WEBVTT

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 Hopefully in front of you you've got a service outline.

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 If not on your phone, you can see a sermon outline there on the St. Paul's app.

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 I'm going to pray as we launch into this because John's gospel,

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 when you start learning the Greek language,

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 John's gospel is often where you start

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 because Greek language in John is relatively straightforward.

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 But the difficulty is while the language might be easier,

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 Greek language, the ideas in John are very complex.

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 And so he sort of leads you into thinking the gospel is going to be easy,

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 but the ideas are quite complex as we launch into this.

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 Let's pray.

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 Gracious Father, we pray that you would help us to capture some of the essence

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 of what the Lord Jesus is requiring of his disciples here.

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 I pray that you would transform our lives as we remain in Jesus.

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 Help us to see what you require of us between your first arrival and your second arrival.

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 Help us to remain in the vine and there bear fruit, fruit that will last.

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 So help us understand this passage so that we might live lives that glorify you

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 until you come back.

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 Amen.

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 In less than two weeks, James and I are heading to the US.

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 We're attending a conference, visiting a church and doing some other ministry things.

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 And it's a trip that I've done a few times.

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 I've slipped through the departure doors and into customs a number of times.

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 And I've got to tell you, every time it happens, it never feels, it's never easy.

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 I never find that journey through two doors that easy.

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 It's the feeling of leaving behind loved ones.

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 Whenever Nat and the girls come with me to send me off, I find it particularly difficult.

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 I hang on this side of the customs doors for as long as I possibly can.

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 I try to busy myself with paperwork and details.

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 But I know that at some point real soon, I've got to embrace, I've got to say goodbye, and I've got to depart.

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 Of course, it's the exact opposite in the experience in the arrivals hall.

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 You can't wait to get through customs to see your loved ones if they're there.

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 Hopefully they're not later or something like that.

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 You just can't wait.

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 It's a moment of excitement.

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 It's a moment of joy.

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 It's not apprehension.

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 As we pick up John's gospel today, we're in the departure terminal with the disciples of Jesus.

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 That's where we're sitting.

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 In John 13, Jesus tells his disciples he's about to depart.

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 And their world is rocked because they had hopes that Jesus would be the one who would overthrow the occupying Roman Empire and restore the promised land to Israel.

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 In John 14, what we looked at last week, Jesus comforts his disciples by telling them three things.

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 Number one, his departure will secure for them an eternal dwelling in the presence of God.

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 Number two, his departure means that he can send another advocate, one just like him, who will permanently dwell with them.

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 Not just the presence of God in the future, but the presence of God with them now.

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 And Jesus says when this other advocate comes, it's going to be better because Jesus is beside them, but the spirit will be in them.

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 They will even know and experience the father personally in prayer.

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 Instead of just knowing the father through what Jesus reveals about him.

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 And number three, Jesus will come back and take them to be with him, with God forever in perfect peace and joy.

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 So there's a departure and there's a return.

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 So what happens in the meantime?

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 What are the disciples to do?

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 What are they on about?

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 Do they just sit in the departure lounge or make the way to the arrivals hall upstairs or downstairs or wherever it is and just wait for Jesus to come back?

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 What are Jesus' plans for his disciples?

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 Why they wait?

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 What does he expect of them?

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 So there's three things I want to draw out from John 15 this morning.

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 Number one, the necessity of transformation.

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 Number two, the organic nature of transformation.

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 And number three, the means of transformation.

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 In 15 verse one, Jesus says, I am the true vine and my father is the gardener.

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 And then again in verse five, he says, I am the vine and you are the branches.

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 Now, all the conversation stopped at this powerful pronouncement.

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 You see, the force of Jesus' words to his first disciples is something like this.

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 You know how all of Israel, God's historical people, is pictured as a vine that is meant to produce refreshing fruit.

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 Well, I, Jesus Christ, am the fulfillment of everything that that symbol suggests.

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 And the key word here is the word true.

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 Those who follow Jesus belong to Jesus so that together with him, they become the true vine.

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 Now, the word true is important because it replaces the old vine.

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 Israel was the vine that God rescued from Egypt.

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 Psalm 80 says that they were the root that he planted and grew throughout the land.

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 But it was a vine that was condemned by God because it produced bad fruit.

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 As we just saw in Isaiah 5.

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 Isaiah 5 says that God looked for justice, but saw bloodshed.

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 He looked for righteousness, but only heard cries of distress.

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 Jesus Christ was the vine that was condemned by God.

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 And the point throughout this passage in John 15 is that branches, those who put their trust in the Lord Jesus, must produce good fruit.

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 Jesus makes it the edifying mark of a true believer.

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 It is how you identify a true believer.

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 Not by what they do, not by how successful they are, not by the things they do in the name of Christ, but who they are.

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 Jesus says, the father who's the gardener, cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.

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 If there is no fruit in our life, then we had better reconsider the authenticity of our Christianity.

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 And the fruits, the fruit that God was looking for in Isaiah 5 were the qualities of justice and righteousness.

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 And they are both inequalities.

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 In John 15, the fruit Jesus speaks of is simply the reproduction of the life of the vine in the branch.

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 Jesus is looking for the fruit of his life in us.

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 Jesus is looking for change, transformation of our character.

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 Which is what fruit in the Bible is, and especially so in the New Testament, where it's explicit.

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 One list of such fruit is Galatians 5.

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 The fruit, one fruit with a bunch of characteristics.

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 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance.

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 Which is patience and forgiveness of those who have wronged us.

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 Kindness, that's unselfishness.

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 Goodness, which is transparency and integrity.

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 Faithfulness, which is courage.

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 Gentleness, which is humility and self-control.

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 Against such things there is no law.

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 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

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 And so what Jesus is saying in John 15 is that my expectation of you is for transformation.

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 And I, Jesus, am the key to that inner change of your life.

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 How does the selfish person become unselfish?

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 How does the controlling, manipulative person become a liberator?

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 How does the coward become courageous?

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 How does the whiner become grateful?

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 How does the taker become a giver?

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 How does the worrier become a rock?

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 How does the bigot become understanding?

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 There is no more relevant question for our society, for our culture.

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 There's no more relevant question for our city.

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 There's no more relevant question for your family, for your marriage, for your friendships.

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 There's no more relevant question for this church as we seek to grow together in humility and unity.

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 How do you get such transformation?

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 And when Jesus says, I am the true vine, he's saying I am the key to growth and change for good.

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 Now, every bookstore in this city is filled with material on how to change and develop your inner potential.

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 They are mechanical books that give you a technique.

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 Or they are moral books, morality books, calling you to try a bit harder and be a bit more virtuous.

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 Or they are magic books telling you how to tap into some kind of power that you currently don't have.

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 The Bible, Christianity, Jesus offers something different.

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 It's not a technique.

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 It's not traditional morality.

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 It's not new age spirituality either.

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 Christianity says you need a vital connection with Jesus Christ, the only cosmic and concrete person who ever lived.

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 Christianity is about a personal relationship with Jesus who is the cosmic Lord of all and drawing on his never-ending pulsating life.

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 And the promise here from Jesus is that change is actually possible.

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 Don't you want that when you've been struggling with the same issue for 40 years?

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 Notice verse 16.

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 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.

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 In fact, in Romans 8, we are told the entire work of Jesus in choosing us, in making us right with God,

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 is so that we would change to be like him.

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 That's his purpose.

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 Everything he did.

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 All of his plans.

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 All of it.

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 The loss of his glory.

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 The coming to be one of us.

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 His death on the cross.

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 His resurrection.

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 Everything he has done is for the purpose of fruit.

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 His goal in Romans 8 is to change us into his image until we reflect his glory.

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 His goal is to take us from the squalor of sin and brokenness and make us great in his presence.

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 His goal is to glorify us and to put his beauty into our lives.

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 He's committed to taking his life and putting his life into us.

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 We may be pessimistic about being able to change.

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 And Jesus Christ says,

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 I am the one who brought the universe into existence by just by the sound of my voice.

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 And all of my power is committed to changing you and dealing with every flaw, every problem, every weakness, every sin in your life.

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 All of my power is directed in dealing with that.

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 So there's the necessity of transformation because that's what God, that's what Jesus is doing in working in your life.

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 Secondly, there's the organic nature of transformation.

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 This is, this is really important.

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 In the last paragraph where Jesus leaves behind the vine and the branch metaphor,

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 he says that we need to hear his word and we need to obey his commands.

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 Now, if we had just got that, if we just got that bit,

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 you could easily conclude that Christianity was basically a mechanical and a moral thing.

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 In other words, to be a Christian, you just need to discipline.

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 You just need the discipline to do a whole bunch of stuff.

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 And it's just the discipline to be compliant to a whole set of rules.

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 But the first part says that what Jesus is really after is to hook us into a vital and organic connection with him

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 so that his life becomes our life.

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 Jesus is after organic change through a brand new internal dynamic,

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 not mechanical compliance through external force.

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 I'll say that again because it's profound.

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 Jesus is after organic change through a brand new internal dynamic,

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 not mechanical compliance through external force.

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 What I mean is this.

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 Imagine a work colleague.

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 And maybe we've all dealt with these work colleagues over the years.

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 A work colleague who isn't, let's say, not committed to their job.

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 They arrive late.

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 They leave early.

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 Anytime there's lots of work on, the team's trying to work together,

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 this person calls in sick.

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 They're just not there.

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 They're constantly undermining members of the team, gossiping about them.

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 They're constantly complaining about the company, about the systems.

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 They're constantly looking for pay rises.

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 And then one day, human resources, call them in and read out the list of you've done this,

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 you've done this, you've done this, you've done this.

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 We've got a few issues with you.

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 We need to...

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 Unbeknownst to them or maybe known to them,

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 they have been kind of being performance managed for a bit

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 and these issues have been raised over some time.

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 But in this moment in front of human resources and the boss is sitting there,

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 all of a sudden your colleague realizes for the first time,

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 these guys actually think my behavior is really bad.

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 They actually are taking this seriously.

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 And I am about to lose my job.

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 And all of a sudden their behavior, they just realize for the first time,

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 there's consequences here.

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 And they break down in tears and they're begging for the job.

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 They're sobbing and they're pleading.

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 They've got bills to pay.

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 They've got mouths to feed.

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 They need this job.

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 They'll do whatever it takes.

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 Just give me one more chance.

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 I'll change.

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 I'll change.

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 Just give me one more chance.

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 So HR are kind and they decide not to fire him in that moment.

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 And the person just walks out of there going,

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 wow, I just dodged a bullet.

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 The crisis has been averted.

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 What happens now?

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 They change.

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 They start to arrive on time.

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 They leave when others leave.

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 For a while.

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 When they think things have settled back down,

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 they start to slip back into the old habits.

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 First opportunity to gossip against someone.

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 Yeah, I'll jump in on that one.

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 You see, in that moment,

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 the short-lived changes were mechanical compliance from external force.

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 They weren't driven by any form of internal change.

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 The alternative is they don't slip back into the old habits,

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 but they get more and more unhappy about the mechanical compliance.

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 And they'll start looking for another job where they can get away with their behavior.

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 You see, external force can restrain the heart,

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 but it can't change the heart.

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 For a short time, it, in fact, might look like real change.

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 It may look like real change.

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 But if there's no connection to the vine, to Jesus,

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 then it will show over time.

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 So here it is.

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 It is very typical when you first get into Christianity

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 that without realizing it,

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 you move into all sorts of mechanical compliance

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 instead of organic change.

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 How does this body, family, this church work?

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 What do I need to do to fit in?

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 We often put all of our focus on getting busy serving Jesus

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 instead of friendship with Jesus.

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 We put all of our focus on getting busy serving Jesus

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 instead of friendship with Jesus.

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 And when you first become a Christian,

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 you embrace the truth.

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 You're not saved by good works,

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 but you're saved by the grace of God

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 to you in the Lord Jesus.

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 But that truth is so, so foreign to the human heart,

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 it is virtually impossible to believe it.

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 And so we get busy doing Christian things

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 like helping people, getting involved in the church

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 and studying lots of stuff about this newfound faith that I have.

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 You get rid of the obvious ones, the big sins,

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 the juicy sins in your life.

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 And if you're not careful,

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 you can subconsciously start to think,

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 surely God must love me because I'm doing all this stuff.

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 I'm making some big changes in my life.

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 And if you're not careful,

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 what you're actually doing is you start moving into a pattern

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 of inferring the love of God

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 rather than experiencing the love of God.

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 Surely God must love me.

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 inferring his love

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 rather than drawing on his love.

00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:24.519
 And without really drawing on Jesus' life

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.659
 and listening to his words

00:21:25.659 --> 00:21:26.740
 and praying to him and knowing him

00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:28.559
 and walking with him and spending time with him,

00:21:28.899 --> 00:21:32.399
 we are really just busy doing stuff for him.

00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:37.700
 And when you do that,

00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:40.619
 after a little while,

00:21:41.339 --> 00:21:44.159
 you start to realize

00:21:44.159 --> 00:21:48.859
 that you aren't actually really changing much at all.

00:21:50.039 --> 00:21:53.319
 It's possible to discover

00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:56.639
 three years, 13 years, 33 years,

00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:58.319
 down the track, sitting in church,

00:21:59.819 --> 00:22:01.899
 there's not much...

00:22:01.899 --> 00:22:03.480
 I'm really not much more loving.

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:06.379
 I'm not much more...

00:22:06.379 --> 00:22:08.539
 I've still got the same passions and desires

00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:10.279
 that I've had for the last 20 years.

00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:13.539
 I'm no more joyful.

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.759
 I'm no more patient.

00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:17.759
 I'm no more humble.

00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:21.579
 No better at taking any criticism.

00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:24.720
 I'm just as sensitive as I've always been.

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:29.279
 I'm not overcoming the bad habits.

00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.839
 There is, in fact,

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:35.519
 very little ongoing fruit.

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:37.420
 Just settle.

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:39.200
 Got to a point and just settle there.

00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:41.559
 Just been sitting there for decades.

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:47.659
 Friends, it's essential to keep coming back

00:22:47.659 --> 00:22:49.099
 to the center of the Christian faith.

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:51.799
 The branch is fruitful

00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:54.639
 because it has the life of the vine.

00:22:56.399 --> 00:22:58.639
 It doesn't get the life of the vine

00:22:58.639 --> 00:23:00.139
 because it's fruitful.

00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:04.340
 We are saved by grace

00:23:04.340 --> 00:23:06.100
 and without His grace,

00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:07.820
 we are not capable of producing

00:23:07.820 --> 00:23:09.700
 the change that God requires.

00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:11.480
 Without His grace,

00:23:12.040 --> 00:23:13.180
 without His life,

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:16.060
 we can't change.

00:23:17.700 --> 00:23:18.360
 Jesus says,

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:19.660
 without me, you can do nothing.

00:23:20.600 --> 00:23:22.740
 You can't change on the inside without me.

00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:26.940
 The Paris Peace Conference,

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:29.440
 also known as the Versailles Peace Conference,

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:34.339
 was the meeting of the victorious allied powers

00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:35.880
 following the end of World War I

00:23:35.880 --> 00:23:38.099
 to set the terms of peace

00:23:38.099 --> 00:23:39.720
 for the defeated central powers.

00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:44.240
 The peace conference began in January 1919,

00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:46.779
 so 100 years ago now,

00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.960
 and it ended a year later.

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:50.599
 That's a very long conference.

00:23:50.599 --> 00:23:54.519
 I suppose they had lots of things to talk about

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.179
 that were important.

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:58.819
 One of the delightful side stories,

00:23:58.919 --> 00:23:59.740
 which is not recorded,

00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:01.299
 I mean, the outcomes are recorded

00:24:01.299 --> 00:24:02.240
 about the Paris Peace Conference.

00:24:02.339 --> 00:24:03.959
 One of the delightful side stories

00:24:03.959 --> 00:24:06.359
 from the conference

00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:09.079
 was about members from the delegation of Arabia.

00:24:10.099 --> 00:24:10.980
 These delegates,

00:24:11.199 --> 00:24:12.799
 who were connected with Lawrence of Arabia,

00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:17.599
 came from a harsh desert environment,

00:24:18.719 --> 00:24:19.539
 nomadic life,

00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:20.659
 living in tents,

00:24:21.539 --> 00:24:23.099
 where, as you can imagine,

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:25.559
 food and water were relatively scarce.

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:27.720
 They take them from that environment,

00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.920
 and they put them in hotels in Paris

00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:32.399
 for this conference.

00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:36.759
 And the biggest thing for them

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:38.579
 was that there was running water

00:24:38.579 --> 00:24:39.500
 in the hotel room.

00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:41.379
 Never discovered it before,

00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:43.099
 never seen this before in their life.

00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:46.719
 And when they vocated their hotel rooms,

00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:48.919
 the hotel discovered

00:24:48.919 --> 00:24:50.419
 that instead of taking the soaps

00:24:50.419 --> 00:24:51.959
 and the pens like the rest of us,

00:24:52.439 --> 00:24:53.659
 these guys from Arabia

00:24:53.659 --> 00:24:55.279
 took the taps off the walls

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:58.240
 to take them back home.

00:24:59.339 --> 00:25:01.279
 I think they had the assumption,

00:25:01.619 --> 00:25:02.879
 they had the vision of running water

00:25:02.879 --> 00:25:03.740
 in their tents.

00:25:04.379 --> 00:25:06.399
 Get these taps and put them in the tents,

00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:08.879
 and we'll have running water.

00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.880
 It's cute.

00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:15.440
 They didn't know the taps were useless

00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:17.420
 unless they were attached to the water supply.

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:21.320
 And that's what Jesus says in verses 5 and 6,

00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:22.220
 I am the vine,

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.780
 you are the branches.

00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:25.680
 If you remain in me,

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.860
 and I in you,

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.960
 you will bear much fruit.

00:25:31.280 --> 00:25:32.440
 Apart from me,

00:25:32.920 --> 00:25:35.100
 you can do nothing.

00:25:35.099 --> 00:25:38.539
 A Christian is someone

00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:40.819
 for whom Jesus is their life source.

00:25:41.959 --> 00:25:43.619
 As C.S. Lewis put it perfectly

00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:44.240
 in his book,

00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:44.879
 Mere Christianity.

00:25:46.219 --> 00:25:46.919
 He says,

00:25:46.980 --> 00:25:48.159
 the Christian way is this,

00:25:48.859 --> 00:25:51.639
 and he's pushing against

00:25:51.639 --> 00:25:53.599
 the idea of just mere compliance,

00:25:54.619 --> 00:25:56.179
 and just obedience to rules,

00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:58.879
 and little bits of changes in habits.

00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:00.500
 He says,

00:26:00.719 --> 00:26:01.959
 you've got it so wrong.

00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:04.100
 The Christian life is much harder

00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:05.279
 and easier.

00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:08.079
 Christ says,

00:26:08.360 --> 00:26:09.360
 give me your all.

00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:11.360
 I don't want your time.

00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:12.759
 I don't want your money.

00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:14.680
 I don't want your work

00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:17.019
 so much as I want you.

00:26:17.819 --> 00:26:18.960
 I've not come

00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.100
 to torment

00:26:20.100 --> 00:26:21.940
 your ordinary self.

00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:23.720
 I've come to kill it.

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:26.100
 No halfway measure.

00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:28.079
 Hand over your whole

00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:29.120
 ordinary self,

00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:30.380
 both the things you think

00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:30.940
 are innocent,

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:31.920
 as well as the things

00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:32.779
 you think are wicked.

00:26:33.340 --> 00:26:34.559
 I will give you

00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:36.120
 a new self instead.

00:26:36.320 --> 00:26:36.920
 In fact,

00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:39.100
 I will give you myself.

00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:41.380
 My own will

00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:42.860
 will become yours.

00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:44.180
 My own life

00:26:44.180 --> 00:26:45.700
 will become

00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:47.080
 your life.

00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:50.299
 So,

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:52.380
 how do we get this

00:26:52.380 --> 00:26:54.240
 vital connection with Jesus

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:56.000
 so that his life,

00:26:56.660 --> 00:26:58.460
 this change from the inside out

00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:59.779
 is happening in our life?

00:26:59.779 --> 00:27:01.000
 So,

00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:01.559
 last point,

00:27:01.639 --> 00:27:02.879
 the means of transformation.

00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:04.339
 There are four things

00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:05.119
 in this passage

00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:05.960
 and,

00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:06.539
 frankly,

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:09.680
 I could spend

00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.859
 a whole lot of time

00:27:10.859 --> 00:27:12.440
 on each one of these things.

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:13.319
 They're all connected

00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:14.980
 in one way or another.

00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.700
 And we need

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:20.440
 all four of these things

00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:22.460
 to have a vital connection

00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:24.960
 and to see character change.

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.819
 All four of them

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.420
 are essential.

00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:27.359
 They're interconnected,

00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:28.319
 and they're all essential.

00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:29.939
 Firstly,

00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:31.740
 verse 2,

00:27:32.500 --> 00:27:33.339
 there's the knife

00:27:33.339 --> 00:27:33.959
 of the Lord.

00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.139
 He cuts off

00:27:35.139 --> 00:27:36.279
 every branch in me

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:37.419
 that bears no fruit

00:27:37.419 --> 00:27:38.379
 while every branch

00:27:38.379 --> 00:27:39.519
 that does bear fruit

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.479
 he prunes

00:27:40.479 --> 00:27:41.819
 so that it will be

00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:42.839
 even more fruitful.

00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:43.819
 Secondly,

00:27:44.219 --> 00:27:45.240
 there's the joy

00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:45.899
 of the Lord.

00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:46.679
 In verse 11,

00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:48.139
 I have told you this

00:27:48.139 --> 00:27:48.879
 so that my joy

00:27:48.879 --> 00:27:49.759
 may be in you

00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:50.939
 and that your joy

00:27:50.939 --> 00:27:52.000
 may be complete.

00:27:52.719 --> 00:27:53.259
 Thirdly,

00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:54.719
 there is the friendship

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:55.360
 of the Lord.

00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:56.920
 In verses 13 to 15,

00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:57.860
 greater love

00:27:57.860 --> 00:27:58.759
 has no one than this

00:27:58.759 --> 00:27:59.299
 to lay down

00:27:59.299 --> 00:28:00.460
 one's life

00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:01.420
 for one's friends.

00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:02.819
 You are my friends

00:28:02.819 --> 00:28:04.160
 if you do what I command.

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:06.160
 I no longer

00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:07.299
 call you servants

00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:08.200
 because a servant

00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:08.940
 does not know

00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:09.920
 his master's business.

00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:10.480
 Instead,

00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:12.380
 I've called you friends.

00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:13.740
 For everything

00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:14.500
 that I learned

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.200
 from my Father,

00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:16.200
 I have made known

00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.740
 to you.

00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:19.259
 A really crucial one.

00:28:19.380 --> 00:28:19.740
 Christianity

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.640
 is not,

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.860
 it's about being

00:28:21.860 --> 00:28:22.779
 friends with Jesus,

00:28:22.779 --> 00:28:23.420
 it's not about

00:28:23.420 --> 00:28:24.579
 being servants

00:28:24.579 --> 00:28:25.660
 of Jesus.

00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:26.759
 Finally,

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:28.700
 for number four,

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.579
 there is the love

00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:30.200
 of the Lord.

00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:32.299
 Verses 9 and 10.

00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:33.440
 As the Father

00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.279
 has loved me,

00:28:34.379 --> 00:28:35.399
 so have I loved you.

00:28:35.899 --> 00:28:36.559
 Now remain

00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.639
 in my love.

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:39.000
 If you keep

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.759
 my commands,

00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:40.359
 you'll remain

00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:40.960
 in my love

00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:41.779
 just as I have

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:43.220
 kept my Father's

00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:43.619
 commands

00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:44.399
 and remain

00:28:44.399 --> 00:28:45.339
 in his love.

00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:46.639
 I love the connection

00:28:46.639 --> 00:28:47.519
 between commands

00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:48.039
 and love

00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:48.720
 and also,

00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:49.639
 beginning of the passage,

00:28:49.819 --> 00:28:50.359
 Jesus says,

00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:52.079
 remain in me.

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:53.420
 And then,

00:28:53.579 --> 00:28:54.139
 here he says,

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:56.099
 remain in my love.

00:28:57.399 --> 00:28:58.220
 So let's just grab

00:28:58.220 --> 00:28:58.720
 one of them.

00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:01.460
 One that I think

00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:02.599
 pushes against

00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:04.399
 and rubs against

00:29:04.399 --> 00:29:05.920
 our comfort-loving

00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.500
 culture,

00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:08.160
 and that is

00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.000
 the knife

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.720
 of the Lord.

00:29:10.619 --> 00:29:12.000
 We won't grow

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.359
 in true

00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:14.720
 Jesus-like

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.559
 character

00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:17.559
 without pruning.

00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:20.720
 It won't happen

00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:21.680
 without pruning.

00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:23.759
 The end of verse 1.

00:29:23.840 --> 00:29:24.320
 My Father

00:29:24.320 --> 00:29:25.360
 is the gardener.

00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:26.259
 He cuts off

00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:26.980
 every branch

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.259
 of me

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:27.600
 that bears

00:29:27.600 --> 00:29:28.519
 no fruit,

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:29.840
 while every branch

00:29:29.840 --> 00:29:30.920
 that does bear fruit

00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:31.840
 he prunes

00:29:31.840 --> 00:29:32.880
 so it will be

00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:34.220
 even more fruitful.

00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:35.500
 Now,

00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:36.660
 Jesus is making

00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:38.259
 a remarkable

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:39.060
 statement.

00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:40.940
 He's saying

00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:41.420
 here

00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:42.140
 that when

00:29:42.140 --> 00:29:42.759
 the knife

00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:43.340
 of the Lord

00:29:43.340 --> 00:29:44.200
 comes into

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:45.180
 our life

00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:46.680
 and

00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:47.600
 things

00:29:47.600 --> 00:29:48.720
 get taken

00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:48.960
 off,

00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:49.320
 these are

00:29:49.320 --> 00:29:49.759
 things that

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.259
 we love

00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:51.259
 and hopes

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.519
 that we

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.019
 have,

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.920
 when that

00:29:55.920 --> 00:29:56.640
 knife comes

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.140
 into our

00:29:57.140 --> 00:29:57.620
 life,

00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:58.160
 we think

00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.080
 it's a waste.

00:30:00.740 --> 00:30:01.560
 We see

00:30:01.560 --> 00:30:02.580
 all the prunings

00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:02.980
 and we go,

00:30:03.140 --> 00:30:04.420
 that's a

00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:05.539
 beautiful flower.

00:30:06.220 --> 00:30:06.519
 That's a

00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:07.380
 beautiful

00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:08.900
 looking branch.

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:10.240
 What are you

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:10.780
 doing

00:30:10.780 --> 00:30:11.360
 cutting that

00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:11.960
 one off?

00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:17.660
 Jesus

00:30:17.660 --> 00:30:18.480
 says that

00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:19.280
 God is a

00:30:19.280 --> 00:30:20.040
 good and

00:30:20.040 --> 00:30:20.640
 skilled

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:21.440
 gardener

00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.460
 and he

00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.240
 knows how

00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:24.160
 to prune

00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:25.480
 for our

00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:26.560
 good.

00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.259
 He's,

00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:31.420
 I'm not a

00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:32.220
 skilled and

00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:32.580
 a good

00:30:32.580 --> 00:30:33.340
 gardener.

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:35.060
 I run

00:30:35.060 --> 00:30:35.400
 into a

00:30:35.400 --> 00:30:35.840
 branch,

00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:40.039
 I'm not

00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:40.679
 going to

00:30:40.679 --> 00:30:41.139
 have another

00:30:41.139 --> 00:30:41.379
 cut,

00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:42.079
 you're off

00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:42.439
 branch,

00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:43.679
 you're gone.

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:45.439
 I did

00:30:45.439 --> 00:30:45.759
 that to

00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.139
 the tree

00:30:46.139 --> 00:30:46.619
 out here

00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:47.339
 years ago,

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:47.959
 ran into

00:30:47.959 --> 00:30:48.199
 it,

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.139
 walking under

00:30:49.139 --> 00:30:49.599
 there one

00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:49.859
 night,

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:50.299
 bang,

00:30:50.399 --> 00:30:50.879
 next morning,

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:54.240
 not going

00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:54.459
 to happen

00:30:54.459 --> 00:30:54.799
 again.

00:30:58.019 --> 00:31:01.179
 I pruned

00:31:01.179 --> 00:31:01.980
 a plant in

00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:02.699
 my garden

00:31:02.699 --> 00:31:03.299
 about a

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:03.919
 month ago,

00:31:04.199 --> 00:31:04.839
 it's now

00:31:04.839 --> 00:31:05.319
 dead.

00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:09.339
 the

00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:09.879
 secateurs

00:31:09.879 --> 00:31:10.539
 get brought

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:10.879
 out with

00:31:10.879 --> 00:31:11.199
 a great

00:31:11.199 --> 00:31:11.500
 deal of

00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:11.779
 fear and

00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:12.399
 trepidation.

00:31:12.939 --> 00:31:13.299
 I'm not

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:13.720
 sure if I'm

00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:14.079
 killing it

00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:14.359
 or not.

00:31:14.439 --> 00:31:14.759
 God is

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:15.359
 not like

00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:15.539
 that.

00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:16.079
 He knows

00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:16.359
 what to

00:31:16.359 --> 00:31:16.740
 prune for

00:31:16.740 --> 00:31:17.199
 our good.

00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:17.639
 Now,

00:31:17.679 --> 00:31:18.099
 let me

00:31:18.099 --> 00:31:18.939
 clarify here,

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.720
 God isn't

00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:21.740
 looking out

00:31:21.740 --> 00:31:22.220
 amongst

00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:23.179
 people and

00:31:23.179 --> 00:31:23.480
 asking

00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:24.019
 himself,

00:31:27.699 --> 00:31:30.299
 what will

00:31:30.299 --> 00:31:30.819
 it take

00:31:30.819 --> 00:31:31.379
 to make

00:31:31.379 --> 00:31:32.299
 them look

00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:32.959
 great?

00:31:33.399 --> 00:31:33.779
 What will

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:34.299
 it take to

00:31:34.299 --> 00:31:34.740
 make them

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:35.779
 be great?

00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:38.299
 I'll

00:31:38.299 --> 00:31:38.939
 send terrible

00:31:38.939 --> 00:31:39.519
 things into

00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:40.179
 their life.

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:42.459
 That's not

00:31:42.459 --> 00:31:42.740
 what's

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.079
 happening

00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:43.480
 here.

00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:44.419
 This is

00:31:44.419 --> 00:31:44.939
 not what

00:31:44.939 --> 00:31:45.359
 Jesus is

00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:45.599
 saying.

00:31:45.879 --> 00:31:46.079
 What

00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:46.459
 Jesus is

00:31:46.459 --> 00:31:46.939
 saying here

00:31:46.939 --> 00:31:47.559
 is the

00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.199
 knife

00:31:48.199 --> 00:31:49.399
 comes on

00:31:49.399 --> 00:31:49.919
 everyone.

00:31:50.459 --> 00:31:50.959
 For some

00:31:50.959 --> 00:31:51.419
 it prunes,

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:51.819
 for some

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.199
 it cuts

00:31:52.199 --> 00:31:52.519
 off,

00:31:52.659 --> 00:31:53.059
 but the

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:53.740
 knife comes

00:31:53.740 --> 00:31:54.720
 on everyone.

00:31:55.399 --> 00:31:55.799
 He's

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:57.039
 saying the

00:31:57.039 --> 00:31:57.879
 same knife

00:31:57.879 --> 00:31:58.720
 is on

00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.720
 every branch.

00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:00.720
 God's

00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:01.019
 is the

00:32:01.019 --> 00:32:01.299
 way.

00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:01.720
 It's

00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.100
 because we

00:32:02.100 --> 00:32:02.720
 wrecked the

00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:03.319
 world at

00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:03.759
 the beginning

00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:04.480
 of the

00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:05.259
 true garden

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:06.120
 in the

00:32:06.120 --> 00:32:06.539
 garden of

00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:06.940
 Eden when

00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:07.620
 we decided

00:32:07.620 --> 00:32:08.319
 to reject

00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:09.740
 God and

00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:10.160
 run it

00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:10.860
 our way.

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.460
 And because

00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:14.299
 of that,

00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:15.420
 this world's

00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:15.960
 wrecked and

00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:16.779
 we face the

00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:17.720
 consequences of

00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:18.480
 living in a

00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:19.420
 wrecked world.

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:22.420
 because we

00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:22.759
 don't know how

00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:23.440
 to run the

00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:23.920
 world.

00:32:24.580 --> 00:32:25.180
 In the

00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:25.920
 same way if I

00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:26.240
 got the

00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:26.800
 keys of my

00:32:26.800 --> 00:32:27.620
 car and

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.080
 handed them

00:32:28.080 --> 00:32:28.400
 to a

00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:29.320
 five-year-old

00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:29.860
 and said,

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:30.200
 there you

00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:30.519
 go.

00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:31.580
 It won't

00:32:31.580 --> 00:32:32.220
 be long

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:32.600
 and the

00:32:32.600 --> 00:32:33.019
 car will

00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:34.539
 be wrecked.

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.120
 Not long

00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:36.500
 at all.

00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:39.840
 Everyone

00:32:39.840 --> 00:32:40.740
 faces trouble

00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.180
 and evil

00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:42.100
 because of

00:32:42.100 --> 00:32:42.720
 living in a

00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:43.380
 broken world.

00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:43.940
 And what

00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:44.539
 Jesus is

00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:45.100
 saying here

00:32:45.100 --> 00:32:45.740
 is that if

00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:46.019
 we are

00:32:46.019 --> 00:32:46.539
 hooked into

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:46.900
 him,

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:47.560
 the same

00:32:47.560 --> 00:32:48.220
 troubles and

00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:48.620
 the same

00:32:48.620 --> 00:32:49.180
 evils,

00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:49.880
 that happen

00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:50.480
 to everyone

00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:50.900
 in this

00:32:50.900 --> 00:32:51.340
 life,

00:32:51.620 --> 00:32:52.200
 will make

00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:52.920
 you soft,

00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:53.539
 not hard.

00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:53.860
 They will

00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:54.259
 make you

00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:54.940
 more human,

00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:55.500
 not less

00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:55.820
 human.

00:32:56.080 --> 00:32:56.360
 They will

00:32:56.360 --> 00:32:56.840
 make you

00:32:56.840 --> 00:32:57.220
 wise,

00:32:57.320 --> 00:32:57.900
 not stupid.

00:32:58.019 --> 00:32:58.220
 They will

00:32:58.220 --> 00:32:58.560
 make you

00:32:58.560 --> 00:32:58.900
 into a

00:32:58.900 --> 00:32:59.640
 great person,

00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.220
 not into

00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:00.820
 a small

00:33:00.820 --> 00:33:01.340
 person.

00:33:02.560 --> 00:33:03.080
 That's

00:33:03.080 --> 00:33:03.380
 what he's

00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:03.660
 saying.

00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:05.400
 If

00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:06.100
 connected to

00:33:06.100 --> 00:33:06.460
 Jesus,

00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:07.340
 the knife

00:33:07.340 --> 00:33:07.840
 will cut

00:33:07.840 --> 00:33:09.320
 us and

00:33:09.320 --> 00:33:10.060
 make us

00:33:10.060 --> 00:33:11.880
 for more

00:33:11.880 --> 00:33:12.539
 growth and

00:33:12.539 --> 00:33:13.019
 for more

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:13.279
 inner

00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:13.759
 transformation.

00:33:14.840 --> 00:33:15.519
 But if

00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:15.900
 we're not

00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:16.519
 connected to

00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:16.880
 Jesus,

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:17.640
 the very

00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:18.019
 same

00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:18.400
 troubles,

00:33:18.539 --> 00:33:18.759
 the very

00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.119
 same

00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:20.119
 evils that

00:33:20.119 --> 00:33:20.619
 come to

00:33:20.619 --> 00:33:21.220
 everyone's

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:21.980
 life will

00:33:21.980 --> 00:33:22.440
 cut us

00:33:22.440 --> 00:33:22.879
 off.

00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:25.000
 It will

00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:25.480
 cut us

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:27.660
 off if

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:28.440
 the things

00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:28.720
 that are

00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.480
 being cut

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:29.980
 off,

00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:31.140
 the branches

00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:31.579
 that he's

00:33:31.579 --> 00:33:32.519
 cutting off

00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:34.779
 are our

00:33:34.779 --> 00:33:35.259
 vine.

00:33:37.339 --> 00:33:38.539
 If those

00:33:38.539 --> 00:33:40.400
 things are

00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:41.559
 our life,

00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:45.440
 if they are

00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.039
 our life

00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:46.539
 source,

00:33:46.900 --> 00:33:47.600
 when they're

00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:48.140
 taken,

00:33:49.140 --> 00:33:50.180
 they destroy

00:33:50.180 --> 00:33:50.720
 us.

00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:56.680
 Like the

00:33:56.680 --> 00:33:57.259
 person who

00:33:57.259 --> 00:33:57.960
 must be

00:33:57.960 --> 00:33:58.380
 married,

00:33:58.740 --> 00:33:59.320
 when they

00:33:59.320 --> 00:34:00.019
 finally get

00:34:00.019 --> 00:34:00.380
 married,

00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:01.000
 this is my

00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:01.700
 life source,

00:34:01.779 --> 00:34:02.180
 and all of a

00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:02.580
 sudden the

00:34:02.580 --> 00:34:03.420
 marriage is a

00:34:03.420 --> 00:34:04.100
 disaster,

00:34:04.779 --> 00:34:05.820
 and they

00:34:05.820 --> 00:34:06.539
 grow in

00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:07.240
 more and

00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:07.519
 more in

00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:07.880
 bitterness.

00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:08.059
 happiness.

00:34:11.700 --> 00:34:12.400
 It's the

00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:12.680
 difference

00:34:12.680 --> 00:34:13.019
 between

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:14.519
 enjoying and

00:34:14.519 --> 00:34:15.240
 feeling the

00:34:15.240 --> 00:34:15.780
 loss of the

00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:16.280
 thing that's

00:34:16.280 --> 00:34:16.780
 been taken

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:18.140
 away, and

00:34:18.140 --> 00:34:18.920
 that thing in

00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:19.559
 fact being

00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:20.519
 your joy.

00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:23.940
 When Jesus

00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:24.660
 isn't the

00:34:24.660 --> 00:34:25.180
 vine, but

00:34:25.180 --> 00:34:25.940
 something else

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:28.260
 is, that is

00:34:28.260 --> 00:34:28.740
 it's your

00:34:28.740 --> 00:34:29.280
 meaning, it's

00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:29.840
 your hope, it's

00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:31.539
 your joy, we

00:34:31.539 --> 00:34:32.340
 are crushed

00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:32.880
 when it's

00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:33.300
 lost.

00:34:33.300 --> 00:34:35.440
 But if

00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:36.260
 Jesus is your

00:34:36.260 --> 00:34:37.120
 life source,

00:34:38.080 --> 00:34:38.760
 then when you

00:34:38.760 --> 00:34:40.039
 get pruned,

00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.180
 what you do

00:34:42.180 --> 00:34:42.680
 in that

00:34:42.680 --> 00:34:43.720
 moment, like a

00:34:43.720 --> 00:34:44.340
 plant, when it

00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:45.580
 gets pruned, it

00:34:45.580 --> 00:34:47.660
 draws, it

00:34:47.660 --> 00:34:49.160
 draws on the

00:34:49.160 --> 00:34:50.000
 life source, it

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:51.300
 draws on the

00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:52.220
 trunk, it

00:34:52.220 --> 00:34:53.440
 starts to heal

00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:54.360
 and grow

00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:55.140
 again.

00:34:58.760 --> 00:35:00.800
 We draw on

00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:01.600
 his word, we

00:35:01.600 --> 00:35:02.660
 draw on his

00:35:02.660 --> 00:35:03.280
 promises, we

00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:04.280
 draw on his

00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:05.140
 commands, you

00:35:05.140 --> 00:35:05.940
 listen to him

00:35:05.940 --> 00:35:06.920
 speak to you

00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:07.280
 through his

00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:07.680
 word, you

00:35:07.680 --> 00:35:08.640
 draw on his

00:35:08.640 --> 00:35:09.420
 love, you

00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:10.340
 draw on the

00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:11.080
 friendship that

00:35:11.080 --> 00:35:11.519
 you have with

00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:12.040
 God, you

00:35:12.040 --> 00:35:13.060
 draw on his

00:35:13.060 --> 00:35:15.000
 joy for you

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:16.060
 and over you

00:35:16.060 --> 00:35:17.519
 and of you, you

00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:18.420
 see Jesus

00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:19.380
 Christ was cut

00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:20.100
 off from God.

00:35:20.180 --> 00:35:20.600
 See, that's the

00:35:20.600 --> 00:35:21.080
 thing we've got to

00:35:21.080 --> 00:35:21.700
 remember here.

00:35:22.220 --> 00:35:23.140
 When we are in

00:35:23.140 --> 00:35:23.980
 that furnace, when

00:35:23.980 --> 00:35:25.100
 we're facing the

00:35:25.100 --> 00:35:25.860
 knife of the

00:35:25.860 --> 00:35:26.940
 Lord, we must

00:35:26.940 --> 00:35:27.800
 see that Jesus

00:35:27.800 --> 00:35:28.820
 Christ was cut

00:35:28.820 --> 00:35:29.780
 off from God.

00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:32.420
 He went to

00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:33.080
 the cross

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:34.319
 cross for us

00:35:34.319 --> 00:35:35.819
 so that we

00:35:35.819 --> 00:35:36.799
 only ever have

00:35:36.799 --> 00:35:37.519
 to face being

00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:39.480
 cut back from

00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:40.500
 God, being cut

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:41.739
 back by God.

00:35:44.279 --> 00:35:45.299
 As Isaiah

00:35:45.299 --> 00:35:46.299
 says, Jesus was

00:35:46.299 --> 00:35:47.119
 cut off from the

00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:47.699
 land of the

00:35:47.699 --> 00:35:47.960
 living.

00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:50.519
 He was only

00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:51.840
 ever cut off, he

00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:52.519
 was cut off so

00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:53.279
 that we only have

00:35:53.279 --> 00:35:54.159
 to face being

00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:54.880
 cut back.

00:35:56.239 --> 00:35:57.279
 As hard as it

00:35:57.279 --> 00:35:58.000
 might be for us

00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:59.079
 at times, it was

00:35:59.079 --> 00:36:00.380
 infinitely harder

00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:00.960
 for him.

00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:02.280
 The more we

00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:03.280
 think about what

00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:03.820
 he has done

00:36:03.820 --> 00:36:04.440
 for us, the

00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:05.160
 more we're able

00:36:05.160 --> 00:36:06.320
 to take the

00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:06.840
 cuts.

00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:11.000
 Through the

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:11.599
 knife of the

00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:13.200
 Lord, you

00:36:13.200 --> 00:36:14.440
 draw more and

00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:15.260
 more on the

00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:16.140
 love of the

00:36:16.140 --> 00:36:16.460
 Lord.

00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:26.440
 recently, I've

00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:26.780
 got to say

00:36:26.780 --> 00:36:27.619
 personally, I've

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:28.360
 been feeling the

00:36:28.360 --> 00:36:28.900
 knife of the

00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:30.059
 Lord in a range

00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:30.840
 of areas, but

00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:32.659
 one area

00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:33.980
 especially that

00:36:33.980 --> 00:36:35.059
 has been really

00:36:35.059 --> 00:36:36.380
 challenging me in

00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:36.820
 terms of the

00:36:36.820 --> 00:36:37.320
 knife of the

00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:38.300
 Lord in

00:36:38.300 --> 00:36:40.260
 difficulty is as

00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:40.940
 a father.

00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:42.659
 It's been

00:36:42.659 --> 00:36:43.980
 particularly tough

00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:44.380
 lately.

00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:45.559
 God has been

00:36:45.559 --> 00:36:46.440
 pushing me to

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:47.539
 my limit of

00:36:47.539 --> 00:36:48.780
 my capacity

00:36:48.780 --> 00:36:49.900
 and what's

00:36:49.900 --> 00:36:50.820
 been surfacing

00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:52.320
 for me is

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:52.900
 one of the

00:36:52.900 --> 00:36:54.059
 controlling idols

00:36:54.059 --> 00:36:54.880
 of my heart,

00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:55.460
 which we've all

00:36:55.460 --> 00:36:56.480
 got them, but

00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:57.280
 one of the

00:36:57.280 --> 00:36:58.119
 controlling idols

00:36:58.119 --> 00:36:58.800
 of my heart,

00:36:58.860 --> 00:36:59.240
 which is

00:36:59.240 --> 00:36:59.820
 control.

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.139
 It's so much

00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:02.099
 easier when your

00:37:02.099 --> 00:37:03.300
 kids are one,

00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:03.960
 two and three,

00:37:04.059 --> 00:37:04.460
 you just pick

00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:04.900
 them up and

00:37:04.900 --> 00:37:08.019
 you can't do

00:37:08.019 --> 00:37:08.519
 that as they

00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:09.059
 get older.

00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:11.500
 And so it

00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:13.039
 draws up and

00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:13.639
 it pushes you

00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:14.359
 to your limit

00:37:14.359 --> 00:37:15.339
 and draws up

00:37:15.339 --> 00:37:15.759
 what is

00:37:15.759 --> 00:37:18.659
 default setting

00:37:18.659 --> 00:37:19.279
 of how I

00:37:19.279 --> 00:37:20.119
 would behave.

00:37:21.759 --> 00:37:22.460
 What I'm

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:23.339
 finding at the

00:37:23.339 --> 00:37:24.159
 moment is that

00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:25.400
 I'm seeing it

00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.259
 more.

00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:27.079
 God is bringing

00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:27.799
 to my life

00:37:27.799 --> 00:37:28.299
 more.

00:37:28.440 --> 00:37:29.259
 I'm not liking

00:37:29.259 --> 00:37:29.559
 it.

00:37:30.259 --> 00:37:31.619
 I'm confessing.

00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:33.519
 I'm discovering

00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:34.339
 more in God's

00:37:34.339 --> 00:37:35.679
 word about his

00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:38.059
 control over the

00:37:38.059 --> 00:37:39.000
 circumstances of

00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:39.759
 my life and

00:37:39.759 --> 00:37:40.279
 everything.

00:37:40.659 --> 00:37:41.319
 I'm finding that

00:37:41.319 --> 00:37:42.539
 I'm praying more

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:43.500
 for his enabling,

00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:44.859
 for his wisdom,

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.639
 for his love,

00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:46.500
 for his joy.

00:37:47.319 --> 00:37:48.199
 I'm slowly

00:37:48.199 --> 00:37:49.119
 resting on him

00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:49.460
 more.

00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:49.940
 I've just

00:37:49.940 --> 00:37:51.379
 realized that

00:37:51.379 --> 00:37:52.079
 what God has

00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:52.839
 been doing in

00:37:52.839 --> 00:37:53.960
 my life over

00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:55.019
 here in

00:37:55.019 --> 00:37:56.559
 drawing an

00:37:56.559 --> 00:37:57.420
 idol of my

00:37:57.420 --> 00:37:58.159
 heart to the

00:37:58.159 --> 00:37:58.839
 surface through

00:37:58.839 --> 00:37:59.679
 this circumstance

00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:01.739
 is absolutely

00:38:01.739 --> 00:38:02.699
 essential for

00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:03.500
 St. Paul's

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:04.279
 right now as

00:38:04.279 --> 00:38:04.619
 well.

00:38:05.579 --> 00:38:06.379
 Isn't it good

00:38:06.379 --> 00:38:06.759
 the way he

00:38:06.759 --> 00:38:07.219
 does that?

00:38:07.219 --> 00:38:09.619
 that this

00:38:09.619 --> 00:38:11.480
 idol is

00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:13.480
 not just

00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:13.939
 about me

00:38:13.939 --> 00:38:14.339
 being a

00:38:14.339 --> 00:38:14.719
 dad, but

00:38:14.719 --> 00:38:15.079
 it's about

00:38:15.079 --> 00:38:15.759
 me being a

00:38:15.759 --> 00:38:16.259
 husband, it's

00:38:16.259 --> 00:38:16.919
 about me being

00:38:16.919 --> 00:38:18.719
 a man, it's

00:38:18.719 --> 00:38:19.480
 about me being

00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:20.219
 the leader of

00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:21.000
 this church as

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:21.279
 well.

00:38:21.679 --> 00:38:22.179
 See, right

00:38:22.179 --> 00:38:22.959
 now we are

00:38:22.959 --> 00:38:23.679
 seeking to

00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:24.599
 equip leaders

00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:25.219
 and to push

00:38:25.219 --> 00:38:26.039
 decision-making

00:38:26.039 --> 00:38:26.879
 right now.

00:38:27.939 --> 00:38:28.139
 And an

00:38:28.139 --> 00:38:28.919
 idol, sorry,

00:38:29.179 --> 00:38:30.500
 not idol, a

00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:31.819
 mentor of mine

00:38:31.819 --> 00:38:32.719
 said some time

00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:33.519
 ago, one of the

00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:33.880
 differences

00:38:33.880 --> 00:38:34.739
 between our

00:38:34.739 --> 00:38:36.599
 system, the

00:38:36.599 --> 00:38:37.320
 way we sit,

00:38:37.380 --> 00:38:37.719
 one of the

00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:38.219
 things that we

00:38:38.219 --> 00:38:38.780
 love in

00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:39.300
 Anglican

00:38:39.300 --> 00:38:40.320
 churches compared

00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:40.800
 to his

00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:42.019
 system, which

00:38:42.019 --> 00:38:42.920
 is a major

00:38:42.920 --> 00:38:43.659
 hindrance for

00:38:43.659 --> 00:38:44.860
 us, is that

00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:46.000
 we love order

00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:46.900
 and control.

00:38:49.699 --> 00:38:50.679
 We love it.

00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.840
 Maybe, you

00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:55.860
 know, so, and

00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:56.920
 so I've been

00:38:56.920 --> 00:38:57.840
 reflecting on

00:38:57.840 --> 00:38:59.739
 that and God's

00:38:59.739 --> 00:39:00.199
 been cutting

00:39:00.199 --> 00:39:00.739
 back, cutting

00:39:00.739 --> 00:39:01.159
 back, cutting

00:39:01.159 --> 00:39:01.860
 back, help me

00:39:01.860 --> 00:39:02.539
 see, you don't

00:39:02.539 --> 00:39:03.179
 have control.

00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:04.320
 You think you

00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:04.759
 do, but you

00:39:04.759 --> 00:39:05.440
 don't have

00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:05.920
 control.

00:39:06.780 --> 00:39:07.320
 You can't

00:39:07.320 --> 00:39:08.039
 even control

00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:09.780
 the people you

00:39:09.780 --> 00:39:10.159
 brought into

00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:10.900
 this world, for

00:39:10.900 --> 00:39:11.440
 goodness sake.

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:11.880
 You can't

00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:12.460
 control that.

00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:17.280
 And so what I'm

00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:17.980
 realising is the

00:39:17.980 --> 00:39:18.739
 big thing, the

00:39:18.739 --> 00:39:19.719
 big desire of my

00:39:19.719 --> 00:39:21.539
 heart to develop

00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.239
 here in this

00:39:22.239 --> 00:39:24.780
 church, to see

00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:26.139
 people in this

00:39:26.139 --> 00:39:26.940
 church empowered

00:39:26.940 --> 00:39:27.940
 and released for

00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:29.820
 ministry, the

00:39:29.820 --> 00:39:31.320
 hindrances are

00:39:31.320 --> 00:39:32.440
 not just systems,

00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:33.679
 systems, they're

00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:34.039
 not just

00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:36.059
 structures, but

00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.659
 hearts.

00:39:38.200 --> 00:39:38.760
 And it

00:39:38.760 --> 00:39:39.420
 begins with my

00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:39.820
 heart.

00:39:43.500 --> 00:39:44.320
 Oh, how

00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:46.519
 difficult it

00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:48.099
 was, and yet

00:39:48.099 --> 00:39:49.119
 how beautiful it

00:39:49.119 --> 00:39:50.619
 was to, and I'm

00:39:50.619 --> 00:39:51.820
 grateful for, for a

00:39:51.820 --> 00:39:53.480
 very quick rebuke

00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:54.579
 from a brother on

00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:55.599
 Friday afternoon

00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:57.319
 that saw this

00:39:57.319 --> 00:39:58.559
 default setting of

00:39:58.559 --> 00:39:59.339
 mind come to the

00:39:59.339 --> 00:39:59.739
 surface.

00:40:02.619 --> 00:40:03.279
 Just very

00:40:03.279 --> 00:40:04.079
 quickly, uh-uh-uh.

00:40:05.259 --> 00:40:06.079
 Not your call,

00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:06.339
 Steve.

00:40:08.339 --> 00:40:09.400
 That was so...

00:40:09.400 --> 00:40:13.340
 the sinful side.

00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:15.260
 What do you mean

00:40:15.260 --> 00:40:15.920
 not my call?

00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:16.539
 I'm the senior

00:40:16.539 --> 00:40:17.220
 minister of this

00:40:17.220 --> 00:40:17.460
 church.

00:40:21.039 --> 00:40:21.780
 Control, Steve.

00:40:22.639 --> 00:40:23.340
 Holy Spirit,

00:40:23.460 --> 00:40:24.180
 control, control,

00:40:24.740 --> 00:40:25.059
 control.

00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:29.119
 What is it for

00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:29.860
 you that God

00:40:29.860 --> 00:40:30.619
 needs to work in

00:40:30.619 --> 00:40:31.019
 your heart?

00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:32.960
 C.S. Lewis

00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:33.519
 writes in

00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:34.180
 Mere Christianity,

00:40:34.179 --> 00:40:36.679
 we must not be

00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:37.559
 surprised if we

00:40:37.559 --> 00:40:38.440
 are in for a

00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:39.000
 rough time.

00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:40.899
 When a person

00:40:40.899 --> 00:40:41.940
 turns to Christ

00:40:41.940 --> 00:40:42.759
 and seems to be

00:40:42.759 --> 00:40:43.480
 getting on pretty

00:40:43.480 --> 00:40:45.099
 well, he now

00:40:45.099 --> 00:40:45.819
 thinks it would

00:40:45.819 --> 00:40:46.799
 be natural if

00:40:46.799 --> 00:40:47.719
 things now went

00:40:47.719 --> 00:40:48.659
 on more smoothly.

00:40:49.940 --> 00:40:50.519
 When troubles

00:40:50.519 --> 00:40:51.179
 come along,

00:40:51.299 --> 00:40:52.139
 though, when

00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:52.919
 troubles come

00:40:52.919 --> 00:40:53.739
 along, illnesses,

00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:54.599
 money troubles,

00:40:54.719 --> 00:40:55.480
 new temptations,

00:40:55.559 --> 00:40:56.259
 you begin to get

00:40:56.259 --> 00:40:56.799
 disappointed.

00:40:57.239 --> 00:40:57.899
 Why is this

00:40:57.899 --> 00:40:58.559
 happening now?

00:40:59.279 --> 00:41:00.319
 Didn't I already

00:41:00.319 --> 00:41:01.339
 give myself to

00:41:01.339 --> 00:41:01.659
 God?

00:41:01.659 --> 00:41:01.739
 God.

00:41:03.819 --> 00:41:05.059
 It's because God

00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:06.079
 is forcing us

00:41:06.079 --> 00:41:06.739
 onward and

00:41:06.739 --> 00:41:07.539
 upward to a

00:41:07.539 --> 00:41:08.179
 higher level.

00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:10.199
 He's putting us

00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:11.319
 into situations

00:41:11.319 --> 00:41:12.699
 where we have to

00:41:12.699 --> 00:41:14.299
 be much more

00:41:14.299 --> 00:41:15.299
 braver, much

00:41:15.299 --> 00:41:16.019
 more patient,

00:41:16.259 --> 00:41:16.739
 much more

00:41:16.739 --> 00:41:19.319
 loving, much

00:41:19.319 --> 00:41:20.379
 less in control

00:41:20.379 --> 00:41:22.239
 than we've ever

00:41:22.239 --> 00:41:23.359
 dreamed before.

00:41:23.980 --> 00:41:25.879
 It seems

00:41:25.879 --> 00:41:28.179
 unnecessary to

00:41:28.179 --> 00:41:28.679
 us.

00:41:28.980 --> 00:41:29.739
 It's only

00:41:29.739 --> 00:41:30.639
 because we've

00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:31.379
 not got the

00:41:31.380 --> 00:41:33.200
 slightest idea

00:41:33.200 --> 00:41:34.260
 of the

00:41:34.260 --> 00:41:35.099
 tremendous thing

00:41:35.099 --> 00:41:35.720
 that he needs

00:41:35.720 --> 00:41:36.220
 to make of

00:41:36.220 --> 00:41:36.579
 us.

00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:38.559
 Imagine

00:41:38.559 --> 00:41:39.500
 yourself, he

00:41:39.500 --> 00:41:40.400
 says, as a

00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:41.200
 living house.

00:41:42.360 --> 00:41:44.019
 First, God

00:41:44.019 --> 00:41:44.800
 comes in to

00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:45.740
 make some

00:41:45.740 --> 00:41:46.500
 repairs and you

00:41:46.500 --> 00:41:47.140
 understand what

00:41:47.140 --> 00:41:47.579
 he's doing.

00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:49.059
 He fixes the

00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:49.820
 drains and the

00:41:49.820 --> 00:41:50.840
 leaking roof and

00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:51.559
 you understand,

00:41:51.660 --> 00:41:51.940
 yeah, that

00:41:51.940 --> 00:41:53.059
 important work

00:41:53.059 --> 00:41:53.619
 that needs to

00:41:53.619 --> 00:41:54.019
 be done.

00:41:55.300 --> 00:41:56.019
 You're not

00:41:56.019 --> 00:41:56.599
 surprised.

00:41:57.680 --> 00:41:58.680
 But then,

00:41:59.380 --> 00:42:00.119
 he starts

00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:00.940
 knocking the

00:42:00.940 --> 00:42:01.679
 house about

00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:03.599
 in ways that

00:42:03.599 --> 00:42:04.619
 hurt

00:42:04.619 --> 00:42:05.920
 abominably,

00:42:06.719 --> 00:42:07.400
 if I can say

00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:07.739
 that word.

00:42:08.679 --> 00:42:09.420
 And it makes

00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:10.380
 no sense.

00:42:11.539 --> 00:42:12.440
 What's he up

00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:12.779
 to?

00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:14.940
 Then the

00:42:14.940 --> 00:42:15.539
 explanation

00:42:15.539 --> 00:42:17.799
 comes that

00:42:17.799 --> 00:42:18.839
 he's building a

00:42:18.839 --> 00:42:19.779
 very different

00:42:19.779 --> 00:42:20.480
 house than the

00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:21.019
 one that you

00:42:21.019 --> 00:42:21.699
 thought he was

00:42:21.699 --> 00:42:22.059
 building.

00:42:23.339 --> 00:42:24.239
 He's throwing

00:42:24.239 --> 00:42:24.799
 off a new

00:42:24.799 --> 00:42:25.400
 wing in this

00:42:25.400 --> 00:42:25.799
 direction.

00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:26.819
 He's putting up

00:42:26.819 --> 00:42:27.779
 a tower there.

00:42:27.780 --> 00:42:29.320
 Now, he's

00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:29.920
 making this

00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:30.580
 courtyard.

00:42:33.220 --> 00:42:34.519
 You thought

00:42:34.519 --> 00:42:36.060
 you were being

00:42:36.060 --> 00:42:36.980
 made into a

00:42:36.980 --> 00:42:37.720
 decent little

00:42:37.720 --> 00:42:38.120
 cottage.

00:42:39.700 --> 00:42:40.780
 He's building

00:42:40.780 --> 00:42:41.580
 a palace

00:42:41.580 --> 00:42:43.500
 because he

00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:44.160
 intends to

00:42:44.160 --> 00:42:44.740
 live in it.

00:42:46.680 --> 00:42:47.880
 Jesus said,

00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:49.260
 I am the

00:42:49.260 --> 00:42:50.760
 vine, you

00:42:50.760 --> 00:42:51.080
 are the

00:42:51.080 --> 00:42:52.680
 branches, I

00:42:52.680 --> 00:42:53.300
 have appointed

00:42:53.300 --> 00:42:53.860
 you for

00:42:53.860 --> 00:42:55.500
 greatness, and

00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:56.120
 I'm fitting

00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:57.460
 you out to

00:42:57.460 --> 00:42:58.159
 live with

00:42:58.159 --> 00:42:58.880
 me in

00:42:58.880 --> 00:42:59.480
 greatness

00:42:59.480 --> 00:43:00.779
 forever.

00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:02.799
 I'm cutting

00:43:02.799 --> 00:43:04.400
 you back, not

00:43:04.400 --> 00:43:04.839
 cutting you

00:43:04.839 --> 00:43:05.119
 off.

00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:05.500
 I'm cutting

00:43:05.500 --> 00:43:05.619
 you off.

00:43:05.619 --> 00:43:06.119
 I'm cutting

00:43:06.119 --> 00:43:06.960
 you off.