WEBVTT

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 Well, good morning, church.

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 Turn with me in your Bibles to Colossians chapter 2.

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 If you're looking in one of the few Bibles, it is page 984.

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 We're continuing through this little but dense and powerful letter of the Apostle Paul,

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 written to what was probably a small church in a relatively insignificant city,

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 but it's a letter that has resounded through the ages and that has been passed on ever since then

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 and has strengthened generations of Christians in their faith in Christ.

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 So, let me read Colossians 2.

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 We are reading verses 6 to 15 this morning.

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 Hear now God's Word.

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 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

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 rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith,

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 just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

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 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit,

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 according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world,

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 and not according to Christ.

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 For in Him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

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 and you have been filled in Him,

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 who is the head of all rule and authority.

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 In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands,

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 by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

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 Having been buried with Him in baptism,

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 in which you were also raised with Him through faith,

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 in the powerful working of God who raised Him from the dead.

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 And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,

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 God made alive together with Him.

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 Having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt

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 that stood against us with its legal demands,

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 this He set aside, nailing it to the cross.

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 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame

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 by triumphing over them in Him.

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 About five years ago, the movie Twelve Years a Slave came out.

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 It tells the true story of an African-American man named Solomon Northup,

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 who grew up in upstate New York in the early 1800s.

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 He was an educated businessman.

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 He owned a 50-acre farm.

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 He was a talented musician.

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 And he was a devoted husband and father.

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 But one day, in 1841, two men who were coming through town

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 invited him to go along with them to New York City

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 as part of a traveling circus.

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 They said they needed a violinist and wanted him.

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 Work was scarce at the time.

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 They promised him some good money.

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 He always wanted to see the city, so he went.

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 But when they got there, they didn't put on any shows.

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 They instead asked him to go further south.

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 The circus was still in Washington, D.C.

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 They said, come with us down there.

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 And then once you get there, the circus will be ready to go north

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 because it's getting towards summertime

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 and the weather's growing warmer.

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 They paid him some money for the time he had given them already.

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 They promised him more money.

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 They flattered him, and he went along with them.

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 Two days after he arrived in Washington, D.C.,

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 he was poisoned, beaten, chained,

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 and shipped to Louisiana to be sold as a slave.

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 The two men who had seemed so generous and kind,

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 who had flattered him and fed him,

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 who had paid him and promised so much to him,

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 had kidnapped him and sold him into captivity.

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 In the passage we're looking at today,

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 the Apostle Paul is concerned that what happened to Solomon North

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 physically would not happen to us spiritually.

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 Verse 8, see to it that no one takes you captive.

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 That word can mean kidnap or carry off as a prisoner of war.

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 Paul is warning the Christians in Colossae against empty philosophies,

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 against deceitful promises that only result in spiritual bondage.

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 And Paul is saying, just as much as you would keep your distance

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 from someone who wanted to deceive you and kidnap you

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 and enslave you physically,

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 you should also keep your distance from anything

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 which would lead you into spiritual bondage and powerlessness.

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 And just as there are very real dangers to our bodies

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 in this fallen world, Paul says,

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 there are also very real dangers to our souls.

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 And we should not be naive or unaware

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 or living in denial of them.

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 But Paul's strategy in these verses

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 is not to list all the spiritual dangers that we can face

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 and describe them and elaborate on them

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 and give us specific instructions for how to face them all.

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 There's some of that in other parts of the New Testament.

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 But in this passage, Paul points us to three things we can count on,

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 three things which will help us,

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 that can protect us from being taken in

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 by deceitful promises, by empty words.

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 Paul points us to the foundation we have in Christ,

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 to the fullness we have in Christ,

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 and to the freedom we have in Christ.

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 Foundation, fullness, freedom.

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 We're going to look at each of these themes one by one.

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 So first, the foundation we have in Christ.

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 This is verses six to seven.

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 Therefore, as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord,

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 so walk in Him.

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 Now, this verse is really the hinge

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 on which the whole book of Colossians turns.

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 The whole book of Colossians, in a nutshell, is verse six.

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 As you receive Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.

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 In the beginning of the letter,

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 Paul gave thanks for how the Colossians had received Christ.

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 This is chapter one, verses three to eight.

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 He said, the gospel has come to you.

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 You heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

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 And then Paul went on to pray that they would walk in Him.

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 That they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,

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 bearing fruit in every good work, verse 10 of chapter one.

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 And then in chapter one, verses 15 to 23,

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 Paul reminded the Colossians of who is Christ Jesus the Lord.

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 He was not, He is the firstborn over all creation,

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 the one in whom all things hold together,

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 and the one who made peace through His blood

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 that He shed on the cross.

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 Broadly speaking, all of Colossians that we've looked at so far

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 focuses on the first half of verse six.

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 As you receive Christ Jesus the Lord.

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 And the second half of Colossians that we're starting to jump into

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 from chapter two, verse eight, to chapter four, verse six,

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 the rest of chapter four is closing greetings,

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 but is about walking in Christ.

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 It gives specific warnings and instructions

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 about how to live with Christ Jesus as our Lord.

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 Martin Luther said,

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 the life of a Christian is a life of daily repentance and faith.

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 That's actually, that's how you become a Christian

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 in the first place, right?

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 By repenting, that means turning from sin

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 and faith, trusting in Jesus.

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 And that's also how you grow as a Christian,

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 is every day turning away from sin

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 and trusting in Christ and living out of that trust.

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 So chapter two of Colossians gives us three warnings.

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 Verse eight,

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 see to it that no one takes you captive.

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 Verse 16,

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 therefore let no one pass judgment on you.

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 Verse 18,

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 let no one disqualify you.

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 Then in chapter three,

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 we'll see some more positive instructions.

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 Seek the things that are above.

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 Chapter three, verse one.

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 Chapter five,

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 put to death what is earthly in you.

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 Verse 12,

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 put on as God's chosen ones,

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 holy and beloved,

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 really the qualities of Christ.

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 And he goes into a long list there.

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 Compassion,

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 kindness,

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 patience,

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 and love.

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 And so on.

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 So we could zoom out from verse six

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 and see the whole of the book,

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 but if we zoom back in

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 to verse seven,

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 Paul gives us four pictures

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 of what it looks like

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 to walk in Christ.

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 Or as we might say,

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 to build on the foundation

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 that we have in Christ.

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 First picture,

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 rooted like a tree.

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 This verb is in the perfect tense,

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 which often indicates

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 the ongoing result

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 of a completed action

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 in the past.

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 In other words,

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 what that means is that

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 by receiving Christ,

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 we have already been

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 rooted in Christ.

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 We read,

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 our first reading

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 was John chapter 15,

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 where Jesus said,

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 I am the vine,

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 you are the branches.

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 Right?

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 You're already connected

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 to Jesus

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 in a life-giving way

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 if you're one of His disciples,

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 if you're one of His followers.

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 We've already been rooted.

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 So the New American Standard

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 translates,

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 walk in Him having been

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 firmly rooted.

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 Now the rest of the verbs

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 in this sentence

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 are in the present tense,

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 which simply indicates

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 an ongoing process.

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 Being built up,

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 being established,

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 abounding in thanksgiving.

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 But rooted is sort of

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 the beginning of that,

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 having been rooted.

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 But there's an ongoing result

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 of having been rooted in Christ

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 is that our roots

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 are to grow ever deeper

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 in Him.

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 We've been connected

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 to Christ

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 and we're meant to be,

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 to grow down

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 into Christ

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 more and more.

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 One verse

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 in the Bible

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 that goes with this image

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 is Jeremiah 17.

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 It said,

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 Blessed is the man

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 who trusts in the Lord,

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 whose trust is the Lord.

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 He is like a tree

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 planted by water

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 that sends out

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 its roots by the stream.

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 It does not fear

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 when heat comes,

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 for its leaves remain green.

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 It is not anxious

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 in the year of drought,

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 for it does not cease

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 to bear fruit.

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 That's the picture

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 of someone

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 who has received Christ

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 and who is walking in Him,

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 whose roots are growing deeper

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 every day.

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 But the second metaphor

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 is sort of a contrast.

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 We're not just growing deeper,

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 we're also growing up.

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 We're being built up

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 like a house.

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 Most often in the New Testament,

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 the metaphor of a house

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 or a temple

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 is used to describe

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 the church.

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 Not only the individual Christian,

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 but the community

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 of God's people.

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 So Ephesians 2.20,

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 Ephesians and Colossians,

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 Ephesians sort of expands

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 on a lot of the things

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 that are in Colossians.

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 So often some of the,

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 many of the ideas

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 that are in Colossians,

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 you'll find a parallel

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 in Ephesians,

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 partly because Paul

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 was probably writing

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 these letters

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 around the same time.

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 He was writing to churches

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 that were closely located

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 to each other.

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 Anyway,

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 we could go into more

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 of a relationship

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 between Colossians and Ephesians,

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 but we won't do that now.

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 But Ephesians 2.20

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 says this,

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 you are members

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 of the household of God

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 built on the foundation

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 of the apostles and prophets,

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 Christ Jesus himself

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 being the chief cornerstone

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 in whom the whole structure

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 being joined together

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 grows into a holy temple

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 in the Lord.

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 You also

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 are being built together

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 into a dwelling place

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 for God by the Spirit.

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 You see,

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 being a Christian

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 isn't just a private endeavor.

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 It's not just

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 sort of quietly growing

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 our roots down

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 deeper into Christ.

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 It's also a public project

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 that we're engaged in together,

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 a community project

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 that we're being built up

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 to be a display

00:11:56.259 --> 00:11:56.980
 of God's glory

00:11:56.980 --> 00:11:57.579
 to the world.

00:11:58.699 --> 00:11:59.159
 Now,

00:11:59.199 --> 00:11:59.860
 I hope that many of you

00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:00.659
 will stay after church

00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:01.480
 to hear our presentation

00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:02.939
 of the proposed building project,

00:12:03.339 --> 00:12:04.019
 but that's not

00:12:04.019 --> 00:12:04.939
 an appropriate application

00:12:04.939 --> 00:12:05.679
 of this verse.

00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:08.359
 The primary application

00:12:08.359 --> 00:12:09.099
 of this verse

00:12:09.099 --> 00:12:10.500
 is that we would be

00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:11.379
 looking for ways

00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:12.679
 to build each other up

00:12:12.679 --> 00:12:14.399
 in faith and hope and love.

00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:16.659
 And honestly,

00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:17.819
 the building project

00:12:17.819 --> 00:12:18.399
 will only

00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:20.479
 bring glory to God

00:12:20.479 --> 00:12:21.919
 if we're constantly

00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:23.199
 building one another up

00:12:23.199 --> 00:12:24.059
 spiritually

00:12:24.059 --> 00:12:26.000
 and building

00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:27.419
 on the foundation of Christ

00:12:27.419 --> 00:12:29.219
 and building each other up

00:12:29.219 --> 00:12:29.779
 in the truth

00:12:29.779 --> 00:12:31.219
 and in the grace of Jesus.

00:12:32.179 --> 00:12:32.539
 All right,

00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:33.159
 third metaphor,

00:12:33.539 --> 00:12:33.719
 right?

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.899
 We've seen rooted like a tree,

00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:36.120
 built up like a house,

00:12:36.419 --> 00:12:37.679
 established in the faith

00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:38.799
 just as you were taught.

00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:39.240
 Now,

00:12:39.319 --> 00:12:40.079
 that word established

00:12:40.079 --> 00:12:40.860
 was often used

00:12:40.860 --> 00:12:42.459
 to describe legal contracts

00:12:42.459 --> 00:12:44.259
 or judicial verdicts.

00:12:45.259 --> 00:12:45.699
 Established,

00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:46.199
 confirmed,

00:12:46.439 --> 00:12:46.679
 settled,

00:12:46.899 --> 00:12:47.259
 verified,

00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:48.179
 proven valid.

00:12:48.379 --> 00:12:49.039
 All of those

00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:50.860
 would be similar ideas.

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:52.000
 Paul wanted his hearers

00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:53.439
 to have a confident assurance

00:12:53.439 --> 00:12:55.439
 that the Christian faith,

00:12:55.659 --> 00:12:56.819
 which they had been taught,

00:12:57.019 --> 00:12:59.579
 is true and reliable

00:12:59.579 --> 00:13:01.240
 so that they wouldn't

00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:02.720
 easily be swayed.

00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:04.899
 Again,

00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:06.019
 he expresses the same idea

00:13:06.019 --> 00:13:07.800
 in Ephesians 4,

00:13:07.860 --> 00:13:08.620
 14 to 15.

00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:09.160
 He says,

00:13:09.800 --> 00:13:10.960
 so that we may no longer

00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:12.440
 be like little children

00:13:12.440 --> 00:13:13.700
 tossed to and fro

00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:14.519
 by the waves

00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:15.700
 and carried about

00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:16.879
 by every wind of doctrine,

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:17.800
 by human cunning,

00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:19.040
 by craftiness

00:13:19.040 --> 00:13:20.220
 and deceitful schemes.

00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:21.080
 Rather,

00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:22.519
 speaking the truth in love,

00:13:22.580 --> 00:13:23.639
 we are to grow up

00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:25.180
 in every way into Christ.

00:13:26.500 --> 00:13:27.360
 So let me ask you

00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:28.000
 this question.

00:13:29.040 --> 00:13:29.500
 Practically,

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:30.960
 are you seeking to grow

00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.700
 in your understanding

00:13:32.700 --> 00:13:35.060
 of the foundations

00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:36.180
 of your faith

00:13:36.180 --> 00:13:37.120
 in Christ

00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:38.860
 so that you won't

00:13:38.860 --> 00:13:40.360
 be quickly swayed

00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:41.980
 when someone else

00:13:41.980 --> 00:13:43.120
 expresses a different opinion?

00:13:44.780 --> 00:13:45.519
 In the Middle Ages,

00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:46.379
 the Christian philosopher

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.019
 Anselm

00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:48.860
 began his most famous treatise

00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:49.440
 with the concept

00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.620
 of faith-seeking understanding.

00:13:53.220 --> 00:13:53.860
 He said,

00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:54.379
 on the one hand,

00:13:54.420 --> 00:13:55.160
 you can't insist

00:13:55.160 --> 00:13:56.879
 on understanding everything

00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:58.840
 before you believe anything.

00:13:58.960 --> 00:13:59.620
 That's not how

00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:00.639
 human life works.

00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:02.039
 Every one of us

00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:02.879
 came out of the womb

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.480
 and the only way

00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:05.259
 we stayed alive

00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:06.679
 was by trusting someone

00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:08.460
 who we didn't fully understand,

00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:10.159
 by latching onto

00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:11.279
 the breast

00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:12.139
 or the bottle

00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:13.060
 and trusting

00:14:13.060 --> 00:14:14.259
 that what came out of there

00:14:14.259 --> 00:14:15.340
 would nourish us

00:14:15.340 --> 00:14:16.200
 instead of kill us.

00:14:16.220 --> 00:14:17.100
 It's the only reason

00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:18.139
 you are alive today.

00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:20.799
 It's because you trusted,

00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:22.019
 you lived by faith,

00:14:22.779 --> 00:14:24.720
 without much understanding.

00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.759
 But of course,

00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:28.580
 as you grow up,

00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:30.580
 the natural process

00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:31.060
 of growing up

00:14:31.060 --> 00:14:31.779
 involves growing

00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.779
 in understanding

00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:34.960
 and eventually

00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:36.740
 learning not only

00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:37.779
 to eat solid food

00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:38.580
 but also to cook

00:14:38.580 --> 00:14:39.399
 your own food

00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:40.600
 and to cook food

00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:41.560
 for somebody else.

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:46.420
 And so that's meant

00:14:46.420 --> 00:14:47.000
 to be a picture

00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:47.639
 of the progress

00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:49.360
 of a growing Christian,

00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:49.639
 right?

00:14:49.660 --> 00:14:50.440
 As a new Christian,

00:14:50.580 --> 00:14:51.220
 sometimes you just

00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:52.379
 got to start by drinking

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.360
 in the Word of God

00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:54.700
 as it's being fed to you,

00:14:55.179 --> 00:14:56.100
 as someone else

00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:56.860
 is explaining

00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:58.360
 and distilling it for you

00:14:58.360 --> 00:14:59.799
 and trusting

00:14:59.799 --> 00:15:00.840
 that God is there

00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:02.039
 and God is real

00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:03.139
 and God is wiser

00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:04.679
 than any of us

00:15:04.679 --> 00:15:06.120
 and that He loves us

00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:07.820
 no matter what we feel.

00:15:11.059 --> 00:15:11.700
 But you know,

00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:12.340
 growing Christians

00:15:12.340 --> 00:15:13.580
 don't just stop there.

00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:15.120
 They don't just stop

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.059
 with believing something

00:15:16.059 --> 00:15:16.700
 that they don't

00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:17.639
 really understand.

00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.340
 Anselm said this,

00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:20.600
 he said,

00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:21.580
 I do not endeavor,

00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:22.080
 O Lord,

00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:22.639
 to penetrate

00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:23.840
 your transcendence

00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:25.400
 for in no way

00:15:25.400 --> 00:15:26.000
 do I compare

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:26.740
 my understanding

00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:27.460
 with that.

00:15:28.100 --> 00:15:28.879
 But I long

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.680
 to understand

00:15:29.680 --> 00:15:31.080
 in some degree

00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:32.040
 your truth

00:15:32.040 --> 00:15:33.259
 which my heart

00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:34.840
 believes and loves.

00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:37.580
 So are you seeking

00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:38.040
 to grow

00:15:38.040 --> 00:15:38.759
 in your understanding

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:39.360
 of the God

00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:40.000
 that you have come

00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.120
 to trust and believe in?

00:15:42.780 --> 00:15:43.139
 You're seeking

00:15:43.139 --> 00:15:43.480
 to grow

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:44.080
 in your understanding

00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.060
 of God's ways

00:15:45.060 --> 00:15:46.200
 and God's will.

00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.560
 Are you dealing

00:15:47.560 --> 00:15:48.600
 with the hard questions

00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:50.259
 that other people

00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:50.879
 ask you

00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:52.080
 or you ask yourself

00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:53.340
 rather than avoiding

00:15:53.340 --> 00:15:54.200
 them out of fear?

00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:57.480
 Are you getting

00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.399
 to know the Bible

00:15:58.399 --> 00:15:58.860
 better

00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:01.159
 so that you're not

00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:02.480
 just able to receive

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:03.519
 someone else's teaching

00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:04.240
 from it but that you

00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:05.120
 can pick up the Bible

00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:05.740
 and read it

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:06.580
 and benefit from it?

00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:07.340
 You can cook a meal

00:16:07.340 --> 00:16:07.939
 for yourself

00:16:07.939 --> 00:16:10.019
 as well as coming

00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:10.899
 to church each Sunday

00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:12.299
 and receiving the Word

00:16:12.299 --> 00:16:13.960
 as it's fed to you.

00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:14.919
 Are you growing

00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:15.840
 in discernment

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:17.299
 so that you can listen

00:16:17.299 --> 00:16:18.000
 to different people

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.700
 teaching the Bible

00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:19.700
 and you can compare it

00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:21.080
 with what it actually says

00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:23.940
 and be able to say,

00:16:24.779 --> 00:16:25.080
 hmm,

00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:26.480
 there's a difference here.

00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.139
 I need to

00:16:29.139 --> 00:16:31.200
 eat the meat

00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:32.379
 and not the bones.

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:34.620
 I need to

00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:36.480
 grow in discernment.

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.100
 So rooted like a tree,

00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:42.039
 built up like a house,

00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:43.440
 established like

00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.620
 a legal contract,

00:16:44.779 --> 00:16:45.080
 forth,

00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:46.799
 abounding in thanksgiving.

00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.559
 That word abounding

00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:49.359
 could refer to

00:16:49.359 --> 00:16:50.120
 something that was

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.559
 overflowing like a fountain

00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:53.199
 or it could refer

00:16:53.199 --> 00:16:53.919
 to a surplus,

00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:55.500
 an unexpectedly large

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.819
 profit from a business.

00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:58.439
 All right,

00:16:58.479 --> 00:16:59.879
 a whole bunch of leftovers

00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:02.839
 from a feast.

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:04.359
 Paul says,

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:04.940
 we have received

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:05.899
 Christ Jesus the Lord

00:17:05.899 --> 00:17:07.259
 and so our expressions

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:08.779
 of thankfulness to God

00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:10.519
 should be overflowing

00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:11.419
 and abounding.

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.339
 Seven times

00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:14.519
 in this short little book

00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:15.159
 of Colossians,

00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:16.900
 Paul emphasizes

00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:17.500
 the importance

00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:18.360
 of thanksgiving.

00:17:19.800 --> 00:17:20.460
 Chapter 1,

00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:20.860
 verse 3,

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:21.900
 we always thank God

00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:22.680
 when we pray for you.

00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:23.240
 Chapter 1,

00:17:23.300 --> 00:17:23.740
 verse 12,

00:17:23.800 --> 00:17:24.900
 with joy giving thanks

00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:25.420
 to the Father,

00:17:25.540 --> 00:17:26.279
 here abounding

00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:26.980
 in thanksgiving.

00:17:27.320 --> 00:17:27.860
 315,

00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:29.019
 and be thankful.

00:17:29.600 --> 00:17:29.960
 316,

00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:31.040
 with thankfulness

00:17:31.040 --> 00:17:31.880
 in your hearts to God.

00:17:32.300 --> 00:17:32.700
 317,

00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:33.980
 giving thanks to God

00:17:33.980 --> 00:17:34.820
 the Father through Him.

00:17:35.080 --> 00:17:35.500
 42,

00:17:35.580 --> 00:17:36.480
 being watchful in prayer

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.320
 with thanksgiving.

00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:38.660
 Seven times

00:17:38.660 --> 00:17:40.800
 Paul's reminding us

00:17:40.800 --> 00:17:41.620
 of the importance

00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:42.360
 of thanksgiving.

00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:43.819
 Now,

00:17:43.899 --> 00:17:44.319
 there's a lot

00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:44.899
 that could be said

00:17:44.899 --> 00:17:45.639
 about thanksgiving.

00:17:47.719 --> 00:17:48.799
 But in the context

00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:49.379
 of this sermon

00:17:49.379 --> 00:17:50.599
 where Paul's warning them

00:17:50.599 --> 00:17:53.519
 against spiritual dangers

00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:54.939
 that could take them captive,

00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:59.839
 a heart that is abounding

00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.659
 in thanksgiving

00:18:00.659 --> 00:18:01.859
 is a safeguard

00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:02.819
 against all kinds

00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:03.259
 of things,

00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:04.939
 all kinds of negative

00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:05.779
 thought patterns

00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:07.019
 that can quickly

00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:07.819
 take us captive.

00:18:08.679 --> 00:18:09.619
 It's a safeguard

00:18:09.619 --> 00:18:10.439
 against envy.

00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:12.120
 It's a safeguard

00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:13.059
 against jealousy.

00:18:13.840 --> 00:18:14.420
 It's a safeguard

00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:15.500
 against self-pity.

00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:17.000
 It's a safeguard

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:18.100
 against entitlement.

00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:19.220
 It's a safeguard

00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:20.120
 against arrogance.

00:18:20.420 --> 00:18:20.920
 It's a safeguard

00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:22.460
 against discontentment

00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:23.140
 and grumbling.

00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:25.160
 Thankfulness drives

00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:27.420
 all those ugly things away.

00:18:29.120 --> 00:18:30.180
 And thankfulness

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:31.440
 doesn't let them gain

00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:32.759
 a destructive foothold

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.640
 in our soul.

00:18:35.100 --> 00:18:36.100
 That's why so many

00:18:36.100 --> 00:18:37.019
 of the Psalms begin

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:37.940
 with the psalmist

00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:39.080
 speaking to himself

00:18:39.080 --> 00:18:39.580
 and saying,

00:18:39.579 --> 00:18:40.579
 praise the Lord,

00:18:40.659 --> 00:18:41.460
 O my soul.

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:45.179
 And all that is within me,

00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:46.619
 praise his holy name.

00:18:46.939 --> 00:18:47.740
 Praise the Lord,

00:18:47.819 --> 00:18:48.379
 O my soul,

00:18:48.419 --> 00:18:49.339
 and forget not

00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:50.339
 all his benefits.

00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:55.799
 So being rooted down

00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:56.939
 and builded up,

00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:58.639
 being established securely

00:18:58.639 --> 00:19:00.439
 and abounding freely

00:19:00.439 --> 00:19:01.539
 with thanksgiving,

00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:03.199
 that's what it looks like

00:19:03.199 --> 00:19:04.419
 to build on the foundation

00:19:04.419 --> 00:19:05.059
 of Christ,

00:19:05.679 --> 00:19:07.419
 to be strong and secure

00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:08.960
 in our attachment

00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:09.700
 to the foundation

00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:10.660
 that we're building on.

00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:14.740
 But that's the first point.

00:19:14.860 --> 00:19:16.060
 But the second thing,

00:19:16.140 --> 00:19:17.620
 which we see in verses 9 to 12,

00:19:18.340 --> 00:19:19.340
 is that we not only have

00:19:19.340 --> 00:19:21.180
 a solid foundation in Christ,

00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:22.220
 we also have

00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:23.480
 a wonderful fullness

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.660
 in Christ.

00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:27.480
 Verse 9,

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:33.880
 That's a profound verse.

00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:35.400
 And you know,

00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:36.099
 you can't really get

00:19:36.099 --> 00:19:37.180
 any clearer than that

00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:39.039
 if you want to say

00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:40.220
 Jesus is fully God.

00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:43.579
 All the fullness of deity

00:19:43.579 --> 00:19:44.819
 dwells in him.

00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:48.579
 There's no ambiguity there.

00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:52.160
 Jesus isn't sort of filled

00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:53.099
 with some divinity.

00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:55.699
 He isn't just deeply

00:19:55.699 --> 00:19:56.959
 connected to God.

00:19:57.379 --> 00:19:59.119
 He isn't just a human being

00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:00.980
 who achieved closeness to God.

00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:03.619
 All the fullness of deity

00:20:03.619 --> 00:20:06.000
 dwells in him.

00:20:06.659 --> 00:20:08.359
 There's nothing missing.

00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:09.919
 And by the way,

00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:11.459
 this was not just Paul's idea.

00:20:12.859 --> 00:20:14.219
 Some people want to say

00:20:14.219 --> 00:20:15.319
 this was just Paul's idea.

00:20:15.459 --> 00:20:16.419
 But Jesus said,

00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:17.579
 Matthew 11, 27,

00:20:18.179 --> 00:20:19.719
 All things have been handed over

00:20:19.719 --> 00:20:20.759
 to be by my Father.

00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:22.980
 And no one knows the Son

00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:23.759
 except the Father.

00:20:23.859 --> 00:20:24.759
 And no one knows the Father

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:25.519
 except the Son.

00:20:25.579 --> 00:20:26.259
 And anyone to whom

00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:26.940
 the Son chooses

00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:27.819
 to reveal him.

00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:30.640
 Jesus, again,

00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:31.220
 very clear,

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:34.480
 saying he has this intimate

00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.119
 and close

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:36.379
 and unique relationship

00:20:36.379 --> 00:20:37.180
 with God the Father.

00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:40.539
 Over and over

00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:41.299
 throughout the Gospels,

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:43.400
 Jesus claims to be and do

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:45.640
 what, according to the Scriptures,

00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:48.019
 only God can be and do.

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:50.759
 And so you have to wrestle

00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:51.279
 with that

00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:53.139
 and ask the question,

00:20:53.379 --> 00:20:54.500
 is he telling the truth

00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:55.500
 or not?

00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.440
 And if he's not telling the truth,

00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:58.819
 then he's not a wise man

00:20:58.819 --> 00:20:59.660
 and he's not a prophet

00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:00.319
 you should trust

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:01.240
 and he's not a teacher

00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:01.960
 you should follow.

00:21:02.139 --> 00:21:03.160
 Because you shouldn't follow

00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:04.019
 someone who claims

00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:05.160
 to have the fullness of deity

00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:05.960
 dwelling in him

00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:06.920
 and claims to have

00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:08.119
 an exclusive and unique

00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:09.019
 connection to God

00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:10.559
 if it ain't true.

00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:13.839
 So it's really one way

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.319
 or the other.

00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:18.039
 But Christians believe

00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:19.419
 that Jesus is fully God.

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:22.000
 Christians believe

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:23.179
 that if you want to know God,

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.139
 you need look no further

00:21:25.139 --> 00:21:27.279
 than the face of Jesus Christ.

00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:30.339
 Jesus is God's presence

00:21:30.339 --> 00:21:32.000
 and his very self.

00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:36.939
 Again, this is one

00:21:36.939 --> 00:21:37.599
 of the main differences

00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:38.359
 between Christianity

00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:39.519
 and every other religion

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.279
 in the world.

00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:42.679
 Some religions

00:21:42.679 --> 00:21:43.399
 and philosophies

00:21:43.399 --> 00:21:43.899
 would say that

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:44.780
 the fullness of deity

00:21:44.780 --> 00:21:46.740
 is inherently unapproachable.

00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:48.940
 That humanity

00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:49.780
 and deity

00:21:49.780 --> 00:21:51.180
 are like oil and water.

00:21:51.300 --> 00:21:51.840
 They don't,

00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.259
 they cannot mix,

00:21:53.340 --> 00:21:54.300
 they cannot inhabit

00:21:54.300 --> 00:21:55.320
 the same space.

00:21:58.380 --> 00:21:59.540
 But if God

00:21:59.540 --> 00:22:01.140
 is truly omnipotent

00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:03.000
 and beyond our comprehension,

00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:05.680
 wouldn't that be limiting

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.560
 God's power

00:22:06.560 --> 00:22:08.380
 to say that he can't

00:22:09.860 --> 00:22:10.960
 fully inhabit

00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:13.019
 one of his creatures?

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:15.120
 that he couldn't

00:22:15.120 --> 00:22:16.680
 become a human being?

00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:18.380
 How can you say

00:22:18.380 --> 00:22:19.420
 that God can't do that

00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:20.220
 because that's impossible?

00:22:20.560 --> 00:22:21.500
 Isn't nothing impossible

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:22.160
 for God

00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:24.280
 if God is truly transcendent

00:22:24.280 --> 00:22:25.580
 and wise

00:22:25.580 --> 00:22:26.620
 beyond our understanding?

00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:30.160
 Now, other religions

00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:31.180
 go the opposite way

00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:32.900
 and they say

00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:33.620
 God is everything

00:22:33.620 --> 00:22:34.580
 and everything is God.

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:37.080
 They would have no problem

00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:37.860
 with verse 9,

00:22:38.360 --> 00:22:39.320
 in him all the fullness

00:22:39.320 --> 00:22:40.380
 of deity dwells,

00:22:40.380 --> 00:22:41.880
 but they would say

00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:42.160
 sure,

00:22:42.300 --> 00:22:42.720
 all the fullness

00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.520
 of deity dwells

00:22:43.520 --> 00:22:44.520
 in you and me too

00:22:44.520 --> 00:22:45.280
 or like drops

00:22:45.280 --> 00:22:45.920
 in the ocean.

00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:50.400
 But if God

00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:51.060
 is everything

00:22:51.060 --> 00:22:51.760
 and everything

00:22:51.760 --> 00:22:52.440
 is God,

00:22:53.260 --> 00:22:54.620
 it becomes very hard

00:22:54.620 --> 00:22:55.420
 to make any ultimate

00:22:55.420 --> 00:22:56.040
 distinctions

00:22:56.040 --> 00:22:58.260
 between good

00:22:58.260 --> 00:22:58.680
 and evil

00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:00.340
 or even between

00:23:00.340 --> 00:23:01.060
 a human being

00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:01.940
 and a piece of dirt.

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.860
 Isn't that important

00:23:05.860 --> 00:23:06.900
 to make such distinctions?

00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:07.080
 Christians.

00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:11.519
 So, Christianity says

00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:14.360
 that God is fundamentally

00:23:14.360 --> 00:23:15.300
 different than us,

00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:17.120
 that we cannot approach

00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:18.000
 God on our own

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.620
 because of our sin,

00:23:20.320 --> 00:23:21.040
 our corruption,

00:23:21.800 --> 00:23:23.240
 but in his mercy

00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:23.660
 and wisdom,

00:23:23.800 --> 00:23:25.100
 God has made a way.

00:23:25.860 --> 00:23:26.960
 God chose to enter

00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.060
 into our space

00:23:28.060 --> 00:23:29.160
 and our world

00:23:29.160 --> 00:23:30.220
 and our flesh

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:30.980
 in the person

00:23:30.980 --> 00:23:31.780
 of Jesus Christ

00:23:31.780 --> 00:23:33.180
 so that we might know him,

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.960
 so that we might be

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:36.080
 reconciled to God,

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.319
 the Father through him,

00:23:37.699 --> 00:23:40.519
 so that we might

00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:42.019
 be filled

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:43.019
 with the presence of God.

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.519
 That's the amazing

00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.919
 message of Christianity,

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:49.240
 that yes,

00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:49.919
 there is that

00:23:49.919 --> 00:23:51.699
 amazing transcendent God

00:23:51.699 --> 00:23:53.000
 who's not just

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:53.500
 in and out

00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:54.439
 of each one of us,

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:57.879
 and yet we can

00:23:57.879 --> 00:23:58.599
 connect with him.

00:23:59.399 --> 00:24:00.720
 We can be reconciled

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:01.099
 with him,

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:02.699
 and we can even have

00:24:02.699 --> 00:24:04.299
 God dwelling in us

00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:05.399
 through his spirit.

00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:07.819
 Verse 10 goes on,

00:24:07.879 --> 00:24:11.059
 not only is Christ,

00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:12.119
 not only does the whole

00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:12.759
 fullness of deity

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.599
 dwell in Christ,

00:24:13.939 --> 00:24:14.779
 Paul goes on to say,

00:24:14.859 --> 00:24:15.819
 you have been filled

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:16.759
 in him.

00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:19.079
 You see,

00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:19.819
 some people were coming

00:24:19.819 --> 00:24:20.659
 to the Colossians,

00:24:20.939 --> 00:24:21.859
 and they were saying,

00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:22.240
 okay,

00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:23.879
 you believe in Christ,

00:24:23.919 --> 00:24:24.619
 that's fine.

00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:27.139
 Maybe he's even necessary,

00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:28.720
 but he's not sufficient.

00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:30.619
 In order to really thrive

00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:31.659
 and really flourish,

00:24:31.659 --> 00:24:32.220
 you need something

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:33.099
 more than Christ,

00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:34.460
 something other than Christ,

00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:35.880
 something outside of Christ.

00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:36.740
 Next week,

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:37.319
 we'll get into more

00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:37.880
 of the details

00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.559
 of what exactly

00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:39.120
 they were offering

00:24:39.120 --> 00:24:39.779
 and why it would have

00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:40.539
 seemed so attractive,

00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:42.019
 but here the details

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:42.880
 are not that important.

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:43.880
 Paul wants to remind them

00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:44.940
 that all that they need

00:24:44.940 --> 00:24:46.539
 is found in Christ.

00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:47.019
 Paul says,

00:24:47.299 --> 00:24:48.160
 live out of the fullness

00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:49.920
 that is in Christ

00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.799
 and that's been given

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:51.319
 to you

00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:53.180
 as you've been united

00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:54.120
 with Christ

00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:55.000
 through faith.

00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:57.240
 Don't be taken captive

00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:58.840
 by an empty

00:24:58.840 --> 00:25:00.000
 and deceptive philosophy.

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.140
 Now, Paul is not demonizing

00:25:04.140 --> 00:25:05.440
 the discipline of philosophy

00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.240
 in general,

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:07.859
 nor is Paul rejecting

00:25:07.859 --> 00:25:08.640
 logical argument

00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:09.220
 and reasoning.

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.440
 If you translate

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:12.559
 the Greek of verse 8 literally,

00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:13.039
 it says,

00:25:13.140 --> 00:25:13.660
 see that no one

00:25:13.660 --> 00:25:14.299
 takes you captive

00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:15.599
 by the philosophy

00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:16.500
 and empty deceit.

00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:17.299
 Paul's warning

00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:19.259
 against the specific philosophy

00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:20.519
 being taught in Colossae,

00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.259
 which he describes

00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:22.259
 in the rest of the verse.

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:24.079
 So, if you're considering

00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.319
 being a philosophy major,

00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:27.240
 this verse is not saying

00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:27.900
 that it is a sin

00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:28.480
 to do that.

00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:30.819
 At the same time,

00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:32.360
 philosophy will never save you.

00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:34.420
 As one of my philosophy

00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:35.400
 professors once said,

00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:36.599
 philosophers say

00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:37.360
 they love wisdom,

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.579
 but most of the time

00:25:38.579 --> 00:25:39.660
 they just love arguments.

00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:43.700
 A little bit more seriously,

00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.519
 like many other

00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:45.420
 academic disciplines,

00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:46.500
 philosophy is perhaps

00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:47.259
 most useful

00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:48.880
 when we're humbled by it.

00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:50.620
 In other words,

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:52.620
 when we allow it to show us

00:25:52.620 --> 00:25:53.980
 how much we don't know,

00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:56.960
 how much is out there

00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:57.500
 in the world

00:25:57.500 --> 00:26:00.380
 that is beyond

00:26:00.380 --> 00:26:02.140
 our limited comprehension.

00:26:03.339 --> 00:26:05.220
 How limited our reason

00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:06.839
 can be

00:26:06.839 --> 00:26:08.400
 and how far it gets us.

00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:10.019
 But getting back

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:10.599
 to the text,

00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:12.940
 verses 11 to 12

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:13.619
 show us

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:15.380
 in some rather graphic imagery

00:26:15.380 --> 00:26:16.099
 what it means

00:26:16.099 --> 00:26:16.980
 that we have been filled

00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:17.779
 in Christ.

00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:18.539
 Again,

00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:19.440
 continuing with this

00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:20.339
 fullness theme.

00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.680
 Now, 11 and 12,

00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:22.160
 I think,

00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:23.099
 are the most dense verses

00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:24.420
 in this passage.

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:25.900
 This whole passage,

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.620
 8 through 15,

00:26:26.620 --> 00:26:27.580
 is one long sentence

00:26:27.580 --> 00:26:28.140
 in the Greek.

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:29.519
 So, Paul is just

00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:31.600
 piling metaphor upon metaphor,

00:26:31.820 --> 00:26:32.740
 image upon image,

00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:34.300
 to paint, again,

00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:35.320
 this powerful picture.

00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:37.039
 He's using this rhetorical style

00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:39.640
 to sort of paint a picture

00:26:39.640 --> 00:26:41.660
 of the fullness

00:26:41.660 --> 00:26:43.019
 and later on the freedom

00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:43.960
 that we have in Christ.

00:26:44.360 --> 00:26:45.200
 But 11 and 12

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:46.460
 are pretty dense,

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.880
 so let me go phrase by phrase.

00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.380
 In him,

00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.740
 you are also circumcised.

00:26:51.640 --> 00:26:52.060
 Now,

00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:53.020
 where does this image

00:26:53.020 --> 00:26:54.060
 of circumcision come from?

00:26:54.120 --> 00:26:55.120
 It comes from the Old Testament.

00:26:55.960 --> 00:26:56.700
 The Old Testament,

00:26:56.860 --> 00:26:57.520
 God required

00:26:57.520 --> 00:26:58.700
 the male descendants

00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.280
 of Abraham

00:26:59.280 --> 00:27:01.220
 to be physically circumcised

00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:01.860
 as a sign

00:27:01.860 --> 00:27:02.580
 that they belong

00:27:02.580 --> 00:27:04.120
 to God's covenant people.

00:27:04.660 --> 00:27:05.920
 So, circumcision represented

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.740
 cutting off

00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:07.760
 or putting away

00:27:07.760 --> 00:27:10.220
 everything that displeases God

00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:11.800
 and dedicating oneself

00:27:11.800 --> 00:27:13.080
 fully to God

00:27:13.080 --> 00:27:14.220
 for the task ahead.

00:27:15.220 --> 00:27:15.920
 But verse 11

00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.900
 is not talking about

00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:18.600
 physical act of circumcision.

00:27:19.800 --> 00:27:20.780
 It continues,

00:27:21.120 --> 00:27:22.200
 in him you are circumcised

00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:23.380
 with a circumcision

00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:25.320
 made without hands.

00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:26.400
 When the Bible talks

00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:26.820
 about something

00:27:26.820 --> 00:27:28.040
 made without hands,

00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:29.019
 it's talking about

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:29.759
 something that's done

00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:30.560
 by God

00:27:30.560 --> 00:27:32.280
 and not by human beings.

00:27:33.580 --> 00:27:34.400
 In other words,

00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:35.480
 you were circumcised

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.180
 by God.

00:27:36.180 --> 00:27:37.860
 That is spiritually cleansed

00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.560
 and set apart.

00:27:39.120 --> 00:27:39.800
 Paul's drawing on

00:27:39.800 --> 00:27:40.960
 an Old Testament idea

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.580
 which is sometimes expressed

00:27:42.580 --> 00:27:43.800
 as circumcision

00:27:43.800 --> 00:27:44.580
 of the heart.

00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:46.120
 God spiritually,

00:27:46.119 --> 00:27:47.559
 not just a physical act

00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.459
 that sort of symbolically

00:27:48.459 --> 00:27:49.379
 represented something,

00:27:49.719 --> 00:27:50.959
 but God spiritually

00:27:50.959 --> 00:27:52.219
 cleansing His people

00:27:52.219 --> 00:27:54.199
 and setting them apart

00:27:54.199 --> 00:27:55.899
 for His service.

00:27:57.939 --> 00:27:58.839
 Going on,

00:27:58.879 --> 00:27:59.659
 by putting off

00:27:59.659 --> 00:28:01.000
 the body of the flesh.

00:28:02.419 --> 00:28:03.259
 Now, if you look down

00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.019
 at verse 13,

00:28:04.419 --> 00:28:04.859
 it says,

00:28:04.959 --> 00:28:05.500
 you were dead

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.719
 in the uncircumcision

00:28:06.719 --> 00:28:07.739
 of your flesh

00:28:07.739 --> 00:28:09.179
 and God made you alive.

00:28:09.939 --> 00:28:10.619
 And if you look down

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:11.919
 at chapter 3, verse 9,

00:28:12.239 --> 00:28:13.019
 the same verb

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:13.979
 put off appears.

00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:14.960
 You have put off

00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:15.640
 the old self

00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:16.579
 with its practices

00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:17.680
 and have put on

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.360
 the new self.

00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:19.380
 So, the image is

00:28:19.380 --> 00:28:20.539
 when we come to Christ,

00:28:21.140 --> 00:28:22.120
 it's like we're wearing

00:28:22.120 --> 00:28:23.579
 a full-body suit

00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:25.200
 that is dirty

00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:26.259
 and stinky

00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:27.420
 and stained

00:28:27.420 --> 00:28:28.839
 and we've worn it forever

00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:30.400
 and it's never been washed.

00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:33.319
 And God strips it off of us.

00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:36.720
 He removes our uncleanness

00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:38.700
 and our inherited corruption.

00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:41.640
 And He does it,

00:28:41.819 --> 00:28:42.920
 this verse goes on,

00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:44.840
 by the circumcision of Christ.

00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:46.819
 Now, that phrase

00:28:46.819 --> 00:28:47.779
 could mean one of two things.

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.319
 It could mean

00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:49.539
 the spiritual circumcision

00:28:49.539 --> 00:28:51.180
 that Christ Himself performs,

00:28:51.340 --> 00:28:51.519
 right?

00:28:51.600 --> 00:28:52.400
 Christ is the one

00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:53.240
 who removes

00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:55.160
 our inherited corruption

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:58.960
 and sort of cleanses us spiritually.

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:00.819
 But more likely,

00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:01.580
 I think this phrase,

00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:02.900
 the circumcision of Christ,

00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.740
 actually refers

00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:05.700
 to the crucifixion of Christ.

00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:05.819
 Christ,

00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:08.500
 circumcision was both

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:10.000
 an act of devotion to God

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.460
 and a bloody mess.

00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:13.880
 And I think Paul's using

00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:14.519
 this metaphor

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:16.180
 to remind us

00:29:16.180 --> 00:29:17.640
 of the greatest act

00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:18.620
 of devotion to God,

00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:22.259
 which was also a bloody mess,

00:29:22.580 --> 00:29:24.019
 the death of Jesus on the cross.

00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:26.700
 Through and through

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:28.039
 the death of Christ on the cross,

00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:29.299
 our uncleanness,

00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:30.059
 our corruption

00:29:30.059 --> 00:29:31.400
 can be removed

00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:33.680
 and stripped off of us.

00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:36.080
 One other reason

00:29:36.080 --> 00:29:37.100
 I think Paul's referring

00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:37.740
 to Christ's death

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.440
 on the cross here

00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:39.539
 is that the next phrase

00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:40.700
 refers to His burial,

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:43.200
 having been buried with Him

00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:44.440
 in baptism.

00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:47.400
 Christian baptism means

00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:48.380
 we've been identified

00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:49.660
 with the death

00:29:49.660 --> 00:29:50.660
 and burial

00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:52.100
 and resurrection of Jesus.

00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:53.340
 In other words,

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:53.920
 it's a sign

00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:54.880
 that we've experienced

00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:56.480
 what verse 11 describes,

00:29:56.860 --> 00:29:58.460
 the circumcision of the heart.

00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:01.240
 Christ died for our sins.

00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:02.360
 He was buried.

00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:03.419
 On the third day,

00:30:03.479 --> 00:30:04.619
 God raised Him from the dead.

00:30:04.899 --> 00:30:05.379
 And now,

00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:06.740
 if we have faith in Christ,

00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:07.319
 we can say,

00:30:07.699 --> 00:30:09.919
 my old self died with Him

00:30:09.919 --> 00:30:10.919
 on that cross.

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:14.359
 Christ took my stinky,

00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:18.419
 dirty, stained bodysuit.

00:30:19.199 --> 00:30:21.079
 He took all of my sin

00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:22.240
 on Himself.

00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.779
 And our sins were then

00:30:24.779 --> 00:30:26.259
 buried with Him in the grave,

00:30:26.359 --> 00:30:27.500
 and through faith in Him,

00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:29.099
 we've been raised to new life.

00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:32.059
 That's what baptism celebrates,

00:30:32.119 --> 00:30:32.839
 that we've become

00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:34.099
 a new creation in Christ

00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:35.500
 by His mercy and grace

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:37.019
 because of the death

00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:37.799
 and burial

00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:39.159
 and resurrection of Jesus.

00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:41.819
 Not only has God

00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:42.740
 stripped off

00:30:42.740 --> 00:30:43.539
 our stinky,

00:30:43.959 --> 00:30:45.139
 dirty, stained clothes,

00:30:45.219 --> 00:30:46.519
 He's washed us clean,

00:30:46.699 --> 00:30:47.679
 and He's given us

00:30:47.679 --> 00:30:48.519
 a whole new wardrobe.

00:30:49.679 --> 00:30:50.659
 He's given us

00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:51.799
 the righteousness of Christ.

00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:53.679
 He's raised us up

00:30:53.679 --> 00:30:54.559
 with His mighty power,

00:30:54.639 --> 00:30:55.319
 the same power

00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:56.480
 that raised Jesus Christ

00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.059
 from the dead.

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:59.099
 And so Paul says,

00:30:59.240 --> 00:30:59.960
 the fullness of deity

00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:00.779
 dwells in Christ,

00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:03.159
 and in Him you have fullness.

00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:04.319
 Fullness of cleansing.

00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:07.220
 Fullness of all of your sins

00:31:07.220 --> 00:31:08.339
 being removed.

00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:10.539
 Fullness of regeneration

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:12.759
 of a new life in Christ.

00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:14.460
 Paul says,

00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:15.359
 what more do you need?

00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:17.559
 You can't get any more

00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:18.779
 cleansed than that.

00:31:19.639 --> 00:31:21.119
 You can't get any more

00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:22.899
 empowered from something else.

00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:23.340
 No.

00:31:25.120 --> 00:31:25.920
 You just need to go

00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:27.080
 deeper into Christ.

00:31:28.600 --> 00:31:29.700
 Don't need to run away

00:31:29.700 --> 00:31:30.420
 anywhere else.

00:31:30.840 --> 00:31:31.620
 There's nothing else

00:31:31.620 --> 00:31:32.100
 you're missing.

00:31:32.780 --> 00:31:33.460
 There's nothing else

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.600
 that any other philosophy

00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:36.080
 or religion can give you

00:31:36.080 --> 00:31:37.560
 that you cannot find

00:31:37.560 --> 00:31:38.360
 in Christ.

00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:43.259
 So that's the second point.

00:31:44.740 --> 00:31:45.560
 Paul says,

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:47.120
 live into the fullness

00:31:47.120 --> 00:31:47.759
 of Christ.

00:31:49.340 --> 00:31:49.860
 Third,

00:31:50.180 --> 00:31:51.400
 verse 13 to 15,

00:31:51.400 --> 00:31:53.360
 the freedom we have

00:31:53.360 --> 00:31:53.840
 in Christ.

00:31:54.080 --> 00:31:54.480
 Foundation,

00:31:54.800 --> 00:31:55.040
 fullness,

00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:55.780
 freedom.

00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:57.160
 In these last three verses,

00:31:57.300 --> 00:31:58.420
 Paul points us to the freedom

00:31:58.420 --> 00:31:59.140
 we have in Christ

00:31:59.140 --> 00:32:00.000
 because of His work

00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:01.320
 on the cross.

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:03.500
 Freedom from the guilt

00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:03.980
 of sin.

00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.759
 It's verse 13 and 14.

00:32:06.040 --> 00:32:07.160
 And freedom from the powers

00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:07.680
 of darkness.

00:32:08.300 --> 00:32:09.340
 That's verse 15.

00:32:10.040 --> 00:32:10.960
 And if you think about

00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:12.180
 what kinds of things

00:32:12.180 --> 00:32:14.820
 can spiritually take us captive,

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.540
 those have to be

00:32:16.540 --> 00:32:17.440
 at the top of the list.

00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:19.220
 Right?

00:32:19.220 --> 00:32:20.740
 Guilt and shame

00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:22.519
 and the powers of darkness.

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:28.220
 Guilt and shame

00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:29.100
 can enslave us.

00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:31.140
 Look at the imagery

00:32:31.140 --> 00:32:33.279
 Paul uses in 13 and 14,

00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:34.600
 the record of debt

00:32:34.600 --> 00:32:36.559
 that stood against us.

00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:38.539
 Verse 14,

00:32:38.620 --> 00:32:39.740
 that word can mean

00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:40.640
 an IOU,

00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:42.720
 signed by one's own hand,

00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:44.240
 or a legal bond.

00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:46.180
 Some people even think

00:32:46.180 --> 00:32:47.180
 that Paul was referring

00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:49.340
 to a common idea

00:32:49.340 --> 00:32:49.980
 in his day

00:32:49.980 --> 00:32:50.700
 that there was

00:32:50.700 --> 00:32:52.160
 a heavenly register

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:53.060
 of deeds

00:32:53.060 --> 00:32:54.180
 in which a record

00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:56.180
 of your wrongdoings

00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:57.460
 was kept.

00:32:58.539 --> 00:32:59.519
 And there's a list

00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:01.519
 in the presence of God.

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:03.920
 You see,

00:33:04.080 --> 00:33:04.640
 this is something

00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:06.080
 we can't simply overlook

00:33:06.080 --> 00:33:06.840
 or ignore.

00:33:07.340 --> 00:33:07.799
 It's something

00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:08.880
 that doesn't go away

00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:10.360
 just because we forget about it

00:33:10.360 --> 00:33:12.019
 or choose not to think about it

00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:13.340
 or live in denial of it.

00:33:13.339 --> 00:33:15.240
 As God's image bearers,

00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:16.879
 we owe Him full obedience

00:33:16.879 --> 00:33:18.159
 and none of us

00:33:18.159 --> 00:33:19.539
 have come anywhere near that.

00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:22.699
 If we measure ourselves

00:33:22.699 --> 00:33:23.599
 up against the standard

00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:24.759
 of God's holy law,

00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:27.519
 we have all transgressed.

00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:29.599
 We owe God a debt.

00:33:31.079 --> 00:33:31.859
 There's no way

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:32.720
 we can pay it off.

00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:39.159
 Even if I did not sin

00:33:39.159 --> 00:33:40.559
 for an entire year,

00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:42.639
 guess what?

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:44.480
 I would simply be doing

00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:45.759
 my duty to God

00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:47.480
 because He made me

00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:48.019
 in His image

00:33:48.019 --> 00:33:49.339
 and that's what I owe Him.

00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:50.980
 I owe Him everything.

00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:53.200
 So there's no way

00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:54.519
 you can pay anything back

00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:56.919
 because obedience to God

00:33:56.919 --> 00:33:58.299
 is not paying God back

00:33:58.299 --> 00:33:59.899
 for our sins.

00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:00.500
 It's simply

00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:01.599
 what we owe Him already.

00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:03.779
 We're in a hole.

00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:05.119
 We have no way out.

00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:06.779
 And some of you

00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:07.379
 know very well

00:34:07.379 --> 00:34:08.299
 what that feels like.

00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:11.800
 The fear

00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:13.080
 that grips us,

00:34:14.260 --> 00:34:15.420
 the sense of hopelessness

00:34:15.420 --> 00:34:16.560
 that overwhelms us

00:34:16.560 --> 00:34:18.019
 when we think of the debt

00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:19.420
 that we owe to God

00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:20.720
 and the record

00:34:20.720 --> 00:34:22.120
 of our past sins.

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:24.400
 The vain attempts

00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:25.380
 to cleanse ourselves

00:34:25.380 --> 00:34:26.920
 and hide our shameful failures

00:34:26.920 --> 00:34:27.480
 from others.

00:34:27.580 --> 00:34:28.560
 The anger and despair

00:34:28.560 --> 00:34:29.420
 that fills us

00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:30.220
 when the futility

00:34:30.220 --> 00:34:30.960
 of those efforts

00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:31.600
 is exposed

00:34:31.600 --> 00:34:33.220
 and the underlying feeling

00:34:33.220 --> 00:34:33.960
 of worthlessness

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.900
 that haunts us.

00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:39.340
 But verse 14

00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:40.300
 is wonderful news.

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:43.000
 He forgave us

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:45.019
 all our trespasses.

00:34:47.099 --> 00:34:48.300
 Not just some of them

00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:49.079
 but all of them.

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:51.599
 Sometimes I've asked people

00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:53.820
 who are struggling

00:34:53.820 --> 00:34:55.160
 with receiving

00:34:55.160 --> 00:34:55.760
 God's forgiveness,

00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:56.940
 did Jesus Christ

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:57.599
 die on the cross

00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:58.559
 for some of your sins

00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:59.680
 or for all of your sins?

00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:03.219
 And they almost always say

00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:04.259
 oh well

00:35:04.259 --> 00:35:04.980
 like all.

00:35:06.299 --> 00:35:06.699
 Right?

00:35:08.899 --> 00:35:10.019
 Because you realize

00:35:10.019 --> 00:35:10.619
 that it would be

00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:13.059
 it doesn't make any sense

00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:13.639
 to say some.

00:35:15.159 --> 00:35:16.319
 Are you living that way?

00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:18.940
 Or do you think

00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:19.279
 there's something

00:35:19.279 --> 00:35:20.139
 that you've done in the past

00:35:20.139 --> 00:35:20.919
 that there is no way

00:35:20.919 --> 00:35:21.679
 that God could forgive?

00:35:23.719 --> 00:35:24.859
 He forgave us

00:35:24.859 --> 00:35:25.679
 all our trespasses.

00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:26.359
 trespasses.

00:35:28.399 --> 00:35:29.279
 He canceled

00:35:29.279 --> 00:35:30.359
 the record of debt.

00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:32.359
 He didn't just reduce it.

00:35:32.659 --> 00:35:34.139
 He didn't just refinance it.

00:35:36.839 --> 00:35:38.019
 He erased it.

00:35:39.219 --> 00:35:40.379
 He wiped it away.

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:41.500
 He set it aside.

00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:42.019
 That's actually

00:35:42.019 --> 00:35:42.879
 an interesting phrase

00:35:42.879 --> 00:35:43.699
 that literally means

00:35:43.699 --> 00:35:44.919
 he took it out of the middle.

00:35:45.839 --> 00:35:46.899
 In an ancient courtroom

00:35:46.899 --> 00:35:49.000
 the record of debt

00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:50.359
 along with other

00:35:50.359 --> 00:35:51.699
 signed statements

00:35:51.699 --> 00:35:52.319
 would be placed

00:35:52.319 --> 00:35:53.379
 right in the middle

00:35:53.379 --> 00:35:53.940
 of the courtroom.

00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:57.699
 But now what Paul is saying

00:35:57.699 --> 00:35:59.179
 is the list of accusations

00:35:59.179 --> 00:36:00.440
 that stood in the middle

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:01.980
 has been nailed

00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:03.019
 to the cross of Christ.

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:07.839
 Jesus paid it all.

00:36:09.299 --> 00:36:10.500
 We can know forgiveness

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:12.419
 and freedom

00:36:12.419 --> 00:36:14.219
 from enslaving guilt

00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:14.839
 and shame.

00:36:15.379 --> 00:36:16.019
 There's freedom

00:36:16.019 --> 00:36:16.960
 from the guilt of sin

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:17.819
 in Jesus Christ.

00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:22.899
 Verse 15 tells us

00:36:22.899 --> 00:36:23.619
 there's also freedom

00:36:23.619 --> 00:36:24.699
 from the powers of darkness.

00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:26.699
 God disarmed

00:36:26.699 --> 00:36:27.239
 the rulers

00:36:27.239 --> 00:36:28.000
 and authorities

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:28.659
 and put them

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.399
 to open shame

00:36:29.399 --> 00:36:30.759
 by triumphing over them

00:36:30.759 --> 00:36:31.879
 in Christ.

00:36:33.899 --> 00:36:34.279
 You might say

00:36:34.279 --> 00:36:35.699
 what exactly does that mean?

00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:38.079
 Who are these rulers

00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:38.799
 and authorities?

00:36:39.980 --> 00:36:40.619
 Well verse 1

00:36:40.619 --> 00:36:41.940
 chapter 1 verse 16

00:36:41.940 --> 00:36:43.299
 says that the rulers

00:36:43.299 --> 00:36:44.039
 and authorities

00:36:44.039 --> 00:36:44.739
 in heaven

00:36:44.739 --> 00:36:45.839
 and on earth

00:36:45.839 --> 00:36:46.699
 have been created

00:36:46.699 --> 00:36:47.579
 by Christ

00:36:47.579 --> 00:36:49.219
 were created

00:36:49.219 --> 00:36:49.980
 through Christ

00:36:49.980 --> 00:36:50.919
 and for Christ.

00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:53.059
 And in chapter 2 verse 10

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.659
 which we read

00:36:53.659 --> 00:36:54.779
 we read that Christ

00:36:54.779 --> 00:36:55.299
 is the head

00:36:55.299 --> 00:36:55.859
 of all rule

00:36:55.859 --> 00:36:56.339
 and authority.

00:36:56.460 --> 00:36:57.239
 In other words

00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:59.500
 no authority

00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:00.739
 stands above

00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:01.839
 the eternal

00:37:01.839 --> 00:37:02.460
 son of God.

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.379
 There is no one

00:37:04.379 --> 00:37:05.319
 that can overrule

00:37:05.319 --> 00:37:06.239
 or override

00:37:06.239 --> 00:37:07.599
 what Jesus

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.599
 decrees.

00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:11.159
 But it's also evident

00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:12.379
 from verse 15

00:37:12.379 --> 00:37:13.279
 and elsewhere in scripture

00:37:13.279 --> 00:37:14.099
 that these rulers

00:37:14.099 --> 00:37:14.739
 and authorities

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.859
 that Paul is speaking of

00:37:15.859 --> 00:37:16.420
 in both heaven

00:37:16.420 --> 00:37:17.139
 and on earth

00:37:17.139 --> 00:37:18.440
 have rebelled against

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:19.359
 the rightful authority

00:37:19.359 --> 00:37:19.940
 of Christ.

00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:21.579
 So Ephesians 6

00:37:21.579 --> 00:37:22.340
 speaks of

00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:23.360
 rulers and authorities

00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:24.659
 cosmic powers

00:37:24.659 --> 00:37:26.139
 over this present darkness

00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:27.360
 spiritual forces

00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:27.820
 of evil

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:29.000
 in the heavenly places.

00:37:30.179 --> 00:37:31.119
 Paul may also

00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:31.639
 be referring

00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:32.780
 to earthly rulers

00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:33.519
 and authorities

00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:34.820
 that is power structures

00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:35.619
 in this world

00:37:35.619 --> 00:37:36.420
 that have become

00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:37.760
 bent and twisted

00:37:37.760 --> 00:37:39.880
 toward carrying out

00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:41.340
 Satan's evil designs.

00:37:42.659 --> 00:37:44.000
 What he's saying here

00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:44.960
 is that on the cross

00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:46.820
 God triumphed

00:37:46.820 --> 00:37:47.800
 over all

00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:48.720
 the evil

00:37:48.720 --> 00:37:49.659
 powers.

00:37:49.940 --> 00:37:52.639
 Think about

00:37:52.639 --> 00:37:53.240
 what happened

00:37:53.240 --> 00:37:54.139
 when Jesus

00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:54.940
 was nailed

00:37:54.940 --> 00:37:55.579
 to the cross.

00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:57.179
 He was condemned

00:37:57.179 --> 00:37:57.740
 to die

00:37:57.740 --> 00:37:58.500
 by the rulers

00:37:58.500 --> 00:37:59.200
 and authorities

00:37:59.200 --> 00:37:59.880
 of Rome

00:37:59.880 --> 00:38:00.920
 and of Israel.

00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:03.559
 Their power

00:38:03.559 --> 00:38:04.059
 was bent

00:38:04.059 --> 00:38:04.900
 toward accomplishing

00:38:04.900 --> 00:38:05.820
 the evil designs

00:38:05.820 --> 00:38:06.800
 of Satan himself.

00:38:08.280 --> 00:38:09.420
 But paradoxically

00:38:09.420 --> 00:38:10.320
 when it seemed

00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:11.280
 that the powers

00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:11.960
 had triumphed

00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:12.840
 over Jesus

00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:14.280
 Jesus was actually

00:38:14.280 --> 00:38:14.940
 triumphing

00:38:14.940 --> 00:38:16.059
 over the powers.

00:38:17.460 --> 00:38:17.920
 And T. Wright

00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:18.619
 put it this way

00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:20.279
 these powers

00:38:20.279 --> 00:38:21.380
 stripped him

00:38:21.380 --> 00:38:21.759
 naked

00:38:21.759 --> 00:38:23.019
 held him up

00:38:23.019 --> 00:38:24.019
 to public contempt

00:38:24.019 --> 00:38:25.239
 and celebrated

00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:26.579
 a triumph over him.

00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:28.719
 But in verse 15

00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:29.579
 Paul declares

00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:30.559
 that on the cross

00:38:30.559 --> 00:38:31.859
 God was stripping

00:38:31.859 --> 00:38:33.039
 them naked

00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:34.679
 disarming them.

00:38:35.099 --> 00:38:35.839
 It's the same word

00:38:35.839 --> 00:38:36.960
 as put off

00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:38.159
 in verse 11.

00:38:39.159 --> 00:38:40.319
 God was holding

00:38:40.319 --> 00:38:40.900
 them up

00:38:40.900 --> 00:38:41.960
 to public contempt

00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:42.480
 put them

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:43.440
 to open shame

00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:45.159
 and leading

00:38:45.159 --> 00:38:46.280
 them in his own

00:38:46.280 --> 00:38:46.780
 triumphal

00:38:46.780 --> 00:38:47.200
 possession

00:38:47.200 --> 00:38:48.539
 in Christ.

00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:50.019
 The crucified

00:38:50.019 --> 00:38:51.300
 Messiah was in fact

00:38:51.300 --> 00:38:52.599
 their rightful

00:38:52.599 --> 00:38:53.159
 Lord.

00:38:53.659 --> 00:38:54.139
 The cross

00:38:54.139 --> 00:38:54.559
 therefore

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:55.200
 becomes the

00:38:55.200 --> 00:38:56.019
 source of hope

00:38:56.019 --> 00:38:56.880
 for all

00:38:56.880 --> 00:38:57.420
 who are held

00:38:57.420 --> 00:38:57.880
 captive

00:38:57.880 --> 00:38:58.960
 under the rule

00:38:58.960 --> 00:38:59.599
 of powers

00:38:59.599 --> 00:39:00.300
 which are hostile

00:39:00.300 --> 00:39:00.920
 to God

00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:02.280
 enslaved

00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:03.480
 in fear

00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:04.400
 and suspicion.

00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:06.420
 Christ breaks

00:39:06.420 --> 00:39:07.280
 the last hold

00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:07.980
 that the powers

00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:09.220
 had over his people

00:39:09.220 --> 00:39:10.159
 by dying

00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:11.079
 on their behalf.

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:12.299
 he now welcomes

00:39:12.299 --> 00:39:13.199
 us into

00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:14.259
 God's new

00:39:14.259 --> 00:39:14.940
 family.

00:39:16.599 --> 00:39:17.639
 What that means

00:39:17.639 --> 00:39:18.279
 is that the cross

00:39:18.279 --> 00:39:18.719
 of Jesus

00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:19.719
 gives hope

00:39:19.719 --> 00:39:20.679
 to all of God's

00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:21.139
 people who are

00:39:21.139 --> 00:39:21.699
 oppressed by

00:39:21.699 --> 00:39:22.460
 hostile rulers

00:39:22.460 --> 00:39:23.099
 and authorities

00:39:23.099 --> 00:39:23.699
 whether those

00:39:23.699 --> 00:39:24.719
 are spiritual

00:39:24.719 --> 00:39:25.319
 powers,

00:39:25.759 --> 00:39:26.039
 demons,

00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:27.519
 or corrupt

00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:28.400
 human authorities.

00:39:29.980 --> 00:39:31.219
 They will not

00:39:31.219 --> 00:39:32.079
 have the last

00:39:32.079 --> 00:39:32.380
 word.

00:39:32.500 --> 00:39:33.079
 Christ has

00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:33.599
 triumphed

00:39:33.599 --> 00:39:34.219
 and he will

00:39:34.219 --> 00:39:34.799
 have the last

00:39:34.799 --> 00:39:35.159
 word.

00:39:36.360 --> 00:39:37.480
 Are there demons

00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:38.179
 that are afflicting

00:39:38.179 --> 00:39:38.500
 you?

00:39:39.799 --> 00:39:40.579
 We don't always

00:39:40.579 --> 00:39:41.420
 talk a lot

00:39:41.420 --> 00:39:42.039
 about demons

00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:43.579
 in some

00:39:43.579 --> 00:39:44.679
 of the churches

00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:45.340
 in the West

00:39:45.340 --> 00:39:46.440
 but they're

00:39:46.440 --> 00:39:46.799
 real.

00:39:48.420 --> 00:39:49.259
 Are there demons

00:39:49.259 --> 00:39:49.799
 that are afflicting

00:39:49.799 --> 00:39:50.019
 you?

00:39:50.099 --> 00:39:51.159
 Are there addictions

00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:51.960
 that threaten

00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:52.440
 to overcome

00:39:52.440 --> 00:39:52.719
 you?

00:39:52.799 --> 00:39:53.360
 Do you believe

00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:54.059
 that your future

00:39:54.059 --> 00:39:54.840
 is determined

00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:56.159
 by curses

00:39:56.159 --> 00:39:57.440
 or spells

00:39:57.440 --> 00:39:59.460
 or other words

00:39:59.460 --> 00:39:59.860
 that people

00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:00.380
 have spoken

00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:01.259
 over your life

00:40:01.259 --> 00:40:01.860
 in the past?

00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:02.699
 Verse 15

00:40:02.699 --> 00:40:03.199
 says,

00:40:03.860 --> 00:40:04.699
 none of these

00:40:04.699 --> 00:40:05.460
 hostile rulers

00:40:05.460 --> 00:40:06.159
 and authorities

00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:06.980
 can stand

00:40:06.980 --> 00:40:07.719
 before the

00:40:07.719 --> 00:40:08.380
 triumphing

00:40:08.380 --> 00:40:09.579
 power of the

00:40:09.579 --> 00:40:10.000
 crucified

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:10.920
 and risen

00:40:10.920 --> 00:40:12.219
 Lord Jesus.

00:40:12.539 --> 00:40:13.320
 They are enemies

00:40:13.320 --> 00:40:13.980
 but they are

00:40:13.980 --> 00:40:14.900
 defeated enemies

00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:16.239
 so stand firm

00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:16.980
 in the name

00:40:16.980 --> 00:40:17.880
 of Jesus Christ

00:40:17.880 --> 00:40:19.000
 and do not

00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:19.659
 believe their

00:40:19.659 --> 00:40:20.280
 lies.

00:40:22.900 --> 00:40:23.940
 Verse 15

00:40:23.940 --> 00:40:24.719
 also gives hope

00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:25.300
 to Christians

00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:26.500
 who are persecuted

00:40:26.500 --> 00:40:27.360
 and oppressed

00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:28.599
 by earthly rulers

00:40:28.599 --> 00:40:29.360
 and authorities

00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:32.199
 who are carrying

00:40:32.199 --> 00:40:33.659
 out Satan's

00:40:33.659 --> 00:40:34.460
 evil designs.

00:40:34.460 --> 00:40:36.320
 no matter

00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:37.139
 how strong

00:40:37.139 --> 00:40:38.059
 and how unyielding

00:40:38.059 --> 00:40:38.740
 they may seem

00:40:38.740 --> 00:40:39.320
 they do not

00:40:39.320 --> 00:40:39.880
 have the final

00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:40.280
 word.

00:40:41.220 --> 00:40:42.039
 Christ triumphed

00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:42.840
 through his cross

00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:43.860
 and he leads us

00:40:43.860 --> 00:40:44.519
 in triumphal

00:40:44.519 --> 00:40:45.079
 procession

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:45.900
 even when we

00:40:45.900 --> 00:40:46.740
 suffer injustice

00:40:46.740 --> 00:40:47.720
 as Jesus

00:40:47.720 --> 00:40:48.460
 himself did.

00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:49.900
 And just as

00:40:49.900 --> 00:40:50.780
 Christ was raised

00:40:50.780 --> 00:40:51.220
 from the dead

00:40:51.220 --> 00:40:51.699
 we can be

00:40:51.699 --> 00:40:52.159
 confident

00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:53.380
 that all God's

00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:53.699
 people

00:40:53.699 --> 00:40:54.740
 will one day

00:40:54.740 --> 00:40:55.539
 be vindicated.

00:40:55.539 --> 00:40:59.940
 for 12 years

00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:01.039
 Solomon Northup

00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:01.719
 was a slave

00:41:01.719 --> 00:41:04.619
 and his story

00:41:04.619 --> 00:41:05.099
 is one of

00:41:05.099 --> 00:41:05.599
 perseverance

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:06.599
 and endurance.

00:41:07.340 --> 00:41:08.159
 It doesn't come

00:41:08.159 --> 00:41:08.759
 out in the movie

00:41:08.759 --> 00:41:09.599
 but if you read

00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:10.039
 the book

00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:11.360
 it's also evident

00:41:11.360 --> 00:41:11.980
 that he was

00:41:11.980 --> 00:41:13.000
 sustained by his

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:13.779
 faith in Christ.

00:41:13.780 --> 00:41:17.019
 But 12 years

00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:17.540
 after he was

00:41:17.540 --> 00:41:18.120
 kidnapped and

00:41:18.120 --> 00:41:18.840
 sold into slavery

00:41:18.840 --> 00:41:19.440
 he was working

00:41:19.440 --> 00:41:19.920
 in the fields

00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:20.400
 of Louisiana

00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:21.140
 one morning

00:41:21.140 --> 00:41:22.440
 he saw two

00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:23.019
 men approaching

00:41:23.019 --> 00:41:23.700
 neither of whom

00:41:23.700 --> 00:41:24.340
 he recognized

00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:24.960
 one was an

00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:25.519
 attorney from

00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:25.880
 his home

00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:26.380
 state of New

00:41:26.380 --> 00:41:26.680
 York.

00:41:27.900 --> 00:41:28.920
 He wrote this

00:41:28.920 --> 00:41:30.380
 as my eyes

00:41:30.380 --> 00:41:31.080
 rested on his

00:41:31.080 --> 00:41:31.640
 countenance

00:41:31.640 --> 00:41:32.160
 a world of

00:41:32.160 --> 00:41:33.000
 images thronged

00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:33.540
 my brain

00:41:33.540 --> 00:41:35.100
 a multitude

00:41:35.100 --> 00:41:35.680
 of well-known

00:41:35.680 --> 00:41:36.160
 faces

00:41:36.160 --> 00:41:36.740
 my wife

00:41:36.740 --> 00:41:37.280
 Ann's

00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:38.200
 and the dear

00:41:38.200 --> 00:41:38.820
 children's

00:41:38.820 --> 00:41:39.280
 and my old

00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:39.960
 dead fathers

00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:40.920
 all the scenes

00:41:40.920 --> 00:41:41.640
 and associations

00:41:41.640 --> 00:41:42.380
 of childhood

00:41:42.380 --> 00:41:42.860
 and youth

00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.500
 all the friends

00:41:43.500 --> 00:41:43.940
 of other

00:41:43.940 --> 00:41:44.400
 and happier

00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:44.940
 days

00:41:44.940 --> 00:41:46.019
 until at last

00:41:46.019 --> 00:41:46.440
 the perfect

00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:47.039
 memory of the

00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:47.699
 man recurred

00:41:47.699 --> 00:41:48.059
 to me

00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:48.739
 and throwing

00:41:48.739 --> 00:41:49.340
 up my hands

00:41:49.340 --> 00:41:49.980
 towards heaven

00:41:49.980 --> 00:41:50.980
 I exclaimed

00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:51.440
 in a voice

00:41:51.440 --> 00:41:52.000
 louder than

00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:52.559
 I could utter

00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:53.039
 in a less

00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:53.820
 exciting moment

00:41:53.820 --> 00:41:55.059
 Henry B.

00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:55.840
 Northup

00:41:55.840 --> 00:41:57.139
 thank God

00:41:57.139 --> 00:41:58.519
 thank God

00:41:58.519 --> 00:41:59.539
 in an instant

00:41:59.539 --> 00:42:00.320
 I comprehended

00:42:00.320 --> 00:42:00.760
 the nature

00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:01.519
 of his business

00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:02.280
 and felt

00:42:02.280 --> 00:42:02.880
 that the hour

00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:03.780
 of my deliverance

00:42:03.780 --> 00:42:04.460
 was at hand

00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:05.460
 I seized

00:42:05.460 --> 00:42:05.900
 my old

00:42:05.900 --> 00:42:06.400
 acquaintance

00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:07.179
 by both hands

00:42:07.179 --> 00:42:07.800
 I could not

00:42:07.800 --> 00:42:08.179
 speak

00:42:08.179 --> 00:42:08.820
 I could not

00:42:08.820 --> 00:42:09.400
 refrain from

00:42:09.400 --> 00:42:09.820
 tears

00:42:09.820 --> 00:42:10.840
 throw down

00:42:10.840 --> 00:42:11.460
 that sack

00:42:11.460 --> 00:42:12.300
 Northup said

00:42:12.300 --> 00:42:13.239
 your cotton

00:42:13.239 --> 00:42:14.059
 picking days

00:42:14.059 --> 00:42:14.639
 are over

00:42:14.639 --> 00:42:18.139
 he was

00:42:18.139 --> 00:42:18.639
 finally

00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:20.259
 vindicated

00:42:20.259 --> 00:42:23.879
 he became

00:42:23.879 --> 00:42:24.739
 an abolitionist

00:42:24.739 --> 00:42:26.479
 he lived the rest

00:42:26.479 --> 00:42:26.879
 of his life

00:42:26.879 --> 00:42:27.559
 as a free man

00:42:27.559 --> 00:42:30.500
 now his

00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:30.899
 vindication

00:42:30.899 --> 00:42:31.659
 wasn't complete

00:42:31.659 --> 00:42:33.839
 because those

00:42:33.839 --> 00:42:34.799
 who had kidnapped

00:42:34.799 --> 00:42:35.859
 and enslaved him

00:42:35.859 --> 00:42:38.339
 were prosecuted

00:42:38.340 --> 00:42:39.680
 but were let

00:42:39.680 --> 00:42:40.059
 off

00:42:40.059 --> 00:42:41.800
 without anyone

00:42:41.800 --> 00:42:42.420
 being punished

00:42:42.420 --> 00:42:45.140
 there was not

00:42:45.140 --> 00:42:45.880
 full justice

00:42:45.880 --> 00:42:48.120
 and of course

00:42:48.120 --> 00:42:48.559
 there wasn't

00:42:48.559 --> 00:42:49.059
 full justice

00:42:49.059 --> 00:42:49.700
 for many other

00:42:49.700 --> 00:42:50.039
 people

00:42:50.039 --> 00:42:52.000
 who remained

00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:52.440
 in slavery

00:42:52.440 --> 00:42:52.900
 their whole

00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:53.340
 lives

00:42:53.340 --> 00:42:54.980
 but the promise

00:42:54.980 --> 00:42:55.380
 for every

00:42:55.380 --> 00:42:55.760
 Christian

00:42:55.760 --> 00:42:57.539
 is that

00:42:57.539 --> 00:42:58.559
 however

00:42:58.559 --> 00:42:59.280
 incompletely

00:42:59.280 --> 00:42:59.820
 it may happen

00:42:59.820 --> 00:43:00.500
 in this world

00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:01.240
 or however

00:43:01.240 --> 00:43:01.780
 much it may

00:43:01.780 --> 00:43:02.360
 happen in this

00:43:02.360 --> 00:43:02.640
 world

00:43:02.640 --> 00:43:03.440
 that the day

00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:03.760
 of your

00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:04.240
 vindication

00:43:04.240 --> 00:43:04.640
 will one

00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:05.079
 day come

00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:08.039
 that the powers

00:43:08.039 --> 00:43:08.659
 and authorities

00:43:08.659 --> 00:43:09.599
 will not

00:43:09.599 --> 00:43:10.480
 have the last

00:43:10.480 --> 00:43:10.960
 word

00:43:10.960 --> 00:43:16.000
 Paul says

00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:16.599
 see to it

00:43:16.599 --> 00:43:17.019
 that no one

00:43:17.019 --> 00:43:17.400
 takes you

00:43:17.400 --> 00:43:17.900
 captive

00:43:17.900 --> 00:43:19.980
 do not

00:43:19.980 --> 00:43:20.859
 be hopeless

00:43:20.859 --> 00:43:22.759
 build on the

00:43:22.759 --> 00:43:23.239
 foundation

00:43:23.239 --> 00:43:24.179
 you have in

00:43:24.179 --> 00:43:24.599
 Christ

00:43:24.599 --> 00:43:26.339
 live in the

00:43:26.339 --> 00:43:26.679
 fullness

00:43:26.679 --> 00:43:27.440
 revel in the

00:43:27.440 --> 00:43:27.679
 fullness

00:43:27.679 --> 00:43:28.219
 that you have

00:43:28.219 --> 00:43:28.619
 in Christ

00:43:28.619 --> 00:43:29.239
 and stand

00:43:29.239 --> 00:43:29.980
 firm in the

00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:30.500
 freedom you

00:43:30.500 --> 00:43:31.460
 have in Christ

00:43:31.460 --> 00:43:32.880
 and know

00:43:32.880 --> 00:43:34.079
 that he is

00:43:34.079 --> 00:43:34.860
 the Lord

00:43:34.860 --> 00:43:35.820
 who will one

00:43:35.820 --> 00:43:36.440
 day be

00:43:36.440 --> 00:43:37.320
 completely

00:43:37.320 --> 00:43:37.880
 victorious

00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:39.219
 and we will

00:43:39.219 --> 00:43:39.960
 stand with him

00:43:39.960 --> 00:43:41.519
 let us pray

00:43:41.519 --> 00:43:50.460
 father we pray

00:43:50.460 --> 00:43:50.980
 that you would

00:43:50.980 --> 00:43:53.300
 help us to

00:43:53.300 --> 00:43:55.039
 to build on

00:43:55.039 --> 00:43:55.539
 the foundation

00:43:55.539 --> 00:43:56.139
 of Christ

00:43:56.139 --> 00:43:57.699
 to be rooted

00:43:57.699 --> 00:43:58.559
 down and built

00:43:58.559 --> 00:43:58.880
 up

00:43:58.880 --> 00:44:00.300
 to be

00:44:00.300 --> 00:44:00.900
 established

00:44:00.900 --> 00:44:01.800
 and abounding

00:44:01.800 --> 00:44:02.480
 in thanksgiving

00:44:02.480 --> 00:44:04.860
 we pray that we

00:44:04.860 --> 00:44:06.099
 would know the

00:44:06.099 --> 00:44:06.780
 fullness that is

00:44:06.780 --> 00:44:07.260
 in Christ

00:44:07.260 --> 00:44:07.640
 and that we

00:44:07.640 --> 00:44:08.380
 would go deeper

00:44:08.380 --> 00:44:08.900
 and deeper

00:44:08.900 --> 00:44:09.539
 into the

00:44:09.539 --> 00:44:09.840
 fullness

00:44:09.840 --> 00:44:11.640
 that you have

00:44:11.640 --> 00:44:14.260
 given to us

00:44:14.260 --> 00:44:16.860
 and we pray

00:44:16.860 --> 00:44:17.380
 that we would

00:44:17.380 --> 00:44:18.140
 stand firm in

00:44:18.140 --> 00:44:18.559
 the freedom

00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:19.200
 that you have

00:44:19.200 --> 00:44:20.099
 purchased for us

00:44:20.099 --> 00:44:20.660
 the freedom

00:44:20.660 --> 00:44:22.860
 from guilt

00:44:22.860 --> 00:44:23.500
 and shame

00:44:23.500 --> 00:44:24.760
 the freedom

00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:27.220
 from the powers

00:44:27.220 --> 00:44:27.820
 and authorities

00:44:27.820 --> 00:44:28.500
 which threaten

00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:28.880
 us

00:44:28.880 --> 00:44:30.860
 we pray

00:44:30.860 --> 00:44:32.199
 that

00:44:32.199 --> 00:44:34.199
 we would

00:44:34.199 --> 00:44:36.320
 walk

00:44:36.320 --> 00:44:37.340
 in Christ

00:44:37.340 --> 00:44:38.199
 just as we

00:44:38.199 --> 00:44:38.659
 have received

00:44:38.659 --> 00:44:39.159
 Christ

00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:40.619
 the Lord

00:44:40.619 --> 00:44:44.019
 we pray this

00:44:44.019 --> 00:44:44.480
 in his name

00:44:44.480 --> 00:44:45.039
 amen

00:44:45.039 --> 00:44:54.539
 joy

00:44:54.739 --> 00:44:56.239
 and

00:44:56.239 --> 00:44:56.460
 Lord

00:44:56.460 --> 00:44:56.739
 say

00:44:56.739 --> 00:44:58.820
 just لل

00:44:58.820 --> 00:44:59.000
 любой

00:44:59.000 --> 00:44:59.239
 egal

00:44:59.239 --> 00:45:01.699
 His name on fact

00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:03.239
 and the

00:45:03.239 --> 00:45:04.119
 God

00:45:04.119 --> 00:45:05.039
 and the

00:45:05.039 --> 00:45:05.420
 man

00:45:05.420 --> 00:45:05.699
 have

00:45:05.699 --> 00:45:06.579
 seen