WEBVTT

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 Good morning, Watermark.

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 And for those of you who don't know me, my name is Alfie, and I help out.

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 I serve with the outreach that Watermark does on HKU's campus.

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 And in case you haven't noticed, it's Advent time.

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 It's Christmas season.

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 We all have different traditions for remembering Christmas.

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 In my family, Christmas always started on December 1st,

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 which was my little sister's birthday.

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 It would always start with her birthday party,

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 and us bringing out the Christmas tree and putting on these decorations

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 to remember and begin our preparation for the Christmas season,

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 for the Christmas time.

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 Now that I don't live with my parents and my sister anymore,

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 about three years ago, I put a Christmas ornament on the door of my house,

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 and it stayed there for the past three years.

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 I haven't moved it and touched it.

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 I guess I've been doing a lot of preparing for Christmas.

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 But this Christmas, this Advent season, as a family,

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 we're going to be preparing for Christmas by looking at this passage in Isaiah.

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 And each week we'll be looking at a different part of Jesus' character.

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 We'll be looking at who he is and why he calls out to us to trust him.

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 The book of Isaiah was written about 800 years ago.

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 Goodness, that's a lot of reverb.

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 Can we do this?

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 Am I standing wrongly?

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 Isaiah was written about 800 years ago by this prophet.

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 He lived in the southern kingdom of Judah,

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 and he was calling out to these people to repent and turn back to God.

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 If you want a summary of the book of Isaiah,

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 you can read chapters 1 and 2,

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 because it starts telling this story about how God has raised Israel

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 like his own children,

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 and he's given them so many good gifts.

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 He's rescued them from slavery, but they still rebel.

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 And because of that, God is bringing judgment.

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 He's bringing judgment, but with that, he says he's going to fulfill a promise.

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 He's going to bring hope.

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 He's going to bring the light of a new kingdom

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 that will come and will bring light and joy and hope to so many people.

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 He says,

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 to these people in darkness,

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 to these people who are suffering under Assyria,

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 who are away in Babylonian exile,

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 he says,

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 a child is coming,

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 and his name will be Wonderful Counselor,

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 Mighty God,

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 Everlasting Father,

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 and Prince of Peace.

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 It's these four names that we'll be looking at

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 over the next couple of weeks

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 as we unpack what Christmas means

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 and who Jesus is for us.

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 That he isn't the kind of God that we take out at Christmastime,

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 we put on our shelf,

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 or we polish him off when we're in trouble.

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 But every day, he's our savior.

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 Every day, we need him.

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 And today, we'll start by looking at Wonderful Counselor.

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 Now, the difficulty with this kind of passage

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 is that the word counselor has changed

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 in the way that people use it

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 over the past couple of years.

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 If I was to say to you right now

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 that you need to find a counselor,

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 some of you will be outraged

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 at the suggestion that something might be wrong with you.

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 And others of you will say,

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 actually, you know, I probably could use a counselor.

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 But that's because we mostly think of a counselor

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 as someone who's there to help us

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 with our personal problems,

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 with our psychological problems,

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 who's there to therapize us.

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 But the counselor described in this passage

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 that's described in Isaiah is quite different.

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 The word here, it kind of relates to advising and planning.

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 Think of a royal advisor or, you know, a wise man.

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 If it really helps you, you can think about Yoda

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 or the Jedi Council in Star Wars

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 who were there to advise the Galactic Empire

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 on how to run their wisdom,

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 to give younger Jedi wisdom that they didn't have

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 because they lacked experience.

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 A counselor in this passage,

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 this wonderful counselor that Isaiah is talking about,

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 is someone who comes and he gives wisdom.

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 He teaches from his experience

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 and he teaches from a place of knowing and seeing

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 and understanding what is going on all around us.

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 So as we're unpacking this wonderful counselor,

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 I'm going to try to answer three questions.

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 The first is, why do we need a counselor at all?

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 The second, why do we need a wonderful counselor?

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 And lastly, how is Jesus this great, wise,

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 and wonderful counselor that we need?

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 So why do we need a counselor?

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 Think about your morning.

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 What happened between you waking up

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 and getting here today, this Sunday?

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 For me, my alarm went off early

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 because I wanted to go for a run.

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 And I stayed in bed and I thought,

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 oh, I really don't want to run.

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 I should probably sleep.

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 Then I remember that actually I'd said that

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 the past couple of days

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 and haven't been running for a while.

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 So I got up and went on that run.

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 I went on that run.

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 I got home.

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 I showered.

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 I had a Snickers bar.

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 I went to the community center.

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 I printed off my notes.

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 And I came here.

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 It's fairly simple.

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 If you're a young, single, childless guy like me,

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 you don't really need a counselor

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 to get from bed to church in the morning.

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 But some of you guys here have young children.

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 Some of you here have very sleepy teenagers.

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 And getting into church on a Sunday,

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 maybe you feel like you need a counselor.

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 You need wisdom to figure out the mess

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 of diapers and, you know, angsty teenagers

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 before you get here on Sunday.

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 Now, if you're here and you're young

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 and, you know, your Sunday is very simple,

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 get to know your family here.

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 Get to know some of the young people,

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 the young babies,

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 and the parents that take care of them

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 because they're your family as well.

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 Now, I'm not going to get sidetracked

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 talking about that.

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 We're going to look at this counselor.

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 We may not face it every day.

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 I really didn't face it this morning.

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 But at some point, we get to this place

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 where we realize that we don't know

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 which way we should take,

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 what our next step forward should be.

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 A singer, Bob Dylan, wrote a song about that.

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 He says that he's got mixed-up confusion

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 and it's killing him.

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 There's way too many people

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 and they're all too hard to please.

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 He says that his head is full of questions

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 and his temperature is rising fast.

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 Well, I'm looking for some answers

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 and I don't know who to ask.

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 Bob Dylan was confused.

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 Bob Dylan had questions.

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 Bob Dylan needed to ask somebody for some help.

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 You know, like Bob Dylan and like me,

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 it's usually only when we don't know what to do

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 that we realize we need help.

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 When the things that we try don't work anymore.

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 That we come to the realization

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 that maybe we're not as wise as we think we are.

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 Because most of the lives,

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 we live under this delusion

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 that we know what to do.

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 We know how to make right decisions.

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 We know how to go about our job

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 and our family life

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 and to deal with our relationships.

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 And some of us even think

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 that we've got it all together.

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 We start giving out advice to different people.

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 Thinking that because we've got

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 this little part of our life in order

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 that we can start telling everybody

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 and adding confusion to their lives

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 about how they should be doing it.

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 We need counselors because we don't know.

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 We need counselors because we don't have all the knowledge.

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 We need counselors because we don't have the skill

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 to deal with that knowledge

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 to help us understand and interpret

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 the world around us

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 and our different situations

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 that we're facing day by day, week by week.

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 And it's not just us.

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 King Ahaz, which you heard the scripture readings

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 and the video that we had earlier in the service,

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 he was the kind of person

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 who needed a counselor as well.

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 In the two chapters before this prophecy

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 for a wonderful counselor,

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 we see a king.

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 Ahaz is a ruler.

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 And he's a guy that people are looking to

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 because he's in a position of authority.

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 They look to him because he should be the one

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 that has everything under control.

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 But today, he doesn't.

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 Today, he hears that the kings of Syria

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 and the kings of Israel are coming

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 and they intend to wage war against him,

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 to kill him, and replace him with a puppet king.

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 The Bible says that all of Judah,

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 the king included,

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 were shaking like trees in the wind.

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 Now, I don't think anybody here today is a king.

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 But we all face situations like this

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 where we feel trapped,

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 where we feel lost and confused.

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 Earlier this year, I got my tax bill

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 and I looked at it and the number was huge.

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 They asked for money that was multiple times my salary

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 and even if I did manage to pay it,

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 I would have no more savings left

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 and I'd be down to a couple of pieces of rice every day.

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 I felt trapped.

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 It was, I walked around in a daze for a few days

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 just looking at this piece of paper wondering,

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 okay, if I look hard enough,

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 maybe the decimal point will move over

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 and this won't be so bad.

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 I felt trapped and I needed a counselor.

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 I needed someone who could see more than what I was seeing,

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 which was just lots and lots of zeros.

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 I needed someone who would look at this

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 and tell me, actually,

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 this is the way you should be reading it.

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 This is the way that you should be approaching this tax bill.

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 The king Ahaz needed someone who was going to come

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 and tell him that this is the way that you should look

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 at this enemy that's coming on your doorstep.

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 And each of us face situations

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 where we need someone to show us

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 and to tell us how it is

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 that we can look at and interpret

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 and understand what's going on in our day-to-day lives.

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 When we feel trapped with a doctor's diagnosis,

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 when we feel trapped with that phone call

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 from your child's principal,

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 when you feel trapped

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 because your employer tells you

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 that they simply can't afford to employ you anymore,

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 we look at these situations

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 where we're trapped and confused

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 and we don't understand what's going on

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 and we think that the situation

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 is our biggest problem.

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 We think that the situation that we're in

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 is the thing that we need to fix,

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 that we're going to devote our energy

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 and our heart and our mind

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 and everything that we can gather

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 and our resources to fixing.

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 But in Isaiah chapter 7,

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 God says something quite different.

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 God says that what we need is we need faith.

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 God tells King Ahaz

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 that if your faith is not firm,

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 you will not stand firm.

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 If your trust isn't in me,

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 then you can't deal with this enemy.

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 In our trouble,

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 God doesn't say

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 that we need to fix our environment.

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 He's a counselor that says,

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 here's the big picture.

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 Your feet are standing on jelly

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 and you need a counselor

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 who's going to look at this

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 with your best interests at heart,

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 who knows what is going on,

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 who understands what is going on

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 because he is a God

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 who knows all and sees all

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 that he has the wisdom

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 and the experience

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 and the knowledge

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 to walk with us through it.

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 To Ahaz, God says,

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 let me be your counselor.

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 God says,

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 don't be afraid of these people

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 because they're a dying fire.

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 They don't know it,

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 but their end is coming.

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 And I'll give you a guarantee.

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 I'll give you a promise.

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 He said there would be a virgin

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 who would give birth to a son,

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 God with us.

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 He says,

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 when you're feeling like God is far away,

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 when you're feeling trapped,

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 God will be with you.

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 We need counselors

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 because we don't see

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 that the situations that we enter

00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.580
 are like a dying fire.

00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:03.379
 They're temporary.

00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:05.580
 They're not forever.

00:13:06.160 --> 00:13:07.300
 We need a wonderful counselor

00:13:07.300 --> 00:13:08.520
 because our arrogance says

00:13:08.520 --> 00:13:09.700
 that we're going to figure out

00:13:09.700 --> 00:13:10.660
 a way to do it ourselves,

00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:12.660
 that we don't need to trust God.

00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:14.240
 We don't need to put our faith in God.

00:13:14.800 --> 00:13:15.780
 We're like a toddler

00:13:15.780 --> 00:13:17.680
 who's trying to put on his shoes

00:13:17.680 --> 00:13:18.280
 and is crying

00:13:18.280 --> 00:13:19.879
 because he's trying to put his left shoe

00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:21.080
 on his right foot

00:13:21.080 --> 00:13:21.920
 and it's not fitting.

00:13:22.580 --> 00:13:24.000
 And he's refusing to let

00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:26.820
 mommy and daddy give him a hand.

00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:29.620
 We need a counselor

00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:32.660
 because sometimes we think

00:13:32.660 --> 00:13:34.340
 that God is too close and interfering

00:13:34.340 --> 00:13:36.580
 or he's too far off

00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:37.740
 and he's untrustworthy.

00:13:38.260 --> 00:13:39.540
 The reality is that

00:13:39.540 --> 00:13:41.520
 God is not untrustworthy.

00:13:42.780 --> 00:13:44.700
 It's that we are not trusting.

00:13:47.580 --> 00:13:49.840
 God comes and he gives us a promise

00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:51.760
 in Isaiah

00:13:51.760 --> 00:13:53.940
 that God will be with us.

00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:56.900
 that in those desperate moments

00:13:56.900 --> 00:13:59.040
 that we are not alone,

00:13:59.940 --> 00:14:00.940
 that he's bringing

00:14:00.940 --> 00:14:03.760
 a counselor for us

00:14:03.760 --> 00:14:04.700
 who will give wisdom

00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:06.360
 and will shed light

00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:07.720
 on what it is

00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:08.580
 that we need to do.

00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:13.620
 Why does the counselor

00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:14.780
 we need

00:14:14.780 --> 00:14:15.760
 have to be wonderful?

00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.020
 Why does he have to be marvelous

00:14:18.020 --> 00:14:19.020
 and without understanding?

00:14:19.160 --> 00:14:20.800
 That's what the Hebrew word here means,

00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:21.880
 that it's something

00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:23.720
 that cannot be understood

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:25.480
 in human terms.

00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:27.279
 Why do we need a counselor

00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:28.100
 that is wonderful?

00:14:30.439 --> 00:14:31.899
 We don't have the answers

00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:34.139
 and for most of the time

00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:35.340
 I feel like I don't even know

00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:36.159
 the questions

00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:38.179
 that I'm supposed to be asking.

00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.799
 And when we go around

00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:42.720
 and we gather counselors around us

00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:44.259
 to help us deal with different aspects

00:14:44.259 --> 00:14:45.159
 of day-to-day life,

00:14:45.659 --> 00:14:47.519
 we go to a friend for advice,

00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:50.199
 we read the Financial Times

00:14:50.199 --> 00:14:51.279
 so we can know

00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:52.059
 what's going on

00:14:52.059 --> 00:14:53.079
 with the financial markets,

00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:54.960
 we have our different gurus

00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:55.659
 that we go to.

00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:57.100
 Some of you find them

00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:57.939
 in the pages of

00:14:57.939 --> 00:14:59.360
 the Cosmo magazine

00:14:59.360 --> 00:14:59.919
 or Elle

00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:01.059
 for your fashion tips.

00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:02.960
 If I have anything

00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:03.559
 to do with money,

00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:04.779
 I go and ask my dad

00:15:04.779 --> 00:15:06.019
 and he helps me understand

00:15:06.019 --> 00:15:07.519
 what this tax bill means.

00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:08.799
 And if he has questions

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:09.439
 about exercise,

00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:10.379
 he asks me

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:11.419
 and I still don't know

00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:12.240
 why he asks me.

00:15:13.299 --> 00:15:14.220
 But here in Asia,

00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:14.879
 we have other things

00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:15.539
 that we go to.

00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:18.159
 We go and we

00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:20.639
 go to gravestones

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:21.919
 and we burn justics

00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.319
 and we worship our ancestors

00:15:23.319 --> 00:15:24.439
 in hoping that they'll give us

00:15:24.439 --> 00:15:25.120
 good fortune,

00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:27.519
 that they'll be with us

00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.179
 as we're working

00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:28.939
 through our lives.

00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:31.139
 Or we go to palm readers

00:15:31.139 --> 00:15:32.659
 to read our future,

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:33.279
 then afterwards

00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:34.339
 to the Feng Shui Master

00:15:34.339 --> 00:15:35.459
 so he can help us

00:15:35.459 --> 00:15:36.399
 adjust our future.

00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:39.980
 But even when these things

00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:41.599
 go against what God asks for us,

00:15:41.620 --> 00:15:42.459
 even when they go against

00:15:42.459 --> 00:15:44.339
 what society asks for us,

00:15:44.340 --> 00:15:46.540
 we continue to seek

00:15:46.540 --> 00:15:48.040
 these other counselors.

00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:48.960
 You know,

00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:50.139
 just earlier this year

00:15:50.139 --> 00:15:51.540
 in Tianjin,

00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:53.300
 there was a communist party leader

00:15:53.300 --> 00:15:54.360
 who was removed

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.100
 from his position

00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:56.580
 because they found out

00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:59.420
 that against his cultural environment,

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:02.019
 against the party

00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:03.000
 which says that you shouldn't

00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:03.980
 be looking to those things,

00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:06.780
 he still went to his Feng Shui Master

00:16:06.780 --> 00:16:07.940
 to figure out how it was

00:16:07.940 --> 00:16:08.620
 that he was going to get

00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:09.259
 his promotions,

00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:10.680
 how it was he was going

00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:11.800
 to advance through the ranks

00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:12.979
 in the party.

00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:15.500
 And that's not the first time

00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:16.120
 this has happened

00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:17.939
 because God's people

00:16:17.939 --> 00:16:19.139
 also turned away

00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:19.859
 from what God

00:16:19.859 --> 00:16:20.659
 had asked of them

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:22.779
 to find a different counselor,

00:16:23.479 --> 00:16:24.539
 to find a counselor

00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:25.439
 who would give them

00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:26.579
 the answers they wanted

00:16:26.579 --> 00:16:28.240
 when they wanted them.

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.179
 We go,

00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:33.179
 and we turn away

00:16:33.179 --> 00:16:34.240
 from the counselor

00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:35.000
 that God has given

00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:37.379
 because we actually,

00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:38.620
 we're pretty impatient.

00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:41.060
 And I think this is the effect

00:16:41.060 --> 00:16:42.340
 that Google has had on us

00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:44.679
 because it teaches us

00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:45.600
 that we get our answers

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:46.399
 right now,

00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:47.919
 that we get them

00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:48.799
 when we want it.

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:50.039
 And if it's not Google,

00:16:50.139 --> 00:16:50.980
 then we go on Facebook.

00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:52.840
 And if not Facebook,

00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:54.340
 then we look on Wikipedia

00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.560
 to find answers

00:16:56.560 --> 00:16:57.340
 to our questions.

00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:59.259
 But instead of answers,

00:16:59.340 --> 00:16:59.620
 we get information.

00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:01.940
 And information

00:17:01.940 --> 00:17:04.079
 isn't really wisdom.

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:06.160
 Google isn't really

00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:08.380
 a wonderful counselor.

00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:10.500
 You know,

00:17:10.580 --> 00:17:12.380
 we turn to all these things

00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:15.000
 because at the bottom of it,

00:17:15.800 --> 00:17:17.840
 even as Christians,

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.980
 we don't trust

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:20.920
 an all-knowing,

00:17:21.100 --> 00:17:21.740
 our all-wise,

00:17:21.840 --> 00:17:24.160
 our loving Heavenly Father

00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.160
 who sees us

00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:29.360
 and wants to answer

00:17:29.360 --> 00:17:30.900
 not just the question of

00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:32.420
 what do I do today?

00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:35.000
 What do I do with my toddler

00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:35.779
 who won't eat?

00:17:36.840 --> 00:17:37.960
 What do I do

00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:39.580
 with this really,

00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:41.580
 really infuriating boss?

00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:43.640
 But he goes

00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:44.380
 and he sees

00:17:44.380 --> 00:17:45.900
 the bottom of it.

00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:47.960
 He sees our hearts

00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:49.040
 and he gives us wisdom

00:17:49.040 --> 00:17:50.120
 to deal not just

00:17:50.120 --> 00:17:50.700
 with the surface

00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:51.840
 of things in our life,

00:17:52.380 --> 00:17:54.440
 but with our hearts.

00:17:54.800 --> 00:17:55.640
 Because we have

00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:56.920
 deep heart questions

00:17:56.920 --> 00:17:59.019
 that we need to answer.

00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:01.340
 We have deep heart questions

00:18:01.340 --> 00:18:02.259
 that go beyond

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:04.340
 the crises that we face

00:18:04.340 --> 00:18:05.840
 day by day.

00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.799
 questions like,

00:18:08.159 --> 00:18:09.139
 how am I going to deal

00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:11.099
 with this guilt?

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.439
 How am I going to deal

00:18:14.439 --> 00:18:15.599
 with this sin

00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:16.319
 that seems to have

00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.399
 a stranglehold on me

00:18:17.399 --> 00:18:19.559
 and I can't shake?

00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:22.960
 God, how am I going to know

00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:23.720
 what it is that you have

00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:24.879
 planned for me in my life?

00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:25.960
 Should I take this job?

00:18:26.099 --> 00:18:26.819
 Should I quit

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:27.659
 the job that I'm in

00:18:27.659 --> 00:18:28.099
 right now?

00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:30.059
 How do I deal

00:18:30.059 --> 00:18:32.019
 with injustice

00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:33.159
 and poverty

00:18:33.159 --> 00:18:33.879
 and discrimination

00:18:33.879 --> 00:18:34.819
 that I see

00:18:34.819 --> 00:18:36.700
 all around me?

00:18:38.159 --> 00:18:38.980
 How can I have

00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:39.779
 this conversation

00:18:39.779 --> 00:18:41.819
 with my father

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.379
 who's dying

00:18:42.379 --> 00:18:43.240
 and I haven't talked

00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:44.940
 to in years?

00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:48.720
 We have all these questions

00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:49.400
 and very often

00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:50.180
 the answer we get

00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:50.820
 from God

00:18:50.820 --> 00:18:52.700
 either isn't one

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:53.480
 that we like

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:54.980
 or it doesn't come

00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:55.539
 right away

00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:56.400
 and it doesn't come

00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.480
 in our schedule

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:59.580
 and we don't trust God

00:18:59.580 --> 00:19:00.620
 and we run to Google

00:19:00.620 --> 00:19:02.380
 and we run to our gurus

00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:04.100
 to try and find our answer.

00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:06.980
 Because King Ahaz

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:07.759
 didn't trust God,

00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:08.519
 because we

00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:10.539
 didn't trust God,

00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:14.039
 God says,

00:19:14.639 --> 00:19:15.399
 you need a counselor.

00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:17.839
 You need

00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:20.180
 a wonderful counselor.

00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:25.920
 God sent an empire

00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.240
 to destroy Judah

00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:28.039
 because Ahaz

00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:28.839
 wouldn't trust him.

00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:31.460
 And even as this

00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:31.960
 was happening,

00:19:32.159 --> 00:19:33.079
 God called out

00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:34.139
 to his people in Judah

00:19:34.139 --> 00:19:35.460
 and he said,

00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:36.720
 don't be distracted

00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.399
 by what's happening

00:19:37.399 --> 00:19:37.940
 around you.

00:19:39.139 --> 00:19:40.519
 Keep trusting me.

00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:41.940
 Keep running to me.

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.139
 Keep fearing me.

00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:45.339
 Keep holding

00:19:45.339 --> 00:19:46.319
 on to my word.

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.279
 He says,

00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:49.180
 run to me

00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:50.720
 because there

00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.680
 you'll find wisdom.

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.639
 There you'll find hope.

00:19:54.619 --> 00:19:55.779
 There you'll find

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:56.759
 peace.

00:19:59.019 --> 00:19:59.980
 In chapter 8,

00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:01.119
 Isaiah says

00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:01.759
 that even though

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:02.839
 God isn't happy

00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:03.399
 with his children,

00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:05.039
 even though God

00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:05.960
 seems silent

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.539
 and far away,

00:20:08.779 --> 00:20:09.639
 even when the enemy

00:20:09.639 --> 00:20:10.519
 is knocking on the door

00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:11.019
 that he's going

00:20:11.019 --> 00:20:11.519
 to come through

00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:11.839
 for them.

00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:13.539
 He says,

00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:15.859
 patiently trust the Lord.

00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.660
 Wait for God.

00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:19.460
 Has anyone ever

00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:19.960
 told you that

00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:20.519
 when you're

00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:22.180
 struggling?

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:24.379
 When you can't figure out

00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:25.039
 and make sense

00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:25.960
 of your crisis?

00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:26.920
 It says,

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:28.480
 patiently wait for God.

00:20:29.019 --> 00:20:30.180
 That doesn't sound

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:31.059
 like the right response,

00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:32.099
 but that's what God says.

00:20:32.379 --> 00:20:32.639
 He says,

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:34.799
 patiently wait for me.

00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:39.980
 God says that God knows

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:40.799
 that we're impatient

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.240
 and when those two years

00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:44.000
 or three months

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.359
 or 30 seconds are up

00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.399
 and we're tired

00:20:46.399 --> 00:20:47.240
 of waiting for God,

00:20:47.919 --> 00:20:49.399
 we'll run to something else.

00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:51.980
 We'll run to our Google

00:20:51.980 --> 00:20:53.079
 and to our gurus

00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:54.519
 to find our answers.

00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:57.240
 He says that the people

00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:58.180
 around you will say,

00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:00.500
 forget God.

00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:01.359
 He's not going to help you.

00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.299
 Go to the fortune tellers

00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:04.359
 who make those chirping noises.

00:21:05.139 --> 00:21:06.460
 They will help you out.

00:21:06.899 --> 00:21:07.859
 They will give you wisdom.

00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:10.519
 He says,

00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:11.500
 they will say,

00:21:11.659 --> 00:21:13.359
 go and ask the spirits

00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:13.799
 of the dead

00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:14.579
 and maybe you're looking

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.099
 at me right now

00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:15.480
 and you're thinking,

00:21:15.639 --> 00:21:16.519
 I've never done that before.

00:21:16.639 --> 00:21:17.819
 I've never seen a fortune teller

00:21:17.819 --> 00:21:19.559
 or ask spirits of the dead,

00:21:19.659 --> 00:21:21.539
 but just because

00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:22.259
 you don't do this

00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:23.019
 doesn't mean that

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:24.759
 you're turning away from God.

00:21:24.839 --> 00:21:25.319
 It doesn't mean that

00:21:25.319 --> 00:21:28.700
 you are not running to God

00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:30.259
 for your hope

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:32.220
 because we go to things

00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:32.700
 that we think

00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:33.539
 will give us salvation.

00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:35.740
 We go to our friends

00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:36.620
 who we think

00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:37.620
 will give us the answers

00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:39.160
 to deal with our struggle.

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:41.759
 When God doesn't seem to work,

00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:44.299
 when God doesn't seem

00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:46.039
 to be answering your questions,

00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:49.380
 who are you going to?

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.120
 Who are you asking?

00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:52.779
 Who are you hoping

00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:55.140
 will give you wisdom?

00:21:55.860 --> 00:21:56.700
 Who are you hoping

00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:58.680
 will answer your questions?

00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:02.980
 The Bible tells us

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:04.980
 that God will answer.

00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:07.140
 The Bible also tells us

00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:07.720
 that the gods

00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:08.700
 that we're looking for

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:11.160
 will leave us dead.

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:14.600
 Verses 21 and 22

00:22:14.600 --> 00:22:17.380
 of chapter 8 say that.

00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:19.360
 They say that for these people,

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.279
 they are going to be

00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:22.160
 greatly troubled

00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:23.480
 and distressed

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:25.440
 because their counselors

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.079
 will give them food

00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:27.839
 for a little bit

00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:30.039
 but it won't reach

00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:30.539
 their hunger.

00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:32.740
 It will give them

00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:33.720
 a little bit of light

00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:35.640
 but it won't show them

00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:36.000
 the way.

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:37.579
 Because Google

00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:38.660
 will give us three ways

00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:39.700
 to fix our life

00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:41.740
 now

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:43.720
 on our schedule

00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:44.980
 and not God's.

00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:45.980
 The palm readers

00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:46.819
 will tell us that

00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:48.519
 this is your future

00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:50.039
 and now you can be

00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:50.599
 the driver

00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:51.680
 of your destiny.

00:22:52.900 --> 00:22:53.680
 Our counselors

00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:54.180
 and gurus

00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:54.900
 will speak to us

00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:55.779
 on our terms

00:22:55.779 --> 00:22:56.579
 and tell us that

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:58.200
 even as we're struggling,

00:22:58.799 --> 00:22:59.660
 we can still

00:22:59.660 --> 00:23:00.819
 be the rulers

00:23:00.819 --> 00:23:02.119
 and the king

00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:02.980
 of our little kingdoms.

00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:06.119
 And that's what Ahaz did.

00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:08.579
 Ahaz said,

00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:08.859
 actually,

00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:09.660
 I don't want to wait

00:23:09.660 --> 00:23:10.400
 on God.

00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:11.639
 I don't want to wait

00:23:11.639 --> 00:23:13.420
 for this promised child.

00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:14.539
 I'm going to go to Assyria

00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:15.480
 and I'm going to ask them

00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:16.400
 to help me

00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:17.720
 deal with Israel

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:19.039
 and Syria

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.059
 who are trying

00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:20.700
 to kill us.

00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.059
 In the end,

00:23:23.360 --> 00:23:25.000
 God used the same Assyria

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.940
 that Ahaz went to

00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:26.519
 for help

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:28.400
 to conquer

00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:29.279
 and to destroy

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:29.819
 the kingdom

00:23:29.819 --> 00:23:30.460
 that he was trying

00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:30.960
 to save.

00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:36.140
 The Bible teaches us

00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:39.039
 that our earthly counselors

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:40.120
 may do a good job

00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:40.940
 at helping us

00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:41.519
 right now

00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:43.299
 but ultimately

00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:45.079
 they will lead

00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:46.140
 to our death.

00:23:46.140 --> 00:23:48.100
 that they're like

00:23:48.100 --> 00:23:49.300
 they're like

00:23:49.300 --> 00:23:50.180
 a little match

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:51.320
 that we're trying

00:23:51.320 --> 00:23:51.800
 to light

00:23:51.800 --> 00:23:53.380
 in a huge

00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:54.220
 corn maze

00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:56.520
 when God

00:23:56.520 --> 00:23:57.259
 instead is offering

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:57.980
 us GPS

00:23:57.980 --> 00:24:00.280
 and sunlight.

00:24:02.520 --> 00:24:03.340
 The problem

00:24:03.340 --> 00:24:04.160
 with our counselors,

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:05.120
 the problem

00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:07.040
 with the Financial Times

00:24:07.040 --> 00:24:07.720
 and Google

00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:08.240
 and Wikipedia

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.360
 and social media

00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:11.200
 and our fortune tellers

00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:11.640
 is that

00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:13.200
 they don't get

00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:13.820
 to the heart

00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:14.439
 of our matter.

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.559
 They don't get

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.119
 to the bottom

00:24:16.119 --> 00:24:17.720
 of our souls

00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:18.619
 and our desires

00:24:18.619 --> 00:24:19.519
 and the things

00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:22.000
 that are taking

00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:22.779
 our crises

00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:23.899
 and making them

00:24:23.899 --> 00:24:25.279
 seem eternal

00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.639
 and all encompassing

00:24:27.639 --> 00:24:31.919
 because

00:24:31.919 --> 00:24:34.960
 your analyst

00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:35.500
 will help you

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:35.980
 figure out

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.480
 how to make

00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:36.819
 the most

00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:37.240
 of the market

00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:39.620
 but

00:24:39.620 --> 00:24:40.559
 it may not

00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:41.120
 tell you

00:24:41.120 --> 00:24:42.960
 how to deal

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:43.779
 with greed.

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:45.799
 Oprah will teach

00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:46.359
 you how to make

00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:46.779
 friends

00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:47.620
 but she won't

00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:48.279
 help you deal

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:48.940
 with the loneliness

00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:51.079
 in your soul.

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:54.059
 You can do

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:54.779
 all the community

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.359
 service

00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:56.240
 that you want

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:56.939
 but it won't

00:24:56.939 --> 00:24:58.460
 deal

00:24:58.460 --> 00:24:59.259
 with your guilt.

00:25:00.899 --> 00:25:01.740
 You can rearrange

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.480
 your office

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:04.000
 but it won't

00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:04.639
 help you deal

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.619
 with the unease

00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:06.759
 that you feel

00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:07.159
 because you're

00:25:07.159 --> 00:25:07.779
 out of control.

00:25:09.639 --> 00:25:10.519
 You can go

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.259
 and get the best

00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:11.740
 advisors

00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:12.639
 who will help you

00:25:12.639 --> 00:25:13.460
 get into the best

00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:14.639
 companies in your field

00:25:14.639 --> 00:25:16.679
 but they will

00:25:16.679 --> 00:25:17.220
 let you down

00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:18.139
 because you will

00:25:18.139 --> 00:25:18.539
 get there

00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:18.799
 and you're

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.240
 at the bottom

00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:21.019
 and if you're

00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:21.519
 a fresh guy

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:21.779
 you're going

00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:22.140
 to be looking

00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:22.799
 up and wondering

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.759
 how is it

00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:24.059
 that I'm going

00:25:24.059 --> 00:25:24.880
 to get to the top

00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:25.819
 and you'll find

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.660
 mentors will help

00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:27.099
 you get there

00:25:27.099 --> 00:25:27.640
 but even though

00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:28.579
 you get to the top

00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:30.099
 it still won't

00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:30.779
 deal with your

00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:31.279
 longing

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.859
 for meaning

00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:34.259
 and significance

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.819
 and belonging

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:38.099
 and love.

00:25:39.859 --> 00:25:40.680
 Our counselors

00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:41.559
 don't reach

00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:43.220
 the bottom

00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:44.559
 of our troubled

00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:45.019
 hearts.

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:46.680
 They just deal

00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:47.220
 with things

00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:48.120
 on the surface

00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:50.099
 they make us

00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:50.979
 feel satisfied

00:25:50.979 --> 00:25:52.500
 and appeased

00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:53.159
 now

00:25:53.159 --> 00:25:54.879
 but not

00:25:54.879 --> 00:25:55.319
 in the long

00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:55.679
 term.

00:25:56.719 --> 00:25:57.500
 In C.S. Lewis's

00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.079
 The Lion, Witch

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:58.719
 and the Wardrobe

00:25:58.719 --> 00:25:59.699
 Edmund was

00:25:59.699 --> 00:26:00.179
 tempted

00:26:00.179 --> 00:26:01.819
 by the

00:26:01.819 --> 00:26:03.099
 witch's

00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:04.579
 Turkish delight

00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:05.899
 it was tasty

00:26:05.899 --> 00:26:06.539
 and delicious

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:07.099
 and made him

00:26:07.099 --> 00:26:07.779
 want more

00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:09.419
 but in the end

00:26:09.419 --> 00:26:10.039
 he realized

00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:11.919
 that the witch

00:26:11.919 --> 00:26:12.419
 was just going

00:26:12.419 --> 00:26:13.039
 to leave him

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.139
 with stale bread

00:26:14.139 --> 00:26:15.119
 not more candy

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.459
 and that the

00:26:16.459 --> 00:26:16.899
 promises

00:26:16.899 --> 00:26:18.139
 that the witch

00:26:18.139 --> 00:26:18.659
 gave him

00:26:18.659 --> 00:26:19.039
 of being

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:19.879
 in control

00:26:19.879 --> 00:26:21.419
 of his brothers

00:26:21.419 --> 00:26:21.959
 and sisters

00:26:21.959 --> 00:26:23.699
 actually

00:26:23.699 --> 00:26:25.299
 were never

00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:25.759
 going to come

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:26.019
 true.

00:26:28.099 --> 00:26:28.899
 We need a

00:26:28.899 --> 00:26:29.639
 wonderful counselor

00:26:29.639 --> 00:26:32.859
 a counselor

00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:33.279
 who's going

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.659
 to understand

00:26:34.659 --> 00:26:35.819
 our world

00:26:35.819 --> 00:26:36.939
 and our lives

00:26:36.939 --> 00:26:38.419
 beyond the

00:26:38.419 --> 00:26:38.879
 surface

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:41.100
 because

00:26:41.100 --> 00:26:43.620
 our

00:26:43.620 --> 00:26:44.740
 earthly

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.340
 counselors

00:26:45.340 --> 00:26:47.340
 will only

00:26:47.340 --> 00:26:47.980
 touch the

00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:48.360
 top

00:26:48.360 --> 00:26:49.760
 of our

00:26:49.760 --> 00:26:50.300
 problems

00:26:50.300 --> 00:26:51.860
 that they'll

00:26:51.860 --> 00:26:52.540
 never give us

00:26:52.540 --> 00:26:52.860
 wisdom

00:26:52.860 --> 00:26:53.520
 to deal

00:26:53.520 --> 00:26:54.640
 with what's

00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.300
 going on

00:26:55.300 --> 00:26:55.840
 underneath.

00:26:57.800 --> 00:26:58.680
 They'll make us

00:26:58.680 --> 00:26:59.400
 feel like the

00:26:59.400 --> 00:27:00.040
 rulers of our

00:27:00.040 --> 00:27:00.560
 lives

00:27:00.560 --> 00:27:01.500
 but never

00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:02.160
 really give us

00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:02.620
 control

00:27:02.620 --> 00:27:04.780
 like that

00:27:04.780 --> 00:27:05.160
 toddler

00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:06.800
 you know

00:27:06.800 --> 00:27:07.920
 they're like

00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:08.340
 a toddler

00:27:08.340 --> 00:27:08.920
 going to another

00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:09.580
 two year old

00:27:09.580 --> 00:27:10.540
 to get them

00:27:10.540 --> 00:27:11.100
 to explain

00:27:11.100 --> 00:27:11.740
 shoelaces

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:14.259
 because we need

00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:14.620
 a wonderful

00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:15.040
 counselor

00:27:15.040 --> 00:27:15.320
 because our

00:27:15.320 --> 00:27:15.960
 earthly counselors

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:17.900
 can't explain

00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:19.120
 what is going

00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:19.700
 on beneath.

00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.160
 They can't give us

00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:21.700
 peace

00:27:21.700 --> 00:27:23.120
 and hope

00:27:23.120 --> 00:27:24.759
 to work through

00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:26.100
 the trouble

00:27:26.100 --> 00:27:26.680
 that we're in.

00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:28.019
 They can't give us

00:27:28.019 --> 00:27:28.460
 wisdom

00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:29.680
 that goes

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.540
 beyond the

00:27:30.540 --> 00:27:30.960
 surface.

00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:35.039
 So where does

00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.640
 Jesus come to

00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:36.039
 this picture?

00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:37.860
 How does

00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.539
 Jesus come

00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.039
 and how is

00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:40.640
 he our

00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:41.279
 wonderful

00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:41.799
 counselor?

00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:43.519
 How is he

00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:44.100
 the answer

00:27:44.100 --> 00:27:45.579
 to Ahaz's

00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:46.340
 trouble?

00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:47.799
 How is he

00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:49.259
 our wise

00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:49.640
 counselor

00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:49.940
 who's going

00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:50.259
 to come

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:50.700
 into our

00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:51.240
 lives

00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:52.960
 and give us

00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:53.380
 wisdom and

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:53.960
 understanding

00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:54.559
 and help us

00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.240
 to walk

00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:55.579
 through

00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:56.440
 trouble?

00:27:58.519 --> 00:27:59.100
 You don't

00:27:59.100 --> 00:27:59.600
 have to read

00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:00.079
 much of the

00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:00.600
 Bible or even

00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.039
 be really

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.679
 familiar with

00:28:01.679 --> 00:28:02.699
 it to know

00:28:02.699 --> 00:28:03.559
 that Jesus

00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:04.099
 was a wise

00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:04.579
 counselor.

00:28:06.459 --> 00:28:06.939
 If you're

00:28:06.939 --> 00:28:07.379
 non-Christian

00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:07.839
 you may even

00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:08.299
 think that he

00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:08.959
 is a wise

00:28:08.959 --> 00:28:09.379
 teacher,

00:28:09.899 --> 00:28:11.359
 a moral

00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:11.859
 prophet.

00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:14.500
 But just

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:14.819
 another

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:15.379
 counselor,

00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:17.899
 not really

00:28:17.899 --> 00:28:18.359
 God.

00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:21.039
 I think that

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:21.839
 for many of

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:23.000
 us we look

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.399
 at the things

00:28:23.399 --> 00:28:23.779
 that Jesus

00:28:23.779 --> 00:28:24.240
 said,

00:28:24.619 --> 00:28:24.899
 we look at

00:28:24.899 --> 00:28:25.259
 the things

00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:26.339
 that he

00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:27.119
 did and we

00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:27.599
 think that

00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:28.419
 they're foolish.

00:28:28.679 --> 00:28:29.059
 We might say

00:28:29.059 --> 00:28:29.699
 that those are

00:28:29.699 --> 00:28:30.159
 very holy

00:28:30.159 --> 00:28:30.459
 things.

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:30.680
 Those are

00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:31.019
 very good

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.380
 things.

00:28:32.200 --> 00:28:32.600
 But in the

00:28:32.600 --> 00:28:32.799
 bottom of

00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.059
 our heart

00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:34.019
 we think

00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.420
 that the

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:34.759
 things that

00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.200
 Jesus said

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.579
 are foolish.

00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:36.079
 And if you

00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:36.380
 look at

00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:36.740
 Matthew

00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.880
 chapter 5

00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:38.380
 and Matthew

00:28:38.380 --> 00:28:39.039
 through Matthew

00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:39.579
 chapter 7,

00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:40.079
 the Sermon on

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:40.360
 the Mount,

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:41.299
 Jesus says

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:41.900
 all kinds

00:28:41.900 --> 00:28:42.319
 of things

00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.680
 which our

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.440
 earthly counselors,

00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:45.299
 even our

00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:45.860
 own selves

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:46.340
 would say are

00:28:46.340 --> 00:28:46.799
 ridiculous,

00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:47.160
 that there

00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:47.900
 are no ways

00:28:47.900 --> 00:28:48.500
 to deal.

00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:49.400
 There are not

00:28:49.400 --> 00:28:49.900
 the ways to

00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:50.319
 deal with the

00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:50.620
 world.

00:28:51.579 --> 00:28:52.400
 He says that

00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:53.740
 it's not the

00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:55.140
 proud and the

00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:56.420
 strong that will

00:28:56.420 --> 00:28:57.039
 inherit an earth,

00:28:57.140 --> 00:28:58.519
 but the weak

00:28:58.519 --> 00:28:59.759
 and the

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.059
 humble.

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:02.000
 He says that

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.539
 anger isn't

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:03.200
 just about

00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:05.420
 you being

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.700
 right and

00:29:06.700 --> 00:29:07.079
 you being

00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:07.700
 justified,

00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:09.960
 but that our

00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:10.559
 anger should lead

00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:10.920
 us to

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:12.059
 reconciliation and

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:12.519
 humility.

00:29:14.099 --> 00:29:15.019
 Jesus said that

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:16.700
 actually marriage is

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:17.259
 something that he

00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:18.519
 wants us to work

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.139
 through when the

00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:19.859
 going gets tough,

00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:21.680
 not to cut and

00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:22.339
 run at the

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:23.299
 earliest opportunity.

00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:25.759
 he told his

00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:26.419
 followers that

00:29:26.419 --> 00:29:26.919
 actually they

00:29:26.919 --> 00:29:27.460
 shouldn't seek

00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:28.299
 retaliation for

00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:28.720
 those who are

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.259
 hurting them and

00:29:29.259 --> 00:29:29.519
 those who are

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.039
 trying to kill

00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:30.919
 them, but

00:29:30.919 --> 00:29:31.519
 instead they

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.359
 should love

00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:33.180
 their enemies,

00:29:33.559 --> 00:29:33.940
 they should

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:35.539
 serve their

00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:35.839
 enemies.

00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.079
 He told these

00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:40.200
 people that

00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:40.980
 they shouldn't

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:42.299
 worry about

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:43.240
 treasures here on

00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:43.879
 earth, but they

00:29:43.879 --> 00:29:45.359
 should store up

00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:47.019
 seemingly intangible

00:29:47.019 --> 00:29:48.019
 heavenly treasures.

00:29:50.899 --> 00:29:51.720
 Now, if you

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:52.460
 took these things

00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:52.799
 and you wrote

00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:53.140
 them in the

00:29:53.140 --> 00:29:54.160
 Financial Times,

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:57.380
 well, they

00:29:57.380 --> 00:29:57.640
 wouldn't get

00:29:57.640 --> 00:29:58.079
 published.

00:29:58.279 --> 00:29:59.140
 They don't make

00:29:59.140 --> 00:29:59.700
 sense.

00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:01.360
 Our earthly

00:30:01.360 --> 00:30:02.100
 counselors don't

00:30:02.100 --> 00:30:04.360
 see this as a

00:30:04.360 --> 00:30:05.579
 way to dealing

00:30:05.579 --> 00:30:06.319
 with the world, a

00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:07.840
 way for working

00:30:07.840 --> 00:30:08.380
 through our

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:09.059
 trouble, a way

00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:11.100
 for living wisely.

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:13.059
 But these

00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:13.840
 seemingly foolish

00:30:13.840 --> 00:30:14.500
 things, they

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.600
 teach us to

00:30:15.600 --> 00:30:17.620
 trust God.

00:30:18.600 --> 00:30:19.059
 The very

00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.460
 problem that

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:19.980
 Ahaz in the

00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:21.259
 beginning had

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:21.720
 when God

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:22.380
 said if you're

00:30:22.380 --> 00:30:23.040
 faith is not

00:30:23.040 --> 00:30:23.680
 firm, then you

00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:24.200
 won't be firm

00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:24.620
 at all.

00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:26.840
 They teach us to

00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:27.540
 trust God and

00:30:27.540 --> 00:30:28.200
 have faith and

00:30:28.200 --> 00:30:29.620
 trust that he is

00:30:29.620 --> 00:30:30.160
 going to be the

00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:31.400
 one that is going

00:30:31.400 --> 00:30:32.120
 to come through

00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.600
 for us.

00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:34.120
 The things that

00:30:34.120 --> 00:30:36.080
 Jesus says are

00:30:36.080 --> 00:30:37.560
 wise seem

00:30:37.560 --> 00:30:40.540
 foolish because

00:30:40.540 --> 00:30:41.220
 we aren't

00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:42.740
 thinking of a

00:30:42.740 --> 00:30:44.080
 God who is

00:30:44.080 --> 00:30:44.740
 telling us these

00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.780
 things, who

00:30:45.780 --> 00:30:46.480
 says I'm going

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.160
 to be with you

00:30:47.160 --> 00:30:48.259
 and I'm going to

00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:48.880
 carry you

00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:50.040
 through this

00:30:50.040 --> 00:30:51.920
 seemingly foolish

00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:52.740
 and ridiculous

00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:54.740
 list of wise

00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:55.360
 sayings.

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.740
 And it's not

00:30:57.740 --> 00:30:58.220
 just the things

00:30:58.220 --> 00:30:59.040
 that Jesus says

00:30:59.040 --> 00:30:59.720
 that are foolish.

00:31:00.140 --> 00:31:00.920
 The way in which

00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:02.120
 Jesus saves us

00:31:02.120 --> 00:31:03.440
 is foolish.

00:31:04.320 --> 00:31:04.759
 Couldn't he have

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.500
 saved us by

00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:06.220
 raising up a

00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:07.200
 giant army or

00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:08.040
 through a

00:31:08.040 --> 00:31:09.040
 political revolution?

00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:11.320
 Could he have

00:31:11.320 --> 00:31:12.000
 saved us by any

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:12.820
 other way rather

00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:14.340
 than being hung

00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:15.740
 up on a cross?

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:19.159
 You know, the

00:31:19.159 --> 00:31:20.839
 Greeks and the

00:31:20.839 --> 00:31:21.519
 wise Jews of

00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:21.959
 that day said

00:31:21.959 --> 00:31:22.699
 that's ridiculous.

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.379
 There's no way

00:31:24.379 --> 00:31:24.919
 that he's our

00:31:24.919 --> 00:31:25.379
 God and our

00:31:25.379 --> 00:31:26.199
 Savior because

00:31:26.199 --> 00:31:28.199
 a God shouldn't

00:31:28.199 --> 00:31:28.559
 die.

00:31:28.759 --> 00:31:29.439
 God shouldn't

00:31:29.439 --> 00:31:30.379
 let himself be

00:31:30.379 --> 00:31:31.240
 disgraced like

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:31.639
 that.

00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:34.419
 And even the

00:31:34.419 --> 00:31:34.919
 way in which

00:31:34.919 --> 00:31:36.000
 Jesus comes

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.199
 into our life,

00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:38.480
 the advent that

00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:39.159
 we're remembering

00:31:39.159 --> 00:31:40.659
 is foolish in

00:31:40.659 --> 00:31:41.599
 our eyes because

00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:43.019
 our wise

00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:43.579
 counselor,

00:31:44.339 --> 00:31:45.339
 shouldn't be

00:31:45.339 --> 00:31:47.319
 born in a

00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:47.879
 haystack.

00:31:48.919 --> 00:31:49.359
 Our wise

00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:50.939
 counselor should

00:31:50.939 --> 00:31:51.679
 be given all

00:31:51.679 --> 00:31:52.199
 the privilege,

00:31:52.419 --> 00:31:52.759
 should be the

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.799
 child of nobles,

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:55.179
 should be sent

00:31:55.179 --> 00:31:55.939
 to the Oxfords

00:31:55.939 --> 00:31:56.740
 and the Cambridges

00:31:56.740 --> 00:31:57.359
 and getting his

00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:59.000
 PhDs to

00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.019
 understand the

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:01.079
 world so he

00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:02.079
 can advise the

00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:02.919
 wisest people

00:32:02.919 --> 00:32:04.199
 on how to

00:32:04.199 --> 00:32:04.919
 live their life.

00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:08.299
 Instead,

00:32:09.059 --> 00:32:10.759
 God asks

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.579
 Mary and

00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:12.720
 Joseph to

00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.199
 trust him.

00:32:14.339 --> 00:32:15.119
 He asks the

00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:16.319
 people of

00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:17.839
 Judah to

00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.480
 trust him

00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:20.539
 because he's

00:32:20.539 --> 00:32:20.899
 going to send

00:32:20.899 --> 00:32:21.379
 them a wise

00:32:21.379 --> 00:32:23.099
 counselor and

00:32:23.099 --> 00:32:23.419
 he's going to

00:32:23.419 --> 00:32:24.720
 be born to a

00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:25.480
 young carpenter

00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:26.720
 and his

00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:27.679
 disgraced wife

00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:29.319
 in a barn.

00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:31.259
 And this

00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:32.259
 foolish

00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:35.240
 birth is

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:35.899
 actually the

00:32:35.899 --> 00:32:36.740
 greatest wisdom.

00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:36.799
 wisdom.

00:32:38.359 --> 00:32:38.599
 The

00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:39.259
 apostle Paul,

00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:39.680
 a church

00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:40.160
 planter,

00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:42.000
 wrote about

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.680
 20 years

00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:43.160
 after Jesus'

00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:43.660
 death,

00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:44.920
 he says

00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:45.740
 that God

00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:46.880
 chose things

00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:48.539
 that are

00:32:48.539 --> 00:32:49.059
 foolish

00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:50.960
 to shame

00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.720
 the wise.

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.839
 He chose

00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:55.819
 things that

00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:56.359
 are weak

00:32:56.359 --> 00:32:57.140
 to shame

00:32:57.140 --> 00:32:57.559
 the strong,

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:57.920
 that the

00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:58.700
 foolishness

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.980
 of God

00:32:59.980 --> 00:33:00.900
 is wiser

00:33:00.900 --> 00:33:01.799
 than the

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.460
 wisest wisdom

00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:02.940
 of man.

00:33:04.980 --> 00:33:05.960
 Paul wrote

00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:09.400
 that God

00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:12.940
 is a

00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:13.819
 great God

00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:14.840
 who knows

00:33:14.840 --> 00:33:15.680
 and sees

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.799
 and loves

00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:17.660
 and cares

00:33:17.660 --> 00:33:18.759
 and is

00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.420
 looking out

00:33:19.420 --> 00:33:20.840
 for your

00:33:20.840 --> 00:33:22.000
 best.

00:33:23.299 --> 00:33:24.700
 That when

00:33:24.700 --> 00:33:25.380
 he gives you

00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:25.759
 wisdom,

00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:27.400
 that tiny

00:33:27.400 --> 00:33:28.019
 little bit of

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:28.319
 wisdom,

00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:28.399
 wisdom,

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.460
 that is

00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:31.919
 greater than

00:33:31.919 --> 00:33:32.819
 anything any

00:33:32.819 --> 00:33:33.139
 of your

00:33:33.139 --> 00:33:34.000
 counselors or

00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:34.819
 fortune tellers

00:33:34.819 --> 00:33:36.079
 or Google

00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:36.759
 or Wikipedia

00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:37.240
 will ever

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:37.720
 tell you.

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:41.980
 He says

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.579
 that Jesus,

00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:45.279
 the baby,

00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:47.279
 Jesus who

00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:47.720
 taught,

00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:48.819
 Jesus who

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:49.439
 eventually would

00:33:49.439 --> 00:33:49.879
 die on a

00:33:49.879 --> 00:33:50.259
 cross,

00:33:51.359 --> 00:33:51.980
 became

00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:52.960
 wisdom

00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.740
 for us.

00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:56.399
 Now here's

00:33:56.399 --> 00:33:56.779
 the thing about

00:33:56.779 --> 00:33:57.119
 a wonderful

00:33:57.119 --> 00:33:57.559
 counselor.

00:33:59.059 --> 00:33:59.839
 Jesus reaches

00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:00.159
 the bottom

00:34:00.159 --> 00:34:00.419
 of our

00:34:00.419 --> 00:34:00.740
 hearts.

00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:01.500
 He deals

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:03.819
 with our

00:34:03.819 --> 00:34:04.279
 sin and

00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:04.740
 our rebellion,

00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:05.179
 the things

00:34:05.179 --> 00:34:05.519
 that we

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.379
 do that

00:34:06.379 --> 00:34:06.899
 go against

00:34:06.899 --> 00:34:07.159
 God.

00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:07.519
 He deals

00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:07.839
 with our

00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:08.440
 arrogance

00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:09.619
 that makes

00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:09.960
 us say,

00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:10.340
 no,

00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:10.679
 we're going

00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:10.880
 to put

00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:11.159
 on the

00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:11.380
 shoe

00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:12.099
 ourself.

00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:16.880
 He deals

00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:17.340
 with that

00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:18.019
 and he

00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:18.400
 says,

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.139
 the way

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:19.360
 that you

00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:19.940
 find wisdom

00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:20.400
 isn't by

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:20.880
 being on

00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:21.199
 the throne

00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:21.460
 of your

00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:21.799
 life,

00:34:22.420 --> 00:34:22.900
 isn't by

00:34:22.900 --> 00:34:23.299
 being in

00:34:23.299 --> 00:34:23.679
 control,

00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.559
 but by

00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:26.340
 stepping off

00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:27.500
 your throne.

00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:30.300
 letting Jesus

00:34:30.300 --> 00:34:31.019
 sit in your

00:34:31.019 --> 00:34:33.620
 place and

00:34:33.620 --> 00:34:34.100
 saying that

00:34:34.100 --> 00:34:34.380
 Jesus,

00:34:34.600 --> 00:34:34.780
 you're going

00:34:34.780 --> 00:34:35.220
 to be my

00:34:35.220 --> 00:34:35.600
 king,

00:34:36.100 --> 00:34:36.840
 my savior,

00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:37.960
 my advisor,

00:34:38.900 --> 00:34:40.340
 my counselor.

00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:42.480
 You're doing this

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:43.980
 picture of a

00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:45.240
 toddler struggling

00:34:45.240 --> 00:34:46.620
 to put a left

00:34:46.620 --> 00:34:47.059
 shoe on his

00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:47.380
 right.

00:34:48.780 --> 00:34:49.559
 We need a

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.039
 loving heavenly

00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:51.820
 father who's

00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:52.360
 going to say,

00:34:53.059 --> 00:34:53.880
 no, that's not

00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:54.300
 the way you put

00:34:54.300 --> 00:34:54.940
 on your shoes.

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:56.800
 Jesus says,

00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:57.460
 and to take

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:58.340
 us and gently

00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.500
 put the shoe

00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:00.240
 on our right

00:35:00.240 --> 00:35:02.340
 foot and tie

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:03.400
 the knot in

00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:04.139
 our laces for

00:35:04.139 --> 00:35:04.539
 us.

00:35:06.940 --> 00:35:07.920
 Jesus says

00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:09.059
 that if you

00:35:09.059 --> 00:35:09.659
 trust me,

00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:11.019
 if you have

00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:11.740
 faith in me,

00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.360
 I'm going to

00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:13.880
 send my Holy

00:35:13.880 --> 00:35:14.500
 Spirit to be

00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:14.960
 with you,

00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:16.179
 to be your

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:16.599
 counselor,

00:35:17.300 --> 00:35:18.260
 to walk you

00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:19.260
 through your

00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:19.659
 life.

00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:22.199
 I think it

00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:22.579
 can be really

00:35:22.579 --> 00:35:23.119
 easy, and I

00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:23.639
 think especially

00:35:23.639 --> 00:35:24.539
 talking about

00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:25.219
 Jesus as a

00:35:25.219 --> 00:35:25.899
 wonderful counselor

00:35:25.899 --> 00:35:26.480
 to think of

00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:27.799
 Christianity as

00:35:27.799 --> 00:35:28.480
 good advice.

00:35:30.139 --> 00:35:30.559
 You know, that

00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:31.879
 if we do all

00:35:31.879 --> 00:35:32.379
 the things that

00:35:32.379 --> 00:35:33.139
 Jesus says,

00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:37.940
 if we stop

00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:38.359
 looking for

00:35:38.359 --> 00:35:38.940
 the advice,

00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:39.440
 that we'll be

00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:39.759
 happy.

00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:41.019
 That if we only

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:41.399
 go to our

00:35:41.399 --> 00:35:42.879
 pastors to help

00:35:42.879 --> 00:35:43.219
 us deal with

00:35:43.219 --> 00:35:43.799
 our problems,

00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:44.859
 that we'll have

00:35:44.859 --> 00:35:45.279
 peace.

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:46.799
 That if we're at

00:35:46.799 --> 00:35:47.619
 church every

00:35:47.619 --> 00:35:48.299
 Sunday, that we're

00:35:48.299 --> 00:35:48.599
 going to have

00:35:48.599 --> 00:35:48.960
 meaning.

00:35:49.659 --> 00:35:50.339
 a purpose in

00:35:50.339 --> 00:35:50.739
 our life.

00:35:50.819 --> 00:35:51.399
 That if I use

00:35:51.399 --> 00:35:52.099
 the Bible as

00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:53.420
 my manual,

00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:56.659
 then everything

00:35:56.659 --> 00:35:57.279
 will be alright.

00:35:58.199 --> 00:35:58.799
 But Christianity

00:35:58.799 --> 00:35:59.480
 isn't just an

00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:01.359
 encouragement for

00:36:01.359 --> 00:36:02.279
 nice people who

00:36:02.279 --> 00:36:02.839
 want religion.

00:36:05.359 --> 00:36:06.199
 Our wonderful

00:36:06.199 --> 00:36:07.039
 counselor isn't

00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:09.159
 there to help

00:36:09.159 --> 00:36:09.899
 you have a little

00:36:09.899 --> 00:36:11.739
 Jesus wisdom in

00:36:11.739 --> 00:36:12.299
 your life.

00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.339
 Because if we're

00:36:14.339 --> 00:36:14.920
 doing that, if

00:36:14.920 --> 00:36:16.039
 we're just using

00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:17.139
 Christianity as

00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:18.460
 another

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:21.199
 head on to

00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:21.740
 the list of

00:36:21.740 --> 00:36:22.220
 counselors that

00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:23.720
 we have, then

00:36:23.720 --> 00:36:24.940
 really we're

00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:25.500
 missing a point.

00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:26.440
 We've just

00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:28.139
 Christianized our

00:36:28.139 --> 00:36:28.579
 counsel.

00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:30.679
 Because Christianity

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:33.240
 is not good

00:36:33.240 --> 00:36:33.619
 advice.

00:36:33.699 --> 00:36:34.500
 It's good news.

00:36:35.780 --> 00:36:36.579
 It's good news

00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:38.539
 that says that

00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:39.519
 God sees us in

00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:40.480
 our struggle and

00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:41.159
 he hasn't left us

00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:41.380
 alone.

00:36:41.460 --> 00:36:42.119
 He hasn't abandoned

00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:42.380
 us.

00:36:42.420 --> 00:36:43.440
 He's not far away.

00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:45.079
 But he sent

00:36:45.079 --> 00:36:45.980
 Jesus to walk

00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:47.440
 through and

00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:48.579
 struggle with us.

00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:50.400
 To experience

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:52.260
 the troubles that

00:36:52.260 --> 00:36:52.840
 we have.

00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:56.019
 To be rejected

00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:57.700
 by his family

00:36:57.700 --> 00:36:58.280
 and friends.

00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:01.240
 To be betrayed

00:37:01.240 --> 00:37:02.659
 by those who are

00:37:02.659 --> 00:37:03.220
 close to him.

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.539
 To be persecuted

00:37:04.539 --> 00:37:05.340
 by those who

00:37:05.340 --> 00:37:05.960
 didn't like him.

00:37:07.320 --> 00:37:08.700
 So that he would

00:37:08.700 --> 00:37:09.980
 be our savior.

00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:12.420
 And when Jesus

00:37:12.420 --> 00:37:13.400
 asked to be our

00:37:13.400 --> 00:37:14.179
 counselor, he

00:37:14.179 --> 00:37:15.900
 asks for us to

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:16.539
 trust him.

00:37:20.740 --> 00:37:21.740
 He says that

00:37:21.740 --> 00:37:22.300
 your greatest

00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:23.940
 intentions aren't

00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:24.599
 going to get you

00:37:24.599 --> 00:37:25.320
 where you need to

00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:25.619
 be.

00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:27.500
 But I can.

00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:28.740
 And I'm going to

00:37:28.740 --> 00:37:30.219
 accomplish all the

00:37:30.219 --> 00:37:30.900
 wisdom that you

00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:31.519
 cannot do.

00:37:32.360 --> 00:37:33.099
 And I'm going to

00:37:33.099 --> 00:37:34.559
 accomplish all the

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:35.400
 counsel that you

00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:37.240
 need that you

00:37:37.240 --> 00:37:38.840
 can't do by

00:37:38.840 --> 00:37:39.360
 yourself.

00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:41.039
 That he's going

00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:41.900
 to make us right

00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:42.460
 with God.

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:42.840
 He's going to

00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:43.360
 help us to

00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:44.120
 trust God.

00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.380
 He's going to

00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:45.760
 give us the

00:37:45.760 --> 00:37:46.300
 Holy Spirit.

00:37:46.420 --> 00:37:46.740
 He's going to

00:37:46.740 --> 00:37:47.900
 help us look at

00:37:47.900 --> 00:37:48.380
 the financial

00:37:48.380 --> 00:37:49.720
 times and

00:37:49.720 --> 00:37:50.640
 understand it.

00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:52.059
 Not in terms

00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:55.200
 of us getting

00:37:55.200 --> 00:37:55.600
 through our

00:37:55.600 --> 00:37:56.059
 problems.

00:37:56.980 --> 00:37:58.220
 But us following

00:37:58.220 --> 00:37:59.019
 God.

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:00.539
 Who's going to

00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:01.440
 look at the

00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:02.140
 Google page that

00:38:02.140 --> 00:38:02.820
 we found about

00:38:02.820 --> 00:38:03.480
 how to feed our

00:38:03.480 --> 00:38:03.780
 toddler.

00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:05.519
 And help us

00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:06.260
 look at that.

00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:07.280
 And help us

00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:08.079
 understand actually

00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:08.699
 what's going on in

00:38:08.699 --> 00:38:09.519
 our own hearts and

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.219
 our desire for

00:38:10.219 --> 00:38:10.679
 control.

00:38:11.539 --> 00:38:13.059
 And trust God to

00:38:13.059 --> 00:38:14.139
 be the one to

00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:14.639
 walk us through

00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:15.000
 this.

00:38:18.360 --> 00:38:18.920
 Christmas.

00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:21.940
 At Christmas we

00:38:21.940 --> 00:38:24.400
 can remember that

00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:26.840
 God came to be our

00:38:26.840 --> 00:38:27.739
 wonderful counselor.

00:38:29.159 --> 00:38:30.039
 And we can choose

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:33.699
 to say, Jesus, I'm

00:38:33.699 --> 00:38:34.519
 going to step off my

00:38:34.519 --> 00:38:36.420
 throne of being in

00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:38.019
 control of seeking my

00:38:38.019 --> 00:38:38.940
 own counselors and

00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:39.400
 not you.

00:38:40.119 --> 00:38:40.960
 And I'm going to

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:41.480
 follow you.

00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:44.619
 This morning Jesus

00:38:44.619 --> 00:38:47.059
 is calling to us

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:48.840
 and he says, I want

00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:51.200
 to be your wise

00:38:51.200 --> 00:38:51.780
 counselor.

00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:54.760
 I want to be your

00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:55.639
 wonderful counselor.

00:38:57.480 --> 00:38:58.619
 Will you trust me?

00:38:58.619 --> 00:39:04.579
 will we trust God?

00:39:07.859 --> 00:39:08.539
 Let's pray.

00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:16.159
 Heavenly Father, I

00:39:16.159 --> 00:39:16.819
 need you.

00:39:17.259 --> 00:39:19.960
 I need your wise

00:39:19.960 --> 00:39:23.139
 counsel because I

00:39:23.139 --> 00:39:23.719
 don't know what I'm

00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:23.980
 doing.

00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:27.460
 I don't know how to

00:39:27.460 --> 00:39:29.960
 work out my life.

00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:32.599
 I don't even know

00:39:32.599 --> 00:39:36.480
 what to ask.

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:39.159
 But God, I thank you

00:39:39.159 --> 00:39:40.820
 that you have not

00:39:40.820 --> 00:39:41.619
 left us alone.

00:39:43.219 --> 00:39:48.039
 You have given us a

00:39:48.039 --> 00:39:50.579
 savior who is wise,

00:39:50.679 --> 00:39:52.219
 who became wisdom for

00:39:52.219 --> 00:39:54.779
 us, who did foolish

00:39:54.779 --> 00:39:56.119
 things in our eyes,

00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:59.159
 so that we can trust

00:39:59.159 --> 00:40:01.699
 you, so we can walk

00:40:01.699 --> 00:40:03.319
 through our day-to-day

00:40:03.319 --> 00:40:07.079
 life and say that you,

00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:08.619
 Jesus, are our king.

00:40:09.759 --> 00:40:10.439
 Well, this Christmas,

00:40:10.699 --> 00:40:14.599
 Lord, help us to trust

00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:14.839
 you.

00:40:16.439 --> 00:40:17.959
 Help us to follow you,

00:40:19.819 --> 00:40:20.859
 our wonderful counselor.

00:40:20.860 --> 00:40:24.140
 Amen.