07.860
 really wise sayings,

00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:08.500
 but I can't remember

00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:09.179
 who said it,

00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:10.179
 but it was you,

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:11.639
 and nobody ever remembers

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:11.940
 it to you.

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:12.559
 Would you do it?

00:38:12.739 --> 00:38:13.420
 Would you take it?

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:15.320
 That's the challenge here.

00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:17.140
 That's how God

00:38:17.140 --> 00:38:17.700
 is going to work

00:38:17.700 --> 00:38:18.480
 in our lives,

00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:19.820
 but the fact of the matter

00:38:19.820 --> 00:38:21.140
 is, brothers and sisters,

00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:22.300
 there is a weight

00:38:22.300 --> 00:38:23.700
 of wanting to justify

00:38:23.700 --> 00:38:25.580
 yourself which crushes us,

00:38:26.080 --> 00:38:27.160
 which crushes me,

00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:28.260
 which crushes you.

00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:30.960
 We are so much lighter

00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:31.800
 and freer

00:38:31.800 --> 00:38:34.580
 to lose that,

00:38:35.340 --> 00:38:38.780
 to know that it all

00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:39.760
 comes from God.

00:38:41.100 --> 00:38:42.100
 As I've said before,

00:38:42.099 --> 00:38:44.079
 just pray that it's

00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:44.659
 actually really

00:38:44.659 --> 00:38:45.699
 existentially true

00:38:45.699 --> 00:38:46.319
 in my life.

00:38:47.139 --> 00:38:48.099
 I am nothing more

00:38:48.099 --> 00:38:48.719
 than a mirror

00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:49.799
 when I preach,

00:38:50.519 --> 00:38:51.360
 and I'll tell you,

00:38:51.420 --> 00:38:52.699
 my mirror is cracked,

00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:54.799
 it's missing a few pieces,

00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:56.199
 part of it's faded,

00:38:56.719 --> 00:38:57.940
 and part of it's warped,

00:38:58.159 --> 00:39:01.199
 and all I can do

00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:02.819
 is angle myself

00:39:02.819 --> 00:39:04.079
 to the light

00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:05.159
 that comes from God

00:39:05.159 --> 00:39:06.420
 so that my mirror

00:39:06.420 --> 00:39:07.119
 will be filled

00:39:07.119 --> 00:39:08.500
 and shine into your lives,

00:39:08.839 --> 00:39:10.039
 and I contribute nothing.

00:39:10.039 --> 00:39:13.099
 And pray that that

00:39:13.099 --> 00:39:14.059
 would really be true,

00:39:14.199 --> 00:39:15.400
 that how I understand

00:39:15.400 --> 00:39:16.719
 myself and understand

00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:17.440
 my ministry.

00:39:18.219 --> 00:39:19.320
 That's the humbling

00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:20.059
 part of this.

00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:21.059
 See, once again,

00:39:21.480 --> 00:39:22.079
 I want some of the,

00:39:22.179 --> 00:39:23.059
 that's why I need

00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:23.500
 a Savior.

00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:25.259
 That's why you need

00:39:25.259 --> 00:39:25.679
 a Savior.

00:39:28.099 --> 00:39:28.980
 Good news,

00:39:29.500 --> 00:39:30.500
 there is a Savior.

00:39:33.279 --> 00:39:34.519
 And He's for you.

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:36.139
 He's for you.

00:39:36.139 --> 00:39:38.779
 He's for you.

00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:43.379
 Let's stand and bow our heads

00:39:43.379 --> 00:39:43.659
 and pray.

00:39:43.659 --> 00:39:44.559
 Let's stand and pray

00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:45.460
 in closing.

00:39:55.779 --> 00:39:56.299
 Father,

00:39:56.659 --> 00:39:58.059
 we give you thanks

00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:58.559
 and praise

00:39:58.559 --> 00:39:59.359
 that you know us

00:39:59.359 --> 00:40:01.239
 really perfectly,

00:40:02.339 --> 00:40:04.739
 and yet you look at us

00:40:04.739 --> 00:40:05.759
 with perfect love.

00:40:07.259 --> 00:40:09.719
 And we give you

00:40:09.719 --> 00:40:10.519
 thanks and praise

00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:11.219
 that you were very

00:40:11.219 --> 00:40:12.039
 clear-eyed

00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:13.239
 about each one of us.

00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:14.179
 And Jesus,

00:40:14.319 --> 00:40:15.379
 that you were clear-eyed

00:40:15.379 --> 00:40:16.399
 about each one of us

00:40:16.399 --> 00:40:16.939
 when you died

00:40:16.939 --> 00:40:18.019
 on the cross for us.

00:40:18.579 --> 00:40:19.479
 And we give you

00:40:19.479 --> 00:40:20.319
 thanks and praise

00:40:20.319 --> 00:40:20.799
 that you were

00:40:20.799 --> 00:40:22.759
 a wonderful Savior,

00:40:22.939 --> 00:40:23.979
 a beautiful Savior,

00:40:24.159 --> 00:40:25.239
 a deep Savior.

00:40:25.919 --> 00:40:26.559
 We give you

00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:27.539
 thanks and praise

00:40:27.539 --> 00:40:29.059
 that knowing

00:40:29.059 --> 00:40:30.699
 your knowledge of us

00:40:30.699 --> 00:40:31.859
 and your death for us,

00:40:31.919 --> 00:40:32.839
 that we can pour out

00:40:32.839 --> 00:40:33.839
 our hearts in prayer

00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:34.280
 to you.

00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:35.220
 We can confess

00:40:35.220 --> 00:40:36.559
 even the darkest things

00:40:36.559 --> 00:40:37.760
 about our lives

00:40:37.760 --> 00:40:38.360
 to you,

00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:39.920
 and you won't be offended,

00:40:40.200 --> 00:40:41.200
 and you won't be caught

00:40:41.200 --> 00:40:42.019
 by surprise,

00:40:42.120 --> 00:40:42.620
 and you won't say,

00:40:42.700 --> 00:40:43.360
 oh, if I knew that

00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:44.100
 about you in advance,

00:40:44.160 --> 00:40:44.720
 I wouldn't even want

00:40:44.720 --> 00:40:45.440
 to talk to you.

00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:46.600
 That, Father,

00:40:46.860 --> 00:40:47.760
 grip us with this

00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:48.840
 and grip us with these

00:40:48.840 --> 00:40:50.820
 truths of who Jesus is

00:40:50.820 --> 00:40:51.400
 and what he did

00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:52.280
 for us on the cross

00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:53.360
 and the miracles

00:40:53.360 --> 00:40:54.000
 he performed

00:40:54.000 --> 00:40:54.780
 and the teaching

00:40:54.780 --> 00:40:55.280
 he gave.

00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:55.780
 And, Father,

00:40:55.880 --> 00:40:57.140
 bring these truths

00:40:57.140 --> 00:40:58.200
 home to our lives

00:40:58.200 --> 00:40:59.400
 that this would be

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.260
 how we think

00:41:00.260 --> 00:41:01.220
 and how we understand

00:41:01.220 --> 00:41:01.800
 the world,

00:41:01.800 --> 00:41:02.500
 and that we would

00:41:02.500 --> 00:41:03.440
 always remember

00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:04.500
 that Christ is coming

00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:06.039
 again and that all

00:41:06.039 --> 00:41:07.440
 human beings will be judged

00:41:07.440 --> 00:41:08.660
 and that our only hope

00:41:08.660 --> 00:41:09.340
 in that judgment

00:41:09.340 --> 00:41:10.100
 is Christ.

00:41:10.600 --> 00:41:11.480
 I have no hope.

00:41:11.560 --> 00:41:12.360
 We have no hope

00:41:12.360 --> 00:41:13.080
 apart from it.

00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:14.240
 And, Father,

00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:15.019
 we ask then that you

00:41:15.019 --> 00:41:15.860
 make Jesus real

00:41:15.860 --> 00:41:16.580
 to our lives.

00:41:16.660 --> 00:41:17.180
 And for those,

00:41:17.320 --> 00:41:17.480
 Father,

00:41:17.560 --> 00:41:18.440
 who may be listening

00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:20.420
 and they feel a pressure,

00:41:20.580 --> 00:41:21.360
 they've not given

00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:22.200
 their lives to Christ,

00:41:22.320 --> 00:41:22.560
 Father,

00:41:22.640 --> 00:41:23.480
 may your Holy Spirit

00:41:23.480 --> 00:41:24.320
 help them to say,

00:41:24.400 --> 00:41:24.660
 Jesus,

00:41:24.840 --> 00:41:25.560
 be my Savior.

00:41:25.559 --> 00:41:27.860
 we ask all these things

00:41:27.860 --> 00:41:28.840
 in the name of Jesus,

00:41:29.440 --> 00:41:29.820
 Father,

00:41:29.960 --> 00:41:30.460
 your Son,

00:41:30.539 --> 00:41:31.179
 and our Savior.

00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:32.619
 And all God's people said,

00:41:33.239 --> 00:41:33.599
 Amen.