WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful 00:00:16.780 --> 00:00:20.780 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either 00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:24.920 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:31.520 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really, 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible, 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.760 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will 00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.680 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.780 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:20.359 Just bow our heads in prayer. Father, we ask that you would continue to pour out the Holy Spirit with 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:30.659 gentle power upon us and deep within us. Father, sometimes it's hard for us to believe that you 00:01:30.659 --> 00:01:38.060 desire us to live a life of hope, and you know how confused we are about that. So we ask, Father, 00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:45.140 as you make Jesus more real to us this morning, and as your Word is open for us, that you, by the power 00:01:45.140 --> 00:01:51.780 of the Holy Spirit, would help us to abound in hope. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:59.719 our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. So we all probably know different people who seem to know 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:05.480 a lot. In fact, we all probably know people who seem to know they think they know everything, 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:10.360 they act like they know everything, and in fact, maybe in the odd times you've tried to butt heads 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:16.220 with them, it looks like they know everything. And I'm thinking immediately, I know that there's a 00:02:16.220 --> 00:02:20.260 range of people who are like this. I'm thinking of two people immediately, though, in my mind. 00:02:21.020 --> 00:02:26.360 One of them, and I'm going to mention the name of the good person. He's now with Jesus, so I don't 00:02:26.360 --> 00:02:32.100 have to worry about him being embarrassed. Some of you might have heard of J.I. Packer. He was listed 00:02:32.100 --> 00:02:38.260 as one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century, and he was a really, really good guy. 00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:44.399 He, you know, we use the English Standard Version of the Bible here in terms of preaching, and he was 00:02:44.399 --> 00:02:50.459 the general editor of that, so he sort of knew the Bible pretty well. He's a general editor of an 00:02:50.459 --> 00:02:58.239 English translation of the Bible. And let me tell you, he was such a good, he was such a nice man. 00:02:59.079 --> 00:03:04.019 He's the polar opposite of this other fellow that I'm thinking of, who claimed and thought he knew 00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:10.640 everything. And he used his knowledge to constantly put everybody around him down and to belittle them. 00:03:10.900 --> 00:03:15.660 We all probably know people like that. They seem to know a lot, and all they do is use their knowledge 00:03:15.660 --> 00:03:21.379 to put other people down, put them in their place, shut them up, make them feel really tiny. 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:28.700 J.I. Packer was the complete opposite of that. I had the great privilege of, we were both part of a 00:03:28.699 --> 00:03:34.000 national movement, and I got the great pleasure, actually the great nervousness of preaching the 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:39.959 Bible to him for five years when we would meet every two months. And I would tell people it's 00:03:39.959 --> 00:03:46.519 very intimidating to preach the Bible to J.I. Packer. He's forgotten more than I've ever learned. 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:58.000 But he was just very kind and gracious and encouraging all the way through. And so I mention all of this 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:04.379 because we're going to look at a Bible text today that basically says that the Bible is from God, 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:10.480 and obviously if there is a God that does exist, he knows everything. So the question is, who is God 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:17.599 more like the unnamed person who puts people down, or is he more like J.I. Packer but only way, way better? 00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:22.959 Well, let's look. And so if you would turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15, we're going to be 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:30.120 looking at verses 4 to 13. And just by the way, you know, you could, if you remember a little bit 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:36.219 about what Monique read, you know, this, it's really, really interesting. Last week, you can go back and 00:04:36.219 --> 00:04:40.379 listen to the sermon. I talked about how we're practicing Advent like they would have in 1549, 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:48.259 or 424. And they saw Advent as the beginning of the Christian year, not as preparation for Christmas. 00:04:49.280 --> 00:04:53.920 And so they, all their Bible texts and their prayers are helping people to give their life, 00:04:54.020 --> 00:04:58.780 like to recommit their lives to Christ, and sort of rededicate your life to pursue holiness. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:04.759 And so the text that we looked at last week gave some very important ideas about how that works. And 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:09.200 today, it's on the Bible, because if you want to become more godly, you need to read the Bible. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:14.819 And it's really interesting that out of all the Bible texts that the early Christians could have 00:05:14.819 --> 00:05:21.620 picked, and that Christians from the late 300s up until today would pick as, in a sense, Bible Sunday, 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:27.879 it's really interesting they picked a text that emphasizes hope and encouragement. I think that's 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:34.439 actually really cool. It's sort of maybe not how we would think about what the older Christians would 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:39.639 have been like. Anyway, let's look. The flow of the book of Romans is, there's a bit of an introduction, 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:44.699 then there's the prairie, what the whole book is about, and then from chapter 1, verse 18, to the end 00:05:44.699 --> 00:05:51.139 of chapter 11, it is, what is the gospel? And then from chapter 12 to the end is, how do you live your 00:05:51.139 --> 00:05:55.620 life if the gospel is true? And so we're in that part, and here's how the text goes. 00:05:55.620 --> 00:06:05.420 Verse 4, for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction. Now, he's not just 00:06:05.420 --> 00:06:10.060 talking about everything that's written, he's talking about the Bible. It'll become clear in a moment, but 00:06:10.060 --> 00:06:15.740 start that again. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:24.680 that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. May the God of 00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:33.300 endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ 00:06:33.300 --> 00:06:42.840 Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Very, very 00:06:42.840 --> 00:06:51.480 beautiful, very, very simple text. I mean, one of the things we're going to have to struggle with as we read 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:57.000 the text is, I think if you were to ask the average Canadian what the Bible is like, is the Bible a 00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:04.420 source of encouragement and hope? Are Christians people of hope and encouragement? Probably most 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:09.580 Canadians would say that we weren't, that the Bible isn't, and that we're not. Now, that might be a 00:07:09.580 --> 00:07:16.860 little bit of prejudice, and maybe it is a little bit that sometimes we, you know, one of the things I 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:23.580 talk about at Ryle Seminary, about the type of student, I mean, we'll take any student, but what 00:07:23.580 --> 00:07:31.020 we hope our graduates are like, we want them to be the opposite of keyboard jihadis. Some of you who 00:07:31.020 --> 00:07:35.780 are familiar with the fights that go on online, those are those Christians who seem to inhabit the 00:07:35.780 --> 00:07:42.160 basement, firing away on their computer, telling everybody how wrong they are, and only they're right, 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:48.400 right? And so there are a lot of Christians like that. I call them keyboard jihadis, which isn't a 00:07:48.400 --> 00:07:54.780 compliment, and that is how a lot of Christians are, but this is actually a very, very powerful text, 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:59.879 and there's something very subtle that happens here. I'm going to read it again, verse 4 and 5. It's 00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:05.780 very subtle, but it's very important. Look at verse 4 again. It says this, 00:08:05.779 --> 00:08:13.119 for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance 00:08:13.119 --> 00:08:19.859 and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. Now, verse 5, so it talks as if 00:08:19.859 --> 00:08:24.299 these things were written, and it just looks as if they were written by, of course, just human beings, 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:29.819 and then in verse 5, though, it says, may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:36.080 in such harmony with one another, and in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:40.460 voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. So the shift there is very subtle, 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:46.100 but it says these human people, these humans have written these texts from earlier days, 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:50.700 but then it makes the claim that it's actually God that caused those things to be written. 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:57.019 And so that's, if you could put up the first point, that would be 1A, that would be, 00:08:57.019 --> 00:09:03.639 they're very helpful. What the Bible here is telling us is that the triune God is the ultimate 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:10.399 author of the Bible, or the triune God is the ultimate speaker of the Bible, and that will include 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:16.600 both the Old and the New Testament. It includes both the individual words, the phrases, the paragraphs, 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:24.919 the chapters, the books, all the way up to the whole. So at every level, God is ultimately the one 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:32.740 who is speaking through the text, and that what this is implying is that God does a threefold miracle 00:09:32.740 --> 00:09:40.319 to cause his word to be written. And this threefold miracle is this, is that first of all, well, 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:44.779 let's use like Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It wasn't necessarily that Matthew, Mark, and Luke, 00:09:44.819 --> 00:09:49.299 and John thought that they were writing something that would end up being in the Bible. 00:09:49.299 --> 00:09:56.339 And it isn't as if God just sort of took them over, and he acted, they were just like his puppets, 00:09:56.859 --> 00:10:01.079 and they wrote down the things, and they're just sort of observing it. It's not them doing it as 00:10:01.079 --> 00:10:07.240 like a type of automatic writing. It's not like that at all. What it is, is that God works through 00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:14.579 human beings, their uniqueness, their personalities, their character, to call, but at the end of the 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:20.780 process, what he wanted to be written was written. And he definitely uses their personality. Now, 00:10:20.820 --> 00:10:24.860 obviously, they're, I'm using the example of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, at different times 00:10:24.860 --> 00:10:29.879 they're quoting Jesus. But the rest of it, well, here's what it would be. Imagine that we could go 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:35.200 back in time, and God, in his sense of humor, decides that they're not going to be called the 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.480 books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It's going to be, I don't know, the book of Andrew, 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:51.940 the book of Owen, the book of Josiah, and the book of George. And if you know Andrew, or Owen, 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:57.639 or Josiah, or George at all, if we were to have written those Gospels, and then we were just to 00:10:57.639 --> 00:11:03.539 hand them out to you and say, guess which one of these four men wrote each book? Well, I haven't read 00:11:03.539 --> 00:11:09.059 too much that Andrew has written, but my bet is that people would very quickly say, oh yeah, 00:11:09.099 --> 00:11:13.860 yeah, that's clearly Andrew. That's how he speaks. Oh yeah, yeah, that's Owen. I gave Owen the shortest 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:19.939 book. He has to write briefs. And so he's going to be brief and very, you know, compact. And Josiah, 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:24.679 you can really get Josiah's flavor. And then I gave myself the longest book. Oh yeah, yeah, 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:30.360 that's clearly George. So that's what God does with his Bible. That's the first miracle, that 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:36.580 Luke is just trying to write the best history he can. Matthew and Mark and John, the same type of 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:42.879 thing. But in the midst of all of that, God made the words that he wanted to have completed there. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:49.919 And the second miracle is that other Christians recognized that out of all of the things that 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:54.220 John had spoken over the years, and maybe all of the different letters that he'd written, this was 00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:58.879 different. This was something that comes right from God. That's the second miracle. And the third 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:08.600 miracle is that it's preserved. One of the slurs that's made against us by Islamic apologists, and a 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:16.460 misunderstanding that many Canadians have, is that somehow or another, after Constantine became the 00:12:16.460 --> 00:12:21.159 first Christian emperor of Rome, he somehow dictated that the Bible was going to be a certain type of 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:28.799 way. And that's just completely and utterly wrong. What's really a fascinating miracle is that whether 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:32.699 you're like me and you think that everything in the New Testament was written before the year 70, 00:12:33.179 --> 00:12:41.039 or whether you think it was all written before the year 92 or 93, Christianity was a minority religion 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:47.860 frowned upon by the people, subject to frequent small and local persecution, and occasionally subject 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:57.899 to massive empire-wide or large chunks of the empire-wide persecution. And yet, when the 300s come, 00:12:58.180 --> 00:13:03.720 and now there's a change in power and Christians have some degree of safety and respect, 00:13:04.659 --> 00:13:12.000 the Bible's preserved. It's preserved. Those are the three miracles, that God causes the scriptures to be 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:18.740 written, what he wants is written, that they're recognized, and that they're preserved. And so we 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:26.179 say that when we hear the Bible speaking, we hear God speaking to us, because the triune God is the 00:13:26.179 --> 00:13:32.440 ultimate speaker of the Bible. Now, generally speaking, I don't get involved in controversies with other 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:37.120 churches, but I'm going to have to make a little bit of a controversial statement today. It's just 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:42.519 controversial because it's contested. I think this is the historic Christian teaching, and if you could 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:48.159 put up the second slide, that would be very helpful. Now, if you see there, there should be a line, and if 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:54.299 I could have redone it, I would have made that line very, very strong and thicker. And what you see is that 00:13:54.299 --> 00:14:01.100 on one side of the line is God's Word written, the Bible. And underneath that line is tradition, 00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:08.860 reason, reason, creeds, councils, popes, and theologians. And that's what this text of the 00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:14.379 Bible is teaching. That's what Jesus teaches. That's what the Bible teaches in time after time 00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:20.379 after time after time. And what it's saying is that, in a sense, there's a qualitative and ontological 00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:30.300 difference between the Bible and everything else. And that's why it has, on one side of that very 00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:34.979 thick line is God's Word written. Underneath it are all of those other things, which, by the way, 00:14:35.059 --> 00:14:40.579 it doesn't mean those other things aren't important, but it just means that those things underneath the 00:14:40.579 --> 00:14:48.659 line are valid to the extent that they help you to understand God's Word written. Tradition can't 00:14:48.659 --> 00:14:55.439 correct the Bible, but the Bible can correct tradition. Theologians can't correct the Bible, 00:14:55.599 --> 00:14:59.959 but the Bible can correct theologians. Theologians can help us to understand the Bible better. 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:06.800 Councils can help us to understand the Bible better, but the Bible is unique. What's underneath 00:15:06.800 --> 00:15:12.560 the line is very important. A very brief story. I was in third year, I became a Christian in grade 12. 00:15:13.300 --> 00:15:18.320 In third year university, for the first time in my life, I came across a person who seemed to know 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:24.259 the Bible very, very, very, very well, and also completely and utterly rejected the idea that Jesus 00:15:24.259 --> 00:15:31.840 was God or that the Trinity was correct. And I had never encountered anybody who had, who could be so 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:42.319 articulate about that. And I confess, it shook me. It shook me. And it didn't help that when I started to 00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:49.379 try to look into the Bible myself, I couldn't find what I was looking for. Now, in hindsight, I realized I 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:54.100 was looking for the wrong thing. I was probably looking for a flashing, all of a sudden, the Bible to have 00:15:54.100 --> 00:16:00.899 flashing lights to say, okay, George, this person is wrong. The Trinity is true. Jesus was from God. I was expecting 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:09.120 something like that that was sort of very obvious. But here's the thing. Why did I not surrender to her 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:16.159 argument? I didn't surrender to her argument because of tradition, because of the authority of other Christians. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:24.079 Christians. I didn't know why she was wrong. But I trusted that, you know, when my pastor and other 00:16:24.079 --> 00:16:29.699 Christians who are older than me and have been Christians for a long time, when they say that this 00:16:29.699 --> 00:16:34.079 is what the Bible teaches and that this is what the churches believe for a long time, I trusted them. 00:16:36.199 --> 00:16:42.439 Now, eventually, I was able to continue reading and study the Bible and understand why this person was 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:48.820 completely wrong. The Bible does affirm that there is one God who exists in three persons, and the Bible 00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:55.160 does affirm that Jesus is fully and completely God. He is God, the Son of God, who's taken on human flesh, 00:16:55.640 --> 00:17:01.940 fully man and fully God. I came to see that. But what kept me from surrendering was tradition. 00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:08.299 And I didn't grow up in a church that had creeds, but if I had, it would be creeds that would have helped. 00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:13.180 That's what the creeds teach. So you see, it's not that anything underneath the line is unimportant. 00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:18.819 It's just that there's this qualitative difference between them. And of course, this means that we, 00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:24.000 as Protestant Christians, have a major disagreement with Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox churches 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:28.659 who wouldn't accept that that's the thing. But I think that's what the Bible teaches, and I actually 00:17:28.659 --> 00:17:33.940 think that's the historic Christian faith that goes right back to the early church fathers. 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:43.580 There's another thing. Notice if you go back to your Bibles, look at what it says again in verse 4. 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:49.960 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction. 00:17:51.320 --> 00:17:57.120 Now, Paul is speaking to, in the year 50-something, 55 or something like that, to Christians who live in 00:17:57.120 --> 00:18:02.279 Rome. And what he's saying is that when you're reading something which was written by King David a 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:07.359 thousand years earlier, when you're reading something written by Moses, written 14 or 1500 years 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:13.359 earlier, that was obviously something that instructed people in that day, but it's also something that 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:18.779 instructs us. So if you could put up the third point, that would be very, one C, that would be helpful. 00:18:19.019 --> 00:18:29.639 Only the triune God could and did speak a word which is relevant and necessary to every people group 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:37.060 and every age. Only God could do that, and that's the claim of what God has done, to instruct us, to give 00:18:37.060 --> 00:18:42.940 us hope and encouragement, which we're going to get to in a moment. And so this is saying that whether you 00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:50.440 were a feudal Christian in feudal Germany hundreds and hundreds of years ago, whether you were a 00:18:50.440 --> 00:18:58.880 persecuted Christian worshipping in the catacombs in the year 200, whether you are a Christian today in 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:12.100 Singapore, in Beijing, in Nairobi, you know, in Manhattan or in Ottawa, whether you are a people group in 00:19:12.100 --> 00:19:17.559 very, very, very rural part of the world where the farming techniques haven't changed very much in 200 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:26.299 years. When the Bible is read to you, it is a current and relevant work. It is expressing the 00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:33.359 real you and the real needs, the real human condition of you. And only God could write something 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.799 like that, and that's the claim of the Bible. There's one final thing before we move on from 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:41.859 the Bible. If you could put up the final point, that would be very helpful. One D, I should say, not the 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:50.079 final point. Notice again in the text, if you go back, verse 5, may the God of endurance and encouragement 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:58.240 grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:06.879 with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this text is a rebuke to a very 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:15.280 prevalent Protestant illness. We need to, as Protestants, hear the rebuke of this text. 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:22.120 One of the great problems within Protestantism is that some people take it that all I need 00:20:22.120 --> 00:20:30.300 is this Bible and the Holy Spirit and the heck with everybody else. That's all I need. But this text 00:20:30.299 --> 00:20:37.220 is saying something far more profound. It's saying that we are to listen to the Bible, accepting its 00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:46.159 instruction, and seek in our understanding to be in harmony with our local church and the church 00:20:46.159 --> 00:20:53.859 around the world and the church throughout time. Now obviously that's hard for individuals to do, and it's 00:20:53.859 --> 00:21:00.459 one of the reasons you should hope that the ministers in your church are educated, and you should hope 00:21:00.459 --> 00:21:06.219 that I'm engaged in continuing education, that I'm trying to grow in the faith. You should hope that I'm 00:21:06.219 --> 00:21:11.339 reading books and listening to things that help me to understand how Christians around the world see 00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:16.919 things and how Christians throughout time. Hopefully, I mean, that's something you should be praying for me, 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:23.359 and it's a very important thing to pray for. But you see, we tend to think of this harmony as just 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:29.539 something, okay, we all have to be in harmony, but that's not enough. I mean, and we can really see 00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:33.599 that in the whole Anglican crisis which is going on right now. I mean, one of the things that we can 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:41.479 very, very truly say is that I can say with complete and utter confidence that when I talk about the 00:21:41.479 --> 00:21:47.439 Bible and a whole range of things, there is a fundamental harmony between what I am preaching and what you 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:54.340 would hear in Nigeria, what you would hear in Kenya, what you would hear in Rwanda, what you would hear in 00:21:54.340 --> 00:22:06.700 Venezuela, and in Chile, and in Manhattan, and in Southeast Asia, and in India. It's around the world. And this is 00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:13.000 also telling us that we need to humble ourselves and be willing to listen to Augustine, and Chrysostom, 00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:22.440 and Aquinas, and Calvin, and Cramner, as we're reading the Bible, that we need to, we need the help not only of 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:28.400 Christians around the world to help us deal with our blind spots, but we need the help of Christians from 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:35.620 earlier ages to help us to see those other historical blind spots that we have. Because the goal is that 00:22:35.620 --> 00:22:41.380 God, you see, it isn't, it isn't that when he's talking about this, that Paul is just referring to you and your 00:22:41.380 --> 00:22:49.180 little local church right this moment. There's this larger picture of what the church is. It's both local, 00:22:49.180 --> 00:22:57.120 it's also worldwide, and it's also throughout time. And by the way, that's one of the things which is so 00:22:57.120 --> 00:22:58.980 wonderful about the Christian faith. 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:06.180 We're going to talk about this in a moment, because I'm going to get into the whole topic of hope. 00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:12.720 Really, the sermon this day is really around two things, the Bible and hope. And I wanted to take time 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:18.160 on the Bible, and I'm going to take time on hope. But one of the problems that we have in the modern world 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:22.960 is that, well, everything just flows out of the current moment. 00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:30.380 And when everything just flows out of the current moment, it means that everything is ephemeral. It 00:23:30.380 --> 00:23:35.820 just comes and goes, it comes and goes, and comes and goes. And you can see within our culture that 00:23:35.820 --> 00:23:41.440 in many ways, people are addicted to that, but there's also this longing for something that has real 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:44.840 roots, and that's bigger than just the current moment. 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:53.079 And to understand that, you know, when I stand up here to preach, to the best of my ability, I am trying to 00:23:53.079 --> 00:24:03.159 preach in fundamental harmony with Augustine, and Chrysostom, and Cramner, and Calvin, and obviously 00:24:03.159 --> 00:24:09.399 earlier, people more recent to that. And I'm trying to speak in harmony with how a godly Nigerian, or Kenyan, 00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:15.080 or Rwandan, or Chinese would speak. That's actually something very wonderful and powerful. 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:17.640 But that's what the church should be at its best. 00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:29.080 Now, as I said, many, many people thinking about Christians don't necessarily think of Christians as, 00:24:30.040 --> 00:24:32.380 in fact, many people would say that the Bible is not hopeful. 00:24:34.840 --> 00:24:35.740 That it's, 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:41.320 that it says hard words to people in our culture and offends them. 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:46.879 And, um, the fact of the matter is, is the Bible does offend people. 00:24:49.639 --> 00:24:53.039 And, uh, it's offended me many times throughout my Christian life. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:58.679 And, in fact, the matter is, if you just think about it for a moment, if the Bible never offended you, 00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:02.599 then that earlier part that's so wonderful about the Bible, that it's, 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:06.119 we're trying to understand the Bible in harmony with Chrysostom, and Augustine, 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:08.439 and Calvin, and Cramner. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:13.019 And today, if, if, if nothing in the Bible ever offended us, 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:17.439 it would mean that we're purely and utterly reading an imaginary text, 00:25:17.439 --> 00:25:22.479 which is, uh, has as much root as the latest TikTok. 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:25.119 I don't even know what the word is for a TikTok. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:27.459 It was a video, whatever a TikTok is. 00:25:27.979 --> 00:25:28.559 A TikTok. 00:25:29.459 --> 00:25:31.099 Um, but let's just see. 00:25:31.159 --> 00:25:33.179 The Bible actually really is, is hopeful. 00:25:33.179 --> 00:25:35.019 And, and let's look at why. 00:25:35.019 --> 00:25:37.379 Read, uh, continue reading at verse 7. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:40.759 So, it's, it's gone all through what the Bible is, 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:44.039 and how God, uh, wants us to be in harmony and glorify God. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:45.379 And then it has this word, therefore. 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:47.799 Something follows from all of this. 00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:49.039 Verse 7. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:53.240 Therefore, welcome one another, as Christ has welcomed you, 00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:54.960 for the glory of God. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:59.019 For I tell you that Christ Jesus became a servant to the circumcised, 00:25:59.660 --> 00:26:00.839 that's Jewish people, 00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:03.419 to show God's truthfulness, 00:26:04.159 --> 00:26:08.359 in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs. 00:26:08.679 --> 00:26:11.019 And then he's going to give a long list of Bible quotes 00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:13.279 that sort of back up what he just has to say. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.619 But, um, but here's the, here's the thing which is very, 00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:18.599 very powerful about what he's just said, 00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:22.579 and why it is that the Bible is ultimately a profound word of encouragement. 00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:25.359 If you could put up the, the point number two, Claire, 00:26:25.419 --> 00:26:26.240 that would be helpful. 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:28.759 And I'm playing a little bit of a, 00:26:29.539 --> 00:26:32.599 I've sort of changed the words a little bit from a hymn, 00:26:32.879 --> 00:26:35.399 an old hymn, and that's why some words are in quotes. 00:26:36.179 --> 00:26:38.619 God's grace comes to you in Christ, 00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:43.339 so that saved, welcomed, and hopeful you will be. 00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:55.599 Look at verse seven. 00:26:55.699 --> 00:26:58.919 It's such a powerful image of what Jesus does for us on the cross. 00:26:59.039 --> 00:26:59.579 It says here, 00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:04.039 welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. 00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:07.279 So last week I, I mentioned a movie that I'd seen, 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:09.980 uh, called, um, uh, The Woman of the Hour, 00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:13.240 and I said it's a very, very, very well done movie, 00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:16.099 from my humble opinion, uh, very well done, 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:18.900 great script, spectacular acting, 00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:21.500 and because of that it's deeply disturbing. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:24.920 So don't watch it unless you want to be deeply disturbed, 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:26.799 because it's about a, a serial killer 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.140 who's figured out how to prey on women and kill them. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:32.000 Um, but I can tell you, 00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:33.900 I'm going to give a, a movie analogy today, 00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:34.759 and this is a movie, 00:27:34.900 --> 00:27:36.519 if you're looking for a good movie to watch, 00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:37.980 look up the movie, 00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.660 have to make sure you get the title, 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:41.120 uh, uh, right? 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:42.339 Look at the movie, 00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:46.220 um, uh, One Life. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.220 One Life. 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.740 It stars Anthony Hopkins, 00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:51.099 and it tells the true story, 00:27:51.460 --> 00:27:52.220 or it's inspired, 00:27:52.360 --> 00:27:53.860 more or less tells the true story, 00:27:53.900 --> 00:27:56.480 of a fellow, uh, a British banker, 00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:57.880 a young British banker, 00:27:58.299 --> 00:28:00.099 who through a series of circumstances 00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:01.799 was in Czechoslovakia 00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:03.500 after it was under Nazi control. 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:05.299 So the Second World War hadn't started, 00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:08.500 but the Nazis had annexed Czechoslovakia, 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:09.860 and they were in charge of it. 00:28:10.420 --> 00:28:11.480 And while he's there, 00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:12.460 he's a single man, 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.940 not married, uh, no kids, 00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:15.079 just lived with his mom, 00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:17.740 and, uh, he gets struck 00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:20.519 by the evil of the Nazi empire, 00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:21.140 and he gets, 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.980 his heart just gets broken 00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:24.400 by the children, 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.500 the Jewish children. 00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:29.839 And so he goes on to, 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:32.160 he ends up single-handedly, 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:33.079 well, he begins, 00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:33.880 he's the start, 00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:36.460 of getting people involved, 00:28:38.100 --> 00:28:39.440 uh, locals and, 00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:40.220 and, and everything, 00:28:40.440 --> 00:28:42.420 so that, uh, so that children, 00:28:43.040 --> 00:28:44.740 Jewish, mainly Jewish children, 00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:47.500 could be taken from Czechoslovakia 00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:49.320 and come to England to be welcomed. 00:28:50.320 --> 00:28:52.460 He ends up saving the life 00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:55.400 of 669 kids, 00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:58.600 669 children. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:02.220 Now, it's not an easy thing 00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:05.680 to get children under the Nazi empire 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:07.600 out of Czechoslovakia 00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:08.720 and into England. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:11.820 He has to organize a team 00:29:11.820 --> 00:29:13.740 in Czechoslovakia. 00:29:14.120 --> 00:29:15.380 He has to organize 00:29:15.380 --> 00:29:16.440 all sorts of ways 00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:17.440 to create false, 00:29:17.620 --> 00:29:18.799 like, identity papers 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:19.460 that will pass 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:21.100 the scrutiny of the Nazis. 00:29:21.320 --> 00:29:23.120 He has to organize, uh, 00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:24.740 adults who will accompany 00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:25.580 these children 00:29:25.580 --> 00:29:27.420 for the long journey 00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:28.980 from Czechoslovakia 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.940 to England. 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:31.360 He has to provide money. 00:29:31.860 --> 00:29:32.880 He has to find 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:34.080 people in England 00:29:34.080 --> 00:29:34.900 who will welcome 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:36.140 the children when they come. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.340 He has to get permission 00:29:37.340 --> 00:29:38.500 from the British government 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:39.680 to give visas. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.200 There's a lot of work. 00:29:42.120 --> 00:29:43.779 But at the end of that work, 00:29:44.360 --> 00:29:45.680 a child is identified 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:46.460 and located 00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:48.480 and given all of the documents 00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.080 that's needed 00:29:49.080 --> 00:29:50.080 and all of the money 00:29:50.080 --> 00:29:51.480 and adult supervision 00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:52.980 and clothing 00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:55.000 and is brought safely 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:57.019 from somewhere in Czechoslovakia 00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:57.700 to England 00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:59.400 where they get off the train 00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:00.940 and are welcomed 00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:03.160 by British parents. 00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:04.660 There's lots, 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:06.240 lots of emotion in the movie. 00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.779 Very, very well done. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:08.539 And there's some more 00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.799 other things later on 00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:10.539 that are quite something. 00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:12.740 So what this text is saying 00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:13.500 is that when you look 00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:15.220 at Jesus dying on the cross, 00:30:15.660 --> 00:30:16.960 what you see 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:19.359 is God doing everything 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:20.859 that needed to be done 00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:23.160 so that he would welcome 00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:26.180 a sinner, lost person like you 00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:28.019 into his presence, 00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:30.620 saved and welcomed. 00:30:30.860 --> 00:30:32.080 That's what's happening 00:30:32.080 --> 00:30:33.180 on the cross. 00:30:34.600 --> 00:30:35.500 And we don't understand 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.220 all of the things 00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:37.080 that God had to do 00:30:37.080 --> 00:30:38.140 for that to be happened. 00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:39.860 Take a person like me 00:30:39.860 --> 00:30:42.120 so that I can be welcomed 00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:42.940 by Christ 00:30:42.940 --> 00:30:44.799 and welcomed into his presence, 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:47.500 welcomed as a saved individual. 00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:49.960 But everything that had to be done 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:51.360 was done by Christ 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:53.899 so that I and you 00:30:53.899 --> 00:30:55.259 could be welcomed. 00:30:56.919 --> 00:30:58.039 And this welcome 00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:59.339 is a powerful welcome. 00:30:59.579 --> 00:31:01.079 It's a powerful image 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:01.779 to understand 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:03.539 what God is doing for you 00:31:03.539 --> 00:31:04.679 in the person of his son. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:06.459 And it's a welcome 00:31:06.459 --> 00:31:07.699 that just like in that story, 00:31:07.859 --> 00:31:08.539 as I said, 00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:11.799 on the life of Nicholas Winton, 00:31:11.919 --> 00:31:12.839 that's the fellow, 00:31:13.459 --> 00:31:14.500 everything is done, 00:31:14.639 --> 00:31:15.439 even the carrying 00:31:15.439 --> 00:31:16.379 of the kids to England. 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.039 There's nothing 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:18.000 those kids can do. 00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:18.799 They just have to be 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:19.639 completely carried. 00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:21.139 And that's what Christ did for us. 00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:23.139 And then, of course, 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:24.039 for Christians, 00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:25.299 as that story 00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:26.059 of the fact 00:31:26.059 --> 00:31:27.919 that Christ has welcomed me 00:31:27.919 --> 00:31:30.159 becomes more real to me, 00:31:31.659 --> 00:31:32.720 then obviously 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:33.960 I have to be a person 00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:35.399 who learns to welcome others. 00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:37.039 That's why hospitality 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:38.099 is so important 00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.779 for Christians. 00:31:38.899 --> 00:31:39.460 It should be. 00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:43.440 And that's, you see, 00:31:43.539 --> 00:31:45.799 why the Bible is such 00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:46.680 at the end of the day, 00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:49.400 even when it contradicts us, 00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:51.000 even when it offends us, 00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:51.860 it offends us 00:31:51.860 --> 00:31:53.000 to connect us. 00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:54.759 It offends us 00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:55.620 to get our attention 00:31:55.620 --> 00:31:57.039 so we will understand 00:31:57.039 --> 00:31:57.980 our need 00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:59.259 to be welcomed 00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:00.700 to God 00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:02.000 through the person of Jesus 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:02.820 and what he's done. 00:32:02.819 --> 00:32:07.599 If you could put up 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:08.599 the third point, 00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:09.279 and if you would just, 00:32:09.439 --> 00:32:10.240 the third point, 00:32:10.359 --> 00:32:11.099 I'm not going to read 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:11.419 the other, 00:32:11.639 --> 00:32:13.439 the different prophecy texts 00:32:13.439 --> 00:32:14.319 from the Bible 00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:15.980 that sort of balances out. 00:32:16.059 --> 00:32:16.960 You can read it yourself, 00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:19.099 what Paul has been talking about. 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:20.559 But it comes with this 00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:21.899 prayer at the end. 00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.799 May the God of hope 00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:25.579 fill you with all joy 00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:26.659 and peace in believing 00:32:26.659 --> 00:32:28.299 so that by the power 00:32:28.299 --> 00:32:29.139 of the Holy Spirit 00:32:29.139 --> 00:32:30.240 you may abound in hope. 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:30.919 That's the message 00:32:30.919 --> 00:32:31.519 of the text. 00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:33.579 I mean, 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:35.799 I'm going to try 00:32:35.799 --> 00:32:36.980 to just ground that for us 00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:38.039 a little bit. 00:32:38.139 --> 00:32:38.599 But that's, 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:39.019 if you, 00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:39.339 I mean, 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:40.139 this is a great verse 00:32:40.139 --> 00:32:40.639 to memorize. 00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:42.400 It's a great verse to pray. 00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:44.139 It's in the form of a prayer. 00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:45.940 This is a great way 00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:46.799 for us to pray 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:47.779 over each other, 00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:50.180 for you to pray over me 00:32:50.180 --> 00:32:51.639 and for me to pray over you. 00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:52.619 For, 00:32:52.859 --> 00:32:54.500 you know, 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.440 if you're an aunt 00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:55.900 or an uncle 00:32:55.900 --> 00:32:56.639 and you have nephews 00:32:56.639 --> 00:32:57.099 and nieces, 00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:57.980 for you to pray over 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.480 your aunts 00:32:58.480 --> 00:32:59.420 and your nephews 00:32:59.420 --> 00:33:00.139 and your nieces 00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:02.940 is pray that the God 00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:04.040 of hope will fill 00:33:04.040 --> 00:33:04.340 whoever, 00:33:04.520 --> 00:33:04.600 you know, 00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:05.259 and you can just say 00:33:05.259 --> 00:33:05.720 for the youth, 00:33:05.820 --> 00:33:05.980 you know, 00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:07.420 that they'll fill Louise. 00:33:08.020 --> 00:33:09.060 You'll fill Emma 00:33:09.060 --> 00:33:09.940 if I'm praying. 00:33:10.060 --> 00:33:10.920 You'll fill Tommy 00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:11.740 with all joy 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.759 and peace in believing. 00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:14.120 And in the original language, 00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:15.120 it's not just believing, 00:33:15.300 --> 00:33:15.540 believing. 00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:16.660 It's believing in Jesus. 00:33:17.660 --> 00:33:18.200 It's obvious 00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:19.280 in the original language. 00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.140 You know, 00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.220 I can pray, 00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:22.040 Father, 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:23.060 you're the God of hope. 00:33:23.140 --> 00:33:23.740 Will you fill 00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:24.540 with all joy 00:33:24.540 --> 00:33:25.000 and peace 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:25.620 in believing 00:33:25.619 --> 00:33:27.500 Tommy, 00:33:28.179 --> 00:33:28.539 Emma, 00:33:28.879 --> 00:33:29.399 Louise, 00:33:30.179 --> 00:33:30.619 Gordy, 00:33:31.239 --> 00:33:32.379 so that by the power 00:33:32.379 --> 00:33:33.299 of the Holy Spirit, 00:33:33.419 --> 00:33:34.359 each one of these people 00:33:34.359 --> 00:33:35.159 that I have mentioned 00:33:35.159 --> 00:33:36.079 may abound in hope. 00:33:36.159 --> 00:33:36.819 That's what the Bible 00:33:36.819 --> 00:33:37.959 is telling us to do here. 00:33:39.619 --> 00:33:40.399 And it's helped us 00:33:40.399 --> 00:33:40.839 to understand 00:33:40.839 --> 00:33:41.839 that when we read the Bible, 00:33:41.959 --> 00:33:42.579 we're to hear it 00:33:42.579 --> 00:33:43.359 as a word of hope 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:43.919 to us 00:33:43.919 --> 00:33:44.939 and encouragement. 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:46.679 Now, 00:33:46.719 --> 00:33:47.179 what is hope? 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:50.479 If you could put up 00:33:50.479 --> 00:33:51.639 the point 4A. 00:33:51.640 --> 00:33:52.280 Generally, 00:33:52.280 --> 00:33:53.320 generally, 00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.440 when Canadians 00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:55.720 speak about hope, 00:33:55.840 --> 00:33:56.520 they don't really mean 00:33:56.520 --> 00:33:57.060 what the Bible 00:33:57.060 --> 00:33:57.960 is talking about hope 00:33:57.960 --> 00:33:58.920 because most Canadian 00:33:58.920 --> 00:33:59.840 Christians speak 00:33:59.840 --> 00:34:00.640 like Canadians. 00:34:02.580 --> 00:34:04.440 And what Canadians 00:34:04.440 --> 00:34:05.140 mean when they 00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:05.820 talk about hope 00:34:05.820 --> 00:34:06.440 is basically 00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:07.620 a type of optimism. 00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:08.900 It's a type of wish. 00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:10.780 But here's the problem. 00:34:11.660 --> 00:34:12.180 Optimism 00:34:12.180 --> 00:34:14.599 is rooted 00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:15.940 in the world 00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:17.380 of one dang thing 00:34:17.380 --> 00:34:18.200 after another. 00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:20.320 But biblical hope 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.080 is rooted 00:34:21.080 --> 00:34:22.620 in the triune God. 00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:25.380 You can read 00:34:25.380 --> 00:34:27.080 a very complicated book 00:34:27.080 --> 00:34:28.539 talking about 00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.440 imminent frames 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:30.900 and transcendent frames 00:34:30.900 --> 00:34:32.460 and all of that 00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:32.980 type of stuff. 00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:33.580 But when they use 00:34:33.580 --> 00:34:34.940 all that complicated language, 00:34:35.080 --> 00:34:35.840 they really just mean 00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:36.440 you're living out 00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:37.220 of a world 00:34:37.220 --> 00:34:37.960 and an understanding 00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:38.519 that the world 00:34:38.519 --> 00:34:39.620 is just one dang thing 00:34:39.620 --> 00:34:40.240 after another. 00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:41.460 You see, 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:42.380 here's the difference 00:34:42.380 --> 00:34:43.920 is that if you're 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.720 just sort of wishing 00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:45.740 that this is going to happen, 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:46.240 I hope, 00:34:46.640 --> 00:34:46.880 you know, 00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:48.420 I hope I get that promotion. 00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:50.200 I hope that I live 00:34:50.200 --> 00:34:51.559 a very, very healthy life 00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:52.760 until, you know, 00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:53.840 I'm in my 90s. 00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:56.000 I hope I have lots of money. 00:34:56.099 --> 00:34:57.220 I hope I can get a house. 00:34:57.340 --> 00:34:58.139 Like, all of these things 00:34:58.139 --> 00:34:58.579 are wishes 00:34:58.579 --> 00:34:59.860 and all of them 00:34:59.860 --> 00:35:00.820 ultimately come 00:35:00.820 --> 00:35:01.900 out of a framework 00:35:01.900 --> 00:35:05.579 and an understanding 00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:06.940 of how the world works, 00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:08.360 which is just the world 00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:09.480 which is one dang thing 00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:10.139 after another. 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.400 And so they're, 00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:14.159 they have no substance. 00:35:14.380 --> 00:35:15.360 They have no root. 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:19.059 They're just my assertive willpower. 00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:21.200 But all I see is a world 00:35:21.200 --> 00:35:22.160 that's one dang thing 00:35:22.160 --> 00:35:22.840 after another. 00:35:23.820 --> 00:35:25.039 And what we desire, 00:35:25.200 --> 00:35:26.440 what human beings desire, 00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:26.940 I mean, 00:35:26.980 --> 00:35:27.860 the fact of the matter is 00:35:27.860 --> 00:35:29.440 is that without hope 00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:30.620 we wither and die. 00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:32.680 Human beings need hope. 00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:34.420 And it's a weird thing. 00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:35.160 Nobody ever stops 00:35:35.160 --> 00:35:35.880 with us, 00:35:36.120 --> 00:35:36.640 say to themselves, 00:35:36.740 --> 00:35:37.039 I don't know, 00:35:37.120 --> 00:35:38.320 like ants don't need hope. 00:35:39.380 --> 00:35:40.620 Cockroaches don't need hope. 00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:42.059 Worms don't need hope. 00:35:42.140 --> 00:35:43.500 Why is it that human beings 00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.140 need hope? 00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:45.279 Why is it that 00:35:45.279 --> 00:35:45.980 when you're talking 00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:47.000 to a person, 00:35:47.139 --> 00:35:47.819 you can see that 00:35:47.819 --> 00:35:49.239 their hopes that they had 00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:50.059 have been completely 00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:51.339 and utterly crushed? 00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:53.339 All of this is saying 00:35:53.339 --> 00:35:54.159 that there's something 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:55.199 about human beings 00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:56.519 and how they were wired 00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:58.000 that we human beings 00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:58.839 need hope. 00:35:59.199 --> 00:36:00.799 And the hope that we need 00:36:00.799 --> 00:36:02.319 cannot just be a hope 00:36:02.319 --> 00:36:03.279 that comes from 00:36:03.279 --> 00:36:04.440 one dang thing 00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:05.339 after another. 00:36:06.179 --> 00:36:07.559 We're looking for a hope 00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:08.139 that's transcendent, 00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.500 that's rooted 00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:11.139 in something transcendent 00:36:11.839 --> 00:36:12.519 and eternal 00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:13.679 and bigger. 00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:15.440 And that's exactly 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:16.079 what the Bible 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:16.879 is talking about 00:36:16.879 --> 00:36:17.759 in hope. 00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:19.399 Biblical hope 00:36:19.399 --> 00:36:20.039 is rooted 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.399 in the triune God. 00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:22.039 If you could put up 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:22.559 the next point, 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:23.359 because this is what 00:36:23.359 --> 00:36:24.460 biblical hope means. 00:36:25.819 --> 00:36:26.919 While time 00:36:26.919 --> 00:36:27.819 and circumstance 00:36:27.819 --> 00:36:29.799 dash human hopes, 00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:31.519 the triune God 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:32.559 wants you to know 00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:33.419 his promises 00:36:33.419 --> 00:36:34.319 to you 00:36:34.319 --> 00:36:35.719 and to know 00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:37.119 that he will always 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:38.079 keep his promises. 00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:39.639 The Christian virtue 00:36:39.639 --> 00:36:40.259 of hope 00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:41.560 isn't just 00:36:41.560 --> 00:36:43.060 that things 00:36:43.060 --> 00:36:43.920 are going to get better. 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:46.020 I mean, 00:36:46.100 --> 00:36:46.880 I don't know 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:47.180 if we'll, 00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:48.060 probably won't come up 00:36:48.060 --> 00:36:48.540 in the prayers. 00:36:48.700 --> 00:36:49.480 I have no idea 00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:49.960 what it means 00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:50.600 that looks like 00:36:50.600 --> 00:36:51.900 Assad has fallen 00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:52.560 in Syria. 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:54.780 I have no idea 00:36:54.780 --> 00:36:55.500 whether that means 00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:55.980 there's going to be 00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:56.760 greater peace 00:36:56.760 --> 00:36:57.720 in the Middle East 00:36:57.720 --> 00:36:59.480 over the next five years. 00:36:59.480 --> 00:37:01.019 or given the role 00:37:01.019 --> 00:37:02.300 of Iran and Russia 00:37:02.300 --> 00:37:05.099 in propping up 00:37:05.099 --> 00:37:05.920 and Hezbollah 00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:07.179 in propping up Assad 00:37:07.179 --> 00:37:09.260 and given that it seems 00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:10.099 as if it might be 00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:10.900 Islamists that have 00:37:10.900 --> 00:37:11.500 taken over, 00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:12.619 if that's going to unleash 00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:14.059 a far greater war 00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:14.619 that will spread. 00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:15.380 I have no idea. 00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:16.679 Zero idea. 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:17.280 Any one of you 00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:17.780 think you know, 00:37:17.860 --> 00:37:18.260 you don't know. 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:20.619 You don't know. 00:37:22.599 --> 00:37:23.340 You're just trying 00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:24.000 to be optimistic 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:24.840 or pessimistic. 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:29.840 but real hope 00:37:29.840 --> 00:37:30.360 that the Bible 00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:31.079 is talking about 00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:31.620 is that God 00:37:31.620 --> 00:37:32.539 has made promises 00:37:32.539 --> 00:37:33.460 to you and me 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:35.420 and He wants us 00:37:35.420 --> 00:37:36.620 to know those promises 00:37:36.620 --> 00:37:37.920 and He wants us 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:38.680 to start to live 00:37:38.680 --> 00:37:39.800 out of those promises. 00:37:40.260 --> 00:37:40.640 That's where 00:37:40.640 --> 00:37:42.019 encouragement comes from. 00:37:43.539 --> 00:37:44.100 That's where 00:37:44.100 --> 00:37:45.280 encouragement comes from. 00:37:45.400 --> 00:37:45.840 That's where 00:37:45.840 --> 00:37:50.260 that's where you 00:37:50.260 --> 00:37:51.360 and I need to be rooted. 00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.280 So I'm just going 00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:53.780 to close. 00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:54.600 If you could put up 00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:55.440 the 4C, 00:37:55.559 --> 00:37:55.880 that would be. 00:37:55.920 --> 00:37:56.339 I'd like you all 00:37:56.339 --> 00:37:57.779 to stand for a second 00:37:57.779 --> 00:37:58.639 because I want to say 00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.539 something to you 00:37:59.539 --> 00:38:00.299 and I want to speak 00:38:00.299 --> 00:38:01.019 it over you. 00:38:01.799 --> 00:38:03.360 I want you to hear this 00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:04.679 and if you're at home 00:38:04.679 --> 00:38:05.079 watching, 00:38:05.199 --> 00:38:06.239 I ask you to stand. 00:38:06.619 --> 00:38:07.460 Get off the couch 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:08.779 or wherever you're sitting 00:38:08.779 --> 00:38:10.360 and stand for a moment 00:38:10.360 --> 00:38:12.319 because this is not me 00:38:12.319 --> 00:38:13.599 with my optimism 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.299 addressing you. 00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:15.199 I want you to hear 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:15.880 what the Bible 00:38:15.880 --> 00:38:16.659 is in effect 00:38:16.659 --> 00:38:17.719 saying over you 00:38:17.719 --> 00:38:18.319 right now. 00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:19.659 And the first one 00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.179 is this. 00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:22.059 In His grace, 00:38:22.799 --> 00:38:23.920 at this moment, 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:27.000 Jesus Christ, 00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:28.639 if you're in Christ, 00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:29.839 if you're in His grace, 00:38:30.279 --> 00:38:31.279 at this moment, 00:38:31.420 --> 00:38:32.219 Jesus Christ 00:38:32.219 --> 00:38:33.279 has welcomed you. 00:38:33.739 --> 00:38:34.639 Yes, the real you. 00:38:36.539 --> 00:38:37.420 You might say, 00:38:37.559 --> 00:38:38.400 I don't know, George, 00:38:38.659 --> 00:38:39.460 does He know 00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:40.319 how much porn 00:38:40.319 --> 00:38:41.579 I consumed this week? 00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.699 Does He know 00:38:42.699 --> 00:38:43.400 how crappy 00:38:43.400 --> 00:38:44.579 my finances are? 00:38:45.259 --> 00:38:45.980 Does He know 00:38:45.980 --> 00:38:46.579 that I'm worried 00:38:46.579 --> 00:38:47.099 that I'll never 00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:48.239 have a house of my own? 00:38:48.239 --> 00:38:49.519 Does He know 00:38:49.519 --> 00:38:50.859 how disappointed I am 00:38:50.859 --> 00:38:51.759 about how I chose 00:38:51.759 --> 00:38:52.299 these things 00:38:52.299 --> 00:38:53.179 and not other things 00:38:53.179 --> 00:38:54.599 and how I'm ruining 00:38:54.599 --> 00:38:55.199 my life? 00:38:55.919 --> 00:38:56.639 Does He know 00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:57.519 about the terrible, 00:38:57.799 --> 00:38:58.659 the way I talk 00:38:58.659 --> 00:39:00.199 to my kids? 00:39:01.339 --> 00:39:03.059 Does He know 00:39:03.059 --> 00:39:03.759 about all of it? 00:39:04.019 --> 00:39:04.500 Yes. 00:39:07.139 --> 00:39:07.639 You see, 00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:09.239 Jesus did everything 00:39:09.239 --> 00:39:10.559 that had to be done. 00:39:10.559 --> 00:39:13.059 God the Father, 00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:13.779 God the Son, 00:39:13.880 --> 00:39:14.539 God the Holy Spirit 00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:15.119 did everything 00:39:15.119 --> 00:39:16.059 that had to be done 00:39:16.059 --> 00:39:16.980 so that when you, 00:39:17.340 --> 00:39:18.159 the real you, 00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:19.139 the real you 00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:19.840 standing here 00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:20.340 right now 00:39:20.340 --> 00:39:20.960 at this moment, 00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:21.619 when you gave 00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:22.599 your life to Christ, 00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:24.059 He knew all of that 00:39:24.059 --> 00:39:25.400 and He welcomed you. 00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:26.380 He dealt with it. 00:39:27.900 --> 00:39:28.559 And so God 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:29.360 wants you to know 00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:30.299 that promise, 00:39:30.779 --> 00:39:31.679 that promise 00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:32.840 that as you stand 00:39:32.840 --> 00:39:33.900 here right now, 00:39:34.840 --> 00:39:36.139 you might be 00:39:36.139 --> 00:39:36.820 feeling optimistic, 00:39:37.139 --> 00:39:37.579 you might be 00:39:37.579 --> 00:39:38.480 feeling pessimistic, 00:39:38.619 --> 00:39:39.400 you might be feeling 00:39:39.400 --> 00:39:40.900 complete and utter despair 00:39:40.900 --> 00:39:42.019 and God wants you 00:39:42.019 --> 00:39:43.019 to hear the scriptures 00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:44.059 that you've given 00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:45.119 your life to Christ 00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:46.180 and that means 00:39:46.180 --> 00:39:46.760 right now 00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:47.880 as you're standing here, 00:39:48.220 --> 00:39:49.340 He has welcomed you. 00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:53.420 The real you. 00:39:55.260 --> 00:39:56.300 And let me tell you, 00:39:56.380 --> 00:39:57.539 it's only as you come 00:39:57.539 --> 00:39:58.200 to understand 00:39:58.200 --> 00:39:59.740 that He has welcomed you 00:39:59.740 --> 00:40:01.559 that you have a place 00:40:01.559 --> 00:40:02.840 to stand to deal 00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:04.039 with the crap 00:40:04.039 --> 00:40:04.940 in your life. 00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:06.700 Because if you don't 00:40:06.700 --> 00:40:08.059 have that strong place, 00:40:08.059 --> 00:40:09.440 you have no basis 00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:10.420 to deal with the crap 00:40:10.420 --> 00:40:10.860 in your life. 00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:11.619 You're going to tell 00:40:11.619 --> 00:40:12.960 yourself fairy tales 00:40:12.960 --> 00:40:13.719 about yourself. 00:40:13.940 --> 00:40:15.279 You're going to drink more. 00:40:15.440 --> 00:40:16.759 You're going to do porn more. 00:40:16.840 --> 00:40:17.980 You're going to gamble more 00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:18.460 because you want 00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:19.519 to numb yourself. 00:40:20.039 --> 00:40:21.480 Only understanding 00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:23.539 that Christ has welcomed you 00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:24.679 gives you a place 00:40:24.679 --> 00:40:25.759 to stand to deal 00:40:25.759 --> 00:40:26.840 with those things. 00:40:27.400 --> 00:40:28.179 And so the Bible 00:40:28.179 --> 00:40:29.239 wants you to understand 00:40:29.239 --> 00:40:30.179 right now and hope 00:40:30.179 --> 00:40:32.519 that's how He looks 00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:33.139 at you. 00:40:35.679 --> 00:40:36.519 And me. 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:39.099 And one more thing 00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:39.780 for hope. 00:40:40.259 --> 00:40:41.219 To put up the final point 00:40:41.219 --> 00:40:41.820 that would be good. 00:40:42.900 --> 00:40:43.940 In His grace, 00:40:44.659 --> 00:40:45.880 at the moment of your death, 00:40:46.739 --> 00:40:47.940 your eyes will close 00:40:47.940 --> 00:40:48.780 to this world. 00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:50.619 But, 00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:51.699 in Christ, 00:40:52.039 --> 00:40:53.460 your eyes will open 00:40:53.460 --> 00:40:55.340 to see the new earth. 00:40:56.039 --> 00:40:57.099 And you will see 00:40:57.099 --> 00:40:58.440 Christ Jesus Himself 00:40:58.440 --> 00:41:00.360 look you in the eye 00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:01.900 and welcome you. 00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:04.360 that's what the Scripture 00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:04.920 promises. 00:41:07.860 --> 00:41:09.000 You might get old. 00:41:09.139 --> 00:41:10.019 You might get forgotten. 00:41:10.300 --> 00:41:11.440 Nobody knows who you are. 00:41:11.820 --> 00:41:12.280 Maybe you're going 00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:12.960 to die alone. 00:41:13.059 --> 00:41:13.480 I don't know. 00:41:13.579 --> 00:41:14.460 I can't promise you 00:41:14.460 --> 00:41:14.940 that you're not going 00:41:14.940 --> 00:41:15.920 to have those things happen. 00:41:16.019 --> 00:41:16.940 Maybe you'll be in pain. 00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:17.579 Maybe you won't. 00:41:17.639 --> 00:41:17.980 I don't know. 00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:18.760 I can't promise you 00:41:18.760 --> 00:41:19.340 those things. 00:41:19.780 --> 00:41:20.220 I don't know. 00:41:20.300 --> 00:41:20.880 The whole world 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:21.740 is one dang thing 00:41:21.740 --> 00:41:22.340 after another. 00:41:22.420 --> 00:41:23.760 But what I can tell you 00:41:23.760 --> 00:41:24.880 is that there is 00:41:24.880 --> 00:41:26.320 an eternal and transcendent hope 00:41:26.320 --> 00:41:27.019 and that when you give 00:41:27.019 --> 00:41:27.940 your life to Christ, 00:41:28.940 --> 00:41:30.440 that is your end. 00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:33.780 your eyes will close. 00:41:35.380 --> 00:41:36.260 But the moment 00:41:36.260 --> 00:41:36.960 that they close 00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:37.740 on this world, 00:41:38.240 --> 00:41:38.920 they will open 00:41:38.920 --> 00:41:39.840 in the new earth, 00:41:40.340 --> 00:41:40.940 the new heaven 00:41:40.940 --> 00:41:41.639 and the new earth. 00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:43.340 And you will see Jesus. 00:41:44.240 --> 00:41:45.200 And He will look you 00:41:45.200 --> 00:41:46.079 right in the eye. 00:41:47.019 --> 00:41:48.820 And He will welcome you. 00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:51.840 That is your end in Christ. 00:41:53.139 --> 00:41:55.079 Let's pray that each other 00:41:55.079 --> 00:41:56.740 will learn to live 00:41:56.740 --> 00:41:57.980 out of those promises 00:41:57.980 --> 00:41:58.720 in the Scripture. 00:41:58.719 --> 00:42:01.199 Father, I ask 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:02.079 that your Holy Spirit 00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:03.559 would come with gentle power 00:42:03.559 --> 00:42:04.619 upon each one of us. 00:42:04.779 --> 00:42:05.559 We ask, Father, 00:42:05.739 --> 00:42:06.739 that you would help us 00:42:06.739 --> 00:42:07.919 to pray these prayers 00:42:07.919 --> 00:42:08.879 over each other 00:42:08.879 --> 00:42:09.799 about encouragement 00:42:09.799 --> 00:42:10.399 and hope. 00:42:10.819 --> 00:42:11.759 We ask that you would 00:42:11.759 --> 00:42:13.439 create us as individuals 00:42:13.439 --> 00:42:14.179 more and more 00:42:14.179 --> 00:42:15.500 to be formed by hope, 00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:16.739 to believe your promises 00:42:16.739 --> 00:42:17.679 that they're true, 00:42:18.259 --> 00:42:19.399 that that would characterize 00:42:19.399 --> 00:42:20.579 us as a church, 00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:21.939 that it would characterize 00:42:21.939 --> 00:42:23.500 how we deal with our kids 00:42:23.500 --> 00:42:24.679 and how we deal with stuff 00:42:24.679 --> 00:42:25.500 in our own lives 00:42:25.500 --> 00:42:26.619 and how we look at money 00:42:26.619 --> 00:42:27.719 and how we look at sex 00:42:27.719 --> 00:42:28.839 and how we look at power 00:42:28.839 --> 00:42:30.299 and how we look around us. 00:42:30.439 --> 00:42:33.219 Father, that this profound hope 00:42:33.219 --> 00:42:34.879 that you offer us in Christ, 00:42:35.019 --> 00:42:37.239 that we would be more and more 00:42:37.239 --> 00:42:39.379 people, individuals, 00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:40.359 and as a group 00:42:40.359 --> 00:42:42.500 that are rooted 00:42:42.500 --> 00:42:44.139 and grounded in hope. 00:42:44.399 --> 00:42:45.500 And we ask these things 00:42:45.500 --> 00:42:46.419 in the name of Jesus, 00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:47.619 your Son and our Savior, 00:42:47.779 --> 00:42:48.939 and all God's people said, 00:42:49.739 --> 00:42:50.079 Amen. 00:42:50.079 --> 00:42:50.259 Amen. 00:42:50.259 --> 00:42:50.279 Amen. 00:42:50.279 --> 00:42:50.299 Amen. 00:42:50.299 --> 00:42:50.339 Amen. 00:42:50.339 --> 00:42:50.379 Amen. 00:42:50.379 --> 00:42:50.439 Amen. 00:42:50.439 --> 00:42:50.879 Amen. 00:42:50.879 --> 00:42:52.299 Amen. 00:42:52.299 --> 00:42:52.339 Amen.