WEBVTT

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 Hi everybody and welcome to this week's online message.

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 This is the last in our series of teaching on the book of Nehemiah.

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 And today we're looking at chapter 10.

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 Before I begin my talk, let's just bow our heads and pray together.

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 Our gracious Father, thank you very much for your word.

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 And Lord, we thank you, at least mostly, that your word shines a light into our lives.

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 And Lord, when it does that, we have to confess that we don't always like what we see.

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 But we pray, Lord, that you would help us and strengthen us.

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 And in the power of your Holy Spirit, would you please help our lives

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 to align increasingly with the life you have for us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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 So, the text I want to preach to you from is the first verse of our reading,

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 which is the last verse of Nehemiah chapter 9.

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 In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement,

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 putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests,

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 are affixing their seals to it.

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 These people were getting serious about their religion.

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 And in getting serious about it, I probably do just need to say that

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 some of the stuff in chapter 10 in a multicultural society

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 seems a little grating.

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 So, the idea that, you know, sons mustn't take foreign wives,

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 our daughters must not take foreign husbands,

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 sounds really strange to us.

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 I mean, bear in mind that, of course, in those days,

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 it was parents who fixed up marriages.

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 But there was a bigger reason why

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 some of these prescriptions sound a bit weird in chapter 10.

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 And that was, as you recall,

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 the Jews had been in exile for decades in Babylon,

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 in a world where their religion was not primary,

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 and other religions held force, animism,

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 worship of the king, as we read about in the early chapters,

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 we read about in the early chapters of Daniel.

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 And during that time,

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 you might have hoped that the Jewish religion

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 would have strongly influenced the pagan culture

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 in which they found themselves,

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 but ironically, exactly the opposite happened.

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 Jews had become compromised in their faith.

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 They'd taken on some of the practices of those foreign religions.

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 And chapter 10 is Nehemiah's attempt

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 to try and recover the religious identity

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 and behavior of the people of God.

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 And so here is this covenant.

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 Now, it's not to say that,

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 not to say that the warning to not marry foreigners,

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 it is kind of repeated in the New Testament.

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 And before I tell you where and what this is about,

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 I just want to say that I don't think it's the most unforgivable sin.

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 So if you're a person who's married an unbelieving man

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 or an unbelieving woman,

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 I don't think that's the end of your story with Christ.

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 And indeed, there are many stories of people who did that,

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 and the unbelieving spouse actually became a believer.

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 There are also far more stories and far more worrying stories

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 of an unbeliever marrying a believer

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 and the unbeliever having more influence on the believer

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 than the other way around.

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 And that's what had happened in exile here.

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 But in 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 40,

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 we read these somewhat harsh words.

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 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers,

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 for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?

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 Nobody could ever accuse Paul of not being black and white.

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 I mean, you know, very stark kind of teaching there.

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 And I want to say that I don't think that's terrible general advice.

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 At the same time, I want to say to those of you

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 who have married unbelievers,

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 that you've not committed an unforgivable sin.

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 But it might well be that the theme of today's talk,

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 and that is making a recommitment to God,

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 might be especially relevant for you.

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 And here I want to give a little bit of context to chapter 10

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 in terms of chapter 8 is about conviction.

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 Ezra the scribe gets up,

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 reads the word of God from dawn till midday,

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 very long reading,

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 it's a hot day, there's a crowd,

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 he reads it.

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 And as the people listen,

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 they come under conviction,

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 like this is not the life that we've been leading.

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 We've been leading a compromise life.

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 So their conviction led to what Clive was talking to us about last week,

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 and that is confession.

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 Last week, confession.

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 As Clive put it,

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 clearing your plate,

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 getting stuff off your chest, as we say.

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 And I want to say that that is a really important thing.

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 I don't think that saying it once a week in church

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 and the kind of general confession

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 is probably enough to cover the wandering of many of us day in, day out.

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 I think we should think about that every day.

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 Lord, you know,

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 give me the strength today to live as you want me to live.

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 And at the end of the day,

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 just maybe before you drop off,

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 a little recollection.

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 What's gone well with my life in God?

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 What's not been so good?

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 What can I improve tomorrow?

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 And in a sense,

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 that's what's driving Nehemiah in this book.

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 After the walls complete,

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 amazing, 52 days and they're done.

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 And now Nehemiah sees that the most important task is

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 that having enclosed Jerusalem by the walls,

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 he now needs to put some boundaries around the people of God

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 in order that they may live as God wants his people to live.

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 It's a really important thing there.

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 So conviction leads to confession.

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 And chapter 10 is really about commitment.

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 I want to ask you a question.

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 You know,

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 are you ready?

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 As we come back to church,

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 to live services,

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 you know,

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 kind of a bit more freedom about being there,

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 a bit more freedom with what we're able to do in church.

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 Are you ready?

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 To recommit your life.

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 I don't know about you,

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 but it's taken immense amounts of self-discipline

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 to kind of keep going with God during lockdown.

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 You know,

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 it's so easy just to fill lockdown life with meaningless things

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 and,

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 you know,

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 work,

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 trying to work from home and all that stuff with all the distractions

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 and some of the good things that go with that.

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 But are you ready now as we come back

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 to make a recommitment to God?

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 That is such a big deal, I think.

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 I really would like you to think about that very carefully.

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 And this is a covenant.

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 Nehemiah uses the language of sealing the covenant.

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 It's a word that can also mean cutting a covenant.

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 And this sounds a bit strange to us,

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 but,

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 you know,

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 the way you kind of sealed a covenant,

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 cut a covenant,

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 was you took an animal

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 and you chopped it in half right down the middle

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 and you opened its two sides up

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 and then the people who were agreeable to the covenant

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 would walk through the spilt blood

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 between the two halves of the dead animal.

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 I mean,

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 speaking personally,

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 I'm not too sorry we don't do that anymore.

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 But I am sorry that we don't make a covenant with God

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 to seek to live the life that he wants us to live.

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 And so weird here that Nehemiah uses the language of curses.

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 People are basically saying,

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 if we don't keep this covenant, Lord,

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 would you curse us?

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 In other words,

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 would you please help us

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 to take responsibility for our failures

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 in keeping this agreement

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 that we're making with you

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 at this day,

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 which will be binding upon us

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 and upon our families

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 into the future.

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 There are a lot of people

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 who think that

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 these chapters of Nehemiah,

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 together with one or two other chapters

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 written at the time,

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 these chapters

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 redefined

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 and set the course for Judaism

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 into the future.

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 As to be said,

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 there are other commentators

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 who take great offense

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 at the prohibition

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 on

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 foreign marriages,

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 et cetera, et cetera.

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 And we understand that,

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 but we have to understand that

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 in a context.

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 So,

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 God is a God

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 who likes covenants.

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 He made a covenant

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 with Abraham,

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 you remember,

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 that he would bless

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 Abraham's descendants

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 and make them as numerous

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 as the grains of sand

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 on a beach.

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 He made a covenant

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 with Moses

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 that Moses would lead

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 his people

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 out of slavery

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 in Egypt

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 and towards

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 the Promised Land,

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 although Moses himself,

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 because of his disobedience,

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 would never actually

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 lead the people

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 into the Promised Land,

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 just to the kind of edge

00:10:39.839 --> 00:10:40.839
 of the Promised Land.

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 And then

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 Joshua

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 took over

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 and

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 fulfilled

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 the covenant

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 God had made

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 with Moses.

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 And then

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 you get

00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:55.559
 the Davidic covenant,

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 the covenant

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 made with King David,

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 that the Messiah,

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 the chosen one

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 who would come

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 and bring

00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:04.779
 released to the people

00:11:04.779 --> 00:11:05.360
 of God,

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 who Christians

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 believe is Jesus,

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 but Jewish people

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 are still waiting for.

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 That Davidic covenant

00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:14.440
 was that

00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:15.159
 it would be

00:11:15.159 --> 00:11:15.940
 from the house

00:11:15.940 --> 00:11:16.580
 of David

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 that the Messiah

00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:19.460
 would arise.

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 And you remember

00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:21.000
 at the beginning

00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:22.639
 of the Gospel

00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:23.340
 of Matthew,

00:11:23.500 --> 00:11:24.279
 there's this great

00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:25.519
 long genealogy

00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:26.340
 which is there

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 to prove

00:11:27.180 --> 00:11:27.659
 that

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 Jesus

00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:31.039
 can be shown

00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.079
 directly to be

00:11:32.079 --> 00:11:32.959
 part of the house

00:11:32.959 --> 00:11:33.519
 of David.

00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:34.459
 His lineage

00:11:34.459 --> 00:11:35.699
 goes back

00:11:35.699 --> 00:11:36.419
 to David

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 and his family.

00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:40.539
 And then

00:11:40.539 --> 00:11:41.620
 there is the most

00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:42.839
 amazing covenant

00:11:42.839 --> 00:11:43.500
 of all

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 and it's this covenant

00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:45.959
 that I really want

00:11:45.959 --> 00:11:47.019
 you to think about

00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:48.579
 and recommit

00:11:48.579 --> 00:11:49.480
 yourselves to

00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:49.959
 today.

00:11:50.740 --> 00:11:51.519
 And that is

00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:52.220
 the covenant

00:11:52.220 --> 00:11:53.759
 that Christ

00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:55.139
 brought in

00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:56.179
 to our world,

00:11:56.679 --> 00:11:57.899
 God's new covenant

00:11:57.899 --> 00:11:59.080
 as we call it.

00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:02.059
 And that new covenant

00:12:02.059 --> 00:12:03.659
 was not sealed

00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:04.179
 with the blood

00:12:04.179 --> 00:12:05.039
 of a dead animal

00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:05.779
 but sealed

00:12:05.779 --> 00:12:06.279
 with the blood

00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:06.899
 of Jesus

00:12:06.899 --> 00:12:08.819
 who voluntarily,

00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:09.899
 willingly gave

00:12:09.899 --> 00:12:10.500
 his life

00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:11.299
 on the cross

00:12:11.299 --> 00:12:12.100
 of Calvary

00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:13.919
 that we might

00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:14.819
 have the potential

00:12:14.819 --> 00:12:16.220
 of forgiven sins

00:12:16.220 --> 00:12:17.679
 and a new life

00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:18.439
 with God

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 in Christ.

00:12:21.319 --> 00:12:21.879
 That's what

00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:22.439
 St Paul

00:12:22.439 --> 00:12:23.700
 wrote about

00:12:23.700 --> 00:12:25.340
 extensively

00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:26.920
 and it's to

00:12:26.920 --> 00:12:27.980
 that new covenant

00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:28.860
 to that

00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:30.660
 instigator

00:12:30.660 --> 00:12:31.720
 of the new covenant

00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:32.259
 Jesus

00:12:32.259 --> 00:12:34.660
 who I ask you

00:12:34.660 --> 00:12:35.440
 to recommit

00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:36.500
 yourself today.

00:12:38.300 --> 00:12:39.580
 There are a lot

00:12:39.580 --> 00:12:40.180
 of things

00:12:40.180 --> 00:12:41.200
 in this world

00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:41.879
 that can

00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:42.800
 attract you,

00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:44.540
 that can pull

00:12:44.540 --> 00:12:45.480
 you out of shape,

00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:46.420
 that can

00:12:46.420 --> 00:12:47.960
 impact upon

00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:48.620
 your walk

00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:49.280
 with God.

00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:52.100
 And so I invite

00:12:52.100 --> 00:12:52.779
 you to make

00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:53.279
 a covenant

00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:53.879
 today

00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:55.620
 in order

00:12:55.620 --> 00:12:56.519
 that you

00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:58.779
 set your

00:12:58.779 --> 00:13:00.379
 stall out

00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:01.379
 to say

00:13:01.379 --> 00:13:02.580
 my priority

00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:04.800
 is God

00:13:04.800 --> 00:13:05.680
 in Christ

00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:06.740
 in my life

00:13:06.740 --> 00:13:08.320
 and everything

00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:08.940
 I do,

00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.259
 everything I do

00:13:10.259 --> 00:13:12.740
 is to glorify

00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:13.399
 him.

00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:18.579
 there was a

00:13:18.579 --> 00:13:19.799
 revivalist

00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:20.360
 preacher

00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:21.319
 who was a

00:13:21.319 --> 00:13:22.220
 very odd

00:13:22.220 --> 00:13:22.860
 chap I think

00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:23.600
 in many ways.

00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.360
 He was an

00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:24.860
 academic

00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:25.659
 theologian

00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:26.179
 on the one

00:13:26.179 --> 00:13:26.500
 hand,

00:13:26.539 --> 00:13:26.919
 he became

00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:27.579
 a pastor

00:13:27.579 --> 00:13:28.199
 at the age

00:13:28.199 --> 00:13:28.740
 of 18

00:13:28.740 --> 00:13:29.899
 and at the

00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:30.980
 age of 19

00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:32.019
 barely out

00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:32.840
 of his teens

00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:34.379
 he decided

00:13:34.379 --> 00:13:35.139
 that he wanted

00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:36.079
 to take God

00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:36.899
 seriously

00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:38.500
 and so

00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:39.159
 he

00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:41.759
 wrote

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.120
 these

00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:42.959
 70

00:13:42.959 --> 00:13:43.919
 resolutions

00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:45.659
 and sought

00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:46.179
 to keep

00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:46.419
 them

00:13:46.419 --> 00:13:47.039
 for the

00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:47.439
 rest of

00:13:47.439 --> 00:13:48.059
 his life

00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:49.959
 because he

00:13:49.959 --> 00:13:50.279
 knew

00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:50.620
 without

00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:51.299
 something

00:13:51.299 --> 00:13:52.019
 to focus

00:13:52.019 --> 00:13:52.360
 on

00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:55.100
 he would

00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:55.500
 not

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:57.639
 stick with

00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:57.799
 it,

00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:58.340
 his life

00:13:58.340 --> 00:13:58.720
 would just

00:13:58.720 --> 00:13:59.240
 become

00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.679
 backslidden.

00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:02.879
 That

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:03.480
 young

00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.100
 pastor's

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:04.419
 name

00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:04.659
 was

00:14:04.659 --> 00:14:05.179
 Jonathan

00:14:05.179 --> 00:14:05.659
 Edwards

00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:07.399
 he became

00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:07.899
 part of

00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:08.360
 the great

00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:08.879
 religious

00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:09.600
 awakening

00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:10.259
 and a

00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:11.179
 revivalist

00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:12.759
 and believe

00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:13.379
 me there

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:13.659
 are not

00:14:13.659 --> 00:14:14.059
 many

00:14:14.059 --> 00:14:15.259
 theologians

00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:15.600
 who

00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:16.539
 academic

00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.699
 theologians

00:14:17.699 --> 00:14:18.620
 who played

00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:19.199
 their part

00:14:19.199 --> 00:14:20.100
 in revival

00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:22.019
 praise God

00:14:22.019 --> 00:14:22.500
 there are

00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:23.079
 some and

00:14:23.079 --> 00:14:23.419
 Jonathan

00:14:23.419 --> 00:14:23.740
 Edwards

00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:24.579
 is definitely

00:14:24.579 --> 00:14:25.500
 in that

00:14:25.500 --> 00:14:25.779
 camp.

00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:26.199
 I love

00:14:26.199 --> 00:14:27.419
 to tell

00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:28.139
 the story

00:14:28.139 --> 00:14:30.459
 that he

00:14:30.459 --> 00:14:30.759
 was the

00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:31.759
 most surprising

00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:33.259
 man to

00:14:33.259 --> 00:14:33.779
 be a

00:14:33.779 --> 00:14:34.559
 revivalist.

00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.100
 He had

00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:35.820
 thick

00:14:35.820 --> 00:14:37.639
 pebble

00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:38.080
 dash

00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:39.700
 not

00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:40.019
 pebble

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:40.320
 dash

00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:40.779
 pebble

00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:42.379
 lensed

00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:44.320
 spectacles

00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:45.820
 and people

00:14:45.820 --> 00:14:46.840
 say that

00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:48.779
 you didn't

00:14:48.779 --> 00:14:49.340
 sit on the

00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:49.820
 front row

00:14:49.820 --> 00:14:50.420
 when Jonathan

00:14:50.420 --> 00:14:51.100
 Edwards got

00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:51.720
 going because

00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:52.139
 you get

00:14:52.139 --> 00:14:52.540
 soaked

00:14:52.540 --> 00:14:53.279
 because saliva

00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:53.820
 came as

00:14:53.820 --> 00:14:54.379
 disgusting

00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:54.899
 I know

00:14:54.899 --> 00:14:55.920
 but I

00:14:55.920 --> 00:14:56.500
 just think

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:57.200
 you know

00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:58.120
 how amazing

00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:58.840
 that God

00:14:58.840 --> 00:14:59.899
 uses a

00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:01.019
 bespectacled

00:15:01.019 --> 00:15:01.920
 thick

00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:03.179
 perspective

00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:04.599
 academic

00:15:04.599 --> 00:15:05.559
 theologian

00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:07.279
 to bring

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:07.779
 down the

00:15:07.779 --> 00:15:08.299
 fire of

00:15:08.299 --> 00:15:08.639
 God

00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:09.839
 on Jonathan

00:15:09.839 --> 00:15:10.259
 Edwards

00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:11.919
 listeners.

00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:15.719
 the one

00:15:15.719 --> 00:15:16.839
 thing that

00:15:16.839 --> 00:15:17.299
 you need

00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:17.779
 to know

00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:19.299
 is that

00:15:19.299 --> 00:15:20.500
 a recommitment

00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:21.519
 always has

00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.099
 a price.

00:15:24.339 --> 00:15:25.039
 At the

00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:25.620
 time of

00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:28.039
 the covenant

00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:28.539
 we read

00:15:28.539 --> 00:15:29.159
 about in

00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:29.659
 Nehemiah

00:15:29.659 --> 00:15:30.419
 chapter 10

00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:31.379
 that price

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:33.240
 was some

00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:33.879
 money and

00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:34.579
 some produce

00:15:34.579 --> 00:15:35.939
 and to

00:15:35.939 --> 00:15:36.299
 offer the

00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:36.639
 life of

00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:37.199
 their sons

00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:37.879
 not in

00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:38.520
 sacrifice

00:15:38.520 --> 00:15:40.980
 but for

00:15:40.980 --> 00:15:41.540
 to be a

00:15:41.540 --> 00:15:41.960
 Levite

00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:42.320
 or to

00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:42.800
 become a

00:15:42.800 --> 00:15:43.220
 priest

00:15:43.220 --> 00:15:46.840
 to help

00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:47.120
 with the

00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:47.580
 running of

00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:48.080
 the temple

00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.520
 we couldn't

00:15:48.520 --> 00:15:49.320
 literally become

00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:49.879
 a Levite

00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:50.900
 because the

00:15:50.900 --> 00:15:51.460
 Levites were

00:15:51.460 --> 00:15:51.980
 a tribe.

00:15:53.560 --> 00:15:53.820
 So

00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:55.700
 this new

00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:56.040
 covenant

00:15:56.040 --> 00:15:57.800
 is so

00:15:57.800 --> 00:15:58.360
 amazing

00:15:58.360 --> 00:15:59.280
 because the

00:15:59.280 --> 00:15:59.800
 price is

00:15:59.800 --> 00:16:00.240
 paid

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.520
 in the

00:16:01.520 --> 00:16:01.940
 death of

00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:02.320
 Jesus

00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:03.600
 on the

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.060
 cross of

00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:04.620
 Calvary

00:16:04.620 --> 00:16:06.420
 who loves

00:16:06.419 --> 00:16:07.740
 you and

00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.819
 who longs

00:16:08.819 --> 00:16:10.240
 that your

00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.279
 life would

00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:12.199
 daily be

00:16:12.199 --> 00:16:13.819
 more aligned

00:16:13.819 --> 00:16:14.259
 with the

00:16:14.259 --> 00:16:14.839
 life that

00:16:14.839 --> 00:16:15.740
 God in

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:17.240
 Jesus has

00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:17.740
 for you.

00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:20.419
 And if

00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:21.039
 you have any

00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:22.179
 sense that

00:16:22.179 --> 00:16:22.679
 you need to

00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:23.199
 make this

00:16:23.199 --> 00:16:24.120
 recommitment

00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.099
 you need to

00:16:25.099 --> 00:16:25.579
 have a

00:16:25.579 --> 00:16:27.019
 similar sense

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:29.439
 that I'm

00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:30.199
 unlikely to

00:16:30.199 --> 00:16:32.539
 keep the

00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:33.339
 demands of

00:16:33.339 --> 00:16:34.740
 recommitment

00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:37.500
 without help

00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:37.980
 from on

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.299
 high.

00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:40.340
 And that's

00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:40.840
 why God

00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:41.659
 sends his

00:16:41.659 --> 00:16:42.039
 spirit.

00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:43.899
 And we

00:16:43.899 --> 00:16:44.460
 can ask for

00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:45.060
 that spirit

00:16:45.060 --> 00:16:45.919
 to help

00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:46.259
 us.

00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:48.080
 Not just

00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:48.899
 to forgive

00:16:48.899 --> 00:16:50.120
 us but to

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:50.879
 cleanse us

00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:52.120
 so that our

00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:53.560
 desire to

00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:54.259
 do things

00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:54.620
 that are

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:55.659
 wrong will

00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:56.519
 be cleansed

00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:57.180
 away from

00:16:57.180 --> 00:16:57.519
 us.

00:16:59.159 --> 00:16:59.680
 Lots of

00:16:59.680 --> 00:17:00.519
 people today

00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:01.919
 are kind of

00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:03.000
 distorted by

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:03.759
 their strange

00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:04.920
 obsessions to

00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:05.519
 be a

00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.960
 celebrity,

00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:10.140
 to be

00:17:10.140 --> 00:17:15.799
 whatever your

00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:16.859
 obsession can

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:17.379
 become.

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:19.420
 But a

00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:19.680
 healthy

00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.440
 Christian who

00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:20.859
 want to be

00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:22.640
 obsessed to

00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:23.019
 live the

00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:24.160
 life that

00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:24.559
 God in

00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:25.740
 Christ has

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:26.359
 in store

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.019
 for you.

00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:29.279
 We come to

00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:29.720
 the end of

00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:30.460
 our series.

00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:31.440
 We come to

00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:32.340
 the end of

00:17:32.340 --> 00:17:34.519
 online messages.

00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.480
 May this be

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.420
 your moment

00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.279
 for the Holy

00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:39.019
 Spirit to

00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:39.799
 whisper in

00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:41.720
 your ear and

00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:42.640
 invite you to

00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:43.240
 the kind of

00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.440
 recommitment that

00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:45.460
 Nehemiah called

00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:46.120
 the people of

00:17:46.120 --> 00:17:46.900
 God to then.

00:17:48.180 --> 00:17:49.400
 I believe that's

00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:50.299
 what's needed in

00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:51.700
 our time, that

00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:52.660
 we, the people

00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:53.220
 of God,

00:17:53.900 --> 00:17:54.420
 recommit

00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:56.360
 ourselves to

00:17:56.360 --> 00:17:57.740
 him and to

00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:59.100
 the life that

00:17:59.099 --> 00:17:59.839
 he has in

00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.480
 store for

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:00.799
 us.

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:03.079
 May God

00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:04.679
 bless you as

00:18:04.679 --> 00:18:05.559
 you recommit

00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:06.599
 yourselves to

00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:06.919
 him.

00:18:07.539 --> 00:18:08.279
 Let's pray.

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:14.019
 Lord, we

00:18:14.019 --> 00:18:14.839
 want to say

00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:16.039
 that there's

00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:17.439
 so much in

00:18:17.439 --> 00:18:18.259
 our world

00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:19.819
 which is

00:18:19.819 --> 00:18:21.179
 attractive to

00:18:21.179 --> 00:18:21.559
 us.

00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:23.839
 and yet,

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:24.299
 Lord, we

00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:25.179
 know that if

00:18:25.179 --> 00:18:26.019
 we pursued

00:18:26.019 --> 00:18:26.599
 many of

00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:27.159
 these things,

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:27.539
 we would

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:28.079
 end up with

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.899
 a life that

00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:29.720
 was far

00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.259
 away from

00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:32.119
 the life that

00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:32.879
 you have for

00:18:32.879 --> 00:18:33.259
 us in

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:33.720
 Christ.

00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:36.839
 And,

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:37.299
 Lord, we

00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:37.960
 pray that

00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:38.619
 your Holy

00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:39.200
 Spirit will

00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:39.599
 bring us

00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:40.519
 under conviction

00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:42.619
 not to be

00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:44.059
 satisfied with

00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:44.899
 a life of

00:18:44.899 --> 00:18:46.000
 half-commitment.

00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.599
 Lord, we

00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:49.659
 pray that

00:18:49.659 --> 00:18:50.319
 your Holy

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.119
 Spirit will

00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.079
 provoke us

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:54.299
 to confess

00:18:54.299 --> 00:18:54.899
 from our

00:18:54.899 --> 00:18:55.779
 hearts those

00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:56.479
 things that

00:18:56.479 --> 00:18:57.439
 we feel ashamed

00:18:57.439 --> 00:18:57.799
 of.

00:18:59.039 --> 00:18:59.599
 And,

00:18:59.679 --> 00:18:59.979
 Lord, we

00:18:59.979 --> 00:19:00.599
 thank you

00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.739
 that the

00:19:01.739 --> 00:19:02.239
 writer of

00:19:02.239 --> 00:19:02.739
 the epistle

00:19:02.739 --> 00:19:03.139
 to the

00:19:03.139 --> 00:19:04.019
 Hebrews uses

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:04.779
 the language

00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:05.479
 of the

00:19:05.479 --> 00:19:06.439
 sprinkling of

00:19:06.439 --> 00:19:07.279
 Jesus' blood

00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:08.619
 on us to

00:19:08.619 --> 00:19:09.500
 rid us of

00:19:09.500 --> 00:19:09.979
 our guilt.

00:19:10.159 --> 00:19:10.559
 Lord, would

00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.319
 you please

00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:13.079
 help us to

00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:13.479
 make a

00:19:13.479 --> 00:19:14.000
 heartfelt

00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.779
 confession.

00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:17.059
 confession.

00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:18.759
 And,

00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:19.599
 Lord, at the

00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:20.480
 same time

00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:22.099
 to alleviate

00:19:22.099 --> 00:19:23.180
 our guilt.

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:23.839
 May it be

00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:24.180
 gone,

00:19:24.399 --> 00:19:24.599
 Lord.

00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:27.440
 And because

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:27.940
 you've

00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:29.559
 convicted us,

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.200
 Lord, and

00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:31.720
 because you've

00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.720
 forgiven us,

00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:34.940
 we thank you

00:19:34.940 --> 00:19:36.700
 that you invite

00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:37.399
 us to yet

00:19:37.399 --> 00:19:38.319
 more commitment.

00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:39.559
 And so we

00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:40.179
 pray, Lord,

00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:40.919
 today with

00:19:40.919 --> 00:19:41.539
 those people

00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:42.119
 of God of

00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:43.740
 old, that

00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:44.700
 we might in

00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:45.359
 our own way

00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:45.859
 make a

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:46.500
 covenant with

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:47.559
 you to

00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:47.980
 live the

00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:48.679
 life that

00:19:48.679 --> 00:19:49.299
 you have

00:19:49.299 --> 00:19:50.099
 for us.

00:19:51.460 --> 00:19:51.980
 And,

00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:52.460
 Lord, we

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:53.919
 recall that

00:19:53.919 --> 00:19:54.399
 it was through

00:19:54.399 --> 00:19:55.200
 the reading of

00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:56.460
 your word that

00:19:56.460 --> 00:19:57.159
 people came

00:19:57.159 --> 00:19:57.919
 under conviction.

00:19:58.159 --> 00:19:58.839
 Lord, may we

00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:00.279
 be people of

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:01.039
 your word.

00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:02.379
 And,

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.240
 Lord, as we

00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:03.919
 seek your

00:20:03.919 --> 00:20:05.279
 blessing, we

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:05.859
 ask that we

00:20:05.859 --> 00:20:06.539
 may bless

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:07.420
 many through

00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:08.680
 this recommitment.

00:20:09.159 --> 00:20:09.839
 And we pray

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.539
 it in Jesus'

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.099
 name.

00:20:12.099 --> 00:20:12.519
 Amen.