WEBVTT

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 you are a visitor this morning, let me inform you, if you are regular, you will quickly

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 perceive that what we are about to hear is not typical. Usually, the sermon portion of

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 our service seeks to explicate, explain some portion of scripture, and then discover God's

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 word for it in it for us today. And occasionally, however, we like to take some personal drama,

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 some person's story, someone's experience, and use that as a lens through which we see

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 some particular scripture that will illuminate our experience in that particular scripture

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 too. And today is one of those occasional times. So I offer you one person's story. In fact,

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 the person who wrote one of those hymns that we earlier sang, interspersed with a few reflections.

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 On a hot summer day of the year 1505, a young student was returning from a visit home to continue

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 his studies at university. As he trudged along the parched road just outside the Saxon village

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 of Stotterheim. Ominously, the sky began to cloud over and soon completely darkened.

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 Then suddenly, from the black, roiling thunderhead, shot a bolt of lightning, hurling the panic-stricken

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 scholar headlong. In utter terror, the prostrate traveler cried out,

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 St. Anne, save me and I will become a monk. Well, it was not just the terror of the moment

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 which had extracted this oath from the young Martin, for that was the student's name. It was his great

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 concern for salvation. And in that terrible flash of lightning, Martin saw the denouement of the whole

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 drama of existence, the inexorable final judgment of God. And he knew that he was not ready to face

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 an all-holy and almighty judge. Hence, the terror-stricken appeal to St. Anne. St. Anne was his father's

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 saint, the patroness of minors, and as such a household favorite in his home. But also, St. Anne,

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 as the mother of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus, very well connected and able to interpose on

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 Martin's behalf, or such was the hope. His panicked prayer, save me and I will become a monk,

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 was more than a deal. It was a determination, a determination to take his salvation seriously.

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 For the common view of the day had it that the only way to play it truly safe when it came to salvation

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 was to become a monk. Indeed, to novices entering the monastery came the assurance,

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 keep this rule and I promise you eternal life. Now, Martin's father was irate for his son's resolve

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 to take the cowl, verged from the carefully laid parental plans for their son, who was to become a

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 lawyer and then support them in their old age. And the eliciting circumstance of a lightning bolt

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 might have absolved him from his vow as one uttered rashly. I mean, after all, it was uttered in the midst

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 of a thunderstorm. But Martin would not go back, even if he could. And within two weeks, he presented

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 himself at the gate of the Augustinian Priory, with salvation at stake. And if the cowl alone could

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 safely secure it, safely secure it, a monastery it must be. And so Martin exchanged his civilian clothes

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 for his Augustinian habit. As the Priory of the monastery intoned,

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 Bless thou thy servant, whom we have clad in the habit of a monk, that he may merit eternal life.

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 And so the zealous novice set himself to that task with all the vigor he possessed.

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 What was this system of salvation to which he set himself? How did one go about to merit eternal life?

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 Well, avoid as much as possible demerits by avoiding breaking God's laws,

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 like the Ten Commandments. Don't break those. Now, of course, this could scarcely be completely avoided.

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 So the need was to confess your faults, then make some amends for them.

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 Render some satisfaction, as it was called. Things like extra prayers or extra austerities

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 that you might take, kind of going the extra mile or going without. And this would give you some positive

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 merit to compensate and offset the demerit that you had accrued. And the aim was to keep your moral

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 ledger out of the red, if you could. And ideally, well into the black, if possible. Though such a more merit than

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 needed accomplishment was a rarity. And that would put you into the saints class of super achievers.

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 Now, this is where the system got complicated and creative. Since some, those super achievers,

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 had more merit than they needed for salvation, their extra could be transferred to another,

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 who maybe found himself in arrears and needed a little bit of help. And all the extra merit was

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 pooled into a great storehouse called the Treasury of Merit and could be dispensed by the religious

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 authorities of the day, who were the caretakers of this treasury. And the typical means, there were many,

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 many, many, many people, many people. But the typical means of obtaining such merit was by things like

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 viewing with veneration, maybe a religious relic, such as a preserved piece of the cross of Jesus,

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 or visiting some sacred site, like the burial place of St. James or St. Peter.

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 Well, this prescribed system of salvation, the monk Martin set himself to assiduously.

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 He swelled his already rigorous regimen of the monastery with extra prayers and with all-night vigils.

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 He scrupulously confessed all of his shortcomings, and for these, offered compensating satisfactions,

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 often in the form of extreme mortifications or deprivations, such as sleeping blanketless in the cold

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 winter months. In hindsight, he testified, I vexed myself with endless prayers and fastings.

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 If any could have been saved by his monkery, it was I. What impelled Monk Martin was, just as with the

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 thunderbolt of that Stotterheim storm, terror, terror, terror of standing before a holy God.

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 For he felt acutely that fierce wrath must be the stance of holy justice against the sinner.

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 In the presence of God, my soul feels and drinks, he somberly confessed, nothing but eternal punishment.

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 Desperately, he sought to clear himself in confession. Ever worried that he might have neglected some sin,

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 he not infrequently would sit in the confessional six hours at a time, exhaustively and exhaustingly

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 owning all of his offenses.

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 Good grief, Martin, ease up, said his confessor.

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 Come back when you've committed some serious sin, like murder or blasphemy.

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 But all sin, realized Martin, all sin, small as well as great, has to be purged.

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 Ease up.

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 What? When eternal judgment awaits?

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 When the judge is holy?

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 Then an opportunity presented itself to visit Rome, and the tormented Martin leapt at the chance.

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 It was neither the architecture nor the gelato which lured him to Rome, though that might have been plausible.

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 Rather, the prospect of gaining additional merit by viewing all the religious relics with which the eternal city was brimming.

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 Indeed, Rome was the greatest treasury of merit in all Christendom.

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 From the prison chain that had bound St. Peter to the coin paid to Judas, Christ's betrayer,

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 Rome was a virtual supermarket of spare merit,

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 and Martin intended to do the rounds and to load up the cart.

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 I ran around Rome like a madman, Martin tells us.

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 And capping off his cash of merit was an ascent of the 28 steps of the Scala Sancta,

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 which it was said had once stood before Pilate's palace,

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 up which Christ himself had ascended.

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 And Martin did his due diligence, ascending on his knees, reciting the Lord's Prayer on every step,

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 even kissing each step for good measure.

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 But for all his efforts to earn God's favor, Martin found no peace.

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 Back at the monastery, he poured over theological tomes in search of salvation.

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 But the current theology simply told him to do his best to earn God's favor

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 and hope that God's grace would make up the shortfall.

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 As the theology books of his day expressed it,

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 do what is within you.

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 God will not refuse grace to those who do what is within them.

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 But how will I know, asked Martin,

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 if I've really done all that is within me?

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 What's enough?

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 How will I know that I've done enough to satisfy God with my part

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 so that his part will kick in?

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 I hoped I might find peace of conscience with fasts and prayers and vigils

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 with which I miserably afflicted my body.

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 But the more I sweated it out like this,

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 the less peace and tranquility that I knew.

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 The system of salvation offered to Martin in the monastery

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 was not working for him.

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 And the terror of the judgment of God hung over him

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 like that thundercloud of Stotterheim.

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 Well, I want for a moment to break from our story

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 and acknowledge that perhaps this Monk Martin's experience

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 strikes you, some of you at least,

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 as completely alien.

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 Well, if this is so, if this is your reaction,

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 I guess I want to ask you,

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 is it really?

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 Is it really completely alien?

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 Is his experience entirely different from ours?

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 Perhaps for some, his terror of the judgment,

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 fear of having finally to stand before a supreme judge

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 seems a silly notion,

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 a relic of a far distant and superstitious past?

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 Perhaps.

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 But then again,

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 in some form or other,

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 that conviction

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 that we are in this world

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 because a supreme being has placed us here

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 and that that being has expectations of us

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 and will finally judge us

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 according to those expectations,

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 this, or something quite like it,

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 has been the conviction

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 of the majority of people

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 who have ever lived in history

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 and indeed is the majority conviction

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 of people alive right now.

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 Now, truth, of course,

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 isn't determined by popular vote,

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 but this recognition

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 ought perhaps to be sufficient

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 to give us some pause

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 if we're inclined to be dismissive

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 of a notion of judgment.

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 Perhaps because clothed in the language

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 of a different time and place

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 clothed in a cowl and tonsured,

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 so to speak,

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 it seems very other.

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 But the fundamental instinct

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 to see ourselves

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 somehow accountable for our lives

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 seems within humanity

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 to be a remarkably enduring instinct.

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 And consider the alternative

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 that there is and shall be no judgment,

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 that all the awful mass of injustice

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 and exploitation and victimization,

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 all that horribly violates

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 our deepest loyalty to good

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 and the right and the true,

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 will never be called out

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 and never set to rights.

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 If there is no final judgment,

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 what hope is there for final justice

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 in our world?

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 It's just an empty dream.

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 Well, if this is where you find yourself,

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 I would urge you to recognize

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 the importance of this question.

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 Is Monk Martin right about the basic reality

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 of our lives?

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 That we are accountable.

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 Wrestle with that.

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 Or perhaps you find yourself

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 in sympathy with the general framework,

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 a God who will finally judge us

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 as to our lives lived on earth,

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 but you find a smile,

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 maybe even a smirk coming on

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 at the quaint or bizarre means

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 that Monk Martin employed

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 in hopes of gaining God's final favor.

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 about narrowly religious,

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 merit and satisfactions,

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 vigils and macerations.

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 But come on,

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 casting off your blankets in winter,

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 that's supposed to somehow satisfy God?

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 Or exhaustively parading peccadilloes

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 in the confessional booth?

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 Oh, come on.

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 Yeah, yeah,

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 there is a certain oddity and alienness

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 to these particular tactics

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 to gain God's approval.

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 They certainly seem bizarre to me.

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 But what about the strategy?

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 What about the strategy?

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 Is this not perhaps more present with us

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 than we realize?

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 Practicing our own standards

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 of respectability or religiosity

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 and punishing ourselves

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 when we fall short?

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 Working hard at keeping up

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 the respectability,

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 being a mensch,

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 being a good guy.

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 But when I screw up,

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 sometimes pretty badly,

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 making myself so miserable,

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 I've got to be given forgiveness.

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 Penance.

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 Perhaps our intuitions are closer

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 to Martin's cowled colleagues.

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 Relax, Martin.

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 God is merciful.

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 What do you think he expects of you?

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 And buttressing this kind of breezy security

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 is often a perception of relative goodness,

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 relative,

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 vis-a-vis the crowd of humanity.

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 I mean, after all,

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 we make sacrifices,

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 just like those monks

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 who would forego

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 forswear marriage

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 and meet on Fridays.

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 We volunteer

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 at the book bank.

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 New Haven learns to read,

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 recycle.

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 We support an orphanage in India.

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 Oh, I'm as good as the next guy.

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 Privately,

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 we flatter ourselves

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 that in likelihood

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 we're a little bit better.

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 And so we console ourselves confidently

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 that whatever judgment there is to come,

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 it will go well with us.

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 It's what his friends urged Martin.

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 Well, why didn't this common line of reflection

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 console Martin?

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 I mean, was he simply neurotic?

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 Pathologically unhinged?

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 The unsettling worry of Martin was this.

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 Well, it's all well and good

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 to console myself

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 that it will go well with me in the judgment

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 if I'm the one who's supplying the standard.

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 Be pretty good,

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 or at least

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 be better than the worst.

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 But,

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 insisted Martin,

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 surely,

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 surely the question is,

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 what is the standard

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 God will use

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 to judge?

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 On what basis

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 will the real judge

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 evaluate us?

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 Now, surely,

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 whatever he might be wrong about,

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 Martin's got to be right about that.

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 I mean,

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 what does it matter

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 if we do okay

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 on our own fancied test

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 if the real exam

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 will be something

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 completely different?

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 It's like flattering ourselves

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 with sanguine hopes

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 for our impending LSAT

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 because we've practiced up

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 and do relatively well

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 at trivial pursuit questions.

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 And as Martin was aware,

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 the judge

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 has given us

00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.019
 his standard.

00:21:34.779 --> 00:21:35.519
 The law.

00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.899
 Don't steal.

00:21:38.059 --> 00:21:38.839
 Don't lie.

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:39.579
 Don't covet.

00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:40.919
 Keeping that

00:21:40.919 --> 00:21:42.339
 is precarious enough.

00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:46.359
 But the real gutting requirement

00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:47.059
 for Martin,

00:21:48.460 --> 00:21:50.319
 and likely for every one of us,

00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:52.339
 was this.

00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:55.159
 You shall love

00:21:55.159 --> 00:21:56.579
 the Lord your God

00:21:56.579 --> 00:21:58.399
 with all your heart,

00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.599
 soul, mind,

00:21:59.659 --> 00:22:00.619
 and strength.

00:22:02.439 --> 00:22:03.579
 No wonder Martin

00:22:03.579 --> 00:22:04.819
 couldn't be consoled

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:06.740
 by lame reassurances.

00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:08.899
 With such a standard,

00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:10.639
 Martin's anxiety,

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:12.059
 even terror,

00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:13.959
 in the face of judge

00:22:13.959 --> 00:22:14.980
 and judgment,

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:19.099
 is the height of sanity.

00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:21.359
 Not neurosis.

00:22:24.459 --> 00:22:25.339
 Well, we saw

00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:26.179
 where this left him.

00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:28.459
 Where does this leave us?

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:32.419
 Not in a good place.

00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:35.919
 With the unsavory dilemma

00:22:35.919 --> 00:22:38.619
 that if there is no judge,

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.579
 what hope is there

00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:40.319
 for the world?

00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:42.980
 But if there is,

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:45.659
 what hope is there

00:22:45.659 --> 00:22:46.559
 for us?

00:22:49.139 --> 00:22:50.240
 Well, how did

00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.359
 Monk Martin

00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.000
 get out of this

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:54.159
 seeming checkmate?

00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:56.779
 Back to our storyline.

00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:59.679
 We left Martin

00:22:59.679 --> 00:23:01.659
 poring over

00:23:01.659 --> 00:23:02.980
 his theology books,

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:05.039
 which simply urged him

00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:06.439
 to be sincere

00:23:06.439 --> 00:23:07.919
 and to do his best.

00:23:08.619 --> 00:23:10.259
 But that was no help.

00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:12.419
 How do you know

00:23:12.419 --> 00:23:14.220
 if you've been sincere enough

00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:15.980
 or done enough

00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:16.980
 for God's approval?

00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:20.099
 The path

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:21.720
 to Martin's breakthrough

00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:23.819
 came when he laid aside

00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:25.220
 his theology books

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:27.159
 and turned

00:23:27.159 --> 00:23:28.119
 to the Bible.

00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:31.319
 Now, the Bible

00:23:31.319 --> 00:23:33.379
 didn't help him either

00:23:33.379 --> 00:23:35.439
 at first.

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:36.819
 Really?

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:38.000
 Well, how could that be?

00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.920
 He found it very hard

00:23:40.920 --> 00:23:42.000
 to understand.

00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:43.920
 At least,

00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.700
 the bit

00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:46.079
 that he was reading,

00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:48.019
 which was Paul's epistle

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.660
 to the Romans,

00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:49.500
 particularly

00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:50.680
 that bit

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.660
 that we had read

00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:52.380
 to us

00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:53.460
 earlier.

00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:55.000
 Chapter 1,

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.940
 verses 16 and 17.

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.000
 Let's take a look

00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:58.900
 at it again

00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:00.240
 and see if we can

00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:01.359
 appreciate

00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:03.140
 Martin's perplexity.

00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:04.519
 In the Pew Bibles,

00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:05.099
 if you have them,

00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:06.659
 it's on page 939.

00:24:06.659 --> 00:24:09.000
 So, Romans chapter 1,

00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:12.899
 verses 16 and 17.

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.659
 Page 939.

00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:20.099
 Here was the puzzle.

00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:24.579
 It opens

00:24:24.579 --> 00:24:26.859
 by announcing

00:24:26.859 --> 00:24:28.819
 that with respect

00:24:28.819 --> 00:24:29.919
 to salvation,

00:24:30.419 --> 00:24:31.099
 there is

00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:32.679
 good news.

00:24:33.719 --> 00:24:34.379
 Do you see

00:24:34.379 --> 00:24:35.159
 that little word there,

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.059
 gospel?

00:24:37.419 --> 00:24:38.639
 There in verse 16.

00:24:38.919 --> 00:24:39.839
 Well, that word gospel

00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:40.500
 simply means

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.579
 good news.

00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:44.619
 So, you can imagine

00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:45.899
 how this announcement

00:24:45.899 --> 00:24:47.319
 would have riveted

00:24:47.319 --> 00:24:48.319
 Martin's attention.

00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:48.419
 salvation.

00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:50.919
 Good news.

00:24:51.399 --> 00:24:52.500
 Good news about

00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:53.139
 the prospects

00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:54.460
 for salvation.

00:24:57.159 --> 00:24:58.399
 But then,

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:01.159
 the very next verse,

00:25:01.379 --> 00:25:02.179
 verse 17,

00:25:02.939 --> 00:25:03.740
 explained

00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:04.700
 that this

00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:06.519
 gospel announcement

00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:08.079
 is good news

00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.059
 because

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:11.960
 it reveals,

00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:13.460
 it makes known,

00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:14.859
 the righteousness

00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:16.319
 of God.

00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:16.379
 God.

00:25:18.879 --> 00:25:20.539
 But how,

00:25:20.899 --> 00:25:21.439
 thought Martin,

00:25:21.679 --> 00:25:22.639
 could a revelation

00:25:22.639 --> 00:25:24.000
 of the righteousness

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:25.740
 of God

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:28.019
 be good news

00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:28.779
 for the prospects

00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:29.639
 of salvation?

00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:32.500
 That God

00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.359
 is righteous

00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:35.819
 is no good news

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:36.720
 for a sinner.

00:25:38.779 --> 00:25:39.659
 Surely,

00:25:39.879 --> 00:25:41.019
 what a righteous

00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:42.339
 God means

00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:43.799
 for an unrighteous

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:44.200
 sinner

00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:45.299
 is judgment

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:46.660
 and condemnation

00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:47.559
 and hell.

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.640
 His righteous

00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.319
 nature

00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:51.539
 requires

00:25:51.539 --> 00:25:52.620
 that he require

00:25:52.620 --> 00:25:53.420
 it of us

00:25:53.420 --> 00:25:55.720
 and punish us

00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:56.860
 if we lack it.

00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:00.299
 I did not

00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:01.140
 love,

00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:02.740
 Martin tells us.

00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:03.900
 Indeed,

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.360
 I hated

00:26:05.360 --> 00:26:07.240
 the righteous

00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:08.120
 God

00:26:08.120 --> 00:26:10.080
 who punishes

00:26:10.080 --> 00:26:10.860
 sinners.

00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:11.079
 sinners.

00:26:13.879 --> 00:26:15.119
 Do you see

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:15.539
 Martin's

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:16.039
 frustration?

00:26:17.619 --> 00:26:18.000
 Can you,

00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:18.799
 can you feel

00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.079
 it?

00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:22.199
 You say

00:26:22.199 --> 00:26:22.639
 this is

00:26:22.639 --> 00:26:23.740
 good news?

00:26:24.879 --> 00:26:25.479
 Where's

00:26:25.479 --> 00:26:25.979
 the good

00:26:25.979 --> 00:26:26.759
 news here?

00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:29.740
 I must

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.259
 be getting

00:26:30.259 --> 00:26:31.419
 something wrong.

00:26:33.959 --> 00:26:34.779
 But Martin

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.659
 was desperate

00:26:35.659 --> 00:26:36.579
 to understand

00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:37.179
 what the

00:26:37.179 --> 00:26:37.939
 Apostle Paul

00:26:37.939 --> 00:26:38.659
 could mean

00:26:38.659 --> 00:26:39.399
 in these verses.

00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:40.980
 So he kept

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:42.019
 wrestling

00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:42.580
 with this

00:26:42.580 --> 00:26:43.100
 text of

00:26:43.100 --> 00:26:43.519
 scripture,

00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:45.019
 like Jacob

00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:45.580
 wrestling

00:26:45.580 --> 00:26:46.000
 with the

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:46.400
 angel.

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:47.500
 He would

00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:48.019
 not let

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.420
 go.

00:26:50.700 --> 00:26:51.320
 Then,

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:54.200
 he saw

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:54.480
 it.

00:26:56.220 --> 00:26:57.120
 The good

00:26:57.120 --> 00:26:57.580
 news,

00:26:58.759 --> 00:27:00.080
 unspeakably

00:27:00.080 --> 00:27:01.300
 wonderful

00:27:01.300 --> 00:27:02.220
 good news,

00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.759
 came flowing

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:04.800
 out as

00:27:04.800 --> 00:27:05.680
 water from

00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:06.200
 a rock.

00:27:07.580 --> 00:27:08.180
 Such

00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:09.240
 good news

00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:10.340
 as would

00:27:10.340 --> 00:27:11.019
 change

00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:11.420
 Monk

00:27:11.420 --> 00:27:11.779
 Martin

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:12.380
 forever.

00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:15.100
 So let's

00:27:15.100 --> 00:27:16.360
 listen as

00:27:16.360 --> 00:27:16.980
 he tells

00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:18.160
 us of

00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:18.860
 this great

00:27:18.860 --> 00:27:19.640
 moment in

00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:20.039
 his own

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.460
 words,

00:27:20.740 --> 00:27:21.620
 reflecting back

00:27:21.620 --> 00:27:21.940
 from the

00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:22.500
 last years

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:22.759
 of his

00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:23.160
 life.

00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:27.080
 I was

00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:28.160
 seized with

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:28.620
 great

00:27:28.620 --> 00:27:29.880
 earnestness to

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:31.000
 understand Paul

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.560
 in this

00:27:31.560 --> 00:27:32.100
 epistle to

00:27:32.100 --> 00:27:32.600
 the Romans.

00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:34.360
 One term

00:27:34.360 --> 00:27:34.799
 stood in

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.360
 my way,

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:36.619
 the

00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:37.259
 righteousness

00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.159
 of God.

00:27:39.219 --> 00:27:40.219
 I hated

00:27:40.219 --> 00:27:41.259
 this phrase,

00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:42.319
 the

00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:42.839
 righteousness

00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:43.699
 of God.

00:27:44.419 --> 00:27:45.240
 For I

00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:45.659
 had been

00:27:45.659 --> 00:27:46.659
 taught to

00:27:46.659 --> 00:27:47.599
 understand it

00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:48.259
 as the

00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:49.159
 active

00:27:49.159 --> 00:27:50.240
 righteousness

00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.079
 of God,

00:27:51.319 --> 00:27:52.579
 whereby a

00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:53.639
 righteous God

00:27:53.639 --> 00:27:54.759
 punishes

00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:55.959
 unrighteous

00:27:55.959 --> 00:27:56.939
 sinners.

00:27:58.779 --> 00:27:59.279
 However

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:00.139
 irreproachable

00:28:00.139 --> 00:28:01.139
 my life as a

00:28:01.139 --> 00:28:01.319
 monk,

00:28:01.459 --> 00:28:01.979
 I felt

00:28:01.979 --> 00:28:03.139
 myself in the

00:28:03.139 --> 00:28:04.139
 presence of God

00:28:04.140 --> 00:28:05.000
 to be a

00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:05.740
 sinner with a

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.820
 most unquiet

00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:07.480
 conscience.

00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:09.500
 Nor could I

00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:09.980
 believe him

00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:11.020
 pleased by my

00:28:11.020 --> 00:28:11.700
 satisfaction.

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.780
 I did not

00:28:14.780 --> 00:28:15.200
 love,

00:28:15.340 --> 00:28:15.560
 indeed,

00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:16.460
 I hated

00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:18.000
 this righteous

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.720
 God who

00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:19.280
 punishes

00:28:19.280 --> 00:28:19.580
 sinners.

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:22.560
 I raged

00:28:22.560 --> 00:28:23.480
 with fierce

00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:24.100
 and disturbed

00:28:24.100 --> 00:28:24.820
 conscience in

00:28:24.820 --> 00:28:25.160
 this way,

00:28:25.300 --> 00:28:26.259
 and yet I

00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:27.140
 knocked with

00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:28.140
 importunity

00:28:28.140 --> 00:28:29.220
 at Paul in

00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:29.900
 this place

00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:31.400
 with a

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:32.640
 burning desire

00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:34.360
 to know

00:28:34.360 --> 00:28:35.540
 what St.

00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:36.120
 Paul could

00:28:36.120 --> 00:28:36.680
 intend.

00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:40.160
 At last,

00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:41.500
 God being

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:42.020
 merciful,

00:28:42.280 --> 00:28:42.759
 as I

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.540
 meditated

00:28:43.540 --> 00:28:44.720
 day and

00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.200
 night,

00:28:45.820 --> 00:28:47.120
 pondering the

00:28:47.120 --> 00:28:47.940
 connection of

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:48.560
 the words,

00:28:49.320 --> 00:28:49.440
 the

00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.280
 righteousness

00:28:50.280 --> 00:28:51.740
 of God

00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.780
 is revealed,

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.680
 and the

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.320
 righteous

00:28:55.320 --> 00:28:56.680
 shall live

00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:57.940
 by faith,

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.580
 I began

00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:00.179
 began to

00:29:00.179 --> 00:29:01.199
 understand

00:29:01.199 --> 00:29:02.720
 righteousness

00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.899
 of God

00:29:03.899 --> 00:29:05.960
 passively,

00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:09.059
 whereby God

00:29:09.059 --> 00:29:12.199
 supplies a

00:29:12.199 --> 00:29:12.759
 righteousness.

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:16.159
 At this,

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:17.419
 I felt

00:29:17.419 --> 00:29:18.859
 myself to be

00:29:18.859 --> 00:29:20.019
 born anew,

00:29:21.139 --> 00:29:22.119
 and to enter

00:29:22.119 --> 00:29:23.199
 through open

00:29:23.199 --> 00:29:24.839
 gates into

00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:25.460
 paradise

00:29:25.460 --> 00:29:26.299
 itself.

00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:29.019
 This passage

00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:30.259
 of Paul

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:31.880
 became to

00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:33.120
 me the

00:29:33.120 --> 00:29:33.600
 gate of

00:29:33.600 --> 00:29:33.940
 heaven.

00:29:37.819 --> 00:29:38.960
 What was

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:40.360
 it that

00:29:40.360 --> 00:29:41.700
 Martin grasped

00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:42.680
 in this text

00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:42.940
 of the

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:43.740
 apostle Paul

00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:45.240
 that brought

00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:45.819
 him from

00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:47.180
 torment and

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.680
 terror to

00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:50.120
 peace and

00:29:50.120 --> 00:29:50.840
 paradise?

00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:50.959
 peace.

00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:53.899
 That the

00:29:53.899 --> 00:29:54.459
 righteousness

00:29:54.459 --> 00:29:55.500
 of God

00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:56.199
 does not

00:29:56.199 --> 00:29:57.099
 simply refer

00:29:57.099 --> 00:29:57.759
 to God's

00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:58.619
 character,

00:29:59.699 --> 00:30:01.199
 but also

00:30:01.199 --> 00:30:02.299
 to his

00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:03.039
 gift.

00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:05.119
 That is,

00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:06.419
 this

00:30:06.419 --> 00:30:07.379
 righteousness

00:30:07.379 --> 00:30:08.779
 of God

00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:10.459
 should be

00:30:10.459 --> 00:30:10.959
 understood

00:30:10.959 --> 00:30:11.980
 as a

00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:12.519
 righteousness

00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:13.919
 from

00:30:13.919 --> 00:30:14.679
 God.

00:30:15.959 --> 00:30:16.579
 As the

00:30:16.579 --> 00:30:17.119
 apostle puts

00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:17.559
 it elsewhere,

00:30:18.019 --> 00:30:18.879
 a righteousness

00:30:18.879 --> 00:30:20.079
 that comes

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:21.460
 from God.

00:30:22.619 --> 00:30:23.579
 We don't

00:30:23.579 --> 00:30:24.139
 have it,

00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:25.899
 and we'll

00:30:25.899 --> 00:30:26.919
 never muster

00:30:26.919 --> 00:30:27.220
 it,

00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:29.539
 but Jesus

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.299
 does,

00:30:31.159 --> 00:30:31.599
 and by

00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:33.279
 trusting in

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:34.059
 him as

00:30:34.059 --> 00:30:34.500
 Savior,

00:30:35.099 --> 00:30:36.299
 his righteousness

00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:37.899
 is counted

00:30:37.899 --> 00:30:38.879
 as ours.

00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:42.439
 So our

00:30:42.439 --> 00:30:43.500
 only standing

00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:44.339
 and acceptableness,

00:30:44.699 --> 00:30:45.399
 our only

00:30:45.399 --> 00:30:46.039
 righteousness

00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:47.259
 before a

00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:48.159
 holy God

00:30:48.159 --> 00:30:48.980
 is the

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.299
 one,

00:30:49.379 --> 00:30:49.500
 the

00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:49.940
 righteousness

00:30:49.940 --> 00:30:51.000
 that God

00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:51.799
 himself

00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:53.099
 provides.

00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:55.019
 We don't

00:30:55.019 --> 00:30:55.900
 achieve it,

00:30:56.380 --> 00:30:57.400
 we receive

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:57.759
 it.

00:30:58.980 --> 00:30:59.980
 It's not

00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:00.940
 a personal

00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:01.599
 righteousness,

00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:02.539
 our own,

00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:03.460
 it's an

00:31:03.460 --> 00:31:03.900
 alien

00:31:03.900 --> 00:31:04.599
 righteousness,

00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:06.160
 that of

00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:06.640
 another,

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:08.579
 Jesus Christ.

00:31:09.539 --> 00:31:10.259
 It does

00:31:10.259 --> 00:31:10.900
 not reflect

00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:12.119
 our performance,

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:12.799
 but his.

00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:14.539
 It's not

00:31:14.539 --> 00:31:15.380
 our moral

00:31:15.380 --> 00:31:15.920
 ledger,

00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:17.299
 but his.

00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:18.299
 God's

00:31:18.299 --> 00:31:18.740
 love

00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:19.740
 is the

00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:20.740
 law of God.

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:20.940
 In this insight,

00:31:21.579 --> 00:31:22.680
 Martin realized

00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.759
 that all his

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:25.139
 zeal to accrue

00:31:25.139 --> 00:31:27.079
 merit was

00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:28.279
 simply running

00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:28.839
 along the

00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:29.779
 wrong path.

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:32.599
 Accustomed

00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.319
 as he was by

00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:33.919
 training to

00:31:33.919 --> 00:31:34.740
 formulate his

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:36.119
 insights into

00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:36.680
 theses,

00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.619
 here is how he

00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:39.399
 expressed his

00:31:39.399 --> 00:31:39.819
 newfound

00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:40.500
 confidence.

00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:40.940
 righteousness.

00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:44.259
 The law of God,

00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:46.700
 although soundest

00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:48.180
 doctrine of life,

00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:50.859
 is not able to

00:31:50.859 --> 00:31:51.559
 bring to

00:31:51.559 --> 00:31:52.119
 righteousness,

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:54.359
 but rather

00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:55.319
 stands in the

00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:55.700
 way.

00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:57.640
 Another,

00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.720
 God does not

00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:00.539
 find,

00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:02.960
 but creates

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.980
 that which is

00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:05.000
 pleasing in us.

00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:06.059
 rather than

00:32:06.059 --> 00:32:07.279
 seeking good,

00:32:07.980 --> 00:32:09.180
 he bestows

00:32:09.180 --> 00:32:09.660
 it.

00:32:10.819 --> 00:32:11.500
 Or again,

00:32:12.420 --> 00:32:13.180
 the law

00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:13.920
 says do

00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:14.440
 this,

00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:15.619
 and it is

00:32:15.619 --> 00:32:16.420
 never done.

00:32:17.619 --> 00:32:18.099
 Grace

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:18.720
 says,

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:20.220
 believe in

00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:20.960
 this man,

00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:22.740
 and immediately

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.859
 everything is

00:32:23.859 --> 00:32:24.259
 done.

00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.700
 Immediately,

00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:29.519
 everything is

00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:30.319
 done for our

00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:31.579
 acceptance before

00:32:31.579 --> 00:32:32.119
 God.

00:32:33.319 --> 00:32:33.900
 Nothing

00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:35.380
 lacking that

00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:35.780
 we must

00:32:35.780 --> 00:32:36.200
 supply.

00:32:36.600 --> 00:32:37.280
 No missing

00:32:37.280 --> 00:32:38.860
 merit to

00:32:38.860 --> 00:32:39.400
 muster.

00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:41.100
 For

00:32:41.100 --> 00:32:42.480
 trusting in

00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:44.000
 Jesus and

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:44.960
 his work for

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.240
 us, we

00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:48.040
 receive his

00:32:48.040 --> 00:32:49.100
 record, and

00:32:49.100 --> 00:32:49.900
 it's perfect.

00:32:50.820 --> 00:32:51.240
 Nothing

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:51.840
 lacking.

00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:54.000
 As the

00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:54.680
 Father God

00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:55.320
 said of his

00:32:55.320 --> 00:32:56.800
 son at his

00:32:56.800 --> 00:32:57.280
 baptism,

00:32:58.040 --> 00:32:59.240
 this is my

00:32:59.240 --> 00:33:00.660
 son in whom

00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:01.220
 I am

00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:01.960
 perfectly

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:02.700
 pleased.

00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:04.900
 The

00:33:04.900 --> 00:33:06.200
 verdict that

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:06.800
 God the

00:33:06.800 --> 00:33:07.820
 Father speaks

00:33:07.820 --> 00:33:08.860
 over Jesus

00:33:08.860 --> 00:33:10.560
 becomes the

00:33:10.560 --> 00:33:12.000
 verdict God

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:13.140
 speaks over

00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:14.900
 everyone who

00:33:14.900 --> 00:33:15.740
 links their

00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:17.180
 life to Jesus

00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:18.019
 through faith.

00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:19.960
 Simple trust

00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:20.960
 in him.

00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:24.400
 What is the

00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:25.380
 verdict spoken by

00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:26.060
 the judge?

00:33:26.860 --> 00:33:28.280
 For those in

00:33:28.280 --> 00:33:28.720
 Christ,

00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:30.680
 you are

00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:31.600
 perfectly

00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:32.519
 pleasing to

00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:32.859
 me.

00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:34.419
 Righteous.

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.519
 As I

00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:37.319
 see my

00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:38.119
 beloved son

00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:39.559
 Jesus, so

00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:40.599
 I see

00:33:40.599 --> 00:33:41.139
 you.

00:33:42.879 --> 00:33:43.619
 And we

00:33:43.619 --> 00:33:44.740
 then live in

00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:45.359
 and under

00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:46.459
 that wonderful

00:33:46.459 --> 00:33:47.059
 verdict.

00:33:48.379 --> 00:33:49.119
 Accepted.

00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.759
 Acceptable.

00:33:51.539 --> 00:33:51.980
 Well

00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:52.679
 pleasing.

00:33:53.379 --> 00:33:54.099
 Perfectly

00:33:54.099 --> 00:33:54.480
 righteous.

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:56.659
 Linking our

00:33:56.659 --> 00:33:57.519
 lives by

00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:58.559
 simple trust

00:33:58.559 --> 00:33:59.200
 trust to

00:33:59.200 --> 00:33:59.940
 Jesus the

00:33:59.940 --> 00:34:00.279
 Savior.

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.460
 A wonderful

00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:02.740
 exchange

00:34:02.740 --> 00:34:04.079
 transpires.

00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:06.399
 Think of a

00:34:06.399 --> 00:34:08.139
 marriage, Martin

00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:08.779
 would later

00:34:08.779 --> 00:34:09.799
 explain by way

00:34:09.799 --> 00:34:10.460
 of illustration.

00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:12.480
 A husband's

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:13.420
 and a wife's

00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.420
 assets are

00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:15.380
 combined when

00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:15.840
 they become

00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.179
 one.

00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:18.079
 And that's

00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:18.699
 what trust in

00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:19.539
 Christ does.

00:34:20.659 --> 00:34:21.739
 It marries

00:34:21.739 --> 00:34:23.159
 us to

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:23.799
 Jesus, so

00:34:23.799 --> 00:34:24.360
 to speak,

00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:26.159
 so that our

00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:27.900
 debts become

00:34:27.900 --> 00:34:28.440
 his.

00:34:28.820 --> 00:34:29.559
 And his

00:34:29.559 --> 00:34:30.260
 wealth

00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:31.300
 becomes

00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:31.920
 ours.

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.139
 Our

00:34:34.139 --> 00:34:35.139
 failure and

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:36.440
 demerit and

00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:37.039
 desert of

00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:37.599
 judgment,

00:34:38.760 --> 00:34:39.780
 Jesus takes.

00:34:40.660 --> 00:34:41.119
 And in

00:34:41.119 --> 00:34:42.940
 return, he

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:43.840
 gives us

00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:45.200
 his beloved

00:34:45.200 --> 00:34:46.160
 favor with the

00:34:46.160 --> 00:34:46.500
 Father.

00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:49.019
 There is

00:34:49.019 --> 00:34:49.960
 then, for

00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:50.760
 those who put

00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:51.519
 their trust in

00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:52.599
 him, no

00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:53.660
 future thunderstorm

00:34:53.660 --> 00:34:54.440
 of judgment

00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:55.079
 to fear.

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.840
 for our

00:34:56.840 --> 00:34:57.920
 spouse, Jesus,

00:34:58.400 --> 00:34:59.519
 has taken that

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.179
 storm upon

00:35:00.179 --> 00:35:01.799
 himself and

00:35:01.799 --> 00:35:02.519
 absorbed its

00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:02.880
 fury.

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:05.659
 The storm has

00:35:05.659 --> 00:35:07.199
 passed over for

00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:08.079
 everyone who

00:35:08.079 --> 00:35:10.099
 simply trusts in

00:35:10.099 --> 00:35:11.360
 him, taking

00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:12.460
 him as

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:13.000
 spouse.

00:35:14.539 --> 00:35:15.579
 What peace

00:35:15.579 --> 00:35:16.960
 and joy is

00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:17.440
 this?

00:35:18.460 --> 00:35:18.880
 Upon

00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:19.900
 grasping this

00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:20.900
 astonishing

00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:21.519
 provision,

00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:24.059
 Martin

00:35:24.059 --> 00:35:25.019
 sought to

00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:25.480
 set it

00:35:25.480 --> 00:35:25.980
 forth in

00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:26.659
 a crest

00:35:26.659 --> 00:35:27.139
 that he

00:35:27.139 --> 00:35:27.659
 designed,

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:28.380
 not only

00:35:28.380 --> 00:35:29.179
 musical, also

00:35:29.179 --> 00:35:30.739
 artistic, a

00:35:30.739 --> 00:35:31.340
 crest which he

00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:32.039
 passed down

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.820
 through generations

00:35:32.820 --> 00:35:33.139
 of his

00:35:33.139 --> 00:35:33.480
 family.

00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:34.920
 Yes, monk

00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:36.019
 Martin ended

00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:36.400
 up getting

00:35:36.400 --> 00:35:36.920
 married and

00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:37.559
 had a family,

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:38.480
 but that's

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:39.139
 another story,

00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:39.960
 quite a good

00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:40.500
 one actually,

00:35:40.659 --> 00:35:41.019
 we'll tell it

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:41.280
 some other

00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:41.659
 time.

00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:43.519
 His crest

00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.340
 shows,

00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:45.179
 and imagine

00:35:45.179 --> 00:35:46.400
 it, shows a

00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:48.099
 black cross

00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:50.400
 upon a

00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:52.000
 white heart

00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:53.539
 surrounded by

00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:54.500
 a red

00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:55.440
 rose.

00:35:56.420 --> 00:35:57.159
 The black

00:35:57.159 --> 00:35:59.019
 cross, Christ

00:35:59.019 --> 00:36:01.019
 cursed for

00:36:01.019 --> 00:36:01.880
 us, judged

00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:04.139
 for us, makes

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:05.619
 clean the

00:36:05.619 --> 00:36:06.819
 heart and

00:36:06.819 --> 00:36:07.579
 brings us

00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:09.259
 joy forever.

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:10.360
 The red

00:36:10.360 --> 00:36:10.839
 rose.

00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:12.219
 And so it

00:36:12.219 --> 00:36:13.839
 was that a

00:36:13.839 --> 00:36:14.339
 tormented

00:36:14.339 --> 00:36:15.920
 monk found

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:16.519
 peace with

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.719
 God and

00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:18.639
 lasting joy

00:36:18.639 --> 00:36:20.059
 from some

00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:21.039
 wonderful words

00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:22.360
 of the

00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:22.659
 Bible.

00:36:25.380 --> 00:36:26.199
 Now it

00:36:26.199 --> 00:36:26.759
 may be that

00:36:26.759 --> 00:36:27.380
 some of you

00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:28.559
 are reacting

00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:29.599
 to Martin's

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:30.380
 discovery with

00:36:30.380 --> 00:36:32.039
 surprise, even

00:36:32.039 --> 00:36:32.619
 shock.

00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:34.179
 Really?

00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:36.480
 Really, does

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.340
 the Bible say

00:36:37.340 --> 00:36:37.900
 that?

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:39.840
 Did Martin

00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:40.519
 get it right?

00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:42.619
 And the

00:36:42.619 --> 00:36:43.139
 wonderful good

00:36:43.139 --> 00:36:43.739
 news is,

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:45.440
 yes.

00:36:46.519 --> 00:36:47.159
 Really?

00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:48.900
 So you're

00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:49.860
 telling me,

00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:51.420
 you and

00:36:51.420 --> 00:36:52.280
 Martin and

00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:53.099
 the Bible are

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:54.079
 saying that if

00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:54.860
 we simply put

00:36:54.860 --> 00:36:55.480
 our trust in

00:36:55.480 --> 00:36:56.719
 Jesus, that

00:36:56.719 --> 00:36:57.780
 God will judge

00:36:57.780 --> 00:36:58.300
 us, not on

00:36:58.300 --> 00:36:59.460
 our record, but

00:36:59.460 --> 00:36:59.920
 on Jesus'

00:37:00.139 --> 00:37:00.480
 record?

00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:02.519
 Yes.

00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:05.440
 But that's

00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:06.019
 shocking.

00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:07.920
 Yes.

00:37:10.300 --> 00:37:10.900
 I

00:37:10.900 --> 00:37:11.340
 understand.

00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:13.059
 It goes

00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:13.639
 against the

00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:14.199
 grain of

00:37:14.199 --> 00:37:15.320
 every expectation,

00:37:15.320 --> 00:37:16.640
 every instinct,

00:37:16.840 --> 00:37:18.120
 every experience

00:37:18.120 --> 00:37:18.640
 that we've ever

00:37:18.640 --> 00:37:19.559
 had from cradle

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.300
 to grave.

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:21.980
 From cradle

00:37:21.980 --> 00:37:22.700
 to grave, the

00:37:22.700 --> 00:37:23.600
 verdicts we

00:37:23.600 --> 00:37:24.360
 receive, our

00:37:24.360 --> 00:37:25.640
 acceptableness in

00:37:25.640 --> 00:37:26.900
 school, in

00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:28.019
 marriage, on the

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:28.580
 playing field,

00:37:28.680 --> 00:37:30.800
 everywhere, is

00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.580
 always based on

00:37:31.580 --> 00:37:32.280
 our performance.

00:37:33.140 --> 00:37:34.860
 What we do and

00:37:34.860 --> 00:37:35.620
 how well we do

00:37:35.620 --> 00:37:35.900
 it.

00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.480
 Little wonder that

00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:38.200
 we would imagine

00:37:38.200 --> 00:37:38.960
 it's the same with

00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.480
 God.

00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:39.519
 God.

00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:40.940
 But the

00:37:40.940 --> 00:37:41.960
 wonderful good

00:37:41.960 --> 00:37:43.139
 news is that

00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:44.079
 it is not

00:37:44.079 --> 00:37:49.159
 so with

00:37:49.159 --> 00:37:49.579
 God.

00:37:51.159 --> 00:37:52.000
 And if you

00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:52.619
 find yourself

00:37:52.619 --> 00:37:53.659
 surprised at this,

00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:54.860
 as well we

00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:57.059
 should, my

00:37:57.059 --> 00:37:58.639
 appeal to you

00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.659
 would be, don't

00:37:59.659 --> 00:38:00.699
 let the story of

00:38:00.699 --> 00:38:02.199
 Martin or these

00:38:02.199 --> 00:38:03.500
 words from Romans

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:04.460
 simply leave you

00:38:04.460 --> 00:38:05.019
 in a state of

00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:05.880
 surprise.

00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:08.519
 put your trust

00:38:08.519 --> 00:38:09.599
 in Jesus.

00:38:10.780 --> 00:38:11.660
 Trust him.

00:38:12.660 --> 00:38:13.160
 And his

00:38:13.160 --> 00:38:14.940
 verdict becomes

00:38:14.940 --> 00:38:15.519
 yours.

00:38:16.619 --> 00:38:17.559
 May the good

00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:18.980
 news become

00:38:18.980 --> 00:38:20.160
 for you, as it

00:38:20.160 --> 00:38:20.940
 was for Monk

00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:22.340
 Martin, the open

00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:25.300
 gate to joy and

00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:26.440
 peace and

00:38:26.440 --> 00:38:26.820
 paradise.

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:30.460
 Now if all of

00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:31.460
 this or much of

00:38:31.460 --> 00:38:32.099
 this is new to

00:38:32.099 --> 00:38:33.019
 you, you probably

00:38:33.019 --> 00:38:34.000
 have a ton of

00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:34.420
 questions.

00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.880
 That's great.

00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:38.180
 Find me or

00:38:38.180 --> 00:38:38.680
 somebody else

00:38:38.680 --> 00:38:39.260
 afterwards and

00:38:39.260 --> 00:38:40.039
 let's talk about

00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:40.539
 this together.

00:38:40.659 --> 00:38:41.039
 We'll get a

00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:41.659
 drink and we'll

00:38:41.659 --> 00:38:42.180
 sit down and

00:38:42.180 --> 00:38:42.619
 we'll think

00:38:42.619 --> 00:38:42.960
 through this

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:43.300
 together.

00:38:43.639 --> 00:38:44.960
 This is so

00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:45.840
 vital.

00:38:46.500 --> 00:38:47.180
 So vital.

00:38:48.780 --> 00:38:49.619
 But for many

00:38:49.619 --> 00:38:50.340
 of you, your

00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:52.360
 reaction to

00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:53.420
 this discovery

00:38:53.420 --> 00:38:54.139
 of Martins

00:38:54.139 --> 00:38:55.099
 isn't surprise.

00:38:56.260 --> 00:38:56.639
 It's

00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:57.300
 familiarity.

00:38:58.720 --> 00:38:59.579
 Oh, that's

00:38:59.579 --> 00:39:00.260
 old hat.

00:39:00.760 --> 00:39:01.420
 I've heard

00:39:01.420 --> 00:39:02.019
 this all my

00:39:02.019 --> 00:39:02.680
 life.

00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:03.980
 Am I

00:39:03.980 --> 00:39:04.639
 acceptableness

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.380
 is based on

00:39:05.380 --> 00:39:05.820
 Christ's

00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:06.940
 performance, not

00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:07.260
 on my

00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:07.679
 performance?

00:39:08.420 --> 00:39:09.699
 I've long

00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:10.219
 known and

00:39:10.219 --> 00:39:11.059
 believed this.

00:39:13.240 --> 00:39:15.300
 Well, so

00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:15.840
 have I.

00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:17.719
 But here's

00:39:17.719 --> 00:39:18.300
 the thing.

00:39:19.900 --> 00:39:21.099
 Sometimes I

00:39:21.099 --> 00:39:21.920
 think I know

00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:24.599
 it theoretically

00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:27.199
 and it hasn't

00:39:27.199 --> 00:39:28.400
 really sunk

00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:28.860
 in.

00:39:28.860 --> 00:39:31.680
 why would I

00:39:31.680 --> 00:39:32.320
 say that?

00:39:33.160 --> 00:39:34.240
 How do I

00:39:34.240 --> 00:39:35.340
 suspect that I

00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:36.340
 don't really

00:39:36.340 --> 00:39:37.120
 get it?

00:39:38.640 --> 00:39:39.480
 That my

00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:40.200
 acceptableness

00:39:40.200 --> 00:39:41.140
 is secured

00:39:41.140 --> 00:39:42.400
 and secure

00:39:42.400 --> 00:39:43.400
 in Jesus'

00:39:43.620 --> 00:39:44.400
 acceptableness?

00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:47.240
 Because I

00:39:47.240 --> 00:39:48.280
 often view

00:39:48.280 --> 00:39:48.880
 the things

00:39:48.880 --> 00:39:50.500
 in life as

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:51.880
 either assaults

00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:52.820
 upon or

00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:53.579
 buttresses

00:39:53.579 --> 00:39:55.380
 to my

00:39:55.380 --> 00:39:56.079
 acceptableness.

00:39:57.759 --> 00:39:58.920
 I imagine

00:39:58.920 --> 00:39:59.840
 that something

00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:00.659
 I perform

00:40:00.659 --> 00:40:01.360
 or fail

00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:01.739
 to

00:40:01.739 --> 00:40:03.679
 forms part

00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:04.299
 of the

00:40:04.299 --> 00:40:05.039
 verdict over

00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:05.900
 my life

00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:06.759
 and I

00:40:06.759 --> 00:40:07.119
 react

00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:07.599
 accordingly.

00:40:08.920 --> 00:40:09.659
 Take

00:40:09.659 --> 00:40:10.179
 marriage,

00:40:10.619 --> 00:40:11.179
 for example,

00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:12.799
 and the

00:40:12.799 --> 00:40:13.639
 criticism

00:40:13.639 --> 00:40:14.980
 that inevitably

00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:15.920
 and rightfully

00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:17.679
 comes from

00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:18.920
 being intimately

00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:19.539
 known.

00:40:19.539 --> 00:40:22.139
 how do I

00:40:22.139 --> 00:40:23.079
 react

00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:24.039
 when I

00:40:24.039 --> 00:40:24.599
 receive such

00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:25.099
 criticism?

00:40:26.599 --> 00:40:27.300
 All too

00:40:27.300 --> 00:40:27.699
 often,

00:40:28.259 --> 00:40:29.380
 with denials

00:40:29.380 --> 00:40:30.840
 and evasions,

00:40:31.360 --> 00:40:31.820
 maybe even

00:40:31.820 --> 00:40:33.019
 counter-assaults.

00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:34.980
 No, no,

00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:35.599
 I never did

00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:35.960
 that.

00:40:36.619 --> 00:40:37.059
 Well, yeah,

00:40:37.139 --> 00:40:37.420
 but the

00:40:37.420 --> 00:40:38.019
 circumstances

00:40:38.019 --> 00:40:38.619
 were this,

00:40:38.699 --> 00:40:39.079
 and yeah,

00:40:39.139 --> 00:40:39.619
 but what about

00:40:39.619 --> 00:40:40.039
 you?

00:40:41.380 --> 00:40:42.239
 Why all the

00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:42.759
 trauma?

00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:43.340
 I'm just being

00:40:43.340 --> 00:40:43.840
 criticized.

00:40:45.279 --> 00:40:45.719
 It's as if

00:40:45.719 --> 00:40:46.800
 some national

00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:47.619
 treasure were

00:40:47.619 --> 00:40:48.259
 under threat

00:40:48.259 --> 00:40:49.199
 and I respond

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:49.500
 with the

00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:50.099
 full-armed

00:40:50.099 --> 00:40:50.539
 might of

00:40:50.539 --> 00:40:51.039
 the nation.

00:40:52.619 --> 00:40:52.980
 Well, the

00:40:52.980 --> 00:40:53.679
 truth is,

00:40:54.759 --> 00:40:55.299
 a treasure

00:40:55.299 --> 00:40:55.879
 has been

00:40:55.879 --> 00:40:56.239
 threatened.

00:40:57.679 --> 00:40:58.419
 The treasure

00:40:58.419 --> 00:40:58.879
 of my

00:40:58.879 --> 00:40:59.879
 reputation

00:40:59.879 --> 00:41:01.359
 as acceptable,

00:41:02.839 --> 00:41:03.639
 I've made

00:41:03.639 --> 00:41:05.119
 my spousal

00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:05.799
 righteousness

00:41:05.799 --> 00:41:08.919
 part of

00:41:08.919 --> 00:41:09.439
 what gets

00:41:09.439 --> 00:41:09.879
 me the

00:41:09.879 --> 00:41:10.279
 verdict.

00:41:12.059 --> 00:41:12.939
 And my

00:41:12.939 --> 00:41:13.599
 spouse's

00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:14.419
 criticism

00:41:14.419 --> 00:41:15.539
 has made

00:41:15.539 --> 00:41:16.819
 my home-spun

00:41:16.819 --> 00:41:17.739
 project of

00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:18.179
 righteousness

00:41:18.179 --> 00:41:18.859
 vulnerable.

00:41:19.199 --> 00:41:20.659
 about to

00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:21.299
 be revealed

00:41:21.299 --> 00:41:21.619
 as a

00:41:21.619 --> 00:41:22.019
 house of

00:41:22.019 --> 00:41:22.460
 cards

00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:23.099
 and

00:41:23.099 --> 00:41:23.559
 completely

00:41:23.559 --> 00:41:24.219
 collapse.

00:41:25.899 --> 00:41:26.679
 But that

00:41:26.679 --> 00:41:27.299
 calamity

00:41:27.299 --> 00:41:27.939
 has to be

00:41:27.939 --> 00:41:28.319
 averted.

00:41:28.919 --> 00:41:29.359
 So I

00:41:29.359 --> 00:41:29.980
 patch and

00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:30.619
 I repair

00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:31.000
 and I

00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:31.619
 prop up

00:41:31.619 --> 00:41:31.980
 what I've

00:41:31.980 --> 00:41:32.339
 cobbled

00:41:32.339 --> 00:41:32.799
 together

00:41:32.799 --> 00:41:34.519
 like the

00:41:34.519 --> 00:41:35.019
 Wizard of

00:41:35.019 --> 00:41:35.480
 Oz

00:41:35.480 --> 00:41:36.339
 with pulley

00:41:36.339 --> 00:41:36.939
 and lever

00:41:36.939 --> 00:41:37.799
 and curtain.

00:41:37.799 --> 00:41:38.819
 I project

00:41:38.819 --> 00:41:39.419
 and I

00:41:39.419 --> 00:41:39.960
 protect

00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:40.179
 the

00:41:40.179 --> 00:41:40.699
 treasured

00:41:40.699 --> 00:41:41.279
 pretense.

00:41:43.419 --> 00:41:44.139
 It's

00:41:44.139 --> 00:41:44.839
 pathetic,

00:41:45.339 --> 00:41:46.000
 isn't it?

00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:48.300
 but it's

00:41:48.300 --> 00:41:48.860
 inevitable.

00:41:49.380 --> 00:41:50.260
 It is

00:41:50.260 --> 00:41:51.179
 inevitable

00:41:51.179 --> 00:41:53.519
 unless,

00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:55.500
 unless I

00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:56.139
 remember

00:41:56.139 --> 00:41:56.960
 that my

00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:57.639
 righteousness

00:41:57.639 --> 00:41:58.519
 is in

00:41:58.519 --> 00:41:59.179
 Christ

00:41:59.179 --> 00:42:00.780
 and his

00:42:00.780 --> 00:42:01.579
 righteousness.

00:42:01.579 --> 00:42:01.639
 righteousness.

00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:04.019
 What happens

00:42:04.019 --> 00:42:05.199
 when I

00:42:05.199 --> 00:42:06.019
 remember my

00:42:06.019 --> 00:42:06.539
 justification

00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:07.219
 is in

00:42:07.219 --> 00:42:07.679
 Christ

00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:08.739
 and I

00:42:08.739 --> 00:42:09.279
 live out

00:42:09.279 --> 00:42:09.679
 of it?

00:42:11.139 --> 00:42:11.219
 Well,

00:42:11.259 --> 00:42:12.319
 that criticism

00:42:12.319 --> 00:42:13.860
 can't threaten

00:42:13.860 --> 00:42:15.119
 the verdict

00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:15.659
 over my

00:42:15.659 --> 00:42:16.199
 life.

00:42:17.199 --> 00:42:17.719
 My

00:42:17.719 --> 00:42:18.599
 acceptableness

00:42:18.599 --> 00:42:19.259
 can't

00:42:19.259 --> 00:42:19.960
 implode

00:42:19.960 --> 00:42:21.480
 because it's

00:42:21.480 --> 00:42:22.079
 secured

00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:23.719
 and secure

00:42:23.719 --> 00:42:25.420
 in Jesus'

00:42:25.659 --> 00:42:26.460
 acceptableness.

00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:28.000
 so I

00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:28.519
 can drop

00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:28.760
 my

00:42:28.760 --> 00:42:29.480
 denials

00:42:29.480 --> 00:42:30.260
 and my

00:42:30.260 --> 00:42:31.179
 evasions.

00:42:33.260 --> 00:42:34.159
 I

00:42:34.159 --> 00:42:34.720
 can admit

00:42:34.720 --> 00:42:35.320
 my faults

00:42:35.320 --> 00:42:35.840
 and failures

00:42:35.840 --> 00:42:36.599
 and face

00:42:36.599 --> 00:42:36.940
 them.

00:42:38.099 --> 00:42:38.539
 Criticism

00:42:38.539 --> 00:42:38.940
 is no

00:42:38.940 --> 00:42:39.720
 personal

00:42:39.720 --> 00:42:41.260
 crisis.

00:42:42.539 --> 00:42:43.579
 So I

00:42:43.579 --> 00:42:44.300
 can receive

00:42:44.300 --> 00:42:44.900
 it

00:42:44.900 --> 00:42:46.000
 and repent

00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:47.559
 and grow.

00:42:48.980 --> 00:42:49.699
 I have

00:42:49.699 --> 00:42:50.260
 the security

00:42:50.260 --> 00:42:50.579
 to be

00:42:50.579 --> 00:42:51.079
 vulnerable.

00:42:53.400 --> 00:42:53.880
 Wow.

00:42:54.400 --> 00:42:55.679
 Well,

00:42:55.679 --> 00:42:56.919
 thank you

00:42:56.919 --> 00:42:57.239
 for that

00:42:57.239 --> 00:42:57.799
 observation,

00:42:57.980 --> 00:42:58.139
 dear.

00:42:59.219 --> 00:42:59.919
 I think

00:42:59.919 --> 00:43:00.259
 you might

00:43:00.259 --> 00:43:00.919
 be right.

00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:02.739
 I'd never

00:43:02.739 --> 00:43:03.279
 seen that

00:43:03.279 --> 00:43:03.799
 before.

00:43:05.159 --> 00:43:05.859
 That was

00:43:05.859 --> 00:43:06.319
 wrong.

00:43:07.199 --> 00:43:07.719
 I was

00:43:07.719 --> 00:43:08.059
 wrong.

00:43:09.339 --> 00:43:09.719
 Please

00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:10.279
 forgive me.

00:43:12.500 --> 00:43:12.980
 You see,

00:43:13.119 --> 00:43:13.579
 justification

00:43:13.579 --> 00:43:14.960
 in Christ

00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:16.500
 gives us

00:43:16.500 --> 00:43:17.119
 the freedom

00:43:17.119 --> 00:43:17.619
 to face

00:43:17.619 --> 00:43:18.239
 our failures.

00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:20.519
 And facing

00:43:20.519 --> 00:43:21.779
 them only

00:43:21.779 --> 00:43:22.659
 makes God's

00:43:22.659 --> 00:43:23.519
 grace and

00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:24.639
 mercy more

00:43:24.639 --> 00:43:25.639
 electrifying.

00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:25.779
 God,

00:43:26.619 --> 00:43:27.039
 wow,

00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:28.259
 she's

00:43:28.259 --> 00:43:28.960
 right about

00:43:28.960 --> 00:43:29.379
 that.

00:43:29.859 --> 00:43:30.299
 That's the

00:43:30.299 --> 00:43:30.960
 way I am.

00:43:31.919 --> 00:43:32.679
 And yet,

00:43:33.440 --> 00:43:34.319
 he loved

00:43:34.319 --> 00:43:35.259
 me and

00:43:35.259 --> 00:43:35.919
 gave himself

00:43:35.919 --> 00:43:36.659
 for me.

00:43:36.659 --> 00:43:40.819
 do you

00:43:40.819 --> 00:43:41.399
 see how

00:43:41.399 --> 00:43:42.339
 defensiveness

00:43:42.339 --> 00:43:43.319
 can betray

00:43:43.319 --> 00:43:43.899
 this

00:43:43.899 --> 00:43:44.599
 disconnect

00:43:44.599 --> 00:43:46.719
 with what

00:43:46.719 --> 00:43:47.059
 we say

00:43:47.059 --> 00:43:47.460
 we know?

00:43:47.579 --> 00:43:48.099
 It's not

00:43:48.099 --> 00:43:48.440
 that I

00:43:48.440 --> 00:43:49.699
 disbelieve in

00:43:49.699 --> 00:43:50.319
 the justification

00:43:50.319 --> 00:43:51.759
 in Christ.

00:43:52.399 --> 00:43:52.940
 It's my

00:43:52.940 --> 00:43:53.319
 lack of

00:43:53.319 --> 00:43:53.699
 deep

00:43:53.699 --> 00:43:54.339
 belief.

00:43:55.199 --> 00:43:55.659
 Lack of

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:55.940
 deep

00:43:55.940 --> 00:43:56.480
 belief.

00:43:57.299 --> 00:43:57.460
 The

00:43:57.460 --> 00:43:57.879
 leaven

00:43:57.879 --> 00:43:58.319
 hasn't

00:43:58.319 --> 00:43:58.599
 worked

00:43:58.599 --> 00:43:59.279
 its way

00:43:59.279 --> 00:44:00.119
 through the

00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:00.500
 lump of

00:44:00.500 --> 00:44:01.179
 my life.

00:44:01.179 --> 00:44:01.259
 life.

00:44:04.460 --> 00:44:05.440
 How about

00:44:05.440 --> 00:44:05.879
 work?

00:44:06.539 --> 00:44:07.000
 Not

00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:07.419
 everybody's

00:44:07.419 --> 00:44:07.659
 married.

00:44:07.879 --> 00:44:08.119
 How about

00:44:08.119 --> 00:44:08.559
 work?

00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:11.679
 Too many

00:44:11.679 --> 00:44:12.219
 of us are

00:44:12.219 --> 00:44:12.879
 workaholics.

00:44:13.440 --> 00:44:14.739
 We just

00:44:14.739 --> 00:44:16.339
 can't put

00:44:16.339 --> 00:44:17.219
 it down.

00:44:19.039 --> 00:44:19.519
 Did you

00:44:19.519 --> 00:44:19.759
 see the

00:44:19.759 --> 00:44:20.819
 recent New

00:44:20.819 --> 00:44:21.259
 York Times

00:44:21.259 --> 00:44:21.619
 article

00:44:21.619 --> 00:44:22.179
 recognizing

00:44:22.779 --> 00:44:24.079
 our cultural

00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:24.799
 obsession

00:44:24.799 --> 00:44:26.000
 with work?

00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:26.559
 It

00:44:26.559 --> 00:44:27.079
 mentioned

00:44:27.079 --> 00:44:27.739
 a lady

00:44:27.739 --> 00:44:28.179
 who was

00:44:28.179 --> 00:44:28.659
 giving

00:44:28.659 --> 00:44:29.420
 birth

00:44:29.420 --> 00:44:30.739
 and they

00:44:30.739 --> 00:44:31.420
 couldn't

00:44:31.420 --> 00:44:32.079
 get her

00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:32.780
 to give

00:44:32.780 --> 00:44:33.400
 up her

00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:33.900
 cell phone.

00:44:34.519 --> 00:44:34.780
 Couldn't

00:44:34.780 --> 00:44:34.960
 get her

00:44:34.960 --> 00:44:35.139
 to put

00:44:35.139 --> 00:44:35.500
 it down.

00:44:35.940 --> 00:44:36.679
 I need

00:44:36.679 --> 00:44:37.619
 this to

00:44:37.619 --> 00:44:38.860
 take this

00:44:38.860 --> 00:44:39.260
 call for

00:44:39.260 --> 00:44:39.599
 work.

00:44:39.860 --> 00:44:40.179
 I kid

00:44:40.179 --> 00:44:40.440
 you not.

00:44:40.519 --> 00:44:40.679
 This is

00:44:40.679 --> 00:44:40.820
 you.

00:44:43.579 --> 00:44:44.179
 Why

00:44:44.179 --> 00:44:45.659
 does work

00:44:45.659 --> 00:44:46.079
 have such

00:44:46.079 --> 00:44:47.320
 a stranglehold

00:44:47.320 --> 00:44:47.920
 on us?

00:44:49.340 --> 00:44:49.960
 I'm

00:44:49.960 --> 00:44:50.380
 convinced

00:44:50.380 --> 00:44:51.260
 it's because

00:44:51.260 --> 00:44:51.860
 for many

00:44:51.860 --> 00:44:52.480
 of us,

00:44:52.880 --> 00:44:53.219
 myself

00:44:53.219 --> 00:44:53.820
 included at

00:44:53.820 --> 00:44:54.119
 times,

00:44:54.559 --> 00:44:55.280
 our work

00:44:55.280 --> 00:44:56.019
 performance

00:44:56.019 --> 00:44:57.280
 is where

00:44:57.280 --> 00:44:58.440
 we toil

00:44:58.440 --> 00:44:59.900
 to gain

00:44:59.900 --> 00:45:00.500
 the verdict

00:45:00.500 --> 00:45:01.540
 of acceptable

00:45:01.540 --> 00:45:03.080
 over our

00:45:03.080 --> 00:45:03.640
 lives.

00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:05.040
 For many

00:45:05.040 --> 00:45:05.519
 of us,

00:45:05.680 --> 00:45:06.900
 our relation

00:45:06.900 --> 00:45:07.440
 to work

00:45:07.440 --> 00:45:08.200
 is like

00:45:08.200 --> 00:45:09.000
 Martin in

00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:09.860
 the monastery

00:45:09.860 --> 00:45:11.840
 toiling for

00:45:11.840 --> 00:45:12.560
 that ever

00:45:12.560 --> 00:45:13.160
 elusive

00:45:13.160 --> 00:45:13.840
 verdict,

00:45:14.720 --> 00:45:15.260
 acceptable.

00:45:17.660 --> 00:45:18.680
 But what

00:45:18.680 --> 00:45:19.060
 if we

00:45:19.060 --> 00:45:20.220
 knew and

00:45:20.220 --> 00:45:21.440
 felt deep

00:45:21.440 --> 00:45:21.880
 in our

00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:22.620
 bones

00:45:22.620 --> 00:45:24.080
 that the

00:45:24.080 --> 00:45:24.519
 verdict

00:45:24.519 --> 00:45:25.699
 was in,

00:45:26.539 --> 00:45:27.780
 I am

00:45:27.780 --> 00:45:28.380
 acceptable.

00:45:29.099 --> 00:45:29.940
 I don't

00:45:29.940 --> 00:45:30.320
 need to

00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:30.579
 prove

00:45:30.579 --> 00:45:31.099
 anything.

00:45:32.619 --> 00:45:33.679
 We would

00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:34.579
 have rest

00:45:34.579 --> 00:45:35.079
 from our

00:45:35.079 --> 00:45:35.480
 toil.

00:45:36.780 --> 00:45:37.320
 For that

00:45:37.320 --> 00:45:38.400
 craving

00:45:38.400 --> 00:45:39.059
 that's

00:45:39.059 --> 00:45:40.000
 relentlessly

00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:41.340
 driving the

00:45:41.340 --> 00:45:41.800
 work,

00:45:42.759 --> 00:45:43.360
 craving for

00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:43.960
 gaining and

00:45:43.960 --> 00:45:44.340
 maintaining

00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:45.019
 acceptableness,

00:45:45.219 --> 00:45:46.039
 that would be

00:45:46.039 --> 00:45:46.460
 gone.

00:45:48.300 --> 00:45:49.139
 And our

00:45:49.139 --> 00:45:50.320
 work would

00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:51.099
 just be about

00:45:51.099 --> 00:45:53.179
 work and

00:45:53.179 --> 00:45:54.380
 not about

00:45:54.380 --> 00:45:56.360
 the verdict

00:45:56.360 --> 00:45:57.539
 to be

00:45:57.539 --> 00:45:58.119
 passed over

00:45:58.119 --> 00:45:58.839
 our lives.

00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:01.259
 We could

00:46:01.259 --> 00:46:02.440
 turn out the

00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:02.920
 lights in the

00:46:02.920 --> 00:46:04.619
 lab and

00:46:04.619 --> 00:46:05.199
 go home.

00:46:06.679 --> 00:46:07.559
 We could

00:46:07.559 --> 00:46:08.119
 give up the

00:46:08.119 --> 00:46:08.659
 cell phone

00:46:08.659 --> 00:46:09.619
 and give

00:46:09.619 --> 00:46:10.099
 birth.

00:46:13.059 --> 00:46:13.960
 It's in

00:46:13.960 --> 00:46:15.119
 remembering

00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:16.119
 our justification

00:46:16.119 --> 00:46:17.859
 in Christ

00:46:17.859 --> 00:46:19.239
 that there

00:46:19.239 --> 00:46:20.179
 is rest

00:46:20.179 --> 00:46:21.519
 that remains

00:46:21.519 --> 00:46:21.920
 for the

00:46:21.920 --> 00:46:22.359
 people of

00:46:22.359 --> 00:46:22.739
 God.

00:46:24.380 --> 00:46:25.099
 I want

00:46:25.099 --> 00:46:25.659
 to conclude

00:46:25.659 --> 00:46:26.319
 with a

00:46:26.319 --> 00:46:26.639
 word

00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:34.679
 to our

00:46:34.679 --> 00:46:35.199
 young people,

00:46:36.099 --> 00:46:37.159
 including the

00:46:37.159 --> 00:46:37.759
 very young.

00:46:37.760 --> 00:46:44.900
 I fear

00:46:44.900 --> 00:46:46.400
 we have

00:46:46.400 --> 00:46:46.960
 grown-ups

00:46:46.960 --> 00:46:47.860
 as grown-ups

00:46:47.860 --> 00:46:50.020
 have given

00:46:50.020 --> 00:46:50.560
 to you

00:46:50.560 --> 00:46:51.700
 a world

00:46:51.700 --> 00:46:52.520
 to grow

00:46:52.520 --> 00:46:52.940
 up in

00:46:52.940 --> 00:46:54.740
 in which

00:46:54.740 --> 00:46:55.920
 it is

00:46:55.920 --> 00:46:56.840
 very easy

00:46:56.840 --> 00:46:58.780
 to fear

00:46:58.780 --> 00:47:00.240
 falling

00:47:00.240 --> 00:47:00.720
 short.

00:47:04.080 --> 00:47:04.980
 You hear

00:47:04.980 --> 00:47:05.320
 at every

00:47:05.320 --> 00:47:05.660
 turn

00:47:05.660 --> 00:47:06.820
 that if

00:47:06.820 --> 00:47:07.240
 you hope

00:47:07.240 --> 00:47:07.960
 to succeed,

00:47:09.240 --> 00:47:10.360
 you must

00:47:10.360 --> 00:47:11.000
 achieve.

00:47:12.860 --> 00:47:13.519
 It's how

00:47:13.519 --> 00:47:14.300
 you perform

00:47:14.300 --> 00:47:14.740
 that will

00:47:14.740 --> 00:47:15.519
 determine your

00:47:15.519 --> 00:47:16.680
 worth in

00:47:16.680 --> 00:47:17.480
 the classroom,

00:47:18.680 --> 00:47:19.100
 on the

00:47:19.100 --> 00:47:19.920
 sporting field,

00:47:20.019 --> 00:47:20.220
 in the

00:47:20.220 --> 00:47:20.860
 performance

00:47:20.860 --> 00:47:21.460
 hall,

00:47:22.580 --> 00:47:24.519
 in fact,

00:47:24.580 --> 00:47:25.000
 all of life

00:47:25.000 --> 00:47:25.519
 ahead of you.

00:47:25.760 --> 00:47:26.140
 That's the

00:47:26.140 --> 00:47:26.780
 way it is.

00:47:28.539 --> 00:47:29.059
 Verdicts

00:47:29.059 --> 00:47:30.080
 are on the

00:47:30.080 --> 00:47:30.420
 line,

00:47:31.220 --> 00:47:31.680
 and you

00:47:31.680 --> 00:47:32.300
 anxiously

00:47:32.300 --> 00:47:32.960
 ask,

00:47:33.620 --> 00:47:34.300
 will I

00:47:34.300 --> 00:47:34.640
 make the

00:47:34.640 --> 00:47:34.960
 team?

00:47:34.960 --> 00:47:37.079
 will I

00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:37.559
 pass the

00:47:37.559 --> 00:47:38.000
 test?

00:47:38.880 --> 00:47:39.320
 Will I

00:47:39.320 --> 00:47:39.619
 get a

00:47:39.619 --> 00:47:40.059
 spot?

00:47:41.599 --> 00:47:42.360
 And it's

00:47:42.360 --> 00:47:43.260
 very easy

00:47:43.260 --> 00:47:44.099
 to feel

00:47:44.099 --> 00:47:45.199
 that your

00:47:45.199 --> 00:47:45.940
 achievements

00:47:45.940 --> 00:47:48.139
 are your

00:47:48.139 --> 00:47:48.740
 measure

00:47:48.740 --> 00:47:50.059
 as a

00:47:50.059 --> 00:47:50.420
 person.

00:47:51.460 --> 00:47:52.500
 And that's

00:47:52.500 --> 00:47:53.099
 scary

00:47:53.099 --> 00:47:54.840
 and stressful.

00:47:54.840 --> 00:47:54.940
 love.

00:47:56.480 --> 00:47:57.200
 And I

00:47:57.200 --> 00:47:57.620
 want you

00:47:57.620 --> 00:47:58.200
 to know

00:47:58.200 --> 00:48:00.300
 that in

00:48:00.300 --> 00:48:00.720
 Jesus,

00:48:01.519 --> 00:48:01.820
 linking

00:48:01.820 --> 00:48:03.240
 your life

00:48:03.240 --> 00:48:04.100
 to his

00:48:04.100 --> 00:48:05.579
 in simple

00:48:05.579 --> 00:48:06.160
 trust,

00:48:06.720 --> 00:48:08.440
 the only

00:48:08.440 --> 00:48:09.579
 verdict that

00:48:09.579 --> 00:48:10.300
 really,

00:48:10.460 --> 00:48:11.260
 really

00:48:11.260 --> 00:48:12.000
 matters

00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:13.980
 is already

00:48:13.980 --> 00:48:14.280
 in.

00:48:15.240 --> 00:48:16.059
 You have

00:48:16.059 --> 00:48:16.860
 the favor

00:48:16.860 --> 00:48:17.700
 and the

00:48:17.700 --> 00:48:18.260
 delight

00:48:18.260 --> 00:48:19.720
 of your

00:48:19.720 --> 00:48:20.019
 heavenly

00:48:20.019 --> 00:48:20.480
 father.

00:48:20.480 --> 00:48:23.219
 and you

00:48:23.219 --> 00:48:23.659
 can never

00:48:23.659 --> 00:48:24.420
 lose that

00:48:24.420 --> 00:48:25.000
 favor and

00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:25.780
 delight that

00:48:25.780 --> 00:48:26.300
 he has in

00:48:26.300 --> 00:48:26.539
 you.

00:48:27.460 --> 00:48:28.380
 It cannot

00:48:28.380 --> 00:48:28.980
 be taken

00:48:28.980 --> 00:48:30.900
 away or

00:48:30.900 --> 00:48:31.840
 forfeited by

00:48:31.840 --> 00:48:32.679
 a mishap.

00:48:34.079 --> 00:48:35.240
 He delights

00:48:35.240 --> 00:48:35.840
 in you

00:48:35.840 --> 00:48:38.059
 whether you

00:48:38.059 --> 00:48:38.599
 pass the

00:48:38.599 --> 00:48:39.800
 test or

00:48:39.800 --> 00:48:40.360
 fail it,

00:48:41.440 --> 00:48:42.619
 whether you

00:48:42.619 --> 00:48:43.179
 cross the

00:48:43.179 --> 00:48:43.679
 finish line

00:48:43.679 --> 00:48:45.559
 first or

00:48:45.559 --> 00:48:46.059
 trip and

00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:47.579
 fall and

00:48:47.579 --> 00:48:48.300
 finish last.

00:48:48.300 --> 00:48:50.840
 either way,

00:48:51.420 --> 00:48:52.860
 either way,

00:48:53.640 --> 00:48:54.539
 it will be

00:48:54.539 --> 00:48:55.519
 and always

00:48:55.519 --> 00:48:56.180
 be true

00:48:56.180 --> 00:48:57.700
 what God

00:48:57.700 --> 00:48:58.100
 says.

00:48:58.960 --> 00:48:59.560
 You shall

00:48:59.560 --> 00:49:00.140
 be called

00:49:00.140 --> 00:49:01.380
 Hephzibah.

00:49:02.460 --> 00:49:03.240
 My delight

00:49:03.240 --> 00:49:03.900
 is in her

00:49:03.900 --> 00:49:05.420
 for the

00:49:05.420 --> 00:49:05.960
 Lord

00:49:05.960 --> 00:49:07.080
 delights

00:49:07.080 --> 00:49:08.240
 in you.

00:49:09.560 --> 00:49:10.300
 And for

00:49:10.300 --> 00:49:10.720
 all of you

00:49:10.720 --> 00:49:12.300
 hoping for

00:49:12.300 --> 00:49:12.640
 the little

00:49:12.640 --> 00:49:13.440
 acceptances

00:49:13.440 --> 00:49:14.100
 in life

00:49:14.100 --> 00:49:15.440
 that seems

00:49:15.440 --> 00:49:16.240
 so big,

00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:18.039
 oh,

00:49:18.039 --> 00:49:18.400
 that you

00:49:18.400 --> 00:49:19.159
 would know

00:49:19.159 --> 00:49:20.539
 and feel

00:49:20.539 --> 00:49:21.779
 that

00:49:21.779 --> 00:49:23.039
 surpassingly

00:49:23.039 --> 00:49:23.820
 wonderful

00:49:23.820 --> 00:49:24.480
 acceptance

00:49:24.480 --> 00:49:25.639
 of your

00:49:25.639 --> 00:49:25.900
 heavenly

00:49:25.900 --> 00:49:26.380
 father

00:49:26.380 --> 00:49:28.059
 that you

00:49:28.059 --> 00:49:28.539
 don't have

00:49:28.539 --> 00:49:29.019
 to earn

00:49:29.019 --> 00:49:30.279
 because

00:49:30.279 --> 00:49:30.820
 Jesus

00:49:30.820 --> 00:49:32.239
 has earned

00:49:32.239 --> 00:49:32.619
 it for

00:49:32.619 --> 00:49:33.039
 you.

00:49:34.320 --> 00:49:34.539
 An

00:49:34.539 --> 00:49:35.340
 acceptance

00:49:35.340 --> 00:49:40.639
 that is

00:49:40.639 --> 00:49:40.800
 for

00:49:40.800 --> 00:49:43.300
 always

00:49:43.300 --> 00:49:44.300
 and forever.

00:49:44.300 --> 00:49:46.920
 I

00:49:46.920 --> 00:49:47.320
 remember

00:49:47.320 --> 00:49:48.780
 first

00:49:48.780 --> 00:49:49.220
 knowing

00:49:49.220 --> 00:49:50.200
 and feeling

00:49:50.200 --> 00:49:51.180
 that kind

00:49:51.180 --> 00:49:51.880
 of acceptance

00:49:51.880 --> 00:49:52.600
 as a

00:49:52.600 --> 00:49:53.080
 little boy.

00:49:54.080 --> 00:49:54.500
 I felt

00:49:54.500 --> 00:49:54.720
 it from

00:49:54.720 --> 00:49:55.360
 my dad.

00:49:56.280 --> 00:49:56.920
 He was

00:49:56.920 --> 00:49:57.360
 a great

00:49:57.360 --> 00:49:57.760
 athlete

00:49:57.760 --> 00:49:58.800
 and an

00:49:58.800 --> 00:49:59.380
 excellent

00:49:59.380 --> 00:49:59.840
 soccer

00:49:59.840 --> 00:50:00.140
 player

00:50:00.140 --> 00:50:00.700
 and he

00:50:00.700 --> 00:50:01.460
 loved

00:50:01.460 --> 00:50:02.480
 to win.

00:50:04.160 --> 00:50:04.720
 But as

00:50:04.720 --> 00:50:05.060
 much as

00:50:05.060 --> 00:50:05.500
 he loved

00:50:05.500 --> 00:50:06.160
 to win,

00:50:07.380 --> 00:50:07.800
 whenever

00:50:07.800 --> 00:50:08.980
 he would

00:50:08.980 --> 00:50:09.460
 look out

00:50:09.460 --> 00:50:09.720
 at the

00:50:09.720 --> 00:50:10.560
 players to

00:50:10.560 --> 00:50:11.100
 pick from

00:50:11.100 --> 00:50:11.380
 when he

00:50:11.380 --> 00:50:11.900
 was forming

00:50:11.900 --> 00:50:12.480
 his team,

00:50:13.400 --> 00:50:14.480
 despite the

00:50:14.480 --> 00:50:15.460
 fact that

00:50:15.460 --> 00:50:15.760
 they were

00:50:15.760 --> 00:50:16.360
 all better

00:50:16.360 --> 00:50:17.000
 players than

00:50:17.000 --> 00:50:17.640
 I was

00:50:17.640 --> 00:50:18.579
 as a

00:50:18.579 --> 00:50:19.099
 little guy,

00:50:20.380 --> 00:50:21.760
 he always

00:50:21.760 --> 00:50:22.380
 picked me.

00:50:22.380 --> 00:50:25.119
 I can

00:50:25.119 --> 00:50:25.740
 still

00:50:25.740 --> 00:50:27.019
 hear his

00:50:27.019 --> 00:50:27.500
 voice.

00:50:28.840 --> 00:50:29.320
 I

00:50:29.320 --> 00:50:30.160
 pick my

00:50:30.160 --> 00:50:30.740
 son.

00:50:32.360 --> 00:50:32.900
 He is

00:50:32.900 --> 00:50:33.680
 my first

00:50:33.680 --> 00:50:34.500
 choice.

00:50:35.780 --> 00:50:36.740
 And I

00:50:36.740 --> 00:50:37.119
 knew

00:50:37.119 --> 00:50:38.039
 that as

00:50:38.039 --> 00:50:38.640
 I ran

00:50:38.640 --> 00:50:39.340
 out onto

00:50:39.340 --> 00:50:39.880
 the field

00:50:39.880 --> 00:50:40.579
 to play,

00:50:41.680 --> 00:50:42.780
 I already

00:50:42.780 --> 00:50:44.019
 had his

00:50:44.019 --> 00:50:44.680
 smile

00:50:44.680 --> 00:50:45.579
 and his

00:50:45.579 --> 00:50:46.039
 favor.

00:50:46.660 --> 00:50:47.340
 I didn't

00:50:47.340 --> 00:50:47.800
 have to

00:50:47.800 --> 00:50:48.440
 earn it.

00:50:49.440 --> 00:50:50.640
 Before I

00:50:50.640 --> 00:50:51.420
 kicked the

00:50:51.420 --> 00:50:51.860
 ball,

00:50:52.380 --> 00:50:53.539
 I was

00:50:53.539 --> 00:50:54.019
 his

00:50:54.019 --> 00:50:54.720
 delight.

00:50:55.800 --> 00:50:56.460
 And when

00:50:56.460 --> 00:50:56.900
 I missed

00:50:56.900 --> 00:50:57.440
 the ball

00:50:57.440 --> 00:50:59.000
 and messed

00:50:59.000 --> 00:51:00.460
 up, I

00:51:00.460 --> 00:51:01.240
 was no

00:51:01.240 --> 00:51:02.160
 less his

00:51:02.160 --> 00:51:02.780
 delight.

00:51:04.220 --> 00:51:04.420
 See,

00:51:04.820 --> 00:51:05.300
 playing

00:51:05.300 --> 00:51:06.840
 from

00:51:06.840 --> 00:51:08.599
 his love

00:51:08.599 --> 00:51:09.900
 and acceptance

00:51:09.900 --> 00:51:11.360
 instead of

00:51:11.360 --> 00:51:12.059
 for it

00:51:12.059 --> 00:51:13.920
 made me

00:51:13.920 --> 00:51:14.579
 run as

00:51:14.579 --> 00:51:15.320
 fast as

00:51:15.320 --> 00:51:15.900
 my little

00:51:15.900 --> 00:51:16.480
 legs could

00:51:16.480 --> 00:51:17.039
 carry me.

00:51:18.039 --> 00:51:18.480
 And I

00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:18.960
 got to be

00:51:18.960 --> 00:51:19.660
 pretty good.

00:51:21.160 --> 00:51:21.720
 You see,

00:51:21.719 --> 00:51:23.480
 I ran

00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:24.719
 for the

00:51:24.719 --> 00:51:25.239
 joy

00:51:25.239 --> 00:51:26.199
 before me

00:51:26.199 --> 00:51:28.139
 instead of

00:51:28.139 --> 00:51:29.279
 the fear

00:51:29.279 --> 00:51:30.399
 that comes

00:51:30.399 --> 00:51:30.879
 behind.

00:51:33.679 --> 00:51:35.239
 And that's

00:51:35.239 --> 00:51:36.279
 how God

00:51:36.279 --> 00:51:37.059
 wants us

00:51:37.059 --> 00:51:38.319
 to run

00:51:38.319 --> 00:51:39.099
 through life,

00:51:40.099 --> 00:51:40.939
 knowing

00:51:40.939 --> 00:51:42.319
 and feeling

00:51:42.319 --> 00:51:43.459
 his

00:51:43.459 --> 00:51:44.459
 unfailing

00:51:44.459 --> 00:51:45.339
 favor.

00:51:45.340 --> 00:51:45.480
 love.

00:51:46.680 --> 00:51:47.519
 So,

00:51:47.600 --> 00:51:48.059
 friends,

00:51:48.920 --> 00:51:49.700
 brothers and

00:51:49.700 --> 00:51:50.100
 sisters,

00:51:51.059 --> 00:51:51.960
 won't you

00:51:51.960 --> 00:51:53.180
 labor to

00:51:53.180 --> 00:51:53.740
 let this

00:51:53.740 --> 00:51:54.740
 wonderful

00:51:54.740 --> 00:51:55.800
 good news

00:51:55.800 --> 00:51:56.460
 that we

00:51:56.460 --> 00:51:57.600
 are accepted

00:51:57.600 --> 00:51:58.640
 in Jesus

00:51:58.640 --> 00:52:00.320
 work its

00:52:00.320 --> 00:52:02.140
 way like

00:52:02.140 --> 00:52:02.800
 leaven

00:52:02.800 --> 00:52:04.620
 into all

00:52:04.620 --> 00:52:05.280
 of life

00:52:05.280 --> 00:52:07.420
 and as

00:52:07.420 --> 00:52:07.880
 with

00:52:07.880 --> 00:52:08.720
 Martin,

00:52:10.200 --> 00:52:10.900
 find it

00:52:10.900 --> 00:52:12.039
 as the

00:52:12.039 --> 00:52:13.100
 open gate

00:52:13.099 --> 00:52:14.159
 to

00:52:14.159 --> 00:52:14.559
 paradise

00:52:14.559 --> 00:52:15.360
 itself.

00:52:20.119 --> 00:52:20.839
 Well,

00:52:20.860 --> 00:52:21.159
 we come

00:52:21.159 --> 00:52:21.519
 now

00:52:21.519 --> 00:52:23.659
 to the

00:52:23.659 --> 00:52:24.099
 place

00:52:24.099 --> 00:52:25.839
 where we

00:52:25.839 --> 00:52:26.400
 are reminded

00:52:26.400 --> 00:52:28.059
 of the

00:52:28.059 --> 00:52:28.599
 cost,

00:52:29.739 --> 00:52:30.699
 the cost

00:52:30.699 --> 00:52:31.259
 to God

00:52:31.259 --> 00:52:32.279
 of making

00:52:32.279 --> 00:52:32.819
 us

00:52:32.819 --> 00:52:33.639
 acceptable,

00:52:35.019 --> 00:52:36.339
 the Lord's

00:52:36.339 --> 00:52:36.599
 table.

00:52:38.179 --> 00:52:38.900
 You remember

00:52:38.900 --> 00:52:39.319
 Martin's

00:52:39.319 --> 00:52:39.799
 illustration

00:52:39.799 --> 00:52:40.579
 of marriage,

00:52:40.699 --> 00:52:41.319
 how husband

00:52:41.320 --> 00:52:41.860
 and wife

00:52:41.860 --> 00:52:42.420
 are one

00:52:42.420 --> 00:52:44.640
 and all

00:52:44.640 --> 00:52:45.039
 that is

00:52:45.039 --> 00:52:45.700
 his

00:52:45.700 --> 00:52:47.340
 is hers

00:52:47.340 --> 00:52:47.800
 and all

00:52:47.800 --> 00:52:48.039
 that's

00:52:48.039 --> 00:52:48.240
 hers

00:52:48.240 --> 00:52:48.820
 is his.

00:52:50.200 --> 00:52:50.880
 And as

00:52:50.880 --> 00:52:51.280
 we link

00:52:51.280 --> 00:52:52.120
 our lives

00:52:52.120 --> 00:52:52.840
 to Jesus

00:52:52.840 --> 00:52:53.680
 in trust,

00:52:55.420 --> 00:52:55.880
 what is

00:52:55.880 --> 00:52:56.120
 ours

00:52:56.120 --> 00:52:56.539
 becomes

00:52:56.539 --> 00:52:57.059
 his

00:52:57.059 --> 00:52:58.080
 and his

00:52:58.080 --> 00:52:58.539
 ours.

00:52:59.320 --> 00:52:59.900
 And we've

00:52:59.900 --> 00:53:00.800
 spoken mostly

00:53:00.800 --> 00:53:02.059
 this morning

00:53:02.059 --> 00:53:03.120
 of the

00:53:03.120 --> 00:53:03.420
 wonderful

00:53:03.420 --> 00:53:04.039
 things

00:53:04.039 --> 00:53:05.320
 that are

00:53:05.320 --> 00:53:05.960
 his,

00:53:06.220 --> 00:53:06.880
 that favor,

00:53:07.660 --> 00:53:08.220
 that become

00:53:08.220 --> 00:53:08.780
 ours.

00:53:09.980 --> 00:53:10.820
 But the

00:53:10.820 --> 00:53:11.220
 bread

00:53:11.220 --> 00:53:12.340
 and the

00:53:12.340 --> 00:53:12.559
 cup

00:53:12.559 --> 00:53:13.380
 remind us

00:53:13.380 --> 00:53:14.360
 of what

00:53:14.360 --> 00:53:15.000
 he received

00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:15.660
 from us

00:53:15.660 --> 00:53:19.059
 and gladly

00:53:19.059 --> 00:53:19.920
 received for

00:53:19.920 --> 00:53:20.360
 us

00:53:20.360 --> 00:53:22.440
 a broken

00:53:22.440 --> 00:53:22.940
 body,

00:53:24.340 --> 00:53:24.660
 shed

00:53:24.660 --> 00:53:25.039
 blood,

00:53:26.380 --> 00:53:26.980
 a life

00:53:26.980 --> 00:53:28.260
 forfeit

00:53:28.260 --> 00:53:29.280
 because of

00:53:29.280 --> 00:53:29.539
 sin.

00:53:30.900 --> 00:53:31.640
 And here

00:53:31.640 --> 00:53:32.440
 we rightly

00:53:32.440 --> 00:53:33.380
 measure

00:53:33.380 --> 00:53:34.539
 God's

00:53:34.539 --> 00:53:35.140
 love by

00:53:35.140 --> 00:53:35.500
 what he

00:53:35.500 --> 00:53:35.920
 gave,

00:53:37.240 --> 00:53:37.800
 the son

00:53:37.800 --> 00:53:38.140
 of his

00:53:38.140 --> 00:53:38.539
 love.

00:53:38.539 --> 00:53:40.320
 you are

00:53:40.320 --> 00:53:41.139
 my choice,

00:53:41.940 --> 00:53:42.320
 you are

00:53:42.320 --> 00:53:42.900
 my beloved

00:53:42.900 --> 00:53:44.199
 son in

00:53:44.199 --> 00:53:44.699
 whom I am

00:53:44.699 --> 00:53:45.420
 well pleased.

00:53:46.800 --> 00:53:47.480
 That

00:53:47.480 --> 00:53:48.380
 son he

00:53:48.380 --> 00:53:48.800
 gave

00:53:48.800 --> 00:53:50.639
 that he

00:53:50.639 --> 00:53:51.059
 might

00:53:51.059 --> 00:53:51.960
 receive

00:53:51.960 --> 00:53:52.420
 us

00:53:52.420 --> 00:53:54.179
 and place

00:53:54.179 --> 00:53:54.860
 his delight

00:53:54.860 --> 00:53:56.219
 upon us.

00:53:56.219 --> 00:54:06.959
 and

00:54:06.959 --> 00:54:08.679
 what he

00:54:08.679 --> 00:54:08.759
 does

00:54:08.759 --> 00:54:09.039
 and

00:54:09.039 --> 00:54:09.339
 have

00:54:09.379 --> 00:54:13.839
 fun

00:54:13.839 --> 00:54:14.179
 and

00:54:14.179 --> 00:54:14.199
 and

00:54:14.199 --> 00:54:14.539
 for

00:54:14.539 --> 00:54:14.799
 us

00:54:14.799 --> 00:54:14.839
 to

00:54:14.839 --> 00:54:14.939
 you

00:54:14.939 --> 00:54:15.000
 of

00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:15.139
 see

00:54:15.139 --> 00:54:19.119
 Hamilton