WEBVTT

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 Hi there, everyone. Hello. Good morning.

00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:03.680
 Good morning.

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 Hi, my name is Michael, and this is my wife, Vance.

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 And this is Curtis right in front here, and also Chloe, our daughter.

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 We're from the Uncharted CG, and we just want to share a little bit today

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 about an experience we had earlier this month on a boat trip.

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 Okay, so first slide.

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 Right? So, oh, wait, okay.

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 All right, so two weeks ago, we had a drunk trip.

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 When our group decided to have this drunk trip, that was before the October 1st tragedy.

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 So did it have an impact on our invitation? Yes.

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 So a lot of people turned down when we first asked.

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 And then, but then, you know, we prayed a lot, and I think when we are weak, he is strong.

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 So I think through a lot of prayers, I did experience, like, something really, really touching from God.

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 I remember three weeks.

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 That was this Saturday when I was at home, and then Michael and I prayed, right?

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 And then all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit just moved and asked us to invite different people.

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 And so, like, yeah, we just sent out WhatsApp, and we called those people.

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 We emailed them.

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 And then, like, all of a sudden, we got these replies.

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 And then, I think two weeks before the boat trip, we only had half of the boat full.

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 But then we were targeting to recruit about 30 people.

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 And at the end, 32 people showed up.

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 So that was really awesome.

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 And then also, I think, through the prayers, we just, we were very touched by God and see how different people came to this boat trip.

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 I think we had a good mix of people.

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 We had 10 people from our own CG, 10 other people from Watermark, and then 10 other people from around this neighborhood.

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 And so we had really great, amazing people, people who are seekers, people who are new believers, people who are struggling with their faith.

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 There was this girl who is a student, and she studies in Macau.

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 And she said in Macau, the environment is very different for her faith.

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 And because she was a new Christian, you know, people challenged her and said right into her face that the God that she believes is not true.

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 So when she came, I think Christina and Tobin encouraged her, and Dr. Hanno's there.

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 And so, yeah, it was good to see how this just bonded everybody.

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 And so, next slide.

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 Okay.

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 And I think what, as a very young community group, and a young boy with us all the time, one of the things that we experience is how we engage people on the boat.

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 And that's something that we were really worried.

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 We're thankful that even there are a couple that were not able to join us were praying for us.

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 And we can really see how God helped us through those hours.

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 And thanks, Tobin.

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 You know, God always gives us a hand during that.

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 One of the things that happened that was very similar to this was when we were on the boat,

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 there were at least, there were a time, there were different moments during that period where God really showed us how he helped us through those experiences.

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 And, for example, there were about nine children, and they all want water activities.

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 But how do we continue to talk to people?

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 I remember James were with, like, five or six children in the water looking after everyone at one time.

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 So thanks, James, for that.

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 And that helped other groups to have other activities like chatting.

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 I recall that there were some great man's talk at one side of the boat,

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 and Tobin was there to share even, you know, the gospel with some people right in the boat.

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 And we also have some praise and worship time, some singing time together.

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 And these are just little things that God has done during the trip.

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 For a very young CG like us, we need that encouragement to get something going because we were nervous.

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 But when we're there, we know that God has prepared something very special for all of us.

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 Okay, next slide.

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 Yeah, when we first started, yeah, it was a very small community group.

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 It started with our family, the Hammonds and the Smiths, Graham and Joshua.

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 And then I remember we, you know, we attended Watermark for some time, but we had a discussion and we said,

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 you know, we just don't feel comfortable joining a community group because, you know, life is busy and, you know, all those excuses, right?

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 But then I think God is amazing.

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 So when we prayed, we said, okay, should we join a community group?

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 And we hear Tobin often talking about walking this journey together.

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 We prayed and then God just led us to this group, you know, small enough for us to be comfortable with.

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 And so that's how we started.

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 And I think throughout this journey, we always talk about the journey.

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 It's great to walk with people who share the same faith and just see God doing miracles in our community group.

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 And so now, yeah, we've expanded within six months of time.

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 Next slide, please.

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 Yeah, so we have, yeah, all these people.

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 And I think our CG just reflects how multicultural Watermark is.

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 Yeah, just bring a lot of amazing people here.

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 And you would see some of those faces today as we're one of the groups that are doing the welcoming out there today.

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 And so let us all pray.

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 And we can also pray for the Watermark kids.

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 Let's pray together.

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 God, we want to thank you for always being there in our journey.

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 And one of the reasons we know we're here is to share your love to those who are in need.

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 And we want to pray for all the CG's, especially the young ones who are having the same challenge as us,

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 trying to embark in this journey to share your love with others.

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 And we also want to pray for all the kids here as they are a great and important part of this journey, God.

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 And we want to pray for them and that for those who didn't know you would get to know you very soon.

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 And, Lord, we want to thank you for how you've guided us in this journey.

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 Lord, we thank you.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 And so Watermark kids, you're dismissed.

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 Thank you.

00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:13.000
 Thanks, guys.

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 Okay, I was so into that time, I missed my cue.

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 So I had no idea that I was supposed to come on up.

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 I feel like I just should stay there and keep worshiping with everybody, right?

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 How you guys doing?

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 Yeah, good.

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 That's amazing.

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 I feel like after the testimonies of the ten who will be baptized in a couple minutes,

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 after just seeing that, I feel like we just need to stop and not do anything else

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 because it's just, that's why we're here, right?

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 That's what we said as a church.

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 We're here to trust the Lord, to reach people who don't know Him, the songs and the music.

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 And it's all about Christ.

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 We are on a journey here.

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 So we have been doing a Lost and Found series for four weeks.

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 First thing, we found this venue, okay?

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 Just so you know that.

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 We've been praying for like, for a month, we had no place to meet.

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 Literally, today, tomorrow, next Sunday.

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 And we just kept praying and kept praying for like God was going to open up something

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 and He gave us this place again.

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 And as far as we know, we're here until the indefinite future

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 or until Christ comes again or something like that happens.

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 So you shouldn't have to look on your bulletin for a while.

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 Just keep coming back here.

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 So do I hear amen to that?

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 I was like, wow, that's amazing.

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 So that's a huge blessing for all of us, I think, in some ways,

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 until we outgrow this place and we have to figure out what we do next.

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 And then the 10 people who shared their stories today,

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 I think that, to me, is amazing.

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 So we're on this journey, and we've been studying Lost and Found for four weeks.

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 And I always have this fear when we look at a passage more than two times.

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 And the fear for me, it's personal, is the fear that I'll know the passage,

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 but I won't live the passage.

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 Does that make sense?

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 That we walk through our spiritual life and we want to know, know, know,

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 but we don't talk about living.

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 And often I think I struggle with confusing knowing with maturity,

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 but knowing is not maturity.

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 Living, the passage, is maturity.

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 And so we come to this passage today, and even as we do it,

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 I'm just mindful of how often we could read something and see something

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 and miss the whole point.

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 I remember the story of this prison guard who one day was approached by the warden.

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 There was a massive theft in the prison, and the warden wanted the guard to stop it.

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 And so he charged the guard with stopping it, and no one knew who was stealing anything.

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 And so the guard watched day after day, and one thing he noticed that was consistent

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 is every day about five o'clock, a workman who was working in the prison

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 would come up to the gate with a wheelbarrow in his hand full of sawdust

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 and a big smile on his face.

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 And the guard said, that's the guy who's stealing everything.

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 And so he went over, and for the first time ever, he patted the guy down,

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 checked the wheelbarrow, checked the sawdust, and there was nothing in it.

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 And the guy just smiled, and the guy walked by.

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 And he did that day after day after day, and things kept disappearing day after day after day.

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 And he couldn't sleep at night.

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 And he started thinking, what am I missing?

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 What am I missing?

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 It's so plain.

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 It's in front of me.

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 What am I missing?

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 What am I not seeing here?

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 I know this is the guy who's stealing stuff.

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 And so the next day, he grabbed the guy as he's walking out with his wheelbarrow full of sawdust

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 with a big smile on his face, and he said, you're killing me.

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 I can't sleep at night.

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 I know you're taking stuff out of here, but I just don't know how you're doing it.

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 I promise I will not arrest you.

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 What are you stealing?

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 And the worker looked at him, smiled, and said, I'm stealing wheelbarrows.

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 You get it?

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 Every day, he pushed the wheelbarrow out.

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 Okay, think about it.

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 The reason I tell that story is because I think that's so often like our life, that we see

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 things that are right in front of us.

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 We see things that should be so clear to understand and to interpret, but we don't get them because

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 we are tainted by our history, by our culture, by how many times we come to the scripture and

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 reread this passage over and over.

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 And we just assume that we know it.

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 My prayer for us today is we come to this passage again, that we would read it as if for the

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 first time, and that God would speak to us, and that he would show us the wheelbarrows in

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 our life that we're missing because they become so common in our habits and in the things we

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 do.

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 The story is Luke 15, and Jesus is eating with some sinners.

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 The Pharisees, the religious people, the good Christians, the churchgoers are looking at

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 him, and they're pretty disgusted with him because they said, there's no way a holy person

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 would do that.

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 There's no way that a man of God would spend time with sinful people.

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 He'll be tainted.

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 He'll be changed.

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 God would never work with unrepentant people.

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 And in the midst of this, Jesus tells this story, and you've heard it before.

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 He actually tells one story, but it has three parts.

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 The first part is about a shepherd with sheep.

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 The second part is about a woman with coins.

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 And the last part is the story we come to today.

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 The third part is about a wealthy landowner who has two sons.

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 And the youngest son asks and receives his inheritance, and he's given the right to sell

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 it.

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 Now, in Jesus' day, this request and this granting of this request would have been unthinkable.

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 No one would have ever thought of it.

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 No one would have ever done it.

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 I've known guys who've lived in Middle Eastern cultures for 30 years, and for 30 years, they've

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 shared this story with people in their cultures, and they've said, have you ever heard this or

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 seen this happening?

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 And everyone has always said for 30 years, no, it would never happen in this day.

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 Culturally, everybody would have expected the dad to refuse his son to grab him and have

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 him beat publicly.

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 Because what the son was saying was, I don't really care about you, dad.

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 I want you to die.

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 I want your stuff.

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 It would have been so intense in that setting that the community, the village, would have come

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 after that young son, and they would have expected, they would have demanded honor and retribution.

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 They would have come after them, and they would have grabbed the son after the dad had beat

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 him and disciplined him, and they would have beat him over and over, and then probably he

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 would have been banished forever, never to come back to the city or to the little town.

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 They would have wanted and expected the dad's honor to be upheld, and the honor of the community

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 to be upheld.

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 And this son was out of control.

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 Well, this father does an amazing thing.

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 He doesn't punish his son, but he grants the request.

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 Everybody, again, watching this would have thought this was totally, totally foolish.

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 There's no way that a dad would do this, because it's a massive act of love.

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 It's a massive act of mercy.

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 It's a massive act of sacrifice.

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 In doing this, the father is potentially putting his own life and his welfare at risk, because

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 he's selling things and allowing things and resources that he might need in his later age.

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 But he freely gives it to his son.

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 What's interesting about this story is that the older son is watching.

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 And his role within the family and within the culture in this time would have been to

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 bring shalom, to bring peace.

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 He would have been the one expected to reconcile.

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 He would have been the one expected to come between the dad and the younger son and bring

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 peace, but he doesn't.

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 And when people heard this story and they asked, why didn't he do that?

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 They would realize right away that something was wrong with the dad's heart.

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 The son's heart, the older son's heart.

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 Something was wrong with the older son's heart and that his relationship with his dad was

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 just as bad as the younger son's relationship with the dad.

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 Culturally and in the text, both sons failed.

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 Both sons failed to live together in peace with each other.

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 They failed to live together in peace with the father.

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 And everybody watching this story happen.

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 Everybody reading and listening would have realized the sons don't really love the dad.

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 They just love the stuff.

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 The dad can give them.

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 We're told later on that the younger son escapes.

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 He sells all of this produce, which again would have been a terrible slam on the dad in the culture.

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 And he escapes the community and he runs off to a distant land.

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 He abandons his father.

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 He abandons his tradition.

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 He abandons his heritage.

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 He abandons community.

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 He abandons the family of God.

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 He leaves everything.

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 We're told that as he is in a foreign land, he wastes his inheritance on extravagant living.

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 And in Hebrew and Greek, the word is not he bought prostitutes.

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 The older brother brings that up at the end.

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 Because the older brother wants to cast blame on him and maybe have the younger son killed because of his actions.

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 But we're not told that here.

00:17:17.779 --> 00:17:20.740
 All we're told is that he lives beyond his means.

00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:27.840
 And living beyond his means in this foreign land sounds very much like many of us in Hong Kong.

00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:29.720
 He loses everything.

00:17:31.120 --> 00:17:32.540
 A famine hits.

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:36.680
 And in Middle Eastern cultures, famines were the worst thing ever.

00:17:37.340 --> 00:17:39.700
 Because everybody would have been affected.

00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:43.000
 Millions or thousands or millions of people would be dying.

00:17:43.840 --> 00:17:45.200
 He looks for a job.

00:17:45.360 --> 00:17:49.740
 And he finally finds the only job that will have him, which is herding pigs.

00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:56.079
 Now again, in a Jewish culture, that is the worst job you could have.

00:17:57.539 --> 00:18:02.620
 Some rabbis would even say it was better to be a prostitute than a pig herder.

00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:05.739
 So we're told that he's herding these pigs.

00:18:05.939 --> 00:18:07.739
 And as he's doing it, he's starving.

00:18:07.899 --> 00:18:08.399
 He's hungry.

00:18:08.639 --> 00:18:09.819
 He doesn't have anything.

00:18:09.819 --> 00:18:16.599
 And so in verse 17, we're told here that he comes to his senses.

00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:22.439
 In Greek, the words are, he returned to himself.

00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:26.919
 He's not thinking about what he did to his dad.

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:30.480
 He's not thinking about how poorly he treated the father.

00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:33.240
 He's just thinking about how hungry he is.

00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:40.019
 There's no sense of biblical repentance in this story whatsoever right now.

00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:44.599
 Sometimes I read it like that, but I miss the wheelbarrow.

00:18:46.339 --> 00:18:47.380
 He's just hungry.

00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:50.640
 And he doesn't like being hungry.

00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:54.400
 And so he thinks of this scheme to come back to the father.

00:18:54.560 --> 00:18:57.460
 And on his way home, he thinks through, this is what I'm going to do.

00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:58.820
 I'm going to come to my father.

00:18:58.900 --> 00:18:59.700
 I'm going to apologize.

00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:02.620
 And I'm going to offer myself out as a hired person.

00:19:04.540 --> 00:19:05.560
 It's very interesting.

00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:10.700
 Because in this culture, there were three types of workers in a family.

00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:13.640
 There was a bondsman who was almost like a relative.

00:19:13.780 --> 00:19:14.500
 You just loved him.

00:19:14.560 --> 00:19:15.360
 You worked with him forever.

00:19:15.639 --> 00:19:16.839
 And he was just a part of your family.

00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.959
 There was a slave.

00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.939
 They walked around barefooted.

00:19:20.959 --> 00:19:22.199
 It was a symbol of being a slave.

00:19:22.479 --> 00:19:23.559
 They had no authority.

00:19:23.679 --> 00:19:25.000
 They just did whatever they wanted to.

00:19:25.939 --> 00:19:27.419
 And then there was a hired man.

00:19:28.379 --> 00:19:30.159
 This is what the younger son wanted to become.

00:19:30.159 --> 00:19:32.659
 He wanted to become a hired man.

00:19:32.919 --> 00:19:39.759
 Mostly because he didn't want to be under the authority of his dad or his older brother.

00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.299
 Because a hired man was free.

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:51.059
 And his goal was to work hard enough to do enough, to make enough money to pay back all of his debt.

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:54.940
 He wasn't thinking about the infractions that he had.

00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:59.079
 He was just thinking about that he was going to work hard enough to do all of these things.

00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:00.379
 And then he'll pay back his debt.

00:20:00.399 --> 00:20:02.579
 Because in Jesus' day, that's what redemption was.

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.779
 When you talked about repentance.

00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:09.079
 When you talked about getting right with God.

00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:12.039
 What the Jewish person would have thought was, you work hard.

00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:13.919
 You cry a lot.

00:20:14.399 --> 00:20:15.339
 You show remorse.

00:20:15.619 --> 00:20:18.539
 And after you've done that enough, then God will bring you back.

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:24.220
 And this is what the younger son is thinking.

00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:24.980
 His plan is.

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:26.019
 This is what his scheme is.

00:20:26.299 --> 00:20:27.839
 His goal is to save himself.

00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:30.980
 And after he's worked hard enough, he'll pay back his debt.

00:20:31.159 --> 00:20:32.419
 And then he'll be a free man.

00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:34.559
 He'll be able to do everything that he wants to do.

00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:38.119
 The younger son is also incredibly worried.

00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:45.539
 Because he realizes that the village has been incredibly embarrassed and dishonored.

00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:49.159
 And he's worried about if he walks into the church.

00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:52.539
 If he walks into the community of faith after blowing it.

00:20:52.679 --> 00:20:55.200
 He's worried what the other Christians.

00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:57.899
 He's worried about what the other villagers are going to do to him.

00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:01.059
 Are they going to accept him back?

00:21:02.419 --> 00:21:03.799
 Or are they going to shun him?

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:08.059
 Are they going to demand the kazah ceremony?

00:21:08.879 --> 00:21:10.639
 There was a ceremony that was called kazah.

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:13.940
 Basically what happened is when someone went out, they left, they dishonored.

00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:17.119
 There was a dishonor not only on the person but the whole village.

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:22.200
 And so to accept this person back, when this person came back and you saw them from a long distance,

00:21:22.379 --> 00:21:25.319
 all the villagers came out and they lined up on a row.

00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:33.339
 And then the guilty party would have to walk in between the villagers towards the village.

00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:39.679
 And as he walked through this people and this mass of angry people, they would throw stones at him.

00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:40.579
 They would spit at him.

00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:41.319
 They would yell at him.

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.099
 They would pull his hair.

00:21:42.399 --> 00:21:43.099
 They would beat him.

00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:52.359
 And in the history of Middle Eastern culture, no one ever survived this ceremony.

00:21:52.359 --> 00:22:00.379
 So you know that the younger son, he's really, really worried about that because he knows that he deserves that.

00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:05.619
 The passage tells us that he heads into the village.

00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:11.079
 And as he heads into the village, he's totally overcome by something that he didn't expect to see.

00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:16.879
 I mean, he sees something that in his wildest dreams is totally unexpected.

00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:22.020
 He sees his dad demonstrating an incredible act of humility.

00:22:24.520 --> 00:22:27.860
 Because as his dad sees him far off, the villagers are lined up.

00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.320
 The villagers are ready to punish him.

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:34.620
 And the dad sees his son not wanting his son to take the hit.

00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:36.340
 He picks up his legs.

00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:37.880
 He picks up his robes.

00:22:38.260 --> 00:22:41.760
 No man over 40 would ever run in a Middle Eastern culture.

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:47.420
 But the dad picks up his robes and he runs through the gauntlet for his son.

00:22:48.819 --> 00:22:50.319
 So the gauntlet is set.

00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.960
 The boy is supposed to come through.

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:53.379
 He's supposed to take the hit.

00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:54.420
 He's supposed to take the punishment.

00:22:54.839 --> 00:23:01.859
 But no, the dad loves the kid so much that he embarrasses himself.

00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:03.920
 He picks up.

00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:05.180
 He exposes his legs.

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:08.980
 He does something that no Middle Eastern man would do ever then or today.

00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:11.740
 And he runs through the gauntlet.

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:22.720
 And he takes the abuse and the scorn and the anger that was all meant for the son.

00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:25.500
 He takes it.

00:23:25.579 --> 00:23:28.660
 And as everybody watched this, they would have been incredibly embarrassed.

00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:32.900
 They would have been incredibly amazed.

00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.920
 They would have never seen anything like this.

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:41.200
 They would have never seen such a costly grace, such a costly forgiveness, such a costly love.

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:47.820
 And when the son sees this and the dad grabs him, he begins to confess.

00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.940
 And if you notice in the text, he doesn't follow out his scheme.

00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:57.120
 Because he only gets to the point, I am not worthy to be called your son.

00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:02.759
 He's way beyond the idea of trying to buy back his freedom.

00:24:04.199 --> 00:24:07.099
 He's way beyond the thought of trying to redeem himself.

00:24:08.579 --> 00:24:11.779
 Because he's seen how costly the father's love is for him.

00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:15.459
 He's seen how much the father has done to redeem him.

00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:21.259
 And so all that he can do is he can sit there and he can confess his unworthiness.

00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:23.860
 He sees grace.

00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:24.880
 He sees love.

00:24:25.360 --> 00:24:27.900
 He accepts the return to sonship.

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:31.039
 The father gives him a robe, which is a symbol of authority.

00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:34.840
 He gives him a ring, which is a symbol that he can do business for the father.

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:37.240
 He gives him shoes, which are symbols of freedom.

00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:41.960
 The son at that moment realizes that his sin wasn't losing all the money.

00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:46.339
 But the sin was a broken relationship with the father.

00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:53.859
 And as he thought about that broken relationship, he realized that there was no way he could ever, ever, ever pay it back.

00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:55.779
 He sees repentance.

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:56.680
 He sees confession.

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:59.120
 And he realizes that he is totally unworthy.

00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:02.579
 All the community sees it and they're freaking out.

00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:03.279
 They're rejoicing.

00:25:03.400 --> 00:25:04.000
 They're celebrating.

00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:05.880
 And the dad says, it's time for a party.

00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:09.020
 Because my son once was dead, but now he's alive.

00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:17.740
 And everybody realizes in that village that restoration and grace and mercy has happened because of the father's sacrifice.

00:25:19.580 --> 00:25:21.540
 And they no longer have to beat up the son.

00:25:22.280 --> 00:25:24.460
 And they see this son who is welcomed in.

00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:31.540
 Now in two weeks after Jesus tells his story, the same thing is going to happen in Jerusalem.

00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:34.120
 Jesus is going to go into Jerusalem.

00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:36.299
 He's going to be on the Mount of Olives.

00:25:36.939 --> 00:25:38.079
 He's going to be captured.

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:41.059
 He's going to be taken to Pilate and to Deherod and then to Pilate.

00:25:41.619 --> 00:25:42.759
 And then he's going to be beaten.

00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:45.759
 He's going to be scorned.

00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:49.619
 He's going to walk a gauntlet through Jerusalem.

00:25:49.739 --> 00:25:51.359
 We call it the Via Della Rosa today.

00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:53.619
 The path of agony and pain.

00:25:53.619 --> 00:25:59.819
 And as he walks through the streets of Jerusalem, people are going to hurl at him and yell at him and spit at him and hit him and beat him.

00:26:01.899 --> 00:26:05.299
 And much like the father did in his story, he takes the hit for us.

00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:11.039
 And then he goes to this hill on the northern part of Jerusalem.

00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:13.319
 It's called Golgotha.

00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:15.460
 The place of the skull.

00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.720
 And he's crucified.

00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:20.119
 For you and me.

00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:25.019
 We're told later that the older son is outside.

00:26:25.159 --> 00:26:26.039
 He hears all this noise.

00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:27.500
 He wonders what's going on.

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:33.099
 He wants to come close to the noise, but he doesn't because in his heart he's so far away.

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:38.839
 All the community is there celebrating this incredible thing that the son has come back, that God has brought them back.

00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:40.899
 And the older son, he's supposed to be there.

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:44.379
 Culturally, the older son was supposed to be in the very center of the party.

00:26:44.699 --> 00:26:46.619
 He's supposed to be the one welcoming everybody in.

00:26:46.619 --> 00:26:48.579
 He's supposed to be the one taking people's shoes off.

00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:50.319
 He's supposed to be the one putting people's robes on.

00:26:50.619 --> 00:26:51.899
 He's supposed to be doing all these things.

00:26:52.159 --> 00:26:57.079
 But in his anger, in his pride, in his selfishness, in his hate, he says, no.

00:26:59.199 --> 00:27:02.299
 Why should I let this person who's fallen back into our fellowship?

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:07.839
 The community would have seen this and they would have been ashamed.

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:13.479
 In fact, the older son's actions are probably worse than the younger son's.

00:27:13.959 --> 00:27:14.159
 Worse.

00:27:15.099 --> 00:27:15.459
 Worse.

00:27:16.619 --> 00:27:17.099
 Worse.

00:27:18.179 --> 00:27:21.259
 Because the older son is doing it in public where everybody sees it.

00:27:21.419 --> 00:27:22.519
 The younger son did it in private.

00:27:22.719 --> 00:27:25.219
 But the whole village is gathered because it was this massive feast.

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.599
 Everybody would have been there.

00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:32.079
 And everybody seeing the older son's actions would have expected the dad to grab the older son and to beat him.

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:36.000
 Because that's what culture demanded.

00:27:37.699 --> 00:27:38.819
 That's what sinners get.

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:42.059
 That's what people who make mistakes get.

00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:43.639
 They deserve to be beaten.

00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:45.419
 They deserve to be thrown out.

00:27:45.419 --> 00:27:45.979
 They deserve to be beaten.

00:27:46.619 --> 00:27:48.619
 And all the culture would have expected that.

00:27:48.939 --> 00:27:52.500
 And again, the father does something incredibly radical, incredibly different.

00:27:52.679 --> 00:27:55.899
 For the second time today, the father goes out of the community.

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:57.519
 He goes out of the home.

00:27:57.979 --> 00:27:59.279
 He embarrasses himself.

00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:00.239
 He humbles himself.

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:02.319
 He does things that no one would ever think of.

00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:05.279
 And he asks for his son to return.

00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:10.799
 He extends incredible amounts of love and gentleness, compassion on his son.

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:11.960
 He keeps talking to him.

00:28:12.259 --> 00:28:13.839
 He wants him to come back.

00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:17.120
 And the older son, in this story, he's found.

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:20.919
 But he doesn't want to be found.

00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:25.179
 He doesn't want those things.

00:28:25.399 --> 00:28:26.599
 So he stays away.

00:28:26.679 --> 00:28:27.259
 He says, no.

00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:32.439
 It said the older son attacks the dad and he insults him in a massive way.

00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:34.619
 He basically says, this you.

00:28:34.719 --> 00:28:36.019
 He doesn't even address him correctly.

00:28:36.339 --> 00:28:37.739
 Your son is just like you.

00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:39.139
 And you're just like your son.

00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:41.120
 And you've never given me what I deserve.

00:28:41.340 --> 00:28:42.900
 And he goes after and attacks him.

00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:47.480
 And I think, you know, how often do we do that?

00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:50.480
 God, I deserve this.

00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.780
 God, you owe me.

00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:55.280
 God, I've been working so hard for you.

00:28:56.540 --> 00:28:58.560
 God, how come you haven't done these things that I need?

00:28:58.620 --> 00:28:59.580
 You should have been doing these things.

00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:00.800
 How come you aren't doing these things?

00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:03.520
 There's this huge celebration.

00:29:04.040 --> 00:29:05.900
 And the older son stays apart from it.

00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:07.020
 He doesn't want the peace.

00:29:07.080 --> 00:29:08.080
 He doesn't want the family.

00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:09.559
 He just wants the things.

00:29:11.379 --> 00:29:18.639
 And in the midst of all this, he expects an apology when he's the one who should be giving it.

00:29:20.939 --> 00:29:21.899
 The story ends.

00:29:24.899 --> 00:29:27.179
 You don't know what happened to the older son.

00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:30.899
 You don't know if he's made a decision to come into the community.

00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:32.319
 You don't know what's going on there.

00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:34.699
 It just ends.

00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:43.319
 There are a couple things I just want to share with you that God's been teaching me in this passage.

00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:45.859
 Hopefully, as a church, we can go on this journey together.

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:52.319
 What I see here in this passage is that in Jesus, we see God's heart for lost people.

00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:58.939
 It's amazing to me that in the story of the sheep and the shepherd and the coin and the woman,

00:29:59.659 --> 00:30:04.079
 the shepherd didn't have to explain to everybody why they should celebrate because they found something material.

00:30:04.159 --> 00:30:04.679
 They found a sheep.

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.519
 Yeah, let's celebrate.

00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:09.759
 The woman who found the coin, she didn't have to persuade people to celebrate.

00:30:10.139 --> 00:30:10.799
 She found money.

00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:11.419
 She found a coin.

00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.559
 It was worth something.

00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.960
 And everybody just celebrated.

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:22.340
 But in this passage, the father has this over and over and over explain to people why they should be celebrating

00:30:22.340 --> 00:30:28.360
 when something is so much more valuable than a coin or a sheep is found.

00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:30.799
 But no one gets it.

00:30:31.259 --> 00:30:32.160
 No one understands it.

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:39.540
 At the core of this text for today is God's reaction to lost people.

00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:43.600
 We see God's heart for people in need.

00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:53.940
 And the question for me, for Tobin, is as a son of God, do I have this same heart?

00:30:53.940 --> 00:31:02.240
 Do I feel the same way that the father does?

00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:09.539
 I mean, if my son Kip walks up here, you'd know right away that he's my son because he looks just like me.

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:18.340
 And the Bible says that as we walk on this journey with God, we start to look like God.

00:31:19.820 --> 00:31:21.779
 And we see the father's heart here.

00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:25.480
 The father's heart was always about lost children.

00:31:25.579 --> 00:31:27.059
 The father never thought about himself.

00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:29.079
 He would never have regards to himself.

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:31.799
 He never stopped looking for or pursuing his lost children.

00:31:32.139 --> 00:31:34.000
 The father knew his sons and daughters perfectly.

00:31:34.139 --> 00:31:35.379
 He knew everything about them intimately.

00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:36.619
 And still he loved them.

00:31:36.879 --> 00:31:39.480
 The father pays a heavy price coming after the sons and daughters.

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:41.500
 He tries to win his children over and over.

00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:47.539
 The father continually offers compassion, identity, love, forgiveness, sonship, daughtership.

00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:50.299
 The father continually breaks all cultural expectations.

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:54.519
 He looks foolish to the people around him.

00:31:55.579 --> 00:31:57.680
 He's continually humbling himself.

00:31:57.779 --> 00:31:59.200
 He's continually pursuing himself.

00:31:59.619 --> 00:32:01.500
 Remember, he wants sons and daughters.

00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:05.139
 He doesn't want slaves.

00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:08.519
 He doesn't want robots.

00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:12.400
 He wants people to have a relationship with him.

00:32:13.900 --> 00:32:18.480
 And so he continues to pursue them, pursue them, pursue them throughout history over and over and over.

00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:24.039
 The story of reconciliation is not just played out in this here, but it's played out in our world.

00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:35.379
 I wanted to ask two of the girls who are about to be baptized to come up and very briefly share their story of how God found them.

00:32:36.460 --> 00:32:37.299
 Coming up, guys.

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:47.919
 Irene and Felicia, how are you guys doing?

00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:50.460
 They'll be very nice.

00:32:50.539 --> 00:32:51.399
 They're your family, okay?

00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:52.579
 So this is like a dinner table.

00:32:53.240 --> 00:33:00.240
 So you have the impossible task of like in five minutes to share the amazing things that God has done in your life.

00:33:00.919 --> 00:33:04.099
 So I want you to introduce yourself and then tell a little bit about your story.

00:33:04.159 --> 00:33:05.839
 And if you want, you can sit down or you can stand up.

00:33:05.839 --> 00:33:06.279
 Sure.

00:33:08.879 --> 00:33:09.879
 Hello, everyone.

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.119
 Hello, Tobin.

00:33:11.579 --> 00:33:13.619
 Thank you very much for having us here.

00:33:13.879 --> 00:33:14.459
 Good morning.

00:33:15.879 --> 00:33:17.339
 My name is Irene.

00:33:17.459 --> 00:33:18.019
 Irene Na.

00:33:18.099 --> 00:33:20.919
 I was born and raised in mainland China.

00:33:21.339 --> 00:33:25.939
 And after finishing college, I spent two years in the United States for a master's degree.

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:29.839
 And then came back to Asia in 2010.

00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:33.939
 And since then, I've been working in finance industry in different sectors.

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:36.779
 And currently, I'm a private equity analyst.

00:33:37.160 --> 00:33:38.140
 It's basically who I am.

00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:46.559
 One thing that's pretty interesting in my experience is that I have been kept on changing city to leave once a year for five years in a row.

00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:52.119
 So currently, I really want to stay somewhere longer where I can find the sense of belonging.

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:52.960
 That's great.

00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:53.539
 Felicia.

00:33:54.159 --> 00:33:54.399
 Hi.

00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:55.279
 Good morning, Watermark.

00:33:55.379 --> 00:33:56.039
 I'm Felicia.

00:33:56.039 --> 00:33:58.960
 I was born in Indonesia.

00:33:59.099 --> 00:34:00.220
 I'm an Indonesian Chinese.

00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:06.460
 So, yeah, I spent the first 14 years of my life in Indonesia with my family.

00:34:07.460 --> 00:34:07.599
 Yeah.

00:34:07.639 --> 00:34:15.500
 And then God brought me to Singapore to study for four years before I, before he sent me to Hong Kong for studying in Hong Kong U.

00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:17.760
 So this is my second year in Hong Kong.

00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:20.320
 Thank you.

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:23.559
 Your story of just what God's done in your life, Irene.

00:34:23.900 --> 00:34:24.519
 Yeah, sure.

00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:29.519
 Like I said, I was born and raised in Milan, China.

00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:32.300
 And whoever grew up there would understand two things.

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:35.199
 One is most people don't know about Christianity.

00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:40.320
 It's more about Buddhism and ancestor worship.

00:34:40.320 --> 00:34:42.660
 And so does my family.

00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:49.300
 We don't believe in anything and don't know how much impact of a religious belief can have on people's life.

00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:50.720
 And we didn't wonder about it either.

00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:55.220
 And second is the furious competition for young people to grow.

00:34:55.800 --> 00:35:04.420
 Probably just because the large population we have and because the system has been shaped in a way that doesn't give too much attention for young people to grow.

00:35:04.860 --> 00:35:07.300
 So it's more like a one-way oriented path.

00:35:07.300 --> 00:35:14.720
 So you not only need to be smart but also hardworking and very tough to stand out.

00:35:15.200 --> 00:35:23.580
 So competition status is like a constant status people get used to without really knowing about the motivation behind.

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:26.820
 Nonetheless, I grew up in that kind of environment.

00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:35.180
 Before I first encountered the concept of Christianity, I thought I was living a purpose-driven life,

00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:39.320
 which is basically driven by my dream of being better and achieving higher.

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:44.920
 Going through ups and downs, I still insist chasing the dream in my way.

00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:50.980
 Although setbacks sometimes drag me down into self-doubt and depression time after time.

00:35:50.980 --> 00:35:54.559
 However, I have been making progress on my way, though.

00:35:54.740 --> 00:35:59.480
 I jump around from city to city, school to school, job to job.

00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.280
 I don't care.

00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:02.280
 People say it's impossible.

00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:03.760
 I'm not afraid of difficulty.

00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:10.380
 Making endeavor and following what I want, my coordinating myself, is perfectly justified.

00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:19.200
 However, as time goes by, it's getting more and more difficult to manage the unbalanced feeling inside myself when I was facing myself,

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:21.480
 counting the gains and losses along the way.

00:36:22.660 --> 00:36:28.720
 The first time I was introduced to Christianity was when I was doing study in the U.S.,

00:36:28.720 --> 00:36:33.740
 where a group of Americans set up an English-speaking club for foreign students.

00:36:33.739 --> 00:36:37.119
 And they didn't just talk to us in language.

00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:42.739
 They also invited us to all kinds of events, held events for us, or even invited us to private talk.

00:36:42.819 --> 00:36:46.459
 Just talking about what you are worrying about and what's on your mind recently.

00:36:47.339 --> 00:36:52.979
 During that period of time that I was handling unprecedented difficulties on a daily basis,

00:36:53.719 --> 00:36:55.159
 it's really helpful and warm.

00:36:55.519 --> 00:37:02.299
 And I was so surprised to see how kind Christians are and how warm it could be to have them around.

00:37:03.739 --> 00:37:06.099
 However, I think I'm still in control.

00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:09.299
 I'm tough enough to handle the problem in my life.

00:37:09.919 --> 00:37:14.659
 So even though they invited me, I thanked them but refused to let Jesus in.

00:37:16.239 --> 00:37:21.639
 Ironically, things began to evolve in a way that forced me to understand I'm not in control.

00:37:22.459 --> 00:37:30.799
 That actually, I'm desperately going after things that can only offer me temporary joy

00:37:30.799 --> 00:37:33.199
 but everlasting worry and unsettled feeling.

00:37:33.739 --> 00:37:40.119
 Things such as achievement, acknowledgement, title, praise, certificate, and so on.

00:37:42.419 --> 00:37:47.019
 I just found myself very tired, paralyzed, and fatigued.

00:37:47.839 --> 00:37:51.719
 That I lost my passion in chasing or even life.

00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:59.219
 Until one year ago, the idea of reaching out to a Christian to reveal the warm feeling came across my mind.

00:37:59.219 --> 00:38:07.500
 And this time, God's words really sinking through Bible, sermon, songs, and prayer sharing.

00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:17.199
 It just touched me so deeply that I found a real way to get the real joy and the purpose of life.

00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:24.079
 I can feel God's words is changing my attitude, my perspective to life little by little.

00:38:24.579 --> 00:38:29.199
 I feel relieved when I put my purpose to Jesus instead of myself.

00:38:29.199 --> 00:38:37.839
 I feel appreciative when I look back at those blessings I was given even before I found God.

00:38:38.439 --> 00:38:43.679
 And I feel safe when I know I will be with God if there is anything really bad happening in my life.

00:38:44.379 --> 00:38:51.899
 And I feel less anxious about career success or love because I know God has this plan.

00:38:51.900 --> 00:38:54.320
 And he's preparing something best, tailored to me.

00:38:54.740 --> 00:38:56.539
 It's just not yet to come.

00:38:57.660 --> 00:39:04.700
 So even though one year ago I always converted, but at that point of time I didn't know too much about Bible story.

00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:10.960
 So during the past one year I thought out different ways to find it more, to understand it better.

00:39:11.660 --> 00:39:13.660
 So I feel very appreciative.

00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:21.079
 Watermark gave me the opportunity to get baptized today to make it even more public that I'm a Christian.

00:39:21.900 --> 00:39:24.380
 When I'm fully aware of what I'm getting into.

00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:25.599
 Thank you very much.

00:39:31.639 --> 00:39:34.519
 Do you want to share your story with us, Lisa?

00:39:35.059 --> 00:39:35.519
 Yeah.

00:39:35.820 --> 00:39:39.059
 So unlike Irene, I was born in a Christian family.

00:39:39.300 --> 00:39:40.639
 So my whole family is Christian.

00:39:41.260 --> 00:39:43.900
 And they brought me to church since I was young.

00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:46.880
 So I was familiar with Bible and I know Christ.

00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:53.599
 And yeah, I wouldn't say I really know Christ back then because I just know who there is a God.

00:39:54.700 --> 00:39:58.099
 And never really understood who God really is.

00:39:58.900 --> 00:40:04.960
 And yeah, I was living a pretty normal life till I entered junior high school in Indonesia.

00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:06.559
 That was the age of 11.

00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:08.739
 So I started to begin.

00:40:09.139 --> 00:40:18.380
 I started to feel very frustrated and, you know, depressed because it's just the feeling of I'm never like the best in a single thing.

00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:20.460
 Like I'll never be smartest.

00:40:20.779 --> 00:40:23.779
 I'll never be the most popular in school.

00:40:24.159 --> 00:40:27.519
 And it's just I started to doubt myself.

00:40:27.900 --> 00:40:29.340
 What am I here for?

00:40:29.679 --> 00:40:33.719
 If I'll never be like the best in anything, people won't even look at me.

00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:35.219
 People won't accept me.

00:40:35.219 --> 00:40:46.779
 And so, yeah, I started to feel really depressed and I started to even hurt myself, kind of trying to transfer emotional pain to physical pain.

00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:51.819
 And so I was at the age of 14.

00:40:53.799 --> 00:40:55.899
 Suddenly this opportunity came.

00:40:56.099 --> 00:40:58.139
 I sat for a scholarship test to Singapore.

00:40:58.980 --> 00:41:04.139
 And I remember the night before I sat down for the test.

00:41:04.139 --> 00:41:05.839
 I prayed to God.

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:12.400
 That was the first time I kneeled down and prayed to God, desperately praying, God, I really want this.

00:41:12.599 --> 00:41:19.879
 Like I really want to move out of this place where you show me who you are and you show me your purpose in me.

00:41:20.799 --> 00:41:23.579
 And so he did send me to Singapore.

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:33.259
 And my first few years in Singapore was not a very smooth one because I was having trouble catching up with the pace of life in Singapore.

00:41:33.420 --> 00:41:35.099
 It was really different with Indonesia.

00:41:35.099 --> 00:41:40.779
 And so, yeah, I was just lost.

00:41:40.779 --> 00:41:46.759
 And my teacher gave me, before I departed to Singapore, my teacher gave me this book called Purpose Different Life.

00:41:46.819 --> 00:41:49.119
 If any of you are familiar with the name.

00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:54.619
 Yeah, so I read the book only to kind of improve my English.

00:41:54.619 --> 00:42:01.139
 But in the end, the content of the book was so good that it changed the way I viewed my life.

00:42:02.159 --> 00:42:07.699
 I began to be more optimistic about my days, more enthusiastic about my days.

00:42:07.839 --> 00:42:15.139
 But at the time, I was not really sure whether it was actually God or it was actually me trying to deceive myself,

00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:18.880
 trying to convince myself that I am indeed here for a purpose.

00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:27.619
 And so, Easter 2008, I remember like one of my friends, she asked me to come along to this Christian fellowship retreat.

00:42:28.440 --> 00:42:30.700
 And so I was just going there to make friends.

00:42:31.780 --> 00:42:36.660
 But then I remember because it was Easter, so they were telling the stories about Jesus' crucifixion.

00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:42.680
 I've heard about this story so many times, but at that night, it was really different.

00:42:42.679 --> 00:42:49.059
 And so I was looking at the pictures of the hole in Jesus' hands.

00:42:49.759 --> 00:42:57.940
 And at that moment, it struck me a lot that all along, there's one person who loves me unconditionally, no matter what.

00:42:58.659 --> 00:43:01.359
 And that night, there was a prayer time.

00:43:01.799 --> 00:43:06.639
 And one of the supervisors, she came to me and she approached me and she was praying for me.

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:14.059
 She said, God showed her a vision of me dancing in the middle of the field with ribbon and just dancing.

00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:21.779
 So she prayed that God wants to use me as his instruments to just give joy to others.

00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:31.059
 And I was crying so hard at the moment because there was kind of the answer to what I've been looking for so far.

00:43:31.059 --> 00:43:37.239
 And at that moment, I experienced a true moment of healing.

00:43:37.980 --> 00:43:48.559
 And it was just I had the urge to forgive all my past, all the hurts that people that have hurt me before about myself, what I've done to myself in the past.

00:43:49.480 --> 00:43:58.320
 And so since then, yeah, I would say that that was the turning point of my life where I really came to know and experience Christ in my life.

00:43:58.320 --> 00:44:05.200
 That was the day when Jesus really answered the question, the big question in my life and changed my life.

00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:10.600
 Thank you so much.

00:44:12.460 --> 00:44:13.920
 We have eight other people.

00:44:14.039 --> 00:44:18.660
 I know there's everyone has a story if you're in the family and we wish we could do that.

00:44:18.740 --> 00:44:20.100
 We want to share these two with you.

00:44:20.160 --> 00:44:22.840
 And then we're the rest of them are in the booklet there.

00:44:22.840 --> 00:44:25.280
 And we're going to do baptism in a couple of minutes right outside.

00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:27.340
 So we just encourage you not to leave.

00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:33.180
 But we're just overwhelmed that, yeah, what God's done in your guys' life and that he found you.

00:44:33.220 --> 00:44:37.500
 As we talk about the story today of God pursuing us and he never lets go.

00:44:38.040 --> 00:44:39.120
 I want to pray for you guys.

00:44:39.180 --> 00:44:39.580
 Is that okay?

00:44:39.800 --> 00:44:40.160
 Is that okay?

00:44:40.740 --> 00:44:41.260
 Let's pray.

00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:48.600
 Father, we thank you for yourself, that you are amazing and that you are the reason that we're here.

00:44:48.600 --> 00:44:49.760
 And we sing of your son.

00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:57.560
 And thank you for these two precious daughters that you've pursued and you've pursued and you did not let go.

00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:01.280
 And you showed them their incredible need for you.

00:45:01.480 --> 00:45:04.500
 And they saw your son Jesus and they fell in love with him.

00:45:05.500 --> 00:45:13.140
 Well, I know that this isn't just a one-time story, but you've called us to live this story every day in our church and in our lives.

00:45:13.139 --> 00:45:20.139
 Every day we're called back to remember why we've come to you and what you've done and what you've promised.

00:45:21.279 --> 00:45:26.159
 And so we just come to you now and we just worship you and we thank you for these lives.

00:45:26.319 --> 00:45:33.019
 Your word says that eternity is rejoicing because of you bringing peace between people who were lost.

00:45:33.699 --> 00:45:35.119
 And now they're your sons and daughters.

00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:37.839
 So we pray these things in your son Jesus' name.

00:45:38.139 --> 00:45:38.400
 Amen.

00:45:39.119 --> 00:45:39.839
 Thanks, guys.

00:45:40.059 --> 00:45:40.339
 Thanks.

00:45:40.339 --> 00:45:40.400
 Thanks.

00:45:42.400 --> 00:45:42.839
 Amen.

00:45:43.139 --> 00:45:52.159
 We, yeah, we are way over time.

00:45:54.400 --> 00:45:54.839
 Amazing.

00:45:58.440 --> 00:45:59.639
 Two quick thoughts.

00:46:02.039 --> 00:46:09.920
 As I pray through this passage here in my life and for us as a church, the question I keep asking myself is,

00:46:09.920 --> 00:46:15.360
 what would it look like if our church lived out this story every day?

00:46:16.539 --> 00:46:21.940
 Not that our church knows this story because hopefully if you've been here for four weeks, you know it.

00:46:22.559 --> 00:46:24.860
 And you are tired of me telling it again.

00:46:25.280 --> 00:46:29.860
 Not that if we just knew this story, but what would it look like if we lived this story out?

00:46:29.860 --> 00:46:40.700
 The question that I always have to ask myself at the very beginning of this is, what was a dad actually offering the sons?

00:46:43.200 --> 00:46:44.360
 Have you ever thought about that?

00:46:44.360 --> 00:46:48.059
 I mean, they were already sons.

00:46:50.120 --> 00:46:53.960
 They already had everything that the dad had.

00:46:55.380 --> 00:46:57.079
 Was he offering them really the ring?

00:46:59.420 --> 00:46:59.820
 Authority?

00:47:00.019 --> 00:47:01.460
 Was he offering them the robe?

00:47:02.640 --> 00:47:06.559
 Was he offering them the shoes or the money or the good life?

00:47:06.559 --> 00:47:12.900
 I mean, we all want good things and good times, but is that really what God is offering them?

00:47:16.500 --> 00:47:22.400
 I think the passage says really clearly, and we're going to miss the whole story of the Bible if we don't get this,

00:47:22.400 --> 00:47:26.340
 is that the only thing that God is offering them is himself.

00:47:28.799 --> 00:47:30.559
 He's offering them a relationship.

00:47:32.079 --> 00:47:34.579
 I mean, sometimes we just think of God as this gift giver.

00:47:36.559 --> 00:47:41.239
 But sometimes we have a hard time about thinking of him as the gift.

00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:47.900
 What if God is just a gift?

00:47:50.719 --> 00:47:53.139
 He wants to give you that relationship with him.

00:47:54.759 --> 00:47:57.559
 What would that look like as you walked out of here today?

00:47:58.940 --> 00:48:02.019
 I'm worried sometimes when people come to church or they get to a community group

00:48:02.340 --> 00:48:05.679
 and they think that we're going to offer them something besides Jesus.

00:48:06.559 --> 00:48:11.719
 Because if we come, people come in here and we offer them anything but God,

00:48:11.940 --> 00:48:13.039
 in a relationship with God,

00:48:13.539 --> 00:48:17.799
 what we do is we automatically put them into a master-slave relationship.

00:48:20.099 --> 00:48:23.239
 And they're going to come in and they're going to do, do, do, be, be, be.

00:48:23.380 --> 00:48:25.119
 And when they don't get everything they want,

00:48:25.259 --> 00:48:27.019
 they're going to try to do harder and be harder.

00:48:27.840 --> 00:48:30.880
 And they're going to wonder why God doesn't give them all the things that they need

00:48:30.880 --> 00:48:32.579
 and why isn't he doing these things for them.

00:48:32.579 --> 00:48:38.900
 And they're going to get caught on this crazy cycle of doing and being.

00:48:40.199 --> 00:48:41.779
 Some of you know what I'm talking about.

00:48:44.539 --> 00:48:51.099
 I know a lot of us in here are crazy with our schedules and our relationships.

00:48:51.099 --> 00:48:55.059
 The older son was crazy.

00:48:56.960 --> 00:48:57.900
 Where's my calf?

00:48:58.139 --> 00:48:58.880
 Where's my goat?

00:48:59.059 --> 00:48:59.759
 Where's my money?

00:48:59.940 --> 00:49:00.679
 Where's my house?

00:49:00.799 --> 00:49:01.579
 Where's my spouse?

00:49:01.719 --> 00:49:02.440
 Where's my boyfriend?

00:49:02.559 --> 00:49:03.259
 Where's my girlfriend?

00:49:05.139 --> 00:49:08.420
 Those are all things people say when they're in a master-slave relationship.

00:49:08.420 --> 00:49:14.480
 But God wants us to be sons and daughters.

00:49:15.220 --> 00:49:18.559
 And what would it look like if our church shared that with people?

00:49:18.760 --> 00:49:22.639
 What would it look like if people walked in the door to our homes and to our communities

00:49:22.639 --> 00:49:23.740
 and they experienced grace?

00:49:24.099 --> 00:49:25.780
 They experienced repentance.

00:49:25.940 --> 00:49:26.900
 They experienced forgiveness.

00:49:27.099 --> 00:49:28.059
 They experienced love.

00:49:28.400 --> 00:49:29.740
 They experienced compassion.

00:49:31.220 --> 00:49:33.780
 Because they've been so far away and they've been in foreign lands.

00:49:33.880 --> 00:49:36.159
 They've lost everything and they never feel like the Father could bring them back.

00:49:36.159 --> 00:49:41.759
 What if we could show them a relationship with God?

00:49:44.339 --> 00:49:45.579
 Would that be enough?

00:49:48.779 --> 00:49:49.920
 I hope so.

00:49:52.579 --> 00:49:58.480
 My last thought that I've been thinking through myself is God's love is out of control in this passage.

00:49:58.920 --> 00:50:00.299
 God is pursuing.

00:50:00.559 --> 00:50:01.339
 He's sacrificial.

00:50:01.759 --> 00:50:02.659
 He's all-knowing.

00:50:02.719 --> 00:50:04.159
 There's no secrets between him and us.

00:50:04.579 --> 00:50:05.579
 His love is painful.

00:50:05.579 --> 00:50:06.539
 God weeps.

00:50:07.980 --> 00:50:08.920
 Did you know that?

00:50:11.139 --> 00:50:12.840
 God weeps when we break the relationship.

00:50:15.139 --> 00:50:16.599
 God weeps when we don't meet with him.

00:50:21.039 --> 00:50:22.480
 He gives up everything.

00:50:22.799 --> 00:50:24.299
 His love is out of control.

00:50:24.420 --> 00:50:26.079
 And the question I have to ask myself is,

00:50:26.239 --> 00:50:27.980
 how do I really respond to that?

00:50:27.980 --> 00:50:34.940
 How do I respond to God's love out of control?

00:50:35.539 --> 00:50:36.579
 Do I just know it?

00:50:36.800 --> 00:50:39.219
 Because I've read this passage a billion, zillion times?

00:50:40.820 --> 00:50:42.760
 Or do I live it?

00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:45.820
 Is it exemplified in my life?

00:50:45.860 --> 00:50:47.500
 Is my life out of control?

00:50:47.599 --> 00:50:49.639
 Do I see my life changing?

00:50:49.760 --> 00:50:51.059
 Becoming like the Father?

00:50:51.059 --> 00:50:54.820
 Like the relationship that he wants for us?

00:50:54.820 --> 00:51:02.420
 When I look at my resources and the things that God has given me,

00:51:03.200 --> 00:51:04.980
 do I say, oh, this is great.

00:51:05.039 --> 00:51:08.480
 I'm going to spend them all on myself because I need it.

00:51:08.480 --> 00:51:08.579
 Do I see my life?

00:51:10.880 --> 00:51:12.079
 The younger brother did.

00:51:14.179 --> 00:51:16.639
 Or when I look at my resources and the things that God has given me,

00:51:16.699 --> 00:51:18.099
 do I think, well, this is great.

00:51:18.440 --> 00:51:19.300
 I deserve it.

00:51:19.340 --> 00:51:20.079
 I work so hard.

00:51:20.159 --> 00:51:20.800
 I'm so clever.

00:51:20.940 --> 00:51:21.559
 I'm so gifted.

00:51:21.559 --> 00:51:23.119
 It's mine.

00:51:25.699 --> 00:51:26.739
 The older brother did.

00:51:29.400 --> 00:51:31.519
 Or do I look at my resources that God has given me

00:51:31.519 --> 00:51:34.279
 and I realize that they're incredible gifts and incredible tools

00:51:34.279 --> 00:51:38.599
 that the Father has given me so that I can pursue people who don't know him

00:51:38.599 --> 00:51:44.420
 and that I could use to bring people back into community.

00:51:44.420 --> 00:51:52.360
 When I see people playing with the pigs,

00:51:53.240 --> 00:51:55.680
 you know what I'm talking about.

00:51:58.240 --> 00:52:00.400
 When I see people playing with the pigs,

00:52:01.920 --> 00:52:04.119
 do I want to join them?

00:52:07.519 --> 00:52:08.659
 The younger son did.

00:52:08.659 --> 00:52:15.500
 Do I walk away in disgust and anger and feel like,

00:52:15.739 --> 00:52:16.899
 I cannot believe they did that.

00:52:16.960 --> 00:52:17.599
 That's terrible.

00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:21.159
 The older son did.

00:52:23.440 --> 00:52:27.879
 Or do I look at them and I feel an incredible amount of sadness and anguish

00:52:27.879 --> 00:52:28.739
 as the Father did?

00:52:30.779 --> 00:52:37.000
 Do I realize that I'm just like they are or I was?

00:52:38.659 --> 00:52:41.139
 And do I use everything within my ability,

00:52:41.299 --> 00:52:42.019
 my relationship,

00:52:42.199 --> 00:52:42.679
 my gifting,

00:52:43.019 --> 00:52:43.960
 everything that I have,

00:52:44.000 --> 00:52:46.960
 do I use all these things to try to bring them into the house,

00:52:47.259 --> 00:52:48.799
 to try to bring them into the party,

00:52:49.139 --> 00:52:50.719
 to try to bring them into the celebration?

00:52:53.639 --> 00:52:54.960
 Do I do that?

00:52:57.960 --> 00:52:58.359
 Sometimes.

00:53:01.920 --> 00:53:04.619
 The passage here says you can only live three ways.

00:53:05.839 --> 00:53:07.159
 You can live like an older brother.

00:53:08.659 --> 00:53:09.879
 You can live like a younger brother.

00:53:11.619 --> 00:53:14.519
 Or you can live like someone who has a relationship with a father

00:53:14.519 --> 00:53:16.039
 and knows him deeply and intimately.

00:53:18.539 --> 00:53:20.359
 My prayer for us as a church

00:53:20.359 --> 00:53:22.619
 and everyone in here

00:53:22.619 --> 00:53:26.539
 is that you wouldn't just know this story,

00:53:28.619 --> 00:53:30.139
 but that it would bother you.

00:53:31.739 --> 00:53:33.779
 And that you would leave here and you would ask God,

00:53:33.780 --> 00:53:35.480
 what does it look like

00:53:35.480 --> 00:53:38.000
 for me to live this story today?

00:53:41.080 --> 00:53:43.260
 What does it look like for me to go on a journey

00:53:43.260 --> 00:53:46.660
 and realize that this story doesn't just happen in this book

00:53:46.660 --> 00:53:48.040
 2,000 years ago,

00:53:48.040 --> 00:53:50.540
 but it happens every day,

00:53:50.960 --> 00:53:52.720
 every moment of every day.

00:53:52.720 --> 00:53:56.540
 And the Father is pursuing you with all his love,

00:53:56.539 --> 00:54:01.940
 all his mercy,

00:54:03.000 --> 00:54:05.880
 all his grace.

00:54:09.679 --> 00:54:10.880
 Do I live that?

00:54:14.099 --> 00:54:15.420
 Or do I just know it,

00:54:15.579 --> 00:54:16.480
 walk out of here,

00:54:16.639 --> 00:54:18.619
 and don't think of anything else?

00:54:18.619 --> 00:54:24.579
 God is pursuing you right now where you are.

00:54:26.259 --> 00:54:27.500
 He's looking for you.

00:54:27.819 --> 00:54:29.219
 The passage says that repentance

00:54:29.219 --> 00:54:31.559
 is not just being found

00:54:31.559 --> 00:54:32.739
 because we're all lost.

00:54:33.739 --> 00:54:35.500
 But the passage says that repentance

00:54:35.500 --> 00:54:37.139
 is being found

00:54:37.139 --> 00:54:39.039
 and wanting to be found.

00:54:40.440 --> 00:54:42.440
 One brother wanted that.

00:54:44.599 --> 00:54:47.380
 The other brother did not want that.

00:54:48.619 --> 00:54:53.679
 But the Father kept pursuing.

00:54:56.199 --> 00:54:59.579
 The Father keeps pursuing.

00:55:01.799 --> 00:55:03.339
 Father, we just thank you for this day.

00:55:04.679 --> 00:55:06.239
 We thank you for this story

00:55:06.239 --> 00:55:09.500
 that we know that it is not just a story,

00:55:10.259 --> 00:55:12.599
 but it is life.

00:55:13.819 --> 00:55:15.619
 And you continue to play it out.

00:55:15.719 --> 00:55:16.940
 You continue to live it out.

00:55:18.619 --> 00:55:20.679
 That we all in here,

00:55:20.900 --> 00:55:22.400
 at one time or another,

00:55:22.659 --> 00:55:23.639
 and for people like me,

00:55:23.759 --> 00:55:24.460
 it's often,

00:55:25.199 --> 00:55:27.739
 we all act like older brothers,

00:55:28.119 --> 00:55:30.159
 and we all act like younger brothers.

00:55:31.019 --> 00:55:33.599
 In the midst of our foolishness,

00:55:34.119 --> 00:55:37.079
 you continue to pursue us.

00:55:38.199 --> 00:55:40.779
 And you offer us the only thing

00:55:40.779 --> 00:55:43.239
 that will truly heal us.

00:55:44.460 --> 00:55:46.319
 And that thing is a relationship.

00:55:48.619 --> 00:55:50.219
 A relationship with you

00:55:50.219 --> 00:55:51.440
 through your son,

00:55:51.799 --> 00:55:52.519
 Jesus Christ.

00:55:54.119 --> 00:55:55.960
 So Lord, we come to you this day

00:55:55.960 --> 00:55:58.000
 as we celebrate your amazing goodness

00:55:58.000 --> 00:55:59.179
 in these ten lives.

00:56:00.339 --> 00:56:01.859
 And we just worship you

00:56:01.859 --> 00:56:04.380
 because you're amazing.

00:56:06.019 --> 00:56:08.599
 Help me to understand that more today.

00:56:10.900 --> 00:56:12.920
 Help us as a church

00:56:12.920 --> 00:56:13.579
 and community

00:56:13.579 --> 00:56:14.240
 and family.

00:56:15.599 --> 00:56:16.740
 Understand that more today.

00:56:21.260 --> 00:56:22.680
 Help us to understand your love.

00:56:24.519 --> 00:56:25.760
 We pray these things in your son,

00:56:25.820 --> 00:56:26.740
 Jesus' holy name.

00:56:27.139 --> 00:56:27.400
 Amen.

00:56:27.920 --> 00:56:28.180
 Amen.

00:56:29.139 --> 00:56:30.019
 Hey, I want to invite

00:56:30.019 --> 00:56:31.159
 the baptism candidates.

00:56:31.420 --> 00:56:32.119
 Can you guys come here

00:56:32.119 --> 00:56:32.920
 for a second, please?

00:56:33.039 --> 00:56:34.059
 So they're going to come up.

00:56:34.500 --> 00:56:35.320
 There's ten of them.

00:56:35.320 --> 00:56:39.039
 When we see what God's doing,

00:56:39.220 --> 00:56:40.620
 we realize this is why

00:56:40.620 --> 00:56:41.880
 we started the church.

00:56:41.960 --> 00:56:42.820
 We didn't start the church

00:56:42.820 --> 00:56:44.460
 to reach people

00:56:44.460 --> 00:56:45.500
 who are already in church.

00:56:45.620 --> 00:56:46.600
 We started the church

00:56:46.600 --> 00:56:47.380
 to reach people

00:56:47.380 --> 00:56:48.940
 who aren't in church.

00:56:49.100 --> 00:56:50.160
 And so I want you

00:56:50.160 --> 00:56:51.100
 to take a look at them.

00:56:51.360 --> 00:56:53.360
 And this is about God

00:56:53.360 --> 00:56:54.760
 and the amazing things

00:56:54.760 --> 00:56:55.539
 that he's doing.

00:56:56.480 --> 00:56:57.820
 And so I'm going to let them

00:56:57.820 --> 00:56:59.160
 go really early

00:56:59.160 --> 00:57:00.440
 because they're going to go

00:57:00.440 --> 00:57:01.200
 get changed.

00:57:01.800 --> 00:57:04.140
 We spared no expense.

00:57:04.139 --> 00:57:05.739
 We have this play pool out there.

00:57:06.239 --> 00:57:07.719
 So we do our baptism

00:57:07.719 --> 00:57:08.779
 right out back.

00:57:09.000 --> 00:57:10.460
 So bring your kids.

00:57:10.519 --> 00:57:11.039
 We want this to be

00:57:11.039 --> 00:57:12.059
 a family affair.

00:57:12.199 --> 00:57:12.839
 They need to learn

00:57:12.839 --> 00:57:13.219
 and understand

00:57:13.219 --> 00:57:13.739
 what we're doing

00:57:13.739 --> 00:57:14.379
 in this journey.

00:57:14.839 --> 00:57:15.759
 And I'm going to pray

00:57:15.759 --> 00:57:16.400
 for you guys

00:57:16.400 --> 00:57:17.460
 and then you guys can go,

00:57:17.579 --> 00:57:18.559
 okay, and get changed

00:57:18.559 --> 00:57:19.219
 and I'll meet you there

00:57:19.219 --> 00:57:19.859
 in two seconds.

00:57:20.539 --> 00:57:21.480
 And your family

00:57:21.480 --> 00:57:22.099
 will be out there

00:57:22.099 --> 00:57:22.859
 watching you too.

00:57:23.000 --> 00:57:23.359
 Your family.

00:57:23.440 --> 00:57:24.339
 That's everybody, okay?

00:57:24.960 --> 00:57:25.559
 Father, thank you

00:57:25.559 --> 00:57:27.119
 for my brothers and sisters here.

00:57:27.239 --> 00:57:27.599
 We thank you

00:57:27.599 --> 00:57:28.799
 as we sing this song.

00:57:29.179 --> 00:57:30.559
 We realize that you

00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:31.559
 are always watching.

00:57:31.799 --> 00:57:32.879
 You are always pursuing.

00:57:32.880 --> 00:57:36.000
 And yeah, you find us

00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:37.680
 and we surrender

00:57:37.680 --> 00:57:38.559
 to your love.

00:57:39.039 --> 00:57:39.579
 And so I thank you

00:57:39.579 --> 00:57:40.720
 for my brothers and sisters here.

00:57:40.780 --> 00:57:41.280
 These ten

00:57:41.280 --> 00:57:43.300
 that are all about you,

00:57:43.539 --> 00:57:44.420
 not about us.

00:57:44.980 --> 00:57:46.619
 We lift up your praise

00:57:46.619 --> 00:57:47.360
 and your glory.

00:57:47.740 --> 00:57:48.820
 In Jesus' name, amen.

00:57:49.240 --> 00:57:49.599
 You guys,

00:57:49.700 --> 00:57:51.079
 you can go get changed, okay?

00:57:51.800 --> 00:57:53.820
 Also, right afterwards,

00:57:53.980 --> 00:57:55.480
 we're having a choir practice.

00:57:55.640 --> 00:57:56.260
 So if you are

00:57:56.260 --> 00:57:57.619
 in the Christmas choir,

00:57:57.720 --> 00:57:58.140
 you want to be

00:57:58.140 --> 00:57:58.940
 in a choir practice,

00:57:59.059 --> 00:57:59.960
 Melissa, right?

00:58:00.079 --> 00:58:01.059
 Melissa's in charge of it.

00:58:01.480 --> 00:58:02.340
 She's our expert.

00:58:02.519 --> 00:58:03.539
 It is an amazing time

00:58:03.539 --> 00:58:04.139
 for adults.

00:58:04.659 --> 00:58:06.400
 So please hang around here.

00:58:07.360 --> 00:58:08.039
 The prayer team

00:58:08.039 --> 00:58:08.759
 will be up front.

00:58:09.199 --> 00:58:10.079
 They'll be able to talk

00:58:10.079 --> 00:58:11.360
 about everything going on.

00:58:11.860 --> 00:58:12.639
 Also, sometimes

00:58:12.639 --> 00:58:14.000
 people ask me,

00:58:14.400 --> 00:58:15.000
 I've had a couple people

00:58:15.000 --> 00:58:15.299
 ask me,

00:58:15.360 --> 00:58:16.139
 they're new to church

00:58:16.139 --> 00:58:16.519
 and they're like,

00:58:16.559 --> 00:58:17.019
 how come we don't

00:58:17.019 --> 00:58:17.759
 take a tithe?

00:58:18.659 --> 00:58:19.279
 And they think

00:58:19.279 --> 00:58:20.219
 that's really strange.

00:58:20.559 --> 00:58:21.239
 And we believe

00:58:21.239 --> 00:58:22.259
 that tithing

00:58:22.259 --> 00:58:23.779
 is an act of worship,

00:58:24.400 --> 00:58:25.159
 just as the passage

00:58:25.159 --> 00:58:26.179
 talked about today.

00:58:26.480 --> 00:58:27.139
 So there's these

00:58:27.139 --> 00:58:28.119
 little blue envelopes

00:58:28.119 --> 00:58:29.639
 and as you respond

00:58:29.639 --> 00:58:30.159
 to what God

00:58:30.159 --> 00:58:31.099
 has done in your life,

00:58:31.480 --> 00:58:32.679
 we would ask for you

00:58:32.679 --> 00:58:33.639
 to tithe appropriately

00:58:33.639 --> 00:58:34.599
 and stick the envelopes

00:58:34.599 --> 00:58:35.119
 in the box

00:58:35.119 --> 00:58:36.079
 and they allow

00:58:36.079 --> 00:58:36.940
 all the outreach

00:58:36.940 --> 00:58:37.799
 and everything that we do

00:58:37.799 --> 00:58:38.599
 to be possible.

00:58:39.679 --> 00:58:40.500
 And also,

00:58:40.679 --> 00:58:41.319
 anything I'm missing?

00:58:42.000 --> 00:58:42.719
 Nothing I'm missing.

00:58:43.059 --> 00:58:44.039
 Okay, so in about

00:58:44.039 --> 00:58:44.619
 eight minutes

00:58:44.619 --> 00:58:45.440
 we'll be out front.

00:58:45.539 --> 00:58:46.380
 Let me pray for us.

00:58:46.759 --> 00:58:47.679
 Father, we just thank you

00:58:47.679 --> 00:58:48.359
 for this day.

00:58:48.839 --> 00:58:49.339
 We thank you

00:58:49.339 --> 00:58:50.719
 for this church family

00:58:50.719 --> 00:58:51.759
 that you brought together.

00:58:52.380 --> 00:58:52.819
 We thank you

00:58:52.819 --> 00:58:53.639
 for these kids,

00:58:53.960 --> 00:58:54.619
 the adults,

00:58:54.739 --> 00:58:55.179
 the singles,

00:58:55.179 --> 00:58:57.299
 all these cultures.

00:58:57.599 --> 00:58:58.299
 It was just humbling

00:58:58.299 --> 00:58:59.279
 to hear the stories

00:58:59.279 --> 00:59:00.719
 of all the cultures

00:59:00.719 --> 00:59:01.799
 that you've brought together

00:59:01.799 --> 00:59:02.480
 in your kingdom.

00:59:02.859 --> 00:59:04.059
 And we know that today

00:59:04.059 --> 00:59:04.919
 is just a taste

00:59:04.919 --> 00:59:06.259
 of what heaven will be like.

00:59:06.799 --> 00:59:07.739
 And so we come

00:59:07.739 --> 00:59:08.899
 and we worship you,

00:59:09.779 --> 00:59:10.679
 the true king,

00:59:11.460 --> 00:59:12.359
 the true father.

00:59:13.099 --> 00:59:14.000
 And we come

00:59:14.000 --> 00:59:14.519
 and worship

00:59:14.519 --> 00:59:16.099
 the true older son,

00:59:16.899 --> 00:59:17.619
 your son Jesus,

00:59:18.119 --> 00:59:19.359
 who did not

00:59:19.359 --> 00:59:20.739
 shirk his responsibility

00:59:20.739 --> 00:59:21.639
 as his son

00:59:21.639 --> 00:59:22.519
 in the story did,

00:59:22.980 --> 00:59:24.079
 but who went out

00:59:24.079 --> 00:59:25.619
 and pursued

00:59:25.619 --> 00:59:27.319
 and found us

00:59:27.319 --> 00:59:28.420
 when we were very,

00:59:28.539 --> 00:59:29.679
 very, very lost.

00:59:30.460 --> 00:59:31.079
 And so today

00:59:31.079 --> 00:59:32.319
 we come to worship you

00:59:32.319 --> 00:59:33.299
 and we thank you

00:59:33.299 --> 00:59:35.059
 and we pray all these things

00:59:35.059 --> 00:59:35.659
 in your son Jesus'

00:59:35.840 --> 00:59:36.360
 holy name.

00:59:36.799 --> 00:59:37.059
 Amen.

00:59:37.779 --> 00:59:38.460
 God bless you.

00:59:38.519 --> 00:59:39.299
 See you out back.

00:59:40.279 --> 00:59:41.739
 Oh, hey,

00:59:41.840 --> 00:59:42.659
 we want to start

00:59:42.659 --> 00:59:43.460
 a series of talks.

00:59:43.519 --> 00:59:44.079
 People have been asking

00:59:44.079 --> 00:59:44.860
 a lot of questions.

00:59:45.299 --> 00:59:47.319
 Here is a telephone number.

00:59:47.719 --> 00:59:48.539
 It's a new number.

00:59:48.639 --> 00:59:49.699
 No one knows who comes in,

00:59:49.759 --> 00:59:50.619
 but if you have any questions

00:59:50.619 --> 00:59:51.559
 you'd like to text,

00:59:51.960 --> 00:59:52.539
 we're going to build

00:59:52.539 --> 00:59:53.699
 a sermon series on it.

00:59:54.099 --> 00:59:54.980
 We've already had a lot

00:59:54.980 --> 00:59:55.900
 about sex,

00:59:56.300 --> 00:59:56.599
 marriage,

00:59:56.699 --> 00:59:57.779
 and homosexuality.

00:59:58.340 --> 00:59:59.559
 And so hang on

00:59:59.559 --> 01:00:00.059
 and pretty soon

01:00:00.059 --> 01:00:00.739
 we'll start talking

01:00:00.739 --> 01:00:01.320
 about those

01:00:01.320 --> 01:00:02.539
 from a church

01:00:02.539 --> 01:00:03.420
 and biblical aspect.

01:00:03.860 --> 01:00:04.619
 But if you have any others,

01:00:04.759 --> 01:00:05.639
 please text them in

01:00:05.639 --> 01:00:06.519
 and we'll cover them.

01:00:07.119 --> 01:00:07.920
 See you here,

01:00:08.159 --> 01:00:09.039
 here,

01:00:09.219 --> 01:00:09.779
 next Sunday.