WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:25.699 Good morning. Good morning, everyone. It's good to see us all. Especially if you're here for the first time. Angel, Cherry, Cherry, and Cherry. 00:00:25.699 --> 00:00:25.699 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:48.920 I appreciate you. You're like the least American American that I know. Grace, you're quite American. But it was a good time for us. But we missed you guys. We missed all the parties. We missed Kelly's birthday. Happy birthday. 00:00:48.920 --> 00:01:01.760 We missed the New Year's Eve party that was here where there may or may not have been a Congo line and loud karaoke and Taylor Swift. Seems that whatever event Gabe organizes ends up with karaoke or scripture. 00:01:02.300 --> 00:01:11.840 It could go... Or both. That's it. We need to invent a karaoke machine that just allows us to sing scripture. That's it. Oh, my goodness. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:24.579 He started us off last week, didn't he, right? On 1 John. A couple of months ago, we wanted to start with the end in mind. And we went through the Revelation, the letters that Jesus writes to the churches. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:33.620 Because as we start this, whatever this is, we wanted to start with the end in mind. You never want to start something that ends up at a dead end. Or dead. 00:01:33.620 --> 00:01:42.560 So we wanted to kind of think what the future is and go, okay, actually, what's Jesus telling the church so that we don't end up kind of falling into the same traps? 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:49.760 And admittedly, we're not perfect. And it's always just work in progress. But that's what we started. 00:01:50.380 --> 00:02:01.200 And now in January, we wanted just to actually start. And we wanted to start with 1 John and Gabe, as he often does, was so true to the scripture and just teaching us about what's the one thing? 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:06.600 What's the one thing that John, in his older years, is trying to write to the church? 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:09.080 What's he trying to tell them? And he's trying to tell them one thing. 00:02:09.300 --> 00:02:14.819 You need to know God. You need to know God. That's the most important thing. 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:20.259 And he's talking as someone who was with him in verses 1 to 4. He talks about that. 00:02:20.300 --> 00:02:24.780 He says, actually, I was there. I looked upon him and touched him with my hands. 00:02:25.480 --> 00:02:30.020 Hey, I know this guy and I want to tell you about him and I want you to know him. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:36.500 That's what John is writing. And as we think about that, and we know that, we want to know him. 00:02:36.739 --> 00:02:40.459 We want to enjoy him. Because when we know him and enjoy him, a couple of things happen. 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:44.679 We start to have fellowship with one another. We start to bond well. 00:02:44.979 --> 00:02:48.879 And then when we know him, it then seeps into our actions, into the way we live. 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:51.259 And we all know that. Who wants to know God more? 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:53.359 Put your hand up if you want to know God more. 00:02:54.659 --> 00:02:58.019 I'm genuinely hoping that you're here because you want to know God more. 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:00.180 And you're not here just for the ladies like Nathan is. 00:03:04.040 --> 00:03:04.360 Sorry. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.820 Did I just say that out loud? 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:12.800 Sorry, it's the jet lag. It's the jet lag. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:17.460 Oh, my goodness. I'm sorry. 00:03:18.420 --> 00:03:21.040 I repent. You know what? I'm just going to repent right now. I'm sorry. 00:03:21.600 --> 00:03:23.020 That came out wrong. 00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:25.159 It was right, but it just came out wrong. 00:03:26.600 --> 00:03:28.580 Oh, my goodness. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:29.800 Let's start again. 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:35.900 But you see, John here is doing something more than just being a teacher. 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:39.840 He's not wanting just to tell you, hey, you must know God. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:41.260 Mark, you must know God. 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:44.000 Know him and enjoy him now. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:46.080 That's not what he's trying to do. 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:48.760 He's not just a teacher. He's actually a pastor. 00:03:48.759 --> 00:03:52.079 So what he's trying to do is say, hey, we all want to know God. 00:03:52.519 --> 00:03:53.679 We all want to enjoy him. 00:03:53.780 --> 00:03:55.299 We all want to have fellowship with one another. 00:03:56.299 --> 00:03:57.239 But what's stopping us? 00:03:57.799 --> 00:03:57.979 Right? 00:03:58.239 --> 00:04:00.019 Those of you who put your hands up and say you want to know God. 00:04:00.079 --> 00:04:02.239 Well, actually, then what's the thing that's actually stopping us? 00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:04.439 And this is what John is trying to now address. 00:04:04.739 --> 00:04:06.180 He's going to go, OK, I know you want to know him. 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:08.459 I want you to know him because I was with him. 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:10.079 And I want you to know him. 00:04:10.819 --> 00:04:13.359 But let me address why it's hard. 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:14.879 And we all know it's hard. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:18.500 And this journey with God, trying to know him, is not the easiest one. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:21.439 So for us, it's how do we do that? 00:04:21.540 --> 00:04:23.579 And then so he jumps into the second part here. 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:27.659 And we're going to go through 1 John 1, verse 5 to 10. 00:04:27.939 --> 00:04:31.379 And we're going to go through, actually, what is the practical application of this? 00:04:31.659 --> 00:04:33.319 And we're going to really just go through it. 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:36.279 And we're going to just keep it very simple and really ask ourselves the question, 00:04:36.379 --> 00:04:38.199 what does it actually mean to walk in the light? 00:04:38.740 --> 00:04:42.300 So as is our usual tradition, we're going to read the word of God now, 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:44.720 which we believe is precious to us. 00:04:45.220 --> 00:04:49.780 This is the thing that gives us life and is appropriate for any circumstance that we have. 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:53.540 And we believe that this is the word of God that can pierce right into the depths of our souls. 00:04:53.660 --> 00:04:58.080 So I invite you to stand for the word of the Lord as we receive it together today. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:02.000 Sorry if you're on the beanbags. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:03.920 That's just some good exercise there. 00:05:06.580 --> 00:05:11.900 So Holy Spirit, we ask you as we open up your word. 00:05:12.300 --> 00:05:13.780 And we know that your word gives life. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.020 Can you just shine a torch on it? 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:19.879 And the bits that we don't understand, can you? 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:22.060 Can you enlighten us with your truth? 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:25.220 We want to know you. 00:05:26.259 --> 00:05:27.840 That's our single wish, as we just sang. 00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:32.360 In Psalm 27, there's one thing we ask for, one thing we'll seek after. 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:34.560 And that is you. 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:38.040 To dwell in your house, to gaze upon your beauty, to inquire in your temple. 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:39.920 We are here for you. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:40.939 We are hungry for you. 00:05:42.200 --> 00:05:46.780 So as we read your word, allow it to go from your heart straight into ours. 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:48.140 In your name we pray. 00:05:48.819 --> 00:05:49.120 Amen. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:53.800 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you. 00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:57.620 That God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:05:58.220 --> 00:06:03.360 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.860 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:11.199 And the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:15.680 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:21.579 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:06:22.159 --> 00:06:27.339 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. 00:06:28.099 --> 00:06:29.060 This is the word of the Lord. 00:06:29.919 --> 00:06:30.719 Please take a seat. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:41.680 So he starts off and he says, this is the message we have heard and we proclaim to you. 00:06:42.100 --> 00:06:44.840 So this is John who say, hey, I spent time with Jesus. 00:06:45.180 --> 00:06:47.420 I know him and I want you to know him. 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:50.200 And this is the message that we heard and now proclaim to you. 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:51.020 What is the message? 00:06:51.280 --> 00:06:54.440 The message is this, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:06:54.700 --> 00:06:55.520 That is the message. 00:06:55.580 --> 00:06:56.580 And where did he hear that from? 00:06:56.640 --> 00:06:57.840 You see in John 8. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:01.799 John 8, Jesus declares himself, I am the light of the world. 00:07:02.579 --> 00:07:07.239 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but he will have the light of life. 00:07:07.259 --> 00:07:11.359 So that's the message that John, sitting at the feet of Jesus, would hear Jesus say this. 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:15.739 And now he's saying to the church many, many years later, this is the message we have heard. 00:07:15.979 --> 00:07:20.399 That we proclaim to you now that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:07:20.479 --> 00:07:25.500 This is probably the most comprehensive description of God that we can find. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:27.579 God is light. 00:07:28.379 --> 00:07:32.459 And now we've heard that and we sang that and Kelly read another part of scripture in John talking about that. 00:07:32.659 --> 00:07:39.419 But to you and I who have been in church for a long time, what does that actually mean when we hear and say God is light? 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:46.819 If I'm telling you it's the most comprehensive description of almighty God, then the question is, what does it actually mean? 00:07:48.039 --> 00:07:49.139 What does it actually mean? 00:07:49.179 --> 00:07:50.039 What does it mean to you? 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:51.959 I'm going to start picking on some people here. 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:52.839 So just have a think now. 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:57.279 Now, when I say God is light, what does that mean to you? 00:07:58.699 --> 00:08:00.259 There's no real wrong answer. 00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:02.399 Well, I guess there are, but don't worry. 00:08:02.699 --> 00:08:03.399 I'll be nice. 00:08:03.919 --> 00:08:04.639 Florence is laughing. 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:05.659 God is light. 00:08:05.660 --> 00:08:09.400 What's the first thing that comes to mind for you when we think about God is light? 00:08:11.340 --> 00:08:13.100 The one that illuminates. 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:14.560 The one that illuminates. 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:15.960 And it's light reveals. 00:08:16.880 --> 00:08:17.740 It shows things. 00:08:18.420 --> 00:08:19.540 That's good. 00:08:19.540 --> 00:08:21.400 I mean, at the beginning, Genesis. 00:08:21.780 --> 00:08:22.620 What does God say? 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.020 Let there be light. 00:08:25.640 --> 00:08:28.100 And it reveals creation in some ways. 00:08:28.520 --> 00:08:29.000 What else is there? 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:32.879 When I'm thinking about what God is light, what am I thinking about? 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:34.320 Uday, I haven't picked on you for a while. 00:08:34.800 --> 00:08:36.340 What is God is light to you? 00:08:45.220 --> 00:08:45.580 Freedom. 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:47.340 Wow, it liberates. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:47.960 Wow. 00:08:47.960 --> 00:08:48.019 Wow. 00:08:50.099 --> 00:08:50.659 Good job. 00:08:50.719 --> 00:08:51.279 Good job, Uday. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:51.860 Nice and loud. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:52.399 Standing up. 00:08:52.419 --> 00:08:52.699 That's great. 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:55.620 It was so good meeting your sister, by the way. 00:08:55.839 --> 00:08:56.799 It was so, so good. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:00.699 I asked her whether there was a chance where we could swap and you could go back to India 00:09:00.699 --> 00:09:01.539 and she could stay here. 00:09:04.219 --> 00:09:05.279 Yeah, she is so cool. 00:09:05.819 --> 00:09:07.120 But clearly that didn't happen. 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:08.159 We'll keep praying for that. 00:09:10.199 --> 00:09:10.699 One more. 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:11.120 One more. 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:11.799 Joseph Tang. 00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:12.879 Joseph Tang. 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:13.779 God is light. 00:09:13.819 --> 00:09:14.480 What does that mean to you? 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:14.500 God is light. 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:14.500 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:14.500 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:14.500 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:14.500 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:14.500 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:15.500 God is light. 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:16.500 God is light. 00:09:16.500 --> 00:09:17.500 God is light. 00:09:17.500 --> 00:09:18.500 God is light. 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:19.500 God is light. 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:21.659 It's the light of the world. 00:09:22.319 --> 00:09:23.219 We can see everything. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:24.959 Did you just quote the Bible? 00:09:25.719 --> 00:09:26.039 Okay. 00:09:27.059 --> 00:09:27.759 Quote Joseph Tang. 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:28.620 Quote Joseph Tang. 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:28.839 Okay. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:29.839 What does that mean? 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:30.779 What does that mean to you? 00:09:32.139 --> 00:09:34.480 In light of him, I can see everything clearly. 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:34.959 Oh. 00:09:35.500 --> 00:09:36.659 Especially when it gets dark. 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:37.899 Especially when it gets dark. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:38.740 When there's death. 00:09:38.839 --> 00:09:39.279 When there's suffering. 00:09:39.599 --> 00:09:40.120 When there's death. 00:09:40.179 --> 00:09:40.740 When there's suffering. 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:42.200 It's like that crack in the door. 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:43.620 It's dark in the alleyway. 00:09:44.060 --> 00:09:45.060 You see that glimpse of light. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.659 That's when you see it. 00:09:46.659 --> 00:09:47.259 And you can keep walking. 00:09:48.379 --> 00:09:48.740 Woo. 00:09:49.060 --> 00:09:50.700 Round of applause for Joseph Heyman Tang. 00:09:53.919 --> 00:10:00.060 There's a quote that was attributed, we think, though there's not certainty, to Anne Frank, 00:10:00.139 --> 00:10:03.960 which is Anne Frank, who's the Jewish girl who lived through the Nazi era, who said, 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:09.379 look how a single candle can both defy and define darkness. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:13.519 And it's in that darkness where we can see a lot of light. 00:10:13.620 --> 00:10:20.860 St. Francis is the one who said, all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle. 00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:26.320 When we think about light and we think about darkness, he says, God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:33.060 He's talking about light, something is often used to refer to deity, to life. 00:10:33.059 --> 00:10:35.859 The word light has packed with so much meaning. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:37.539 And we often pitch the two forces. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.819 We have light against darkness. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.479 But in truth, it is not really a fair fight. 00:10:42.579 --> 00:10:43.259 We know that, right? 00:10:43.859 --> 00:10:44.519 Do you know that? 00:10:44.859 --> 00:10:48.699 If you have darkness that you're facing in your life and you think, oh, am I going to choose light or darkness? 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:50.679 Hey, it's not actually a fair fight. 00:10:51.199 --> 00:10:53.799 Albert Einstein was the one who said, actually, what is darkness? 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:56.939 It's the absence of light. 00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:59.439 How does a scientist measure how dark a room is? 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.680 It has to, they can only measure how much light is in the room. 00:11:05.260 --> 00:11:06.900 This is where we have to understand. 00:11:07.060 --> 00:11:09.140 When John's saying, hey, I want you to know him. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:10.320 I want you to know something about him. 00:11:10.540 --> 00:11:13.600 And the thing I want you to know about him is that he is light. 00:11:14.140 --> 00:11:18.640 And in him, there is no darkness at all. 00:11:19.180 --> 00:11:21.620 He is completely holy and completely different. 00:11:22.400 --> 00:11:23.580 And the darkness trembles. 00:11:24.140 --> 00:11:25.320 It is not a fair fight. 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:29.840 They say, right, in James chapter 2, the darkness trembles at his name. 00:11:30.580 --> 00:11:31.660 It's not a fair fight. 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:32.940 And I hope that's an encouragement to you. 00:11:33.980 --> 00:11:37.280 The moment light enters a room, darkness disappears. 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:40.000 It's both defied and defined. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:43.480 That is an important thing for us to know as we know more about God. 00:11:43.660 --> 00:11:46.700 Because John here is then starting to apply all of this. 00:11:46.700 --> 00:11:52.500 The quote that Joseph Hayman Tang just kind of referenced to here is one from C.S. Lewis, which says, 00:11:53.060 --> 00:11:56.020 We believe in God like we believe in the sun. 00:11:56.100 --> 00:12:00.020 Not because we see the sun, but because by the sun we see everything else. 00:12:01.140 --> 00:12:02.780 We believe in God like we believe in the sun. 00:12:03.340 --> 00:12:05.280 Because through the sun we can see everything else. 00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:06.180 And here's the problem, though. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:06.940 We know this. 00:12:07.040 --> 00:12:08.080 Light gives sight. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.060 It illuminates. 00:12:09.420 --> 00:12:11.980 And so we can see the road ahead. 00:12:12.900 --> 00:12:13.879 The problem here is this. 00:12:14.040 --> 00:12:15.259 Why do we still not know God? 00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:16.799 Because something's getting in the way. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:23.299 Because we don't recognize that actually light not only gives sight, but it also has to show us how to live right. 00:12:24.319 --> 00:12:26.639 Now, that's why Jesus says, I am the light of the world. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:28.720 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness. 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:30.519 Here's the problem then. 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:36.939 Here's why I think a lot of us really struggle in really knowing him, really enjoying him, really having fellowship with one another. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:43.720 Because we haven't truly grasped the concept yet that God is light and in him there is no darkness. 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:45.519 Another science thing. 00:12:45.580 --> 00:12:46.700 You think about the solar system. 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:49.460 The solar system revolves around the sun. 00:12:50.160 --> 00:12:52.040 The sun is the thing that gives life to everything. 00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:56.960 And everything is only in harmony because we're revolving around the sun. 00:12:57.100 --> 00:13:01.120 The moment a planet breaks formation, that planet will not survive. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:10.100 And so often for us, we're not doing well in life because we're not revolving our life around the one thing that gives us that life and that is God himself. 00:13:10.740 --> 00:13:12.539 We've become the center of our own worlds. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.919 And when we become the center of our own worlds, we wonder why there is disharmony. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:18.639 We wonder why we're disconnected from people and we've got ourselves. 00:13:19.179 --> 00:13:21.779 Because we've chosen a different way. 00:13:22.539 --> 00:13:24.759 Instead of God's way, we've chosen our own way. 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:26.000 What does the Bible call that? 00:13:26.539 --> 00:13:27.679 Simple three-letter word? 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:28.779 Sin. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.840 Sin is simply just us saying, hey, God, I don't trust you. 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:36.019 And I'm going to choose my own way. 00:13:36.319 --> 00:13:39.559 I'm going to revolve around my own life. 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:41.200 Everything is going to revolve around me. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.759 And then we wonder why there is disharmony. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:47.159 And then we wonder why there is dysfunction. 00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:48.620 And this is what John then goes into. 00:13:48.620 --> 00:13:56.779 Verse 6, he says this, if we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 00:13:57.019 --> 00:13:58.159 We may know the way. 00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:59.860 We may know where we want to go. 00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:06.320 We may have been given sight as to going that way, but we have not chosen right and we live in a different way. 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:13.279 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, then we lie and do not practice the truth. 00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:13.799 What is that? 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:15.039 Is that hypocrisy? 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:18.500 What keeps people out of the church the most these days? 00:14:18.779 --> 00:14:22.480 As you talk to your colleagues and friends and family, hey, why don't you get to show? 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:23.179 Oh, I used to. 00:14:23.219 --> 00:14:24.939 But then, yeah, I got to know some Christians. 00:14:25.959 --> 00:14:27.039 And Christians are worse. 00:14:28.019 --> 00:14:30.120 They're no better than the people outside. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:31.179 They're hypocrites. 00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:32.959 So we're not going to go. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:34.579 And John's just tackling that straight on. 00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:40.980 He said, hey, if you say that you follow God, if you say that he really is your son, that your world revolves around him, 00:14:40.980 --> 00:14:46.620 then don't live in a way where it's not actually true because actually then you're doing more damage than good. 00:14:47.560 --> 00:14:52.379 So people look at you and go, oh, you're reading this Bible and you say this Bible is truth and it gives you all the life. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.379 And yet your life is more messed up than mine. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:15:01.060 Why should I read the Bible and follow the God that you say you're following when your life is more messed up than mine? 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:03.779 John's saying, don't do that. 00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:04.879 Don't do that. 00:15:04.940 --> 00:15:07.440 God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:09.259 There is no compromise. 00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:10.799 See, that's the problem. 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:14.879 Often we see the way that we go, but we don't go there. 00:15:15.319 --> 00:15:17.299 We know how to live, but we don't live in that way. 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.439 Now, we're not alone in this. 00:15:18.659 --> 00:15:20.139 And I don't want you to feel too bad about yourself. 00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:22.919 The Apostle Paul has the same thing in Romans 7. 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:23.500 What does he say? 00:15:23.819 --> 00:15:24.879 Hey, I know what I need to do. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:26.340 I just don't do it. 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:27.620 And I know what I shouldn't do. 00:15:27.980 --> 00:15:28.679 And yet I do it. 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:32.259 Every time I want to do something good, evil darkness is right there with me. 00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:40.139 But if we truly understand, know God and know that when we follow him, there is no darkness at all. 00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:47.059 We will commit to living in a way that actually is true to us revolving around him. 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:48.759 That he truly is the light. 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:50.779 We were in L.A. 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:52.700 And we went to a church there. 00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:53.559 A couple of us were there. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:55.779 And there was this one moment. 00:15:56.019 --> 00:15:58.700 And I don't know the people there, so it's okay to shame them right here. 00:15:58.700 --> 00:16:05.140 And I got to experience something that was a really interesting experience. 00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:08.020 We had two people sit behind us. 00:16:09.140 --> 00:16:09.580 Americans. 00:16:12.060 --> 00:16:13.340 Pause for dramatic effect. 00:16:16.020 --> 00:16:17.920 And they were arguing. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:19.160 They were arguing. 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:20.140 Like just a couple. 00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:20.900 They were just arguing. 00:16:21.020 --> 00:16:22.120 I don't know what they were arguing about. 00:16:22.540 --> 00:16:23.520 They were just constantly talking. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:25.840 And then the guy goes away. 00:16:26.560 --> 00:16:27.720 Probably just to get a coffee. 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:29.300 And then he comes back. 00:16:29.800 --> 00:16:32.240 And then I hear the woman say, don't sit next to me. 00:16:34.040 --> 00:16:36.000 And then the guy was like, wait, are you serious? 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.240 Don't sit next to me. 00:16:37.300 --> 00:16:39.019 She's like, get away from me. 00:16:40.180 --> 00:16:41.180 I'm just in the back here. 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:43.200 Just like clearly not focusing on the worship. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.019 Just listening. 00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:44.420 Whoa. 00:16:45.040 --> 00:16:46.420 Oh, no, she didn't. 00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:48.720 Oh, yes, you did. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.300 And I was like, what's he going to do? 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:52.200 And then he was like, oh, fine. 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:53.460 And then he just walks off. 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:57.100 And I was like, just that snapshot moment there. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:16:59.180 I was like, man, that's sad. 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:01.960 Isn't that just so sad? 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:04.339 She's singing these songs. 00:17:04.579 --> 00:17:09.039 And it's all about forgiveness and unity and love. 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:11.539 And yet she's not going to let her husband sit next to me. 00:17:11.539 --> 00:17:14.000 Now, of course, he probably did something stupid, as all husbands do. 00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:17.500 And I, and I, and I, and I, whoo. 00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:19.480 And Grace is like, amen. 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:20.279 Preach. 00:17:20.860 --> 00:17:21.480 Preach, James. 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.099 Danny, listen. 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:22.839 James, preach. 00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:23.240 Okay. 00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:26.759 But I'm just like, man. 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:29.559 Have we just missed the point? 00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:31.419 Have we just missed the point? 00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:35.220 When we go to church and we're singing about these songs, we're going, God, you are like, 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:38.619 we're just recipients of your grace and mercy. 00:17:38.619 --> 00:17:40.339 And yet we can't show it to the people next to us. 00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:41.059 That's hypocrisy. 00:17:41.859 --> 00:17:47.379 When we say that we are with God and yet we live a life that is completely different to what he wants us to do. 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:49.319 John's saying, don't do that. 00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:50.500 It's a bad look. 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.200 God is light. 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:54.339 And in him is no darkness at all. 00:17:54.379 --> 00:18:01.940 And I look and I see so many people sat in the pews in a church whose lives look nothing like followers of Christ. 00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:04.500 And I look and much has been said. 00:18:04.620 --> 00:18:04.759 Okay. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:06.539 This is where I'll stop joking just about Americans. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:10.279 Because there's a lot that has been said about the American church in its decline. 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:12.680 How people have just become cultural Christians. 00:18:12.779 --> 00:18:14.000 They're not even thinking about their faith. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.799 They just go to church because that's what they do. 00:18:15.860 --> 00:18:17.100 That's what their culture permits. 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:21.019 But they don't really live a life that is genuinely following Jesus. 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:24.240 They are still choosing their own way as soon as service finishes. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:29.880 Or in this case, even during service, they're still choosing themselves over the unity of two people together. 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:35.520 And just before we trust the American church anymore, don't we realize that actually that's simply just the church worldwide. 00:18:36.080 --> 00:18:37.980 That actually the Asian church has the same thing. 00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:42.520 There are people who are sat in this room right now who still harbor bitterness with someone else. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:45.800 And we're sat here and we're like, oh, I'm going to go and turn my Jesus on. 00:18:46.060 --> 00:18:50.400 But Jesus says, no, you turn back around and you go and sort out the issue that you've got here. 00:18:50.520 --> 00:18:53.280 Because God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:18:53.600 --> 00:18:59.240 And you cannot live in this way and live and stay in this church if you are constantly choosing him. 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:08.079 There are people in here who as soon as they leave this service, they'll go back and they'll go back to dwell in the same sin that they've been dwelling in all this time in the afternoon, in the evening. 00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:11.539 And they're living a life that's completely different to what Jesus is telling you to do. 00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:14.859 John's saying, don't do that. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:18.579 Either do it properly or don't do it at all. 00:19:20.140 --> 00:19:21.720 Isn't that the issue that we face here? 00:19:23.220 --> 00:19:25.519 Our church, our people have been compromised. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.299 I've been compromised every day. 00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:30.960 I have to look at myself and go, what is in me that is not you, Jesus? 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:35.460 What is in me that isn't light that actually I have let darkness come through? 00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:37.059 And remember, darkness is not a thing. 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:39.980 Darkness is simply just the absence of that light. 00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:42.720 The moment light comes in, we're good again. 00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:46.400 But which parts have I blocked the light from going in? 00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:49.119 Which parts of my life have I, oh, Jesus, no, not that room. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.839 That room you can't touch. 00:19:51.099 --> 00:19:53.879 That room is just my room and it has to stay dark. 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:58.860 God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:19:59.580 --> 00:20:08.480 Verse 7 says this, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. 00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:14.620 He's saying if you walk in the light as God is light, then actually it does a couple things. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:19.160 One thing it does is it actually binds you to the people around you. 00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:25.180 Has anyone sinned or chosen their own way and then wondered why everyone else feels so distant? 00:20:26.320 --> 00:20:32.320 When you've decided, hey, I'm going to go choose and do the thing that I know is destructive for me, but I'm still going to do it. 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:37.140 And then you look back and you realize that you've drifted from everyone who's loved you. 00:20:37.860 --> 00:20:38.840 And you're just isolated. 00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:40.100 Isn't that what sin does? 00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:43.179 It leaves you in this place where you are completely isolated. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:49.500 But God says if you walk in the light as he is in the light, that actually keeps you together. 00:20:50.959 --> 00:20:56.439 So we came back from L.A. two days ago and one of my main enemies in life is something called jet lag. 00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:00.059 It kicks my butt seriously lots and lots of times. 00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:04.599 And to the point where I'm desperate, I'm like, OK, you need to Google, James, how to avoid jet lag. 00:21:04.659 --> 00:21:08.700 And then you get all these websites that tell you how to prevent jet lag. 00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:10.879 Those of you who travel a lot, you probably know how to do this. 00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:14.339 What are some of the ways how we overcome jet lag? 00:21:14.919 --> 00:21:16.359 Tony, you travel to L.A. a lot. 00:21:17.059 --> 00:21:19.700 Don't sleep on the plane. 00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:20.879 Oh, really? 00:21:22.179 --> 00:21:23.399 Oh, I failed on that one. 00:21:25.099 --> 00:21:25.619 Don't sleep. 00:21:25.679 --> 00:21:26.700 Any other ones? 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:27.819 Melatonin. 00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:29.100 Melatonin. 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:29.740 Yes. 00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:31.920 It works really well. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:33.720 I've always heard about that. 00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:34.680 Just pop some pills. 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:39.000 We found some little kids' melatonin chewy things. 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:40.700 I felt like such a bad human being. 00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:43.539 I was like, children, I'm going to sleep. 00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:44.340 I'm going to sleep. 00:21:45.019 --> 00:21:45.580 I'm going to sleep. 00:21:45.840 --> 00:21:46.220 I'm going to sleep. 00:21:46.860 --> 00:21:47.519 Oh, my goodness. 00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:49.160 There's one way that you do it. 00:21:49.380 --> 00:21:51.100 There's a jet lag calculator. 00:21:51.899 --> 00:22:00.759 Because what they're saying is the few days leading up to before you fly and the few days after you fly, there's different times of the day where you expose yourself to light. 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:01.779 Have you heard about this one? 00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:04.899 So there's sometimes, let's say you arrive in the morning. 00:22:05.259 --> 00:22:07.659 Do not spend the afternoon in darkness. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.779 Do not hide in a room. 00:22:08.939 --> 00:22:09.839 Do not take a nap. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:11.699 That's longer than half an hour. 00:22:11.700 --> 00:22:18.220 But some of us succumb to that and we just close the curtains and we sleep for four hours and we wake up, we feel like we've just died. 00:22:19.059 --> 00:22:19.720 We've been there. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:21.600 But it says, keep the curtains open. 00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:22.980 Get yourself out into daylight. 00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:23.299 Why? 00:22:23.620 --> 00:22:27.059 Because when you expose yourself to light, it impacts the way your body lives. 00:22:27.819 --> 00:22:32.360 When you expose yourself to light, it impacts the way your body lives. 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:39.279 Something happens in your body where the hormones respond to the light and tell you how to live. 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:40.859 Tell you what kind of time of day it is. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:43.419 Tell you when to stay awake and tell you when to go to sleep. 00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:45.519 It's the same for us in our faith. 00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:55.379 If we are walking in the light as he is in the light, then we will have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son, will cleanse us from our sin and we will know how to live. 00:22:56.439 --> 00:22:58.339 Do you expose yourself to the light? 00:22:58.719 --> 00:22:59.319 Well enough. 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:03.639 When you expose yourself to the light, it actually changes the way you live. 00:23:05.159 --> 00:23:08.379 Growing up in England, there's a lot of us, myself included, and our friends. 00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:15.259 You know this, especially in Manchester where the sun comes up for about two hours a day and the rest of the time it's just dark. 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:17.200 We have something called seasonal depression, right? 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:27.579 SAD, where actually a lot of our friends, you get these lamps to kind of help your body just kind of absorb some light just because it's really affecting your mood. 00:23:27.579 --> 00:23:30.199 And it's really affecting the way you live and the way you feel. 00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:33.079 Don't underestimate the power of light. 00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:38.899 Don't underestimate what light can do to your life and how it can impact the way you live. 00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:41.460 Just one more thing about sin. 00:23:41.939 --> 00:23:50.359 When we don't live in the light, when we walk in darkness, that's when we feel most distant from God but also with other people. 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:54.219 Eugene, you'll probably have had the same thing as you pastor as well. 00:23:54.779 --> 00:24:01.539 Over the years, the amount of young people who they know what they should do and then they don't do it. 00:24:02.179 --> 00:24:03.939 And usually it's about a girl or a boy. 00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:07.339 And then we say, hey, that's a bad idea, man. 00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:09.539 That's poison. 00:24:09.659 --> 00:24:10.119 That's toxic. 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:10.899 Don't do it. 00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:13.920 And then they're like, oh, but I have to. 00:24:14.560 --> 00:24:16.980 Because that person doesn't know Jesus, I need to flirt to convert. 00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:22.920 I just need to go to the party with them because otherwise they won't be safe. 00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:24.860 I have to be the one that carries them home. 00:24:26.060 --> 00:24:27.360 We've all heard that bit there. 00:24:28.540 --> 00:24:32.519 And then, of course, they do it because they're stupid because we're all humans and we're all stupid. 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:35.500 And then it's, you know what, it's uncanny. 00:24:35.580 --> 00:24:36.740 It happens the same every time. 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:40.240 After a few months, that person's like, oh, they've chosen that way. 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:43.799 And then they're like, yeah, just don't feel connected to the people in the church anymore. 00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:45.759 Church people are just so judgy. 00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:47.180 They're just so judgy. 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:51.180 They're always just looking at me, looking at me, and I just feel so judged by them. 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:52.640 And slowly they drift away. 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:54.299 Slowly they stop attending. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:56.259 And slowly they feel completely isolated. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:01.440 See, if you walk in the light as he is in the light, then you'll have fellowship with one another. 00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:03.019 Because you see, sin here is this. 00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:04.700 Sin is, I'm going to choose my own way. 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:09.580 But if we're to make this work, it's all about not our own way. 00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:12.519 It's all about choosing someone else. 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:15.480 It's all about saying, hey, my way is this. 00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:17.580 My natural inclination is this. 00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:18.840 And it's to ignore you. 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:22.620 Or to stay away from you because you're just more trouble than you're worth. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:28.259 But Jesus Christ commands me, compels me to spend time with you. 00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:32.120 So for me to not choose myself, but to choose you instead. 00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:37.159 If we are walking in the light, then we will have fellowship with one another. 00:25:37.419 --> 00:25:41.019 Just to ease the pressure off you a little bit, though, we're not called to be the light. 00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:43.419 We are not the source of the light. 00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:46.039 It says walk in the light. 00:25:46.699 --> 00:25:51.079 So often we're trying to be the one that carries the load. 00:25:51.639 --> 00:25:53.000 Saying, oh, I need to do this. 00:25:53.199 --> 00:25:55.119 I need to make sure that everyone here is having fun. 00:25:55.219 --> 00:25:57.119 Everyone here is enjoying God. 00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:59.819 Saying, God, look, that's not our responsibility. 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:02.199 Our job is each two to do our own thing. 00:26:02.479 --> 00:26:03.979 To keep our eyes on God. 00:26:04.179 --> 00:26:05.059 To walk in the light. 00:26:05.239 --> 00:26:07.759 And by doing so, we will be bound together. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:12.939 We're called to be walking in the light, but not actually need to be the light. 00:26:12.979 --> 00:26:14.519 Because Jesus is the one who is that. 00:26:14.739 --> 00:26:16.439 So you don't actually need to be perfect. 00:26:16.859 --> 00:26:19.579 If you're saying, oh, Jesus is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:26:19.739 --> 00:26:21.519 Does that mean I have to be completely perfect? 00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:21.799 No. 00:26:21.799 --> 00:26:24.000 It's not about perfection. 00:26:24.139 --> 00:26:26.460 It's about the pursuit of perfection. 00:26:26.639 --> 00:26:28.899 It's about the progress of getting there. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.399 It's about saying, hey, God, I'm a sinner. 00:26:33.339 --> 00:26:34.200 I have a problem. 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:36.139 I can't get there myself. 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:38.200 Albert Einstein was the one that said this. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:44.279 It says, no, problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it. 00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:48.039 The problem has to be solved by an external force. 00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:53.359 If you are the source of the problem, it's more than likely that you won't be the one that is able to solve that problem. 00:26:53.379 --> 00:26:55.559 Because you yourself are flawed and broken. 00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:59.700 So therefore, whatever solution you have is also broken and flawed. 00:27:00.399 --> 00:27:04.299 That help, that solution has to come from the outside. 00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:07.500 And that's where we jump in to the next bit. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:08.819 He says this, verse 8. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:14.299 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.779 He's saying, don't lie to yourself. 00:27:15.779 --> 00:27:18.920 If you're sat there thinking, oh, I'm a good person, James. 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:19.960 You're not really talking about me. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:22.480 I don't have any obvious sins anymore. 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:24.319 At least not any that you can see. 00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.180 I'm okay. 00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:27.220 That's the problem. 00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:29.599 You see, John here was actually talking to a group of people. 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:33.379 The reason why he even wrote this letter was saying, hey, I spent time with Jesus. 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:34.240 I know Jesus. 00:27:34.339 --> 00:27:38.660 But I'm hearing amongst you there are people who are starting to spread something different. 00:27:38.899 --> 00:27:39.539 Which is this. 00:27:39.879 --> 00:27:42.619 Hey, your spirit and your body are separate. 00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:44.200 You can do everything you want with your body. 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:45.539 So you can choose whatever you want to do. 00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:47.140 Satisfy all the desires of your flesh. 00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:48.059 And it's okay. 00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:50.319 Because it is separate from your spirit. 00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:50.980 From your soul. 00:27:51.080 --> 00:27:54.480 So as long as you believe, you can do anything you want. 00:27:56.519 --> 00:27:57.759 Just pause there for a second. 00:27:57.880 --> 00:27:59.240 Because that sounds stupid, right? 00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:03.480 And then have a think about our own lives. 00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:07.380 And go, actually, is there any ounce of that in our own lives? 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:09.339 Where we say, hey, I believe you, Jesus. 00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:10.740 You're my God. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:11.279 You're my Lord. 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:15.220 And then the rest of your week looks completely different. 00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:19.640 Don't we all have a little bit of that in us? 00:28:20.140 --> 00:28:21.680 Well, we're not truly walking in the light. 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:23.579 There's still something that we're holding on to. 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:24.659 We're saying, oh, yes. 00:28:25.159 --> 00:28:26.220 I do believe. 00:28:26.699 --> 00:28:28.859 But I still need to live in the same way. 00:28:29.879 --> 00:28:32.939 That's the problem that John is trying to address here. 00:28:33.199 --> 00:28:36.599 And so he's saying here, you have to admit that you have a problem. 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:43.819 Any kind of solution, any kind of redemption has to start with the fact that you realize that we are sinners. 00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:52.559 Sinners, which is a horrible word only in the sense that the church has talked about it so much or outside society has heard us talking about it so much. 00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:53.500 Sinners, repent. 00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:58.460 And you see the guy with the board standing in the middle of the street saying, shouting out, repent. 00:28:58.619 --> 00:28:59.480 The kingdom of God is near. 00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:00.359 You are all sinners. 00:29:01.159 --> 00:29:04.419 So we have these connotations in our minds about what a sinner is. 00:29:04.519 --> 00:29:05.859 And it's such a religious word. 00:29:06.659 --> 00:29:08.200 But the truth is we are all sinners. 00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:14.440 And until we truly realize that, then we won't actually be able to have the solution. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:22.380 There was an article written in a major magazine that was talking about the decline of Christianity, especially in the West. 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:29.759 And one thing that it said about the Western church was that there's a form of Christianity that has evolved. 00:29:30.080 --> 00:29:32.180 And it's called the pick and choose Christianity. 00:29:32.180 --> 00:29:39.840 Christianity is a pick and choose Christianity where actually we use God to, when we look at this Bible and, okay, so I've highlighted it. 00:29:40.060 --> 00:29:43.600 So basically we look at this Bible and I highlight the bits that I like and I follow those bits. 00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:46.660 And then the other bits that I don't highlight, I don't have to follow. 00:29:47.560 --> 00:29:48.500 That I don't really need to. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:53.120 And one of the things about the pick and choose Christianity, especially in the West, is the issue of sin. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:30:00.500 When it's talking about the issue of sin, I tell you what the Western church, myself, I put myself in that category that we are at risk of doing. 00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:03.319 We have a pick and choose kind of Christianity, which is this. 00:30:03.579 --> 00:30:04.440 Why do you believe in God? 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:05.579 Let's just pause there. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.839 I've asked this question before. 00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:08.240 Why do you believe in God? 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:14.420 Some answers that come out are, okay, I believe in God because he gives me purpose. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.900 He gives me meaning. 00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:17.980 You've heard these? 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:19.920 These are good things to hear, right? 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:22.279 Because he's a loving God. 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:25.299 Because he makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 00:30:25.299 --> 00:30:32.220 So whether I make mistakes or not, whether I make a thousand mistakes in today, it doesn't matter because God loves me. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:33.039 Jesus loves me. 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:33.720 This I know. 00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:37.159 For the Bible tells me so. 00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:43.700 But then we don't address the issue that is really at hand here. 00:30:44.159 --> 00:30:44.819 We're using God. 00:30:44.899 --> 00:30:48.879 We're saying, actually, we don't follow God and worship God because he gives us purpose and meaning. 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:51.220 We follow and worship God because he is the meaning. 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:53.000 There's a difference. 00:30:53.000 --> 00:31:00.500 If you're going, actually, I'm following Jesus because he finally makes me feel good about myself, then you've only got half the way there. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:02.059 You've not completed the journey yet. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:11.220 Jesus isn't here just to serve you, just to make you allow you to kind of satisfy all your ambitions and goals so that you would live a happy life. 00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:16.640 No, Jesus is saying, hey, I'm here to serve you so that you will have life and life to the full. 00:31:16.859 --> 00:31:18.559 And that can only be found in me. 00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:22.259 The world does not revolve around us. 00:31:22.259 --> 00:31:26.460 God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 00:31:26.660 --> 00:31:30.140 But I think for the West, it is about God is love. 00:31:30.379 --> 00:31:31.200 It's warm and fuzzy. 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.099 It's all good. 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:38.440 But I think for us in the East, I think there's an added dynamic that maybe we struggle with, which is this. 00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:40.599 I don't even know how to experience God's love. 00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:44.720 I don't deserve God's love at all. 00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:48.600 So you or Westerners might be like, oh, I'm so great because God loves me. 00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:55.200 The East is like, I've never felt love that the white kids talk about. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:58.759 My parents never, never loved me in the same way. 00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.980 Of course, it's not just a race thing. 00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:05.299 We've all, whatever culture, have this trouble. 00:32:06.360 --> 00:32:08.059 And this is where the gospel is so important. 00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:12.019 Whether it's a Western culture mindset you come from or whether it's an Eastern mindset you come from. 00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:13.839 Tim Keller says this, the gospel is what? 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.619 That you are far worse than you imagined. 00:32:16.539 --> 00:32:21.220 So whether you are super prideful and you think that you're God's gift and everything revolves around you. 00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:26.480 Or whether you feel like you're dirt and that you are useless and that no one deserves, no one loves you. 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:31.119 The gospel is basically, actually, you are even worse than that. 00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:33.740 You are far worse than you imagined. 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:36.920 But, that but is the most important, crucial but that you'll find. 00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:40.380 But, you are far more loved than you ever dare dream. 00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:43.340 You are far worse than you imagined. 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:45.820 But, you are far more loved than you ever dare dream. 00:32:46.360 --> 00:32:47.900 Tim Keller, by the way, that's not James Tang. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:49.820 And that is the gospel. 00:32:51.320 --> 00:32:56.800 So, you can't pick and choose Christianity because it says here, you can't say that you have no sin. 00:32:56.860 --> 00:32:57.880 We all have sin. 00:32:58.019 --> 00:33:00.700 And, well, at which point, which point do we start being sinners? 00:33:00.779 --> 00:33:04.519 Because a baby is so cute and so pure and so perfect. 00:33:04.519 --> 00:33:07.859 I'll tell you, and anyone who's had a baby will tell you, babies are not perfect. 00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:09.720 Babies are sinners. 00:33:11.180 --> 00:33:12.559 Like, sinners. 00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.700 Like, John, am I right? 00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:15.759 Sinners. 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:19.000 Nigel is looking at you, John, and going, yep, sinner. 00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:21.339 Why? 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:22.839 Because babies just want their own way. 00:33:23.160 --> 00:33:24.579 And when they don't get their own way, what happens? 00:33:24.619 --> 00:33:25.240 What does EJ do? 00:33:26.700 --> 00:33:27.059 Scream. 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:28.319 Scream. 00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:30.619 It's wired into us. 00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:31.579 Sinners. 00:33:31.579 --> 00:33:33.899 Until we realize that. 00:33:34.399 --> 00:33:35.559 Until we realize that. 00:33:36.039 --> 00:33:39.919 We might not be truly able to understand what it means to be saved. 00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:42.480 And so, I'm here to tell you today. 00:33:43.099 --> 00:33:45.500 And to break the bad news to you. 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:48.480 Yes. 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:50.980 Oh, it's just Gabriel. 00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:51.519 Gabriel. 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:51.599 Gabriel. 00:33:53.079 --> 00:33:54.279 Actually, I didn't realize. 00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:57.059 I'm talking about the Christmas Eve service here just for a second. 00:33:57.639 --> 00:34:00.519 And there were guests who didn't realize how funny these two were. 00:34:00.639 --> 00:34:02.799 Because their names are actually Gabriel and Gabriel. 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:03.599 But well done, you two. 00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:04.259 It was so good. 00:34:05.299 --> 00:34:07.379 And I'm here to break the bad news to all of us here. 00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:08.900 That we are sinners. 00:34:09.739 --> 00:34:10.980 That I am a sinner. 00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:16.699 That every day, every day, I wake up and I'm so tempted just to choose my own way. 00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:19.239 I was convicted recently. 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:21.819 Every day I wake up and I reach for my phone. 00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:23.819 And I read the Bible. 00:34:23.859 --> 00:34:24.619 No, I do not read the Bible. 00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:26.159 I check the ESPN. 00:34:26.799 --> 00:34:28.299 I check the scores that are happening there. 00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:29.579 All the news and all the injuries. 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:30.259 Because that's important. 00:34:30.339 --> 00:34:31.819 Because if I don't know, the world's going to stop. 00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:36.619 So, it's very important that I'm clued in to what's happening in the NBA and the Premier League. 00:34:38.299 --> 00:34:39.839 And then I check social media. 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:41.379 Because it's also very important. 00:34:41.759 --> 00:34:45.079 Because if I don't check social media, socializing in the whole world will stop. 00:34:45.799 --> 00:34:46.159 Completely. 00:34:46.159 --> 00:34:46.279 Exactly. 00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:48.920 Every day I have to sit and choose. 00:34:49.319 --> 00:34:50.859 Actually, how am I going to fill my mind? 00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:51.980 How am I going to fill my life? 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:53.619 Every day. 00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:55.799 Every day I have to make that choice. 00:34:56.019 --> 00:34:57.859 Because every day my flesh tells me one thing. 00:34:59.219 --> 00:35:02.679 Every day someone tries to cut in front of me in the queue. 00:35:02.819 --> 00:35:03.440 In the MTR. 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:05.460 There's one thing I want to do. 00:35:06.299 --> 00:35:07.980 And then there's one thing that I know I should do. 00:35:08.819 --> 00:35:10.719 Every day I know there's a good way. 00:35:11.219 --> 00:35:12.599 There's a way of choosing light. 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:14.599 And there's a way of... 00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:16.179 Actually, it's not choosing darkness. 00:35:16.360 --> 00:35:17.719 It's just not choosing light. 00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:19.019 Right? 00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:22.320 So the bad news is this. 00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:23.280 We are all sinners. 00:35:23.780 --> 00:35:25.219 You are a sinner. 00:35:25.320 --> 00:35:26.480 And I hope you recognize that. 00:35:26.759 --> 00:35:28.960 I hope you recognize that you are far worse than you imagined. 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:30.679 That's important. 00:35:30.780 --> 00:35:35.719 Because unless you realize that, you won't truly appreciate and enjoy the good news. 00:35:35.780 --> 00:35:38.179 Which is that you are far more loved than you ever dare dream. 00:35:38.179 --> 00:35:40.619 That is the gospel there. 00:35:40.899 --> 00:35:44.879 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:52.359 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:57.699 See, Christianity is the only religion that takes sin so seriously. 00:35:57.699 --> 00:36:04.039 But it's also the only one then that offers a morally satisfactory solution to this problem. 00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:06.019 Okay, let me just say that again. 00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:12.699 Christianity is the only religion that takes sin seriously and then offers a morally satisfactory solution. 00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:14.000 Which is this. 00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:15.359 You cannot save yourself. 00:36:15.659 --> 00:36:17.179 You are in debt, my friend. 00:36:17.319 --> 00:36:20.199 You are in debt, my brothers and sisters, from the way that you have lived. 00:36:20.319 --> 00:36:22.519 Because you have allowed darkness into your lives. 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:24.279 And you have no way of paying it. 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:27.019 There is no money in your account to pay this. 00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:29.960 But someone paid it for you. 00:36:30.720 --> 00:36:31.860 Someone paid it for you. 00:36:32.060 --> 00:36:33.500 And that's what Jesus is saying here. 00:36:33.840 --> 00:36:35.060 That's what scripture is saying here. 00:36:35.100 --> 00:36:43.060 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, to wipe away that debt and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness because of what Jesus did. 00:36:43.140 --> 00:36:44.480 That is the solution. 00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:49.440 That in a land of deep darkness, Isaiah 9-2, he steps in. 00:36:49.780 --> 00:36:51.080 He recognizes there is darkness. 00:36:51.080 --> 00:36:53.980 He recognizes there is an absence of light. 00:36:54.860 --> 00:37:00.820 And Jesus, the Prince of Heaven, migrates himself into earth and brings the light in. 00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:03.980 And offers the solution that we all need. 00:37:04.300 --> 00:37:08.860 He pays the debt by going to the cross and dying there for us, for all of our sins. 00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:14.860 What we have to do is acknowledge that actually our hearts is the land of deep darkness. 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:18.120 I want to spend today doing that. 00:37:18.660 --> 00:37:25.320 Because when we truly recognize that our lands are deep darkness, that's when the light can shine. 00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:27.680 That's when the light can shine. 00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:29.940 And that's when we can have hope even in the darkness. 00:37:30.039 --> 00:37:33.100 That's when we can deal with death and still have hope. 00:37:34.260 --> 00:37:36.740 Death itself is not a thing, right? 00:37:36.820 --> 00:37:38.880 Death itself is simply just the absence of life. 00:37:38.880 --> 00:37:45.420 But when we truly understand that actually death is not a thing, that because of Jesus, we have life that is eternal. 00:37:47.019 --> 00:37:49.059 The death itself has been defeated. 00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:50.940 That it is only just a stopgap. 00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:57.659 But if we are to take the step of faith and recognize who Jesus is and he shines that light into our lives, then we shall never die. 00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:03.860 The letter to the church in Samaria says, the one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. 00:38:05.539 --> 00:38:06.760 That's the hope that we have. 00:38:07.039 --> 00:38:08.420 That's the life that we have. 00:38:08.740 --> 00:38:10.039 That there is a light that shines in. 00:38:10.360 --> 00:38:13.980 And when that light shines in, there is no darkness and there is no longer any death. 00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:15.079 But it starts with this. 00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:15.900 We have to confess. 00:38:15.900 --> 00:38:18.019 If we confess our sins. 00:38:18.160 --> 00:38:21.700 You see, this whole passage, verse 5 to 10, it keeps saying if. 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:23.539 If we are walking in the light. 00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.960 If we say we have no sin. 00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:26.280 If we confess our sins. 00:38:26.539 --> 00:38:27.740 If we have said we have not sinned. 00:38:27.880 --> 00:38:28.579 What does that tell you? 00:38:28.780 --> 00:38:32.340 That tells you that there is a choice that you have to make, brother and sister. 00:38:33.760 --> 00:38:35.460 That every day you have to make that choice. 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:39.599 Because if you do this, if you choose option A, this will happen. 00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:41.960 If you choose option B, this will happen. 00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:44.820 My hope for you, my prayer for us, 00:38:44.820 --> 00:38:47.100 is that we would choose Jesus. 00:38:48.120 --> 00:38:49.880 That we would choose him. 00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:52.600 And we would confess our sins to one another. 00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:55.080 And when we say confess our sins, 00:38:55.880 --> 00:38:59.580 I want us to confess what's actually deep that's going on. 00:39:00.680 --> 00:39:03.160 If you have unforgiveness in your heart, 00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:06.860 or let's say the sin is I'm angry at so and so. 00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:09.860 There's actually a deeper thing there that we confess. 00:39:10.180 --> 00:39:11.980 It's not just the symptom at the end. 00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:17.039 It's not just, oh, I'm angry at this person so I should confess my anger. 00:39:17.519 --> 00:39:20.840 No, it's that you don't realize that you are a sinner too. 00:39:22.119 --> 00:39:25.000 That you feel violated and offended by that person, 00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:29.960 when in truth you were the one that violated and offended Christ himself. 00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:33.659 That he was on the cross for you, yet you ignore him and you go about your day 00:39:33.659 --> 00:39:37.319 completely unaware of his presence in your life. 00:39:38.339 --> 00:39:42.599 Or you might confess, oh, I succumb to lust all the time. 00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:45.579 That is the symptom at the end. 00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:47.159 But what's the deeper issue there? 00:39:47.219 --> 00:39:48.879 What's the thing that we actually have to confess? 00:39:50.819 --> 00:39:51.679 God, I'm lonely. 00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:53.339 God, I'm lonely. 00:39:53.340 --> 00:39:57.840 I don't think you're enough for me. 00:39:58.360 --> 00:40:01.800 So I need to find satisfaction through a computer screen. 00:40:02.140 --> 00:40:05.780 I need to find satisfaction through other human beings. 00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:08.720 Because Jesus, essentially what I'm saying is that you're not enough. 00:40:09.079 --> 00:40:11.620 And that you're not the thing that I delight in the most. 00:40:11.840 --> 00:40:13.420 That's the confession. 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:19.260 I'm doing these things because actually I don't truly believe that God can be trusted. 00:40:19.260 --> 00:40:22.580 I'm doing these things because I don't actually really know God. 00:40:22.640 --> 00:40:29.460 And I'm just craving all these other things in an attempt to fill this gap in my heart in reality, 00:40:29.620 --> 00:40:31.400 which can only really be filled with God you. 00:40:32.260 --> 00:40:33.420 That's what I'm confessing. 00:40:33.580 --> 00:40:36.760 That I have put a different God in the center of my heart. 00:40:37.980 --> 00:40:41.640 And if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins. 00:40:41.700 --> 00:40:43.640 And he will cleanse us from all that unrighteousness. 00:40:43.640 --> 00:40:46.120 Remember, we are not supposed just to be the light. 00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:48.520 We simply walk in the light. 00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:51.400 It is not just about perfection. 00:40:51.700 --> 00:40:52.820 It is about progress. 00:40:53.260 --> 00:40:53.920 I'll finish with this. 00:40:54.000 --> 00:40:54.860 The Apostle Paul says, 00:40:55.480 --> 00:40:58.280 Not that I'm already perfect, but I press on to make it my own. 00:40:58.960 --> 00:41:02.160 Because Christ Jesus made me his own. 00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:06.440 Brothers, I've not obtained this, 00:41:07.020 --> 00:41:10.860 but I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:41:12.540 --> 00:41:13.820 That's the goal that we have. 00:41:14.420 --> 00:41:15.320 We're not perfect. 00:41:15.860 --> 00:41:18.260 None of us are perfect here. 00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:20.680 But we're pressing on. 00:41:21.460 --> 00:41:23.460 We're trying to walk in the light every day. 00:41:23.700 --> 00:41:26.720 If, if, if, every day present ourselves with that question. 00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:29.040 If I choose this, I'll go this way. 00:41:29.100 --> 00:41:31.140 If I choose this, I'll go this way. 00:41:31.880 --> 00:41:33.840 Can I just invite us to spend a moment now? 00:41:33.840 --> 00:41:37.059 Well, we don't do this all the time. 00:41:37.059 --> 00:41:39.579 But I think one thing that the church has missed, 00:41:39.820 --> 00:41:41.280 that we have picked and chosen, 00:41:41.519 --> 00:41:43.559 is we've lost the art of confession. 00:41:45.120 --> 00:41:49.140 We've lost the art of actually coming to terms of who we actually are. 00:41:49.180 --> 00:41:54.100 And we approach this throne knowing that there is darkness in our hearts, 00:41:54.820 --> 00:41:55.920 that light needs to expose. 00:41:55.920 --> 00:42:00.480 And I want us to spend a time of just confession before the Lord. 00:42:01.380 --> 00:42:03.280 Again, rest assured, Romans 3.23, 00:42:03.440 --> 00:42:05.099 we all fall short of the glory of God. 00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:08.400 If you're sat here going, oh, but I have so many. 00:42:09.139 --> 00:42:10.579 We all have so many. 00:42:11.760 --> 00:42:13.539 For we all fall short of the glory of God. 00:42:14.240 --> 00:42:17.480 The beauty is that we are all justified freely by his grace as a gift. 00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:20.320 So even though it is a throne that we approach, 00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:22.000 and we must never forget that. 00:42:22.380 --> 00:42:24.900 We must never think that God is just this warm and fuzzy guy 00:42:24.900 --> 00:42:25.920 who's willing to hang out with us, 00:42:25.940 --> 00:42:27.280 who's always waiting for us to call. 00:42:28.219 --> 00:42:29.639 God is high on his throne. 00:42:30.199 --> 00:42:32.300 He deserves reverence and awe. 00:42:32.400 --> 00:42:36.539 So we approach his throne with fear and reverence and trembling. 00:42:38.099 --> 00:42:40.860 But we do it confidently, as it says in Hebrews. 00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:41.099 Why? 00:42:41.219 --> 00:42:44.360 Because there is grace and mercy that awaits us. 00:42:44.360 --> 00:42:46.900 Because the book of James says, 00:42:47.400 --> 00:42:50.120 confess your sins to one another and be healed. 00:42:51.800 --> 00:42:53.320 I asked you at the beginning, 00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:55.300 who here wants to know God more? 00:42:56.440 --> 00:42:58.380 The question really becomes actually then, 00:42:58.539 --> 00:43:00.079 actually how can we remove those obstacles? 00:43:00.280 --> 00:43:01.820 Who here wants to be healed? 00:43:03.140 --> 00:43:04.820 Who here wants to be healed from the things, 00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:07.180 the stumbling blocks that actually block us from knowing God, 00:43:07.260 --> 00:43:10.000 from enjoying him, from having fellowship with each other? 00:43:10.480 --> 00:43:12.059 That should be all of us. 00:43:12.740 --> 00:43:13.539 If that's what you want, 00:43:13.539 --> 00:43:15.440 I invite you into a time of confession now. 00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:18.320 Just in your own heart. 00:43:18.900 --> 00:43:21.440 If you're not ready to share it with people around you, 00:43:21.480 --> 00:43:21.880 then don't. 00:43:22.659 --> 00:43:23.659 Nothing is forced here. 00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:27.659 But then I'll tell you now that 00:43:27.659 --> 00:43:30.559 the reason why we gather here in this tight space, 00:43:30.639 --> 00:43:31.639 in this intimate time, 00:43:32.300 --> 00:43:34.119 is that we want to be able to share it. 00:43:34.119 --> 00:43:34.500 Because it says, 00:43:34.759 --> 00:43:37.539 confess your sins to one another and be healed. 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:39.759 And if the Spirit leads you to, 00:43:39.840 --> 00:43:41.239 actually there is something that you want to share. 00:43:41.239 --> 00:43:43.299 Whether it's someone that you've known a long time, 00:43:43.419 --> 00:43:44.759 or whether it's someone you don't know at all, 00:43:44.799 --> 00:43:45.459 and you're just visiting, 00:43:46.199 --> 00:43:47.979 that's the beauty of the body of Christ. 00:43:48.059 --> 00:43:49.579 You can step into anywhere in the world, 00:43:49.899 --> 00:43:52.199 and have brothers and sisters who are saved by grace, 00:43:52.279 --> 00:43:52.839 just like you. 00:43:53.699 --> 00:43:54.979 And let's respect this space. 00:43:55.339 --> 00:43:55.619 And actually, 00:43:55.679 --> 00:43:56.699 if there is something that you need to share, 00:43:56.779 --> 00:43:57.699 and actually you just need to get out. 00:43:57.779 --> 00:43:59.379 You might not see the person next to you ever again, 00:43:59.380 --> 00:44:01.240 but just in the act of confession. 00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:04.519 You just name it, 00:44:04.559 --> 00:44:05.380 just to call it out. 00:44:05.980 --> 00:44:08.079 Then that's the beginning of the healing. 00:44:08.840 --> 00:44:11.360 That's you choosing the right if, 00:44:11.940 --> 00:44:12.920 and going the right way. 00:44:13.720 --> 00:44:14.800 Can we spend some time now, 00:44:14.840 --> 00:44:16.619 just in a solemn reflection, 00:44:17.260 --> 00:44:18.240 and in confession, 00:44:18.380 --> 00:44:19.640 and really asking God, 00:44:20.019 --> 00:44:20.680 the Holy Spirit, 00:44:20.760 --> 00:44:21.300 is there anything? 00:44:21.539 --> 00:44:22.599 Is there anything in me? 00:44:22.860 --> 00:44:23.760 Psalm 139, 00:44:23.820 --> 00:44:24.260 what does it say? 00:44:24.340 --> 00:44:24.920 Search my heart, 00:44:25.019 --> 00:44:25.700 test my thoughts. 00:44:26.160 --> 00:44:27.900 If there is anything in me that is offensive, 00:44:27.900 --> 00:44:31.139 lead me in the way everlasting. 00:44:31.940 --> 00:44:33.000 Let's just spend a moment now. 00:44:39.539 --> 00:44:40.460 C.S. Lewis, 00:44:40.880 --> 00:44:44.200 in the Chronicles of Narnia, 00:44:44.280 --> 00:44:46.019 in a book called The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 00:44:46.519 --> 00:44:47.480 he talks about a cousin. 00:44:49.300 --> 00:44:51.000 A cousin of a boy called Eustace. 00:44:52.760 --> 00:44:54.320 An awful and nasty boy, 00:44:55.160 --> 00:44:57.000 that gives a lot of grief to those around him. 00:44:57.900 --> 00:45:01.639 So much that he turns into a horrible dragon. 00:45:02.920 --> 00:45:04.280 And he wants to change. 00:45:04.880 --> 00:45:06.500 He's desperate to change. 00:45:07.340 --> 00:45:08.960 And the layers on his skin, 00:45:09.039 --> 00:45:10.500 he's trying to peel them off. 00:45:10.559 --> 00:45:12.559 He recognizes that everything that's dark 00:45:12.559 --> 00:45:14.460 and horrible inside has come to the surface, 00:45:14.559 --> 00:45:15.619 and he's this horrible dragon. 00:45:16.099 --> 00:45:17.420 And he tries to pierce it off. 00:45:17.700 --> 00:45:19.400 And each time he takes off one layer, 00:45:19.720 --> 00:45:21.800 another scaly layer appears. 00:45:22.180 --> 00:45:23.720 And he's just getting more and more desperate, 00:45:23.960 --> 00:45:24.700 more and more helpless, 00:45:24.699 --> 00:45:25.719 because he realizes, man, 00:45:25.779 --> 00:45:27.539 there is so much darkness 00:45:27.539 --> 00:45:30.799 and so much sin in me, essentially. 00:45:30.800 --> 00:45:34.120 The solution, in the end, 00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:35.960 was actually Aslan, 00:45:36.580 --> 00:45:38.640 the lion who represents Christ himself, 00:45:39.320 --> 00:45:41.360 is the one who comes to address this. 00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:43.120 At first, 00:45:43.560 --> 00:45:44.800 Eustace tried to change himself 00:45:44.800 --> 00:45:47.140 by scratching and peeling off layers of his dragon skin. 00:45:47.580 --> 00:45:49.160 But for every layer that came off, 00:45:49.240 --> 00:45:51.080 another layer of wrinkled, scaly skin 00:45:51.080 --> 00:45:51.920 appeared underneath. 00:45:51.920 --> 00:45:52.920 Finally, 00:45:53.800 --> 00:45:55.260 Aslan stepped up to the job. 00:45:56.119 --> 00:45:58.579 With one painful swipe of his powerful claws, 00:45:59.079 --> 00:46:01.559 the lion cut to the heart of Eustace's dragon flesh 00:46:01.559 --> 00:46:02.740 and peeled it away. 00:46:03.780 --> 00:46:05.800 And Eustace, the boy, stepped out. 00:46:07.840 --> 00:46:10.000 We can't save ourselves. 00:46:11.280 --> 00:46:12.700 Regardless of how hard we try, 00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:13.480 how many layers, 00:46:13.659 --> 00:46:15.240 our sin runs deep. 00:46:16.579 --> 00:46:17.240 But Aslan, 00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:18.139 Christ himself, 00:46:18.280 --> 00:46:19.099 the ultimate surgeon, 00:46:19.099 --> 00:46:21.579 has the ability to come in 00:46:21.579 --> 00:46:23.880 and pierce right into the heart of that 00:46:23.880 --> 00:46:25.500 and bring us back out again 00:46:25.500 --> 00:46:27.159 and bring us into the light. 00:46:27.400 --> 00:46:28.179 But I'll tell you this, 00:46:28.199 --> 00:46:28.739 it's painful. 00:46:30.259 --> 00:46:30.940 It's painful 00:46:30.940 --> 00:46:32.480 because the things that we've held on to 00:46:32.480 --> 00:46:33.559 that make us who we are, 00:46:33.900 --> 00:46:35.860 all those choices that we've gone the wrong way, 00:46:36.099 --> 00:46:37.039 they keep building up 00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:37.799 and before we know it, 00:46:37.819 --> 00:46:39.539 we are so far off from the destination. 00:46:40.139 --> 00:46:41.480 The light seems so far away. 00:46:43.400 --> 00:46:44.420 But through Aslan, 00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:45.119 through Jesus, 00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:46.699 who's the one who offers 00:46:46.699 --> 00:46:49.039 to be the physician, 00:46:49.259 --> 00:46:50.039 the great physician 00:46:50.039 --> 00:46:51.400 that pierces all of that, 00:46:52.460 --> 00:46:53.319 we can be healed. 00:46:55.059 --> 00:46:55.319 Now, 00:46:55.599 --> 00:46:56.960 we're not going to 00:46:56.960 --> 00:46:58.319 pierce ourselves here 00:46:58.319 --> 00:46:59.360 because that's not, 00:46:59.599 --> 00:47:00.819 it's only a metaphor, 00:47:01.360 --> 00:47:02.239 but we will do something 00:47:02.239 --> 00:47:03.299 slightly painful and awkward, 00:47:03.679 --> 00:47:04.679 which is I want us to share 00:47:04.679 --> 00:47:05.920 with the person next to us 00:47:05.920 --> 00:47:07.980 about if there's anything 00:47:07.980 --> 00:47:09.079 that you need to confess. 00:47:09.940 --> 00:47:10.259 And again, 00:47:10.539 --> 00:47:10.839 please, 00:47:10.940 --> 00:47:11.880 if someone shares with you, 00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:14.219 don't as soon as service finishes, 00:47:15.079 --> 00:47:16.000 just go off and 00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:18.460 share it with other people. 00:47:19.099 --> 00:47:20.619 Can we respect the space 00:47:20.619 --> 00:47:21.179 that it is, 00:47:21.639 --> 00:47:22.279 a holy space 00:47:22.279 --> 00:47:23.179 where the Lord is present? 00:47:24.159 --> 00:47:25.319 But if we're not good for this, 00:47:25.599 --> 00:47:26.019 and again, 00:47:26.199 --> 00:47:27.299 share only as much as you're willing, 00:47:27.440 --> 00:47:28.199 but if there is something 00:47:28.199 --> 00:47:29.739 that actually you want to start today 00:47:29.739 --> 00:47:30.579 and just to confess 00:47:30.579 --> 00:47:31.279 to someone else 00:47:31.279 --> 00:47:31.699 and be healed, 00:47:31.759 --> 00:47:32.639 I encourage you to do that. 00:47:32.719 --> 00:47:33.299 And it is awkward. 00:47:33.920 --> 00:47:34.719 It can be painful. 00:47:34.719 --> 00:47:37.779 But I truly, 00:47:37.899 --> 00:47:38.379 truly believe 00:47:38.379 --> 00:47:39.239 from the bottom of my heart 00:47:39.239 --> 00:47:39.739 it's worth it. 00:47:39.980 --> 00:47:41.480 So can we spend just two minutes? 00:47:41.619 --> 00:47:41.919 Again, 00:47:42.259 --> 00:47:42.699 introverts, 00:47:42.779 --> 00:47:43.179 don't worry. 00:47:43.500 --> 00:47:44.779 This won't be a forever discussion. 00:47:46.019 --> 00:47:46.659 Two minutes. 00:47:47.359 --> 00:47:48.359 The one thing that you feel 00:47:48.359 --> 00:47:49.799 the Lord is asking you to confess. 00:47:50.519 --> 00:47:51.099 And let's share that 00:47:51.099 --> 00:47:52.899 and then we'll finish with a song 00:47:52.899 --> 00:47:55.379 and we'll wrap up the service then. 00:47:55.419 --> 00:47:55.759 Is that good? 00:47:56.179 --> 00:47:56.679 Two minutes. 00:47:56.739 --> 00:47:57.859 Just turn to the people next to you. 00:47:58.059 --> 00:47:59.439 What's one thing you need to confess? 00:47:59.440 --> 00:48:00.440 Three minutes. 00:48:08.260 --> 00:48:09.039 All right. 00:48:09.099 --> 00:48:09.340 Okay. 00:48:14.720 --> 00:48:16.000 30 seconds. 00:48:22.099 --> 00:48:23.019 Nice hat. 00:48:24.159 --> 00:48:24.559 Thanks. 00:48:29.440 --> 00:48:32.039 We're going to respond 00:48:32.039 --> 00:48:35.420 through a song now. 00:48:36.519 --> 00:48:37.920 The song has a simple message. 00:48:38.019 --> 00:48:38.720 Lord, I need you. 00:48:40.539 --> 00:48:41.659 Every hour I need you. 00:48:41.720 --> 00:48:44.539 My sin runs deep. 00:48:49.200 --> 00:48:50.300 Just one final thing. 00:48:50.619 --> 00:48:52.539 This small discussion 00:48:52.539 --> 00:48:53.179 that we've just had, 00:48:53.240 --> 00:48:54.500 if you're in a midweek group, 00:48:55.159 --> 00:48:56.980 this is where you go deeper. 00:48:57.860 --> 00:48:58.639 If you have something 00:48:58.639 --> 00:49:00.379 that's more that you need to share, 00:49:00.539 --> 00:49:01.960 we believe that it's not just here. 00:49:02.159 --> 00:49:03.559 It's through the people 00:49:03.559 --> 00:49:04.440 that you're dealing with life with 00:49:04.440 --> 00:49:05.980 and that's not just on a Sunday morning. 00:49:06.079 --> 00:49:07.119 That's in your midweek gatherings. 00:49:08.839 --> 00:49:10.079 This is the message we have heard 00:49:10.079 --> 00:49:10.699 and proclaimed. 00:49:10.839 --> 00:49:11.400 That God is light 00:49:11.400 --> 00:49:13.319 and in him is no darkness at all. 00:49:15.639 --> 00:49:17.199 If we say we have fellowship with him 00:49:17.199 --> 00:49:18.000 and walk in darkness, 00:49:18.239 --> 00:49:19.659 we lie 00:49:19.659 --> 00:49:21.400 and the truth is not it. 00:49:21.460 --> 00:49:22.659 We do not practice the truth. 00:49:23.779 --> 00:49:24.920 But if we walk in the light 00:49:24.920 --> 00:49:26.259 as he is in the light, 00:49:26.260 --> 00:49:28.360 then we have fellowship 00:49:28.360 --> 00:49:29.020 with one another 00:49:29.020 --> 00:49:30.160 and the blood of Jesus, 00:49:30.280 --> 00:49:30.600 his son, 00:49:30.720 --> 00:49:33.360 cleanses us from all sin. 00:49:35.220 --> 00:49:36.520 If we confess our sins, 00:49:36.600 --> 00:49:37.460 he is faithful and just 00:49:37.460 --> 00:49:38.240 and he will forgive us 00:49:38.240 --> 00:49:38.800 of our sins 00:49:38.800 --> 00:49:39.640 and he will cleanse us 00:49:39.640 --> 00:49:41.720 from all unrighteousness. 00:49:42.140 --> 00:49:42.620 Brothers and sisters, 00:49:42.720 --> 00:49:43.740 that's what we're hoping for. 00:49:44.420 --> 00:49:45.360 That's what we're praying for, 00:49:45.400 --> 00:49:46.280 that we would walk 00:49:46.280 --> 00:49:47.960 in the light. 00:49:49.240 --> 00:49:49.620 So Jesus, 00:49:49.740 --> 00:49:50.860 we choose you. 00:49:50.860 --> 00:49:54.519 There are many ifs in life 00:49:54.519 --> 00:49:56.120 from the moment that we wake up. 00:49:58.320 --> 00:49:59.180 We choose, 00:49:59.620 --> 00:50:00.900 I choose to not reach 00:50:00.900 --> 00:50:02.240 for anything else but you. 00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:09.180 You, Lord, 00:50:09.900 --> 00:50:12.760 are the one 00:50:12.760 --> 00:50:15.539 that cleanses us from our sin, 00:50:16.200 --> 00:50:17.840 that forgives us of our sin. 00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:21.079 And it's your light 00:50:21.079 --> 00:50:21.760 that ultimately, 00:50:22.300 --> 00:50:23.160 as Uday says, 00:50:23.260 --> 00:50:23.900 gives freedom. 00:50:25.640 --> 00:50:26.519 After Eustace 00:50:26.519 --> 00:50:28.220 was freed 00:50:28.220 --> 00:50:29.320 from the skin of a dragon, 00:50:29.539 --> 00:50:30.700 there's the roar of Aslan 00:50:30.700 --> 00:50:32.640 and that is the roar of freedom 00:50:32.640 --> 00:50:34.360 that we declare as well. 00:50:36.079 --> 00:50:37.140 That we are sinners, 00:50:37.519 --> 00:50:38.640 that we are far worse 00:50:38.640 --> 00:50:39.360 than we imagined. 00:50:40.740 --> 00:50:42.280 But we are far more loved 00:50:42.280 --> 00:50:43.380 than we ever dare dream 00:50:43.380 --> 00:50:45.160 and through one incisive 00:50:45.160 --> 00:50:47.019 piercing on the cross, 00:50:47.019 --> 00:50:48.980 all that shame, 00:50:49.099 --> 00:50:49.599 all that guilt, 00:50:49.719 --> 00:50:50.320 all that fear, 00:50:50.679 --> 00:50:51.320 all that sin 00:50:51.320 --> 00:50:52.699 was dealt with. 00:50:54.759 --> 00:50:55.719 And so we declare 00:50:55.719 --> 00:50:56.500 with one voice, 00:50:58.599 --> 00:50:58.880 Lord, 00:50:58.960 --> 00:50:59.599 we need you. 00:51:01.519 --> 00:51:02.639 We come to you, 00:51:02.800 --> 00:51:03.360 we bow down, 00:51:03.440 --> 00:51:04.039 we confess, 00:51:04.159 --> 00:51:05.000 we need you. 00:51:07.320 --> 00:51:07.920 You, Lord, 00:51:07.960 --> 00:51:08.559 are our righteousness. 00:51:08.559 --> 00:51:08.820 Yes.