WEBVTT

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 Good morning, everyone.

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 Good morning.

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 My name is Eric.

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 I'm one of the guys here on staff at Watermark.

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 How many of you have seen the new Star Wars?

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 Less than I expected.

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 If you're a guy, we're having a guy's night to go see it Tuesday night.

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 Talk to me about details afterwards.

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 But when I was a kid, I loved Star Wars.

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 My friends loved Star Wars.

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 And there's this one scene where I think it's Han Solo

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 tells someone to shut the professor off in reference to C-3PO.

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 C-3PO is just spouting out all these facts and numbers.

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 And Han Solo gets annoyed and he says, shut the professor off.

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 And some of my friends really loved that line

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 because they thought that I was a little bit too much like C-3PO.

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 So whenever I would start sharing fun facts with them

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 that they didn't think were so fun,

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 they'd just say, somebody shut the professor off.

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 And they would try and get me to stop sharing fun facts.

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 But I enjoy sharing fun facts and weird things like history.

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 And I want to give you a little bit of historical background this morning

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 of the passage that we're looking at

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 so that as we look at the passage,

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 it can make a little bit more sense to you.

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 So I have a map to help me do that.

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 Now this is a map of the ancient Near Eastern world

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 where I'd say probably 95% of the Bible happens within this map.

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 You're looking at modern day Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran,

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 a little bit of Turkey.

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 And this is what we're looking at in the passage today.

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 This darker area was the extent of the Assyrian Empire

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 at their greatest expanse,

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 but they weren't quite this big at this time.

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 And over on the right-hand side of the screen,

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 that red circle right there,

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 is sort of the heart of the Assyrian Empire.

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 And over on the left-hand side, that blue circle is Egypt.

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 And as with big world empires,

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 they wanted to trade with people who were a little bit far away from them.

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 The people in Assyria wanted goods that were made in Egypt.

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 And so they wanted to go from the red circle to the blue circle.

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 And it would seem the easiest way to do that is a straight line, right?

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 The shortest distance between two places is a straight line.

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 There's a problem with taking a straight line.

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 And that yellow circle is a desert.

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 And so if you try to take the straight line through there,

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 you're going to burn up and get dehydrated and die.

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 So what you need to do to get from Assyria over to Egypt,

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 or anywhere in the ancient Near East to Egypt,

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 is you need to take a path that follows the rivers.

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 They've got the Tigris there, the Euphrates there,

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 and then over in Israel, you've got the Jordan.

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 And so you follow the rivers

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 so that you have constant supply of fresh water along the way

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 so that you don't die during your journey.

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 And what that means is that this little stretch of land in Israel,

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 where Israel exists,

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 is a very, very valuable and strategic piece of land for many reasons.

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 One, all of the trade routes between Egypt and the rest of the known world

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 go through this little stretch of land in Israel.

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 If you own this stretch of land,

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 you can tax all the traders and make loads of money.

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 Also, from a military perspective,

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 any troop movement between Europe and Asia on land

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 that's trying to get to Africa,

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 or from Africa trying to get out,

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 needs to go through you.

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 And so if you own this little stretch of land,

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 you have amazing power economically, militarily.

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 It's kind of like the South China Sea of our day.

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 And Assyria is like the China of that South China Sea.

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 And so what you have leading up to this passage

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 is Assyria over here on the right.

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 They're like the China.

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 We can do what we want because we control this area.

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 And then you've got the green countries are Israel and Syria,

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 not to be confused with Assyria.

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 And the yellow one is Judah,

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 which is the southern couple tribes of Israel

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 that broke off from the rest of the nation.

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 And Assyria said,

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 we want to control this strip of land

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 because it will give us power,

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 it will give us control,

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 it will let us collect taxes instead of paying taxes.

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 It will give us amazing versatility

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 when it comes to military movements.

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 This is an important place.

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 And they're setting their sights on this strip of land.

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 And these little guys over here say,

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 uh-oh, we're in trouble.

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 We need to band together

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 so that we can have a fighting chance

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 of standing up to these guys.

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 So what happens is these green countries,

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 Israel and Syria,

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 get together and form an alliance.

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 Say, we're going to fight together against Assyria.

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 We're going to try and hold them off the best we can.

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 Judah, come join us.

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 Help us out.

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 And the king of Judah,

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 a guy named Ahaz,

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 says, I don't want to help you out.

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 I don't know if it was because

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 he just saw, like,

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 this is a losing effort,

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 there's no chance that we're going to survive this,

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 or if he was just like,

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 I don't like these guys,

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 I don't want to be on their side.

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 Either way,

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 he's not interested.

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 And so what Israel and Syria say is,

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 if you don't join our alliance,

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 we're going to come in and destroy your country,

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 A, to encourage you to join us,

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 and B, because we don't want you coming

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 and attacking us from behind

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 as we're trying to fight off this big enemy

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 from the other side.

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 And since Judah doesn't join their alliance,

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 Israel and Syria sweep in

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 and start wiping out the nation of Judah.

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 They're killing tens of thousands of people.

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 They capture hundreds of thousands of people.

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 Cities are being wiped out,

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 and Ahaz, the king of Judah,

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 does not know what to do.

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 And in this moment,

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 God sends a messenger to him,

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 a guy named Isaiah the prophet.

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 And Isaiah has a very important,

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 very simple message

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 for King Ahaz from God.

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 Don't worry.

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 I've got this.

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 I'm going to take care of this.

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 I'm going to get rid of Israel and Syria

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 from your land.

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 All you have to do is trust me.

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 And to prove to you that I'm going to do this,

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 you can ask for any sign,

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 anything that you want.

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 It can be as high as heaven

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 or as deep as the grave.

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 I will give it to you

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 to prove to you that I'm going to keep my word.

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 And King Ahaz says,

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 I will not put the Lord to the test,

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 which sounds really noble, right?

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 That's what Jesus says

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 when Satan tempts him in the desert.

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 But actually it's not.

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 Because what Ahaz is saying is,

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 I don't trust God.

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 I don't want to do

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 what God is telling me to do.

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 I've got this.

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 I can handle this.

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 Leave me alone, God.

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 And he goes to the temple

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 where the Israelites would worship God

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 and he strips down all the gold

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 and all the valuable metals.

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 He melts them down

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 and he sends them with messengers

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 as a gift to the king of Assyria,

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 the big bad guys.

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 And he says,

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 hey, do me a favor.

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 Here's a little gift.

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 Go attack Israel and Syria

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 and just take them out.

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 So the king of Assyria says,

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 okay.

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 And he marches down

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 and he takes out Israel.

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 He takes out Syria.

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 And then he's like,

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 while I'm here,

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 I may as well go take out Judah too.

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 And he starts marching in

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 to take out Judah

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 because Ahaz, the king of Judah,

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 did not trust God

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 and wait for God to rescue him.

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 And now ultimately,

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 they didn't succeed

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 in capturing the capital of Judah

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 at that time.

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 So the nation survived.

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 But the nation is a mess.

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 Their cities are one by one

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 being taken away

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 and conquered and destroyed.

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 And the land is miserable.

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 And it's a situation

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 that the end of Isaiah chapter eight

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 in that last verse,

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 verse 22 describes as,

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 behold, distress and darkness,

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 the gloom of anguish,

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 and they will be thrust

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 into deep or thick darkness.

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 It's a miserable, terrible,

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 heart-wrenching time

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 in the nation of Judah.

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 And it's at this moment

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 that Isaiah steps in

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 with Isaiah chapter nine.

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 And when we see the start,

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 especially of Isaiah chapter nine,

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 in the light of this context,

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 it helps us to understand

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 Isaiah is saying

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 something huge right here.

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 Isaiah steps in

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 and he says,

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 there will be no gloom

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 for her who is in anguish.

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 In the previous verse,

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 we have the gloom of anguish

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 and now we have no gloom

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 for her who is in anguish.

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 If you jump down to verse two,

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 the people who walked in darkness

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 have seen a great light.

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 Instead of this deep darkness,

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 a light is shining on the people.

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 As we go throughout the passage,

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 we see in verse five,

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 the boots of the trampling warrior

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 and the garments

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 that are rolled in blood

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 because it's what they were wearing

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 when they were fighting,

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 it will be burned.

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 Why do you burn your battle equipment?

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 Because you're done fighting.

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 Isaiah says,

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 there is a time coming

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 when you're going to have peace,

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 when you're going to have hope,

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 when you're going to have light

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 in your land.

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 It's not here yet,

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 but it's coming.

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 And it's not dependent

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 on your king

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 doing the right thing right now.

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 No, it's dependent on,

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 verse six,

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 a child who's going to be born.

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 A child who's going to come

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 and it says,

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 the government will be upon his shoulders.

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 He's going to rule this nation

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 and he's going to rule with justice

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 and he's going to bring peace

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 and his rule is going to expand and expand,

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 but that's going to be a good thing

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 because as he rules,

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 he is good.

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 And it gives us four descriptions

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 of what this ruler will be like.

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 It calls him the wonderful counselor,

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 the mighty God,

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 everlasting father,

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 prince of peace.

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 If you were here two weeks ago,

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 Alfie looked at what it means

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 for Jesus to be our wonderful counselor

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 and why we need a wonderful counselor.

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 Last week,

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 if you were here for the charity walk,

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 Chris talked about,

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 a little bit about what it means

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 for Jesus to be the mighty God

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 in our lives.

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 And today we're going to look

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 at what it means

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 for Jesus to be

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 our everlasting father.

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 And what we're going to see

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 is that although we often

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 choose to live

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 like spiritual orphans,

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 Jesus is

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 our everlasting father.

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 And having a perfect,

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 everlasting father

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 gives us freedom

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 to live as the children of God.

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 We're going to take three steps

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 to getting there.

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 First, we're going to talk about

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 becoming an orphan.

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 Second, we're going to talk about

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 living as an orphan.

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 And third,

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 we're going to talk about

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 life with a father.

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 First up,

00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:11.079
 becoming an orphan.

00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:13.559
 So Ahaz,

00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:14.639
 as the king of Judah,

00:11:15.659 --> 00:11:17.460
 was basically supposed to be

00:11:17.460 --> 00:11:18.939
 like a father to the nation.

00:11:18.940 --> 00:11:21.420
 A king was supposed to be

00:11:21.420 --> 00:11:22.600
 a protective caregiver,

00:11:23.180 --> 00:11:24.360
 which is a huge role

00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:25.220
 of a father.

00:11:26.140 --> 00:11:28.780
 But Ahaz was a terrible father,

00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:29.960
 both to the nation

00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:31.360
 and to his own kids.

00:11:32.260 --> 00:11:32.920
 And how do we know

00:11:32.920 --> 00:11:34.080
 that he was a terrible father

00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:34.920
 to his own kids?

00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:36.920
 Because he killed them.

00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:41.240
 The Bible is very clear

00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:42.899
 that God does not want

00:11:42.899 --> 00:11:43.479
 his people

00:11:43.479 --> 00:11:44.539
 worshiping idols.

00:11:44.699 --> 00:11:46.000
 And a big part of that,

00:11:46.179 --> 00:11:47.240
 besides the fact that

00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:48.719
 they're false gods,

00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:49.899
 is that

00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:51.439
 the worship of idols,

00:11:51.620 --> 00:11:53.379
 especially in the Old Testament times,

00:11:53.699 --> 00:11:54.799
 involved doing

00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:56.039
 many terrible things.

00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:56.879
 And one of them

00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.299
 was child sacrifice.

00:11:59.419 --> 00:12:00.399
 And so it says

00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:01.019
 that

00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:02.079
 in

00:12:02.079 --> 00:12:03.099
 2 Kings

00:12:03.099 --> 00:12:04.000
 and 2 Chronicles,

00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:05.299
 when it's talking about Ahaz,

00:12:05.299 --> 00:12:06.279
 it says

00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:07.859
 that he caused his sons

00:12:07.859 --> 00:12:09.219
 to pass through the fire.

00:12:09.339 --> 00:12:09.639
 Basically,

00:12:09.779 --> 00:12:10.919
 they would have this fire burning,

00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:12.179
 you send in your son,

00:12:12.479 --> 00:12:13.819
 and then your son burns up,

00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:14.979
 and it's supposed to be

00:12:14.979 --> 00:12:16.359
 a pleasing sacrifice to God.

00:12:16.579 --> 00:12:17.759
 This guy did that

00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.559
 with his kids.

00:12:19.740 --> 00:12:19.959
 Now,

00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:20.719
 if he's that terrible

00:12:20.719 --> 00:12:21.219
 of a father

00:12:21.219 --> 00:12:21.979
 to his family,

00:12:22.099 --> 00:12:22.839
 how do you expect him

00:12:22.839 --> 00:12:23.599
 to lead the nation?

00:12:25.359 --> 00:12:26.159
 You don't.

00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:28.679
 And so when you look at

00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:29.759
 the way that he rules

00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:30.359
 the nation,

00:12:31.339 --> 00:12:32.259
 this man who's supposed

00:12:32.259 --> 00:12:33.740
 to be the protective caregiver

00:12:33.740 --> 00:12:34.639
 to the nation,

00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:35.320
 who's supposed to be

00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:36.259
 this father figure

00:12:36.259 --> 00:12:36.820
 to the nation,

00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:37.519
 when his nation

00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:38.519
 is under distress,

00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:40.620
 he strips down the temple

00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:42.060
 from everything valuable,

00:12:42.779 --> 00:12:44.060
 he sends it away

00:12:44.060 --> 00:12:45.120
 to the king of Assyria,

00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:46.200
 and the message

00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:46.879
 that he sends

00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:47.919
 to the king of Assyria

00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:49.720
 is,

00:12:50.060 --> 00:12:51.159
 I am your son.

00:12:51.700 --> 00:12:52.940
 Please come rescue me.

00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:55.240
 That's in 2 Kings 16.

00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:56.600
 He says,

00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:57.960
 I am your son.

00:12:58.039 --> 00:12:58.820
 This man who's supposed

00:12:58.820 --> 00:12:59.560
 to be like a father

00:12:59.560 --> 00:13:00.220
 to the nation

00:13:00.220 --> 00:13:01.540
 just abdicates

00:13:01.540 --> 00:13:02.379
 that responsibility

00:13:02.379 --> 00:13:03.040
 and says,

00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:03.860
 you,

00:13:04.060 --> 00:13:04.820
 this foreign nation

00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:05.540
 that God told me

00:13:05.540 --> 00:13:06.580
 not to interact with,

00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:08.700
 you're our father now.

00:13:10.060 --> 00:13:11.460
 Ahaz was not

00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:12.660
 a good king.

00:13:14.300 --> 00:13:15.220
 And why does he,

00:13:15.300 --> 00:13:16.300
 why does he fail

00:13:16.300 --> 00:13:16.980
 so miserably

00:13:16.980 --> 00:13:17.600
 as a father

00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:18.519
 both in his family

00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:19.379
 and in the nation?

00:13:20.560 --> 00:13:22.000
 Because he's living

00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:24.379
 as a spiritual orphan.

00:13:25.160 --> 00:13:26.180
 And here's what I mean

00:13:26.180 --> 00:13:27.060
 when I talk about

00:13:27.060 --> 00:13:28.139
 spiritual orphans.

00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:29.179
 A spiritual orphan

00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:30.259
 is someone

00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:31.600
 who functionally

00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:32.899
 on a day-to-day level

00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:34.199
 does not believe

00:13:34.199 --> 00:13:35.679
 that they have

00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.360
 a perfect heavenly father

00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.259
 who loves them

00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:39.279
 and provides for them.

00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:41.500
 So with Ahaz,

00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:42.720
 he is not trusting God

00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:43.519
 to provide for him

00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.340
 or his country.

00:13:44.779 --> 00:13:46.059
 He's taking matters

00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:47.539
 into his own hands

00:13:47.539 --> 00:13:48.759
 and he is failing

00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:50.319
 his people miserably.

00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:52.840
 And I know

00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:53.819
 as we talk about

00:13:53.819 --> 00:13:55.559
 God as a father

00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:56.399
 and what it means

00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:57.399
 for God to be a father,

00:13:58.139 --> 00:13:58.779
 there are probably

00:13:58.779 --> 00:13:59.740
 a lot of us in here

00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:00.699
 who when we think

00:14:00.699 --> 00:14:01.340
 about the idea

00:14:01.340 --> 00:14:01.960
 of a father,

00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:03.600
 it's a painful thought

00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:06.779
 because our fathers

00:14:06.779 --> 00:14:07.779
 fail us.

00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:08.580
 And I think

00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:09.519
 in Hong Kong

00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.279
 that's probably

00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:12.779
 like accelerated

00:14:12.779 --> 00:14:13.740
 the rate

00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:14.539
 at which fathers

00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:15.559
 fail their children.

00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:17.779
 And I think

00:14:17.779 --> 00:14:18.379
 when we,

00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.159
 we each have a tendency

00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:20.879
 to project

00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:22.259
 our earthly father's

00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:23.480
 failures onto God.

00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:23.519
 God.

00:14:24.180 --> 00:14:25.000
 And so when we hear

00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:26.100
 that God's our father

00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:27.180
 and we know

00:14:27.180 --> 00:14:27.940
 that our fathers

00:14:27.940 --> 00:14:28.980
 failed us so miserably,

00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:29.340
 we think,

00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:29.480
 well,

00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:30.120
 if God's a much

00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:30.800
 bigger father,

00:14:30.920 --> 00:14:32.360
 then he's gonna fail

00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:33.279
 us so much more

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.440
 miserably, right?

00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:36.139
 And I think

00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:36.860
 there are three,

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:38.300
 probably we can group

00:14:38.300 --> 00:14:39.240
 the ways that our fathers

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.320
 fail us into three

00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:41.279
 big categories.

00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.240
 The first one,

00:14:43.300 --> 00:14:44.460
 this is huge in Asia,

00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:45.560
 we'll call the

00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:46.519
 always could be

00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:47.180
 better father.

00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:48.919
 If you come home

00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:50.279
 with a 99 on your exam,

00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:51.379
 why didn't you get 100?

00:14:52.359 --> 00:14:53.239
 If you got accepted

00:14:53.239 --> 00:14:53.639
 to Harvard,

00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.339
 why didn't they give

00:14:54.339 --> 00:14:55.079
 you a full ride?

00:14:56.299 --> 00:14:57.599
 No matter how much

00:14:57.599 --> 00:14:58.139
 you accomplish,

00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:58.959
 no matter how much

00:14:58.959 --> 00:14:59.299
 you do,

00:14:59.459 --> 00:15:01.439
 it is never good enough.

00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:03.599
 The always could be

00:15:03.599 --> 00:15:04.219
 better father

00:15:04.219 --> 00:15:05.359
 pushes his children

00:15:05.359 --> 00:15:06.319
 beyond what they

00:15:06.319 --> 00:15:07.279
 are capable of,

00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:09.639
 always expects more,

00:15:09.959 --> 00:15:10.819
 and their children

00:15:10.819 --> 00:15:12.959
 always live in fear

00:15:12.959 --> 00:15:13.819
 of disappointing

00:15:13.819 --> 00:15:14.759
 their father.

00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:17.000
 Second up,

00:15:17.179 --> 00:15:18.359
 the angry father.

00:15:19.979 --> 00:15:21.339
 Anything can make

00:15:21.339 --> 00:15:22.879
 him go wild.

00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:25.779
 His kids live in fear

00:15:25.779 --> 00:15:26.659
 of doing something

00:15:26.659 --> 00:15:27.939
 to set him off.

00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:30.139
 Violence or yelling

00:15:30.139 --> 00:15:31.439
 can come out of this.

00:15:33.359 --> 00:15:34.579
 I went to university

00:15:34.579 --> 00:15:35.259
 with a guy

00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:36.799
 who had an angry father.

00:15:37.579 --> 00:15:38.319
 He shared with us

00:15:38.319 --> 00:15:39.139
 about how when he was

00:15:39.139 --> 00:15:39.599
 a kid,

00:15:39.699 --> 00:15:40.759
 his dad would beat

00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:41.359
 his mom,

00:15:42.479 --> 00:15:44.159
 and he was too small

00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:44.779
 or powerless

00:15:44.779 --> 00:15:45.419
 to do anything

00:15:45.419 --> 00:15:46.039
 to stop it,

00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:47.059
 so all he would do

00:15:47.059 --> 00:15:48.759
 is sit there

00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.479
 and watch.

00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:52.019
 And the thing

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:52.759
 that makes this story

00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:53.699
 even more sad

00:15:53.699 --> 00:15:55.659
 is that this kid's

00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:56.559
 parents were missionaries.

00:15:57.699 --> 00:15:59.079
 So his idea

00:15:59.079 --> 00:15:59.679
 growing up

00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.419
 of what it means

00:16:00.419 --> 00:16:01.579
 to be a man

00:16:01.579 --> 00:16:02.539
 who loves and serves

00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:03.219
 God is that

00:16:03.219 --> 00:16:04.399
 you beat your wife.

00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:07.339
 When you take

00:16:07.339 --> 00:16:08.459
 that idea of a father

00:16:08.459 --> 00:16:09.079
 and project it

00:16:09.079 --> 00:16:09.479
 onto God,

00:16:09.579 --> 00:16:10.179
 how do you think

00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:10.939
 that impacts

00:16:10.939 --> 00:16:11.619
 the way that you

00:16:11.619 --> 00:16:12.219
 see God

00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:12.879
 as a father?

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:16.920
 So we have

00:16:16.920 --> 00:16:17.460
 the always

00:16:17.460 --> 00:16:18.660
 could be better father,

00:16:19.180 --> 00:16:20.360
 we have the angry father,

00:16:20.680 --> 00:16:21.320
 and then third,

00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:22.860
 we have the absent father.

00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:24.899
 And this is another one

00:16:24.899 --> 00:16:26.420
 that's huge in Hong Kong.

00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:28.740
 Some fathers are absent

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.639
 because they simply

00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:30.740
 abandon their families.

00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:34.379
 Some are absent

00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:35.600
 in Hong Kong

00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:36.300
 because they have

00:16:36.300 --> 00:16:37.080
 a second family

00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:37.800
 across the border

00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.419
 and they're just

00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:39.179
 spending their time

00:16:39.179 --> 00:16:40.019
 with the second family

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:40.620
 instead of with

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:41.299
 their own family.

00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:44.120
 Some,

00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.439
 this is a huge way

00:16:46.439 --> 00:16:47.439
 that fathers are absent

00:16:47.439 --> 00:16:48.079
 in Hong Kong,

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.219
 is workaholism.

00:16:50.259 --> 00:16:51.639
 They spend all their time

00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:52.419
 at the office,

00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:53.299
 at their job,

00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:54.559
 traveling for work,

00:16:54.599 --> 00:16:55.240
 and never actually

00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:56.259
 have time to be

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:57.159
 with their kids.

00:16:59.339 --> 00:17:00.699
 And then some fathers

00:17:00.699 --> 00:17:01.439
 in Hong Kong

00:17:01.439 --> 00:17:03.399
 spend lots of time

00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:03.939
 with their families,

00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:04.919
 spend lots of time

00:17:04.919 --> 00:17:05.619
 with their kids,

00:17:05.619 --> 00:17:07.839
 but they're so tired

00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.599
 and stressed

00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:09.219
 from the time

00:17:09.219 --> 00:17:10.099
 they've been at work

00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:11.579
 that during that time

00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:12.359
 they turn to things

00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:13.039
 like alcohol

00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.479
 or television to cope.

00:17:14.879 --> 00:17:15.279
 And even though

00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.379
 they're physically present,

00:17:16.739 --> 00:17:17.299
 they're mentally

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:18.539
 and emotionally absent.

00:17:19.679 --> 00:17:21.000
 Our fathers fail us

00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:21.859
 in many ways

00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:23.839
 and we have a tendency

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.219
 to project those failures

00:17:26.219 --> 00:17:27.519
 onto God.

00:17:28.459 --> 00:17:28.639
 You know,

00:17:28.679 --> 00:17:29.000
 for me,

00:17:29.099 --> 00:17:30.500
 I had great parents

00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:30.859
 growing up.

00:17:30.939 --> 00:17:32.419
 They're still great parents.

00:17:32.879 --> 00:17:34.119
 If they listen to the podcast,

00:17:34.239 --> 00:17:34.819
 hi mom and dad,

00:17:34.879 --> 00:17:35.479
 you're fantastic.

00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:38.019
 But they weren't perfect.

00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:40.379
 My parents,

00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:41.719
 when I was in school,

00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:42.719
 always told me,

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:44.219
 whatever grades you get,

00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:44.739
 we're happy

00:17:44.739 --> 00:17:46.699
 as long as you do your best.

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.859
 And for me,

00:17:48.939 --> 00:17:50.239
 my best was straight A's.

00:17:50.479 --> 00:17:52.219
 And I got straight A's.

00:17:53.699 --> 00:17:54.219
 But,

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:56.319
 even though they were happy

00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:57.000
 with my grades,

00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:58.739
 I was always living

00:17:58.739 --> 00:17:59.919
 a little bit nervous,

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:00.899
 a little bit in fear.

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:02.799
 Because first off,

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:05.539
 if I got a 95 on a project

00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:06.759
 and I knew that I could have

00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:07.619
 gotten a 97

00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:09.339
 by working just a tiny bit harder,

00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:11.899
 I knew that 95 wasn't my best.

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.779
 I think I grew up

00:18:13.779 --> 00:18:14.460
 on the wrong continent.

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.940
 And I would live in fear

00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:20.299
 that they would find out

00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:22.519
 that 95 was not truly my best

00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:23.720
 and be disappointed with me

00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:24.460
 for my 95.

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:24.660
 95.

00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:27.460
 I lived in constant fear

00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:29.100
 that I would get an assignment back

00:18:29.100 --> 00:18:30.460
 and that rather than an A,

00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:32.079
 it would be a C or a B.

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.700
 Because I knew

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:35.640
 that they knew

00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:37.000
 that I was capable of an A

00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:38.299
 and I was always afraid

00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:39.539
 that I would fall short,

00:18:40.420 --> 00:18:41.779
 that I wouldn't live up

00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:42.720
 to what they knew

00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.960
 that I was capable of.

00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:47.860
 And I lived,

00:18:48.620 --> 00:18:50.960
 these fears were reality to me.

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:53.079
 And as I grew up,

00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:55.059
 I took these fears

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.420
 and projected them

00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:58.100
 onto my relationship with God.

00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:00.420
 Because I knew that for God,

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:02.660
 my standard is not do your best,

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:04.220
 the standard is perfection.

00:19:05.600 --> 00:19:06.259
 And so even though

00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:07.860
 I was one of the best behaved kids

00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:08.340
 in my school,

00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:09.539
 one of the best behaved kids

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:10.059
 in my church,

00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:11.340
 I knew on the inside

00:19:11.340 --> 00:19:12.600
 that I fall short

00:19:12.600 --> 00:19:13.299
 of that standard.

00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.299
 I knew on the inside

00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:18.440
 that I have not done enough

00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:20.140
 to live up to God's standard.

00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:21.380
 And rather than understanding

00:19:21.380 --> 00:19:21.920
 the gospel

00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:22.940
 and seeing that

00:19:22.940 --> 00:19:23.740
 that's the whole point,

00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:25.140
 that I can't live up to it,

00:19:25.340 --> 00:19:26.059
 but he loves me

00:19:26.059 --> 00:19:27.140
 and accepts me anyways,

00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:30.360
 I had this feeling of shame

00:19:30.360 --> 00:19:32.720
 that just followed me everywhere

00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:34.779
 because I hadn't lived up

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:35.480
 to the standard

00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:36.680
 that I needed to.

00:19:38.180 --> 00:19:40.079
 And I would put in effort,

00:19:40.380 --> 00:19:41.920
 trying so hard

00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:43.319
 to do better

00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:45.679
 so that God could love me

00:19:45.679 --> 00:19:46.500
 and accept me.

00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:48.599
 And rather than enjoying

00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:50.019
 being God's son

00:19:50.019 --> 00:19:51.139
 and getting to enjoy

00:19:51.139 --> 00:19:52.480
 that relationship with him,

00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.139
 I ended up living my life

00:19:54.139 --> 00:19:54.859
 as a show,

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:56.720
 terrified on the inside

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.460
 that God is out to get me,

00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:01.200
 but smiling on the outside

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:02.139
 because I didn't want

00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:03.259
 anyone else to know

00:20:03.259 --> 00:20:05.000
 that that's how I really felt.

00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:08.539
 and it was because

00:20:08.539 --> 00:20:09.279
 I had taken

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.880
 this false understanding

00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:11.640
 of my relationship

00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:12.660
 with my earthly parents

00:20:12.660 --> 00:20:13.680
 and projected it

00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:14.700
 onto God

00:20:14.700 --> 00:20:15.799
 as my father.

00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:18.980
 And I think each of us

00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:20.180
 does that to some extent

00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:21.299
 and because of that,

00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:22.319
 each of us

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.180
 has a tendency

00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:24.240
 to live

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.799
 at least somewhat

00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:27.700
 as a spiritual orphan.

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:31.039
 So what does it look like

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.880
 to live as an orphan?

00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:36.299
 I have these friends.

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:36.900
 They're adopting

00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:37.519
 a little kid.

00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:38.960
 He's like two.

00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:41.100
 And they had the chance

00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:42.279
 to go and meet this kid.

00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:43.559
 They took him out

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:43.960
 for dinner

00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:45.140
 and they're so excited

00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:45.759
 because like,

00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:46.720
 this is going to be

00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:47.440
 our son.

00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:49.600
 And this is our first chance

00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:50.460
 to get to know

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.559
 our son.

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.799
 And they're at this restaurant

00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:54.819
 getting ready for dinner

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:56.259
 and they've ordered

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:56.720
 their food

00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.220
 and they're sitting

00:20:57.220 --> 00:20:57.679
 there waiting

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.980
 and as a two-year-old

00:20:58.980 --> 00:20:59.759
 he sort of gets up

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:00.379
 and starts wandering

00:21:00.379 --> 00:21:01.059
 around the restaurant

00:21:01.059 --> 00:21:01.700
 because that's what

00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:02.460
 two-year-olds do.

00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:04.359
 But as he wanders

00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:05.099
 around the restaurant

00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:06.159
 he walks up

00:21:06.159 --> 00:21:06.919
 to different tables

00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:08.279
 and just starts staring

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:09.200
 and smiling at the people

00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.539
 there,

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:10.399
 waving a little bit,

00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:12.059
 only he's like this tall

00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:13.139
 so he's looking up

00:21:13.139 --> 00:21:13.879
 and waving at them.

00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.279
 And everyone,

00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:15.779
 of course,

00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.579
 it's a two-year-old,

00:21:16.659 --> 00:21:17.139
 they're smiling

00:21:17.139 --> 00:21:17.980
 and waving back

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:19.019
 and he's sort of

00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:19.879
 looking between them

00:21:19.879 --> 00:21:20.619
 and the food

00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:21.359
 and them

00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.059
 and the food

00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:23.339
 and at a couple tables

00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:24.299
 they like grabbed

00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.180
 a little piece of food

00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:25.899
 and gave it to him

00:21:25.899 --> 00:21:26.579
 as a snack.

00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:27.899
 And my friends,

00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:28.440
 they're watching

00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:30.359
 their son-to-be

00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:31.099
 and they're like,

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:32.019
 this is so cute,

00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.039
 he's so outgoing

00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:33.899
 and friendly.

00:21:34.419 --> 00:21:35.079
 They realize

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:35.919
 at a couple tables

00:21:35.919 --> 00:21:36.680
 he would walk up

00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:37.159
 and if the people

00:21:37.159 --> 00:21:38.059
 didn't offer him food

00:21:38.059 --> 00:21:38.700
 he would just reach up

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.259
 and grab it.

00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:39.980
 But again,

00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.700
 he's two,

00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:42.079
 no one's mad about that.

00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.500
 And they thought,

00:21:44.639 --> 00:21:45.859
 this is so fantastic,

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.180
 our kid is so outgoing.

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:48.839
 And then as they

00:21:48.839 --> 00:21:49.460
 got home

00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:50.099
 and started doing

00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:50.680
 more research

00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:51.279
 about adoption

00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:51.919
 they realized,

00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:52.480
 actually,

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.720
 this behavior

00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:55.220
 is an orphan tendency.

00:21:56.900 --> 00:21:57.640
 Because I,

00:21:57.740 --> 00:21:58.339
 as a two-year-old,

00:21:58.380 --> 00:21:59.400
 would never have done that.

00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:00.500
 Because I,

00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:01.279
 as a two-year-old,

00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:02.579
 knew that if I stayed

00:22:02.579 --> 00:22:03.420
 at my parents' table

00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:04.519
 I had a meal coming.

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:07.120
 But for a two-year-old orphan,

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:08.220
 they don't know

00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:09.140
 that their parents

00:22:09.140 --> 00:22:10.059
 are going to give them

00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:10.339
 a meal

00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:11.279
 because they don't

00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.160
 have parents.

00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:13.579
 And so they feel

00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:13.980
 the need

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:15.099
 to walk around

00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:17.120
 and grab scraps

00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:17.900
 off the tables

00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:18.460
 of strangers

00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:20.660
 because they can't rely

00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:21.380
 on their parents

00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:21.880
 to provide.

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:25.019
 And when we live

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.080
 as spiritual orphans,

00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:26.640
 what we do

00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:27.840
 is we look at God,

00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:28.460
 our Father,

00:22:29.080 --> 00:22:31.480
 and we don't trust

00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:32.440
 Him to provide.

00:22:32.580 --> 00:22:33.660
 And we feel the need

00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.880
 to provide for ourselves

00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:35.820
 by going around

00:22:35.820 --> 00:22:36.900
 and grabbing scraps

00:22:36.900 --> 00:22:37.680
 off the table

00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:38.580
 of strangers

00:22:38.580 --> 00:22:39.400
 in the world.

00:22:41.320 --> 00:22:42.620
 We choose to live

00:22:42.620 --> 00:22:43.060
 as an orphan

00:22:43.060 --> 00:22:43.860
 when we sacrifice

00:22:43.860 --> 00:22:44.960
 the feast

00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:45.800
 that our Father

00:22:45.800 --> 00:22:46.980
 wants to give to us

00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:48.160
 and trade it in

00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:49.060
 for scraps

00:22:49.059 --> 00:22:49.940
 and leftovers.

00:22:50.919 --> 00:22:51.940
 Like I said before,

00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:52.859
 the main question

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.679
 of a spiritual orphan

00:22:53.679 --> 00:22:55.500
 is do I really believe

00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:56.579
 that I have

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:57.500
 a heavenly dad

00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:58.799
 who loves me

00:22:58.799 --> 00:22:59.679
 and cares for me?

00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:01.399
 And the reality is

00:23:01.399 --> 00:23:02.139
 as long as we answer

00:23:02.139 --> 00:23:03.200
 yes to that question,

00:23:03.619 --> 00:23:04.399
 we're going to be

00:23:04.399 --> 00:23:05.379
 incredibly loving,

00:23:05.619 --> 00:23:06.539
 incredibly patient,

00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.619
 incredibly generous people.

00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:09.399
 But the moment

00:23:09.399 --> 00:23:10.399
 we start to believe

00:23:10.399 --> 00:23:10.960
 that the answer

00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:11.700
 to that question

00:23:11.700 --> 00:23:12.379
 is no

00:23:12.379 --> 00:23:13.440
 or maybe,

00:23:14.659 --> 00:23:15.460
 we start feeling

00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:15.859
 the need

00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:16.980
 to fend for ourselves,

00:23:17.139 --> 00:23:18.240
 to defend ourselves,

00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.240
 to reach out

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:19.759
 and grasp

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:20.240
 for anything

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:20.819
 that we can get

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:21.400
 because we are

00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.099
 the only ones

00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:22.519
 who are going

00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.640
 to care for ourselves.

00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:26.559
 So living as

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:27.759
 a spiritual orphan

00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.240
 means being controlling

00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:30.039
 and manipulative

00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:30.839
 at work

00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:32.740
 because God

00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:34.180
 might not provide

00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:34.859
 for my family

00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:36.500
 so I need to maneuver

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:38.319
 for promotions

00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:39.259
 and for tearing

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:40.140
 other people down.

00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:41.440
 If I make a mistake,

00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:42.200
 I need to make sure

00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:42.960
 that it can get pinned

00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:43.640
 on someone else

00:23:43.640 --> 00:23:44.500
 so that my job

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.500
 is not in danger.

00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:48.480
 spiritual orphans

00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:49.160
 live incredibly

00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:50.680
 stressed and anxious

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.599
 lives.

00:23:52.859 --> 00:23:53.460
 A parent

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:54.000
 who's living

00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.980
 as a spiritual orphan

00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:56.700
 is going to lose sleep

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.880
 about whether their kid

00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:58.460
 can get into

00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.420
 that top university

00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:01.380
 because I've done

00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:01.980
 all I can

00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:02.859
 and I don't know

00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:03.539
 that God's going

00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:04.539
 to take care of them.

00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:05.819
 Actually,

00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:06.779
 when we looked earlier

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.680
 at the different ways

00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:08.960
 that our fathers fail us,

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:10.079
 that absent father,

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.000
 the angry father,

00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:11.579
 and the always

00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.519
 could be better father,

00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:14.240
 each of them

00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:15.960
 responds in those ways

00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:16.680
 as a father

00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:20.000
 because of their

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.099
 orphan tendencies

00:24:21.099 --> 00:24:21.759
 themselves.

00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:24.599
 The always

00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.779
 could be better father

00:24:25.779 --> 00:24:26.379
 feels the need

00:24:26.379 --> 00:24:26.879
 to constantly

00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:27.900
 push his children

00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:28.539
 to excel

00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.599
 beyond their capacity

00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:31.879
 because he believes

00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:32.339
 their future

00:24:32.339 --> 00:24:32.879
 will be ruined

00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:33.619
 if he doesn't

00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:35.619
 because he doesn't

00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.240
 believe that he has

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:36.920
 a perfect father

00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:37.400
 who's going to

00:24:37.400 --> 00:24:38.019
 provide for them.

00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:41.059
 The angry father

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:43.460
 feels the need

00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:44.440
 to try and grasp

00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:45.259
 for control

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.299
 of his world

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.460
 through anger

00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:48.940
 because he doesn't

00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:50.179
 believe that he has

00:24:50.179 --> 00:24:51.519
 a perfect heavenly father

00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.960
 who's in control

00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:53.720
 and who's good

00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:54.440
 with that control.

00:24:55.899 --> 00:24:57.419
 The absent father

00:24:57.419 --> 00:24:58.319
 feels the need

00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:58.839
 to escape

00:24:58.839 --> 00:24:59.720
 from the realities

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:00.299
 of life

00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:01.339
 because he doesn't

00:25:01.339 --> 00:25:03.039
 believe that he has

00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:04.399
 a perfect father

00:25:04.399 --> 00:25:05.179
 who's going to

00:25:05.179 --> 00:25:05.700
 bring him

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.779
 through these realities

00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:08.039
 to something better.

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:10.519
 every time

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.139
 we choose

00:25:11.139 --> 00:25:11.700
 to react

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.420
 in anger

00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.240
 anxiety

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:14.480
 stress

00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:15.159
 fear

00:25:15.159 --> 00:25:16.420
 grasping for control

00:25:16.420 --> 00:25:17.119
 defensiveness

00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:18.139
 the list could go on

00:25:18.139 --> 00:25:18.819
 what we're doing

00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:19.539
 is we're showing

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.740
 symptoms of the fact

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:22.859
 that we believe

00:25:22.859 --> 00:25:24.559
 we are spiritual orphans

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.659
 who need to look

00:25:25.659 --> 00:25:26.440
 after ourselves

00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:27.700
 and grab scraps

00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:28.680
 from the table

00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:29.440
 of life

00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.859
 rather than enjoy

00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:31.500
 the feast

00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:32.559
 that our father

00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:33.619
 wants to provide

00:25:33.619 --> 00:25:34.180
 for us.

00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:36.339
 So what does it

00:25:36.339 --> 00:25:36.759
 look like

00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:37.480
 to start living

00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:39.240
 as children of God

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:40.160
 to start seeing

00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:41.079
 Jesus as

00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:42.460
 our everlasting

00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.220
 father?

00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:46.740
 We will only

00:25:46.740 --> 00:25:47.980
 ever begin

00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:49.740
 to live

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.859
 as children of God

00:25:50.859 --> 00:25:52.500
 when we begin

00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:53.339
 to see living

00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:54.680
 as children of God

00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:55.900
 as more beautiful

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:57.980
 than what the world

00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:59.000
 can offer us.

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.000
 You know

00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:01.680
 today's passage

00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.539
 talks about Jesus

00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:03.680
 as an everlasting father

00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:04.160
 and if you've been

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:04.539
 in church

00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:05.039
 for any amount

00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:05.339
 of time

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:05.939
 that might be

00:26:05.939 --> 00:26:06.779
 confusing to you

00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:08.059
 because in church

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:08.559
 we talk about

00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:08.980
 the Trinity

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:09.819
 there's one God

00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:10.659
 with three persons

00:26:10.659 --> 00:26:11.419
 the Father, Son,

00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:12.099
 the Holy Spirit

00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:13.119
 and in the Trinity

00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:14.199
 Jesus is the Son

00:26:14.199 --> 00:26:14.919
 and if you ever

00:26:14.919 --> 00:26:15.659
 study the Trinity

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:16.319
 one of the big

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:16.879
 things you learn

00:26:16.879 --> 00:26:17.980
 the Father is not

00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.399
 the Son

00:26:18.399 --> 00:26:19.139
 the Son is not

00:26:19.139 --> 00:26:19.639
 the Father

00:26:19.639 --> 00:26:21.059
 get that drilled

00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:21.659
 into your head

00:26:21.659 --> 00:26:22.899
 and here

00:26:22.899 --> 00:26:23.919
 it's referring to

00:26:23.919 --> 00:26:24.799
 Jesus the Son

00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.419
 and it's calling

00:26:25.419 --> 00:26:26.000
 him a Father

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:27.339
 what is going on?

00:26:28.439 --> 00:26:29.480
 But what's going on

00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:29.759
 here

00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:30.779
 is that it's not

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.259
 talking about

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.220
 how Jesus relates

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:32.720
 to God

00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:33.380
 within the Trinity

00:26:33.380 --> 00:26:34.940
 it's talking about

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:35.980
 how Jesus relates

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.660
 to us

00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:38.559
 because to us

00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:39.660
 he's a provider

00:26:39.660 --> 00:26:41.100
 he's a protector

00:26:41.100 --> 00:26:43.039
 he's doing the things

00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:43.860
 that a father

00:26:43.860 --> 00:26:45.100
 is supposed to do

00:26:45.100 --> 00:26:46.799
 and so even though

00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.480
 in the Trinity

00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:48.980
 he's the Son

00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:50.720
 it still tells us

00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:51.799
 that we can look at him

00:26:51.799 --> 00:26:53.180
 as the everlasting

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:53.880
 Father

00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:55.900
 and at Christmas season

00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:56.799
 we celebrate

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.920
 his birth

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:59.420
 which if you ever

00:26:59.420 --> 00:26:59.920
 think about it

00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.140
 is incredible

00:27:01.140 --> 00:27:02.680
 that the God

00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:03.740
 who made

00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:04.700
 the world

00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:05.940
 and the stars

00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:07.140
 and the entire universe

00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:09.320
 by speaking

00:27:09.320 --> 00:27:11.160
 would step down

00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:12.100
 and wrap himself

00:27:12.100 --> 00:27:13.080
 in human flesh

00:27:13.080 --> 00:27:13.960
 and live life

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:14.800
 as one of us

00:27:14.800 --> 00:27:17.220
 that's mind-boggling

00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:18.539
 just sit down

00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:19.519
 and spend five minutes

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:20.519
 trying to comprehend it

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:20.940
 and you will have

00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:21.440
 a headache

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:23.460
 because Christmas

00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:25.500
 is so incredible

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:27.200
 if you look at

00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:28.360
 what God did there

00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:31.339
 but Christmas

00:27:31.339 --> 00:27:32.240
 isn't the full story

00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.240
 Christmas actually

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:34.339
 has very little power

00:27:34.339 --> 00:27:34.799
 for us

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.559
 if it's separated

00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:36.819
 from Good Friday

00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:37.500
 and Easter

00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:39.419
 because what we see

00:27:39.419 --> 00:27:40.119
 in Good Friday

00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:40.639
 and Easter

00:27:40.639 --> 00:27:41.679
 is that Jesus

00:27:41.679 --> 00:27:43.159
 is the perfect

00:27:43.159 --> 00:27:44.319
 everlasting Father

00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:45.659
 that we all

00:27:45.659 --> 00:27:46.500
 long for

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:47.219
 and need

00:27:47.219 --> 00:27:49.599
 in Good Friday

00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:50.379
 Jesus

00:27:50.379 --> 00:27:51.500
 our Father

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.179
 protector

00:27:52.179 --> 00:27:53.159
 steps up

00:27:53.159 --> 00:27:53.919
 and fights

00:27:53.919 --> 00:27:54.939
 the battle for us

00:27:54.939 --> 00:27:55.699
 against our two

00:27:55.699 --> 00:27:56.579
 greatest enemies

00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:57.459
 sin and death

00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:58.600
 that we could never

00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:59.539
 fight on our own

00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:01.559
 and he conquers them

00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:02.600
 how do we know

00:28:02.600 --> 00:28:03.640
 that he conquers them

00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:04.880
 because on Easter

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:06.759
 he rises from the dead

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:09.940
 death cannot hold him

00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:11.460
 sin cannot overcome him

00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:13.140
 and as he overcomes them

00:28:13.140 --> 00:28:14.720
 he sets us free

00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:17.840
 he is our Father

00:28:17.840 --> 00:28:19.420
 who has stepped down

00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:20.700
 who has left

00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.440
 the comfort

00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:23.100
 of his comfy

00:28:23.100 --> 00:28:24.220
 lazy boy lounge chair

00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:24.620
 in heaven

00:28:24.619 --> 00:28:26.039
 and come down

00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:26.639
 to enter into

00:28:26.639 --> 00:28:27.179
 the mess

00:28:27.179 --> 00:28:27.959
 of our world

00:28:27.959 --> 00:28:28.779
 and deal

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.859
 with every single

00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:30.419
 last one

00:28:30.419 --> 00:28:31.119
 of our problems

00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:32.059
 at the greatest

00:28:32.059 --> 00:28:33.359
 possible cost

00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:34.059
 to himself

00:28:34.059 --> 00:28:35.459
 his life

00:28:35.459 --> 00:28:38.359
 through Jesus

00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:39.139
 life

00:28:39.139 --> 00:28:39.579
 death

00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:40.299
 and resurrection

00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:41.599
 he sets himself

00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:42.039
 apart

00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:43.299
 from our earthly

00:28:43.299 --> 00:28:43.659
 fathers

00:28:43.659 --> 00:28:44.799
 and all the ways

00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.000
 that they fail us

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:46.519
 see I think

00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:47.779
 we have a tendency

00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:48.519
 to project

00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:49.279
 our earthly

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.759
 fathers

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.339
 flaws

00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:51.039
 onto God

00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:52.000
 but the reality

00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.420
 is

00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:53.480
 that our earthly

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:53.940
 fathers

00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:54.779
 are flawed

00:28:54.779 --> 00:28:55.480
 imitations

00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:56.680
 of the true

00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:57.519
 perfect father

00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:58.279
 that we have

00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:58.799
 in Jesus

00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:00.659
 and how do we

00:29:00.659 --> 00:29:01.099
 know this

00:29:01.099 --> 00:29:02.579
 because of the cross

00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:03.899
 the cross

00:29:03.899 --> 00:29:04.480
 tells us

00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:04.940
 that Jesus

00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:05.559
 is not

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.099
 the always

00:29:06.099 --> 00:29:06.619
 could be

00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:07.299
 better father

00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:09.019
 he's the

00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:09.879
 accepting father

00:29:09.879 --> 00:29:11.119
 who sees

00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:11.899
 every single

00:29:11.899 --> 00:29:12.500
 last one

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:13.099
 of our flaws

00:29:13.099 --> 00:29:13.859
 and rather than

00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:14.519
 judging us

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:15.220
 and despising

00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:15.940
 us for it

00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:17.359
 steps down

00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:17.960
 and pays

00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:18.519
 the price

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.440
 for our failures

00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.220
 at the cost

00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:21.160
 of his own

00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:21.700
 life

00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:22.500
 so that we

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.160
 can be

00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:23.840
 accepted

00:29:23.840 --> 00:29:24.759
 and not

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:25.360
 have to live

00:29:25.360 --> 00:29:25.880
 in fear

00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:27.220
 of letting

00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:27.620
 our father

00:29:27.620 --> 00:29:27.960
 down

00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:30.259
 rather than

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.779
 the angry

00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:31.180
 father

00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:31.860
 he is the

00:29:31.860 --> 00:29:32.519
 abounding

00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:33.200
 in love

00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:33.640
 father

00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:34.880
 who although

00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.480
 he has

00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:36.620
 every right

00:29:36.620 --> 00:29:37.380
 to be

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:38.100
 furious

00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:38.900
 at us

00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:40.420
 steps down

00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:41.080
 in love

00:29:41.080 --> 00:29:42.720
 and bears

00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.480
 the consequences

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.420
 for our sin

00:29:44.420 --> 00:29:45.500
 on himself

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:48.080
 rather than

00:29:48.080 --> 00:29:48.660
 the absent

00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:49.160
 father

00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:50.340
 he is

00:29:50.340 --> 00:29:51.440
 the always

00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:52.300
 present

00:29:52.300 --> 00:29:52.980
 father

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:56.800
 who came

00:29:56.800 --> 00:29:57.480
 to earth

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:58.240
 as one

00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:58.580
 of us

00:29:58.580 --> 00:29:59.140
 living

00:29:59.140 --> 00:29:59.800
 as one

00:29:59.800 --> 00:30:00.080
 of us

00:30:00.080 --> 00:30:00.320
 so that

00:30:00.320 --> 00:30:00.620
 we can

00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.180
 see him

00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:01.640
 and know

00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:01.820
 him

00:30:01.820 --> 00:30:02.200
 and then

00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:02.560
 when he

00:30:02.560 --> 00:30:02.920
 went back

00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:03.320
 to heaven

00:30:03.320 --> 00:30:04.140
 sent his

00:30:04.140 --> 00:30:04.560
 spirit

00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:04.980
 to live

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:05.300
 inside

00:30:05.300 --> 00:30:05.580
 of us

00:30:05.580 --> 00:30:06.180
 so that

00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:06.680
 the bible

00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:07.160
 tells us

00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:07.420
 that if

00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:07.680
 we are

00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:08.120
 Christians

00:30:08.120 --> 00:30:08.900
 he is

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:09.300
 living

00:30:09.300 --> 00:30:10.060
 inside

00:30:10.060 --> 00:30:10.600
 of us

00:30:10.600 --> 00:30:11.360
 right now

00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:12.019
 empowering

00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:12.380
 us

00:30:12.380 --> 00:30:13.200
 for our

00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:13.680
 day to

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:14.200
 day life

00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:14.740
 following

00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:15.080
 him

00:30:15.080 --> 00:30:16.580
 see in

00:30:16.580 --> 00:30:16.940
 contrast

00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.980
 to our

00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:18.320
 flawed

00:30:18.320 --> 00:30:18.700
 fathers

00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:19.360
 he is

00:30:19.360 --> 00:30:19.940
 the

00:30:19.940 --> 00:30:20.779
 awesome

00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:21.460
 father

00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:24.660
 he is

00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:25.259
 trustworthy

00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:27.420
 he is

00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:28.019
 reliable

00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:29.539
 he is

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.720
 everlasting

00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:31.580
 he will

00:30:31.580 --> 00:30:32.100
 never

00:30:32.100 --> 00:30:33.100
 fail us

00:30:33.099 --> 00:30:34.759
 and if

00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:34.919
 you are

00:30:34.919 --> 00:30:35.379
 here today

00:30:35.379 --> 00:30:35.740
 and you

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:36.139
 don't

00:30:36.139 --> 00:30:36.339
 know

00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:36.639
 God

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:36.919
 as a

00:30:36.919 --> 00:30:37.199
 father

00:30:37.199 --> 00:30:38.699
 this

00:30:38.699 --> 00:30:39.039
 talk

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:39.279
 of

00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:39.879
 having

00:30:39.879 --> 00:30:40.099
 God

00:30:40.099 --> 00:30:40.339
 as a

00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:40.539
 father

00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:40.919
 seems

00:30:40.919 --> 00:30:41.439
 confusing

00:30:41.439 --> 00:30:41.959
 or foreign

00:30:41.959 --> 00:30:42.399
 to you

00:30:42.399 --> 00:30:43.419
 I encourage

00:30:43.419 --> 00:30:43.719
 you to

00:30:43.719 --> 00:30:44.139
 talk to

00:30:44.139 --> 00:30:44.480
 me

00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:45.000
 or to

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:45.480
 Chris

00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:45.839
 or one

00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:46.579
 of the

00:30:46.579 --> 00:30:46.740
 other

00:30:46.740 --> 00:30:47.039
 people

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.419
 here at

00:30:47.419 --> 00:30:47.779
 Watermark

00:30:47.779 --> 00:30:48.240
 and ask

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:48.439
 us

00:30:48.439 --> 00:30:48.679
 about

00:30:48.679 --> 00:30:48.980
 what

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.199
 that

00:30:49.199 --> 00:30:49.459
 means

00:30:49.459 --> 00:30:49.819
 and how

00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:50.179
 you can

00:30:50.179 --> 00:30:50.500
 have

00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:51.059
 this

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:51.339
 type

00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:51.459
 of

00:30:51.459 --> 00:30:51.919
 relationship

00:30:51.919 --> 00:30:52.399
 with

00:30:52.399 --> 00:30:52.759
 God

00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:53.419
 because

00:30:53.419 --> 00:30:53.639
 it

00:30:53.639 --> 00:30:53.959
 is

00:30:53.959 --> 00:30:54.679
 life

00:30:54.679 --> 00:30:55.480
 changing

00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:59.720
 what does

00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.059
 it look

00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:00.400
 like

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:00.799
 when our

00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:01.259
 lives

00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:01.779
 have been

00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:02.079
 so

00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:02.839
 transformed

00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:03.319
 by our

00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:03.759
 understanding

00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:04.319
 of God

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:05.500
 seeing him

00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:05.740
 as a

00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:06.039
 father

00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:07.339
 that we

00:31:07.339 --> 00:31:07.680
 can live

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:07.960
 as his

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.279
 children

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:10.140
 I want

00:31:10.140 --> 00:31:10.380
 to share

00:31:10.380 --> 00:31:10.599
 a little

00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:11.099
 story with

00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:11.279
 you

00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.079
 that I

00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:12.220
 think

00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:12.660
 illustrates

00:31:12.660 --> 00:31:13.059
 this

00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:13.299
 really

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:13.539
 well

00:31:13.539 --> 00:31:14.759
 I used

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:15.059
 to work

00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:15.339
 at a

00:31:15.339 --> 00:31:15.539
 summer

00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:15.860
 camp

00:31:15.860 --> 00:31:16.079
 for

00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:16.360
 first

00:31:16.360 --> 00:31:16.559
 through

00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:16.799
 sixth

00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:17.099
 graders

00:31:17.099 --> 00:31:17.460
 parents

00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:17.839
 would drop

00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:18.000
 off

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:18.140
 their

00:31:18.140 --> 00:31:18.360
 kids

00:31:18.360 --> 00:31:18.539
 on

00:31:18.539 --> 00:31:18.779
 Sunday

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:19.120
 afternoon

00:31:19.120 --> 00:31:19.319
 and

00:31:19.319 --> 00:31:19.420
 we

00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:19.539
 would

00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:19.740
 have

00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:19.920
 them

00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:20.099
 until

00:31:20.099 --> 00:31:20.519
 Saturday

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.019
 afternoon

00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:21.279
 so

00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:21.380
 you

00:31:21.380 --> 00:31:21.500
 got

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:21.640
 to

00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:21.880
 see

00:31:21.880 --> 00:31:22.360
 a

00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:22.539
 lot

00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:22.660
 of

00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:22.940
 crazy

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.319
 stuff

00:31:23.319 --> 00:31:23.500
 at

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:23.680
 this

00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:23.900
 summer

00:31:23.900 --> 00:31:24.220
 camp

00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:25.600
 one

00:31:25.600 --> 00:31:25.940
 week

00:31:25.940 --> 00:31:26.560
 there

00:31:26.560 --> 00:31:26.700
 was

00:31:26.700 --> 00:31:27.039
 this

00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:27.600
 kid

00:31:27.600 --> 00:31:27.740
 he

00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:27.860
 was

00:31:27.860 --> 00:31:28.220
 probably

00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:29.039
 seven

00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:29.299
 or eight

00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:29.500
 years

00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:29.680
 old

00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:29.900
 at the

00:31:29.900 --> 00:31:30.240
 time

00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:30.680
 he

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:30.820
 was

00:31:30.820 --> 00:31:31.039
 staying

00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:31.240
 in the

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:31.480
 cabin

00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:31.820
 next

00:31:31.820 --> 00:31:32.000
 to

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.240
 mine

00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:32.900
 his

00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:33.340
 dad

00:31:33.340 --> 00:31:33.620
 was

00:31:33.620 --> 00:31:33.820
 a

00:31:33.820 --> 00:31:34.420
 WWE

00:31:34.420 --> 00:31:35.299
 wrestler

00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:37.140
 so

00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:37.360
 you

00:31:37.360 --> 00:31:37.480
 know

00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:37.640
 they

00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:37.880
 like

00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:38.140
 pick

00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:38.240
 up

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:38.380
 the

00:31:38.380 --> 00:31:38.640
 chairs

00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:38.820
 and

00:31:38.820 --> 00:31:39.120
 smash

00:31:39.120 --> 00:31:39.259
 each

00:31:39.259 --> 00:31:39.440
 other

00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:39.580
 over

00:31:39.580 --> 00:31:39.720
 the

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:39.980
 head

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:40.140
 and

00:31:40.140 --> 00:31:40.380
 climb

00:31:40.380 --> 00:31:40.539
 up

00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:40.660
 on

00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:40.779
 the

00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:41.100
 rails

00:31:41.100 --> 00:31:41.340
 and

00:31:41.340 --> 00:31:41.620
 jump

00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:41.920
 off

00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:42.120
 and

00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:42.480
 slam

00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:42.680
 each

00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:42.960
 other

00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:44.779
 that

00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:44.980
 was

00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:45.160
 this

00:31:45.160 --> 00:31:45.519
 kid's

00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:45.940
 dad's

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:46.360
 job

00:31:46.360 --> 00:31:49.220
 and

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:49.480
 this

00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:49.860
 kid

00:31:49.860 --> 00:31:50.259
 one

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:50.519
 day

00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:51.320
 got

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:51.599
 into

00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:51.839
 an

00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:52.259
 argument

00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:52.679
 with

00:31:52.679 --> 00:31:53.019
 another

00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:53.480
 kid

00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:53.759
 in

00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:54.000
 his

00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.339
 cabin

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.179
 don't

00:31:55.179 --> 00:31:55.319
 know

00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:55.500
 what

00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:55.639
 the

00:31:55.639 --> 00:31:55.939
 argument

00:31:55.939 --> 00:31:56.220
 was

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:56.480
 about

00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:56.720
 don't

00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:56.839
 know

00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:57.099
 how

00:31:57.099 --> 00:31:57.259
 it

00:31:57.259 --> 00:31:57.519
 started

00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:57.720
 but

00:31:57.720 --> 00:31:57.859
 I

00:31:57.859 --> 00:31:58.019
 know

00:31:58.019 --> 00:31:58.200
 that

00:31:58.200 --> 00:31:58.339
 it

00:31:58.339 --> 00:31:59.000
 escalated

00:31:59.000 --> 00:31:59.399
 to

00:31:59.399 --> 00:31:59.539
 the

00:31:59.539 --> 00:31:59.819
 point

00:31:59.819 --> 00:32:00.019
 where

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:00.339
 this

00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:00.679
 kid

00:32:00.679 --> 00:32:01.000
 told

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:01.139
 the

00:32:01.139 --> 00:32:01.319
 other

00:32:01.319 --> 00:32:01.679
 kid

00:32:01.679 --> 00:32:02.079
 oh

00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:02.439
 yeah

00:32:02.439 --> 00:32:02.919
 well

00:32:02.919 --> 00:32:03.240
 my

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:03.500
 dad

00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:03.740
 can

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:03.980
 beat

00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:04.179
 your

00:32:04.179 --> 00:32:04.460
 dad

00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:04.779
 up

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:06.700
 and

00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:06.859
 the

00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:07.359
 counselor

00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:07.700
 from

00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:07.879
 his

00:32:07.879 --> 00:32:08.179
 cabin

00:32:08.179 --> 00:32:08.379
 was

00:32:08.379 --> 00:32:08.759
 watching

00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:09.000
 this

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:09.460
 unfold

00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:10.059
 and

00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:10.159
 he

00:32:10.159 --> 00:32:10.319
 said

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:10.799
 normally

00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:11.000
 I

00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:11.139
 would

00:32:11.139 --> 00:32:11.439
 step

00:32:11.439 --> 00:32:11.679
 in

00:32:11.679 --> 00:32:11.859
 and

00:32:11.859 --> 00:32:12.460
 stop

00:32:12.460 --> 00:32:12.700
 this

00:32:12.700 --> 00:32:13.099
 argument

00:32:13.099 --> 00:32:13.519
 around

00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:13.779
 this

00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:14.119
 point

00:32:14.119 --> 00:32:14.659
 but

00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:21.779
 I

00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.200
 love

00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:22.439
 that

00:32:22.439 --> 00:32:22.740
 picture

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:22.960
 not

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.240
 because

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:23.419
 I

00:32:23.419 --> 00:32:23.539
 think

00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:23.679
 we

00:32:23.679 --> 00:32:23.839
 should

00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.019
 be

00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:24.500
 cocky

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:24.639
 and

00:32:24.639 --> 00:32:24.980
 arrogant

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:25.419
 having

00:32:25.419 --> 00:32:25.759
 God

00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:25.919
 as

00:32:25.919 --> 00:32:26.059
 our

00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:26.339
 father

00:32:26.339 --> 00:32:26.919
 but

00:32:26.919 --> 00:32:27.179
 think

00:32:27.179 --> 00:32:27.399
 about

00:32:27.399 --> 00:32:27.599
 the

00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:28.159
 confidence

00:32:28.159 --> 00:32:28.579
 that

00:32:28.579 --> 00:32:28.919
 kid

00:32:28.919 --> 00:32:29.240
 had

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:29.480
 in

00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:29.700
 his

00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.039
 father

00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:31.359
 he

00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:31.639
 knew

00:32:31.639 --> 00:32:31.839
 that

00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:32.079
 my

00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:32.480
 father

00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:32.759
 is

00:32:32.759 --> 00:32:33.419
 strong

00:32:33.419 --> 00:32:34.879
 he

00:32:34.879 --> 00:32:35.159
 knew

00:32:35.159 --> 00:32:35.539
 that

00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:35.819
 my

00:32:35.819 --> 00:32:36.259
 father

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:37.039
 cares

00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:37.439
 about

00:32:37.439 --> 00:32:37.779
 me

00:32:37.779 --> 00:32:38.220
 my

00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:38.480
 father

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:38.839
 cares

00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:39.059
 about

00:32:39.059 --> 00:32:39.200
 me

00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:39.460
 so

00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:39.700
 much

00:32:39.700 --> 00:32:40.019
 that

00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:40.200
 he

00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:40.359
 is

00:32:40.359 --> 00:32:40.619
 willing

00:32:40.619 --> 00:32:40.819
 to

00:32:40.819 --> 00:32:41.099
 fight

00:32:41.099 --> 00:32:41.359
 my

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:41.720
 battles

00:32:41.720 --> 00:32:42.039
 for

00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:42.279
 me

00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:43.460
 I

00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:43.639
 don't

00:32:43.639 --> 00:32:43.899
 need

00:32:43.899 --> 00:32:44.099
 to

00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:44.299
 worry

00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:44.519
 about

00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:44.759
 being

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:44.960
 the

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.279
 strongest

00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:45.559
 I

00:32:45.559 --> 00:32:45.720
 don't

00:32:51.319 --> 00:32:53.819
 and

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:54.000
 so

00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:54.319
 this

00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:54.679
 kid

00:32:54.679 --> 00:32:54.879
 was

00:32:54.879 --> 00:32:55.159
 able

00:32:55.159 --> 00:32:55.439
 to

00:32:55.439 --> 00:32:55.720
 live

00:32:55.720 --> 00:32:56.240
 with

00:32:56.240 --> 00:32:57.039
 incredible

00:32:57.039 --> 00:32:58.200
 confidence

00:32:58.200 --> 00:32:59.539
 knowing

00:32:59.539 --> 00:32:59.740
 that

00:32:59.740 --> 00:32:59.919
 he

00:32:59.919 --> 00:33:00.139
 was

00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:00.579
 loved

00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:01.039
 by

00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:01.299
 his

00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:01.659
 father

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.039
 who

00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:02.319
 was

00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:02.599
 so

00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.119
 strong

00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:05.019
 and

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:05.179
 if

00:33:05.179 --> 00:33:05.519
 we

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.159
 have

00:33:06.159 --> 00:33:06.960
 God

00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:07.939
 as

00:33:07.939 --> 00:33:08.179
 our

00:33:08.179 --> 00:33:08.539
 father

00:33:08.539 --> 00:33:10.519
 who's

00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:10.960
 way

00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:11.439
 stronger

00:33:11.439 --> 00:33:11.839
 than

00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.119
 this

00:33:12.119 --> 00:33:12.559
 kid's

00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:12.980
 dad's

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:13.319
 father

00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:15.179
 who's

00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:16.019
 everlasting

00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:16.720
 as

00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:16.919
 our

00:33:16.919 --> 00:33:17.279
 father

00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:19.139
 how

00:33:19.139 --> 00:33:19.379
 much

00:33:19.379 --> 00:33:19.599
 more

00:33:19.599 --> 00:33:20.019
 confident

00:33:20.019 --> 00:33:20.279
 should

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:20.419
 we

00:33:20.419 --> 00:33:20.559
 be

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:20.679
 in

00:33:20.679 --> 00:33:20.879
 him

00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:22.960
 in

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:23.100
 a

00:33:23.100 --> 00:33:23.360
 father

00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:23.620
 who

00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:23.780
 has

00:33:23.780 --> 00:33:24.300
 proven

00:33:24.300 --> 00:33:24.960
 over

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:25.240
 and

00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:25.540
 over

00:33:25.540 --> 00:33:26.020
 again

00:33:26.020 --> 00:33:26.300
 that

00:33:26.300 --> 00:33:26.720
 he

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.540
 loves

00:33:27.540 --> 00:33:28.120
 his

00:33:28.120 --> 00:33:28.880
 children

00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:30.520
 with

00:33:30.520 --> 00:33:30.720
 an

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:31.280
 unstoppable

00:33:31.280 --> 00:33:31.760
 love

00:33:31.760 --> 00:33:32.120
 that

00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:32.400
 cannot

00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:32.720
 be

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:33.060
 stopped

00:33:33.060 --> 00:33:33.340
 even

00:33:33.340 --> 00:33:33.480
 if

00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:33.620
 it

00:33:33.620 --> 00:33:34.060
 costs

00:33:34.060 --> 00:33:34.700
 his

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.380
 life

00:33:35.380 --> 00:33:37.680
 how

00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:37.940
 much

00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:38.080
 should

00:33:38.080 --> 00:33:38.260
 that

00:33:38.260 --> 00:33:38.580
 drive

00:33:38.580 --> 00:33:38.780
 us

00:33:38.780 --> 00:33:38.980
 to

00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:39.200
 love

00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:39.720
 others

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:40.960
 to

00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:41.140
 be

00:33:41.140 --> 00:33:41.580
 patient

00:33:41.580 --> 00:33:41.820
 when

00:33:41.820 --> 00:33:42.060
 things

00:33:42.060 --> 00:33:42.220
 aren't

00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:42.440
 going

00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:42.620
 our

00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:42.860
 way

00:33:42.860 --> 00:33:43.800
 to

00:33:43.800 --> 00:33:43.960
 be

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:44.360
 willing

00:33:44.360 --> 00:33:44.840
 to

00:33:44.840 --> 00:33:45.100
 take

00:33:45.100 --> 00:33:45.300
 the

00:33:45.300 --> 00:33:45.560
 hit

00:33:45.560 --> 00:33:46.380
 even

00:33:46.380 --> 00:33:46.600
 for

00:33:46.600 --> 00:33:46.860
 someone

00:33:46.860 --> 00:33:47.300
 else's

00:33:47.300 --> 00:33:47.720
 mistakes

00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:48.140
 because

00:33:48.140 --> 00:33:48.340
 we

00:33:48.340 --> 00:33:48.620
 know

00:33:48.620 --> 00:33:49.040
 that

00:33:49.040 --> 00:33:49.180
 it's

00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:49.400
 not

00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:49.700
 about

00:33:49.700 --> 00:33:49.960
 me

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:50.519
 grasping

00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:50.779
 for

00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:51.120
 everything

00:33:51.120 --> 00:33:51.440
 that I

00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:51.779
 can get

00:33:51.779 --> 00:33:52.180
 off the

00:33:52.180 --> 00:33:52.440
 table

00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:52.940
 of strangers

00:33:52.940 --> 00:33:53.519
 but it's

00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:53.840
 about

00:33:53.840 --> 00:33:54.720
 my father

00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:55.740
 loving me

00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:57.319
 providing for me

00:33:57.319 --> 00:33:58.240
 and I know

00:33:58.240 --> 00:33:59.039
 that if I

00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:00.059
 wait at his

00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:00.420
 table

00:34:00.420 --> 00:34:01.680
 if I

00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:02.920
 trust in him

00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:03.380
 if I

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:04.019
 follow him

00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:04.960
 there is a

00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:05.620
 feast

00:34:05.620 --> 00:34:07.200
 being prepared

00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:07.860
 for me

00:34:07.860 --> 00:34:12.159
 we don't need to fear

00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:14.039
 we don't need to grasp

00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:16.240
 we don't need to live

00:34:16.240 --> 00:34:17.639
 as spiritual orphans

00:34:17.639 --> 00:34:18.139
 because we

00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:19.639
 we don't need to

00:34:19.639 --> 00:34:20.400
 love him

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:21.339
 because we have a

00:34:21.339 --> 00:34:21.500
 perfect father who

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:22.619
 loves us and cares

00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:23.480
 for us in the way

00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:24.719
 that no earthly

00:34:24.719 --> 00:34:25.779
 father could

00:34:25.779 --> 00:34:28.759
 and that's one of the

00:34:28.759 --> 00:34:29.199
 things that we

00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:30.079
 celebrate at

00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:30.379
 Christmas

00:34:30.379 --> 00:34:32.179
 that Jesus came to

00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:33.199
 reveal that father

00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:33.719
 to us

00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:35.000
 to be a father

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:35.480
 to us

00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.500
 who protects us

00:34:36.500 --> 00:34:37.759
 who guards us

00:34:37.759 --> 00:34:39.219
 who rescues us

00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:41.079
 let's pray

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:44.099
 Jesus we thank you

00:34:44.099 --> 00:34:45.699
 that you are a

00:34:45.699 --> 00:34:46.920
 perfect father to us

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:48.019
 that you love us

00:34:48.019 --> 00:34:49.980
 that you rescue us

00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.180
 at the cost of your

00:34:51.180 --> 00:34:51.840
 own life

00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:54.659
 and that because of

00:34:54.659 --> 00:34:55.180
 your love

00:34:55.180 --> 00:34:56.519
 because of

00:34:56.519 --> 00:34:57.860
 you rescuing us

00:34:57.860 --> 00:34:58.700
 we don't need to

00:34:58.700 --> 00:34:59.320
 live in fear

00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:01.840
 we don't need to

00:35:01.840 --> 00:35:03.180
 to strive

00:35:03.180 --> 00:35:04.680
 and worry

00:35:04.680 --> 00:35:05.800
 and be anxious

00:35:05.800 --> 00:35:06.740
 and lose sleep

00:35:06.740 --> 00:35:07.400
 about the future

00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:08.180
 because you have

00:35:08.180 --> 00:35:08.860
 got us

00:35:08.860 --> 00:35:10.059
 because you're the

00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:10.980
 perfect father who

00:35:10.980 --> 00:35:11.659
 loves us

00:35:11.659 --> 00:35:12.760
 who cares for us

00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:14.079
 who never lets us

00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:14.260
 go

00:35:14.260 --> 00:35:15.320
 never lets us down

00:35:15.320 --> 00:35:17.600
 Jesus we pray

00:35:17.600 --> 00:35:18.200
 that this week

00:35:18.200 --> 00:35:19.240
 that we would see

00:35:19.240 --> 00:35:20.320
 the beauty of

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:20.800
 Christmas

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.400
 that we would see

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.200
 the beauty of you

00:35:22.200 --> 00:35:23.920
 that we would fall

00:35:23.920 --> 00:35:24.720
 more in love with you

00:35:24.720 --> 00:35:25.160
 and that we would

00:35:25.160 --> 00:35:26.280
 learn to trust you

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:27.640
 rather than living

00:35:27.640 --> 00:35:29.019
 as orphans

00:35:29.019 --> 00:35:32.800
 God I confess

00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:33.320
 that I

00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:34.179
 fail to believe

00:35:34.179 --> 00:35:34.980
 this so often

00:35:34.980 --> 00:35:35.780
 I pray that you

00:35:35.780 --> 00:35:36.519
 would transform my

00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:37.519
 heart and give me

00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:38.579
 an understanding

00:35:38.579 --> 00:35:39.340
 of what it means

00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:39.860
 to be

00:35:39.860 --> 00:35:40.980
 your son

00:35:40.980 --> 00:35:43.519
 to live in joy

00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.239
 because of that

00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:45.599
 to live in peace

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.320
 because of that

00:35:46.320 --> 00:35:49.440
 in Jesus name

00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.179
 amen

00:35:50.179 --> 00:35:50.299
 amen