WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.320 Good morning, my name is Chris, for those of you who are here for the first time. 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:11.620 It's exciting to start a new year together. 00:00:11.779 --> 00:00:13.640 Well done if you've made it this morning. 00:00:14.660 --> 00:00:24.379 Some of you may be bleary-eyed this morning, but I love New Year in Hong Kong because you 00:00:24.379 --> 00:00:29.619 actually get two New Years, which is great because if you've made all your New Year's 00:00:29.619 --> 00:00:34.359 resolutions and then broken them, by the end of January, it's okay, you've still got another 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:35.399 chance, right? 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:37.000 Because you can start it in. 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:42.219 And for some of us, we're going to be going to a wedding. 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:46.519 The New Year's going to start with a wedding of Dan and Soda, Soda who work with the youth 00:00:46.519 --> 00:00:46.840 here. 00:00:47.340 --> 00:00:48.640 Tomorrow's their wedding day. 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:51.179 It's an amazing way to start the New Year. 00:00:51.179 --> 00:00:56.359 And I've been thinking quite a lot about this idea of the difference between New Year's 00:00:56.359 --> 00:01:00.960 resolutions and wedding vows because I'll be doing the ceremony tomorrow. 00:01:01.659 --> 00:01:08.239 And it's very interesting because you see, wedding vows are what we call covenantal, okay? 00:01:08.500 --> 00:01:09.420 They're relational. 00:01:09.620 --> 00:01:15.780 They're relational expression of unbreakable promises and commitment to one another, which 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:19.099 if you do break them, has relational consequences. 00:01:19.099 --> 00:01:23.000 Whereas resolutions, they're just kind of personal. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:27.899 They're just goals that you want to meet for yourself, things that you want to achieve. 00:01:27.979 --> 00:01:31.539 And if you don't achieve them, then you just feel a little bit guilty, a little bit regretful 00:01:31.539 --> 00:01:34.479 that you only went to the gym three times in the last year. 00:01:34.839 --> 00:01:39.939 And then you hope, maybe this year, it will be the year where I go five times. 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:48.239 But covenantal wedding vows, you've got to kind of live them out day by day. 00:01:48.299 --> 00:01:50.640 You can't just kind of put them on the shelf for another year. 00:01:52.259 --> 00:01:57.099 Otherwise, what happens is what I call relationship creep comes in. 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:02.579 You don't mean to, but little bit over little bit, time after time, you just kind of stop 00:02:02.579 --> 00:02:04.819 pedaling on the marriage bike. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:06.879 You freewheel. 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:07.739 You coast. 00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:14.639 You kind of hope that your bike will continue while I focus on other things, like work, 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:15.180 like kids. 00:02:15.259 --> 00:02:19.659 And every so often, I ask Fiona, my wife, how am I doing as a husband? 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:21.539 How am I doing? 00:02:22.020 --> 00:02:26.060 How can I love you better in this relationship that we're in? 00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:29.539 Because my tendency is to get relationship creep. 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:33.659 But I wonder, are you ever like that with God? 00:02:34.659 --> 00:02:36.420 Are you ever like that with God? 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:42.000 And we're going to be looking at the book of Deuteronomy over the next eight weeks. 00:02:42.939 --> 00:02:47.379 And it's appropriate for us to start this new year looking at this book, because this book 00:02:47.379 --> 00:02:55.539 is really all about covenant vows, not marriage covenant vows, but vows between God and his people. 00:02:56.060 --> 00:02:59.080 Between God and us, and what he wants us to be. 00:02:59.920 --> 00:03:02.979 And Deuteronomy, have your passage in front of you. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:05.560 Keep it open, because we'll be just looking through it a little bit. 00:03:06.379 --> 00:03:11.580 Deuteronomy is basically Moses preaching his last sermon. 00:03:12.219 --> 00:03:12.460 Okay? 00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:13.379 It's a sermon. 00:03:13.659 --> 00:03:14.780 It's a long sermon. 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:19.360 You'll be glad Moses isn't preaching to you today, because it's 34 chapters long, this 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:19.659 sermon. 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:20.379 Okay? 00:03:20.659 --> 00:03:22.159 But it is a sermon. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.420 And these are his final words to the people. 00:03:26.099 --> 00:03:33.000 It's generation 2.0, who are Israel standing on the edge of the promised land. 00:03:33.379 --> 00:03:33.639 Okay? 00:03:34.459 --> 00:03:35.359 Just picture it. 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:42.459 They've taken 40 years to get from Egypt to this place. 00:03:43.239 --> 00:03:47.599 Their parents, who God had called to enter in the land, failed to do so. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:53.120 And basically, in the passage, in verse 2, it says, it's only an 11 days journey, but it 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:59.259 took them 40 years to get where they were, because they failed, the parents had failed 00:03:59.259 --> 00:04:00.000 to trust God. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:03.060 And now, it's the kids' turn. 00:04:03.780 --> 00:04:04.719 And they're on the land. 00:04:04.900 --> 00:04:12.639 They're standing there, and Moses is going to say, your future is dependent, not on how 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:19.379 great you guys are, but whether you remember the covenant vows that you have made as a people. 00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:23.019 Whether you forget or remember who God is. 00:04:23.699 --> 00:04:29.120 And maybe, let me just frame what we mean by these covenant vows in words similar to what 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.199 Dan and Soda are going to say tomorrow. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.639 Something like this. 00:04:34.719 --> 00:04:41.039 The covenant would go, I, God, who rescued you out of Egypt, take you, Israel, to be my 00:04:41.039 --> 00:04:41.360 people. 00:04:41.779 --> 00:04:46.980 I will love you, bless you, protect and provide for you, and be faithful to you as long as 00:04:46.980 --> 00:04:47.620 you shall live. 00:04:48.099 --> 00:04:49.500 That's my promise to you. 00:04:50.919 --> 00:04:56.139 And then, the flip side is, now Israel, and you can imagine them kind of standing there. 00:04:56.139 --> 00:05:03.319 Now, Israel, now my people, now Watermark, do you take God to be your God? 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:08.800 Do you promise to love him, honor him, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:14.000 sickness and in health, forsaking all others, be faithful only to him for as long as you 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:14.439 shall live? 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:18.259 That's the covenant. 00:05:19.740 --> 00:05:20.719 That's the covenant. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.360 And so, Deuteronomy begins with four words. 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:26.099 These are the words. 00:05:26.779 --> 00:05:31.219 And that's the title of the book in Hebrew, of this book of Deuteronomy. 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:32.219 These are the words. 00:05:32.659 --> 00:05:38.939 This book, this sermon was to be placed every time when Israel came to worship to be reminded 00:05:38.939 --> 00:05:42.379 of what they committed to, this covenant. 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:48.079 So, we're going to have a little look into this book, and I want to talk about three things 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:48.360 today. 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:53.079 Even as we start this new year, and we think, where am I in my relationship with God? 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:55.439 And where do I want to go this year? 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:56.079 Three things. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:58.480 Move on, look back, look forward. 00:05:58.899 --> 00:05:59.040 Okay? 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:00.899 Move on, look back, look forward. 00:06:01.899 --> 00:06:02.719 The first thing. 00:06:03.180 --> 00:06:03.740 Move on. 00:06:04.540 --> 00:06:10.100 Moses, the first thing he does to prepare people for going into their future, for going into 00:06:10.100 --> 00:06:14.140 the promised land, is remind them God is always taking his people on a journey. 00:06:14.640 --> 00:06:14.879 Okay? 00:06:15.020 --> 00:06:17.060 He's always taking his people on a journey. 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:21.240 Verse 6, he says, the Lord our God said to us at Horeb. 00:06:21.620 --> 00:06:25.080 Now, Horeb is a name for Mount Sinai, where the Ten Commandments were given. 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:28.279 Where this covenant, this marriage ceremony was given. 00:06:28.359 --> 00:06:32.699 He says, you've stayed long enough at this mountain. 00:06:33.339 --> 00:06:34.659 They'd been 14 months there. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:35.639 They'd grown comfortable. 00:06:35.979 --> 00:06:37.979 They'd settled down in their nice luxury tents. 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:40.600 And now, God says, it's time to move on. 00:06:41.259 --> 00:06:42.180 You've got to move on. 00:06:42.700 --> 00:06:43.960 See, I've promised you a land. 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:47.100 I'm going to bring you into a new place, into a new future. 00:06:47.100 --> 00:06:55.160 And Moses is basically recalling this, because he knows from the past 40 years, the tendency 00:06:55.160 --> 00:07:00.420 for people, the people, is when change comes, when God says, I want you to move on, is they 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:01.280 start getting afraid. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:05.020 They start wanting to stay back where they're comfortable by themselves. 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:06.700 They wanted to retreat. 00:07:06.900 --> 00:07:08.980 They wanted to return back to Egypt. 00:07:09.740 --> 00:07:15.720 And because of that, they'd spent 40 years just wandering aimlessly round and round and 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:19.840 round, a journey which should have taken 11 days, took 40 years. 00:07:20.640 --> 00:07:25.020 You know, in London, there's, I remember a few years ago, there's this ring road around 00:07:25.020 --> 00:07:27.420 London called the M25, okay? 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:37.960 It's, on the news one day, there was an 82-year-old driver who had, who was found six miles away 00:07:37.960 --> 00:07:43.660 from where he started, still behind the wheel of a car. 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:51.840 Police were called, because 30 hours traveling on this road, he was still traveling after 00:07:51.840 --> 00:07:54.420 30 hours, one journey which should have taken him one hour. 00:07:55.420 --> 00:07:59.560 And the police were called, and when they finally found him, he said, I just got a little 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:00.280 bit lost. 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:02.500 30 hours. 00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:08.040 That's what happened to Israel, but that's so often what can happen to us in our own 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:09.620 spiritual life. 00:08:09.699 --> 00:08:12.839 We can go round and round in circles, wandering aimlessly. 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:19.319 Maybe we want to retreat and stay comfortable when God is saying, I want to move you on. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:25.180 And for Christians, we don't stand between a physical wilderness and a promised land, but 00:08:25.180 --> 00:08:29.959 there's a wilderness of the world in which we live in, and a promised land of a new creation, 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:31.740 of a heaven that God is taking us to. 00:08:32.039 --> 00:08:36.759 And in between, God is saying, I'm taking you on a journey to be more like me, to love 00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:43.879 me, to reflect me, to grow, to honor me, to be more patient, loving, gracious, self-controlled 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:44.860 in this relationship. 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:49.139 And you're only going to become more like that if you move on. 00:08:51.300 --> 00:08:57.560 Now, if you want to move towards a goal of being more like Jesus, and that is the goal 00:08:57.560 --> 00:09:00.620 for every Christian, that's part of the covenant. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:03.240 Change is necessary. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:06.259 You can't stay at the mountain you're at. 00:09:06.940 --> 00:09:09.000 To grow, change must happen. 00:09:09.560 --> 00:09:12.639 You know, Hong Kong used to be a fishing village. 00:09:13.180 --> 00:09:13.980 Look at it now. 00:09:13.980 --> 00:09:15.519 Now, change happens. 00:09:16.180 --> 00:09:19.300 The forest you see outside used to just be a seed. 00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:22.879 The baby, the teenager you had was once a baby. 00:09:23.259 --> 00:09:24.840 For some of you, it's going to go in teenager. 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:31.620 Change equals growth if you trust God. 00:09:32.300 --> 00:09:37.600 But often, we want to stay where we are because change also means we lose something. 00:09:37.700 --> 00:09:38.440 It's painful. 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:39.840 It reviles effort. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:45.639 If you think of ever having to move a flat, there's a cost of time and money and effort. 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:49.879 But it's always worth moving on to the place God is wanting to take you on. 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:52.980 So let me ask you a question. 00:09:52.980 --> 00:10:02.539 What is the mountain that you need to move on from this year to be more like Jesus, to move into the future that God has for you? 00:10:02.539 --> 00:10:08.579 Some of us, our faith is stagnant. 00:10:08.579 --> 00:10:10.500 It's like a stagnant pond, you know. 00:10:10.599 --> 00:10:14.939 And that stagnant pond is a breeding ground for disease and death. 00:10:15.219 --> 00:10:18.759 A moving river is a breeding ground for life and vitality. 00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:25.100 But many of us, we come to church on Sundays, we listen to sermons, we even read our Bible and pray. 00:10:25.659 --> 00:10:27.720 But our faith has become mechanical. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:29.399 It's just routine. 00:10:30.059 --> 00:10:32.179 It's religion without passion. 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:40.700 You know, I don't know if you've ever watched a child taking one of the trams down on Hong Kong Island and looking out of the window. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:42.539 I don't know if you've seen this. 00:10:42.539 --> 00:10:48.219 But I've seen it where you look on the child's face and they're kind of like this awestruck excitement. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:54.799 They're like, billboard, bus, bus, like car, car. 00:10:55.079 --> 00:11:00.799 And I'm on there looking at it thinking, that's a car. 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:03.099 I've seen cars before, right? 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:09.279 That's, you know, I'm so adult that I look at these things and I think, why are you so excited about that? 00:11:09.839 --> 00:11:10.379 You know, I'm bored. 00:11:10.379 --> 00:11:12.980 There's a much greater tram ride on somewhere else. 00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:21.820 And, you know, some of us have been so long in church that we're very adult in our faith. 00:11:23.220 --> 00:11:26.139 That honestly, deep down, we kind of know the answer is Jesus, right? 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:27.279 You know, what's the question? 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:28.559 Answer Jesus. 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:31.700 You know, you pray, you're nice, you don't murder anybody. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:34.080 Yes. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.299 But we know the tram ride of how it works, right? 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:40.679 Yes, you know. 00:11:41.099 --> 00:11:41.799 She knows. 00:11:41.899 --> 00:11:42.539 She's excited. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:43.259 See? 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:44.740 There you go. 00:11:45.959 --> 00:11:47.299 You know the tram ride. 00:11:47.379 --> 00:11:55.059 But actually, you don't have that childlike wonder and excitement and that enjoyment and delight of the promises of God, 00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:56.979 a sweetness of his presence any longer. 00:11:56.980 --> 00:11:58.899 Yeah, you may have had it in the past. 00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:01.860 You may have stepped out in boldness in the past to trust Christ. 00:12:01.980 --> 00:12:05.639 But now, things have just gone a little bit stagnant. 00:12:06.460 --> 00:12:11.879 You'd be more excited by meeting the CEO of a Fortune 500 company than meeting the CEO of the universe. 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:17.279 I wonder if that's you. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:21.059 Because if that's you this year, God is saying, I want to move you on. 00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:24.379 I don't want you to stay at this mountain any longer. 00:12:24.779 --> 00:12:26.299 You've stayed long enough there. 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:31.539 And the place that we start, if that's, you know honestly that that's where you're at. 00:12:31.539 --> 00:12:39.819 The place where you start is by coming down on your knees and saying, God, Father, I need you to warm up my cold heart. 00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:43.659 To warm up this heart until it's blazing hot for you. 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:47.599 Every day to be praying that until that spark lights. 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:53.620 Some of us need that fire warmed up by getting up and getting baptized this year. 00:12:53.699 --> 00:12:57.559 Because you've said, I'm a Christian, but you've never made that public commitment. 00:12:57.559 --> 00:13:02.000 And God will say, this year is a time to move on and to change. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:10.059 Some of us need to move on because we've kept holding on to this overriding sense that God is out there to punish us. 00:13:10.599 --> 00:13:11.500 Times have been hard. 00:13:11.819 --> 00:13:12.619 Things have been difficult. 00:13:12.899 --> 00:13:15.159 On the outside, we're a nice Christian. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:18.859 But on the inside, we feel guilty for every failure we've made. 00:13:19.139 --> 00:13:20.219 We wallow in that guilt. 00:13:20.299 --> 00:13:23.219 And we've just been stuck there for a long time. 00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:29.340 You know, you've got shame on your back like a rock-filled backpack. 00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:30.920 And it crushes you. 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:33.320 Some of you, that's you. 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:42.800 And the thing is, no one who ever lives under condemnation and guilt ever lives obediently to Christ. 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:43.560 Did you know that? 00:13:44.540 --> 00:13:47.920 Because Christ is looking for that relationship of love and longing. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:55.139 And if you think that God is there, always about to hit you over the head for what you've done wrong, 00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:59.879 that's not going to incite love and desire and longing for him. 00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:04.120 And Christ says, you've stayed long enough at this mountain. 00:14:05.599 --> 00:14:10.479 Come to the fountain of my grace and receive the forgiveness that my grace brings. 00:14:11.579 --> 00:14:13.099 There is cleansing for you. 00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:16.340 If that's you, there is cleansing for you today. 00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:19.100 Bought by Christ on the cross. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.779 And he says, lay down that backpack at my cross and go free this year. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:24.820 It's time to move on. 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:26.300 You've stayed long enough for this mountain. 00:14:27.300 --> 00:14:29.220 I don't know what your mountain is. 00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:33.580 But God says, I want to move you on. 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:34.740 C.S. Lewis said this. 00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:37.879 It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird. 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:43.539 It would be a jolly sight harder for a bird to learn to fly while remaining an egg. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.720 We are like eggs at present. 00:14:46.439 --> 00:14:50.139 And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:52.200 We must be hatched or go bad. 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:54.659 We must be hatched or go bad. 00:14:54.720 --> 00:15:00.200 What he's saying is a church, God, like a good father, wants to hatch us to be more and more like himself. 00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:06.620 And he doesn't want us just to be nice, ordinary Christians who go about doing the routine. 00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:12.980 He wants us to get serious about the relationship with him and to chase after him and say, 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:17.860 I'm not just interested in making resolutions about reading my Bible more, praying more, 00:15:17.940 --> 00:15:20.080 and then feeling guilty that I haven't done it enough. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:24.620 He wants a covenant relationship where you look back at your vows and you say, 00:15:25.220 --> 00:15:28.460 I want to move on with you this year, God. 00:15:29.060 --> 00:15:30.860 I want to move on with you this year. 00:15:32.560 --> 00:15:35.060 So he's going to bring circumstances in your life. 00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:39.719 What's the mountain in your life that you've got to move on from? 00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:42.819 Because he wants to do that. 00:15:42.979 --> 00:15:44.159 So that's the first thing, move on. 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:47.039 Second thing, look back. 00:15:48.439 --> 00:15:49.659 You see, moving on with God 00:15:49.659 --> 00:15:54.279 is not a resolution. 00:15:54.279 --> 00:16:00.259 Because it depends not on your personal willpower and effort. 00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:07.500 It depends more on his faithfulness to get you through than on your ability to be faithful to him. 00:16:08.319 --> 00:16:10.620 You see, what Moses does at the moment of decision, 00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:14.679 he tells the people to look back at the past performance of God. 00:16:14.839 --> 00:16:16.860 He rehearses the promise he gave them. 00:16:16.939 --> 00:16:17.500 Verse 21. 00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:19.460 He says, 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:22.259 See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. 00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:24.220 Go up, take possession, 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:26.899 as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:29.480 Do not fear or be dismayed. 00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:31.399 God's the one who initiated this. 00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:33.220 God's the one who's promised it. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:35.220 He's promised to give them a good land. 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:36.659 And God has promised, 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:38.220 and he's kept his word. 00:16:38.379 --> 00:16:39.580 Because you see verse 25, 00:16:39.659 --> 00:16:40.820 the spies go in and they say, 00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:42.120 Wow, it's a good land. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.100 It's amazing. 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:45.600 God wasn't lying. 00:16:46.540 --> 00:16:48.259 God wasn't lying. 00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:49.519 But they rebel. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:50.200 Okay? 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:51.200 They rebel. 00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:51.920 Verse 26. 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:52.920 They would not go up. 00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:53.899 Verse 27. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:54.259 They say, 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:55.879 Because God hated us. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:58.740 He brought us out of the land of Egypt to destroy us. 00:16:59.139 --> 00:16:59.740 Verse 28. 00:16:59.800 --> 00:17:00.019 They say, 00:17:00.060 --> 00:17:01.879 The people are taller and greater than we. 00:17:03.040 --> 00:17:04.160 And then Moses says to them, 00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:06.180 Listen, God goes before you. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:07.480 He fights for you. 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:09.299 You've seen what he did in Egypt. 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:10.759 He's going to fight. 00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:12.839 You've seen how God carried you. 00:17:13.919 --> 00:17:15.240 And yet, in spite of all of this, 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:17.079 they didn't believe God. 00:17:19.539 --> 00:17:23.219 How is it that you can experience God's goodness and faithfulness 00:17:23.219 --> 00:17:25.019 and still be reluctant to obey him? 00:17:25.219 --> 00:17:27.099 Because if you're like me, 00:17:27.179 --> 00:17:30.500 that is actually just what I'm like so often. 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:33.559 You see, they'd forgotten who God was. 00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:35.779 They'd forgotten what he'd done for them. 00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:38.099 They'd forgotten that he'd been like this father who, 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:40.679 from the beginning, he'd carried them. 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:43.640 You know, like a father carrying a lost child on their back 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:46.860 and walking with them, carrying them back home. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.360 That's what he'd done for them, 00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:50.360 moving them all the way to where they were today. 00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:51.220 But they'd forgotten that. 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:53.360 And then suddenly, there's some big people, 00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:55.860 bigger than Eric, here in front of them. 00:17:55.859 --> 00:17:59.619 Just imagine a room full of Eric's, 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:02.619 standing in front of you, 00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:04.319 and you're looking up at them. 00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:06.500 That's what they got to. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.339 And they'd forgotten who was behind them, 00:18:08.419 --> 00:18:09.659 beside them, before them, 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:12.219 which was a God who was far bigger than even Eric is. 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:17.000 And one commentator says this, 00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:17.279 he says, 00:18:17.360 --> 00:18:18.900 to experience God in their history 00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:20.620 was not sufficient for the people. 00:18:21.140 --> 00:18:23.259 You know, it's not enough to just have experienced God 00:18:23.259 --> 00:18:25.799 two years ago, three years ago, four years ago. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:26.559 That's not enough. 00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:30.420 They had to be constantly reminded of that experience 00:18:30.420 --> 00:18:32.460 in order to overcome their anxieties, 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.620 which tended to blot out their memory. 00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:36.600 Okay? 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:38.259 Do you ever get that memory block? 00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:40.019 Look, I constantly, 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:42.279 I have this delete button in my mind. 00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:43.920 Every day, God does something. 00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:44.799 He provides for me. 00:18:44.879 --> 00:18:45.579 You know, Fiona and I, 00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:47.879 we look back at the year yesterday. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:49.299 So every New Year's Eve, 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:49.920 we look back, 00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.779 we remember the faithfulness of God to us 00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:52.379 over the whole year. 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:53.140 We write it down. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:53.759 We put it down. 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:54.779 You know what happens? 00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:56.539 A week later, 00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:59.220 I remember back the conversations 00:18:59.220 --> 00:19:00.200 that I was worried about 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:01.079 and God brought me through, 00:19:01.180 --> 00:19:02.779 the situations that I've struggled with 00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:03.819 and he brought me through. 00:19:03.819 --> 00:19:06.160 And then I come straight to a new situation 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:07.600 and delete button, 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.460 forgotten everything about who's with me 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:10.400 and God being with me. 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:12.759 And I'm panicking and I'm stressed. 00:19:14.560 --> 00:19:17.540 But imagine if your six-year-old child, 00:19:17.700 --> 00:19:18.360 every day, 00:19:18.860 --> 00:19:20.660 you provide food on the table for them, 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:21.320 every single day, 00:19:21.380 --> 00:19:21.960 every single day, 00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:22.580 every single day, 00:19:22.620 --> 00:19:23.180 every single day. 00:19:23.340 --> 00:19:23.779 One day, 00:19:23.840 --> 00:19:24.480 you come home, 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:25.920 you're just five minutes late 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.300 and you see them 00:19:27.300 --> 00:19:28.080 and they're at the door, 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:28.980 they're putting on their coat, 00:19:29.060 --> 00:19:29.920 they're stressed out. 00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:30.759 They're saying, 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:32.400 I've got to go to park and shop. 00:19:32.580 --> 00:19:34.180 I've got to buy my own food. 00:19:34.180 --> 00:19:34.220 God, 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:36.360 because you were five minutes late 00:19:36.360 --> 00:19:37.120 and I don't know whether 00:19:37.120 --> 00:19:38.360 you're going to provide for me. 00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:41.380 If you were that parent, 00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:42.279 how would you feel? 00:19:45.080 --> 00:19:46.700 Would that be hurtful 00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:48.740 that they didn't trust you 00:19:48.740 --> 00:19:50.100 knowing that you were good 00:19:50.100 --> 00:19:52.980 and that you would provide? 00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:56.120 And don't you think God is grieved 00:19:56.120 --> 00:19:58.160 when so many times 00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:59.500 I come across the obstacles 00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:01.320 and face those things in my way 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:02.899 and I forget to look back 00:20:02.899 --> 00:20:04.339 and see what he's done 00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.539 for all of these years, 00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:06.779 all of this time 00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:08.759 and I forget who is with me 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:10.720 and I get stressed 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.379 and I panic 00:20:11.379 --> 00:20:11.960 and I say, 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:14.179 I've got to deal with it by myself. 00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:18.279 You see, 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:19.599 if you're going to move on this year, 00:20:19.679 --> 00:20:20.539 you have to look back 00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:20.980 and remember 00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:22.240 because you're going to face giants, 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.139 you're going to face things 00:20:23.139 --> 00:20:25.019 which come in front of you 00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:27.480 and if you're relying on yourself 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:28.539 to face the giant, 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:28.879 you know, 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:30.240 people who think 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:31.399 they can do it solo, 00:20:33.139 --> 00:20:35.700 there will come a time 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:36.319 where there's a giant 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:37.440 too big for you 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.299 and then you'll stress. 00:20:41.139 --> 00:20:41.379 Do you know, 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:41.740 people, 00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:43.220 I don't know if you've done this, 00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:43.899 if you've done teamwork 00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:44.519 with somebody 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:45.579 and there's somebody 00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:46.940 who just relies on themselves, 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:47.779 think they can do it 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:48.500 by themselves. 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:49.700 You know, 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:51.399 when somebody's part of a team, 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.519 when somebody's part 00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:53.339 of a relationship 00:20:53.339 --> 00:20:53.839 and they think 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.619 they can go solo, 00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:55.940 they may get a project done, 00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:57.259 they may even get 00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:58.579 and achieve what they want to 00:20:58.579 --> 00:20:59.920 but in their stress 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:01.099 and self-reliance, 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.000 they sabotage the relationship. 00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:03.980 Have you ever seen that? 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:06.420 I've seen that all the time 00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:07.599 but that's what we do 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:08.740 with our covenant relationship 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.359 with God. 00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:10.579 This year, 00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:11.480 you may have projects, 00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:12.299 you may have plans, 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.019 you may have things 00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:14.140 that you want to achieve 00:21:14.140 --> 00:21:16.480 but you could achieve them 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.819 and sabotage your relationship 00:21:17.819 --> 00:21:18.279 with God 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:19.480 if you're not looking back 00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:19.940 to Him 00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:20.859 and trusting Him. 00:21:22.619 --> 00:21:23.660 There was a situation 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:24.500 in the New Testament 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:29.720 giants of persecution 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:31.039 were causing some Christians 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:31.740 to wonder 00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:32.619 whether they could 00:21:32.619 --> 00:21:33.700 really trust God 00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:34.220 and they would begin 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:35.180 to drift away, 00:21:35.299 --> 00:21:36.220 relationship creep 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:36.900 had come in 00:21:36.900 --> 00:21:38.880 and in Hebrews chapter 12, 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:40.359 the writer tells Christians 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:42.799 this, 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:43.799 he says, 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:46.079 let us lay aside 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:47.000 every weight 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:47.460 and sin 00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:48.779 which clings so closely 00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:49.960 and let us run 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:50.759 with endurance 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:51.299 the race 00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:52.720 that is set before us, 00:21:52.900 --> 00:21:53.980 looking to Jesus, 00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:54.720 the founder 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.579 and perfecter 00:21:55.579 --> 00:21:56.299 of our faith 00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.599 who for the joy 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:58.839 that was set before Him 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.299 endured the cross 00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:01.740 despising the shame 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:02.599 and is seated 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:04.079 at the right hand 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:05.180 of the throne of God. 00:22:05.360 --> 00:22:06.440 Consider Him. 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:08.279 You see, 00:22:08.380 --> 00:22:09.160 when you're going to face 00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:10.579 those things this year, 00:22:11.660 --> 00:22:13.700 like your resolutions, 00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:15.000 you know 92% 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:15.720 of resolutions 00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:16.860 people never keep them 00:22:16.860 --> 00:22:20.339 because what happens 00:22:20.339 --> 00:22:20.980 is you come across 00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:21.460 a giant 00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:23.279 and you kind of give up. 00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.700 Something happens. 00:22:26.600 --> 00:22:27.779 But your resolve 00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:29.500 to walk with God 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.319 this year 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:34.559 is primarily 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.840 dependent 00:22:35.840 --> 00:22:37.160 not on your resolution 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:37.860 and your will 00:22:37.860 --> 00:22:39.019 because that's going to flag. 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:39.700 Your willpower 00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:40.220 at some point 00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:41.640 is going to wane 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:43.160 but it's more dependent 00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:43.860 on the one 00:22:43.860 --> 00:22:45.440 who has already 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:46.200 run the race 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:46.759 for you. 00:22:47.620 --> 00:22:47.960 It says, 00:22:48.059 --> 00:22:48.420 let us run 00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:48.960 with endurance. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:49.420 You're going to have 00:22:49.420 --> 00:22:49.920 to endurance 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:51.340 in this 2017. 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:52.180 There's all kinds 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:52.819 of stuff that's going 00:22:52.819 --> 00:22:53.039 to happen. 00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:53.799 Great stuff, 00:22:54.100 --> 00:22:55.019 challenging stuff. 00:22:56.840 --> 00:22:57.799 But there'll be times 00:22:57.799 --> 00:22:58.500 when you feel like 00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:59.200 giving up 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.920 and it's only 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:02.880 as you look back 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:03.460 and you see 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:04.019 that Jesus 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:07.100 had more resolve 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:07.960 in His relationship 00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:08.480 with you 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:09.279 than you have ever 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:09.940 had with Him. 00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:12.059 He is more committed 00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:12.940 to you 00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:14.440 than you have ever 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:15.039 been committed 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:15.579 to Him. 00:23:15.579 --> 00:23:16.899 You see, 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:18.059 He went through 00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:19.139 the greatest giant. 00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:20.000 Moses passed 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:20.819 through the Red Sea. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:22.220 Jesus passed 00:23:22.220 --> 00:23:22.899 through sin 00:23:22.899 --> 00:23:23.740 and death. 00:23:25.139 --> 00:23:26.659 He overcame 00:23:26.659 --> 00:23:28.579 the greatest giant. 00:23:28.919 --> 00:23:29.919 Nobody in history 00:23:29.919 --> 00:23:30.899 has ever overcome 00:23:30.899 --> 00:23:31.539 death. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:33.199 You might have 00:23:33.199 --> 00:23:33.579 overcome 00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:35.220 your rental payments. 00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:35.720 You might have 00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:36.179 overcome 00:23:36.179 --> 00:23:37.240 your finding a job 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:38.019 but you've never 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.960 overcome death. 00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.179 You've never overcome 00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:41.559 sin by yourself. 00:23:41.939 --> 00:23:42.859 Jesus did that. 00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:43.939 He initiated 00:23:43.939 --> 00:23:44.679 your relationship 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:45.220 with Him. 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:45.960 He's going to 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:47.000 carry on doing it. 00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:47.620 He's brought you 00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:48.320 to this point 00:23:48.320 --> 00:23:50.259 and that's the point 00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:50.840 where you have to 00:23:50.840 --> 00:23:52.400 keep looking at Him 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.019 if you want to 00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:53.799 move on with Him. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.560 Preacher Charles Spurgeon 00:23:55.560 --> 00:23:56.200 said this, 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:57.560 We shall never find 00:23:57.560 --> 00:23:58.560 happiness by looking 00:23:58.560 --> 00:23:59.500 at our prayers, 00:23:59.640 --> 00:24:00.340 our doings, 00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:01.200 our feelings. 00:24:02.580 --> 00:24:03.660 It is what Jesus is, 00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:04.539 not what we are, 00:24:04.620 --> 00:24:05.299 that gives rest 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:05.960 to the soul. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:07.400 If we would at once 00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:08.240 overcome Satan 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.320 and have peace with God, 00:24:09.380 --> 00:24:10.400 it must be by looking 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:11.220 unto Jesus. 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:13.279 If you've been 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:13.779 in the church, 00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:14.940 you know that here 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:15.839 but God is saying, 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:16.980 have you seen, 00:24:17.099 --> 00:24:17.819 do you ponder, 00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:18.879 do you regularly 00:24:18.879 --> 00:24:19.720 come back 00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:20.559 when you're lying 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.359 on your bed at night? 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:22.279 Do you recall 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:23.940 and consider His mercy, 00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:24.660 His grace, 00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:26.519 His endurance for you? 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.000 Because He's committed 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.059 to this relationship 00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.720 with you. 00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:34.339 And you may have 00:24:34.339 --> 00:24:35.759 giants this year 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.680 of death, 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:37.460 of cancer, 00:24:37.639 --> 00:24:38.299 of sickness, 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:39.359 of things in life 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:40.299 but He is bigger 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:41.480 than all of them. 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:44.460 But there's a warning 00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:45.039 in this. 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:47.640 There's a warning. 00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:48.620 The people of Israel 00:24:48.620 --> 00:24:49.519 were very religious 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:51.819 but they didn't 00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:52.700 trust in God. 00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:55.860 Some of us think 00:24:55.860 --> 00:24:56.599 because we've been 00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:58.279 in church a long time, 00:24:58.360 --> 00:24:58.960 we're Christians 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:01.299 but being in McDonald's 00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:01.900 doesn't make you 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:02.500 a hamburger 00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:04.120 even if you stay there 00:25:04.120 --> 00:25:04.880 a long time. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:07.420 and you know, 00:25:07.580 --> 00:25:08.140 some of you 00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:08.820 have never said, 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:09.100 God, 00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:10.660 I'm in for this 00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:12.380 covenant wedding 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:13.720 relationship with you. 00:25:13.820 --> 00:25:14.300 Some of you 00:25:14.300 --> 00:25:15.320 have never said that 00:25:15.320 --> 00:25:16.760 because you don't 00:25:16.760 --> 00:25:17.280 want to commit. 00:25:17.420 --> 00:25:18.200 You want the religion 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:19.040 but you don't 00:25:19.040 --> 00:25:20.260 want the commitment 00:25:20.260 --> 00:25:21.620 and God is challenging 00:25:21.620 --> 00:25:22.820 you in 2017. 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.240 You know, 00:25:25.300 --> 00:25:26.600 when you come to death, 00:25:26.700 --> 00:25:27.680 the biggest giant 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.920 you'll have to face, 00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:30.960 death. 00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:32.740 If you don't go 00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:33.940 all in for him, 00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.519 you may have to face 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:36.880 that giant by yourself 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:40.319 because there's no one 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.120 else to rely on 00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:42.400 if you don't rely on him. 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:45.759 And the promised land 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:46.220 of heaven 00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:47.039 and new creation, 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:47.720 God will say 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:48.880 you cannot enter 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:50.279 because you cannot 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:51.460 overcome that giant 00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:52.660 of death by yourself. 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:55.980 And if you know 00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:56.819 you've only just been 00:25:56.819 --> 00:25:58.039 a religious Christian, 00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:59.079 God will say to you, 00:25:59.299 --> 00:26:00.420 this year is a year 00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:01.360 you ought to move on 00:26:01.360 --> 00:26:03.120 and trust him. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:04.320 Ask forgiveness 00:26:04.320 --> 00:26:05.840 for your self-reliance 00:26:05.840 --> 00:26:07.360 and turn to him 00:26:07.360 --> 00:26:08.460 because he's there 00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:10.180 running after you 00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:12.460 and he will give you 00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:13.440 the strength 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:14.220 to move forward. 00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:17.779 Move on, 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:18.640 look back, 00:26:18.800 --> 00:26:19.380 last thing, 00:26:19.660 --> 00:26:20.180 look forward. 00:26:23.060 --> 00:26:24.060 God's not just 00:26:24.060 --> 00:26:25.200 wanting you to look back 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:26.259 to where you've come from, 00:26:26.340 --> 00:26:27.480 he's wanting to look forward 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.680 to where he's taking you. 00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:31.180 Because Moses does that, 00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:31.759 he speaks, 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:33.279 Moses says, 00:26:33.380 --> 00:26:34.560 the Lord goes before you, 00:26:34.620 --> 00:26:35.420 the first generation 00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:36.060 didn't listen. 00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:36.799 Verse 38, 00:26:36.920 --> 00:26:37.180 he says, 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:37.880 I'm going to raise up 00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:38.560 someone else. 00:26:38.860 --> 00:26:39.680 I'm going to raise up 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.340 someone else who's going 00:26:40.340 --> 00:26:40.940 to lead you, 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:41.820 who's going to cause you 00:26:41.820 --> 00:26:43.259 to inherit the land. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:45.720 His name's Joshua. 00:26:46.580 --> 00:26:47.580 He's faithful 00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:48.440 when no one else 00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:49.019 is faithful. 00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:50.420 He's going to move you 00:26:50.420 --> 00:26:52.160 in to being the people 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:53.100 that you always wanted 00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:53.600 to be. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:57.740 But you see, 00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:59.000 the people were unfaithful. 00:26:59.699 --> 00:27:00.759 The people were unfaithful. 00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:02.339 Even in chapter 31, 00:27:02.639 --> 00:27:03.759 Moses predicts it. 00:27:05.179 --> 00:27:06.159 But where the people 00:27:06.159 --> 00:27:07.179 are unfaithful, 00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:08.119 there's another leader 00:27:08.119 --> 00:27:09.019 who comes 00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:10.859 who is totally faithful. 00:27:12.179 --> 00:27:13.019 That's Jesus 00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:14.099 we've been talking about. 00:27:14.899 --> 00:27:15.879 And that verse 00:27:15.879 --> 00:27:17.179 in Hebrews says, 00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:20.179 he's not just 00:27:20.179 --> 00:27:20.719 the founder 00:27:20.719 --> 00:27:21.639 of your faith. 00:27:21.640 --> 00:27:23.720 He's not just the one 00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:25.540 who blazes a trail 00:27:25.540 --> 00:27:26.540 to make you 00:27:26.540 --> 00:27:27.520 come through 00:27:27.520 --> 00:27:29.880 to where you are today. 00:27:30.060 --> 00:27:30.640 He's the one 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.520 who's going to perfect 00:27:31.520 --> 00:27:32.040 your faith. 00:27:32.120 --> 00:27:33.120 He's going to move you on. 00:27:33.580 --> 00:27:34.420 He's going to change you 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.060 into the person 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:35.740 you want to be. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:36.900 You just have to keep 00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:37.780 your eyes on him. 00:27:38.360 --> 00:27:39.220 Because this year, 00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:40.080 God is going to move you 00:27:40.080 --> 00:27:41.020 into situations 00:27:41.020 --> 00:27:41.700 which are going to be 00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:42.800 too big for you to handle. 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.700 As a church, 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:46.460 he'll call us out 00:27:46.460 --> 00:27:47.240 on a mission 00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:48.540 which we feel 00:27:48.540 --> 00:27:49.840 inadequate and ill-equipped. 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:50.680 He's going to call you 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:51.820 to people in your family, 00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.960 to people in your offices, 00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:54.240 to people around us 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.799 and we will feel like, 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:57.279 I don't know what to do. 00:27:57.340 --> 00:27:58.340 I don't know how to do it. 00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:00.779 There'll be opportunities. 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:01.680 There'll be challenges 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:03.360 and God's challenge to us 00:28:03.360 --> 00:28:04.480 is don't fear. 00:28:04.820 --> 00:28:05.779 Don't let fear 00:28:05.779 --> 00:28:07.259 prevent you from moving on 00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:09.200 into the gifts 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.200 that I've given you. 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:12.299 Don't let past failure 00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:13.759 prevent you from moving on. 00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.440 Look forward 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.560 and see that he's 00:28:16.560 --> 00:28:17.380 not just behind you 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.420 but he's going before you. 00:28:18.460 --> 00:28:19.920 He's already made the way. 00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:21.920 He's going to bring you 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:22.900 through 2017. 00:28:23.320 --> 00:28:24.539 More than the world economy, 00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:25.240 whatever happens 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:26.100 in the world economy, 00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:27.019 whatever happens 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:27.660 in your job, 00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:28.620 he's going to bring you through 00:28:28.620 --> 00:28:30.000 and he wants to use 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:31.400 every situation 00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:34.340 to grow your faith 00:28:34.340 --> 00:28:35.380 to be more like him. 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.400 I don't know if you've ever 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:38.340 been rock climbing. 00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:39.880 Anyone been rock climbing? 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:42.840 Anyone been rock climbing 00:28:42.840 --> 00:28:44.019 not on a climbing wall 00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:45.340 but actually on a real rock? 00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:47.879 Two people. 00:28:48.159 --> 00:28:48.699 Three people. 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.480 Okay. 00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:50.779 Yeah, the rock climbing 00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:51.879 in Hong Kong is so-so 00:28:51.879 --> 00:28:52.240 but 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:55.919 my best friend 00:28:55.919 --> 00:28:57.039 is a rock climbing instructor 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:59.539 and when you're, 00:28:59.919 --> 00:29:00.500 he tells me, 00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.599 when you're on a rock face, 00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:04.359 you always have a lead climber 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:05.099 who goes up 00:29:05.099 --> 00:29:06.079 in front of you. 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.919 He basically 00:29:07.919 --> 00:29:09.259 takes the route 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:09.720 and what he does 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.279 every so often, 00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:11.299 he puts an anchor 00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:14.119 into the rock 00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:15.059 and then he attaches 00:29:15.059 --> 00:29:15.679 a rope to it 00:29:15.679 --> 00:29:16.199 and then he carries 00:29:16.199 --> 00:29:17.179 on climbing up 00:29:17.179 --> 00:29:18.919 and he basically 00:29:18.919 --> 00:29:20.199 paves the way 00:29:20.199 --> 00:29:21.559 for you to move up 00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:22.980 the rock face 00:29:22.980 --> 00:29:24.619 and what you have 00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:25.240 to do then 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:26.619 is you attach 00:29:26.619 --> 00:29:27.279 your rope 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.899 to the anchors 00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:28.980 that he's put on there 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:30.139 and then you climb up 00:29:30.139 --> 00:29:30.799 and you just keep 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:31.799 attaching your rope 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:34.559 to what he's already made 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:35.539 and you'll be fine 00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:36.779 because it's the one 00:29:36.779 --> 00:29:37.399 who goes first 00:29:37.399 --> 00:29:38.399 who takes the risk. 00:29:41.339 --> 00:29:42.859 Well, when Moses says, 00:29:42.980 --> 00:29:44.220 Joshua's going to lead you in, 00:29:45.159 --> 00:29:46.680 when in Hebrews 00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:47.079 it says, 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:48.399 Jesus is the founder, 00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:49.720 the trailblazer, 00:29:49.779 --> 00:29:50.740 that's what the word means, 00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:52.500 the pioneer of your faith, 00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:54.399 it's he's the one 00:29:54.399 --> 00:29:56.440 who has already made the way 00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:57.240 through 2017. 00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:59.200 He already knows 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:00.079 where he's taking you. 00:30:00.419 --> 00:30:01.139 He's already been up 00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:01.960 and down 2017 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:03.240 quite a number of times 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:04.900 so he knows this pretty well 00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:07.420 and I don't know 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:08.360 what your fears are, 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.140 there's so much uncertainty, 00:30:10.320 --> 00:30:10.940 there's so many things 00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:11.580 where I don't know 00:30:11.580 --> 00:30:12.220 what's going on 00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:13.259 in your world 00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:16.700 but there's something 00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:17.340 I do know. 00:30:18.180 --> 00:30:19.200 When you get to the end 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:19.960 of 2017, 00:30:21.340 --> 00:30:22.620 he's going to be there 00:30:22.620 --> 00:30:24.460 and his anchors 00:30:24.460 --> 00:30:25.340 of his promises 00:30:25.340 --> 00:30:26.740 are still going to be 00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:28.100 as sure as they ever were 00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:29.940 and as long as you're 00:30:29.940 --> 00:30:31.380 holding on to those anchors, 00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:32.740 you're going to walk 00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:33.660 through 2017 00:30:33.660 --> 00:30:35.740 and you're going to be growing 00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:37.340 and you're going to be moving 00:30:37.340 --> 00:30:38.900 more and more like himself 00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:40.500 and you're going to look back 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:41.019 and you're going to think, 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:42.299 how on earth did I do that? 00:30:42.360 --> 00:30:43.039 And you'll look back 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.140 at the end of 2017, 00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:44.720 you'll see, 00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:46.340 it was only because 00:30:46.340 --> 00:30:47.880 of the faithfulness of God 00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:49.259 and I just keep holding 00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:50.380 my anchor on to him, 00:30:50.600 --> 00:30:51.700 I keep trusting him 00:30:51.700 --> 00:30:52.840 with whatever situation 00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:53.720 he brings me 00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.740 this year 00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:57.200 and you'll be fine 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.920 because he's already 00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.480 got there. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:01.200 He's already into 2020 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:02.839 and beyond. 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:04.279 He's already into eternity 00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:04.799 actually. 00:31:08.220 --> 00:31:09.500 So let me leave us 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:11.079 just with a couple 00:31:11.079 --> 00:31:12.019 of thoughts. 00:31:13.339 --> 00:31:14.200 This year, 00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:16.880 are you all in 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:17.799 for this covenant 00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:18.940 relationship with God? 00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:21.460 will you stay 00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:23.600 as an unhatched egg 00:31:23.600 --> 00:31:25.799 or will you say, 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:27.420 I want to move on? 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.480 Some people say to me, 00:31:30.580 --> 00:31:31.860 I wish I had your faith. 00:31:33.940 --> 00:31:35.140 The Bible says, 00:31:35.420 --> 00:31:36.279 you do have faith. 00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:38.320 There is nobody in this room 00:31:38.320 --> 00:31:39.340 who doesn't have faith. 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:40.160 In fact, 00:31:40.320 --> 00:31:41.539 you do not need to grow 00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:42.799 in faith this year 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:44.680 because you always have 00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.880 the same amount of faith. 00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:47.840 The issue is not 00:31:47.840 --> 00:31:48.700 the amount of faith 00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:49.100 you have, 00:31:49.160 --> 00:31:49.960 it's where you put 00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:50.720 your faith. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.900 That's the issue 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:53.500 this year. 00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:58.539 So will you put it 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.360 in the lead climber 00:31:59.360 --> 00:32:00.420 who's already gone ahead 00:32:00.420 --> 00:32:01.140 because otherwise 00:32:01.140 --> 00:32:02.180 you're climbing solo 00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:03.960 and if you climb solo, 00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:05.500 there's going to be a point 00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:06.059 where you just get 00:32:06.059 --> 00:32:07.000 stuck on the rock 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:08.860 and if some of you 00:32:08.860 --> 00:32:09.680 are stuck on the rock 00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:10.380 right now, 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.559 you know the way back? 00:32:12.200 --> 00:32:13.500 It's just saying, 00:32:13.600 --> 00:32:13.880 Jesus, 00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:15.900 I want to hook back 00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:17.240 onto your rope. 00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:18.859 I want to come back 00:32:18.859 --> 00:32:19.120 to you. 00:32:19.220 --> 00:32:19.660 Forgive me 00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:20.440 that I've been away. 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:24.680 If Apple or Microsoft 00:32:24.680 --> 00:32:26.039 or Alibaba this year 00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:26.579 was to say, 00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:27.799 I think we've grown enough, 00:32:27.900 --> 00:32:28.859 we're happy as we are, 00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:30.680 you'd say, 00:32:31.339 --> 00:32:33.299 you're fools. 00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:34.140 You'll die 00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:34.819 if you stay 00:32:34.819 --> 00:32:35.480 where you are. 00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:37.920 Why as Christians 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:38.759 are we so often 00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:39.579 happy to say, 00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:41.220 I'm okay as I am. 00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:42.819 This year, 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:44.059 consider Jesus. 00:32:44.819 --> 00:32:45.660 This year, 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.519 look at Him, 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:47.440 His promises, 00:32:47.860 --> 00:32:48.900 His faithfulness 00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:49.860 and we need 00:32:49.860 --> 00:32:50.579 to be a community 00:32:50.579 --> 00:32:51.740 which is constantly 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:52.779 reminding each other 00:32:52.779 --> 00:32:53.220 of Him 00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:54.339 throughout whatever's 00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:54.900 going to come 00:32:54.900 --> 00:32:55.980 and you know what? 00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.200 It's going to be 00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:57.880 an amazing year 00:32:57.880 --> 00:32:58.299 with Jesus. 00:32:58.779 --> 00:32:59.360 Let me pray. 00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:10.699 Father, 00:33:10.819 --> 00:33:11.240 I just, 00:33:12.179 --> 00:33:13.159 even as I look back 00:33:13.159 --> 00:33:14.099 over 2016 00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:14.879 and think of 00:33:14.879 --> 00:33:15.859 Your faithfulness 00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:18.559 and look forward 00:33:18.559 --> 00:33:19.519 into 2017 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:20.779 and there's so many things 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:21.799 that I just don't know, 00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:24.219 don't know what's 00:33:24.219 --> 00:33:24.679 going to happen. 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:27.900 and yet, 00:33:28.060 --> 00:33:28.299 Father, 00:33:29.380 --> 00:33:30.380 You are faithful. 00:33:32.180 --> 00:33:34.060 I pray that as a church 00:33:34.060 --> 00:33:36.000 we would get serious 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:36.940 about our relationship 00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:37.580 with You 00:33:37.580 --> 00:33:38.900 and we'd realize 00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:39.820 that that doesn't mean 00:33:39.820 --> 00:33:41.460 living off a past experience. 00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:42.600 That means running 00:33:42.600 --> 00:33:43.779 day by day, 00:33:44.860 --> 00:33:46.640 remembering who You are, 00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:48.640 remembering Your promises 00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:49.380 to us 00:33:49.380 --> 00:33:50.860 and stepping out 00:33:50.860 --> 00:33:52.500 in what You are calling us 00:33:52.500 --> 00:33:53.539 to do this year. 00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:55.039 I pray, 00:33:55.200 --> 00:33:55.279 Lord, 00:33:55.339 --> 00:33:56.680 we'd not stay stagnant, 00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:58.000 whether it's 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:59.279 with the people around us, 00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:00.319 whether there are relationships 00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:01.420 we need to get right, 00:34:01.899 --> 00:34:02.579 whether there are 00:34:02.579 --> 00:34:03.639 just our relationship 00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:04.259 with You 00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:04.940 we need to just 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:05.920 pursue more. 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:07.859 I just pray 00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:08.599 that You'd help us 00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.219 to see 00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:10.400 Your goodness, 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:11.679 Your love, 00:34:12.039 --> 00:34:13.259 that You go behind us 00:34:13.259 --> 00:34:14.239 and before us 00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:15.960 and we would look back 00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:17.320 at the grace 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:18.219 that You show us 00:34:18.219 --> 00:34:19.179 and look forward 00:34:19.179 --> 00:34:20.500 to the place 00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:21.559 You're taking us, 00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:22.619 which is to be 00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:23.559 more and more like You. 00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:25.599 In Jesus' name, 00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:26.440 Amen.