WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from John chapter 1.

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 Please follow along on the screen, the bulletin, or your own Bible.

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 Starting in verse 1, we read,

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 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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 He was in the beginning with God.

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 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.

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 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

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 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

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 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through Him.

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 He was not the light, but He came to bear witness about the light.

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 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

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 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.

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 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.

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 But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,

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 who were not born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

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 And we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

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 John bore witness about Him and cried out,

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 This was He of whom I said,

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 He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.

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 For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

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 For the law was given through Moses.

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 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

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 No one has ever seen God,

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 the only God who is at the Father's side.

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 He has made Him known.

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 This is the Word of God.

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 Great. Thank you, Angeline, for reading that.

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 Welcome, everyone, again.

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 My name is Chris, if you don't know me.

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 We're starting our series in Advent.

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 And so I don't know how you're feeling about Christmas coming up.

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 But actually, I am super excited about this season.

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 I think more than any time, actually, probably in my life,

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 I've just really sensed that God wants to do something as we celebrate Advent,

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 which is about the coming of Jesus and preparing our hearts.

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 So let me just pray for us as we begin.

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 Father, I thank you that you're not the kind of God that we think you are.

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 I thank you that you're a God who far surpasses all of our expectations.

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 You're a God who is far more gracious, far more loving than our expectations.

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 I thank you that you're a God who is not limited, a God who is not impotent,

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 a God who is not distant, but a God who knows us, sees us, and comes down to be with us.

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 Lord, I pray this morning your Spirit would just speak to us.

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 I pray that you would open our hearts, that your Word would penetrate into our souls.

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 Lord, I pray that you would change us.

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 I pray that you'd help us to fall more in love with you.

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 Lord, I pray that the Word would not go in one ear and out the other,

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 but it would stay and it would sink deeper and deeper into our souls,

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 that our lives would be changed by you.

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 Lord, we just pray for Kevin, who is now hopefully in South Africa.

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 Lord, we thank you for just him being able to get out for the flight.

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 Lord, we just pray your blessing upon them as a family.

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 Give them great rest and refreshment during this season.

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 And Lord, thank you that you are a good and a gracious king.

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 In Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Great.

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 So yes, as Kevin hinted last week, he managed to get on a flight this week with his family.

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 So do be praying for them as they're going to be away for the next couple of months or so.

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 I want to show you a video before we start.

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 So, all right.

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 That video just does me every time.

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 It's awesome, right?

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 When you see our world, just even that, and they haven't shown you everything,

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 you see that our world and our universe is so intricately, incredibly, awesomely designed.

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 And do you know what that video shows?

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 You and I are not the center of the world.

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 You and I are not the center of the world.

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 And science has shown us that our universe and our earth are so finely tuned,

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 so aligned for human life,

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 that it's little wonder that throughout all cultures and all history,

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 everyone, apart from the most hardened atheists,

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 have looked at the work of this creation and said,

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 there must be a God or gods or a higher power.

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 There must be something that has brought all of this into existence.

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 Something has created it and something is sustaining this.

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 And yet, here's the thing.

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 Have you ever seen God?

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 Like, he doesn't have a TV channel.

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 He doesn't post on Instagram.

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 He doesn't knock on your door and ask you out for coffee.

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 And so what we have in our world,

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 we live in this space where we have this awesome knowledge through creation

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 that there is a glorious mind behind all of this.

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 And then we're trying to figure out who this is and what this is.

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 And so religions and philosophy and even our own experiences,

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 what we do is we try and fill in the blanks

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 of what we think this being is like.

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 We create a mental image of God.

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 Maybe he's harsh and demanding because your parents were like that.

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 Maybe he's kind and warm and a bit of a pushover

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 because you don't want a God who interferes too much in your life.

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 Maybe he's distant and uninterested because that's your experience of church or religion.

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 Well, this Advent season, we're looking at something called the incarnation of Jesus.

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 And can, carne, carnation is what comes from chili con carne.

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 That means the meat or flesh.

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 Literally, we're looking at the infleshing of God,

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 that God became human.

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 Because the extraordinary, mind-blowing claim of the Bible,

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 the extraordinary, mind-blowing claim of Christmas,

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 is you don't have to fill in the blanks any longer.

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 It's that God has made himself known

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 and that God has shown what he is like in the incarnation of Jesus.

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 And so that's what we're going to be looking at over the next few weeks

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 as we lead up to Christmas.

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 But if you are someone who's been in church a while,

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 if you've grown up kind of doing Christmas and the church kind of things,

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 I suspect you probably, like I have in the past,

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 have lost the wonder of what I've just said.

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 I suspect that we have missed just how incredible

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 that what Christmas is celebrating really is.

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 And so I want to take the next 25, 30 minutes

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 just to encourage us to wonder again at the incarnation.

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 And we're going to look briefly at this passage.

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 There's so much in here.

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 We could spend like a year on this,

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 but we're going to skim through it in three headings.

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 He is who?

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 We did what?

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 And he did that?

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 Okay?

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 You can do the inflection at the end of the question mark.

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 So he is who?

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 This passage in John, if you've got your bulletin with you,

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 I encourage you to have that.

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 He starts with,

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 in the beginning.

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 Anyone heard that before?

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 If you've read the Bible, you should have.

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 It comes on page one of the Bible, Genesis 1.

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 It's the start of the account of God's creation

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 of the heavens and the earth

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 and what we saw in that video.

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 And what you see is,

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 at that point,

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 God created this world.

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 It was dark.

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 It was formless.

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 It was chaotic.

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 And then God speaks a word.

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 He says,

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 Be light.

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 And out of nothing,

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 light happens.

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 He speaks and says sky.

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 He speaks and says sea,

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 planets,

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 fish,

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 birds,

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 humans,

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 and it occurs.

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 And it's there.

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 You see,

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 God's word takes the chaos

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 and the disorder

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 and the emptiness

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 and he transforms it

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 into order

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 and beauty

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 and life.

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 And throughout scripture,

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 God's word is always doing this.

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 His word is always bringing salvation,

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 bringing deliverance,

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 bringing hope,

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 bringing peace,

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 bringing life to people.

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 It's what God's word does.

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 And John says,

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 In the beginning

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 was the word.

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 And every Jew

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 listening

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 would go,

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 Yeah,

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 that's God's powerful,

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 life-giving,

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 creative word.

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 And then it gets a little weird.

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 He then says,

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 And then the word was with God.

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 Hmm.

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 He's saying that a word

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 is actually not just spoken,

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 actually there's something

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 that this word is a person

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 in some way.

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 And then he says

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 that the word

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 was God.

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 And now everyone's going,

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 Man,

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 what on earth is going on here?

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 John's just dropped this bombshell

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 into every Jewish person

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 and every Greek person.

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 He would have blown

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 all of their categories,

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 no matter what philosophy

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 they came from,

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 because what John is saying

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 in this statement,

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 he's saying that the source

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 of life,

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 of breath,

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 of gravity,

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 of DNA,

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 of you and of me

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 is not some lonely single deity

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 sitting on a cloud

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 hoping that he can find

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 the one somehow to love.

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 He's saying that before

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 and from eternity,

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 before one subatomic particle

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 was made,

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 God was already a community.

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 And Jesus,

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 he goes on to say,

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 is the word

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 from eternity past

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 to eternity future.

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 And he carries on

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 this kind of picture

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 which is so confusing

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 for many people.

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 He goes and says,

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 it's not just this image

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 of Jesus being the word

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 which brings life

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 to everyone,

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 he's also part of a family.

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 And he says,

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 later on,

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 he says,

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 Jesus is the only son

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 from the father.

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 And then verse 18,

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 he says,

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 no one has ever seen God

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 but the only God

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 who is at the father's side,

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 literally lying on his chest,

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 has made him known.

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 You see,

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 it's this incredibly

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 intimate image.

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 image.

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 It's the image

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 like a father

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 with his son

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 or two lovers

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 just in a continual embrace

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 of tenderness

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 and affection.

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 And Muslims,

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 if they would hear this,

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 they would shudder

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 at this thought

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 because they think

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 if Jesus is God's son,

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 that implies

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 that God somehow

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 had sex.

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 But that's not at all

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 what the idea

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 of this is.

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 It's the idea

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 that a son

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 is like father,

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 like son.

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 He carries the same

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 divine DNA

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 as his father.

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 Jesus is God

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 as the father is God.

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 And yet he's not the father.

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 He's a separate person.

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 There's this community element.

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 It's what we call

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 the trinity.

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 And later on in the book

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 he'll bring in

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 the Holy Spirit

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 to this.

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 And I don't get

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 what all of that involves

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 because if you look

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 at that universe,

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 do you think

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 you can understand

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 the mind behind

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 all of that?

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 And yet this God

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 who is three in one

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 in this mystery

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 is saying

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 that there is

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 this intimate

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 love and affection

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 that we just get

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 a shadow of

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 when we see

00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:15.159
 deep love

00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:17.100
 between a family member

00:13:17.100 --> 00:13:18.799
 or between

00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:19.919
 a husband

00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:20.720
 and a wife.

00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:20.840
 love.

00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:23.480
 You see,

00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:25.080
 the love that the father

00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:26.080
 has for the son

00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.040
 and the son

00:13:27.040 --> 00:13:27.820
 has for the father

00:13:27.820 --> 00:13:28.420
 is incredible.

00:13:28.560 --> 00:13:29.160
 Jesus says,

00:13:29.560 --> 00:13:30.680
 I always do

00:13:30.680 --> 00:13:32.100
 what pleases my father.

00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:33.320
 And then he says,

00:13:33.540 --> 00:13:35.259
 the father loves me

00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:36.360
 and shows me

00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:37.120
 all he does.

00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:37.660
 It's like this

00:13:37.660 --> 00:13:38.200
 just kind of

00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:39.139
 this love in

00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:39.860
 that they have

00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:40.620
 in this community.

00:13:43.180 --> 00:13:43.779
 You see,

00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:44.680
 the thing,

00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:45.399
 and I'm just going

00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:46.759
 very briefly here,

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:49.480
 but the thing is,

00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:50.539
 what he's saying

00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:51.039
 in this is

00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:52.279
 God is not sterile

00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:53.019
 and reserved.

00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:55.399
 God is not British.

00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.059
 God is an eternal

00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:01.279
 triune community

00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:02.559
 of blazing

00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:03.500
 passionate love

00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:04.139
 at his core.

00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.019
 And so,

00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:07.039
 just as children

00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:07.960
 are meant to be

00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:08.740
 the overflow

00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:10.000
 of the love

00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:10.580
 of a father

00:14:10.580 --> 00:14:11.100
 and mother

00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:12.059
 and those children

00:14:12.059 --> 00:14:12.960
 are meant to be drawn

00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:14.059
 in to experience

00:14:14.059 --> 00:14:14.679
 that love

00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:15.459
 in the family.

00:14:17.119 --> 00:14:17.500
 So,

00:14:17.699 --> 00:14:18.639
 you and me

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.859
 are the overflow

00:14:19.859 --> 00:14:20.859
 and all of creation

00:14:20.859 --> 00:14:22.079
 is the overflow

00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:24.299
 of this divine love

00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:25.679
 and the design

00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:26.359
 is that actually

00:14:26.359 --> 00:14:27.379
 we get drawn

00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:28.479
 in to experience

00:14:28.479 --> 00:14:29.019
 this love

00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:30.099
 to sit at the table

00:14:30.099 --> 00:14:30.619
 where they're having

00:14:30.619 --> 00:14:31.079
 fellowship.

00:14:31.739 --> 00:14:32.819
 That's the image.

00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:34.359
 That's why he says

00:14:34.359 --> 00:14:35.059
 we have the right

00:14:35.059 --> 00:14:35.939
 to become children

00:14:35.939 --> 00:14:36.539
 of God.

00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:38.639
 It's an incredible picture.

00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:41.159
 And then he carries on

00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:41.899
 saying that Jesus

00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:42.539
 is not just this

00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:44.039
 part of the triune,

00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:44.279
 God.

00:14:44.339 --> 00:14:44.519
 He says,

00:14:44.599 --> 00:14:45.500
 all things were made

00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:46.059
 through him.

00:14:46.319 --> 00:14:47.119
 Without him was not

00:14:47.119 --> 00:14:47.859
 anything made

00:14:47.859 --> 00:14:48.559
 that was made.

00:14:48.839 --> 00:14:50.459
 In him was life

00:14:50.459 --> 00:14:51.119
 and that life

00:14:51.119 --> 00:14:52.079
 is the light of man.

00:14:53.339 --> 00:14:53.579
 You see,

00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:54.139
 what he's saying

00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:54.599
 is that

00:14:54.599 --> 00:14:56.639
 all of everything

00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:57.419
 God creates,

00:14:57.699 --> 00:14:58.739
 everything God reveals,

00:14:59.019 --> 00:15:00.039
 all of his work

00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:00.879
 that he does

00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:02.919
 is always

00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:05.239
 shown through Jesus.

00:15:06.339 --> 00:15:07.239
 It's always

00:15:07.239 --> 00:15:08.739
 manifested through him.

00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:10.439
 The eternal God

00:15:10.439 --> 00:15:11.379
 of all creation

00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:12.079
 of this universe

00:15:12.079 --> 00:15:12.819
 who's unlimited,

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:13.799
 infinite,

00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:15.099
 outside of time,

00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:15.539
 space,

00:15:15.599 --> 00:15:16.339
 and history

00:15:16.339 --> 00:15:19.339
 does everything.

00:15:20.439 --> 00:15:21.339
 Everything that you've

00:15:21.339 --> 00:15:22.419
 seen his word doing

00:15:22.419 --> 00:15:24.519
 in all of the Old Testament,

00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:25.599
 all through the Bible,

00:15:26.139 --> 00:15:27.159
 behind all of that,

00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:28.319
 Jesus is the means

00:15:28.319 --> 00:15:29.799
 by which he accomplishes that.

00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:33.099
 Hebrews says this,

00:15:33.100 --> 00:15:35.040
 the sun

00:15:35.040 --> 00:15:36.580
 is the radiance

00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:37.480
 of God's glory

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:39.060
 and the exact

00:15:39.060 --> 00:15:39.879
 representation

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.019
 of his being,

00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:42.180
 sustaining

00:15:42.180 --> 00:15:43.580
 all things

00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:44.980
 by his

00:15:44.980 --> 00:15:46.259
 powerful word.

00:15:48.779 --> 00:15:49.820
 Take a breath

00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:50.360
 right now.

00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:52.779
 Okay,

00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:53.399
 some of you

00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:54.340
 need some practice.

00:15:54.779 --> 00:15:54.860
 Okay,

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:57.680
 take another breath.

00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:02.079
 You just received

00:16:02.079 --> 00:16:02.859
 two gifts.

00:16:05.319 --> 00:16:05.479
 Like,

00:16:05.539 --> 00:16:06.059
 try going

00:16:06.059 --> 00:16:06.559
 for the rest

00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:07.279
 of this service

00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.519
 and hold your breath.

00:16:09.079 --> 00:16:09.339
 Okay?

00:16:10.339 --> 00:16:10.620
 And maybe

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.379
 till lunchtime.

00:16:12.839 --> 00:16:13.620
 Can any of you

00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:14.000
 do it?

00:16:14.959 --> 00:16:15.899
 Why not?

00:16:16.659 --> 00:16:17.620
 Because you are

00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:18.239
 sustained.

00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:19.859
 Because your

00:16:19.859 --> 00:16:21.219
 very existence

00:16:21.219 --> 00:16:22.339
 at the most

00:16:22.339 --> 00:16:23.879
 fundamental level

00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:25.080
 is utterly

00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:25.580
 dependent

00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:26.200
 on something

00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:27.059
 outside of yourself.

00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:30.080
 And John's

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:30.620
 claim

00:16:30.620 --> 00:16:31.299
 is that

00:16:31.299 --> 00:16:32.159
 your creation

00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:33.460
 and your very life

00:16:33.460 --> 00:16:34.559
 and every breath

00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:35.279
 you breathe

00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:35.899
 right now

00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:36.600
 is utterly

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.080
 dependent

00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:37.740
 on Jesus

00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:39.100
 as the word

00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:39.919
 who is sustaining

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:40.460
 you to keep

00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:41.039
 you alive.

00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:43.080
 You see,

00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:43.779
 when my brother

00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:45.840
 took his last breath,

00:16:46.059 --> 00:16:46.580
 it was like

00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:47.960
 somebody unplugged

00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:48.860
 the life support

00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:49.320
 machine.

00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:51.279
 It was this

00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.600
 awesome experience.

00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:54.019
 And Jesus

00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:55.000
 holds the plug

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:55.639
 of your life

00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.100
 today.

00:16:57.820 --> 00:16:58.899
 He's the eternal

00:16:58.899 --> 00:16:59.720
 creator,

00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:01.159
 your sustainer,

00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:03.019
 your very life.

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:03.980
 In him

00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:05.440
 is life.

00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:09.019
 That's who he is.

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:11.420
 But secondly,

00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:13.880
 we did what?

00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:17.299
 John goes on.

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.299
 He says this

00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:20.000
 in verse 10

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:20.420
 and 11.

00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:23.839
 He says,

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.359
 he was in the world

00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:27.099
 and the world

00:17:27.099 --> 00:17:27.579
 was made

00:17:27.579 --> 00:17:28.219
 through him.

00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:30.659
 But the world

00:17:30.659 --> 00:17:32.439
 did not know him.

00:17:33.059 --> 00:17:34.019
 He came to his own

00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:34.819
 but his own

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:36.159
 did not

00:17:36.159 --> 00:17:37.459
 receive him.

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:40.519
 You know,

00:17:40.659 --> 00:17:41.139
 former

00:17:41.139 --> 00:17:42.139
 Dutch

00:17:42.139 --> 00:17:42.980
 Prime Minister

00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:44.240
 Abraham Kuyper

00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.759
 and Henrico

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:46.240
 will like

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.000
 a Dutch reference.

00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:50.240
 He said this.

00:17:50.399 --> 00:17:51.199
 This is very profound.

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:51.620
 He said,

00:17:51.620 --> 00:17:52.480
 there is not

00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.500
 a square inch

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.420
 in the whole

00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:55.460
 domain of human

00:17:55.460 --> 00:17:56.340
 existence

00:17:56.340 --> 00:17:57.120
 over which

00:17:57.120 --> 00:17:57.720
 Christ

00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.880
 who is sovereign

00:17:58.880 --> 00:17:59.759
 over all

00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.840
 does not cry

00:18:00.840 --> 00:18:01.559
 mine.

00:18:02.620 --> 00:18:03.539
 Your life,

00:18:03.980 --> 00:18:04.580
 your breath,

00:18:04.900 --> 00:18:05.420
 your money,

00:18:05.840 --> 00:18:06.580
 your entire

00:18:06.580 --> 00:18:07.120
 being

00:18:07.120 --> 00:18:08.559
 belongs to him.

00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:11.559
 And so Christmas

00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:12.740
 is celebrating

00:18:12.740 --> 00:18:13.740
 the owner

00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:15.160
 of everything

00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:15.720
 we are

00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:16.259
 and everything

00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:16.799
 we have.

00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:17.259
 You look out

00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:17.580
 of the window,

00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.100
 it's his.

00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:18.900
 He's got it,

00:18:19.120 --> 00:18:19.360
 you know,

00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.419
 when I was a kid,

00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:20.639
 you know,

00:18:20.719 --> 00:18:21.719
 my mum used to

00:18:21.719 --> 00:18:22.719
 write my name

00:18:22.719 --> 00:18:23.599
 on all my things.

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:24.799
 If you were to

00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:25.639
 look under everything

00:18:25.639 --> 00:18:26.099
 you would actually

00:18:26.099 --> 00:18:26.859
 find God

00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:27.939
 written on it.

00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:31.179
 But the owner

00:18:31.179 --> 00:18:32.019
 of all that

00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:34.379
 came to his own

00:18:34.379 --> 00:18:35.839
 at Christmas time.

00:18:37.059 --> 00:18:38.019
 And what did we do?

00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.139
 Well,

00:18:39.159 --> 00:18:39.899
 it's like my wife

00:18:39.899 --> 00:18:40.500
 coming home

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.719
 from work

00:18:41.719 --> 00:18:42.579
 and what you expect

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:43.339
 is as you open

00:18:43.339 --> 00:18:43.699
 the door

00:18:43.699 --> 00:18:44.479
 my two-year-old

00:18:44.479 --> 00:18:45.139
 runs up

00:18:45.139 --> 00:18:46.119
 and welcomes her.

00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:48.359
 But we didn't

00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:48.779
 do that.

00:18:50.459 --> 00:18:50.899
 Do you remember

00:18:50.899 --> 00:18:52.079
 when Mary and Joseph

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:52.739
 they were going

00:18:52.739 --> 00:18:53.459
 to Bethlehem?

00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:57.599
 They got a great

00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:57.959
 welcome,

00:18:58.059 --> 00:18:58.459
 didn't they?

00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:00.399
 No,

00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.019
 it says

00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:02.179
 there was no room

00:19:02.179 --> 00:19:02.639
 for them

00:19:02.639 --> 00:19:03.339
 in the inn.

00:19:03.479 --> 00:19:04.459
 They were shut out.

00:19:04.719 --> 00:19:05.939
 Jesus came to his own.

00:19:06.139 --> 00:19:07.099
 This is his world.

00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:08.419
 He sustains us.

00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:09.279
 It's not ours.

00:19:09.399 --> 00:19:10.479
 We're dependent on him

00:19:10.479 --> 00:19:11.879
 yet we slammed the door.

00:19:12.199 --> 00:19:13.639
 We did not receive him.

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.440
 We left him out

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.140
 in the cold.

00:19:16.820 --> 00:19:17.080
 Why?

00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:17.560
 Because

00:19:17.560 --> 00:19:19.160
 we want to be

00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:20.140
 the center of the world

00:19:20.140 --> 00:19:20.840
 and not him.

00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:22.440
 We want to own

00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.259
 ourselves

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:24.060
 not him.

00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:25.140
 You see,

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:25.900
 the innkeeper

00:19:25.900 --> 00:19:27.680
 shut Jesus out

00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:28.300
 because he was

00:19:28.300 --> 00:19:29.680
 too busy

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.240
 trying to make

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:30.720
 his business

00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.240
 profitable.

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:33.920
 Writer

00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:35.160
 David Foster Wallace

00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:35.540
 says,

00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:37.240
 everything in my

00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:37.900
 own immediate

00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:38.620
 experience

00:19:38.620 --> 00:19:40.140
 supports my belief

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.000
 that I am

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.160
 the absolute center

00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:43.020
 of the universe,

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:43.859
 the realest,

00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:44.579
 most vivid

00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:45.299
 and important

00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.480
 person in existence.

00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:49.460
 I think he's being

00:19:49.460 --> 00:19:50.180
 more honest

00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:51.160
 than most of us are

00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:52.980
 because many of us,

00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:53.740
 what we're trying

00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:54.539
 to do in our lives,

00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:55.319
 even right now,

00:19:55.379 --> 00:19:56.099
 we're busy

00:19:56.099 --> 00:19:56.720
 trying to make

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:57.160
 ourselves

00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:57.680
 the center

00:19:57.680 --> 00:19:58.299
 of our world.

00:19:58.700 --> 00:19:59.539
 It's our plans,

00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:00.180
 our hopes,

00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:00.920
 our careers,

00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:01.960
 our education.

00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:02.940
 We don't want

00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:03.480
 anything,

00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.619
 especially Jesus,

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.960
 to interrupt us

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.160
 because he can

00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:07.960
 mess up your life

00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.639
 a little bit.

00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.620
 but doesn't that

00:20:11.620 --> 00:20:12.259
 video that we

00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:13.160
 showed before

00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:13.860
 show us

00:20:13.860 --> 00:20:15.020
 we are not

00:20:15.020 --> 00:20:15.840
 the center

00:20:15.840 --> 00:20:16.780
 of the world?

00:20:17.520 --> 00:20:18.400
 In fact,

00:20:18.600 --> 00:20:19.620
 if you think

00:20:19.620 --> 00:20:20.440
 you are,

00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:22.040
 then you have

00:20:22.040 --> 00:20:23.320
 shrunk down

00:20:23.320 --> 00:20:24.080
 your life

00:20:24.080 --> 00:20:24.800
 to be the most

00:20:24.800 --> 00:20:26.100
 narrow-minded person

00:20:26.100 --> 00:20:26.800
 in existence

00:20:26.800 --> 00:20:28.700
 because you have

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:30.000
 taken the vastness

00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:30.940
 of awesomeness,

00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:32.160
 which is the whole

00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:32.880
 of our universe,

00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:33.960
 which is God himself,

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.819
 and you've

00:20:34.819 --> 00:20:36.799
 diminished it down

00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.759
 into the little

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.900
 blip that is you

00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:40.220
 and me.

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:43.240
 And that's when,

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:43.620
 you know,

00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:44.360
 even all of our

00:20:44.360 --> 00:20:45.539
 prayers can center

00:20:45.539 --> 00:20:46.079
 on me.

00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:50.700
 And so the crazy

00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:51.700
 thing about Christmas

00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:54.440
 is that we

00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:56.920
 shut the creator

00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:58.279
 of everything out

00:20:58.279 --> 00:20:59.059
 thinking that was

00:20:59.059 --> 00:20:59.740
 a good idea

00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:01.799
 and Jesus

00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:02.779
 would have

00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:03.840
 every right

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:04.839
 to blow open

00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:05.299
 the door,

00:21:05.679 --> 00:21:06.759
 nuke the innkeeper

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:07.579
 and say,

00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.619
 let me reclaim

00:21:08.619 --> 00:21:09.279
 my property.

00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:11.419
 I think that's

00:21:11.419 --> 00:21:11.740
 actually,

00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:12.259
 if we were in

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:12.819
 that position,

00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:13.759
 that's how I

00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:14.379
 treat him.

00:21:19.579 --> 00:21:20.259
 He's who?

00:21:21.619 --> 00:21:22.879
 He's the glorious

00:21:22.879 --> 00:21:24.159
 triune God

00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:26.099
 who comes down

00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:27.339
 to us.

00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:29.059
 We did what?

00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:29.919
 We shut him out.

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:32.980
 Third thing,

00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:34.460
 he did that.

00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:35.700
 And here's where

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.220
 I want to just

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.400
 park a little

00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:37.720
 while.

00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:41.079
 Because at

00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:41.880
 Christmas time,

00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:44.360
 and in this

00:21:44.360 --> 00:21:44.960
 passage,

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.120
 John wants us

00:21:47.120 --> 00:21:48.360
 to step back

00:21:48.360 --> 00:21:48.900
 a little bit

00:21:48.900 --> 00:21:49.599
 to see what's

00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:50.120
 actually going

00:21:50.120 --> 00:21:50.500
 on.

00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:52.500
 Because he says

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:53.079
 one of the most

00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:53.799
 extraordinary

00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:55.140
 sentences that

00:21:55.140 --> 00:21:55.799
 has ever been

00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:57.019
 written in all

00:21:57.019 --> 00:21:57.599
 philosophy,

00:21:57.940 --> 00:21:58.640
 in all of

00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.099
 history.

00:21:59.099 --> 00:21:59.179
 history.

00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:01.659
 You know,

00:22:01.719 --> 00:22:02.419
 there is nothing

00:22:02.419 --> 00:22:03.459
 like this sentence

00:22:03.459 --> 00:22:04.179
 in Islam,

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:05.019
 in Buddhism,

00:22:05.459 --> 00:22:06.179
 in Hinduism,

00:22:06.419 --> 00:22:07.019
 in Judaism,

00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:08.119
 in materialism,

00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:09.000
 in atheism,

00:22:09.199 --> 00:22:10.019
 in any ism

00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:10.599
 you want to

00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:10.919
 say.

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:13.000
 He says this,

00:22:13.459 --> 00:22:14.039
 he says,

00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:15.299
 the word

00:22:15.299 --> 00:22:16.839
 became flesh

00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:18.279
 and dwelt

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:19.059
 among us.

00:22:19.639 --> 00:22:20.319
 And we've

00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:21.319
 seen his glory,

00:22:21.659 --> 00:22:22.319
 glory as of

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.039
 the only

00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:24.259
 son from the

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:24.679
 father,

00:22:24.919 --> 00:22:25.839
 full of

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.619
 grace and

00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:27.099
 truth.

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:28.199
 this is

00:22:28.199 --> 00:22:28.719
 incredible.

00:22:29.939 --> 00:22:30.619
 I don't have

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:31.059
 words to

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:31.859
 explain this,

00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:33.059
 but this is

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:33.399
 just,

00:22:33.639 --> 00:22:34.459
 as I've been

00:22:34.459 --> 00:22:35.000
 thinking about

00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:35.259
 this,

00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:36.279
 this has just

00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:36.879
 blown my

00:22:36.879 --> 00:22:37.199
 mind.

00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:38.819
 Do you see

00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:39.119
 what he's

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:39.359
 saying?

00:22:40.219 --> 00:22:40.859
 He's saying

00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:41.299
 God isn't

00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:41.819
 just out there

00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.079
 kind of

00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:42.719
 shouting some

00:22:42.719 --> 00:22:43.539
 instructions at

00:22:43.539 --> 00:22:43.779
 us.

00:22:44.159 --> 00:22:44.679
 God didn't

00:22:44.679 --> 00:22:45.339
 just come down

00:22:45.339 --> 00:22:46.079
 as a hologram.

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:46.779
 He didn't

00:22:46.779 --> 00:22:47.379
 just come down

00:22:47.379 --> 00:22:47.819
 as some kind

00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:48.419
 of superhero

00:22:48.419 --> 00:22:48.959
 in a great

00:22:48.959 --> 00:22:49.379
 cape.

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:50.679
 This God

00:22:50.679 --> 00:22:51.339
 came down

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:51.959
 to us

00:22:51.959 --> 00:22:52.959
 and became

00:22:52.959 --> 00:22:53.919
 human.

00:22:57.099 --> 00:22:57.599
 That should

00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:58.299
 stun you.

00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:00.219
 If it

00:23:00.219 --> 00:23:00.519
 doesn't

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.079
 stun you,

00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:01.639
 you don't

00:23:01.639 --> 00:23:02.439
 understand it.

00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:05.919
 John says

00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:06.779
 no one has

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:08.139
 ever seen

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:08.859
 God,

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.799
 but he's

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:11.139
 made him

00:23:11.139 --> 00:23:11.480
 known.

00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:12.019
 You see,

00:23:12.159 --> 00:23:12.500
 what he's

00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:13.199
 referring to,

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:13.879
 he's referring

00:23:13.879 --> 00:23:15.000
 back to the

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.339
 book of

00:23:15.339 --> 00:23:15.799
 Exodus.

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.319
 Because for

00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:18.039
 the Jews,

00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.179
 God was so

00:23:19.179 --> 00:23:19.659
 holy,

00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:20.259
 you would

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:20.579
 not even

00:23:20.579 --> 00:23:21.000
 say his

00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:21.500
 name.

00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.539
 You couldn't

00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:24.079
 stand in

00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:24.719
 his presence.

00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:25.799
 Moses,

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.579
 before the

00:23:26.579 --> 00:23:27.140
 burning bush,

00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:27.660
 had to

00:23:27.660 --> 00:23:28.100
 shield his

00:23:28.100 --> 00:23:28.380
 eyes,

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:29.019
 take off

00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:29.200
 his

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:29.740
 standals,

00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:30.319
 because he

00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:30.660
 was so

00:23:30.660 --> 00:23:31.019
 holy.

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:31.740
 In Exodus

00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:32.519
 33,

00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:34.759
 Moses says,

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:35.600
 please show

00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:35.900
 me your

00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:36.240
 glory.

00:23:36.339 --> 00:23:36.640
 He doesn't

00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:36.900
 know what

00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:37.360
 he's asking.

00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:39.160
 Because God

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:39.360
 says,

00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:39.539
 yeah,

00:23:39.620 --> 00:23:40.160
 I'll make

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.600
 all my

00:23:40.600 --> 00:23:41.059
 goodness

00:23:41.059 --> 00:23:41.920
 pass in

00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:42.360
 front of

00:23:42.360 --> 00:23:42.600
 you,

00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.339
 but you

00:23:43.339 --> 00:23:43.940
 cannot see

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.420
 my face

00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:44.980
 because man

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.660
 cannot see

00:23:45.660 --> 00:23:46.039
 me and

00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:46.539
 live,

00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:47.720
 he says.

00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:48.900
 And then

00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:49.240
 he kind of

00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:49.779
 hides him in

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:50.120
 this little

00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:50.640
 cave,

00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:52.740
 and Moses

00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:53.259
 kind of just

00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:53.620
 sees this

00:23:53.620 --> 00:23:54.279
 streak of

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:54.559
 lightning

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:54.940
 that kind

00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:55.220
 of goes

00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:55.519
 past,

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:55.839
 just the

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:56.079
 kind of

00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.539
 tail end

00:23:56.539 --> 00:23:57.059
 of the

00:23:57.059 --> 00:23:57.440
 glory,

00:23:57.639 --> 00:23:57.899
 and he

00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:58.480
 just hears,

00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:58.839
 he doesn't

00:23:58.839 --> 00:23:59.059
 see,

00:23:59.119 --> 00:23:59.359
 he just

00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:00.399
 hears God

00:24:00.399 --> 00:24:01.319
 proclaim his

00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:01.659
 name,

00:24:01.879 --> 00:24:02.319
 the Lord,

00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:02.779
 the Lord,

00:24:02.879 --> 00:24:03.559
 merciful and

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:03.940
 gracious,

00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:04.779
 slow to

00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:05.200
 anger,

00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:06.579
 abounding in

00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.539
 steadfast love

00:24:07.539 --> 00:24:08.619
 and faithfulness.

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:10.639
 But he

00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:11.240
 can't see

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:11.519
 him,

00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:14.460
 because he's

00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:15.039
 so holy,

00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:17.240
 he's so

00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:17.759
 awesome.

00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:19.039
 You can't

00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:19.460
 look at the

00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:19.879
 sun,

00:24:20.159 --> 00:24:20.419
 right,

00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:21.079
 just without

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.960
 getting blinded.

00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:22.960
 God created

00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:23.659
 that thing.

00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:27.240
 But this

00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:28.279
 unseen,

00:24:28.540 --> 00:24:28.900
 utterly

00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:30.019
 holy God

00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:31.340
 has made

00:24:31.340 --> 00:24:32.300
 himself known

00:24:32.300 --> 00:24:34.740
 in a little

00:24:34.740 --> 00:24:35.420
 baby

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:37.720
 called Jesus.

00:24:39.840 --> 00:24:40.140
 I mean,

00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:40.920
 just think about

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:41.060
 it.

00:24:41.120 --> 00:24:41.779
 The God who

00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:42.900
 is outside of

00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:43.360
 time,

00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:44.460
 omnipresent,

00:24:44.820 --> 00:24:45.460
 all-knowing,

00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:46.279
 doesn't need to

00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:46.600
 sleep,

00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:47.380
 doesn't need

00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:48.040
 coffee in the

00:24:48.040 --> 00:24:48.279
 morning,

00:24:48.620 --> 00:24:49.279
 doesn't wish

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.880
 he'd achieved

00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:50.440
 some more,

00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:51.120
 doesn't wish

00:24:51.120 --> 00:24:51.620
 he was better

00:24:51.620 --> 00:24:52.460
 looking or more

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:53.420
 talented because

00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:54.220
 he is the

00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:55.279
 epitome of

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:56.440
 all unprecedented

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:57.120
 glory.

00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:57.960
 He is the

00:24:57.960 --> 00:24:58.579
 ultimate in

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.319
 every category

00:24:59.319 --> 00:24:59.880
 and he's

00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:00.740
 already satisfied

00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:01.559
 in himself with

00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:01.880
 his love

00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:02.680
 relationship that's

00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:03.140
 going on.

00:25:03.340 --> 00:25:03.880
 But this

00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:04.960
 very God

00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:07.039
 chooses

00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:08.579
 to wear

00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:09.200
 nappies and

00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:09.880
 poo himself,

00:25:11.319 --> 00:25:11.960
 chooses to

00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:12.700
 get acne and

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:13.100
 go through

00:25:13.100 --> 00:25:13.519
 puberty,

00:25:14.600 --> 00:25:16.360
 chooses our

00:25:16.360 --> 00:25:17.059
 tiredness and

00:25:17.059 --> 00:25:17.860
 our fragility,

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:19.079
 our limits,

00:25:19.079 --> 00:25:21.159
 in complete

00:25:21.159 --> 00:25:22.240
 dependence on

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:22.799
 his father.

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.179
 Do you know

00:25:26.179 --> 00:25:26.359
 that?

00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:26.960
 I think we

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:27.279
 have a big

00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:27.779
 problem with

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:28.119
 this.

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:29.699
 You know

00:25:29.699 --> 00:25:30.099
 the song

00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:30.679
 Away in a

00:25:30.679 --> 00:25:31.000
 Manger?

00:25:32.699 --> 00:25:33.139
 Do you know

00:25:33.139 --> 00:25:33.759
 there's a line

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.279
 in that which

00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:34.519
 says,

00:25:34.659 --> 00:25:35.299
 the little Lord

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:35.659
 Jesus,

00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:36.879
 no crying he

00:25:36.879 --> 00:25:37.439
 makes.

00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:39.220
 That is the

00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:39.799
 biggest load of

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:40.359
 crap ever.

00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:41.199
 Sorry if I'm

00:25:41.199 --> 00:25:41.659
 allowed to say

00:25:41.659 --> 00:25:41.839
 that.

00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:44.439
 I mean,

00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:45.500
 why do we say

00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:45.759
 that?

00:25:45.819 --> 00:25:46.240
 It's like kind

00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:46.339
 of,

00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:47.259
 we think Jesus

00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:48.099
 is kind of zen,

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:48.779
 just kind of,

00:25:49.099 --> 00:25:49.339
 you know,

00:25:49.459 --> 00:25:49.939
 and Mary and

00:25:49.939 --> 00:25:50.179
 Joseph,

00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:50.500
 it's like,

00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:50.679
 hey,

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.500
 he's a

00:25:51.500 --> 00:25:53.139
 self-parenting,

00:25:53.299 --> 00:25:53.619
 you know.

00:25:56.059 --> 00:25:56.539
 No.

00:25:57.679 --> 00:25:58.179
 You see,

00:25:58.659 --> 00:25:59.679
 we often think,

00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:00.619
 we say things

00:26:00.619 --> 00:26:00.939
 like,

00:26:02.439 --> 00:26:02.719
 you know,

00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:03.419
 yeah,

00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:04.240
 but that was

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:04.759
 Jesus,

00:26:05.679 --> 00:26:05.959
 right?

00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:06.319
 You know,

00:26:06.639 --> 00:26:07.139
 Jesus loved

00:26:07.139 --> 00:26:07.519
 people,

00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:08.339
 Jesus forgave

00:26:08.339 --> 00:26:08.679
 people,

00:26:08.939 --> 00:26:09.119
 yeah,

00:26:09.219 --> 00:26:09.599
 but that was

00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:10.039
 Jesus,

00:26:10.399 --> 00:26:10.659
 right?

00:26:10.699 --> 00:26:11.079
 Don't we?

00:26:11.419 --> 00:26:11.959
 Because what

00:26:11.959 --> 00:26:12.500
 we're saying

00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:12.679
 is,

00:26:12.919 --> 00:26:13.399
 we think

00:26:13.399 --> 00:26:14.079
 Jesus is a

00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:14.659
 bit like a

00:26:14.659 --> 00:26:15.159
 tuna and

00:26:15.159 --> 00:26:15.599
 wasabi

00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:16.199
 sushi.

00:26:16.639 --> 00:26:16.779
 You know,

00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:17.419
 the wasabi

00:26:17.420 --> 00:26:18.840
 always overpowers

00:26:18.840 --> 00:26:19.360
 the tuna,

00:26:20.060 --> 00:26:20.360
 right?

00:26:20.600 --> 00:26:21.140
 And so the

00:26:21.140 --> 00:26:21.960
 divine always

00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:22.920
 overpowers the

00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:23.220
 human.

00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:23.700
 Really,

00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:24.360
 he's just kind

00:26:24.360 --> 00:26:24.680
 of a little

00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.060
 bit of a

00:26:25.060 --> 00:26:25.420
 shell,

00:26:25.860 --> 00:26:26.100
 you know.

00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:26.480
 He's not

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:27.320
 truly human.

00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:29.080
 Colin's going,

00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:29.680
 what on earth

00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:30.420
 analogy.

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:35.440
 But we think

00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:35.660
 that,

00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:35.860
 hey,

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.480
 he isn't

00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.120
 really like

00:26:37.120 --> 00:26:37.539
 us.

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.580
 But this

00:26:39.580 --> 00:26:40.240
 passage is

00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:40.500
 saying,

00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:40.960
 no,

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:41.860
 he gets

00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:42.420
 you entirely.

00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:43.580
 He's 100%

00:26:43.580 --> 00:26:44.000
 human,

00:26:44.300 --> 00:26:45.259
 100% God,

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:45.579
 not a

00:26:45.579 --> 00:26:46.180
 50-50,

00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:46.819
 not a

00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.099
 kind of

00:26:47.099 --> 00:26:47.480
 cocktail.

00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:48.279
 He's none

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:48.619
 of those

00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:48.799
 things.

00:26:48.859 --> 00:26:49.799
 He's 100%

00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:50.599
 and yet he

00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.759
 lays aside

00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:54.200
 his power

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:55.400
 and experiences

00:26:55.400 --> 00:26:56.319
 our full

00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:57.119
 humanity

00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:59.599
 so that

00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.180
 he might

00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:00.759
 open

00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:02.180
 our doors

00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:02.960
 to his

00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:03.339
 love.

00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:06.000
 That's

00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.460
 insane.

00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:08.359
 But it

00:27:08.359 --> 00:27:08.960
 gets crazier

00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:09.460
 than that.

00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:11.339
 Because

00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:12.099
 verse 14,

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:12.799
 the message

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:14.099
 translation

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.919
 says this,

00:27:15.819 --> 00:27:16.279
 the word

00:27:16.279 --> 00:27:17.179
 became flesh

00:27:17.179 --> 00:27:17.779
 and blood

00:27:17.779 --> 00:27:19.519
 and moved

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:20.039
 into our

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.419
 neighborhood.

00:27:21.179 --> 00:27:21.539
 I love

00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:21.779
 that.

00:27:22.719 --> 00:27:23.259
 The word

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.179
 became flesh

00:27:24.179 --> 00:27:24.859
 and blood

00:27:24.859 --> 00:27:25.819
 and moved

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.399
 into our

00:27:26.399 --> 00:27:26.740
 neighborhood.

00:27:28.679 --> 00:27:28.839
 Do you

00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:28.980
 know,

00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:29.859
 he didn't

00:27:29.859 --> 00:27:30.980
 choose to

00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.419
 move in

00:27:31.419 --> 00:27:32.039
 to live

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:32.319
 on the

00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:32.699
 peak

00:27:32.699 --> 00:27:34.539
 in a

00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.000
 palace.

00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:37.099
 He came

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:37.779
 to a

00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:38.799
 feeding trough

00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:39.379
 in utter

00:27:39.379 --> 00:27:39.980
 poverty

00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:40.719
 in a

00:27:40.719 --> 00:27:41.319
 backwater

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.059
 of nowhere.

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:44.119
 and not

00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:44.339
 just

00:27:44.339 --> 00:27:45.220
 physically

00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:46.019
 in poverty,

00:27:46.139 --> 00:27:46.480
 he came

00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:46.859
 to a

00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.440
 spiritual

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.200
 slum.

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.119
 Do you

00:27:50.119 --> 00:27:50.279
 know,

00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:51.000
 me and

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:51.379
 my family,

00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:51.859
 we moved

00:27:51.859 --> 00:27:53.099
 from

00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:53.960
 Shengwan

00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:54.359
 to

00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:54.859
 Shamshai

00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:55.139
 Pol

00:27:55.139 --> 00:27:56.220
 almost

00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:56.619
 exactly

00:27:56.619 --> 00:27:56.960
 a year

00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:57.240
 ago.

00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.379
 And I

00:27:59.379 --> 00:27:59.940
 read this

00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:00.619
 passage a

00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:01.240
 year ago

00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:02.519
 just as we

00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:03.079
 moved in

00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:03.559
 and I

00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:04.019
 looked over

00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:04.319
 to see

00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:04.480
 the

00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:05.079
 tongfong,

00:28:05.319 --> 00:28:06.519
 the subdivided

00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.059
 flats

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:07.639
 that were

00:28:07.639 --> 00:28:07.980
 there and

00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:08.500
 these kind

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.019
 of tiny

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:09.339
 little

00:28:09.339 --> 00:28:09.919
 cramped

00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:11.680
 apartments.

00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:13.519
 And this

00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.160
 just took

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.380
 on a

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:14.700
 whole new

00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:15.019
 meaning.

00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:15.980
 And then

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:16.240
 actually

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:16.860
 afterwards I

00:28:16.860 --> 00:28:17.279
 went down

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:17.560
 to the

00:28:17.560 --> 00:28:18.019
 park and

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:18.200
 I was

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:18.660
 reading my

00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:18.900
 Bible,

00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:19.160
 it's a

00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:19.440
 beautiful

00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:19.820
 park,

00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:20.000
 I was

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:20.380
 reading my

00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:21.080
 Bible and

00:28:21.080 --> 00:28:22.220
 then somebody

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.820
 came down to

00:28:22.820 --> 00:28:23.360
 sit next to

00:28:23.360 --> 00:28:23.539
 me and

00:28:23.539 --> 00:28:24.180
 started snorting

00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:24.700
 cocaine.

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:25.500
 And then

00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:26.039
 just on the

00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:26.560
 side four

00:28:26.560 --> 00:28:27.180
 people walked

00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:27.460
 up,

00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.580
 laid on the

00:28:28.580 --> 00:28:28.820
 floor,

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.360
 took out

00:28:29.360 --> 00:28:29.860
 needles and

00:28:29.860 --> 00:28:30.600
 started injecting

00:28:30.600 --> 00:28:31.019
 themselves.

00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:31.779
 And I'm

00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:32.100
 going,

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.380
 I've got to

00:28:33.380 --> 00:28:33.840
 get out of

00:28:33.840 --> 00:28:34.100
 here.

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:36.539
 And then

00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:37.560
 you hear about

00:28:37.560 --> 00:28:38.740
 people like

00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:39.860
 Jackie Pullinger

00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:40.399
 if you know

00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:41.059
 Jackie Pullinger

00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:41.699
 leaves the

00:28:41.699 --> 00:28:42.459
 comfort of

00:28:42.459 --> 00:28:42.959
 Britain to

00:28:42.959 --> 00:28:44.399
 minister to

00:28:44.399 --> 00:28:44.979
 those in the

00:28:44.979 --> 00:28:45.879
 walled city in

00:28:45.879 --> 00:28:46.899
 Kowloon which

00:28:46.899 --> 00:28:47.879
 was known as

00:28:47.879 --> 00:28:48.419
 a den of

00:28:48.419 --> 00:28:48.779
 thieves,

00:28:48.939 --> 00:28:49.500
 triads and

00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:50.519
 drug addicts.

00:28:50.899 --> 00:28:51.740
 Or German

00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.279
 Moravian

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:52.799
 missionaries,

00:28:52.879 --> 00:28:53.299
 some of you may

00:28:53.299 --> 00:28:53.959
 not know this but

00:28:53.959 --> 00:28:55.719
 in the 1700s a

00:28:55.719 --> 00:28:56.339
 group of these

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:57.199
 guys tried to

00:28:57.199 --> 00:28:58.119
 sell themselves

00:28:58.119 --> 00:28:59.879
 into slavery to

00:28:59.879 --> 00:29:00.500
 be able to

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.179
 reach the

00:29:01.179 --> 00:29:02.079
 slaves even in

00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:02.819
 the horror of

00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:03.559
 the conditions of

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:04.079
 slavery.

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:06.459
 Because they

00:29:06.459 --> 00:29:06.779
 wanted the

00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:07.479
 gospel to get

00:29:07.479 --> 00:29:07.939
 to them that

00:29:07.939 --> 00:29:08.319
 badly.

00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:09.480
 All of those

00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.619
 things pale

00:29:10.619 --> 00:29:12.159
 into comparison

00:29:12.159 --> 00:29:13.379
 with what this

00:29:13.379 --> 00:29:14.279
 phrase says,

00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:15.119
 the word,

00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:15.939
 the creator of

00:29:15.939 --> 00:29:17.279
 everything became

00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:18.419
 flesh and moved

00:29:18.419 --> 00:29:19.259
 into our

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.059
 neighborhood.

00:29:21.659 --> 00:29:22.559
 It's our door

00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.200
 shut,

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.539
 finger pointing,

00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:25.819
 self-exalting,

00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:26.919
 self-reliant,

00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:28.519
 self-justifying,

00:29:28.899 --> 00:29:29.200
 dirty,

00:29:29.379 --> 00:29:30.200
 broken slum of

00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:30.939
 our lives.

00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:33.259
 and he didn't

00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:34.360
 airbnb out of

00:29:34.360 --> 00:29:36.320
 town for a

00:29:36.320 --> 00:29:36.740
 night or two

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.120
 and then just

00:29:37.120 --> 00:29:37.799
 parachute in

00:29:37.799 --> 00:29:38.380
 occasionally.

00:29:39.600 --> 00:29:40.779
 The word says

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:42.820
 he dwelt among

00:29:42.820 --> 00:29:43.400
 us.

00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:45.680
 I love that.

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.420
 It's literally

00:29:46.420 --> 00:29:47.620
 he pitched a

00:29:47.620 --> 00:29:49.380
 tent among us.

00:29:50.620 --> 00:29:51.039
 And it's

00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:51.960
 referring to the

00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:52.600
 Old Testament

00:29:52.600 --> 00:29:53.980
 tabernacle where

00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:55.360
 the presence of

00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.240
 the holy awesome

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:57.400
 God came to

00:29:57.400 --> 00:29:58.220
 meet with his

00:29:58.220 --> 00:29:59.299
 unholy people.

00:30:00.380 --> 00:30:02.000
 The presence of

00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:02.940
 God himself

00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:04.339
 comes down into

00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:05.039
 the slum.

00:30:08.620 --> 00:30:09.680
 And what that

00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:10.380
 should show you

00:30:10.380 --> 00:30:11.079
 is this.

00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:14.339
 God is not

00:30:14.339 --> 00:30:15.779
 standoffish and

00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:16.119
 kind of,

00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:16.359
 oh.

00:30:17.439 --> 00:30:18.579
 God doesn't

00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:19.579
 hold his nose

00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:20.279
 at us.

00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:21.319
 Do you know I

00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:21.839
 walked in a

00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:22.419
 slum in India

00:30:22.419 --> 00:30:23.359
 once and

00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.119
 everywhere there

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:25.220
 was human

00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:25.899
 excrement.

00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:27.299
 And there was a

00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:27.980
 cesspit on the

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.359
 side and I

00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:28.819
 was kind of

00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:30.519
 like this.

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:31.960
 God does not

00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:32.659
 go, oh,

00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:33.639
 at us.

00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:35.639
 Isn't that

00:30:35.639 --> 00:30:36.099
 incredible?

00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:38.079
 You see,

00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:39.500
 God knows

00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:40.179
 your mess.

00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:40.740
 He knows

00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:41.380
 your shame.

00:30:41.620 --> 00:30:42.000
 He knows

00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:42.420
 that you have

00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:43.000
 slammed the

00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:43.539
 door in his

00:30:43.539 --> 00:30:44.600
 face a thousand

00:30:44.600 --> 00:30:45.259
 times, whether

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:45.880
 you're a Christian

00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:46.620
 or not.

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:47.880
 And maybe even

00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:48.560
 this morning you

00:30:48.560 --> 00:30:49.240
 did the same.

00:30:50.580 --> 00:30:51.220
 Treating your

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.740
 life as your

00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:52.240
 own and not

00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:52.700
 his.

00:30:55.120 --> 00:30:55.700
 But he

00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:56.160
 doesn't move

00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:57.060
 away from us.

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:57.759
 He moves

00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:58.880
 towards us.

00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:01.539
 He's not the

00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:02.259
 distant,

00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:03.400
 disinterested,

00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:05.120
 slightly harsh,

00:31:05.560 --> 00:31:06.840
 maybe wondering

00:31:06.840 --> 00:31:07.720
 about us a little

00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:08.580
 bit kind of God

00:31:08.580 --> 00:31:09.220
 that many of us

00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:10.000
 actually you think

00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:10.839
 he really is.

00:31:12.360 --> 00:31:13.500
 Because he is

00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:14.420
 the God who

00:31:14.420 --> 00:31:15.700
 wants to reshape

00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:16.360
 your entire

00:31:16.360 --> 00:31:17.259
 mental picture

00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:17.819
 of him.

00:31:18.420 --> 00:31:18.900
 So see, he's

00:31:18.900 --> 00:31:19.380
 the God who

00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:20.299
 longs to draw

00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.100
 close to us

00:31:21.100 --> 00:31:21.900
 and he will

00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:22.940
 go to the

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.759
 heavens to do

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:24.779
 it and he

00:31:24.779 --> 00:31:25.160
 will go to

00:31:25.160 --> 00:31:25.920
 the slum to

00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:26.579
 do it too.

00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:29.259
 So that you

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:30.640
 and I might

00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:31.779
 be drawn into

00:31:31.779 --> 00:31:32.700
 a relationship

00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:34.019
 and experience

00:31:34.019 --> 00:31:35.620
 the love that

00:31:35.620 --> 00:31:36.240
 he has.

00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:39.700
 Jesus reveals

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:41.319
 what God is

00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:42.180
 truly like.

00:31:43.579 --> 00:31:44.319
 No one's

00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:44.759
 ever seen

00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:46.759
 God, but

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.759
 only God,

00:31:47.859 --> 00:31:48.859
 the only God

00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:49.660
 who is at

00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:50.519
 the Father's

00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:52.200
 side, left

00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:52.700
 the glories

00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:54.480
 of heaven to

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:54.920
 make him

00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:55.319
 known.

00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.099
 You know,

00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:57.620
 Don Carson

00:31:57.620 --> 00:31:58.279
 says this,

00:31:58.380 --> 00:31:58.799
 he says,

00:31:59.319 --> 00:31:59.900
 do you want

00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:00.180
 to know what

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:00.599
 the character

00:32:00.599 --> 00:32:01.079
 of God is

00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:01.420
 like?

00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:02.859
 Study Jesus.

00:32:02.859 --> 00:32:03.859
 Do you want

00:32:03.859 --> 00:32:04.159
 to know what

00:32:04.159 --> 00:32:04.599
 the holiness

00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:05.179
 of God is

00:32:05.179 --> 00:32:05.519
 like?

00:32:05.879 --> 00:32:06.679
 Study Jesus.

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:07.419
 Do you want

00:32:07.419 --> 00:32:07.719
 to know what

00:32:07.719 --> 00:32:08.379
 the wrath of

00:32:08.379 --> 00:32:08.719
 God is

00:32:08.719 --> 00:32:09.059
 like?

00:32:09.419 --> 00:32:10.139
 Study Jesus.

00:32:10.479 --> 00:32:10.899
 Do you want

00:32:10.899 --> 00:32:11.179
 to know what

00:32:11.179 --> 00:32:11.759
 the forgiveness

00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:12.399
 of God is

00:32:12.399 --> 00:32:12.740
 like?

00:32:13.159 --> 00:32:13.959
 Study Jesus.

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:14.619
 Do you don't

00:32:14.619 --> 00:32:14.959
 want to know

00:32:14.959 --> 00:32:15.639
 what the glory

00:32:15.639 --> 00:32:16.159
 of God is

00:32:16.159 --> 00:32:16.500
 like?

00:32:16.939 --> 00:32:17.759
 Study Jesus.

00:32:17.979 --> 00:32:18.859
 Study Jesus

00:32:18.859 --> 00:32:19.679
 all the way

00:32:19.679 --> 00:32:20.359
 to that wretched

00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:21.199
 cross, study

00:32:21.199 --> 00:32:21.679
 Jesus.

00:32:24.179 --> 00:32:24.899
 What is he

00:32:24.899 --> 00:32:25.319
 like?

00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:27.479
 He's full

00:32:27.479 --> 00:32:28.779
 of grace

00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:29.500
 and truth.

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.539
 That doesn't

00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.219
 kind of get to

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:32.779
 us that much

00:32:32.779 --> 00:32:33.180
 but that's

00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:33.600
 actually the

00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.420
 Greek translation

00:32:34.420 --> 00:32:34.900
 of that

00:32:34.900 --> 00:32:35.740
 Exodus passage

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.220
 where God

00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:36.620
 says,

00:32:37.160 --> 00:32:38.579
 I am abounding

00:32:38.579 --> 00:32:39.940
 in steadfast

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.420
 love and

00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:41.220
 faithfulness.

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:43.519
 Jesus is

00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:44.039
 showing you

00:32:44.039 --> 00:32:44.620
 that this

00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:45.519
 very morning

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.240
 wherever you

00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:46.900
 are with

00:32:46.900 --> 00:32:47.839
 him today,

00:32:48.140 --> 00:32:48.960
 his heart

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.640
 for you

00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:50.400
 is an

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:51.480
 overflowing,

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:52.839
 ocean filled,

00:32:53.299 --> 00:32:54.339
 never ending,

00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:56.100
 unshakable love

00:32:56.100 --> 00:32:59.600
 that is willing

00:32:59.600 --> 00:33:00.279
 to go to the

00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:01.259
 depths for you.

00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:03.100
 to take you

00:33:03.100 --> 00:33:03.480
 out of the

00:33:03.480 --> 00:33:04.000
 gutter of

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.380
 trying to

00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:05.240
 prove yourself,

00:33:05.839 --> 00:33:06.440
 take you

00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:06.819
 out of the

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.460
 slum of your

00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:07.940
 own self

00:33:07.940 --> 00:33:08.559
 reliance,

00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:09.360
 take you

00:33:09.360 --> 00:33:09.720
 out of the

00:33:09.720 --> 00:33:10.200
 slum of your

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:10.799
 own self

00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:12.460
 focused ambition

00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.319
 and all the

00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:13.980
 worries and all

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.620
 the fears and

00:33:14.620 --> 00:33:15.120
 all those other

00:33:15.120 --> 00:33:15.460
 things, he

00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.200
 wants to lift

00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:16.940
 you up out of

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.440
 that so that

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:18.140
 you experience

00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:18.779
 his love.

00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:21.500
 The love of a

00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:22.500
 trinitarian God

00:33:22.500 --> 00:33:23.120
 who says wants

00:33:23.120 --> 00:33:23.799
 to give us the

00:33:23.799 --> 00:33:24.559
 right to be his

00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:25.039
 children.

00:33:26.900 --> 00:33:27.640
 So we might

00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:28.080
 know that

00:33:28.080 --> 00:33:28.860
 embrace,

00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.920
 that eternal

00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:32.640
 embrace.

00:33:35.060 --> 00:33:35.600
 And so this

00:33:35.600 --> 00:33:36.120
 Christmas,

00:33:36.920 --> 00:33:38.500
 this is what

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:39.160
 Jesus is wanting

00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:39.600
 to do.

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:43.040
 He comes to

00:33:43.040 --> 00:33:43.500
 his own,

00:33:44.759 --> 00:33:45.360
 that's you

00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:46.720
 and that's me

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:50.280
 today and

00:33:50.280 --> 00:33:50.800
 he says will

00:33:50.800 --> 00:33:51.640
 you receive

00:33:51.640 --> 00:33:51.920
 me?

00:33:52.800 --> 00:33:53.620
 I'm knocking

00:33:53.620 --> 00:33:54.220
 at the door,

00:33:55.140 --> 00:33:55.980
 will you open

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:57.500
 and let the

00:33:57.500 --> 00:33:58.120
 owner come

00:33:58.120 --> 00:33:58.360
 in?

00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:03.860
 In the

00:34:03.860 --> 00:34:04.500
 Garden of Eden,

00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:05.720
 you know,

00:34:06.279 --> 00:34:07.079
 Eve ate the

00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:08.760
 fruit because

00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:09.740
 she doubted

00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:10.639
 God's goodness.

00:34:12.179 --> 00:34:12.559
 Did God

00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:13.179
 really say?

00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:16.219
 All of your

00:34:16.219 --> 00:34:16.619
 sin,

00:34:17.260 --> 00:34:18.119
 all of your

00:34:18.119 --> 00:34:18.539
 worry,

00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:19.699
 all of your

00:34:19.699 --> 00:34:20.179
 fear,

00:34:20.740 --> 00:34:21.380
 all of your

00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:22.679
 striving to

00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:23.699
 get life by

00:34:23.699 --> 00:34:24.219
 yourself,

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:24.920
 all of your

00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:25.960
 self-reliance,

00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:26.119
 goodness,

00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:27.639
 comes out of

00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:28.159
 a false

00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:28.599
 view of

00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:29.800
 God because

00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:30.380
 you don't

00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.000
 think he is

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:31.579
 as good as

00:34:31.579 --> 00:34:32.619
 he says he

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:32.920
 is.

00:34:34.179 --> 00:34:34.820
 You don't

00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:35.179
 think he

00:34:35.179 --> 00:34:35.880
 loves you

00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:36.780
 as much as

00:34:36.780 --> 00:34:37.240
 he says he

00:34:37.240 --> 00:34:37.619
 does.

00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:38.900
 All of your

00:34:38.900 --> 00:34:39.599
 prayerlessness,

00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:41.460
 all of whatever

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:42.380
 is distracting

00:34:42.380 --> 00:34:43.059
 you and

00:34:43.059 --> 00:34:43.840
 busying you

00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:44.559
 and taking

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:44.960
 up your

00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:46.679
 mind is

00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:48.980
 shaped by

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:49.559
 your image

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.039
 of who you

00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:50.460
 think God

00:34:50.460 --> 00:34:50.780
 is.

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.699
 And this

00:34:52.699 --> 00:34:53.179
 Christmas,

00:34:53.340 --> 00:34:53.719
 what God

00:34:53.719 --> 00:34:54.260
 wants you to

00:34:54.260 --> 00:34:55.159
 do is he

00:34:55.159 --> 00:34:55.780
 wants you to

00:34:55.780 --> 00:34:56.540
 meditate on

00:34:56.540 --> 00:34:57.100
 the incarnation.

00:34:58.060 --> 00:34:58.600
 He wants you

00:34:58.600 --> 00:34:59.300
 to take this

00:34:59.300 --> 00:34:59.900
 view of who

00:34:59.900 --> 00:35:00.640
 he says he

00:35:00.640 --> 00:35:01.640
 is and set

00:35:01.640 --> 00:35:02.360
 it aside to

00:35:02.360 --> 00:35:02.920
 all those

00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:03.320
 things that

00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:03.780
 you have

00:35:03.780 --> 00:35:04.780
 filled in the

00:35:04.780 --> 00:35:05.380
 blanks with

00:35:05.380 --> 00:35:06.080
 and he wants

00:35:06.080 --> 00:35:07.000
 to erase those

00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:07.600
 blanks and he

00:35:07.600 --> 00:35:08.140
 wants to give

00:35:08.140 --> 00:35:08.540
 you a new

00:35:08.540 --> 00:35:08.960
 image of

00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:10.720
 himself so

00:35:10.720 --> 00:35:10.980
 that you

00:35:10.980 --> 00:35:11.620
 can go out

00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:12.240
 of here

00:35:12.240 --> 00:35:14.400
 freed from

00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:14.760
 being the

00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:15.120
 center of

00:35:15.120 --> 00:35:15.400
 your own

00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:15.800
 world,

00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:17.200
 free to

00:35:17.200 --> 00:35:17.480
 live an

00:35:17.480 --> 00:35:18.240
 expansive

00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:20.260
 life with

00:35:20.260 --> 00:35:20.780
 him at the

00:35:20.780 --> 00:35:21.100
 center.

00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:21.219
 other.

00:35:24.819 --> 00:35:25.599
 And so let

00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:25.920
 me just

00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:26.579
 encourage you

00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:26.980
 finally.

00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:28.779
 How do you

00:35:28.779 --> 00:35:29.219
 do that?

00:35:31.400 --> 00:35:31.839
 You've

00:35:31.839 --> 00:35:32.299
 actually got to

00:35:32.299 --> 00:35:34.339
 take time to

00:35:34.339 --> 00:35:34.860
 think about

00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:35.860
 Jesus and to

00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:36.500
 prepare for

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:38.400
 Jesus because

00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:38.920
 he's knocking.

00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:41.759
 One of the

00:35:41.759 --> 00:35:42.119
 things we're

00:35:42.119 --> 00:35:42.539
 doing as a

00:35:42.539 --> 00:35:43.179
 church is we're

00:35:43.179 --> 00:35:43.500
 going through

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.339
 this devotional,

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:45.980
 Advent devotional.

00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:46.500
 If you haven't

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.659
 started, I want to

00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:49.019
 strongly encourage you

00:35:49.019 --> 00:35:49.460
 to do that.

00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:50.019
 I've just been

00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:50.579
 reading through

00:35:50.579 --> 00:35:51.260
 and it's just

00:35:51.260 --> 00:35:52.659
 really encouraging

00:35:52.659 --> 00:35:53.280
 me because it's

00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:54.039
 all about Jesus.

00:35:55.639 --> 00:35:57.000
 Take the time to

00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:58.599
 really reflect on

00:35:58.599 --> 00:35:58.960
 Jesus.

00:35:59.720 --> 00:36:00.099
 You know, one of

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:00.460
 the things my

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.039
 wife has been

00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:01.940
 doing every day,

00:36:02.260 --> 00:36:03.119
 I didn't ask her

00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:03.619
 to do it, she's

00:36:03.619 --> 00:36:04.199
 just started doing

00:36:04.199 --> 00:36:04.659
 this, she's been

00:36:04.659 --> 00:36:05.539
 writing a scripture

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:06.599
 verse every day

00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:07.559
 during Advent for

00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:07.679
 me.

00:36:07.740 --> 00:36:08.300
 She gives it to me

00:36:08.300 --> 00:36:08.780
 in an envelope.

00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:10.500
 It's amazing.

00:36:10.760 --> 00:36:11.119
 My wife's

00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:11.480
 incredible.

00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:12.380
 She gives it to me

00:36:12.380 --> 00:36:13.940
 in an envelope and

00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:15.000
 every morning I open

00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:15.699
 up with a scripture

00:36:15.699 --> 00:36:16.400
 reminding me of

00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:16.659
 Jesus.

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.179
 It's awesome.

00:36:18.179 --> 00:36:19.559
 I'm going to

00:36:19.559 --> 00:36:20.359
 type them all up

00:36:20.359 --> 00:36:21.059
 so that I've got

00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:21.559
 this list.

00:36:22.659 --> 00:36:23.359
 Every day we're

00:36:23.359 --> 00:36:23.940
 actually putting up

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:24.759
 a different Christmas

00:36:24.759 --> 00:36:26.279
 decoration and then

00:36:26.279 --> 00:36:27.599
 actually just relating

00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:28.839
 it to Jesus with my

00:36:28.839 --> 00:36:30.659
 family because we want

00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:31.980
 Jesus to saturate

00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:32.879
 everything because if

00:36:32.879 --> 00:36:33.839
 Jesus is center of

00:36:33.839 --> 00:36:35.159
 your life, all the

00:36:35.159 --> 00:36:35.879
 other problems are

00:36:35.879 --> 00:36:36.179
 going to get

00:36:36.179 --> 00:36:38.139
 perspective because if

00:36:38.139 --> 00:36:39.199
 he's the God of all

00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:40.919
 creation and he's the

00:36:40.919 --> 00:36:41.619
 one who loves you

00:36:41.619 --> 00:36:45.519
 that much, then you

00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:47.419
 can be free to enjoy

00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:49.240
 him this Christmas and

00:36:49.240 --> 00:36:50.019
 to have an expanded

00:36:50.019 --> 00:36:50.599
 life.

00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:52.220
 Let's pray.

00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.780
 Maybe just as the

00:37:02.780 --> 00:37:06.000
 band comes up, just

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:06.900
 think about how you're

00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:08.079
 actually responding to

00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:08.880
 Jesus right at the

00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:09.099
 moment.

00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:13.319
 what place does he

00:37:13.319 --> 00:37:14.279
 really have in your

00:37:14.279 --> 00:37:14.699
 life?

00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:16.559
 Not the kind of

00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:17.940
 superficial answer, not

00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:18.559
 the kind of right,

00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:19.699
 correct answer, but

00:37:19.699 --> 00:37:22.299
 even just where in your

00:37:22.299 --> 00:37:23.239
 thinking is he?

00:37:24.799 --> 00:37:26.299
 What is your image of

00:37:26.299 --> 00:37:26.579
 him?

00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:28.480
 What are you worried

00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:28.900
 about?

00:37:30.480 --> 00:37:32.039
 What are you afraid of?

00:37:32.779 --> 00:37:34.000
 What are you striving

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:34.500
 for?

00:37:34.500 --> 00:37:34.559
 What are you striving for?

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:34.619
 What are you striving for?

00:37:34.619 --> 00:37:38.559
 What are you striving for?

00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:40.579
 And are you able to let

00:37:40.579 --> 00:37:42.699
 him be the one who you're

00:37:42.699 --> 00:37:43.699
 striving for more than

00:37:43.699 --> 00:37:44.500
 anything else?

00:37:47.320 --> 00:37:48.279
 If you're not a

00:37:48.279 --> 00:37:49.480
 Christian, God is speaking

00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:50.719
 to you and saying, will

00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:52.099
 you open the door of your

00:37:52.099 --> 00:37:53.799
 heart to stop trying to be

00:37:53.799 --> 00:37:54.860
 in control of your own

00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:56.539
 life and let me be?

00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:04.960
 Maybe some of us just need

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.659
 to go, God, open my eyes

00:38:06.659 --> 00:38:07.839
 to see the wonder of this

00:38:07.839 --> 00:38:08.239
 again.

00:38:17.460 --> 00:38:18.739
 Just respond to Jesus

00:38:18.739 --> 00:38:19.399
 right now.

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:22.139
 Wherever you're up to.

00:38:24.059 --> 00:38:25.199
 Maybe we need to respond in

00:38:25.199 --> 00:38:26.099
 just praise.

00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:29.839
 Maybe we need to respond in

00:38:29.839 --> 00:38:31.319
 repentance, saying, God, I

00:38:31.319 --> 00:38:33.519
 know my life has just been,

00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:36.840
 I've crowded you out, but I

00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:37.900
 want my heart to be open

00:38:37.900 --> 00:38:38.380
 for you.

00:38:41.780 --> 00:38:42.900
 Maybe there's an action of

00:38:42.900 --> 00:38:44.019
 obedience that he's calling

00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:45.900
 you to do, and you've just

00:38:45.900 --> 00:38:46.920
 been going, yeah, but I

00:38:46.920 --> 00:38:47.920
 prefer to do this.

00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:53.059
 And Jesus is saying, trust me,

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:55.579
 I'm better than you think I

00:38:55.579 --> 00:38:55.800
 am.

00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:00.420
 Father, I just pray for us as

00:39:00.420 --> 00:39:00.920
 a church.

00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:04.119
 It's so easy for us to talk

00:39:04.119 --> 00:39:05.200
 about Jesus all the time,

00:39:05.260 --> 00:39:06.440
 but to lose the wonder of

00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:07.240
 who you really are.

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:10.139
 God, would you rekindle that

00:39:10.139 --> 00:39:10.440
 wonder?

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:13.159
 Would you light a fire in our

00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:14.480
 hearts, Lord, this Christmas?

00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:17.559
 Would you show us that you are

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.980
 worth giving everything for?

00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:21.800
 Would you give us such a

00:39:21.800 --> 00:39:23.139
 filling of your love that it

00:39:23.139 --> 00:39:24.099
 just overflows?

00:39:24.240 --> 00:39:25.220
 That as we go out into our

00:39:25.220 --> 00:39:26.579
 workplaces, as we go into our

00:39:26.579 --> 00:39:27.539
 families, as we go into

00:39:27.539 --> 00:39:29.440
 difficult situations, as we go

00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:30.440
 into things we have no idea

00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:32.260
 how to handle, we go with a

00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:33.400
 peace knowing that you're

00:39:33.400 --> 00:39:35.760
 already in charge, that you're

00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:36.679
 the center of the world, and

00:39:36.679 --> 00:39:37.440
 you've got this.

00:39:38.300 --> 00:39:39.460
 And we just need to walk with

00:39:39.460 --> 00:39:39.679
 you.

00:39:40.780 --> 00:39:43.119
 Father, lift our eyes to see

00:39:43.119 --> 00:39:44.059
 you again, we pray.

00:39:45.059 --> 00:39:46.400
 In Jesus' mighty name.

00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:48.099
 Amen.