WEBVTT

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 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone and I'm one of the pastors here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church.

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! It's my joy to bring God's word to you today. Special welcome if you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here.

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 And we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one community.

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 And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good, they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it.

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 Which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in his word.

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 This morning we're continuing our series in the book of Genesis.

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 You'll remember that Genesis is the very first book in the Bible.

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 It tells the origin story, first of the world and the universe in chapters 1 through 11.

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 And then in chapters 11 through 51 it tells the story of God's people, the story of Israel.

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 We're focusing together on chapters 11 through 25 which tell the story of Abraham.

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 We're getting near the end by the way, we're in chapter 20 this morning.

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 And we're doing that for two reasons.

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 First, to prepare us to return to our series in the book of Romans.

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 Where we're going to pick up in chapter 4 which is about Abraham.

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 So we're looking at Abraham so that later we can again look at Abraham.

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 We're doing it for a second reason too which is that it allows us to ask this question.

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 What does it look like to follow God in faith?

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 This week, Abraham does it again.

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 What I mean by that is he does the very same sin he did back in chapter 12.

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 Now several months ago, you'll remember in chapter 12 he told Sarah,

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 Hey, when we go into this foreign country I need you to lie.

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 And I need you to tell people you're my sister rather than my wife.

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 And I want to do that because I'm trying to save my skin.

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 I'm afraid that if I tell people that you're my wife they will kill me to get at you.

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 And so in some ways, this is a repeat of what we've seen before.

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 If we were to go on to chapter 26 of Genesis, we would see it again with Abraham's son Isaac.

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 But there is this week a new angle which is this.

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 Abimelech serves as a contrast to Abraham.

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 We have a pagan king who does what's right.

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 God's chosen Abraham who does what's wrong.

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 So it raises this question for us.

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 When we come across non-Christians who are upright and moral,

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 does it mean our faith is unnecessary?

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 Do we really need to follow Jesus?

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 There's these people out there who are living good lives without him.

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 So with that question, I invite you to turn with me to Genesis chapter 20.

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 You can turn in your worship guide.

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 You can turn on your phone.

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 You can turn in your Bible.

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 No matter where you turn, Proverbs chapter 30 verse 5 tells us,

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 every word of God proves true.

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 He's a shield to those who take refuge in him.

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 So that's why we read now Genesis chapter 20 starting at verse 1.

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 From there, Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negev

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 and lived between Kadesh and Shur.

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 And he sojourned in Gerar.

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 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife,

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 She is my sister.

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 And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

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 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him,

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 Behold, you are a dead man

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 because of the woman whom you have taken,

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 for she is a man's wife.

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 Now Abimelech had not approached her.

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 So he said, Lord, will you kill an innocent people?

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 Did he not himself say to me, she is my sister?

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 And she herself said, he is my brother.

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 In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands,

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 I have done this.

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 Verse 6.

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 Then God said to him in the dream,

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 Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart.

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 And it was I who kept you from sinning against me.

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 Therefore, I did not let you touch her.

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 Now then return the man's wife, for he is a prophet,

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 so that he will pray for you and you shall live.

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 But if you do not return her,

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 know that you shall surely die,

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 you and all who are yours.

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 Verse 8.

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 So Abimelech rose early in the morning

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 and called all his servants and told them all these things.

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 And the men were very much afraid.

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 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him,

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 What have you done to us?

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 And how have I sinned against you

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 that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin?

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 You have done to me things that ought not to be done.

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 And Abimelech said to Abraham,

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 What did you see that you did this thing?

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 Abraham said,

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 I did it because I thought

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 there is no fear of God at all in this place

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 and they will kill me because of my wife.

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 Besides, she is indeed my sister.

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 The daughter of my father,

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 though not the daughter of my mother.

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 And she became my wife.

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 And when God calls me to wander from my father's house,

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 I said to her,

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 This is the kindness you must do to me.

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 At every place to which we come,

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 say of me,

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 He is my brother.

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 Verse 14.

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 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen

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 and male servants and female servants

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 and gave them to Abraham

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 and returned Sarah, his wife, to him.

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 And Abimelech said,

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 Behold, my land is before you.

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 Dwell where it pleases you.

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 To Sarah he said,

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 Behold, I have given your brother

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 a thousand pieces of silver.

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 It is a sign of your innocence

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 in the eyes of all who are with you

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 and before everyone you are vindicated.

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 Then Abraham prayed to God

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 and God healed Abimelech

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 and also healed his wife and female slaves

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 so that they bore children.

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 For the Lord had closed

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 all the wombs of the house of Abimelech

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 because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

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 I invite you to pray with me

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 as we come to this portion of God's word.

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 Our Father in heaven,

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 we do thank you and praise you again

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 that you have established this church

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 here in Southwest Colorado Springs

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 even before any of us thought of it.

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 It was in your mind.

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 We thank you that you have given us your word

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 and that you use it powerfully in our lives.

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 We ask that you would do that again this morning,

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 that you would open our eyes,

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 you'd unstop our ears,

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 you'd clear our minds,

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 you'd soften our hearts,

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 that we would see and hear

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 and believe and understand

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 everything that's written in your word.

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 We ask most of all

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 that we would see Jesus Christ,

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 that he would be more precious

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 and beautiful to us

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 than ever before,

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 that we would love him,

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 we'd follow him.

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 We ask these things in his mighty name.

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 Amen.

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 In the summer of 1998,

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 I started fourth grade

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 and I also started violin lessons.

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 And for the next three summers after that,

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 99 and 2000 and 2001,

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 I went to music camp

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 on the campus of Catholic University

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 in Washington, D.C.

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 And while I was there,

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 I made a friend whose name was Lee.

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 Lee and I were tight.

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 We were buds.

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 He was kind and accepting and funny

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 and really he was just a wonderful person all around.

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 But,

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 Lee was not a Christian.

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 Now, I loved Lee,

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 but Lee lived in New Jersey

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 and I lived in Maryland

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 and so it was more of a camp friendship

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 than anything else.

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 I remember after the last concert,

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 one of those weeks,

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 I was just crying in the car

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 as my parents were driving me home

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 because I realized,

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 I'm not going to have this buddy anymore.

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 But we had those summers together.

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 Summer of 2001 was the last summer with Lee

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 and that fall I started seventh grade.

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 When I started seventh grade in school,

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 I also started seventh grade in Sunday school.

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 And one Sunday at our church,

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 we had this lesson.

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 I don't remember what it was about,

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 but I do remember this.

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 At the end of the lesson,

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 and we had this handout

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 with these little illustrations on it,

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 we were told the application was,

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 you should hang out

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 and have Christian friends

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 instead of non-Christian friends.

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 And the reason you should do this

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 is because Christians

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 are better than non-Christians.

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 So if you do this,

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 your Christian friends will be kinder

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 and nicer and they won't lie.

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 And so that's really

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 who you should be tight with.

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 I was furious.

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 And I was furious

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 because my friend Lee

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 was better than the Christians that I knew.

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 In fact, the other 12-year-olds

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 at this church

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 were terrible.

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 They were kind of bullies.

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 They were little punks.

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 And so 12-year-old Matthew

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 went off.

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 And I informed my Sunday school class

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 that this was in fact incorrect

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 and that there were actually

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 some non-Christians

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 who were nicer than Christians.

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 To make things better,

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 there was another girl

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 in the class named Sydney

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 and she backed me up.

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 Yeah, that's right.

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 Tell them.

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 And so we staged

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 an insurrection

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 in the seventh grade

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 Sunday school class

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 at Alexandria Presbyterian Church

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 in Alexandria, Virginia.

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 And I don't think

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 our teachers quite knew

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 what to do.

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 This is not a sell

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 for teaching Sunday school,

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 by the way.

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 But I won't be in your class.

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 Thankfully,

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 it was the end of the class.

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 So I think we just kind of

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 wrapped things up

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 quite awkwardly.

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 But what we're getting at here

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 is there is a tension

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 which is this.

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 Sometimes Christians

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 do really terrible things.

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 And sometimes non-Christians

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 do really wonderful things.

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 Sometimes Christians behave poorly.

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 Sometimes non-Christians

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 behave quite well.

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 And what do we do with that?

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 It's part of the challenge

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 of this passage

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 this morning.

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 Genesis chapter 20

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 is a repeat,

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 as I mentioned,

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 of Genesis chapter 12.

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 In both,

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 Abraham tells Sarah

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 to lie.

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 In both,

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 she says

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 she's just a sister

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 rather than a wife

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 to protect

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 Abraham's life.

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 In chapter 12,

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 she tells this lie

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 to Pharaoh.

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 In chapter 20,

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 to Abimelech.

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 And so both Pharaoh

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 and Abimelech

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 take Sarah

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 into their household

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 as their wives.

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 Chapter 12,

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 remember God afflicts

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 Pharaoh with plagues.

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 Chapter 20,

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 God comes in a dream

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 to warn him.

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 That's what we see

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 in verse 3.

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 And there's an emphasis here

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 on how righteous

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 Abimelech is.

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 Verse 4,

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 Abimelech says,

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 Lord, will you kill

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 an innocent people?

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 Verse 5,

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 in the integrity

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 of my heart

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 and the innocence

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 of my hands,

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 I have done this.

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 Verse 6,

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 God says,

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 God agrees with him.

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 Yes.

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 You know what,

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 Abimelech,

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 you're right.

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 I know that you

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 have done this

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 in the integrity

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 of your heart.

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 In a certain sense,

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 Abimelech is innocent.

00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:11.940
 He's just trying

00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:12.540
 to do what's right.

00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:14.100
 Now there's a sense

00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:14.840
 in which he's not,

00:12:14.920 --> 00:12:15.019
 right?

00:12:15.040 --> 00:12:16.200
 He's done something wrong

00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:17.440
 even though he didn't

00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:18.140
 realize it.

00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:19.460
 And so he goes

00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:20.060
 to Abraham,

00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:21.720
 this is verses 9 and 10,

00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:23.740
 and he is livid.

00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:28.300
 What have you done

00:12:28.300 --> 00:12:29.000
 to us?

00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:30.160
 This is verse 9.

00:12:31.160 --> 00:12:31.920
 You have done

00:12:31.920 --> 00:12:33.379
 to me things

00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:34.740
 that ought

00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:35.620
 not

00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:36.920
 to be done.

00:12:38.040 --> 00:12:39.040
 And so he demands

00:12:39.040 --> 00:12:39.700
 an explanation.

00:12:39.900 --> 00:12:40.120
 Abraham,

00:12:40.340 --> 00:12:41.480
 explain yourself.

00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:43.800
 Even I,

00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:44.279
 a pagan,

00:12:44.539 --> 00:12:45.940
 know this is not

00:12:45.940 --> 00:12:46.700
 right.

00:12:47.680 --> 00:12:48.360
 Abraham gives

00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:49.039
 this incredibly

00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:50.259
 lame explanation

00:12:50.259 --> 00:12:51.120
 in verse 11.

00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:52.740
 I did it

00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:53.759
 because I thought

00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:55.080
 there is no

00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:56.120
 fear of God

00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:56.740
 at all

00:12:56.740 --> 00:12:57.759
 in this place

00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:58.920
 and they will

00:12:58.920 --> 00:12:59.519
 kill me

00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:00.220
 because

00:13:00.220 --> 00:13:02.220
 of my wife.

00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:04.460
 And in that

00:13:04.460 --> 00:13:04.940
 statement,

00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:07.039
 there is this

00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:07.879
 rich

00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:09.200
 irony.

00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:11.940
 because Abraham

00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:12.400
 says,

00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:13.160
 I thought

00:13:13.160 --> 00:13:13.560
 there is no

00:13:13.560 --> 00:13:14.220
 fear of God

00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:14.540
 here.

00:13:15.940 --> 00:13:16.220
 And yet,

00:13:16.280 --> 00:13:16.879
 who is it

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:18.140
 that doesn't

00:13:18.140 --> 00:13:19.840
 fear God?

00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:22.740
 It's Abraham.

00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:25.420
 Abraham is the

00:13:25.420 --> 00:13:26.080
 one who doesn't

00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:26.940
 believe God's

00:13:26.940 --> 00:13:27.480
 promise from

00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:28.200
 the last chapter.

00:13:29.420 --> 00:13:29.700
 Remember,

00:13:29.780 --> 00:13:30.060
 it was just

00:13:30.060 --> 00:13:30.680
 the last chapter

00:13:30.680 --> 00:13:31.220
 when God

00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:32.000
 came to Abraham

00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:32.360
 and Sarah

00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:32.580
 and says,

00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:32.740
 look,

00:13:32.780 --> 00:13:33.379
 or two chapters

00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:33.660
 ago,

00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:34.140
 says,

00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:34.500
 look,

00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:36.000
 within a year

00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:36.540
 you're going

00:13:36.540 --> 00:13:36.940
 to have a son.

00:13:36.940 --> 00:13:40.100
 Abraham is the

00:13:40.100 --> 00:13:40.860
 one who does

00:13:40.860 --> 00:13:42.140
 not take God

00:13:42.140 --> 00:13:43.540
 at his word.

00:13:44.700 --> 00:13:45.440
 Who does

00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:45.860
 take God

00:13:45.860 --> 00:13:46.360
 at his word?

00:13:48.540 --> 00:13:49.080
 Abimelech.

00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:50.960
 Abimelech,

00:13:51.020 --> 00:13:51.440
 the pagan,

00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:52.320
 is actually

00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:53.120
 the one here

00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:54.580
 who fears

00:13:54.580 --> 00:13:55.460
 God.

00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:56.760
 God comes

00:13:56.760 --> 00:13:57.020
 to him

00:13:57.020 --> 00:13:57.620
 in a dream,

00:13:58.180 --> 00:13:58.560
 gives him

00:13:58.560 --> 00:13:59.120
 a word,

00:13:59.660 --> 00:14:00.200
 Abimelech

00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:00.900
 believes

00:14:00.900 --> 00:14:01.860
 and obeys.

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:04.900
 And in case

00:14:04.900 --> 00:14:05.760
 we missed it,

00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:07.399
 the author

00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:07.919
 of Genesis

00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:08.720
 rubs it

00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:09.019
 in our

00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:09.460
 face

00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:10.480
 in verse

00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:10.879
 8.

00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:12.379
 Abimelech

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:12.879
 tells his

00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:13.179
 servants

00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:13.639
 and what

00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:14.220
 happens?

00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:16.000
 The men

00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.059
 were very

00:14:17.059 --> 00:14:17.679
 much

00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.480
 afraid.

00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:20.700
 Three

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:21.279
 verses later,

00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:21.700
 yeah,

00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:22.059
 I just didn't

00:14:22.059 --> 00:14:22.500
 think anyone

00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:23.059
 feared God

00:14:23.059 --> 00:14:23.279
 here.

00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:25.600
 So I

00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.059
 decided to

00:14:26.059 --> 00:14:26.419
 go off

00:14:26.419 --> 00:14:26.799
 the map.

00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:30.419
 So the

00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:30.779
 way of

00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:31.299
 things is

00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:31.819
 reversed.

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:34.120
 Pagans

00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:34.919
 act well,

00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:36.919
 God's

00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:37.500
 people

00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:38.840
 act

00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:39.960
 poorly.

00:14:41.340 --> 00:14:41.779
 In fact,

00:14:41.819 --> 00:14:42.080
 if you've

00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:42.819
 lived on

00:14:42.819 --> 00:14:43.319
 this earth

00:14:43.319 --> 00:14:43.720
 for some

00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:44.120
 time and

00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:44.360
 you've been

00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:44.580
 in the

00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:44.779
 church,

00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:45.480
 you know

00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:45.700
 this.

00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:45.980
 It's a

00:14:45.980 --> 00:14:46.220
 common

00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:46.879
 experience.

00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.139
 There's a

00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:48.460
 man named

00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:48.799
 Abraham

00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:49.340
 Kuyper

00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:49.799
 who's a

00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:50.059
 Dutch

00:14:50.059 --> 00:14:50.840
 theologian

00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:51.319
 and actually

00:14:51.319 --> 00:14:51.840
 was prime

00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:52.319
 minister of

00:14:52.319 --> 00:14:52.740
 the Netherlands

00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:53.439
 for a while

00:14:53.439 --> 00:14:54.220
 when he

00:14:54.220 --> 00:14:55.299
 wrote a lot

00:14:55.299 --> 00:14:55.860
 about God's

00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:56.559
 common grace

00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:56.840
 and he

00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.319
 says this,

00:14:57.379 --> 00:14:57.740
 this is on

00:14:57.740 --> 00:14:58.379
 page 7

00:14:58.379 --> 00:14:58.740
 of your

00:14:58.740 --> 00:14:59.399
 worship guide,

00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:00.879
 the world

00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:01.819
 turns out

00:15:01.819 --> 00:15:02.159
 to be

00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:02.759
 better than

00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:03.340
 expected

00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:04.459
 and the

00:15:04.459 --> 00:15:04.980
 church

00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:06.120
 worse

00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:07.120
 than

00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:07.639
 expected.

00:15:09.959 --> 00:15:10.679
 Why is

00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:10.919
 that?

00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:12.620
 Seems

00:15:12.620 --> 00:15:13.279
 counterintuitive,

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:13.539
 right?

00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.059
 We would

00:15:15.059 --> 00:15:15.539
 expect the

00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:15.919
 church to

00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:16.620
 always exceed

00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:16.819
 our

00:15:16.819 --> 00:15:17.419
 expectations.

00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:17.980
 God's

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:18.459
 spirit is

00:15:18.459 --> 00:15:18.779
 at work

00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:19.039
 in a

00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:19.579
 special way

00:15:19.579 --> 00:15:19.919
 turning

00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:20.419
 hearts of

00:15:20.419 --> 00:15:20.740
 stone

00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:21.279
 into

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:21.679
 hearts of

00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:22.019
 flesh

00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:22.340
 and that's

00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:22.799
 not true

00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:23.039
 in the

00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:23.639
 outside world.

00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:24.179
 So why

00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:24.620
 do things

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.019
 not

00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:26.159
 appear,

00:15:27.060 --> 00:15:27.679
 play out

00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:28.120
 the way

00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:28.440
 that we

00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:29.060
 want to?

00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:30.639
 We're

00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:30.879
 going to

00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.000
 look in

00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:32.399
 two

00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.039
 sections

00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:33.340
 really

00:15:33.340 --> 00:15:33.639
 broken

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:33.980
 out by

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:34.220
 this

00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:34.440
 quote.

00:15:34.560 --> 00:15:34.840
 Why is

00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:35.259
 the world

00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:35.539
 better

00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:35.740
 than

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.279
 expected?

00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:37.919
 Why is

00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:38.539
 the church

00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:39.240
 worse

00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:40.220
 than

00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:40.700
 expected?

00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:42.179
 First of

00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:42.320
 all,

00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:42.899
 why is

00:15:42.899 --> 00:15:43.419
 the world

00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:44.000
 better

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:44.399
 than

00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:44.940
 expected?

00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:46.539
 The

00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:47.039
 world

00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:48.120
 is

00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:48.580
 better

00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:48.840
 than

00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:49.399
 expected

00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:50.320
 because

00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:51.700
 despite

00:15:51.700 --> 00:15:52.720
 man's

00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:53.379
 rebellion

00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:54.100
 against

00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:54.740
 God,

00:15:55.800 --> 00:15:56.920
 every

00:15:56.920 --> 00:15:57.639
 person

00:15:57.639 --> 00:15:58.080
 is

00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:58.639
 still

00:15:58.639 --> 00:15:59.379
 made

00:15:59.379 --> 00:15:59.700
 in

00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:00.379
 God's

00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:01.019
 image.

00:16:02.920 --> 00:16:03.720
 Despite

00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:05.200
 our

00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:05.740
 rebellion,

00:16:06.300 --> 00:16:07.080
 every

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:07.580
 person

00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:07.960
 is

00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:08.399
 made

00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:09.000
 in

00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:09.659
 God's

00:16:09.659 --> 00:16:10.340
 image.

00:16:10.920 --> 00:16:11.200
 Brit

00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:11.860
 read it

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.159
 for us

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:12.480
 this morning

00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:12.879
 from Acts

00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.620
 chapter 17.

00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:14.159
 This is on

00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:14.860
 page 3

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:15.300
 of your

00:16:15.300 --> 00:16:15.620
 worship

00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:16.060
 guide.

00:16:17.180 --> 00:16:17.460
 Verse

00:16:17.460 --> 00:16:18.060
 28,

00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.220
 for we

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:19.620
 are

00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:20.340
 indeed

00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:20.940
 his

00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:21.620
 offspring.

00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:22.620
 God

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:26.620
 is

00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:27.019
 embracing

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:27.259
 him.

00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:28.019
 There's

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:28.379
 a sense

00:16:28.379 --> 00:16:28.659
 in which

00:16:28.659 --> 00:16:29.220
 we can

00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:29.700
 say

00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:30.259
 not

00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:30.720
 everyone

00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:30.960
 is

00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:31.340
 God's

00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:31.799
 child

00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:32.120
 in the

00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:32.320
 sense

00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:32.620
 that not

00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:32.860
 everyone

00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:33.200
 has been

00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:33.840
 adopted

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:34.519
 by God

00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:34.840
 as one

00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:35.220
 of Jesus'

00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:35.840
 brothers and

00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:36.200
 sisters.

00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:37.179
 There's

00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:37.560
 a sense

00:16:37.560 --> 00:16:37.860
 in which

00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:38.080
 if you're

00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:38.360
 not a

00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:38.620
 Christian,

00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:38.940
 God

00:16:38.940 --> 00:16:39.279
 is not

00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:39.440
 your

00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:39.820
 father.

00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:41.480
 There's

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:41.899
 another

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:42.340
 sense

00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:42.620
 in which

00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:42.940
 if you're

00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:43.240
 not a

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:43.500
 Christian,

00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:43.799
 God

00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:44.200
 is

00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:44.399
 your

00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:44.759
 father

00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:45.399
 in the

00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:45.639
 sense

00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:45.840
 that

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.000
 he

00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:46.539
 made

00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:46.779
 you.

00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:48.100
 You

00:16:48.100 --> 00:16:48.659
 can't

00:16:48.659 --> 00:16:49.459
 erase

00:16:49.459 --> 00:16:50.100
 the

00:16:50.100 --> 00:16:50.559
 image

00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:50.860
 of

00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:51.360
 God

00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.100
 in

00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:52.639
 humanity.

00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:53.679
 So the

00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:53.879
 image

00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:54.039
 of

00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:54.299
 God,

00:16:54.439 --> 00:16:54.539
 it's

00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:55.220
 marred,

00:16:55.319 --> 00:16:55.500
 it's

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.399
 obscured,

00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:56.779
 it's

00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:57.319
 twisted,

00:16:58.319 --> 00:17:00.019
 never

00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:00.579
 erased.

00:17:01.740 --> 00:17:02.120
 I want

00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:02.299
 you to

00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:02.620
 think about

00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:02.899
 it this

00:17:02.899 --> 00:17:03.139
 way.

00:17:04.899 --> 00:17:05.420
 A

00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:05.639
 number

00:17:05.639 --> 00:17:06.160
 of you

00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:06.920
 have

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.379
 had the

00:17:07.379 --> 00:17:07.559
 very

00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:08.200
 painful

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.139
 experience

00:17:09.139 --> 00:17:10.299
 of being

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:11.139
 cut off

00:17:11.139 --> 00:17:11.680
 by a

00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.079
 son or

00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:12.240
 a

00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:12.440
 daughter.

00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:15.200
 So I

00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:15.399
 want you

00:17:15.399 --> 00:17:15.839
 to imagine

00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.220
 if that's

00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:16.640
 not your

00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:17.160
 experience,

00:17:17.259 --> 00:17:17.519
 imagine

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:17.940
 with me

00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:18.480
 that your

00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.279
 son cuts

00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:19.700
 you off.

00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:20.240
 He says,

00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:20.460
 you know

00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:20.600
 what,

00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:21.500
 I'm just

00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:21.759
 not going

00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.100
 to talk

00:17:22.100 --> 00:17:22.360
 to you

00:17:22.360 --> 00:17:22.700
 anymore.

00:17:23.380 --> 00:17:23.700
 Done

00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:24.220
 with you.

00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.140
 As far

00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:25.480
 as I'm

00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:25.860
 concerned,

00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:26.279
 mom and

00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:26.579
 dad are

00:17:26.579 --> 00:17:27.059
 erased

00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:28.019
 from my

00:17:28.019 --> 00:17:28.360
 life.

00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:30.900
 No

00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:31.180
 matter

00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:31.660
 what,

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.100
 if he

00:17:33.100 --> 00:17:33.539
 is your

00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:34.319
 biological

00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:35.100
 son,

00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:37.000
 he still

00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:38.059
 looks

00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:39.180
 like you.

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:40.680
 Right?

00:17:41.380 --> 00:17:42.220
 He still

00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:42.600
 has your

00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:42.920
 nose.

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.319
 He might

00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:45.960
 still have

00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:46.880
 your spouse's

00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:47.720
 smile.

00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:50.799
 His

00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:51.299
 physical

00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:51.940
 appearance

00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:52.420
 doesn't

00:17:52.420 --> 00:17:53.220
 change

00:17:53.220 --> 00:17:54.380
 even if

00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:54.720
 he has

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.140
 cut

00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:56.319
 you off.

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:57.380
 When he

00:17:57.380 --> 00:17:57.840
 talks,

00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.579
 he probably

00:17:59.579 --> 00:18:00.079
 still has

00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:00.400
 some of

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:00.519
 your

00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:00.819
 verbal

00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:01.240
 tics.

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.279
 When he

00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:03.680
 walks,

00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:05.360
 he might

00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:06.000
 remind some

00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:06.400
 people of

00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:06.840
 your dad,

00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:07.059
 his

00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:07.559
 grandfather.

00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:09.380
 The point

00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:09.920
 is this,

00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:11.700
 you can

00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:13.559
 act as

00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:13.919
 if your

00:18:13.919 --> 00:18:14.379
 parents

00:18:14.379 --> 00:18:14.700
 don't

00:18:14.700 --> 00:18:15.179
 exist.

00:18:17.299 --> 00:18:17.859
 You

00:18:17.859 --> 00:18:18.599
 can't

00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:19.500
 escape

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:20.200
 the

00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:20.879
 resemblance.

00:18:23.659 --> 00:18:24.399
 Same is

00:18:24.399 --> 00:18:24.700
 true of

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:24.960
 us and

00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:25.200
 God.

00:18:26.419 --> 00:18:27.440
 You can

00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:29.119
 act as

00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:29.919
 if God

00:18:29.919 --> 00:18:30.819
 does not

00:18:30.819 --> 00:18:31.659
 exist.

00:18:33.299 --> 00:18:33.859
 You

00:18:33.859 --> 00:18:34.599
 cannot

00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:36.139
 escape

00:18:36.139 --> 00:18:36.940
 the

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:37.659
 resemblance.

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.359
 Why is the

00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:40.940
 world better

00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:41.600
 than expected?

00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:43.200
 Because

00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.980
 everyone is

00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:45.960
 still made

00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:46.360
 in the

00:18:46.360 --> 00:18:47.400
 image of

00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:47.720
 God.

00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:49.340
 The image

00:18:49.340 --> 00:18:49.700
 of God

00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:50.039
 can be

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.640
 obscured,

00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:51.160
 it can be

00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:51.519
 marred,

00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:51.960
 it can be

00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.440
 twisted,

00:18:52.860 --> 00:18:53.400
 it will

00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:54.720
 never be

00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:55.680
 erased.

00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:55.759
 Christ.

00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:58.820
 How is it

00:18:58.820 --> 00:18:59.060
 that we

00:18:59.060 --> 00:18:59.640
 explain

00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:00.660
 non-Christians

00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:00.920
 who are

00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:01.660
 kind and

00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:02.360
 generous and

00:19:02.360 --> 00:19:02.880
 moral and

00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:03.660
 upright in

00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:04.600
 many ways,

00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:05.440
 well,

00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:07.400
 in the

00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:08.759
 broad sense,

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.660
 God is

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.100
 still their

00:19:10.100 --> 00:19:10.420
 father.

00:19:11.840 --> 00:19:12.700
 And so

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.400
 in some

00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:14.100
 ways,

00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:15.240
 they still

00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:16.799
 look like

00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:17.100
 him.

00:19:18.820 --> 00:19:19.660
 It is

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:20.200
 possible

00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:22.140
 to accept

00:19:22.140 --> 00:19:23.140
 the gifts

00:19:23.140 --> 00:19:25.380
 and not

00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:26.420
 acknowledge

00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:27.120
 the

00:19:27.120 --> 00:19:27.420
 giver.

00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:30.880
 You can

00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:31.320
 distance

00:19:31.320 --> 00:19:31.780
 yourself

00:19:31.780 --> 00:19:32.540
 from God

00:19:32.540 --> 00:19:34.080
 as much

00:19:34.080 --> 00:19:34.440
 as you

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:34.780
 want.

00:19:36.580 --> 00:19:37.300
 You

00:19:37.300 --> 00:19:37.800
 cannot

00:19:37.800 --> 00:19:39.100
 erase

00:19:39.100 --> 00:19:39.960
 his

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:40.320
 image.

00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:42.700
 It is

00:19:42.700 --> 00:19:43.280
 critical for

00:19:43.280 --> 00:19:43.580
 us to

00:19:43.580 --> 00:19:44.200
 understand

00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:44.540
 this,

00:19:44.620 --> 00:19:44.920
 to really

00:19:44.920 --> 00:19:45.440
 comprehend

00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:45.740
 it,

00:19:45.780 --> 00:19:46.140
 because if

00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:46.800
 we don't,

00:19:47.040 --> 00:19:47.440
 we are

00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:47.940
 setting

00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:48.460
 ourselves

00:19:48.460 --> 00:19:48.980
 up for

00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:49.860
 disillusionment

00:19:49.860 --> 00:19:50.300
 in this

00:19:50.300 --> 00:19:50.660
 world.

00:19:50.840 --> 00:19:51.120
 We are

00:19:51.120 --> 00:19:51.360
 setting

00:19:51.360 --> 00:19:51.720
 ourselves

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.140
 up for

00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:53.000
 disillusionment

00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:53.440
 when we

00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:53.839
 meet

00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:54.819
 wonderful

00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:55.420
 people

00:19:55.420 --> 00:19:56.119
 who are

00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:56.359
 not

00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:56.779
 Christians.

00:19:58.140 --> 00:19:58.619
 Remember

00:19:58.619 --> 00:19:59.140
 last week,

00:19:59.200 --> 00:19:59.640
 I told you

00:19:59.640 --> 00:19:59.940
 kids,

00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:00.140
 hey,

00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:00.420
 if you

00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:00.619
 want to

00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:00.880
 go to

00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:01.440
 college,

00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.359
 great.

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.259
 Make sure

00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:04.740
 you pick

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.180
 a college

00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:05.500
 where there's

00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:05.980
 a community

00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:06.640
 of believers

00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.140
 who can

00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:07.839
 sustain

00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.460
 and uphold

00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:09.140
 your faith.

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:10.720
 This week,

00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:11.059
 I'll add

00:20:11.059 --> 00:20:11.400
 this.

00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:12.759
 When you

00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:13.240
 go to

00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:13.759
 college,

00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:15.200
 you will

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:15.779
 meet

00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:17.339
 wonderful,

00:20:17.660 --> 00:20:18.319
 thoughtful,

00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:19.420
 smart,

00:20:20.019 --> 00:20:20.740
 and moral

00:20:20.740 --> 00:20:21.299
 pagans.

00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:23.539
 And if

00:20:23.539 --> 00:20:23.660
 you're

00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:23.839
 not

00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:24.200
 prepared

00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:24.420
 for

00:20:24.420 --> 00:20:24.680
 that,

00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:25.920
 it

00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:26.099
 will

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:26.660
 shake

00:20:26.660 --> 00:20:27.519
 your

00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.099
 faith.

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:32.380
 Wait,

00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:33.720
 this

00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:34.019
 person

00:20:34.019 --> 00:20:34.420
 is so

00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:34.740
 good,

00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:35.119
 what is

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:35.339
 my

00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:35.759
 religion

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.299
 worth?

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.440
 It doesn't

00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:38.740
 mean that

00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:39.240
 your religion

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:40.000
 is worthless.

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:42.440
 It means

00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:42.880
 that the

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:43.559
 image of

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:43.960
 God

00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:44.759
 shines

00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:45.400
 through

00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:46.279
 in them

00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:47.359
 despite

00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:48.419
 and in

00:20:48.419 --> 00:20:48.979
 the midst

00:20:48.979 --> 00:20:49.339
 of their

00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:49.679
 sin.

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.319
 It does

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:52.819
 not mean

00:20:52.819 --> 00:20:53.379
 your religion

00:20:53.379 --> 00:20:53.959
 is worthless.

00:20:54.679 --> 00:20:55.579
 It means

00:20:55.579 --> 00:20:55.979
 that the

00:20:55.979 --> 00:20:56.619
 image of

00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:56.939
 God

00:20:56.939 --> 00:20:57.679
 shines

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.379
 out in

00:20:58.379 --> 00:20:58.759
 them

00:20:58.759 --> 00:20:59.899
 despite

00:20:59.899 --> 00:21:00.819
 and in

00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:01.299
 the midst

00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:01.639
 of their

00:21:01.639 --> 00:21:02.179
 sin

00:21:02.179 --> 00:21:02.959
 and rebellion.

00:21:03.659 --> 00:21:04.179
 What is

00:21:04.179 --> 00:21:04.519
 it that I

00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:04.879
 say every

00:21:04.879 --> 00:21:05.139
 week?

00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:06.799
 There's

00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:07.299
 no one

00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:08.519
 so good

00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:09.879
 they don't

00:21:09.879 --> 00:21:10.519
 need God's

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:10.819
 grace.

00:21:11.879 --> 00:21:12.619
 And no

00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.519
 one so bad

00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.599
 they can't

00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:14.939
 have it.

00:21:15.699 --> 00:21:16.240
 This part's

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:16.599
 the first

00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:16.920
 half.

00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:17.700
 There's

00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.059
 no one

00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:18.620
 so good

00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:19.460
 they don't

00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:19.940
 need

00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:20.940
 God's

00:21:20.940 --> 00:21:21.339
 grace.

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:23.960
 We can

00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:24.519
 also remember

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.000
 this as we

00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:25.440
 talk with

00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:26.099
 non-Christians

00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:26.420
 we can

00:21:26.420 --> 00:21:27.240
 affirm all

00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:27.640
 the good

00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:28.099
 and beautiful

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:28.559
 wonderful

00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.000
 things in

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:29.380
 their lives

00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:29.579
 and we

00:21:29.579 --> 00:21:30.000
 can point

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:30.299
 them to

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:30.480
 its

00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:30.880
 source.

00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:32.339
 I've

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:32.559
 mentioned

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:32.839
 to you

00:21:32.839 --> 00:21:33.099
 several

00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:33.620
 times that

00:21:33.620 --> 00:21:33.839
 for the

00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:34.160
 last

00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:34.920
 three

00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:35.440
 years or

00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:35.859
 so my

00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:36.460
 chiropractor

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:36.900
 and I

00:21:36.900 --> 00:21:37.640
 have had

00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:38.319
 this ongoing

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:39.039
 conversation

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:39.700
 about faith

00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:40.400
 and Christianity

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.359
 and one

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:41.620
 of the

00:21:41.620 --> 00:21:42.160
 lines he

00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:42.579
 likes to

00:21:42.579 --> 00:21:43.120
 use is

00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:43.720
 well I

00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.900
 act like

00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:45.099
 a

00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:45.539
 Christian.

00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:48.019
 And I

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:48.339
 have several

00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:49.039
 responses to

00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:49.180
 that.

00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:49.420
 One of

00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:49.620
 them I

00:21:49.620 --> 00:21:49.900
 have shared

00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:50.299
 with you

00:21:50.299 --> 00:21:50.960
 well you

00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.519
 act like a

00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:52.079
 Christian except

00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:52.559
 in the most

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.400
 important way

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:54.200
 which is that

00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:54.440
 you don't

00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:54.859
 worship the

00:21:54.859 --> 00:21:55.319
 living God.

00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:56.519
 But the

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.079
 other response

00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:57.480
 is this

00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:57.740
 and I've

00:21:57.740 --> 00:21:58.039
 said this

00:21:58.039 --> 00:21:58.240
 to him

00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:58.539
 multiple

00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.039
 times

00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:00.559
 yes you

00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:00.960
 do

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.420
 because God

00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:02.720
 is your

00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.059
 father.

00:22:04.660 --> 00:22:05.240
 The last

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:05.500
 time I

00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:05.819
 said that

00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.059
 to him

00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:06.359
 he said

00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:06.700
 well I

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:06.880
 thought

00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:07.079
 you'd

00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:07.480
 say that.

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.099
 Right

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:10.440
 what are you

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:10.799
 saying when

00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:11.220
 you say I

00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:11.799
 act like a

00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:12.059
 Christian?

00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:12.279
 You're

00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:12.879
 saying I

00:22:12.879 --> 00:22:13.099
 don't

00:22:13.099 --> 00:22:13.539
 need

00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:14.079
 God.

00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:14.980
 I don't

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:15.240
 need

00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:15.940
 religion to

00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:16.259
 be a

00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:16.599
 good

00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:17.419
 person.

00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:18.980
 Well guess

00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:19.179
 what?

00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:19.619
 You're giving

00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:20.200
 witness to

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:20.700
 God even

00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:21.000
 as you

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:21.779
 deny him.

00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:24.980
 And your

00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:25.879
 moral behavior

00:22:25.879 --> 00:22:26.740
 however great

00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:28.220
 it is it's

00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:28.659
 twisted,

00:22:28.899 --> 00:22:29.659
 it's distorted,

00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:31.139
 it's pointed

00:22:31.139 --> 00:22:31.579
 in the wrong

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:32.059
 direction.

00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:33.599
 And that's

00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:34.039
 what I mean

00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:34.559
 when I say

00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.559
 well you act

00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:35.879
 like a

00:22:35.879 --> 00:22:36.440
 Christian except

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:36.940
 in the most

00:22:36.940 --> 00:22:37.679
 important way

00:22:37.679 --> 00:22:37.919
 that you

00:22:37.919 --> 00:22:38.399
 don't worship

00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:38.779
 the living

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.240
 God.

00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:40.740
 The last

00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:41.200
 time I said

00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.480
 that to

00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:41.680
 him he

00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.000
 said yeah

00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.359
 you know I

00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:42.740
 kind of get

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.000
 that.

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:43.799
 You know the

00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:44.220
 things that I

00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:44.559
 do that are

00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:44.920
 good are

00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:45.400
 kind of

00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:45.740
 pointed in

00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:46.000
 the wrong

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:46.559
 direction for

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:46.839
 the wrong

00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:47.180
 reason.

00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:48.839
 Yes.

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.019
 Exactly

00:22:51.019 --> 00:22:51.620
 right.

00:22:55.620 --> 00:22:56.220
 Are you

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:56.740
 going to

00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:57.859
 accept God's

00:22:57.859 --> 00:22:59.779
 gifts and

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:01.059
 then insult

00:23:01.059 --> 00:23:01.980
 the giver?

00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:05.359
 Are you

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:05.559
 going to

00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.920
 look like

00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.380
 God the

00:23:09.380 --> 00:23:11.420
 father and

00:23:11.420 --> 00:23:12.240
 then act

00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:12.960
 like he

00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:13.779
 doesn't

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.460
 exist?

00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:17.720
 What

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:18.680
 greater insult

00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:20.320
 could there

00:23:20.320 --> 00:23:20.580
 be?

00:23:23.580 --> 00:23:24.220
 Yes,

00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.080
 non-Christians

00:23:26.080 --> 00:23:26.580
 are better

00:23:26.580 --> 00:23:27.700
 than expected

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:29.279
 because the

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.120
 image of God

00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:31.100
 is still

00:23:31.100 --> 00:23:32.000
 there.

00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:33.960
 That doesn't

00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.440
 mean they

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.100
 don't need

00:23:35.100 --> 00:23:35.600
 God.

00:23:36.800 --> 00:23:37.620
 It gives

00:23:37.620 --> 00:23:38.519
 witness to

00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:39.119
 the fact

00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:39.519
 they've

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:40.139
 rejected

00:23:40.139 --> 00:23:40.559
 him.

00:23:42.139 --> 00:23:42.579
 Remember

00:23:42.579 --> 00:23:42.879
 Romans

00:23:42.879 --> 00:23:43.539
 chapter 1

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.440
 the conscience

00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:45.879
 convicts the

00:23:45.879 --> 00:23:46.359
 fact that we

00:23:46.359 --> 00:23:47.180
 know right

00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:47.859
 from wrong

00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:48.819
 shows our

00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:49.279
 need for

00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:49.519
 God.

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:49.920
 It doesn't

00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:50.700
 excuse us.

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.259
 It's the

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:55.859
 first half.

00:23:56.519 --> 00:23:57.019
 The world

00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.519
 better than

00:23:57.519 --> 00:23:58.059
 expected.

00:23:59.259 --> 00:23:59.879
 Perhaps this

00:23:59.879 --> 00:24:00.139
 is the

00:24:00.139 --> 00:24:00.619
 harder one.

00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:01.279
 The church

00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:02.599
 worse than

00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:03.119
 expected.

00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:04.119
 God's

00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:04.119


00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:05.119
 grace.

00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:05.519
 We should

00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:05.879
 think,

00:24:05.919 --> 00:24:06.119
 we would

00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:06.559
 hope,

00:24:06.659 --> 00:24:06.879
 right,

00:24:06.959 --> 00:24:07.459
 that someone

00:24:07.459 --> 00:24:07.719
 who's

00:24:07.719 --> 00:24:08.179
 come to

00:24:08.179 --> 00:24:08.519
 Christ,

00:24:08.639 --> 00:24:08.979
 who said,

00:24:09.099 --> 00:24:09.319
 yes,

00:24:09.339 --> 00:24:09.659
 I'm a

00:24:09.659 --> 00:24:10.039
 sinner in

00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:10.359
 need of

00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:10.679
 God's

00:24:10.679 --> 00:24:10.919
 grace,

00:24:11.139 --> 00:24:11.379
 and the

00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:11.839
 Holy Spirit

00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:12.139
 is at

00:24:12.139 --> 00:24:12.519
 work in

00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.019
 a powerful,

00:24:13.159 --> 00:24:13.419
 an extra

00:24:13.419 --> 00:24:14.059
 special way

00:24:14.059 --> 00:24:15.359
 transforming a

00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:15.839
 heart of stone

00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:16.319
 into a heart

00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:16.679
 of flesh,

00:24:16.679 --> 00:24:17.699
 would always be

00:24:17.699 --> 00:24:18.979
 behaving better

00:24:18.979 --> 00:24:19.519
 than the world

00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.159
 around them.

00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:21.759
 And yet Abraham

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.379
 shows us that's

00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:22.859
 not true,

00:24:22.939 --> 00:24:23.139
 right?

00:24:23.439 --> 00:24:23.659
 A

00:24:23.659 --> 00:24:24.459
 Bimelech has

00:24:24.459 --> 00:24:25.099
 the fear of

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:25.739
 God, at

00:24:25.739 --> 00:24:26.500
 least in this

00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:27.179
 episode,

00:24:27.639 --> 00:24:28.659
 Abraham does

00:24:28.659 --> 00:24:29.039
 not.

00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:31.039
 Well,

00:24:31.659 --> 00:24:32.839
 come back to

00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:33.379
 the phrase I

00:24:33.379 --> 00:24:34.059
 mentioned earlier.

00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.759
 No one's so

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.480
 good they don't

00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:37.299
 need God's

00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:37.720
 grace,

00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:40.700
 and no

00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:41.440
 one's so

00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:42.359
 bad they

00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.200
 can't have

00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:43.399
 it.

00:24:45.399 --> 00:24:46.460
 First half,

00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:48.339
 why are

00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:48.859
 non-Christians

00:24:48.859 --> 00:24:49.399
 so good?

00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:50.839
 No one's so

00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:51.599
 good they don't

00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:52.319
 need God's

00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:52.599
 grace.

00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:54.240
 Why are

00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:54.599
 Christians

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.420
 sometimes so

00:24:55.420 --> 00:24:55.859
 terrible,

00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:57.960
 and no one

00:24:57.960 --> 00:24:59.019
 so bad

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:00.079
 they can't

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.460
 have it?

00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.059
 You don't

00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:06.859
 become perfect

00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:08.539
 the day you

00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:08.980
 become a

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.259
 Christian.

00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:11.700
 Be great

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.059
 that were

00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:12.319
 true,

00:25:12.379 --> 00:25:12.700
 be great

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:13.039
 if God

00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:13.639
 came and

00:25:13.639 --> 00:25:14.900
 just after

00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.440
 that point

00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:15.799
 you never

00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:16.240
 sinned.

00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:16.839
 Some churches

00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:17.480
 teach that

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:17.720
 that's

00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:18.160
 possible.

00:25:19.639 --> 00:25:20.000
 No,

00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:20.400
 the reality

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:20.660
 of a

00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:20.940
 Christian

00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:21.960
 is not

00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:23.700
 that every

00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:24.259
 sin in

00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:24.859
 your life

00:25:24.859 --> 00:25:25.539
 is just

00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:27.579
 taken to

00:25:27.579 --> 00:25:28.079
 a place

00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:28.339
 where it

00:25:28.339 --> 00:25:28.859
 has no

00:25:28.859 --> 00:25:29.559
 temptation

00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:30.139
 or power

00:25:30.139 --> 00:25:30.659
 over you.

00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:32.179
 No,

00:25:32.219 --> 00:25:32.619
 the promise

00:25:32.619 --> 00:25:32.899
 of the

00:25:32.899 --> 00:25:33.159
 Christian

00:25:33.159 --> 00:25:33.599
 life

00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.679
 is that

00:25:34.679 --> 00:25:35.119
 you are

00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:35.719
 growing

00:25:35.719 --> 00:25:36.639
 holier

00:25:36.639 --> 00:25:38.419
 year by

00:25:38.419 --> 00:25:38.740
 year.

00:25:39.939 --> 00:25:40.519
 The question

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:40.839
 is not

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:41.079
 are you

00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:41.479
 perfect?

00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:43.219
 The question

00:25:43.219 --> 00:25:43.779
 is are you

00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:44.240
 in a different

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:44.899
 place than

00:25:44.899 --> 00:25:45.219
 you were

00:25:45.219 --> 00:25:45.679
 ten years

00:25:45.679 --> 00:25:45.939
 ago?

00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:50.400
 is there

00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:51.100
 evidence that

00:25:51.100 --> 00:25:51.660
 the Spirit

00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:52.320
 of God

00:25:52.320 --> 00:25:52.660
 is at

00:25:52.660 --> 00:25:53.860
 work in

00:25:53.860 --> 00:25:54.420
 your life?

00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:56.180
 And where

00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:56.660
 a Christian

00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:57.460
 is today

00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:59.940
 depends on

00:25:59.940 --> 00:26:00.420
 where they

00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:01.019
 started.

00:26:03.100 --> 00:26:03.799
 Where a

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.200
 Christian is

00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:04.840
 today depends

00:26:04.840 --> 00:26:05.279
 on where they

00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:05.640
 started.

00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:07.680
 Is Abraham

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.200
 holier than

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:09.960
 he was in

00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.820
 chapter 12?

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:12.920
 Yeah,

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.440
 I think so.

00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:15.240
 We've seen

00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:15.700
 Abraham's

00:26:15.700 --> 00:26:16.120
 great acts

00:26:16.120 --> 00:26:16.460
 of faith.

00:26:16.539 --> 00:26:16.700
 We're going

00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:17.000
 to see

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.180
 them,

00:26:17.340 --> 00:26:17.680
 especially

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.140
 in chapter

00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:18.720
 22.

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:20.039
 Is Abraham

00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:20.640
 perfect?

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.279
 Of course

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:22.580
 not.

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.400
 No one

00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:25.980
 so good

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.380
 they don't

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:27.080
 need God's

00:26:27.080 --> 00:26:27.500
 grace.

00:26:28.299 --> 00:26:28.820
 Abimelech.

00:26:29.620 --> 00:26:30.299
 No one

00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:30.900
 so bad

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.440
 they can't

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:31.880
 have it.

00:26:32.840 --> 00:26:33.200
 Abraham.

00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:35.539
 So if

00:26:35.539 --> 00:26:36.019
 someone comes

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:36.320
 to you and

00:26:36.320 --> 00:26:36.460
 says,

00:26:36.580 --> 00:26:37.039
 I can't

00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.980
 believe you're

00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:38.519
 a Christian

00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:39.140
 based on the

00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:39.539
 things you

00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:39.820
 do.

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:41.819
 yes,

00:26:41.899 --> 00:26:42.179
 that should

00:26:42.179 --> 00:26:42.819
 convict you.

00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:44.740
 And I

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.119
 hope you

00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:45.500
 can say

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:45.899
 this,

00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:47.639
 you should

00:26:47.639 --> 00:26:47.980
 have seen

00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:48.399
 me 10

00:26:48.399 --> 00:26:48.939
 years ago.

00:26:50.639 --> 00:26:51.399
 If you

00:26:51.399 --> 00:26:52.000
 think this

00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:52.559
 is bad,

00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:54.720
 you should

00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:55.240
 have seen

00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:55.879
 where God

00:26:55.879 --> 00:26:56.259
 had to

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:57.079
 start with

00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:57.399
 me.

00:26:59.259 --> 00:26:59.960
 You should

00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:00.339
 have seen

00:27:00.339 --> 00:27:01.000
 the work

00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:02.179
 that he's

00:27:02.179 --> 00:27:02.539
 doing.

00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:04.819
 We also

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.399
 see in this

00:27:05.399 --> 00:27:05.939
 passage that

00:27:05.939 --> 00:27:06.419
 even in the

00:27:06.419 --> 00:27:06.859
 life of

00:27:06.859 --> 00:27:07.259
 believers,

00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:09.139
 sin patterns

00:27:09.140 --> 00:27:10.300
 run deep.

00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.200
 Abraham's

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.080
 fear flared

00:27:14.080 --> 00:27:14.440
 up.

00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:14.980
 This was

00:27:14.980 --> 00:27:15.680
 his go-to

00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.320
 pattern in

00:27:16.320 --> 00:27:17.040
 chapter 12

00:27:17.040 --> 00:27:17.759
 to lie about

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.100
 Sarah.

00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:19.640
 Abraham's

00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:20.720
 fear flares

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.320
 up here

00:27:21.320 --> 00:27:21.800
 again.

00:27:22.820 --> 00:27:23.100
 Many

00:27:23.100 --> 00:27:23.460
 chapters

00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:23.900
 later,

00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:24.980
 it does

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:25.620
 the same

00:27:25.620 --> 00:27:26.220
 exact

00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:27.040
 play.

00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:27.840
 In fact,

00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:28.100
 it's going

00:27:28.100 --> 00:27:28.300
 to get

00:27:28.300 --> 00:27:28.660
 worse.

00:27:28.940 --> 00:27:29.100
 This

00:27:29.100 --> 00:27:29.500
 pattern is

00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:29.680
 going to

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:29.860
 run

00:27:29.860 --> 00:27:30.200
 across

00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:30.820
 generations.

00:27:31.860 --> 00:27:31.980
 In

00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:32.800
 chapter 26,

00:27:33.100 --> 00:27:33.400
 which we're

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:33.780
 not going

00:27:33.780 --> 00:27:34.060
 to get

00:27:34.060 --> 00:27:34.360
 to in

00:27:34.360 --> 00:27:34.560
 this

00:27:34.560 --> 00:27:34.960
 series,

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.120
 Abraham's

00:27:36.120 --> 00:27:36.860
 son Isaac

00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:37.540
 does the

00:27:37.540 --> 00:27:38.520
 exact same

00:27:38.520 --> 00:27:38.920
 thing.

00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:40.000
 with his

00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.240
 wife,

00:27:40.340 --> 00:27:40.640
 Rebecca.

00:27:41.100 --> 00:27:41.820
 He lies

00:27:41.820 --> 00:27:42.360
 about her.

00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:43.680
 He says,

00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.140
 oh, she's

00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:44.500
 just my

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:44.840
 sister.

00:27:45.860 --> 00:27:46.340
 Where did

00:27:46.340 --> 00:27:46.660
 he learn

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:47.120
 that from?

00:27:49.100 --> 00:27:49.620
 Remember

00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:50.380
 last week,

00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:51.180
 Lot and

00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:51.759
 his daughters,

00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:53.000
 the children

00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:55.280
 always know.

00:27:56.600 --> 00:27:57.200
 We'll say

00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:57.600
 this.

00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:58.540
 There's a

00:27:58.540 --> 00:27:59.140
 part in our

00:27:59.140 --> 00:27:59.740
 confession of

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.140
 faith that

00:28:00.140 --> 00:28:00.620
 we subscribe

00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:01.220
 to as a

00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:01.740
 church that

00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:02.860
 says some

00:28:02.860 --> 00:28:03.600
 sins are

00:28:03.600 --> 00:28:04.120
 worse than

00:28:04.120 --> 00:28:04.360
 others.

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:04.800
 It goes

00:28:04.800 --> 00:28:05.140
 into this

00:28:05.140 --> 00:28:05.400
 long

00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:06.160
 explanation of

00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:06.540
 what makes

00:28:06.540 --> 00:28:07.100
 one sin

00:28:07.100 --> 00:28:07.480
 worse than

00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:08.080
 another sin.

00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:08.859
 one of the

00:28:08.859 --> 00:28:09.220
 things it

00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:09.839
 says is

00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:10.720
 sins by

00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.639
 older people

00:28:11.639 --> 00:28:13.059
 are worse

00:28:13.059 --> 00:28:13.679
 than sins

00:28:13.679 --> 00:28:14.220
 by younger

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:14.639
 people.

00:28:16.399 --> 00:28:17.199
 Why would

00:28:17.199 --> 00:28:17.679
 that be?

00:28:19.159 --> 00:28:19.899
 You've had

00:28:19.899 --> 00:28:20.519
 more life,

00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:21.079
 right?

00:28:22.299 --> 00:28:23.119
 You've had

00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:24.299
 more time

00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:25.139
 to grow

00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:26.019
 in holiness

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:26.439
 and in

00:28:26.439 --> 00:28:27.099
 God's word.

00:28:27.919 --> 00:28:28.339
 So there's

00:28:28.339 --> 00:28:28.919
 something actually

00:28:28.919 --> 00:28:29.579
 that's worse

00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:30.179
 about chapter

00:28:30.179 --> 00:28:30.740
 20 than

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.460
 chapter 12.

00:28:32.939 --> 00:28:33.199
 Man,

00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:33.879
 Abraham should

00:28:33.879 --> 00:28:34.319
 know better,

00:28:34.399 --> 00:28:34.619
 right?

00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:35.619
 He doesn't

00:28:35.619 --> 00:28:35.919
 have the

00:28:35.919 --> 00:28:36.720
 excuse of

00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:37.259
 youth and

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.980
 foolishness.

00:28:38.620 --> 00:28:38.920
 By the

00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:39.039
 way,

00:28:39.079 --> 00:28:39.259
 if you

00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:39.600
 think I'm

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.100
 picking on

00:28:40.100 --> 00:28:40.720
 old people,

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:42.259
 that part of

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:42.700
 the confession

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.319
 also says

00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:43.700
 sins by

00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:44.279
 pastors are

00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:44.579
 worse.

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:47.460
 So what

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:47.900
 goes around

00:28:47.900 --> 00:28:48.420
 comes around.

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:50.779
 But Abraham's

00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:51.339
 older here,

00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:51.539
 right?

00:28:51.579 --> 00:28:51.960
 God has

00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:52.259
 made a

00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:52.620
 specific

00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:53.140
 promise.

00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:53.380
 Two

00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:53.700
 chapters

00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:53.960
 ago,

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.299
 he said

00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:54.660
 in a

00:28:54.660 --> 00:28:55.160
 year,

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.140
 Sarah's

00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:56.339
 going to

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:56.779
 give birth,

00:28:56.839 --> 00:28:57.019
 and then

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.279
 what does

00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:57.600
 he do?

00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.140
 He puts

00:28:58.140 --> 00:28:59.120
 her at

00:28:59.120 --> 00:28:59.559
 risk.

00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.079
 The point

00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:02.559
 is this,

00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:06.000
 are you

00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:07.000
 growing?

00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:10.000
 Is there

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.539
 evidence

00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:13.619
 that God's

00:29:13.619 --> 00:29:14.559
 spirit is

00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:15.359
 at work in

00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:15.960
 your heart,

00:29:16.139 --> 00:29:16.419
 in your

00:29:16.419 --> 00:29:16.939
 mind,

00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:17.399
 in your

00:29:17.399 --> 00:29:17.779
 life?

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.199
 Are you

00:29:20.199 --> 00:29:20.679
 today

00:29:20.679 --> 00:29:22.659
 someone who

00:29:22.659 --> 00:29:23.539
 has more

00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:25.919
 of the fruit

00:29:25.919 --> 00:29:26.279
 of the

00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:26.839
 spirit than

00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:27.240
 you did

00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:27.919
 two and

00:29:27.919 --> 00:29:28.500
 five and

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:28.980
 ten years

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.240
 ago?

00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:29.759
 More love,

00:29:29.819 --> 00:29:29.960
 joy,

00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:30.299
 peace,

00:29:30.419 --> 00:29:30.740
 patience,

00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.180
 kindness,

00:29:31.420 --> 00:29:31.700
 gentleness,

00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:32.620
 and self-control?

00:29:34.819 --> 00:29:35.380
 Is there

00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.819
 evidence that

00:29:36.819 --> 00:29:37.559
 God is

00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:37.980
 at work?

00:29:42.420 --> 00:29:43.120
 I told you

00:29:43.120 --> 00:29:43.420
 earlier,

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:43.839
 there's a

00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:44.799
 disillusionment

00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.200
 that can

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:45.720
 come,

00:29:45.859 --> 00:29:46.180
 if we

00:29:46.180 --> 00:29:46.500
 haven't

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.279
 wrapped our

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:47.779
 minds around

00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:48.099
 this,

00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:48.960
 there's a

00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.640
 disillusionment

00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:49.940
 that can

00:29:49.940 --> 00:29:50.359
 come when

00:29:50.359 --> 00:29:50.720
 we meet

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.460
 wonderful

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.680
 people who

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:52.940
 aren't

00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:53.380
 Christians.

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.339
 We need

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:54.480
 to have

00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:54.640
 these

00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:55.079
 categories,

00:29:55.180 --> 00:29:55.319
 we need

00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:55.599
 to think

00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.019
 about these

00:29:56.019 --> 00:29:56.319
 things.

00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:57.259
 There's

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.019
 also a

00:29:58.019 --> 00:29:58.799
 disillusionment

00:29:58.799 --> 00:29:59.359
 that comes

00:29:59.359 --> 00:29:59.880
 if we

00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:00.120
 haven't

00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:00.500
 thought about

00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:00.920
 these things

00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:01.420
 from meeting

00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.160
 terrible

00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:02.720
 Christians.

00:30:04.380 --> 00:30:04.799
 I think,

00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:05.099
 man,

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:05.359
 you know,

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:05.779
 people will

00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:06.079
 tell you

00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:06.420
 sometimes,

00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:06.680
 well,

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.700
 I love

00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:08.079
 Jesus,

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:08.480
 I just

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:08.839
 can't

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.140
 stand

00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:09.319
 his

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:09.759
 followers.

00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:11.759
 Of course,

00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:12.019
 one of

00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:12.539
 his followers,

00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:13.279
 unfortunately,

00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:13.700
 is in the

00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:13.900
 mirror.

00:30:17.559 --> 00:30:18.380
 And yet,

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.160
 the Bible

00:30:19.160 --> 00:30:19.740
 tells us,

00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:19.960
 right,

00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:21.480
 no one's so

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:21.720
 good,

00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:22.079
 they don't

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.660
 need God's

00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:23.000
 grace.

00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:24.259
 No one's

00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:25.099
 so bad,

00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:25.880
 they can't

00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:26.220
 have it.

00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:28.079
 And so,

00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:28.440
 when we

00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.019
 meet Christians

00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:29.339
 who do

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:29.680
 terrible

00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:30.079
 things,

00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:30.599
 what should

00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:30.939
 we think?

00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:33.519
 Wow.

00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:34.579
 God

00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:35.099
 saves

00:30:35.099 --> 00:30:35.599
 people

00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:36.960
 like me.

00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:41.159
 We need

00:30:41.159 --> 00:30:41.359
 to be

00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:41.779
 realistic

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.299
 about the

00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:42.500
 world.

00:30:42.619 --> 00:30:42.759
 We need

00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:42.960
 to be

00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:43.299
 prepared

00:30:43.299 --> 00:30:43.879
 for both.

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:44.639
 Can't

00:30:44.639 --> 00:30:45.000
 let our

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:45.539
 faith be

00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:46.099
 rattled

00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:47.339
 when we

00:30:47.339 --> 00:30:47.539
 meet

00:30:47.539 --> 00:30:48.279
 wonderful

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:49.259
 pagans.

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:50.599
 Can't

00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:50.879
 let our

00:30:50.879 --> 00:30:51.279
 faith be

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:51.599
 rattled

00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:51.819
 when we

00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:51.980
 meet

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:52.299
 terrible

00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:52.759
 Christians.

00:30:53.500 --> 00:30:53.699
 The way

00:30:53.699 --> 00:30:54.099
 we avoid

00:30:54.099 --> 00:30:55.220
 that is

00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:55.759
 we understand

00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:56.119
 God's

00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:56.379
 grace.

00:30:56.380 --> 00:30:57.900
 God's

00:30:57.900 --> 00:31:03.280
 grace is

00:31:03.280 --> 00:31:03.480
 not

00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:03.680
 about

00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:03.900
 my

00:31:03.900 --> 00:31:04.340
 behavior.

00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:06.660
 We'll

00:31:06.660 --> 00:31:07.240
 realize

00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:08.080
 no one's

00:31:08.080 --> 00:31:08.420
 so good,

00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:08.700
 they don't

00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:09.220
 need God's

00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:09.520
 grace.

00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:10.080
 No one

00:31:10.080 --> 00:31:11.120
 so bad,

00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:12.180
 they can't

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:12.500
 have it.

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:14.180
 It's a great

00:31:14.180 --> 00:31:14.920
 humility that

00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.600
 comes for us

00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:15.920
 with this

00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.320
 as well.

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:19.180
 God

00:31:19.180 --> 00:31:20.640
 is not

00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:20.980
 impressed

00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:21.380
 with you.

00:31:24.339 --> 00:31:24.960
 If you

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:25.400
 think

00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:26.819
 that you're

00:31:26.819 --> 00:31:27.339
 a Christian

00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:28.660
 because of

00:31:28.660 --> 00:31:29.380
 your great

00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:30.240
 and superior

00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:30.980
 behavior,

00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:32.460
 you have,

00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:32.960
 as I say

00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:33.200
 a lot

00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:33.640
 recently,

00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:34.700
 lost the

00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:34.920
 plot.

00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:36.819
 You lost

00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:37.200
 the plot.

00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:38.360
 God did

00:31:38.360 --> 00:31:38.900
 not choose

00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:39.360
 Abraham

00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.019
 because he

00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:40.740
 was great.

00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:41.759
 God chose

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.240
 Abraham

00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:43.000
 because God

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:43.700
 was merciful.

00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:45.940
 Christian,

00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:47.559
 God did

00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.279
 not choose

00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:49.220
 you because

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.259
 you were

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:51.000
 or are

00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:51.680
 great.

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:54.240
 God chose

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.019
 you because

00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:56.519
 God is

00:31:56.519 --> 00:31:57.180
 merciful.

00:31:59.079 --> 00:31:59.559
 The

00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:00.299
 scandal

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:00.839
 of the

00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:01.579
 gospel is

00:32:01.579 --> 00:32:01.980
 this,

00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:03.099
 that good

00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:03.980
 people still

00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:04.460
 need it

00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:05.559
 and bad

00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:06.259
 people can

00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:06.680
 have it.

00:32:07.900 --> 00:32:08.720
 Scandal

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:09.000
 of the

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:09.579
 gospel is

00:32:09.579 --> 00:32:09.960
 this,

00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:11.160
 good people

00:32:11.160 --> 00:32:11.660
 need it,

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:13.099
 bad people

00:32:13.099 --> 00:32:13.879
 can have

00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:14.000
 it.

00:32:14.099 --> 00:32:14.440
 Christians

00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:15.119
 behave

00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:15.599
 poorly

00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:16.400
 sometimes,

00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:17.740
 non-Christians

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.680
 behave quite

00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:19.099
 well,

00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:20.639
 and it's

00:32:20.639 --> 00:32:21.599
 explained by

00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:21.879
 this,

00:32:21.899 --> 00:32:22.299
 this is on

00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:22.899
 page 7

00:32:22.899 --> 00:32:23.199
 of your

00:32:23.199 --> 00:32:23.859
 worship guide.

00:32:25.019 --> 00:32:25.480
 God's

00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:26.139
 grace does

00:32:26.139 --> 00:32:26.659
 not come

00:32:26.659 --> 00:32:27.119
 to people

00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:27.859
 who morally

00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:28.740
 outperform

00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.500
 others,

00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.439
 but to

00:32:30.439 --> 00:32:30.879
 those who

00:32:30.879 --> 00:32:31.539
 admit their

00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.279
 failure to

00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:33.619
 perform and

00:32:33.619 --> 00:32:34.359
 who acknowledge

00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:35.480
 their need

00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:36.439
 for a

00:32:36.439 --> 00:32:36.740
 savior.

00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:38.619
 The

00:32:38.619 --> 00:32:39.139
 kingdom of

00:32:39.139 --> 00:32:40.359
 God is

00:32:40.359 --> 00:32:41.599
 not a

00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:42.339
 meritocracy.

00:32:42.339 --> 00:32:44.500
 good

00:32:44.500 --> 00:32:45.059
 Christians

00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:47.279
 and bad

00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:47.639
 Christians

00:32:47.639 --> 00:32:48.000
 and good

00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:48.379
 pagans

00:32:48.379 --> 00:32:48.939
 both fall

00:32:48.939 --> 00:32:49.480
 short of

00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:49.879
 the glory

00:32:49.879 --> 00:32:50.279
 of God.

00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:52.379
 Both face

00:32:52.379 --> 00:32:53.000
 the reality

00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:54.079
 that the

00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:54.839
 wages of

00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:55.919
 sin is

00:32:55.919 --> 00:32:56.279
 death.

00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:58.099
 Both need

00:32:58.099 --> 00:32:59.079
 a merciful

00:32:59.079 --> 00:33:00.939
 savior as

00:33:00.939 --> 00:33:01.539
 their only

00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:02.599
 hope in

00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.799
 life and

00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:04.319
 in death.

00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:08.439
 Is

00:33:08.439 --> 00:33:09.119
 Jesus your

00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.439
 savior?

00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:09.500
 savior?

00:33:11.580 --> 00:33:12.940
 Is he

00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:14.120
 your only

00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:15.480
 hope in

00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:17.039
 life and

00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:17.600
 in death?

00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:20.839
 can you

00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:21.339
 say,

00:33:21.559 --> 00:33:22.659
 I'm

00:33:22.659 --> 00:33:23.539
 never so

00:33:23.539 --> 00:33:23.980
 good.

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:25.559
 I don't

00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:26.419
 need

00:33:26.419 --> 00:33:27.539
 God's

00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:28.259
 grace.

00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:30.099
 If you

00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:30.419
 can,

00:33:31.179 --> 00:33:31.659
 you won't

00:33:31.659 --> 00:33:32.119
 be shaken.

00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:33.899
 You won't

00:33:33.899 --> 00:33:34.419
 be shaken

00:33:34.419 --> 00:33:34.859
 when those

00:33:34.859 --> 00:33:35.299
 who don't

00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:35.919
 know God

00:33:35.919 --> 00:33:38.759
 are

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.419
 examples,

00:33:40.419 --> 00:33:40.859
 positive

00:33:40.859 --> 00:33:41.439
 examples.

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.599
 And you

00:33:42.599 --> 00:33:42.959
 won't be

00:33:42.959 --> 00:33:43.480
 shaken when

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:43.859
 those who

00:33:43.859 --> 00:33:44.399
 do know

00:33:44.399 --> 00:33:44.859
 God are

00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:45.199
 negative

00:33:45.199 --> 00:33:45.699
 examples.

00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.019
 You'll

00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:47.480
 say,

00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.619
 whatever

00:33:48.619 --> 00:33:49.279
 happens,

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:50.399
 it's

00:33:50.399 --> 00:33:51.019
 God's

00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:51.799
 grace

00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:52.779
 for me.

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.299
 Christian,

00:33:54.419 --> 00:33:54.559
 it's

00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:54.899
 God's

00:33:54.899 --> 00:33:55.179
 grace

00:33:55.179 --> 00:33:56.119
 for you.

00:33:57.439 --> 00:33:58.000
 Let's

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.179
 pray.

00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:00.339
 Our

00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:00.779
 Father in

00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:00.980
 heaven,

00:34:01.099 --> 00:34:01.519
 we do

00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:02.439
 praise you

00:34:02.439 --> 00:34:02.939
 and thank

00:34:02.939 --> 00:34:03.359
 you that

00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:03.719
 the kingdom

00:34:03.719 --> 00:34:04.179
 of God

00:34:04.179 --> 00:34:04.599
 is not

00:34:04.599 --> 00:34:05.419
 a meritocracy

00:34:05.419 --> 00:34:06.679
 because if

00:34:06.679 --> 00:34:07.079
 it were,

00:34:07.399 --> 00:34:08.059
 none of us

00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:08.380
 would make

00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:08.539
 it.

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.079
 We ask

00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:10.679
 instead,

00:34:10.779 --> 00:34:11.079
 instead of

00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.559
 looking at

00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:12.179
 ourselves and

00:34:12.179 --> 00:34:12.599
 those around

00:34:12.599 --> 00:34:12.759
 us,

00:34:12.819 --> 00:34:13.119
 we would

00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:13.519
 set our

00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:13.960
 eyes on

00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:14.159
 you.

00:34:14.259 --> 00:34:14.440
 We would

00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:14.779
 have the

00:34:14.779 --> 00:34:15.559
 right horizon

00:34:15.559 --> 00:34:15.980
 line,

00:34:16.219 --> 00:34:16.539
 that we

00:34:16.539 --> 00:34:17.119
 would compare

00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:17.559
 ourselves,

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:17.980
 not to

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:18.239
 others,

00:34:18.319 --> 00:34:18.559
 but to

00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:18.920
 you and

00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:19.519
 your holiness.

00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:20.679
 That would

00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:21.239
 drive us

00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:21.559
 to your

00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:21.980
 grace,

00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:22.659
 drive us

00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:23.239
 to see

00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:24.519
 how beautiful

00:34:24.519 --> 00:34:25.480
 and glorious

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.400
 your mercy

00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:26.819
 is,

00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:27.119
 that we

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.719
 would follow

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:28.659
 you and

00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:29.119
 love you

00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:29.420
 with all

00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:29.839
 our hearts

00:34:29.839 --> 00:34:30.139
 and all

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.619
 our lives.

00:34:30.799 --> 00:34:31.139
 We ask

00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:31.639
 these things

00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:32.019
 in Jesus'

00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:32.400
 name.

00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:33.179
 Amen.

00:34:33.179 --> 00:34:33.319
 Amen.