WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.800
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful

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 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either

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 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray

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 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

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 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really,

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 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,

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 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will

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 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a

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 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

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 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the

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 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

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 Let's just bow our heads in prayer. Father, as we look at your Word, we ask that your Holy Spirit

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 would lead us and guide us into all truth. Father, we know that we need the gospel and your Word to

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 become more and more real to our hearts and our minds, so that we will have a reformation and

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 renewing and revitalization of our mind, that we might know the truth, that we might avoid lies,

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 that we might flee all foolishness and idolatry, and knowing you and knowing the truth,

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 that we would learn to walk in freedom. Father, we ask that you would continue to do this wonderful

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 work in our lives, and we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated. I think Victor forgot his

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 glasses up here, actually. Or somebody did. When I was ordained 100 million years ago,

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 in the Diocese of Ottawa at the time, I mean, the Diocese of Ottawa still exists, but I'm no longer

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 obviously in the Diocese of Ottawa. They didn't pay starting clergy very much. We were paid quite

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 poorly, actually, some of the lowest in the country. And I really felt that I was called to be a minister.

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 But what I wasn't prepared for, I'd never owned a car before, by the way, actually. We'd just lived

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 downtown, and we walked or took public transit everywhere. And one of the conditions of my

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 employment was to get a car, which ended up being a rust bucket that kept breaking down.

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 And I was prepared to learn all of the different, you know, stresses of being a minister, and how to

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 be a minister, and how to lead people, and preach, and all of that type of stuff. But what caught me by

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 surprise was struggling with having no money, with having very little money, and not being able to do

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 very much about it. Because one of the conditions of my employment was that I had to have a car,

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 and another condition of my employment was that I wasn't allowed to have another job.

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 And I remember it was very hard. We weren't living paycheck to paycheck. We were,

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 we would get into debt, and then, anyway, you don't have to hear all my tales of woe.

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 But I have such clear memories of looking around. We were just living in a little dinky sub,

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 little dinky condo subdivision. And, and it sort of felt as if it was impossible that I would ever get

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 ahead. Like, I actually really remember, with the house that we were renting, has, it was a house that

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 included a fridge and a stove. And I, I was worried that if I went to my, my next posting, and I had to

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 buy a fridge and a stove, we couldn't afford to buy them, buy one. I, I remember very clearly how,

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 how hard that was for us. And there's a lot of people in our, in our society today that would be

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 very similar. And probably some of you have also lived through times like that. And sometimes the

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 biblical teaching comes across to people in a way which is very dispiriting. It, it, it, it isn't

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 hopeful, but it sucks hope out of you. And the story that we're about to look at today is a story

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 that at first glance is one that would suck hope out of you and could easily dispirit you if you don't

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 understand it in the right context. So it would be very helpful if you open your Bibles. We're going

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 to be looking at Acts chapter 8 verses 26 and following. Acts chapter 8 verses 26 and following.

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 And what's just happened in, in this book, as I said before, Acts is, was originally written as an

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 eyewitness-based history of the first 30 or so years of the Jesus movement. It was written while many

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 eyewitnesses were still alive and could comment on it. We have this, this version of it. And, and so in

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 this story, what's just happened is they've told this remarkable story of this fellow Philip who had

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 to flee Jerusalem because of a profound persecution that was causing Christians to be thrown into jail or

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 even killed. And he is one of the people who flees that. And as he flees, he tells people about the

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 story of Jesus, why this story of Jesus, who he is, what he taught, what he, why he died, his resurrection,

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 why this is profoundly good news for people. And he comes to this place, as I talked about last week,

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 the main city in Samaria. And he tells this story. And as he's telling this story, God used him in a very

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 powerful way. There were many miracles that were done through Philip's prayers. There were demons

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 that were oppressing people, that people were released from demonization. And the number of

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 Christians went from just Philip being there, and I'm guessing probably he had a wife and some kids,

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 but that little family to all of a sudden, there was a very large number of people who all were now

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 calling themselves Christians and, and really growing in the faith. And this is where the story

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 takes up. That's sort of the context. And then we come to this very next verse, which is verse 26.

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 Now an angel of the Lord, an angel of the Lord said to Philip, rise and go toward the south,

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 to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place. Now just sort of pause here.

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 Here's where Christianity, how stories in the Bible can be very dispiriting to people.

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 I mean, like just, just imagine for a second, we sent somebody out to be a church planter,

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 and they go to a particular city and, and, and there's no, no like church. And then before you

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 know it, there's like 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 people. And then all of a sudden, this person

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 connected to our church calls us up and says, you know, I think God's telling me to go to this place.

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 And, and we say, oh, I've never heard of that place. And he said, oh, well that, that's because

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 it's a wilderness area. There's no people there, but I think God's calling me to go there. What,

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 what advice would we give him? We'd say, I don't think you're hearing God right.

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 Just be honest. That's probably what we would say. We'd probably say to him, it makes absolutely no

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 sense to go from a place where there's, I don't know, a thousand people now who are following Christ,

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 and you're having this great success. Why would you leave that and go now to a wilderness area,

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 a desert area where there's no people? All there are people occasionally going down this road.

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 This, this is the road that would take people from Jerusalem to Egypt and you have to go through

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 a desert wilderness area. And we would say that that probably is just not hearing God.

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 And, and part of the reason we think that way, well, you know, obviously you have to, you have to be

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 careful when you think you're hearing from God. And, but, but we also have to be careful about our

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 advice. You see, the, the primary cultural story of Canada, not the primary, one of the main cultural

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 stories of Canada, the stories that we Canadians believe is that we want to get better. We want to

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 progress. We want to, we want to, you know, we want to manage our time better. We want to get

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 promotions. We want to have more money. We want to have a nice house. We want to have, you know,

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 the right number of kids, you know, after we have the married, the right person. And, and so there's

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 lots of stuff in the newspapers and other types of places. These are the types of degrees you should

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 get. These are the workshops that you go to. This is how you learn how to network. This is how you

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 learn how to manage your money. This is how you learn to manage your diet and manage your exercise

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 and all of these types of things. And so the goal of all of it is, is that you, you will get those

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 promotions. You will get those advancements. You will get the house. You will get all of these types

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 of things. In some ways, my unhappiness when I was starting out ministry was because I believed that

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 cultural story. And where I was right now, it didn't seem as if it would ever lead to it.

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 And so because we believe this cultural story, when we look at something like this,

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 God appearing, God telling Philip to leave all of this success to go to a desert place.

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 Well, you know, we Christians, we go, okay, well, we have to believe this, but it's a very

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 dispiriting type of thing. Is God calling me to diminish myself? Is God calling me to not take

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 that promotion, but in fact to ask for a demotion? Like, is God asking me to do things that are going

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 to diminish me, that are going to hurt me? And there have been lots of people within the church

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 throughout the years who have in fact said that, right? There's been whole strains of spirituality

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 that say that, you know, the highest Christian life is the life that you never marry.

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 For instance, you take a vow of lifelong celibacy and you take vows of poverty. And those are people

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 who do that are in fact the spiritually elite, and that's what you should strive for. So there have

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 been voices within the church that have really emphasized this aspect of being profoundly counter-cultural.

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 But both are in error in different ways. First of all, the Bible does not mean to dispirit you.

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 It means to give you hope. It's not going to be up on the screen because I didn't think of asking her

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 to put it up, but there's this very wonderful text in Romans, Romans chapter 15, verse 4 to 6,

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 that goes like this. It's a very good verse to memorize or to meditate upon.

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 And it goes like this, Romans 15, verses 4 to 6.

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 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction,

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 that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.

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 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another,

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 in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our

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 Lord Jesus Christ. So God doesn't give stories like this to...

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 He's giving us wisdom.

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 Here's a couple of things.

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 First of all,

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 money and positions of power

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 are in many ways, from a Christian point of view, neutral.

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 We Canadians don't really accept that. I mean, we're good Canadians, so we would say that we accept that obviously people who live in a rich area of the city aren't better than people who live in a poor area of the city.

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 That the single mom trying to deal with her kids and having to be on social assistance isn't somehow lower than the really well put together, polished people who live in a richer part of the city.

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 As good Canadians, we wouldn't want to say that the poor person is defective in any type of way in a moral sense.

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 But we're not really being honest when we say that.

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 It's almost always the case that for those of us who have money, those of us who are healthy,

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 those of us who have positions of power, that on one level, we and others do tend to think that we are somehow better than others.

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 We do put moral worth on money.

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 The Bible puts no moral worth on money.

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 None.

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 A rich person is not more moral than a poor person, per se.

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 Having lots of money isn't making you more morally worthwhile than those who don't have as much money.

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 In some ways, as well, even things like physical health and having power and prestige are in many ways morally neutral.

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 As we all know, you can get sick and have all sorts of problems that will lead to your death.

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 And that doesn't mean that you're somehow inferior to those who make lots of money.

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 The Bible paints a very, very different type of picture.

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 One of the things which makes it hard for us to understand the Christian faith is to understand that God is playing the long game with us.

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 He's not giving you these instructions so that you will be massively successful in the way that Canadians understand success.

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 God wants to form you to live with him for all eternity in the new heaven and the new earth.

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 That's how God wants to form you.

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 That's what he does.

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 That's his long-term plan.

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 I mean, we live in such an immediate time that to have our needs frustrated or to not be able to accomplish some of these things can be very discouraging.

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 Like, it's very interesting.

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 Like, in those times when I was very, very heavy-hearted about this, I didn't think of the fact that when I came to the church, there was no youth group.

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 And by that point in time, this was about, like, I remember thinking about this a lot between my second and third year because I was thinking about the fact that I was going to have to move.

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 But by the time I left that church, I had two youth groups, junior high and a high school group, centered around the Bible.

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 It's funny.

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 I didn't sort of think to myself, well, God's actually using me in this profound way to make a difference in these teenagers.

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 All I was thinking about was that I couldn't afford a fridge because I couldn't afford a fridge or a new car.

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 There was somehow something fundamentally bad with me, not that God was using me with having very little money to make a difference in the kids and whatever else I might have done, you know, with my sermons and other types of counseling.

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 The point of all of this is that we're based on an understanding of human life that says that sometimes to get higher up, you've got to go down.

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 Not sometimes.

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 To go higher, you've got to go lower.

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 It's teaching us that if I want to truly be tall, I will never be truly tall unless I bow to Jesus.

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 That when I get on my knees before Jesus, I am taller than when I stand upright, ignoring Christ or even defying him or pursuing some type of idol.

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 And that's because we understand that this profound story that is in fact the good news that makes us right with God is this.

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 That God, the Son of God, in complete and utter harmony with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, in a union of profound love, that God, the Son of God, seeing this profound need of human beings made in God's image,

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 and that we could not save ourselves, that God, that God, the Son of God set aside his appearance as God, his prerogatives, the worship that he was due, the honor that he was due.

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 He set all of those things aside, but remaining fully God, he went down.

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 He came down from heaven, so to speak.

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 And he humbled himself to the point of taking into himself not just our human nature in an abstract sense, but that he came down so low that the one who created the entire universe,

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 actually the flesh that he took into himself began not with a mighty warrior, not with the wisest, most powerful human being on the planet,

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 not the strongest, but as I got, a fertilized cell in the womb of Mary.

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 How low could God go?

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 But the story continues.

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 This wonderful story continues as God can go even lower than that.

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 In fact, he will do lower than that to pursue you because he loves you.

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 He will live a fully human life, but not as a rich person or a powerful person or a person with lots of prestige,

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 but as a lower working class person.

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 In an obscure part of the Roman Empire as a people who are conquered.

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 And he will live that life until his public ministry begins when he is 30-ish.

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 And then he will have this three or so year ministry where he performs miracles.

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 He teaches wonderful things.

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 He makes profound differences in people's lives.

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 But it all culminates with while he's doing all of those things,

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 not only are some people enamored with him and drawn to him,

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 but many people, very powerful people, come to hate him.

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 And so he comes to die upon the cross.

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 And so we see that God, the Son of God, as he descends lower and lower to the point of being a zygote

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 and then a human being, because all human beings begin as a zygote.

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 That's how every human being is.

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 We begin as a zygote and we go until we die.

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 That's what it means to be a human being.

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 And Jesus dies on the cross.

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 He actually experiences death.

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 And part of this profound good news is that we understand that when Jesus dies this death,

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 that he himself had never rebelled against God.

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 He had never done anything wrong in his entire life.

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 There was no person who could say to him validly and fairly that he had ever hurt them.

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 He had only done good.

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 He had only told the truth.

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 He had been, in a sense, pure.

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 And so when he dies on the cross, this profound mystery is that he's dying as a sacrifice for you and me,

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 who are far from perfect and who are all going to die and have done things that should not have been done

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 and have failed to do things that should really be done.

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 And understand shame and wrongdoing and being wronged and reproof and confusion and foolishness and idolatry

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 and all of those things.

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 And Jesus dies for us.

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 He dies for you and me.

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 And when he dies for you and me, it means that, in a very real sense,

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 all of that comes on him and the punishment that you and I deserve is laid on him.

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 And so he dies the death of a wrongdoer, even though himself, he has never done anything wrong.

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 And he dies.

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 And how much low can he go?

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 He can go even lower than that because he goes and he dies and he tastes everything there is to taste of death.

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 But at the end of tasting everything there is to taste of death, he rises from the dead.

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 There have been many people who have died, clinically died, and come back to life.

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 It's called near-death experiences.

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 There's lots of medical literature around that that really happens.

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 In fact, if you're curious about it, the latest Sean McDowell video is of a doctor who thought that those things didn't happen but studied it and now has come to the conclusion that people really do die.

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 And have this, and then are in a period of time with death and then come back to this side of life and talk about it in ways that can't be explained scientifically.

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 It must be something that happens.

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 But Jesus is very different.

00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:34.460
 He dies and experiences everything there is to experience of death.

00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:40.140
 But then he emerges on the far side of death, alive.

00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:41.960
 He does not die again.

00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:53.120
 And now, so it is that even now, 2,000 years later, when you hear the story of Jesus and you know that he is alive, he's ascended into heaven, he's going to come again.

00:20:53.539 --> 00:20:58.100
 You can call out to him and you can ask him that he will be your savior and your lord.

00:20:58.100 --> 00:21:07.180
 That his death will stand for your, that I can call out to him and say, Jesus, may your death, your life and death and resurrection, may you take me for yourself.

00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:08.660
 May it stand for me.

00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:10.400
 May I be yours.

00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:21.900
 May I believe that this is the plan of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and the action of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit so that human beings like me who are far from God can be made right with you.

00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:25.000
 May it help me to, Father, I believe it.

00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:26.620
 I want that.

00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:28.720
 You've led me to want it.

00:21:28.800 --> 00:21:30.259
 I give myself to you.

00:21:31.280 --> 00:21:32.540
 And Jesus does.

00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:44.000
 But notice, then, you come to have this understanding of that what reconciles you with God is this profound story of dissent, of dissent, of dissent, of dissent.

00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:48.480
 But the result of all of that dissent is this offer that lifts you high.

00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:54.579
 That it doesn't matter if you're a Down syndrome believer.

00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:57.319
 It doesn't matter if you're on the edge of dementia.

00:21:57.579 --> 00:21:59.799
 It doesn't matter if you're very rich.

00:21:59.860 --> 00:22:01.259
 It doesn't matter if you're brilliant.

00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:02.819
 It doesn't matter if you're poor.

00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:06.539
 It doesn't matter if you're physically broken or physically excellent.

00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:11.259
 Every single one of us, we were really made to know our creator and to be with him forever.

00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:17.379
 And there is no other way of being made right with our creator other than putting our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:29.539
 And when we put our faith and trust in him, the final word about you or I will not be physically broken, physically incapable, poor, broken, Down syndrome, dementia.

00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:36.879
 The final word about us when we die is that Jesus will look at you and he will look at me and he will say,

00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:45.760
 Welcome, daughter. Welcome, son. I am so glad that you are now here and you will be with me face to face forever.

00:22:46.260 --> 00:22:50.420
 As the father smiles at us. That's the final word about us in Christ.

00:22:51.540 --> 00:22:54.880
 So we're taught this very profound story of...

00:22:56.420 --> 00:23:02.960
 See, in a sense, what happens is in our Canadian cultural story, we want to progress, we want to progress, and we want to progress.

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:22.340
 But unless that's tempered by some just very, very basic virtues, unless it's tempered by us being willing to die to things, die to our anger, die to our greed, die to wanting to despise others, die to seeing people as rivals.

00:23:22.340 --> 00:23:32.299
 Unless we're willing to die to those things, even our possessing more money or getting more power will often come at the expense of just becoming more alone.

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:35.100
 And living a more empty life.

00:23:39.180 --> 00:23:44.960
 And so what we see here in this particular story, the very heart of the story, there's another heart that we're going to get to in a moment.

00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:48.840
 The whole story begins

00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:51.920
 because God

00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:55.019
 tells Philip to do something

00:23:55.019 --> 00:23:58.860
 that in his flesh would not seem right.

00:23:58.859 --> 00:24:02.919
 But the Lord asked Philip

00:24:02.919 --> 00:24:05.119
 to die to himself and say yes.

00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:09.019
 And that's how the story begins.

00:24:11.139 --> 00:24:12.859
 This act of him

00:24:12.859 --> 00:24:14.519
 being willing to say yes

00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:15.659
 to the Father's command.

00:24:17.919 --> 00:24:18.559
 You know,

00:24:19.079 --> 00:24:22.439
 the whole Christian life is that God...

00:24:22.439 --> 00:24:24.159
 It isn't that God wants to diminish you.

00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:27.900
 The whole Christian life is that

00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:29.640
 we don't realize

00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:31.460
 the way to real health.

00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:34.240
 Every single person in Canada wants to be

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:36.040
 generous.

00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:38.340
 But nobody wants to give away their money.

00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:42.460
 And we all want to have

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:45.080
 power, but we also want to have power

00:24:45.080 --> 00:24:46.400
 and have people like us.

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:48.620
 We want to have our own way,

00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:51.060
 but we'd like to be married and have a love relationship.

00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:52.880
 You know, you go on and on and on and on.

00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.140
 There's all these things that

00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:56.840
 require us

00:24:56.840 --> 00:24:58.100
 to have a type of death

00:24:58.100 --> 00:24:58.880
 if we're to actually succeed

00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:00.940
 in getting what we really want.

00:25:02.360 --> 00:25:04.680
 And the gospel gives a context for that.

00:25:04.760 --> 00:25:05.600
 It gives a story.

00:25:05.780 --> 00:25:06.700
 And not just a story,

00:25:06.820 --> 00:25:07.520
 but a presence.

00:25:08.540 --> 00:25:09.580
 Christ is with us.

00:25:10.100 --> 00:25:11.720
 See, here it's a very, very different thing

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.940
 if Christ says to me,

00:25:13.540 --> 00:25:14.960
 George, just remember who I am.

00:25:15.520 --> 00:25:16.580
 How much I love you.

00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:19.420
 Like, I love you so much, George,

00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:21.400
 that I left heaven for you.

00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:24.700
 I became a human being for you.

00:25:24.800 --> 00:25:25.840
 I took my human nature,

00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:26.560
 your human nature.

00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:28.700
 I suffered for you.

00:25:28.820 --> 00:25:30.280
 I died on the cross for you.

00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:32.080
 I tasted all of death for you.

00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:34.420
 I did all of that for you

00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:35.880
 because I love you.

00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.960
 And I am the God,

00:25:38.060 --> 00:25:38.800
 the Son of God.

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:40.900
 I, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:42.420
 I'm the one who created all things

00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:44.860
 and saw human beings when they fell

00:25:44.860 --> 00:25:46.560
 and brought ruin into their own life.

00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:48.859
 And I pursued you because I love you.

00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.960
 So will you trust me

00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:52.379
 with my teaching on money?

00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:56.879
 Will you trust me

00:25:56.879 --> 00:26:01.019
 that you have to give

00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:02.480
 some of your money away

00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:05.299
 for the local church

00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:06.859
 and for the furtherance of the gospel

00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:08.299
 and for the relief of the poor?

00:26:08.779 --> 00:26:09.799
 Will you trust me?

00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:12.700
 Will you trust me

00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:14.079
 in the area of your sexuality?

00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:15.399
 Will you trust me?

00:26:16.879 --> 00:26:17.879
 Will you trust me

00:26:17.879 --> 00:26:19.200
 in how you spend your time

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:20.379
 that your life will be not

00:26:20.379 --> 00:26:22.119
 more unfulfilled

00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:24.000
 because you give up time on Sunday

00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:25.539
 and for spiritual friendships?

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:27.159
 Will you trust me?

00:26:27.899 --> 00:26:28.919
 Will you trust me?

00:26:30.539 --> 00:26:31.919
 Remember how much I love you.

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:33.639
 You see, that's the context for it.

00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.019
 You see, human beings

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:36.980
 in their flesh

00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:38.819
 understand on one level

00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:40.839
 that there's this riddle

00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:42.120
 or enigma in existence

00:26:42.120 --> 00:26:45.640
 that you can get all the promotions

00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:46.960
 and make all the money

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:49.259
 and end up with a terribly alone

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:50.579
 and meaningless life

00:26:50.579 --> 00:26:53.339
 and die with no friends.

00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:56.819
 That you can get to that point

00:26:56.819 --> 00:26:59.380
 where you're not even sure

00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:00.960
 if you can marry somebody

00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.980
 if they want to marry you

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:02.880
 because of your money

00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:04.880
 or if they might want to marry you

00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:06.620
 because they actually love you.

00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:10.099
 And you can get in positions of power

00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:10.860
 and you wonder

00:27:10.860 --> 00:27:12.240
 if people ever tell you the truth

00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:13.759
 or are they just trying to flatter you?

00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:16.319
 And so they understand

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:18.140
 there has to be some types of deaths

00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.900
 that go on

00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:20.799
 where you don't get your own will all the time,

00:27:20.860 --> 00:27:21.460
 where you listen,

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:22.940
 where you're kind

00:27:22.940 --> 00:27:23.900
 and where you're generous.

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.920
 And one of the things

00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:28.240
 which the gospel sets forth

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:30.740
 is that we have this person, Jesus.

00:27:32.360 --> 00:27:33.539
 We have his teaching

00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:34.380
 and his example

00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:35.080
 and his presence

00:27:35.080 --> 00:27:37.080
 to help us navigate those things

00:27:37.080 --> 00:27:40.340
 and to set really helpful limits on them.

00:27:42.300 --> 00:27:43.840
 So the story continues

00:27:43.840 --> 00:27:46.160
 and it continues

00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.440
 in addressing another very important fear

00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:49.420
 and need that we have.

00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:51.400
 So you look at it again,

00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:53.120
 God asks us,

00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:54.520
 God asks Philip

00:27:54.520 --> 00:27:56.080
 to do something that makes,

00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:58.660
 well, it just doesn't seem right.

00:27:58.660 --> 00:28:02.200
 But Philip trusts the Lord

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:04.860
 that the Lord Jesus Christ loves him

00:28:04.860 --> 00:28:08.840
 and that the Lord Jesus Christ

00:28:08.840 --> 00:28:10.259
 is preparing Philip

00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:13.300
 to spend eternity with him.

00:28:14.300 --> 00:28:15.540
 And so in verse 27,

00:28:16.060 --> 00:28:17.740
 Philip rises and goes.

00:28:19.040 --> 00:28:21.360
 And there was an Ethiopian eunuch,

00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:23.779
 a court official of Candace,

00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:24.980
 queen of the Ethiopians,

00:28:24.980 --> 00:28:25.839
 who was in charge

00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:28.000
 of all her treasure.

00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:30.200
 He had come to Jerusalem

00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:30.819
 to worship

00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:32.759
 and was returning

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:34.920
 seated in his chariot

00:28:34.920 --> 00:28:35.980
 and he was reading

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:37.120
 the prophet Isaiah.

00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:39.500
 And the Holy Spirit

00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:40.220
 said to Philip,

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:42.220
 go over and join this chariot.

00:28:43.299 --> 00:28:44.700
 So Philip ran to him

00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:45.740
 and heard him reading

00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:46.720
 Isaiah the prophet

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.420
 and asked him,

00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:49.240
 do you understand

00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:49.940
 what you're reading?

00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:51.299
 Just as a bit of an aside,

00:28:51.299 --> 00:28:54.599
 I'm not up to date

00:28:54.599 --> 00:28:55.500
 on all my scholarship,

00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:56.440
 but I understand

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:57.680
 that in the Confessions

00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.500
 of Augustine

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.279
 written in the,

00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:00.700
 I think,

00:29:00.899 --> 00:29:02.039
 late 300s,

00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:03.960
 there's a famous scene

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.279
 in there

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.180
 where he observes

00:29:05.180 --> 00:29:06.740
 somebody reading silently.

00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:09.680
 And it,

00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:10.779
 I believe,

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:12.319
 unless it's been changed,

00:29:12.419 --> 00:29:13.700
 it's one of the first times

00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.240
 in literature

00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:15.299
 that people observed

00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:16.500
 somebody reading silently.

00:29:16.639 --> 00:29:17.700
 They hadn't figured that out.

00:29:18.879 --> 00:29:19.879
 Everybody read out loud.

00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:21.740
 Nobody would have just sat

00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:22.300
 in the living room

00:29:22.300 --> 00:29:22.960
 reading quietly.

00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:23.960
 They would have read out loud.

00:29:24.060 --> 00:29:24.860
 That's just how you read.

00:29:26.040 --> 00:29:26.780
 That's how he knew.

00:29:26.940 --> 00:29:27.760
 He didn't have a word

00:29:27.760 --> 00:29:28.760
 of knowledge in this case.

00:29:28.840 --> 00:29:29.300
 He just knew,

00:29:29.560 --> 00:29:30.980
 he knew the Ethiopian eunuch

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:32.060
 was reading Isaiah

00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:33.500
 because he could hear

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.100
 him reading it

00:29:34.100 --> 00:29:34.820
 and he knew the Bible.

00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:35.540
 He knew the quote.

00:29:37.360 --> 00:29:38.180
 So Philip,

00:29:38.300 --> 00:29:39.580
 verse 30 again,

00:29:39.760 --> 00:29:40.600
 heard him reading Isaiah

00:29:40.600 --> 00:29:41.940
 and the prophet

00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:42.380
 and asked,

00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:43.060
 do you understand

00:29:43.060 --> 00:29:43.800
 what you're reading?

00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:45.880
 And the eunuch said,

00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:46.480
 how can I,

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:47.760
 unless someone guides me?

00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:50.379
 And the eunuch

00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:51.079
 invited Philip

00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:51.579
 to come up

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.279
 and sit with him.

00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:53.720
 Now the passage

00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.339
 of the scripture

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:55.160
 that he was reading

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:55.900
 was this,

00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:57.940
 like a sheep

00:29:57.940 --> 00:29:58.460
 he was led

00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.160
 to the slaughter

00:29:59.160 --> 00:30:00.460
 and like a lamb

00:30:00.460 --> 00:30:01.400
 before its shearer

00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:01.960
 is silent,

00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:03.379
 so he opens

00:30:03.379 --> 00:30:04.140
 not his mouth.

00:30:05.099 --> 00:30:06.099
 In his humiliation,

00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:07.640
 justice was denied him.

00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.279
 Who can describe

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.180
 his generation

00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:11.319
 for his life

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:12.000
 is taken away

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.619
 from the earth?

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:14.039
 And the eunuch

00:30:14.039 --> 00:30:14.819
 said to Philip,

00:30:15.140 --> 00:30:16.059
 about whom,

00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:17.160
 I ask,

00:30:18.019 --> 00:30:19.519
 does the prophet

00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:20.140
 say this

00:30:20.140 --> 00:30:20.880
 about himself

00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:22.540
 or about someone else?

00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:23.580
 Now just sort of

00:30:23.580 --> 00:30:24.120
 pause here

00:30:24.120 --> 00:30:24.660
 for a second.

00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:26.420
 See,

00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:26.900
 one of the things

00:30:26.900 --> 00:30:27.860
 which is very profound

00:30:27.860 --> 00:30:28.880
 about this story,

00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.240
 which we desperately

00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:31.019
 need to hear,

00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:33.440
 see,

00:30:33.540 --> 00:30:34.200
 people can be

00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:34.680
 in very,

00:30:34.820 --> 00:30:35.740
 very large churches

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:36.680
 and they can hear

00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:37.279
 about all these

00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:38.320
 successful Christians

00:30:38.320 --> 00:30:39.040
 and all these other

00:30:39.040 --> 00:30:39.779
 things that are going,

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:40.660
 but they themselves

00:30:40.660 --> 00:30:41.220
 might feel,

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.660
 does God actually

00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.840
 really care about me?

00:30:45.100 --> 00:30:45.300
 See,

00:30:45.340 --> 00:30:45.980
 one of the things

00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:46.880
 which is so important

00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:47.740
 about this story

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:48.500
 is that Philip

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.480
 leaves the nameless

00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:50.819
 crowds to go

00:30:50.819 --> 00:30:51.480
 to one man

00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:54.079
 because this one man

00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:54.900
 matters to God.

00:30:56.900 --> 00:30:57.380
 Right?

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:58.380
 You matter to God.

00:30:58.579 --> 00:30:59.519
 You and your uniqueness,

00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:00.900
 your particularity,

00:31:01.120 --> 00:31:01.700
 your struggles,

00:31:02.019 --> 00:31:02.559
 your sins,

00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:03.180
 your hopes,

00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:03.860
 your dreams,

00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:04.599
 your fears.

00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:07.120
 You matter to God.

00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:09.220
 Christ comes

00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:10.039
 not to pursue

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:11.380
 humanity in general.

00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:12.579
 He doesn't come

00:31:12.579 --> 00:31:13.619
 to pursue a crowd.

00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:14.899
 He came

00:31:14.899 --> 00:31:16.379
 to pursue

00:31:16.379 --> 00:31:17.159
 Louise,

00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:18.919
 to pursue

00:31:18.919 --> 00:31:19.779
 Josiah,

00:31:20.099 --> 00:31:20.740
 to pursue

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:21.240
 Diane,

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:22.539
 to pursue

00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:23.199
 George,

00:31:23.679 --> 00:31:24.379
 to pursue

00:31:24.379 --> 00:31:25.259
 Victor.

00:31:26.539 --> 00:31:27.259
 He comes

00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:27.859
 to pursue

00:31:27.859 --> 00:31:28.439
 you.

00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:30.939
 And we see

00:31:30.939 --> 00:31:32.139
 this very powerfully

00:31:32.139 --> 00:31:32.960
 formed just in

00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:34.119
 that the story

00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:34.980
 structures us

00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:35.539
 to understand

00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:36.099
 that he comes

00:31:36.099 --> 00:31:36.539
 and seeks

00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.579
 particular people.

00:31:37.579 --> 00:31:39.299
 but he also

00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:39.939
 comes to

00:31:39.939 --> 00:31:40.399
 pursue

00:31:40.399 --> 00:31:41.879
 those people

00:31:41.879 --> 00:31:42.199
 who,

00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:42.799
 through their

00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:44.019
 own actions

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:46.519
 or just

00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:47.099
 through the way

00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:47.639
 that life

00:31:47.639 --> 00:31:48.099
 has beaten

00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:48.619
 them up,

00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:49.919
 now feel

00:31:49.919 --> 00:31:50.539
 very far

00:31:50.539 --> 00:31:51.179
 from God.

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:52.779
 And that was

00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:53.720
 this Ethiopian

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.079
 eunuch.

00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:54.879
 You have to know

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.599
 a few other things

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.139
 in background

00:31:56.139 --> 00:31:56.879
 to understand

00:31:56.879 --> 00:31:57.259
 this.

00:31:58.819 --> 00:31:59.899
 This Ethiopian

00:31:59.899 --> 00:32:00.240
 eunuch

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.039
 was obviously,

00:32:01.220 --> 00:32:01.599
 even though he

00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:01.859
 was from

00:32:01.859 --> 00:32:02.259
 Ethiopia,

00:32:02.439 --> 00:32:02.960
 he was part

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.480
 of the Jewish

00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:03.960
 world.

00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:04.960
 He might have

00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:05.359
 been born

00:32:05.359 --> 00:32:06.079
 Jewish or

00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:06.839
 whatever it is,

00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:07.179
 he was part

00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:07.560
 of the Jewish

00:32:07.560 --> 00:32:08.000
 world.

00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:10.500
 And a eunuch

00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:11.039
 means that he's

00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:11.880
 been castrated.

00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:13.500
 And in the

00:32:13.500 --> 00:32:14.680
 religious practices

00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:15.360
 of the day,

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.160
 it means that he

00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:16.600
 could never

00:32:16.600 --> 00:32:17.320
 become a full

00:32:17.320 --> 00:32:17.620
 Jew.

00:32:18.620 --> 00:32:19.560
 He could never

00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:21.279
 worship at the

00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:22.039
 heart of worship

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:23.200
 in the Jewish

00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:23.620
 faith.

00:32:25.320 --> 00:32:26.240
 He couldn't.

00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.779
 And in fact,

00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:32.740
 whether he

00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:34.299
 had originally

00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:36.879
 made this

00:32:36.879 --> 00:32:37.440
 decision,

00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.279
 he could never

00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:38.940
 make decisions

00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:39.740
 all the time,

00:32:40.819 --> 00:32:41.019
 you know,

00:32:41.099 --> 00:32:42.039
 I could pursue

00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:42.759
 the promotions

00:32:42.759 --> 00:32:43.599
 and pursue all

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.220
 of those things

00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:44.599
 and it might

00:32:44.599 --> 00:32:45.200
 damage my

00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:45.559
 marriage,

00:32:45.659 --> 00:32:45.940
 but at the

00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:46.200
 end of the

00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:46.279
 day,

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:46.599
 I'd much

00:32:46.599 --> 00:32:47.019
 rather have

00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:47.639
 these promotions

00:32:47.639 --> 00:32:48.099
 than my

00:32:48.099 --> 00:32:48.539
 marriage.

00:32:49.399 --> 00:32:50.000
 People don't

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:50.919
 normally consciously

00:32:50.919 --> 00:32:51.460
 say that,

00:32:51.539 --> 00:32:51.819
 but they

00:32:51.819 --> 00:32:52.879
 unconsciously act

00:32:52.879 --> 00:32:53.279
 that way.

00:32:53.379 --> 00:32:53.919
 Sometimes they

00:32:53.919 --> 00:32:54.700
 consciously say

00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:54.899
 it.

00:32:55.940 --> 00:32:56.619
 And they end

00:32:56.619 --> 00:32:57.240
 up making

00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:57.919
 choices and

00:32:57.919 --> 00:32:58.460
 choices and

00:32:58.460 --> 00:32:58.779
 choices,

00:32:59.019 --> 00:33:00.819
 which leaves

00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:01.220
 them alone.

00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:01.779
 And in that

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:02.460
 particular world,

00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:02.880
 today you

00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:03.319
 could be the

00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:03.680
 head of the

00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:04.299
 Privy Council

00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:04.779
 or the head

00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:06.019
 of Apple and

00:33:06.019 --> 00:33:06.660
 you don't have

00:33:06.660 --> 00:33:07.579
 to be castrated.

00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:08.440
 But in those

00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:09.000
 days you had

00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:09.339
 to be.

00:33:10.839 --> 00:33:11.380
 And he

00:33:11.380 --> 00:33:11.600
 would have

00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:11.880
 just said,

00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.039
 you know,

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:12.400
 it's worth

00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:12.600
 it.

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:14.920
 It's worth

00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:15.140
 it.

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.339
 The food,

00:33:16.980 --> 00:33:17.579
 the cultural

00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:18.360
 experiences,

00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:19.860
 the allure of

00:33:19.860 --> 00:33:20.380
 power,

00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:21.860
 the clothing,

00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.220
 the house,

00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:24.299
 the servants,

00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:24.920
 it's worth

00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:25.100
 it.

00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:27.519
 And so maybe

00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:28.380
 sometime after

00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:29.000
 that he now

00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:29.559
 has a bit of

00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:30.079
 a serious

00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:33.480
 reflection upon

00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:34.019
 all of that.

00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:36.000
 Those of you

00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:36.480
 of a certain

00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:37.119
 age remember

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:37.940
 Paul Henderson

00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:39.259
 and Paul Henderson

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.339
 became very famous

00:33:40.339 --> 00:33:41.179
 in Canada in the

00:33:41.179 --> 00:33:41.639
 70s.

00:33:41.700 --> 00:33:42.119
 He was already

00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:42.659
 a good hockey

00:33:42.659 --> 00:33:43.000
 player,

00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.240
 but he got

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:44.980
 the tie-breaking

00:33:44.980 --> 00:33:45.819
 goals to help

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:46.460
 Canada come

00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:47.099
 back and beat

00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:47.980
 the Soviet Union

00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:48.519
 in the first

00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:50.099
 ever contest

00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:50.980
 between Canada

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.740
 and the Soviet

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:52.679
 Union in hockey.

00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:53.919
 He got the

00:33:53.919 --> 00:33:54.980
 three goals

00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:55.579
 that won the

00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:56.279
 last three games

00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:56.740
 that they needed

00:33:56.740 --> 00:33:57.200
 to win the

00:33:57.200 --> 00:33:57.440
 series.

00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:58.000
 He won all

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.319
 of them.

00:33:58.679 --> 00:33:59.099
 He got all

00:33:59.099 --> 00:33:59.799
 of those goals.

00:34:00.699 --> 00:34:01.019
 In fact,

00:34:01.139 --> 00:34:01.779
 Wilfrid Laurier

00:34:01.779 --> 00:34:02.799
 University used

00:34:02.799 --> 00:34:03.179
 to be called

00:34:03.179 --> 00:34:04.079
 Waterloo Lutheran

00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:04.659
 University,

00:34:05.059 --> 00:34:05.859
 and this was

00:34:05.859 --> 00:34:06.679
 all just after

00:34:06.679 --> 00:34:07.559
 Paul Henderson

00:34:07.559 --> 00:34:08.339
 did these things.

00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:09.079
 They did a poll

00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:10.139
 of the university

00:34:10.139 --> 00:34:10.839
 students about

00:34:10.839 --> 00:34:11.339
 how they wanted

00:34:11.339 --> 00:34:11.819
 to rename

00:34:11.819 --> 00:34:12.460
 the university,

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:13.599
 and the clear

00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.360
 winner was that

00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:14.699
 it should be

00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:15.199
 called Paul

00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:15.559
 Henderson

00:34:15.559 --> 00:34:16.259
 University.

00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:19.099
 But the

00:34:19.099 --> 00:34:19.500
 Board of

00:34:19.500 --> 00:34:19.940
 Governors

00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:20.799
 nixed it and

00:34:20.799 --> 00:34:21.119
 said it had

00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:21.519
 to keep the

00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:22.279
 same letters,

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:22.819
 so they made

00:34:22.819 --> 00:34:23.480
 it Wilfrid

00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:23.779
 Laurier

00:34:23.779 --> 00:34:24.319
 University.

00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:24.880
 But Paul

00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.159
 Henderson

00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:25.699
 became a

00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:26.360
 Christian because

00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:27.119
 he'd reached

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.659
 the pinnacle

00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:28.519
 of hockey and

00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:29.579
 fame, and

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:29.799
 he said,

00:34:29.859 --> 00:34:30.199
 is that all

00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:30.679
 there is?

00:34:32.359 --> 00:34:33.059
 Is that all

00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:33.480
 there is?

00:34:35.399 --> 00:34:36.139
 Is that all

00:34:36.139 --> 00:34:36.539
 there is?

00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:38.379
 And so this

00:34:38.379 --> 00:34:38.980
 man who's

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:40.819
 willingly probably

00:34:40.819 --> 00:34:42.119
 pursued castration

00:34:42.119 --> 00:34:43.119
 so he could have

00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:43.980
 this senior level

00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:44.500
 of government

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:45.460
 comes later on

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:48.279
 to this tragic

00:34:48.279 --> 00:34:51.139
 state of affairs

00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:53.900
 where he

00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:54.579
 now wants

00:34:54.579 --> 00:34:57.099
 meaning, but

00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:57.699
 he actually,

00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.460
 when he goes

00:34:58.460 --> 00:34:59.039
 to Jerusalem

00:34:59.039 --> 00:34:59.639
 to worship,

00:34:59.839 --> 00:35:00.579
 and he's

00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:01.079
 rich enough

00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:01.400
 that he can

00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:01.900
 afford a

00:35:01.900 --> 00:35:02.460
 scroll of

00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:02.759
 Isaiah,

00:35:02.879 --> 00:35:03.219
 which means

00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:03.679
 he's become

00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:04.480
 very wealthy

00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:05.059
 to be able

00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:05.440
 to afford

00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:05.879
 his own

00:35:05.879 --> 00:35:06.500
 scroll of

00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:06.719
 the book

00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:07.259
 of Isaiah,

00:35:07.719 --> 00:35:08.400
 but when he

00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:08.779
 went there

00:35:08.779 --> 00:35:09.319
 he couldn't

00:35:09.319 --> 00:35:10.019
 be fully in

00:35:10.019 --> 00:35:10.400
 the temple,

00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:10.779
 he had to

00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:11.139
 be in the

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:11.619
 outskirts

00:35:11.619 --> 00:35:11.920
 in the

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.299
 temple of

00:35:12.299 --> 00:35:12.920
 the Gentiles.

00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:13.500
 He longed

00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:13.900
 to be close

00:35:13.900 --> 00:35:14.259
 to God

00:35:14.259 --> 00:35:14.639
 but could

00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:15.000
 not be

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:15.420
 close to

00:35:15.420 --> 00:35:15.719
 God.

00:35:18.139 --> 00:35:18.480
 And so

00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:19.379
 this part

00:35:19.379 --> 00:35:19.960
 that he read,

00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.219
 and he

00:35:20.219 --> 00:35:20.739
 probably was

00:35:20.739 --> 00:35:21.099
 reading it

00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:21.439
 over and

00:35:21.439 --> 00:35:21.779
 over and

00:35:21.779 --> 00:35:22.359
 over again

00:35:22.359 --> 00:35:22.819
 because when

00:35:22.819 --> 00:35:23.119
 it says

00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:23.479
 in verse

00:35:23.479 --> 00:35:23.979
 33,

00:35:24.139 --> 00:35:25.119
 in his

00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:25.919
 humiliation

00:35:25.919 --> 00:35:26.759
 justice was

00:35:26.759 --> 00:35:27.479
 denied him,

00:35:27.899 --> 00:35:28.299
 who can

00:35:28.299 --> 00:35:28.939
 describe his

00:35:28.939 --> 00:35:29.759
 generation for

00:35:29.759 --> 00:35:30.299
 his life is

00:35:30.299 --> 00:35:30.759
 taken away

00:35:30.759 --> 00:35:31.059
 from the

00:35:31.059 --> 00:35:31.239
 earth?

00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:31.959
 What that

00:35:31.959 --> 00:35:32.399
 is actually

00:35:32.399 --> 00:35:32.959
 saying is

00:35:32.959 --> 00:35:33.419
 this man

00:35:33.419 --> 00:35:34.119
 died before

00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:34.419
 he could

00:35:34.419 --> 00:35:34.799
 have any

00:35:34.799 --> 00:35:35.279
 children,

00:35:35.439 --> 00:35:36.259
 no progeny,

00:35:36.379 --> 00:35:36.859
 nobody to

00:35:36.859 --> 00:35:37.399
 follow him.

00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:38.500
 That's what

00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:39.139
 that means.

00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:40.919
 He died so

00:35:40.919 --> 00:35:41.479
 it means he

00:35:41.479 --> 00:35:42.079
 will have no

00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.739
 children or

00:35:42.739 --> 00:35:43.539
 grandchildren or

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.339
 great-grandchildren.

00:35:44.459 --> 00:35:45.239
 He dies in a

00:35:45.239 --> 00:35:46.419
 sense childless.

00:35:47.939 --> 00:35:48.359
 And this is

00:35:48.359 --> 00:35:49.379
 obviously,

00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:49.959
 that's partially

00:35:49.959 --> 00:35:50.279
 why he's

00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:50.760
 probably saying,

00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:51.220
 who's he

00:35:51.220 --> 00:35:51.740
 talking about?

00:35:51.780 --> 00:35:52.160
 Is the prophet

00:35:52.160 --> 00:35:52.620
 talking about

00:35:52.620 --> 00:35:53.500
 himself or

00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:54.260
 someone else?

00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.019
 Because in

00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:55.600
 some ways he

00:35:55.600 --> 00:35:56.320
 understands he's

00:35:56.320 --> 00:35:56.800
 talking about

00:35:56.800 --> 00:35:57.240
 himself.

00:35:58.640 --> 00:35:58.920
 You see,

00:35:59.060 --> 00:35:59.840
 this is the

00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:00.460
 other thing why

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.200
 this story is

00:36:01.200 --> 00:36:02.180
 so profound

00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:02.680
 about how

00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:03.340
 in fact there's a

00:36:03.340 --> 00:36:03.980
 God who wants

00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:04.560
 to bring the

00:36:04.560 --> 00:36:05.300
 losers of the

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:06.120
 world, the

00:36:06.120 --> 00:36:06.660
 ones who've been

00:36:06.660 --> 00:36:07.400
 defeated and

00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:08.100
 crushed by the

00:36:08.100 --> 00:36:09.000
 Canadian cultural

00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:10.680
 story, and

00:36:10.680 --> 00:36:11.680
 been created by,

00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:12.519
 that have been

00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:13.580
 devastated by the

00:36:13.580 --> 00:36:14.360
 idols that we

00:36:14.360 --> 00:36:15.000
 have followed.

00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:15.099
 followed.

00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:16.940
 And now at

00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:17.559
 some point in

00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:18.219
 time we feel

00:36:18.219 --> 00:36:18.880
 like our life

00:36:18.880 --> 00:36:19.579
 is over and

00:36:19.579 --> 00:36:20.199
 we're a failure

00:36:20.199 --> 00:36:20.820
 and we're far

00:36:20.820 --> 00:36:21.539
 from God and

00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:22.119
 far from our

00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:22.719
 hopes and far

00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:23.119
 from our

00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:23.639
 dreams and

00:36:23.639 --> 00:36:25.199
 God comes and

00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:25.760
 says there can

00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:26.400
 be new life

00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:26.800
 for you.

00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:31.019
 There are many

00:36:31.019 --> 00:36:31.780
 people in this

00:36:31.780 --> 00:36:32.860
 connected to our

00:36:32.860 --> 00:36:33.440
 church who would

00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:33.880
 love to have

00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:34.519
 children and

00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.000
 can't.

00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:36.659
 Either because

00:36:36.659 --> 00:36:37.280
 they can't find

00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:38.079
 someone to marry

00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:39.619
 or because they

00:36:39.619 --> 00:36:40.159
 married and

00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:40.760
 discovered that

00:36:40.760 --> 00:36:41.059
 they were

00:36:41.059 --> 00:36:41.800
 childless.

00:36:41.800 --> 00:36:42.560
 they just

00:36:42.560 --> 00:36:43.000
 can't have

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.460
 children.

00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:46.340
 And if that

00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:48.019
 children are a

00:36:48.019 --> 00:36:48.780
 great good but

00:36:48.780 --> 00:36:49.600
 if children become

00:36:49.600 --> 00:36:51.340
 an idol to you

00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:52.760
 and the Canadian

00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:53.480
 cultural story

00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:54.480
 becomes an idol to

00:36:54.480 --> 00:36:56.660
 you, it deepens

00:36:56.660 --> 00:36:57.940
 your disappointment

00:36:57.940 --> 00:37:00.220
 and that feeling

00:37:00.220 --> 00:37:01.980
 like you just are

00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:02.700
 second or third

00:37:02.700 --> 00:37:03.300
 or fourth or

00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:04.100
 fifth class.

00:37:04.660 --> 00:37:05.340
 And it can be

00:37:05.340 --> 00:37:06.420
 very, very hard.

00:37:07.380 --> 00:37:08.380
 I speak as a

00:37:08.380 --> 00:37:09.100
 man who felt

00:37:09.100 --> 00:37:10.240
 that how could I

00:37:10.240 --> 00:37:10.820
 ever afford a

00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:11.120
 fridge?

00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:13.260
 And we also

00:37:13.260 --> 00:37:13.680
 live at a

00:37:13.680 --> 00:37:14.539
 cultural moment

00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:15.680
 where many

00:37:15.680 --> 00:37:16.300
 people in

00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:19.280
 pursuit of

00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:19.840
 what they think

00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:20.300
 is the good

00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:23.000
 life are

00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:23.700
 turning themselves

00:37:23.700 --> 00:37:24.560
 into eunuchs.

00:37:28.240 --> 00:37:29.240
 And all of the

00:37:29.240 --> 00:37:30.060
 smart people of

00:37:30.060 --> 00:37:31.080
 Canada say that

00:37:31.080 --> 00:37:31.700
 if you as a

00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:32.440
 young man want

00:37:32.440 --> 00:37:33.019
 to cut off

00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:33.460
 your penis,

00:37:36.160 --> 00:37:38.000
 that's a good

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.500
 thing and will

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:39.200
 support you.

00:37:39.420 --> 00:37:39.960
 If you're a

00:37:39.960 --> 00:37:40.440
 woman and you

00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:41.720
 want to remove

00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:42.439
 your breasts

00:37:42.439 --> 00:37:44.119
 and remove

00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:44.739
 your vagina,

00:37:44.879 --> 00:37:45.319
 that that's a

00:37:45.319 --> 00:37:45.959
 good thing for

00:37:45.959 --> 00:37:46.219
 you.

00:37:48.339 --> 00:37:48.739
 And those

00:37:48.739 --> 00:37:49.980
 things, the

00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:50.839
 statistics show

00:37:50.839 --> 00:37:51.299
 they're still

00:37:51.299 --> 00:37:52.539
 depressed afterwards.

00:37:56.599 --> 00:37:57.459
 And you end up

00:37:57.459 --> 00:37:58.259
 feeling far from

00:37:58.259 --> 00:37:58.679
 God.

00:37:59.179 --> 00:37:59.599
 And you end up

00:37:59.599 --> 00:38:00.079
 feeling far from

00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:00.119
 God.

00:38:00.119 --> 00:38:00.679
 And you end up

00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:01.199
 feeling far from

00:38:01.199 --> 00:38:01.679
 God.

00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:02.179
 And you end up

00:38:02.179 --> 00:38:02.239
 feeling far from

00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:02.679
 God.

00:38:02.679 --> 00:38:03.179
 And you end up

00:38:03.179 --> 00:38:03.679
 feeling far from

00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:03.699
 God.

00:38:03.699 --> 00:38:05.259
 This part that he

00:38:05.259 --> 00:38:06.379
 is reading is from

00:38:06.379 --> 00:38:07.219
 one of the most,

00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:08.019
 maybe the most

00:38:08.019 --> 00:38:08.719
 profound part.

00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:09.119
 You should go

00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:09.599
 back and read

00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:09.919
 it later.

00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:10.819
 Isaiah 52,

00:38:10.959 --> 00:38:11.799
 verse 13 to

00:38:11.799 --> 00:38:12.599
 chapter 53,

00:38:12.739 --> 00:38:13.319
 verse 12.

00:38:13.519 --> 00:38:14.899
 It's maybe that

00:38:14.899 --> 00:38:16.079
 nobody reading that

00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:17.059
 can understand that

00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:17.619
 it refers to

00:38:17.619 --> 00:38:18.599
 anybody other than

00:38:18.599 --> 00:38:19.000
 Jesus.

00:38:20.319 --> 00:38:21.299
 And it describes

00:38:21.299 --> 00:38:22.139
 this good story

00:38:22.139 --> 00:38:22.879
 that I began the

00:38:22.879 --> 00:38:23.759
 whole sermon with

00:38:23.759 --> 00:38:24.579
 about how Jesus

00:38:24.579 --> 00:38:25.959
 comes and

00:38:25.959 --> 00:38:27.059
 pursues you.

00:38:27.739 --> 00:38:28.719
 And he doesn't

00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:29.419
 look at you and

00:38:29.419 --> 00:38:30.579
 say, I'm not

00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:31.339
 interested in you

00:38:31.339 --> 00:38:31.879
 because you're

00:38:31.879 --> 00:38:32.500
 childless.

00:38:32.599 --> 00:38:33.419
 I'm not interested

00:38:33.419 --> 00:38:34.199
 in you because you

00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:34.879
 haven't been able to

00:38:34.879 --> 00:38:35.119
 marry.

00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:35.980
 I'm not interested

00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:37.099
 in you because

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:38.139
 you've made

00:38:38.139 --> 00:38:39.079
 yourself into a

00:38:39.079 --> 00:38:39.339
 eunuch.

00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:40.219
 I'm not interested

00:38:40.219 --> 00:38:40.940
 in you because

00:38:40.940 --> 00:38:41.960
 you've ruined your

00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:42.759
 life with alcohol.

00:38:43.019 --> 00:38:43.719
 I'm not interested

00:38:43.719 --> 00:38:44.259
 in you because

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:44.940
 you've ruined your

00:38:44.940 --> 00:38:45.779
 life by pursuing

00:38:45.779 --> 00:38:46.980
 power and prestige.

00:38:47.359 --> 00:38:47.980
 Jesus doesn't

00:38:47.980 --> 00:38:48.659
 come and say that.

00:38:48.739 --> 00:38:49.359
 He comes and

00:38:49.359 --> 00:38:52.319
 says, dear one, I

00:38:52.319 --> 00:38:53.119
 love you.

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:54.859
 I died for you.

00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:56.559
 And if you put

00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:57.279
 your faith and

00:38:57.279 --> 00:38:58.099
 trust in me, you

00:38:58.099 --> 00:38:59.000
 will not be far

00:38:59.000 --> 00:38:59.359
 off.

00:39:02.319 --> 00:39:03.319
 I will bring you

00:39:03.319 --> 00:39:04.079
 to the Father's

00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:04.440
 heart.

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:09.480
 the Holy Spirit

00:39:09.480 --> 00:39:10.739
 will indwell you.

00:39:15.019 --> 00:39:16.819
 And in me, you

00:39:16.819 --> 00:39:17.739
 will be part of my

00:39:17.739 --> 00:39:18.819
 people and you

00:39:18.819 --> 00:39:19.559
 will be part of the

00:39:19.559 --> 00:39:20.199
 new heaven and the

00:39:20.199 --> 00:39:20.940
 new earth that goes

00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:22.039
 on for all eternity.

00:39:24.299 --> 00:39:25.119
 And that's my

00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:25.839
 heart for you.

00:39:27.980 --> 00:39:28.880
 That's my heart

00:39:28.880 --> 00:39:29.339
 for you.

00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:34.359
 Verse 35,

00:39:34.360 --> 00:39:35.480
 then Philip opened

00:39:35.480 --> 00:39:36.180
 his mouth and

00:39:36.180 --> 00:39:37.039
 beginning with the

00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:38.099
 scripture, he told

00:39:38.099 --> 00:39:39.079
 the eunuch the good

00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:40.120
 news about Jesus.

00:39:40.480 --> 00:39:41.019
 And as they were

00:39:41.019 --> 00:39:41.780
 going along the

00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:43.019
 road, obviously

00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:43.740
 there's some time

00:39:43.740 --> 00:39:44.539
 that's passed, an

00:39:44.539 --> 00:39:45.460
 hour, two hours,

00:39:45.579 --> 00:39:46.099
 three hours.

00:39:46.860 --> 00:39:47.800
 They come to some

00:39:47.800 --> 00:39:48.539
 water and the eunuch

00:39:48.539 --> 00:39:50.079
 said, see here is

00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:50.440
 water.

00:39:50.900 --> 00:39:51.800
 What prevents me

00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:52.599
 from being baptized?

00:39:52.980 --> 00:39:53.820
 He's given his life

00:39:53.820 --> 00:39:54.340
 to Christ.

00:39:54.340 --> 00:39:59.120
 And the eunuch commands

00:39:59.120 --> 00:40:00.140
 the chariot to stop

00:40:00.140 --> 00:40:00.780
 and they both went

00:40:00.780 --> 00:40:01.600
 down into the water,

00:40:01.820 --> 00:40:02.539
 Philip and eunuch.

00:40:03.300 --> 00:40:05.000
 And Philip baptized the

00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:05.360
 eunuch.

00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:07.519
 He was not far from

00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:07.900
 God.

00:40:09.960 --> 00:40:11.440
 He belonged to Christ.

00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:14.340
 He was close to the

00:40:14.340 --> 00:40:14.960
 Father's heart.

00:40:16.620 --> 00:40:17.740
 He knew the Father's

00:40:17.740 --> 00:40:18.680
 profound love for him.

00:40:18.679 --> 00:40:22.119
 You see, in Christ,

00:40:23.279 --> 00:40:24.339
 the final word about

00:40:24.339 --> 00:40:25.059
 you will not be

00:40:25.059 --> 00:40:25.440
 failure.

00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:31.019
 It's hard when God

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:32.079
 asks us to do things

00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:33.039
 in his word that goes

00:40:33.039 --> 00:40:33.559
 against our

00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:34.239
 inclinations.

00:40:34.539 --> 00:40:35.319
 And a lot of times

00:40:35.319 --> 00:40:35.980
 we don't do it.

00:40:36.179 --> 00:40:37.779
 And hopefully over time

00:40:37.779 --> 00:40:38.519
 we learn to do it

00:40:38.519 --> 00:40:39.119
 more and more.

00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:43.239
 but he, and he

00:40:43.239 --> 00:40:43.920
 hasn't given us

00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:44.880
 stories like this so

00:40:44.880 --> 00:40:45.639
 we will feel like

00:40:45.639 --> 00:40:46.639
 failures, but to

00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:48.119
 encourage us to

00:40:48.119 --> 00:40:50.139
 remember Jesus, to

00:40:50.139 --> 00:40:50.799
 remember that in

00:40:50.799 --> 00:40:53.199
 Christ we can come

00:40:53.199 --> 00:40:54.179
 together on a Sunday

00:40:54.179 --> 00:40:55.380
 morning saying

00:40:55.380 --> 00:40:56.279
 together, Father, you

00:40:56.279 --> 00:40:57.339
 are our refuge and

00:40:57.339 --> 00:40:57.859
 our strength.

00:40:57.980 --> 00:40:58.719
 I haven't had a good

00:40:58.719 --> 00:40:59.679
 week and I give you

00:40:59.679 --> 00:41:00.619
 thanks and praise that

00:41:00.619 --> 00:41:01.319
 in Christ you will

00:41:01.319 --> 00:41:02.219
 never let me go.

00:41:03.279 --> 00:41:03.779
 And I give you

00:41:03.779 --> 00:41:04.719
 thanks and praise that

00:41:04.719 --> 00:41:06.000
 my final destiny is to

00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:06.679
 be yours.

00:41:07.960 --> 00:41:08.900
 Thank you that

00:41:08.900 --> 00:41:10.039
 Jesus will be with me

00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:14.340
 this week and let's

00:41:14.340 --> 00:41:15.059
 live this week.

00:41:17.460 --> 00:41:18.260
 I thank you.

00:41:18.460 --> 00:41:19.260
 Make your hope of

00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:20.340
 glory more real to my

00:41:20.340 --> 00:41:20.660
 life.

00:41:21.700 --> 00:41:22.539
 That's the Christian

00:41:22.539 --> 00:41:22.820
 life.

00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:23.579
 That's the power of

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:24.039
 this story.

00:41:24.740 --> 00:41:25.639
 Invite you to stand.

00:41:32.320 --> 00:41:35.019
 Just whether here or

00:41:35.019 --> 00:41:37.500
 online, just want to

00:41:37.500 --> 00:41:38.300
 encourage you.

00:41:38.900 --> 00:41:40.460
 Jesus, I want to

00:41:40.460 --> 00:41:41.460
 give you a prayer of

00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:42.460
 this.

00:41:42.460 --> 00:41:43.460
 And I want to say to

00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:47.539
 you, Jesus, I've heard

00:41:47.539 --> 00:41:48.320
 this about you.

00:41:50.160 --> 00:41:51.340
 Be my Savior and my

00:41:51.340 --> 00:41:51.599
 Lord.

00:41:54.380 --> 00:41:55.280
 Help me to lay my

00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:56.119
 whole life, give me my

00:41:56.119 --> 00:41:56.820
 whole life to you.

00:41:56.880 --> 00:41:57.800
 Be my Savior and Lord.

00:41:57.840 --> 00:41:58.720
 And Jesus takes you.

00:41:59.420 --> 00:42:00.200
 And in some ways the

00:42:00.200 --> 00:42:00.840
 rest of the Christian

00:42:00.840 --> 00:42:02.039
 life is also just saying

00:42:02.039 --> 00:42:02.200
 that.

00:42:02.300 --> 00:42:03.400
 Not that we become his.

00:42:03.500 --> 00:42:05.019
 Once he takes us, he

00:42:05.019 --> 00:42:05.840
 never lets us go.

00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:07.100
 But, you know, that's

00:42:07.100 --> 00:42:07.740
 in a sense what we do

00:42:07.740 --> 00:42:08.200
 on a Sunday.

00:42:08.340 --> 00:42:09.180
 Jesus, I want you to,

00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:10.160
 you know, this week I

00:42:10.160 --> 00:42:12.120
 often live by my own

00:42:12.120 --> 00:42:13.600
 desires and my own

00:42:13.600 --> 00:42:14.380
 plans.

00:42:14.539 --> 00:42:16.340
 And I would have been

00:42:16.340 --> 00:42:17.460
 way wiser if I just

00:42:17.460 --> 00:42:18.340
 trusted you as my

00:42:18.340 --> 00:42:19.039
 Savior and Lord.

00:42:19.180 --> 00:42:20.460
 So, Father, forgive me.

00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:21.740
 Help me to walk this

00:42:21.740 --> 00:42:23.539
 week trusting you as my

00:42:23.539 --> 00:42:24.400
 Savior and my Lord.

00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:26.079
 You begin and you walk

00:42:26.079 --> 00:42:26.700
 the same way.

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:27.639
 Let's pray.

00:42:28.599 --> 00:42:30.320
 Father, thank you so

00:42:30.320 --> 00:42:31.079
 much for Jesus.

00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:33.220
 Thank you that he

00:42:33.220 --> 00:42:34.860
 doesn't just care for us

00:42:34.860 --> 00:42:36.760
 as a church or because

00:42:36.760 --> 00:42:38.059
 we're all from Canada,

00:42:38.340 --> 00:42:39.519
 we're all from Africa,

00:42:39.840 --> 00:42:41.360
 we're all from Europe or

00:42:41.360 --> 00:42:43.039
 wherever, Father, that you

00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:45.280
 love each of us particular

00:42:45.280 --> 00:42:47.360
 and in an individual way

00:42:47.360 --> 00:42:49.300
 that you know us not in

00:42:49.300 --> 00:42:50.800
 general, but you know us.

00:42:51.560 --> 00:42:53.880
 You see our lives, you

00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:55.920
 see our past, you see

00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:56.980
 our present, you see

00:42:56.980 --> 00:42:58.160
 our future and you love

00:42:58.160 --> 00:43:00.120
 us and you are for us.

00:43:00.760 --> 00:43:03.200
 You are for us in your

00:43:03.200 --> 00:43:03.500
 Son.

00:43:04.480 --> 00:43:05.600
 And we ask, Father, that

00:43:05.600 --> 00:43:07.320
 this story of who Jesus

00:43:07.320 --> 00:43:08.380
 is and what he did for

00:43:08.380 --> 00:43:09.700
 us, that that might

00:43:09.700 --> 00:43:10.519
 become more and more

00:43:10.519 --> 00:43:11.800
 real to our hearts and

00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:13.360
 form how we view money

00:43:13.360 --> 00:43:14.519
 and how we view sexuality

00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:15.960
 and how we view family

00:43:15.960 --> 00:43:17.920
 life and careers and

00:43:17.920 --> 00:43:18.340
 time.

00:43:18.600 --> 00:43:19.680
 Father, may that form us.

00:43:19.679 --> 00:43:21.440
 And Father, we give you

00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:22.319
 thanks and praise that

00:43:22.319 --> 00:43:23.759
 it's not just a story that

00:43:23.759 --> 00:43:24.980
 informs us, but that the

00:43:24.980 --> 00:43:26.399
 Holy Spirit is present in

00:43:26.399 --> 00:43:27.599
 our lives and we believe

00:43:27.599 --> 00:43:29.440
 in Christ and that Christ

00:43:29.440 --> 00:43:30.379
 walks with us.

00:43:30.619 --> 00:43:31.759
 And Father, we ask that you

00:43:31.759 --> 00:43:32.919
 help us to keep in step

00:43:32.919 --> 00:43:35.039
 with the Spirit and to

00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:35.980
 trust that our loving

00:43:35.980 --> 00:43:37.659
 Savior, Jesus, is with us

00:43:37.659 --> 00:43:39.559
 as we do each day and we

00:43:39.559 --> 00:43:40.619
 do each moment in each

00:43:40.619 --> 00:43:40.899
 day.

00:43:42.079 --> 00:43:43.440
 So Father, we ask that you

00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:44.960
 help us to die to ourself

00:43:44.960 --> 00:43:46.919
 and obey you, learning to

00:43:46.919 --> 00:43:47.699
 live for your glory,

00:43:47.699 --> 00:43:49.619
 knowing that as we bow to

00:43:49.619 --> 00:43:51.559
 Jesus, you make us tall.

00:43:52.359 --> 00:43:53.500
 And we ask all these things

00:43:53.500 --> 00:43:54.679
 in the name of Jesus, your

00:43:54.679 --> 00:43:55.559
 Son and our Savior.

00:43:56.319 --> 00:43:56.639
 Amen.

00:43:57.980 --> 00:43:58.839
 Please be seated.

00:43:59.179 --> 00:44:00.739
 We don't have any formal

00:44:00.739 --> 00:44:03.899
 intercessions, but we should

00:44:03.899 --> 00:44:05.099
 spend some time in prayer.

00:44:05.639 --> 00:44:07.019
 So if you would just take a

00:44:07.019 --> 00:44:08.239
 posture of prayer, let's just,

00:44:08.319 --> 00:44:09.039
 what I'm going to say is,

00:44:09.259 --> 00:44:10.099
 Lord, in your mercy.

00:44:10.519 --> 00:44:11.659
 And when I say, Lord, in your

00:44:11.659 --> 00:44:12.799
 mercy, if you would respond,

00:44:12.960 --> 00:44:13.519
 hear our prayer.

00:44:13.960 --> 00:44:14.539
 Let's pray.

00:44:14.539 --> 00:44:17.279
 Father, we give you thanks

00:44:17.279 --> 00:44:18.460
 and praise for the country

00:44:18.460 --> 00:44:19.019
 of Canada.

00:44:19.739 --> 00:44:22.019
 We know, Father, that there

00:44:22.019 --> 00:44:23.300
 are things in Canada which

00:44:23.300 --> 00:44:24.559
 are very sinful.

00:44:25.340 --> 00:44:26.420
 But Father, we give you

00:44:26.420 --> 00:44:27.679
 thanks so we can be part of

00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:28.239
 this country.

00:44:28.440 --> 00:44:30.219
 We commend into your hands

00:44:30.219 --> 00:44:32.159
 our Prime Minister, the

00:44:32.159 --> 00:44:33.880
 Premiers of Ontario and

00:44:33.880 --> 00:44:35.539
 Quebec, the Mayors of

00:44:35.539 --> 00:44:38.219
 Ottawa and Gatineau.

00:44:38.460 --> 00:44:39.840
 We commend into your hands

00:44:39.840 --> 00:44:41.800
 all who work on Parliament

00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:43.239
 Hill and all who work in the

00:44:43.239 --> 00:44:43.939
 civil service.

00:44:44.119 --> 00:44:44.939
 Father, we commend them

00:44:44.939 --> 00:44:45.599
 into your hands.

00:44:45.719 --> 00:44:47.159
 We commend into your hands

00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:48.539
 the business leaders and the

00:44:48.539 --> 00:44:50.239
 leaders of the arts and

00:44:50.239 --> 00:44:53.179
 education and all that make

00:44:53.179 --> 00:44:53.959
 Canada Canada.

00:44:54.139 --> 00:44:55.119
 Father, we commend them into

00:44:55.119 --> 00:44:55.579
 your hands.

00:44:55.719 --> 00:44:57.019
 We ask that your Holy Spirit,

00:44:57.659 --> 00:44:59.439
 Father, would help them to

00:44:59.439 --> 00:45:01.979
 pursue that which leads to

00:45:01.979 --> 00:45:04.519
 true peace and prosperity and

00:45:04.519 --> 00:45:06.479
 justice and mercy in our

00:45:06.479 --> 00:45:06.959
 country.

00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:10.419
 And that our prosperity would

00:45:10.419 --> 00:45:12.239
 be used, Father, to help those

00:45:12.239 --> 00:45:13.699
 around the world who are in

00:45:13.699 --> 00:45:14.339
 great need.

00:45:14.779 --> 00:45:17.000
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:45:17.000 --> 00:45:17.339
 prayer.

00:45:18.000 --> 00:45:19.119
 Father, we know that there are

00:45:19.119 --> 00:45:20.179
 many Christians who are

00:45:20.179 --> 00:45:21.279
 suffering persecution.

00:45:21.919 --> 00:45:23.799
 We know that today in places

00:45:23.799 --> 00:45:26.439
 like India and Pakistan, in

00:45:26.439 --> 00:45:29.599
 North Korea and in Iran and

00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:30.879
 China, that there is much

00:45:30.879 --> 00:45:32.399
 persecution of our brothers and

00:45:32.399 --> 00:45:33.259
 sisters in Christ.

00:45:33.739 --> 00:45:35.199
 Father, we commend these, our

00:45:35.199 --> 00:45:37.059
 brothers and sisters, into your

00:45:37.059 --> 00:45:37.439
 hands.

00:45:37.440 --> 00:45:39.619
 We ask that you would protect

00:45:39.619 --> 00:45:41.260
 them, that you would sucker

00:45:41.260 --> 00:45:43.159
 them, that you would give them

00:45:43.159 --> 00:45:44.200
 courage.

00:45:44.539 --> 00:45:45.840
 Father, we are humbled by their

00:45:45.840 --> 00:45:46.300
 courage.

00:45:47.099 --> 00:45:48.400
 And we ask that you would turn

00:45:48.400 --> 00:45:50.679
 their persecutors away from

00:45:50.679 --> 00:45:53.139
 persecution and turn their

00:45:53.139 --> 00:45:54.039
 hearts to Jesus.

00:45:54.539 --> 00:45:56.659
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:45:56.659 --> 00:45:56.980
 prayer.

00:45:57.679 --> 00:45:59.260
 Father, we give you thanks and

00:45:59.260 --> 00:46:00.940
 praise for our church.

00:46:01.860 --> 00:46:03.179
 We thank you, Father, that we are

00:46:03.179 --> 00:46:04.559
 not the only church in the city.

00:46:04.559 --> 00:46:06.159
 We ask that you would grow the

00:46:06.159 --> 00:46:08.000
 bonds of affection between our

00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:10.139
 church and all gospel-shaped,

00:46:10.320 --> 00:46:11.880
 gospel-sharing churches in this

00:46:11.880 --> 00:46:12.119
 city.

00:46:12.679 --> 00:46:13.840
 And we ask, Father, for

00:46:13.840 --> 00:46:15.119
 ourselves, that you would grant

00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:17.500
 us reformation and renewal and

00:46:17.500 --> 00:46:17.960
 revival.

00:46:18.539 --> 00:46:20.779
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:46:20.779 --> 00:46:21.079
 prayer.

00:46:21.659 --> 00:46:23.159
 Father, we thank and praise you

00:46:23.159 --> 00:46:24.820
 for churches around the world.

00:46:25.019 --> 00:46:27.259
 We thank you for our unity with

00:46:27.259 --> 00:46:30.019
 churches all over, Father, through

00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:31.739
 the Global Anglican Futures

00:46:31.739 --> 00:46:32.139
 Movement.

00:46:32.139 --> 00:46:34.719
 We thank you, Father, that we are

00:46:34.719 --> 00:46:36.000
 part of a diocese.

00:46:36.559 --> 00:46:38.259
 But most of all, Father, we thank

00:46:38.259 --> 00:46:39.179
 you for missionaries.

00:46:39.779 --> 00:46:41.259
 And we ask your blessing upon

00:46:41.259 --> 00:46:43.599
 those in our congregation that

00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:45.339
 have gone out to be missionaries and

00:46:45.339 --> 00:46:47.460
 those whom we support as

00:46:47.460 --> 00:46:48.059
 missionaries.

00:46:48.319 --> 00:46:50.420
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:46:50.420 --> 00:46:50.719
 prayer.

00:46:51.480 --> 00:46:54.099
 Father, you have put us in

00:46:54.099 --> 00:46:55.500
 positions where we have

00:46:55.500 --> 00:46:57.219
 obligations to pray for people,

00:46:58.099 --> 00:47:00.539
 for our neighbors, our family

00:47:00.539 --> 00:47:02.239
 members, our friends, our

00:47:02.239 --> 00:47:02.860
 co-workers.

00:47:03.599 --> 00:47:04.940
 Father, we ask that you teach

00:47:04.940 --> 00:47:06.699
 us and help us to pray for

00:47:06.699 --> 00:47:07.059
 them.

00:47:07.599 --> 00:47:09.759
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:47:09.759 --> 00:47:10.059
 prayer.

00:47:10.840 --> 00:47:12.480
 Father, we pray for those who do

00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:14.279
 not yet know Jesus as Savior and

00:47:14.279 --> 00:47:14.519
 Lord.

00:47:15.279 --> 00:47:16.800
 We ask that you would lead us to

00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:18.539
 pray for certain people and give

00:47:18.539 --> 00:47:20.159
 us opportunities to share the

00:47:20.159 --> 00:47:22.420
 good news of Christ, not trusting

00:47:22.420 --> 00:47:24.559
 in our own power or wisdom, but

00:47:24.559 --> 00:47:26.239
 trusting in your word and the

00:47:26.239 --> 00:47:27.400
 moving of your Holy Spirit.

00:47:27.400 --> 00:47:30.340
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:47:30.340 --> 00:47:30.619
 prayer.

00:47:31.420 --> 00:47:32.880
 Father, we come before you with

00:47:32.880 --> 00:47:34.900
 our own needs, needs for

00:47:34.900 --> 00:47:38.400
 direction, needs to help to deal

00:47:38.400 --> 00:47:42.220
 with alcohol or addiction, needs

00:47:42.220 --> 00:47:44.519
 to do, Father, around our personal

00:47:44.519 --> 00:47:46.820
 lives and decisions about jobs and

00:47:46.820 --> 00:47:52.000
 futures, particular sins that are

00:47:52.000 --> 00:47:53.160
 really oppressing us.

00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:55.639
 Father, we commend ourselves into

00:47:55.639 --> 00:47:56.700
 your hands at this time.

00:47:56.699 --> 00:47:58.480
 We bring our own needs before

00:47:58.480 --> 00:47:58.739
 you.

00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:02.719
 We ask that your Holy Spirit

00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:03.779
 would move and work in our

00:48:03.779 --> 00:48:05.980
 lives so that we might live free

00:48:05.980 --> 00:48:07.159
 lives for your glory.

00:48:07.980 --> 00:48:10.139
 Lord, in your mercy, hear our

00:48:10.139 --> 00:48:10.439
 prayer.

00:48:10.819 --> 00:48:12.699
 We ask all of these things in the

00:48:12.699 --> 00:48:14.879
 name of Jesus, your Son and our

00:48:14.879 --> 00:48:16.699
 Savior, our only mediator and

00:48:16.699 --> 00:48:17.039
 advocate.

00:48:17.480 --> 00:48:18.899
 We ask all of these things in the

00:48:18.899 --> 00:48:19.599
 name of Jesus.

00:48:20.239 --> 00:48:20.559
 Amen.

00:48:26.699 --> 00:48:28.699
 We ask all of us for the next

00:48:28.699 --> 00:48:28.879
 Lord, our welcome.

00:48:29.039 --> 00:48:33.079
 We ask all this things in the

00:48:33.179 --> 00:48:34.739
 frente e every time that we

00:48:34.739 --> 00:48:35.939
 pray for our people, our

00:48:36.500 --> 00:48:38.019
 Lord, our mercy with us through

00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:38.480
 our God, the Father, our

00:48:38.480 --> 00:48:39.819
 Lord, the Lord with theеци師, your

00:48:39.899 --> 00:48:39.939
쪽, your heart, the God, our

00:48:40.239 --> 00:48:40.779
 God is the continuit of the

00:48:41.079 --> 00:48:41.259
 kingdom to the kingdom of desire and

00:48:41.439 --> 00:48:42.439
 the soul, our trust.

00:48:42.579 --> 00:48:43.139
 It's so sweet.

00:48:43.980 --> 00:48:44.579
 We ask all the people that they

00:48:44.579 --> 00:48:44.639
 read to do today.

00:48:44.639 --> 00:48:45.099
 Remember, call on faith,

00:48:45.159 --> 00:48:46.480
 the Lord, what we are

00:48:46.559 --> 00:48:47.899
 going to happen to be

00:48:47.960 --> 00:48:48.919
 крепcity in the guild.