WEBVTT

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 Morning, everyone.

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 My thanks to Tommy, to you, Dan, Lisa, Deborah, for having me.

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 My thanks to all of you for letting me join you.

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 I realized this morning that this is the first time in over a year

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 that I've actually been in an in-person service.

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 So it's really great, actually. It feels very special.

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 And I've been thinking a lot about what it is that I get to do here,

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 what I get to experience here when gathered with people in person

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 that you can't do on Zoom.

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 And so I'm very excited to be here this morning.

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 For our passage this morning, I think it's important to start with the big picture.

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 So for those of you who attended the Easter vigil service of last weekend here

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 or at another church,

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 that service highlights God's loving pursuit of us over and over again.

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 The readings from Genesis and Exodus remind us

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 of God's great acts of creation and recreation,

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 that God makes all things new,

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 even when sin and the forces of evil do their worst.

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 The readings from Ezekiel remind us

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 that God's salvation is so beyond our imagination

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 that even what is dead beyond dead can be made alive.

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 We can be reborn and given new hearts.

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 The readings from Isaiah and Zephaniah remind us

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 that God's intention to dwell closely and intimately with his people,

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 as at the beginning in the garden,

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 that with the people he loves, created, and redeemed,

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 will not be thwarted.

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 The reading from Genesis about Abraham going to sacrifice his son

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 points to God's son dying for us.

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 All things made through Jesus will be made new through Jesus.

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 And so when Jesus came onto the scene and began his ministry,

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 he came into this long history of deep and powerful experiences with God,

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 experiences that had created clear expectations of salvation

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 and deliverance among the people of Israel.

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 And the world Jesus came into was one where his country was occupied by foreign invaders.

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 It was a world of food insecurity, of violence, heavy taxation,

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 and of rigid class layers.

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 Oppression and injustice worked in lots of different directions.

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 And it made the people groan.

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 And the whole nation waited eagerly for the long-awaited Messiah.

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 Jesus' whole ministry was everything everyone dreamed of, longed for, and hoped for,

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 but nothing what so many expected.

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 Jesus was a king coming to bring a new creation, a renewing of all things.

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 Wherever the king was, the kingdom came too.

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 Everything, everything Jesus said and did had transformative impact.

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 The kingdom came in direct and unflinching conflict with the kingdom of darkness,

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 evident in the forgiveness of sin, the healing of people,

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 the raising of the dead, and the driving out of demons.

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 The kingdom came in power against darkness,

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 but came in gentleness for us,

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 setting us free and restoring us to close relationship to God again.

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 God's shepherd was stopping at nothing

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 until every last sheep was back in his arms.

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 Our passage this morning slows down the speed of this narrative

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 and zooms in on one moment in the ministry of Jesus.

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 This moment is one of a few moments that Mark shares in the first part of his gospel

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 to show that Jesus is bringing the kingdom on earth and in real time.

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 Jesus calls his first disciples.

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 He heals a man with an unclean spirit right in the middle of a church service.

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 He heals Peter's mother-in-law,

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 then heals the rest of the city's worth of people who are sick or oppressed by the demonic.

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 And then after healing the man with leprosy,

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 he goes on to forgive the sin of a man with paralysis

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 and heals him so he can walk home.

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 The kingdom is arrived.

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 So I want to look at a few things in this particular moment

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 that Jesus has with the man with leprosy.

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 In particular, I want to look at the man,

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 I want to look at what we can learn about Jesus,

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 and I want to look at the healing that the man received.

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 So I want to start with a story.

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 I realized as I was writing this,

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 this is over 20 years ago,

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 which I can't believe.

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 But over 20 years ago,

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 my wife and I lived and worked in Nepal,

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 and we were on one of these treacherous bus rides

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 from Pohra, where we live,

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 to the capital, Kathmandu.

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 And we stopped at a rest stop

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 where everyone was to get off

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 and buy refreshments

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 and use this ferocious bathroom.

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 And we bought our refreshments,

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 and we turned around,

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 and there was this young guy standing in front of us

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 with a very advanced case of leprosy.

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 I'd never seen this before in my life.

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 I didn't know much about leprosy.

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 I didn't know it was called Hansen's disease.

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 I didn't know anything about how it was transmitted.

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 But he was standing there,

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 and it was very difficult for me to look at him.

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 He was very, very disfigured.

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 I'd never seen anything like it.

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 And he kept turning and spitting,

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 which freaked me out every time,

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 because I thought,

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 I'm going to get leprosy.

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 I'm going to get leprosy.

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 Of course, you can't get leprosy like that.

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 But I didn't know this.

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 It was an overwhelming experience.

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 What I did know,

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 and I knew enough about his status

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 as a person with leprosy in Nepal,

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 that he was feared,

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 that he was an outcast,

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 rejected by his family and his community,

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 pitied by some,

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 and by others assumed

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 to be under some kind of divine judgment.

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 In the Nepali context,

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 it would have been bad karma,

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 payback for something he did in a past life.

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 So some would have thought he deserved this.

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 But it wasn't just his physical deformity

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 that struck me.

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 It was that he carried about him

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 the sense of,

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 I know what I am.

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 I know I am hideous.

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 I know I am this thing.

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 And I know how you feel about me,

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 just looking at me.

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 Unfortunately, I felt it was hard.

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 And when I read this passage,

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 I realized that this would have been the same

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 for the man with leprosy

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 that Jesus encountered.

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 And in addition to all the unsightliness

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 of the effects of the disease on him,

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 the law,

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 in particular Leviticus 13,

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 required a person with leprosy

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 to let their hair hang loose

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 and not cover their head,

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 and to cover over any facial hair

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 as signs of mourning.

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 And they were,

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 on top of it all,

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 whenever they came close to other people,

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 call out,

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 unclean, unclean,

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 to announce that they were coming

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 and they were unclean

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 so that people would be aware.

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 They were to wear these Old Testament

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 signs of mourning

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 because they were considered

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 ritually dead.

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 That is, cut off from the life

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 and practice of Israel's worship.

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 And, in effect,

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 cut off from God.

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 And they had to keep calling out

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 this stigmatizing label

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 every time they came close

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 to other people.

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 People with leprosy

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 had, by law,

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 to live away from others

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 outside of towns and villages.

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 They couldn't work

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 and they were dependent

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 on the charity of others.

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 There was a great deal of shame

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 with leprosy,

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 which went way deeper than

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 I've done something wrong

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 to a sense of

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 I am inherently wrong.

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 There is something wrong with me.

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 That's what shame says.

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 So the man who came to Jesus

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 with his disease

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 and all the woundings

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 of rejection,

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 shame,

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 and isolation

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 came with that

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 and every sense

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 that he was cut off from God

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 in an irreparable way.

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 The man comes on his knees

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 and he implores Jesus to help.

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 But I want you to notice

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 what he says.

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 He says,

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 If you will,

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 you can make me clean.

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 The man knew

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 that Jesus had the power.

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 He had the ability

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 to heal him,

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 to take away his disease

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 no matter how badly

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 it had eaten into his body.

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 But he wasn't sure

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 that Jesus was willing.

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 If Jesus is the man of God

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 that everybody says he is,

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 then surely

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 he would not want to do

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 something like this

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 for a leper,

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 someone who is unclean.

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 The man had faith

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 that Jesus could,

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 but not that Jesus would.

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 And yet,

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 he came with whatever faith

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 he did have

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 and he came with desperation.

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 The next thing we read

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 in this passage

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 is things that Mark tells us

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 about Jesus

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 and his response.

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 And we learn a lot

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 about what Jesus is like.

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 And it's worth focusing

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 on three particular things.

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 What Jesus felt,

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 what he did,

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 and then what he said.

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 So what did Jesus feel?

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 It's the first thing

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 that Mark describes.

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 Compassion.

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 The ESV uses the word pity.

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 Jesus' response

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 to the man with leprosy

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 in front of him

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 with all his disease

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 is a visceral,

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 heart-level,

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 overwhelming,

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 emotional love.

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 That's what compassion is.

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 We should hang on to this

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 because this is how Jesus feels

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 every time

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 for every one of us.

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 Jesus' actions.

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 The next thing Mark describes.

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 Jesus does the unimaginable.

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 He crosses

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 the social distance requirement,

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 maybe pun intended,

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 and he touches him.

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 His disciples,

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 like I freaked out,

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 would have entirely freaked out.

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 Jesus was doing

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 the unconscionable.

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 And according to the law,

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 anyone who touched

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 someone unclean

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 became themselves unclean.

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 But perfect love

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 and perfect holiness

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 are one and the same.

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 And when the Son of God

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 touches someone unclean,

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 the Son of God

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 doesn't become unclean,

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 but his touch,

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 the very touch of Jesus,

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 drives out uncleanness.

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 Jesus.

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 And then Jesus' words

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 with his hands on the man.

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 From that place

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 of overwhelming love,

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 Jesus speaks and says,

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 I will be clean.

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 These words are even more

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 striking in the Greek,

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 which are each

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 their own words.

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 Fellow,

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 katharisteti.

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 It's an emphatic,

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 intense expression.

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 Jesus' words

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 convey to the man

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 with an intensity.

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 He is willing.

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 You are worthy

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 of this healing.

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 I will do this.

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 And be clean.

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 Jesus is entirely

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 opposed to what's

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 happening to this man.

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 And he speaks

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 strong words

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 of newness

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 and life

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 and ultimately

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 new identity.

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 Mark reports

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 that the man

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 is healed immediately.

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 One of Mark's

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 favorite words.

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 The man's physical

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 condition is renewed.

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 His status of unclean

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 reversed

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 to that of clean.

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 The man no longer

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 had to wear signs

00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:09.379
 of mourning,

00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:10.700
 no longer had to

00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:11.720
 live away from others,

00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:13.039
 no longer had to

00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:14.519
 call out unclean

00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:15.519
 to announce himself

00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:16.600
 wherever he was,

00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:18.240
 and he was no longer

00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:19.259
 cut off from God.

00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:21.139
 He could return

00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:22.039
 to his family,

00:12:22.439 --> 00:12:23.159
 his community,

00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:24.720
 he could work again,

00:12:25.439 --> 00:12:26.179
 share meals,

00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:27.740
 and join with others

00:12:27.740 --> 00:12:28.740
 in gatherings

00:12:28.740 --> 00:12:30.000
 of worship.

00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:32.639
 Now Jesus tells

00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:33.759
 the man not to tell

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.860
 anybody about this,

00:12:34.980 --> 00:12:35.980
 and for good reasons,

00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:36.679
 and that's probably

00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:37.379
 another sermon,

00:12:37.899 --> 00:12:38.819
 but the next part

00:12:38.819 --> 00:12:39.399
 is important.

00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:41.580
 Jesus tells the man

00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:42.500
 to go show

00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:43.200
 the priest

00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:45.200
 and to offer

00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:45.980
 for his cleansing

00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:46.759
 what the law,

00:12:46.939 --> 00:12:47.899
 Leviticus 15

00:12:47.899 --> 00:12:48.559
 specifically,

00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:49.399
 prescribes.

00:12:50.599 --> 00:12:51.239
 And this is not

00:12:51.239 --> 00:12:51.819
 just Jesus

00:12:51.819 --> 00:12:53.039
 upholding the law.

00:12:54.579 --> 00:12:55.459
 This is Jesus

00:12:55.459 --> 00:12:57.000
 using the established

00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:57.679
 practices

00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:59.139
 that would allow

00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:00.659
 a religious authority

00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:01.599
 to pronounce

00:13:01.599 --> 00:13:02.959
 his new cleanness,

00:13:03.079 --> 00:13:04.259
 his new identity,

00:13:04.939 --> 00:13:06.619
 his new restored status

00:13:06.619 --> 00:13:07.539
 within the community.

00:13:08.959 --> 00:13:09.859
 Adding to his

00:13:09.859 --> 00:13:10.819
 physical healing

00:13:10.819 --> 00:13:12.379
 was an emotional

00:13:12.379 --> 00:13:13.339
 and inner healing

00:13:13.339 --> 00:13:14.079
 from shame.

00:13:14.859 --> 00:13:15.659
 A social

00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:17.000
 and financial healing

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:18.000
 as the man

00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:18.679
 re-entered

00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:19.679
 community life

00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:20.580
 and worship

00:13:20.580 --> 00:13:21.419
 and began

00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:22.379
 to work again.

00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:26.399
 So a couple

00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:27.539
 takeaways for us.

00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:28.820
 First,

00:13:29.740 --> 00:13:30.399
 what do we learn

00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.100
 about what Jesus

00:13:31.100 --> 00:13:31.679
 is like?

00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:33.340
 The way Jesus

00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:34.940
 felt towards

00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:35.460
 the man

00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:36.379
 in today's passage

00:13:36.379 --> 00:13:37.519
 is how he feels

00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:38.120
 about you

00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:38.899
 right now.

00:13:39.940 --> 00:13:40.840
 Whatever you have

00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:41.120
 done,

00:13:41.259 --> 00:13:42.019
 whatever has been

00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:42.879
 done to you,

00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:45.779
 whatever you feel

00:13:45.779 --> 00:13:46.340
 makes you

00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:47.120
 unacceptable

00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:48.460
 or even cut off

00:13:48.460 --> 00:13:49.000
 from God,

00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:51.059
 Jesus feels

00:13:51.059 --> 00:13:51.939
 an overwhelming

00:13:51.939 --> 00:13:53.019
 emotional love

00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:53.419
 for you

00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:54.279
 and you are not

00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:54.799
 cut off.

00:13:55.820 --> 00:13:56.179
 In fact,

00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:56.740
 when the man

00:13:56.740 --> 00:13:57.879
 encountered Jesus,

00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:59.059
 God the Son,

00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:00.899
 in all his disease

00:14:00.899 --> 00:14:02.320
 and all the shame,

00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:03.879
 he found he wasn't

00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:04.820
 actually cut off.

00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:05.860
 The Son of God

00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:07.740
 reached across

00:14:07.740 --> 00:14:08.860
 the barrier to him

00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:10.279
 with love

00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:11.240
 and touched him

00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:12.080
 and spoke those

00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:12.919
 words that healed

00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:13.659
 him and gave him

00:14:13.659 --> 00:14:14.240
 new life.

00:14:16.100 --> 00:14:16.560
 Second,

00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:18.399
 we all struggle

00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:19.240
 at some point

00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:20.360
 to believe that

00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.399
 God is able

00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:23.519
 or powerful enough

00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.379
 to handle the big

00:14:24.379 --> 00:14:25.180
 things that come

00:14:25.180 --> 00:14:25.680
 at us.

00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:27.299
 And we all struggle

00:14:27.299 --> 00:14:28.039
 at some point

00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:28.919
 to believe that

00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:29.759
 he is willing

00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.080
 to provide

00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:32.100
 or protect

00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:33.259
 or heal us.

00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:35.100
 And in this

00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:35.799
 passage today,

00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:36.320
 the moment

00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:37.799
 that Jesus has

00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:38.560
 with this man

00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:39.700
 shows us that

00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:40.860
 Jesus is both

00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:42.039
 able and

00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:42.980
 very willing

00:14:42.980 --> 00:14:44.240
 with an intensity

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.379
 to do both,

00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:46.220
 to help us.

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:48.620
 And lastly,

00:14:49.180 --> 00:14:50.220
 experiencing Jesus

00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:51.060
 like this is

00:14:51.060 --> 00:14:52.019
 something he passed

00:14:52.019 --> 00:14:52.860
 on to the rest

00:14:52.860 --> 00:14:53.259
 of us,

00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:54.000
 to his followers.

00:14:54.560 --> 00:14:55.120
 It's something

00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:55.680
 that should be

00:14:55.680 --> 00:14:56.500
 normal for us

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:57.019
 as a church

00:14:57.019 --> 00:14:57.539
 and believers.

00:14:58.399 --> 00:14:58.899
 And this is

00:14:58.899 --> 00:14:59.800
 worth going after.

00:15:00.800 --> 00:15:01.220
 And I want to

00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:02.259
 encourage all of us

00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:03.379
 to keep coming

00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:03.980
 to Jesus

00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:05.139
 with whatever

00:15:05.139 --> 00:15:06.300
 faith we have,

00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:07.399
 with all our

00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:08.039
 desperation

00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:08.980
 and the rawness

00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:09.399
 of it

00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:11.399
 and seek him

00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:12.279
 and the newness

00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:12.699
 of life

00:15:12.699 --> 00:15:13.379
 that he wants

00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.059
 to give us.

00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:16.219
 Let me pray

00:15:16.219 --> 00:15:16.719
 for us.

00:15:21.439 --> 00:15:22.279
 Lord Jesus,

00:15:23.059 --> 00:15:23.919
 you know that

00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:25.439
 we are frail

00:15:25.439 --> 00:15:26.539
 and made of dust

00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:28.159
 and so much

00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:28.659
 of what can

00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:29.419
 come at us

00:15:29.419 --> 00:15:30.719
 in this life

00:15:30.719 --> 00:15:31.539
 that is hard

00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:32.779
 and dark,

00:15:33.699 --> 00:15:34.379
 that is broken,

00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:35.159
 unjust,

00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:35.860
 oppressive,

00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:36.440
 and evil

00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:37.340
 is more than

00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:37.800
 what we can

00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:38.159
 handle.

00:15:38.940 --> 00:15:39.419
 And we know

00:15:39.419 --> 00:15:40.019
 we need you.

00:15:41.680 --> 00:15:43.379
 Help us believe

00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:44.259
 that you are able,

00:15:44.539 --> 00:15:45.019
 that you're big

00:15:45.019 --> 00:15:45.620
 enough for it

00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:46.800
 and help us believe

00:15:46.800 --> 00:15:48.700
 that you want to,

00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:49.639
 that you're willing

00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:50.560
 to step in

00:15:50.560 --> 00:15:51.039
 and help.

00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:52.899
 Help us keep

00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:53.600
 showing up.

00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.680
 Help us keep

00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:57.180
 our hearts set

00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:58.560
 on this vision,

00:15:58.700 --> 00:15:59.620
 this picture of you

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:01.560
 that you just long

00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:02.759
 to do for us

00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:03.560
 what we can't do

00:16:03.560 --> 00:16:04.259
 for ourselves

00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:05.340
 and give us

00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:06.759
 fullness of life

00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:07.539
 in every way.

00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:10.080
 So Lord,

00:16:10.220 --> 00:16:10.899
 in this season

00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:11.399
 of Easter

00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.240
 where we remember

00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:13.080
 and celebrate

00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:14.220
 your resurrection,

00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.299
 your victory

00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:16.100
 over death

00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:16.819
 and sin,

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.639
 renew our faith,

00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:19.639
 deepen our faith,

00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:20.720
 and renew our

00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:21.740
 showing up to you

00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:22.360
 for the things

00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:22.879
 we need.

00:16:23.700 --> 00:16:24.500
 And we thank you.

00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:25.980
 Amen.

00:16:25.980 --> 00:16:26.100
 Amen.

00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:26.159
 Amen.

00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:26.179
 Amen.

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:26.200
 Amen.

00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:26.220
 Amen.

00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:26.240
 Amen.

00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:26.259
 Amen.

00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:26.279
 Amen.

00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:28.179
 Amen.

00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:28.200
 Amen.

00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:28.220
 Amen.

00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:30.220
 Amen.

00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:30.259
 Amen.

00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:30.279
 Amen.

00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:34.240
 Amen.