WEBVTT

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 I was married 10 years, and I had been a Christian for a lot more than 10 years,

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 before I came to the stark realization that I basically, in my self-understanding and my

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 self-talk, I basically saw myself as doomed. That the way I talked to myself and understood myself,

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 I mean, I knew Bible passages, and I grew up in a church where they would have said,

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 I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. There you go. You grew up in the same type of church.

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 And I grew up in a church like that, and I knew that, and I would have sort of denied that I had

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 these types of basic self-talk and feeling, but I was married 10 years. I'd been a Christian for a

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 long time. I'd been a pastor for whatever, seven or eight years or five, six, seven years, before it

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 started to come home to me in a very, very powerful way, that at the very center of who I was and how

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 I saw myself, how I talked to myself, my fundamental beliefs were that if people got to know me more,

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 they would like me less. And the things that I got involved in wouldn't work out, that things would

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 fail. Whatever I get involved with, it's going to fail. And I had a range of views all connected

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 to that, that nobody would really care for me as I really was when they saw me deep down.

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 You know, in a sense, using biblical language, I saw myself as cursed.

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 I saw myself as cursed.

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 And this Bible text that we're going to look at today, on one hand, it just seems odd.

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 You know, talking about Abraham and all these rhetorical questions and being cursed, and

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 cursed is the one who hangs on a tree. On one hand, when we're first listening to it, it

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 sounds a bit confusing. It sounds just sort of odd. But the fact of the matter is that many

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 of us probably here in this room and many of the people that we meet, and in fact, I would

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 say that at some level, every human being has some basic sense of being cursed. But for

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 some of us, it might be a hidden thing. It might only come up in certain contexts. But

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 for many of us, it's actually a very, very powerful daily reality. And the Bible has some very powerful

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 things to say to this situation. So it'd be a great help to me if you took out your Bibles

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 and turned in your Bibles to Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Excuse me, I have a bit

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 of a frog in my throat. Galatians chapter 3, verse 1. And it actually sort of, interestingly

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 enough, there's a bit of a running theme here about curses in these 14 verses, because it

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 actually begins with Paul. I mean, on one hand, it's a rhetorical gesture, but he's trying

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 to make a bit of a point to them. Those of you who haven't been here, when you're going

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 through the book of Galatians, Galatia is a church in what we now call South Turkey,

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 so sort of South Middle Turkey. And it hasn't been a church for very long. Most of the people

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 in the church are pagans who've become Christians. There's some Jewish people who've become completed

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 Jews, or we would call them Messianic Jews or completed Jews. They've also become Christians.

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 And there's been a problem in the church of what Paul calls false brothers.

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 believers, and he's trying to deal with it. And look how it begins. And, you know,

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 literally it says, O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? Or who has cast a spell

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 on you? Would be another completely valid way to translate it. Or another valid way to translate

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 it would be, say, who has done the evil eye on you? Now, just, you know, before we go anything

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 further, I'm going to talk a little bit about how many people, I think anybody who struggles

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 with anxiety, anybody who struggles with people pleasing, anybody who struggles with alcoholism

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 or drug issues or pornography issues, at a very deep level, we're struggling with a sense

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 of being doomed. And I'm going to mainly be using examples around that from at a more

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 sense of psychological level. But there are many people in our culture who basically worry

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 that they've been cursed. And it's not just in our culture, but, you know, it's a major issue

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 in Muslim cultures, in much of what we call the third world, is the belief that there really

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 is the power of some people to cast a spell or give you the evil eye or do something to you

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 that means that spiritual forces are now against you, causing you illness or failure in business or

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 failure in life or failure in romance. It's in fact a very, very common and prevalent view that this

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 means actually something quite literal. And I'm not going to talk about that as much, but all of the

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 thing about curses covers even that as well. If you're here and you worry that because of your

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 your father or your mother having pronounced curses over you or your neighbor, this text is

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 specifically for you. And Paul begins by saying, you know, has something gone on here? We're going

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 to see that he doesn't believe it has real power. And it's partially he's trying to shock them into

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 paying attention to what's going on. But for us, for some of us, it might have a very type of literal

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 connotation. Oh, foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, cast a spell on you, given you the evil eye?

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 It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. And as we're

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 going to see in Jewish culture and in Roman culture, to be crucified was a type of a curse. Roman citizens

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 couldn't be crucified. Had to be low status or no status individuals. And but but here just I want

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 to think I've already started with a biographical moment about my feeling of always being doomed.

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 And if you could put up the first point, just after I came to this church, I was doing a Bible

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 teaching time on Galatians. And as I was doing the Bible teaching time on Galatians, I realized I had

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 to break with my Anglican culture about how sermons worked. Because, you know, I grew up in an evangelical

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 background, have lots of evangelical experience. But in Anglican churches in the Diocese of Ottawa,

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 you know, basically the sermon is a 12 minute of insight of nice thoughts. And but what Paul is

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 saying here is when it was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified,

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 he's actually in in the original language, it's very clear that what he said is that when he came to

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 church every Sunday, what he did was hammer away at the fact that Jesus Christ had died upon the cross.

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 And everything was connected to Jesus dying on the cross. And so here's my first point, please pray

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 that at Messiah we will preach Jesus Christ crucified in such a way that God touches people's hearts.

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 Like if you could pray for that, that would be really good. That we always go back to the cross.

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 We always go back to what Jesus has done for us on the cross. And and that's what Paul is saying.

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 That's he said, how did I work when I came amongst you? Every time I taught, I talked about Jesus

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 dying on the cross for you. In fact, he almost puts it as if he had a big billboard and he spoke in front

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 of the billboard. And on the back of the billboard was a picture of Jesus dying on the cross with a big

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 sign saying Jesus Christ crucified. That's how prominent it was for him. So please pray for me

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 and for the church of the Messiah that that will be the case. But but back to the text, what Paul is

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 going to do it because it's going to seem a little bit weird that all of a sudden he goes to a whole

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 pile of questions. In fact, there's a basically a question every verse. And what Paul does is he goes

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 back to their experience. He's just reminding them of how they came to faith and how they lived their

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 faith before the false brothers came. And so he asked them a series of, in a sense, rhetorical

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 questions. And here's the first one. Let me ask you only this. Verse two, did you receive the Holy

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 Spirit by works of the law? In other words, by doing rituals, by keeping kosher or by hearing

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 with faith? In other words, you heard about Jesus Christ crucified, that he died for you to be your

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 savior, to make you right with God. That's why he died upon the cross was that he was in a sense,

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 and they would have understood this language of sacrifice, that he was God's sacrifice to make

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 you right with God, not just for the moment, but for the rest of your life. He makes you right with

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 God. And what he's pointing to is, is that when a Christian, when a person puts their faith in Jesus,

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 they, they hear the explanation of who Jesus is dying upon the cross and what he's accomplishing when

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 he dies upon the cross, they hear this explanation and invitation. And they respond by putting their

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 faith and trust in Jesus, that they believe that Jesus dying on the cross is God's means and power and

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 provision to make a human being who has faith in him to be right with God forever. And they hear it,

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 they hear the story. And when they hear, they trust. And one of the things that they do when they

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 trust then is that not only are they changed, the text is going to talk about that in a moment,

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 they're made right with God, but God also gives them the Holy Spirit. Every Christian,

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 when they put their faith and trust in God, receives the Holy Spirit. Every Christian, no exception.

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 And he goes on with other questions. Are we so, verse three, are you so foolish having begun by the

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 Holy Spirit? Are you now being perfected by the flesh, by your own human effort? Did you suffer

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 so many things in vain? If indeed it was in vain, does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works

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 miracles among you do so by works of law or by hearing with faith? This emphasis on hearing with

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 faith. Now, here's another bit of a self-disclosure to you. So I'm working away on this sermon all week.

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 I'm reading the text every day. I'm thinking about it, you know, looking at different resources to help me

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 understand what it says in the original language and in the context. And in the context, it's very clear

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 and very obvious to them. Something very dramatic happened to all of them. To all of them, they went

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 from maybe being unobservant or observant Jews to hearing about Jesus Christ crucified, trusting in him.

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 And in a sense, the Holy Spirit became so real to them that they started to live very different lives

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 as the Holy Spirit kept bringing them back to Jesus and changing their lives. And for the pagans,

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 some of them maybe worshipped the emperor's God. Others maybe worshipped many different gods.

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 And they did all sorts of pagan sacrifices and pagan practices, but they hear about Jesus

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 and they're starting to learn to stop doing all of those things. And the Holy Spirit became so real and

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 powerful in their lives, it changed their lives. And Paul is just reminding them historically of their

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 experience of what went on in their lives. He's reminding them of what happened to them in their day-to-day

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 lives. And I'm reading this text and I'm trying to think about how to preach it to you.

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 And it was at that moment, and this is another self-disclosure thing, was as if God spoke to me

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 and said, George, how much are you dependent upon the Holy Spirit? Like with these rhetorical

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 questions come to you, do you have this sense, George, of dependence upon the Holy Spirit and the need

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 of the Holy Spirit to move? George, do you have this? Have you, George, slipped into just wanting to use

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 your intellect and your experience, etc.? Have George... You see, the Bible is asking questions,

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 and I was sitting there trying to think of how I could get you folks to understand that God's asking

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 you a question, and God showed up and interrupted my sermon preparation and actually made me hear the

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 question myself.

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 George, what about you? If you could put up the next slide.

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 Many Christians, at a functional level,

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 we act as if a Christian needs the Holy Spirit

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 like a fish needs a bicycle.

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 I'm adapting a famous thing by, I think it was Germaine Greer,

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 a feminist, who said,

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 a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.

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 It's a very funny line.

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 But you know, at a functional level,

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 many of us act as if

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 a Christian needs the Holy Spirit

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 like a fish needs a bicycle.

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 Like, we don't really need it.

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 Like, we got the prayer book, we got our liturgy,

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 we got our church council, we got our money,

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 we got our degree, we got our this,

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 we got our that. And when we're really

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 stuck, we call out for help.

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 But fundamentally, we don't think we need the Holy Spirit's help to do our day.

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 Maybe I'm the only one.

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 But this text, by what, in a sense,

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 you see, in a sense, the problem is that

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 when, for many of us, when we read these rhetorical questions,

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 they don't make any sense to us.

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 And if they don't make any sense to us,

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 it might be that at a functional level,

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 we're slipping into merely

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 trusting our mind,

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 our willpower,

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 our abilities,

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 our genetics,

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 and our connections.

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 So if you could put up the next slide.

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 You know, please pray

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 that we,

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 as a congregation,

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 please, please pray for me,

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 please pray for yourself,

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 that we will be so gripped by the gospel

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 that we will live

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 in dependence

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 on the Holy Spirit's life-giving power.

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 In other words,

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 pray

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 that these rhetorical questions would grip you.

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 And not just be

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 an antiquarian,

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 ancient thing

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 that we have to try to get our minds around.

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 But that it would grip us.

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 You know,

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 Jesus says

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 when he's in the upper room

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 with his disciples,

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 I think it's in John 16,

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 and he knows

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 he's going to die

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 the next day on the cross.

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 And he's trying to get

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 his disciples to understand

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 and he says

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 it's a good thing

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 that I go away to the Father.

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 He's talking about his crucifixion

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 because in a sense he says

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 if I don't die on the cross

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 and rise from the grave

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 the next day,

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 you won't have the Holy Spirit.

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 It's a good thing

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 I'm going

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 and you get the Holy Spirit.

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 And for many of us,

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 we just,

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 we need to be gripped

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 with this truth.

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 So it's a bit of a long aside,

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 but it's very interesting

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 that

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 it's

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 just the other day

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 I was talking to somebody

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 just a couple of weeks ago

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 I was talking to somebody

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 and I had to say

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 a couple of hard things to them.

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 And so I was thinking

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 and praying about

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 how I was going to say

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 some challenging things

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 to this person.

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 And then I realized

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 I realized that

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 what I needed to do first,

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 I wish I could do this

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 all the time,

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 but I realized

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 what I needed to do first

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 was just to fundamentally

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 affirm them.

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 Because the fact is

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 that what I wanted

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 to say to them

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 is I actually had

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 a high regard for them

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 and I had a high regard

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 for their potential.

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 And I had a bit of a feeling

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 that not many people

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 had ever talked about

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 the high regard

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 that they had

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 for the person

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 or their high potential.

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 And in fact,

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 the difficult things

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 I wanted to say

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 to the person

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 or the challenging things

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 I wanted to say

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 to the person

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 was so that they could start

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 to reach

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 their God-given potential.

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 And so I needed to

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 affirm them

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 in some way.

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 And the Bible here

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 is going to be doing

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 a similar type of move

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 actually.

00:16:28.700 --> 00:16:30.019
 So it begins

00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:30.879
 in verse 1

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.040
 by Paul saying,

00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:32.360
 like,

00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:32.980
 have you guys

00:16:32.980 --> 00:16:33.920
 come under a curse?

00:16:34.040 --> 00:16:34.200
 Like,

00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:34.740
 has somebody

00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:35.580
 cast the evil eye

00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:36.080
 over you?

00:16:36.180 --> 00:16:36.360
 Like,

00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.200
 what's going on?

00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.300
 He asks them then,

00:16:39.379 --> 00:16:40.280
 he reminds them

00:16:40.280 --> 00:16:41.640
 of their experience.

00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.140
 He reminds them

00:16:43.140 --> 00:16:44.080
 of their experience

00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:45.480
 of how they become Christians.

00:16:46.020 --> 00:16:47.040
 He reminds them

00:16:47.040 --> 00:16:48.600
 of how the Holy Spirit

00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:49.000
 is at work

00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:49.520
 in their lives.

00:16:49.640 --> 00:16:50.440
 He reminds them

00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:51.240
 that they never

00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.040
 kept kosher,

00:16:52.140 --> 00:16:52.720
 but they received

00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.440
 the Holy Spirit.

00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.320
 They never followed

00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:57.340
 all the Jewish festivals,

00:16:57.500 --> 00:16:58.120
 but they received

00:16:58.120 --> 00:16:58.940
 the Holy Spirit.

00:17:00.060 --> 00:17:00.879
 They never,

00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:01.900
 you know,

00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:03.720
 they never followed

00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:05.120
 all the cleanliness laws

00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:06.019
 and everything

00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:07.239
 in the Old Testament,

00:17:07.419 --> 00:17:08.500
 yet they received

00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:09.299
 the Holy Spirit

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.779
 and they prayed

00:17:10.779 --> 00:17:11.939
 and God did miracles

00:17:11.939 --> 00:17:12.299
 to them

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.139
 and he's reminding them

00:17:13.139 --> 00:17:14.119
 of all of these things.

00:17:14.959 --> 00:17:15.899
 And now that he's gone

00:17:15.899 --> 00:17:16.979
 from their experience,

00:17:17.259 --> 00:17:18.739
 he does something

00:17:18.739 --> 00:17:20.199
 which,

00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:20.899
 regrettably,

00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:21.959
 in our church culture

00:17:21.959 --> 00:17:22.939
 often seems like

00:17:22.939 --> 00:17:23.719
 it's a sign

00:17:23.719 --> 00:17:24.459
 that you're a dumb

00:17:24.459 --> 00:17:25.619
 fundamentalist.

00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:27.639
 But really then,

00:17:27.719 --> 00:17:28.459
 after he's talked

00:17:28.459 --> 00:17:29.579
 about their experience,

00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:30.739
 he in a sense says,

00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:31.479
 and what does

00:17:31.479 --> 00:17:32.319
 the Bible say?

00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:33.959
 And what does

00:17:33.959 --> 00:17:34.779
 the Bible say?

00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:37.899
 And the first thing

00:17:37.899 --> 00:17:38.639
 he's going to do,

00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:39.279
 and we're going to look

00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:39.779
 at in a moment,

00:17:39.899 --> 00:17:40.899
 in what the Bible says,

00:17:40.959 --> 00:17:42.419
 is the Bible communicates

00:17:42.419 --> 00:17:42.659
 to him,

00:17:42.659 --> 00:17:43.419
 he wants to communicate

00:17:43.419 --> 00:17:44.119
 to them something

00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:45.679
 very, very, very powerful

00:17:45.679 --> 00:17:46.659
 about the fundamental

00:17:46.659 --> 00:17:48.799
 reality of who they are

00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:50.459
 now that they have

00:17:50.459 --> 00:17:51.079
 given their lives

00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:51.779
 to Jesus.

00:17:52.939 --> 00:17:54.419
 And all of the talk

00:17:54.419 --> 00:17:55.699
 about being cursed

00:17:55.699 --> 00:17:56.759
 and being doomed

00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:58.799
 only comes after

00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:00.019
 he's assured them

00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:00.899
 from the Bible.

00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.059
 He's reminded them

00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:03.539
 of Jesus

00:18:03.539 --> 00:18:04.379
 and he's going to talk

00:18:04.379 --> 00:18:05.059
 to them about Jesus

00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.019
 in terms of opening

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:07.000
 the Bible to them

00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:08.200
 and it's after that

00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:09.019
 that he says

00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:09.720
 the hard things

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.059
 to them.

00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:11.200
 If you could put up

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:11.740
 the next point,

00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:12.759
 this would be very helpful.

00:18:13.339 --> 00:18:14.000
 Here's the thing.

00:18:14.419 --> 00:18:15.519
 Please pray that we will,

00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.179
 as a church,

00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:17.240
 will always ask,

00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:18.399
 what does the Bible say?

00:18:20.339 --> 00:18:22.179
 That's the apostolic question.

00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:24.720
 Jesus said it.

00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.059
 The apostles say it.

00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:27.039
 What does the Bible say?

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.639
 And Paul is going to go

00:18:29.639 --> 00:18:30.940
 through a series of quotes

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:32.339
 that come from Deuteronomy,

00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:33.539
 that come from Leviticus,

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:34.859
 that come from Habakkuk,

00:18:35.399 --> 00:18:36.879
 that try to bring home

00:18:36.879 --> 00:18:38.740
 who it is that Jesus is.

00:18:38.879 --> 00:18:40.200
 And he begins right away

00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.099
 in verse 6.

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:43.200
 In my version of the Bible,

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.379
 it's made as if it's all part

00:18:44.379 --> 00:18:45.359
 of one long sentence,

00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:46.619
 but it's a different idea.

00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:48.399
 So let's say verse 5 again.

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:49.740
 Does he who supplies

00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:50.960
 the Holy Spirit to you

00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:52.180
 and works miracles among you,

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:54.159
 do so by works of the law?

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:54.680
 In other words,

00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.480
 by your ability

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.420
 to keep kosher.

00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:59.160
 And in our case,

00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.000
 it's because your ability

00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.300
 to go to church on time

00:19:01.300 --> 00:19:02.460
 and your ability

00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:03.800
 to dress well at church

00:19:03.800 --> 00:19:04.740
 and the fact that you know

00:19:04.740 --> 00:19:05.720
 that you can sing

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.740
 some praise choruses

00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.860
 with your eyes closed

00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:08.320
 because you know

00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:09.180
 the words right

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:11.039
 and you know Christianese.

00:19:11.800 --> 00:19:13.539
 And basically,

00:19:13.740 --> 00:19:14.880
 you either live a moral life

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.960
 or you live a moral life

00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:17.100
 where nobody knows

00:19:17.100 --> 00:19:18.340
 all the bad things you're doing

00:19:18.340 --> 00:19:18.940
 but looks like

00:19:18.940 --> 00:19:19.920
 you're living a moral life.

00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:22.460
 Is that how you live

00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:23.140
 the Christian life

00:19:23.140 --> 00:19:24.480
 or is it by hearing with faith?

00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:26.019
 And then he goes

00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:28.759
 to the primary biblical example

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.940
 of hearing with faith.

00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:31.819
 He goes in verse 6

00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:32.400
 to Abraham.

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.400
 And why is that?

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.259
 Just to remind you.

00:19:34.339 --> 00:19:35.279
 Just who was Abraham?

00:19:36.299 --> 00:19:37.880
 When God calls Abraham,

00:19:38.120 --> 00:19:39.140
 what was Abraham doing?

00:19:39.500 --> 00:19:40.779
 When God calls Abraham,

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.099
 Abraham wasn't singing

00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:43.339
 praise choruses by,

00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:44.099
 you know, Tomlin.

00:19:44.120 --> 00:19:45.120
 He wasn't keeping kosher.

00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:45.740
 What was he doing?

00:19:46.059 --> 00:19:47.360
 He was worshiping the moon.

00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:50.980
 He was a moon god worshiper.

00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:53.880
 If you go back,

00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.060
 you hunt around

00:19:55.060 --> 00:19:55.820
 the Old Testament,

00:19:56.900 --> 00:19:58.940
 Abraham was a moon god worshiper.

00:19:59.800 --> 00:20:00.520
 And God said,

00:20:00.620 --> 00:20:01.000
 Abraham,

00:20:01.880 --> 00:20:03.300
 I want you to leave your family.

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.800
 I want you to leave your friends.

00:20:05.100 --> 00:20:06.500
 I want to leave your security.

00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.220
 I want you to leave

00:20:08.220 --> 00:20:09.080
 everything you know.

00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:10.080
 And I want you to leave

00:20:10.080 --> 00:20:10.940
 the moon god.

00:20:11.040 --> 00:20:11.840
 And I want you to leave

00:20:11.840 --> 00:20:12.820
 all the other gods

00:20:12.820 --> 00:20:13.460
 that you worship.

00:20:14.740 --> 00:20:15.800
 I am the god,

00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:16.600
 the lord god

00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:17.640
 of all the earth.

00:20:18.520 --> 00:20:19.520
 And I want you

00:20:19.520 --> 00:20:20.340
 to be mine.

00:20:21.180 --> 00:20:22.120
 And if you believe

00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:22.859
 what I say,

00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:23.519
 and come,

00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:25.399
 and do what I say,

00:20:25.939 --> 00:20:27.099
 because you believe

00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:27.739
 what I say.

00:20:28.959 --> 00:20:30.000
 Well, what does it say here?

00:20:30.479 --> 00:20:31.079
 Look at this,

00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:31.799
 verse 6.

00:20:32.339 --> 00:20:33.279
 Just as Abraham

00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:34.439
 believed God,

00:20:35.239 --> 00:20:36.879
 and it was counted

00:20:36.879 --> 00:20:37.459
 to him

00:20:37.459 --> 00:20:38.839
 as righteousness.

00:20:39.879 --> 00:20:40.779
 Now, it's a very,

00:20:40.899 --> 00:20:42.000
 very tight

00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:42.839
 little phrase.

00:20:43.959 --> 00:20:45.019
 Notice the first thing here.

00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:47.059
 It's not saying that

00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:47.859
 he believed

00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:48.759
 in God,

00:20:49.639 --> 00:20:49.919
 right?

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:50.719
 Lots of people

00:20:50.719 --> 00:20:52.059
 believe in God.

00:20:52.539 --> 00:20:53.479
 The hard thing

00:20:53.479 --> 00:20:54.240
 isn't believing,

00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:55.699
 merely believing in God,

00:20:55.819 --> 00:20:56.879
 but not only believing

00:20:56.879 --> 00:20:57.299
 in God,

00:20:57.379 --> 00:20:57.859
 but believing

00:20:57.859 --> 00:20:59.059
 what God says.

00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:02.959
 Believing in what

00:21:02.959 --> 00:21:04.240
 God says.

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:06.519
 Probably,

00:21:06.639 --> 00:21:06.899
 I don't know

00:21:06.899 --> 00:21:07.959
 what the statistics are,

00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:08.699
 maybe 80,

00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:10.339
 90% of Canadians

00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:11.159
 believe in God,

00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.599
 but do we believe

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.339
 that when Jesus,

00:21:13.899 --> 00:21:14.979
 just before he dies

00:21:14.979 --> 00:21:15.979
 upon the cross,

00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:17.860
 and knowing how shocking

00:21:17.860 --> 00:21:18.660
 it's going to be,

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.740
 and he's trying to prepare

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:20.519
 his disciples

00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:21.339
 for the fact that

00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:21.920
 even though

00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:22.819
 he's going to die

00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:24.519
 the death of a slave,

00:21:25.120 --> 00:21:26.360
 seemingly completely

00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:27.579
 and utterly defeated,

00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:29.400
 he's trying to tell them

00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:30.339
 that and reminding them

00:21:30.339 --> 00:21:31.039
 that on the third day

00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:31.720
 he's going to rise from death,

00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:32.599
 and in the context

00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:33.819
 of his impending death

00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:34.680
 by crucifixion,

00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:35.019
 he says,

00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:36.319
 I am the way

00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:37.559
 and the truth

00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:38.500
 and the life.

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:39.740
 No one comes to the Father

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.299
 but by me.

00:21:40.339 --> 00:21:41.099
 Do you believe that?

00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:45.660
 Abraham didn't just believe,

00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:45.920
 I mean,

00:21:46.040 --> 00:21:47.200
 Abraham believed in God,

00:21:47.320 --> 00:21:47.460
 sure,

00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:47.820
 God,

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:48.259
 this God,

00:21:48.340 --> 00:21:48.700
 that God,

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:49.500
 all sorts of gods,

00:21:49.580 --> 00:21:51.160
 but it was that Abraham

00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:53.259
 believed God

00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:54.940
 when he said,

00:21:55.340 --> 00:21:56.259
 leave your family,

00:21:56.440 --> 00:21:57.019
 your worship,

00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:57.800
 your friends,

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.680
 your power,

00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:00.400
 leave all of that

00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.740
 and come

00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:03.240
 and follow me.

00:22:07.580 --> 00:22:08.840
 And when Abraham

00:22:08.840 --> 00:22:10.720
 believed what God said,

00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:12.640
 and the word here

00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:13.860
 counted as righteousness,

00:22:13.859 --> 00:22:13.939
 righteousness,

00:22:14.179 --> 00:22:15.679
 it's a term from accounting.

00:22:16.919 --> 00:22:18.379
 And maybe the best analogy

00:22:18.379 --> 00:22:19.119
 would be this.

00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:21.079
 I don't know how many of you,

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.519
 some of you here

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.159
 don't own homes,

00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:24.439
 you'd like to own a home someday.

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.099
 And I know that

00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:26.839
 when Louise and I

00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:27.559
 were looking to buy

00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:28.479
 our first house,

00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:29.559
 one of the things

00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:30.359
 we were trying to find

00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:31.219
 is if there was somebody

00:22:31.219 --> 00:22:32.319
 who would rent to own.

00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:34.159
 The way I understand

00:22:34.159 --> 00:22:34.699
 rent to own

00:22:34.699 --> 00:22:35.379
 would be this.

00:22:36.419 --> 00:22:36.679
 You know,

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.619
 one of you folks

00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:39.199
 have a townhouse

00:22:39.199 --> 00:22:39.759
 or something

00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:40.960
 and we're not sure

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.519
 if we're going to be able

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.180
 to buy the house

00:22:42.180 --> 00:22:43.319
 or if we have the down payment.

00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:44.799
 But what we just begin

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.019
 is we begin the process

00:22:46.019 --> 00:22:47.240
 of renting with you.

00:22:47.339 --> 00:22:48.599
 In a rent to own situation,

00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:49.359
 what you say is

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:50.240
 maybe a year or two

00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.119
 into it,

00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.220
 you'll count all those

00:22:53.220 --> 00:22:54.480
 rent payments

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:56.379
 as if they had been

00:22:56.379 --> 00:22:57.500
 mortgage payments.

00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:00.539
 You change

00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:01.879
 the accounting term

00:23:01.879 --> 00:23:02.920
 and understanding of it.

00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:04.319
 And what the Bible

00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:04.940
 here is saying

00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:05.740
 is that God does

00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:06.859
 something very interesting.

00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:07.599
 If you go back

00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:08.000
 and you read

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.079
 Genesis chapter 12

00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:09.479
 and you read

00:23:09.479 --> 00:23:10.599
 Genesis chapter 15

00:23:10.599 --> 00:23:11.259
 and you read

00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:12.579
 Genesis chapter 18

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:14.419
 and what God

00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:16.059
 is saying to Abraham,

00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:16.799
 you see,

00:23:16.919 --> 00:23:17.579
 on one hand,

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:20.359
 the rent to own thing

00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:21.659
 is that you've just,

00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:22.659
 you've changed,

00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:23.259
 you know,

00:23:23.319 --> 00:23:24.240
 now rather than

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.979
 just being rent,

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:26.319
 it's been mortgage payments

00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:27.079
 which means now

00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:27.859
 if the house was worth

00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:28.579
 $300,000,

00:23:28.859 --> 00:23:29.279
 you've made some

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.399
 mortgage payments,

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:30.779
 it's now,

00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:31.719
 you now only owe

00:23:31.719 --> 00:23:32.559
 $290,000

00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:33.459
 because you've been renting

00:23:33.459 --> 00:23:34.259
 and now you switch

00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:35.319
 all those rent payments

00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:36.000
 to own payments.

00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:37.519
 But it's still just money.

00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:38.200
 But in this case,

00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:38.759
 what it's saying

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.539
 is that God does

00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.380
 this unbelievable

00:23:40.380 --> 00:23:41.539
 act of grace

00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:44.980
 because Abraham

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.880
 has no money,

00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:46.640
 he has no credit,

00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:47.440
 all he's been doing

00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:48.019
 is worshipping

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.740
 the moon God.

00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.720
 But if Abraham

00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:54.079
 not only believes God

00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:54.720
 but believes

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:56.059
 in what God says

00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:57.440
 and trusts what he says,

00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.079
 God will take

00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:02.319
 that faith

00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:05.659
 as if

00:24:05.659 --> 00:24:06.700
 Abraham

00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:08.119
 has lived

00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:09.200
 a perfect life

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:13.460
 and is able

00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:14.159
 to be in perfect

00:24:14.159 --> 00:24:15.139
 fellowship with God.

00:24:15.919 --> 00:24:16.700
 Like it's an

00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:18.079
 incommensurate,

00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:18.319
 sorry,

00:24:18.379 --> 00:24:19.179
 it's a big word.

00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:20.419
 The whole thing

00:24:20.419 --> 00:24:21.099
 about faith

00:24:21.099 --> 00:24:21.819
 is it's something

00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:22.960
 completely and utterly

00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:23.579
 shocking.

00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:26.200
 In our flesh,

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:28.259
 what we'd like God

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:29.099
 to say is

00:24:29.099 --> 00:24:30.240
 we're going to accelerate

00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.059
 your good works,

00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:31.599
 George.

00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:32.880
 That's what I'm going

00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:33.319
 to do for you,

00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:33.599
 George.

00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:34.240
 I have a deal for you.

00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:36.720
 He's like a sleazy

00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.579
 type of salesman.

00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:38.120
 We don't think

00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:38.700
 that we want God

00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:39.519
 to be like a sleazy

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:40.120
 salesman,

00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:41.339
 but that's in a sense

00:24:41.339 --> 00:24:42.079
 in our flesh,

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:43.539
 in our frail nature

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:44.099
 what we want.

00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:44.620
 We want God

00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:46.079
 to be like a sleazy

00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:46.819
 sales agent

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.059
 and say,

00:24:47.140 --> 00:24:47.279
 listen,

00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:47.880
 just for you

00:24:47.880 --> 00:24:48.720
 because you're special.

00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:49.400
 I like you.

00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:50.380
 I have a good feeling

00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:51.039
 about you.

00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.339
 And so,

00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:52.579
 you know,

00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:53.680
 every time you memorize

00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.519
 a Bible verse,

00:24:54.620 --> 00:24:55.180
 I'm going to count it

00:24:55.180 --> 00:24:56.240
 as if you've memorized

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:57.240
 the whole book of Hebrews.

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.579
 We're going to just

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.339
 accelerate all this.

00:24:59.339 --> 00:24:59.819
 You go to church,

00:24:59.879 --> 00:25:00.399
 I'm going to count it

00:25:00.399 --> 00:25:00.859
 as if you've gone

00:25:00.859 --> 00:25:02.659
 to church for five years.

00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:03.899
 I'm going to accelerate things.

00:25:04.359 --> 00:25:05.579
 And that's what we sort of like,

00:25:05.659 --> 00:25:06.579
 but what we're stuck here

00:25:06.579 --> 00:25:07.779
 is something completely

00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:08.419
 and utterly,

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:10.859
 it's just grace

00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:14.079
 that God says,

00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:15.199
 no, no, no,

00:25:15.199 --> 00:25:15.799
 I'm not going to get

00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:17.099
 in a game with you

00:25:17.099 --> 00:25:17.959
 of thinking that you

00:25:17.959 --> 00:25:19.319
 can contribute something.

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:22.179
 The whole point is,

00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:23.159
 I want you to understand

00:25:23.159 --> 00:25:24.220
 you can contribute

00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:25.839
 zilch,

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:26.699
 nada,

00:25:27.099 --> 00:25:27.699
 nothing.

00:25:29.339 --> 00:25:31.819
 If you believe me,

00:25:32.459 --> 00:25:34.339
 I'm going to work out

00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:35.059
 the details.

00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:37.079
 And Abraham didn't understand

00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.279
 what the details would be.

00:25:38.519 --> 00:25:39.000
 Abraham,

00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:41.220
 like Moses,

00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:42.119
 like David,

00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:43.379
 had to wait

00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:45.119
 for Jesus to come.

00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:47.779
 Just as we look back

00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:48.980
 to what Jesus has done

00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:49.919
 to apply it to our lives,

00:25:49.959 --> 00:25:50.779
 they had to look forward

00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:51.179
 to it.

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:52.279
 But what they're believing

00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:52.519
 is,

00:25:52.639 --> 00:25:52.779
 God,

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.259
 we don't know how

00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.759
 you're going to make

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.539
 us right with you.

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.220
 But we understand

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:58.599
 that our efforts

00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:59.440
 don't matter at all,

00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:00.139
 we're just going to believe

00:26:00.139 --> 00:26:01.480
 that only you can do it

00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:03.299
 and that you will do it

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:05.019
 and I trust that you will do it.

00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:08.039
 And that's what's so brilliant here

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:09.619
 is Paul reminds them

00:26:09.619 --> 00:26:10.639
 that that's what they've done.

00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.119
 They've done,

00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:11.579
 in a sense,

00:26:11.659 --> 00:26:13.279
 the exact same thing

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:15.180
 that Abraham has done.

00:26:15.819 --> 00:26:16.659
 Only they have

00:26:16.659 --> 00:26:17.579
 the great advantage.

00:26:18.180 --> 00:26:19.619
 Abraham didn't understand

00:26:19.619 --> 00:26:21.139
 about Jesus Christ crucified.

00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:21.659
 They understand

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:23.680
 Jesus Christ crucified,

00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:25.100
 but they've had to do

00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:25.840
 the same thing.

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:26.860
 They have to take God

00:26:26.860 --> 00:26:27.720
 at his word

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:29.140
 that he will do

00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:30.560
 everything that is needed

00:26:30.560 --> 00:26:32.860
 to make people right

00:26:32.860 --> 00:26:33.480
 with God.

00:26:34.620 --> 00:26:35.480
 And in a sense,

00:26:35.560 --> 00:26:36.740
 what Paul is going to be saying

00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:37.900
 in these next few verses,

00:26:38.100 --> 00:26:39.240
 it's exactly the same thing

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:39.740
 that we understand.

00:26:39.820 --> 00:26:40.360
 You know how we have

00:26:40.360 --> 00:26:41.259
 a very common thing

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:41.900
 in our culture,

00:26:42.040 --> 00:26:43.340
 how that,

00:26:43.540 --> 00:26:43.779
 you know,

00:26:43.820 --> 00:26:45.500
 somebody is more than

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:46.340
 a brother to me.

00:26:47.779 --> 00:26:48.200
 There's somebody

00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:49.220
 completely not related

00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:50.080
 to us biologically,

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:51.420
 but they're more like

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:52.120
 a brother to me

00:26:52.120 --> 00:26:52.700
 than my brother.

00:26:52.840 --> 00:26:53.779
 They're more like

00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:54.600
 a parent to me

00:26:54.600 --> 00:26:55.480
 or more like a mom

00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.300
 or a dad to me

00:26:56.300 --> 00:26:57.580
 than my actual mom or dad.

00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.700
 And Paul is saying

00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.680
 the exact same thing,

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:01.420
 that in God's economy,

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:03.200
 in the way God deals with us,

00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:05.519
 it's not just about genetics.

00:27:08.100 --> 00:27:09.800
 That when God says,

00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:11.680
 all the nations of the world

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.360
 will be blessed

00:27:12.360 --> 00:27:13.600
 through you, Abraham,

00:27:14.860 --> 00:27:16.460
 he's speaking on many levels.

00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:17.220
 On one hand,

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:18.100
 that it's through him

00:27:18.100 --> 00:27:18.820
 that the Messiah

00:27:18.820 --> 00:27:19.700
 will eventually come,

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:20.900
 but at a fundamental level

00:27:20.900 --> 00:27:22.740
 that it's this fundamental

00:27:22.740 --> 00:27:23.800
 act of faith

00:27:23.800 --> 00:27:24.920
 and trust in God

00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:26.220
 to do what has to be done

00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:27.660
 for us to be made right

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.160
 with him

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.740
 and that in a sense,

00:27:30.040 --> 00:27:30.960
 it's Abraham,

00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:32.560
 to be like Abraham,

00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:34.140
 that's the thing

00:27:34.140 --> 00:27:34.880
 which is important,

00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:35.800
 not the biology,

00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:36.640
 not the genetics.

00:27:36.759 --> 00:27:38.220
 That's the fundamental thing

00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:39.780
 in terms of being made right

00:27:39.780 --> 00:27:40.259
 with God.

00:27:41.500 --> 00:27:42.380
 So in light of that,

00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:43.800
 let's listen to what he says.

00:27:44.560 --> 00:27:45.620
 I have to watch my time.

00:27:45.780 --> 00:27:46.600
 I can't carry it away

00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:47.099
 with this.

00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:50.099
 Right?

00:27:50.199 --> 00:27:51.219
 So back to verse 6.

00:27:51.379 --> 00:27:52.619
 Just as Abraham believed God

00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:53.480
 and it was counted to him

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.119
 as righteousness,

00:27:54.819 --> 00:27:55.240
 know then,

00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:55.859
 verse 7,

00:27:55.919 --> 00:27:57.379
 that it is those of faith

00:27:57.379 --> 00:27:59.259
 who are the sons of Abraham.

00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:00.179
 Just like I said, right?

00:28:00.639 --> 00:28:02.019
 More like a son to me.

00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:04.279
 And the scripture,

00:28:05.139 --> 00:28:06.240
 foreseeing

00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:08.480
 that God would justify,

00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:09.139
 that is,

00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:10.039
 make right,

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.699
 declare right,

00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:13.539
 count as righteous,

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:15.220
 the pagans,

00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:16.399
 by faith,

00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:18.619
 preached the gospel

00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:20.099
 beforehand

00:28:20.099 --> 00:28:21.460
 to Abraham.

00:28:22.779 --> 00:28:23.519
 In a sense,

00:28:23.639 --> 00:28:24.180
 what this Bible,

00:28:24.339 --> 00:28:25.240
 what this text is saying

00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:27.440
 is that when the Bible speaks,

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:28.619
 it's God speaking

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.720
 and it's God

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.960
 who preached the gospel

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.539
 to Abraham

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.759
 and when we hear

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:34.480
 what the Bible records

00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:35.339
 about God's,

00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:37.139
 about what is said to Abraham,

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:38.759
 we're hearing God speak.

00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:39.619
 This is one of the reasons

00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:40.599
 why it is never,

00:28:41.339 --> 00:28:42.559
 it is always wise

00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:43.740
 to ask the question,

00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:45.240
 what does the Bible teach?

00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:47.619
 And so it says here again,

00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:48.099
 by faith,

00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:49.139
 sorry,

00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:49.899
 verse 8 again,

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.619
 in the scripture,

00:28:50.859 --> 00:28:52.099
 foreseeing that God

00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:53.319
 would justify the pagans

00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:53.779
 by faith,

00:28:53.919 --> 00:28:54.759
 preached the gospel

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.980
 beforehand to Abraham

00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:56.419
 saying,

00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:58.379
 in you shall all the nations

00:28:58.379 --> 00:28:59.119
 be blessed.

00:29:01.139 --> 00:29:01.859
 So then,

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:03.299
 those who are of faith

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:04.579
 are blessed

00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:05.539
 along with Abraham,

00:29:05.679 --> 00:29:06.440
 the man of faith.

00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:10.980
 So,

00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:12.460
 Paul is,

00:29:12.580 --> 00:29:13.820
 he's gone to their experience,

00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:14.519
 he said,

00:29:14.580 --> 00:29:14.680
 no,

00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:15.660
 it's not just experience,

00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:16.680
 what does the Bible say?

00:29:16.840 --> 00:29:17.799
 What does the Bible say?

00:29:18.320 --> 00:29:19.400
 He's gone to Genesis

00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:21.700
 and now he's going to deal

00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:22.740
 with some of these things

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.500
 because

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:24.779
 he,

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:27.840
 the Bible wants us

00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.480
 to live

00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:29.759
 in step

00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:30.400
 and in line

00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:31.279
 with the gospel.

00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:34.399
 the Bible wants us

00:29:34.399 --> 00:29:35.200
 to understand

00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:35.759
 both

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.660
 how

00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:38.799
 our situation

00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:39.740
 was far worse

00:29:39.740 --> 00:29:40.299
 than we could ever

00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:41.259
 possibly imagine,

00:29:41.379 --> 00:29:41.940
 that we were already

00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:42.799
 separate from God

00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.379
 and we could face

00:29:43.379 --> 00:29:43.899
 an eternity

00:29:43.899 --> 00:29:45.559
 separated from God.

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.200
 And at the same time,

00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:49.379
 it wants us to try to get,

00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:50.200
 start to begin

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:51.000
 to understand

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:51.759
 the mystery

00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:53.160
 of this grace

00:29:53.160 --> 00:29:55.039
 that given our

00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:56.119
 desperate need,

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:57.539
 God does something

00:29:57.539 --> 00:29:58.960
 that's,

00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:00.059
 our minds

00:30:00.059 --> 00:30:00.799
 can't really

00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:02.039
 fully grasp,

00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:04.200
 but God does

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:04.839
 something

00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:06.059
 unbelievably

00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:06.980
 generous,

00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.940
 unbelievably

00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:08.779
 loving.

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:11.279
 It's humiliating

00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:12.139
 and costly

00:30:12.139 --> 00:30:12.539
 to him,

00:30:12.639 --> 00:30:13.279
 but God

00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:14.200
 bears this

00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:15.819
 vast cost

00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:18.079
 so that human

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:18.619
 beings

00:30:18.619 --> 00:30:19.399
 can be made

00:30:19.399 --> 00:30:20.159
 right with him.

00:30:21.180 --> 00:30:22.319
 And he doesn't

00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:23.200
 want George

00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:23.859
 to live

00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:25.619
 ten years

00:30:25.619 --> 00:30:26.579
 into his marriage,

00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:27.220
 eight years

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.359
 after his ordination

00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:28.819
 or whatever

00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:29.720
 the number of years

00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.099
 was,

00:30:30.099 --> 00:30:31.519
 feeling day

00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.059
 by day

00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:32.719
 as if he's

00:30:32.719 --> 00:30:33.059
 doomed.

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.759
 And he doesn't

00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:36.159
 want you

00:30:36.159 --> 00:30:36.819
 to feel that

00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:37.099
 too.

00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.659
 He wants us

00:30:39.659 --> 00:30:40.179
 to be gripped

00:30:40.179 --> 00:30:41.039
 by the gospel.

00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:43.199
 In the face

00:30:43.199 --> 00:30:44.099
 of our anxiety,

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:44.740
 in the face

00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.480
 of our worry,

00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:46.119
 in the face

00:30:46.119 --> 00:30:46.699
 of how we

00:30:46.699 --> 00:30:47.579
 talk to ourselves

00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:48.379
 at four o'clock

00:30:48.379 --> 00:30:48.939
 in the morning,

00:30:49.439 --> 00:30:50.579
 in the face

00:30:50.579 --> 00:30:51.519
 of how we speak

00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.119
 to ourselves

00:30:52.119 --> 00:30:52.779
 when we're driving

00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:53.500
 into interviews,

00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.259
 in the face

00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:54.939
 of our feeling

00:30:54.939 --> 00:30:55.359
 that whatever

00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:55.959
 we touch

00:30:55.959 --> 00:30:56.699
 will go wrong,

00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:57.519
 whatever we touch

00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:58.259
 will go dirty,

00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:59.500
 that I am only

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.000
 stupid,

00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:00.559
 that I will

00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.440
 always fail,

00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:01.940
 that things

00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:02.339
 that I am

00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:02.940
 involved in

00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.440
 will always

00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:03.859
 fail,

00:31:04.379 --> 00:31:05.079
 in the face

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:06.059
 of the worry

00:31:06.059 --> 00:31:06.420
 that our

00:31:06.420 --> 00:31:07.039
 grandparents

00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.059
 or our parents

00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:09.000
 have cursed us

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:09.460
 or that the

00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:10.119
 next door neighbor

00:31:10.119 --> 00:31:11.160
 has cursed us

00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:12.619
 and it binds us,

00:31:13.140 --> 00:31:14.220
 the Bible wants us

00:31:14.220 --> 00:31:15.059
 to understand

00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:15.920
 that God

00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.879
 has done

00:31:16.879 --> 00:31:17.500
 everything

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:18.220
 that needs

00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:18.940
 to be done

00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:19.700
 to make us

00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:20.720
 right with him

00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.180
 in the death

00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:23.099
 of his son

00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:24.160
 upon the cross,

00:31:24.660 --> 00:31:25.879
 that we receive

00:31:25.880 --> 00:31:26.600
 that not

00:31:26.600 --> 00:31:27.760
 because of

00:31:27.760 --> 00:31:28.400
 how brilliant

00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:29.400
 and successful

00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:30.500
 and our potential

00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:31.500
 but in our

00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.620
 complete and utter

00:31:32.620 --> 00:31:33.320
 need,

00:31:33.540 --> 00:31:34.560
 we put our

00:31:34.560 --> 00:31:35.560
 trust and faith

00:31:35.560 --> 00:31:36.200
 in him

00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:37.480
 and we now

00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:38.860
 have a completely

00:31:38.860 --> 00:31:40.200
 different destiny

00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:42.040
 and God

00:31:42.040 --> 00:31:43.220
 wants us to live

00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:44.980
 with the gospel

00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:46.380
 being real

00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:47.700
 to our hearts

00:31:47.700 --> 00:31:52.060
 and as the gospel

00:31:52.060 --> 00:31:52.500
 is real

00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:53.380
 to our hearts

00:31:53.380 --> 00:31:54.120
 that it affects

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:55.299
 the way we minister

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:56.539
 and we marry

00:31:56.539 --> 00:31:57.959
 and we date

00:31:57.959 --> 00:31:59.599
 and we handle money

00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:01.519
 and we see our culture

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.979
 and we see our world

00:32:02.979 --> 00:32:04.479
 and we see our job

00:32:04.479 --> 00:32:06.439
 and we see our attainments.

00:32:09.979 --> 00:32:11.279
 You are justified,

00:32:11.539 --> 00:32:12.639
 you are counted righteous

00:32:12.639 --> 00:32:13.719
 by what Jesus

00:32:13.719 --> 00:32:14.679
 has done

00:32:14.679 --> 00:32:15.779
 for you on the cross.

00:32:15.919 --> 00:32:16.379
 What did he do

00:32:16.379 --> 00:32:17.239
 for you on the cross?

00:32:17.879 --> 00:32:19.059
 Series of questions

00:32:19.059 --> 00:32:19.959
 or statements.

00:32:20.379 --> 00:32:20.899
 Verse 10,

00:32:21.659 --> 00:32:22.679
 for all who rely,

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:23.939
 I lost my place,

00:32:23.940 --> 00:32:24.759
 I probably have.

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:26.920
 Actually,

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.820
 put up the next point.

00:32:31.380 --> 00:32:32.700
 For all have sinned

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:33.240
 and fall short

00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:33.960
 of the glory of God.

00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:34.720
 That's in the book

00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.299
 of Romans.

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.960
 Because that is true,

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:39.059
 every human being,

00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:39.799
 I think,

00:32:39.840 --> 00:32:40.640
 has some sense

00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.420
 of being cursed.

00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:44.840
 Be mindful of that

00:32:44.840 --> 00:32:45.920
 as we read these verses.

00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:46.799
 Verse 10,

00:32:47.299 --> 00:32:48.759
 for all who rely

00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:49.880
 on works of the law

00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:50.960
 are under a curse

00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.720
 for it is written,

00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:53.680
 cursed be everyone

00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:54.700
 who does not abide

00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:55.579
 by all things

00:32:55.579 --> 00:32:56.279
 written in the book

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:56.759
 of the law

00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:57.539
 and do them.

00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:00.840
 Now,

00:33:00.940 --> 00:33:01.579
 works of the law,

00:33:01.840 --> 00:33:02.279
 once again,

00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.180
 remember what Paul

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:03.880
 is saying here

00:33:03.880 --> 00:33:05.079
 is he's not disparaging

00:33:05.079 --> 00:33:05.660
 the Bible.

00:33:06.519 --> 00:33:07.240
 He's saying,

00:33:08.180 --> 00:33:08.940
 works of the law,

00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:09.680
 you know,

00:33:09.700 --> 00:33:10.079
 in a sense,

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:11.680
 God actually set before us

00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:12.579
 all of the things

00:33:12.579 --> 00:33:13.460
 you have to do

00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.539
 just to show people

00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:16.039
 amongst other things.

00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:18.059
 I mean,

00:33:18.180 --> 00:33:19.019
 it's not just

00:33:19.019 --> 00:33:20.220
 that they would be failed,

00:33:20.899 --> 00:33:22.359
 understand that they can't

00:33:22.359 --> 00:33:23.019
 reach God

00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:23.799
 by their own efforts,

00:33:23.799 --> 00:33:24.879
 but it's also to point

00:33:24.879 --> 00:33:25.700
 in a sense

00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:26.399
 into the future

00:33:26.399 --> 00:33:27.639
 how it's God

00:33:27.639 --> 00:33:28.579
 who's going to clean us.

00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.259
 It's God

00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:31.680
 who's going to feed us.

00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:33.920
 It's God

00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:34.680
 who's going to provide

00:33:34.680 --> 00:33:35.359
 the sacrifice.

00:33:35.619 --> 00:33:36.099
 It's God

00:33:36.099 --> 00:33:36.980
 who's going to be the priest.

00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:37.559
 It's God

00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:38.440
 who's going to be the prophet.

00:33:38.579 --> 00:33:39.079
 It's God

00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:40.039
 who's going to be the king.

00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:41.000
 It's God

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:41.480
 who's going to do

00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:42.399
 all of these things.

00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:43.420
 You know,

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:44.299
 you hear this prophet,

00:33:44.420 --> 00:33:45.599
 but a true and greater prophet

00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:46.000
 will come

00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:46.859
 and his name is Jesus.

00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:48.159
 You see an earthly king

00:33:48.159 --> 00:33:48.699
 like David,

00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:49.919
 but a true and greater king

00:33:49.919 --> 00:33:50.359
 will come

00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:51.279
 whose name is Jesus.

00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:52.659
 You see

00:33:52.659 --> 00:33:53.579
 the priest

00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:54.599
 offering a sacrifice

00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:56.059
 and a true and greater

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:57.759
 priest will come

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.679
 and his name is Jesus.

00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:00.039
 And you see the sacrifices

00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:01.579
 and a true and greater sacrifice

00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:01.980
 will come

00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:02.819
 and his name is Jesus.

00:34:02.939 --> 00:34:03.699
 And we can understand

00:34:03.699 --> 00:34:05.000
 how ritually

00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:05.839
 we can be clean,

00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:06.939
 but a true and greater

00:34:06.939 --> 00:34:08.000
 cleanliness

00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:08.539
 will come

00:34:08.539 --> 00:34:09.380
 in the person of Jesus.

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.159
 And we can see

00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:11.480
 how we can be healed,

00:34:11.779 --> 00:34:12.639
 but a true and greater

00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:13.719
 healing will come

00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:14.920
 and his name is Jesus.

00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:17.880
 and we can see how just social relations will come,

00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:21.159
 but a true and greater healing of relationships will come

00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:22.360
 and his name is Jesus.

00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:25.619
 And so it's not just that the law is telling us

00:34:25.619 --> 00:34:29.039
 that we can't actually accomplish these things by ourselves,

00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:30.780
 but at the same time that it's teaching us

00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:31.860
 that we can accomplish this,

00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:35.019
 it's pointing to the very, very center of our lives

00:34:35.019 --> 00:34:37.300
 where we want to be reconciled to the creation.

00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:39.019
 We want to be reconciled to human beings.

00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:40.720
 We want to be reconciled to ourselves.

00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:42.360
 We want to be reconciled to God.

00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:43.920
 We want to feel clean.

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:45.300
 We want to feel fed.

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:46.659
 We want to feel protected.

00:34:46.900 --> 00:34:48.079
 We want to feel loved.

00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:49.500
 We don't want to feel abandoned.

00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:53.180
 And that God himself is the one who is going to do this for us

00:34:53.180 --> 00:34:54.500
 in the person of his son.

00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:58.800
 And that is what the Bible is pointing to in the law.

00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:01.079
 And he's saying, listen, you listen to the law

00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:03.039
 and the law just tells us what we all know.

00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:05.079
 We're never clean enough.

00:35:05.340 --> 00:35:06.740
 We're never fed enough.

00:35:07.159 --> 00:35:08.680
 We're never strong enough.

00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:09.980
 We get sick.

00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:10.599
 We die.

00:35:10.700 --> 00:35:11.480
 We fail.

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:14.099
 We sin.

00:35:14.360 --> 00:35:15.039
 We betray.

00:35:15.320 --> 00:35:16.000
 We abandon.

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:17.019
 We are abandoned.

00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:18.139
 That happens.

00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:20.599
 And the laws made it all clear.

00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:24.380
 And then verses 11, 12, and 13,

00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:26.780
 such wonderful verses in quick, rapid fire.

00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:28.240
 Every case he quotes the Bible,

00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:30.480
 he makes a point, he quotes the Bible,

00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:31.800
 whether it's from Deuteronomy,

00:35:31.940 --> 00:35:33.240
 Habakkuk, or Leviticus.

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:34.059
 Verse 11,

00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:37.639
 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law,

00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:39.940
 for the righteous shall live by faith.

00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:40.619
 What does that mean?

00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:43.960
 It's saying that the Bible, it's from Habakkuk,

00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:46.539
 that the Bible itself is going to teach us,

00:35:46.579 --> 00:35:49.159
 just as the Genesis story about Abraham teaches us,

00:35:50.039 --> 00:35:54.340
 that it's by believing in God's promise in his word

00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:56.259
 that he will do everything to make us right with him.

00:35:56.380 --> 00:35:58.259
 That's what makes us right when we believe that,

00:35:58.299 --> 00:36:00.400
 when we realize we can't be clean enough,

00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.500
 we can't be whole enough,

00:36:01.579 --> 00:36:03.320
 we can't be alive enough,

00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:07.900
 we can't be slim enough,

00:36:07.980 --> 00:36:08.800
 or strong enough,

00:36:08.900 --> 00:36:09.820
 or rich enough,

00:36:10.220 --> 00:36:12.079
 even if we are for a moment,

00:36:12.180 --> 00:36:13.660
 and we think we're the cat's meow,

00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:15.119
 but then we get old,

00:36:15.200 --> 00:36:15.920
 then we get sick,

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:16.840
 then we die,

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.180
 then our loved ones die,

00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:22.440
 then there's always this basic need,

00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:23.800
 and it's to bring us to this point

00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:26.059
 to realize that God has to do something

00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:27.880
 that we receive by faith,

00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:30.079
 and that he has done in the person of his son.

00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:31.920
 Verse 12,

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.260
 but the law is not of faith,

00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:34.960
 it's moral striving,

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:37.000
 rather the one who does them shall live.

00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:37.500
 In other words,

00:36:37.559 --> 00:36:38.539
 you have to make a choice.

00:36:38.680 --> 00:36:40.240
 Are you just going to continue to think,

00:36:40.820 --> 00:36:42.820
 I'm just going to pretend I'm really good,

00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:44.460
 I'm going to pretend that I'm never going to die,

00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:46.500
 I'm just going to pretend that I'm right with God,

00:36:46.519 --> 00:36:47.980
 I'm just going to pretend that all I need

00:36:47.980 --> 00:36:49.639
 to be centered,

00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:50.740
 and some of you are saying,

00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:51.760
 George, I'm not pretending,

00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:54.059
 but it's only pretending in the sense

00:36:54.059 --> 00:36:55.720
 that all these things fail.

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.320
 They all fail.

00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:02.780
 Verse 13,

00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:04.500
 Christ redeemed us.

00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:08.320
 Redeemed is a word from the marketplace,

00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:10.539
 it's the word from the town center,

00:37:10.680 --> 00:37:14.700
 it's the word that Jesus pays a price

00:37:14.699 --> 00:37:21.519
 to deliver us from slavery into life.

00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:24.839
 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law

00:37:24.839 --> 00:37:27.899
 by becoming a curse for us,

00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:29.359
 for it is written,

00:37:29.960 --> 00:37:32.759
 curse it is everyone who is hanged on a tree.

00:37:32.760 --> 00:37:34.640
 You know,

00:37:34.680 --> 00:37:37.000
 many people in our culture say that the way forward

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.900
 is just to embrace our cursedness.

00:37:39.980 --> 00:37:41.800
 I was just watching a TV show the other day

00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:44.160
 and the ex-wife says to her husband,

00:37:44.260 --> 00:37:45.260
 you drink too much.

00:37:46.180 --> 00:37:46.840
 And he,

00:37:47.020 --> 00:37:48.860
 with an impish smile,

00:37:49.520 --> 00:37:51.280
 and we're meant to sympathize with him,

00:37:51.340 --> 00:37:51.520
 says,

00:37:51.620 --> 00:37:51.760
 no,

00:37:51.840 --> 00:37:53.500
 I drink the exact right amount.

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:57.460
 I drink the exact right amount

00:37:57.460 --> 00:37:58.699
 as she walks out.

00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:01.539
 And in much of our culture,

00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:02.300
 we're sort of taught

00:38:02.300 --> 00:38:04.599
 to just embrace the fact that you drink,

00:38:04.760 --> 00:38:07.519
 just embrace whatever it is,

00:38:07.639 --> 00:38:08.500
 the adultery,

00:38:08.639 --> 00:38:09.920
 just embrace the betrayal,

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:11.320
 just embrace the greed,

00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:13.079
 just embrace the aggression,

00:38:13.260 --> 00:38:14.739
 just embrace it and stand tall.

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:16.099
 You could put up the next point.

00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:17.920
 What the Bible is saying here

00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:19.659
 is God calls out,

00:38:19.880 --> 00:38:20.500
 humble yourself.

00:38:20.500 --> 00:38:25.679
 Don't embrace the curse.

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:29.260
 Embrace the one who embraced your curse

00:38:29.260 --> 00:38:31.059
 to make you right with me.

00:38:31.719 --> 00:38:33.760
 It's a completely different way of living.

00:38:36.019 --> 00:38:38.639
 Embrace the one who embraced your curse

00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:40.460
 to make you right with me

00:38:40.460 --> 00:38:42.679
 after you humble yourself.

00:38:45.300 --> 00:38:46.960
 And then verse 14

00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:48.760
 sort of summarizes all of this thing

00:38:48.760 --> 00:38:50.400
 as we try to draw it all to a close.

00:38:51.139 --> 00:38:52.719
 Actually, we'll read verse 13 again.

00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:55.219
 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law

00:38:55.219 --> 00:38:57.019
 by becoming a curse for us.

00:38:57.500 --> 00:38:58.239
 For it is written,

00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:01.599
 Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree

00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:04.239
 so that in Christ Jesus,

00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:06.199
 the blessing of Abraham

00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:08.639
 might come to the pagans

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:11.079
 so that we might receive

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:13.079
 the promised Holy Spirit

00:39:13.079 --> 00:39:14.559
 through faith.

00:39:15.260 --> 00:39:16.860
 If you could put up the last point,

00:39:16.980 --> 00:39:17.659
 that would be great.

00:39:17.659 --> 00:39:19.759
 You know,

00:39:20.500 --> 00:39:22.079
 it was my curse,

00:39:22.179 --> 00:39:22.879
 not his,

00:39:22.879 --> 00:39:24.480
 that he bore on the cross.

00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:26.879
 By faith in him,

00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:28.799
 the curse is gone

00:39:28.799 --> 00:39:31.299
 and I am blessed to grow

00:39:31.299 --> 00:39:33.139
 as God's very own,

00:39:34.059 --> 00:39:36.119
 as the Holy Spirit indwells me.

00:39:36.119 --> 00:39:38.739
 You know,

00:39:38.960 --> 00:39:40.599
 you know,

00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.019
 when I,

00:39:41.099 --> 00:39:43.059
 when I really,

00:39:43.159 --> 00:39:43.279
 I mean,

00:39:43.299 --> 00:39:44.779
 I still struggle with it at times,

00:39:44.839 --> 00:39:45.059
 you know,

00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:46.400
 because you can't live your life

00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:47.559
 for 35 years

00:39:47.559 --> 00:39:49.099
 thinking one thing about yourself

00:39:49.099 --> 00:39:50.539
 and just change it like that.

00:39:50.539 --> 00:39:52.820
 And I,

00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:53.059
 I,

00:39:53.340 --> 00:39:53.619
 you know,

00:39:53.699 --> 00:39:55.679
 I need to be gripped by the gospel.

00:39:55.679 --> 00:39:57.639
 I need to be gripped by texts like this.

00:39:57.719 --> 00:39:58.920
 I need to be reminded

00:39:58.920 --> 00:40:00.360
 that every curse,

00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:01.279
 all the doom,

00:40:01.420 --> 00:40:02.420
 fell on him

00:40:02.420 --> 00:40:04.900
 that I might have his destiny,

00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:06.980
 that he loved me so much

00:40:06.980 --> 00:40:08.980
 that he took my doom

00:40:08.980 --> 00:40:09.980
 and my curse

00:40:09.980 --> 00:40:12.079
 so that I could have his blessedness

00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:13.340
 and his destiny,

00:40:13.500 --> 00:40:13.940
 that that,

00:40:14.139 --> 00:40:15.400
 I need to be gripped by that.

00:40:15.480 --> 00:40:16.920
 It needs to be real to my heart.

00:40:17.599 --> 00:40:18.740
 But if you think about it,

00:40:19.099 --> 00:40:20.099
 all of our fears,

00:40:20.220 --> 00:40:22.260
 those of us who struggle with fears

00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:23.400
 that if people got to know me

00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:24.240
 as they really know me,

00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:25.280
 that they wouldn't like me,

00:40:25.360 --> 00:40:26.099
 that everything about me

00:40:26.099 --> 00:40:27.079
 is going to be a failure,

00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:28.840
 that everything I touch

00:40:28.840 --> 00:40:29.840
 will just get dirty,

00:40:29.940 --> 00:40:31.039
 will get soiled,

00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:33.539
 that there's just something broken in me.

00:40:33.980 --> 00:40:35.139
 And at the same time

00:40:35.139 --> 00:40:35.920
 that we believe this,

00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:37.559
 we hate that it will ever be revealed.

00:40:37.720 --> 00:40:39.119
 And it's why it's so easy

00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:40.280
 for us to turn to alcohol

00:40:40.280 --> 00:40:41.659
 or pornography

00:40:41.659 --> 00:40:43.900
 or just some type of addiction

00:40:43.900 --> 00:40:45.940
 or we're putting on false fronts

00:40:45.940 --> 00:40:46.539
 or aggression

00:40:46.539 --> 00:40:47.940
 or bullying types of behavior

00:40:47.940 --> 00:40:49.420
 to keep people far from us.

00:40:49.619 --> 00:40:50.579
 But if you think about it,

00:40:50.659 --> 00:40:53.000
 all of our fears around cursedness

00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:55.440
 is crucifixion.

00:40:57.619 --> 00:41:00.619
 Being naked and perfectly revealed to others,

00:41:00.619 --> 00:41:02.240
 Jesus died on the cross naked.

00:41:03.240 --> 00:41:05.119
 Being publicly mocked,

00:41:05.740 --> 00:41:07.320
 Jesus was publicly mocked

00:41:07.320 --> 00:41:08.519
 as he's dying on the cross.

00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:10.820
 Being mocked by people in authority,

00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:12.460
 the people who know,

00:41:12.599 --> 00:41:14.000
 the people who are successful.

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:15.300
 And not only that,

00:41:15.380 --> 00:41:16.320
 but even being mocked

00:41:16.320 --> 00:41:17.219
 by the rabble,

00:41:17.320 --> 00:41:17.920
 the failures,

00:41:18.219 --> 00:41:20.000
 the people who wander around

00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:21.360
 just by having a drink,

00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:23.480
 the elite and the rabble,

00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:24.800
 all mocking you,

00:41:25.059 --> 00:41:26.199
 all up at front,

00:41:26.539 --> 00:41:27.500
 to be in pain,

00:41:27.619 --> 00:41:28.480
 to be abandoned,

00:41:28.619 --> 00:41:29.940
 to have it all be done in public,

00:41:30.079 --> 00:41:31.019
 to be mocked,

00:41:31.559 --> 00:41:33.039
 to be seen as doomed,

00:41:33.139 --> 00:41:34.480
 to die a death as doomed,

00:41:34.539 --> 00:41:35.260
 as a failure.

00:41:35.400 --> 00:41:36.559
 And all of these are things

00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:37.280
 that in fact,

00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:38.639
 Jesus does.

00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:41.039
 You can see how to die upon the cross

00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:41.879
 is in a sense

00:41:41.879 --> 00:41:43.759
 to be marked as cursed.

00:41:43.960 --> 00:41:45.299
 And the Bible says,

00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:48.199
 what does the Bible say?

00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:50.980
 Christ redeemed us

00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:52.420
 from the curse of the law

00:41:52.420 --> 00:41:55.059
 by becoming a curse for us.

00:41:55.699 --> 00:41:56.519
 For it is written,

00:41:57.299 --> 00:41:58.519
 cursed is everyone

00:41:58.519 --> 00:42:00.039
 who is hanged on a tree.

00:42:00.759 --> 00:42:02.539
 So that in Christ Jesus,

00:42:03.139 --> 00:42:04.579
 the blessing of Abraham

00:42:04.579 --> 00:42:06.319
 might come to you and me

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:08.500
 so that we might receive

00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:10.039
 the promised spirit

00:42:10.039 --> 00:42:11.720
 through faith.

00:42:13.640 --> 00:42:14.840
 If you are in Jesus,

00:42:14.980 --> 00:42:15.800
 you are not cursed.

00:42:17.620 --> 00:42:20.500
 Your curse was born by him.

00:42:21.580 --> 00:42:22.800
 If you are in Jesus,

00:42:23.039 --> 00:42:24.100
 you are not doomed.

00:42:26.240 --> 00:42:29.240
 Your doom was born by him.

00:42:31.660 --> 00:42:32.840
 Your destiny,

00:42:34.019 --> 00:42:36.240
 I don't know if you're going to get

00:42:36.239 --> 00:42:37.859
 the job or all that,

00:42:37.939 --> 00:42:38.859
 but your destiny

00:42:38.859 --> 00:42:42.219
 is that when you die,

00:42:42.899 --> 00:42:44.959
 your eyes will be awake

00:42:44.959 --> 00:42:46.659
 for full the first time.

00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:50.099
 And the creator of all things,

00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:51.639
 your heavenly father,

00:42:52.399 --> 00:42:53.759
 will look at you with love

00:42:53.759 --> 00:42:55.539
 and welcome you

00:42:55.539 --> 00:42:57.799
 to be with him forever.

00:42:58.419 --> 00:43:00.579
 And that is your destiny.

00:43:02.919 --> 00:43:04.459
 And you live your life

00:43:04.459 --> 00:43:05.979
 on the way to your destiny.

00:43:06.239 --> 00:43:08.979
 with the promised Holy Spirit

00:43:08.979 --> 00:43:10.399
 living within you,

00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:12.319
 giving you life.

00:43:13.859 --> 00:43:14.899
 Please stand.

00:43:14.899 --> 00:43:14.939
 Please stand.

00:43:23.939 --> 00:43:24.899
 Let us pray.

00:43:24.900 --> 00:43:31.360
 Father,

00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:33.980
 thank you for Jesus.

00:43:34.519 --> 00:43:35.480
 Thank you for his death

00:43:35.480 --> 00:43:36.340
 upon the cross.

00:43:37.559 --> 00:43:39.460
 Thank you that he bore the curse,

00:43:40.579 --> 00:43:41.380
 my curse,

00:43:42.280 --> 00:43:43.780
 the curse of those who were here

00:43:43.780 --> 00:43:45.160
 that he bore it on the cross.

00:43:46.680 --> 00:43:48.780
 Thank you for this great act of love.

00:43:50.380 --> 00:43:51.260
 Thank you, Father,

00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:52.500
 that when we put our faith

00:43:52.500 --> 00:43:53.559
 and trust in Jesus,

00:43:53.559 --> 00:43:55.579
 that you make us alive,

00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:58.199
 that you redeem us from slavery,

00:43:58.659 --> 00:44:01.260
 that you make us right with yourself,

00:44:02.039 --> 00:44:04.619
 that you give your Holy Spirit

00:44:04.619 --> 00:44:05.820
 to indwell us,

00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:09.559
 that you give us a new destiny

00:44:09.559 --> 00:44:10.539
 and a new future

00:44:10.539 --> 00:44:12.380
 that is certain,

00:44:12.460 --> 00:44:13.900
 not because we're certain,

00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:16.000
 but is certain

00:44:16.000 --> 00:44:17.480
 because you are unchanging

00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:18.099
 and certain

00:44:18.099 --> 00:44:19.000
 and you have promised

00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:19.660
 in your word.

00:44:20.940 --> 00:44:21.240
 And so,

00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:21.539
 Father,

00:44:21.680 --> 00:44:22.800
 may your Holy Spirit

00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:24.780
 so bring us to Jesus

00:44:24.780 --> 00:44:26.059
 and bring us to the gospel.

00:44:26.240 --> 00:44:27.840
 Make us disciples of Jesus

00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:29.960
 who are gripped by the gospel,

00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:32.200
 learning to live

00:44:32.200 --> 00:44:34.139
 blessed by your Holy Spirit

00:44:34.139 --> 00:44:36.660
 that we might be a blessing

00:44:36.660 --> 00:44:38.240
 as we bring you glory

00:44:38.240 --> 00:44:39.220
 here in Ottawa

00:44:39.220 --> 00:44:40.460
 and to the ends of the earth.

00:44:40.760 --> 00:44:41.660
 And we ask this

00:44:41.660 --> 00:44:42.579
 in the name of Jesus.

00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:43.300
 Amen.

00:44:43.300 --> 00:44:43.440
 Amen.