WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.679
 Previously on Jonah, it's not just about the fish. It's about sin. It's about a guy hearing God's voice.

00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:19.460
 And God telling him, hey, go to the nation that are going to kill you and go and preach the gospel to them so they can be saved.

00:00:19.939 --> 00:00:23.480
 And Jonah's like, what? If I do that, then they're going to kill us.

00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:29.059
 Then my people, Jonah, being a highly partisan nationalist, that doesn't agree with him.

00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:33.620
 And I ask you the question, do you want to hear God's voice? Like legit, for real.

00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:38.260
 Do you want to hear God's voice regardless of whatever it might mean? Do you want to?

00:00:38.259 --> 00:00:43.939
 I think on the surface, we say yes until we actually hear him tell us what he wants to tell us.

00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:47.320
 And we're like, oh, maybe I'll pretend I can hear that.

00:00:47.659 --> 00:00:52.000
 Maybe it'll be selective hearing because what you're calling me to do, I don't really want to do.

00:00:53.019 --> 00:00:57.879
 And then, of course, he runs away. He goes away from the presence of God and he goes down and then he goes down.

00:00:57.939 --> 00:01:02.939
 Then he goes down into the boat and then there's a storm. God uses a storm to wake him up.

00:01:02.939 --> 00:01:08.099
 God uses a storm to show him that actually God does whatever he wants to do.

00:01:08.800 --> 00:01:11.840
 That first song was one of my favorite songs. Sovereign over us.

00:01:12.219 --> 00:01:14.200
 This idea that actually God is in complete control.

00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:18.280
 He's the one who spoke to Jonah and said, hey, go to that enemy nation and go and save them.

00:01:18.460 --> 00:01:21.219
 He's the one that then was there in the boat.

00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:23.480
 He was the one that was there that then started the storm.

00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:25.340
 He was the one that then calmed the storm.

00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:27.880
 He was the one that then appointed the big fish.

00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:32.420
 But of course, let's not get distracted by the fish because the book of Jonah is not about a fish.

00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.359
 It's about sin. It's about people not trusting God, which is really what sin is.

00:01:37.739 --> 00:01:40.459
 Sin is going to God and saying, I know what you're saying.

00:01:41.099 --> 00:01:42.899
 I know what you're feeling, but I don't trust you.

00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:45.280
 I don't trust you. I might say I trust you.

00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:46.719
 I might sing about trusting you.

00:01:47.099 --> 00:01:48.879
 But in reality, I don't know.

00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:50.419
 I think I know what's best.

00:01:50.739 --> 00:01:51.600
 So I'm going to run away.

00:01:52.019 --> 00:01:52.719
 That's really sin.

00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:55.240
 And so now we reach chapter two.

00:01:55.519 --> 00:02:00.560
 And it's a fascinating passage here because, of course, there is the fish that gets appointed.

00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:01.780
 Let's not look over that.

00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:09.979
 But God has the power to whisper to a great fish in the ocean and say, hey, there's a guy who's currently swimming, just floating in the ocean.

00:02:10.500 --> 00:02:11.819
 And I want you to go pick him up.

00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:13.420
 I want you to go pick him up.

00:02:13.860 --> 00:02:15.840
 And he's going to, it's like an Uber ride.

00:02:16.099 --> 00:02:17.340
 You're going to pick him up.

00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:20.159
 And then you turn into an Airbnb for three days and three nights.

00:02:20.699 --> 00:02:22.079
 And then I'll tell you where to go.

00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:23.359
 God can tell fish that.

00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:25.539
 Just can we just let's not get distracted by it.

00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:28.799
 But also let's not just get lost on the fact that this is this is God.

00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:29.299
 He's sovereign.

00:02:29.379 --> 00:02:31.319
 He can do whatever he wants.

00:02:31.539 --> 00:02:34.739
 And finally, we get to hear a little bit more from Jonah.

00:02:34.959 --> 00:02:36.799
 Because right up until now, he doesn't really speak much.

00:02:36.899 --> 00:02:38.019
 God speaks to him and he runs away.

00:02:38.819 --> 00:02:39.959
 He's trapped in the storm.

00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:43.739
 And then the sailors go, hey, why aren't you crying out to your God?

00:02:44.099 --> 00:02:46.379
 Why isn't your private faith of any public good?

00:02:46.379 --> 00:02:47.519
 Why aren't you helping us?

00:02:47.799 --> 00:02:48.560
 And what does Jonah do?

00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:49.599
 Nothing.

00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.520
 Doesn't speak at all until they cast lots.

00:02:53.060 --> 00:02:54.939
 And then they find out that it's actually him.

00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:57.120
 And then he's like, okay, it's me.

00:02:57.460 --> 00:02:58.259
 Guilty as charged.

00:02:58.420 --> 00:03:00.479
 But I'm not going to die without being defiant.

00:03:00.740 --> 00:03:02.879
 You guys can pick me up and throw me into the sea.

00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:06.219
 Because I would rather die than get to do what God is telling me to do.

00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:08.240
 And so he gets thrown into the sea.

00:03:08.460 --> 00:03:11.319
 And then the whale or the great fish comes.

00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:12.520
 And finally, he speaks.

00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:13.879
 And finally, there's a prayer.

00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:16.879
 And finally, we get to see a little bit of his heart.

00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:23.000
 As we're in chapter two, we're actually pivoting into essentially the second half of the book now.

00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:23.799
 There's only four chapters.

00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:25.699
 But we get to see a little bit more.

00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:28.419
 And this is where it's exciting, where it does unfold like a TV drama.

00:03:28.659 --> 00:03:31.639
 Because finally, the idiot prophet speaks.

00:03:31.639 --> 00:03:35.839
 Finally, the rebellious runaway prophet shares what's on his heart.

00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:37.299
 Don't we want to find out what it is?

00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.939
 And I want to invite you, as you read it, the one thing I'll say is this.

00:03:41.619 --> 00:03:43.079
 Everything's not quite as it seems.

00:03:43.139 --> 00:03:45.019
 Just to kind of heighten the drama here.

00:03:45.459 --> 00:03:47.959
 Everything is not quite as it seems.

00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:50.039
 So we're going to read chapter two.

00:03:50.279 --> 00:03:51.779
 I'm going to invite you to stand for the word of the Lord.

00:03:51.780 --> 00:04:04.620
 We stand because it's what we're reading is something different.

00:04:05.860 --> 00:04:08.800
 Not just a nice poem written by any person.

00:04:08.939 --> 00:04:09.979
 These are the words of God.

00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:14.840
 And however inconvenient it is, however hard it is to get up from the cushions on the floor,

00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:19.500
 we stand because we are just filled with reverence and respect for what this word actually means.

00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:22.360
 So Lord, would you soften our hearts?

00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:26.879
 Would you open our ears and our hearts to receive your word today as we hear Jonah's prayer?

00:04:27.420 --> 00:04:28.259
 Jonah chapter two.

00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:32.980
 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,

00:04:33.459 --> 00:04:36.800
 I called out to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me.

00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:40.680
 Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.

00:04:41.139 --> 00:04:45.139
 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me.

00:04:45.660 --> 00:04:47.819
 All your waves and your billows passed over me.

00:04:47.819 --> 00:04:53.279
 Then I said, I'm driven away from your sight, yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.

00:04:53.659 --> 00:04:56.000
 The waters closed in over me to take my life.

00:04:56.259 --> 00:04:57.199
 The deep surrounded me.

00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:00.920
 Weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains.

00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:03.980
 I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever.

00:05:04.539 --> 00:05:08.899
 Yet you brought up my life from the pit.

00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:09.920
 Oh Lord, my God.

00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:15.060
 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

00:05:15.060 --> 00:05:18.720
 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:23.720
 But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you what I have vowed I will pay.

00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:25.819
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:30.100
 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

00:05:30.340 --> 00:05:31.220
 This is the word of the Lord.

00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:32.980
 Please take a seat.

00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:33.620
 Thank you.

00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:41.139
 As you hear that prayer, I'm just going to move this slightly out of the way, so I can see the rest of you guys.

00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:44.399
 As you hear that prayer, what does it remind you of?

00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:50.100
 There's another part of the Bible, there's another book in the Bible that it just seems to just reflect.

00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:50.879
 Where is that?

00:05:51.060 --> 00:05:52.939
 What does it remind you of as you hear his prayer?

00:05:52.939 --> 00:05:58.680
 It reminds you of a psalm.

00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:02.079
 This is a prayer that he finally speaks.

00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:05.660
 After being silent for so long, he finally speaks, and he utters out this psalm.

00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:07.560
 Of course, he's trapped in the belly of the fish.

00:06:08.100 --> 00:06:10.699
 Now, which is actually quite a terrible thing if you think about it.

00:06:10.699 --> 00:06:17.399
 If you think about this fishy story and being in this very fishy surrounding for three days and three nights,

00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:18.600
 this is not a pleasant experience.

00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:21.780
 And finally, he speaks.

00:06:22.520 --> 00:06:25.900
 And when he speaks, he actually speaks basically the psalms.

00:06:26.580 --> 00:06:29.900
 But what it is is actually not just his own words.

00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:33.660
 Actually, Jonah here is doing a bit of a mixtape.

00:06:34.620 --> 00:06:35.840
 He knows the scriptures.

00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:37.800
 He knows the psalms.

00:06:37.960 --> 00:06:42.240
 And he's basically, from his memory, basically quoting different parts.

00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.220
 And he's creating a mixtape of the different psalms that he knows.

00:06:45.220 --> 00:06:48.720
 And basically, compiling them into his own prayer.

00:06:49.140 --> 00:06:51.960
 And just when we think, oh, man, getting swallowed up by a fish is bad.

00:06:53.700 --> 00:06:54.780
 Here's the interesting thing.

00:06:54.880 --> 00:06:56.040
 The fish is the thing that saves him.

00:06:56.440 --> 00:06:58.380
 Because actually, without the fish, he's gone.

00:06:58.440 --> 00:06:58.760
 He's dead.

00:06:59.620 --> 00:07:01.360
 The fish is the thing that saves him.

00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:04.120
 Which really sums up the whole book of the Bible.

00:07:04.760 --> 00:07:05.080
 Salvation.

00:07:06.260 --> 00:07:07.320
 Salvation through judgment.

00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:09.460
 The judgment that Christ took for us.

00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:12.120
 And so we're going to look at that and see what it actually means.

00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:13.760
 Now, I want to do a little vote, just quickly.

00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:13.800
 Sorry.

00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:15.759
 Jonah's not been great so far.

00:07:15.899 --> 00:07:17.399
 But we're hoping for a redemption story.

00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:20.639
 Just as we're watching any TV series, we're hoping that some bad guy eventually will break

00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:21.379
 bad and turn good.

00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.560
 And we hope that the good guys don't turn bad.

00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:25.819
 Right now, this is a pivot moment of the story.

00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:31.719
 As you read the psalm, as you hear about this psalm, who's convinced here that Jonah has

00:07:31.719 --> 00:07:35.480
 actually learned his lesson and he's going to have a change of heart and become a good

00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:35.659
 guy?

00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:37.099
 Put your hand up if you think he's going to be a good guy.

00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:39.339
 Sounds like a good psalm.

00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:40.759
 So, therefore, he's turning into a good guy.

00:07:41.099 --> 00:07:43.579
 Who thinks he's actually quite skeptical and cynical?

00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:46.579
 And you don't think he's actually learned his lesson, even though he's in the belly of

00:07:46.579 --> 00:07:46.819
 the fish.

00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:48.060
 Put your hand up if you think he's a bad guy.

00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:51.319
 That's interesting.

00:07:51.719 --> 00:07:54.000
 And as we look, okay, we take a peek into the story.

00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:55.740
 Then he does go to Nineveh and he does do that.

00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:57.439
 And we'll talk a little bit more about that next week.

00:07:57.819 --> 00:08:00.740
 But what we see here in his prayer, I think, is really interesting.

00:08:01.139 --> 00:08:03.360
 And I want to focus on one thing today, which is sin.

00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:04.439
 Sin.

00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:07.219
 When you choose to run away from God, what it actually means.

00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:11.700
 The first thing is the life of sin essentially is the life of descent.

00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:15.840
 You see, the moment he chooses to go away from God, he goes down.

00:08:15.900 --> 00:08:16.840
 He goes down to Joppa.

00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:17.820
 He goes down to the pier.

00:08:17.880 --> 00:08:18.880
 He goes down to the boat.

00:08:19.020 --> 00:08:20.300
 And when he's in the boat, he's in a storm.

00:08:20.340 --> 00:08:22.100
 And then he has to get thrown down into the ocean.

00:08:22.540 --> 00:08:24.100
 Everything is down.

00:08:24.100 --> 00:08:29.060
 What this reminds me is that actually when we choose the life of sin, it is a slippery slope.

00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:30.240
 Have you been there?

00:08:30.780 --> 00:08:37.500
 Have you been there when actually you don't want to end up in that bad place, but you don't end up choosing straight away that thing.

00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:41.460
 You choose the small thing first that ends up leading there.

00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:43.560
 Sin is a slippery slope like that.

00:08:44.259 --> 00:08:50.600
 Something that's broken my heart these last few years is we've heard time and time again, every few months, there's a church leader.

00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:57.460
 There's a church pastor who falls to scandal and has been hiding something for years.

00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.680
 And then it only just comes about later in life or even after they pass away.

00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:04.680
 Actually, I was reflecting on this with Aaron the other time.

00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:06.800
 And I was like, man, how do you end up there?

00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:08.860
 Or rather, how do I not end up there?

00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:10.540
 And then we're reflecting.

00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:11.259
 We're like, you know what?

00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:18.820
 I don't think any of those leaders or any of those pastors set off at the beginning of their careers and say, I'm going to head there.

00:09:18.820 --> 00:09:20.600
 That's where I'm going to be.

00:09:20.780 --> 00:09:26.820
 I'm going to live a life of deceit and sin and cover up and hypocrisy whilst I try and lead a church and point people to God.

00:09:26.940 --> 00:09:27.140
 No.

00:09:28.220 --> 00:09:28.900
 How's it happen?

00:09:29.860 --> 00:09:32.140
 One small decision at a time.

00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:37.420
 One slippery slope step that you make that ends up in the place.

00:09:37.760 --> 00:09:40.800
 And often the first one is a completely harmless one.

00:09:41.760 --> 00:09:42.860
 A completely harmless one.

00:09:42.940 --> 00:09:45.020
 You think, oh, it's not really right or wrong.

00:09:45.400 --> 00:09:46.580
 And then you make one move.

00:09:46.580 --> 00:09:50.720
 But then before you know it, that leads to the next thing, leads to the next thing, leads to the next thing.

00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:54.139
 Sin is, the life of sin is a life of descent.

00:09:54.259 --> 00:09:54.860
 You see this.

00:09:55.160 --> 00:09:57.940
 Verse 2, he says, if you've got your Bibles, please follow.

00:09:59.280 --> 00:10:02.440
 Verse 2, he says, out of the belly of Sheol, which is the very bottom.

00:10:02.520 --> 00:10:03.259
 He can't get anymore.

00:10:03.340 --> 00:10:04.920
 It's the depths of hell there.

00:10:05.220 --> 00:10:09.040
 So he starts off by going down to Joppa, by going down to the pier.

00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:10.740
 And he ends up in the depths of hell.

00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:17.199
 Sometimes when we're at home and we make the small choices and we think, oh, it's an innocent small decision that I'm making right here.

00:10:17.599 --> 00:10:18.839
 It doesn't really mean much.

00:10:19.599 --> 00:10:23.659
 When I go reach for my Bible or when I go reach for my remote control, it's really a harmless thing.

00:10:23.899 --> 00:10:27.319
 But you see, all these small decisions actually play a part.

00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:32.280
 And when you choose the life of sin, you end up choosing a life of descent and it heads down and down and down.

00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:36.540
 Maybe just stop here and ask you, just in your mind, are you making any small decisions?

00:10:36.680 --> 00:10:37.580
 Because it's always easier.

00:10:38.160 --> 00:10:42.300
 As I said the other time, the devil provides transportation when you want to run away from God.

00:10:42.400 --> 00:10:43.100
 It's easier.

00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:45.600
 The remote control is always closer than your Bible.

00:10:45.760 --> 00:10:48.400
 Your phone is always closer than your Bible.

00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:53.260
 The icon for your app that you want to go on is always more attractive than the YouVersion Holy Bible app.

00:10:54.560 --> 00:10:57.020
 It always looks more interesting to do something else.

00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:58.620
 What's the small decision you're making?

00:10:58.699 --> 00:10:59.159
 Have a think.

00:10:59.199 --> 00:11:00.460
 And I'm going to put you on the spot here.

00:11:00.919 --> 00:11:01.259
 Have a think.

00:11:01.319 --> 00:11:07.860
 What decision are you making right now on a daily basis that actually seems neutral but it takes you down a certain place?

00:11:10.079 --> 00:11:14.100
 For people who struggle with lust and temptations, you don't end up there straight away.

00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:15.100
 There's always a pattern.

00:11:15.179 --> 00:11:15.939
 There's always a route.

00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:18.480
 There's always the first video that you watch.

00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:19.720
 There's always something else.

00:11:20.019 --> 00:11:24.419
 You start off with a video about cats and then you end up in a video all the way looking at something else.

00:11:24.419 --> 00:11:30.159
 What's the small decision that you're making that leads you down that slippery slope?

00:11:32.099 --> 00:11:33.039
 Because I'll tell you this.

00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.399
 If you want to get rid of that, then you start with the small thing.

00:11:37.139 --> 00:11:42.919
 You start with the small thing because once you get all the way to the end, that's just the momentum is there and you're just going to keep going down.

00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:44.839
 He goes down to the belly of Sheol.

00:11:45.059 --> 00:11:45.579
 Verse 3.

00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:47.939
 He goes down into the deep, into the heart of the sea.

00:11:48.199 --> 00:11:49.500
 The flood surrounds him.

00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:53.799
 Why does God hate us choosing sin so much?

00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.019
 Because it leads to death.

00:11:56.200 --> 00:11:57.139
 He hates it.

00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:06.919
 He hates sin because he loves us because he knows that every time we choose that road, it's a slippery slope that one, gets us further away from him and two, ends up in death.

00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:07.580
 Romans 8.

00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:10.980
 For to set the mind on the flesh leads to death.

00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:14.360
 Where to set your mind on the spirit leads to life and peace.

00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:17.840
 The life of sin is a life of descent.

00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:20.519
 What's one small decision that you can make?

00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.399
 There is hope here though.

00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:37.259
 As he goes down this slippery slope, actually through this whole book, what it tells me, the one thing it tells me is even if you are at rock bottom, if you have lost everything that you've ever loved, if you've made every single mistake that you know you shouldn't have made,

00:12:37.259 --> 00:12:41.419
 and you are completely rock bottom, there is hope for you because that means the only way is up.

00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:42.559
 You can't go further down.

00:12:43.179 --> 00:12:45.799
 It means there is only one direction you can go and that is up.

00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:56.840
 And God, even the Assyrians, even the people who were the most evil empire in the whole history of mankind, with the values of ISIS and the power of the US, God still wanted to save.

00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:58.480
 Does that speak to any of you?

00:12:58.819 --> 00:13:04.860
 Have any of you gone to so far away from God that you don't feel as though you deserve any of his attention at all?

00:13:05.819 --> 00:13:06.819
 This is for you then.

00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:09.639
 Because that rock bottom place, God's not even scared of.

00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:11.259
 Jonah ended up there.

00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:13.659
 He picked one small decision that ended up going all the way down.

00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:17.620
 He's at the rock bottom and yet God still tries to save him.

00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:23.240
 Tim Keller says this, that you don't realize that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.

00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:27.360
 You don't realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.

00:13:27.659 --> 00:13:34.399
 For those of us who have been to that rock bottom where you have lost everything and you know that your life is just, has no hope.

00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:39.019
 Often it's at that moment where Jesus comes in.

00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:43.980
 It's often at that moment where you realize that actually Jesus is all you need.

00:13:43.980 --> 00:13:52.120
 But when we haven't hit rock bottom, we're still in that kind of lukewarm complacent stage and that's just as dangerous.

00:13:52.560 --> 00:13:54.820
 This life of sin leads into the life of dissent.

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.960
 You're just kind of muddling in the middle.

00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:57.340
 You don't even realize where you're at.

00:13:57.340 --> 00:13:58.980
 You don't realize that you're actually drowning.

00:13:58.980 --> 00:14:01.440
 Where are you?

00:14:03.060 --> 00:14:06.300
 Every small decision we make is basically contributing to who we're becoming.

00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:09.700
 So every time you have a decision to make, which way shall I go?

00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:10.420
 What shall I watch?

00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:11.139
 What shall I do?

00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:12.240
 Who shall I hang out with?

00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:13.259
 Who shall I spend more time with?

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:16.920
 Every single decision that you make contributes to who you are becoming.

00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:17.840
 Who are you becoming?

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:22.600
 If we've got a catalog of all your small decisions, which direction is it pointing in?

00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:23.820
 Is it going up or is it going down?

00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:26.039
 Does it have a think about that?

00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:28.339
 Because sin is a slippery slope.

00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:30.599
 The life of sin is a life of dissent.

00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:34.059
 And then the next point that I have to make, and I've only really got two points here today.

00:14:34.699 --> 00:14:36.219
 The life of sin is a life of delusion.

00:14:37.539 --> 00:14:39.419
 Have you been there where you're sinning?

00:14:40.299 --> 00:14:43.539
 Again, the sinning word sounds so Christian-y and so cheesy and cringy.

00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:45.120
 When you're just running away from God.

00:14:45.419 --> 00:14:48.759
 When you're just like, God, I know what I should do, but I'm not doing it.

00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:51.899
 And I know what I shouldn't do, but I'm going to do it.

00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:58.340
 By the way, if you're in that spot, which often we all are, Romans 7 is your comfort.

00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:02.439
 Because even the great apostle Paul, the greatest church pastor in the world, his words were,

00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:04.100
 what I should do, I don't do.

00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:05.579
 And what I shouldn't do, I do do.

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:06.939
 What a wretched being I am.

00:15:07.959 --> 00:15:08.519
 That's Paul.

00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:10.620
 That's Paul that's saying this.

00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:13.000
 But here's the problem.

00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:19.199
 When you choose sin, often, and I've seen this happen time again, and it breaks my heart.

00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:24.580
 Especially, let's say, with young people who enter into some kind of relationship with someone who,

00:15:24.700 --> 00:15:28.560
 who know they really shouldn't be spending that much time with, and yet it happens,

00:15:28.640 --> 00:15:30.100
 whether it's friends or girlfriend or boyfriend.

00:15:30.680 --> 00:15:33.520
 And suddenly, everyone else is wrong.

00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:36.820
 And suddenly, it's them against the world.

00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:37.580
 Have we been there?

00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:39.040
 Have we seen that?

00:15:39.520 --> 00:15:41.240
 The life of sin is a life of delusion.

00:15:41.300 --> 00:15:43.940
 And I want to show you why through the book of Jonah here.

00:15:43.940 --> 00:15:45.780
 He says, verse 2, if you're following.

00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.600
 He finally prays.

00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:49.559
 He's in the belly of the fish, and he prays, and he says,

00:15:50.179 --> 00:15:54.319
 I called out to the Lord out of my distress.

00:15:55.259 --> 00:15:55.919
 You did?

00:15:56.740 --> 00:15:58.159
 You called out to God.

00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:01.839
 When the sailors were coming to you and saying,

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.639
 what are you doing?

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:03.539
 Why are you asleep?

00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:05.179
 Why are you here?

00:16:05.259 --> 00:16:05.980
 Well, whose problem is this?

00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:07.000
 You didn't call out.

00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:08.620
 You stayed quiet.

00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:11.299
 When you were exposed through casting lots,

00:16:11.340 --> 00:16:12.860
 and we realized that you were the problem,

00:16:13.179 --> 00:16:14.139
 you didn't say anything.

00:16:14.259 --> 00:16:15.860
 You said, pick me up and hurl me into the sea.

00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:17.220
 You didn't call out to God.

00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:20.019
 Finally, now you say that you call out to God.

00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:22.179
 Verse 4, then I said, I am driven away.

00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:23.799
 Another version says, I am banished.

00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:26.580
 Wait, you're banished, Jonah?

00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:28.899
 You think you were banished?

00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:30.019
 You were running away.

00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:31.799
 Can you see that?

00:16:32.980 --> 00:16:35.580
 Suddenly, even in his mind, as he's praying to this guy,

00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:38.280
 and as he's quoting this mixtape of Psalms,

00:16:38.780 --> 00:16:41.639
 you can see that actually his story is starting to get a little bit twisted

00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:42.620
 into his own mind.

00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:44.139
 What he's actually saying here,

00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:45.800
 what he thinks actually happened here.

00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:47.540
 The life of sin is a life of delusion

00:16:47.540 --> 00:16:50.560
 because you start turning your story of events.

00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:52.700
 You start thinking that other people are against you.

00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:54.600
 You start thinking that God is against you.

00:16:54.660 --> 00:16:55.900
 God did not banish him.

00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:58.060
 God's been pursuing him.

00:16:58.060 --> 00:17:00.160
 He's the one who's been running away.

00:17:00.640 --> 00:17:01.500
 Do you have that?

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:03.040
 I had that.

00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:05.599
 There was a young guy that I used to walk with

00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:06.980
 and spend so much time with, of course,

00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:08.740
 and then he found someone.

00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:12.379
 And then suddenly, we didn't agree,

00:17:13.159 --> 00:17:14.619
 or the whole community agreed.

00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:15.700
 And then suddenly it becomes,

00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:16.599
 and you can hear this story.

00:17:16.659 --> 00:17:17.740
 This happens time and time again.

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:19.559
 Later on, they'll leave the church,

00:17:19.659 --> 00:17:20.399
 and then they'll be like,

00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:22.099
 oh, yeah, that church looks so judgmental,

00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:23.180
 so this and so that.

00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:24.099
 Have we seen that?

00:17:24.139 --> 00:17:24.539
 Have we heard that?

00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:25.399
 Have we said that ourselves?

00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:28.299
 When really, when we choose a life of sin,

00:17:28.399 --> 00:17:32.359
 often, we are on just a path of delusion ourselves,

00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:33.559
 where we're trying to be in denial.

00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:35.639
 Now, I'm not saying that every church

00:17:35.639 --> 00:17:38.479
 is filled with grace and without judgment.

00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:40.240
 The church needs to do a better job

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:42.219
 when we meet people, face people,

00:17:42.219 --> 00:17:44.699
 who are making decisions that we don't agree with,

00:17:45.399 --> 00:17:48.079
 where we can still call them out in truth,

00:17:48.579 --> 00:17:49.699
 in love and with grace.

00:17:50.339 --> 00:17:52.119
 And we shouldn't be judgmental in any way.

00:17:52.159 --> 00:17:52.719
 We're all sinners.

00:17:52.819 --> 00:17:53.339
 We're all blind.

00:17:53.419 --> 00:17:54.059
 We're all lost.

00:17:54.419 --> 00:17:55.179
 We're all cripples.

00:17:55.180 --> 00:17:59.259
 Can you see what happens

00:17:59.259 --> 00:18:00.740
 when you choose a life of sin?

00:18:00.820 --> 00:18:03.220
 You start getting it twisted in your own mind.

00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:06.019
 You start thinking that it's other people's problems.

00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.700
 Are you in any problem right now?

00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:11.220
 Are you treading water in the ocean right now,

00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:13.160
 and you're actually attributing it to everyone else?

00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:16.140
 Are you doing what Jonah's doing here,

00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:17.320
 where he's getting his story twisted?

00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:18.779
 Because if you are,

00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:21.660
 then there's a simple reminder for you.

00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:23.460
 Hey, it's okay.

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:25.680
 You may be heading to rock bottom.

00:18:25.800 --> 00:18:26.740
 You may feel like you're drowning.

00:18:27.560 --> 00:18:29.220
 It may even be your fault, but it's okay.

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.340
 Our God is bigger than that.

00:18:30.460 --> 00:18:31.720
 Our God is sovereign, and he loves you,

00:18:32.040 --> 00:18:33.220
 and he's trying to save you.

00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.680
 He's trying to save you.

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:35.400
 Don't fight him.

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:36.880
 He did not drive you away.

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:38.300
 He did not banish you.

00:18:39.560 --> 00:18:41.140
 You see, towards the end,

00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:42.720
 now he does just do this psalm here.

00:18:42.820 --> 00:18:44.980
 He basically has this collection of his own psalm,

00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.040
 and psalms usually start off with the problem.

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:48.960
 I was in distress, and I called out to you,

00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:50.400
 and finally you saved me.

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.500
 Hooray, hallelujah,

00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:52.119
 praise the Lord.

00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.240
 That's usually what happens.

00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:54.900
 Towards the end of his psalm

00:18:54.900 --> 00:18:56.279
 is when you really start to see

00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:57.839
 his heart is actually getting exposed,

00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:00.660
 that actually his heart has not changed one bit.

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.619
 He says this, verse eight,

00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.619
 those who pay regard to vain idols

00:19:04.619 --> 00:19:06.700
 forsake their hope of steadfast love.

00:19:07.900 --> 00:19:08.920
 Another version would be,

00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:11.599
 those who cling on to worthless idols,

00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:14.140
 they lose, they forsake their chance at hope.

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:19.140
 But I, but I, but I, Jonah,

00:19:19.140 --> 00:19:20.700
 the great Jonah, the Hebrew,

00:19:21.380 --> 00:19:22.280
 the Israelite,

00:19:23.340 --> 00:19:25.060
 with the voice of thanksgiving,

00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:27.860
 will sacrifice to you what I have vowed I will pay.

00:19:28.700 --> 00:19:30.000
 Who's he talking about there?

00:19:30.300 --> 00:19:32.220
 Those who pay regard to vain idols

00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:33.900
 forsake their hope of steadfast love.

00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:34.960
 He's not talking about himself.

00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:37.520
 He's talking about the Assyrians.

00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:38.860
 He's talking about the Ninevites.

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:40.340
 He's talking about the pagan sailors.

00:19:40.540 --> 00:19:42.140
 He's talking about all the other people

00:19:42.140 --> 00:19:45.900
 who pay regard to all these other vain idols,

00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:48.040
 these other gods that won't be able to save them.

00:19:48.120 --> 00:19:49.680
 He's in the end of his psalm.

00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:50.780
 He's looking at them going,

00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:52.160
 man, you guys know nothing.

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:53.519
 I'm the one who worships the God,

00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:54.360
 the true God.

00:19:54.560 --> 00:19:56.040
 I'm going to sacrifice to him.

00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:59.019
 But you guys pay regard to these worthless idols.

00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:00.040
 And because of that,

00:20:00.100 --> 00:20:01.400
 you forsake your chance at hope.

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:03.100
 You'll forsake your chance of steadfast love.

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:03.900
 What is steadfast love?

00:20:04.060 --> 00:20:05.900
 The word there means loving kindness,

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:07.000
 means faithfulness.

00:20:07.340 --> 00:20:08.460
 You don't get all the goodness

00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:09.640
 that you've got in store for you

00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:12.440
 because you're paying regard to these things.

00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:13.640
 You're clinging onto these idols.

00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:14.980
 And I'll ask the question again.

00:20:15.060 --> 00:20:16.280
 We always need to ask this question.

00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:17.720
 I always need to ask this question.

00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:19.200
 What vain idols do I have?

00:20:20.300 --> 00:20:21.780
 What are the things that I'm holding onto

00:20:21.780 --> 00:20:24.520
 thinking that this is going to be the thing that saves me?

00:20:24.780 --> 00:20:26.640
 This is going to be the float that I have,

00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:27.580
 my soap hole,

00:20:28.340 --> 00:20:28.980
 this vain idol,

00:20:29.060 --> 00:20:30.180
 this thing that actually ultimately

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:31.160
 will end up being useless.

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:33.360
 What are the things are you holding onto?

00:20:33.840 --> 00:20:35.420
 Is it the number in your bank account?

00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:37.240
 Is it the job title that you have?

00:20:37.420 --> 00:20:38.880
 Is it the relationship that you have?

00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:40.060
 Is it the person that you know?

00:20:40.059 --> 00:20:43.879
 Every day we have to surrender these things

00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:44.099
 and go,

00:20:44.159 --> 00:20:44.619
 God, man,

00:20:45.179 --> 00:20:45.899
 without knowing,

00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:46.859
 I've trusted in that.

00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:50.000
 How do you know you're trusting in the wrong thing

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.579
 when you see how it affects you

00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:52.539
 when you lose it?

00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:54.139
 How do you know when,

00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:54.779
 actually,

00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:56.039
 you've paid too much attention

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:57.039
 to this vain idol,

00:20:57.179 --> 00:20:58.960
 which is relationship with people,

00:20:59.319 --> 00:21:00.299
 approval with people,

00:21:00.500 --> 00:21:01.819
 which is the moment

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:04.240
 someone who you want approval from

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:05.559
 sends you a message

00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:07.220
 that makes you think that

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.419
 they don't like you,

00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:10.180
 that just gets you all going

00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:11.140
 and you suddenly,

00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:11.820
 lo, lo, lo, lo,

00:21:11.820 --> 00:21:13.100
 you don't know what to do with yourself

00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:14.900
 and you're waiting for them to reply to you,

00:21:15.019 --> 00:21:16.360
 you're waiting for them to come and see you

00:21:16.360 --> 00:21:18.100
 just to make sure that you're okay with them.

00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:20.180
 Don't you have those moments?

00:21:20.580 --> 00:21:21.779
 Or when you're worried about your job?

00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:25.100
 Or when you're worried about your future?

00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:28.960
 Things that you think that you can do to control

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.920
 when you realize,

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:30.160
 like,

00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:31.039
 actually,

00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:32.060
 you can't control anything.

00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:32.980
 We're not sovereign.

00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:34.120
 Only God is.

00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:36.460
 So Jonah here looks at those people

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:36.840
 and says,

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.220
 ha,

00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:38.460
 they're the problem.

00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:39.600
 Interestingly,

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:41.000
 as you look at this psalm,

00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:44.000
 he mentions the word I 23 times.

00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.400
 He's in the belly of the fish

00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:48.039
 and he's doing basically

00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:49.420
 a mixtape of psalms

00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:50.440
 about himself.

00:21:52.340 --> 00:21:53.680
 He's talking about himself

00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.940
 constantly

00:21:54.940 --> 00:21:56.259
 and how good he is.

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.819
 This delusion that he has,

00:21:58.200 --> 00:21:59.440
 that actually God was the one

00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:00.100
 that took me here,

00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:01.240
 it's not really my fault.

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:02.380
 I'll tell you one thing

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:03.680
 that you don't see in all of this.

00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:03.820
 He says,

00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:05.960
 sorry God.

00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:08.860
 What you don't see

00:22:08.860 --> 00:22:09.539
 is confession.

00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:12.539
 You see him blaming

00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:13.519
 other people.

00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:14.480
 You see him blaming

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.680
 other things.

00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.720
 This is what I've often said.

00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:19.660
 You can tell

00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:21.759
 how close someone is to God

00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:23.640
 by the way they talk to him.

00:22:24.620 --> 00:22:25.440
 You can tell

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.019
 how close two friends are

00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:28.320
 or how close two sisters are

00:22:28.320 --> 00:22:29.940
 by the way they talk to each other.

00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:31.019
 Right?

00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:33.519
 You can tell

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.460
 what's in your heart

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:36.299
 by the way that you pray.

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.559
 When was the last time you prayed?

00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:39.240
 Growing up,

00:22:39.319 --> 00:22:39.759
 most of us,

00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:40.539
 we pray

00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:42.779
 usually at least one time.

00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:43.700
 If we're growing up

00:22:43.700 --> 00:22:44.299
 in a Christian family,

00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:45.119
 we'll pray one time

00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:45.839
 and that is around

00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:46.480
 the dinner table

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.400
 and it is a customary prayer

00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:49.940
 that we've learned to recite

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:51.680
 which has no personal meaning

00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:52.079
 whatsoever.

00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:53.359
 We're just so used to praying it

00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:55.980
 and that's it.

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:58.720
 What does that tell you

00:22:58.720 --> 00:22:59.420
 about your relationship

00:22:59.420 --> 00:22:59.859
 with God?

00:22:59.859 --> 00:23:02.379
 If I hung out

00:23:02.379 --> 00:23:03.219
 with Aidan and Erica

00:23:03.219 --> 00:23:04.659
 and all they said

00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:05.659
 was the equivalent

00:23:05.659 --> 00:23:06.759
 to that Chinese prayer

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.539
 at the dinner table,

00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:11.219
 and that's all they said

00:23:11.219 --> 00:23:11.699
 to each other,

00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:12.479
 what would that tell me

00:23:12.479 --> 00:23:13.119
 about their marriage?

00:23:14.659 --> 00:23:15.419
 Because Aidan is not

00:23:15.419 --> 00:23:16.179
 a man of few words.

00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:17.099
 He can speak

00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:18.779
 lyrical for days

00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:19.359
 so that's not going

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:19.859
 to be the problem.

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:23.299
 But how we speak to God,

00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:24.859
 how we pray,

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:27.599
 will indicate to us

00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:28.740
 how close we are to him

00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.880
 or what we're actually

00:23:29.880 --> 00:23:30.440
 thinking about.

00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:31.559
 If I did an audit

00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:32.120
 of your prayer,

00:23:32.599 --> 00:23:33.680
 now please don't feel

00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:34.839
 conscious or insecure

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:35.839
 when I'm praying with you

00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:36.120
 and you're like,

00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:36.859
 man, James is just

00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:37.700
 judging my prayer

00:23:37.700 --> 00:23:38.980
 and what I'm saying,

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.599
 but I'm not,

00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:42.000
 but maybe a little bit.

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.000
 But man,

00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:47.380
 I'll tell you

00:23:47.380 --> 00:23:48.400
 what that does for me

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:49.180
 when I'm praying,

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:50.660
 even when I'm on my own,

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:51.420
 even when I'm praying

00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:51.900
 with my kids,

00:23:51.960 --> 00:23:52.200
 I'm like,

00:23:52.460 --> 00:23:52.759
 actually,

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:53.880
 what picture of God

00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:55.039
 am I painting to my kids

00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:55.960
 when I'm praying with them?

00:23:56.819 --> 00:23:57.039
 You know?

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:59.039
 And as pastor,

00:23:59.140 --> 00:23:59.680
 I'm guilty.

00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:00.660
 Sometimes when I'm praying

00:24:00.660 --> 00:24:01.900
 for the kids at nighttime

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.480
 when they sleep,

00:24:02.600 --> 00:24:03.640
 and to be honest,

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:05.100
 the majority of my mind

00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:05.539
 is just going,

00:24:05.620 --> 00:24:06.559
 Lord, please help them sleep.

00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.460
 Please help them sleep

00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.160
 straight through the night.

00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:09.400
 Please keep them quiet

00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:10.160
 the rest of the night.

00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:11.360
 Let us all have a good rest

00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:12.259
 and let's all wake up

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.559
 and our snotty nose

00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:13.920
 will be gone

00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:14.660
 and our cough will be gone.

00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:14.920
 Please.

00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:16.700
 And I look back

00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:16.980
 and I go,

00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:17.259
 man,

00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.720
 I think I'm painting

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.900
 a picture to them

00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:21.519
 that God is just someone

00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:22.480
 who will help them sleep,

00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:24.720
 that they should sleep,

00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:25.980
 that God wants them to sleep,

00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.059
 otherwise they'll be in trouble

00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:27.720
 if they don't sleep,

00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.980
 and that actually,

00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:31.240
 that God just is going

00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:32.059
 to help them be healthy.

00:24:32.980 --> 00:24:33.740
 And that's it.

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:35.860
 We'll help them pass their exams.

00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:38.180
 We'll help them get the job

00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:38.660
 that they want.

00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:40.500
 We'll help them get the life

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:40.980
 that they want.

00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:43.539
 What's your prayer like?

00:24:44.600 --> 00:24:45.240
 Have a think.

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.480
 So I force myself

00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:46.940
 when I'm praying,

00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:47.160
 I'm like,

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:47.380
 God,

00:24:47.860 --> 00:24:49.640
 I want to pray to you.

00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:50.480
 I want to talk to you

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.620
 from the bottom of my heart.

00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:53.880
 I want to be real to you.

00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:56.180
 Because I want to share with you

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:57.180
 what's real on my heart.

00:24:57.940 --> 00:24:58.720
 What's on yours?

00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:01.600
 Let's do a self-audit

00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:02.400
 of our prayers

00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:04.140
 because that is so important.

00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:06.640
 He doesn't confess at all.

00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:07.039
 In fact,

00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:07.680
 when he says,

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.360
 but I,

00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:09.299
 with the voice of thanksgiving,

00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:10.380
 will sacrifice to you

00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:11.360
 what I have vowed,

00:25:11.400 --> 00:25:11.720
 I will pay.

00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:12.019
 He's saying,

00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:12.279
 God,

00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:13.519
 those people,

00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:14.539
 those pagans,

00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:16.180
 those unholy people,

00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:17.600
 they do this.

00:25:17.860 --> 00:25:18.860
 They have no hope.

00:25:18.940 --> 00:25:19.579
 They're going to die.

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:20.480
 But I,

00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:22.360
 from the belly of this fish,

00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:24.500
 I will sacrifice to you.

00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:25.339
 And you know what God's saying?

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:26.680
 God's saying,

00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:26.980
 man,

00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:28.220
 1 Samuel 15,

00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:28.519
 he's saying,

00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:29.359
 it's better to obey

00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:30.160
 than to sacrifice.

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:31.500
 I don't need your sacrifice.

00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:33.420
 I don't need all your things.

00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.859
 I don't need your sorry,

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:35.440
 not sorry.

00:25:36.940 --> 00:25:37.680
 If you love me,

00:25:37.700 --> 00:25:38.319
 you'll obey me.

00:25:38.420 --> 00:25:39.119
 That's what Jesus said.

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:40.000
 Why?

00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:40.880
 Because you'll obey me

00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:41.680
 because you trust me.

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:43.680
 And you trust me

00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:44.440
 because you love me.

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.740
 That's what I'm after.

00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:48.160
 Not just this.

00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:49.519
 Have you been there

00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.279
 when you've had an argument

00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:50.819
 with someone?

00:25:51.159 --> 00:25:52.059
 I have,

00:25:52.179 --> 00:25:53.019
 and I can safely say this

00:25:53.019 --> 00:25:53.899
 because Christina can't hear

00:25:53.899 --> 00:25:55.059
 as she's teaching the kids right now.

00:25:55.659 --> 00:25:57.000
 I've been there as a husband.

00:25:57.179 --> 00:25:57.700
 Have you prayed?

00:25:57.859 --> 00:25:58.019
 No,

00:25:58.039 --> 00:25:58.439
 not you prayed.

00:25:58.539 --> 00:25:59.379
 I haven't prayed to my wife.

00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:00.200
 That will be heresy.

00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:03.319
 Have you said sorry

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:05.000
 to your wife,

00:26:05.139 --> 00:26:06.259
 but you're not actually sorry?

00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:08.059
 Yes.

00:26:08.159 --> 00:26:08.779
 Who just said that?

00:26:08.779 --> 00:26:09.379
 Danny.

00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:12.960
 Every day.

00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:13.500
 Whoa.

00:26:15.099 --> 00:26:15.659
 Spicy.

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:21.880
 I've done it.

00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.180
 John,

00:26:22.300 --> 00:26:22.940
 you've done it.

00:26:23.840 --> 00:26:24.759
 And I'll tell you

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:25.600
 what the sorry is.

00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.279
 Oh, man.

00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:29.019
 I'm sorry you feel that way.

00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:33.360
 I'm sorry that you're so immature

00:26:33.360 --> 00:26:34.440
 that you can't see above

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.560
 my higher reasoning

00:26:35.560 --> 00:26:37.560
 and my higher level of love.

00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:39.120
 I'm sorry that you're in

00:26:39.120 --> 00:26:40.880
 this emotional mess right now.

00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:41.980
 But honestly,

00:26:42.080 --> 00:26:42.960
 I'm not really sorry.

00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:44.680
 I'm just sorry

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:46.120
 that we're having this conversation

00:26:46.120 --> 00:26:46.779
 right now

00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:49.019
 when I could be playing 2K.

00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:51.160
 But instead,

00:26:51.380 --> 00:26:52.059
 I'm sitting here

00:26:52.059 --> 00:26:53.620
 trying to reconcile.

00:26:54.100 --> 00:26:55.079
 I am literally sorry

00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:56.440
 that we're here.

00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:58.299
 But I'm not sorry about you.

00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:59.380
 I'm not sorry about what I did.

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:01.480
 I think that's what Jonah's doing here.

00:27:03.100 --> 00:27:03.720
 It's just like,

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:03.900
 man,

00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:05.259
 it sucks that I'm in the belly of the fish.

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:09.220
 And that's all I'm sorry for.

00:27:10.100 --> 00:27:10.720
 Have you been there?

00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:12.759
 I think as a church,

00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:13.920
 as Christians,

00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:15.200
 we've lost the art of confession.

00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:16.460
 We've lost the art of going,

00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:16.680
 man,

00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:18.119
 when we just own up

00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:18.700
 and just go,

00:27:18.879 --> 00:27:19.079
 man,

00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:20.859
 I am sorry

00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:23.980
 because I did something wrong.

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:25.000
 And so I repent

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:25.759
 and I turn around

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:26.759
 and I change my ways.

00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:29.000
 That's a different kind of sorry.

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.359
 Jonah does not have

00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:31.359
 that kind of sorry.

00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:33.440
 We don't talk about confession

00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:34.460
 because often we don't like

00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:35.160
 talking about sin.

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:36.440
 We don't like talking about sin

00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:37.359
 because we don't want to repent

00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:38.259
 because we don't really want

00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.039
 to change our ways.

00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:40.779
 But we have to talk about repentance.

00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:41.859
 We have to talk about sin

00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:43.160
 because there is grace.

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:45.720
 There's a quote that says this.

00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:47.960
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer says this,

00:27:48.019 --> 00:27:49.139
 cheap grace is the preaching

00:27:49.139 --> 00:27:49.660
 of forgiveness

00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.920
 without requiring repentance.

00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:52.720
 Baptism without discipline.

00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:54.420
 Communion without confession.

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:56.680
 Absolution without personal confession.

00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:57.859
 Cheap grace is grace

00:27:57.859 --> 00:27:58.859
 without discipleship.

00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.079
 Grace without the cross.

00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:01.559
 Grace without Jesus Christ.

00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:04.179
 We must learn to confess.

00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:05.419
 We must learn to repent

00:28:05.419 --> 00:28:07.159
 because sin is serious

00:28:07.159 --> 00:28:08.240
 because sin kills.

00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:09.220
 It leads to death.

00:28:09.379 --> 00:28:10.579
 But God hates sin

00:28:10.579 --> 00:28:11.440
 because of that death.

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:13.179
 And so he calls us to repentance.

00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:13.779
 What is repentance?

00:28:13.899 --> 00:28:14.819
 These Christian-y words,

00:28:15.139 --> 00:28:15.539
 repentance,

00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:16.980
 it just means turn around.

00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:19.139
 Turn around.

00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:19.940
 Where you're going

00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:20.879
 is going downhill

00:28:20.879 --> 00:28:21.919
 and you'll end up

00:28:21.919 --> 00:28:23.039
 in the bottom of the ocean.

00:28:23.419 --> 00:28:24.519
 Turn around.

00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:26.740
 That's all he's saying.

00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:29.460
 When sometimes we picture that guy,

00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:30.819
 that crazy guy standing on the street

00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:31.700
 with his big wooden board

00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:32.159
 saying repent

00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:33.379
 for the kingdom of God is near.

00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:34.740
 And it just sounds so crazy.

00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:36.359
 It's just a father

00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:37.119
 telling his children,

00:28:37.339 --> 00:28:38.000
 turn around.

00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:41.220
 If you run out onto that road,

00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:42.399
 that bus will kill you.

00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:44.720
 That's all he's saying.

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:46.879
 It's about relationship.

00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.559
 It's about saying,

00:28:47.879 --> 00:28:48.599
 come back around.

00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.819
 But we have to learn

00:28:49.819 --> 00:28:50.779
 to turn around

00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:52.359
 because if we don't turn around,

00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:53.679
 then we will get killed.

00:28:55.439 --> 00:28:56.439
 Does that make sense?

00:28:57.659 --> 00:28:58.980
 We have to learn confession.

00:28:58.980 --> 00:29:00.500
 We have to learn repentance.

00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:02.079
 And it finishes with this.

00:29:03.399 --> 00:29:04.439
 What I vowed I will pay.

00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:07.159
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:08.339
 Scholars have said

00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:09.159
 that's the key verse

00:29:09.159 --> 00:29:10.179
 in the whole of this book.

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:12.319
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:29:12.379 --> 00:29:12.579
 Why?

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.299
 Because he's the one

00:29:13.299 --> 00:29:14.019
 in complete control.

00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:15.019
 He's the one that firstly

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:15.799
 spoke to Jonah

00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:16.460
 at the very beginning.

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:18.259
 He's the one that was with him

00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:18.839
 in the ocean.

00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:20.159
 He's the one that sent the fish.

00:29:20.439 --> 00:29:20.700
 Everything.

00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:23.179
 Jesus saves is what it's saying.

00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:25.539
 Scholars will also say

00:29:25.539 --> 00:29:27.240
 this isn't just the central line

00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:28.000
 for this book.

00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:29.339
 This is the central line

00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:30.420
 of this whole book.

00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:33.819
 Salvation belongs to God.

00:29:34.299 --> 00:29:35.599
 That we are people

00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:37.420
 who are heading down,

00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:38.440
 who are drowning,

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:40.920
 and yet God comes to save us.

00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:42.539
 That's it.

00:29:42.859 --> 00:29:44.380
 That's what that final verse is.

00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:46.319
 Actually, he does get something right

00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:47.259
 in his mixtape here.

00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:48.619
 Verse six, he says this.

00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:49.839
 I went down to the land

00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:51.359
 whose bars closed upon me forever.

00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:52.720
 Yet you,

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:54.059
 yet you,

00:29:54.059 --> 00:29:56.099
 brought me up.

00:29:57.099 --> 00:29:58.720
 Yet you came to save me.

00:29:59.359 --> 00:29:59.879
 Years later,

00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:00.960
 the apostle Paul

00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:02.119
 will say this in Ephesians 2.

00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:03.179
 We were dead in our sins.

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.259
 We were dead in the trespasses

00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:04.779
 of our sins.

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:05.599
 We were following

00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.539
 the course of this world.

00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:07.460
 We were carrying out

00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:08.500
 the desires of our flesh,

00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:10.159
 but God,

00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:12.720
 rich in mercy,

00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.279
 because of the great love

00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:15.339
 that he had for us,

00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:17.099
 makes us alive again.

00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:18.740
 That pivot there,

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:20.500
 where we are,

00:30:20.900 --> 00:30:21.620
 yet you,

00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:23.460
 but God

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:24.799
 is the thing that turns it.

00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:27.099
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.180
 Jesus is the one

00:30:28.180 --> 00:30:28.940
 who saves.

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:29.480
 In Acts 4,

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:29.920
 it says this,

00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:30.740
 there is salvation

00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:31.539
 in no one else.

00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:33.779
 No one else can save

00:30:33.779 --> 00:30:34.339
 but the name

00:30:34.339 --> 00:30:35.559
 of Jesus.

00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:37.299
 Jesus is the only one

00:30:37.299 --> 00:30:38.640
 who dove into that ocean

00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:39.299
 to save us,

00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:40.240
 to bring us out

00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:40.819
 of that storm

00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:44.059
 and sacrificing his life

00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:45.220
 whilst doing so.

00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:47.000
 The word Jesus himself,

00:30:47.120 --> 00:30:47.539
 the root word,

00:30:47.620 --> 00:30:48.019
 is Yeshua.

00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:50.299
 Which means Jesus saves.

00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:52.720
 Do you recognize that?

00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.779
 That Jesus has saved you?

00:30:56.599 --> 00:30:57.880
 Or do you still think

00:30:57.880 --> 00:30:58.400
 that you're trying

00:30:58.400 --> 00:30:59.099
 to save yourself?

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:02.200
 In your very admirable,

00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:02.980
 noble pursuits

00:31:02.980 --> 00:31:03.880
 to being a good person,

00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:04.759
 to being a good Christian,

00:31:05.120 --> 00:31:06.259
 are you still trying

00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:06.900
 to save yourself?

00:31:07.980 --> 00:31:08.640
 I know my brother

00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:09.339
 often likes to ask

00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:09.960
 this question to people

00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:10.400
 and he got it

00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:10.980
 from somewhere else

00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:11.700
 because he doesn't come up

00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:12.519
 with these good things himself.

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:16.220
 He asks people the question,

00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:16.420
 hey,

00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.160
 how do you know

00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:17.960
 you're going to get into heaven?

00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:21.579
 How do you know

00:31:21.579 --> 00:31:22.180
 that you're going

00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:22.759
 to get into heaven?

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.480
 Have a think now,

00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:24.460
 what would your answer be?

00:31:30.460 --> 00:31:31.440
 Just a moment of silence

00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:32.259
 just to keep you on edge

00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:33.140
 in case I might ask you.

00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:33.880
 Don't worry,

00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:34.519
 I won't ask you.

00:31:35.960 --> 00:31:36.319
 What is,

00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:37.759
 your answer to that question

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.420
 will tell us

00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.500
 whether you truly understand

00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.180
 that Jesus saves.

00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.819
 Because if you say,

00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:42.599
 if I ask Danny,

00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:44.099
 how do you know

00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:44.699
 you're going to get into heaven?

00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:45.059
 Don't worry,

00:31:45.159 --> 00:31:45.879
 I'll answer for you.

00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:48.019
 Yes.

00:31:49.339 --> 00:31:50.119
 This is the only way

00:31:50.119 --> 00:31:50.859
 I keep Danny awake,

00:31:50.919 --> 00:31:51.299
 by the way.

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.579
 Because the alpha videos

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:55.159
 didn't do it.

00:32:02.439 --> 00:32:02.919
 KO'd,

00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:03.519
 KO'd

00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:03.859
 in the middle

00:32:03.859 --> 00:32:04.459
 of the third one.

00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:05.019
 He nearly got

00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:05.619
 to the third round.

00:32:05.619 --> 00:32:10.500
 If your answer

00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:11.259
 to that question,

00:32:11.439 --> 00:32:12.199
 how do you know

00:32:12.199 --> 00:32:12.919
 you're going to get

00:32:12.919 --> 00:32:13.319
 into heaven?

00:32:13.579 --> 00:32:14.719
 If your answer

00:32:14.719 --> 00:32:16.079
 starts with I,

00:32:17.239 --> 00:32:17.819
 you've lost.

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:19.779
 If it's,

00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:20.219
 well,

00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:21.779
 I think I'm a good person.

00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:23.899
 Or,

00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:24.559
 yeah,

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:25.559
 I go to church.

00:32:26.659 --> 00:32:26.859
 Oh yeah,

00:32:26.959 --> 00:32:28.439
 I go and listen

00:32:28.439 --> 00:32:28.879
 to sermons.

00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:29.119


00:32:29.939 --> 00:32:31.279
 I listen to worship music

00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:32.019
 sometimes

00:32:32.019 --> 00:32:33.160
 to keep me calm

00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:33.859
 when I'm on the MTR

00:32:33.859 --> 00:32:34.960
 and I'm filled and surrounded

00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:35.980
 with crowds and people.

00:32:37.700 --> 00:32:38.480
 If your answer

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:39.259
 starts with I,

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.660
 you've missed the point.

00:32:41.139 --> 00:32:41.779
 You've missed the point

00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:42.400
 of this whole book.

00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:43.339
 Salvation belongs

00:32:43.339 --> 00:32:43.779
 to the Lord.

00:32:43.859 --> 00:32:44.559
 The only way

00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.240
 that you can get

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:45.700
 to heaven

00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:47.720
 if it starts

00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:48.160
 with Jesus.

00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:49.920
 Because Jesus,

00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:51.359
 yet you,

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:52.720
 but God,

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.519
 Jesus saved me.

00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:56.400
 That's the only way.

00:32:57.339 --> 00:32:58.559
 Do we truly understand

00:32:58.559 --> 00:32:59.559
 that's what he's trying

00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.139
 to get at here?

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:01.460
 See,

00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:01.839
 Jonah,

00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:03.299
 knows all the right

00:33:03.299 --> 00:33:03.859
 words to say.

00:33:03.960 --> 00:33:05.139
 He makes two theological

00:33:05.139 --> 00:33:06.220
 confessions so far

00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:06.940
 in these two chapters.

00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:07.819
 First of all,

00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:08.440
 in chapter one,

00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:09.039
 when they ask him

00:33:09.039 --> 00:33:09.740
 who the heck he is,

00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:10.220
 he says,

00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:10.879
 I am a Hebrew

00:33:10.879 --> 00:33:11.799
 and I fear the Lord,

00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:13.359
 the God of heaven

00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:14.039
 who made the sea

00:33:14.039 --> 00:33:14.759
 and the dry land.

00:33:15.099 --> 00:33:16.139
 This theological confession,

00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:16.619
 which is like,

00:33:16.859 --> 00:33:17.859
 it's like a creed.

00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:19.079
 Of course,

00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:19.700
 it's all ironic

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:21.500
 because you fear the one

00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:22.259
 who is in control

00:33:22.259 --> 00:33:22.779
 of the sea

00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:24.139
 and is currently

00:33:24.139 --> 00:33:25.160
 responsible for this storm,

00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:26.240
 which doesn't make sense

00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:26.559
 at all.

00:33:26.619 --> 00:33:27.639
 So that's his first confession.

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:28.819
 His second one

00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:29.980
 talks about salvation

00:33:29.980 --> 00:33:30.759
 belongs to the Lord.

00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:32.500
 It seems like he gets it.

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.839
 It sounds like he gets it,

00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.019
 but we actually find out

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:36.500
 that he doesn't actually get it.

00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:38.500
 Do you know the right words

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:38.900
 to say,

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:39.740
 but you don't actually

00:33:39.740 --> 00:33:40.740
 truly understand the gospel?

00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:44.039
 Do you pay lip service

00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:44.879
 to God

00:33:44.879 --> 00:33:45.980
 and you sing those songs,

00:33:46.099 --> 00:33:47.079
 but you don't actually

00:33:47.079 --> 00:33:47.720
 truly believe

00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:48.339
 that you were drowning?

00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:50.439
 You actually think

00:33:50.439 --> 00:33:51.359
 you're a decent person

00:33:51.359 --> 00:33:52.379
 that actually you can

00:33:52.379 --> 00:33:53.500
 make it to heaven yourself

00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:55.199
 by being a decent person

00:33:55.199 --> 00:33:56.939
 when the reality is

00:33:56.939 --> 00:33:57.519
 no one is good.

00:33:58.639 --> 00:33:59.419
 I'm not good.

00:34:00.859 --> 00:34:01.720
 Definitely not good.

00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:04.059
 Baby Micah,

00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:05.000
 definitely not good.

00:34:06.459 --> 00:34:07.619
 Incredibly sinful being

00:34:07.619 --> 00:34:08.380
 right there.

00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:11.460
 Cries whenever he gets,

00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:12.179
 whenever he doesn't get

00:34:12.179 --> 00:34:12.679
 what he wants.

00:34:14.319 --> 00:34:15.079
 Needs to sleep,

00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:15.860
 but doesn't want to sleep.

00:34:16.799 --> 00:34:17.699
 Don't you have that?

00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:19.039
 I have that.

00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:21.960
 If your answer starts

00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:22.340
 with I,

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:23.539
 you've lost.

00:34:23.980 --> 00:34:25.059
 But it starts with Jesus,

00:34:25.660 --> 00:34:26.240
 then he's won.

00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:26.720
 You've won.

00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:28.700
 That's what it is.

00:34:28.820 --> 00:34:30.000
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:34:30.220 --> 00:34:31.300
 There is only one name.

00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:34.160
 Don't just pay lip service

00:34:34.160 --> 00:34:35.380
 and say that you trust in Jesus,

00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.420
 but you actually don't really.

00:34:36.680 --> 00:34:37.700
 You still think that you can

00:34:37.700 --> 00:34:38.480
 swim your way out

00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:38.920
 of this trouble?

00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:40.720
 That ain't gonna happen.

00:34:41.620 --> 00:34:42.559
 There is no float

00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.200
 that will save you

00:34:43.200 --> 00:34:43.980
 from this deep storm

00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:44.700
 in this deep ocean.

00:34:47.100 --> 00:34:48.320
 Apart from Jesus himself.

00:34:48.340 --> 00:34:51.100
 But it starts with confession.

00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:52.519
 And I want us to do

00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:53.120
 the very thing

00:34:53.120 --> 00:34:54.880
 that Jonah failed to do.

00:34:55.740 --> 00:34:57.019
 To actually say sorry

00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:59.300
 and actually mean it.

00:35:00.240 --> 00:35:01.059
 Can we do that?

00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:02.720
 Can we have a think

00:35:02.720 --> 00:35:03.760
 about what that actually means?

00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.260
 And I want to do this

00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:05.780
 in two ways.

00:35:06.100 --> 00:35:07.400
 If you are a visitor here

00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:09.600
 and you're not plugged in

00:35:09.600 --> 00:35:10.140
 and you don't know

00:35:10.140 --> 00:35:10.960
 the people around you,

00:35:11.320 --> 00:35:13.260
 then I want you just

00:35:13.260 --> 00:35:13.920
 to make a confession

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:14.620
 in your own heart.

00:35:14.619 --> 00:35:16.659
 Now, at some point,

00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:19.179
 it is of infinite worth

00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:20.440
 and incredibly helpful

00:35:20.440 --> 00:35:22.139
 for you to actually say out

00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:24.400
 what it is that you're confessing.

00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:26.380
 And it's not,

00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:26.980
 look,

00:35:27.139 --> 00:35:28.239
 and it's not a mysterious

00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:29.460
 religious thing.

00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:30.299
 It's a,

00:35:31.299 --> 00:35:31.960
 God, I'm sorry

00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:35.239
 because I chose this.

00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:37.339
 God, I'm sorry

00:35:37.339 --> 00:35:39.039
 because I don't actually trust you.

00:35:39.579 --> 00:35:40.719
 I've realized that now.

00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:42.919
 God, I'm sorry

00:35:42.919 --> 00:35:44.179
 because I thought,

00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:45.179
 I think

00:35:45.179 --> 00:35:46.959
 that actually what people

00:35:46.959 --> 00:35:47.459
 think of me

00:35:47.459 --> 00:35:47.899
 is important,

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:48.639
 more important

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:49.599
 than what you think of me.

00:35:50.919 --> 00:35:51.799
 God, I'm sorry

00:35:51.799 --> 00:35:52.739
 because I'm holding on

00:35:52.739 --> 00:35:54.559
 to my money too tightly

00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.659
 when in reality

00:35:55.659 --> 00:35:56.839
 that money came from you

00:35:56.839 --> 00:35:58.079
 and can vanish in a second.

00:35:59.799 --> 00:36:00.639
 Whatever it is,

00:36:01.339 --> 00:36:01.879
 I invite you just

00:36:01.879 --> 00:36:02.980
 to confess it in your heart.

00:36:03.579 --> 00:36:04.379
 That's the beginning

00:36:04.379 --> 00:36:05.279
 of you being saved.

00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:08.980
 We talked about this before, right?

00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:09.799
 It's really hard

00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:10.380
 for a lifeguard

00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:11.039
 to save someone

00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:11.780
 who's trying to fight

00:36:11.780 --> 00:36:12.580
 their way to swim

00:36:12.580 --> 00:36:13.880
 out of the ocean themselves.

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.460
 You just got to relax

00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:16.340
 and let the lifeguard

00:36:16.340 --> 00:36:18.539
 do the work, right?

00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:20.060
 I think that's how it's working.

00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:23.280
 If you're fighting,

00:36:23.780 --> 00:36:24.539
 then you got to confess

00:36:24.539 --> 00:36:25.440
 and you just got to let it go

00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:27.440
 and do it in your heart.

00:36:28.600 --> 00:36:29.420
 We have a space

00:36:29.420 --> 00:36:30.019
 for you to do that.

00:36:30.680 --> 00:36:31.860
 But if you're sitting

00:36:31.860 --> 00:36:32.460
 next to someone

00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:33.420
 who actually you do know

00:36:33.420 --> 00:36:34.240
 and you do trust,

00:36:35.640 --> 00:36:36.760
 and I hope

00:36:36.760 --> 00:36:37.680
 from the bottom of my heart

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:38.619
 that you have that someone

00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:39.819
 here,

00:36:40.139 --> 00:36:40.899
 otherwise all of this

00:36:40.899 --> 00:36:41.659
 is pointless, honestly,

00:36:42.379 --> 00:36:43.639
 then let's all just go home,

00:36:43.759 --> 00:36:44.319
 stay at home,

00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:45.359
 put on YouTube

00:36:45.359 --> 00:36:47.199
 and watch a John Piper sermon.

00:36:49.460 --> 00:36:50.319
 If you have someone

00:36:50.319 --> 00:36:50.779
 around you

00:36:50.779 --> 00:36:51.859
 who actually you do trust,

00:36:53.139 --> 00:36:54.440
 then can you share that

00:36:54.440 --> 00:36:55.079
 with that person?

00:36:55.739 --> 00:36:56.259
 And if someone

00:36:56.259 --> 00:36:57.099
 shares something with you,

00:36:57.159 --> 00:36:57.739
 can you actually

00:36:57.739 --> 00:36:59.319
 respect that space,

00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.480
 respect that person,

00:37:02.099 --> 00:37:03.379
 don't judge that person

00:37:03.379 --> 00:37:04.719
 because you're drowning too,

00:37:05.899 --> 00:37:06.419
 and actually pray

00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:06.920
 for that person.

00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:08.000
 The book of James

00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:09.360
 says confess your sins

00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:09.820
 and be healed.

00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.340
 Don't you want healing?

00:37:11.480 --> 00:37:12.159
 Don't we all

00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:13.159
 want healing?

00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:15.079
 Whether it's on a physical level,

00:37:15.180 --> 00:37:15.960
 on an emotional level,

00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:16.900
 on a spiritual level.

00:37:18.059 --> 00:37:18.940
 We all know

00:37:18.940 --> 00:37:20.099
 deep down in our bodies

00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:20.780
 and in our souls

00:37:20.780 --> 00:37:21.360
 and in our hearts

00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:21.960
 that something's

00:37:21.960 --> 00:37:22.599
 not quite right,

00:37:22.659 --> 00:37:23.220
 that we need

00:37:23.220 --> 00:37:24.000
 the healing of Christ

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:24.360
 in there.

00:37:25.099 --> 00:37:25.760
 Confess your sins

00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:26.200
 and be healed.

00:37:27.380 --> 00:37:28.240
 So turn to the person

00:37:28.240 --> 00:37:28.659
 next to you and go,

00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.440
 man, I just want

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:30.059
 to confess this.

00:37:30.180 --> 00:37:30.420
 Actually,

00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.860
 even if I don't know you,

00:37:31.920 --> 00:37:32.240
 I just want to,

00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:33.099
 can I just say this out?

00:37:33.180 --> 00:37:34.159
 It might even be better.

00:37:37.180 --> 00:37:38.119
 You don't know my name,

00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:39.320
 but this is my deepest sin.

00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:43.639
 I truly believe

00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:44.599
 that even as I'm speaking

00:37:44.599 --> 00:37:45.119
 right now,

00:37:45.240 --> 00:37:45.920
 I think you know

00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.920
 exactly what I'm talking about.

00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:48.019
 There are some here

00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:48.700
 who know exactly

00:37:48.700 --> 00:37:49.740
 what you need to let go

00:37:49.740 --> 00:37:50.539
 and you've just not

00:37:50.539 --> 00:37:51.220
 been letting it go.

00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:53.320
 Repent.

00:37:55.159 --> 00:37:55.860
 Turn around.

00:37:57.720 --> 00:37:58.260
 Let go.

00:37:58.360 --> 00:37:59.420
 Let the lifeguard save you.

00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:01.639
 Because he saved me.

00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:04.259
 And he'll save you.

00:38:06.019 --> 00:38:07.539
 Salvation belongs to the Lord.

00:38:07.579 --> 00:38:08.079
 And after that,

00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:09.599
 we're going to have

00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:11.019
 a time of communion.

00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:13.460
 And this ties in with this.

00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:14.099
 And I'm going to ask Johnny

00:38:14.099 --> 00:38:15.019
 to help us do this.

00:38:15.799 --> 00:38:16.539
 Communion for us

00:38:16.539 --> 00:38:17.679
 is a way just

00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:19.639
 to bring whatever it is

00:38:19.639 --> 00:38:21.619
 that has been heavy on us

00:38:21.619 --> 00:38:24.400
 and remind us

00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:25.440
 that actually all of this

00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:26.379
 has been dealt with

00:38:26.379 --> 00:38:27.659
 by Christ.

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:29.339
 And as a family,

00:38:29.339 --> 00:38:30.359
 we do this together.

00:38:30.360 --> 00:38:32.380
 So those are a few things

00:38:32.380 --> 00:38:32.800
 that we're going to do

00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:33.360
 and I'm going to invite

00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:35.800
 the worship team.

00:38:35.880 --> 00:38:36.420
 Sam, are you going to play

00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:37.280
 the piano

00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:38.099
 even with the carrier?

00:38:38.360 --> 00:38:38.740
 Is that good?

00:38:39.860 --> 00:38:40.880
 If not, I can...

00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:45.599
 Can I invite you

00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:46.260
 just to close your eyes

00:38:46.260 --> 00:38:47.200
 and bow your heads

00:38:47.200 --> 00:38:49.360
 and...

00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:54.840
 Just ask the Lord

00:38:54.840 --> 00:38:55.579
 what it is

00:38:55.579 --> 00:38:57.240
 that you might need

00:38:57.240 --> 00:38:57.780
 to confess.

00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:00.860
 what it is

00:39:00.860 --> 00:39:01.440
 that you might need

00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:01.880
 to let go.

00:39:01.880 --> 00:39:21.760
 confession sounds serious

00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:22.599
 and Christian-y

00:39:22.599 --> 00:39:23.880
 and...

00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:27.240
 but if you've got

00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:28.160
 the heart of it

00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:30.139
 that it's just

00:39:30.139 --> 00:39:31.079
 he loves you

00:39:31.079 --> 00:39:31.480
 and wants you

00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:32.619
 to turn back to him.

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:41.719
 Spend a moment now

00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:42.159
 and just...

00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:49.159
 bring it to him.

00:39:49.559 --> 00:39:50.219
 And if you're not even

00:39:50.219 --> 00:39:50.699
 quite sure

00:39:50.699 --> 00:39:51.399
 what it might be,

00:39:52.739 --> 00:39:53.579
 ask him.

00:39:53.920 --> 00:39:54.579
 He'll tell you.

00:39:54.579 --> 00:40:07.799
 Now if you have something

00:40:07.799 --> 00:40:08.719
 in your mind

00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:09.340
 and heart already

00:40:09.340 --> 00:40:09.799
 that you know

00:40:09.799 --> 00:40:10.440
 that you should

00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:11.579
 confess...

00:40:11.579 --> 00:40:22.199
 can I ask you

00:40:22.199 --> 00:40:22.599
 to maybe

00:40:22.599 --> 00:40:23.759
 repeat after me

00:40:23.759 --> 00:40:24.500
 and you can fill

00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:25.079
 in the blanks

00:40:25.079 --> 00:40:25.460
 yourself.

00:40:29.539 --> 00:40:30.079
 We say,

00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:30.420
 Jesus,

00:40:30.679 --> 00:40:32.159
 I'm sorry.

00:40:34.199 --> 00:40:35.179
 I'm so sorry.

00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:40.460
 I'm sorry for this.

00:40:41.859 --> 00:40:42.679
 You can fill in

00:40:42.679 --> 00:40:43.399
 the blanks yourself.

00:40:50.500 --> 00:40:51.480
 I know that really

00:40:51.480 --> 00:40:52.500
 is just because

00:40:52.500 --> 00:40:53.079
 I've forgotten

00:40:53.079 --> 00:40:53.899
 how good you are.

00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:58.739
 How much you love me.

00:40:58.739 --> 00:41:05.239
 And I repent.

00:41:07.779 --> 00:41:08.959
 And I turn around

00:41:08.959 --> 00:41:11.239
 and run back

00:41:11.239 --> 00:41:11.819
 towards you.

00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:15.659
 Because you are good.

00:41:17.139 --> 00:41:18.179
 You do love me.

00:41:18.179 --> 00:41:25.500
 And even if I hit

00:41:25.500 --> 00:41:26.059
 rock bottom,

00:41:27.419 --> 00:41:30.440
 your grace catches me.

00:41:33.239 --> 00:41:34.139
 And your grace

00:41:34.139 --> 00:41:34.599
 is enough.

00:41:37.299 --> 00:41:38.079
 Thank you, Lord,

00:41:38.139 --> 00:41:38.839
 for saving me.

00:41:42.519 --> 00:41:43.419
 It's in your name

00:41:43.419 --> 00:41:43.839
 I pray.

00:41:45.839 --> 00:41:46.239
 Amen.

00:41:48.179 --> 00:41:49.179
 Amen.